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Chicago Dr. Navapriya S. "Blood Cancer Action Plan to Transform Cancer Care and Survival". Medindia. https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/blood-cancer-action-plan-to-transform-cancer-care-and-survival-217132-1.htm. (accessed Oct 08, 2024).
Harvard Dr. Navapriya S. 2024. Blood Cancer Action Plan to Transform Cancer Care and Survival. Medindia, viewed Oct 08, 2024, https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/blood-cancer-action-plan-to-transform-cancer-care-and-survival-217132-1.htm.
One of the most exciting movies this year is Alia Bhat and Vedang Rainas Jigra. According to several reports, Jigra will be a brother-sister thriller, which has invited many comparisons with Fiza, starring Sushmita Sen and Hrithik Roshan. After a long wait, the posters for Jigra were finally released and fans couldnt be more excited about it. The first poster showed Vedang Rainas face and Alia Bhatts silhouette from the back. The caption read, Tu mere protection mein hai (Youre under my protection), suggesting that Alia will be trying to protect her brother, played by Vedang, in the film.
Dharma Productions The second poster showed Alia Bhatt in a rugged avatar, holding a hammer and other weapons in her hands. The caption read, Kahaani bahut lambi hai aur bhai ke paas waqt bahut bahut kam (Its a long story and my brother has very little time). Take a look at both posters here: View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram Fans showed their excitement in the comments section:
Instagram/Alia Bhatt
Instagram/Alia Bhatt
Three airmen have died at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea in a span of five weeks, but Air Force officials are providing few details on the causes of death and how they're specifically addressing the string of incidents.
Last week, on Aug. 28, Tech. Sgt. Jacob Venegas was found deceased in an on-base dormitory. Earlier that month, on Aug. 5, Senior Airman Saniyya Jones-Smalls was found dead on base. Prior to her death, on July 26, Airman Basic Kye Vang passed away on base, according to three separate press releases from Kunsan.
Capt. Alvin Nelson, a spokesperson for the base, told Military.com in an emailed statement that "summer has been difficult for the Wolf Pack due to the multiple losses of airmen in a short amount of time."
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But Nelson, as well as Department of the Air Force spokespeople, declined to comment on the specific causes of the deaths -- such as whether they were attributable to accidents, homicides, training or illness.
The Air Force has previously told Military.com that internal and Pentagon suicide prevention policies limit the information it can share with the public about deaths at the service's various bases across the globe.
"As the deaths are under investigation, it would be inappropriate to speculate on any causes or similarities between the cases," Nelson said.
In the deaths of Jones-Smalls and Vang, Kunsan Air Base said "foul play is not suspected." The news release regarding Venegas' death states only that "details surrounding the death are under investigation."
Jonathan Jones, Jones-Smalls' father, told Military.com in a phone interview Friday that officials informed the family it is initially being investigated as a death by suicide, but the probe into the incident is still ongoing.
"What's going on over there?" Jones told Military.com, reacting to the string of deaths. He explained his daughter had dealt with a personal loss prior to her passing. "I question if everything was OK, and she was good enough to go to such an isolated place like Korea."
Kunsan Air Base experienced another on-base death in March: That of Staff Sgt. Jacob Kruse, whose "death is under investigation, however, foul play is not suspected," according to the base.
When asked by Military.com what Kunsan is doing to support the base community in the wake of the deaths, Nelson said the "8th Fighter Wing leadership is engaging to reinforce support entities and increase the number of daily opportunities for connection between airmen at all levels to strengthen our community."
No other specifics were provided.
According to the latest information available from the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, there were 22 reported deaths from suicide in the Air Force between Jan. 1 and March 31 -- 17 from the active-duty ranks, 3 from the reserve component, and 2 from the Air National Guard.
In 2023, there were 91 airmen deaths among the active duty, reserve and Air National Guard, according to data from the Defense Suicide Prevention Office.
In late November, the community around Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota raised alarm over the deaths of three airmen in a single month, Military.com previously reported. Similarly, that base declined to say what the cause of the deaths were, but officials said they were "actively working to provide extensive mental health and resilience resources to struggling individuals."
Related: 3 Airman Deaths at Minot Air Force Base in October Have Left the Community Reeling
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.
2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit al.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
One of the Navy's amphibious warships suffered a major mechanical failure earlier this week that forced it to return to port -- at least the third such incident this year.
Lt. Cmdr. David Carter, a spokesman for Naval Surface Force Atlantic, confirmed that the USS Iwo Jima suffered "a non-propulsion-related materiel casualty in the engineering department" that forced the ship to return to Naval Station Norfolk on Thursday. That description could cover everything from a problem with the ship's hydraulics to power generators to potable water equipment.
In an email to Military.com on Friday, Carter said that the ship was at sea conducting training to prepare it for an eventual deployment and the breakdown comes just weeks after the Marine Corps began calling for more regular deployments of its Marine units that serve aboard ships like the Iwo Jima.
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A ship watcher who goes by the name AirAssets online first spotted the problem when they noticed, using tracking websites, several tugs sailing out into open waters off Virginia Beach to meet the ship. Several hours later, the Iwo Jima was spotted coming back to Norfolk.
Carter would not offer more details about what exactly failed on the ship but did say that it was not an issue with the ship's rudder. However, AirAssets told Military.com in an interview Friday that the ship struggled to maintain its course as it returned to Norfolk.
Rudder issues were the same problem that forced the USS Boxer to return from its deployment in April just 10 days after setting sail.
In March, a very similar series of events played out with the USS Wasp, the same class of ship as the Iwo Jima and in the same waters off of Virginia.
The same ship watcher spotted the Wasp having issues and abruptly returning to port. The watcher's account reported that the ship suffered damage to its propeller shaft.
When asked about that March incident, Carter said that the ship "discovered an engineering irregularity" that forced it to return to port without confirming or denying a shaft issue.
"30+-year-old warships will experience materiel challenges," Carter argued at the time, before noting that the commander of the Navy's surface fleet in the Atlantic "focuses on how we respond to those challenges."
The Wasp ultimately deployed in June, but the Navy's top officer, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, suggested in April that this may have been later than expected, telling reporters that the service was "seeing some potential delays on Wasp."
Meanwhile, the Boxer finally deployed in mid-July. The delay meant that the two other ships carrying a large portion of the Marine expeditionary units, or MEUs, had to spend months in the Pacific Ocean without the Marines, aircraft and vehicles that the Boxer was set to carry.
These delays and breakdowns are set to reignite a point of friction between the Navy and Marine Corps over whether the sea service can reliably transport Marines to sea so that they can fulfill their obligation of being a ready response force.
Last year, then-Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berger expressed serious regrets over the fact that he wasn't able to have Marines ready to go in the Mediterranean Sea amid two crises: a massive earthquake in Turkey and unrest in Sudan.
"Places like Turkey or, the last couple of weeks, in Sudan -- I feel like I let down the combatant commander," Berger told members of the House Armed Services Committee in April 2023.
More recently, in January 2024, a Marine Corps three-star general also said that not only are the Navy's amphibious ships not ready to deploy Marines around the world on time, the problem also has no short-term fix.
Since then, both Franchetti and the current leader of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric Smith, have tried to present a more unified front on the issue. But just last month, Smith released his annual planning document that both codified his intent to constantly have a MEU on deployment and also noted that the Navy needs to do more to help the Marine Corps meet that goal.
"My intent is for the Marine Corps to provide Geographic Combatant Commanders with a continuous 3.0 MEU presence," Smith said in the planning document, before noting that "the term 3.0 refers to heel-to-toe deployments of one MEU from the East Coast, one MEU from the West Coast, and the 31st MEU originating from Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) in Japan."
The document went on to emphasize that his ability to make good on that goal relies heavily on the Navy having enough amphibious ships to support the Marines, and he added that, "in the meantime, [Marines] must find creative solutions in lieu of perfect remedies."
Smith said he would continue to advocate for five ships based in Japan and noted that, in order "to meet the material and personnel readiness goals associated with a 3.0 MEU requirement, the United States Navy will likely require increased resources" for years to come.
Related: Top Navy Leader Has Ordered 'Deep Dive' on Amphibious Ship Readiness After Delays with USS Boxer
The posts on the white supremacy forum Iron March called for a paramilitary force that would operate as a "modern day SS."
As Iron March users traded messages, a vision for a new group began to emerge: buying land in remote, predominantly white areas of the United States; networking with locals; stockpiling weapons and supplies; and eventually starting a guerilla race war.
"As time goes on in this conflict, we will expand our territories and slowly take back the land that is rightfully ours," one of the users wrote. "This will be a ground war very reminiscent of Iraq."
That fit well with what Liam Collins -- a New Jersey man who often went by the name Niezgoda online -- had been thinking when he hatched the idea. Everyone in the group, he wrote, should spend time in the military. He was enlisting in the Marines, he said -- "for the cause."
This July, Collins was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a 2020 plot to attack the power grid in Idaho. He was arrested shortly after he was kicked out of the military in September 2020 for making racist posts on Iron March. During Collins' time in the Marine Corps, he had recruited at least two other Marines to join his effort, according to a federal indictment.
Court documents from a 2020 neo-Nazi plot to attack the power grid say that the group pulled in service members and took military gear from Camp Lejeune (Illustration by Sonner Kehrt and Samantha Daniels/The War Horse)
He also allegedly stole military-issue body armor and assault-style rifle magazines from Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, according to court records, passing them along to members of his group.
With this year's presidential election being cast as a battle for the soul of the country, is the military doing enough to safeguard its weapons of war from those who would use them for their own ends, like criminals -- or extremists?
"That's a national security concern," says Daryl Johnson, a former domestic terrorism analyst for the Department of Homeland Security.
It's also a question the Pentagon appears to be unwilling to answer for the public -- largely hiding its progress on tracking stolen and missing weapons in opaque reports on Capitol Hill.
The military has clear procedures for tracking and inventorying weapons and other sensitive materials. But opportunists and ideologues alike have long found ways to abscond with military firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other high-value equipment.
"Where are these weapons going?" Johnson said. "Those types of things could boost the violent capabilities of a criminal organization or a terrorist group."
Despite assurances from the military that it takes stolen weapons extremely seriously, firearms -- along with other high-value military equipment -- have continued to disappear in recent years. While some are later recovered, a steady drumbeat of thefts and disappearances show that weapons and tactical gear aren't always secure.
This January, an intruder took helmets and tactical vests from Fort Campbell. In July, three people were arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars of military equipment, including ballistic vests, radios, and high-capacity magazines, from the 174th Air National Guard Attack Wing in New York. Last November, an Army Humvee disappeared from Fort Liberty.
In January 2023, the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, at Camp Lejeune lost track of an M18 pistol and two magazines -- just four years after two rifles disappeared from the same unit. This past March, Marines at Camp Pendleton reported an M110 sniper rifle missing.
And this May, 31 M17 pistols were reported missing from Fort Moore, Georgia. The Army Criminal Investigative Division is offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to their recovery.
"Just from a pure taxpayer standpoint, the fact that taxpayer money is being stolen, literally out of the arsenals of our military, that should be concern enough," Johnson said.
"But the fact that we're in this heightened threat environment with an election, a polarized population, those are all additional risk factors that ratchet it up even more."
Where is Congressional Oversight?
In 2021, the Associated Press published an investigation that found that at least 1,900 military weapons had disappeared from military bases in the previous decade, with some resurfacing in violent crimes or gang activity.
The report detailed how an Army pistol had been used in four separate shootings and traced multiple missing military AK-74s to gang members in California. It also reported how a Marine Corps demolition specialist, worried about an impending civil war and "[his] family and [his] constitutional rights," stole 13 pounds of C-4 explosive from Camp Lejeune in 2016.
John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman at the time, told the Associated Press in 2021 that the military could account for "99.999%" of its firearms, but he also acknowledged that even one missing gun is "one too many."
Recent posters from the Army Criminal Investigation Division offer rewards for stolen equipment. (Illustration: Sonner Kehrt/The War Horse)
In response to the AP investigation, lawmakers pushed through a 2022 defense spending bill requirement that the secretary of defense submit annual reports to Congress on the number of military weapons, explosives, and certain ammunition lost or stolen each year.
"American streets and neighborhoods are no place for military-grade weapons," Congressman Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat and an Army veteran who co-sponsored legislation that shaped the requirement, said at the time. "Ensuring that the Department of Defense is tracking lost and stolen weapons is a matter of public safety."
However, the Pentagon's efforts have been far from a matter of public accountability.
The Defense Department would not confirm to The War Horse that it has submitted those reports.
"As with all official correspondence, DOD will respond directly to Congress at the appropriate time. We have nothing further to provide at this time," a press officer from the Secretary of Defense's office told The War Horse in response to our third email asking about the reports.
They did not respond to further emails asking for clarification on whether the department had submitted the reports in 2022 and 2023.
The Defense Department also did not respond to requests for comment about any changes it has made to increase oversight, accountability, or reporting of missing or lost firearms or explosives in recent years. The Army, which is responsible for the majority of the military's firearms, also did not respond to requests for comment.
Just months after nearly three dozen pistols were reported missing from Fort Moore, there is largely silence on Capitol Hill about the issue.
The War Horse reached out to every member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, as well as House Armed Services Committee leadership, to ask if they had read the reports or wanted to comment on congressional oversight of missing military weapons or equipment.
Not until Wednesday -- after weeks of inquiries from The War Horse -- did a spokesperson for the Senate Armed Services Committee confirm the Pentagon has been filing the reports. But the Defense Department issued them with low-level classifications that hide them from the public. So it's unclear how many weapons are still going missing, how big of a problem it is, and what the military is doing to address it.
No lawmaker confirmed that he or she had read the reports, and only two senators responded to The War Horse's questions about their oversight.
Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville's office told The War Horse it was aware of the issue of missing military weapons and was in the process of requesting more information. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, offered a more urgent response.
"Missing weapons and equipment from several installations demand the Department of Defense's immediate attention," Sen. Blumenthal said. "I will continue to advocate for increased transparency and Congressional oversight regarding military equipment to ensure weapons systems and platforms remain in the proper hands."
That may be an uphill climb. The requirement that the Defense Department submit weapons oversight reports to Congress expires this year. A spokesperson for the Senate Armed Services Committee told The War Horse the committee was pushing for more transparency in next year's defense spending bill, extending the Pentagon's reporting requirement through 2029. The draft bill also adds a provision that the Defense Department report any missing or recovered weapons to Congress within 72 hours.
The House's current version of the bill, however, does not include an extension.
When Ammunition Goes Missing
The military has some 4.5 million small arms, according to a 2018 report by Small Arms Survey, spread out across hundreds of installations -- as well as uncountable other materiel, from night vision goggles and tactical body armor to bullets, grenades, and explosives.
"Sometimes we don't really know where all of our excess equipment is," Army undersecretary Gabe Camarillo said at an Association of the U.S. Army conference last October, according to Defense One. "We have a lot of it, and it's accumulated over time."
Millions of people -- uniformed service members, contractors, civilian vendors -- move on and off bases every day. And while the military tightly controls who has access to firearms and other sensitive equipment, ultimately the safety of these weapons comes down to trusting those who have access.
"They're maybe lacking proper inspections or inventory checks, things like that," says Johnson. "A lot of it is the honor system."
When firearms go missing, they can end up in the hands of gang members or other criminal enterprises, law enforcement experts told The War Horse. They also often end up outside of the country -- "where nobody's asking any questions," says Carter Smith, a former Army CID special agent who now teaches criminal justice at Middle Tennessee State University. Law enforcement can track serialized pistols and rifles back to the military if they are used to commit crimes in the U.S., Smith and other experts told The War Horse.
Ammunition and explosives, on the other hand, are harder to trace and easier to hide. The military is also supposed to inventory and track both. But in reality, that can be difficult.
In December, a former Air Force staff sergeant was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in stealing ammunition from Fairchild Air Force Base in eastern Washington. Members of an Air Force small arms training unit at the base discussed stealing thousands of rounds a day, according to court documents. At one point, court records said, they falsified records at the request of Air Force explosive experts who couldn't make it to the range, and the training unit kept the unused ammo for themselves. One airman told an undercover investigator that everyone in the unit knew about the stealing.
The ammunition thefts were discovered in the course of an investigation into the social media activity of the sergeant, John Sanger, who posted false information about the 2020 election, and called in December 2020 for the seizure of the U.S. Capitol, writing, "People have to die." When law enforcement later searched his home, they found neo-Nazi and white supremacist paraphernalia.
Rooting Out Extremism
After the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin promised to root out extremism in the military, ordering all units to take time off from regular missions to conduct counterextremism training and commissioning a working group on the issue. While arrests for the Capitol insurrection continue, current estimates of rioters with military backgrounds hover around 15%. The percentage of American adults who have served in the military is about 6%.
Earlier this summer, the Office of Inspector General announced it would be investigating the effectiveness of Defense Department counterextremism training. The military has updated its pre-enlistment screening to include questions about membership in extremist organizations and now includes a slide in its pre-separation counseling, urging service members to "guard against attempts to be radicalized." In June, the Army announced new rules for how commanders should address extremism in their units, including reporting any incidents to the Defense Department's Office of Inspector General. Last month, the Marine Corps also issued new guidance, directing commanders to inform Marine Corps Headquarters within 30 minutes of learning about an alleged incident of extremism.
But the counterextremism working group's efforts have faced opposition from congressional Republicans, and this year's defense authorization bill specified that no military funding could be used to support the working group. In December, a study from the Institute for Defense Analyses, a nonprofit research corporation sponsored by the U.S. government, found "no evidence" that violent extremists are disproportionately represented in the military.
However, experts say that veterans can have a disproportionate impact in extremist movements. An analysis last year of mass casualty extremist attacks or plots, where the intent was to kill or injure four or more people, found that military service was the single strongest predictor -- and that attacks carried out by people with a military background were more likely to succeed.
Extremist groups have long actively recruited military members and veterans for their leadership and tactical skills.
"These groups will try to sort of replace what is missing and give people a sense of purpose," said Jeff Schoep, the former leader of NSM, which used to be one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the country.
In an interview with The War Horse, Schoep said he worked hard to bring veterans into his organization.
"Whatever rank they attained in their branch of the service would be under consideration for their rank in the organization," he said, adding that he knew veterans often missed the sense of purpose they felt in the military.
"The group would say, Hey, we're patriots. We're standing up for our country.'"
Schoep has since left neo-Nazism and works to help deradicalize others.
A Pentagon inspector general report in November 2023 found the military had documented 183 allegations of extremist activity from October 2022 through September 2023, including 78 cases advocating for the overthrowing of the U.S. government and 44 cases of supporting terrorism in the U.S. or abroad. The total allegations increased by 37 from the previous year.
Just last month, an active duty Army soldier at Fort Liberty was arrested for allegedly lying on a security clearance form about his ties to a white nationalist group; the Southern Poverty Law Center identified him as a member of Patriot Front, a neo-fascist white supremacy organization. He also allegedly sold stolen firearms, though the Army has said they were not stolen from the Army.
And just this week, Military.com reported that two current members of the Virginia Army National Guard are leaders of an anti-government militia that has made threats against the federal government.
Johnson says that it's naive to ignore potential connections between extremists and the military, even if the numbers are small. He's seen this before. In 2009, Johnson came under attack when the Department of Homeland Security retracted a leaked internal report he authored on the growing problem of extremism in the military following political backlash.
"We've gone more than a decade with these groups growing and increasing their capabilities, and we've had attacks that have gotten more lethal," Johnson said.
"People can pinch off a piece of [plastic explosive] and stick it in their pocket. That's enough to build a pipe bomb," he said.
"If someone wanted a larger amount, they could break it out, piece by piece, and have it in their pocket -- pretty much go undetected."
This War Horse investigation was reported by Sonner Kehrt, edited by Mike Frankel, fact-checked by Jess Rohan, and copy-edited by Mitchell Hansen-Dewar. Abbie Bennett wrote the headlines.
Editors Note: This article first appeared on The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service. Subscribe to their newsletter
The White Sox sent right-hander Touki Toussaint outright to Triple-A Charlotte, the team announced (relayed on X by Scott Merkin of MLB.com). Chicago designated him for assignment on Tuesday.
Toussaint made it into the MLB bullpen just before the trade deadline. He pitched 11 times and ate 23 innings with a 7.43 ERA. He struck out 22.2% of opponents while issuing walks at a massive 15.4% clip. Thats more or less the same profile that the former first-round pick has shown over his seven seasons in the big leagues. While Toussaint misses bats at a roughly league average rate, he has always had well below-average control.
This was the second straight season in which the 28-year-old pitched for the Sox. Chicago claimed him off waivers from the Guardians last summer. He started 15 of 19 appearances down the stretch, posting an ERA a hair under 5.00. Toussaint held his 40-man roster spot until the end of Spring Training. The Sox outrighted him to Charlotte just before Opening Day. He pitched to a 5.15 ERA in 50 2/3 innings there before being called back up.
Toussaint has multiple career outrights, giving him the right to elect free agency. There may not be enough runway for him to catch on anywhere else this season, so it seems likelier hell report to Charlotte and try to return to the Chicago bullpen over the next couple weeks. Hell be a minor league free agent in the offseason unless the White Sox call him back up.
KEWEENAW PENINSULA, MI Two stunning tunnels of trees fit for fall-color lovers can be found about an hour drive from each other in Michigans Upper Peninsula more specifically, the Keweenaw Peninsula.
The Keweenaw boasts two beautiful tunnels of trees, Jesse Wiederhold, spokesman for Visit Keweenaw.
RELATED: Michigans best county roads for fall color tours
These tunnels will soon be putting on a fall color show. The U.P. is the first part of the state to reach fall color peak, usually in early October. That means theres still time to plan your trip to these scenic spots.
Find Covered Road near Houghton and Covered Drive on the way to Copper Harbor.
Covered Drive is a scenic 5.5-mile stretch west of Houghton in Michigan's Houghton County. This tunnel of trees is ideal for fall color viewing.Visit Keweenaw
Covered Drive
From Houghton, head west on Houghton Canal Road and then take a left onto Coles Creek Road. Continue straight and it eventually turns into Covered Drive.
This scenic dirt road engulfs drivers in a dramatic tunnel of trees straight out of a movie, Wiederhold said. Covered Drive is a quiet, country path. ... Towering deciduous trees fence the road and let color peepers bask in their fall glory.
In addition to vibrantly colored leaves, visitors will also see the ghost town of Redridge, including its 1901 dam across the Salmon Trout River, he said.
The best time to drive this 5.5-mile stretch this fall is during the golden hour before sunset, Wiederhold said.
Covered Road is a scenic 10-mile stretch of U.S. 41 between Lac La Belle Road and the town of Copper Harbor in Michigan's Keweenaw County. This tunnel of trees is ideal for fall color viewing.Visit Keweenaw
Covered Road
Traveling north on U.S. 41 toward Copper Harbor, fall enthusiasts will come to Covered Road after passing Lac La Belle Road. No need to turn, this scenic drive is a 10-mile stretch of U.S. 41.
For ten miles to Copper Harbor, youll be deep in a thick forest with some trees growing only over a foot away from the edge of the pavement on both sides, Wiederhold said. Copper Harbor greets you at the end of this stretch with a stunning marina visible as you enter town.
Its part of the Copper Country Trail National Byway, which was designated as a Michigan State Heritage Route in 1994.
For more information about scenic drives on the Keweenaw Peninsula, click here.
MUSKEGON, MI -- The SS Milwaukee Clipper has lived many lives over her 120 years so you know the Queen of the Great Lakes has stories to share.
For the first time since she returned to Muskegon, the ship is offering haunted tours.
The passenger steamship no longer sails the Great Lakes and is docked permanently in Muskegon Lake. As a National Historic Landmark, she functions as a travel through time for visitors who climb abroad to hear her maritime history.
This October, the SS Milwaukee Clipper is your ghost afloat as a tour of thrills takes you through multiple decks and decades.
RELATED: This light station guided lumber across Lake Michigan after the Great Chicago Fire
Built in 1904-1905 in Detroit as the Juniata, a 361-foot wooden steamer, she was designed to carry freight and provide first class accommodations for passengers sailing between Buffalo, New York, and Duluth, Minnesota.
Safety regulations in 1937 retired the wooden Juniata and she was rebuilt in 1940 as a streamlined liner, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
As the SS Milwaukee Clipper, she took her maiden voyage to the Milwaukee harbor from the shipyard in Manitowoc in June 1941.
For 36 consecutive years she moved passengers and automobiles between Milwaukee and Muskegon. Later she added regular stops in Chicago to her wartime itinerary.
Service continued through the 1970s and then the ship was sold and towed to Green Bay, Wisconsin.
She later resided at Navy Pier in Chicago and entertained as a restaurant and nightclub for several years.
RELATED: Worlds Largest Weather Vane inspired by Lake Michigan shipwreck 123 years ago
In 1998, she moved back to Muskegon, and is now owned by the SS Milwaukee Clipper Preservation, Inc., a non-profit organization which has reopened the vessel as a floating maritime museum.
The haunted tour is a limited fall event, taking place Friday and Saturdays from Oct. 4 to Oct. 25. Each tour is 30 minutes and cost $20. Space is limited, only 15 spots per tour.
For more event details, including the ships Monster Mash Dance, check out www.milwaukeeclipper.com/events
Avril Lavignes 2024 Greatest Hits tour comes to Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan tomorrow night at 7 p.m., and tickets are still available.
Find listings on Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, and StubHub for less than $60, with more ticket offerings on Ticketmaster.
Avril Lavigne performs at IHeartRadio Music Village, Saturday, September, 21, 2013 in Las Vegas, NV. Lavigne, who will turn 40 later this month, will bring her Greatest Hits tour to Blossom Music Center on Friday, Sept. 6 (Photo by Al Powers/Powers Imagery/Invision /AP)Powers Imagery/Invision/AP
Performing her 2000s hits like Sk8er Boi, Complicated, and Girlfriend, Avril Lavigne is traveling to arenas all over the country for a nostalgic Greatest Hits Tour. The 2024 route makes its way to Michigan tomorrow night, taking over Pine Knob Music Theatre with fellow pop-punk stars Simple Plan and Girlfriends.
Despite the nearly 24 hour deadline, tickets are still available on Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub, and Ticketmaster. Prices start between $39 and $58 for lawn GA seats, depending on the ticket retailer; while section seating is going for about $80 per last-minute ticket.
For Avril fans unable to make the Pine Knob show, her tour is still to make stops in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Minneapolis this month before heading to Canada.
Tickets: Vivid Seats from $58 | SeatGeek from $54 | StubHub from $39 | Ticketmaster from $99
MOUNT CLEMENS, MI -- A Clinton Township man accused of murdering his neighbors dog last month was arraigned this week on multiple charges related to the incident, including a pair of felonies. Andrae Jones, 43, is charged with third-degree killing/torturing an animal, felony firearm and other charges after he allegedly shot and killed the dog for coming too close to his property line.
Jones allegedly shot the dog on Aug. 15 and was arraigned on charges Tuesday in 41B District Court. Bond was set at $20,000 cash/surety with 10% allowed and if released, Jones is ordered not to have contact with the neighbors and may not possess any firearms or ammunition.
Under Michigan law, intentionally killing a dog is a four-year felony. The consequences of the defendants actions extend beyond just legal repercussions. The family is now grieving the loss of a beloved family member. We will ensure the defendant faces the consequences of his alleged actions, said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.
Jones is due back in court on Sept. 16 for a probable cause conference.
PONTIAC, MI -- Oakland County Probate Judge Kathleen Ryan has been removed from her docket while an investigation takes place into claims that she used an anti-gay slur and called Black people in the U.S. lazy.
According to the Associated Press, Ryan is allegedly heard using the slur in phone call recordings produced by court administrator Edward Hutton. Ryan used the slur while talking about Oakland County Executive David Coulter, who is a gay man.
Im not systemically racist. Im a new racist, Ryan says in one of the recordings.
Ryan was removed from her docket on Aug. 27 for unspecified misconduct. In an interview with WXYZ-Detroit, Hutton admits he recorded the conversations with Ryan and passed them along to Coulter, as well as Elizabeth Clement, the chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court among others.
I just want to make it right. ... I want to keep my job and do it in peace, Hutton said. And I want the people in Oakland County that come to court to get a fair shake, to have their day in court, to have an unbiased trier of fact.
Chief Probate Judge Linda Hallmark suspended Ryan with pay while the matter is investigated by the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission. Ryan did not comment on the situation, but her attorneys, Gerald Gleeson and Thomas Cranmer, said: We look forward to vindicating Judge Ryan in the appropriate forum.
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI President Joe Biden told an Ann Arbor-area crowd of skilled trades workers and apprentices Friday hes excited about whats next for the country.
Ive never been more optimistic about Americas future, he said, speaking at the United Association Local 190 job training center off Jackson Road in Scio Township.
Were seeing the great American comeback story, he said, noting the U.S. economy saw another 142,000 jobs added in August and the clean energy sector is growing fast.
When I think climate, I think jobs good-paying union jobs, he said.
Biden, in the final months of his presidency, traveled to the Ann Arbor area Sept. 6 to sign what the White House described ahead of the event as a landmark Good Jobs executive order on investing in America and American workers.
He penned it with union workers and U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, standing by and handed Dingell the pen afterward.
President Joe Biden participates in a signing ceremony after speaking to labor union members about his Investing in America agenda during a visit to the U.A. Local 190 Training Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., Friday, Sep. 6, 2024, as Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., right, looks on. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) APAP
With the order, the Biden-Harris administration is the first in history to specify a clear list of labor standards for federal agencies to prioritize, according to the White House.
That includes standards in support of worker economic security, high-wage jobs with benefits, workforce development such as registered apprenticeships, fair hiring and management practices, workplace safety and the free and fair choice to join a union through federally funded projects.
Those are going to be the new standards from this point onward unless a future president repeals the order, Biden said, and he dares to see anyone try that.
The union group that hosted the president represents plumbers, pipefitters and other workers who Biden said are the real heroes in Americas comeback story.
President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the U.A. Local 190 Training Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) APAP
The president talked about the cooperative relationships hes had with labor unions going back to 1972 when he was elected to the U.S. Senate from Delaware at the age of 29.
Wall Street did not build America, the middle class built America, he said, adding unions built the middle class.
Biden took a few jabs at former President Donald Trump during his speech, portraying him as a union buster who doesnt understand the notion of a hard days work. Biden said he was proud to make history as the first president to join a picket line when he stood with United Auto Workers in Michigan.
When Trump was president, he appointed union busters, Biden said.
Fridays event is part of a broader tour to profile the workers and communities across America who are benefiting from the Biden-Harris administrations Investing in America agenda, according to the White House, which reports the United States has created nearly 16 million jobs since Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office, with the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years.
Already, their Investing in America agenda has catalyzed over $900 billion in private-sector investment in clean energy and manufacturing, the White House announcement stated. Last year, clean energy jobs grew at double the rate of job growth in the rest of the economy and clean energy unionization rates reached the highest level in history. The Good Jobs EO builds on that momentum and will ensure that these investments continue to improve opportunities for millions of Americans.
The crowd of workers cheered and chanted back at Biden on Friday, Thank you, Joe! Thank you, Joe!
Labor union members applaud as President Joe Biden speaks about his Investing in America agenda during a visit to the U.A. Local 190 Training Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., Friday, Sep. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) APAP
Several local, state and federal officials were on hand, including Dingell, who called Biden the most pro-worker president of our lifetime. UA General President Mark McManus also praised Biden, crediting his administration for new laws such as a bipartisan infrastructure law putting people to work.
Biden reiterated his message that what he and Harris have been doing in office the last four years has helped grow manufacturing jobs in America while modernizing the nations infrastructure and building a clean energy economy.
That includes creating a Made in America office to ensure American-made construction materials are used on infrastructure projects, launching the first-ever White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, requiring project labor agreements on nearly all major federal construction projects over $35 million and implementing prevailing wage and apprenticeship bonus credits for clean energy projects.
Biden also touts investing nearly $730 million in registered apprenticeships, leading to more than 1 million registered apprentices receiving earn-as-you-learn training for in-demand jobs, while the CHIPS Act provided $200 million for training and workforce development.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks before President Joe Biden during a visit to the U.A. Local 190 Training Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) APAP
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also spoke at Fridays event after a stop in Lansing earlier in the day as part of the Biden-Harris administrations Investing in America tour, highlighting federal investments in transportation infrastructure he said are helping union workers get more work.
I have the best job in the federal government because I have the privilege of being out there every day seeing the good work that is happening to improve and modernize Americas infrastructure under President Joe Bidens leadership, he said. And were excited that its being built by union workers.
America is seeing the difference between those who talk the talk and those who walk the walk with Biden, Buttigieg said.
The U.S. Department of Transportations Federal Aviation Administration announced over 500 grants totaling nearly $2 billion on Friday for airport improvements across the country, including nearly $16 million for the Willow Run Airport in the Ypsilanti area.
U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su, who also spoke at Fridays event, said more jobs have been created under the current administration than in any presidential term in U.S. history and more money is being put into communities as investments are being made in improving roads, bridges and airports.
Granholm in Michigan: Where are we going to find people for all these jobs?
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ANN ARBOR, MI - U.S. President Joe Bidens first presidential visit to Ann Arbor could impact traffic in the area.
Biden is to visit on Friday, Sept. 6, the United Association Local 190s Job Training Center at 7920 Jackson Road just outside Ann Arbor in Scio Township, according to the White House, which did not release his time of arrival. The center is between Parker and Baker roads, south of I-94.
Read More: Joe Biden to make his first presidential visit to Ann Arbor on Friday
Closures are expected as the presidential motorcade rolls through the area.
A nearby school and daycare center are warning of traffic difficulties for parents.
Before 1 p.m., there were backups on westbound Jackson Road and several parked police SUVs on patrol in the area.
Biden, in the final months of his presidency, is traveling to Washtenaw County to sign what the White House is calling a landmark Good Jobs executive order on investing in America and American workers.
The presidents Good Jobs EO calls on agencies to adopt a series of high-road labor standards that have long been recognized to lead to both better jobs and on-time, high-quality delivery of federally funded projects, the White House stated. With this executive order, the Biden-Harris administration is the first in history to specify a clear list of labor standards that all federal agencies should look to prioritize.
Read more: Thats who Joe Biden is. Dingell excited to welcome president to Ann Arbor area
The UA members are plumbers, pipefitters, service technicians and gas distribution workers and the local now has more than 1,500 members, according to the union.
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI Its official. The ink has dried on the purchase of a vacant school building in the Ypsilanti area.
Washtenaw County bought the former Cheney Elementary School, a 26-acre site, for a future $30 million Eastern Washtenaw Community and Recreation Center. An effort to develop a center in the Ypsilanti area has been in the works for decades.
On Wednesday, Sept. 4, the county Board of Commissioners voted 9-0 to ratify County Administrator Gregory Dills signature on the agreement contract and closing documents with Ypsilanti Community Schools. The county and school district closed on the sale Aug. 30.
The agreed-upon price was $600,000 plus closing costs, county spokesperson Crystal Campbell told MLive after the county lined up the purchase and demolition contractor earlier this year.
A groundbreaking ceremony and community celebration was Aug. 31 at the site.
A next step, likely in the coming weeks, will be razing the former school at 1500 Stamford Road on the border of Superior and Ypsilanti townships, northeast of Ypsilanti city limits.
Cheney Elementary school is in the 48198-zip code, in one of the lowest opportunity areas of the county, according to the Opportunity Index, Dill wrote in a letter to the county board.
Development of a Community and Recreation Center on this site will result in increased access to County services, healthy activities, youth development services, and older adult programming, the letter states.
County commissioners who attended the groundbreaking celebration shared positive feedback about the turnout.
I was really moved by the outpouring of support at the event, county Board of Commissioners Chair Justin Hodge, who represents District 5, said during Wednesdays meeting.
Hopefully it sends the message while this is a project thats been talked about for the last couple of decades with starts and stops along the way, this is evidence that were going to be the team that gets it done, Hodge said.
Funding for the project came together from local, county, state and federal government sources, including $15 million from the state, $7 million from federal COVID relief funds granted to the county, $3.5 million from the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, a $3-million federal earmark from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and a nearly $800,000 from Superior Township.
The agreement was contingent on an environmental assessment of the site, which was required by HUD. That was completed and funds were released Aug. 16, according to Dills letter to the county board.
Built in 1970 and named for the first Black teacher in the Willow Run School District, Johney Cheney, the school building has been mostly vacant since 2012 and a district reconfiguration plan that came before Willow Run consolidated with Ypsilanti schools.
The push for a recreation center in the Ypsilanti area involved different sites over the years.
Ypsilantis contaminated Water Street redevelopment site was considered, and in 2019, Ypsilanti Township offered land it owned to the Ann Arbor YMCA for the project.
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METAMORA, MI A day without coffee can be ruff. This new coffee shop promises to start each morning with a caffeinated beverage and some paws-itivity.
After a successful launch of Doghouse Coffee in Lapeer nearly one year ago, owners have officially opened a second shop at 15 Barrows St. in Metamora.
Lapeer has done well. The community has supported us quite a bit. Our online sales are starting to pick up and wholesale is starting to pick up as well, said Don Wingard, co-owner of Doghouse Coffee. This is a great opportunity for us and the community. There are no coffee shops anywhere close to this area, so were hoping to bring something cool to a cool little town and keep everyone caffeinated.
A 15-minute drive up the road from Lapeer, Wingard brings the same warm, cozy atmosphere from the popularity of the first location to the village in its first newly-constructed building in 65 years.
The new coffee shop seats around 30 people comfortably. Customers will find a mix of high-top and low-top tables, as well as armchairs and couches. Picnic tables are also available to enjoy outside, said Ulyana Wingard, co-owner and Donalds wife.
For the Metamora location, Don Wingard said they will also incorporate horses in the theme as horses reflect an important presence in this village.
Its smaller than our first location, which makes it feel more quaint, Don Wingard said. Its off the beaten path a bit, but is also nestled right into downtown Metamora. Its quieter and cozy.
The coffee and its names dont disappoint, as they are in line with the businesss pooch-friendly approach.
Customers will see many dogs and are happily encouraged to bring their fur babies inside to enjoy dog toys and treats while getting their caffeine fix. The experience of sitting down and enjoying a latte or iced coffee with friends will only be enhanced by your dogs or other furry friends walking over to say hello.
Dogs are a big passion of ours. Both of our dogs are rescues and both were severely abused when we got them. As far as charity goes, our contributions will always be animal related no-kill shelters, foster homes, just as many dogs as we can save, Ulyana Wingard said. They dont have a voice, and they dont really have much in their lives. Some of them spend years and years in shelters. Its going to take a village, and its going to take a lot of people, but we will make a change.
The Wingards bring their pups in often as well Piper, a pit bull, and Phoebe, a golden doodle.
As for the java, espresso drinks, lattes and coffee of all sorts will be available year-round, hot or iced. There will be pastries and bagel bombs offered up as well.
Don Wingard said the staff enjoys coming up with the names for the coffees and specialty lattes, joking about how great it is to hear a customer walk up and ask for a Couch Potato or some Side Eye.
Other specialty drinks include The Woodstock, The Snoopy, Goodest Dog, Fur Missile and Off The Leash to name a few.
Doghouse Coffee also sells whole bean and ground coffees by the bag in person and online.
RELATED: This veteran-owned Michigan coffee shop offers treats for dogs and their owners
The Wingards provide coffee from around the globe, currently carrying 12 different varieties, with flavors from Ethiopia to Sumatra, Costa Rica and everywhere in between.
Of the roasts that Doghouse Coffee provides, its top sellers by far have been Top Bean, a single origin Brazilian medium roast, and the Rise n Shine breakfast blend, a medium roast with a Costa Rican and Guatemalan mixture.
The Rise n Shine, Don Wingard said, has a clean finish with a citrusy, nutty, chocolaty flavor.
He also raved about Top Bean, stating it is a very unique bean that has a flavor profile of dark chocolate, nougat, caramel and a little bit of nut.
Theres a lot of great coffee companies in the country and the world. Theres a lot of great organizations and causes. Find whats important to you. You work hard for your money, and its important you find where you want it to go. Were just one option, said Donald Wingard. We are really trying to craft a great coffee with a great cause, and if that fits what you like, lets put them together.
The Wingards have partnered with nearby Great Lakes Dog Rescue in an effort to help dogs in need. He said theyve already sponsored three dogs for adoption since the soft opening on Aug. 2.
The grand opening for this location is Saturday, Sept. 7, and the Wingards invite the public to come celebrate. Every cup or bag of coffee purchased helps support dogs, they said.
Also on Saturday, Doghouse Coffees Lapeer location will celebrate its first anniversary, offering 15% off all coffee and merchandise. The party will also feature Fun with Sparkles offering balloon animals and face painting, magic by Jim Alt, a free dog photo booth, and ticketed drawings for prizes, including more than $500 worth of baskets, gift cards and more.
All proceeds go toward local shelters.
For those interested in visiting the Lapeer location, it can be found nestled in the downtown landscape at 454 W. Nepessing St. in Lapeer.
Hours for the Lapeer location: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.
Hours for the Metamora location: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.
Read more on MLive.com:
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GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A popular, community-wide block party is returning to a Grand Rapids neighborhood this weekend.
The Eastown Community Association (ECA) launched the Streetfair in 1973 to show off Eastowns vibrant and quirky neighborhood, a news release said.
This year, Eastown Streetfair is back for its 51st celebration of art, food, music and community on Saturday, Sept. 7, along Wealthy Street, between Giddings and Lake Avenue.
This festival brings together neighbors, local businesses and artists to create a unique space where we can connect, support each other and showcase the creativity and culture that define our neighborhood, said Rachael Wingo, president of the Eastown Community Association. Its an opportunity to strengthen the bonds within our community while also inviting others to experience the spirit of Eastown.
From 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., attendees can expect 90 local artisans, 12 food vendors featuring a big roasted pig from Harmony Brewing and live music from 10 Michigan-based bands.
Plus, a much larger footprint for the kids area will be available in response to the overwhelming support of Eastowns Kids Baz at Bizarre Bazar in June. This year, the Eastown Business Associations Small(er) Business Market will host vendors aged 8 to 16 selling handmade goods from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Ethel Avenue.
ECA Board Member AJ Julcher said adding junior vendors to Streetfair was a no-brainer.
With Streetfair being our biggest Eastown event of the year, our youth vendors have fittingly grown both their inventories and aspirations, Julcher said. Weve expanded the footprint of our free, all-ages programming so all Streetfair attendees no matter how small can have a great community experience.
There will be youth programming until 6 p.m. with activities from John Ball Zoo, Bricks 4 Kidz, the Grand Rapids Fire Department, and the Grand Rapids Public Library.
Additionally, Upcycle Bikes will be collecting adult bikes for financially constrained individuals. In exchange for a bike donation, attendees will receive two free drink tickets.
Organizers give special thanks to a long list of event sponsors, including Shorts Brewing Company, Uptown, Wolfgangs and Harmony Brewing Company.
Its going to be a great time celebrating what Eastown stands for, in terms of keeping Eastown weird, Hal Phillips, ECA Events Chair, told MLive. Keeping Eastown weird is one of the long-term slogans celebrating our diversity and all the different ways that make this neighborhood such a wonderful place to be and live.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, including the full live performance lineup, visit eastown.org.
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GRAND RAPIDS, MI Driving through northern Michigan last spring, a Tawas man pulled over when police initiated a traffic stop. As his bad luck would have it, the driver had a similar name and birthdate as a wanted man.
Though he told police they had the wrong guy, he was arrested and jailed for two days before the confusion was cleared up. Hes now filed a federal lawsuit, claiming he suffers severe stress, anxiety, and PTSD fallout from the mistaken identity incident.
Southfield attorney Mohammed Zaher on Sept. 5 filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court on behalf of Christopher L. Green, 47.
Named as defendants are Michigan State Police Trooper Kevan Humerickhouse, St. Joseph and Iosco counties, and both counties sheriffs offices.
The suit claims Humerickhouse on May 11, 2023, pulled over Green in Iosco County for driving with a loose bumper.
The trooper reviewed Greens license and registration and mistook him for a 37-year-old man with a similar name wanted a bench warrant out of St. Joseph County for failing to appear in court to testify in a criminal case involving arson.
The lawsuit states this other man was Christopher L. Greene, though publicly available court records show this mans surname is spelled the same way as the arrested man, without the final E.
In addition to their similar names, the two men share a birthdate of June 15, albeit separated by 10 years.
The warrant provided the wanted mans drivers license number and address in Three Rivers, which differed from Greens, the lawsuit states.
Green told Humerickhouse he had never been to St. Joseph County and that he had the wrong man. The trooper arrested him and lodged him in the Iosco County Jail.
Several times, Green asked police to look up a photo of the man they wanted. His request was denied, Zaher alleges.
After two days in custody, Green was transferred to the St. Joseph County Jail. Green told the transporting officer he was not the wanted man but the officer failed to confirm he had the correct person, the suit states.
Green had been taking prescribed medications for a damaged sciatic nerve while in the Iosco County Jail, but his meds were not brought with him when he was transferred.
He suffered aggravation of his condition as a result, the suit claims.
While in the jail, Green again asked multiple times for deputies to look up a photograph of the wanted man but was denied, the suit states.
Authorities released Green on May 13 after determining they had the wrong man.
The suit contains five counts unlawful arrest, false imprisonment, gross negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and a Monell Liability claim.
The last count is named for a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that uprooted absolute immunity for public entities and held that a municipality may be accountable for the actions of employees if the actions alleged are unconstitutional.
Green is seeking damages exceeding $75,000.
An MSP spokesperson declined to comment on the suit, saying the agency does not speak on pending litigation. Iosco County Sheriff Scott D. Frank declined to comment for the same reason.
St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite did not respond to a message from MLive.
A court date for the lawsuit is pending.
FRUITPORT TOWNSHIP, MI -- After sitting vacant at the Lakes Mall for six years, the former Younkers department store has attracted a new tenant.
Building owner Jonathan Bryant, of Underground Building Maintenance in Jenison, recently told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle that Soar N Bounce Trampoline and Adventure Park plans to bring life back to the former Younkers site next year.
Its much more than trampolines, he said. They have all kinds of activities.
Other features include foam pits, rock climbing walls and a ninja obstacle course, according to the company website.
The Lakes Mall location will be around 62,000 square feet and mimic another Soar N Bounce set to open in early 2025 in the former Younkers space at RiverTown Crossings Mall in Grandville.
The opening date of the Lakes Mall location has not yet been set, and Soar N Bounce did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bryant said the attraction could open around the latter half of next year.
Bryant said the company is busy searching for sites throughout Michigan, and he recently was scoping out a potential location in Kalamazoo.
Bryant purchased the Lakes Mall Younkers building in March 2020 for an undisclosed sum with the intent to remodel the space for future tenants. At the time of the purchase, he said he hoped the renovated building benefits the mall and it benefits the community.
Younkers was one of the original anchor stores for the Lakes Mall when it opened in 2001. The mall lost both Younkers and Sears in 2018 before coming under new management a year later.
Lakes Mall manager Julie Sustaita told MLive in 2019 said she wanted to save this mall and use out of the box ideas to make the mall a destination for memories as much as shopping.
The biggest challenge was filling the two anchor locations previously occupied by Younkers and Sears, which were among the 10 unoccupied storefronts in the mall at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bryant said he also sought to acquire the former Sears site, but another entity purchased the property and is currently using it for storage.
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ANN ARBOR, MI U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, said the story she tells people about President Joe Biden and who he is goes back to a decade ago.
Thats when her husband, the late Congressman John Dingell, cast his last vote at age 88 after nearly 60 years in Congress and was admitted to a hospital the next day due to health concerns.
The Hyundai Elantra was the most-commonly stolen vehicle nationally in 2023 with 48,445 thefts reported.
But in Michigan, the Elantra was just the sixth-most stolen ride, coming in behind five vehicles made by Stellantis brands Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler and RAM.
Michigans most commonly stolen vehicle in 2023 was the Jeep Grand Cherokee, with 1,357 thefts reported. Its the same vehicle that topped the list in 2022.
Related: Vehicle thefts are on the rise. Heres what you should know.
Below are the top 10 vehicles reported stolen in Michigan in 2023, as well as the national list, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB):
Most of the models on the 2023 list appeared on last years top 10. The newcomers were the Elantra, Equinox, Soul and Trailblazer.
Vehicle thefts have been a growing problem in recent years. Thefts were generally on the decline between 2013 and 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, but increased about 43% from 2019 to 2023.
Related: Theft of more than 400 vehicles in Michigan leads to the arrest of 6 men
Michigans thefts climbed to 25,355 in 2022, before a 2% decline to 25,272 in 2023. It was the first year-over-year decline in five years, according to NICB.
Of the 14 states designated the Midwest region by the NICB, Michigan ranked eighth with 252 vehicle thefts per 100,000 people. That was behind Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota and Ohio.
Nationally, more than 1.02 million vehicles were reported stolen last year, which was up 1% from 2022 and up 41% from 2019.
Criminals are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to steal vehicles, including the use of advanced technology to bypass security systems and quickly alter key fobs.
To reduce risk of vehicle theft, officials recommend parking in well-lit areas, closing and locking all doors and windows when you leave your vehicle, and avoid leaving your keys in your vehicle or leaving it running.
If your vehicle is stolen, call law enforcement and your insurance provider immediately. Often times, insurers need a police report before honoring a claim.
Swift reporting can increase the chance of recovery as well. The NICB reports 34% of recovered stolen vehicles were taken that same day, and 45% were taken within two days.
The cold air aloft and relatively warm Great Lakes waters this weekend are a perfect recipe for waterspouts.
Cold air in the upper-atmosphere will mix with 70-degree air over the Great Lakes surfaces to create an unstable atmosphere. This instability should turn into a few patches of thundershowers over the lake surfaces. At this time of year those thundershowers can spawn waterspouts.
Heres a model I like to get a radar forecast.
There are a couple of favored areas and time periods for waterspouts this evening and Saturday.
Radar forecast from 7 p.m. tonight to 6 a.m. SaturdayNOAA
This evening thundershowers are expected over southern Lake Michigan, more toward the Chicago area. If you are near the Chicago shoreline, keep an eye out for waterspouts over Lake Michigan.
Tomorrow has a higher chance of waterspouts over both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The air aloft will get colder, and that sets up a more unstable situation.
The radar forecast above shows a clump of thundershowers moving from Lake Huron into the eastern half of the Thumb Saturday morning. I would say the eastern Thumb shoreline on Lake Huron will have the best chance at seeing a waterspout.
If we get lucky sometimes we have several waterspouts going at once in these situations.
The International Centre for Waterspout Research out of Canada runs a computer model that attempts to forecast the highest chance and locations for waterspout. The animation below is their waterspout forecast. The red colored spots have the highest chance for waterspouts.
One of the easiest ways to position yourself to see a waterspout is to be near the heaviest returns on radar.
Waterspouts are Mother Natures visual of showing us the fall season is fighting to take over summer.
A Buffalo man who reportedly got into a confrontation at the Old Pink bar with other patrons the night the legendary Allentown tavern was destroyed by flames has been charged with setting the fire.
John W. Burns, 40, was charged with maliciously damaging and destroying the bar at 223 Allen St. on June 17, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms said in an affidavit filed in court that Burns was identified by acquaintances as the man caught on a security video walking around outside the Old Pink just minutes before the fire was discovered at 5:32 a.m.
A former security guard at the Old Pink told the agent that he had a confrontation at the bar with Burns earlier that night after female patrons complained to him about Burns behavior. The former security guard told authorities he asked Burns to leave, and Burns attempted to fight him, so he slapped Burns and knocked him over.
Burns told the former security guard: Ill be back ... , Ill burn that bitch down and Aint nobody going to have a job, according to the affidavit from ATF Agent Robert Grunder.
Old Pink fire was due to arson, investigators find; person of interest identified City spokesman Michael DeGeorge said Thursday that video evidence and witness interviews assisted fire investigators in finding that the fire that destroyed the Old Pink bar on Allen Street was intentionally set.
Approximately two hours later, the restaurant was engulfed in flames.
On the security video provided to authorities by employees of the Old Pink, Grunder said it appears that the suspect started the fire with the use of a light blue propane-plumbers torch.
The video shows the suspect carrying two white garbage bags to the rear of the Old Pink building before walking away from the area at 5:21 a.m.
Approximately 20 seconds later, what appears to be a reflection of fire on the air conditioner unit can be observed, Grunders report says. A short time later, a visible fire can be seen on the video.
Buffalo Fire Department investigators recovered a light blue propane-plumbers torch near the origin of the fire, he noted.
The ATF agent also said the investigation uncovered information linking Burns to a second fire, at 6:03 a.m. Aug. 13, in the parking lot of the Essex St. Pub, at 530 Rhode Island St., a mile from the Old Pink.
Burns was observed on video setting that fire, which was quickly extinguished by Buffalo firefighters, Grunder wrote.
Buffalo fire marshals determined that the origin of the fire was a pile of books that had been placed outside the Essex St. Pub near the owners vehicle.
The owner of the pub told Grunder that Burns had been denied entry into the Essex St. Pub the night before because of disruptive behavior.
Burns was identified by the bar owner as the man who set the fire outside the Essex St. Pub after the owner reviewed security video of the incident, Grunder wrote.
'There's a hole': Regulars grieve after beloved dive bar Old Pink burns "There's a hole," said Eric Van Rysdam, a DJ at the Old Pink since 1990. "It's not like the bar closed or got sold, but just in a couple hours, it's gone."
Burns has not been charged with that arson, however.
Arson is an extremely dangerous crime, placing lives and property in danger, stated U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross. Arson has tremendous ripple effects, leaving people homeless, without employment, or both. Here, the arson of the Old Pink left employees without jobs and destroyed an iconic gathering place in the Buffalo community. Such harm to our community will not be tolerated.
Burns made an initial court appearance Friday afternoon, represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Erin Ryan, before Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder.
The magistrate judge remanded Burns into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after hearing arguments on whether the charge represented a crime of violence that would justify Burns pretrial custody.
This is not a crime of violence that would justify a detention hearing, Ryan said.
Schroeder disagreed, saying the charge of a violent act is exactly what were dealing with.
The judge also asked about Burns mental state. The judge said Burns called a crisis hotline Thursday and said he tried to kill himself.
Ryan said there was no actual attempt by Burns to kill himself.
It was a call Mr. Burns himself initiated, Ryan said.
During the court proceeding, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Antoine said he agreed with the judges concern about Burns mental health and the ability to assist in his defense.
Ryan acknowledged that Burns call indicated a mental health concern, but said she had no concerns about his ability to understand the charge against him.
Schroeder scheduled a detention hearing for Tuesday.
With Mayor Byron Brown expected to accept the position of president and executive director of Western Regional Off Track Betting offered to him this week, change is afoot in city government.
The leadership deck will be shuffled going into an election year, and the citys elected leaders face fiscal challenges that the next mayor will have to help solve.
Questions about that remain unanswered. But other questions about what happened and what it will mean do have answers.
Buffalo Common Council members react to potential City Hall shake-up Buffalo Common Council members are preparing to enter an unprecedented era, as they will operate with one fewer member, an acting mayor in current Council President Chris Scanlon and a looming fiscal crisis likely to drain already depleted city coffers.
Is Byron Brown still mayor?
At the moment, yes. Brown, who left via a side door of OTBs offices in Batavia after his final interview yesterday, did not answer questions from a Buffalo News reporter as he got into his vehicle. But later in the day, through city spokesman Michael DeGeorge, he said he appreciated the vote of confidence in me and my record of success as Mayor of Buffalo.
At this point, a contract still needs to be negotiated before the position is accepted. I look forward to meeting with the chairman of the board to start the process toward final approval of a contract, he said. In the meantime, I will continue to serve in my capacity as Mayor.
Until Brown hashes out the details with his new employer assuming he does take the position, as is expected and tenders his official letter of resignation, he still holds the keys to the executive office on the second floor of City Hall.
Common Council President Chris Scanlon in line to take over mayor's seat as Brown picked by OTB If Brown officially resigns as mayor, Christopher Scanlon, currently the president of the Common Council, will serve as acting mayor until the end of Brown's term due to clauses in the city's charter.
Who becomes mayor if Brown does leave?
By rule of the City Charter, the president of the Common Council steps in as acting mayor if the elected mayor resigns or is otherwise unable to carry out the duties of the office. That means South Districts Chris Scanlon, who was elected Council president in a 8-1 vote earlier this year, steps into the role the minute Brown is out.
Scanlon will finish out the remainder of Browns term, which goes through next year. He was able to avoid a special election, as the deadline for holding a special election before the end of the term came last month on Aug. 5. Some groups have criticized the OTB for not making their decision before the deadline, as Scanlon will now hold the office and benefit from being the incumbent, if acting, mayor throughout the campaign for the next four year term.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown selected as next head of Western Regional Off-Track Betting The WROTB board, which went to elaborate lengths to keep secret Browns candidacy for president and chief executive officer, selected the Democratic mayor over two other finalists following a three-hour closed-to-the-public executive session at Batavia Downs Gaming & Hotel.
What does the OTB do?
Western Regional Off Track Betting is the organization that runs the state gaming facilities and race track in Batavia and betting parlors across Western New York and the Finger Lakes. Counties receive revenue from the gaming operation, which includes harness racing and video lottery terminals at Batavia Downs.
It has long been viewed in political circles as a patronage farm, controlled by state Senate Republicans, with former State Sen. George Maziarz controlling appointments to the board for years before his resignation in the face of corruption accusations in 2014.
Henry Wojtaszek, a now estranged disciple of Maziarz, has been the president and executive director at the state agency since 2016. He first joined the agency as general counsel in 2010. He is leaving the position and its $287,000 annual salary with one year of severance pay after the board of directors voted to oust Wojtaszek and two top deputies this year.
In 2023, State Sen. Tim Kennedy won language in the budget process that required weighted voting for the largest of the two cities and 15 municipalities that control the board appointments, effectively shifting control of the board from Republicans to Democrats. Proceeds from the gaming and hospitality operations are split between the controlling municipalities.
State Sen. Ryan calls Brown departure 'new era' for Buffalo, won't say whether he wants the job State Sen. Sean Ryan on Thursday called the potential move of Mayor Byron Brown to Western Regional OTB a "new era for the City of Buffalo" and an opportunity for Brown to address a "culture of corruption" at the OTB.
Who is likely to be involved in the next mayoral race?
It has been widely rumored in political circles that State Sen. Sean Ryan will throw his hat in the ring for next years June primary. Scanlon, who has a long family history in city politics, with his father, John Scanoots Scanlon, serving as a close adviser to former Mayor James Griffin, is also expected to run to remove the acting tag from his likely title going forward.
Scanlon, in a statement, said he is aware of his potential new role, but is awaiting word from Brown on his decision.
I have spoken with Mayor Brown, who has informed me that he will consider the offer he received to be the next President of Western Region Off Track Betting. If he chooses to accept, I am prepared to lead and serve the residents of the City of Buffalo as their Mayor, Scanlon said in the statement.
Ryan declined to say Thursday whether he planned to run for mayor, issuing his own statement on Browns likely departure instead.
Should he accept the offer, Byron Browns departure from the mayors office will be the beginning of a new era for the City of Buffalo, Ryan said in a statement. For the first time in nearly two decades, Buffalo will have the chance to address our many challenges with a clean slate and fresh eyes.
Has a mayor of Buffalo ever left office before the end of his term?
The last time a mayor left before his term was over was Frank Sedita in 1973 due to health concerns. He was succeeded by Stanley Makowski.
Before that, Grover Cleveland left the mayor's office in 1882, after he became governor of the state. Marcus Drake, a newly elected alderman in the city, was appointed interim mayor, but resigned on Dec. 29, 1882, in order to return to his alderman duties. City Clerk Harmon Cutting took over for a few weeks before John Manning won a special election in January 1883.
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First Dallas Securities Inc. lifted its position in International Business Machines Co. (NYSE:IBM Free Report) by 128.9% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 20,041 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 11,286 shares during the quarter. International Business Machines makes up 1.5% of First Dallas Securities Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest holding. First Dallas Securities Inc.s holdings in International Business Machines were worth $3,466,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. purchased a new position in shares of International Business Machines during the first quarter worth approximately $26,000. ESL Trust Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of International Business Machines during the first quarter worth about $28,000. Creekmur Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in International Business Machines in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Ables Iannone Moore & Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in International Business Machines during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 164.0% in the first quarter. Financial Synergies Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 198 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.96% of the companys stock.
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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of research firms recently weighed in on IBM. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of International Business Machines to a moderate sell rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $200.00 to $211.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on International Business Machines from $190.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on International Business Machines in a report on Monday, June 24th. They issued a buy rating and a $200.00 price target for the company. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on International Business Machines from $190.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, International Business Machines currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $185.93.
International Business Machines Price Performance
International Business Machines stock traded down $1.45 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $202.66. 663,063 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,214,330. The company has a market capitalization of $186.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.04, a P/E/G ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.20, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a current ratio of 1.12. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $188.33 and its 200-day simple moving average is $182.28. International Business Machines Co. has a 1 year low of $135.87 and a 1 year high of $205.95.
International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The technology company reported $2.43 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.16 by $0.27. International Business Machines had a net margin of 13.52% and a return on equity of 40.59%. The company had revenue of $15.77 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.62 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.18 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that International Business Machines Co. will post 10.09 EPS for the current year.
International Business Machines Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th will be paid a dividend of $1.67 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 9th. This represents a $6.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.30%. International Business Machiness dividend payout ratio is presently 75.65%.
International Business Machines Company Profile
(Free Report)
International Business Machines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing segments. The Software segment offers a hybrid cloud and AI platforms that allows clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate.
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Synergy Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF (BATS:HYDB Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 130,967 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,082,000. iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF comprises about 1.0% of Synergy Asset Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. Synergy Asset Management LLC owned approximately 1.06% of iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in HYDB. Larson Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Mather Group LLC. bought a new position in iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $44,000. Family Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $55,000. Sunbelt Securities Inc. increased its holdings in shares of iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF by 76.7% in the first quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 1,825 shares of the companys stock worth $85,000 after purchasing an additional 792 shares during the period. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF in the first quarter worth $98,000.
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iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF Price Performance
HYDB stock traded up $0.16 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $47.48. The company had a trading volume of 585,026 shares. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $46.93 and a 200-day moving average price of $46.53. iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF has a 1 year low of $49.60 and a 1 year high of $51.73.
iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF Increases Dividend
iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF Company Profile
The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.2779 per share. This is a boost from iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETFs previous dividend of $0.28. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 3rd.
(Free Report)
The iShares High Yield Bond Factor ETF (HYDB) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the BlackRock High Yield Defensive Bond index. The fund tracks a broad-maturity, multifactor index of high-yield bonds. The index selects and weights bonds based on default probability, default-adjusted spreads, and volatility.
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Shares of Parex Resources Inc. (TSE:PXT Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the five analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$25.27.
Several research firms have recently weighed in on PXT. Cormark dropped their price objective on shares of Parex Resources from C$33.00 to C$30.00 in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Haywood Securities decreased their price target on Parex Resources from C$33.00 to C$25.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 30th. Eight Capital downgraded Parex Resources from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their price objective for the company from C$32.50 to C$16.00 in a research report on Friday, August 30th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered Parex Resources from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from C$23.00 to C$17.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 29th. Finally, Scotiabank lowered their target price on Parex Resources from C$23.00 to C$19.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 30th.
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Check Out Our Latest Report on PXT
Parex Resources Stock Performance
Shares of TSE PXT opened at C$13.23 on Friday. Parex Resources has a 12 month low of C$11.33 and a 12 month high of C$28.23. The company has a market cap of C$1.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.27, a P/E/G ratio of 0.21 and a beta of 1.45. The businesss 50 day moving average is C$18.81 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$21.11. The company has a quick ratio of 1.45, a current ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.90.
Parex Resources (TSE:PXT Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported C$0.05 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$499.23 million for the quarter. Parex Resources had a return on equity of 17.02% and a net margin of 26.15%. On average, equities analysts expect that Parex Resources will post 2.5941176 EPS for the current year.
Parex Resources Dividend Announcement
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.385 per share. This represents a $1.54 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 11.64%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 9th. Parex Resourcess dividend payout ratio is presently 38.02%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, Senior Officer Wayne Kim Foo purchased 4,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of C$13.05 per share, for a total transaction of C$52,200.00. In other Parex Resources news, Director G.R. (Bob) Mac Dougall bought 7,674 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 30th. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$13.05 per share, with a total value of C$100,115.00. Also, Senior Officer Wayne Kim Foo acquired 4,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The stock was bought at an average cost of C$13.05 per share, with a total value of C$52,200.00. Insiders have bought 32,274 shares of company stock worth $425,657 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.60% of the companys stock.
Parex Resources Company Profile
(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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Arcadia Investment Management Corp MI cut its position in shares of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE Free Report) by 0.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 96,904 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 450 shares during the period. Intercontinental Exchange makes up about 2.3% of Arcadia Investment Management Corp MIs portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest holding. Arcadia Investment Management Corp MIs holdings in Intercontinental Exchange were worth $13,265,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ICE. Annapolis Financial Services LLC lifted its stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange by 1,018.8% in the 1st quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 179 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 163 shares during the last quarter. New Millennium Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Intercontinental Exchange in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $25,000. 89.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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Insider Activity
In other news, General Counsel Andrew J. Surdykowski sold 1,898 shares of Intercontinental Exchange stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.66, for a total value of $259,380.68. Following the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 46,815 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,397,737.90. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, General Counsel Andrew J. Surdykowski sold 1,898 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $136.66, for a total value of $259,380.68. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now owns 46,815 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,397,737.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CTO Mayur Kapani sold 395 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, July 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.13, for a total value of $55,746.35. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer now directly owns 64,471 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,098,792.23. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 66,346 shares of company stock worth $9,472,911. 1.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Intercontinental Exchange Stock Down 0.4 %
Shares of NYSE:ICE traded down $0.69 on Friday, reaching $161.91. The company had a trading volume of 187,517 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,437,007. Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has a 52-week low of $104.49 and a 52-week high of $163.62. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $151.62 and its 200-day simple moving average is $140.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $92.87 billion, a PE ratio of 37.29, a PEG ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.
Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.03. Intercontinental Exchange had a return on equity of 12.70% and a net margin of 21.43%. The business had revenue of $2.32 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.31 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.43 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 22.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. will post 6.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on ICE shares. Argus reiterated a buy rating and issued a $153.00 price target on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a report on Tuesday, May 21st. Barclays increased their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $159.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Intercontinental Exchange from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their price target for the stock from $143.00 to $167.00 in a report on Monday, July 1st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $168.00 price target on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a report on Tuesday, August 6th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $152.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $154.93.
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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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Arizona State Retirement System grew its stake in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Free Report) by 1.1% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 437,020 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 4,868 shares during the quarter. Arizona State Retirement Systems holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $32,204,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 120,963,133 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $8,750,473,000 after acquiring an additional 1,042,823 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 4.2% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 72,306,560 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $5,230,657,000 after buying an additional 2,946,327 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 4.1% during the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 30,994,967 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,132,454,000 after buying an additional 1,219,015 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 18,623,505 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,281,297,000 after buying an additional 292,155 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab during the 4th quarter worth $950,192,000. 84.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
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Charles Schwab Price Performance
Shares of SCHW opened at $63.65 on Friday. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 1 year low of $48.66 and a 1 year high of $79.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.42 and a quick ratio of 0.42. The company has a market capitalization of $113.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.97. The business has a 50-day moving average of $66.66 and a 200-day moving average of $70.07.
Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement
Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $4.69 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.68 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 18.14% and a net margin of 26.30%. The firms revenue was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.75 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.05 earnings per share for the current year.
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th were issued a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 9th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.57%. Charles Schwabs payout ratio is currently 41.84%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Charles Schwab news, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 8,164 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.00, for a total value of $612,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 121,666 shares in the company, valued at $9,124,950. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, President Richard A. Wurster acquired 10,000 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $62.05 per share, with a total value of $620,500.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the president now owns 144,228 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,949,347.40. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 8,164 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.00, for a total value of $612,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 121,666 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,124,950. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 107,800 shares of company stock worth $7,145,364. 6.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts recently weighed in on SCHW shares. Bank of America dropped their price objective on Charles Schwab from $72.00 to $66.00 and set an underperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Piper Sandler downgraded Charles Schwab from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $80.00 to $64.00 in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Barclays lowered their target price on Charles Schwab from $77.00 to $68.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on Charles Schwab from $71.00 to $70.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 16th. Finally, JMP Securities lowered their target price on Charles Schwab from $85.00 to $82.00 and set a market outperform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $74.00.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on SCHW
About Charles Schwab
(Free Report)
The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.
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Arizona State Retirement System increased its holdings in shares of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 0.9% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 682,155 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 5,808 shares during the period. Procter & Gamble accounts for about 0.8% of Arizona State Retirement Systems holdings, making the stock its 16th biggest holding. Arizona State Retirement Systems holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $112,501,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Advantage Trust Co purchased a new position in Procter & Gamble in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC purchased a new position in Procter & Gamble in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Procter & Gamble by 64.7% in the 1st quarter. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. now owns 196 shares of the companys stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. POM Investment Strategies LLC purchased a new position in Procter & Gamble in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Vima LLC purchased a new position in Procter & Gamble in the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.77% of the companys stock.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $177.00 to $183.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Procter & Gamble from $181.00 to $179.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. BNP Paribas began coverage on Procter & Gamble in a research note on Monday, June 24th. They issued an outperform rating and a $187.00 target price for the company. TD Cowen began coverage on Procter & Gamble in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. They issued a buy rating and a $189.00 target price for the company. Finally, DZ Bank raised Procter & Gamble from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $190.00 target price for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 29th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $175.79.
Insider Activity at Procter & Gamble
In related news, insider Balaji Purushothaman sold 8,842 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $164.90, for a total value of $1,458,045.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 11,537 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,902,451.30. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Jon R. Moeller sold 37,240 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.89, for a total value of $6,289,463.60. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 263,537 shares of the companys stock, valued at $44,508,763.93. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Balaji Purushothaman sold 8,842 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.90, for a total value of $1,458,045.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 11,537 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,902,451.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 375,553 shares of company stock valued at $63,829,141 over the last three months. 0.17% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Procter & Gamble Stock Performance
Shares of Procter & Gamble stock opened at $175.48 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $168.05 and a 200 day moving average of $164.52. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 12 month low of $141.45 and a 12 month high of $176.55. The stock has a market capitalization of $414.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.72 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.53.
Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported $1.40 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.37 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $20.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $20.69 billion. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 33.46% and a net margin of 17.71%. Procter & Gambles revenue for the quarter was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.37 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.97 earnings per share for the current year.
Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Investors of record on Friday, July 19th were issued a $1.0065 dividend. This represents a $4.03 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 19th. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.85%.
About Procter & Gamble
(Free Report)
The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands.
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Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated their hold rating on shares of AstraZeneca (LON:AZN Free Report) in a report published on Tuesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft currently has a 110 ($144.64) price target on the biopharmaceutical companys stock.
A number of other research firms have also commented on AZN. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on shares of AstraZeneca from GBX 71 ($0.93) to GBX 74 ($0.97) and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Berenberg Bank reiterated a buy rating and set a 150 ($197.24) price objective on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated an overweight rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Tuesday, June 4th. Citigroup reiterated a buy rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Tuesday, May 28th. Finally, Shore Capital restated a buy rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of 105.53 ($138.77).
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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca Price Performance
AstraZeneca Cuts Dividend
Shares of LON:AZN opened at 125.40 ($164.89) on Tuesday. AstraZeneca has a 52 week low of GBX 9,461 ($124.40) and a 52 week high of 133.88 ($176.04). The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 84.97. The firm has a market capitalization of 194.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 4,019.23, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.15. The firms 50 day moving average is 125.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is 117.93.
The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 8th will be paid a GBX 77.60 ($1.02) dividend. This represents a yield of 0.64%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 8th. AstraZenecas dividend payout ratio is 7,500.00%.
About AstraZeneca
(Get Free Report)
AstraZeneca PLC, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of prescription medicines. The company's marketed products include Tagrisso, Imfinzi, Lynparza, Calquence, Enhertu, Orpathys, Truqap, Zoladex, Faslodex, Farxiga, Brilinta, Lokelma, Roxadustat, Andexxa, Crestor, Seloken, Onglyza, Bydureon, Fasenra, Breztri, Symbicort, Saphnelo, Tezspire, Pulmicort, Bevespi, and Daliresp for cardiovascular, renal, metabolism, and oncology.
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Berenberg Bank reissued their buy rating on shares of AstraZeneca (LON:AZN Free Report) in a report published on Monday, Marketbeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has a 150 ($197.24) price objective on the biopharmaceutical companys stock.
Several other research analysts have also issued reports on AZN. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an overweight rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, June 4th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on AstraZeneca from GBX 71 ($0.93) to GBX 74 ($0.97) and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Shore Capital reissued a buy rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Citigroup reissued a buy rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, May 28th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a hold rating and issued a 110 ($144.64) target price on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of 105.53 ($138.77).
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Read Our Latest Research Report on AZN
AstraZeneca Trading Down 3.9 %
AstraZeneca Cuts Dividend
AZN opened at 125.40 ($164.89) on Monday. AstraZeneca has a one year low of GBX 9,461 ($124.40) and a one year high of 133.88 ($176.04). The firm has a market capitalization of 194.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4,019.23, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 0.15. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of 125.59 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of 117.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 84.97, a current ratio of 0.89 and a quick ratio of 0.59.
The business also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 8th will be paid a GBX 77.60 ($1.02) dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 8th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.64%. AstraZenecas payout ratio is currently 7,500.00%.
AstraZeneca Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
AstraZeneca PLC, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of prescription medicines. The company's marketed products include Tagrisso, Imfinzi, Lynparza, Calquence, Enhertu, Orpathys, Truqap, Zoladex, Faslodex, Farxiga, Brilinta, Lokelma, Roxadustat, Andexxa, Crestor, Seloken, Onglyza, Bydureon, Fasenra, Breztri, Symbicort, Saphnelo, Tezspire, Pulmicort, Bevespi, and Daliresp for cardiovascular, renal, metabolism, and oncology.
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Blue Barn Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:RYAN Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 3,572 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $207,000.
Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of RYAN. Arizona State Retirement System lifted its position in Ryan Specialty by 2.2% in the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 28,246 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,636,000 after purchasing an additional 611 shares during the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund bought a new stake in Ryan Specialty during the 2nd quarter valued at $1,233,000. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its position in Ryan Specialty by 153.9% during the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 283,952 shares of the companys stock valued at $16,444,000 after buying an additional 172,101 shares during the period. Versor Investments LP bought a new stake in Ryan Specialty in the 2nd quarter worth $649,000. Finally, Embree Financial Group increased its position in shares of Ryan Specialty by 88.3% in the second quarter. Embree Financial Group now owns 57,712 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,342,000 after acquiring an additional 27,058 shares during the period. 84.82% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
RYAN has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Ryan Specialty from $67.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Citigroup increased their price objective on Ryan Specialty from $56.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Bank of America assumed coverage on Ryan Specialty in a report on Wednesday, May 22nd. They set a buy rating and a $67.00 target price for the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $62.00 price target on shares of Ryan Specialty in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of Ryan Specialty from $60.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Ryan Specialty presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $63.40.
Insider Activity
In other Ryan Specialty news, President Timothy William Turner sold 2,000,000 shares of Ryan Specialty stock in a transaction on Friday, August 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.45, for a total value of $124,900,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now owns 8,095 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $505,532.75. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Ryan Specialty news, President Timothy William Turner sold 2,000,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.45, for a total transaction of $124,900,000.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 8,095 shares in the company, valued at approximately $505,532.75. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Nicholas Dominic Cortezi sold 5,375 shares of Ryan Specialty stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.73, for a total transaction of $347,923.75. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 2,685 shares of the companys stock, valued at $173,800.05. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 2,107,136 shares of company stock worth $131,860,032 over the last 90 days. 11.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Ryan Specialty Stock Down 0.3 %
Shares of NYSE:RYAN opened at $64.15 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.81. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $61.64 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $56.09. Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. has a 12-month low of $41.49 and a 12-month high of $69.03. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 121.46, a PEG ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.62.
Ryan Specialty (NYSE:RYAN Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $695.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $695.56 million. Ryan Specialty had a return on equity of 48.08% and a net margin of 10.21%. The companys revenue was up 18.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.45 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. will post 1.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Ryan Specialty Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, August 27th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 13th were paid a $0.11 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, August 13th. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.69%. Ryan Specialtys dividend payout ratio is presently 83.02%.
Ryan Specialty Profile
(Free Report)
Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc operates as a service provider of specialty products and solutions for insurance brokers, agents, and carriers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Singapore. It offers distribution, underwriting, product development, administration, and risk management services by acting as a wholesale broker and a managing underwriter.
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BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN (NYSEARCA:FNGU Get Free Report) shares were down 7.9% on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $354.61 and last traded at $356.90. Approximately 753,906 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 30% from the average daily volume of 1,080,342 shares. The stock had previously closed at $387.61.
BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN Stock Performance
The stock has a market capitalization of $264.57 billion, a PE ratio of 123.65 and a beta of 4.82. The firms 50 day moving average is $417.70 and its two-hundred day moving average is $368.93.
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Institutional Inflows and Outflows
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. DRW Securities LLC acquired a new stake in BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN in the 2nd quarter valued at about $226,000. VitalStone Financial LLC grew its position in shares of BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN by 245.9% during the second quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 505 shares of the companys stock worth $225,000 after buying an additional 359 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. purchased a new stake in shares of BMO REX MicroSectors FANG Index 3X Leveraged ETN during the first quarter worth 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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Bordeaux Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA:EFA Free Report) by 249.0% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 30,174 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 21,529 shares during the quarter. Bordeaux Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF were worth $2,364,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Triad Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF in the second quarter valued at $25,000. Arjuna Capital bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Fortis Group Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE ETF by 100.0% in the 4th quarter. Fortis Group Advisors LLC now owns 346 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 173 shares during the period. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. bought a new stake in iShares MSCI EAFE ETF in the 1st quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Joseph Group Capital Management increased its position in 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 buying an additional 278 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.80% of the companys stock.
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iShares MSCI EAFE ETF Trading Up 0.0 %
Shares of NYSEARCA:EFA opened at $81.33 on Friday. iShares MSCI EAFE ETF has a 52-week low of $65.68 and a 52-week high of $83.28. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $79.91 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $79.32.
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF 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.
Further Reading
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Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ETR:AFX Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low on Thursday . The company traded as low as 58.15 ($64.61) and last traded at 59.20 ($65.78), with a volume of 223321 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at 60.70 ($67.44).
Carl Zeiss Meditec Price Performance
The companys 50-day simple moving average is 63.40 and its 200-day simple moving average is 87.52. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.74, a current ratio of 3.51 and a quick ratio of 2.47.
About Carl Zeiss Meditec
(Get Free Report)
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG operates as a medical technology company in Germany, rest of Europe, North America, and Asia. It operates in two segments, Ophthalmology and Microsurgery. The Ophthalmology segment offers products and solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic eye diseases, such as ametropia (refraction), cataracts, glaucoma, and renital disorders.
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Shares of Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE:CQP Get Free Report) shot up 2.5% on Friday . The stock traded as high as $48.96 and last traded at $48.69. 26,240 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 85% from the average session volume of 174,350 shares. The stock had previously closed at $47.51.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Cheniere Energy Partners from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Sanford C. Bernstein initiated coverage on Cheniere Energy Partners in a report on Monday, June 24th. They set a market perform rating on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $49.25.
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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Cheniere Energy Partners
Cheniere Energy Partners Stock Up 2.9 %
The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $50.16 and a 200 day simple moving average of $49.28. The company has a market capitalization of $23.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.69 and a beta of 0.68.
Cheniere Energy Partners (NYSE:CQP Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $0.95 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.83 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $1.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.04 billion. Cheniere Energy Partners had a negative return on equity of 292.75% and a net margin of 32.76%. As a group, analysts forecast that Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. will post 4.26 EPS for the current year.
Cheniere Energy Partners Increases Dividend
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 7th were given a dividend of $0.775 per share. This represents a $3.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.34%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 7th. This is a positive change from Cheniere Energy Partnerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.62. Cheniere Energy Partnerss payout ratio is 66.95%.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Cheniere Energy Partners
Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Creekmur Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners in the first quarter valued at $34,000. Lee Financial Co increased its stake in Cheniere Energy Partners by 535.9% in the 4th quarter. Lee Financial Co now owns 1,170 shares of the companys stock worth $58,000 after purchasing an additional 986 shares in the last quarter. Ridgewood Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of Cheniere Energy Partners in the second quarter worth approximately $62,000. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its position in Cheniere Energy Partners by 21.8% during the 1st quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,691 shares of the companys stock worth $84,000 after purchasing an additional 303 shares in the last quarter. 46.55% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
About Cheniere Energy Partners
(Get Free Report)
Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P., through its subsidiaries, provides liquefied natural gas (LNG) to integrated energy companies, utilities, and energy trading companies worldwide. The company owns and operates natural gas liquefaction and export facility at the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.
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Shares of CTT Correios De Portugal, S.A. (OTCMKTS:CTTPY Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $8.02 and last traded at $8.02, with a volume of 0 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $8.02.
CTT Correios De Portugal Stock Performance
The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $7.99 and a 200-day simple moving average of $8.00. The company has a quick ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69.
About CTT Correios De Portugal
(Get Free Report)
CTT Correios De Portugal, SA, together with its subsidiaries, provides postal and financial services worldwide. It operates through Mail, Express & Parcels, Financial Services & Retail, and Bank segments. The company offers courier and urgent mail transport services; postal financial services; and banking services.
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Daido Life Insurance Co. reduced its stake in shares of iShares Russell 1000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWB Free Report) by 31.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 771,438 shares of the companys stock after selling 358,960 shares during the quarter. iShares Russell 1000 ETF comprises approximately 26.3% of Daido Life Insurance Co.s holdings, making the stock its 2nd largest position. Daido Life Insurance Co.s holdings in iShares Russell 1000 ETF were worth $229,534,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its position in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,290 shares of the companys stock worth $601,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in iShares Russell 1000 ETF during the 4th quarter worth $381,000. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System boosted its position in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 40.1% during the 4th quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 5,736 shares of the companys stock worth $1,504,000 after acquiring an additional 1,642 shares during the period. Apollon Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 17.6% during the 4th quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,955 shares of the companys stock worth $513,000 after acquiring an additional 293 shares during the period. Finally, Reynders McVeigh Capital Management LLC boosted its position in iShares Russell 1000 ETF by 9.3% during the 4th quarter. Reynders McVeigh Capital Management LLC now owns 1,501 shares of the companys stock worth $394,000 after acquiring an additional 128 shares during the period.
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iShares Russell 1000 ETF Stock Performance
Shares of IWB stock opened at $300.90 on Friday. iShares Russell 1000 ETF has a 1 year low of $224.41 and a 1 year high of $309.61. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $300.91 and a two-hundred day moving average of $290.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $36.94 billion, a PE ratio of 24.68 and a beta of 1.01.
iShares Russell 1000 ETF Profile
iShares Russell 1000 ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 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 1000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the large-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 1,000 largest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index.
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Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. boosted its position in shares of iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:HYG Free Report) by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 149,836 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 1,921 shares during the quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc.s holdings in iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF were worth $11,558,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of HYG. Anfield Capital Management LLC increased its stake in iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 46.7% in the 2nd quarter. Anfield Capital Management LLC now owns 465 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 148 shares during the period. 1ST Source Bank grew its stake in iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. 1ST Source Bank now owns 39,511 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $3,058,000 after acquiring an additional 192 shares in the last quarter. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 1.6% during the second quarter. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 13,695 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,056,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares during the period. Citizens & Northern Corp raised its stake in shares of iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 3.5% during the second quarter. Citizens & Northern Corp now owns 7,686 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $593,000 after acquiring an additional 258 shares in the last quarter. Finally, American National Bank boosted its holdings in shares of iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF by 57.7% in the first quarter. American National Bank now owns 836 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $65,000 after purchasing an additional 306 shares during the period.
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iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Stock Up 0.1 %
NYSEARCA:HYG traded up $0.05 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $79.29. The stock had a trading volume of 3,112,125 shares, compared to its average volume of 36,397,813. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $78.23 and a 200 day moving average of $77.45. The company has a market capitalization of $15.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.60 and a beta of 0.36. iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF has a one year low of $71.68 and a one year high of $79.43.
iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Profile
iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Index (the Index), which is a rules-based index consisting of liquid the United States dollar-denominated, high yield corporate bonds for sale in the United States, as determined by the index provider.
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Foundry Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:REZI Free Report) by 35.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 321,099 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 84,325 shares during the period. Foundry Partners LLC owned 0.22% of Resideo Technologies worth $6,281,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Arizona State Retirement System lifted its position in Resideo Technologies by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 40,683 shares of the companys stock worth $796,000 after acquiring an additional 535 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Resideo Technologies by 54.8% during the second quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 145,025 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,837,000 after buying an additional 51,338 shares during the last quarter. TD Asset Management Inc acquired a new position in shares of Resideo Technologies during the second quarter valued at about $483,000. Privium Fund Management UK Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Resideo Technologies during the second quarter valued at about $779,000. Finally, Convergence Investment Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Resideo Technologies by 137.7% during the second quarter. Convergence Investment Partners LLC now owns 37,849 shares of the companys stock valued at $740,000 after buying an additional 21,929 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.71% of the companys stock.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
Separately, Evercore ISI began coverage on shares of Resideo Technologies in a research report on Friday, August 9th. They set an outperform rating and a $25.00 price objective for the company.
Resideo Technologies Stock Performance
Shares of REZI traded down $0.13 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $18.79. 18,644 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 836,476. The stocks fifty day moving average is $20.07 and its 200 day moving average is $20.82. The stock has a market cap of $2.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.23 and a beta of 2.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.81. Resideo Technologies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $14.19 and a 1-year high of $23.43.
Resideo Technologies (NYSE:REZI Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.42 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $1.59 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.53 billion. Resideo Technologies had a net margin of 2.85% and a return on equity of 10.32%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.34 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Resideo Technologies, Inc. will post 1.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
About Resideo Technologies
(Free Report)
Resideo Technologies, Inc develops, manufactures, and sells comfort, energy management, and safety and security solutions to the commercial and residential end markets in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Solutions, and ADI Global Distribution.
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Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. boosted its position in Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX Free Report) by 15.9% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,965 shares of the natural resource companys stock after buying an additional 1,231 shares during the period. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC.s holdings in Freeport-McMoRan were worth $436,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. LRI Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Lynx Investment Advisory purchased a new stake in Freeport-McMoRan in the second quarter valued at $26,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp raised its stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 422.2% during the 4th quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 658 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 532 shares during the last quarter. RFP Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 261.3% in the second quarter. RFP Financial Group LLC now owns 589 shares of the natural resource companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 426 shares during the last quarter. Finally, POM Investment Strategies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Freeport-McMoRan in the second quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.77% of the companys stock.
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Freeport-McMoRan Stock Performance
FCX opened at $41.41 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $59.48 billion, a PE ratio of 36.64, a PEG ratio of 2.08 and a beta of 1.92. The company has a current ratio of 2.40, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a twelve month low of $32.83 and a twelve month high of $55.24. The firms 50-day moving average price is $45.33 and its 200 day moving average price is $46.78.
Freeport-McMoRan Announces Dividend
Freeport-McMoRan ( NYSE:FCX Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The natural resource company reported $0.46 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $6.62 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6 billion. Freeport-McMoRan had a return on equity of 7.60% and a net margin of 7.83%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 15.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.35 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 1.68 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 1st. Investors of record on Monday, July 15th were issued a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.45%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 15th. Freeport-McMoRans dividend payout ratio is currently 26.55%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
FCX has been the subject of several analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $48.00 to $51.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Monday, June 10th. Raymond James decreased their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. UBS Group upgraded Freeport-McMoRan from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the company from $54.00 to $55.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Scotiabank reduced their price target on Freeport-McMoRan from $58.00 to $52.00 and set a sector outperform rating for the company in a report on Monday, August 19th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and set a $60.00 price target on shares of Freeport-McMoRan in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $53.07.
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About Freeport-McMoRan
(Free Report)
Freeport-McMoRan Inc engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals. The company's assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile.
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Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSE:LB Free Report) Cormark dropped their FY2024 earnings per share estimates for Laurentian Bank of Canada in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, September 3rd. Cormark analyst L. Persaud now anticipates that the company will post earnings per share of $3.56 for the year, down from their prior estimate of $3.61. 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 topic of a number of other research reports. Raymond James raised their price target on Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$26.00 to C$27.00 in a research report on Wednesday. Cibc World Mkts raised Laurentian Bank of Canada to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. CIBC dropped their price target on Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$30.00 to C$28.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$28.00 to C$26.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, June 6th. Finally, Desjardins raised their price target on Laurentian Bank of Canada from C$25.00 to C$26.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 6th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and nine have given a hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Laurentian Bank of Canada has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of C$27.42.
Laurentian Bank of Canada Stock Performance
Laurentian Bank of Canada has a 1-year low of C$24.45 and a 1-year high of C$38.11. The company has a market capitalization of C$1.16 billion, a PE ratio of -94.96, a P/E/G ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.25. The stocks 50-day moving average is C$26.29 and its 200-day moving average is C$26.59.
Laurentian Bank of Canada Dividend Announcement
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 1st will be given a $0.47 dividend. This represents a $1.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of . The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, October 1st. Laurentian Bank of Canadas dividend payout ratio is presently -671.43%.
Laurentian Bank of Canada Company Profile
(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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Guidewire Software (NYSE:GWRE Get Free Report) had its target price lifted by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $175.00 to $185.00 in a research report issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the technology companys stock. Wells Fargo & Companys price objective would suggest a potential upside of 28.45% from the stocks current price.
Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Guidewire Software from $109.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 4th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Guidewire Software from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 5th. Oppenheimer lifted their price objective on shares of Guidewire Software from $170.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Guidewire Software from $170.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of Guidewire Software from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and eleven 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 a consensus price target of $150.38.
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View Our Latest Report on Guidewire Software
Guidewire Software Stock Performance
GWRE opened at $144.03 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1,107.92 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a fifty day moving average of $144.17 and a 200 day moving average of $127.75. Guidewire Software has a fifty-two week low of $83.91 and a fifty-two week high of $153.85.
Guidewire Software (NYSE:GWRE Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, September 5th. The technology company reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.08. Guidewire Software had a negative net margin of 1.11% and a negative return on equity of 1.19%. The company had revenue of $291.50 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $283.84 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.30 earnings per share. Guidewire Softwares quarterly revenue was up 8.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Guidewire Software will post -0.31 earnings per share for the current year.
Insider Activity at Guidewire Software
In related news, insider John P. Mullen sold 1,350 shares of Guidewire Software stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.12, for a total transaction of $187,812.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 139,171 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,361,469.52. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, insider John P. Mullen sold 1,350 shares of Guidewire Software stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.12, for a total transaction of $187,812.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 139,171 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,361,469.52. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CFO Jeffrey Elliott Cooper sold 3,017 shares of Guidewire Software stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $134.54, for a total transaction of $405,907.18. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 63,479 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,540,464.66. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 13,064 shares of company stock worth $1,782,775 in the last 90 days. 0.38% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Guidewire Software
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Guidewire Software by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 8,134,952 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $949,430,000 after purchasing an additional 67,439 shares in the last quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of Guidewire Software by 4.2% in the 1st quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 2,874,758 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $335,513,000 after purchasing an additional 115,600 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its holdings in shares of Guidewire Software by 23.2% in the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 2,747,349 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $378,832,000 after purchasing an additional 516,942 shares in the last quarter. Linonia Partnership LP raised its holdings in shares of Guidewire Software by 8.4% in the 2nd quarter. Linonia Partnership LP now owns 2,395,601 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $330,329,000 after purchasing an additional 185,077 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Whale Rock Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Guidewire Software by 23.4% in the 1st quarter. Whale Rock Capital Management LLC now owns 1,270,870 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $148,323,000 after purchasing an additional 240,622 shares in the last quarter.
Guidewire Software Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Guidewire Software, Inc provides a platform for property and casualty (P&C) insurers worldwide. The company offers Guidewire InsuranceSuite Cloud, such as PolicyCenter Cloud, BillingCenter Cloud, and ClaimCenter Cloud applications. It also provides Guidewire InsuranceNow, a cloud-based platform that offers policy, billing, and claims management functionality to insurers; and Guidewire InsuranceSuite for Self-Managed.
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Horizon Investment Services LLC grew its holdings in shares of iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF (NYSEARCA:IMCG Free Report) by 1.1% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 22,180 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 240 shares during the period. Horizon Investment Services LLC owned 0.08% of iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF worth $1,503,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Assetmark Inc. boosted its position in shares of iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 130,570.7% during the 4th quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 980,030 shares of the companys stock worth $63,163,000 after purchasing an additional 979,280 shares in the last quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 106.7% in the 1st quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 367,047 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,943,000 after acquiring an additional 189,430 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its position in iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 946.7% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 187,067 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,222,000 after acquiring an additional 169,195 shares in the last quarter. Ethos Financial Group LLC bought a new position in iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF in the 1st quarter valued at about $8,433,000. Finally, Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lifted its position in iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF by 83.2% in the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 221,189 shares of the companys stock valued at $14,256,000 after acquiring an additional 100,485 shares in the last quarter.
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iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF Stock Performance
Shares of NYSEARCA IMCG opened at $69.01 on Friday. iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF has a fifty-two week low of $53.01 and a fifty-two week high of $71.25. The stock has a market cap of $1.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.60 and a beta of 1.13. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $68.69 and its 200 day simple moving average is $68.46.
iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF Profile
The iShares Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth ETF (IMCG) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Morningstar US Mid Cap Broad Growth index. The fund tracks a market cap-weighted index of US mid-cap stocks companies selected based on their growth characteristics. IMCG was launched on Jun 28, 2004 and is managed by BlackRock.
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Impax Asset Management Group plc lessened its position in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA Free Report) by 9.7% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 1,060,027 shares of the credit services providers stock after selling 114,199 shares during the quarter. Mastercard makes up about 1.9% of Impax Asset Management Group plcs portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest holding. Impax Asset Management Group plcs holdings in Mastercard were worth $466,477,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Blue Barn Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Mastercard by 5.1% in the second quarter. Blue Barn Wealth LLC now owns 1,008 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $445,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its stake in Mastercard by 0.5% during the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 241,536 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $106,556,000 after buying an additional 1,232 shares during the last quarter. Hendershot Investments Inc. grew its holdings in Mastercard by 2.8% in the 2nd quarter. Hendershot Investments Inc. now owns 34,561 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $15,247,000 after buying an additional 956 shares in the last quarter. Altus Wealth Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Mastercard by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. Altus Wealth Group LLC now owns 899 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $397,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Peterson Wealth Management raised its holdings in shares of Mastercard by 116.0% during the 2nd quarter. Peterson Wealth Management now owns 10,808 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $4,768,000 after acquiring an additional 5,805 shares during the period. 97.28% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Insider Transactions at Mastercard
In other news, major shareholder Foundation Mastercard sold 108,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $445.09, for a total transaction of $48,069,720.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 93,226,308 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $41,494,097,427.72. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Mastercard news, major shareholder Foundation Mastercard sold 108,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $445.09, for a total value of $48,069,720.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 93,226,308 shares in the company, valued at $41,494,097,427.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Craig Vosburg sold 9,028 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $451.06, for a total transaction of $4,072,169.68. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 58,940 shares in the company, valued at $26,585,476.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 1,167,931 shares of company stock valued at $531,284,982. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Mastercard Stock Up 0.4 %
Mastercard Announces Dividend
Shares of MA traded up $1.74 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $479.10. The stock had a trading volume of 77,421 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,433,112. The company has a market cap of $445.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.95, a PEG ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 1.10. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $455.56 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $459.53. Mastercard Incorporated has a 1-year low of $359.77 and a 1-year high of $490.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.95, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.14.
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 9th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, July 9th were issued a dividend of $0.66 per share. This represents a $2.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, July 9th. Mastercards dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 20.99%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of brokerages recently issued reports on MA. Compass Point began coverage on shares of Mastercard in a report on Wednesday. They issued a neutral rating and a $525.00 price objective for the company. Bank of America cut shares of Mastercard from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price target for the company from $505.00 to $480.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $500.00 to $526.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Citigroup increased their price objective on Mastercard from $528.00 to $538.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on Mastercard from $530.00 to $536.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have issued a buy rating and three have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $510.88.
View Our Latest Research Report on MA
About Mastercard
(Free Report)
Mastercard Incorporated, a technology company, provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company offers integrated products and value-added services for account holders, merchants, financial institutions, digital partners, businesses, governments, and other organizations, such as programs that enable issuers to provide consumers with credits to defer payments; payment products and solutions that allow its customers to access funds in deposit and other accounts; prepaid programs services; and commercial credit, debit, and prepaid payment products and solutions.
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Gartner, Inc. (NYSE:IT Get Free Report) EVP Scott Hensel sold 5,580 shares of Gartner stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $490.00, for a total transaction of $2,734,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 19,724 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,664,760. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.
Gartner Price Performance
IT opened at $483.86 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $470.86 and a 200-day moving average price of $458.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.80, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.90. The firm has a market cap of $37.56 billion, a PE ratio of 48.15, a P/E/G ratio of 3.83 and a beta of 1.33. Gartner, Inc. has a 1 year low of $323.61 and a 1 year high of $509.15.
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Gartner (NYSE:IT Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The information technology services provider reported $3.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.02 by $0.20. The firm had revenue of $1.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.58 billion. Gartner had a return on equity of 142.05% and a net margin of 13.67%. Gartners quarterly revenue was up 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.85 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Gartner, Inc. will post 11.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Gartner
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of IT. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Gartner in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. DSM Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Gartner in the 4th quarter worth about $32,000. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division purchased a new position in Gartner in the 1st quarter worth about $36,000. Crewe Advisors LLC raised its position in Gartner by 223.3% in the 2nd quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 97 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Finally, J.Safra Asset Management Corp raised its position in Gartner by 58.7% in the 1st quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 146 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $70,000 after buying an additional 54 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.51% of the companys stock.
Several analysts recently weighed in on IT shares. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Gartner from $510.00 to $580.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on shares of Gartner from $517.00 to $565.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Gartner from $450.00 to $510.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Gartner to a strong sell rating in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Finally, Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Gartner from $525.00 to $580.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $521.00.
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Gartner Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Gartner, Inc operates as a research and advisory company in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Research, Conferences, and Consulting. The Research segment delivers its research primarily through a subscription service that include on-demand access to published research content, data and benchmarks, and direct access to a network of research experts.
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iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF (TSE:XBB Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Friday . The company traded as high as C$28.59 and last traded at C$28.59, with a volume of 23205 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at C$28.54.
iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF Price Performance
The stocks 50-day moving average is C$28.08 and its 200 day moving average is C$27.68.
About iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF
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iShares DEX Universe Bond Index Fund seeks to provide income by replicating, to the extent possible, the performance of the DEX Universe Bond Index, net of expenses. The DEX Bond Index consists of a diversified selection of investment-grade Government of Canada, provincial, corporate and municipal bonds issued domestically in Canada and denominated in Canadian dollars.
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iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF (NYSEARCA:IWX Get Free Report) saw unusually-high trading volume on Tuesday . Approximately 178,971 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 55% from the previous sessions volume of 115,670 shares.The stock last traded at $80.24 and had previously closed at $80.69.
iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF Trading Down 0.9 %
The firm has a market capitalization of $2.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.01 and a beta of 0.63. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $77.15 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $75.49.
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Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of IWX. Signaturefd LLC acquired a new position in shares of iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. grew its stake in iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF by 1.3% during the 1st quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 35,257 shares of the companys stock worth $2,691,000 after buying an additional 457 shares during the last quarter. Triad Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF during the 2nd quarter worth $37,000. Affinity Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF by 20.7% during the 2nd quarter. Affinity Capital Advisors LLC now owns 3,302 shares of the companys stock worth $247,000 after buying an additional 566 shares during the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new position in iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF during the 2nd quarter worth $50,000.
iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF Company Profile
iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF(the Fund), formerly iShares Russell Top 200 Value Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell Top 200 Value Index (the Value Index). The Value Index is a style factor weighted index that measures the performance of the largest-capitalization value sector of the United States equity market.
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John Bean Technologies Co. (NYSE:JBT Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $86.64 and last traded at $87.00, with a volume of 60138 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $89.84.
John Bean Technologies Trading Down 1.0 %
The stock has a market cap of $2.81 billion, a PE ratio of 4.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.27. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $92.67 and a 200 day moving average of $95.29. The company has a quick ratio of 1.96, a current ratio of 2.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43.
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John Bean Technologies (NYSE:JBT Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.24 by ($0.19). John Bean Technologies had a return on equity of 9.67% and a net margin of 36.66%. The business had revenue of $402.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $432.67 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.97 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that John Bean Technologies Co. will post 5.18 earnings per share for the current year.
John Bean Technologies Announces Dividend
Institutional Trading of John Bean Technologies
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 19th were issued a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.45%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 19th. John Bean Technologiess payout ratio is currently 2.13%.
Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in John Bean Technologies by 162.1% in the 1st quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 249 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 154 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC grew its holdings in shares of John Bean Technologies by 113.2% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 324 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 172 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of John Bean Technologies during the 1st quarter worth $61,000. Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of John Bean Technologies during the 2nd quarter worth $73,000. Finally, Kimelman & Baird LLC purchased a new position in shares of John Bean Technologies during the 2nd quarter worth $85,000. 98.92% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
John Bean Technologies Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
John Bean Technologies Corporation provides technology solutions to food and beverage industry in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. It offers value-added processing that includes chilling, mixing/grinding, injecting, blending, marinating, tumbling, flattening, forming, portioning, coating, cooking, frying, freezing, extracting, pasteurizing, sterilizing, concentrating, high pressure processing, weighing, inspecting, filling, closing, sealing, end of line material handling, and packaging solutions to the food, beverage, and health market.
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Shares of KBR, Inc. (NYSE:KBR Get Free Report) traded down 5.8% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $62.53 and last traded at $62.58. 339,371 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 69% from the average session volume of 1,110,436 shares. The stock had previously closed at $66.40.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of research analysts recently issued reports on KBR shares. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of KBR from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 14th. TD Cowen downgraded KBR from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $72.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Friday. StockNews.com cut KBR from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on KBR from $83.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. Finally, DA Davidson restated a buy rating and set a $78.00 price target on shares of KBR in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, KBR has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $75.50.
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KBR Trading Down 6.5 %
The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The firms fifty day moving average is $65.87 and its two-hundred day moving average is $64.22. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.34 billion, a PE ratio of -32.59, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.90.
KBR (NYSE:KBR Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The construction company reported $0.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 analyst estimates of $1.88 billion. On average, equities analysts predict that KBR, Inc. will post 3.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.
KBR Dividend Announcement
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be given a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.97%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. KBRs dividend payout ratio is -31.25%.
Insider Activity
In related news, insider Jalal Ibrahim sold 35,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 transaction, the insider now owns 106,550 shares in the company, valued at $7,091,968. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.08% of the companys stock.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On KBR
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its stake in KBR by 17.5% in the 2nd 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 increased its holdings in KBR by 39.4% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 817 shares of the construction companys stock worth $52,000 after acquiring an additional 231 shares during the period. Harbour Capital Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in KBR by 0.5% in the 1st quarter. Harbour Capital Advisors LLC now owns 54,135 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $3,412,000 after purchasing an additional 265 shares during the period. 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 valued at $2,076,000 after purchasing an additional 293 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in shares of KBR by 27.7% in the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,457 shares of the construction companys stock worth $93,000 after purchasing an additional 316 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 97.02% of the companys stock.
KBR Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
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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LGT Financial Advisors LLC decreased its stake in The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC Free Report) by 54.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 471 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 572 shares during the period. LGT Financial Advisors LLCs holdings in The PNC Financial Services Group were worth $73,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Crumly & Associates Inc. lifted its holdings in The PNC Financial Services Group by 3.1% in the second quarter. Crumly & Associates Inc. now owns 3,022 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $470,000 after buying an additional 91 shares during the period. National Bank of Canada FI lifted its holdings in shares of The PNC Financial Services Group by 97.6% during the second quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 200,511 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $31,307,000 after buying an additional 99,055 shares in the last quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. increased its position in shares of The PNC Financial Services Group by 6.3% in the second quarter. Foster & Motley Inc. now owns 1,700 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $264,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the period. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC raised its stake in The PNC Financial Services Group by 7.8% during the second quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC now owns 5,145 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $800,000 after acquiring an additional 374 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TD Asset Management Inc grew its holdings in shares of The PNC Financial Services Group by 4.4% during the second quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 183,037 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $28,459,000 after purchasing an additional 7,781 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.53% of the companys stock.
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Insiders Place Their Bets
In other The PNC Financial Services Group news, CEO William S. Demchak sold 1,242 shares of The PNC Financial Services Group stock in a transaction on Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $183.17, for a total transaction of $227,497.14. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 554,701 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $101,604,582.17. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CEO William S. Demchak sold 1,242 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $183.17, for a total transaction of $227,497.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 554,701 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $101,604,582.17. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, President Michael P. Lyons sold 11,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $181.58, for a total value of $1,997,380.00. Following the sale, the president now owns 199,095 shares in the company, valued at approximately $36,151,670.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 25,263 shares of company stock valued at $4,418,109. 0.42% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Analyst Ratings Changes
PNC has been the subject of a number of research reports. Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of The PNC Financial Services Group from $184.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on The PNC Financial Services Group from $165.00 to $177.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of The PNC Financial Services Group from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on The PNC Financial Services Group from $152.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Bank of America raised The PNC Financial Services Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the company from $185.00 to $200.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $177.02.
Read Our Latest Report on The PNC Financial Services Group
The PNC Financial Services Group Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE PNC opened at $180.95 on Friday. The firms fifty day moving average is $172.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $160.33. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $109.40 and a 52-week high of $185.84. The company has a market cap of $71.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.05 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.36, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 0.83.
The PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE:PNC Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $3.30 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.00 by $0.30. The PNC Financial Services Group had a return on equity of 11.33% and a net margin of 15.53%. The company had revenue of $5.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.40 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $3.36 earnings per share. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. will post 13.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The PNC Financial Services Group Increases Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 5th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 15th were paid a dividend of $1.60 per share. This is a positive change from The PNC Financial Services Groups previous quarterly dividend of $1.55. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 15th. This represents a $6.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.54%. The PNC Financial Services Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 53.74%.
The PNC Financial Services Group Company Profile
(Free Report)
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc operates as a diversified financial services company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking, and Asset Management Group segments. The company's Retail Banking segment offers checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as time deposit; residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, credit cards, education loans, and personal and small business loans and lines of credit; and brokerage, insurance, and investment and cash management services.
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MCF Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD Free Report) by 5.5% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,325 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after purchasing an additional 279 shares during the period. MCF Advisors LLCs holdings in Prologis were worth $598,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Prologis by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 120,945,384 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $15,749,508,000 after buying an additional 1,460,229 shares during the period. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in Prologis by 182,067.2% in the first quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC now owns 48,877,279 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $6,364,799,000 after purchasing an additional 48,850,448 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its position in shares of Prologis by 3.0% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 12,532,773 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,670,621,000 after purchasing an additional 365,904 shares during the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Prologis by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 12,325,559 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,642,997,000 after purchasing an additional 123,902 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Prologis in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,074,648,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.50% of the companys stock.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
PLD has been the topic of several recent research reports. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Prologis from $123.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Royal Bank of Canada downgraded Prologis from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and lifted their target price for the company from $124.00 to $127.00 in a research report on Monday, August 5th. Mizuho reduced their price target on Prologis from $130.00 to $120.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 31st. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Prologis from $132.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 14th. Finally, Scotiabank boosted their price objective on Prologis from $135.00 to $142.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a research note on Monday, August 26th. Seven 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 company. According to MarketBeat, Prologis has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $133.12.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Prologis news, CIO Joseph Ghazal sold 5,200 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.07, for a total transaction of $671,164.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive now owns 13,187 shares in the company, valued at $1,702,046.09. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Prologis Stock Down 0.7 %
PLD opened at $127.41 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $117.96 billion, a PE ratio of 37.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.28 and a beta of 1.07. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $122.37 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $119.07. The company has a quick ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. Prologis, Inc. has a 52 week low of $96.64 and a 52 week high of $137.52.
Prologis (NYSE:PLD Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 17th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.92 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.33 by ($0.41). The firm had revenue of $2.01 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.86 billion. Prologis had a net margin of 36.37% and a return on equity of 4.88%. Prologiss quarterly revenue was down 18.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.83 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Prologis, Inc. will post 5.42 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Prologis Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a $0.96 dividend. This represents a $3.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.01%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. Prologiss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 112.28%.
Prologis Company Profile
(Free Report)
Prologis, Inc is the global leader in logistics real estate with a focus on high-barrier, high-growth markets. At March 31, 2024, the company owned or had investments in, on a wholly owned basis or through co-investment ventures, properties and development projects expected to total approximately 1.2 billion square feet (115 million square meters) in 19 countries.
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MCF Advisors LLC cut its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM Free Report) by 0.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 50,877 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 63 shares during the period. iShares Russell 2000 ETF comprises approximately 0.8% of MCF Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position. MCF Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF were worth $10,322,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Rafferty Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 84.1% during the 4th quarter. Rafferty Asset Management LLC now owns 8,584,687 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,723,033,000 after buying an additional 3,921,131 shares during the period. Natixis bought a new stake in iShares Russell 2000 ETF in the first quarter valued at approximately $441,651,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 44.7% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,009,724 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,263,845,000 after purchasing an additional 1,856,738 shares during the period. Pathstone Holdings LLC bought a new position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $184,171,000. Finally, IMC Chicago LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $170,162,000.
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iShares Russell 2000 ETF Price Performance
Shares of NYSEARCA IWM opened at $211.89 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $212.72 and a 200 day simple moving average of $206.24. iShares Russell 2000 ETF has a twelve month low of $161.67 and a twelve month high of $228.63.
iShares Russell 2000 ETF Profile
iShares Russell 2000 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 2000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 2,000 smallest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index.
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Several brokerages have updated their recommendations and price targets on shares of National Storage Affiliates Trust (NYSE: NSA) in the last few weeks:
8/30/2024 National Storage Affiliates Trust had its price target raised by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from $36.00 to $44.50. They now have a neutral rating on the stock.
8/28/2024 National Storage Affiliates Trust had its price target raised by analysts at Evercore ISI from $38.00 to $40.00. They now have an underperform rating on the stock.
8/22/2024 National Storage Affiliates Trust had its price target raised by analysts at Barclays PLC from $38.00 to $45.00. They now have an equal weight rating on the stock.
8/16/2024 National Storage Affiliates Trust had its price target raised by analysts at Truist Financial Co. from $38.00 to $41.00. They now have a hold rating on the stock.
8/6/2024 National Storage Affiliates Trust had its price target raised by analysts at Robert W. Baird from $37.00 to $39.00. They now have a neutral rating on the stock.
7/26/2024 National Storage Affiliates Trust had its price target raised by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $36.00 to $40.00. They now have an underweight rating on the stock.
7/15/2024 National Storage Affiliates Trust had its price target raised by analysts at Evercore ISI from $36.00 to $40.00. They now have an underperform rating on the stock.
National Storage Affiliates Trust Price Performance
NYSE NSA opened at $45.97 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $43.34 and its 200 day moving average price is $39.50. National Storage Affiliates Trust has a 1 year low of $27.86 and a 1 year high of $47.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.28, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.72. The company has a market cap of $3.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.07 and a beta of 0.95.
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National Storage Affiliates Trust (NYSE:NSA Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, August 5th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.16 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.63 by ($0.47). National Storage Affiliates Trust had a return on equity of 10.43% and a net margin of 21.23%. The company had revenue of $190.50 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $186.37 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.68 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that National Storage Affiliates Trust will post 2.39 earnings per share for the current year.
National Storage Affiliates Trust Announces Dividend
Institutional Investors Weigh In On National Storage Affiliates Trust
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.56 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $2.24 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.87%. National Storage Affiliates Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 117.28%.
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. SPC Financial Inc. grew its stake in shares of National Storage Affiliates Trust by 4.8% in the 2nd quarter. SPC Financial Inc. now owns 6,500 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $268,000 after buying an additional 300 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. purchased a new position in National Storage Affiliates Trust in the second quarter worth approximately $33,000. Creative Planning increased its stake in National Storage Affiliates Trust by 42.5% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 8,251 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $340,000 after acquiring an additional 2,462 shares during the last quarter. Long Pond Capital LP acquired a new stake in shares of National Storage Affiliates Trust during the second quarter worth about $16,198,000. Finally, Millennium Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of National Storage Affiliates Trust by 125.9% in the second quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 161,829 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $6,671,000 after purchasing an additional 90,206 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.97% of the companys stock.
National Storage Affiliates Trust is a real estate investment trust headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, focused on the ownership, operation and acquisition of self storage properties predominantly located within the top 100 metropolitan statistical areas throughout the United States. As of December 31, 2023, the Company held ownership interests in and operated 1,050 self storage properties, located in 42 states and Puerto Rico with approximately 68.6 million rentable square feet, which excludes 39 self storage properties classified as held for sale to be sold to a third party.
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North West (TSE:NWC Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The company reported C$0.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of C$0.71 by C$0.02, reports. The firm had revenue of C$646.49 million during the quarter. North West had a net margin of 5.37% and a return on equity of 20.19%.
North West Stock Performance
TSE:NWC opened at C$48.92 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of C$2.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.63. The company has a current ratio of 2.14, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 60.46. North West has a 1 year low of C$29.58 and a 1 year high of C$50.36. The firm has a 50 day moving average of C$43.90 and a 200-day moving average of C$41.03.
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Insider Buying and Selling
In other North West news, Senior Officer Walter Pickett sold 767 shares of North West stock in a transaction on Monday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$42.64, for a total value of C$32,704.88. In other North West news, Senior Officer John King sold 5,230 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.70, for a total value of C$223,321.00. Also, Senior Officer Walter Pickett sold 767 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$42.64, for a total transaction of C$32,704.88. Insiders have sold a total of 11,662 shares of company stock worth $497,015 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.12% of the companys stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on NWC shares. CIBC upped their price objective on North West from C$43.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, June 6th. TD Securities upped their price target on North West from C$47.00 to C$52.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on North West from C$41.00 to C$44.00 in a research note on Thursday, June 6th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of C$44.60.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on NWC
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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NOV Inc. (NYSE:NOV Get Free Report) saw unusually large options trading on Wednesday. Stock traders bought 2,616 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 1,353% compared to the average volume of 180 put options.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
NOV has been the topic of several research reports. Benchmark reissued a hold rating on shares of NOV in a report on Friday, July 26th. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on shares of NOV from $22.00 to $20.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 15th. TD Cowen raised their price objective on NOV from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Evercore ISI raised shares of NOV to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Bank of America cut their price target on shares of NOV from $24.00 to $22.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, NOV presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $24.58.
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NOV Stock Down 0.9 %
Shares of NYSE:NOV opened at $16.69 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a current ratio of 2.61 and a quick ratio of 1.64. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.60 billion, a PE ratio of 6.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.70. The firms 50-day moving average is $18.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $18.43. NOV has a 1 year low of $16.62 and a 1 year high of $21.89.
NOV (NYSE:NOV Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.35 by $0.22. NOV had a return on equity of 10.97% and a net margin of 11.88%. The company had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.19 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.39 EPS. NOVs revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that NOV will post 1.63 EPS for the current year.
NOV Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a dividend of $0.075 per share. This represents a $0.30 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.80%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. NOVs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 12.05%.
Institutional Trading of NOV
Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Pzena Investment Management LLC increased its position in NOV by 0.3% during the second quarter. Pzena Investment Management LLC now owns 35,175,886 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $668,694,000 after buying an additional 103,238 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of NOV by 40.0% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 12,138,093 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $230,743,000 after buying an additional 3,470,860 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its holdings in shares of NOV by 67.2% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 9,928,911 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock worth $188,749,000 after buying an additional 3,989,095 shares during the last quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. increased its position in NOV by 769.1% in the 4th quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 6,166,061 shares of the oil and gas exploration companys stock valued at $125,048,000 after acquiring an additional 5,456,581 shares during the period. Finally, Boston Partners purchased a new stake in NOV during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $119,686,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.27% of the companys stock.
NOV Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
NOV Inc designs, constructs, manufactures, and sells systems, components, and products for oil and gas drilling and production, and industrial and renewable energy sectors in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Energy Equipment, and Energy Products and Services. The company provides solids control and waste management equipment and services, managed pressure drilling, drilling fluids, premium drillpipe, wired pipe, drilling optimization services, tubular inspection and coating services, instrumentation, downhole tools, and drill bits.
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Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF (BATS:NULV Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $40.81 and last traded at $40.31, with a volume of 86330 shares. The stock had previously closed at $40.80.
Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF Stock Down 0.7 %
The stock has a 50 day moving average of $39.08 and a 200 day moving average of $38.20. The company has a market capitalization of $1.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.69 and a beta of 0.75.
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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF
Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Kimelman & Baird LLC bought a new position in shares of Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF in the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Mather Group LLC. boosted its holdings in shares of Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF by 2,910.0% during the 2nd quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 903 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 873 shares in the last quarter. Front Row Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $77,000.
About Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF
The Nuveen ESG Large-Cap Value ETF (NULV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI TIAA ESG USA Large Cap Value index. The fund tracks an index of US large-cap value stocks that score highly on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. The fund is weighted using a multi-factor optimizer.
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News / National
by Staff reporter
The government is closely monitoring businesses that are manipulating the exchange rate by using black market rates instead of the official ZiG currency rate. This practice undermines the ZiG, which is backed by gold, and is becoming increasingly common as some businesses limit the acceptance of ZiG or use dual pricing strategies.Economists and officials have observed that businesses are distorting the market by bypassing the official interbank rate of 13.56. Notably, some large wholesalers have been using black market rates for local currency transactions.Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce CEO, Christopher Mugaga, highlighted that such practices are affecting market stability, urging businesses to collaborate to address these issues. Economist Titus Mukove noted that the rapid adoption of the ZiG has led to destabilizing effects, stressing the need for ongoing monitoring.Treasury is aware of the problem and is working on measures to address it without disrupting the ZiG's performance. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, George Guvamatanga, assured that the ZiG should not be devalued due to its gold backing and foreign currency reserves.Economist Persistence Gwanyanya suggested that to manage the increased use of ZiG and its related supply shocks, the central bank should inject more foreign currency into the market. The ZiG now accounts for nearly 40 percent of transactions, a significant rise from less than 5 percent five months ago, indicating the need for prompt measures to support currency stability.
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Get Free Report) shares traded up 0.4% on Friday . The company traded as high as $28.77 and last traded at $28.62. 5,385,224 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 86% from the average session volume of 38,178,727 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.51.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Pfizer from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Daiwa Capital Markets upgraded shares of Pfizer from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and upped their price target for the company from $28.00 to $34.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $45.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a report on Monday, August 19th. Finally, Daiwa America upgraded shares of Pfizer from a moderate buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven 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 a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $34.54.
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Pfizer Stock Down 0.5 %
The stocks 50-day moving average price is $29.05 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $28.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $160.76 billion, a PE ratio of -476.92, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.86.
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 the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.14. Pfizer had a negative net margin of 4.66% and a positive return on equity of 8.42%. The company had revenue of $13.28 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.96 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.67 EPS. Pfizers revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.66 EPS 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 given a dividend of $0.42 per share. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.92%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 26th. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -2,799.53%.
Institutional Trading of Pfizer
Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PFE. Olistico Wealth LLC bought a new position in Pfizer during the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Pfizer during the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Quarry LP bought a new position in Pfizer during the 2nd quarter valued at about $31,000. Creekmur Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Pfizer during the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Trivant Custom Portfolio Group LLC lifted its stake in Pfizer by 100.0% during the 1st quarter. Trivant Custom Portfolio Group LLC now owns 1,200 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 600 shares during the period. 68.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
About Pfizer
(Get Free Report)
Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.
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Shaker Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust (NYSE:GLU Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 23,511 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $326,000.
Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Comerica Bank grew its holdings in The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust by 63.6% during the 1st quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 2,199 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 855 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust in the 2nd quarter valued at about $37,000. Hartline Investment Corp bought a new position in shares of The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust during the first quarter worth about $182,000. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors grew its stake in The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust by 8.0% in the second quarter. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors now owns 13,444 shares of the companys stock worth $186,000 after purchasing an additional 994 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Private Advisor Group LLC increased its holdings in The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust by 2.7% in the first quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 40,044 shares of the companys stock valued at $584,000 after buying an additional 1,045 shares during the last quarter.
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The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE GLU opened at $15.30 on Friday. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $14.77 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $14.26. The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust has a 52-week low of $11.61 and a 52-week high of $15.69.
The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust Dividend Announcement
The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust Company Profile
The company also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 20th. Investors of record on Friday, December 13th will be given a dividend of $0.10 per share. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.84%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 13th.
(Free Report)
The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by GAMCO Investors, Inc It is managed by Gabelli Funds, LLC. The fund invests in public equity markets across the globe. It primarily invests in stocks of companies involved to a substantial extent in providing products, services, or equipment for the generation or distribution of electricity, gas, or water and infrastructure operations, and in equity securities including preferred securities of companies in other industries, in each case in such securities that are expected to pay periodic dividends.
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The Southern Company (NYSE:SO Get Free Report) shares traded up 3.1% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $89.12 and last traded at $89.11. 2,959,388 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 33% from the average session volume of 4,449,135 shares. The stock had previously closed at $86.40.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several research firms have recently issued reports on SO. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Southern from $72.00 to $78.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 23rd. Barclays increased their price objective on Southern from $66.00 to $71.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on Southern from $87.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Southern from $87.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Southern from $77.00 to $89.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $83.71.
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Southern Stock Up 0.4 %
The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $83.77 and a 200-day moving average price of $77.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $97.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.13, a PEG ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.66.
Southern (NYSE:SO Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The utilities provider reported $1.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.91 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $6.46 billion for 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%. Southerns quarterly revenue was up 12.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.79 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that The Southern Company will post 4.02 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Southern Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 19th will be issued a $0.72 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 19th. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.22%. Southerns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 74.42%.
Insider Activity
In other news, EVP Sterling A. Jr. Spainhour sold 2,380 shares of Southern stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.99, for a total transaction of $211,796.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 12,500 shares in the company, valued at $1,112,375. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CEO Anthony L. Wilson sold 6,900 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.61, for a total value of $535,509.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 85,309 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,620,831.49. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Sterling A. Jr. Spainhour sold 2,380 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $88.99, for a total transaction of $211,796.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 12,500 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,112,375. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 21,280 shares of company stock worth $1,678,625. Insiders own 0.18% of the companys stock.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Southern
Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Southern by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 100,089,634 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $7,180,430,000 after acquiring an additional 481,071 shares during the period. Capital International Investors grew its position in shares of Southern by 45.9% during the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 23,994,733 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,721,382,000 after acquiring an additional 7,550,570 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Southern during the 4th quarter valued at $631,068,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its position in shares of Southern by 36.0% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 3,529,052 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $247,457,000 after acquiring an additional 934,447 shares during the period. Finally, Raymond James & Associates grew its position in shares of Southern by 21.3% during the 2nd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 2,572,230 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $199,528,000 after acquiring an additional 452,075 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 64.10% of the companys stock.
Southern Company Profile
(Get 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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Community Capital Bancshares (OTCMKTS:ALBY Get Free Report) and The PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE:PNC Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, analyst recommendations, dividends, risk, profitability, institutional ownership and earnings.
Profitability
This table compares Community Capital Bancshares and The PNC Financial Services Groups net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Community Capital Bancshares N/A N/A N/A The PNC Financial Services Group 15.53% 11.33% 1.03%
Institutional & Insider Ownership
83.5% of The PNC Financial Services Group shares are held by institutional investors. 42.4% of Community Capital Bancshares shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.4% of The PNC Financial Services Group shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Earnings & Valuation
Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Community Capital Bancshares N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A The PNC Financial Services Group $31.88 billion 2.26 $5.58 billion $11.91 15.19
This table compares Community Capital Bancshares and The PNC Financial Services Groups gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
The PNC Financial Services Group has higher revenue and earnings than Community Capital Bancshares.
Risk & Volatility
Community Capital Bancshares has a beta of 0.54, meaning that its stock price is 46% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, The PNC Financial Services Group has a beta of 1.14, meaning that its stock price is 14% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Dividends
Community Capital Bancshares pays an annual dividend of $0.75 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.0%. The PNC Financial Services Group pays an annual dividend of $6.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.5%. The PNC Financial Services Group pays out 53.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. The PNC Financial Services Group has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Community Capital Bancshares and The PNC Financial Services Group, as reported by MarketBeat.
Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Community Capital Bancshares 0 0 0 0 N/A The PNC Financial Services Group 2 6 9 0 2.41
The PNC Financial Services Group has a consensus price target of $177.02, suggesting a potential downside of 2.17%. Given The PNC Financial Services Groups higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe The PNC Financial Services Group is more favorable than Community Capital Bancshares.
Summary
The PNC Financial Services Group beats Community Capital Bancshares on 9 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Community Capital Bancshares
(Get Free Report)
Community Capital Bancshares, Inc. operates as the holding company for AB&T that provides various banking products and services to individual and corporate customers. The company accepts various deposit products, such as checking, savings, money market, and individual retirement accounts, as well as certificates of deposits. Its loan products include commercial and residential real estate, commercial, financial, agricultural, consumer installment, overdrafts and other revolving credit, and educational loans. The company also offers money transfer, bill pay, remote deposit capture, ACH origination, and merchant services, as well as online, mobile, and text message banking services. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is based in Albany, Georgia.
About The PNC Financial Services Group
(Get Free Report)
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. operates as a diversified financial services company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking, and Asset Management Group segments. The company's Retail Banking segment offers checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as time deposit; residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, credit cards, education loans, and personal and small business loans and lines of credit; and brokerage, insurance, and investment and cash management services. This segment serves consumer and small business customers through a network of branches, digital channels, ATMs, and through phone-based customer contact centers. Its Corporate & Institutional Banking segment provides secured and unsecured loans, letters of credit, and equipment leases; cash and investment management services, receivables and disbursement management services, funds transfer services, international payment services, and access to online/mobile information management and reporting; securities underwriting, loan syndications, customer-related trading, and mergers and acquisitions and equity capital markets advisory related services; and commercial loan servicing and technology solutions. It serves mid-sized and large corporations, and government and not-for-profit entities. The company's Asset Management Group segment offers investment and retirement planning, customized investment management, credit and cash management solutions, and trust management and administration services for high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals, and their families; and multi-generational family planning services for ultra high net worth individuals and their families. It also provides outsourced chief investment officer, custody, private real estate, cash and fixed income client solutions, and retirement plan fiduciary investment services for institutional clients. The company was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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Valeo Pharma Inc. (TSE:VPH Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as C$0.06 and last traded at C$0.06, with a volume of 120873 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.07.
Valeo Pharma Stock Down 7.7 %
The businesss fifty day moving average is C$0.09 and its 200 day moving average is C$0.12. The stock has a market cap of C$5.92 million, a PE ratio of -0.18 and a beta of 2.39.
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Valeo Pharma (TSE:VPH Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, June 13th. The company reported C($0.08) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C($0.05) by C($0.03). The company had revenue of C$14.13 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$15.50 million.
About Valeo Pharma
Valeo Pharma Inc, a specialty pharmaceutical company, engages in the acquisition, in-licensing brands, and sale of pharmaceuticals and hospital specialty products for unmet medical needs in Canada. Its product portfolio includes Enerzair Breezhaler, a LABA/LAMA/ICS fixed triple dose asthma drug; Atectura Breezhaler, a LABA/ICS dual combination asthma drug; Redesca, to treat and prevent deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism; Onstryv, for the treatment of Idiopathic Parkinson's disease; M-Eslon, extended-release morphine sulphate used for pain management; and Yondelis, a soft tissue sarcoma.
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Analysts at StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Visionary (NYSE:GV Get Free Report) in a report issued on Wednesday. The firm set a sell rating on the stock.
Visionary Price Performance
GV stock opened at $2.00 on Wednesday. Visionary has a 52 week low of $1.52 and a 52 week high of $8.85.
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Visionary Company Profile
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Visionary Holdings Inc provides education resources to students worldwide. The company offers educational programs for secondary school, college, university, and advanced degree students that include degree-oriented educational programs, such as OSSD program, career-oriented two-year college, four-year university programs, and masters programs; and high school education programs, real estate development, animation education, vocational education, online education, and other education-related consulting services.
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Wellington Shields Capital Management LLC decreased its stake in shares of Franco-Nevada Co. (NYSE:FNV Free Report) (TSE:FNV) by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 3,000 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 200 shares during the period. Wellington Shields Capital Management LLCs holdings in Franco-Nevada were worth $356,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Mechanics Financial Corp increased its holdings in Franco-Nevada by 150.0% during the second quarter. Mechanics Financial Corp now owns 250 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 150 shares during the last quarter. Mather Group LLC. acquired a new position in shares of Franco-Nevada during the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Kings Path Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Franco-Nevada in the 2nd quarter valued at about $36,000. Fortis Group Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Franco-Nevada by 100.0% in the 4th quarter. Fortis Group Advisors LLC now owns 352 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV grew its holdings in Franco-Nevada by 37.1% during the first quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 440 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $52,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 77.06% of the companys stock.
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Franco-Nevada Trading Down 0.1 %
Franco-Nevada stock traded down $0.15 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $119.31. The company had a trading volume of 56,464 shares, compared to its average volume of 647,570. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $123.35 and a 200 day simple moving average of $120.17. The company has a market cap of $22.96 billion, a P/E ratio of -47.99, a P/E/G ratio of 20.73 and a beta of 0.74. Franco-Nevada Co. has a fifty-two week low of $102.29 and a fifty-two week high of $145.82.
Franco-Nevada Dividend Announcement
Franco-Nevada ( NYSE:FNV Get Free Report ) (TSE:FNV) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 13th. The basic materials company reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.78 by ($0.03). Franco-Nevada had a negative net margin of 51.64% and a positive return on equity of 10.56%. The firm had revenue of $260.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $277.44 million. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.95 EPS. The companys revenue was down 21.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Franco-Nevada Co. will post 3.2 EPS for the current year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 26th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, September 12th will be paid a $0.36 dividend. This represents a $1.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.21%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 12th. Franco-Nevadas dividend payout ratio is currently -57.83%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts have issued reports on the company. Scotiabank upped their price objective on Franco-Nevada from $141.00 to $142.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday, August 19th. TD Cowen raised Franco-Nevada from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of Franco-Nevada from $141.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 26th. TD Securities raised shares of Franco-Nevada from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Finally, HC Wainwright reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $185.00 target price on shares of Franco-Nevada in a report on Friday, August 16th. Four 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 company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $152.75.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Franco-Nevada
Franco-Nevada Company Profile
(Free Report)
Franco-Nevada Corporation operates as a gold-focused royalty and streaming company in South America, Central America, Mexico, the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through Mining and Energy segments. The company manages its portfolio with a focus on precious metals, such as gold, silver, and platinum group metals; and engages in the sale of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids through a third-party marketing agent.
Further Reading
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FNV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Franco-Nevada Co. (NYSE:FNV Free Report) (TSE:FNV).
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Kriti Sanon juggled between Crew and Do Patti and worked for 16-17 hours straight per day
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A couple from Burnside suburb in Bulawayo endured an hour of torture at the hands of two masked and armed robbers who reportedly stole US$1800 from them.The robbers, clad in balaclavas and dark sunglasses, were armed with an iron bar and a knife.According to a family member who spoke to B-Metro, the attack occurred on Monday at the couple's residence.William Rose and his wife, Laetitia, were asleep when William heard footsteps in the yard. He went outside to investigate, only to be met with a severe slap to the face.One of the robbers then forced his way into the bedroom, where he assaulted Laetitia and demanded money.The second robber threatened to stab William, pushing him back inside the house and into the bedroom where his wife was being held down.The robbers tortured the couple for nearly an hour, continuing to demand cash and threatening to kill them.Eventually, the robbers took US$1800 and fled the scene. William reported the incident to Hillside Police Station.Bulawayo Police Spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, confirmed the attack and advised the public to avoid putting themselves at risk by leaving their homes at night.Instead, he encouraged people to contact the neighborhood watch committee or alert community members via local WhatsApp groups.
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Krishan Kumar's wife Tanya remembers late daughter Tishaa on what would have been her 21st birthday
Nivin Paulys co-stars Bhagath Manuel and Vineeth Sreenivasan claim the actor was with them at the time of alleged sexual assault
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Rapper Rich Homie Quan, 34, found dead at home, girlfriend Amber Williams discovered him foaming at the mouth
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Bank of America accused by whistleblower of sharing nonpublic information, WSJ reports
Meghna Mittal Deputy News Editor at Moneycontrol. Meghna has experience across television, print, online and wire media. She has been covering the Indian economy, monetary and fiscal policies, Finance and Trade ministries. She tweets at @Meghnamittal23 Contact: meghna.mittal@nw18.com
Ashwin Mohan is Editor (Deals) at Moneycontrol and leads the M&A, private equity and equity capital market transactions coverage. He anchors the video show 'Deal Central ' and tweets at @ashwinmohansays. He has previously worked with ET NOW, CNBC TV-18 and The Times of India.
The German navy replenishment ship Frankfurt am Main enters port in Incheon, as part of a two-ship cruise through the Indo-Pacific
The German navy replenishment ship Frankfurt am Main enters port in Incheon, as part of a two-ship cruise through the Indo-Pacific
By Josh Smith
INCHEON, South Korea (Reuters) - A rare cruise by two German warships in the Indo-Pacific region will demonstrate a commitment to open navigation, the admiral in charge of the naval task force said on Friday, but he declined to confirm if they would transit the contesed Taiwan Strait.
"Safe and secure sea lanes, especially from Southeast Asia as well as to Europe and America, are a prerequisite for a prosperous economy of all our countries," Rear Admiral Axel Schulz said in a speech to a reception held on the flight deck of the frigate FGS Baden-Wurttemberg during a port visit in the South Korean city of Incheon.
Asked later whether the task force would cross the Taiwan Strait on its way to its next stop in Manila, Shulz told reporters that to telegraph the ships' plans would violate operational security.
While the U.S. and other countries have sent warships through the narrow strait in recent weeks, it would be the German navy's first such passage since 2002.
China claims sovereignty over democratically governed Taiwan, and says it has jurisdiction over the nearly 180-km (110 miles) wide waterway that divides the two sides and is part of the South China Sea.
Taiwan objects to China's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future.
"The general aim of this deployment is to reassert that Germany is committed to rules based international order, but at the same time to practice and exchange ideas with partners and allies in the spirit of trusting cooperation and to prevent possible conflicts," Schulz said in his speech.
The frigate and the accompanying replenishment vessel are participating in several military exercises and took part in operationally monitoring sanctions on North Korea.
Last month Germany joined the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC) in South Korea that helps police the heavily fortified border with North Korea and has committed to defend the South in the event of a war.
North Korea and Russia signed a mutual defence pledge this year and the United States and its allies have accused Pyongyang of providing weapons used by Russia to strike targets in Ukraine.
"What happens in Russia, Ukraine directly affects South Korea," German Ambassador to South Korea Georg Schmidt said. "What happens in North Korea directly affects Germany."
(Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
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Preeti Kulkarni is a financial journalist with over 13 years of experience. Based in Mumbai, she covers the personal finance beat for Moneycontrol. She focusses primarily on insurance, banking, taxation and financial planning
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Amit Shah to launch BJP campaign in Jammu today, release manifesto
BJP faces major revolt in Haryana: Who are the rebels and why are they sulking?
September 06, 2024 / 20:44 IST
Union Home Minister Amit Shah unequivocally said on Friday that India is not in favour of talks with Pakistan until terrorism ceases, emphasising that "talks and bombs cannot go together".
Shah made these remarks while releasing here the BJP's manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir. He dismissed any possibility of dialogue with Pakistan amidst the ongoing terrorist activities.
Taylor Smith and a team of hotel staff are getting ready to welcome the public inside the new Riverstone Suites when it opens its 58-room extended stay facility on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
Smith is Riverstone Suites general manager and a Chippewa Valley native who returned to the area after working in hospitality outside Wisconsin for about a decade.
Smith said he is grateful to be back in western Wisconsin and looks forward to working in Chippewa Falls.
It has been wonderful to be back up here, to be back home, he said. And this hotel is really going to be a fantastic addition to this fast-growing area.
Smith grew up in Eau Claire and after spending about a decade working in hotels across the Midwest. He returned during the pandemic.
The timing here just worked out after I moved back to the area just for various seasonal jobs. When I saw this opening up, it was like the dream hotel, at least from a general manager's perspective, he said. I could not be more excited to work with this team in this community especially.
Riverstone Hotel and Suites is owned by Cobblestone Hotels, LLC.
Riverstone Suites at Chippewa Crossing is a project that has been in the works for a number of years and strengthens the Cobblestone brand in the region of its roots.
We are thrilled for this project to come full circle as Chippewa Falls is home to the first Wissota Chophouse, first Main Street Cobblestone Hotel, and where the late CEO of Cobblestone Hotels and his wife and partner Kim Wogernese had both grown up, a release from from Cobblestone Hotels says. Above and beyond, also to honor the evolution of the brand founded by Brian Wogernese.
Based in Neenah, Cobblestone Hotels is an upper-midscale hotel brand with over 169 hotels open, under construction or in development in 29 states.
Cobblestone Hotels also has a facility on N. Bridge St. in downtown Chippewa Falls.
Whats inside
Riverstone Suites is an extended stay, 58-room hotel spanning four floors.
Cobblestone Hotels launched its Riverstone Suites brand in Chippewa Falls when the company broke ground on the hotel in 2023. It was Cobblestones debut construction under their extended stay brand.
If you go What: Riverstone Suites ribbon-cutting When: 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 Where: 1413 Chippewa Crossing Blvd., Chippewa Falls
Smith said extended stay is what Riverstone specializes in, but the hotel also welcomes traditional guests also.
While we are an extended stay hotel we still are allowing guests to stay for just short term stays if they want, Smith said. Each room is outfitted pretty much just like a small apartment. So if you're staying for one day or one month, you've got a lot of options.
As part of the Riverstone accommodations, guest rooms have a flat panel TV, sofa and kitchenette that offers a stovetop, sink, full-size refrigerator, microwave and storage for long-term lodging needs.
Guests will have access to free internet, an expanded convenience store, onsite coin-operated guest laundry and a fitness center.
Smith said the lobby will offer a guest bar once permits come through.
Not far from the lobby is the laundry room with multiple coin-operated machines.
Out back, on the side of the building closest to the fire station, guests will have access to a concrete porch and grassy field.
We have plans to expand this space outside here. Once everything got laid, it wasn't as spacious as we were hoping for so eventually there'll be some patio furniture, a few grills out here, just so that there's a nice outdoor area for guests, Smith said.
Smith said the hotel will be dog-friendly as well.
Welcome to Chippewa Crossing
Riverstone Suites is opening in Chippewa Falls hottest area of new development Chippewa Crossing, which is growing at blistering speed.
Three new facilities are under construction at Chippewa Crossing including Riverstone Suites, located next to Chippewa Falls Fire Station No. 1 and the citys new Festival Foods and Kwik Trip.
The area is bordered by Highway 29 to the south, Summit Avenue to the north, Highway 53 to the west and 160th Street to the east.
City officials have worked with Cobblestone for the last few years to see the hotel come to fruition.
We're excited that they obviously have some prominent locations in the community and we're excited that they're reinvesting with another product that will be a little different target audience, Chippewa Falls city planner Brad Hentschel said in 2023. It's going to really add another level of development out there at Chippewa Crossing. Just to add to the excitement it is going to get great visibility from the highway, get new people into town that maybe haven't experienced Chippewa Falls and all we have to offer.
Mayor Greg Hoffman said he thinks the new hotel will benefit the city in an area where growth is going to be robust.
Hoffman stressed the hotel shows that Chippewa Falls has entered a new phase of development.
Builders love to work with us now. We have simplified the process, made it very user friendly. I think there's a lot of people that have been building in town that are very surprised, because at one time Chippewa had a bad rap. They weren't the easiest people to get along with. And we changed that, Hoffman said. This is the result.
Riverstone Suites in Chippewa Falls prepares to open
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A man who threatened to shoot up the Chippewa County Courthouse and kill a judge last year and later threatened to kill his attorney was sentenced Thursday.
40-year-old Harley Alcala of Duluth, Minnesota pleaded guilty to making threats to a judge or prosecutor, computer message threats of injury or harm and two counts of felony bail jumping as part of a plea deal reached in August.
He was ordered to serve 180 days in jail with four years of extended supervision. He was credited with time served and will be released by end of day Thursday, the Chippewa County Sheriffs Office reports.
Alcala also was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
Dunn County Judge Luke Wagner has been overseeing the case which is being prosecuted by the Eau Claire County District Attorneys Office since the case involved Chippewa County officials. After all Chippewa County judges recused themselves, Wagner was assigned the case.
Alcala has been living in Bandera, Texas much of the last year. Court records show he spent some time in a mental health facility in that area in 2024.
He was living in Wisconsin at the time of the first series of incidents he was involved in. Those incidents resulted in the closing of Highway 53 and increased security at the courthouse before his arrest.
The situation arose out of Alcala's interactions with the foster parents of his daughter and the Department of Human Services. He raised concern among his daughter's foster parents with his behavior and talk during his twice weekly FaceTime calls to his daughter, according to court documents.
Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell said Alcala was "inappropriate and disrespectful" to the foster parents.
On May 4, 2023, Alcala made threats toward a Chippewa County judge, and to the courthouse as a whole. As a result of the threats, security was increased at the courthouse and law enforcement monitored Alcalas movements to prevent him from reaching the courthouse.
The May 4 incident resulted in Highway 53 between Tilden and Bloomer being closed by law enforcement for about 90 minutes in both directions.
Authorities said while Alcala approached the courthouse law enforcement coordinated a traffic stop on Highway 53 between Exit 110 and Exit 102, near the town of Woodmohr.
When Alcala was pulled over, he refused to leave his vehicle, according to Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes.
Law enforcement attempted to negotiate with him, Hakes said.
Then negotiations were initiated by a crisis negotiator from the Chippewa Falls Police Department.
The SWAT team was eventually deployed, and authorities used pepper balls to get Alcala out of his vehicle and bring him into custody, records show.
While in custody, Alcala said he was drinking when he made the threats and he didnt intend on following through.
In 2023, state officials sought a hearing to suspend his visitation rights after Alcala made threatening posts online including one that read if I dont get my daughter I will kill you! Judge everyone.
Another post said ever see a court house shot up! Showing up with a toy hauler full of armored soldiers unlocked.
After his arrest that day Alcala was held on a $100,000 cash bond.
Alcala was then charged in February 2024 for another round of threats and a cash bond was reissued.
The criminal complaint for that incident says Alcala called a woman representing him at a pending guardianship hearing.
She reported his behavior as belligerent on the phone and began using email to communicate with him instead of telephone. Later she told Alcala she was withdrawing as his attorney.
Alcala responded, I will kill you if you withdraw, and made additional threats against the courthouse and judge according to the complaint.
Hakes said in an email that Alcala was extradited from Texas back to Chippewa County after he violated his bond.
Alcala was charged with four felonies on June 20, 2023 including making terrorist threats, two counts of battery or threat to a judge, prosecutor, or law enforcement officer and threats to injure/accuse of a crime.
As part of the deal Alcala is ordered to commit no acts of violence or make threats to anyone. He is to have no contact with the Chippewa County Courthouse or DHS except for official business. He must maintain absolute sobriety and complete a mental health evaluation and follow through.
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David Fickling is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering commodities, as well as industrial and consumer companies. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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Witnesses to her passing described Kati Rosskidwits as a quiet and unassuming student at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
The date was Jan. 9, 1882. The woman from the Wichita tribe had died of a disease at Carlisle Barracks. The Eadle Keatah Toh, a student publication, ran a death notice.
[She] was patient in sickness, the article reads. [She] smiled sweetly at the thought of being called home to the Fathers House and sent message to the friends at home telling them to give God their hearts and pray to Him always.
Whether that truly happened is hard to say. The school had a way of using its publications as propaganda to push an agenda that involved the forced assimilation of Native American children and young adults to the white mans culture.
Now, 142 years later, what remains of Rosskidwits may be returning soon to tribal lands at the request of her descendants. The U.S. Army has started its annual effort to disinter the remains of students buried on post.
This month, the Office of Army Cemeteries will work to recover 11 remains from six tribes in a process that includes specialists in anthropology and forensic archaeology. The goal is to make sure that the remains buried under the gravestones match the gender and age of the people believed to be buried there.
Of the 229 burial plots in the Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery, 180 are believed to contain the remains of students who attended the school. Close to 8,000 youths went through that school in the almost 40 years that it was open from 1879 to 1918.
Aside from Rosskidwits, the Army will focus their efforts on disinterring the remains of 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; Leonidas Chawa from the Pechanga Band; Albert Mekko from the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; and Alfred Charko from the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes.
Dickinson College has a project where Carlisle Indian School student records stored at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., are scanned into a digital resource center at carlisleindian.dickinson.edu. The only information available on most of them is incomplete details on student information cards.
A check on the entry on Rosskidwitz revealed that she was 15 when she arrived in Carlisle on Oct. 27, 1879. Here is what is known about the other students whose remains may be exhumed this month:
William Norkok was 8 when he arrived in Carlisle on March 11, 1881. The school had an Outing program where students were outsourced to off-campus worksites to receive on-the-job training in vocations. From July 1, 1886, to Sept. 16, 1888, Norkok worked for a client in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He was involved in a second Outing with C. Coleman of Trenton, New Jersey, when he died of tuberculosis on May 23, 1892. In the death of Billy Norkok, the school loses another good and faithful boy, the Indian Helper, a student publication, reported on May 27.
Almeda Heavy Hair was 12 when she arrived in Carlisle on April 13, 1890. Like Norkok, she died of tuberculosis. The Indian Helper reported that her death took place around 6 p.m. on Aug. 28, 1894. Her funeral at 4 p.m. Aug. 29 was the second time in school history that there was a double burial of students. The other person was a 20-year-old woman from the Pawnee tribe named Minnie Topi. Prior to her death, Topi had been treated for illness at the Methodist Episcopal Hospital in Philadelphia for several months. Her body was returned to the Carlisle school by a former nurse.
Bishop L. Shield was 17 when he arrived in Carlisle on April 13, 1890. He died of pneumonia just over three months later July 30, 1890.
John Bull was 14 when he arrived in Carlisle on April 13, 1890. Student records report that his Native American name was the Dwarf. At the time, Bull stood five-foot-three-inches tall and weighed about 124 pounds. In a death notice published on May 15, 1891, the Indian Helper reported that Bull who has been a patient sufferer for a long time was quietly laid away in our little cemetery last Thursday afternoon. Bull died of tuberculosis on May 7. The Indian Helper had this to say about his passing When a loved schoolmate is called to his long home we mourn for the departed, yet the occasion brings a useful lesson.
Fanny Chargingshield was 16 when she arrived in Carlisle on Feb. 19, 1891. From June 25, 1891, to Jan. 8, 1892, she participated in one Outing for a client named R. Hamman in Kenneth Square, Chester County. In early March 1892, Chief Charging Shield came to Carlisle to visit his ailing daughter. She died on March 7. The funeral, which took place the next day, was officiated by Rev. Alexander MacMillan, rector of St. Johns Episcopal Church on the Square in Carlisle.
James Cornman was 22 when he arrived in Carlisle on Aug. 12, 1887. From Oct. 8, 1888, to Jan. 14, 1892, Cornman participated in an Outing for a client in Newtown, Bucks County. Cornman died on April 21, 1892.
Samuel Flying Horse was an 18-year-old orphan when he arrived at Carlisle on June 24, 1891. He survived almost two years at the school before dying in its hospital of tuberculosis on May 31, 1893.
Leonidas Chawa arrived at Carlisle on March 7, 1899, and died almost four months later June 24, 1899. The file on this student was removed from the Dickinson College public website at the request of family members.
Albert Mekko arrived at Carlisle on Oct. 27, 1879. He died at the school on April 21, 1881.
Alfred Charko was 15 when he arrived at Carlisle on Aug. 31, 1882. He survived almost four months before dying on Dec. 16, 1882. The School News, a student publication, reported that Charko was sick before he came here and so he was in hospital ever since.
Calaveras, CA Sergeant Matt Anderson of the Calaveras County Sheriffs Office competed in a flat track motorcycle race at Fuji Park in Carson City on August 23 and 24, facing off against law enforcement and firefighters in a charity event. The race, organized by Outlaw Flat Trac Promotions, featured first responders from agencies across Nevada and California.
A highlight of the weekend was Fridays charity race, where officers and firefighters raced to raise money for charity. Participants included members of the Lyon County Sheriffs Office, Reno Police Department, and Carson City Fire Department. Sgt. Anderson won his heat race, defeating a Reno police officer and two Nevada firefighters. In the main Cops vs. Fire event, Anderson finished in second place after a close 10-lap chase behind a Lyon County Sheriffs sergeant.
With 12 years of service, Anderson is a member of the Patrol Division and contributes to SWAT and Bomb Squad training.
North Valley Small Business Conference flyer View Photo
Tuolumne, CA Local entrepreneurs can get key resources and networking information at a business conference next week, and those wanting to attend can still register, and its free.
The North Valley Small Business Conference will take place on Monday, September 9th, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tuolumne County Resilience Center. It is designed to provide valuable resources, educational opportunities, and networking for local entrepreneurs and small business owners. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in partnership with the Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce, the Twain Harte Chamber of Commerce, Opportunity Stanislaus, and several other leading organizations, is hosting the event.
Were thrilled to offer this conference as a way to support small businesses and foster growth in the region, said Mathew Galvan, Chair of the Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce. The opportunity to engage with these key resources and learn from industry leaders is invaluable for local entrepreneurs looking to thrive in todays market.
Organizers provided this list of what the conference will include:
A Resource Center featuring representatives from key organizations such as the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the California Department of General Services (DGS), and the Valley Sierra Small Business Development Center (SBDC), among others.
Presentations on critical business topics, including business startup strategies, marketing, AI, access to capital, and much more.
Networking opportunities to connect with fellow business owners and local community partners.
Click here to register for the North Valley Small Business Conference. For more information, please contact the Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce at info@tcchamber.com.
Event partners include the Central Valley Womens Entrepreneur Center and the Office of Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services.
Hope Stations board this week said they are confident in their new leaders future with the nonprofit despite the circumstances surrounding her time at the Dauphin County Clerk of Courts office.
New Hope Station Executive Director Rogette Harris was fired from the Dauphin County Clerk of Courts office in late June before accepting her role at the Carlisle nonprofit, according to ABC27.
The news station reported the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an order declaring a judicial emergency June 30 following the resignation of Clerk of Courts Bridget Whitley and first deputy Cole Goodman. Harris, the second deputy, was fired.
According to the Supreme Court, Whitley was facing contempt proceedings after the discovery of deficiencies and backlogs in document scanning, filing and processing documents and orders, ABC27 reported.
Hope Station officials announced Harris as the organizations new executive director Aug. 22, and she stepped into the role Tuesday.
Board President Tavares Tyler said board members were aware of Harris involvement with the Dauphin County Clerk of Courts office prior to inviting her for a preliminary interview.
After the board vetted Ms. Harris professional background and interviewed her virtually and in person we found that Ms. Harris gifts, diverse professional experience and strong leadership skills supersede the content of news reports, he said. We are confident that Ms. Harris will passionately and strategically advance Hope Stations mission to serve Carlisle and Cumberland County with integrity and excellence.
Criminal groups are migrating from physical to virtual crimes because it is a better, more lucrative and less risky business.
It is gradually becoming clear that the trend away from cash and toward digital-only payment systems may not be quite as smooth or as seamless as some may have wished or expected. In May, we posted the article, Worlds Oldest Central Bank Keeps Sounding Alarm on Fragility of Cashless Economies. Are Other Central Banks Listening?, in which we explored the growing concerns among central bankers in Sweden, one of Europes most cashless economies, about the unintended consequences of driving cash out of the economy.
There are serious fraud problems that could undermine trust in the payment system, Swedens central bank, the Riksbank, cautioned in its 2024 payments report. Digitalization also makes payments more vulnerable to cyber attacks and disruptions to the power grid and data communication, the bank points out. These developments suggested that we should concentrate more than before on the challenges of digitalization.*
A month after we posted that piece, a spate of articles appeared in the English-language press warning about the recent explosion of digital fraud in Sweden. The Daily Telegraph reported that criminals were having a field day after Sweden has more or less stopped using cash:
Criminals profited to the tune of 543m (SEK 7.5bn) in 2023 from fraud, according to the Swedish police. Online fraud and digital crimes have proved lucrative, with organised gangs stealing 89m (SEK 1.2bn) in 2023, double the loss in 2021. Common frauds focus on the personal ID code used by most Swedish citizens, BankID. It is so trusted that if it has been inputted correctly, transactions will take place immediately. If fraudsters can harvest this number, then they can easily empty accounts. In combination with some basic personal data, fraudsters can even take out loans in the victims name.
It is apparently not quite as simple as The Daily Telegraph suggests. As long-time Naked Capitalism commenter fjallstrom points below the line, you also need the hardware on which a time-limited file has been downloaded and installed in the program as well as the persons password.
Thus scams tend to involve tricking the person being scammed into signing (and ignoring all the red flags like the name of the recipient not matching the stated purpose) then both stealing their hardware and getting your hands on or guessing their password.
In its report Going cashless Has Turned Sweden from One of the Safest Countries into a High-Crime Nation, Fortune magazine provided an example:
Ellen Bagley was delighted when she made her first sale on a popular second-hand clothing app, but just a few minutes later, the thrill turned to shock as the 20-year-old from Linkoping in Sweden discovered shed been robbed. Everything seemed normal when Bagley received a direct message on the platform, which asked her to verify personal details to complete the deal. She clicked the link, which fired up BankID the ubiquitous digital authorization system used by nearly all Swedish adults. After receiving a couple of error messages, she started thinking something was wrong, but it was already too late. Over 10,000 Swedish kronor ($1,000) had been siphoned from her account and the thieves disappeared into the digital shadows. The fraudsters are so skilled at making things look legitimate, said Bagley, who was born after BankID was created. Its not easy to identify scams Law-enforcement agencies estimate that the size of Swedens criminal economy could amount to as high as 2.5% of the countrys gross domestic product. To counter the digital crime spree, Swedish authorities have put pressure on banks to tighten security measures and make it harder on tech-savvy criminals, but its a delicate balancing act. Going too far could slow down the economy, while doing too little erodes trust and damages legitimate businesses in the process.
Swedens recent explosion in digital fraud needs to be set against the rash of bank robberies the country was suffering roughly a decade ago, which have apparently fallen to zero in the last couple of years. However, as fjallstrom points out, while bank robberies by definition impact banks, the recent digital scams are mostly affecting bank customers. As such, an argument can be made that banks, having pushed for digital transactions for everything, no longer have to bear the risk of bank robberies while at the same time foisting responsibility for the new risks posed by digital crimes onto their customers a new example of socialising the losses.
A $34 Billion Problem
Sweden is not the only largely cash-free economy that is grappling with a surge in digital theft. Brazil, one of Latin Americas most cashless economies, is suffering an epidemic of cell phone theft and cyberfraud, reports El Pais:
One in ten Brazilians have had their mobile phone stolen in the last year, according to a survey, while cybercrime skyrockets and the economic cost is estimated at $34 billion. It happens in the blink of an eye. You take out your cell phone, which was well protected in your fanny pack, stretch your arms to take a quick photo in the middle of the carnival crowd and bam! someone grabs it from you and disappears with it into the crowd. It also happens while youre talking from your car. At a traffic light, the motorcyclist next to you suddenly smashes the car window, grabs the device and drives off with it. Or on a quiet backstreet while you look at how long it will take for your Uber to arrive. Suddenly a guy on a bike appears and snatches it from your hand while you watch, dumbfounded, as he rides away, dodging pedestrians and cars. The kind of non-violent crime is the order of the day in the epidemic of cell phone theft that Brazil is experiencing. One in ten Brazilians has had at least ome smartphone stolen in the past year, according to a survey commissioned by the NGO Forum Brasileiro de Seguranca Publica to Datafolha and published on Tuesday.
These days, the thieves are less interested in the phones themselves than they are in the possibility of emptying the digital wallets on them.
A Cyberfraud Paradise
Brazilians are adopting digital payments faster than anyone else, trumpeted an article by the World Economic Forum last year. In 2020, 44% of bank customers had a digital-only account, compared with less than 20% in the US and Canada, according to the consultancy firm Accenture. But its success as a fintech hub has attracted hordes of cyber criminals, as The Economist reported in January:
Their main weapon has been the banking trojan, a programme that steals users account information. According to Kaspersky Lab, a cyber-security firm, Brazil is the top country for attacks by banking trojans, with 1.8m attempted infections from June 2022 to July 2023 (the latest data available). Globally eight of the 13 most popular types of trojans are made in Brazil Cyber-criminals initially focused on trojans as they require little skill to use. However, as banks developed better defences, criminals were forced to branch out into more complex and lucrative attacks. Brazils underworld has developed the most advanced point of sale malware, which scammers use to filch bank details from card readers, according to Kaspersky Lab. Known as Prilex, this application can block contactless payments by stopping the short-range connection between a credit card and the payment terminal. The terminal reads: Error. Please Insert. When a customer inserts her card and PIN , the malware uses the credentials to authorise a fraudulent transaction. During Rios carnival in 2016, a hacker used a basic version of this software to remotely take over 1,000 ATM s.
This trend was turbocharged in November 2020, when Brazils central bank launched the Pix protocol, an instant-payments platform, forcing the countrys commercial banks to integrate their accounts with instant and free digital transfers for individuals. Carrying zero fees for individual customers and relatively low costs for businesses (at least for now), the instant payment scheme was an instant success, and has done nothing but grow since then.
As of June this year, Pix boasted 165.8 million users, 151.8 million of them individuals (close to three-quarters of the population) and 14.63 million, companies. Given the success of Pix, some lawmakers are calling for the phasing out of cash. As Reuters reported in April, in the space of just over three years, Brazils hugely popular Pix system has become the countrys favourite form of payment, in many cases replacing cash and bank transfers and now threatening the dominance of credit cards in the booming e-commerce sector:
Instant payments designed by Brazils central bank are a boon for online retailers, helping with cash flow in a sector with small margins, while also eroding the business of banks and fintechs built on existing credit card infrastructure. I think credit cards will cease to exist soon, central bank chief Roberto Campos said nearly two years ago, speaking of the potential of open finance and the Pix platform. This system eliminates the need to have a credit card.
Whether that is true, time will tell. Banks and card processing firms are presumably terrified at the prospect, given that the fees they charge on Pix are significantly lower than typical credit card fees. But one thing is clear: Pix is fuelling an epidemic of digital crime, with 1,640 mobile phones stolen every hour, according to the El Pais article. The target, of course, is not the device itself but its applications, contacts and passwords, possession of which has helped Brazils criminal gangs to exponentially increase their profits. Each victim loses an average of 1,500 reais ($275, a little more than the monthly minimum wage) in addition to the smartphone.
In August 2021, UOL reported an explosion in the incidence of express kidnappings in Sao Paulo following the launch of the instant payments solution. In March 2023, the global tech blog Rest of World published an article on a worrying new trend sweeping many of Brazils cities Tinder robberies, which involve criminal gangs luring affluent men on dating apps to secluded places where their phones can be seized and their digital wallets emptied.
Police statistics reveal that nine out of 10 kidnappings in Sao Paulo in 2022 occurred after a date was arranged through Tinder and similar apps. The money extorted from the victims then ends up in sprawling networks of mule accounts before finally being withdrawn or converted into crypto. As the Rest of World article notes, the rise in these scams has coincided with the widespread adoption of two forms of technology: dating apps and mobile payments:
Criminals use fake dating app profiles to lure unsuspecting targets to a private place with ease, and then take their money using PIX an instant QR payment method used by 67% of Brazilians. Criminals have found they can use PIX to extract large quantities of cash from the victims they scam using apps like Tinder For many Brazilians, the popular PIX app is a fast and efficient mode of payment. It is this very efficiency and ease of use that have made it the perfect tool for these sorts of scams.
The costs to the public are spiralling. As with the digital fraud cases in Sweden, the financial losses from these scams fall exclusively on the victim. The Brazilian Forum of Public Security estimates that losses resulting from digital fraud amounted to $34 billion last year. According to the NGOs calculations, this is more than the total sum of money spent each year on public security by Brazils central administration, states and municipalities. As El Pais puts it, Brazil has become a cyber fraud paradise:
Gangs of pickpockets on the hunt for mobile phones are omnipresent in the large crowds that Brazilians are so fond of, whether at a free Madonna gig in Copacabana or Carnival time on the streets of any big city. The social networks and media are filled with detailed instructions on how to minimize risks. For the criminal gangs, the goal is no longer just to empty the victims accounts or buy things on credit; some criminals are taking advantage of the stolen cell phone by applying for instant loans in the owners name. They then create accounts to transfer the money or send it to front men until all trace of the money is lost. The First Capital Command (PCC), a brotherhood of criminals that is the most powerful organised crime group, has created an entire structure of safe houses with hackers in the centre of Sao Paulo. As Renato Sergio de Lima, [a public security expert], recently explained, criminal groups are migrating from physical to virtual crimes because it is a better, more lucrative and less risky business:
The cost-benefit ratio of virtual crimes is much higher than car theft, bank robberies or the theft of truck cargoes.
All of which is deeply ironic given that one of the most frequent arguments for replacing cash with digital money alternatives is to help reduce crime, rather than making it easier and a lot more lucrative.
There is one advantage to Brazils digital crime wave, however: it provides an open air laboratory for banks, tech firms and the central bank to tweak and refine the security features of their digital wallets. Brazil is the first country where Google has trialled the so-called thief mode on its android phones, which blocks a phones screen if the operating system detects that it has been abruptly ripped out of the owners hand. Also, Brazils Lula government recently launched a safe phone app to block any device and banking apps in the event of theft, thus limiting potential losses for the victims and reducing the incentive for criminals.
That is the goal at least. But are these merely teething problems that will be gradually ironed out through the creation of better security protocols? Or will todays cyber-criminal masterminds continue to stay one step ahead of the digital curve as digital wallets gain traction around the world not just for payments, but also identity verification and access control?
QR code scams have become so ubiquitous offering cyber criminals rich opportunities to steal peoples identities or hack into their bank accounts and make off with their money that the US Federal Trade Commission recently issued a consumer alert about the dangers of the technology.
In India, Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) fraud via cloned fingerprints is on the rise. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, fraudsters are using dummy fingers or rubber fingers to illegally withdraw money from AePS accounts. In the US, researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Pennsylvania State University recently warned that the quick payment systems offered by ApplePay, GPay, and PayPal are not safe, and that changes in authentication methods are needed to avoid identity theft and fraud.
As digital fraud mushrooms, we are being urged to think before we scan. A recent op-ed in The Guardian reminds readers to never forget the late Intel chief executive Andy Groves celebrated injunction: in the digital world, only the paranoid survive. In the closing paragraph of its article on the digital fraud in Brazil, The Economist provides cover for Brazils banking industry, noting that it has doubled its spending on cyber security in the past four years, while citing a fraud specialist who essentially blames the victims of fraud for their gullibility:
The bigger problem is naive customers who fall for scams, says Eduardo Monaco of ClearSale, a Brazilian fraud-management company. Until they fully know the risks, there will be plenty more phish in the sea.
Not exactly comforting.
* This warning could not have been more prescient, coming just months before the world suffered its biggest ever IT outage, allegedly caused by a botched content update by cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike. The resulting outage briefly crippled the operating systems of banks, card companies, airlines, hospitals, NHS clinics, retailers and hospitality businesses, leaving many businesses with a stark choice: stick to cash payments or close until systems were up and running again.
Tess Finch-Lees: If parents dont fight to protect children from Covid in schools, nobody else will Irish Independent:
When masks were dropped in the Omicrons mild phase of the pandemic, Cara continued as the lone masker at school to protect her immunocompromised mother, who was undergoing chemotherapy. It was tolerable until a child psychotherapist said on the national airwaves that some girls would continue to mask anyway to hide their acne.
His words were used to bully her. Cara left, but without support from teachers she struggled. Her parents pleaded with the school to use the Hepa filter they bought. The school refused.
Cara eventually returned to school unmasked, caught Covid and infected her mam. It killed her. Cara self-harms because she blames herself. She hasnt been to school since.
Research shows that more than 70pc of Sars-CoV-2 transmission in households started with a child.
By Rob Urie, author of Zen Economics, artist, and musician who publishes The Journal of Belligerent Pontification on Substack
Bernie Madoff With the Loot?
Image: Bernie Madoff fits the American storyline of bad actors sinking the system. However, the facts have it that less overtly larcenous actors caused a preponderance of the Global Financial Crisis. It was a crisis of capitalism finance capitalism in particular. Naked Capitalism named names and gave us the details. So please given generously to Naked Capitalism today, , via the Tip Jar, to bring these underlying forces to light. Source photo: Chicago Sun-Times.
The year was 2008. Financial markets had seized up, millions of workers were being fired, and Federal bailouts of unprecedented size and scope were being distributed to Wall Street. Having constructed their models without banking and finance, Western economists were unable to explain the crisis in terms that made sense.
To the rescue came the plucky, newish, finance and politics website, Naked Capitalism, with expert analysis from a coterie of heterodox economists with deep knowledge of financial and economic crises. To keep this vital resource punching above its weight, go straight to the donation page. Whatever you can give, $5, $50, or $500, helps meet the fundraiser goals
Without dogma, a political agenda, or tilting the news for the benefit of the powerful, Naked Capitalism was there to give us the facts. Later, while the American press was focused on Wall Street, Naked Capitalism went where it was needed. The second wave of the GFC (Global Financial Crisis) took place in Europe, where the EU currency union was quickly revealed to be a plaything of the major European powers. The German finance minister felt comfortable enough in the stature of Germany to lecture the people of Greece on the need for them to get by with less in order to repay money borrowed by Greek oligarchs.
Source: forbes.com, Urie.
In a replay reminiscent of the conditions of the early 20th century, global crises continued to emerge. Despite the conspicuous failure of finance-capitalism rendered evident by the GFC, Western governments seemed determined to rebuild it. Part of the rationale for doing so was no doubt that the productive economy had been jettisoned with trade agreements and pirate finance two decades prior, leaving nowhere else to turn. Yves Smith, Lambert Strether, and the rest of the Naked Capitalism team walked us through the available policy choices with expertise and care.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, I was traveling back and forth from New York to South Carolina, USA, to help my father die. The uncertainty in the early months of the pandemic was understandable because the situation was new. As the pandemic progressed, disinformation became the official tool of government. As the quality of the information from officialdom deteriorated, the quality of the information from Naked Capitalism increased. Lambert took on the gathering and dissemination of true information regarding the pandemic that, had it been followed, would have saved lots of lives. Please join me in donating generously, in gratitude, to Naked Capitalism today, by going to the Tip Jar.
Image: Covid-19 virus in living color. The Federal response to the pandemic, or lack thereof, was belied by the extraordinary steps that public officials took to protect themselves and their families. While one must conclude that the virus is airborne to suggest proper ventilation as a solution, the American public health establishment arranged proper ventilation for public officials and the rich while insisting that the virus isnt airborne for the rest of us. The result: millions died who didnt need to while public officials played political games with the facts. Source: Medicine plus.
What ties the Covid-19 pandemic to the GFC and the Great Recession has been the public dismemberment and devolution of the governments of the West. As the New Deal was being dismantled beginning in the 1970s, capitalist revival, sometimes called neoliberalism, was sold as the non-ideological alternative under the theory that economic science claimed it to be the road to broad prosperity. Five decades later, a tiny cabal of rich own everything and the productive economy has been gutted in favor of financial gamesmanship.
With regular economics contributors like Yves Smith, Michael Hudson, and Richard Wolff, Naked Capitalism is unique in its ability to explain social conditions in terms of their economic drivers. As the GFC and Great Recession receded from memory, if not their impact, unemployment remained elevated, public health deteriorated, and political turmoil roiled the West. Yves was there with the details. Michael was there with the history. And Richard was there with analysis. And while youth is valued by Americans, only maturity based on experience can save us from catastrophe. Please contribute to Naked Capitalism today.
Gonzalo Lira flashes a peace sign months before he was sent to die in a Ukrainian prison. Under international law, states assume responsibility for the wellbeing of prisoners under the logic that their imprisonment renders them incapable of taking care of themselves. Ukraine, the nation that the US has been supporting to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars in military aide, forewent this obligation as Zelensky sent half-a-million Ukrainian youth to their deaths. Source: Al Mayadeen.net.
As the geopolitical crises that are underway in Ukraine and Gaza emerged, Naked Capitalism was able to leverage its international reach to find local content experts from around the world. John Helmer reported on the war in Ukraine through a Russian lens from his home in Moscow. An alliance was made with the late Gonzalo Lira, murdered by the Zelensky regime in Ukraine, to report from Ukraine in the early days of the war. It was the willingness of Naked Capitalism to report facts, rather than propaganda, that attracted a readership that was looking for true information regarding real events.
Analysts like Nick Corbishley, Conor Gallagher, George Gerogiou and Kevin Kirk have widened Naked Capitalisms geographic scope, from Latin America to the EU to the Caucuses and Turkiye and now to Southeast Asia.
For those less familiar with the Left press in the US, it may be difficult to understand why 99% of the American press the Left press included, got the US proxy war in Ukraine so wrong. To be clear, this doesnt mean holding the wrong opinions about the war, but rather acting as megaphones for state propaganda in which fake history and facts were distributed to mislead. Without the burden of ideological commitment, other than to truth as best it can be determined, Naked Capitalism did damage control for the Left by reporting facts. Please go to the Tip Jar to join me in donating generously to Naked Capitalism today,
The specifics here are not as important as the fact that Naked Capitalism is 1) a unique resource, 2) that has few peers in the realms of economic and political reporting, 3) due to the expertise of its staff, 4) coincident with its informed and demanding readership. If you need true information about what is happening in the world today, accept no substitutes. Naked Capitalism is your go-to source. Join me in donating generously to Naked Capitalism today. The Tip Jar beckons.
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Yves here. This post looks at the degree of coercion and manipulation needed to get people to kill and die for bad causes like the US empires proxy wars.
By Nicolas J. S. Davies is an independent journalist, a researcher for CODEPINK and the author of Blood on Our Hands: The American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq, and War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict, co-authored with Medea Benjamin
Its brave to admit your fears Ukrainian recruiting poster. Photo credit: Ministry of Defense, Ukraine
The Associated Press reports that many of the recruits drafted under Ukraines new conscription law lack the motivation and military indoctrination required to actually aim their weapons and fire at Russian soldiers.
Some people dont want to shoot. They see the enemy in the firing position in trenches but dont open fire. That is why our men are dying, said a frustrated battalion commander in Ukraines 47th Brigade. When they dont use the weapon, they are ineffective.
This is familiar territory to anyone who has studied the work of U.S. Brigadier General Samuel Slam Marshall, a First World War veteran and the chief combat historian of the U.S. Army in the Second World War. Marshall conducted hundreds of post-combat small group sessions with U.S. troops in the Pacific and Europe, and documented his findings in his book, Men Against Fire: the Problem of Battle Command.
One of Slam Marshalls most startling and controversial findings was that only about 15% of U.S. troops in combat actually fired their weapons at the enemy. In no case did that ever rise above 25%, even when failing to fire placed the soldiers own lives in greater danger.
Marshall concluded that most human beings have a natural aversion to killing other human beings, often reinforced by our upbringing and religious beliefs, and that turning civilians into effective combat soldiers therefore requires training and indoctrination expressly designed to override our natural respect for fellow human life. This dichotomy between human nature and killing in war is now understood to lie at the root of much of the PTSD suffered by combat veterans.
Marshalls conclusions were incorporated into U.S. military training, with the introduction of firing range targets that looked like enemy soldiers and deliberate indoctrination to dehumanize the enemy in soldiers minds. When he conducted similar research in the Korean War, Marshall found that changes in infantry training based on his work in World War II had already led to higher firing ratios.
That trend continued in Vietnam and more recent U.S. wars. Part of the shocking brutality of the U.S. hostile military occupation of Iraq stemmed directly from the dehumanizing indoctrination of the U.S. occupation forces, which included falsely linking Iraq to the September 11th terrorist crimes in the U.S. and labeling Iraqis who resisted the U.S. invasion and occupation of their country as terrorists.
A Zogby poll of U.S. forces in Iraq in February 2006 found that 85% of U.S. troops believed their mission was to retaliate for Saddams role in the 9/11 attacks, and 77% believed that the primary reason for the war was to stop Saddam from protecting Al Qaeda in Iraq. This was all pure fiction, cut from whole cloth by propagandists in Washington, and yet, three years into the U.S. occupation, the Pentagon was still misleading U.S. troops to falsely link Iraq with 9/11.
The impact of this dehumanization was also borne out by court martial testimony in the rare cases when U.S. troops were prosecuted for killing Iraqi civilians. In a court martial at Camp Pendleton in California in July 2007, a corporal testifying for the defense told the court he did not see the cold-blooded killing of an innocent civilian as a summary execution. I see it as killing the enemy, he told the court, adding, Marines consider all Iraqi men part of the insurgency.
U.S. combat deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan (6,257 killed) were only a fraction of the U.S. combat death toll in Vietnam (47,434) or Korea (33,686), and an even smaller fraction of the nearly 300,000 Americans killed in the Second World War. In every case, other countries suffered much heavier death tolls.
And yet, U.S. casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan provoked waves of political blowback in the U.S., leading to military recruitment problems that persist today. The U.S. government responded by shifting away from wars involving large deployments of U.S. ground troops to a greater reliance on proxy wars and aerial bombardment.
After the end of the Cold War, the U.S. military-industrial complex and political class thought they had kicked the Vietnam syndrome, and that, freed from the danger of provoking World War III with the Soviet Union, they could now use military force without restraint to consolidate and expand U.S. global power. These ambitions crossed party lines, from Republican neoconservatives to Democratic hawks like Madeleine Albright, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.
In a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in October 2000, a month before winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, Hillary Clinton echoed her mentor Madeleine Albrights infamous rejection of the Powell Doctrine of limited war.
There is a refrain, Clinton declared, that we should intervene with force only when we face splendid little wars that we surely can win, preferably by overwhelming force in a relatively short period of time. To those who believe we should become involved only if it is easy to do, I think we have to say that America has never and should not ever shy away from the hard task if it is the right one.
During the question-and-answer session, a banking executive in the audience challenged Clinton on that statement. I wonder if you think that every foreign country the majority of countrieswould actually welcome this new assertiveness, including the one billion Muslims that are out there, he asked, and whether or not there isnt some grave risk to the United States in thiswhat I would say, not new internationalism, but new imperialism?
When the aggressive war policy promoted by the neocons and Democratic hawks crashed and burned in Iraq and Afghanistan, this should have prompted a serious rethink of their wrongheaded assumptions about the impact of aggressive and illegal uses of U.S. military force.
Instead, the response of the U.S. political class to the blowback from its catastrophic wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was simply to avoid large deployments of U.S. ground forces or boots on the ground. They instead embraced the use of devastating bombing and artillery campaigns in Afghanistan, Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria, and wars fought by proxies, with full, ironclad U.S. support, in Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and now Ukraine and Palestine.
The absence of large numbers of U.S. casualties in these wars kept them off the front pages back home and avoided the kind of political blowback generated by the wars in Vietnam and Iraq. The lack of media coverage and public debate meant that most Americans knew very little about these more recent wars, until the shocking atrocity of the genocide in Gaza finally started to crack the wall of silence and indifference.
The results of these U.S. proxy wars are, predictably, no less catastrophic than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. domestic political impacts have been mitigated, but the real-world impacts in the countries and regions involved are as deadly, destructive and destabilizing as ever, undermining U.S. soft power and pretensions to global leadership in the eyes of much of the world.
In fact, these policies have widened the yawning gulf between the worldview of ill-informed Americans who cling to the view of their country as a country at peace and a force for good in the world, and people in other countries, especially in the Global South, who are ever more outraged by the violence, chaos and poverty caused by the aggressive projection of U.S. military and economic power, whether by U.S. wars, proxy wars, bombing campaigns, coups or economic sanctions.
Now the U.S.-backed wars in Palestine and Ukraine are provoking growing public dissent among Americas partners in these wars. Israels recovery of six more dead hostages in Rafah led Israeli labor unions to call widespread strikes, insisting that the Netanyahu government must prioritize the lives of the Israeli hostages over its desire to keep killing Palestinians and destroying Gaza.
In Ukraine, an expanded military draft has failed to overcome the reality that most young Ukrainians do not want to kill and die in an endless, unwinnable war. Hardened veterans see new recruits much as Siegfried Sassoon described the British conscripts he was training in November 2016 in Memoirs of an Infantry Officer: The raw material to be trained was growing steadily worse. Most of those who came in now had joined the Army unwillingly, and there was no reason why they should find military service tolerable.
Several months later, with the help of Bertrand Russell, Sassoon wrote Finished With War: a Soldiers Declaration, an open letter accusing the political leaders who had the power to end the war of deliberately prolonging it. The letter was published in newspapers and read aloud in Parliament. It ended, On behalf of those who are suffering now, I make this protest against the deception which is being practiced upon them; also I believe it may help to destroy the callous complacency with which the majority of those at home regard the continuance of agonies which they do not share and which they have not enough imagination to realize.
As Israeli and Ukrainian leaders see their political support crumbling, Netanyahu and Zelenskyy are taking increasingly desperate risks, all the while insisting that the U.S. must come to their rescue. By leading from behind, our leaders have surrendered the initiative to these foreign leaders, who will keep pushing the United States to make good on its promises of unconditional support, which will sooner or later include sending young American troops to kill and die alongside their own.
Proxy war has failed to resolve the problem it was intended to solve. Instead of acting as an alternative to ground wars involving U.S. forces, U.S. proxy wars have spawned ever-escalating crises that are now making U.S. wars with Iran and Russia increasingly likely.
Neither the changes to U.S. military training since the Second World War nor the current U.S. strategy of proxy war have resolved the age-old contradiction that Slam Marshall described in Men Against Fire, between killing in war and our natural respect for human life. We have come full circle, back to this same historic crossroads, where we must once again make the fateful, unambiguous choice between the path of war and the path of peace.
If we choose war, or allow our leaders and their foreign friends to choose it for us, we must be ready, as military experts tell us, to once more send tens of thousands of young Americans to their deaths, while also risking escalation to a nuclear war that would kill us all.
If we truly choose peace, we must actively resist our political leaders schemes to repeatedly manipulate us into war. We must refuse to volunteer our bodies and those of our children and grandchildren as their cannon fodder, or allow them to shift that fate onto our neighbors, friends and allies in other countries.
We must insist that our mis-leaders instead recommit to diplomacy, negotiation and other peaceful means of resolving disputes with other countries, as the UN Charter, the real rules based order, in fact requires.
@startleseasily is a fervent observer of the Metro government's comings and goings. In this column, "On First Reading," she'll recap the bimonthly Metro Council meetings and provide her analysis. You can find her in the pew in the corner by the mic, ready to give public comment on whichever items stir her passions. Follow her on Twitter here.
In recent months, Nashville has played host to a series of Nazi demonstrations.
Thats right: Nazis.
Its 2024, and weve got a Nazi problem. A bunch of losers cosplaying Rolf Gruber from The Sound of Music have made it their mission to ruin our weekends and cause chaos at the courthouse.
+4 Lawmakers Call for Action After Neo-Nazis Harass Black Children Downtown Reps. Jones and Hardaway speak out against hate group who hurled racist insults at the young street performers
Mayor Freddie OConnell has put forward several pieces of legislation in an attempt to rein in the hatred, and about a month ago, Councilmember At-Large Zulfat Suara introduced a rule change to limit public comment at Metro Council meetings to Davidson County residents. Suara deferred the rule change in response to concerns from advocates who saw it as a barrier to participation for people experiencing homelessness, undocumented immigrants and Metro employees who have been priced out of living in Nashville.
On Tuesday, Suara introduced a revamped version of her proposed rule change. The new rule which was approved by the council, with only one no vote limits public comment to Tennessee residents and requires public commenters to provide acceptable proof of residency when they sign up to speak. The councils staff will determine what qualifies as acceptable proof, though Suara did provide some guidance during the councils discussion of the change.
It could be your drivers license, your state ID, your library card, your WeGo card, your utility bill, said Suara. Even a piece of mail would qualify.
Look. I get it. No one wants to hear people spew hatred on the Metro Nashville Network or anywhere else, for that matter. But erecting artificial barriers to sharing your thoughts with your elected officials is anti-democratic. In this instance, its also an overreaction. When the Nazis showed up to the courthouse, they tried to sign up for public comment. But some dedicated residents were able to block them by signing up a bunch of their friends to fill up all the available slots. Ironically, if Suaras rule change had been in effect at the time, they couldnt have done that.
+6 Neo-Nazis Disrupt Metro Council Meeting Councilmember Suara orders chamber gallery cleared after disruptions by a dozen loosely organized white supremacists
The council has changed the rules of public comment several times over the past year. Continuing to move the goalposts is unfair to the public, particularly when youre solving for a problem that never actually materialized.
Im constantly trying to convince people that the council is actually a super chill and fun place to be, and you should definitely show up for public comment. But having your ID checked at the door is decidedly uncool.
The rule change will take effect at the second meeting in October.
Out Over Their Skis
To get a bill passed through the council, it has to be read, or considered, three separate times. The first reading is typically perfunctory. Bills are approved on first reading en masse before being routed to the appropriate committee for discussion and a recommendation to the full council.
Its exceedingly unusual for bills to be discussed in detail on first reading. Committees are where the finer points of legislation are debated and hashed out, and the councils legal staff doesnt provide analysis of pending legislation until second reading. Thats typically the point at which councilmembers propose amendments, argue for or against legislation, and fight it out on the council floor.
In past council terms, even some of the most controversial legislation passed without comment on first reading. This term, however, the council seems more willing to preempt committee discussions, working to kill controversial bills on first reading.
Councilmember Jeff Preptit was the target of just such an attempt at Tuesdays council meeting. Preptits bill to prohibit police from associating with hate groups was on first reading, after he deferred it for several meetings to refine the language.
Whats Good for the Goose
Conservative Councilmember Jeff Eslick led an unsuccessful charge to kill Preptits bill, posing some rather puzzling questions to Metro Legal about the 2020 protest-turned-riot in downtown Nashville.
Based on the actions a couple of years ago, where this building was on fire, cars were damaged, businesses were looted," Eslick said, looking self-satisfied. "Would that group be considered a hate group under this bill? He really thought he was cooking, yall.
My point is: If that group was considered a hate group, how many firemen, how many police officers, and how many Metro employees would be ensnared in this new rule?
Staff at the administration table looked on, dumbfounded, as Metro lawyer Lora Fox struggled to respond with a straight face. My recollection about those riots was that they were not particularly organized, she said, adding, If someone was participating in violent behavior, its possible that they could be, uh, caught by this, so to speak.
Personally, Im OK with the police getting in trouble if they try to burn the fucking courthouse down, but I guess that makes me a radical socialist?
Eslick went on to question who would define a hate group a term that is explicitly defined in Preptits substitute bill to include any person or group that incites or provides material support for criminal acts or criminal conspiracies that promote violence toward various classes of individuals.
Preptits substitute removes much of the more controversial language from his original bill, including a provision that would have prohibited mere association with such groups, including social media activity such as likes and retweets of hateful material. The substitute replaces this arguably though, like, not actually more passive embrace of hatred with active, knowing participation in the activities of criminal hate groups or paramilitary gangs. It also expands the prohibitions to the Nashville Fire Department, in light of concerns that the original language targeted the police.
Im sorry, but how the hell could you possibly have an issue with that language? How exactly does one accidentally become ensnared in the criminal activities of a paramilitary gang? What is the edge case here that we need to be concerned about?
And perhaps most importantly: Why would there be any pushback to a policy that, at its core, requires the police and other public safety personnel to follow the law and respect the people they serve? As proponents of mass surveillance including those very same police love to say, If youre not doing anything wrong, you dont have anything to be worried about.
Taylor Swifts Eras Tour concert in Vienna CANCELED due to CIA terrorist plot warning
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has warned that terrorists were planning to kill "as many people as possible" using homemade explosives and knives at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Austria.
CIA Deputy Director David Cohen has confirmed that the intelligence agency warned Austrian authorities about the possible attack, which triggered the cancellation of Swift's European leg of the Eras Tour in Vienna, which was supposed to begin on Aug. 8.
"They were plotting to kill a huge number, tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans and were quite advanced in this," Cohen said at the Intelligence and National Security Summit in Bethesda, Maryland, on Aug. 28.
He noted that Austrian security forces were able to arrest the suspects because the CIA and "our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do."
"As a result, hundreds of lives, undoubtedly, were saved," he claimed.
The suspects, aged 17, 18 and 19, have been arrested in connection with the plot. Intelligence officials said they were inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda and that bomb-making materials were found in the 19-year-old Austrian citizen's home.
Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, head of Austria's Directorate General for Public Security, previously said in a statement that the 19-year-old suspect confessed to the plot during interrogation. Due to Austrian privacy laws, the names of the suspects have not been released to the public.
The attack was supposedly set to take place outside the stadium where as many as 65,000 people were expected to attend the show.
In an Instagram post after the canceled Eras Tour shows, Swift said it was "devastating" having to call off the Vienna tour dates. (Related: Taylor Swift accused of promoting WITCHCRAFT and SATANISM on "The Eras Tour.")
"The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows," Swift posted. "But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives."
The European leg of the concerts wrapped up in London in August amid increased security. Fans were banned from gathering outside, a practice they called "Taylor-gating" or "Tay-gating."
Austria wants to monitor and censor social media and mobile apps
According to Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Austria is grateful to the U.S. spies who uncovered an ISIS plot against Swift's concert in Vienna.
Nehammer, who is campaigning for reelection on Sept. 29, is now demanding that Austrian agencies be allowed to spy on messenger apps after they relied on the U.S. to alert them to the danger. He also said in a TV interview that the situation in the country remains tense.
Allies openly doubted whether they could trust Austria with sensitive information after police raids on the now-disbanded Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
"I am very grateful to the international agencies for cooperating with us on an equal footing again. That was not a certainty," Nehammer told Austrian media outlet PULS 24.
Monitoring of messenger apps by Austria's agencies is a must, Nehammer said. He noted that it is possible for social media companies, such as Facebook and TikTok, to remove Islamist content from their sites.
Visit NationalSecurity.news for more stories like this.
Watch the video below that talks about the CIA creating ISIS threats to blow up Taylor Swift's concert.
This video is from the Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
CIA Director David Cohen believes Ukraine's incursion into Russia will continue "for some period of time."
Diplomat proposes using Taylor Swift's massive fanbase to sway global opinion in favor of Ukraine.
Expert: U.S. intelligence agencies using psyops to thwart Trump, undermine democracy.
The CIA is running global coups and assassinations to try to stop BRICS.
Sources include:
RT.com
ABCNews.go.com
FoxNews.com
TheNationalNews.com
Brighteon.com
Israel goes ballistic over six captives shot dead while justifying its own mass slaughter of 40,000-plus civilians in Gaza
Something of a societal breakdown is sweeping Israel due to a major political rift over how to proceed in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to keep IDF troops stationed along the Philadelphi corridor but Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wants something much different.
"The political-security cabinet must convene immediately and reverse the decision made on Thursday," Gallant wrote on social media in Hebrew about the recent vote in Netanyahu's favor.
"It's too late for the abductees who were murdered in cold blood. The abductees who remain in the captivity of Hamas must be returned home [through an exchange]. The State of Israel will reckon with all the leaders and murderers of Hamas, down to the last one."
The vote was made after the news broke that six Israeli hostages were found dead inside a tunnel located in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, also known as the last stand for the people of Gaza in the face of Israeli aggression.
According to an Israeli army statement, the six dead Israeli captives were "brutally murdered" by Hamas right before IDF troops arrived.
(Related: Speaking of hypocrisy, Pope Francis, who lives in a private city behind a massive wall, says that you and yours must take in the migrant hordes or else be guilty of committing "a grave sin.")
Ynet says IDF, not Hamas, killed Israeli captives
The claim is that these six captives suffocated to death due to carbon dioxide poisoning, also known as hypoxia. In essence, there was too much CO2 and not enough nitrogen and oxygen.
Hebrew media outlet Ynet reported late last month when the six captives were discovered that it was actually the IDF that killed them in an airstrike. The Israeli army denies this, instead blaming Hamas.
Gallant, Netanyahu's opposition, is on the side of the families of the captives who are really upset with Netanyahu's continued stonewalling against a ceasefire agreement. If Netanyahu would cooperate, more lives could be saved rather than ended by aggressive IDF soldiers who have thus far taken the lives of more than 40,000 people in Gaza.
Netanyahu's argument is that the war must continue until Hamas is eradicated, even if doing this results in more Israeli loss of life. Suddenly, the lives of the Israeli captives whom Netanyahu used as an excuse to launch his war in the first place are having to take a back seat to his actual mission of keeping the war going indefinitely to shield himself from ever being held accountable for his alleged crimes while in office.
A career politician much like Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden, Netanyahu has held the reins of power in Israel for quite a long time. Not everyone who lives in Israel likes him, especially as news continues to break about the mounting death toll in Gaza, including the deaths of Israeli citizens, due to Netanyahu's war.
Hamas is demanding a permanent ceasefire and immediate withdrawal of troops from Gaza while Israel not only defies all efforts towards peace but also expands its military presence in other land corridors surrounding Gaza.
"Netanyahu and the death cabinet decided not to rescue the abductees," commented Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid about the matter. "That blood is on their head."
"The significance of this is that Hamas won't agree to it, so there won't be an agreement and there won't be any hostages released," Gallant later responded to ministers in a meeting, to which Netanyahu responded with:
"This is the decision."
It should be noted that Lapid is an Israeli himself who opposes Netanyahu's war. Here in the United States, we are told that anyone who opposes Netanyahu's war is an "antisemite," so does that make Lapid and all the other Israeli politicians and citizens who feel the same way "antisemitic" as well?
The latest news about Israel's war on Gaza can be found at Prophecy.news.
Sources for this article include:
TheCradle.co
NaturalNews.com
Oklahoma governor proposes employing migrants willing to work for low wages to fill critical job gaps
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has proposed to match low-wage migrants with local employers in sectors like nursing, engineering, accounting, construction and education to fill vacancies in these critical industries.
This comes after the release of the "Oklahoma State Work Permits and Visas Task Force 2024" report on Aug. 26. The report encourages a welcoming stance toward legal migrants and those with contested legal statuses, including asylum applicants, temporary visa holders and economic migrants brought in under the parole programs of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The report includes key recommendations, including expansion of access to occupational licenses for certain noncitizens, including students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, commonly known as "Dreamers."
Additionally, the task force called for increased use of foreign graduates in white-collar jobs through programs like the J-1 visas (research scholars, professors, cultural exchange visitors) and H-1B visas (work visas for foreign workers in specialty jobs) to reduce salaries by increasing competition for positions that Oklahoma graduates would traditionally fill.
The report suggests collaboration with community organizations, educational institutions and other agencies to expand the number of cap-exempt H-1B visas in high-demand sectors and promote J-1 intracompany exchange programs between Oklahoma and international locations.
The plan would benefit local universities, which might see an influx of migrant students paying tuition in exchange for temporary work permits. Another recommendation from the panel is to grant drivers licenses to migrants. (Related: Wall Street admits that ALL new jobs in past year went to illegal aliens.)
In line with these recommendations, Stitt posted on Aug. 26 about his plan to fill blue-collar and white-collar positions with low-wage migrant workers.
"Im grateful for the work the Oklahoma Work Permit and Visa Task Force put into their report. They've addressed the real issues presented by the Biden-Harris administration's open border policy," Stitt posted in a series of posts on his X account.
"I want to create opportunities to bring the best talent to Oklahoma," Stitt continued. "We need the best nurses, the best engineers, the best accountants, the best construction workers and the best teachers. If theyre willing to come here and work hard, let's match the employer with the employee. I hope the legislature will pursue the recommendations that reflect that intention."
Critics brand Stitt as "anti-American"
The report highlights the benefits of attracting skilled foreign workers, but it does not propose any measures to help Oklahoma businesses hire Americans from other states.
Critics think the plan prioritizes foreign workers over American citizens. "Have you considered the possibility that the best talent the best nurses, engineers, accountants, construction workers and teachers are American citizens already in Oklahoma? That these jobs should go to Oklahomans and not foreigners? Has that occurred to you?" one X user replied to one of the governor's post.
Other critics argue that Americans are capable of filling these roles without the need for foreign labor.
"Americans can do every job you mention and we don't need people outside of this country to fill those positions. Corporations are loving cheap labor to outsource American jobs," another X user wrote.
The criticism extended to concerns about broader immigration policies, with some users expressing frustration over the perceived lack of effort to address issues facing American workers caused by the influx of migrants willing to work for far less than what American laborers are worth.
"As long as the border remains open, how can you make any deals that mitigate that problem?" asked one X user. "Until the border is closed, just don't do it. We don't want it."
The backlash was not limited to individual voices. NumbersUSA, a national immigration reform group, also condemned the proposal on their official X account: "Gov. Stitt's attempt to turn Oklahoma into a sanctuary state mirrors [Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford's] attempt via the Senate border bill to turn the entire country into a sanctuary for illegal immigrants."
Visit OpenBorders.news for similar stories.
Watch Todd Bensman of the Center for Immigration Studies discussing the prospect of America accepting Palestinian refugees below.
This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.
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BREAD LINES MATTER Get ready for mile-long lines at nearly every bank, ATM, grocer, gas station, EV-charging station, doctor and hospital in America.
Luxury brands under investigation for "Made in Italy" bags produced using MIGRANT LABOR.
Report finds more than half of immigrants who have entered the U.S. since 2022 are JOBLESS.
Tyson Foods hit with BOYCOTT for ditching American workers and hiring illegals.
Biden's post-pandemic "job recovery" driven almost entirely by MIGRANT LABOR, study finds.
Sources include:
Breitbart.com
X.com
Brighteon.com
Peskov: U.S.-Russia relations at an ALL-TIME LOW
He made this remark during an interview with the Russia-1 channel, noting that Washington has been consistently trampling on Moscow's interests and exerting pressure on it for several decades. According to the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, ties between the two nations have reached "a cracking-up point" during the term of incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden. Peskov also emphasized that the White House is demonstrating an openly hostile position toward Russia by supporting Ukraine.
"Right in the middle of Biden's presidency, all these processes have culminated," Peskov told the state-owned TV channel. "Bilateral relations are now at probably their historical low point, with no prospects for entering a growth trajectory to be seen. The U.S., despite many statements to the contrary, is directly involved in the Ukraine conflict."
According to Russia Today (RT), bilateral ties between Russia and the U.S. nosedived in 2022 when Washington and its Western allies slapped Moscow with economic sanctions following the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war that year. The U.S. has also provided Kyiv with both economic and military assistance. This drew the ire of Russian officials, who proceeded to accuse Washington of playing a direct role in the conflict.
RT continued that the Biden administration has extended the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) through 2026. However, Moscow suspended its participation in New START, citing the U.S.'s role in the Ukraine conflict. (Related: Russia confirms test launch of new, nuclear-capable ICBM.)
Peskov skeptical of Trump's promise to resolve Russia-Ukraine conflict
Peskov also expressed skepticism toward former U.S. President Donald Trump's promise to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. The real estate mogul has repeatedly promised to resolve the conflict within 24 hours if elected to a second term in the White House.
Trump, the U.S. Republican presidential nominee, has also claimed that he had an excellent relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his first term. Trump also noted that the conflict wouldn't have broken out in the first place under his watch. But according to RT, Washington withdrew from two security treaties the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the Open Skies Treaty under the Trump administration.
Nevertheless, the real estate mogul emphasized the importance of "getting along" with Russia during an Aug. 30 campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
"Getting along with Russia is good, not bad. Remember, getting along with these people is smart," Trump said, adding that "what is happening now in relations with Russia would not have happened" if he won the 2020 presidential election.
Peskov ultimately remarked: "I don't think there is a magic wand; it is impossible to do anything in a day. Although if we assume that the next U.S. president will make a statement during his inauguration speech that the U.S. stands for peace and is therefore ending its support for Ukraine, then something in someone's brain will change."
Head over to RussiaReport.news for similar stories.
Watch Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov reiterates that the war in Ukraine is a war against Russia during an NBC News interview.
This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Moscow, Beijing strengthening ties based on mutual respect.
Zelensky now willing to negotiate peace deal to end conflict with Russia.
Russia warns: Fresh aid package for Ukraine will lead to more Ukrainian casualties.
Russia, China discussing plans to "double counteract" U.S.-led alliance of Western nations.
Putin ready to end conflict with Ukraine if Russia gets to keep territories it currently controls.
Sources include:
RT.com 1
RT.com 2
Brighteon.com
Researchers develop a new technique for producing water on the moon
Plans to explore the moon have resulted in researchers developing a unique method that produces water from hydrogen on the moon.
China and the State Corporation for Space Activities (Roscosmos), the state corporation of the Russian Federation responsible for space flights, cosmonaut programs and aerospace research, have announced plans to create the International Lunar Research Station (ILRSP).
The construction of the permanent base in the moon's southern polar region will start its operations with the delivery of the first surface elements by 2030. Activities are expected to last until about 2040.
The ILRSP base is set to allegedly rival NASA's Artemis Program, which will include the creation of the Lunar Gateway in orbit around the moon and the different surface elements of the Artemis Base Camp.
However, aside from the cost of building these facilities, many considerable challenges must be addressed by the space agencies involved.
For example, the crews operating on the lunar surface for long periods will require regular shipments of supplies. While the International Space Station can easily be resupplied in as little as several hours, sending resupply spacecraft to the moon will take at least three days.
Because of the longer delivery time for supplies, NASA and other space agencies are working on methods to harvest resources directly from the lunar environment through a process called In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU).
According to a recently published paper, a research team with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has discovered a new method for producing massive amounts of water through a reaction between lunar regolith and endogenous hydrogen.
The research was conducted by Professor Wang Junqiang and his team at the CAS Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering's (NIMTE) Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices.
The research team also included scientists from the Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.
The paper is titled "Massive Water Production from Lunar Ilmenite through Reaction with Endogenous Hydrogen" and was published in the Chinese journal The Innovation.
Researchers have already confirmed that there is water on the moon
Since the time that the Apollo missions brought samples of lunar rocks and soil back to Earth for analysis, researchers have confirmed that there is abundant water on the moon.
These findings were confirmed by several robotic sample-return missions that followed, including China's Change-5 mission. But much of this water consists of hydroxyl (OH) that is formed because of the interaction of solar wind (ionized hydrogen) and elemental oxygen in the regolith.
Additionally, researchers have reported that water in the form of ice can be found in permanently shadowed regions (PSRs). PSRs include the many craters that cover the South Pole-Aitken Basin.
However, the lunar regolith contains very little hydroxyl that can be converted into water, ranging from 0.0001 percent to 0.02 percent.
The icy patches found in cratered regions are also mixed with rocky material, or regolith, forming layers that reach beneath the surface. This makes extraction more difficult regardless of where the water is coming from.
After scientists studied the samples returned by the Chang'e-5 mission, the team led by Wang found that the highest concentrations of water were contained in ilmenite (FeTiO3), a titanium-iron oxide mineral found in lunar regolith.
The researchers explained that this is because of "its unique lattice structure with sub-nanometer tunnels."
Next, the researchers conducted several on-site heating experiments that revealed how hydrogen in lunar minerals could be used to produce water on the moon.
The findings revealed that the process consists of heating lunar regolith to temperatures exceeding 1,200 K (~930 C; 1700 F) with concave mirrors. This then resulted in the formation of iron crystals and water bubbles in the material, with the latter being released as water vapor.
The chemical process is expressed mathematically as FeO/Fe2O3 + H > Fe + H2O.
The resulting water vapor is then reclaimed at a rate of 51 to 76 mg of water for every gram of lunar soil. That means it can produce 50 liters (13.2 gallons) of water for every ton of processed regolith, which experts suggest is enough water for at least 50 people daily.
In their paper, the research team reported that "this amount is ~10,000 times the naturally occurring hydroxyl (OH) and H2O on the moon."
Aside from drinking water, the newly discovered process could provide the necessary irrigation water for growing crops on the moon, another important task for future lunar settlements that will help reduce their dependence on Earth.
This same process could also be used to chemically separate hydrogen and oxygen gas from regolith, which could then be turned into propellant, such as liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOX), or used as fuel and for maintaining supplies of breathable oxygen for astronauts. (Related: Declassified documents reveal current and former senators believe the government has secretly recovered UFOs of non-human origin.)
The method could also offer another benefit because it is driven almost entirely by focused sunlight, meaning solar arrays can provide the additional power that drives the retention process.
However, there is one limiting factor to the process: It will only be possible during a lunar day in the southern polar region, which is where NASA and other space agencies all plan to build their bases. This means that the facility could run for two weeks straight followed by a two-week lull in production.
Experts suggest that this hurdle could be addressed by stationing processing facilities away from the polar regions or by creating a series of strategically placed solar mirrors or satellites that can direct light toward the southern polar region.
The water-producing method can also potentially be used to harvest water on the moon in a cost-effective way compared to heating regolith in industrial furnaces and could be paired with ice extraction and processing to guarantee that future settlements have access to plenty of water.
Visit Discoveries.news and learn about other fascinating scientific discoveries.
Watch the video below to learn about Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, two astronauts who could be stuck in space until 2025.
This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.
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Study: Asteroid that wiped out dinosaurs allowed flowers to grow on the planet.
Two astronauts still STRANDED on International Space Station due to mechanical failures with Boeings Starliner spacecraft.
NASA warns: Solar storms could cause internet apocalypse by 2025.
Thick water ice found buried at Mars equator is enough to cover entire planet in water.
Sources include:
UniverseToday.com
PHYS.org
Brighteon.com
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Zionist lobby tries to cancel Candace Owens by adding her to ADL hit list
The Zionist lobby is really angry at Candace Owens for continuing to stand her ground in opposing Israel's war actions in the Gaza Strip.
For daring to speak out against the Zionist agenda, Owens says she was added to an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) "hit list."
"They personally emailed reporters at major publications with a long set of smears about me plus provided these reporters with a list of my show advertisers," Owens tweeted in a thread about the persecution she faces.
Owens says the Zionists are also contacting her advertisers in what she says can only be described as "the behavior of a mafia."
"This mafia has used a network of smears to try to get me banned from [YouTube], providing a public step-by-step guide for how to mass report my account," she explains.
"This mafia is also targeting my speaking events by mass spamming my hosts via emails with threats. Incredibly, they are even using their contacts in government to try to get me banned from travel."
(Related: In case you missed it, Candace Owens was sacked from The Daily Wire after Zionist Ben Shapiro took aim at her for sharing words of peace from Jesus on X instead of supporting Israel and its war on Gaza.)
Christian Zionists like Amir Tsarfati turn on Owens
One of Owens' most vicious attackers in the Christian prophecy world is Amir Tsarfati, who blasted Owens in a recent YouTube video as an "antisemite."
The Christian Zionist community has turned on Owens because she refuses to accept the narrative that killing innocent Palestinians is justified by God because those doing the killing are "chosen" for such a purpose.
"At their core, these people are communists," Owens says. "They cannot compete in the free market of ideas."
"They do not know how to create, so they deceive and they steal. They cannot accept that people are still choosing to listen to me despite the full effort they are waging against me in the press, so they are now moving to try to squeeze me financially."
Owens says she became the victim of a targeted harassment campaign after she uploaded a video featuring her and Tristan Tate as Episode 45 of her show. The video was initially approved as being "suitable for all advertisers" until a Zionist extremist told his followers to attack her with fake reports of "hate."
"I requested a manual review of my Tristan Tate episode before we posted and YouTube approved it," Owens writes. "Then 'awesome Jew' encouraged people to fake mass report the episode and [YouTube] removed the video."
The sad reality is that many of Owens' most vicious attackers claim to be right-wing defenders of free speech so long as said free speech does not offend the Zionists who are demanding that the world stop talking about Israel's war on Gaza in a negative way.
"To be clear, EVERY conservative who purports to care about free speech and national sovereignty is aware that this is happening because I will not bend the knee to Bibi Netanyahu," Owens says.
"How can anyone purport to be 'America First' and be okay with this?"
One of Owens' followers, "Censored Men" (@CensoredMen), made an interesting point about the hypocrisy of how this all looks.
"They don't control everything, but if you say they do, you'll lose everything," this account tweeted as food for thought.
"It's sad to see this is happening to you, but it is the same playbook used against Nick Fuentes and many others who dare to speak about Jewish power," wrote another.
"The ADL is an illegal foreign influence operation," wrote another.
Zionism is globalism with a religious flare. Learn more at Globalism.news.
Sources for this article include:
X.com
NaturalNews.com
NaturalNews.com
MEDICAL INSANITY: CDC adds multiple COVID-19 vaccines to the baby vaccine schedule, and they arent even licensed
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just released new rules for pediatricians and parents who want to keep babies up to date on their vaccinations. As of August 30, 2024, the CDC suggests that babies as young as six months old receive either two doses of the 2024-2025 Moderna vaccine or three doses of the 2024-2025 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. These vaccines arent even licensed yet , and their design is based off the same dangerous and ineffective COVID vaccines that have since been taken off the market.
The latest Moderna vaccine is now intended for administration in six-month-old babies, with a booster given one month after the first. The Pfizer vaccine is also intended for administration at six months old, with the second dose coming three weeks later, and a third dose no later than eight weeks after the second. These vaccines will be routinely given to babies under 15 months, along with an additional thirty-seven shots, all of which have not been subject to double blind, placebo-controlled studies, nor been safety-tested for cumulative exposure and compounding toxicity.
There is no licensed COVID-19 vaccine for children under 12 but the CDC insists pediatricians push new COVID jabs on babies
It is important to note that as of now, there are no licensed COVID-19 vaccines available for children under 12. The CDC is recommending babies be subject to vaccines that are currently in development and have a track record of causing health problems, instead of preventing them.
The vaccines currently recommended for babies are only authorized under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This status means that these vaccines have not undergone the full licensing process and are subject to a lower standard of evidence compared to licensed products, which have an abysmally low standard of evidence to begin with.
With these recommendations, the CDC appears to be acting in a diabolical manner yet again. The newer versions of the COVID-19 vaccines have not demonstrated safety and efficacy beyond what earlier versions showed. The entire vaccine experiment on humanity is spiraling out of control, yet the beleaguered federal agencies refuse to halt this predatory machine that sacrifices human health for pharmaceutical profits.
Of course, the government promotes COVID vaccines as safe and effective for babies, just like the rest of the childhood vaccines
Albert Benavides, an analyst of the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS), has raised alarms about the reporting and transparency of vaccine-related adverse events. VAERS has recorded over 37,000 deaths following COVID-19 vaccination, though many of these reports have vague details about age and the precise nature of the adverse events. Benavides suggests that these figures are being under-reported.
Despite the evidence of mass harm, the CDC continues to assert that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Still promoting dangerous and potentially life-threatening propaganda, the agency emphasizes that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of COVID-19, particularly in preventing severe disease and complications.
Subversively, the communication strategy for promoting EUA vaccines differs from licensed vaccines. For EUA products, fact sheets provided by the vaccine manufacturers detail the risks and benefits, but these are not required to be shared with patients in the same way that Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) are required for licensed vaccines. For EUA COVID-19 vaccines, the CDC directs people to fact sheets that are produced by the vaccine manufacturer, with no third-party holding the manufacturer accountable and no objective analysis of the risks and the lack of benefits.
Pfizers own fact sheet for its COVID-19 vaccine acknowledges that EUA products have not undergone the same rigorous review as FDA-approved products. After experimenting with these products on the population, and being forced by the courts to turn over initial risk data, Pfizer and the FDA has begrudgingly admitted on those fact sheets that side effects such as myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported. This is a serious risk. In Japans pharmacovigilance system, fatality rates for myocarditis and pericarditis can be as high as 9.6%.
Whether its an EUA product or fully-licensed product, the CDC always propagates the messaging put forth by the vaccine manufacturer. For instance, the first statement on the CDCs 6 Things to Know about COVID-19 Vaccination for Children says, COVID-19 vaccination for children is safe. This blatant lie should call into question every vaccine on the CDCs childhood vaccine schedule. Why havent these childhood vaccines a list of injections that continues to grow out of control been subject to double-blind, placebo-controlled studies?
In a way, the COVID-19 vaccine fraud has broken open a dam of lies, causing more parents around the country to question a system that is deceiving and harming the public, and as many are finding out, has pushed lies and false guilt on parents for years.
Sources include:
ChildrensHealthDefense.org
CDC.gov
NaturalNews.com
NaturalNews.com
ChildrensHealthDefense.org
Federal judge rules Illinois ban on carrying firearms in public transit is UNCONSTITUTIONAL
A federal judge has ruled that a law in Illinois banning concealed carry of firearms in public transit is unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston of the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois made the ruling on Aug. 30. His ruling was based on the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which said that the ability to carry a pistol in public was a right guaranteed under the Second Amendment. The Bruen ruling also found a similar prohibition in New York state unconstitutional.
"[The] defendants failed to meet their burden to show an American tradition of firearm regulation at the time of the [nation's] founding," Johnston's ruling stated. It also added that in future decisions, the judiciary should evaluate firearms regulations in light of the "historical tradition of firearm regulation."
Under the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 standard for seeing whether firearms regulations fall under the Constitution, the government must demonstrate that the measure is within U.S. historical traditions. Treating "any place where the government would want to protect public order and safety as a sensitive place casts too wide a net ... [and] would seem to justify almost any gun restriction," Johnston wrote.
He also rejected Illinois state attorneys' arguments that the Bruen test did not apply in this case because the state, which owns the property, can regulate what individuals take onto its property.
"Individual rights [aren't] nullified on public property," he wrote. Further, he added that the court found that the Second Amendment only "protects against governmental not private intrusion on rights and liberties."
According to ABC News, the Prairie State became the last state to approve concealed carry in 2013. However, the law still established places off-limits to firearms, such as public arenas, hospitals, buses and trains. (Related: 2nd Amendment 'does not exist' in some NY courtrooms according to one judge presiding over the trial of a gunsmith.)
Attorneys for the Prairie State plan to challenge ruling
A spokesperson for Illinois Attorney General (AG) Kwame Raoul said he is reviewing the decision and would likely file an appeal. The spokesperson reiterated that until there's a final judgment, gun owners in the state should continue to abide by concealed carry provisions. The defendants in the case include Raoul himself and four others DeKalb County State's Attorney Rick Amato, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin, Cook County State's Attorney Kimberly Foxx, and Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart.
ABC News pointed out that Johnston's ruling applies only to the four plaintiffs three Chicago-area residents and another from DeKalb County who hold concealed carry licenses. According to court papers, it does not strike down the larger gun ban in public transit in Illinois.
The plaintiffs challenged the gun ban in 2022, pointing out that the prohibition which applies to Chicago Transit Authority buses and trains on the Metra commuter rail system violated their Second Amendment right to self-defense. "
"The public transportation carry ban prohibits persons from carrying a firearm while accessing public transportation [and] severely restricts plaintiffs from exercising their right to self-defense outside of the home," the plaintiffs wrote. "This directly violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution as held by the U.S. Supreme Court."
Earlier this year, Raoul said the plaintiffs did not sufficiently establish that restrictions on their ability to carry firearms on public transportation infringed on their Second Amendment rights. "All this suit would achieve is shifting the nature of the criminal charge from one statute to another; the desired conduct would still be unlawful," his office wrote at the time.
Visit SecondAmendment.News for similar stories.
Watch a discussion on the gun ban in Illinois and why it is against the Constitution.
This video is from the EARTH SHAKING NEWS channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
POLL: American voters trust Donald Trump more than Kamala Harris on firearms issues.
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court STRIKES DOWN 67-year-old ban on switchblade knives.
POLICE STATE: California to track use of credit cards by lawful citizens who purchase firearms in gun stores.
Huge victory for gun owners as Supreme Court strikes down ATFs bump stock ban as unconstitutional.
CDC suppresses data on self-defense gun use after private meeting with GUN CONTROL advocates.
Sources include:
TheEpochTimes.com
ABCNews.go.com
Brighteon.com
Kamala Harris dodges media questions by pretending to be on a phone call while wearing headphones
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has been criticized for the way she dodged questions by the media as she boarded Air Force Two on Sept. 2.
The incumbent vice president was seen holding her mobile phone and wearing headphones in a bid to sidestep questions from the press. Members of the media had gathered at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to see the Democratic nominee.
She just gave a brief salute that appeared somewhat awkward and shook hands with a service member as she ascended the steps of her jet. Harris then waved to the cameras and entered the jet all while keeping a hand pressed to her ear, as if deeply engaged in a conversation.
The Trump War Room account posted on X: "If you're going to pretend that you're on the phone, you should probably do a little bit better of an acting job than holding your phone up to your ear while wearing wired headphones."
The former president's official campaign agreed with the sentiment, pointing out that Harris ought to improve her acting skill if she wants to ward off any media interaction. It also drew parallels to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate, walking away when asked for comment about the hostages found dead in Gaza.
Harris FAKING phone calls and accents
"She's got earbud headphones in and she's holding the phone to her ear. She's double too busy to stop and answer questions," Steve Watson of Modernity News commented.
"She's running for president and can't face the media. She also cannot do interviews on her own. This is because everything she does has to be scripted and fake." (Related: Kamala Harris used fake letter to deceive public into thinking Tucker Carlson praised her push for gun control.)
It's not just phone calls that the vice president is faking, as it appears that Harris is also putting on an accent to be more relatable to voters. Peter Doocy of Fox News brought up the fake accent during a media briefing, to the annoyance of White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
"Since when does the vice president have what sounds like a Southern accent?" Doocy asked, following up with a question as whether she talks with that same accent in meetings. Jean-Pierre dismissed his questions, claiming that Americans are more interested in serious matters before turning to address another reporter.
The exchange between Doocy and Jean-Pierre happened a day after footage of Harris addressing teachers union members in Michigan went viral. Many people on social media accused her of using what they described as a "fake accent" during her remarks. Several people said she appeared to change her tone of voice.
"You better thank a union member for the five-day work week," Harris said while speaking to a crowd at a Detroit high school. "You better thank a union member for sick leave. You better thank a union member for paid leave. You better thank a union member for vacation time."
Users on social media criticized the vice president. Some even likened her sudden voice change to Looney Tunes character Foghorn Leghorn. Others said it makes her seem phony or disingenuous.
Visit KamalaWatch.com for similar stories.
Watch as Kamala Harris is called out for new strategy to avoid the press.
This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Elon Musk warns censorship of X is a certainty if Kamala Harris wins.
POLL: American voters trust Donald Trump more than Kamala Harris on firearms issues.
WORD SALAD: Kamala Harris says climate slavery means freedom and patriotism.
Report: Kamala Harris LIES about not supporting EV mandates despite backing them for years.
Kamala posts FAKE anti-Second Amendment letter supposedly written by Tucker Carlson.
Sources include
Modernity.news
BusinessToday.in
ABC3340.com
Brighteon.com
Polish foreign minister wants Warsaw to neutralize Russian missiles flying over Ukraine, claiming they could threaten Poland
Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski is pushing for his country to authorize the interception and neutralization of Russian missiles over Ukraine under the pretense that they might reach Polish airspace.
The minister told the Financial Times on Monday, Sept. 2, that Warsaw must quickly shoot down Moscow's missiles as soon as they reach Kyiv's territory and not allow them to enter Poland. This recommendation comes despite North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg already ruling out such a move.
"I'm personally of the view that, when hostile missiles are on a 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," Sikorski said.
Poland signed a bilateral security agreement with Kyiv in July that opened the door for future negotiations regarding Poland shooting down missiles over Ukraine. However, the Polish government said Warsaw would not commit to defending Ukrainian skies without consulting other NATO states.
Stoltenberg blocked any potential agreement for such activity and ruled out direct NATO involvement in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
"NATO's policy remains unchanged we will not participate in this conflict," Stoltenberg said, adding that the alliance "will not be directly involved" in destroying Russian aircraft.
According to Sikorski, protecting their national airspace independently of NATO's stance is important, suggesting that objects heading toward Poland warrant action before reaching Polish skies. He underscored that safeguarding airspace is a constitutional duty for each NATO member.
"Membership in NATO does not trump each country's responsibility for protecting its own airspace," Sikorski said. He also described these as legitimate self-defense as there are potential risks from missile debris should they enter national territory.
He also highlighted his anti-Russian stance. Even before he was a foreign minister, he had already posted on social media a "thank you" to the United States under the belief that Washington had helped in destroying the Nord Stream pipeline. But to his disappointment, it was revealed last month that the Ukrainians may have conducted the operation as Germany issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian national they believe responsible for the pipeline's destruction.
Just in the last week of August, an unidentified flying object, likely a military drone, crossed into Polish airspace from Ukraine. The Polish armed forces could not engage the object due to its unidentified nature.
Russia could rope in Poland in ongoing conflict with Ukraine, Medvedev warns
Russia's Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev warned that Moscow could bring Poland into its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, and this 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 anyone's 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."
Meanwhile, Poland has reportedly been strengthening its defenses, even announcing new military deals worth $520 million.
The NATO member currently allocates four percent of its gross domestic product to defense, the highest ratio of all alliance members. It aims to increase spending to 4.7 percent 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 U.S.-designed Patriot air defense systems.
U.S. officials said 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. (Related: Ukraine closing in on deal with U.S. for new advanced long-range missiles that could strike deep into Russia.)
Sending JASSMs to Ukraine could significantly alter the strategic landscape of the conflict by putting more of Russia in the range of powerful, precision-guided munitions. However, the source said Kyiv would have to wait several months as Washington works through technical issues ahead of any shipment.
Head over to WWIII.news to read more stories related to ongoing conflicts worldwide.
Watch the video below that talks about how globalists are working to escalate the Russia-Ukraine war in time for the U.S. election.
This video is from the Appearance channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Poland preparing military for World War III, NATO reveals.
Russia's Medvedev warns Poland: Warsaw will get its share of radioactive ash.
Polish government claims two Russian groups actively engaging in cyberattacks against Poland.
Operation Eastern Aurora: Poland and NATO boost air defense amid Ukraine-Russia tensions.
U.S. drone forced to make an emergency landing in Poland; Russian GPS jamming weapon blamed.
Sources include:
TheNationalPulse.com
FT.com
FirstPost.com
Brighteon.com
Truth is being removed from the Western world, leaving a Gestapo police state in its place
Not even one value of Western civilization remains. All values that composed an era of freedom have been repudiated.
(Article republished from PaulCraigRoberts.org)
The example of the hour is Telegram owner Durovs indictment in France. The basis of the French indictment is that Telegrams privacy, the basis for its existence, provides a mechanism that criminals can use to commit crimes, such as posts of children in sexual acts. Privacy also provides secret means of communication that criminals and drug dealers use for their illegal businesses. The French governments claim is that Telegram, by providing privacy, enables these crimes and therefore Durov is complicit in the crimes. Notice that it is Durov, not the child pornographers and drug dealers, who is being prosecuted.
In other words, the argument of the French indictment is that as an owner of a communication mechanism that criminals use to facilitate their commitment of crimes, Durov himself has committed a crime.
We have been hearing illogical arguments of this kind for some time. Those who want to take away the ability of people to protect themselves from criminals and rapists by using their Second Amendment right to own firearms try to hold firearm manufacturers responsible for injuries and deaths caused by people using firearms. In other words, it is the manufacturers fault, because his product enabled the criminal to commit the crime.
Sooner or later this argument will be applied to a large number of goods and services. For example, vehicles are used in bank robberies, in murders, and in human trafficking, and it is the car and vehicle manufacturers who enabled the criminals by producing the vehicle.
One can see it applied to search engines and to GPS, because they enable criminals to locate their target.
All of this might sound silly to a reader, but it is no more silly than the French governments indictment of Durov. Indeed, it is not silly at all. It is weaponized law in operation.
In a way Durovs indictment is his own fault. Like many Russians who have been brainwashed by Western propaganda, Durov thought France had more freedom than Russia and took French citizenship. He made a mistake.
The French case against Durov also reflects the Gestapo police state argument, which over the years has been finding a welcome home in the Western world, that it is the responsibility of private individuals to be accomplices of police and that the failure to perform this role indicates criminal behavior.
For the past several decades people in the Western world have been so poorly educatedindoctrinated against themselves instead of educatedthat they find it plausible that people who refuse to be agents of a police state are criminals.
The Washington Post sees it this way. The only valid reason for social medias existence is to spy for the government. One of the Posts mal-educated reporters wrote that for years internet moguls have flown above the law. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/08/31/musk-durov-social-media-crackdown/
How is protecting free speech flying above the law? What law is above the First Amendment?
The indoctrinated reporter thinks that laws contrary to the First Amendment of the US Constitution are valid, and that Elon Musk and Pavel Durov are violating the law by their commitment to free speech.
The Washingtons Posts presstitute says The worlds internet regulators are no longer playing around. He writes that the crackdowns against Telegram and X come months after the United States passed a law that could lead to the banning of TikTok and herald the end of the era of free speech on the Internet, a good thing in the Posts view.
The Washington Post is delighted that free speech is to be regulated. In my opinion the entire rationale for the existence of the Washington Post is to control narratives for the CIA.
As even insouciant Americans should know after enduring eight years of the system violating all ethics and all laws in its effort to deep-six Donald Trump, throughout the Western world law is nothing but a weapon to protect the lies fed to insouciant people as official narratives, the doubting of which is rapidly becoming a criminal action.
In the name of official narratives, truth is being removed from the Western world.
In my lifetime I have watched the transformation of the free Western world, a product of centuries of struggle, into a Gestapo Police State.
Read more at: PaulCraigRoberts.org
Turkey submits request to join BRICS group of nations
Sources told Bloomberg News that Ankara "seeks to bolster its global influence and forge new ties beyond its traditional Western allies." According to them, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan believes "the geopolitical center of gravity is shifting away from developed economies." Thus, Turkey's decision to join BRICS "reflects its aspirations to cultivate ties with all sides in a multipolar world, while still fulfilling its obligations" as a key member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
"Turkey submitted an application to join BRICS some month ago amid frustration over a lack of progress in its decades-old bid to join the European Union," Bloomberg News continued, citing the same sources. (Related: Turkey signals desire to join BRICS and abandon EU membership dreams.)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted in early June that BRICS serves as a good alternative to the EU. Later that month, Fidan confirmed that talks between Turkey and BRICS were ongoing.
"The different and beautiful thing about BRICS compared to the EU is that it includes all civilizations and races," said the Turkish foreign minister. "If it can become a little more institutional, it will produce serious benefits."
BRICS takes its name from the five core nations that make up the group Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Four new members Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates joined the initial five at the start of 2024.
Other countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Azerbaijan are also looking to join. Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafeez Nofal said on Aug. 26 that the Palestinian National Authority which governs the West Bank is also planning to join BRICS. According to The Cradle, the prospect of BRICS accepting new members could be discussed during its summit in the Russian city of Kazan from Oct. 22 to 24.
Turkey also interested to join other organizations
"While Turkey has long been a member of NATO, accession talks for EU membership have faced several obstacles since they began in 2005," The Cradle noted. Ankara had applied to join the European Economic Community, the EU's predecessor, in 1987.
The sources who spoke to Bloomberg News also noted that Turkey's bid to join BRICS had been partly driven by rifts with fellow NATO members. Compared to the rest of the group that severed ties with Russia in favor of Kyiv, Ankara maintained close links with Moscow following the 2022 onset of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The West then slapped countless sanctions on Russia as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. This led Moscow and other BRICS nations to commence the pursuit of a common currency, ditching the U.S. dollar for trade and circumventing sanctions. The group was successful in this endeavor, with the West's sanctions backfiring as a result.
Fidan also confirmed that Turkey may apply for an upgraded dialogue partnership with the Association of South East Asian Nations. Meanwhile, Erdogan has also shown interest in joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) attending its summit at Kazakhstan's capital Astana in early July.
"We do not have to choose between the EU and the SCO as some people claim. On the contrary, we have to develop our relations with both these and other organizations on a win-win basis," the Turkish leader said.
"Turkey can become a strong, prosperous, prestigious and effective country if it improves its relations with the East and the West simultaneously. Any method other than this will not benefit Turkiye, but will harm it."
Head over to BigGovernment.news for similar stories.
Watch Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov remarking that BRICS members will be one of the backbones of the "new world order" below.
This video is from the Puretrauma357 channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Malaysia declares intention to join BRICS.
Mexico planning to join BRICS amid tensions with the US.
END OF THE DOLLAR: South Africa says over 40 countries want to join BRICS.
Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iran among six countries invited to join emerging BRICS global superpower.
More than 40 additional countries want to join BRICS in 2024; 97 countries to participate in BRICS 2024 Games hosted by Putin.
Sources include:
TheCradle.co
Bloomberg.com
Brighteon.com
Huge! US Army manning NYC illegal migrant hotels in direct violation of Posse Comitatus Act
(Article by Kelen McBreen republished from Infowars.com)
Sometime last week, Goodman was filming as he strolled around the Big Apple when he came across a pair of military men standing outside the Hotel Wolcott who claimed they were stationed there at the request of the state of New York.
As soon as the journalist began asking questions, the duo walked inside the building and employees demanded he stop filming when he followed the guys inside.
For those of you who said my post about the DOD announcement of the Army enforcing the USSS was no big deal. It happens all the time-I told you something was going on. When the Army starts occupying public hotels and kicking civilians out, this absolutely IS A BIG DEAL pic.twitter.com/YkkM6RWIod Black Insurrectionist--I FOLLOW BACK TRUE PATRIOTS (@DocNetyoutube) August 30, 2024
Returning to investigate days later, Goodman again found U.S. Army personnel stationed outside and inside the hotel.
For a second time, a different pair of enlisted men scurried into the building as soon as the journalist asked them about their business in NYC.
Despite repeatedly asking for the commanding officer in charge of the operation, Goodman was kicked off the premises.
Youre in violation of the U.S. Constitution and the Posse Comitatus Act. Who is the commanding officer at this facility? I demand that you tell me, he told the Army men.
Later, when an employee in the hotel escorted him out of the building, Goodman said, Call the cops. Call them now. I want to know who is in charge. Weve got the military protecting foreign invaders. Three out of four arrests by the NYPD are being made by these people.
Wow! I just caught the Hotel Wolcott lying! The military is at their hotel again, why are they trying to hide that? pic.twitter.com/JhAuwmfQ8v Crowdsource The Truth (@JG_CSTT) September 3, 2024
The employee who closed the door on Goodman was wearing a t-shirt representing the nonprofit Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs, which is run by a man who pleaded guilty in 2010 to embezzlement charges.
Why is @RichardIzquie10's nonprofit Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs allowed to use the military to facilitate a migrant invasion of Times Square adjacent Wolcott Hotel when 3 out of 4 NYPD arrests in the neighborhood are migrants? Arrest Richard Izquierdo https://t.co/Thr9i8IZvqpic.twitter.com/xxiYnvIK1N Crowdsource The Truth (@JG_CSTT) September 3, 2024
According to 18 U.S. Code 1385 Use of Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force as posse comitatus, Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Air Force, or the Space Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
Why are private hotels being used by nonprofits working alongside the U.S. military to facilitate the illegal immigration pipeline into America?
Read more at: Infowars.com
U.S. close to giving Ukraine long-range JASSM missiles, despite direct warnings from Russia
As soon as this fall, the United States is planning on sending over crates full of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs) for Ukraine to use against Russia.
Even though it is clearer than ever that Ukraine has no chance of winning, the U.S. is determined to funnel every last weapon from the U.S. arsenal and penny from the U.S. Treasury into the bank accounts of Volodymyr Zelensky and his buddies as they continue funneling Ukrainian young people into the meat grinder of war.
According to reports, Washington is "close" to approving the shipment of long-range missiles to Kiev even though Moscow has repeatedly warned that this is a red line that shall not be crossed, or else.
Officials who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity told Reuters that JASSMs can be easily integrated into the U.S.-designed F-16 fighter jets that the West has been sending over to Ukraine as of late.
News about all this was not supposed to go public for another couple of months, but the media dropped the news after anonymous officials decided to spill the beans early despite ongoing discussions and negotiations.
The actual delivery of the weapons, should this all be approved, is still "several months" away, according to the officials. U.S. authorities still need to establish all of the technical details associated with delivery.
(Related: Remember when Ukraine accused Russia of bombing that children's hospital in Kiev? Turns out Ukraine did it.)
Ukraine burning through the West's weapons arsenals
Developed by military contractor Lockheed Martin, JASSMs could, assuming Ukraine uses them correctly, be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers (about 186 miles) inside the Russian border.
There is also a version that could reach 500 km (about 311 miles) or further into Russia, but it is unclear which version the U.S. is planning to send.
Some reports are suggesting that certain modification could be made to allow for JASSMs to be installed on non-Western fighter jets, seeing as how Ukraine's inventory of F-16s is low right now due to friendly fire accidents and because only the first batch of F-16s promised to Ukraine has thus far been delivered.
The situation is a mess right now as Ukraine is currently receiving weapons from all sorts of Western countries that have different restrictions on how those weapons are to be used. Some of Ukraine's sponsors have given Zelensky the green light to strike "legitimate" targets inside Russian territory with their weapons while the U.S. has only authorized Ukraine to use its weapons in cross-border attacks, not for "deep strikes" into Russia.
Kiev has repeatedly complained about the restrictions as it begs its Western sponsors to allow for deep strikes into Russian territory using all the weapons it receives.
Moscow is saying no way to all of this. Should the U.S. tell Kiev to go ahead and violate this red line, then Russia is planning to supply similar weapons to its allied enemies of the West in retaliation.
Moscow's ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, told U.S. authorities this week that they "will not be able to sit it out across the ocean" while lifting restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western weaponry inside Russian territory. All Western-supplied equipment will be subsequently destroyed, Antonov threatened.
"The Russians should inform the Americans that they will be arming the Iranians, Syrians and the Houthis with long-range missiles should they give the okay for the Ukrainians to use American long-range weapons in Russia," is how one commenter put it about the implications of this serious escalation.
"Collapsing empires tend to be vicious," wrote another. "Why would the U.S. be different?"
When will the Russia-Ukraine war finally end? Find out more at WWIII.news.
Sources for this article include:
PressTV.ir
NaturalNews.com
University of Virginia School of Medicine faculty and UVa Health workers are demanding the immediate resignation of the heads of the two organizations, claiming the pair has created a culture of fear and retaliation that is endangering patients.
More than 120 professors and health care workers signed a letter of no confidence in UVa Health CEO Dr. Craig Kent and School of Medicine Dean Dr. Melina Kibbe that was delivered to the universitys governing Board of Visitors Thursday.
The letter alleges a slew of violations committed by Kent and Kibbe, claiming they:
Allocated money to their cadre of executive colleagues despite shortages at the clinical level.
Turned a blind eye as senior leaders tampered with billing and patient records to modify adverse outcomes and productivity.
Repeatedly disregarded policy, tenure and ethics.
And explicitly threatened those who spoke out against them.
Craig Kent and Melina Kibbe have not only undermined but also directly attacked the values that inspired us to study, teach and work at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and UVa Health, reads the letter. [They] foster a negative environment that is contributing to an ongoing exodus of experience and expertise at all levels that contravenes with our mission to provide excellent and safe patient care.
Under a heading titled Compromised Patient Safety, the 128 signatories claim that, under Kents direction, medical personnel have been pressured to not officially report concerns regarding patient safety and ignore integrity and quality standards during the hiring process. Promotions were wielded as a means to intimidate and retaliate against respected faculty who spoke up out of concern for patients, they say.
The letter goes on to claim that UVa Health and the School of Medicines failure to protect those making confidential reports and their practice of fraudulent billing stands in direct violation of the professional code of conduct detailed in the UVa facultys handbook, which is approved by the Board of Visitors.
These concerns have been brought to university and hospital leaders on more than one occasion over the past year, but the letter claims that the only measures taken were silencing and punishing those who made the reports.
Some leaders have dismissed many of these concerns as those of a disgruntled few, reads the five-page document. Repeated instances of abusing the power dynamic between UVa Health senior leaders and trainees which culminated in disturbing and heartbreaking Graduate Medical Education reports that were suppressed, minimized and subsequently altered.
The signatories say their letter was a last resort made out of urgent concern for our patients, colleagues, community, and the University of Virginia.
UVa Health spokesman Eric Swensen told The Daily Progress in a prepared statement that the university would be investigating the allegations made in the document to ensure the Charlottesville-based health system, which employs close to 30,000 people across the commonwealth, remains aligned with its commitment to provide high-quality care to our patients as well as an excellent work environment for employees.
Feedback is an important part of fostering a healthy culture, Swensen said. Leadership looks forward to further understanding and addressing concerns that have been expressed by some faculty members.
The identities of the 128 signatories, all members of the UVa Physicians Group, were not disclosed to the public out of fear of retaliation.
In order to prove the authenticity of the letter, the authors did agree to meet in person with four members of the Board of Visitors, including Rachel Sheridan and Porter Wilkinson, the chair and vice chair of the Audit, Compliance and Risk Committee, as well as Stephen Long and David Okonkwo, both medical professionals with experience in academic health systems.
This is not the first time Kent has been on the wrong end of a letter of no confidence.
Prior to taking the helm of UVa Health in 2020, Kent served as dean of the Ohio State University School of Medicine. A letter of no confidence was sent to the then-CEO of the schools Wexner Medical Center, Sheldon Retchin, in 2017, claiming that Retchin and his circle of high-level colleagues, including Kent, had cultivated a hostile work environment for employees.
The 2017 letter explicitly called out Kent, who had only been with the Ohio State health system for seven months at the time, saying he had already shown an emerging pattern of leadership in line with the style promulgated by Dr. Retchin.
At a meeting in December, UVas Board of Visitors approved a five-year extension of Kents contract, lasting through Jan. 31, 2030. Kent, who is already the highest-paid employee at UVa, secured a $500,000 raise this year, bringing his annual salary to $1.6 million.
Kibbe, who began her five-year contract as dean and chief health affairs officer for UVa Health in September 2021, is the third-highest earner at UVa with a salary of $829,000. Prior to UVa, Kibbe served as chair of the surgery department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
While the Board of Visitors has not issued a public response to the letter, the group is set to gather for one of its regularly scheduled meetings next week, from Wednesday to Thursday.
We urge the Board of Visitors to select new leaders for UVa Health and the UVa School of Medicine who are committed to upholding UVas cherished values; defending academic freedom and free speech; and most importantly recommitting to exceptional patient care, safety, and the well-being of our doctors, nurses and staff, reads the letter of no confidence.
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It was August 1960. Larry Sabato then a schoolboy in the gritty Navy town of Norfolk had just turned 8. Thats when the bug bit.
John F. Kennedy had won the Democratic nomination for president. His chiseled mien and crisp, forward-thinking rhetoric were propelling the new, TV era of American politics. That Kennedy was of Irish descent and a Catholic fed Sabatos curiosity about the 43-year-old Massachusetts senator.
A fellow Catholic of Italian ancestry, Sabato reflecting 64 years later on Kennedys ascent said, This was an opportunity for us, as ethnics, to become more mainstream.
The only child of federal workers, Sabato, who had watched the broadcast of the Democratic convention from Los Angeles, later went to the city Democratic headquarters with his father, collecting Kennedy-for-president palm cards, which he would distribute while going door to door.
At one house, Sabato said, he was greeted sternly by a woman: She said, We dont support papists in this household, and then she slammed the door. I didnt know what a papist was. But I learned that politics are big stakes.
Politics isnt just a profession for Sabato, now 72. Its personal. Nothing speaks as convincingly of that as the platform from which for a half-century he has lived and breathed politics: the University of Virginia.
For four years as an undergraduate and 46 years as a professor, Sabato has projected his signature brand of sprightly, pithy commentary and, by extension, the blue-and-orange profile of a university thats produced a bumper crop of politicians but is synonymous with one: Thomas Jefferson, its founder and a former governor and president.
That Sabato is still at Virginia and has resisted overtures to forsake it for other universities, including Georgetown, Oxford and Cambridge speaks to his love of the school and the state of which it is a powerful emblem, if not a somewhat embattled one, as a bustling arena where play out discomfiting struggles over race, gender, history and the role of public higher education.
This means that Sabatos portfolio as a tenured faculty member assured lifetime job protection and the freedom to speak his mind includes not just the latest twists and turns of political campaigns across Virginia and the country.
Indeed, Sabato didnt hesitate to decry the attempted overthrow in 2012 of UVas first female president, Teresa Sullivan; warn five years later that protesting White nationalists could plunge Charlottesville into violence; lament the perceived politicization of university governance by the left and right; and, for nearly a decade, regularly depict Donald Trump as most Democrats and some Republicans view him as a peril to the republic.
You have an obligation to do it, said Sabato. The older and more senior you are, the greater the obligation to speak out.
Sabato knows a thing or two about politics, having studied it over a lifetime but also having worked in it.
From 1969 to 1977, he was a volunteer or on the paid staff of the three gubernatorial campaigns of Henry Howell, the peppery populist Democrat who harnessing an unlikely coalitions of big-city Black voters, rural Whites and center-left students and suburbanites terrified but never toppled the conservative oligarchy that had ruled Virginia since the late 1800s.
In 1969, Sabato intrigued by Howells television commercials vowing a new day for the Old Dominion showed up, uninvited, at the candidates front door. Howell lived in Norfolk, in a then-very Republican precinct in the leafy Larchmont section, across town from the Sabato familys house in a neighborhood near Naval Station Norfolk.
To Sabatos surprise, Howell joined him on the porch, where they discussed campaigns and elections. Howell urged Sabato, a student at Norfolk Catholic High School who would be considering the following year matriculating to Princeton University but chose Virginia for such reasons as its affordability, to plunge into politics.
And he did.
He assisted Howell-aligned candidates for Congress when not working for Howell, even interrupting his graduate studies to head the Howell gubernatorial transition that wasnt in 1977, when Howell suffered his third and final defeat. Sabato was also drawn to Linwood Holton, elected in 1969 as Virginias first Republican governor of the 20th century, urging progress on issues long neglected: the environment and racial reconciliation.
Theyre two I got to know a bit, said Sabato, whos conferred with every Virginia governor since Democrat Albertis Harrison, in office from 1962 until 1966, except the offices current occupant that Republican practitioner of performative politics Glenn Youngkin. The state was changing very dramatically. But it was not clear in what direction.
At UVa, Sabato would get a better sense of the states path, studying under Weldon Cooper and Ralph Eisenberg, government scholars who had kept a close eye on its often-static politics for years and were seeing signs of change that would fully flower by the late 1970s, when Sabato emerged as one of the few go-to analysts of contemporary Virginia politics.
Sabato he would take a graduate degree at Princeton and, later, was a Rhodes Scholar at Queens College, Oxford University landed at Charlottesville in fall 1970, as UVa was catching up with the 20th century, admitting women rather than risk being ordered to, had it gone to federal court and lost a bid to preserve its status as something of mens finishing school. He would be elected president of the student government, defeating Wyatt Andrews, a future correspondent for CBS News and, later, a UVa professor.
Fast forward to 2024: Though derided by critics as Dr. Dial-A-Quote and Larry Sabotage, Sabato is a household name in political punditry. Students compete for seats in his classes. Sabatos brainchild the Center for Politics, financed, in part, with a $2 million gift from Sabato, and which recently began an expansion of its red-brick quarters is a hive for political leaders and scholars from across the country.
Because Virginias politics not unlike its flagship university long seemed resistant to change, it didnt lend itself to scholarship. As politics transformed, starting with Holtons election, Sabato was among a few academics, accessible and media savvy, who could deftly put a campaign in context. Political analysis, much as politics had been, was a White guys game.
But as Virginia was remade as a suburban-dominated state, with a population both national and international, and an economy driven by brains rather than brawn, so, too, were its politics and the ranks of political scholars. More than a dozen experts men, women, come-heres and people of color routinely offer their spin, in print, on the air and online, including X, formerly Twitter, where Sabato is particularly active.
Over the last generation, Virginia has become an unusually interesting place politically, said Steve Farnsworth, an analyst at the University of Mary Washington since 1996. The change in the political environment here has created lots of opportunity for scholarly work. ... Scholars are drawn to what is changing. And for a long time, Virginia wasnt changing.
The author of more than a half-dozen books and the editor of numerous others, Sabato a pack rat who lives in a Jefferson-era pavilion on the storied UVa Lawn thats jammed with political paraphernalia knows that his high profile is accompanied by high risk.
For example, Sabato predicted in 1975 that a little-known Georgia governor named Jimmy Carter would win the presidency the following year. In 1985, Sabato repeatedly said Doug Wilder, then running for lieutenant governor, had no chance of becoming the first Black person elected statewide in a Virginia still wedded to its racist ways. Wilder won and would become the nations first elected Black governor four years later.
Said Sabato, referring to the recount that would not affirm Wilders slender victory until the run-up to Christmas 1989, I predicted that he would win the governorship and I was almost wrong two times.
In Sabatos line of work, its live by the quote, die by the quote.
Top Singaporean business leaders hail PM Modi's vision to transform India
T
op 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.
Top Singaporean business leaders hail PM Modi's vision to transform India
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Paris Paralympics: Harvinder, Pooja lose shoot-off to Slovenia, miss bronze by a whisker
I
ndia 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.
Paris Paralympics: Harvinder, Pooja lose shoot-off to Slovenia, miss bronze by a whisker
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When Winona Ryder was arrested on charges of shoplifting
H
ollywood actress Winona Ryder, who is known for 'Beetlejuice', 'Girl, Interrupted', 'Black Swan' and others, was once arrested on shoplifting charges, as she stole $5000 worth of designer clothes from Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills in 2001.
The actress stood trial in the next year, and made several court appearances. During her appearances in the court, she would always be dressed in stunning outfits.
Her taste in fashion was so exquisite that it earned her a campaign and built a friendship with one of the designers, Marc Jacob, whose merchandise she stole.
The actress told 'Esquire' magazine, "It's so funny, because there's so much lore around that story, but it really couldn't have been more of me thinking I'm going to my car to get something."
She has often talked openly about the shoplifting scandal before, shared some details about her life at the time of the incident.
She had been prescribed painkillers for a broken arm, and had been struggling with her mental health, among other things.
When asked how she dealt with the heightened media attention surrounding her case at the time, Ryder said that she had "checked out" as a way to cope with it all.
The actress said, "I think I just checked out. There was a period when I was not in season. Psychologically, I must have been at a place where I just wanted to stop."
"I won't get into what happened, but it wasn't what people think and it wasn't like the crime of the century! But it allowed me time that I really needed, where I went back to San Francisco and got back into things that... I just had other interests in, frankly," she added.
When Winona Ryder was arrested on charges of shoplifting
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US Open: Sabalenka beats Navarro for second straight final in New York
N
o.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka clinched a spot in her second straight US Open final with a gritty 6-3, 7-6(2) victory over home favourite Emma Navarro in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Former World No.1 Sabalenka, who finished runner-up to Coco Gauff at last year's US Open, needed 90 minutes to fend off surging American Navarro, who was contesting her first Grand Slam semifinal.
Sabalenka has dropped only one set on her way into Saturday's finals. And she's bidding to win her second consecutive tournament, after taking the title at the Cincinnati Open--where she beat Pegula in the finals--before arriving in New York, according to WTA stats.
With the win, 26-year-old Sabalenka becomes the first woman to reach back-to-back US Open finals since Serena Williams did so in 2018 and 2019. Sabalenka has reached all four hard-court Grand Slam finals during the last two seasons.
During her on court interview, an elated Sabalenka teased the roaring crowd for their delayed support for her.
"Oh, now you guys cheer for me," she said, in a laughing acknowledgement of how hard it is to compete against an American in Ashe, as quoted by tournament website.
Still, two days ago, she had promised free drinks for their support. "Margaritas for everyone from Dobel Tequila!" she promised, with a laugh.
Sabalenka moves one win away from becoming the first woman to win both hard-court Grand Slam titles in the same year since Angelique Kerber won the Australian Open and US Open in 2016. Sabalenka won her second straight Australian Open title earlier this year
US Open: Sabalenka beats Navarro for second straight final in New York
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No one to approach if anything happens to women in Sandalwood, says Sanjjanaa Galrani
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opular South Indian actress Sanjjanaa Galrani on Friday said that there was no one and no mechanism to approach in the case of a female artist facing sexual harassment on shooting sets in Karnataka.
Galrani submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday demanding a committee on the lines of Kerala's Hema panel to address the sexual harassment cases in the Kannada film industry, also known as Sandalwood.
Speaking to IANS about her proposal, Sanjjanaa Galrani strongly advocated for the formation of the Sandalwood Women Artistes Association, emphasizing that it is the need of the hour. The Bengaluru-based actress had separately submitted her memorandum to CM Siddaramaiah on this matter.
She stated, "In the Kannada film industry, there is an association for artists, but it is not active at all. There are only male members, and there is absolutely no presence of female members. There is no female artist wing ensuring security for women or a women artists' association."
"If there is a small incident or an issue, whom should we contact? There is no phone number or in-charge person. Therefore, I envision forming the Sandalwood Women Artists Association, and along with it, any new artist coming here to become a film actor should be required to become a member of this association," she said.
She added that membership should be obtained before the beginning of film shooting and that artists should be provided with a rulebook and made aware of their rights. At the very least, they should have access to information regarding their safety, Sanjjanaa said.
"My experience in the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada film industries has been good. However, what often happens is that when young women enter the film industry, there is a chance they might get trapped. As they gain experience, things become better. In some cases, they manage successfully, while in others, the girls leave the industry," she pointed out.
Sanjjanaa noted that when girls enter the film industry at the ages of 16, 17, or 18, if they are aware of their rights and basic safety measures, as mentioned in the memorandum, there will be better protection. If the Sandalwood Female Artists Association takes shape, a PDF format of the safety measures can be created. "This is the age of WhatsApp, and it could be sent to them," she stated.
She continued, "There is no need for a rulebook. If you get a membership, they will be given a PDF copy. New girls often don't know the basics. If any suspicious person, not from the film industry, claims to be a producer, a new girl might spend three to five months with him, not knowing what happens during that time."
The girl believes that the person will make her a star, but her life may get spoiled. At that tender age, whom should they contact when they are exploited? Everything gets hushed up," Sanjjanaa stated.
"For new girls coming from poor families, there is a need for them to be educated about these matters. They should be made aware that they should not attend shootings alone for at least the first four to five films. "It is basic that the girls demand a one-plus-one ticket for outdoor shootings, abroad or in distant locations," Sanjjanaa suggested.
"My demand is simple: the Sandalwood Women Artists Association is the need of the hour. There is already a five-story office in the Chamarajpet locality in Bengaluru. In that building, we need a small room to start our association. There is no need for extravagant expenditures or fancy requirements. Kindly allow the office of the women's wing in that building. At the very least, let there be someone available on the phone when something happens to a woman artist on set," Sanjjanaa pleaded.
"We should not take as long as it took for the formation of the Hema Committee in Kerala. The discussions went on for seven to eight years in Kerala. Prevention is better than cure," she emphasized.
"I feel bad for these girls. The law and order system is weak in this country. Yes, there are life-term convictions and capital punishment. The Nirbhaya case has tarnished India's image internationally. India is seen as the rape capital of the world. It took nine years to bring the culprits to justice in the Nirbhaya case. One of the accused did not receive capital punishment because he was a minor. This is not a joke," she noted.
"We have to learn from other countries. If a rape incident happens today, the forensic examination should be done tomorrow, and DNA reports should be available the day after. In 5 to 10 days, you should hang the rapist and broadcast the news on social media," she suggested.
"I am a proud Indian, but at the same time, I feel ashamed that I come from a country where the law and order system is so weak that anyone can commit rape, and even children are not spared. When you read the newspaper reports, it is traumatizing. The situation is getting worse day by day. Why is it not improving?" Sanjjanaa questioned.
"There hasn't been a case of rape in Saudi Arabia for 30 years. Are they not human beings? Are they robots? Do we lack technology? Why are we lagging? We have to take responsibility. All our hands are tied," she opined.
"The law is not efficient in dealing with 'Me Too' cases. These things are going to have no impact. There will be tough retaliation for the girls who come out in the open. Some interviews will be taken from them, and they will receive appreciation. But what will happen to the personal lives of those actresses? Will their husbands accept them? How many of them are broad-minded? It is a male-dominated industry, with 95 to 98 per cent of technicians being male," Sanjjanaa concluded.
No one to approach if anything happens to women in Sandalwood, says Sanjjanaa Galrani
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Arunachal CM calls on Dalai Lama, gifts his first dwelling after fleeing Tibet to trust
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runachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday had an audience with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, and invited him to visit the northeastern state.
He also announced the gifting of a 'Phodrang' (meaning palace in Dzongkha language) that was used as the Dalai Lama's temporary residence in Tawang, a revered seat of Buddhism in Arunachal Pradesh, after he fled from Tibet following Chinese invasion in 1959, to the Dalai Lama Trust.
Khandu met the 89-year-old spiritual leader at the latter's residence in McLeodganj near Dharamsala, where he participated in special prayers seeking long life for the Buddhist monk.
"Humbled and grateful for a warm audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at his residence... I felt deeply blessed to receive his compassionate blessings," Khandu wrote on X.
"During our heartwarming conversation, I invited His Holiness to visit Arunachal Pradesh, and he graciously accepted, saying he would come whenever he feels the call," he added.
A spokesperson for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said the Arunachal Chief Minister participated in the 'Tenshug' ceremony offered by the Monpa community for the Dalai Lama at Tsuglagkhang, the main Tibetan monastery in McLeodganj. The five-day prayers will conclude on Saturday.
The Dalai Lama is expected to visit Arunachal Pradesh in the near future, marking a significant moment for the people of the state who share a deep reverence for his spiritual leadership.
Aides of the spiritual leader believe the Dalai Lama shares a deep emotional bond with Arunachal Pradesh as it was the place through which he entered India after his escape from Tibet on March 31, 1959, and was received by Indian officials who escorted his entourage to Bomdila.
Tawang, a picturesque town located at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet, is home to one of most sacred Buddhist monasteries. The place is spiritually important for Tibetan people as the sixth Dalai Lama was born in the 17th century at the Urgelling Monastery near Tawang.
If the Dalai Lama travels to Arunachal Pradesh, it would be his eighth visit to the northeastern state after visits in 1983, 1996, 1997, twice in 2003, 2009, and 2017.
Last year, the Dalai Lama's plan to visit Arunachal in October-November was cancelled. Officials did not give a reason for the cancellation of the visit though some believe it may be the fallout of geopolitical implications.
During his last visit to Arunachal, many people had come from Bhutan, one of the few independent Buddhist countries, to see the Dalai Lama.
"By and large, Tibet and Bhutan have historically maintained good relations with each other," a post quoting the Dalai Lama said on his official website.
China had been protesting the Dalai Lama's visits to Arunachal Pradesh, accusing the spiritual leader of carrying out separatist activities in Tibet.
On reaching Dharamsala on Thursday, Chief Minister Khandu met with the seventh Yongzin Ling Rinpoche.
"I feel profoundly blessed to have received his blessings for me and my family," Khandu wrote on X.
"Also, incredibly honoured to have received a copy of 'The Life of My Teacher', a biography of Kyabje Ling Rinpoche authored by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama," he added. Incidentally, September 5 is celebrated as Teachers' Day.
Sharing details about the book, the Arunachal CM wrote, "It is a heartwarming tribute to the life of Sixth Ling Rinpoche, a towering figure in Tibetan Buddhism, who was a powerful anchor for the 14th Dalai Lama from childhood to his emergence as a global spiritual leader. Feeling thankful and blessed to have received this gift."
In 1959, the occupying Chinese troops suppressed the Tibetan national uprising in Lhasa and forced the 14th Dalai Lama and over 80,000 Tibetans into exile in India and neighbouring countries.
On reaching India after a three-week treacherous journey, the Dalai Lama took up residence for about a year in Mussoorie in Uttarakhand.
Currently, the Tibetan government-in-exile is based in Dharamsala, where a community of Tibetans lives in exile with the Dalai Lama, hoping to sustain their struggle to secure complete autonomy in their Chinese-ruled homeland, Tibet.
(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
Arunachal CM calls on Dalai Lama, gifts his first dwelling after fleeing Tibet to trust
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Union Minister Chouhan undertakes aerial survey of flood-hit Khammam, meets farmers
U
nion Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Khammam district in Telangana and assured all possible assistance to farmers.
Accompanied by Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay, and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, he surveyed flood-affected Khammam, Paleru, and Madhira areas.
The central ministers surveyed areas which were flooded due to the overflowing Munneru Rivulet in Khammam.
After landing near Paleru main canal, the Deputy Chief Minister showed Shivraj Singh Chouhan the damage to the Khammam-Suryapet highway due to a breach in the canal.
Chouhan and Bandi Sanjay later attended a meeting with farmers. State Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Revenue Minister P. Srinivasa Reddy were also present. Chouhan interacted with the farmers, who told him that they lost everything in these floods. As a farmer broke down while speaking about the losses he suffered, the Union Minister stood up from his seat, called the farmer on the dais, and consoled him.
Farmers urged him to announce a special package to help them. Chouhan told farmers that like them he is also a farmer. "I also do cultivation. I know your pain," he said. He said this was the worst flood in 100 years, and crops like paddy and chilli have suffered 100 per cent damage.
The Union Agriculture Minister said that the Central government stands with the state in this crisis time. He assured farmers that both the Central and state governments would help them come out of this crisis. He alleged that the previous government in the state diverted the Central funds for cheap popularity, not utilising State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) funds or implementing the Central schemes.
"We have not come here for politics. We have come to serve the people and to help the farmers," he said.
Chouhan appreciated the state government for the preventive measures taken by it saying this minimised the loss of lives. The Union Minister earlier visited a photo exhibition organised by the state government at Navodaya School to highlight the damages caused by heavy rains and floods that wreaked havoc in the region early this week. The Deputy Chief Minister explained to the Union Agriculture Minister the extent of damages in Khammam, Mahabubabad, and Suryapet districts.
After the interaction with farmers, Chouhan along with Bandi Sanjay reached Hyderabad. They will attend a review meeting at the state secretariat with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Before arriving in Telangana, Chouhan made an aerial survey of flood-hit areas of Vijayawada in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. He also visited Krishna district on Friday and assessed the crop damage.
Union Minister Chouhan undertakes aerial survey of flood-hit Khammam, meets farmers
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'Feel free to interpret': Putin spokesman on 'backing' for Kamala Harris
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day after Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a preference for Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, in the upcoming US presidential polls, and praised her "infectious laugh", sparking off a debate about whether he spoke tongue in cheek, his spokesman on Friday said that people were free to interpret his remarks anyway they liked.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said American domestic politics does not figure high on the Russian President's agenda, but that he does comment on international affairs when asked, RT reported.
"As for his tone, people abroad who are interested in it should reflect on it. Let's not steal the opportunity to do so," he added.
Peskov said that Russia would not like to be dragged into American affairs, but does not expect to stop being used as a debating point in their domestic politics. The US routinely accuses the Russian government of "meddling" and "interfering" in American elections, which Moscow denies.
Participating at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, the Russian President, who had earlier this year noted that he would back President Joe Biden, who is "a more experienced, predictable person, a politician of the old school", said that he respected Biden's choice to endorse her as his successor.
He said that he admired the "infectious laugh" of Harris, whose mother was Indian, and is the first Asian American and African American candidate for the top US post.
Harris "laughs so infectiously" that it suggests "everything is going well for her", he said at a plenary session of the forum to a query whether he had a favourite candidate in the election now that Biden, who he previously supported, has dropped out. He was also asked whether or not he would call to congratulate the eventual winner in November.
Putin said it had been a long time since he had any direct contact with Western European or US leaders, and noted that it was not up to Russia to choose a "favourite" in the US presidential election, as American voters would make a choice.
Nevertheless, he recalled that he had previously expressed support for Biden, who had since been "removed" from the race. However, the President noted that Biden had told his supporters to support Harris, and so Moscow would do the same and root for the Vice President in November.
He also suggested that Harris' positive disposition could mean that she would refrain from imposing as many sanctions on Russia as former US President Donald Trump, who Putin said had introduced more restrictions on Moscow than any other President in American history, at the time.
"In the end, the choice is up to the American people and we will treat their eventual decision with respect," he said.
Reacting to his remarks, White House's national security spokesman John Kirby said that he "ought to stop talking about our elections, period". On the other hand, former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, reacted by saying that he was not sure whether to be insulted by Putin's words or take them as a compliment.
Some US media interpreted Putin's "endorsement" as subtle mockery.
Russian officials have denied any preference among the candidates, contending neither would improve US relations with Russia.
'Feel free to interpret': Putin spokesman on 'backing' for Kamala Harris
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Scientists at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U), the National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center for the Mountain West, have made a significant breakthrough in predicting the prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive disease. Their research, published in JCO Precision Oncology as part of the TOWARDS study, has led to the development of a new mechanism that accurately forecasts the aggressiveness of TNBC. This advancement could revolutionize the way doctors treat TNBC, allowing them to identify higher-risk patients and tailor precise treatments.
Currently, TNBC lacks reliable methods to predict recurrence after treatments like chemotherapy and surgery. Unlike other breast cancers, TNBC is challenging to treat because its tumor cells lack estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and high levels of HER2/neu protein, according to experts at the National Institutes of Health. This often results in a higher likelihood of relapse after treatment.
Researchers used a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model, where biopsies of tumors from patients were implanted into mice to grow human tumors. Alana Welm, PhD, senior author of the study, senior director of basic science at Huntsman Cancer Institute, and professor of oncological sciences at the U, highlights the significance of this method noting that it allows for an early and accurate assessment of the cancer's aggressiveness.
Cindy Matsen, MD, co-first author of the study, leader of the Breast and Gynecologic Disease Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute and associate professor in the Department of Surgery at the U, emphasizes the direct impact this research could have on patient care. She describes the study as highly relevant to addressing a major challenge in breast cancer treatment, with the potential of creating more personalized treatment plans for patients with recurrent TNBC.
The study's mechanism was more accurate than existing methods in predicting whether TNBC will recur. Welm notes, "By implanting a biopsy of the tumor into a PDX, we can discover how aggressive the cancer is. We hope to extend our new findings to improve the current standard tests used to predict whether the patients' cancer will recur."
This study addresses a very pressing problem in the clinic. PDX models help us not only predict with greater accuracy who will relapse and who will not, but also to treat recurrences with greater precision." Christos Vaklavas, MD, co-first author of the study, head of the breast cancer clinical program at Huntsman Cancer Institute, and associate professor of internal medicine at the School of Medicine at the University of Utah
Matsen also underscored the practical benefits of the study. In the second phase, now underway as a clinical trial, scientists are testing specific drugs on PDX models. If these therapies prove effective, results will be shared with physicians, providing them with valuable insights on how to guide treatment decisions.
The study's results are crucial: if a tumor grows in the PDX model, it often indicates a highly aggressive cancer, which is significantly harder to treat. Matsen stressed the urgency of improving treatment strategies, noting the devastating impact of the cancer recurrence.
"This study gives us the opportunity to provide hope and to save more lives," Matsen says.
Other Huntsman Cancer Institute scientists who contributed to the study include Kenneth Boucher, PhD, and Bryan Welm, PhD. This study was supported by the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, including P30 CA02014, and Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
With newly awarded funding from the National Science Foundation, researchers at the University of California, Irvine and the Keck School of Medicine of USC will seek to revolutionize the treatment of neurological diseases through intelligent biocomputing. The four-year, $2 million grant is part of NSF's Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation program, which funds cutting-edge science pushing the boundaries of human knowledge.
The premise of the UC Irvine-USC project is to combine engineering principles with stem cell research to treat damaged brain regions. The team's long-term goal is to restore motor functions to patients who have suffered brain damage from a stroke or experienced other neurological problems.
We believe that combining systems engineering and regenerative medicine might, with further research, help patients with neurological damage. The program will support the scientific research necessary to establish the foundations for future patient-treatment applications." Dr. An Do, associate professor of neurology at UC Irvine, study's principal investigator
The idea behind the new research is to apply advanced biofabrication and adult stem cell technology to construct 3D neural networks in a way that emulates the self-learning mechanisms of the healthy brain. The team envisions that these intelligent networks can eventually integrate with the brain and body and be programmed to restore functions lost after an injury.
Do will oversee the project and lead bio-fabrication efforts. He will work with Zoran Nenadic, UC Irvine professor of biomedical engineering, who will handle the project's neural signal processing and neural network training processes. Hung Cao, an associate professor of electrical engineering at UC Irvine, will address the project's microfabrication and microelectronics engineering needs.
Leigh Turner, a professor of bioethics and public health at UC Irvine, will lead an exploration of the ethical, legal and social issues related to the project. Dr. Charles Liu, a professor of clinical neurological surgery, urology and surgery, and director of the USC Neurorestoration Center, will work directly with patients.
The UC Irvine-USC team has spent years developing brain-computer interfaces for neurorestoration, and in 2017 received an $8 million grant from NSF to expand that work. Since then, they have received recognition from both NSF and the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Technologies converge
Stem cells hold promise for helping patients with brain and spinal cord damage. However, scientists have not yet been able to create networks of neural stem cells that are both functional and self-sustaining. Stem cells injected into damaged brain regions have the potential to grow and function but fail to generate any clinical benefits. The UCI and USC researchers believe that an engineering solution is needed to realize these goals.
First, the team will develop a method to print 3-D networks of neural stem cells in culture. These cells will have been gathered from adult donors and reprogrammed to a pluripotent state (capable of developing into different types of cells). Cultured stem cells can form neural networks and small "organoids" that are limited in size due to an inadequate supply of nutrients. Do and his colleagues plan to create artificial blood vessels that can help stem cell neural networks grow larger and thrive.
Next, the researchers aim to create a bidirectional connection between these cultured brain cells and the living human brain while research participants perform a behavioral task. These studies will take place at UC Irvine with able-bodied volunteers who will use their electroencephalogram (EEG) to interact with the cultured network.
The experiments will subsequently be expanded to epilepsy patients who have had electrodes implanted by the USC Epilepsy Care Consortium to manage their condition. The purpose of this research is to investigate whether cultured cells can learn and grow in response to brain signals for instance, while a person performs a motor task with their hands then send signals back to the brain in return. The clinical goal is that eventually, stroke patients may benefit from this research.
Intelligent biocomputing
Though this exploratory technology is still theoretical and many stages away from clinical practice, a successful outcome could lead to advances in the treatment of a broad range of neurological conditions. If the researchers can produce 3D neural networks that grow and learn, they plan to explore how powerful these intelligent biocomputers can become. The researchers plan to investigate whether they can perform just simple tasks, or if they are capable of complex functions such as logic and computing.
In the current project, the researchers will also use variety of research methods to address the ethical, legal, and social implications of such intelligent biological constructs.
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation grant 2422412.
Six other institutions received Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation grants. They are among the leading research universities in the U.S.: University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Harvard University, University of Maryland and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Arthritis drugs already available for prescription have the potential to halt lingering lung problems that can last months or years after COVID-19 infections, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Cedars-Sinai suggests.
By examining damaged human lungs and developing an innovative new lab model, the scientists identified faulty immune processes responsible for the ongoing lung issues that plague an increasing number of people after they've otherwise recovered from COVID-19. These lasting harms of COVID infection, known as "post-infection lung fibrosis," have no good treatments. The new research, however, suggests that existing drugs such as baricitinib and anakinra can disrupt the malfunctioning immune response and finally allow damaged lungs to heal.
Our collaboration with doctors and computer biologists at UVA and Cedars-Sinai, including Drs. Chen and Zang, led us to uncover the root cause of persistent lung inflammation and scarring after severe acute COVID-19 and possibly other respiratory infections like the flu." Jie Sun, Professor, School of Medicine, University of Virginia
"Using advanced technologies like spatial transcriptomics and sophisticated microscopy, we compared lung tissues from patients and animal models we developed in the lab. We found that malfunctioning immune cells disrupt the proper healing process in the lungs after viral damage. Importantly, we also identified the molecules responsible for this issue and potential therapeutic options for patients with ongoing lung damage."
"'Spatial-omics' are state-of-the-arts technologies that can measure the molecular features with spatial location information within a sample," explained researcher Chongzhi Zang, PhD, of UVA's Department of Genome Sciences. "This work demonstrates the power of spatial transcriptomics combined with data science approaches in unraveling the molecular etiology of long COVID."
The researchers note that the findings could prove beneficial not just for lung scarring from COVID but for lung fibrosis stemming from other sources as well.
"This study shows that treatments used for the acute COVID-19 disease may also reduce the development of chronic sequelae, including lung scarring," said Peter Chen, MD, the Medallion Chair in Molecular Medicine and interim chair of the Department of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. "Our work will be foundational in developing therapies for lung fibrosis caused by viruses or other conditions."
Understanding COVID-19 lung damage
The researchers led by Sun, Chen and Zang wanted to better understand the cellular and molecular causes of the lingering lung problems that can follow COVID infections. These problems can include ongoing lung damage and harmful inflammation that persists well after the COVID-19 virus has been cleared from the body.
The researchers began by examining severely damaged lungs from transplant patients at both UVA and Cedars-Sinai. None of the patients had a lung disease that would have required a transplant prior to contracting COVID-19, so the scientists were hopeful that the lungs would provide vital clues as to why the patients suffered such severe lung damage and persistent fibrosis. Using the insights they obtained, the scientists then developed a new mouse model to understand how normally beneficial immune responses were going awry.
The researchers found that immune cells known as CD8+ T cells were having faulty interactions with another type of immune cell, macrophages. These interactions were causing the macrophages to drive damaging inflammation even after the initial COVID-19 infection had resolved, when the immune system would normally stand down.
The scientists remain uncertain about the underlying trigger for the immune malfunction the immune system may be responding to lingering remnants of the COVID-19 virus, for example, or there could be some other cause, they say.
The new research suggests that this harmful cycle of inflammation, injury and fibrosis can be broken using drugs such as baricitinib and anakinra, both of which have already been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration to treat the harmful inflammation seen in rheumatoid arthritis and alopecia, a form of hair loss.
While more study is needed to verify the drugs' effectiveness for this new purpose, the researchers hope their findings will eventually offer patients with persistent post-COVID lung problems much-needed treatment options.
"Tens of millions of people around the world are dealing with complications from long COVID or other post-infection syndromes," Sun said. "We are just beginning to understand the long-term health effects caused by acute infections. There is a strong need for more basic, translational and clinical research, along with multi-disciplinary collaborations, to address these unmet needs of patients.
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.
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." Steve Cunningham, Professor, Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh
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 to 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 whereas 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 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). Eighty-two percent 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 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 Paediatric 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 on their children and family would represent a significant reduction in health and economic burden of this most common condition."
The team hopes to further investigate the effect of saltwater nose drops on wheezing during colds after initial results from this study showed that children who received the drops had significantly fewer episodes of wheezing (5% vs 19%).
The University of Notre Dame is leading a series of groundbreaking experiments onboard the International Space Station (ISS) to revolutionize early cancer detection. This research, featured in the latest issue of Upward, official magazine of the ISS National Laboratory, demonstrates how bubbles formed in microgravity can significantly enhance biosensing technology by concentrating microscopic substances more effectively than on Earth.
Image courtesy of University of Notre Dame
The just-completed third experiment, which launched to the ISS on Northrop Grummans 21st Commercial Resupply Services mission to the orbiting laboratory, contracted by NASA, builds on the teams earlier ISS National Lab-sponsored research. This most recent investigation successfully introduced laser heating to refine bubble behavior, increasing the concentration of particles collectedan essential step toward detecting early cancer biomarkers and other trace elements in blood. These advancements could dramatically improve the sensitivity of biosensors, opening the door to earlier and more accurate cancer detection.
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, says principal investigator Tengfei Luo, associate chair in the department of aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, in the Upward article. If cancer screening using our bubble technology in space is democratized and made inexpensive, many more cancers can be screened, and everyone can benefit. Its something we may be able to integrate into annual exams. It sounds far-fetched, but its achievable.
ISS National Lab Commercial Service Provider Space Tango worked with Luos team to develop specialized CubeLab hardware to automate the study of bubble formation and behavior in microgravity. The hardware includes advanced imaging systems designed to capture high-resolution data on bubble dynamics.
Study: Nighttime Phone Use and Past Exposure to Cyberbullying and Their Impact on Sleep and Psychological Wellbeing in Australian Children Aged 7 to 19 Years. Image Credit: Aleksandra Suzi/Shutterstock.com
In a recent study published in the journal Adolescents, researchers examined whether phone use during nighttime and cyberbullying were independently associated with quality of sleep and childhood psychological distress and whether nighttime phone use moderated the association between cyberbullying and psychological distress and poor sleep during childhood.
Background
Extensive research now supports the association between the use of digital devices at night time and sleep issues such as delayed sleep onset and interrupted and abbreviated sleep. The use of mobile phones at night is especially common among adolescents with the increased use of social media and text messaging past bedtime.
The widespread use of mobile phones has also exposed children to cyberbullying, which includes hostile behaviors such as cyberstalking, online harassment, flaming or the repeated use of intimidating or insulting language against someone in an online forum, and doxing, which is the act of making personal information public on the internet without consent.
These acts of cyberbullying can impact a child or adolescents psychological well-being and trigger mental health issues. One of the key concerns about nighttime phone use is that it allows cyberbullying to occur even at night time, further impacting psychological health and sleep quality.
About the study
The present study examined whether phone use during nighttime and cyberbullying showed independent associations with psychological distress and impaired sleep among children.
The researchers also examined whether nighttime phone use influenced the connection between cyberbullying and deterioration in sleep quality and psychological well-being, with a focus on gender and age.
The researchers used a cross-sectional study design to investigate the association using archival data from a survey called Resilient Youth Australia, conducted among students between the ages of 7 and 19 years from 918 schools across the country.
The participants for the survey were recruited from private and public schools to ensure that children from all socioeconomic backgrounds were included in the study.
A validated patient health questionnaire for measuring anxiety and depression was used to assess psychological distress.
Children were queried about how often they experienced specific psychological wellness-associated problems in the previous two weeks, and their responses were coded to determine normal, borderline, and clinically significant levels of psychological distress.
Additional questionnaires were used to determine nighttime phone use frequency, sleep durations, and frequency of cyberbullying experiences.
Phone use at night time was categorized between never and more than five times a week, while sleep duration of 8 hours every night was categorized between never and always. The frequency of cyberbullying was graded between never and equal to or more than once in the previous term.
The students completed the online survey on their laptops or mobile devices during class time under the supervision of a teacher. Furthermore, their data was anonymized, and only aggregated data was used for the analysis.
Phone use at night, duration of sleep, and psychological distress were analyzed as categorical variables, with psychological distress data being dichotomized as being normal to mild or moderate to severe.
Furthermore, the analysis was stratified by age, based on whether the student was in primary or secondary school and gender. Based on findings from other studies, the researchers hypothesized that girls were more vulnerable to cyberbullying and were at a higher risk of poor sleep and psychological distress.
Results
The study found that phone use during nighttime was common among children, especially among those in secondary school, with more than 60% of the students reporting phone use at night at least once a week.
Additionally, close to 15% of students reported experiencing cyberbullying in the previous term, with boys being cyberbullied more in primary schools and cyberbullying in secondary schools being greater among girls.
Furthermore, the children who were being cyberbullied were found to be more likely to use their phones at night, which was associated with worse sleep outcomes and psychological distress. A significant number of children did not meet the recommended guidelines for sleep duration.
One-fourth of the primary school children reported not getting the recommended 8 hours of nighttime sleep, as did 40% of the secondary school students, especially girls.
Girls in secondary schools also reported greater levels of psychological distress, with the gender-based differences becoming more apparent towards adolescence. However, irrespective of age or gender, students who experienced cyberbullying reported having greater psychological distress and sleep deficits.
Phone use at night was found to moderate the relationship between cyberbullying and impaired sleep among students of all ages and genders.
However, the moderating effect of phone use during nighttime on the association between cyberbullying and psychological distress was greater among boys in secondary school.
Conclusions
Overall, the findings indicated that phone use at nighttime among children and adolescents was significantly associated with sleep deficits and higher levels of psychological distress, especially among children who were cyberbullied.
The study highlighted the need to manage the use of digital devices at nighttime to improve psychological well-being and sleep quality among children of all ages and genders.
The researchers also recommended further research on the effects of cyberbullying during nighttime phone use.
In a video posted to Reddit this summer, Lucie Rosenthal's face starts focused and uncertain, looking intently into the camera, before it happens.
She releases a succinct, croak-like belch.
Then, its wide-eyed surprise, followed by rollicking laughter. "I got it!" the Denver resident says after what was her second burp ever.
"Its really rocking my mind that I am fully introducing a new bodily function at 26 years old," Rosenthal later told KFF Health News while working remotely, because, as great as the burping was, it was now happening uncontrollably. "Sorry, excuse me. Oh, my god. That was a burp. Did you hear it?"
Rosenthal is among more than a thousand people who have received a procedure to help them burp since 2019 when an Illinois doctor first reported the steps of the intervention in a medical journal.
The inability to belch can cause bloating, pain, gurgling in the neck and chest, and excessive flatulence as built-up air seeks an alternate exit route. One Reddit user described the gurgling sound as an "alien trying to escape me," and pain like a heart attack that goes away with a fart.
The procedure has spread, primarily thanks to increasingly loud rumblings in the bowels of Reddit. Membership in a subreddit for people with or interested in the condition has ballooned to about 31,000 people, to become one of the platform's larger groups.
Since 2019, the condition has had an official name: retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction, also known as "abelchia" or "no-burp syndrome." The syndrome is caused by a quirk in the muscle that acts as the gatekeeper to the esophagus, the roughly 10-inch-long muscular tube that moves food between the throat and the stomach.
The procedure to fix it involves a doctor injecting 50 to 100 units of Botox more than twice the amount often used to smooth forehead wrinkles into the upper cricopharyngeal muscle.
Michael King, the physician who treated Rosenthal, said he hadn't heard of the disorder until 2020, when a teenager, armed with a list of academic papers found on Reddit, asked him to do the procedure.
It wasn't a stretch. King, a laryngologist with Peak ENT and Voice Center, had been injecting Botox in the same muscle to treat people having a hard time swallowing after a stroke.
Now he's among doctors from Norway to Thailand listed on the subreddit, r/noburp, as offering the procedure. Other doctors, commenters have noted, have occasionally laughed at them or made them feel they were being melodramatic.
To be fair, doctors and researchers don't understand why the same muscle that lets food move down won't let air move up.
"Its very odd," King said.
Doctors also aren't sure why many patients keep burping long after the Botox wears off after a few months. Robert Bastian, a laryngologist outside of Chicago, named the condition and came up with the procedure. He estimates he and his colleagues have treated about 1,800 people, charging about $4,000 a pop.
"We hear that in Southern California its $25,000, in Seattle $16,000, in New York City $25,000," Bastian said.
Because insurance companies viewed Botox charges as a "red flag," he said, his patients now pay $650 to cover the medication so it can be excluded from the insurance claims.
The pioneering patient is Daryl Moody, a car technician who has worked at the same Toyota dealership in Houston for half his life. The 34-year-old said that by 2015 he had become "desperate" for relief. The bloating and gurgling wasn't just a painful shadow over his day; it was cramping his new hobby: skydiving.
"I hadn't done anything fun or interesting with my life," he said.
That is, until he tried skydiving. But as he gained altitude on the way up, his stomach would inflate like a bag of chips on a flight.
"I went to 10 doctors," he said. "Nobody seemed to believe me that this problem even existed."
Then he stumbled upon a YouTube video by Bastian describing how Botox injections can fix some throat conditions. Moody asked if Bastian could try it to cure his burping problem. Bastian agreed.
Moody's insurance considered it "experimental and unnecessary," he recalled, so he had to pay about $2,700 out-of-pocket.
"This is honestly going to change everything," he posted on his Facebook page in December 2015, about his trip to Illinois.
The year after his procedure, Moody helped break a national record for participating in the largest group of people to skydive together while wearing wingsuits, those getups that turn people into flying squirrels. He has jumped about 400 times now.
People have been plagued by this issue for at least a few millennia. Two thousand years ago, the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder described a man named Pomponius who could not belch. And 840 years ago, Johannes de Hauvilla included the tidbit in a poem, writing, "The steaming face of Pomponius could find no relief by belching."
It took a few more centuries for clinical examples to pop up. In the 1980s, a few case reports in the U.S. described people who couldn't burp and had no memory of vomiting. One woman, doctors wrote, was "unable to voluntarily belch along with her childhood friends when this was a popular game."
The patients were in a great deal of pain, though doctors couldn't find anything wrong with their anatomy. But the doctors confirmed using a method called manometry that patients' upper esophageal sphincters simply would not relax not after a meal of a sandwich, glass of milk, and candy bar, nor after doctors used a catheter to squirt several ounces of air beneath the stubborn valve.
Andre Smout, a gastroenterologist at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, said he read those reports when they came out.
"But we never saw the condition, so we didnt believe that it existed in real life," he said.
Smout's doubts persisted until he and colleagues studied a small group of patients a few years ago. The researchers gave eight patients with a reported inability to burp a "belch provocation" in the form of carbonated water, and used pressure sensors to observe how their throats moved. Indeed, the air stayed trapped. A Botox injection resolved their problems by giving them the ability to burp, or, to use an academic term, eructate.
"We had to admit that it really existed," Smout said.
He wrote this summer in Current Opinion in Gastroenterology that the syndrome "may not be as rare as thought hitherto." He credits Reddit with alerting patients and medical professionals to its existence.But he wonders how often the treatment might cause a placebo effect. He pointed to studies finding that with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, 40% or more of patients who receive placebo treatment feel their symptoms improve. Awareness is also growing about "cyberchondria," when people search desperately online for answers to their ailments putting them at risk of unnecessary treatment or further distress.
In Denver, Rosenthal, the new burper, is open to the idea that the placebo effect could be at play for her. But even if that's the case, she feels much better.
"I felt perpetual nausea, and that has subsided a lot since I got the procedure done," she said. So has the bloating and stomach pain. She can drink a beer at happy hour and not feel ill.
She's pleased insurance covered the procedure, and she's getting a handle on the involuntary burping. She cannot, however, burp the alphabet.
"Not yet," she said.
The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center's Eric Vick, MD, PhD, has been awarded a nearly $215,000 Career Development Award from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and a $50,000 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Young Investigator Award to continue research into a combination therapy treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
A protein called IRAK4 is known to help drive AML cell growth through overactivation, but targeting this protein alone has not proven to be an effective treatment for killing the cancer cells. Research Vick presented at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting last December looked at potential compounds to pair with drugs that target IRAK4 as a more effective combination therapy.
"After you have combined the loss of IRAK4 with different pharmacologic agents, you create a situation that is lethal for the cells," said Vick, instructor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in UC's College of Medicine and a UC Health attending physician at the Cancer Center's Blood Cancer Healing Center.
After testing more than 2,800 small molecules to compare their effectiveness in killing both normal AML cells and those that did not have overactive IRAK4, Vick and colleagues found one compound was especially effective at killing AML cells by reducing the levels of a different protein, called c-Myc, that also drives cancer growth.
We see that IRAK4 inhibition or deletion has a unique role in decreasing the lifespan of c-Myc. By combining it with different compounds, we can decrease the amount of c-Myc and, by doing so, decrease cell growth in leukemia. A major focus of this grant will be understanding how IRAK4 inhibition decreases c-Myc." Eric Vick, MD, PhD, University of Cincinnati Cancer Center
The three-year LLS grant will allow Vick to further his research and describe in more detail exactly how targeting IRAK4 affects c-Myc. The one-year ASCO grant will increase the team's bandwidth and include the study of additional potential compounds to use in the combination treatment.
"c-Myc has been described as untargetable, and there are many groups who have tried to target this protein without clinical success," Vick said. "Our hope is that by understanding how IRAK4 targets c-Myc, we can indirectly lead to a loss of c-Myc. This may be the only way to target something ubiquitous and essential to normal cellular processes, but at the core of so many malignancies."
With this additional knowledge, the ultimate aim of this grant funding is to move the research from observation in the lab to intervention in the clinic through a trial testing combination therapies targeting IRAK4 and c-Myc. Vick and colleagues will also investigate other diseases with similar protein mechanisms that could benefit from the same proposed treatment.
Vick worked as a clinical fellow in Daniel Starczynowski's lab at Cincinnati Children's Hospital prior to joining UC's faculty, and he is continuing the LLS grant-funded research in the Starczynowski lab. Starczynowski said Vick has shown exceptional dedication to his work and a passion for advancing the understanding of blood cancers.
"Over the course of his time in the lab, I have seen him grow not just as a researcher but also as a leader," said Starczynowski, PhD, associate director of Cincinnati Children's Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, associate director for basic science research at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center and a professor in the Department of Pediatrics in UC's College of Medicine. "He has developed a remarkable ability to approach complex scientific questions with creativity and rigor while also mentoring younger members of our team. His collaborative spirit and willingness to tackle challenges head-on have made him an invaluable asset to our research efforts."
Vick said he is thankful for the support he has received to help him grow as an early-career investigator.
"I am exceedingly grateful to my mentors Dan Starczynowski, John Byrd and Emily Curran; Cincinnati Children's; UC; and the members of the Star Lab, without whom none of this would be possible," he said. "The LLS Career Development Program is an incredible honor -; career-defining -; and was also validating as a very new physician scientist."
Starczynowski noted the LLS Career Development Award is a significant achievement for early-career blood cancer researchers, both in providing crucial funding to further their work and as a strong endorsement of their potential.
"For Dr. Vick, this award is a testament to the impact he has already made in leukemia research and the promise he holds as a physician-scientist," he said. "It highlights his innovative approach to tackling some of the most challenging problems in cancer biology and positions him well for future successes. I have no doubt that Eric will continue to make significant strides in his career, benefiting both patients and the scientific community."
Automata is pleased to announce that LINQ has won an iF DESIGN AWARD in the category of Product: Medicine/Health (1.22).
Dan and Dan celebrating at the Awards ceremony. Image Credit: Automata
The iF DESIGN AWARD is one of the worlds most prestigious design awards, attracting almost 11,000 entries from 72 countries.
Entries are assessed by 132 design professionals from around the world in a rigorous two-stage selection process that saw LINQ marked against five criteria: differentiation, form, function, idea and impact.
The three jurors at the final stage scored our complete lab automation platform 310 points, well above the average overall final jury score of 277 points, securing the win for Automata.
Were thrilled to join such prestigious companies as Haier, GSK and Philips as winners in the medical product category. Winning this award shows the importance of user-led design in creating something differentiated and hugely impactful; to have our hard work and focus recognised is incredibly rewarding. A huge congratulations to everyone involved in making LINQ what it is today." Dan Salisbury, Director of Industrial Design, Automata
Take a look at our entry video below.
2024 iF Award Entry | Automata LINQ Play
Video Credit: Automata
Speaking about the awards, Uwe Cremering, CEO iF International Forum Design said:
With the festive season around the corner, carmakers are not only offering big discounts but also launching exciting new models to woo buyers and boost sales.
From affordable cars starting at Rs 10 lakh to a luxury electric SUV priced at Rs 2.25 crore, automakers are catering to every type of customer.
Tata Curvv Coupe SUV
After launching the Curvv EV, Tata Motors has now introduced the same coupe SUV in petrol and diesel versions, priced between Rs 9.99 lakh and Rs 17.69 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). Competing with models like Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and Maruti Grand Vitara, the Curvv is set to capture attention in the mid-size SUV market.
Mahindra Thar Roxx
Mahindra has opened bookings for its new Thar Roxx. The five-door SUV, launched on August 15, starts at Rs 12.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes head-to-head with the Maruti Suzuki Jimny. Mahindra aims to make Thar the No.1 SUV brand in the segment over the next 3-5 years, according to Money Control.
Hyundai Alcazar Facelift
Hyundai is all set to launch the Alcazar facelift on September 9, with prices expected between Rs 17-23 lakh(ex-showroom). This seven-seater SUV aims to strengthen Hyundais position in the SUV market.
MG Windsor EV
In the EV segment, JSW MG Motor is ready to launch the Windsor EV on September 11. Positioned between the Comet and ZS models, the Windsor EV is expected to be priced between Rs 15-20 lakh (ex-showroom), offering a mix of sedan comfort and SUV space.
Maruti Suzuki Swift CNG
Maruti Suzuki is also gearing up for the CNG variant of its popular Swift, expected to hit the market by mid-September. Although the company hasnt officially announced it, dealer sources say its coming soon.
Mercedes Maybach EQS SUV
Mercedes-Benz India has launched the luxury Maybach EQS SUV with a price tag of Rs 2.25 crore (ex-showroom). The all-electric SUV offers a range of 600 km and is aimed at high-end buyers who value both luxury and eco-friendliness
New Launches to Drive Sales Surge
According to S&P Global Mobility, these new launches will play a key role in reviving the sluggish automotive market. Puneet Gupta, Director at S&P Global, said, Models like the Tata Curvv and Hyundai Alcazar will drive excitement, attract more consumers, and boost market sentiment, as quoted to Money Control.
An Albany man who was barricaded in a motel room allegedly beat a law enforcement K-9 with a metal water bottle during his arrest.
Travis Gary Hummer, 38, is charged with felony first-degree criminal mischief and misdemeanor counts of second-degree animal abuse and interfering with a law enforcement animal.
Deputy Dave Young and K-9 Asco of the Benton County Sheriff's Office assisted the Albany Police Department with serving a warrant for Hummer at the Budget Inn on Pacific Boulevard Southeast just after midnight Wednesday, Sept. 4.
Upon forcing entry to Hummers room, Young deployed Asco, which was followed by sounds of Hummer yelling at the K-9 and several metal reverberations indicating something was being hit, according to a probable cause affidavit.
I heard Deputy Young yell that Travis was hitting K-9 Asco, Officer Bret Adams of APD wrote in the affidavit.
Asco retreated to Young, who had the K-9 reengage with Hummer, and ultimately Hummer was taken into custody, the affidavit states, noting a metal Hydro Flask water bottle was found next to Hummer.
Hummer was not bitten by Asco during the encounter, according to the affidavit, but he allegedly hit Asco several times with the Hydro Flask, chipping one of the K-9s bottom front teeth.
Police tried interviewing Hummer about the incident, but he refused to acknowledge that he knew there was a law enforcement K-9 involved, the affidavit states. Hummer reportedly appeared to be under the influence of illicit substances and made statements about having been with people who were not actually present.
He did acknowledge several times that he was afraid of the police and heard the repeated announcements made warning him of the imminent use of force, Adams wrote in the affidavit.
It is not clear what it might cost to repair Ascos tooth if needed, but the injury will not prevent the K-9 from performing his duties, Sheriff Jef Van Arsdall said via email.
Asco is a nearly 3-year-old German shepherd from the Czech Republic that joined the Sheriffs Office in 2023. He is trained in tracking, trailing and apprehension. It cost around $24,000 to acquire, train and equip him, according to previous reporting.
Hummer was booked at the Linn County Jail following his arrest. Judge Rachel Kittson-MaQatish set his bail at $10,000, according to court documents. However, jails records indicate Hummer is held without bail on a parole violation warrant.
Court records show Hummer was previously convicted of trespassing, criminal mischief, robbery, meth possession, failure to appear, driving while suspended, heroin possession and driving under the influence.
While property rates in Delhi NCR have gone through the roof there are some areas where the land rates as well as apartment prices have boomed like never before. One such area is the land along the Yamuna Expressway in Noida.
Buying a plot of land or a flat along the Yamuna Expressway in Noida is no longer affordable. After the pandemic, while the prices of flats along the Yamuna Expressway have increased by 170 percent, prices of land have become surged by up to 470 percent. These shocking facts have come to light in a report by property consultancy firm Geetanjali Homestate.
The increasing interest in suburban property since 2021 has made land along the Yamuna Expressway expensive. Even when the real estate market was in a slump in 2020 after the pandemic, the prices of properties located around the Yamuna Expressway kept rising. Apartment prices at that time were between Rs 3,200 to Rs 3,300 per square foot and land prices were between Rs 1,250 to 1,300 per square foot.
After 2021, apartment prices became Rs 3,400 to Rs 3,600 per square foot and land prices also surged drastically to Rs 2,000-2,200 per square foot. This trend did not stop in 2022. During that time, apartment prices rose to Rs 3,600-3,800 per square foot and land prices almost doubled to Rs 3,400-3,600 per square foot.
The real estate market touched new heights in 2023. The average prices of apartments rose to Rs 4,900 to Rs 5,100 per square foot, while land prices skyrocketed to Rs 5,900 to Rs 6,100 per square foot. The main reason behind this is the construction of the Jewar Airport and better connectivity of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).
In 2024, the rates along the Yamuna Expressway broke all barriers. The rates of apartments here have reached an average of Rs 7,900 to Rs 8,100 per square foot and the price of land has reached Rs 6,900 to Rs 7,100 per square foot. The staggering increase of 170 percent in apartment prices and 450 percent in land prices in the last five years has made the real estate here a golden goose for investors.
Whether it is because of the development of the Jewar airport or any other government project, every property dealer along the Yamuna Expressway has increased their prices. This is why the real estate market in this area is attracting investors. The property prices in this area are hitting new records every day.
Vodafone Idea Share Price: Shares of Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers took a massive dive on September 6 after Goldman Sachs, in its latest research report, expressed concerns over the telecom companies.
Shares of Vodafone Idea hit a three-month low of Rs 12.91, plunging 14 per cent on the BSE in Fridays intra-day trade amid heavy volumes. The stock of the telecom services provider is trading at its lowest level since June 4, 2024.
In the past two months, the companys stock has slipped 24 per cent after the company reported a mixed performance for the quarter ended June 2024 (Q1FY25).
A sharp decline was witnessed in the telecom companys stock price today after Goldman Sachs maintained its Sell rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 2.5 (earlier Rs 2.2), as the brokerage firm said that Vodafone Idea faces difficulties in achieving free cash flow break-even and recovering market share, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, after the successful follow-on public offer (FPO) of the company, it is in discussions with banks for a debt fund raise of Rs 25,000 crore.
The company has planned a capex of Rs 50,000-55,000 crore over the next three years to strengthen its 4G network and launch 5G network across key sites.
It is expected that the customer churn should reduce significantly as a result of this planned capex program, according to analysts at Centrum Broking.
The brokerage firm expects that its planned capex program should help the company to improve its network capacity and reduce ongoing customer loss. Also, the recent tariff hike will help to drive revenue and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) over the next two years.
Further, the brokerage firm, in its Q1FY25 result update, said, it maintains Sell rating on the stock, with unchanged target price of Rs 11 per share, arrived through EV/Ebitda of 11.0x on FY26E estimates.
Vodafone Ideas Q1FY25 print suggests that the company continues to underperform peers, pending acceleration in capex following the completion of fund raise, analysts at ICICI Securities said.
The companys planned capex over the next three years will focus on expanding coverage and decongesting its network. Vodafone Idea believes it can start growing again with a fair share of subscriber addition, as it plugs the 4G coverage gap and starts adding more data capacity through 4G/5G expansion.
The company expects 6775 per cent tariff hike benefits to flow to revenue in the next few quarters, the brokerage firm said.
Indus Towers shares fell over 6 per cent after Goldman downgraded the stock to Sell from Neutral rating, although it hiked the target price to Rs 350 from Rs 220. Goldman noted a disconnect between the companys fundamentals and its current valuations while also saying that the recent re-rating of Indus Towers is overdone. The firm sees limited visibility on medium- and long-term growth prospects. Goldman Sachs would adopt a more constructive stance only if Vodafone Idea, one of Induss key clients, can successfully repair its balance sheet.
Notably, Indus Towers stock has surged over 75 per cent in the past six months and is currently trading at Rs 443, which is 26 percent above Goldman Sachs target price of Rs 350.
However, for Bharti Airtel, Goldman Sachs significantly raised its target price to Rs 1,700 from the previous Rs 900, indicating an upside of 10 percent from the stocks current market price. The firm has also maintained its Buy rating. The global brokerage said that strong growth and a turning point in free cash flow (FCF) and returns profile, warrant the stocks premium valuation.
Goldman believes Bharti Airtels growth momentum will continue, driven by market share gains, organic growth levers, and potential future tariff hikes. The companys India revenue and EBITDA are expected to grow at 16 per cent and 21 percent CAGR over FY24-27. Additionally, Goldman foresees Bharti Airtel achieving improvements in its balance sheet. The brokerage firm expects the companys net debt to approach zero by FY28.
Purchasing a property that is still under construction can be a profitable venture, but it comes with its set of challenges. Heres what happened when a non-resident Indian (NRI) living in London had a bad experience with real estate company, Godrej Properties. According to The Economic Times, the builder sought 60 per cent payment for the flat over six months before the originally scheduled date of December 2017. The builder allegedly forfeited the NRIs Rs 97 lakh advance payment in March 2018 after failing to meet the revised deadline. The builder demanded Rs 3.17 lakh in reinstatement fees and Rs 9 lakh in interest in April 2018, despite the NRIs petition to keep the booking in place.
The NRI refused to accept the aforesaid stipulations and demanded that the builder restore the Rs 97 lakh he had previously paid when the agreement for sale was registered in 2016. However, the builder did not pay any money, citing legal requirements. It was eventually proven in MahaRERA courts that, after cancelling the NRIs flat booking, the builder resold the flats to another person for substantially more money.
Following this significant setback, the NRI refused to give up and succeeded in getting an order compelling the builder to return all money received, plus interest, without losing a single rupee.
A Summary Of The Case
The NRI purchased two flats in the The Trees project by Godrej Properties. The payment plan agreed upon was as follows: 25 per cent of the entire consideration would be paid upon registration of the agreement, 60 per cent upon completion of the buildings last floor slab, and 15 per cent upon grant of possession of the aforementioned flats.
The total purchase payment for each flat was Rs 1,41,67,000 (about Rs 1.41 crore), and there were two flats, therefore the net consideration was around Rs 2.83 crore, of which the NRI paid Rs 97 lakh when the sale agreement was registered in 2016.
When Godrej cancelled the booking, no documented cancellation deed was issued, and no refund was provided. This is why the disagreement between the NRI and Godrej was filed in MahaRERA and later resolved in the MahaRERA appeal tribunal. Reportedly, Godrej sold these cancelled flats for Rs 1.679 crore and Rs 1.629 crore, respectively, as disclosed much later in one of the cases sessions before the MahaRERA panel.
Meanwhile, Godrejs lawyers principal defence approach was provision 13(b) of the agreement of sale, also known as the forfeiture clause. Godrejs lawyers stated before MahaRERA that this clause is common under the Maharashtra Ownership of Flats Act (MOFA), and the RERA panel cannot overturn it. The judge and the MahaRERA appellate tribunal did not dispute this fact. However, the MahaRERA appellate panel judge stated that while Godrej mentioned clause-13(b), the forfeiture can be of earnest money, the Rs 97 lakh collected from the NRI is not specifically stated to be earnest money. Godrej accepted it as part payment of the entire amount to be paid for the flats.
Furthermore, MahaRERA claimed Godrej engaged in unfair trade practices by failing to reimburse money after cancelling a property booking. Lawyers representing Godrej told MahaRERA that the payment plan was previously included in the application form and the sale agreement that the NRI signed. The sales agreement also included clause 13(b) regarding forfeiture, which the NRI signed.
After hearing both the arguments made by Godrej and the NRI, MahaRERA concluded that Godrej followed unfair practice and violated section 7 of the RERA Act. Hence, MahaRERA ordered Godrej to refund Rs 19.81 lakh (Rs 19,81,136) for flat no. 503 and Rs 19.24 lakh (Rs 19,24,186) for flat no. 504.
Following this order, both the NRI and Godrej filed appeals with the MahaRERA appellate tribunal. The NRI stated that he was liable for refund interest under Section 18 of the RERA Act. Another significant argument made by the NRIs lawyer was the registered cancellation deed under section 17(1)(b) of the Registration Act of 1908, which Godrej did not complete.
Godrejs lawyers claimed that Clause 13(b), which talks about the forfeiture of money supplied by the buyer of a flat in the event of cancellation, was lawful and that MahaRERA went beyond its jurisdiction to knock it down.
On August 13, the MahaRERA appellate tribunal issued the following order to Godrej. The company was first ordered to reimburse Rs 73 lakh (Rs 73, 57, 978). Then, Godrej was required to execute and register the cancellation deed within 30 days of this order and work with the Allottee to seek reimbursement from the relevant government authorities for the stamp duty, tax, etc. paid by the allottee. Finally, Godrej has been directed to pay interest at SBIs highest marginal cost of lending rate (MCLR) plus 2 per cent of Rs 73 lakh (Rs 73, 57, 978) from the date of termination of the said agreements until the date of actual payment.
The Ayush Admissions Central Counselling Committee (AACCC) has announced the Ayurvedic, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathic National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (AYUSH NEET UG) 2024 counselling round 1 seat allocation results today, September 5. Candidates who completed the choice form can view their AYUSH NEET UG 2024 seat allotment result on AACCCs official website, aaccc.gov.in.
As per the schedule, students who are allotted seats for the first round of counselling have to report to their respective institutes between September 6 and September 11. Candidates must log in using their login credentials, which include their registration number and date of birth, to obtain the AYUSH NEET UG round 1 seat allotment result. On September 4, based on the candidates merit and preferred streams and institutes, the counselling committee assigned seats for the AYUSH NEET UG.
AYUSH NEET UG 2024: How To Check Seat Allotment Result?
Step 1. Visit aaccc.gov.in, the AACCC official website.
Step 2. From the homepage, select the UG Counselling hyperlink.
Step 3. In the Current Event part of the page, click the link labelled Provisional Result for Round-1 of AACCC-UG Counselling A.Y. 2024-25.
Step 4. Check your allotment result and rank.
Step 5. For future use, download the AYUSH round 1 seat allotment result PDF.
Students who received a seat during the first round of counselling must wait for the final results of their seat allotment. As the preliminary outcome is only provisional, students have no claim to the AYUSH seat allocation in 2024. After the final results are announced students can use their login credentials to access the AACCC portal to obtain the final seat allotment results.
For the first round of counselling students are required to finish the admission requirements between September 6 and September 11. For final acceptance, students need to finish the document verification process. Candidates reporting must bring all necessary paperwork with them. On September 12 and 13, the AACCC, NCISM and NCH will verify the selected candidates data for admission.
To provide admission to Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathic courses, AACCC AYUSH counselling is carried out for 15 per cent of All India Quota seats in government, central universities, national Institutes and private institutions and 100 per cent in deemed universities. The relevant state counselling bodies are in charge of conducting the AYUSH counselling 2024 for the remaining 85 per cent of state quota seats. 52,720 seats in total will be awarded to students through NEET AYUSH counselling 2024 at 914 BAMS, BUMS, BHMS, BSMS and BNYS colleges.
Dr. Radha Charan Gupta, an internationally renowned mathematician of Vedic Mathematics from Jhansi, passed away at the age of 90 after a prolonged illness. He left behind a significant legacy of research and compilations on the history of Vedic Mathematics for future generations.
Dr. Gupta was awarded the prestigious Kenneth O. May Prize by the International Commission on the History of Mathematics in 2009 for his research on the history of mathematics. This award is regarded in India as equivalent of the Nobel Prize in mathematics.
After retirement, Dr. Gupta resided in Rasbahar Colony, located in the Sipri Bazar area of Jhansi. In 2023, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri.
Bundelkhand University and the city of Jhansi mourned the passing of Dr. Radha Charan Gupta. In his condolence message, Vice Chancellor Professor Mukesh Kumar Pandey stated that Dr. Gupta was a distinguished mathematician who greatly enriched the history of Vedic Mathematics through his dedicated research.
A research center has been established in his name at Bundelkhand University to honor his works and contributions to Vedic Mathematics.
Professor Avnish Kumar of the Mathematics Department expressed that Dr. Radha Charan Guptas passing is a significant loss to the field of mathematics.
Dr. Gupta dedicated his entire life to advancing Vedic Mathematics through his extensive research and publications. He was awarded a fellowship by the National Academy of Sciences in 1991 and was elected President of the Mathematics Teachers Association of India in 1994.
IIT Bombay published the book Ganitanand in 2015, featuring Dr. Radha Charan Guptas articles on the history of Vedic Mathematics. NCERT Delhi also published two of his books: Ancient Indian Mathematics and Historical and Cultural Glimpses of Medieval Indian Mathematics.
A holiday has been declared for tomorrow, September 7 in many schools across states because of Ganesh Chaturthi 2024. In some states, government, government-aided and private schools are closed for both Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam.
This year, Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated from September 7 and it will conclude with Ganesh Visarjan on September 17. The festival is widely celebrated across India, especially in Maharashtra and Karnataka. The decision to make September 7 a holiday has been taken by the state governments or private institutions to allow students, teachers and staff to enjoy the festival and participate in the religious and cultural festivities with their families.
If you are wondering whether your school will be closed on Ganesh Chaturthi, check the following information-
Maharashtra: All schools, including private, government, and government-aided schools, will remain closed on September 7 in the state of Maharashtra. Moreover, some schools will remain closed for 7-10 days on the occasion. The next day, i.e., August 8, is Sunday, which means students will get holidays for two consecutive days.
Uttar Pradesh: Though there will be no holiday in government and government-aided schools of Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi as per the UP Education Department. However, some private schools can remain shut on the occasion.
Delhi: Similarly, schools in the national capital will have no holiday on September 7 as mentioned in the holiday calendar issued by the Delhi Education Directorate. But private schools can announce a holiday for the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Ganesh Chaturthi will begin with devotees welcoming Bappa home with a promise of better times and the removal of obstacles. The coming days will be spent in sermons, prayers and charity by devotees.
Moreover, the month of September also had holidays for the festival of Onam, which began on September 6 in many states. Onam is a celebration of the annual harvest in Kerala. The vibrant festival of Onam, also known as Thiruvonam or Thiru-Onam, is marked with great enthusiasm. The 10-day festival begins with Atham and continues with Chithira, Chodi, Vishakham, Anizham, Thriketa, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradom and Thiruvonam till the last day. Each day of Onam holds a specific significance.
The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress met here on Friday to finalise the party candidates for the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls, with sources saying the first list of nominees could be out very soon.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, party general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Haryana Deepak Babaria and former chief minister of the state Bhupinder Singh Hooda, among others, attended the meeting.
On the possibility of any MP contesting the polls, Babaria said after the meeting, To date, no MP has been permitted to contest Assembly elections. Asked about Vinesh Phogat contesting the polls, Babaria said, I think it has been decided that she will contest from Julana. Of the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana, the CEC has cleared the candidates names for 66. However, the Congress is yet to release any list.
The names of candidates for the remaining 24 seats are being deliberated upon by a sub-committee that includes the likes of Babaria, T S Singhdeo and Ajay Maken.
The Congress is also engaged in seat-sharing talks with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)for the Haryana polls, with hard bargaining going on from both sides.
The Congress has been engaged in hectic consultations over the last few days to explore the possibility of an alliance with the AAP for the Haryana polls, even as some of its leaders have expressed reservations over a tie-up with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.
The sources said the Hooda faction of the grand old party and some other leaders are opposed to a seat-sharing deal with the AAP. According to these leaders, Kejriwals party does not have much ground in Haryana.
Meanwhile, Olympians Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who were at the forefront of the wrestlers protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh last year, entered the political arena on Friday by joining the Congress with a vow of not being scared or backing off.
The 90-member Haryana Assembly is scheduled to go to polls on October 5 and the counting of votes will be undertaken on October 8.
From wiping out terrorism, and reconstruction of Hindu temples and shrines to the safe return and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandits, the BJP has made several key promises in its manifesto for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election 2024.
Launching the BJP manifesto for the upcoming state assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that it aligns with the partys promises and plans to boost development, security, and economic growth in the region.
Among the 25 promises for a new Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP vowed to wipe out terrorism and separatism to make Jammu and Kashmir a leader in the development and progress of the nation.
The assurance to counter terrorism in the valley came in the wake of recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir on security forces and civilians.
On July 8, five Indian Army personnel were killed and several others were injured after the militants opened fire on an army convoy in Kathua. In a separate incident, at least nine people were killed and 33 were injured when a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims to Vaishno Devi Shrine plunged into a deep gorge after a militant attack in Reasi district.
Restoration of Temples, Return of Kashmiri Pandits
The BJP in its J-K election manifesto promised to reconstruct Hindu temples and shrines under Rishi Kashyapa Pilgrimage Rejuvenation Drive. We will restore 100 ruined temples and further develop existing temples, including the Shankaracharya Temple (Jyeshteshwara Temple), Raghunath Temple, and Marthanda Sun Temple, with the active participation of religious and spiritual organisations, the manifesto reads.
It ensured the safe return and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandit community, under the Tika Lal Taploo Visthapit Samaj Punarvas Yojana (TLTVSPY). We will also expedite the rehabilitation of West Pakistan refugees, POJK refugees and internally neglected communities like Valmiki and Gorkhas. We will ensure that the displaced persons of Jammu division get all the due benefits, security and protection that the displaced persons from Kashmir are given, the manifesto added.
The 1994 murder case of Saranpal Singh Kohli and his family in Delhis Vasant Kunj area kept the city on the edge for decades. Though the passage of time did not dull the intrigue surrounding this brutal crime, the startling evidence a seemingly ordinary purse eventually unravelled the mystery and led to justice.
The Kohli family was ruthlessly murdered in January 1994, leaving no immediate clues for investigators. The perpetrators meticulousness in avoiding evidence initially stumped the Delhi Police. However, a breakthrough came from an unexpected source: a purse discovered in one of the victims pockets.
The purse, seemingly insignificant, became the linchpin of the investigation. Its discovery and subsequent forensic analysis revealed crucial details that turned the tide in the case. This seemingly minor item provided key insights into the identity and motive of the killer.
Superintendent Lalit Mohan Negi, who recently retired from the Special Cell of Delhi Police, was instrumental in piecing together the complex puzzle. His methodical approach and keen attention to detail played a pivotal role in the investigation. According to Negi, the purses contents included traces of DNA and other forensic evidence that linked the killer to the crime scene.
The case, which once seemed insurmountable, eventually saw justice as the killer was apprehended and brought to trial. The courtroom drama and the presentation of the evidence were critical in securing a conviction. Negi reflects on the case with a sense of achievement, noting how forensic advancements and thorough detective work turned the tide.
Talking about the case, Negi said, On 22 January 1994, at 5 am, the Vasant Vihar police were alerted to a family murder at D-3/3122 in Vasant Kunj. I arrived at the scene with my team. Inside the house, we discovered the bodies of Saranpal Kohli, his wife, and their two young sons aged 4 and 3 lying in separate rooms.
The investigation began with the challenge of identifying the murderer and tracing their steps. Saranpal Kohli worked as a sharecropper, so the polices initial focus was on those connected to him. It became evident that the killer was likely someone who had trusted access to the home, as there was no sign of forced entry, Negi said.
During the interrogation, it emerged that two of Kohlis employees, Ram Pal Singh Chauhan and Parminder Singh, had a close relationship with him. Further questioning of other individuals and employees confirmed the nature of their relationship. Consequently, the police detained both Chauhan and Singh. According to Negi, both of them were repeatedly changing their statements during interrogation.
The investigation revealed that they had suspected Saranpal Kohli, who worked in shares, of having substantial amounts of money. However, when we searched for Saranpals investments, we found no evidence of this. Instead, we discovered a purse in the deceaseds pocket at the crime scene, which did not belong to him. This raised the question: who placed the purse in Saranpals pocket, and what was their motive? We learned that the purse was manufactured in Ghaziabad, and eventually, we managed to track down the company that produced it, Negi further added.
When we arrived at the warehouse in Ghaziabad where the purse had been stored, we discovered that the father of one of the accused, Rampal, worked there. Instead of depositing the purse in the warehouse, his father had kept it himself, and his son subsequently began using it. This provided an additional piece of evidence, Negi said.
However, despite finding the fingerprints of both accused at the crime scene and recovering the weapon used in the murder, the police were unable to secure a conviction. The court determined that there was no direct evidence linking the accused to the crime, and as a result, they were released on the grounds of benefit of the doubt, he added.
Negi further noted that while Chauhan and Singh were released, discussions about a CBI inquiry into the case emerged. Over the course of more than two years, statements from 11 witnesses were recorded. Despite this, the defence argued that there were numerous inconsistencies in the charge sheet.
The legal battle continued for many years in the case of Saranpal Singh Kohlis father, Har Charan Singh Kohli, versus the Delhi Police. Despite all efforts, the case remains unresolved to this day.
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose criticised the Mamata Banerjee administration for failing to send the technical report along with a recently passed anti-rape Bill which is necessary for giving assent to it, an official said.
Bose was very disappointed as it has been a regular practice of the state not to send technical reports along with Bills and then blaming the governors office for not clearing them, he claimed.
The governor criticised the state administration for failing to attach the technical report along with the Aparajita Bill. As per rule, it is mandatory for the state government to send the technical report before a decision is taken on giving assent to the Bill, the Raj Bhavan official told PTI on Thursday.
This is not the first time that the government has withheld technical reports and blamed the Raj Bhavan for not clearing Bills, he added.
The governor also admonished the state government for failing to do homework on important matters such as this.
Bose has pointed out that the (Aparajita) Bill appears to be a copy-paste of similar Bills passed by Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh, he said.
The source said that the governor expressed his opinion that Banerjee was threatening a dharna only to hoodwink the people of West Bengal as she is also fully well aware that similar Bills are pending with the President of India.
The West Bengal Assembly on September 3 unanimously passed the Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024 that seeks capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victims death or leave her in a vegetative state and life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.
Other significant features of the proposed legislation include the completion of probes into rape cases within 21 days of the initial report, a reduction from the previous two-month deadline, and a special task force where women officers will lead investigations.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has asked its Bangladeshi counterpart, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), to prevent citizens of the neighbouring country from illegally entering India in the wake of the Sheikh Hasina governments fall in August, the force said on Friday.
The BSF also said it is committed to maintaining the sanctity of the 4,096-km international boundary with Bangladesh, along with ensuring the safety and security of the border population.
Since August 12, the BSF and the BGB had 722 meetings at various levels, the border-guarding force said after the meeting of a special committee appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which was held in Kolkata on Thursday.
The two forces carried out 1,367 simultaneous coordinated patrolling (SCP) in vulnerable border patches, the BSF said in a statement.
During these border meetings, BGB officials have been apprised to prevent Bangladeshi nationals from illegally infiltrating into Indian territory. The BGB has assured to take all steps for the safety of Indian citizens and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, it added.
Officials of both the forces are in constant contact and sharing information on various operational matters on a real-time basis, the statement said.
It said the BSF also held village coordination meetings with Indian villagers residing along the international border to make them aware of the prevalent situation in Bangladesh and seek their cooperation in border management.
A total of 614 such meetings have been held over the last 15 days, apart from multiple deliberations undertaken with sister agencies to strengthen border security, the BSF said.
The MHA formed the committee of senior officers, headed by the additional director general (ADG) of the Kolkata-headquartered eastern command of the BSF, on August 9 to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals, Hindus and other minority communities living in Bangladesh.
The India-Bangladesh boundary spans across five states West Bengal (2,217 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km) and Mizoram (318 km).
An interim government led by 84-year-old Nobel-laureate Muhammad Yunus is in charge of Bangladesh after Hasina fled to India on August 5, following massive protests and violence in the neighbouring country.
A Chennai school faced backlash after the video of a controversial speech by a motivational speaker on the campus surfaced on social media. The video purportedly showed the speaker propagating superstitious and anti-science statements to the students.
Mahavishnu from the Paramporul Foundation was invited to deliver a motivational talk at a government school in the Mylapore area on the occasion of Teachers Day On September 5. He, however, delved into spiritual themes like the cycle of rebirth, sins and karma. He claimed in his speech that mantras can be used to bring rain and transport from one place to another. When a school teacher objected to this, he replied to her in an intimidating manner.
The video sparked outrage among people and politicians alike. Social media users argued that school is a place for education and not spiritualism.
A protest was held in front of Ashok Nagar Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Chennai demanding action for allowing spiritual awakening classes in the school. The schools head teacher Tamilarasi was transferred to Tiruvallur district on Friday.
School Education Department CEO Mars held talks with protesters and assured action. Following the uproar on social media, Education Minister Anbil Mahesh also said that stringent action will be taken against people involved in this.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered the School Education department to come up with guidelines for hosting any events in government schools and hold programs to promote scientific temperament among students.
As the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill met again on Friday, several officials from the Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) appeared before it.
The ASI in its presentation spoke about close to 130 monuments and properties that were disputed over the past several decades. However, lawmakers from both the opposition and ruling sides questioned these claims. A senior Member of Parliament from the ruling National Democratic Alliance asked that if these properties were disputed over several decades, what was being done about it, and why was there no attempt to go to court? Why was it that the disputes could only be solved once this bill was passed, the MP asked.
Also, officials of the culture ministry said that the Waqf Board could stake claim to any property it likes. At this, agitated opposition MPs said that the ministry officials should only state facts and not share concocted and untrue details. These details are from WhatsApp University, said some of the MPs, a source stated.
In fact, senior lawmakers also asked the culture ministry officials if they understood the gravity of appearing before the committee because any false information shared could lead to a privilege motion against them.
ASI operates under a legal framework that preserves and protects the rights of religious groups to religious worship and observances even in monuments declared to be protected under the relevant statutes, the opposition said.
The ASI has not sought any statutory changes to the laws relating to Hindu religious endowments that regulate places of Hindu religious worship and include under their ambit several ancient sites of heritage value that are simultaneously of religious significance. This selective approach of the ASI betrays the political bias with which the agency appears to be operating under the present dispensation, an opposition MP pointed out, said sources.
Zakat Foundation of India and Interfaith Coalition for Peace also appeared before the panel on Friday, apart from the Telangana State Waqf Board. So far, all the Waqf bodies that have appeared before the committee, including from Telangana on Friday, and from Delhi, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh in previous meetings, have all opposed the bill, calling it anti-Muslim in nature.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8. Afterwards, the government led by minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju announced on the floor of the house that they were ready to send the bill for parliamentary scrutiny.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials, who are probing the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in a Kolkata hospital last month, say they are in the process of preparing a watertight charge sheet against the main accused, Sanjay Roy, whose DNA has matched with samples collected from the body of the victim.
CNN-News18 was the first to report on August 27 that DNA and forensic reports analysed by officials had ruled out gangrape, pointing to involvement of Roy alone in the rape-murder at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Sources have told CNN-News18 that so far there is no evidence to suggest the involvement of any other person.
Roy, a 33-year-old former civic volunteer who had easy access to the state-run hospital, will be produced in court on Friday and is likely to be sent back to judicial custody. On August 23, Roy was sent to 14 days judicial custody. Kolkata Police arrested him on August 10, a day after the doctors body was found in the seminar hall on the fourth floor of the hospital.
CBI officials have told CNN-News18 that they didnt need the custody of the former civic volunteer, an ad hoc force that helps the police in traffic and crowd management. One of the key evidence against Roy is the DNA test report; officials said his DNA matched with the samples collected from the body of the 31-year-old doctor. Forensic tests carried out by experts have also returned results that have gone against the suspect, sources said.
Roy, according to the defence counsel, has said in jail that the victim was dead by the time he entered the seminar hall on August 9. Roy has been captured on CCTV entering RG Kar alone at 4.03 am that day.
The Kolkata case has triggered nationwide outrage, brought the functioning of the hospital under the scanner, led to the ouster of its controversial principal, triggered a heated political debate between the states ruling Trimanool Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and spawned allegations about a a larger conspiracy and cover-up. The womans family has said they suspect gangrape.
A property in Uttar Pradeshs Baghpat, once owned by relatives of former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf, has been sold at an auction on Thursday, September 5. The government auctioned the property for Rs 1.38 crore through an online bidding process. The land, totaling 13 bighas, has been purchased by three local farmers from Baghpat.
The property, which was registered under the names of Musharrafs relatives, will now be transferred to the new owners, effectively removing Musharrafs family name from the land records in Baghpat. Nuru Mian, a resident of Kotana village in Baghpats Baraut tehsil, who is reportedly related to Musharraf, had the property sold. Nuru, who left for Pakistan in 1965, had approximately 13 bighas of land in Kotana, declared enemy property by the government in 2010.
The property, which consists of eight plots or Khasra numbers, was auctioned online. The e-auction, managed by the Enemy Property Custodian Office, took place from 11 am to 9 pm on Thursday.
With this sale, the lands historical ties to Musharrafs family will be officially severed. The property will now be transferred to the new owners, with approximately 4 bighas purchased by local resident Pankaj Kumar. Pervez Musharrafs family, originally from Baghpat, relocated to Delhi in 1943 and subsequently moved to Pakistan in 1947.
What is Enemy Property?
Assets left behind by people who took citizenship of Pakistan and China mostly between 1947 and 1962 are known as enemy property. The government has vested these properties in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India, an office instituted under the central government.
The Enemy Property Act was enacted in 1968, three years after the India-Pakistan War of 1965, to regulate such properties and list the custodians powers. As of April this year, there were a total of 12,611 establishments called enemy property, roughly estimated to be worth over Rs 1 lakh crore, in the country.
In a series of twists in the Kolkata doctors rape and murder case, the parents of the victim on Thursday said that they were forced to confess on camera that they were not offered money by the Kolkata Police Department. The remarks came a day after the victims parents made startling accusations against the city police alleging that they attempted to hush up the case through bribery and rushed the cremation of their daughters body.
Notably, the contrary statement of Kolkata doctors parents came after 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.
The TMC on Thursday refuted accusations of a police cover-up by the parents of the woman doctor, insisting that a newly surfaced video contradicts their claims by showing the family previously satisfied with the investigation. However, the family was quick to respond to the TMCs claims, stating that the video was forcibly recorded by the police earlier, just after the cremation.
Tried To Bribe Us, Rushed Her Cremation: Kolkata Doctors Parents
On Wednesday, the victims parents and relatives alleged that the police were in a hurry to cremate the body and even offered money. Making strong allegations against the Kolkata Police, the doctors parents 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.
TMC Refutes Allegations Against Police
In response to the allegations made against the Kolkata police on Wednesday, TMC leader and minister Shashi Panja stated that a new video of the parents claimed that the accusations made were false and blamed the Opposition for the developments surrounding the victims parents.
A video went viral on Wednesday where it is claimed that a police official offered money to the parents in the aftermath of the incident. Another video has appeared in the public domain, where the parents clearly stated that such claims are lies and they only want justice for their daughter, she said.
We cannot imagine the pain of the grieving parents. The incident is extremely unfortunate and saddening, and we have all been demanding justice for the victim. But, there shouldnt be politics here. We want to humbly appeal that there should be no political pressure on the parents to do anything, Panja added.
(News18 could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos which are doing rounds on social media.)
Victims Mother Writes Letter To Teachers, Students of RG Kar
Seeking justice for her daughters brutal murder on August 9, the victims mother on Thursday, on the occasion of Teachers Day, wrote an emotional and painful letter to her professors and fellow students at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
In the letter which started as Tilottamas mother, she thanked all her daughters teachers who helped her to become a doctor. Talking about her daughters dream to hold a number of degrees, the deceased doctors mother said, She used to say, Maa I dont need money, I want a lot of degrees so that I can treat people and help them to live a healthy life.
The mother further in her letter requested all the teachers and students to provide information to CBI as 28 days have passed since she lost her daughter and yet the investigation is on.
Vistara on Saturday said it is dispatching an alternative aircraft to fly the passengers of its Mumbai-Frankfurt flight to their destination after it was diverted to Erzurum Airport in Turkiye following an alleged bomb threat on Friday.
The substitute aircraft is expected to arrive at the Turkish airport by 12.25 (local time) and depart for Frankfurt with all passengers by 14.30 hours (Local time), Vistara said in an statement of X.
The flight UK27 made a precautionary landing at Erzurum Airport at 7:05 pm (IST). The passengers and cabin crew onboard were safely evacuated.
According to sources, one of the cabin crew members found a written bomb threat in one of the toilets and alerted about the security threat onboard.
According to Vistara spokesperson, the authorities were immediately alerted and security agencies took a complete mandatory check of the aircraft.
Vistara flight UK 27 operating from Mumbai to Frankfurt on 06 September 2024 has been diverted to Turkey due to a security concern that was noted by our crew while onboard. The aircraft has safely landed at the Erzurum Airport. As per protocol, the relevant authorities were immediately alerted and we are fully cooperating with the security agencies to complete the mandatory security checks. At Vistara, the safety and security of our customers, crew, and aircraft remain our highest priority, he said.
The airline in an X post said, Flight UK27 from Mumbai to Frankfurt (BOM-FRA) has been diverted to Turkey (Erzurum airport) due to security reasons and has landed safely at 1905 hours. Please stay tuned for further updates.
#DiversionUpdate: Flight UK27 from Mumbai to Frankfurt (BOM-FRA) has been diverted to Turkey (Erzurum airport) due to security reasons and has landed safely at 1905 hours. Please stay tuned for further updates. Vistara (@airvistara) September 6, 2024
Earlier in July, an Air India flight operating from New Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Krasnoyarsk International Airport (UNKL) in Russia due to a technical reason. The flight made a precautionary landing after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area. All 225 passengers and the 19 members of the flight crew disembarked the aircraft and were taken to the terminal building for further processing.
In June 2024, Akasa Airs Mumbai-bound flight from Delhi was diverted to Ahmedabad after it received a security alert. The captain of the flight followed all required emergency procedures and landed safely at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft had 186 passengers, 1 infant and six crew members onboard.
Gagan Srinivas, who is popularly known as Dr Bro, is one of the most famous YouTubers in Karnataka. He has a massive fan following, and many people watch his videos on YouTube. He is known for producing informative, humorous, and engaging content, as he travels to different parts of the world and shows their culture and unique ways of living. Dr Bro is now offering an exciting opportunity to his subscribers. You have the chance to work with this famous Kannadiga! Youll be travelling across the country with Dr Bro as part of your job.
Dr Bro has launched a new company called Go Travel, which is now hiring. To fill various open positions, he is overseeing the recruitment process. Wondering what qualifications are needed? Heres a breakdown:
Available Positions:
International Operations Executive
Domestic Operations Executive
Visa Experts
Ticketing
Experience Required:
International Operations Executive Experience in working with holiday packages.
Domestic Operations Executive Must have experience with holiday packages.
Visa Experts Specialized in visa issuance for Asian countries (experience preferred).
Ticketing Experience in domestic/international, online/offline ticketing (preferred).
Qualifications:
Candidates applying for these roles must have completed their Secondary PUC or hold a graduation degree in a Tourism-related course.
Additional Requirements:
Applicants must be proficient in Kannada, English and Hindi.
How to Apply?
Interested candidates should apply online through the Go Travel website. Apply early to seize this incredible opportunity.
Dr Bro is an avid traveller who explores many places in the world while conversing in Kannada. He has travelled to different parts of the world. From Afghanistan to Pakistan to other places, he has demonstrated his bravery in a variety of terrains and civilisations. Dr Bros ability to mix lighthearted humour with his travel accounts has made him quite popular among the audience. He is known for his upbeat and entertaining hosting mannerisms, which leaves an indelible impression on his audience.
Amid drone attacks by Kuki militants in Manipur, CNN-News18 has learnt that the Kukis have sought foreign help in carving out a separate state for them, making matters more serious, according to Intelligence sources. A separate memorandum was issued to the UN, UK and Israel in June 2023 by World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council.
Sources have said that the hidden agenda of Kukis is dangerous with their possible alliance with world bodies to carve out a separate state. According to details available, the Council submitted three memorandums to UK, UN and Israel for special interventions to meet their demands of separate state from hilly areas. They said this was their right of self governance under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution.
The Council has submitted a special demand from Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu to intervene under various international agreements.
Decoding The Kuki-Israel Connection
The Kukis have made a special demand to Netanyahu under George Abraham Grierson Survey 1904 and under UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People, Paris Principles 1,2,3 by integrating all Kuki-Chin territories of Chin State Myanmar/Burma, Chittagaon Hill Tracts(CHT) Bangladesh and Mizoram (India) and Kuki Hills in Outer Manipur, asking that be merged and made one separate country.
According to security agencies, these Kukis identify themselves as lost Jew tribes who came to India for tourism purposes long back and after that they were made captives by India.
In a systematic way, they have been writing to Israel from Manipur and Mizoram that they want to come to Israel and fight with Hamas. They have claimed they are about about 5,000 people living in the Manipur and Mizoram who believe they are the descendants of the Manasseh.
They said they are lost tribes of Israel exiled in 722 BC by Assyrian conquerors and commonly referred to as the Bnei Menashe community, or Hebrew for the children of Manasseh, the first son of Joseph.
Sources in the agencies said there have been calculated moves by the European world, the US and Israel not to openly disown these Kukis. Earlier, US ambassador to New Delhi Eric Garcetti had also offered to be a mediator in the Manipur crisis if India wished.
An old-aged-man was killed and five other people were injured after suspected Kuki militants launched a rocket attack at the residence of former Chief Minister Mairembam Koireng in Moirang, Bishnupur district in Manipur on Friday.
According to the officials, the bomb attack took place at around 3:30 pm on Friday. The rocket fell in the compound of the former CMs residence and claimed the life of an elderly man, RK Rabei Singh, a local resident, who was preparing ritual items at the site for an event scheduled to take place tomorrow.
The elderly man was preparing for some religious rituals in the compound when the bomb exploded. He died on the spot, news agency PTI quoted the official as saying.
Missile Attack on Former #Manipur #CMs Home in Moirang!#KukiMilitants targeted ex-CM Koirengs residence in #Moirang with a missile strike. An innocent #Meitei civilian was killed, and several others injured. This violence against civilians must end! #ManipurCrisis pic.twitter.com/hgMHQ6rrli Deepika92 (@LaishramDeepika) September 6, 2024
Five other people Salam Nanao (40), Galena Mairembam (13), Rajeev Bobo (58), Kongjengbam Jogindro (52), and Ngangom Ibobi (65)were injured in the bomb attack.
The local MLA, upon receiving information about the incident, arrived at the site to assess the situation. The rocket fell at a spot around two km from the INA headquarters.
Police reached the incident site immediately and initiated a probe.
Earlier in the day, a rocket was fired from an elevated position in the nearby hill areas toward the low-lying residential locality of Tronglaobi, located around 45km from the state capital Imphal. Several attacks were also launched including bombings which led to the demolition of some structures.
On April 14, 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Shaukat Ali of the Indian National Army (INA) hoisted the Tricolor Flag of free India for the first time on Indian soil under the guidance of INA Supreme Commander Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Moirang.
Human Chain Protests in Manipur
Thousands of people across five districts of Imphal Valley on Friday formed human chains to protest the recent drone and gun attacks in Manipur that resulted in two civilian deaths and 12 injuries.
Participants also expressed dissatisfaction with the governments handling of the ongoing conflict in the state.
Organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the rally saw school and college students in uniform, as well as women from various localities, lining up along roadsides in Thoubal Bazar, Lilong Chajing in Thoubal district, and Sekmai, Kwakeithel, Singjamei in Imphal West district raising slogans condemning the recent attacks in Koutruk and Senjam Chirang.
Protesters carried placards with messages such as Drone bombing is an act of terrorism, We condemn Manipur governments timidity, Take action against Kuki terrorists, Manipurs territorial and administrative integrity cannot be compromised, and We want peace; save Manipur, among others.
(With inputs from agencies)
Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd (MMMOCL) has announced extended metro services to accommodate the surge in commuters during the Ganpati Festival 2024, one of Mumbais most celebrated events. The extension aims to enhance transportation convenience for late night travellers.
The announcement, made by Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA, came as part of the citys efforts to ensure smooth commuting during the festival, known for its late night celebrations. Dr Mukherjee emphasised the importance of ensuring that the large number of devotees attending the festival can return home safely and efficiently. Ganpati Festival is a significant cultural event in Mumbai, and it is our responsibility to provide seamless transportation for all devotees and citizens. By extending the metro train services, we are making sure that commuters have an efficient and convenient option to travel late at night during the festive season, he stated.
The extended services will be available between September 11 and September 17, 2024, with the last metro from Andheri (West) and Gundavali terminals running until 23:30 hours, half an hour later than usual. Additional services will also be provided between key stations, allowing for more flexibility for commuters. Notably, MMMOCL has introduced additional trips between Gundavali, Dahisar (East), and Andheri (West), to reduce congestion and ensure a smoother commute for the citys residents.
Rubal Agarwal, IAS, Managing Director of Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd, highlighted the organisations commitment to prioritising the needs of commuters during the festival season. We have always prioritised the needs of our commuters, and the decision to extend train timings during the Ganpati Festival reflects our commitment to enhancing commuter experience. The additional services will not only reduce congestion but also ensure safe and reliable travel for those returning home after participating in festival activities, she added.
Details of Extended Services
The last train service from Andheri (West) and Gundavali terminals will now operate at 23:30 hours, with additional trips scheduled as follows:
1. Gundavali to Andheri (West): 22:20 hrs, 22:39 hrs, 22:50 hrs, and 23:00 hrs (4 trips)
2. Andheri (West) to Gundavali: 22:20 hrs, 22:40 hrs, 22:50 hrs, and 23:00 hrs (4 trips)
3. Gundavali to Dahisar (East): 23:15 hrs and 23:30 hrs (2 trips)
4. Andheri (West) to Dahisar (East): 23:15 hrs and 23:30 hrs (2 trips)
5. Dahisar (East) to Andheri (West): 22:53 hrs, 23:12 hrs, 23:22 hrs, and 23:33 hrs (4 trips)
6. Dahisar (East) to Gundavali: 22:57 hrs, 23:17 hrs, 23:27 hrs, and 23:36 hrs (4 trips)
Wolf attacks in Uttar Pradesh are not a new phenomenon. The recent killings of 10 people, including nine children, in Bahraich serve as a grim reminder of the 1996 wolf attacks in Pratapgarh and neighbouring districts like Sultanpur and Jaunpur where more than 60 children were killed.
News18 delved into the 28-year-old tragedy, often referred to as a haunted past by locals, and spoke to the foresters who led the operation to eliminate the man-eater wolves as well as survivors who lived to tell their tales.
Though Tiwaripur Kala, a small hamlet in UPs Pratapgarh, is 227 kilometres away from the wolf-infested Mahsi tehsil of Bahraich, the fear is visible among the residents. The village, one of the worst-hit during the 1996 attacks, said the incidents still haunt them. Many prefer to stay indoors and avoid venturing out alone after dark.
Sahab, humein toh lagta hai yeh kuch pichhle janam ka paap raha hoga jo humein yeh din dekhna pada (It might be some bad deeds from a previous birth that brought about the wolf attacks). Those were the most horrific times we ever faced, when even children were not safe in their mothers lap. More than 60 children were killed during that period, said Kanhaiya Lal, an elderly resident of Tiwaripur Kala.
Our village, along with others like Raniganj, Patti, Vishwanathganj, and even villages in neighbouring districts like Sultanpur and Jaunpur, were under constant threat. It wasnt until the UP forest department stepped in that the wolf menace was finally neutralised, added Lal.
Mukesh Yadav, 52, who hails from the same village and survived a terrifying wolf attack, recalled the night that changed his life. I was 24 and sleeping in my field in the middle of the night when the wolf attacked me. It tried to grab my neck, but I managed to push the animal away before its canines could sink deep into my skin. To my shock, the wolf came at me again, this time seizing my thigh. I struggled to fend it off, but the wolf was relentless, Yadav recounted.
Fortunately, a local villager spotted the animal and quickly raised an alarm. The forest department team rushed to the site in no time and the wolf fled upon seeing them. I truly feel like I was given a second birth that night, he said. Im thankful to the foresters who saved my life. Without them, I wouldnt be here today.
Forest Department Steps In
UPs former wildlife warden of Prayagraj region, VK Singh, described the operation to trap the man-eater wolves in the 1990s as the most gruelling in the history of the states forest department. Singh said over 100 foresters were involved in the operation, which lasted around eight months and concluded in the woods of Jaunpur. During this time, approximately 42 children were killed, and the forest department managed to gun down around 13 man-eater wolves to finally end the menace.
The Operation
Singh explained that the operation to capture the wolves took place along the Sai river, which borders Jaunpur, Pratapgarh, and Sultanpur. Both wolves and jackals inhabited the fringes of villages in this area. But what led wolves to start targeting humans? We believe such incidents often occur in search of easy food, especially when a female wolf is pregnant or has given birth, said Singh.
During these times, the female wolf and her cubs cannot hunt, so the male wolf ventures out in search of food. Human children, being less likely to retaliate compared to other prey, become the easiest targets. Once a child is killed, the male wolf eats more than usual double his normal capacity returns to the den and vomits the partially digested food for the female wolf and the cubs.
After consuming the human flesh, maybe accidentally or knowingly, the pack becomes accustomed to it and develops a preference, leading the wolves to continue hunting children. This dangerous cycle turns the wolves into persistent threats as they start seeing human children as their primary food source, he added.
But how was it concluded that the wolves and not any other animal were attacking the children?
The UP government roped in researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, to carry out an in-depth analysis of the killings. The researchers began with the calculation of the area and studied the minutest of details, including the landscape where the attacks took place, village hutment dispersion, proximity of crop fields or other cover, small domestic livestock availability and the number of vulnerable children encountered. Also, they interviewed the parents of the victims, eyewitnesses, survivors of attacks, forest officials and the medical officials that had conducted autopsies. The remains of children were also studied by the researchers for forensic clues.
The Findings
Officials with the forest department revealed that during their investigation, researchers discovered tracks at two different sites where bodies were recovered. These tracks were consistent with those of a wolf, not a feral dog or striped hyena. Crucially, hair found on the victims was scientifically analysed and identified as belonging to a wolf. Researchers also reported sighting a wolf near one of the attack sites, with no evidence of hyenas or leopards in the area.
Interviews with witnesses provided descriptions that matched a wolf, further corroborating the findings. The puncture wounds on the victims bodies also matched the spacing of a wolfs canines, ruling out other predators like hyenas, leopards, or jackals. Additionally, the victims remains were found in the open, a characteristic of wolf attacks. Had it been a leopard, the bodies would have been hidden in thick cover. The fact that the remains were mostly intact and not scattered suggested a single wolf was responsible, not a pack. This led to the conclusion that a wolf was behind the attacks.
When Shoot-on-Sight Order Was Issued
Singh said during the operation, they collected around 42 mutilated bodies of children, which resulted in strong resentment among people. On the order of the then chief wildlife warden Ashok Singh, sharp shooters of Dudhwa National Park, Jim Corbett and Rajaji National Park were deputed to stay at the site of wolf attacks, he added.
Nailing Wolves No Cakewalk
Singh said unlike other wild animals, wolves are very typical. They are swift and intelligent, making it difficult for shooters to get a clear shot, he recalled. We had to begin by studying their pattern of killing. We observed that after each attack, there would be a three-day gap before the next one, always in a different location. These incidents continued every three to four days, as wolves, like other carnivores, only eat when theyre hungry, he added.
Singh, however, said tracking the wolves and understanding their behaviour was a daunting task, especially in an era without modern technology. Back then, we had no internet, drones, or advanced communication tools like walkie-talkies, mobile phones, or WhatsApp to assist us. Neutralising the wolves was a tough nut to crack, he added.
Despite the challenges, the team succeeded in killing around 13 wolves, which eventually brought an end to the human killings. It was a difficult operation, but we managed to put a stop to the menace, he recollected.
It has been around 28 years since then but the wolf attacks still haunt the people of Pratapgarh. Meanwhile, in Bahraich, the UP forest department and district administration have deployed more than 250 staffers, including 150 forest officials, and installed four traps apart from using three sets of thermal drone cameras to track the remaining wolves.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually launched the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative in Gujarat. The prime minister expressed concerns over the flood situation in Gujarat and Andhra saying, I have never seen so much rains in Gujrat in past. Some other parts of the country are also reeling under floods situation.
The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative is aimed at fulfilling the prime ministers resolve to make water conservation a national priority.
Today, an important campaign is being launched from the land of Gujarat, by Jal Shakti Ministry. Before this, in the recent past, there was a rain havoc in every corner of the country. There would hardly be any area in the country which did not have to face the crisis due to this calamitythis time Gujarat faced a huge crisisAll the systems did not have the strength to help us withstand this wrath of nature. But the people of Gujarat and the countrymen have a nature that in times of crisis, everyone stands shoulder to shoulder and helps everyone, he said during the launch.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative in Gujarat, virtuallyHe says, Today, an important campaign is being launched from the land of Gujarat, by Jal Shakti Ministry. Before this, in the recent past, there was a rain havoc in pic.twitter.com/o2fsXZkTju ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024
Water Conservation Is A Virtue: PM Modi
The prime minister further stressed the importance of water conservation saying, it is not just a policy, it is also an effort and lets say, it is also a virtue. There is generosity as well as responsibility in it. When future generations will evaluate us, our attitude towards water will probably be their first parameterthis is the question of life, this is the life of the future of humanity, he added.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative in Gujarat, virtuallyHe says, Water conservation is not just a policy, it is also an effort and lets say, it is also a virtue. There is generosity as well as responsibility in it. When pic.twitter.com/sTgFNOtBlX ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024
What is Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari?
Under this programme, around 24,800 rainwater harvesting structures across Gujarat will be constructed with community partnerships. These structures will prove to be pivotal in enhancing rainwater harvesting and ensuring long-term water sustainability.
With Ganesh Chaturthi just around the corner, devotees are eager to welcome Bappa home. This year, the 10-day festival will begin on September 7 and go on till September 17. Ganesh Chaturthi commemorates the birth of Lord Ganesh and is one of the most prominent Hindu festivals in India. Lord Ganesh is revered as the God of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. He is regarded as the force against barriers and a guiding light in times of darkness. Ganesh Chaturthi is also referred to as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesh Utsav. Many states including Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka celebrate the festival on a large scale.
During Ganesh Chaturthi, many families welcome Ganesha idols at home. These clay idols become the central aspect of rituals and celebrations. Devotees bow down to seek blessings from it and organise pujas.
As devotees prepare to bring Ganpati home, there are a few dos and donts that we need to keep in mind ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi 2024 for a blessed and auspicious festival.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: Things To Do
Many Ganesh worshippers enjoy making their idols with faith and passion. However, they must note that a Ganesha idol is not complete without a mukut or a crown. To ensure good luck and fortune, add a majestic mukut to the idol.
When welcoming Bappa home, drape a red chunri or cloth over your Ganesha idol.
The auspicious orientations for doing the sthapana (installation) of the Lord Ganesh idol are east, west and northeast.
Whether you are buying or making your Ganesha idol, make sure it is sitting. Also, ensure that the idol includes his companion mouse and a few modaks to bring positive energy into the home.
Ganpati Bappa should be welcomed with shankh, bells and joy.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: Things Not To Do
It is important to note that Lord Ganeshas trunk should not point to the right, as this signifies his stubborn attitude or difficult times. Always place the trunk to the left, which indicates success and positivity.
After Ganesh sthapana, avoid eating onion, garlic and other tamilic foods. Cook only Satvik delicacies and offerthem to Lord Ganesha first.
The house should not be left empty during Ganesh Chaturthi and one family member should always be at home, with the deity.
Do not close the main door during sthapana.
Never immerse the Lord Ganesha idol without doing aarti and puja.
All eyes have been on Aadar Jain and Alekha Advani ever since they posted pictures from their dreamy beach proposal on social media. The duo, now engaged and set to marry soon, have been basking in the warmth of love from the audience and celebrities alike. It needs to be noted that the proposal happened at an exotic location in Maldives where the duo jetted off for a vacation. Now, they have returned to Mumbai after the romantic getaway. As the newly engaged couple arrived at the airport, the shutterbugs already stationed there were quick enough to capture a video, delightful enough to make your day.
The joy and excitement on Aadar Jain and Alekha Advanis faces as they made their first public appearance after the engagement was palpable. Walking hand in hand towards the car, they radiated love and we cant stop gushing. They were indulged in a conversation, looking at each other lovingly in the clip.
Aadar Jain, for his jet-set look, opted for a brown T-shirt and white pants. Alekha Advani, on the other hand, kept it stylish in a crop top and white pants elevated with a black jacket. She also wore a cute bucket hat to complete her look.
On September 1, Aadar Jain surprised everyone as he posted a series of photos on Instagram. He went down on one knee to propose to the love of his life, Alekha Advani. The pictures included a glimpse of the beautiful setup against the backdrop of a beach. Do not miss the Marry Me cutout elevating the appeal of the decoration. Sitting amid rose petals, the duo exuded pure love in the dreamy pictures. Along with the pictures, Aadar Jain wrote, My first crush, my best friend & now, my forever.
Celebrities including Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Ananya Panday and others congratulated both Aadar Jain and Alekha Advani in the comment section. While Kareena wrote, Yayyyyyyyy Mehendi laga ke rakhna doli saja ke rakhna, Ananya Panday added, Congratulations!!!!! Soooooo beautiful
Aadar Jain and Alekha Advani have been dating for a while now. The couple made their first appearance together at Kareena Kapoors Diwali party in 2023. Before Alekha, Aadar was dating actress Tara Sutaria. After being in a relationship for a few years, the couple decided to part ways for reasons unknown to us.
The latest promo of Bigg Boss Marathi 5 has been creating buzz, thanks to Nikki Tambolis impressive performance that stole the spotlight. In the clip, Nikki lit up the stage as she danced to the hit song, Tip Tip Barsa Paani, originally performed by Raveena Tandon in the 1994 film Mohra. With the artificial rain setup, Nikki, clad in a red pyjama and top, is seen performing mesmerising dance steps to the iconic song.
Fellow contestant Arbaz Patel seemed especially taken with Nikkis dance. Throughout the performance, he cheered loudly, unable to hide admiration. Arbaz even joined in by singing along to the song and couldnt keep his eyes off her. By the end, he was so impressed by Nikkis performance that he asked Bigg Boss to play the song again so he could enjoy another round of her dance.
The makers of Bigg Boss Marathi 5 shared the promo online, encouraging the viewers to share their thoughts on Nikkis energetic performance. The accompanying caption in Marathi reads, How did you like Nikkis stage on fire dance in the rain? BIGG BOSS Marathi, at 9 PM, only on Colors Marathi and free on Jio Cinema.
Watch the promo here:
This is not the first time Nikkis performance has left everyone spellbound. In August, Nikki and Arbaz were seen dancing to the lively Marathi track, Hil Hil Pori Hila, showcasing strong on-screen chemistry. Nikki dazzled in a traditional Marathi outfit, donning a green dhoti-style skirt with a red blouse, while Arbaz looked dapper in a white shimmery kurta set.
Nikki was initially seen enjoying a close friendship with fellow contestants Arbaz, Vaibhav Chavan and Jahnavi Killekar. However, recent developments have caused tensions to rise between them. In the latest episode, Nikki and Vaibhav got engaged in a heated confrontation when Nikki accused him of being a traitor. The drama began when Vaibhav nominated Nikki, prompting her to accuse of him being the biggest traitor. Vaibhav, unfazed, responded with, For you, I am a traitor. Now see how I show my betrayal to you. Go to the trash and sit. What you say makes no sense. As the exchange grows more intense, Vaibhav firmly stands by his decision, confirming his nomination of Nikki.
This season of Bigg Boss Marathi includes Arbaz Patel, Aarya Jadhao, Nikki Tamboli, Yogita Chavan, Vaibhav Chavan, Abhijeet Sawant, Paddy Kamble, Varsha Usgaonkar, Irina Rudakova, Jahnavi Killekar, Nikhil Damle, Ghanshyam Darode, Suraj Chavan and Purushottam Dada Patil. The show is being hosted by Riteish Deshmukh, who has taken over from Mahesh Manjrekar, who hosted the previous four seasons.
Ananya Panday has made her OTT debut with web series Call Me Bae. The series has been in the news for a long time. On Thursday, the makers organised a premiere night and it was attended by celebrities including Kartik Aaryan, Suhana Khan, Sara Ali Khan, and others. Well, today Suhana Khan took to her social handle and cheered for BFF Ananya.
Taking to her Instagram stories, Suhana shared the poster of Call Me Bae and wrote, Its Bae Day. Call Me Bae, created by Ishita Moitra, promises to be a rollercoaster of emotions with its riches-to-rags storyline. The series, penned by Moitra, Samina Motlekar, and Rohit Nair, stars Ananya Panday in the lead role, alongside a stellar cast including Vir Das, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood, Vihaan Samat, Muskkaan Jaferi, Niharika Lyra Dutt, Lisa Mishra, and Mini Mathur. The eight-episode series is set to stream on Amazon Prime Video starting September 6.
Take a look here:
Since the release of the trailer, the show has sparked discussions online, with many drawing comparisons to popular Western shows like Two Broke Girls and Emily in Paris. However, Ananya Panday, in an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, urged viewers to withhold judgment until theyve seen the show.
Just because this is the genre or the theme of the show, doesnt mean it is the copy of something else, Ananya explained. Its a template. Without watching it, dont judge it is what I would say.
Call Me Bae is set to offer a unique blend of humour, drama and style, with Ananya Panday leading the charge. As the series gears up for its release, fans are eagerly awaiting to see if it lives up to the buzz it has created.
Ananya received a special shoutout from her rumoured bae, Walker Blanco. Walker Blanco, whose Instagram profile suggests he hails from the United States, has reportedly become a significant presence in Ananyas life. The two were seen sharing a cosy moment during the Ambani baraat procession, sparking further speculation about their relationship. Walker recently took to his Instagram account and shared a poster of the show on his story. He wrote, Hey bae. This has now caught everyones attention.
Actor Gulshan Devaiah has expressed his bias towards Deepika Padukone as they hail from the same city. Gulshan said that he likes the actress for her professionalism and recalled his experience working with her. Gulshan said that while Deepika is not over-friendly, she makes everyone feel comfortable.
I think for the first time with anybody I felt that this was a professional actor (Deepika). She is very to the point. She is friendly but not over-friendly. She will make you comfortable but not like you could be friends with her. There is a limit but there is an ease of work as well. She is extremely hardworking, he told Filmygyan. During a rapid-fire, when asked about Deepika again, he said, I am very biased about Deepika Padukone. She is from Bengaluru, my city. I like her. You cant say anything bad about her.
Gulshan also spoke about Deepikas husband, Ranveer Singh and described him as ball of energy who is always charged. In the past, Gulshan told Siddharth Kannan, Sometimes, I would walk in a corner after doing a take with him because he is so energetic. His energy is so much that sometimes it is not sustainable for someone to match that. You get affected by it. Sometimes you dont want to deal with it. Sometimes you want peace.
Meanwhile, Deepika is expecting her first child. Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announced their pregnancy in February this year. Taking to Instagram, the much-loved couple shared that their baby will arrive in September 2024. The post met with a lot of love from their industry peers including Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Vikrant Massey, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, among many others. Through the past few months, Deepikas public appearances where shes flaunting her baby bump have been going viral. She has also been grabbing attention for setting chic maternity fashion goals.
If theres one thing filmmaker Mike Flanagan excels at, its creating horror films that haunt your thoughts long after the credits roll. Although he was initially supposed to contribute to The Exorcist trilogy, Flanagan has now shifted to a new project with Universal Pictures, which he describes as the scariest movie hes ever made. Recently, he opened up about his latest film The Life of Chuck and shared how the entire team worked tirelessly to make it a film that will be remembered for decades. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival this month, The Life of Chuck has Tom Hiddleston in the lead role as Charles Krantz. It is adapted from Stephen Kings 2020 short story which is a part of his anthology If It Bleeds.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the Midnight Mass creator explained that he only gets involved with a franchise if he feels there are new layers to explore in the storyline. He also talked about how he had long pursued The Exorcist, believing he had fresh ideas for the series.
When speaking about The Life of Chuck, Flanagan emphasised how this film has offered him an exciting opportunity to experiment with things that havent been done before. Regarding the franchise, Flanagan said, Its something that honors what came before it but isnt built on nostalgia. He also acknowledged to THR that people have set high expectations for his next movie, admitting that no one feels the pressure more than he does.
Earlier, Universal Pictures had reportedly revealed that Mike Flanagan would be directing the next installment of The Exorcist franchise. Soon after the underwhelming performance of The Exorcist: Believer, which was meant to launch a new horror trilogy, the studio decided to change direction and explore different ideas.
The Exorcist: Believer was a direct sequel to the 1973 horror classic. The film featured Leslie Odom Jr. as Victor Fielding, whose daughter Angela disappears into the woods with her friend Katherine. When theyre found days later, theyve been possessed by a dark, sinister force.
Ellen Burstyn, who acted in the original movie, returned to her role as Chris MacNeil in this 2023 version. David Gordon Green, who was supposed to direct the now-scrapped Exorcist trilogy, shared with IndieWire that the sequels would have focused on Ann Dowds character Ann, a nurse and Victor Fieldings neighbor.
The Exorcist: Believer was released in theaters on October 6, 2023.
The tragic 1999 IC184 hijack changed the life of Rachna Katyal who was married for just 21 days. She and her 25-year-old businessman husband Rupin Katyal were returning from their honeymoon in Nepal when the Indian Airlines flight was hijacked. What happened then, turned her newly married life into a nightmare.
Rachna Katyal was just 21 years old when she was returning from her honeymoon in Kathmandu with her husband, Rupin. The couple boarded the flight and were sitting together when it was hijacked. The terrorists demanded the release of three militants held in Indian jails and threatened the authorities that they would kill the passengers if their demands werent met.
On day one of the hijack, terrorists made men on the flight sit separately when Rupin was separated from Rachna. He was then murdered by the terrorists, to show the Indian authorities what they could do. However, Rachna was unaware of the same. When she learned the truth, her life shattered.
While Rachna was grief-struck after the incident, her in-laws supported her and accepted her as their own daughter. In one of the interviews, Rachna shared how her in-laws rebuilt her life. Today they are dearer to me than anyone else and we have, in a way, come closer because of the immense tragedy we have shared. Our grief cannot be assuaged. My in-laws have accepted the fact that their son is no more and they have now devoted their life to my welfare. They say, All we have is Rachna and she is our daughter now and we have to rebuild her life, she said as quoted by MoneyControl.
It was her father-in-law, Chander Mohan Katyal, who asked her to remarry and give herself a second chance. It was my father-in-law who, after discussing it with my mother-in-law, decided that I could not just spend the rest of my life in mourning, Rachna shared.
Rupins father first helped Rachna in getting a job. He approached Indian Airlines and requested them to consider employing Rachna. When Rachna secured the job, she felt my life once again has a purpose.
Two years after the hijack i.e. in 2001, Rachna found love once again and decided to remarry. Her in-laws supported her and Rupins father did her Kanyadaan a Hindu ritual which is traditionally done by the brides father.
While Rachna married an MNC manager in 2001, the couple reportedly welcomed their first child the next year.
Actress Megha Akash gained recognition because of her contribution to the South film industry with Tamil films like Enai Noki Paayum Thota. Since then, she has acted in several Tamil and Telugu films as well. She is now about to tie the knot with her long-time boyfriend Saai Vishnu. Megha enjoyed a bachelorette party with her friends before the wedding. Choosing the mesmerising vibe of the Hotel Riu in Sri Lanka, Megha opted for a lovely off-shoulder white dress for the occasion. She also attached a colour-coordinated white flower to her hair and a shade of red lipstick. Bride To Be, is written in her backdrop. She also attached pictures of the nicely arranged dining hall and with girls in front of the mirror. In one of the photos, she looked gorgeous in a white gown and posed for the cameras with her friends. In the last snap, they came up with a picture of tattoos on their fists. She wrote in the caption, Some very important people made me feel very very special and I loved every bit of it. Thanks to my favourite girls who I am lucky enough to call my sisters. Love you. She also thanked the hotel authorities.
Megha further attached another string of breathtaking photos in the white dress on Instagram.
Meghas followers and other social media users congratulated her for this phase in her life.
Delighted with this transition in Meghas life, fans want to know more about her fiance. She talked about it in an interview. The actress said that Saai Vishnu was her best friends brother. They had known each other for 9 years, but started a romantic relationship 6 years ago. Megha shared that Saai pursued his studies in filmmaking in New York. He also teamed up with Pa Ranjith on the film Kaali and Kabali before taking a break and concentrating entirely on the business. She said,However, the thought of creating a movie is always on his mind.
Megha Akashrecently acted in the film Mazhai Pidikatha Manithan, written and directed by Vijay Milton. This film received poor reviews from the audience and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
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 Keralas 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 Courts 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.
Anurag Kashyaps Gangs of Wasseypur, featuring Manoj Bajpayee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, has earned a cult status that still captivates audiences. However, in a recent podcast with ANI, Nawazuddin Siddiqui revealed that he was initially perplexed and unimpressed by the films first cut. He admitted that it wasnt until the films screening at the Cannes Film Festival that he truly appreciated its brilliance.
When asked during the podcast if he sensed the films potential during production, Siddiqui responded, Not at all. You can never tell while youre working on a film. In fact, I didnt know even after wed finished it. When I watched the first cut, I thought, Yeh kya bana diya hai yaar (What in the world has he made). But when I watched the final film at Cannes, after it had been refined, thats when I realised why Anurag is Anurag.
He further praised Kashyap, stating, Hes a genius man. He changed the face of Indian cinema, and the entire world took notice. He might not be appreciated in his own country, but Im sorry, the world knows what he has done.
Gangs of Wasseypur premiered in the Directors Fortnight section at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, marking a significant milestone for Indian cinema. Anurag Kashyap returned to Cannes in 2016 with Raman Raghav 2.0 and in 2023 with Kennedy.
Released in two parts, Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) is a gangster crime saga set in the coal mafia-dominated town of Wasseypur, Jharkhand. The film, which also stars Pankaj Tripathi, Richa Chadda, Huma Qureshi, and Tigmanshu Dhulia, was praised for its raw storytelling and cinematic aesthetics, becoming a box-office success and a favorite among both the masses and critics.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui is all set for his next film titled Adbhut. He has shared an intriguing poster recently and trailer is also released. Adbhut is going to be a mystery thriller. Nawazuddin was seen last in Rautu Ka Raaz which was released on the digital platform. Taking to his Instagram handle, Nawazuddin shared a look poster in which he is seen wearing a coat, with long hair, and holding a magnifying glass.
Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant marked their first Ganesh Chaturthi as a married couple by bringing home a grand Ganpati idol to the Ambani residence, Antilia, in Mumbai on Friday night. The couple, who tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in July, was spotted welcoming Lord Ganesh with big smiles, much to the delight of the paparazzi and fans alike. A video of the couple bringing the Ganpati idol has since gone viral on social media, showcasing the joy and excitement of the occasion.
Radhika looked radiant in a traditional red salwar suit, adorned with delicate floral embroidery. She accessorised her look with simple yet elegant earrings and tied her hair back, allowing her natural beauty to shine. Anant, on the other hand, sported a vibrant tangerine kurta paired with a matching jacket, exuding festive spirit. The couple greeted the awaiting paparazzi with warm smiles and folded hands, as they carried the Ganpati idol into their home.
Mukesh Ambani was also seen waiting outside Antilia alongside his daughter Isha Ambani. Mukesh, dressed in a simple white shirt, and Isha, in a graceful green outfit, were ready to welcome the Ganpati idol into the family home. The arrival of the idol is a significant moment for the family, especially for Anant and Radhika, as it marks their first major festival together as a married couple.
Last month, during the 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Nita Ambani officially welcomed Radhika into the Ambani family. Addressing the shareholders, Nita said, With the grace of our devis and devatas, Anant has embarked on a lifelong journey of togetherness with his soulmate Radhika. We welcome Radhika into our Reliance family with open arms and hearts full of love.
The couples wedding was one of the most talked-about events of the year, with celebrations spanning several days and attended by global stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Salman Khan, and even international figures such as John Cena and Kim Kardashian.
Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon has expressed her shock over the brutal beating of a 15-year-old Hindu boy, Utsav Mondal, by a mob inside a police station in Bangladesh. The incident occurred on Wednesday night in the Sonadanga residential area of Khulna, after Mondal was accused of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad on social media. Initial local media reports claimed the boy had succumbed to his injuries, but Khulna Metropolitan Polices Deputy Commissioner (South), Mohammad Tajul Islam, later confirmed to India Today that the teenager is alive and currently receiving medical treatment.
Taking to her X(formerly Twitter) handle, Raveena Tandon shared a post, along with a caption that read, Heartbreaking . This world is going back to the dark medievial ages .
Take a look:
Heartbreaking . This world is going back to the dark medievial ages . https://t.co/yd5tn8tTYo Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) September 6, 2024
Prior to this, Raveena Tandon had condemned violence against minorities in Bangladesh amid the ongoing crisis in the country. She had written, I express my solidarity with the victims and call for an immediate end to this violence. It is essential that Global leaders and influencers, especially from India, speak out against these atrocities and work together to protect the rights and dignity of all people. We must not remain silent in the face of such suffering.
The incident unfolded around 11:45 PM when a group of local madrasa students brought 15-year-old Utsav Mondal to the police station, accusing him of posting objectionable comments about the Prophet Muhammad on Facebook. As word spread, tensions escalated, with more students and members of the Imam Association gathering outside the station, demanding severe punishment for the boy.
According to Mohammad Tajul Islam, the students initially called for Utsav to be judged by their own laws, even demanding execution. Despite assurances from the deputy commissioner that legal action would be taken under existing laws, the protestors were unsatisfied. By evening, the crowd swelled to nearly a thousand, creating a highly charged atmosphere.
At one point, a false announcement was made via a mosque loudspeaker, claiming Utsav had been lynched, which momentarily dispersed the crowd. However, when it became clear he was still alive and in police custody, tensions flared again, with the mob demanding that Utsav be handed over to them.
By midnight, the situation spiraled out of control. Despite the presence of police, army, and navy personnel, the mob stormed the police station and brutally assaulted Utsav in their presence.
Utsav, critically injured, was eventually rescued by army personnel and taken for medical treatment. On Thursday morning, authorities confirmed that he is receiving treatment at an army hospital and is currently out of danger. A blasphemy case has been filed against him, and the police have promised to take appropriate legal action.
Salman Khan has confirmed that he has two broken ribs. Last night, while returning from Bigg Boss 18s promo shoot, the actor was swarmed by paparazzi. He cautioned them to be careful around him due to his rib injury. Last month, Salmans appearance at an event had raised concerns about his health and it was said that he had broken his ribs during a shoot.
Salman Khan has now revealed that he has two broken ribs. He informed the paps about his injury after the shoot of Bigg Boss 18s promo last night. The actor looked dapper in a black suit with a blue shirt and matching shoes. Watch the video here:
Bhai about his rib injury, says 2 pasliyan tooti hain Plz take care #SalmanKhan bhai #BiggBoss18 pic.twitter.com/sGn75122ig Nav Kandola (@SalmaniacNav) September 5, 2024
Salman Khan and the show have been inseparable since he came on board to host Bigg Boss Season 4. With his spontaneity, unique hosting skills, charm and wit, the actor attracted a significant audience to the show, making him the most loved host on television. However, this time, it was reported that Salman might step down from hosting duties to focus on his health. Speculations only intensified after the actor was seen struggling due to pain during a Mumbai event.
Now, as the actor is confirmed to host Bigg Boss 18, fans have every reason to celebrate. As for the contestants of the upcoming season, the makers have reportedly approached many popular names including Zaan Khan, Meera Deosthale, Anita Hassanandani, Surbhi Jyoti, Kanika Mann, Shaheer Sheikh, Sameera Reddy, Deepika Arya, Somy Ali, Anjali Anand, Arjun Bijlani, Shoaib Ibrahim, Mansi Srivastava and Dheeraj Dhoopar.
On the work front, Salman Khan is currently working on his next film, Sikandar, which also stars Rashmika Mandanna as the lead. The film will mark their first union on screen. Sikandar also represents AR Murugadosss highly anticipated return to Hindi cinema after an eight-year hiatus following Akira (2016). This film also reunites Salman Khan with producer Sajid Nadiadwala, a duo known for their blockbuster successes such as Kick, Judwaa, and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi.
Popular photographer Vishal Punjabi, also known as The Wedding Filmer, has revealed that he once decided to make a movie with Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra but did not happen because of his visa issues. In a recent interview, Vishal talked about his decade-long association with SRK and revealed that he was deported from India at a time when he decided to make a film with Bollywoods King Khan. The protographer explained that it was because he was on a tourist visa in the country.
In 2007, I was about to make a big Bollywood film. I had written the script with a friend of mine called Zoya Akhtar. Shes a big director now, but at the time, she was struggling to make her first film Priyanka had said yes to my film, Shah Rukh had said yes to my film. Me and Reema and Zoya were kicked about it. And then I got deported from India because I didnt have an OCI. I had a tourist visa, and I was technically not allowed to work on a tourist visa. It was very stupid of me, because I thought its India, theyd fix it, Vishal said on the Brown Game Strong YouTube channel.
The photographer revealed that even though he was deported from the country, Shah Rukh Khan came under governments scrutiny. He alleged that the previous governments were not very kind to SRK because of his religion. However, despite everything, Shah Rukh tried his best to bring Vishal back to India.
I got deported, and there was nothing anybody could do. The fact that I worked with Shah Rukh made my case worse because he was under scrutiny. For some reason, governments arent very kind to him, I think it has to do with his religion. It was heartbreaking for him as well because I was in charge of a lot of big projects for him. He tried everything that he could to see me come back I went through a very hard time, but he worked tirelessly to get me back, he said.
The Wedding Filmer revealed that his Vishals deportation was revoked after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and he was then allowed to work in India.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi concludes another landmark visit to Singapore, one is reminded of recent observations by Singapores diplomat-emeritus, Kishore Mahbubani. In a significant remark, Mahbubani asked, How many leaders in the world can comfortably visit both Russia and Ukraine and be warmly received by both countries? Very few. The fact that Prime Minister Modi can do that is a sign of how India has arrived as a major geopolitical actor.
Mahbubani also spoke of India being the third most powerful country in the world, after the United States and China, and called for New Delhis entry into the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and a more effective role in the global body.
Mahbubani called for the United Kingdom to give up its seat on the UNSC in favor of India. That India is now most well-poised for an entree in the UNSC is undeniable, that the UN will graduate to its next level of relevance only with Indias entry in the UNSC is a fact that most members, willingly or grudgingly, admit. That PM Modi visited both Russia and Ukraine, spoke his mind out, provided alternatives while furthering Indias objectives and imperatives, makes him stand apart and in a league of his own. It has also projected India as a power that is conscious of its role in a rapidly reconfiguring world.
No other world leader in recent times has articulated, delineated, and envisioned the Voice of the Global South narrative as Prime Minister Modi has. Not only has he shaped it and provided a global platform for its initial articulation, such as the G20 in Delhi, but he has also led from the front in the delineation of an agenda, a roadmap, and a target that are both pragmatic and futuristic.
Indias emergence as a Viswa-Bandhu (Friend of the World) is a narrative that is becoming increasingly relevant and contextual. Despite some hard-boiled strategic experts emerging as naysayers, the reality is that a section of the world looks to India for positive partnership and affirmative action.
Prime Minister Modis visits to Brunei and Singapore represent a significant step in advancing Indias Act-East vision and enhancing its role and presence in the Indo-Pacific region. Among his many firsts over the past decade, PM Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Brunei since relations were established four decades ago.
In Singapore, PM Modi reminded members of the business community in his interaction with them that this was the first time, since 1962, that an Indian government was elected to power for a third consecutive term through the largest democratic exercise in the world, which was the Indian general election. These penetrative words described Indias vibrant democratic fabric and her continuing aspiration to make it more resilient, responsive and unique as a model and a journey.
The waters and currents of the Indo-Pacific were navigated for centuries by people from civilisational India and this region. Where once exchange was done in commodities, spices, exquisite cloth, craft, philosophy, knowledge and ideas, today that same uninterrupted flow and exchange is seeing discussion on sharing of technology, AI, semiconductors, airports, health and more. The link remains, the flow is enhanced with the exchange shifting to another dimension and horizon.
Through millennia this exchange has continued despite vicissitudes of subjection. Hiatuses, if any, have always been a brief interlude, only to be resumed in another form and dimension.
Of civilisational Indias exchange with this part of the world, iconic linguist and scholar-philosopher, Suniti Kumar Chatterji, who travelled these regions extensively in an earlier era, writes, Wherever it went, Indian philosophy and culture came not to destroy, but to fulfil. It came like the life-giving rain, not like the burning wind or the killing blight.
For Chatterji, Indian civilisation was broad-based on a spirit of harmony and inclusiveness which does not regard anything human as essentially alien or repugnant either to man or to God. It was, he writes, the sense of kinship with humanity as a whole Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the yearning for the happiness and salvation of all men which formed a great impetus and inspiration to send forth messengers who carried forth the message of the Rshis and the Jinas into distant and inaccessible lands.
At a grand reception accorded to him in Singapore, in July 1927, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, who was accompanied, among others, by Suniti Kumar Chatterji, expressed much the same emotions.
In an inspiring response to a special address by the leaders and eminent members of the Indian and other communities in Singapore, Tagore said that he believed that it is the best characteristic of an Indian that he can identify himself with the whole worldthrough the philosophy which he has been initiated into from his very childhood. I am sure that the philosophy of the Upanishads has been of immense help to me to come into intimate and close contact with the nations belonging to other parts of the world. That is the meaning of the word, Visva-Bharati. I have not come to face you, but to ask you to face the world with me. I have not come to speak to you but to ask you to speak with me to the world.
PM Modis announcement that India would establish the Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre in Singapore is, in a sense, one of the crowning aspects of this visit. It demonstrates his commitment to also keep rejuvenating and replenishing the cultural and civilisational dimension of the relationship amongst the two nations, and to make that as one of the central pillars of Indias Act-East partnership. For India-Singapore relations, this has a special historic significance.
Decades ago, Suniti Kumar Chatterji spoke of Indias role as kalyana-mitra, a role in which she can serve humanity in her old way once more, as its friend and fellow in the quest of the highest good. Interestingly, today, PM Modi increasingly refers to Indias role and presence as viswa-bandhu in a quest for the highest global good.
There is no contradistinction in PM Modis vision of Indias interaction and engagement with the world, by being viswa-bandhu, kalyana-mitra and a major geopolitical actor. India, led by Modi, aspires to and is capable of emerging as all of these to the world.
The author is Chairman, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation & Member, BJP National Executive Committee. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
On September 3, 2024, the Supreme Court (SC) came down hard on the issue of increasing incidents of bulldozer justice. It is a position of law. How can anybodys house be demolished only because he is an accused? Even if he is a convict, it cant be done without following the procedure as prescribed by law, thundered Justice B.R. Gawai.
Justice K.V. Vishwanathan said bluntly, Why cant some guidelines be laid down? Notice, time period, response, reply, order, time for legal remedy, avoidance of backdating, some communication with the central secretariat, the nodal agency so that there is no fear. He then affirmed that we propose to lay down certain guidelines on a pan-India basis so that the concerns with regard to the issues raised are taken care of.
The specific petition before the bench was against the demolition drive in Delhis Jahangirpuri soon after the 2022 riots. But bulldozer justice had almost acquired de facto legitimacy by its rampant misuse starting from 2017.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was the first to use it. He was, by his supporters, hailed as Bulldozer Baba, a title that he was happy to revel in. At one of Yogis political rallies, there is TV footage showing his supporters dancing with yellow toy bulldozers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi seemed to support Yogi. At a public meeting during the 2024 national elections, he asked the Opposition to take a tuition from CM Yogi on the use of bulldozers.
The apparent endorsementand popularityof the use of bulldozers led other BJP-ruled states to emulate Yogi. In Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, during his tenure as Chief Minister, soon acquired the sobriquet of Bulldozer Mama. In 2022, 16 houses and 29 structures were demolished in his state following communal riots in Khargone. There have long been allegations that bulldozers are used more against the Muslim minority, and if this is so, it is a most unfortunate development.
This extrajudicial form of bulldozer justice was also followed in Uttarakhand, Haryana, Gujarat, Assam, as well as Rajasthan, a Congress-ruled state, and Maharashtra, where an opposition coalitionthe Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)infamously demolished part of actor-politician Kangana Ranauts bungalow in Pali Hill.
According to a government affidavit presented in court in August 2023, 443 properties had been demolished by the summary use of bulldozers till then, although an independent fact-finding agency put the figure much higher at 1,208 structures over 87 separate sites, including houses allotted under government approved housing schemes.
The standard defence of authorities using bulldozers has always been that the properties demolished were illegal encroachments or built on unauthorised land and, therefore, liable to be removed. The SC has suitably dismissed this defence. While stating categorically that it was not its intention to protect unauthorised constructions or encroachments on public roadsnot even the temples on the public roadit has also made it clear that merely because a person is alleged to have been part of some offence can never be a ground upon which his immovable property can be demolished.
The demolition of an immovable property can take place only for violation of, and in accordance with, the procedure prescribed in the respective, applicable municipal law or law governing development authorities of the area. In other words, no immovable property can be demolished solely on the ground that the owner or occupant of such property is involved in a criminal offence. Demolition, whether in part or full, can take place only on the grounds mentioned in the municipal law governing legal construction and after following the procedure therein.
However, what was mostly happening at present was that the immovable property of an alleged accused was first summarily demolished, and then justified on account of being an illegal construction. In the process, all existing legal norms, like providing notice of demolition, judicial hearing, time to remove movable property, and reverifying legal title or defence thereof, were being dispensed with. Moreover, along with the allegedly accused, his entire family was also punished.
The truth is that summary justice of this nature is undemocratic, and almost reminiscent of medieval dictatorships. Zero tolerance to crime becomes criminal itself if it is based on zero concern for due process of law. A democracy must provide safeguards against lethal and arbitrary action of the state. However, the perceived popularity of such a policy by common people, encouraged state leaders in power to pursue them with even greater blatancy. It is true that partly, support from people came because our judicial processes are so dilatory that most genuine criminals manage to evade justice for years.
Encounter killings are romanticised for the same reason, and at one time police officials who specialised in them were hailed as heroes. According to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in 2016-17, a case of encounter killing was registered once every three days. At least 813 such killings were recorded, with no convictions of any officials during this period.
The answer to judicial delays is to reform the judicial system, not dispense with it entirely. Besides, once government authorities get emboldened by such policies, no one knows who the next victim of their extrajudicial hubris will be. In Ayodhya, in the run-up to the inauguration of the Ram Mandir, innumerable structures belonging to Hindus were summarily bulldozed. The anger created by this was part of the reason why the BJP candidate lost from here in the 2024 national elections.
The Supreme Courts stand against bulldozer justice needs to be sincerely welcomed, although I wish the apex court had taken up this matter earlier. India is, and must remain, a democracy.
The author is a former diplomat, an author and a politician. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
The recent visit of Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar to Nagpur has sparked controversy due to his decision not to pay respects at the Hedgewar Memorial, the founding site of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Pawars absence, while Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis attended the memorial during their joint visit for the CM Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme event, has not been well-received within the RSS.
Sources reveal that Ajit Pawar was reportedly encouraged to visit the RSS headquarters to bridge the gap between his party and the RSS. However, his decision to skip the memorial has led to significant discontent among the RSS and BJP ranks. This is the second time Pawar has avoided visiting the RSS HQ in Nagpur. During the previous winter session, shortly after he joined the Mahayuti government, Pawar declined to attend the RSS HQ visit, where all Mahayuti MLAs were invited.
It is no longer a secret that the RSS has been uncomfortable with Ajit Pawars inclusion in the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Compounding the strain is the NCPs underwhelming performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where the party managed to secure just one seat.
Political Calculations?
One of the reasons behind Ajit Pawar skipping the visit could be a desire to avoid alienating his voter base ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Pawar has been traveling extensively across the state to regain public confidence after the Lok Sabha debacle. His biggest challenge is convincing voters to support him instead of the NCP faction led by his uncle, Sharad Pawar.
Some political analysts, however, believe that Ajit Pawar is playing it safe. They point to his recent statements, particularly one where he admitted that fielding his wife Sunetra Pawar against his sister Supriya Sule was not a wise decision. These analysts suggest that Pawar may be keeping his options open and, thus, chose not to visit the Hedgewar Memorial as a calculated move.
Ajit Pawar is also rumoured to be eyeing the Katol Assembly seat in Vidarbha, a constituency traditionally contested by the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). The seat is currently held by former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, an incumbent MLA from the area. Pawar is reportedly bargaining hard for this seat, but local BJP cadre are opposed to giving it up, as the BJP has also traditionally contested it.
A recent survey conducted by the RSS-backed magazine Weekly Vivek revealed dissatisfaction among BJP workers with Ajit Pawars inclusion in the Mahayuti government. The survey, which involved interviews with BJP cadres at booth and neighbourhood levels, found that many felt Pawar was not a natural ally like Eknath Shindes Shiv Sena. They also expressed frustration over reports that Ajit Pawar prioritises the files of his own MLAs while delaying those of BJP members.
There is growing concern in government circles about delays caused by a key member of the high-power committee appointed to handle OBC issues. This officer, from the Finance Department, has reportedly been withholding financial approvals, a point of tension that some attribute to Ajit Pawars influence.
Ajit Pawar faces the daunting task of improving his partys performance while maintaining a delicate balance between his secular image and his alliance with the BJP and Shiv Sena. Whether the voters of Maharashtra will back Pawar or see him as a liability to the BJP-Sena alliance, remains to be seen in the upcoming Assembly elections.
The Gartner Magic Quadrant has been a highly influential metric in the technology sector for over ten years. As an ostensibly objective analysis of market competitors, the majority of businesses factor it into their decision-making, so its impact on the sectors competitive landscape is evident.
However, reports from within the industry indicate that Gartner is considering shifting its evaluation criteria for Leader status in the Magic Quadrant (MQ) for Primary Storage. One point in particular has attracted the attention of international data storage providers, as Gartner is rumoured to be changing the terms to reflect more favourably on providers that have integrated with the three major US-based hyperscalers - Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.
Large-scale cloud storage is increasingly essential, so it is understandable that this would be reflected by the MQs criteria. The concern is that the US-headquartered Gartner would effectively be advocating for its compatriots three large hyperscalers that already have a major presence in many markets - at the expense of longstanding storage providers whose specialist knowledge and expertise have driven innovation and competition in the sector.
Leader status in the MQ is considered an accolade which reflects technological prowess, market insight, strategic innovation and consistent financial results. This recognition of course provides a significant boost to companies reputations and therefore typically to sales and partnerships. If Gartner amends its evaluation criteria to promote integration with US-headquartered hyperscalers, this could work against providers based in other regions.
How would Gartners changes affect storage providers?
The potential pivot towards integration with US hyperscalers could have significant ramifications and its hard to argue that they would be universally positive. The change could disincentivise the competition between traditional storage providers that has long driven innovation in the sector, as Gartner would effectively signal to traditional storage providers that their specialist knowledge and customer-centric strategies are of less value than integration with US-headquartered hyperscalers and by favouring the closed ecosystem of hyperscalers, Gartner could potentially create a home field advantage on what has thus far been a level playing field.
The requirement for global data storage providers to integrate with US-based hyperscalers is unlikely to be welcomed with open arms by international markets in fact, the move will almost certainly make things more difficult for storage providers. Regulatory hurdles are inevitable, while issues that are endemic to particular markets could be overlooked if providers have less incentive to solve these problems creatively using localised, specialist knowledge. If the technology doesnt work as effectively for the target market, this will reduce adoption rates in these markets. By prioritising integration with US-based hyperscalers, Gartner could put both overseas providers and markets at a disadvantage and this idea is underlined by the idea that it will likely be easier for US-based providers to integrate with AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
By shifting the criteria for Leader status to favour US companies, Gartner runs the risk of appearing to embrace America First protectionism a move that could be perceived as arrogant in international markets, particularly given the increasing prevalence of data sovereignty requirements. There is a growing trend for governments to require that data is stored locally whether for practical or political purposes and this goes hand in hand with a reluctance to rely on closed ecosystems provided by overseas firms. Gartner would be unwise to assume that governments in regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America would be happy to rely on US-based firms for their data storage needs.
How will providers outside the US react?
However, the biggest issue for global markets remains innovation simply put, there is a concern among global markets that US hyperscalers will assume that what works for them will work anywhere, whereas in reality creative solutions typically require local knowledge. The Latin American market has been a hotbed for data centre investment over the past year, with much of this driven by data storage providers who operate outside of the hyperscaler space. Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico lead the way in terms of regional investment, and data storage innovation has largely been driven by local companies and traditional providers. Given that such companies have delivered significant investment to the region while hyperscalers are only beginning to launch projects in major markets such as Mexico and Brazil, Gartners proposals for integration with US hyperscalers may well meet with a tepid reception. Emerging markets have long been forced to find solutions to their own problems and have risen to this challenge there would likely be little appetite for pivoting away from this approach and towards a US-led closed ecosystem.
Indeed, many industry watchers have raised concerns that Gartners re-evaluation of its criteria could stifle the innovation that data storage providers have brought to many emerging markets. In a recent article discussing Gartners proposals, Tony Moroney, Program Director for Digital Leadership at the Irish Management Institute, World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) Senator for Ireland and Smart Cities Board Member, and Co-Founder, Digital Transformation Lab, cautions: Traditional storage vendors have been the driving force behind significant technological advancements pioneering developments in flash storage, data deduplication, and enterprise-grade data management. If the market tilts too heavily towards data storage integration with hyperscalers, we may see a decline in the diversity and pace of innovation. Moroney notes that traditional storage providers could be edged out of the market, particularly if their offerings happen to be incompatible or redundant within the hyperscalers specific ecosystem, and that this would reduce the need for a diversity of solutions.
Nowhere is the need for market-specific innovation more pronounced than in Africa. Whether with traditional network buildouts, banking, or data storage, Africa presents unique challenges that have been addressed through local knowledge and creative thinking and solutions that have worked in other markets typically do not apply. While Africa is currently witnessing a significant uptick in data centre investment, there are still many hurdles, such as ensuring a reliable power supply, which require an innovative, market-specific approach. There are numerous data storage companies that focus exclusively on the African market which are using their expertise to resolve the issues endemic to the region. Such providers perhaps wont prioritise Leadership status in the MQ, but will nonetheless be unlikely to embrace a closed ecosystem stacked in favour of US-based hyperscalers when their markets demand blue-sky thinking.
Will Leadership status still matter?
If Gartner goes ahead with the suggested revisions to the criteria for Leadership in the Magic Quadrant, some storage providers will be largely unaffected, and some may lose a status that is of significant value to their business. The real change will be in what the status now signifies if its criteria favour US-based hyperscalers, the MQ runs the risk of discouraging the competitive innovation that it has thus far helped to foster. Pushing global firms towards a closed ecosystem that may be ill-suited to their markets is at best misguided and at worst protectionist and if data storage providers worldwide resent the changes and turn towards more innovative solutions from outside the US, Gartners Magic Quadrant may cease to such sway over the global tech sector.
Amid alliance talks for the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered a massive setback in Delhi as its sitting MLA and former minister Rajendra Pal Gautam joined the Congress on Friday, September 6.
Gautam joined the Congress in the presence of the partys general secretary KC Venugopal, the partys Delhi chief Devender Yadav and party leader Pawan Khera.
The development stands significant for the Delhi Assembly election as well, scheduled next year, as both the parties are expected to hold alliance talks after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal walks out of jail, AAP leader Manish Sisodia earlier said.
Taking to X, Gautam posted, I am resigning from all positions and membership of the Aam Aadmi Party to further advance the struggle for social justice and ensure the participation and representation of the Bahujan community in all sectors.
Congress-AAP Alliance Talks For Haryana Polls
The negotiation talks for a pre-poll alliance for the Haryana Assembly Election 2024 between the Congress and Arvind Kejriwals party have reportedly begun, according to sources.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday night met with Congress Haryana in-charge Deepak Babaria after both parties decided to jointly contest the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls, scheduled on October 5.
Who is Rajendra Pal Gautam?
AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam, who joined the Congress today, represents the Seemapuri constituency and has served as a minister in the Delhi government.
He began distancing himself from the party roots after he was removed from the ministerial position following a huge backlash over his controversial remark against Hindu deities.
After Gautams removal, Rajkumar Anand was appointed as the new Social Welfare minister in his place, but both leaders have since parted ways with AAP.
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 states 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, BJPs 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 BJPs 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 partys stance on womens 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 be declared on October 8.
Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah spoke about the difficult decisions that had to be taken by his father, Farooq Abdullah during the IC814 hijacking incident in 1999. Highlighting the tough decisions faced by his father during that time, he said that the IC814 hijack was not the first case where his father was forced to release prisoners.
Farooq Abdullah was reportedly hesitant about releasing Jaish-e-Mohommad chief Masood Azhar from Kot Balwal jail in 1999.
In an interview, Former Chief of the Indian foreign intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), Amarjit Singh had also mentioned that once the release of prisoners Masood and Zargar was decided, the then Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah, had opposed it, warning Dulat of the long-term consequences, but eventually agreed to the demands of the Centre.
In an interview, Abdullah mentioned a previous case involving Rubaiya Syed, the daughter of former Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who was kidnapped by Kashmiri separatists in 1989. Back then, the Central Government, led by VP Singh, had released five jailed terrorists of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front in exchange for Rubaiyas safe release.
This is the second time my father was forced to release people. With Rubaiya Syed and families of the hijacked victims, they used the Rubaiya Syed incident as the benchmark. They said when you could release terrorists for a home ministers daughter, is our family not precious? Why is it only she is precious to the country? Then if she is precious to you, then our family is precious to us. So we set a benchmark that had to be followed, Abdullah told ANI.
Currently, the IC814 hijack has become a controversial amidst the concerns about the names of terrorists being used in the Anubhav Sinha directed series on Netflix, IC814: The Kandahar Hijack.
The former J&K Chief Minister further emphasised that the precedent set during the Rubaiya Syed incident became a benchmark for the families of the hijacked individuals, who demanded equal consideration and safety during the IC814 hijack in 1999.
Abdullah further said, I think Government of India had an option. I think Government of India at the Rubaiya Syed kidnapping time had the option of not negotiating with terrorists. They chose to negotiate. After that, once youve done it once, then you have to do it again.
Speaking about the execution of Afzal Guru, Omar Abdullah clarified that the Jammu and Kashmir government had no involvement in the process. He stated that if state approval had been required, it would not have been granted.
The unfortunate thing was that the J&K government had nothing to do with Afzal Gurus execution. Otherwise, you would have had to do it with the permission of the state government, which I can tell you in no uncertain terms would not have been forthcoming. We wouldnt have done it. I dont believe that any purpose was served by executing him, Abdullah added.
(with ANI inputs)
Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah said that he does not believe that any purpose was served by executing Kashmiri separatist Afzal Guru. He clarified that the Jammu and Kashmir government had no involvement in the process.
He also stated that if state approval had been required, it would not have been granted. Abdullah further said, The unfortunate thing was that the J&K government had nothing to do with Afzal Gurus execution. Otherwise, you would have had to do it with the permission of the state government, which I can tell you in no uncertain terms would not have been forthcoming. We wouldnt have done it.
I dont believe that any purpose was served by executing him, Abdullah said in an interview with news agency ANI.
BJP Reacts
BJP National Spokesperson R P Singh targeted both Omar Abdullah and his ally Rahul Gandhi over Omars remarks on Afzal Gurus hanging. He said that Rahul Gandhi must answer why he is supporting Omar Abdullah who dont accept rules of Indian constitution and Indian law.
Last month, the Congress and INDIA bloc ally National Conference had announced the seat-sharing arrangement as they confirmed their alliance for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.
Reacting to Omars remarks, BJPs Sajid Yousuf said that Gurus hanging was an important step towards delivering justice for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar Filed His Nomination From Budgam On Thursday
National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Thursday filed his nomination papers to contest the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls from Budgam.
Omar Abdullah filed his nomination for the Budgam constituency for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, an NC spokesperson said.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister will contest the polls from two constituencies. He filed his papers from the family bastion of Ganderbal on Wednesday.
The 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is scheduled to go to polls in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1, and the counting of votes will be taken up on October 8.
(with agency inputs)
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on Friday joined the Congress party ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections next month. The wrestlers resigned from their respective positions in Northern Railways earlier in the day. Congress leader Pawan Khera said Phogat and Punia have won the hearts of people.
I Will Stand With Women of Haryana: Vinesh Phogat
I will stand with the women of Haryana, Vinesh said, while Bajrang stated that Congress stood by us in bad times. We will put the same effort in politics for Congress as we put in wrestling, he added.
Big Day For Us: KC Venugopal
While addressing a press conference after Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joined Congress, party leader KC Venugopal said, Today is a big day for us. A proud moment, that both these players are joining us. Vinesh hails from a family of wrestlers. When she was 9-years-old her father was shot dead in front of her. Can you imagine a girl child going through something like that?
They Raise Voice For Farmers And Agniveers: KC Venugopal
Not only they (Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat) voiced their agitation regarding the injustice in their field but they also raised voice for farmers and Agniveer this shows their commitment to the society, Venugopal added.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge met with Phogat and Punia in Delhi earlier in the day. Taking to microblogging site X, he wrote, Chak de India, Chak de Haryana! Meeting our talented champions Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia who have made India proud in the world. We are proud of both of you.
On Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia joining Congress, party spokesperson Alok Sharma said, They (Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia) both are joining the Congress partyThe party will get a huge boost from them joining the partySportspersons should come forward as Haryana is a state of youth
People Will Ask Questions: BJP
Speaking about Vinesh Phogat joining the Congress, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, Anyone can join any party, but people and intellectuals will ask questions. I will not answer this question but yes people will ask questions.
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia resigned from their respective positions in Northern Railways on Friday and are now set to join the Congress party later in the afternoon, ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections next month.
This follows their meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, which has fueled speculation about their potential candidacy. Regarding their potential move to Congress, Bajrang Punia today told CNN-News18, Yes, Vinesh and I could join Congress today.
All Eyes on Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat
Haryana Congress Spokesperson Kewal Dhingra also confirmed the development, saying, Today, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat will be joining Congress at the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. The central and state leadership of BJP stood with Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The international players were humiliated at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. They were victims of torture and abuse. The central leadership of the party will decide whether they will contest the elections, considering factors like winnability, he added.
Earlier, sources within the Congress party indicated that Vinesh has been offered a ticket to contest in the elections, while Punia may be given a position in the government if the party secures victory. Both wrestlers were prominent figures in the protests against former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faced sexual harassment allegations in 2023.
Haryana Polls
As the Congress Central Election Committee prepares for the elections, it has already cleared 66 candidates for the 90-member Haryana Assembly. The final list of candidates is expected to be released soon, with voting scheduled for October 5 and counting on October 8.
Amid alliance talks for the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls, sitting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and former Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam joined the Congress today, in the presence of the senior party leaders. It has been 43 years since I have been fighting the fight of Phule, Ambedkar, Periyar and Kanshi Ram. If AAP is not ready to work for it and Congress is working for it, why should I not join them? So, I decided to join them, Rajendra Pal told ANI.
There might have been instances where people notice that ads for products they just addressed in conversation even without doing an internet search suddenly show up on their devices. Theres more to the story than what many people thought was a coincidence or assumed was targeted advertising based on web searches.
As per 404 Media report, a marketing company has verified that smartphones are not only monitoring users internet activities but are also actively listening to your spoken words when you are near your phone.
With the use of active listening technology, smartphones may be listening in on our conversations. This scary finding was made after a marketing company, which represents digital behemoths like Google and Facebook, acknowledged that it was using software to record customers chats using their device microphones. The privacy of users, user consent, and the morality of targeted advertising have all come under scrutiny in light of this statement.
In what ways do phones record our conversations?
One of the biggest names in the media sector, Cox Media Group (CMG), is said to have created technology that can pick up and analyse background chats using microphones found in smartphones, smart TVs and other gadgets.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is used by this technology, known as Active Listening, to gather data in real-time on potential purchases from customers. The software can detect potential consumers by studying conversations and displaying adverts that correspond with their expressed objectives.
Active Listening Technology: How Does This Work?
The active listening system combines speech data collected from regular conversations with behavioural data gathered from users online activity. According to 404 Medias study of marketing materials, CMG claims that this strong combination allows advertisers to target people more precisely than ever. For example, if you discuss purchasing a new car with a friend or joining a gym, the active listening technology may intercept your chat and display relevant adverts on your devices.
When CMG showed its technology to investors and disclosed that it could gather and evaluate voice and behavioural data from more than 470 sources, the scope of this activity became evident. This goes beyond conventional web tracking techniques and gives advertisers more insight into the intentions and behaviour of their customers.
Is Active Listening Legal?
The treatment of targeted adverts varies across the world's data privacy regulations. At most, rules require that personal data be processed transparently and securely. In India, data privacy rules provide consumer agreement for the use of data in targeted advertisements and allow individuals to opt out of these practices.
How does this affect users?
This revelations most concerning finding is how readily people may have unwittingly agreed to be monitored. Users consent to active listening each time they download a new app or update an old one, according to a now-deleted statement from CMG.
Most people do not read the fine print in terms of use agreements carefully, although it frequently contains conditions that allow for such intrusive actions. This raises significant ethical and legal issues by enabling the technology to be used without clear and informed consent.
Days after a Bengaluru woman faced harassment at the hands of an Ola auto driver, who not only hurled abuses at her but also slapped her, another incident from the Silicon Valley of India came to the fore. This time, an Uber driver snatched a womans phone and grabbed her hand over online payment.
What has happened?
According to the womans husband, she and a friend of hers booked an Uber auto from Whitefield to Bannerughatta Road around 9:30 pm and opted for online payment. After they boarded the auto, the driver insisted they switch to cash or UPI payment, but they were unable to do so.
Read| Bengaluru Police Arrest Ola Auto Driver Who Slapped, Abused Woman For Cancelling Ride
She dropped her friend at her stop and reached our apartment gate and informed that payment was done through Uber Money and they couldnt change it to cash, the womans husband said.
The driver got furious at this, grabbed her hand and later snatched her phone. Once she started moving towards the gate the auto driver just grabbed her hand and started arguing that money hadnt reached him and so on. She kept explaining the payment was done and she even showed the screenshot that the payment had been made. The auto driver got very angry and snatched her phone, she shouted and called the guards, the husband further added.
Also Read| Does Your Father Pay For Gas? Bengaluru Auto Driver Slaps Woman For Cancelling Ola Ride, Video Goes Viral
The woman then called for help and neighbours turned up for help and the police were contacted. Even in the presence of the police, the driver refused to return her phone immediately, eventually giving it back after 30 minutes.
The woman and her husband then went to the police station and filed an FIR against the driver, following which he spent the night in the police station.
Take a look at the Reddit post here:
Posts from the bangalore community on Reddit
Similar thing happened with me, I had selected card payment. After drop, auto guy started arguing with me saying his app shows cash payment. After arguing for 10 minutes straight, I realised he wont leave unless I pay him, and since he also knows my home location I paid him. Immediately after paying him, I raised a ticket in uber saying I was double charged and uber refunded my amount. After that incident, I always select cash payment if booking a uber auto, said an individual.
Another added, No other city has even remotely close to the kind of horror stories that come out of this city on the services provided by Uber/Ola. In every other city/town, the primary concern with cab/auto drivers would be cancellation of rides after waiting, AC not being switched on or asking for cash rides. But never faced any harassment anytime. How is it that the local kannadigas driving these autos/cabs in Bangalore turn out to be such hooligans?
The joint European-Japanese BepiColombo mission experienced engine problems causing the spacecraft to unexpectedly fly closer to Mercury, according to an AFP report. The mission, launched in 2018, was initially slated to enter Mercurys orbit in December 2025, but the new trajectory might extend the date until November 2026.
Mercury is challenging for spacecraft to reach, said Paris Observatory astronomer Alain Doressoundiram. In April, another malfunction with the spacecrafts thrusters depleted some of its power, changing its path. The altered route required the spacecraft to fly 35 kilometres (22 miles) closer to Mercury than originally planned.
Despite the issues, the European Space Agency recently confirmed that the fourth flyby has proceeded smoothly and also shared a new image of Mercury, taken 23 minutes after the closest approach at a distance of 3500 km.
This stunning image is @BepiColombo's first view of Mercury's south pole (top right of planet). It was taken 23 minutes after closest approach at a distance of 3500 km. https://t.co/yeqCac6sxW European Space Agency (@esa) September 5, 2024
BepiColombo completed its fourth of six gravity assist flybys at Mercury, further capturing more images of special impact craters. Taken on September 4, 2024, from 165 km above the planets surface, the spacecraft had a clear view of the planets south pole.
This image was taken at 22:53 BST/23:53 CEST by the Mercury Transfer Modules monitoring camera 2 (M-CAM 2), when the @BepiColombo spacecraft was about 355 km from the planets surface. pic.twitter.com/E8ZABil0fa European Space Agency (@esa) September 5, 2024
Frank Budnik, BepiColombo Flight Dynamics Manager, said the aim is to reduce the spacecrafts speed relative to the Sun so that the spacecraft has an orbital period around the Sun of 88 days, very close to the orbital period of Mercury. We are right where we wanted to be. It also gave us the chance to take photos and carry out science measurements, from locations and perspectives that we will never reach once we are in orbit, he added.
Johannes Benkhoff, the project scientist, said that the team is thrilled with the success of the flyby and that the collected data will provide new insights into Mercurys evolution and help fine-tune our instruments for the main science mission.
Presently, the fourth flyby has lined BepiColombo up for a fifth and sixth flyby of the planet for December 2024 and January 2024, respectively. The spacecraft includes two orbiters that will circle Mercury.
A mother in Chinas Yunnan province has claimed that her 11-year-old son developed Vitiligo after his teacher slapped him for not completing his mathematics homework. This incident took place at Yifu Primary School. The mother claims she had to take her son Liu to the hospital after she noticed a visible swelling face, the South China Morning Post reported.
Three months later, Lius skin began losing its pigment, showing symptoms of Vitiligo. As per reports, a forensic investigation is underway to decide suitable action against the teacher.
A classmate told Lius mother that the teacher brought him to the front of the classroom and slapped the right side of the boys face three times and the left once. The mother also alleges she has been unable to reach out to the teacher and should be reimbursed for the medical costs either by the school or the teacher.
While the exact cause of Vitiligo remains uncertain, experts suggest the condition can develop through environmental stress factors. The National Institutes of Health further mentions that despite being non-contagious, people with vitiligo experience higher levels of anxiety or depression. This may also happen due to difficulties in social situations, as many feel out of place or deal with misconceptions about the condition.
While the government has banned corporal punishment in schools, incidents of teachers abusing students continue to be a massive problem in China. In 2023, a teacher from Bocai Meixihu Primary School in Changsha faced criminal charges for hitting a 9-year-old student on her head with a metal triangular ruler. The incident happened during an extracurricular activity. The impact caused a deep 5 cm wound and fractured the girls skull. She required emergency surgery to remove bone fragments from her head, which took nearly five hours. During the time, the teacher Song Mouming, was detained for intentionally assaulting the child.
As per SCMP, speaking to local media, the girls aunt said, Her brain is almost coming out. It could have been fatal. While her father added, There is still no feedback from the school. I dont know what to think now, but what I want is to save my girl.
Broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions announced on Thursday that the South-East Asia Hainan-Hong Kong Express Cable System (SEA-H2X) subsea cable has officially landed in the Philippines.
According to a statement from Converge ICT, the Philippines branch of SEA-H2X is now connected in Bauang, La Union, on the island of Luzon. The 5,000-km SEA H2X has a design capacity of 160 Tbps and connects Hainan, China, and Hong Kong SAR with the Philippines, Thailand, East Malaysia and Singapore, with options to extend to Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Malaysian peninsula.
Converge CEO Denis Uy said in the statement that the system will help boost the countrys intra-Asia connectivity and serve its bandwidth needs for the next 10 to 15 years.
Ultimately, it is intended to provide superior connectivity to subscribers and businesses in the Philippines; it is seen to benefit institutions seen as large consumers of bandwidth such as outsourcing and offshore industry, including major contact centres, business process outsourcing providers, global financial institutions and a host of other multinationals, he said.
Earlier this year, Uy and Converge chief operations officer Jesus Romero told the media that completion of the SEA-H2X system might be delayed to early next year due to rough weather and problems with acquiring permits from Indonesia. In any event, SEA-H2X is currently expected to be ready for service no later than the first quarter of 2025.
Converge is a consortium partner in SEA H2X, along with China Mobile International, China Unicom Global, and PP Telecom. Chinas HMN Technologies is building the system.
In a shocking incident, a Delhi resident revealed that he received a staggering bill of Rs 5,770 for parking his car at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Sharing the incident on social media platform X (previously Twitter), Deepak Gosai said that he had parked his vehicle in the Multi-Level Car Parking (MLCP) facility of Terminal 3 on August 17. When he returned on August 26, he was greeted with a Rs 5,770 parking bill, comprising Rs 4,889.83 in parking fees and Rs 880.17 in GST, leaving him visibly shaken.
However, the bill was not the only issue. Upon reaching his car, Deepak was horrified to discover significant damage: the gate lock was broken, and the car had multiple scratches. Despite his attempts to lodge a complaint, he found no support from the parking staff, who had already collected their fees and were unresponsive to his grievances.
Frustrated and feeling ignored, Deepak took to social media platform X to voice his concerns and share his distressing experience. The parking fee charged to him was higher than the cost of a round-trip flight from Delhi to Lucknow.
it was the worst experience Ive ever hadThr tagline is safe and secure bullshit@DelhiAirport pic.twitter.com/AORaE1Z6pp Deepak gosain (@tradeinn_) August 26, 2024
On September 3, the cost of a round-trip ticket from Delhi to Lucknow on Air India Express was just Rs 5,672. This is notably less than the Rs 5,770 parking fee incurred by Deepak.
Notably, the parking rates at Terminal 3 are structured as follows: Rs 120 for the first 30 minutes, Rs 170 for the next 30 minutes, and Rs 100 per hour for the following five hours. If the vehicle is parked for more than five hours, the rate is Rs 600 per 24-hour period.
This incident, highlighting concerns over both exorbitant parking fees and vehicle security at the Delhi airport, has sent travellers in shock.
At least 17 young children were killed and 70 missing after a fire ripped through a primary school dormitory in central Kenya overnight, officials said Friday, leaving relatives desperate for news.
The blaze at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri county began around midnight, engulfing rooms where more than 150 children were sleeping.
Police said the average age of the victims was around nine.
We still have 70 kids that are unaccounted that does not mean they are perished or they are injured the word is that they are unaccounted for, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told reporters at the scene.
He said 27 children were in hospital.
Police said earlier that 17 children had been confirmed dead but Gachagua said the numbers of those killed were not verified.
Tensions were rising among families gathered at the school gates for news, and many broke down into wailing and tears after seeing bodies.
We parents are in panic mode, said Timothy Kinuthia, who has been hunting for news of his 13-year-old boy.
We have been here since 5:00 am and we have been told nothing.
The cause of the fire was not yet known but Kenyas National Gender and Equality Commission said initial reports indicated the dorm was overcrowded, in violation of safety standards and called for an immediate inquiry.
The school, which reportedly catered to some 800 children, is located in a semi-rural area around 170 kilometres (100 miles) north of the capital Nairobi.
The bodies recovered at the scene were burnt beyond recognition, national police spokesperson Resila Onyango told AFP.
More bodies are likely to be recovered once (the) scene is fully processed, she added.
Children traumatised
An AFP journalist saw survivors wrapped in blue blankets against the cold, being loaded into school buses.
Speaking at the scene, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said some had ended up in neighbouring homes.
There are some children who are alive and well, but they are of course traumatised and they are in the hands of those who gave them refuge last night, said Kindiki, adding that the authorities were still piecing together information.
Elisabeth Nyambura, 35, said her 13-year-old son had been found and taken home while she looked for one of his classmates.
All he told me was that he saw smoke and they escaped through the window. I am just glad he is alive, she said.
AFP footage showed the blackened shell of the dormitory, with its corrugated iron roof completely collapsed.
Horrific incident
President William Ruto, currently in Bejing for a China-Africa summit, expressed his condolences in a post on X.
Our thoughts are with the families of the children who have lost their lives in the fire tragedy, he said.
Ruto instructed officials to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident, and promised that those responsible will be held to account.
The dormitory was sealed off by yellow police tape, with officers stationed at all access points.
The Kenyan Red Cross said it was on the ground assisting a multi-agency response team and providing psychosocial support services to the pupils, teachers and affected families.
There have been numerous school fires in Kenya and across East Africa.
In 2016, nine students were killed by a fire at a girls high school in the sprawling slum neighbourhood of Kibera in Nairobi.
In 2001, 67 pupils were killed in an arson attack on their dormitory at the Kyanguli Mixed Secondary School David Mutiso in Kenyas southern Machakos district.
Two pupils were charged with murder, and the headmaster and deputy of the school were convicted of negligence.
In 1994, 40 school children were burned alive and 47 injured in a fire that ravaged the Shauritanga Secondary School for Girls in the northern region of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
In 2022, a blaze ravaged a school for the blind in eastern Uganda. Eleven pupils died after they were trapped inside their shared bedroom because the building had been burglar-proofed, government ministers said at the time.
Veteran British actor Ian McKellen, renowned for his role as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has made a series of candid and controversial remarks about the British royal family.
In a recent interview with Michael Odell of The Times, the 85-year-old actor did not hold back as he described his experiences and opinions on several members of the monarchy.
McKellen recounted multiple encounters with the late Queen Elizabeth II. Reflecting on one such meeting, he recalled: And on the few occasions I met her she was quite rude. When I received a medal for acting [the Companion of Honour in 2008], she said, Youve been doing this for an awfully long time. I said, Well, not as long as you.
He continued: I got a royal smile for that, but then she said, Does anyone still actually go to the theatre? Thats bloody rude when youre giving someone a medal for acting. It meant, Does anyone care a f*** about you because I dont. Now off you go!.
On Prince Harry
The actor also voiced support for Prince Harry, who stepped back from royal duties and relocated to the United States with his wife Meghan Markle. McKellen empathised with Harrys situation, likening life within the royal family to a form of imprisonment.
Im most definitely on Harrys side. Imagine being born into the royal family. Ive been in public life a bit, but these people are in prison. They cant do anything normal. Can you imagine having to be nice to everyone you talk to?, he remarked.
However, McKellen also expressed concerns about Harry, suggesting he might not be bright enough or doesnt have the right friends to fully navigate his challenges. Mind you, he had the pick of all the pretty women in the world. I hope hes got the right one, he added.
On Prince Philip and King Charles
Additionally, McKellen addressed his perceptions of Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, and King Charles III. He described Philip as deeply unhappy and expressed concerns about Charles, who he believes is clearly damaged by his life in the royal family.
Hats off to anyone who manages to stay sane in that world. Like the [late] Duke of Edinburgh managed to do, although even he was deeply, deeply eccentric and I suspect deeply unhappy. Same with the present king. He sort of survives, but he is clearly damaged, he stated.
The father of the 14-year-old suspected school shooter Colt Gray was arrested on Thursday in connection with the shooting that killed four people and wounded nine at Apalachee High School.
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 media conference.
Begging for help
Colt Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder and would be tried as an adult, officials said. His aunt, Annie Brown, told the Washington Post on Thursday that the boy had been begging for help from everybody around him. She said he had been struggling with his mental health prior to the shooting. The adults around him failed him, she lamented.
UPDATE #4 September 5, 2024:A few notes from our 8 p.m. news conference today: Colin Gray was arrested on multiple charges earlier today. He knowingly allowed his son, Colt, to have the weapon. (1/4) https://t.co/qenBmWBK8A GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) September 6, 2024
Cannot accept this as normal
Issuing a strong statement, US President Joe Biden mourned the loss of innocent lives, saying 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, he said in a statement released by the White House.
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. Investigators have yet to comment on what may have motivated the first U.S. campus mass shooting since the start of the school year.
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 in Winder, Georgia.Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to pic.twitter.com/ncjrdNxQUT President Biden (@POTUS) September 4, 2024
Threat to commit school shooting
Both Grays had been questioned by local officials in neighboring Jackson County last year in connection with an online threat to commit a school shooting, but there was no probable cause for their arrest, the FBI said on Wednesday. In that 2023 probe, the father said he had hunting guns in the house but that his son did not have unsupervised access to them, and the son denied making the threats online, the FBI said.
Jackson County sheriffs investigators closed the case after being unable to substantiate that either Gray was connected to the Discord account where the threats were made. This case was worked, and at the time the boy was 13, and it wasnt enough to substantiate, Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said in an interview. If we get a judges order or we charge somebody, we take firearms for safekeeping.
The younger Gray was taken into custody shortly after the shooting and was being held without bond at Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice communications director Glenn Allen said on Thursday. His arraignment is set for Friday morning before a Georgia Superior Court judge in Barrow County by video camera. The charges against Colin Gray come after the April sentencing of the mother and father of a high school shooter in Michigan, believed to be the first time parents were held legally responsible for their childrens action in a school shooting.
(With agency inputs)
Telegram founder Pavel Durov on Thursday hit out at France for arresting and charging him last month over the publication of extremist and illegal content on the popular messaging app.
In a post on Telegram, his first comment since his arrest, Durov said it was surprising he was being held responsible for other peoples content. Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach, he said.
The Russian-born billionaire also lashed out at claims that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise as absolutely untrue, insisting: We take down millions of harmful posts and channels every day. He denied accusations from France that Paris had not received responses from Telegram to its requests, saying he had personally helped French authorities establish a hotline with Telegram to deal with the threat of terrorism in France.
Im still trying to understand what happened in France. But we hear the concerns. I made it my personal goal to prevent abusers of Telegrams platform from interfering with the future of our 950+ million users.My full post below. https://t.co/cDvRSodjst Pavel Durov (@durov) September 5, 2024
Growing pains
Striking a more conciliatory tone at the end of his message, Durov said Telegrams soaring user numbers caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform. Thats why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard, he said, adding that this was being worked out internally and more details would be shared in the future.
I hope that the events of August will result in making Telegram and the social networking industry as a whole safer and stronger. He said that when Telegram could not agree on the right balance between privacy and security with local regulators then we are ready to leave that country.
Durov, 39, was charged after four days under arrest in France on several counts of failing to curb extremist and illegal content on Telegram. He has received support from fellow tech tycoon and chief executive of X, Elon Musk, who posted comments under the hashtag #FreePavel. Durov was arrested on August 24 at Le Bourget airport outside Paris after arriving aboard a private jet and questioned in the subsequent days by investigators. He was granted conditional release on a bail of five million euros and on the condition that he must report to a police station twice a week as well as remaining in France.
(With agency inputs)
Hindu groups in Bangladesh have threatened to launch massive protests across the country following reports that a Bengali Hindu boy was brutally beaten while in the custody of the army and police over claims that he insulted Islam.
An agitated mob stormed the office of the deputy police commissioner in Khulna city on Wednesday and assaulted Utsav Mandal, who is accused of insulting Prophet Muhammad in a Facebook post. The Bangladesh National Hindu Mahazot has called for a demonstration in the capital Dhaka, demanding action against those responsible for the assault on the eleventh-grade student, who is a student at a local college.
Status of Hindu Boy
Mandal was reportedly taken to a police station where a mob surrounded the facility, demanding his release. The situation escalated when the mob allegedly seized Mandal as he was being removed from the station. The current status of Mandal remains unclear, with concerns about his condition growing amid conflicting reports. Bangladesh Armys Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing has stated that Mandal is alive but in critical condition.
READ MORE: Cops Cant Protect You: Hindu Teen Accused Of Blasphemy Brutally Thrashed In Bangladesh, Videos Go Viral
The army has confirmed that efforts were made to rescue him, and he will be handed over to law enforcement authorities once his health stabilizes. Hindu groups and their supporters are calling for a thorough probe into the incident and justice for Mandal. The situation has heightened tensions, with widespread calls for accountability and reform in response to the alleged abuses.
What Muhammad Yunus said
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.
On Thursday, Chief Adviser to Bangladeshs interim government, Muhammad Yunus, said the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in his country is exaggerated. In an interview with PTI at his official residence, Yunus suggested that the attacks on Hindus 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.
Hindus, who made up 22 percent of Bangladeshs population at the time of the 1971 Liberation War, now constitute about 8 percent 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.
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.
A Palestinian hospital official said Friday a US citizen died from a gunshot in the head in the occupied West Bank, and Israels military said it was investigating the incident.
An American solidarity activist arrived at the hospital with a gunshot in the head, and we announced her martyrdom around 14:30, said Fouad Nafaa, director of Rafidia hospital in Nablus.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the slain activist had been involved in a campaign known as Fazaa to protect farmers from Israeli settler violence, which has surged in the West Bank alongside the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
The activist was a woman in her mid-20s, Nafaa told AFP.
Since Hamass unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel which triggered the war, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 661 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian 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.
Last month a US citizen told AFP he was shot by Israeli forces and wounded in the leg during a protest against settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, as the Israeli military confirmed it fired live rounds to disperse the gathering.
Palestinian medics reported that a foreign activist was shot during the demonstration in the town of Beita, while the Israeli military said he was accidentally injured.
US urgently seeking information
The United States said Friday it was urgently seeking information on the death of a US citizen in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where a Palestinian official said she was shot in the head.
We offer our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. We are urgently gathering more information about the circumstances of her death and will have more to say as we learn more, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
He identified the woman as Aysenur Egzi Eygi and called her death tragic, without immediately assigning responsibility.
A judge sentenced a 56-year-old man to 90 days of jail after he was found guilty at trial for two felonies and a misdemeanor.
William C. Finch, who was living in Lewiston, was found sitting in the drivers seat of his car and while he was being handcuffed for a DUI offense, he kicked the officer and refused to comply with orders. It was Finchs third DUI offense and therefore he was charged with felony DUI, and he was charged with felony battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting or obstructing arrest, a misdemeanor. A trial took place in July and he was found guilty of all three charges, according to court documents.
Evans sentenced Finch on Thursday at the Nez Perce County Courthouse to 2-7 years for the DUI, 2-5 years for the battery and 60 days for the resisting and obstructing charge along with credit for one day served with all the sentences to run concurrently. She suspended the sentences for the two felonies the DUI and battery and placed him on probation for seven years as well as imposing jail time.
Mr. Finch, I am going to take a chance on you, Evans said.
Evans authorized Finch to be allowed on work release during his jail sentence. He was also given 30 days of jail time at the discretion of his probation officer. Finch was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, $693.50 in court costs and $241 in restitution to Idaho State Police. Evans suspended Finchs license for three years along with ordering an interlock device on his vehicle when he is allowed to drive.
Evans warned Finch that if he had a probation violation she was going to send him on a rider program to receive treatment through the Idaho Department of Correction.
Dont blow it, she said.
Nez Perce County Chief Deputy Prosecutor April Smith requested that Finch be sentenced to prison with 3-10 years for the DUI, 3-5 years for the battery charge and 180 days jail for the resisting and obstructing charge, and asked that he be given retained jurisdiction. She outlined that Finch had a criminal history with similar charges, involving DUI and resisting arrest, and had probation violations, including in this case.
Representing Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, Rep. Jill Tokuda follows in the footsteps of Tulsi Gabbard, who held the same seat from 2013 to 2021. But Tokuda will not follow Gabbard in the direction of Donald Trump. Tokuda has criticized the former Democrat, now independent, for endorsing the former president and joining what could become his transition team in a Facebook post. "Trump and Tulsi do not represent Hawaii values and fail to fight for our freedoms," Tokuda wrote on Aug. 27. "We will reject their extremism this November. This is not pono." Those last two words, in particular, stand out.
Xian Zhang has been appointed the new music director of the Seattle Symphony, marking the first time a woman has helmed a major orchestra on the West Coast. Zhang will begin her five-year contract with the 2025-26 season, filling the position left vacant after Thomas Dausgaard's abrupt resignation in January 2022. Zhang's history with the orchestra dates back to 2008, with memorable performances including Orff's "Carmina Burana" and Copland's "Appalachian Spring."
Zhang has had an ongoing role as music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra since 2016 and won a 2023 Grammy Award for her work with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Seattle Symphony President Krishna Thiagarajan praised her for the "energy and the connection between her and the orchestra," highlighting her ability to bring a unique perspective while staying true to traditional interpretations. Zhang is also recognized for championing contemporary American composers and advocating for women in music.
Born in China, Zhang began playing piano at age three and later studied at Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and won the prestigious Maazel/Vilar International Conductors' Competition. Zhang's take on her new job: "I was completely not prepared to hear such good news." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
A Massachusetts medical doctor who punched a police officer during a mob attack on the US Capitol was sentenced Thursday to nine months of imprisonment followed by nine months of home confinement. Jacquelyn Starer was in a crowd of rioters inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when she struck the officer with a closed fist and shouted a profane insult, the AP reports. Starer told US District Judge Timothy Kelly that she isn't proud of her actions that day, including her "regrettable encounter" with the officer. "I accept full responsibility for my actions that day, and I truly wish reason had prevailed over my emotions," she said.
Starer turned to apologize to the officer whom she assaulted. Identified only by her initials in court filings, the officer told the judge she feared for her life as she and other officers fought for hours to defend the Capitol from the mob of Donald Trump supporters. "Do you really take responsibility for your actions or are you just going to say: 'It wasn't my fault. Fight or flight'?" the officer asked Starer before she addressed the court. Starer, 70, of Ashland, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in April to eight counts, including a felony assault charge, without reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors, per the AP.
Online licensing records indicate that Starer agreed in January 2023 not to practice medicine in Massachusetts. She attended then-President Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally near the White House on Jan. 6, then entered the Capitol through the Rotunda doors after they were breached. She joined other rioters in trying to push past officers guarding a passageway to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office. Starer pushed through other rioters to reach the front of the police line, where she yelled at officers. When another rioter tried to hold her back, Starer grabbed that person's arm, pushed it down, then shoved against the police line. When one of those officers pushed Starer back, she turned around and punched the officer. The assault was captured on video by a police body camera.
(More Capitol riot stories.)
A trial date for Skylar W. Meade, who has been indicted for first-degree murder, has been set for Feb. 3.
Meade had a scheduling conference that took place Thursday before 2nd District Judge Michelle Evans. Meade was not present and his public defender Anne Taylor said that he waived his appearance by Zoom at the Nez Perce County Courthouse.
Meade was involved in planning and executing a prison break in Boise on March 20, to which he already pleaded guilty. After escaping, he and Nicholas Umphenour allegedly came to northern Idaho, where the two allegedly murdered 83-year-old James Mauney, of Juliaetta. He faces the death penalty after being indicted by a grand jury in June for first-degree murder.
Taylor and Nez Perce County Chief Deputy Prosecutor April Smith agreed to set a trial date. Speedy trial requires that a trial take place six months after the defendant was arraigned, unless the defendant waives their right to a speedy trial. Meade was arraigned Aug. 8. Smith requested two weeks for trial but Taylor asked for six weeks because its a death penalty case.
Evans asked if the attorneys wanted to have a jury questionnaire to help with jury selection.
I think that would be appropriate, Taylor said.
Evans set Jan. 9 as the date for submitting the jury questionnaire and Jan. 10 for discussion of the jury questionnaire.
Federal agents have raided the homes of more people tied to New York Mayor Eric Adams' administration, including two deputy mayors. Early Wednesday, agents searched the home of romantic partners First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Schools Chancellor David Banks, as well as the home of Banks' brother, Philip Banks, the deputy mayor for public safety, reports Politico . The homes of NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and mayoral adviser Timothy Pearson, a former high-ranking police official, were also searched, per the Guardian . Various devices were seized during the searches, while at least seven NYPD members reportedly had their phones subpoenaed.
Sources suggest the actions are not part of federal investigations into whether Adams' 2021 mayoral campaign conspired with the government of Turkey, which previously triggered raids at the homes of Adams' international affairs aide, Rana Abbasova, and top campaign fundraiser Brianna Suggs, or into Adams' special adviser and campaign fundraiser Winnie Greco, whose homes were raided in February, per Politico. An NYPD rep confirmed there was "an investigation by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service," adding "the department is fully cooperating."
The chief counsel for Adams, a retired NYPD captain, said "investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation." "The goal is to follow the law," Adams, who is up for reelection next year, told reporters gathered at City Hall. "Whatever information that's needed, we're going to turn it over, and I'm going to continue to be the mayor of the City of New York." Political rivals, however, say a change is needed. "There is nothing more chaotic than a mayor distracted by his inner circle getting raided by the feds," says Scott Stringer, a former city comptroller who's running for mayor, per CNN. "You can't clean up this city's problems when your own house is a mess." (More Eric Adams stories.)
An American woman was shot and killed in the West Bank on Friday, two doctors told the AP. Dr. Ward Basalat, an ER doctor, said that the 26-year-old woman was shot in the head and died after arriving at his hospital. Dr. Fouad Nafaa, the head of the hospital, also confirmed the death of an American citizen. "We tried to perform a resuscitation operation on her, but unfortunately she died," Nafaa tells Reuters. Witnesses and Palestinian media reported that the woman was shot by Israeli troops while attending a pro-Palestinian demonstration against settlement expansion in the northern West Bank.
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Rick Scott hasn't seemed particularly worried, at least not publicly, about the Democratic challenger for his US Senate seat out of Florida. But a new poll shows Debbie Mucarsel-Powellan Ecuadorian who came to the US as a teen and was the first South American immigrant elected to Congressis within striking distance of an upset. Per Florida Politics , the Emerson College survey that polled 815 likely voters Sept. 3-5 shows the 53-year-old behind her 71-year-old GOP competitor by just a single "statistically insignificant" percentage point, 45% to 46%.
The site notes that "this is the closest poll yet between the two, and the result is particularly remarkable given the GOP lean of the sample, which is 39% Republican and 32% Democrat." Florida Politics cites other polls from earlier this year that have given Scottwho also served as Florida's governor from 2011 to 2019, at which point he became the state's junior senatora wide range of leads, from a narrow 2-point advantage to a much larger 16-point one. Scott himself has pooh-poohed polling that shows Mucarsel-Powell hot on his tail, telling the site in mid-August, "We're going to have a big win. ... In all three of my [previous] races, polls said I was going to lose ... because they're not accurate."
Newsweek noted last month that the entire Sunshine State might be a contender to turn blue, with a poll at the time showing former President Donald Trump only 3 percentage points ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris in their run for the Oval Office, with 50% of likely voters supporting him, 47% for Harris, and a 3-point margin of error. "Rick Scott had to loan his campaign money, and it is still the primary," entrepreneur Chris Bouzy, the founder of social media site Spoutible, posted on X around that time. "I tried to tell y'all months ago Democrats are on the verge of flipping Florida and the Senate seat." (More Florida stories.)
A former Mafia hitman was sentenced to 25 years in prison Friday in the 2018 fatal prison bludgeoning of notorious Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger. Federal prisoner Fotios "Freddy" Geas was sentenced in federal court in West Virginia after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, the AP reports. Prosecutors said Geas used a lock attached to a belt to repeatedly hit the 89-year-old Bulger in the head hours after he arrived at the troubled US Penitentiary, Hazelton, from another lockup in Florida in October 2018. Defense attorneys disputed that characterization, saying Geas hit Bulger with his fist.
Geas, 57, was already serving a life sentence for previous violent crimes, and was a close associate of the Mafia who acted as an enforcer but was not an official "made" member because he is Greek, not Italian. The Justice Department said last year that it would not seek the death penalty against him in Bulger's killing. Another Hazelton prisoner, Massachusetts gangster Paul DeCologero, was sentenced to more than four years in prison in August on an assault charge in Bulger's killing. Prosecutors said he acted as a lookout for Geas. A third inmate, Sean McKinnon, pleaded guilty in June to lying to FBI special agents. McKinnon was given no additional prison time and was returned to Florida to finish his supervised release. More:
Bulger, who ran a largely Irish gang in Boston in the 1970s and '80s, also served as an FBI informant who ratted on his gang's main rival, according to the bureau. Bulger strongly denied ever being an informant.
According to court records, prisoners found out ahead of time that Bulger would be arriving at the West Virginia facility. DeCologero and Geas spent about seven minutes in Bulger's cell during the attack. A prisoner testified to a grand jury that DeCologero told him Bulger was a "snitch" and they planned to kill him as soon as he came into their unit.
After the killing, private investigator Ted McDonough told the Boston Globe he was not surprised that Geas was a suspect. "Freddy hated rats," McDonough said. "Freddy hated guys who abused women. Whitey was a rat who killed women. It's probably that simple."
(More Whitey Bulger stories.)
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Washington State University researcher Paul Bolls will soon conduct what he calls one of the most exciting studies hes completed in his career.
This study will take place during Tuesdays United States presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris.
Were going to be uniquely measuring emotional responses, he said. Participants in the study are going to be asked to wear a ring on their finger, (which) measures emotional responses on a second-by-second basis in response to the broadcast of the debate.
Bolls, who studies how people react to media content and technology, said the findings could help journalists and citizens understand how they can improve political coverage and discourse.
I think science, particularly this kind of science, can be used to improve journalism practice. And maybe help us all think more carefully about the consequences and effects of the way we cover politics and the way we as citizens talk about politics, Bolls said.
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com
Email: editor@newsofbahrain.com
The Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has announced its plans to develop a public beach and a beach club at the Bahrain Bay project. A collaboration with the private sector, the initiative will be undertaken through a tender process managed by the official Tender Board. This project is a key component of the BTEAs tourism strategy for 2022-2026, which aims to enhance tourism infrastructure and attract more visitors to the Kingdom.
It spans a total area of 173,000 square meters and comprises five plots. One plot will be developed by the BTEA as a public beach, while three plots will be leased to private sector developers. The Tender Board has set a BD5,000 initial guarantee with a validity period of 90 days. The deadline for submitting bids is September 29th. BTEA aims to revitalise tourism in Bahrain through this project.
The development of a public beach and beach club is expected to attract more tourists and contribute to the growth of the tourism sector. BTEAs overarching goal is to increase the contribution of the tourism sector to the national GDP to 11.4% by 2026. It also aims to attract 14.1 million tourists to Bahrain by the same year.
AFP | Dubai
The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com
Email: editor@newsofbahrain.com
Severe flooding and violent windstorms have affected 562,000 people across Yemen in recent weeks, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said yesterday, appealing for $13.3 million in donations amid a funding shortfall.
The unprecedented weather events have compounded suffering in the Arabian Peninsulas poorest country, which is already grappling with one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises, said the IOM.
The scale of the destruction is staggering, and we urgently need additional funding, said Matt Huber, IOMs acting Yemen mission chief.
SaaS subscription bookings up 57%, SaaS RPO climbs 40%
MONTREAL, Sept. 5, 2024 /CNW/ -- Tecsys Inc. (TSX: TCS), an industry-leading supply chain management SaaS company, today announced its results for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, ended July 31, 2024. All dollar amounts are expressed in Canadian currency and are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
"We kicked off fiscal 2025 with solid momentum, setting a positive tone for the year ahead," said Peter Brereton, president and CEO at Tecsys. "Our continued SaaS performance is supported by the strength of our team and the impact of our partners, together driving growth in a highly engaged market. The supply chain market is on the move, and we like our competitive position. We are confident in our ability to build on this strong start."
Mark Bentler, chief financial officer of Tecsys Inc., added, "Our Q1 fiscal 2025 financial performance showcases 57% SaaS bookings growth, 40% SaaS RPO growth and 33% SaaS revenue growth compared to the same quarter last year and we are pleased that our underlying SaaS margins continue to trend positively."
First Quarter Highlights:
SaaS revenue increased by 33% to $15.3 million , up from $11.5 million in Q1 2024.
, up from in Q1 2024. SaaS subscription bookings i (measured on an ARR i basis) increased by 57% to $3.0 million , compared to $1.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2024.
(measured on an ARR basis) increased by 57% to , compared to in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. SaaS Remaining Performance Obligation (RPO i ) increased by 40% to $194.9 million at July 31, 2024 , up from $139.4 million at the same time last year.
) increased by 40% to at , up from at the same time last year. Total revenue increased to $42.3 million compared to $42.0 million in Q1 2024.
compared to in Q1 2024. Net profit was $0.8 million or $0.05 per share on a fully diluted basis in Q1 2025, compared to $1.2 million or $0.08 per share for the same period in fiscal 2024.
or per share on a fully diluted basis in Q1 2025, compared to or per share for the same period in fiscal 2024. Adjusted EBITDA ii was $2.6 million compared to $3.2 million reported in Q1 last year.
was compared to reported in Q1 last year. In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, Tecsys acquired 59,600 of its outstanding common shares for approximately $2.2 million as part of its ongoing Normal Course Issuer Bid.
Financial Guidance:
Tecsys is reiterating previously presented financial guidance as follows:
FY25 Guidance
FY26 Guidance Total Revenue Growth 7-9%
n.a. SaaS Revenue Growth 30-32%
n.a. Adjusted EBITDAii Margin 8-9%
10-11%
On September 5, 2024, the Company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share to be paid on October 4, 2024 to shareholders of record on September 20, 2024.
Pursuant to the Canadian Income Tax Act, dividends paid by the Company to Canadian residents are considered to be "eligible" dividends.
Q1 2025 Financial Results Conference Call
Date: September 6, 2024
Time: 8:30 a.m. ET
Phone number: 800-836-8184 or 646-357-8785
The call can be replayed until September 13, 2024, by calling:
888-660-6345 or 646-517-4150 (access code: 81086#)
i See Key Performance Indicators in Management's Discussion and Analysis of the Q1 2025 Financial Statements. ii See Non-IFRS Performance Measures in Management's Discussion and Analysis of the Q1 2025 Financial Statements.
About Tecsys
Tecsys is a global provider of advanced supply chain solutions. With a commitment to innovation and customer success, the company equips organizations with the essential software, technology and expertise needed for operational excellence and competitive advantage. Its cloud solutions serve a diverse range of industries, including healthcare, distribution and converging commerce, across multiple complex, regulated and high-volume markets. Built on the Itopia low-code application platform, Tecsys' offerings include enterprise resource planning, warehouse management, consolidated service management, distribution and transportation management, supply management at the point of use and order management solutions. Tecsys provides critical data insights and control across the supply chain, ensuring that organizations are agile, responsive and scalable.
Tecsys is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol TCS. For more about Tecsys and its solutions, please visit www.tecsys.com.
Forward Looking Statements
The statements in this news release relating to matters that are not historical fact are forward-looking statements that are based on management's beliefs and assumptions. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties, including but not limited to future economic conditions, the markets that Tecsys Inc. serves, the actions of competitors, major new technological trends, and other factors beyond the control of Tecsys Inc., which could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements. More information about the risks and uncertainties associated with Tecsys Inc.'s business can be found in the MD&A section of the Company's annual report and the most recently filed annual information form. These documents have been filed with the Canadian securities commissions and are available on our website (www.tecsys.com) and on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
Copyright Tecsys Inc. 2024. All names, trademarks, products, and services mentioned are registered or unregistered trademarks of their respective owners.
Non-IFRS Measures
Reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA
EBITDA is calculated as earnings before interest expense, interest income, income taxes, depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as EBITDA before stock-based compensation and restructuring costs. The exclusion of interest expense, interest income, income taxes and restructuring costs eliminates the impact on earnings derived from non-operational activities and non-recurring items, and the exclusion of depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation eliminates the non-cash impact of these items.
The Company believes that these measures are useful measures of financial performance without the variation caused by the impacts of the items described above and that could potentially distort the analysis of trends in our operating performance. In addition, they are commonly used by investors and analysts to measure a company's performance, its ability to service debt and to meet other payment obligations, or as a common valuation measurement. Excluding these items does not imply that they are necessarily non-recurring. Management believes these non-IFRS financial measures, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, enable investors to evaluate the Company's operating results, underlying performance and future prospects in a manner similar to management. Although EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are frequently used by securities analysts, lenders and others in their evaluation of companies, they have limitations as an analytical tool, and should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of the Company's results as reported under IFRS.
The reconciliation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable IFRS measure is provided below.
Three months Trailing 12 months
ended July 31, ended July 31, (in thousands of CAD)
2024
2023
2024
2023
Net profit for the period $ 798 $ 1,171 $ 1,476 $ 3,220 Adjustments for:
Depreciation of property and equipment and right-of-use assets
371
384
1,464
1,729 Amortization of deferred development costs
197
142
638
536 Amortization of other intangible assets
334
396
1,431
1,603 Interest expense
25
38
150
325 Interest income
(217)
(269)
(963)
(851) Income taxes
436
859
218
2,458 EBITDA $ 1,944 $ 2,721 $ 4,414 $ 9,020 Adjustments for:
Stock based compensation
647
452
2,496
2,153 Restructuring costs
-
-
2,122
- Adjusted EBITDAii $ 2,591 $ 3,173 $ 9,032 $ 11,173
Condensed Interim Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
(Unaudited) (In thousands of Canadian dollars)
July 31, 2024
April 30, 2024 Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents $ 10,705 $ 18,856 Short-term investments
16,358
16,713 Accounts receivable
19,691
22,090 Work in progress
6,739
4,248 Other receivables
449
134 Tax credits
7,708
6,422 Inventory
2,073
1,359 Prepaid expenses and other
8,294
9,143 Total current assets
72,017
78,965 Non-current assets
Other long-term receivables and assets
552
421 Tax credits
4,914
4,737 Property and equipment
1,319
1,372 Right-of-use assets
1,147
1,251 Contract acquisition costs
4,466
4,478 Deferred development costs
2,938
2,683 Other intangible assets
7,450
7,703 Goodwill
17,470
17,363 Deferred tax assets
9,073
9,073 Total non-current assets
49,329
49,081 Total assets $ 121,346 $ 128,046 Liabilities
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
18,153
20,030 Deferred revenue
33,261
36,211 Lease obligations
826
812 Total current liabilities
52,240
57,053 Non-current liabilities
Other long-term accrued liabilities
339
496 Deferred tax liabilities
840
826 Lease obligations
1,094
1,302 Total non-current liabilities
2,273
2,624 Total liabilities $ 54,513 $ 59,677 Equity
Share capital $ 52,394 $ 52,256 Contributed surplus
7,992
9,417 Retained earnings
7,735
8,121 Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(1,288)
(1,425) Total equity attributable to the owners of the Company
66,833
68,369 Total liabilities and equity $ 121,346 $ 128,046
Condensed Interim Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income
(Unaudited) (In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share data)
Three Months Ended July 31,
2024 2023 Revenue:
SaaS $ 15,314 $ 11,495 Maintenance and Support
8,715
8,298 Professional Services
13,387
14,908 License
861
456 Hardware
3,999
6,818 Total revenue
42,276
41,975 Cost of revenue
22,548
22,475 Gross profit
19,728
19,500 Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing
8,352
7,671 General and administration
2,978
2,959 Research and development, net of tax credits
7,331
7,112 Total operating expenses
18,661
17,742 Profit from operations
1,067
1,758 Other income
167
272 Profit before income taxes
1,234
2,030 Income tax expense
436
859 Net profit $ 798 $ 1,171 Other comprehensive income (loss):
Effective portion of changes in fair value on designated revenue hedges
(20)
2,573 Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations
157
(426) Comprehensive income $ 935 $ 3,318 Basic and diluted earnings per common share $ 0.05 $ 0.08
Condensed Interim Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited) (In thousands of Canadian dollars)
Three Months Ended July 31,
2024
2023 Cash flows from operating activities:
Net profit $ 798 $ 1,171 Adjustments for:
Depreciation of property and equipment and right-of-use-assets
371
384 Amortization of deferred development costs
197
142 Amortization of other intangible assets
334
396 Interest (income) expense and foreign exchange (gain) loss
(167)
(272) Unrealized foreign exchange and other
(123)
(1,198) Non-refundable tax credits
(429)
(440) Stock-based compensation
647
452 Income taxes
3
14 Net cash from operating activities excluding changes in non-cash working capital items related to operations
1,631
649 Accounts receivable
2,434
(1,820) Work in progress
(2,486)
(829) Other receivables and assets
(520)
(262) Tax credits
(1,034)
(1,071) Inventory
(714)
(842) Prepaid expenses
903
(283) Contract acquisition costs
(39)
3 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
(3,119)
(3,566) Deferred revenue
(2,961)
1,376 Changes in non-cash working capital items related to operations
(7,536)
(7,294) Net cash used in operating activities
(5,905)
(6,645) Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment of lease obligations
(198)
(199) Interest paid
(25)
(38) Issuance of common shares on exercise of stock options
277
1,763 Shares repurchased and cancelled
(2,211)
- Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
(2,157)
1,526 Cash flows from investing activities:
Interest received
24
36 Transfers from short-term investments
548
22 Acquisitions of property and equipment
(209)
(102) Deferred development costs
(452)
(247) Net cash used in investing activities
(89)
(291) Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents during the period
(8,151)
(5,410) Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period
18,856
21,235 Cash and cash equivalents - end of period $ 10,705 $ 15,825
Condensed Interim Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity
(Unaudited) (In thousands of Canadian dollars, except number of shares)
Share capital
Contributed
Surplus Accumulated other
comprehensive
(loss) income Retained
earnings
Total
Number
Amount
Balance, May 1, 2024 14,840,150 $ 52,256 $ 9,417 $ (1,425) $ 8,121 $ 68,369 Net profit -
-
-
-
798
798 Other comprehensive (loss) income: -
-
-
-
-
- Effective portion of changes in fair value on designated revenue hedges -
-
-
(20)
-
(20) Exchange difference on translation of foreign operations -
-
-
157
-
157 Total comprehensive income -
-
-
137
798
935 Shares repurchased and cancelled (59,600)
(210)
(2,001)
-
-
(2,211) Stock-based Compensation -
-
647
-
-
647 Dividends to equity owners -
-
-
-
(1,184)
(1,184) Share options exercised 12,537
348
(71)
-
-
277 Total transactions with owners of the Company (47,063) $ 138
(1,425) $ - $ (1,184) $ (2,471) Balance, July 31, 2024 14,793,087 $ 52,394
7,992 $ (1,288) $ 7,735 $ 66,833
Balance, May 1, 2023 14,582,837 $ 44,338
15,285 $ (17) $ 10,832 $ 70,438 Net profit -
-
-
-
1,171
1,171 Other comprehensive income:
- Effective portion of changes in fair value on designated revenue hedges -
-
-
2,573
-
2,573 Exchange difference on translation of foreign operations -
-
-
(426)
-
(426) Total comprehensive income -
-
-
2,147
1,171
3,318 Stock-based Compensation -
-
452
-
-
452 Dividends to equity owners -
-
-
-
(1,102)
(1,102) Share options exercised 111,306
2,307
(544)
-
-
1,763 Total transactions with owners of the Company 111,306 $ 2,307
(92) $ - $ (1,102) $ 1,113 Balance, July 31, 2023 14,694,143 $ 46,645
15,193 $ 2,130 $ 10,901 $ 74,869
SOURCE Tecsys Inc.
Public Relations: Adam Polka ([email protected]); Investor Relations: [email protected]; Solutions and General info: [email protected]; By phone: (514) 866-0001 or (800) 922-8649
TORONTO, Sept. 6, 2024 /CNW/ - As the new school year kicks off, Toyota Canada is donating $100,000 to Breakfast Club of Canada's nationwide movement to ensure access to quality school breakfast programs for children.
Photo credit: Breakfast Club of Canada (CNW Group/Toyota Canada Inc.)
Amid rising living costs, many Canadians continue to grapple with limited resources, leading to increased food insecurity within households and significantly impacting those who need it most schoolchildren. Breakfast Club of Canada is committed to supporting families by providing nutritious breakfast programs, ensuring children receive the essential start to their day that the breakfast provides.
Breakfast Club of Canada estimates that there are still over 800,000 children who need the Club's support in nearly 3,000 schools throughout Canada.
"When we think about equal opportunity and access for today's youngest generation, it really starts with that first meal in the morning," said Leslie Miller, Vice President, Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer, Toyota Canada. "Sending a child to school knowing they will have access to nutritious food lightens the load for families and helps provide a stable learning environment where every child can thrive, so we're proud to join Breakfast Club of Canada in their mission."
Over the past few years, Toyota Canada has expanded its nationwide effort to address food security. Partnering with Breakfast Club of Canada furthers the company's commitment to invest in the success of Canada's youngest generation.
"We are deeply appreciative of Toyota Canada's generous donation," said Paul Lethbridge, Director, Corporate and Community Giving, Breakfast Club of Canada "Their support is crucial in helping children begin their day with a nutritious breakfast, and their commitment will have a meaningful and lasting impact on their lives."
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this fall, Breakfast Club of Canada remains a cornerstone in the lives of families and communities from coast to coast to coast. As Canada's only national school food delivery organization, it has worked tirelessly since its foundation in 1994 to highlight the importance of a nutritious breakfast every morning for all children.
About Breakfast Club of Canada
Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory across the country
About Toyota Canada Inc.
Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota has sold over six million vehicles in Canada through a national network of 287 Toyota and Lexus dealerships. Toyota is dedicated to bringing safety, quality, dependability and reliability to the vehicles Canadians drive and the service they receive. TCI's head office is in Scarborough, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax, and parts distribution centres in Clarington and Vancouver. Toyota also operates two manufacturing facilities in Canada. Having produced more than 11 million vehicles, popular Canadian models built at these facilities include Toyota RAV4, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid, as well as Lexus NX 250, NX 350 and NX 350h hybrid. The company has sold more than 20 million electrified vehicles worldwide and is the number one seller of electrified vehicles in Canada.
SOURCE Toyota Canada Inc.
Hanan Ismail, [email protected].
The state appointed superintendent of the Camden school district called for the president of the advisory school board to step down Thursday after public outrage interrupted two recent board meetings.
But, Camden Advisory Board President Wasim Muhammad said Thursday he had no plans to resign following a $2 million settlement in a lawsuit involving sexual misconduct accusations against him.
In a letter to the community, Camden Superintendent Katrina McCombs said Muhammads continued presence on the board has created a disruption from the excitement of a new school year and distracted attention from the districts mission of creating a quality learning environment.
In order to allow our community to heal and refocus on what truly matters the education and future of our students 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, McCombs said in her letter Thursday.
It is important that the business of the district proceeds without further disruption. Our students, staff, and families deserve nothing less, McCombs added.
Gov. Phil Murphy called for Muhammad to resign from the board in January after NJ Advance Media first reported on the existence of the lawsuit that was filed in late 2021 alleging he sexual assaulted a student. Instead of resigning, Muhammad, 56, took a leave of absence from the board starting in late January.
Muhammad was accused in the lawsuit of sexually assaulting a student when he was a teacher in the district in the 1990s.
The appalling and heinous allegations levied against Mr. Muhammad jeopardize his ability to effectively serve the Camden City School District, Murphy spokesperson Maggie Garbarino said Thursday. The Governor continues to believe that he should resign, and thanks State District Superintendent McCombs for calling on him to step aside.
Muhammads attorney said that he has no plans to resign from the board.
He will continue as board president and continue to do the good work he has done for the last 10 years, Muhammads attorney, Troy A. Archie, said Thursday in a statement to NJ Advance Media.
My clients position remains steadfast. He did not commit any of the alleged acts (the plaintiff) professes and the jury denied her sexual assault claims.
After a trial in May, the jury answered no to the question of whether they believed Muhammad sexually assaulted the plaintiff, but answered yes to the question of whether they believed he committed extreme and outrageous conduct upon the plaintiff.
The plaintiffs attorney, Jeff Fritz said Thursday that the district should force Muhammad out of his position immediately.
Leaving it up to him is simply not enough, Fritz said. While Superintendent McCombs request that Advisory Board President Muhammad voluntarily resign is a positive step, we believe the District and Superintendent have the power to terminate him right now. They should fire him immediately.
District officials said in January that board members could be removed after missing three consecutive board meetings without good cause.
Theo Spencer, a former Camden board member said at the Aug. 27 board meeting that he planned to file paperwork to begin the process of a recall vote to unseat Muhammad if he did not voluntarily resign.
Students in Camden returned to school Friday. McCombs said in her letter that Muhammads continued presence on the board after he was accused of sexually assaulting a student when he was a teacher in the district has created a serious distraction.
Recent events have deeply impacted our district and have created an environment that is not conducive to the start of a successful school year, McCombs said Thursday.
Muhammad returned to board meetings in August and some members of the public immediately vented their frustration at a board work session. They interrupted the boards proceedings by shouting for Muhammads resignation.
At a regular board meeting on Aug. 27, public comment was moved to the beginning of the meeting as dozens of community members signed up to speak.
Muhammad, who claims to have several wives as part of his religion, was accompanied by some of his supporters. A woman identified herself as one of Muhammads wives tried to speak on his behalf at the meeting and the crowd whistled and shouted over her.
The board abruptly went into executive session and Muhammad hustled down from the stage to usher a woman identified as one of his other wives out a side door of the auditorium as she was shouting at someone else in the crowd.
The meeting ended a short time later without any action or business taken up after the boards attorney came back to the stage to announce board did not have a quorum of board members to continue the meeting.
Wasim Muhammad stood about 10 feet behind his attorney, Troy Archie, as he fielded questions from reporters after the board meeting abruptly adjourned.Matthew Enuco
Muhammad was accused by a former student of sexually assaulting her for years beginning when she was a 14-year-old student in Muhammads class at Cooper B. Hatch Middle school. The lawsuit was filed under Muhammads previous name, Don Walker.
The civil case was filed in September 2021 after Gov. Murphy created a two-year window for sexual assault cases to be filed that already exceeded the statute of limitations.
The plaintiff, who filed the lawsuit as Jane Doe but later came forward with her identity to the Philadelphia Inquirer, accused Muhammad of showering her with compliments while she was a student and taking her to various places to have sex, including his home and The Feather Nest Inn in Cherry Hill.
She claimed in court documents that Muhammad continued pursuing her even after she and her family moved to Georgia and convinced her to move back to Camden when she turned 18.
Muhammad claimed in depositions that the plaintiff became one of his many religious wives when she turned 18.
The plaintiff eventually left New Jersey and moved back to Georgia, where she is a teacher and lives with her family.
An arbitrator suggested a settlement of $1 million in August 2023, but all parties rejected the proposed settlement, court documents show.
After a trial in May in which Muhammad testified in his own defense, a jury decided that Muhammad recklessly and intentionally committed extreme and outrageous conduct upon the plaintiff, but answered no to questions of weather they believed Muhammad had sexually assault her.
The jury also found the district negligent in failing to supervise Muhammad as an employee of the district.
Muhammad claimed the jurys decision was a victory for him at a press conference after the trial at Muhammads Temple No. 20 in Camden, where he is a Muslim minister.
The district was ordered to pay a $2 million settlement to the plaintiff, including $500,000 in punitive damages and over $200,000 in legal fees from the districts general budget, according to a report by the Philadelphia Inquirer. The other $1.6 million was paid by the districts insurance carrier.
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Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X
Rapper Rich Homie Quan has died.
Quan, born Dequantes Lamar, was 33.
The rapper, who hailed from Atlanta, was known for hit songs like Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh), released in 2015, and Type of Way, released in 2013.
Rolling Stone and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution report that the Fulton County Medical Examiner and a member of Quans family confirmed his death Thursday but did not share a cause.
TMZ reports that Quans girlfriend found him unresponsive at his Atlanta home and called 911.
Quan, a member of Rich Gang, released his first studio album, Rich as in Spirit, in 2018.
Videos contain explicit language
His other hit songs include Walk Thru (2014) with the rapper Problem, Get TF Out My Face (2014) with Young Thug and Ride Out (2015) with Kid Ink, Tyga, Wale and YG, from the Furious 7 soundtrack.
In 2014, Quan was nominated for best new artist at the BET Awards and rookie of the year at the BET Hip Hop Awards.
Before his death, Quan said in a video interview shared by Alanah Story on Thursday that he expected to release new music before his 34th birthday Oct. 4.
Rapper 2 Chainz remembered Quan on Instagram Thursday.
Dam lil brother, he said, sharing photos of his fellow Georgia artist. We just spoke about shooting a video, special prayer for you and your family, and pray for any and everybody thats dealing with something.
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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.
Edie Falco hadnt played Carmela Soprano for more than a decade when she was asked to get back into character for the Sopranos prequel movie.
Its not news that the film, The Many Saints of Newark, released in 2021, originally featured a cameo from Carmela.
However, Falco has been sharing memories from the experience while promoting her film Ill Be Right There, which gets a limited theatrical release Friday in New York.
The Emmy-winning actor recently starred in the off-Broadway play Pre-Existing Condition, directed by Jerseys own Maria Dizzia. She talked about becoming Carmela again for the Sopranos movie on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
Michael Gandolfini, Michela De Rossi and Alessandro Nivola in "The Many Saints of Newark." Warner Bros. Pictures
The prequel film, which starts in the 1960s, depicts the childhood of young Tony Soprano played by series star James Gandolfinis son Michael Gandolfini as well as the various forces at play in his family.
It was a monologue as Carmela ... I think, modern times, about the experience of her family first coming from Italy to the states, Falco told Meyers (watch video below) of her scene in the film.
There I was, in the hair and makeup trailer, getting the jewelry put back on, said Falco, 61. It was like a dream you might have.
READ MORE: The Many Saints of Newark - David Chase, Michael Gandolfini, Ray Liotta dish on Sopranos prequel.
She called the experience both mortifying and completely and utterly normal, something she had done for a decade on HBOs The Sopranos, which premiered in 1999 and ended in 2007.
When Meyers said he saw the film and didnt recall the scene, she mentioned how it was cut. Sopranos creator David Chase, who co-wrote and produced the film, let Falco know about the decision.
David called me and said Were not gonna use that monologue, she said. I was like, Thats completely fine. I got what I wanted, which was a day on the set with David and Alan Taylor, who directed it.
Taylor, who won an Emmy for helming The Sopranos, talked about cutting Falcos scene in a 2021 interview with NME.
There was some confusion as to how best launch the movie. How to start the movie, he said. So we tried a few things and that was one of them. If youve seen the movie youll see that we begin it in a very different way now but that wasnt always the idea.
READ MORE: Inside the Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos documentary and cast reunion
Sopranos fans know that The Many Saints of Newark does start with a return of a long departed cast member, Christopher Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli.
The voice of Imperiolis Christopher the character was killed in the series speaks from beyond the grave in a cemetery scene voiceover to introduce the films story.
Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano with James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in "The Sopranos." She won three Emmys for the role.Barry Wetcher | HBO
Hearing his voice is particularly appropriate because one of the movies main characters is his father Dickie Moltisanti, played by Alessandro Nivola. Dickie was Carmelas first cousin in the DeAngelis family.
Moltisanti translates to Many Saints in Italian hence the films title.
Falco, who won three Emmys for playing Carmela in The Sopranos, also appears in Alex Gibneys Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos documentary, airing Saturday (Sept. 7) on HBO.
In June, the actor attended the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of the film, which doubled as a cast reunion.
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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.
A man who admitted firing his gun at a store employee during a robbery in Essex County was sentenced Thursday to over 10 years in prison, authorities said.
Quayon Moore, 25, of Newark, was handed a prison sentence of 10 years and 11 months after he previously pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and using and discharging a firearm in relation to crime of violence, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey.
The Hobbs Act is a law that allows prosecutors to bring federal charges in robberies that impact interstate commerce.
On Dec. 8, 2021, Moore walked into a store and pointed a gun at an employee and demanded that the person hand over everything, the office said. Moore shot toward the employees direction, and the bullet hit the wall behind the person, the office said.
While continuing to point the firearm at the employee, Moore took money from the cash register and an iPhone, investigators said.
Authorities did not detail the exact name or location of the business that was robbed.
In addition to the prison term, a federal judge sentenced Moore to five years of supervised release, and ordered restitution of $1,000, federal prosecutors said.
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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
A Fanwood man has been arrested and charged in connection with a shooting in August at the NJ Transit train station in Long Branch, the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office announced Friday.
Damian Bass, 19, is charged with first-degree murder and multiple weapons offenses, authorities said.
Police found the victim, James Hailey, 43, of Newark, on Aug. 26 at 7:39 p.m. after they were called to the station for a report of a shooting victim, previously reported.
The U.S. Navys newest attack submarine, which is named after New Jersey, officially arrived in Middletown Friday, the townships mayor said.
The USS New Jersey passed Sandy Hook and docked at the bay side of Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown on Friday, said Middletown Mayor Tony Perry in a Facebook post.
Middletown is honored to host the commissioning ceremony of the USS New Jersey, Perry said in a statement to NJ Advance Media.
Perry was among onlookers watching the submarines arrival from the beach.
As one of Americas oldest towns, we have witnessed so much history and to be able to host the officers, crew and families as well as the thousands of veterans and people from across the State and nation, we are marking another incredible moment in Middletowns and Naval history, he said.
The submarine will be commissioned Sept. 14, according to the USS New Jersey Commissioning Committees website. The commissioning officially brings the submarine into the naval fleet, said Perry.
No further ticket requests to attend next weeks commissioning event are being accepted, officials said on the website.
The PCU-796 Virginia-class submarine will be the third naval vessel named after the state of New Jersey, according to the website. It is part of a class of nuclear-powered, cruise missile fast-attack submarines currently in military service for the U.S. Navy, officials said.
The submarine was built by Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding. It had been under construction since 2016.
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Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com.
Though Labor Day has passed and fall starts in less than three weeks, were still more than eight weeks from the end of Daylight Saving Time and turning our clocks back one hour.
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, when the clock will fall back one hour and, in theory, give us one extra hour of sleep.
The amount of daylight has continued to decrease slightly each day since summer began on June 20. The last sunset later than 7 p.m. this year is Sept. 17.
The amount of daylight continues to diminish each day until Dec. 21 when the winter solstice arrives at 4:19 a.m. Then, the length of days will begin to increase until the summer solstice on June 20, 2025.
The flip side is that the sun will rise approximately one hour earlier each morning after we return to standard time in early November. On Nov. 2, sunrise in New Jersey is at approximately 7:29 a.m. and sunset is at about 5:53 p.m. The next day the sun comes up at 6:30 a.m. but sets at 4:52 p.m..
So, while millions of people will travel home from work mostly or entirely in the dark in November, their morning commute will include more daylight.
Clocks officially fall back at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November to 1 a.m.
The end of Daylight Saving Time will occur at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2023.Getty Images
Daylight Saving Time started on Sunday, March 10, 2024, and will end on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024 a run of 238 days. It has lasted from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November since 2007.
We next turn the clocks ahead on March 9, 2025 126 days after turning them back. Daylight Saving Time in 2025 will end on Nov. 2, 2025.
The concept dates back more than a century when English architect William Willett proposed the idea to change the clocks in 1907 in The Waste of Daylight. The suggestion of using daylight more efficiently can be traced to Benjamin Franklin.
While visiting in Paris in 1784, he wrote a letter to the editors of the Journal of Paris calling for a tax on every Parisian whose windows were shuttered after sunrise to encourage the economy of using sunshine instead of candles, according to Michael Downing, author of Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time.
Daylight Saving became widespread in the U.S. when the Uniform Time Act of 1966 was passed. Back then, Daylight Saving ran from the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October and states were allowed to opt out.
In 1986, Daylight Saving was changed to run from the first Sunday in April until the final Sunday in October. The most recent revision took effect in 2006 when Energy Policy Act of 2005 revised Daylight Saving from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November.
Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe Daylight Saving Time. The time change is also not observed in U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All of Indiana didnt begin observing Daylight Saving until 2006.
Eighteen states have enacted legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Voters in California have voted to authorize year-round Daylight Saving Time. Those changes, however, require federal approval.
In March 2022, the U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would end changing the clocks twice a year. The U.S. House of Representatives didnt take a vote on it, though.
A handful of provinces in Canada most of Saskatchewan and Yukon have adopted permanent daylight saving as have parts of British Columbia and two communities in northwest Ontario.
About 70 countries observe Daylight Saving Time. Most of North America, Europe and parts of South America and New Zealand adhere to it, while China, Japan, India and most other countries do not.
It starts on different dates elsewhere. In Europe, for example, Daylight Saving Time starts the last Sunday in March and ends the final Sunday in October.
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
Donald Trumps running mate, JD Vance, said in the wake of the deadly school shooting in Georgia that the massacres are sadly a fact of life and offered ways to fortify schools to make them safer against gun violence.
Kamala Harris put out a statement with Vances comments and called for action to keep our children safe and keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
And it appeared to strike a nerve with team Trump that she used Vances comments against them.
Kamalas interns just released a statement pushing FAKE NEWS, Trump War Room posted to X with its more than 2 million followers. Watch the full video and youll clearly see that JD Vance does not say what they claim he said. These morons do nothing but lie every single day.
Except Harris campaign shared the same video.
Heres what Vance had to say:
I dont like that this is a fact of life, he said. But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster security at our schools. Weve got to bolster security so if a psycho wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of children theyre not able.
Vance said he doesnt like the idea of his own kids going to a school with hardened security, but thats increasingly the reality that we live in.
Our statement on JD Vance calling school shootings a fact of life https://t.co/8OfUFHHzaL pic.twitter.com/rFFF3i4qa2 Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) September 6, 2024
All of that was in what Harris campaign shared with her joint statement on the shooting with running mate Tim Walz. Vance said what team Trump said Vance didnt say and accused the Harris campaign of distorting.
Kamala's interns just released a statement pushing FAKE NEWS that the Associated Press just retracted.
Watch the full video and you'll clearly see that JD Vance does not say what they claim he said.
These morons do nothing but lie every single day. https://t.co/CBKVC5Favg pic.twitter.com/HGXWLSVqQU Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 6, 2024
The 14-year-old accused of fatally shooting four people at his high school in Georgia is expected to make his first court appearance Friday, a day after his father was also arrested for allowing his son to have a weapon.
Colt Gray is accused of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle to kill two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, outside Atlanta. Nine people were also hurt in Wednesdays attack. Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how Gray obtained the gun or got it into the school.
The teens father, Colin Gray, 54, was charged Thursday in connection with the shooting, including with counts of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A driver died Thursday morning in a fiery crash at a Salem County intersection, authorities said.
Around 11 a.m., a pickup truck was driving west on County Road 604 in Upper Pittsgrove, police said. A car that had been going north on County Road 677 was stopped at the stop sign at intersection of the two roads, according to a statement from the New Jersey State Police.
The car entered the intersection and collided with the pickup truck, which caused the truck to overturn and catch on fire, police said.
The pickup truck driver, William Bedilion, 58, of Salem, was ejected and died from his injuries, investigators said.
The driver of the car, a 44-year-old East Windsor man, sustained moderate injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment, officials said.
No other injuries were reported.
The crash was still under investigation Thursday afternoon and no other details were released.
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Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced that its Generative AI Spotlight program in Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) has been met with overwhelming interest, particularly in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).
READ:AWS announces $230 million commitment for generative AI startups
The four-week accelerator program, designed to nurture early-stage generative AI startups, originally planned to select up to 25 ANZ startups but ultimately accepted 46 due to high demand.
The program provided selected startups with access to AWS generative AI tools and services, as well as business and technical expertise from industry experts. Participants also had the opportunity to connect with potential investors and receive up to $100,000 in AWS credits.
Kate OKeeffe, co-founder and CEO at Heatseeker, an AI platform that helps companies grow through live market experiments, said: AI is evolving rapidly so its great AWS is uplifting the local sector with what we need to create globally successful generative AI-enabled businesses. Throughout the six weeks of the program, the AWS team curated dozens of local VCs that we pitched to and we even met some investors we hadnt engaged with previously.
Alain Richardt, founder and CEO of Atomic Tessellator, a chemistry and material science platform powered by AI, said: The AWS Gen AI spotlight was very valuable for us the sheer depth of support that AWS can offer both technical and business was impressive. Through this program we got exposure to top tier investors who have already taken decisive action and fuelled our progress
Will Ashford, founder and CEO of TrueState, an end-to-end machine learning development platform that leverages GenAI to accelerate delivery, said: I found the AWS GenAI Spotlight program incredibly useful for understanding AWSs AI offerings and how they can support growing companies like TrueState. The added bonus was the chance to connect with investors from Australia and beyond, making it a worthwhile experience for us.
The AWS Generative AI Spotlight program in APJ is in collaboration with venture capital firms and organizations in Australia including Stone & Chalk and Build Club.
Annie Liao, founder of Build Club, a home for top AI builders, engineers and founders and program partner, said: In such a fast-changing sector as generative AI, AWSs support of early-stage local startups through flagship programs like AWS Activate and Generative AI Spotlight, as well as its ongoing instrumental partnerships with broader ecosystem initiatives like Build Club, plays a critical role in enabling nascent businesses to strengthen their technology and go-to-market approach when it matters most.
Chris Kirk, CEO of Stone & Chalk Group, a leading innovation startup and scaleup hub and program partner, said: The AWS Generative AI Spotlight program provided an incredible opportunity for some of Australia and New Zealands most promising Gen AI companies to access expertise and support to build, launch and successfully scale their propositions. This year there has been an explosion in generative AI-powered innovators seeking to solve some of the worlds most pressing challenges and it is great to have companies like AWS continuing to lean in to support this next wave. Australia is rapidly developing a vibrant cluster of Gen AI-enabled businesses and programs which has already resulted in the creation of numerous startups, spin outs and commercial opportunities for scaleups across the Stone & Chalk network.
John Kearney, Head of Startups, Amazon Web Services Australia and New Zealand, said: Weve had an overwhelming amount of interest in our local Generative AI Spotlight program and have had to nearly double our participant number from 25 to 46, underscoring the exponential growth and momentum in the generative AI startup space in Australia and New Zealand. During the four-week program, we were introduced to some really amazing founders with big ideas, and helped them accelerate their understanding of generative AI services from AWS, as well as provided them access to business and technical expertise from industry experts.
Many founders were also appreciative to understand how they can work more closely with AWS on their go-to-market approach, creating pathways to support future growth and scale. A big shoutout to our program partners, Stone & Chalk and Build Club, who were critical to the success of the Spotlight program. For over 18 years, AWS has empowered more startups to build, launch, and scale their businesses than any other cloud provider. Its no coincidence that 96% of AI/ML unicorns run on AWS. Its still early days and we remain committed to nurturing the next wave of startup innovation in generative AI locally and around the world.
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Dynamic Business brings you the key startup fundraising from this week:
Blackstone acquires AirTrunk in $23.5 billion deal
AirTrunk founder Robin Khuda has secured billionaire status after selling his nine-year-old data center business to Blackstone in a deal valued at $23.5 billion, underscoring the financial gains fueled by the artificial intelligence surge.
Blackstone, the New York-based asset management giant, outbid a consortium led by superannuation fund manager IFM Investors to acquire AirTrunk from Khuda and Macquarie. Khuda will receive over $500 million in cash and retain a stake of similar value while staying on as CEO. The deal is the largest corporate transaction in Australia this year and ranks as the fifth largest ever, following Blocks $39 billion acquisition of Afterpay in 2021 and other major deals.
Root signals raises $2.8M to advance GenAI measurement tools
Helsinki and Palo Alto-based startup Root Signals has raised $2.8 million to enhance its generative AI (GenAI) platform. Specializing in measurement techniques using LLM-as-a-judge methods, Root Signals aims to help businesses adopt enterprise-grade AI tools for managing LLM applications.
The funding round was led by Angular Ventures, with support from Business Finland. Root Signals plans to accelerate platform and model development, as well as strengthen its sales and marketing.
Two space startups Receive $100k each from south Australian government
Two South Australian space startups have been awarded $100,000 each from the states inaugural Space Collaboration and Innovation Fund. Safety from Space will use the funds to trial its Lunar Search and Rescue (LunaSAR) project, which focuses on satellite communications for astronaut rescue missions on the Moon. Another startup will advance its lightweight spacecraft, which incorporates AI capabilities.
Agtech startup inform Ag secures $7 million investment
Queensland-based farm management platform Inform Ag has sold a 43% stake in its business for $7 million in its first external funding round. The investment came from the ASX-listed Rural Funds Group, marking a strategic shift for the agricultural fund manager, which traditionally invests in livestock and crops such as almonds and macadamias.
Supio secures $25m in Series A funding for AI Legal tech expansion
Seattle-based AI company Supio has raised $25 million in Series A funding, bringing its total funding to $33 million. The company plans to use the funds to expand its operations and further develop its AI-driven legal technology, which specializes in personal injury and mass tort cases using Large Language Models (LLMs).
Butlr raises $38M to expand AI in senior care
Butlr, a Burlingame-based AI startup, has raised $38 million in Series B funding to expand its physical AI solutions, particularly in senior care communities. Investors include Pacific Alliance Venture, GS Futures, Qualcomm, and others. The company plans to use the funds to grow its presence in the senior care sector.
Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Guest column: Addiction and overdoses are rampant. Louisiana leaders in Washington can help.
Super Typhoon Yagi maintained its strength Friday morning with maximum wind speeds of 201 kph and is expected to enter the Gulf of Tonkin at night, lashing northern Vietnam with strong winds and heavy rains.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) reported that as of 7 a.m. Friday, Yagi was in the northern waters of the East Sea, approximately 150 km from Chinas Hainan Island and 600 km from Quang Ninh Province, home to Ha Long Bay. The typhoon continues to maintain its peak wind speed of 201 kph, classified as a super typhoon, and is moving westward at 20 kph.
Yagi is expected to shift slightly southward, likely making landfall on Hainan Island on Friday afternoon instead of the Leizhou Peninsula of China as previously forecasted. By Friday night, the storm will enter the Gulf of Tonkin with wind speeds ranging from 134 to 166 kph, veering northwestward at a speed of 15-20 kph.
Due to its rapid southward movement, Yagi's landfall in Vietnam is anticipated earlier, likely around midday Saturday. The eye of the super typhoon is expected to first strike between Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, with wind speeds ranging from 89 to 133 kph.
The storm will then move deeper into northeastern Vietnam, bringing winds of 39-74 kph until evening.
Meteorological agencies report varied forecasts. The Japan Meteorological Agency estimates Yagi's wind speed at 198 kph, expected to decrease to 126 kph as it enters the Gulf of Tonkin. The Hong Kong Observatory predicts the storm will maintain winds of 185 kph in the Gulf, while the U.S. Navy forecasts a maximum wind speed of 220 kph, which is expected to reduce to 148 kph as the storm enters the Gulf of Tonkin.
According to the NCHMF, starting Friday night and into Saturday morning, coastal areas from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa will experience winds of 39-49 kph which will intensify to 62-74 kph. Areas near the storms center could see wind speeds of 89-102 kph. Inland areas may experience winds of 39-49 kph, while coastal regions from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa could see waves of 2-3 meters, with waves near the storms center reaching 3-5 meters.
Yagi is expected to bring heavy rain to northern Vietnam and Thanh Hoa from Friday night until Monday morning. Rainfall is forecasted to range from 100-350 mm, with some areas receiving over 500 mm. The heaviest rain will occur in northeastern Vietnam, concentrated on Saturday. In northwestern Vietnam, rain will begin Saturday evening and continue through Sunday night. Low-lying and urban areas may experience flooding, with potential flash floods in small rivers and streams, and landslides possible on slopes.
In response to the storm, four airports will be closed on Saturday: Noi Bai in Hanoi from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tho Xuan in Thanh Hoa from noon to 10 p.m., Van Don in Quang Ninh from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Cat Bi in Hai Phong from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, and Nghe An are expected to enforce sea bans starting Friday afternoon, while Ninh Binh already implemented the ban from Thursday afternoon.
After months of renovation, Barnstaple Bus Station in Belle Meadow has officially reopened, unveiling a modern, more welcoming transit hub for North Devon residents and visitors.
Previously, the station building and toilets had closed with the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 and was unable to reopen unmanned.
A risk assessment undertaken in 2022 highlighted issues with the layout of the building an the potential for misuse and antisocial behaviour.
These findings were supported by the police, who recommended the facilities remained closed in their previous form.
The revamped station now features an upgraded layout, a new cafe, improved public amenities, and a fresh, vibrant look both inside and out.
The grand reopening ceremony, held on Friday, September 6, was attended by North Devon MP Ian Roome and Councillor Helen Walker, Chair of North Devon Council.
Together, they joined those who worked on the project to cut the ceremonial ribbon, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Barnstaples vital transportation hub.
The newly refurbished station boasts a safer and more comfortable environment.
The redesigned layout includes improved lighting, expanded waiting areas, and added planters that enhance the space with a splash of colour, creating a more welcoming atmosphere for commuters and visitors alike.
Inside the station, the newly opened Barnstaple Bus Station Cafe and Takeaway is already serving up hot beverages, fresh sandwiches, pastries, and cakes.
With public toilets now available during the cafe's opening hours, passengers can enjoy greater convenience during their travels.
Dan Brierley, manager of the cafe, expressed excitement about the new venture.
Myself and my wife Lucy are delighted to be a part of the revamped Barnstaple Bus Station with our family-run cafe and takeaway. We were born in and have grown up in Barnstaple and recognise the station as a valuable hub for the community, so it has been a pleasure to welcome our new customers, whether they are travelling around North Devon or simply coming in for our hot and cold refreshments, he said.
In addition to internal upgrades, the exterior of the bus station also received significant improvements, thanks to collaboration with Devon County Council.
These upgrades include refurbished shelters, updated customer information boards, and new real-time electronic signage, ensuring that bus users have access to accurate and timely updates.
The improvements are part of Devons wider Bus Service Improvement Plan, funded by the Department for Transport.
Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Council's Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment, and Transport, highlighted the positive impact of the upgrades: The Bus Service Improvement Plan funding from the Department for Transport is making a positive difference right across Devon.
At Barnstaple Bus Station, it has helped provide a much-needed upgrade to the external waiting area, including replacement of the real time information signs, which will be welcomed by bus users.
The improved facilities have given the place a lift, making it much more appealing.
The reopening of Barnstaple Bus Station is a pivotal moment for North Devon's transportation network, providing both locals and visitors with a revitalised, modern transit hub.
With the added convenience of the cafe and public restrooms, the upgraded station is poised to become a central part of Barnstaples community life.
Councillor David Clayton, Leader of North Devon Council, expressed his gratitude for the project's success: It's a great pleasure to be able to have the Barnstaple Bus Station building open again and I would like to thank our officers and the wider project team who have helped make this happen. We have a new local business running the station's cafe and I wish them every success in taking it forward.
The project was funded by North Devon Council's capital fund, with additional support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
For more information on Barnstaple Bus Station Cafe and Takeaway, visit their Facebook page.
Dear readers,
After three and a half years of rail campaigning, I have been taking stock of my activities and reviewing my role in some local organisations.
Firstly, thank you to all the supporting members of the community who offered me the chance to deliver Atlantic Coast to Exeter (ACE Rail) presentations.
The Bideford rail link work and the associated important work to upgrade the existing North Devon line service has now been absorbed into the Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance which was inaugurated last year.
Its first founder member was Bideford Town Council, followed by the Tarka Rail Association, Railfuture, Barnstaple Town Council, Northam Town Council, and Torridge District Council. Meanwhile Great Western Railway have confirmed Bideford as part of their South West vision plan and their managing director has publicly stated that he wants the North Devon line service upgraded as it would give the operator the greatest return on investment.
How did the campaigning start?
It all began in March 2021 when Bideford Railway Heritage Centre, of which I am a Director, acquired and returned to the town the Bideford locomotive name and number-plates.
At their display in the Burton Art Gallery and Museum exhibition which opened on August 29 th 2021 the Mayor Councillor David Ratcliff said It is very nice having the nameplate back in Bideford but what I really want is for the railway to return.
I was introduced to Cllr Ratcliff and invited to discuss bringing the railway back at Bideford Town Council.
After a Motion to support the rail link was passed, I began work in finding ways to get more support.
After I became a member of Railfuture, I wrote to them and explained that a new campaign had begun to rejoin Bideford to the rail network.
I acquired a copy of an earlier feasibility study, although I then realised that the official guidance on studies had changed since the study was produced in 1999 and that it was no longer up-to-date information, but it demonstrated as guidance that a rail link to Barnstaple had been evaluated as feasible.
Railfuture is Britains leading independent organisation campaigning for a bigger better railway and they gave me some starting points on the campaign work, as well as publishing my letter seeking assistance in their national magazine Railwatch.
After the magazine was published and available online, I received an email from Tarka Rail Association asking that I make contact with them and come to a committee meeting this offer was taken up and I became a committee member at their AGM.
The Tarka Rail Association was originally formed to save the North Devon (Tarka) line from threat of closure.
This has however long-since ceased to be the case as the line continues to show record levels of passenger growth and the reason why Bideford will one day benefit from being reconnected to the rail network. One of the aspirations of the TRA was to see Okehampton have a restored passenger service and in November 2021 the Dartmoor line was the first restored railway service under the previous government.
This incredible news meant that the ACE Rail campaign also became a local interest.
Bideford suffers socio-economic deprivation which is undeniably connected to poor transport links, which creates a reason why businesses and industries struggle or do not invest in the area.
An area that lacks essential infrastructure for a growing community struggles to deal with its associated hardship.
Infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, GPs and dentists you would like to think would be provided as the community develops, but this doesnt happen.
Many councils agree the system is very unfair as infrastructure should come before housing developments and not be up to campaigners.
North Devon Council and Torridge District Council are the local planning authorities and jointly the district areas are known as Northern Devon.
They, and sometimes the Planning Inspectorate on appeal, approve housing proposals but the new government has mandated that housing development must increase further.
This background is why the ACE Rail campaign has been taken so seriously.
The campaign is not just about restoring Bideford to the rail network; it is about making the Northern Devon area sustainable with proactive steps towards tackling congestion, car dependency and carbon.
If we restored that rail link tomorrow, the passenger loadings at Bideford station would cause the North Devon line to overload and it is already struggling with capacity!
When I delivered separate presentations to North Devon Council and Torridge District Council, ACE Rail received Motions of support and the rail link was added as an aspiration to the new joint local plan a well as being placed on other key development plans.
Torridge District Councils former vice chair Cllr Peter Christie was responsible for providing a Motion to support the rail link.
This local engagement work led to Railfuture inviting me to attend their national meeting at Senate House, London in July 2023 and giving me a joint gold award for Best Campaigner of the year.
Some comment that the Bideford railway was taken away in 1965 because it was underused, but it suffered from being mostly a branch line from Barnstaple not a through service from Exeter.
The age of the cheap motorcar meant that railways did decline with usage nationally, but the public are now wanting to make the modal shift back to using rail services.
One conspiracy that I have heard is that a line to Bideford would drain the area from the residents and become a satellite ghost town.
This is completely false does Barnstaple filter out its 31k residents in the morning on the North Devon line services?
Has this happened to Okehampton?
Maybe this conspiracy is born out of fear that Bideford would lose its skilled workers but all restored railways have delivered incredible social and economic benefits; is there any community with a restored train service which now regrets it as having been a dreadful idea? Another perpetual comment is that the railway will take away the Tarka Trail.
Nobody can be that certain; a detailed engineering study will have to be commissioned, once the strategic socio-economic and environmental case for a rail link has been established. There is anyway a national government policy that one form of sustainable transport cannot take away another.
Both, an active travel route (Tarka Trail) and a rail link will be a requirement; the Exmouth lines Exe Trail and the Granite Way beyond Okehampton are examples, and in Bideford one only has to look at the trail and track next to each other at the south end of the Railway Heritage Centre.
Unfortunately, not everyone is still here to who helped develop the campaign.
We have sadly lost Mayor David Ratcliff and Cllr Peter Christie; their help will never be forgotten.
We can all discuss how the railway will look but I am completely confident that all the study work now being undertaken is being done by transport professionals who have lifetimes of knowledge, experience and judgement to deliver this project to completion, beyond the campaign that I started.
Thank you for your comments, letters and everyone who gave me support.
I might return to write columns one day but it may be in a different role.
Meanwhile, I wish the Tarka Rail Association many more years at representing the users of the North Devon (Tarka) line, but the time has come for me to resign as a co-Vice Chair of the Association.
Tim Steer
The United States is concerned over the number of executions taking place in Iran and the faulty judicial process that leads up to them.
State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller voiced that concern after a group of United Nations experts reported a sharp rise in executions during the month of August. In a statement released by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the OHCHR, the experts called on the Iranian government to immediately stop conducting executions.
Spokesperson Miller said, We do remain concerned about the number of executions in Iran and most importantly how those executions are carried out. Thats the end of a judicial process that can in no way be described as providing fair trials. It can no way be described as independent.
The UN experts said that according to the information they received, of the 93 executions that took place in Iran during August, nearly half were carried out for drug offences. Executions for drug offences violate international standards, the experts said. Additionally, they noted, Reports of serious violations of fair trial and due process rights mean that the death penalty as it is currently practiced in the Islamic Republic of Iran amounts to unlawful execution.
Drug crimes are not the only crimes in Iran that can result in execution. The perpetrators of so-called security crimes, including spreading corruption on earth and waging war on God, are also subject to the ultimate penalty. These vague charges, as the OHCHR points out, have been leveled against anti-government dissidents also in clear violation of international standards.
One such dissident, the UN notes, was Reza Rasaei, a Kurdish Iranian of the Yarsani faith, who was arrested for his participation in the massive Woman, Life, Freedom protests following the 2022 death in police custody of Mahsa Amini. Rasaei was executed on August 6. T;;he U.S. Office of the Special Envoy for Iran strongly condemned Resaeis execution and posted on the social platform X: Tehrans continued use of the death penalty against Woman, Life, Freedom protesters following sham trials and forced confessions - is reprehensible.
State Department Spokesperson Miller said the way Iran carries out executions is one of a number of violations of human rights that we see Iran continue to take, and its why we continue to enforce our sanctions to hold Iran accountable for those actions.
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At a ceremony yesterday (Sept 4) in Taipei, Taiwan, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners ("CIP") officially celebrated construction completion of the Zh. . .
The attic, long a repository of discarded toys and the like, can sometimes turn up treasures.
Late last month, a painting that an auctioneer in Maine discovered and believed to be a work by the 17th-century Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn was sold at auction for $1.4 million. The artwork had apparently been stored in the attic of a farmhouse in Camden, Me., for decades.
Kaja Veilleux, the owner, appraiser and auctioneer of Thomaston Place Auction Galleries in Maine, said he found the painting, Portrait of a Young Girl, on a routine house call. It was among a stack of paintings that he came across while looking through the belongings of a wealthy familys estate.
Mr. Veilleux said in a phone interview that he recognized Rembrandts style right away.
The painting, which shows the girl in a black dress with a white ruffled collar and a white cap, is in pristine condition, Mr. Veilleux said. The portrait was not signed, which is not entirely unusual: Rembrandt did not sign all of his paintings.
The portrait was painted on a cradled oak panel and mounted in a hand-carved gold Dutch frame, according to the auction house. A label on the back of the frame attributed the work to Rembrandt, and said that it had been displayed in a 1970 exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
U.S. ELECTION
The presidential election is less than two months away. This is what were watching.
A judge weighs a monumental Trump decision
Its been more than three months since a Manhattan jury convicted Donald Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal. But after a Supreme Court ruling in July granted the former president some immunities, he has yet to be sentenced.
Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over the trial, already delayed Trumps sentencing once, shortly after the ruling. He now faces a decision that could alter American politics for years to come: whether to sentence Trump as planned on Sept. 18 or wait until after Election Day on Nov. 5, as Trump requested.
If Justice Merchan postpones the sentencing, the American people will vote without knowing whether Trump will spend time behind bars. If not, Trump will undoubtedly accuse him of trying to tip the election toward his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Heres what else to know:
Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us and well find the answers.
Stay up-to-date: Live coverage | Poll tracker | The Run-Up podcast | On Politics newsletter
JEFFERSON, Ga. The threat posted online last year to shoot up a middle school was the kind that the authorities have become all too familiar with in the United States.
After receiving tips about the threat, the authorities homed in on a 13-year-old boy in Georgia, and an investigator spoke with the teenager and his father.
During the conversation in May 2023, the boy, Colt Gray, assured the investigator, from the sheriffs office in Jackson County, Ga., that he had not made the threat. He said that he had not used Discord, the social media site where the threat was posted, in months, and that he had deleted his account.
The only thing I have is TikTok, but I just go on there and watch videos, the teenager said, according to a transcript obtained by The New York Times.
A federal judge in Michigan on Thursday sentenced two brothers from Nigeria to 17 and a half years in prison for their roles in a social media sextortion scheme that claimed more than 100 victims across the United States and resulted in the death of a high school student.
The brothers, Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, who each pleaded guilty in April to one count of conspiracy to exploit minors, will be on supervised release for five years after completing their prison terms, prosecutors said in a news release.
The brothers, who are from Lagos, Nigeria, were extradited to the United States from Nigeria in August 2023 after they were indicted in November 2022.
The extradition marked a new chapter in cooperation with Nigerian authorities in extraditing perpetrators of this kind of scam. Last month, the Justice Department announced the extradition of two other Nigerian nationals on similar charges in Pennsylvania.
Senator JD Vance of Ohio said on Thursday that school shootings were an unfortunate fact of life, and he called for strengthened security measures in public schools while he spoke at a campaign event in Phoenix.
After Mr. Vance delivered remarks on border security, a reporter from CNN, who was first drowned out by booing, asked him about what he would do to prevent school shootings in light of the fatal shootings of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Wednesday.
Mr. Vance, former President Donald J. Trumps running mate, first condemned the shooting in Georgia as an awful tragedy that should never have happened, and he said his thoughts and prayers were with the families.
I dont like that this is a fact of life, Mr. Vance said, adding that he believed gun restrictions were not the way to effectively prevent school shootings. We have got to bolster security in our schools.
More than a century ago, New York Citys Meatpacking District teemed with large animals, most of them bound for a bloody end. Now, herds of huge creatures are once again gathered on this downtown Manhattan neighborhoods cobblestone streets, but these are taking part in a new and joyful journey.
They are the life-size sculptures of The Great Elephant Migration, a public-art installation of a hundred animal models, each based on an individual living elephant in the densely populated Nilgiri Hills region of Southern India. Handmade by Indigenous artisans using dried lantana camara, an invasive, toxic shrub that has been destroying wildlife habitats, the sculpted elephants occupy some 12,000 square feet of the districts plazas and walkways. Arriving in New York as part of a U.S. tour, the exhibition raises funds for conservation and not just of elephants, whose three species are all endangered.
The show mimics how it is when youre in India, with the elephants walking through the streets, said Dodie Kazanjian, the founder of the Rhode Island nonprofit Art&Newport, which organized the exhibitions American tour with Elephant Family USA, a conservation group. Although the weatherproofed sculptures are stationary, the interaction with people has been an important part, she said during a video interview.
The installation, which opens in the Meatpacking District on Friday and runs through Oct. 20, will be accompanied by public events, including a blessing of the elephants on Friday at 4 p.m. in Gansevoort Plaza; a conservation-themed panel discussion on Tuesday at 9 a.m. in Chelsea Market; and a neighborhood parade on Sept. 23. A related show of works about elephants and migration by the artist Hadi Falapishi will open at 82 Gansevoort Street later this month.
Some of the years buzziest artists (Charli XCX, Chappell Roan) are headlining tours and festivals this fall, and a bevy of new albums from established stars (Shawn Mendes, Jelly Roll) and up-and-comers (Flo, Nemahsis) are on the way. Dates and lineups are subject to change.
September
NILUFER YANYA The British musician Nilufer Yanya makes pensive, intricately layered songs that revel in unexpected textural jolts. On Like I Say (I Runaway), the lead single from her third album, My Method Actor, the deadpan, Sade-like cool of Yanyas vocals is interrupted by a sudden eruption of PJ Harvey-esque guitar distortion. A melodically rich meditation on identity, desire and the reverberations of heartache, My Method Actor is a confident and hypnotic follow-up to her 2022 release, Painless. (Sept. 13; Ninja Tune) LINDSAY ZOLADZ
NEMAHSIS Nemahsis the songwriter Nemah Hasan, who has Palestinian roots sings about seizing her tangled identity as an independent artist, a Muslim, the daughter of immigrants and a self-questioning but determined individualist. On her debut album, Verbathim, her producers include Drakes regular collaborator Noah (40) Shebib, with songs that can be folky or test the electronic edges of hyperpop. (Sept. 13; Verbaithim) JON PARELES
The Metropolitan Operas gamble on contemporary work continues. Celebrations of big anniversaries for two musical innovators, Charles Ives and Pierre Boulez, are worth seeking out. And Carnegie Hall will host world-class orchestras. But dont expect Gustavo Dudamel, the New York Philharmonics next music director, to be a fixture yet; until 2026, he is dedicated to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which opens Carnegies season with a three-night residency. Here are highlights from this falls performance calendar. (Locations are in Manhattan unless otherwise specified; dates are subject to change.)
September
ATLANTA OPERA Not quite 50 years old, this company is bucking the belt-tightening, season-shrinking trend in American opera. It is presenting La Boheme (updated to the Covid-19 pandemic) and Rent, the Broadway musical that transplanted Puccinis classic to the AIDS era, both staged by Tomer Zvulun, its artistic director, and Vita Tzykun. (Sept. 18-Oct. 6; Pullman Yards, Atlanta)
INDRAS NET How about a hopeful perspective on our divided times? The invaluable Meredith Monk created and will perform in Indras Net, the conclusion to a trilogy of works about our relationship with the natural world and inspired by Buddhist and Hindu legends. (Sept. 23-Oct. 6; Park Avenue Armory)
The return of Oasis, the chart-dominating bad boys of 90s Britpop, has been one of the biggest stories on the music beat this summer, with a slate of surprise reunion shows in Britain and Ireland selling out instantly over the last week.
But the rush also introduced many fans to the frustrating vagaries of online ticketing, where the prices are not always what you expect (and they usually go up).
Last weekend, after the first batch of shows went on sale, angry Oasis fans took to social media to complain that many tickets that had been advertised at 148 British pounds (around $195) ended up more than doubling in price to 355 (about $468) by the time they went to pay.
The band came under fire, and in Britain where the reconciliation of the groups long-feuding leaders, Liam and Noel Gallagher, was front-page news politicians readily took up the cause.
The prospect that President Biden is ready to block a merger between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel on national security grounds is stirring discontent in Tokyo, where some officials view the action as casting Japan, a key U.S. ally, as a threat.
Japanese officials have, in public, largely kept their distance from the deal since it was proposed last year. But now behind closed doors, some are bristling at reports that Mr. Biden intends to sink Nippon Steels $15 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel.
Japans economy ministry has sought meetings with and conveyed concerns to U.S. officials after news emerged of Mr. Bidens intention to take executive action to stop the merger, said two people with knowledge of the outreach, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The political storm risks straining relations as Tokyo and Washington work to deepen ties to counterbalance Chinas growing economic and military influence in Asia. On the economic front, the United States has been pressuring Japan to impose additional restrictions on the ability of its firms to sell advanced chip-making tools to China.
Move over, body mass index. Make room for roundness to be precise, the body roundness index.
The body mass index, or B.M.I., is a ratio of height to weight that has long been used as a medical screening tool. It is one of the most widely used health metrics but also one of the most reviled, because it is used to label people overweight, obese or extremely obese.
The classifications have been questioned by athletes like the American Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher, whose B.M.I. of 30 technically puts her on the cusp of obesity. But alas, she said on Instagram, addressing online trolls who tried to shame her about her weight, Im going to the Olympics and youre not.
Advocates for overweight individuals and people of color note that the formula was developed nearly 200 years ago and based exclusively on data from men, most of them white, and that it was never intended for medical screening.
Even physicians have weighed in on the shortcomings of B.M.I. The American Medical Association warned last year that B.M.I. is an imperfect metric that doesnt account for racial, ethnic, age, sex and gender diversity. It cant differentiate between individuals who carry a lot of muscle and those with fat in all the wrong places.
As the news broke on Thursday that federal agents had seized the phones of five of Mayor Eric Adamss top officials, City Hall officials hastily convened an emergency meeting.
The roughly 50 members of the administration who participated in the 3:45 p.m. call were told by the mayors chief of staff, Camille Joseph Varlack, that she understood that the developments would provoke anxiety. But she asked that they stay focused on serving New York City, according to two staff members who were on the call.
A few hours later, Mr. Adams addressed the F.B.I.s seizures for the first time, resorting to what has become his go-to response in the face of mounting problems: He would stay focused, no distraction and grind, he said in a television interview on Fox 5.
But the remarkable avalanche of investigations and raids that struck at the heart of the mayors circle is no ordinary distraction, and it raised immediate questions about the mayors ability to manage the nations largest city amid an investigative onslaught now affecting much of his senior leadership.
Clark P. Halstead, a dashing onetime haberdashery model who broke into Manhattans luxury property market by appending innovation, computerization and personalization to the conventional real estate agents winning mantra of location, location, location, died on Aug. 21 in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. He was 83.
His death, in a hospital, was caused by congestive heart failure, said Mark Zvonkovic, the executor of his estate. Mr. Halstead had been ailing with Alzheimers disease. For many years he had a townhouse on the Upper East Side and a home in Carmel, N.Y.
Mr. Halstead made an early mark in New York real estate when, in 1976, he helped establish the Manhattan residential property division of Sothebys International Realty, becoming its director and a Sothebys senior vice president.
But, impatient with the firms failure to automate and innovate, he struck off on his own in 1984. He was credited by many as the first major broker to personalize a real estate company a marketing strategy augmented mightily by his becoming the face of Hathaway shirts a few years earlier.
Two reporters who cover the New York Police Department had their access to the agencys headquarters temporarily revoked on Thursday, a day after federal agents seized the phone of the citys police commissioner, Edward A. Caban.
Police officials told the reporters, Tina Moore, The New York Posts police bureau chief, and Maria Cramer, the police bureau chief for The New York Times, they were being punished for contacting police unions for assistance in interviewing department employees.
Ms. Moore was escorted from the room used by reporters at 1 Police Plaza in Lower Manhattan Thursday evening. The move came hours after news broke that Commissioner Caban was among several top city officials involved in an unspecified federal investigation. It was unclear whether the two developments were related.
The judge overseeing Donald J. Trumps criminal case in Manhattan postponed his sentencing until after Election Day, a significant victory for the former president as he seeks to overturn his conviction and win back the White House.
In a ruling on Friday, the judge, Juan M. Merchan, rescheduled the sentencing for Nov. 26, citing the unique time frame this matter currently finds itself in. He had previously planned to hand down Mr. Trumps punishment on Sept. 18, just seven weeks before Election Day, when Mr. Trump will face off against Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
This is not a decision this court makes lightly but it is the decision which in this courts view, best advances the interests of justice, Justice Merchan wrote in the four-page ruling, which noted that this matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this nations history.
The judge appeared eager to skirt a swirl of partisan second-guessing in the campaigns final stretch. Asserting that the court is a fair, impartial and apolitical institution, he said that the integrity of our judicial system demands that the sentencing be free from distraction or distortion.
Opinion columnist David French is voting for Kamala Harris to save conservatism. The Matter of Opinion host Ross Douthat is skeptical. On this very special episode of Matter of Opinion, the two Christian conservatives debate how to chart the rights course out of Trumpism and to the future.
Below is a lightly edited transcript of their conversation. To listen to this episode, click the play button below.
Last spring, protests at numerous American universities, prompted by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, produced fierce debates over freedom of speech on campus.
Colleges and universities struggled mightily over how to mount an appropriate response. The University of Pennsylvania refused to allow a screening of a movie that was sharply critical of Israel. Brandeis University barred a pro-Palestinian student group in response to inflammatory statements made by its national chapter.
At Columbia, police officers arrested more than 100 students in an effort to empty the schools pro-Palestinian encampment; classes were later moved online. But at Northwestern, the administration entered into a deal with protesters in which almost all of their tents were removed in return for multiple commitments by the university, including an agreement to provide the full cost of attendance for five Palestinian undergraduates to attend Northwestern for the duration of their undergraduate careers.
There have been intense debates about whether antisemitic speech, as such, should be banned on campus and about the right definition of antisemitic speech. With the new academic year starting alongside a looming presidential election, we can expect protest activity on a host of issues, raising fresh questions about free speech on campus.
After decades of global nuclear arms reductions, every nuclear state run by an authoritarian regime is heavily increasing its weapons and capabilities. The global balance of nuclear power is changing, and the United States and its allies must also change their mind-set and invest in their own nuclear arms and missile defense.
In the United States, we have long maintained a nuclear triad consisting of nuclear-capable bombers, ballistic missile submarines and ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. All three legs now require substantial modernization and billions of dollars to keep pace with our adversaries. Maintaining a credible and effective nuclear deterrent will help prevent them from even considering a nuclear strike against America or its allies.
The most pressing threat comes from China. It is undertaking an alarming nuclear buildup, with the goal of doubling the number of nuclear weapons. The explosive growth and modernization of its nuclear and conventional forces can only be what I describe as breathtaking, Adm. Charles Richard, the former commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, said in 2021. And frankly, that word breathtaking may not be enough. The Biden administration recently announced that it was realigning its nuclear posture to address Chinas growing arsenal. But saying that we are realigning does not mean we are directing enough money toward the threat.
Elsewhere, North Korea has provocatively tested nearly 100 missiles over the past two years, presumably to perfect its ability to hit the United States with an ICBM and attack South Korea. It is also seeking to build a fleet of nuclear-armed submarines, which would allow its military to get closer to targets, evade radar systems and potentially strike allies and American bases in South Korea and Japan.
This week Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News star who now hosts one of Americas top podcasts, had an apologist for Adolf Hitler on his show. Darryl Cooper, who runs a history podcast (and newsletter) called Martyr Made, considers Winston Churchill, not Hitler, the chief villain of World War II. In a social media post that hes since deleted, Cooper argued that a Paris occupied by the Nazis was infinitely preferable in virtually every way to the city on display during the opening ceremony of the recent Summer Olympics, where a drag queen performance infuriated the right. On his show, Carlson introduced Cooper to listeners as the most important popular historian working in the United States today.
Over the course of a wide-ranging two-hour conversation, Cooper presented the mainstream history of World War II as a mythology shrouded in taboos intended to prop up a corrupt liberal political order. The idea that Nazi Germany represented the epitome of evil, argued Cooper, is such a core part of the state religion that we have emotional triggers preventing us from examining the past dispassionately.
This clever rhetorical formulation, familiar to various strands of right-wing propaganda, flatters listeners for their willingness to reject all theyve learned from mainstream experts, making them feel brave and savvy for imbibing absurdities. Cooper proceeded, in a soft-spoken, faux-reasonable way, to lay out an alternative history in which Hitler tried mightily to avoid war with Western Europe, Churchill was a psychopath propped up by Zionist interests, and millions of people in concentration camps ended up dead because the overwhelmed Nazis didnt have the resources to care for them. Elon Musk promoted the conversation as very interesting on his platform X, though he later deleted the tweet.
Some on the right found Carlsons turn toward Holocaust skepticism surprising. Didnt expect Tucker Carlson to become an outlet for Nazi apologetics, but here we are, Erick Erickson, the conservative radio host, wrote on X. But Carlsons trajectory was entirely predictable. Nazi sympathy is the natural endpoint of a politics based on glib contrarianism, right-wing transgression and ethnic grievance.
ELKO The Elko Area Chamber said its next Business Before Hours is planned for Thursday at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension-Elko County Office at 701 Walnut St. at 8 a.m.
Attendees can expect to enjoy an assortment of food items, get their morning coffee and have a free entry for a chance to win raffle prizes. This year marks the University of Nevada, Renos, 150th birthday, and one raffle prize will include sesquicentennial swag.
Business Before Hours is free and open to the public. The chamber said it provides the opportunity to network to create and maintain business and community relationships, generate referrals and learn about upcoming events in the community.
At the business event, participants can discover how the extension office provides community education for Elko County, including how Nevada communities have unmet needs in natural resources, horticulture, agriculture, health, community and economic development and youth and family development.
For over 100 years, the states extension offices have taught Nevada residents research-based education on important topics to improve their lives and address critical public issues. The offices help communities grow and address their needs through education and built-in collaboration with the community through federal, state and county partnerships.
For more information, go to extension.unr.edu or call 775-738-7291.
For questions to the Chamber, call 775-738-7135.
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Over the weekend, X was banned in Brazil. We talk with The New York Timess Brazil bureau chief, Jack Nicas, about how Brazilians are reacting, whether its owner, Elon Musk, has made a business miscalculation and what this means for free speech around the world. Then, were going founder mode. We explore why an essay about start-up founders reclaiming their authority went viral and what that tells us about how Silicon Valley thinks about power. And finally, we hear from listeners. Teachers and students left us voice messages describing how phone bans in schools are transforming their lives.
Guest:
Jack Nicas, Brazil bureau chief for The Times
Additional Reading:
In the 1960s, Jane Goodall started spending weeks at a time in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania watching chimpanzees. One of her most important discoveries was that the apes regularly made gestures to one another. Male chimpanzees tipped their heads up as a threat, for example, while mothers motioned to their young to climb on their backs for a ride.
Generations of primatologists have followed up on Dr. Goodalls work, discovering over 80 meaningful gestures made by not only chimpanzees, but also bonobos, gorillas and orangutans.
Now researchers are using these gestures to peer into the minds of apes. Some even think they offer clues about how our own species evolved full-blown language. Certainly, gestures played a big role, said Richard Moore, a philosopher of language at the University of Warwick.
In the 1980s, Michael Tomasello, then a young comparative psychologist, pioneered the first theory about ape gestures based on observations of infant chimpanzees in captivity as they grew into adults.
For theater companies across the United States, the start of the new season finds them still in a time of uncertainty, with audiences not yet returned to prepandemic levels. It makes sense, then, that a lot of fall programming favors the cozily familiar: revivals of known quantities and fresh takes on classic tales. This list skews more toward the adventure of wholly new work but its peppered with tempting adaptations, too.
COLD CASE An Inupiaq woman from a Native village in Alaska battles to retrieve her aunts body from an Anchorage morgue in this new play by Cathy Tagnak Rexford (HBOs True Detective: Night Country). The script won the Barrie and Bernice Stavis Playwright Award, whose previous winners include Sanaz Toossis Wish You Were Here. DeLanna Studi directs. (Sept. 6-22 in Juneau, Alaska, and Oct. 11-20 in Anchorage; Perseverance Theater)
PRELUDE TO A KISS A MUSICAL Rita and Peter are young, beautiful and headlong in love when an old stranger supernaturally swaps bodies with her: his soul in Ritas, hers in his. Craig Lucass 1988 fable of a play, which became a 1992 rom-com movie, now morphs into a musical, with a score by Daniel Messe (Lucass collaborator on Amelie, the musical) and Sean Hartley. Kenneth Ferrone directs. (Sept. 10-Oct. 19; Milwaukee Repertory Theater)
Rivers soak into your bones.
I was 12 when my father and I received an invitation from a group of his friends to raft the remote Selway River in Idaho. A city kid from the Northeast, I was unaccustomed to the loamy smells of the Western wilderness and astonished by these roughshod river rats who spent their days joyously chasing water. One of their raft trailers featured a hand-painted sign that read, No matter where you at, there you are.
My father and I would later accompany this crew on some of the Wests great rivers the Snake, the Clearwater, the Salmon, the San Juan. We rafted Desolation Canyon in Utah and Colorados Gates of Lodore, a red rock chasm that seems to defy gravity above the jewel-like Green River.
The deadliest school shooting in Georgias history occurred on Wednesday when, officials said, a 14-year-old gunman armed with a military-style rifle killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, a city roughly an hour northeast of Atlanta.
The suspect, a student who had just started his freshman year at the school, faces four charges of felony murder. His father has also been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting.
Officials say that a complex investigation is ongoing, and that they expect to file additional charges.
Here is what we know.
The shooter was armed with an AR-15-style rifle.
Shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday, and barely a month into the new school year, gunfire erupted on the campus of Apalachee High School, which has about 1,900 students in ninth through 12th grade.
A 16-year-old student at a Maryland high school fatally shot a 15-year-old schoolmate on Friday during a dispute, the authorities said, another episode of gun violence that came just two days after four people were killed at a Georgia high school.
The shooting on Friday took place in a restroom at Joppatowne High School just after noon, Sheriff Jeff Gahler of Harford County said at a news conference.
The 16-year-old fired what the authorities believe was a single gunshot at the 15-year-old, left the school and was later arrested near homes in the area, the sheriff said.
Charges were pending against the 16-year-old on Friday, according to the authorities, who did not name the suspect.
Vice President Kamala Harris in August raised almost triple the sum collected by former President Donald J. Trump, opening up a $110 million cash lead over her Republican rival once Ms. Harris took over the top of the Democratic ticket.
The Harris campaign said on Thursday that it raised $361 million in August, far surpassing the $130 million that Mr. Trump reeled in that month. Those sums include money raised by allied party committees.
The $361 million raised by the Harris campaign was the Democrats best month of the 2024 campaign. August was the first full month with Ms. Harris as the Democratic nominee after President Biden ended his re-election bid in late July. August was also when the Democrats held their nominating convention a four-day marketing celebration that typically serves as a fund-raising bonanza. Ms. Harriss team said it raised some $82 million during the convention.
The Harris campaign had a large advantage in cash on hand as of Aug. 30 as well: The Trump team reported about $295 million across all of its entities, while Ms. Harriss aides reported $404 million on hand.
Fotios Geas, a convicted Mafia hitman, was serving life in a federal prison in West Virginia when, prosecutors say, he rained lethal blows on the head of the Boston crime boss James (Whitey) Bulger while two other inmates acted as lookouts.
On Friday, Mr. Geas, 57, was the last of the three men who had all agreed to plea deals several months ago to be sentenced in the 2018 murder, receiving an additional 25 years. Mr. Bulger, a sickly 89-year-old gangster widely known to have been an F.B.I. informant, was bludgeoned to death in his cell less than 12 hours after he was transferred to the lockup in Bruceton Mills, W.Va.
At a hearing in U.S. District Court in Clarksburg, W.Va., Mr. Geas, a New England associate of the Genovese crime family already serving time for his role as an assassin and enforcer, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Patients and caregivers have struggled for two years to find stimulant medications like Adderall, Vyvanse and Concerta to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Some spend hours each month going from pharmacy to pharmacy to find a drug, while others are forced to switch to a different brand or formulation, or go without medication for weeks.
This week the Drug Enforcement Administration announced a potential solution: It is raising the amount of lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) that can be produced by U.S. manufacturers this year by nearly 24 percent to meet demand in the United States and abroad.
Vyvanse is an amphetamine that has been approved for use in children and adults with A.D.H.D. and has become commonly prescribed after the generic version was introduced last year. According to the D.E.A., the latest data shows that demand for the drug has been rising globally. But right now every manufacturer of generic Vyvanse listed on the Food and Drug Administration website is experiencing a shortage.
Many health care providers who specialize in treating patients with A.D.H.D. said that the D.E.A.s decision was a positive development but that it was unclear just how much of an effect it might have on the shortage.
Pope Francis will be welcomed by children bearing flowers, a 21-gun salute and a candlelight vigil after he lands in Papua New Guinea on Friday. It will be the first papal visit in three decades to the Pacific Islands, a deeply Christian region but one that has played a little-known role in the clergy abuse scandal that has stained the Roman Catholic Church.
Over several decades, at least 10 priests and missionaries moved to Papua New Guinea after they had allegedly sexually abused children, or had been found to do so, in the West, according to court records, government inquiries, survivor testimonies, news media reports and comments by church officials.
These men were part of a larger pattern: At least 24 other priests and missionaries left New Zealand, Australia, Britain and the United States for Pacific Island countries like Fiji, Kiribati and Samoa under similar circumstances. In at least 13 cases, their superiors knew that these men had been accused or convicted of abuse before they transferred to the Pacific, according to church records and survivor accounts, shielding them from scrutiny.
It has been widely documented that the church has protected scores of priests from the authorities by shuffling them to other places, sometimes in other countries. But what sets these cases apart is the remoteness of the islands the men ended up in, making it harder for the authorities to pursue them. The relocations also gave the men access to vulnerable communities where priests were considered beyond reproach.
Typhoon Yagi made landfall in southern China on Friday as it forced more than a million evacuations, shuttered schools and businesses, disrupted travel and raised alarms about the risks of landslides and floods.
Yagi, one of 2024s most powerful storms, made landfall in the island province of Hainan at 4:20 p.m. local time, according to Chinas National Meteorological Center.
At landfall, it was the equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane, the U.S. Navys Joint Typhoon Warning Center said.
The eye of Typhoon Yagi passed directly over the city of Haikou, China, on Friday evening local time, allowing the worst of the winds to smash the city.
A United Nations fact-finding mission on Friday called for an international peacekeeping force to protect civilians in Sudan, where a brutal civil war has caused the worlds largest displacement crisis, leaving millions of people homeless and starving.
Both sides in the 17-month conflict the Sudanese army and its rival, the Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries have killed, mutilated and tortured people, including children, the three-person mission said in a report that they will present next week to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Given the failure of the warring parties to spare civilians, it is imperative that an independent and impartial force with a mandate to safeguard civilians be deployed without delay, Mohamed Chande Othman, the panels chairman and a former chief justice of Tanzania said Friday in a news conference releasing the report.
The war in Sudan, a giant nation on the Red Sea in Africas northeast, has threatened to destabilize its neighbors, and has drawn in other countries. The United Arab Emirates has been supplying weapons to the Rapid Support Forces, though it has denied doing so. Egypt is a longtime supporter of the Sudanese army.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine appealed directly on Friday to Western military leaders for faster weapons deliveries on the heels of a flurry of major Russian missile strikes.
Better defense against such strikes and the ability to hit back at targets in Russia would help Ukraine put military pressure on Moscow so that Russia is motivated to seek peace, Mr. Zelensky said. He lamented that prohibitions on firing long-range, Western-provided missiles and rockets into Russia persisted.
Mr. Zelensky spoke at a conference in Germany on weapons donations and, later in the day, at a forum on Europes future in Italy as he pursues what he calls a policy of combining military pressure and diplomacy to seek an end to the war.
Mr. Zelensky also said that not all air defense systems pledged by Ukraines allies had arrived in the country. This is what was agreed upon, and this is what has not been fully implemented, he said. The world has enough air defense systems to ensure Russian terror does not have results and I urge you to be more active in this war with us in air defense.
Israeli military forces appeared to withdraw on Friday from the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian news media and residents, 10 days into a major raid that has killed dozens of people, including children, and caused widespread destruction.
Hours after the Israeli military pulled back from Jenin, Palestinian civil defense teams along with public works employees and volunteers fanned out to assess the damaged homes, businesses, roads and water lines, and began the effort to restore essential services, according to Wafa, the Palestinian Authoritys official news agency.
Elsewhere in the West Bank, an American woman who was protesting against an Israeli settler outpost was fatally shot. A 13-year-old Palestinian girl who was watching a clash between Israelis and Palestinians was also killed in a separate incident. People who were present blamed both shootings on Israeli troops. The Israeli military said it was investigating.
Israeli military forces appeared to withdraw on Friday from the Palestinian city of Jenin after a 10-day raid that killed 21 people, including children, and caused widespread destruction of streets, homes and businesses, according to Palestinian news media and residents.
Hours after the Israeli military pulled back from the city, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian civil defense teams along with public works and utility employees fanned out to assess the damage and began the effort to restore essential services, according to Wafa, the Palestinian Authoritys official news agency.
It wasnt immediately clear whether all soldiers had left Jenin, or whether they would soon return. As Israeli forces have conducted one of their most extensive and deadly raids in the West Bank in years, they have pulled back from Palestinian cities and towns several times over the past week before coming back.
In a statement on Friday, the Israeli military did not comment on whether its troops were withdrawing. The statement said Israeli forces had killed 14 members of armed Palestinian groups in Jenin over the past week and a half, had detained more than 30 people suspected of being members of the groups or of planning attacks, and had found weapons and explosives.
The raids come as U.S., Israeli and Iranian officials have said that Iran is operating a clandestine smuggling route across the Middle East to flood the Israeli-occupied territory with weapons in hopes of fomenting unrest among Palestinian militants against Israel.
Palestinian residents who had been trapped in their homes for days as Israeli troops and bulldozers roamed Jenin ventured into the streets Friday and some who had fled the raid returned. They found their neighborhoods unrecognizable.
A 26-year-old Vietnamese man claims to have radically changed his appearance with the help of plastic surgery, after being laughed at during a job interview, because of his looks.
TikTok user o Quyen has been getting a lot of attention on Asian social media, after posting photos of what he claims is his former self before undergoing nine plastic surgery procedures. Looking at the difference in appearance, its easy why people are shocked; the guy looks like a completely different person, from the shape of his face, to his eyes and nose. He claims that he turned to plastic surgery after trying to get a job and being laughed at by the interviewer, because of his unattractive looks.
I think its safe to say that if these before and after photos had been shared by someone other than o Quyen, it would have been hard to believe that they are the same person. In fact, even o has had to deal with a lot of skepticism from people who just couldnt believe it was him.
The young man, who currently works as a makeup artist in Saigon, told his TikTok followers that he spent an estimated 400 million dong ($17,400) on nine major plastic surgeries, including rhinoplasty, chin implants, porcelain veneers, lip reshaping, double eyelid surgery and lip implants.
Speaking on why he turned to plastic surgery, the 26-year-old said that his inferior looks made it hard for him to get a job, and after being ridiculed by a potential employer during a job interview, he decided it was time to make a change. His family isnt exactly well-off, so he had to fund the cosmetic procedures from his own savings.
The first time I came home after plastic surgery, my parents did not recognize me, o Quyen said. I expected as much, but I still could not hold back my tears.
The young makeup artist regularly posts photos of and videos of himself on Instagram and TikTok, including transition clips which emphasize his dramatic transformation. Even though he has his share of critics, o Quyen has no regrets about turning to plastic surgery, and tells his followers that they should all do whatever makes them feel comfortable.
Always be strong and find the beauty that you are most confident in, he said The standard of beauty for me is that when you look at yourself in the mirror and you feel satisfied and confident.
Alaskas Dept. of Environmental Conservation is looking for a PR firm to handle an air quality public education campaign. It has budgeted $530K for the first two years of the push.
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.
Roscrea Lions Club in grateful collaboration with Cistercian College Roscrea are delighted to announce that they will hold a Charity Walk on the grounds of the College on Saturday, September 7th at 6.30pm.
The 'Light It Up Gold' Walk is in recognition of, and in support of Childhood Cancer Ireland, and marks Childhood Cancer Awareness month which runs throughout September.
Lions Clubs of Ireland have recently launched a new partnership with Childhood Cancer Ireland to support the hundreds of families affected by childhood cancer around the country.
Childhood Cancer Ireland (CCI) is the national parent and survivor-led childhood cancer charity representing the voice of children, adolescents and young adults with cancer, survivors and their families.
They aim to ease the burden of diagnosis and treatment by raising funds to provide practical and emotional supports for families and survivors.
The walk will begin from the Grotto in Cistercian College at 6.30pm sharp and all are welcome and encouraged to take part. It promises to be a beautiful event in the serene surroundings of Cistercian College.
They sincerely thank Fr Malachy, President Colm Maloney, and the staff and sudents of Cistercian College, for their support in hosting the walk within the grounds, and for providing light refreshments after.
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)
Editor: Zhang Zhou
A foreign visitor shops at a store in Silk Street, a landmark market, in Beijing, capital of China, July 11, 2024.(Xinhua/Luo Xin)
by Xinhua Writers Wang Xiaopeng and Wu Ziyu
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."
Editor: Zhang Zhou
Boxes of tea to be exported to African countries are carried by a robotic arm at Huangshan Jinyuming Food Co., Ltd. in Huangshan, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 21, 2024. (Photo by Hu Fazheng/Xinhua)
HEFEI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- During the rainy season in Kano State, Nigeria, the muggy and humid weather didn't dampen the enthusiasm of 54-year-old Saleh Haruna for work.
As an overseas warehouse manager of the Chinese company Huangshan Jinyuming Food Co., Ltd., he and four other local employees were busy packaging 180 tonnes of Chinese tea which would be sent to some African countries.
It's widely known that Chinese tea is popular in Africa, said Haruna, adding that China and Africa are closely connected through various trade and exchanges including tea exchange.
As one of the three major beverages in the world, tea originating from China is a daily necessity for many Africans to quench their thirst and cool off in hot and dry conditions. According to the Tea Industry Committee of the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation, of China's top 10 tea-exporting countries and regions, seven are in Africa.
Located in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, one of China's major tea cultivating areas, Jinyuming Food Co., Ltd. has exported tea to nearly 10 African countries including Ghana, Senegal and Morocco since 2008, with an annual export volume of 8,000 tonnes of green tea.
"Africa is our most important market. Currently, our company has seven automated production lines, producing nearly 40 tonnes of green tea every day. These teas will be transported to African countries by sea," said Ye Song, export business manager of Jinyuming.
The tea exchanges between China and Africa date back to centuries ago when the ancient Maritime Silk Road boosted the trade and exchanges between continents. Nowadays, more and more Chinese tea enterprises are tapping the African market and customizing products for different African countries.
At the exhibition hall of Huangshan Best Organic Tea Industrial Co., Ltd., nearly 50 kinds of tea products printed with French and Arabic descriptions filled the shelves. "We have developed diversified products according to the drinking habits and tastes of different African countries," said Cheng Haixia, who is in charge of the company's export business.
For example, locals in West African countries prefer to use small pots to brew tea, and we developed a 25-gram small box pack of tea suitable for single use, which is very popular, Cheng added.
During the past years, the company's tea export volume to African countries has grown from more than 10 million U.S. dollars in 2020 to an estimated 65 million this year, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 60 percent.
"Considering the uneven economic development of African countries, we plan to further expand the scale of our office in Mali and further lower the price of tea sold in Africa," Cheng said.
For Wu Weiwei, deputy general-manager of Huangshan Wangguangxi Songluo Tea Corp., Ltd., tea cooperation between China and Africa is more than a promising economic exchange, as it also provides an opportunity to strengthen cultural exchanges.
During the past years, Wu has participated in several tea exhibitions held in Morocco and Algeria. "When I talked with the Africans, they often shifted the topic from tea to local life, such as Chinese-assisted railway ports and commercial complexes when they learned that I'm from China," said Wu.
The cooperation between China and Africa has developed steadily in recent years. Data showed that China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15th consecutive year, with a trade volume of 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. By the end of 2023, the stock of Chinese direct investment in Africa had exceeded 40 billion U.S. dollars.
Sino-African cooperation has brought practical benefits to people of both sides and provided a platform for more African youth to pursue their dreams.
Idris Mahmoud, a 28-year-old student in Ghana has found his passion and dream in the tea exchanges.
"In my childhood, I used to watch Chinese movies, and one thing that inspired me a lot was seeing Chinese people having their tea in the movies. I love drinking Chinese tea," said Mahmoud, adding that he wishes to learn the Chinese tea culture and open a tea shop of his own.
Tea is like a bond. With frequent exchanges between China and Africa, the locals gradually accept the traditions of drinking tea and understand and love Chinese tea culture, he said.
Editor: Zhang Zhou
A child receives a dose of the polio vaccine in Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip, on Sept. 5, 2024. The second phase of administering polio vaccinations to children under 10 years of age got underway in Gaza's southern zone, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The second phase of administering polio vaccinations to children under 10 years of age got underway in Gaza's southern zone, UN humanitarians said on Thursday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the first phase of polio vaccinations in central Gaza was completed on Wednesday, with 187,000 children vaccinated, well more than the target of 156,000 vaccinations.
The third and final phase is slated for northern Gaza, following the campaign in the south. Humanitarians hope to reach a total of 640,000 children. After four weeks, a second round of oral doses will be administered to complete the campaign touched off when a 10-month-old was diagnosed with the disease.
"Sigrid Kaag, the senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, visited the Gaza Strip earlier today (Thursday) to see firsthand the polio vaccination efforts that are taking place as we speak," Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told a regular briefing with reporters.
Dujarric said Kaag visited the training center at Khan Younis, where the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees, known as UNRWA, rebuilt a logistics base. She also stopped at a Japanese health clinic where UNRWA administers polio vaccinations.
OCHA said that despite the challenges faced, the world body and other humanitarian organizations continue to do everything possible to provide life-saving aid to Palestinians.
Between Aug. 19 and the end of the month, humanitarians cooked 450,000 meals in 130 kitchens daily for families across the Gaza Strip.
"The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains beyond catastrophic and we still do not have all the conditions necessary to support people near the scale that they actually need," the office said. "The cooked meals provided represent a 35 percent decrease, compared with up to 700,000 meals provided at more than 200 kitchens in July."
OCHA said the decrease was in part attributed to multiple evacuation orders issued by the Israeli security forces, with at least 70 kitchens forced to suspend cooked meal provision or relocate.
"Similarly, our partners tell us that more than 1 million people did not receive any food rations in August in southern and central Gaza through humanitarian means," the office said. "Partners lack sufficient food stocks to meet requirements for the second consecutive month and will only be able to provide one food parcel to families in central and southern Gaza during the September distribution cycle."
Humanitarians said hostilities, insecurity, damaged roads, the breakdown of law and order, and access limitations resulted in critical shortages of aid commodities to sustain operations, increasing the risk of spoilage and infestation of food supplies due to high temperatures.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that 11 months into the war, international media crews have still been banned from entering Gaza to report on the humanitarian impact.
OCHA said that on the West Bank, Israeli forces continue to utilize lethal war-like tactics, including airstrikes, in Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarm. The attacks have resulted in additional fatalities and injuries, and more roads and infrastructure destroyed or damaged.
"Medical facilities have been virtually besieged for over a week now, with heavy restrictions imposed on the movement of ambulances and medical staff," the office said, warning that the action is "deepening people's humanitarian needs as well as insecurity and raises concerns over excessive use of force."
A child receives a dose of the polio vaccine in Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip, on Sept. 5, 2024. The second phase of administering polio vaccinations to children under 10 years of age got underway in Gaza's southern zone, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
A child receives a dose of the polio vaccine in Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip, on Sept. 5, 2024. The second phase of administering polio vaccinations to children under 10 years of age got underway in Gaza's southern zone, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
Editor: Zhang Zhou
Ralph Nader
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I live overseas and don't get out much anymore. Went to a trivia night at an Irish bar the other day, dragged there by my family, presumably in the hopes that I'd up their score with a tidbit or two of trivia they didn't know. I came through on two counts: I knew the answer was Jack the Ripper, when Whitechapel was cued, and knew that the six choir ranges included mezzo-soprano. It frightens me to think that there's a connection between the two things I knew.
Normally, I would have stayed at home reading or writing. In the mail the other day I received, some weeks after publication, the paper edition of the Ralph Nader startup, Capitol Hill Citizen. It's a throwback publication that smells nice, the ink and papyrus. I love it. Love feeling it in my hands. And the content reminds me of community news MassPIRG, and my days as a university undergrad in Boston, majoring in philosophy, specializing in existentialism, caught up in wondering why Mersault shot dead the Arab on the beach. Telling the priest, in the end, to bugger off, I understood, but why shoot the Palestinian? I didn't get it. I mean, he was wearing a T-shirt that read Je Suis Palestine. But I was unaware of Mersault's antisemitism. Dunno.
You live. You die. Lights on, Lights off. In between the two states a message crackles that is the message of your life. You shine or you can let The Man switch you on and off at will like some electro-puppet. Neurocellblock b*tch to some totalitarian algorithmic guard thug. Or some extremely ultra "feminist" holding a dogmatist at bay by a red white and blue leash, inches from your face. Stripping your thoughts naked and telling them to get in a pyramid of neurons. I mean, my daughter brought up Mersault at the trivia gathering, and said she 's of the ilk that sees him now as "autistic." That's a new take on existentialism, I thought, but I didn't say anything to her face.
Before I could get to the Capitol Hill Citizen from its postal sheath, I checked my email and there was a posting: "Nader on Briahna Joy Gray Podcast." Ralph was here to discuss the issues on the cover of the latest issue of CHC. I love hearing his voice. And I never dug, man, that so many lefties went turncoat back in 2000, blaming him for the ascension of GW Bush. F*ck them. Had Gore won his home state of Tennessee that election cycle he would have been president. Of course, we would have had to listen to him rave on about an inconvenient truth after 9/11. Coz that was going to happen. It was a military coup, he was poised to say. (I'm guessing.) Building 7: Giuliani said to his little nephew, Pull it, and his little nephew pulled Rudy's finger and he farted, and Building 7 came down in freefall. True Story.
But all kidding aside, the CHC had on its front page (albeit, technically below the fold), a story so f*cking appalling that I was ashamed to be an American, although technically I'm an expat, who really misses home. I mean a lot. Heaps. Help me. The story: In Congress, 52 Standing Ovations for Netanyahu. The article detailed Yahu's visit to Washington, DC, where so many swim in the swill of ill-begotten gains at the expense of the People they were voted in to serve and protect -- and fund schools, hospitals and road systems with tax dollars.
The article by Linda Pentz Gunter was a scathing rebuke of the Israeli prime minister's presence there. Gunter gets right to it in this plainspeak graph:
These are the times we live in now, when an ebullient crowd of elected officials can stand to cheer 52 times, according to Haaretz, during an hour-long speech delivered by a war criminal and purveyor of genocide.
Jesus, 52 standing ovulations. Damn, what if Hitler had been invited to ovate at Congress and everyone cheered each time his art school dropout mustache twirled and he goes, eins, zwei, drei, fear, foomf, nein, nein, nein nein nein, and the legislators had his babies right there on both sides of the aisle. Some Americans just loved the Nazis. Guttural for guttersnipes, my grandfather used to say when he got shitfaced. Would Charles Lindbergh have won, as Philip Roth imagined in The Plot Against America, and vut voold haf happened? Woold vee haf hat a nein nein nein / eleven?
American Jews Protest Netanyahu at Congress
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And the piece was accompanied by a revealing photograph of American Jews protesting the presence of the Israeli fascist leader. That was above the fold. It is American Jews who have to take the brunt of Israel's -- Netanyahu's -- war criminality. They don't deserve the attention paid to them by American rightwing nutjobs, many of whom have felt the largesse of Israeli donations to their political causes. 52 ovations is real whoredom. Shame on Congress. These same f*ckers would have cheered Pontius Pilate as he washed his hands of that famous Jew, albeit 'self-loathing'.
Netanyahu actually opens up his speech this way:
Ladies and gentlemen, like December 7th, 1941 and September 11th, 2001, October 7th is a day that will forever live in infamy.
Another Pearl Harbor. Horrific as October 7th was, there is evidence that Israel (Netanyahu) intentionally ignored warnings from Americans about an impending disaster, according to Seymour Hersh., the little jew who wrote the bible on My Lai, and won a Puliter. Perhaps returning the favor, to our intentional ignoring of Israeli intel that made clear the imminence of 9/11.
Maybe ignoring warnings, knowing the consequences will result in ultra fascist reactionary force in play, is as close to an Inside Job as we'll ever be able to "prove." After all, the 9/11 Commission concluded that it was such miscommunication that led to the lack of action on known threats prior to 9/11. And they essentially blamed Cofer Black, then head of the CIA's director of the Counterterrorism Center, for a failure to communicate. Black went on to be an immensely important Ambassador at Large, and to establish the illegal black sites for rendition, and to lead the CIA's war in Afghanistan. 9 Eleven led to:
the federal government mov[ing] quickly to develop a security framework to protect our country from large-scale attacks directed from abroad, while enhancing federal, state, and local capabilities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from threats and disasters at home.
Read: Mission Accomplished for the crossing of the Abyss of No Return that Senator Frank Church warned us about in 1975. We are totally -- each of us -- under surveillance now. And no country is better at secret surveillance than Israel. 52 ovations? Take a bow:
Netanyahu before Congress
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Imagine putting your money down and having her (or him) give you a standing O after your oil fracking. As Gunter said, such are the times we live in.
Shenzhen Rapid Direct Co., Ltd., a leading innovator in the CNC machining industry, is thrilled to announce the launch of its new online CNC machining services. This revolutionary offering is set to transform the way designers and product developers approach rapid prototyping and production, showcasing the company's commitment to precision, speed, and customer satisfaction. Imagine a world where your CNC machined parts are not only high-quality but also delivered with unprecedented
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Inspired by World Book Day, Kaixuan Street Enterprise Service Center has meticulously planned a unique reading event. The aim is to enrich the spiritual and cultural lives of employees within the district and to create a platform for discussion. The street warmly invites employees from various companies to join in this grand occasion and experience the charm of books together. To ensure that the event genuinely meets the needs of corporate
Expect more drones in the Portland skies.
The Portland City Council voted on Wednesday with little fanfare to expand the Portland Police Bureaus drone program, giving authorities the opportunity to expand its use to all precincts and divisions despite pushback from some community members over surveillance concerns.
One key difference between the citys drones and those of civilians: these tiny white machines with four propellers on each end will have big blue letters in all caps spelling POLICE.
Police Chief Bob Day in a statement Thursday said the program brings the Police Bureau in line with state law and other law enforcement partners. About 1,400 police departments use drones in some capacity, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Some neighboring ones include Gresham police and the Clark County Sheriffs Office.
The expansion comes after police began a yearlong pilot in 2023 to use the tool to document crash scenes, watch traffic, respond to bomb threats, help in searches and respond to disasters. The City Council allocated $80,000 to help the Traffic Division and Metro Explosive Disposal Unit.
Wednesdays vote brings an additional $98,000 to the program for additional training and equipment that Day said helps officers resolve incidents more quickly with less risk to the public and officers. Officials hope the drones will help them track stolen vehicles and illegal street racing.
Day wrote in a statement Thursday that police will be transparent in how they use the technology pointing to the Police Bureaus drone dashboard.
According to that dashboard, police deployed drones in 129 missions between June 2023 and July 2024. Thirty-four involved traffic incidents and 25 of them involved using drones to execute a search warrant.
In the pilot, the Police Bureau purchased 19 drones and trained and certified 16 pilots, according to Sgt. Jim DeFrain, and showed an 80% decrease in time spent mapping traffic scenes.
Additionally, traffic investigators have begun conducting fly through videos like this of traffic vehicle trajectories and overhead views of crash locations, which have been exceptionally helpful when presenting a case to grand jury or in trial, DeFrain said.
State law governs when drones can or cant be used. They cant be used for mass surveillance or facial recognition purposes. Harassing people is also out. Unless a critical incident occurs that threatens peoples lives and safety, drones cant be used to manage crowds. They also cannot use the tool to establish reasonable suspicion or probable cause that an offense has been committed.
In public comments, two community members and one City Council candidate expressed concern with the expansion. Nicole Mercier, an artist, said the language in the Police Bureaus new standard operating procedures that drones may be used to enhance the protection of lives and property is too vague given drones have serious privacy and civil liberties implications.
If we are asked to give up our privacy and civil liberties, it must be done with careful consideration, perfect trust and clear guidelines, Mercier stated.
Dan Handelman, of the police watchdog group Portland Copwatch, urged police to track and report demographic data in the Police Bureaus drone use. Brian Conley, a candidate for City Council District 3, called for further safeguards.
One use of drones that was repeatedly brought up in City Council involved the technology being used to fly into a persons residence. According to police, officers in August 2023 had a felony warrant for a man accused of first-degree robbery and used a drone to follow him into his apartment and search it remotely without having to place officers or the public at risk.
Police said the man was armed and that they found a shotgun inside his residence.
Smart City PDX, which worked with the Police Bureau on procedures, found a medium risk in its privacy impact assessment of the program. It recommended adding detailed information in high-interest cases to the drone dashboard and continuing to update it.
In the 14 months since the program was in place, DeFrain said no complaints were sent to the Independent Police Review.
Meanwhile, City Auditor Simone Rede continues to evaluate the Police Bureaus surveillance technology. Rede found in 2023 the bureau had not fully addressed security concerns outlined in her review of polices use of surveillance technology during Portlands mass racial justice protests in 2020.
Rede declined to provide an update via email Thursday, writing that she would publish that information in an upcoming report.
Zaeem Shaikh covers the Portland Police Bureau and criminal justice issues for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-221-4323, zshaikh@oregonian.com or @zaeemshake.
All buildings in Portland Public Schools that lack air conditioning will dismiss students three hours early on Friday, and the North Clackamas school district wont open any of it schools due to excessive heat, officials said Thursday evening.
In Portland, that means nearly all elementary, K-8 and middle schools will discharge students around noon. But most high schools, except Cleveland, Ida B. Wells and Jefferson, will hold a full day of classes. All after-school programs and other afternoon activities held in non-air conditioned buildings also are cancelled, district officials said.
Lovers of classic horror movies know the Wolf Man as one of the monsters who scared the heck out of filmgoers back in the days when Universal Pictures churned out thrillers featuring such creatures as Frankensteins monster, Dracula, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, and more. The legend of the human-turned-animal has continued through such movies as The Wolf Man (1941), multiple sequels, and The Wolfman (2010), which starred Anthony Hopkins and Benicio del Toro.
Now, yet another take on this often-told tale is heading to theaters, and, like such other spine-chilling sagas as Strange Darling and Longlegs, this one is set in Oregon. Wolf Man wont open in theaters until January, but the first teaser dropped on Friday, and its already giving us the creeps.
Wolf Man stars Christopher Abbott (Poor Things) and Julia Garner (Ozark). The official plot description begins with the unnerving question: What if someone you loved became something else?
It just gets more spooky from there. Abbott, according to the press materials, stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Garner) fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (Matilda Firth).
And if that sounds like the setup for something eerie happening in the Oregon woods, youre onto something. The press description continues, But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, theyre attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without.
AIIEEEEEE! Wolf Man is directed by Leigh Whannell, whose previous films include The Invisible Man and Insidious: Chapter 3. Those movies were made for Blumhouse, the production company behind several popular movie and TV projects, and which has a specialty in horror franchises, such as The Purge, M3GAN, Five Nights at Freddys, and documentaries including Netflixs Worst Ex Ever (which features a horrifying true crime story with Oregon connections).
Though Wolf Man is set in Oregon, the movie was filmed in New Zealand, according to IMDB. The movie opens Jan. 17, 2025.
Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist
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San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey was limited in practice Thursday with a calf injury. What caught the attention of outsiders is the 49ers changing his injury from calf to calf/Achilles on Thursday.
Its the same calf injury that kept him out of full participation in practices during training camp and the preseason. San Francisco general manager John Lynch indicated he wasnt concerned about McCaffreys availability for the teams game against the New York Jets on Monday night.
Lynch expressed confidence McCaffrey will be ready.
He looks like Christian, and thats a good thing for us. Hes looked like Christian out here at practice. We had a bonus [practice] here on Tuesday ... and he was there. He was out there yesterday. So Christians looking really good, Lynch said Thursday on radio station KNBR in San Francisco. Obviously, we want to see him progress through the week, but we had confidence that Christian would be ready, and hes doing very well. He takes tremendous care of his body and takes so much pride in that, and hell be out there and ready to roll.
McCaffrey, the leagues leading rusher in 2023, suffered the injury in early August, but the team said it was a calf injury. The addition of Achilles designation adds a new element to McCaffreys health and brings back unwanted memories for 49ers fans. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw reportedly played with an Achilles strain during the 2023 season before tearing it while running onto the field during Super Bowl 58.
Although a spell of cooler August weather helped firefighters across the state subdue many of Oregons biggest wildfires in recent weeks, high winds could easily undo the progress.
A red flag warning for parts of Oregon means critical fire weather conditions, including high easterly winds and low humidity, are either occurring now or about to occur across large swaths of the state.
Afternoons with OU Health Sciences is an event hosted by Health Sciences Recruitment & Admissions for prospective students interested in an OU Health Sciences program. The events are hosted at various institutions across Oklahoma. This program is an opportunity for students to meet one-on-one with representatives from any of the seven academic colleges within OU Health Sciences: College of Allied Health, College of Dentistry, College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, College of Public Health, and our Graduate Research College. Students can ask questions about admissions, have transcripts evaluated, find out about student life or general information regarding HSCs academic programs and campus.
Hosted by: Health Sciences Center - Student Affairs , What To Do
Additional Information can be found at: https://ou.campuslabs.com/engage/event/10266301
More than 900 children in the United States have now died of gun violence in 2024. At least 173 children ages 0 to 11 have been killed this year. The number rises to 803 in teens ages 12 to 17. In total, 976 children and teens died so far this year.
As of September, 395 children have been injured in gun violence crimes. This increases to 2,263 among teens, data showed.
Georgia Shooting
Over 20 U.S. schools have been impacted by gun violence so far this year. The Apalachee High School in Georgia is the latest after Wednesday morning's shooting.
Four people died in the Wednesday shooting that included 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. Two teachers were also killed, namely Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, according to the New York Times.
Nine others were injured in the Wednesday shooting. Police identified 14-year-old student Colt Gray as the shooter.
The Georgia incident is the deadliest school shooting since March 2023. A former student of The Covenant School in Nashville opened fire on March 27. Six died in the shooting, including three students.
The shooter at the Nashville incident was identified as Audrey Hale. Police said Hale carried two "assault-style" weapons and a pistol to enter the school building. Hale was killed by police minutes at the scene.
US School Shootings
The Georgia shooting is the 23rd school shooting incident recorded in K-12 properties this year. For comparison, there were 38 school shootings reported last year, Education Week reported.
Education Week covers news related to K-12 education. The report counts shootings if they meet certain criteria, including:
Incidents where a firearm was used
When a victim has a bullet wound from a shooting incident
If the shooting happens on a K-12 property or school bus
If the school was in session or it was at a school-sponsored event
In total, 49 people have either died or been injured in K-12 school shooting incidents this year, the report noted.
TikTok has influenced many viral trends since it launched. But while some trends are fun, there are others that could be dangerous.
One of the latest trends that could put people at risk is the making of tanghulu---a sweet treat also known as candied or glass fruit.
Explaining the Tanghulu Trend
Tanghulu, or "glass fruit," is a traditional Chinese snack popular in Asia. This snack is made by coating fruits with a hard sugar syrup. After it cools, the coating cracks when bitten.
Traditional Tanghulu recipes use hawthorn berries. These fruits have a strong sour flavor.
Modern recipes, including those posted on TikTok, use other fruits. Common fruits used include grapes and strawberries.
Why Is Tanghulu Dangerous?
To achieve that glossy sugar coating, recipes instruct viewers to dissolve sugar in water to extreme temperatures of at least 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Without careful handling, the sugar syrup can easily cause severe burns, particularly among children and teenagers.
Sugar has sticky properties that allow it to cling to skin and other surfaces. This property means sugar syrup would have more time to do damage when it comes into contact with surfaces.
Shriners Children's Boston sounded the alarm in a press release. Health officials said they have seen an increase in severe burns in children after the Tanghulu trend went viral.
Many of the burns in children were caused by spilled hot sugar, the health officials said.
"When sugar is melted in the microwave like this, it has a high heat capacity, meaning it stores the heat energy," Dr. Ryan said. "If spilled, it can create a severe scald burn, much like spilling hot soup, but it can cause a much deeper burn because of sugar's properties."
The health officials also warned against potential burns if the sugar syrup is ingested. Hot sugar syrup can cause serious injuries to the mouth, tongue, and throat.
Recipes for the treat require Tanghulu to be dipped in an ice bath after the fruits are coated. The syrup will harden once cooled, but the fruit inside could still be scalding. Eating it immediately after an ice bath can cause burns.
Moreover, doctors said some people suffered burns from melted plastic containers and shattered glass containers used to melt the sugar.
Youve probably already noticed that smartphones hear a lot more than their manufacturers claim they do. Have you ever discussed a new tech product with a colleague only to start seeing ads for that product in apps like Instagram and Facebook? Its spooky when it happens.
And while people have shared anecdotes like this over the past several years, no one has ever really proven that phones eavesdrop on us like that. Phones arent allowed to eavesdrop on us like that right?
Today is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days! Our editorial team lists the best tech deals here. ]
Well, journalists from 404 Media recently found evidence that companies like Amazon and Google do listen in on everything.
Ad targeting via active listening
The revelatory report centers around Cox Media Group (CMG), which offers a technology called Active Listening. This is a tool that records and analyzes all conversations picked up by smartphone microphones and converts them into advertising suggestions.
CMG advertises this service and has already worked with Facebook, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft in the past. Its implied that these companies either used the service or at least knew that it existed.
Its not just smartphones, either
In fact, the technology goes beyond just the microphones on smartphones and includes other smart devices like TVs and speakers. Any device with voice recognition has the potential to be used for active listening, with or without the owners knowledge or consent.
Weve always been told that voice recognition is only active for a short period after wake words like Alexa and Hey Google are spoken. But if these devices are always listening, the constant eavesdropping would have far-reaching consequences for user privacy and consumer behaviors, which are significantly influenced by advertising.
Company spokespeople deny participation
When Mashable asked companies like Meta whether they were aware of CMGs Active Listening capabilities and whether theyd actively used it, a spokesperson explained that this wasnt the case. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft also denied that theyd ever used the solution.
But the fact is, the capability exists and itd be foolish to think that companies wouldnt exploit it if it meant more effective advertising and a positive impact to their bottom lines.
Weve seen time and time again that companies will push the boundaries of what many would consider to be unethical. For example, Amazon Alexa can save recordings and send them to Amazon for further processing instead of deleting them directly as originally intended.
Obtaining first-party data about potential buyers has become more valuable than ever, and the advertising industry cant continue to grow and prosper without targeted advertising. As companies are backed further into corners, CMGs Active Listening looks ever more enticing.
How can you protect your privacy?
For starters, we can assume (at least for now) that phones need to be switched on in order to actively listen. We can also assume that you need to be near the microphone for it to cleanly pick up what youre saying.
So, as a precaution, pay attention to how often youre in the immediate vicinity of your phone and treat it as if its always listening to you. If your phone is in your hand, on your desk, or even in your pocket, assume that its listening and dont say anything you wouldnt want heard.
If you want to chat about something and dont want to be eavesdropped on, turn off your phone and smart devices or move away and chat outside of microphone range. Get used to not relying on your tech! (Its also just a good idea to turn off your phone every so often.)
The Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana (CAG) has tasked stakeholders, including government, to adequately prepare for the incoming tomato bumper season in order to combat and reduce the age-old inevitable post-harvest losses.
The CAG and affiliate farmer groups have said insufficient investment in cold storage and transportation infrastructure must be addressed to tackle the menace for the upcoming tomato bumper season, which will span late December through April and May 2025.
CAG explained that the seeming lack of priority for the above provisions further exacerbates the problem, forcing reliance on imports from countries including Burkina Faso and Morocco.
Every year, Ghana loses some US$600million in overall post-harvest losses according to CAG. Losses from tomato each year, according to the Chamber, average US$60million.
But CEO-CAG, Anthony Selorm Morrison, blamed the problem on neglected rural infrastructure, inadequate cold chain and storage facilities and limited support for research, among others.
He argued that government has not prioritised the development of essential infrastructure in rural areas, as poor road networks and lack of a reliable transportation system hinders efficient movement of tomato from farms to market centres.
The lack of storage facilities, despite the fruits known perishability has resulted in significant losses a situation that forces farmers to sell their products quickly at lower prices to avoid spoilage.
With the peak harvest season just three months away, the Chamber is requesting government support for farmers to put measures in place that guard against the potential looming losses.
The agricultural sectors sad reality in Ghana exemplified by the tomato industry underscores the need for comprehensive and strategic interventions, Mr. Morrision indicated.
He however said the country has potential to transform its tomato industry by addressing challenges of varietal suitability, infrastructure deficits, access to inputs and financing, and market development.
While governments neglect and policy failures have exacerbated these pressing issues, stakeholders believe a concerted efforts from government, the private sector and international partners can boost the countrys potential to become self-sufficient in tomato production.
This will enable the country to emerge as a net exporter, contributing significantly to food security and economic growth.
Ghana spends a substantial amount of foreign exchange on tomato imports. In 2022, the Vegetable Producers Association of Ghana estimated that the country spends approximately US$400million annually on importing fresh tomatoes, primarily from Burkina Faso.
This significant outflow of foreign exchange, according to the National Food Buffer Company, causes the countrys dependency on imports and underscores the urgent need to revive and boost local production.
Source: B&FT
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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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.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has arrested a law clerk for allegedly forging High Court orders with suit numbers, marriages and divorce certificates and other documents, in Accra.
Henry Odartey Lamptey, 39, is said to have forged the signatures of the Deputy Judicial Secretary and other judges in Adenta and Cape Coast High Court among others, dissolving marriages.
Lamptey, who has been charged with eight counts of forgery of judicial or official documents, pleaded not guilty.
The court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo, GH500,000 bail with two sureties to be justified, one of whom should be a public servant earning not less than GH3,000, to Lamptey.
The court also ordered that the suretys pay slip be endorsed by his or her head of department and adjourned the case to October 7, 2024.
Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kofi Anane, told the court that in June 2014, the GPS received a petition from the Judicial Secretary of Ghana alleging that Lamptey and his accomplices, who are still at large, were forging marriage and divorce certificates, court orders, and other official documents
According to the prosecution, Lamptey worked as a clerk in a chamber at Zongo Lane.
ASP Anane led by Superintendent of Police Sylvester Asare, said that upon receipt of the petition, the police kept surveillance on the accused.
The court heard that on August 13, 2024, Seidu Adams, who is currently on trial in Circuit Court 11, Accra, was arrested after forging a letter dated November 22, 2023, with the judicial service seal signed by the Deputy Judicial Secretary.
ASP Anane said that following Lampteys arrest, his bag was searched and documents, including court orders purportedly signed and issued by Justice Patrick and Justice Mariam Sammo, Justices of the High Courts of Cape Coast and Accra, respectively were found.
The prosecution presented marriage documents, divorce certificates, letters signed by the Judicial Secretary, and letters from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Accra Metropolitan Assemblys (AMA) Marriage Department, to the court.
The court heard that Seidu Adams, mentioned Lamptey as his accomplice, and when Lamptey was arrested, he admitted the offence during investigations
The prosecution said Lamptey admitted that he forged the AMA letter at the cost of GH300, and that he always backdated the dates of letters to meet customers request.
ASP Anane told the court that Lamptey led the police to his office and room, where a search was carried out.
The prosecution said the police found divorce certificates from the Berekum and Madina District Courts, marriage and divorce certificates, customary marriage certificates, and other documents in Lampteys custody.
Source: GNA
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The Jubilee House has directed the police to commence investigation into alleged efforts by some officials at the presidency to encroach lands belonging to Ghana International School.
In a press release signed by the Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, the presidency noted it did not harbour any interest in possessing the land in question.
The presidency further insisted that no officer, agent or assign has been directed to secure and/or interfere in any matter pertaining to GIS land within Cantonments.
Consequently, it is calling on the police to look into the matter.
The Office of the President has made a formal complaint to the Inspector General of Police to investigate the entire matter, the statement read.
Source: starrfm
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The founder and CEO of Sunyani-based Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), an anti-corruption Non-Governmental Organisation, has expressed worry about low coverage of Hepatitis B Birth Dose (BepB-BD) or vaccination among babies, nationwide.
Raphael Godlove Ahenu said statistics from the World Health Organisation showed that despite the global availability of an effective vaccine, only about 16 per cent of babies in Ghana were vaccinated within 24 hours of birth.
That is attributed to several factors including inadequate awareness creation, limited availability and accessibility of the vaccine, and lack of integration of HepB-BD into routine immunization services.
Mr Ahenu raised the concerns when the NGO launched a new advocacy campaign to increase awareness creation and improve the vaccination coverage of HepB-BD in the country.
He therefore called for the inclusion of the HepB-BD in the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to ensure that all newborns were vaccinated within 24 hours of birth.
Dubbed hepatitis-free Ghana, Mr Ahenu explained the main goal of the campaign was not only to increase the coverage, but also facilitate timely administration of the HepB-BD vaccine in the country.
That could also be achieved through policy reforms, enhancing healthcare provider capacity, and raising public awareness thereby reducing mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B and contributing to the elimination of the viral disease by 2030.
The absence of a national policy mandating the administration of HepB-BD further exacerbates the situation, leaving many babies at risk of perinatal transmission, he stated.
Mr Ahenu indicated that advocacy on HepB-BD vaccination was, therefore, critical to address the high rates of the virus infection in the country, saying integrating the inclusion of HepB-BD in the EPI remained essential in ensuring that all newborns were vaccinated within 24 hours of birth.
That would further require a concerted approach and collective engagement of key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, healthcare providers, traditional and religious leaders, and civil society organisations in raising awareness, allocation of resources, and prioritisation of the vaccines integration into routine immunization schedules.
Mr Clement Boateng, the Country Director, of GLoMeF, said Hepatitis B posed a significant threat to public health, saying the viral disease contributed to chronic cancers and related diseases as well as premature death.
He said the virus infection acquired in infancy or early childhood was likely to become chronic, with up to about 90 per cent of infected babies developing lifelong infection.
Preventing Hepatitis B infections and transmissions at birth remains crucial for reducing the overall burden of the disease in the country.
Mr Boateng explained that the advocacy campaign would increase public awareness and demand the HepB-BD vaccination, by reaching at least one million people nationwide, including expectant mothers and caregivers, with information about the disease prevention and other benefits of the birth dose.
That would be achieved through organizing community-based forums, screening exercises, mass media outreaches, church-to-church activities, school education and partnerships with local organizations.
The Ghana Partnership Against Hepatitis (GPAH), a consortium of local organizations across the 16 regions of the country is implementing the advocacy campaign, Mr Boateng added.
Source: GNA
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2024 Inclusion Conference on the Bund kicks off in Shanghai
Xinhua) 08:19, September 06, 2024
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)
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
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.
Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com
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The Yellow Army of the Movement for Change and the Alliance for Revolutionary Change has issued an urgent call for immediate action to halt the escalating environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
The group expressed deep concern over the worsening impact of galamsey on Ghanas environment and communities and criticized recent statements by political leaders from both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that downplay the severity of the crisis.
In a strongly worded statement, the Movement for Change highlighted the widespread devastation caused by illegal mining activities, which have polluted major rivers, including the Pra, Ankobra, and Birim.
The group warned that the contamination of these water bodies poses a severe threat to public health and the environment, with the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) struggling to purify water as treatment costs have surged by 60%.
"The GWL has already announced the impending shutdown of two of its ten treatment plants in the Ashanti Region, while the Central Region is also on the brink of a water shortage crisis," the statement said.
The statement also noted alarming reports of the White Volta River changing colour due to contamination from galamsey activities, which not only threatens the health of communities that depend on the river but also endangers aquatic life.
The group underscored the potentially catastrophic impact on the country's dams and called for immediate intervention.
Furthermore, the Movement for Change cited recent news reports that have exposed the dire health consequences of galamsey.
These include cognitive impairments and other deformities in babies born in galamsey-prone areas, attributed to the heavy metals used in illegal gold extraction.
The group condemned the recent comments by the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament, who blamed the opposition NDC more than the ruling NPP for polluting water bodies.
The Movement for Change described these remarks as "irresponsible, divisive, and insulting," arguing that the devastation caused by galamsey is a national emergency that demands unity rather than political point-scoring.
The statement dated September 5, 2024, and signed by Duke Aaron Sasu, the National Youth Leader criticized both the NPP and the NDC for their failure to address the galamsey crisis effectively, noting that more than 34 forest reserves have been destroyed for the benefit of illegal miners under the watch of successive governments.
The group lamented the lack of progress despite the patriotic efforts of media, civil society organizations, academic institutions, NGOs, and religious bodies to push the government into action.
In a rallying call to action, the Movement for Change urged all Ghanaians, particularly the youth, to rise and take bold steps to save the country from what they described as "nation wreckers."
The group emphasized the need to break away from the dominance of the NDC and NPP, both of whom have presided over the current environmental crisis.
The Movement for Change demanded that the government declare a state of emergency in the regions affected by galamsey and take immediate steps to restore polluted water bodies and enforce sustainable mining practices.
The group also praised the stance of their leader, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, against galamsey, highlighting his commitment to sustainable development and environmental protection as the leadership quality Ghana needs to overcome this crisis.
Source: ghanaweb.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The Minority caucus in Parliament has voiced strong disapproval of the recent emergency recall of the House, describing it as unnecessary and a misuse of public funds.
According to the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the recall was an ill-advised expenditure of taxpayer money, especially considering the limited achievements during the session.
The recall, which took place over two days at the Accra Conference Centre, was intended to address a list of 11 items on the agenda.
However, only two of those items were discussed, leaving the Minority questioning the purpose and urgency of the session.
Dr. Forson emphasised that the results did not warrant the resources spent on bringing Members of Parliament back for the meeting.
Dr. Forson also criticized the governments decision to convene Parliament for such a limited scope of discussions.
He argued that the session lacked the kind of pressing national importance that would justify the extraordinary measure of an emergency recall, especially at a time when Ghana faces serious financial constraints.
The Minority Leader further highlighted the inefficiency of the recall, stating that more could have been achieved if there had been a more focused and productive agenda.
He called for greater accountability in how government resources are allocated, especially when the country is dealing with economic challenges.
Mr. Speaker, I want to say that there was no way the business we have done so far should have warranted such a recall. We were recalled to tackle tax exemptions and loans. Right Honourable Speaker, one of it [the loans] has been approved.
Mr. Speaker, our concern remains with the tax assumptions. We strongly believe that these giveaways should be curtailed. We strongly believe that these giveaways of tax exemptions are unwarranted.
We believe that at a time that the country is bleeding, Ghana should not be giving such giveaways to crony businesses.
Source: King Edward Ambrose/Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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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
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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A former deputy general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has stated that the flagbearer of the party, John Dramani Mahama, won't be taken seriously by Ghanaians if he refuses to debate the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
According to Anyidoho, Mahama has been given the opportunity to debate Bawumia face-to-face, and he believes Mahama should take this chance rather than wait for the debate to be over and then hold press conferences to counter whatever Bawumia discusses during the debate.
He added that Mahama has been president before, so he needs to do things differently to convince Ghanaians to give him power in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Speaking in an interview on Wontumi TV on September 1, 2024, Anyidoho stated, if Asiedu Nketiah claims that they will not debate anybody it is up to himIf you dont go to the debate, it is up to you, but Bawumia has said that he will go even if it is about him. He will go and debate and talk to the nation.
And the question I am asking my brother is that if he doesnt go for the debate and Bawumia goes, will they go and hold a press conference and talk loudly, countering Bawumia while they gave you the opportunity to debate him?
For the debate, you wont go, but after the debate, you will hold a press conference to counter him. Who will take you seriously? Nobody will take you seriously because we are looking for the best. You see, you are not a new candidate.
If you were a new candidate, then you could be forgiven for a lot of things, but you have been president before, and Ghanaians rejected you. So, if you are coming back, you must convince Ghanaians beyond a reasonable doubt, Koku Anyidoho said.
Source: ghanaweb.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The 2020 Presidential Candidate for the Progressive People's Party (PPP), Brigitte Dzogbenuku, has described the National Democratic Congress's (NDC) proposal for a 24-hour economy as a mere slogan.
According to a report by myjoyonline.com on Thursday, September 5, 2024, she urged political leaders to address fundamental issues such as security, transportation, and fuel before considering ambitious economic reforms such as the implementation of a 24-hour economy.
Promises and sloganeering is the bane of us. That is what has brought us to where we are. Promises and sloganeering without proper implementation is what has brought us where we are. I think its just a slogan. I dont think it would make a huge difference.
We are talking about 24-hour economy. Can we talk about security first? Can that be put in place, our transport, and our fuels, there are so many basic things that need to be put in place for this to work. So, lets not be fuelled with sloganeering," she stated in an interview on the AM Show.
The flagbearer of the opposition NDC, John Dramani Mahama, has stated that the objective behind his proposed 24-hour economy initiative is to enable businesses to operate three shifts per day.
To achieve this goal, he said the government and private sector will collaborate.
"The 24-hour economy is designed to create new employment opportunities, particularly for young people, address unemployment, and enhance living standards in Ghana, he explained.
Source: ghanaweb.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Hold onto your hats, fashion enthusiasts! The vibrant world of African fashion is about to get a whole lot more exciting as Fashion icon and award-winning media personality Edem Farrie takes center stage in GTP's electrifying new campaign, "Day Born."
Representing Friday-borns worldwide, Edem Farrie brings her signature poses and spark to GTP NUSTYLE, a cutting-edge fashion line that seamlessly blends traditional African aesthetics with contemporary streetwear. And let's be real who better to showcase the life of the party than a Friday-born fashionista?
Edem Farrie's billboard for the campaign is turning heads and dropping jaws across the nation. Eagle-eyed fans have already spotted a juicy detail: Farrie is the only model sporting a bold red lip, a clear nod to Friday-borns' reputation as the ultimate party starters. It's a small touch that speaks volumes, emphasizing the vibrant energy Edem Farrie brings to the campaign.
But Farrie isn't just striking poses she's striking up conversations. The model has been actively engaging with fans on Instagram, connecting with fellow day-borns and stirring up excitement for the campaign. It's this personal touch that's got both millennials and boomers buzzing about GTP NUSTYLE.
This isn't Edem Farrie's first rodeo in the billboard game. Fashion aficionados will remember her stunning appearances in Woodin's "Connexion de Woodin" campaign, where she was announced as a brand ambassador. She also turned heads as the face of Voile de Woodin. But this GTP campaign feels different more personal, more energetic, and frankly, more fun.
GTP NUSTYLE itself is a breath of fresh air in the fashion world. With its vibrant colors, unique fabrics, and modern cuts, it's a line that promises to keep you on-trend whether you're hitting the club or heading to the office. And with Edem Farrie at the helm, it's clear that GTP is positioning itself as the go-to brand for those who want to make a statement.
With Edem Farrie leading the charge, GTP NUSTYLE's "Day Born" campaign is more than just a marketing strategy it's a celebration of Ghanaian culture, individual identity, and the power of fashion to bring people together. So whether you're a Friday born ready to party or a Monday child looking to add some spark to your wardrobe, GTP NUSTYLE and Edem Farrie have got you covered!
And who knows? You might just find yourself reaching for that bold red lipstick, ready to channel your inner Edem Farrie and become the life of the party no matter what day you were born on.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Edm Farrie (@edemfarrie)
Source: Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Sitting along a row of historic residences on North Front Street in Harrisburg is an older home that has seen better days.
The house at 315 N. Front St. has been vacant for two-and-a-half years. Before that, it was home to a law office for about four decades.
Vernon Jay, CEO of Equity Platforms plans to turn the three-story building as well as the carriage house behind it into eight apartments.
Two of the eight units on the 8,900-square-foot property will be designated for affordable apartments. Jay said his company will work with Section 8 and VASH (HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) voucher holders to fill two units. The building will also include six market-rate units.
The courtyard will be used for parking and there are two spaces in the carriage house. Jay also has a contract for extra space with a local parking garage to ensure there is enough parking for the tenants. He expects the property to be ready for occupancy within a year.
Jay said that the reason he was attracted to the property was not only its location along the river in downtown Harrisburg but also that its believed to be part of the Underground Railroad.
As a Black man in America and as an investor it feels good to be able to convert this office building that is kind of older and it needs to be rejuvenated, he said.
The Underground Railroad was established to assist slaves in their escape to freedom through secret routes and safe houses in slaveholding states and extending all the way to the Canadian border.
David Morrison, the executive director of the Historic Harrisburg Association said he believes that the Underground Railroad was in the area although theres some discrepancy to whether it was in the house at 315 Front St. or a similarly designed house across the alley in the back of the property on South Street. Morrison said the prior owner of the Front Street property believed it to be part of the Underground Railroad.
The house on Front Street was built in 1850.
Jay points out that the year the house was built was the same year the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 went into effect, which required that the U.S. government actively intervene to help slave owners regain control over their slaves. The severity of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, inspired an increased number of abolitionists and the development of a more efficient Underground Railroad, according to Virginia Commonwealth University.
Vernon Jay speaks in the courtyard of the property at 315 N. Front St. in Harrisburg, Pa., which he recently purchased. He spoke at an event highlighting Vice President Kamala Harris' housing plan.Daniel Urie | durie@pennlive.com, Aug. 29, 2024
Jay said with the help of local, state and national funding he can obtain money for about 45% of the cost of renovations. Jay said that some of the funding for the property will come from a Biden-Harris tax credit incentive for converting office buildings for residential use.
Jay said that the valuations of office buildings especially those that are vacant are way down.
Buildings like this the highest and best use I believe is housing and that conversion I think is going to save Americas downtowns, he said.
Jay said this is the ninth property in the Harrisburg area for Equity Platforms, which has offices in Harrisburg, Brooklyn and California.
The sale of the property was completed on Aug. 6.
Morrison said the property was preserved by Gertrude Nauman in the 1930s.
Its a wonderful old Front Street mansion thats for sure, he said. It was beautifully restored by a very prominent preservationist.
Below is a list of some of the affordable housing projects in Harrisburg:
A 45-year-old Harrisburg man is wanted by police after investigators said he shot another man in the leg in a gas station parking lot during a fistfight last weekend.
Officers with the Harrisburg Bureau of Police responded to the Sunoco at the corner of North 6th and Division streets around 4:30 p.m. Aug. 31 after a man with a gunshot wound was reported.
When police arrived in the area they found a man with a gunshot wound to his left leg, according to an affidavit. Surveillance footage showed the shooting victim and another man, who would later be identified as Kariem T. Eley, argue with each other outside the convenience store before skirmishing near a white GMC Yukon parked at the gas station.
Kariem T. Eley, 45, of Harrisburg, is wanted after police said he shot another man in the leg after a gas station brawl in the city at the end of August. Credit: Harrisburg Bureau of PoliceHarrisburg Bureau of Police
PennLive spoke with the initial 911 caller on the day of the shooting, a woman who lives across the street from the Sunoco, and received a video she took of the two men squaring up with each other near the Yukon.
The two men brawled in the parking lot before Eley got into the Yukon and left the area, according to police. A few minutes later, Eley returned to the gas station and reengaged the fistfight before pulling a handgun out of his waistband and attempting to strike the other man with it, the affidavit said.
Moments later Eley shot the other man in the leg and left the area, the affidavit said. The woman who called 911 said she heard three gunshots, but police did not say how many shots were fired.
A chest-level window in the front of the Sunoco was visibly damaged while police were on-scene, but it is unclear if the damage was caused by the gunfire.
Police were initially unsure who the shooter was, but through a confidential informant known to be credible, facial recognition software and distinguishable tattoos/markings, investigators were able to confirm Eley as the suspect, the criminal complaint form said.
The man who was shot in the leg was taken to the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, according to police.
After reviewing Eleys criminal record, police determined he is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a robbery conviction in 2000.
Eley, who is at large as of Friday afternoon, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of prohibited possession of a firearm and one count of firearms not to be carried without a license.
Anyone with information regarding Eleys whereabouts is asked to call the Harrisburg Bureau of Police at 717-558-6900.
Due to the recent series of sexual assault accusations against award-winning author Neil Gaiman, Disney has pushed pause on the development on a forthcoming film adaptation of his 2008 book title The Graveyard Book.
According to IndieWire, the film, directed by Marc Forster, hasnt been stopped completely but multiple factors, including the allegations, contributed to putting it on hold.
The project was in deep development up until this point, but no cast has yet to be attached.
The accusations against Gaiman, to which he denied, stem from a string of accusers who came forward against the author. Among the accusers was Scarlett, who accused the author of sexually assaulting her in New Zealand in February 2022, while she was working as his childs nanny.
Another accuser, identified as K, accused Gaiman of forcing her to have rough sex with him, which was not always consensual, and she neither wanted nor enjoyed. K said this happened after meeting Gaiman at a Florida book signing in 2003. K was 18 at the time, according to the U.K.-based Tortoise Media.
In August, three more women came forward to accuse Gaiman of sexual assault and abuse, per Tortoise Media. Of the two womens claims, one said they signed a non-disclosure agreement after her experience with Gaiman. A third woman, who goes by the name Claire, spoke out about her experience with Gaiman, accusing him of sexual misconduct.
So far, Gaiman has denied all accusations against him and said he was disturbed by the allegations.
Gaimans previous work has been adapted in Hollywood for film and TV, including The Sandman, American Gods, Coraline, and Good Omens.
One of the additions to what is already an area of Pennsylvania with a convenient grouping of wineries to visit is in Chester County.
You can click on this link for a map showing you how many are operating within a 45-minute to an hours drive.
Casa Carmen Farm & Winery, at 49 Camino Way in West Grove, had a soft opening in March and a cocktail party grand opening in late April.
According to its website, its operating on a property that was once home to William Penn and his daughter, Letitia.
The place has a great vibe as you walk up the stone pathway to the tasting room, which looks like it can seat around 25 to 30 inside in addition to a larger outdoor space that features tables spread across a patio and courtyard.
The winery is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday. Its close to Route 1, about a 20-minute drive north of the Maryland line, and pretty much equidistant from Philly and Baltimore.
Lunch is served: A bottle of Casa Carmen rose and a board of Manchego cheese and Spanish ham.Paul Vigna
Brothers Enrique and Felipe Pallares, who grew up in Ecuador, and their families opened the original Casa Carmen in Chestertown on Marylands Eastern Shore in 2017. When their intention to plant vines and build a tasting room on a farm they had bought outside Chestertown was thwarted by zoning issues, they switched to Plan B and found a suitable spot over the Mason-Dixon Line.
From the tasting area, you can look up the hill and see some of the vines they planted, which include Chardonel a white hybrid growing in popularity and Vidal Blanc. They continue to buy from other local vineyards for their reds and roses but grapes for their whites, sparkling and vermouth are grown on the farm.
They also planted a full field of botanicals that are being used to produce their vermouths and vegetables for their tasting room.
Both Casa Carmen sites will continue to produce their wine at The Wine Collective in Baltimore, where Enrique is a managing partner with longtime winemaker Jon Levenberg.
More on the operation can be found in this PennLive story that was published in March.
As part of the Grape Escape 24 series of stories, here are Enriques responses to several questions he received from PennLive.
One of the vineyards at Casa Carmen Winery in West Grove, Pennsylvania.Paul Vigna
Q, The vibe there ... its pretty much come and relax and drink and eat, yes?
A, Yes, our whole way of understanding eating and drinking is about real authenticity. It is about the love of food, wine, nature, and most importantly, about the love for one another. It really is about a whole way of life and understanding the world. This is why we say that Casa Carmen, more than a winery, is a voyage to the south of some place: We are not about recreating any topical cultural experience in the way that an authentic Spanish or Indian or whatever place would like to do, but about sharing the ethos of that way of life, which is one of unpretentious enjoyment of the true, the good, and the beautiful. Wine, vermouth, and food just happen to be our language.
Q, Feels similar to Chestertown, just a lot more room to spread out?
A, Yes and no. The ethos is the same. The space and focus on the agricultural experience is different, and the menu is similar but not the same. An important difference is that in Pennsylvania we can sell other alcohol made in the state, so we offer a couple of local beers and a seasonal craft cocktail menu. We make our own amaros (amari) for our cocktails and focus on cocktails that make vermouth and amaro shine. This is really part of our obsession not just with grapes but with all plants and botanicals. We grow and forage many of the botanicals we use here at the farm and want to share with people the amazing possibilities of the land.
Inside the tasting room at Casa Carmen Winery, open Wednesday through Saturday.Paul Vigna
Q, Have you made any changes since you opened?
A, Not really, perhaps small adjustments but weve only just opened up and had our first full season. The results have been amazing. We love this community and feel the love back. We are always assessing and reassessing as to how to improve things, but we try to not make any decisions based on haste and fads, so we just love seeing it come to life.
A few tables line the front oft he tasting room at Casa Carmen Farm & Winery in West Grove, Pennsylvania.Paul Vigna
Q, And now that youve been open for a bit, is there anything youd switch up?
A, Not really. We regularly rotate our menus according to the seasons and we are always thinking and planning special events. For example, we just had our summer wine club dinner not long ago in which we made a big Argentine-style asado, all food in the open fire, and it really felt like a Sunday family dinner back home [except there was no fighting!]. It really is hopping most of the time and we are so thankful to our wonderful community, our staff, and everyone for that. Gratitude is our beginning and our end.
The Central Pennsylvania Vietnam Round Table will meet on Thursday, Sept. 12, at Vietnam Veterans of America, Michael Novosel MOH Chapter 542, 8000 Derry St., Harrisburg.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., according to a press release.
Following a brief business meeting, author Judy Gray, from Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, will discuss her book: Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind.
At the urging of a Vietnam Prisoner of War (POW), she and her friend and fellow veteran, Taylor Kiland, sought to tell the little-known story of a group of military wives who bucked tradition. Gray graduated from Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York, and holds a masters degree in public health from the George Washington University, where she teaches public health campaigns and messaging to graduate students.
Her lengthy service in the Coast Guard Reserves gave her a front-row seat to history, which she captured visually and in narrative writing. She also worked as a reporter for the Tampa Tribune and has published six books for young readers.
Unwavering is the true story of the women who waged an epic home front battle in their quest to learn what happened to Americas POWs and MIAs during the Vietnam War. In the 1960s most women were denied credit cards, car loans and mortgages without a spouse or father to co-sign. Military wives had greater restrictions. When a late-night knock on the door by a commanding officer brought dreaded news that a husband was missing in action, the women were warned to keep quiet. Initially they were obedient, but as days turned into years of endless waiting for few updates, the ladies wondered if they were wives or widows. Never had families taken on diplomatic roles during wartime nor had the fate of our POW/MIAs been a nationwide concern. Yet among the tumult of anti-war protests and civil rights marches, this cadre of military wives galvanized our nation around the plight of their husbands, some 1,500 men held captive or missing in Southeast Asia. Ever wonder who created the POW/MIA flag and bracelets? Gray will recounts the story of how these accidental activists found their collective voices, influencing a president and a nation to change policy, so that no man is left behind.
This lively presentation will highlight how a handful of unlikely trailblazers made the POW/MIA issue the centerpiece of the Paris peace negotiations.
She has been married to her husband, Rich, for 32 years and has eight grandnieces and nephews.
The meetings are open to the public and, as a volunteer organization, they pass a Vietnam hat.
All persons interested in the history of the Vietnam War are invited to attend. For additional information, contact Richard Burton at 717-545-2336 or by email at centralpavietnamrt@verizon.net.
An anchor and reported is leaving their position on the Fox 43 news team.
In a post on Facebook, Cyera Williams shared that she would be leaving the York-based Fox affiliate station.
Hi friends I have some news, the post read. This will be my last week at FOX43 News. Im going to miss everyone so much, from mornings, to dayside, to the weekend team. Their support, camaraderie, and unwavering commitment have made my time here truly special.
In the post, Williams went on to thank stations audience.
Thank you for tuning in every day, liking, sharing, and commenting on these posts, the post said. Thank you for allowing me into your homes, your community, your lives.
Williams joined Fox 43 in September of 2022. Prior to that, she worked at a news station in Utica, New York.
Williams is a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University, and earned a masters degree in Broadcast Digital Journalism from the school of Newhouse at Syracuse University.
And while the post said that her final day with the station was Sept. 6, Williams also wrote that my next stop isnt too far.
I have cherished the opportunity to tell stories for the communities across South Central PA, and I am truly grateful for the connections Ive made, the post said. Stay tuned!
To read the full post on Facebook, click here.
Red Lobster netted a win this week when bankruptcy court approved its plans to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The seafood chain, which operates nationwide with units in central Pa., filed for bankruptcy in May. It has closed dozens of locations, citing increased competition, high leases, pullback in consumer spending and a an endless shrimp fiasco.
On Thursday, a U.S. bankruptcy judge approved the chains reorganization plan, which, according to the Associated Press, includes a lender group led by asset manager Fortress Credit Corp. acquiring the business.
The chain said in a press release its restructuring plan calls for newly formed RL Investor Holdings to acquire Red Lobster by the end of September. In addition, its CEO Jonathan Tibus is stepping down and will be replaced by Damola Adamolekun, former P.F. Changs chief officer.
This is a great day for Red Lobster, Adamolekun said in the statement. 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.
CNBC reports RL Investor Holdings portfolio includes TCW Private Credit, Blue Torch and funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group. Red Lobster said it will operate as an independent company.
Red Lobster said it will operate 544 locations across 44 U.S. states and four Canadian Provinces when it emerges out of bankruptcy.
The chain recently announced 23 Red Lobster locations would be closing.
The alternative rock band, Linkin Park, has announced the addition of two new members, its first new music in seven years and a short world tour.
The new era has officially begun, the band said in a news release.
Band members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, Joe Hahn, alongside new members Emily Armstrong (Dead Sara) as co-vocalist and Colin Brittain (songwriter/producer for G Flip, Illenium, One OK Rock) as drummer are sharing their first brand new music in seven years, according to Live Nation.
The album, From Zero, will be released on Nov. 15. The first new single is The Emptiness Machine.
The music and tour are the first since the death of frontman Chester Bennington in 2017.
The closest concert to Pa. will be on Monday, Sept. 16, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Fans can buy tickets here:
Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey were currently undertaking.
Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what Linkin Park has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead, Shinoda said in a news release.
The other tour dates are:
Sept. 11 - Kia Forum, Los Angeles, California
Sept. 22 - Barclays Arena, Hamburg, Germany
Sept. 24 - The O2, London, United Kingdom
Sept. 28 - Inspire Arena, Seoul, South Korea
Nov. 11 - Coliseo Medplus, Bogota, Columbia
Pittsburgh Controller Rachael Heisler, a Cumberland Valley High School graduate, is one of 15 people selected to join a national network of rising Democratic leaders that includes Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and House Speaker Joanna McClinton.
Heisler, who graduated CV in 2003 and was elected controller last year, was chosen to join the NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders) partly because of her dedication to fiscal responsibility in local government, the group said in a joint statement with Heisler.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced that three bridges are scheduled to be inspected next week along Interstate 81 in East Hanover Township, Dauphin County.
Weather permitting, the I-81 bridge spanning Manada Gap Road will be inspected from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9. There will be lane restrictions with flagging on Manada Gap Road between Windy Lane and Dry Run Road during work hours, a press release said.
Motorists should be alert and drive with caution through the work zone.PennDOT
The I-81 bridge spanning Shells Church Road is scheduled to be inspected from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10. There will be lane restrictions with flagging on Shells Church Road between Spring Road and Station Road during work hours.
The Fire House Road bridge spanning I-81 will be inspected from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, and Thursday, Sept. 12. There will be alternating left and right lane closures on northbound I-81 on Wednesday, and on southbound I-81 on Thursday.
Motorists should be alert and drive with caution through the work zone.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following local alerts on X.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties at PennDOT District 8.
Information about infrastructure in District 8, including completed work and significant projects, is available at District 8 Results. Find PennDOTs planned and active construction projects at PennDOT Projects.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced that there will be nighttime lane restrictions next week on southbound Interstate 81 so a contractor can perform work on a digital message board spanning the highway between Progress Avenue and Route 22/322 in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County.
Weather permitting, this work will be performed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on the nights of Tuesday, Sept. 10, through Friday, Sept. 13. The two left lanes of southbound I-81 will be closed during work hours. A 10-foot width restriction will be in place on the open southbound lane.
Motorists should be alert and drive with caution through the work zone.
This work is part of a project to maintain or repair Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) equipment in multiple counties in the PennDOT District 8 south central Pennsylvania region as well as elsewhere in the state.
Kuharchik Construction, Inc., of Exeter, Pennsylvania, is the contractor on this $5,583,518 project. All work on this contract is expected to be completed by July 2, 2027.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following local alerts on X.
Follow PennDOT on X, and like the department on Facebook, and Instagram.
MONTGOMERY The areas largest annual motorcycle parade held on the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, will take place Wednesday in Lycoming County.
A concern T-shirts containing a special design for the 23rd 9-11 Memorial Coalition Ride would be unavailable has been resolved.
The non-profit coalition survives on the sale of T-shirts and merchandise the day of the ride along with a few donations from businesses and organizations, its president Tank Baird explained Thursday.
This year the decision was made to use a local vendor for the T-shirts to support a local business, he said. The individual, who he did not name because he is the subject of a state police investigation, came to a coalition meeting, he said.
It was a real con job, Baird said. The guy was stringing us along. He did not produce the shirts or refund the money that was paid up front, he said.
Because of the criminal investigation, he did not want to disclose the amount.
The coalition is very frugal and keeps very little in its war chest, he said. Most of what is left after paying bills is donated to law enforcement agencies and volunteer fire companies, he said.
Faced with the possibility of having to use all its reserves due to the lack of T-shirt sales and have nothing for 2025, the coalition for the first time made a public solicitation for money. People were eager to donate, he said.
The good news did not stop there. The out-of-state vendor that had provided shirts in the past filled a late order, Baird said. More than 500 shirts will be available Wednesday, he said.
The memorial ride begins at the Clinton Twp. Volunteer Fire Co. building along Route 54 outside Montgomery with registration for which there is no fee, beginning at 10 a.m. Food and other vendors will be on the grounds.
Kick stands will go up at 6 p.m. and the motorcyclists will embark on a 42-mile rolling memorial through 14 municipalities in Lycoming County. Thousands are expected to line the route many displaying American flags.
Baird projects more than 2,000 motorcyclists will participate if the weather is good.
When Sept. 11 occurs on a weekend that number increases to the 4,000 to 5,000 range, he said. Riders come from all over, even out of state, he said.
The purpose of the event, according to the coalition, is to honor those who lost their lives, but also to remind our country that we can never take our liberty and freedom for granted. The roar of thousands of motorcycles is a symbol of strength.
The first ride occurred four days after a hijacked plane crashed into the World Trade Center in New York and a second was forced down by passengers in western Pennsylvania.
The initial ride consisted of a local group of dedicated motorcyclists who chose to show their solidarity with the first responders who were involved in the rescue and cleanup efforts.
As the event grew, the coalition was formed in 2008. The only year the ride was not held was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dauphin County Director of Criminal Justice John Bey says its likely been more than 20 years since people inside Dauphin County prison were able to regularly experience fresh air and sunshine.
But last week, the estimated 360 men and women inside Dauphin County prison were able to step outside into the prison yard for 45 minutes. Thank God.
Frankly, people inside the prison might not have experienced that small bit of humanity were it not for Dauphin Countys newest commissioner and the pressure of people who have loved ones inside the prison walls.
Americas gun fetish sickness has struck again, this time in Georgia, a state which is among the most lax in firearm regulations as a school slaughter destroys more families and another community in which things will never be the same again.
A 14-year old child is the perpetrator. Who would provide training in how to use a lethal weapon to a youth who is years away from being able to legally purchase cigarettes or alcohol, from being able to gamble, or to sign a contract?
I would ask Gov. Brian Kemp and other elected officials, including those in the Pennsylvania General Assembly who are pro-gun, do contributions from the National Rifle Association take precedence over elected officials doing the right thing, providing for laws that enable children to go to school with a reasonable assurance that they will be alive at the end of the day?
I suppose the answer from the gun enthusiasts in addition to offering their thoughts and prayers is to even more greatly fortify our schools with armed resource officers and to install metal detectors before one can enter a school building.
God weeps.
Oren Spiegler, Peters Township, Pa.
By Bret Pallotto, Centre Daily Times
Tens of thousands of former Penn State students could be in line to receive a portion of a historic class-action settlement that was submitted Tuesday for a federal judges approval.
About 72,000 former Penn State students would receive a share of $17 million if the proposal is greenlighted by U.S. District Judge Robert J. Colville. The settlement would be the largest of its kind, both in value and the amount of students covered by the agreement. Those eligible could expect to receive about $155 before taxes and other costs.
We are very pleased with the settlement we have reached with Penn State, on behalf of the students who, in Spring 2020, lost out on their full semester experience of campus activities and in-person instruction, attorney Gary Lynch wrote in a statement Wednesday. We recognize that the Covid pandemic was beyond Penn States control, but our position in this case and others like it has been that the students, who are mostly very young adults, should not bear the entire financial loss associated with the pandemic. This settlement helps the students recover some of their financial losses.
The COVID-era lawsuit brought by students and parents sought refunds of tuition and fees they paid during the spring 2020 semester after the university closed its campuses and transitioned to online classes because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Attorneys alleged Penn State charged students for an in-person education and on-campus services, but failed to deliver when it closed its campuses. The university did not admit any wrongdoing in the proposed settlement.
In an August 2020 court filing, Lynch wrote that students paid for a first-rate education and on-campus experience but were instead provided a materially deficient and insufficient alternative that amounted to a breach of a contract.
Instead, Penn State said it acted properly and swiftly to protect the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff in the face of the novel disease.
The University did its best to respond to unexpected and extraordinary emerging circumstances and denies the allegations contained in plaintiffs complaint and any allegations of wrongdoing, the university wrote in a statement Wednesday. However, both Penn States and its students interests are best served by the prompt resolution of this matter. Therefore, the University has entered into the Settlement Agreement to avoid further expense, burden and risks associated with continuing litigation.
In the statement, the university also said it gave room and board rebates, facilitated the distribution of more than $131 million in funding from the coronavirus relief bill and established an emergency fund to provide additional aid to students in need.
Penn State also touted its investments in technology and digital resources that it said were needed to make critical online tools available.
Faculty immediately pivoted to remote instruction and staff transitioned to offering students the full suite of resources necessary to successfully complete their academic year, including access to research materials, career services support, health services and enhanced mental health counseling, and student advisory services, the university said.
In addition, when needed, staff facilitated student access to social service providers. This seamless transition ensured that students could safely continue learning in the face of the COVID crisis, where in-person classes were not permitted under Pennsylvanias stay-at-home orders and closure mandates at the time.
The proposed agreement covers a sweeping amount of Nittany Lion alumni, including those who attended University Park or any commonwealth campus.
Eligible recipients include all Penn State students enrolled during the spring 2020 semester who paid tuition and/or fees and were registered for at least one in-person class at the beginning of the semester. No action would be needed to receive a slice of the deal.
Payments would be sent automatically to eligible members last known permanent postal address on file with Penn State. Members would also have the option to update their address online or elect to receive the payment via Venmo or PayPal.
Attorneys stand to receive no more than one-third of the settlement, meaning former students could expect about $155 before taxes and other costs. Eligible members can also object or opt out of the settlement, if approved.
Should the judge grant preliminary approval of the settlement its not known when that may happen Penn State would be required to pay $17 million into an escrow account within 20 business days.
If the proposal gains final approval, payments would be sent within 60 days. Those who may receive a check would have 180 days to cash it, otherwise the uncashed checks would be redistributed or designated to a scholarship fund for Penn State students.
No hearings are scheduled as of Wednesday afternoon.
There were about 300 such lawsuits as of August 2023, according to Times Higher Education, which USA Today described as a British publication that partners with The Wall Street Journal on rankings and evaluations of U.S. schools.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!
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Gergo Nagy Turns Four Big Blinds into 268,600 at EPT Barcelona
Ryan Lashmar Live Reporter Copy link
After four hours of explosive action, the 10,200 Pot-Limit Omaha wrapped up 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.
10,200 Pot-Limit Omaha 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. In contrast, 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. After that, Van Hoof was left with crumbs 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 again. 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 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.
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Men The Master Nguyen Robbed After WSOP | PokerNews Podcast #855
Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager Copy link
In the 855th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by PokerStars, Chad Holloway, Kyna England and Mike Holtz are back at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas to talk about Men "The Master" Nguyen's home back in Vietnam being robbed post-WSOP. Find out what was taken and who did it in this episode! Plus, did you know The Master is looking to sell his seven WSOP gold bracelets?
The crew then talk sabout Francis Anderson's dating experience after being posted in the "Are We Dating the Same Guy?" group on Facebook, Lily Newhouse completed an epic comeback on The Big Game, and Kenny Hallaert shared some big changes instituted by PokerStars at the European Poker Tour (EPT) included a reduced shot clock, no more redraws, and a ban on solver technology in the tournament room.
Finally, see the trailer for the new poker movie Dead Money starring Emile Hirsch, and find out how good (or bad) the crew thinks it might be. Those stories and more in the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast.
A new PokerNews Podcast will drop weekly every Friday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!
Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway on X.
Time Stamps
Time Topic 00:11 Welcome Kyna England & Mike Holtz 00:18 Men The Master Nguyen robbed! 03:15 Men Nguyen looking to sell his seven gold bracelets 04:40 Are we dating the same guy? Francis Andersons dating fiasco 08:48 Lily Newhouse completes comeback to be the biggest winner in The Big Game 10:20 Final trailer for The Big Game 11:06 Lily vs. Furniture Dave in six-figure pot 17:02 Sponsor: PokerStars 17:10 PokerStars lowering shot clock and no more redraws 18:23 Pitching vs. sliding cards 20:15 Kenny Hallaert reveals no more solver tech in the tournament room 21:00 Earbuds vs. Air Pods 22:04 No more straddles in Wynn $5-$10+ NLH cash games 23:00 New poker movie Dead Money coming out Sept. 13 25:44 Dead Money trailer
Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here!
Check Out Past Episodes of the PN Podcast Here!
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As the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona moves toward its conclusion, the 5,300 Main Event edged closer to crowning a champion after an enthralling day. Action on the felt at Casino Barcelona left just sixteen players in contention for one of the most prestigious titles in the poker realm.
Rania Nasreddine finds herself on top of the leaderboard with a stack of 7,200,000 good for ninety big blinds when play resumes on Day 6. Nasreddine finished third in the Main Event at EPT (European Poker Tour) Monte Carlo just a few months ago and has the incredible achievement of back-to-back Main Event final tables in her sights.
Nasreddine started the day strong by eliminating Piero Alioto when her pocket jacks were too good for the Italian player's pocket nines. A spectacular ace-high call set the tone for the day which was sweetened even further when she eliminated the UK's Jack Sinclair. Greece's Panagiotis Mavritsakis also felt the full force of Nasreddine as his two pair fell short to a bigger two pair of the American player, which left him out in 24th place.
End of Day 5 Top Ten Chip Counts
Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Rania Nasreddine United States 7,200,000 90 2 Stephen Song United States 6,725,000 84 3 Boris Kuzmanovic Croatia 6,565,000 82 4 Fabiano Kovalski Brazil 5,550,000 69 5 Jianwei Lin China 5,500,000 69 6 Harry Lodge United Kingdom 4,165,000 52 7 David Coleman United States 3,570,000 45 8 Sriharsha Doddapaneni India 3,210,000 40 9 Jelle Moene Netherlands 3,165,000 40 10 Yurii Zabrodotskyi Ukraine 3,100,000 39
Stephen Song converted his Day 4 chip lead into the second-biggest stack of 6,725,000 by the time Day 5 closed its curtains. Despite losing some chips early on, poker's ultimate cooler went Song's way as his pocket aces crushed the pocket kings of Timothy Chung, which sent the Canadian to the rail in the early goings. The rest of Song's day was quite straightforward as he held the chip lead for almost the day's entirety, and only relinquished it to Nasreddine in the final levels.
Fabiano Kovalski occupies fourth spot on the leaderboard with 5,550,000, which coincidentally is where he finished in the Main Event back at the 2022 edition of EPT Barcelona. The Brazilian player started his rise up the counts when his rivered full house bettered the straight of Spain's Pablo Beltran, then he turned Broadway, which put an end to Vladimir Erceg's run. Kovalski didn't stop there, as he went on an elimination frenzy and sent Beltran, Firoz Mangroe, and Jack Kiriakus to the sidelines.
Fabiano Kovalski
When play began, all eyes were on the reigning champion as Simon Wiciak looked to become the only human being in existence to successfully defend an EPT Main Event title. That feat was soon shot down in brutal fashion when Wiciak got his ace-king into the middle and was put at risk by the pocket queens of Andrew Hulme. An ace on the flop gave Wiciak the lead and a clean turn left him one card away from a double-up, but a queen on the river improved Hulme to a set and ended Wiciak's run.
David Coleman again finds himself within reach of a major title, sitting seventh on the leaderboard with a stack of 3,570,000. The American player got off to a flying start as his ace-king won a flip against the pocket jacks of Marc Foggin, which made the British player the first casualty of the day.
David Coleman
Aliaksandr Shylko (33rd), Nick Palma (28th), Lauri Varonen (25th), Luka Sorainen (20th), and Javey Timmer (18th) all fell short of the penultimate day. Gal Bar (17th) was the last player to be eliminated when his ace-jack couldn't win a flip against the pocket tens of Alexandre Fournier just as Level 28 got underway.
Remaining Payouts
Place Payout Place Payout 1 1,512,000 8 181,600 2 944,000 9 139,750 3 674,150 10-11 107,450 4 518,600 12-13 89,550 5 398,950 14-15 74,600 6 306,900 16 62,150 7 236,100
Day 6 will begin at 12 p.m. on Saturday, September 7, with 84:58 left in Level 28 40,000/80,000, with an 80,000 big blind ante. Each of the players have already locked up a payday of at least 62,150, but all eyes are firmly locked on that top prize of 1,512,000. The plan for Day 6 is to play until just six players remain, with the finalists then returning on Sunday, September 8, to play down to a winner.
As always, keep it right here with PokerNews as we bring you expert coverage of the remainder of the EPT Main Event here at Casino Barcelona.
It was bad enough that the DOJ alleged that a company based in Tennessee (likely to be Tenet media) was being bankrolled with Russian money that was paid to six Right-wing influencers who made sometimes $400,000 a month pushing pro-Trump/Republican and anti-Ukraine propaganda to their large audiences.
But now, Wired points out that Russians have an active list of 2,800 influencers, 600 of whom are in the U.S.
Here are the details via Wireds David Gilbert:
The Tim Pool/Tenet Media story is obviously fascinating. But An FBI affidavit unsealed this week says the Russians are maintaining an active list of 2,800 influencers, 600 of whom are in the US The FBI has not released the list Who else is on it?https://t.co/q7AgexVq7e pic.twitter.com/HMvIAR1azr David Gilbert (@daithaigilbert) September 6, 2024
Who else is on it? Well, for one, the list includes many US lawmakers, noting that SDA monitored Republican lawmakers posts for ideas to cover; i.e., socially divisive topics to exploit and amplify via their influencers:
The affidavit references one document maintained by the Social Design Agency, which is not included in the unsealed court documents, that contains a list of more than 2,800 people identified as influencers. While this list is global, US-based influencers account for around 20 percent of the accounts being monitored, including many US lawmakers, according to an analysis of the list by the FBI
Russias list also includes 1,900 anti-influencers.
The Social Design Agency also maintains another list, again not included in the court documents, that tracks over 1,900 anti-influencers from 52 different countries, with US-based accounts. The FBI agent who authored the document assessed that anti-influencer refers to accounts which post content that SDA views as contrary to Russian objectives.
The operation amplified their propaganda with memes, bots posting 40-60 comments under the social media posts to boost them and make it appear as if they are ideas shared by a lot of people.
The propaganda mill is aimed specifically at swing states, minorities, gamers, Redditors, and 4Chan, as laid out in the DOJs charging documents, which point out, U.S.Company-I never disclosed to its viewers that it was funded and directed by RT. Nor did U.S.Company-I or its two founders and principal executives (Founder-I and Founder-2) register with the Attorney General as an agent of a foreign principal, as required by law.
Several of the Right-wingers are claiming they were duped, and the US said that at least two of them were in the charging documents. After this news dropped, conservatives copied Russian President Vladimir Putins public CYA as he claimed without evidence that he actually supports Vice President Kamala Harris , and not the guy the US Government says hes trying to get elected.
While no one with a working brain would take Putin at his word especially since in this case it directly contrasts his actions and his own benefit, its worth pointing out that just yesterday, ex-president Donald Trump made sure to broadcast that hed get rid of Russian and Iranian sanctions. This is how Trump has talked to Putin in the past, the most infamous example being his 2016 Russia, if youre listening request to hack Hillary Clintons emails, which then happened. Trump has pushed policies over and over again that benefit Putin, including allegations that a Trump campaign aide directed changes to the GOP platform in 2016 to lessen US support for Ukraine.
Putins Kremlin has been paying via a laundering scheme through RT just one of these US based operations $10 million to push pro-Trump, pro-Republican culture war issues in order to weaken US institutions, democracy, and global liberal values that threaten Putins lies to his own people suggesting that autocracy is necessary because democracy doesnt work. You can see how Donald Trumps chaotic, anti-freedom governing style helps sell that message.
Not only are there 600-ish accounts that havent been unmasked yet, but there are plenty more from whence this one operation of many came.
This is why it matters that people pay attention to the funding source of any news-political related media they consume; Left, Right, or Center. The depth of corruption on the Right that left them wide open to being willing to stab their country in the back for cash with an audience too easy to dupe via unregulated influencers can happen to everyone else, too.
When you consume media that is funded by dark money, you dont know who is behind it. Every legitimate media will have an About Us page which will disclose how they are funded. A good media source will operate in good faith transparency and with accountability for mistakes and corrections. Its less about bias in reporting and more about undisclosed agendas, dark money funding, and greed. If someone has a financial incentive to lie to you, is unconstrained by ethics and has a penchant for pseudo-intellectualism, be careful. These are not good signs. The Trump effect of me-me-me and divisive mocking of vulnerable others that has taken over our entire media culture doesnt lead to anything good, no matter who is doing it.
Be aware what you consume and dont let your friends and family be taken for fools by people with no rules of conduct or moral code, and even less patriotism.
To comment on this story, join us on Reddit.
James Murdoch, one of the heirs to the Rupert Murdoch media empire, is among a new group of business leaders to endorse Kamala Harris.
CNBC reported:
Eighty-eight current and former top executives from across corporate America have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president in a new letter shared exclusively with CNBC.
Among the signers are several high-profile CEOs of public companies, including Aaron Levie of Box
, Jeremy Stoppelman of Yelp and Michael Lynton, chairman of Snap
.Other signers appear to be issuing their first public endorsements of Harris since she became the de facto Democratic nominee in July.
They include James Murdoch, former CEO of 21st Century Fox and an heir to the Murdoch family media empire, and crypto executive Chris Larsen, co-founder of the Ripple blockchain platform.
The business leaders wrote in their short endorsement, The best way to support the continued strength, security, and reliability of our democracy and economy is by electing Harris president.
Current and former business leaders are worried across the board about the potential destruction of the US and global economy caused by Trumps tariff plan. Trumps idea to impose tariffs on all imported goods would drive the US and the world into a recession, kill jobs, and raise consumer prices.
It would be an absolute economic disaster, and it is why the business community is largely rejecting Trump , because his promise of lower taxes is meaningless if markets are destroyed, and consumers cant afford to buy products.
James Murdoch is one of the members of the Murdoch family who is not a far-right extremist. There is symbolic significance in the fact that even one of Rupert Murdochs heirs knows that Trump is not just bad at business. The ex-president is also bad for business.
To comment on this story, join us on Reddit.
JOHNS ISLAND The U.S. Coast Guard began an oil spill-mitigation response this week on a roughly 120-foot abandoned vessel in Bohicket Creek.
The large, gray vessel has sat in the marsh for months, several hundred feet away from an active recreational boat landing.
The vessel, a decommissioned Navy research vessel used for torpedo retrieval, has been in the creek for nearly two years. It was renamed to HAZAR after it was purchased at auction in 2021 by its current owner.
Water intrusion on the boat and the confirmation of pollutants on board prompted the response, according to USCG Lt. Michael Allen. According to Allen, crews have identified pollutants, likely standard diesel and lube oils, on board the ship.
The Coast Guard confirmed there is no report of a sheen, the iridescent evidence of an oil spill. However, the flow of water through the hull of the ship prompted the mitigation response, which includes placing booms, or floating barriers that slow the spread of a spill.
A small crew, wearing white hard hats and brightly colored life vests, looked over the vessel on Sept. 4. A boat branded with the name Moran Environmental Recovery, a company that often partners with the Coast Guard for spill cleanups, navigated around the ship.
The large watercraft makes for an interesting sight in the quaint creek, stuck in the bank a stone's throw away from Rockville, a small town with just under 150 residents, according to census data.
"Two years we've been begging and screaming and crying. Nothing's happened," Rockville Mayor Riley Bradham said about the ship's presence in the creek. "It has changed dramatically. It's no longer floating. It's sunken."
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
COLUMBIA An attorney representing a man facing South Carolina's first execution since 2011 has chosen lethal injection as his method of death, according to a form provided to The Post and Courier.
Freddie Owens is scheduled to be executed Sept. 20. State law allows death row inmates to choose between lethal injection, firing squad and the electric chair, with the last being the default method for people who don't make a choice.
Owens relinquished this decision to his lawyer, Emily Paavola, who wrote in court documents that her client's Muslim faith prevented him from choosing the method of death. He views signing a form electing how he would die "akin to suicide," a sin in his religion, she wrote. Paavola noted that Owens did not want to be electrocuted.
The S.C. Supreme Court granted his request to give Paavola power of attorney over the decision, which was due Sept. 6.
"I have known Mr. Owens for 15 years. Under the circumstances, and in light of the information currently available to me, I made the best decision I felt I could make on his behalf. I sincerely hope that the South Carolina Department of Corrections' assurances will hold true," Paavola said in a statement.
Paavola and two witnesses signed a form Sept. 6, choosing lethal injection as the method of execution.
State corrections director Bryan Stirling submitted an affidavit attesting to the potency, purity and stability of S.C.'s pentobarbital the sedative used for lethal injections. State law requires the corrections director to submit an affidavit regarding the availability of the state's three execution methods.
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 15:45:21
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TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / The team at Grey Bull Rescue is devastated by the tragic news of the brutal execution of American Citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin and the five other innocent civilians held as hostages while in the custody of HAMAS in Gaza. Hersh and these other innocent victims - Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino - committed no crime, took part in no war, and did nothing other than attend a music festival when they were taken from their families. On October 7th, 2023, at the hands of HAMAS and their affiliates, these innocent sons and daughters were taken from their families and held in captivity for almost 11 months as pawns to further HAMAS' political goals. Since that brutal day, where nearly 1,200 people were massacred and more than 250 hostages from 71 countries, including Americans, were taken, families have been destroyed, and thousands have been killed. Hersh's parents worked loudly, aggressively, and diligently to bring their son home.Ultimately, Hersh, who was severely wounded while being taken hostage, was summarily executed as Israeli Defense Forces closed in on his location. His death is yet another in an 11-month conflict where civilians are dying by the thousands. Hersh's execution by HAMAS highlights the cruel reality of hostage situations, as well as the incredible complexity and danger of rescue missions. The team at Grey Bull Rescue knows all too well through our work all over the world working with American families of hostages, those unlawfully kidnapped, and those unlawfully detained how painful the ordeal can be. Our hearts cry for the friends, family, and parents of Hersh and all the others who been taken and killed.The harsh truth is that when civilian hostages are taken by terrorists, they become pawns in a brutal game of political leverage where the hostages suffer in captivity. Their families are similarly tortured emotionally and psychologically and in this most recent incident where Hersh was executed, HAMAS, knowing they were close to losing that leverage as the IDF closed in, ordered the execution of these victims. This highlights two things, first the challenges and risks in conducting hostage rescue operations and second, the heinous nature of terrorists who take civilian hostages and their unforgiving nature. While we advocate and support any method, tactic, or operation that brings hostages home safely, HAMAS has clearly shown no genuine interest in negotiating in good faith for peace. It is apparent their goals are violence and death in exchange for headlines without a desire for actual peace or a ceasefire. This lack of mutual cooperation forces leaders of all countries to make difficult decisions, where the only way to make progress may be through force. It's a tragic calculus that underlines why this conflict is so intractable and complex.With more than 600 rescue missions under our belt, including multiple hostage rescues in enemy territory, we at Grey Bull Rescue understand better than anyone how high the stakes are and what success and failure look like. The unfortunate reality is that when the value of keeping hostages alive diminishes, their fate becomes perilous, and chances of survival decrease dramatically. As Hersh and the other hostage families have learned. Time is running out.Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims during this unbearable time. We at Grey Bull Rescue will continue to honor their memory by doing everything in our power to rescue the remaining American hostages and those in danger, even as we acknowledge the heartbreaking difficulties inherent in these missions. Let Hersh's story remind us of the urgency and complexity of hostage rescues and the need for unwavering commitment to peace.###About Grey Bull Rescue: Founded and led by Bryan Stern, Grey Bull Rescue is a veteran-led, donor-supported international rescue organization and filed 501(c)(3) non-profit headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with global operations. Specializing in operations within "The Grey Space," in conflict zones where the U.S. Government does not have access or a presence, Grey Bull Rescue conducts evacuations and daring rescues of individuals impacted by conflict, war, and natural disasters worldwide. Notably, Bryan Stern, the Founder and formerly of Project DYNAMO, led the first air-rescue missions from Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover and has conducted daring rescue missions behind enemy lines, rescuing numerous Americans from captivity, torture, and unlawful detention in countries including Sudan, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Haiti and Lebanon. These operations included the rescues of numerous American hostages including the first victim of war crimes alive since World War II. Additionally, the team executed lifesaving missions in the United States during the Maui wildfires and Hurricane Ian. To date, Stern and his team have conducted 617 missions worldwide and saved the lives of more than 7,000 men, women, children, babies and counting.Media Contact:Ashley PontiusTel: 813.409.4091Email: apontius@ nspublicrelations.com pr@ greybullrescue.org SOURCE: Grey Bull Rescue
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 14:13:13
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a lawsuit has been filed against Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ABR) and certain of the Company's senior executives.If you invested in ABR, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/arbor-realty-trust-inc Investors have until September 30, 2024 to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in ABR securities. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and is captioned Lois Martin v. Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., et al., No. 24-cv-05347.What is the Lawsuit About?ABR is a nationwide real estate investment trust ("REIT") and direct lender, providing loan origination and servicing for commercial real estate assets. The complaint alleges that during the relevant period, ABR misrepresented the health of the Company's loan book. In truth, ABR used fake holding companies to help conceal that its loan book was distressed, and the underlying collateral was overstated.On March 14, 2023, NINGI Research published a report which claimed, among other things, that "Arbor has been hiding a toxic real estate portfolio of mobile homes with a complex web of real and fake holding companies for more than a decade." This news caused the price of ABR stock to decline by $0.87 per share, or almost 7%, to close at $12.12 per share on March 14, 2023.Then, on December 5, 2023, Viceroy Research published an in-depth study of ABR's Jacksonville, Florida properties. Viceroy found that the Company's entire loan book is distressed and the underlying collateral is vastly overstated. This news caused the price of ABR stock to decline by $0.19 per share, or over 1%, to close at $13.67 per share on December 5, 2023.Finally, on July 12, 2024, Bloomberg reported that ABR was "being probed by federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York." According to the news report, "[t]he investigators are inquiring about lending practices and the company's claims about the performance of their loan book." This news caused the price of ABR stock to decline by $2.64 per share, or almost 17%, to close at $12.89 per share on July 12, 2024.Click here if you suffered losses: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/arbor-realty-trust-inc What Can You Do?If you invested in ABR, you have rights and are encouraged to submit your information to speak with an attorney.All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The Firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses. Submit your information by visiting:Or contact:Ross Shikowitz ross@ bfalaw.com 212-789-3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors (pending court approval), as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 02:00:52
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NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have untilSeptember 30, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. ("ABR" or the "Company") (NYSE:ABR), if they purchased the Company's securities between May 7, 2021 and July 11, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of ABR and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-abr/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court bySeptember 30, 2024 .About the LawsuitArbor Realty and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On March 14, 2023, NINGI Research reported that "ABR has been hiding a toxic real estate portfolio of mobile homes with a complex web of real and fake holdings companies for more than a decade." On this news, the price of ABR shares fell from $12.99 per share on March 13, 2023, to $12.12 per share on March 14, 2023, and then $11.53 per share on March 15, 2023. Then, on July 12, 2024, Bloomberg reported that the Company was the subject of a probe by federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York that were "inquiring about lending practices and the company's claims about the performance of their loan book." On this news, the price of ABR shares fell from $15.53 per share on July 11, 2024, to $12.89 per share on July 12, 2024.The case is Martin v. Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., No. 24-cv-05347.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com CONTACT: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 22:35:06
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / Banyan Gold Corp . (the "Company" or "Banyan") (TSXV:BYN)(OTCQB:BYAGF) is pleased to announce the voting results of the Company's Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on September 6, 2024 (the "Meeting").A total of 151,302,063 common shares were voted, representing the votes attached to 46.02% of all outstanding common shares. Shareholders voted in favour of the election of all director nominees. The percentage of votes cast for each is as follows:NomineeTotal "for" votes castVotes "for" %Marc Blythe131,958,80899.87%Hayley Halsall-Whitney132,009,20599.91%Tara Christie132,000,10399.90%David Reid132,008,65099.91%Steve Burleton132,007,65599.91%Shareholders also approved: (i) the appointment of John J. Geib, Chartered Accountant, as the Company's auditors and authorized the directors to set the auditor's remuneration; and (ii) a resolution approving the Company's Stock Option Plan.The reappointment of John J. Geib, Chartered Accountant as auditor of the Company:Total number of for' votes cast: 151,289,757 or 99.99%In favour of approval of the Stock Option Plan:Total number of "for" votes cast: 131,416,251 or 99.46%Further information can be found in Banyan Gold's information circular available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com Upcoming Events Precious Metals Summit Beaver Creek - September 10 -13Corporate Presentation: September 11 3:45 PM MDT Denver Gold Forum Americas - September 15 -18Corporate Presentation: September 17 4:50 PM MDT Metals Investor Forum Vancouver - September 20 - 21Corporate Presentation: September 20 1:30 PM PDT GCFF Conference (Vancouver) - September 21Corporate Presentation: September 21 10:30 AM PDTAbout BanyanBanyan's primary asset, the AurMac Project is adjacent to Victoria Gold's Eagle Gold Mine and Hecla's high grade Keno silver mine, in Canada's Yukon Territory. The current inferred mineral resource estimate (" MRE ") for the AurMac Project of 7.0 million ounces has an effective date of February 6, 2024.The 173 square kilometres (" sq km ") AurMac Project lies 40 km from Mayo, Yukon. The AurMac Project is transected by the main Yukon highway and benefits from a 3-phase powerline, existing power station and cell phone coverage. Banyan has the right to earn up to a 100% interest, in both the Aurex and McQuesten Properties respectively, subject to certain royalties.The inferred MRE for the AurMac Project was prepared on February 6, 2024, and consisted of 7,003,000 ounces of gold (see Table 1) hosted within near surface, road accessible pit constrained Mineral Resources contained in two near/on-surface deposits: the Airstrip and Powerline Deposits.Table 3: Pit-Constrained Inferred Mineral Resources - AurMac Project (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)DepositGold Cut-Offg/tTonnageTonnesAverage Gold Gradeg/tGold Contentoz.InferredAirstrip0.3035,243,0000.75845,000Powerline0.30312,243,0000.616,158,000Combined Inferred0.30347,486,0000.637,003,000Notes to Table 1:The effective date for the MRE is February 6, 2024 and was prepared by Marc Jutras, P.Eng., M.A.Sc., Principal, Ginto Consulting Inc., an independent Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI43-101. The technical report supporting the Resource Estimate entitled "AurMac Property, Mayo Mining District, Yukon Territory, Canada" (the "Technical Report") has been filed on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca on March 18, 2024.Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing,changes in global gold markets or other relevant issues.The CIM Definition Standards were followed for classification of Mineral Resources. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred Mineral Resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred Mineral Resources as an Indicated Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource category.Mineral Resources are reported at a cut-off grade of 0.30 g/t gold for all deposits, using a US$/CAN$ exchange rate of 0.75 and constrained within an open pit shell optimized with the Lerchs-Grossman algorithm to constrain the Mineral Resources with the following estimated parameters: gold price of US$1,800/ounce, US$2.50/t mining cost, US$5.50/t processing cost, US$2.00/t G+A, 80% gold recoveries, and 45 pit slopes.The number of tonnes and ounces was rounded to the nearest thousand. Any discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding effects; rounding followed the recommendations as per NI 43-101.Detailed images of the Mineral Resource model, including an interactive 3D model and additional information can be found at: https://www.banyangold.com/projects/aurmac/ In addition to the AurMac Property, the Company holds the Hyland Gold Project, located 70 km Northeast of Watson Lake, Yukon, along the Southeast end of the Tintina Gold Belt (the " Hyland Project"). The Hyland Project represents a sediment hosted, structurally controlled, intrusion related gold deposit, within a large land package (over 125 sq km), accessible by a network of existing gravel access roads.Banyan trades on the TSX-Venture Exchange under the symbol " BYN " and is quoted on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol " BYAGF ". For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.banyangold.com or contact the Company.Qualified PersonsPaul D. Gray, P.Geo., is a "qualified person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release. Mr. Gray is a geological consultant to Banyan and has verified the data disclosed in this news release, including the sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information.ON BEHALF OF BANYAN GOLD CORPORATION(signed) "Tara Christie"Tara ChristiePresident & CEOFor more information, please contact:Tara Christie 778 928 0556 tchristie@ banyangold.com Jasmine Sangria 604 312 5610 jsangria@banyang
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 14:13:24
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / Leading securities law firmBleichmar Fonti & Auld LLPannounces an investigation into Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) for potential violations of the federal securities laws.If you invested in Franklin Resources, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/franklin-resources-inc Why Did Franklin Resources's Stock Drop?Franklin Resources is a $1.7 trillion asset management company better known as Franklin Templeton. One of its key divisions is Western Asset Management ("WAM"), which is a fixed income manager.On July 26, 2024, Franklin Resources revealed that "following the launch of an internal investigation focusing on certain past trade allocations of treasury derivatives in select" WAM accounts, "WAM received notification of parallel investigations by the SEC and U.S. Department of Justice." Then, on August 21, 2024, Franklin Resources disclosed that WAM co-Chief Investment Officer Ken Leech had been placed on leave "effective immediately" after he "received a Wells Notice from the Staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission." The company further stated that, "[i]n light of Mr. Leech's leave of absence, the Company has determined that closing its Macro Opportunities strategy (approximately $2.0 billion in AUM as of 7/31/2024) is in clients' best interests." On the same day, Bloomberg reported that federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are investigating whether Leech allocated winning trades to favored accounts, as part of a criminal probe into a practice known as " cherry-picking." The news caused a precipitous decline in the price of Franklin Resources stock. On July 26, 2024, the price of the company's stock fell 2.4%, from a closing price of $23.64 per share on July 25, 2024, to $23.08 per share on July 26, 2024. Then, on August 21, 2024, the price of Franklin Resources stock fell 12.5%, from a closing price of $22.62 per share on August 20, 2024, to $19.78 per share on August 21, 2024.Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/franklin-resources-inc What Can You Do?If you invested in Franklin Resources, Inc. you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm. All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.Submit your information by visiting:Or contact:Ross Shikowitz ross@ bfalaw.com 212-789-3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors (pending court approval), as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 12:00:31
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / Camino Minerals Corporation (TSXV:COR)(OTC PINK:CAMZF) (WKN:A116E1) ("Camino" or the "Company") and Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd. ("Nittetsu") announce a one-week extension to their exclusive rights to finalize negotiations and documentation for the acquisition of the Puquios Project (the "Proposed Acquisition"), a construction-ready copper mine located in Chile (see news release dated June 27, 2024). The exclusivity period has been extended to September 14, 2024.About Nittetsu Mining CO., Ltd.:Nittetsu is a Japanese corporation listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange with an 85-year history as a mining and trading company. Nittetsu is the operator of the Atacama Kozan mine located in the prolific Candelaria-Punta del Cobre copper district which is known to host iron-oxide-copper-gold type ore deposits. In addition, Nittetsu has made a decision to start construction of its 80% owned Arqueros copper mine in Chile. Nittetsu has expertise in processing, distributing, importing, and exporting copper and other mineral products. Other businesses include: purchasing and distributing coal and petroleum products; developing and distributing equipment, machinery and environment-related products; real estate; power generation using renewable energy; the supply and sale of electricity; and mining and distributing industrial minerals including limestone.About Camino Minerals Corporation:Camino is a discovery and development stage copper exploration company. Camino is focused on advancing its high-grade Los Chapitos copper project located in Peru through to resource delineation and to add new discoveries. Camino has also permitted the Maria Cecilia copper porphyry project for an exploration drilling program which is currently underway. In addition, Camino has increased its land position at its copper and silver Plata Dorada project. Camino seeks to acquire a portfolio of advanced copper assets that have the potential to deliver copper into an electrifying, copper intensive global economy. For more information, please refer to Camino's website at www.caminocorp.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD /S/ "Jay Chmelauskas"President and CEOFor further information, please contact: Camino Investor Relations info@ caminocorp.comTel: (604) 493-2058Completion of the Proposed Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and if applicable, disinterested shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Proposed Acquisition cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Acquisition will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Proposed Acquisition, any information released or received with respect to the Proposed Acquisition may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Camino should be considered highly speculative.The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Acquisition and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: Certain disclosures in this release constitute forward-looking information. In making the forward-looking disclosures in this release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information in the release includes statements with respect to the entering into of the definitive agreements in respect of the Proposed Acquisition and acquisition of the Puquios Project. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Such risk factors include, among others, risk that the Proposed Acquisition will not be completed as anticipated, or at all; risk that the Company will not be able to complete its due diligence and negotiate definitive documentation by September 14, 2024 in respect of the Proposed Acquisition; risk that the Company will not receive requisite regulatory and shareholder approvals or satisfy the customary conditions in respect of the Proposed Acquisition as anticipated, or at all; risk that the Company and Nittetsu will not be able to establish a 50:50 joint venture in respect of the Puquios Project and the sharing of copper off-take for the Puquios Project as anticipated, or at all; risk that the consideration payable by Nittetsu and Camino, respectively, in respect of the Proposed Acquisition will not be as anticipated; risk that the anticipated synergies between Nittetsu and Camino in respect of the Puquios Project will not be realized as contemplated, or at all; risk that actual results of the Company's exploration activities may be different than those expected by management; risk that the Company may be unable to obtain or will experience delays in obtaining any required authorizations and approvals; and risks related to the state of equity and commodity markets. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.SOURCE: Camino Minerals Corp
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 10:52:21
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Bird of Light Foundation Ignites Increasing Support During New York Fashion Week on Sept. 14, 2024NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / The Mriya Gallery will transform into a high-fashion haven for the highly anticipatedFashion 4 Ukrainerunway show on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. This extraordinary fashion show, produced by Olga Ivanidi and Peyton North, will showcase top Ukrainian and American designers, models, fashion arts fostering cultural exchange and supporting those affected by the war through the Bird of Light Foundation.Fashion 4 Ukraine Debuts in NY Fashion Week Sept. 14, 2024 Ukrainian-American Fashion Designers, Models and Sponsors Supporting Bird of Light Foundation being held at Mriya Gallery in TribecaFashion 4 Ukrainewill be held at the Mriya Gallery, located at 101 Reade Street in the trendy Tribeca neighborhood in New York City, from 4-8 pm EDT. The evening promises an array of stunning collections from Valeriia Yamshchykova of KOHAY, Anna Yudaeva of YUDAEVA COUTURE, OLYA MAK, Olena Knyr of SARASVATY Lingerie, Olena Wills of OLENA NEW YORK, Ira Lysa, KATERYNA, Peyton North of LIVIN THE DREAM, and Lisa Marie of LM.INK . Each designer will showcase their unique creations, reflecting their rich cultural heritage while highlighting the fusion of Ukrainian and American fashion aesthetics.Olga Ivanidi, founder and executive producer, holds a BA in Business Management from a Ukrainian university and an MA in Journalism from Columbia College, Chicago. With over a decade of modeling experience, she has walked runways for renowned designers at fashion weeks across the U.S., including New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Diego, and New Orleans, winning multiple beauty pageant titles in Ukraine. This year, Olga leveraged her education and modeling experience to launch the Fashion 4 Ukraine show during New York Fashion Week.Designer and artistic visionary Peyton North is the co-producer and director. His artistic pursuits include acting, modeling, visual and performing arts, Founder of Livin' The Dream, custom clothing brand and Amazing In The Making Productions. North's designs will be featured on runways in both the 2024 NYC and New Orleans Fashion Week shows.The event's beneficiary is the Bird of Light Foundation, which provides emergency aid to Ukrainian children returning home from Russian captivity. All proceeds will be donated to this vital cause, assisting with housing, medical care, and education for the affected children.Guests will enjoy live performances by Andrew Kovalov (Brunettes Shoot Blondes), live painting by Art Club Jersey City (Valentyna Zasutska), silent action, and an after party. Premier Sponsors include: Zirka Place Beauty Salon, SVETA Restaurant, Flowers Central Jersey, VESELKA Restaurant, and Olena Nikitska -- Ukrainian-American Real Estate Agent licensed in Florida. Ms. Ukraine World 2024 Anhelina Smith will be a celebrity model.Tickets are available now through Eventbrite; additional details can be found on the event's Instagram page and website:Fashion 4 Ukraine InstagramEventbrite TicketsBird of Light FoundationContact Information Olga IvanidiExecutive Producerfashion4ukraine@ gmail.com 601-896-1929Peyton NorthCo-Producer and Directorpeytonnorth@ icloud.com 2257767865SOURCE: Fashion 4 Ukraine Fashion ShowView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 18:40:27
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Three-term Georgia Senator and renowned healthcare provider addresses graduatesATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / Atlanta-based Georgia School of Orthodontics (GSO), established in 2016, celebrated its sixth and largest graduating class of 40 residents from its 36-month Advanced Specialty Education Program in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. The graduation ceremony was held this month at the InterContinental-Buckhead.Atlanta-basedGeorgia School of Orthodontics(GSO), established in 2016, celebrated its sixth and largest graduating class of 40 residents from its 36-month Advanced Specialty Education Program in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics."With this latest group of graduates, GSO is fulfilling its mission to educate talented dentists to become highly qualified specialists in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics," said Randy Kluender, D.D.S., M.S., President & Chairman, Board of Trustees. GSO's extensive curriculum provides residents with the opportunity to assist in providing orthodontic treatment to patients in the school's two patient clinics in Atlanta and Duluth.The recent graduates underwent intensive didactic, clinical and research components taught in GSO's state-of-the-art facilities with technologically advanced equipment, research and materials. GSO also collaborates with the renowned oral surgery program at Emory University, which exposes the resident doctors to the most unique and uncommon cases in their field. And to increase their level of success, they were instructed in the business aspects of operating an orthodontic practice."Our curriculum also encourages our graduates to promote diversity and offer affordable orthodontic care to underserved communities. We have treated over 12,000 patients and have saved the Atlanta communities over $35 million* in orthodontic treatment costs," said Ricky E. Harrell, D.M.D., M.A., GSO's Program Director Emeritus, Clinical Professor, and a Diplomate of the ABO.To date, GSO has given more than $2.5 million in scholarships to its residents since opening in 2016. The company has also provided more than $250,000 in complimentary orthodontic treatment to veterans, children and community heroes nominated by Atlanta residents.GSO recognized 13 scholarship recipients during the ceremony. The Doctor Melvin S. Polk Professional Integrity & Academic Achievement Scholarship, awarded to outstanding third-year Chief Residents Dr. Ariel B. Banks and Dr. Leo Freitas. The Doctor Gasper Lazzara Diversity in the Field of Orthodontics Scholarship was awarded to Dr. Ariel B. Banks. The Doctor Nathaniel Glover Leaderships & Professionalism Scholarship was awarded to deserving residents: Dr. Hikmat Aboudan, Dr. Arash Afkham, Dr. Anas Aljumali, Dr. Ariel B. Banks, Dr. Daniel Escobedo, Dr. Leo Freitas, Dr. Anahita Javadpour, and Dr. Osama Younis.Two special awards were presented during the ceremony. The Doctor John W. Stockstill Outstanding Research Award recipient was Dr. Mason Childers. The President's Award was presented to three-term Georgia Senator and nationally renowned healthcare provider Dr. Lester G. Jackson III.Senator Lester G. Jackson III, who previously served as Chairman of the Georgia Senate Urban Affairs Committee and represented Georgia's 2nd District, delivered the ceremony's keynote address. Dr. Jackson served in the Georgia General Assembly's House of Representatives for 10 years prior to being elected state senator. Before entering politics, Dr. Jackson was commissioned as a dental officer for the United States Navy. He obtained the rank of Lieutenant Commander and then served as Detachment Commander of the Beaufort Marine Corp. Air Station Dental Clinic in Beaufort, SC., where he provided dental services to military personnel and their families. He later established the Jackson Dental Center in Savannah, GA. Dr. Jackson is an active member of the American Dental Association, the National Dental Association, and the Georgia Dental Association.For more info about Georgia School of Orthodontics Residency Program, visit GAorthodontics.org . To schedule a complimentary consultation, visit bracestoday.com or call 770.351.7737.*Based on estimated median treatment costs as reported in the 2023 Journal of Clinical Orthodontics Practice Study (Oct-Dec 2023 JCO issue).About Georgia School of OrthodonticsAtlanta-based Georgia School of Orthodontics offers an advanced specialty education program in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. The 36-month residency program, the largest in the world, is structured to provide collaborative and evidence-based learning for residents, while providing quality orthodontic care to patients in the school's two patient clinics in metro Atlanta. GSO's mission is to educate outstanding dentists to be proficient in the clinical specialty of orthodontics, while providing Georgians with the highest level of patient care available. GSO faculty and staff are dedicated to diversity in both education and practice. For more information about GSO, visit GAorthodontics.org . To schedule a complimentary consultation, visit bracestoday.com or call 770.351.7737.Media Contact:Lesley GamwellRountree Group404.309.6915 lgamwell@ rountreegroup.com SOURCE: Georgia School of Orthodontics
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 14:00:31
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / Golden Lake Exploration Inc. (CSE:GLM)(OTCQB:GOLXF) ("GLM" or the "Company") reports that the private placement announced on September 5th, 2024, is now fully subscribed. The financing arranged is a non-brokered private placement of up to 15 million units ("Units") at a price of $0.05 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $750,000.00 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will be comprised of one common share ("Share") and one transferable common share purchase warrant of the Company ("Warrant"). Each whole Warrant will entitle the Subscriber to purchase one Warrant Share for a 36-month period after the Closing Date at an exercise price of $0.07 per share. Net proceeds of the Financing will be used to advance the Company's Jewel Ridge gold property near Eureka, Nevada and for general working capital purposes."We are very pleased with the reaction to our financing announcement. These funds enable us to drill the first phase of high priority holes on our Jewel Ridge project in Nevada. We expect drilling to commence at the end of this month and will issue a press release confirming details once this financing closes at the end of next week." stated Mike England, CEO of Golden Lake.Shares issued pursuant to the Financing will be subject to a four-month hold period according to applicable securities laws of Canada.Finder's fees may be payable on the private placement, subject to the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange.About Golden Lake Exploration Inc. Golden Lake Exploration Inc. is a junior public mining exploration company engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets. Its objective is to acquire, explore and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit and to aggressively advance its exploration program on the Jewel Ridge property.ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD"Mike England"Mike England, CEO&DIRECTORFOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:Telephone: 1-604-683-3995TollFree:1-888-945-4770The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: Golden Lake Exploration Inc.
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 14:13:35
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / Leading securities law firmBleichmar Fonti & Auld LLPannounces that a lawsuit has been filed against Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:MEI) and certain of the Company's senior executives.If you invested in Methode, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/methode-electronics-inc Investors have until October 25, 2024 to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Methode common stock. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and is captioned Salem v. Methode Electronics, Inc., et al., No. 24-cv-07696.What is the Lawsuit About?Methode designs, engineers, and manufactures custom-engineered solutions for automotive original equipment manufacturers. The complaint alleges that during the relevant period, Methode misrepresented the success of the Company's transition from the General Motors console program to new electric vehicle applications and that the Company's "higher-margin product mix" would "offset" any decline in income from the General Motors program. In truth, Methode's transition to electric vehicles had been plagued with operational, logistical, and personnel challenges that negatively impacted the Company's business.On September 7, 2023, Methode announced financial results for 1Q 24. The Company disclosed that "operational inefficiencies" in the Company's North American operations had negatively impacted earnings for the quarter and were expected to linger into the second quarter. On this news, the price of Methode stock declined by $6.67 per share, or over 22%, to close at $23.33 per share on September 7, 2023.On December 7, 2023, Methode announced financial results for 2Q 24. During the quarter, the Company's Automotive Segment generated only $154.3 million in net sales and suffered a $61.5 million loss from operations. The Company also disclosed a $56.5 million goodwill impairment in the Company's North American and European Automotive Reporting Units. On this news, the price of Methode stock declined by $2.87 per share, or almost 12%, to close at $21.52 per share on December 8, 2023.On March 7, 2024, Methode announced financial results for 3Q 24 and withdrew all prior guidance. The Company also announced it was taking urgent actions to reduce costs, such as by reducing headcount and discretionary expenses and by disposing of non-critical assets. On this news, the price of Methode stock declined by $6.55 per share, or over 31%, to close at $14.49 per share on March 7, 2024.Finally, on April 8, 2024, Methode announced that its CFO would be retiring from the Company effective July 12, 2024. Less than one month later, on May 6, 2024, Methode announced that the CEO had resigned just three months into his tenure.Click here if you suffered losses: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/methode-electronics-inc What Can You Do?If you invested in Methode, you have rights and are encouraged to submit your information to speak with an attorney.All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The Firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses. Submit your information by visiting:Or contact:Ross Shikowitz ross@ bfalaw.com 212-789-3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors (pending court approval), as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 21:10:08
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OSP's View on Office? Credit, Credit, Credit.EDINA, MN / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / O'Brien-Staley Partners (OSP) teamed with Dry Creek Capital Partners to successfully complete a $61 million refinancing of a loan secured by two Class A, seven-story office buildings known as Excelsior Crossings. The properties, located in Hopkins, MN, encompass 519,228 net rentable square feet (NRSF). The building, constructed in 2008, recently underwent an amenity enhancement program to include LEED Gold certification. The property features a coffee shop, cafeteria, fitness center and indoor and outdoor common areas.Excelsior Crossings Minnesota Excelsior Crossings building in MinnesotaOSP remains optimistic about select office properties, emphasizing the importance of credit in its investment strategy. Excelsior Crossings boasts an outstanding rent roll, with 98% occupancy rate. Notably, a money center bank occupies half the space, alongside four other corporate tenants.Kari Johnson, Managing Director on the investment team at OSP and lead on the deal commented, "I know the property intimately, having worked there myself years ago. We conducted extensive due diligence to understand the post-COVID landscape and are confident in our investment." In 2024, the focus on commercial real estate office investments has shifted from the traditional mantra of "location, location, location" to "credit, credit, credit" prioritizing lease terms and counterparties. OSP's strategy underscores the critical role of credit in navigating current market dynamics.OSP was represented by Alison Bure of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP.About OSPO'Brien-Staley Partners (OSP) operates across four discrete financial business strategies: alternative asset management; market-rate impact investing; nationwide loan servicing; and deposit management. Founded by Jerry O'Brien and Warren Staley in 2010, OSP is imbued with the core credit and fundamental investing discipline, risk management and governance DNA that has long been recognized as hallmarks of their personal and professional brands. https://osp-group.com About Dry Creek Capital PartnersDry Creek Capital Partners was formed in 2020 to provide a platform for investments in debt obligations of both distressed commercial real estate and company assets up to $50 million. Based in Denver, Colorado's Tech Center, Dry Creek operates nationally and benefits from strategic partners located in most markets across the United States. https://drycreekcp.com/ Contact InformationAlyssa CheathamManaging Director, Investor Relationsalyssa.cheatham@osp-group.com +1 (773) 354-5712Related ImagesExcelsior Crossings Minnesota Excelsior Crossings building in Minnesota Kari Johnson, O'Brien-Staley Partners Kari Johnson, Managing Director, Product Specialist SOURCE: O'Brien-Staley PartnersView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 19:40:15
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ParkerVision Resumes Decade-Long Legal FightJACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 /ParkerVision, Inc. (the "Company") (OTCQB:PRKR) announced today that the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ("CAFC") has issued a favorable ruling in ParkerVision v. Qualcomm (Case No. 2022-1755). The CAFC upheld ParkerVision's position on each of the appealed issues and has sent the case back to the Middle District of Florida ("District Court") for trial.The CAFC opinion:Reversed the District Court's Daubert ruling, which had deemed ParkerVision's expert report inadmissible and likewise vacated the District Court's grant of summary judgement of non-infringement of the transmitter claims which was based on the exclusion of ParkerVision's infringement experts. The District Court had dismissed the evidence supporting ParkerVision's patent infringement claims because the expert did not create his own simulations of Qualcomm's accused radio frequency chips. However, the CAFC found that the District Court abused its discretion in excluding the testimony of ParkerVision's validity expert, stating "the district court should have left it to jurors to evaluate the correctness of facts underlying an expert's testimony". This reversal reinstates ParkerVision's expert report, allowing the Company to present its infringement claims against Qualcomm to a jury.Vacated the District Court's summary judgement ruling, which had barred ParkerVision from asserting its radio frequency receiver patents in this case. The lower court had based its decision on the argument that these patents are essentially the same as other ParkerVision receiver patents previously asserted against Qualcomm in 2011. The CAFC found that the District Court erred in its determination that the asserted receiver claims did not have a scope that is materially different from the claims at issue in the 2011 case and remanded for further consideration.Reversed the District Court's application of collateral estoppel, which prevented ParkerVision from defending the validity of its 940 patent using arguments it previously presented to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board ("PTAB") and the CAFC. These arguments had been successful in a prior inter partes review ("IPR") proceeding initiated by Qualcomm in 2015 which delayed the patent infringement case until 2019.The CAFC has remanded the case to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, ordering the reopening of the original case (Case No. 6:14-cv-00687). A copy of the CAFC opinion is available through the CAFC website at: https://cafc.uscourts.gov/home/case-information/opinions-orders/ . The CAFC also awarded ParkerVision costs for the appeal.ParkerVision CEO Jeffrey Parker commented, "I am extremely pleased with the CAFC rulings, and we are eager to reopen this case in district court. This case was ready for trial nearly two and a half years ago, so I am optimistic that the district court will act swiftly to place it back on the docket. ParkerVision has prosecuted this case for over a decade, confident that Qualcomm has built its Smartphone wireless chip business on our proprietary technologies. Based on publicly available information, we estimate that our technologies have been integrated without our authorization into over 1.5 billion Qualcomm chips that have been made, used, or sold in the U.S. Qualcomm challenged patents through IPRs, but both the PTAB and the CAFC upheld certain claims as not invalid. The IPRs delayed the case from 2015 to 2019, a common tactic in the big tech playbook to delay justice. We are committed to bringing this case to trial as soon as possible." History of ParkerVision v Qualcomm:ParkerVision initiated this case against Qualcomm in the Federal District Court in Orlando, Florida, in May 2014 while awaiting a final decision on a separate 2011 patent infringement case involving different receiver patents (see ParkerVision v. Qualcomm-2011 below). The case experienced several delays due to Qualcomm's IPR challenges to patent validity and court closures caused by the pandemic. By May 2021, all final pre-trial motions had been filed. With courts reopening in 2022, the District Court held a pre-trial motion hearing in January 2022, signaling preparation for a near-term jury trial. However, in March 2022, the District Court issued orders in Qualcomm's favor on all motions, effectively barring ParkerVision from presenting the case to a jury. The court subsequently closed the case file.ParkerVision appealed three of the District Court's rulings to the CAFC, and by the end of 2022, both parties had submitted their appellate briefs and replies. In November 2023, the CAFC permitted oral arguments to support these briefs. However, in July 2024, the CAFC found that it lacked proper jurisdiction over the case because the District Court had not issued a final order on Qualcomm's counterclaims for invalidity. Subsequently, the parties filed a joint motion with the District Court. On August 1, 2024, the District Court issued an order dismissing Qualcomm's invalidity counterclaims, without prejudice, clearing the way for the CAFC to proceed with its ruling on the appeal.ParkerVision v. Qualcomm - 2011ParkerVision filed its first patent infringement case in 2011, alleging that Qualcomm infringed on certain receiver patents. In 2013, a jury found that Qualcomm infringed all the patents in the case and determined that they were not invalid. The jury awarded ParkerVision over $170 million in damages for Qualcomm's past use of its technology. On the same day in May 2014 that ParkerVision filed its current case against Qualcomm, a hearing was held on final post-judgment motions from the 2011 case. During this hearing, the judge instructed the parties to negotiate an on-going royalty rate that Qualcomm would pay ParkerVision for continued use of the infringed patents, remarking that "there are certainly going to be on-going royalties". However, in July 2014, the judge reversed the jury's verdict and closed the case, ruling that ParkerVision's technical expert had provided testimony that undermined the jury's infringement findings. ParkerVision appealed the decision, but the CAFC upheld the lower court's ruling.About ParkerVisionParkerVision, Inc. invents, develops and licenses advanced, proprietary radio-frequency (RF) technologies that empower wireless solution providers to create and market state-of-the-art wireless communication products. ParkerVision is actively involved in multiple patent enforcement actions in the U.S. to safeguard its patented technologies, which it believes are being broadly infringed upon by others. For more information, please visit www.parkervision.com . (PRK
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 15:30:32
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / Revolve Renewable Power Corp. (TSXV:REVV)(OTCQB:REVVF) ("Revolve" or the "Company"), a North American owner, operator and developer of renewable energy projects, is pleased to announce that it plans to release its June 30, 2024 full year financial statements ("FY2024") on October 29, 2024 before market opens at 8:00am Eastern Standard Time. The Company will publish its FY2024 financial statements together with supplementary information providing an update on the business.FY2024 Financial GuidanceOn June 20, 2024 the Company updated its forward looking guidance with respect to revenues and EBITDA for the financial year ending June 30, 2024 ("FY2024"), increasing its revenue forecast for FY2024 from US$5.0m to US$6.0m and its EBITDA forecast from breakeven to US$1.5m ( https://revolve-renewablepower.com/revolve-revises-fy2024-forecast-upwards/) The Company also would like to announce that as of August 26, 2024, it has expanded the role of Bobby Mullins of RPM Capital Corp. as a consultant to include a broader remit of investor relations activities for the Company. Mr. Mullins has been working with the Company for the last 12 months in a general corporate development capacity. He has decades of financing and investor relations experience working with numerous micro and junior cap companies.About RevolveRevolve was formed in 2012 to capitalize on the growing global demand for renewable power. Revolve develops utility-scale wind, solar, hydro and battery storage projects in the US, Canada and Mexico. The Company has a second division, Revolve Renewable Business Solutions which installs and operates sub 20MW "behind the meter" distributed generation (or "DG") assets. Revolve's portfolio includes the following:Operating Assets: 11MW (net) of operating assets under long term power purchase agreements across Canada and Mexico covering wind, solar, battery storage and hydro generation;Under Construction: a 3MW CHP project and a 450kWp rooftop solar project that are both under construction and expected to be operational later this year; andDevelopment: a diverse portfolio of utility scale development projects across the US, Canada and Mexico with a combined capacity of over 3,000MWs as well as a 140MW+ distributed generation portfolio that is under development.Revolve has an accomplished management team with a demonstrated track record of taking projects from "greenfield" through to "ready to build" status and successfully concluding project sales to large operators of utility-scale renewable energy projects. To-date, Revolve has developed and sold over 1,550MW of projects.Going forward, Revolve is targeting 5,000MW of utility-scale projects under development in the US, Canada and Mexico, and in parallel is rapidly growing its portfolio of revenue-generating DG assets.For further information contact:Tania Ontiveros, CFO IR@ revolve-renewablepower.com OrSunita PrasadVP, Corporate Development & Investor RelationsPhone:1-778-885-5550 IR@ revolve-renewablepower.com Non-IFRS MeasuresThis press release makes reference to certain non-IFRS measures including Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization ("EBITDA"). Non-IFRS measures and industry metrics do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. These measures are provided as additional information to complement IFRS measures by providing further understanding of our results of operations from management's perspective. Accordingly, these measures should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of our financial information reported under IFRS. The term EBITDA consists of net loss or gain and excludes interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The most directly comparable measure to EBITDA calculated in accordance with IFRS is net gain or net loss. The term EBITDA margin consists of the percentage of net loss or gain and excludes interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. These measures, have limitations, and are provided in addition to, and not as an alternative for, and should be read in conjunction with, the information contained in our financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP (including the notes), included in our filings on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca and posted on our website.Financial ProjectionsThe Company's financial projections are inherently speculative and may prove to be inaccurate. Any financial projections provided in this press release have been prepared in good faith based upon the estimates and assumptions considered reasonable by management. However, projections are no more than estimates of possible events and should not be relied upon to predict the results that the Company may attain. Future oriented financial information in this press release includes statements with respect to (i) revenues and EBITDA for FY2024; and (ii) that the Company's revenue will increase to US $6m and that it will have an EBITDA of US $1.5m for FY2024; and (iii) that it's increase in revenue and EBITDA will be driven by the Company's existing operational distribution generation portfolio as well as further contingent milestone payments from utility scale projects previously sold to 3rd parties. There is a risk that the conditions related to these contingent payments may not be met and therefore the payments will not be received by the Company, which would materially impact the Company's FY2025 projected revenues and EBITDA. The projections are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions and have not been examined, reviewed or compiled by independent accountants or other third-party experts, including assumptions with respect to the Company's anticipated expenses and future revenues from the Company's existing operational distribution generation portfolio as well as further milestone payments from utility scale projects previously sold to 3rd parties. These assumptions may vary from the actual results. Accordingly, there is no assurance that future events will correspond to management's assumptions or that actual results during the periods covered will approximate the financial projections. Any variations of actual results from projections may be material and adverse. Future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks, as with forward-looking information generally, are, without limitation, based on the reasonable assumptions of the Company and management as at the date hereof. Our actual financial position and results of operations may differ materially from management's current expectations and, as a result, our revenue, profitability, EBITDA m
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 02:15:16
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Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have untilOctober 15, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Sprinklr, Inc. (NYSE:CXM), if they purchased the Company's securities between March 29, 2023 and June 5, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of Sprinklr and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-cxm/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byOctober 15, 2024 .About the LawsuitSprinklr and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On June 5, 2024, the Company disclosed disappointing financial news including significantly reduced growth expectations, cutting fiscal year 2025 projections an additional three percent, down to 7% annual growth, due to reduced customer retention in the Company's core business and macro headwinds.On this news, the price of Sprinklr's shares fell from a closing price of $10.84 per share on June 5, 2024 to $9.20 per share on June 6, 2024, a decline of more than 15% in the span of one day.The case is Boshart v. Sprinklr, Inc., No. 24-cv-06132.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com CONTACT: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 02:00:55
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NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / September 5, 2024 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have untilOctober 15, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 15, 2024 to July 24, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of Stellantis and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-stla/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byOctober 15, 2024 .About the LawsuitStellantis and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On July 25, 2024, the Company announced its first half 2024 financial results, disclosing disappointing news, including "[n]et revenues of 85.0 billion, down 14% compared to H1 2023, primarily due to the decline in volume and mix; net profit of 5.6 billion, down 48% compared to H1 2023, primarily due to lower volume and mix, headwinds from foreign exchange and restructuring costs; adjusted operating income of 8.5 billion, down 5.7 billion compared to H1 2023, primarily due to decreases in North America." On this news, the price of Stellantis' shares fell from a closing price of $19.60 per share on July 24, 2024 to $17.66 per share on July 26, 2024.The case is Long v. Stellantis N.V., et al., No. 24-cv-06196.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com CONTACT: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
PR-Inside.com: 2024-09-06 16:01:00
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2024 / TSS Photography, a leader in the volume photography industry, is pleased to announce the results of its latest Franchisee Satisfaction Survey, conducted by Franchise Business Review (FBR) in August 2024. The results reflect high franchisee satisfaction, with TSS Photography scoring well above industry averages in several key areas.TSS PhotographySurvey Participation & MethodologyThe survey, which was completed by 67% of TSS Photography franchisees, is an independent assessment carried out by Franchise Business Review. Each question in the survey receives a Franchisee Satisfaction Index (FSI) score, which is a weighted average of responses on a 5-point scale. FSI scores range from 0 to 100 points, with a score of 70 or higher considered above average.Outstanding FSI ScoresTSS Photography achieved an overall FSI score of 79, placing the company 14% above the industry benchmark and landing in the top quartile of Franchise Business Review's 2024 benchmark. This benchmark is based on current data from over 34,329 franchisees across 162,061 franchise locations.TSS Photography's highest-rated categories include:Core Values: 88 FSIFranchisee Community: 85 FSISelf-Evaluation: 82 FSIKey Areas of ImprovementCompared to the previous year's survey, TSS Photography showed significant improvement in the following areas:Enjoyment of the Business: 86 FSILong-Term Growth: 77 FSITotal Investment: 76 FSIFranchisee DemographicsThe survey also provided insight into the demographics of TSS Photography franchisees (of those who completed the survey):62% have owned their franchise for over 10 years.50% of franchises are located in the South.45% of franchisees are female, 52% are male, and 3% preferred not to disclose their gender.42% of franchisees hold a BA/BS degree.74% of franchisees operate their business full-time, with 44% enjoying a flexible work schedule, and 64% reporting a balanced work-life dynamic. Notably, 63% of respondents expressed a desire to grow their business to full-time operations.Hear from a TSS FranchiseeLori Greene, a TSS Franchise Owner from Mokena, IL, shared her experience: "This franchise community is amazing and supportive. We are always learning from and helping each other out! I feel that their core values are perfectly aligned with my own in relation to my business." About TSS PhotographyTSS Photography has been a trusted name in the volume photography industry for over 40 years, providing comprehensive resources and support to help franchisees thrive. Whether a professional photographer or someone looking for a fulfilling business opportunity, TSS Photography offers the tools, training, and ongoing support necessary to succeed in today's competitive photography market. With franchise opportunities nationwide, TSS Photography continues to grow and support entrepreneurs who are passionate about capturing life's special moments.For more information on TSS Photography and franchising opportunities, please visit TSS Franchise Business.Contact InformationJames CalabreseDirector of TSS Franchise Developmentjames.calabrese@candid.com (405) 951 - 7114Alison CountsDirector of Marketingalisonc@ candid.com Related FilesFBR-Summary-Report-TSS-Photography-2024FBR Report - TSS Photography 2024_ModSOURCE: TSS Photography FranchiseView the original press release on newswire.com
The Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, said on Friday that the government has not placed an age restriction on candidates sitting the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
Speaking at an event to mark the 2024 International Literacy Day in Abuja, Mr Sununu said the comment by the substantive Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, was misinterpreted.
Initial position
While featuring on a television programme recently, Mr Mamman stated that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), both of which administer the SSCE examinations, will no longer allow underage children to take the examinations.
He explained that under Nigerian laws, pupils are expected to spend one year in early childhood education, six years in primary schools, three years in junior secondary school, and another three years in senior secondary school.
NECO and WAEC henceforth will not be allowing underage children to write their examinations, Mr Mamman had said on the television programme.
From early childcare to primary school, then Junior secondary school, and then senior secondary school, you end up with 17 and a halfIn other words, if somebody has not spent the requisite number of years in that particular level of study, no sitting for WAEC and NECO examinations.
U-Turn
However, speaking on Friday, Mr Sununu said the ministry has not stopped students who are not up to 18 years old from taking the SSCE examination.
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Despite Mr Mammans unambiguous position on the matter, Mr Sununu said he was misinterpreted.
Nobody said no child will write WAEC, NECO or any other examination unless at age 18. This is a misconception and misrepresentation of what we have said, he said on Friday.
He claimed that Mr Mamman was speaking on the 18 years entry age into the tertiary institutions as was practised in the 6:3:3:4 system of education.
Guideline on talented children
Mr Mamman had in April asked the Joint Admission and Matriculation (JAMB), the body in charge of matriculation examinations for Nigerian tertiary institutions to stop admitting students below 18 after this years admission exercise.
The minister, who faced mild opposition for his comments during an admission policy meeting that was held in July, noted that it was part of Nigerias laws and not a new policy introduced by him.
Speaking on Friday, Mr Sununu also stated that the ministry is looking at developing a guideline on identifying talented children for admission into tertiary institutions before they clock the age of 18.
He said: We have agreed that we are going to consider it as a work-in-progress. The National Assembly is working and we are also working.
It was shocking to say that a university in this country gave admission to children at ages 10, 11 and 12 years. This is totally wrong.
We are not saying that there are no exceptions, we know we can have talented students that have the IQ of an adult even at age 6 and 7, but these are very few.
There must be a rule, and the ministry is looking at developing a guideline on how to identify a talented child so that parents dont say we are blocking their childrens chances.
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Ufa Dania, a contestant in the just-concluded Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, has denied claims that South Africans supported her to undermine Chidimma Adetshina.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Ms Dania, who made history as the first plus-size in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant and represented Kwara State, witnessed a vote surge as netizens in South Africa voted en masse for her and rallied support for her on X and Facebook.
Ms Adetshina, who had previously been embroiled in controversy surrounding her participation in Miss South Africa, eventually took home the Miss Universe Nigeria crown. Despite Ms Dania getting the highest online votes and qualifying for the top 10 finalists, she did not make it to the top five.
In the final public voting results on 31 August, Miss Kwara led with 51,538 votes (28.93%). Miss Taraba (Ms Adetshina) placed second with 48,103 votes (26.92%), and Edo State secured third place with 18,068 votes (10.1%).
In an interview with Channels Television on Thursday, Ms Dania explained why she was loved in South Africa.
Earlier in the contest, the fashion enthusiast faced significant challenges. Online trolls questioned her right to compete due to her size. However, this led to a heartwarming support rally from South Africans who, after witnessing the trolling and criticisms, rallied behind her, appreciating her courage and determination.
The 23-year-old model said, When all this was happening, the camp was so rigorous that I barely had time to use my phone. Initially, I didnt know what was going on in South Africa. But then, I began noticing a few notifications and messages coming through. People have said spite, but I dont think it was out of spite. Before coming to camp, I started a series on my Instagram called Road to Miss Universe Nigeria, where I showcased my personality. I believe thats where the charisma came from. People realised you can be a queen and still have a vibrant personality.
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Ironic support
Nonetheless, some critics have suggested that South Africans support for Ms Dania was a strategy against Nigerians support of the embattled finalist, Ms Adetshina, given the lingering tension between both countries. Ms Dania, however, believes that the support she received stemmed from relatability rather than spite.
This ironic support by South Africans boosted visibility and votes for the plus-sized beauty queen. Many South Africans stated that their support on social media, rallying behind the 25-year-old contestant, is a response to the adverse treatment she received.
She said: Im not entirely sure how my page reached South Africans, but I think the positive reception was that many saw themselves in me, especially the curvaceous and dark-skinned South African women. That was the message I was getting on my social media women saying, Oh yes, my sister, I see myself in you. Youre a true African woman.
I feel they connected with me on a deeper level, which is why they voted for me. I dont think it was to spite Chidimma because, in the end, she still won. They simply saw something in me that others didnt and felt compelled to support me.
Despite her loss in the highly contested pageant, Ms Dania, an Abuja-based content creator and stylist who holds the title of Miss AUN from her time at the American University of Nigeria, Yola, said she wants to use her platform to challenge conventional beauty standards.
Rising above criticism
Despite the backlash she faced online, the American University of Nigeria graduate has remained resilient. Speaking further, the plus-sized model acknowledged that she had anxiety before applying for the competition but decided to take the challenge head-on.
She stated, Before I applied for the pageant, honestly, I was having a lot of anxiety and just fear because of the backlash that I could probably get. Just like peoples bias because they always feel like beauty only comes in one form. And for someone to come out and say, Oh yeah, Im running for this, it scared me. But then Im someone who tries to do the daring.
I dont stop myself. If I want to do something, I go out and do it. I decided to go over my fear, and I mean, I applied, and I got in. That alone boosted my interest in the camp (Miss Universe Nigeria) activities. At the camp, I showed up and off. I made sure even if Im not a conventional person, I must stand out regardless of anything. I feel I came out as a different person than I was at the entry stage. It has boosted my confidence even more than it was already. And I just feel happy for whatever comes after this now.
In a light-hearted moment during the interview, Dania joked about visiting South Africa, given the support she received. Tell South Africa to send me money, and Ill be there immediately. Im ready. My passport is always with me, she said humorously.
The 23-year-old filmmaker called for unity among Africans, urging South Africans and Nigerians to set aside their differences.
Were still one, and as Africa as a whole, it would be to our detriment to fight each other. We need to be one to be strong and then fight against the world.
Plus-size beauty
Reflecting on her experience in the Miss Universe Nigeria camp, Ms Dania described it as physically and mentally challenging.
The Edo-born model mentioned that her fellow contestants were welcoming during the competition. Many said her video inspired them to join, which created a positive and supportive environment for her to stand firm.
The 23-year-old content creator also compared it to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp, noting the rigorous schedule. She said, It was quite a lot. To me, it was much worse than the NYSC camp. You wake up at 5 a.m., and you dont sleep until midnight the next day, she revealed. Wearing high heels for long hours was particularly tough for me. The heels were my biggest issues and the hardest part of the pageant.
Despite these difficulties, Dania encouraged other plus-size women not to doubt themselves and to embrace their potentials. Never doubt yourself or look down on yourself, she said. You are enough; you have everything you need to succeed.
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A US court in Marquette, Michigan, has sentenced two Nigerian brothers to 17 and half years imprisonment for blackmailing a minor to the point of committing suicide in an elaborate sextortion scam.
Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, both of Lagos, Nigeria, were said to have targeted over 100 victims, including 11 minors.
The convicts used fake social media profiles to trick their victims to take and share sexually explicit images of themselves. They then blackmailed the victims by threatening to disclose the collages of the images to the families, friends, and classmates of the victims unless the victims agreed to pay money using online cash applications.
A 17-year-old high school student, Jordan DeMay, of Marquette, Michigan, died on 22 March 2022 as a result of the sextortion scheme, the US Department of State said in a statement on Thursday.
In November 2022, the US government charged Ogoshi brothers and Ezekiel Robert, all Nigerian nationals, in the sextortion scheme that resulted in Jordan;s death. The brothers were extradited to the US in August 2023 and pleaded guilty in April.
The third defendant, Ezekiel Robert, has yet to be extradited from Nigeria, prosecutors said. On 21 March, a Nigerian court ordered him to be extradited to the US. He appealed that decision.
The US Attorney General Merrick Garland hailed the sentencing of the Ogoshis in a statement on the website of the Public Affairs office of the US Department of Justice on Thursday.
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Todays sentencing of Samuel and Samson Ogoshi sends a thundering message. 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, Mr Garland said.
How it happened
The US government said Samuel and Samson Ogoshi engaged in a scheme while living in Nigeria to sexually exploit more than 100 victims, including at least 11 identified minor victims.
They did this by purchasing hacked social media accounts and used them to pose as young women, making fake profiles and using the messaging feature on the social media accounts to contact victims.
They conducted online research about their victims to learn where they lived, attended school, worked, and the identities of their family and friends.
They then asked their minor victims to produce sexually explicit images of themselves. Once they received the images, they created a collage of pictures that included the sexually explicit image with other images of the victim and their school, family, and friends.
The Ogoshi brothers threatened to disclose the collages to the family, friends, and classmates of the victim unless the victim agreed to pay money using online cash applications.
They established a connection with Jordan DeMay, 17, on Instagram appearing to be a pretty girl and using the scheme, extorted hundreds of dollars from him.
BBC reported that the Ogoshis continued to demand money which made Jordan tell them that he would kill his life if they did not stop the blackmail. Good. Do that fast or Ill make you do it, they texted him.
Six hours later, the young schoolboy took his own life in his bedroom.
The Ogoshis pleaded guilty to the crime after their extradition to the US and brought before a federal court in Michigan.
I am sorry to the family. We made a bad decision to make money and I wish I could change that, one of the brothers muttered in the court.
Before judgement
The defence counsel raised an argument in favour of the Nigerian brothers, saying that they were under the influence of drug abuse while the federal prosecutors affirmed its position that the accused are guilty.
Jennifer Buta and John DeMay, the parents of the deceased, also provided emotional statements about the devastation and sad nightmares of their son occasioned by the tragedy.
Delivering judgement, the court ruled that the convicts inaction exhibits a callous disregard for life, especially given they continued to trail and target other victims despite being aware that one of their victims has died.
The brothers were each sentenced to 210 months (17 and half years) in prison and five years of supervised release.
In January, Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), a US-based cyber-social threats company, exposed a web of Nigerian social media accounts sharing tips, scripts and other information on financial sextortion. Checks show that most of these accounts feature visual contents in Nigerian Pidgin English dialect.
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Plan International Nigeria, an independent development and humanitarian non-profit organisation that advances childrens rights and equality for girls, has called for immediate steps to be taken to achieve gender parity in the country.
The organisations Country Director, Charles Usie, stated this recently at the Gender and Inclusion Summit in Abuja, its Communications Advisor, Yunus Abdulhamid, made this known in a statement.
The two-day event was tagged Reimagining Gender-Inclusive Pathways and Partnerships for Poverty Reduction.
Grim forecast
Mr Usie cited the World Economic Forums forecast that it would take another 130 years to achieve gender parity globally, and noted that Nigerias situation might take four generations to achieve.
He said that despite numerous conferences and discussions on gender and inclusion, little action has been taken to address the issue.
Mr Usie announced that his organisation has taken a practical step by establishing the position of a shadow country director.
We established the position of shadow country director of Plan International, who must be a young girl and who speaks and advocates for girls inclusion, he said.
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Meanwhile, on her part, the shadow country director, Wisdom Omata, emphasised that women and girls constitute half of the worlds population but still suffer abuse.
Mercy, Karen, Justina, Uwa these are not just fictional names, she said.
These are names of girls whose age ranges from 20 to 24 who in the past two years have been victims of sexual assaults in Nigeria.
She made a strong appeal to policy makers to make the world a safe place for women and girls to thrive.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairperson of the Policy Innovation Centre, Udeme Ufot, said the link between gender disparity and poverty was stark and needed to be tackled headlong with the right policies and innovations.
The conference, attended by top government officials, development partners, and civil society organisations, aims to address the multidimensional poverty in Nigeria and the link between gender inequality and poverty.
Gender parity in Nigeria
In Nigeria, gender equality remains a struggle. There is low representation of women in the leadership of many sectors including media and politics.
Womens participation in politics is limited, with various challenges hindering their involvement.
The National Gender Policy of 35 per cent Affirmative Action aims to increase womens participation in politics but its implementation has been slow.
Also, in the agriculture sector, women suffer limitation.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), while women account for 70-80 per cent of agricultural labour and output in Nigeria, only 10 per cent of landowners in Nigeria are women, despite the 45-year-old Land Use Act that gives women equal rights to land ownership.
Nigerian women face significant barriers in entrepreneurship and education.
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The Zamfara State Government has said it will not pay money to bandits terrorising the state or dialogue with them.
The government said it remained resolute in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and other criminality in the state.
The state government said this in response to documents circulating online with claims that it had released huge funds to some bandits kingpins for dialogue in the state.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abubakar Nakwada, who addressed journalists in Gusau, the state capital, on Thursday, said the documents were not only fake but also mischievous, misleading, malicious and false.
Mr Nakwada said that the information was completely false and the documents with his signature and other top government officials being circulated on social media platforms were forged.
He said the security agencies had been properly briefed and were on the trail of the social media sources to track them down.
The official also faulted the claims that money was paid to some media promoters under the guise of reconciliation efforts from the state Security Trust Fund.
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This is very crucial that we address this matter with transparency and urgency.
Ordinarily, we should have ignored this, like we have ignored many other fabricated lies aimed at distracting the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal from its commitment in rescuing and rebuilding the state.
But due to the sensitivity of the security, which remains one of the priorities of this administration, we are compelled to make some clarifications, the SSG said.
Mr Nakwada said to set the records straight, the purported memo allegedly said to have originated from his office to Governor Lawal was entirely fake and mischievous.
The state government has consistently announced its firm stance against negotiating with the bandits and terrorists.
We still maintain the position that we will not negotiate with terrorists.
Our administration has been unequivocal in its approach to addressing the security challenges facing our state, Mr Nakwada explained.
He said the state government had implemented strategic measures to combat the menace of banditry, adding that the efforts were always guided by integrity, accountability and an unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of the people.
The fabricated document and the baseless claims it contains are not only distracting but also an attempt to erode the trust and confidence that the people of Zamfara have on Governor Lawals administration to restore peace and order, he said.
Dialoguing with bandits hasnt worked
Mr Nakwada recalled on Thursday that the previous administrations, including that of Mr Matawalle, had tried dialogue with bandits and it did not succeed.
Unfortunately, the dialogue not only failed, but also complicated the problem by empowering these terrorists to become more daring which is backfiring today.
How can we continue to repeat the same thing and expect different results?
We believe that the fake memo is part of the sinister attempts to undermine what we are making towards achieving lasting peace and security across the lengths and breadths of the state.
On behalf of Zamfara government, I am using this medium to call on the general public to remain vigilant and not to fall prey to the deceitful tactics employed by those who wish to derail our mission, Mr Nakwada added.
The SSG stressed the need for Zamfara State people to stay united to face the challenges head-on, observing that their collective resolve was the cornerstone of strength and success.
Zamfara State is among the most terrorised states in the North-west, which has become a hotbed of various terrorist activities in the recent years. Four of the regions seven states are among the top five states with the highest number of kidnap incidents between July 2023 and June 2024.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that President Bola Tinubu ordered the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and the military chiefs to relocate to Sokoto State as part of efforts to rid the state and the entire north-west of rampant terrorism, an official has announced. Mr Matawalle is the immediate-past governor of Zamfara State.
Mr Tinubus order came amid a video clip circulating online showing how a jubilant terrorism kingpin, Bello Turji, and his armed bandits celebrating victory over the Nigerian military after burning down two Mines Resistant Armour Personnel (MRAP) vehicles stuck in the mud.
What state govt. is doing to tackle insecurity
He recalled that the state government had introduced Community Protection Guards, also known as Askarawa to assist the conventional security forces in the fight against banditry.
We have been collaborating and sharing intelligence with all security establishments including law enforcement agencies in the state to prosecute this fight.
Additionally, we have fortified our technical capabilities by deploying advanced surveillance systems and communication tools, which have
significantly enhanced our ability to detect and respond to threats in real time.
On behalf of His Excellency, Gov. Lawal, I commend the efforts of our gallant security agencies for the sacrifices they are making to secure our state, said.
The SSG reiterated the commitment of the governor to fostering a collaborative environment where community members and local law enforcement would work together seamlessly.
The partnership is essential in reporting suspicious activities and ensuring a swift response to any security concerns.
As a government, we wish to assure the public that we will continue taking all necessary measures within the ambit of the law to ensure the safety and security of our people, Nakwada assured.
Legal action against mischief makers
Also, the State Commissioner for Justice, AbdulAziz Sani, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the state government would take legal action against the mischief makers.
We are going to track the mischief makers who forged official documents and take serious legal action against them, he said.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mahmud Dantawasa, also denied the allegations that the state was involved in mining activities in the state.
Mr Dantawasa said the state government respects and abides by the federal governments policy as regards mining activities in the state.
According to him, the federal governments ban on mining activities remains in force and the Zamfara State government respects that.
(NAN)
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The burial of Taiwo Akinkunmi, the designer of the Nigerian national flag, is ongoing in Ibadan, Oyo State.
PREMIUM TIMES reported on 30 August 2023 that Mr Akinkunmi died at 87 after a brief illness.
BBC posted the video of the ongoing burial on its Facebook page on Friday afternoon.
His son, Akinwumi Akinkunmi, told the BBC Focus on Africa podcast that the family decided to bury his father after waiting a year for a promised state funeral from the federal government, which never materialised.
The son of the late Akinkunmi, known as Mr Flag Man, said that ever since the promise of a state funeral was made, no plans were finalised, and the family was left waiting.
He told the BBC the family had been paying N2,000 a day to keep the body at a morgue.
Furthermore, his son revealed that in June, the family discovered that the arts ministrys National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) was directed to sort out the state funeral.
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He noted that apart from one phone call, the institution failed to communicate further, noting that further waiting would sully his fathers name.
We have to give him the befitting burial he deserves. My late father was easygoing and didnt want anything to tarnish his image. He was well brought up; he was a brilliant man and a good person everyone wanted to associate with, he told the BBC.
Mr Akinwumi stated that after the federal government failed to deliver on its promise, the Oyo State government stepped in to fund the flag designers burial rites.
The late Akinkunmi was born on 10 May 1936 in Ibadan, Oyo State. He was renowned for designing the Nigerian flag in 1958, for which he received a 100 award after his design was chosen.
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The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) says exporters raked in 2.7 billion from January to June.
The Executive Director of NEPC, Nonye Ayeni, said this at a one-day sensitisation seminar for exporters on export contracts and use of International Commercial Terms (INCOTERMS) organised by the council in Owerri, on Thursday.
Ms Ayeni, represented by the Coordinator of NEPC in Imo, Anthony Ajuruchi, said the profit indicated the hard work and commitment of non-oil exporters in the country.
She said that the workshop was necessary to equip exporters with requisite knowledge of INCOTERMS as they hold the key to unlocking successful global trade transactions and improving product competitiveness.
Understanding INCOTERMS plays a vital role in international trade, providing a standardised framework for buyers and sellers to communicate and manage their responsibilities and liabilities.
By understanding the 11 INCOTERMS rules, businesses can clarify their obligations and risks with a view to minimising misunderstandings and disputes, she said.
Mr Ajuruchi said that, in line with NEPCs motto of doubling exports for economic growth and job creation, export negotiation should satisfy all parties in a business and convince buyers of a sellers products comparative advantage.
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He advised exporters to plan well ahead of business negotiation, define their ground rules, make a good impression, have good bargaining power, discover the actual needs of a client and build trust.
When negotiation is good, concerned parties go home happy, but when it is bad, the reverse is the case. All of these lie in the hands of the exporter, he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Imo Exporters Summit, George Ekeh, said exports were more crucial to the countrys economic recovery than ever before.
Mr Ekeh, the traditional ruler of Ishi Ubommiri Autonomous Community, Mbaitoli council area of Imo, advised exporters to package their products properly and attract the right buyers for better pricing.
One of the exporters, Uche Chikata, the managing director of St. Anns cashew nut industry, thanked NEPC for the workshop, adding that it would enable exporters in the state to increase their income target in the final quarter of 2024.
(NAN)
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The Katsina State Government has announced plans to present a Community Development Bill to the State House of Assembly.
The proposed body would play a watchdog role for the government in enhancing grassroots development.
Governor Dikko Radda disclosed the plan at a public engagement, 2025 Citizens Budget Participation Process and the Launching of Community Development Programme in Katsina Zone, held on Thursday in Katsina.
He said the legislation aims to establish a legal framework for the smooth operation of Community Development Programme Committees in all 34 local government areas of the state.
Our administration is committed to fostering fairness in the distribution of resources and development projects across the state.
These committees will play a crucial role in identifying and prioritising the needs of our local communities, the Governor explained.
He further explained that the proposed Community Development Committees would serve as vital links between the state government and local communities.
These committees will not only identify needed projects for government consideration but will also act as watchdogs.
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And tasked with exposing and reporting any wrongdoing by contractors or individuals in their respective local governments.
Mr Radda added that the initiative would assist in empowering communities to actively participate in the development process.
We are reducing the burden on the state government in identifying areas of need.
This grassroots approach will ensure that our development efforts are truly reflective of the peoples priorities, he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the programme, the officials highlighted the sectoral achievements of the government.
Communities from the grassroots submitted various memoranda of their demands to the government to enable it to capture them in the 2025 budget.
At the end of the programme, Mr Radda pledged to carefully review the documented requests presented by the people of all the three zones he had visited.
We will meticulously study these submissions to identify projects that can be undertaken by the state government.
As well as those that may fall under the purview of the Federal Government, local governments and our representatives in the State and Federal Assemblies, he assured.(NAN)
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The Nigerian Press Council (NPC) has reacted to media reports that accumulated staff salaries and the establishments overhead have not been paid since January.
Some workers who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja described their living conditions as pathetic.
However, Executive Secretary Dili Ezughahs press statement attributed the delay in paying the workers salaries to the erroneous removal of the agency from budget.
He said the Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office were already working frantically to ensure the resumption of payment of salaries of NPC staff, possibly by this month.
The Executive Secretary, while acknowledging the hardship the staff were passing through as a result of the erroneous removal of the agency from the budget, said they had never resorted to reckless comments or pernicious propaganda as depicted in the said report.
On the converse, he said the staff had exhibited uncommon resilience and commitment to duty, believing that one day the human error would be rectified, the statement added.
He said most of the staff members of the council never wavered in the joyful anticipation of their arrears of salaries any moment from now.
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He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his fatherly role in coming to the rescue of the Nigerian Press Council.
He equally expressed appreciation for the intervention of the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the National Assembly in the matter.
They urged the federal government to rescind its decision to stop funding the councils activities and salaries.
A management staff member who spoke to NAN on anonymity confirmed that the government had stopped funding the organisation.
The officer said the Budget Office of the Federation sent a memo to the council in June 2023 stating that the federal government would no longer fund the organisation from January 2024.
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.
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President Bola Tinubu, on Friday in Beijing, rounded off his official engagements in China by meeting with Nigerians living in the country, describing his visit as very good and successful.
Addressing members of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation in China (NIDO China) and the Nigerian community at the China World Hotel, the president emphasised his efforts to strengthen cooperation in infrastructure, trade, finance, energy, green economy and mining during his discussions with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and his participation at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
What is uppermost in my mind is for you to continue representing Nigeria as good citizens, and I urge you all to be good ambassadors of our nation in China.
We will always celebrate our diversity. We cherish it, but this diversity is our commitment to serve. If it is about service, we must be good citizens, the President stated.
President Tinubu also emphasised the importance of discipline and commitment to national service, citing Chinas disciplined society as an example for Nigerians to follow.
I cannot tell you more, except from the embassy, that China is a very disciplined society and we have to be disciplined too. Without discipline and commitment, we cannot build a nation that is respected everywhere in the world.
We must exploit our diversity and be ready to do everything required of us within the laws of the communities that we live in and reflect a good image of our country, the President said.
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Highlighting the impact of investments in Chinas economy, President Tinubu assured Nigerians in Diaspora that Nigerias Bank of Industry is prepared to collaborate with them to leverage opportunities back home.
Nigeria is going through reforms, and we are taking very bold and unprecedented decisions. For example, you might have been hearing from home in the last few days about fuel prices.
But, can we help it? Can we develop good roads like you have here? You see electricity being constant in quantity and quality. You see water supply, constant and running, and you see their good schools. And we say we want to hand over a banner without stain to our children?
What is the critical part to get us there if we cannot take hard decisions to pave the way for a country that is blessed and so talented?
So many of you are so talented, speaking very fluent Mandarin. It is what you contribute and tell them at home that will reflect in the attitude of our people. The more you want everything free, it will become more expensive and long-delayed to achieve meaningful development, the President said.
To the applause of the audience, President Tinubu stated that one key takeaway from his visit to China is the commitment to replicate Chinas infrastructure back home.
We want our children to be in good schools, not tattered huts and dilapidated buildings. We must make our teaching innovative and allow businesses of all kinds and sizes to flourish.
One economic action leads to another, and it is in your hand to build our nation. Mine is to provide the leadership, and I am committed to doing just that, the President stated.
The President noted that while it is not always easy for a leader to have a national consensus on issues, he is ready to take the hard decisions to move the nation forward.
We are focused, and I have a very good team, President Tinubu added.
In his remarks, Dr. Oche Barnabas, President of NIDO China, commended President Tinubu for his commitment to strengthening Nigeria-China relations, particularly in trade, investment, and people-to-people collaboration.
He expressed NIDO Chinas support for Nigerias 4Ds initiative, launched by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, earlier in the year.
He pledged that the organisation is eager to drive the initiative forward within the diaspora community.
Mr Barnabas requested President Tinubus assistance in advocating for Nigeria to be officially recognised as a native English-speaking nation, which would open up job and educational opportunities for Nigerians in China.
Your Excellency, I wish to indulge your kind attention and use this rare opportunity to share a key challenge on behalf of the Nigeria community in China. Due to the peculiar nature of this country, the Nigerian community is mainly composed of students, expatriates, and businessmen.
Our desire is that Nigeria is officially recognised as a native English-speaking nation in China. We believe your esteemed engagements with the high-level authorities can assist us in establishing this status.
Presently, over 70 per cent of available international jobs in China are reserved for native English speakers. In 2016, the local authorities listed South Africa as a native English-speaking nation.
We believe Nigeria has a chance to receive similar recognition due to the fact that English language is our official language and we are also blessed with Professor Wole Soyinka who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986.
We believe the enhancement of our status will open more opportunities to allow more Nigerians to study and work in China, thereby increasing diaspora remittance to Nigeria, he said.
The Chairman of NIDO China pledged that the organisation would continue to contribute their expertise and resources to support President Tinubus administration and efforts to elevate Nigerias global standing.
Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
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A long-planned migration agreement between Germany and Kenya is to be signed next week, the German government announced in Berlin on Friday.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz will receive Kenyan President William Ruto in Berlin on Friday next week ahead of the signing of the deal, according to government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.
The agreement aims to facilitate the immigration of skilled labour to Germany, and the repatriation of those obliged to leave the country, including failed asylum seekers.
Germany is currently negotiating migration agreements with several different countries.
The special representative with responsibility for the talks, Joachim Stamp, recently negotiated similar agreements with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines.
(NAN)
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The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to help address irregularities stopping polytechnic students from participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Ridwan Opeyemi, the associations president, led a team to JAMB Headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, on Friday and made the appeal.
Mr Opeyemi expressed concern about graduates of Higher National Diploma (HND) being stopped from NYSC mobilisation.
He explained that many students who graduated with HND certificates from various polytechnics and claimed to have regularised with JAMB were yet to be mobilised for the scheme.
Mr Opeyemi said, The Registrar took his time to discuss with us, and we now know where the problem lies, which is mostly from our various institutions.
Mr Opeyemi expressed dissatisfaction with the process and sought JAMBs help in addressing the matter.
The Registrar of JAMB, Is-haq Oloyede, noted that the board was not responsible for admitting HND students into institutions and therefore had no data to facilitate their entry into the NYSC scheme.
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Our role stops at admissions for National Diploma (ND); we have no record of HND students, he said.
He advised the team to study the admissions guidelines and consult the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for a solution.
(NAN)
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The Nigerian Army says its troops, in coordination with other security agencies, killed some terrorists and apprehended a notorious arms courier linked to a wanted terrorist.
The Nigerian Army in a post on its official X Handle on Thursday, said the operation also led to the recovery of arms and ammunition, while several kidnapped victims were rescued and several terror suspects apprehended.
It said the troops deployed in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno on 3 September raided a terrorist stronghold in the Mandara mountains.
It added that the terrorists were forced to abandon 24 hostages who were rescued by the troops after a fierce firefight.
According to the post, a sweep of the area yielded 11 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one AK-47 rifle magazine, a dane gun, and other items.
The army said its troops had in a parallel operation in Kaduna, dismantled a kidnappers den and killed one criminal in Kabode village, Kachia Local Government Area, while others took to their heels.
It added that four victims were rescued in the offensive mission and the troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, 10 rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition, six motorcycles, and three mobile phones.
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In another operation, troops, in collaboration with other security agencies, conducted a joint offensive into Keyeri Hills and Gidan Dogo areas of Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna.
During the operation, a terrorist arms courier was apprehended while transporting weapons for insurgents in the Gidan Dogo forest.
Items recovered include three AK-47 rifles, one Galil rifle, 1,621 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 222 rounds of 7.62 x 36mm ammunition, 138 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, two extra AK-47 magazines, and one G3 rifle magazine.
The intelligence gathered from this suspect led to the arrest of eight additional individuals connected to the crime, it said.
The post also revealed that troops stationed in Plateau raided a criminal hideout in Riyom Local Government Area, resulting in the arrest of two suspects.
According to the post, items seized during the clampdown include two mobile phones and a knife.
Meanwhile, in Barikin Ladi Local Government Area, troops, acting on credible intelligence, recovered 64 rustled cattle in Fann village.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the cattle were stolen during the Mangu crisis earlier in the year.
The Chief of Army Staff has lauded the troops for their resilience and sustained collaboration with other security agencies and local communities in the ongoing battle against terrorism and criminality, it added.
(NAN)
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The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed that there are no cases of Mpox in its 256 custodial centres across the country.
The Assistant Controller of Corrections (ACC) Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Abubakar Umar, made known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
NAN reports that Nigeria reported 48 mpox cases across 19 states and the FCT, with no deaths recorded, according to the NCDC.
On 27 August, Nigeria received 10,000 vaccine doses from the US government to control the outbreak.
While Nigeria has previously handled isolated cases of the virus, the current outbreak has escalated the situation, necessitating a more pressing and concerted response.
Mr Umar, however, attributed the Services success to the proactive measures taken to prevent the outbreak of diseases, including ensuring compliance with medical directives, robust sanitation systems, and adequate water supply.
He also disclosed that the service was also working in synergy with state governments and the Ministry of Health to prevent the outbreak of Mpox in all the custodial centres in Nigeria.
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According to him, one of the things that cannot be taken away with the NCoS is the proactive steps taken to prevent the outbreak of any diseases in its custodial centres.
One of the numerous steps is the health hygiene of the custodial centres which is by ensuring that all the necessary steps to adhere to compliance with directives from the medical personnel are taken seriously.
Furthermore, we have a robust system where once we notice an outbreak outside, we take proactive steps so that we do not allow staff or inmates to come in contact with or close to those who are infected or maybe infected.
But the most important thing that the service has actually activated over the years is the issue of preventive measures because we will ensure that sanitation and adequate water systems are provided within our custodial centres.
This is because most of these diseases have to do with what we call issue of environment and contact of an infected person, and we have a robust record and good record judging from the past.
We have never had such outbreak within our custodial centres and this will not be an exception as the NCoS Controller General, Haliru Nababa, has given his assurance, he said.
Mr Umar said the changes evident at the NCoS were as a result of deliberate efforts of the President Bola Tinubus Administration to address the neglect of the past.
This, he said, was with improved budgetary provisions, infrastructure upgrade, improved logistics, staff and inmates welfare, among other considerations.
He assured that the service would maintain an infection-free regime in its custodial centres, adding that the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the NCoS CG, were doing everything necessary to see to it that the Mpox does not spread into custodial centres.
He said, like I said earlier, we are doing so much that we ensure we never witness such in our custodial centres as a result of proactive measures taken by our service through the effective coordination of our medical personnel.
This is to ensure that issue of sanitation is taken seriously within our custodial centres and also ensure water supply to our custodial centres is the one that will not bring danger to the inmates.
This also includes the provision of necessary medical assistance to our both high profile custodial centres and even the ones that are not in danger of such Mpox. We are doing so much. No cases of Mpox in custodial centres.
The Service has also embarked on the construction of three units of 3,000-cell high capacity custodial centres each in three geo-political zones in the country.
These are located in Kano (North West), Karshi-Abuja (North-Central) and Bori Rivers State (South-South), in a bid to address the challenges being faced by the NCoS in accommodating inmates.
We are in partnership with state governments, like the Ministry of Health in some of these states, to ensure that we work in synergy with them.
This is to ensure we dont have such outbreak because if such should happen, it will speak a lot within the community where our custodial centres are located, he said.
(NAN)
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The Jigawa State House of Assembly has slashed N1 billion from its allocations in the states 2024 budget as the lawmakers redirected funds in the current budget to agriculture, education and emergency relief services.
The 2024 budget review appropriation bill passed on Thursday reallocated about N17 billion to addressing critical needs across various sectors.
The review was done at Thursdays plenary presided over by the speaker, Haruna Aliyu.
The lawmakers said the budget review appropriation bill also reduced the provisions for recurrent expenditure of governments agencies.
Allocations to service delivery operations, maintenance and other miscellaneous costs were reduced to about N2.5 billion and capital development programmes to about N14.5 billion.
The speaker, Mr Aliyu, said the budget review gave attention to improving living condition in the state, especially given the current hardship in the country.
He said the lawmakers noted the states pressing requirements in agriculture, works, projects, water supply, education and health.
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In addition to the Ministry of Power and Alternative Energy, he said those are essential for socio-economic development, in line with the 12-point agenda of Governor Umar Namadi.
The speaker said the budget review raised N17 billion for the critical needs of the state.
The chairperson of the appropriation committee, Ibrahim Hamza, said the lawmaker slashed N1 billion off the N2.1 billion allocated to Assembly projects and assets acquisition, and another N1.1 billion off the N2.1 billion allocated to the State Research Institute.
He said other MDAs affected by the reduction include Religious Affairs, the State HIV/ AIDS Control Agency (SACA), the Pilgrims Welfare Board, the Office of The Resident Auditors, Internal Revenue Headquarters, Tourism Promotion and Social Registration.
According to the committees report, out of the N16.9 billion reallocated, N8 billion went to agricultural mechanisation and procurement of plants and farm implements.
READ ALSO: Jigawa lawmakers pass bill for creation of Tsangaya education board
He said N500 million was transferred to scholarship to raise its allocation to N3.1 billion, N1.7 billion to immunisation, NI.7 billion to the newly created state Ministry of Renewable Energy, N1.4 billion increased to Emergency Response and N1.8 billion to the state Ministry of Finance for contingency, among others.
The house after deliberation on the report of the committee unanimously approved the recommendation for the adjustment of the 2024 appropriation bill.
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For years, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) presented itself to the public as an alternative government and a group that cared about civilians unlike its rival Boko Haram faction Jamaatu Ahlis-Sunna LiddaAwati Wal-Jihad (JAS).
This elaborate propaganda was aimed at winning over local communities to boost ISWAPs recruitment and revenue drives. With millions of people displaced and livelihoods lost due to years of Boko Haram conflict, the violent extremist group capitalised on these vulnerabilities.
Following its split from Abubakar Shekaus JAS in 2016, the Islamic State (IS)-backed ISWAP moved to the Lake Chad islands. The group took advantage of the areas economic bounty by securing trade routes abandoned during the conflict. It sent word that civilians in Lake Chad Basin should come to live and work in areas under its control, promising them protection.
A former ISWAP cleric and judge told ISS Today: We met with fishermen and asked them to carry the message to Maiduguri and other places, that they should feel free to come here and do their business.
Fishermen, farmers, herders, traders, transporters and others from Boko Haram-affected areas moved to the islands. Unlike JAS, ISWAP fighters were prohibited from carrying out raids against civilian communities. No fighter could harass civilians in these areas, with defaulters facing severe punishment, from whipping and detention to execution. ISWAPs revenue surged as word spread that it was safe there.
This bubble now seems to have burst, as civilians under the groups control and those from other communities have increasingly come under attack from ISWAP fighters. The group is also abducting and executing men in communities outside its control, such as in Kukawa Local Government Area in Borno State. The Institute for Security Studies monitoring of ISWAP propaganda materials shows there were at least three abductions between March and April and nine executions between April and June this year.
Elders from one community said that in April, they sent a delegation to ISWAP to enquire about their young men, but received no answers. Then ISWAP members came to explain that the youths were taken for different reasons, including collaborating with security forces and crimes like armed robbery.
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Borno State, northeast Nigeria
The popular fishing town of Baga in Kukawa was hit especially hard. In May, ISWAP fighters attacked the town and killed at least 15 people, giving residents two weeks to vacate a threat aimed at stopping locals from collaborating with security forces. Civilians in nearby Tumbum Rogo, an island under ISWAPs control, were also ordered to leave within a week. The group understands that forcing residents to vacate communities increases their vulnerability.
On 3 June, ISWAP went around the island, ordering those who refused to leave to gather in an open space used for sun-drying and smoking fish. The civilians panicked and some ran, sensing danger. ISWAP fighters opened fire on them, killing at least 40 civilians according to those who escaped. Around 75 others werent accounted for.
The most shocking recent attack was the 1 September massacre of over 100 civilians in Mafa village, Yobe State. ISWAP accused the villagers of providing information to security forces, which resulted in the killing of four of its couriers, the arrest of its informants, and the seizure of its goods around the village.
For those following the conflict, ISWAP-sanctioned raids and armed robberies in Borno State are equally surprising. Attacks are also happening on highways linking local governments with Maiduguri, the state capital, and one linking Gamboru-Ngala in eastern Borno State with Maiduguri. ISWAP fighters from the Alargarno Forest area perpetrate these assaults.
Three reasons may explain ISWAPs increasing attacks on civilians. First, military operations have forced the group to make desperate decisions. In early 2024, the Multinational Joint Task Forces Operation Lake Sanity 2, in coordination with Nigeria, Cameroon and Chads armies, targeted ISWAPs strongholds in the Lake Chad areas and Alargarno and Sambisa forests. Several ISWAP facilities were destroyed and their fighters and commanders killed or injured. The terrorist group believes civilians provided information to security agents, which justifies their attacks on communities.
The second reason is the ISWAP-JAS rivalry. Following Shekaus murder by ISWAP and the loss of Sambisa Forest, JAS new leader, Bakura Doro, knew he would soon be targeted. Bakuras relentless military campaign against ISWAP has forced that groups leader and IS focal point in West Africa and the Sahel, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, to temporarily relocate to the Alargarno Forest area.
Some ISWAP fighters decided to leave the group and surrender to security forces because of battle weariness. As JAS ejects ISWAP from their territories, they also attack and raid civilians who are caught up in these clashes wondering if ISWAP can continue protecting them.
The third reason for ISWAP allowing its fighters to raid and rob civilians is hunger. Former fighters who recently left territories controlled by the group in Alargarno Forest complained of excessive hunger. They said ISWAP feared that fighters might revolt or surrender to government forces if a solution wasnt found. The area lacks the food production capacity and economic opportunities of those around Lake Chad.
ISWAP provided cash incentives and agricultural inputs like chemicals and seedlings to fighters and some civilians in the Alargarno Forest area, but this wasnt enough. So, rather than risk a revolt or desertions by fighters, ISWAP gave them temporary permission to rob civilians in government-controlled areas pending the arrival of harvest season.
Governments in the region could use ISWAPs deteriorating relations with civilians to counter terrorist propaganda. That will require providing communities in affected areas with better alternatives than those offered by the two Boko Haram factions, including security, essential services and livelihood support.
Such actions would encourage civilians to leave ISWAP-controlled areas, depriving the group of its ability to recruit fighters, generate revenue, get supplies or produce food.
Malik Samuel, Researcher, Regional Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Institute for Security Studies (ISS)
(This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish).
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The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, and the unions General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, are scheduled to appear before the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Department (NPF-FID) on 24 September in Abuja over alleged criminal intimidation and other offences.
The labour leaders who were initially billed to meet with the police on Thursday, 5 September, deferred the meeting due to prior commitments, a member of their legal team, Maxwell Opara, said.
Mr. Ajaero had official engagements, which prevented him from attending the earlier invitation. However, he will honour the new meeting date set for September 24, Mr Opara told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday.
In a letter dated 28 August, the police department requested Messrs Ajaero and Ugboaja to attend an interview at its office on September 5 as part of an investigation into alleged criminal intimidation, conduct likely to breach public peace, and malicious damage to property.
The invitation came a few days after Mr Ajaero appeared before the Nigeria Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) on 29 August.
The NLC had condemned the police summon of its officials and the police raid on its building saying they were tactics to intimidate the labour union and its leaders amidst the economic crisis the country is going through.
Earlier on Thursday, PREMIUM TIMES visited the FID office on Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja, but the labour leaders were not present for the interview scheduled for 11 a.m.
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For about two hours, this newspaper was on the premises of the department located opposite the Force headquarters, but they did not show up.
An officer, who did not want his name mentioned because he was not authorised to speak, also confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that the two labour officials did not honour the invitation.
We have followed the necessary legal procedures. Now, its up to him (Mr Ajaero) to comply with the law, the officer said, adding that there was no formal communication from the labour leaders requesting a postponement or extension.
Force spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi could not be reached for comment as his mobile telephone did not connect.
This newspaper also monitored the situation at the Pascal Bafyau Building, the NLCs headquarters, from 8 a.m.
Although the NLC staff members were seen going about their daily routines, the president and secretary were not present.
PREMIUM TIMES made several unsuccessful attempts to speak with Mr Ugboaja and the NLCs Head of Media, Benson Upah. Calls and text messages made to their phones for comments were not responded to.
Background
On 7 August, police raided a bookshop on the second floor of the NLC headquarters in Abuja, though the specifics surrounding the raid remain murky.
The bookshop is owned by a Briton, Drew Povey (whom the police identified as Andrew Whynne), who was reportedly not in Nigeria at the time of the raid. The Nigeria Police Intelligence Response Team (NPF-I) subsequently summoned Mr Ajaero. Although he was asked to appear on 20 August, Mr Ajaero eventually appeared on 29 August.
Mr Opara, who accompanied the labour leader to the IRT office, revealed that the interrogation focused solely on the bookshops ownership.
The questions they raised were not in line with the contents of the original summons, Mr Opara said, emphasising that the discussion centred around commercial operations within the NLC building rather than any terrorism-related offences.
The police have since declared Mr Povey wanted, while the Federal High Court on Wednesday issued a warrant for his arrest for allegedly plotting an insurrection against Nigeria.
Mr Povey has denied any wrongdoing and said he only supported peaceful protests for good governance in Nigeria. The socialists said he has been visiting Nigeria for 27 years and has had the bookshop at the NLC headquarters for seven years. He urged the Nigerian government not to criminalise peaceful protests in a democracy.
The court also issued an arrest warrant against two Nigerians who allegedly worked with the Briton.
Earlier 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 the 70-year-old Briton 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 (aka Andrew Povish) to plot a war against the Nigerian state. They were remanded in prison.
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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has reported a significant increase in human rights violation cases over the past month, attributing the spike to the abuses by security operatives during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August.
The commission said it received 228,549 complaints in August, the month when the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests were held for 10 days, a dramatic rise from the 185,651 cases recorded in July.
The NHRC disclosed this at the monthly dashboard meeting held on Friday at its headquarters in Abuja.
Protesters trooped out in many states from 1 to 10 August to protest against bad governance and high costs of living attributable to President Bola Tinubus economic policies.
PREMIUM TIMES reported widespread human rights abuses by security operatives, mostly from the Nigerian police and the State Security Service (SSS), during the anti-government protests in different parts of the country.
The abuses by the law enforcement agencies during the protests included arbitrary arrests and detentions, harassment, killings, indiscriminate firing of tear gas and live ammunition to disperse gatherings.
Peaceful protesters and journalists covering the demonstrations experienced various forms of high-handedness and brutality of the security forces during and after the protests.
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In different parts of the country, many of the protesters, including minors, are still being held in detention weeks after the protests. The Federal High Court in Abuja has given police permission to hold 70 of them in detention for two months in Abuja for investigation.
Some detained protesters have been charged with serious crimes including an attempt to topple President Bola Tinubus administration and levy a war against Nigeria. Amnesty International described the trials as a sham and called for immediate release of the protesters.
The Senior Human Rights Adviser at the NHRC, Hilary Ogbonna, said in his presentation of the new report that the unprecedented number of complaints the commission witnessed particularly in August was a result of the violations that some members of the public encountered during the #EndBadGovernance Protest which took place from 1 to 10 August.
The activities of law enforcement following the protest of August have given rise to human rights violations, especially dignity. People dont even know that when tear-gas is thrown directly at protesters who are peaceful, that is a violation of their rights to dignity.
So, you can just imagine in terms of our calculation of violation of rights to dignity in August, how many of such violations could have occurred based on the way law enforcement handled the protest of August 1to10, said Mr Ogbonna.
He also noted the unlawful detention of over 1,200 protesters who law enforcement officers arrested.
Mr Ogbonna emphasised that protest was not a crime.
While speaking on the fresh wave of protests scheduled for 1 October protest, he urged the authorities to recognise protest as sacrosanct, a fundamental human right, and a legal means for the public to air their grievances.
Complaints from the six geopolitical zones
Most of the complaints that were received in July came from the South-South and the North-west in August.
Mr Ogbonna gave the breakdown of the number of cases on a regional basis: North-West 24,527; North-east 18,259; North-central 49,081; South-east 16,917; South-West 21,857 and South-South 55,010.
Explaining why there was a shift from the South-south to the North-west, Mr Ogbonna said, This has to do of course you know with the protest, human rights violations arising from the protest but above all insecurity and violence as we currently know that the North-west happens to be the epicenter.
The NHRC issued an elaborate advisory to guide a peaceful conduct of the protests, identifying the roles of security operatives in the process.
However, reports from different parts of the country showed that the advisory was largely ignored by the security forces and many citizens who hid under the pretext of protesting to destroy public properties and loot stores in Kano and some other northern states.
The intolerance of security forces towards the protesters emerged as early as the first day of the demonstrations.
The NHRC too was prompt in its caution. On 2 August, NHRC asked police authorities to probe and sanction their officers who attacked journalists on the first day of the
#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests on 1 August.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that at least 56 journalists were assaulted or harassed by security forces or unidentified citizens while covering the 10-day protests.
PREMIUM TIMES and The Cable reporters in the firing line of the security forces recounted their near-death experiences here, here, here, here and here. Another PREMIUM TIMES reporter also gave an account of how he was brutalised by the police on the first day of the protest despite identifying himself as a journalist.
Issues in Focus
Mr Ogbonna disclosed that the freedom of association and peaceful assembly, flooding and displacement were the important areas that need urgent attention which the commission is currently addressing.
In August, Premium Times reported 2,217 houses and shops, and 1000 hectares of farmland that were destroyed as a result of flood in Gombe State. Also, 41,344 persons have also been displaced in Jigawa, Taraba, and Adamawa states.
Speaking further, Mr Ogbonna said the right to freedom of discrimination was the most reported case of violation in July, while in August, the right to freedom of religion was the most prevalent complaint followed by abuses by law enforcement and human dignity violation cases.
Other issues which he described as most worrisome are child rights violations and sexual and gender-based violence.
Appealing to all stakeholders, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Anthony Ojukwu, said, As we delve into the analysis of this months dashboard data, let us not only consider the numbers and figures before us but also the lives, stories, and struggles that lie behind these data.
Let us be guided by empathy, commitment, and a steadfast dedication to upholding the dignity and rights of every individual in Nigeria.
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Nigerias Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Friday said its troops eliminated 152 terrorists, and apprehended 109 others, while 91 kidnapped hostages were rescued in the past week across the country.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, a major general, made this known in an update on the operations of the armed forces in Abuja.
Mr Buba said the troops had, during the week, carried out surgical operations against two prominent terrorist commanders, Sadiku and Alhaji Yusuf, and decimated their strongholds.
According to him, Sadikus enclave is located at Tsora Hill in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, while Alhaji Yusufs enclave is located at Yadi Forest in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He said that the troops also apprehended two female terrorist collaborators responsible for negotiations with relatives of victims, for ransom.
Mr Buba said the troops also recovered 183 weapons, 4,443 ammunition comprising 95 AK47 rifles, 35 locally fabricated guns, 76 dane guns, One GPMG and two PKT guns.
Others, according to him, are 4,131 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 165 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 115 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 28 cartridges, 53 assorted arms and 197 assorted ammunitions.
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On the whole, the gallant men and women of the armed forces continued to take pride in putting themselves in harms way to ensure the safety and security of citizens.
Citizens on the other hand, must constantly see the need to show support for troops to win the war, he said.
In the North-east, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralised 63 terrorists, apprehended 38 suspects and rescued 35 kidnappers hostages, as well as recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition.
He said that a total of 196 terrorists comprising 19 adult males, 70 adult females and 107 children, surrendered to troops between 28 August and 4 September, within the theatre of operations.
Mr Buba added that the air component conducted a successful air interdiction on 31 August killing an ISWAP spiritual leader identified as Goni Sanda and several other terrorists in Borno State.
In the North-central, the defence spokesperson said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke neutralised three violent extremists, apprehended 40 and rescued 28 kidnapped hostages within the week.
In the North-west, he said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 105 terrorists, apprehended 21 terrorists and rescued 36 kidnapped hostages as well as recovery of a cache of arms during the week.
Under Operation Whirl Punch, Mr Buba neutralised 16 terrorists, apprehended nine suspects and rescued two kidnapped hostages.
In the Niger Delta, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe destroyed 58 illegal refining sites, 36 dugout pits, 40 boats, 22 drums and 27 storage tanks.
According to him, 32 cooking ovens, six speedboats, three vehicles, three motorcycles, one pumping machine and one generator were also destroyed.
He said that the troops recovered 725,920 litres of stolen crude oil and 475,250 litres of illegally refined AGO as well as apprehended 36 suspected oil thieves and recovered vehicles.
According to him, the air component conducted air interdiction missions to Bugama, Idama, Cawtorne Channel and Krakrama, destroying more than 17 illegal refining sites and several canoes.
In the South-east, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA apprehended two violent extremists and rescued two kidnapped hostages.
According to him, all recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action.
(NAN)
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over $180,300 and 53 vehicles recovered from fraudsters who swindled Canadian victims to the Canadian authorities.
A representative of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Nasser Salihou, received the assets at a handover ceremony held at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede handed over the assets on behalf of the commission.
Mr Olukoyede said, of the total funds, $164,000 was recovered for a Canadian national, Elena Bogoma, and $16,300 for another victim, Sandra Butler.
He said 53 vehicles were also swindled out of Canadian victims.
These assets are being returned on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria to victims in Canada, he stated.
This operation, conducted by the Lagos Division of the EFCC, demonstrates our commitment to fighting financial crimes. Our collaboration with international partners, particularly the RCMP, has resulted in significant recoveries. The total of 53 vehicles and substantial financial assets show the effectiveness of these joint operations, Mr Olukoyede added.
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Strengthening international cooperation
The EFCC chair noted that given the nature of financial crimes globally, there was a need for continued cooperation between international law enforcement.
Cybercrime has become a borderless threat, necessitating robust cooperation across jurisdictions. The criminals behind these frauds operate without respect for national borders, and thats why its crucial for us to work closely with agencies like the RCMP.
This event is a testament to the strengthening of our collaborative efforts. The RCMP has been a key partner in ensuring justice is served. We are committed to investigating, recovering assets, prosecuting offenders, and ensuring that victims, like those in this case, are fully restituted, Mr. Olukoyede added.
The EFCC chairman also noted the dedication of the Nigerian government to combatting financial crimes.
He said his agencys efforts reflect President Bola Tinubus resolve to stamp out corruption and fraud in Nigeria.
What we are doing today is not just symbolic but a demonstration of our governments resolve to tackle financial crimes both domestically and internationally, he stated.
Gratitude to Nigeria
Mr Salihou, the Regional Officer for the RCMP, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian authorities for their efforts in recovering the stolen assets.
This operation showcases the professionalism and commitment of the EFCC in fighting cybercrime. The victims, though not present, would be immensely grateful for the efforts made to recover their assets, he remarked.
Mr Sadiou also noted the significance of the partnership between the RCMP and the EFCC in combating transnational financial crimes.
Nigeria has emerged as one of our key partners in West Africa. Your agency has demonstrated an exceptional level of cooperation and effectiveness in fighting crime. We hope to elevate this partnership even further in the coming years, he said.
Canadas commitment to fighting cross-border crimes
Robert Aboumitri, First Secretary in the Office of the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in Lagos, commended the ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and Canada in the fight against cybercrime.
He revealed that the RCMP established an office in Nigeria in September 2021 to enhance cross-border investigations.
Criminals are not constrained by jurisdictions, and neither should law enforcement be. Our partnership with the EFCC has been one of our most fruitful collaborations in Africa. Weve seen real, tangible results from this cooperation, and todays handover is a clear example of that success, Mr Aboumitri said.
He lauded the EFCC for its prompt responses and consistent professionalism. The team here in Lagos has been exceptional, and we are proud to work alongside them, he added.
Recovery operations
Speaking to journalists after the handover, Michael Wetkas, the Zonal Director of the EFCC in Lagos, provided insights into the joint operations to recover the 53 stolen vehicles.
These vehicles were not all in one location. We had to trace them across various locations, including car dealerships and customs ports, he explained.
He noted that nine of the vehicles were intercepted at the customs port awaiting clearance, while the remaining 44 were retrieved from different locations in Nigeria.
This operation took considerable time and resources, but in the end, we were able to recover all the vehicles, Mr Wetkas said.
The vehicles, now in the custody of the RCMP, are expected to be returned to their rightful owners.
PREMIUM TIMES reported on 16 July that the Federal High Court in Ikoyi ordered the final forfeiture of 20 luxury cars stolen from Canada and shipped to Nigeria.
In his ruling, the judge, Deinde Dipeolu, authorised the Nigerian government to seize the vehicles as no one came forward to claim ownership.
The cars, which include high-end models like Mercedes Benz, Lexus, and Toyota, were recovered following an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The vehicles had been smuggled into the country and listed for sale at various car dealerships across Lagos.
The final order was based on a motion filed by the EFCC, which acted on intelligence provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The RCMP had shared information with Nigerian authorities in April 2022, detailing the theft of over 350 vehicles from Canada. The stolen cars were shipped to Nigeria, many sold online or displayed in car lots.
Among the cars forfeited were a black Mercedes G550 2019, several Lexus RX350 models, and Toyota 4Runners, all of which had been flagged as stolen. The EFCC, using Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) and open-source intelligence, traced the cars to locations in Lagos and Nigerias ports, leading to multiple sting operations.
In an affidavit presented to the court, the EFCC explained that the vehicles were part of a broader smuggling ring that saw cars stolen from Canada between March and June 2022.
According to the commissions statement, the cars were typically insured, with Canadian insurers compensating the owners and transferring their rights to the RCMP. In collaboration with the EFCC, Canadian authorities worked diligently to locate the vehicles and facilitate their return.
The court had previously issued an interim forfeiture order in May, allowing for public notification of the seizure. With no opposition from claimants, the final forfeiture was granted.
The EFCCs legal representative, R.A. Abdulrasheed, requested that the court empower the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria to either sell the forfeited vehicles or return them to the original owners. The proceeds, he added, would include a two percent statutory remittance to the EFCCs recovery account.
Mr Dipeolu, after reviewing the motion and supporting evidence, ordered the final forfeiture of the assets to the Nigerian government.
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the 2023 elections reinforced five undisputed factors central to rebuilding public trust and enhancing the integrity of Nigerian elections. First, attitudinal change among politicians is a condition for rebuilding public confidence in the electoral process. Second, the electoral governance architecture, especially INEC, requires fundamental reforms. Third, the 2022 Electoral Act contains ambiguities and inadequacies that make the electoral process susceptible to capture and manipulation.
Since the advent of Nigerias 25-year democracy, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly have reformed election laws and regulations before and after every general election. These amendments are designed to address the flaws experienced in previous elections. As more reforms are introduced into the electoral process, efforts by political actors to circumvent the reform also intensify. The 2023 election produced the most politically diverse National Assembly, and several electoral upsets were recorded across states. Notwithstanding, the election failed to meet public expectations due to several reasons, ranging from operational inefficiencies, technological challenges, voter suppression, and non-compliance with electoral laws, amongst others. The period cycle was marked by forum shopping and wanton disregard for the agelong doctrine of stare decisis (judicial precedent), leading to conflicting judgments on cases with similar material facts. In addition, substantial justice was sacrificed on the altar of legal technicalities, which rolled back key reforms to the electoral legal framework and eroded public trust in the judiciary. This prompted the Body of Benchers to constitute a committee headed by the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, to address this menace of conflicting court judgments.
The enactment of the Electoral Act 2022 was predicated on the belief that a new electoral legal framework would address the intractable problems of election manipulation, electoral impunity, operational inefficiencies and weak democratic institutions plaguing Nigerias electoral process. The Act, widely adjudged as the most progressive electoral law in Nigerias recent history, produced positive outcomes in the last elections. However, several loopholes were exposed during its first application in the 2023 general election. These ambiguities were the grounds for extensive legal contestations after the elections. Some of these ambiguities include the uncertainty regarding the stage for comparing physical copies of results and electronically transmitted results. Also, the definitions of transmitted directly and electronically transmitted are vague. It is unclear if the term transmitted directly used in Sections 60 and 64 of the Electoral Act, regarding collation of results, refers to electronic transmission. Although INEC was vested with the power to review declarations/returns made involuntarily or contrary to law, Regulations and Guidelines, the modalities and procedures for exercising this power are not prescribed in the Act or INEC guidelines, leaving a vacuum for controversies and uncertainty. A cumulative reading of the proviso to Section 65(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Regulation 90 of INEC regulations does not indicate who can file a report, and the procedure for filing a report indicating declaration/return made under duress or contrary to law, Regulations and Guidelines.
The Current Electoral Jurisprudence Based On Recent Judicial Decisions On Election Cases
1. New evidential threshold for proving over-voting: Over-voting is a dominant feature of Nigerias electoral process, often employed to manipulate elections and produce skewed electoral outcomes. Under the Electoral Act 2022, over-voting occurs when the total votes cast exceed the number of accredited voters. The current jurisprudence on over-voting places a huge burden on the litigants to tender the Voter Register, BVAS machines and Polling Unit level results sheet Form EC8A to successfully prove over-voting. The failure to meet these conditions is fatal to any election petition, especially where overvoting is alleged. This stringent condition imposes an undue burden on litigants. The fate of litigants might hang in the balance where INEC, as the custodian of all election materials, displays reluctance to tender the voter register and BVAS machines. This evidential burden is compounded by the sui generis nature of election petitions, which prescribes a limited timeframe like the rock of Gibraltar or Mount Zion which cannot be moved; extended or expanded or elongated or in any way enlarged.
2. Procedural and technological innovations introduced by INEC must be backed by statutory enactments: In Nigerias electoral jurisprudence, the apex court has declared that INEC is not legally required to electronically transmit election results in any election. The newly introduced IReV is not a collation system, and its not part of the collation system[1]. The IReV is for viewing purposes The Supreme Court jettisoned the electronic transmission of results and the INEC Election Results Viewing (IReV) Portal on the basis that the electronic transmission of results from the polling units to the IReV is not provided for anywhere in the Electoral Act 2022 and that it was only introduced by the Commission in its Regulations and Guidelines.
One of the most prominent debates in Nigerias electoral jurisprudence is the legality of innovations
introduced by INEC through Regulations, Guidelines and Manuals, issued pursuant to the powers vested on the
Commission by the Constitution and the Electoral Act. Since 2015. The Courts have maintained that innovations like Smart Card Reader, BVAS and IReV require statutory enactment to enjoy the force of law. This posture of the Supreme Court creates contradictions in the electoral system. When a principal law confers powers on an institution to issue guidelines for its operations, such guidelines should have a binding effect because they derive from the principal Act, especially where the institution exercises the power within its scope. It is illogical for the Court to maintain that electronic transmission into the IReV portal is not a legal requirement simply because it was introduced in the guidelines, rather than in the Electoral Act.
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Another issue that undermines election integrity is the implicit protection accorded INEC officials in Section 134(2) of the Electoral Act 2022, which allows them to violate regulations and guidelines without repercussions. The Courts, in several cases such as Jegede v. INEC and Wike v. Peterside, have established that INEC Regulations and Guidelines have no binding effect. This judicial position permits INEC to violate its own Regulations and Guidelines, even when those regulations are not contrary to the Constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
The intention of the framers of the Constitution in S.160 and S.148 of the Electoral Act 2022 was to donate discretionary powers to INEC to determine the procedure for results transmission. These provisions ultimately protect INECs independence as a regulatory institution and provide the Commission with the flexibility required to facilitate operational innovations in the electoral process, given the dynamic nature of the electoral process. Its an established rule that principal laws like the Constitution and Electoral Act provide a broad legislative framework. Therefore, outlining detailed procedures in the principal law would amount to over-legislation. The current case law negates these legal provisions and undermines the legislative intent to empower INEC.
3. INECs non-compliance with its regulations is not a ground for challenging an election. Another issue that undermines election integrity is the implicit protection accorded INEC officials in Section 134(2) of the Electoral Act 2022, which allows them to violate regulations and guidelines without repercussions. The Courts, in several cases such as Jegede v. INEC and Wike v. Peterside, have established that INEC Regulations and Guidelines have no binding effect. This judicial position permits INEC to violate its own Regulations and Guidelines, even when those regulations are not contrary to the Constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
4. Nomination of candidates is strictly an internal affair of a political party: The apex court, in several cases, upheld its decision that the nomination/selection of a candidate is strictly an internal affair of a political party and a Court does not have the jurisdiction to entertain complaints on candidate nomination, except the complaint is made by an aspirant in the same political party in line with the Electoral Act. In a context of flawed primaries, obscenely monetised candidate nomination processes, and illegal substitution of candidates, the position of the Court will encourage parties to perpetrate all forms of illegality during candidate nomination. The controversial cases of the Yobe North and Akwa-Ibom Senatorial district primaries are instructive.
5. The absence of a presiding officers signature, stamp and date on a ballot paper will not render a marked ballot paper invalid. The Supreme Court has established that as long as a Returning officer is satisfied that a ballot paper was from a book of ballot papers which was furnished to the presiding officer for use at his or her polling unit, the condition that the ballot paper must be signed is not compulsory. The Courts decision is consistent with Section 63(2).
With the successful introduction of the BVAS, which stores the biometric information of voters, the Electoral Act 2022 should be amended to permit the use of other legally acceptable means of identification for voter verification, in addition to the already produced Permanent Voters Card (PVCs). These means of identification include a drivers license, international passport, national identity card, electronically downloadable voters card from the INEC website and any other means of identification as may be determined by INEC.
Addressing Unresolved Electoral Reform Issues
First, attitudinal change among politicians is the most critical electoral reform Nigeria requires. A fundamental shift in the behaviour of politicians to toward electoral politics would radically deepen the integrity of elections. Politicians should demonstrate commitment to democratic values and respect the will of the people as an act of patriotism and dedication to nation-building.
Second, the legal status of INECs Regulations, Guidelines and Manual should be stated explicitly in the Electoral Act to strengthen its enforcement, safeguard INECs independence and facilitate the introduction of innovations to enhance the integrity of the electoral process.
Third, the Electoral Act should be amended to resolve all the ambiguities in the results collation and transmission process, including stating the role of technology in results management. The Act should make electronic transmission of results mandatory, including the upload of polling unit-level results and results sheets used at different levels of results collation.
Fourth, appeals on pre-election matters related to National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly elections should terminate at the Court of Appeal.
Fifth, the requirement for voter identification should be expanded: With the successful introduction of the BVAS, which stores the biometric information of voters, the Electoral Act 2022 should be amended to permit the use of other legally acceptable means of identification for voter verification, in addition to the already produced Permanent Voters Card (PVCs). These means of identification include a drivers license, international passport, national identity card, electronically downloadable voters card from the INEC website and any other means of identification as may be determined by INEC.
In conclusion, the 2023 elections reinforced five undisputed factors central to rebuilding public trust and enhancing the integrity of Nigerian elections. First, attitudinal change among politicians is a condition for rebuilding public confidence in the electoral process. Second, the electoral governance architecture, especially INEC, requires fundamental reforms. Third, the 2022 Electoral Act contains ambiguities and inadequacies that make the electoral process susceptible to capture and manipulation. Fourth, the right to vote requires additional legal and administrative protection, as voter disenfranchisement and suppression intensify in each electoral cycle. Lastly, accountability institutions must function effectively and impartially to abate electoral impunity.
Samson Itodo is an election, democracy, and public policy enthusiast. Itodo serves as the executive director of Yiaga Africa and principal partner of the Election Law Centre. He is also a member of the Kofi Annan Foundation board and the Board of Advisers of International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA). Comments and feedback to sitodo@yiaga.org
[1] Atiku v INEC SC/CV/935/2023
This is an excerpt from a paper presented at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 2024 Annual General Conference, Lagos, 27th August.
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In a sector where women are often underrepresented and undervalued, she has carved out a space for herself and others, proving that gender is no barrier to success in the world of technology. As she continues to expand her influence, there is no doubt that Nnedinma will remain a trailblazer, leading Nigeria and Africa into a future where technology is accessible to all and where the contributions of women are celebrated and valued.
In the male-dominated world of technology, where gender disparities often dictate the pace of progress, few women dare to venture, and even fewer succeed. Yet, amidst these challenges, Nnedinma Obioha has not only ventured but thrived, establishing herself as a formidable force in Nigerias tech landscape. As the Founder and CEO of Centre Point Multisolutions and Tech Terminal, Nnedinma is redefining what it means to be a woman in tech, making significant strides in IT education across Nigeria and West Africa.
Born on 16 April, 1988, in Owerri, Imo State, Nnedinmas journey to becoming a tech leader began in an environment that was anything but tech-centric. The second of five girls, her early life was marked by a traditional upbringing, yet she was always drawn to the possibilities offered by technology. Her education took her across Nigeria and abroad, from Start Right Nursery School in Owerri to Morabo International School in Lagos, and finally, the American International School in Abuja, where she completed her primary education. Her secondary education at Queens College, Lagos, further broadened her horizons, but it was her time in the United Kingdom that would cement her path in the tech world.
In 2016, Nnedinma moved to the UK to pursue a BSc in Accounting at Reading University, followed by an MSc in Finance from Aston Business School. It was during these formative years that she discovered her passion for technology. While many of her peers spent their summers in leisure, Nnedinma used her breaks to teach junior students essential computer skills like Excel, Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint skills that were not only rare but increasingly in demand. These experiences ignited her interest in IT education, planting the seed for what would become her lifes work.
After her academic journey, Nnedinma took an unconventional turn by enrolling in CabAir Flying School to fulfill her childhood dream of becoming a pilot. However, the allure of technology proved too strong to ignore. In 2014, she pivoted back to tech, enrolling at New Horizon Computer School in the UK, where she earned CompTIA A+ certifications, solidifying her expertise in IT.
Her career in the UK began with a role at Invita Capital, an accounting firm where she served as an assistant to the CFO. It was here that her entrepreneurial instincts were honed. A chance meeting with Mr Adekunle Kalejaiya, CEO of Avila Foods UK, led to the creation of Simply Africa, the first West African packaged ready-meal brand to hit UK shelves. Their products, introduced in Tesco in 2014, marked Nnedinmas debut in the entrepreneurial world, showcasing her ability to blend business acumen with innovative thinking.
Despite her success in the UK, Nnedinmas heart remained in Nigeria. In 2016, she began splitting her time between London and her home country, where her mother had established Centre Point Network, a computer training institution in partnership with Aptech Global, an Indian ITC training institution. Nnedinma took on the role of managing director, applying her international experience to expand the institutions reach and impact.
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Tragedy struck in 2017 when her mother passed away, leaving a void that Nnedinma was determined to fill. In 2019, after being awarded British citizenship, she made the bold decision to return to Nigeria full-time and focus on growing the IT institution. Today, Nnedinma is the only woman in West Africa managing five Aptech IT training centres, a remarkable feat in an industry overwhelmingly dominated by men. Her centres, located in Owerri, Enugu, Aba, and Onitsha, have trained over 3,000 students, many of whom have gone on to secure well-paying jobs in the tech sector.
Nnedinmas vision for Centre Point Multisolutions is to bridge the skills gap in West Africa by providing comprehensive IT training that meets the demands of a rapidly evolving industry. Her centres offer over 50 different courses, from web design to ethical hacking and Java programming, equipping students with the skills needed to succeed in todays digital economy. One of her flagship programmes is the Advanced Diploma in Computer Science, which allows students to earn a BSc in Computer Science within three years. This unique programme combines two years of study in Nigeria with a final year at one of her institutions five partner universities abroad, including Middlesex University in the UK.
Beyond education, Nnedinma is deeply committed to community development. She has established charitable grants, scholarships, and IT workshops aimed at empowering youth in Imo State. Through her Heart of Gold Foundation, she extends this commitment even further, focusing on initiatives that support underprivileged communities and foster social change through technology. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed, as she continues to break barriers and set new standards for women in tech.
Nnedinma Obiohas story is not just one of personal success; it is a narrative of defiance against the odds, a testament to what is possible when passion meets purpose. In a sector where women are often underrepresented and undervalued, she has carved out a space for herself and others, proving that gender is no barrier to success in the world of technology. As she continues to expand her influence, there is no doubt that Nnedinma will remain a trailblazer, leading Nigeria and Africa into a future where technology is accessible to all and where the contributions of women are celebrated and valued.
Margaret Adeyinka, a tech enthusiast, writes from Ikotun, Lagos.
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Residents along the banks of River Yedzaram in Maiduguri are apprehensive as the river has overflown its banks.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the residents are also disturbed by the report that Alau Dam, now filled to capacity, will be opened at any moment to discharge the excess water into the river.
Already some buildings and farmlands along the river had been submerged in Gwange Ward of Maiduguri, while a stream known as Ngaddabul that also passes through the town has also submerged some buildings and farmlands in Maduganari ward.
We are in distress and afraid that more rainfall or release of excess water from the dam can spell more doom for us.
Already, some places like the Customs area, College of Agriculture and 505 estates are experiencing serious flooding from the rivers, Mustapha Ali, a resident of Gwange, said.
Abubakar Ibrahim of Bulabulin ward said some residents of the ward had started moving out of the area.
The flooding from the river is expanding in the Bulabulin area and people have started moving out, Ibrahim said.
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Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Borno State Government, Bukar Tijjani, on Thursday led a team to Alau Dam to assess the situation of the dam for necessary action.
He assured residents of Maiduguri that the state government was working with the Chad Basin Development Authority, handlers of the dam, on safety measures.
NAN reports that the recent downpour recorded across the state has led to cases of serious flooding in Biu, Chibok, Konduga, Bama, Dikwa and Jere LGAs.
(NAN)
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Floods caused by days of rains have displaced over 49,000 persons in Yobe.
Mohammed Goje, executive secretary of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Friday.
He said that 18,000 households were affected by devastating floods across 408 communities.
Mr Goje said that 400 persons sustained various degrees of injuries from the disaster.
At least 23,000 shelters (mud houses), including public facilities, were also affected and three major roads/ bridges disconnected across the 17 LGAs of the state, he said.
He said that the state government had begun disbursing N50,000 to displaced persons in camps and N30,000 to flood victims hosted by communities.
As directed by Gov. Mai Mala Buni, registered flood victims have started receiving cash.
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This, in addition to many responses across the state, aims at cushioning the hardship the victims are undergoing, he said.
Mr Goje said that first-line support in terms of food and non-food items was delivered in most of the camps where victims were temporarily sheltered,
READ ALSO:34 people killed by Boko Haram buried in Yobe
Registration and validation continue across all locations in the state depending on the severity and availability of resources.
Victims do receive either medical support, food, non-food items, hygiene/dignity kits, cash or a combination of any of the available resources, Mr Goje said.
The executive secretary said that the cash disbursement was conducted at Nguru on Friday, adding that it would subsequently be held in Nangere and Karasuwa, among other communities.
(NAN)
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Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has vowed to prosecute quack doctors working in health facilities in the state.
Mr Mbah announced this while speaking at the 49th Annual General Meeting and 48th Scientific Conference of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria in Enugu on Friday, according to a statement by his media team.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, the governor said he had put measures in place to track down such quack doctors in the state.
We have just recently set up a team to address quackery in Enugu State to ensure that those who have no qualifications have no business being in our health care facilities. Culpable persons engaging in these illegal and unethical practices will be dealt with in accordance with the law if caught he said.
Strengthening healthcare and education sectors
Mr Mbah said his administration was committed to strengthening the healthcare and education sectors in the state.
He assured that his government would ensure the provision of quality medical care services to residents of the state.
Enugu State is a centre right now for educational and health advancement, he said.
Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later
The governor announced that the State Executive Council had approved the establishment of Enugu International Hospital at Rangers Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu.
The hospital, he said, would create opportunities for specialist areas which would take care of medical tourism.
The hospital will be fully equipped and manned by those that are very knowledgeable in hospital management, with quality academics and health practitioners.
Migration of Nigerian health practitioners is worrisome
Mr Mbah further said the state government was building 260 primary healthcare centres in the 260 electoral wards across the state.
He said the government plans to establish more secondary and tertiary hospitals.
The governor decried the mass migration of Nigerian healthcare professionals outside the country, describing it as worrisome.
He said his administration had fully implemented the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for medical practitioners in Enugu State to discourage migration of health professionals.
CONMESS is the salary structure for all medical and dental practitioners in federal health facilities in Nigeria.
Earlier designed to take effect from January 2023, the salary structure was adopted to prevent brain drain and rural-urban migration among doctors in the country.
Ophthalmological practice in Enugu
While fielding questions from reporters, the Commissioner for Health in Enugu, Ikechukwu Obi, said ophthalmological practice has come to stay in the state.
Mr Obi, a professor, said the expected coming of the international hospital will further improve the practice in the state.
READ ALSO: Enugu govt explains how much private schools should pay as taxes
So, you can see very clearly that ophthalmological practice has been in Enugu in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital and the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, and soon it will also be at the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital, Igbo-Eno, and even the multiple specialist eye clinics can now be possible because we are bringing in the Enugu International Hospital that is going to be right in the centre of the city, at Rangers Avenue, and then, every level of specialist eye care can be possible in that area of specialisation, he said.
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An Abakaliki Chief Magistrates Court in Ebonyi State on Friday remanded a lawyer, Sunday Ununu, in custody for alleged murder and disruption of court proceedings.
Mr Ununu, 45, appeared before the court on a two-count charge of unlawful possession of a firearm and murder.
The police are prosecuting the case.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that when the case was called, Mr Ununu started shouting.
The lawyer entered the dock but angrily walked out of it and on the court.
The Magistrate, Ojemba Isu-Oko, ordered the defendant to be remanded at the correctional centre and adjourned the case until 20 September for a hearing.
The prosecutor, Eze Ndubuaku, told the court that the defendant, on 21 August at Agbaja-Unuhu in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, shot dead one Nnamdi Nwite-Ugo.
Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later
READ ALSO: Gunmen attack military checkpoint in Ebonyi
Mr Ndubuaku, an assistant superintendent of police, said the offences contravene Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code Cap 33, Vol. 1 Laws of Ebonyi State 2009.
The offence also contravened Section 11 of Ebonyi State Internal Security Enforcement and Other Related Matters Law, 2009, he said.
(NAN)
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Udaipur, Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, the state government is committed to empowering tribal youth across various sectors. As part of this commitment, life skills training is set to begin for students residing in tribal hostels and residential schools. An MoU has been signed between the Tribal Area Development (TAD) Department and Magic Bus India Foundation to facilitate this initiative.
Minister of Tribal Area Development, Babulal Kharadi, spearheaded the agreement, which outlines a program led by teachers and wardens to deliver activity-based life skills education tailored to the specific needs of the state's tribal communities. This program will be implemented across 53 residential schools and 440 hostels in 25 districts, benefiting approximately 42,000 tribal students.
Three-Year Program Timeline:
According to Pragya Kevalramani, Commissioner of the Tribal Area Development Department, the program will span three years. In the first year, master trainers will be selected and trained, a curriculum will be developed, and life skills sessions will commence in hostels and residential schools. The second year will focus on evaluating life skills outcomes using a Holistic Progress Card (HPC), increasing monitoring efforts, and launching a WhatsApp-based AI chatbot, Magic Mitr, for real-time tracking. In the third year, the program's sustainability and monitoring systems will be strengthened to ensure its continued effectiveness.
The initiative will also involve training teachers, wardens, and assistant wardens from 493 ashram hostels and residential schools in life skills, preparing them to educate students from grades 6 to 12.
Transformative Educational Platform Established:
Jayanth Rastogi, Global CEO of Magic Bus India Foundation, highlighted that the partnership with the Rajasthan government will address the challenges faced by students in tribal communities, who often live in resource-limited areas. By providing life skills education, the program aims to help these students overcome difficulties and achieve success. This partnership will contribute to their development, creating a strong foundation for the future of tribal communities.
The MoU marks a significant step towards creating an inclusive educational platform in Rajasthan, aimed at positively advancing the future of students. The state government remains committed to providing comprehensive education alongside traditional schooling. Through this agreement, the goal is to enhance students' self-confidence, ambition, and capabilities, enabling them to achieve better outcomes in schools and contribute actively to their communities.
Commissioner Pragya Kevalramani emphasized that this initiative aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and the collaboration with Magic Bus India Foundation is a critical step toward achieving these goals. The aim is to equip students with life skills, fostering self-reliance and active community participation, thus driving sustainable progress and prosperity in Rajasthan's tribal communities.
Source :
ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "best of the best" that's what 15 Realtors in communities across Florida now can claim, having recently earned their endorsement as a Florida Board Certified Professional.
"A Florida Realtors Board Certified Professional is a Realtor that has earned the distinction of high competence and professionalism through ongoing work in sales, volunteerism, advocacy and ethical treatment of the public, consumers and other Realtors," says 2024 Florida Realtors President Gia Arvin, broker-owner with Matchmaker Realty in Gainesville and a Board Certified Professional."
The members of Florida Realtors' 2024 class of Board Certified Professionals are:
Cathy Alley , Emerald Coast Association of Realtors
Michele Bailey , Emerald Coast Association of Realtors
Hollie Billero Buldo , Realtors Association of Indian River County
Cindy Birge, Central Panhandle Association of Realtors
Eddie Blanco, Miami Association of Realtors
Sandra Fernandez , Miami Association of Realtors
Benjamin Gilbert , Orlando Regional Realtors Association
Erin Halstead, Englewood Area Board of Realtors
Patti E. Ketcham, Tallahassee Board of Realtors
Gonzalo Mejia , Northeast Florida Association of Realtors
Catherine "Cookie" Miller, West Pasco Board of Realtors
Charles Sowers , Central Panhandle Association of Realtors
Tula Tucker , Emerald Coast Association of Realtors
Sue Vasquez, Osceola County Association of Realtors
Mary Anne Windes, Emerald Coast Association of Realtors
An advisory group on industry professionalism led to the development of the Board Certified Professional program. With so many new licensees entering the profession each year, certification was deemed necessary, not only to honor those working at the peak of their profession, but also to create a benchmark for new Realtors to work toward. Twenty Realtors earned the endorsement in the 2023 inaugural year for the program.
"Taking the time and effort to increase professionalism is not only the right thing to do, it strengthens the value of being a Realtor and a member of our local, state and national organizations," Arvin says. "As one of the largest professions in our state, we need to promote Realtor members that work at the highest levels of professionalism and we accomplish this with the Florida Realtors Board Certified Professional program."
Realtor members had to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in four key areas: an in-depth knowledge of the contractual details of a real estate transaction, education, community service and supporting homeownership through advocacy efforts.
For more information about the program, go to Florida Realtors' member website at https://www.floridarealtors.org/membership/specialties/board-certified. The next application period will open in January 2025.
Florida Realtors serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to 238,000 members in 51 boards/associations. Florida Realtors Newsroom website is available at http://floridarealtors.org/newsroom.
SOURCE Florida Realtors
Prof. Shukun Yao, PhD supervisor of Peking Union Medical College, Peking University, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, former vice president of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, and Chief of Precision Medicine Specialized Committee
The successful approval and clinical deployment of the UD-X Single-Molecule Analyzer are poised to revolutionize early screening, early diagnosis, companion diagnosis and treatment effectiveness evaluation for diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD). This advancement is not only of immense clinical value but also holds significant social and economic importance.
Driven by a passion for innovation and a deep commitment to patient care, UltraDx Bio is dedicated to enhancing its R&D and production capabilities. The company is committed to fostering collaborations with various stakeholders to promote continuous advancements in disease screening, precision diagnostics, and the development of versatile application platforms. Together, we aim to drive the industry's growth and improve global health outcomes.
Product Launch Ceremony
On August 25, 2024, UltraDx Bio hosted the launch ceremony for the UD-X Single-Molecule Analyzer. The event was a significant success, with Jay Zengjun Dong, CEO of UltraDx Bio, delivering an inspiring keynote address. The event garnered widespread attention from both industry insiders and external observers, attracting renowned experts and thought leaders who acknowledged the exceptional performance of the single-molecule array technology in both academic and clinical research. They also expressed high expectations for its future applications in early detection and diagnosis of diseases like Alzheimer's.
Distinguished guests included world-renowned key thought leaders, scientists and clinical experts : Academician George Fu Gao, Member of National Academy of Sciences of USA, Member of Royal Academy, and Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and president of Chinese Society of Biotechnology and former Director of China CDC in Beijing; Academician Guoliang Xu , the Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, a research Professor of Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Professor Jintai Yu, of National Clinical Center for Neurological diseases in Shanghai, Deputy Director of Neurology of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Deputy Director of Neurology Research Institute of Fudan University, and Vice Chairman of Neurology Committee, Chinese Medical Association; Professor Yanning Cai, of National Clinical Center for Neurological diseases in Beijing, Director of the Clinical Sample Center of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University in Beijing and Deputy Director of the Key Project Department of the National Center for Neurological Diseases, and other clinical experts and scholars toured our company clinical and product facility, inspected the company's production process, quality control system, and the progress of the product research and development, and explored the cutting-edge of the precision medicine testing technology. The experts pointed out that with the aggravation of aging population, the incidence of Alzheimer's disease is increasing year by year, which brings a heavy burden to patients, their families and the society. Strengthening the basic and clinical research and clinical application transformation in this field is one of the important tasks and social responsibilities shared by both the clinical side and the industry side.
Subsequently, all invited experts had focused discussion on the topic of "Opportunities and Prospects of Early Detection and early Diagnosis of Diseases", with a focus on AD and cancer, reached a consensus that the low rate of early diagnosis and consultation of diseases represented by Alzheimer's Disease is mainly due to (1) insufficient knowledge of patients about the disease; (2) lack of means of early diagnosis and effective treatment; and (3) the early diagnosis rate is closely related to the development progress of society.
Expert Opinions
Academician George Fu Gao, the Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Foreign Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences , the foreign member of the Royal Academy, emphasized that precision diagnosis is the cornerstone of precision medicine, praising UltraDx Bio's efforts in developing advanced diagnostic tools for Alzheimer's disease.
Academician Guoliang Xu, the Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a researcher at the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, underscored the necessity of in-depth basic research for technological advancement and the translation of scientific findings into clinical and industrial applications. He further emphasized, "The results of scientific research should also rely on clinical and corporate industry translation to ultimately benefit human beings." "we shall also pay more attention to individual variation."
Prof. Jintai Yu, of National Clinical Center for Neurological diseases in Shanghai, Deputy Director of Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Executive Deputy Director of Institute of Neurology, Fudan University, and Vice Chairman of the Youth Committee of Neurology Branch of Chinese Medical Association, highlighted the challenges of early Alzheimer's diagnosis, stressing the importance of early detection and intervention to mitigate disease progression. He clearly pointed out the main challenges of early diagnosis of AD and emphasized that once a patient enters the dementia stage, the existing treatments have limited effect, so early detection and intervention are crucial to slow down the progression of the disease. He pointed to the potential of plasma biomarker precision testing as a solution for large-scale diagnostic needs.
Meanwhile, Professor Yanning Cai, of National Clinical Center for Neurological Diseases in Beijing, Director of the Clinical Sample Center of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University in Beijing, and Deputy Director of the Key Project Department of the National Center for Neurological Diseases Medicine, Professor Cai Yanning focused on the importance of standardized clinical sample management, advocating for companies to establish comprehensive, standardized processes to ensure seamless clinical application of precision medicine.
Prof. Shukun Yao, PhD supervisor of Peking Union Medical College, Peking University, Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, former vice president of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, and Chief of Precision Medicine Specialized Committee, said after the academic discussion with Prof. Yu on the commonality, characteristics and differential diagnosis of AD and vascular dementia, "As the clinical side, we hope to join hands with scientific research and enterprises, and make concerted efforts from all sides, so as to contribute to the early diagnosis and early treatment of AD. "
Important Voices
Mr. Keith Crandell, Co-founder & Managing Director of ARCH, said, "We are very excited and confident about using Simoa for early diagnosis of AD and other diseases in China. We are fully committed to investing funds and resources to translate this breakthrough technology into products and solutions for research and diagnostics to help patients and their families around the world."
Managing Director of GF Hong Kong Ms. Xiaoying Mai said, "We are excited about this technology and its potential, and are impressed with Jay Dong's passion, energy and leadership. GFHK fully supports this company that can provide a solution to the huge blue ocean market of early AD diagnosis and hopes that patients will soon benefit from this technology."
"We believe that early detection is an important starting point for the treatment of disease. Many AD biomarkers in the blood are not detectable or cannot be detected earlier without the use of ultra-high sensitivity Simoa technology. Our collaboration with UltraDx Bio for IVD product development and commercialization in China will accelerate and improve early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease patients." Dr. Masoud Toloue, CEO of Quanterix added, "We're excited about the IVD achievement, and a look forward to supporting UltraDX in broadening early Alzheimer's disease testing in China."
"This is only a small step towards achieving a great mission: enabling early diagnosis and early intervention, and making our world a heathier planet", added passionately by Jay Dong, CEO of UltraDx.
About Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder, severely impacting patients and their families. China has the highest number of Alzheimer's patients globally, with over ten million affected individuals. By 2030, the economic burden associated with Alzheimer's in China is expected to reach nearly one trillion yuan. The Simoa-based clinical tests developed by UltraDx Bio provide a new, efficient solution to this urgent need, enabling more accurate and early diagnosis for effective intervention and treatment.
About UltraDx Bio
Founded by scientist-entrepreneur Jay Dong, UltraDx Bio is recognized by leading biopharmaceutical venture capital funds, including ARCH and GF HK. The company's products leverage state-of-the-art Simoa single-molecule array technology, adapted and approved for clinical use in China. With comprehensive capabilities in R&D, translational research, production, clinical registration, and quality management, UltraDx Bio focuses on developing diagnostic tools for neurological, infectious, immune, cardiovascular, and tumor diseases. The company operates R&D and production centers in Shanghai and Shijiazhuang, offering a robust product portfolio that includes AD early diagnostic instruments, reagents, and complete service solutions. By integrating leading global technology platforms with localized strategies and execution, UltraDx Bio is committed to advancing early disease diagnosis and improving human health. For more information, please contact us at [email protected].
SOURCE UltraDx Bio
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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The BR Companies is pleased to announce the appointment of AJ Thomas as President of Healthcare Development. With over two decades of experience in healthcare architecture, AJ brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role.
AJ Thomas joins The BR Companies to lead healthcare development Post this From Left to Right: Ryan Sullivan - Chief Development Officer, Ajith 'AJ' Thomas - President of Healthcare Development, Juan Banos - CEO - The BR Companies, Gary Pellant - President - The BR Companies
Prior to joining The BR Companies, AJ served as the Healthcare Market Sector Leader at Corgan, where he played an instrumental role in the growth and thought leadership of the firm's national healthcare practice. Based in Phoenix, he oversaw key projects, fostered client engagement, and spearheaded innovative initiatives that advanced the healthcare sector.
AJ's career is marked by a comprehensive background in architectural planning and design, with a focus on hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, and specialty centers of excellence. His work spans both the U.S. and international markets, showcasing his versatility and deep understanding of the complexities of healthcare environments. AJ holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and is licensed in multiple states, including Arizona, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, and Minnesota. He also holds certifications in sustainability and evidence-based design (LEED AP BD+C, EDAC) and is board-certified in healthcare architecture (ACHA).
"Joining The BR Companies is more than just stepping into a new roleit's embracing a mission-driven organization that stands firm on core values of integrity, innovation, and excellence. I am thrilled to be part of a team where the entrepreneurial spirit thrives, and every challenge is seen as an opportunity for growth. The BR Companies' commitment to driving impactful results and fostering a culture that encourages creativity and collaboration deeply resonates with my own professional values. I look forward to contributing to our shared vision and helping to propel the organization to new heights," quoted AJ Thomas.
Recognized as one of Arizona's top architectural leaders in 2021, 2023, and 2024, AJ is a passionate advocate for the intersection of healthcare design and its impact on delivery and outcomes. He frequently shares his insights as a speaker at industry forums and contributes to the advancement of the profession through his active involvement in nonprofit and professional boards. He currently serves as President of Arizona Healthcare Executives, a local chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives with over 800 members.
Ryan Sullivan, Chief Development Officer of The BR Companies, commented, "We are excited for AJ to join BR to lead our growing healthcare development initiatives. Healthcare development is a core focus for BR Real Estate Development's growth, and AJ's high-caliber leadership experience delivers the authority and know-how that will result in successful outcomes for BR and our investment and operating partners."
In his new role at The BR Companies, AJ will lead the firm's healthcare development initiatives, leveraging his extensive experience and vision to further enhance the company's portfolio of healthcare properties.
"We are privileged to welcome AJ to The BR family. As we strategically expand our business, it is seasoned professionals like AJ who fortify our organization's standing in the middle market. His alignment with our culture and entrepreneurial ethos will undoubtedly contribute to our collective success," said Juan J. Banos, CEO of The BR Companies.
SOURCE The BR Companies
America Haunts presents the premier haunted attractions, committed to excellence and originality in fear-based fun. Post this
America Haunts Lineup of Premier Haunted Attractions 2024 Season Open Dates
September 6, 2024
Niles Scream Park Niles/Benton Harbor, MI
September 13, 2024
Beast Haunted Attraction - Kansas City, MO
Bennett's Curse Haunted House - Baltimore, MD
Edge of Hell Haunted Attraction Kansas City, MO
Cutting Edge Haunted House - Fort Worth, TX
Erebus Haunted Attraction Detroit/Pontiac, MI
Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Attractions New York/Ulster Park, NY
Kersey Valley Spookywoods Greensboro/High Point, NC
Nightmare on 13th - Salt Lake City, UT
Spooky World Boston/Litchfield, NH
Talon Falls Screampark Paducah/Melber, KY
The Dent Schoolhouse - Cincinnati, OH
The Factory of Terror - Canton, OH
September 20, 2024
Dead End Hayride - Minneapolis, MN
NETHERWORLD Haunted House Atlanta, GA
The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride Philadelphia, PA
September 21, 2024
Thrillvania Haunted House Park - Dallas, TX
September 27, 2024
The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park - San Diego, CA
13th Gate - Baton Rouge, LA
Macabre Cinema Haunted Attraction Kansas City, MO
These attractions take scaring seriously, prioritizing safety in their meticulously crafted experiences. Each haunt is designed to keep visitors on edge from start to finish, offering realistic and terrifying encounters that set the standard for fear. From the East Coast to the West Coast, hauntgoers will seek out the proven masters of horror.
Adventurers will get the jump on tickets to navigate the terrifying grounds and houses at Spooky World in New Hampshire, brave the gruesome pathways at the Haunted Trail of Balboa Park in San Diego, and explore the country's best haunts from north to south like Dead End Hayride outside of Minneapolis and Cutting Edge in Fort Worth to witness masters at bone-chilling scares with special effects, or Baton Rouge's 13th Gate, with its reputation for delivering over-the-top frights.
Graveyards, rooms full of twists and turns, and spooky specters are just the beginning at these top-tier haunts. The Beast in Kansas City and Niles Scream Park in Niles, Michigan, stand out as destinations where fear is an art form. Bennett's Curse in Baltimore and Talon Falls Screampark in Paducah, Kentucky, exemplify how each attraction is uniquely different, with custom-made sets, props, and costumes creating a fear-filled experience.
From the immersive hayrides of the Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Attractions outside New York City that push the boundaries of reality to the unforgettable terror inside The Bates Motel and on their hayride in the Philadelphia-area, these haunts dedicate acres to fright. Massive attractions are a hallmark of the best haunts, and America's premier venues deliver with sprawling grounds like Spookywoods near Greensboro, North Carolina, Thrillvania in Dallas, and the colossal haunted complexes found at Nightmare on 13th in Salt Lake City and the Dent School House in Cincinnati.
Drawing crowds and raving fans is a tradition at NETHERWORLD's dark and twisted lair near Atlanta. The evil experiments at Erebus outside of Detroit and the nightmares manufactured at the Factory of Terror in Canton, Ohio, take terror to the top.
These twenty haunts across America are on every thrillseeker's bucket list, offering the best haunted attraction experiences available. Haunt season begins soon, and tickets are on sale now, allowing visitors to select the ideal times and dates for frightfully fun nights out nationwide.
About America Haunts
America Haunts is the national association of premier haunted attractions, committed to excellence and originality in fear-based entertainment. With a collective annual attendance surpassing one million thrill-seekers, America Haunts represents the best in the industry. Its members are recognized for their longevity, professional reputations, technical expertise, and innovative approaches to creating immersive experiences. These top-tier haunt operators are known for their ability to deliver unforgettable scares, making them world-class leaders in haunted entertainment.
SOURCE America Haunts
The small-ship cruise line continues to lead Destination Immersion experiences with five maiden ports announced, as well as new pre- and post- land programs
MIAMI, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Azamara Cruises the small-ship cruise line and leader in Destination Immersion experiences is pleased to unveil its 2026 summer sailings, featuring 77 new itineraries that will take guests to captivating destinations, iconic landmarks and ports of call that delight and inspire. Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest and Azamara Onward will all spend the summer season in Europe, spanning the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, including extended time in Greece, Ireland, the British Isles and more.
Standouts amongst the new itineraries include three solar eclipse cruises taking place in August 2026, offering guests a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the spectacular natural phenomenon from sea.
"At Azamara Cruises, we're always striving to deliver new and incredible experiences for our guests," said Michael Pawlus, Head of Itinerary Planning at Azamara Cruises. "The rare opportunity to include solar eclipse sailings in 2026 is very exciting and we are thrilled to deliver such a unique offering."
Also, Azamara Cruises will add five maiden ports to the European line-up in 2026 which are only accessible to smaller ships and the debut of new pre and postland programs. These sailings will continue to offer more late nights and overnights than any other cruise line, ensuring Azamara guests have the time to truly discover the culture and communities of these extraordinary destinations, without feeling rushed.
"Europe continues to be a leading destination for us globally, so we are delighted to be announcing one of our biggest European deployments to date," continued Pawlus. "With three ships in the region from March to October 2026, we can offer our guests more options than ever before; taking them to ports less traveled and hidden gem destinations and delivering new immersive land experiences for the very first time."
Solar Eclipse Cruises:
August 2, 2026 -- 11-night Mediterranean Cruise: Greece , Turkey and Italy , Azamara Onward
-- 11-night Mediterranean Cruise: , and , Azamara Onward August 7, 2026 -- 12-night Ireland Intensive Cruise: Belfast, Dublin and Galaway, Azamara Quest
-- 12-night Ireland Intensive Cruise: Belfast, and Galaway, Azamara Quest August 8, 2026 -- 18-night Iceland and Canada Cruise: Reykjavik , St. John and Quebec City, Azamara Journey
Maiden Ports:
Sarande, Albania
Fredericia, Denmark
Turku, Finland
Menton, France
Karlskrona, Sweden
New Pre- and Post- Cruise Land Programs:
Icelandic Highlands, Reykjavik, Iceland This 3-night program offers an immersive discovery of Iceland's natural wonders, including its world-famous waterfalls, hot springs, and the county's remote highlands. Highlights include the stunning Kerid Crater, the iconic Gullfoss Waterfall, and the colorful mountains and glaciers of Kerlingarfjoll Highlands. Travelers will have the opportunity to explore the Central Highlands further with a guided hike along one of Iceland's most scenic and colorful trails the Hveradalir Hike. Next, it's a trip to the relaxing Secret Lagoon of Fludir before heading to Fridheimar, a popular lunch spot for locals and tourists alike, where guests will be met by a family who introduce them to their market greenhouse production and indulge in their famous all you can eat tomato soup. The program concludes with a visit to the UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park, famed for its place on the Golden Circle, as one of the three most popular natural attractions in Iceland .
Ancient Wonders of Egypt & Greece - Athens, Greece Throughout this 3-night program, guests will explore the history and ancient civilizations of Egypt and Greece . In Cairo , highlights include the lively Khan El Khalili Bazaar, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Great Pyramids of Giza, followed by a dinner cruise along the River Nile, accompanied by local performances. Once in Athens , travelers will have the opportunity to visit Cape Sounion to see the Temple of Poseidon, a must-visit for its historic ruins and scenic views of the Aegean Sea. Additionally, the program includes a city orientation of Athens , an authentic Greek dinner and traditional folkloric dances, at one of the oldest taverns in Plaka, as well as a trip to the Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum.
Azamara guests can take advantage of an Early Booking Bonus, receiving 20% off on all summer 2026 cruises booked before October 31, 20204. To book, please visit azamara.com.
In the summer of 2026, Azamara Pursuit will embark on an exciting new itinerary that will see Azamara Cruises visit one of the world's top bucket-list destinations, renowned for its natural beauty and diverse range of wildlife. A further announcement will follow with more details in the coming weeks.
About Azamara Cruises:
Azamara Cruises is a small-ship cruise line and leader in Destination Immersion experiences. With a fleet of four intimate-style ships, Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest, Azamara Pursuit, and Azamara Onward, the cruise line allows travelers to reach marquee ports around the world and dock in smaller, hidden gem destinations. Azamara Cruises is committed to creating immersive experiences for guests through Extended Destination Days (10 or more hours in port) for a more meaningful travel experience. Through their deep understanding of hospitality and commitment to delivering exceptional service, guests can experience an intimate hotel at sea. Through Always Azamara guests can know what's always included; a variety of dining venues plus room service, drinks including alcohol all day and night, tips & gratuities, exclusive cultural events, and unlimited self-service laundry; and what is always expected when sailing with Azamara Cruises; no hassle, no crowds, unique & iconic destinations, overnights, and Extended Destination Days. Additionally, guests can also take advantage of exclusive loyalty membership benefits through the Azamara Circle Program. For more information visit www.azamara.com.
SOURCE Azamara
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Bitnine Global, a California-based technology company specializing in multi-model database solutions, has signed a $3 million System Integrator License Use Agreement with CGI, a leading IT and business consulting firm. The agreement establishes CGI as a non-exclusive system integrator for Bitnine's software products.
Under the terms of the agreement, CGI will distribute and provide support for Bitnine's database products, including AgensGraph Enterprise and AgensSQL GenAI. This collaboration is expected to enhance the availability and implementation of Bitnine's solutions across various sectors.
The agreement, which is effective as of September 2, 2024, will initially cover a period of one year, with the possibility of automatic renewal.
SOURCE Bitnine Global, Inc.
A project born from the desire to support the School's community, which boasts over 300 faculty members, 3,500 new students each year from 65 countries, and over 15,000 alumni
BBS, one of the 220 EQUIS-accredited schools, out of 16,000 worldwide, is launching a challenge for the future of European manufacturing through a unique interdisciplinary approach
The project by MCA Mario Cucinella Architects has revitalized a site opposite the historic BBS headquarters, with which it is directly connected; The over 3,500 square meters of new space, equipped with the latest learning technologies, offer areas designed for interpersonal interaction, adding to the 5,000 square meters of the Renaissance Villa Guastavillani, surrounded by 15 hectares of parkland
BOLOGNA, Italy, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bologna Business School (BBS) opens the New Campus. Riding the wave of rapid growth in international rankings (the Financial Times named it the "highest riser"), BBS entrusted MCA Mario Cucinella Architects with the project of integrating contemporary architecture with respect for the surrounding area. Cutting-edge technology and sustainability are the cornerstones of BBS's New Campus, a place built for people, industry, and the Italian economy.
BBS Area and the New Campus
Founded in 2000 and rooted in the 1,000 years of history of the University of Bologna, BBS represents the school for the new Millennium. Established by four departments of the University of Bologna, BBS is now a foundation of around 20 members, predominantly businesses. Backed by 12 different departments, BBS brings to life an interdisciplinary approach supported by a faculty of over 300 professors, composed of 50% academics and 50% managers, consultants, and entrepreneurs designed to foster innovation.
The opening of the New Campus, held this morning, was attended by the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, EFMD President, Eric Cornuel, MCA Mario Cucinella Architects Founder and Design Director, Mario Cucinella, Ferrari CEO, Benedetto Vigna, BBS Dean, Max Bergami and President Romano Prodi. The event brought together local institutions, representatives from the academic world, and prominent business figures, embodying the spirit and mission of Bologna Business School as a hub for fruitful exchange between these two worlds.
The New Campus consists of three state-of-the-art buildings designed according to the highest sustainability standards, set amidst green spaces, on a site where incomplete structures once stood. Thanks to MCA's project and the collaboration with the Municipality of Bologna, a contemporary, eco-sustainable complex dedicated to in-person teaching has been created, perfectly integrated into the landscape. The New Campus is connected to the historic headquarters of Bologna Business School at Villa Guastavillani, built in 1575 by Cardinal Filippo Guastavillani and restored for the Jubilee of 2000. This new campus is a symbol of the future that connects with the roots and history, not just of Bologna, but of the very concept of university.
The architectural and sustainability aspects come together in the new structure, which employs solutions that allow for optimal control of light, heat, and energy consumption, with a photovoltaic system that powers the entire Campus. Thanks to the large park surrounding the Campus, a system for collecting and managing rainwater has also been implemented, making it reusable during the summer months.
The internal spaces go beyond the concept of a traditional classroom, with all areas designed for interpersonal interaction and experiential learning.
Max Bergami, Dean of BBS, commented: "Bologna Business School is an institution of the 21st-century. It is deeply rooted in the long history of the University of Bologna and simultaneously offers the best forward-looking education to 3,500 participants from 65 countries worldwide. Both symbolically and in substance, the opening of this campus reminds Italy, Europe, and the world that the past, present, and future can thrive within the same institution, like BBS. This new milestone in the School's growth would not have been possible without the support of all the Foundation's Members and numerous other supporters who encourage us to pursue our mission of multiplying opportunities for participants and all stakeholders."
"The project for the New Campus of Bologna Business School," said Mario Cucinella, Founder and Design Director of MCA Mario Cucinella Architects, "develops around the idea of unity in diversity: the new building interacts with the landscape as a unifying and generative element, creating an empathetic dialogue between the surrounding environment and the architecture. The historical significance of these places intertwines with contemporaneity, generating a mutual exchange capable of inspiring young students."
Bologna Business School is a private foundation, supported by the University of Bologna and numerous businesses and private organizations. BBS received EQUIS accreditation in 2021, awarded to just over 220 business schools out of 16,000 worldwide. Every year, approximately 3,500 people, including recent graduates, managers, and entrepreneurs from around 65 countries, participate in BBS courses.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2497389/Bologna_Business_School_New_Campus.jpg
SOURCE Bologna Business School
TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Cansortium Inc. (CSE: TIUM.U) (OTCQX: CNTMF) ("Cansortium" or the "Company"), a vertically-integrated cannabis company operating under the Fluent brand, announces that the Company has issued an aggregate of 865,382 common shares of the Company ("Debt Shares") to certain of its directors in exchange for the cancellation of US$112,500 of director fees owing for the period of April 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024, which was previously approved by the board of directors of the Company. The Debt Shares are being issued at a price equal to the closing market price of the common shares of the Company as listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") on June 30, 2024, being US$0.13, in accordance with the policies of the CSE. In addition, each of the directors of the Company have agreed to be paid the fees owing to them for the period of October 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 in common shares of the Company at a price per share equal to the closing market price of the common shares as listed on the CSE on December 31, 2024, in accordance with the policies of the CSE.
The issuance of the Debt Shares to the directors constitutes a "related party transaction" as this term is defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The directors of the Company, acting in good faith, determined that the fair market value of the Debt Shares being issued pursuant to the shares for debt transaction and the consideration being paid is reasonable. The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the Debt Shares nor the debt exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization.
The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the shares for debt transaction as the details and amounts of debts settled under the transaction were not finalized until closer to the closing and the Company wished to close the transaction as soon as practicable, which the Company deems reasonable as it wishes to reduce its accrued liabilities as soon as possible. Any Debt Shares issued will be subject to a four (4) month hold period.
About Cansortium Inc.
Cansortium is a vertically-integrated cannabis company with licenses and operations in Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas. The Company operates under the Fluent brand and is dedicated to being one of the highest quality cannabis companies for the communities it serves. This is driven by Cansortium's unrelenting commitment to operational excellence in cultivation, production, distribution and retail. The Company is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. For more information about Cansortium, please visit www.getFLUENT.com.
Cansortium Inc.'s Common Shares trade on the CSE under the symbol "TIUM.U" and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol "CNTMF". For more information about the Company, please visit www.getfluent.com.
Forward-Looking Information
Certain information in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates, and projections regarding future events.
Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of this news release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to the factors described in the public documents of the Company available at www.sedar.com. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company; however, these factors should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Company Contact
Robert Beasley, CEO
investors.getfluent.com
Investor Relations Contact
[email protected]
SOURCE Cansortium Inc.
BEIJING, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cheetah Mobile Inc. ("Cheetah Mobile" or the "Company") (NYSE: CMCM), a China-based IT company, today announced that it will report its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, before the U.S. market opens on Friday, September 13, 2024. The earnings release will be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.cmcm.com.
Cheetah Mobile's management will hold an earnings conference call at 7:00 AM on Friday, September 13, 2024, U.S. Eastern Time (7:00 PM on Friday, September 13, 2024, Beijing Time/Hong Kong Time).
Participants may access the call by dialing the following numbers:
Main Line:
International: 1-412-317-6061
United States Toll Free: 1-888-317-6003
Mainland China Toll Free: 4001-206115
Hong Kong Toll Free: 800-963976
Conference ID: 3980144
English Translation:
International: 1-412-317-6061
United States Toll Free: 1-888-317-6003
Mainland China Toll Free: 4001-206115
Hong Kong Toll Free: 800-963976
Conference ID: 7908950
The replay of the conference call will be accessible through September 20, 2024 by dialing the following numbers:
Main Line:
International: 1-412-317-0088
United States Toll Free: +1-877-344-7529
Access Code: 3296401
English Translation:
International: 1-412-317-0088
United States Toll Free: 1-877-344-7529
Access Code: 9577227
A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.cmcm.com.
About Cheetah Mobile Inc.
Cheetah Mobile is a China-based IT company with a commitment to AI innovation. It has attracted hundreds of millions of users through an array of internet products and services on PCs and mobile devices. At the same time, it actively engages in the independent research and development of its AI technologies, including LLM technologies. Cheetah Mobile provides advertising services to advertisers worldwide, value-added services including the sale of premium membership to its users, multi-cloud management platform to companies globally, as well as service robots to international clients. Cheetah Mobile is also committed to leveraging its cutting-edge AI technologies, including LLM technologies, to empower its products and make the world smarter. It has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since May 2014.
SOURCE Cheetah Mobile
CHICAGO, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Compass UOL, part of AI/R Group, in partnership with AWS, is debuting as a master sponsor at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2024 on September 9-14 at McCormick Place, Chicago. The event will gather over 85,000 industry insiders from around the globe to explore the latest innovations in manufacturing technology.
Compass UOL will showcase how generative AI is transforming the manufacturing sector by making business intelligence an integral part of manufacturing operations. Compass UOL will highlight its expertise in helping manufacturers streamline operations, reduce chaos, and deliver value even in the most complex environments.
Key solutions that Compass UOL will showcase include:
AI Cockpit : Compass UOL's software engineering suite uses generative AI to speed up the entire software development life cycle.
: Compass UOL's software engineering suite uses generative AI to speed up the entire software development life cycle. XR Manufacturing Training : Extended reality (XR) transforms manufacturing training methods through interactive experiences.
: Extended reality (XR) transforms manufacturing training methods through interactive experiences. Machine Learning Asset Repository : Effective data governance enables manufacturers to navigate regulatory complexities.
: Effective data governance enables manufacturers to navigate regulatory complexities. HECHO : Chatbot and voice bot curation platform brings together metrics and functionalities, integrating with frameworks such as Amazon Lex.
: Chatbot and voice bot curation platform brings together metrics and functionalities, integrating with frameworks such as Amazon Lex. Rapid Creation and Customization of Data Platforms : Custom accelerator that provides actionable insights such as demand prediction and supplier management.
: Custom accelerator that provides actionable insights such as demand prediction and supplier management. SmythOS: Offers manufacturers enhanced safety and accountability when bringing Gen AI to the production line.
Kimberley Hagerty, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Compass UOL, will engage with attendees at IMTS 2024. "I am just as excited as you are to be your guide and to give you a behind-the-scenes look at how generative AI is reshaping the manufacturing and supply chain industry," said Hagerty.
Please drop by Booth #236157 to visit Compass UOL at IMTS 2024.
About AI/R Group
Headquartered in California's technological hub, AI/R Group is an AI Revolution initiative of the six AI powerhouses and digital services companies Avenue Code, Compass UOL, Edgy, Everymind, Invillia, and WEBJUMP. Together, they're revolutionizing tech consultancy and digital services by leveraging data, AI, and Gen AI to deliver innovation and guide industries and leading brands into their AI transformation journeys, connecting robust technologies and initiatives, over 5,000 certified experts, AI-enhanced talents, and R&D to develop cutting-edge platforms that improve business outcomes and people's lives. AI/R Group is about AI-powered innovation. A revolution that's in the air we breathe.
SOURCE Compass UOL
NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with the AI impact on market trends- The global data security market size is estimated to grow by USD 3.86 billion from 2023-2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 14.8% during the forecast period. Stringent regulations regarding data protection is driving market growth, with a trend towards Increasing focus toward data security automation. However, system integration and interoperability issues poses a challenge. Key market players include Amazon.com Inc., Broadcom Inc., Centrify Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., Cloudera Inc., Fortinet Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Imperva Inc., International Business Machines Corp., McAfee LLC, Microsoft Corp., NetApp Inc., Oracle Corp., Palo Alto Networks Inc., Proofpoint Inc., Sirius Computer Solutions Inc., Sophos Ltd., Thales Group, Varonis Systems Inc., and Zscaler Inc..
Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Data 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
Data 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 14.8% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 3866.29 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 14.56 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 33% Key countries US, China, Japan, Germany, and UK Key companies profiled Amazon.com Inc., Broadcom Inc., Centrify Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., Cloudera Inc., Fortinet Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Imperva Inc., International Business Machines Corp., McAfee LLC, Microsoft Corp., NetApp Inc., Oracle Corp., Palo Alto Networks Inc., Proofpoint Inc., Sirius Computer Solutions Inc., Sophos Ltd., Thales Group, Varonis Systems Inc., and Zscaler Inc.
Market Driver
Data automation is revolutionizing the tech sector, including data security. Automation in data security refers to the use of technology to perform repetitive data security tasks. This trend is gaining popularity due to the increasing complexity of cyberattacks and the understaffed data security teams in organizations. Data security automation tools and platforms can assist in managing hardware and software assets, conducting vulnerability assessments, monitoring data, maintaining asset conditions, and patching systems. By automating these tasks, organizations can improve efficiency, reduce workload, and focus on the business impact of data security solutions. The adoption of data security automation is expected to drive the growth of the global data security market.
The Data Security Market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing volumes of digital data and the expanding use of information applications. Cybercrimes, including money theft, lost property, and intellectual property theft, pose a major threat to businesses and individuals. Digitalization trends, such as the proliferation of digital devices, the Internet of Things, and cloud computing, add to the complexity of data security. Data auditing, real-time alerts, risk assessment, and minimization are essential practices to mitigate data breaches. CSIS reports reveal an exponential trend in cyberattacks, with viruses, phishing attempts, and endpoint protection being key concerns. IoT devices, SPDI rules, mobile technology, social media, and Simple Storage Service are also areas of focus. Industry associations, national statistical offices, security organizations, and government entities are collaborating to enhance cybersecurity. Forecasting techniques, including internet penetration and forecasting techniques like exponential trend smoothing, are used to anticipate cyber threats. VPN, AI, and ML are emerging technologies that offer enhanced security solutions. B2C, B2B, and B2G sectors are investing in security testing, Mobile Device Management, and VAT to safeguard their financial statements. Cybersecurity is a critical business priority in today's digital world.
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Market Challenges
The integration of data security solutions into various industry verticals, such as BFSI, telecom, transportation, and public- sector firms, is on the rise. However, this trend brings about system integration and interoperability challenges. Organizations often face difficulties in integrating multiple data security systems with their existing IT infrastructure. Technical issues during operations can lead to significant costs and reduced operational efficiencies. Vendors must address these concerns by providing unified data security solutions that can easily integrate with existing systems. Customization of data security solutions can be costly, making it difficult for vendors to cater to individual organization's unique requirements. Seamless integration of multiple data security systems is crucial to avoid cross-platform issues and ensure the market's continued growth. Vendors must conduct thorough trials before introducing new solutions to mitigate technical glitches and hacking risks.
The Data Security market is expanding rapidly due to increasing challenges in safeguarding sensitive information for Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Business-to-Business (B2B), and Business-to-Government (B2G) transactions. Cyberattacks, VAT fraud , and data thefts pose significant risks to financial statements and business continuity. Industry associations, national statistical offices, and security organizations work together to address these issues. Challenges include cyberattacks, VAT fraud , and data breaches affecting financial statements and business continuity. B2C, B2B, and B2G sectors face these risks. SMEs, PII, IT infrastructure, and Cloud solutions are primary concerns. Next-Generation Firewalls, Advanced Threat Protection, and Endpoint security are essential tools. Cyber hygiene practices, Targeted attacks, Business Continuity Plan, and Sensitive data protection are crucial. Global organizations, regulatory authorities, and emerging startups grapple with data ingestion, structured and unstructured data, Cloud deployment, and On-premises deployment. Financial loss, intellectual property loss, competitive advantages, and business disruption are potential consequences. Financial capabilities and IT security infrastructure are key factors. AI, ML, VPN, and Next-Generation Firewalls are essential technologies. Regulatory compliance and cybersecurity best practices are essential.
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Segment Overview
This data security market report extensively covers market segmentation by
Deployment
1.1 On-premises
1.2 Cloud-based
Type
2.1 Large enterprise
2.2 SME
Geography
3.1 North America
3.2 Europe
3.3 APAC
3.4 South America
3.5 Middle East and Africa
1.1 On-premises- The Data Security Market is a significant business sector that focuses on safeguarding digital information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. Companies invest in data security solutions to protect sensitive data, maintain customer trust, and comply with regulations. Growth in digital transformation and increasing cyber threats drive market expansion. Key players include IBM, Cisco, Microsoft, and Symantec.
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Research Analysis
The Data Security market is a critical segment of the technology industry, focusing on safeguarding digital information from cyberattacks for Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Business-to-Business (B2B), and Business-to-Government (B2G) sectors. With the increasing use of technology and the internet, the market's significance continues to grow. Value-Added Tax (VAT) offices and national statistical offices are also key stakeholders in ensuring data security for financial statements. Cybercrimes, including Odinaff, Danabot, Camubot, Backswap, and others, pose significant threats to data security. Security organizations play a vital role in mitigating these risks through Next-Generation Firewalls, Advanced Threat Protection, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Machine Learning (ML) solutions. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly targeted, making it essential to secure PII and IT infrastructure. Cloud solutions and Information applications are also significant areas of focus, as data volumes continue to grow. Industry associations are crucial in setting standards and best practices for data security. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are also essential tools for secure data transmission.
Market Research Overview
The Data Security market is a dynamic and evolving industry that encompasses various sectors including B2C, B2B, B2G, and large enterprises. With the increasing use of technology and digitalization trends, the market is witnessing an exponential trend in cyberattacks, data thefts, identity thefts, and business disruptions. VAT, industry associations, national statistical offices, and security organizations play crucial roles in data security. Cybersecurity threats come in various forms, such as financial statements manipulation, targeted attacks, and data breaches. SMEs, PII, IT infrastructure, Cloud solutions, Endpoint security, and Cyber hygiene practices are key areas of focus. Next-Generation Firewalls, Advanced Threat Protection, and AI, ML are essential tools for securing data. Data volumes continue to grow, driven by digital data generation from various sources, including the Internet of Things, digital devices, and social media. Data Auditing, Data Real-time Alerts, and Data risk assessment are crucial for identifying and mitigating risks. Data minimization, Breaches, Capital loss, Intellectual property loss, and Business Continuity Plan are significant concerns for organizations. Regulatory authorities play a vital role in enforcing data security regulations and compliance. Digitalization trends, such as Cloud deployment and On-premises deployment, require robust IT security infrastructure. Cybercrimes, including money theft, lost property, and intellectual property theft, pose significant risks to organizations. VPN, SPDI Rules, Simple Storage Service, Syxsense, Mobile Device Management, and other security solutions are essential for securing data in various deployment models. Cybercrimes continue to evolve, necessitating the need for advanced security solutions and continuous security testing.
Table of Contents:
1 Executive Summary
2 Market Landscape
3 Market Sizing
4 Historic Market Size
5 Five Forces Analysis
6 Market Segmentation
Deployment
On-premises
Cloud-based
Type
Large Enterprise
SME
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
SINGAPORE, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WSPN (Worldwide Stablecoin Payment Network), a leading provider of next-generation stablecoin infrastructure, is thrilled to announce its participation in TOKEN2049 Singapore from September 18th-19th, 2024. This participation comes at a pivotal moment for the stablecoin sector, with the total market capitalization of stablecoins reaching an all-time high of $168.1 billion, according to DefiLlama. WSPN will be exhibiting at booth P98 on Level 4, showcasing its flagship product, WUSD, a stablecoin designed for secure and efficient digital payments in Web3.
As a key highlight, WSPN Founder and CEO, Raymond Yuan, will deliver a speech titled "Stablecoin 2.0: Blueprint for a Global Digital Economy" on September 19th at 10:30 AM. Mr. Yuan's address will delve into the transformative potential of stablecoins in shaping the future of finance, particularly as the industry experiences unprecedented growth and stablecoins become increasingly important gateways between traditional financial systems and digital assets.
Further emphasizing its commitment to driving the stablecoin conversation forward, WSPN will also host an exclusive side event titled "Stable Rise" on September 17th from 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM at the Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC). This event will bring together prominent industry leaders, including (From A to Z) Ample FinTech, Bitget, BitMart, dtcpay, KUN, Lotusia, Mastercard, Pharos, and Polygon Labs, to discuss the future of stablecoins and their impact on the global financial system.
"Stable Rise" will delve into the expanding role of stablecoins in the evolving digital economy. Discussions will focus on the growing use cases of stablecoins across various sectors, the future of payments, particularly in emerging markets, and the convergence of stablecoins with traditional finance. The event will also explore solutions to current challenges, such as stablecoin liquidity, and analyze the regulatory landscape shaping the future of this dynamic sector.
In a recent statement addressing the record stablecoin market, Raymond Yuan, Founder and CEO of WSPN, said:
"The record-breaking capitalization of stablecoins shows the market is ready for more sophisticated solutions. Our Stablecoin 2.0 concept offers enhanced utility and user-centric features that go beyond mere price stability. We believe the future of stablecoins lies in becoming a bridge that seamlessly connects traditional finance with digital assets."
Event Details:
WSPN at TOKEN2049 Singapore : September 18th-19th , Booth P98, Level 4, Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre.
: , Booth P98, Level 4, Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. Raymond Yuan Speech: " Stablecoin 2.0: Blueprint for a Global Digital Economy," September 19th , 10:30 AM .
2.0: Blueprint for a Global Digital Economy," , . "Stable Rise" Side Event: September 17th , 2:00 PM - 5:30 PM , Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC). Register here: https://lu.ma/e1m0ur5k
Visit WSPN at TOKEN2049 Singapore at booth P98 to learn more about WUSD and Stablecoin 2.0, and explore the future of stablecoins. Be sure to also attend the "Stable Rise" side event to join leading industry figures in engaging discussions about the future of this dynamic sector.
About WSPN
WSPN is a leading provider of next-generation stablecoin infrastructure, committed to building a more secure, efficient, and transparent payment solution for the global economy. Their flagship product, WUSD stablecoin, is pegged 1:1 to the U.S. Dollar and aims to optimize secure and licensed digital payments for Web3 users. WSPN 's Stablecoin 2.0 approach prioritizes user-centricity, community governance, and accessibility, paving the way for widespread stablecoin adoption.
Learn more: www.wspn.io | X | LinkedIn
SOURCE WSPN
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dos Hermanos Taco Truck, a rising star in Mexican cuisine, is excited to announce the grand opening of its newest location at Polaris Fashion Place, in early October. This vibrant addition to the mall's dining scene promises an authentic Mexican experience with a lively atmosphere and a menu inspired by traditional recipes from Oaxaca, Mexico.
This will be the brand's fifth location, where diners will be treated to a one-of-a-kind experience. This new space features a distinctive design that captures the essence of a classic Dos Hermanos food truck, offering a fresh and immersive dining adventure.
Lisa Gutierrez, CEO and co-founder of Dos Hermanos, shared: "We aimed to create a visually striking new space that captures the vibrant essence of a street food market. With our food truck-inspired exterior and lively decor, we want guests to feel like they've arrived at a bustling market. Given that our brand began as a food truck, it only made sense to design a space that mirrors that original, inviting experience."
"On behalf of Polaris Fashion Place, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dos Hermanos on the upcoming opening of their newest restaurant," said Tamra Bower, General Manager of Polaris Fashion Place. "The opening of Dos Hermanos adds a wonderful new flavor to our diverse dining options. We are excited to see how their unique offerings will enrich our community and look forward to a long and successful partnership," stated Bower.
Additionally, Dos Hermanos also offers both full-service catering (such as weddings) and drop of services to their clients. To book a future catering, please email [email protected]
About Dos Hermanos Taco Truck
Dos Hermanos Taco Truck is a family-owned restaurant with five locations across Central Ohio. In addition to the new Polaris Fashion Place location, the brand operates a full-service bar and restaurant at Easton Town Center (3946 Morse Crossing) and four quick-serve locations (North Market Downtown, Bridge Park in Dublin, and Food Fort 2.0 off Old Leonard Avenue). The company also offers four food trucks and one taco cart available for corporate events and private parties. To learn more, please visit EatAtDos.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kristen Campbell
[email protected]
SOURCE Dos Hermanos Columbus
SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Elegoo, a rapidly developing brand in global smart manufacturing, is excited to launch its Elegoo Day, a celebration of innovation and community with thrilling events and activities. This special day unites makers, creators, and innovators through a blend of online and offline festivities. It also marks a milestone in Elegoo's journey, from the debut of the Mars 3D printer to the latest in cutting-edge technology.
Elegoo is launching the #MakeMyDay contest, inviting creators to share their favorite projects
To celebrate and give back, Elegoo's website will offer exclusive promotions from September 11 to September 17. Customers will have the chance to receive filaments, resins, and accessories with their purchases during this festive period.
Share What Makes Your Day
Debuting in 2019 after a year of development from prototype to final product, the Mars was the first 2K printer available at the $300 price point, empowering creators globally. To give back, Elegoo is launching the #MakeMyDay contest from September 6 to October 20, 2024. Creators are invited to share their favorite projects, whether 3D printed or using other creative methods.
Elegoo is also offering a Model Library for those new to 3D modeling. A jury of seven influential creators will review entries (in alphabetical order): Dr. D-Flo, Do3D, Pablo Inventos, ROGO minis, 3D Printing Nerd, Uncle Jessy, and WildRoseBuilds. With a prize pool of $15,000, participants can win 3D printers, filaments, and resin packs. For more information, fans can visit the Elegoo Day Page.
Streaming Fun and On-Site Celebrations
Elegoo's first online celebration will kick off with an exciting livestream party at 6:30PM (Pacific Daylight Time), on September 10. The livestream will feature sneak peeks into upcoming products and exclusive giveaways for those who tune in. Leading voices from the 3D printing community, 3D Printing Nerd and Uncle Jessy, will also join the livestream to interact with fans.
For fans who prefer in-person events, Elegoo will host a special fan meetup in Tokyo on October 19. Attendees can interact with the Elegoo team, experience live demonstrations of the latest 3D printing technology, and receive exclusive Elegoo-branded gifts.
In early October, Elegoo will collaborate with French distributors to launch exciting in-store promotions. Shoppers will have the chance to receive exclusive Elegoo gifts, and those purchasing Elegoo 3D printers will enjoy complimentary filament or resin.
Aiming for the Stars
Elegoo Day is more than a celebration of current achievements; it honors the journey and the passionate community supporting it. "Our community is the driving force behind success," says Chris Hong, CEO of Elegoo. "Elegoo Day is a way to thank the makers, creators, and dreamers who inspire daily. Celebrating this milestone offers an opportunity to continue pushing the boundaries of 3D printing."
For details on Elegoo Day events, visit the Elegoo Day Page or follow Elegoo on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube, TikTok, Discord, and Reddit.
About Elegoo
Founded in 2015, Elegoo is a rapidly developing brand in the global smart manufacturing industry, specializing in R&D, manufacturing, and sales of consumer-grade 3D printers, laser engravers, STEM kits, and other smart technology products. Located in Shenzhen, the Silicon Valley of China, the company has sold millions of products to nearly 80 countries and regions. In 2023, the company's total sales revenue exceeded USD 200 million, with close to 700 employees and nearly 25,000 square meters of office and manufacturing area. With a focus on programming and 3D printing technology, Elegoo provides unique and smart creation spaces for diverse consumers to enhance personalized experiences.
SOURCE ELEGOO
NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with the AI impact on market trends- The global engineering services outsourcing market size is estimated to grow by USD 203.04 million from 2023-2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of almost 18.75% during the forecast period. Cost savings from lower labor wages is driving market growth, with a trend towards collaborative co-innovation partnership with outsourcing firms. However, risk of intellectual property theft and misuse poses a challenge. Key market players include Altair Engineering Inc., Alten SA, Capgemini Service SAS, Cyient Ltd., Deaton Engineering Inc., EPAM Systems Inc., FEV Consulting GmbH, Flatworld Solutions Pvt. Ltd., HCL Technologies Ltd., Hitachi Ltd., Honeywell International Inc., Infosys Ltd., Leedeo Engineering S.L., Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., Quest Services Pte. Ltd., Siemens AG, Sonata Software Ltd., SSA Business Solutions India, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., and Wipro Ltd..
Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Engineering Services Outsourcing Market 2023-2027
Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View the snapshot of this report
Engineering Services Outsourcing Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2022 Historic period 2017 - 2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 18.75% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 203.04 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 18.25 Regional analysis North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 42% Key countries US, China, India, Germany, and Poland Key companies profiled Altair Engineering Inc., Alten SA, Capgemini Service SAS, Cyient Ltd., Deaton Engineering Inc., EPAM Systems Inc., FEV Consulting GmbH, Flatworld Solutions Pvt. Ltd., HCL Technologies Ltd., Hitachi Ltd., Honeywell International Inc., Infosys Ltd., Leedeo Engineering S.L., Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., Quest Global Services Pte. Ltd., Siemens AG, Sonata Software Ltd., SSA Business Solutions India, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., and Wipro Ltd.
Market Driver
Outsourcing partnerships are characterized by collaborative relationships, where both the customer organization and the outsourcing service provider share risks and benefits. This approach is crucial for the successful execution of outsourcing projects, especially as the challenges and risks continue to evolve. Apple, for instance, collaborates with China-based manufacturers to leverage their expertise in high-end material science and packaging technology. Simultaneously, Apple sets specific manufacturing and quality control measures to ensure the premium quality of its products. India-based telecom company Airtel also forms strategic partnerships with outsourcing firms like IBM, Ericsson, Nokia, and Siemens, based on shared risk and reward deals. Airtel's success significantly impacts the revenue generation of these outsourced companies. Co-innovation, where both parties exchange knowledge to develop new solutions and products, is a critical driver of growth in the Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO) market. Despite the risks, the collaborative nature of these partnerships is expected to fuel the expansion of the global ESO market during the forecast period.
The Engineering Services Outsourcing market is experiencing significant trends in various industries. In Auto designing, Computer-aided design (CAD), Computer-aided engineering (CAE), and Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) are increasingly popular. Telecom, Robotics, and OEMs are leveraging outsourcing for IT integration and digitalization. March 2020 marked a surge in offshoring for CNC machines and digital collaboration tools. Industrial automation, control services, and mobility are driving demand for customized services in sectors like 5G networks, Smart Products, and Digital twins. OEMs are focusing on servitization and M2M (Machine-to-Machine) for better efficiency. Cyberattacks pose a threat to intellectual property (IP) and data security, necessitating robust cybersecurity measures. Digitalization and cloud adoption are transforming PLM/MES systems, while AI and machine learning (ML) are revolutionizing testing services and designing services. On-shore and off-shore outsourcing continue to coexist, with automation and integrated solutions being key offerings. Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and 3D printing are gaining traction, while cybersecurity, edge analytics, and software tools remain essential components of the Engineering Services Outsourcing landscape.
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Market Challenges
The engineering services outsourcing market faces a significant challenge in the form of intellectual property (IP) theft. Organizations are cautious about outsourcing their R&D operations due to the risk of design and technology leakage. Strict non-disclosure policies and procedures are implemented to prevent unauthorized access to confidential information. However, the increasing use of computer technology and online access makes it difficult to safeguard IP completely. Collaborating with engineering services providers across borders adds to the complexity, as differences in laws and regulations can make it challenging to prove IP breaches. Techniques such as forced technology transfer, corporate espionage, and hacking are used to steal IP, resulting in loss of competitive advantage for customer organizations. This concern restricts many from outsourcing engineering services during the forecast period.
The Engineering Services Outsourcing market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for cost savings and expertise in areas like auto designing, computer-aided manufacturing, telecom, robotics, IT integration, and OEMs. However, challenges persist in implementing computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided engineering (CAE), and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technologies, including 3D printing and CNC machines. Digitalization trends such as enterprise asset management, industrial automation, control services, mobility, smart products, and digital twins present opportunities, but also risks like cyberattacks and intellectual property concerns. The adoption of 5G networks, digital collaboration tools, offshoring, cloud, cybersecurity, servitization, M2M, edge analytics, PLM/MES systems, customized services, Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data security, and testing services require careful consideration. Challenges include on-shore vs. Off-shore outsourcing, automation, and integrated solutions, as well as the impact of AI, ML, and cybersecurity on intellectual property and data security.
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Segment Overview
This engineering services outsourcing market report extensively covers market segmentation by
End-user
1.1 Automotive
1.2 Consumer electronics
1.3 Telecom
1.4 Semiconductor
1.5 Others
Geography
2.1 North America
2.2 APAC
2.3 Europe
2.4 South America
2.5 Middle East and Africa
1.1 Automotive- The automotive industry's global growth is driven by changing consumer needs, focusing on connectivity, electrification, and safety features. Manufacturers aim to produce smart, fuel-efficient vehicles that comply with emission regulations. New products, such as electric cars, car electronics, and telematics, fuel the demand for engineering services in this sector. Cost reduction, less time-to-market, and competition are significant factors driving the demand for Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO) in automotive. Manufacturers invest in R&D to efficiently handle the increasing complexity of automotive technologies. The global automotive ESO market is technology-intensive, with a rise in turnkey projects for end-to-end services. Manufacturing engineering, a complex field, deals with designing, manufacturing, assembling, testing, and logistics. ESPs offer complete vehicle engineering solutions for components, electrical equipment, and electronics architecture. Partnerships, joint ventures, and acquisitions are common for electric, connected, and autonomous cars' development. The need for testing and validation increases, leading to opportunities for ESPs to expand their technological portfolio and maximize profits. ESPs target OEMs and tier-1/2 suppliers, and the market will experience strong growth due to these factors.
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Research Analysis
The Engineering Services Outsourcing Market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing adoption of advanced technologies such as Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), Artificial intelligence (AI), and Machine learning (ML) in the engineering industry. These technologies enable the delivery of Intellectual Property (IP) through cloud-based engineering software, facilitating the development of digital twins and integrated solutions. Automation, a key driver of efficiency and cost savings, is being integrated into various engineering processes including Auto designing, Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), Computer-aided engineering (CAE), and Computer-aided design (CAD). The telecom sector, robotics, CNC machines, and 3D printing are also benefiting from engineering outsourcing services. Digitalization is at the heart of this transformation, enabling the secure transfer and processing of large data sets, ensuring Data security is a top priority for engineering service providers. The future of engineering services lies in the seamless integration of these technologies to deliver innovative, efficient, and cost-effective solutions.
Market Research Overview
The Engineering Services Outsourcing Market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing adoption of advanced technologies such as Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), Artificial intelligence (AI), and Machine learning (ML) in various industries. Intellectual Property (IP) protection and data security are key concerns, with the integration of AI and ML in engineering services ensuring stronger IP protection and enhanced data security. Digitalization is at the forefront of engineering services, with the implementation of digital twin technology, 5G networks, and cloud-based engineering software. Automation, integrated solutions, and IT integration are also driving the market forward, with robotics and CNC machines playing a crucial role in manufacturing processes. Telecom, OEMs, and the automotive industry are major contributors to the market, with the increasing demand for mobility and smart products. Industrial automation, control services, and enterprise asset management are also significant areas of focus. Offshoring and on-shore outsourcing continue to be popular options for companies seeking cost savings and expertise. Cyberattacks are a growing concern, with cybersecurity becoming an essential component of engineering services. Servitization, M2M (Machine-to-Machine) communication, edge analytics, and PLM/MES systems are also gaining traction. Customized services, 3D printing, and CAD, CAE, CAM, and testing services are essential components of the engineering services landscape. The market is expected to continue growing in the post-March 2020 era, with a focus on innovation, digital collaboration tools, and the integration of emerging technologies such as AI, ML, and 5G networks.
Table of Contents:
1 Executive Summary
2 Market Landscape
3 Market Sizing
4 Historic Market Size
5 Five Forces Analysis
6 Market Segmentation
End-user
Automotive
Consumer Electronics
Telecom
Semiconductor
Others
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.
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
BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Just a week after unveiling the E20 Plus, Eureka has made waves at IFA 2024 with the launch of its flagship robot vacuum of 2024, the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra. Equipped with the industry's first self-cleaning base station and active detangling technology, 16,200 Pa powerful suction, and exceptional edge cleaning performance, the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra is set to make cleaning much easier.
Industry's First Self-Cleaning Base Station
Eureka J15 Pro Ultra
The Eureka J15 Pro Ultra stands out by featuring the industry's first self-cleaning base station. In the past, while the base station could clean the robot, the tray of the base was often neglected, allowing dirt to accumulate and reducing the effectiveness of mop cleaning. The Eureka J15 Pro Ultra ingeniously includes a tray scraper, a debris collection area, and a separate tray debris collecting channel inside the base station. After each mop cleaning, a built-in scraper removes debris from the cleaning tray and pushes it to the collection area. Once there, the debris will be dried thoroughly and collected into the dust bag during the next cleaning cycle, making manual cleaning a thing of the past.
Industry's First Active Detangling Technology
Beyond its self-cleaning capabilities, the J15 Pro Ultra introduces Eureka's exclusive FlexiRazorTM technology. This feature addresses one of robot vacuum users' most common frustrations: hair tangling. FlexiRazorTM employs high-density blades that vibrate 400 times per minute, cutting the hair with a 4 mm amplitude. According to SGS certifications, this ensures that hair tangling is reduced by up to 99%*, allowing users to enjoy a hassle-free cleaning experience without the need for frequent manual maintenance.
*The data provided is based on tests conducted by SGS Lab, and actual performance may vary.
Powerful Suction Meets Exceptional Edge Cleaning
Performance is at the heart of the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra, which is most evident in its suction power. Boasting an impressive 16,200 Pa vacuum suction, the J15 Pro Ultra achieves a household debris removal rate of 99%*
*The data provided is based on tests conducted by Eureka Lab and actual performance may vary.
Additionally, the J15 Pro Ultra is equipped with the ScrubExtend mop extension technology. Traditional robot vacuums often struggle with cleaning close to walls and furniture edges, leaving dirt and debris behind. The ScrubExtend system extends the mop when the vacuum detects corners or obstacles, ensuring that even the hardest-to-reach areas receive a thorough clean. The technology's effectiveness has been validated by TUV Rheinland, which confirmed a 98.95%* edge coverage rate and an edge extension distance of just 1.36 mm.
*The data provided is based on tests conducted by TUV Rheinland and actual performance may vary.
Price and Availability:
The Eureka J15 Pro Ultra will be available in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain starting in late September 2024. Following its European release, the J15 Pro Ultra is scheduled to launch in the United States in November 2024.
About Eureka
Founded in 1909 in Detroit, Michigan, USA, Eureka offers a full line of vacuum cleaners, including uprights, canisters, sticks, handhelds, cordless, and robot vacuum cleaners. For over 100 years, Eureka continues to innovate and bring to market new and exciting products, making it a household name in North America and all around the world. For more information, visit www.eureka.com.
SOURCE eureka
JINHUA, China, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from chinadaily.com.cn:
Lanxi, a county-level city in Jinhua, East China's Zhejiang province, is a commercial hub and a cultural landmark. An expat group visited Lanxi from Sept 3 to 4 to immerse themselves in its unique traditions and way of life.
Expats make their own Wuju Opera masks in Lanxi, Zhejiang province on Sept 3. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Their journey began in Xiali village, the hometown of the renowned Chinese dramatist and drama theorist Li Yu (1611-80), often called "William Shakespeare of the East". The visitors learned about the stories about Li and experienced Wuju Opera, an intangible cultural heritage item of Lanxi.
Mohammed Al-Zouba, a social media influencer from Yemen, expressed his admiration for Wuju Opera's unique charm and exquisite performances. He took photos and shot videos to share the allure of Wu Opera with more international friends.
The expats explored Yongchang Ancient Street, the most well-preserved ancient street in Jinhua, where the legacy of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties meets the vibrancy of modern life. Walking these historic streets allowed them to experience the slow-paced urban life in Lanxi.
In Youbu town, visitors tasted the renowned Youbu Morning Tea. They were impressed by the variety of delicacies and the unique handmade preparation methods. This wasn't just a culinary experience but also a fascinating cultural journey.
They also visited Zhuge town in Lanxi, a picturesque settlement where descendants of Zhuge Liang (181-234), then prime minister of the Shu Kingdom (222-263), reside.
SOURCE chinadaily.com.cn
New York fashion brand, HIROMI ASAI, develops men's wears all made of Japanese Kimono textiles since 2017. HIROMI ASAI presents Spring/Summer 2025 collection on New York Fashion Week runway with Flying Solo designers at 3pm EST on September 9, 2024. The theme of this collection is TRANSITIONING SEASONS. The show is livestreamed on Instagram @flyingsolonyc.
NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New York based fashion brand, HIROMI ASAI, (www.hiromiasainy.com) has been trying to revive the essence of Japanese Kimono for modern luxury fashion. The designer, Hiromi Asai, first presented authentic Kimonos on runway at the New York Fashion Week in 2016. Subsequently, HIROMI ASAI has been developing men's wears made of Japanese Kimono textiles, which were presented at Pitti Uomo, New York, Miami, and Paris Fashion Weeks every season since 2017. HIROMI ASAI gets international acclaims for its unique styles and concepts, and outstanding qualities.
HIROMI ASAI SS25 collection unveiled at New York Fashion WeekHIROMI ASAI SS25 collection unveiled at New York Fashion Week HIROMI ASAI SS25 collection unveiled at New York Fashion Week
HIROMI ASAI presents Spring/Summer 2025 (SS25) collection on runway at Flying Solo New York Fashion Week Show, starting at 3pm ET on September 9, 2024. The collection title is "TRANSITIONING SEASONS", which represents the sequence of seasons and unveils once-in-a-lifetime encounter clothing. Different from the previous collections, this collection features patchworks and vivid colors. Japanese traditional motifs are excellently integrated in this collection, which implies the course of nature during the transitional seasons. HIROMI ASAI always respects Japanese tradition and evolves traditional Japanese textiles to worldwide high fashion by progressive forms with all details inspired by Kimono. Japanese craftsmen, who usually manufacture textiles for authentic Kimono, and Hiromi Asai developed new textiles for this collection. The collection was tailored by Japanese unparalleled techniques. HIROMI ASAI SS25 collection could be recognized as treasures created by Japanese artisanship.
The show is held at the rooftop venue in Manhattan and livestreamed on Instagram (instagram.com/flyingsolonyc).
"This collection is different from any of our previous collections. Please take notice of variety of colors, which represents the transitioning seasons," Ms. Hiromi Asai said. "The essence of Kimono stays in the fabrics rather than in its forms. We are evolving Japanese traditional textiles to luxury high fashion for all over the world."
HIROMI ASAI SS25 collection is also unveiled during the Milan Fashion Week on September 22, 2024 and the Paris Fashion Week on September 30, 2024 After these premier debuts, this collection will be available at the boutique and showroom in New York; Flying Solo (flyingsolo.nyc) or its online store (flyingsolo.nyc/designer/hiromi-asai). In addition, it will also appear at Maison Privee in West Hollywood, California (www.instagram.com/maisonpriveepr_la).
DETAILED INFORMATION OF THE SHOW
HIROMI ASAI @ Flying Solo
Spring/Summer 2025, Flying Solo Show at New York Fashion Week
Date and Time: Monday, September 9, 2024; 3:00 EST
Location: Rooftop, Midtown Manhattan, New York (only by invitation)
Livestream: https://www.instagram.com/flyingsolonyc
DETAILED INFORMATION OF SALES and SHOWROOM
For Sales
Flying Solo, The Store
420 W Broadway, New York, NY 10012, USA
646-982 1133
https://flyingsolo.nyc
Also available at Online Store
https://flyingsolo.nyc/designer/hiromi-asai
For PR and Showroom
Flying Solo PR - The Copper Room
419 Broome St, New York, NY 10013, USA
https://www.instagram.com/flyingsolo_pr
Maison Privee
8285 Sunset Blvd. Suite #1, West Hollywood, CA 90046
https://www.maisonpriveepr.com
HIROMI ASAI WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA
HP: https://www.hiromiasainy.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiromi.asai
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modeandclassic
Contact:
Hiromi Asai
6462424156
[email protected]
SOURCE HIROMI ASAI - Mode & Classic LLC
New team bolsters bank's ability to meet the unique needs of mortgage servicers and originators
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntington National Bank has expanded its commercial banking capabilities with the addition of a corporate mortgage finance business, which will be part of Huntington's comprehensive financial solutions for mortgage originators and servicers.
This expansion follows the bank's addition of a specialized mortgage solutions team that provides customized cash and treasury management services to mortgage originators and servicers, as well as title companies, private equity firms, hedge funds, property managers and other types of real-estate companies. Huntington also provides capital markets, fund finance and other products and services to companies that are part of the mortgage ecosystem.
The corporate mortgage finance business will offer tailored funding and liquidity solutions to mortgage originators and servicers. The group will be led by industry veteran Ken Logan, who recently joined Huntington as senior managing director with more than 35 years of experience in mortgage finance, including 12 years at Wells Fargo and most recently at Signature Bank. The bank also is hiring bankers for the team.
"We have built a broad set of best-in-class capabilities to serve mortgage originators and servicers backed by highly experienced leaders who uniquely understand clients' needs," said Tizu Menelik, Huntington's executive managing director of corporate, specialty and government banking.
Scott Kleinman, president of Huntington Commercial Bank, added, "This expansion only strengthens our ability to meet the financial needs of companies that make up the mortgage ecosystem."
This addition is the latest in a series of recent geographic and vertical growth initiatives for Huntington's commercial bank, including the expansion of its commercial banking presence in the Carolinas and Texas, and launch of new specialty verticals such as fund finance, healthcare asset-based lending and Native American financial services.
About Huntington
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $196 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1866, The Huntington National Bank and its affiliates provide consumers, small and middle-market businesses, corporations, municipalities, and other organizations with a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services. Huntington operates approximately 970 branches in 11 states, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Visit Huntington.com for more information.
SOURCE Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
KANAZAWA, Japan, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, develop a biosensor that improves sensitivity to 1-methylnicotinamide (1-MNA) in urine by orders of magnitude without the need for sample purification.
Metabolites are a common indicator of disease. In particular 1-MNA levels are increased by cancer, liver disease, obesity and metabolic disease. At present, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance measurements are commonly used to measure quantities of metabolites in samples but they are expensive and complicated limiting their widespread use. Instead Masaya Ueno, Tomoki Ogoshi and Atsushi Hirao at Kanazawa WPI-NanoLSI use a type of pillararene molecule (Figs. 1 and 2) as a biosensor, getting around the need for high purification of other 1-MNA biosensing molecules while improving sensitivity and specificity.
1-MNA is produced in the body through the methylation of nicotinamide (Nam) by nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) during the metabolism of the vitamin B3 vitamer niacin. As such it provides a measure of NNMT activity, which is elevated in some cancers. There is evidence that 1-MNA levels correlate with the how aggressive the tumour is and suppressing the gene for NNMT diminished certain behavioral symptoms of disease. As such the researchers explain in their report "monitoring the NNMT expression and activity in patients by quantification of 1-MNA is important for elucidating and diagnosing their pathology."
Previously they had demonstrated some potential for the molecule pillar[6]arene functionalized with 12 carboxylate anions (P6AC) as a 1-MNA sensor, since it binds to 1-MNA and inhibits fluorescence due to photo-induced electron transfer. However extensive sample purification was needed and even then, although the millimolar concentrations in murine urine could be detected, the P6AC biosensor lacked the sensitivity to detect the micromolar concentrations found in culture supernatants of human cancer cells.
To find a biosensor with better sensitivity, the researchers investigated the binding between 1-MNA and pillar[6]arene functionalized with sulfonate groups (P6AS). They found that the binding affinity was 700 times greater than for P6AC, leading to a biosensor with sub micromolar sensitivity, even in unpurified human urine, although detection of the higher concentrations in mouse murine was better. However the researchers noted that detection in human serum was not possible due to the higher levels of autofluorescence.
By comparison the detection sensitivity possible with mass spectrometry is nanomolar but the throughput is much lower. The researchers suggest that the high throughput of the P6AS biosensor could make it suitable for screening 1000s of potential NNMT inhibitors, which may help towards a treatment for diseases like liver disease and cancer.
The researchers explain the higher sensitivity thanks to the stronger acidity of sulfonate groups compared to carboxylate groups. They conclude their report of the work, "Further improvement of our strategy will contribute to high-throughput screening of NNMT inhibitors, diagnosis of liver diseases, and imaging of human cancer cells in vivo."
Related figures
Fig. 1 https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/Fig.-1-4.png
Fig. 1 Caption: Chemical structure of Pillar[n]arene and 1-methylnicotinamide (1-MNA).
Copyright 2024 Masaya Ueno
Fig. 2 https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/eye-catch_Ueno.png
Fig. 2 Caption: Pillar[6]arene with 12 sulfonate groups (P6AS) specifically forms complexes with 1-methylnicotinamide (1-MNA)-a niacin metabolite-and works as a biosensor even in unpurified biological samples.
Copyright 2024 Masaya Ueno
Glossary
Pillar[n]arenes
The pillar[n]arenes take their names from their pillar shapes and macrocyclic structures. The researchers were prompted to investigate the potential of P[6]AS as a 1-MNA detector following previous work by another group demonstrating the high binding affinity of P[n]AS for ammonium ions.
Binding affinity
The binding affinity refers to the strength of bond between the ligands on the protein and the candidate molecule, typically through intermolecular interactions such as ionic or hydrogen bonding or van der waals forces. The is a higher binding affinity when the attractive forces are higher.
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometers identify molecules based on their mass. The molecule is ionized and then accelerated through a field. The trajectory the molecule takes gives an indication of the charge mass ratio of the ion.
Reference
Masaya Ueno, Hiroki Sugiyama, Feng Li, Tatsuya Nishimura, Hiroshi Arakawa, Xi Chen, Xiaoxiao Cheng, Shinji Takeuchi, Yumie Takeshita, Toshinari Takamura, Sakae Miyagi, Tadashi Toyama, Tomoyoshi Soga, Yusuke Masuo, Yukio Kato, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Hiromasa Tsujiguchi, Akinori Hara, Atsushi Tajima, Moeko Noguchi-Shinohara, Kenjiro Ono, Kenta Kurayoshi, Masahiko Kobayashi, Yuko Tadokoro, Atsuko Kasahara, Mahmoud I. Shoulkamy, Katsuhiro Maeda, Tomoki Ogoshi, Atsushi Hirao A supramolecular biosensor for rapid and high-throughput quantification of a disease-associated niacin metabolite Analytical Chemistry 2024.
DOI10.1021/acs.analchem.4c02653
URL: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.analchem.4c02653
Funding acknowledgments
M.U. was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (23K06672) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, (MEXT), Japan. A.H. was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (19H01033) from MEXT and a Project for Cancer Research and Therapeutic Evolution (P-CREATE) (19cm0106104h0004) from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED). T.O. was supported by the CREST program of the Japan Science and Technology (JST) agency (JPMJCR18R3) and a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (22H00334) from MEXT. This work was supported by a WPI-NanoLSI Transdisciplinary Research Grant from Kanazawa University. NanoLSI is supported by the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), MEXT, Japan. This work was supported by WISE Program for Nano-Precision Medicine, Science, and Technology of Kanazawa University by MEXT. This work was also supported by MEXT Promotion of Development of a Joint Usage/Research System Project: Coalition of Universities for Research Excellence (CURE) Program (JPMXP1323015484).
Contact:
Kimie Nishimura (Ms)
Project Planning and Outreach
NanoLSI Administration Office, Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI)
Kanazawa University
Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +81 (76) 234-4555
About Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University
Understanding nanoscale mechanisms of life phenomena by exploring "uncharted nano-realms".
Cells are the basic units of almost all life forms. We are developing nanoprobe technologies that allow direct imaging, analysis, and manipulation of the behavior and dynamics of important macromolecules in living organisms, such as proteins and nucleic acids, at the surface and interior of cells. We aim at acquiring a fundamental understanding of the various life phenomena at the nanoscale.
https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/
About the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
The WPI program was launched in 2007 by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to foster globally visible research centers boasting the highest standards and outstanding research environments. Numbering more than a dozen and operating at institutions throughout the country, these centers are given a high degree of autonomy, allowing them to engage in innovative modes of management and research. The program is administered by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
See the latest research news from the centers at the WPI News Portal: https://www.eurekalert.org/newsportal/WPI
Main WPI program site: www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-toplevel
About Kanazawa University
As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities.
The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas.
http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/
SOURCE Kanazawa University
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Knobbe Martens is very pleased to share that the firm took home multiple honors at the LMG Americas Life Sciences Awards yesterday in New York. The firm was named Intellectual Property Boutique Firm of the Year, and partner William Zimmerman was named "Hatch-Waxman Litigator of the Year Generic". Additionally, the firm's work on a precedential case for Spectrum Solutions LLC, led by partner Ali Razai, was honored as an "Impact Case of the Year".
The LMG Life Sciences awards honor leading law firms and lawyers in several practice areas in the life sciences industry. Results are determined through a rigorous research process involving in-depth firm submissions, practitioner interviews, client feedback and independent research.
Commenting on the awards, managing partner Steven Nataupsky stated, "Knobbe Martens has long been recognized as a premier IP firm in the life sciences space, and we are thrilled with these awards. We are proud to work with many of the most innovative companies in the life sciences industry, and the exceptional talent and skill we bring to our work is reflected in these honors."
This is the latest in a string of wins for Knobbe Martens at the LMG Life Sciences Awards. Among other distinctions, the firm has previously been named "Inter-Partes Review Firm of the Year" and "Patent Strategy and Management Firm of the Year".
William Zimmerman is widely recognized as one of the nation's premier life science litigators and has twice won the LMG Life Sciences "Hatch-Waxman Litigator of the Year Generic" award. Mr. Zimmerman co-chairs both the firm's Hatch-Waxman and Life Sciences Litigation practice groups, and has served as lead counsel in over 100 pharmaceutical litigations. Most recently, he co-led a team from the firm that scored a significant victory on behalf of pharmaceutical manufacturer Lupin in Hatch-Waxman litigation against Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. regarding a drug that treats kidney disease.
Ali Razai is a distinguished litigator with an extensive track record of success in high-stakes cases across all facets of IP law. He was lead counsel for the Knobbe Martens team that secured a complete and unprecedented victory for Spectrum Solutions in inter partes review challenges of five separate patents owned by Longhorn Vaccines & Diagnostics. The case, which earned an "Impact Case of the Year" recognition at the Awards, is particularly noteworthy because U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Kathi Vidal recently upheld the unprecedented sanctions against Longhorn following a sua sponte review.
About Knobbe Martens' Life Sciences Experience
Knobbe Martens is a national leader in the full spectrum of IP law pertaining to the life sciences industry, and serves as counsel to businesses ranging from the world's largest life sciences companies to emerging enterprises. Over 90% of firm attorneys hold technical degrees, and more than 60 hold an advanced degree. The firm boasts a team of lawyers and scientists with significant depth of experience across the life sciences industry, including medical devices and procedures, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.
About Knobbe Martens
Knobbe Martens is a highly respected intellectual property law firm, offering legal services in all aspects of intellectual property and technology law. The firm's litigation group handles cases throughout the U.S. and coordinates strategy for disputes worldwide. Founded in California in 1962, the firm has about 300 lawyers and scientists based in offices located in Orange County, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. Knobbe Martens serves a diverse international client base, from multinational corporations to emerging businesses of all stages. More information about the firm can be found at www.knobbe.com.
Media Contact:
Benjamin Harris
Director of Communications and Public Relations
202-640-6416
[email protected]
SOURCE Knobbe Martens
Seamlessly Integrating Customer and Spatial Experiences, Company's 'Affectionate Intelligence Home' Presents an AI Home Lifestyle of Curated Comfort and Convenience
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics (LG) is set to unveil its vision for future living at IFA 2024, showcasing a complete range of AI home solutions for every need and lifestyle under the theme of 'Experience, Affectionate Intelligence (AI) Home.'
Central to LG's Affectionate Intelligence Home is LG ThinQ ON, an advanced AI home hub designed to deliver comfort and convenience tailored to individual preferences. ThinQ ON integrates with LG's latest AI appliances, forming the core of the LG AI Home Solution. This system is driven by Affectionate Intelligence, LG's empathetic and caring AI technology. As the AI Home Solution learns more about users' routines, preferences and behaviors over time, it creates a personalized spatial experience, delivering unmatched customer value and bringing greater ease to everyday life.
The first thing visitors to the LG booth at IFA 2024 will encounter is the AI Home Gate, an immersive LED media wall that visually communicates how LG AI is deployed within the AI Home to elevate customer lifestyles.
Visitors will get to experience LG's sophisticated generative AI technology through the ThinQ ON hub once they pass through the AI Home Gate. ThinQ ON understands natural language, allowing users to control a wide range of appliances, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and services with conversational voice commands. LG's AI hub facilitates a truly personalized AI home lifestyle, managing everything from lifestyle services to helping kids get a good night's sleep.
Intelligently Personalized AI Home Lifestyles for Every Generation, Family and Pet
The Second Youth Home exemplifies LG's commitment to enhancing the lives of the elderly by easing household chores and enriching leisure activities. Powered by ThinQ ON, this space highlights how conversational voice-recognition and seamless coordination of home appliances for example, automatically setting the dryer to 'Activewear course' once the washing machine finishes a workload simplify home management. The AI hub can also provide voice briefings to keep users informed of what's going on, relieve stress by offering guidance for tasks such as booking a taxi, and estimate travel time to the selected destinations.
In the Affectionate Home zone, the focus is on AI solutions designed to help families care, especially for children and pets. The Self-Driving AI Home Hub, capable of controlling AI appliances and IoT sensors, adjusts device settings and environmental conditions to meet children's needs. For example, it can activate Sleep Mode at bedtime, dimming lights and adding a starlight effect to help kids drift off to sleep. Additionally, the hub supports learning by using generative AI to create stories from children's drawings.
For easier pet care, LG's AI Home Solution manages connected appliances and devices to maintain fresh air and clean floors. Air-quality sensors intelligently control the LG PuriCare Alpha Pet Double air purifier, while temperature and humidity sensors manage the DUALCOOL air conditioner, automatically adjusting mode and air flow to suit current conditions. The robot vacuum autonomously cleans the floor once after pets leave, ensuring a more pleasant living space. Additionally, the Affectionate Home zone introduces a brand-new home appliance made especially for cats (and their owners). The innovative LG AeroCat combines a cat bed with an air purifier to offer a comfortable resting spot for cats and a fresher atmosphere for their human companions.
In the Delightful Home zone, ThinQ ON takes center stage in creating a more convenient culinary experience by engaging with visitors and providing personalized recipe recommendations as well as nutritional analysis. Visitors can also enjoy live cooking demonstrations, such as the 'AI Talking Cooking Show,' savor the delicious dishes prepared by LG's AI ovens with built-in cameras, and see how the InstaView with MoodUP refrigerator enhances the ambiance.
Next up is the Smart Green Home, a self-sustaining abode featuring high-efficiency appliances, including the advanced Therma V R290 Monobloc air-to-water heat pump and state-of-the-art heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. LG AI optimizes household energy usage in real time, adjusting device settings and schedules in accordance with users' lifestyles and routines, while accounting for fluctuations in electricity rates. ThinQ ON also helps reduce household energy costs by intelligently managing the power consumption of all connected devices.
Innovating the AI Home Ecosystem and Key Technologies with LG AI
The LG Affectionate Intelligence zone showcases the scalability of LG's Affectionate Intelligence with ThinQ ON at its core. Utilizing LG's own generative AI technology and advanced security solutions, ThinQ ON acts as the central hub of diverse IoT ecosystems enhanced by a range of LG's IoT sensors and devices. These include motion and light sensors, temperature and humidity sensors and smart buttons, all providing real-time spatial information for personalized, AI-driven home services.
The zone also highlights how LG's open AI ecosystem integrates third-party services to enrich the customer experience and demonstrates the versatility of IoT sensors that can even connect non-AI appliances to the AI Home system. The exhibit underscores the scalability of LG's AI solutions, giving visitors a real sense of the intelligent and responsive living environment LG is creating.
What's more, the LG Affectionate Intelligence zone illustrates how ThinQ ON serves as the home's central hub, working in complete harmony with LG's ThinQ UP and ThinQ app, and a wide variety of services and solutions. This creates an exceptionally personalized experience and fosters a continuously-growing AI home ecosystem.
Finally, the AI to the Core zone highlights the cutting-edge innovation of LG's AI Core-Tech, including the AI DD and the AI DUAL Inverter. The integration of LG's latest AI solutions with industry-leading core technologies delivers more precise control and enhanced personalization.
"Our Affectionate Intelligence Home solutions at IFA 2024 will enable customers to experience the ease of the Zero Labor Home, where they can enjoy a life free from mundane household chores," said Lyu Jae-cheol, president of LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. "We will continue to lead the AI home era with our Affectionate Intelligence solutions and state-of-the-art core technologies."
Visitors to LG's booth (Hall 18, Messe Berlin) at IFA 2024 from September 6-10 can discover the unprecedented customizability and convenience of the company's latest Affectionate Intelligence Home solutions.
About LG Electronics USA
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $68 billion global innovator in technology and manufacturing. In the United States, LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems, energy solutions and vehicle components. LG is 2022 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence. The company's commitment to environmental sustainability and its "Life's Good" marketing theme encompass how LG is dedicated to people's happiness by exceeding expectations today and tomorrow. www.LG.com.
SOURCE LG Electronics USA
Seven new products reveal elegant and sustainable options for the American kitchen
Liebherr Refrigerators and Freezers introduces new 30" freestanding bottom freezers as portfolio expansion of recently launched 24" products, meeting industry needs with sustainable technology and best in class Energy Consumption.
MIAMI, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Liebherr USA, Co., Refrigerators and Freezers - For more than 70 years, Liebherr has been pushing the limits of technology, efficiency and design. With the debut of the newest models within the freestanding collection, Liebherr is once again showcasing its revolutionary technology and expertise within the refrigeration and freezing appliance category.
Side by Side Combination of models SC7751 and SCB7760IM Model CB7790IM
Under its initiative of "shaping the future of freshness," Liebherr's products are geared towards accomplishing a more sustainable future. The new bottom freezers have been developed with the goal of achieving high levels of energy efficiency, longer service life and reducing food waste through BioFresh technology.
BioFresh offers sophisticated technology that extends the lifespan of your organic food in the refrigerator fresh for even longer giving you more time to enjoy it and reducing food waste. In the different drawers, all groceries get the exact individual climatic conditions they need. BioFresh also ensures that vitamins and other ingredients are preserved in the best possible way and that everything comes out of the refrigerator just as fresh and appetizing as when it was put in, even after being in there for a while. No matter whether it's fruit and vegetables, meat or fish.
Additional to its timeless elegant design, other features included are DuoCooling, BioFresh Professional with HydroBreeze and Fish&Seafood, VarioTemp, InfinitySpring and LightTower.
With the expanded portfolio, Liebherr offers valued solutions not only for niches of 24 & 30", as well for niches of 48 and 60", as several models can be combined in side-by-side installations creating a food preservations center with 4 to 6 precise temperature zones to keep food and drinks to the right temperature for long lasting preservation and consumption.
Following our compromise with the planet, the latest Liebherr freestanding appliances provide customers with effective energy consumption, being all listed 2024 EnergyStar Most Efficient bottom freezers. Liebherr achieves this by using innovative technology only high-quality vacuum insulation panels with silica are used in the appliances. The silica ensures that energy consumption stays low even after many years of use. Optimally harmonized electronics and compressor performance also help ensure that the appliances only require a little electricity despite continuous operation.
"Liebherr is proud to be expanding the product portfolio for North America," said Alex Squarize, Divisional Director of the Refrigerators and Freezers division at Liebherr USA, Co. "These demonstrate the very best in food preservation while wrapped in European style design."
Liebherr's reputation as a world leader in technology and design stems from listening to what matters most to customers, then meeting their needs with sustainable technology, in the most attractive forms. Products are created to integrate seamlessly into all styles of American kitchens, providing energy efficiency, sustainable technology, and an elegant look with cutting-edge features.
For more information on Liebherr and the latest products, please visit home.liebherr.com
About the Liebherr USA, Co.
Liebherr USA, Co. based in Newport News, VA provides sales and service on behalf of ten different Liebherr product segments: earthmoving, material handling, mining, mobile and crawler cranes, tower cranes, concrete technology, deep foundation machines, maritime cranes; components, and refrigeration and freezing.
About the Liebherr Group 75 years of moving forward
The Liebherr Group is a family-run technology company with a highly diversified product portfolio. The company is one of the largest manufacturers of construction equipment in the world. It also provides high-quality, user-oriented products and services in a wide range of other areas. The Liebherr Group includes over 150 companies across all continents. In 2023, it employed more than 50,000 staff and achieved combined revenues of over 14 billion euros. Liebherr was founded by Hans Liebherr in 1949 in the southern German town of Kirchdorf an der Iller. Since then, the staff have been pursuing the goal of achieving continuous technological innovation and bringing industry-leading solutions to its customers. Under the slogan '75 years of moving forward', the Group celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2024.
Contact
Silvia Puigdemont
Marketing
Liebherr USA, Co.
Refrigerators and Freezers
Phone: +1 305-817-7500
E-mail: [email protected]
Ana Cabiedes
Head of Marketing
Liebherr USA, Co.
Phone: +1 757-240-4250
E-Mail: [email protected]
Published by
Liebherr USA, Co.
Newport News / USA
www.liebherr.com
SOURCE Liebherr Appliances USA
The 10th All Quality Matters (AQM) Solar & ESS Congress, organized by the TUV Rheinland Group, took place in Shanghai on September 3, 2024. The congress featured 25 AQM Award groups in three categories: PV Modules, Solar Energy Storage Systems, and PV Power Plants.
SHANGHAI, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In recent developments, LONGi has been conferred with the AQM Award for both PV Module Energy Yield Simulation and PV Module Reliability. This distinction was awarded in recognition of the exceptional power generation performance and proven reliability of the innovative Hi-MO 9 module, which was underpinned by the advanced second-generation back-contact (BC 2.0) cell technology. Hi-MO X6, proven in a variety of outdoor empirical tests, received the PV Module Outdoor Energy Yield AQM Award in the Monofacial Group. These achievements solidify LONGi's position as a leader in module efficiency and quality. They also mark the company's eighth consecutive year of winning the AQM Award in the PV Modules category since receiving its first award in 2017.
Given the increasingly severe climate issues, prioritizing quality and reliability in PV modules is crucial. With the potential for extreme weather conditions like hurricanes, hailstorms, and rainstorms, module products must withstand the impact and risks over a lifespan of 25 years or more to ensure stable long-term benefits for power plants. Therefore, in the PV Modules category, a new PV Module Reliability Award was introduced, complementing the conventional PV Module Energy Yield Simulation Award.
Against this backdrop, LONGi's Hi-MO 9 module underwent rigorous sampling and specialized testing according to TUV Rheinland's evaluation standards. These tests aimed to simulate the module's power generation performance in different geographical and weather conditions, as well as assess its long-term stability and reliability when exposed to extreme weather during real-life operations. The Hi-MO 9 module features HPBC 2.0 cell technology, LONGi's high-quality Tairay silicon wafers, and composite passivation technology. These advancements significantly enhance the cells' light absorption, photovoltaic conversion, and current transmission capabilities. Empowered by this new-generation high-efficiency power generation technology, the Hi-MO 9 module can efficiently generate electricity even in harsh outdoor environments characterized by uneven light irradiation, high temperatures, and humidity. Following authoritative evaluation and rounds of testing by TUV Rheinland, the Hi-MO 9 module stood out for its exceptional performance, earning LONGi the PV Module Energy Yield Simulation Award and the PV Module Reliability Award.
Additionally, the Hi-MO X6 module, the PV Module Outdoor Energy Yield AQM Award winner in the Monofacial Group, has showed a notable performance boost compared to standard modules. The Hi-MO X6 (Anti-dust) module, in particular, tested over a seven-month period by the National Center of Quality Supervision and Inspection for Photovoltaic Products (CPVT). It delivered an average monthly power generation increase of 2.84%, peaking at 5.4% in January. It also operated at temperatures 4.01% lower than conventional modules, significantly reducing power loss and improving overall reliability.
Dennis She, Vice President of LONGi, was invited to attend the Leaders Forum as part of the Congress. He emphasized the need for continuous innovation among photovoltaic enterprises in response to industry fluctuations and challenges amid the global economic pressure and fierce market competition. He expressed confidence that LONGi's BC cell technology, known for its ultra-high efficiency and reliability, will bring a new leap in commercial value to the end market. At the end, Dennis proclaimed that the BC era represented by the Hi-MO 9 has arrived.
As the solar PV industry enters the BC era, LONGi's cutting-edge BC cell technology and products will provide greater impetus for the global endeavor to reduce carbon emissions and pursue sustainable development.
About LONGi
Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world's leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full scenario energy transformation.
Under its mission of 'making the best of solar energy to build a green world', LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established five business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers cells and modules, commercial & industrial distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has more recently, also embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero carbon development. www.longi.com
SOURCE LONGi
NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Advertising-- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of MaxLinear, Inc ("MaxLinear" or "the Company") (NYSE: MXL). Investors who purchased MaxLinear securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/MXL.
Investigation Details
On July 24, 2024, MaxLinear issued a press release announcing its second quarter 2024 results, including net revenue for the quarter amounting to just $92 million, down 50% year-over-year. The Company attributed this decline, at least in part, to a prolonged burn-off of excess customer inventory, leading to weakened demand. Following this news, MaxLinear's stock price fell $8.27 per share, or 37.1%, to close at $14.02 on July 25, 2024.
What's Next?
If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased MaxLinear securities, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/MXL. You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 332-239-2660.
There is No Cost to You
We represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Contact
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
Peretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller
332-239-2660 | [email protected]
SOURCE Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation- The global medical exoskeleton market size is estimated to grow by USD 2.86 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of almost 55.77% during the forecast period. Increasing incidences of SCIS is driving market growth, with a trend towards launch of technologically advanced products. However, well-trained caregivers requirement poses a challenge. Key market players include Bionik Laboratories Corp., B Temia, Cyberdyne Inc., DIH Group, Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc., Exoatlet Global SA, Focal Meditech, GOGOA Mobility Robots SL, Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Marsi Bionics SL, MYOMO INC., Ottobock SE and Co. KGaA, P and S Mechanics Co. Ltd., Parker Hannifin Corp., Rehab Robotics Co. Ltd., ReWalk Robotics Ltd., Rex Bionics Ltd., Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corp., Wandercraft, and Wearable Robotics Srl.
Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global medical exoskeleton market 2024-2028
Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View the snapshot of this report
Medical Exoskeleton Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 55.77% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 2868.6 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 38.93 Regional analysis North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Performing market contribution North America at 41% Key countries US, Germany, UK, China, and Japan Key companies profiled Bionik Laboratories Corp., B Temia, Cyberdyne Inc., DIH Group, Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc., Exoatlet Global SA, Focal Meditech, GOGOA Mobility Robots SL, Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Marsi Bionics SL, MYOMO INC., Ottobock SE and Co. KGaA, P and S Mechanics Co. Ltd., Parker Hannifin Corp., Rehab Robotics Co. Ltd., ReWalk Robotics Ltd., Rex Bionics Ltd., Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corp., Wandercraft, and Wearable Robotics Srl
Market Driver
The medical exoskeleton market is witnessing significant advancements with vendors introducing lighter and more user-friendly devices. Notable launches include SUITX by Ottobock's IX BACK AIR exoskeleton in October 2023 and German Bionic's nursing and healthcare professional-focused exoskeleton in August 2023. These innovations aim to enhance adjustability, durability, and usability. Technologically advanced features, such as one-handed controls, are being incorporated to cater to diverse user needs. The continuous introduction of such advanced products will fuel the growth of the global medical exoskeleton market.
Medical exoskeletons are gaining popularity in various industries due to their ability to enhance workplace safety for frontline workers. These devices, which resemble wearable robots, use actuation technologies like motor impairments and deep learning to assist users. They are not only beneficial for individuals with motor impairments such as stroke, spinal cord injuries, or cerebral palsy, but also for able-bodied users in physically demanding jobs. Cloud computing and artificial intelligence enable remote monitoring and analysis of user data, improving rehabilitation approaches. Smart sensors and advanced technologies from companies like Bionic Yantra, Fourier Intelligence, Gloreha, and Hexar Humancare, offer customized solutions for cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. FDA regulations and ISO standards ensure the quality and safety of medical exoskeletons. Self-assist exoskeletons from Ekso Bionics and ReWalk Robotics are transforming rehabilitation centers into more efficient and effective spaces. Companies like Milebot Robotics, Myomo, Neofect, NextStep Robotics, Rex Bionics, Roam Robotics, Trexo Robotics, Tyromotion, U&O Technologies, and others are innovating in this field, offering return on investment for both individuals and organizations.
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Market Challenges
The medical exoskeleton market faces a significant challenge due to the limited availability of well-trained caregivers to assist patients in using these devices. In hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and home-care settings, caregivers play a crucial role in ambulation with medical exoskeletons for individuals with spinal cord injuries and locomotion impairments. However, the scarcity of dedicated caregivers, inconsistent training curricula and accreditation guidelines, and poor communication between patients and caregivers during exoskeleton use can lead to potential injuries, fractures, and falls. To mitigate these risks, it's essential to have certified exoskeleton trainers with hands-on experience to guide patients during use. Companies like ReWalk Robotics offer comprehensive training programs through their ReWalk Training Centers. The shortage of well-trained caregivers poses a significant barrier to the growth of the global medical exoskeleton market.
The Medical Exoskeleton market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for assistive devices for people with mobility issues caused by neurological disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis and Strokes. Companies like BIONIK, B-Temia, Bioventus, Hocoma, Wearable Robotics srl, ExoAtlet, Meditouch, Suit X, MarsiBionics, Focal Meditech, Wandercraft, MEDEXO ROBOTICS, EksoVest, EVOTM, Shoulder Jacket, Thumb Slim, Cool Sleeve are leading this innovation. These exoskeletons are rehabilitation devices designed to improve mobility and enhance quality of life for patients with spinal cord injuries. They are also used as assistive ambulatory devices, replacing traditional mobility aids like wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers. Exoskeletons are not only beneficial for medical applications but also for industrial use in sectors like ILO for preventing work-related accidents in industries such as aircraft manufacture, shipyards, foundries, and aeronautics. These exoskeletons consist of sensors, motors, power sources, and control strategies that work together to mimic natural human movement. Musculoskeletal disorders are a common challenge, and exoskeletons offer a solution by providing support and assistance, improving neuroplasticity, and enhancing overall functionality.
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Segment Overview
This medical exoskeleton market report extensively covers market segmentation by
Mobility Type
1.1 Mobile exoskeleton
1.2 Stationary exoskeleton
Technology
2.1 Powered exoskeletons
2.2 Passive exoskeletons
Geography
3.1 North America
3.2 Europe
3.3 Asia
3.4 Rest of World (ROW)
1.1 Mobile exoskeleton- The medical exoskeleton market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for assistive devices that enhance mobility for individuals with disabilities or injuries. These devices provide support and assistance, enabling users to perform daily tasks more effectively. Companies are investing in research and development to create advanced exoskeletons with improved features and functionality. The market is expected to continue expanding as the technology becomes more accessible and affordable.
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Research Analysis
Medical exoskeletons are advanced assistive devices designed to enhance mobility and support individuals with various neurological disorders, including stroke, spinal cord injury (SCI), cerebral palsy, and neuropathy. These wearable robotic devices have revolutionized rehabilitation approaches by providing intensive and therapy sessions, enabling users to regain lost motor functions and improve their quality of life. FDA regulations and ISO standards ensure the safety and efficacy of these devices, which are increasingly being adopted in rehabilitation centers. Some notable companies in this field include Ekso Bionics, BIONIK, B-Temia, Bioventus, Hocoma, Wearable Robotics srl, ExoAtlet, Meditouch, and others. Medical exoskeletons offer a more natural gait and improved mobility compared to traditional assistive devices like wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers. These devices are not only effective in rehabilitation but also play a crucial role in managing the symptoms of neurological disorders and enhancing overall patient well-being.
Market Research Overview
Medical exoskeletons are innovative assistive devices designed to enhance mobility and support individuals with various musculoskeletal disorders, including stroke, severe injuries, and neurological conditions such as spinal cord injuries (SCI), neuropathy, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis. These rehabilitation tools come in different forms, catering to both upper and lower extremities. FDA regulations and ISO standards ensure their safety and effectiveness. Exoskeletons are not limited to medical applications; they are also used in industrial settings for workplace safety in industries like aircraft manufacture, shipyards, foundries, and factories. In the medical field, they serve as rehabilitation devices, aiding in neuroplasticity and motor impairments recovery. Powered by sensors, motors, and smart power sources, these exoskeletons employ advanced control strategies to assist users in their daily activities. Actuation technologies, such as pneumatics, hydraulics, and electromechanics, enable the devices to function effectively. Exoskeletons offer significant benefits, including improved mobility, enhanced quality of life, and increased independence for individuals with mobility challenges. They can also assist able-bodied users in performing heavy-duty tasks, contributing to workplace safety and productivity. The market for medical exoskeletons is growing, with companies like Ekso Bionics, ReWalk Robotics, BIONIK, B-Temia, Bioventus, Hocoma, Wearable Robotics srl, ExoAtlet, Meditouch, Suit X, MarsiBionics, Focal Meditech, Wandercraft, MEDEXO ROBOTICS, EksoVest, EVOTM, Shoulder Jacket, Thumb Slim, Cool Sleeve, and others, leading the way in innovation and development. Advancements in cloud computing, deep learning, and artificial intelligence are expected to further enhance the capabilities of medical exoskeletons, offering more personalized and effective rehabilitation approaches. The potential applications of these devices are vast, from assisting individuals with cardiovascular and metabolic disorders to supporting frontline workers in hazardous environments.
Table of Contents:
1 Executive Summary
2 Market Landscape
3 Market Sizing
4 Historic Market Size
5 Five Forces Analysis
6 Market Segmentation
Mobility Type
Mobile Exoskeleton
Stationary Exoskeleton
Technology
Powered Exoskeletons
Passive Exoskeletons
Geography
North America
Europe
Asia
Rest Of World (ROW)
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
NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Advertising -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized law firm, notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Methode Electronics, Inc. ("Methode Electronics" or "the Company") (NYSE: MEI) and certain of its officers.
Class Definition
This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Methode Electronics securities between June 23, 2022, and March 6, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/MEI.
Case Details
The Methode Electronics class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Methode Electronics had lost highly skilled and experienced employees during the COVID-19 pandemic necessary to successfully complete Methode Electronics' transition from its historic low mix, high volume production model to a high mix, low production model at its Monterrey facility; (2) Methode Electronics' attempts to replace its General Motors center console production with more diversified, specialized products for a wider array of vehicle manufacturers and OEMs, in particular in the electric vehicle ("EV") space, had been plagued by production planning deficiencies, inventory shortages, vendor and supplier problems, and, ultimately, botched execution of Methode Electronics' strategic plans; (3) Methode Electronics' manufacturing systems at its critical Monterrey facility suffered from a variety of logistical defects, such as improper system coding, shipping errors, erroneous delivery times, deficient quality control systems, and failures to timely and efficiently procure necessary raw materials; (4) Methode Electronics had fallen substantially behind on the launch of new EV programs out of its Monterrey facility, preventing Methode Electronics from timely receiving revenue from new EV program awards; and (5) as a result, Methode Electronics was not on track to achieve the 2023 diluted earnings-per-share guidance or the 3-year 6% organic sales compound annual growth rate represented to investors and such estimates lacked a reasonable factual basis.
What's Next?
A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/MEI or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 332-239-2660. If you suffered a loss in Methode Electronics you have until October 25, 2024, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.
There is No Cost to You
We represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.
Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Contact
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
Peretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller
332-239-2660 | [email protected]
SOURCE Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA has selected eight companies for a new award to help acquire Earth observation data and provide related services for the agency.
The Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Program On-Ramp1 Multiple Award contract is a firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple-award contract with a maximum value of $476 million, cumulatively amongst all the selected contractors, and a performance period through Nov. 15, 2028.
The selectees are:
BlackSky Geospatial Solutions, Inc. in Herndon, Virginia
ICEYE US Inc. in Irvine, California
MDA Geospatial Service Inc. in Richmond, British Columbia , Canada
, Canada Pixxel Space Technologies, Inc in El Segundo, California
Planet Labs Federal, Inc. in Arlington, Virginia
Satellogic Federal, LLC in Davidson, North Carolina
Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc. in Huntsville, Alabama
The Tomorrow Companies Inc. in Boston
Under the contract, the recipients will be responsible for acquiring observation data from commercial sources that support NASA's Earth science research and application activities that help improve life on the planet. The goal of the awards is to give NASA a cost-effective way to augment or complement the Earth observations acquired by the agency and other U.S. government and international agencies for the benefit of all.
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov
SOURCE NASA
TORONTO, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Nulogy , a leading provider in supply chain collaboration solutions, and Kinaxis , a global leader in supply chain orchestration, have announced a partnership to develop cutting-edge solutions for brand manufacturing supply chain networks worldwide.
Nulogy and Kinaxis Announce Partnership to Accelerate Synchronization for Manufacturing Supply Chain Networks (CNW Group/Nulogy Corporation)
The new partnership aims to catalyze fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and life science brands and their supplier networks to work together more effectively through digital transformation solutions, thereby mutually improving costs, service and revenue. Combining the supply chain orchestration capabilities of Kinaxis with the collaborative external manufacturing specialization of Nulogy will enable customers to share forecasts and order information with suppliers and receive inventory capacity information faster.
Nulogy's purpose-built multi-enterprise platform enables greater responsiveness in the supply networks of leading FMCG and life science brands, including L'Oreal, Colgate-Palmolive, and Church & Dwight, as well as their extended suppliers and hundreds of sites around the world.
"Given the speed and volatility of today's global market, it is more important than ever for brand manufacturers to digitally synchronize with their supplier communities in order to respond with agility," said Jason Tham, CEO at Nulogy. "Through our partnership with Kinaxis, we look forward to collaborations that will elevate the performance of supply chain networks around the world."
Kinaxis Maestro is the AI-infused end-to-end supply chain orchestration platform for fast, intelligent decision-making. Trusted by renowned global brands to provide agility and predictability to help navigate volatility and disruptions, Kinaxis has been a leader in supply chain planning for over 40 years.
"Our partnership with Nulogy improves visibility, control and collaboration of the upstream network of critical suppliers, like contract manufacturers and co-packers, by integrating a variety of supplier data into Maestro," said Bill Walker, Senior Director, Partner Solutions Extensions at Kinaxis. "Giving our customers the ability to better run simulations, digitize planning and connect in suppliers."
Learn more about the partnership at ASCM Connect on September 9, 2024. Kevin Wong, Chief Operating Officer, Nulogy; Polly Mitchell-Guthrie, Supply Chain Thought Leader, Kinaxis; and German Vizcaya Leon, VP Global Planning, Colgate-Palmolive will discuss how Nulogy and Kinaxis's solutions in Advanced Planning & Scheduling and Supplier Collaboration have played pivotal roles in interconnecting Colgate's network.
About Nulogy
Nulogy, a leading supplier of digital supply chain solutions, enables consumer brands and their supplier communities to collaborate on a multi-enterprise platform in order to deliver with excellence to an ever-changing consumer market. Nulogy's purpose-built, cloud-based platform optimizes contract manufacturing and co-packing operations, while empowering consumer brands and their external suppliers to accelerate network responsiveness and collaborate at the speed of today's market.
About Kinaxis
Kinaxis is a global leader in modern supply chain orchestration, powering complex global supply chains and supporting the people who manage them, in service of humanity. Our powerful, AI-infused supply chain orchestration platform, Maestro , combines proprietary technologies and techniques that provide full transparency and agility across the entire supply chain from multi-year strategic planning to last-mile delivery. We are trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today's volatility and disruption. For more news and information, please visit kinaxis.com or follow us on LinkedIn .
SOURCE Nulogy Corporation
NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Roxana Fu, MD, a leader in innovative approaches in oculoplastic and orbital eye surgery, was appointed chief of oculoplastics for NYU Langone's Department of Ophthalmology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Roxana Fu, MD, a leader in innovative approaches in oculoplastic and orbital eye surgery, was appointed chief of oculoplastics for NYU Langones Department of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Fu brings a dedication to patient-centered care and a specialty in cutting-edge research to the department and the NYU Langone Eye Center. She will join the faculty as associate professor in the department after several years in the same role at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where she spearheaded using artificial intelligence and imaging automation in optimizing ophthalmologic surgical practice.
"We're thrilled to have Dr. Fu join our growing department," said Kathryn A. Colby, MD, PhD, the Elisabeth J. Cohen, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology, and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology. "Her surgical acumen, dedication to patients, and ability to think outside the box to enhance care and quality are assets to our institution's future."
Dr. Fu says her primary focus will be delivering exceptional care by fostering meaningful relationships with her patients, and across the variety of subspecialties that intersect with her oculoplastic surgery practice, including dermatology, endocrinology, neurology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, pediatrics, and plastic surgery.
"What excites me about oculoplastics is there is just so much variety in the demographics of patients that I see," said Dr. Fu. "I enjoy being able to walk with those patients through the details of their treatment options and how they might impact their life. Every day I feel so fortunate to be able to do what I do."
Much of her practice involves treatment of conditions that affect the eyelids, the production of tears, and the orbit, the cavity or socket in which the eye is situated. While some conditions may relate to natural aging, others may be the result of trauma, tumor, or inflammation, such as thyroid eye disease.
"Oculoplastics requires a multidisciplinary approach between ophthalmologists and plastic surgeons, and Dr. Fu's arrival will strengthen our already strong collaboration," said Eduardo D. Rodriguez, MD, DDS, the Helen L. Kimmel Professor of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and chair of the Hansjorg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery at NYU Langone. "We are excited to bring her deep expertise to NYU Langone to further grow our presence in this highly specialized and important area of medicine."
Beyond direct patient care, Dr. Fu is among a select group of oculoplastic surgeons whose research is funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI). She holds a $2.8 million research grant from the NEI to investigate automation of radiographic surgical indicators for pediatric orbital abscess. She hopes that using artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques can assist in utilizing a comprehensive imaging database to improve patient selection for various surgical approaches.
About Dr. Fu
Dr. Fu completed the University of MissouriKansas City's combined BA/MD program to obtain degrees in biology and medicine, graduating with Alpha Omega Alpha honors. She went on to complete her general surgery internship at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, and then an ophthalmology residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Fu completed a prestigious American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery fellowship at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, and Indiana University in Indianapolis. Her research interests include application of artificial intelligence in precision surgical practice, orbital disease and reconstruction, and demographic and workplace inclusivity in ophthalmology practice.
Media Inquiries
Colin DeVries
Phone: 212-404-3588
[email protected]
SOURCE NYU Langone Health
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pampa Energia S.A. ("Pampa," the "Company" or "we") today announced the expiration and tender results of the previously-announced offer by the Company to purchase for cash (the "Offer") from each registered holder (each, a "Holder" and, collectively, the "Holders") any and all of its outstanding Series 1 7.500% Notes due 2027 (the "Notes") issued by the Company under the indenture dated as of January 24, 2017 (the "Indenture").
The Offer expired at 8:00 a.m., New York City time, on September 5, 2024 (such date and time, the "Expiration Time"). The Offer was made by the Company pursuant to the offer to purchase dated August 26, 2024 (the "Offer to Purchase") and the related guaranteed delivery instruction (the "Notice of Guaranteed Delivery," and together with the Offer to Purchase, the "Offer Documents"). The principal purpose of the Offer was to purchase for cash any and all of the outstanding Notes. The Company intends to finance the purchase of the Notes with the proceeds of the offering of a concurrent issuance of new notes made in reliance on one or more exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
The Company has been advised that, as of the Expiration Time, U.S.$396,816,000 in aggregate principal amount of Notes, or approximately 52.91% of the Notes outstanding, have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer.
Additionally, Guaranteed Delivery instructions were submitted for U.S.$630,000 in aggregate principal amount of Notes, or approximately 0.08% of the Notes outstanding, as of the Expiration Time. In order to be eligible to participate in the Offer, holders of Notes reflected in such Guaranteed Delivery instructions received by the Company prior to the Expiration Time must validly tender such Notes pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures (as defined in the Offer Documents) by 5:00 p.m., New York City time on September 9, 2024, unless extended by the Company.
The Company has accepted for purchase all of the Notes validly tendered in the Offer and not validly withdrawn on or prior to the Expiration Time. Notes accepted for purchase, including Notes tendered pursuant to Guaranteed Delivery Procedures, will be paid in full by the Company on September 10, 2024 (the "Settlement Date").
The final principal amount of Notes that will be purchased by the Company on the Settlement Date is subject to change based on deliveries of Notes pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures. A press release announcing the final results of the Offer is expected to be issued on or promptly after the Settlement Date.
The Notes and other information relating to the Offer are listed in the table below:
Notes
CUSIP / ISIN / Common Code
Numbers
Outstanding Principal
Amount
Offer Consideration(2) (3) Series 1 7.500% Notes due
2027
697660 AA6/ US697660AA69 / 155564636 P7464E AA4/ USP7464EAA49 / 155566132
U.S.$ 750,000,000(1)
U.S.$1,000
(1) Including U.S.$153 million principal amount of Notes which are held by a third party lender of the Company as security for such financing.
(2) Per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase. The Offer Consideration does not include accrued interest.
(3) Holders will also receive accrued interest from and including the last interest payment date for the Notes up to but not including the Settlement Date.
Holders who had validly tendered and not withdrawn their Notes at or before the Expiration Time are entitled to receive U.S.$1,000 per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of the Notes tendered (the "Offer Consideration"), on the Settlement Date. In addition, Holders whose Notes were purchased in the Offer will receive accrued and unpaid interest from and including the last interest payment date for the Notes up to but not including the Settlement Date. For the avoidance of doubt, accrued interest will cease to accrue on the Settlement Date for all Notes accepted in the Offer, including those tendered by the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures.
The obligation of the Company to pay for Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Offer, or Notes with respect to which a properly completed Notice of Guaranteed Delivery was delivered at or prior to the Expiration Time, is subject to, and conditioned upon, the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions as set forth in the Offer Documents, in the sole discretion of the Company. The terms and conditions of the Offer are described in the Offer Documents previously distributed to the Holders.
The Company has retained Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Santander US Capital Markets LLC to serve as the dealer managers for the Offer, and Banco Santander Argentina S.A. and Banco de Galicia y Buenos Aires S.A.U. to act as local information agents in Argentina. Questions regarding the Offer may be directed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at (212) 723-6106 (collect) or (800) 558-3785 (toll-free), Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. at (212) 250-2955 (collect) or (866) 627-0391 (toll-free) , J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at (212) 834-7279 (collect) or at (866) 846-2874 (toll-free) and/or to Santander US Capital Markets LLC at (212) 350-0660 (collect) or at (855) 404-3636 (toll-free). Requests for documents may be directed to Morrow Sodali International LLC (trading as Sodali & Co), the information and tender agent for the Offer, by e-mail at [email protected], or by telephone in Stamford at +1 203 658 9457 or in London at +44 20 4513 6933.
Documents relating to the Offer, including the Offer to Purchase and guaranteed delivery instruction, are also available at https://projects.sodali.com/pampa.
None of the Company, the dealer managers, the local information agents or the information agent and tender agent make any recommendations as to whether Holders should tender their Notes pursuant to the Offer, and no one has been authorized by any of them to make such recommendations. Holders must make their own decisions as to whether to tender their Notes, and, if so, the principal amount of Notes to tender.
This press release is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation and is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. The Offer is being made solely pursuant to the Offer Documents.
The Offer does not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not permitted by law or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.
In any jurisdiction where the securities, blue sky or other laws require tender offers to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and in which the dealer managers, or any affiliates thereof, are so licensed, the Offer will be deemed to have been made by any such dealer managers, or such affiliates, on behalf of the Company.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Actual results may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or other information contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances, including, without limitation, changes in our business or acquisition strategy or planned capital expenditures, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
About Pampa
Pampa is an Argentine leading independent energy company, participating in the electricity and gas businesses. We and our subsidiaries, joint ventures and affiliates are engaged in the generation and transmission of electricity, exploration, production, commercialization and transportation of oil and gas, and production of petrochemical products. Our shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos S.A.
For further information, see our website www.pampa.com or contact:
Investor Relations
Phone: +54114344-6000
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE Pampa Energia S.A.
SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AXIS-Y is redefining the K-beauty industry by making diversity and inclusion core to its mission. As of August 2024, over 40% of AXIS-Y's employees hail from diverse national backgrounds, including Korea, China, the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Malaysia, Indonesia, and more. This vibrant global team brings a wealth of skills and perspectives, creating a dynamic work environment that celebrates and leverages diversity for innovation.
Prioritizing Employee Well-being and Growth
AXIS-Y's commitment goes beyond merely assembling a diverse workforce; it actively invests in employee well-being and development. The company offers comprehensive benefits such as personal development funding, targeted incentive programs, transportation allowances, and holiday bonuses. This holistic approach to employee satisfaction has resulted in a 25% increase in employee retention over the past two years, directly contributing to AXIS-Y's continued growth and innovation in the competitive skincare industry.
Diversity as a Catalyst for Innovation
AXIS-Y views diversity not just as a corporate goal but as a key driver of innovation. By actively recruiting talent across various dimensionsnationality, gender, religion, and agethe company fosters an inclusive culture that drives creativity and leads to the development of skincare solutions that resonate globally. This strategy has contributed to a 30% increase in customer engagement across international markets, positioning AXIS-Y as a trailblazer in the skincare industry.
Employee Experiences: The Power of Cultural Exchange
AXIS-Y's employees consistently highlight the enriching experiences that come from working in such a multicultural environment.
"Working with colleagues from different nationalities, languages, and cultures has been incredibly enriching. This diversity brings new perspectives to our work and enhances collaboration," says So-Hyun Park, Product Development Team.
"Our team's diverse backgrounds provide us with a wealth of ideas, infusing creativity into our work and creating opportunities for growth," adds Ye-Jin Kim, Marketing Leader.
This diversity isn't just an asset; it's the driving force behind the company's innovative culture, leading to a 20% increase in product innovation over the last year alone.
Building Bonds Through Shared Experiences
AXIS-Y understands that strong teams are built on shared experiences. In July 2023, the company hosted a retreat on Jeju Island, where employees engaged in team-building activities, creative brainstorming sessions, and cultural exchanges. The success of this retreat led to a repeat in 2024, with even more extensive activities aimed at deepening team bonds. These retreats have become more than just company events; they are foundational experiences that have boosted employee satisfaction by 15%, strengthening collaboration across the company.
Integrating Multicultural Insights into Skincare Innovation
AXIS-Y's diverse talent pool is a wellspring of creativity, driving both product development and marketing. By integrating multicultural insights, the brand creates products and campaigns that resonate globally, from the use of models representing various nationalities, races, and genders to the development of skincare solutions tailored to the unique needs of a global customer base. This inclusive approach has led to a 35% increase in market share across key regions, including North America.
Overcoming Language Barriers to Foster Unity
In a multicultural workforce, language barriers can present challenges. AXIS-Y addresses this by offering language education and promoting open collaboration across teams. This commitment to communication has not only enhanced employee participation but also led to a 10% improvement in project efficiency, fostering a cohesive and productive corporate culture.
Impacting Local and Global Communities
AXIS-Y is not only making strides within its organization but also impacting broader communities. The company contributes to the local economy in Seoul by creating jobs and extends its influence globally by recruiting talent from diverse cultural backgrounds. This global-local approach has strengthened AXIS-Y's international presence and increased its contribution to local communities by 20%.
Leadership's Role in Cultivating a Diverse and Inclusive Environment
Leadership at AXIS-Y is deeply committed to maintaining and enhancing its diverse and inclusive environment. The brand offers diversity education programs and utilizes advanced tools like Asana and the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework to ensure that its goals align with its values. These initiatives have improved work efficiency by 15% and reinforced a culture of collaboration and diversity.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities for Growth
AXIS-Y recognizes that with diversity come challenges, such as cultural differences and biases. However, the company views these challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. By fostering an inclusive environment that acknowledges and respects differences, AXIS-Y has created a workplace where employees can support each other and grow together, leading to a 25% increase in employee engagement.
"We welcome anyone who resonates with our culture and values and is eager to grow with us. We look forward to sharing opportunities for growth with diverse talent and unique experiences," says Shinho Kang, Manager of the Human Resources Team.
About AXIS-Y
Founded in 2019, AXIS-Y is a pioneering brand in the functional clean beauty space, offering personalized skincare solutions that address the effects of climate change, various skin types, and environmental factors. As an innovator in the K-beauty industry, AXIS-Y is committed to making self-care accessible to everyone while leading the way in sustainable and vegan beauty practices.
Closing
Discover more about AXIS-Y's commitment to sustainable beauty and stay updated on upcoming initiatives by visiting www.axis-y.com and following @axisy_official on social media. If you're passionate about joining a diverse and innovative team, explore career opportunities by reaching out to [email protected].
SOURCE AXIS-Y
BEIJING, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 4,2024. Zambia Power Development Forum, hosted by the Ministry of Energy of Zambia and the Chinese Embassy in Zambia and undertaken by Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA) at its Beijing headquarters. The forum, held in conjunction with the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, with the aim of strengthening energy co-operation and jointly exploring the way to the sustainable development of electricity in Zambia.
POWERCHINA's 25-Year Legacy in Zambia
Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Station constructed by POWERCHINA
Over the past 25 years since POWERCHINA entered the Zambian market, it has played a key role in the construction of energy infrastructure in Zambia, and has completed nearly 50 significant projects, including power stations with a total installed capacity of more than 1,500 megawatts and transmission and distribution lines with a total mileage of more than 1,100 kilometres. In the process of construction projects, POWERCHINA drives employment, improves local technology level and talent training, deepens humanistic exchanges between China and Zambia, enhances mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, promotes transformation and upgrading of the relevant areas, attracts investment, and thus promotes the development process of the local economy.
President Hakainde Hichilema said that this year is the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zambia, and cooperation in various fields has been fruitful. Zambia is facing many challenges such as climate change and growing demand for clean energy, and there are huge investment opportunities in energy and power and other fields. He hoped that POWERCHINA would continue to give full play to its leading advantages in the fields of energy and power, infrastructure construction, etc., deepen the cooperation in various fields, contribute new achievements to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, and help Zambia's sustainable development.
Energy cooperation is a cornerstone of China-Zambia relations, benefiting both economies and improving livelihoods. POWERCHINA, leveraging its expertise across the entire energy supply chain, is working closely with Zambia on national power planning, major cross-basin water diversion projects, and the comprehensive planning of the Kafue River Basin. The company continues to focus on key infrastructure projects that contribute to Zambia's sustainable development.
Over the past 25 years, POWERCHINA has expanded its scope and deepened its engagement in Zambia. By participating in local education, healthcare, poverty alleviation, and disaster relief initiatives, the company has built lasting bonds with the Zambian people, fostering deep, brotherly ties.
Ding Yanzhang, Chairman of POWERCHINA, expressed confidence that the forum will lead to broader cooperation beyond energy. He emphasized the importance of fostering sustainable development for China-Africa cooperation in the coming decade.
Looking ahead, POWERCHINA is committed to furthering its comprehensive cooperation with Zambia in power system planning, renewable energy development, and infrastructure construction, supporting Zambia's industrialization and modernization efforts.
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2497750/Image1.jpg
XIAMEN, China, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Qudian Inc. ("Qudian" or "the Company" or "We") (NYSE: QD), a consumer-oriented technology company, today announced the appointment of BDO China Shu Lun Pan Certified Public Accountants LLP ("BDO") as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, effective on September 6, 2024.
BDO succeeds Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP ("EY"), which previously was the independent auditor providing audit services to the Company. The change of the Company's independent auditor was made after careful consideration and was approved by the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors of the Company. The decision to change auditor was not as a result of any disagreement between the Company and EY on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedures.
EY's audit reports on the Company's consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2023 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles.
During each of the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2023, and during the subsequent interim period through September 6, 2024, there have been (i) no disagreements (as defined in Item 16F(a)(1)(iv) of Form 20-F and the related instructions thereto) with EY on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of EY, would have caused EY to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in connection with its reports on the consolidated financial statements for such years, and (ii) no reportable events (as defined in Item 16F(a)(1)(v) of Form 20-F).
During the Company's two most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2023, and during the subsequent interim period prior to the engagement of BDO on September 6, 2024, neither the Company nor anyone acting on its behalf consulted with BDO on either (a) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company's financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Company by BDO that BDO concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (b) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement, as that term is defined in Item 16F(a)(1)(iv) of Form 20-F (and the related instructions thereto) or a reportable event as set forth in Item 16F(a)(1)(v) of Form 20-F.
The Company is working closely with EY and BDO to ensure a seamless transition.
The Board of Directors of the Company would like to express its sincere gratitude to EY for its professionalism and quality of services rendered to the Company over the past few years.
About Qudian Inc.
Qudian is a consumer-oriented technology company. The Company historically focused on providing credit solutions to consumers. Qudian is exploring innovative logistics services to satisfy consumers' demand for e-commerce transactions by leveraging its technology capabilities.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States 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. Among other things, the expectation of its collection efficiency and delinquency, contain forward-looking statements. Qudian may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Qudian's beliefs and expectations, 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: Qudian's goal and strategies; Qudian's expansion plans; Qudian's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Qudian's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its products; Qudian's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with customers, business partners and other parties it collaborates with; general economic and business conditions; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Qudian's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Qudian does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
In China:
Qudian Inc.
Tel: +86-592-596-8208
E-mail: [email protected]
SOURCE Qudian Inc.
Aggressively pursuing the U.S. market for collaborative robots with special discounts during the exhibition
DAEJEON, South Korea, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rainbow Robotics (CEO Jungho Lee) announced on the 5th that the company would attend IMTS 2024, the world's largest machine tool exhibition being held for six days from September 9th to 14th in Chicago, USA.
The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2024 is one of the world's top three exhibitions for the machine tool industry, showcasing innovative digital technologies in the manufacturing industry, including processing, assembly, logistics, and inspection.
Rainbow Robotics will be showcasing at least 10 different robot platforms at IMTS 2024, held in the U.S.
Rainbow Robotics will be exhibiting at least 10 robot platforms, including four collaborative robots in the RB series, two collaborative robot automation systems, two mobile robots (a serving robot and an AMR), a quadrupedal robot (RBQ-10), and the first wheeled humanoid bipedal robot developed in Korea (RB-Y1).
In particular, at this exhibition, Rainbow Robotics plans to sell four collaborative robots, the RB series' RB3-1200, RB5-850, RB10-1300, and RB16-900, which have a competitive price advantage over competitors due to their low-cost rate by applying core components such as drivers, encoders, brakes, and controllers developed in-house, at a special discounted price, and plans to conduct assertive sales activities to secure substantial sales.
The company has also developed software (SW) to provide robots that perform the required functions and that are optimized for customer needs without requiring users to learn new skills. This enables users to lower the cost of manufacturing their products, allowing them to reliably deliver quality products and services to their customers.
Existing industrial robots need to be separated from human workers by a safety fence. However, collaborative robots, which can work alongside workers without a fence, can share tasks with them and even replace insufficient production workers, greatly increasing production efficiency. Against this backdrop, the global collaborative robotics market is growing at an average annual rate of 33%, in line with the trend of the decreasing labor force and increasing labor costs.
According to global research firm Market & Markets, the global market for collaborative robots is expected to grow from USD 836.24 million in 2020 to USD 5.08849 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 43.5%, as the labor force decreases and labor costs increase in the post-COVID-19 era.
A representative from Rainbow Robotics commented that, "The RB series of collaborative robots has been introduced to the largest CNC machine tending automation process in Korea and has been recognized for its product quality. We plan to utilize these references to target the North American machine tool automation market."
Rainbow Robotics established a local branch in Schaumburg, Illinois, U.S. in 2023, with a dedicated organization for collaborative robot sales and customer management. In particular, this October, Rainbow Robotics plans to expand and relocate its U.S. branch to provide a variety of services for North American customers, including training facilities and demo rooms. In addition, Rainbow Robotics has designed all products for export to the North American market in accordance with international standards, and obtained NRTL certification in the U.S. and CSA certification in Canada through global certification organization TUV SUD to expand its share in the North American collaborative robot market.
SOURCE Rainbow Robotics
RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Venture Capitalist Ross O'Brien, known as "The Investment Biker," is proud to announce the Art Moto Festival 2024 , a unique event that combines art, music, and motorcycles to support a worthy cause. The festival, which is free and open to the public, will feature an art exhibition, charity auction, and live music. It will be held in Smoky Hollow on October 26, 2024, from 3 PM to 9 PM.
Ross O'Brien, who relocated his firm to Raleigh in 2022, chose the city for its exceptional quality of life, strategic connectivity to major commercial hubs, and the thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem of the RDU area. "Before moving to Raleigh, I was familiar with the Research Triangle Park, but living downtown exposed me to the vibrant artistic and musical community here," O'Brien said.
As the founder of Bonaventure Equity, a boutique early-stage venture capital fund focused on pharmaceutical developments for treating neurodegenerative diseases, O'Brien has long been committed to supporting veteran organizations through clinical research. "When I learned about an organization dedicated to treating PTSD and promoting mental health wellness for first responders and veterans, I saw a unique opportunity to host a festival that unites these communities," he explained. "The festival took on a life of its own as I rode my motorcycles around RDU for meetings. It's a mission to highlight what makes Raleigh unique, align my passions for art, music, and motorcycles, and support a great cause. All proceeds from the charity auction will go to The Motorcycle Relief Project."
Reflecting on his experience in Raleigh, O'Brien shared, "Living here has been a wonderful experience. The community's diversity, innovation, and education are driving the early-stage startup ecosystem. I'm continuously impressed by how friendly everyone is and by the abundance of artistic and musical talent in and around RDU. And, without a doubt, North Carolina is the best state I've lived in for indulging my passion for riding motorcycles." When he realized there wasn't a festival that celebrated art, music, and what makes Raleigh special, O'Brien took action, leveraging his network of artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs to create Art Moto.
Art Moto '24 will take place in Smoky Hollow on October 26th from 3 PM to 9 PM. The full agenda, including musical performances and featured artists, can be found on the Art Moto website. Visitors can also register for free general admission tickets and secure parking for unique motorcycles.
About The Investment Biker
Ross O'Brien is a lifelong entrepreneur turned venture capitalist, published author, and motorcycle enthusiast. As the founder of Bonaventure Equity, LLC, a Raleigh-based early-stage pharmaceutical development fund, he invests in pioneering scientific innovations with the potential to address healthcare's most significant challenges. Inspired by his experiences in writing and teaching entrepreneurship, and his passion for motorcycles, Ross shares his perspectives on the entrepreneurial journey through The Investment Biker websitean intersection of creativity, art, investing, and entrepreneurship.
Visit investmentbiker.vc to learn more about the movement that fuses investing, entrepreneurship, and motorcycle adventures. At the heart of The Investment Biker is storytelling and community, encouraging others to dare greatly and embrace the journey over the destination.
Journey > Destination
SOURCE The Investment Biker
ASHEVILLE, N.C. and NEW YORK, Sep. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- An incredibly rare, original printed archetype of the United States Constitution, signed by Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson, will be auctioned on September 28, 2024, in Asheville, North Carolina at Brunk Auctions. The auction will begin with a starting bid of $1 million, without reserve. It is expected to sell for much more.
The only known privately held official signed ratification copy of the U.S. Constitution will be auctioned on September 28th Rare Signed Ratification Copy of the U.S. Constitution, Recently Discovered in North Carolina, Heads to Auction in North Carolina on September 28th
This revolutionary document is one of only eight known surviving signed ratification copies of the United States Constitution, and the only known in private hands. The last and only other recorded sale of a similar document was in 1891.
The ratification copy of the Constitution will be sold at Brunk Auctions on September 28, the 237th anniversary of the day Congress passed the ratification resolution.
Drafted in Philadelphia and signed by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention, the proposed Constitution was delivered on September 18, 1787 to the Confederation Congress that was then meeting in New York on the site that is now the Federal Hall National Memorial at 26 Wall Street. After heated debate, on September 28 Congress resolved to send it to the states for ratification. To that end, Charles Thomson, the Secretary of Congress, ordered 100 copies of the printed archetype, only a fraction of which he signed for sending to the legislatures of the 13 original states. It is that resolution, along with Thomson's signature, that makes the present copy an official ratification edition of the Constitution.
This incredibly rare document was discovered in 2022 at Hayes Farm, a 184-acre plantation in Edenton, North Carolina. The property was purchased in 1765 by Samuel Johnston, who in 1787-1789 was governor of North Carolina and presided over the state's two ratification conventions. In 1865, it was acquired by the Wood family, which has held it for seven generations. The document was found inside an old filing cabinet in 2022 when the property was being cleared out and sold to North Carolina for preservation under the care of the Elizabeth Vann Moore Foundation with assistance from the Edenton Historical Commission and the Town of Edenton.
Previously, most of the books, documents and artifacts from the home were donated to North Carolina, and a recreation of the Hayes Library was built at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
According to auctioneer Andrew Brunk, "James Madison wrote that the Constitution 'was nothing more than a draft of a plan, nothing but a dead letter, until life and validity were breathed into it by the voice of the people, speaking through several State Conventions.'" Brunk added, "this simple looking version is what started breathing life into the Constitution."
Seth Kaller, a renowned historic document expert who is collaborating with Brunk on the sale, noted that "This is a unique opportunity to own a cornerstone of our democracy, particularly at this time in our nation's history. It also reminds us of the crucial role New York played in the founding of America."
Kaller was involved in bidding on the Constitutional Convention printing that Sotheby's sold on November 18, 2021 for $43.2 million to Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, LLC. In 1988, that same document had sold for $165,000. According to Kaller, "The ratification copy now up for auction is rarer and arguably more significant, but the consignor gave Brunk the luxury of selling it without reserve, with a starting bid of $1,000,000. The market will decide what the Constitution is worth to us today."
The public will be able to view the document on Friday, September 13 from 1:00 4:30 PM at Federal Hall National Memorial at 26 Wall Street in New York, the location where the Confederation Congress met in September of 1787 and resolved to send the Constitution to the States for ratification.
For more details about the September 28th auction, contact [email protected] or visit www.brunkauctions.com.
For additional information about Seth Kaller and historic documents, visit www.sethkaller.com or thepromiseofliberty.org.
Additional images available at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/nzzdhlg3qafxctcncucuu/ALcNOqXdvqEfCXKfVR5ZB-4?rlkey=4esprq6fdq97jy7h2izqcfsqx&dl=0
NEWS CONFERENCE AND UNVEILING
DATE: Friday, September 13, 2024
TIME: 11:00 AM
LOCATION: Federal Hall National Memorial*, 26 Wall Street, New York, NY
DETAILS: Seth Kaller, historic document expert, and Andrew Brunk of Brunk Auctions will provide the historic significance of the document and detail how and when it was found and identified as well as what to anticipate at the auction. The document will be viewable at the news conference.
*After 237 years, the document will be unveiled to the public on the site where the Confederation Congress met in 1787 and resolved to send the Constitution to the States for ratification.
RSVP: Risa Hoag, [email protected]
Media Contact: Risa Hoag, GMGPR, 845-627-3000, Ext 1, [email protected]
SOURCE Brunk Auctions
SF Bay Area Agents are Stewards of Iconic Preservation in Tiburon, California
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sarkissian Bullock Team of Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty is extremely proud to have represented the Reed family in the sale of the legendary property Easton Point (The Martha Property) to the Trust for Public Land, thereby ensuring its open space in perpetuity. The property, which just sold for $42,100,000 after an 18-month escrow process, was listed with the Sarkissian Bullock Team in October of 2018, the first time the property had come to market in over 100 years. The nearly seven-year sale process marks a significant contribution to the people of Marin County and beyond. The sale is also the highest-priced land sale in Marin County history, and the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
Sarkissian Bullock Team, Golden Gate Sothebys International Realty. From left: Bill Bullock, Lydia Sarkissian, Magdalena Sarkissian
"Congratulations and thank you to all the contributors in time and money who finally succeeded in preserving this inestimable property for current and future generations," says Bill Bullock, of the Sarkissian Bullock Team, and President and CEO of Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty.
Easton Point is pristine land of approximately 100 acres, located at the southern tip of the Tiburon Peninsula with panoramic views of the San Francisco skyline, Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, Richardson Bay and beyond. Although it lies along the border of Tiburon, the property itself lies within unincorporated territory in Marin County. In 2018, a federal court judge had approved zoning for a 43-lot subdivision of single-family homes, each sited on one acre. That ruling sparked interest again in the perpetually red-taped development plans for the land. Shortly thereafter, the Sarkissian Bullock Team were chosen to help bring the iconic property to market, and ultimately served as key players and stewards of the land's preservation and accessibility for all.
For more information about the Bullock Sarkissian Team, please visit globalestates.com, contact Lydia Sarkissian at 415.517.7720, or email Bill Bullock at [email protected]
For more information about the Trust for Public Land, visit tpl.org
For media inquiries, please email [email protected]
About Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty:
Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty has over 485 agents in 21 offices throughout the San Francisco Bay Area serving the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma and San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.GoldenGateSIR.com
SOURCE Golden Gate Sothebys International Realty
MACON, Ga., Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), a rare but serious virus, continue to rise in parts of the Northeast, Mosquito Squad is helping homeowners stay informed about the virus and the important safety measures to take.
With much still to learn about EEE, Dr. Kurt Vandock, PhD in Cell Biology and Entomology and Vice President of Strategic Growth at Mosquito Squad, is sharing what homeowners need to know about the mosquito-borne virus to help reduce the risk of transmission as mosquito season continues.
How can I tell if my child or pet has EEE versus another mosquito-borne illness?
Infection can cause a range of illnesses. Most people have no symptoms; others get only a mild flu-like illness with fever, headache, and sore throat. For people with infection of the central nervous system, a sudden fever (103F to 106F), severe headache, and stiff neck can be followed quickly by seizures and coma. The best way to confirm any illness is with an approved and accurate test administered by a medical professional.
What should I do if I suspect that someone in my family has EEE?
Seeking immediate medical attention is key with any arbovirus. Eastern Equine Encephalitis is a serious disease with symptoms occurring fast. If you live in an area with noted EEE activity and have flu-like symptoms after being bitten by a mosquito you should seek medical care immediately.
Are there certain times of the day when contracting EEE is more likely?
Mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. Culiseta melanura is the primary vector of EEE and can bite at any time of the day; however, studies indicate it is most active around dusk.
How can I keep my family safe from EEE as school and extracurricular activities commence?
Avoiding areas where mosquitoes are numerous and EEE has been reported is a great first line of defense. When this is not possible, dressing with long sleeves, pants, closed toe shoes, and defending with repellant can all help mitigate exposure to mosquito bites.
My town is coordinating aerial sprays to help mitigate the mosquito population in the area. Does that mean that I don't need to take any other measures to protect my yard?
The insecticides sprayed from airplanes and trucks are non-residual broad-spectrum insecticides that kill insects on contact. These products are only effective while they are in the air and can contact a target pest. Targeted barrier sprays such as the ones deployed by Mosquito Squad provide longer term control of mosquitoes and are more selective since they are only applied where mosquitoes rest and harbor. Additionally, local larviciding is completed which helps interrupt the entire lifecycle of the mosquito.
For more information or to find services near you, visit www.mosquitosquad.com.
About Mosquito Squad
Mosquito Squad's mission is to be the premier outdoor pest control company in the industry by providing state-of-the-art products and services through its best-in-class technicians and sales teams while bringing awareness to the importance of pest management to help control diseases transmitted by pests. For more information, visit https://www.mosquitosquad.com/ and https://www.authoritybrands.com/ .
About Authority Brands
Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, Authority Brands' companies include 16 leading home service franchise brands: America's Swimming Pool Company, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, The Cleaning Authority, Color World Painting, DoodyCalls, DRYmedic Restoration Services, Homewatch CareGivers, The Junkluggers, Lawn Squad, Mister Sparky, Monster Tree Service, Mosquito Squad, One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, Screenmobile, STOP Restoration, and Woofie's. Together, these brands provide home services through more than 2,000 territories operated by more than 1,000 franchise owners. Authority Brands is dedicated to supporting individual franchise owner growth by providing strong marketing, technology, and operational support. See https://www.authoritybrands.com/ for more information.
SOURCE Mosquito Squad
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Shlomo Shinnar, MD, Ph.D. is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member for his contributions to Epilepsy Treatment and Education.
Dr. Shlomo Shinnar, an esteemed figure in the fields of medicine and education, continues to revolutionize epilepsy treatment and research while nurturing the next generation of medical professionals.
Shlomo Shinnar
With a profound dedication to advancing pediatric neurology, Dr. Shinnar specializes in epilepsy and child seizure disorders. His expertise spans child neurology, epilepsy research, and clinical trials, making him a leading authority in his field.
Dr. Shinnar's academic journey is illustrious, with a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Columbia University and an MD/Ph.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed residencies in Pediatrics and Neurology at Johns Hopkins University and holds board certifications in Neurology, Child Neurology, Pediatrics, and Clinical Neurophysiology.
As Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Management Center and Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Epidemiology and Population Health at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Dr. Shinnar leads groundbreaking research initiatives. His contributions are underscored by over 180 peer-reviewed papers and more than 120 review articles and chapters.
Recognized for his exceptional contributions, Dr. Shinnar has received prestigious honors, including the Research Recognition Award from the American Epilepsy Society and the CURE Epilepsy Research Leadership Award.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Dr. Shinnar finds solace in reading and classical music. He attributes his success to the mentorship of Dr. John Freeman and honors the memory of his late father, Mr. Reuel Shinnar, and wife, Mrs. Ruth Christine Shinnar.
Dr. Shlomo Shinnar's commitment to excellence extends beyond medicine; he serves as the past President and an active member of his synagogue, Young Israel of New Rochelle. With three children, Dr. Shinnar exemplifies the balance between professional achievement and familial devotion.
Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]
SOURCE The Inner Circle
BEIJING, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was held on Thursday. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote address titled "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a Community with a Shared Future." President Xi proposed 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. 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 Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027) of FOCAC. China-Africa cooperation has opened a new chapter in the history of jointly advancing modernization.
President Xi stressed that 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 10 partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization. By closely connecting the future of China and Africa through the theme of modernization, the development momentum will be generated. The global vision embodied in this blueprint, and the vast creativity and potential it contains serves as a model and source of inspiration for the Global South as well as the entire world. The momentum is boundless.
In the 10 partnership actions, Xi announced that China has decided to give all least developed countries (LDCs) having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. This is a proactive, unilateral move by China to expand its market access. China is the first developing country and major global economy to implement such an initiative, demonstrating that in promoting development with the world, China is creating opportunities and achieving win-win outcomes without any hidden agenda, any geopolitical self-interest, or any conditions attached. If China-Africa cooperation is like a mirror, what people see in it is not only enormous development opportunities, but also China's genuine goodwill and global vision.
And this is just an epitome of China-Africa cooperation. The 10 partnership actions cover a wide range of areas, from mutual learning, trade prosperity, and infrastructure development to healthcare, agricultural collaboration, people-to-people exchanges, green development, and common security. For example, it highlights that China will provide 60,000 training opportunities to Africa, mainly for women and youths, which is aimed at addressing the career development concerns of African youths and cultivating a new generation of talent for Africa.
China will also send 500 agricultural experts, and establish a China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance, addressing issues of food security and self-sufficiency in Africa in the context of global climate change. The 10 partnership actions are concrete, aimed at providing feasible solutions to specific problems.
China is serious and responsible in fulfilling its commitment to Africa. It is not difficult to see from the 10 partnership actions that China has been committed to helping African countries achieve political stability and social stability. On the foundation of stability, China helps African countries seek long-term sustainable development, focusing not only on solving the longstanding issues that hinder Africa's development but also on new pathways that advance Africa's future progress. This indicates that the China-Africa community with a shared future is by no means a temporary plan; rather, it transcends specific moments and events, genuinely focusing on the overall development of Africa. This is why it possesses a vigorous and inexhaustible driving force and demonstrates strong resilience.
The exploration of building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future holds significant global and contemporary importance. Developing countries face a variety of real challenges and are easily affected by the complex and changing international situation, which can disrupt or even hinder the achievement of established goals. If China-Africa cooperation can carve out a new path for South-South cooperation, it would be a tremendous encouragement for countries in the Global South. This would provide a fresh perspective on addressing global development issues and has positive implications for demonstration and promotion.
China has a population of over 1.4 billion, and Africa also has a population of over 1.4 billion. Such a huge modernization process is unprecedented in the history of human civilization. China has a firm determination that "on the path to modernization, no one, and no country, should be left behind." This vision as a major country will write a new chapter in the history of human development, making the future of modernization in the Global South promising, and it will also promote a bright prospect for the world toward peace, security, prosperity and progress.
SOURCE Global Times
Situated in one of Naples' most coveted neighborhoods, the 1601 Gulf Shore Boulevard North Rosewood Residences Naples site presents one of the world's most desirable shorelines. Positioned in the heart of 5th Avenue South, Third Street, and the Design District, residents can take full advantage of all that Naples has to offer.
The communal spaces at Rosewood Residences Naples have been carefully curated and considered a chemistry that invigorates the senses with texture, art, and lighting. The enthralling spaces are art-filled, the experience nuanced a collection of moments for gathering or quiet escape which are purposeful, confidently executed, and designed by Lillian Wu, principal at Lillian Wu Studio, New York.
Rosewood Residences Naples' beachside pool deck and multiple beach access points will put all that has made Naples one of the most preferred destinations in the world on display. The property has unobstructed Gulf views and presents an unforgettable vista. Two pools will boast features that include shaded cabanas and lounge seating, firepit areas with seating, and bocce ball courts with shaded trellis seating areas.
Interested parties may request an appointment with the sales team by calling 239.776.3030 or visit 1601gulfshoreblvd.com for the full list of amenities, services, and residences. The Sales Gallery is located at 1400 Gulf Shore Boulevard North, Suite 100.
About The Ronto Group
Since 1967, The Ronto Group has been perfecting their skills in real estate development through the creation of residential and commercial projects worldwide. For nearly forty years, Ronto has been developing in the Southwest Florida market, creating communities that celebrate the area's irresistible appeal, from Marco Island to Tampa. Ronto and its President and owner Anthony Solomon, have built a solid reputation for imaginative vision, steadfast integrity, and reliable performance.
About Wheelock Street Capital
Wheelock Street Capital L.L.C. is a private real estate investment firm founded in 2008 by Merrick R. Kleeman and Jonathan H. Paul, two veteran real estate private equity investors, each with over 30 years of broad real estate transaction experience across all major asset classes. Wheelock has assembled a premier investment and asset management team and produced an over 10- year track record of demonstrated and consistent outperformance over industry benchmarks. Since inception, Wheelock has raised eight funds, representing over $5 billion in capital commitments and deployed over $11 billion in total value on behalf of well-known institutional investors. This includes a targeted $1.2 billion and $1 billion of capital that the Firm is currently deploying in its opportunistic/value-add vehicle and open- end long-term value vehicle, respectively.
About Rosewood Residences
Rosewood Residences is a collection of properties carefully curated to enrich the lives of all who call them home, and forge deeply personal connections between people and place. In partnership with the best developers, architects and designers, these homes are inspired by their remarkable locations around the world, thoughtfully combining authentic layering and characterful styling to appeal to the cultivated tastes of global prospective owners. Rosewood's signature service standards are ever-present, building meaningful relationships with owners, inspiring everyday discovery and creating an empowering sense of community. Available for both ownership and rental, these residences can be found within a Rosewood hotel or resort or as standalone properties. Launched in 2008, the portfolio has since evolved to include 11 one-of-a-kind branded residences with an impressive pipeline of over two dozen additional developments to be launched over the next 7 years.
About Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts manages a global collection of 34 one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, resorts and residences in 21 countries. Each Rosewood property embraces the brand's A Sense of Place philosophy to reflect the individual location's history, culture and sensibilities. The Rosewood collection includes some of the world's most legendary hotels and resorts, including The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas and Hotel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris, as well as new classics such as Rosewood Hong Kong and Rosewood Sao Paulo. For those who wish to stay a little longer, Rosewood Residences offer a distinct opportunity for the ownership or rental of properties co-located with a Rosewood hotel or resort and of standalone for-sale residences. Rosewood Residences are defined by the brand's commitment to Enriched Living through thoughtful details and experiences that enhance the quality of life while evoking a sense of discovery and inspiration.
SOURCE The Ronto Group
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Strategic Acquisition Marks Eighth Expansion for The Yurconic Agency
ALLENTOWN, Pa., Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Yurconic Agency, a leading insurance provider, is pleased to announce its recent acquisition of J L Davis Insurance Agency, marking its eighth acquisition to date. This strategic move expands The Yurconic Agency's presence to the Gilbertsville area, increasing its total locations to 16.
"We are thrilled to welcome J L Davis Insurance Agency to The Yurconic Agency family," said John T. Yurconic, CEO of The Yurconic Agency. "Our shared commitment to putting customers first aligns perfectly with our values, and we look forward to continuing the exceptional service Jay and her team have provided to their clients."
Jay Davis, one of J L Davis Insurance Agency's founders, added, "I am proud to have built a reputation for personalized service and expertise over the past 30 years. I am confident that The Yurconic Agency will continue to nurture the relationships we've built and provide the same level of dedication to our clients."
The acquisition brings together two agencies with a strong focus on personal and commercial insurance, ensuring a seamless transition for clients. The Yurconic Agency's expanded footprint in the Gilbertsville area reinforces its position as a leading insurance provider in the region.
About The Yurconic Agency
The Yurconic Agency, a trusted name in insurance since 1969, provides comprehensive coverage and exceptional service to individuals, families, and businesses. With a diverse portfolio of insurance products and convenient DMV services, the agency's experienced team delivers personalized attention, protecting what matters most. For more information, please visit: www.yurconic.com. The Yurconic Agency is a platform partner of Keystone Agency Partners ("KAP").
About Keystone Agency Partners
Keystone Agency Partners (KAP) is ranked by Business Insurance as the 38th largest broker as well as the fastest-growing in the United States. With their recent acquisition of Keystone Insurers Group, KAP represents a unique model that leverages its distribution capabilities to deliver unparalleled growth and profitability. KAP's platform empowers agencies to thrive, providing best-in-class services and capital investments to unlock potential and drive outsized growth. KAP was founded in 2020 in partnership with affiliates of Bain Capital, LP. For more information, please visit: www.keystoneagencypartners.com.
Media Inquiries
Colleen M. Driscoll, The Yurconic Agency | Chief Operating Officer
[email protected]
C: 610-585-6558
O: 610-770-6600 ext. 153
SOURCE Keystone Agency Partners
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WillDom is excited to announce a strategic alliance with KIO, a renowned leader in data center and cybersecurity solutions. This partnership aims to combine WillDom's technology expertise with KIO's cybersecurity offerings to deliver solutions for clients across all industries.
With over 20 years in the market, KIO serves some of the largest companies in Mexico, particularly in the retail and finance sectors. WillDom benefits from this partnership as they plan to offer cybersecurity services to their clients to help them protect sensitive data, prevent cyber attacks, maintain business continuity, and stay compliant with regulations.
Cybersecurity Services
KIO's cybersecurity services are designed to reduce risk and accelerate business transformation with intelligent solutions that protect client data and asset integrity from sophisticated threats. Key features include:
A combination of human talent, certifications, and technology
Alliances with leading cybersecurity manufacturers
Technology platform integration
Certified and standardized processes
Use of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data
What This Alliance Means
This strategic alliance between WillDom and KIO signifies a crucial step forward for both organizations. For WillDom, this partnership enhances our ability to offer comprehensive, state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions to our clients, ensuring their digital environments are secure and resilient against emerging threats. For KIO, the alliance opens doors to new markets leveraging WillDom's presence and deep industry connections. Together, we are poised to drive significant advancements in cybersecurity, fostering a safer and more innovative digital landscape for businesses worldwide.
"Due to the recent news about cyberattacks, the security of our clients' data has never been more crucial," said Andres Perea, CEO of WillDom. "Our partnership with KIO marks a significant step forward in our commitment to providing comprehensive solutions."
For media inquiries, please contact:
Candelaria Bertarelli
Head of Marketing
[email protected]
About WillDom:
With a global network of over 10,000 professionals spanning 15 countries, our strategic vision combines global reach with a personalized approach, aligning our expertise with your business needs. Our comprehensive suite of solutions includes AI, Data, Marketing, Finance, Business Advisory, QA, IT Assessment, Cybersecurity, Software Development, and Sports, ensuring we address all aspects of your tech needs.
Visit WillDom.com ,or follow us on LinkedIn or contact our experts to harness the power of the WillDom ecosystem.
SOURCE WillDom
The Quadrant Knowledge Solutions SPARK Matrix provides competitive analysis & ranking of Financial Close Management (FCM) vendors.
Trintech, with its comprehensive technology and customer experience management, has received strong ratings across the parameters of technology excellence and customer impact.
DALLAS, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Quadrant Knowledge Solutions announced today that it has named Trintech, a leading global provider of cloud-based financial close solutions for the Office of Finance, as a 2024 technology leader in the SPARK Matrix: Financial Close Management (FCM), Q3 2024.
The Quadrant Knowledge Solutions' SPARK Matrix includes a non-biased detailed analysis of global market dynamics, major trends, vendor landscape, and competitive positioning. The study provides competitive analysis and ranking of the leading technology vendors in the form of its SPARK MatrixTM. The study offers strategic information for users to evaluate different provider capabilities, competitive differentiation, and market position.
"Trintech's platforms, Adra (for mid-market organizations) and Cadency (for large enterprises), empower organizations to significantly reduce manual efforts in transaction matching, account reconciliations and close management tasks through advanced automation capabilities," said Pradnya Gugale, Senior Analyst at Quadrant Knowledge Solutions. "Moreover, backed by AI and ML, Trintech offers native risk automation and automated risk ratings that effectively identify anomalies and high-risk transactions, alerting users promptly. With its overall sophisticated functional offerings, ability to cater to variety of use cases, and robust roadmap, Trintech has been positioned as a SPARK leader in the global market of 2024 SPARK MatrixTM: Financial Close Management (FCM) and has received strong ratings across the parameters of technology excellence and customer impact," she further adds.
"We are honored to be recognized as a leader in the 2024 SPARK Matrix for Financial Close Management by Quadrant Knowledge Solutions," said Darren Heffernan, CEO of Trintech. "This acknowledgment reflects our commitment to delivering innovative, cloud-based solutions that transform financial operations for organizations of all sizes. Our platforms, Adra (for mid-market organizations) and Cadency (for large enterprises), are designed to significantly reduce manual tasks and enhance accuracy through cutting-edge automation and AI capabilities. We are proud to lead the industry in providing comprehensive solutions that address the complexities of financial close management while empowering our clients to focus on strategic decision-making. This recognition reaffirms our dedication to innovation and excellence in financial close management."
Quadrant Knowledge Solutions defines Financial Close Management (FCM) as: "A comprehensive process of recording, verifying, adjusting, and finalizing financial transactions across global organizational entities to generate accurate financial reports at designated intervals. The software automates this record-to-report cycle, encompassing transaction recording, statement reconciliation, financial consolidation, book closure, and customized reporting for finance departments. It provides a centralized view by integrating financial, operational, and human resource data, offering holistic insights that aid decision-making and ensure regulatory compliance with global standards."
Download the full 2024 technology leader in the SPARK Matrix: Financial Close Management (FCM), Q3 2024 report here.
About Trintech
Trintech gives people time back for what matters most. Our cloudbased platform and solutions enable thousands of clients worldwide to lead productivity transformation across their finance and accounting organizations driving efficiencies, ensuring accuracy to mitigate risk, and empowering strategic decision-making. Make time count with Trintech.
As the leader in Financial Close Management, Trintech is headquartered in Plano, Texas with offices and strategic resellers across United States, Europe, Australia, South America, Africa, and Asia Pacific. With a strong partner ecosystem, Trintech collaborates with over 100 companies to create a network of interconnected businesses. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com .
Media Contact:
Kelli Shoevlin
Director, Global Corporate Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
About Quadrant Knowledge Solutions
Quadrant Knowledge Solutions is a global advisory and consulting firm focused on helping clients in achieving business transformation goals with Strategic Business and Growth advisory services. At Quadrant Knowledge Solutions, our vision is to become an integral part of our client's business as a strategic knowledge partner. Our research and consulting deliverables are designed to provide comprehensive information and strategic insights for helping clients formulate growth strategies to survive and thrive in ever-changing business environments. For more available research, please visit https://quadrant-solutions.com/market-research/
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Shraddha Roy
PR & Media Relations
Quadrant Knowledge Solutions
[email protected]
SOURCE Trintech
Tom Cole, chair of Troutman Pepper, will serve as chair of Troutman Pepper Locke. David Taylor, chair of Locke Lord, and Ashley Taylor, vice chair of Troutman Pepper, will serve as vice chairs of the combined firm. Amie Colby, managing partner of Troutman Pepper, will serve as managing partner of Troutman Pepper Locke.
Locke Lord and Troutman Pepper share significant practice strengths in industries that are critical to the economy, including energy, financial services, health care and life sciences, insurance and reinsurance, private equity, and real estate, among others.
"The reasons for this merger go beyond complementary areas of practice. Our firms' shared dedication to client service and excellence will allow us to offer increased value to our clients," Cole said. "We are enthusiastic about collaboratively building upon our experience with the clients that we already serve and introducing Troutman Pepper Locke to new clients and markets."
"The expanded footprint of Troutman Pepper Locke will allow us to offer a far deeper bench of attorneys to advise clients on complex transactional, litigation, and regulatory matters," David Taylor noted. "In addition, our lawyers are aligned on core values with a commitment to innovation, inclusion, and pro bono service."
"The high-performance culture of our combined firm sets us apart and will enable us to realize the benefits of this merger immediately. We are incredibly excited about our future together," Colby added.
Troutman Pepper Locke will have offices in the following 35 cities (in alphabetical order): Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Berwyn, PA; Boston, MA; Brussels, BELG; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Dallas, TX; Detroit, MI; Harrisburg, PA; Hartford, CT; Houston, TX; London, UK; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Orange County, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; Princeton, NJ; Providence, RI; Raleigh, NC; Richmond, VA; Rochester, NY; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Stamford, CT; Virginia Beach, VA; Washington, DC; West Palm Beach, FL; and Wilmington, DE.
SOURCE Troutman Pepper
GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from GDToday:
Judyth Nsababera, Consul General of Uganda in Guangzhou, recently shared her insights on the evolving dynamics of China-Africa relations with GDToday ahead of the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The summit, which returns to Beijing after a few years, holds great promise for deepening the partnership between the two regions.
The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. Under this particular cooperation framework, China and African countries are expected to deepen exchanges in multiple major areas. In light of this special occasion, GDToday is conducting exclusive interviews with African delegates, shedding light on China-Africa relations, now and in the future.
Nsababera expressed optimism about its potential impact. "One key outcome I hope to achieve at this summit is how we translate these commitments and opportunities to the small and medium-sized enterprises and young people, not just in Uganda, but the whole of Africa," she stated.
She also underscored the significance of the 'China-Africa Vision Cooperation 2035,' which aims to enhance bilateral trade, advance industries, and promote eco-friendly growth models between the two regions.
Uganda and China share a deep historical connection
Ten years ago, bilateral trade between Uganda and China was around 600 million U.S. dollars. By the end of 2023, it grew to 1.3 billion dollars, of which Uganda's exports to China increased by 19 percent to 70 million dollars, according to the Chinese Embassy in Kampala.
"It is a deeply historical connection from China's support to Uganda during the colonial struggle to supporting economic and social transformation," Nsababera said.
Within the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China and Uganda are working towards win-win cooperation to achieve common development.
Under the BRI, China financed and constructed two hydropower plants, Karuma Hydropower Plant and Isimba Hydropower Station, that are critical to addressing Uganda's increasing energy needs and facilitating its industrialization.
Today, China is Uganda's largest source of foreign direct investment, particularly in light manufacturing and agro-processing, which are vital to the country's industrialization.
China-Africa cooperation allows individuals to realize dreams
Nsababera also shared a personal story that illustrates the success of China-Africa cooperation at an individual level.
She recounted how a Chinese entrepreneur from Dongguan in Guangdong Province, who faced the closure of his furniture business during the pandemic, found new opportunities in Uganda.
"He became convinced to go to Uganda," she said. "There are already 300 local workers, and the company is now on a normal track. The products are on sale, and customers have responded very well."
Nsababera told us that the entrepreneur's initiative not only created jobs but also brought technological expertise and cultural exchange, with daily Tai Chi sessions for his employees.
"Most of the time, we're looking at huge infrastructure investment projects," said Nsababera, "but this is a man who took his savings and just went with a dream and started."
Rapid transformation of Chinese cities providing examples for Africa
Nsababera's tenure in Guangzhou has also given her a deep appreciation for the city's unique qualities. "I love Guangzhou," she remarked.
"The sense of security and the friendliness of the people are remarkable. People are very warm and welcoming, making it feel like you're back home." She also praised Guangdong's cuisine, noting its similarity to Ugandan food in its natural flavors.
Nsababera highlighted the rapid transformation of Chinese cities as a model for Africa's growth. "There are places I go to in Guangzhou, which 25 years ago were rice fields. But they have developed into these really buzzing cities," she noted, emphasizing the importance of learning from China's technological advancements.
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The global urban logistics market is growing due to rise in urbanization, E-commerce growth, technology advancement, government regulation, sustainability initiatives, infrastructure development, and supply chain optimization.
WILMINGTON, Del., Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, " Urban Logistics Market by Type (Express Logistics, LTL Logistics, Hazardous Chemical Logistics) , by Application (Electric Logistics Vehicle, Fuel Cell Logistic Vehicle) : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2024-2033". According to the report, the urban logistics market was valued at $25.7 billion in 2023, and is estimated to reach $77.9 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 12% from 2024 to 2033.
Prime Determinants of Growth
The global trend of urbanization, with more people moving to cities, has resulted in higher population densities in urban areas. This increases the demand for goods and services that need efficient logistics solutions to manage the supply and distribution within these confined spaces. Furthermore, the integration of advanced technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics into logistics operations enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and improves delivery times. Innovations like real-time tracking, route optimization, and autonomous delivery vehicles are pivotal in transforming urban logistics.
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Report Coverage & Details:
Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20242032 Base Year 2023 Market Size in 2023 $25.7 billion Market Size in 2032 $77.9 billion CAGR 12.0 % No. of Pages in Report 456 Segments Covered Type, Application and Region. Drivers Rise in Urbanization E-commerce Growth Technological Advancement Opportunities Integration of IoT Restraint Infrastructure Challenges High Initial Costs
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By Type
The express logistics segment is expected to grow faster throughout the forecast period.
The express logistics segment is anticipated to experience faster growth in the urban logistics market as modern consumers demand quick and efficient delivery services. Express logistics providers cater to this need by offering speedy and reliable delivery solutions, often featuring real-time tracking and flexible delivery windows, which significantly contribute to their market dominance. Moreover, express logistics is crucial for businesses that require time-sensitive deliveries, such as perishable goods, pharmaceuticals, and urgent documents. The ability to provide expedited shipping options makes express logistics indispensable for many industries.
By Application
The electric logistics vehicle segment is expected to grow faster throughout the forecast period.
The electric logistics vehicle segment is anticipated to experience growth in the urban logistics market, due to the fact that electric vehicles (EVs) are more technologically mature than fuel cell vehicles. EV technology has been developed and refined over many years, leading to widespread adoption, better infrastructure, and more competitive pricing. Furthermore, there is a more extensive and developed infrastructure for charging electric vehicles compared to hydrogen refueling stations for fuel cell vehicles. The proliferation of charging stations in urban areas makes it more feasible for logistics companies to deploy and operate electric logistics vehicles efficiently.
By Region
North America to maintain its dominance by 2033.
North America is expected to maintain its dominance in the urban logistics market by 2032 owing to North America, especially the U.S., experiencing a significant surge in e-commerce activity. The region is home to some of the largest e-commerce companies in the world, including Amazon, which has heavily invested in urban logistics infrastructure to meet the growing demand for fast and reliable delivery services. The region boasts well-developed transportation and logistics infrastructure, including an extensive network of highways, airports, and seaports. This advanced infrastructure supports efficient urban logistics operations, allowing for the quick and effective movement of goods within urban areas.
Players
Amazon
Alibaba Group
DHL
FedEx
JD.com
Maersk
SF Express
Uber Freight
UPS
XPO Logistics
The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global urban logistics market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, agreements, and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario.
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Recent Industry News
In January 2024 , Global Village Shipping (GVS) partnered with BITS Pilani in the field of transportation and logistics. The objective of this partnership is to address key challenges and explore opportunities in the transportation and logistics sectors. This could involve studying emerging technologies, optimizing supply chain processes, or analyzing market trends to drive innovation and efficiency.
, Global Village Shipping (GVS) partnered with BITS Pilani in the field of transportation and logistics. The objective of this partnership is to address key challenges and explore opportunities in the transportation and logistics sectors. This could involve studying emerging technologies, optimizing supply chain processes, or analyzing market trends to drive innovation and efficiency. In February 2023 , Paloma, a well-established logistics company, made the strategic decision to sell its Amazon unit to a rapidly growing urban logistics platform. This move reflects Paloma's focus on optimizing its business portfolio and aligning with emerging trends in the logistics industry. By divesting its Amazon unit, Paloma aims to streamline its operations and allocate resources more effectively to areas of growth and innovation. Meanwhile, the urban logistics platform, poised for expansion in the dynamic urban logistics market, sees the acquisition of Paloma's Amazon unit as an opportunity to strengthen its presence and capabilities in last-mile delivery and e-commerce logistics.
, Paloma, a well-established logistics company, made the strategic decision to sell its Amazon unit to a rapidly growing urban logistics platform. This move reflects Paloma's focus on optimizing its business portfolio and aligning with emerging trends in the logistics industry. By divesting its Amazon unit, Paloma aims to streamline its operations and allocate resources more effectively to areas of growth and innovation. Meanwhile, the urban logistics platform, poised for expansion in the dynamic urban logistics market, sees the acquisition of Paloma's Amazon unit as an opportunity to strengthen its presence and capabilities in last-mile delivery and e-commerce logistics. In May 2024 , Patrizia has acquired a 10-property urban logistics portfolio in Sweden , which will serve as the foundational asset for a EUR 300 million platform aimed at the Nordic urban industrial and logistics market. This investment is part of a strategic joint venture partnership with Broadgate Asset Management, a leading Nordic real estate operating partner. The collaboration leverages Patrizia's investment expertise and Broadgate's local market knowledge to capitalize on the growing demand for urban logistics in the Nordic region.
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We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.
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Browse in-depth TOC on "Vibration Monitoring Market"
150 Tables
70 Figures
250 Pages
Vibration Monitoring Market Report Scope:
Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $ 1.85 billion Estimated Value by 2029 $ 2.69 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% Market Size Available for 20202029 Forecast Period 20242029 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Offering, Monitoring Process, Deployment Type, Application and Industry and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Shortage of experts ready to work at remote locations Key Market Opportunities Rising interest in big data analytics and machine learning Key Market Drivers Deployment of automation systems across various industries
The market for software segment is expected to gain a significant market share during the forecast period.
Vibration monitoring software also helps the companies to calculate equipment reliability parameters such as rotating speed, vibration frequency, bearing faults, and misalignment. As part of the parameter calculation function, the software systems process the data accumulated by sensors and compare the calculated value with the benchmark value set for the optimum operation of a machine. The software raises a warning for a possible breakdown in case of any difference in the calculated data. This function helps plant operators schedule the maintenance activities to take care of the fault in advance.
Portable vibration monitoring segment is expected to hold significant market share during the forecast period.
Portable vibration monitoring results in cost-savings and long equipment life as it offers flexibility by carrying out route-based vibration monitoring processes. Portable monitoring systems enable monitoring of aging machines through handheld devices. These systems eliminate the requirement of replacing or retrofitting old machinery for manufacturers. Monitoring experts use the data to detect faults by applying various analytics processes such as spectrum comparison, trend analysis, and 3D graph plotting.
The aerospace segment is to grow at an impressive CAGR during the forecast period.
The aerospace industry is one of the significant adopters of vibration monitoring systems and solutions. One of the key challenges for this industry is that any downtime can have a significant impact on the operations of the industry. This leads to increased deployment of vibration monitoring systems and solutions in the aerospace industry for real-time monitoring of assets. Aerospace is a rapidly growing industry, and there is a constant requirement to enhance the reliability of machines to avoid production losses occurring due to machinery breakdowns. In aircraft manufacturing, more than one monitoring technology is used to monitor the condition of critical machines, resulting in the generation of large volumes of data.
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Asia Pacific is expected to grow at highest CAGR during the forecast period.
The vibration monitoring industry in Asia Pacific has been studied for China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Rest of Asia Pacific. The region is emerging to be the world's most powerful economy owing to the increased spending on improving economic stability. Asia Pacific is witnessing a surge in the deployment of vibration monitoring systems and solutions. China, one of the top manufacturing countries in the world, has been adopting real-time vibration monitoring systems and solutions to increase the operational efficiency and production of its manufacturing plants. The increasing maintenance costs of the manufacturing industry have led companies operating in this industry to adopt advanced technologies, such as predictive maintenance, to optimize maintenance processes and improve operating costs. Vibration monitoring is expected to help manufacturers optimize their operating costs by predicting the failure of critical assets to achieve high efficiency.
Key Players
The key players in the vibration monitoring industry include Baker Hughes Company (US), Emerson Electric Co. (US), SKF (Sweden), Schaeffler AG (Germany), Parker Hannifin Corp (US) and others.
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The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.
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Judges recognize 84 companies for their outstanding support of financial advisor success from among 287 finalists
NEW YORK, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WealthManagement.com, the leading resource for wealth advisors and planners, announced the winners for the 2024 WealthManagement.com Industry Awards (the "Wealthies") last night during a black-tie awards gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. View the full list of winners.
Now in its 10th year, the WealthManagement.com Industry Awards is the only awards program to honor outstanding achievements by companies, organizations and individuals that support financial advisor success. This year, 92 awards were presented to 84 companies from a pool of 287 finalists.
"A record-breaking number of nominations were submitted in 2024, with over 1,000 entries received this year from more than 400 companies132 of which participated in the award process for the first time," said David Armstrong, Director of Editorial Strategy and Operations, Wealth Management Group Informa Connect. "The Industry Awards program has significantly expanded in scope in the ten years since it began, but the mission remains the same: To recognize and celebrate the outstanding initiatives undertaken by companies and individuals that contribute to the success of financial advisors in their businesses and foster improved outcomes for their clients. This year's winners hail from various types of firms, yet they all share a common trait they are the architects behind the programs, tools and platforms that empower financial advisors to grow their businesses, enhance client service, and elevate the financial prospects and quality of life for millions of investors."
The 2024 awards event program kicked off with senior executives from finalist companies participating in daytime CEO and CTO panel sessions, followed by technology roundtable discussions and networking at the Westin Times Square in New York City. The afternoon sessions were enriched with The Growth by Inclusion Think Tank, addressing recruiting, mentoring and empowering talent from underrepresented groups, and highlighting how participants and their organizations are successfully creating cultures of inclusion and belonging.
The evening red carpet, cocktail reception and black-tie awards ceremony at the Ziegfeld Ballroom was attended by more than 500 industry executives and team members from leading asset management firms, RIAs, B/Ds, custodians, technology providers and other industry-related companies.
Several standout companies were recognized in multiple categories, including Apex Fintech Solutions, Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., Envestnet, Jump, MyVest, Nitrogen, Orion, and Summit Wealth Systems. In the Technology Providers - Artificial Intelligence category, first introduced in 2022, 21 nominations were submitted, showcasing how AI is expanding its impact on helping advisors' businesses succeed, with CogniCor Technologies Inc. taking home the trophy. Individual CEOs, CMOs, CTOs, Innovators, M&A Leaders and Thought Leaders were also recognized. A complete listing of the 2024 Industry Awards finalists, winners and their initiatives can be found in a special WealthManagement.com Best-of-the-Best digital edition.
Winners were selected based on quantitative measures of their initiativesincluding scope, scale, adoption and feature setalong with qualitative measures such as innovation, creativity and new methods of delivery. The awards program was expanded in 2024 to recognize organizations who are pioneering innovation in platforms for Philanthropy and RIA Client Initiatives. And once again, individual awards paid tribute to up-and-comers at RIA firms. See the list of 2024 RIA Rising Star Honorees.
During the evening Gala, Mark Tibergien, a long-time executive, consultant, prolific columnist, thought leader and author, received a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his wisdom, principles and guidance that have helped define the contours of the industry. "We couldn't be more thrilled than to honor Mark at our 10th anniversary celebration," said David Armstrong, Executive Director, Content and User Engagement for WealthManagement.com. "Mark has done more than almost anyone to really define this industry and plot where it is going. His influence on how registered investment advisors think about what they do, and how they do it, extends down to the very foundations of the business. No one is as articulate on the details and nuances of this corner of financial services,"
A panel of independent judges made up of top names in the industry and led by David Armstrong determined the winners of the WealthManagement.com Industry Awards, which each year recognizes the firms and individuals who are bringing new innovations to market that make a real difference to the daily activities of financial advisors.
WealthManagment.com thanks the sponsors of this year's daytime and evening awards program: The American College for Financial Services, Amplify, Apex Fintech Solutions, Axtella, Charles Schwab, Choreo, Envestnet, Flourish, FMG, InvestCloud, Laserfiche, MarketCounsel, Nitrogen, Orion, Raymond James, RFG Advisory, Sanctuary Wealth, SEI, Snappy Karen, Voyant, and Zephyr.
About WealthManagement.com
WealthManagement.com, an Informa business, provides everything wealth professionals need to know to stay knowledgeable about the industry, build stronger relationships, improve their practice, and grow their business. WealthManagement.com offers financial services organizations a broad array of marketing services designed to help them influence the industry's leading audience of wealth management professionals.
About Informa
Informa PLC is a leading, international business-to-business information services group, operating in over 30 countries. We create transaction-led exhibitions and content-based events, specialist data, intelligence and marketing services products, as well as scholarly research and specialist reference-led academic content. Our products and services help businesses and professionals connect, learn, do business and gain an edge over the competition. Informa is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.
SOURCE WealthManagement.com
PLYMOUTH, Wis., Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine revealed that Carbliss, a brand owned by SNFood & Beverage, secured the prestigious recognition of ranking No. 7 in the 2024 Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies 43rd edition national list, No. 1 on the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Midwest list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Midwest private companies, based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Carbliss achieved this enviable award on the basis of an impressive 27,127% growth during the qualifying date period.
"For years, I have said two things consistently: 'A mile deep and an inch wide approach is far superior to a mile wide and inch deep' and 'Hire an amazing team and get out of their way'. This award is proof that when you narrow your focus and have a team that dedicates themselves to doing things very very well, that you can build something amazing in a short period of time," says CEO and Co-Founder Adam Kroener.
Complete results of the Inc. 5000 List, including the Carbliss company profile, can be found at https://www.inc.com/profile/carbliss.
"The honorees in our Inc. 5000 network are the Who's Who of private companies. They're energizing regional economies as they engineer the future of their industries. Learn who they are and what they do they'll be impacting things for a while," said Eric Hagerman, Special Projects Editor at Inc. Media.
Carbliss is available for purchase in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Louisiana, Arkansas and direct-to-consumers via the website: www.drinkcarbliss.com .
Carbliss Brands has sold over 4,000,000 cases since its founding in 2019 and has a team of 46 people. Adam is a Startup Advisor, Certified Dale Carnegie Leadership Instructor, sought-after speaker, and Veteran of the US Army.
More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000
About Inc. Media
The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent.
The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com .
SOURCE Carbliss Premium Hand Crafted Cocktails
ALEXANDRIA, Va. , Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wiygul Automotive Clinic is opening the doors to its new location in Warrenton, VA today.
This is the ninth store for the Wiygul family in the Washington Metropolitan area and is located at 164 Broadview Ave, Warrenton, Virginia .
Wiygul Automotive Clinic - Warrenton, VA.
William Wiygul, Partner at Wiygul Automotive Clinic expressed his excitement with the following message:
"The Wiygul Automotive Clinic brand has enjoyed significant success over the past decade and our family is very excited to build on that success with the newest location in Warrenton, VA.
Our highly knowledgeable team is ready and eager to show-off the updated showroom and welcome new customers into our family."
The Wiygul family is also planning a Grand Opening Ceremony at this location from 11am 1pm on Saturday, Oct 5, 2024.
The event will consist of fun activities for the entire family and will include a bounce house, face painting, food truck, free massages, and games and prizes.
The Wiygul family and staff will also be on-site to meet their new neighbors and to help them tour the shop.
About Wiygul Automotive Clinic
Wiygul Automotive Clinic is a leading provider of automotive services in the DC Metro region since 1976. The company offers a comprehensive range of automotive services, including routine maintenance, vehicle diagnostics, new tires and alignments, brakes, ac repair, and more. With state-of-the-art equipment and a team of friendly and highly skilled technicians, Wiygul Automotive Clinic is committed to delivering trusted, high-quality repairs at a competitive price.
For more information, visit: www.wiygul.com .
Contact:
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SOURCE Wiygul Automotive Clinic
YIWU, China, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Yiwugo.com, the official website of the Yiwu Commodity Market, is the largest commodity wholesale market in the world. As a long-standing popular export category from Yiwu to overseas markets, accessories have performed exceptionally well this year. According to Yiwugo's big data analysis, keywords like "bracelets" have topped the platform's hot search terms over the past two months, with silver jewelry and pearl accessories garnering the most attention.
The jewellery on yiwugo.com.
Ms. Xu Yuanyuan, who has been in the silver jewelry export business for over ten years, has seen great success both online and offline internationally. Her company's design team is highly creative, frequently launching bestsellers. In response to domestic demand, Xu opened a new store in March this year, named Apotie Jewelry, specializing in original pure silver pieces.
Back in 2021, the company designed a Heart Gesture Ring, showcasing their unique ability to merge fashion and sentiment in jewelry design. Within just one month of its launch, a single store sold over 10,000 pieces. The design was so popular that it sparked imitations in various materials, and to this day, the ring maintains high sales figures.
Xu explains that the chief design team plans its new product development for the entire year at the beginning of each year. Each month, they release about 100 to 200 new designs. Apotie Jewelry entered its product planning phase since December 2023 and by the time it opened in March 2024, there were over 1,000 pieces on display and has since maintained a monthly release of over 100 new items. Within just over three months of operation, the sales exceeded 500,000 yuan, with a high customer acquisition rate driven by the Yiwugo platform. The repeat purchase rate surpassed 47%, quickly propelling the company to success.
Ms. Wu Yunfang, who has been in the pearl jewelry industry for 14 years, runs the Fang's Jewelry, which has been a gold member of Yiwugo for 12 years. In recent years, Wu has noticed a sharp rise in the popularity of pearl jewelry in both domestic and international markets. Not only do middle-aged women love pearls, but younger women have also started embracing pearl accessories.
Pearls, as a natural form of jewelry, often require manual assembly, including stringing and knotting. Foreign buyers frequently comment, "When we see handmade pearl jewelry, we think of Fang's craftsmanship." With over a decade of experience in training artisans, Fang's Jewelry is known for its intricate yet soft craftsmanship, providing both elegance and comfort for customers. This attention to detail is one of the reasons for their high customer retention.
Fang's Jewelry has a stable supply base for shell pearls, ensuring consistent quality and high luster. Wu's years of industry experience have honed her excellent color-matching skills, particularly with uniquely shaped nucleated pearls, often leading to striking designs.
There was once a European client who struggled to find a necklace to match his desired look because of the asymmetrical shape of the nucleated pearls he wanted one end sharp and the other round. After visiting multiple shops without success, he found Wu, who quickly crafted a sample necklace, which led to an immediate order and a lasting partnership.
European customers are known to favor sophisticated shades of gray, and in 2018, amid a market dominated by black and white pearls, Wu captured the hearts of many foreign buyers by introducing pearls in varying shades of gray. It's common for individual customers to purchase over 200,000 pieces of a single design in a month.
While European markets have traditionally favored gray tones, Wu Yunfang and her team have also broken into this aesthetic with bold combinations like "purple light + white" and "blue + orange", demonstrating their design prowess. Monthly sales for these standout pieces often reach hundreds of thousands.
Thanks to Yiwugo's global promotion, many new customers have discovered Fang's Jewelry through the platform. Most first-time buyers become repeat customers after their initial trial orders. Currently, Wu's daughter has also begun assisting her in managing the business, and with the new generation's involvement, the company is poised for a bright future.
SOURCE Yiwugo.com
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Mumbai, Sep 5 : Shiv Sena ministers at the Maharashtra Cabinet meeting held on Thursday took strong objection against NCP and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for not mentioning the name of 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 Sambhuraj 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.
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.
Kyiv, Sep 6 : The Ukrainian Parliament has voted to appoint Andrii Sybiha as the country's new Foreign Minister, replacing Dmytro Kuleba, according to lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko.
Sybiha won the support of 258 of 315 lawmakers present, Honcharenko said on Thursday on Telegram.
Earlier on Thursday, the Parliament voted to dismiss Kuleba, who tendered his resignation on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Sybiha, 49, previously served as deputy head of the President's Office and became Kuleba's deputy in April.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, 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 Zelensky's 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 President's Office.
A former Ambassador to Turkey, Sybiha had also served as Yermak's deputy.
Alexander Kamyshin, a popular figure feted for keeping Ukraine's railways running through the war, is also being moved from the Strategic Industries Ministry to the President's 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 Zelensky is preparing to travel to the US later this month to present what Kyiv has called his "victory plan" to the US President Joe Biden, a key ally.
Zelensky 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.
Russian President, Vladimir 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.
That was countered by Nato's 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 August 6, Ukraine launched the biggest foreign attack on Russia since the second world war.
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.
New York, Sep 6 : US President Joe Biden's troubled son, Hunter, has offered to plead guilty to tax evasion charges in a bid to stave off an embarrassing trial where his drug addiction and foreign business dealings could get an airing, his lawyers said in court.
As the trial began in a Los Angeles federal court on Thursday, his lawyer Abbe Lowell announced that his client was changing his claim of innocence to a guilty plea.
Hunter Biden is charged with not paying at least $1.4 million in taxes on earnings of millions in foreign business deals.
But his offer to plead guilty came with special terms: He would maintain his innocence while allowing his conviction to go forward only because he considered the evidence against him could lead to him being found guilty at trial.
Prosecutor Leo Wise opposed the special terms he sought, telling the court, "Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty."
But Judge Mark Scarsi, who did not decide immediately, said that the prosecutor's agreement was not needed for the court to accept it.
Hunter Biden was convicted in June on illegal gun purchase charges because he lied on documents that he was not addicted to drugs at that time, while he was, in fact, an addict.
He is awaiting sentencing in that case.
That case is linked to the tax trial because prosecutors had made a deal with Hunter Biden to drop the gun case if he pleaded guilty to a minor tax offence.
But it unravelled when the judge in the gun case refused to let the deal go forward.
At the tax trial, his drug addiction and high living could be brought up by the prosecution to show that he had the means to pay the taxes but instead frittered it away on other things.
A friend paid off the tax arrears, but that does not absolve him of the evasion charges.
Hunter Biden's legal problems have been an embarrassment for the President but he is under less pressure since he dropped his re-election bid.
Republicans have been trying to link the President Joe Biden with his son's foreign business dealings.
(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)
Tehran, Sep 6 : Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, have 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 on Thursday.
Al Zayani also expressed his hope that bilateral political talks would be promoted during the new Iranian administration's term, Xinhua news agency reported.
Araghchi, for his part, said that expanding relations with neighbours 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 Shia 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.
Aden : , Sep 6 (IANS) The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has issued an urgent appeal for $13.3 million to "help hundreds of thousands affected by Yemen floods".
According to the IOM's press statement on Thursday, 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 organisation, the recent torrential rains and flooding have wreaked havoc across multiple provinces in Yemen, including Ibb, Sanaa, Marib, Hodeidah, and Taiz, Xinhua news agency reported.
In recent months, torrential rains and flooding in the country have destroyed homes, displaced thousands of families, and damaged critical infrastructure, including health centres, 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".
Ma'rib Governorate has been particularly hard-hit, with strong winds since August 11 severely damaging 73 displacement sites and affecting more than 21,000 households. Public services, including electricity networks, have been severely affected, aggravating the crisis in one of Yemenas most vulnerable regions. Urgent shelter repairs and cash assistance are needed, with healthcare services and sanitation infrastructure among the most immediate priorities.
Since early August, floodwaters have damaged shelters, roads, water sources, and medical facilities, leaving more than15,000 families in Al Hodeidah and 11,000 in Ta'iz in desperate need of emergency support. These rains have not only led to tragic loss of life but have also wiped out entire communities' belongings and means of survival.
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.
Vienna, Sep 6 : The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said 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 on Thursday in a statement following his visit to ZNPP, where he examined the cooling tower damaged by fire on August 11.
Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for the incident, Xinhua news agency reported.
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 Kyiv 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.
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 Zelensky in Kyiv on Tuesday and said matters were "very fragile" at Zaporizhzhia, where IAEA inspectors have been stationed since mid-2022.
The IAEA Chief 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.
Los Angeles, Sept 6 : Hollywood actress Winona Ryder, who is known for 'Beetlejuice', 'Girl, Interrupted', 'Black Swan' and others, was once arrested on shoplifting charges, as she stole $5000 worth of designer clothes from Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills in 2001.
The actress stood trial in the next year, and made several court appearances. During her appearances in the court, she would always be dressed in stunning outfits.
Her taste in fashion was so exquisite that it earned her a campaign and built a friendship with one of the designers, Marc Jacob, whose merchandise she stole.
The actress told 'Esquire' magazine, "It's so funny, because there's so much lore around that story, but it really couldn't have been more of me thinking I'm going to my car to get something."
She has often talked openly about the shoplifting scandal before, shared some details about her life at the time of the incident.
She had been prescribed painkillers for a broken arm, and had been struggling with her mental health, among other things.
When asked how she dealt with the heightened media attention surrounding her case at the time, Ryder said that she had "checked out" as a way to cope with it all.
The actress said, "I think I just checked out. There was a period when I was not in season. Psychologically, I must have been at a place where I just wanted to stop."
"I won't get into what happened, but it wasn't what people think and it wasn't like the crime of the century! But it allowed me time that I really needed, where I went back to San Francisco and got back into things that... I just had other interests in, frankly," she added.
Bhopal, Sep 6 : Tucked in the remote area of Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district, tribal-dominated Padiyaal village is popularly known as "adhikariyon ka gaon"- or village of administrators -- where every child wants to become a civil servant, an engineer or a doctor.
Bhopal, Sep 6 (IANS) Tucked in the remote area of Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district, tribal-dominated Padiyaal village is popularly known as "adhikariyon ka gaon"a" or village of administrators -a" where every child wants to become a civil servant, an engineer or a doctor.
With a little over 5,000 population, this tribal-dominated village in Malwa region has more than 100 people serving as administrative officers in different parts of India. Nearly 90 per cent population of the village belongs to Bhil tribes.
Bhils are an ethnic community who live in the states of central India, including Dhar, Jhabua, and West Nimar districts of Madhya Pradesh and Dhulia and Jalgaon in Maharashtra. They are also found in Rajasthan.
According to the Madhya Pradesh government's claims, the literacy rate of Padiyaal village is more than 90 per cent.
Until, two years back, the number of administrative officers from this village were 70, which crossed 100 in 2024, according to the Madhya Pradesh government. This includes lower court judges, Indian Police Service officers, Indian Administrative Service officers Indian Engineering Service officers, doctors, prosecution officers, forest officers, etc.
However, the quality of education or literacy rate of this Bhil tribe-dominated village could be judged when out of seven school children, four were selected for successfully qualifying the NEET examination and three others cleared the Joint Entrance Examination Mains this year only.
There is also an average of one government employee from every house in this village that is a total of 300, the state government said in a statement.
It is said that youth here started to compete since the time of Independence to appear in competitive examinations.
Manoj Dubey, who has been working as Block Resources Centre official in this area for a long time, and witnessed the success stories of youths of this particular village, said the village has laid greater emphasis on imparting education.
He added that school children would start their preparations for administrative services, technical or other fields, including medicine and engineering.
Smart classes run by retired persons from different administrative services have played a crucial role, he said.
"Over a dozen officers, who are the residents of Padiyaal village, have retired and are engaged in public service, like education and medicine. The youth currently studying are pursuing higher education inspired by elders," Dubey told IANS.
The youth from here have become engineers and businessmen and are well settled in countries like the US and Malaysia.
There is a higher secondary school in the village, in which 702 students are taught by 23 teachers.
Until, two years back, the number of administrative officeers from this village were 70, which crossed 100 in 2024, according to the MP government. This includes lower court judges, Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Indian Engineering Services officers, medical officers, prosecution officers, forest officer doctors, etc.
New Delhi, Sep 6 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Delhi after concluding his three-day visit to Singapore and Brunei.
PM Modi shared a video of his Singapore visit on X and 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."
Earlier on Thursday, 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 Wong to visit India, which he accepted.
PM Modi also visited the semiconductor facility of AEM Holdings Ltd.
Singapore's PM 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.
The Prime Minister also called on Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam earlier 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.
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 said, "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.
Kinshasa, Sep 6 : A first batch of 99,100 doses of mpox vaccines was delivered to Congo, the epicentre 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, Congolese Health Minister, on Thursday, 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, Xinhua news agency reported.
However, according to a statement released on Wednesday by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Congolese Health Ministry 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.
Congo, 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 last 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.
Ramallah, Sep 6 : Israeli forces killed six Palestinians in the West Bank city of Tubas, according to Palestinian medical and security sources.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported on Thursday 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, Xinhua news agency reported.
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 added that 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 August 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.
Early on Thursday, the Israeli army withdrew from Tulkarem and its refugee camp amid massive destruction to the city's infrastructure, according to local sources.
Tension has been running high across the occupied West Bank as Israel pressed ahead with its brutal onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 40,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 7 last year.
The escalation followed a landmark opinion by the International Court of Justice on July 19 that declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land unlawful and demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Aden, Sep 6 : A senior officer of the Yemeni military and one of his bodyguards were killed in an armed attack on a routine military patrol in the country's northeastern province of Marib, said a security official.
The security source, requesting 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, Xinhua news agency reported.
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.
Patna, Sep 6 : BJP National President and Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda arrived in Patna on Friday for a two-day visit to the state during which he will inaugurate five healthcare facilities at different places and meet party leaders.
He received a warm welcome from BJP leaders, including two Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, the party's state president Dilip Jaiswal, Rituraj Sinha, Mangal Pandey and many others at the Patna airport.
Rituraj Sinha, the BJP's National Secretary, said, "Our national president J.P. Nadda's visit is expected to significantly boost the morale of party workers in Bihar. During his two-day visit, he will engage in a range of activities, including visits to several districts such as Patna, Bhagalpur, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Muzaffarpur, as well as meetings with party organisations."
Sinha said that Nadda's presence would invigorate BJP workers and provide fresh momentum to the party's membership drive.
The Union Minister, during his two-day visit to Bihar, is set to inaugurate five healthcare projects. Among these, a significant development is the opening of a multi-specialty hospital in the Barari locality of Bhagalpur district. Constructed for Rs 200 crore, this hospital is expected to alleviate the pressure on the Bhagalpur Medical College and Hospital in Mayaganj and provide crucial healthcare services to people from East Bihar and adjoining districts of Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
The hospital will offer OPD services in key departments such as neurology, cardiology, nephrology, plastic surgery, and three more departments.
In addition to this, Nadda will inaugurate an eye hospital at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science (IGIMS) in Patna.
His schedule also includes the launch of another multi-specialty hospital in Gaya, also built for Rs 200 crore.
Security measures have been heightened by the local authorities in all locations.
After he visits Gaya, Nadda will return to Patna on Friday evening to attend an organisational meeting with the BJP leadership.
On Saturday, he will inspect the construction work of AIIMS Darbhanga at Sobhan bypass and later visit Muzaffarpur to inaugurate another healthcare facility.
Guwahati, Sep 6 : The All Assam Students Union (AASU) has welcomed the state government's decision to implement most of the recommendations of the high-level committee led by retired Justice Bipab Kumar Sarma regarding the Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord, which provides Indigenous people "constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards".
Guwahati, Sep 6 (IANS) The All Assam Students Union (AASU) has welcomed the state government's decision to implement most of the recommendations of the high-level committee led by retired Justice Bipab Kumar Sarma regarding the Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord, which provides Indigenous people "constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards".
Samujjal Bhattacharya, the chief advisor of AASU said, "The Biplab Kumar Sarma led high-level committee made various recommendations. Some of these recommendations can be fulfilled by the state government, and some are under the jurisdiction of the Central government. We demand the implementation of all recommendations. The decision of the Assam government to implement most of the recommendations of the committee is an excellent move. We are ready to negotiate with the government on this matter and we want results and solutions."
President of AASU Utpal Sharma said, "We demand the state government to implement the recommendations of Biplab Kumar Sarma committee within a specified time frame. In the past, we have seen many promises; however, those were not fulfilled. This time, we appeal to the state government to give a certain period within which the committee recommendations will be fulfilled."
Moreover, the student leader has demanded the implementation of all recommendations of the high-level committee.
Shankarjyoti Baruah, general secretary of AASU said, "Assamese people have been waiting for a very long time for Clause 6 of the Assam Accord to see the daylight. We hope that the state government is serious about implementing this within a fixed period."
Notably, the committee led by retired Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma was established by the state government to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
In a recent cabinet meeting in Dibrugarh, the state government decided to implement 57 out of a total of 67 recommendations laid by the committee.
Chief Minister Hemanta Sarma told reporters, "We had been given three years by this committee to assess the issue. Following a detailed study, we decided to carry out those recommendations in the purview of the state government. However, those that need clearance from the Central government will be dealt with through additional talks with the relevant authorities."
He said, "We examined the report in-depth in a cabinet meeting. After that, we discovered that there were 67 recommendations, and we have chosen to suggest that 57 of them be put into practice. Before April 15, 2025, we will implement these 57 proposals after holding discussions with the AASU and all other organisations."
The decision comes amid a renewed movement in Upper Assam to ensure the protection of the rights of indigenous communities. Most clauses of the 1985 Assam Accord have been implemented, but successive governments failed to implement Clause 6.
The issue had become a flashpoint during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in the state five years ago.
The Clause 6 panel has suggested that, as a stopgap measure, the post-1971 stream of proclaimed foreigners should be placed in locations outside Assam until their expulsion is finished. Additionally, the panel also gave the definition of "Assamese". The Committee had mentioned that a number of constitutional and parliamentary reforms will be required in order to fully implement its recommendations. It stated that the current Article 371-B of the Constitution needed to be changed.
The Assam Accord, signed following a six-year foreigners' agitation (19791985), stipulates that all foreigners entering the state after March 24, 1971, will be deported regardless of their religious affiliation.
Sindhudurg : , Sep 6 (IANS) The sculptor who created the ill-fated statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which crashed at the Rajkot Fort on August 26, will challenge the 'attempt to murder' and 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' charges slapped on him by the Sindhudurg Police, his lawyer said here on Friday.
The artist, Jaydeep B Apte (39) of Kalyan town in Thane, and structural consultant Chetan S Patil (46), of Kolhapur were arrested on September 5 and August 30, respectively, and slapped with charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 109, 110, 125, 318, 3 and 3(5).
These pertain to attempt to murder, conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, endangering public life, etc, said his lawyer Ganesh Sovani, who plans to challenge the BNS sections invoked by the police at the appropriate stage.
"This is ridiculous, illogical, wrong and total non-application of the mind on the part of the police. The FIR also does not allege injuries to anybody, including tourists, in this unfortunate incident, nor has anybody complained of any bodily harm. Then how can it be an 'attempt to murder' or 'culpable homicide', and what 'conspiracy' is the police referring to," an indignant Sovani told IANS.
"Moreover, Apte was not given any advance payments for the project and he availed a bank loan for it. It was only after his credentials were established and the statue completed, that his payment was released," said Sovani.
The 28-foot-tall hollow bronze statue standing majestically on a 12-foot-high pedestal, suddenly crashed into a heap around 12.30 P.M. on August 26, ostensibly owing to inclement weather conditions.
Not surprisingly, this snowballed into a huge national political controversy and public outrage, with the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) staging agitations all over the state, accusing the ruling Mahayuti regime of corruption in the project.
The same night around 10 P.M., the regional Public Works Department's (PWD) Assistant Engineer Ajit J Patil lodged a complaint with the Malvan Police Station in which Apte and Patil figured as the two prime accused.
As the Mahayuti launched a huge damage control exercise on the statue debacle - first highlighted by IANS (Aug. 26) - the scared Apte-Patil duo 'disappeared' with police teams from Sindhudurg and Thane hot on their trails.
At Thursday's hearing before the Malvan Court Judicial Magistrate First Class, Mahesh K Devkate, the Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) Tushar Bhange made a strong plea for 10 days' police custody for Apte, and extension of custody for Patil. Both are now in police custody till September 10.
APP Bhange argued that the investigators want to question them and find out details regarding the money paid for the prestigious project, how it was utilised, when and from whom he got the green signal for the design, where he was hiding for nearly 10 days after the incident and who was in touch with him, etc.
The police want to probe whether they had taken into account various technical aspects like the local coastal weather conditions, the wind speeds, storms, earthquakes, etc before finalising the statue's design and erecting it there, the workers who helped them to make it and related aspects.
Sovani pointed out that the complainant was hastily lodged by a PWD Assistant Engineer with little or no knowledge on the metallurgy, or local weather conditions, plus there was no scientific analysis or report on these matters produced by the police.
"It was done hurriedly due to huge political backlash. The ideal course would be to form an expert committee, determine the causes of the statue's crash, whether there were defects in the design or the materials, and if it pointed fingers at anybody, then the FIR should be lodged," Sovani explained.
Incidentally, on August 29, the Maharashtra government and Indian Navy formed a joint panel of technical experts to determine the causes of the statue's collapse and also announced plans to erect another grand statue of the legendary Maratha warrior-king there soon.
Meanwhile, the incident saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar apologising, given the potential political ramifications ahead of the state Assembly elections.
However, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday demanded that the PM apologise to all the people of Maharashtra, while Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge termed the incident as an 'insult' to the people of the state and the country.
Still under fire from the MVA partners Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena (UBT) for alleged corruption in the project, the Mahayuti regime shunted out the Sindhudurg Collector, downgraded the post, and declared that the culprits responsible would not be spared.
(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Mumbai, Sep 6 : As veteran actress Shabana Azmi celebrated the 49th anniversary of her film 'Nishant', she reflected on the film's impact and critiqued current industry trends.
Mumbai, Sep 6 (IANS) As veteran actress Shabana Azmi celebrated the 49th anniversary of her film 'Nishant', she reflected on the film's impact and critiqued current industry trends.
Azmi praised director Shyam Benegal for his role in launching newcomers into stardom through the film, contrasting this with the current focus of OTT platforms on established stars and directors.
On Thursday, Shabana Azmi shared the poster of 'Nishant' on Instagram and noted: "49 years since Nishant was released. The film, the second after Ankur, firmly established Shyam Benegal as a leading figure in what is known as parallel cinema. Shyam gave newcomers a chance and established them as stars. Unfortunately, OTT platforms are mostly pursuing established stars and directors, missing a significant opportunity to nurture new talent. What a pity!"
Director Shekhar Kapur responded to Azmi's post, remarking: "That long? Bet the film still feels contemporary."
'Nishant', which featured an ensemble cast including Girish Karnad, Amrish Puri, Mohan Agashe, Anant Nag, Sadhu Meher, Smita Patil, and Naseeruddin Shah, explored themes of rural elite power and sexual exploitation of women during the feudal era in Telangana.
The film remains a notable example of parallel cinema, a genre known for its focus on social realism and alternative narratives.
Shabana Azmi, known for her roles in experimental and parallel cinema, has been a prominent figure in Indian film industry.
She starred in Deepa Mehta's Fire and appeared in several of Benegal's films, including Junoon, Susman, and Antarnaad. Benegal, a pioneer of parallel cinema, has directed acclaimed works such as Ankur, Manthan, Bhumika, Kalyug, and Mujib.
Smita Patil, who also debuted in 1975 with Benegal's Charandas Chor, became a significant figure in parallel cinema, contributing to the New Wave movement while also engaging in mainstream films throughout her career.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 6 : Within minutes of resigning from the membership of Rajya Sabha, former BJD leader Sujeet Kumar on Friday joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the party headquarters in Delhi.
He joined the BJP in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the party's Odisha in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahatab, and other leaders.
"I left BJD as I think the development that could have happened in my native district Kalahandi did not happen because of corruption in which many BJD leaders both from the district and also outside are involved. I tried to bring these to the notice of BJD leadership. But, when I found it was not yielding any result, I decided to leave the party," said Kumar after joining BJP Friday.
He said he has been a big admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the beginning.
Meanwhile, the president of Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Naveen Patnaik expelled Sujeet Kumar from the party on the charges of anti-party activities.
Kumar was suspended from the party immediately after he tendered his resignation from the Rajya Sabha.
"Shree Sujeet Kumar, M.P., Rajya Sabha representing Biju Janata Dal is expelled from the party with immediate effect for anti-party activities. He has let down the party which sent him to Rajya Sabha and with hopes and aspirations of people of Kalahandi district," reads an order issued by the party on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Kumar tendered his resignation from the membership of Rajya Sabha two years before the end of his tenure. Kumar was elected to the Upper House in April 2020.
"I do hereby tender my resignation from the Membership of Rajya Sabha today, i.e. 6th September 2024; having taken this decision consciously. I take this opportunity to express my profuse gratitude to you for the opportunities provided to me to raise issues of public importance, and of my state Odisha, in the House. I could not have done it without your constant guidance," wrote Kumar in his resignation letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman, Jagdeep Dhankhar.
His resignation has also been accepted by the Vice-President of India and the Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
"Hon'ble Vice-President of India and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has accepted the resignation of Shri Sujeet Kumar from the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) with immediate effect, finding the same in conformity with Article 101 3(b) of the Constitution," informed Dhankhar on his official X handle.
Notably, BJD was unhappy with Kumar, who last month praised the Union Cabinet and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for approving the new Junagarh-Nabarangpur Railway Line and five other projects for Odisha. However, he later clarified that he praised the railway minister as a political courtesy.
It is pertinent here to mention that earlier Mamata Mohanta resigned from the Rajya Sabha as well the party on July 31, two years before the end of her tenure. She later joined BJP and was re-elected to the Upper House in the recent Rajya Sabha by-elections.
New Delhi, Sep 6 : The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine a plea filed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) questioning the validity of Patna High Court's decision, striking down the law introduced to enhance reservation from 50 per cent to 65 per cent for Backward Classes (BCs), Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Bihar.
A Bench presided over by Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud issued a notice to the Centre, the Bihar government and others in the matter and directed tagging the RJDas plea with pending petitions.
Senior advocate P Wilson, representing the RJD, submitted before the Bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, that Backward Classes comprise 85 per cent of the population of Bihar and the ceiling of 50 per cent is not sacrosanct as per the top courtas judgment in the Janhit Abhiyan Vs Union of India case, where 10 per cent reservation for people from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in admissions and government jobs was held to be constitutional.
The top court, on July 29, admitted the state governmentas plea seeking restoration of the quota hike, which was applicable in jobs and educational institutions in Bihar but refused to pass any interim relief.
It listed the batch of petitions for final hearing in September 2024.
In a major blow to the state government, the Patna High Court, in its June 20 judgment, nullified amendments passed by the Bihar Assembly in 2023, saying that they violated the equality clause under Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution.
The quota was raised by the Bihar government after it carried out a caste survey in the state.
In a notification issued in November 2023, it sought to amend the existing reservation laws.
The impugned law would have brought the quota to a total of 75 per cent in the state, which included 20 per cent for SCs, 2 per cent for STs, 25 per cent for EBCs, 18 per cent for OBCs and 10 per cent for Economically Backward Classes.
Several petitions were filed in the Patna High Court challenging the decision of the Nitish Kumar government.
The pleas contended that as per the law laid down by the Supreme Court judgments, reservation can't extend beyond 50 per cent.
New Delhi, Sep 6 : Prominent faces of protest against a BJP parliamentarian charged with sexually harassing women wrestlers, India's top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on Friday joined the Congress here in the run-up to the Haryana Assembly elections on October 5.
The development comes two days after the wrestlers met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and fuels speculation about them entering the poll fray.
It is expected that Phogat will contest the election from Julana, the seat held by the Jannayak Janta Party's Amarjeet Dhanda, while Punia is set for the Badli constituency, the Congress seat, where the state BJP has fielded former state unit president Om Prakash Dhankar.
Earlier in the day, the duo -- Phogat and Punia -- met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence.
After the meeting, Kharge wrote on social media platform X, "Chak de India, Chak de Haryana! Meeting our talented champions Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia who have made India proud in the world at 10 Rajaji Marg. We are proud of both of you."
Phogat also shared a copy of her resignation on 'X' from Indian Railways, saying the job has been memorable for life.
"Serving Indian Railways has been a memorable and proud time of my life. At this point in my life, I have decided to separate myself from the railway service and have submitted my resignation to the competent authorities of the Indian Railways," she said.
"I will always be grateful to the Indian Railway family for this opportunity given to me by the Railways in the service of the nation," Phogat wrote on X.
Both Punia and Phogat, along with wrestler Sakshi Malik, were the prominent faces who protested against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, former BJP MP and then chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, who they accused of harassing young wrestlers.
Ever since Phogat, 29, who missed out on an Olympic medal in Paris after she was disqualified for being overweight hours before her final bout in the 50 kg category, returned to India, Congress leaders have been meeting her. Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda was the first politician to reach IGI Airport in Delhi to welcome her.
Phogat, on August 23 met Deepender Hooda and his father and two-time Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda along with her wrestler husband Somvir Rathee at the Congress leaders' residence in Delhi.
Phogat had also joined protesting farmers at the Shambhu protest site on the Punjab and Haryana border on August 31. When asked about contesting the Haryana elections, she replied: "I will not talk about politics. I have come to meet my family."
The elections in Haryana are scheduled to take place in a single phase on October 5, with the counting of votes set for October 8.
Bengaluru, Sep 6 : Popular South Indian actress Sanjjanaa Galrani on Friday said that there was no one and no mechanism to approach in the case of a female artist facing sexual harassment on shooting sets in Karnataka.
Galrani submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday demanding a committee on the lines of Kerala's Hema panel to address the sexual harassment cases in the Kannada film industry, also known as Sandalwood.
Speaking to IANS about her proposal, Sanjjanaa Galrani strongly advocated for the formation of the Sandalwood Women Artistes Association, emphasizing that it is the need of the hour. The Bengaluru-based actress had separately submitted her memorandum to CM Siddaramaiah on this matter.
She stated, "In the Kannada film industry, there is an association for artists, but it is not active at all. There are only male members, and there is absolutely no presence of female members. There is no female artist wing ensuring security for women or a women artists' association."
"If there is a small incident or an issue, whom should we contact? There is no phone number or in-charge person. Therefore, I envision forming the Sandalwood Women Artists Association, and along with it, any new artist coming here to become a film actor should be required to become a member of this association," she said.
She added that membership should be obtained before the beginning of film shooting and that artists should be provided with a rulebook and made aware of their rights. At the very least, they should have access to information regarding their safety, Sanjjanaa said.
"My experience in the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada film industries has been good. However, what often happens is that when young women enter the film industry, there is a chance they might get trapped. As they gain experience, things become better. In some cases, they manage successfully, while in others, the girls leave the industry," she pointed out.
Sanjjanaa noted that when girls enter the film industry at the ages of 16, 17, or 18, if they are aware of their rights and basic safety measures, as mentioned in the memorandum, there will be better protection. If the Sandalwood Female Artists Association takes shape, a PDF format of the safety measures can be created. "This is the age of WhatsApp, and it could be sent to them," she stated.
She continued, "There is no need for a rulebook. If you get a membership, they will be given a PDF copy. New girls often don't know the basics. If any suspicious person, not from the film industry, claims to be a producer, a new girl might spend three to five months with him, not knowing what happens during that time."
The girl believes that the person will make her a star, but her life may get spoiled. At that tender age, whom should they contact when they are exploited? Everything gets hushed up," Sanjjanaa stated.
"For new girls coming from poor families, there is a need for them to be educated about these matters. They should be made aware that they should not attend shootings alone for at least the first four to five films. "It is basic that the girls demand a one-plus-one ticket for outdoor shootings, abroad or in distant locations," Sanjjanaa suggested.
"My demand is simple: the Sandalwood Women Artists Association is the need of the hour. There is already a five-story office in the Chamarajpet locality in Bengaluru. In that building, we need a small room to start our association. There is no need for extravagant expenditures or fancy requirements. Kindly allow the office of the women's wing in that building. At the very least, let there be someone available on the phone when something happens to a woman artist on set," Sanjjanaa pleaded.
"We should not take as long as it took for the formation of the Hema Committee in Kerala. The discussions went on for seven to eight years in Kerala. Prevention is better than cure," she emphasized.
"I feel bad for these girls. The law and order system is weak in this country. Yes, there are life-term convictions and capital punishment. The Nirbhaya case has tarnished India's image internationally. India is seen as the rape capital of the world. It took nine years to bring the culprits to justice in the Nirbhaya case. One of the accused did not receive capital punishment because he was a minor. This is not a joke," she noted.
"We have to learn from other countries. If a rape incident happens today, the forensic examination should be done tomorrow, and DNA reports should be available the day after. In 5 to 10 days, you should hang the rapist and broadcast the news on social media," she suggested.
"I am a proud Indian, but at the same time, I feel ashamed that I come from a country where the law and order system is so weak that anyone can commit rape, and even children are not spared. When you read the newspaper reports, it is traumatizing. The situation is getting worse day by day. Why is it not improving?" Sanjjanaa questioned.
"There hasn't been a case of rape in Saudi Arabia for 30 years. Are they not human beings? Are they robots? Do we lack technology? Why are we lagging? We have to take responsibility. All our hands are tied," she opined.
"The law is not efficient in dealing with 'Me Too' cases. These things are going to have no impact. There will be tough retaliation for the girls who come out in the open. Some interviews will be taken from them, and they will receive appreciation. But what will happen to the personal lives of those actresses? Will their husbands accept them? How many of them are broad-minded? It is a male-dominated industry, with 95 to 98 per cent of technicians being male," Sanjjanaa concluded.
Vadodara, Sep 6 : In the wake of the recent floods and the devastation caused by them, Vadodara's workers' unions have jointly appealed to the Gujarat government for compensation for the damages suffered.
The floods were caused by heavy rainfall and water release from the Ajwa reservoir into the Vishwamitri River.
The appeal, submitted to the Chief Minister and Labour Minister of Gujarat, highlights the extensive damage workers faced due to waterlogging and calls for immediate financial relief.
According to Narendra Rawat, President of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Vadodara, the floods submerged numerous homes in the city, and workers were particularly hard hit.
In addition to losing household items, many labourers could not attend work for four to five days due to the flooding, resulting in wage losses.
INTUC, which is one of the largest trade union organisations in India was established in 1947 to promote the welfare of workers and represent their interests in various sectors across the country. It is affiliated to the Indian National Congress (INC).
The key demands by the workers' unions include factory owners considering labourers absent due to the floods as "present" during those days, thereby ensuring they receive their full wages for that period.
For workers whose homes were flooded, the unions are demanding a minimum compensation of Rs 10,000 per household to cover the loss of essential items.
The trade unions are urging the Gujarat government to implement long-term solutions to prevent such flooding, ensuring the safety and security of Vadodara's residents.
A call has been made for a judicial enquiry into the causes of the flooding, mainly focussing on any encroachments or corruption related to the building of embankments of Vishwamitri River and local water bodies.
The unions have demanded strict punishment for those guilty of contributing to the disaster.
The workers' unions emphasised the "urgency of the situation," noting that "many poor workers are now left in dire circumstances without compensation for their losses."
Dharamsala, Sep 6 : Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday had an audience with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, and invited him to visit the northeastern state.
He also announced the gifting of a 'Phodrang' (meaning palace in Dzongkha language) that was used as the Dalai Lama's temporary residence in Tawang, a revered seat of Buddhism in Arunachal Pradesh, after he fled from Tibet following Chinese invasion in 1959, to the Dalai Lama Trust.
Khandu met the 89-year-old spiritual leader at the latter's residence in McLeodganj near Dharamsala, where he participated in special prayers seeking long life for the Buddhist monk.
"Humbled and grateful for a warm audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at his residence I felt deeply blessed to receive his compassionate blessings," Khandu wrote on X.
"During our heartwarming conversation, I invited His Holiness to visit Arunachal Pradesh, and he graciously accepted, saying he would come whenever he feels the call," he added.
A spokesperson for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said the Arunachal Chief Minister participated in the 'Tenshug' ceremony offered by the Monpa community for the Dalai Lama at Tsuglagkhang, the main Tibetan monastery in McLeodganj. The five-day prayers will conclude on Saturday.
The Dalai Lama is expected to visit Arunachal Pradesh in the near future, marking a significant moment for the people of the state who share a deep reverence for his spiritual leadership.
Aides of the spiritual leader believe the Dalai Lama shares a deep emotional bond with Arunachal Pradesh as it was the place through which he entered India after his escape from Tibet on March 31, 1959, and was received by Indian officials who escorted his entourage to Bomdila.
Tawang, a picturesque town located at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet, is home to one of most sacred Buddhist monasteries. The place is spiritually important for Tibetan people as the sixth Dalai Lama was born in the 17th century at the Urgelling Monastery near Tawang.
If the Dalai Lama travels to Arunachal Pradesh, it would be his eighth visit to the northeastern state after visits in 1983, 1996, 1997, twice in 2003, 2009, and 2017.
Last year, the Dalai Lama's plan to visit Arunachal in October-November was cancelled. Officials did not give a reason for the cancellation of the visit though some believe it may be the fallout of geopolitical implications.
During his last visit to Arunachal, many people had come from Bhutan, one of the few independent Buddhist countries, to see the Dalai Lama.
"By and large, Tibet and Bhutan have historically maintained good relations with each other," a post quoting the Dalai Lama said on his official website.
China had been protesting the Dalai Lama's visits to Arunachal Pradesh, accusing the spiritual leader of carrying out separatist activities in Tibet.
On reaching Dharamsala on Thursday, Chief Minister Khandu met with the seventh Yongzin Ling Rinpoche.
"I feel profoundly blessed to have received his blessings for me and my family," Khandu wrote on X.
"Also, incredibly honoured to have received a copy of 'The Life of My Teacher', a biography of Kyabje Ling Rinpoche authored by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama," he added. Incidentally, September 5 is celebrated as Teachers' Day.
Sharing details about the book, the Arunachal CM wrote, "It is a heartwarming tribute to the life of Sixth Ling Rinpoche, a towering figure in Tibetan Buddhism, who was a powerful anchor for the 14th Dalai Lama from childhood to his emergence as a global spiritual leader. Feeling thankful and blessed to have received this gift."
In 1959, the occupying Chinese troops suppressed the Tibetan national uprising in Lhasa and forced the 14th Dalai Lama and over 80,000 Tibetans into exile in India and neighbouring countries.
On reaching India after a three-week treacherous journey, the Dalai Lama took up residence for about a year in Mussoorie in Uttarakhand.
Currently, the Tibetan government-in-exile is based in Dharamsala, where a community of Tibetans lives in exile with the Dalai Lama, hoping to sustain their struggle to secure complete autonomy in their Chinese-ruled homeland, Tibet.
(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)
Jaipur, Sep 6 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will lead a delegation to South Korea and Japan ahead of the 'Rising Rajasthan' Global Investment Summit 2024 scheduled from 9th to 11th December.
Jaipur, Sep 6 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will lead a delegation to South Korea and Japan ahead of the aRising Rajasthana Global Investment Summit 2024 scheduled from 9th to 11th December.
An official said the delegation would visit South Korea and Japan for investor meetings between 9th and 14th September.
The Chief Minister would invite the investors to invest in Rajasthan across various sectors. The delegation will also partake in the aNeemrana Daya celebrations in the Japanese capital.
Neemrana is a Japanese Industrial Zone cluster in Rajasthanas Alwar district that hosts several Japanese companies.
The official said that the delegation will also meet industry leaders from the infrastructure, steel, automotive, renewable energy, electronics, heavy industries and education sectors among others and invite them to invest in Rajasthan.
The delegation will also meet a group of Non-Resident Rajasthani (NRR) and participate in the community programs and will also partake in two round-table discussions in Seoul - one with the Tourism Association and the other with the Korean Stone Association.
In the run-up to the aRising Rajasthana Global Investment Summit 2024, the state government is going to organise investors around the country as well as overseas.
The domestic investorsa meet has been planned at commercial centres such as Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai.
On the global front, the investorsa meet has been planned in South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore among others.
Last month, the first domestic Investorsa Meet of aRising Rajasthana Global Investment Summit 2024 was held in Mumbai, signing investment MoUs worth INR 4.5 lakh Crore.
Mumbai, Sep 6 : The soon-to-be parents Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh on Friday visited Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai and sought blessings of the Lord Ganesha.
The visuals show mom-to-be Deepika wearing an ethnic green saree with golden brocade work on it. She is flaunting her pregnancy glow and tied her hair in a bun.
Her husband Ranveer looked dapper in a silk beige coloured kurta pyjama. The look was rounded off with black sunglasses, and his hair was tied in a bun.
The handsome hunk is adorably holding Deepikaas hand while they come to the temple after seeking the divine blessings.
The duo can be seen greeting the paparazzi and smiling at the lenses.
The video also shows the presence of Deepika and Ranveeras parents.
On September 2, the couple shared pictures of the maternity photoshoot.
The monochrome pictures featured Deepika flaunting her baby bump, with Ranveer hugging his wife.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Deepika was recently seen in aKalki 2898 ADa. The film minted Rs 1,041 crores worldwide and incidentally saw Deepika essaying the character of Sumathi, who is pregnant with the titular character.
She was also seen in aFightera in the role of a helicopter pilot, who rescues a team of fighter pilots from a cross-border operation.
Deepika also has aSingham Againa in the pipeline in which she will be seen essaying the role of a female super-cop, Shakti Shetty, sharing the screen with Ranveer.
Ranveer will be next seen in Aditya Dharas untitled movie. The actor had earlier announced the film as he shared a black-and-white photo collage also featuring Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Akshaye Khanna, Aditya, and Arjun Rampal.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 6 : The Odisha Assembly on Friday witnessed a huge ruckus over the registration of a case against Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator Byomakesh Ray and senior party leaders Lenin Mohanty and Akram Khan over their alleged involvement in a group clash during a torch rally against the renaming of Ravenshaw University in Cuttack on Wednesday.
Raising the issue in the House during the Zero Hour, Ray said that the Arms Act has been imposed against him in the FIR and sought protection in the case.
Meanwhile, the House was adjourned twice after BJD leaders started protesting before Speaker Surama Padhy demanding the withdrawal of the case.
Ray told mediapersons that as the Education Minister urged for a debate over the issue of renaming Ravenshaw University, alumni and students of the university as well as the former presidents from different student unions convened a meeting for a debate over the issue. The BJD MLA said he joined the meeting organised on the lawn inside the university campus. After the meeting, the students held a torch rally around the university campus followed by a demonstration.
"A complaint was lodged against me by a person for participating in the demonstration and raising the issue in the Assembly. I am a three-time MLA and participated in a peaceful demonstration which is a part of the democratic process. However, it is very unfortunate that police without properly investigating the matter registered a case imposing serious charges against me under the Arms Act," he said.
He said that as a former student of the university, it is natural for him to join the rally to protest the renaming of the university. He accused the state government of intentionally registering an FIR against him.
Meanwhile, the BJP alleged that the Opposition has no relevant issue and so it is raising non-relevant issues to stall the House proceedings. The ruling party further accused the BJD of turning the Ravenshaw University renaming into a political issue.
On Wednesday night, a clash broke out between two groups during a torch rally in Cuttack to oppose the move to rename the university. Police on Thursday registered two separate cases on the basis of complaints lodged by Sidhant Sadangi, a student of the university, and Shyama Sundar Sahoo, a research scholar at the university.
On the basis of a complaint lodged by Shyama Sundar, police registered a case against BJD Chandabali MLA Byomakesh Ray, Lenin Mohanty and Akram Khan.
New Delhi, Sep 6 : The Indian technical textile industry exports are projected to cross $10 billion by 2030, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh said on Friday, adding that the niche carbon fibre will likely be produced by India in 2025-26.
The global trade of technical textiles is around $300 billion while India's domestic market size stands at $25 billion with an export of $2.6 billion.
The minister expressed confidence that the carbon fibre -- used in aerospace, civil engineering and defence as an alternative to metal -- will be produced by India in 2025-26. Currently, India does not produce any carbon fibre and relies on imports.
The minister emphasised the increasing consumption and importance of man-made fibres and technical textiles in all spaces of life, at both a global and domestic level.
"The government is fully dedicated to the development of the technical textiles industry of India and has taken various steps such as launch of National Technical Textiles Mission, PLI Scheme for MMF Fabric, Apparel and Technical Textiles," Singh mentioned during an event here organised by the Ministry of Textiles, FICCI and the Indian Technical Textile Association (ITTA).
The minister also launched the Compendium of the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) and also awarded confirmation certificates to 11 approved startups under NTTM.
He informed that 156 research projects have been sanctioned including, development of carbon fibres and support to startups under different areas of technical textiles, under the mission.
Singh displayed confidence in the ability of the local industry, government and stakeholders in the development of high-performance fibres that have huge applications in different field including aerospace, automobile and construction.
The minister reiterated the complete support of the government to become a global leader and the largest manufacturer and market of technical textiles.
Minister of State for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, said the nation is advancing towards becoming 'Atmanirbhar' in all sectors, including technical textiles.
Margherita also mentioned that multiple state governments have taken initiatives for promoting investments, including FDI, in the technical textiles industry and urged other states to do the same.
The government urged the industry and stakeholders to carry out large scale investments in this sector, including the development of complex machinery to not only cater the local demand but also tap the large global market.
Agartala, Sep 6 : Amid the controversy over the setting up of a 150-seat private medical college in Tripura, Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Friday that if the group setting up the institute is found to be 'tainted', the government would act accordingly.
The opposition parties have been demanding the formation of a Joint Legislative Committee (JLC) to look into all the aspects related to the proposed medical college.
On Friday, the opposition MLAs claimed in the Assembly that a key person connected to the proposed medical college is now under CBI scanner and is close to jailed Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal.
After months long controversy over the setting up of the medical college by the Kolkata-based Swadhin Trust, the Assembly on Friday witnessed a heated debate on the issue with Congress and CPI-M legislators reiterating their demand for a JLC.
Chief Minister Saha, who also holds the Health and Education portfolios, said that Swadhin Trust has the experience of setting up a medical college at Bolpur in West Bengal's Birbhum district, and is now constructing buildings on 20 acres lands at Ranir Khamar in West Tripura district to set up a 500-bed hospital along with the 150-seat medical college, where the number of beds would be increased to 1,000 in five years.
He said the trust will also set up a multi-specialty hospital soon.
According to the Chief Minister, after the visit of a team from the National Medical Commission (NMC) in June, the apex authority issued a Letter of Permission, while the Tripura University, which is a Central university, also gave Consent of Affiliation allowing the Tripura Santiniketan Medical College of the Swadhin Trust to admit 150 students from the 2024-25 academic year.
The private medical college for a certain period would use the infrastructure of Tripura's main referral hospital -- Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital -- for teaching purposes and pay Rs 10,000 fee per student to the state government, Saha told the House.
Of the 150 seats, 50 per sent would be reserved for Tripura students.
The Chief Minister said that with the setting up of the new medical college, not only fresh investment will be ensured, but it would also help strengthen the medical services in the northeastern state.
Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury and former Health Minister and Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman alleged that the key person involved with the Swadhin Trust is closely associated with Trinamool leader Anubrata Mondal, who is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail in connection with the cattle-smuggling case in West Bengal.
A former minister and ex-Lok Sabha member, CPI-M state Secretary Chaudhury told the House that West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari had also written to the Centre, urging it not to allow Swadhin Trust to set up of a medical college in Bengal.
"Allowing Tripura Santineketan Medical College to use the facilities and infrastructure of the century-old Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (erstwhile Victoria Memorial Hospital) is a most illegal and dishonest attempt," Chaudhury said.
Roy Barman also said that the key person involved with the Swadhin Trust is now under CBI scanner.
Currently, Tripura has two medical colleges, one owned by the Tripura government and the other by a society under the state government.
Kathmandu, Sep 6 : The Nepal Telecommunications Authority on Friday directed the country's internet and mobile service providers to lift the ban on TikTok, in line with a cabinet decision on the short-video app.
"The authority issues a directive to all the concerned Internet and mobile service providers to remove the restrictions against TikTok until further notice," read the directive.
On August 22, Nepal's cabinet decided to lift the ban on TikTok, which was imposed in November last year, Xinhua news agency reported.
"We uplifted the ban immediately after receiving the directive from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority," Sudhir Parajuli, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Nepal, told the news agency.
The cabinet while lifting the ban had asked TikTok to fulfil certain conditions while operating the app in Nepal within a period of three months. It asked TikTok to contribute to the promotion of tourism in Nepal, invest in making people aware of digital safety, upgrade the quality of public education, and be sensitive while using the language in the app.
New Delhi, Sep 6 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday slammed National Conference President Farooq Abdullah's call for 'bringing peace in the Kashmir Valley without security forces' and cautioned against making any 'disruptive' statements at a time when the Union Territory is witnessing return to normalcy and prosperity, particularly after the abrogation of Article 370.
BJP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi, speaking to IANS, took strong exception to calls for removal of Army from the Kashmir Valley and advised the NC chief to look at the greener pastures after 2019.
"Farooq Abdullah's statement is out of touch. We all know what happened during their rule. The lives of ordinary Kashmiris were turned upside down and their livelihoods were destroyed. Now that peace has prevailed, he is making such comments, talking about removing the Army," Ilmi said.
She further said: "After so many years, there is finally peace in Jammu. People can now roam around Lal Chowk peacefully. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government took a tough decision to revoke Article 370 because that was necessary for the country and for Jammu and Kashmir."
Farooq Abdullah, a day ago, said that the Centre has stationed many battalions of troops in the Kashmir Valley to bring 'forced' peace.
"Go, walk and see the streets of J&K. Peace should be without the troops around," he told the mediapersons.
Shazia Ilmi also called out the doublespeak of the Congress on Himachal Pradesh's burning issue pertaining to a mosque, allegedly built on an illegal property.
"Look at the double standards of the Congress party. When it comes to Uttar Pradesh, the matter is given a Hindu-Muslim spin. But, when it comes to Shimla's Sanjauli mosque, it goes from one floor to five floors. One of their own leaders has said that it's illegal and should be removed. For other states, they try to create communal divides, while in states ruled by them, illegal constructions become legitimate constructions. What kind of double standards are these?" she asked.
Earlier on Friday, the BJP also hit out at the Congress over its star list of campaigners for J&K Assembly elections, which apparently features Chaudhary Lal Singh, a controversial political figure, who stood with Kathua rapists.
"In 2018, the Congress wanted Lal Singh to be sacked from the minister's post for backing rapists of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua, but in 2024, not only it gave him a ticket for Lok Sabha polls but also made him star campaigner," said a BJP spokesperson, referring to his name featuring along with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul, Priyanka and other big leaders.
Moscow, Sep 6 : A day after Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a preference for Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, in the upcoming US presidential polls, and praised her "infectious laugh", sparking off a debate about whether he spoke tongue in cheek, his spokesman on Friday said that people were free to interpret his remarks anyway they liked.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said American domestic politics does not figure high on the Russian President's agenda, but that he does comment on international affairs when asked, RT reported.
"As for his tone, people abroad who are interested in it should reflect on it. Let's not steal the opportunity to do so," he added.
Peskov said that Russia would not like to be dragged into American affairs, but does not expect to stop being used as a debating point in their domestic politics. The US routinely accuses the Russian government of "meddling" and "interfering" in American elections, which Moscow denies.
Participating at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, the Russian President, who had earlier this year noted that he would back President Joe Biden, who is "a more experienced, predictable person, a politician of the old school", said that he respected Biden's choice to endorse her as his successor.
He said that he admired the "infectious laugh" of Harris, whose mother was Indian, and is the first Asian American and African American candidate for the top US post.
Harris "laughs so infectiously" that it suggests "everything is going well for her", he said at a plenary session of the forum to a query whether he had a favourite candidate in the election now that Biden, who he previously supported, has dropped out. He was also asked whether or not he would call to congratulate the eventual winner in November.
Putin said it had been a long time since he had any direct contact with Western European or US leaders, and noted that it was not up to Russia to choose a "favourite" in the US presidential election, as American voters would make a choice.
Nevertheless, he recalled that he had previously expressed support for Biden, who had since been "removed" from the race. However, the President noted that Biden had told his supporters to support Harris, and so Moscow would do the same and root for the Vice President in November.
He also suggested that Harris' positive disposition could mean that she would refrain from imposing as many sanctions on Russia as former US President Donald Trump, who Putin said had introduced more restrictions on Moscow than any other President in American history, at the time.
"In the end, the choice is up to the American people and we will treat their eventual decision with respect," he said.
Reacting to his remarks, White House's national security spokesman John Kirby said that he "ought to stop talking about our elections, period". On the other hand, former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, reacted by saying that he was not sure whether to be insulted by Putin's words or take them as a compliment.
Some US media interpreted Putin's "endorsement" as subtle mockery.
Russian officials have denied any preference among the candidates, contending neither would improve US relations with Russia.
New Delhi, Sep 6 : The Indian Navy on Friday said that the Navy's frontline stealth frigate, INS Tabar, participated in the 22nd edition of India-France bilateral exercise VARUNA in the Mediterranean Sea.
"The stealth frigate was commanded by Captain Harish," an official said.
INS Tabar - which recently visited Toulon, France - was accompanied by LRMR P8I Aircraft in the joint navy exercise.
The official said that the French side was represented by FS Provence, Submarine Suffren, Aircraft F20, Atlantique2, fighters MB339 and Helicopters NH90, Dauphin.
"The exercise included enhanced tactical manoeuvers, advanced anti-submarine warfare exercises, FLYEX, Air Defence Exercise, live weapon firings, PHOTO-EX and Steam Past," the official said.
He said that a series of advanced naval operations were conducted during the present edition of bilateral exercise, involving enhanced tactical manoeuvers and Steam Past, seamlessly integrating assets of both the navies in all three domains viz air, surface and sub-surface.
He added the VARUNA exercise - which began in 2001 - is the backbone of the India-France relationship and has evolved significantly over the years towards enhancing interoperability and exchange best practices.
"VARUNA also exemplifies the commitment of Indian and French Navies towards enhancing interoperability through collaborative efforts. The Indian Navy remains committed to fostering partnerships with like-minded navies across the world," the official added.
Hyderabad, Sep 6 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday urged the Centre to extend to Telangana the same assistance which is being provided to Andhra Pradesh for flood relief measures.
He urged the Centre to treat equally the damages caused by floods in both the Telugu states.
The Chief Minister made these requests during a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the state secretariat.
The Union Minister, who earlier made an aerial survey of flood-hit areas in Khammam district and met farmers, made it clear that parties and politics are not taken into consideration in providing assistance to people during calamities.
Revanth Reddyas request to the Centre comes amid criticism by the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) that his government failed to get assistance from the Centre while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had succeeded in making the Narendra Modi government provide massive assistance for rescue and relief measures in flood-hit Vijayawada and other areas.
The Chief Minister and senior officials briefed the Union Minister on the damages caused by heavy rains and floods through PowerPoint presentations and photos. The Central minister was told that as per the initial estimate, the floods caused losses of Rs 5,438 crore. The Chief Minister requested that current guidelines for releasing the National Disaster Relief Fund to the states be relaxed. He sought immediate assistance for short-term repairs and urged the Centre to provide adequate funds for permanent rehabilitation measures.
The Chief Minister told the Agriculture Minister that some districts received 40 centimetres rainfall in a single day and that the situation in the villages of the affected districts is miserable. Roads, houses and bridges were damaged and the transport came to a halt.
He also said that as an immediate assistance, the government is paying Rs 10,000 to every affected family.
Chouhan was told that crops in the flood-affected districts suffered extensive damage as agriculture fields were filled with stones and sand. The damage to railway tracks in the Mahabubabad district was also explained. Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, state Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Revenue Minister P. Srinivasa Reddy, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari and senior officials were present.
Jaipur, Sep 6 : Tourism stakeholders in Rajasthan are optimistic about a boost in business following the recent announcement of developing a Shri Krishna Gaman Path religious circuit.
This new circuit announced last month by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma during his visit to Ujjain will link sites associated with Lord Krishna across two states -- Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
To be developed jointly by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments, the proposed circuit will promote cultural and religious sites associated with Lord Krishna.
The Shri Krishna Gaman Path will begin from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, where Lord Krishna was born, and traverse through Rajasthan before concluding in Ujjain, where Lord Krishna received teachings at the Sandipani Ashram.
The circuit aims to connect Lord Krishna's birthplace with his Gurukul at Sandipani Ashram, highlighting the key locations from his early life to spiritual learnings.
The new circuit will span approximately 800 km, with around 500 km passing through six districts of Rajasthan. Travellers along this stretch will have the opportunity to visit over 30 significant and smaller temples located between Mathura and Ujjain.
Welcoming the announcement of the new circuit, a tourism stakeholder in Jaipur said, "The proposal sounds good for the industry as it will help religious tourism prosper in the state. It will lead to more domestic tourists coming to Rajasthan, thus creating employment opportunities for the state's people."
He added that due to geopolitical tensions in different parts of the world, including in Europe and the Middle East, foreign tourist footfalls in Rajasthan may get affected and hence more domestic tourist arrivals due to the new circuit will come as a much-needed boost.
"The Shri Krishna Gaman Path will also promote our culture and heritage," he said.
Another tourism stakeholder said that the industry is hoping big from this new circuit.
"This can prove to be another Ayodhya where the building of the Ram Temple has come as a big boost for the tourism sector in Uttar Pradesh. Religious tourism has witnessed a big boom in the last 10 years, and with the announcement of the Shri Krishna Gaman Path, we are hoping that tourism in Rajasthan will also get a push, just like what the Kashi Corridor and the Ram Temple did in Uttar Pradesh," he said.
Gajendra Luniwal, President of the Hotel Association of Jaipur, said that with the proposed Shri Krishna Gaman Path, there is optimism that the good days of tourism are returning to Rajasthan.
"Deputy CM Diya Kumari, who also holds the Tourism portfolio, is taking keen interest in boosting the sector. Further, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from Rajasthan has been appointed the Union Tourism Minister. So with two key ministers who understand the sector and know the state well leading from the front, we are optimistic that the good days of tourism will return to Rajasthan," Luniwal told IANS.
In 2023, 17.90 crore tourists visited Rajasthan, including 16.99 lakh foreigners, as per official sources.
Hong Kong, Sep 6 : The Hong Kong Observatory on Friday issued the No. 3 signal in revising the wind intensity as Super Typhoon Yagi weakened and moved away from Hong Kong.
On Thursday afternoon, the observatory issued this year's first No. 8 Northeast Gale or Storm Signal under the effect of Yagi.
Chan Kwok-ki, chief secretary for administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said that the Security Bureau's Emergency Monitoring and Support Center was put into operation on Thursday evening, with the staffing level lifted.
Various government departments have also made arrangements to deal with the aftermath of Yagi so that the market and other activities in Hong Kong can return to normal as soon as possible after the typhoon went away, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Chan.
Due to typhoon Yagi, the flag-raising ceremony scheduled for Friday morning at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai district was cancelled. In line with the direction of the Education Bureau, classes of all-day schools in Hong Kong remained suspended on Friday.
By 10 a.m. local time Friday morning, the Home Affairs Department of the HKSAR government had opened 30 temporary shelters to cover all the districts of Hong Kong, and 269 people had sought refuge in them.
On Friday flight operations are planned to recover to 80 per cent of the normal level at the Hong Kong International Airport.
Srinagar, Sept 6 : Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah on Friday said that he always knew that Delhi would try to 'silence' him.
"I always knew that Delhi would try to silence me one way or the other. When Engineer Rashid stood against me, he was allowed to record his message from the jail to seek votes on emotions. I never imagined that they (New Delhi) would go to this extent," said the former Chief Minister while addressing an election rally in the Ganderbal Assembly constituency.
"I lost the Lok Sabha election but that it did not look worrisome to me. I thought luck was on Rashid's side. But when I filed papers from Ganderbal then another person from jail, Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Barkati was allowed to fight against me. This made me realise that people are put after me. Is this a conspiracy?" Omar asked.
He said when Engineer Rashid filed papers from Baramulla against him, he was a local from the constituency, however, when they (New Delhi) could not find a local in jail from Ganderbal they brought another jailed person from Shopian to fight against him in Ganderbal.
"He (Barkati) filed papers from the Beerwah constituency thinking that since I had won from Beerwah last time I might contest from there. However, when I filed papers from Budgam instead of Beerwah, they were caught on the wrong foot," the NC Vice President said.
He said that all this proves that New Delhi is not trying to silence any other politician as much as they want to silence him.
"When I speak, I speak for the people. I raise their issues. I talk about our dignity which has been snatched from us. When I take off my cap, it is not only my dignity but the dignity of every Kashmiri," Omar said.
He said that when he fights against New Delhi, it is not for himself or his family but for all of J&K.
"The BJP does not like this and that is why conspiracy after conspiracy is hatched against me," the former Chief Minister said.
He hoped that the conspiracy would not succeed again and hoped that the people of Ganderbal would vote wisely this time.
Omar is fighting the election from Ganderbal for the third time. He lost from this constituency in 2002 to Qazi Afzal of the PDP but avenged his defeat by winning from Ganderbal in 2014.
Ganderbal will vote in the second phase on September 25.
Addis Ababa, Sep 6 : A total of 24,851 suspected mpox cases, including 5,549 confirmed cases and 643 deaths, have been reported across the African continent since the beginning of 2024, said Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), during an online press briefing on Friday.
Kaseya warned of an "upward trend" in mpox cases across Africa, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the epicentre of the health crisis, has reported 20,463 suspected cases, including 635 deaths.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently declared the disease a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and called for a coordinated international response to stop the outbreak of mpox and save lives. The move by the UN health agency followed an outbreak of the viral infection in the DRC and the spread to its neighbouring countries in Africa.
Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, which has two distinct clades, including clade 1b and clade 2b, and can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infectious person, contaminated materials, or infected animals.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have each reported their first clade 1b cases between July and August, initially circulating in the DRC in 2023 and appearing to be more severe and spread faster than the clade 2b variant, which circulates in West Africa.
The African Union approved $10.4 million in August to support the ongoing efforts to combat the mpox outbreak across Africa.
The governments and health partners, with the support of the WHO, continue scaling up the response, including contact tracing, case management screenings at border entry points, testing capacity strengthening, surveillance, case reporting, and dissemination of information on preventive measures, the OCHA said.
Agartala, Sep 6 : The Tripura Assembly on Friday witnessed a noisy session before the opposition Congress and CPI-M members staged a walkout in protest against rejection of their demand to form a Joint Legislative Committee (JLC) to look into all the aspects related to the setting up of a private medical college in the state.
The CPI-M and Congress MLAs raised the issue in the first half of the last day of the monsoon session on Friday, which they reiterated in the second half, pressing the government to form the JLC to study all the relevant aspects connected to the setting up of the private medical college.
After heated arguments with the treasury bench and Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen in the second half, the CPI-M and Congress MLAs rushed to the Well of the House where they were immediately encircled by the watch and ward staff of the Assembly.
The angry lawmakers raised slogans in support of their demand. After a noisy scene in the House, the opposition legislators staged a walked.
Amid the controversy over the setting up of the 150-seat private medical college in Tripura, Chief Minister Manik Saha said in the first half of the session that if the group setting up the institute is found to be 'tainted', the government would act accordingly.
The opposition MLAs claimed that a key person connected to the proposed medical college is now under CBI scanner and is close to jailed Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal.
After months long controversy over the setting up of the medical college by the Kolkata-based Swadhin Trust, the opposition legislators reiterated their demand for a JLC.
Chief Minister Saha, who also holds the Health and Education portfolios, said that Swadhin Trust has the experience of setting up a medical college at Bolpur in West Bengal's Birbhum district, and is now constructing buildings on 20 acres lands at Ranir Khamar in West Tripura district to set up a 500-bed hospital along with the 150-seat medical college, where the number of beds would be increased to 1,000 in five years.
He said the trust will also set up a multi-specialty hospital soon.
According to the Chief Minister, after the visit of a team from the National Medical Commission (NMC) in June, the apex authority issued a Letter of Permission, while the Tripura University, which is a Central university, also gave Consent of Affiliation allowing the Tripura Santiniketan Medical College of the Swadhin Trust to admit 150 students from the 2024-25 academic year.
The private medical college for a certain period would use the infrastructure of Tripura's main referral hospital -- Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital -- for teaching purposes and pay Rs 10,000 fee per student to the state government, Saha told the House.
Of the 150 seats, 50 per sent would be reserved for Tripura students.
The Chief Minister also said that with the setting up of the new medical college, not only fresh investment will be ensured, but the medical services in the northeastern state would also be strengthened.
Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury and former Health Minister and Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman alleged that the key person involved with the Swadhin Trust is closely associated with Trinamool leader Anubrata Mondal, who is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail in connection with the cattle-smuggling case in West Bengal.
A former minister and ex-Lok Sabha member, CPI-M state Secretary Chaudhury told the House that West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari had also written to the Centre, urging it not to allow Swadhin Trust to set up a medical college in Bengal.
"Allowing Tripura Santineketan Medical College to use the facilities and infrastructure of the century-old Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (erstwhile Victoria Memorial Hospital) is a most illegal and dishonest attempt," Chaudhury said.
Roy Barman also said that the key person involved with the Swadhin Trust is now under CBI scanner.
Currently, Tripura has two medical colleges, one owned by the Tripura government and the other by a society under the state government.
Vijayawada, Sep 6 : Congress' Andhra Pradesh Congress President Y. S. Sharmila Reddy on Friday appealed to the Indian Railways to supply bottled water from the Rail Neer plant in Visakhapatnam to the people of Vijayawada, who are deprived of potable water due to unprecedented rains and floods.
She wrote a letter to Railways Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging him to help the people of Vijayawada which contributes significantly to the revenues of railways.
Sharmila wrote that Vijayawada experienced an unprecedented rainfall of approximately 40 cm over two days, which has caused extensive damage. The rivulets and drains in and around the city are overflowing, leading to widespread inundation and isolation of numerous colonies, she said.
"This has placed the local population in a dire situation, where the lives of kids, the elderly, and those who are suffering from ailments, are adversely affected. The city now encounters a major challenge, as the drinking water supply pipelines have been heavily silted up. This has made water unsafe for drinking and cooking. The process of clearing the silt and making the water safe again will be time-consuming. Until then, there have to be alternate ways through which the people of the city would get drinking water," reads the letter.
The Congress leader mentioned that the Vijayawada division, under the South Central Railway zone, contributes an annual revenue of close to Rs 6,000 crore.
"I strongly believe that it is the duty of Indian Railways to help the people in the region, when such calamity has hit them," she said.
"We understand that a Rail Neer plant has recently commenced operations near Visakhapatnam, with a capacity of close to lakh bottles per day. I request you to consider exploring the possibility of arranging water supply from the plant to the affected areas in Vijayawada. Since the drinking water sources around Vijayawada are largely contaminated, I appeal to Indian Railways to supply potable water to the city. In light of this urgent situation, your immediate intervention will be of immense help to the people," she added.
Patna, Sep 6 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari on Friday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is worried as the BJP suspects that he may switch sides once again.
"That is why Nitish keeps on clarifying that he would not rejoin the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) again. He is giving these clarifications as he is worried that the BJP suspects him of potentially switching sides again as he did in the past. Nitish Kumar is also worried that BJP may break his party," Tiwari said.
Tiwari also alleged that Nitish Kumar has lost credibility due to his inconsistent political stands.
"When Kumar was part of the Grand Alliance, he was critical of the BJP, even declaring that he would 'Mitti Me MIljayege Par BJP Ke Sath Nahi Jayege'. But then he again joined NDA and shifted his criticisms against RJD. People of aware of his inconsistency. They will respond to it in the 2025 Assembly elections," Tiwari said.
Chitranjan Gagan, another RJD spokesperson said there is a trust deficit between Nitish Kumar and his party JD-U as well. "Both sides are apprehensive about each other," Gagan said.
Meanwhile, the BJP supported Nitish Kumar, saying the Chief Minister has realised his past mistakes and will not join back the Grand Alliance.
"Nitish has realised his past mistakes of allying with the Grand Alliance and he is determined not to repeat the mistake again. He will remain with the BJP and the NDA will form the next government in Bihar under his leadership," said BJP Spokesperson Rakesh Kumar.
Earlier, Nitish Kumar - during the inauguration of an eye hospital at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) - reiterated his long-standing association with the BJP dating back to 1995.
He admitted that he had made mistakes by aligning with the Grand Alliance on two occasions but assured that he would not make the same mistake again.
Seoul, Sep 6 : South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday agreed to maintain the "positive momentum" from improved bilateral ties by overcoming lingering historical issues regardless of leadership change in Japan.
In their summit in Seoul, Yoon and Kishida committed to strengthening coordination between the two nations as well as with the US in response to growing security threats from North Korea, particularly in light of its increasing military ties with Russia, Yonhap news agency reported.
"It is important to maintain the positive momentum of bilateral cooperation that Prime Minister Kishida and I have built to advance bilateral cooperation, as well as cooperation between Korea, the US and Japan," Yoon said in his opening remarks.
Yoon said the two countries should take a "forward-looking attitude" to address challenging issues, amid lingering historical disputes.
"If we combine our efforts, we can create a turning point next year, marking the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations, and elevate Korea-Japan relations to a new level," Yoon said.
It was their 12th and last summit as Kishida has given up on reelection as prime minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party after three years on the job.
Kishida underscored the importance of maintaining close coordination and called for efforts to further advance the bilateral ties, reiterating his government upholds the positions of previous administrations, including the 1998 Korea-Japan Joint Declaration.
The declaration, adopted by former President Kim Dae-jung and former Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, includes expressions of remorse for the historical suffering caused by Japan's colonial rule.
"I expressed my heartfelt sorrow for the immense hardships and sorrow so many people endured in the difficult circumstances of the past," Kishida said, without going into detail.
Kishida also expressed his support for Yoon's new unification doctrine that pursues peaceful unification with North Korea based on liberal values.
"At the Camp David summit last year, we expressed our support for the free and peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula," he said, referring to the trilateral summit with US President Joe Biden. "I understand that President Yoon's doctrine also reflects interest in this goal."
Nagpur, Sep 6 : Maharashtra unit BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday accused the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of hatching a conspiracy to create unrest and spread fake narratives at a time when the state has been scaling a new height of development during the MahaYuti government.
"MVA has nothing to do with Maharashtra and the self-respect of Marathi people. The Congress leadership, which has repeatedly insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has no right to even mention his name,aa he said.
Bawankule alleged that the MVA and Congress have always played low level politics on the name Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
"Will Rahul Gandhi apologise for the insult by the Congress party of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj? Will he show the fortitude to clarify his position on these incidents? India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru in his book 'Discovery of India', referred to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a 'robber king'. When Kamal Nath of Congress was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the statue of Shivaji Maharaj was removed. The constituents of MVA seek 'evidence' from Chhatrapati Shivaji's descendants," he said.
He reiterated that the Congress and the MVA are plotting to create unrest in the state by doing dirty politics over the fall of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue.
Referring to the Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise not just to Shivaji Maharaj but to every person of Maharashtra, Bawankule claimed that Rahul Gandhi has once again started the business of spreading false narratives with Maharashtra assembly election in sight.
"In the Congress manifesto for the Lok Sabha election, it was promised that they would deposit Rs 8,500 in the bank accounts of the women if they elected the Congress party nominees. Will Rahul Gandhi apologise to the mothers and sisters of Maharashtra for not fulfilling this promise?" he asked.
Bawankule claimed that the schemes like Ladki Bahin have been closed in the Congress-ruled Karnataka and Telangana.
"It is because of the success of the Ladki Bahin scheme in Maharashtra, the MVA leaders are shaken up, and they are spreading lies and fake narratives," he charged.
Meanwhile, Bawankule on Friday announced that the state BJP, in a bid to gear up Assembly poll campaign and for the victory of MahaYuti alliance, has set up a team of 21 leaders.
He said that under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the partyas state and central ministers will spare time for poll campaigning.
He also expressed confidence about the party's victory in the upcoming Assembly polls as "lessons from the Lok Sabha elections have been learnt".
Patna, Sep 6 : Prashant Kishor, chief of the Jan Suraaj campaign, on Friday voiced concerns for the Muslim community, saying that despite sacrifice Indian Muslims have to face unjust laws like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
"Despite Indian Muslims' historical contribution and sacrifices to our freedom struggle, the Union government enacted laws like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. This is unjust with the Muslim population," Prashant Kishor said.
On the Waqf Bill, Kishore said that the Muslim community is feeling uneasy because of these amendments proposed in the bill.
"I believe that this uneasiness among the Muslim community stems from the broader legislative actions taken by the incumbent BJP-led government," Kishore said.
He argued that the recent efforts to implement substantial changes to the Waqf Bill through Parliament are part of a pattern of decisions being made without adequately consulting or gaining the confidence of the Muslim community.
He said that he sees these legislative actions as part of a broader trend of marginalising the Muslim community and criticised the government for not involving the community in the decision-making process regarding such significant changes.
Kishor also addressed the issue of mob lynching and expressed his deep concern over the lack of support from political leaders when a member of the Muslim community is brutally killed by a mob.
"Even when a poor, helpless, and destitute Muslim is killed in such incidents, very few leaders, particularly those who seek votes from the Muslim community, stand up for the victim," he said.
His remarks came in the backdrop of allegations from several RJD leaders like Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha and Lok Sabha MP Surendra Yadav, who accused him of acting as a 'B-Team' for the BJP.
They also alleged that Kishor's actions are intended to benefit the BJP in the upcoming 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
Prashant Kishor has already announced that he will contest the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
Barcelona, Sep 6 : The growing impact of mass tourism on residents has sparked increasing debate in Barcelona, one of Europe's most popular holiday destinations.
Over 1.2 million tourists visited Barcelona in July, a 7.5 per cent increase compared to the same month last year. The city is on track to surpass the 2019 record of 19.3 million visitors, set before the Covid-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the city council.
However, as tourist numbers rise, so do local concerns. A recent city council public opinion survey revealed that 13 per cent of residents now view tourism as Barcelona's biggest issue, more than doubling last year's figure of 5.9 per cent.
The 2023 Perception of Tourism report, which surveyed around 1,900 residents, found that 23 per cent consider tourism harmful to the city, the highest percentage ever recorded.
"There are too many tourists, and sometimes it's hard to move or walk down certain streets," said local resident Palmira Moncunill, adding that something needs to be done. While acknowledging tourism's economic benefits, she questioned the city council's emphasis on attracting "quality over quantity."
This year, Barcelona hosted high-profile events including the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the ongoing America's Cup, targeting visitors with greater spending power. However, these events have drawn criticism from some local people.
"The authorities talk about managing tourism, but we need to reduce its scale and decrease the city's economic reliance on an industry that is both harmful and volatile," said Dani Pardo, a member of the Assembly of Neighborhoods for the Reduction of Tourism.
In early July, over 3,000 people took to the streets of Barcelona, protesting under the slogan "Enough, let's put limits on tourism." The demonstration was organized by 140 neighbourhood, social, and environmental groups.
Pardo attributes the increasing criticism to "better communication between local communities" and the fact that "tourism is now affecting everyone." He also criticized the authorities for making promises without meaningful action, claiming their goal is to "silence opposition, not reduce tourism's impact."
In response to these concerns, the city council announced new measures in July, including raising the tourist tax to four euros per night and pledging to revoke 10,000 tourist apartment licenses by 2029. However, local organizations say these measures are not enough and are pushing for more radical actions, such as reducing airport capacity, closing cruise ship terminals, and banning the expansion of tourist accommodation.
"There's a debate in Barcelona, as in most European cities, about the limits of tourism. We must manage tourism without increasing the limits, and we're interested in attracting more Asian visitors. But Barcelona cannot become solely a tourist city," said Jordi Valls, the city's Deputy Mayor for Economic Promotion and Tourism.
The Barcelona Chamber of Commerce reports that tourism contributes 14.5 per cent of the city's gross domestic product (GDP) and supports 155,000 jobs. The America's Cup alone is expected to generate 1.2 billion euros ($1.33 billion) by the time it concludes in October, according to the Barcelona Capital Nautica Foundation.
Pune, Sep 6 : On the eve of Ganeshotsav starting Saturday, a leading organisation in Pune on Friday launched the first-ever Global Ganesh Festival (GGF) in a bid to boost tourism and create awareness all over the world.
The GGF-2024 kickstarted with a global summit attended by around 60 leading Ganeshotsav Mandals of Pune, officials of the tourism department, representatives of the tourism and hospitality industry, and foreign students studying here who would act as unofficial brand ambassadors to promote Ganeshotsav in their respective countries.
In the coming years, the GGF aims to compete with top events like the Rio Carnival in Brazil, Lantern Festival in Taiwan, Snow Festivals in Japan and China, the Bolivian Carnival, Desert Festivals in the UAE, Al Ula Skies Festival in Saudi Arabia, Mud Festival in South Korea, Tomatina Festival in Spain, Flower Festival in Colombia, Golden Eagle Festival in Mongolia, Balloon Festival in USA, Phuket Vegetarian Festival in Thailand, besides Wine or Beer Festivals in various countries which attract hordes of foreign tourists.
Jai Ganesh Vyaspeeth (JGV) member and chief organiser of GGF, Vaibhav Wagh, said that they would promote the colourful Ganeshotsav in multiple global languages online and offline to reach out to millions in over 100 countries where the Marathi communities celebrate the festival.
"We have organised an international competition for unique decorations which the devotees make to welcome Lord Ganesh every year. People anywhere in the world can register on our website, upload short videos, and the best among them will be selected and awarded attractive prizes next year by the Maharashtra Chief Minister, who will be the official host for the GGF," Wagh told IANS.
Additionally, people in India can submit photographs or short reels of their tours/visits around Ganeshotsav marquees in the country, which would also be given prizes, plus.
A 'Morya' Helpline and Ganpati Tours were also announced on the occasion.
GGF organiser Raghunath Kuchik, who is also the Deputy Leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), said that more than two crore foreign and domestic tourists take rounds of the Ganeshotsav celebrations in Pune, Mumbai and other places every year.
"Now, we want to promote it on a world level by making it a 'must-visit' event for lakhs of international tourists who flock to various festivals in other countries," Kuchik told IANS.
Kuchik and Wagh also said that a band of dedicated people like Satish Desai, Mahesh Suryawanshi, Shirish Mohite, Uday Jagtap, Anish Padekar, Vineet Pardeshi, Nitin Pandit, Dhanashree Wagh-Patil, Aniruddha Yevle, Yogesh Alekari and others have started to promote the GGF to reach the world audience, just like other global fests.
At the GGF launch, three foreigners -- Latoya Wild (Germany), a professional 'garba' teacher back home, Tobo Sabino (South Sudan), and Trish Mabika (Zimbabwe), both students of MIT Pune -- were invited and explained the details of the Ganeshotsav, Wagh said.
(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Visakhapatnam, Sep 6 : Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu on Friday revealed that 40 per cent of works of the Bhogapuram International Airport in Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district have been completed.
After a visit to the construction site in Vizianagaram, he exuded confidence that the project would be completed six months ahead of the deadline.
The minister enquired about the status of works from the officials and GMR representatives. He inspected the works on the runway, terminal building and air traffic control centre.
Rammohan Naidu told media persons that all efforts were being made to complete the airport works and commence the operations by June 2026. He noted that in addition to the Central and state governments, the airport development is getting full support from the district administration and local population.
The Union Minister said he was reviewing the progress of the airport work with inspiration from Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He said when he reviewed the progress last month, about 36 per cent of the works were completed and now about 40 per cent works have been completed.
Rammohan Naidu stated that this airport is being built with international standards and on a state-of-the-art model. He claimed that the government was fully committed to justice for people who gave their lands for the airport construction.
The minister exuded confidence that with the construction of Bhogapuram Airport, north Andhra will witness rapid development. He believes that people from various parts of the world would come here for jobs.
Rammohan Naidu said that the civil aviation sector in the country was growing rapidly. He mentioned that 10 years ago, the country had only 74 airports but now the number has gone up to 157. This number will go up to 400 in future. He said Chief Minister Naidu was working hard to help flood-affected people in Vijayawada. From day one, he turned the Collectorate into a camp office to monitor the relief measures. He alleged that even in times of natural calamities, former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was doing politics. He said the Centre was ready to help flood-affected people after an assessment of losses.
CERNOBBIO, Italy, September 6. Italy and Azerbaijan have already worked as strategic partners for many years and the corresponding declaration was adopted almost ten years ago. Our cooperation covers many areas, we have regular political contacts, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the session titled Azerbaijan's role in the new geopolitical environment at the International Cernobbio Forum, Trend reports.
Speech by President Ilham Aliyev
- Distinguished ladies and gentlemen.
First, I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers for the invitation. This is the second time I am participating in the Cernobbio Forum. I have very good memories of my being here two years ago. Once again, thank you for inviting me.
I came here from Rome, where yesterday I had meetings with President Mattarella, who made a great speech this morning, and Prime Minister Meloni. During our meetings and discussions, we once again reconfirmed the strategic character of our bilateral ties. Italy and Azerbaijan have worked as strategic partners for many years. The corresponding declaration was adopted almost ten years ago. Our cooperation covers many areas. We have regular political contacts. This is my third visit to Italy since 2020, and President Mattarella paid a visit to Azerbaijan in 2018. High-level contacts demonstrate that we are very close partners.
We have very active trade cooperation. Italy is Azerbaijans number one trading partner in the world. Last year, our trade turnover was close to 16 billion US dollars. We see potential for growth not only in the energy sector but also in other sectors. Azerbaijan is the Italys number one oil supplier and number two gas supplier. This is also an important part of our cooperation.
Energy supplies today clearly demonstrate that national security cannot be separated from energy security. The 3,500 km integrated pipeline system from Azerbaijan to Italy, known as the Southern Gas Corridor, today ensures energy security for ten countries. We now have ten countries receiving gas from Azerbaijan, seven of which are members of the European Union. That is probably why the European Commission calls Azerbaijan a pan-European gas supplier and a reliable partner.
But as I said, the pipeline starts in Azerbaijan and ends in Italy. But its route, with extensions and interconnectors, covers a broad European and Eurasian geography with strong growth potential. Today we are in a process of negotiations with at least three European countries with respect to gas supply.
Of course, energy and trade are not the only part of our bilateral agenda. We are also actively working on humanitarian issues. The Italy-Azerbaijan University, which has already started functioning, is a great example of the diversification of our cooperation. Five leading Italian universities like Luiss, Sapienza, Bologna, Milan, and Torino, and Azerbaijans ADA University, have created this joint venture, which will be instrumental in our future cooperation. The students who are already studying and those who will study there will naturally be connected to Italy. They will know the Italian language, Italian culture and the great historical heritage of the Italian people.
I start my introduction with this important bilateral part because it demonstrates that when relations are built on mutual trust, mutual respect, and recognition of mutual interests, then we see a progress. That is how relations must be built between countries, which are situated far from each other and belong to different continents.
Talking about the geopolitical situation - because the topic of my introduction was exactly the role of Azerbaijan in the changing geopolitical environment first of all, I would like to say that the biggest geopolitical change, not only in the Caucasus but in the broader region, was the restoration of Azerbaijans territorial integrity and sovereignty, which really demonstrates that international law can prevail, not only when a legal framework exists but also when you have courage and real strength.
For 30 years, our internationally recognized territories were under Armenian occupation. Despite numerous decisions and resolutions by international organizations, including four legally binding United Nations Security Council resolutions demanding the immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from our lands, the occupation continued. The OSCE created a special group in order to tackle this issue. For 28 years, this group produced zero results. This demonstrates that international law alone is not enough to ensure justice and peace. So you must have other factors on the table.
In 2020, a large part of our then-occupied territories was liberated during the 44-day Patriotic War. But that was not the end of the story, as separatists continued to undermine sovereignty of Azerbaijan. Last September, it was the last full stop when sovereignty of Azerbaijan was totally restored. The conflict actually ended as it should have.
This is a good example for many other countries, which struggle for their territorial integrity and sovereignty without success. In our case, I think Azerbaijan demonstrated that international law, along with strong political will, consolidation of the society, and physical strength, can make a serious geopolitical change. After that, for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, we can achieve peace in the Southern Caucasus. It is reachable. The latest developments in the negotiation track between Azerbaijan and Armenia demonstrate that. We are actively continuing negotiations, with almost 80 percent of the peace treaty paragraphs having been approved. We have already started not only the border delimitation process, but also demarcation. Yes, its a first small step. Only about 13 kilometers of our border, which is more than 1000 kilometers. But it is a step in the right direction.
We hope that Azerbaijans initiative to start peace negotiations will result in a peace treaty that will be important not only for the Southern Caucasus but for all parts of the world. That will be an example of how countries that have fought for 30 years, with Azerbaijan suffering from aggression and the total devastation of almost 20 percent of its territory, can work together to achieve peace.
The final point which I want to raise in my introductory comments is that, in two months, we will host the largest climatic conference, COP29. The decision was made last December. We have had less than one year to prepare. It is important that the decision was made by consensus of almost 200 countries. We consider it as a sign of respect for Azerbaijan. For the first time in history, COP will be held in our region.
We are actively working in order to build bridges between different actors on the global arena. As we all know, the climatic topic is something, which divides countries and peoples. There are mutual claims and accusations about who is more responsible for damaging the planet and who has to pay more ant etc. While not being a major actor on international arena, I think it is achievable for us to build bridges between the Global South and the Global North.
I also want to underline that through active cooperation with many European countries, including ten members of the European Union, which are Azerbaijans official strategic partners and as the Chair of the Non-Alignment Movement for four years, which unites 120 countries, we can be a country, which can produce good results.
These are the topics I wanted to address during my introduction. Once again, thank you for giving me the opportunity to address this audience.
Rajkot, Sep 6 : Gujarat Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday claimed that it has arrested two persons and also recovered Rs 10 lakh in a bribery case, an official said.
The accused have been identified as Digambar A. Pagre, a Police Inspector at Matunga Police Station in Mumbai, and Jaymin Sanvaliya, a private individual from Rajkot.
The official said that the case came to light when the complainant was issued a notice by Pagre concerning a case registered at Matunga Police Station.
"Sanvaliya, acting as a middleman, approached the complainant and claimed to have close ties with Pagre. He facilitated communication between the complainant and Pagre, who demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh to avoid the complainant's arrest and harassment in the case," the official said.
Reluctant to pay the illegal sum, the complainant approached the ACB and a trap was laid during which Sanvaliya accepted the bribe amount of Rs 10 lakh and confirmed the transaction with Pagre over the phone.
"Both accused were apprehended on the spot," the official said.
He said that the investigation is underway in the case.
In another case, the ACB arrested a junior engineer of the Madhya Gujarat Vij Company Ltd. (MGVCL) in a bribery case involving Rs 10,000. The accused, Jaimitkumar Patel, a Class 2 officer in the Karjan-2 Sub Division of Karjan taluka, was caught demanding a bribe from a farmer.
The complainant had applied for a new electricity connection for his agricultural land in a village in Karjan taluka and submitted the required application and fee at the MGVCL office.
Despite this, the connection was not provided. When the complainant followed up with Patel, the engineer demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 to process the application and grant the connection.
Acting on the complainant's tip-off, the ACB set a trap and arrested Patel while accepting the bribe.
--IANS
janvi/dan
Gurugram, Spe 6 : In the first list released by Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Haryana Assembly elections, BJP has bet on Brahmin face Mukesh Sharma from the Gurgaon seat.
Sharma, a twelfth pass from open schooling, had earlier in 2009 contested on a BJP ticket from the Badshahpur constituency but was defeated. Sharma had again contested as an independent candidate against the saffron party in 2014 but lost again.
Mukesh Sharma successfully secured the BJP ticket from the Gurgaon constituency, but to ensure his victory, Sharma will have to face tough challenges from candidates of the other parties.
The Congress is brainstorming on their strategy for Gurgaon and may bet on a Punjabi face. If the seat goes to AAP in the Congress-AAP collation, then Vaishya (Baniya) face Umesh Agarwal can give a tough fight to BJP in the election battle.
In Gurugram, the BJP may have tried to please the Brahmin community for the first time by giving a ticket to Mukesh Sharma, but appeasing the party's core support base of Baniya and Punjabi communities can prove to be a big challenge.
Also, handling the displeasure of Brahmin face G.L. Sharma, who left the BJP on Thursday, and Punjabi faces Yashpal Batra, Seema Pahuja, Gargi Kakkar, Baniya face Naveen Goyal, who is in the race for a ticket in Gurgaon constituency and bringing them on his side is a big challenge for Mukesh Sharma.
However, this time he got the support of Union Minister of State Rao Inderjit Singh who had put in a lot of effort to ensure a BJP ticket for Mukesh Sharma.
Congress also has in mind the large number of Punjabi voters in the Gurgaon seat, can bet on a Punjabi face. Mohit Madan Lal Grover is leading among Punjabi faces for the Congress.
Congressa Punjabi face, Dharambir Gaba, had won the MLA election from this seat five times. However, Mohit has reached Congress through many parties, and despite contesting as an independent in the last Assembly elections, he was not active in the constituency.
Grover remained inactive in the Lok Sabha elections, due to which the party is also thinking about other options.
Congress is also considering the name of Raj Babbar, who gave a tough fight to BJP candidate Rao Inderjit Singh in the Lok Sabha elections. However, former Chief Minister Bhupender Hooda will hardly agree on the name of Raj Babbar. It is said that Hooda does not want any new face to be included in the Chief Minister contenders.
The core voters of the BJP are the Baniya communities, but after 10 years BJP has bet on Brahmins, which has also caused resentment in the Vaishya community. If the Congress-AAP alliance happens, then AAP leader Umesh Agarwal can give a tough fight to Mukesh due to his Vaishya face. In 2014, he won from Gurgaon with the highest number of votes on the BJP ticket in the entire state.
Another Baniya face for the BJP ticket was Naveen Goyal. He has been active in the area for five years and is directly connected with the people. However, Goyal, along with his supporters, has also quit the party with immediate effect.
Naveen Goyal will also make inroads into the BJP vote bank and stopping him will be a big challenge for Mukesh Sharma.
New Delhi, Sep 6 : In a major development, Olympian wrestler Bajrang Punia was appointed the Working Chairman of the All India Kisan Congress on Friday.
"Hon'ble Congress President has approved the proposal of the appointment of Shri Bajrang Punia as the Working Chairman of All India Kisan Congress with immediate effect," read the official letter issued by Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal.
Thanking Congress President Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and K.C. Venugopal for the new role assigned to him, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist said in a post on X: "I would like to thank our President Mr. @kharge, Leader of the Opposition @RahulGandhi, and @kcvenugopalmp for entrusting me with this significant responsibility. I will strive to stand shoulder to shoulder with farmers facing crises, supporting their struggles, and work as a dedicated soldier of the organisation. Jai Kisan."
The appointment, which followed Punia and his fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat joining the Congress on Friday afternoon, is being seen as a significant move in light of the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana scheduled on October 5.
The grappler duo met Congress President Kharge at his residence on Friday afternoon before formally joining the party at its headquarters in Delhi.
"Chak de India, Chak de Haryana! Met our talented champions Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who have made India proud in the world, at 10, Rajaji Marg. We are proud of both of you," Kharge posted on X after the meeting.
Both the Olympians, who were prominent faces of last year's protests against alleged sexual assault and intimidation of female wrestlers by ex-Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, had met Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday.
Speaking at the party office after joining the Congress, Phogat said it is only when times are bad that people know who is really standing with them.
Punia said the Congress backed the wrestlers during their protest without even being asked to do so, while the BJP MPs ignored the letters seeking their support.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 6 : A week after a Left-backed Independent MLA levelled serious allegations against P. Sasi, the powerful political secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the CPI-M on Friday dismissed them as "media creation".
Speaking to the media soon after a daylong meeting here, Kerala CPI-M Secretary M.V. Govindan said the concerned legislator -- P.V. Anvar -- had met him recently and submitted a letter.
"Look, the letter he gave to me has nothing against Sasi. May be he said something on television, but nothing has been given to us and hence we don't have to deal with this matter at the moment," Govindan said.
Last week, Anvar had publicly accused the CM's political secretary of betraying the trust placed in him by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government, saying he has has done nothing while occupying the top post.
Anvar had also accused ADGP M.R. Ajith Kumar of engaging in shady deals, including tapping the phones of politicians and supporting gold smuggling, calling him a "notorious criminal" who "modelled" himself as fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim.
"Anvar has raised some issues but the opposition is giving them a political colour. For anything and everything, they want CM Vijayan's resignation. This is nothing but whipping up anti-Communist feelings. The opposition is using Anvar who has supported and appreciated CM Vijayan and the Left government.
"But these efforts won't create any impact either on the government or the CPI-M. Moreover, a section of media is using whatever means to target the CPI-M. This has been happening for decades without having any impact," Govindan said.
Reacting to the allegations levelled by Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan that Ajith Kumar is the interlocutor between the RSS and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and had an hour-long meeting with RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, Govindan said RSS has been trying for long to target the CPI-M in Kannur.
He also claimed that over the years, they have killed 218 CPI-M comrades in Kannur.
"What the Congress and Satheesan are saying is utter nonsense to cover up the loss of their Lok Sabha seat to the BJP. BJP's Suresh Gopi won in Thrissur because the Congress lost over 80,000 votes, while we finished second and got close to 16,000 votes more than what we did in 2019," Govindan said.
Jaipur, Sep 6 : An independent MLA Ashok Kothari from Rajasthan's Bhilwara district has joined the BJP triggering controversy about the anti-defection law.
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Tika Ram Jully has written a letter to Speaker Vasudev Devnani demanding the termination of Ashok Kothari's Legislative membership alleging that he flouted anti-defection law.
"Independent MLA Ashok Kothari elected from Bhilwara city has come under the purview of anti-defection provisions under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution During the membership campaign of the BJP, he has taken membership of the party in violation of legal provisions under the Disqualification Rules, 1985 on the basis of defection," the LoP said.
He said that Kothari shared his membership certificate number 5826 on social media on September 4.
"The MLA himself has shared the proof of BJP membership, after which no proof is required," said LoP in his letter.
Kothari said that he was not aware of the rules and regulations, so he joined the BJP.
"I have taken primary membership of the BJP. I took their membership to maintain the integrity of the country and to protect Sanatan Dharam. However, I was not aware of the legal and technicalities," said Kothari.
Bhopal, Sep 6 : The Centre has awarded Madhya Pradesh for 'citizen service' for successful implementation of the business reforms action plan.
The award has been given based on an evaluation of online services implemented by various departments of Madhya Pradesh.
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal presented the award to the Principal Secretary of Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion Raghavendra Singh at a function in New Delhi on Friday.
"Madhya Pradesh has been honoured for its excellent work in empowering citizens through streamlined employment services," said the official.
An official said that the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has appreciated the innovation of state government for industries and civic facilities.
"Efforts are being made by all the departments to further strengthen ease of living and ease of doing business in Madhya Pradesh. Acts and rules are being simplified by the departments," he said.
The MP government's business reforms action plan (BRAP) is a program of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which makes assessments of the reforms done in business and civic amenities by states and Union Territories (UTs).
The goals of BRAP include the single window system, online building permit system, inspection reforms, and labour and environment reforms.
The Centre has categorised the states scoring more than 95 per cent in 25 reform areas (15 business and 10 citizen-centric) in the 'top achievers' category.
Kolkata, Sep 6 : In continuation of their protest against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital last month, thousands of women, along with common citizens, across Bengal are expected to take to the streets in another round of 'Reclaim the Night' campaign on the midnight of September 8, marking a month since the ghastly incident was reported.
Incidentally, a crucial hearing on the rape and murder is scheduled in the Supreme Court on September 9 during which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is expected to submit the progress report of its investigation in the case.
Unlike 'Meyera Raat Dakhol Koro' (women reclaim the night), the midnight protest on Saturday will be called 'Shashoker Ghum Bhangate Notun Ganer Bhor' (New song of dawn to wake the rulers out of slumber), said Rimjhim Sinha, the convenor of the first protest on the midnight of August 14.
According to Sinha, in Satyajit Ray's cult movie 'Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne', song was the medium to wake the ruler out of slumber.
"Keeping in mind the theme 'Shashoker Ghum Bhangate Notun Ganer Bhor', we have invited different cultural groups to join our protest on September 8 night," Sinha said.
To recall, on the midnight on Independence Day eve, when thousands of people hit the streets across the state to protest the rape-murder incident, the focus turned towards R.G. Kar where a large mob vandalised the emergency department of the hospital.
The state government and the Kolkata Police came under massive criticism following the incident.
While some claimed that the attack was orchestrated to divert attention from the 'reclaim the night' campaign, some claimed it was an attempt to destroy evidence at the scene of crime within the hospital premises.
Imphal, Sep 6 : The Manipur government on Friday ordered closure of all educational institutions across the state on Saturday (September 7), and asked the security forces to remain on high alert and also intensify their counter-insurgency operations, hours after a man was killed while five others sustained injuries as suspected militants lobbed a powerful bomb at the house of former Chief Minister Mairembam Koireng in Bishnupur district.
Director of Education, Manipur, L. Nandakumar Singh, said that in view of the unrest and the prevailing situation in the state and keeping in mind the safety of the students and teachers, all government schools, government aided, private and Central schools of the state would remain closed on Saturday.
"All Zonal Education Officers under the Department of Education-Schools, Manipur were directed to inform all concerned under their jurisdiction and take up necessary actions accordingly," read the order.
A senior police officer said that all the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) including Assam Rifles, state armed police and commando forces have been asked to remain on high alert and to undertake coordinated combing operations in both hill and valley areas to nab the militants.
"Top police and para-military officials are coordinating the intensified and coordinated operation in all the vulnerable districts, especially Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Imphal West, Kangpokpi districts and their adjoining areas," the official told IANS.
He also said that tension and a fear of attack by rival outfit cadres and armed volunteers prevailed in several districts and fringe areas.
The Manipur Police are in touch with the Director General of National Security Guard (NSG) and other experts to seek their support regarding the recent attacks on civilians by militants using drones and sophisticated weapons, the official said.
Director General of Manipur Police Rajiv Singh earlier said that bombing using drones is a new development in the state, adding that the police were taking the matter very seriously.
"I have personally spoken to everybody in Delhi. I have also spoken to DG NSG and his team. Other experts are coming in, and we have formed a high-level committee to look into the drone attack and other related issues.
We have taken the new development very seriously. We will find out a solution at the earliest. All forces are continuing the combing operations to nab the militants," the DGP had told the media.
Kyiv, Sep 7 : Ukraine shot down 27 out of 44 Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones launched by Russia overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
Eight drones have disappeared from the radars, while another one has flown in the direction of the Russia-held area in the Donetsk region, it said on Friday in a post on social media app Telegram.
Several drones remained in the Ukrainian airspace as of Friday morning, the Air Force said.
Apart from the drones, Russia fired Kh-59 guided missiles and Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles at Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported.
In the attack one person was killed and 30 others injured in the town of Pavlograd in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, said regional governor Sergii Lysak.
The air defence was also activated in the Kyiv region, but there were no casualties or damage to critical and housing infrastructure, according to the Kyiv Regional Military Administration.
The governor of the northeastern region of Kharkiv said a missile attack damaged residential buildings and injured three people in the town of Liubotyn on Friday morning.
Lysak said the Air Force shot down five drones and one missile over the region.
Various overnight attacks in this central region injured two people, damaged over 12 homes and impacted power lines and gas pipelines, he added.
Lviv regional authorities said drone debris fell in an industrial zone, setting fire to four trucks. A team of 32 firefighters had doused the fire by Friday morning and the governor reported no injuries during the attack.
Another fire caused by falling debris had been put out in the southern region of Mykolaiv where the Air Force shot down seven drones, its governor said.
CERNOBBIO, Italy, September 6. The Italy-Azerbaijan University, which has already started functioning, is a great example of the diversification of our cooperation, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the session titled Azerbaijan's role in the new geopolitical environment at the International Cernobbio Forum, Trend reports.
The head of state pointed out that five leading Italian universities have created this joint venture with Azerbaijans ADA University, which will be instrumental in future cooperation.
The students who are already studying and those who will study there will naturally be connected to Italy. They will know the Italian language, they will know better Italian culture and the great historical heritage of the Italian people, the Azerbaijani leader added.
Ankara, Sep 7 : Turkey's Foreign Ministry has condemned the killing of a Turkish-American woman by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, vowing to seek accountability "before international courts".
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was shot during a protest against an Israeli settlement near the Palestinian village of Beita, and died of her wounds on Friday, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Eygi's death, saying in a post on social media that Turkey "will continue to work in every platform to halt Israel's policy of occupation and genocide".
Israel denies its actions in occupied Palestinian territories amount to genocide, Xinhua news agency reported.
The White House said it was deeply disturbed by the death of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi and called on Israel to investigate.
Turkey's Foreign Ministry said she was shot in the head, and placed the blame on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for her death.
The incident took place during a regular protest march by activists in Beita, a town near Nablus that has frequently been targeted by Jewish settlers, according to WAFA.
"We condemn this murder committed by the Netanyahu government," the Turkish Ministry said in a statement, pledging to hold those responsible "before international courts".
US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew confirmed Eygi's death and said the embassy was "urgently gathering more information about the circumstances of her death".
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its forces "responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them".
The IDF added it was investigating reports of a foreign national's death.
There was no immediate comment on the incident from Netanyahu's office.
In a statement, Sean Savett, a spokesperson for the White House's National Security Council, said Washington was "deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen" in the West Bank on Friday.
"We have reached out to the Government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident," Savett added.
US Senator Chris Van Hollen said Eygi was the third American killed in the West Bank since October 7, when Hamas militants' attack on Israel sparked war in Gaza and a resurgence of West Bank violence.
"(The) Biden Administration has not been doing enough to pursue justice and accountability on their behalf," Van Hollen, a Democrat, who sits on the Senate's Foreign Relations committee, said.
"If the Netanyahu government will not pursue justice for Americans, the US Department of Justice must."
Turkey has been a vocal critic of Israel during the ongoing war in Gaza, which began after Hamas's October 7 attack.
Ankara recently halted trade with Israel and sought to participate in a genocide case against Israel at an international court.
New York, Sep 7 : The 14-year-old suspect of a campus shooting in the US state of Georgia appeared in court for a brief hearing.
The shooting, which took place on Wednesday at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, left four people killed, including two students and two teachers. Nine others, including eight students and one teacher, were wounded in the shooting as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Colt Gray, the shooter and a student at the school, could face life in prison if convicted on any of the four counts of felony murder filed against him, Judge Currie Mingledorff told him during the court appearance on Friday morning.
Gray will be tried as an adult, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Gray's father, 54-year-old Colin Gray, was arrested on multiple charges on Thursday.
He knowingly allowed his son, Colt, to have the weapon, according to the GBI.
The investigation into the shooting is still active and ongoing, said the GBI.
Colin Gray is being charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the GBI said on Thursday when the agency announced his arrest.
The 14-year-old shooting suspect has been charged with four counts of felony murder.
GBI Director Chris Hosey said at a news conference on Thursday night that the charges against Colin Gray stem from "knowingly allowing his son to possess a weapon".
Georgia law prohibits minors from possessing handguns, but there is no minimum age to possess a rifle or shotgun in Georgia.
During a brief court hearing on Friday morning, Judge Currie Mingledorff II told Colin Gray that he faced up to 180 years in prison if he was convicted on all counts.
The judge also advised him of his rights, and the father said, "Yes, sir," in response to some questions from the judge.
District Attorney Brad Smith, whose district includes the Barrow County high school where the shooting happened, didn't rule out whether the father would face additional charges as the investigation continued.
Smith said more charges would be filed at some point against Gray's son for the victims who survived the attack.
The teen, a student at Apalachee High School, allegedly killed four people, two students and two teachers, when he opened fire at the school in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday morning. Nine others were wounded and hospitalised, but they were all expected to survive and "make a full recovery," Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said on Thursday.
Hospital officials said on Thursday that at least seven of those nine patients had been treated and released, and at least one other remained hospitalised in stable condition.
Police and federal agents were investigating if the gun used in the shooting, described by officials as an AR-style weapon, was purchased by the teen's father as a gift for his son in December 2023, according to four federal law enforcement sources close to the investigation.
In May of 2023, the suspect and his father were both interviewed by the Jackson County Sheriff's office after the FBI received tips about online posts threatening a school shooting, the FBI said in a statement on Wednesday night.
At the time, investigators didn't have enough evidence for an arrest or enough probable cause "to take any additional law enforcement action," the FBI added.
Local police records obtained by a US media outlet report indicate the alleged shooter's parents were going through a divorce at the time. His mother took custody of two other children in the divorce while the suspect stayed with his father, the records show.
Schools in Barrow County are closed for the rest of the week following the shooting.
New Delhi, Sep 7 : Expressing grief over the Hathras road accident that claimed 12 lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of victims and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
"The Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. The injured would be given Rs 50,000," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Friday in a post on X.
The Prime Minister condoled the deaths in the accident and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
"The road accident in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, is extremely painful. My deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this. May God give them strength in this difficult time. Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of the people injured in the accident. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in helping the victims in every possible way," added the PMO in a post on X.
The local administration is providing all possible help to the victims under the supervision of the state government, PM Modi said on X.
At least 15 people, including four women and an equal number of children, travelling in a van were killed on Friday after a roadways bus hit the vehicle from behind on National Highway 93 in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
Sixteen people have also been injured in the accident and admitted to a government hospital.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday directed district officials to reach the spot and take care of the relief measures.
"The loss of life in a road accident in Hathras district is extremely sad. My condolences are with the grieving families of the deceased. Instructions have been given to the district administration officials to provide proper treatment to the injured. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to give a place to the departed souls in his feet and provide speedy recovery to the injured," CM Yogi Adityanath wrote in a post on X.
The Chief Minister has also asked the officials to ensure proper treatment of the injured.
"The bus hit the van while trying to overtake it on the Agra-Aligarh national highway," Superintendent of Police (SP) Nipun Agarwal said.
Confirming the incident, Hathras District Magistrate Ashish Kumar said that 12 people died and 16 were injured in a collision between a roadways bus and a loader vehicle in Hathras.
The accident occurred near Kanwarpur village, about 10 km from the district headquarters.
The passengers were on their way to Agra from Hathras.
The deceased have been identified as Irshad (25), Munne Khan (55), Muskan (16), Talli (28), Tabassum (28), Najma (25), Bhola (25), Khushbu (25), Jameel (50), Chote (25), Ayan (two), Sufiyan (one), Alfaz (six), Shoaib (five) and Ishrat (50).
The Chief Minister has given instructions to provide a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to those seriously injured.
President Droupadi Murmu condoled the loss of lives in the accident and prayed for a speedy recovery of the injured.
aThe news of the deaths of several people in a road accident in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones and pray for a speedy recovery of those injured," President Murmu said in a post on X.
Congress General Secretary, Priyanka Gandhi, also offered condolences to the bereaved families and appealed to the state government for providing proper assistance to the affected families.
"The news of the death of a large number of people in the horrific road accident in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, is extremely sad. May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. I appeal to the state government that the victims should get immediate treatment and the affected families should be given adequate compensation," Priyanka Gandhi wrote on Friday in a post on X.
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CERNOBBIO, Italy, September 6. Energy supplies today clearly demonstrate that national security cannot be separated from energy security, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the session titled Azerbaijan's role in the new geopolitical environment at the International Cernobbio Forum, Trend reports.
The 3,500 km integrated pipeline system from Azerbaijan to Italy, known as the Southern Gas Corridor, today ensures energy security for ten countries. We now have ten countries receiving gas from Azerbaijan, seven of which are members of the European Union. That is probably why the European Commission calls Azerbaijan a pan-European gas supplier and a reliable partner, the head of state noted.
Smith & Wessons Victory Model was originally produced as part of the massive Lend-Lease effort on the part of the United States to help equip British and Commonwealth troops fighting against the Axis powers, before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into World War II.
The program continued throughout the war following United States participation, with Victory Models being produced from 1942 to 1945. In short order, the Victory Model was also produced for domestic military consumption.
War-finish revolvers like the Victory model lack the external refinement of their contemporary civilian counterparts, but the internals are usually just as slick.
The Victory Model Smith & Wesson is believed to have derived its name from the V prefix on the series serial numbers, and it wasnt a new design by any means. Depending upon how one approaches the issue, and what verbiage one leans toward in describing this family of Smith & Wesson revolvers, it fits into the same series of guns as the Model 10, the Smith & Wesson Military & Police, and the Model of 1899.
Throughout its production life, and including the WWII years, this pistol has been continuously tweaked and modified to meet differing needs, customers, and challenges for well over a century (and over a decade longer than the 1911). While it may be difficult to believe, this pistol still soldiers on for self-defense around the world and some police use.
Despite the UKs desperate need for guns of all types, the wheels of bureaucracy still turned, ensuring that rather than going directly to the troops, these guns first went to the Proof House for testing.
The primary difference between the Victory models produced for British and Commonwealth troops and those produced for the United States was caliber.
The guns made for the United States were chambered in .38 Special, while those produced for Britain and the Commonwealth were chambered in .38 Smith & Wesson to accommodate the British .38/200 round that was utilized in the Webley and Enfield revolvers (which, by the way, are different internally, although they have a very similar external appearance). The .38 Special is a longer cartridge and more powerful than the .38/200.
All pressure-bearing parts are subject to British proof, so youll find separate markings on the cylinder, frame, and barrel.
The easiest way to determine which model you have is simply to examine the markings. While all are stamped United States Property, as were all small arms under Lend-Lease according to the terms of the program (Savage No. 4 Enfields are a good cross-reference point here), the caliber will be marked on the barrel for the user to clearly see. The .38 Special cartridge will not fully fit in the .38/200 cylinder, which generally avoids problems with mistaken ammunition.
However, like the Webley Mark VI, originally chambered in .455 Webley, many .38/200 Victory Models have been altered over the years to accept .38 Special.
Be wary, however. Like the Webleys shave jobs the quality, consistency, and most importantly the safety of such revolvers should always be questioned, and examination by a competent (read as educated as such, not your Uncle Bubba who grew up with a gun in his hand and knows everything about them) gunsmith is recommended.
Note classic Model 10 features such as skinny profile, pinned barrel, and exposed ejector rod.
The guns produced for the United States in .38 Special are so marked, and many of these will be encountered with U.S. Navy markings.
Theres often a vast difference in the condition of Victory Models encountered on the market in the United States. Its important to remember that many of these were used in harsh environments for three years of war, in conditions ranging from North Africa and Europe to the jungles of the South Pacific. Afterward, many of them continued to soldier on with the countries which bought them, or they were sold as surplus to civilians, or given as aid to other countries. Take the time to examine any Victory Model very carefully.
Warnings aside, extremely nice guns are on the market. This particular gun was acquired through Legacy Collectibles, a very reputable and highly recommended source. Due to the high overall quality of most of the Victory Series, if the gun was well maintained and cared for, they can still be very viable range guns. In fact, with the nicely preserved specimens, such details as case hardening on the hammer and trigger are still evident.
Like all older Smith & Wessons that were well maintained, the lock work is truly impressive compared to modern guns, and the sound of an early, well-timed revolver has an almost musical quality to it.
Accuracy in both the .38/200 using .38 Smith & Wesson ammunition and in the .38 Special models is generally acceptable. Hand loads improve accuracy and consistency, but .38 Special ammunition should be available almost everywhere handgun ownership is legal. .38 Smith & Wesson ammunition can be more of a challenge, although there are still a number of commercial loadings on the market. Original .38/200 is almost unobtanium.
The stocks of Webleys, Enfields, and even Victory Models were kept in reserve long after WWII, as .38/200 military production dwindled in favor of 919. There was little left with which to practice, and in the event of war, at least one retired British officer reported to the author that he was advised hed have three to six rounds issued as stocks were so low.
The Victory Model is a great entry into a currently very expensive collectors market for WWII firearms. The Lend-Lease guns in .38 Smith & Wesson can be had in very nice condition for less than $650 on the current market, while guns chambered in .38 Special tend to start in the $850 range in nice condition, with U.S. Navy marked models bringing a bit more of a premium, beginning in the $1,050 to $1,100 range.
The Commonwealth web holsters meant to carry the Victory Model (and the Webleys and Enfields) are easily obtained in mint condition from various manufacturers for under $50. The U.S.-produced leather hip and should holsters for the Victory Model are harder to find and normally over $100 when encountered.
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CERNOBBIO, Italy, September 6. Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed on almost 80 percent of the peace treaty, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the session titled Azerbaijan's role in the new geopolitical environment at the International Cernobbio Forum, Trend reports.
We are actively continuing negotiations, with almost 80 percent of the peace treaty paragraphs having been approved. We have already started the border delimitation process, and not only delimitation but also demarcation. Yes, its a first small step. Only about 13 kilometers of our border, which is more than 1000 kilometers. But it is a step in the right direction and we hope that Azerbaijans initiative to start peace negotiations will result in a peace treaty, the head of state pointed out.
Nonetheless, its no secret that the popularity of true crime entertainment has skyrocketed in recent years. The genre has its benefits including educating audiences on how to avoid unsafe situations, solving cold cases or bringing ignored societal issues to light. Additionally, true crime unearths a dark side of humanity that very few individuals get to experience throughout their lifetime. Its textbook morbid curiosity.
Bank of America has been hit by a whistleblower complaint that its officials in Asia had shared non-public information with investors before the bank sold hundreds of millions of dollars of stock, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Photograph: Courtesy Bank of America/X
Following the complaint, Bank of America has opened an internal investigation into the allegation, reports Alexander Saeedy in the WSJ.
A Bank of America spokesman told the newspaper, We take complaints seriously and thoroughly investigate them. At this time we have not found anything to support these allegations.
Bankers are said to have contacted investors via WhatsApp to share transaction details before the announcement was made, WSJ has reported.
Bank of America has retained British law firm Clifford Chance and Indian firm J Sagar & Associates to investigate the whistleblower complaint, WSJ reported quoting people familiar with the investigation. Lawyers from the firms have interviewed senior and junior bankers involved in the transactions, the newspaper further reported.
WSJ also reported that it has reviewed a copy of the complaint alleging that bank officials had shared transaction details with investors before a stock sale was announced in India, which could lead the investors to engage in trade practice known on Wall Street as front-running and is prohibited under the US SECs code of ethics. Sharing of non-public information on deals is also prohibited by Bank of America.
The Indian stock sale pertained to a subsidiary of the Aditya Birla group and financial firm Sun Life, and amounted to roughly $200 million of stock.
Other complaints raised by the whistleblower pertained to a roughly $500 million IPO for SoftBank-backed FirstCry, and a $300 million rights offering for PNB Housing Finance.
For Bank of Americas investment banking franchise in Asia, large trades of stock for corporate clients in India form a major source of revenue, WSJ reported.
The whistleblower complaint about Bank of America comes on the heels of Morgan Stanley paying $249 million in the US in January following allegations that some employees improperly shared information about clients stock sales, the WSJ added.
A delegation of high-level executives from US public pension funds (non-profit and government sectors) is visiting India next week to assess and familiarise themselves with the investment opportunities in the country.
These executives belong to various American states and cumulatively represent $1.8 trillion in assets under management (AUM) invested across the US and global markets.
The United States (US) mission to India, which includes its embassy and consulates and the Department of Treasury, along with Indias Ministry of Finance and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), is hosting the delegation.
The roadshow called Building financial futures will be held between September 9 and September 13.
The delegates will visit Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai where they will meet experts from various sectors, including technology in Bengaluru), banking and financial sector (public and private market) in Mumbai, and government officials in Delhi.
The US altogether has about 200 public pension funds.
Five executives from five pension funds will be part of next weeks delegation.
This is the first time the US Mission has organised a delegation of funds in this fashion.
"India represents a range of opportunities in sectors like infrastructure, clean energy transition, urban planning and infrastructure, decarbonisation, ports, aviation, health care and pharmaceuticals.
"Our goal is to expose these pension fund representatives to the opportunities in India, said US Consul General Mike Hankey.
Global firms are trying to make their supply chains more resilient by reducing their reliance on any one country and diversifying their manufacturing bases.
As companies make these decisions, the money to facilitate them will also flow. India is one of the countries that firms could pivot to, said Hankey.
US institutional investors already have investments worth $50 billion in India.
The US government, through its Development Finance Corporation, has invested around $4 billion.
All investment decisions will be made by the individual fund administrations.
"These fund executives will evaluate the Indian market and make decisions based on their individual strategies and risk profiles, said Hankey.
The investment opportunity for pension funds is huge.
Institutional investors wish to invest at scale, an opportunity that India can offer across real assets, transportation, energy, digital, climate, and so on.
"Over the next 10 years, we see an investment opportunity of $700-800 billion, said Sanjiv Aggarwal, chief executive officer and managing director, NIIF.
He further said that with Indias macroeconomic situation improving, the risk of currency depreciation, an issue for institutional investors earlier, is not significant anymore.
Currently, the US is the largest jurisdiction for foreign portfolio investment (FPI) flows into India with assets under custody of Rs 32 trillion.
Industry experts say a substantial portion of these could be assets owned by pension funds.
Pension funds in the US invest via the active fund route and through exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
They give mandates to popular US funds, such as Fidelity, Pimco, Invesco and Templeton, to invest in global markets. They also invest via popular indices such as MSCI All Country World Index (ACWI).
In 2023, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB), one of the US governments main retirement funds with overall assets of over $600 billion, had decided to switch the benchmark index its uses for investing in global equities from the MSCI EAFE (Europe, Australasia, and the Far East) index to the MSCI ACWI Investible Market Index (IMI) ex-USA ex-China ex-Hong index.
The move was seen channelising inflows of $3.6 billion into the domestic market as India was not part of the MSCI EAFE index.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) is looking at a proposal to generate 1.5-2 direct jobs for every Rs 1 crore invested by companies under the proposed electronic components production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.
Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters
If this plan fructifies, a Rs 10,000 crore investment under the proposed PLI scheme would bring with it the expectation of creating 15,000-20,000 direct jobs in electronic components sector.
The ministry is also discussing two alternative proposals to link the electronic components PLI scheme with employment generation.
One proposal is to provide eligible companies an additional incentive if they meet their employment commitment year-on-year. The second is to reimburse incentives if eligible companies also meet their mandatory minimum employment targets set by the government.
A senior Meity official said: At an average overall level, we are looking at generation of direct employment for 1.5-2 people at a minimum for every Rs 1 crore investment made under the PLI scheme.
In meetings held between Meity and the stakeholders recently, the latter have raised some key concerns on the scheme.
One is how the government will monitor new job creation due to the peculiarities of the electronics industry.
A senior executive of an electronic components company, said: In electronics, you have large contract labour usage on a regular basis, especially when, say, a mobile phone client is launching a new phone.
"So, extra contract labour works for 3-5 months and comes again next year.
"To monitor this, the government will require big machinery across so many component makers.
The government already monitors contract labour for the PLI scheme for mobile devices.
But job commitments made by an eligible player is not a mandatory requirement for reimbursement of incentives.
This is unlike the proposal being discussed for the electronic components PLI.
Two, many say that linking eligibility of incentives directly with meeting employment targets might be counter productive.
Stakeholders argue that as the scheme will be for five years, it does not take into consideration that the job numbers may change.
These numbers may come down with new technology usage, which is common in electronics.
Without incorporating these technologies or automation, they cannot be competitive, they said.
They find the additional incentive scheme proposal more rational and effective.
The proposed scheme for which over Rs 35,000 crore is expected to be earmarked will cover a range of components.
The focus will be on manufacturing of sub assemblies like camera modules, display assemblies, mechanical parts, battery packs and vibrators, among others, as well as key areas like manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs).
The component scheme aims to add value to electronics finished products from mobile devices, laptops, PCs and servers, among others.
Currently, value addition in mobile devices manufactured in India is only 20 per cent and it is overly dependent on China for components.
As a result, the import bill for electronic components is only increasing with more local production of finished items.
Investment estimates vary widely. Some stakeholders, in their discussion with the government, have pegged it to over Rs 40,000 crore or even Rs 80,000 crore.
However, at least one stakeholder association has conveyed to the government that it sees a visibility of Rs 15,000-18,000 crore based on feedback from Indian and global companies.
These firms have shown an interest in investing but say an outreach programme will be needed to cater to more global players.
Meity has made it clear that there is no problem of finding money for the scheme from the government.
But it added that a clear picture is needed on which companies from India and abroad are ready to commit investments.
This is primarily to avoid challenges faced in many PLI schemes like mobile devices where many of the eligible Indian and global companies have failed to get an incentive.
They could not meet production or investment targets.
Know The Scheme
The bulk of Indian carriers flying to Dubai are low-cost carriers, which include IndiGo, Air India Express, and SpiceJet.
IMAGE: An Emirates Airbus A380-800 plane approaches for landing at Dubai airport. Photograph: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
The air route to Dubai is the busiest in India. And Indian carriers collectively have nearly bridged the gap in seat capacity between the two destinations with their rivals Emirates and low-cost flydubai, both of which are government-owned and have dominated this route.
According to Cirium, between April and July this year, Emirates and flydubai controlled more than half the seat capacity of 2.3 million and 36 per cent of the 9,410 flights.
But Indian carriers -- Air India (which included Air India, Air India Express, and Vistara), IndiGo, and SpiceJet -- have nearly bridged the gap.
These carriers offered 1.14 million seats in April-July as against the 1.16 million of Emirates/fly dubai.
The gap has been bridged primarily due to the government policy to freeze bilateral increase in capacity between India and Dubai.
Last October Emirates made a pitch before the government to increase its weekly seat entitlement from 65,000 seats, which remains unchanged for a decade.
It said such a move of freezing seats would only restrict capacity and force air fares to go up. But the Indian government has used the bilaterals to protect Indian carriers to exhaust their part of the entitlement, which is what they have done now.
However, the Indian carriers had more flights (5,977) than Emirates and flydubai (3,433). That is because Emirates flies only wide-bodied aircraft and low-cost fly dubai has limited flights.
In contrast the bulk of the Indian carriers flying to Dubai are low-cost carriers, which include IndiGo, Air India Express, and SpiceJet.
The Tata group, through the three carriers, has 550,536 seats, accounting for 23 per cent of the total.
But individually on top of the charts is IndiGo followed by Air India Express, Air India, SpiceJet, and Vistara.
Over 69 per cent of Indians travelling to Dubai on Emirates, analysts estimate, use it as a hub to fly to the United States and Europe.
However, the bulk of the travellers on Indian carriers fly direct between the two countries.
The freeze will also help Indian carriers like Air India to fly directly to the US and Europe rather than give up this business to West Asian carriers.
As regards the other UAE destination, Abu Dhabi, the story is different.
Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad Airways, together with low-cost Air Arabia Abu Dhabi (with which it has a code share agreement to fly from various destinations from Abu Dhabi), dominated the route in April-July with nearly 70 per cent of the seat capacity of 1.1 million, which is half the size of India-Dubai.
Indian carriers have given much smaller offers only 356,065 seats, with IndiGo, the largest player, with 182,592 seats and a 15.4 per cent share, followed by the three carriers of the Tata group with 173,475.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Steel companies are witnessing margin pressures in Q2FY25 and this may persist until China sees growth recovery.
Photograph: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters
For some categories of steel prices are at multi-year lows.
There's a partial offset since ore prices have dipped, and coal prices are also down.
Nevertheless, investors should brace for bearish news.
China's slow economy means a glut in cheap steel exports.
Indian steel majors continue to expand capacity. While this seeks to exploit higher long-term domestic demand, it will add to margin pressures until realisations improve.
In Q1FY25, Tata Steel and JSW Steel posted flat operating profit margins as higher volumes and lower input prices compensated for low steel prices.
But the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) saw a margin contraction.
NMDCs lower production helped with margin expansion due to lower royalty expenses.
In the steel pipes space, Surya Roshni (SYR) recorded strong margins due to a better mix of steel and lighting segments.
Apollo Tubes posted record volumes but margins were flat.
All steel companies are ramping up volumes with capacity expansion plans.
JSW Steel and Tata Steel are aiming for 40-50 million tonnes (MT) of steel capacity each by 2030.
NMDC is also targeting the 100 MT capacity mark by 2030.
In the steel pipe segment, Apollo Tube is expanding to the 5 MT mark while SYR announced fresh capex to augment capacities from 1.2 MT to 2 MT in two years.
The domestic demand outlook is long-term positive. India imported 1.9 MT of steel in Q1FY25, which was up 67 per cent Y-o-Y (down 11 per cent Q-o-Q), and exported 1.5 MT. About 85 per cent of imports were from China, South Korea, and Japan. Cheap imports are likely to persist till September at least.
Crude steel production in India rose 4 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) for the January-June period but dropped 2 percent month-on-month (M-o-M) in June to 12.1 MT.
During April-June 2024, finished steel imports to India rose 35 per cent Y-o-Y to 1.9 MT while exports from India fell 38 per cent Y-o-Y to 1.5 MT.
In July, prices of hot rolled coil (HRC) in China fell 3 per cent M-o-M, with 5 per cent M-o-M fall in Japan HRC and 9 per cent fall M-o-M in US HRC.
In India, primary long product prices declined 8 per cent M-o-M in July after falling 2 per cent M-o-M in June.
From August till now, primary long product prices decreased by 5 per cent M-o-M, while HRC prices are down 2 per cent.
In July, iron ore prices in Australia and China also fell 1 per cent M-o-M each.
From August till date, iron ore prices in China and Australia are down another 3 per cent M-o-M.
In India, NMDC took a price cut of Rs 600/tonne (lumps) and Rs 500/tonne (fines) in August, after a cut of Rs 500/tonne each at the end of June.
On average, domestic HRC and rebar prices have corrected by 6-12 per cent in Q2FY25.
Anti-dumping duty investigations by the European Union against several countries, including India, highlight growing trends of protectionism.
Indian HRC capacity, which was 51 MT in CY21, is likely to rise to 70 MT by CY25.
As capacity expands, more protectionism may drag down export opportunities and domestic prices.
Domestic steel prices are down 2-3 per cent M-o-M in August 2024.
Regional prices, led by China, have seen a 6-7 per cent M-o-M correction in August 2024. Domestic prices are at a premium of over 5 per cent to import parity so there's a downside.
Non-integrated units like Jindal Steel and Power and JSW Steel will be better-off due to sourcing cheap ore.
But the industry will struggle until the cycle turns.
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CERNOBBIO, Italy, September 6. We can achieve peace in the Southern Caucasus. It is reachable. The latest developments in the negotiation track between Azerbaijan and Armenia demonstrate that, said President Ilham Aliyev as he addressed the session titled Azerbaijan's role in the new geopolitical environment at the International Cernobbio Forum, Trend reports.
We are actively continuing negotiations, with almost 80 percent of the peace treaty paragraphs having been approved. We have already started the border delimitation process, and not only delimitation but also demarcation. Yes, its a first small step. Only about 13 kilometers of our border, which is more than 1000 kilometers. But it is a step in the right direction and we hope that Azerbaijans initiative to start peace negotiations will result in a peace treaty, the head of state pointed out.
In the event of the BJP's poor performance in the assembly polls this year and in early 2025, Modi's hold will get further weakened because he will no longer remain the invincible electoral persona tightly controlling the machine at his disposal, asserts Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi addresses the nation on Independence Day, August 15, 2023. Photograph: Altaf Hussain/Reuters
June 2 this year, was a day of furious excitement in New Delhi's corridors of power despite being Sunday.
The previous evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to the capital city after 'meditating', often under the devotional glare of television cameras for two days at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kanyakumari.
Barely 48 hours before the Election Commission of India was scheduled to start counting votes cast for the Lok Sabha elections and a few state assemblies that simultaneously went to the hustings, Union government officials knew this was not to be a lazy and relaxing day spent exchanging notes and expectations with family, friends and acquaintances.
Modi was as usual a charged up person on 'mission mode'. At his authoritative bidding, as many as 10 official meetings besides a couple of exchanges with party leaders on political matters were convened through the day.
Official meetings were aimed at underscoring that the response to every crisis, natural or otherwise, was anchored by Modi.
The 'never on a holiday' premier was to get back to work immediately after his so-termed spiritual sojourn and would kickstart with a low-down on the post-Cyclone Remal and chalking the roadmap ahead.
Subsequently, he reviewed the situation arising from a sharply contrasting climatic situation: The energy-sapping heatwave sweeping large parts of the country even as the voters braved it out in a schedule, inexplicably delayed by the Election Commission.
As planned, Modi oversaw preparations for World Environment Day celebrations, intended to be grander.
Predictably, an 'event' was scheduled for the prime minister on June 5 -- he planted a peepal tree at Delhi's Buddha Jayanti Park to launch the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (A tree in memory of mother) campaign.
Recently, Union Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav declared that 520 million saplings have been planted across the country as part of this campaign.
Yadav's declaration was eyebrow-raising in a country where reliable data is often not available.
Maybe, saplings were outsourced and the invoice provided a number.
But, getting back to the very-hectic-Sunday, the most important items listed on the prime ministerial hectic schedule were strategic sessions for outlining the new government's agenda for the first 100 days after assuming government for the third consecutive tenure.
Two days away from the results being declared, these meetings were scheduled as it was taken for granted that Modi would return to office with a thumping majority.
Almost every exit poll, the previous evening, forecast runaway victory -- differing solely on numbers but not on direction, or even magnitude, of the result.
Modi too, was certain of victory much before the Election Commission had even called the polls.
It would have been nothing short of unapologetic chutzpah that he directed creation of at least ten groups of senior officers as early as February.
Haughtily dubbed the Sectoral Group of Secretaries, each was handed out diverse subjects: Governance, infrastructure, security and economy etc to prepare plans for the first 100 days.
In election speeches, Modi publicised that he was preparing for the future -- not just 2047, but also the first 100 days of Tenure 3.0.
Such was the extent of Modi's confidence before he even began campaigning, that these meetings and their outcomes were reviewed at the highest levels of government.
Time, energy and resources were spent not just on what required immediate attention and action, but also on what for the breathless post-verdict narrative the leader 'desired'.
IMAGE: Modi meets with National Democratic Alliance leaders after the oath-taking ceremony in New Delhi, June 10, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo
Unfortunately for Modi, the outcome on June 4 sat in a different direction.
It was not just the BJP which was reduced to 240 in Lok Sabha, but the combined strength of the National Democratic Alliance was below 300 -- more than 100 short of the 400-paar ambition which was almost considered an article of faith.
It was clear that on the morning of June 5, despite the scheduled planting of the sapling, Modi would have woken up with the gnawing thought that he had to tackle something that was unprecedented.
In 23 years since October 2001, when he was appointed Gujarat chief minister, Modi governed always with an emphatic legislative majority.
He never worked with others when under pressure and forged common agreement. Consensual politics was alien for him.
How would he cope with this gargantuan challenge of not having a majority of his own, like in 2014-2019 and again from 2019-2024?
In a few days, Modi completes 100 days in office.
It is not known how much of the bureaucratic extravaganza, planned since February, will be eventually rolled out and if Modi will be able to announce any of the 'significant or big decisions that he declared during the election campaign.
IMAGE: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at Parliament. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo
In speech after speech, Modi mentioned these and stated that a 100-days blueprint was already prepared and only formalities remained for announcement of 'bold' decisions.
It appeared that everybody else in the government was immaterial.
All that mattered was Modi, and his team of loyal bureaucrats. Ministers were mere pen-pushers.
Media reports have it that all Union ministers were briefed in late August on 73 key decisions taken in nine priority areas so far.
Despite opposition to the Unified Pension Scheme it would be projected as a major step of the government while glossing over the fact that most unions active among government employees rejected this and reiterated demand for restoring the Old Pension Scheme.
Instead of assessing the government's likely promotional handout, it is prudent to list not-so-big decisions which Modi and his government took, but had to roll back because of protests from within his own ranks and from the Opposition.
The Agniveer Scheme was listed as one of the prime factors behind the BJP's tepid electoral performance.
Since the government's return to office, various paramilitary forces and the Haryana government decided to make job reservations for ex-Agniveers.
The myth created by Modi's publicists that he cannot be coerced into decisions went out of the window with this.
Efforts to provide a sugar-coated pill after four years of defence service was over shone light on compulsions of a reworked political order.
Subsequent to this, it might have been initially Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath's decision to counter efforts of his party's national leadership to replace him, but the Supreme Court saved the Centre by prohibiting enforcement of notices -- issued by the UP, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh governments, directing eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display owners' and employees' names.
Had the court not ruled against the directives, the Centre would have had to act given that a few coalition partners opposed the move.
Recently, withdrawal of the advertisement for lateral entry entrants in government services, retracting the draft Broadcast Bill, the decision to refer the Waqf Properties Bill to the Joint Parliamentary Committee -- a first since 2014 -- are some of the important announcements of the Centre which were perforce taken back.
In addition, proposals on Indexation Benefits and enhanced Long-term Capital Gain Tax in the Union Budget had to be toned down after a chorus of protests.
Besides this long list of declared policies being taken back before completion of 100 days in office, Modi faces unprecedented challenge from four quarters.
IMAGE: Modi being welcomed by Union Health Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party national President J P Nadda at the launch of the BJP's national membership drive at the party headquarters in New Delhi, September 2, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo
The first is obviously an emboldened Opposition with the lead being taken by a virtual reincarnate Rahul Gandhi, once derogatorily given the moniker of Pappu by the BJP.
Such name calling has disappeared since late 2022 after it became evident that there was a new Rahul Gandhi on the move as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
In the past three months, not only did the BJP have to take him seriously in Parliament, but he also spoke and acted with greater conviction.
The fact that he has not acted in a partisan manner, solely concerned with improving the prospects of his party, further raised his status.
After several decades, India finally has a Leader of the Opposition who speaks on behalf of the entire Opposition, not just his party.
Events starting with the offensive statements of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, days after the verdict when he listed basic attributes of a 'true sevak', to the recently concluded Akhil Bharatiya Samnvay Baithak in Palakkad, Kerala, it is clear that Modi faces a bitter lot within his own ideological fraternity.
The elections results demonstrated that J P Nadda's exaggerated claims notwithstanding, the BJP still requires the support of the RSS and its network for election campaigns as well as other social movements.
Enlisting their wholehearted support is the second challenge that Modi stares at when he completes 100 days in office.
This is particularly important as several affiliates of the RSS have begun flagging issues agitating the demographic group they work with -- for instance, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on student matters and the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh on workers' issues.
IMAGE: Modi with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Photograph: ANI Photo
Besides the RSS and its affiliates, Modi also faces a more aggressive set of colleagues within the party.
The most important among these is Yogi Adityanath who was never a Modi loyalist, but relations soured between them through the run-up to the parliamentary elections.
The UP chief minister has embarked on endearing himself to the extreme Hindu right wing constituency as Modi has to adopt a more centrist stance because of his diminished stature and electoral tally.
This has put a halt, at least temporarily, to the party's leadership to try forcing a change of leadership in the UP government.
The episode centred on Adityanath makes it amply clear that Modi's authority has declined within the party.
In the event of the party's poor performance in the assembly polls this year and in early 2025, Modi's hold will get further weakened because he will no longer remain the invincible electoral persona tightly controlling the machine at his disposal.
The fourth and the last challenge Modi faces is from the BJP's coalition partners.
What makes the problem acute is the fact that at 293, there are not many numbers to spare as the tally is barely 21 more than the magic mark in the Lok Sabha at 272.
Even though Modi was successful in securing the resignation of K C Tyagi as the Janata Dal-United spokesperson, after he spoke too harshly against Israel, the coalition partners have proved that they can be silent obstructionists.
Their hand was most evident in forcing the government to roll back some of its important policy initiatives.
Despite jubilation and celebration amid possibly a flurry of programmes, deep inside Modi will know that milestone of 100 days in his third tenure has not been marked as originally planned.
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay is an author and journalist based in Delhi-NCR.
His latest book is The Demolition, The Verdict and The Temple: The Definitive Book on the Ram Mandir Project.
He is also the author of Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
Full exemption for all health insurance premiums and reinsurance or a reduction in the GST rate from 18% to 5% on health insurance services is likely.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council in its meeting on Monday, September 9, 2024, 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 (Rs 6.5 billion) to Rs 3,500 crore (Rs 35 billion).
These four options have emerged from a detailed analysis by the Council's 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 34.95 billion), Rs 1,730 crore (Rs 17.30 billion), Rs 2,110 crore (Rs 21.10 billion), and Rs 645 crore (Rs 6.45 billion), 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 (Rs 2.10 billion).
However, it stressed that any reduction in life insurance taxes should be contingent upon insurance companies passing on the benefits to policyholders.
The panel's recommendations were based on data from the DFS, which showed that total health insurance premiums in India during FY23 were Rs 90,032 crore (Rs 900.32 billion), with the individual health insurance segment accounting for Rs 35,300 crore (Rs 353 billion), or 39 per cent of the total.
At the current 18 per cent GST rate, the government collected Rs 6,354 crore (Rs 65.34 billion) 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 "'nsurance 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 sector's development.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Israel's National Public Transportation Authority on Thursday held discussions, exercises and war games in preparation for a possible war.
IMAGE: A woman holds up a sign and a hand painted in yellow during a protest to show support for the hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, on September 5, 2024. Photograph: Florion Goga/Reuters
The exercises were held in light of the recent developments in the region, and as a preparation for the possibility of escalation of fighting with Hezbollah or an Iranian attack.
The war game held under the leadership of the Director General of the Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety, Moshe Ben Zaken, was attended by the Deputy Minister of Transportation, Rabbi Uri Makleb, the management of the National Authority for Public Transportation, representatives of the Home Front Command, chairmen and CEOs of all the public transportation companies, during which a photo was shown.
The national situation and a large number of possible scenarios were discussed and the tortures that will be given.
Among the issues discussed: improvement of the logistics system, development of advanced technologies, organization of manpower, training of professionals and coordination with various bodies in order to ensure that the service remains active and efficient even during extreme situations, including solutions for manpower during such a powerful war, and the continued expansion of factories essential to the activity the economy.
Mohammad Javed, one of the accused in the tailor Kanhaiya Lal murder case in Rajasthan's Udaipur in 2022, was on Thursday granted bail by the Rajasthan high court.
IMAGE: Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat pays tribute to the portrait Kanhaiya Lal, who was killed by two men in Udaipur, on July 4, 2022. Photograph: @gssjodhpur/X via ANI Photo
Javed had pleaded for bail in the Jaipur bench of the high court after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court denied him relief in the case.
Reacting to the development, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party used the case to gain electoral advantage, whereas BJP leader Rajendra Rathore said his party's government was committed to punishing the culprits behind the murder.
Through his counsel Syed Saadat Ali, Javed argued that he was arrested in the case based on phone call details whereas his location was not traced with the other accused involved in hatching the conspiracy.
Ali said the main accused are said to have gathered at a tea stall before the incident but the petitioner's location was not there.
No recovery has been made from him and that his guilt is yet to be established in a trial, and charges have already been framed, he said.
Considering the arguments of the defence counsel, the bench headed by Justice Pankaj Bhandari granted bail to Javed as his arrest was based upon his disclosure statement and other main accused in the matter.
Kanhaiya Lal was hacked to death at his shop in the busy Hathipole area of Udaipur in June 2022 by two cleaver-wielding men -- Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Gause -- for allegedly supporting a social media post against Islam, an incident that sent shockwaves across the country.
The case is being investigated by the NIA.
The charges were framed in the NIA court in Jaipur against 11 accused under various IPC sections including 302 (murder), 452 (trespassing) 153-a (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion etc), 295-a (deliberate and malicious acts, that are intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 120-b (criminal conspiracy) and unlawful activities (prevention) Act.
After the court's decision, Gehlot said in a post in Hindi on X, 'Today, an accused involved in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case was granted bail by the high court. The BJP used this murder case of Udaipur to gain electoral advantage, but the BJP-led central government's NIA did not show any special interest in ensuring punishment for the culprits.'
The Congress leader said the NIA took over the case in June 2022, but even after two-and-a-half years, the culprits could not be punished. The BJP government of the state also did not put any pressure for their early punishment, he alleged.
Gehlot said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah used the incident in the election campaign.
He said that his government gave Rs 50 lakh as compensation to the victim's family.
'But the BJP spread lies and took political advantage by claiming that the compensation amount given to the victim's family was Rs 5 lakh,' the former chief minister said.
He said the people of Rajasthan and the victim's family are asking whether the BJP will take only political advantage of this incident or will also try to provide justice.
Gehlot also claimed that the people have not forgotten that the two main accused in this murder case were BJP workers.
Hitting back at the former chief minister, BJP leader Rajendra Rathore said, 'Ashok Gehlot sahab, the BJP government is committed to punishing the culprits of the Kanhaiya Lal murder case. But how are you forgetting that 71 innocent people died in the Jaipur serial bomb blast but the terrorists were acquitted due to poor prosecution in the high court during the previous Congress government? Who was guilty of this then?'
Lal Kishenchand Advani, who revived the Bharatiya Janata Party after its 1984 drubbing (when it won only 2 Lok Sabha seats), received a renewed BJP membership certificate from BJP national President J P Nadda during the party's membership drive in New Delhi on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
Mr Advani, who turns 97 on November 8, has been unwell of late and has had two recent stints in hospital.
Photographs: ANI Photo
IMAGE: Mr Advani with the membership certificate.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Faizabad MP Lallu Singh made a sudden exit from a press conference in Ayodhya on Thursday stating that 'mafia elements are present on stage'.
IMAGE: Former BJP MP Lallu Singh. Photograph: ANI Photo
"I cannot sit with the mafia," said Singh as he abruptly left the press conference, which was organised by the BJP state leadership in Ayodhya.
Singh alleged that 'mafia elements were present on the stage', prompting him to rise and exit the premises.
Although Singh refrained from explicitly naming any individual, he unequivocally gestured towards BJP leader Shivendra Singh, who was seated on the stage.
"Mafia was present on the stage and I can never associate myself with such elements. I have consistently fought against the mafia, as they exploit and oppress society," Singh told the media persons.
The press conference was convened by BJP state general secretary Sanjay Rai at the Ayodhya circuit house regarding the membership drive.
Shivendra Singh was booked under attempt to murder and the Gangster Act and was lodged in Faizabad jail in 2018. He was later shifted to the Barabanki Jail.
Speaking to PTI, Singh said, "Former MP Lallu Singh personally campaigned throughout his entire election alongside notorious criminals and hardened history-sheeters, which ultimately led to his downfall in the election."
Lallu Singh lost the Faizabad seat to Samajwadi Party's Awdhesh Prasad in the Lok Sabha elections.
BJP Ayodhya spokesperson Rajneesh Singh said, "Lallu Singh has always adhered to political decorum throughout his political career".
"He has consistently distanced himself from criminals in his political endeavors, never aligning with them," he added.
Suspected militants fired two rockets in Manipur's Bishnupur district on Friday, killing one person and injuring five others, as tension gripped the Imphal Valley region following high-tech attacks over the past few days.
IMAGE: A team of Mobile Forensic Unit, DFS, Manipur collects evidence after what appeared to be a rocket attack, in the Moirang area of Bishnupur, Manipur, September 6, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo
The rocket attacks came after drones were employed to drop bombs on people at two nearby places in Imphal West district earlier this week.
Both are earlier unheard of in the state where ethnic violence left over 200 people dead and thousands homeless since May last year.
Thousands of people across five districts of the Imphal Valley formed human chains on Friday to protest the attacks by militants.
The Manipur government announced the closure of schools on September 7 in view of unrest arising out of bomb attacks.
Officials said that Friday's first rocket attack was reported around 4.30 am at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district, damaging two structures.
Around 3 pm, the second rocket fell on the compound of former chief minister Mairembam Koireng's residence in the busy Moirang town, killing an elderly man and injuring five others including a 13-year-old girl.
"Security forces are on high alert and moved towards the periphery of valley districts, notably on the side Bishnupur bordering Churachandpur, and Imphal West bordering Kangpokpi districts," a central security force official told PTI.
Officials said the "unguided" rocket missiles were locally improvised and were fired from elevated Thangjing hill ranges of Churachandpur district towards the low-lying Moirang town.
Following the two attacks within a gap of around 10 hours, all markets and business establishments were shut down in Moirang town and the rest of Bishnupur district and border areas of nearby districts of the state.
The attacks have revealed loopholes in the security system that has been laid down in the state to contain the conflict, an official said.
Local MLA T Shanti and minister L Sushinro Meitei visited the incident site and interacted with the locals.
"The people are clueless now. Earlier, when there was a gun attack, village volunteers who guarded peripheral villages retaliated to prevent the militants from advancing further. However, this is a new form of warfare, for which no one is prepared," a local village volunteer said.
In Friday's rocket attack, 72-year-old RK Rabei Singh was killed and five others were injured in the attack near the historic INA headquarters. The injured were admitted to hospital.
"Rabei Singh was preparing for some religious rituals in the compound when the bomb exploded," an official said.
The use of drones as a weapon was first noticed in Manipur on September 1 in Koutruk village in Imphal West district. In the attack in which guns were also used, two persons were killed and nine others were injured.
The remote-controlled small flying device was employed again in Senjam Chirang, around three km away, the next day, injuring three persons.
Meanwhile, the Manipur government in a notification said, "In view of unrest and prevailing situation in the state and keeping in mind the safety of students and teachers, all government and private schools, central schools will stay closed on September 7."
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, a conglomeration of valley-based civil bodies, has declared a "public emergency" across the five districts of Imphal valley with immediate effect.
It said, "The government cannot be further trusted to protect the lives of people. The public must decide its own way to protect themselves.
COCOMI also organised human chains in which school and college students, as well as women from various localities, lined up along roadsides in Thoubal Bazar, Lilong Chajing in Thoubal district, and Sekmai, Kwakeithel, Singjamei in Imphal West district raising slogans condemning the recent attacks in Koutruk and Senjam Chirang.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said India is not in favour of talks with Pakistan until terrorism ends, emphasizing that "talks and bombs cannot go together".
IMAGE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses during the launch of the BJP manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections 2024, in Jammu, September 6, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo
Shah made these remarks while releasing the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir, dismissing any possibility of dialogue with Pakistan amidst the ongoing terrorist activities.
Shah highlighted the significant reduction in terror-related incidents and stone-pelting in Jammu and Kashmir over the last 10 years, asserting that Article 370 has become "history" and will never return.
"Talks and bombs cannot go together. We are not open to talks with Pakistan unless terrorism ends. However, we will certainly talk to the youth of Kashmir," Shah told reporters in Jammu.
When asked about the National Conference and People's Democratic Party pushing for talks with Pakistan and the restoration of cross-LoC trade, Shah responded, "Until terrorism ends and the trade-terror ecosystem is dismantled, we cannot agree."
Shah also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for remaining silent on the manifesto of the National Conference advocating the restoration of Article 370.
"Congress must answer whether it supports the NC's agenda. Article 370 is history and no one can bring it back," he said.
The minister accused the previous governments of bowing to separatism, stating that peace, development and social justice returned after the abrogation of Article 370.
Shah arrived in Jammu on a two-day visit to kickstart the BJP's campaign for the upcoming assembly elections. This will be the first election in Jammu and Kashmir since its special status under Article 370 was revoked and it was reorganized into two Union territories in August 2019.
He said the separatists once held sway, making demands.
"But after 2014, when the history of India and J&K is written, these 10 years will be highlighted in golden words," he stated.
Shah emphasized peace, prosperity and development over the past decade.
"For years, Kashmir echoed with gunfire and bomb blasts. That changed in the last 10 years. Between 2004 and 2014, there were 7,217 terror-related incidents, but from 2014 to 2024, the number dropped to 2,272 a 70 percent decrease. Killings fell by 76 percent, civilian casualties by 80 percent, and there's been a significant drop in security force casualties."
He added that stone-pelting incidents fell from 2,654 in 2010 to zero after August 2019 and Pakistan-sponsored strikes also dropped from 132 to zero.
"No deaths or injuries from stone-pelting, compared to 112 fatalities in previous years," Shah said.
"Kashmir tourism has surged after 30 years. Night shows are now common, and Shia processions are allowed after 32 years. Record numbers attended the Amarnath Yatra and Vaishno Devi pilgrimage," he added.
Addressing concerns about the separatists entering politics, Shah said, "I have no worries about separatists. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have decided to support Narendra Modi in making J-K free of terrorism."
He also assured that the reservations granted to Gujjars, Bakerwals, Paharis, OBCs and Dalits would not be altered, responding to contradictions in the NC's manifesto.
On the NC manifesto, Shah asked, "How can a party issue such a manifesto with Congress backing it? Rahul Gandhi must clarify whether Congress agrees with NC's agenda. A simple yes or no."
"Silence won't work. The NC agenda calls for releasing stone pelters, reviewing cases of those arrested for terror links, and restoring Article 370 with two flags," he said.
Shah also warned the NC about their stance on reservations. "I want to tell Omar Abdullahno matter the outcome, we will not let you touch the reservations for Gujjars, Bakerwals, and Pahadis."
Commenting on Abdullah's decision to contest from two seats, Shah remarked, "He was initially hesitant due to fear, but now he's contesting two seats. However, the people are not with him."
Shah also discussed the rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri migrants, stating that a policy for their permanent settlement is in the works and efforts to return properties sold under duress during the height of terrorism are ongoing.
On the restoration of statehood, Shah reiterated that it would be restored at an appropriate time. "There's no reluctance. The demand for statehood is being used to mislead people."
Responding to Rahul Gandhi's comment that outsiders were ruling Jammu and Kashmir, Shah said, "Presidential rule was more prevalent under the Congress. The so-called leaders were in London while people here suffered."
He emphasised that security measures under the Narendra Modi's government have been fully implemented and reassured the public that no one should fear the future.
When asked about Abdullah's claim that the Muslims would not be suppressed in the valley, Shah dismissed it, saying, "There's no suppression happening in Kashmir."
He also ruled out the possibility of a hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the BJP would explore other possibilities, but dynastic rule by the PDP, NC and Congress was out of the question"
A two-hectare land parcel in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat falling under enemy property and linked to Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf has been auctioned for Rs 1.38 crore, officials said on Friday.
IMAGE: Pakistan's then military dictator General Pervez Musharraf listens to then prime minister Manmohan Singh (not in picture) in New Delhi, April 18, 2005. Photograph: B Mathur/Reuters
The property is located in Kotana village, Baraut tehsil of Baghpat and was declared as enemy property in 2010.
The classification of enemy property pertains to assets owned by Pakistani nationals in India which are managed by the Custodian Of Enemy Property, a department under the Union ministry of home affairs.
Musharraf, a former Pakistan military chief who seized power after a coup in the country in 1999, died in 2023.
He was born in Delhi in pre-Partition India.
Baraut's sub-divisional magistrate Amar Verma confirmed Musharraf's grandfather lived in Kotana.
"As far as the former Pakistan president is concerned, he was born in Delhi. He never came here. These people have joint land here".
"Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf's father Syed Musharrafuddin and mother Zarin Begum never lived in the village but his uncle Humayun lived here for a long time," Verma told PTI.
He said there is also a house in the village where Humayun lived before Independence. In 2010, this piece of land was declared enemy property and its auction was finalised at 10.30 pm on Thursday, he added.
The auctioned land, initially valued at Rs 39.06 lakh, fetched over Rs 1.38 crore and the proceeds from the sale will be deposited in the MHA department's account, a senior Baghpat administration official said.
"The land is recorded under the name 'Nuru' in our revenue records. There is no documented connection between this Nuru and Pervez Musharraf. The records only show that Nuru was a resident who left for Pakistan in 1965," Baghpat's additional district magistrate Pankaj Verma said.
He said the land was declared enemy property by the central government and was auctioned according to the established regulations.
The ADM also noted that the land, located about eight kilometres from Baraut tehsil in Kotana village, is not classified as residential.
Fissures have emerged in Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti over the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' with a Shiv Sena minister raising objection against ally Nationalist Congress Party and its president Ajit Pawar for 'omitting' Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's name from advertisements and promotional material of the scheme.
IMAGE: Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP leader Ajit Pawar. Photograph: ANI Photo
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Friday, state Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai, who belongs to the Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde, expressed disappointment over the Deputy CM Pawar virtually 'hijacking' the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin' scheme, which offers a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women in the state.
He said not using the full name of the scheme during his (Pawar's) public outreach programmes was not as per the protocol.
"The scheme has 'chief minister' in its name, and removing it from the scheme is inappropriate. It should not have been done," Desai alleged.
"It is a state government scheme and he (Pawar) should have taken everyone along," the excise minister said.
Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections likely to be held in November, Ajit Pawar, who is also the state Finance Minister, last month launched his party's 'Jan Sanman Yatra', a public outreach programme.
Its narrative is focused on the benefits of the financial assistance provided under the Ladki Bahin and other schemes.
The advertisements and other promotional material used during the campaign, the NCP is seen mentioning the name of the scheme as just 'Majhi Ladki Bahin' instead of the full name 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin' scheme.
The Ajit Pawar camp has also released two videos in which the beneficiaries were shown thanking Ajit Pawar for the scheme.
The Ladki Bahin scheme was inspired by the Ladli Behana scheme launched in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh ahead of the assembly polls in that state.
The Ladki Bahin scheme was formally launched last month. Speaking during rallies, CM Shinde has promised that if the Mahayuti is elected to power again, it would double the amount of the scheme to Rs 3,000.
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
CERNOBBIO, Italy, September 6. Azerbaijan is an excellent example of ensuring stability in the region, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told reporters, Trend reports.
Azerbaijan is an example of how to achieve peace. You know how to use your potential to create stability, he said on the sidelines of the International Forum in Cernobbio on the theme Information on the World, Europe, and Italy.
To note, on 6 September, the 50th anniversary of the International Forum of Cernobbio (TEHA Forum) on the theme "Today's and tomorrow's scenario for competitive strategies," organized by the Italian think tank "European House - Ambrosetti," started.
The forum will be attended by Heads of State and Governments of six countries, heads of 13 local administrations, and 11 Italian Ministers - in total speakers on political, academic, institutional, and business issues and guests from 27 countries. Every year, 300 speakers address the forum, and up to 400 reporters cover the event.
A motivational and spiritual speaker stoked controversy by his remarks on karma and rebirth, and allegedly blamed children for their struggles in life on Teachers Day, prompting the Tamil Nadu government to take action against him.
Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo
State school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi assured that action will be taken against the speaker for his controversial speech at a government school in Chennai.
Members of the Democratic Youth Federation of India and Students Federation of India staged a protest in Chennai questioning the school education department for permitting spiritual awakening classes in state-run schools at Saidapet and Ashok Nagar, and demanded action against the speaker "Maha Vishnu" who runs Paramporul Foundation, an NGO.
Two government schools that invited Maha Vishnu to deliver a motivational speech also faced criticism, as he had used the school premises to blame the children and for brazenly addressing a differently-abled teacher who confronted him for his religious remarks.
In his speech, he had blamed the British for systematically destroying Gurukulams and claimed that by mere chanting of certain mantras one could cause a rain of fire, cure ailments and even fly.
"All these were written as scriptures by our ancestors but the British erased them," he had said in a video that went viral.
"If God was kind, everyone should be born equal. One is born rich or poor, a criminal or a hero. Why such differences? You have been given in this life based on what you did in your previous birth," he had said.
At this, a teacher objected and said, in the video, that he was invited for a motivational talk and not spiritual discourse on school premises. This led to an argument with Maha Vishnu who accused him of having "ego issues."
Amid the controversy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that he had been emphasising the importance of education and the need to develop scientific thinking at numerous events since the last three years.
"Science is the way to progress," he said in a post on the social media platform X on Friday.
The best scientific ideas that the students needed to know were available in the high-quality textbooks. The teachers could bring out the best ideas needed to face future challenges with confidence and enhance knowledge, he said.
"Steps will be taken by the school education department to provide the necessary innovative training, and social education with the help of appropriate departmental experts and scholars," the chief minister said.
He had ordered the formulation and issuance of new guidelines to regulate various programmes in schools across Tamil Nadu, ensuring that all the school children who are the future generation received progressive scientific ideas and lifestyles.
Expressing shock over the speech, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai claimed the speaker made irrational comments to promote superstition under the guise of a self-confidence motivation programme in a girls' school.
"I strongly condemn the speaker for publicly uttering Sanatana ideas which incite certain religious sentiments among the students. I welcome the transfer of the headmistress who organised this event," Selvaperunthagai said in a statement in Chennai.
The attempt of communal forces to infiltrate Tamil Nadu in the name of God and religion cannot be allowed in the land of rationalist leader Periyar Ramasamy and great leader Kamaraj, he said and stressed that schools should be a common place for all religions.
PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss accused the speaker of converting the school premises into a veritable ground for propagating superstitions and called for stringent action against the perpetrator.
Congress MP from Karur Jothimani condemned the incident and said this would undermine all efforts of the government's ideological battle.
"The government must act against whoever invited and allowed him to speak against the scientific temper, the very basic foundation of our education system, and humiliate the teacher who asked the right question," she said in a post on X.
Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram, who took to X said, "distressing to see a charlatan peddle gobbledygook in a government school in Tamil Nadu."
Meanwhile, a source in the school education department said the principals of the two schools who invited Maha Vishnu have been transferred and a departmental inquiry was on.
Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party state vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy sought to know why the school principal was transferred though she had clarified that the lecture was organised to motivate the students and that no religious comments were expressed.
The Minister's action on the principal, based on some social media posts, was not only ridiculous but also reprehensible, the BJP leader said.
"Without knowing that spirituality is science, the Tamil Nadu government is supporting the inimical forces that are sowing anti-Hindu thoughts in the name of rationality," he said in a post on the social media platform X and demanded that the government withdraw the transfer action initiated on the principal.
In another post, Narayanan wondered whether the Indian Constitution stated that spirituality should not be discussed in government schools.
Flood waters have largely receded from several affected places in Vijayawada but fresh rainfall and the third breach in Budameru rivulet resulted in flooding again in parts of the city.
IMAGE: A drone visual of the flood-affected areas of Vijayawada city amid torrential rains in Andhra Pradesh, September 6, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo
Mohammed Ilyas (50), one of the victims of the unprecedented deluge in Vijayawada and a resident of Ajit Singh Nagar mini stadium area, said several families which returned to salvage their belongings thinking that the water had receded were compelled to beat a hasty retreat.
"Yesterday (Thursday), floodwaters receded but it rained last night as a result of which and also water gushing in from the Budameru breach (which is yet to be closed) is resulting in inundation again," Ilyas told PTI.
Local people had hoped that all the floodwater would be cleared by Friday but the opposite occurred.
On Friday, he said the flood water level rose up to four feet and some local residents who came back had to return to safety as they feared water would enter their homes, he said.
According to the Ajit Singh Nagar resident, whose home was flooded up to the ceiling fan level at the peak of the deluge, causing a loss of at least Rs 5 lakh, the floods would not stop until the third Budameru breach is closed.
Budameru, a local rivulet which passes through Vijayawada city wreaked havoc, inundating swathes of the city and destroying everything in its path.
Meanwhile, a group of flood victims protested at Ajit Singh Nagar Pipula Road area on Friday, complaining that residents from 10 streets near Ampapuram village did not receive flood relief.
They called for a permanent solution to the issue of flooding and lamented that they have no protection even after building houses worth lakhs of rupees by taking loans.
Claiming that they have been going through tough times over the past six days, the protesters alleged that neither public representatives nor officials visited them.
Uncertain over how long the ordeal will go on, the protesters complained that they were not receiving drinking water or food and no transport facility such as boats were available to venture out for supplies.
Left party leader Ch Babu Rao met the protesters and expressed solidarity with them.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department noted that the cyclonic circulation associated with the existing low pressure over Bay of Bengal sea is likely to move northwards slowly and intensify into a depression over northwest Bay of Bengal, and adjoining areas of the Gangetic West Bengal, north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts around September 9.
Meanwhile, the official death toll due to the floods rose to 33 by 6 pm on Friday while Sundara Ramayya, a flood victim, who left Vijayawada for Warangal told PTI that the number of dead could be higher.
Also, 46,320 flood-hit people have been accommodated in 226 relief camps while 50 National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force teams continue with their relief and rehabilitation work, said an official press release.
The APSRTC has arranged 227 buses to ferry passengers from surrounding railway stations to Vijayawada, among other relief operations.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu undertook an aerial survey of the flooded regions around Budameru on Friday.
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.
IMAGE: Bollywood film director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri. Photograph: ANI Photo
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.
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.'
'Nitish Kumar may take a decision to dump the BJP alliance by November.'
IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar greets Bharatiya Janata Party President J P Nadda at his residence in Patna, September 6, 2024. Photograph: Bihar CMO
Is Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is also president of the Janata Dal- United, a major ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, set to change sides again?
Speculation is abuzz in Patna that Nitish Kumar is not comfortable in the NDA and could rejoin hands with Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal to contest next year's assembly polls.
The provocation for such political gossip is Nitish Kumar's meeting with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly, twice in recent days.
"Aane wala samay mein kuch bada hone wala hai (Something big will happen in coming days)," says RJD MLA Bhai Virendar, adding that in politics no one is a permanent enemy or friend, it all depend on the situation.
Though JD-U leaders are reluctant to say anything about this in public, privately they don't rule out anything.
"Nitish Kumar can change sides again as his ongoing inning with the BJP is neither smooth nor trouble free," says a senior JD-U leader, speaking on condition of anonymity. The BJP's stand on caste census, reservations and the Waqf amendment have apparently perturbed Nitish Kumar.
"Nitish Kumar senses the BJP's plan to use Prashant Kishor against the JD-U in next year's polls, a repeat of what Chirag Paswan had done in the 2020 assembly polls that weakened the party position," adds this JD-U leader.
"Nitish Kumar may take a decision to dump the BJP alliance by November," surmises the senior JD-U leader.
IMAGE: Nitish Kumar ties a rakhi on a tree on Raksha Bandhan to mark Vriksha Sukarksha Diwas in Patna, August 19, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo
According to sources close to the JD-U and RJD, a close aide of Nitish Kumar met with a close aide of Tejashwi Yadav in recent days. "That meeting was important because it formally began the process to finalise a deal between the JD-U and RJD. The real picture will take time to emerge, but one thing is certain: This smoke is not without a fire."
Nitish Kumar may dissolve the assembly and go for an early election by February or March, sources suggest.
On January 28, 2024, Nitish Kumar dumped the RJD led Mahagathbandhan and rejoined hands with the BJP and formed the NDA government in Bihar.
Nitish Kumar ended his 17-year alliance with the BJP in 2013 and joined the RJD and Congress in 2015, won the state assembly polls and formed the government.
In 2017, he dumped the Mahagathbandan, rejoined the NDA and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and 2020 assembly polls with the BJP.
In 2022, he dumped the BJP and joined hands with the RJD.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'Ajit Doval said, "They are threatening us now".'
A revealing excerpt from former RA&W chief A S Dulat's A Life in the Shadows: A Memoir.
IMAGE: Two Taliban officials watch the hijacked Indian Airlines jet parked at Kandahar airport, December 27, 1999. Photograph: Muzammil Pasha/Reuters
On 24 December 1999, flight IC-814 with 178 passengers and eleven crew members left Kathmandu for Delhi. It entered Indian airspace at 5.30 pm.
According to interviews with the crew later, first a masked man stood up and threatened to blow up the plane.
Four others in red masks got up and positioned themselves at different points in the aircraft.
They directed the pilot, Captain Devi Sharan, to fly to Lahore, but Pakistan, clearly worried about the possible consequences of a hijacked Indian plane on its territory, refused permission for it to enter Pakistani airspace.
Sharan then pleaded that there was insufficient fuel on board the flight and persuaded the hijackers to allow him to land the plane at Amritsar.
In less than an hour, the aircraft was suddenly airborne again. It went on to Lahore where it refuelled and was asked to immediately leave.
Next, it flew to Dubai by which time one passenger had been stabbed to death and some others injured.
Twenty-six passengers were released in Dubai. From there, the plane was taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan, under Taliban control at the time.
Soon after the plane landed in Kandahar, we realized that we had fully lost control.
As a country, we had no dealings with the Taliban, which was in control in Afghanistan. India's relations with Pakistan, at the time, were also not great.
It was, to say the least, a tough situation.
One of the things that we -- the Cabinet Committee on Security -- decided at that point was that it would be best to send some people of ours to Kandahar.
The hijackers were demanding the release of Masood Azhar and someone was required there to negotiate. To me and Shyamal Datta, Brajesh said: 'Apne log bhej do. (Send some of your men.)'
'The best on our side are C D Sahay and Anand Ami,' I said. 'They're both operational officers who know Afghanistan.'
It was Shyamal who said: 'The best in the IB are Ajit Doval and Nehchal Sandhu.'
IMAGE: A masked hijacker with a pistol walks with Afghan Taliban, left, and Ajit K Doval, right, prior to freeing the Indian Airlines plane. Photograph: Muzammil Pasha/Reuters
The MEA separately tagged Joint Secretary Vivek Katju along. It was a time of high pressure and high stakes.
The Government of India took a week to decide what to do, even as protests raged outside 7 Race Course Road.
I can only imagine what must have been going through the minds of the hostages, their terrified families waiting here for some kind of news and our negotiators in Kandahar, among whom was Ajit.
What I was surprised about was that it was Doval -- rather than C D Sahay -- who was calling me for advice on what to do.
It's ironic that I came into play here, and it's possibly because I listen to what people say.
'Jaldi faisla karwaiye.' he urged me.
'Yahan bahut pressure hai. Pata nahin kya ho sakta hai idhar. (Get the government to decide soon. There is a lot of pressure here. Don't know what may happen here.)' They have started saying that if you cannot negotiate and cannot come to an agreement, then take the aircraft. We don't care where the hell you go.'
IMAGE: Talibs with US made Stinger surface-to-air missiles as they pass close to the hijacked IC-814. Photograph: Muzammil Pasha/Reuters
It's always difficult to imagine a man like Doval giving up hope.
There are people who argue that we shouldn't ever negotiate, but in situations like this, even the Israelis -- acknowledged to be among the toughest intelligence agencies -- are known to negotiate.
In crises like these, negotiating is sometimes the only option.
Jaswant Singh, then minister of external affairs, addressed the issue in his book, A Call to Honour' where he argued that national security decisions are always clad in multiple shades of grey.
The decision to release terrorists, he argued, was no doubt a bad one, but it would have been worse to risk the lives of 160 innocent civilians.
If given a choice, Singh argued, he would always lean towards saving lives.
IMAGE: Then foreign minister Jaswant Singh at a news conference in New Delhi, January 1, 2000, the day after IC-814 with passengers and crew returned to India. Photograph: Kamal Kishore/Reuters
In hindsight, it was a time of very different men holding very different opinions. L K Advani never openly said so, but he disapproved thoroughly of negotiating with terrorists.
Doval, being Advani's man, possibly felt the same way, but because he was in a far more difficult situation, he wanted the earliest resolution.
Yet another opponent to the idea of releasing these prisoners -- though not in Delhi -- was, of course, Farooq Abdullah, but that is a story I have recounted in The Vajpayee Years.
It is a long story, and it has been told too often, but the sad truth is that the Government of India took too long to decide.
As foreign minister, Jaswant Singh was a lonely man in those days.
Nobody was responding to him, from the United States to Great Britain.
At the bitter end, he even tried the Taliban foreign minister, to no avail.
That is why when the decision to release the prisoners was taken, Jaswant Singh immediately raised his hand and asked: 'Atalji, main saath mein chala jaoon? (Atalji, shall I go with them?)'
He was a man, made despondent by the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders and I felt terrible for him.
Not surprisingly, then, negotiation is also an option that comes with great mental and emotional strain.
Equally naturally, then, Ajit was under immense pressure. He kept me in the loop all through the negotiations.
On the morning of 30 December 1999, before the meeting to release the prisoners was to take place, he called me.
'Sir,' he said, 'Yahan rehna bada mushkil hai. (Sir, it's difficult to stay here.) They are threatening us now. They say if you cannot come to an agreement, get out. We don't know what will happen to either us or the hostages.'
Excerpted from A Life in the Shadows: A Memoir by A S Dulat, HarperCollins, with the publisher's kind permission
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
Last updated on: September 06, 2024 09:24 IST
IMAGE: This crocodile decided to visit the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda campus. Photograph: ANI Photo
A river of clouds!
The Top Videos of the Week, listed by Shailajanand Mishra.
Also see: When the Indian Army adopts a village...
And the 'whale of the sky'.
Videos chosen by you through your likes on iShare.
Have You Ever Seen Clouds Roll Off A Mountain?
Location: Obergoms
It's an amazing sight!
And it's called a Foehn (German for hairdryer).
This took place on the Swiss Alps when masses of clouds seemingly avalanched into the Grimsel Pass.
All Videos: ANI
What Would You Do If You Saw A 11-Foot Crocodile In Your College?
Location: Vadodara
Possible run in the opposite direction, as fast as you can. Not the forest department officials though.
Incidentally, this was not the only croc they helped.
"We have rescued 10 crocodiles in five days," says Range Forest Officer Karansinh Rajput. Including one that was a massive 14 feet long.
The Whale Of The Sky
Location: Rangareddy
Check out the Airbus Beluga.
When The Indian Army Adopts A Village...
Location: Poonch
Topi Pir, located in the heart of the Pir Panjal mountain range, was once remote and underdeveloped.
Now that the Indian Army has adopted this village, take a look at the changes that are taking place.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Brattleboro, VT (05301)
Today
Areas of patchy fog early. Partly cloudy. High near 65F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..
Tonight
Mainly clear. Low near 40F. Winds light and variable.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)
Today
Areas of patchy fog early. Partly cloudy. High near 65F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..
Tonight
A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 39F. Winds light and variable.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, in his letter, thanked Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov for his Independence Day greetings, Trend reports.
In the letter, Shmyhall noted that Ukraine highly appreciates humanitarian aid provided by Azerbaijan.
He expressed hope for the expansion of Azerbaijan's participation in projects of reconstruction of important civil infrastructure in Ukraine, in particular, the energy system.
The Ukrainian Prime Minister also wished peace and prosperity to the friendly Azerbaijani people.
The Womens Freedom Center is the local organization in Windham and Southern Windsor County working to end domestic and sexual violence. Follow the WFC on Facebook at Women's Freedom Center and at www.womensfreedomcenter.net. You can reach an advocate on its 24-hour crisis line at 802-254-6954.
Access4 has appointed former Oracle regional manager of channels and alliances for Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ) Greg Round as its head of strategic partnerships.
In the newly-created role, Round will lead the voice and unified communication-as-a-service wholesale vendors new bids and tenders team from Melbourne, supporting partners in A/NZ to identify and win private and public contracts in the enterprise and government space.
The structure of the team is yet to be revealed, with the vendor adding it will present its makeup at its annual partner conference on 15 September.
Access4 claimed the establishment of this team represents its ongoing investment into helping its partners win larger and more complex deals.
Round comes into the position with over 25 years of new business development and channel partner management experience in IT. In addition to his role at Oracle, which he held for a year, he also worked at Symbio and Alloy Computer Products, among other companies.
Greg is an experienced and trusted identity within the Australian ICT industry and we believe his experience, network and leadership with be invaluable to our partner community as we launch this new initiative, Access4 managing director Tim Jackson said.
CERNOBBIO, Italy, September 6. The 50th Anniversary International Cernobbio Forum (TEHA Forum) on Today's and Tomorrow's Scenario for Competitive Strategies, organized by Italian think tank The European HouseAmbrosetti, has started its work in Italy, Trend reports.
According to the information, the traditional forum, which will be held from September 6 through 8 at Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como, is expected to be attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the Council of Ministers of Italy Giorgia Meloni, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban and Queen of Jordan Rania Al Abdullah. To this end, Italian President Sergio Mattarella sent a video message to the participants of the international event.
The forum will feature heads of state and government from six countries, leaders of 13 local administrative bodies, and 11 Italian ministers - overall, speakers on political, academic, institutional, and business topics, along with guests from 27 countries. Each year, the forum hosts 300 speakers and is covered by up to 400 journalists. The socio-economic benefit of the forum for Italy is approximately four million euro, with its contribution to the country's GDP totaling two million euro.
The international event, the Cernobbio Forum, held annually since 1975 in September, addresses current issues and challenges facing the global economy and society. The first day of the event is typically dedicated to global issues in economic, geopolitical, scientific, and technological fields. The second day focuses on Europe, discussing the most pressing issues related to the European Union. The third day is dedicated to Italy and features participation from government representatives, officials, and key figures in business and finance.
This year's forum at Villa d'Este includes a photo exhibition titled "50-year view of the world".
Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Ukraine is meeting with allies today at the Ramstein air base in Germany to discuss further military aid. The meeting is with Western allies, NATO and EU members, and others. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is attending personally, planning to ask for U.S. cruise missiles (JASSMs).
Welcome to The Azadi Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that unpacks the key issues in Afghanistan. To subscribe, click here.
I'm Abubakar Siddique, a senior correspondent at RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. Here's what I've been tracking and what I'm keeping an eye on in the days ahead.
The Key Issue
The Taliban's spiritual leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, appears to have made a rare trip outside his stronghold in southern Afghanistan.
The reclusive leader seldom leaves the southern city of Kandahar, which is known as the birthplace of the Taliban and has become the de facto capital under the militant groups rule.
But this week, the Taliban said Akhundzada travelled to northern Afghanistan in what is believed to be his first trip to the region since the groups takeover in 2021.
Videos uploaded by the Taliban on social media showed a long convoy of armored cars traveling to cities and towns in the provinces of Badghis, Faryab, Jowzjan, Balkh, and Samangan.
Akhundzada was not seen in any of the videos or photos released by the Taliban. In its press statements, the Taliban said he met local officials and called on them to enforce a new draconian morality law.
Adopted on August 21, the widely condemned law imposes severe restrictions on the appearances and movements of women and men.
Why It's Important: Akhundzada, a hard-line cleric, is believed to only meet a small cadre of Taliban officials and avoids public appearances. He has rarely met foreign diplomats or dignitaries visiting Afghanistan. The Taliban chief also avoids being photographed or filmed.
Sami Yousafzai, a veteran Afghan journalist and commentator, said Akhundzadas trip to northern Afghanistan was aimed at projecting power and confidence.
As the Talibans Amir ul-Momineen," or leader of the faithful, Akhundzada has the final say on all important matters.
Akhundzadas extremist policies, many of them reminiscent of those under the Talibans brutal regime in the 1990s, has made the militant group an international pariah.
What's Next: Its unclear whether Akhundzada will play a more active and visible role, or if his recent trip was a one-off.
But what is clear is that he has consolidated power and empowered extremist clerics within the Taliban, despite growing internal opposition to his policies.
What To Keep An Eye On
Afghan migrants and refugees have complained that they are being detained and harassed in neighboring Pakistan.
Police detained a group of Afghans in a neighborhood in the capital, Islamabad, on September 4.
"We were scared and surprised," Sabira, an Afghan woman, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi.
She said police questioned several Afghan families visiting a park in Islamabad's B-17 neighborhood.
Why It's Important: The detentions appear to suggest the Pakistani authorities could launch a new crackdown on Afghans.
Last year, Islamabad expelled more than 500,000 Afghans as part of its campaign to deport undocumented migrants from the country.
Earlier this year, Pakistan suspended the planned expulsion of more Afghans amid mounting international pressure.
That's all from me for now.
Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have. You can always reach us at azadi.english@rferl.org
Until next time,
Abubakar Siddique
If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.
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
SARAJEVO -- Amid a growing push for transparency, Sarajevo police have chosen to use body cameras from a controversial Chinese company that is under scrutiny in Canada and the European Union and blacklisted in the United States over national security concerns.
RFE/RL reporting shows that despite those warnings -- which also include charges from the U.S. Justice Department of industrial espionage -- the Sarajevo Cantons Interior Ministry decided to purchase 200 police body cams in 2023 from Hytera, a partially state-owned Chinese manufacturer, for a pilot program launched on July 1.
This local-level episode comes amid an evolving conversation across Europe over the use of Chinese telecommunications equipment in government programs. While the United States has been the strictest -- banning surveillance cameras and other equipment made by Chinese giants like Huawei, ZTE, Dahua, and Hikvision -- European governments like Britain, Germany, France, and the Baltic states are also updating their procurement systems amid growing probes into security risks and lax data practices on a collection of Chinese firms.
In Bosnia-Herzegovina and elsewhere across the Balkans, budget-conscious governments have increasingly turned to affordable Chinese equipment with little public debate about the potential security implications.
In the case of the 200,000-euro ($222,000) sale of the police body cams -- small video cameras worn by an officer to record arrests and provide evidence from crime scenes -- Sarajevo Canton Interior Minister Admir Katica has not said publicly that the equipment is made by Hytera or that the company has been blacklisted in the United States and is under mounting scrutiny.
When asked by RFE/RL if they were aware of the accusations and that Hytera has been blacklisted by the U.S. government, the Sarajevo Canton Interior Ministry said only that Bosnia's law on public procurement "does not give the possibility to exclude a certain bidder according to the criteria stated in the question."
Drazen Vidakovic, an attorney who previously worked for Bosnia's Public Procurement Agency, told RFE/RL that local procurement law does grant provisions for a supplier to be excluded over criminal proceedings, but applying this to international charges is difficult.
"An offer can be rejected due to gross professional misconduct, [and] industrial espionage could be considered part of gross professional misconduct," Vidakovic said. "But it's difficult to prove because the ruling was not made according to our laws, so we don't have any judgment of ours to cite."
A Closer Look At Hytera
Hytera Communications was founded in 1993 and is best known for its walkie-talkies, radio transceivers, radio systems, and bodycams like those bought for the Sarajevo police.
The Chinese government owns approximately 10 percent of Hytera through an investment fund, and sales and imports of its equipment were banned in the United States after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled in 2021 that the firm is one of several Chinese companies that pose an "unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons."
The Chinese firm has also been embroiled in a multiyear legal fight in the United States over charges that it stole trade secrets from the U.S. telecommunications company Motorola, a leading firm on the global market for police body cams, in addition to Hytera and Axon -- another U.S. manufacturer. A U.S. jury ruled in favor of Motorola against Hytera in 2020 and awarded more than $748 million in damages.
A new criminal trial against Hytera for allegations of theft and copyright infringement from Motorola is set to begin in October.
Hytera did not respond to multiple RFE/RL requests for comment about the body-cam sale to Sarajevo Canton, the legal case with Motorola, or security risks posed by its products.
Conor Healy, the director of government research at IPVM, a surveillance-industry research firm, says the response of officials from the cantons Interior Ministry is insufficient.
"This is a common excuse from public agencies around the world," he told RFE/RL. "The reality is that procurement regulations almost always provide some latitude to exclude suppliers on legitimate grounds.
"[Were] the police really powerless to refrain from doing business with a criminally indicted company?" Healy added. "If that is really true, then there is a problem in the procurement law."
In Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the country's national police service, faced a backlash in 2022 for buying Hytera body cams and eventually suspended a contract with its local subsidiary. A later review found that the equipment did not lead to any security breaches, but the incident led to an overall change in the RCMP's procurement system.
Some EU government institutions have also begun to phase out Hytera equipment.
An RFE/RL review of procurement records for the European External Affairs Service (EEAS), the EU's diplomatic service, shows that it has begun to replace Hytera equipment in use at its headquarters in Brussels and several other offices around the world with Motorola equipment.
"The replacement of the radio equipment is based on the technical and operational assessment of the EU delegations," the EEAS said.
Sarajevo's Pilot Program
The pilot program for the cameras was first promised in 2021 when the newly elected local government for Sarajevo Canton announced that it wanted to improve the transparency and efficiency of the police force.
The equipment was acquired from a Sarajevo-based supplier called MIBO Komunikacije in November 2023 and the program launched on July 1 is a pilot program involving traffic police in the canton, marking the first units to use body cams in Bosnia.
In a statement to RFE/RL, the canton's Interior Ministry said the body cams are in a trial period to gauge both how they are received by the public and by police officers.
One issue raised by Healy with the purchase of Hytera equipment is that in addition to the cameras, part of the sale also includes software from the company for downloading footage from cameras and managing material, which could come with weak security for protecting data from the body cams.
"I think there is a lot of data that body cameras record and the security of such a database is very important," Healy said.
The ministry said its Professional Standards Unit, as well as the Internal Control Department, have access to the material recorded by the camera and are taking steps to manage it.
The recorded material is kept on the storage system for 30 days, while during the test period of using this equipment the recording will only be kept for seven days, the ministry said.
Healy, however, says that relying on Hyteras software comes with risks given that similar programs from its peer companies for surveillance cameras, such as Dahua and Hikvision, have faced data breaches, had documented vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers, and have even been accused of providing access to elements of the Chinese government, a charge that the companies have denied.
How many times have we heard companies say that they cant access your data and then it turned out to be untrue? Healy said. I hope police in Sarajevo understand how sensitive the data they are recording and storing is.
Written by Reid Standish in Prague based on reporting by Meliha Kesmer and Andi Mioc in Sarajevo
On March 12, 2018, just before 6 p.m. in Moscow, Aleksandr Ionov, a well-traveled Russian man with a penchant for tailored three-piece suits, sent a series of text messages to a local phone number regarding a quixotic effort to get the state of California to secede from the United States.
Two years earlier, Ionov, who ran an NGO called the Anti-Globalization Movement, had helped marginal California pro-secession activists set up an office in the Russian capital and had hosted them and other activists from around the world at a Moscow conference called the Dialogue of Nations.
The first two messages Ionov sent were links to U.S. news articles about California's secession.
"You wanted turmoil," Ionov then wrote. "You got it."
The recipient of the message, according to U.S. officials, was Yegor Popov, an officer in Russia's main intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB). Popov's superior was Aleksei Sukhodolov, a unit chief in a division called the Service for the Protection of the Constitutional System and the Fight Against Terrorism, informally known as the Second Directorate.
The messages are included in dozens of pages of chat logs obtained by U.S. authorities that were released in U.S. court proceedings, revealing FSB officers' internal discussions of coordination with American activists, some of whom went on trial in U.S. federal court in Florida this week.
While a handful of quotes from the chats were previously included in U.S. indictments, the detailed transcripts -- some four dozen pages -- had not previously released publicly.
In addition to details of the FSB officers' work on U.S. politics, the messages also reveal their discussions of government critics, FSB bureaucracy, independent media the Kremlin sees as hostile to its interests, and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ionov, Popov, and Sukhodolov -- along with two other FSB officers, Yevgeny Vistorpovsky and Aleksei Mityagin -- allegedly engaged in a multiyear effort to work with several groups of American activists "who provided the FSB with the informationto sow division inside the U.S."
Ionov and the FSB officers have all been identified publicly, with Popov and Sukhodolov indicted by the Justice Department alongside Ionov last year. It's highly unlikely any will ever be tried in a U.S. courtroom.
On July 29, 2022, the day U.S. prosecutors announced the first indictment, Ionov texted Popov a euphemism roughly translating as "friggin' frick."
"Trash the phones," he wrote.
Back Up To The Cloud
The broad outlines of the effort orchestrated by Ionov and his FSB handlers were initially described in the 24-page indictment issued in July 2022, followed by the second indictment issued 10 months later.
The detailed transcripts of the chats were entered into the record in the Florida federal case last month, on August 21, shortly before the opening of the trial of the American activists accused of coordinating with the FSB officers.
The transcripts were included in a filing by a defense lawyer for one of the activists, Penny Hess, who argued they should not be allowed to be introduced during the trial, calling them "hearsay" evidence.
U.S. prosecutors argued otherwise, saying "Ionov's work with these U.S. groups was done on behalf of the FSB, an arm of the Russian government, which is an essential element of the charged crimes."
The messages "were an integral part of this conspiracy, providing the FSB with the information needed to 'utilize' the defendants to, in their own words, 'sow division inside the U.S.,'" prosecutors said.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Tampa, Florida, where the case is being tried, confirmed the chat files had been turned over by the Justice Department as part of the discovery process -- the requirement that any evidence being introduced as part of a criminal trial be shared with the opposing legal counsel before trial.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office declined to say how the chats were obtained -- whether U.S. intelligence agencies had hacked the FSB officers' phones, for example.
However, the lists of exhibits scheduled to be used during the trial -- and the metadata accompanying the chat message -- indicate that U.S. authorities got the bulk of the communications through a backup on iCloud, the Apple cloud computing service.
That means Ionov and Popov in all likelihood used iPhones, which backed up some of their chats, including their WhatsApp messages, to Apple servers -- giving U.S. prosecutors the ability to obtain the chats with a court-authorized search warrant.
RFE/RL sought comment from Ionov and the others identified in the logs, calling all the phone numbers listed in the court records.
Ionov and Sukhodolov's numbers were out of service; a call to Popov's number was directed to what sounded like a call center recording, asking RFE/RL to call back later.
A man answered the phone identified as Vistoropsky's and appeared to respond affirmatively when addressed by name but then refused to answer questions and hung up shortly thereafter. A man answered the phone identified as Mityagin's number asked a reporter, who identified himself, if it was a prank call, and then hung up.
'Why Were They Thrown Into A Massacre?'
Ionov's work cultivating activists in California advocating the state's secession has been well-documented.
About a month before Ionov gloated about his efforts with California activists, Popov wrote to him to press for photographs of a march that was planned to the California state house in Sacramento. Popov also appeared underwhelmed with how little coverage U.S. news outlets gave to the event.
"This is the only article I've seen," Popov wrote.
Two weeks later, in early March, Popov invited Ionov to meet at a Moscow cafe not far from the offices of the Second Directorate.
Popov also advised Ionov that his superior, Sukhodolov, wanted to meet, which prompted a complaint from Ionov.
"I'm angry at AB for some reason," he wrote, using the initials of Sukhodolov's first and middle names. "He's stirring up trouble. I really don't like it. I might just lose my temper. And start a fight."
"They cut our money, that's a fact," Popov tried to reassure Ionov. "Different agenda, different people, plus a lot of other things. No need, he's a good man, he just can't tell us everything. He's limited by his superiors."
But different American activists are currently on trial in the Florida federal court: four men and women who are current or former members of a relatively obscure political organization called the African People's Socialist Party. Several are also members of a related group called the Uhuru Movement.
Prosecutors charged that the activists knowingly worked with Ionov and by extension the FSB officers; Ionov paid for at least one of them to travel to Moscow in 2015 for a conference planned by Ionov's organization, the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia. All have denied the charges.
Ionov also allegedly advised the group on wording for protest signs; according to the indictment, he also paid $3,000 to several activists for them to travel to San Francisco to protest at the headquarters of Meta, Facebook's parent company, after it restricted pro-Russian posts about Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The chat logs show Ionov messaged frequently with Popov and less frequently with Sukhodolov, sending photographs, links to news articles, and even links to online photo albums.
A day after the invasion, Ionov appeared to comment on reports of internal divisions among Russia's ruling class over the war, including an Instagram post by the daughter of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov that read "No to War!"
"Peskov has lost his mind," he wrote to Sukhodolov, adding in a subsequent message: "Everyone has completely f***ing lost it."
The two also discussed a battle in the early days of the invasion, when Russian paratroopers tried to land troops at an airport north of Kyiv. Ukrainian soldiers mounted a hasty defense that inflicted serious losses on the paratroopers, thwarting the raid.
"Why were they thrown into a massacre?" Sukhodolov asked Popov. "Where were the reinforcements? Was that a tactical blunder?"
"You'll need to call the [Defense Ministry] to find out," Popov replied.
'You're A Stud'
In late April 2019, a Russian woman named Maria Butina was sentenced to 19 months in U.S. prison for not registering as a foreign agent with the Justice Department. Butina had spent several years in the United States befriending and ingratiating herself with political figures, mainly Republicans.
About a week after her sentencing, Ionov, who had been raising money for Butina's legal defense, and Popov discussed the sentencing and a press event that Ionov hosted in Moscow to advocate for Butina's release. Ionov included a link to an online photo album that shows a Moscow press event, with more than a dozen reporters.
"Awesome material on Butina! You're a stud," Popov wrote to Ionov.
The tone of that message differed starkly from a message Popov sent six weeks earlier following a report about Ionov's financial links to Butina published by The Atlantic, a U.S. magazine. Ionov sent a link to his FSB handler.
"I will not report this! You are called the patron of Butina, who admitted to interfering in the 2016 elections," Popov wrote to Ionov. "They also mention the separatist conferences [a reference to the Dialogue of Nations events in Moscow]. Now they will impose sanctions against you."
Three years later, Ionov was hit by U.S. Treasury Department sanctions.
On July 29, 2022, discussing the news of the initial indictment, Ionov advised Popov to discard his phone, apparently suspecting it had been hacked or accessed.
"And I told you: the Arabs gave you a strange phone," Popov replied.
It's unclear from the message exactly who Popov is referring to as the source of the "strange phone," though Ionov had business interests in Lebanon and Syria.
"I haven't had it for ages," Ionov responded. "It was my second one."
'Political Division Is Weakness'
Going back decades, Soviet and Russian intelligence agencies have sought to spread disinformation and stoke dissent to undermine foreign governments, Western or otherwise.
In the 1980s, the KGB helped spread the suspicion that the United States had invented the virus that causes AIDS as part of a biological weapons research project.
During the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, Russian government-linked "trolls" created scores of fake online personas to try and sow discord on social media.
"This campaign sought to polarize Americans on the basis of societal, ideological, and racial differences, provoked real world events, and was part of a foreign government's covert support of Russia's favored candidate in the U.S. presidential election," a bipartisan report compiled by the U.S. Senate's Intelligence Committee found.
On September 4, one day after the Florida trial started, U.S. authorities announced wide-ranging sanctions and other measures against Russia entities, accusing them of trying to interfere, and sway American opinion, in the ongoing presidential campaign. The State Department announced new restrictions of five state-funded news outlets, including RT -- the Russian state-funded TV network formerly known as Russia Today.
The Justice Department also announced a new criminal indictment against two RT employees, accusing them of a conspiracy to spread disinformation and propaganda, partly by using a media company in Tennessee.
"Russiadoes what it can to accentuate divisions in its adversaries' societies, especially the United States, applying the philosophy that political division is weakness," said Kevin Riehle, a scholar at Brunel University London and author of a new history of the FSB.
"If the Russian government can highlight fringe opposition groups within the United States (or elsewhere) then it diminishes Western powers in the eyes of the world," he told RFE/RL. "It also makes them less attractive to Russians. Russia can claim that the United States is weak because it is chaotic and riven with divisions, including from a few groups that the FSB itself supports."
Left-wing political activists weren't the only individuals that the FSB's Second Directorate targeted.
Two of the FSB officers identified by the Justice Department in court papers and elsewhere have also been publicly linked to a parallel case involving a Russian woman named Natalia Burlinova.
In 2023, U.S. prosecutors charged Burlinova in connection with what they said was a multiyear effort to recruit and cultivate young Western professionals who might be sympathetic to Russia's foreign policies.
Burlinova held meetings at major U.S. universities with academics and students and oversaw a conference that paid for recent university graduates to travel to Moscow and attend workshops and lectures. One of the lectures featured a Russian man who was among those kicked out of the United States in 2010 for being a deep-cover "illegal."
The effort, according to the U.S. Treasury Department, was overseen and coordinated by Popov and Sukhodolov.
KYIV -- With Russias full-scale invasion at 30 months and counting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is trying to shake things up on the battlefield and in the halls of power in Kyiv.
In early August, Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into Russian territory, sending troops across the border and opening a new front in the Kursk region.
This week, Zelenskiy launched the biggest government shake-up since the all-out war began, replacing Kyiv's foreign minister -- a prominent face of Ukraine abroad since 2020 -- and engineering several other changes in the cabinet of ministers and his influential administration, widely known as the presidential office.
Heres a look at the motives, the timing, and the potential effects of a move that the wartime leader says will give Ukraine new energy at a crucial juncture but that critics say will actually change little.
Why Now?
Zelenskiy replaced his defense minister a year ago and the commander in chief of the armed forces in February, and there had long been rumblings of a more sweeping change in government.
Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of Ukraines parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, announced in June that there would be changes in the cabinet, noting that several ministries, including those in charge of culture, agricultural policy, and infrastructure, had been without confirmed ministers for some time.
Nothing happened at that time, though, and subsequent rumors that Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal might be on the way out proved inaccurate. He is still in place.
Prominent political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko told RFE/RL that he believes Zelenskiy and his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, had long wanted to make changes but only recently had time to get to the nitty-gritty and make decisions about who should go where.
As soon as they took the corresponding political decisionsthats when it happened, Fesenko said.
In any case, the shake-up comes at an intense time in the war, with Ukraine holding territory in Russias Kursk region and Moscows forces pressing forward in the Donbas -- the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk, which Russian President Vladimir Putin appears determined to seize in their entirety.
It also comes ahead of a tough winter, as Ukraine struggles to keep the power on while Russian forces pummel the countrys energy infrastructure in addition to the homes of civilians. Furthermore, it comes as Zelenskiy, who is beseeching the West to let Ukraine strike military targets deeper in Russia with long-range weapons -- prepares to potentially hand U.S. President Joe Biden a victory plan later this month.
What's The Goal?
On September 4, Zelenskiy said that Ukraine needs new energy and described the government shake-up that was unfolding as aimed at strengthening our state in various areas." The president, who was elected in April 2019, said that some officials have been in their posts for 4 1/2 to five years.
He called for quick results in an address the following evening, urging his new team to work "more actively than before" and achieve advancements in arms industry investments, financial stability, "support for the front line," and Ukraine's EU membership bid.
Some opponents suspect the reshuffle is aimed at further consolidating power in the hands of Zelenskiy and his administration, pointing to the fact that several of the moves involve cabinet members shifting to the presidential office or vice-versa.
Andriy Sybiha, the former first deputy foreign minister who is replacing Dmytro Kuleba as the top Ukrainian diplomat, earlier worked in the presidential office. The new minister of development of communities, territories, and infrastructure, Oleksiy Kuleba, is a former deputy of Yermak. And Iryna Vereshchuk, the former minister for reintegration of temporarily occupied territories, is moving to the presidential office to work on social policy.
Oleh Rybachuk, a deputy prime minister under former President Viktor Yushchenko and now head of the Kyiv-based NGO Center UA, said that its impossible to talk about new faces [in the cabinet] because they are chosen based on many criteria and by various influence groups. They have to go through this casting process by influential figures in [Zelenskiys] office -- mainly Yermak.
Yermak has not commented on his role in the shake-up. Earlier, in an interview with a Ukrainian media outlet, he responded to claims that he interferes in the work of the Foreign Ministry by saying, "My authority ends where the mandate of the president ends," adding that he sees himself as a national-security adviser.
Fesenko had a different take than Rybachuk on the back-and-forth movement between the cabinet and the presidential office. The personnel reserveis limited, he said, so the new appointments were made by choosing from among those who have proven themselves on Volodymyr Zelenskiys team.
They want to keep people on the presidents team so that they dont just go nowhere, so Vereshchuk will work for a while in the presidential office, and then maybe some other positions will emerge, Fesenko said.
Will The Shake-Up Succeed?
Opposition figures voiced doubt that the government shake-up will bring positive change.
No fresh blood will emerge, lets put it bluntly, Yulia Klymenko, a lawmaker from the opposition party Holos, said on an RFE/RL Ukrainian Service program on September 5. Its the same people. They are just changing places, moving from one ministry to another. We dont see or hear any new ideas or fresh or new people.
Laying out what he suggested was a barrier to effective change, Rybachuk asserted that ministers have little power, while the real decisions are made by people close to Zelenskiy in his office, who he said do not bear the necessary level of responsibility for their decisions.
The president says he wants to see people with new energy, active professionals, but at the same time his entourage says that he is setting the condition that these new people must understand fasterand immediately fulfill all the whims, essentially, of the president and his office, Rybachuk said on the same program. That is certainly not a model that will bring us significant results.
Supporters of Zelenskiy argue that he is open to bringing new people into government, pointing among other things to his appointment of Rustam Umerov, of the Holos party, as defense minister last year.
Fesenko said he believes that by new energy Zelenskiy meant changes within existing teams and not exclusively new faces.
"At one time, the president fell ill with this disease of the new face when he thought that if he appointed enough new, young people, there would be an update or change, he said. And it turned out that, unfortunately, it does not work.
Ukrainians are likely to judge the shake-up by how things go in the coming weeks and months.
A woman in Sumy, a northeastern border region that comes under frequent attack from Russia, suggested that she welcomed a shake-up because there is no satisfactionwith the people who have been sitting in posts for too long.
There are no changes, she told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.
A man in the northern city of Chernihiv, which avoided Russian capture early in the full-scale invasion and also comes under attack as the war drags on, said he believes the shake-up is about all those ministers who have compiled certain negative [images]. As a response, the government is trying to get rid of those negatives along with the people."
But he suggested he would not hold his breath, saying that whats important is not the people but the system we have.
A woman in the same city said her biggest hope is for the war to end soon.
My two sons are fighting, and my grandson is in the military, she said, repeating that she hopes the war will end as soon as possible.
Adapted from the original Ukrainian by Steve Gutterman.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The Finnish website "Naapuriseuran Sanomat" has published an article detailing Armenia's mine terror against Azerbaijan, the history of the Karabakh conflict, and efforts to normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Trend reports.
The article was authored by Jaakko Laakso, a political scientist and former deputy head of the Finnish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union.
The article notes Azerbaijan's military efforts to liberate its territories during the 44-day Patriotic War, the maintenance of sovereignty through local anti-terrorist measures conducted by Azerbaijan's Armed Forces in Karabakh in September 2023, and the significant political support Azerbaijan received from Turkiye during this period.
Laakso touches upon the issues of the forced displacement of Azerbaijanis by Armenians during the First Karabakh War, their relocation, and their transformation into refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
He highlights the conditions Azerbaijan has created to protect the rights of Armenians living in Karabakh and their integration into a tolerant society, demonstrating humanitarianism.
In his article, Laakso discusses the reconstruction efforts in the liberated areas and the return of IDPs to their homes. He notes that Azerbaijan has consistently shown commitment to peace, stability, and friendly relations among the peoples of the South Caucasus.
Laakso also mentions that demining the areas previously occupied by Armenia will take many years and require substantial financial resources and that Armenia has not provided minefield maps.
To note, Jakko Laakso visited Azerbaijan from August 20 through August 24 of this year, supported by the State Committee for Work with Diaspora and the "Azerbaijan-Finland Friendship Society." He also met with various institutions during his visit.
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CERNOBBIO, Italy, September 6. President Ilham Aliyev has not ruled out the possibility of Azerbaijan's participation in the resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as he responded to questions from the moderator at the International Cernobbio Forum.
For a hypothetical possibility, it is feasible. First of all, considering that, together with Russia and Ukraine, we were part of the Soviet Union for 70 years, we have diversified connections on a people-to-people level and on a political level. Today, we consider our relations with Russia and Ukraine to be very good. We strongly support Ukraines and all countries territorial integrity and sovereignty. But at the same time, we were not, and we will not be, a part of the anti-Russian sanctions campaign, the head of state underlined.
With these pragmatic relations, I think we can play a role. We have never initiated that. I know there are many others who want to be involved. But if our involvement is needed, we are ready, President Ilham Aliyev added.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Based on the results of the international conference on Illegal French Occupation of Mayotte Island of the Comoros Union held in Baku on September 3, 2024, the Baku Initiative Group has sent an official letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Chairman of the European Commission, and Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Trend reports.
The letter expresses deep concern over France's illegal occupation of the island of Mayotte, which belongs to the Union of the Comoros, which is a violation of international law.
The letter notes that France is obstructing initiatives aimed at remedying this violation of international law by abusing the fact that it is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Furthermore, France ignores relevant resolutions adopted by international organizations such as the UN General Assembly, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States, and the African Union.
The Declaration, which is one of the main outcomes of the international conference on Illegal French Occupation of Mayotte Island of the Comoros Union," was presented to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Chairman of the European Commission, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, and the Chairman of the African Union. Furthermore, a brochure entitled Illegal French Occupation of Mayotte Island of Comoros Union," published by the Baku Initiative Group, was presented to the heads of the above-mentioned organizations.
The Baku Initiative Group in its letter also urged to hold an international conference in connection with the occupation of Mayotte Island and to promote the establishment of relevant working groups within these organizations to end the occupation and protect international law. The Baku Initiative Group expressed its confidence that, through close cooperation with the international community, this issue will soon be resolved based on international law.
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Human remains, a rare 1,400 year old pin and 66 coins found in County Roscommon were donated to the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) over the last twelve months.
They were among more than 2,000 artefacts found across the country between July 2023 and July 2024, and handed over to the National Museum.
The records of these finds made by members of the public and archaeologists were obtained by RTE News through a Freedom of Information Act request.
In total, forty-nine sets of human remains were handed into the NMI from fifteen counties over this period.
Other items handed over to the museum over the last year included cannonballs, bullets, bog butter and more than 600 clay pipes found in County Sligo.
Rings, brooches, pins, medals, a badge and musical instruments were also donated to the museum since July 2023, according to the records.
In July 2023, a rare 1,400 year old pin found in Elphin was donated to the National Museum, a story covered by the Roscommon Herald at the time.
It brought a successful conclusion to a mystery that began when the rare artefact was discovered by a local woman in a bog near Elphin about 30 years ago.
Anne Looby discovered the artefact when she was footing turf with her husband John at Rossbeg near the North Roscommon town.
Local historian Sean Neary was involved in organising its handover to the National Museum.
Punjab farmers end protest in Chandigarh following CMs assurance over demands
Punjab CM Mann also assured them their suggestions would be incorporated before the policys implementation.
Punjab farmers end protest in Chandigarh latest news: Farmers protesting against the alleged delay in implementation of Punjabs new agriculture policy ended their strike on Friday, a day after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assured them that a draft of the policy would be shared with them by September 30.
Punjab CM Mann also assured them their suggestions would be incorporated before the policys implementation.
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CM Mann held a two-hour meeting on Thursday with leaders of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, which led the protesting farmers, to discuss their demands.
Farmers under the banner of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union began a five-day protest on Sunday to press for their demands, including the agriculture policys implementation.
Speaking to reporters at the protest site, Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said they had urged the state government to make the agriculture policy public.
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They (the government) said it was being finalised They said by September 30, they would finalise it and hand over a copy, he said.
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Kolkata Rape and Murder Case: SC Dismisses Sandip Ghosh's Plea Against CBI Probe
Ghosh has been under scrutiny following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the institution last month.
Kolkata Rape and Murder Case: The Supreme Court today rejected the petition filed by Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, challenging the Calcutta High Court's decision to transfer the investigation of a corruption case against him to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Ghosh has been under scrutiny following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the institution last month.
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A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, dismissed Ghosh's request to intervene in a separate petition concerning financial irregularities during his tenure. The court firmly stated, "As an accused, you have no locus to intervene in the PIL where the Calcutta High Court is monitoring the investigation."
The Supreme Court also declined Ghosh's request to remove remarks made by the High Court, which linked corruption allegations to the trainee doctor's rape in Kolkata on August 9.
The Calcutta High Court had transferred the financial irregularities investigation at the state-run hospital to the CBI on August 23, following a petition filed by Dr. Akhtar Ali, a former deputy superintendent of the facility. Sandip Ghosh was subsequently arrested by the CBI after repeated questioning over two weeks.
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School begins on Monday
Romanian pupils return to school on 9th September after the summer holiday.
Education Minister Ligia Deca (Credits: Facebook.com)
Stefan Stoica, 06.09.2024, 14:00
Safety in schools and prevention measures to reduce violence and combat the use of banned substances will remain the priorities of the new school year that begins next week. This statement was made by education minister Ligia Deca, who gave assurances that all pupils will be able to attend classes in person, including those attending schools that have been relocated. Ligia Deca:
For the new school year, around 500 schools, 300 more than last year, are undergoing renovation, modernisation or building works, so classes will be held elsewhere. In other cases, classes were relocated because of the lack of space. But even in these cases, all children will attend classes in person in suitable venues. It is a priority not to have schools teaching in three shifts. This is not only not desirable, but also illegal starting with the 2025-2026 school year.
Despite these assurances, there are still some schools in Romania that use the triple-shift system, while in 70 schools, the sanitary facilities are not up to standards. Most of these schools will be included in a government order for further funding, which the ministry will propose this year. A single-shift system would allow pupils to make time for other educational activities after school. Also, only one out of three schools provide pupils with meals, but the education ministry plans to expand this programme, so that in the future all children should benefit. Schools with poor results in national exams must be supported to improve their performance, said the education minister Ligia Deca. She told general school inspectors that the communication must be improved between schools and their beneficiaries, so that the information should reach pupils and parents. Safety in schools also remains a priority, Ligia Deca explained:
Campaigns, programmes and actions will be conducted to prevent violence, human trafficking and drug use in schools, as well as to promote a healthy lifestyle. Also, the programme Doing School Differently will focus on the prevention and reduction of violence, drug, alcohol and tobacco use, as well as on road safety.
With days before the start of the new school year, the government has approved an increase in the number of staff by 7,800, in particular teachers.
Bowlero Corp. (BOWL), Thursday reported loss in the fourth quarter, largely due to an increase in asset impairment charges and a loss on sale of assets.
Loss for the quarter totaled $62.2 million compared with profit of $146.2 million last year.
Analysts, on average, polled by Thomson Reuters expected a loss of $0.02 per share.
Revenue increased to $283.9 million from $239.4 million in previous year.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
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Researchers at Stanford University have discovered that applying a common food dye to a mouse's abdomen can temporarily make its liver, intestines and bladder visible through the abdominal skin.
For the study, published in the journal Science, the scientists used a mixture of water and tartrazine, a bright yellow-orange food coloring that absorbs blue and ultraviolet rays, making it easier for light to pass through the skin.
"Instead of relying on invasive biopsies, doctors might be able to diagnose deep-seated tumors by simply examining a person's tissue without the need for invasive surgical removal," said Dr. Guosong Hong, a senior researcher on the project. "This technique could potentially make blood draws less painful by helping phlebotomists easily locate veins under the skin."
After initial tests on mice tissue samples and chicken breasts, the scientists applied the dye to the skulls and abdomens of the live mice. Within minutes, the dye made "the skin, muscle, and connective tissues transparent in live rodents."
"The most surprising part of this study is that we usually expect dye molecules to make things less transparent. For example, if you mix blue pen ink in water, the more ink you add, the less light can pass through the water," Hong continued.
"In our experiment, when we dissolve tartrazine in an opaque material like muscle or skin, which normally scatters light, the more tartrazine we add, the clearer the material becomes. But only in the red part of the light spectrum. This goes against what we typically expect with dyes."
Researchers emphasized the safety of the solution, explaining that the mouse skin returned to its original state, once the dye was washed off, and was then expelled from the body through urine.
"It's important that the dye is biocompatible - it's safe for living organisms," said Zihao Ou, lead author and assistant professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas. "In addition, it's very inexpensive and efficient; we don't need very much of it to work."
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
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Its a challenging road ahead for Volkswagen due to reduced car demand in Europe and intense competition from affordable Asian brands
Facing an existential crisis of sorts, Volkswagen has entered tough negotiations with its worker unions. According to Volkswagen CFO Arno Antlitz, the brand has just around a year or maybe two to achieve a turnaround. Other European car brands such as Stellantis and Renault are also facing a similar set of challenges.
Demand shrinks by 500,000 units
Addressing around 25,000 workers at the companys Wolfsburg headquarters, Antlitz said that Europes car market has shrunk dramatically after the pandemic. In the case of Volkswagen, the company is facing a shortfall in demand of around 500,000 cars. This is close to the production capacity of two plants.
Antlitz said that the market no longer exists and there are no expectations of a recovery in sales. Only around a year or two is left for Volkswagen to make a comeback by adjusting output and implementing major cost cutting exercises. Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume added that cheques from China wont be available anymore. He was referring to Volkswagens falling profits in China, which is the brands biggest market.
Negotiations with unions
To achieve a revival and ensure a seamless transition to electric cars, Volkswagen has proposed a $11 billion cost cutting initiative. There are plans to shut down plants in Germany and terminate job guarantees at six VW plants. The cost cutting exercise will be applicable to all brands owned by Volkswagen such as Audi, Skoda and SEAT. As per the revival strategy, Volkswagen is targeting a profit margin of 6.5% by 2026. This will be a significant improvement over the 2.3% growth registered in the first half of 2024.
Although Volkswagen has clearly communicated all the problems being faced by the brand, the workers and unions have vowed to fight back. Union representative Thomas Knabel stated that there wont be any talks unless the demand for plant closure is taken off the table. Unions allege that Volkswagen has been slow in making decisions and its production strategy has been inefficient.
It was also said that Volkswagen has not been able to produce a mass-market electric vehicle. A company worker named Axel Wenzlaff stated that people are afraid of losing their jobs and their houses. Wenzlaff said that he has been working with the company for the last 38 years.
Government intervention can help
Volkswagen is important for Germany and its troubles are already being deliberated at the government level. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has discussed the matter with the brands top management and also the works council. Labour Minister Hubertus Heil came out with his support, stating that Germany should maintain its leadership in automobiles. The cabinet has approved tax incentives to boost EV sales. It is likely that Social Democrats will also pressure the government to provide support on energy prices.
Meanwhile, investors are in favour of Volkswagen making tough decisions. Some investors opine that the prospect of plant closure can be a strategy to negotiate on ending job guarantees and cancelling wage increases.
The existential challenges come at a time when Volkswagen is already troubled by its past problems. Its evident with former CEO Martin Winterkorns appearance in court this week in connection with the alleged dieselgate scandal. Around nine years back, Volkswagen had conceded that it had manipulated U.S. emissions tests.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Azerbaijan and Italy have cultivated one of the most dynamic and multifaceted partnerships in Europe, with ties deeply rooted in mutual strategic interests.
Over the years, this relationship has evolved into a cornerstone of cooperation, driven largely by energy and trade, making Azerbaijan a key player in Europes energy security and Italy one of its largest trade partners.
From Diplomacy to Economic Interdependence
Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Italy were established in 1992, shortly after Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union. However, it was the energy sector that laid the foundation for their deepening cooperation. Italys energy needs, coupled with Azerbaijans vast oil and natural gas reserves, made their collaboration inevitable. A critical milestone came in 2014, when Italy became one of the largest importers of Azerbaijani crude oil via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. This set the stage for a strategic relationship that would only grow stronger over time.
In 2020, the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) began supplying Azerbaijani gas directly to Italy, further solidifying the bond. TAP, a key part of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), is crucial to Europes efforts to diversify its energy sources, especially as the continent seeks alternatives to Russian gas in light of ongoing geopolitical tensions.
A Snapshot of Trade: Facts and Figures
Italy has risen to become Azerbaijans top trading partner within the European Union, with energy exports as the cornerstone of this economic relationship. In 2023, the bilateral trade turnover between the two nations reached an impressive $11.5 billion, with Azerbaijani oil and gas accounting for nearly 80% of those exports. Italy, in turn, exports industrial machinery, luxury goods, and equipment to Azerbaijan, further diversifying the trade portfolio.
As of mid-2024, the trade relationship shows no signs of slowing down. Projections suggest that by years end, trade turnover could exceed $13 billion, driven by increased European energy demands and Azerbaijans capacity to deliver. Italian companies, such as Eni and Maire Tecnimont, have played instrumental roles in Azerbaijans energy sector, contributing to the countrys oil and gas development and infrastructure projects.
Beyond Energy: Expanding Political and Cultural Ties
While energy and trade are at the core of Azerbaijan-Italy relations, their cooperation extends beyond economic interests. Political collaboration has also flourished, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni fostering strong diplomatic ties. The two leaders have frequently emphasized the strategic importance of their partnership, discussing expanded collaboration in agriculture, education, tourism, and cultural exchanges.
Italys support for Azerbaijans territorial integrity in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has further strengthened political trust. Moreover, cultural ties have deepened, with a growing number of educational programs, cultural exhibitions, and tourism exchanges, fostering greater understanding between the two countries.
Energy Diplomacy: Securing Europes Future
Azerbaijans role as a major energy supplier to Italy has not only strengthened bilateral ties but also positioned Baku as a critical player in Europes energy security. The TAP pipeline, a crucial component of the Southern Gas Corridor, delivers 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to Europe, with Italy as the largest recipient.
In a world where energy security has become a geopolitical priority, Azerbaijans ability to provide reliable energy supplies has earned it a pivotal role. The countrys growing collaboration with Italy on renewable energy projects, including solar and wind power, further underscores the potential for cooperation in green energy, aligning with Europes climate goals.
A Vision for the Future
As Azerbaijan and Italy look toward the future, there are numerous opportunities for expanding their partnership. Both countries are exploring ways to diversify their economies beyond traditional energy sources. Technology, innovation, and green energy offer exciting avenues for further collaboration.
Italys strategic location as a gateway to Europe and Azerbaijans role as a bridge between Europe and Asia open the door for increased cooperation in logistics and transportation. The Middle Corridor, connecting Europe and Asia through Azerbaijan, presents opportunities for deeper economic integration, with Italy positioned to play a key role in this transcontinental trade route.
Conclusion: A Partnership with Global Impact
The Azerbaijan-Italy relationship is a model of how strategic partnerships can thrive on the pillars of energy, trade, and political alignment. As the two countries continue to strengthen their ties, they are shaping not only their own futures but also contributing to the broader stability and prosperity of their regions. With both nations committed to expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, the Azerbaijan-Italy partnership is poised to become even more impactful on the global stage.
The growing relationship between Azerbaijan and Italy is emerging as a key strategic partnership with significant geopolitical and political ramifications. Built on a foundation of mutual interests and a shared vision for stability, this cooperation extends beyond energy and trade, influencing broader regional dynamics. As both nations navigate an increasingly complex global landscape, their partnership underscores the crucial role of energy security, regional diplomacy, and strategic alignment.
Energy Cooperation at the Core of Geopolitical Ties
Energy cooperation forms the backbone of Azerbaijan-Italy relations, a bond that has gained even more importance in todays geopolitically charged environment. Azerbaijan, a key energy player at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, boasts vast reserves of oil and natural gas. Italy, one of Europes largest energy consumers, has actively sought to diversify its energy sources, reducing its dependency on Russian gasa necessity amplified by recent geopolitical tensions.
Azerbaijans role in Europes energy future is pivotal, and Italy has positioned itself as a key partner in securing stable energy supplies. The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) and, more specifically, the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), lie at the heart of this partnership. TAP delivers Azerbaijani gas directly to Italy, ensuring a steady supply that enhances Europes energy security. This not only shifts the dynamics of European energy markets but also increases Azerbaijans geopolitical influence as a reliable energy supplier to the European Union.
Italy, by serving as a critical entry point for Azerbaijani gas, becomes a linchpin in Europes broader strategy to diversify its energy sources and reduce reliance on Moscow. As Europe seeks alternatives to Russian gas, the Azerbaijan-Italy energy alliance stands as a testament to strategic cooperation that benefits both nations and the entire continent.
Political Alignment and Diplomatic Cooperation
While energy remains at the core of their partnership, Azerbaijan and Italy have also deepened political ties. Regular high-level meetings, official state visits, and numerous bilateral agreements reflect a shared commitment to broadening cooperation. Crucially, Italy has consistently supported Azerbaijans sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly in the context of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This political alignment has strengthened mutual trust and paved the way for more extensive collaboration on regional stability.
Italys position as a prominent member of the European Union further amplifies the political significance of this partnership. As Azerbaijan looks to strengthen its ties with the EU, Italy serves as a key advocate for deeper integration, particularly in energy policy and economic cooperation. By championing Azerbaijans interests in European institutions, Italy enhances its influence in the geopolitically significant South Caucasus, a region where global powers are increasingly vying for strategic footholds.
A Broader Strategic Imperative
The Azerbaijan-Italy partnership goes beyond energy and diplomacy, expanding into critical areas like infrastructure, agriculture, and cultural exchange. These sectors, while often less discussed, are vital for both nations as they look to future-proof their economies and ensure long-term stability.
Italian firms, such as Maire Tecnimont, have played a key role in Azerbaijans infrastructure development, particularly in energy and urban modernization projects. Azerbaijans diversification strategy, aimed at reducing its reliance on oil and gas, aligns well with Italys expertise in industrial technology and infrastructure. For Azerbaijan, Italys involvement is part of a broader strategy to modernize its economy and infrastructure, further strengthening its role as a hub between Europe and Asia.
For Italy, Azerbaijan presents a unique opportunity to increase its footprint in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, regions that are critical for global energy flows and emerging trade routes. Italys engagement in these areas enhances its geopolitical clout while ensuring access to strategic markets and resources.
Geopolitical Shifts and Global Implications
The Azerbaijan-Italy partnership is particularly significant given the broader shifts in global geopolitics. As tensions rise in Eastern Europe and competition between global powers intensifies, both Azerbaijan and Italy recognize the importance of solidifying their alliance. Azerbaijan, with its critical role in the energy market, is well-positioned to influence Europes energy landscape, particularly as the EU continues to reduce reliance on Russian gas.
Italys geopolitical strategy is closely aligned with this shift. The country sees Azerbaijan as a key player not only in energy but also in regional stability. The South Caucasus, a region that serves as a vital corridor for energy supplies to Europe, holds increasing importance for Italian foreign policy. By strengthening its ties with Azerbaijan, Italy gains a foothold in this strategic area, while contributing to broader efforts to stabilize the region.
On the global stage, both Azerbaijan and Italy have embraced multilateral diplomacy, recognizing the need for cooperative solutions to complex global issues. Italy, as a member of both the European Union and NATO, and Azerbaijan, as a participant in the Non-Aligned Movement and various international organizations, have found common ground on issues ranging from climate change to security and economic development. This shared commitment to multilateralism underscores the depth of their strategic cooperation.
Conclusion: A Model for Strategic Cooperation
The partnership between Azerbaijan and Italy serves as a model for how countries can build strategic relationships that balance energy security, political alignment, and regional diplomacy. As both nations continue to deepen their cooperation, their relationship is set to play a crucial role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of Europe and the South Caucasus.
By leveraging their respective strengthsAzerbaijans energy resources and Italys political influence within the EUboth nations are enhancing their positions on the global stage. This mutually beneficial partnership not only addresses the immediate needs of energy security and economic cooperation but also contributes to long-term regional stability and prosperity.
In an era of shifting alliances and growing global tensions, the Azerbaijan-Italy partnership stands out as a successful example of how strategic cooperation can help nations navigate an increasingly interconnected and competitive world.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The official visit of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Italy received significant coverage in leading media outlets, Trend reports.
Articles under the headline "Azerbaijan in talks to send gas to three more European countries" published by Bloomberg and the Financial Post state that Azerbaijan already supplies gas to a number of European countries and has an agreement with countries in the region to double exports by 2027.
In addition, the article cites the words of the head of state that Russia, Ukraine and European institutions have appealed to Azerbaijan in connection with the continuation of gas transit through the territory of Ukraine.
Articles published by Reuters, The Straits Times, WTVB, USNews, WTAQ, World Energy News and Aol note that President Ilham Aliyev is optimistic about a breakthrough in the talks between Moscow and Kyiv on the continuation of Russian gas supplies through Ukraine to a number of European countries. The materials draw attention to the fact that the European Union and Ukraine have asked Azerbaijan to facilitate negotiations with Russia on a gas transit agreement that expires at the end of this year.
"We have certain optimism because in recent context with both countries we think there is ground for a breakthrough," the head of state said.
The publications note that the President of Azerbaijan, who met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Thursday as part of his third visit to the country since 2020, spoke at a forum in Cernobbio, Italy, which annually brings together businessmen and politicians in September to discuss geopolitical and economic prospects. As noted, although the EU has reduced most of its imports of Russian gas, some Central European countries, including Austria, still depend on gas from Russia via a pipeline passing through Ukraine.
"We now have ten countries receiving gas from Azerbaijan, seven of which are members of the European Union. That is probably why the European Commission calls Azerbaijan a pan-European gas supplier and a reliable partner," said President Ilham Aliyev.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Azerbaijan is set to continue its successful course of reforms and stability following the parliamentary elections, said Carlos Uriarte Sanchez, Secretary General of Paneuropa Spain and member of the Presidency of the International Paneuropean Union, Professor of Law at Rey Juan Carlos University in Spain, Trend reports.
The early parliamentary elections for the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan, held on September 1, proceeded without incidents. In this election, the ruling New Azerbaijan Party secured a majority by winning 68 of the 125 seats, he said.
He also pointed out that these elections marked a milestone as the first held in the Karabakh region since it was restored to Azerbaijani control following the end of Armenian occupation.
Azerbaijan's traditional non-alignment policy, as well as its membership in the OSCE, the Council of Europe, and GUAM, demonstrates its commitment to democracy, reforms, and its desire to be part of a world based on international law, the professor noted.
Professor Sanchez added that the New Azerbaijan Party's win of the majority of parliamentary seats will ensure the countrys course toward prosperous reforms and stability.
Therefore, it is likely that the government will continue its gradual approach to reforms, prioritizing stability and continuity, which has brought great success to the country both nationally and internationally, where Azerbaijan is a model of prosperity in the region, he concluded.
Morgan Stanley initiated coverage of Melrose Industries on Friday at equalweight with a 500 price target.
The bank said a strong Aftermarket narrative supports its profit and loss estimate 6-10% above consensus by 2027.
"We believe cash flow is set to rise materially but timing is uncertain," it said.
The bank said its detailed estimates by segment suggest strong structural growth.
"Melrose benefits from strong momentum in Aftermarket while it has early exposure to the civil volume ramp-up as it delivers products 6-9 months ahead of aircraft completion," it said.
"We estimate Melrose can capture a 10% global market share by 2030 in Repairs, fuelled by 1,500 aircraft not being retired recently.
"We expect 1) a 7% group sales CAGR 2023-30e, 6% above consensus in 2027e, and 2) 10% margin expansion by 2030 to 21% via mix, restructuring plan and business improvement."
However, Morgan Stanley said a look at the RRSP business model suggests cash visibility is limited.
"Together with our GVAT strategists we estimate that variables due to the Risk and Revenue Sharing partnerships ('RRSPs') account for circa 45% of group profitability, with timing differences between profit and cash recognition," it said.
"Flexing RRSP-related receivables by +/-15% would impact our cumulated cash estimates by -70%/+30% (2024-30e). We believe this difference should narrow as engine shop visits increase, with the cash profile improving from 2026e."
The Eurozone economy expanded only marginally in the second quarter, official data showed on Friday, as growth struggled to take hold.
According to Eurostat, the European Unions statistical office, seasonally-adjusted GDP increased by just 0.2% in the second quarter in both the Eurozone and wider region.
That was down on Eurostats first estimate of 0.3% and on first quarter GDP, which was 0.3% in both zones.
Government expenditure nudged up 0.1 percentage points in the Eurozone, while exports less imports rose 0.5 percentage points. But household final consumption expenditure was flat.
Among member states, much of the revision was led by Ireland, with GDP falling to -1.0% from 0.6% in the previous quarter. French growth was also revised downwards, to 0.2%.
In Germany, the blocs biggest economy, growth was negative, falling to -0.1% from 0.2%.
Compared with the same period a year previously, second-quarter GDP rose by 0.6% in the Eurozone and 0.8% in the EU.
Leo Barincou, senior economist at Oxford Economics, said: "Though the headline revision mostly stems from volatile Irish GDP figures, the detailed breakdown validates our concerns that the Eurozone domestic economic momentum is feeble at best, with most of second quarter growth stemming from external trade."
Eurostat also released labour data on Friday, which showed the number of employed people increased by 0.2% in the Eurozone and by 0.1% in the wider EU in the second quarter.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, and the Deputy Minister of Defense Commander of the Land Forces, Lieutenant General Hikmat Mirzayev inspected the training of the units deployed in the direction of the conditional border, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.
It was reported that in the units, they run a tight ship with round-the-clock combat duty, following the rules of the day and keeping the service going non-stop.
The Defense Minister met with the personnel on combat duty and highly appreciated the combat and psychological training of the servicemen.
Colonel General Hasanov set specific tasks for the authorized persons on the better organization of service-combat activities and increasing vigilance.
Shares in Rolls-Royce Holdings came under pressure on Friday, after the European air regulator announced an one-off inspection of the UK firm's Trent XWB-97 engines.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has mandated inspections on the Airbus A350-1000 fleet, which is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines.
In particular, it will look at flexible fuel hose connections inside the engines to check for damage, with inspections taking place over the next 30 days. A total of 86 Airbus A350-1000 planes are currently in service worldwide.
EASA said it was a "precautionary measure" following a "serious incident" involving a Cathay Pacific jet earlier this week. On Monday, a long-haul flight to Zurich was forced to return to Hong Kong after an engine problem mid-flight.
Shares in Rolls-Royce were down 2% at 469p as at 0930 BST, having partially recovered from heavier losses earlier in the session.
Cathay is already examining its 48-strong fleet of A350 aircraft following the incident, which reportedly involved an engine fire.
Rolls-Royce said it was working closely with EASA.
The UK competition watchdog has accused Alphabet s Google of using its dominant position in digital advertising to hinder competition and favour its own services.
Releasing its provisional findings following an investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority said it believed Google had abused its dominant positions through the operation of both its publisher ad server and buying tools to restrict competition in the UK.
In addition, it found that Google self-preferences its own ad exchange, which harmed both competition and potentially thousands of British advertisers and publishers.
Juliette Enser, interim director of enforcement at the CMA, said: Weve provisionally found that Google is using its market power to hinder competition when it comes to the ads people see on websites.
Many businesses are able to keep their digital content free or cheaper by using online advertising to generate revenue. Adverts on these websites and apps reach millions of people, assisting the buying and selling of goods and services.
Thats why its so important that publishers and advertisers who enable this free content can benefit from effective competition and get a fair deal.
Google said the CMAs findings were based on flawed interpretations of the sector.
Dan Taylor, VP of global ads, told Reuters: Our advertising technology helps websites and apps fund their content, and enable businesses of all sizes to effectively reach new customers.
Google remains committed to creating value for our publisher and advertiser partners in this highly competitive sector. The core of this case rests on flawed interpretations of the ad tech sector.
Googles role in ad tech is also being investigated by the US Department of Justice and the European Commission. Last year, European regulators said Google may have to sell part of its ad tech business to allay concerns.
The US giant holds a key position in the sector, as it is able to collect data on users, thereby allowing advertisers to target their adverts.
It also sells advertising space as well as providing the technology that allows advertisers to find publishers to sell their space.
The CMA said it would now consider representations from Google before reaching a final decision.
Shares in Invinity Energy Systems were sliding on Friday morning, after it warned of a lengthened sales cycle and announced a change of chief executive officers.
The AIM-traded company reported that delays in government policy decisions and the upcoming US election were contributing to a lengthened sales cycle, pushing some expected revenue into 2025.
However, with 49.2m in cash reserves as of 30 June, it remained confident in its financial outlook and expected to achieve EBITDA breakeven by 2026.
It reported favourable market conditions for Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES), noting increased demand for alternatives to lithium-ion batteries in regions like the UK, EU, North America, and Australia.
Invinity said its VS3 vanadium flow batteries had been in operation for over a year at various sites, validating their ability to provide consistent returns across different applications.
Despite delays in closing sales, customer interest reportedly remained robust.
Invinity said its next-generation product, codenamed Mistral, was progressing well and was expected to launch commercially by the end of 2024.
However, the company said it had decided to extend the timeline for scaling up production to allow for cost-reduction measures, with full volume production slated for 2026.
The cautious approach was aimed at driving efficiencies to support Invinitys goal of reaching profitability.
For the first half of 2024, Invinity recorded revenue of 1.6m and a loss of around 11.2m, in line with expectations.
The development team, in collaboration with our joint development and commercialisation partner, have rightly focused on ensuring that Mistral is capable of delivering the performance characteristics being demanded by customers and the market, said newly-appointed chief executive officer Jonathan Marren.
I am very pleased with the results to date.
We aren't yet where we wanted to be on working through the identified initiatives aimed at reducing production costs to the level we believe we can attain but have confidence this can be achieved in 2025 ahead of material volumes at sustainable margins in 2026 and beyond.
In a separate announcement on Friday, Invinity said its chief executive officer Larry Zulch had stepped down as he planned to retire.
Jonathan Marren, previously chief financial officer and chief development officer, had been appointed as the new CEO.
Marren would lead the company through its next phase, supported by chief commercial officer Matt Harper, while the search for a new CFO was underway.
Invinity was created out of a transatlantic merger executed at the very peak of the Covid crisis, said non-executive chairman Neil O'Brien.
Larry led the company through a period of unprecedented disruption and out the other side, launching a new product, the VS3 - now one of the world's most widely deployed modular flow batteries.
He has been instrumental in the development and design of our next-generation product as well as being a global advocate and spokesperson not just for Invinity and the flow battery industry but for the energy transition as a whole.
At 0930 BST, shares in Invinity Energy Systems were down 34.36% at 12.8p.
Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
The consultancy PwC has told its employees it is going to begin tracking their working locations to ensure that all workers spend a minimum of three days a week in the office or at client sites. In a memo sent to its 26,000 UK employees, the big four accounting firm announced that it will start monitoring how often employees work from home in the same way it monitors how many chargeable hours they work. Guardian
The UK needs 1tn of fresh investment over the next decade if the government is to hit its economic growth targets, a City taskforce has said. The Capital Markets of Tomorrow report, led by the City veteran and former boss of Legal & General Sir Nigel Wilson, said that in order to achieve at least 3% annual growth, the UK would have to attract around 100bn of investment per year, divided between key sectors. Guardian
One of the UKs biggest housing developers is seeking to build tens of thousands of homes on green belt land as part of Sir Keir Starmers efforts to revolutionise planning reforms. Vistry Group said the majority of the 75,000 plots in its so-called strategic land bank are on green belt sites, making it uniquely positioned to help deliver on Labours manifesto pledge to build 1.5m homes over the next five years. Telegraph
British pension funds are among the worst in developed economies for backing their home stock market, according to research that will fuel the debate about reform of UK retirement pots to boost the London Stock Exchange. Only 4.4 per cent of assets in UK pension funds are invested in British equities, down from an estimated 6.1 per cent last year, analysis by New Financial, a think tank, has found. The proportion stood at more than 50 per cent 25 years ago. The Times
New wind farms due to be built towards the end of this decade will add only 5 to household energy bills and will reduce volatility in prices, a leading forecaster has predicted. A record number of renewable energy projects were secured in the latest annual auction round this week, when 131 won government contracts to deliver clean energy. The Times
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
I know Labor Day has come and gone, but I just wanted to revisit it briefly to note that one of the ways I celebrate the long weekend annually is to reread Studs Terkel, a writer who invokes the true spirit of the holiday for me in a Dickens/Christmas way.
Earlier this year, the New Press declared 2024 the Year of Studs to mark the 50th anniversary of Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, as well as the 40th anniversary of his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Good War. "This is not just a chance to re-visit his seminal work, which still speaks to readers today," the publisher noted at the time. "Whether its President Obamas Netflix limited series Working: What We Do All Day or Mark Larson's recently published Working in the 21st Century (Agate), Terkel's investigation into what we do daily continues to inspire. Not a week goes by without performances of the musical adaptation of Working in theaters and high schools across the country. With this celebration comes an opportunity to introduce Terkel to a new generation. We hope you will join us because everything is coming up Studs! Red socks and red checked shirts are optional but strongly encouraged."
North Figueroa Bookshop, Los Angeles, Calif., got on board by asking @natpainted to create a mural celebrating Working's anniversary.
Labor Day. Studs Terkel. The work. What do you do?
That's still the question people most often ask when they meet you. Since 1992, this has been an easy one for me to answer. I was a bookseller until 2006, and for the past 18 years I've been an editor and columnist. Tracking back to other jobs I've had in the past, the answers have included marble mill worker, grocery store clerk, prep cook, specialty food route sales rep. Always and everywhere, however, I've thought of myself primarily as being defined by a single quality: a good worker.
Studs Terkel
(photo: Nina Subin)
Did anybody get working people better than Studs did? You might have your own alternatives, but I've been reading and rereading him since the mid-1970s, when I first picked up a copy of a new book titled Working. It hit me in the gut from page one, and has been a bookish companion during my own working life. No matter what kind of good or crap job I had, his writing, along with the brilliant growl I heard on radio and TV, always spoke to me, had my back, poked me in the ribs sometimes, reminding me to take the world very seriously but myself less so.
I actually met Studs in 2004, during BookExpo America in Chicago... at Bill Ayers's house. Maybe I should explain. That year I was invited to one of those publisher-sponsored dinners that were the social staple of book shows. This one happened to be at the Hyde Park home of Bernardine Dohrn and Bill Ayers, names deeply tied to Chicago and activism. I'd first met Bill in 2001 while we were at Bennington College--in our energetic dotage--working toward MFA in Writing degrees. For two people who couldnt have lived more different lives when we were young, our connection happened quite naturally, an outgrowth, perhaps, of something Bill had once suggested in a New York Times Op-ed piece, when he wrote that "talking and listening to the widest range of people is not a sin, but a virtue."
Which, of course, comes right out of the Studs Terkel playbook. But let's get back to our story. On that night in 2004, in Bill's crowded living room, Studs held court from the sofa, looking at once frail and indomitable. He was 92, and would be gone just four years later, but this simple gem of a moment is my cherished memory of the man at work and at play.
When I was a bookseller, I loved handselling, of course, but also took pleasure in the awareness of my fingers dancing instinctively across a cash register and, later, a keyboard, ringing up purchases during a big rush. I'd started working as a clerk at an A&P store when I was in high school, and later spent another decade in the grocery business.
Long before my career as a bookseller--putting in my time at POS stations--I was an accomplished cashier. Even at 17, customers lined up at my register because I was fast and proud of it. Maybe that's why one of my favorite chapters in Working is about Babe Secoli, the supermarket checker who says, "It's hard work, but I like it. This is my life.... I'm just movin'--the hips, the hand, and the register, the hips, the hand, and the register.... You just keep goin', one, two, one, two. If you've got that rhythm, you're a fast checker. Your feet are flat on the floor and you're turning your head back and forth.... If somebody interrupts to ask me the price, I'll answer while I'm movin'. Like playin' a piano."
What do you do? For the past three decades I've worked with books, so I appreciate the words of bookbinder Donna Murray, who told Studs in Working: "Books are the thing that keep us going.... Because a book is a life, like one man is a life. Yes, yes, this work is good for me, therapeutic for old age... just keep going with the hands." Happy belated Labor Day.
The 8th Confex and Awards 2024 Pune Chapter, held on 30th August 2024 at Vivanta By Taj, Pune Hinjawadi, showcased insightful discussions and featured prominent speakers across various sessions.
Key Topics Discussed:
1. CEOs as Torch Bearers of Learning and Development: Strategies for success.
2. Expanding Beyond DE&I: The role of language and business communication in fostering inclusion and belonging in global organizations.
3. Digitalizing Learning and Development: An essential step for nurturing exceptional talent.
4. Reinventing Organizational Structure: How HR and L&D leaders can shape a resilient, agile workforce for the future hybrid digital workplace.
5. AI Learning Interventions: The role of conversational roleplays in transforming and scaling learning and develop- ment.
Highlighted Speakers:
Deepti Jadhav, ISS Facility Services India Private Limited
Pankaj S Khandewale, Future Generali India Insurance
Srinivasan Sundararajan, Maveric Systems Limited
Soumya Sadarangani, Marsh McLennan
Pratap Pawar, Gs Lab
Event Statistics:
22 Speakers
11 Sponsors
160+ Attendees
80+ Unique Companies
Testimonials:
Kaushal Javadekar, Veritas Technologies LLC: "Great partnering with this group. Loved all the insights and flexibility!"
Manoj Vanjari, dentsu: "It was a wonderful event with good speakers and insightful content."
Pratap Pawar, GS Lab: "The event was transformative, strategically organized to redefine the future of learning."
Notable Attendees:
The event attracted professionals from diverse industries, including technology, healthcare, finance, and education. Companies such as Amdocs, Cipla, Infosys BPM, Tech Mahindra, and Tata AIA Life Insurance were represented.
This event provided attendees with cutting-edge insights into learning and development in the digital age, fostering valuable discussions on AI's role in training, inclusion practices, and strategies for organizational transformation.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The second meeting of interior ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) will be held in 2025 in Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
The decision was made today in the Kyrgyz city of Cholpon Ata at the first meeting of the Interior Ministers of the OTS member countries.
The meeting was attended by the Interior Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Vilayat Eyvazov, Interior Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Sadenov, Interior Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Ulan Niyazbekov, Interior Minister of the Republic of Turkiye Ali Yerlikaya, Interior Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Pulat Bobojonov, and Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev.
Addressing the meeting, the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States stressed that the first meeting of the interior ministers of the Organization's member states is the basis of a new platform, which will operate regularly and will be another step of the Turkic states towards strengthening cooperation.
The participants informed about the activities of the agencies they headed in the field of combating transnational organized crime, including terrorism, extremism, drug and human trafficking, and cybercrime. They emphasized the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies within the OTS.
The declaration of the first meeting of the OTS Interior Ministers was signed, and a decision was made to hold the second meeting of the OTS Interior Ministers in Azerbaijan in 2025.
Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) initiative will bolster India's maritime security and accelerate the movement of goods between Europe and Asia. Speaking at the CII India-Mediterranean Business Conclave 2024 in New Delhi, Goyal also highlighted the immense potential for collaboration in the tourism sector.
Launched during India's G20 presidency, IMEC aims to connect India with Europe and the Middle East through key nations like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and the European Union (EU), Goyal explained. He emphasized that lower logistics costs, improved connectivity, and the secure movement of goods rely on greater cooperation in these areas.
India presents a vast market for Mediterranean goods and services due to the longstanding ties shared by both regions, said Minister Goyal. He expressed optimism about the India-Mediterranean partnership, envisioning it as a pathway to economic prosperity and mutual growth, aiming for a cleaner, more resilient, secure, inclusive, and brighter future for all involved.
India and Mediterranean countries share common interests in the maritime sector, including shipbuilding, ownership, and the cruise industry. The Indian government sees significant opportunities in port development, having doubled the countrys port capacity over the past decade, with plans to double it again within the next five years, according to the minister.
production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), and economic partnerships have driven Indias manufacturing growth. Goyal noted that the nations efforts to enhance agri-value chains could further support collaborations between India and Mediterranean nations. Initiatives such as thescheme, Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), and economic partnerships have driven Indias manufacturing growth. Goyal noted that the nations efforts to enhance agri-value chains could further support collaborations between India and Mediterranean nations.
Minister Goyal also proposed forming a working group on tourism between India and the Mediterranean countries, given the enormous potential for mutual benefit. He noted that, as one of the world's fastest-growing economies with a young population, India will play a critical role in driving global growth for decades to come.
An event aimed at strengthening security cooperation between India and Israel in countering drone threats took place from September 2 to 4, according to an official statement released. During the seminar, nine Israeli defense companies presented advanced technologies to address these threats. The event saw participation from representatives and senior officials from Israel's Ministry of Defense, economic and security attaches, as well as officials from India's Ministry of Defence, along with members of both nations' defense and civilian industries, according to the Israeli Embassy's statement.
The seminar centered on 'tackling the escalating drone threat', addressing both security and criminal concerns, which present a major challenge for global security forces due to drones' capabilities for intelligence gathering, carrying weapons, and executing precise attacks, the statement noted. During the event, nine Israeli defense companies displayed cutting-edge technologies designed to counter these threats. Operational experiences were shared, and advanced technological solutions were highlighted, with the goal of strengthening security cooperation between Israel and India, according to the statement.
The Directorate for Defense Exports at the Israeli Ministry of Defense (SIBAT), in collaboration with the Israel Economic and Commercial Mission in New Delhi, the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Israel Export Institute, the Israeli Embassy in India, the Indian Ministry of Defense and SIDM (Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers) held the seminar in Delhi to "enhance security cooperation between Israel and India in combating drone threat", it said.
D-Fend Solutions, Septier, and Sentrycs showcased Cyber Radio Frequency (CRF)-based systems designed to detect, locate, and neutralize drones. Smart Shooter presented intelligent fire control systems for small arms, aimed at intercepting drones. ThirdEye Systems highlighted AI-powered vision and robotics technologies for detecting and identifying drones and small aircraft, the statement added.
"ELTA Systems, Rafael, Elbit Systems and Skylock exhibited solutions based on sensors, radars, electronic warfare and communication systems for detecting, identifying and neutralizing drones", the statement said. The second day of the seminar focused on fostering business synergies between the industries of both nations, aimed at exploring partnerships that leverage Israeli defense and dual-use technologies to tackle the rising drone threats in both defense and civilian applications, the statement said.
On the final day, an Israeli delegation conducted site visits to major Indian entities to gain insights into current and emerging drone threats . The seminar provided a valuable platform to highlight Israeli companies' advanced technologies, enhance security collaboration between Israel and India, and foster joint solutions to address security challenges, the statement added.
"Israeli technologies, particularly in the field of homeland security, are highly regarded in India and generate significant interest from both public and private entities. The recent seminar, which facilitated over 150 business meetings, is a testament to the strong demand for these technologies. We will continue to support Israeli companies in their endeavours in India until we see these promising opportunities translate into business partnerships that will strengthen the security and relations of both Israel and India", Economic Counsellor at Israel Embassy, Natasha Zangin, was quoted as saying in the statement.
The Global Fintech Fest 2024 concluded on August 30, 2024, celebrating notable advancements in the fintech sector. The three-day event, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, government officials, regulators, and global industry leaders, highlighted the transformative impact of fintech companies on digitalizing the economy.
Among the key accolades presented, Pay Point India Network Pvt. Ltd. was recognized as the Best Business Correspondent by the Payment Council of India. This prestigious award underscores Pay Point Indias dedication to bridging the financial gap for underserved populations. The company has been pivotal in opening Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts for financially excluded individuals and facilitating the distribution of various social welfare schemes such as the Atal Pension Yojana, PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana.
We are deeply honoured to receive this award from the Payment Council of India, said Ketan Doshi, Managing Director of Pay Point India Network Pvt. Ltd. This recognition is a testament to our teams dedication to empowering underserved communities through accessible and inclusive financial services. We remain committed to advancing financial inclusion and supporting the governments vision of a digitally empowered India.
Each month, Pay Point India serves the banking and payment needs of over 10 million underprivileged individuals, reinforcing the national mission of financial inclusion. The companys initiatives demonstrate the substantial impact of financial outreach on improving access to formal banking for millions who were previously excluded.
The Global Fintech Fest provided a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing, featuring cutting-edge technological innovations. The event solidified its place as a critical gathering for global fintech professionals. During a panel discussion on 'Business Correspondents for Digital and Phygital Lending', Ketan Doshi expressed gratitude for the industrys collective efforts. A big thank you to everyone who joined us for the insightful panel discussion. Together, were shaping the future of financial services in India, he stated.
PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) in expanding financial inclusion, with over 530 million accounts opened under the scheme. The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of banks and Business Correspondents, such as Pay Point India, in making this achievement possible. In his closing remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the fintech industrys essential role in driving the digitalization of finance. He called for continued innovation and emphasized the success of thein expanding financial inclusion, with over 530 million accounts opened under the scheme. The Prime Minister lauded the efforts of banks and Business Correspondents, such as Pay Point India, in making this achievement possible.
The event coincided with the 10th anniversary of PMJDY, marking a decade of progress in bringing financial services to all corners of the nation.
Prozeal Green Energy, based in Ahmedabad, and Nepalese firm Golyan Power have announced a joint venture to develop solar power projects in Nepal. The agreement was formalized on Tuesday at Golyan Groups headquarters in Kathmandu, marking a significant step in advancing renewable energy in the Himalayan region.
The joint venture, named Prozeal Green Energy Nepal, was signed by Shobit Rai, Director of Prozeal Green Energy, and Akshay Golyan, Director of Golyan Power. The partnership aims to establish over 500 MW of solar energy capacity across various sites in Nepal over the next 18 months. Prozeal Green Energy will hold a 60% stake in the joint venture, while Golyan Power will retain 40%.
clean energy and sustainability in Nepal. Rai described the agreement as 'a powerful alliance between Nepal and India', highlighting the shared goal of leading the global decarbonization movement and setting new standards forin Nepal.
Golyan Powers Akshay Golyan expressed confidence in the venture, stating, "Nepal is rapidly advancing in the renewable energy sector, and this partnership will create new opportunities for both parties. Our shared vision and the vast potential ahead make this collaboration promising".
The joint venture will focus on both solar rooftop and ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) installations. The energy generated from these projects will be sold to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and various commercial and industrial consumers.
Under the agreement, Prozeal Green Energy will serve as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) development company, bringing its extensive experience in renewable energy. Golyan Power will handle business development, land acquisition, and financing for the initiative.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a significant investment boost for the state, securing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 850 crores with three prominent US-based companies: Lincoln Electric, Vishay Precision, and Visteon. This development marks a substantial step towards realizing Tamil Nadus vision for economic growth and industrial advancement.
In a post on the social media platform "X," Chief Minister Stalin expressed his optimism about the states prospects. In the land of opportunities, every new dawn ignites fresh hopes. We've secured MoUs worth Rs 850 crores with Lincoln Electric, Vishay Precision, and Visteon, bringing us one step closer to realizing our vision. Through relentless effort and determination, we continue to turn our dreams into reality, he said.
This announcement follows a series of significant investment agreements secured by Tamil Nadu. On Thursday, the state finalized a Rs 2000 crore MoU with Trilliant to establish a manufacturing unit and a Development and Global Support Centre in Tamil Nadu. Stalin highlighted this achievement, stating, Exciting developments in Chicago! Secured a Rs 2000 crore MoU with Trilliant to establish a manufacturing unit as well as their Development & Global Support Centre in Tamil Nadu. Thanks to Trilliant for this valuable partnership.
In addition, Stalin reported productive discussions with Nike regarding the expansion of its footwear production in Chennai and engagement with healthcare firm Optum to develop a talent pipeline in the sector within the state.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Stalin signed an MoU with Eaton, a multinational power management company, for a Rs 200 crore expansion of its R&D and engineering centre in Chennai. This initiative is expected to create 500 jobs. Furthermore, the Tamil Nadu government secured a pact with Assurant, a risk management solutions provider, to establish its first Global Capability Centre in the state.
Stalin is currently on an official visit to the United States, aimed at garnering support and investment to enhance Tamil Nadu's economic landscape. On August 31, 2024, an agreement was signed with Ohmium for a new factory in Chengalpattu district, dedicated to producing electrolysers and green hydrogen with an investment of Rs 400 crores, which will create an additional 500 job opportunities. Stalin described this deal as a crucial step towards fostering a green energy ecosystem and promoting a sustainable future.
artificial intelligence (AI) labs in the state. Earlier in his visit, on August 30, 2024, Stalin met with senior officials from Apple, Google, and Microsoft to discuss potential investments in Tamil Nadu. Notably, an MoU was signed with Google to establishlabs in the state.
On August 29, 2024, at an investors' conference in San Francisco, Tamil Nadu signed MoUs with six global companies Nokia, PayPal, Yield Engineering Services, Microchip, Infinx Healthcare, and Applied Materials for an investment of Rs 900 crores, which is expected to create 4,100 job opportunities.
These initiatives collectively underscore Tamil Nadu's robust strategy to attract global investment, boost employment, and strengthen its position as a key player in India's economic development.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New York Small Business Development Center (NYSBDC) held its 2024 Client Awards Roadshow on Staten Island last month, recognizing the achievements of small business clients from across New York state.
Mark Adeniji, a Marine Corps veteran and the owner of A Final Touch Construction Inc. in Brooklyn, was honored with the coveted Veteran Entrepreneur of the Year Award, a recognition that celebrates the commitment to advancing business opportunities for veterans.
As we come together with elected officials, business leaders, and the community, we shine a spotlight on the diverse contributions that small businesses make to New Yorks economic landscape, Sonya Smith, state director of the NYSBDC, noted at the event, which was held at the College of Staten Island (CSI) in Willowbrook. Each clients story reflects resilience, creativity, and the unwavering spirit of entrepreneurship that drives our local economy forward.
Adeniji, who served a tour in Iraq, is retired from the NYPD and still plays an instrumental role in working with the community. He was introduced by Ed Piszko, interim regional director of the Staten Island Small Business Development Center, and lauded by Timothy Lynch, president of CSI.
Adeniji was then honored with recognition awards from State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/Southern Brooklyn), Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) and Assemblymember Sam Pirozzolo (R-Mid-Island). In a particularly touching moment, Smith presented Adeniji with an American Flag that had flown over the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Marks journey is a testament to the impact that one individual can have on both local businesses and the broader community, the NYSBDC noted in a press release. His achievements serve as an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners, reminding them of the importance of giving back and fostering connections within their neighborhoods.
An Alabama widow is claiming her 70-year-old husbands death was caused by a surgery during which the doctor allegedly removed the wrong organ, according to PEOPLE.
The widow, Beverly Bryan, is claiming her late husband, William Bryan, had his liver surgically removed in error, instead of his spleen, at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital, a Florida hospital.
Under Florida law, a pre-suit process is required before a lawsuit is filed. PEOPLE obtained operative and pathology reports for this pre-suit process from Zarzaur Law, the law firm representing Bryan in this case, which confirmed a liver was indeed removed, although not indicating if the removal was an error.
The Mayo Clinic states that the spleen is an organ that sits just below your left rib cage. The Mayo Clinic also states the liver is an organ that sits just under the rib cage on the right side of the abdomen, weighing up to four pounds.
At the time of the events leading up to the alleged wrongful removal of the liver, the Bryans were visiting Okaloosa County, Florida, from Alabama. On Aug. 18, William Bryan suffered abdominal pain and sought medical attention, according to the documents provided by Zarzaur Law.
At the hospital, he was informed that he needed surgery, and was admitted for intra-abdominal hemorrhage associated with splenic artery aneurysm rupture and cardiac arrest, according to the operative reports.
Despite understanding the situation, Bryan initially refused surgery, saying he wanted to go home and see his regular doctor in Alabama. The hospital explained to Bryan that he wasnt fit to leave and that doing so would be against medical advice, according to the documents.
Bryan chose to stay at the hospital, and on the second day, doctors recommended surgery.
On August 21, 2024, Dr. Shaknovsky proceeded with a hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy procedure, the Zarzauer Law statement to Newsweek reads. 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 surgeon proceeded with labeling the removed liver specimen as a spleen and it wasnt until following the death that it was identified that the organ removed was actually Mr. Bryans liver, as opposed to the spleen.
The surgical pathology report said: Received in [the preservative solution] formalin labeled with the patients name and spleen, is a grossly identifiable 2,106 g liver.
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 statement continues.
According to the statement, the family was later informed that Bill Bryans spleen with a small cyst on its surface was still in his body.
Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast Hospital stated to NBC: We take allegations like this very seriously, and our leadership team is performing a thorough investigation into this event. Patient safety is and remains our number one priority. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family. We hold the privacy of our patients in the highest regard. We do not comment on specific patient cases or active litigation.
FBI agents this week searched the homes of at least three top deputies to New York Mayor Eric Adams, according to a person familiar with the matter.
FBI agents seized electronic devices Wednesday from the homes of Philip Banks, the deputy mayor for public safety, and Sheena Wright, the first deputy mayor, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation. Agents also searched the home of Timothy Pearson, a former high-ranking New York Police Department official who now advises the mayor on public safety, the person said.
The NYPD also said in a statement that it was aware of an investigation by Manhattan-based federal prosecutors involving members of service.
The department is fully cooperating in the investigation, the statement added, directing further inquiries to prosecutors.
They declined to comment, as did spokespersons for the FBI and for Adams, a first-term Democrat.
Benjamin Brafman, an attorney for Philip Banks, confirmed that a search was conducted on his clients home early Wednesday. Brafman declined to comment further.
The searches marked the latest sign of legal trouble in Adams administration. The retired New York City police captain took office as mayor in 2022 after serving as Brooklyns borough president and as a state senator.
This past November, federal agents seized the mayors phones and iPad as he was leaving an event in Manhattan and raided the home of one of his top fundraisers. He, his campaign arm and City Hall received subpoenas from federal prosecutors over the summer.
Adams has denied any wrongdoing and has said that he and his team are cooperating with the inquiry.
Pearson is currently facing multiple lawsuits accusing accusing him of sexually harassing female employees, and he is facing a separate investigation for his role in a brawl at a shelter for homeless migrants. A lawyer representing Pearson in the harassment suit did not immediately respond to a phone call.
Federal prosecutors previously named Banks as an unindicted co-conspirator in an investigation into a police bribery scheme during former Mayor Bill de Blasios administration. Banks abruptly retired in 2014 but returned to city government after Adams took office in 2022.
Wright, the first deputy mayor, lives with her partner, David Banks, the citys schools chancellor and brother of Philip Banks. It was not immediately clear whether investigators also sought records related to David Banks.
A spokesperson for the citys Law Department declined to comment.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Robert Annichario said Thursday if the treatment of mom-and-pop pharmacies around the country doesnt change, that his Delco Drugs store in Eltingville may soon be out of business.
Annichario was one of a group of Staten Island pharmacy owners, and advocates for their businesses who joined Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) Thursday in Princes Bay to discuss what can be done to keep small independent pharmacies around.
The main issue discussed was the impact of companies called pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which are the businesses that manage prescription drug plans.
Theyre putting these local mom-and-pop businesses out of business, Malliotakis said. As theses mom-and-pop pharmacies are closing, were only going to be left with these big chains.
The biggest of those chain pharmacies, CVS, is demonstrative of the broader problems with PBMs and the impact theyre having on prescription healthcare.
A Federal Trade Commission chart shows how six of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers are part of larger healthcare conglomerates.(Courtesy: FTC)
Originally designed as a way to increase efficiency in prescription drug distribution, PBMs have grown into billion-dollar corporations that Malliotakis and the business owners gathered Thursday say are unfairly impacting the healthcare industry.
The congresswoman said the main issue with PBMs is their vertical integration into larger healthcare companies.
For example, CVS Caremark the largest PBM with 34% market share, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is part of the CVS Health Corporation, which also includes the companys retail pharmacies, health care providers and the insurance giant, Aetna.
The CVS PBM along with others including Express Scripts, part of Cigna and Optum Rx, part of UnitedHelath Group can impact drug prices and steer customers away from local pharmacies.
It puts these guys (local pharmacies) at a complete disadvantage and its predatory, Malliotakis said. It really is predatory.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis stands with local pharmacy owners in Prince's Bay Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.(Staten Island Advance/Paul Liotta)
Mayank Parikh, whose Super Health Pharmacy was where the group held Thursdays meeting, used the example of a patient in need of Trulicity, a treatment for type-2 diabetes.
To fill that prescription, Parikh said it costs his business $1,000 while the patients PBM only offered a $900 reimbursement.
Not wanting to lose money on a transaction, Parikh said he recommended the patient go to a CVS pharmacy, but after learning it would be a $100 co-pay for her, compared to a $4 co-pay at Super Health, the smaller pharmacist wound up filling the prescription anyway.
We have a duty to serve the patient, so we went ahead and still ordered it for her, Parikh said. But thats just one example. If we continue doing that, well be out of business faster than you know it.
While the problem has impacted Staten Island pharmacies, it has been seen across the country. About one independent pharmacy closes each day in the U.S., an estimate provided by Katie Krell of the National Community Pharmacists Association, an industry lobbying group.
In an effort to combat the power of PBMs and their impact, Malliotakis has sponsored or signed onto several bills that would hopefully rein them in.
The first bill, the Protecting Patients from Middlemen Act, would prohibit drug plans and PBMs in Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage from charging patients more in cost-sharing than the net price of the drug.
The next, the Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act, would limit the compensation collected by PBMs under contract with Medicare prescription drug benefits or Medicare Advantage, and would require more transparency from the healthcare companies.
The Delinking Revenue from Unfair Gouging (DRUG) Act, like the PBM Abuses Act, would limit some of the most unfair practices from PBMs, including their higher payments to affiliated pharmacies versus independent pharmacies.
The Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act would install further pricing regulations on PBMs operating under Medicaid, increase funding for pharmacy surveys and make survey participation publicly available.
Lastly, the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act would extend some of the COVID-era Medicare payments to pharmacies for things like pharmacist-administered COVID tests and vaccines.
All five of those bills are at various stages of the legislative process in the House and would require approval by the Senate and President Joseph Biden.
While that might seem like a heavy lift in politically-split Washington D.C., Malliotakis said there might be enough support to get it done before the year is out.
I see some real interest in a bipartisan manner to get these PBMs under control and to put in place some transparency measures, some restriction that would really curb the unfair practices and the predatory practices of the PBMs, she said. Were talking about real bipartisan solutions that have a chance.
Labor Day has come and gone, which means two things: Kids are back at school, and opposition research is dropping. And in the North Carolina governors race, things are getting ugly fast.
In just 24 hours, Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, an extremist who has been heartily endorsed by Donald Trump, is facing allegations that he was a regular at video porn shops in the 1990s and 2000s, and that his wife tried to stiff the Girl Scouts out of $3,000 worth of cookies.
This, already on top of allegations that, while acting as a middle man for schools trying to get funding to provide lunches, Robinsons charity allegedly skimmed at least some of that cash.
As part of his campaign, Robinson who has been called MAGAs Great Black Hope has crusaded to remove what he considers pornography references to the LGBTQ community from school and public libraries because, he says, it grooms and indoctrinates youngsters.
Robinson, the current lieutenant governor, also has said that some folks need killing, particularly liberals.
In most polls, Robinson trails Democratic candidate Josh Stein, who leads by 6-10 points, and GOP analysts are concerned that Robinsons poor showing could put the state in play for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. And now, the polling could get even worse for Robinson.
In a report published on Tuesday, five men who worked at or patronized a pair of 24-hour video-pornography stores in Greensboro Gents Video & News and and I-40 Video & News told the North Carolina Assembly that Robinson would frequently visit the shop after working for a nearby pizza shop.
Louis Money, a former employee who insisted he had no political agenda, said Robinson would often purchase two or more previews, which consisted of a viewing in a private booth, over the course of a night. He also purchased hundreds of bootleg porn videos that Money sold, he said. Most were just straight American porn, he said.
And I dont trust anybody that doesnt like good old American porn, Money said. He should be judged on everything else, but he should not be judged for this.
While Robinson has demanded that books containing LGBTQ references be banned, Money said Robinson had a different take years ago: I know he might have problems with gay people, but I dont think he has problems with lesbians, Money said.
But that wasnt the only scandal to hit Robinson on Tuesday.
Notesfromthechalkboard.com reports:
According to public records obtained from Guilford County Court, the wife of Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson was sued by Tarheel Triad Girl Scouts over money owed in Guilford County Small Claims Court in 2003 and the Girl Scouts won.
In September of 2003, the Girl Scouts filed suit against Yolanda Hill due to a $2,956.03 bad check. The matter was heard the following month, and court documents indicate nobody attended on behalf of the defendant. The magistrate found in favor of the Girl Scouts and tacked on fees and damages as permitted by state law on returned checks for a grand total of $3,486.03.
Robinson and Hill had to pay the Girl Scouts attorney fees as well.
At a campaign stop on Tuesday, Robinson refused to answer questions about either scandal, and his campaign has denied the porn shop allegations.
SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, September 6. A roundtable dedicated to International Gastronomy Day has been held in Shusha with the joint organization of the State Tourism Agency, the Shusha City State Reserve Department, and the Azerbaijan National Culinary Center, Trend reports.
Culinary representatives from Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, which are considered the main target tourism markets among Islamic countries, took part in the event.
Director of Shusha City School No. 1 Sabina Gozalova spoke at the event about the history of the city and notable musicians born in Shusha, a historic and cultural center of Azerbaijan.
She highlighted that Shusha, as the capital of the Karabakh Khanate, played a significant political, cultural, and strategic role in Azerbaijan's history.
Gozalova emphasized that the heroic Azerbaijani Army, led by the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, liberated Shusha from the occupation.
According to her, the rapid restoration work on the cultural capital of Shusha, including the restoration and commissioning of historical, cultural, and religious monuments, deserves commendation.
Head of the Gastronomy Department at the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau, Sakina Asgarova, presented a video on "Azerbaijan as a Tourist Destination".
Professor Umar Farooq from Pakistan's University of Agriculture delivered a speech on the topic "Pakistani Gastronomy and National Cuisine".
Iranian expert Mona Shahbazi spoke about the potential for gastronomic tourism in Islamic countries, and Jahongir Azamov representing the State Committee for Tourism Development of Uzbekistan shared insights into Uzbekistan's rich cuisine, culture, and traditions.
Professor Huseyin Pamukcu from Turkish Afyon Kocatepe University briefed on Turkish and regional cuisine.
Pamukcu highlighted the close cooperation between Islamic countries in the culinary field and described the ongoing projects in this area as crucial steps.
The roundtable concluded with a Q&A session involving the experts.
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/Southern Brooklyn) kept above the political fray Friday at a West Brighton event organized by her supporters.
The sitting senator chose not to directly attack her Republican general election opponent, Marko Kepi, when asked about allegations of petition fraud brought by the Staten Island Democratic Party.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Democratic challenger looking to unseat Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo in the upcoming election is sounding the alarm on the potential infiltration of New York politics by the Chinese Communist Party.
On Thursday, Matthew Mobilia, an attorney and lifelong Staten Islander running for the 63rd State Assembly District seat, held a press conference calling for a formal investigation into a December 2023 official visit to China by a Republican delegation from the state Assembly, which included Pirozzolo.
The call for an investigation into the Mid-Island assemblymans trip comes just days after Linda Sun, a former aide to Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was charged with acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government to advance Beijings agenda from within state government.
The trip, which Pirozzolo had previously declined to provide specific details on when asked by the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com, was sponsored by the American Chinese Commerce Association, a Brooklyn-based not-for-profit with reported ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Weve seen reports that the Communist Party has stepped up its efforts to grow its influence around the world. Unfortunately, that influence has reached the 63rd Assembly District through our assemblyman, said Mobilia.
Mike Fraser, a spokesman for Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Oswego), previously told the New York Post the group was scheduled to meet with foreign ministers, dignitaries, economic development and education officials on the trip.
Mobilia highlighted Pirozzolos unwillingness to discuss specific details of the trip and claimed the assemblyman intentionally failed to publicize it at the time.
We dont know very much about this trip. When Assemblyman Pirozzolo was asked about the specifics of the trip by the media, including the Staten Island Advance and the Albany Times Union, he declined to comment both times. He never made mention of this trip on his social media or in any of his newsletters that he sends to his constituents, Mobilia said.
One thing we believe in is transparency is crucial, and thats why we are calling for a comprehensive investigation into the friendships that were formed during this friendship delegation, he continued.
In an annual statement of financial disclosure, Pirozzolo wrote that the trip was intended to enhance U.S.-China exchanges, bilateral relations, and foster the growth of economic and trade cooperation and cultural understanding.
The assemblyman told the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com that the trip was approved by the Assemblys Legislative Ethics Committee and had been disclosed to federal agencies, none of which raised any concerns about the nature of the official visit.
I even did an FBI briefing with Joe Bidens FBI to discuss this trip. They did not say to us, Hey, theres this guy here, or there are connections to CCP, you should be careful or do not go. They knew. And to the best of my knowledge, even the State Department knew that these elected officials were taking this trip to China, Pirozzolo said.
So if you want to talk about transparency, my administration, and if you want to call it my office, my trip, the Republicans on the trip, have been nothing but transparent, he added.
When asked again to provide specific details as to the nature of the trip, the assemblyman said he has no reason to defend his actions before offering vague details about meeting with Chinese government officials.
I feel like that puts me in a position where, if I have to defend it, Ive got a problem. Theres nothing for me to defend. We didnt know who we were going to meet because they didnt tell us who we were going to meet until we met them. We met with basically our counterparts in government, whether its on the state level or like a city council level, and we discussed, you know, what we do in this country, what they do there and what issues are important, said Pirozzolo.
The assemblyman chastised Mobilia and Democratic congressional candidate Andrea Morse, both of whom work as attorneys, for calling for investigations into matters that had already been cleared by the respective ethics committees.
In July, Morse submitted a request to House Committee on Ethics Chair Michael Guest and Ranking Member Susan Wild urging them to open an investigation into Malliotakis purchase of New York Community Bancorp stock just days before prices rose by nearly one-third.
However, a letter from the Office of Congressional Ethics obtained by the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com showed that a review of the matter had already been conducted, with no wrongdoing found on the part of the congresswoman.
Now, Im not a lawyer, but I have been told many times that one of the first things they teach you in law school is you dont answer a question you dont know the answer to, Pirozzolo said. I dont really want to be rude, but its kind of like Dumb and Dumber, right? An investigation into the stock trading already happened, has been cleared, and the FBI, the Ethics Commission, and I believe the State Department, all knew about my trip.
SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, September 6. All conditions have been created in Shusha city to demonstrate the cuisine of Islamic countries at the International Gastronomy Day, Aydin Karimov, the Azerbaijani President's special representative in the Shusha district said, Trend reports.
He made the remark at the ceremony of tasting iftar dishes within the International Gastronomy Day being held in Shusha.
According to him, holding this event in the city of Shusha is a source of pride.
I have no doubt that this event will be held at a high level. This year it is symbolic. Shusha received the status of the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World this year, and all events are held under this motto. At this festival, all the necessary conditions have been created for the demonstration culture and cuisine of Islamic countries," the official added.
The International Gastronomy Day in Shusha is taking place with the joint organization of the State Tourism Agency, the Office of the Shusha City State Reserve Department, and the Azerbaijan National Culinary Center.
Along with Azerbaijan, culinary representatives from such countries as Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, which are considered the main target tourism markets among Islamic countries, are taking part in the event.
The event is featuring an open-air tasting of dishes representing the joint iftar table of Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan, in accordance with the multinational nomination included in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, titled "Iftar and related socio-cultural traditions".
Additionally, an exhibition of national tourism brands will be organized within the event, showcasing samples of the gastronomic and tangible cultural heritage of the Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur regions.
The visitors will also be presented with manuscripts, calligraphic texts, religious writings, and samples of the centuries-old decorative art heritage "The Art of Illuminated Manuscripts", which is practiced in miniatures and is included in UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
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Coles Home Brand in 2004. Credit: Its a far cry from what supermarket own-brands used to be, as retailers become sharper and more sophisticated about their offering. The quality and the price points around home-branded product has improved significantly over 20 or 30 years, said KPMG consumer and retail national sector lead James Stewart. Its not a radically new strategy in terms of an idea. Its just a well-developed strategy thats moved ahead in leaps and bounds. Its not always obvious
Supermarkets have created different tiers of home brands to capture customers shopping across different budgets: Coles offers three ranges (Coles Brand, Coles Finest and Coles Simply) but also operates body care brand KOi, baby care range CUB, specialty coffee range Daley Street Coffee and more. Woolworths has found success through its Macro range, which has a focus on nutrition and natural ingredients, but also competes with multinationals through its pet food brands Apollo, Baxters, Your Majesty and Smitten. Coles-owned brands, such as KOi, have become more sophisticated. Its not always obvious to customers what are home-branded products and what are not home-branded products, said Stewart. You wouldnt know your KOi body wash or your Daley Street coffee beans have been manufactured by the retailer until you flip it over and read the fine print, which states it is a trademark under license from Coles Group limited and lists the same address as Coles head office. Grimmer says these phantom brands have increased in number.
The supermarkets are creating a brand within a brand, the products you dont know are actually owned by Coles or Woolworths. Theyve got their own brand names and thats all about creating customer loyalty to those particular brands because, of course, theyre only available in the store thats making those brands, she said. Woolworths popular Macro own-brand range. Supermarkets also stand to profit more by having more say in the supply chain process. A retail industry leader estimates that supermarkets might make gross margins of 35 per cent before overheads, but a home brand item might lift margins to 40 per cent or more. Because the supermarkets control the manufacturing, the logistics of those products, I think they realised that there was a gap between the really cheap home brand and the branded products, and that was a gap that they could fill, said Grimmer. Aldification
Aldi and Kmart are notable stand-outs for effectively turning in-house brands into a successful business model: Kmarts brand Anko, which not only has a wide range but is popular for tapping into dupe culture by rapidly producing copycat versions of trending items, not only accounts for 85 per cent of Kmarts sales, but is a major profit engine for $80 billion ASX-listed parent company Wesfarmers. Loading Meanwhile, more than 90 per cent of Aldis product range has been developed by the German supermarket. Ferrier, Stewart and Grimmer all gave credit to Aldi, which entered the Australian market in 2001, for raising the general standards of home brands and making them more palatable. Rather than selling something at the cheapest possible price at the expense of quality, the current approach appears to flip this on its head: deliver a product that rivals the highly regarded branded version, but at a more affordable price. Aldi has helped reinvent home brands for consumers, and theyve done that by aligning their cheap brands against well-known brands, said Ferrier. The consumer feels like theyre buying a version of that.
Many brands are premiumising, according to the advertising creative, commanding a higher price by promising better quality, leaving room for more lower-priced players to capture some market share. M&Ms and Aldis equivalent. Credit: Edwina Pickles If you look at the ice cream category, for example, you can be paying $50 a kilo for ice cream, or you can be paying $5 a kilo That means theres more value that can be extracted from everybody. The home brands can come in at $20, not $10 a kilo, and still offer a cheaper alternative to the high-end versions, but still make better margins for the retailers, he said. Were seeing the rise of home brand up the food chain a bit. What makes a product feel more premium? Apart from quality itself, this appears in large part to be a marketing exercise: borrow the design cues of the higher-end item.
If youre going to have a price point thats sort of midway, then its got to look the part, said Grimmer. A lot of its to do with packaging its all about perception. Shelf squeeze Even though were filling our shopping baskets with more home-brand goods, certain products with high brand recognition such as Coca-Cola or Kraft peanut butter wont be something consumers are willing to compromise on. But supermarkets are increasingly placing their home brand items on shelves at the highly coveted eye level, making branded manufacturers and some smaller brands work harder. Offering customers something made in-house could reduce the need for several branded options, said Stewart. Woolworths home-branded milk is easy to access. Credit: Getty Images
They can then control a category at least inside the four walls of their store, he said. If they have a very successful home-branded milk range, they may not need to carry 10 different third-party brands of an equivalent product, they may only need to carry five. Grimmer believes the growth of phantom brands is squeezing competition for smaller players and lures the consumer into thinking theres a lot of choice. Smaller suppliers, smaller companies are going to have even more trouble getting their products on the shelf of these big supermarkets because theyve now got competition, which theyve always had from the branded products, but now theres increased competition from the phantom brands, she said. But competition is fair play, Stewart believes, and the extra margin retailers make from it can be reinvested back into the business and keep prices down. Its a legitimate model, he said. Theres nothing inherently evil in having a really sensible private label strategy.
Im aged in my 60s. I went for an internal promotion at an organisation I have been with for a long while. I was eminently qualified for the job but did not get it. It went to a younger candidate.
They asked in the interview, where do you see yourself in five years? Should I have been asked that question? Are they even allowed to ask that at my age?
Credit: John Shakespeare
I asked Dr Alysia Blackham, an associate professor and director of teaching at Melbourne Law School, for her thoughts on your question. She told me that discrimination law is highly fact-dependent and so her general thoughts on the matter, which you can read below, shouldnt be taken as legal advice.
Age discrimination at work is prohibited by laws federally the Age Discrimination Act 2004 (Commonwealth), and Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) adverse action provisions and at state and territory level. State laws are more flexible in Victoria than in New South Wales, for example, so I will focus my comments here on the federal discrimination laws.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size As she climbs the stairs at Jacksons on George, Brenna Hobson has flashbacks. Although shes lived in Glasgow for seven years working as executive director of the National Theatre of Scotland, Sydney-born and raised Hobson has been here before in a different life. Brenna Hobson, formerly of the National Theatre of Scotland, is now head of programming at the Sydney Opera House. Credit: Edwina Pickles As someone involved in the theatre for over two decades, first at the Australian Theatre for Young People rising to executive director at Belvoir St Theatre before leaving for Scotland in 2017, Hobson is still familiar with Sydneys after-hours venues as post-performance gathering places. Id had flashbacks, too, when I landed at this Circular Quay staple that was once a grungy but reliable late-night watering hole, where we meet for lunch. Gone are the sticky carpets and fully tanked clientele, replaced by waiters decked out in white in the high-end Bistro George, run by Maurice Terzini, the founder of Bondis upmarket Icebergs Dining Room. We both laugh about it being so Sydney constantly reinventing itself. Rebranded as Sydney Place by developers Lend Lease, the new buildings white curved form evokes sailing boats and, according to its architects, is influenced by its history of the site as a former boatyard, and celebrates its unique location close to the sails of the Sydney Opera House.
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Coincidentally enough, thats where Hobson now spends much of her time as the recently appointed director of programming at the World Heritage-listed building at Bennelong Point. She took over in July from beloved arts and theatre veteran Fiona Winning, who has left the Opera House after six years in the role. Hobson now oversees the arm of the organisation that presents over 700 performances each year in the areas of contemporary music, performance, First Nations, talks and ideas, children, families and creative learning, classical music and screen. She has a lot on her plate unlike the sparse servings at Terzinis upmarket establishment. Entrees of heritage beetroot, goats curd and walnut salad with fermented honey dressing and yellowfin crostini. Credit: Edwina Pickles Shes familiar with the ins and outs of the nations best-known building after serving as a member of the Sydney Opera House Trust from 2014 until 2017. Among other things, she was on the audit committee which oversaw the early stages of the $300 million decade of renewal works at the Jrn Utzon-designed space. There are two dedicated arts roles among the trusteeship, Hobson explains over our entrees in Bistro Georges birdcage-like dining room shes chosen yellowfin crostini, while Ive gone for the heritage beetroot, goats curd and walnut salad with fermented honey dressing. Deborah Mailman and I were those two representatives ... it is also one of the ways the trust facilitates having younger trustees, says Hobson, who was in her late 30s when she joined the trust as an independent industry voice. I really enjoyed it because as a production person at both Bangarra and at Belvoir [St Theatre], Id worked on the shop floor, and that was something the other trustees found interesting.
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Hobson wasnt expecting to return to Sydney so soon from Scotland, where she spearheaded the creation of a year-long festival featuring world-leading contemporary performance companies and Scotlands young people. But the job was the drawcard. Ive got a long history with the Sydney Opera House, working backstage for resident companies and then serving on the Trust, but Ive never been a staff member before, so when I saw that the role had come up, I jumped at it, she explains. She was appointed to this role by Louise Herron before the Opera House chief executive took six months of long-service leave in July. The two have known each other for over two decades since both were at Belvoir with artistic director Neil Armfield, and Hobson was a staff representative on the Belvoir board. With speculation still rife as to who will replace Herron when her current 12-year tenure comes to an end, Hobson, at 48, and the face of generational change, could be a candidate. When I ask her outright about the top job, she laughs out loud. Thats a huge job. Louise set herself the task of sorting out the building, and shes most of the way there. Shes already talking about the next phase of renewal. Louise has still got enthusiasm for the Opera House, Hobson says. Hobson has loved the Opera House, and theatre in general, most of her life. An only child, she was raised in Sydneys inner west and attended Glenaeon, the Rudolf Steiner School in Middle Cove, from kindergarten until year 12. It took her an hour and a half each way to get to and from school, she explains over our mains, the special tagliolini, eastern rock lobster, cherry tomato, bisque and cognac. At Glenaeon, they very much believed in teaching the whole child as opposed to just isolated parts, which is pretty mainstream educational philosophy now, but back in 1980, when I was starting, was pretty radical, she says.
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Tagliolini, eastern rock lobster, cherry tomato, bisque and cognac. Credit: Edwina Pickles When school was up, she intended to go to the National Institute of Dramatic Art, but NIDA had a very strict rule at the time that you had to take a year off. By the time the year was up, she was already working backstage at Belvoir and started to attend TAFE one day a week to study production management. Like a lot of people who work in the theatre, I started off doing acting classes and loved that ... but I stopped acting when I was about 12. I realised that I loved the shows. I loved everything about making the work. I loved the social aspect of it. But actually acting wasnt my passion. I loved being backstage, making it all happen. While working as a production manager at Belvoir, she studied arts administration at UTS, leaving for a stint as executive director of Canberras Jigsaw Theatre Company before returning to Belvoir. I wasnt the sort of production manager who was going to end up managing the Olympic Games. Theatre has always been the first love for me, she says. Its a tough life as an actor, and for many actors, theres not that much self-determination and I think I was probably always going to want to have a bit more control of my own destiny. Neil Armfield, Louise Herron and Brenna Hobson at the Belvoir in 2008. Credit: Nic Walker
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She was lured to the National Theatre of Scotland, which was formed in 2006, because of the energy of the company, as well as Scotlands lively cultural scene. The Edinburgh Festival is one of the biggest arts marketplaces in the world. To be in Edinburgh in August is always extraordinary, she says. At the National Theatre, she did everything from payroll to driving the van on tour to remote village halls all over Scotland, from Shetland to Skye. As the company had no home theatre, its goal was to bring theatre to the people. They commissioned a host of different works, like Thank You Very Much by choreographer Claire Cunningham, which involved actors with disabilities performing as Elvis tribute artists. Receipt for lunch with Brenna Hobson. The company culture was a bit like Belvoir a bit familial with all the good and bad that comes with that, but its been a lovely company to work with. And everyone wants a chat in Glasgow to know why you left the lovely weather of Sydney. She loves Scotland and, having wanted a dog all her life, has just got a border collie, Eoin, (note the Gaelic spelling), whom she walks everywhere, even to her office in Glasgow from the home she owns. So after our lunch, when I later hear shes confirmed in this role, I need to ask about her dog. Eoin is indeed coming. We can get an import licence for him once hes been producing rabies antibodies for six months following his vaccination, and then hes in quarantine for 30 days. So it will be the end of the year before he joins me. I now know more about Australias quarantine laws than Id been expecting to, she explains.
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Going by the acknowledgements page, Bachardy has seen no need to distance himself from Bucknell. In contrast to Parkers scepticism, Bucknell is earnest and identifies more closely with Isherwood and Isherwoods point of view. Some of the faults reproved by Parker go unmentioned by Bucknell: Isherwoods casual antisemitism, for instance, of a fairly mild and period kind, but worth remarking in someone who worked so hard to reject the assumptions of his class and nationality, and, one might also say, someone who saw close up in 1930s Berlin what the less genteel forms of antisemitism looked like.
Bachardy helped Parker, but Parker noted that he didnt endorse the final product, and it was not hard to see why. Besides being witty and ironic, Parker could be snarky and judgmental: he seemed to have set himself against Isherwoods notorious charm, social and literary as well as sexual, and made a point of not being seduced.
Katherine Bucknell has edited the three hefty volumes of Christopher Isherwoods wonderful diaries, a collection of letters between Isherwood and his longtime companion, Don Bachardy, and an unfinished memoir, The Lost Years. Now she has written an equally hefty, smoothly told, empathetic biography. Impressive in itself, it also works as something of a corrective to Peter Parkers 2003 Isherwood: A Life.
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Born in 1904, Isherwood was part of that generation of Englishman marked by not participating in the First World War, and grief at the loss of those who did. His father died in France in 1917, and one way to read Isherwoods life is as the search for father-substitutes, as acknowledged in Prater Violet, his fictionalised portrait of his friend, the emigre film director Berthold Viertel. And then there was the obsession with courage and valour, the sense, as Isherwood put it in his early memoir Lions and Shadows, that for men, at least there was a test that needed to be passed.
The test, and the flight. In late Weimar Berlin and its boy bars he found an escape from class, and what he would one day call the heterosexual dictatorship (he would also one day come to see that his relationships with those working-class German youths was a form of exploitation). More than that, he found the subject matter and characters that would bring him fame in Goodbye to Berlin and its later adaptations for stage and screen. By the end of the 1930s he was being talked about as the future of the English novel.
Yet for all that he represented youth in revolt against the Old Gang, in one respect he was just as Victorian as what he despised: critics then and now marked his writing as having a Dickensian vitality and luxuriance of character, though without the sentimentality. (The detachment, the pose of being a camera, was brand Modern.) Sally Bowles and Mr Norris and Otto Nowak from the Berlin books, Friedrich Bergmann from Prater Violet, even George from A Single Man: it is no wonder his books make such good films (even if he thought Lisa Minnelli all wrong for Sally Bowles in Cabaret).
When it comes to literary festivals, small is beautiful. Not that Im tired of the big ones. But a small-scale regional festival often galvanises proud and passionate readers who want to introduce visiting writers to their community. This month alone there are at least 10 small festivals, including the Port Fairy Literary Weekend, Alburys Write Around the Murray, and events at Goulburn, Dubbo and the Northern Beaches.
Natalie Paull confessed her nervousness about eclairs at the Dunkeld Writers Festival. Credit: Rochelle Eagle
The one Ive just attended for the first time is Dunkeld Writers Festival. Just over three hours from Melbourne, this quaint little town on the volcanic plain under the shadow of the Grampian peaks put on a splendid weekend for us writers. We were wined, dined and spoiled rotten with local produce and we stayed at the Royal Mail Hotel, the kind of place where you might find a wallaby peering through the window.
What did readers get in return? Their own share of the wining and dining and a weekend of panels with a strong bent towards local history and landscape. Professors Barry Judd and Richard Broome told us about their project to record Indigenous versions of Western District history, including the dark days of guerrilla skirmishes and massacres.
Their session was held in honour of one of the more enlightened early settlers, James Dawson, who recorded the language and activities of First Nations people. On display were some of the artist Eugene von Guerards stunning views of the Grampian range, and historian Dr Ruth Pullin told us stories about von Guerards friendship with Dawson. One of his proteges was a teenage Indigenous boy known as Johnny Dawson, a talented young artist who drew a lively sketch of the exotic creatures he encountered on a visit to a circus.
At a new national park nestled in suburban Sydney, locally extinct animals are coming back one species at a time.
The project involves reintroducing up to 30 native animals, mostly species that are either extinct in NSW or in the local area, to a 550-hectare reserve in the heart of western Sydney, in what the head of the national parks service calls the ultimate in ecosystem restoration.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service staff at the gates to Yiraaldiya National Park in Shanes Park. Credit: Nick Moir
So far, ecologists have released three species behind a predator-proof fence to keep out foxes and cats: koalas, eastern bettongs and New Holland mice. Future releases could include 30 native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs, including quolls, emus, and diamond pythons.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) deputy secretary Atticus Fleming describes the work at Yiraaldiya National Park, which was only declared a national park last year and is still not open to the public, as like building a time capsule.
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Eating outComing soon The 10 most exciting new restaurant, cafe, bakery and bar openings of spring Your hospitality hit list, featuring a bar with natty wines and fancy sandwiches, a locomotive-themed cafe and a subterranean Italian restaurant. Bianca Hrovat September 6, 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
The Sydney hospitality scene is set to bloom with new openings this spring. Here are 10 of the most exciting, from blockbuster hits like Wunderlich Lane, a six-venue hospitality precinct in Surry Hills, and The Grounds Coffee Factory in Eveleigh, to small suburban charmers like After Hours, a Randwick sandwich-shop-turned-wine-bar, and House of Papi, selling Filipino pandesal bread in Marrickville. 10 spring openings Cut Lunch Deli sandwiches will get a glow-up for dinner service. Rhett Wyman After Hours, Randwick As the sun begins to set, celebrity chef Matt Morans favourite local sandwich shop, Cut Lunch Deli, will transform into After Hours: a casual wine bar serving slightly fancier versions of your favourite sandwiches alongside glasses of minimal intervention wine and Aussie-made craft beer. Come in your swimmers, after a gym sesh, or with some mates for a cruisy catch-up.
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Why were excited: The popular Schnitz sandwich is getting a glow-up for evening service with a cabbage slaw and a sweet chilli peanut shallot sauce on an Organic Bread Bar potato bun. When to go: After Hours will launch on Thursday, September 12 and open every Thursday to Sunday, from the end of lunch service until around 8 or 9pm. 220 Clovelly Road, Randwick, cutlunchdeli.com.au Choux pastry soft serve sandwich at A.P Supply. Supplied A.P Supply, Surry Hills
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The smaller takeaway outlet of A.P Bakery sells an exclusive new range of pastry items alongside old favourites like their Aleppo scrolls and sourdough loaves. Its a joint venture from A.P head baker Dougal Muffet, Reuben Hills Russell Beard, Ester chef-owner Mat Lindsay and Jin Ng. Why were excited: Theyre selling croissant-infused soft serve ice cream, served in choux pastry buns with a croissant and black sesame crumble and plenty of salted caramel sauce. When to go: A.P Supply opened at the beginning of Spring, and you can check it out every weekend from 7.30am3pm. 106 Commonwealth Street Surry Hills,apbakery.com.au On the slice at Bsperia. Supplied
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Bsperia, Maroubra It started as a small pizza joint at Penshurst Station, with an electric oven, a handful of milk crates to sit on, and a tight neo-Neapolitan menu that sold out almost every night. Now, one of Sydney Souths best pizzerias is coming to Maroubra Junction. Expect a 1012-seat takeaway-focused pizzeria with a big wood-fired oven. Why were excited: This means carb-loading after a long day at the beach with stand-out menu items like vodka sauce pizza laden with fresh mozzarella, creamy stracciatella, basil and chilli oil. When to go: From Thursday, September 12, Bsperia Maroubra will be open 5 9pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and until 9.30pm on Friday and Saturday. 665-667 Anzac Parade, Maroubra, bsperia.com
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Lune founder Kate Reid is set to bring her Melbourne croissanterie Lune to Rosebery. Supplied Lune Croissanterie, Rosebery When Melbourne croissanterie Lune opens its flagship bakery at the Rosebery Engine Yards later this year, it will be a state-of-the-art, world-class experience, founder Kate Reid says. It will also be the first time Sydneysiders can score buttery, delicious Lune croissants without travelling interstate. Why were excited: Anticipating high demand (fans have been known to queue for upwards of three hours for a croissant), Lune in Rosebery will be their biggest bakery yet, capable of pumping out more than 38,000 pastries each week. When to go: A spring opening looks likely, a spokesperson for Lune has confirmed.
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Rosebery Engine Yards, 115/151 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery, lunecroissanterie.com House of Papi, Marrickville When Donut Papi announced it would close this winter, it was devastating news for doughnut fans. But it was less of a closure and more of a pivot owner Kenneth Rodrigueza has since revealed plans to reopen the Marrickville site as House of Papi: a bakery and cafe with doughnuts, Filipino afternoon tea, and sandwiches. Why were excited: If the test menu is anything to go by, there will be a range of super-soft Filipino pandesal bread in flavours like ube, coconut pandan, and cheese pimiento.
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When to go: The spring relaunch date is yet to be confirmed, but keep an eye on socials for pop-up taste tests. 139 Marrickville Road, Marrickville, instagram.com/houseofpapi_sydney Oyster rockefeller and prawn cocktail at Clam Bar. Edwina Pickles Neptunes Grotto, Sydney Hospitality trio Andy Tyson, Dan Pepperell and Mikey Clift seem to have nailed the formula for a great restaurant experience their steakhouse Clam Bar scored two Good Food Guide hats for 2024, and Taylor Swift popped into their Surry Hills restaurant Pellegrino 2000 during her tour. Neptunes Grotto will be their fourth venture, a 70-ish-seat northern Italian restaurant located beneath Clam Bar.
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Why were excited: Its our best place yet, says cofounder Tyson. Expect lots of hand-rolled pasta. When to go: Tyson has confirmed Neptunes Grotto will be open before summer. 44 Bridge Street, Sydney, instagram.com/neptunes.grotto The Grounds Coffee Factory in Eveleigh. Edwina Pickles The Grounds Coffee Factory, Eveleigh
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The Grounds is known for creating highly aesthetic venues for the social media age, and their new Eveleigh addition is no exception. Its a 150-seat locomotive-themed roastery and cafe with the meticulous detail of a movie set, serving pastries from a roving trolley, 11 coffee bean varieties, and a full American-style brekkie. Why were excited: This could be the ultimate boozy brunch experience, with a long drinks list, including a morning martini (with vodka, honey and espresso) and matcha collada (dark rum, coconut, pineapple and matcha). When to go: Following its September 4 launch, the cafe is open 7am4pm daily. 2 Locomotive Street, Eveleigh, thegrounds.com.au/the-roastery Hugos Lounge in its heyday. The site will be taken over by the newest iteration of Pelicanos. Supplied
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Pelicano, Potts Point In a boost to Sydneys late-night revitalisation, the sprawling old Hugos Lounge site on Bayswater Road is set to be born again as a restaurant and nightclub. The restaurants culinary pitch will be coastal Mediterranean with a strong Italian bent. Interiors will have a similar nautical feel to the Double Bay original. Why were excited: Pelicano aims to strengthen Sydneys nighttime trade with a Come in early and stay all night approach. When to go: Pelicanos first stage a restaurant and terrace that will open at 5pm and trade late launches on September 17, followed by the launch of the adjoining Pelicano nightclub on the October long weekend. Level 1/33 Bayswater Road, Potts Point, pelicano.com.au
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Wunderlich Lane and its hospitality venues are set to open from October. Supplied Wunderlich Lane, Surry Hills Wunderlich Lane is a new dining and lifestyle development alongside The EVE boutique hotel. In this one location, there will be six new hospitality venues, all set to open before summer hits. Heres the breakdown: the team behind two-hatted restaurant LuMi Dining will open Regina La Pizzeria with ex-Da Orazio pizzaiolo Matteo Ernandes in October; omakase restaurant R by Raita Noda will follow; and House Made Hospitality group (Grana, Lana) have come on board with Island Radio (a fun dining experience with Southeast Asian cuisine) and Baptist Street Rec. Club (a cocktail and wine bar with 80s Australiana vibes). Then theres Olympus, a Greek restaurant from The Apollo team meant for big groups, and Gelato Messina for dessert! Phew. Why were excited: This is your night out, sorted. When to go: The venues are expected to open in phases, beginning in early October and finishing up in late November.
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The former One Penny Red site will reopen after an old-school cosmetic renovation. Supplied Postino Osteria, Summer Hill The heritage-listed Summer Hill building, where hatted inner west favourite One Penny Red traded until late last year, will reopen as a restaurant and wine bar after one of Sydneys leading Italian chefs, Alessandro Pavoni (aMare), snapped up the former post office site. Pavoni has pulled together a menu of comforting Italian classics designed for casual nights out in the neighbourhood. Why were excited: Theres a six-course menu for $79 per person, and it includes homemade spaghetti and meatballs. When to go: From Friday, September 13, the restaurant will open for dinner from Wednesday to Saturday and for lunch from Friday to Sunday. Bookings are open now.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The Lapis Lazuli Corridor holds significant importance for Azerbaijan and it is set to unlock countrys transit potential, economist & expert Eldaniz Amirov told Trend.
Amirov highlighted that Azerbaijan has developed a robust transport infrastructure, which only continues to expand.
"Since we already manage exports from Kazakhstan, China, and other areas, why not make it easier to convey cargo from Afghanistan through Azerbaijan? Azerbaijan is obviously interested in collaborating with Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in this regard," Amirov stated.
He explained that the concept of a transit and transport system in this corridor emerged in 2012.
However, the idea could not be put into practice right away because to regional obstacles like security concerns, unstable economies in Central Asia, and inadequate infrastructure. In 2016, four working group sessions were conducted, and at the fourth technical meeting in Baku, a draft agreement was created. 2017 saw the official signing of the framework agreement in Ashgabat during the 7th Regional Conference on Economic Cooperation.
The corridor in Afghanistan's Herat Province was formally opened on December 13, 2018. The Lapis Lazuli Corridor roadmap was renewed at a video conference between Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan in 2021. A pandemic-related online meeting was held in 2020, Amirov noted.
Transport expert Rauf Aghamirzayev emphasized that the Lapis Lazuli Corridor provides a vital link for Afghanistan and Central Asian countries to access European and global markets.
"This route is as crucial as other routes passing through Azerbaijan. It will enhance Azerbaijans transit potential. The significance of multimodal transport in the Caspian region is growing, and the Southern Caucasus offers a short access route for landlocked countries. The key takeaway is that the efforts made previously are yielding positive results," he added.
According to the Womens Weekly, Elle Macpherson approached her breast cancer diagnosis the same way she has lived her life: on her own terms. Unconventional. Authentic. Real. She decided not to follow the ordinary path (so boring!) and, eschewing traditional medicine, she instead chose a holistic approach.
Eschewing, hey. The most important thing to note in this whole, irresponsibly publicised story is that this premise is false. Macpherson had a lumpectomy, which seems to have removed the cancer, or pre-cancer, that was found. Then decided not to have any potential follow-ups. In other words, she shunned medical treatment for cancer after having medical treatment for cancer. To have a lumpectomy, then claim, as the Weekly reported, that anything other than science saved you, seems a stretch.
Elle Macpherson in a WelleCo campaign. Credit: Instagram
Here are the facts we know to date. This week the Weekly ran an interview with Macpherson about her new book, Elle, in which she revealed seven years ago she was diagnosed with cancer HER2 positive oestrogen receptive intraductal carcinoma and had a lump removed from her breast. Her doctor flagged a number of additional, more aggressive treatments which seemed to be aimed at reducing chances of recurrence, including, she says, a mastectomy with radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, plus breast reconstruction.
She consulted 32 doctors and experts, though it is baffling why such a significant number was required. Diagnosis is an awful, vulnerable time, and she was shocked and confused.
Hells Angels bikie boss and alleged drug kingpin Angelo Pandeli has been deported from his safe haven of Dubai and landed in Australia after years overseas.
Pandeli has long been suspected of being among Australias most influential drug traffickers, according to several serving and former law enforcement officials who spoke to this masthead earlier on condition of anonymity.
Hells Angels figure Angelo Pandeli in Sydney in 2017.
While Pandeli was deported from Dubai on Thursday, sources say he was not extradited by Australian authorities.
In 2021, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) alleged Pandeli was part of the Aussie cartel, an offshore transnational drug trafficking organisation estimated to be importing $1.5 billion worth of drugs into Australia yearly.
What are we voting on? No matter where you live in NSW, youll be voting on the people you want to sit on your council. The number of councillors varies from nine to 15 in most Sydney LGAs. In some councils, in addition to voting on councillors, residents have a separate vote for who should be mayor. And in a few councils, people will vote in referendums on changing the number of councillors (this is a question for Woollahra Council, for instance). How do I vote? When you look at your ballot for councillors in most Sydney councils, youll have the choice of voting one of two ways: above or below the line.
If you vote above the line, youre voting for a group of councillors who have joined together by team or party. Put a 1 in the group of your first preference. That means youre voting for the people listed below the thick black line directly underneath the team, in the order they appear on the ballot. You can keep numbering your preferences until all the boxes are filled. If you vote below the line, instead of voting by group, you vote by person. Number at least the minimum number of people that the directions for voting instruct you to on your ballot. A similar process is followed for mayoral votes. For polls and referendums, youll generally be asked to mark a Yes or No box (similar to the way the Voice to parliament was voted on in 2023). Make sure you follow the ballot instructions for how to enter your vote.
Can I vote early? Yes if you meet eligibility criteria. Early voting centres are open from Saturday, September 6. But you must still vote within your council area. How will I know who to vote for? Find out who is running in your area by visiting the Electoral Commissions site. Many candidates have social media pages and websites to tell you about their policies. Luckily, The Sydney Morning Herald has conducted a poll of the candidates up for election in your council area. You can access your candidates answers here.
But consider all the information youre being told: disinformation is regularly employed around election times. Wait, why cant I vote for the Liberals? In certain councils, the Liberal Party missed the deadline to nominate their candidates for election. These areas include the Northern Beaches, Shoalhaven, Wollongong, Campbelltown, the Blue Mountains and Cessnock. Residents in Penriths east ward are not required to vote. All five Labor candidates will fill the five roles available.
When will we know who won? Loading Counting begins almost as soon as polls close at 6pm, and continues until 10pm on September 14. Well get a good idea of the make-up of some councils fairly soon that evening, but for situations where the votes are tighter, well need to wait until Sunday and the following days for more counting to be done. What if I dont vote? Youll be fined and youd miss out on the rare opportunity to have a say about who leads your community, and the chance to snag a democracy sausage from a local community group.
Officials have given the public the power to vote on the name of Brisbanes first new CBD train station in 120 years, but one of the citys biggest public transport advocates says none of their options are good enough.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads revealed four options today Albert Street, Brisbane City, City Botanic Gardens, and Frogs Hollow in a community poll due to close on September 20.
Public transport advocacy group Rail Back on Tracks Robert Dow said the options are not good enough.
The public have until September 20 to vote for the new CBD Cross River Rail station. Credit: CRRDA Design
Theyve all got problems, he said. Albert Street doesnt really define it, Brisbane City is really confusing.
A father accused of murdering his young diabetic daughter two years ago says he believes the girl is only sleeping and she will rise again, as 13 other members of his fringe religious group said their beliefs justified their alleged involvement.
With his hands clasped speaking at the lectern in the Supreme Court in Brisbane, Jason Richard Struhs, 53, became emotional, saying there was not a day that goes by that he does not miss his daughter Elizabeth Rose Struhs.
Kerrie and Jason Struhs with their eight-year-old daughter Elizabeth. Credit: A Current Affair
To all of you it looks like God has failed. But I know Elizabeth is only sleeping and I will see her again because God has promised that she is healed, Mr Struhs said through tears.
The young girl, who had type-1 diabetes, died in January 2022, after going almost a week without her insulin shots. She died on a mattress on the floor of her Toowoomba home, with various members of her parents religious group around her in her final hours.
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 . So were sitting in Tristan Sternsons blood-red Ferrari Portofino, stopped at traffic lights in Armadale, in Melbournes affluent south-east, when he starts telling me about how he was in Los Angeles recently discussing stem cell transfusions with his longevity doctor. Sternson goes to Los Angeles quite a bit, for longevity treatments that arent available in Australia, including stem cell therapy. His doctor, a charismatic and entrepreneurial physician called Deep Bhasin, floated the idea of inhaling stem cells via a nebuliser, which he claims is great for repairing age-related damage to the lungs. In the end, however, Sternson opted for an infusion. Two days later, he had 100 million stem cells delivered via an IV drip into his right arm, followed by 85 billion exosomes, nanoscopic vessels that help transport proteins and which are thought to trigger potent regenerative properties. The treatment, which took place at Dr Bhasins Encino clinic, near Hollywood, took 2 hours and cost $US12,000 ($17,500). Afterwards, I was so jacked up that I had to walk up and down Sunset Boulevard to burn off energy, Sternson says. It was his fourth such infusion in 18 months, each of which necessitated a trip to LA. But he swears by it. My chronological age is 44, but my biological age is 34, he says. (Some say biological age can be measured by the length of your telomeres, protein structures that protect chromosomes, and which shorten with age.) Now when my birthday comes up, my kids are like, Do you mean your biological birthday or your chronological birthday? Sternson, who lives in Brighton, is one of Australias most successful tech industry entrepreneurs. In the past 10 years, he has built and sold three technology businesses, mostly in data and analytics, for almost $400 million. He is now the global co-lead of NCS NEXT, a multinational IT company based in Singapore. He has short dark hair, a boyish build and a nebbish self-consciousness that is, notwithstanding the Ferrari and Master of the Universe bank account, hard not to like. Growing up in Doncaster, in Melbournes north-east, he was an elite athlete, and competed in triathlons from the age of 13. In 1997, he represented Australia at the Maccabiah Games in Tel Aviv, and was standing on the footbridge over the Yarkon River when it collapsed, resulting in the deaths of four Australian athletes. Ever since then, his overriding modus has been optimisation through analytics, an approach hes applying to his most recent and ambitious project, which is to radically extend his lifespan through whatever means possible, short of becoming a cyborg. Sternsons transformation began, inevitably, with a midlife crisis. It was 2019, and he was in LA for business. My 40th birthday was coming up, which was a big deal for me, he says. I went from feeling invincible to feeling more vulnerable. And so he decided to have his bloods tested. I did 48 different markers hormones, liver, cortisol, inflammation, kidneys. Everything. Much to his shock, one of his tests showed he was pre-diabetic. I had to do something, he says. This being LA, a colleague suggested cryotherapy, an experimental treatment that involves being briefly exposed to sub-Arctic temperatures, and which is said to reduce inflammation and boost immunity. His first session, which he underwent at Upgrade Labs in Beverly Hills, involved standing in gym shorts only for 2 minutes in a full-body breathable nitrogen chamber at minus 140 degrees. It was amazing, he says. I came out feeling full of energy and stress-free. Back in Melbourne, he began researching other cutting-edge therapies. I became a citizen scientist, he says. I read a lot, listened to podcasts, joined chat groups and went to conferences. He began consuming an array of longevity supplements and protein shakes, and having regular injections of a coenzyme called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), which has been shown in some studies to improve DNA repair and cellular ageing. In early 2024, he opened a life extension centre, called Super Young, in Armadale, and stocked it with the kinds of space-agey, health-enhancing hardware he could only previously enjoy in the US, including a full-body cryo fridge, two hyperbaric chambers which use high atmospheric pressure to help the lungs take in more oxygen and something called a TheraLight 360, a coffin-shaped machine that you lie in, naked, while being bathed in red and near-infrared light. There are also several PEMF mats, which look like thin inflatable sleeping mats and are supposed to improve cellular health by pulsing electromagnetic waves through your body at precise frequencies.
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Itll be common to live well over 100. Believe me, this is going to change everything. Tristan Sternson, tech entrepreneur The clinic now has 230 members, each paying between $85 and $289 a week. But you get the impression Sternson built it for himself as much as anyone. Hell often come here to hang out, take in some red-light therapy or clock an hour or so in the hyperbaric chamber while answering emails on his phone. He has also developed a number of everyday biohacks, most of which are focused on cognition. For an hour every morning, he wears a neuro-stimulator, a tiny electrode that he clips to his left ear, which purports to rewire your nervous system by delivering small, targeted electrical impulses to the brain. He often drives to work via a different route, to make sure his mind doesnt go into autopilot and get lazy. (Although I do end up in the wrong place a bit.) And hell switch computers in the middle of the day, from a Mac to a PC, to encourage brain plasticity. He also takes an ice bath first thing every morning, for four minutes at four degrees, and makes sure to walk around barefoot for at least 15 minutes a day to connect with the earths natural electrical current. If he wasnt such a smart guy, you would think he was a lunatic not that those two things are mutually exclusive. In any case, hes convinced that mankind is on the cusp of an epochal change. I believe that if you live for another 10 years, there will be medications and research that will allow us to live over 100. In fact, itll be common to live well over 100. He glances at me sideways, like hes giving me a stock tip. Believe me, this is going to change everything. Super Young founder Tristan Sternson receiving red-light therapy. Credit: Josh Robenstone Life extensionists are generally thought of as people who want to push their lifespan beyond the accepted limit, which, in the developed world, is about 122 years, a record set by a French woman, Jeanne Louise Calment, who lived from 1875 to 1997. But life extension is more than just extending life. It is, depending on what angle you turn it, a social movement, a science experiment, a philosophy, an intellectual pursuit and a business opportunity. It has in the past 30 years gone from the fringe to the quasi-mainstream, pushed forward by a loose coalition of scientists, intellectuals and activists, championed both by the ravenously curious and seemingly delusional; by those who think its perfectly reasonable to want an extra 30 years of life and by immortalists who believe death should be entirely optional. Its a broad church, says Aubrey de Grey, a biologist and gerontologist based in San Francisco. De Grey, who is 61, has been talking about life extension since the late 1990s. With his long, Gandolfian beard and proclivity for TED Talks, he is one of the movements most recognisable faces, and is thought by many to be its intellectual author. Originally a computer scientist, he spent the late 1980s researching AI before realising what he calls the bleeding obvious, that ageing is the worlds most important problem. I also realised that the people who should be doing something about it, namely biologists, werent interested. And so I thought, f--- it, Ill do something!
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With help from his wife, a fruit fly geneticist named Adelaide Carpenter, he taught himself biology with a focus on gerontology, the science of ageing. In 2000, he organised a day-long roundtable at the Childrens Hospital Oakland Research Institute in California with eight scientists, including some well-respected gerontologists. The participants emerged upbeat, concluding that science and emerging technologies might be able to reverse ageing in mice within 10 years, and that the same might be done for humans within another few decades. (Science hasnt yet reversed ageing in mice, but de Grey says that is because of a lack of funding.) The way to get there, according to de Grey, was to implement what he called SENS, or strategies for engineered negligible senescence. Loading SENS essentially boils down to regenerative medicine. The idea is that you can use preventative management to restore structure and composition at a molecular and cellular level. His favourite analogy is vintage cars. Why do 100-year-old cars exist today? They were built to last 10 years, 50 years at the most. But the reason they are still going is because of preventive maintenance. They have the rust scraped off and things like that. The human body is an infinitely more complex machine, but the principle is the same. In 2003, de Grey and the American philanthropist and entrepreneur David Gobel started the Methuselah Foundation, named after the Biblical figure whose lifespan was recorded in the Book of Genesis as 969 years. (It was previously known as the Performance Prize Society.) The foundation, which has the declared mission of making 90 the new 50 by 2030, sponsors prizes and funds longevity start-ups and research. In 2015, it funded a team led by Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, a Portuguese molecular biologist then at the University of Liverpool, to sequence the genome of the bowhead whale, which can live more than 200 years and is one of the longest-lived mammals on earth. Tissue engineering has also been a part of the foundations focus: it has put money into organ donation and awareness, and sponsored a prize for the first team that can create a bioengineered liver. Life-extension guru Aubrey de Grey has been involved with the movement since the 1990s. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo Despite the fact its named after a mythical person whose place in history owes to what is clearly an absurd fiction, the Methuselah Foundation has done much to legitimise longevity research. When I first got involved, the anti-ageing industry wasnt built on proper science, but thats changed, says de Grey. (In 2009, he left the Methuselah Foundation to start the SENS Foundation.) The Methuselah Foundation has since partnered with NASA on projects, including one in 2016 to create metabolically functional, vascularised organ tissue, and on the Deep Space Food Challenge, in 2021, to help develop new ways of feeding astronauts during months- or years-long space missions. Such initiatives are diverse, but they are all leading to what de Grey calls longevity escape velocity (LEV). LEV happens when science can rejuvenate people enough for them to continue living until the next groundbreaking piece of science, which will enable them to continue living until the next even more groundbreaking piece of science, and so on, at which point we will reach the Methuselarity. He now believes there is a 50-50 chance we will get to the Methuselarity by 2036. He cant wait. I look forward to it, not so much because of the longevity itself but because of the indefinite youthfulness, which will give longevity as a side effect.
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For a long time, life-extension research subsisted on donations from wealthy eccentrics. But the past few years has seen a surge of investment from Silicon Valley tech titans, for whom eternal youth has a uniquely messianic appeal. (Once youve banked your first hundred billion and launched rockets into space, disrupting death is the next logical step.) In 2021, Sam Altman, chief executive of Open AI, poured $US180 million into a start-up called Retro Biosciences, whose aim is to add an extra decade to the average lifespan. The same year, backers including Amazons Jeff Bezos put $US3 billion into Altos Labs, a life extension biotech in San Francisco. Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, has donated to the Methuselah Foundation, and helped fund a Silicon Valley start-up called Unity Biotechnology, which is creating therapies that target senescent cells, a major cause of ageing. (Thiel has said he wants to live to 120 and has signed up to be cryogenically frozen, so he can be brought back to life at some later stage.) In 2019, German billionaire Christian Angermayer co-founded the excellently named Rejuveron, a longevity start-up incubator, in Zurich. I am very confident that we will extend human lifespan within my lifetime to such an extent that we will voluntarily decide to exit this life and see whats next, Angermayer writes on Rejuverons website. My biomarkers were already competitive with an 18-year-olds. Bryan Johnson, entrepreneur and venture capitalist For Angermayer and his ilk, life extension sometimes seems to be just another way to win. I am the most measured person in history, entrepreneur and venture capitalist Bryan Johnson tells me via a Zoom call from California. My biomarkers show that I am in the top 1 per cent of the population in terms of health. Johnson, who is 46, founded Braintree Venmo, a web payment systems company, in 2007; in 2013, he sold it to PayPal for $US800 million. He is now said to be worth $US400 million. In life-extension circles, he is revered for his self-experimentation. In 2023, he injected himself with a litre of plasma from his 17-year-old son. On the same day, he passed on a litre of his own plasma to his 70-year-old father. Johnson claimed it reduced his dads age by 25 years. I personally stopped doing it because my biomarkers were already competitive with an 18-year-olds, he tells me, somewhat smugly. Johnson may be incredibly fit, but he is also one of the reasons life extension gets a bad rap. His skin has a disconcerting jaundiced tinge to it, and when he smiles, which is rare, it is like his mouth is being told what to do by a computer chip in his head. People openly speculate online about him having OCD. And he has a tendency to talk like a Bond villain. Four years ago I imagined being present in the 25th century, he tells me. Today, we look back at the 15th century, and its obvious what they were doing right and what they were doing wrong. And so I thought, What would the 25th-century people think we were doing right and wrong? And I concluded that they would say we were evolving from die to dont die. Dont die would be the one political, economic, moral and ethical system of humankind. And thats the goal. Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson giving his dad his own allegedly rejuvenating plasma. Credit: @bryanjohnson_/Instagram
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After my visit to Tristan Sternson at Super Young, I drive across town to Melbournes other fountain of youth, a private anti-ageing wellness club called Saint Haven. Founded by property developer and businessman Tim Gurner, Saint Haven opened in inner-city Collingwood in 2023, with an emphasis on exclusivity: potential members must submit to a five-stage interview process and be willing to pay $23,000 a year. (Member numbers are confidential, but according to the culture guide Concrete Playground, at one point Saint Haven had more than 15,000 people on the waiting list. Gurner is in the process of launching two other Saint Havens, in Toorak and South Yarra, and a third club, simply called Saint, which will cater to a slightly younger crowd.) I arrive at 2pm and hang around outside the building for a while, unable to find the entrance. Im wondering if this is some sort of IQ test before a kindly member appears, leads me to a portal hidden in a small alcove off to the side and buzzes me in. I am immediately approached by a man who introduces himself as Mark. Mark is tall, with a shaved head, and dressed in white, loose-fitting linens. He is strong-looking, in an Ubermensch kind of way, and solicitous to the point of being vaguely menacing. Youre a surfer, right? he asks. Yes, I reply. How did you know? Because Ive been looking at your Insta page. Researching potential members is a big thing for us, he explains. We check out if they have the character that Saint Haven wants. Were looking for good, humble human beings, because this is about social wellness as much as anything. So, how old do you want to live? Eugene asks. 100120, 130?. He smiles and says, Tim Gurner wants to live to 500, which I think is a joke but cant be sure. Its also about comfort and luxury. Every aspect is curated for maximum, Queen Cleopatra-level pampering. The scented towels in the fridge on the wall of the gym, the mood lighting, the ambient hush. After checking out the gym, Mark leads me up a long corridor of illuminated arches, called the Path of Life, to a large granite tub the Fountain of Youth where members can fill their drink bottles with mineral-infused, reverse-osmosis water from a slender bronze pipe descending from the ceiling. There are many different spaces here, including a meditation cave and massage rooms, a clinic for IV transfusions and several little nooks where people are undergoing speciality treatments. Privacy is paramount. Spaces are separated by sheer linen curtains. There are lots of candles, and in some rooms, grapefruit-sized balls of pink salt (to help with the humidity) and crystals (to collect negative energy). Contented-looking staff with numinous eyes and model-worthy facial structures hover about, also dressed in loose linens, offering various hydrating elixirs made of spices and herbs and raw honey. Im thinking its all a bit culty when Mark, who can apparently read minds, turns to me and says: I know, its all a bit culty.
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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 No one knows why the technician on the rebooted TV series Flipper chose to take his disabled mother out to sea in a boat ill-equipped for a three-day cruise. One strong theory was he planned to use salt water to purge the elderly woman of a black magic spell, but whatever the plan it was a bad one. On December 11, 2019, Adrian Victor Meneveau, 56, set sail with his mother, Felicity Loveday, 83, from the Olivers Hill boat ramp in Frankston in a leaky outboard, loaded with extra fuel but no bedding. It was found semi-submerged four days later. The bodies of the mother and son were never found. According to Meneveaus sister Christina, their mother practised meditation that incited black magic and with her declining health (Loveday suffered from dementia) was unable to reverse the spell. Meneveau, Christina says, took it upon himself to cure her by putting the spell to sleep out on the salt water. Murder-suicide, misadventure or just plain madness even after a two-year investigation the answer will never be known. Nor will we ever know what a despondent boat captain was planning in 2018 when he refused to stop in Port Phillip Bay. That is until he was boarded by water police who took control of the cruiser.
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Detective Leading Senior Constable Madeleine McDonald, Acting Senior Sergeant Brett Colley, Leading Senior Constable Andrew Allen and Detective Acting Sergeant Chris Obst from the water police. Credit: Darrian Traynor The Water Police Squad are more than just cops on boats, who catch flathead in their spare time. Attached to the Williamstown Police Station, it is a marine police force dealing with everything from maritime rescues to hoons on jet skis, serious organised crime and acts of terrorism. It has come a long way from when the main boat was a wooden-hulled pleasure cruiser named after former chief commissioner Reg Jackson. Too slow to get to a rescue by sea and too big to get anywhere via road, it was largely used to provide afternoon tea to visiting guests. Now the water police has 28 purpose-specific craft from jet skis to the 16-metre, double-hulled, twin-jet-propulsion flagship VP01, with a top speed of 35 knots. It can go to sea for a week, stop on a ten cent piece, and act as a marine command centre. A larger version is now being built in New Zealand. VicPols flagship vessel VP01. Good for the high seas, not high teas. Credit: Darrian Traynor The squad has boats at Queenscliff and the Gippsland Lakes. When we went to check out the fleet, the power of the recent gales was evident with a large yacht, secured on land by a metal joist, forced on its side even though there were no sails to catch the wind. There would be no need for patrols on this day.
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There are now 200,000 registered recreational boats in Victoria, from luxury gin palaces to tiny runabouts. To gain a boat licence an applicant aged as young as 12 needs to complete a short online course then a flick-and-tick multiple choice test, without any practical assessment. Once successful they can control any craft from a tinnie to a super yacht. The squad is broken into several specialist groups with most of the members having long love affairs with marine activities. Acting Senior Sergeant Brett Colley has loved wakeboarding since he was a kid. Detective Leading Senior Constable Madeleine McDonald dives in her spare time, while Detective Acting Sergeant Chris Obst is a keen fisherman. But on duty they are investigators who work on water (compared to some detectives who believe they walk on water). Their investigations show the truth that where there is money there is organised crime. The trend is to steal high-performance boats to order that are rebirthed and re-registered. In one case a boat was re-registered with a new identity a month before it was stolen. The gangs, Colley says, have spotters who drive around to find highly sought after craft.
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Outlaw motorcycle and Middle Eastern syndicates, many with a background in car theft and rebirthing, are moving into the marine world, targeting boat sellers, storage areas and holiday houses in the Peninsula where boats are stored in the open. Since 2010 more than $46 million in watercraft have been stolen, and since the Marine Investigation Unit targeted the crime, there has been a 25 per cent increase in solving cases. The trend is to steal high-performance boats to order that are re-birthed and re-registered. Colley says boats and jetskis are re-registered to be sold locally or placed in containers to be shipped to the Pacific, South-East Asia and South Africa. Because a marine craft doesnt have to be sighted to be registered, it opens an area of insurance fraud. A boat might not exist, then is registered and reported stolen, says Colley. While a car needs a roadworthy to be sold, a boat does not. That means an 18-year-old who has a tick-and-flick boat licence can take off to Bermuda in a boat as seaworthy as the SS Minnow from Gilligans Island. Seventeen times coroners have recommended boats require a seaworthy certificate. Seventeen times they have been ignored.
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Inexperienced sailors often have difficulty controlling powerful craft, with some not able to get their boats into the water without crashing, often in the ramp carpark. Loading Colley says for some people leisure marine craft somehow lowers their sense of responsibility, becoming blase about safety. Because it is a fun activity they forget that you can be seriously injured or killed. Between seven and 10 people lose their lives in boating accidents each year. Marine accidents are underreported, with people just turning up at hospital with serious injuries without ever notifying police. The water police do not concentrate on breaches of marine laws, but all crimes committed on water. This includes murder, family violence, theft, fraud and terrorism. They work with organised crime police, counter terror, bikie busters, homicide, missing persons and fraud investigators and conduct partner operations with agencies such as Border Force. The squad has boats for general patrols (the divvy vans of the sea), high-speed rescue craft, boats for counter-terror police to board ships, and heavy weather search and rescue craft. There are specialists in the Marine Investigation Unit, Underwater Surveillance, Small Boat and Marine Response. They have above-ground and underwater drones plus sophisticated sonar gear.
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Perths lord mayor has hit back at the state government over its decision to extend trading hours in a regional West Australian town but not in the city, over claims doing so would be anti-small business.
Premier Roger Cook told those attending a Chamber of Industry and Commerce breakfast on Thursday: If you support liberalisation of retail trading hours, you are fundamentally anti-small business.
If you support the full liberalisation of retail trading hours, as the Liberals are doing, they are simply placing all those small businesses in the firing line, in the sights of large businesses, which will seek to crowd them out.
WA Premier Roger Cook, Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas.
Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas, also the Liberal candidate for Churchlands, responded to the comments on Radio 6PR on Friday morning, in light of Albany gaining extended trading hours from February 2025.
Washington DC: The United States intends to confront Chinas dominance of the worlds key ingredients for cutting-edge technology by creating a major new network of democratic powers, including Australia, according to a top American official.
The US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, revealed in an interview inside the White House that the scheme was a top priority and that he hoped to set it up before the next administration took power in January.
Its a big piece of business, its vital, and its unfinished, he said.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Credit: AP
Even amid intensifying military and political rivalry between Washington and Beijing, technology was the most intense realm of contestation: The technology competition between the US and China remains probably the place of greatest sustained and strategic friction, the top adviser said.
Fashion designer-turned-lifestyle blogger Stephanie Conley-Buhre has again emerged as Sydneys most bullish trophy home dealer, this time snapping up a Bellevue Hill house for $43.5 million.
The purchase follows the property flippers recent sale of her nearby Bellevue Hill mansion for about $80 million.
The Bellevue Hill residence Monkton was sold last year for $30 million to Uber Carshares head of legal, Sarah Druce. Credit: Domain
Both deals under the advice of Cohen Handlers Simon Cohen are a masterclass in the steep capital gains that can be made in Sydneys high-end real estate market.
The newly purchased residence of Conley-Buhre and her husband venture capitalist Oskar Buhre is known as Monkton. Its an Espie Dods-designed home that last sold 18 months ago for $30 million by veteran investment banker Tim Burroughs and his wife Judith.
Photo: Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Azerbaijan
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The BE-200CS amphibian aircraft from the Ministry of Emergency Situations is continuing its firefighting operations in Turkiye, as part of a mission initiated by Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev to assist with severe forest fires, Trend reports via the ministry.
The aircraft, which was dispatched to support Turkiyes wildfire response, has been actively engaged in firefighting efforts in the Izmir-Urla region.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations' press service reported that the operations are ongoing, with the BE-200CS playing a crucial role in combating the fires.
The Azerbaijani team remains dedicated to supporting Turkiye during this critical time, highlighting the strong bonds of cooperation between the two countries.
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Those dreams were crushed when the Lions surged from behind to snatch victory. And yet Maizels is ready to do it all again this Saturday as she, along with her father, Steve, husband James and son, Levi, head back to the Gabba for the Blues v Lions elimination final.
It was insane. It felt like a Carlton home game. To be honest, Ive never heard Carlton supporters so loud in my life, she says.
This time last year the 34-year-old Carlton fan travelled to Brisbane for the Blues preliminary final at the Gabba . For one glorious quarter, Maizels dared to dream of a grand final berth as Carlton kicked the first five goals of the match.
We just cant help it. If you dont go, and we win, you just feel like youve missed out because we werent often that team that would win a lot. You just want to be there no matter what because there is a chance that you could get away with a win, Maizels said.
I have to go to the hairdresser more regularly now to get my white hairs covered, and its definitely Carltons fault.
Maizels said the trip to Brisbane is a late Fathers Day present for her dad. With flights, accommodation, and tickets booked, its not a cheap trip, but shes willing to pay for the chance to see if the injury-afflicted Blues can upset the Lions.
Maizels dad, Steve, grew up across the road from Princes Park and lived through the Carlton golden era between 1967 and 1988, when Carlton made 10 grand final appearances and won seven premierships.
Dad grew up literally across the road, and there was no turning back from there, Maizels said.
Kurt Campbell worked under Sullivan as the administrations Indo-Pacific co-ordinator, and now is in the State Department as deputy secretary of state. Rush Doshi concurs. Jake was the one who kept the Biden administration focused on making gains in the Indo-Pacific even amid war in Europe and the Middle East, he tells me. And the progress with allies and partners had been historic and undeniable. Like what? The creation of Quad summits, the invention of AUKUS, the convening of Japan-South Korea-US trilateral group, the forging of the so-called squad the US, the Philippines, Japan and Australia. And there is a new energy in engaging the Pacific island states as the US and its allies seek to check Chinas advances. Biden became the first US president to host all the regions leaders at a joint summit at the White House. The US recently signed a military co-operation agreement with PNG. Even in frenzied election season Campbell last week made certain to visit the Pacific to join the meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum and to open the new US embassy in Vanuatu. Anthony Albanese speaks to Kurt Campbell at last weeks Pacific Islands Forum. Credit: X @LydiaLewisRNZ
And then theres the military. Now that China has overtaken the US to wield the worlds biggest navy, Sullivan has brought intense focus to the revival of the US submarine-building capacity. The Congress and Canberra, under AUKUS are delivering the funds for a doubling of the rate of submarine manufacturing while Sullivan holds the Pentagon leadership accountable at regular meetings at the White House. If Sullivan has been so important to the Indo-Pacific strategy, why have we heard so little from him? Fullilove, who was a fellow Rhodes scholar with Sullivan at Oxford, says that Jakes centrality has been underestimated because of his Midwestern humility, a product of his childhood in Minnesota. Unlike most Washington players, he doesnt seek media attention. And with five months remaining until Biden hands over the White House to his successor, Sullivan is not relaxing. This week he was once more overseeing US efforts to broker a ceasefire deal in Gaza. Yet he retains his Indo-Pacific ambitions. Last week he was in Beijing meeting Xi Jinping just two days after the US imposed new sanctions on more than 400 Chinese entities and individuals for supporting Russias war effort in Ukraine. Illustration by Matt Davidson Credit:
And still he is driving an agenda to achieve much more in the remaining days of the Biden presidency. The US developed its Middle East fixation after World War II because it was the centre of the global oil supply. But oil is the fuel of the past. China has been working for many years to become the centre of the world fuel supply of the future. Saudi Arabia has its oil, China has its rare earths, said Deng Xioping, the leader who initiated Chinas economic awakening, as early as the 1980s. Rare earths are among the larger group known as critical minerals. Beijing has its own underground resources and has driven its state-controlled corporations to own and develop other resources around the world. A renewable energy system cant be created without these essential ingredients. Solar panels and wind turbines cant be made without them, for instance. In fact, renewables demand much greater mineral input than fossil-burning systems. A typical electric car requires six times the mineral inputs of a conventional car and an onshore wind plant requires nine times more mineral resources than a gas-fired plant, says the International Energy Agency. So Chinas increasing dominance of global supplies of critical minerals threatens to entrench Beijings control over the future of the global energy industry. And also poses a serious risk to the military capability of the US and its allies. Critical minerals, as the Carnegie Endowments Gregory Wischer wrote this year, undergird great power competition and war. You cant make sophisticated missiles without them. Or radars or lasers. Which is where Australia comes into its own. Australias ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, often tells American interlocutors: When you look at a map of Australia, you are looking at the periodic table.
In other words, Australia happens to be endowed with every element that a renewable energy system could possibly want. Or a military industrial complex. Beijing knows the strategic importance of Australias critical minerals. Thats why, for instance, it attempted surreptitiously to take control of Northern Minerals, the company set to supply Australias first integrated rare earths refinery. Loading Treasurer Jim Chalmers recently forced China-controlled investors to divest their stake after they broke foreign investment laws. And its why Sullivan wants to create a new supply chain of democratic powers, including the G7 nations plus South Korea and Australia. As he told me in the navy mess in the White House basement this week: The technology competition between the US and China remains probably the place of greatest sustained and strategic friction. The single biggest thing the US and Australia can do, from a strategic perspective, is really to create effective, diverse, resilient supply chains when it comes to critical minerals that have huge implications for clean energy but also for our defence industrial base. We need concerted, co-ordinated policies to ensure that China cannot simply dump and drive alternatives out of business.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Public meeting on September 6, 2024.
The Public meeting which was adjourned on June 27, 2024 will be reconvened on Friday at 10.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Finance will be present.
The agenda points are:
2. Approval of the Outline Agreement ENNIA, including Annexes A, B, and C (IS/621/2023-2024 dated April 19, 2024)
3. Ratification of the decision list of the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO) held from June 7-10, 2024, in the Hague, the Netherlands (IS/798/2023-2024 dated June 11, 2024)
The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament
PHILIPSBURG:--- Sol Antilles N.V. (Sol), the leading provider of energy solutions in St. Maarten, celebrates the continuation of its partnership with the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise, extending into 2024 and 2025, to provide breakfast to students of the Leonald Conner Primary School in Cay Bay.
Mr. Robert James, General Manager of Sol, stated he is delighted to contribute to the students of Leonald Conner Primary School, which is located within the Cay Bay district. 'Powering what moves people' is our mission, and Community is one of Sol's core values. We look forward to continuing to support this breakfast program. On behalf of the company, we want to encourage the students of Leonald Conner School to continue to do their best in this new school year.
"Jharna Dialani, President of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise, thanked Sol Antilles N.V. for partnering with the club to ensure this essential program continued in the new school year. The objective of the program is to assist schools with promoting healthy nutritional habits and to increase the academic performance of students."
The school manager, Ms. Alice Samuel, also thanked Sol Antilles N.V. and the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise for sponsoring the breakfast program at the school. The breakfast program, which caters to approximately fifty (50) students, allows students to start the day with a healthy breakfast, which helps them to focus better and learn better.
The breakfast program is a signature project of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise. The program is available for children in seven (7) schools and has been in existence since 2012.
The United States Consulate General in Curacao is pleased to announce the arrival of Mr. John McNamara as the U.S. Consul General to Curacao and Chief of Mission to Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten.
Mr. McNamara is a senior foreign service officer at the U.S. Department of State. He assumed his duties as U.S. Chief of Mission and Consul General upon his arrival to Curacao on September 4, 2024.
Mr. McNamara was most recently the Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge daffaires of the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru. Other tours abroad included the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, where Mr. McNamara served as a Political Advisor during the final two years of the Colombian governments peace negotiation with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). He also served as a Provincial Advisor in Babylon, Iraq, and later at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. In two Afghanistan tours, he served on the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team and at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.
During assignments in Washington, DC, Mr. McNamara taught at the National Defense University, worked twice in the Department of States Office of Mexican Affairs, and was the Departments Senior Desk Officer for Venezuela.
Mr. McNamara earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point and his Master of Arts degree from the United States Army Command and General Staff College. He is fluent in Spanish.
We wish Consul General and Chief of Mission McNamara a warm welcome.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) has made further progress in supporting the lives of the resettled Pond Island community that previously lived adjacent to St. Maartens Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Site, the landfill. Several former residents of Pond Island have completed a course under the Livelihood Restoration Plan (LRP), which supports those who were relocated to ensure their livelihoods would not be negatively impacted by the Emergency Debris Management Project (EDMP); the project tasked with making critical interventions into the management of the landfill. Vocational courses, including a baking class, were offered to these individuals to equip them with practical skills for employment or entrepreneurship, aiming to compensate for the loss of any supplementary income and restore their livelihoods to pre-project levels.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in 2017, the Government of Sint Maarten initiated a large-scale recovery effort to build a more resilient island. Funded by the Dutch Government and managed by the World Bank, the Trust Fund was established to support this recovery, with the NRPB overseeing projects aimed at rebuilding Sint Maarten. One of these projects, the EDMP, required the resettlement of communities near the landfill, leading to the creation of the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) and its Livelihood Restoration Program (LRP) of which the latter was launched in May 2023.
The baking class, carried out by The Cake Box, started on July 9th and provided instruction on cake decorating and the science of baking. Students joined with various goals, from creating a supplemental source of income to starting their own businesses in the food industry. Other courses under the LRP include a three-week financial literacy program, a basic IT/computer operational skills course, the Readiness for Job Program, and a food handlers certification. The course subjects were selected based on consultations with the relocated people, considering their professional skills, knowledge, and education levels.
As part of the EDMP, activities are underway to further enhance waste management at the dump site. In the coming months, a weighbridge is set to be installed. This will enable the measurement and recording of incoming waste, providing a more accurate analysis for better waste management at the landfill. Additionally, the demolition of the now vacated Resettlement Area of Impact on Pond Island is in the contracting phase. This is the area where relocated people live. The demolition will create a buffer zone between the landfill and inhabited areas, further enhancing the concept of safe waste management.
As the NRPB continues to support this community through ongoing monitoring and evaluation, the impact of the LRP will be closely monitored. Participation in training programs will be tracked, along with changes in income levels, and overall improvements in livelihoods. This ongoing monitoring will be conducted quarterly in the first year of relocation, continuing annually until the end of the Resettlement Action Plan and the last LRP training.
Based on World Bank guidelines, the NRPB is committed to ensuring that the resettled residents of Pond Island are better off, or at least not worse off, following their relocation. As the implementation organization executing this task on behalf of the Government of St. Maarten, the NRPB will continue to provide the community with updates as additional courses are completed and as more insights from the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the projects impacts are gathered. This continuous assessment will enable adaptations and improvements to efforts that support the well-being of the resettled residents whilst the RAP is in place.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. A delegation from Turkiye visited Azerbaijan to provide support in the field of plant health in the context of the FAO-Turkiye Partnership Programme (FTPP) from September 3 through September 5, Trend reports.
The delegation consisted of representatives of the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia and experts from the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Food and Control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
During the mission, a two-day workshop was held with the participation of experts from the Azerbaijan Food Security Agency and the Agrarian Services Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.
The workshop included a series of technical meetings in which the experts shared their knowledge, visited greenhouses, and contributed to a review of plant health emergency preparedness and management in Azerbaijan. In addition, key documents related to plant health were prepared by the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency working in collaboration with FAO offices in Baku and Ankara.
Several of the visits and meetings focused in particular on the promotion of local, cost-effective, and proven development solutions tailored specifically to vegetable virus disease outbreaks.
The experts also shared their knowledge and experience of the assessment of institutional structures, capacities, strategies, and programs; emergency management, prevention, and response action plans; pest risk analysis; and the review and verification of Azerbaijans strategic program and emergency plan for the prevention and management of wheat rust diseases, prepared in the context of the CAC-Rust project.
The two-day workshop was opened by Elkhan Mikayilov, Head of Administration of AFSA; Bariz Mehdiyev, Assistant FAOR; Hakan Kalender, Agricultural Counsellor of the Turkish Embassy in Baku; and Fazil Dusunceli, Agricultural Officer, FAOSEC. During the workshop, Hasenem Ertas, a plant health expert from the General Directorate of Food and Control, along with Pelin Keles Ozturk and Ferhan Morca from the General Directorate of Agricultural Research, provided training sessions.
At the conclusion of the event, the participants agreed that the workshop and visits had established the groundwork for future collaboration in plant health and food security between Turkiye and Azerbaijan.
The objectives of the FAO-Turkiye Partnership Programmes are to provide support to ensure food security, rural poverty reduction, and sustainable forest management; combat desertification; and preserve ecosystems in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and other countries of mutual interest.
Established in 2007, the first phase of the FAO-Turkiye Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP) has benefited from trust fund contributions totaling USD 10 million, financed by the Government of Turkiye and represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. During the first phase of the program, 28 projects were implemented in 16 countries between 2009 and 2015.
In 2014, Turkiye and FAO commenced the second phase of the FTPP along with the first phase of the FAO-Turkiye Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP) with additional funding of USD 20 million, bringing Turkiyes total contribution to $30 million.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Azerbaijan and IFC put their heads together to brainstorm potential collaborations for forthcoming COP29, Trend reports.
According to the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, Deputy Economy Minister Samad Bashirli had a sit-down with the regional director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for Europe, Ines Rocha, where they talked about joining forces between the public and private sectors and explored some exciting projects on the horizon.
Meanwhile, it was noted at the meeting that economic reforms carried out in Azerbaijan are supported by international financial organizations. An important aspect was the discussion of the expansion of cooperation with IFC, which opens opportunities for the introduction of best practices and innovations in the country.
Azerbaijan's socio-economic priorities, favorable business environment, and opportunities for investors were presented. Furthermore, it was emphasized that Azerbaijan's participation in major regional projects becomes an important factor for the sustainable development of the whole region. Significant opportunities for the implementation of projects within the framework of public-private partnerships were also pointed out.
The parties reviewed COP29 collaborative efforts, public-private partnerships, and IFC participation in seawater desalination projects and other prospective initiatives.
To note, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) will be held in Azerbaijan in November this year. The decision was made at the plenary meeting of COP28 held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Within two weeks Baku, having become the center of the world, will host about 70,000-80,000 foreign guests.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for Conference of Parties, which is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the convention. Unless the parties have decided otherwise, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Germany's Berlin, with its secretariat in Bonn.
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UK to supply Ukraine with hundreds of new missiles
London, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024
The UK will send Ukraine 650 new specialist missile systems to boost its air defences, London said Friday, weeks after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised the pace of weapons deliveries.
The first batch of the "Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM)" systems -- made by French defence group Thales -- were set to be dispatched by the end of the year, the government said, as it bids to "speed up deliveries of aid".
The pound162-million ($213-million) package will be formally announced by Defence Secretary John Healey at a meeting Friday of Ukraine's Western allies in Germany.
"This new commitment will give an important boost to Ukraine's air defences and demonstrates our new government's commitment to stepping up support for Ukraine," he said in a statement.
"In recent days we have seen the tragic cost of Russia's indiscriminate strikes on Poltava and Lviv.
"These new UK-made missiles will support Ukraine to defend its people, infrastructure, and territory."
Healy took up the post in early July, after Labour replaced the Conservatives in power in the UK after 14 years in opposition.
The new missiles order comes days after he told Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov that Britain would "ramp-up support over the coming months" during talks in London.
He confirmed that pound300 million worth of artillery ammunition will also start to arrive in Ukraine within months, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.
It said the latest missiles package was part of efforts to "step up UK and European defence production".
Thales, which builds the systems in its Belfast factory in Northern Ireland, describes the LMM on its website as "a lightweight, precision strike multi-role missile".
It is "designed to be fired from a variety of tactical platforms on land, sea and air against a wide range of conventional and asymmetric threats," according to the arms-maker.
The UK has already provided hundreds of LMMs to Ukraine for air defence, the ministry noted, adding they had been used to destroy Russian drones and other aerial threats.
Britain has been one of Kyiv's biggest backers in its fight against Russia's full-scale invasion, supplying long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles and a squadron of 14 Challenger 2 tanks deployed early last year.
In a post on X last month, Zelensky praised the supply of lethal UK aid, noting it had saved thousands of lives, but added that "unfortunately, the situation has slowed down recently".
London promptly insisted its support remained "absolutely resolute".
jj/phz/giv
THALES
Serbia tackles sunken Nazi fleet in the Danube
Prahovo, Serbia, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
A Serbian operation to clear a fleet of sunken Nazi warships from the Danube will bring relief to vessels struggling to navigate the waters, even if local fishermen will lose out.
But the munitions buried underwater with the scuttled vessels mean they cannot be left there to rust indefinitely.
For decades, the wrecks have been a reliable spot for fishermen to reel in their daily catch along this stretch of the river in eastern Serbia.
"Every year, they become visible when the water level of the Danube is low, especially when it drops extremely like this," fisherman Igor Skundric told AFP, surveying the waters from his wooden boat.
Skundric has used the dozens of sunken warships to place traps to catch catfish and carp nestled amid the rusting vessels, near the Serbian village of Prahovo.
"There is a high concentration of fish, so it's much easier for us to get a catch," he said.
The massive recovery operation will soon change that.
But pulling the rusting hulks from the river will bring much-needed relief to local shipping.
The spot has long frustrated navigators plying the Danube in the summer months, when water levels drop and passage through the channel narrows.
During AFP's visit to the area, reporters saw two cargo boats that had run aground after trying to avoid the sunken vessels.
"Captains must be extremely cautious and incidents such as grounding frequently occur," Damir Vladic, the manager of the port of Prahovo, told AFP.
"It only takes a slight deviation from the navigable route to cause problems."
- The river war -
Nazi Germany and its allies occupied the Western Balkans from 1941 to 1945, where they imposed an iron-fisted rule and fought communist partisan guerillas.
But following the disastrous invasion of the Soviet Union, German forces were steadily driven back to its borders.
As Nazi troops retreated west, Germany scuttled scores of ships from its Black Sea Fleet across the Danube in September 1944.
The aim was to slow the Red Army by clogging the river, but also to prevent the vessels from falling into Soviet hands.
"The Germans were retreating from the Red Army," said historian Velimir Miki Trailovic.
"They wanted to pass through the Djerdap Gorge," he added, referring to a nearby narrow river pass.
"But when they realised they couldn't, they decided to scuttle the ships."
The Nazis sank nearly 200 vessels during their retreat, including transport ferries, barges, and torpedo boats, said Trailovic.
For 80 years, the boats remained largely undisturbed on the bottom of the Danube. During droughts, the hulking steel hull of a German tugboat marked UJ-106 pierced the surface near Prahovo.
A 2022 initiative financed by the European Investment Bank and Western Balkans Investment Framework has provided nearly 30 million euros to oversee the salvage operation to remove the crafts.
- Mines and shells -
Serbian officials estimate it will take a year and a half to remove the ships.
"In the coming months, we will retrieve 21 ships that have been lying on the bottom of the Danube," said Goran Vesic, Serbia's minister of construction, transportation and infrastructure.
The first ship -- a minesweeper -- was pulled from the Danube in August. Local port workers even suggested the vessel could be relaunched after patching up its holes and extensive cleaning.
But removing the ships is complicated by the submerged munitions buried with them, which require careful manoeuvring to avoid any risk of detonating them.
"The ships are full of mines, shells, and unexploded ordnance, which could cause major, catastrophic problems if they were to explode," Trailovic told AFP.
"When divers came here a few years ago and saw what was there, we became aware of the great danger to Prahovo."
But while ships' captains working the Danube will doubtless welcome the removal of the vessels, fishermen like Skundric will be sorry to see them go.
"They have had a very positive impact for us," Skundric told AFP.
Myanmar armed group says 11 civilians killed in junta air strikes
Bangkok, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
Myanmar military air strikes in northern Shan state killed 11 civilians and wounded 11 more, a spokeswoman for an ethnic minority armed group battling the junta told AFP on Friday.
The junta is battling widespread armed opposition to its 2021 coup and its soldiers are accused of bloody rampages and using air and artillery strikes to punish civilian communities.
"They bombed at two areas in Namhkam" town on Friday around 1:00 am local time (1830 GMT), Lway Yay Oo of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) said.
The strikes killed 11 and wounded 11, she said, adding that the office of a local political party had been damaged.
The dead were five men, four women and two children, she said.
Namhkam is around five kilometres (three miles) from the border with China's Yunnan province, with TNLA fighters claiming control of the town following weeks of fighting last year.
Images on social media showed people sifting through rubble and carrying a young person who appeared to be wounded.
One video showed several destroyed buildings. AFP reporters geolocated that video to a site in Namhkam and said it had not appeared online before.
AFP was unable to reach a junta spokesman for comment.
Since last year the military has lost swaths of territory near the border with China in northern Shan state to an alliance of armed ethnic minority groups and "People's Defence Forces" battling to overturn its coup.
The groups have seized a regional military command and taken control of lucrative border trade crossings, prompting rare public criticism by military supporters of the junta's top leadership.
Earlier this week junta chief Min Aung Hlaing warned civilians in territory held by ethnic minority armed groups to prepare for military counterattacks, state media reported.
The junta also announced this week that it had declared the TNLA a "terrorist" organisation.
Those found supporting or contacting the TNLA and two other ethnic minority armed groups, the Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), can now face legal action.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military deposed Aung San Suu Kyi's government in 2021 and launched a crackdown that sparked an armed uprising.
Conflict since the coup has forced more than 2.7 million people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.
Zelensky at military aid meet in Germany to rally Ukraine's allies
Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared in person at a meeting of Ukraine's international backers in Germany on Friday to rally support for Kyiv days after one of the deadliest Russian strikes of the war.
He will also meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and then head to Italy, following the meeting at Ramstein Air Base, which comes days after 55 people were killed and 300 wounded in a Russian missile strike on the city of Poltava.
The meeting at the base southwest of Frankfurt is being hosted by US defence chief Lloyd Austin.
The talks, with representatives from some 50 nations, will focus on areas including bolstering Ukraine's air defences and encouraging allies to boost their defence industries, said Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder.
"Ukraine matters to US and international security, and the efforts of (Kyiv's allies meeting in Ramstein) continue to play a vital role in Ukraine's fight for freedom and sovereignty," he said.
The meeting comes as Moscow's 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.
Since the start of its offensive in February 2022 when it failed to capture the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Russia has adapted its aims, concentrating instead on trying to conquer eastern Ukraine.
While Ukraine's surprise push into Russia's Kursk region last month caught Russian forces off-guard, Putin stressed that the move had failed to slow Moscow's advance.
"The enemy weakened itself in key areas, our army has accelerated its offensive operations," Putin argued.
Ukraine on Friday claimed to have recaptured a part of the eastern town of New York, in the first success for Kyiv on this part of the front for months.
"Thanks to the high morale, courage and professionalism of the brigade's fighters, Azov managed to stabilise the situation, regain control of part of New York," the Azov Brigade, fighting in the area, said on social media.
- Uncertainty over Ukraine backing -
The United States has been Ukraine's biggest backer during the conflict, providing military aid worth 51.6 billion euros ($56 billion), according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
But uncertainty looms over the future of that funding as a US election in November could see Ukraine-sceptic Donald Trump back in the White House.
Germany, Ukraine's second-biggest backer, has also come under pressure domestically over its aid for Kyiv, which has been at the centre of a protracted row over the 2025 budget.
Regional elections in the former East German states of Saxony and Thuringia on Sunday saw a surge of support for parties on the far right and far left opposed to the government's support for Ukraine.
France, another of Kyiv's biggest backers, has also been locked in a political crisis for several weeks.
Zelensky has repeatedly called for more long-range missiles to help repel Russian forces, but the United States and Germany have so far been reluctant to provide them.
The Ukrainian leader also wants allies to lift restrictions on the use of their weapons to target positions deep inside Russian territory.
Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov has been laying the groundwork for Zelensky by holding talks in the United States, Britain, France and Germany over the past few days.
Zelensky will also be looking to present a united front after the resignation of Ukraine's top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba in the biggest government reshuffle since the invasion.
Ahead of the meeting, Britain said it would send Kyiv 650 lightweight missiles before the end of the year to boost Ukraine's air defence capabilities.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's allies in Europe have moved to expand their defences in response to the increased threat from Russia.
Germany's military put a first Iris-T air-defence system into service on its own soil Wednesday, having delivered several of them to Ukraine to intercept Russian rockets, drones and missiles.
Zelensky appeals for weapons at Ukraine aid meet in Germany
Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared in person at a meeting of Ukraine's international backers in Germany on Friday, appealing for additional weapons as Kyiv faces advancing Russian forces in the east and devastating strikes by Moscow.
He will also meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and then head to Italy, following the meeting at Ramstein Air Base, which comes days after 55 people were killed and 300 wounded in a Russian missile strike on the city of Poltava.
"We need more weapons to drive Russian forces off our land," Zelensky said.
He also urged Kyiv's supporters to follow through on previous commitments, saying: "The number of air defence systems that have not been delivered is significant."
And he again called for restrictions on the use of long-range Western weapons to hit targets inside Russia to be lifted.
"We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory," Zelensky said.
The meeting at the base southwest of Frankfurt is being hosted by US defence chief Lloyd Austin, who announced that Washington will provide $250 million in new military aid for Ukraine.
The package "will surge in more capabilities to meet Ukraine's evolving requirements," Austin told the meeting.
The assistance is expected to include ammunition for HIMARS precision rocket launchers, artillery rounds, anti-tank and anti-air weapons, a US defence official said on condition of anonymity.
The talks in Germany, with representatives from some 50 nations, will focus on areas including bolstering Ukraine's air defences and encouraging allies to boost their defence industries, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said ahead of the meeting.
"Ukraine matters to US and international security, and the efforts of (Kyiv's allies meeting in Ramstein) continue to play a vital role in Ukraine's fight for freedom and sovereignty," he said.
The meeting comes as Moscow's 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.
Since the start of its offensive in February 2022 when it failed to seize the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Russia has adapted its aims, concentrating instead on trying to conquer eastern Ukraine.
- Uncertainty over Ukraine backing -
While Ukraine's surprise push into Russia's Kursk region last month caught Russian forces off-guard, Putin stressed that the move had failed to slow Moscow's advance.
"The enemy weakened itself in key areas, our army has accelerated its offensive operations," Putin argued.
Ukraine on Friday claimed to have recaptured a part of the eastern Ukrainian town of New York, in the first success for Kyiv on this part of the front for months.
"Thanks to the high morale, courage and professionalism of the brigade's fighters, Azov managed to stabilise the situation, regain control of part of New York," the Azov Brigade, fighting in the area, said on social media.
The United States has been Ukraine's biggest backer during the conflict, providing military aid worth more than $56 billion (50 billion euros), according to the Pentagon.
But uncertainty looms over the future of that funding as a US election in November could see Ukraine-sceptic Donald Trump back in the White House.
Germany, Ukraine's second-biggest backer, has also come under pressure domestically over its aid for Kyiv, which has been at the centre of a protracted row over the 2025 budget.
Regional elections in the former East German states of Saxony and Thuringia on Sunday saw a surge of support for parties on the far right and far left opposed to the government's support for Ukraine.
France, another of Kyiv's biggest backers, has also been locked in a political crisis for several weeks.
Ahead of the meeting, Britain said it would send Kyiv 650 lightweight missiles before the end of the year to boost Ukraine's air defence capabilities.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's allies in Europe have moved to expand their own defences in response to the increased threat from Russia.
Germany's military put a first Iris-T air-defence system into service on its own soil Wednesday, having delivered several of them to Ukraine to intercept Russian rockets, drones and missiles.
Taiwan president visits troops in outlying Penghu islands
Taipei, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te thanked troops aboard a warship on Friday for safeguarding Taiwan and pledged to have their back, as he visited an outlying island archipelago in the sensitive Taiwan Strait.
Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.
Friday's visit to the Penghu islands in the strait separating Taiwan and mainland China comes as Beijing has ramped up military and political pressure on Taipei in recent years.
"I want to stress that the government will back all of you," Lai told sailors aboard the warship.
Penghu's location in the Taiwan Strait means it is likely to be on the front line of any potential invasion by China.
In July, Taiwan's military conducted a scaled-down live-fire drill during a typhoon in Penghu as part of its biggest annual "Han Kuang" wargames to simulate fighting enemy forces on its beaches.
Lai later had lunch with the troops at a navy camp stadium, in a tradition ahead of the upcoming Mid-Autum Festival.
"You are all an important force in safeguarding national security. I would like to thank you for your daily commitment," Lai told the crowd.
"Because all of you stick to your posts, the people can enjoy the holiday with peace of mind. The government will also have the troops' back".
Lai also pledged to improve the living conditions in the camps as well as weapons and equipments.
Lai has been labelled a "dangerous separatist" by China for his staunch defence of Taiwan's sovereignty, and Beijing conducted large-scale military drills around the island just days after his inauguration.
Taiwan's military has been reporting near-daily sightings of Chinese warships around its waters, as well as sorties by fighter jets and drones around the island.
The defence ministry said on Friday that 19 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels and two official ships were detected in a 24-hour window ending at 6:00 am (2200 GMT Thursday).
Zelensky appeals for weapons at Germany aid drive
Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
President Volodymyr Zelensky joined a meeting of Ukraine's international backers in Germany on Friday, appealing for additional weapons as Kyiv faces advancing Russian forces in the east and devastating strikes by Moscow.
He was also due to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and then head to Italy, following the meeting at Ramstein Air Base, which comes days after 55 people were killed and 300 wounded in a Russian missile strike on the city of Poltava.
"We need more weapons to drive Russian forces off our land," Zelensky said.
He also urged Kyiv's supporters to follow through on previous commitments, saying: "The number of air defence systems that have not been delivered is significant."
And he again called for restrictions on the use of long-range Western weapons to hit targets inside Russia to be lifted.
"We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory," Zelensky said.
The meeting at the base southwest of Frankfurt is being hosted by US defence chief Lloyd Austin, who announced that Washington will provide $250 million in new military aid for Ukraine.
The package "will surge in more capabilities to meet Ukraine's evolving requirements," Austin told the meeting.
The assistance is expected to include ammunition for HIMARS precision rocket launchers, artillery rounds, anti-tank and anti-air weapons, a US defence official said on condition of anonymity.
The talks in Germany, with representatives from some 50 nations, will focus on areas including bolstering Ukraine's air defences and encouraging allies to boost their defence industries, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said ahead of the meeting.
"Ukraine matters to US and international security, and the efforts of (Kyiv's allies meeting in Ramstein) continue to play a vital role in Ukraine's fight for freedom and sovereignty," he said.
The meeting comes as Moscow's 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.
Since the start of its offensive in February 2022 when it failed to seize the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Russia has adapted its aims, concentrating instead on trying to conquer eastern Ukraine.
- 'Just and lasting peace' -
While Ukraine's surprise push into Russia's Kursk region last month caught Russian forces off-guard, Putin stressed that the move had failed to slow Moscow's advance.
"The enemy weakened itself in key areas, our army has accelerated its offensive operations," Putin argued.
Ukraine on Friday claimed to have recaptured a part of the eastern Ukrainian town of New York, in the first success for Kyiv on this part of the front for months.
"Thanks to the high morale, courage and professionalism of the brigade's fighters, Azov managed to stabilise the situation, regain control of part of New York," the Azov Brigade, fighting in the area, said on social media.
Speaking in Oslo Friday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Ukraine needs more military support, and that the "quickest way to end this war is to provide weapons to Ukraine".
"Putin must realise that he cannot win on the battlefield, but must accept a just and lasting peace where Ukraine prevails as a sovereign and independent nation," he said.
The United States has been Ukraine's biggest backer during the conflict, providing military aid worth more than $55 billion (50 billion euros) since February 2022.
But uncertainty looms over the future of that funding as a US election in November could see Ukraine-sceptic Donald Trump back in the White House.
Germany -- Ukraine's second-biggest backer -- has also come under pressure domestically over its aid for Kyiv, which has been at the centre of a protracted row over the 2025 budget.
France, another of Kyiv's biggest supporters, has also been locked in a political crisis for several weeks.
Ahead of the Ramstein meeting, Britain said it would send Kyiv 650 lightweight missiles before the end of the year to boost Ukraine's air defence capabilities.
And German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced on the sidelines of the meeting that his country would provide 12 artillery pieces valued at 150 million euros ($166 million) to Ukraine.
"I'm grateful to Germany, its government, and its people for all their support," Zelensky said in a social media post after meeting with Pistorius.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's allies in Europe have moved to expand their own defences in response to the increased threat from Russia.
Germany's military put a first Iris-T air-defence system into service on its own soil Wednesday, having delivered several of them to Ukraine to intercept Russian rockets, drones and missiles.
UN nuclear chief in Russia reiterates safety concerns
Moscow, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi held more talks with Russian officials Friday over safety concerns at two nuclear power plants threatened by the fighting between Moscow and Kyiv.
He has already issued warnings over the situation at both the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the Kursk power plant, near to where Kyiv has mounted its incursion into Russia.
Grossi met the head of Russia's Rosatom nuclear agency Alexei Likhachev in Kaliningrad, after visiting the Zaporizhzhia plant in southeast Ukraine this week and the Kursk plant the week before.
He met with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday.
"The times remain very difficult," Grossi told Likhachev, Russian news agencies reported.
The situation at the Kursk power plant -- some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Kyiv's forces -- was "worrying", he said.
But both officials said the plant's functioning was stable, and Grossi again urged both sides to refrain from attacking power plants.
"I said this in Zaporizhzhia, I said this in Kyiv and now I say this in Kaliningrad: power plants can never be legitimate targets in an armed conflict," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of trying to strike the Kursk plant, without providing evidence.
Likhachev said Russia "expects an adequate response" from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Ukraine's incursion into Kursk is now a month long, with Kyiv laying claim to dozens of Russian border settlements.
Putin said this week that Moscow has "gradually" started to push out Kyiv's forces from Kursk.
The Zaporizhzhia plant fell to Moscow in the first days of its offensive in 2022.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is set to undergo further expansion, positioning it as a pivotal component in the energy partnership between Azerbaijan and Europe, particularly Italy, Trend reports via Baku Network.
The pipeline is the final segment of the Southern Gas Corridor, which facilitates the supply of Azerbaijani gas to the European market. The planned expansion of TAP is expected to significantly boost gas volumes, contributing importantly to the strengthening of Europes energy security.
Key aspects of TAP expansion:
Increasing the throughput capacity to 20 billion cubic meters
The TAP pipeline, currently with a capacity of around 10 billion cubic meters per year, is slated for an expansion to 20 billion cubic meters. This will require upgrades to the pipelines technical infrastructure and modernization of facilities, enhancing gas supply to countries including Italy, Greece, Albania, and other Southeast European states.
Growing demand and Europe's energy security
The European Union is keen on diversifying its energy sources to reduce reliance on Russian gas. In this context, the TAP expansion holds strategic importance. Enhanced pipeline capacity will enable Azerbaijan to play a more substantial role in meeting Europes energy needs, bolstering the continent's energy security.
Attracting investments and modernization
The expansion project will necessitate significant financial investments. The TAP consortium is securing new investments to support the increase in capacity and infrastructure modernization. Key stakeholders in TAP include bp, SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic), and other international partners crucial to the project's development.
New gas sources for Europe
The Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan remains the primary source of gas for TAP. Future plans involve increasing production through the exploration of new fields, which will significantly raise Azerbaijani gas exports to Europe via the expanded TAP.
Anticipated benefits
Strengthening Azerbaijan's position in the European gas market: The expansion will enable Azerbaijan to considerably increase its share of the European gas market and enhance its role as a strategic energy supplier.
Increasing Europe's energy security: European countries will benefit from more stable and reliable gas supplies, aiding in their energy independence.
Expanding regional cooperation: TAPs expansion will not only fortify the partnership between Azerbaijan and Italy but also strengthen economic ties with Greece, Albania, and other Balkan nations.
The expansion of TAP is crucial for cementing Azerbaijans role as a reliable gas supplier to the European market and ensuring stability and energy security across Europe.
Slew of new abuse accusations against French charity icon Abbe Pierre
Paris, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
At least 17 more people have made accusations of sexual violence against a French monk who became a household name for his charity work, according to a report published Friday, prompting his charities to distance themselves from their founder.
A Capuchin monk since 1932 and an ordained Catholic clergyman since 1938, Abbe Pierre died in 2007 aged 94.
Born Henri Groues, Abbe Pierre left behind a legacy as a friend to the poverty-stricken and founder of the charities Emmaus and the Abbe Pierre Foundation.
With his once saintly image already shaken by allegations of sexual abuse in July, the latest claims prompted his foundation to announce it will change its name and the Emmaus charity he also founded to announce the permanent closure of a memorial to the priest.
Friday's allegations range from non-consensual touching of women's breasts to "kissing by force", "repeated sexual contact with a vulnerable person", "repeated penetrative sex acts" and even "sexual contact with a child", the report said.
Specialist consultancy Egae was hired by the Abbe Pierre Foundation and Emmaus in July to gather further testimony about their founder, after a first battery of allegations shocked the nation.
They found evidence of abuse dating from the 1950s into the 2000s, taking place mostly in France but also in the United States, Morocco and Switzerland.
Those who testified are current or former volunteers at Emmaus, workers in places where Abbe Pierre stayed, members of families with close ties to the priest or people he met at public events, Egae said.
- 'Forced' -
Some 17 years after his death, Groues until July remained a familiar sight on charity shop posters and in metro stations urging French people to think of the poor.
He gave his inheritance away aged 18 to join the order of Capuchin monks, later becoming active in the Resistance to Nazi occupation and spending several post-war years as a member of parliament.
In 1949, he founded the Emmaus community that preaches self-help for excluded people, which has since spread to dozens of countries.
He was also a backer of the "Restos du coeur" soup kitchens movement and clashed with city authorities that failed to lodge the homeless.
In Friday's report, "some women were speaking for the first time about what happened to them, reliving the events even as they told their stories," Caroline De Haas, associate director of Egae, told AFP.
One had written in a letter to France's committee investigating sexual abuse in the Catholic Church that she had been "forced to watch Abbe Pierre masturbate and to perform oral sex in a Paris apartment" in 1989.
The family of another woman, who has since died, said she was "forced to masturbate" Abbe Pierre in the Moroccan capital Rabat in 1956.
A third woman said she endured "forcible kisses" and "contact" when she was eight to nine years old in 1974-75.
And a fourth reported forced physical contact while Abbe Pierre was serving as an MP in France's National Assembly in 1951.
- 'Total support for victims' -
France's Catholic bishops' conference (CEF) spoke of its "pain" and "shame" after the first wave of accusations against Abbe Pierre, which were revealed by the Abbe Pierre Foundation and Emmaus themselves.
The two charities reiterated their "total support for victims" in a statement Friday, hailing the "courage" of those who had come forward.
Beyond changing the Abbe Pierre Foundation's name and closing Emmaus' memorial to the founder, they will also set up an independent committee "to explain the failings that allowed Abbe Pierre to act as he did for more than 50 years", they said.
Abbe Pierre's public persona as a friend to the destitute was "a matter of historic fact", the charities added, whereas "we are now faced with the unbearable pain he inflicted".
The two organisations will maintain until the end of the year a contact and support facility set up in July for any more victims who wish to come forward.
France to finance Ukraine aid with Russian assets
Paris, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
France will use a share of 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in revenues from frozen Russian assets to finance purchase of military equipment for Ukraine, the defence ministry said Friday.
"Alongside other (EU) member states, the ministry... will take part in implementing the new support measure for Ukraine from the European Peace Facility," it said in a statement.
The European Commission in Brussels had given the go-ahead for "swift procurement of priority material from French industry" including ammunition, artillery and air defences, the ministry added.
Around 200 billion euros of Russian assets have been frozen across the 27-nation European Union since Russia's invasion of its neighbour Ukraine in 2022.
Around 90 percent of them are held in Belgium, where international clearinghouse and securities depository Euroclear is headquartered.
EU member states agreed in May to use the interest generated by seized assets belonging to the Russian central bank to support Kyiv.
A first tranche of 1.5 billion euros was green-lighted in July.
The interest revenue is expected to amount to between 2.5 and 3.0 billion euros per year to arm Ukraine and cover the costs of post-war reconstruction.
Russia has denounced the EU decision as "illegal".
At a June meeting, G7 leaders reached a "political agreement" on a similar arrangement at a meeting in Italy.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The energy ties between Azerbaijan and Italy hold strategic importance for both nations and for Europe as a whole, Trend reports citing Baku Network.
This significance is driven by several key factors:
Firstly, Italys energy security and diversification are crucial, as the country relies heavily on foreign energy sources. Azerbaijani gas, transported via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), plays a significant role in reducing Italys dependence on Russian energy.
In 2023, approximately 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas were delivered to Italy through TAP, with expectations to increase this amount in 2024.
Secondly, the European Union seeks new energy sources to decrease its reliance on Russia. Azerbaijan, through TAP and the Southern Gas Corridor, directly contributes to Europe's energy security.
The planned expansion of TAP will further enhance the presence of Azerbaijani gas in Europe.
Italy is also a major energy partner for Azerbaijan, importing significant amounts of Azerbaijani oil and gas, which strengthens economic ties between the two countries. In 2023, Azerbaijan exported around 5 million tons of oil to Italy, with a forecast increase in 2024.
Economic benefits and mutual cooperation extend beyond the energy sector, with both countries investing in various projects.
Additionally, there are prospects for collaboration in renewable energy, leveraging Italys expertise in "green" energy as Azerbaijan develops its renewable resources.
Geopolitically, Azerbaijani energy exports help maintain regional and European stability. By securing Azerbaijani gas, Italy supports its own energy strategy and contributes to the broader European Union energy strategy.
Overall, Azerbaijan and Italys energy partnership is a strategic asset, offering economic and geopolitical advantages and paving the way for future collaboration.
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It backed Labours plans again today, saying: Achieving this ambition requires a change of attitude and a refreshed partnership approach to allow developments, that are currently stalled, to come forward and Berkeley is committed to playing its full part in delivering the new homes the country needs.
I hope, as the No Child Left Behind tour van criss crosses the country, before parking up at Labours September party conference, the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hear our message. As we open our gates for the new school year, the new Government must be bolder and offer the funding schools need to deliver this simple yet transformational policy, not just for breakfast, but all the way through the school day.
There are a lot of groups and communities who still think that maybe scouting isnt for them and Im hoping that theyll look at me and say, well, actually, I have something in common with that guy he grew up where I grew up, he looks like me. If scouting is for him, its for me as well.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) is set to bolster its partnership with the China Investment Corporation (CIC), Trend reports.
The delegation, led by Israfil Mammadov, CEO of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was recently on a working visit to the People's Republic of China.
During the visit, a meeting was held with Peng Chun, Chairman of the China Investment Corporation, focusing on the enhancement of mutual partnerships and strengthening the relationship.
Both parties discussed strengthening mutual partnerships and ties, emphasizing their shared interest in deepening cooperation.
CIC also highlighted that discussions covered inter-agency collaboration in various fields, the development of the "International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds," and investment opportunities.
SOFAZ has been operational since 1999, managing revenues from Azerbaijans international oil and gas projects.
For example, the sentences for murder were significantly increased, people have been required to spend longer of the sentence in prison. All of these have a cumulative or other effect, and you need to stand back and ask yourselves, have we got the resources balanced correctly?
In 2010, Mr Fields set himself his first of many challenges, becoming the first black Briton to walk more than 400 nautical miles to the magnetic North Pole. On his return, he was invited to Buckingham Palace by the then Queen Elizabeth, joining other polar explorers and adventurers at a reception to mark the centenary of Scotts expedition to the South Pole.
When asked by an Associated Press reporter about the infrastructure damage caused to the Jenin camp, an Israeli military official acknowledged the destruction but said it was a result of a militant strategy planting explosives in civilian areas. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Azerbaijan, alongside its partner states, will soon embark on a journey to tackle climate change that will go down in history, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Union of Judges Ramiz Rzayev said during the Law & Climate International Conference in Baku today, Trend reports.
"Today, we are drawing the attention of the legal community to the discussion of pressing issues. It is unfortunately well-known to all of us that climate change presents a serious challenge for our world. These changes have a huge impact on human rights, lifestyles, and the overall well-being of populations. Azerbaijan also takes international cooperation in combating climate change seriously. As is known, Azerbaijan will host a significant international event this year the Conference of the Parties (COP 29).
This event will be a source of pride for each of us. Today's international conference, jointly organized with the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan, aims to attract the attention of Azerbaijan and the international community to issues related to climate change and associated processes. Another important goal is to raise awareness of existing international and national legal mechanisms regulating this area," he added.
Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
She said: So many people, you know, myself included - culprit number one - waste so much money on things that are just not worth wasting money on. Things like the odd bit of Botox, extra products, you know, if I go down the cleaning aisle Im picking up 25 Zofloras, not one [and] I could be putting that money into my pension to insure that when I get older when that fateful day comes that Im going to have a comfortable retirement.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. To restrict global warming to 1.5C, strong legal mechanisms are needed, president of COP29, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babayev said during the international conference Law and Climate, Trend reports.
Climate change and its environmental impacts are major global issues. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change unites nations to fight this global issue. As the Convention's principal decision-making body, the Conference of Parties (COP) is important to its purposes. All nations approved holding the December Conference of the Parties in Azerbaijan. This move shows confidence in Azerbaijan and international respect. This shows autonomous policy, principled viewpoint, and commitment to international law, which is highly valued worldwide, he said.
According to him, climate change has not slipped through the cracks in our region.
Their impact is obvious for everyone, and not only specialists but also ordinary citizens can observe the changes. Climate change has a serious impact on agriculture, water resources, forests and biodiversity, health care, tourism, and other sectors. I would especially like to note the impact on coastal zones: the level of the Caspian Sea has significantly decreased in recent years, he emphasized.
Babayev noted that the anthropogenic and man-made elements are both linked to the causes of these changes.
These processes address migration. Climate change is seen in the Urmia and Aral lakes. Legislation becomes more important when these developments intensify. Legal systems must defend the rights of climate change's most vulnerable groups and reduce emissions. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Paris Agreement underpin worldwide climate change collaboration. The Paris Agreement shows worldwide cooperation to limit warming to 1.5C. To do this, effective legal processes must be developed and implemented. Our legal institutions must assure global agreement implementation, climate justice, and, most crucially, defend climate change victims' rights, he said.
The President of the COP29 mentioned that these challenges must be tackled not just domestically but also through global collaboration.
The fight against climate change benefits from international law. More countries are deciding climate change claims in court, setting legal precedents to address this global issue. Azerbaijan submitted its national contribution to the Paris Agreement on climate change and is taking substantial measures in this area. This document establishes greenhouse gas emission reduction and climate change resistance goals. Reforms, laws, and practical initiatives to decarbonize the economy have been enacted in recent years, Bababev added.
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The National Agency for Cadastre and Real Estate Publicity (ANCPI) has so far opened more than 7.5 million new land registers free of charge for citizens through the programmes carried out, informs Agerpres.
According to an ANCPI press release sent to AGERPRES on Friday, more than 1.8 million land registers have been issued free of charge to citizens with European funds.
ANCPI is drawing up documents required for property registration in the integrated cadastre and land register system on more than 6.6 million hectares in 2,072 administrative-territorial units (UATs).
Financing is provided from ANCPI's own revenues, through the National Cadastre and Land Registry Programme (PNCCF), from non-reimbursable European funds, but also from the budgets of the municipalities. Land registers are issued free of charge to citizens.
ANCPI has finalised the systematic registration of real estate at the level of the entire locality in 266 administrative-territorial units out of a total of 3,181 such entities, as well as in over 27,800 cadastral sectors, with an area of over 5.9 million hectares.
At the same time, 141 municipalities were included in the land register with European funds, under the project "Increasing the coverage and inclusion of the property registration system in rural areas of Romania", financed by the Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020 and continued under the Smart Growth, Digitalisation and Inclusion Programme.
Out of the total of 9.54 million hectares of agricultural land subject to the subsidies of the Agricultural Payment and Intervention Agency, 7.86 million hectares (82%) have been registered in the integrated cadastre and land register system.
ANCPI is the beneficiary of the project "Increasing the coverage and inclusiveness of the land registration system in rural areas of Romania", which complements the objective of the PNCCF, by carrying out systematic registration works for 5,758,314 hectares in 660 UATs in rural areas of Romania, and the total value of the project is 312,891,155 euros.
The project was financed until December 2023 by the Regional Operational Programme and was phased. The second phase of the project is currently funded by the Smart Growth, Digitalisation and Financial Instruments Programme 2021-2027.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Work is underway on a new climate strategy in Azerbaijan, COP29 President, Azerbaijani Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev said during the Law & Climate International Conference in Baku today, Trend reports.
"Serious steps are being taken on the path to sustainable development. The goal is to increase the share of renewable energy sources in electricity production to 30 percent by 2030. The construction of solar and wind power plants in Absheron and other regions is a testament to these efforts.
Key areas in the fight against climate change also include the development of electric vehicle use in transportation, environmentally friendly industrial development, reforestation, and measures to combat soil degradation," he said.
He brought up the fact that green energy routes and zones are still being developed around the nation.
"The new climate strategy should not only align with global commitments but also take into account national priorities. The new strategy is expected to cover all economic sectors and aim at developing a low-carbon economy. However, significant challenges remain that require solutions.
One of the biggest challenges is the need to increase the capacity for climate change adaptation. Limited access to clean technologies and international climate financing makes it difficult to implement new projects at the local level. Another major issue is strengthening the legal framework. While Azerbaijan's climate legislation in many respects meets international standards, additional reforms are needed for more effective climate action," he noted.
Babayev also mentioned that the introduction of clearer and more specific mechanisms in legislation will not only help fulfill global climate commitments but also prevent violations in this area.
"Dear participants, the main theme and priority of COP29 is climate financing. At the Baku Conference, a new collective quantitative target in the fight against climate change is expected to be agreed upon. In addition, the discussions at COP will cover important areas such as climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Special attention will also be given to the transparency of countries' reporting and the development, and submission of national adaptation plans. During the event, Azerbaijan, as the president of COP29, has proposed 14 key initiatives. Our goal is to propose new approaches and innovative pathways not only at the national but also at the global level," added the COP29 president.
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The mayor of the capital, Nicusor Dan, said on Thursday that he is concerned that the right-wing parties do not coalesce at the national level, so that after the parliamentary elections they can secure the government, informs Agerpres.
"I'm a little worried. Without talking here about my capacity as mayor - simply as a citizen who wants for himself, for his family, the good of this country - I'm worried that the right-wing is not joining forces at the national level. First of all, my thesis is that the right-wing governments, as they were after the Revolution, were better than the left-wing governments, whether we are talking about the Democratic Convention or the DA Alliance compared to the Ciolacu Government, the right-wing government is better for Romania, in my opinion. That's why I would very much like to have a right-wing majority in Parliament, which can give a right-wing government in the next four years," said the general mayor, for Digi 24.
He mentioned that, according to the electoral calendar, alliances are submitted to the Electoral Office until September 10. Formations such as the National Liberal Party (PNL), Save Romania Union (USR), Forta Dreptei, REPER, People's Movement Party (PMP) or Alliance of Independence, but also other small local parties should propose a project for a common government, Nicusor Dan appreciated.
According to him, the reproaches that the leader of the PNL, Nicolae Ciuca, and the president of the USR, Elena Lasconi, formulated in public do not represent "the happiest thing".
"We have had a PSD-PNL alliance for almost three years. We saw the period when it was led by the PNL, when we saw a balance. And now we see this alliance led by the PSD, in which we see that the PNL is ignored. In the conditions in which this state of affairs will be perpetuated and if we will have a left-wing president, practically, the right-wing parties that will enter the government will not matter. I think this is the risk for Romania," he also said.
The mayor of the capital also appreciated that the right-wing parties, but also the people inside them, "must pull in the same direction", because the stake is the government for the next four years. He emphasized that he values the president of Bihor County Council (CJ), Ilie Bolojan, considering that he is a man "with vision" and courage, who contributed to the development of the community, but also reduced public expenses. On the other hand, he said that the name of the future prime minister is not a priority.
"Before talking about the prime minister, we have to talk about the majority in Parliament that supports a government led by that prime minister. This is where we are, in fact. And our problem is not the name of the prime minister, but if all these parties, together , manage to get a majority in the Parliament. And as things stand today, it doesn't seem like it," said the mayor.
The general mayor reiterated that he would like the liberals to be part of a majority that would support him in the General Council. At the same time, he was optimistic that this will happen.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu declared on Friday that a priority of his mandate is to increase Romanian production, a statement made in the context of the visit to one of the two factories in Sibiu of the maker of electronic equipment for the automotive industry Marquardt Schaltsysteme.
"When it comes to the automotive industry, the two big factories in Romania, Dacia and Ford, are most often talked about. And that's very good! They set the Romanian economy on the wheels! Alongside them, horizontally, we have hundreds of thousands of employees in the production of car components. Today we visited one of the two factories of the maker of electronic equipment for the car industry, Marquardt Schaltsysteme in Sibiu, the place from where parts for car companies from all over the world, from German ones to General Motors and Tesla go to. And I saw what is behind their success: a lot of work! The increase in Romanian production was and remains a priority of my mandate, because this is the sure way of development of this country", Ciolacu wrote on Facebook.
While visiting Sibiu, Marcel Ciolacu had lunch with the cadets of the Nicolae Balcescu Land Forces Academy from this city.
"They are young. They are beautiful. They are smart. They are the future leaders of the Romanian Army. It was a pleasure to have lunch today with the cadets of the Nicolae Balcescu Army Academy in Sibiu. It is true, I did not eat green beans, but the food was very very good", he mentioned in a post on Facebook.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Friday, in Sibiu, that during his visit to Israel he noticed a "concern" among the Romanian community in this country, stating that among the hostages left after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 there are also two people who have Romanian-Israeli citizenship.
He gave assurances that the authorities would continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East.
"There is a concern among the Romanian community in Israel. Furthermore, of the remaining hostages, two have Romanian and Israeli citizenship, four were in the process of obtaining Romanian citizenship as well. I met with the prime minister, I met with the president of the state of Israel, with the president of the Parliament, the Knesset. There was no institution that I entered together with my colleagues without meeting at least one person who did not tell me that his parents were born in Romania (...) they are from Neamt, from Iasi. It is a very close connection between Romania and Israel. We will continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East, a situation with a new security crisis, after the war in Ukraine. Indeed, it is known that there was a close connection between the Government of Romania and the Government of the State of Israel", Ciolacu told a press conference.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was on a working visit to the State of Israel on Thursday, during which he had meetings with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, with the Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, as well as with the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu declared on Friday, in a press conference held in Sibiu, that in the coming period, solutions would be found to support companies operating in the automotive industry.
The Government's head paid a visit to the Marquardt Schaltsysteme factory in Sibiu, in which context he emphasized that among the first 100 exporters in Romania, 50 are either producers of components for the automotive industry or producers of passenger cars, pointing out that apart from the two large factories in Pitesti and Craiova, Dacia and Ford, an entire industry has developed.
"At the company we visited, where we met with several businesspeople from several fields, the export is 100%. The export of this field of activity represents around 30 billion euros annually. Really, due to the limited time, we could not cover the entire agenda, but I am firmly convinced that in the coming period we will communicate directly and find the best solutions to increase the competitiveness of these companies. It is a very developed industrial area in Sibiu and we want to continue, especially since the ice has already been broken and we have the first state aid amounting to almost 100 million euros to a company that operates in Oradea. I think this is the best example and this is what I promised: a re-industrialization of Romania", said the prime minister.
Marcel Ciolacu also said that he is worried about Romania's trade balance, stating that although it was reduced by almost four billion euros, much more could be done.
Nippon Steel Corporations proposed $14.1 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel cleared all overseas regulatory hurdles earlier this year, but President Joe Biden may soon block the transaction.
The news, which was first reported by The Washington Post, comes while the blast furnace at Granite Citys U.S. Steel plant remains idle after the Pittsburgh-based company announced its indefinite closure last fall.
The Granite Citys plant has two blast furnaces, used to make steel. One was previously shut down and the second was temporarily closed for six months last year, but now no longer has a reopening date. The companys steel rolling and finishing operations, using metal slabs from other facilities, continue at Granite City Works.
The 128-year-old mill in Granite City has 850 workers. Hundreds were previously let go or are on layoff due to the closure of the blast furnace.
Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have all publicly opposed the Tokyo-based Nippon deal.
The United Steelworkers union is also against the deal and has backed an offer made by Cleveland-based steelmaker Cleveland Cliffs, though U.S. Steel rejected it.
Nippon has sought the support of the labor group by promising no layoffs and no plant closures as a result of the deal and that Nippon intends to honor U.S. Steels existing labor agreements.
To add to the uncertainty, U.S. Steel has not announced any final agreement around the discussions it disclosed in the summer of 2022, with Chicago-based SunCoke Energy. U.S. Steel was in talks to sell a portion of the facility to SunCoke in a deal that would eliminate nearly 1,000 of 1,450 jobs at the plant.
President of United Steelworkers Local 1899 Craig McKey and Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson have not responded to requests for comment.
MASCOUTAH MidAmerica St. Louis Airport has joined a growing list of airports in a program aimed at helping passengers with certain disabilities let staffers know they may need extra time or other assistance.
Under the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, individuals with dementia, autism, epilepsy and other conditions that may not be immediately apparent can get a green sunflower-patterned lanyard, wristband, tag or pin at ticket counters.
By wearing an item with the insignia, passengers can discreetly alert airport, TSA and airline employees that they may need additional support and patience, such as repeating information.
Traveling can be more challenging for passengers and their family members who have a condition not visible to the naked eye, said Darren James, the airports director.
Our team is now well trained and equipped to provide exceptional service and support for passengers with hidden disabilities.
James said the airport implemented the program over the last month. Anyone with Sunflower identification also will get a free non-alcoholic beverage from the airports concessionaire, Tailwind Hospitality.
Londons Gatwick Airport in 2016 created the program. It has since been adopted by more than 200 airports around the world, including more than 80 in the United States.
Among them are airports in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Denver and Miami. Some airports also have taken other steps to help people with dementia.
MidAmerica currently has 32 inbound and outbound passenger flights a week to six locations, with additional service in peak travel months.
The much busier St. Louis Lambert International Airport does not offer the Sunflower program but is considering it, said Roger Lotz, an airport spokesman.
He said passengers with special needs can ask for and obtain help at Lamberts information desks.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
ST. LOUIS A viral video posted on social media last week showed St. Louis police pulling a family from its home at gunpoint during a seemingly unrelated criminal arrest.
The homeowner, India Harvey, said the scene was like something shed see in a hostile foreign country.
But this week, police said the Mark Twain neighborhood home and its visitors were part of a larger investigation into area vehicle thefts and officers had been watching that house.
We will continue to investigate this known criminal street gang and hold individuals accountable who break the law, said police spokesman Mitchell McCoy. Were closing in.
Harvey said her children are not part of a gang, and dont steal cars. And she didnt know all of the people involved in the incident at her house last month, she said.
McCoy did not explain the full extent of that investigation. But he released some key details that add new context to the video and the officers response.
He said the suspects in the crime are part of a criminal street gang engaged in a car theft ring whose members have been seen coming and going from the home, in the 5800 block of Ferris Avenue. Police also say that the man behind the wheel of the stolen vehicle, 20-year-old Demonta Robinson, is Harveys nephew.
Harvey denied that.
The Ring door camera video, which had more than 240,000 views on Instagram as of this week, shows a police chase of a stolen Cadillac CTS ending in Harveys front yard on Aug. 23. The footage shows police arresting the driver as three people watch from their porch.
Things take a turn when one of Harveys family members leaves the porch to retrieve the family dog, which runs toward the stolen vehicle. A police officer can be seen drawing his gun, forcing him to the ground and detaining him.
Another officer appears in the video with his gun drawn, pointing it at 17-year-old Harveys son, Anthony, who was standing on the porch. The officer is seen pulling Anthony into the yard and also taking him to the ground. Police said they deny that he was taken to the ground.
Police also detained Harveys 16-year-old son, who had come outside to investigate. Its unclear from the video if he was handcuffed. Another man, Lavon Harvey, was also arrested at the scene.
None of the people in the video are seen with weapons. Nor do they act aggressively.
Harvey said the whole ordeal was traumatizing to her teen boys.
McCoy said he believes the video was only posted online because police are getting close to uncovering the core of the gang.
Kaveon Harvey, 24, and Lavon Harvey, 20, were ultimately arrested that day. Both men had outstanding warrants for their arrests for being fugitives from the law, according to police who said they could not divulge any more information about their warrants. Kaveon Harvey also had a gun at the time of his arrest, police reported.
McCoy said he was unsure if detectives were aware of the fugitive warrants before the incident occurred.
Harvey told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday that she lives in the residence with her four children, all minors. She said her kids are not involved in a gang, but she was not sure about her nephews.
McCoy said Harvey told officers that day that Robinson, the car theft suspect, is her nephew. But Harvey denies that.
That is not my nephew. My nephews have my last name, she said.
The arrests came after officers who were watching the Harvey residence reported seeing several people leave the home and drive the stolen car. Officers then called for backup because, McCoy said, they were known to law enforcement to be dangerous.
Police eventually tailed Robinson when he left the home in the stolen vehicle, McCoy said. Police said Robinson saw he was being followed, made a U-turn and was trying to flee when he crashed into Harveys front yard. Robinson had a stolen firearm in his possession, according to police.
Lavon Harvey was charged Thursday with unlawful possession of a weapon.
The other two men have not been charged yet, according to online court records.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The regular meeting of the working group on Green Energy Space, established to ensure the implementation of measures envisaged by the Strategy of Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2022-2026, was held in hybrid form, Trend reports.
According to the information, Deputy Energy Minister of Azerbaijan Samir Valiyev, who chaired the meeting, emphasized in his speech that the projects implemented within the framework of the strategy are harmoniously combined with the activities carried out within the "Year of Solidarity for a Green World."
He noted that having regular meetings of the working group really helps to keep everyone on the same page and make sure we're all accountable. It also helps to shine a light on the important issues we need to address.
Deputy Chairperson of the working group, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications Ramil Huseyn presented a preliminary assessment report on the results of monitoring for the first half of 2024 within the framework of the strategy implementation.
The information was presented on the results of the implementation of activities under the goal Green Energy Space." Indicators for six areas of activity and completed works under the set goals, development of public-private partnerships in the fields of gas supply, heat supply, research of offshore wind energy potential, expansion of opportunities for bioenergy and geothermal energy use, creation of an information system on renewable energy sources, and development of the National Plan for Electrometric Power Plants were discussed.
Then reports from other members of the group were heard, and further steps, calls, and recommendations were considered. Following the strategy document, the tasks related to the effective implementation of measures in the coming period were communicated.
To note, the working group on "Green Energy Space," along with the Ministry of Energy and the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications, includes representatives of the Ministries of Economy, Ecology and Natural Resources, Agriculture, Digital Development and Transport, Finance, Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan, SOCAR, Central Bank, Azerbaijan Investment Holding, State Committee on Statistics, State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, State Customs Committee, representatives of the Ministry of Economy, Ecology and Natural Resources, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economic Development and Transport, and the Ministry of Energy.
Eight working groups were established by the order of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated June 12, 2023, to ensure full, timely, and effective implementation of the measures envisaged in the Strategy of Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2022-2026 and to coordinate the activities of the relevant state bodies. The working group on Green Energy Space also fulfills the goal of Green Energy Space in this context and coordinates the activities of relevant state bodies.
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ST. LOUIS A jury here awarded $462 million this week to the families of two St. Louis men who were killed when their car slid underneath a semitrailer equipped with a metal guard meant to protect them.
Lawyers for the families of Teron Tailor, 30, and Nicolas Perkins, 23, argued semitrailer manufacturer Wabash National knew that the guard would not prevent a Volkswagen sedan driven by Tailor from skidding underneath when he struck the back of the truck. But instead of fixing it, they worked for years to keep their inadequate product on the market, said attorney Johnny Simon.
Its really nasty stuff, Simon said. Many, many people have died because trailer manufacturers have failed to act. We hope this spurs action.
Wabash claimed their trailer met regulatory standards and that Tailor and Perkins wouldnt have survived the crash even if the impact guard had worked, according to a statement to shareholders.
The company believes the verdict is not supported by facts or the law, Wabashs statement said. It will be evaluating all legal options.
Their decision marked the second time this summer that a St. Louis jury returned a verdict for nearly $500 million in a product case. In late July, jurors found that an Illinois-based manufacturer was liable for the death of an infant who developed a deadly intestinal disease after being fed a specialized formula for premature infants.
Tailor was driving a Volkswagen CC at around 2:30 p.m. May 19, 2019, when he struck the back of a semitrailer nearly stopped on Interstate 44 near the 7th Street exit. The impact tore the rear guard off of the trailer, and the Volkswagen got sucked underneath.
Both men were decapitated. Perkins left behind a 2-year-old daughter. Tailors wife was pregnant at the time of the crash.
Wabashs attorneys argued the case was a tragic accident. They noted in the shareholder statement that a judge ruled jurors could not hear evidence about how neither man was wearing a seatbelt or how a drivers blood alcohol level was above the legal limit.
No rear impact guard or trailer safety technology has ever existed that would have made a difference here, said Wabashs General Counsel Kristin Glazner in a statement.
But the Simon firm argued it was part of a much larger, systemic problem.
They said such underride crashes are relatively common, noting that at least 14,350 people have died because of such crashes nationwide. They also said they suspect the number is likely higher since it does not account for cars that slide under semitrailers from the side.
Part of the reason for the frequency is that for decades federal regulations only required trailer guards to stop cars of a certain size traveling up to 30 miles per hour, Simon argued. He said the companies dont want to add stronger guards because they weigh more and would cut down on the amount of cargo they could carry.
Are we going to write off human lives for that? Simon said.
Simon did not dispute that Tailor crashed into the back of the truck, but he argued it shouldnt matter. Such guards should act like a smoke detector or a life jacket its a safety device, he said.
The issue was how well did that device perform in the crash, he said. It ripped off. The welds totally failed.
Nine of 12 jurors ultimately signed off on the verdict, awarding $6 million to Tailors survivors and $6 million to Perkins survivors for actual damages. They also awarded $450 million in punitive damages.
Professor said Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was committed to bearing witness
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was a longstanding activist against injustice, said Aria Fani, a UW assistant professor of Middle Eastern languages and cultures. The two met after Fani gave a guest lecture on feminist cinema of the Middle East, and Eygi signed up for Fanis translation class.
Eygi was also extremely critical of Turkish treatment of minority populations, including the Kurdish people, he said, and was an instrumental part of a pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Washington earlier this year.
As a teen she traveled to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribes reservation to join the protests against the Dakota Access Pipelines controversial Missouri River crossing. The protests ultimately drew thousands of people, lasting from about August 2016 to February 2017.
I remember her telling me how cold it would get at night, and how they would dance to keep themselves warm, Fani said Friday afternoon.
Eygi had a gift for truly listening to others, he said, and was easy to talk to.
She was so cognizant of her place as a white-passing Turkish American woman, and really worked to create a space for people who had generational and historical traumas to share what they had gone through, he said. She never took for granted that sharing trauma is incredibly powerful and vulnerable, and when someone is doing that they are giving you so much trust.
Fani tried to talk Eygi out of going to the West Bank something he had done years earlier. But, he said, that she told him "That she needed to bear witness for the sake of her own humanity.
She has a husband who lives in Seattle who is devastated, and many, many peers and professors who are reeling from this tragedy, Fani said. The Associated Press
September 6, 2024: Ukrainian attack drones cause far more casualties on Russian troops than Russians drone inflict on Ukrainian troops. The Ukrainians have been far more innovative and quicker to implement new methods for using FPV (First Person View) drones to find Russian troops or armored vehicles than drop a small thermobaric explosive device on them. The operator of the FPV drone wears a headset that covers his eyes and enables him to see what the drone camera sees. The drone operator is far enough away from the target t0 avoid being detected and fired on.
These FPV drones are precision weapons and now account for most of the Russian casualties. FPV drones are cheap, costing about $500 each. These FPV attack drones are an unexpected and revolutionary weapon. They are cheap, extremely effective and so far, no one has managed to develop a countermeasure for them. Russia is able to manufacture more of these drones but the Ukrainians use them more effectively and have a larger number of experienced FPV operators. These men, and some women, operate up to three kilometers behind the front line and are relatively safe. When an operator loses a drone, to accident or enemy action, they simply activate another drone stored near where they operate from. Many of the drone operators are civilians, who specialize in drone operation. Ukrainian army recruiters leave these drone operators alone because they are doing more damage to the Russian while wearing their civilian clothes and acting on information military intelligence has obtained. Most of the Ukrainian drones are developed and produced by civilians, often working out of their homes or small workshops near where they live.
Russian FPV drone operations are more bureaucratic and slower to respond to changes in drone technology. Russia can mass produce more drones but is unable to use them as effectively as the Ukrainians. Both sides use electronic jammers to neutralize the remotely controlled drones. This jamming is the major cause of drones lost in combat. The solution is to change the frequency your drones are using for control and be prepared to quickly do it again if the other side determines the frequency your drones are using and disables them. Because of this it doesnt matter how many drones Ukrainians or Russians but whether their drones are unjammed. Most critically, the Ukrainians update the control mechanisms and frequencies their drones operate on, and new jamming techniques of their own, much faster than the bureaucratically crippled Russians can. When the jamming isnt a problem the drones and their one-to four kg thermobaric weapons dropped by the drones have a devastating effect on the enemy.
In 2022 Ukraine began developing drone delivered thermobaric weapons systems. Russia soon responded and since then it's been a race between the two sides to develop more effective drones and jamming techniques. The Ukrainians are winning easily.
In 2023, while Ukraine was still developing its FPV drone technology, Russia sent some of their TOS-1A tank-mounted thermobaric 220mm rocket launchers to Ukraine. A TOS-1A carries 24 220mm rockets while a separate reload vehicle carries two pods containing rockets. An empty pod on the TOS-1A vehicle can be removed and replaced with a full pod in minutes. Thermobaric is one of several terms for fuel-air explosives (FAEs). Another popular term is vacuum bomb. Russians favor thermobaric, while Americans prefer FAE.
These weapons are a relatively recent development. Efforts to develop a workable FAE began over a century ago, during World War I (1914-18). Efforts continued after the war and through World War II (1939-45) and into the 1950s. In the 1960s the Americans came up with a workable and reliable FAE design and used it a lot during the Vietnam War. Russia got their thermobaric tech perfected a decade after the United States. Russia considers FAE devices to be chemical weapons and saw their TOS-1A vehicles as flamethrowers. Many NATO and Russian-backed nations also obtained or developed some FAE weapons.
FAEs are incredibly destructive, because they literally create a fireball. These range in size from a few meters in diameter to over 500 meters, The smallest ones are FAE hand grenades or small projectiles delivered by drone, while the larger ones are aircraft-transported bombs. Some short range ballistic missiles also have optional FAE warheads.
Technically, FAE devices can be incredibly destructive, incinerating anyone inside the fireball. Efforts to ban FAEs as inhumane and a crime against humanity have failed. This is largely because FAEs are simply a specialized explosive that is not radioactive and does not generate a lot of metal fragments. FAEs can do things high explosives cannot do. Clearing minefields is one example. Another is destroying an enemy position in a remote area with a lot of underground bunkers and surrounded by minefields. Since September 11, 2001, American forces have regularly used FAEs, some air dropped, to clear minefields. FAEs will detonate the mines and reach deep into caves or bunkers to kill anyone in there. Islamic terrorists have tried, with mixed success, to include improvised FAEs for major attacks.
Russia first used TOS-1 vehicles in Afghanistan during the 1980s. At the time, the TOS rockets only had a range of 3,500 meters and demonstrated sufficient performance in Syria and Iraq to revive sales of some older systems. One of the more unique among these revived weapons is the TOS-1A. The TOS stands for heavy flamethrower system because the TOS-1A only fires rockets equipped with FAE warheads. The TOS-1A is a 45 ton vehicle that uses a T-72 tank chassis with the turret replaced by a box-like launcher for 24 220mm rockets. These come in two sizes, one is 3.3 meters long and weighs 173 kg while the other is 3.7 meters long and weighs 217 kg . The larger rocket has a longer (6,000 meters) range. The TOS-1A is not a direct-fire weapon but the vehicle is meant to get close to the target and is equipped with a laser range finder and computerized fire control system to elevate the launcher to the right angle to put the unguided rocket as close to the target as possible.
While FAE can be very effective, it is a temperamental type of explosive that is not widely used. FAEs detonate and spread a mist of fuel, usually gasoline or a mixture of other similar chemicals, and then ignite it. This creates a large, impressive looking explosion, as well as a powerful blast called overpressure. The overpressure is powerful enough to set off landmines, as the pressure created on the ground triggers the pressure sensors on anti-personnel and anti-tank mines.
FAE has always been tricky to use. If the wind is blowing the wrong way, or the humidity isnt quite right, the explosion is something of a fizzle. Russia developed new designs for FAE weapons that overcome many of these problems. Current FAE designs use compressed gas to form a mist cloud of fuel. A detonator then ignites the cloud and causes a huge explosion. The effect is like a nuclear weapon, for there is enormous pressure and a lot of flames. All the oxygen is also used up. If you aren't crushed or burned, you die from lack of oxygen. Modern FAE chemicals are better able to seep into wherever air can go before detonating. In a cave, everyone dies. Even armored vehicles are vulnerable because some of the fuel sometimes seeps into the vehicle and starts fires when it explodes, or at least causes the vehicles engine cylinders to explode.
The original TOS-1 was developed in the 1980s and used in combat in Afghanistan in 1988. Apparently, it was successful but the Russians were withdrawing and they took their TOS-1s with them. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, there was little money to build or further develop the TOS-1. At that time there were only about twenty in service. They were used in Chechnya during the 1990s and that was successful enough to revive development. That led to the TOS-1A in 2002 and production has increased since then. Over two hundred TOS-1s, mostly the 1A model, were ordered. In Syria, the Assad forces used some of the older TOS-1s in combat while Iraq bought a dozen TOS-1As which they used extensively in the battle for Mosul. For city fighting the TOS-1A is particularly effective as the overpressure can kill or disable enemy troops inside buildings or bunkers as well as set off landmines and disable other types of explosive traps. Algeria bought some 52 TOS-1As and stationed the first ones to arrive on the Libyan border. It is unclear why Algeria purchased TOS-1A vehicles. Azerbaijan also ordered 36 of them and used them against Armenian forces in open areas with some success. Armenia has also purchased some TOS-1A vehicles of its own but it is unknown if there has yet been any TOS-1A on TOS-1A action yet.
In 2017 the U.S. used one of its large 9.8 ton MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast) GPS guided smart bombs in combat for the first time. The MOAB was dropped on an ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) tunnel and cave complex in eastern Afghanistan. This area was guarded by hundreds of landmines and explosive traps in addition to several hundred of the Islamic terrorists. Officially known as GBU-43/B, the FAE bomb performed as expected, leaving over a hundred visible dead. Some ISIL men may have been vaporized and others buried deep in the collapsed caves and tunnels. A large explosion like this creates an overpressure that not only kills troops deep inside bunkers, but the shock wave also causes tunnels to collapse.
MOAB entered service in 2003 and fifteen were built but were never used for fear it would kill nearby civilians. The ISIL complex in Afghanistan was known to be restricted to ISIL members and had become a major storage site for weapons, ammo and bomb making components. It was also a training center, especially for bomb builders. Afghan forces were reluctant to try and take it from the ground because they had suffered a lot of casualties just probing the defenses. Smart bombs and laser guided missiles could destroy cave and tunnel entrances but not get at the men and material inside. This was the sort of target MOAB was made for. Within hours of the explosion Afghan troops and American special operations forces advanced through the destroyed by overpressure and blast minefields and encountered no resistance. Using robots and various sensors it was found that a lot of items stored in those caves were destroyed or buried. Excavating all that was time-consuming and necessary to recover useful information on ISIL operations.
MOAB is not dropped out of bombers but pushed out the back of a SOCOM (Special Operations Command) MC-130E aircraft, or any similar aircraft, like the C-17. The blast can be felt several kilometers away, and the mushroom shaped cloud that rises to over 3,000 meters can be seen more than 40 kilometers away. It can be guided to its targets in various ways.
MOAB replaced the Vietnam era BLU-82 bomb, which used a 6.3 ton slurry of ammonium nitrate and powdered aluminum. MOAB uses more powerful tritonal explosives. In addition to a more powerful explosion, MOAB doesn't need a parachute, like the Daisy Cutter, but uses a GPS (like JDAM) and an aerodynamic body to glide to and detonate the bomb at a precise area. Thus, the MOAB can be dropped from a higher altitude (like outside the range of machine-guns and rifles). The force of a MOAB explosion is sufficient to knock over tanks and kill any exposed people within several hundred meters of the detonation.
Not to be outdone in 2005 Russia revealed it had built a bomb similar to MOAB, but theirs contained 7.1 tons of a more powerful explosive than MOAB used, and they claimed that the blast radius of the Russia bomb was twice the size of MOABs. While MOAB is equivalent to 11 tons of TNT, the Russian bomb was said to be equal to 44 tons of TNT. It also appeared, from the Russian test video, that their bomb was a FAE device. This could be seen from the typical FAE two-stage explosion. A Russian video also showed the area surrounding the blast, and the damage was consistent with an FAE explosion, and about as powerful as MOAB. It appears that the Russians were making publicity, not a factual announcement of a new weapon.
Russia also brought TOS-1As to Ukraine where they could use their new rockets with a range of 10 kilometers. The original 3.5 kilometers range rocket had been replaced with a six kilometer range model. Longer range rockets are important for TOS-1A survival. Russia has found that in combat these vehicles and their large load of FAE rockets are vulnerable to enemy fire, especially from ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles) and FPV drones. Some of these have ranges of five to ten kilometers and use fire and forget guidance. To protect TOS-1A vehicles from all this, TOS-1As are usually used in the midst of a group of other armored combat vehicles. The longer range rockets make it possible for TOS-1A vehicles to remain behind a hill or buildings for protection while firing rockets at targets it cannot see. Russian troops provide a degree of fire control and, when firing a barrage of up to 24 rockets, precision is less of a factor. This led to the development of TOS-2, a truck mounted FAE rocket launcher which carried smaller rocket pods containing twelve rockets. TOS-2 is meant to keep out of sight while firing its rockets. Both TOS-2 and TOS-1 vehicles have three-man crews consisting of commander, driver, and gunner. In Ukraine, the Ukrainians have their own FAE weapons and have become quite proficient at destroying TOS-1A and reloading vehicles with ATGMs and armed FPV drones.
Military leaders from other countries are watching all this FPV drone and FAE weapon development and use in Ukraine with some trepidation. These new weapons are revolutionary and military organizations worldwide must adapt or suffer the consequences the next time they are in a war.
Whos Watching? How CTV Publishers Measure Viewership for Buyers
How do CTV publishers deliver credible and actionable performance metrics to the buy-side brands that support them? Estrella MediaCos Christina Chung, Vevos Julie Triolo, and TVREVs Alan Wolk discuss the current challenges publishers face in measuring and communicating CTV performance to buyers in a clear and common language and the growing role of metadata in delivering usable metrics in this clip from Streaming Media Connect 2024.
Person-based measurement vs. device-based measurement
Wolk says, Nielsen was all about what they called person-based measurement. So you knew who was watching in the house because you filled out your little diary, and everybody had their diary. Whereas with Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) and streaming measurement in general, we're measuring the TV set and less so the people in the household. But there are some companies that are working on that. He asks Triolo of Vevo to talk about any exciting companies they are working with that measure beyond devices and delve deeper into who is specifically watching the programming.
Triolo says that Vevo has done a lot of work with TVision Insights, which measures not only who is in the room but whose eyes are actually looking at the screen.
74% of our content is actually viewed with two or more people, Triolo says. The study that we did over the course of time really revealed some amazing metrics. We need a common lexicon for measurement in general. She says that while it is good to have so many different forms of measurement to track the many different ways people view content, We don't want to go back to a measurement monopoly. However, having those different platforms and data sources coming together to really establish best practices and [develop] a common language so that we can have that standardization in the market is going to be really important for our advertisers and for the customer experience as well.
The increasing shift towards programmatic buying and the need for better metadata
Wolk asks Chung of Estrella MediaCo about their experience as a publisher in terms of measuring people versus devices.
My particular world in Estrella is digital, and so there's a lot of different metrics we get there, Chung says. For us, our most important elements are impressions, revenue, and viewership, and within viewership, it's things like minutes, sessions, and uniques. Those are the key and core metrics that we do across all of our distribution platforms and all of our different layers of touchpoints with the consumer.
Chung also discusses the increasing shift towards programmatic buying and the need for better metadata to facilitate this. We all have to be much more diligent about the metadata that's getting passed to the buyers and making sure these buyers understand it. For example, were a Spanish-speaking company. When we first started out, we had all of our genres in Spanish, but the buy side buys in English. That's just one very easy example of how there's a disconnect between the buy side and the sell side. But I do think money is where things are going to go. Money has always been the driver of most things. So if we want to have some standardization, I feel that it's the buy side that will really start to build out something to make it more standardized.
Wolk remarks that accurate metadata has been an issue in TV for a long time. When they digitized all the shows, they didn't really put any metadata on them, he says. It was just Seinfeld comedy, Friends - season three, episode two, and that was that. He says to Chung, So you're finding that you now have more metadata for both the ads and also for the content?
Chung says, We built out our content management system to make sure we pass through essential content signals, to make sure that our buy-side, at the end of the day, gets those different content signals. It could be things like genre, rating, or language. And these are things that never got passed on previously. And so programmatic buyers are starting to realize, I only want these certain genres or these certain ratings. And so that way if we are able to pass it from the source input, hopefully these guys who are on the buy side will be able to buy our inventory more optimally than previously.
The issues of cherry-picking content selection
Chung also mentions that cherry picking of content ID selection is an issue. We [cover] the Democratic National Convention (DNC), for example, and that's great. We need to make sure that with some of these live events, we capture that excess demand. But then also, we don't want them to necessarily cherry-pick everything because we also have great content across our platforms. We don't want them to miss out on reaching some of these audiences.
Join us in November 2024 for more thought leadership, actionable insights, and lively debate at Streaming Media Connect.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Environmental law stands as the focus of International Association of Judges (IAJ) Duro Sessa said during the Law & Climate International Conference in Baku today, Trend reports.
"Environmental law and the role of judges in protecting the environment have been central to our attention for several years, starting with our meeting in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, in 2014, where it was decided to actively work on this topic and participate in relevant meetings.
Let me highlight recent developments that, in my view, elevate the protection of the environment and the role of courts to a new level. The decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has sparked significant discussions within the legal community, both in terms of approval and concern about the direction the Strasbourg court is taking. In the KlimaSeniorinnen case, the issue of granting associations the right to access justice when protecting goals of significant public importance was discussed.
The European Court recognized that climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, affecting not only the environment but also human communities. The court ruled that relying solely on existing environmental legislation is insufficient, and a new approach is required, one that takes into account the unique aspects of climate change," he also said.
According to him, in this decision, associations defending rights from threats caused by climate change were granted victim status.
"It was also determined that the Swiss courts violated the sixth article of the convention by not addressing relevant issues in their actions. This decision has set a new standard for protecting the procedural rights of associations in legal proceedings related to environmental threats. However, there is concern that national courts did not address the complaints of the KlimaSeniorinnen association, and the European Court of Human Rights had to refer the case back to the national courts for reconsideration," he added.
To note, IAJ, founded in Salzburg in 1953, is a professional, non-political international organization uniting national associations of judges. The main goal of the association is to protect the independence of the judiciary, which is the most important condition for ensuring justice and guaranteeing human rights and freedoms.
The organization currently includes 92 national associations or representative groups from all continents.
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Empowering Every Voice: Tailored Messaging for a Diverse Electorate
The Census reports that over 315 languages are spoken across the United States. The Social Security Administration provides official documents in 15 languages. And yet, far too many politicos talk about reaching Spanish speakers as if it were new information.
Lets be clear: multicultural outreach has never been a trend. It has always been a necessity. The ever-increasing diversity of the American electorate forces both parties to reckon with a scary truth: they must modernize quickly or risk losing entire voting blocs.
There is so much that we can learn from corporate advertising. Ford speaks 42 languages. John Deere speaks 32. Disney hires anthropologists to understand where they are failing to connect. When they found they were struggling with boys aged 6-14, Disney built Carsland.
Connecting with diverse audiences requires every piece of the puzzle to play their part. The candidate, the pollsters, the speechwriters, the creatives, the agencies and the vendors. Every single one of us needs to be researching, revising strategies, recruiting and retaining staff who represent the diversity of our voters, and re-examining our assumptions about what voters want.
As political operatives, we're seeing the emergence of an 'audience-first' approacha strategy born from a necessity to connect with diverse audiences. But its not enough to just meet voters where theyre watching. We have to speak to voters in ways that resonate with their lived realities.
Research shows massive differences in media consumption patterns across ethnicities, genders, and generations. Notably, AAPI viewers tend to have the most streaming apps downloaded on their smart TVs. The broad market is tuning into Hulu, yet App Science found that Hulu doesnt appear in the top 10 streaming apps for AAPI, Black or Hispanic viewers. Almost 70% of digital video content in the US is consumed on smartphones. More than 76% of Americans aged 18-34 watch video content on their phones. Creatives need to think about this when designing ads. Far too many political ads rely on words or images of headlines that simply wont be readable on a 6-inch screen.
Recognizing and adapting to these tendencies isn't simply a nice-to-haveit is the foundation on which effective strategies must be built. When branching beyond traditionally premium placements like a Hulu or Max, advertisers must implement stringent brand safety measures and viewability guardrails. You can write the best ad in the world, but that message is lost if the audience cant actually see it.
Thankfully, there are a lot of strategies we can take from the corporate ad playbook to modernize our approach.
On the most basic level, advertisers can geofence. This is the cheapest, most straightforward option. While geofencing may seem basic, it is still miles ahead of DMA targeting. At the very least, geo-fencing ensures you are only running ads to your voters, not voters in the neighboring state. Other strategies include in-language browser settings, in-language searches, site traffic, interest behaviors, third-party interest and demographic segments, and first-party voter data. Ideally, you are marrying as many of those approaches as you can to pinpoint the right person while retaining scale.
Its also important to deliver dynamic creative. If an advertiser learns that a person is a parent of young children and they have a creative aimed at that audience, the ad delivery should update in real-time. Static segments may miss the moment to create a meaningful, personal connection.
But how do we, as campaigns and advertisers, make this shift without stumbling?
Discard one-size-fits-all mental templates. Successful strategy demands a balance of cultural sensitivity with data acuity. Advertisers have a wealth of insights at their disposal to not only personalize content but to contextualize it.
Multilingual communications should be drafted by native speakers not run through Google translate. No one wants to have a Ich bin ein Berliner moment.
Idiomatic nuances matter. Spanish does not sound the same in San Diego as it does in Miami. A French accent is not a French Creole accent. Invest in voice-over artists who understand the differences in regional accents and slang.
Think beyond Spanish. Remember: theres a reason Ford uses 42 languages. Arabic is the fastest-growing language in America. Nearly 150,000 people in Michigan speak Arabic. Catering to multilingual voters is critical in the race to gain ground.
Find new ways to get feedback. Implement brand lift studies. Test where possible. Stock away lessons for the next election. Dont let learning opportunities that would make you better for the next election pass you by.
The stakes are too high to cling to the comfort of the familiar. Campaigns must invest in multicultural advertising that is thoughtful, authentic, and delivered in relevant contexts. It is past time for political advertising to evolve. By broadening our approach to advertising, we can bring new voters to the table and create an engaged electorate that looks like America.
Jess Ellis is a seasoned political strategist with a background in digital campaigning for political and non-profit clients. As a client partner at VDX.tv, Jess plays a pivotal role in customizing VDX.tv's solutions to meet the unique needs of political clients. While attending Tulane University, Jess developed a strong passion for Southern politics. She went on to work with southern candidates like Jaime Harrison, Doug Jones, Jon Ossoff, and the late John Lewis. Today, she lives in Washington, DC with her partner and two dogs. Contact info: jessica.ellis@vdx.tv
[Editor's note: This is a contributed article from VDX.tv. Streaming Media accepts vendor bylines based solely on their value to our readers.]
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Lance Cpl. Jonathan Williamson of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 mans a pump for aviation fuel Sept. 2, 2024, during the U.S.-led Northern Viking exercise at Keflavik Air Base in Iceland. While on the island, Williamson and other Marines from MWSS 271 toured civilian aviation fuel facilities to increase their knowledge needed for Contingency Quality Assurance Specialist Fuels certification. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
KEFLAVIK, Iceland When Lance Cpl. Jonathan Williamson leaves the Marine Corps in a few months, hes hoping to parlay the skills acquired during his service as a fuel technician into a well-paying career.
Participation in a Marine Corps pilot program designed to help the service tap into civilian aviation fuel sources worldwide will give him a boost, he said.
Im hoping that this will give me some job security kind of a leg up on the competition, said Williamson, who is assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, or MWSS-271.
Williamson and other members of the squadron seeking certification as a Contingency Quality Assurance Specialist Fuels, or CQAS-F, recently toured several civilian fuel facilities in Iceland. The squadron was on the island to support operations for the U.S.-led Northern Viking exercise, which ended Tuesday.
The CQAS-F program is designed to provide knowledge of commercial aviation fuel facilities, pipelines, storage tanks and related infrastructure, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 James Nieves of MWSS-271.
Having that information on hand helps Marines adapt to changing conditions during overseas operations and make quick use of civilian fuel sources using military equipment, he said.
A CQAS-F trained Marine could provide a commander with a diverse pool of fuel resources that we can tap into right then and there and we dont have to change a thing, Nieves said. We just need familiarity or someone who is proficient enough to operate that facility.
To gain that understanding, Marines participating in Northern Viking met with their civilian counterparts on the island, Nieves said.
The interactions were not only helpful in assessing Icelands facilities, but also in understanding the realities of the countrys fuel management system.
Lance Cpl. Matthew Trudeau of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 tests fuel for sediment and water at Keflavik Air Base in Iceland Sept. 2, 2024, during the U.S.-led Northern Viking exercise. Members of the squadron also toured civilian aviation fuel facilities on the island to increase their knowledge needed for Contingency Quality Assurance Specialist Fuels certification. (Alison Bath/Stars and Stripes)
Some of the locations the squadron toured were staffed by two- or four-man teams fueling millions of gallons daily. Typically, Marine expeditionary operations are staffed by six to 12 Marines pushing a maximum of 30,000 gallons in a day.
The surprising lesson for service personnel was the quantity and the efficiency the civilian side operates in , Nieves said.
Besides giving the Marine Corps greater self-sufficiency, CQAS-F trained Marines can work with the Defense Logistics Agency, other U.S. services or military allies worldwide, Nieves said.
It really does allow us to organically provide for ourselves and those around us, he said. At the end of the day, its an aviation ground support mission.
In existence for about 2.5 years, the program is being considered for eventual designation as a necessary military job specialty, Nieves said.
That potential, along with the challenge of acquiring more knowledge and skills, is exciting for Marines, he said. There are about 33 Marines currently training for the designation. The goal is to have at least 25 service members seeking the certification annually, he said.
Marines are reenlisting because of this initiative, said Nieves, who hopes to see the program expanded to include other job classifications. They see the value behind it the value it brings (to them).
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration filed a lawsuit against its former president in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.)
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) sued its former president, alleging that he used his position to set himself up to profit after leaving the bank and also has attempted to extort the institution.
In a lawsuit filed in federal court in D.C. on Thursday, the Honduras-based institution claims that Dante Mossi, who led the bank from 2018 to 2023, sought to negatively influence credit rating agencies decisions on CABEI after it became clear that he would not have a second term as president.
It also alleges that the bank during Mossis tenure sponsored an electric-vehicle conference in D.C. and he used the event to build a relationship with an EV company and helped it win business in Latin America. After leaving office, Mossi started a business to import vehicles to Honduras from the same company. But Mossi said that the idea for his new company did not come to him until months after leaving his position at CABEI.
Mossi called the allegations in the banks lawsuit preposterous and retaliatory. Since leaving office, Mossi has sharply criticized the banks new management and recently sued the bank in the Central American Court of Justice in Managua, Nicaragua, for more than $2.4 million for lost wages he said resulted from reputational harm.
It really looks like some kind of retaliation for my lawsuit, Mossi said. This is obviously an effort to make me spend money on a law firm in Washington, D.C.
The bank alleges in its complaint that Mossis lawsuit was part of an extortion scheme that involved a campaign on social media to embarrass the bank.
Mossis message is clear, the banks lawsuit said. His attacks against the Bank will not stop until the Bank pays him a large and unearned settlement.
CABEI was founded by five Central American countries in 1960 to promote economic integration in the largely impoverished region. Much of its capital comes from democratic countries outside the region, including Taiwan, South Korea and the United States. The bank has come under scrutiny in recent years for its loans to authoritarian countries including Nicaragua and El Salvador.
An August investigation by The Washington Post spotlighted CABEI loans to Nicaragua during a period of international isolation after rights groups documented widespread torture, rape and killings there beginning in 2018. The funding included loans to the countrys national police, who were the primary perpetrators of the abuses.
Mossi began his tenure at the bank in December 2018. It was months in to the police crackdown on protesters of the government, but the loans to the police continued flowing until 2020, according to the bank. Between 2018 and 2022, CABEI lent $2.65 billion to Nicaragua, mostly for infrastructure and environmental projects.
Following criticism of Mossis management of the bank, the board declined to renew his tenure. His successor, Gisela Sanchez Maroto, has said the bank is implementing new anti-corruption and human rights policies while reviewing all loans approved over the last decade.
Mossi defended his work at CABEI and noted that the bank has an initiative approved by the board and still promoted by the bank to work on sustainability. He said that as president, he had led an initiative to bring more transparency to the bank, helped bring in South Korea as an extra-regional member, and bolstered the banks credit rating.
I really wanted to make a difference at CABEI, and I think I did, Mossi said.
Though both CABEI and Mossi are based in Honduras, the bank filed in Washington, pointing to Mossis ownership of an apartment in D.C. and CABEIs sponsorship of the EV conference there. The banks complaint cited violations of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, breach of fiduciary duty, market manipulation, tortious interference and breach of contract. It did not specify how much money it was seeking in damages.
Staff Sgt. Justin Bosch of the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron replaces an air conditioning belt at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, on Aug. 14, 2024. (Nicholas Ross/U.S. Air Force)
As temperatures soared this summer, Kunsan Air Bases 8th Civil Engineer Squadron battled every day to keep air conditioners blowing cold air 136 miles southwest of Seoul.
Air conditioning during the torrid summers on the Korean Peninsula provides more than comfort; its essential to flight operations in some cases.
During peak summer, we can get anywhere from 20 to 50 calls a week, Staff Sgt. Nickolas Lawson, a squadron heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician, told Stars and Stripes by phone Aug. 28.
South Korea just endured its hottest summer on record, with an average temperature from June to August of 78.1 degrees Fahrenheit, nearly two degrees above the historical norm, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
South Korea also experienced its longest streak on record of tropical nights, defined as nighttime temperatures that remain above 77 degrees, according to The Korea Herald on Sept. 1 and the Korea Meteorological Association. Seoul logged 37 consecutive tropical nights and Jeju Island, offshore of the countrys southern tip, recorded 47.
The intense heat and humidity rapidly deteriorate the lifespan of HVAC systems, pushing the civil engineering team into overdrive with preventive maintenance and emergency repairs, Lawson said.
Compounding their challenges are frequent power outages, usually caused by summer storms that wreak havoc on the already stressed systems.
It can happen a couple of times a month, if not more, Tech. Sgt. Keandrae Lampley, an HVAC technician for the 8th Fighter Wing, said by phone Aug. 28. Sometimes weather also plays a factor into that, so storms and tropical weather can affect power outages as well.
Senior Airman Intorn Messa of the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron reviews an HVAC work order at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, on Aug. 8, 2024. (Nicholas Ross/U.S. Air Force)
Power outages are very bad for air conditioning equipment, which must be constantly monitored to ensure it comes back online properly, Lawson said.
The teams work is essential to keeping operations running, Lawson said.
The civil engineers recently received a 3 a.m. call to restore a cooling unit essential for a satellite link, allowing aircraft to take off as scheduled, he said.
Preventive measures are key to avoiding such crises. Units must be kept clean to ensure proper airflow, Lampley said.
Sometimes the hand-off between personnel rotating in and out of South Korea gives rise to miscommunication, he said.
Theyre picking up from where other people left off, and some people before dont account for where they left off, Lampley said. There might be little communication between rotations, so maintaining it gets lost, in a sense.
Lawson said better tools and more supplies have become available, which improves the HVAC teams efforts significantly.
When I first got here, we were struggling a little bit, but we were able to get a lot more in, and weve been a lot better on the tool side, he said. Weve been able to get a lot more supplies to fix things, and weve been able to get the money to actually get more and more supplies for guys coming in after us.
Extreme temperatures present a challenge for HVAC technicians in an age when many people regard air conditioning as essential.
We dont always have the solution right at hand, but we come up with a solution in the long run, Lampley said. We do what we can and try our best day in, day out.
Members of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division assault a beach alongside Indonesian troops near Banongan, Indonesia, during the annual Super Garuda Shield exercise, Sept. 5, 2024. (Evangelos Wilson/U.S. Army)
Two weeks of military drills in Indonesia involving 5,500 troops from 10 nations wrapped up Friday as the Southeast Asian democracy balances security against a strong trading relationship with China.
Super Garuda Shield began Aug. 26 with participants from the United States, Indonesia, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. A dozen other countries sent observers.
The U.S. and Indonesia began Garuda Shield in 2007 as a bilateral exercise. China and more than 20 other nations were invited for the 2009 iteration, which focused on peacekeeping, according to the U.S. Army Pacific website that year.
The drills, which greatly expanded in 2022, now aim to build trust and strengthen military-to-military relations, according to a 25th Infantry Division news release Aug. 26.
China Indonesias second largest investor after Singapore is conspicuous by its absence from Super Garuda Shield, said Carlyle Thayer, an emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales and a lecturer at the Australian Defence Force Academy. Trade between Indonesia and China was worth $139.26 billion in 2023, he told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday.
This years exercise was planned under the watch of Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who was elected president in February and will take office next month, Thayer said.
Prabowo is pursuing the well-trodden path of pursuing an independent and active Indonesian foreign policy or rowing between two reefs to avoid alignment with China or the United States, he said.
Prabowo as president-elect visited China in April and reassured President Xi Jinping he would continue President Joko Widodos friendly policies toward China, Thayer said.
However, Indonesia recently signed defense agreements with the U.S. and Australia, and plans its largest exercise yet with Australia in November, Thayer said.
China is the most influential economic and political-strategic power in the region, significantly outpacing the U.S., according to the annual State of Southeast Asia survey published in April by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Studies Centre Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
Just over half the polls 2,000 respondents prefer China if the region is forced to align itself in the ongoing U.S.-China rivalry. But many indicated an independent stance is preferable to embracing either power.
Indonesia has so far refrained from commenting on the escalating maritime clashes between Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea, Thayer said.
The sub-text of Indonesias current defence cooperation with the United States and Australia is to build maritime capacity in order to hedge against China, he said.
Chinas coast guard continues to patrol north of the Natunas Islands, within Indonesias 200-nautical-mile economic zone but outside its 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, said by email Thursday.
I dont think Indonesia will accept [Chinas] claims, but they may have decided to treat things more quietly given that they are on the cusp of their presidential transition, he said.
The U.S. contingent at this years Super Garuda Shield was composed of 2,500 troops including members of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, in Hawaii, and the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska.
Marines in the contingent came from the 1st Marine Division in California; the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit on Okinawa; and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The Navy dispatched the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay from Sasebo Naval Base, Japan.
Most of the training took place in East Java and West Java but an airborne operation was held on Sumatra, Adan Cazarez, 25th ID spokesman in Indonesia, said by email Wednesday.
We are treating this as a rehearsal for how we would operate together, U.S. Army Col. Adisa King, commander of a combined ground task force during the exercise, said by phone from Indonesia that day.
The drills were to conclude with a multinational live-fire exercise involving troops from the U.S., Indonesia, Japan, Australia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom at Puslatpur on Java, he said.
Indonesian armed forces Col. Masnal Samian, coordinator of the cyber exercise for Super Garuda Shield, discusses cyber security concepts with Air Force Col. Glen Hayase, commander of the 154th Mission Support Group, in Surabaya, Indonesia, Aug. 26, 2024. (Orlando Corpuz/U.S. Air National Guard)
Technology experts from four nations spent the past two weeks practicing a defense against nefarious hacking during the first-ever cyber exercise held as part of Super Garuda Shield in Indonesia.
The cyber exercise is the latest expansion of what began as Garuda Shield in 2006, when it was merely an information and training exchange between U.S. and Indonesia armed forces.
In 2022, the exercise expanded in scope and participation. This year the exercise ran from Aug. 26 through Friday.
The cyber exercise was added at the request of Indonesias armed forces chief, said Maj. Gen. Joseph Harris, commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard, during a phone interview Thursday from Indonesia.
Gen. Agus Subiyanto has commanded the Tentara Nasional Indonesia, or TNI, since 2023 and reports directly to the Indonesian president.
He called for it, and we and the other nations participating happily put together the team and the scenario to practice preparing for cyber threats, Harris said.
Cyber security is a growing priority for Indonesia, which borders the contested South China Sea and is the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country.
The Jakarta Post reported Wednesday that Indonesian President Joko Widodo has ordered the establishment of the Indonesian Cyber Force, which would become the fourth service branch of the TNI.
Personnel from the Hawaii National Guard built and managed the self-contained cyber-range environment used during the exercise, Harris said. They also helped provide the training scenarios and the network backbone to conduct the training, he said.
The appeal of such an exercise is no mystery, Harris said.
I think every nation realizes how vulnerable they are to cyber threats, he said. I think every country likely feels that theyre behind the curve, or behind the power curve, on establishing the right defensive posture and having the right defensive capabilities to protect their key infrastructure, their economies, all their military operations, for example.
Most multinational exercises of any size conduct some element of cyber defense, but the Garuda cyber exercise has a dedicated training scenario that is separate from the staff exercise.
Its tailored for a complex cyber-threat environment, Harris said.
At a training compound devoted to only cyber training, 27 experts from the U.S., Indonesia, United Kingdom and Singapore broke into blue and red teams, he said.
They created four multinational teams, each with about seven folks, and each one led by one of the participating countries, he said.
Each team then divided into a blue force that defended the network, while the red force sought to infiltrate it.
So, collectively, one attacks, one tries to defend, and then they compare notes, and they do it again, Harris said.
Harris declined to provide details on what lessons were learned from the red-on-blue challenges, but he described the depth of knowledge and expertise in personnel from Indonesia, Singapore and the U.K. as remarkable.
We didnt really realize we had such resources, he said.
Exercise planners made a deliberate choice to gather all the cyber experts in one location rather than connect virtually.
Its important to have the one-on-one interaction with our partners, U.S. Air Force Col. Glen Hayase, a cyber facilitator for the exercise, said in a video posted Tuesday by the Hawaii Air National Guard.
So much of the relationship-building happens outside the cyber scenario during coffee break, during lunch, before and after, he said. Its good to know we have those friends that we could call upon if we really need to.
Harris predicted the cyber exercise would grow in Super Garuda Shields to come.
In fact, I would say itll become a focal area in future years because of the amount of interest thats been generated just from doing it this year, he said. Itll be a hallmark of the event in the future.
European Union envoy for the Western Balkans Miroslav Lajcak speaks during a joint press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, on Feb. 3, 2022. (Darko Vojinovic/AP)
PRISTINA, Kosovo The European Union envoy for the Western Balkans on Friday urged Kosovo and Serbia to step up their efforts at normalization talks, saying these are decisive on their path toward membership into the bloc.
Miroslav Lajcak was on a visit to Kosovos capital Pristina where he met with Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, who is in charge of the Kosovo side of the EU-facilitated talks. The local press said Lajcak is not expected to go to Belgrade, as has usually been the case in all his previous trips.
The EU and the United States are pressing both sides to implement agreements that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti reached in February and March last year.
The agreement is legally binding ... and beyond that the agreement is already part of the European road for Kosovo and Serbia, Lajcak told journalist after meeting with Bislimi, adding that there are statements from both sides which do not help.
Lajcak, whose mandate has been extended until January by the blocs Council, is working on the next high-level meeting for the two countries leaders.
Kosovo-Serbia ties remain tense and the 13-year-long normalization talks facilitated by the European Union have failed to make progress, especially following a shootout last September between masked Serb gunmen and Kosovo police that left four people dead. NATO-led KFOR peacekeepers have increased their numbers and equipment along the Kosovo-Serbia border.
Washington, Brussels and KFOR have urged Pristina to refrain from unilateral actions fearing the revival of inter-ethnic conflict.
Last week Kosovo authorities closed five so-called parallel institutions in the north where most of the ethnic Serb minority lives.
Kurti last month called for the full reopening of a bridge in the flashpoint city of Mitrovica, a move that the West is concerned would escalate tension with the areas minority ethnic Serbs. Mitrovica is divided into a Serb-dominated north and ethnic Albanian south, and the two sides rarely mix.
Kurti has also been at odds with Western powers over Kosovos unilateral closure of six branches of a Serbia-licensed bank in northern Kosovo earlier this year.
Kosovos 1.6 million population is more than 90 percent Albanian.
The tiny Balkan country will hold parliamentary elections on Feb. 9, a vote that is expected to be a test for Kurti, whose governing party won in a landslide in the 2021.
Kosovo was a former Serbian province until a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended a war between Serbian government forces and ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo, which left about 13,000 dead, mainly ethnic Albanians, and pushed Serbian forces out. Serbia does not recognize Kosovos independence, proclaimed in 2008.
Semini reported from Tirana, Albania.
U.S. soldiers participating in exercise Saber Junction unload a Humvee and weapons from an Air Force C-130 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany on Sept. 5, 2024. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
HOHENFELS, Germany A U.S. Air Force Super Hercules packed with Humvees and anti-tank weapons roared onto an Army airstrip surrounded by Bavarian forest, where it supplied airborne troops locked into possibly the most challenging combat drill theyll see all year.
The first of eight C-130J aircraft, seven American and one Italian, arrived around 10 a.m. Thursday on a dusty gravel runway at the 7th Army Training Commands Joint Multinational Readiness Center for exercise Saber Junction.
The short takeoff and landing strip, located deep in the Hohenfels Training Area, was rehabilitated by Army and Air Force engineers and construction crews just in time for the exercise, which began Aug. 25 and is taking place through Sept. 19 in Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels.
The air cargo was delivered to paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, who were fending off simulated attacks. It was the first time in about five years that the airstrip was in a condition to host the transport plane.
Lt. Col. Travis Toole, the 54th Engineer Battalion commander, supervised the offload from a concealed position along the flight line.
Last night, we received a lot of contact here on the airfield, Toole said. That emphasizes the importance of airfields not only to us but to our adversaries. Its critical that you can seize and secure an airfield.
Initial estimates said the restoration work could take up to six months, but the teams surveyors and equipment operators graded and packed down the soil in just over one month, an Air Force statement said.
The Super Hercules, with its four Rolls-Royce turboprop engines, can weigh as much as 164,000 pounds, so any dirt runway it lands on must be rated to handle the load.
There are no plans currently to use the airstrip for anything outside of training, training command spokesman Capt. Harold Shorter said on Friday.
An Air Force C-130 prepares for takeoff at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany on Sept. 5, 2024, after dropping off weapons and equipment for soldiers participating in exercise Saber Junction. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) A U.S. soldier participating in exercise Saber Juntion carries a weapon off a C-130 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany on Sept. 5, 2024. The cargo plane landed on a runway that was restored just ahead of the exercise. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes) An Air Force C-130 closes in on a newly reconstructed airstrip Sept. 5, 2024, at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany to drop off weapons and equipment for soldiers participating in exercise Saber Junction. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)
Saber Junction is an annual multinational land warfare exercise. This years participants include Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia and the United Kingdom.
On Wednesday, Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter, who leads the training command, said they were incorporating tactics and technology as a result of lessons learned from observing the war in Ukraine.
Toole and 180 fellow Sky Soldiers parachuted into the small German village of Eglsee on Wednesday morning. They then marched several miles to their positions in the training area.
Before they could get situated, the Army training centers resident opposition force, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, attacked at midnight with a 45-minute blitz from a platoon-sized element.
They initially got the upper hand before they could be pushed back, Toole said. He watched another Super Hercules take off after offloading a tank-killing TOW Improved Target Acquisition System.
American paratroopers dont stay in the defense for very long, Toole said. Were going to stop the enemy and immediately go into the offense.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Sept. 6, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys pleas for long-range weapons meant to strike deeper into Russia were met with a cool response from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday at a gathering of more than 50 nations involved in planning military aid to war-torn Ukraine.
Zelenskyy, who made his first in-person appearance for the latest meeting at Ramstein Air Base, asked for armaments he said were needed to take back territory in the eastern Donetsk region from Russia.
In recent weeks, Moscow launched some of its most devastating air attacks on Ukraine since beginning of its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 6, 2024. It is the first time the head of the Ukrainian government attended the meeting at the U.S. military base in person. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the divided territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace, Zelenskyy said. We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who is hosting the meeting, said following Zelenskyys morning speech that we hear your urgency and we share it.
But during afternoon remarks, Austin rebuffed the idea of enabling Ukraine to expand its battle on Russias turf.
From left, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Rustem Umerov, the Ukrainian defense minister, open the 24th Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 6, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
I think for the foreseeable future were going to remain focused on doing those things that will enable them to be effective in defending their sovereign territory, Austin said.
Austin added that no one capability will prove decisive in the war, a point hes made at previous meetings of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group when countries providing security assistance were reluctant to deliver specific weaponry.
However, the U.S. and other nations have repeatedly provided tanks, fighter aircraft and other weapons that were once considered off the table out of concern for expanding the war and endangering NATO allies.
For now, Austin maintained that Ukraine has a pretty significant capability of its own to address targets that are out of range of its air defense arsenal
Earlier, Austin said President Joe Biden will announce Friday an additional $250 million security package for Ukraine.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, left, walks to meet with reporters during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 6, 2024. Pistorius said his government pledged to deliver 12 additional Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers to Ukraine, with six arriving before year's end. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
With winter approaching, time is of the essence ... we must all step up our support and quickly, he said.
Since 2022, the U.S. has provided $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. Other member nations have contributed a combined $50 billion worth of weapons, aid and training.
Zelenskyy on Friday referenced Ukraines recent occupation of part of Russias Kursk region, which is seen as a bid to force Russia to shift its resources out of Ukraines eastern regions. But so far, Russia hasnt made a concerted push to remove Ukrainian forces from its territory, which lies far from Moscow and major Russian cities.
[Russian President Vladimir] Putin wants more to occupy Ukraine than he wants security for Russia, Zelenskyy said. He doesnt care about Russian land and people.
The U.S. is also focused on resourcing a variety of air-to-ground missiles that newly delivered F-16 fighter jets can carry, according to the Associated Press. They include the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, which could give Ukraine a longer-range cruise missile option, said Bill LaPlante, the Pentagons top weapons buyer, who spoke to reporters traveling with Austin.
Bill Blair, Canada's defense minister, gives remarks during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 6, 2024. The first Ukrainian fighter pilot cohort has begun training in Canada this week, Blair said. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
No decisions on the munition have been made, LaPlante said, noting that policymakers would still have to decide whether to give Ukraine the longer-range capability.
I would just put JASSM in that category, its something that is always being looked at, LaPlante said, according to the AP. Anything thats an air-to-ground weapon is always being looked at.
Zelenskyy and his defense minister, Rustem Umerov, pressed the group in closed-door discussions Friday for permission to use long-range weapons inside Russia, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair told reporters.
Canada supports that request, he said.
They have made it very clear to us is that they are suffering significant attacks from air bases and military installations located within Russia, he said. Those attacks are aimed at their cities, their citizenry and their critical infrastructure.
Fearing further escalation of the war, the United States so far has allowed Ukraine to strike only limited areas in Russia with U.S.-provided weapons.
Blair added that Canada has begun training future Ukrainian F-16 pilots, noting that the first group of 14 arrived in Canada this week.
The gathering Friday comes a little over a week since Russia launched its largest airstrike since the full-scale war began in February 2022. The attack, carried out over two days, knocked out power in several cities and killed at least 50 people, according to Ukrainian officials.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said at the meeting that Germany will deliver 12 more Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers to Ukraine, for a total value of about $166 million.
German forces also have trained over 16,000 Ukrainian soldiers and aims to finish the training for 10,000 more troops by the end of the year, he said.
Pistorius reaffirmed Germanys commitment to bolstering Ukraines air defenses, highlighting the delivery of 10 missile systems from its stocks.
The position of Germany is clear. We will support Ukraine as long as necessary, Pistorius said, emphasizing Germanys role as the second-largest supplier of security assistance to Ukraine.
The delegates to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have come together 24 times since Russia launched its war on Ukraine more than two years ago. This is the seventh time theyve met at Ramstein.
Zelenskyy has addressed the group virtually in the past at the gathering, which is held at the Ramstein Officers Club. He did previously appear in person at a meeting of the group in Brussels.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Hosting COP29 in Baku marks an important step for the world, Deputy Chairman of Turkish Constitutional Court Basri Bagci said during the Law and Climate International Conference in Baku today, Trend reports.
He emphasized that climate change is no walk in the park; it's a tough nut to crack for the future worldwide.
"Law is one of the most crucial tools in addressing issues related to climate and the environment. The Constitutional Court of Turkiye has made decisions on climate and environmental matters. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to bring these issues to light in Azerbaijan and hope that today's conference will conclude successfully," he added.
To note, the conference organizers are the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Union of Judges.
The participants include Ramiz Rzayev, Chairman of the Judges' Union, COP29 President and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev, Chairman of the Supreme Court Inam Karimov, Ombudsperson of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva, President of the International Association of Judges Duro Sessa, and other notable persons.
The event aims to catch the eye of the legal community to global processes related to climate change and to bring to light the existing tools for international and national legal regulation in this area.
The conference will feature discussions on topics such as "The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: The Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, Doha Amendment", "Climate Change and Human Rights: Challenges and Legal Regulation", "Specifics of Judicial Decision-Making in National and International Courts on Climate Disputes", and "The Role of Combating Environmental Crime in Achieving Climate Goals: International and National Contexts", and others.
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.
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Egypt is the 23rd nation to join the global C-130J Super Hercules fleet with the acquisition of two C-130J-30 tactical airlifters. (Lockheed Martin)
(Tribune News Service) The Egyptian Armed Forces announced that Lockheed Martin will deliver two C-130J-30 Super Hercules tactical airlifters to the Egyptian Air Force, officially becoming the 23rd nation to join the aircrafts fleet.
The deal was finalized through a foreign military sale with the U.S. Air Force, according to Lockheed Martin.
Described as the most advanced and proven tactical airlifter in the world, the C-130J is a medium-sized tactical airlifter and tanker with a maximum allowable payload of 44,000 pounds, according to Lockheed. The company has delivered more than 545 C-130Js and the Super Hercules global fleet has surpassed more than 3 million flight hours.
According to Lockheed Martin, Egypt operates as one of the largest owners of the C-130H airlifter supporting military, peacekeeping, humanitarian and natural disaster response missions. The nation joins seven other operators in the Middle East North Africa region to choose the C-130J as a preferred medium-sized tactical airlifter.
Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martins Air Mobility & Maritime Missions, called the Egyptian Air Force a distinguished C-130 operator.
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, McLean said. With these new C-130J-30s, the Egyptian Air Forces tactical airlift presence will deliver unmatched capabilities and aligned force amplification to serve Egypt, North Africa and the world.
Last month, thousands of Lockheed Martin employees gathered at Lockheeds Marietta plant to commemorate 70 years since the first flight of the C-130 Hercules.
On Aug. 23, 1954, the YC-130 prototypes first flight took place at Lockheeds Burbank, California, plant. Since then, every production of the four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft has been built at Lockheeds Marietta production facility, making it the longest running military aircraft production program in history.
This year, the Marietta plant will produce about 20 C-130Js.
(c)2024 Marietta Daily Journal, Ga.
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Correction: A previous version of this article quoted a witness to the shooting of Asyenur Eygi who spoke on the condition that she be identified only by her first name, Mariam, for safety reasons. A statement by the organization she volunteers for, the International Solidarity Movement, also referred to her as Mariam. The organization and the witness later clarified that Mariam was not her real name. The Post does not use pseudonyms and has revised the article to remove the name.
An American woman was killed Friday in the occupied West Bank, the State Department said. Two witnesses said the woman was shot in the head by Israeli forces who had opened fire.
The woman, Aysenur Eygi, a 26-year-old volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement, a pro-Palestinian activist group, had been attending a protest of Jewish settlement expansion in the town of Beita when she was shot, her colleagues said. Copies of her passport that circulated online said she was born in Turkey, and the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that she was a citizen.
The Israel Defense Forces said it was looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area. The statement said that Israeli forces in the area of Beita, in the northern West Bank, responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them.
The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review, it said.
Jonathan Pollak, a volunteer with the ISM, said the shooting took place about 30 minutes after protesters had dispersed, when there were no active clashes, and as foreign volunteers, including Eygi, stood observing about 200 yards from the Israeli military.
There was no justification for taking that shot, he said.
National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement that the United States was deeply disturbed by the tragic death of Eygi and had contacted Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a trip to the Caribbean, said Friday that the U.S. government is intensely focused on getting those facts, but he held back from detailing whether there would be consequences for the Israeli government ahead of understanding exactly what happened.
I just want to extend my deepest condolences, the condolences of the United States government, to the family of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. We deplore this tragic loss, he told reporters when asked what message he had for Americans who were concerned that the U.S. government was sending military aid to the Israeli government.
When we have more info, well share it. Well make it available. And, as necessary, well act on it, Blinken said.
When Pollak and his colleagues arrived in Beita on Friday, soldiers were already deployed around a site where people were set to perform Friday prayers, he said. As soon as the prayers were over, clashes began, he said. The soldiers used tear gas and live ammunition almost immediately. There was also stone throwing at the soldiers, he said.
The ISM activists retreated down a hill, about 200 yards from the town where the soldiers were stationed. We stood there for about half an hour, he said. The soldiers took over a rooftop in the town, he said, calling it a controlling rooftop. Eygi was in an olive grove, according to Pollak and another ISM volunteer who who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.
I didnt see her at the moment of the shooting because I was looking at the soldiers, said Pollak, referring to Eygi. I saw the soldiers shooting. I saw the flare. I saw them aiming, he said. He and the second volunteer said there were two shots - one that struck a metal object and another that hit Eygi in the head.
We were clearly visible to the army; there was nothing happening where we were standing, the volunteer said. We were internationals, said the volunteer, adding that Palestinian youths who had clashed with the soldiers were much farther away, up the hill. We were just standing there.
A video of the aftermath of the shooting showed what appears to be military vehicles on a hill as an ambulance speeds away below them.
Pollak said Eygis killing was not an isolated incident. Seventeen people have been killed at demonstrations in Beita since 2021.
The only reason we are hearing about it now is because its happening to an American, he said. Its devastating.
In the background of Fridays protest is a sustained effort by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government to expand Israels control over the West Bank, by approving land seizures and major settlement construction while escalating demolitions of Palestinian property and increasing state support for illegally built settler outposts.
The campaign has resulted in the most significant territorial changes in the West Bank in decades and buoyed a radical Jewish settler movement, backed by right-wing cabinet members trying to thwart the creation of a Palestinian state. The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on illegal settler outposts and on Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians measures that have had little effect on the expansion of settlements or the sharp escalation of settler violence.
The ISM, in a statement, said Beita had seen ongoing demonstrations against the construction of illegal Israeli outposts on the villages land. Eygi, who was from Seattle and had arrived in the Palestinian territories this week, was in Beita to attend one of the weekly Friday demonstrations, the statement said. She was the third ISM volunteer killed since 2003.
Rachel Corrie, a 23-year old ISM activist from Olympia, Wash., was crushed to death by an Israeli military bulldozer in March 2003, as she and others tried to prevent the razing of Palestinian homes by Israeli forces along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Her family argued in court that her killing had been intentional. Israeli military investigations found no wrongdoing.
Less than a month later, Tom Hurndall, a British ISM volunteer, was shot in the head by an IDF sniper in Gaza as Hurndall was trying to rescue children who had come under fire. The sniper, Taysir al-Heib, was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in prison but released early. Hurndall, who fell into a coma, died nine months later.
Turkeys government, which has been sharply critical of Israel since the beginning of the Gaza war, on Friday condemned what it said was the murder of Eygi committed by the Netanyahu government and said Israel was trying to intimidate people who came to help Palestinians, according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.
Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Eygis home state, said in a statement: I am heartbroken and angry about the killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, an American citizen, in the West Bank today, who was reportedly peacefully protesting against illegal settlement activity. The government of Israel must deliver answers immediately and hold the perpetrators of this killing accountable.
Eygis profile on LinkedIn said she was a recent psychology graduate with a minor in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of Washington. Her volunteer work, it said, has allowed me to make an impact both locally and internationally. Her resume said she had worked with students, children with autism and as a legal assistant.
Im driven by a passion for making a positive impact and continuously seek opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute to meaningful projects, her profile said. She graduated college, it said, in June.
Fahim reported from Beirut, Morris from Berlin, Hudson from Washington and Birnbaum from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Steve Hendrix in Jerusalem and Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.
The father of the 14-year-old suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Georgias Apalachee High School has been charged in connection with the killings, including on four counts of involuntary manslaughter, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced on social media Thursday evening.
His son, Colt Gray, was charged with four felony counts of murder and had been begging for months for mental health help before he allegedly carried out the attack Wednesday that left four people dead and nine others injured, according to an aunt of his.
He was begging for help from everybody around him, Annie Brown, the aunt, told The Washington Post. The adults around him failed him.
Brown, who lives in Central Florida, declined to elaborate on the teens mental health challenges but said she tried from afar to get him help. In text messages to a relative, she voiced concern last month that her nephew had access to a gun, according to screenshots she provided to The Post; last week, she wrote that her mother the suspects grandmother had gone to see a counselor at his school to request help, the screenshots show.
He starts with the therapist tomorrow, his grandmother wrote in a text message one week before he opened fire on fellow students.
Brown said her nephews struggles were exacerbated by a difficult home life. The teens mother pleaded guilty to a charge of family violence last December and was ordered to have no contact with Colin Gray, her husband and the suspected shooters father, according to Barrow County Superior Court records. Colin Grays charges Thursday, including two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, stemmed from knowingly allowing his son to possess a weapon, Chris Hosey, the director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said at a news conference Thursday night.
The family had previous contacts with the local child services department, Hosey has previously said.
As investigators continued Thursday looking for a motive for the shooting, the fathers arrest, aunts account and other new details contributed to an emerging picture of the suspect and underlined questions about whether key authority figures including in his family and in law enforcement may have missed warning signs and chances to prevent the tragedy at Apalachee.
The teen had also come to the attention of law enforcement officers in Georgia who were pursuing an FBI tip about online threats to open fire at a school more than a year before the shooting at Apalachee. At the time, in May 2023, the teens father told the Jackson County Sheriffs Office that his son was not allowed to use guns without supervision, according to records of the offices investigation obtained by The Post. The teen told officers that he was concerned that anyone would suggest he would threaten to shoot up a school, stating that he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner, the records show.
In a search of the suspects home after the shooting at Apalachee High, authorities found writing referencing past school shootings, including the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.
Neither Grays parents nor his grandmother have commented publicly. The Posts efforts to reach them for comment were unsuccessful. A spokesperson for Barrow County school district did not respond to requests for comment.
The 2023 investigation that brought investigators from the Jackson County Sheriffs Office into contact with Colt Gray was spurred by threatening comments made on the social media platform Discord, the records obtained by The Post show. The comments came from an account associated with an email address that the FBI believed was owned by Gray, the records say.
The teen told officers he had previously used Discord but got rid of his account months earlier because too many people kept hacking his account and he was afraid someone would use his information for nefarious purposes, the records show.
The Discord account flagged by the FBI in 2023 featured a profile name written in Russian that, when translated, spelled out Lanza, referring to Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooter, according to the records.
Colin Gray told investigators at the time that he was unfamiliar with Discord and said he had no knowledge of the email address associated with the Discord account that made threats. He also said that his son does not know or speak Russian, according to the records.
He told officers that he allowed his son to use his hunting rifles when supervised but that the child, who was 13 at the time, did not have unfettered access to them. The weapons were kept in the house, according to the report.
The records show that one officer said he urged the man to keep the firearms locked away and advised him on May 21 of last year to keep the teen out of school until the matter could be resolved.
Also on May 21, 2023, Discord removed an account believed to be associated with the suspect, according to Jud Hoffman, Discords vice president of trust and safety. The account, created weeks earlier on April 2, violated the companys policy against extremism, Hoffman said. Discord cooperated with law enforcement at the time and has no indication that the suspect used the platform to plan the attack on Apalachee, Hoffman said.
On May 23, two days after first interviewing with the Grays, the investigator noted that the case would be exceptionally cleared because the tip alleging Colt Grays role in the threat could not be substantiated. Officers were unable to confirm that the Discord account was linked to Colt Gray, and information included in the FBI tip was unreliable, the records say. The officers noted in the report that the FBI tip included a brief physical description of the suspect that did not match the teens appearance. The source of the physical description was unclear in the records.
At the time, Jackson County officials alerted local schools for continuing monitoring of the subject, Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said in a statement Wednesday. FBIs Atlanta office said in a statement that there was no probable cause for arrest or any further law enforcement action.
At the time of Jackson Countys investigation, the teens father told officers that he and his wife had split up after their family was evicted from their home a few months earlier. The father said he and his son had moved and that, while his son had experienced some problems at the middle school he previously attended, things had gotten a lot better now that he was attending a new school.
It is unclear when the teenager stopped attending that school, Jefferson Middle School in Jefferson, Ga.
The following year was one of legal turmoil for his mother, Marcee Gray. In early November, she was arrested during a traffic stop and accused of possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl and muscle relaxants. An arrest warrant signed by a deputy with the Barrow County Sheriffs office also claimed Gray had a glass pipe used for the injection of narcotics and had concealed the identity of the Nissan Rogue she was driving by affixing a tag for a Nissan Kick.
Court records show Marcee Gray, 43, was ultimately not charged for drug possession and pleaded guilty Dec. 21 to the license plate violation. That same day, Gray also pleaded guilty to a single count of criminal trespass/family violence and criminal damage to property in the second degree though details of the incident that led to those charges and when it took place were not revealed in publicly available court records.
Marcee Gray was sentenced to five years in jail, with the first 46 days to be spent in confinement and the remainder on probation. As a condition of her probation, she was prohibited from having any contact with her husband, Colin Gray, except through a third party for matters concerning their children or divorce, according to her guilty plea. She was ordered to participate in a family violence intervention program and to abstain from drugs and alcohol.
She was also ordered to pay more than $1,500 in restitution to Atlanta-based Van Winkle Construction. Colin Gray listed that company as his employer on his LinkedIn profile, but it was not immediately clear if he was still working there. Shane Hornbuckle, a company executive, did not respond to a request for comment.
A related court order in April noted that Marcee Gray was at the time in custody at the Ben Hill County Jail in Fitzgerald, Ga. three hours south of Atlanta where members of her family live. Court records in Ben Hill County were not immediately available, but a crime report published Jan. 3 indicated that Gray had been arrested by local police on charges of aggravated battery, theft by taking, criminal trespass, false imprisonment and failure to appear.
Brown, Grays aunt, said that in January amid this tumultuous period she helped her nephew enroll at Haymon-Morris Middle School in Barrow County so he could finish eighth grade following a period of absenteeism.
He had just started ninth grade at Apalachee High this school year, she said.
Law enforcement authorities have confirmed that he was a student at Apalachee, and a classmate there described him to CNN on Wednesday as quiet and often absent from class. The school district spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on his prior enrollment history.
Brown said that since the shooting, she has been praying for the families who have been affected because of my nephews actions.
She said she would also continue to support her nephew. Without excusing his actions, Brown said he was still just a baby who was never given the mental health support he needed and repeatedly requested.
Bailey reported from Winder, Ga. Alice Crites, Chris Dehghanpoor, Perry Stein and Pranshu Verma contributed to this report.
Attorney General Merrick Garland delivering remarks on enforcement actions to disrupt Russian criminal activity, April 6, 2022. On Sept. 4, 2024, Garland announced new actions aimed at disrupting Russian influence campaigns. (U.S. Department of Justice)
SAN FRANCISCO YouTube took down several right-wing politics channels that had been linked with allegations from the Justice Department that Russian government employees were paying right-wing influencers in the United States to produce content.
The Google-owned video site terminated Tenet Media and four other channels run by right-wing media entrepreneur Lauren Chen as part of the companys ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations, a YouTube spokesperson said in an emailed statement Thursday.
On Wednesday, the Justice Department indicted two employees of the Russian government-backed media organization RT, formerly known as Russia Today, accusing them of illegally funding a Tennessee-based media organization. The government has not specifically mentioned Tenet, but a quote from the media organizations YouTube channel listed in the indictment suggest it is the media organization targeted. Some right-wing influencers have subsequently identified Tenet as the company in the indictment.
Tennessee business records list Lauren Chen and her husband, Liam Donovan, as the owners of Tenet Media. On Thursday, Chens contributor contract with conservative media organization Blaze TV was terminated, Semafor reported. Prosecutors allege that the founders of the media company in the indictment knew their funding was coming from Moscow and privately acknowledged in messages to each other that their backers were Russian.
Tenet Media did not immediately return a request for comment sent through a contact form on its website.
YouTube was the main platform for videos produced by Tenet Media and is popular with conservative media personalities, including those who had worked with Tenet, such as Tim Pool, Benny Johnson and Dave Rubin. In the weeks after Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine, YouTube took down RTs channels, which had been globally popular on the platform.
YouTube is the only major western social media site still available inside Russia, where it remains popular. But in recent months, the Russian government has stepped up its throttling of the site, degrading quality for many users in the country.
He was extradited to Ireland from the UK and was arrested at Dublin Airport yesterday.
A CHEF who claimed an accident in an Irish hotel left him in a wheelchair has been accused of attempted deception and giving false evidence.
Jason Platt (52) appeared in court today on the charges following a failed 2.3m compensation claim against a Cork hotel.
He was extradited to Ireland from the UK and was arrested at Dublin Airport yesterday.
He is facing trial and Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the case at Dublin District Court for the preparation of a book of evidence.
Mr Platt, of Thatto Heath, St Helens, Merseyside, UK was granted bail.
He is charged with attempted deception at Aviva Insurance between 2010 and 2015. He is also charged with giving evidence and causing evidence to be given by a doctor that was false or misleading, at the High Court in Dublin in June, 2015.
Further charges allege he earlier in 2015 gave false or misleading information to a doctor at city hospital and in an affidavit. The charges are contrary to Common Law and the Civil Liabilities Act.
Detective Garda Yvonne Costello of the National Economic Crime Bureau told Judge Smyth she arrested Mr Platt at the airport at 6.50pm yesterday on foot of eight warrants, and handed him copies of them.
He was brought to a garda station in the north of the city and was charged at 8pm. Mr Platt made no reply and was given copies of the charge sheets, Det Gda Costello said.
The DPP directed trial on indictment, but also consented to the accused being sent forward to the circuit court on a signed plea of guilty if that should arise, the garda continued. There were no objections to bail.
Judge Smyth set bail in Mr Platts own cash bond of 1,000, as well as another 1,000 to be lodged into a solicitors account and frozen. Under conditions, he is to live at an address provided to the court and be contactable at a phone number and email address which were also given.
The accused is to have no contact directly or indirectly with any prosecution witnesses, be of good behaviour and turn up for all court dates.
The judge granted free legal aid following an application by defence solicitor Matthew Kenny who said Mr Platt was on disability benefit, in receipt of 250 per week and had no savings or assets.
The accused, who was on crutches in court, was not required to speak during the hearing and has not yet entered pleas to the charges.
During his High Court claim, Platt had said he suffered severe injuries in the fall from the window of the Old Bank House Hotel in Kinsale, Co Cork in 2009.
His claim was dismissed in 2015.
He was remanded on continuing bail for the preparation of a book of evidence when he appeared in Blanchardstown District Court.
A MAN is facing trial charged with murdering a carpenter who died after suffering serious head injuries in an alleged assault in west Dublin.
The DPP has formally directed that Mark Lee (43) is to be tried at the Central Criminal Court over the death of Croatian national Josip Strok.
He was remanded on continuing bail for the preparation of a book of evidence when he appeared in Blanchardstown District Court.
Mr Strok (31) and his friend David Druzinec (28) were allegedly attacked at Grange View Way, Clondalkin, on March 30 this year.
Mr Strok was taken to Tallaght Hospital, where he died from his injuries four days later, on April 3.
Mr Lee, unemployed and of no fixed address, is charged with murdering Mr Strok and assault causing harm to Mr Druzinec.
Josip Strok
He was charged in July and at his latest court appearance, a garda told Judge David McHugh the DPP directions had been received, for trial on indictment at the Central Criminal Court.
Judge McHugh adjourned the case to October 22. The accused will be sent forward for trial when the book of evidence is ready.
Mr Lee had been remanded in custody following a court appearance on July 7, during which Detective Garda Linda Ryan stated that the accused made no reply when charged.
Bail cannot be granted at district court level on a murder charge but he was later granted conditional bail in the High Court.
Bail was set at 200 with a 20,000 independent surety. Under conditions, Mr Lee was ordered to keep a curfew, reside at an address in Lucan, Dublin, sign on daily at a local garda station, be contactable on a mobile phone, surrender his passport, not leave the jurisdiction and have no contact with witnesses.
He was the third person charged in connection with the death of Mr Strok.
In April, Connor Rafferty (19) of Castlegrange Close, Clondalkin, and Anthony Delappe (18) from Melrose Avenue, Clondalkin, were both charged with murdering Mr Strok and assault causing harm to Mr Druzinec.
They are on bail and are also due back in court in October.
Mr Strok was from the Krapina region in northern Croatia and had been living and working in Ireland in recent years.
The court heard how on January 21, 2021 at Your Delicatessen, Pearse Road, Letterkenny, Mitchell forced open the door premises and entered as a trespasser, stealing 200 cash and a cash drawer therein
A Donegal man who threatened his mother that he would "put her teeth down her throat has been jailed for a year.
Gavin Mitchell appeared before Letterkenny District Court charged with a range of thefts as well as having a hammer in his possession in a public place and breaching a safety order.
The 46-year-old, who is originally from Letterkenny, is now of no fixed abode and is in custody in Castlerea Prison.
Mitchell pleaded guilty to five counts of theft.
The court heard how on January 21, 2021 at Your Delicatessen, Pearse Road, Letterkenny, Mitchell forced open the door premises and entered as a trespasser, stealing 200 cash and a cash drawer therein. The money was not recovered, the court was told.
Read more Two gangs brawl in broad daylight on Dublins Talbot Street
On April 18, 2021, Mitchell entered China Town, Main Street, Letterkenny, as a trespasser, stealing 10 from behind the countertop. Gardai noted that the backdoor was damaged. The money was not recovered.
On June 13, 2023, at Aldi, Gortlee, Letterkenny, Mitchell stole a 12 pack of Budweiser to the value of 14.50 by concealing it. Mitchell was captured on CCTV. The goods were not recovered.
The court heard how on October 9, 2023 at Lower Main Street in Letterkenny, gardai found Mitchell in possession of a hammer and was threatening to use it on other people present. The offence is contrary to the Section 9 (5) Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990.
Mitchell also pleaded guilty to the theft of a black Huawei phone on November 22, 2023 at Lower Main Street.
The phone, valued at 300, was the property of Conor Finnerty and Mitchell was captured on CCTV stealing the item before it was later found in his possession.
The accused also pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of Morgan Spiced from Tesco Ireland Limited, Letterkenny Shopping Centre on April 8, 2024.
The court was also told Mitchell contravened a safety order on three occasions on July 18, 2024, February 22, 2023 and October 9, 2023 at Windmill View, Letterkenny.
On one occasion Mitchell attended the home of his mother in a highly intoxicated state and was aggressive to her, threatening to shut her up or put her teeth down her throat.
The court heard how on another occasion, Mitchells mother had reported to gardai that her son had acted in an aggressive manner towards her and had threatened to use a hammer.
Mitchell has 67 previous convictions, the vast majority of which are under the Theft Act, the court was told.
Solicitor for the accused, Mr Frank Dorrian told the court that his client has suffered with addiction since his adolescence.
My clients brother passed away in January of this year after falling from a roof, he said.
His death has had a profound impact on my client. He and his brother were homeless. They had been sleeping in a multi storey car park and in the tubular slides in a playground at one point.
He tells me all of the offences were committed as a result of poverty. He was taking a synthetic drug called Spice.
There is now, however, a degree of reflectiveness that comes from my client. The thefts were the result of trying to get food or alcohol.
He has had very few stabilising influences in his life, and he tells me that one of the few is his mother.
He has been in prison since July 19th. His only home is a hostel in Dungloe. He is completely destitute and he is repentant.
The loss of his brother in January has brought a certain clarity to him that life is short and precious.
The court was told there was no Victim Impact Statement available from Mitchells mother despite attempts to get one.
Passing sentence, Judge Eiteain Cunningham said she noted that two of the offences were committed while Mitchell was on bail for other charges.
She sentenced Mitchell to six months in prison on Section 33 of the Domestic Violence Act after he breached a safety order and also six months on one of the theft charges.
She ordered that both charges should run consecutively meaning Mitchell will serve one year in prison with the sentence being backdated to July 19th when he went into custody.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The delegation of the COP29 Chairmanship participated in the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia this week, Trend reports via the COP29 portal.
COP29 Action Agenda Team Co-Head Zhale Ibrahimova spoke at a panel discussion on food security and climate change during the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia, the information noted.
According to Ibrahimova, climate goals should focus on the food network and agriculture to reduce emissions and support farmers fighting climate change.
Ibrahimova mentioned that the issue is high on the list of priorities for the COP29 presidency, and they'll be diving into relevant climate initiatives in Baku come November.
A growing number of severe manifestations of climate change are emerging. Global agricultural systems are becoming increasingly susceptible to environmental degradation, erratic weather patterns, and rising temperatures. An international community must guarantee a food system that is both resilient and secure, the information says.
To note, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) will be held in Azerbaijan in November this year. The decision was made at the plenary meeting of COP28 held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Within two weeks, Baku, having become the center of the world, will host about 70,00080,000 foreign guests.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for Conference of Parties, which is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the convention. Unless the parties have decided otherwise, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Germany's Berlin, with its secretariat in Bonn.
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Keith Lee (42) was found dead in the bathroom area of a specially adapted cell for wheelchair users in Mountjoy Prison
Patricia Lee (right) and Norma, sister of the late Keith Lee pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court
The mother of a remand prisoner who died in Mountjoy Prison in Dublin six years ago has told an inquest how absolutely devastating it was to learn via social media that her son had killed himself.
The whole world knew about it before we did, said Patricia Lee in evidence at a sitting of Dubin District Coroners Court.
Her son, Keith Lee (42), originally from Tyrconnell Park, Inchicore, Dublin was found dead in the bathroom area of a specially adapted cell for wheelchair users in Mountjoy Prison shortly after 8am on April 12, 2018.
Ms Lee told the inquest that she had been attending her doctor with her daughter, Norma, that morning at around 10am when they received a text message from a friend expressing sympathy about his death.
The inquest heard the news was already posted on social media pages of mainstream media before a garda had called to their home later that morning to formally notify them of the death.
Ms Lee also complained that the content of notes written by her son and found in his cell including a photo extract of one message were also subsequently published in print media.
A large number of gardai and prison staff who gave evidence at the inquest denied any knowledge of how news of Mr Lees death or content of his notes became public.
The deceased was being held in custody at the time after being arrested and charged for the murder of his estranged wife, Joanne Ball.
The body of the 38-year-old Coolock native had been found wrapped in a sleeping bag in a wardrobe in Mr Lees apartment in Ranelagh on February 15, 2018 several days after Lee had reported her missing to gardai.
Gardai subsequently believed that she had been strangled six days earlier.
Mr Lee, a professional chef who had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, suffered serious injuries including fractures to both legs after jumping from a third-storey window of the property on Ranelagh Road after gardai arrived at the scene where his wifes body was found.
As he was lying on the ground, Mr Lee was prevented from trying to inflict further injuries on himself in a second attempt to take his life by the intervention of a garda.
Keith Lee's mother Patricia Lee
His mother told coroner, Aisling Gannon, during the inquest on Thursday that she and her son always had a good relationship.
Ms Lee said he had expressed sadness that he had not been able to give her a hug to tell her how much he loved her on her last visit to him in Mountjoy on the day before he died.
She also complained that her son, who loved reading books, was unable to access the prison library to take things off his mind.
State pathologist, Linda Mulligan, gave evidence regarding the results of a postmortem into his death.
Although prescribed medication found in his body was at a high therapeutic level, Dr Mulligan said it was not a contributory factor in his death.
The inquest heard Mr Lee was last visibly seen during a check by a prison officer at 4am when he was sitting up in bed watching TV.
A prison officer testified that the prisoner seemed to be asleep with the bedcover over his head during subsequent checks.
Patricia Lee (right) and Norma, sister of the late Keith Lee pictured leaving the Dublin District Coroner's Court
However, it was later discovered that the bed had been disguised to make it look like he was sleeping in it.
Prison staff confirmed they do not disturb prisoners if they appear to be sleeping normally.
Queried about the leak of details of the prisoners death, the assistant governor of Mountjoy, Paddy Moran, said prison staff who had found Mr Lee would not have had access to a camera to take photos of the scene.
Mr Moran pointed out the cell would have been master-locked after the prisoners death was confirmed with all subsequent visitors to the cell being logged.
The inquest heard the notes written by Mr Lee were placed in a sealed bag by a scene-of-crime garda by 9.30am.
Mr Moran said he would condemn the leaking of any sensitive material to the media.
The coroner observed that details about notes written by Mr Lee could only have been obtained in the space of around an hour by someone who was in the cell.
Mr Moran said prisoners do have access to contraband phones and it was possible that is how news of Mr Lees death became public.
However, he accepted that another prisoner could not have had access to the notes written by Mr Lee.
The assistant governor acknowledged that there were some shortcomings about the case including that Mr Lee was not checked every 15 minutes on the night of his death as required for prisoners under special observation.
The inquest heard the gap between checks ranged from eight to 62 minutes.
Mr Moran also accepted the bathroom had been a blind spot in the deceaseds cell for prison staff carrying out visual checks but said this had now been addressed with the installation of a mirror.
Joanne Lee
The inquest heard Mr Lee had been placed in a special observation cell on March 24, 2018 while being detained in Cloverhill Prison after goodbye letters and an improvised knife were found in his possession.
However, a consultant psychiatrist, Conor ONeill, who examined him a few days later said the prisoner had not displayed any evidence of major mental illness and had consistently denied suicidal intent.
However, Dr ONeill said he was assessed as having potential for future risk.
Inspector Ken Hoare gave evidence that there had been no Garda investigation about the unauthorised release of details of the prisoners death as no formal complaint had been received.
However, Insp Hoare said he had visited the family on his own initiative because he realised the upset it had caused and to attempt to repair some of the damage.
In reply to a question from the coroner, Insp Hoare said he did not regard Ms Lees concern as a complaint.
He stressed there was absolutely no way that contents of the notes would have been provided to the media by gardai.
A jury of four men and three women returned a verdict of death by suicide.
Addressing the coroner after the verdict, Mr Lees sister, Norma, welcomed the fact that recommendations made by the Inspector of Prisons following an investigation into her brothers death had been implemented.
Angelo Pandeli left Australia in 2018 but he has remained a key target for Australian law officials.
An Australian drugs kingpin and reported ally of the Kinahan Cartel has been deported from Dubai.
Angelo Pandeli, previously described as one of Australias most wanted men, landed in Sydney on Emirates flight UAE416 just before 6pm on Thursday
Hells Angel biker boss Pandeli (53) had been living in Dubai since 2018 where he owned a 10 million home in the Gulf state's exclusive Palm Jumeirah island.
He is considered to be one of Australias biggest cocaine and methamphetamine importers and was recently identified as an ally of the Kinahan cartel.
According to a recent investigation in Australian media, Pandeli has forged ties with Daniel Kinahan in Dubai where they have been working together to smuggle cocaine from South America.
It alleged that Pandeli and the Kinahans are under investigation for attempting to smuggle tens of millions of euros worth of cocaine from Colombia to Europe via Ireland.
Like Pandeli, Kinahan also previously had an address on the Palm Jumeirah island, regarded as one of the most expensive real-estate locations in the world.
Pandelis deportation came after he was detained by UAE authorities a week ago.
Yesterday, a spokesperson for the Australian Federal Police confirmed Pandeli was back after arriving on a flight to Sydney.
A spokesman said: An Australian man, 53, has been deported by Dubai authorities.
No further comment will be made at this time.
Pandeli is just the latest Kinahan ally to be booted out of Dubai.
Previously, Italian gangster Raffaele Imperiale, Dutch mobster Ridouan Taghi and Belgian trafficker Nordin El Hajjioui have all been extradited to face justice in their home countries.
Raffaele Imperiale
Pandeli left Australia in 2018 but he has remained a key target for Australian law officials.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) announcing in 2021 that he was a member of a syndicate responsible for bringing $1.5 billion worth of drugs into Australia every year.
Pandelis arrest came days before Pandeli was due to travel to Cancun, Mexico for a major Hells Angels meeting.
He was due to meet with senior members of the biker group based internationally, which is expected to attract leaders from other motorcycle gangs interested in working with Hells Angels.
Pandeli, who joined the Hells Angels biker group in the 2000s, was first linked to the Kinahan Organised Crime Group in June this year following a joint investigation by True Crime Australia, The Times, and The Sunday Times on the Cocaine Inc podcast.
The podcast, which is based on investigative reporting across six countries, alleges that Pandeli has formed an alliance with the Irish cartel in Dubai.
It claims Pandeli has graduated from simply supplying cocaine to Australia and has now become a global player in the drugs trade, collaborating with the Kinahans to saturate the market both in Australia and beyond
According to the ACIC, the supply of cocaine is at its highest level in three decades despite soaring prices.
ACIC Deputy CEO of Intelligence, Matt Rippon, said: "The profits are immense and organised crime gangs are here and they are focused.
In almost 30 years of being in law enforcement and intelligence, I haven't seen the scale of cocaine that we've seen consistently hitting our shores in the last 12 to 24 months."
Cocaine sells for more than $350 a gram in Australia and the countrys profit margins give Pandeli major influence in the global supply chain.
Hells Angels. Photo: Steve Thorne/Redferns
Reports from 2012 note that Pandeli had an "extensive criminal history" while president of the Sydney Hells Angels chapter.
His movements were on the radar of the AFP and local police units in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, and South Australia.
The Australian Tax Office previously took the 52-year-old to court for failing to file a tax return in 2014/15, although this charge was thrown out at Syndeys Downing Centre Local Court in 2017 after Pandelis accountant took the blame for paperwork error.
Pandeli relocated to Dubai and is believed to have met the Kinahans shortly afterwards, selling his Sydney harbour apartment for $8.6 million.
It is estimated that over 100,000 worth of tools are being stolen from tradespeople every month by the gangs, who then sell them on, often at markets in border counties.
Gardai have received intelligence that an unholy alliance of two organised crime gangs are behind a nationwide spate of tool thefts in recent weeks.
It is estimated that over 100,000 worth of tools are being stolen from tradespeople every month by the gangs, who then sell them on, often at markets in border counties.
Sources have revealed that a family-based criminal gang based in Ballymun, Dublin, has joined up with another crime organisation from Mullingar, Co Westmeath. They have been mainly using a silver Audi A4 car with false number plates, as well as other vehicles, in the last three months.
'They seem to be getting more brazen as the weeks go on'
Things have never been as bad in terms of tool theft and these crews are mainly targeting tradespeoples vans that are parked in hotel car parks or in unlit areas. They seem to be getting more brazen as the weeks go on, a source said.
Detectives from the North Western Region have had success against the gang and made three significant arrests earlier this year as part of an organised crime investigation.
Sources said that after this operation there was a decrease in tool thefts for a couple of months but the criminals have now regrouped and are using the motorway system for their crime spree.
Read more Two gangs brawl in broad daylight on Dublins Talbot Street
In the latest incident, a suspicious Audi car containing gang members was seen in the Lucan area in the early hours of yesterday morning and stole tools from a van that was parked in a pub car park on the Newcastle Road.
Last weekend, the gang was suspected of stealing 6,000 worth of tools in one theft in the Ballyboughal area of north Co Dublin, as well as attempting to break into a van in nearby Swords.
Sources said gardai have attempted to pursue gang members on a number of occasions in the last 10 weeks but have not yet made arrests.
However, significant CCTV footage has been obtained by investigators, who have linked a tool theft last month from outside a Mullingar hotel by gang members whose base is the Co Westmeath town with a smaller theft outside a Tullamore hotel some weeks earlier.
Vans parked at the City North Hotel have also been targeted in the last week, with a spate of tool thefts happening in north Dublin locations such as Clontarf, Santry and Donnycarney.
Some tradesmen who have been fleeced by this gang have ended up buying tools at the very same markets where the organisation is selling what they have stolen'
Last month, the gang was suspected of a number of tool thefts in the Kill and Johnstown areas of Co Kildare, as well as the Tyrrelstown area of west Dublin and nearby Blanchardstown.
Information obtained by gardai is this the gang have created a perverse environment, in that some of the victims of the organised crime organisation have become the facilitators for the very people who have threatened their livelihood, a source said.
Gardai are aware that some tradesmen who have been fleeced by this gang have, out of economic necessity, ended up buying tools for prices well below their value at the very same markets where the organisation is selling what they have stolen.
In previous advice, gardai said serious consideration should be given to fitting a secure locked area or cage in the rear of a van for valuable tools. In addition, an alarm should be installed and advertised with a sticker.
They also said any overnight parking should be secure.
According to sources he was stabbed several times in the back, arm, and head but was able to walk into an ambulance after being treated by paramedics at the scene
Gun thug Gavin Sheehan has been stabbed a number of times in a horror daylight attack on Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork.
According to sources he was stabbed several times in the back, arm, and head but was able to walk into an ambulance after being treated by paramedics at the scene.
In a statement, gardai said: Shortly after 5pm, gardai and emergency services responded to an incident on Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork City, where an adult male was seriously assaulted during a disturbance.
He received treatment at the scene and was then transported to the hospital.
His injuries are understood to be serious but not life-threatening. Gardai are currently at the scene, which has been preserved for examination. Investigations are ongoing.
Sheehan, who is well known to gardai, was also targeted in an incident two weeks ago when two armed men called to his house and smashed his windows.
The 33-year-old was released from Castlerea Prison last month after he served eight years for shooting innocent 21-year-old Ciara Sheehan (no relation) in the neck.
He had originally been sentenced to 11 years in 2017 for the shooting in May 2016.
Sheehan had denied four charges relating to possessing and firing the gun and most significantly, seriously injuring the young woman.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard Sheehan had assaulted a young man, Dylan Cunningham, in a chip shop in Blackpool earlier that evening and, later that night, windows were broken at Sheehans family home at Laurel Ridge.
Later, at about 1.30am, Ciara Sheehan, Dylan Cunninghams girlfriend, was at the Cunningham family home at Hollywood Estate, Blarney Road, when she heard a loud bang and realised she had been shot.
She fell to the ground with a gunshot wound to the neck.
She underwent emergency surgery and had a bullet removed from her neck, where it had lodged in a muscle but which avoided rupturing any major blood vessels.
Chef made a 2.3m claim against a hotel after alleging an accident left him in a wheelchair
Jason Platt arriving at the Four Courts during his High Court action for damages in 2015. Photo: Courts Collins
A chef who made a 2.3m claim against a hotel after alleging an accident left him in a wheelchair has been extradited back to Ireland.
Jason Platt (52) was arrested in London yesterday following an investigation by detectives from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB).
He arrived at Dublin Airport yesterday evening accompanied by gardai and is currently being detained at a north Dublin garda station.
In June, a court in London ruled that Platt could be extradited to Ireland to face charges of deception and giving false evidence after failing in an appeal against an extradition order.
Platt was originally due to be extradited back to Ireland last month.
He is due to appear before Dublin District Court today.
If convicted of the alleged offences, Platt faces up to 10 years in prison.
Platt said he suffered severe injuries in the fall from the window of the Old Bank House Hotel in Kinsale, Co Cork.
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He later claimed he was in agony 21 hours a day, needed crutches to walk and was bed-ridden for most of the day.
But video evidence shown at the High Court in 2015 during his injuries claim showed him wheeling a trolley around a Tesco store, driving a car and walking without crutches. His claim was dismissed in 2016.
The judge found Platt had given evidence that was dishonest, unreliable and lacking in credibility. An appeal against that decision failed in 2017.
In 2018, the hotels insurers complained to the GNECB, noting it had incurred a 500,000 bill in defending Platts proceedings.
In 2020, the DPP authorised eight charges against him. In April of that year, he was invited to present himself voluntarily for interview in the UK, but he declined to do so. An arrest warrant was issued in 2021.
Platt, a former chef from St Helens in Merseyside, north-west England, had visited Kinsale in February 2009 with his partner, Christine McKenna.
During his personal injuries claim, the High Court heard the pair had argued while on an evening out. When Platt returned to the room, he was unable to gain access but barged the door down and got in.
He then decided to have a cigarette and opened the large double window in the bedroom so he could blow smoke out.
He sat on the sill and tried to flick his cigarette butt outside when he was finished, but lost his balance and fell seven metres on to a roof. He denied he was intoxicated.
Platt was taken to Cork University Hospital, where he was treated for a punctured lung and fractures to his right femur and his ribs.
He had an operation on his thigh and was transferred to a hospital in Merseyside, where he developed complications that required a stay in intensive care. His injuries were deemed to be life-threatening and it has been accepted he will never fully recover.
However, when making his injuries claim, he insisted he was suffering more than he actually was.
Only months before the claim was heard, he flew to Ireland for a medical examination with a neurosurgeon.
Investigators for the hotels insurers filmed him leaving his home in the UK without using crutches.
But when he arrived in Dublin, he was in a wheelchair and taken to his appointment in an ambulance.
Later that day, he arrived home in England and was filmed parking his car and walking briskly across a road.
Once the first of October comes, these dogs cannot be rehomed, so basically they will be condemned to death
An animal rescue operator has said XL Bully dogs will be condemned to death following their ban which is set to take effect from February next year.
Brenda Fitzpatrick with the Working Animal Guardians (WAG) Rescue said the banning of any dog or breed of dog simply does not work.
It comes as animal welfare groups take to St Stephens Green in Dublin on Saturday in protest against the Governments banning of XL Bully dogs.
Minister Heather Humphreys announced the upcoming ban during the summer, in the interest of public safety, following a number of recent attacks by XL Bully dogs.
This included the death of a young woman, Nicole Morey, who was mauled to death in Limerick.
It will be illegal to import, breed, or re-sell XL Bully dogs from October 1, with a total ban on ownership of these dogs from February 1, 2025.
From this date, owners will require a Certificate of Exemption to keep existing XL Bully dogs.
Ms Fitzpatrick said there is empirical factual statistical evidence from the UK, Canada and the US to support the assertion that outright bans of dogs do not work.
Once the first of October comes, these dogs cannot be rehomed, so basically they will be condemned to death, she told Today With Claire Byrne on RTE Radio 1.
"It is proven that dogs of any breed are less likely to attack if they are effectively socialised, trained and taken care of.
"Evidence coming out of the UK for example, in terms of hospital admissions from dog bites from the period of 1998-2018 states that the dog bite rate has tripled in the UK.
Citing concerns for for the XL Bully breed from October, Ms Fitzpatrick said dog pounds and rescues in Ireland are already overflowing.
James Madden, Veterinary Officer with Leitrim County Council, also speaking on the programme, agreed that there will be no option to rehome XL Bully dogs in shelters and pounds, which means they will be destroyed.
"Demand for these type of dogs has collapsed over the last couple of months it is becoming very difficult to rehome these dogs people dont want them, he said, referencing media reports around the type of dog and cases of high-profile attacks in recent months.
Mr Madden stressed that there is a difficulty now with rehoming them with the upcoming restrictions from October 1.
He said owners of XL Bullys are in a position to obtain a certificate of exemption from that date and will have four months to apply.
They will require a valid dog licence, a microchip certificate and the dog will have to neutered or there must be a commitment to have it neutered in the four months after October 1 leading up to their outright ban.
Ms Fitzpatrick said her organisations concern is the dogs that are dumped and will continue to be dumped and are going to be born and bred in backyards.
"What happens to those dogs? We are talking about a whole population of dogs, she said.
Ms Fitzpatrick also stressed the misclassification of XL Bully dogs, which she described as a hybrid dog.
Due to not being a recognised breed in the Ireland or the UK, the XL Bully is identified through certain physical characteristics.
Mr Madden said that a physical confirmation standard for the dogs will be published in the next few days, and is based on an already published document in the UK.
"Our dog wardens will be trained and very well trained in that identification, Mr Madden added.
On these type of dogs being born now and up until early December, owners will still be allowed to apply for certificates of exemption.
However, owners may not be able to identify that the puppy will grow up to be an XL Bully and reach a height of 20 inches for a male, as per the standard identification, Mr Madden explained.
"It is very hard to know when a puppy is two months old that it is going to be 20 inches when fully grown, it might be 19.5 inches and fall outside the category of an XL Bully, he said.
Mr Madden said in the event that the dog grows up not to be an XL Bully, the applicant will be in a position to claim a full refund for their application from the Local Authority.
The peaceful protest takes place from the Wolfe Tone Statue in St Stephens Green from 1pm to 3pm tomorrow.
"We are advocating for an ethical, balanced and effective response to this issue, the organisers said.
In its petition, WAG is asking for stronger enforcement of restricted breeds law rather than a ban of XL Bully dogs.
It is also in favour of a blanket ban of the breeding of the XL Bully and wants a special registry for owners, fines and confiscation if rules are broken, drug testing of the dogs involved in serious incidents with people to check for steroids and educational campaigns around XL Bully ownership.
It is also asking for an amnesty to all XL Bully dogs in dog pounds and rescues, so that they can be rehomed past October 1 to a responsible and secure home.
The banning of one breed leads to the hybrid breeding and continued maltreatment of another breed, as evidenced in the UK and in other jurisdictions, the petition adds.
It is believed the break-in occurred three weeks ago and took place in the early hours of the morning.
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.
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.
Belfast-based Stellify Media is making the four-part series for the BBC, showing for the first time the terrifying final hours of the 2,240 passengers on the doomed liner
Actors Leonardo DiCaprio (L) and Kate Winslet (R) in a scene from the movie "Titanic". Photo: AFP
The 46,328 tons RMS Titanic of the White Star Line which sank at 2:20 AM Monday morning April 15 1912 after hitting iceberg in North Atlantic. Photo: Universal History Archive/Getty Images
The most famous hours of maritime history are to be recreated in a new real-time telling of the sinking of the Titanic.
Belfast-based Stellify Media is making the four-part series for the BBC, showing for the first time the terrifying final hours of the 2,240 passengers on the doomed liner.
The Titanic, built in Belfast by Harland & Wolff, sank on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic in April 1912 after hitting an iceberg.
The new docu-drama will take viewers from the crucial seconds just before the liner hit an iceberg to the moment it sank beneath the waves, taking 1,503 passengers to their deaths.
It will start the clock just after 11pm when the ships radio operators received, and ignored, the sixth iceberg warning of the night. By 2.20am the ship had descended to the sea floor, its huge hull snapped in two.
The production team has combed through hundreds of survivor accounts, and uses the testimony of eyewitnesses to create a timeline.
Its exhaustive research includes letters, telegrams, newspaper and radio interviews, memoirs, and the US and UK public inquiries into the disaster.
Titanic Sinks Tonight poster
The experience of the passengers will be recreated by Studio Ulster, the new virtual production complex which is part of Belfast Harbour Studios. Stellify, whose programmes include Who Wants to Be a Millionaire with Jeremy Clarkson and Blind Date Ireland, has given the series the working title Titanic Sinks Tonight.
Its co-founder Kieran Doherty has paid tribute to backers including BBC Specialist Factual, BBC NI and NI Screen.
Docu-drama is an exciting new space for Stellify, and we feel privileged to be working in it, he says.
Titanic Sinks Tonight is an ambitious retelling of a story rooted in Belfast, and we are very proud to be the Belfast company telling it.
The story of the doomed liner has provided the basis for countless documentaries and dramas, however none have given a real-time account of its final hours based on eyewitness accounts.
More than a dozen films have been made about the sinking. The first, a silent short film, Saved from the Titanic, was released just 29 days after the disaster, based on the testimony of survivor Dorothy Gibson, an American actress.
The most famous film is James Camerons 1997 $200 million epic, Titanic, starring Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio which won 11 Oscars including Best Picture.
Actors Leonardo DiCaprio (L) and Kate Winslet (R) in a scene from the movie "Titanic". Photo: AFP
Eddie Doyle, Head of Commissioning at BBC Northern Ireland, says the new series is an ambitious retelling of the ships story which will give new insight and understanding to the final hours of the ill-fated Titanic.
Co-commissioning this series with our colleagues in BBC network television, means that a story that essentially started in Belfast will be told comprehensively and sensitively by a Belfast company and then broadcast to audiences across the UK and beyond, he says.
And with support from Northern Ireland Screen, it is sure to be visually arresting, using the latest state-of-the-art technology to tell the story in an engaging way for our audiences.
Studio Ulster boss Declan Keeney says the series will also show off the new facilities which are part of a 72 million expansion of Belfast Harbour Studios.
This project showcases our advanced virtual production capabilities, right in the harbour where the iconic liner was built.
The BBCs use of real-time technologies here is a strong endorsement of our innovation.
Collaborating with Stellify, a home-grown Northern Irish company, we are set to bring this story to life with cutting-edge technology. This landmark project redefines docu-drama filmmaking and highlights Belfasts capability to deliver world-class productions on the global stage, says Declan.
The programmes are expected to be aired next year.
The former nurse was convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven others
Child serial killer Lucy Letby is planning to launch a fresh appeal with a new legal team, her barrister has said, according to the BBC.
The former nurse was convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven others, with two attempts on one child, when she worked on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.
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After two trials, Letby is serving 15 whole-life orders making her only the fourth woman in UK history to be told she will never be released from prison.
In May, Letby lost her Court of Appeal bid to challenge her convictions from last year.
The BBC reported that her new barrister, Mark McDonald, told Radio 4s File On 4 programme that he plans to make an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) for Letbys case to be sent back to the Court of Appeal.
I knew almost from the start, following this trial, that there is a strong case that she is innocent, he told the programme.
The fact is juries get it wrong. And yes, so do the Court of Appeal, history teaches us that.
A public inquiry examining events at the Countess of Chester Hospital following Letbys multiple convictions is due to begin on September 10 in Liverpool.
Poseidon, an unmanned nuclear-powered underwater drone with an unlimited range, has been classed as a superweapon by President Putin
A hardline Putin propagandist has called for Russia to unleash a deadly radioactive tsunami through its Poseidon 'superweapon that would wipe out Britain and Ireland.
MP Andrei Gurulev sneered that people living in these islands would, have to swim, swim, swim as he demanded the use of Moscow's high-speed underwater atomic drone against Britain.
Disturbingly, images used to illustrate the strike capability of the weapon show Ireland almost completely obscured under a radioactive symbol.
The ramping up of war talk rhetoric follows a decision by the UK to supply Ukraine with another 650 air defence missiles in its ongoing battle against Russia.
In response, Kremlin propaganda TV on Rossiya-1 channel demanded a critical threat from Putin to stop Britain, the US and other Western countries giving permission to Ukraine to use long-range missiles for strikes on Russian territory.
Lt-Gen Gurulev, a former tank commander and military strategist., said there was a more radical option.
MP Andrei Gurulev says 'no Britain, no problem'
The people of Britain are there, they also want to live a good and happy life at our expense, right?
But if there is no Britain, there is no problem.
Russia's Channel 1 showed a CGI mock-up of Britain being wiped off the map with the Poseidon missile that includes Ireland as a victim of any strike which would have repercussions all around the world.
Ukraine has made repeated requests for more air defence support to defend itself from missile and drone attacks after Russia unleashed its largest air attack since the full-scale war began early in 2022.
The UK agreed to supply Ukraine with another 650 lightweight multi-role missiles to help protect the country from Russian drones and bombing.
A UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the first batch of missiles announced on Friday were expected to arrive by the end of the year.
According to the Daily Mail, he missiles made by Thales have a range of more than 3.73 miles and can be fired from a variety of platforms on land, sea, and air.
Last Monday, seven people were killed after Russia fired more than 200 missiles and drones at energy facilities in Ukraine in what Kyiv called the war's most massive attack.
During a TV debate, Gurulev told viewers across Russia that without using our strategic nuclear forces, we have enough non-strategic nuclear weapons, which will leave nothing of Britain.
He said this would be a normal pre-emptive strike and claimed the US would not respond with strategic missiles because it would be afraid of Russia doing the same.
He asked: Do you think we'll get a response? From who? Britain is done. Against the United States [we have our] Strategic Missile Forces, our long-range aviation and our navy.
TV host Vladimir Solovyev asked him whether Britain should be warned of a nuclear strike should it supply missiles to Ukraine
.So you are suggesting that we warn the British that if they supply [long-range missiles to Ukraine] and give the go-ahead to use [them], then we strike?
But Gurulev said Russia needed a different approach.
We understand what we're talking about, right? And then they [Britain] will no longer exist.
Solovyov suggested that first we'll give three days for the British to leave their island.
But Gurulev laughed: Swim, swim, swim.
Although it has not yet been used, Poseidon, an unmanned nuclear-powered underwater drone with an unlimited range has been classed as a superweapon by Putin.
While it is designed to carry strategic nuclear warheads of up to 100 megatons, it can also be deployed with lesser firepower as a tactical weapon.
Considered a weapon without comparison in the world, a hybrid between a nuclear missile and a submarine, it can be fired from Russian submarines such as the Belgorod.
Some reports say its underwater speed is up to 185kph, with a capability to operate at depths below 900 metres.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. The Leaders' Summit is planned to be held on November 12-13 within the framework of COP29, the advisor to Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Rustam Hasanov, said at the international conference Law & Climate in Baku, Trend reports.
He noted that so-called thematic days are used for more effective organization of discussions during COP events.
This year also seven thematic days have been established. All the events, consultations, and negotiations to be held during COP29 will be grouped into appropriate days. This is the event that will be attended by the largest number of Heads of State and Government after the UN General Assembly, and it is also the focus of attention of the entire world community.
The COP29 Chairmanship put forward 14 main initiatives. While defining these initiatives, the expectations of the world community towards Azerbaijan were also taken into account, and attention was paid to current issues. The key theme of this year's COP is the provision of climate finance. If there is finance on a topic, two parties are formed: the party that provides finance and the party that receives it. Although these parties disagree, they usually share a common theme, which makes the processes transparent.
When we talk about climate finance, we mean dividing it between the parties based on transparent mechanisms and leveraging financial resources. This is one of the main objectives of our COP Presidency. The Baku Global Platform for Climate Transparency was established to enhance the principle of transparency. Under the platform, we encourage countries that are commercial parties to submit their own transparency reports by the 29th session to be held in November this year. Negotiations are underway with all parties on this. Most importantly, at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly to be held in New York, we will once again urge the parties to carefully consider this issue, the advisor added.
To note, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) will be held in Azerbaijan in November this year. The decision was made at the plenary meeting of COP28 held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Within two weeks, Baku, having become the center of the world, will host about 70,000-80,000 foreign guests.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for Conference of Parties, which is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the convention. Unless the parties have decided otherwise, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Roger Rabbits
with Jim Bunny
f the Queen were alive today, Id probably call and ask how she managed to navigate annus horribilis. Her horrible year.
Remember 1992 the marriages of three of her four children crashed and burned, as did her beloved Windsor Castle. Literally.
Then there were the Squidgygate Tapes deliciously risque stuff. Kiss me Squidgy, friend James Gilbey was recorded saying to the married Princess Diana. And then all the Camillagate hanky-panky. There was a collective tut-tutting around the Dominion.
And the Queen was also left feeling unloved and undervalued because taxpayers were questioning the cost of this rumpy-pumpy, scandal-ridden royal family. It put the Queen off her tiny, tailored, round jam sandwiches a daily fave since she was aged 5.
Had I had the chance, I would have told HRH that I share her pain. Because I will not be looking back with undiluted pleasure on my septimana horribilis either my week from hell.
Unlike the Queen, my septimana horribilis wont be splashed in the tabloids because none of it involves bedsheets, disrobing, intimate eavesdropping, flash houses burning down, or antsy taxpayers.
However, it might serve as a benchmark for the unwashed, the proletariat, that you can measure your crappy week against, and possibly feel better about yourself. And life.
Now, heres how my septimana horribilis unfolded, my litany of screw-ups. Because you will note, that like a hangover, most of its self-inflicted.
Screw-up No.1
I slam the front door behind me thinking the garage door is open and there is a way back in. Huh-huh! It isnt open, I have no key and I am locked out. The neighbours are treated to a vast repertoire of expletives. There is a spare key hidden in a safe place outside. But its so safe I cant remember where ... And it will take the cunning of a burglar to find it! Oh dear, never mind, says the locksmith sympathetically, while unsympathetically swiping my card for $150 which is the cost of housebreaking my own house. Key-ching! Plus $26 for two more spare keys to be put in unforgettable safe places. Note to self sort your home security.
Screw-up No.2
I forget to adjust my weekly automatic payment to cover the 13 per cent increase in my rates bill. Staff at Tauranga City Councils Devonport Rd office gently break it that I still owe $970.72. Ouch! And no, sadly for me, I am just over the threshold for a government rates rebate. Pay the lot Charlie! They offer me a chocolate bar to ease the pain. It doesnt.
Screw-up No.3
That $970.72 suddenly becomes $2370.72 because the $1400 hybrid 10-speed bike I rode into town to pay the bill gets nicked from the TCC buildings foyer while my backs turned for five minutes. Mea culpa my fault. I thought a library would be full of swatty, ready types and a safe place, and I didnt lock it. The thief chose well I had just spent $180 on new tyres, new gear cable and new brake discs recently, so they should get some long reliable riding out of it. But if anyone spots a homeless guy in lycra on a 10-speed, can you ask him to drop my bike into the cop shop because theyre looking for him too. Why am I feeling violated?
Screw-up No.4
Cant put a dollar value on this, just damaged pride. Its the middle of the afternoon, Im in my car and suddenly the alarms go off. I promised myself last time I would figure how to turn it off. But I didnt Now suddenly Im on the brink of an acute myocardial infarction, or panic attack, or both. Locals glare from behind curtains, an old fella walking his dog nods incredulously, a passerby is mouthing advice at me through the window, but I cant hear above the racket and I cant open the door. She gives up. I give up.
Screw-up No.5
This is more of a screw-over than a screw-up but one last sad chapter in my week of woe, my septimana horribilis. You will weep with me. I take my thinning pate into the barber shop for a haircut. Ell, a haircut is overstating it perhaps more a two-minute number two tidy-up round the sides, over the top, eyebrows and ears. As you get older there are festoons from the unlikeliest places. Anyhow what cost me $10 two weeks ago now costs me $15 a 50 per cent increase. Unexplained, unexpected and, I wonder, uncalled for? Whats changed in two weeks to justify that?
A lovely Buddhist I once knew would rabbit on about Bodhicitta which is a state of mind wishing to free all humans, including the guy who stole my bike, from suffering and bring them to a state of enlightenment and luck. I might get myself some burgundy red robes and some Bodhicitta watch this space! Hows your week been? Email: hunter.wells@nzme.co.nz
New Zealands gonna win! and Yeah, New Zealands better rang out from a crowd of Tauranga Intermediate School students this week as they got a rare, up-close look at the oldest sporting trophy in the world.
Ahead of Emirates Team New Zealands defence of the 37th Americas Cup in Barcelona from October 13-22, the Americas Cup is touring New Zealand to give Kiwis a good look at the Auld Mug.
The Toyota Kiwi Cup Tour is taking the Americas Cup to 40 locations throughout New Zealand in 20 days on Tuesday, September 3, it was Taurangas turn.
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, with support from Toyota New Zealand, carefully carried the cup into Tauranga Intermediate to show students then it was whisked off to Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club for a public display, then viewing by the local sailing community.
All the fun of the rare up-close viewing of the Americas Cup at Tauranga Intermediate School this week. Photos: John Borren.
Tauranga Intermediate Year 8 student Baxter Carlin whose school was once attended by Emirates Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling says the experience inspires him to push hard in his own sports.
With AIMS Games coming up, it encourages us to have that winning mindset, says Baxter. Its such a historic trophy, and weve never had something like that come to our school before.
Fellow Year 8 student Brea Davies agrees, saying seeing the cup made her feel as though big things are possible. Its us as such a small country competing with the big countries Winning that cup is really cool.
Micah Bollen, aged 12, has been sailing for about six years and hopes to follow in Peter Burlings footsteps by one day competing in the Americas Cup. I like that kids seeing the Americas Cup might want to start sailing. Its really fun!
RNZYS general manager Sarah Wiblin says the Toyota Kiwi Cup Tour is a a chance for everyone to see a piece of sporting history that represents the level of what Kiwis can achieve.
In support of Emirates Team NZ, people attending Toyota Kiwi Cup Tour are invited to sign a sail of support that will be taken to Barcelona and presented to the team head of their big challenge next month. People can also post their messages of support in digital or hard copy. Full details are at: kiwicup.co.nz
- SunLive
Bay of Plenty conservation workers are celebrating what they describe as an incredible achievement in lifting numbers of an endangered bird in a forest in the region.
The number of kokako in the Otanewainuku Conservation Area has increased by 44 in the last four years, according to Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust, which recently conducted a survey of the species.
Trust spokeswoman Tiffany Randell says the final tally from the survey completed on August 10 found 113 kokako in the forests Conservation Area this included 51 breeding pairs and 11 singles in the forest area above Oropi.
As you can imagine we are thrilled with this result, especially on the back of the national kokako hui last month where a number of sites are recording a decline in kokako populations, says Tiffany.
The survey was funded by a Lotto NZ grant, and Western Bay of Plenty District and Bay of Plenty Regional councils contributed by supporting the trusts pest control programme.
The increase [in kokako numbers] is a big reward for our dedicated trappers and toxin teams and the tens of thousands of volunteer hours dedicated annually. We are so very proud to share this incredible achievement with the community, says Tiffany.
Hans Pendergrast has lived in Otanewainuku Forest all his life and says its the volunteers who deserve the accolades.
Hans Pendergrast has lived in Otanewainuku Forest all his life and says its the volunteers who deserve the accolades. Photo: supplied.
There were kokako everywhere in the forest when I was a child. I would see them while out pig hunting with my father in the late 1950s and 1960s, says Hans.
Since then rats and possums not only affected their food supply, but they also ate every egg and chick.
Stoats eat female birds that are defending their nests, as well as the chicks, so by the 2000s there were no kokako left here.
Hans says intensive and effective pest control across the 1200-hectare conservation area like traps and bait stations have allowed reintroduced kokako to thrive.
We are extremely proud and grateful to the volunteers who work tirelessly to help. Im 73 years old and Im in such a privileged position to be able to see kokako restored in Otanewainuku to where they were when I was a child.
This has been a mammoth task but we need to keep the pedal to the metal and keep working hard to protect this endangered species.
If locals want to hear the distinctive song of the kokako, Hans recommends they try the Rimu Walk or the Waterfall Walk early in the morning.
Theres a saying amongst kokako people that if you go through life without seeing a kokako thats okay, as they are very difficult to spot in the forest. However, if you go through life without hearing a kokako, youve missed one of the worlds great songs.
Those keen to volunteer or donate to Otanewainuku Kiwi Trusts conservation work, visit: https://kiwitrust.org/
Census team member Amanda Rogers, OKT volunteer Andrew Simmons, census team member Mark Fisk, and OKT volunteer Hans Pendergrast in Otanewainuku Forest. Photo: Emily Malthus.
Some of Northlands dairy exports are now heading out of the area by sea in a trial involving Fonterra and Kotahi, New Zealands largest containerised freight manager.
Containers full of dairy products are now being shipped between Northport and Port of Tauranga, where they are then exported. They ride Pacifica Shippings weekly container service, which started in May to link the two ports.
The initial trial will use a mix of carriers and take about 100 containers off the road. If successful, the arrangement could see up to 800 containers taken off the road each year, with potential for future growth.
Northport commercial manager David Finchett said the port has been talking with the two organisations for some time about the efficiencies of coastal shipping for Northland dairy products exported through Tauranga.
Recent road transport disruptions - such as the recent closure of State Highway 1 at Brynderwyn Hills - and Pacificas weekly coastal shipping service starting in May triggered the decision to shift from road to sea.
How does your KiwiSaver balance compare others your age?
The retirement savings scheme has become a key part of many New Zealanders' financial lives since it was launched in 2007.
There is now about $110.8 billion invested in the scheme. The average balance is $31,828, although that is affected by the large number of people who do not contribute to the scheme.
Milford said its average balance was about $79,000.
Data from actuaries Melville Jessup Weaver for December 2023 shows that balances generally increased as people became older.
Under 17-year-olds had an average balance of $2869. People aged 18 to 25 had an average of $8867. For those aged 26 to 30, the average increased to $17,326.
People aged 31 to 35 had an average of $21,096. Those 36 to 40 had an average of $26,829.
This might be the age at which more people withdraw their money for a first-home.
Dean Anderson, founder of Kernel KiwiSaver, said that was a complicating factor for anyone trying to compare their balances.
"You could be back to $1000 and work up again. During that 20s and 30s there is a lot of variability in averages - what we are increasingly seeing is quite a variance in balances. It's not uncommon to see people with six-figure KiwiSavers these days in many age bands.
"The averages are a good reference point but don't give the full context - if you're on a lower income or you've been a stay-at-home parent for a period you want to compare to similar profile."
People aged 41 to 45 had $34,741 and those 46 to 50 had an average of $43,600. As people entered their 50s, so too did their average balances.
Those aged 51 to 55 had an average of $50,446. For 56 to 60-year-olds, their average balance was $55,632.
Those in the last five years before becoming eligible for the pension had just under $60,000.
"The later someone has left [contributing to KiwiSaver] the more hard work they have to do in terms of a greater proportion of their income they have to put into it," Anderson said.
"Then it's about the longevity of it the biggest question is - is KiwiSaver going go sustain the length of time that you need income in retirement?
"You can have a lower balance and go 'right I'm still going to take $500 a week to top up because that's what we need for our lifestyle' but you'll run out sooner.
"It's about the size and how much you're taking down isn't so much the key point, it's how long it will get you through retirement, topping up to your desired income levels you may have or lifestyle needs."
He said some people might be happy burning their fund out in 10 years and living off superannuation after that but other people wanted their money to last 30 years.
After 65, balances dropped a little and hovered around the $60,000 average mark. People aged 80 to 85 had an average balance of $113,807 and those aged over 86 had $156,039.
This may reflect the more limited numbers of people in these age brackets using KiwiSaver, and deliberate investment planning decisions being made.
Sam Stubbs, founder of Simplicity KiwiSaver said the "rule of four" was a good guide to indicate how much might need to be saved.
"Work out how much you need a year and that needs to be 4 percent of what you have saved, and that will last forever if you want $40,000 a year in after-tax income on top of NZ Super you probably need $1 million saved."
He said people should not be spooked by that figure, because it assumed they would want to give their children the full $1m, and only live off the returns.
"There's an awful lot of opportunity for you to spend the kids' inheritance. I've often personally thought if you want to have a normal lifestyle and you've got something like half that you'll probably be in okay territory. But it depends what you spend in retirement - some people have very expensive retirements and some don't.
"The earlier you start, the easier it gets it's so much easier to start saving young and so much less is required. But if you're 50, start doing it."
He said regular withdrawals from a still-invested KiwiSaver were also likely to make the money last better than taking it all out of the scheme and putting it in a term deposit.
"I'll be in a growth fund until the day I die. But I'll just take regular withdrawals so when the market falls I won't panic, I'm still getting my same regular income.
"Yes it will drop down but it will pop back up again over time. There are ways to manage what little you have to make it last longer."
Financial planner Liz Koh said it was never too late to consider KiwiSaver.
"Because it is still a relatively young scheme, it is unlikely that people retiring in the near future will be able to rely on KiwiSaver alone for their retirement, as they won't have been contributing for their entire working life.
"It is important for people to get the maximum possible benefit from KiwiSaver before they retire by way of tax credits and employer contributions. KiwiSaver can be used as a low cost investment vehicle after retirement.
"Money can be left invested in KiwiSaver with regular payments coming out to supplement NZ Superannuation.
"Alternatively it can be left untouched as a fund for the late stage of retirement, or a fund with a special purpose, such as covering health costs - surgery and specialists, house maintenance, car replacement or a bequest for family members. In essence, KiwiSaver is an essential part of everyone's retirement planning."
-RNZ.
The identities of Bay of Plenty men accused of assault charges after a brawl at a Tauranga Sikh temple and an alleged assault at a nearby mall are suppressed.
A police spokesman earlier said police were notified about 5.30pm on August 24 of a disorder incident at a large community gathering on Cheyne Rd in Pyes Pa.
The spokesperson said police were later called to an alleged assault near a Pyes Pa mall and one person with injuries was taken to Tauranga Hospital.
On August 30, police said two men had been charged with assault but further charges were expected.
Five men yesterday appeared in the Tauranga District Court before Community Magistrate Lesley Jensen and pleaded not guilty to various assault charges.
The charges relate to five complainants.
Four of the accused pleaded not guilty to joint charges of assault involving one complainant, and two have also denied another assault charge relating to a second complainant.
Constable Ben Spenceley is one of 60 new police officers ready to hit the streets after graduating from their police training this week.
Award-winning actor and director, and Wing 377 patron, Dame Miranda Harcourt DNZM was proud to be in the audience as the new officers graduated in Porirua on Thursday.
In attendance was Acting Commissioner Jevon McSkimming, members of the police executive, Police Minister Mark Mitchell and whanau and friends of the graduates.
The graduates are from New Zealand and all over the world, including, South Africa, India, China, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and many of the recruits speak more than one, or two languages.
Several of the wing are former military or have followed in the footsteps of their relatives to train as police officers.
A number of the recruits have volunteered for emergency services and other charity groups, including one who has been a mentor for the Big Brother, Big Sister programme.
Constable Ben Spenceley, who will be based in Bay of Plenty, was the recipient of the commissioners Leadership Award and addressed the wing during the ceremony.
This is the start of our journey in the New Zealand Police, and for each one of us here, there are many people who have sacrificed and worked hard to allow us to be on parade today. Family, we could not have done it without you.
To my fellow wing mates, look after each other, stay strong but humble, and remember that one day soon, it will be our turn to help people up this mountain and share our knowledge and experience with them. It is only by lifting them on our shoulders, that we as an organisation, as a family, will get to being the safest country.
We would like to acknowledge the work of our patron, Dame Miranda Harcourt. We will take your lead in practising our craft and thinking outside the box to help people in our communities.
Dame Miranda addressed the graduates; Wing 377 - congratulations, what a major achievement. You now stand at the foot of our mountain. As you climb it, there will be beautiful views and raging storms. Remember to share both with your brothers and sisters who you walk beside.
As the patron of Womens Refuge, Dame Miranda has an extensive awareness of the work that police do around stopping family harm and said it was incredibly moving to watch the recruits do their training in family violence, learning to intervene using psychology and empathy and to try to break that cycle.
You should be proud. In my visits here, Ive watched you 60 amazing humans complete your training and it has been gobsmacking to observe your collegiality, your passion, and your focus.
Awards:
Ministers Award recognising top student: Constable Tyler Courtney, posted to Canterbury District.
Patrons Award for second in wing recognising second top student and the Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award: Constable Samuel Ahie, posted to Counties Manukau.
Commissioners Award for Leadership: Benjamin Spenceley, posted to Bay of Plenty district.
Driver Training and Road Policing Practice Award: Constable Wernich Pheiffer, posted to Waitemata District.
Firearms Award: Constable Jake Low, posted to Eastern District.
Deployment:
The new constables will start their first day of duty in their Police districts on Monday, September 15, 2024 and will continue their training on the job as probationary constables.
Northland 2, Tamaki Makaurau a total of 19 and broken down as follows: Auckland 7, Waitemata - 5, Counties Manukau - 7; Waikato - 5, Bay of Plenty - 6, Eastern - 6, Central - 5, Wellington - 7, Tasman - 3, Canterbury - 3, Southern - 4.
Demographics:
20% are female, 78.3% are male, and 1.7% are gender diverse. New Zealand European make up 76.7% of the wing, with Maori 6.7%, Pasifika 8.3%, Asian 5% and Other
3.3%.
Nerea Escamez Almeria Friday, 6 September 2024, 10:16 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace
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Summer has not yet packed its bags in Andalucia in the south of Spain, despite the intermittent rainfall of the last few days in certain parts of the region including Almeria province. Thermometers are still over 40C in the middle of the day and the humidity has been unbearable unless you stay at home in front of the air conditioning or fan.
All in all, it's an unpleasant time of year, isn't it? But the climate does not only affect humans, it also affects animals, such as the African fauna that inhabits the province's Minihollywood Oasys and even the gazelles at the experimental station for arid zones (EEZA).
To cope with the summer months, these centres put in place special measures to combat the heat and staff work hard to make these reserves an ideal place for the species that live there. Although the animals are physiologically adapted to withstand high temperatures, the vets are responsible for making the hottest days of teh year more bearable for them.
Minihollywood Oasys zoological reserve
The Minihollywood Oasys zoological reserve, which opened its doors almost three decades ago, has nearly 1,000 animals of some 200 different species and despite being located in the heart of the Tabernas desert, it is still home to some 4,000 trees.
To deal with the heat some of the animals slow down because, similar to humans, "they want to rest and relax without getting too much sun," says Oasys director Jose Maria Rodriguez.
Staff have prepared suitable shaded areas so that the fauna - mostly from Africa - can enjoy the summer in the most comfortable way possible: "We have planned a zoological collection, so the large number of animals we have want and desire the heat," Rodriguez explains. Although he adds that their activity decreases "as happens in Africa".
Rodriguez explains that some of the animals "even disappear from the public area, so they are not exposed, they leave and hide, so they can rest". As such he points out that visitors are not guaranteed to see some species if they visit at this time of year. The African spurred tortoises for example "go underground in summer and their activity decreases and they are not seen".
At the other end of Almeria city, at the foot of the Alcazaba, the La Hoya Experimental Farm has around 400 Dama Mohor, Cuvier and Dorcas gazelles, as well as the Saharan Barbary sheep, and they have a specific routine for the summer months. For this, Sonia Dominguez, veterinarian of the protected fauna, tells Ideal (SUR's sister newspaper) that they have water at their disposal and shade thanks to the artificial roofing and natural trees.
Even so, the professional explains that "they are physiologically quite prepared to withstand high temperatures in a natural way".
Swimming pools, ice cream or fruit
In summer it's not just humans who like to spend the day cooling off in the water or eating ice cream, the animals also enjoy such summer activities. Proof of this is that at Minihollywood Oasys they set up pools or fountains for the reserve's wildlife to take a dip.
This is undoubtedly the park's elderly brown bear's favourite activity. "He loves to swim at this time of year, he has two fountains where he can submerge himself completely and he uses them," the vet explains.
Faced with the arrival of scorching - and unbearable - temperatures, professionals and keepers prepare ice creams to lower the animals' body temperature. In the case of the brown bear, a fish juice is prepared with pieces of ice, which weigh around five kilos. "He chews and swallows them and this cools him down, he is fascinated by this type of ice cream, he goes crazy," Sonia says. You can also alternate these ice creams with frozen fruit.
The same goes for the feline animals at Oasys; for them, the ice cream ingredients are different. Popsicles are made from blood juice that is mixed with water and then frozen to provide the refreshing summer snack. In the case of the antelopes, "we give them showers with sprinklers and they voluntarily go to the area to stay cool", while the reptiles have a completely different habit: "They need warmth and, although it's not as hot as summer, we keep temperatures between 21 and 27 degrees," Sonia explains, as there are other animals, such as frogs, that are susceptible to temperature changes.
Others, such as rhinoceroses, enjoy mud baths, smearing themselves with mud to protect them from the sun, as well as disinfecting themselves and giving them smoother, softer skin. Also, for animals that are in breeding season, increase the dose of fruit with portions of watermelon, papaya or kiwi to keep them cool.
Chills and heat waves
The EEZA species, meanwhile, do not enjoy the refreshing ice cream at this time of year. "The vets at Minihollywood have told us that they work well, so maybe one day we will put them into practice," says Dominguez. Instead, they opt to give them fresh food, "from the acacia prunings because it is a vegetable that has a higher water content and so they stay more hydrated."
Zoom A group of EEZA gazelles.
Although the animals are particularly well cared for, in summer the emphasis is on the young to avoid heat stroke. "There are some that lie down and expose themselves to the sun, but we try not to keep them there for so long, especially those that are only a few days old, so that they don't get heat stroke," she says.
In both facilities, care is taken to keep the wild animals in optimal conditions in accordance with their habitat, because although they can't avoid the heat, they have the techniques to help them cope with it.
Hose and shade for the horses of the west
At this time of the year, the centre's professionals deal with alternatives so that these species can enjoy the most comfortable 'Almerian' summer possible. In the case of the horses that participate in the exhibitions for the public, they have awnings to protect them from the sun.
"These shaded areas help them to reduce their direct exposure," says Jose Maria Rodriguez, director of Minihollywood Oasys, while retired horses are not required "to do anything". They are only kept "in the shaded areas", just as there are "newborn foals that love to spend a long time in the sun". Of course, they are always supervised so that they don't end up with health problems.
The professionals in charge of the animals explain that they "get hosed down and keep their temperature up, it's amazing because they love being underwater," they reveal.
In the bird enclosure, meanwhile, they make life cooler for the species that live there, which include parrots, ducks and flamingos. "They have a metabolism where their normal physiological temperature is above 40 degrees," the vet explains, so they install pools for them to swim and groom themselves between visits. "This is done all year round, because they love water, so it is not a behaviour that we only see at this time of year. However, we do increase the dose of fruit so that they have more water," the vet says.
Jennie Rhodes Torre del Mar Friday, 6 September 2024, 20:57 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace
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Gerald Williams, Simon Sid Shirley and Barry Gwynnett are three of the six members of Team Raven formation aerobatic team, the British representation at this years International Torre del Mar Air Show. They took time out of preparations for their display to chat with SUR in English ahead of the International Torre del Mar Air Show taking place in the eastern Costa del Sol town on Sunday 8 September.
This is great, says Gerald, relaxing at the hotel they are staying in and describing where theyd been for lunch and the stroll theyd enjoyed along the long promenade in the warm, late summer sunshine. We live in South Wales. Its non-stop rain. Its pouring down right now. (I interject: well send some this way please!)
"This is just wonderful for us," they say, although they do reveal that they had a very bumpy landing into the Axarquia airfield in Trapiche, north of Velez-Malaga, on Thursday (5 September). The weather is something we can never do anything about, Sid points out, while explaining the factors and logistics that need to be considered for their 14-minute star turn.
But despite the relaxed atmosphere, theres tension theyre a man and a plane down as said man and plane are currently stuck in San Sebastian waiting for a part to be couriered from the UK via Cologne to fix the plane. Fortunately, theres good news by the end of the interview and it looks like the part is about to be delivered and the plane should be on its way on Saturday morning in time for the practice session in the afternoon.
Zoom Gerald, Barry and Sid take time out to talk to SUR in English. J. Rhodes
This is the teams eleventh year together and Sid, 53, Gerald, 55, and Barry, 75, are three of the four original members. They say that they all knew each other before they formed Team Raven through flying and decided to form a display team to take part in air shows.
Were basically a group of real enthusiasts in aviation, its not a job for anyone, we all have jobs so this is a bit of fun really, Gerald admits. Between them they clock up thousands of flying hours and are a mix of airline pilots, RAF fighter pilots and businesspeople with a particular interest in flying machines. In fact, Gerald was a professional rugby player in Wales, New Zealand and South Africa. Sid explains that he was flying jets at 19 and always knew thats what he wanted to do.
The six aircraft are all the same model; the RV8, which is where the team gets the name 'RaVen'. The planes can reach a top speed of 230 miles per hour and they can do 700 miles in one go, meaning the team flies the planes to whichever air show they are doing. To get to Torre del Mar they flew from Wales to the French Pyrenees, then to Santander from there down to the Axarquia airfield in Trapiche, north of Velez-Malaga.
This is their second festival in Spain and the team have regularly done shows across Europe, from Denmark (their second ever show where they even won an award), to France, Portugal (which is where they are heading next) and as far as Croatia. Back at home they are regulars at the famous Duxford air show among others.
Sid leads the team, so is known as Raven 1. The pilots explain that its not just the technical side but the creative choreography, as well as a lot of coordination and logistics that go into the 14 minutes that the display actually lasts for. We fly over mountains, water and in bad weather to get to where were performing, so the actual performance is the element with the least surprise, they admit.
Zoom Team Raven in formation. Team Raven
They say that they wont have much time to explore the area while theyre here as they return to the UK on Monday, although they will have covered a fair bit of ground from the skies above. If anyone thinks that being a display pilot is always glamorous, its not. Its about sitting around in cold hangers all for 14 minutes of madness. Its long days some days its hours and you can go off the boil and have to warm up again, but you get in the plane and get a real sense of euphoria, they say, explaining that the waiting around is all worth it when theyre performing to the crowds.
Having assessed the conditions for Sundays display the team are pleased that Torre del Mar offers a long, straight beach. Sometimes its really small and you have to adapt the display so that it will fit the space youve got, they explain. In terms of what to expect, they say, There are six planes, and loads of smoke. Were all white and we fly really low. Were hoping to surprise the crowd.
Sid confesses that hes a bit worried about thanking the crowd in Spanish as one of the elements of the show is being able to hear the teams communicate with each other over loudspeakers along the beach. Hes not sure hell get to grips with rolling the R's in Torre del Mar in time. Have you ever tried that on a radio in an aeroplane upside down at 200 feet? No? Its a first for me too he laughs.
Zoom The distinctive white planes with black markings should make them easy to identify. Team Raven
They warn me that the relaxed, friendly personas change to serious, focused, in the zone before a display as they prepare themselves for the challenge ahead. Thats ok, I say, Ill be watching from the beach anyway. Team Raven will be practising at approximately 1.45pm on Saturday and their slot at Sundays air show is 2.38 to 2.52pm.
Click here for a full air show programme.
Click here for more information about Team Raven.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Azerbaijan will host a PreCOP event on October 10-11, Advisor to the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Rustam Hasanov said during the Law and Climate International Conference in Baku today, Trend reports.
He noted that the event will bring together the environmental ministers of the countries, which will join COP29 as parties, and also discuss the agenda of the event, including upcoming issues.
We continue to work with partners to finish preparedness quickly. To address event organization, the COP29 Presidium Office and COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company were created. The event was held in Baku Olympic Stadium. COP29 may be held somewhere. Conference in November. PreCOP will be held in Azerbaijan on October 1011. At COP29, environment ministers from participating nations will debate the event's agenda and forthcoming issues, the advisor noted.
To note, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) will be held in Azerbaijan in November this year. The decision was made at the plenary meeting of COP28 held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Within two weeks, Baku, having become the center of the world, will host about 70,000-80,000 foreign guests.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for Conference of Parties, which is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
A total of 198 countries are parties to the convention. Unless the parties have decided otherwise, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Germany's Berlin, with its secretariat in Bonn.
To decode, each conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is preceded by a preparation meeting known as the PreCop, which takes place around a month in advance. The goal of this meeting is to give a selected group of countries an informal setting to debate and exchange opinions on some major political aspects of the negotiations in order to offer, to the extent possible, political advice for future negotiations.
Isabel Mendez Malaga Friday, 6 September 2024, 11:25 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace
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An episode of the popular Spanish TV programme, Volando Voy (literally, flying I go), which airs on the Cuatro television channel, was recently filmed in the villages of Comares and Moclinejo in the Axarquia area to the east of Malaga province.
The episode was broadcast on Wednesday 4 August with presenter Jesus Calleja meeting Lorena, the founder of the Reyes dog shelter, along with other residents of the two villages including a number of foreigners who live in the area.
Zoom Jesus Calleja with Lorena (left) and some other women featured in the programme recorded in the Axarquia. SUR
In "one of the most beautiful villages in Spain" Jesus Calleja, along with a team of volunteers, helped Lorena, who had written to the programme asking for help to improve the facilities. "I received your letter and it was clear to me that we were going to get fully involved," said Calleja during the programme, as he praised the beauty of the area and the views he enjoyed from his helicopter while flying Lorena around the area.
Joseillo and Christopher
With the residents of Comares gathered in the town's square, the presenter stressed that it was the "first time" that they had taken part in a project like this, so they were going to "support it fully".
Calleja had the help of Pomi Ramirez, considered one of the greatest experts on dog training and behaviour who has also written books with recipes for dogs. Also taking part in the programme were Teodora and Maria, two residents of Comares, who Calleja described as "one of the nicest pairs I have ever met".
Calleja, in the Comares square, flying in a helicopter with Lorena and chatting with Teodora. SUR
Although his intention was to take them both up in his helicopter, it was only Maria who dared to get into the helicopter. After her experience, she described the flight as "one of the best things that has ever happened to me".
Calleja also meets Joseillo, one of the last lime workers in the area, who is good friends with Christopher, an American who has lived in Comares for around 20 years. The pair talk to the presenter about Joseillo's life and the hardships his family endured during the postwar years. Christopher also explains how he has taken his friend travelling to different parts of Europe.
Challenge achieved
After two and a half months of work, during which time an emotional Lorena had not been allowed to visit the shelter, she was finally taken to see it by Calleja. On seeing the result, the founder of the Reyes shelter was visibly moved and, in tears, kept thanking those responsible for the programme and repeating: "I can't believe it, I can't believe it, I can't believe it".
Among other new features, the shelter has a park and a swimming pool for dogs, as some of the animals they have taken in need to exercise in the water. At the end of the programme a resident donated a car to the shelter, which had been a special request of Lorena's mum, who is also heavily involved with the shelter.
Upcoming challenges
This was the first episode of the tenth season of Voland Voy and future episodes will include the transformation of an old theatre in the most isolated village in Sierra Morena, in Seville province, creating a rehearsal room for the municipal band in Sierra de Gredos (Avila). It will also revive a popular festival dedicated to wine in La Rioja and organise life-saving courses in the Lagunas de Ruidera, Ciudad Real.
To watch the full Axarquia episode click here.
Lorena Cadiz Benalmadena Friday, 6 September 2024, 08:17 | Updated 08:28h. Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace
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A British boy was rescued by firefighters in Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol on Tuesday 3 September after his foot became trapped on a children's ride at the town's harbour.
Jacob was on the ride in the shopping centre area, when for reasons that have not yet been disclosed, he put his foot in the track that guides the ride and it became trapped inside. Jacob himself tried to free his foot, as did adults who were in the area at the time.
Zoom The rail in which the child's foot was trapped. SUR
The fire brigade were eventually called to the scene where they were able to slide the child's foot out, using a special product, allowing Jacob to move around six metres along the rail to an area where there was an access door, where they managed to free him. Jacob was unharmed in the ordeal and once he was free he hugged his rescuers.
Recreation of the intervention with 'plaza bridges' that could be carried out in the area around Santo Domingo.
Jesus Hinojosa Friday, 6 September 2024, 15:28 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace
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The plan drawn up by Malaga city hall five years ago to integrate the normally dry Guadalmedina riverbed into the urban landscape is "the most far-reaching project for open areas that remains in the city", according to the document that the municipal urban planning department sent more than two years ago to the Andalusian regional government for an environmental assessment.
The Junta de Andalucia endorsed the environmental report at the end of July this year with a few requests for justifications, but it reflects in detail the commitment to generate wide pedestrian spaces on the riverbed, without reducing its capacity to hold water when necessary.
The project is based fundamentally on the concept of so-called 'plaza-bridges', which are essentially a type of cover over the river to create pedestrian spaces that connect the two sides. SUR has had access to one of the recreations produced by the technicians hired by the city hall to shape the Guadalmedina plan.
The image shows what the transformation of the area around Santo Domingo church and Pasillo Santa Isabel would look like with these 'plaza bridges'. Underpasses for traffic on either side of the river would be built, which would mean gaining more space for pedestrians.
For this area close to the city centre, "a solution is planned that extends the pedestrian character of the historic centre towards the neighbourhoods located on the right side of the river and that does not change the perception of the river as a geographical feature that constitutes the physiognomy and landscape of the city", states the environmental document.
"Since the waterway allows it, the connection should be made at street level, eliminating physical barriers that impede the free transit of pedestrians, giving visual continuity between districts and extending the paving and the character of the centre's streets," adds the report carried out by architects Sfera.
Plazas on the river bed
The plan will mean changes to "the old stone bridge located in front of Santo Domingo church", although the project respects and maintains the Alemanes bridge, built in 1909.
"The execution of plaza-bridges is more economical and respectful of the physical environment than completely covering over this section of the river; it generates spaces for citizen enjoyment of higher spatial quality, and proposes an original intermediate solution for the specific case of Malaga," adds the document prepared by the city hall.
The Junta's water department has already given its initial approval to the mayor's proposal
The biggest operation proposed in the plan, and which for mayor Francisco de la Torre is a priority, is to cover a stretch of some 350 metres between the Aurora and Arminan bridges to create a large plaza over the riverbed linking the centre with the Trinidad district.
This large new pedestrian area could have a surface area of 19,365 square metres and would also be perforated with gaps to provide a view of the riverbed. De la Torre has said that he imagines it as "the largest plaza in Malaga", which will be "landscaped and with fountains".
Until a few years ago the regional government, which has jurisdiction over the river, was reluctant to carry out this type of project, but, as SUR reported on 21 February last year, a first report by the regional water department on the plan does not oppose it.
"There would be no objection to the initiatives included in the special plan for the Guadalmedina," concludes the public water board's statement, as it "protects, improves and recovers the channelling of the Guadalmedina and its surroundings, which are mainly urban".
As such, everything seems to be on track for this ambitious city project. However, it still needs to be definitively validated at an environmental level by the Junta, approved at a municipal level, and obtain the necessary financing, a path that still seems a long way off.
Lorena Cadiz Friday, 6 September 2024, 19:05 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace
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The level of confrontation over the donkey taxis in Mijas this summer is rising. Spain's national animal rights party Pacma has announced that it has lodged a formal complaint with the Guardia Civil via the party's vice-president, Cristina Garcia, against all the people and institutions involved in one way or another in the running of the donkey taxi service. These include Mijas town hall, the licence holders, the owners of the animals, the muleteers and "all those persons, organisations, institutions or administrations that could be responsible for the situation of these animals in Mijas."
The party claims to be aware of "multiple chronic breaches" of current animal welfare regulations. To begin with, they denounce that the donkey-taxi service operates every day of the year, from 8.30am to 9.30pm, "which means that the donkeys are subjected to long working days without rest." It further claims that, while awaiting customers, the donkeys are tied to metal structures with ropes that are "too short" and that this "severely limits their mobility, contravening their physiological and ethological [their natural, behavioural] needs". Such were the words of complaint from Pacma's vice-president.
The official complaint goes on to state that the animals lack adequate access to food and water, and "not all facilities have a roof to protect them from inclement weather", so that "this exposure to adverse conditions, such as low temperatures in winter and extreme heat in summer, represents a serious risk to their health."
In addition to this, according to Pacma's complaint, the space where the donkeys rest is "extremely cramped". The party states that they have documented "up to eight animals crammed into a mere 7x2 metres, when the ideal would be to provide a minimum of 4.5 square metres per donkey." The political party added: "These stables lack a proper excrement management system, forcing the donkeys to remain in an unhealthy environment, full of urine and faeces, which causes hoof injuries, as their hooves are kept constantly damp."
Pacma also pointed out that "evidence of the physical deterioration of the donkeys has been documented, with visible injuries and diseases reported by veterinarians." Furthermore, "Pacma has compiled audiovisual material showing stereotypical behaviours, such as repeatedly banging their heads against the metal structures to which they are tied. These behaviours are a clear sign of the suffering and stress endured by the animals, which are not given the opportunity to lie down or rest properly."
Zoom A visible injury on one of the donkey taxis, in an image circulated by Pacma. SUR
For all these reasons, the party has called on the Guardia Civil to adopt "provisional measures to put an end to this situation of risk for both the animals and the people who may use this service." For Pacma, "it is imperative to proceed to the precautionary suspension of the licences and permissions, as well as the preventive removal into temporary custody of the donkeys and the closure of the facilities where they are located." The organisation also requests the initiation of proceedings to sanction Mijas town hall.
"Partisan use"
Mijas town hall responded to these accusations by stating that Pacma "is making a totally partisan use of the situation, promoting the dissemination of inaccurate information and encouraging hoaxes, unsubstantiated allegations and absolute lack of respect, as well as bullying tactics."
It also defended its work on animal welfare and their "rigorous compliance with all relevant regulations, guaranteeing equity between legislation and idiosyncrasy."
They gave assurances that they are not aware of the complaint having been officially submitted but that, once it is received "we will consult with the legal services and adopt the necessary measures to defend, not only how this [service] is managed, but also the good name of Mijas."
Finally, they pointed out that, since the current municipal government came to power, there have been "many improvements introduced" including the extension of the shaded areas, an increase in the number of drinking troughs, the creation of a rest area for these animals and the extension of the length of the rope used to tie them up. Most importantly, the council mentioned its recent publication of a municipal bye-law that establishes limitations to the donkey taxi service when yellow and amber weather alerts are in place, "a law unique in the province of Malaga and never before issued in Mijas."
Almudena Nogues Malaga Friday, 6 September 2024, 18:14 | Updated 19:25h. Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace
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Spain's state weather agency (Aemet) has this afternoon issued a warning on its official X social media account for "embedded thunderstorms" arriving in Andalucia this weekend.
"A weather trough at altitude with an associated cloud band in a very extended arrangement will affect areas of the region with some precipitation between the last hours of Saturday night and the first hours of Sunday morning. Associated with the passage of the cloudy and precipitating band, some embedded storms will occur," warned Aemet.
This is a weather phenomenon which, according to the forecast, could affect some areas of Malaga province. "The forecast has changed. The cold front that will affect us this Saturday night and early Sunday morning is likely to come with storms. They are called embedded because they are inside a cold front, i.e. a storm front", clarified local meteorology expert Jose Luis Escudero on his SUR blog 'Tormentas y rayos' (Storms and lightning). "They can generate locally intense gusts of wind," added Aemet.
Asociadas al paso de la banda nubosa y precipitante, se produciran algunas tormentas embebidas que pueden generar rachas localmente intensas. https://t.co/Ee5NmzoFaT pic.twitter.com/UKbXuzEaxT AEMET_Andalucia (@AEMET_Andalucia) September 6, 2024
Weekend forecast
For much of tomorrow, Aemet forecasts cloudy or clear skies in Andalucia, "tending towards cloudy with medium and high clouds in the southeastern half of the region, where occasional showers accompanied by thunderstorms are likely," the weather agency said. The arrival of 'calima', Sahara desert dust suspended in the atmosphere, is not ruled out on the Mediterranean slope, where temperatures will rise. In the case of Malaga province, the outlook puts the probability of sporadic rainfall at up to 85%, being higher in municipalities on the western Costa del Sol such as Marbella and Mijas. "On Saturday there is a probability of some weak and sporadic showers in the late afternoon and evening, which may be accompanied by mud deposits. This will be due to the passage of a very small active front," explained weather expert Jose Luis Escudero on his SUR blog 'Tormentas y rayos' (Storms and lightning). As for the maximum temperatures, they will range between 25 and 33C. The wind will blow moderately to strongly from the southwest and west depending on the area.
Possible rain... and the return of the warm 'terral' wind. On Saturday, Aemet is already predicting that the mercury will soar in inland areas of the Guadalhorce valley area of Malaga province in towns such as Alora and Cartama, where up to 36C is expected throughout the day. In Malaga city, the maximum temperatures will be around 32-33 degrees, while the minimum will peak at around 24C.
On Monday 9 September, a public holiday in Malaga city, Escudero predicts that the terral will continue to be the protagonist: "In some areas of the Guadalhorce valley the temperature will be close to 36C, in Malaga city the mercury will move between 34 and 35C and in the Axarquia and Estepona areas between 32 and 33C. From early afternoon I expect strong westerly gusts on the coast of Malaga," he concluded.
Clay, N.Y. A 50-year-old man was found inside a Clay gas station Thursday night with severe stab wounds and later died from his injuries. Another man has been charged with his murder, deputies said.
Scott Lamica, of Liverpool, was found inside the Citgo Gas Station on Route 57 in Clay around 8:30 p.m., according to a news release from an Onondaga County Sheriffs Office spokesperson.
Lamica was suffering from multiple wounds after being stabbed in Clay, deputies said.
Richard Losee, 44, has been charged with Lamicas death and is being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center jail. He is charged with second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Lamica drove to the gas station after being involved in a car accident at another location, according to Onondaga County 911 Center dispatches. Lamica was stabbed before he drove to the gas station.
Losee is a specialist in the Army National Guard and enlisted in 2006, according to Eric Durr, public affairs director for the New York National Guard. He is assigned to the forward support company of the 204th Engineer Battalion in Binghamton, Durr said.
Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.
Syracuse, N.Y. A man was sentenced to prison Friday for attempted murder after stabbing another man in the Upstate University Hospital ER.
Sabier S. Young, 44, pretended he was hit by a car in the hospitals parking lot on Jan 9, District Attorney William Fitzpatrick has said previously. He was taken into the emergency room in a wheelchair, allowing him to bypass metal detectors, he said.
Young stabbed a man who was also in the waiting room shortly before noon, Fitzpatrick said. The victims daughter was present when he was stabbed.
The victim had multiple stab wounds on the right side of his stomach, according to court documents. He was treated at Upstate and survived the attack.
On Friday Young was sentenced to 12 years in prison for second-degree attempted murder by Judge Gordon Cuffy. He was also sentenced to seven years for second-degree assault and one year for a charge of endangering the welfare of a child. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning at the same time.
Young did not speak at the sentencing. His lawyer, Paul Carey, said that Young has struggled with mental health issues including schizophrenia since he was 14 and requested he have mental health treatment in prison.
Cuffy responded that he had already notified the Commission of Correction to make mental health resources available to Young.
Hospital officials increased security measures in the wake of the attack, including requiring all patients to be checked for weapons and providing additional training for security officers.
Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com .
Rome, N.Y. Mango the Burmese python was a beloved member of an Upstate New York family.
But when an officer knocked on the Central New York familys door last week to inquire about the massive snake, Mangos owner admitted she had grown much faster and much bigger than he expected.
Environment Conservation Police Officer Jeff Hull responded to the New Hartford home on Aug. 28 to investigate a report about an illegal snake, WKTV reported.
When Hull entered the home, he found the 13-foot, 80-pound python in an approximately 5-foot tank, the state Department of Environmental Conservation announced in a news release.
The snakes owner told the officer that Mango had grown much faster than he expected, the DEC said, and admitted he could no longer care for the still-growing, healthy python.
Owning a python without a permit is illegal in New York. Mangos owner didnt have a permit, the DEC said.
Mango was surrendered by her owner and taken to Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome.
The owner was a little overwhelmed by how quickly she grew, Fort Rickey staff wrote in a Facebook post. We were surprised as well, but we are ready for the challenge of maintaining this awesome creature!
Fort Rickey added that Mango was a beloved part of her former owners family, who spent a lot of time holding the gentle giant.
Of course we always use caution regardless, but its easy to see she is a friendly girl, the zoo wrote.
A man who identified himself as the snakes former owner commented on Fort Rickeys post thanking the zoo for taking in his pet, who he had called Bella.
Me and my kids will badly miss her but will absolutely be regular visitors now going forward so we can keep seeing her, the man wrote. Shes very special to us and look forward to seeing her continue to grow and develop at her new home!
The DEC said Mangos owner was ticketed for possession of wildlife as a pet and for possessing dangerous wildlife without a permit.
Visitors can pay Mango a visit at Fort Rickey, where she is housed in the snake enclosure sponsored by Baileys Karate. The Rome zoo said it already planing to expand the pythons habitat to suit her growing needs.
Manlius, N.Y. -- Legislation signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday expands how money in families 529 college savings accounts can be spent.
The law, which took effect immediately, allows families to use money in their 529 accounts to pay principal and interest on education loans and to make rollover deposits into Roth Individual Retirement Accounts.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 6. Kazakhstan proposes Serbia to consider the possibilities of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor (TITR, or Middle Corridor), said Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin at the 3rd meeting of the Kazakh-Serbian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation in Belgrade, Trend reports.
"We are interested in developing transit for cargo transportation from Kazakhstan and China to Serbia and further to European countries. We propose considering the possibilities of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route for these purposes," he said.
As Zhumangarin noted, the current legal framework between Kazakhstan and Serbia allows for 14 passenger flights per week between the countries.
"There is an 'open skies' regime in place at Kazakhstan's airports. Opening direct flights between our countries would allow Serbia to become a transport hub to Europe," he added.
The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern and Southern Corridors.
The route starts in China and crosses Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then passes through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkiye before reaching Europe.
The Middle Corridor offers a land route that connects the eastern parts of Asia, including China, with Europe, bypassing the longer maritime routes.
By Dan Clark | Times Union, Albany
Albany, N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul assailed the Chinese government Wednesday, calling its decision to allegedly enlist a former high-ranking state official as a foreign agent unacceptable as she asked the Biden administration to take action in response.
The governors indignation came a day after Linda Sun, a former deputy chief of staff to Hochul, and her husband, Chris Hu, were indicted on federal charges of violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.
I believe that the Chinese government, with their behavior in doing this and working with Linda Sun, is not acceptable, Hochul said. This is a betrayal of New Yorkers and of the American people.
Hochul said that she had asked the Biden administration after Suns arrest to expel the consul general for China in New York, meaning he would be forced to give up that post.
I had conveyed my desire to have the consul general from the Peoples Republic of China in the New York mission expelled, Hochul said. I have been informed that the consul general is no longer in the New York mission.
But the U.S. State Department later clarified that the two situations were apparently not related. Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the agency, said the consul general was not expelled but had reached the end of a regular rotation that meant his time in New York was over.
A representative from the Consulate could not be reached Wednesday for further clarification.
Hochul asks Biden for action
That doesnt mean the Biden administration may not plan to respond to China over the alleged infiltration.
Hochul said she also asked that the State Department consider something official, whether it be sanctions or another diplomatic action, on a call she had Wednesday with Kurt Campbell, a deputy secretary of state.
I also requested that the State Department take appropriate action in response to the dangerous and outrageous actions taken by the Peoples Republic of China, Hochul said.
Sun and Hu both pleaded not guilty Tuesday during their appearance in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn for the charges alleging they had secretly worked on behalf of the Chinese government in exchange for millions of dollars that helped fuel a luxurious lifestyle.
Federal prosecutors alleged Sun actively worked to prevent Hochul and former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo from forming closer ties with officials from Taiwan, an island nation thats declared itself sovereign while China claims it as theirs.
Hochul said those espionage efforts, while unknown at the time, werent effective. No public statements from her administration were changed at Suns direction, she said.
I am not aware of statements that were altered while I was governor on behalf of my administration, Hochul said.
But the indictment against Sun unsealed Tuesday alleged that some of those decisions didnt make it to Hochuls desk for consideration by the governor.
When an ambassador from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office invited Hochul to a meeting in May 2022, Sun directed staff to decline the invitation.
No meeting please. Kindly decline, Sun wrote in an email. Do not want her to wade into this China/Taiwan sensitivity.
Sun also blocked an invitation for Hochul to recognize Taiwanese American Heritage Week in 2022, according to the indictment. She directed staff to decline the request.
Please do not issue. Thank you, Sun wrote over email.
Republicans call for investigations
Republicans at both the state and federal level are now calling for additional investigations into Suns actions and what impact they may have had during her time in state government.
State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, a Republican from Niagara County, asked for an immediate bipartisan probe into Suns actions, calling them an alarming security failure.
The fact that a spy for a hostile nation was embedded at the highest levels of our state government under two administrations is an alarming security failure, jeopardizing both New York and the entire country, Ortt said.
One of his colleagues, state Sen. Jim Tedisco, a Republican from the Capital Region, called for hearings from the state Senate on the matter, which he called a spy-racy, rhyming with piracy.
Given the seriousness of this alleged spys betrayal, its critical that the New York state Legislature and our Investigations Committee hold a public hearing and investigate this national security breach for potential economic piracy, Tedisco said.
A third Republican in the Legislature called for a special prosecutor to be hired by the attorney generals office at Hochuls direction, though the avenue for that option is unclear.
The attorney generals office doesnt have the authority to independently launch a criminal investigation. It has to receive a referral based on another agencys findings of misconduct and Hochul hasnt said her office conducted a full review before referring the matter to federal prosecutors.
We must now review, investigate, hold accountable, and fortify our systems to root out anyone who may be spying for foreign enemies, said Assemblyman Matt Slater from the Hudson Valley.
It would be unlikely for Democrats, who hold the majority in the Legislature, to authorize any type of investigation at a Republicans request.
Democrats control the Legislatures resources, including the availability of key spaces and personnel and can simply dismiss the requests of their political adversaries.
At the federal level, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican from the North Country whos become a national surrogate for the Republican Party, called for an investigation as well, but its unclear what that would look like.
Hochul said Wednesday she doesnt see a need for an investigation beyond what federal prosecutors laid out Tuesday in the 64-page indictment against Sun and Hu.
I believe there was a very thorough investigation done by the Eastern District of New York, she said. I mean, the detail, the length of their indictment was quite voluminous and impressive.
Sun wasnt vetted, Hochul says
Hochul described Suns influence over her administration as minimal, noting that she rarely worked directly with her before she was fired last year.
Sun wasnt vetted before she was transferred from a state agency to Hochuls office in 2021. Thats because workers who were already employed in state government didnt have to be screened, Hochul said.
Individuals who joined my administration after having been previously hired did not have to go through a different process, she said.
Thats not the case for employees hired from outside state government, which Hochul said are vetted for months by the State Police before theyre allowed to join the executive chamber.
They will go back to basically peoples kindergarten activities, Hochul said.
Sun was initially hired by the Cuomo administration in 2012 as a liaison to Asian American communities in New York. She switched roles within the administration several times before landing at the state Department of Financial Services.
After about a year in that role, and about a month after Cuomo resigned, she was hired as Hochuls deputy chief of staff, then transferred to the Department of Labor. She was fired in 2023.
___
(c)2024 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.)
Visit the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) at www.timesunion.com
ERIEVILLE, N.Y. Jill Bolton, and her late husband, John, spent many evenings sitting at their welcoming front porch of their home at 2785 Hardscrabble Farm in Erieville, about six minutes away from Cazenovia.
She watched her windmill, the one she wanted so badly and had finally convinced John to buy, spin in the breeze. John, meanwhile, looked upon his American flag, the first thing he put up when their ranch-style house was finished in 2006, as it fluttered.
By Niagara Gazette | Niagara Falls
A 49-year-old Hamburg woman has been charged in connection with the death of a mixed-breed bulldog left in her hot car in June.
Joy A. Bickert of Hamburg was arraigned Tuesday evening before Orchard Park Town Court Justice Michael Pastrick on one count of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance (Class A misdemeanor under New York Agriculture and Markets Law) and one count of confinement of companion animals in vehicles: extreme temperatures (violation under New York Agriculture and Markets Law).
Bickert was charged following an investigation into an incident June 21. She went to a veterinarian in the Village of Hamburg after she found her dog unresponsive in her vehicle about 3:30 p.m. that day. The dog, an approximately 2-year-old female mixed breed bulldog named Eleanor, died after she was left inside of a parked vehicle with the windows closed for several hours on Southwestern Boulevard in the Town of Orchard Park. Bickert was later charged and issued an appearance ticket.
Bickert is scheduled to return on Sept. 17 for further proceedings. She was released on her own recognizance as the charges are non-qualifying offenses for bail.
If convicted of the highest charge, Bickert faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail.
This is a heartbreaking case involving the death of a pet who was trapped inside of a vehicle on a hot summer day in Western New York. But these situations are preventable tragedies. I remind everyone, especially in the summer months, to double check their backseat for children and pets before exiting their vehicles, Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane said.
Keane commended the SPCA Serving Erie County, SPCA Animal Cruelty Senior Investigator William Heine and Chief Lindsey Wood, Town of Hamburg Dog Control, Village of Hamburg Police Department, and the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University for their work in this investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Garvey of the Animal Cruelty Unit and Assistant District Attorney Nathan W. Zobrest of the Justice Courts Bureau.
___
(c)2024 the Niagara Gazette (Niagara Falls, N.Y.)
Visit the Niagara Gazette (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) at www.niagara-gazette.com
By David Matthews | New York Daily News
An upstate New York man has been charged with the murder of his pregnant wife and the attempted murders of two children, state police said Thursday.
Troopers responded to a home on Houck Road in Masonville around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night for a reported domestic dispute.
Upon arrival, they determined Drew J. Garnier, age 32, had stabbed his pregnant wife, 29-year-old Samantha Garnier, as well as two kids. Police did not release the childrens ages or their relationship to the suspect.
Samantha received aid at the scene before being airlifted to Wilson Medical Center in Johnson City, where she succumbed to her injuries.
One child was airlifted to Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. The other was first taken to Wilson Medical Center before also being taken to Upstate Medical Center.
The conditions of the children are currently unknown but both are expected to survive, state police said.
Drew Garnier was arrested and briefly hospitalized at A.O. Fox Hospital in Oneonta. Details of his injuries were not released.
After being treated, he was processed, arraigned and remanded to the Delaware County Jail without bail.
He has been charged with second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder in the second degree.
Its unclear when hes next scheduled to appear in court.
A news conference with more updates on the case is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at the state police headquarters in Sidney.
Masonville is a small town in Delaware County about 35 miles east of Binghamton.
2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com.
Forward-looking: Whether we like it or not, computer manufacturers are going all in on "AI PCs." While they have consisted of less than groundbreaking Copilot keys and generally generic AI software integration, OEMs will undoubtedly continue to innovate to make their products more useful, relevant, and unique. Lenovo's latest proof of concept is a case in point.
Lenovo unveiled a new concept laptop that can use AI to automatically track where the user is and even unfold into different modes via voice commands. It's an intriguing new concept that follows Lenovo's deep track record with experimental form factors.
Dubbed the "Auto Twist AI PC," its display sits on a motorized hinge that can twist itself around. An integrated AI tracks and follows users' movements, which could be useful for video calls. Responding to the "Hi Twist" keyword, it can also transform into tablet form or open itself to laptop mode on command.
After viewing an in-person demo, The Verge noted that while the voice commands worked well, the motorized hinge was relatively slow. It took about 10 seconds to switch between modes. It would be much easier to fold manually like every other 2-in-1 laptop. In fairness, Lenovo bills the Auto Twist as a proof of concept meant to showcase how adaptable computers can be when powered by AI. If it were ever to see a release, the company would likely make many improvements.
While this could be a fantastic concept, more moving parts means more points of failure. One could easily see the hinge quickly breaking down from repeated use.
Additionally, it doesn't seem like this solves any particular problem, making it little more than a gimmick.
"We're still experimenting with that," said Lenovo Communications Director Jeff Witt when asked about the lack of practicality. "A lot of these concepts don't come to market, but you may see elements of them down the line. It's got face tracking; it's basically a video conferencing system built into a laptop. There's a lot of accessibility potential."
Microsoft and its hardware partners have been heavily pushing the adoption of the AI PC concept. Lenovo was the leading vendor among AI-capable Windows PCs this year. Interestingly, if you define an AI PC as a computer capable of running dedicated AI workloads, Apple holds the edge with its Neural Engine M-series processors.
Earlier this year, IDC predicted that AI PCs would make up almost 60 percent of PC shipments by 2027. Given the intense push by all major tech companies, AI will likely be a big part of computing, whether using software like ChatGPT or Google Gemini or even hardware, as demonstrated by Lenovo's Auto Twist.
Dell saw a 38-percent increase in hardware infrastructure revenue as companies scramble to introduce AI workloads in their businesses. Nvidia became the world's most valuable company in June thanks to its GPUs being the go-to choice for machine-learning developers. The company will also likely introduce dedicated AI PC chips to compete with other silicon manufacturers.
The big picture: With recent developments in semiconductors for AI PCs, there have been many questions about how PC companies were planning to differentiate the various "flavors" of AI PC silicon across their product lines. At its Innovation World 2024 event in Berlin, Lenovo tackled the challenge head on by introducing a range of both consumer and commercial laptops that include the latest SoCs from Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD all at once.
The net result of Lenovo's efforts is an impressive set of AI-capable notebook PCs that meet the Copilot+ standard that Microsoft laid out earlier this year. All the systems include not only the latest CPUs and GPUs from each of the major PC chip companies (several of which were just unveiled this week), but also NPUs that offer performance levels of 40 TOPs or higher.
Lenovo accomplished this by leveraging the wide range of sub-brands across its PC lineup including ThinkPad, ThinkBook, Yoga, Yoga Pro, and IdeaPad while placing chips from different vendors into different lines.
Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition
Lenovo's approach means to bridge the AI PC chip divide currently facing the PC industry, however it also results in a somewhat overwhelming set of choices that, at first, might confuse buyers who want to explore multiple options.
Knowing that the consumer laptop featuring Intel's new Core Ultra Series 2 (aka "Lunar Lake") is the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, for example, while the consumer PCs with Qualcomm's newest Snapdragon X Plus 8 Core are part of the IdeaPad Slim 5x takes a bit of sleuthing to figure out. Plus, in several of its product lines, Lenovo is using multiple different chip vendors. While some buyers may not care which chip powers their system as long as it meets the Copilot+ spec, extra research will likely be needed during the buying process.
Regardless, what's interesting about this set of new notebooks from Lenovo is that it shows how quickly things are evolving in the PC market and how rapidly AI PC options are becoming available across all market segments. Many in the PC industry have been talking about the launch of the AI PC era in a more conceptual way, but with big announcements like the ones Lenovo just made, the concept is very quickly becoming reality.
ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition
Lenovo's latest high-end ThinkPad notebooks include the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition (featuring Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 and a 14" OLED display) and the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD (featuring AMD's Ryzen AI 9 365 chip and a 14" LCD panel). Lenovo also offers AMD- and Qualcomm-powered versions of its more affordable ThinkBook 16 Gen 7, each with a 16" LCD display.
The new Qualcomm-based version of the ThinkBook 16, which has an 8-core version of the Snapdragon X Plus chip and the same 45 TOP NPU from its larger siblings, is particularly intriguing as it offers the lowest entry price point ($749) of any Copilot+ PC system yet.
For consumers, the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition leverages Intel's new Core Ultra Series 2 SoC and a 15" LCD display, while the Yoga Pro 7 integrates AMD's Ryzen AI 9 365, which includes the highest-performing NPU on the market at 50 TOPs, paired with a 14.5" OLED display. Lenovo's latest Qualcomm-powered offerings include the IdeaPad 5x and the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 convertible, both of which feature 14" OLED displays and the Snapdragon X Plus 8 Core SoC.
Another interesting detail is that several of these machines also include AI-focused software and services that are designed to offer a unique Lenovo experience. While none of the major PC vendors have had a great track record with doing their own software, it's becoming clear that all of them are seeing opportunities for software-based differentiation in the AI PC era, so I expect to see quite a few efforts in this regard (particularly in conjunction with partners) moving forward.
Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 (14", 9)
Both the commercial and consumer Aura Edition PCs with Core Ultra Series 2 chips include unique capabilities that were co-designed by Intel and Lenovo. Smart Modes provide different settings that can be optimized for things like Privacy, Collaboration, Wellness and more. Smart Care is a white glove support service that lets owners of these devices get access to trained support personnel quickly (though I'd argue in an AI PC, an AI-powered digital assistant might be more appropriate.)
The most intriguing is Smart Share, which leverages Intel's Unison screen sharing software for easily moving photos and files back and forth between your PC and smartphone (either Android or iOS). While there are several tools for doing this, Smart Share leverages a smart touch-based sensor that immediately launches the app when you tap the side of your notebook with your phone.
The effect is a bit like tossing your phone's screen onto your laptop display, and it will be very intuitive for many users. For consumer PCs that include discrete GPUs, Lenovo also worked with Stability AI to create an app called Lenovo Creator Mode, which makes the process of converting text to images directly on the PC easy and fast.
Alongside AI PCs, Lenovo's Innovation World 2024 event also introduced lower-cost, non-Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD's Ryzen 7000 SoCs (the IdeaPad 5) and a new prototype with a motorized display called AutoTwist. As its name suggests, the AutoTwist AI PC features a screen that can rotate and be controlled by voice (through an AI-powered LLM). Unlike previous designs, the new Lenovo model can move autonomously, tracking the user's position during activities like video calls.
All told, Lenovo's event presented a broad range of new PC options, reflecting a snapshot of where the PC industry stands at the dawn of the AI PC era. While there are numerous options across various market segments and price points, the abundance of choices might overwhelm some buyers. However, Lenovo is bringing to life the possibilities created by Microsoft and the three major chipmakers (AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm).
Soon, other PC makers will likely offer similarly diverse product lines. The real test will be how well these choices perform in the marketplace. While it's too early to predict, it's bound to be an interesting development to watch.
Bob O'Donnell is the president and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Research, LLC, a market research firm that provides strategic consulting and market research services to the technology industry and professional financial community. You can follow Bob on Twitter @bobodtech
In brief: It's been a decade since the 3D hype fizzled out, but Chinese consumer electronics company Nubia is seemingly trying to usher in a comeback this time without glasses. The new RedMagic Tablet 3D Explorer Edition has just launched, boasting a "naked-eye 3D" display that lets you view 3D content without any special eyewear.
It achieves this using a combination of dual 3D cameras on the front that track where you're looking and something Nubia calls the "micron-level liquid crystal lens" that's built into the display.
Basically, the tablet uses its integrated eye-tracking to project separate 3D images into each of your eyes, just like Samsung's Odyssey 3D monitor. It's able to do this thanks to the special display which can produce a binocular parallax effect to create real depth perception.
Perhaps the coolest part is that this tablet doesn't require that photos support 3D right out the gate. It can even convert standard 2D images into 3D on the fly thanks to its Magic Vision engine.
Beyond the 3D tricks, the RedMagic 3D Explorer Edition packs plenty of premium specs under the hood. It's rocking a buttery smooth 12.1-inch 2560x1600 display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. A bit aged but still fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip powers the experience, paired with up to 16GB RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage.
Besides the two 3D cameras at the front, the tablet also features a similar duo at the back. The rear cameras can capture 3D photos/videos in real-time HDR, and even output in the SBS 3D format. Other goodies include a big 10,000mAh battery with 66W charging, quad speakers, 5G, a full USB-C port, and dual X-axis linear motors for crisp haptics.
The only bad news is that all this tech doesn't come cheap, starting at around $915 (6,499) for the base model or around $1,030 (7,299) for the higher storage config. Nubia hasn't announced global availability either, though there's still hope considering some of their gaming phones do make it to the US, like the RedMagic 9S Pro.
Of course, the elephant in the room is content. While major franchises like Marvel and Star Wars continue to dabble in 3D movies, the format was never really more than a fad. But Nubia assures buyers that they "don't have to worry about the lack of 3D sources and content."
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Modular: After claiming the Nokia phone business from Microsoft in 2016, HMD Global relaunched the iconic European brand with a focus on affordable and durable smartphones. The company is now expanding its offerings by introducing devices under its own brand alongside Nokia phones, promising to bring new customization options to the market.
Human Mobile Devices began selling new smartphone models under the HMD brand earlier this year, focusing on repairability and the use of environmentally friendly materials. The Finnish company is now introducing the HMD Fusion, a smartphone that can change its hardware and software capabilities by simply adding new accessories known as "outfits."
Modular phones aren't a new concept. Motorola attempted something similar with the Moto Z line years ago, as have others. However, HMD Fusion is taking this idea further with significant customization options. The base phone features a slim plastic casing reinforced with stainless steel, while different outfits can be attached via six specialized, easy-to-remove pins.
HMD Global promises to release new outfits throughout 2024. For now, the company has revealed a few upcoming customization options, such as the Flashy Outfit, which includes a built-in ring light for both front and rear cameras, and a Rugged Outfit that adds IP68 protection against dust and water.
The Wireless Outfit adds support for wireless charging, a feature typically reserved for higher-priced phones. Additionally, the Gaming Outfit provides extra control options for mobile gamers, including physical buttons and pads. The first "smart" outfits will be available later this year, and more customization options are expected in the future.
The base HMD Fusion smartphone, powered by Android 14, will soon be available for "just" 199/249, though no specific details have been provided regarding a possible US launch. Customization is clearly a major focus for this new phone, as HMD is also offering an open-source developer kit to encourage the creation of additional hardware accessories.
Interchangeable outfits aside, the HMD Fusion phone is an affordable device with modest specifications. The base hardware, which will likely remain the same even with customized outfits attached, includes a Qualcomm SM4450 SoC (Snapdragon 4 Gen 2), 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a "virtual RAM" option ranging from 4GB to 12GB.
Connectivity features include 5G NR, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, Wi-Fi, and NFC, among others. A 5000mAh battery is expected to provide up to 65 hours of continuous use under "normal device settings," while the 6.56-inch screen offers a modest HD+ resolution (720 x 1,612) with a 90Hz refresh rate. In an effort to reduce e-waste, HMD Global has decided not to include a wall charger, instead offering it as a paid accessory.
In brief: Verizon has agreed to purchase Frontier Communications, the largest pure-play ISP in the US, as part of a deal valued at $20 billion. The telecom giant said the strategic acquisition will enable faster deployment of top-tier mobility and broadband services to new and existing customers.
Frontier currently serves 2.2 million fiber Internet subscribers across 25 states. Once the deal is finalized, they will join Verizon's 7.4 million Fios subscribers in nine states and Washington, DC, giving the ISP a presence in 31 states that passes over 25 million premises.
The nation's largest wireless provider, with 156 million subscribers, is paying $38.50 per share for Frontier. That is a 43.7 percent premium over Frontier's trailing 90-day average share price. Verizon will also take over Frontier's debt holdings, according to Ars Technica. The deal is subject to approval by Frontier shareholders, and is expected to close in roughly 18 months pending customary regulatory approval.
In the interim, both service providers plan to further build out their fiber networks. Frontier said it is committed to building an additional 2.8 million fiber locations by the end of 2026.
Not everyone is convinced the acquisition is that big of a deal. Craig Moffett with MoffettNathanson Research told AP News that the "real issue" is that even with Frontier's network, Verizon's fiber footprint will cover less than 13 percent of the nation. Even with a path to covering 17 percent of the country, Moffett notes, it is not nearly enough for a national wireless provider.
Even if it does not substantially grow Verizon's fiber footprint, the deal has its upsides. Verizon said it expects at least $500 million in run-rate cost synergies by year three thanks to increased scale, distribution, and network integration.
This is not the first time Verizon and Frontier have crossed paths. In 2016, Frontier purchased Verizon's Internet, TV, and landline phone business in California, Florida, and Texas for $10.5 billion. The acquisition doubled Frontier's size at the time.
Image credit: Ildefonso Polo
The global debates on the Global Digital Compact (GDC) are now at a new stage. The third draft of GDC did not survive a silence procedure, and the Member States are now renegotiating a revised text. The two facilitators of GDC held another round of consultations on August 22 with all interested stakeholders. The impression is that all participants expressed support for the ongoing work and agreed that the United Nations should play a key role in global digital governance.
But how much of a role should the United Nations play? Should existing mechanisms be used and updated, or should new mechanisms be added? Will it follow the New York approach (where the UN Headquarter is based, representing multilateralism) or the Geneva approach (the venue of the first phase of the WSIS with active and wide participation of non-state actors, being interpreted by many as representing multistakeholder)? These debates on GDC reveal three features of global digital governance.
The first is the disputes between Member States. The differences between Member States on the most contentious issues, such as cross-border data flows, AI governance, and online content governance, are evident. Geopolitics, digital competitions, and cultural backgrounds all contribute to these disputes. This is particularly true between the digital powers who often prefer a light-handed approach to digital governance, and the less powerful nations who call for States to regulate super online platforms. Countries vary a lot in terms of the level of digital development and national conditions. It is necessary that the Internet and digital technologies be used to narrow the global digital divide rather than be used by a few digital powers to damage other countries' critical infrastructure and conduct mass surveillance.
In terms of content, what is legal in one Member State is sometimes regarded as harmful or illegal in another jurisdiction. Digitally less developed countries would like to see the appropriate framework of laws and regulations to align and oblige platforms with more duties in content moderation. There is room for GDC to lay out more principles about content governance in content genres like hate speech, war propaganda, and gender discrimination, as well as helping content platforms to shrine them in their terms of service and content moderation through establishing relevant laws and regulations and encouraging Internet industry organizations to improve industry self-discipline systems and standards.
Digital powers also compete to keep their advantages, sometimes by taking measures to obstruct or slow down other countries' technological development intentionally. This is also evident in AI governance, where there are limitations on the flow of capital and access to Large Language Models based on the country's IP addresses. There is room for GDC to set up principles suggesting what can be done by Member States or companies in digital competition, what should not be done, and what should fall into the category of Digital Commons and reduce ideology confrontation so that all countries can gain from emerging technologies. GDC can help to strengthen the value that all countries fully enjoy the right to technological development and peaceful use and share the benefits of artificial intelligence technology. We should affirm the responsibility of states to create an enabling policy and regulatory environment that protects the rights of individuals and local communities, ensuring corporate accountability and diverse and open markets.
The second is the disputes between States and non-state actors. GDC needs to bridge the disputes between State and non-state actors about how the digital space should be governed. Non-state actors are calling for the strengthening of the multistakeholder processes in digital policymaking. A multistakeholder model has been well-established in the field of Internet governance or the management of key Internet resources. This is where Internet governance is different from the regulation of telecommunications or the trade of books, whose rules are dependent on intergovernmental processes and negotiations. The lack of trust between States and non-state actors also arises from the 2013 Snowden Leaks event, where States were found untrustworthy in terms of overcollection of data beyond the need for national security.
Thirdly, these differences and disputes are being further complicated by the evolving and ever-changing nature of emerging technologies, and hence, awareness about this nature of technology is important. This is particularly the case with AI technologies, which are increasingly being used in both military and non-military areas. Understanding the nature of these technologies can constitute a challenge for the rule-makers. This is clearly a factor that makes some wording in GDC cautious due to worries about slowing down innovation. However, what is clear is that the military applications of AI, such as killer robots, constitute much more risks than its economic application. There is no need for GDC to intentionally keep its distance from the military domain by saying that it is meant for only the non-military domain in Paragraph 4.
On September 4, Estonia's newly appointed Ambassador to Georgia, Marge Mardisalu-Kahar, officially presented her credentials to Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili.During the ceremony, the two leaders discussed several key topics, including bilateral relations, Georgia's progress towards European Union integration, and the pre-election environment in Georgia. They also emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict."Estonia will firmly support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration, and we believe Georgia will continue on that road," Ambassador Mardisalu-Kahar stated. She also reaffirmed Estonia's unwavering support for Georgia's territorial integrity and praised President Zourabichvili for her clear stance in support of Ukraine and democratic values in Georgia.Georgia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilia Darchiashvili, held a meeting with Datuk Nur Jazlan Bin Tan Sri Mohamed, Vice President of the Upper House (Senate) of the Malaysian Parliament, along with an accompanying delegation, to discuss bilateral relations and explore future areas of cooperation.According to information released by the ministry, the discussions focused on deepening ties in key sectors such as economy, trade, tourism, education, and people-to-people exchanges. Darchiashvili highlighted Georgia's economic potential, investment opportunities, and its strategic position in transport and logistics.The Malaysian delegation expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Georgia across various fields. The two sides also discussed the potential for further liberalization of visa regulations for Georgian citizens traveling to Malaysia, as well as the importance of maintaining a strong political dialogue between the countries.Darchiashvili thanked Malaysia for its continued support of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 6. Kyrgyzstan has received new Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft from Canada, Trend reports.
The new plane was acquired for the state-owned carrier Asman Airlines, a subsidiary of the Manas International Airport.
The turboprop plane will service all domestic routes, with ticket prices ranging from 2,100 to 3,300 som (approximately $25-$39). The inaugural flight on the Bishkek-Osh route is scheduled for September 27.
Manasbek Samidinov, head of the International Airport Manas, informed local journalists that the airline expects to receive a second aircraft in early October 2024, a third in May, and a fourth by the end of 2025.
The Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 is the bee's knees of regional aircraft, designed to carry up to 80 passengers over distances of up to 2,000 kilometers.
15 killed as storms lash eastern Chad
N'Djamena, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024
At least fifteen people -- 14 students and their teacher -- were killed overnight from Wednesday to Thursday as torrential rains hit a semi-arid province in eastern Chad, officials said.
The governor of Ouaddai province told AFP that the storms caused a home being used as a classroom to collapse, "causing the death of 15 people, including 14 children and their teacher".
The prime minister's office meanwhile said that "lightning tragically struck a school, resulting in the death of 15 people and several injured".
Heavy rainfall had already inundated the northwestern province of Tibesti last month, when flooding killed at least 54 people in an area where rainfall normally struggles to reach 200 mm (nearly eight inches) a year.
The United Nations on Tuesday warned of the impact of "torrential rain and severe flooding" in central Africa, noting that "Chad is the country hit hardest, with 246,833 people impacted by floodwaters in just a few weeks".
In neighbouring Niger, rains that have pounded the country since June have killed 273 and affected more than 700,000, authorities said on Wednesday.
Scientists have long warned that climate change driven by fossil fuel emissions is making extreme weather events such as floods more frequent, intense and longer-lasting.
US bat decline triggered pesticide surge, 1,300 baby deaths: study
Washington, Sept 5 (AFP) Sep 05, 2024
A collapse in North America's bat population led to a surge in pesticide use by farmers as an alternative way to protect crops from insects -- in turn triggering a rise in infant mortalities, a study revealed Thursday.
The paper, published in Science, provides concrete evidence supporting predictions that global biodiversity decline will have severe consequences for humans.
"Ecologists have been warning us that we're losing species left and right... and that will potentially have catastrophic impacts on humanity," author Eyal Frank, of the University of Chicago, told AFP.
"However, there was not a whole lot of empirical validation to those predictions because it is very hard to go and manipulate an ecosystem at a very large spatial scale," added the environmental economist.
- Bats are pest control -
For his work, Frank took advantage of a "natural experiment" -- the sudden emergence of a deadly bat disease -- to quantify the benefits that bug-eating bats provide in pest control.
White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by an invasive fungus, began spreading across the United States from New York in 2006 -- killing bats by waking them during hibernation in winter, when they lack insects to feed on, and trying to stay warm saps their energy.
The loss of millions of bats shocked the ecosystem.
To investigate, Frank tracked the spread of WNS in the eastern US and compared insecticide use in affected counties versus unaffected ones.
He found a massive 31 percent increase in pesticide use where bat populations had declined.
Given the link between pesticides and poor health outcomes, Frank examined whether increased pesticide use correlated with higher infant mortality rates.
With more pesticides, the infant mortality rate rose by nearly eight percent, translating to 1,334 additional infant deaths since the bat disease took hold -- with contaminated water and air likely serving as pathways for the chemicals to enter humans.
Frank emphasized that the staggered spread of the wildlife disease supports his inference that the bat die-off directly caused the spike in infant mortality, rather than it merely being a coincidence that could be explained by other rural hardships such as drug abuse or poverty.
Any other explanation would have to align with the same expansion path and timing of WNS.
- Cascading impacts -
"We need better data on the presence of pesticides in the environment," Frank said, adding that his findings also underscore the need to protect bats.
Vaccines are being developed against WNS, but bats are also threatened by habitat loss, climate change and wind farms.
The new work adds to the body of evidence showing the cascading impacts of wildlife loss on ecosystems.
A recent study found that reintroducing wolves in Wisconsin reduced vehicle collisions with deer as wolves establish their patrols along highways.
In Central America, declines in amphibians and snakes have led to spikes in human malaria cases.
"Stemming the biodiversity crisis is crucial to maintaining the many benefits that ecosystems provide for which technological substitutes cannot readily, or perhaps, ever replace," scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara and University of British Columbia wrote in a commentary.
"Studies like that of Frank are important for understanding the benefits of allocating scarce resources for biodiversity conservation."
Mozambique okays Africa's largest mangrove restoration project
Johannesburg, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 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 383,000 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.
Super Typhoon Yagi slams into southern China
Hong Kong, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
Super Typhoon Yagi slammed into southern China's Hainan island on Friday, bringing windspeeds of over 230 kilometres (143 miles) an hour in what is set to be the strongest storm to hit the region in over a decade.
Hainan province evacuated over 400,000 people ahead of the storm's expected landfall, while tens of thousands prepared to seek shelter in neighbouring Vietnam.
Yagi killed at least 13 people in the Philippines earlier this week when it was still classified as a tropical storm, triggering floods and landslides on the country's main island of Luzon before strengthening into a super typhoon over the past few days.
The storm made landfall in China on Friday along the coast of Hainan -- a popular holiday destination -- and neighbouring Guangdong province, at 4:20 pm local time (0820 GMT), the state-run Xinhua news agency said, citing authorities.
The typhoon "is equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane", according to NASA Earth Data.
In Hong Kong, a typhoon warning that had been in effect was lowered shortly after noon following heavy rains overnight as Yagi passed within 400 kilometres of the city.
Trading at Hong Kong's stock exchange was suspended on Friday, and day schools were closed.
Authorities said five people were injured in the city due to the weather, but damage was limited.
Southern China is frequently hit during the summer and autumn by typhoons that form in the warm oceans east of the Philippines and then travel west.
But climate change has made tropical storms more unpredictable while increasing their intensity -- leading to heavy rains and violent gusts that cause flash floods and coastal damage, experts say.
After moving through southern China, Yagi will head towards Vietnam, on course to hit the northern and north-central regions around the famed UNESCO heritage site Halong Bay on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of people will be evacuated to safer areas in Hai Phong and Thai Binh provinces on Friday, local authorities said.
"This will be the strongest typhoon (to hit northern Vietnam) in 20 years," said Pham Duc Luan, head of the dyke management authority on Thursday.
More than 457,000 military personnel have been mobilised by the relief and rescue department of the defence ministry.
Officials have also directed 50,000 fishing vessels carrying 220,000 people to take shelter.
burs-hol-oho/ssy
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 6. Kyrgyzstan is focused on enhancing trade and economic relations with Afghanistan across various sectors, said the Chairman of the Cabinet of the Ministers Akylbek Japarov during a meeting with Noorullah Amin, Acting Charge d'Affaires of Afghanistan to Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports.
Kyrgyzstan is interested in developing trade and economic ties with Afghanistan, including improving transportation links, jointly exploring Afghan mineral resources, and collaborating in energy, industry, and agriculture. We are also committed to advancing promising projects, Japarov said.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently announced that Kyrgyzstan has removed the Taliban from its list of banned organizations. No official statement has been issued by the Kyrgyz side regarding this matter.
According to the National Statistical Agency of Kyrgyzstan, trade between the two countries amounted to $8.775 million in the first six months of this year, a 33.6 percent decrease compared to $13.212 million from January through June 2023. Kyrgyz exports to Afghanistan were $5.836 million, while imports totaled $2.938 million.
US climate envoy says planning summit with China on methane, polluting gases
Beijing, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
United States climate envoy John Podesta said Friday that plans were moving forward for a summit with China on reducing emissions of methane and other highly polluting non-CO2 gases.
Talks with Chinese counterpart Liu Zhenmin and foreign minister Wang Yi in Beijing were "excellent", Podesta said.
While acknowledging "some differences", Podesta said the two sides had "made plans to hold a summit on non-CO2 gas -- methane, N2O, chlorofluorocarbons".
"They get less attention but they're fully half of what's causing global warming," he said.
China is the world's top emitter of climate change-inducing greenhouse gases, including methane, followed by the United States.
Climate talks often revolve around reducing the most dangerous greenhouse gas, CO2. But methane -- which is particularly potent but relatively short-lived -- is a key target for countries wanting to slash emissions quickly and slow climate change.
That is because large amounts of methane simply leak into the atmosphere from oil and gas projects.
Methane emissions from the fossil fuel industry have risen for three consecutive years, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), hitting near-record highs in 2023.
The United States has previously expressed intentions to hold a summit with China on these types of gases at the upcoming United Nations COP29 climate summit hosted by Azerbaijan in November.
Body found in search for British hiker missing in Spain
Madrid, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
Spanish police said Friday they found a body where a British hiker went missing after flash floods with his partner who was found dead.
Emergency services had been looking for the British couple since Tuesday in a mountainous part of Mallorca island which became flooded due to torrential rain.
Police recovered the body of one of the missing, a 26-year-old woman, on Wednesday but had continued the search for her partner.
The Guardia Civil police force, which is in charge of the search operation, said Friday they had "found the lifeless body of a young man, who, in the absence of legal identification, corresponds to the young man who disappeared last Tuesday."
The search had been complicated by rough weather on the island, which had been lashed by heavy rains and wind gusts of over 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour.
Ten other tourists trapped by the floods were rescued, police said.
The Mediterranean island, known for its picturesque beaches and sunny weather, is one of Europe's most visited destinations. It is especially popular with German and British tourists.
CORRECTED: US climate envoy says planning summit with China on methane, polluting gases
Beijing, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
US climate envoy John Podesta said Friday that plans were moving forward for a summit with China on reducing emissions of methane and other highly polluting non-CO2 gases.
Talks with Chinese counterpart Liu Zhenmin and foreign minister Wang Yi in Beijing were "excellent", Podesta said.
While acknowledging "some differences", Podesta said the two sides had "made plans to hold a summit on non-CO2 gas -- methane, N2O, hydrofluorocarbons".
"They get less attention but they're fully half of what's causing global warming," he said.
China is the world's top emitter of climate change-inducing greenhouse gases, including methane, followed by the United States.
Climate talks often revolve around reducing the most dangerous greenhouse gas, CO2. But methane -- which is particularly potent but relatively short-lived -- is a key target for countries wanting to slash emissions quickly and slow climate change.
That is because large amounts of methane simply leak into the atmosphere from oil and gas projects.
Methane emissions from the fossil fuel industry have risen for three consecutive years, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), hitting near-record highs in 2023.
The United States has previously expressed intentions to hold a summit with China on these types of gases at the upcoming United Nations COP29 climate summit hosted by Azerbaijan in November.
Super Typhoon Yagi slams into southern China, moves towards Vietnam
Hong Kong, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
Super Typhoon Yagi slammed into southern China's Hainan island on Friday, bringing windspeeds of over 230 kilometres (143 miles) an hour in what is set to be the strongest storm to hit the region in more than a decade.
Hainan province evacuated more than 400,000 people ahead of the storm's expected landfall, while tens of thousands prepared to seek shelter in neighbouring Vietnam.
Yagi killed at least 13 people in the Philippines this week when it was still classified as a tropical storm, triggering floods and landslides on the main island of Luzon before strengthening into a super typhoon over the past few days.
The storm made landfall in China on Friday along the coast of Hainan, a popular holiday destination, and neighbouring Guangdong province at 4:20 pm local time (0820 GMT), the state-run Xinhua news agency said, citing authorities.
The typhoon "is equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane", according to NASA Earth Data.
In Hong Kong, a typhoon warning that had been in effect was lowered shortly after noon following heavy rains overnight as Yagi passed within 400 kilometres (250 miles) of the city.
Trading at Hong Kong's stock exchange was suspended on Friday and day schools were closed.
Authorities said five people were injured in the city due to the weather but damage was limited.
Southern China is frequently hit during summer and autumn by typhoons that form in the warm oceans east of the Philippines and then travel west.
However, climate change has made tropical storms more unpredictable and increased their intensity, leading to heavy rains and violent gusts that cause flash floods and coastal damage, experts say.
- 'I hope we will survive' -
Yagi will head towards Vietnam after moving through southern China, on course to hit the northern and north-central regions around the famed UNESCO heritage site Halong Bay on Saturday.
According to Vietnam's defence ministry, more than 457,000 personnel from the army, police and other forces have been put on standby.
Authorities have announced plans to close four northern airports, including Hanoi's main international hub Noi Bai, for several hours on Saturday, while all coastal cities and provinces have put sailing bans in place from Friday.
Residents in the northern port of Hai Phong and the capital Hanoi have been stocking up on food and other necessities.
Tourist boats in Ha Long Bay have been brought ashore or taken into shelters.
Pham Quang Quyen, a resident of Quang Ninh province, told AFP from Tuan Chau island he had never experienced such a typhoon warning in nearly two decades.
"I hope we will survive the typhoon as we have been very well prepared. We are all very much used to dealing with storms and heavy rains here," Quyen said.
Authorities have sent messages to millions of users of Zalo, Vietnam's most popular online app, urging vigilance and readiness for the typhoon.
Public loudspeakers in Ha Long city have been encouraging residents to prepare for possible flooding.
burs-oho/pbt
Missing British hiker's body found in Spain
Madrid, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
Spanish police said Friday they found the body of a 32-year-old British hiker who went missing with his partner after flash floods.
The British couple were hiking in the Torrent de Pareis canyon area on the holiday island of Mallorca on Tuesday when heavy rain caused a nearby river to overflow.
Police recovered the body of one of the missing, a 26-year-old woman, on Wednesday.
"Police found the lifeless body of the young British man who disappeared last Tuesday while hiking in the Torrent de Pareis with a group of friends and his partner," said the Guardia Civil police force.
A police helicopter spotted the body "half-submerged in an area where branches and rocks had accumulated" on Friday and officers on the ground were dispatched to recover it, the police added.
The search was complicated by rough weather on the island, which was been lashed by heavy rains and wind gusts of over 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour.
Ten other tourists trapped by the floods on Tuesday were rescued, police said.
The Mediterranean island, especially popular with German and British tourists, is one of Europe's most visited destinations.
Greece logs hottest summer on record: researchers
Athens, Sept 6 (AFP) Sep 06, 2024
Greece's national observatory on Friday said the nation experienced its hottest summer on record in 2024, surpassing the previous milestone by one degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit).
June and July were the warmest months since records began in 1960, while August was the second hottest behind August 2021, the observatory said on its meteo.gr website.
The data followed a season of heatwaves around the world that scientists said were intensified by human-driven climate change.
The observatory said it made a preliminary conclusion drawing on data from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
It noted that on average, summer temperatures in Greece have risen by 2.3 Celsius between 1960 and 2024.
The agency in March noted that the 2023 winter was Greece's warmest on record.
Combined with prolonged drought, Greece this summer was again hit by scores of wildfires, one of which burned through to the Athens suburbs in August, killing a woman trapped in a factory.
Observatory chairman Manolis Plionis this week said that the number of Greek wildfires this year -- over 4,000 since May according to officials -- was higher than the 20-year average.
Fire weather conditions were also the worst in over 40 years, he wrote in To Vima weekly.
The 2024 northern summer saw the highest global temperatures ever recorded, beating last year's record, the EU's climate monitor said on Friday.
"During the past three months of 2024, the globe has experienced the hottest June and August, the hottest day on record, and the hottest boreal summer on record," Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Copernicus, said in a report.
"This string of record temperatures is increasing the likelihood of 2024 being the hottest year on record."
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, September 6. Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially removed the Taliban from its list of banned organizations, Trend reports.
"The Kyrgyz Republics Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces that, following a thorough review and comprehensive assessment by relevant state agencies, the decision has been made to remove the Taliban Movement from the list of prohibited organizations within the Kyrgyz Republic," the ministry confirmed.
The decision aims to enhance regional stability and support ongoing dialogue.
"The Kyrgyz Republic remains committed to supporting international efforts to ensure a stable and peaceful environment in Afghanistan and the broader region," the statement further emphasizes.
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.
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Review Eating outMount Hawthorn High on garlic, green goddess and gelato at Perth pizza paradise From ramen bars in Mexico to taquerias in Hawaii and now pizzas in Perth, this chefs diverse CV is to our benefit. Max Veenhuyzen September 6, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share
1 / 6 Casas Gianluca Aufieri. Jessica Shaver Bennett 2 / 6 Paul Bentley, Gianluca Aufieri and Cristian Paladini. Jessica Shaver Bennett 3 / 6 Good speck and a bright, piquant pineapple and habanero salsa. Jessica Shaver Bennett 4 / 6 Ice Magic with your gelato, anyone? Jessica Shaver Bennett 5 / 6 A sparse room set with tables, bentwood chairs and bench seating that speaks to designer and Casa partner Cale Masons less-is-more spirit. Jessica Shaver Bennett 6 / 6 French onion soup arancini ($12 for two) made with first-use arborio rice rather than leftover risotto. Jessica Shaver Bennett Previous Slide Next Slide 14.5 / 20 How we score Italian$$$$ Among the tattoos that crowd Paul Bentleys right arm is the word Magno. The Perth-born chef got it to mark the opening of Magno Brasserie, a French bistro in the Mexican state of Guadalajara as well as the first restaurant he launched as chef-owner. Hes since opened other restaurants and, yes, occasionally gotten inked to mark the occasion with concepts including ramen bars in Mexico, plus real-deal taquerias in Hawaii. The result is a diverse CV that Bentley, after returning home in 2020, has utilised to shape the menus at Si Paradiso, El Grotto, Lawson Flats inhouse restaurant Luis, and Casa.
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Yet as fun as it is discussing who has which tattoos on which arms, its what a cook does with their hands that really matters. At Casa Pizzeria Casas pizza offshoot that opened in April Bentley does very good, very interesting things with both of his. Youll find Casa Pizzeria next door to the mothership: a sparse room set with tables, bentwood chairs and bench seating that speaks to designer and Casa partner Cale Masons less-is-more spirit. Originally Casa Pizzeria traded on different days to the bar, but the pair have since synced schedules. This is excellent news, certainly for guests who cant get a walk-in table at Casa who now have a solid plan B to fall back on. There are other connections tying the two operations, too, including being able to buy wine from Casa at takeaway prices and drink it at the pizza shop with no corkage. (Or at least until Casa Pizzerias liquor license comes through, anyway.) Leftover Casa focaccia becomes terrific garlic bread ($12) doused in a verdant green butter high on garlic, chopped herbs and spring onion. Jessica Shaver Bennett Turning leftover Casa focaccia into terrific garlic bread ($12) doused in a verdant
green butter high on garlic, chopped herbs and spring onion also speaks to the
healthy working relationship between the two Casas. The bread is also one of the
pizza-adjacent snacks that the kitchen steadily rotates through. Others include
French onion soup arancini ($12 for two) made with first-use arborio rice rather than leftover risotto, plus considered salads a la gem lettuce leaves anointed with green Goddess dressing ($16) that go some ways to easing feelings of guilt.
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Or at least enough to make you feel okay about ordering the truly excellent, truly luscious house gelato ($10). While flavours such as pistachio, hazelnut and espresso stay true to Italo ideals, the option to add a squeeze of unashamedly out of the bottle Ice Magic ($3) to your gelato is typical of Bentleys wry thinking. This high-low approach carries through to the pizzas, too: magnificent discs of dough that, as per contemporary pizza thinking, celebrate both cucina Australiana and the Old Country. So the dozen-or-so core pizzas include a Hawaiian ($28) albeit one made with good speck and a bright, piquant pineapple and habanero salsa. Among the white-based bianca options is a prawn pizza ($30) turbocharged with the same garlic butter used to rejuvenate the focaccia. Pizza purists, generally speaking, dislike seafood on pizzas. Yet despite this disruptive streak, Bentley is also that rare pizzaiolo serving a legit no-cheese, no seafood marinara ($23), even if its finished with an oil flavoured with toasted kombu. I wont torment anyone with hours or temperatures, but Casa Pizzerias long-
fermented dough is a fine medium for Bentley and pizza chefs Gianluca Aufieri and Cristian Paladini to work with. After opening with a strict no-changes policy, the kitchen has softened its stance and now includes suggested extras for each pizza.
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Sturdy, versatile pizza that eats nicely out of the oven but can also survive a short car ride. Jessica Shaver Bennett Add-ons such as lightening your pepperoni pie with fresh Italian buffalo mozzarella ($6) or slipping some Guindilla chillies ($3) on to your asparagus pizza. Whether you order your pizza standard-issue or bolt on some power-ups, youll eat the same nutty, pliable dough that folds up like a paper plane. A gently blistered crust rings the pizza like a bicycle tyre inner tube. Toppings are deployed with measured generosity. The result is a sturdy, versatile pizza that eats nicely out of the oven but can also survive a short car ride: essential when making pizza designed for both dine-in and takeaway guests. Based on my grossly unscientific testing, the 20-minute drive home barely diminished the eating qualities of my pizza, nor did a sleepover in the fridge. Who doesnt love fridge-cold pizza for brekky?
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Opening restaurants is hard. Opening a second restaurant next to an established
prospect is harder still and invites all sorts of extra comparisons. Open something that sucks and guests will wish they were at the original. Open something thats too similar and youll cannibalise your initial proposition. But open something as fun as Casa Pizzeria and youll have a likeable sequel that complements rather than compromises the OG. (It doesnt hurt, I think, that management has expanded into takeaway and delivery, albeit takeaway and delivery on Casas terms.) The Mount Hawthorn house party continues in fine fashion. The low-down Vibe: a polished pizza joint that can enrich your life in many ways Go-to dish: garlic bread and gelato (plus whatever pizza you like) Drinks: BYO wine with a strong incentive to buy vino from next door plus considered non-alc options Cost: about $90 for two, excluding drinks
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Exclusive Eating outBondi Why this too big Bondi restaurant is slashing seats to survive China Diner is closing its Hall Street doors to make way for a beachside branch of restaurateur Ibby Moubadders Henrietta chicken shop, with plans for the popular Asian-inspired eatery to reopen in a new, smaller site. Scott Bolles September 6, 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
Bondis 10-year-old China Diner restaurant will serve its last crispy pork bao on Saturday, September 7. But China Diner co-owner Kingsley Smith insists the restaurants departure from Hall Street isnt part of a broader crisis hitting Sydneys Chinese restaurants. In August, the president of the Chinese Precinct Chamber of Commerce, Wayne Tseng, told the Herald 49 Chinese food venues in Sydney had either closed or changed operations in the past 18 months. Kingsley Smith at China Diner in Bondi. Peter Braig Sydney has lost Chatswoods King Dynasty, Chao Kong Chinese Restaurant in Eastwood and Chans Canton Village, which opened in 1980 at Casula. China Diner also closed its Double Bay restaurant earlier this year. But Smith says confidence in Sydneys ongoing appetite for Chinese food including last weeks launch of Neil Perrys Song Bird remains strong, and hes set to double-down and reopen at a new undisclosed site in Bondi.
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Closer to the beach, Smith says the site he is negotiating on will be 80 seats, rather than the current 200. That was the problem, the venue was too big [for China Diner] and the rent too high. Smith says the plan is to carve China Diners Hall Street former home into two tenancies, with a gym at the back and a new food venue at the front. Henrietta is expanding to Bondi. Jennifer Soo Restaurateur Ibby Moubadder confirmed hes taken the front section of the soon-to-be reconfigured site, where hell open a branch of his Surry Hills charcoal chicken restaurant, Henrietta, next year. With Belles Hot Chicken next door, itll be Bondis new poultry precinct. Moubadder is one of Sydneys leading restaurateurs, with a stable of eateries stretching from Lilymu at Parramatta to Surry Hills Ito restaurant and the two-hat Aalia restaurant in the CBD. With upcoming new food projects in Darlinghurst and the city, Moubadder has also lured Ibrahim Kasif (ex Stanbuli) to his hatted Middle Eastern restaurant, Nour.
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The police said they were still assessing charges against an ex-CFMEU official for allegedly taking kickbacks and had on Thursday charged another senior union organiser with making threats to kill an Indigenous sub-contractor. The statement was silent on what state police were doing to counter the deep infiltration by organised crime of the construction sector. The CFMEUs former leadership, backed by several other large unions and the Greens, have attacked Irvings appointment, holding a series of protests and launching a High Court challenge to the administration. CFMEU member Robbie Cecala hopes the administrator can bring about real change. Credit: Eddie Jim Veteran CFMEU member and activist Robbie Cecala who has previously served as a shop steward and on the unions governing body in Victoria broke ranks to back Irvings administration, telling this masthead that many honest union delegates and members were sick of a culture of self-interest and nepotism that had infected the CFMEU. Cecala said union officials had privately complained about bikies and dodgy labour hire companies getting promoted by some CFMEU senior figures at the expense of regular union members.
Loading He described good CFMEU organisers getting pressured by union bosses not to challenge safety issues caused by certain companies aligned with select union bosses. Theyve made deals or sometimes because they [building firms] put their [union bosses] friends on or someone in their family on, say, you do me a favour, Ill do you a favour, he said. Cecala said disgraced union boss John Setka and some of his union allies had started believing their own bullshit and become too powerful in their own minds. But Cecala said his support of the administration was conditional on it preserving workers conditions and pursuing corrupt companies with the same zeal as it investigated dishonest union officials.
The administrator hasnt shown anything other than get rid of a few heads. How are they going to clean it up? Whats the process? If people are feeling intimidated, who do you go to? Cecala said. [But] if the things start changing and the administrator starts improving things, I think the Pandoras box will be open. Then people will start talking. During his exclusive interview, Irving not only repeatedly stressed his union credentials he is a long-term member of the Australian Services Union and a former delegate but highlighted his reform and investigative powers would extend to building companies as well. There is an unpardonable sin within the union movement. If you have accepted bribes, then your your service of this union [is] going to be over. Mark Irving, QC Irving revealed he had created an integrity and whistleblower unit led by former senior detectives and anti-corruption agency officials, and that they were already hunting corruption within and outside union ranks.
Loading The notion that its the CFMEU alone that is the problem, or its leadership alone thats the problem, is mistaken, he said. In relation to the employer and the employer groups who have engaged with this sort of conduct, that needs to be stamped out as well. Irving said any building firm that sought to use the current industry instability to erode wages and conditions would be given short shrift. This is not going to be a process in which the hard-fought-for conditions which members have battled for over the course of decades are going to be stripped away.
He also savaged former union bosses who are accused of privileging self-interest over their members. Two high-ranking ex-NSW CFMEU officials are facing serious bribery charges, while Derek Christopher, the now former Victorian union boss who was set to replace ex-secretary John Setka, stands accused of taking kickbacks from major building companies that employ union members. Christopher and the two NSW bosses deny all wrongdoing. While Irving did not comment on the active alleged corruption matters involving these three recently sacked CFMEU leaders and there is no suggestion by this masthead they are guilty of any a crime, which is a finding that can only be made by a court he said any union official who had taken kickbacks would be relentlessly pursued, along with the company figures who paid bribes. Irving said he would be making sure that both are held to account and that there are structural changes put in place to ensure such conduct doesnt occur as regularly again. There is an unpardonable sin within the union movement and within the CFMEU. If you have accepted bribes, then your employment and your service of this union are going to be over.
Irving said his administration of the CFMEU would only be successful when he had returned the union to the democratic control of the vast majority of honest CFMEU members and officials. Loading In this industry, for a long period of time, those who spoke up went onto a blacklist I want to move that onto a to-do list, he said. He said success would also entail ensuring those who have previously served in [union] leadership are held to account for engaging in, or turning a blind eye to, corruption and hardening the industry against organised crime and the role of biker groups. Its going to be a hard process. Its going to be a long process, he said. The success in this task isnt going to be assessed at the end of any period of administration, its going to be assessed in 10 or 15 years time.
The discovery of bone-crushing fossilised jaws has led Sydney palaeontologists to uncover three new ancestors of the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, amid a contentious effort to resurrect the marsupial carnivore.
The research unveiling the thylacines oldest direct ancestor was published on Saturday, 88 years to the day since a striped, hunched, shivering thylacine whod be mythologised as Benjamin the last-known individual of the species perished in the cold of a Hobart zoo.
Artists reconstruction of Badjcinus timfaulkneri, a newly discovered relative of the Tasmanian tiger, scavenging on the carcass of a prehistoric wombat. Credit: Peter Schouten
The new 2325 million-year-old jawbones came from the Riversleigh fossil site on Waanyi country in north-western Queensland, where rocks bristle with thousands of bones preserved within an ancient limestone cave system.
In the lab at the University of NSW, researchers submerged boulders from the site in weak acetic acid aka vinegar and stripped away limestone layers over months until fossils emerged.
When Age reporter Clay Lucas investigated ghost colleges in Melbournes CBD last year, he was told that these academies and institutes many of them with little to no visible student body on site were making a mockery of both our education and immigration systems.
The federal governments decision to cap the number of international students admitted to tertiary education represents a daring intervention into these two vexed and intertwined areas.
There can be no question that the student visa system has become a back door into this country for many people with no study plans. Often, as University of Sydney academic Salvatore Babones put it, they are simply overpaying for a work visa. But in the worst cases they are opening themselves up to exploitation and conditions akin to slavery.
Restoring integrity to that system is a worthy objective but also a daunting one. Our reporting has shown that even those who initially apply for a visa at a reputable university or college may later transfer to a less demanding course or institution under the guise of concurrent study, so that they may in effect abandon study for a job.
Bill Shorten only became certain he would never become prime minister when legislation to future-proof the NDIS, his brainchild, passed parliament on a Wednesday in late August.
He put in his application for a lucrative job leading the University of Canberra that same afternoon.
There was a symmetry there, he told this masthead on Friday.
Bill Shorten with his wife Chloe and daughter Clementine at Parliament House on Thursday. Credit: AAP
Charming in front of a crowd and wily in backrooms, Shorten was the ultimate political animal, with tabloid instincts, a close relationship with the media and a set of loyal staff always on the hunt for a new angle to attack his opponents. He represented the Labor Right tradition of support for the US alliance and became almost a lone voice in cabinet backing Israel amid its war in Gaza, meeting with the Israeli ambassador in his ministerial suite just last month.
New York: Former president Donald Trump formally endorsed a government spending commission that could give corporate executive Elon Musk broad responsibilities for auditing federal spending and regulations, in a move that reflects a tightening political alliance between the two men with less than nine weeks before election day.
Trumps advisers have discussed the commission for months, and Musk has publicly expressed interest in it on X, the social media platform he owns. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, expressed his support during a speech in New York on Thursday.
Former president Donald Trump and Tesla and X chief executive Elon Musk. Credit: AP
This commission will develop an action plan to totally eliminate fraud and improper payments within six months, Trump said.
Trump said the new commission would save trillions of dollars trillions. Its massive. For the same service we have right now. Budget experts have said it is possible a commission could identify tens of billions or possibly hundreds of billions of dollars in government spending cuts, but that it is not credible to imagine the commission cutting trillions of dollars without severely affecting federal services.
Rollout of Vontier Konect EV Charging Solution Gains Momentum
RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vontier Corporation , a leading global provider of critical technologies and solutions to connect, manage and scale the mobility ecosystem, announced today that it is accelerating the global launch of its Konect electric vehicle (EV) charging solution a new business enabling convenience store owners to capitalize on the fast-growing demand for EV charging. Konect is a unique, end-to-end solution that addresses all critical aspects of EV charging, from site selection and grant applications, through installation and technical support.
New Opportunities for Fuel Retailers
The EV market continues to gain momentum, both in vehicle sales and the infrastructure needed to support its growth and adoption. Global EV sales are predicted to reach over 11 million units in 2024 a 15% year-on-year increase and double again by the end of the decade, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). This creates an attractive investment landscape for charging solutions while offering fuel retailers an exciting opportunity to meet customer needs and diversify.
Fuel retailers are uniquely positioned to support EV drivers, providing both convenient locations close to major routes and desirable amenities while they are plugged in such as hot, fresh restaurant-style foods, refreshments, clean restrooms, WiFi and safe and well-lit facilities.
Comprehensive, Scalable Solutions
Launched in May 2024, Konect enables convenience stores to deploy their own chargers and future-proof their business with a profitable new revenue stream that also complements other services on site. The solution is aimed at simplifying the process for operators, while maximising uptime and return on investment (ROI). Its easy to scale, ensuring fuel retailers can cater to a growing population of EV drivers by continuing to provide robust, intuitive and profitable charging infrastructure.
Konect brings together the leadership and technology from multiple Vontier businesses, including Gilbarco Veeder-Root (GVR), the worldwide technology leader in retail and commercial fueling operations; Invenco by GVR, the payment and point-of-sales solutions leader; and EV charging software leader Driivz, currently managing over 100,000 chargers globally for key industry players such as EVgo, Shell, Circle K, Volvo Group, Mer, and Recharge, among others.
Strategically Positioned for Growth
Initially focused on North America and Europe, Vontier and GVR are actively exploring adjacent markets as interest expands.
No one is better positioned than convenience stores to meet the demand for charging infrastructure, and with the breadth of our mobility solutions, no one is better positioned than us to be the trusted partner to these companies, said Mark Morelli, President and CEO of Vontier.
At Konect, we adopted a mantra of easy, seamless and profitable and hold that as a guiding principle. Our goal is to add to our customers bottom line when providing EV charging and the feedback has been overwhelming fuel retailers want to work with a trusted and experienced partner, and were perfectly placed to provide that, said Om Shankar, General Manager & Vice President, Konect. Were developing a strong sales pipeline with major fuel retailers and fleet operators across Europe and North America, with exciting announcements coming soon."
ABOUT VONTIER
Vontier is a global industrial technology company uniting productivity, automation and multi-energy technologies to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving, more connected mobility ecosystem. Leveraging leading market positions, decades of domain expertise and unparalleled portfolio breadth, Vontier enables the way the world moves delivering smart, safe and sustainable solutions to our customers and the planet. Vontier has a culture of continuous improvement and innovation built upon the foundation of the Vontier Business System and embraced by colleagues worldwide. Additional information about Vontier is available on the Companys website at www.vontier.com.
With Multiple Measures, Dongfeng Motor Charm Blossoms in Italy
MILAN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In April 2024, the VOYAH brand of Dongfeng was grandly released in Milan, Italy, and officially entered the Italian market with the theme of "Designing Evolution". On the eve of the release, VOYAH held its brand debut in Palazzo Serbelloni, an ancient building in Milan, where the luxury brand released its "royal venue". The event saw a gathering of celebrities, marking a milestone as the most high-profile appearance for a Chinese automotive brand going global. VOYAH's exhibition at Serbelloni Palace spanned a full week, being open to the public and tourists in Milan, offering local consumers an unprecedented visual feast.
Since this year, Dongfeng has continued to carry out diversified marketing in the Italian market. To further enhance the brand's influence in Italy, VOYAH also sponsored the Macerata Opera Festival in Italy in 2024. In July, many models of VOYAH appeared on the streets of Macerata, which attracted the active attention of local celebrities, tourists and residents.
In addition, Dongfeng actively promotes the expansion of Italian sales channels. In July this year, Dongfeng invited dozens of leading Italian dealership groups to participate in the event. At present, four top Italian automobile distribution groups have officially signed contracts with Dongfeng. On September 12th, Dongfeng will also take advantage of the Turin Auto Show in Italy to hold the DONGFENG DAYEUROPE brand event to showcase the new models that are about to enter the Italian market, including Dongfeng passenger vehicles, VOYAH, MHERO brand fuel, hybrid and pure electric vehicles, covering Sedan, SUV, MPV, off-road and other vehicles, aiming to provide Italian consumers with various needs such as family, urban commuting, VIP reception and off-road experience.
The DONGFENG DAY brand events showcase Dongfeng Motor's firm confidence in deepening the European market and demonstrate Dongfeng brand's commitment to establish an international image of "Quality, Technology and Green Sustainability". In the future, Dongfeng will continue to develop "DONGFENG DAY" brand activities to elevate its global communication efforts to new heights.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan plan to build a 2,450-kilometer-long direct current power transmission line within the framework of the "green" electricity transfer project, the Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov told Trend.
"Now we are actively working on the preparation of the feasibility study of the project. Within the framework of this project, it is planned that DC power transmission lines will pass through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, with access to European markets," he emphasized.
Laziz Kudratov also mentioned that Uzbekistan, in turn, is actively developing wind power generation projects, especially in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, with a total capacity of up to 10,000 MW. Soon, it is planned to finalize the draft Intergovernmental Agreement on the implementation of this ambitious project.
To note, the heads of the Ministries of Energy of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of cooperation on the interconnection of energy systems of the republics within the framework of the Tashkent International Investment Forum on May 1.
The purpose of the signed memorandum is to define the basic conditions of cooperation within the framework of the project on the interconnection of energy systems of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
The document assumes that the parties intend to explore the possibility of connecting the energy systems by laying a high-voltage cable along the Caspian Sea bed and in the territory of other countries with the implementation of the most optimal from technical and economic points of view trade in "green" energy from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
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TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 6. Uzbekistan and Rothschild&Co discussed development of cooperation, Trend reports.
The news followed a meeting between the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan Jamshid Kuchkarov with representatives of the Rothschild&Co delegation headed by member of the supervisory board Arielle Malard de Rothschild.
During the meeting, the parties discussed economic processes in Uzbekistan, in particular, the reforms being carried out in stages, including the transition to market principles in the energy sector, and their results, bringing the banking and financial sector to a new level and the privatization of SOBs, the processes of transformation of companies operating in the mining industry.
The parties also exchanged views on their experience in bank privatization, the activities of Rothschild & Co in Uzbekistan, and cooperation in the above-mentioned areas.
Earlier in 2022, the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan and the UKs Rothschild & Co. investment bank signed a cooperation agreement.
This agreement helps to attract the Rothschild & Cie and NM Rothschild & Sons Limited banks as strategic consultants for the analysis of current promising projects in the energy sector of the country. In particular, to identify and attract potential investors through project financing, loans, and direct participation in energy projects.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 6. Uzbekistan and Saudi company DataVolt have discussed the acceleration of the implementation of the project on construction of a green data center, Trend reports.
According to the information, it became known during the meeting between the Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan Sherzod Shermatov, and General Director of DataVolt Rajit Nanda.
The meeting provided information about the ongoing work on the project of a green data center.
Furthermore, the general director of the company invited the ministry's team to the Artificial Intelligence Summit, which will be held on September 26-27 this year in the US. It was noted that within the summit there will be an opportunity to demonstrate Uzbekistan's IT potential to the world's largest IT companies.
To note, DataVolt launched the construction of its first data center in Uzbekistan on May 2. The data center with a capacity of 10 MW will be located on the territory of IT Park and will provide computing power for its residents.
The volume of investments in the future data center is estimated at $150 million. In total, DataVolt plans to spend up to $5 billion on projects in Uzbekistan by 2030.
SEVERAL SINGAPORES, Indiawants to create of its own: PM
SINGAPORE :
PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday touted Singapore as a model for developing nations and said India wanted to create several Singapores of its own. During his talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Modi expressed confidence in the city-states fourth generation leadership. He said Singapore is not merely a partner country, it 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 pathbreaking mechanism, the Prime Minister said. Congratulating the prosperous nations premier, 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. Wong was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Singapore in May.
The 51-yearold economist-turned-politician succeeded Lee Hsien Loong, 72, who relinquished his position after two decades; both belonging to the ruling Peoples Action Party (PAP) that has been driving Singapores economic progress for more than five decades. Wong, who was the deputy Prime Minister, is leading the fourth generation PAPpoliticiansgovernment as the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. Modi flew to Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei, the first bilateral visit there by an Indian prime minister. Collaborative initiatives havebeenidentifiedinareas such as skilling, digitalisation, mobility, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and AI, healthcare, sustainability and cybersecurity, said the prime minister, who is on a two-day visit to the Asian financial centre with the global business network. Singapore is also an important facilitator of Indias Act East policy, Modi said. Our shared belief in democratic values connects us.Iamdelightedtohavethe opportunity to visit Singapore at the beginning of my third term, he said. Underlining the strategic partnership between India and Singapore, Prime Minister Modi said, Over the past 10 years, our trade has more than doubled.
Mutual investment has increasedalmostthreefoldto cross USD 150 billion. Singaporewasthefirstcountry with which we launched the UPI Person-to-Person payment facility. Elaborating on the developments in the bilateral cooperationbetweenthetwo countries, he saidinthepast 10 years, 17 satellites of Singapore have been launched from Indian soil. The cooperation has gained momentum from skilling to the defence sector. The agreement between Singapore Airlines and Air Indiahas strengthenedconnectivity. We are together elevatingourrelationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The 3.5 lakh peopleofIndianoriginresiding in Singapore are the strong foundation of our relationship...We are forever thankful to the entire Singapore for the place and honour that Subhash Chandra Bose, Azad Hind Fauj and Little India have receivedinSingapore,Modi said. In 2025, the IndiaSingapore relationship will celebrate its 60th anniversary.
To mark this occasion with grandeur, he called on both countries to collaborate on creating an action plan. I am delighted to inform you that Indias first Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre will soon be inauguratedinSingapore.Thegreat saintThiruvalluvarprovided guiding thoughts to the world in the most ancient language Tamil. His work, the Thirukkural, was composednearly2,000yearsago, yet its ideas remain relevant even today, Modi said. Quoting Thiruvalluvars words: Nayanodu Nanri PurindPayanudaiyarPanbu Paratattum Ulagu (The worldadmiresthosewhoare knownfortheir sense ofjustice and service to others), the prime minister said he is confident that millions of Indians living in Singapore are also inspired by these ideasandarecontributingto strengthening the relations between the two countries. Modirecalled that he had presented Indias IndoPacificvisioninSingaporeat the Shangri-La Dialogue. We will continue to work with Singapore to promote regionalpeace,stability,and prosperity. Once again, my heartfeltthanks forthehonour and the warm hospitality extended to me, he said.
2 accused in Shivaji statue collapsecase sent to police custody till 10th
MUMBAI
No one will be spared, says CM
MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursdaysaidstrictactionwill be taken against Jaideep Apte, the sculptor of Chhatrapati Shivajis statue that collapsed in Malvan in the States Sindhudurgdistrictlastmonth, and asserted no one will be spared in the case. Shinde said Aptes arrest by thepoliceonWednesdaynight is a tight slap on the face ofthe Opposition, which he claimed was spreading rumours that the State Government was shielding him. Be it Jaideep Apte or anybody, no one is above the law.
There will be strict action against him. No one will be spared, Shinde said. The Sindhudurg police produced sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte and consultant Chetan Patil beforeacourt there and saidinterrogationwasrequired to find out what kind of materials they had used to design andconstructthe 35-foot statue.
Both have been remanded topolicecustodytillSeptember 10.While Patil was arrested on August30fromKolhapur, Apte was taken into custody on Wednesday night from Kalyan inThanedistrict,nearly10days after an FIR was registered in connection with the incident. The Sindhudurg police told the Court the materials recovered from the Shivaji Maharaj statuewererustedanditneeds to be ascertained if items of subpar quality were used by the accused.
Bhagwat to unveil painting ofGolwalkar at Dharampeth Society
Business Reporter ;
MOHAN Bhagwat, Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will unveil the oil painting of Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar in the head office of The Dharampeth Mahila Multi State Co-operative Society, Sitaram Bhawan,FifthFloor,Ramnagar Chowk, Nagpur on September 10.
The unveiling ceremony will be held at 3.30 pm. Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Nilima Kishor Bawane, President of the society, said that the RSS chief will also perform Maha Aarti of Ganapati at 4.30 pm and address the gathering. Golwalkar, popularly known as Shri Guruji, was the second Sarsanghchalak of RSS. In addition to this, Sarika Pendse, Vice- President of the society, said that the Dharampeth Mahila Multi State Co-operative Society is making progress at a very rapid pace. The society achieved a business mix of over Rs 2,200 crore, she added. Kishor Bawane, Chief Adviser of the society; Chandrashekhar Wasule, Chief Executive Officer; and others were also present on the occasion.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 6. The Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan Ilkhom Makhkamov expressed hope for the speedy restoration of flights of German airline Lufthansa to Uzbekistan, Trend reports.
According to information, this issue was discussed during the meeting of Uzbek Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov with newly appointed German Ambassador Manfred Huterer.
The sides discussed achievements and promising plans for the future as a result of effective cooperation established between the two states during the meeting.
In particular, the Minister noted a wide range of current cooperation with German transportation companies Rhenus, Deutsche Bahn, DB Engineering & Consulting, DB Schenker, and others.
Also, the participants of the meeting exchanged views on several issues related to the development of cooperation in the field of transport and logistics.
To note, German airline Lufthansa entered the market of Uzbekistan in 1993. At that time, the airline began operating the flight Frankfurt - Tashkent - Frankfurt. However, due to a 20-25 percent decrease in passenger traffic, flights to Tashkent were stopped in 2001.
Chairman of NCSK Venkatesan listens to sanitation workers issues
Chairman of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis M Venkatesan holding a direct talk with a sanitation worker during the meeting.
Staff Reporter :
Chairman of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) M Venkatesan held a meeting at the Mini Hall of Manas Bhavan with the Health Department officials, employees of Jabalpur Municipal Corporation (JMC) and sanitation workers. During the meeting, Venkatesan took introduction of officials, employees and held direct discussion with the sanitation workers. He also listened to their issues. Venkatesan apprised sanitation workers, who also called safai mitras of detailed information about the rights and benefits available to them and assured that positive efforts would be made at every level to protect their interests. Deputy Commissioner Sambhav Ayachi and Health Officer Sandeep Jaiswal informed that M Venkatesan also held a meeting with the sanitation workers and heads of the cleaning contract committees, including Barfani Securities, Ultra Clean and Service, R Priyanshi and Maa Narmada Safai Sangh. Earlier, the programme commenced with Municipal Commissioner Preeti Yadav, Additional Commissioner V N Bajpai and President of Scheduled Castes and others welcoming Venkatesan with a bouquet of flowers. Deputy Commissioner Ayachi briefed everyone about the efforts being made by Jabalpur Municipal Corporation for cleanliness and welfare of sanitation workers.
He highlighted that Jabalpur secured 13th position in Swachh Survekshan 2024, received a 3-star rating in GFC and recently achieved second place in Swachh Vayu Survekshan. During the event, both regular and contract sanitation workers, along with employees of safai samitis, presented their challenges to Chairman Venkatesan. Major issues raised included delay in payments by safai samitis and not receiving timely benefits of ESIC and PF. Following the same, M Venkatesan instructed heads of samities to ensure timely payments to all sanitation workers according to the Collectors guidelines, provide ESIC and PF benefits, supply necessary safety equipment for work and organise health check-up camps for workers periodically.
He also directed JMC officials to inform sanitation workers about various schemes related to them and committees responsible for their safety. Likewise, officials from Jabalpur Labour Office and Jabalpur PF Office were given relevant instructions. At the end, M Venkatesan addressed the sanitation workers and informed them about their rights and schemes available to them.
Conference on innovations New technology should be best utilised in public interest: CM
Staff Reporter :
Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav virtually launches conference on Incorporation of Innovations in Infrastructure Building
Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is running at full speed on the path of economic progress. Infrastructure works are the backbone on which economic and inclusive development policies take shape. We should recognise the power of technology, make good use of it, and fulfill the resolve in the interest of society so that along with this generation, the coming generations too can benefit. Chief Minister Dr Yadav was virtually addressing the conference organised in Bhopal by the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) from Ujjain. Chief Minister Dr Yadav also virtually inaugurated the conference on Incorporation of innovations in infrastructure construction. CM Dr Yadav said that the conference should consider infrastructure development, environment, health, innovations, etc. holistically. In the era of new technology, only continuous discussions on one platform will open new paths and doors for inclusive development. Every possibility should be explored for the betterment of the state and construction. Chief Minister Dr Yadav said that we have to emphasise building effective and flexible infrastructure to protect against natural disasters and climate change crises. The pace of construction will also have to be increased by adopting new methods. There are immense possibilities in the field of construction.
There is also scope for improvement in reducing construction costs and resources. Today there is a need to adopt environment-friendly construction materials and construction processes. Weather-based construction also needs to be considered holistically. Chief Minister Dr Yadav congratulated everyone for this important event on the occasion of Teachers Day. He said, Today, we will get new inspiration on Teachers Day dedicated to Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. You all know that the Guru-Shishya tradition has special importance in Indian culture. Keeping this in view, the Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to celebrate the festival of Guru Pournima at the Government-level. It is a matter of happiness that the name of Vice Chancellors has now been changed to Kulgurus. Chief Minister Dr Yadav said that researchers are like scientific gurus.
The spirit of public interest in the field of research has been in our tradition since ancient times. On this occasion, MLA Satish Malviya, Ujjain Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Gupta, Inspector General of Police Santosh Kumar Singh, etc. were present at the Chief Ministers residence in Ujjain. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Backward Classes and Minority Welfare, Krishna Gaur said, We are moving forward in the age of technology but there is need to move ahead while solving todays challenges so that we can secure the future of the coming generations. She was addressing the IDC, ICC programme organized by the Construction Industry Development Council at AMPRI, Bhopal on Thursday on Incorporation of Innovations in Infrastructure Building. Gaur said that this two-day conference will be fruitful with your excellent ideas and suggestions. I strongly believe that empowering future infrastructure with innovative technology and brand connect are very important steps for the progress of any country. She congratulated the organizers for selecting the subject of the conference. On this occasion, Director AMPRI Dr Avnish Srivastava, Director General of Construction Industry Development Council Dr P R Swaroop, former DGP and President ICC Chapter Swaraj Puri, scientists Dr P Ashokan and Dr Munish Moudgil were present.
Deposit Non-Remarriage Certificate, Digital Life Certificate soon: EPFO to pensioners
Staff Reporter :
The Employee Provident Fund Office (EPFO) has urged pensioners to deposit their Digital Life Certificate or Non-Remarriage Certificate as early as possible. Failing this, their PPO (Pension Payment Order) will be called back from the bank and the process to cancel it will begin. It is mandatory for pensioners of the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) to submit their Digital Life Certificate or Non-Remarriage Certificate every year through the Life Certificate Portal. If these certificates are not submitted after the completion of one year, the pension payments will be stopped from the next month.
Pensioners who have already submitted their Life Certificate within the past year do not need to update it immediately. Rakesh Sahrawat, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner informed that based on data collected from the pensioners database, around 11,888 pensioners have not submitted their Digital Life Certificate or Non-Remarriage Certificate through the portal. Out of these, 3,785 pensioners have not submitted these certificates for the past three years. All such pensioners are advised to submit the certificates along with an affidavit as soon as possible. Failing this, their PPO (Pension Payment Order) will be called back from the bank and the process to cancel it will begin. Sahrawat also stated that since July 2022, EPFO has provided EPS pensioners with the facility to submit their Life Certificate from home using the Face Reader app via mobile phones. Pensioners need an Android phone with version 7.0 or higher, an internet connection, a camera resolution of at least 5 MP and an Aadhaar number registered with the pension-issuing bank to use this service.
The process is simple, pensioners can download the Aadhaar Face Reader app from the Google Play Store and scan their live photograph or video to submit the Life Certificate via the Jeevan Pramaan Face Application, available at https://jeevanpramaan.gov.in/package/download. Rakesh Sahrawat also urged all EPS pensioners who have not yet submitted their Digital Life Certificate or Non-Remarriage Certificate to do so either through the Face Reader app, UMANG app from home or by visiting their bank branch or nearby Common Service Centers (CSCs) to submit the Aadhaar-based biometric Digital Life Certificate (DLC). Pensioners only need to carry their mobile phone, bank passbook, pension payment order number, and Aadhaar card. In case any pensioner is facing difficulties in submitting their DLC, they can contact the Provident Fund office in Jabalpur or district offices in Satna and Chhindwara to update it for free. For pensioners who are unable to move, their DLC can be submitted from home by making a request to the Regional Office in Jabalpur or the District Offices in Satna or Chhindwara. Following the request, an authorized officer will visit their home to complete the process. Additionally, pensioners can attend the nearest camp under the "Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0" programme, which is organised on the 27th of every month, to file any complaints. They can also send details via WhatsApp to 6267777416 to receive further assistance.
Guru plays an important role in life: Chief Minister Dr Yadav
Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav addressing the gathering during the Teachers Day programme.
Staff Reporter :
Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has said that Guru plays an important role in life. The meaning of Guru is that which takes us from darkness to light. Former President of India Sarvepalli Dr Radhakrishnan dedicated his birthday to teachers. While wishing all the teachers of the State on Teachers Day, Chief Minister Dr Yadav said that teachers are building a great generation by efficiently discharging their responsibilities. Chief Minister Dr Yadav, while addressing the Teachers Day celebration in Ujjain on Thursday, said that Goswami Tulsidas worked to establish and honour Hindi along with Sanskrit as the main language of Indian society. Our dialects also change into language with gradual development. Eminent litterateurs Madhavrao Sapre and Makhanlal Chaturvedi made a very important contribution in the development of the national language Hindi.
Chief Minister Dr Yadav also congratulated the teachers honoured in the programmes. Chief Minister Dr Yadav was addressing the Teachers Honour Ceremony-2024 organised at Government Excellent Higher Secondary School, Madhav Nagar Ujjain on Teachers Day. On this occasion, Rajya Sabha MP Balyogi Umeshnath Maharaj, MLA Anil Jain Kaluheda along with other officials were present. The word Guru comes from Sanskrit, we connect with Sanatan culture by believing in the Guru-Shishya tradition. Guru does the important work of taking us from darkness to light. To change chaos into order, the vision of a Guru is needed. It is a pleasure that the Government has changed the name of Vice Chancellors to Kulguru. CM Yadav emphasised. On this occasion, he also felicitated the teachers of Ujjain district who gave 100% result in High School and Higher Secondary Board examinations by presenting them shawl, coconut and citation. Also, 11 ISO certified cluster principals of Ujjain were felicitated by presenting them ISO certificates. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav in his speech remembered former President of the country, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and said that language develops gradually from dialect and dialect changes into language. He said that Hindi has developed in the last one thousand years. The Chief Minister said that Goswami Tulsidas, despite being a Sanskrit scholar, has established Hindi as the language of the society. By composing Ramcharit Manas in Hindi, he has taken Ramayana to every home. Remembering his father, he said that the body is mortal. It was he who taught us to use our time wisely by walking on the path of truth. He said.
The Chief Minister also wished all the teachers present at the function on Teachers Day. The Chief Minister also got a group photo taken with the honoured teachers at the function. The address of Chief Minister Dr. Yadav was heard in the Teachers Day function organised at Government Subhash School of Excellence. The address of Chief Minister Dr. Yadav was also heard in the Teachers Day function held at other places in the state. In the programme held at Subhash School, School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh said that Indias Guru-Shishya tradition is cited as an example all over the world. The knowledge given by the Gurus inspires us throughout our life.
It is a fortunate opportunity to honour the Gurus. On Teachers Day, 12 teachers who got 100% result in the board examination were also honoured. School Education Minister Singh said that in the digital age, it is challenging to educate students effectively. In such a time, patience between teachers and students is an important aspect. Remembering former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, School Education Minister Singh said that a teacher reaching the highest post in the country reflects the strong democratic system of India. He said that Dr Radhakrishnan always had respect for teachers. This feeling of his further increased the respect of teachers in the society. School Education Minister Singh said that continuous efforts are being made to improve the quality of education in the state. In order to enable students to choose better options in the field of employment in schools, the School Education Department is providing counselling through subject experts. He said that Subhash School is working on branding the department for its excellence across the state. In the program, children shared their experiences and recited poems centered on patriotism.
Junior Resident Doctors Assn holds candle march in solidarity with Kolkata rape, murder victim
A candle march taken out by AIIMS Raipur in association with Junior Resident Doctors and students and other stake holders Junior Resident Doctors Association take out candle march
Staff Reporter
Raipur,
In solidarity with the victim female doctor of the brutal gang rape and murder in her duty room at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, West Bengal and to demand justice, Junior Resident Doctors Association organised a candle march and human chain across the country on Wednesday night. The demonstration was aimed to highlight the outrage and call for stricter measures to prevent such heinous crimes. Doctors, medical staff, and the general public across India are continuing their peaceful protests against the incident occurred on August 9, and the subsequent response from the administration has been widely condemned. Despite the Supreme Courts intervention, which led to the withdrawal of a strike by doctors, protests have been continuing. AIIMS Raipur, in association with Junior Resident Doctors and students from the College, university organised a candle march, human chain formation, and rally in Raipurs Nalanda Campus and Central Library.
Demonstrators raised slogans demanding justice for the victim and expressing their outrage over the incident. A symbolic photo of the deceased doctor was placed at the rally site, where candles were lit and two minutes of silence was observed as a tribute. Dr Jayan, Dr Jyoti, Dr Vandana, Dr Girish, Pooja Sharma, Dr Manjula Jain, Jeevan Sahu, , Jain Pal along with faculty members, students, and researchers from various institutions, participated in the protest. The doctors emphasised that their movement would continue until all perpetrators are apprehended and punished. They argued that the safety of doctors is a crucial indicator of overall public security. If such a heinous crime could occur in a hospital, where people reside day and night, it raises serious concerns about the safety of the general public.
Massive midnight protests Women seek justice in Kolkatadoctor rape-murder case
KOLKATA ;
THOUSANDS of women across West Bengal marched in midnight as part of the second edition of the Reclaim the Night campaign, demanding justice for a doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at a state-run hospital in Kolkata last month. The campaign on Wednesday night, the second one after August 14, witnessed stray undesired incidents in which two persons were taken into custody by the police in separate spots of Kolkata for misbehaving with protesting women. In north Bengals Mathabhanga town, a protester was assaulted allegedly by members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The Reclaim the Night movement, largely driven by social media, gained momentum as protests kicked off at 11:30 pm, marking the second such gathering since a midnight campaign on August 14. Across the state, from small towns to bustling cities, the air reverberated with the rallying cry: We want justice Political party flags were notablyabsent,andprotesters were seen holding the national flags aloft, underscoring the unified call for justicebeyondpartisanlines.
At various spots in and around Kolkata, women fromallwalksoflife actors, students, professionals and homemakers marched togethercarryingpostersand candles,theirvoicesrisingin unison against the violence that had claimed the doctors life. In a particularly moving momentinthecitysSealdah Station, pavement dwellers joined the demonstration, with some women blowing conch shells,atraditional symbol of resistance and defiance. The sound resonated through the station, adding an unexpected yet reinvigorating touch to the protest. The movement spread to other key locations in variousdistricttowns, including Berhampore, Chinsurah, Santiniketan,Krishnanagar, Bardhaman, Siliguri, Barasat, Barrackpore, Rajarhat-Newtown, Cooch Behar, Mathabhanga and Jalpaiguri.
MAWE representatives take part in UK Autumn Fair in Birmingham
Staff Reporter :
Representatives of the Madhya Pradesh Association of Women Entrepreneurs (MAWE) participated in the prestigious UK Autumn Fair, Source Home & Gift held in Birmingham, UK from September 1 to 4. The delegation included entrepreneurs from various parts of India including Usha Gupta, Pooja Choudhary and Nazish Khan from Jabalpur, Tashneem Banglowala from Indore, Aryaha Vaibhav Mahajan from Delhi, Shilpi Tuli from Gurugram, Shobhana Kailash, Padmaja Rao, Madhusudan Rao from Bangalore, Tisha Motwani, Raunak Motwani from Surat, Khushboo Shah from Jaipur, Diksha Gupta from Goa and Neha Asthana. The women entrepreneurs represented a diverse range of sectors, including handicrafts, home decor, fashion design, electrical equipment and lighting, handmade designer ceramic jewellery, furniture and interior design.
Dr. Archana Bhatnagar, Chairperson and Founder President of MAWE informed that Dr. Venkatachalam Murugan, the Consul General of India in Birmingham, visited the Indian women entrepreneurs' stalls and encouraged them. Mohit Bundas, Managing Director of the Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation was also present and met with the women entrepreneurs to motivate them. The international exhibition provided a valuable opportunity for the women entrepreneurs to explore export potential for their products. The event highlighted the remarkable talent and products of women entrepreneurs from Madhya Pradesh, with a special focus on sustainable and handmade creations. The delegation, representing the MSME sector, brought the essence of Indian craftsmanship to the international stage and received tremendous appreciation for their unique and innovative offerings.
Bhatnagar said MAWE is committed to empowering women entrepreneurs by providing them with platforms to expand their horizons and explore global markets. The UK Autumn Fair, Source Home & Gift offered an incredible opportunity for the members to connect, collaborate, and forge new business avenues across borders. As a B2B trade fair, the exhibition helped the women entrepreneurs establish numerous contacts, which are expected to lead to substantial business opportunities. Likewise, many women entrepreneurs signed significant business MOUs with large companies during the event.
SVA all set for official launch of Digi Yatra
Staff Reporter :
Raipur,
Swami Vivekananda Airport (SVA) in Raipur is all geared up for the official launch of the Digi Yatra initiative, a project spearheaded by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, aimed at providing passengers with a seamless, hassle-free, and health-risk-free travel experience. Raipur Airport Director Dr S D Sharma, while explaining the importance of the initiative, noted that the trial of Digi Yatra began on June 25. Currently, approximately 10-13 percent of passengers at Raipur Airport are actively using this facility, Dr Sharma remarked. Notably, Digi Yatra, designed to verify a passengers identity and travel details using biometric facial recognition technology, allows for smoother travel by eliminating the need for physical checks.
Dr Sharma further explained that the initiative requires two simple steps: enrolling once via the app and sharing travel credentials before each journey. The national launch of Digi Yatra is scheduled for September 6, across nine Airports Authority of India (AAI) airports, including Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, Dabolim, Indore, Bagdogra, Ranchi, Patna, and Visakhapatnam, he added. According to Dr Sharma, Civil Aviation Minister Kinzarapu Ram Mohan Naidu will inaugurate the service at Visakhapatnam Airport, with a simultaneous launch via video conference at the other eight airports. To simplify the registration process, passengers can scan a QR code provided by the airport.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 6. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will hit the road and pay a visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on September 15-17, making it his inaugural journey to Central Asia, Trend reports via the German government's office.
Scholz is set to have a heart-to-heart with the leaders of both Central Asian nations, with the aim of taking their cooperation to the next level. Bilateral and foreign policy issues will also be put on the table.
On September 17, Scholz will also attend the second "Central Asia-Germany" (5+1) summit in Kazakhstan. The first summit, held in Berlin last year, was a game-changer that paved the way for the signing of a strategic regional partnership program, and this trip aims to take things to the next level and build on the solid foundation that was laid.
To recall, on September 29, 2023, Berlin hosted the inaugural Central Asia-Germany (5+1) leaders' summit. The five regional leaders met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier individually and jointly. The leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan attended the German Eastern Business Association's economic summit, which featured 40 renowned German businesspeople. The meeting sought regional answers to global issues, security, economic resilience, sustainable development, climate change, and peace.
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Story by Kari Jensen
Fashion season is here again. Its time to go to runway shows, check out Lower East Side pop-up shops, and be careful not to stumble into street photo shoots.
As August was winding down, Davia Murray, cofounder of Bowery Showroom, was setting up for a Black Business Month Marketplace event, which included @4shots.iv, @brownmillcompany, @cerisezhaneofficial, @facebullyproductions, @ra.gemznyc, and @superstarkya.
Murray was also thinking about New York Fashion Week (NYFW), Sept. 6-11, and considering the upcoming Bowery Showroom schedule.
New York Fashion Week isnt just a week. Black Business Month isnt just a month, Murray said. There are these initiatives all throughout the year. People are welcome to come to Bowery Showroom whenever. Come to Soho whenever, to support a Black-owned business whenever. We appreciate it.
Davia Murray, at front, and others prep for an event at Bowery Showroom. Photo by Kari Jensen
As NYFW shows have shifted away from being presented at a central hub, designers market themselves creatively. Some sell tickets to events. Others present digitally.
Here is the NYFW Livestream schedule.
If youre unable to go to your favorite designers fashion show say for example, Eckhaus Latta or Sandy Liang you can shop locally at their stores, online or in-person. (Eckhaus Latta is in Chinatown, while Liangs flagship is in the Lower East Side).
A customer shops at Eckhaus Latta in the Chinatown mall. Photo by Kari Jensen
Theres still time to get tickets to some NYFW events. Heres a partial list of some goings on:
LOCAL POP-UP SHOPS AND EVENTS:
Bowery Showroom: ongoing pop-up shops, concept store, and events at 57 Stanton St.
Nagnata : pop-up store runs through Sept. 14, at 48 Ludlow St.
No Maintenance : pop-up store Sept. 7, at 16B Orchard St.
Barneys New York and Hourglass: pop-up store runs through Oct. 11, 14 Prince St., at the corner of Prince and Elizabeth, in Soho.
Runway models at a past Art Hearts Fashion show during NYFW. Photo courtesy of @ArtHeartsFashion InstagramScreenshot
LOCAL FASHION SHOWS:
Art Hearts Fashion shows, Sept. 5-8, at Angel Orensanz Foundation, 172 Norfolk St.
Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG Free Report) by 3.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 17,144 shares of the companys stock after selling 680 shares during the period. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLCs holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $2,827,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Advantage Trust Co purchased a new stake in Procter & Gamble in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 64.7% during the first quarter. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. now owns 196 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. POM Investment Strategies LLC acquired a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC purchased a new stake in Procter & Gamble during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Vima LLC purchased a new position in Procter & Gamble in the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.77% of the companys stock.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
PG has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $171.00 to $176.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Dbs Bank lowered shares of Procter & Gamble from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Evercore ISI upped their target price on Procter & Gamble from $177.00 to $183.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Citigroup raised their price target on Procter & Gamble from $177.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, Wolfe Research upgraded Procter & Gamble to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $175.79.
Insider Transactions at Procter & Gamble
In related news, CEO Jon R. Moeller sold 37,240 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $168.89, for a total transaction of $6,289,463.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 263,537 shares in the company, valued at $44,508,763.93. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Jon R. Moeller sold 37,240 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.89, for a total transaction of $6,289,463.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 263,537 shares of the companys stock, valued at $44,508,763.93. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Andre Schulten sold 13,041 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $170.00, for a total value of $2,216,970.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 37,208 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,325,360. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 375,553 shares of company stock worth $63,829,141 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock.
Procter & Gamble Stock Performance
PG traded up $0.19 during trading on Thursday, hitting $176.09. The stock had a trading volume of 243,274 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,561,903. The company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 12 month low of $141.45 and a 12 month high of $176.51. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $167.87 and a 200-day simple moving average of $164.45. The firm has a market cap of $415.60 billion, a PE ratio of 28.75, a P/E/G ratio of 3.72 and a beta of 0.41.
Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported $1.40 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.37 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $20.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.69 billion. Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 33.46% and a net margin of 17.71%. Procter & Gambles quarterly revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.37 EPS. Analysts expect that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.97 EPS for the current year.
Procter & Gamble Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 19th were paid a $1.0065 dividend. This represents a $4.03 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.29%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 19th. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 65.85%.
Procter & Gamble Profile
(Free Report)
The Procter & Gamble Company provides branded consumer packaged goods worldwide. It operates through five segments: Beauty; Grooming; Health Care; Fabric & Home Care; and Baby, Feminine & Family Care. The Beauty segment offers conditioners, shampoos, styling aids, and treatments under the Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Pantene, and Rejoice brands; and antiperspirants and deodorants, personal cleansing, and skin care products under the Olay, Old Spice, Safeguard, Secret, and SK-II brands.
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Bordeaux Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:IEUR Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 3,676 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $209,000.
Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Metis Global Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 850.4% in the first quarter. Metis Global Partners LLC now owns 1,042,717 shares of the companys stock worth $60,321,000 after purchasing an additional 933,008 shares during the last quarter. ERTS Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $36,830,000. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its stake in iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 64.5% during the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 439,295 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,413,000 after acquiring an additional 172,312 shares during the period. Altman Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $7,539,000. Finally, Independent Order of Foresters increased its stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF by 861.9% in the second quarter. Independent Order of Foresters now owns 114,220 shares of the companys stock worth $6,505,000 after acquiring an additional 102,346 shares during the period.
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iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Price Performance
NYSEARCA IEUR opened at $59.15 on Friday. iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF has a 1 year low of $47.10 and a 1 year high of $60.83. The company has a market capitalization of $4.95 billion, a PE ratio of 15.22 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a fifty day moving average of $58.29 and a 200 day moving average of $57.87.
iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF Company Profile
The iShares Core MSCI Europe ETF (IEUR) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Europe IMI index, a market-cap-weighted index of developed European securities. IEUR was launched on Jun 10, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock.
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9258 Wealth Management LLC cut its holdings in Rayonier Inc. (NYSE:RYN Free Report) by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 16,667 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 1,123 shares during the quarter. 9258 Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Rayonier were worth $485,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Advisors Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Rayonier during the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its holdings in shares of Rayonier by 53.5% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,079 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its position in shares of Rayonier by 83.7% during the 2nd quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,449 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 660 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd grew its stake in shares of Rayonier by 488.6% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,554 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $52,000 after buying an additional 1,290 shares during the period. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rayonier in the 1st quarter valued at about $62,000. 89.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
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Rayonier Trading Down 0.6 %
RYN opened at $30.64 on Friday. Rayonier Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $24.84 and a fifty-two week high of $35.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.56 billion, a PE ratio of 27.36 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 1.98 and a quick ratio of 1.78. The companys 50-day moving average is $29.52 and its 200 day moving average is $30.74.
Rayonier Announces Dividend
Rayonier ( NYSE:RYN Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.02 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.14 by ($0.12). Rayonier had a return on equity of 3.00% and a net margin of 14.78%. The company had revenue of $173.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $218.86 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.05 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 16.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Rayonier Inc. will post 0.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be given a $0.285 dividend. This represents a $1.14 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.72%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. Rayoniers payout ratio is currently 101.79%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of research firms recently weighed in on RYN. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and set a $34.00 price target on shares of Rayonier in a research note on Friday, June 14th. StockNews.com raised Rayonier from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Saturday, August 17th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their target price on Rayonier from $34.00 to $31.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 16th.
View Our Latest Report on RYN
Rayonier Company Profile
(Free Report)
Rayonier is a leading timberland real estate investment trust with assets located in some of the most productive softwood timber growing regions in the United States and New Zealand. As of December 31, 2023, Rayonier owned or leased under long-term agreements approximately 2.7 million acres of timberlands located in the U.S.
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Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, September 4th, RTT News reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 30th will be given a dividend of 1.30 per share by the real estate investment trust on Tuesday, October 15th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.43%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 30th.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities has raised its dividend by an average of 16.2% annually over the last three years and has increased its dividend annually for the last 15 consecutive years. Alexandria Real Estate Equities has a payout ratio of 146.1% indicating that the company cannot currently cover its dividend with earnings alone and is relying on its balance sheet to cover its dividend payments. Analysts expect Alexandria Real Estate Equities to earn $9.68 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $5.20 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 53.7%.
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Alexandria Real Estate Equities Stock Down 0.2 %
ARE stock opened at $117.36 on Friday. Alexandria Real Estate Equities has a one year low of $90.73 and a one year high of $135.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.23. The firms fifty day moving average is $118.18 and its 200 day moving average is $119.88. The firm has a market cap of $20.52 billion, a PE ratio of 109.68, a P/E/G ratio of 4.17 and a beta of 1.15.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Alexandria Real Estate Equities ( NYSE:ARE Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 22nd. The real estate investment trust reported $0.25 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.34 by ($2.09). Alexandria Real Estate Equities had a return on equity of 0.68% and a net margin of 5.09%. The company had revenue of $766.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $775.03 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.24 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Alexandria Real Estate Equities will post 9.47 EPS for the current year.
Several analysts recently commented on ARE shares. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $126.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 28th. Wedbush cut shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $140.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Jefferies Financial Group cut Alexandria Real Estate Equities from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $136.00 to $127.00 in a report on Friday, August 2nd. JMP Securities reaffirmed a market outperform rating and issued a $140.00 price target on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Finally, Bank of America lowered Alexandria Real Estate Equities from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $151.00 to $126.00 in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Alexandria Real Estate Equities currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $131.33.
Read Our Latest Report on Alexandria Real Estate Equities
About Alexandria Real Estate Equities
(Get Free Report)
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc (NYSE: ARE), an S&P 500 company, is a best-in-class, mission-driven life science REIT making a positive and lasting impact on the world. As the pioneer of the life science real estate niche since our founding in 1994, Alexandria is the preeminent and longest-tenured owner, operator, and developer of collaborative life science, agtech, and advanced technology mega campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, including Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle.
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Altus Wealth Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW Free Report) by 3.0% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,124 shares of the information technology services providers stock after purchasing an additional 91 shares during the period. ServiceNow accounts for 1.2% of Altus Wealth Group LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position. Altus Wealth Group LLCs holdings in ServiceNow were worth $2,458,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in ServiceNow by 1.8% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 18,450,570 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $14,066,715,000 after buying an additional 331,797 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in ServiceNow in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,648,259,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA boosted its stake in ServiceNow by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 2,281,748 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,612,032,000 after purchasing an additional 81,028 shares during the last quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main increased its holdings in shares of ServiceNow by 18.3% in the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 1,754,027 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,239,198,000 after purchasing an additional 271,153 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in shares of ServiceNow by 2.3% in the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 1,529,430 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,203,157,000 after purchasing an additional 34,855 shares during the last quarter. 87.18% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on ServiceNow from $885.00 to $900.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of ServiceNow from $750.00 to $780.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. TD Cowen increased their price target on ServiceNow from $870.00 to $900.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. KeyCorp cut their price objective on ServiceNow from $950.00 to $920.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on ServiceNow from $875.00 to $900.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and twenty-five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, ServiceNow has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $849.62.
Insider Activity at ServiceNow
In other ServiceNow news, General Counsel Russell S. Elmer sold 1,937 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $779.81, for a total value of $1,510,491.97. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 6,736 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,252,800.16. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, General Counsel Russell S. Elmer sold 1,937 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $779.81, for a total transaction of $1,510,491.97. Following the transaction, the general counsel now owns 6,736 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,252,800.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Nicholas Tzitzon sold 1,857 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $829.68, for a total value of $1,540,715.76. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 3,649 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,027,502.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 6,914 shares of company stock valued at $5,608,936 over the last 90 days. 0.25% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
ServiceNow Trading Up 0.1 %
Shares of NOW stock opened at $835.35 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $798.57 and its 200-day moving average price is $762.37. ServiceNow, Inc. has a 12-month low of $527.24 and a 12-month high of $863.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $171.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 89.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.13 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.12, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.
ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The information technology services provider reported $3.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.85 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $2.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.61 billion. ServiceNow had a return on equity of 14.52% and a net margin of 11.51%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 22.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.77 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that ServiceNow, Inc. will post 6.78 EPS for the current fiscal year.
ServiceNow Company Profile
(Free Report)
ServiceNow, Inc provides end to-end intelligent workflow automation platform solutions for digital businesses in the North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates the Now platform for end-to-end digital transformation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, process mining, performance analytics, and collaboration and development tools.
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Altus Wealth Group LLC decreased its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG Free Report) by 66.2% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 2,168 shares of the companys stock after selling 4,255 shares during the period. Altus Wealth Group LLCs holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $210,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in AGG. Vawter Financial Ltd. boosted its position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 0.9% during the second quarter. Vawter Financial Ltd. now owns 11,001 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,068,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Bank Hapoalim BM boosted its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Bank Hapoalim BM now owns 8,782 shares of the companys stock valued at $852,000 after acquiring an additional 106 shares during the period. CGN Advisors LLC grew its position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. CGN Advisors LLC now owns 25,898 shares of the companys stock worth $2,536,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 44.8% during the 1st quarter. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. now owns 346 shares of the companys stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cambridge Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 1.7% in the second quarter. Cambridge Advisors Inc. now owns 6,458 shares of the companys stock worth $627,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.63% of the companys stock.
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iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Trading Up 0.3 %
NYSEARCA:AGG opened at $101.06 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $99.08 and a 200 day moving average of $97.63. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a 52 week low of $91.58 and a 52 week high of $101.11.
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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Arizona State Retirement System lifted its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS Free Report) by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 94,083 shares of the investment management companys stock after buying an additional 499 shares during the period. Arizona State Retirement Systems holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $42,556,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 30.3% during the second quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 444,753 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $201,171,000 after acquiring an additional 103,353 shares during the period. VELA Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 10.7% during the second quarter. VELA Investment Management LLC now owns 2,564 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,160,000 after acquiring an additional 247 shares during the period. Chase Investment Counsel Corp lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 536.3% during the second quarter. Chase Investment Counsel Corp now owns 11,594 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $5,244,000 after acquiring an additional 9,772 shares during the period. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1.1% during the second quarter. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. now owns 1,975 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $893,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares during the period. Finally, Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1.2% during the second quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,019 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $913,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares during the period. 71.21% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
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Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $505.99, for a total transaction of $1,770,965.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 12,095 shares in the company, valued at $6,119,949.05. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other news, major shareholder Goldman Sachs Group Inc sold 4,000,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.34, for a total value of $25,360,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 12,981,022 shares in the company, valued at approximately $82,299,679.48. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $505.99, for a total value of $1,770,965.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 12,095 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,119,949.05. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 4,013,500 shares of company stock worth $32,181,365 over the last ninety days. 0.54% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Performance
NYSE:GS opened at $489.00 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.20, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 0.72. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $289.36 and a 52-week high of $517.26. The firm has a market cap of $157.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.05, a PEG ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 1.36. The businesss fifty day moving average is $488.78 and its 200 day moving average is $447.10.
The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, July 15th. The investment management company reported $8.62 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.52 by $0.10. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 10.56% and a net margin of 9.36%. The business had revenue of $12.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.60 billion. Research analysts predict that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 35.07 EPS for the current year.
The Goldman Sachs Group Increases Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $3.00 per share. This represents a $12.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.45%. This is a boost from The Goldman Sachs Groups previous quarterly dividend of $2.75. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. The Goldman Sachs Groups payout ratio is presently 46.86%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of analysts recently commented on GS shares. UBS Group lifted their price target on The Goldman Sachs Group from $490.00 to $535.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $360.00 to $373.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Citigroup boosted their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $460.00 to $485.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $485.00 to $520.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, June 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $461.00 to $464.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $495.94.
Read Our Latest Research Report on GS
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.
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Arizona State Retirement System trimmed its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Free Report) by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,026,385 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 15,773 shares during the quarter. Arizona State Retirement Systems holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $60,957,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC now owns 28,467 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,691,000 after buying an additional 267 shares in the last quarter. First Western Trust Bank increased its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company by 5.4% in the 2nd quarter. First Western Trust Bank now owns 4,590 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $273,000 after buying an additional 237 shares in the last quarter. Bordeaux Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 2nd quarter worth about $387,000. First Pacific Advisors LP increased its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter. First Pacific Advisors LP now owns 5,278,666 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $313,500,000 after buying an additional 108,480 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. grew its stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. now owns 28,309 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,681,000 after purchasing an additional 818 shares during the period. 75.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Evercore ISI restated an outperform rating and set a $67.00 price target (down from $70.00) on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $62.00 to $61.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Wells Fargo & Company to a hold rating and cut their price target for the company from $62.00 to $59.00 in a research note on Friday, August 16th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $55.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $64.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Wells Fargo & Company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $60.41.
Wells Fargo & Company Stock Performance
NYSE:WFC opened at $56.92 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $57.42 and its 200 day moving average is $57.87. Wells Fargo & Company has a fifty-two week low of $38.38 and a fifty-two week high of $62.55. The firm has a market capitalization of $198.44 billion, a PE ratio of 11.68, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.86.
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 12th. The financial services provider reported $1.33 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.29 by $0.04. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.30% and a net margin of 15.17%. The company had revenue of $20.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.29 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.25 EPS. Wells Fargo & Companys quarterly revenue was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.15 earnings per share for the current year.
Wells Fargo & Company Increases Dividend
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Sunday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th were given a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.81%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 9th. This is an increase from Wells Fargo & Companys previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio is 32.85%.
About Wells Fargo & Company
(Free Report)
Wells Fargo & Company, a financial services company, provides diversified banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management.
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Bank of America reiterated their buy rating on shares of Babcock International Group (LON:BAB Free Report) in a research report released on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Bank of America currently has a GBX 660 ($8.68) price objective on the stock.
Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on BAB. Shore Capital restated a buy rating on shares of Babcock International Group in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Berenberg Bank lowered shares of Babcock International Group to a hold rating and raised their target price for the stock from GBX 510 ($6.71) to GBX 565 ($7.43) in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating and issued a GBX 625 ($8.22) target price on shares of Babcock International Group in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of GBX 585.80 ($7.70).
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Babcock International Group Price Performance
Babcock International Group Increases Dividend
BAB stock opened at GBX 501.50 ($6.59) on Monday. Babcock International Group has a 52 week low of GBX 369 ($4.85) and a 52 week high of GBX 575 ($7.56). The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 245.75. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 521.63 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 521.27. The firm has a market capitalization of 2.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,567.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.28.
The business also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 22nd will be paid a GBX 3.30 ($0.04) dividend. This represents a yield of 0.68%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 22nd. This is an increase from Babcock International Groups previous dividend of $1.70. Babcock International Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 1,562.50%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, insider David Lockwood sold 395,007 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 529 ($6.96), for a total value of 2,089,587.03 ($2,747,648.95). In other Babcock International Group news, insider John Ramsay bought 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The shares were acquired at an average price of GBX 496 ($6.52) per share, with a total value of 49,600 ($65,220.25). Also, insider David Lockwood sold 395,007 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 529 ($6.96), for a total transaction of 2,089,587.03 ($2,747,648.95). 0.59% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Babcock International Group Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Babcock International Group PLC, together with its subsidiaries, provides value-add services for aerospace, defense, and security in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, Africa, North America, Australasia, and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Marine, Nuclear, Land, and Aviation.
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Life Healthcare Group (OTCMKTS:LTGHY Get Free Report) and Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE:BKD Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, institutional ownership, risk, profitability, valuation and analyst recommendations.
Profitability
This table compares Life Healthcare Group and Brookdale Senior Livings net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Life Healthcare Group N/A N/A N/A Brookdale Senior Living -6.75% -51.31% -3.70%
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of current recommendations for Life Healthcare Group and Brookdale Senior Living, as reported by MarketBeat.
Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Life Healthcare Group 0 0 0 0 N/A Brookdale Senior Living 0 1 2 0 2.67
Valuation and Earnings
Brookdale Senior Living has a consensus price target of $7.50, suggesting a potential upside of 9.01%. Given Brookdale Senior Livings higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Brookdale Senior Living is more favorable than Life Healthcare Group.
This table compares Life Healthcare Group and Brookdale Senior Livings gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Life Healthcare Group N/A N/A N/A $10.67 0.30 Brookdale Senior Living $3.07 billion 0.43 -$189.01 million ($0.77) -8.94
Life Healthcare Group has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Brookdale Senior Living. Brookdale Senior Living is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Life Healthcare Group, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary
Life Healthcare Group beats Brookdale Senior Living on 5 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Life Healthcare Group
(Get Free Report)
Life Healthcare Group Holdings Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates private hospitals in South Africa, Canada, the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, and Internationally. It operates through two segments, Hospitals and Complementary Services; and Healthcare Services. The company provides range of acute hospitals and complementary services; Life Esidimeni services, such as chronic mental healthcare, frail care rehabilitation, step-down care, correctional services, and primary healthcare and substance abuse recovery programs; and life employee health solutions, including on-site occupational and primary healthcare services and employee wellness programs. It also offers services in the areas of diagnostics, mental health, acute rehabilitation, renal dialysis, oncology, cardiology, neurology, orthopedic, pediatric, dermatology, ophthalmology, gynecology, and obstetric. In addition, the company provides diagnostic imaging services; magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography scanners; develops, manufactures, and distributes radiopharmaceuticals for use in positron emission tomography-computerized tomography (PET-CT) diagnostics. The company was formerly known as Afrox Healthcare Limited and changed its name to Life Healthcare Group Holdings Limited in January 2005. Life Healthcare Group Holdings Limited was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.
About Brookdale Senior Living
(Get Free Report)
Brookdale Senior Living Inc. owns, manages, and operates senior living communities in the United States. It operates in three segments: Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs). The Independent Living segment owns or leases communities comprising independent and assisted living units in a single community that are primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors. The Assisted Living and Memory Care segment owns or leases communities consisting of freestanding, multi-story communities and freestanding, single-story communities, which offer housing and 24-hour assistance with activities of daily living for the Companys residents. This segment also operates memory care communities for residents with Alzheimers and other dementias. The CCRCs segment owns or leases communities that provides various living arrangements, such as independent and assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing; and services to accommodate various levels of physical ability and healthcare needs. It also manages communities on behalf of others. Brookdale Senior Living Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 6. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to hold his first press conference on Monday, where he will address questions from both domestic and international media, Trend reports.
Seyyed Mehdi Tabatabai, deputy for communications and information at the president's office, shared the news on his social media.
He noted that the format of the upcoming press conference will see some changes compared to previous ones.
During the event, President Pezeshkian will field questions from journalists on a variety of domestic and international issues.
Canadian Western Bank (TSE:CWB Free Report) had its price objective raised by Jefferies Financial Group from C$52.00 to C$57.00 in a report released on Tuesday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a hold rating on the stock.
A number of other research firms also recently commented on CWB. BMO Capital Markets downgraded Canadian Western Bank from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and increased their price objective for the company from C$35.00 to C$52.00 in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. Scotiabank raised their price objective on shares of Canadian Western Bank from C$30.00 to C$52.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, June 18th. Desjardins boosted their price objective on shares of Canadian Western Bank from C$52.00 to C$53.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 6th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Canadian Western Bank from C$51.00 to C$52.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, National Bankshares reduced their price target on shares of Canadian Western Bank from C$37.00 to C$30.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, June 3rd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given 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 target price of C$48.03.
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Canadian Western Bank Trading Down 0.1 %
Canadian Western Bank Dividend Announcement
Shares of CWB stock opened at C$51.93 on Tuesday. Canadian Western Bank has a 12 month low of C$24.66 and a 12 month high of C$52.80. The company has a market cap of C$5.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.46, a PEG ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 1.39. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of C$47.29 and a 200 day moving average price of C$35.54.
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 26th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 12th will be given a dividend of $0.35 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, September 12th. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.70%. Canadian Western Banks payout ratio is 41.67%.
Insider Activity at Canadian Western Bank
In other news, Senior Officer Jenny Siman sold 1,000 shares of Canadian Western Bank stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$46.05, for a total value of C$46,050.00. In other news, Senior Officer Jenny Siman sold 1,000 shares of the firms 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 value of C$46,050.00. Also, Senior Officer Trent Albert Erickson purchased 4,312 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 14th. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$41.44 per share, for a total transaction of C$178,680.66. 0.46% of the stock is currently owned by 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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CapWealth Advisors LLC lessened its position in shares of FB Financial Co. (NYSE:FBK Free Report) by 7.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 10,209 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 879 shares during the quarter. CapWealth Advisors LLCs holdings in FB Financial were worth $398,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in FBK. Albert D Mason Inc. grew its stake in FB Financial by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. Albert D Mason Inc. now owns 23,099 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $870,000 after acquiring an additional 297 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System grew its position in shares of FB Financial by 1.7% in the second quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 17,700 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $691,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp increased its stake in shares of FB Financial by 1.3% during the first quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund Corp now owns 30,747 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,158,000 after purchasing an additional 398 shares in the last quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC increased its stake in shares of FB Financial by 1.6% during the second quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 25,895 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,011,000 after purchasing an additional 412 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund raised its position in shares of FB Financial by 2.4% during the 1st quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 19,904 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $750,000 after purchasing an additional 468 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.40% of the companys stock.
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FB Financial Price Performance
FBK stock opened at $46.47 on Friday. FB Financial Co. has a 1 year low of $27.42 and a 1 year high of $48.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.18 billion, a PE ratio of 19.53 and a beta of 1.14. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $44.18 and a 200-day simple moving average of $39.28.
FB Financial Announces Dividend
FB Financial ( NYSE:FBK Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 15th. The financial services provider reported $0.84 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.08. FB Financial had a return on equity of 10.24% and a net margin of 15.34%. The company had revenue of $128.22 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $123.52 million. On average, equities research analysts expect that FB Financial Co. will post 3.25 EPS for the current year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, August 20th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 6th were issued a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 6th. FB Financials dividend payout ratio is currently 28.57%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several research firms recently issued reports on FBK. Piper Sandler cut FB Financial from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $41.00 to $46.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price target on FB Financial from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on FB Financial from $43.00 to $42.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, June 27th. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $45.00 target price on shares of FB Financial in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $42.33.
View Our Latest Analysis on FBK
FB Financial Company Profile
(Free Report)
FB Financial Corporation operates as a bank holding company for FirstBank that provides a suite of commercial and consumer banking services to businesses, professionals, and individuals. The company operates in segments, such as Banking and Mortgage. It offers checking, demand, money market, and savings accounts; deposit and lending products and services to corporate, commercial, and consumer customers; and time deposits and certificates of deposits, as well as residential mortgage loans.
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StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of China Pharma (NYSE:CPHI Free Report) in a research report report published on Tuesday. The firm issued a hold rating on the stock.
China Pharma Stock Performance
NYSE:CPHI opened at $0.18 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.24 and a current ratio of 0.84. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $0.22 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $0.29. China Pharma has a 52 week low of $0.17 and a 52 week high of $1.21.
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China Pharma (NYSE:CPHI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The company reported ($0.09) earnings per share for the quarter. China Pharma had a negative net margin of 70.47% and a negative return on equity of 60.19%. The company had revenue of $0.93 million during the quarter.
China Pharma Company Profile
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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Synergy Asset Management LLC trimmed its holdings in Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ Free Report) by 9.8% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 3,327 shares of the companys stock after selling 361 shares during the quarter. Synergy Asset Management LLCs holdings in Constellation Brands were worth $856,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of STZ. New Millennium Group LLC purchased a new stake in Constellation Brands in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. purchased a new stake in Constellation Brands in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Horizon Bancorp Inc. IN purchased a new stake in Constellation Brands in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Constellation Brands in the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. Finally, Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda purchased a new stake in Constellation Brands in the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.34% of the companys stock.
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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several analysts recently commented on the stock. Roth Mkm reduced their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $303.00 to $298.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective 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. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Constellation Brands from $315.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 5th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Constellation Brands from $305.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 26th. Finally, Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Constellation Brands from $287.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, July 19th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $298.26.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Constellation Brands news, EVP Kaneenat Kristann Carey sold 977 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.00, for a total transaction of $254,997.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 2,706 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $706,266. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Kaneenat Kristann Carey sold 977 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.00, for a total transaction of $254,997.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 2,706 shares in the company, valued at approximately $706,266. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Daniel J. Mccarthy sold 1,854 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $252.43, for a total transaction of $468,005.22. Following the transaction, the director now owns 3,232 shares in the company, valued at $815,853.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 16,414 shares of company stock valued at $3,982,922 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 12.19% of the companys stock.
Constellation Brands Price Performance
NYSE STZ traded up $1.44 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $249.73. The companys stock had a trading volume of 61,833 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,170,442. The stock has a market cap of $45.69 billion, a PE ratio of 18.50, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.75. Constellation Brands, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $227.50 and a fifty-two week high of $274.87. The companys 50-day moving average is $246.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $253.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.19.
Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 3rd. The company reported $3.57 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.46 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $2.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.67 billion. Constellation Brands had a net margin of 22.70% and a return on equity of 23.72%. The firms revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.91 EPS. Analysts forecast that Constellation Brands, Inc. will post 13.54 EPS for the current year.
Constellation Brands Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 14th were paid 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 1.62%. Constellation Brandss dividend payout ratio is currently 30.10%.
Constellation Brands Company Profile
(Free Report)
Constellation Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Familiar, Corona Hard Seltzer, Corona Light, Corona Non-Alcoholic, Corona Premier, Corona Refresca, Modelo Especial, Modelo Chelada, Modelo Negra, Modelo Oro, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.
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Royal Bank of Canada reissued their outperform rating on shares of Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ Free Report) in a research report report published on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $308.00 target price on the stock.
Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on STZ. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Constellation Brands from $310.00 to $311.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, July 5th. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Constellation Brands from $305.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, August 26th. Roth Mkm lowered their price objective on shares of Constellation Brands from $305.00 to $303.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Constellation Brands from $291.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, July 5th. Finally, Truist Financial reaffirmed a hold rating and set a $265.00 price target on shares of Constellation Brands in a research note on Wednesday, July 3rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $298.26.
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Constellation Brands Price Performance
Shares of NYSE:STZ opened at $248.29 on Tuesday. The firms 50 day moving average is $246.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $253.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $45.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.50, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 1.75. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.53 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.
Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 3rd. The company reported $3.57 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.46 by $0.11. Constellation Brands had a return on equity of 23.72% and a net margin of 22.70%. The firm had revenue of $2.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.67 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.91 EPS. The firms revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Constellation Brands will post 13.54 earnings per share for the current year.
Constellation Brands Dividend Announcement
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 14th were issued a dividend of $1.01 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 14th. This represents a $4.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.63%. Constellation Brandss dividend payout ratio is currently 30.10%.
Insider Activity at Constellation Brands
In other news, Director Daniel J. Mccarthy sold 1,854 shares of the firms stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the director now owns 3,232 shares of the companys stock, valued at $815,853.76. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Constellation Brands news, EVP Kaneenat Kristann Carey sold 977 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.00, for a total value of $254,997.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 2,706 shares in the company, valued at approximately $706,266. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Daniel J. Mccarthy sold 1,854 shares of Constellation Brands stock in a transaction on Friday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $252.43, for a total transaction of $468,005.22. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 3,232 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $815,853.76. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 16,414 shares of company stock worth $3,982,922. 12.19% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Constellation Brands
Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. New Millennium Group LLC acquired a new position in Constellation Brands in the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. bought a new position in Constellation Brands during the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Horizon Bancorp Inc. IN acquired a new stake in Constellation Brands in the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Constellation Brands in the first quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, First Financial Corp IN acquired a new position in shares of Constellation Brands during the 1st quarter worth $35,000. 77.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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.
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Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE:VTMX Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $26.73 and last traded at $26.73, with a volume of 44797 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $27.52.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Separately, Barclays dropped their target price on Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta from $40.00 to $38.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 31st.
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Read Our Latest Analysis on Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta
Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta Trading Up 0.2 %
The company has a current ratio of 3.10, a quick ratio of 3.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $29.47 and a 200-day simple moving average of $33.49. The company has a market capitalization of $22.70 billion, a PE ratio of 5.24 and a beta of 1.40.
Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta (NYSE:VTMX Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $1.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.50 by $0.73. The company had revenue of $63.02 million during the quarter. Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta had a return on equity of 17.11% and a net margin of 179.79%. Analysts predict that Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta, S.A.B. de C.V. will post 3 EPS for the current year.
Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta Cuts Dividend
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 15th were issued a dividend of $0.1549 per share. This represents a $0.62 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.36%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 15th. Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vestas dividend payout ratio is presently 11.95%.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta
A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of VTMX. M&T Bank Corp purchased a new position in shares of Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta during the 4th quarter worth $1,364,000. Centersquare Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta by 19.0% during the 1st quarter. Centersquare Investment Management LLC now owns 281,677 shares of the companys stock worth $11,053,000 after purchasing an additional 44,907 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta by 3,292.8% during the 1st quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 336,600 shares of the companys stock worth $13,208,000 after purchasing an additional 326,679 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers grew its holdings in shares of Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta by 54.3% during the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 3,610 shares of the companys stock worth $108,000 after purchasing an additional 1,270 shares during the period. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP grew its holdings in shares of Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta by 358.1% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 144,167 shares of the companys stock worth $4,324,000 after purchasing an additional 112,699 shares during the period. 6.94% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
About Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta
(Get Free Report)
Corporacion Inmobiliaria Vesta, SAB. de C.V., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, develops, manages, operates, and leases industrial buildings and distribution facilities in Mexico. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico.
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Denver PWM LLC bought a new position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor bought 5,230 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock, valued at approximately $146,000.
Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. lifted its position in Pfizer by 1.3% during the second quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 26,306 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $736,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares during the period. Ironvine Capital Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 2.1% during the 1st quarter. Ironvine Capital Partners LLC now owns 16,953 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $470,000 after buying an additional 353 shares during the period. Secure Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. Secure Asset Management LLC now owns 58,328 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,632,000 after buying an additional 353 shares during the last quarter. Patrick M Sweeney & Associates Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 0.8% in the second quarter. Patrick M Sweeney & Associates Inc. now owns 42,162 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $1,180,000 after acquiring an additional 355 shares during the period. Finally, Continuum Advisory LLC increased its position in Pfizer by 1.5% during the second quarter. Continuum Advisory LLC now owns 25,185 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $705,000 after acquiring an additional 360 shares during the last quarter. 68.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Pfizer Stock Up 0.4 %
Shares of PFE stock opened at $28.51 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.86. Pfizer Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $25.20 and a fifty-two week high of $35.28. The firm has a market capitalization of $161.55 billion, a PE ratio of -475.09, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 0.68. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $29.05 and its 200-day simple moving average is $28.04.
Pfizer Dividend Announcement
Pfizer ( NYSE:PFE Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.60 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $13.28 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.96 billion. Pfizer had a positive return on equity of 8.42% and a negative net margin of 4.66%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.67 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.66 earnings per share for the current year.
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 26th were given a dividend of $0.42 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 26th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.89%. Pfizers dividend payout ratio is currently -2,799.53%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
PFE has been the subject of several research reports. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. StockNews.com raised shares of Pfizer from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Daiwa Capital Markets upgraded shares of Pfizer from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $28.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and issued a $45.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Monday, August 19th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted 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. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $34.54.
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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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Denver PWM LLC lowered its holdings in Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM Free Report) by 86.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 642 shares of the CRM providers stock after selling 4,033 shares during the period. Denver PWM LLCs holdings in Salesforce were worth $165,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Peterson Wealth Management grew its stake in Salesforce by 33.5% in the second quarter. Peterson Wealth Management now owns 8,603 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $2,212,000 after purchasing an additional 2,158 shares in the last quarter. Bordeaux Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Salesforce by 57.7% in the second quarter. Bordeaux Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,495 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $1,670,000 after buying an additional 2,377 shares in the last quarter. 9258 Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Salesforce by 1.2% in the second quarter. 9258 Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,296 shares of the CRM providers stock valued at $1,876,000 after buying an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS increased its holdings in Salesforce by 5.6% during the second quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS now owns 26,735 shares of the CRM providers stock worth $6,874,000 after buying an additional 1,422 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hohimer Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Salesforce during the second quarter worth $1,128,000. 80.43% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
Several analysts have issued reports on the company. Loop Capital upped their price objective on Salesforce from $240.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 29th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on Salesforce from $265.00 to $305.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, August 29th. FBN Securities raised shares of Salesforce to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 29th. JMP Securities reissued a market outperform rating and issued a $342.00 price objective on shares of Salesforce in a research report on Wednesday, August 28th. Finally, Mizuho reduced their target price on shares of Salesforce from $345.00 to $300.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 30th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-seven have issued a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $304.41.
Salesforce Trading Down 0.6 %
CRM opened at $246.16 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 1.11. Salesforce, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $193.68 and a fifty-two week high of $318.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $238.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.27, a PEG ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.29. The companys 50 day moving average price is $254.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $270.11.
Salesforce (NYSE:CRM Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, August 28th. The CRM provider reported $2.56 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.36 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $9.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.22 billion. Salesforce had a return on equity of 12.01% and a net margin of 15.44%. The firms revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.63 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Salesforce, Inc. will post 7.52 earnings per share for the current year.
Salesforce Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 25th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, July 9th were issued a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, July 9th. Salesforces dividend payout ratio is presently 28.78%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other news, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $241.74, for a total value of $3,626,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 12,162,457 shares in the company, valued at $2,940,152,355.18. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, insider Parker Harris sold 3,528 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.59, for a total value of $884,081.52. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 117,581 shares of the companys stock, valued at $29,464,622.79. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Marc Benioff sold 15,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $241.74, for a total value of $3,626,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 12,162,457 shares in the company, valued at $2,940,152,355.18. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 83,692 shares of company stock worth $21,006,957. Insiders own 3.20% of the companys stock.
Salesforce Profile
(Free Report)
Salesforce, Inc provides Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology that brings companies and customers together worldwide. The company's service includes sales to store data, monitor leads and progress, forecast opportunities, gain insights through analytics and artificial intelligence, and deliver quotes, contracts, and invoices; and service that enables companies to deliver trusted and highly personalized customer support at scale.
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Dingdong (Cayman) Limited (NYSE:DDL Get Free Report) was up 3.2% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $2.23 and last traded at $2.23. Approximately 369,464 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 11% from the average daily volume of 417,319 shares. The stock had previously closed at $2.16.
Dingdong (Cayman) Trading Up 4.3 %
The firm has a market cap of $569.31 million, a P/E ratio of -80.33 and a beta of 0.25. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $1.97 and a 200-day simple moving average of $1.69.
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Institutional Trading of Dingdong (Cayman)
A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Platinum Investment Management Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. Platinum Investment Management Ltd. now owns 9,308,945 shares of the companys stock worth $13,963,000 after purchasing an additional 166,736 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) by 0.4% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 4,849,609 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,917,000 after buying an additional 17,900 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its stake in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) by 63.4% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 690,200 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,373,000 after buying an additional 267,700 shares during the last quarter. Virtu Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) during the 1st quarter valued at about $54,000. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Dingdong (Cayman) during the 2nd quarter valued at about $86,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 24.66% of the companys stock.
Dingdong (Cayman) Company Profile
Dingdong (Cayman) Limited operates an e-commerce company in China. The company offers fresh groceries, including vegetables, meat and eggs, fruits, and seafood; prepared food, and other food products, such as baked goods, dairy, seasonings, beverages, instant food, oil, and snacks. It offers its products through traditional offline, as well as online channels through Dingdong Fresh app, mini-programs, and third-party platforms.
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Element Fleet Management Corp. (TSE:EFN Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as C$28.26 and last traded at C$28.13, with a volume of 962005 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$27.95.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
EFN has been the topic of several recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on shares of Element Fleet Management from C$28.00 to C$31.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Element Fleet Management from C$33.00 to C$35.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Element Fleet Management from C$28.00 to C$32.00 in a report on Thursday, August 15th. CIBC raised their price target on Element Fleet Management from C$28.00 to C$30.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Scotiabank upped their price objective on Element Fleet Management from C$27.00 to C$28.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$31.25.
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Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Element Fleet Management
Element Fleet Management Trading Up 0.5 %
The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 303.14, a current ratio of 8.22 and a quick ratio of 5.70. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of C$26.23 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$24.04. The stock has a market cap of C$11.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.06, a P/E/G ratio of 2.97 and a beta of 0.91.
Element Fleet Management (TSE:EFN Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 13th. The financial services provider reported C$0.40 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$0.37 by C$0.03. Element Fleet Management had a return on equity of 12.58% and a net margin of 23.41%. The business had revenue of C$375.68 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$368.46 million. Equities analysts forecast that Element Fleet Management Corp. will post 1.5374037 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Element Fleet Management Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 27th will be issued a $0.12 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 27th. This represents a $0.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.74%. Element Fleet Managements dividend payout ratio is currently 38.40%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other news, Senior Officer James Halliday sold 32,700 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$25.00, for a total transaction of C$817,500.00. In other news, Senior Officer James Halliday sold 32,700 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$25.00, for a total value of C$817,500.00. Also, Senior Officer William Sutherland purchased 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 18th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of C$24.90 per share, for a total transaction of C$99,594.00. 0.22% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Element Fleet Management Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Element Fleet Management Corp. operates as a fleet management company primarily in Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. The company offers end-to-end fleet cars, trucks, and material handling support equipment acquisition; and end-to-end electric vehicle fleet including fleet planning, charging infrastructure solutions, acquisition, financing, maintenance, and remarketing.
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Famous Ukrainian choreographer Olena Shoptenko, who has been living in Austria with her son for more than two years because of the war in Ukraine, admitted why she has never brought Oleksii home. She also told how the boy adapted to life abroad.
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Olena spoke about this in an interview with OBOZ.UA. According to her, her son had a hard time getting used to life in Austria.
"Oleksiy hasn't been to Ukraine since the beginning of the great war," says Shoptenko. "We will come back with our son as soon as it is safe for him because I left Ukraine only for his sake. I myself am home about every two or three months."
Olena admits that her son Oleksii had a hard time getting used to his new country of residence: "At first, it was quite difficult, like all children who come here. A different language, a foreign environment. He does not understand, he is not understood. Well, let's just say it like it is: we, the mothers, were also in a state of confusion, which, of course, affected the children. Now, in terms of development, Oleksii has made a very powerful leap. First of all, the language: he started speaking German. However, we do our best to preserve Ukrainian. Oleksii could read Ukrainian before he started school, and I am very proud of that! I also want him to start learning English, because it's no secret that languages are very important. They develop the brain and make life much easier."
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The artist says that she pays special attention to the Ukrainian language: "Unfortunately, when I was growing up, Ukrainian culture was not strong. I was brought up in a Russian-speaking family, my parents were from Siberia. I learned Ukrainian only at school. But I could easily communicate in Ukrainian even before the full-scale invasion took place. And in order to have good pronunciation, she had special lessons with a teacher. Now Oleksiy and I go to classes at the Ukrainian development center. We read a lot of Ukrainian books and fairy tales that I bring back from Kyiv. The local culture is different. You know, at some points I even started to worry a little. I thought: my child will grow up on something different from what I did at his age. Completely different cartoons, and fairy tales. And then I realized: why is this bad? I grew up with "Nu pogodi!" and similar bad Soviet stuff. And this is not ours either, but it is interesting in its essence and its approach."
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Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes.
Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. grew its holdings in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report) by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 45,873 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 255 shares during the period. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc.s holdings in Novartis were worth $4,884,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Novartis by 36.5% in the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 3,488 shares of the companys stock valued at $352,000 after purchasing an additional 933 shares during the period. Aveo Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Novartis by 12.3% in the 4th quarter. Aveo Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,509 shares of the companys stock valued at $253,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Novartis in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $203,000. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Novartis by 22.5% in the 4th quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,792 shares of the companys stock valued at $282,000 after purchasing an additional 512 shares during the period. Finally, National Bank of Canada FI lifted its stake in shares of Novartis by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 141,084 shares of the companys stock valued at $14,276,000 after purchasing an additional 1,220 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 13.12% of the companys stock.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a hold rating on shares of Novartis in a research note on Friday, July 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a neutral rating and set a $121.00 price objective (up previously from $119.00) on shares of Novartis in a research note on Thursday. Jefferies Financial Group cut Novartis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Barclays upgraded Novartis to a strong sell rating in a research note on Monday, June 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Novartis presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $118.38.
Novartis Stock Up 0.9 %
Shares of Novartis stock traded up $1.04 on Friday, reaching $117.53. The companys stock had a trading volume of 127,159 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,401,424. The company has a market capitalization of $240.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.57. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $112.45 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $104.40. Novartis AG has a 52 week low of $92.19 and a 52 week high of $120.92. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47.
Novartis (NYSE:NVS Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The company reported $1.97 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.87 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $12.87 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.24 billion. Novartis had a return on equity of 34.56% and a net margin of 33.76%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.83 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Novartis AG will post 7.48 earnings per share for the current year.
About Novartis
(Free Report)
Novartis AG engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, as well as ophthalmology and hematology.
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Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. raised its position in shares of Capital One Financial Co. (NYSE:COF Free Report) by 0.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 90,033 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 408 shares during the period. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc.s holdings in Capital One Financial were worth $12,465,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Silicon Valley Capital Partners bought a new position in shares of Capital One Financial in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. LRI Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Capital One Financial in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Hobbs Group Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Capital One Financial in the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Capital One Financial by 726.7% in the 4th quarter. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC now owns 248 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Rise Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Capital One Financial in the 1st quarter worth $33,000. 89.84% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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Insider Transactions at Capital One Financial
In related news, insider Robert M. Alexander sold 30,742 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total value of $4,611,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 73,734 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,060,100. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, insider Robert M. Alexander sold 30,742 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total value of $4,611,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 73,734 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,060,100. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Kevin S. Borgmann sold 61,532 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.86, for a total value of $8,175,141.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 40,934 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,438,491.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Capital One Financial from $148.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, July 8th. BTIG Research started coverage on Capital One Financial in a research report on Friday, June 7th. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Bank of America boosted their target price on Capital One Financial from $158.00 to $161.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and set a $150.00 target price on shares of Capital One Financial in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Evercore ISI dropped their target price on Capital One Financial from $155.00 to $154.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Capital One Financial currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $145.89.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on COF
Capital One Financial Stock Performance
Shares of COF traded up $2.62 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $144.71. The company had a trading volume of 124,303 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,454,224. Capital One Financial Co. has a 52-week low of $88.23 and a 52-week high of $153.35. The company has a quick ratio of 1.00, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $55.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.13, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.45. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $141.53 and a two-hundred day moving average of $140.39.
Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The financial services provider reported $3.14 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.28 by ($0.14). Capital One Financial had a return on equity of 9.31% and a net margin of 9.01%. The company had revenue of $9.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.57 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.52 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 5.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Capital One Financial Co. will post 13.1 earnings per share for the current year.
Capital One Financial Dividend Announcement
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 12th were paid a $0.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 12th. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.66%. Capital One Financials payout ratio is 18.79%.
Capital One Financial Profile
(Free Report)
Capital One Financial Corporation operates as the financial services holding company for the Capital One, National Association, which engages in the provision of various financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking.
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Foster & Motley Inc. increased its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 4.5% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 1,122 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the period. Foster & Motley Inc.s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $1,016,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in LLY. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 91.9% in the 2nd quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC now owns 881 shares of the companys stock valued at $798,000 after purchasing an additional 422 shares during the last quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators boosted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.7% in the second quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators now owns 3,302 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,990,000 after buying an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.2% in the second quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,098 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,805,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Kapstone Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 9.7% during the second quarter. Kapstone Financial Advisors LLC now owns 510 shares of the companys stock worth $462,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Range Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.4% in the second quarter. Range Financial Group LLC now owns 4,225 shares of the companys stock worth $3,825,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
Several brokerages recently issued reports on LLY. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $725.00 to $1,025.00 in a report on Monday, August 12th. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $1,000.00 target price (up previously from $892.00) on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Tuesday, June 25th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $875.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $900.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Finally, Argus lifted their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $770.00 to $840.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 14th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $961.76.
Eli Lilly and Company Trading Down 3.5 %
LLY opened at $912.75 on Friday. Eli Lilly and Company has a twelve month low of $516.57 and a twelve month high of $972.53. The company has a fifty day moving average of $896.03 and a 200-day moving average of $826.65. The stock has a market cap of $867.48 billion, a PE ratio of 134.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.64 by $1.28. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 18.86% and a return on equity of 67.52%. The business had revenue of $11.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.83 billion. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 16.51 EPS for the current year.
Eli Lilly and Company Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.57%. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is currently 76.58%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 75,510 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $860.78, for a total value of $64,997,497.80. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 97,793,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $84,178,955,771.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Over the last three months, insiders sold 737,410 shares of company stock worth $669,719,100. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
About Eli Lilly and Company
(Free Report)
Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.
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Gouverneur Bancorp, Inc. (OTCMKTS:GOVB Get Free Report) shares shot up 0.5% on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $10.06 and last traded at $10.05. 1,100 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 19% from the average session volume of 1,354 shares. The stock had previously closed at $10.00.
Gouverneur Bancorp Price Performance
The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $10.07 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $10.25.
About Gouverneur Bancorp
(Get Free Report)
Gouverneur Bancorp, Inc operates as the holding company for Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association that provides various banking products and services to individuals and businesses in New York. It accepts passbook savings, NOW, money market deposit, and checking accounts, as well as certificates of deposit.
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Currys (OTCMKTS:DSITF Get Free Report) and EVgo (NYSE:EVGO Get Free Report) are both consumer cyclical companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, dividends, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation and risk.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Currys and EVgo, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
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Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Currys 0 0 0 0 N/A EVgo 0 4 5 0 2.56
EVgo has a consensus price target of $4.63, indicating a potential upside of 10.65%. Given EVgos higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe EVgo is more favorable than Currys.
Earnings and Valuation
Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Currys N/A N/A N/A ($0.02) -54.21 EVgo $206.88 million 6.10 -$42.43 million ($0.38) -11.00
This table compares Currys and EVgos top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
Currys has higher earnings, but lower revenue than EVgo. Currys is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than EVgo, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Profitability
This table compares Currys and EVgos net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Currys N/A N/A N/A EVgo -20.56% N/A -5.32%
Institutional and Insider Ownership
52.5% of Currys shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 17.4% of EVgo shares are owned by institutional investors. 67.0% of EVgo shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Summary
EVgo beats Currys on 5 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Currys
(Get Free Report)
Currys plc operates as a retailer of technology products and services. It offers consumer electronics and mobile technology products and services; and mobile virtual network operator and consumer electrical repair services. The company also sells its products through online; and offers insurance services. The company was formerly known as Dixons Carphone plc and changed its name to Currys plc in September 2021. Currys plc was founded in 1884 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.
About EVgo
(Get Free Report)
EVgo, Inc. owns and operates a direct current fast charging network for electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States. The company offers electricity directly to drivers, who access its publicly available networked chargers; original equipment manufacturer charging and related services; fleet and rideshare public charging services; and charging as a service and fleet dedicated charging services. It also provides ancillary services, such as customization of digital applications, charging data integration, loyalty programs, access to chargers behind parking lot or garage pay gates, microtargeted advertising, and charging reservations; and hardware, design, and construction services for charging sites, as well as ongoing operations, maintenance, and networking and software integration solutions through eXtend. In addition, it offers PlugShare such as data, research, and advertising services and equipment procurement and operational services. EVgo, Inc. was incorporated in 2010 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.EVgo, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of EVgo Holdings LLC.
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Hemenway Trust Co LLC lowered its stake in shares of American Tower Co. (NYSE:AMT Free Report) by 5.9% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 6,386 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 398 shares during the period. Hemenway Trust Co LLCs holdings in American Tower were worth $1,241,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Jeppson Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in American Tower by 4.6% during the second quarter. Jeppson Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,710 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $332,000 after buying an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System grew its stake in shares of American Tower by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 135,375 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $26,314,000 after acquiring an additional 1,601 shares in the last quarter. MCF Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of American Tower by 47.5% in the second quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 435 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $85,000 after purchasing an additional 140 shares during the last quarter. Columbia Asset Management lifted its position in shares of American Tower by 31.0% during the second quarter. Columbia Asset Management now owns 6,515 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,266,000 after purchasing an additional 1,540 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sterling Investment Advisors Ltd. lifted its position in shares of American Tower by 2.1% during the second quarter. Sterling Investment Advisors Ltd. now owns 16,911 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,287,000 after purchasing an additional 344 shares in the last quarter. 92.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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Insider Buying and Selling
In other American Tower news, EVP Olivier Puech sold 10,005 shares of American Tower stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $233.27, for a total transaction of $2,333,866.35. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 51,746 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,070,789.42. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CAO Robert Joseph Meyer, Jr. sold 2,181 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $232.93, for a total transaction of $508,020.33. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 31,873 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,424,177.89. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Olivier Puech sold 10,005 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $233.27, for a total transaction of $2,333,866.35. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 51,746 shares of the companys stock, valued at $12,070,789.42. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 33,723 shares of company stock worth $7,795,397. Insiders own 0.18% of the companys stock.
American Tower Stock Performance
AMT stock traded down $0.23 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $233.41. 228,730 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,311,012. The firm has a market capitalization of $109.00 billion, a PE ratio of 52.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $215.72 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $198.98. American Tower Co. has a 52 week low of $154.58 and a 52 week high of $236.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.42, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a current ratio of 0.81.
American Tower (NYSE:AMT Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.92 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.44 by ($0.52). The company had revenue of $2.90 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.82 billion. American Tower had a net margin of 21.95% and a return on equity of 23.06%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.46 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that American Tower Co. will post 10.05 EPS for the current year.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of American Tower from $212.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Scotiabank lifted their price target on American Tower from $223.00 to $248.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. StockNews.com upgraded American Tower from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on American Tower from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of American Tower from $225.00 to $236.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, American Tower presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $231.14.
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About American Tower
(Free Report)
American Tower, one of the largest global REITs, is a leading independent owner, operator and developer of multitenant communications real estate with a portfolio of over 224,000 communications sites and a highly interconnected footprint of U.S. data center facilities.
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Hendershot Investments Inc. boosted its stake in Corpay, Inc. (NYSE:CPAY Free Report) by 48.4% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 29,818 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 9,725 shares during the period. Hendershot Investments Inc.s holdings in Corpay were worth $7,944,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of CPAY. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Corpay during the first quarter worth about $33,840,000. GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new stake in Corpay in the first quarter worth approximately $149,000. Pensionfund Sabic bought a new position in Corpay during the first quarter valued at approximately $1,327,000. Beese Fulmer Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Corpay during the first quarter worth approximately $1,398,000. Finally, Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV purchased a new position in shares of Corpay during the first quarter worth approximately $61,000. 98.84% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. William Blair upgraded shares of Corpay to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $310.00 price objective on shares of Corpay in a report on Thursday, August 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Corpay from $327.00 to $353.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Bank of America decreased their price target on Corpay from $331.00 to $310.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, Barclays lowered their price objective on Corpay from $355.00 to $350.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 13th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $332.50.
Corpay Trading Down 2.3 %
Shares of NYSE CPAY opened at $304.68 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $288.18. Corpay, Inc. has a 12 month low of $220.39 and a 12 month high of $319.94. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74. The company has a market cap of $21.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.67, a PEG ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.22.
Corpay (NYSE:CPAY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $4.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $4.51 by $0.04. Corpay had a net margin of 26.41% and a return on equity of 38.93%. The company had revenue of $975.70 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $973.84 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $3.85 earnings per share. Corpays revenue was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Corpay, Inc. will post 17.81 earnings per share for the current year.
Corpay Profile
(Free Report)
Corpay, Inc operates as a payments company that helps businesses and consumers manage vehicle-related expenses, lodging expenses, and corporate payments in the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company offers vehicle payment solutions, which include fuel, tolls, parking, fleet maintenance, and long-haul transportation services, as well as prepaid food and transportation vouchers and cards.
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Ilika plc (LON:IKA Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as GBX 23 ($0.30) and last traded at GBX 24 ($0.32), with a volume of 20283 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 24 ($0.32).
Ilika Stock Performance
The company has a current ratio of 7.86, a quick ratio of 15.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.07. The firm has a market cap of 44.33 million, a PE ratio of -883.33 and a beta of 2.00. The stocks 50 day moving average price is GBX 25.53 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 27.91.
About Ilika
(Get Free Report)
Ilika plc designs, develops, and produces solid-state batteries under the Stereax name primarily in the United Kingdom, Asia, Europe, and North America. The company offers batteries for a range of applications in the industrial Internet of Things, MedTech, transportation, electric vehicles, and cordless consumer appliances.
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California Resources Co. (NYSE:CRC Get Free Report) CEO Francisco Leon sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.18, for a total transaction of $368,850.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 166,357 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,181,437.26. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.
California Resources Price Performance
California Resources stock traded down $1.11 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $48.16. 937,550 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 884,770. The company has a market cap of $3.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a current ratio of 2.43, a quick ratio of 2.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. California Resources Co. has a twelve month low of $43.09 and a twelve month high of $58.44. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $50.61 and a two-hundred day moving average of $51.36.
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California Resources (NYSE:CRC Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.96 by ($0.36). The firm had revenue of $514.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $477.07 million. California Resources had a return on equity of 11.27% and a net margin of 7.61%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.53 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that California Resources Co. will post 3.45 EPS for the current fiscal year.
California Resources Increases Dividend
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a $0.3875 dividend. This is an increase from California Resourcess previous quarterly dividend of $0.31. This represents a $1.55 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.22%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. California Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 44.41%.
Several research analysts recently commented on CRC shares. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of California Resources from $63.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of California Resources from $62.00 to $55.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of California Resources from $63.00 to $64.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, May 13th. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of California Resources in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. They set a buy rating and a $65.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Bank of America raised shares of California Resources from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the stock from $57.00 to $65.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $63.00.
View Our Latest Analysis on California Resources
Institutional Investors Weigh In On California Resources
Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. TFO Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of California Resources by 67,800.0% in the 4th quarter. TFO Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,358 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $74,000 after purchasing an additional 1,356 shares in the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC grew its position in California Resources by 92.4% in the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 1,503 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $82,000 after purchasing an additional 722 shares during the period. Privium Fund Management B.V. acquired a new stake in California Resources in the 2nd quarter valued at $258,000. Hyperion Capital Advisors LP acquired a new stake in California Resources in the 1st quarter valued at $275,000. Finally, Donoghue Forlines LLC purchased a new position in California Resources during the 4th quarter worth $282,000. 97.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
California Resources Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
California Resources Corporation operates as an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production, and carbon management company in the United States. The company explores, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids for marketers, California refineries, and other purchasers that have access to transportation and storage facilities.
Further Reading
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Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF (NYSEARCA:PXF Get Free Report) shares saw an uptick in trading volume on Tuesday . 305,447 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 339% from the previous sessions volume of 69,572 shares.The stock last traded at $50.99 and had previously closed at $51.70.
Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF Trading Up 0.5 %
The stock has a market cap of $1.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.95 and a beta of 0.79. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $49.85 and its 200 day simple moving average is $49.50.
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Institutional Trading of Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PXF. EP Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at $135,000. Creative Planning lifted its stake in Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF by 13.4% in the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 58,396 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,843,000 after buying an additional 6,886 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its holdings in Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF by 4,335.5% during the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 110,665 shares of the companys stock worth $5,638,000 after buying an additional 108,170 shares during the last quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV grew its position in shares of Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF by 6.7% during the 2nd quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 29,897 shares of the companys stock worth $1,455,000 after buying an additional 1,881 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF by 9.2% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 118,763 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,781,000 after acquiring an additional 10,026 shares during the last quarter.
About Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF
The Invesco FTSE RAFI Developed Markets ex-U.S. ETF (PXF) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the FTSE RAFI Developed x US 1000 index. The fund tracks an index of 1,000 of the biggest companies in developed markets outside the US that are selected and weighted based on fundamental measures. PXF was launched on Jun 25, 2007 and is managed by Invesco.
Further Reading
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The famous British actress Tilda Swinton, who openly supports the Ukrainian people in the war against the Russian invaders, has taken part in a new photo shoot. The author of the charming pictures is Ukrainian Yana Yatsuk.
ADVERTISIMENT
The photographer managed to stage a quick photo shoot with the talented artist. The process took only 10 minutes, Yatsuk said on her Instagram page. In the latest photos, Tilda poses on a pier in Venice. The actress, dressed in an airy Dior dress, is surrounded by gondolas and water. The star's "alien" look is complemented by the landscape behind her - beautiful Venetian houses along the endless promenade.
The photos delighted Swinton's fans. Ukrainians did not ignore the elegant shots either:
ADVERTISIMENT
How gorgeous! It's impossible to look away. And the photographer has style. Feels calm.
An icon! This is a work of art.
Legendary.
So beautiful, Yana.
You have created a real paradise in ten minutes.
The day before, Tilda Swinton and the team of the drama The Room Next Door presented the movie at the Venice Film Festival. The film by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar received a record-breaking ovation from the audience. The applause in the hall did not stop for 18 minutes.
ADVERTISIMENT
Swinton has been expressing her support for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war. For example, the star appeared with bright yellow hair and a blue shirt at the 79th Venice Film Festival in September 2022. At a press conference, the celebrity explained her decision by saying that she considers it an honor to wear one of the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (BATS:IGV Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $85.91 and last traded at $84.92, with a volume of 2432012 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $86.80.
iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF Trading Down 0.4 %
The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $85.14 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $83.82. The stock has a market cap of $6.55 billion, a PE ratio of 11.37 and a beta of 1.42.
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Hedge Funds Weigh In On iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Magnolia Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF in the 2nd quarter worth $358,000. Main Management ETF Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF by 0.9% in the second quarter. Main Management ETF Advisors LLC now owns 899,955 shares of the companys stock worth $78,206,000 after buying an additional 7,830 shares in the last quarter. Mathes Company Inc. boosted its stake in iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF by 2.8% during the second quarter. Mathes Company Inc. now owns 67,175 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,838,000 after buying an additional 1,800 shares during the last quarter. L & S Advisors Inc bought a new position in iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF during the second quarter valued at approximately $12,489,000. Finally, Rathbones Group PLC purchased a new position in iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $830,000.
About iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF
iShares North American Tech-Software ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares S&P North American Technology-Software Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the S&P North American Technology Software Index (the Underlying Index).
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MA Private Wealth grew its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV Free Report) by 0.4% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 275,741 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,231 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF comprises 4.6% of MA Private Wealths investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest position. MA Private Wealth owned about 0.09% of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF worth $23,151,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Sage Capital Advisors llc raised its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 2.4% during the second quarter. Sage Capital Advisors llc now owns 5,331 shares of the companys stock valued at $448,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares in the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 2.4% during the 2nd quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 5,252 shares of the companys stock valued at $441,000 after buying an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. New World Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter. New World Advisors LLC now owns 3,447 shares of the companys stock valued at $289,000 after buying an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC lifted its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. Phillips Wealth Planners LLC now owns 5,887 shares of the companys stock worth $464,000 after buying an additional 134 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GW Henssler & Associates Ltd. boosted its stake in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 1.3% in the first quarter. GW Henssler & Associates Ltd. now owns 10,850 shares of the companys stock worth $907,000 after buying an additional 135 shares in the last quarter.
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iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Stock Performance
USMV stock opened at $90.22 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $26.43 billion, a PE ratio of 25.30 and a beta of 0.59. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF has a one year low of $47.44 and a one year high of $55.45. The companys 50 day moving average price is $86.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $83.93.
About iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF
The iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) index. The fund tracks an index of US-listed firms selected and weighted to create a low-volatility portfolio subject to various constraints. USMV was launched on Oct 18, 2011 and is managed by BlackRock.
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Jensen Investment Management Inc. decreased its position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR Free Report) by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 1,738,280 shares of the business services providers stock after selling 38,597 shares during the quarter. Broadridge Financial Solutions accounts for about 2.8% of Jensen Investment Management Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest holding. Jensen Investment Management Inc.s holdings in Broadridge Financial Solutions were worth $342,441,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. LifeSteps Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in the first quarter worth about $32,000. EdgeRock Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Rothschild Investment LLC acquired a new position in shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Manchester Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions by 57.1% during the 4th quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC now owns 165 shares of the business services providers stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Finally, New Covenant Trust Company N.A. acquired a new stake in Broadridge Financial Solutions during the 1st quarter worth approximately $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.03% of the companys stock.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several research analysts have recently weighed in on BR shares. DA Davidson reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $185.00 price target on shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions in a report on Tuesday, June 11th. StockNews.com raised shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 28th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $239.00 to $246.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Broadridge Financial Solutions from $224.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $213.33.
Broadridge Financial Solutions Stock Down 0.2 %
Shares of NYSE:BR traded down $0.33 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $210.52. The company had a trading volume of 14,216 shares, compared to its average volume of 524,704. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has a 1-year low of $166.73 and a 1-year high of $223.81. The stock has a market cap of $24.88 billion, a PE ratio of 35.98 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $208.25 and its 200 day moving average price is $202.59.
Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE:BR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The business services provider reported $3.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.49 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $1.94 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.96 billion. Broadridge Financial Solutions had a return on equity of 42.77% and a net margin of 10.73%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $3.21 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. will post 8.51 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Broadridge Financial Solutions Increases Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 12th will be paid a $0.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 12th. This represents a $3.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.67%. This is a boost from Broadridge Financial Solutionss previous quarterly dividend of $0.80. Broadridge Financial Solutionss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 60.07%.
Insider Activity
In other news, CEO Timothy C. Gokey sold 25,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $209.11, for a total value of $5,227,750.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 200,675 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $41,963,149.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Timothy C. Gokey sold 25,000 shares of Broadridge Financial Solutions stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $209.11, for a total transaction of $5,227,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 200,675 shares in the company, valued at approximately $41,963,149.25. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Leslie A. Brun sold 5,739 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $210.05, for a total value of $1,205,476.95. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 77,318 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,240,645.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 94,914 shares of company stock valued at $19,815,248 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.60% of the companys stock.
Broadridge Financial Solutions Company 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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Shaker Financial Services LLC increased its position in John Hancock Income Securities Trust (NYSE:JHS Free Report) by 66.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 43,113 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 17,196 shares during the quarter. Shaker Financial Services LLCs holdings in John Hancock Income Securities Trust were worth $470,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Comerica Bank raised its holdings in John Hancock Income Securities Trust by 66.7% in the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 2,500 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of John Hancock Income Securities Trust in the 2nd quarter worth about $48,000. Riverbridge Partners LLC boosted its stake in John Hancock Income Securities Trust by 162.8% during the 1st quarter. Riverbridge Partners LLC now owns 59,769 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $668,000 after purchasing an additional 37,028 shares during the period. Karpus Management Inc. grew its position in John Hancock Income Securities Trust by 9.9% in the 4th quarter. Karpus Management Inc. now owns 70,161 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $763,000 after purchasing an additional 6,348 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rothschild Investment LLC acquired a new stake in shares of John Hancock Income Securities Trust in the second quarter valued at approximately $1,388,000.
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John Hancock Income Securities Trust Stock Up 0.0 %
JHS opened at $11.66 on Friday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $11.30 and its 200-day moving average is $11.11. John Hancock Income Securities Trust has a twelve month low of $9.76 and a twelve month high of $11.85.
John Hancock Income Securities Trust Cuts Dividend
John Hancock Income Securities Trust Profile
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.1132 per share. This represents a $0.45 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.88%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 13th.
(Free Report)
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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STERIS (NYSE:STE Free Report) had its price target increased by KeyCorp from $255.00 to $265.00 in a research report released on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the medical equipment providers stock.
A number of other equities analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Piper Sandler reaffirmed a neutral rating and set a $225.00 price target (up from $220.00) on shares of STERIS in a research report on Friday, May 10th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a hold rating on shares of STERIS in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Stephens restated an overweight rating and set a $260.00 price target on shares of STERIS in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. JMP Securities reaffirmed a market outperform rating and issued a $265.00 price objective on shares of STERIS in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of STERIS from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 13th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $246.00.
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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on STERIS
STERIS Trading Down 0.3 %
Shares of NYSE:STE opened at $239.05 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 2.33, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The company has a market capitalization of $23.58 billion, a PE ratio of 62.58 and a beta of 0.83. STERIS has a 12-month low of $195.47 and a 12-month high of $245.81. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $230.47 and its 200-day simple moving average is $224.73.
STERIS (NYSE:STE Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The medical equipment provider reported $2.14 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.98 by $0.16. STERIS had a net margin of 7.36% and a return on equity of 13.85%. The business had revenue of $1.28 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.27 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.00 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that STERIS will post 9.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
STERIS Increases Dividend
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 20th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 5th will be paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.95%. This is a boost from STERISs previous quarterly dividend of $0.52. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 5th. STERISs payout ratio is presently 54.45%.
Insider Transactions at STERIS
In related news, Director Christopher S. Holland sold 473 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $239.68, for a total transaction of $113,368.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 582 shares in the company, valued at $139,493.76. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.14% of the companys stock.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of STE. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of STERIS by 8.3% during the 1st quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 58,841 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $13,235,000 after purchasing an additional 4,494 shares in the last quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System raised its position in shares of STERIS by 3.2% in the first quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 106,346 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $23,909,000 after acquiring an additional 3,342 shares during the period. Caden Capital Partners LP boosted its stake in shares of STERIS by 80.0% during the 4th quarter. Caden Capital Partners LP now owns 82,312 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $18,096,000 after acquiring an additional 36,576 shares in the last quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of STERIS during the 1st quarter worth about $903,000. Finally, Perpetual Ltd grew its position in shares of STERIS by 9.3% during the 1st quarter. Perpetual Ltd now owns 40,571 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $9,121,000 after acquiring an additional 3,437 shares during the period. 94.69% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
About STERIS
(Get Free Report)
STERIS plc provides infection prevention products and services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Healthcare, Applied Sterilization Technologies, Life Sciences, and Dental. The Healthcare segment offers cleaning chemistries and sterility assurance products; automated endoscope reprocessing system and tracking products; endoscopy accessories, washers, sterilizers, and other pieces of capital equipment for the operation of a sterile processing department; and equipment used directly in the operating room, including surgical tables, lights, and connectivity solutions, as well as equipment management services.
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Korea Electric Power (NYSE:KEP Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday.
Korea Electric Power Stock Up 1.6 %
NYSE KEP traded up $0.13 on Thursday, reaching $8.34. The company had a trading volume of 143,710 shares, compared to its average volume of 107,203. The companys fifty day moving average is $7.40 and its 200-day moving average is $7.77. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.53 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.32, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a current ratio of 0.42. Korea Electric Power has a 1-year low of $5.93 and a 1-year high of $9.55.
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Korea Electric Power (NYSE:KEP Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, June 13th. The utilities provider reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $17.52 billion for the quarter. Korea Electric Power had a net margin of 0.64% and a return on equity of 1.50%.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Korea Electric Power
About Korea Electric Power
A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of KEP. Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Korea Electric Power during the 1st quarter worth approximately $38,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Korea Electric Power by 91.4% in the first quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,063 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 2,895 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in shares of Korea Electric Power by 137.9% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 5,522 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 3,201 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Korea Electric Power by 13.5% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 11,824 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $84,000 after buying an additional 1,404 shares during the period. Finally, HB Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Korea Electric Power in the 1st quarter valued at about $85,000.
(Get Free Report)
Korea Electric Power Corporation, an integrated electric utility company, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in South Korea and internationally. The company operates through Transmission and Distribution, Nuclear Power Generation, Thermal Power Generation, and Others segments.
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Lavras Gold Corp. (CVE:LGC Get Free Report) insider 2176423 Ontario Ltd. sold 33,600 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$2.62, for a total value of C$87,984.96.
2176423 Ontario Ltd. also recently made the following trade(s):
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On Tuesday, August 20th, 2176423 Ontario Ltd. sold 44,500 shares of Lavras Gold stock. The shares were sold at an average price of C$2.56, for a total value of C$114,035.70.
On Friday, July 12th, 2176423 Ontario Ltd. sold 193,900 shares of Lavras Gold stock. The shares were sold at an average price of C$2.08, for a total value of C$402,420.06.
Lavras Gold Stock Performance
CVE:LGC opened at C$2.64 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average is C$2.17 and its 200 day moving average is C$1.70. Lavras Gold Corp. has a fifty-two week low of C$0.75 and a fifty-two week high of C$2.89. The firm has a market capitalization of C$135.56 million, a PE ratio of -37.71 and a beta of -0.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 11.12 and a current ratio of 7.38.
Lavras Gold Company Profile
Lavras Gold Corp. engages in the exploration and development of mineral resource properties in Brazil. It holds interests in the Lavras do Sul, an advanced exploration gold project with 29 mineral rights covering approximately 22,000 hectares located in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The company was incorporated in 2021 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
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SouthState Corp lifted its holdings in Markel Group Inc. (NYSE:MKL Free Report) by 67.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 87 shares of the insurance providers stock after acquiring an additional 35 shares during the period. SouthState Corps holdings in Markel Group were worth $137,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in MKL. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. purchased a new position in Markel Group in the second quarter valued at about $55,000. Ables Iannone Moore & Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Markel Group during the 4th quarter valued at about $57,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in Markel Group by 90.0% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 38 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $58,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Markel Group during the 1st quarter worth approximately $75,000. Finally, Crewe Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Markel Group in the first quarter valued at approximately $81,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.12% of the companys stock.
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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MKL. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of Markel Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. They issued a buy rating and a $1,986.00 target price for the company. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Markel Group from $1,435.00 to $1,450.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $1,626.83.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other news, Director Lawrence A. Cunningham acquired 20 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $1,512.50 per share, for a total transaction of $30,250.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 743 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,123,787.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 1.71% of the companys stock.
Markel Group Stock Down 0.8 %
Shares of NYSE:MKL opened at $1,558.42 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $20.26 billion, a PE ratio of 8.42 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $1,567.80 and a 200 day simple moving average of $1,546.16. The company has a current ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29. Markel Group Inc. has a 12-month low of $1,295.65 and a 12-month high of $1,670.24.
Markel Group (NYSE:MKL Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The insurance provider reported $25.95 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $20.76 by $5.19. The company had revenue of $3.83 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.86 billion. Markel Group had a net margin of 13.00% and a return on equity of 11.12%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Markel Group Inc. will post 89.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.
About Markel Group
(Free Report)
Markel Group Inc, a diverse holding company, engages in marketing and underwriting specialty insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The company offers general and professional liability, personal lines, marine and energy, specialty programs, and workers' compensation insurance products; and property coverages that include fire, allied lines, and other specialized property coverages, including catastrophe-exposed property risks, such as earthquake and wind.
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StockNews.com upgraded shares of Moodys (NYSE:MCO Free Report) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Tuesday morning.
MCO has been the topic of several other research reports. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Moodys from $443.00 to $454.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Bank of America lifted their price target on Moodys from $430.00 to $510.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Barclays lifted their price target on Moodys from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Wells Fargo & Company raised Moodys to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 13th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their target price on Moodys from $455.00 to $470.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $465.00.
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View Our Latest Report on Moodys
Moodys Stock Performance
Shares of Moodys stock opened at $483.85 on Tuesday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $456.52 and a 200 day moving average of $415.63. Moodys has a 12 month low of $298.86 and a 12 month high of $490.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $88.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.04 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59, a current ratio of 1.52 and a quick ratio of 1.52.
Moodys (NYSE:MCO Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The business services provider reported $3.28 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.06 by $0.22. The company had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.72 billion. Moodys had a return on equity of 57.03% and a net margin of 28.34%. Moodyss revenue for the quarter was up 21.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.30 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Moodys will post 11.35 earnings per share for the current year.
Moodys Dividend Announcement
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 16th will be given a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.70%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 16th. Moodyss payout ratio is 37.12%.
Insider Transactions at Moodys
In related news, insider Stephen T. Tulenko sold 569 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $444.26, for a total value of $252,783.94. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 8,147 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,619,386.22. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider Stephen T. Tulenko sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $464.06, for a total transaction of $232,030.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 6,647 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,084,606.82. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Stephen T. Tulenko sold 569 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $444.26, for a total value of $252,783.94. Following the sale, the insider now owns 8,147 shares in the company, valued at $3,619,386.22. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 2,931 shares of company stock valued at $1,332,825 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.07% of the companys stock.
Institutional Trading of Moodys
Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Benjamin Edwards Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Moodys during the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. New Covenant Trust Company N.A. acquired a new stake in shares of Moodys in the first quarter worth $27,000. Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its position in shares of Moodys by 114.3% in the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 75 shares of the business services providers stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Rise Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Moodys during the first quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Y.D. More Investments Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Moodys during the second quarter worth $35,000. 92.11% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
About Moodys
(Get Free Report)
Moody's Corporation operates as an integrated risk assessment firm worldwide. It operates in two segments, Moody's Analytics and Moody's Investors Services. The Moody's Analytics segment develops a range of products and services that support the risk management activities of institutional participants in financial markets.
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Foster & Motley Inc. lowered its position in shares of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Free Report) by 3.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 16,060 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 600 shares during the quarter. Foster & Motley Inc.s holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $1,561,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. POM Investment Strategies LLC increased its stake in Morgan Stanley by 1,147.6% during the second quarter. POM Investment Strategies LLC now owns 262 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 241 shares during the last quarter. Bank & Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley during the second quarter worth $26,000. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Managment Co. bought a new position in shares of Morgan Stanley in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Finally, Bbjs Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Morgan Stanley in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.19% of the companys stock.
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Insider Transactions at Morgan Stanley
In other news, Chairman James P. Gorman sold 200,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.06, for a total transaction of $21,012,000.00. Following the sale, the chairman now directly owns 150,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $15,759,000. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, Director Robert H. Herz sold 1,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $106.62, for a total value of $106,620.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 95,908 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $10,225,710.96. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Chairman James P. Gorman sold 200,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.06, for a total transaction of $21,012,000.00. Following the sale, the chairman now directly owns 150,000 shares in the company, valued at $15,759,000. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 252,000 shares of company stock valued at $26,546,370 in the last three months. 0.24% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Morgan Stanley Price Performance
NYSE:MS opened at $99.56 on Friday. Morgan Stanley has a 52-week low of $69.42 and a 52-week high of $109.11. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.96. The firm has a market cap of $161.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.13, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.38. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $100.80 and its 200 day moving average price is $95.78.
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.65 by $0.17. Morgan Stanley had a net margin of 10.17% and a return on equity of 11.85%. The company had revenue of $15.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.32 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.24 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Morgan Stanley will post 7.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Morgan Stanley Increases Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 31st were given a dividend of $0.925 per share. This represents a $3.70 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.72%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, July 31st. This is an increase from Morgan Stanleys previous quarterly dividend of $0.85. Morgan Stanleys dividend payout ratio is 67.40%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several research firms recently weighed in on MS. Oppenheimer lowered shares of Morgan Stanley from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Barclays raised their price target on Morgan Stanley from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. UBS Group upped their price objective on Morgan Stanley from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. Evercore ISI increased their target price on Morgan Stanley from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Morgan Stanley from $91.00 to $108.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $101.45.
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Morgan Stanley 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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Citizens of our state well remember last year's calendar reform, which was carried out by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. However, such changes have happened more than once in relatively recent history - it happened during the Soviet era as well.
ADVERTISIMENT
In the Soviet Union, once 13 days simply disappeared from the calendar. OBOZ.UA tells when it happened and why.
The whole point is that the Russian Empire, in place of which the USSR appeared, lived on the Julian calendar. While the whole world has long used the Gregorian. The authorities of the Soviet country tried to do everything to break with the "bourgeois" past. Therefore, in order to unify the calculation of time with the international approach, it was decided to switch to the Western European calendar. It happened on February 6, 1918, when the historic meeting of the Council of People's Commissars took place.
Interestingly, the Western world had been living on the Gregorian calendar since 1582, when it was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII. He listened to the arguments of scientists who pointed out to him that the calculation established by Emperor Julius Caesar was astronomically inaccurate.
ADVERTISIMENT
It is noteworthy that the Tsarist authorities had been discussing the transition to a common calendar with Europe since the 1830s. However, the influence of the church was so strong that the decision could not be made. In documents and the press even indicated two dates for convenience.
However, after the October Revolution, the influence of the church was reduced to zero and the calendar reform was finally implemented. It came into force on January 31, 1918, followed immediately by February 14.
Until July 1, 1918 in official documents the date of the Gregorian calendar was indicated in brackets after the date of the Julian calendar. Subsequently, the practice was retained, but the Gregorian date began to be placed in parentheses. This calendar reform gave rise, in particular, to such an unusual holiday for the Western observer as Old New Year, which in the USSR was celebrated on January 13.
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Subscribe to the channels OBOZ.UA in Telegram and Viber to be aware of the latest events.
National Bank Holdings Co. (NYSE:NBHC Get Free Report) EVP Christopher S. Randall sold 3,750 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.51, for a total value of $163,162.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 14,365 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $625,021.15. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link.
National Bank Trading Down 1.1 %
Shares of NBHC opened at $42.43 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.19 and a beta of 0.86. National Bank Holdings Co. has a one year low of $28.38 and a one year high of $46.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 0.93. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $41.44 and a 200 day moving average price of $37.28.
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National Bank (NYSE:NBHC Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The financial services provider reported $0.68 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.74 by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $99.31 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $102.96 million. National Bank had a net margin of 21.40% and a return on equity of 10.44%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.85 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that National Bank Holdings Co. will post 3.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.
National Bank Dividend Announcement
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.28 per share. This represents a $1.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.64%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. National Banks dividend payout ratio is presently 32.18%.
A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of NBHC. Innealta Capital LLC bought a new position in National Bank during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $41,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in National Bank during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $52,000. Quest Partners LLC bought a new position in National Bank during the 4th quarter worth approximately $194,000. Choreo LLC bought a new position in National Bank during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $209,000. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in National Bank by 7.4% during the 1st quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 7,450 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $269,000 after buying an additional 513 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.65% of the companys stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on NBHC shares. Stephens increased their target price on National Bank from $38.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Piper Sandler lowered National Bank from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and increased their target price for the company from $42.00 to $46.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. DA Davidson increased their target price on National Bank from $42.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Hovde Group increased their target price on National Bank from $42.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on National Bank from $39.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $46.40.
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About National Bank
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National Bank Holdings Corporation operates as the bank holding company for NBH Bank that provides various banking products and financial services to commercial, business, and consumer clients in the United States. It offers deposit products, including checking, savings, money market, and other deposit accounts, including fixed-rate and fixed maturity time deposits.
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NIPPON STL & SU/S (OTCMKTS:NSSMY Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $7.40 and last traded at $7.45, with a volume of 53446 shares. The stock had previously closed at $7.78.
NIPPON STL & SU/S Trading Up 2.0 %
The company has a market cap of $7.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 2.74, a PEG ratio of 3.94 and a beta of 1.35. The firms 50 day moving average is $7.33 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.56. The company has a quick ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.
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Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation engages in steelmaking and steel fabrication businesses worldwide. It operates in five segments: Steelmaking and Steel Fabrication, Engineering and Construction, Chemicals, New materials, and System Solutions. The company offers steel plates; hot- and cold-rolled steel sheets and coils, coated steel sheets, color coated steel sheets, electrolytic tin plates, and electrical steel sheets; bar and rod materials; and structural steel products.
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Oppenheimer began coverage on shares of Fair Isaac (NYSE:FICO Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm issued an outperform rating and a $1,967.00 price target on the technology companys stock.
Several other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Needham & Company LLC boosted their target price on Fair Isaac from $1,500.00 to $1,850.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on shares of Fair Isaac in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. They set an outperform rating and a $1,725.00 target price on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on shares of Fair Isaac from $1,350.00 to $1,500.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Fair Isaac from $1,500.00 to $1,800.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Fair Isaac from $1,264.00 to $1,700.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $1,553.42.
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Fair Isaac Price Performance
Shares of NYSE:FICO opened at $1,757.22 on Tuesday. The firms 50-day moving average is $1,645.25 and its two-hundred day moving average is $1,410.39. Fair Isaac has a 1 year low of $811.99 and a 1 year high of $1,818.02. The firm has a market capitalization of $43.42 billion, a PE ratio of 92.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.57 and a beta of 1.34.
Fair Isaac (NYSE:FICO Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The technology company reported $4.99 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.33 by ($0.34). The business had revenue of $447.85 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $448.53 million. Fair Isaac had a negative return on equity of 60.67% and a net margin of 28.94%. Analysts expect that Fair Isaac will post 19.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Fair Isaac declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, July 30th that permits the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the technology company to reacquire up to 2.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are typically an indication that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued.
Insider Transactions at Fair Isaac
In other Fair Isaac news, EVP Thomas A. Bowers sold 3,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,715.27, for a total value of $5,145,810.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 5,769 shares in the company, valued at $9,895,392.63. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. In other Fair Isaac news, EVP Thomas A. Bowers sold 3,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,715.27, for a total transaction of $5,145,810.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,769 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,895,392.63. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Steven P. Weber sold 1,800 shares of Fair Isaac stock in a transaction on Friday, August 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,735.00, for a total transaction of $3,123,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 575 shares in the company, valued at $997,625. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 24,891 shares of company stock worth $38,037,731. Corporate insiders own 3.54% of the companys stock.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. EntryPoint Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Fair Isaac during the first quarter worth $25,000. Advisors Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Fair Isaac in the 1st quarter worth $26,000. Tortoise Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Fair Isaac by 81.8% in the second quarter. Tortoise Investment Management LLC now owns 20 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 9 shares in the last quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in shares of Fair Isaac during the first quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Family Firm Inc. purchased a new position in Fair Isaac during the second quarter worth about $34,000. 85.75% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Fair Isaac Company Profile
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Fair Isaac Corporation develops analytic, software, and digital decisioning technologies and services that enable businesses to automate, enhance, and connect decisions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Scores and Software. The Software segment provides pre-configured analytic and decision management solution designed for various business needs or processes, such as account origination, customer management, customer engagement, fraud detection, financial crimes compliance, and marketing, as well as associated professional services.
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Pampa Energia S.A. (NYSE:PAM Get Free Report)s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $56.44 and last traded at $56.28, with a volume of 34892 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $54.86.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
PAM has been the subject of several research reports. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Pampa Energia from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. Citigroup raised shares of Pampa Energia from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their target price for the company from $51.00 to $58.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 3rd. HSBC upgraded shares of Pampa Energia from a reduce rating to a hold rating and set a $46.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Pampa Energia from $46.50 to $47.50 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 28th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $50.50.
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Pampa Energia Stock Performance
The company has a current ratio of 2.33, a quick ratio of 2.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The company has a market cap of $3.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.26 and a beta of 0.89. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $48.27 and its 200 day simple moving average is $45.80.
Pampa Energia (NYSE:PAM Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The utilities provider reported $1.80 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.36 by $0.44. The business had revenue of $500.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $479.17 million. Pampa Energia had a return on equity of 12.59% and a net margin of 20.96%. Sell-side analysts predict that Pampa Energia S.A. will post 8.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PAM. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Pampa Energia during the second quarter valued at approximately $37,000. SPX Gestao de Recursos Ltda bought a new stake in Pampa Energia in the 4th quarter valued at $44,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Pampa Energia in the 1st quarter worth $52,000. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of Pampa Energia during the 1st quarter valued at about $69,000. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Pampa Energia by 144.1% during the 2nd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 1,975 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $87,000 after purchasing an additional 1,166 shares during the last quarter. 12.77% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Pampa Energia Company Profile
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Pampa Energia SA operates as an integrated power company in Argentina. The company operates through Electricity Generation, Oil and Gas, Petrochemicals, and Holding and Other Business segments. It generates electricity through thermal plants, hydroelectric plants, and wind farms with a 5,332 megawatt (MW) installed capacity.
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Portland General Electric (NYSE:POR Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $48.67 and last traded at $48.57, with a volume of 122130 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $48.11.
Analyst Ratings Changes
POR has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Portland General Electric from $44.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. KeyCorp upgraded Portland General Electric from a sector weight rating to an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. StockNews.com lowered Portland General Electric from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 28th. Finally, Mizuho increased their price objective on Portland General Electric from $42.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, May 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Portland General Electric currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $44.86.
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Portland General Electric Trading Down 0.9 %
The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.99 billion, a PE ratio of 18.57 and a beta of 0.59. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $46.13 and its 200 day moving average price is $43.72.
Portland General Electric (NYSE:POR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 26th. The utilities provider reported $0.69 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.62 by $0.07. Portland General Electric had a net margin of 9.24% and a return on equity of 9.15%. The company had revenue of $758.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $716.43 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.44 earnings per share. Portland General Electrics revenue was up 17.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Portland General Electric will post 3.09 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Portland General Electric Dividend Announcement
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 24th will be given a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 24th. Portland General Electrics dividend payout ratio is currently 76.63%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, VP John Teeruk Kochavatr sold 1,100 shares of Portland General Electric stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.25, for a total value of $50,875.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 22,606 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,045,527.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other news, VP John Teeruk Kochavatr sold 1,100 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.25, for a total transaction of $50,875.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 22,606 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,045,527.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, COO Benjamin Felton sold 1,886 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.00, for a total value of $90,528.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 30,142 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,446,816. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.54% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Portland General Electric
Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Johnson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in Portland General Electric during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV raised its holdings in shares of Portland General Electric by 767.2% during the second quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 581 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 514 shares during the last quarter. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new position in shares of Portland General Electric during the first quarter worth approximately $26,000. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in Portland General Electric in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Mather Group LLC. acquired a new stake in Portland General Electric in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $34,000.
About Portland General Electric
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Portland General Electric Company, an integrated electric utility company, engages in the generation, wholesale purchase, transmission, distribution, and retail sale of electricity in the state of Oregon. It operates six thermal plants, three wind farms, and seven hydroelectric facilities. As of December 31, 2023, the company owned an electric transmission system consisting of 1,254 circuit miles, including 287 circuit miles of 500 kilovolt line, 413 circuit miles of 230 kilovolt line, and 554 miles of 115 kilovolt line; and served 934 thousand retail customers in 51 cities.
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Royal Bank of Canada set a C$67.00 price objective on Suncor Energy (TSE:SU Free Report) (NYSE:SU) in a research report report published on Tuesday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the stock.
A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Suncor Energy from C$61.00 to C$66.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, May 22nd. Wolfe Research raised shares of Suncor Energy to a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Desjardins upped their target price on shares of Suncor Energy from C$56.00 to C$59.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Suncor Energy from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a C$62.00 target price for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Raymond James increased their price target on Suncor Energy from C$51.00 to C$52.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$61.96.
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Suncor Energy Stock Performance
Shares of TSE SU opened at C$51.34 on Tuesday. Suncor Energy has a 1-year low of C$40.07 and a 1-year high of C$57.32. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 34.98. The stocks 50-day moving average is C$53.55 and its 200 day moving average is C$51.94. The stock has a market cap of C$65.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.82, a P/E/G ratio of 0.15 and a beta of 1.50.
Suncor Energy (TSE:SU Get Free Report) (NYSE:SU) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported C$1.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$1.06 by C$0.21. Suncor Energy had a net margin of 14.87% and a return on equity of 17.68%. The business had revenue of C$13.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$11.59 billion. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Suncor Energy will post 5.1553672 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Suncor Energy Announces Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 25th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, September 25th will be given a $0.545 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, September 4th. This represents a $2.18 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.25%. Suncor Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 37.46%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Suncor Energy news, Senior Officer Jacqueline Sue Moore sold 37,700 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$56.54, for a total transaction of C$2,131,558.00. In other news, Senior Officer Jacqueline Sue Moore sold 37,700 shares of Suncor Energy stock in a transaction on Monday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$56.54, for a total value of C$2,131,558.00. Also, Senior Officer Kristopher Peter Smith sold 100,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$51.66, for a total transaction of C$5,165,900.00. 0.01% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Suncor Energy Company Profile
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Suncor Energy Inc operates as an integrated energy company in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; and Refining and Marketing segments. The Oil Sands segment explores, develops, and produces bitumen, synthetic crude oil, and related products.
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Arizona State Retirement System increased its position in ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW Free Report) by 1.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 59,430 shares of the information technology services providers stock after buying an additional 602 shares during the quarter. Arizona State Retirement Systems holdings in ServiceNow were worth $46,752,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Optas LLC lifted its holdings in shares of ServiceNow by 1.7% during the first quarter. Optas LLC now owns 815 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $621,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Cedar Wealth Management LLC raised its position in ServiceNow by 5.5% during the first quarter. Cedar Wealth Management LLC now owns 268 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $204,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the period. Financial Advocates Investment Management raised its position in ServiceNow by 2.7% during the second quarter. Financial Advocates Investment Management now owns 527 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $415,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the period. Ndwm LLC raised its position in ServiceNow by 0.6% during the second quarter. Ndwm LLC now owns 2,415 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,900,000 after buying an additional 14 shares during the period. Finally, Forbes J M & Co. LLP raised its position in ServiceNow by 0.3% during the first quarter. Forbes J M & Co. LLP now owns 5,293 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $4,035,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.18% of the companys stock.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
NOW has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Wolfe Research reissued an outperform rating and set a $830.00 price target on shares of ServiceNow in a research report on Friday, May 10th. KeyCorp lowered their price objective on ServiceNow from $950.00 to $920.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on ServiceNow from $920.00 to $935.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Guggenheim reissued a sell rating and set a $640.00 price objective on shares of ServiceNow in a report on Monday, July 8th. Finally, JMP Securities increased their price objective on ServiceNow from $825.00 to $850.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and twenty-five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, ServiceNow has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $849.62.
Insider Activity at ServiceNow
In related news, General Counsel Russell S. Elmer sold 1,937 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $779.81, for a total transaction of $1,510,491.97. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 6,736 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,252,800.16. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider Paul John Smith sold 187 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $795.58, for a total value of $148,773.46. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 3,779 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,006,496.82. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, General Counsel Russell S. Elmer sold 1,937 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $779.81, for a total value of $1,510,491.97. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 6,736 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,252,800.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 6,914 shares of company stock valued at $5,608,936 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.25% of the companys stock.
ServiceNow Price Performance
ServiceNow stock opened at $835.35 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 1.12. The company has a market capitalization of $171.25 billion, a PE ratio of 89.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.13 and a beta of 0.99. ServiceNow, Inc. has a one year low of $527.24 and a one year high of $863.85. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $798.57 and a 200 day simple moving average of $762.37.
ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The information technology services provider reported $3.13 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.85 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $2.63 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.61 billion. ServiceNow had a return on equity of 14.52% and a net margin of 11.51%. ServiceNows revenue was up 22.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.77 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that ServiceNow, Inc. will post 6.78 EPS for the current fiscal year.
About ServiceNow
(Free Report)
ServiceNow, Inc provides end to-end intelligent workflow automation platform solutions for digital businesses in the North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates the Now platform for end-to-end digital transformation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, process mining, performance analytics, and collaboration and development tools.
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Shares of Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp. (CVE:PGE Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week low on Friday . The company traded as low as C$0.10 and last traded at C$0.11, with a volume of 81510 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.11.
Stillwater Critical Minerals Price Performance
The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 5.39 and a current ratio of 1.82. The firm has a market capitalization of C$23.84 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.50 and a beta of 1.67. The business has a fifty day moving average of C$0.14 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$0.15.
About Stillwater Critical Minerals
(Get Free Report)
Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp., a mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada and the United States. The company explores for gold, palladium, nickel, cobalt, and copper deposits, as well as platinum group metals. Its flagship project is the Stillwater West project, which comprises 763 claims covering an area of approximately 61 square kilometers located in Stillwater District, Montana.
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Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 13,192 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,944,000. Eli Lilly and Company comprises approximately 1.9% of Synergy Asset Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest position.
A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Truepoint Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the second quarter worth approximately $210,000. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.2% in the second quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 234,287 shares of the companys stock worth $212,119,000 after acquiring an additional 2,731 shares during the last quarter. Childress Capital Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.6% in the second quarter. Childress Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,340 shares of the companys stock worth $2,119,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 3.0% in the second quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 695,374 shares of the companys stock worth $629,578,000 after acquiring an additional 20,426 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Denver PWM LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the second quarter worth approximately $119,000. 82.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $885.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Monday, August 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $875.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $900.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $725.00 to $1,025.00 in a research report on Monday, August 12th. Finally, Truist Financial reiterated a buy rating and set a $1,000.00 price objective (up previously from $892.00) on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $961.76.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $939.82, for a total transaction of $197,362,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 96,943,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $91,109,731,514.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders sold 737,410 shares of company stock valued at $669,719,100 in the last three months. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Eli Lilly and Company Trading Down 0.6 %
Shares of LLY stock traded down $5.06 on Friday, hitting $907.69. The stock had a trading volume of 219,830 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,044,475. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 0.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $862.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 134.43, a P/E/G ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.41. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $516.57 and a 1 year high of $972.53. The companys 50 day moving average price is $896.03 and its 200-day moving average price is $826.65.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $3.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 return on equity of 67.52% and a net margin of 18.86%. 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 business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.57%. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is 76.58%.
Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile
(Free Report)
Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.
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The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of Moderate Buy from the eleven analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and six have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $66.14.
A number of analysts have commented on BK shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated an outperform rating and set a $75.00 target price (up from $70.00) on shares of Bank of New York Mellon in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Citigroup lowered shares of Bank of New York Mellon from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $65.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $65.00 to $72.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their 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 report on Thursday, August 15th. Finally, Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $61.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Monday, July 15th.
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Bank of New York Mellon Stock Performance
Shares of BK opened at $68.00 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85. Bank of New York Mellon has a 52-week low of $39.66 and a 52-week high of $68.54. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $64.07 and a 200-day simple moving average of $59.58. The company has a market capitalization of $50.85 billion, a PE ratio of 15.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.09.
Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, July 12th. The bank reported $1.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.43 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $4.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.53 billion. Bank of New York Mellon had a net margin of 9.40% and a return on equity of 11.87%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.38 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Bank of New York Mellon will post 5.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Bank of New York Mellon Increases Dividend
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 22nd were given a $0.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 22nd. This represents a $1.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.76%. This is an increase from Bank of New York Mellons previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. Bank of New York Mellons payout ratio is currently 43.52%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Bank of New York Mellon news, VP Hanneke Smits sold 15,000 shares of Bank of New York Mellon stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.11, for a total value of $961,650.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 173,930 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,150,652.30. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.14% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bank of New York Mellon
Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Olistico Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Bank of New York Mellon during the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Wetzel Investment Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Bank of New York Mellon by 82.1% during the 1st quarter. Wetzel Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 510 shares of the banks stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 230 shares during the period. Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Bank of New York Mellon during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Clearstead Trust LLC purchased a new position in Bank of New York Mellon in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon in the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.31% of the companys stock.
About Bank of New York Mellon
(Get 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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A drawing that scientists discovered in the coffin of an Egyptian mummy aged 3,500 years old has stunned everyone. On the inner lid of the sarcophagus archaeologists saw the image of a woman in long green clothes with blue hair in the shape of a rectangle, which is very similar to Marge from the cult cartoon "The Simpsons".
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After publishing a photo of the unique find on Reddit, the network exploded with thousands of comments like "Egypt predicted the Simpsons", "It's Marge!". However, experts note that the Egyptian drawing actually shows a woman buried in a coffin during her journey to the afterlife, writes DailyMail.
Archaeologists say an Egyptian coffin contained the mummified remains of Tadi East, the daughter of the high priest of El-Ashmunein, a city located on the west bank of the Nile River and 27 miles south of her burial site in Minya.
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The mummy was found in excellent condition, wearing a mask and a beaded dress. And her image on the inner lid of the sarcophagus is interesting not only for its resemblance to Margie Simpson. The drawing shows the woman surrounded by 12 high priestesses, symbolizing the 12 hours.
"This is a rare and important scene. Each scene has a different shape at a certain hour," Mustafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told The Egyptian Gazette.
However, readers of the network are more interested in why still the daughter of the priest looks so much like a character from their favorite cartoon. Simpsomans have repeatedly noted that the creators of "The Simpsons" predict future events. For example, the 1992 episode of the cartoon predicted Washington's victory over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl VXVI. And they also recall a 2000 episode that showed Donald Trump as president.
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And as for the found sarcophagus, here the connoisseurs of "The Simpsons" emphasized that the drawing of the Egyptian coffin is "the only documented case in history, when the Simpsons did not do it first", but on the contrary, repeated something from the past.
Only verified information from us in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Shares of Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $4.38 and last traded at $4.38, with a volume of 11175666 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $4.74.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of research analysts have recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Transocean to a sell rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. DNB Markets raised shares of Transocean from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Benchmark reiterated a buy rating and issued a $8.00 price target on shares of Transocean in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $7.25.
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Transocean Price Performance
The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $5.17 and a 200-day simple moving average of $5.50. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The company has a market cap of $3.66 billion, a PE ratio of -8.00 and a beta of 2.80.
Transocean (NYSE:RIG Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The offshore drilling services provider reported ($0.15) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by ($0.07). The company had revenue of $861.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $862.25 million. Transocean had a negative return on equity of 4.76% and a negative net margin of 11.34%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted ($0.15) earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 18.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Transocean Ltd. will post -0.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Transocean news, Director (Cyprus) Ltd Perestroika acquired 2,000,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $5.23 per share, for a total transaction of $10,460,000.00. Following the purchase, the director now owns 89,574,894 shares in the company, valued at approximately $468,476,695.62. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 13.16% of the companys stock.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Transocean
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of RIG. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Transocean by 0.6% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 68,982,142 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock valued at $433,208,000 after acquiring an additional 429,950 shares in the last quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA increased its holdings in shares of Transocean by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Primecap Management Co. CA now owns 56,119,489 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock valued at $300,239,000 after purchasing an additional 375,450 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors lifted its stake in shares of Transocean by 18.8% in the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 46,334,990 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock valued at $290,984,000 after purchasing an additional 7,320,672 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Transocean by 19.0% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 36,725,995 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock worth $196,484,000 after buying an additional 5,856,414 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Van ECK Associates Corp grew its position in Transocean by 7.0% during the first quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 17,013,964 shares of the offshore drilling services providers stock valued at $106,848,000 after buying an additional 1,105,747 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.73% of the companys stock.
Transocean Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Transocean Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells worldwide. It contracts mobile offshore drilling rigs, related equipment, and work crews to drill oil and gas wells. The company operates a fleet of mobile offshore drilling units, consisting of ultra-deepwater floaters and harsh environment floaters.
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TD Asset Management Inc trimmed its holdings in shares of Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER Free Report) by 24.8% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,684,345 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock after selling 556,894 shares during the period. TD Asset Management Incs holdings in Uber Technologies were worth $122,418,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Financial Management Professionals Inc. lifted its position in Uber Technologies by 111.6% during the first quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 383 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 202 shares in the last quarter. WR Wealth Planners LLC raised its stake in shares of Uber Technologies by 563.9% during the second quarter. WR Wealth Planners LLC now owns 405 shares of the ride-sharing companys stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 344 shares during the period. J.Safra Asset Management Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Uber Technologies during the first quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Founders Capital Management bought a new stake in shares of Uber Technologies in the second quarter worth $33,000. Finally, YHB Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Uber Technologies in the first quarter worth $37,000. 80.24% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Uber Technologies Price Performance
Shares of NYSE UBER opened at $71.27 on Friday. Uber Technologies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $40.09 and a twelve month high of $82.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.21, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72. The company has a market capitalization of $149.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 114.95, a PEG ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 1.33. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $69.58 and a two-hundred day moving average of $71.32.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Uber Technologies ( NYSE:UBER Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The ride-sharing company reported $0.47 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.31 by $0.16. Uber Technologies had a net margin of 5.02% and a return on equity of 17.06%. The company had revenue of $10.70 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.57 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.18 EPS. Uber Technologiess revenue was up 15.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Uber Technologies, Inc. will post 1.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
A number of analysts recently issued reports on UBER shares. Melius started coverage on shares of Uber Technologies in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. They issued a hold rating and a $77.00 price target for the company. Roth Mkm boosted their target price on shares of Uber Technologies from $89.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Loop Capital boosted their target price on shares of Uber Technologies from $83.00 to $84.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday. Bank of America reiterated a buy rating and set a $88.00 target price on shares of Uber Technologies in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. Finally, Evercore ISI boosted their target price on shares of Uber Technologies from $80.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirty-one have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $87.60.
View Our Latest Report on Uber Technologies
Insider Buying and Selling at Uber Technologies
In other Uber Technologies news, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi sold 500,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 15th. The shares were 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 directly owns 1,266,114 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $91,046,257.74. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Uber Technologies news, insider Tony West sold 28,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the insider now owns 96,945 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,851,103.15. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi sold 500,000 shares of the businesss 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 sale, the chief executive officer now owns 1,266,114 shares in the company, valued at approximately $91,046,257.74. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 3.84% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Uber Technologies Company 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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Columbia Asset Management grew its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS Free Report) by 29.2% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 39,655 shares of the transportation companys stock after purchasing an additional 8,960 shares during the period. Columbia Asset Managements holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $5,427,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. CapWealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in United Parcel Service by 0.8% during the second quarter. CapWealth Advisors LLC now owns 73,231 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $10,022,000 after buying an additional 570 shares in the last quarter. Hamel Associates Inc. boosted its stake in United Parcel Service by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Hamel Associates Inc. now owns 57,740 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $7,902,000 after purchasing an additional 776 shares during the period. National Bank of Canada FI boosted its stake in United Parcel Service by 8.4% in the 2nd quarter. National Bank of Canada FI now owns 370,842 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $50,381,000 after purchasing an additional 28,818 shares during the period. First Dallas Securities Inc. raised its stake in United Parcel Service by 6.8% during the 2nd quarter. First Dallas Securities Inc. now owns 1,979 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $271,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the period. Finally, Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. grew its holdings in shares of United Parcel Service by 0.5% during the second quarter. Nicholas Hoffman & Company LLC. now owns 15,837 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $2,167,000 after buying an additional 79 shares in the last quarter. 60.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. UBS Group dropped their target price on United Parcel Service from $175.00 to $159.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service from $157.00 to $145.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, June 24th. Oppenheimer decreased their target price on shares of United Parcel Service from $157.00 to $140.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of United Parcel Service from $169.00 to $155.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut their price objective on United Parcel Service from $170.00 to $151.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, United Parcel Service presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $151.20.
United Parcel Service Stock Down 1.2 %
UPS stock opened at $127.40 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $109.13 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a 50-day moving average of $131.77 and a two-hundred day moving average of $140.83. United Parcel Service, Inc. has a 52-week low of $123.12 and a 52-week high of $164.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.25.
United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The transportation company reported $1.79 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.99 by ($0.20). The business had revenue of $21.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.17 billion. United Parcel Service had a net margin of 5.87% and a return on equity of 35.27%. United Parcel Services revenue for the quarter was down 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.54 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that United Parcel Service, Inc. will post 7.43 EPS for the current year.
United Parcel Service Announces Dividend
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 5th. Investors of record on Monday, August 19th were paid a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 19th. United Parcel Services payout ratio is currently 94.49%.
Insider Buying and Selling at United Parcel Service
In related news, Director William R. Johnson acquired 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 25th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $128.61 per share, with a total value of $643,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 5,160 shares of the companys stock, valued at $663,627.60. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.
About United Parcel Service
(Free Report)
United Parcel Service, Inc, a package delivery company, provides transportation and delivery, distribution, contract logistics, ocean freight, airfreight, customs brokerage, and insurance services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of express letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States.
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Wellington Shields Capital Management LLC decreased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 6.3% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 5,687 shares of the companys stock after selling 381 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company makes up about 0.9% of Wellington Shields Capital Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position. Wellington Shields Capital Management LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $5,149,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Lynx Investment Advisory bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter worth $32,000. LGT Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter worth about $36,000. Morton Brown Family Wealth LLC increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 45.5% in the 2nd quarter. Morton Brown Family Wealth LLC now owns 48 shares of the companys stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 15 shares during the last quarter. Core Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 188.2% during the 4th quarter. Core Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 49 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 32 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Activest Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 1st quarter worth approximately $39,000. Institutional investors own 82.53% of the companys stock.
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Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance
Shares of NYSE LLY traded up $3.11 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $915.86. 358,059 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,045,279. 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 businesss fifty day moving average price is $896.03 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $826.65. The company has a market cap of $870.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 134.43, a PEG ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.41. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12-month low of $516.57 and a 12-month high of $972.53.
Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement
Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $3.92 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.64 by $1.28. The business 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%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 16.51 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be given a dividend of $1.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.57%. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is 76.58%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 15,022 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $882.47, for a total transaction of $13,256,464.34. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 97,778,788 shares in the company, valued at approximately $86,286,847,046.36. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders sold a total of 737,410 shares of company stock valued at $669,719,100 over the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of brokerages recently commented on LLY. Guggenheim increased their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $884.00 to $1,030.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $875.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $994.00 to $1,015.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, June 24th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,001.00 to $1,101.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their target price for the company from $725.00 to $1,025.00 in a research note on Monday, August 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $961.76.
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Eli Lilly and Company Profile
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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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WPP plc (NYSE:WPP Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of Hold by the five analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $46.00.
WPP has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Citigroup upgraded shares of WPP to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. StockNews.com raised shares of WPP from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday.
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WPP Trading Up 5.9 %
WPP Increases Dividend
Shares of NYSE WPP opened at $49.21 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a current ratio of 0.89. WPP has a 52 week low of $41.13 and a 52 week high of $54.21. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $46.73 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $47.95.
The business also recently announced a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 11th will be given a dividend of $0.954 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 11th. This is a positive change from WPPs previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.24. This represents a yield of 5.7%.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On WPP
Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD lifted its holdings in shares of WPP by 46.5% during the 1st quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD now owns 3,350,015 shares of the business services providers stock worth $158,791,000 after acquiring an additional 1,062,708 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of WPP by 40.5% in the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,155,648 shares of the business services providers stock worth $54,974,000 after purchasing an additional 332,914 shares in the last quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP increased its position in shares of WPP by 7.0% during the 2nd quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 652,269 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $30,232,000 after purchasing an additional 42,690 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of WPP by 24.5% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 321,973 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $14,759,000 after buying an additional 63,363 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in WPP by 15.9% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 199,110 shares of the business services providers stock worth $9,115,000 after buying an additional 27,384 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 4.34% of the companys stock.
WPP Company Profile
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WPP plc, a creative transformation company, provides communications, experience, commerce, and technology services in North America, the United Kingdom, Western Continental Europe, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Eastern Europe. The company operates through three segments: Global Integrated Agencies, Public Relations, and Specialist Agencies.
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Zurich Insurance Group AG (OTCMKTS:ZURVY Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $29.40 and last traded at $29.35, with a volume of 83924 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $29.35.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Separately, Bank of America upgraded shares of Zurich Insurance Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, May 17th.
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Zurich Insurance Group Price Performance
About Zurich Insurance Group
The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 22.20 and a current ratio of 22.20. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $48.33 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $50.80.
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Zurich Insurance Group AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance products and related services in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through Property & Casualty Regions, Life Regions, Farmers, Group Functions and Operations, and Non-Core Businesses segments.
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There was a malfunction in the working system of the Polish Customs Service. As a result, there may be traffic jams at the border at all checkpoints.
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This was reported by the State Customs Service (SCS). They noted that the electronic customs clearance system on the neighboring side is currently operating in emergency mode.
"At all checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Polish border, there was a failure in the working system of the Customs Service of the Republic of Poland. There may be delays in the passage of freight vehicles by the customs service of the Republic of Poland," the statement said.
At the same time, the timeframe for restoring the system is not specified. The State Migration Service notes that it will be announced additionally about the elimination of malfunctions and the resumption of full-fledged work on the border with Poland.
At the same time, restrictions on traffic towards Ukraine have been imposed at the UstyluhZosyn checkpoint on the Ukrainian-Polish border since September 3, which may slow down border crossing. The reason for this is repair work. They are expected to last until November 30.
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Customs officials recommend that Ukrainians take this information into account when planning a trip or organizing logistics for the delivery of goods. They remind that traffic is allowed through UstyluhZosyn:
vehicles weighing up to 7.5 tons in both directions;
passenger buses in both directions;
empty vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tons to leave Ukraine (in an electronic queue).
Also, repairs at the HrebenneRava-Ruska border crossing point will continue until September 12. Among other things, the works are being carried out at the passenger side of the border, as well as at the entry and exit cargo parking lots.
At the Dorohusk border crossing, the pavement is being repaired, which has caused traffic problems. It is expected that the repair work will continue until November 14.
As reported by OBOZ.UA, on the Ukrainian-Romanian border, the SolotvynoSighetu Marmatiei checkpoint has partially suspended the passage of vehicles since September 5. The reason is an emergency situation on the bridge over the Tisa River and repair work on it.
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Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The European Commission will allocate 40 million euros to Ukraine to prepare for the winter. In particular, the funds will be used to repair energy infrastructure.
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This was announced by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. She noted that the assistance
is provided against the backdrop of continuous Russian attacks on energy infrastructure;
In addition to repairing energy facilities, the aid will be used for heating and shelters for Ukrainians.
"Russia is relentlessly attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Temperatures will soon drop, so we are stepping up our humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians in need with a new 40 million package for repairs, electricity, heating, and shelters," the statement said.
The European Commission itself noted that out of 40 million euros, 35 million will be used to prepare Ukraine for the winter. Another 5 million will be used to support Ukrainian refugees and the communities that host them in Moldova.
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"Together with our humanitarian partners, the EU is committed to repairing damaged buildings, and providing electricity and heating. And to provide shelter to those who need it most," they said.
Power outages have become more severe due to the new logic of shelling the power system
Earlier, energy expert Viktor Kurtev said that Russia has returned to the logic of shelling the Ukrainian energy sector, which it used in 2022-2023. The enemy has again started hitting electricity transmission systems. The result was the emergency shutdown of several nuclear power units, which led to a sharp increase in blackouts. He explained:
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"In 2022-2023, Russia was hitting the networks and transmission systems."
"For the most part, these were Ukrenergo's main substations and substation units of large thermal generation," the expert said.
From March 21, 2024, until mid-summer, the enemy attacked generating facilities.
"These were concentrated attacks on generation facilities with the destruction of power units and generating equipment. That's how we lost 9,000 megawatts of generation in 5 months," he said.
On August 26, Russia returned to the logic of the 2022 shelling.
"22 power facilities were attacked. Of these, 4 are gas transmission system facilities, and 18 are trunk grid facilities. These are mostly substations adjacent to nuclear power plants. The intention was to strike at the NPP power output. As a result, 3 nuclear units were shut down, and a little later another one. We lost a lot of generation at that moment, and the blackouts began," Kurtev said.
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However, he emphasized that the system was restored very quickly. It was even expected that "the outage schedules would disappear this week".
"But it will be a little harder. But I think that in a maximum of two weeks, the outage schedules will stop somewhere around mid-November, adjusted for new strikes," the expert stated.
As reported by OBOZ.UA, according to Kurtev, to protect the power system, Ukraine should have invested in air defense rather than passive defense elements. As time has shown, this strategy has not paid off.
Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
President Bola Tinubu has on Friday in Beijing rounded off his official engagements in China by meeting with Nigerians living in the country, describing his visit as very good and successful.
Addressing members of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization in China (NIDO China) and the Nigerian community at the China World Hotel, the President emphasized his efforts to strengthen cooperation in infrastructure, trade, finance, energy, green economy and mining during his discussions with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and his participation at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
What is uppermost in my mind is for you to continue representing Nigeria as good citizens, and I urge you all to be good ambassadors of our nation in China.
We will always celebrate our diversity. We cherish it, but this diversity is our commitment to serve. If it is about service, we must be good citizens," the President was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
President Tinubu also emphasized the importance of discipline and commitment to national service, citing Chinas disciplined society as an example for Nigerians to follow.
"I cannot tell you more, except from the embassy, that China is a very disciplined society and we have to be disciplined too. Without discipline and commitment, we cannot build a nation that is respected everywhere in the world.
"We must exploit our diversity and be ready to do everything required of us within the laws of the communities that we live in and reflect a good image of our country," the President said.
Highlighting the impact of investments in China's economy, President Tinubu assured Nigerians in Diaspora that Nigerias Bank of Industry is prepared to collaborate with them to leverage opportunities back home.
"Nigeria is going through reforms, and we are taking very bold and unprecedented decisions. For example, you might have been hearing from home in the last few days about fuel prices.
"But, can we help it? Can we develop good roads like you have here? You see electricity being constant in quantity and quality. You see water supply, constant and running, and you see their good schools. And we say we want to hand over a banner without stain to our children?
"What is the critical part to get us there if we cannot take hard decisions to pave the way for a country that is blessed and so talented?
"So many of you are so talented, speaking very fluent Mandarin. It is what you contribute and tell them at home that will reflect in the attitude of our people. The more you want everything free, it will become more expensive and long-delayed to achieve meaningful development, the President said.
To the applause of the audience, President Tinubu stated that one key takeaway from his visit to China is the commitment to replicate Chinas infrastructure back home.
"We want our children to be in good schools, not tattered huts and dilapidated buildings. We must make our teaching innovative and allow businesses of all kinds and sizes to flourish.
"One economic action leads to another, and it is in your hand to build our nation. Mine is to provide the leadership, and I am committed to doing just that," the President stated.
The President noted that while it is not always easy for a leader to have a national consensus on issues, he is ready to take the hard decisions to move the nation forward.
We are focused, and I have a very good team,President Tinubu added.
In his remarks, Dr. Oche Barnabas, President of NIDO China, commended President Tinubu for his commitment to strengthening Nigeria-China relations, particularly in trade, investment, and people-to-people collaboration.
He expressed NIDO China's support for Nigeria's 4Ds initiative, launched by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, earlier in the year.
He pledged that the organization is eager to drive the initiative forward within the diaspora community.
Mr. Barnabas requested President Tinubus assistance in advocating for Nigeria to be officially recognized as a native English-speaking nation, which would open up job and educational opportunities for Nigerians in China.
''Your Excellency, I wish to indulge your kind attention and use this rare opportunity to share a key challenge on behalf of the Nigeria community in China. Due to the peculiar nature of this country, the Nigerian community is mainly composed of students, expatriates, and businessmen.
''Our desire is that Nigeria is officially recognized as a native English-speaking nation in China. We believe your esteemed engagements with the high-level authorities can assist us in establishing this status.
''Presently, over 70% of available international jobs in China are reserved for native English speakers. In 2016, the local authorities listed South Africa as a native English-speaking nation.
''We believe Nigeria has a chance to receive similar recognition due to the fact that English language is our official language and we are also blessed with Professor Wole Soyinka who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986.
''We believe the enhancement of our status will open more opportunities to allow more Nigerians to study and work in China, thereby increasing diaspora remittance to Nigeria,'' he said.
Looking for places to escape the cold weather? We have prepared for you several locations that will be a great option for traveling. Where to fly to in the fall - we tell you below.
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Korcula
One of the most attractive islands of the Adriatic Sea. The average air temperature from September to October here ranges from +20 to +24 C. And the sea at this time is still warm - from +21C to +23.5C.
In a small bay is one of the largest and most beautiful beaches - Pupnatska Luka. It has a sandy shore, and the water is clean and clear. By the way, snorkeling connoisseurs often come here.
The coast of Vela Przina is crowded with tourists in the peak season, but in the fall there are fewer tourists. Here you can ride a jet ski or SUP-board.
We recommend visiting Vela Spila - a prehistoric cave where the remains of human settlements were found. During excavations archaeologists found artifacts and findings older than 20 thousand years. According to legend, it was on Korcula that the famous traveler Marco Polo was born. Although the exact place is still unknown. A museum dedicated to the life and travels of the navigator has been set up here.
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Kerkyra
The island is located in the Ionian Sea, near the coast of Albania. The velvet season here lasts from September to October. The average air temperature ranges from 22 to 26C.
In the center there are two city beaches Mon Repos Beach and Arion Beach. They are covered with soft sand and fine white pebbles. In general, excellent locations for recreation with children, as there is a gentle entrance to the water. By the way, connoisseurs of active water activities will also like it here. They will be able to engage in diving, windsurfing or sailing. And fans of snorkeling are advised to go to Barbati Beach.
Be sure to take a stroll through the Old Town. Here is the Palace of St. Michael and St. George, built in the XIX century. On its territory erected the Museum of Asian Art, which houses 15 thousand works and works from India, Pakistan, Tibet, etc. Also visit the Cathedral of St. Spyridon. By the way, this martyr is the patron saint of Kerkyra - his relics are kept in the temple. Also here you can see frescoes of the XVI century.
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Rhodes
One of the largest and most famous Greek islands, located in the southeastern part of the Aegean Sea. From September to October the velvet season begins here. The air temperature ranges from +24C to +28C, the water is warm - from 24C to 27C. The most popular beach is Elia Beach. Here the pebble shore prevails. We also recommend walking along the coast of Kato Petres Beach. There is a picturesque path surrounded by rocks and rocky slopes. You'll also get incredible sunset views from here.
Be sure to go to a unique location - Prasonisi. It is a sandy spit washed by two seas. Here you can go sailing and kiteboarding. We also recommend visiting the Monolithos Castle, which was built in 1470. Within the walls of the fortress, tourists can see the ancient chapels of the XV century.
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For an incredible view of Rhodes, head to the Clock Tower. After an explosion in 1856, the structure suffered significant damage, but it was restored. When it was reconstructed, the architects slightly changed the shape of the building, adding baroque elements. The best time to visit is in the morning or late evening.
Mallorca
The largest island of the Balearic archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The velvet season here lasts from September to October. The air temperature ranges from 23 to 27C.
If you are looking for a vacation on the beach with untouched nature, you should go to Platja des Trenc. Here prevails significant shallow water and crystal clear water of blue shades. We also recommend traveling to the coast of Cala Mondrago. It is located on the territory of the National Park, dotted with majestic rocks and pine trees.
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Be sure to visit the capital Palma. Here we recommend visiting the round Belver Castle - the only one of its kind. At first it was a royal residence, and later, in 1717, a military prison was built here. By the way, on the walls of the cells you can see drawings of prisoners.
Also go to the Basilica of St. Francis - one of the oldest Gothic churches. It was built in 1281. And if you're traveling with kids, don't miss the Museum of Dolls and Toys. There are more than 7,000 different exhibits, from airplanes to robots.
Take a trip even in the fall. Call your friends and create unforgettable memories.
Only verified information we have in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
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The buck should stop with the PM Offensives from the sky
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If one goes by what Chief Minister N Biren has had to say, then the buck should stop with the Prime Minister. It was as recent as July 11 this year that the Chief Minister dished out yet another show of utter loyalty to Narendra Modi when he pointedly said that the question of whether or not Prime Minister visits the State is irrelevant since his administration maintains constant communication with him all the times. The Chief Ministers observation or demonstration of loyalty to the Prime Minister came just two days after LOP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi rang out the need for the Prime Minister to visit the war ravaged State and apply the healing balm to the people who have been reeling under a state of war for over 15 months. Read the assertion of the Chief Minister with the instruction of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, You look after the valley, I will look after the hills, some time in 2023 and this should be more than enough reason to hold Delhi responsible for the free hands given to the Kuki militants to fire and kill the Meiteis at will. On September 1 and 2 Koutruk and Kadangband and the adjoining areas came under aerial attacks from the Kuki militants who resorted to weaponised drones and in the process killed a young mother and injured her daughter. This was besides the destruction caused to many dwelling houses. Fast forward to September 6 and from weaponised drones, the Kuki militants resorted to rocket propelled bombs and launched yet another aerial attack and in the process killed an elderly man at Moirang, besides injuring at least five others. The rocket propelled bomb was followed by drone vigil later in the evening, if one goes by what has gone viral on the social media. This is the situation in Moirang right now and nothing illustrates the anger and disappointment of the people with the Government than the very public chastisement of CAF and PD Minister L Susindro and Moirang AC MLA Thongam Shanti when they had gone to visit the residence of the slain man in the evening. The public chastisement came along with the stand of the public to not allow the Minister and the MLA proceed to the residence of the deceased. Get out was in short the message conveyed to the said Minister and the MLA and one wonders if the State Government would have the conviction to convey the sentiments of the public to Delhi or not. Or will it be a case of Namaste and Yes Saar if and when the BJP leaders of Manipur are summoned to Delhi to discuss the issue ? The answer is anyones guess. And adding to the angst and disappointment of the public must obviously be the statement delivered by the Prime Minister on the floor of the Rajya Sabha not so long back that peace is gradually returning to Manipur. And remember this was followed by the proclamation of the Chief Minister that normalcy would return within six months and this is a statement that was delivered at the end part of August.
To the Government and the keepers of records, the young woman killed at Koutruk on September 1 and the elderly man killed at Moirang on September 6 would just be two more figures to be added to the total number of people killed in the ongoing clash, but to the people of Manipur, they will be much more than mere statistics. A point which Delhi, Imphal and the Prime Minister have refused to acknowledge. It is a human tragedy that is being scripted on the ground here and what does Delhi say ? Nothing other than flying in 60,000 more security personnel to help maintain law and order. Statistics dont lie, they say and going by this then what are the 60,000 troops doing ? A case of sending the 60,000 personnel to ensure the security of the Kuki militants and give them the leeway to launch aerial attacks whenever they please ? It has repeatedly been said in this column, but here is a repeat again. Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed deep concern over the arms looted from the different police stations and armouries, but why has no word been said about the arms being used by the Kuki militants ? It is not only guns but even something as sophisticated as weaponised drones and RPGs and why is Delhi still mum on this ? Or does this say something profound about the alleged partisan position adopted by the Central security personnel, particularly the Assam Rifles ? Even as this is being written down, information has been received at the office of this newspaper that Kuki militants have launched yet another offensive at Khamen-lok after intense surveillance by drones. The tragic script continues to run.
Rejoinder to the rebuttal by Shri Ngaranmi Shimray
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Oinam Nabakishore Singh (Retd)
In his rebuttal published on the 3rd September, 2024 in The Sangai Express editorial page, Shri Ngaranmi Shimray made a few inaccurate statements regarding my article published in this paper. Without any supporting arguments and facts to prove me wrong, he started his rebuttal by stating that there were factually incorrect submissions by me. It would have been better and enlightening had he pointed out the incorrect sentence or paragraph and provide the correct ones for the benefit of all. Instead, he made a very general and blanket statement as to the article penned by me. He attributed the genesis of Article 371C of the Constitution to Section 52 of the Government of the Union Territories Act, 1963, whereas that section reads as 52. Authorisation of expenditure by President. Where the Legislative Assembly of the Union territory is dissolved, or its functioning as such Assembly remains suspended, on account of an order under section 51, it shall be competent for the President to authorise when the House of the People is not in session expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of that Union territory pending the sanction of such expenditure by Parliament. From this provision, it is clear that there is no relation between Article 371C and Section 52 as claimed by Shri Shimray.
While I referred to the Rules of Business of the Government of Manipur and the requirement to address specific interest of hill areas in Manipur as a positive suggestion, Shri Shimray stated the same was modified by the Third Schedule of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee) Order, 1972. In fact, the said modification is cosmetic and does not have much bearing on the transaction of business by the State Government of Manipur. During my career in Manipur Secretariat holding different capacities like Commissioner, Principal Secretaries, Additional Chief Secretary and Chief Secretary of the State Government, there was no instance of invoking the amendment referred to the Third Schedule mentioned above. Instead of appreciating my proposal to be more sensitive and inclusive in respect of hill areas, Shri Shimray, being a habitual sceptic of the intention of Meitei questions my suggestion.
He may do well to understand that the Rules of Business of Manipur is framed under Article 166 of the Constitution of India by the Governor, which is reproduced here as 166. Conduct of business of the Government of a State (1)All executive action of the Government of a State shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the Governor. (2) Orders and other instruments made and executed in the name of the Governor shall be authenticated in such manner as may be specified in rules to be made by the Governor, and the validity of an order or instrument which is so authenticated shall not be called in question on the ground that it is not an order or instrument made or executed by the Governor. (3) The Governor shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of the State, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business in so far as it is not business with respect to which the Governor is by or under this Constitution required to act in his discretion.
Shri Shimray goes on to blame the Chief Minister of Manipur and Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly for not allowing the Hill Areas Committee to function.
In fact, no one including the Chief Minister or Speaker stops the Hill Areas Committee to function. In both legislative and administrative matters, the Hill Areas Committee is competent to make recommendations to the legislature or the Government, as the case may be, which may be accepted or rejected by the competent authority. Shri Shimray in all his writings paints a grim picture of hill areas in Manipur, being neglected in all aspects of development by the State Government.
Any development including economic development is a function of several variables like geographical location, terrain of the area, historical reality, education and entrepreneurship of the local people, investment by both Government and private sector. The cost of providing infrastructure required for development is much higher in the hills as against the plains. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Manipur Government are investing much higher funds for road construction in the hills now. Road connectivity in the hills is also being strengthened by accessing funds from multilateral institutions like Asian Development Bank (ADB). The new road between Kangchup in Imphal West district and Tamenglong is funded by Asian Development Bank with investment of about Rs 1000 crore, while the improvement of road from Thoubal to Kasom Khullen in Kasom Khullen district was funded by the same ADB.
Shri Shimray blames both politicians and bureaucrats in Manipur for the backwardness of hill areas. Two past Chief Ministers, namely late Shri Rishang Keishing and Yangmasho Shaiza, are from the hills of Manipur. Similarly, most of the IAS officers in Manipur Secretariat have been from the hills as they have been enjoying reservation in recruitment to civil service as members of Scheduled Tribes.
Till 2000, only three Meitei officers qualified for IAS under the general category-Shri Rajkumar Falguni in 1972, this author in 1984 and Shri RK Dinesh in 2000. After the benefit of reservation under OBC was made available, some more Meitei officers qualified for IAS. If the bureaucrats of Manipur are to be blamed for the backwardness of hill areas in Manipur, Shri Shimray may better point his figure to the large number of tribal IAS officers from the hills.
A scholar like Shri Shimray should not indulge in espousing the hill and valley, tribal and Meitei divide and disparity through his writings. Any provocative and emotive statements blaming the Meiteis for all the ills in hill areas will further widen the gap. If he wants the unity and integrity of Manipur, where all communities have a history of mutual respect and interdependence, he should refrain from adding fuel to the fire already lit between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities.
In regard to Constitutional protection of Meiteis in Manipur, Shri Shimray should not forget that the tribals from hills have liberty to buy land and settle in the valleys without any restriction, whereas the Meiteis are not allowed to purchase any piece of land in the hill areas by the tribal chiefs under threat from insurgent groups.
Article 371 C does not prohibit the Meiteis from buying land in the hills-Manipur Land Reforms and Revenue Act, 1960 requires permission of Autonomous District Council. It is in the interest of all to appreciate the needs of all communities. How long can Meiteis be confined to the small valley areas of less than ten percent of the whole State when the pressure on the land is increasing day by day.
In the twenty-first century, when opportunities for employment and settlement are available across the world, it will be imprudent not to look beyond land in the hills or valleys. For those who are educated and ambitious, either from the hills or plains, the whole of India and the world is available to grab any opportunity. Thousands of people from Manipur have found employment and homes in cities like Delhi and Bangalore. Will they come back to Manipur to claim their agricultural land ? It is reported that many landowners in Bihar leave their agricultural land to the tenants to till them when they get better jobs in cities of India and abroad.
Globalization opens new opportunities to everyone. It will be good to change the feudal mindset, where the land ownership is the source of everything. Financial returns from agriculture is, indeed, minimal now considering the input cost, as compared to that from other occupations. Rather, one should focus on development of human capital. Any fund allocated for development of hill areas should be utilized for the best result. Tribal leaders, politicians, bureaucrats and CSO leaders should work in the interest of their people. It will be a disservice to their people if they look after themselves only and enjoy all luxuries.
The Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) has auctioned off eight collectible watches belonging to collaborator Viktor Medvedchuk, including some with images of his wife Oksana Marchenko, and the Kremlin. The agency managed to earn almost UAH 3.6 million.
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This was reported by the ARMA itself. They noted that
"The watches were bought on the first day of the auction;
a total of 20 watches were put up for sale;
18 bidders took part in the auction.
"The first to be sold was a Rolex watch with a starting price of UAH 416,583. It was sold for UAH 550 thousand as a result of the auction," the statement said.
The most expensive of the sold watches, it is emphasized, was a copy of the Patek Philippe brand. It was sold for over UAH 1.271 million.
Medvedchuk's watches sold at auction
Patek Philippe for over UAH 1,271. The starting price was the same.
Parmigiani Fleurier with the image of "Oksana Marchenko" for UAH 485 thousand. The starting price was UAH 302,629.
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Dolce & Gabbana for UAH 233,777. The starting price is 219,136 UAH.
"Moscow Kremlin for UAH 105,678. The starting price is UAH 17,474.
Rolex for UAH 700,001. The starting price was UAH 54,7328.
Rolex for UAH 550,000. Starting price 416 583 UAH.
Cartier UAH 200,001. The starting price is UAH 162,500.
"State Reserve of Ukraine UAH 41,500. The starting price is UAH 2,597.
The total sales amounted to almost UAH 3.6 million. The proceeds of the sale
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"will go to the state budget;
"will be used to purchase military bonds in the future".
"The other 12 watches will also be sold at auction, which will be announced later. Thus, the ARMA will support the Armed Forces of Ukraine by effectively managing the property of a traitor to Ukraine," the ARMA said.
Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and in Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A call centre operating at Durgapur city, in league with a counterfeit agency, had consistently been defrauding mainly US citizens in the name of tech-support impersonating as antivirus providers for months and the cyber PS officials busted the gang yesterday.
The cyber PS today took six of the 13 accused in five days remand today. The persons, as the police said, In collusion with other international gangs defrauded several US citizens posing as tech support providers.
They used to impersonate as authorized antivirus company representatives and make international calls using laptops and we intercepted the gangsters acting on a credible tip-off yesterday evening, said Arvind Anand, deputy commissioner of police (Headquarters), Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate. He added: Weve seized 12 laptops raiding the rented accommodation at City Centre. During the raid, the cyber police found that 13 persons were busy making international calls using laptops and headphones. The accused mainly hailed from Park Street and Beniapukur in Kolkata, the police said.
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The police now want to unearth more links to help trace other associates and international gangs behind this.
The new scam, as explained by one cyber expert, forms a popup warning about the users computer being infected with some virus and offering popular antivirus programme at cheaper prices to trap common users.
A day after the gruesome rape and murder of the 31-year-old postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor at R G Kar Medical College Hospital on 9 August, it was Prof (Dr) Sandip Ghosh, former principal of the college, who had written a letter to the PWD unit on 10 August to renovate the portion just beside the spot of the crime on the same floor.
With the directive of Prof Ghosh, who has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the PWD had started renovation work on 12 August.
A copy of the letter signed by Prof Ghosh to the PWDs executive engineer (EE) in the civic wing at the hospital has surfaced on social media. The Statesman has not verified the authenticity of the directive.
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I would like to inform you that there are deficiency on duty doctors rooms and separate attached toilets in various departments of RGKMC&H, Kolkata, according to Prof Ghoshs letter.
You are hereby requested to do the needful immediately as per demand of residents doctors of RGKMC&H, the letter signed by Prof Ghosh on 10 August stated.
The issue is already discussed and resolved in the meeting with the principal secretary, department of health & family welfare, Government of West Bengal and Director of Medical Education .., it stated.
Sources in the health department said a meeting was held at the hospital on 10 August, a day after the incident to discuss issues like renovation and repairs of on-duty doctors rest rooms, wash rooms, attached toilets in different departments. Narayan Swaroop, principal secretary, in charge of the health department, director of medical education (DME) Prof Kaustav Nayek, Prof Ghosh, students and junior doctors were present in the meeting.
The portion, where the renovations and repair works were carried out, was very close to the seminar hall on the third floor, where the body of the victim was reportedly recovered on 9 August.
The letter has triggered controversy prompting the oppositions to allege that in a desperate bid to tamper and alter evidence in connection with the incident, Prof Ghosh had directed the PWD to renovate.
The renovation work could not be carried out following protests by the students fraternity within the hospital premises as soon as the work started.
Dr Manas Gumta of Association of Health Services Doctors (AHSD) said, We had objected to the matter in the meeting with the health secretary, DME and former principal on 10 August.
How did the principal secretary and DME give their nod for renovations of the floor where such a horrific crime happened? Whats the necessity of doing it so fast? All these issues should be taken into account by the investigating agency seriously to nab all culprits involved in the case, said a senior doctor showing solidarity with their protesting junior colleagues.
Russian arbitration court arrests shares of Raiffeisen Bank's subsidiary in Russia Raiffeisen Bank in the Russian Federation. This will "inevitably lead to delays" in the process of the Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) group's withdrawal from Russia, the bank says.
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A statement was released by the RBI press service. "The Russian court has issued a preliminary injunction, according to which a transfer ban will be imposed on the shares of Raiffeisenbank JSC with immediate effect. Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) is a 100% shareholder of Raiffeisenbank JSC, the statement said.
The banking group warned that this arrest would slow down its exit from Russia. Thus, Raiffeisen remains one of the few international banks that still remains in the Russian market, pays taxes there, and helps replenish the Kremlin's military budget.
"This (the Russian court ruling Ed.) complicates the sale process, in which RBI is seeking to sell a controlling stake in Raiffeisenbank, and will inevitably lead to further delays. RBI will seek to overturn today's court decision by all legal means," the statement said.
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Raiffeisen has been "leaving" Russia for a long time
The Austrian RBI has been assuring that it wants to leave Russia since the beginning of the aggressor country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, the process was postponed for a long time due to the group's search for the least unprofitable ways to get rid of its Russian assets.
At the same time, the Russian Raiffeisen Bank was involved in more than one scandal. Among other things, it turned out that the Russian subsidiary of Raiffeisen officially recognizes the so-called LPR and DPR and calls the Russian war against Ukraine a "special operation" on the website and in the documents of its Russian representative office. The bank also directly assisted the Russian occupiers by offering loan repayment holidays and preferential loans to mobilized Russians.
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Due to its operations in Russia and the ambiguous behavior of its Russian subsidiary RBI came under pressure from regulators and shareholders. In particular, the European Central Bank (ECB) ordered the bank to wind down its operations in Russia in 2024.
After that, RBI CEO Johann Strobl assured that at the end of 2024, Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) would begin a significant reduction of its business in Russia. Strobl said at the time that RBI was working on the sale of its Russian subsidiary.
Back in early 2023, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) launched an investigation into Raiffeisen Bank's activities in Russia. RBI also received warnings from the US Treasury Department.
The group was informed that it could be cut off from the US financial system, not only because of its operations in Russia but also because of a dubious deal involving Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. This deal, by the way, was quickly canceled, but the US Treasury Department, according to media reports, remained concerned about the RBI's work in Russia.
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Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported on the pressure that Austria put on Ukraine to remove Raiffeisen Bank from the list of war sponsors in exchange for new sanctions against Russia. Failing that, the Austrian government could have voted against the 12th package of EU sanctions against Russia, but the list of war sponsors was officially closed.
Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Trinamul Congress today lambasted the CBI after the investigating officer and the counsel of the agency did not turn up at the Sealdah Court, where the prime accused in the rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was produced.
TMCs Kunal Ghosh said this shows the callousness and indifference of the CBI. The judge at the Sealdah court took a strong exception. Mr Ghosh said the Kolkata Police had arrested Sanjay Roy within 24 hours after the incident took place on 9 August. The high court had ordered CBI inquiry on 13 August and since then the CBI has not made any progress in the case. Not a single person has been arrested and the agency has refused to disclose the progress of the investigation.
He said interestingly, the BJP, CPM and Congress are silent on the matter. On one hand they said we demand justice, and on the other, the leaders of these parties remain quiet when the CBI investigating officer and lawyer fail to turn up at the court, he pointed out.
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Bratya Basu and Dr Shashi Panja at a press conference, held yesterday, at Trinamul Bhavan urged the CBI to break the silence and hold a press conference to disclose the progress of investigation.
Trinamul Congress in its X handle wrote: After a 24-day delay, the prime accused in the R G Kar case, Sanjay Roy was set to be produced in the court today.
But, where was the investigating officer? Where was the CBI headquarters counsel? Nowhere to be seen! This is how utterly interested the CBI is when it comes to handling the case. Its deliberate sabotage of the judicial process, with the CBI playing BJPs local sidekick rather than discharging their duty.
Dr Shashi Panja in her X handle wrote 24 days later, @CBIHeadquarters still cant get its act together. The investigating officer skipping court hearings for a case this sensitive- this is what you get when the CBI plays sidekickto @BJP4India. Justice for the RG Karvictim? Clearly not a priority.
Saket Gokhale, Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha MP in his X handle wrote: Something shocking happened today which exposes the dirty plans of the CBI. The accused in the RG Kar rape and murder case was produced in the court today for his remand. However, the CBI investigating officer and the CBI lawyer were both absent. Expressing extreme displeasure, the Ld Magistrate was shocked that chose to remain absent. The Magistrate even said, This is very unfortunate. Should I grant him bail?
CBI wants to get the rape and murder accused monster released on bail. An active effort is being made by CBI, BJP and the Modi govt to run a political agenda and bury the case.
How can the CBI allow this monster to get bail? What is the sinister agenda that is being played out? Why was the CBI absent in the court today?
This is a very shocking development and the CBI must answer under whose pressure this heinous crime is being carried out. BJP has diverted the protests into a political agenda and are quietly conniving with CBI to bury the actual case.
In a bizarre incident, the security staff of Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Andal, during baggage screening seized a firearm and bullets from two passengers of Birbhum district, about to board a Mumbai-bound flight and handed over them to the Andal police station.
Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport is the first privately operated commercial airport in the country and is also the only airport, which is not guarded by the jawans of the Central Industrial Security Force
Instead a specially trained team of West Bengal Police guards the Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Andal.
This is the first time in the history of this airport since its inception that passengers have been caught with firearms in their baggage. The incident has created a stir.
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Kailash Mondal, director of Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Andal told the that two passengers have been detained by the airport staff during baggage screening and handed over to police with firearms and ammunition for further action.
Andal police said that the passengers have been identified as Sajed Suleman Mallick and Mohammed Iqbal, both relatives and hail from Birbhum district.
The Andal police have seized a country-made revolver and six rounds of cartridges.
Andal police have started investigations and grilled them on why they were carrying firearms and live cartridges in their suitcases. Both of them have been arrested for carrying illegal arms and ammunition.
In a major setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the 2025 Assembly polls, former Delhi minister and its MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam resigned from the party and joined the Congress here on Friday.
Gautam who severed ties with the AAP after his years of association, joined the Congress at the party headquarters, in presence of Congress general secretary in-charge of Organisation KC Venugopal, partys Chairman of media and publicity department Pawan Khera and Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav.
Notably, the latest development comes amid ongoing talks of alliance between the AAP and Congress for the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana.
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Welcoming him to the party, Venugopal said, It is a very proud moment for us. Rajendra Pal Gautam is one of the important figures in the countrys political spectrum. He has now decided to join the Indian National Congress. We are very happy to receive his letter urging us to take him to the party.
The Congress general secretary in-charge of Organisation said, The reason which he is indicating to join the Congress is giving more happiness to us because whatever ideology he is believing in his life, now he is seeing that Indian National Congress is doing that ideological work.
Referring to the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra held by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, he said, Through Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, our leader Rahul Gandhi had given a new narrative to the country. Attracting to that activities of Indian National Congress and president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, he decided to work with the Indian National Congress. We are very happy to induct him in the Indian National Congress.
Speaking on the occasion, Gautam in a veiled attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, said, In the last 10 years, frenzy has increased in the country and Dalits are being harassed. In such a situation, during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi gave the slogan nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan (shop of love in the market of hatred) .
Heaping praise on Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, the former Delhi minister said, He (Gandhi) said that there should be social justice in the country. Inspired by the thoughts of Rahul Gandhi ji, I am joining the Congress party today.
Assembly elections to 70-member Delhi Assembly are likely to be held early next year.
The Delhi government has approved a compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh to the next of kin of inmates who die due to unnatural reasons in the city jails, an official statement said on Friday.
The Arvind Kejriwal government has submitted a proposal in this regard to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena for his nod.
Unnatural custodial death could be caused due to quarrels among inmates, alleged beatings by prison staff, negligence by prison officers, or negligence by medical or paramedical officers.
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However, compensation will not be admissible in cases of unnatural death due to suicide, escape attempts from jail or lawful custody outside the jail, or in cases of natural death, disaster, or calamity, the government communique said, adding that the same will also not apply to deaths due to illness.
Speaking on the issue, Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot, stated, This initiative underscores our commitment to ensuring justice and accountability in the prison system. Providing compensation to the families of prisoners who suffer unnatural deaths in custody is a step towards addressing their grievances and upholding human rights.
He further said that, under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals leadership, the Delhi government is confident that this measure will act as a deterrent against misconduct and negligence in our jails.
The minister has said that once approved, the policy will take effect from the date of notification.
In this regard, superintendent of the jail concerned will be required to submit a detailed report, including a copy of the magisterial enquiry report, postmortem report, final cause of death, medical history at the time of admission in jail, and details of any medical treatment provided before the custodial death.
This report will be sent to the Director General of Prisons, Delhi, for onward submission to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for information.
A committee headed by the Director General Prison and comprising the Additional Inspector General, Delhi Prison, Resident Medical Officer, Delhi Prison, DCA, Delhi Prison and Law Officer of the prisons will review the report and decide on releasing the compensation as per rules.
According to the proposal, the committees meeting must be held once a quarter or as needed to consider cases of custodial death.
Whenever a compensation will be given to the next of kin of the deceased, the DG will have to inform the NHRC.
The policy also has a provision for recovery of the compensation amount from the salaries of the erring prison officials.
The committee shall inquire and, if direct involvement or commission by any prison staff is found in the custodial death, the committee may order the recovery of the compensation amount from the salaries of the official found wrong.
With the OTT revolution reaching every household, it has changed the way we consume cinema. Gone are the days when people could only enjoy watching their favorite stars in a theater. The rise of OTT has also sparked a discussion about the decline in theater attendance during releases. In an unexpected move, Aamir Khan has decided to revolutionize movie-going dynamics. He plans to do so by not selling the digital rights of his future projects. Reportedly, the actor-producer is currently discussing this move with his production team.
According to a report by Pinkvilla, a source close to the production revealed, Aamir doesnt want to pre-sell the digital rights of his films. His vision is to revive the social comedy genre by keeping it exclusive to the big screen for at least 12 weeks. Furthermore, the source added, He will sell the digital rights only after the films theatrical release. While the digital medium is included in the box-office clause of the contract, Aamir is willing to sell and value his film based on audience reception during its theatrical run.
Also Read: Stree Shraddha Kapoor praises Janhvi in Daavudi song
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Moreover, Aamir aims to eliminate any digital stakeholders from his future projects. With no digital player logos on posters and trailers, Aamir intends to keep his message clearexperience his content only on the big screen. His goal is to return to the days when viewers had no knowledge of satellite premieres.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aamir Khan Productions (@aamirkhanproductions)
It remains unclear whether this decision will apply to his upcoming release, Sitaare Zameen Par, or to future ventures. However, Aamir is consulting with his team of directors and producers to finalize their decision. The source stated, Its a gutsy move, and if anyone can bring about change, its Aamir Khan. Its about time we support mid-budget social comedies and make them a big-screen genre again. Aamir is exploring all possible scenarios and will reach a conclusion, but this agenda is top of mind.
Aamir Khans next film, Sitaare Zameen Par, will release in theaters on December 20.
Prime Video is set to delight viewers with its latest Tamil original series, Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam, premiering globally on September 20. This fresh comedy-drama promises to bring a unique and humorous take on life in rural Tamil Nadu.
The series, which consists of eight episodes, showcases a talented ensemble cast including Abishek Kumar, Chetan Kadambi, Devadarshini, Niyathi, Anand Sami, and Paul Raj. Each actor brings their own flair to the series, enhancing the rich tapestry of characters and storylines.
Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam is helmed by director Naga, known for his nuanced storytelling and vibrant direction. The script, penned by Balakumaran Murugesan, is expected to blend humor with heartfelt moments, capturing the essence of village life with a comedic twist. The series is produced by The Viral Fever (TVF), a name synonymous with engaging and innovative content.
The narrative centers on Sidharth, portrayed by Abishek Kumar, who is an engineering graduate from Chennai. His life takes an unexpected turn when he accepts a job as a secretary in the quaint, offbeat village of Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam. Thrust into a world of rural oddities and endearing villagers, Sidharths experiences become a whirlwind of amusing mishaps and surprising discoveries.
The show promises a delightful mix of humor and drama, offering viewers a heartwarming exploration of rural life through the lens of its charmingly flawed characters. As Sidharth adapts to his new environment, viewers will be treated to a series of comedic situations and unexpected adventures that highlight the quirks and charms of village life.
With its engaging storyline and impressive cast, Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam is set to be a standout addition to Prime Videos diverse lineup. Mark your calendars for September 20, and get ready to embark on a comedic journey through the colorful world of Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam.
In a significant move for the Kannada film industry, actor Sanjjana Galrani met with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday, advocating for the establishment of a womens committee within the industry. Galranis meeting with the Chief Minister follows a high-profile controversy stemming from the recently released Justice Hema Committee report, which has brought to light serious allegations of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry.
During her visit, Sanjjana Galrani presented a formal request to the Chief Minister, urging him to support the creation of a dedicated committee to address and prevent safety issues faced by women in Kannada cinema. Her request underscores a growing demand for greater protection and support for female professionals in the film industry.
Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sanjjanaa Galrani / sanjana (@sanjjanaagalrani)
The call for reform comes on the heels of the unsettling revelations in the Justice Hema Committee report, which exposed a pattern of sexual harassment and exploitation in the Malayalam film sector. The report, which was made public last month after extensive redactions, details numerous complaints against notable figures, including filmmaker Ranjith and actors Mukesh, Edavela Babu, Baburaj, Jayasurya, and Siddique. These allegations have sparked significant public and media attention.
The 235-page report, prepared by a three-member panel led by a former Kerala High Court judge, was submitted to the Kerala government in December 2019 but was only released to the public recently. It highlights the dominance of a small group of male producers, directors, and actors in the Malayalam film industry, who reportedly control the industry and perpetuate a culture of exploitation.
In response to these findings, the Kerala government has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to delve deeper into the reported issues and seek justice for the affected women. The SITs formation marks a crucial step towards addressing the systemic problems highlighted in the report.
Reacting to Rajendra Pal Gautam joining the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday described it as just another chapter in the shifting tides of politics.
Senior AAP leader and Delhi State Vice President Kuldeep Kumar dismissed the move as routine, highlighting that party-hopping before elections is common.
When tickets are in doubt, some jump ship, he remarked, underscoring the partys calm response to the ex-AAP leaders exit.
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On Gautams exit, Kumar emphasised that political leaders keep coming and going. He added that AAP had given Gautam due respect by entrusting him with significant responsibilities, including serving as a minister and overseeing multiple departments.
Switching parties is a common trend, Kumar said, adding that often when candidates sense that the ground realities are not in their favour, and their chances of securing a ticket are uncertain, they change sides.
He further said that it is a recurring phenomenon in politics and is by no means unusual.
I wish him all the best in his future political endeavours, and may he enjoy good health and happiness, he added.
Last month, several AAP leaders joined Congress at the Delhi Congress headquarters. The new members included Amar Pal Singh, former social media president, New Delhi Lok Sabha and Gujarat co-prabhari; Deepak Raj Singh, ex-president of the AAP Kisan Wing; Vikas Saini, Tilak Nagar District Sangathan Mantri; Advocate Harsh Hardy; Davneet Kaur; Shiven Nayyar; Nand Kishore Bokolia; Vikram Singh; Darshan Singh; Rashid Ali Qureshi; Ikram Khan; Mohammad Aalam; and Shamim Khan.
Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Friday that efforts are underway to provide immediate assistance of Rs 3,448 crore from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which includes the Centres share. After completing his tour of Andhra Pradesh, Chouhan met Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy at the state Secretariat to discuss flood relief measures in the state. He was accompanied by Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and Telangana BJP leader. This was the first time that Union ministers visited the state Secretariat since its construction during the previous BRS regime.
Chouhan, who had earlier visited Andhra Pradesh to assess the damage, toured Khammam on Friday, which also experienced devastating floods. He spoke to farmers whose crops were damaged due to the floods and watched a photo exhibition on the floods which had damaged not only crops but also the national highway between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and had washed away railway tracks. Chouhan said, We are working to provide immediate help. No one needs to be disappointed, we will work together. The central government stands with the state government, and we will help farmers overcome every crisis. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was concerned about the flood situation in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said the flood damage in both states should be viewed from the same perspective. Certain districts had received up to 40 cm of rain on a single day. He also urged the Union minister to relax the guidelines for the release of NDRF funds.
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Earlier in the day, a team of Army personnel joined the engineers of the Andhra Pradesh government to repair the breach of the Budameru stream, which had caused the floods in Vijayawada. Although the state government had been able to repair the breach at two places, the Army personnel were called in to repair the third breach.
Former Biju Janata Dal Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar on Friday joined the BJP at the party headquarters here.
Earlier in the day, Sujit Kumar was expelled from the BJD with immediate effect for anti-party activities, according to a letter signed by BJD President Naveen Patnaik.
The former BJD leader joined the BJP in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the partys Odisha in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, and other leaders.
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After joining the saffron party, Kumar said, I left BJD as I think the development that could have happened in my native district Kalahandi did not happen because of corruption in which many BJD leaders both from the district and also outside are involved. I tried to bring these to the notice of BJD leadership. But, when I found it was not yielding any result, I decided to leave the party.
The former BJD MP from the Upper House further said he has been a big admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the beginning.
Kumar was suspended from the BJD immediately after he tendered his resignation from the Rajya Sabha.
Shree Sujeet Kumar, M.P., Rajya Sabha representing Biju Janata Dal is expelled from the party with immediate effect for anti-party activities. He has let down the party which sent him to Rajya Sabha and with hopes and aspirations of people of Kalahandi district, said an order issued by the party on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Kumar tendered his resignation from the membership of Rajya Sabha two years before the end of his tenure. Kumar was elected to the Upper House in April 2020.
I do hereby tender my resignation from the Membership of Rajya Sabha today, i.e. 6th September 2024; having taken this decision consciously. I take this opportunity to express my profuse gratitude to you for the opportunities provided to me to raise issues of public importance, and of my state Odisha, in the House. I could not have done it without your constant guidance, wrote Kumar in his resignation letter to Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
His resignation has also been accepted by Dhankhar.
Honble Vice-President of India and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has accepted the resignation of Shri Sujeet Kumar from the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) with immediate effect, finding the same in conformity with Article 101 3(b) of the Constitution, informed Dhankhar on his official X handle.
On the morning of September 6, Russian troops fired five ballistic missiles at Pavlohrad in the Dnipro region. The city was destroyed and several fires broke out.
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At least 61 people were reported injured, including three children and one person was killed. The attack was reported by the head of the Dnipro regional military administration, Serhii Lysak.
"The enemy attacked Pavlohrad. Preliminary, there are already 5 casualties. There were some destructions. The threat remains, so there is no information silence. Stay in shelters until the end of the day," he wrote at 10:36.
Later, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine clarified: the occupiers, according to preliminary data, struck at the civilian infrastructure of Pavlohrad at about 10 am with five "Iskander-M/KN-23" ballistic missiles. The Russians launched the missiles from their Voronezh and Rostov regions.
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As of 11:30 a.m., the number of casualties had more than tripled, and a victim of the attack was reported.
"Unfortunately, there is already a dead person in Pavlohrad. The number of victims is growing. Now there are 18 of them in the hospital, including a 9-year-old girl. There were several fires in the city. An apartment was on fire in one of the high-rise buildings. The fire was extinguished and five people were rescued. Other details are being investigated," said Lysak.
As of noon, according to him, the number of victims reached 30. Three of them are children: boys aged 4 and 11, and a 9-year-old girl.
"There are two seriously injured people in the hospital. The doctors are doing everything to save them," added the head of the Dnipro Regional Military Administration.
As of 12:30 p.m., the State Emergency Service said that the number of wounded had increased to 40 people, while Lysak said around 1 p.m. that at least 50 people were injured, the oldest being 86 years old.
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"A five-story residential building was damaged. Firefighters extinguished the fire in an area of 50 square meters and rescued 5 people from the fire. Psychologists of the State Emergency Service are working at the site of the explosion to provide the necessary assistance to the victims," the State Emergency Service added.
Immediately after the explosions, local chat rooms reported "smoke and broken windows in one of the districts" of the city.
The official Telegram channel of the executive committee of the Pavlohrad City Council at 9:55 a.m. asked residents to stay in safe places due to the threat of Russian strikes. At 10:20 a.m., the citizens were urged "not to move around the city until the end of the day."
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Dnipro Regional Prosecutor's Office initiated a pre-trial investigation into the case of violation of the laws and customs of war accompanied by intentional murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
"A man died as a result of the attack. A total of 50 residents were hospitalized. Among the injured are a 9-year-old girl and two boys, aged 4 and 11," they said.
The condition of the victims and the extent of the destruction are being clarified. Emergency services and law enforcement officers are working at the scene to document another war crime by Russian aggressors.
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Lysak clarified that three of the injured in Pavlohrad are in serious condition in the hospital. These are men aged 30, 68, and 69.
There are five minors among the victims. A total of 58 victims with torn and cut wounds, fractures, bruises, and head injuries were recorded.
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The rocket attacks caused significant damage to the city: several businesses, more than 30 high-rise buildings, a kindergarten, and 27 shops were damaged. One car was destroyed and two others were damaged.
To help the victims, we have set up emergency stations and organized water deliveries. The company is currently responding to the attack and recording the damage.
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As of 5 p.m., the number of victims has increased to 61. This was reported by Serhii Lysak.
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"Most of the injured are in hospitals, although they are in moderate condition. Doctors provide all the necessary assistance to each of them. We wish recovery to those who suffered from Russian weapons today," Lysak wrote on Telegram.
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Earlier today, it was reported that search and rescue operations had been completed at the site of the Russian attack on an educational institution in Poltava on September 3. According to the State Emergency Service, 55 people died and 328 were injured as a result of the arrival of two ballistic missiles. Experts are currently identifying the recovered remains.
On September 4, residential buildings burned in Lviv as a result of an enemy attack. The Russian terrorist attack killed seven people, including three children. At least 47 people were also injured, including 5 children.
On the night of September 6, the Lviv region again came under attack by Russian troops: this time, a fire broke out near the regional center as a result of the falling wreckage of a downed Shahid. According to Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi, the fire was in a warehouse in an industrial area near one of the nearby villages. As of 7:30 a.m., the fire was extinguished, and several trucks were burned to the ground. There were no casualties.
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Meanwhile, in the morning of September 6, Russians struck Lyubotyn in Kharkiv region. Residential buildings in the town were damaged, and civilians were reported injured.
Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Amid improving bilateral ties, India and the Maldives on Friday held their fifth Defence Cooperation Dialogue in New Delhi.
The Indian delegation was led by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, while the Maldivian delegation was headed by Chief of Defence Force, Maldives National Defence Force General lbrahim Hilmy.
The meeting provided both sides with an opportunity to discuss the matters related to bilateral defence cooperation. This, inter alia, included expediting the implementation of various ongoing defence cooperation projects, the Ministry of Defence said.
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The two sides also deliberated on a few other areas of common interest such as high-level exchanges and capability development projects.
The aspects of participation in forthcoming bilateral military exercises were also discussed. The entire range of talks were productive which will advance shared interests of both the nations in near future and bring stability & prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region, the MoD added.
Bastar, a region in the heart of Chhattisgarh, has long been defined by its dense forests, rich tribal culture, and complex history. Once overshadowed by the challenges of insurgency, the region is now on a path of transformation, largely due to NMDC, Indias largest iron ore producer.
Since its inception in 1958 and the commencement of operations in Bailadila in 1968, the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has played a pivotal role in redefining the regions identity, transforming it from a secluded area into one of Indias top iron ore-producing states.
As NMDC celebrates its 66th year, the company reflects on its significant impact in transforming Bastars socio-economic landscape and redefining the states identity.
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From Bailadaila to Dantewada and Jagdalpur, NMDC has been a beacon of hope and development. Its two mining hubs, Bacheli and Kirandul Complexes, have not only been pivotal in boosting iron ore production but have also contributed significantly to the regions economic upliftment through infrastructure development, job creation, and community welfare programs. With their combined output, Bacheli and Kirandul have positioned Chhattisgarh as one of the top iron ore-producing states in India.
For long, NMDC has contributed through royalties, taxes, and duties, totaling close to Rs 20,000 crore in the last six years, providing essential financial support for public services, infrastructure projects, and welfare programs that have benefited many of its residents and communities.
For upliftment of host communities, NMDC has invested approximately Rs 1,400 crore in various CSR activities in Chhattisgarh alone in the last ten years, focusing on education, healthcare, infrastructure development, and community empowerment.
One of NMDCs most impactful contributions has been in the realm of education and employment. The companys initiatives have directly employed over 5,000 individuals and created indirect job opportunities for over 20,000 people, supporting countless families across Bastar.
Recognizing the challenges posed by high school dropout rates, NMDC launched its Education Improvement Program, which has already benefited 4,367 children, including 2,027 girls. Through Initiatives like Shiksha Sahyog, NMDC provides scholarships to over 18,000 students annually.
Amitava Mukherjee, CMD (Addl. Charge), praised the development in Bastar and said, As we reflect on NMDCs journey of over six decades in Chhattisgarh, I am profoundly grateful for the unwavering dedication of our employees and the enduring support of the local communities, particularly in Bastar.
NMDCs commitment extends far beyond mining; it is about being a steadfast partner in the regions progress, ensuring that the rich heritage and culture of Bastar continue to thrive alongside development. We remain deeply committed to the national cause, contributing to the socio-economic upliftment of this region while preserving its unique cultural legacy. Together, we will continue to build a stronger, more prosperous future for Chhattisgarh and for our nation, he stated.
For a land that once lacked connectivity, the construction of the Gaurav Path four-lane road at Dantewada connecting the hinterlands is a blessing. Similarly, a partnership with the Government of Chhattisgarh to construct a 19.4 km-long bypass for Jagdalpur has significantly enhanced regional connectivity and accessibility.
In remote villages lacking access to health centers, NMDC has set up hospitals and mobile medical units, known as hospitals on wheels, to provide essential medical services to over 50 villages.
Each year, approximately 100,000 out-patients and 35,000 in-patients receive free treatment at these project hospitals. Additionally, NMDC has supported a state-of-the-art medical college with advanced facilities at Jagdalpur at a cost of Rs 50 Crore.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with teachers who have been conferred National Teachers Awards at his residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.
The teachers shared their teaching experiences with the Prime Minister and spoke about their interesting techniques to make learning more appealing. The teachers also shared examples of social work being done by them along with their regular teaching work.
The Prime Minister commended their dedication to the craft of teaching and the remarkable zeal they have displayed over the years, which has been recognized through the Awards.
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Mr Modi discussed with them the impact of the National Education Policy and spoke about the significance of attaining education in ones mother tongue.
He suggested that the teachers can teach local folklore to students in different languages, so that the students can learn multiple languages and also get exposure to the vibrant culture of India.
The Prime Minister said that the teachers can take their students on educational tours to explore Indias diversity, which will aid their learning and also help them get to know about their country in a holistic manner. He added that this will boost tourism and give a fillip to the local economy as well.
The Prime Minister suggested that the awardee teachers should connect with each other through social media and share their best practices so that everyone can learn, adapt and benefit from such practices.
He said that teachers are rendering a very important service to the nation and the responsibility of preparing todays youth for Viksit Bharat rests on them.
President Droupadi Murmu honoured 82 teachers from across the country with National Teachers Awards on the occasion of the Teachers Day on Thursday.
The National Teachers Awards celebrate and honour the unique contribution of some of the finest teachers in the country who have not only improved the quality of the education sector but also enriched the lives of their students.
Of the total awards this year, 50 teachers were selected by the Department of School Education & Literacy, 16 teachers by the Department of Higher Education and 16 teachers by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the release of Bhushan Steel Ltds former Managing Director Neeraj Singal on bail, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged bank fraud of Rs 46,000 crore.
A bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna was hearing a special leave petition filed by Singal against the decision of the Delhi High Court dismissing his bail plea and upholding the validity of his arrest by the federal anti-money laundering agency.
Taking into consideration the fact that conclusion of the trial is unlikely in the near future and Singhal has suffered a long incarceration pre-trial, the Bench, also comprising Sanjay Kumar, directed Signal to be released on bail on such terms and conditions as may be set by the trial court.
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The apex court added that the former MD of Bhushan Steel will have to surrender his passport and will not leave India without the permission of the court.
In January this year, the Delhi HC dismissed Singals plea challenging his arrest on June 9, 2023, stating that at that time, oral communication of the grounds of arrest was considered proper compliance with Section 19(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
A bench of Justice Vikas Mahajan of the High Court took into account the Supreme Courts ruling in Pankaj Bansal vs. Union of India, delivered on October 3, 2023, which mandated providing written grounds for arrest, but only with prospective effect.
It said that at the time of Singals arrest, the law, as per the Moin Akhtar Qureshi case, did not require written grounds, adding that Singals arrest predated the Pankaj Bansal ruling and was thus in compliance with the existing legal provisions.
The subsequent Supreme Court ruling in Ram Kishor Arora vs. Union of India clarified that non-furnishing of written grounds until the Pankaj Bansal judgement would not be deemed illegal.
The ED initiated the investigation based on a prosecution complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) against Bhushan Steel Limited, invoking scheduled offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002.
The investigation revealed that Bhushan Steel and its Managing Director, Neeraj Singal, formed shell companies to rotate funds, causing wrongful loss to the State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank.
The ED alleged that the promoters, directors, and officials of Bhushan Steel engaged in fraudulent activities, including forging documents and making false representations to banks.
Funds were misappropriated through fabricated Letters of Credit in favour of JSW Steel Limited and Hindustan Zinc Limited.
A self-styled spiritual speakers lecture at a premier government girls school in the city wherein he said misery, including physical deformities, diseases and poverty, were due to ones sins committed in previous birth has stoked a raging controversy with the state government transferring two head masters and ordering a probe into the incident.
The Headmaster of Ashok Nagar Government Girls School, R Thamizharasi, and the Headmaster of Saidapet Government Model School, Shanmughasundaram, involved in organising the lecture, have been transferred.
Meanwhile, the police carried out a search on the NGO, Paramporul Foundation, run by the speaker, Mahavishnu, near Tirupur.
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If God is the embodiment of compassion, why are some born rich, some in absolute poverty, some with deformities and diseases and some without homes? Some are born as heroes Why are these happening? It is because your present life is given according to the sins committed in the previous birth, the speaker, Mahavishnu, told the students at a recent event at the school in Ashok Nagar.
Though invited to deliver a talk on self-confidence, it digressed into supporting regressive and unscientific beliefs.
While the speaker went on supporting fate and rebirth, a visually challenged teacher, Sankar, dared to confront him and asked not to preach superstitious beliefs as scientific truths among the students. But, the teacher was abused by Mahavishnu, who asked him Are you more knowledgeable than the officials who had invited him and gave permission for the lecture?
With clips of the lecture and Mahavishnu abusing the teacher going viral, the Students Federation of India (SFI), the students wing of the CPI(M), resorted to a protest in front of the school on Friday. There was a growing demand for action against the speaker and school authorities.
School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, who visited the school in connection with an event, said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident and the government has decided to formulate rules on the conduct of such events in schools. Honouring the disabled teacher
Sankar on the dais, he said, I will not leave the speaker just like that. He had come to my school and abused my teachers. It is my Department. Stern action will be taken against him. There is video evidence. Sankar is a Tamil Teacher and Tamil has questioned superstition. And, I am proud of that, he added.
Advising students not to take everything as universal truth, he asked them to analyse rationally and accept what is correct. This is what Periyar (rationalist reformer and Dravidian icon E V Ramasamy) had taught us. Spreading regressive ideas among students is unacceptable. For, it is schools which have to inculcate scientific temper and rational thought.
Then, he asked teachers to invite only those who are knowledgeable after a background check.
Chief Minister MK Stalin, who is in the US on an official visit, took to X saying, The path of science is the path for progress. Students should be inculcated about individual progress, ethical and virtuous living and ideas on social development. I have also directed to formulate rules for the conduct of events in schools which would further scientific temper and a pedagogy through progressive ideas.
The BJP-led Tripura government on Friday said it has recruited 20,000 people for various jobs in the last three years, spanning various categories like regular, contractual, and fixed pay.
Labour Minister Tinku Roy has also announced plans to fill 20,000 more government posts soon, highlighting a reduction in registered unemployed youths from 7,41,305 in 2018 to 3,09,882 in 2024.
However, the opposition Congress challenged these claims, pointing out that 1,800 unemployed engineers and 1,500 qualified youths with NET, SLET, and PhD degrees are still struggling to find government jobs.
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Criticizing the slow pace of recruitment, he noted that around 5,000 employees retire annually without timely replacements. Barman also called for an end to outsourcing and fixed pay systems, which he argued deprive employees of benefits.
Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury joined the criticism, accusing the government of failing to deliver on its 2018 election promise to fill 50,000 vacant posts.
Chaudhury urged the BJP-led government to address rising frustration among the states youth over the scarcity of job opportunities in both government and industry sectors.
It is disconcerting that the Election Commission of India (ECI), the mainstay of free and fair elections, is suffering from a credibility crisis. On the one hand, the public trust in the ECI is dipping. The CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey 2024, revealed a two-fold slump in public trust in ECI compared with the 2019 figure. While 58 per cent of respondents reposed varying degrees of trust, 22 per cent expressed their overall deprecation. On the other hand, controversies and insinuations are tainting the integrity and approval of the ECI. The opposition political parties allege that the ECI succumbed to the diktats and pressure of the executive and functioned at the behest of the ruling government.
A politically motivated demand for a Supreme Court monitored election has also surfaced. The attributed academic epithets inter alia include mouthpiece of the government, biased referee, political player, and subservient authority. Not being a given, the trustworthiness of the ECI hinges on its transparent, fair and impartial role consequent upon unencumbered and autonomous decision-making. It has to be noted that the constitutional provisions for fixed tenure, preordained domain and difficult removal method are prerequisites, but such safeguards are not enough for the ECI.
The autonomous expanse of the ECI is also associated with the support or scheming of the ruling executive, particularly when it is intrinsically vulnerable to the pulls and pressure of the executive appointment of the election commissioner, power to rescind the post of commissioner, finance, personnel including security forces and administrative collaboration. Accordingly, the credibility of the ECI has effectively oscillated regardless of a similar sort of legal ordination. Given the political opportunity, the ruling executives have sought to constrict the leeway in a way that the ECI does not thrive as an assertive, autonomous and empowered institution and have tried to exert discreet pressure and partisan influence on the decision and role of the ECI, more downrightly through the appointment of pliant election commissioners.
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TN Seshan, former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) unequivocally observed that the executive attempts to subjugate the ECI, pays scant respect to the constitutional status of the commission and prevents the ECI from taking charge during elections. SY Quraishi, another CEC, also endorsed that the ECI has failed to establish an arms length distance from the government. Perceptible is the fact that the influence and pressure on and the credibility of the ECI have varied in terms of the nature of the prevailing political configuration and the inclination or machination of the ruling governments. The operational latitude and the public credence in the ECI have historically revolved around two broad political trajectories.
The fragile and indecisive executives ~ as obtained under coalition governments between 1989 and 2014 ~ could precipitate an assertive and entrepreneurial commission while the partisan pressures tended to have escalated all along the rule of a stable and dominant executive, steered by either a single party (Congress) or a coalition where one party commanded absolute majority (BJP during 2014- 2024). Throughout the rule of fragile coalition governments, the executive powers remained dispersed, and each constituent was fixated on extracting its pound of flesh, making the executive inherently weak. Given the political uncertainty and vulnerability as well as the penchant of the coalition partners to make the ECI strong for their political interests, the ECI could relatively be more authoritative.
Atypical leeway, institutionalisation of electoral reforms and notable public trust, thus the celebrated epoch for the ECI, can be observed in this era. The ECI could even confront the executive. When the Vajpayee government decided in January 2004 to appoint Cabinet Secretary TR Prasad as the next CEC by superseding the senior-most incumbent, the election commissioners threatened to resign en masse. The government had to withdraw the move and appoint TR Krishnamurty as the CEC. The Vajpayee governments other move to appoint two additional commissioners, taking the total to five members, could not also succeed. Against the resistance of the state government, the ECI also succeeded in securing public officials compliance with its instructions during election times and retaining its power to remove officials for the duration of elections.
When the Gujarat government resigned in 2002 and put forth the demand for a snap poll, the ECI held its ground, underscored the inconvenient conditions and more importantly, contended that the commission is the sole arbiter on fixing the timing of the poll. The ECI took up initiatives for cleansing and improving the electoral process, like the introduction of EVM, vulnerability mapping, digitisation of voter lists, preventive arrest of potential troublemakers, election observers, candidate affidavit disclosing economic assets and criminal background and multiphase elections. The overarching credibility of the ECI in this phase is arguably summed by the observation of Seshan: I (ECI) am not the horse to be controlled by the jockey (government).
However, the role and credibility of the ECI during the course of domineering executives are somewhat contrasting in degree. Under Congress-led executives, the ECI enjoy ed only muted auto nomy, the executive used to dictate, de cide or vet the electoral guidelines, practices, schedule of elections, etc., and the castigation was that the ECI had then been absorbed into the Congress system. Yet, the constrictions were not blatant, as the elections returned the same party until 1967. The regulations and procedures concerning transparency and accountability could be formulated and entrenched during this period with the tacit support of the government.
Despite subdued autonomy and incidences of violence, and malpractices that began to proliferate with the advent of competitive elections after the 4th general elections, the ECI was perceived to have conducted elections by and large freely and fairly. The 1977 general elections with the motto of vote without fear earned universal appreciation and bolstered its credibility. However, during the phase of strong executive helmed by the BJP-led coalition, the overall role and credibility of the ECI took a downturn in relative terms. Perceived bias, prejudice, partisan action and inaction, controversy and criticism against the decision and role of the ECI were phenomenal.
Unprecedented levels of abusive innuendoes, hate speech, religious hatred, anti-Muslim epithets, misuse of military symbols in election messaging and egregious infractions of the Model Code of Conduct vitiated the electioneering process, particularly during the 2019 and 2024 general elections and the 2020 Delhi assembly election. The ECI purportedly displayed double standards. When it kept the complaints lodged against the BJPs top brasses in abeyance for over a month and glossed over six consecutive warnings of the Supreme Court, and when the Court eventually threatened to summon the CEC, only then did the ECI hold its full bench meeting and issue clean chit to all the alleged offences.
Following the BJPs complaint, the ECI banned the Ghar Ghar Guarantee outreach progr a mme of the Congress, attributing it to bribery, while it did not find fault with the much-publicised Modis Guarantee Card that promised, inter alia, free rations for the next five years, free treatment, houses and electricity for the poor. The delay in the release of the final voters turnout data and constituency-wise total number of registered voters and number of votes polled, with the ECI insisting it is not statutorily bound to publicly release such datasets, raised suspicions about the probable manipulation of votes.
Moreover, the rep or ted massive discrepancies between the number of votes polled and the number of votes counted for the 2024 general election are potentially explosive allegations. Arguably more apocalyptic is the statutory stamp on the executives prerogative over the appointment of election commissioners. For the appointment process, the Act, 2023, envisages the Search Committee to be composed and controlled exclusively by the government and the Selection Committee with a clinching majority of the ruling executive. With the sanctification of the omnipotence of the ruling executive, passe is the warning of the Supreme Court that it is imperative to shield the appointment of the election commissioners and to insulate the office from executive interference.
When the autonomy, thus credence, of the ECI is contingent upon the political disposition, the propitious political terrain after the 2024 general elections has the potential to facilitate a turnaround for the ECI. With the reincarnation of a coalition government surviving on the support of partners, the political vulnerability is likely to ease partisan pressure and offer the ECI a window to rise, like a phoe nix, from the ashes, provided it devoutly strives to reclaim its auto nomous role and streamlines the equitable electoral ecosystem that is indispensable for sustaining democratic vibes and ethos.
(The writer is former Associate Professor of Political Science, Tufanganj College, Tufanganj, Cooch Behar, West Bengal and can be reached at amalcob@rediffmail.com)
The Buckingham Canal, an architectural marvel of the early 19th century, stretches 796 kilometers and once served as a lifeline for the region, linking the bustling city of Madras (now Chennai) with the port town of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. Conceived during the British colonial era, this waterway was more than just a canal; it was a symbol of ingenuity and strategic foresight, aimed at fostering economic prosperity and regional connectivity. The origins of the Buckingham Canal can be traced to 1801 when the British decided to create a navigable route linking the Bay of Bengal with the Krishna River.
Initially known as Cochranes Canal after its chief engineer, it was later renamed Buckingham Canal in honour of the Duke of Buckingham. The canals creation was a response to the need for efficient transportation and flood management in the region. At its inception, the Buckingham Canal was a vital artery, facilitating the movement of goods and resources. It connected Madras with the hinterlands of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, serving as a conduit for valuable forest products, agricultural produce, and other essential commodities. The canals significance was not limited to trade; it also played a crucial role in flood control and drought management, offering a reliable water source during dry periods.
In its heyday, the Buckingham Canal bustled with activity. The canal facilitated the transportation of goods from the fertile regions of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to the bustling port of Madras. One of the notable centres along the route of the canal was Marakaanam, renowned for its salt pans. This town thrived as a key point on the canal, handling a significant portion of the regions salt production. The canal was not just a trade route; it was an essential component of the British colonial economy. By linking remote areas with major ports, it enabled the efficient movement of valuable resources, contributing to the economic growth of the region.
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The canals strategic importance was evident in its design, which included features to manage water flow and ensure smooth navigation. Despite its early success and importance, the Buckingham Canal began to lose its prominence with the advent of modern transportation systems. The mid-20th century saw the rise of railways and roads, which offered faster and more efficient means of transportation. As railways expanded and roads improved, the reliance on waterways like the Buckingham Canal diminished. By the 1950s and 60s, the canal, which had once been a bustling thoroughfare, fell into disuse. The rise of modern infrastructure led to the canals gradual decline.
Areas once vibrant with trade and movement became quiet and neglected. The canals role as a crucial economic and logistical asset waned, and it became a relic of a bygone era. Today, the Buckingham Canal is largely forgotten, its historical significance overshadowed by modern development. Many sections of the canal have fallen into disrepair, and its once-bustling centres are now quiet. However, remnants of the canals past glory can still be seen in parts of Chennai and along the East Coast Road (ECR) leading to Pondicherry. Efforts have been made to revive and preserve parts of the Buckingham Canal. Restoration projects aim to restore its historical value and potential. These initiatives seek to transform the canal from a neglected waterway into a symbol of heritage and a potential asset for urban development. In the present context, the Buckingham Canal holds potential beyond its historical significance.
Restoration and revitalization projects offer opportunities for sustainable development. The canal could serve as a green corridor, promoting ecological balance and providing recreational spaces for urban dwellers. Reviving the canal could also improve urban water management and flood control, addressing contemporary challenges related to climate change and urbanization. The canals historical and cultural value makes it an important asset for heritage tourism. By highlighting its past significance and architectural features, the Buckingham Canal could attract visitors interested in the regions colonial history and engineering marvels. Educational initiatives and heritage walks could raise awareness about the canals contributions to the regions development.
The story of the Buckingham Canal is a poignant reminder of how infrastructure can shape the course of history. From its origins as a vital trade route and flood control measure to its current state of neglect, the canals journey reflects broader changes in transportation, economy, and urban development. As we look at the future, there is an opportunity to bridge the gap between the canals illustrious past and its potential for renewal. By embracing its historical significance and exploring innovative ways to repurpose the canal, we can honour its legacy and ensure that it remains a part of the regions cultural and economic fabric. The Buckingham Canals tale is one of transformation and resilience, embodying the complexities of history and the possibilities of renewal. In reviving its past glory, we not only preserve a piece of heritage but also pave the way for a sustainable and vibrant future.
(The writer is Associate Professor, Centre For South Asian Studies, Pondicherry Central University.)
In tales of yore, there was always a Bahadur, at some level, accompanying Sahib Bahadur on his exploits. Though Sahib, now renamed as Boss, may star in office anecdotes, but Bahadur, or his modern avatar, is almost always missing ~ Boss has to do everything alone. This is a reflection of the modern office environment ~ a shortage of dedicated support staff plagues all offices, more so Government offices, where the last recruitment took place many years ago, and the support staff are now either on the verge of senior citizenship, or have themselves become minor Sahibs. With almost 30 lakh vacancies in Government departments, contractual staff, who are theoretically on temporary employment, rule the roost.
Disinterested and not-very-clued in, and always out to make a quick buck, their shenani gans are one of the main reasons for the poor image of government employees. However, due to faulty manpower policies, contractual em ployees are proliferating in all government departments; we now have contractual doctors, contractual teachers, contractual policemen, contractual clerks and the like, who are neither qualified nor trained for the onerous duties they perform. Adding to the problem, sometimes, contractual employees are sourced from manpower suppliers, diminishing the little control the user department may have over the employee. Moreover, with a vested interest in continuation of the status quo, contract workers agitate violently, if an effort is made to hire regular employees. The private sector is no better; a recent trend is to recruit highly educated youth at subsistence wages, who fecklessly run from one corporate employer to the other. So far as the public is concerned, there is nothing to distinguish a contract worker from a regular employee, for example, police volunteers don the police uniform, ride on police vehicles, be have in the same overpowering way, making them indistinguishable from regular policemen.
The culprit responsible for the tragic incident at RG Kar Medical College was one such police volunteer. Such volunteers, recruited without any test or background check, are generally connected to some senior officer, or have paid a hefty sum to get their job, and so cannot be shown the door easily. The contract worker is not bound by conduct rules, has no promotion or pension to look forward to, so he fearlessly makes the best of the money-making and other opportunities that come his way. Regular employees are transferred periodically, but a contract worker can continue at the same position endlessly, giving him much greater authority in the public eye. Moreover, senior officers patronise contract workers, as they are ready to work outside Government rules. Recruitment of contract workers started in a big way at the time government departments were struggling with computerisation, and required staff with computer knowledge.
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But, once the bar on employing contract workers was removed, contract workers were hired in all kinds of roles, and soon, contract employees proliferated in all government departments. Thus, adept managers solved a short-term problem, but ended up creating an enduring one. The worst sufferer in this bureaucratic wrangling is the public; instead of having trained and competent persons to handle their problems, they have to turn to people who have little experience, knowledge or desire to help them. Contractual employees often let down the organisation that hires them. In a shocking incident, a search and seizure action initiated by the Income-tax Department failed spectacularly, because vital information was leaked by contractual workers. However, the lot of contract workers is not a very happy one; they have a lowly status, they are paid much less than regular staff for the same work, they have no housing or health benefits, there is no provision for their promotion or pension, and theoretically, they can be dismissed at will.
The law provides for regularisation of services of contract workers after a fix ed period of continuous employment, but services of contractual workers are almost never regularised, except after prolonged litigation. The unhappy saga of contract workers is a manifestation of the dire employment scenario in our country. Sadly, a stable job eludes most of our youth; according to World Bank data, Indias employment rate (ratio of the employed to the total working age population) was 43 per cent, much below the global rate of 55 per cent and even below that of Bangladesh (53 per cent) and Pakistan (48 per cent).
In this perspective, our demographic dividend that envisages Indias working-age population growing by roughly 9.7 million per year during 2021-31 and 4.2 million per year during 2031-41, could have frightening consequences for our society. Sadly, till recently the Government refused to even acknowledge that there was an unemployment problem. Relying on an RBI paper, Measuring Productivity at Industrial Level the India KLEMS (capital, labour, energy, material, services) Data, the government recently claimed that 4.7 crore jobs had been created in the last few years, which was at complete variance with the findings of various independent organisations, like ILO, Citigroup and Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).
After the Government discontinued publication of data on employment in 2017-18, there have been recurring controversies about employment statistics; in an article in a leading newspaper on 28 April 2018, relying on CMIE data, a Member of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council, concluded that 15 million jobs were created in 2017, as against an average of 4 million jobs per year in UPA times. Shortly thereafter, in another article in the same newspaper, the Managing Director (MD) of CMIE, observed that the claim of creation of 15 million jobs was absolutely false; rather incomparable data sets, cherrypicking, and dubious statistical analyses were behind the claims of robust employment growth.
According to the MD, only 1.4 million jobs were added in 2017. Again, on 2 May 2018, in an article in another newspaper, a former Vice-Chairman of the NITI Aayog, claimed that instead of the generally accepted figure of 12 million job entrants in a given year, the number of job entrants was only 7.5 to 7.8 million per year. This naturally left readers confused; all economists involved in the debate were highly respected, yet all were canvassing diametrically opposite conclusions, like historians debating the outcome of the battle of Haldighati.
Moreover, a conjoint reading of what both Government economists had written would have us believe that job creation was galloping at twice the rate at which job-seekers were entering the job market. This is palpably false; according to CMIE data the number of unemployed in India was 53 million in December 2021, an additional 17 million were willing to work, if work was available. Belatedly, recognising the unemployment problem, Budget 2024 finally rolled out five schemes to promote employment.
Unfortunately, all these schemes seem to have been hastily put together; schemes for job creation appear akin to band-aid solutions for treating a gaping wound. So far as up skilling is concerned, key requirements for upskilling, like aligning training programmes with job market needs, ensuring sustainable funding and putting in place a mechanism for tracking progress seem to be missing. Probably, the underlying approach of promoting manufacturing through schemes like Make in India and Production Linked Scheme (PLI), needs a re-evaluation, since increasing automation of manufacturing processes stymies commensurate employment generation ~ despite large investments very few jobs are created.
Statistics bear this out; the main objective of Make in India was to increase the share of manufacturing in Indias GDP to 25 per cent, and create 100 million additional jobs by 2022, yet even till 2024, the manufacturing sector employs less than 60 million persons, and the share of manufacturing in GDP has remained static at 17 per cent. Leave aside fresh employment, lay-offs have become the norm in many sectors; Indian IT companies laid off 72,000 employees last year, with the trend continuing into the current year. Reliance, Indias largest company, has laid off 42,000 employees in 2024.
Globally also, the IT sector is on a de-hiring spree. A commonsense solution to the deepening job crisis could be to eschew the top-down growth model, so assiduously promoted by the Government. Rather, boosting consumption by increasing the disposable income of lower and middle classes, through a recalibration of direct and indirect taxation policies, will definitely create more jobs. Till then, the flower of our youth would continue to work at less than fair wages, in less than salubrious conditions, the consequences of which can be catastrophic: Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and men decay.
(The writer is a retired Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax)
The Rohingya crisis remains a glaring example of the international communitys failure to address a prolonged humanitarian disaster. With around 8,000 more Rohingya Muslims crossing into Bangladesh over the past few months due to escalating violence in Myanmars Rakhine state, the situation is worsening. This recent influx of refugees, escaping the conflict between Myanmars military junta and the Arakan Army, underscores the tragedy that has plagued the Rohingya for years. Bangladesh, despite its limited resources, has shown extraordinary compassion by sheltering over a million Rohingya refugees since the 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar. The country has been a sanctuary for these persecuted people, but it is now at a breaking point.
The overcrowded camps in Coxs Bazar, already struggling to provide basic services, cannot absorb more refugees. Bangladeshs government has expressed its inability to offer shelter to additional arrivals, signalling a grim reality that the countrys capacity to manage this crisis has been exhausted. The international community cannot continue to turn a blind eye to this crisis. While Bangladesh has borne the brunt of the responsibility, it is imperative that other nations step up and share the burden. This is not just a regional issue but a global one, as the Rohingya are stateless and face persecution wherever they go. The United Nations has des cribed the 2017 military campaign in Myanmar as having genocidal intent, yet the response from the global community has been largely symbolic, with little substantive action taken to resolve the root causes of the conflict or to provide long-term solutions for the Rohingya.
India, as a regional power, has a critical role to play. While it has provided some assistance, more robust action is needed. India could leverage its diplomatic influence to push for a peaceful resolution in Myanmar and advocate for the rights of the Rohingya. Western countries must do more. Financial aid and diplomatic statements are important, but they fall short of addressing the scale of the crisis. More countries need to offer resettlement opportunities for Rohingya refugees, providing them with a chance to rebuild their lives in safety. This would relieve the strain on Bangladesh and ensure that the Rohingya do not remain trapped in a cycle of displacement and deprivation. Moreover, the international community must intensify its pressure on Myanmars military regime and the Arakan Army to cease their attacks on the Rohingya.
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Diplomatic efforts, sanctions, and legal action should be pursued to hold those responsible for atrocities accountable. Without addressing the root causes of the violence, the cycle of displacement will continue, and the burden on countries like Bangladesh will only grow heavier. The Rohingya crisis is a humanitarian disaster that requires urgent and coordinated international action. The world must step in with concrete measures to alleviate the suffering of the Rohingya and ensure that they can live in peace and security. The time for rhetoric has long passed; what is needed now is decisive, compassionate action.
Karim Khan, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), discussed the prospects of bringing Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to justice and gave historical examples of similar cases. He also noted that Mongolia will have to explain the ignoring of the ICC warrant during Putin's visit to the country on September 2.
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Karim Khan said this in an interview with the BBC. He expressed confidence that the Kremlin dictator would sooner or later be arrested.
The prosecutor said that the Ukrainian side had asked him to launch an investigation against Russia back in 2021 during a meeting with the Prosecutor General of Ukraine. At the time, Khan noted that he did not have enough resources and had many other responsibilities, as he had recently taken up the position of ICC prosecutor. In addition, he did not believe that Putin would decide to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"But when they did, I decided that everything was quite obvious and we had to start an investigation. I was at the scene, and when you hear the stories, the testimonies, see the destruction, hear the statements of different people, including those of Vladimir Putin and Lvova-Belova, it was easy to apply the full force of the law," Khan said.
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Referring to Putin's visit to Mongolia on September 2, he said that Ulaanbaatar should explain why the ICC warrant was ignored and why Putin was not arrested.
"The negotiation process at the court level is ongoing. The judges can give their recommendations if there is a lack of cooperation, but I don't want to predict anything because this issue is now being resolved between the judges and the Mongolian government," he said.
Khan was also asked whether he believes that Putin will one day stand trial in The Hague. The ICC prosecutor recalled the example of Yugoslavia, noting that at first people laughed when the tribunal demanded arrest warrants for Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic, and Slobodan Milosevic.
"As history has shown, these people, who had great power in their country and region in the past, ended up in the dock. Some examples show that if someone does what he wants, using power not limited by higher responsibility, his room for maneuver is narrowing," Karim Khan noted.
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As reported by OBOZ.UA, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that Mongolia, which did not comply with the ICC warrant for the arrest of Russian dictator Putin, dealt a heavy blow to the international justice system. The country allowed the criminal to escape justice, thus sharing responsibility for his war crimes against Ukraine.
The European Union has previously stated that it expects Mongolia to fulfill its obligations under the Putin arrest warrant. Human Rights Watch said that Ulaanbaatar should ban the dictator from entering the country or arrest him if he enters.
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The pact between India and Singapore in the semiconductor sector, signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the country, is a strategic move with significant implications for both nations. As global supply chains face unprecedented challenges, this collaboration could serve as a blueprint for resilience and innovation in a critical industry. By leveraging their complementary strengths, India and Singapore are poised to make substantial contributions to the semiconductor market, positioning themselves as key players in a rapidly evolving landscape. For Singapore, this partnership is a natural extension of its established position in the semiconductor industry.
Despite its small size, the city-state has consistently punched above its weight, accounting for 11 per cent of the global semiconductor market and manufacturing 20 per cent of the worlds semiconductor equipment. This expertise, combined with its robust infrastructure and skilled workforce, makes Singapore an ideal partner for any nation looking to strengthen its semiconductor capabilities. India, on the other hand, is in the mi dst of a concerted effort to boost its semiconductor industry. With a market expected to reach $63 billion by 2026, India has recognised the importance of semiconductors not just for economic growth but also for national security.
The governments $10 billion incentive package and the recent approval of three semiconductor plants signal Indias determination to become a major player in the global semiconductor supply chain. However, to achieve this goal, India needs strong international partnerships, and Singapore offers just that. This collaboration comes at a time when the global semiconductor industry is facing significant disruptions. The Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain bottlenecks have exposed vulnerabilities in the industry, making supply chain resilience a top priority for nations worldwide.
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By partnering with Singapore, India can tap into the city-states advanced semiconductor ecosystem, benefiting from its technological expertise and supply chain management. Moreover, this partnership aligns with Indias broader strategy of reducing dependence on foreign technology and fostering self-reliance. The Make in India initiative, coupled with strategic partnerships like this one, aims to create a robust domestic manufacturing base that can compete with established players like Taiwan and South Korea. By collaborating with Singapore, India can accelerate this process, bringing in best practices and advanced technologies that can boost its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. Another critical aspect of this partnership is workforce development.
As semiconductor technology continues to evolve, the demand for skilled workers in this sector is skyrocketing. Both India and Singapore recognise the importance of investing in education and skills development to build a workforce capable of meeting the demands of the future. Through government-led policy exchanges, this partnership can create opportunities for knowledge transfer and capacity building, ensuring that both nations remain competitive in the global semiconductor market. Beyond semiconductors, this agreement reflects the deepening ties between India and Singapore across various sectors. Additional agreements signed during Mr Modis visit ~ on digital technologies, education, and health ~ underscore the multifaceted nature of this partnership.
On the night of 4 September, I returned from a candlelight march and was surfing various TV channels. I felt that the furore in Kolkata was on an increase. Nearly a month has elapsed since the heinous crime at R G Kar Hospital took place. Because of the delay in identifying the criminals and making public the circumstances under which the crime was committed, common people in greater numbers are taking to the streets demanding justice.
While the incident is a matter of shame for those of us who live in Kolkata, it is a matter of pride that we continue to protest against the crime in larger numbers. On 24 August, over 200 persons engaged in science their ages ranging from about 25 to over 80 marched on the streets silently holding banners and placards. At the end of the march, some journalists asked me to say something about our protest march. This is what I said. We have come out on our own volition to protest against the degradation of our society. The horrible incident that took place in the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital is an outcome of this degradation.
The incident is neither the beginning nor it is expected to be the end. Therefore, what we are demanding is a complete overhaul of our society so that such incidents do not happen. And when these incidents happen, the perpetrators of the crime should be nabbed rapidly and should be punished appropriately. Thats our demand. And until our demand is met, we will continue our agitation and our march through the streets of Kolkata. The protest must go on. Even though some individuals have been arrested, the allegations against them are primarily of financial impropriety. Some powerful persons in some medical colleges have been transferred or asked to step down.
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The power that they amassed over the last few years, mostly with overt support of the State government, is a correlate of the circumstances that led to the crime. However, our demand is to arrest those who were directly involved in the crime committed on August 9, and to punish them. That will be the proper delivery of justice. The current arrests, transfers and removal from positions, are important for cleansing, but can also defocus us from our demand; we have to be careful. Indeed, we need a complete overhaul of our society. Readers will recall that a few days ago AMMA, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, died. Just 10 days after the R.G. Kar Hospital incident, the Justice Hema Committee report resulted in shock waves. Sexual misconduct, including rape, was reported to be common in the Malayalam movie industry. Violence on women by men is common in our society.
This is not due simply to men being physically more powerful than women. As societies evolved from hunting and gathering to organized agriculture, division of labour became gender-based. This in turn resulted in male dominance because many tasks performed by men were considered to be of greater social value. Patriarchy became the rule rather than the exception. Male dominance has become a social evil. Many men now exhibit aggressive behaviour and oppress women. Thats the root of the heinous crime in the R.G. Kar Hospital. To add to this, other forms of malady have invaded our society. Corruption has become ingrained in us. Politicians of all shades have institutionalized corruption. You cant walk on the streets of Kolkata because hawkers have invaded sidewalks.
Every week the hawkers are paying money to local politicians so that no one can evict them. Sometimes, the Chief Minister gets annoyed with hawkers, as we recently witnessed in the New Town area of Kolkata. Hawkers are then rehabilitated, but they are back in their original places soon. Not many years ago, you could see traffic policemen taking money from truck drivers at various junctions. You dont see this today. Because the system of taking money has apparently been perfected using tokens of various sorts. You cant complain because men in power are involved. Even if you see a crime taking place in front of your eyes, you cannot tell a nearby policeman on duty; he will turn away his eyes until he receives a green signal from an authority to take cognizance of the crime.
I as a teacher dont teach in the classroom, and force students to come to my tutorial home to learn, by paying a handsome amount, what they should have learnt in their school or college had I taken my classes there. I can go on and on, but all readers would know my examples and more. Power leads to corruption. And, as Martin Luther King has said, Power is the great aphrodisiac. The overall social degradation needs to be stopped. However, degradation resulting from patriarchy cannot be stopped by promulgation of laws or by providing exemplary punishment to a few. Education to teach the evils of patriarchy needs to be seriously undertaken in homes, schools, colleges and workplaces.
It is not easy. It is going to take time. However, it is important to initiate appropriate education; sooner than later. Meanwhile, we need to be vigilant against crimes against women and demand justice relentlessly. In the criminal act that took place in the R.G. Kar Hospital, we must not let ourselves become defocused and must continue to protest until our demand for punishment of the criminals is met.
(The writer is National Science Chair, Government of India and Distinguished Professor, John C. Martin Centre for Liver Research & Innovations.)
How many of you remember the catchphrase Heera Hai Sada Ke Liye? Though a brand tagline, this iconic phrase encapsulated the enduring allure and perceived value of diamonds for generations. It placed diamond ownership on a pedestal that was accessible only to a few. Fast forward to today, the diamond industry is undergoing a significant transformation that challenges this traditional notion while simultaneously making these precious gems more accessible than ever before.
The world of luxury jewellery is undergoing a significant transformation, thanks to the rise of lab-grown diamonds. These man-made gems are revolutionising the industry by offering a more accessible, ethical, and innovative alternative to mined diamonds. The lab-grown diamond market has experienced rapid growth in recent years, reflecting this shift in consumer preferences and industry practices. According to recent data, the market size is expected to grow from $23.3 billion in 2023 to $25.68 billion in 2024, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2 per cent. This growth is projected to continue, with market volume expected to reach approximately 19.2 million carats by 2030.
A boon for value seekers
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One of the most compelling aspects of lab-grown diamonds is their affordability. These gems typically cost 8095 per cent less than their mined counterparts, making luxury jewellery significantly more accessible to budget-conscious consumers. To put this into perspective, a natural 2-carat, round-cut diamond with high-quality colour and clarity ratings costs about $13,000-14,000, whereas an equivalent lab-grown diamond sells for about $1,000.
This dramatic price difference is primarily due to the streamlined supply chain associated with lab-grown diamonds. Unlike mined diamonds, which require extensive and costly extraction processes, lab-grown diamonds are created in controlled environments, not involving any mining or extraction.
Furthermore, ongoing technological advancements are continually improving the efficiency and cost effectiveness of producing lab-grown diamonds. As production methods become more refined, manufacturers can pass these savings on to consumers, further reducing the price gap between lab-grown and mined diamonds.
An ethical choice for the environmentally conscious
For many consumers, particularly millennials and Generation Z, the appeal of lab-grown diamonds extends beyond their price point. These gems are increasingly perceived as a more ethical and environmentally friendly choice compared to mined diamonds.
From an environmental perspective, lab-grown diamonds have a significantly lower carbon footprint. According to a study by Frost & Sullivan, mining diamonds results in carbon emissions of 57,000 grammes per carat, while lab-grown diamonds release just 0.028 grammes per carat. However, its worth noting that the energy consumption in lab-grown diamond production varies by region. In 2023, Indias production of cut and polished lab-grown diamonds had the largest carbon footprint globally, at 612 kilogrammes of CO2 equivalent per carat, followed by China at 523 lograms. Despite this, the environmental depletion and impact of lab-grown diamonds is considerably less than that of mined diamonds.
Innovation for the fashion-forward
Lab-grown diamonds arent just mimicking their mined counterparts; theyre pushing the boundaries of diamond design. The controlled environment in which these diamonds are created allows for greater experimentation with cuts, colours, and shapes that might be difficult or impossible to achieve with natural diamonds.
This innovation is sparking a new wave of creativity in jewellery design, with avant-garde pieces that appeal to fashion-forward individuals and collectors. From unique colour combinations to cutting-edge shapes, lab-grown diamonds are offering exciting new possibilities for those who seek distinct and trendsetting jewellery designs.
Technological advancements
The production of lab-grown diamonds relies on two primary methods: high-pressure high temperature (HPHT) and chemical vapour deposition (CVD). HPHT simulates the extreme conditions found in the Earths mantle, while CVD involves depositing carbon atoms layer by layer onto a substrate. Ongoing improvements in these technologies have enhanced the quality, efficiency, and customisation potential of lab-grown diamonds.
Indias growing role
India has emerged as a significant player in the lab-grown diamond market. The country produces more than three million lab-grown diamonds a year, accounting for 15 per cent of global production. Between April and October 2023, Indian lab diamond makers exported 4.04 million carats, a 42 per cent year-on-year increase. This growth contrasts sharply with the natural diamond sector in India, which saw a more than 25 per cent drop in exports over the same period.
Democratising luxury
By addressing key concerns of modern consumersaffordability, ethics, and innovationlab-grown diamonds are effectively democratising the luxury jewellery market. They maintain the high quality and brilliance associated with natural diamonds while significantly reducing costs and addressing ethical concerns.
This combination of factors is allowing a much broader audience to access and enjoy high-end, exquisite jewellery pieces that were once out of reach for many. Whether its an engagement ring, a special occasion gift, or a self-indulgent purchase, lab-grown diamonds are making it possible for more people to own and appreciate luxury jewellery.
As technology continues to advance and consumer awareness grows, lab-grown diamonds are likely to play an increasingly significant role in the jewellery industry. With an estimated 90 per cent of companies that previously cut only natural diamonds now entering the lab-grown diamond space, the shift in the industry is undeniable. Lab-grown diamonds represent not just a product but a shift in how we think about luxury, accessibility, and responsible consumption in the modern world.
Lab-grown diamonds are creating a new world where Heera Hai Sab Ke Liye! They represent a shift in how we think about luxury and responsible consumption. The allure of diamonds remains, but now, with the advent of lab-grown alternatives, that allure is attainable for a much wider audience. As we move forward, the sparkle of diamondswhether from the earth or from a labcontinues to captivate but is now within reach for many more admirers of fine jewellery.
The writer is is the co-founder of Jewelbox
One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them,
One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them;
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
Mordora nightmarish region of Middle-earth, the impenetrable fortress of the Dark Lord Sauron. Here lies Mount Doom, the volcano within which The One Ring was forgedan evil magical object that grants its bearer immense power and the ability to enslave minds. For a long time, the ring was Saurons most prized possession, which he used to assert his dominion over all. But during the Second Age, King Isildur, flagbearer of the forces of good, managed to remove it off him. This greatly diminished Saurons life force; however, the defeat was not permanent. In the Third Age, the Dark Lord has risen once more. His all seeing Eye continuously searches for the lost ring, which, if reclaimed, would make him invincible.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (3 January 18922 September 1973), the author of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit was a writer, artist and a linguist, apart from being a major scholar of the English language, who specialised in Old and Middle English. From a young age, Tolkien had a deep interest in storybooks, enjoying fairy tales by George MacDonald and Andrew Lang and the swashbuckling adventure novels by H Rider Haggard. After graduating from college, he enlisted in the British Army and served in World War I. At the end of the Great War, he returned to academia and took up a position as a professor of English language and literature at Oxford University.
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In the 1930s, Tolkien began writing fantasy for children. His maiden venture, The Hobbit, was published in 1937. It had all the ingredients of a successful adventure: a thrilling quest in a magical land, hair-raising battles with goblins, and a search for treasure in a dangerous dragons lair. The Hobbit proved highly popular, encouraging Tolkien to start working on a sequel. Initially, the sequel was also intended to be a juvenile book, but as the storys scope and depth grew, Tolkien had to alter his approach. After nearly twelve years of relentless effort, he completed the expansive The Lord of the Rings oeuvre. Published in three volumes (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King) between July 1954 and October 1955, it received huge acclaim. In 1957, Tolkiens endeavour was honoured with the International Fantasy Award.
Thanks to three blockbuster Hollywood movies, the story of The Lord of the Rings is now fairly well known. It all starts with Frodo Baggins, a hobbit from Shire, who inherits from his uncle Bilbo a ring that renders its wearer invisible. Though Frodo does not fully grasp the true nature of the ring, wizard Gandalf the Grey immediately recognises it as the infamous One Ring. Gandalf also realises that Saurons minions, the dreaded Ringwraiths, will incessantly pursue Frodo to reclaim the ring and, in the process, turn the Shire into a wasteland. Following Gandalfs advice, Frodo takes the cursed ring to the elven realm of Rivendell. He is accompanied by three fellow hobbitsSamwise, Merry and Pippin. Aragorn, the last living descendant of the king who had vanquished Sauron, helps Frodo and the others to reach Rivendell. There, representatives from the free lands of the West hold a council meeting. It is decided that the ring must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom. Frodo volunteers to undertake this perilous mission, and a fellowship is formed to aid him in his quest. Boromir, the prince of Gondor, dwarf warrior Gimli, and elven prince Legolas pledge their allegiance to the cause.
The fellowship faces numerous challenges, having to contend with the treacherous wizard Saruman and battle the terrifying Orcs and Uruk-hai. Boromir dies heroically trying to protect Frodo from harm. Gandalf sacrifices himself in a battle against the fire demon Balrog (and later returns from the afterlife more powerful than before). Along the way, the fellowship is disbanded. Merry and Pippin are rescued from the enemy by the tree-like Ents. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas awaken the ghostly soldiers of Dunharrow. Frodo and Sam are deceived by the mad but crafty Gollum and captured by the monstrous spider Shelob. But ultimately, overcoming all odds, Frodo reaches Mordor, while the others engage in a desperate struggle against Saurons army at Minas Tirith.
The key element of high fantasy is worldbuilding, a domain in which Tolkien excelled. His Middle-earth is a unique creation, an intricately crafted imaginary world that easily outshines L. Frank Baums Oz and J.M. Barries Neverland. The same can be said for his mythmaking. As a devoted scholar of philology, history and ancient lore, Tolkien infused his work with the essence of Christian religion and Teutonic mythology while also incorporating salient features of Anglo-Saxon literature. Thus, his antagonist Sauron has traits of both the Norse god of mischief and Christianitys fallen angel; his hero Frodo wholly embodies the sacrificial spirit of the biblical Christ; and the daring deeds of his dwarves and elves echo the familiar flavour of the Old English epic Beowulf.
Successful fantasy always draws its materials from the real world. The Lord of the Rings is no exception. Having witnessed the immense devastation of World War I, Tolkien had no difficulty crafting the bleak, barren Mordor after Europes war-ravaged landscapes. Sarumans unnatural act of creating the Uruk-hai by cross-breeding orcs with humans readily calls to mind the inhumane eugenic experiments of the Nazis. Some critics even posit that the Shire, Rivendell, the Misty Mountains, and the Mines of Moria symbolise natural wealth and the abundance of flora and fauna, while the destructive power of the One Ring represents a symbol of soulless technology, corrupting society with its lust for power and leading to human civilisations ruin. The conflict between hobbits, dwarves, elves, and Sauron reflects the age-old struggle between nature and sciencea view put forward by the legendary science fiction writer Isaac Asimov himself.
Tolkien employed a tried and tested narrative framework while penning The Lord of the Rings, known as monomythdepiction of the protagonists journey from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Frodo, the central character, begins as a simple, inexperienced hobbit who has to step out of his familiar world to tackle an unexpected problem. On this journey, he finds a mentor and several like-minded companions. Although Frodo falters at the final moment, momentarily confounded by the rings enchantment, he is ultimately a hero chosen by fate, deserving of redemption rather than downfall. Thus, in the end, the ring is destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom, and Saurons existence is erased. Peace and happiness descend upon Middle-earth.
Tolkienthe undisputed founding father of high fantasydid not just establish the genre but also played a crucial role as a guide for contemporary and future writers. Authors such as C. S. Lewis and Terry Brooks diligently followed in his footsteps and produced masterpieces of their own. Even the likes of Ursula K. Le Guin (author of the Earthsea series) and J.K. Rowling (of Harry Potter fame) have acknowledged their debts to the maestro. 2 September 2024, marks Tolkiens 51st death anniversary, yet the relevance of his literary work is far from diminished. He is immortal in the annals of world literature, and The Lord of the Rings continues to shine brightly in the hearts of readers all around the globe.
The writer is an engineer at Steel Authority of India LimitedIISCO Steel Plant. He has also edited nine genre-fiction anthologies.
A US Marine in Japans Okinawa was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of sexually assaulting and injuring a woman in June, the third case of its type to surface on the island this year, local media reported.
The latest incident, which occurred in the northern part of the prefectures main island, was reported to police by a medical institution that the victim in her 20s visited shortly after the alleged assault, Kyodo News, citing investigative sources.
The Marine Corps member in his 20s, who is in US military custody, was questioned voluntarily by local police, who have built the case on his social media posts and security camera footage around the suspected crime scene, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting Kyodo News.
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Police said that the two were acquaintances but did not disclose whether the man admitted to the allegations, it added.
The military base affairs division of the Okinawan government expressed regret over the latest case, saying it will urge the US military to take steps to prevent such an event from recurring.
The case follows indictments of two other US service members in the prefecture on separate charges of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault that came to light in June following local media reports, which roiled Okinawa.
A US Air Force serviceman was indicted in March for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor, while a US Marine was arrested in May on suspicion of attempted rape resulting in injury.
However, the police did not disclose these cases at the time, citing the victims privacy, and the central government did not report them to the prefectural government.
The two cases led to formal complaints from Okinawa to the US Embassy, the US military, and the Japanese government, as well as calls for changes to the status of the forces agreement governing the US military population in Japan.
Okinawa hosts 70 per cent of all US military bases in Japan while accounting for only 0.6 per cent of the countrys total land area. Crimes committed by US service members and nonmilitary personnel have been a constant source of grievance for locals.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that there is currently no threat of a Russian offensive on the city of Sumy. This threat was averted due to the actions of the Ukrainian military.
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According to him, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin was planning a new offensive from the Kursk region to Sumy, but Ukrainian forces changed the course of events. Zelenskyy said this at a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense in the Ramstein format.
"Thanks to our actions, there is no threat that Russia will launch a new offensive on our territory against the city of Sumy, as it was in May when Putin launched an offensive against our city of Kharkiv," the head of state said.
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Zelenskyy emphasized that the overall situation in the war has also changed due to the actions of Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. He noted that Putin has revealed his true interest not in defending Russia, but in seeking to occupy Ukraine. The Russian leader does not care about his own land or people, his goal is to seize as many Ukrainian territories and cities as possible.
The president also said that during the month of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive in the Kursk region, Russia lost 6,000 of its military in killed and wounded. Currently, Ukrainian defenders control more than 1300 square kilometers of territory there, including more than a hundred settlements.
As a reminder, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the operation of the Defense Forces in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation a preventive step. He noted that the enemy was planning to break through the Ukrainian border in Sumy region, and if this had happened, it could have taken a long time to oust the occupiers.
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The history of English slavery is deeply intertwined with the broader narrative of England's political, economic, and religious transformations, stretching back to the reign of Henry VIII. While his reign (1509-1547) is primarily associated with his break from the Roman Catholic Church and his tumultuous marriage to Anne Boleyn, it also laid the groundwork for England's eventual participation in the transatlantic slave trade. This connection is indirect but significant, as the political, naval and economic foundations established during Henry's reign would later support Englands imperial ambitions, including its involvement in the slave trade.
Henry VIII: Foundations of empire and expansion
Henry VIIIs break from the Catholic Church in the Vatican and the establishment of the Church of England were not just religious acts but also strategic moves to centralise power in the monarchy. This centralisation enabled the crown to exert greater control over England's resources and pursue aggressive foreign policies. The development of Englands navy, a key aspect of Henrys reign, would later become instrumental in the nations global expansion and involvement in the slave trade.
The dissolution of the monasteries, a key aspect of Henrys break from Rome, also provided the crown with wealth that could be used to finance exploratory and commercial ventures abroad. However, during Henry VIII's time, England was not yet a major player in the transatlantic slave trade. The systematic transportation of African slaves to the Americas would not fully develop until the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
The Elizabethan Era: The dawn of English slave trading
The Elizabethan era, under Henry VIIIs daughter, Elizabeth I (1558-1603), marked the true beginning of English involvement in the slave trade. Figures like Sir John Hawkins, often regarded as Englands first slave trader, made several voyages to West Africa in the 1560s, capturing Africans and selling them into slavery in the Spanish colonies. These expeditions were financially backed by Elizabeth herself, motivated by a desire to expand English influence and wealth.
During this period, English privateers like Sir Francis Drake, who was not just an explorer but also a pirate, played a significant role in establishing England's early naval supremacy. Drakes raids on Spanish ships and ports in the Caribbean laid the groundwork for Englands future dominance in the Atlantic and its role in the slave trade. The victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588 further solidified Englands naval power, allowing it to expand its empire and engage more actively in the transatlantic trade.
The Pilgrim Fathers and the deepening of Anglo-Saxon Protestant ideals
The early 17th century saw another significant development with the departure of the Pilgrim Fathers from England in 1620. These Puritans, who sought religious freedom, established a colony in what would later become Massachusetts. Although they were fleeing persecution, the Pilgrims brought with them a rigid set of Anglo-Saxon Protestant ideals that would later become deeply entrenched in the American Deep South. This belief system emphasised hard work, individualism, and a sense of divine purpose, which later intertwined with the justification for slavery in the American colonies.
The Pilgrim Fathers legacy contributed to the cultural and religious framework that supported the institution of slavery in the Southern United States. As their descendants moved southward, these ideals helped shape a society where slavery was not only accepted but seen as divinely sanctioneda stark contrast to the values of freedom and independence that the Pilgrims had initially sought.
Economic and religious justifications for slavery
The economic and religious shifts that began under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I continued to evolve, providing the justifications needed for England's deepening involvement in slavery. The Protestant Reformation, initiated by Henry VIII, contributed to a sense of English exceptionalism and a belief in the moral superiority of Protestantism. This religious justification was used to legitimise the exploitation of indigenous peoples in the New World and Africans, who were seen as "heathens" to be converted and controlled.
The triangular trade, which emerged in the 17th century, became a cornerstone of the English economy. This trade involved the shipment of goods from England to Africa, the transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas, and the return of goods like cotton, sugar and tobacco to England. The wealth generated from this trade fueled further expansion and industrialisation , embedding slavery deeply into the fabric of English and later American society.
The role of England's slave ports
As England's involvement in the slave trade grew, several ports became key hubs for this inhumane practice:
Liverpool: By the 18th century, Liverpool had become the leading slave-trading port in Britain, responsible for nearly half of all British voyages that transported enslaved Africans. The citys docks, shipyards and merchants were heavily invested in the business of human trafficking.
Bristol: Bristol was another major player in the 17th and 18th centuries, with its economy thriving on the profits from trading enslaved Africans, who were forcibly transported to the Caribbean and American colonies.
London: As the capital, London played a crucial role in financing and organising slave voyages. The citys merchants and financiers provided the capital needed to outfit ships and underwrite voyages, making London an essential hub in the slave trade network.
Lancaster: Though smaller, Lancaster was significantly involved in the slave trade, with its port handling numerous voyages that trafficked enslaved Africans to the Americas. The wealth generated by the slave trade extended into the citys modern fabric.
My connection to Lancaster, Sainsburys Incident, and reflection on slaverys legacy
I lived in Lancaster for fifty years, owning a modernised penthouse in a converted warehouse on St Georges Quay, along the river Lune. This river, which flows to the Irish Sea, was once a crucial site for the unloading of cargo, including that from slave ships. The historical significance of my own was brought into sharper focus when I learned about an enslaved man named Sambo, who had escaped from a ship and fled to Sunderland Point, where his spirit is said to rest. My time in Lancaster, therefore, intertwined my personal history with the broader narrative of the slave trade and its lingering effects.
Adding to this, my personal encounter with racism in 1986 at a Sainsburys supermarket in Lancaster was a stark reminder of the prejudices that still permeate English society. While shopping, I was unjustly accused of shoplifting by local police officers an incident steeped in racial bias. This experience not only deepened my understanding of the systemic racism rooted in Englands past but also connected me emotionally to the historical struggles faced by the enslaved and their descendants.
Global observations and the enduring impact of colonialism
My travels around the world have provided me with a unique perspective on the chaos and divisions caused by historical and colonial tactics of divide and rule. From the Malvinas (Falkland Islands), Gibraltar to the Israeli kibbutzim and Palestinian territories, I witnessed the enduring legacy of imperial strategies. In Arabia, the impact of T.E. Lawrences actions on the region's fragmentation was evident. In Malaysia and India, I saw the scars left by British colonialism and its lasting influence on local conflicts and divisions.
These global experiences allowed me to connect the dots between past injustices and present-day conflicts. My personal encounters with the consequences of imperial policies deepened my sympathy for the underdog and shaped my perspective on justice and equity.
The legacy of slavery: From the American Civil War to modern-day divides
The legacy of the transatlantic slave trade continued to shape history long after the abolition of slavery. Figures like John Newton, a former slave trader who later became an abolitionist and wrote Amazing Grace, played pivotal roles in the movement to end slavery. The deep divisions caused by slavery led to the American Civil War, a conflict that sought to address the grievances of a nation divided by the issue of human bondage.
The aftermath of the Civil War saw the rise of Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group that sought to maintain racial segregation and disenfranchisement of African Americans. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and the ongoing civil rights struggles highlight the enduring impact of slavery on American society. Cultural works like the film Gone with the Wind romanticised the antebellum South, subtly reinforcing the myths of a "lost cause."
Modern-day divides: Brexit, Trumpism, and global unrest
The legacy of slavery and racial division persists today, manifesting in movements like Trumpism in the USA and the Brexit movement in the UK. Both have been driven, in part, by a right-wing Anglo-Saxon narrative that seeks to reclaim a perceived lost national identity and cultural dominance.
Brexit: The vote to leave the European Union was influenced by a complex mix of economic, cultural and racial anxieties. Some right-wing factions capitalised on fears of immigration and the loss of "traditional" British values, echoing the xenophobic sentiments that have long roots in Britains colonial past. The Brexit movement, in many ways, represents a modern expression of the same insular and supremacist ideologies that fuelled the British empires expansion and exploitation, including the slave trade.
Trumpism: In the USA, Trumpism has similarly tapped into deep-seated racial and cultural grievances, often harking back to an idealised vision of a predominantly white, Anglo-Saxon past. The January 6 uprising of 2021, fuelled by these divisions, is a stark reminder of how the unresolved legacies of slavery and racial inequality continue to destabilise society.
The rise of far-right media outlets like GB News in the UK has also played a significant role in amplifying these divisive narratives. These platforms often stoke fears around issues of immigration, national identity and race, reinforcing the same cultural anxieties that underpin the narrative of Brexit and Trumpism. Figures like Nigel Farage in the UK and former President Donald Trump in the USA have become symbols of these movements, often invoking nostalgia for a time when their nations were perceived as more homogenous and powerful. This rhetoric, which echoes the imperialist and exclusionary ideologies of the past, continues to fuel societal divides.
The impact of media and political rhetoric
GB News and similar media outlets have been instrumental in shaping public opinion around these issues. By framing immigration and multiculturalism as threats to national identity, they perpetuate the same fears that have historically justified exclusion and oppression. This media landscape amplifies the voices of right-wing figures like Lee Anderson, who often espouse populist and nationalist sentiments that resonate with those who feel left behind by globalisation and social change.
Enoch Powells infamous Rivers of Blood speech from 1968 is another example of how political rhetoric can have long-lasting effects. Powells speech, which warned of racial conflict due to immigration, tapped into deep-seated anxieties and has had a lingering influence on British political discourse. Today, the echoes of Powells rhetoric can be seen in the debates over immigration, multiculturalism, and national identity that continue to polarise British society.
Megan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and the modern royal divide
The treatment of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, by the British press and segments of the public is a contemporary example of how racial and cultural tensions manifest in modern Britain. As a biracial woman who married into the British royal family, Markle faced intense scrutiny and often racially charged criticism. Her experience highlights the challenges that people of colour face in navigating institutions steeped in tradition and history, particularly in a society still grappling with its colonial past.
Markles decision, along with Prince Harry, to step back from royal duties and relocate to the United States was partly driven by this relentless media harassment. Their story reflects the broader struggles within British society to reconcile its imperial history with its increasingly diverse and multicultural present.
The riots in England and Northern Ireland
The recent riots in England and Northern Ireland serve as a stark reminder of the social fractures that persist in these regions. These disturbances were fueled by a mix of economic hardship, political disenchantment, and lingering sectarian divisions, all of which can be traced back to historical injustices and divisions sown during Britains imperial era.
In Northern Ireland, the legacy of colonialism and the long-standing conflict between Unionists and Nationalists continue to affect the social and political landscape. The riots in 2023, sparked by post-Brexit tensions and the imposition of a trade border in the Irish Sea, are proof to the deep and unresolved issues that still plague the region.
A salutary warning: History was written by the winners
The history of English slavery, from its roots in the reign of Henry VIII to its entrenchment in the American Deep South, serves as a reminder that history is often written by the victors. The narratives we inherit are shaped by those who held power, often obscuring the suffering and exploitation that enabled their success.
As I reflect on my experiences in Lancaster and my travels around the world, I am reminded of the importance of remembering these histories, not only as distant events but as forces that continue to shape our present and future.
My experiences from the Sainsburys incident in Lancaster to witnessing the global legacy of British colonialism have deepened my understanding of how these historical narratives influence contemporary society. Whether in the subtle biases that persist in everyday interactions or the overt divisions that erupt into violence, the legacy of Englands imperial past remains a powerful force in shaping the world today.
Conclusion: The unfinished work of reconciliation
As I reflect on these experiences, I recognise the need for ongoing dialogue and reconciliation. The legacy of slavery and colonialism is not just a historical issue but a present-day challenge that requires acknowledgment and action. By confronting these histories honestly and openly, society can begin to address the deep-seated inequalities and divisions that continue to affect us all.
The history of English slavery is a complex and painful one, but it is also a crucial part of understanding the world we live in today. From the reign of Henry VIII to the modern-day movements of Brexit and Trumpism, the echoes of this history can be heard in the social and political challenges we face. As my journey shows, it is only by confronting these past injustices that we can hope to build a more just and equitable future.
India Army's wait for a fleet of highly advanced attack helicopters, AH-64E Apache, developed by American defence and aerospace major Boeing, is likely to get longer in the wake of a few crashes involving the Apache helicopters of the US Army.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has a fleet of 22 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, famed for their unparalleled lethality and survivability. In 2020, Boeing signed an agreement with India to supply six more Apache helicopters for the Army. These were to be delivered in May 2024. The production had began in 2023.
READ MORE: Developing space, electronic warfare integral to tackling modern-day challenges, says Rajnath Singh
In March, an AH-64E attack chopper belonging to the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade of the US Army crashed during a routine training exercise. This was the third crash involving the Apache helicopter in just two months.
It has to be noted that in 2023, a US Army aviation official had flagged concerns of AH-64E Apaches experiencing electrical power generator failures, leading to potentially hazardous conditions as the cockpit would be filled with smoke when such a failure happens.
The Apache helicopters were intended to replace the older Russian Mi-35 attack helicopters in the Indian Army's arsenal. The advanced technology and proven performance of the AH-64 will enhance the Indian Army's operational readiness and strengthen its defence capabilities, president of Boeing India,Salil Gupte, had said earlier.
ALSO READ: Review of modernisation plans, ways to better India's defence capabilities on agenda for Joint Commanders Conference
Nonetheless, in the wake of these incidents, Boeing has reportedly put on hold new deliveries of AH-64E Apache multi-role combat helicopters until the issues faced by it are completely addressed and validated after tests.
IDRW reports that Boeing is likely to deliver the helicopters only by the end of the year.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers swooped in on the residence of Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, on Friday in connection with the probe into financial irregularities at the institute.
The central agency has slapped a case of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Ghosh. Besides Ghosh's, the residences of three of his associates are being raided by the ED officials.
The ED officials arrived at Ghosh's Beleghata house around 6:30 am on Friday. However, the gate to the residence was locked, reminiscent of the CBI inspection which saw the Ghosh make them wait for 75 minutes before finally opening the doors. However, Ghosh is currently in CBI custody and it is not clear whether his family members were there inside, reported local media.
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: Enforcement Directorate raid underway at the residence of former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College Sandip Ghosh. ED had registered a case of PMLA in the financial irregularities case. Ghosh is presently in the custody of CBI pic.twitter.com/yIbGjextRO ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024 #WATCH | Howrah, West Bengal: Enforcement Directorate raid underway at the residence of former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College Sandip Ghosh's close aide. ED had registered a case of PMLA in the financial irregularities case. Ghosh is presently in the custody of CBI pic.twitter.com/1uQpHULTb5 ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024
The investigators waited for some time before returning to the CGO complex. They returned around 9 am and after a brief wait, they gained access to Ghosh's house around 9:15.
The ED team was accompanied by security personnel who surrounded Ghosh's house in no time.
After waiting for some time, the investigators returned to the CGO complex with the vehicle. Come back later. After waiting for some time the lock was opened. Investigators entered Sandeep's house at 9:15 am.
The raids were carried out at Ghosh's residence in Beliaghata and at two locations in Howrah and Subhasgram. All four are already in CBI custody. Local media reports say Biplab Singha's house in Howrah and Prasoon Chattopadhyay's house in Subhashgram are also being searched.
Prasoon worked as a data entry operator at the National Medical College While Singha is the co-accused in the case filed by CBI. He ran a medical equipment firm which allegedly benefited from the corrupt deals carried out by Ghosh.
The ED has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Ghosh, which is analogous to a First Information Report (FIR) in criminal cases.
Ghosh served as principal from February 2021 to September 2023. He was briefly transferred from RG Kar in October 2023 but was reinstated within a month.
The probe into the financial irregularities was launched after a petition was filed in Calcutta High Court raising concerns that the corruption at RG Kar hospital might be linked to the doctor's death.
A government school in Chennai's Ashok Nagar triggered a row after it came to light that a "spiritual awakening" class was held at the school for students on Thursday as part of the Teachers' Day celebration. The session, reportedly organised by the Paramporul Foundation (NGO), had a speaker conduct sessions on "past sins" and "rebirth".
The video of the session, which went viral on social media, shows the speaker, identified as Mahavishnu, making controversial remarks about rebirth and life struggles, though he was reportedly instructed to deliver a lecture on "self-confidence" to the students. The speaker reportedly made remarks suggesting that the students' current lives were shaped by divine forces as a consequence of sins committed in their past lives. One of the teachers objected to the content, which led to a heated argument between the staff member and the speaker.
The video of the incident soon went viral, triggering widespread protests from various quarters. Many questioned the Education Department over holding such a session at a government school. SFI and DYFI activists held a protest march against the Education Department.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: DYFI and SFI protest in Chennai and question the Department of Education, over 'Spiritual Awakening Classes' held in Government Girls Higher Secondary School. The session was conducted by an NGO. pic.twitter.com/FTbJi39QxE ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024
The DMK government immediately embarked on a damage control mode and transferred the principal R. Thamilarasi. The principal has been transferred to Government Higher Secondary School, Kovilpathagai, Thiruvallur district.
State education minister Anbil Mahesh visited the school and met the staff member who voiced protest against the session. "We have formed a committee to inquire on who all are involved in this and how it happened. The probe will also focus on who gave the permission for the event. Further action will follow, the minister said.
The minister also addressed the students in an event organised on the topic of 'Education-the best weapon to spread equality."
Chief Minister M K Stalin too addressed the controversy, without directly mentioning the school or the event. In a post on X, the Chief Minister said the government-issued textbooks had the best scientific ideas.
"The teachers themselves can bring out the best ideas needed to face future challenges with confidence and sharpen their knowledge. Actions will be taken by the School Education Department to provide the necessary innovative training, and social education with appropriate departmental experts and scholars," the Chief Minister said in a post on X.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin continues to downplay the operational consequences of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' operation in the Kursk region. In particular, he is trying to convince the Russian public that the Ukrainian presence in the Kursk region is acceptable in exchange for Russia's advance in the Donetsk region.
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This is stated in a report by analysts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). During a speech at the Eastern Economic Forum on September 5, Putin said that the Ukrainian operation allegedly did not force Russia to redeploy forces from the frontline areas to the Kursk region or stop the offensive in key areas in eastern Ukraine.
He noted that Russia's main goal of capturing Donbas remains unchanged. Putin also said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces operation was intended to split Russian society, but instead led to unity and an increase in those willing to sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry. According to him, the situation in the Kursk region is allegedly "stabilized," and Russian troops are beginning to push Ukrainian forces out of Russia while accelerating offensive actions in Ukraine. He also stated that Ukraine suffered significant losses in manpower and equipment, but did not provide specific figures.
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As ISW analysts emphasize, Putin's statements that the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region had no operational consequences are clearly false. These events have affected the course of hostilities and are likely to continue to affect Russia's offensive and defensive capabilities after the Pokrovsk operations are completed.
In an interview with CNN on September 5, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi noted that Ukrainian actions had thwarted Russian plans to attack Sumy region and significantly reduced the threat of an invasion of northern Ukraine. Syrskyi also emphasized that the purpose of the operation was not only to prevent Russia from using the Kursk region to prepare for an offensive, but also to divert Russian forces from other parts of the front, create a "security zone," capture prisoners of war, and boost the morale of Ukrainian troops.
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Syrskyi added that Russia was forced to deploy "tens of thousands" of troops to the Kursk region, including units of elite airborne troops, which were supposed to reinforce offensive operations in Ukraine.
In addition, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' operation in Kursk also allowed Ukraine to challenge Russia's control of the initiative in the war.
Putin's information efforts are likely aimed at convincing the Russian public that a Ukrainian presence in the Kursk region is acceptable in exchange for the capture of Pokrovsk. The Kremlin is reportedly trying to present a limited Ukrainian presence in the region as a "new normal" to buy time and space to respond to the invasion once it has taken control of Pokrovsk.
Putin's apparent "satisfaction" with allowing Ukrainian forces to hold Russian territory for an extended time is a sharp departure from traditional Russian rhetoric of inviolability of borders, calling into question the importance of Russia's declared "red lines."
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Earlier it was reported that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin threatened to strike at Ukrainian nuclear power plants. The war criminal said that this would be a "mirror response" to the alleged shelling of the Kursk and occupied Zaporizhzhia NPPs.
As reported by OBOZ.UA, 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.
Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The Enforcement Directorate arrested a close aide of former RG Kar Medical College and Hospitals Principal Sandip Ghosh on Friday in connection with probe into alleged financial irregularities at the institution. ED had conducted raids at several places including Ghoshs residence today.
The central agency arrested Prashun Chatterjee after a seven-hour operation from his residence in De Para area of Subhashgram, ANI reported. Chatterjee, a close aide of Ghosh, was seen along with the former principal in the video shot at the seminar hall of RG MCH.
The central agency has slapped a case of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Ghosh. Besides Ghosh's, the residences of three of his associates were raided by the ED officials on Friday.he ED has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Ghosh, which is analogous to a First Information Report (FIR) in criminal cases.
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: Enforcement Directorate raid underway at the residence of former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College Sandip Ghosh. ED had registered a case of PMLA in the financial irregularities case. Ghosh is presently in the custody of CBI pic.twitter.com/yIbGjextRO ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024
Prasoon worked as a data entry operator at the National Medical College. The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Ghosh and three of his aides on Monday on charges of financial misconduct at the hospital.
The probe into the financial irregularities was launched after a petition was filed in Calcutta High Court raising concerns that the corruption at RG Kar hospital might be linked to the doctor's death. Dr Akhtar Ali, the former deputy superintendent of the facility, sought an investigation by the ED into multiple allegations of financial misconduct during Ghosh's tenure as principal. Ghosh served as principal from February 2021 to September 2023. He was briefly transferred from RG Kar in October 2023 but was reinstated within a month.
With the West Bengal Assembly having passed the 'Aparajita Bill' recently, introducing death penalty for rape following protests against the rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, THE WEEK examines how the proposed legislation compares with a similar Bill previously passed by the Maharashtra Assembly. However, the latter has not received the mandatory assent of the President yet.
Other states such as Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh too have passed laws prescribing death penalty as the maximum punishment in all cases of rape by amending the criminal laws at force then. However, the President has not yet given her assent to any of these. The Aparajita Bill also recommends formation of a Special Task Force and trial by special courts in every district for rape cases.
In 2020, the Maharashtra government passed the Shakti Bill Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2020 which introduced death penalty in rape cases and provided shortened timelines for conducting investigation and trial. While the Shakti Bill introduced death penalty in "heinous" acid attack cases where circumstances warrant exemplary punishment, the Aparajita Bill of West Bengal only recommends "rigorous imprisonment for life.
In the case of POCSO Act, both the Shakti Bill and the Aparajita Bill introduce death penalty as punishment for penetrative sexual assault, despite the highest punishment currently being life imprisonment. For repeat offenders, the Aparajita Bill recommends rigorous imprisonment for life and introduces a provision wherein the state government is bound to create a special Aparajita Task Force in every district to investigate cases of rape. If government officers are found to delay the process or not assist the task force, they will face imprisonment for six months.
Additionally, the Aparajita Bill reduces the time given to complete the trial after the charge-sheet is filed from two months to 30 days. In the case of gang rape, it makes a provision for death penalty in cases where the victim is under 18 years of age, but in cases involving older women, the maximum punishment is rigorous imprisonment for life.
The Shakti Bill of Maharashtra adds another aspect the inaction by any social media platform or internet or mobile telephony data provider. If these platforms fail to share data with the investigating officer in cases of crime against women, the Bill recommends punishment of up to one month in prison.
However, without the President's Assent, these bills Aparajita, Shakti and Disha (Andhra Pradesh), all of which amend criminal laws, won't come into force. One reason why it takes time for the assent is because these laws passed by the states are inconsistent with the original law enacted by the Parliament. But, with the assent, the laws passed by the states will be void, especially as criminal law and criminal procedure fall under the Concurrent List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, in which both states and Centre can pass laws but the President assent is mandatory.
Responding to Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia's decision to join the Indian National Congress ahead of the Haryana Assembly Polls 2023, Olympic medallist Sakshee Malikkh on Friday said that the choice to join political ranks is personal.
Sakshee Malikkh, who was at the forefront of the protest against former WFI chief and BJP strongman Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh alongside Punia and Phogat, said she won't be taking a political plunge like her as she wanted to further the cause of women in wrestling.
FULL REPORT | Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia join Congress ahead of Haryana assembly polls
"I also got several political offers," Sakshi Malik said adding that she refused to take them up because she says she "believes in staying true to my fight for women in wrestling."
#WATCH | Delhi | Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat join the Congress party in the presence of party general secretary KC Venugopal, party leader Pawan Khera, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria. pic.twitter.com/LLpAG09Bw5 ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024
"It is their personal choice to join the party. I believe that we should make sacrifices. Our agitation, the fight for women should not be given a wrong impression... From my end, the agitation continues...I too had received offers but I wanted to see what I started till the end. Unless the Federation is cleaned and the exploitation of women ends, my fight will continue. The fight is genuine and it will continue," Malikkh said.
The Olympic medallist said that her fight was against Brij Bhushan alone and she is not interested in joining any party ranks. "I am apolitical. I work in Railways. My fight was only against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. I am not linked to any party so I will not join any party campaign," Sakshi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
#WATCH | After joining the Congress party, Vinesh Phogat says, "The fight is continuing, it hasn't ended yet. It's in Court. We will win that fight as well... With the new platform that we are getting today, we will work for the service of the nation. The way we played our game pic.twitter.com/WRKn5Aufv2 ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2024
Both Punia and Phogat were seen leaving from the residence of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge earlier today. On Wednesday, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the national capital. The polling for the 90-member Haryana Assembly is scheduled for October 5 with counting of votes will take place on October 8.
The Siddaramaiah cabinet in Karnataka has decided to hand over the interim report on Covid irregularities, submitted by Justice John Michael D'Cunha on August 30, to a team of officials under the chief secretary and additional chief secretary (Finance) to assess its findings.
Interestingly, the report submitted by the retired High Court judge mentions that several files related to Covid management were not submitted to the panel by the officials despite many requests.
The tenure of the inquiry commission formed in August 2023 has now been extended by six months. The panel is probing into irregularities committed in the procurement of medical equipment, vaccine purchase and distribution, and COVID management during the period between March 2020 to December 2022.
Parliamentary Affairs minister H.K. Patil, citing the report, informed presspersons that "misappropriation worth crores of rupees" had taken place.
"Many files sought by Justice DCunha were not provided (by the officials). The team of officials will now take up further analysis of the interim report and place it before the cabinet once again. The report will most likely be tabled in the state legislature in the next session," said Patil.
BJP MP from Chikkaballapur, Dr K. Sudhakar, who was the state health minister during the pandemic, accused the ruling Congress of playing "revenge politics" to target the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was embroiled in the land allotment (MUDA) scam.
Patil hit back saying the panel to probe Covid irregularities was formed a year back, but the MUDA case came to be discussed only in the last two months and there is no correlation between the two cases.
Earlier in the day, BJP veteran B.S. Yeddyurappa, who was the chief minister during the pandemic, chose to downplay the question on the Covid scam and said, "The government is free to probe into any scam. Let them make the report public. It is their wish."
Incidentally, the High Court which is hearing the chief minister's appeal challenging the sanction order against him by the Governor in the MUDA case had asked the respondents if a judicial inquiry would suffice in the matter. Interestingly, the respondents (who had petitioned with the governor against the CM) stated they had no confidence in a judicial probe as the inquiry reports are often put in cold storage.
The multi-crore Covid scam probed by the judicial commission is at the risk of being lost in the oblivion after hitting several political bumps and bureaucratic delays and hassles. Till now, judicial commission reports have evaded the public domain and ended up as tools in the hands of political parties to "rein in" their opponents.
CPI(M) Kerala state secretary M.V. Govindan stated that no complaints were raised against P. Sasi, political secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in the letter submitted to him by CPIM-backed independent MLA P.V. Anwar. Previously, Anwar had publicly accused Sasi of betraying the trust placed in him by the Vijayan government. He also alleged that ADGP [Law and Order] Ajith Kumar, whom he described as a notorious criminal with links to gold smuggling networks, had amassed illicit wealth and operated with impunity due to his connections with Sasi.
Just because an allegation is raised that the political secretary failed in his duties, can we take action without any basis? Govindan questioned.
EXCLUSIVE: I feel no fear, P. Sasi, the controversial political secretary to Pinarayi Vijayan, tells THE WEEK
M.V. Govindan stated that, in response to Nilambur MLA Anwars complaints, the government has already formed a police team to investigate the allegations against M.R. Ajithkumar. While the team is led by the DGP, its other members are junior to Ajithkumar. The government has not yet decided on his removal from the post of ADGP. Anwar had previously expressed dissatisfaction, remarking, "It is improper to entrust the probe against a school principal to teachers and other staff under him. I hope this wont happen in this case." However, the CPIM appears to be proceeding with the stance that the government and the party have taken all necessary steps.
Govindan provided a somewhat quirky explanation, stating, "The investigation is led by the DGP, with other police officials there to assist. The report will be submitted within a month, and the party will decide if further inquiry is necessary." He also accused the media and opposition of using Anwars statements for political attacks against the CPI(M) and the government, emphasizing that Anwar should not have aired his grievances publicly.
At one point, Govindan mockingly commented, "Imagine the opposition protesting based on what Anwar is saying." When asked if he was undermining Anwar's credibility, Govindan clarified, "I didnt say that. Anwar is a CPIM ally. If the Congress needs to launch a political protest based on Anwars words, it shows they lack their own political initiative in Kerala."
Govindan dismissed opposition leader V.D. Satheeshans claim that ADGP Ajith Kumar had a private discussion with RSS leadership on behalf of the Chief Minister in Thrissur. However, he did not explicitly deny that Ajith Kumar met the top RSS leader, stating, "Whether he met him or not, the CPI(M) has nothing to do with it."
Almost a month after the body of the trainee doctor was found in the seminar hall of Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College Hospital, the controversy surrounding the rape-murder incident has only intensified. Amid accusations by the victim's parents that the Kolkata Police tried to cover up the incident, the CBI investigation too has reached a critical juncture.
The CBI has so far questioned 200 people in connection with the rape and murder, but there are conflicting statements about the incidents that happened on the fateful day, reported Anandabazar Patrika.
#WATCH | Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case: Aunt of the deceased doctor says "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 police?"
"...Till the last rites were pic.twitter.com/16QJgFvTut ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024
The report quoting an unnamed CBI official said that the interrogation revealed multiple versions of the incident with regard to what the doctor ate that night and who ordered it etc. The official added that the report submitted before the Supreme Court has all this information. "The videography footage of the post-mortem and the statements obtained during the interrogation are one of the mainstays of this investigation. There is inconsistency. We will examine every frame of the footage in the forensic lab if necessary," he said, adding that the probe will require more time.
Even the accused Sanjay Roy's statement is inconsistent with the CBI investigation. What Sanjay claimed in the polygraph test was also different from the statement he gave to the Kolkata Police. The probe is also focused on the injuries of the deceased and whether the victim tried to resist the accused.
Sanjay will be produced in the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Sealdah Court on Friday.
Also read: Kolkata rape-murder: Sandip Ghosh ordered renovation near crime scene day after doctors death?
Row over video
The victim's parents have alleged a bid to cover up the incident by the Kolkata police while taking part in a protest on Wednesday. The parents alleged that the police tried to bribe them.
However, a new video surfaced on Thursday which showed the parents claiming to be satisfied by the investigation carried out by the Kolkata Police. The family was quick to respond, claiming that the video was forcibly recorded by the police just after the cremation.
The TMC raised the matter of the video in a press meet with minister Shashi Panja citing that the new video of the parents claimed that the allegations of cover-up were false. "A video went viral yesterday where it is claimed that a police official offered money to the parents in the aftermath of the incident. Another video has appeared in the public domain, where the parents clearly stated that such claims are lies and they only want justice for their daughter," she said.
The TMC leader also played the video during the press conference at the TMC office, where the parents were heard saying that they were never offered money.
"There shouldn't be politics here. We want to humbly appeal that there should be no political pressure on the parents to do anything," Panja said.
However, a close relative of the victim's family said the video was shot forcibly by the police days after the incident. "The video was shot by the police just days after the incident took place and we were forced to participate. The truth is that the police tried to hush up the case and attempted to protect (former) RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh," a family member told the news channel.
The Central Bureau of Investigation probing the Kolkata trainee doctor rape and murder case has reportedly ruled out gang-rape as DNA test suggest only Sanjay Roy was involved in the horrific crime. The central agency is also probing possible tampering of crime scene as construction works were carried out at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital a day after the incident came to light.
According to reports, Sanjay Roys DNA has matched samples collected from the victims body and evidence suggest he was lone accused in the case. Earlier, the central agency had collected technical and scientific evidence which corroborated Roys presence at the seminar hall in the hospital where the victim doctor was found dead.
The CBI investigation has reached a critical juncture. The CBI has so far questioned 200 people in connection with the rape and murder. However, there are conflicting statements about the incidents that happened on the fateful day. The central agency is working on preparing a watertight charge-sheet in the case.
The 31-year-old junior doctor was raped and murdered while on duty and her body was discovered at the seminar hall on the third floor of the hospital on August 9. Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer was arrested the following day.
Meanwhile, the CBI is also probing whether the crime scene was tampered after the incident. Telegraph India reported that the CBI team have visited the crime scene and a 3D videography of the crime scene was done for a better understanding of the incident site. Sandip Ghosh, former principal of the hospital had written to states Public Works Department a day after the incident, urging them to take immediate steps to renovate on-duty doctors toilets and rooms. However, the construction works were halted after the Calcutta High Court intervened.
As per the postmortem examination report, the victim died due to "manual strangulation associated with smothering". The report added that she had 16 external and nine internal injury marks."There is medical evidence of forceful penetration/insertion in her genitalia the possibility of sexual assault," the report also stated. There were abrasions on her cheeks, lips, nose, neck, arms and knees, it said adding that there were injuries to her private parts. The report, which specified "all injuries are antemortem, listed nine internal wounds, including those in the muscles of the scalp, neck and other parts of the body.
Miscreants have reportedly hacked the website of a school in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh facing public ire for expelling a class 5 student over non-vegetarian food. Miscreants have overlapped the sites content with Free Palestine and oppression on Muslims messages.
The private school, Hilton Convent School in Amroha, was in the eye of a storm on Thursday after it expelled a class 5 student over bringing non-vegetarian food for lunch. A video of the school principals heated argument with the wards parents went viral on social media on Thursday, forcing the district administration to initiate action against the principal.
Miscreants have hacked the website of the school and have posted a series of images in the site pushing down the schools original content. Miscreants have posted images with messages like Free Palestine, Save Palestine and All eyes on Indian Muslim homes, referring to alleged demolition action against Muslim accused in criminal cases.
In the video, the school principal is allegedly heard saying to the students mother, Your child says that he wants to convert everyone to Islam by making them eat non-vegetarian food. The principal further alleges that the boy wants to destroy Hindu temples.
Meanwhile, the Amroha police tweeted a three-member committee has been appointed by the district administration to investigate the matter.
A school principal Avneesh Sharma is openly accusing a little boy based on his own hatred towards the Muslim community. He is accusing a 7 yr-old Muslim boy of breaking temples and converting Hindus.
C'C: @dmamroha @amrohapolice pic.twitter.com/Fqxi7hXDMr Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 5, 2024
Amroha's Basic Education Officer has constituted a team of principals from three government schools to investigate the matter and has asked them to submit their report within three days, NDTV reported.
A Vistara flight from Mumbai to Germany's Frankfurt was diverted to Turkey on Friday over security concerns. According to the airline, the flight landed safely at Erzurum Airport in eastern Turkey.
"Flight UK27 from Mumbai to Frankfurt (BOM-FRA) has been diverted to Turkey (Erzurum airport) due to security reasons and has landed safely at 1905 hours," the airlines said in a post on X.
#DiversionUpdate: Flight UK27 from Mumbai to Frankfurt (BOM-FRA) has been diverted to Turkey (Erzurum airport) due to security reasons and has landed safely at 1905 hours. Please stay tuned for further updates. Vistara (@airvistara) September 6, 2024
The airline spokesperson said that the crew onboard noted the security concern and the authorities were alerted following which the flight was diverted.
Flight UK27 from Mumbai to Frankfurt (BOM-FRA) has been diverted to Turkey (Erzurum airport) due to security reasons and has landed safely at 1905 hours. #VISTARA #TURKEY pic.twitter.com/6y75sHM1bw Shivendra Pratap Singh (@vatsalshivendra) September 6, 2024
According to reports, a note with "bomb on the aeroplane" was found on a tissue paper in the toilet. However, officials have not yet confirmed this.
Vistara flight UK 27, operating from Mumbai to Frankfurt on September 06, 2024, has been diverted to Turkey due to a security concern that was noted by our crew while onboard," said the spokesperson.
He also added that the security agencies were alerted promptly to complete the mandatory checks.
Last week, a domestic Indigo flight- from Jabalpur to Hyderabad was diverted to Nagpur due to a bomb threat. Also last month, a full emergency was declared at Thiruvananthapuram airport following a bomb threat on an Air India flight arriving from Mumbai. The flight landed at the airport around 8 am and was directed to an isolation bay and passengers were safely evacuated.
A fire in a school dormitory in Kenya killed 17 students and seriously burned 13 others, police said on Friday. There are fears that the death toll may rise, police said.
The cause of the fire Thursday night at Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri county was being investigated, police spokesperson Resila Onyango said. The school caters to children up to the age of 14.
Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu and the education ministry reported that the dormitory that caught fire housed more than 150 boys. Since most of the buildings are built with wood planks, the fire spread very fast.
The school, which has 824 students, is located in the country's central highlands, 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of the capital, Nairobi, where wooden structures are common. Anxious parents who had been unable to trace their children among survivors waited at the school, engulfed with grief.
President William Ruto called the news devastating. I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account, he wrote on the social media platform X.
His deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, urged school administrators to ensure that safety guidelines recommended by the education ministry for boarding schools are being followed.
School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, often due to arson fuelled by drug abuse and overcrowding, according to a recent education ministry report. Many students stay at school because parents believe it gives them more time to study without long commutes.
Some fires have been started by students during protests over the workload or living conditions. In 2017, 10 high school students died in a school fire started by a student in Nairobi.
The deadliest school fire was in 2001 when 67 students died in a dormitory fire in Machakos county.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that during the month of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive in the Kursk region, Russia lost 6,000 of its military in killed and wounded. Currently, Ukrainian defenders control more than 1300 square kilometers of territory there, including more than a hundred settlements.
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Zelenskyy made the statement on September 6 during a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense in Germany, known as the Ramstein Group. According to the president, the aggressor country has lost tens of thousands more occupants on other frontlines.
"As of now, during the first month of our operation, Russian troops have lost about 6,000 soldiers killed and wounded in the Kursk region alone, as well as tens of thousands of Russian troops in other combat zones," the head of state said.
He also said that from the Kursk region, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin was preparing to spread the war to Ukrainian territory, in particular, to launch a new offensive against Sumy.
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"Today we control a territory of more than 1,300 square kilometers in the Kursk region, which includes, in particular, more than a hundred settlements," Zelenskyy said.
Much of this territory was simply abandoned by the Russian army, he added.
It is thanks to the Armed Forces' operation that there is currently no threat of a Russian offensive in Sumy region, as was the case in May when Russian troops attacked Kharkiv region, Zelenskyy said.
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"Thanks to our actions, there are no threats that Russia will launch a new offensive on our territory against the city of Sumy, as it was in May when Putin launched an offensive against Kharkiv," the Ukrainian leader said.
He also said that while the defenders of Ukraine are advancing in the Kursk region, the most capable units of the Russian military are involved in the occupation of Ukraine.
This means that Putin does not really want to protect anyone and does not care about Russian territory or people, Zelenskyy said.
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As a reminder, on September 5, Zelenskyy said that during the Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive in the Kursk region, more than 600 Russian military personnel, including officers and Qaeda fighters, had been captured. According to the head of state, replenishing the fund for the exchange of prisoners was one of the goals of the operation.
According to UK intelligence, the increase in Russian losses in August was caused by the Ukrainian invasion of Kursk and the Russian offensive in the Pokrovsk sector.
As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Putin said the day before that Russia's primary goal in the war is the alleged "liberation" of Donbas, and Ukraine is allegedly trying unsuccessfully to divert Moscow's attention from this goal by attacking Kursk. The dictator also claims that the Russians have allegedly begun to "squeeze the enemy out" of the border areas.
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At the same time, ISW pointed out that the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to advance deep into the Kursk region.
The analysts also noted that Putin is trying to downplay the importance of the operational consequences of the Armed Forces' operation and convince Russians that the Ukrainian presence in Kursk is acceptable in exchange for Russia's advance in Donetsk region. The Kremlin chief's statements about the alleged failure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces operation are clearly false these events have influenced the course of hostilities and are likely to continue to affect Russian offensive and defensive capabilities after the end of the operations near Pokrovsk, ISW believes.
The day before, the head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, called the operation near Kursk a success.
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Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Ending a three-decade-long policy, China has decided to stop foreign adoptions of children. Since a strict one-child policy came into force in the country, thousands of young children were sent overseas for adoption. This major decision is going to hit hundreds of families in the United States, who are in the process of adopting children from China.
Since the start of the international adoption policy in 1992, more than 1,60,000 Chinese children have been adopted by families worldwide.
According to China's Children International (CCI), around 82,000 of those children, mostly girls, have been adopted in the US.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning on Thursday said the Chinese government had adjusted its cross-border adoption policy to be 'in line' with international trends.
"Apart from the adoption of a child or stepchild of blood relatives of the same generation who are within three generations of foreigners coming to China to adopt, China will not send children abroad for adoption," Mao said.
#HongKong
September 5 news. The Chinese government adjusted its policy on international adoptions. With the exception of foreigners adopting children of collateral relatives within three generations and stepchildren, no more children will be sent...
https://t.co/T8pniuAZ1F https://t.co/WDf7T2oTji pic.twitter.com/5w2gZBA3z9 Voice Of Chinese People (@VOCPEnglish) September 5, 2024
However, she also added that she expresses appreciation to those foreign governments and families, who wish to adopt Chinese children, for their good intention.
Chinas strict one-child policy faced backlash as many left their babies in front of police stations and public places to avoid severe penalties. Since the number of children in the orphanages rose, these were turned to international adoption centres to help fund their services.
Now with the latest Chinese government's decision, the US is seeking clarification on how the decision will affect hundreds of American families with pending applications.
In the letters sent to some adoption agencies, the US state departments said they had been told by Chinese authorities that all other pending adoptions were cancelled, except those with already issued travel authorisations.
"Will not continue to process cases at any stage," said Beijing.
The US State Department on Thursday said its embassy is seeking clarification in writing from China's ministry of civil affairs.
The state department said: We understand there are hundreds of families still pending completion of their adoption, and we sympathise with their situation.
US families have adopted 82,674 children from China, the most from any foreign country.
However, since the Covid pandemic, intercountry adoptions have been largely suspended since 2020.
A US consulate issued 16 visas for adoptions from China from October 2022 through to September 2023, the first in more than two years, the state department report said.
Several overseas adoption agencies expressed concerns about the decision and some have winded up their operations after the rising concerns about fabricated documents and procedures regarding the adoptions.
In 2023, the number of newborn babies in China fell to 9.02 million, and the overall population declined for the second consecutive year.
Mumbai, Sep 7 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said 52 per cent of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) that came into the country in the first quarter of this fiscal headed towards the state.
"Between April and June this year, India received Rs 1,34,959 crore as FDI. Of this, Maharashtra secured Rs 70,795 crore, or 52.46 per cent. This amount surpasses the combined FDI received by several states, including Karnataka, Delhi, Telangana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan," Fadnavis told reporters.
Karnataka got FDI of Rs 19,059 and stood in second place, followed by Rs 10,788 crore for Delhi, Rs 9,023 crore for Telangana, Rs 8,508 crore for Gujarat, Rs 8,325 crore for Tamil Nadu, Rs 5,818 crore for Haryana, Rs 370 crore for Uttar Pradesh and Rs 311 crore for Rajasthan.
"From 2014 to 2019, during our tenure, Maharashtra got Rs 3,62,161 crore in Foreign Direct Investment. Over the past two years, the state has secured an additional Rs 3,14,318 crore in investments. While the initial figures for the first quarter of the current financial year are promising, we anticipate further growth once the data for the second quarter is released," the senior BJP leader asserted.
In 2022-23, Maharashtra saw foreign investment of Rs 1,18,422 crore, which grew to Rs 1,25,101 crore in the subsequent fiscal year, he said.
"Two years ago, on assuming office, I had pledged to attract higher FDI than the previous administration. I am pleased to report that we have achieved this goal," the deputy CM said.
Guwahati, Sep 6 (PTI) The IIT-Guwahati entered into an agreement with Airbus India Private Ltd on Friday to set up a global training centre for aviation and logistics business here.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the collaboration will pave the way for Assam to emerge as a logistics hub in providing skilled personnel in aerospace technology.
This is a milestone initiative to welcome Airbus India to our state. This agreement does not represent just a formal alliance, but a shared commitment to innovation and excellence to aerospace technology and development of logistics hub in Assam, he said at the MoU signing ceremony at IIT-Guwahati.
The CM maintained that the project will address the current skill gap, and the collaboration is poised to elevate global competitiveness and the logistics sector in the northeast region.
This is a significant step in creating a robust and dynamic workforce in our region, Sarma said, emphasising that the coming together of academic excellence of IIT-Guwahati and Airbus Indias excellence in technology and global leadership will benefit Assam.
He said the key areas covered under this pact are transportation industries, hospitality, skilling and logistics, and these sectors have much scope of expansion, too.
The director of IIT-Guwahati has also requested for support from government of Assam. I would like to reassure that all students who will come for skilling under this programme will be given adequate scholarship so that they can excel in pursuing a new career, the CM said.
Sarma also said the state has witnessed significant development in both industry and education sectors, with the Tata Groups semiconductor project coming up at Jagiroad being a major initiative in this regard.
We are now pursuing a manufacturing hub to create a better ecosystem for the semiconductor industry. The government of Assam can engage more elaborately with Airbus India, and find out where we can collaborate further and work for development of the northeast, he added.
Mumbai, September 06, 2024: Cupid Limited, India's premier manufacturer of male and female condoms, water based personal lubricants, IVD kits, deodorants, pocket perfumes, and toilet sanitizers is embarking on a dynamic B2C expansion strategy. The companys foray into B2C in India in the last seven months has resulted in net revenues of 12.50 crore and the company is looking to expand this pie substantially moving forward with a topline target in excess of 50 crore in this financial year just from its B2C India business.
Cupid has built its presence across over 40 super stockists, 500+ distributors and 50,000 retail touch points in a short span of time and is on the horizon to reach 1,00,000 touch points by the end of the current calendar year. It is also undertaking strategic marketing initiatives to create brand resonance and strengthen its distribution network. It aims to win customers with partner engagement, POS visibility, and retail advocacy. It also plans to enhance its e-commerce presence by partnering with Blinkit and Zepto and is currently available on top e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, and Tata 1mg.
Cupid is further diversifying its product portfolio to capitalise on emerging opportunities beyond the sexual wellness market. It plans to launch almond hair oil in 4 SKUs, massage oils (Jasmine & Loban, Lavender & Loban) and perfume gift packs this month, reflecting its passion to consistently innovate and explore new growth paths.
Dhruba Goswami, Business Head, Cupid Limited said, We continue to bring in overall efficiencies in procurement, production and domestic distribution. Our Indian B2C expansion plan places emphasis on our operational excellence and innovative new product offerings thus positioning us well for the future. Our new product offerings have even started garnering international interest with export orders coming in for Cupids new range of products.
Established in 1993, CUPID Limited is India's premier manufacturer of male and female condoms, water based lubricant jelly, IVD kits and Deodorants. The company boasts a production capacity of up to 480 million male condoms, 52 million female condoms, 210 million sachets of lubricant jelly and 30 million IVD Test Kits annually. The company has recently launched its line of CUPID Deodorants, Pocket Perfumes and Toilet Sanitizers.
In March 2024, the company completed a strategic land acquisition in Palava, Maharashtra, enabling it to amplify its production capacity by 1.5 times the existing output. As a result, the annual production capacity will be augmented by approximately 770 million male condoms and 75 million female condoms.
The company has a prominent presence in international markets and is the first company in the world to attain WHO/UNFPA pre-qualification for male and female condoms. CUPID currently exports its products to over 105 countries, with over 90% of its revenue generated from international markets. Furthermore, CUPID has established a long-term agreement with WHO/UNFPA. The company is listed on BSE (BSE: 530843) and NSE (NSE: CUPID).
(Disclaimer: The above content is a press release and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR
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Sending a child off to study abroad is a proud and exciting milestone, but it can also be a time of great anxiety for parents. The prospect of a child being thousands of miles away, navigating a new culture and potential emergencies, can be daunting. Royal Sundaram understands these concerns and offers comprehensive Student Travel Insurance plans designed to give parents the peace of mind they need, knowing fully well that their child is protected and supported throughout their academic journey.
Recent analysis made, highlights the ever-rising number of students from India pursuing education abroad. While this surge of students chasing their dreams internationally is truly positive, the concerns of the parents of these students are equally valid. While the students often worry about the financial costs incurred, the Parents are most worried about their childrens personal safety and security while studying abroad.
The transition to a new country and academic system can be incredibly overwhelming for students travelling abroad, said Mr. TM Shyamsunder, Chief Operating Officer of Royal Sundaram. Keeping this concern foremost in mind, Royal Sundaram's Student Travel Insurance product has been designed to provide the support and protection that students need to thrive both academically and personally during their time abroad.
With the ever-changing times and needs, the Student Travel Insurance by Royal Sundaram offers comprehensive protection to ensure students are covered in case of any unexpected events. The coverage goes beyond the usual travel insurance offerings for medical expenses, loss of passport, or trip delay.
The student-specific coverage within the Student Travel Insurance also includes:
- Study Interruption: Royal Sundaram reimburses tuition fees paid for the period of non-attendance in case the student is hospitalized or faces any other covered event.
- Sponsor Protection: Coverage is provided for tuition fees for the remaining period of study in case of any covered injury to the students sponsor.
- Other Medical Emergencies: The insurance covers a wide range of medical challenges, including mental and nervous disorders, physiotherapy, and necessary medical treatments like ambulance charges and cancer screenings.
- Loss of Laptop: Understanding how integral a students laptop is to their educational journey, Royal Sundarams policy includes indemnification for stolen laptops, helping to alleviate the financial burden of replacement.
As the September university intake approaches, securing comprehensive student travel insurance has never been more crucial. By prioritizing the unique needs of international students, Royal Sundaram is helping to ensure a safe, successful, and rewarding educational experience for students and their families. Royal Sundarams student travel insurance provides the required peace of mind and financial protection helping the students to manage the risks associated with studying abroad.
(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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SHANGHAI, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Multimedia Deepfake Detection Challenge 2024(The Challenge) has successfully concluded with over 2,200 participants from 26 countries. Co-hosted by the INCLUSION Conference and Ant Group, and organized by Ant Digital Technologies, the event showcased the potential of technology when leveraged for societal benefit.
Initiated in July 2024, the Challenge aims to invite participants to develop, test, and further evolve more accurate, effective, and innovative detection models against various types of Deepfake attacks in real-world scenarios, as well as to motivate innovative defense strategies and improve Deepfake recognition accuracy. The Challenge is structured into two tracks: an image track and an audio/video track, featuring datasets with multi-dimensional face forgery methods.
In the Image Track, a collaborative team from Hong Kong and Macau, led by Dr. Wu Haiwei of City University of Hong Kong, achieved an accuracy rate of 97.038% in detecting deepfakes across various image formats. In the Audio/Video Track, individual competitor Tang Yongwei dominated with cutting-edge algorithms for effectively identifying manipulated audio.
"The Challenge provides researchers with a highly simulated industrial environment for practice, helping to integrate industry, academia, and research while cultivating responsible practical talents," said JOEY Zhou Tianyi, Deputy Director of the Centre for Frontier AI Research (CFAR) at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore.
William Yao, CTO of ZOLOZ and a core organizer of the Challenge, emphasized the importance of fostering awareness around the positive uses of technology. "We hope to improve the industry's security defense level with the involvement of multiple parties; this is also the original intention behind hosting the challenge," Yao remarked.
On August 30th, the organizing committee launched an open-source initiative: "After participants voluntarily open source their work, the organizing committee will collect all open-source repositories on their official GitHub homepage." The initiative was quickly met with positive responses from the VisionRush team of the Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the JTGroup from the University of Macau. So far, nearly 100 participants and teams of the Challenge have expressed their willingness to actively participate, hoping to protect people from deepfakes.
About The INCLUSIONConference on the Bund
The inaugural INCLUSION Conference on the Bund successfully concluded on September 26, 2020, with the guidance of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government and the support of the Shanghai Municipal Financial Regulatory Bureau and Shanghai Huangpu District People's Government. The 2023 INCLUSION Conference on the Bund included an 8,000 square meter technology exhibition and a 3,000 square meter green marketplace for conference goers from around the world.
For more details of the upcoming conference, visit the official website: inclusionconf.com
(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR
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Tredence was selected as a Leader in Supply Chain Analytics by ISG, as it enables end-to-end supply chain management through domain-specific control towers, AI frameworks and predictive analytics.
SAN JOSE, Calif. and BENGALURU, India, Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tredence, the global data science and AI solutions company, has been recognized as a 'Leader' in the Information Services Group's (ISG) Provider LensTM Analytics Services 2024 report for Supply Chain Analytics Services.
ISG, a prominent global technology research and advisory firm, serves as a trusted business partner to over 900 clients, including 75 of the world's top 100 enterprises. This year's ISG 'Specialty Analytics Service Supply Chain Study' assessed 17 specialty analytics providers, analyzing their strengths, challenges, and competitive advantages to aid decision-makers in selecting the best analytics services companies for the supply chain function. In this assessment, ISG identified Tredence as a leader and a top choice for enterprises navigating the complex supply chain landscape.
According to the report, Tredence was chosen as a 'Leader' for its expertise in enabling self-service analytics for decision-making across various areas of the supply chain, including supply chain control, operations, monitoring, shipping, logistics, transportation, inventory, warehousing, and distribution. Tredence showcased proficiency in advanced automation, data lakes, modeling, and the customization of AI and ML models, algorithms, and workflows. By leveraging best-of-breed analytics technologies, Tredence efficiently deploys these services.
"At Tredence, we lead the global supply chain solutions landscape by offering advanced AI/ML solutions designed to drive last-mile impact. Trusted by 8 of the top 10 global retailers and CPGs, and 6 of the top 15 HLS providers for their AI strategies, Tredence places data at the heart of the supply chain and leverages AI to enhance connectivity and intelligence throughout the entire supply chain network. Tredence has developed a unified supply chain data model, digital accelerators, and a comprehensive command center platform to help supply chain owners make informed decisions," said Sumit Mehra, CTO and Co-founder of Tredence.
ISG identified several Tredence strengths & differentiators, including:
Unified Data Foundation: Tredence helps identify and ingest data from diverse sources and manages and governs it as a single source of truth. This phase ensures techno-functional ownership for end-to-end data transformation, accelerates data transformation and creates a baseline for targeted solutions.
AI and ML Digital Accelerators: Tredence works with clients to identify gaps in their current systems & data landscape. Tredence utilizes pre-built accelerators to develop custom solutions for connected planning, enhancing execution intelligence significantly. It can develop bespoke solutions across clients' preferred platforms.
Intelligent Command Center: Tredence develops a centralized command center that integrates an analytics layer for informed decision-making and leverages AI capabilities and its MLOps platform to orchestrate solutions across internal and external platforms. This intelligent layer senses disruptions, determines their impact and suggests mitigating them.
"At Tredence, we recognize supply chains as the backbone of growth and a catalyst for enterprise innovation. Our approach combines robust data foundations with AI-powered accelerators to create a seamless, intelligent supply chain. Our status as a leader reflects our deep expertise in supply chain analytics, enabling clients across multiple industries to maintain a competitive edge and navigate disruption effortlessly," said Majaz Mohammed, Supply Chain Head, Tredence.
" Tredence demonstrates strong advanced analytics capabilities in supply chain management and a proven track record of execution. The combination of its configurable accelerators and domain experts drives last-mile adoption of analytics at enterprises," said Manav Deep Sachdeva, Senior Manager and Principal Analyst, ISG.
Visit the Tredence website to learn more about building intelligent, resilient, and agile operations for global enterprises, or download a copy of the ISG report.
About Tredence
Tredence is a global data science and AI solutions provider focused on solving the last-mile problem in AI the gap between insight creation and value realization. Tredence leverages strong domain expertise, data platforms and accelerators, and strategic partnerships to provide tailored, cutting-edge solutions to its clients. Tredence is 2,500-plus employees strong with offices in San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, London, Toronto, and Bengaluru, with the largest companies in Retail, CPG, Hi-tech, Telecom, Healthcare, Travel, and Industrials as clients.
For more information, please visit www.tredence.com and follow us at Tredence on LinkedIn.
About ISG
ISG (Information Services Group) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including 75 of the top 100 enterprises in the world, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics, sourcing advisory, managed governance and risk services, network carrier services, technology strategy and operations design, change management, market intelligence, and technology research and analysis.
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Mumbai, Sep 6 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices declined in early trade on Friday tracking a weak trend in global markets and fresh foreign fund outflows.
Falling for the third day running, the 30-share BSE Sensex declined 233.98 points to 81,967.18 in early trade. The NSE Nifty dropped 60 points to 25,085.10.
Among the 30 Sensex firms, State Bank of India, UltraTech Cement, Reliance Industries, NTPC, ICICI Bank and Titan were the biggest laggards.
Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, Hindustan Unilever, Asian Paints and IndusInd Bank were among the gainers.
In Asian markets, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong were trading lower.
The US markets ended mostly in the negative territory on Thursday.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 688.69 crore on Thursday after days of remaining buyers, according to exchange data.
Meanwhile, global oil benchmark Brent crude dipped 0.07 per cent to USD 72.64 a barrel.
"The near-term trend in the market will be influenced by the US jobs data to be published tonight," said V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services.
The BSE benchmark on Thursday failed to hold on to initial gains and declined 151.48 points or 0.18 per cent to settle at 82,201.16.
The NSE Nifty dipped 53.60 points or 0.21 per cent to 25,145.10 despite a positive beginning of the trade.
Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities Ltd, said, all eyes are now on the upcoming August US jobs report on Friday.
New Delhi/Hyderabad, Sep 6 (PTI) Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday announced an immediate assistance of Rs 3,448 crore to mitigate the impact of floods in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Chouhan, who is in Telangana today after reviewing the flood situation in Andhra Pradesh, said: "No one needs to be disappointed. We are working to provide immediate help".
Presently, the arrangement is being made to provide immediate assistance of Rs 3,448 crore under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), which also includes the central government's share, he said.
After providing immediate assistance, the government will think about making available fertilisers and seeds to farmers for the next crop, he added.
The minister also assured the farming community that the Centre will provide appropriate compensation after the assessment of the crop damage.
"We will ask the banks not to recover loans from farmers in times of crisis," he added.
Chouhan conducted an aerial survey of crop damage in flood-hit areas of Meenavalu, Peddagopavaram, Mannur, and Kattleru, of Telangana. He also met people in Khammam and discussed their problems, an official statement said.
The minister mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is concerned about the flood situation in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
New York, Sep 6 (PTI) Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and actor Anil Kapoor are among Indians who have been honoured in Time magazine's prestigious list of the 100 "Most Influential People in AI 2024".
The list, released on Thursday, features 15 Indian or Indian-origin people. Among them are Sundar Pichai of Google, and Satya Nadella of Microsoft.
Writing about 54-year-old Vaishnaw, the magazine said under his leadership, India hopes to become one of the top five countries for semiconductor manufacturing-a key component for modern AI systems within the next five years.
"Yet, Vaishnaw faces significant challenges in realising these ambitions. India's tech sector struggles with low private R&D investment and a lack of advanced manufacturing ecosystems. Its educational system is also catching up to produce the specialised workforce needed for cutting-edge AI and semiconductor development," it said.
India- the worlds fifth largest economy- is trying to become a major player in the world of AI, it said.
Kapoor, 67, has been included in Times AI list after a landmark victory in September 2023 over unauthorised AI use of his likeness.
The actor took up the case after a large number of distorted videos, gifs, and emojis bearing his likeness began circulating online.
Nilekani, 69, is Co-founder of Infosys and co-founder & chairman of EkStep.
"Nilekani, the billionaire co-founder of Infosys, has spent fifteen years in and out of government developing digital public infrastructure for the worlds most populous country, earning him nicknames like 'India's Bill Gates'," the magazine wrote about the entrepreneur.
"Nilekani led Indias Aadhaar programme, the worlds largest biometric identity card programme. He promoted the programme as a salve to welfare fraud, alongside a means to help improve tax collection, and ease bank customer verification, among other benefits," the magazine added.
If the world of AI was dominated by the emergence of startup labs like OpenAI, Anthropic, and their competitors in 2023, this year, as critics and champions alike have noted, weve seen the outsize influence of a small number of tech giants...," TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs said.
The 2024 TIME100 AI list features 40 CEOs, founders and co-founders, including Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Pichai of Google, Nadella of Microsoft and Aravind Srinivas of Perplexity among others.
Amba Kak, Co-executive Director, of AI Now Institute, Arati Prabhakar, Director, of the US Office of Science and Technology Policy and Divya Siddarth, Co-founders, of Collective Intelligence Project, were among the women leaders featured in the list.
Other Indians or Indian-origin leaders in AI in the list include Rohit Prasad SVP and head scientist of Artificial General Intelligence, Amazon, Shiv Rao Co-founder and CEO, Abridge, Anant Vijay Singh Product Lead at Proton, Dwarkesh Patel Host, Dwarkesh Podcast, Amandeep Singh Gill, United Nations Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology, and Vinod Khosla, Founder, Khosla Ventures.
Western countries have not yet decided on their further actions towards Russia or the post-Russian space. Fear of nuclear blackmail by the Kremlin is holding them back from making radical decisions, so Ukraine is in a situation where it hears mostly promises and talk but sees no real steps.
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Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko said this in an interview with OBOZ.UA. According to him, neither Ukraine nor its Western allies have a clear plan for defeating Russia.
"The West has not yet decided for itself what it plans to do with Russia or post-Russia. And depending on this, it acts. If we imagine that the West has decided that Russia must be defeated. Then it is clear to any Western politician that if there is a relevant political decision, then practical steps are being prepared to implement it. The relevant experts gather, sit down, discuss everything quite quickly, especially since everything is clear, and act accordingly," Ohryzko said.
However, according to the expert, the partner countries have only been discussing and promising to provide assistance to Ukraine for many months, but have not made any concrete decisions.
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"I draw a simple conclusion from this that the West has not yet decided for itself and does not have an answer to this key question of what to do with Russia. Some say that Ukraine shouldn't lose, others say that Russia shouldn't win, others say that we should freeze it at the stage we are at now, and others suggest that Ukraine should surrender. That is, there are as many so-called experts as there are proposals, but there is no political decision at the highest level," the former minister said.
Mr. Ohryzko noted that Ukraine has found itself in a situation where the West's resolve has disappeared, partly due to fear of Russia's nuclear blackmail. In addition, neither Western countries nor Ukraine have a clear plan for victory. He believes that the peace plan prepared by the president's office contains correct but general phrases without concrete steps to victory.
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"Perhaps we will finally move from the peace plan, that is, the plan of correct but general words without specifics, to the plan of victory. I hope that this plan will include concrete steps, both on our part and on the part of the West, to achieve this victory. I will tell you frankly that the public is also working on this plan, there are certain developments, perhaps they will also help our government think about specific things that can be presented to the American administration," the expert emphasized.
He noted that if Ukraine clearly articulates the goal of defeating Russia and can convince our Western partners, especially the Americans, the situation will probably start to move forward.
"So far, when we talk about the Formula for Peace, which has great goals, but very vague ones that don't oblige anyone to anything. When we start talking about a victory plan, where it will be written what needs to be done, who needs to do it, and what exactly we can get from it, then, I think, the situation with aid will start to improve," Ohryzko summed up.
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Earlier it was reported that the offensive potential of the Russian occupation army would begin to decline in September. In order to maintain its positions at the same level, the enemy may more actively use short-range missiles, including 120-kilometer ballistic missiles transferred to Russia by Iran.
Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Karachi, Sep 6 (PTI) Relatives of a father-daughter duo have forgiven a female from a wealthy, influential Pakistani business family here who ran down a luxurious SUV over them, her lawyer said on Friday.
The incident drew widespread condemnation as the two killed came from lower middle class. The rich lady also injured three other motorcyclists on the main Karsaz Road in the city as she lost control of her car.
The accident on August 19 garnered lot of attention on social media and became a raging debate on television channels as videos of Natasha Danish appearing disoriented and unrepentant over her actions went viral.
As Natasha Danish hit Imran Arif and his daughter Amna Arif from behind, their motorcycle went flying, according to videos of the incident shared on social media and by the police.
Imran used to sell papers to shops while his daughter was employed in a private firm.
After the hearing at a Sessions Court earlier on Friday, Barrister Uzair Ghouri, representing the bereaved families, told the media outside the court that they (the families) had forgiven the driver in the name of Allah.
The defence lawyer had claimed after the incident that the accused had mental health issues and was under treatment since 2005.
The victims family submitted an affidavit in the court forgiving the accused.
The agreement between the affected families and the accused were presented in the court of a judicial magistrate where the case was under trial, after which the accused was granted bail.
Soon after social media erupted with blames that the family accepted blood money.
The bereaved families have forgiven the accused in the name of Allah and it is baseless rumours that they have taken blood money (Diyat in Islamic Shariah laws) to forgive her for the deaths, he said.
In Pakistan, under Sharia laws, a victims family/heirs can forgive an accused even if he or she has caused deaths.
The law is called Qisas and Diyat law. Qisas, defined as punishment by causing similar hurt at the same part of the body of the convict, and diyat meaning, compensation payable to the heirs of the victims.
The court has released Natasha on bail, she can go anywhere in the world, said defence lawyer barrister Amir Mansoob.
Singapore, Sep 6 (PTI) A Singapore court on Friday sentenced two Malaysian nationals of Indian descent to 10 months in prison for attempting to smuggle a fellow citizen out of the country by concealing him in the cargo compartment of a truck.
Sharan Raj Loganathan, 26, and Ramesh Munusamy, 44, pleaded guilty to their attempts to help Mohamad Izuwan Che Mohd Abd Khoha exit the Tuas checkpoint illegally on July 19, The Straits Times newspaper reported.
Singapore is linked to Peninsular Malaysia through a causeway on the northern side and a bridge at Tuas on the northwestern side.
According to court documents, Izuwan, 32, was caught transporting more than 11,900 e-cigarette pods and 8,657 e-cigarette devices into Singapore on July 17, following which his passport was seized.
Smoking is banned in public places in Singapore and e-cigarettes are not allowed.
On July 19, Izuwan tried to return to Malaysia by hiding in the cargo compartment of Rameshs lorry.
On August 28, Izuwan was sentenced to seven months in jail for his offences.
Those found guilty of helping others to leave Singapores borders illegally can be jailed for at least six months and fined up to SGD 6,000.
Singapore, Sep 6 (PTI) India's growing role in the global economy presents Singapore with opportunities for collaboration across economic, technological and geopolitical spheres, Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Neil Parekh has said.
The Indian-origin business leader's comments came as Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the elevation of the India-Singapore strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership on Thursday.
Parekh was speaking at the inaugural "Singapore India Forum The Next Phase" which was attended by some 350 members of the Singapore business community.
By strengthening its relationship with India, Singapore can further solidify its position as a pivotal player in the evolving global landscape, given that the two countries have a long-standing partnership that has deepened over the years, Parekh said.
"This strong relationship between both governments has fostered continuous engagement at multiple levels, between government entities and business sectors alike.
"This foundation has led to expanded economic collaborations and recent agreements that increase trade and investment, and foster growth and new business opportunities in both nations," he added.
Parekh said that to successfully navigate India's dynamic market, it is essential to recognise and understand the country's unique federal governance structure.
India operates with a high degree of decentralisation, meaning that many key approvals and regulations covering areas like land, environment, electricity, water, and manpower are managed at the state or city council level, he elaborated.
An approach that takes into account this decentralised framework would be vital for anyone looking to tap into India's vast potential, he said.
"This regional approach enables Singaporean companies to better navigate the Indian market and leverage the opportunities offered by India's rapid digitisation and economic reforms," said the business leader who is also a Nominated Member of Singapore Parliament.
India was Singapore's 12th largest trade partner in 2021-22 with a share of 2.3 per cent in Singapore's overall trade. Bilateral trade stood at SGD 46.57 billion in 2022-23, an 18 per cent increase over 2021-22.
Singapore is also the second largest investor in India.
With the global shift towards "China plus 1" or now increasingly "China plus 2" strategy, many nations are turning to India as a major hub for supply to ASEAN and Singapore markets, said Parekh.
As the "Make in India" initiative gains momentum, India is set to become a key player in manufacturing and production of goods and services, very much in line with its ambitions to become a superpower, he claimed.
Beyond the traditional sectors like technology, IT and waste management, one untapped yet promising area is India's agriculture, fresh foods and contract farming, and processed food industry, he noted.
"Collaborations in these sectors could play a vital role in supporting Singapore's 30 by 30 vision for food security," he added.
By engaging with India's expanding market, Singaporean companies cannot only find new avenues for growth but also contribute to building a resilient food supply chain in the region, Parekh said.
He said India's rapidly evolving market presents opportunities in green energy, fintech and digital services, but also challenges like regulatory hurdles and cultural differences.
For Singaporean businesses, understanding these trends and adopting localised strategies is key, he said.
Singapore, Sep 6 (PTI) Five officers from the Gurkha Contingent (GC), Singapore's most trusted police force division, were sentenced to jail terms after they pleaded guilty to operating unlawful cross-border money transfer services, with each man's case involving transactions between SGD 1,03,473 and SGD 2.86 million.
They were given jail sentences on Thursday after they pleaded guilty to charges under the Payment Services Act (PSA), The Straits Times reported.
The Gurkha officers from a special unit of the police force are deployed in sensitive areas here.
Officer Sitaram Tamang's case involved over SGD 2.86 million in total and he was sentenced to five months in jail.
The 40-year-old had pleaded guilty to a charge under the PSA involving nearly SGD 1.6 million. Three other charges were also considered during sentencing.
Dik Bahadur Gurung, 32, was sentenced to 14 weeks in jail after he pleaded guilty to two charges relating to more than SGD 1 million in total.
Ganga Prasad Rai, 43, pleaded guilty to two charges involving more than SGD 6,00,000 and was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail.
Ashok Kumar Thapa Magar, 39, and Mingmar Sherpa, 44, pleaded guilty to one charge each under the PSA.
Mingmar's case involved nearly SGD 4,72,000, and he was sentenced to seven weeks in jail, while Ashok, whose case was linked to more than SGD 1,03,000, was ordered to spend four weeks behind bars.
The prosecution said that a sixth man, Pratik Tamang, 41, is linked to some of the charges.
He joined the GC in 2004 and returned to Nepal in February 2022 after his retirement. He is still at large, according to the Strait Times.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Brian Tan told the court that sometime in or before June 2021, Pratik began offering a money remittance service to the other GC officers within their camp.
According to court documents, he later recruited Ganga and Dik to work with him. He also engaged Sitaram to help him collect the money.
Pratik was already in Nepal when Sitaram worked with him between February and July 2022 to provide an unlawful payment service in Singapore.
DPP Tan said, "Under the arrangement, GC officers looking to remit money from Singapore dollars to Nepalese rupees (NPR) from Singapore to Nepal would contact Pratik via his mobile number.
"After informing Pratik of the amount in dollars that they were looking to remit, Pratik would first transfer the equivalent amount in NPR to the remitters' beneficiaries in Nepal."
He would then ask the remitters to contact Sitaram in Singapore to transfer the equivalent value in dollars to Sitaram's bank account linked to the payment platform PayNow.
Nearly USD 1.6 million involving 111 deposits went through the bank account.
After that, Sitaram would arrange to hand over the remittance monies in dollars to Pratik, either by PayNow transfers to the latter's bank account or in cash to Pratik's friends.
Between February and July 2022, Ganga engaged in a conspiracy with Sitaram and Pratik to offer a cross-border money transfer service. Ganga then collected more than SGD 2,43,000, which he handed over to Sitaram.
Ganga later broke off his arrangement with Sitaram and Pratik and began working on his own. He provided a similar service from August 2022 to March 2023, involving over SGD 3,83,000.
Both Sitaram and Ganga did not make any profit from the remittances.
Meanwhile, Dik worked with Sitaram and Pratik to offer such a service between February and July 2022. He collected nearly SGD 5,50,000, which he handed to Sitaram, the court was told.
He later stopped working with the pair and worked on his own from August 2022 to January 2023, and this offence involved nearly SGD 5,00,000.
The DPP said that Dik earned an estimated profit between SGD 1,750 and SGD 2,450.
Separately, the DPP said that Mingmar committed the offences with his Nepalese wife, Pema Sherpa, 43, who is now based in Canada and is at large.
According to court documents, she started offering a money remittance service to QC officers within their camp in September 2022.
DPP said that as Pema needed a bank account to receive the remittance monies, her husband handed over the details of his bank account to her for this purpose. He also shared his PayNow details with her.
Between September 2022 and March 2023, Mingmar received more than SGD 4,70,000 in his bank account as remittances through 183 transactions.
In an unrelated case, Ashok, who provided a similar service, received more than SGD 1,03,000 in his bank account from February to July 2022 as remittance monies through 26 transactions.
The offences involving all five men came to light following a raid of the GC camp near Mount Vernon Road in March 2023.
Islamabad, Sep 6 (PTI) In a major relief to the Shehbaz Sharif-led government, Pakistans Supreme Court in an unanimous decision on Friday reinstated the changes in the country's anti-corruption laws that had benefited several leading politicians, including the prime minister and his elder brother Nawaz Sharif.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa pronounced the verdict reserved by a five-member bench on June 6 after hearing intra-court appeals (ICAs) filed by the federal government and other parties.
The apex court overturned a previous ruling that nullified amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, granting intra-court appeals filed by the federal government and other affected parties.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws were amended in May 2023 by the previous government led by Shehbaz Sharif. The law was criticised by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party led by Imran Khan as it led to the withdrawal of corruption cases against leading politicians like Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif and his brother Nawaz Sharif.
Khan, the former prime minister, had challenged the amendments in the Supreme Court, which in September last year annulled the changes.
According the verdict, the court ruled by consensus in favour of the appeal and restored the amendments which were earlier declared as unconstitutional.
The court observed in the judgement that the chief justice and other judges cannot be the gatekeepers of Parliament. It also noted that whenever possible, the Supreme Court should strive to maintain legislation enacted by Parliament.
During the hearing, Khan appeared before the court through video link from the Adiala Jail Rawalpindi where he has been incarcerated since September last year.
Geneva, Sep 6 (AP) UN-backed human rights investigators on Friday urged the creation of an independent and impartial force to protect civilians in Sudan's war, blaming both sides for war crimes including murder, mutilation and torture and warning that foreign governments which arm and finance them could be complicit.
The fact-finding team, in their first report since being created by the UN's main human rights body last October, also accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which are fighting Sudan's army, and its allies of crimes against humanity including rape, sexual slavery and persecution on ethnic or gender grounds.
The people of Sudan have suffered greatly, and the violations against them must stop. This cannot be done without ending the fighting, Mohamed Chande Othman, the chair of the team, told a news conference.
The experts called for the expansion of an arms embargo on Sudan's long-restive western Darfur region to the entire country.
The findings from the team mandated by the 47-country Human Rights Council come as more than 10 million people have been driven from their homes including over 2 million to neighbouring countries and famine has broken out in one large camp for displaced people in Darfur.
The conflict that erupted in April last year has killed untold thousands of people, and humanitarian groups are struggling to gain access to people in need. In December, the UN Security Council voted to end the world body's political mission in the country under pressure from the military leadership.
While the killings, displacements and forced starvation have been long known, the call for creation of an independent force marks the latest sign of desperation from rights advocates both within the country and abroad to halt the bloodshed, displacement and food crisis.
Given the failure of the parties to protect civilians so far, the fact-finding mission recommends the deployment of an independent and impartial force with a mandate to protect civilians in Sudan, the team's report said.
The experts did not specify what might make up that force, nor did they say which countries might be complicit in the crimes through their backing of rival sides. Sudan's military has accused the United Arab Emirates of supporting the RSF, a claim the Gulf country has denied.
Neighbouring Egypt is among the backers of Sudan's armed forces.
The fact-finding mission considers that fighting will stop once the arms flow stops," the report said. It called for an immediate end to funnelling weapons, ammunition and other support to any side, "as there is a risk that those supplying arms may be complicit in grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law.
The experts focused on a period from January and August this year. They visited three neighbouring countries and took testimonies from over 180 survivors, relatives and witnesses to the conflict that now has spread to 14 of Sudan's 18 states.
Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, a team member, said conflict-related sexual violence had a long and tragic history in Sudan, and civilians overwhelmingly women and girls "were, and continue to be, targeted with sexual violence in particular rape (and) gang-rape by both parties to the conflict.
Earlier this month, talks in Geneva convened by the United States, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia made some headway in getting aid into Sudan, but mediators lamented the lack of participation of Sudan's armed forces. Egypt, the UAE, the African Union and the United Nations were also involved in the talks.
The team has little power to affect events on the ground in what the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Its report mainly serves to train a spotlight on rights abuses and violations for the world community and help inform International Criminal Court prosecutors.
Othman, speaking to The Associated Press, said the team had not compiled concrete evidence about which countries were funnelling weapons and money to the rival sides beyond what they had seen in media reports, but that the issue was worth investigating.
It should be assigned to some person or some agency to look into it, because it is serious in the context of the protracted war in Sudan, he said. (AP) PY
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Hong Kong, Sep 6 (AP) A powerful typhoon made landfall on the Chinese tropical vacation island of Hainan Friday after it swept south of Hong Kong, forcing many aspects of life in the region to a halt.
The Hainan province's meteorological service said Yagi earlier packing winds of up to about 245 km (152 miles) per hour near its centre made landfall in the province's Wenchang city at around 4:20 pm. It is expected to sweep toward other parts of the island before moving to the Beibu Gulf, it said.
China's national meteorological authorities said Yagi was the strongest autumn typhoon to have landed in China. They predicted it would make a second landfall in Xuwen County in neighbouring Guangdong province on Friday night.
Nearly 420,000 residents have been relocated in Hainan. 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.
State media said classes, work, transportation and businesses had been suspended in parts of the province as early as Wednesday evening. Some tourist attractions were closed and all flights at three airports on the island were expected to be grounded on Friday.
State broadcaster CCTV said Qinzhou city in Guangxi region also issued a top emergency response alert to guard against the typhoon. It said Yagi is expected to make another landfall somewhere between the region's Fangchenggang city and the coastal area of northern Vietnam on Saturday afternoon.
Earlier, trading on the stock market, bank services and schools were halted in Hong Kong on Friday after the city's weather authority raised a No. 8 typhoon signal for Yagi, the third-highest warning under the city's weather system.
Yagi forced more than 270 people to seek refuge at temporary government shelters and led to cancellations of more than 100 flights in the city. Nine people were injured and treated at hospitals. Heavy rain and strong winds felled dozens of trees.
Yagi was still a tropical storm when it blew out of the northwestern Philippines into the South China Sea on Wednesday, leaving at least 16 people dead and 17 others missing, mostly in landslides and widespread flooding, and affecting more than 2 million people in northern and central provinces.
More than 47,600 people were displaced from their homes in Philippine provinces, and classes, work, inter-island ferry services and domestic flights were disrupted for days, including in the densely populated capital region, metropolitan Manila. (AP) SCY
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London, Sep 6 (AP) Google was slammed on Friday by UK regulators who say it's taking advantage of its dominance in digital advertising to thwart competition in Britain, ratcheting up pressure that the tech giant is facing on both sides of the Atlantic over its ad tech business practices.
Britain's Competition and Markets Authority said that the US company gives preference to its own services to the detriment of online publishers and advertisers in Britain's 1.8 billion pound (USD 2.4 billion) digital ad market.
Google is a major player throughout the digital ad ecosystem, providing servers for publishers to manage ad space on their websites and apps, tools for advertisers and media agencies to buy display ads, and an exchange where both sides come together to buy and sell ads in real time at auctions.
We've provisionally found that Google is using its market power to hinder competition when it comes to the ads people see on websites, the watchdog's interim executive director of enforcement, Juliette Enser, said in a press release.
The watchdog's charges, known as a statement of objections, come two years after it opened its investigation. The European Union's antitrust authorities have also been Google's ad bidding services while and it has also been the focus of a state-led antitrust lawsuit against Google that's set to go to trial this month.
The CMA said that Google's anti-competitive" conduct is ongoing, but the company disputed the allegations on Friday.
Google remains committed to creating value for our publisher and advertiser partners in this highly competitive sector, the company said in a prepared statement. "The core of this case rests on flawed interpretations of the ad tech sector. We disagree with the CMA's view and we will respond accordingly.
The UK watchdog alleged Google has been exploiting its dominance since 2015 to strengthen the market position of its own AdX ad exchange and protect it from rivals. AdX is where Google charges the highest fees in the ad tech system, taking about 20 per cent of the amount from bids, the CMA said.
The regulator's accusations include charges that Google manipulates advertiser bids so they have higher value when they go into AdX auctions then rival exchanges. AdX also gets to bid first in auctions run by Google's publisher ad server, potentially shutting out rivals from the chance to bid, the watchdog said.
Google now has the chance to reply to the charges. The CMA said its considering what is needed to make sure Google ceases the anti-competitive practices. It has the power to impose a fine worth up to 10 per cent of a company's annual worldwide revenue. (AP) PY
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Singapore, Sep 6 (PTI) Indonesian police detained seven people in a failed plot to attack Pope Francis, who wrapped up the first leg of his 12-day Asia-Pacific tour from the archipelago on Friday.
The seven people were detained in the outlying cities of Bogor and Bekasi near Jakarta, said newspaper The Straits Times quoting a media statement by Indonesias national police anti-terrorism squad Detachment-88.
The investigations are still ongoing, and it has not yet been established whether the seven detainees know each other, or are members of the same terror cell, Detachment-88 spokesman Aswin Siregar said.
We have a mechanism to monitor and filter. We had a tip-off about information from members of the public, the Singapore daily quoted Aswin as saying.
The seven were mostly detained on Monday and Tuesday. Searches conducted in the house of one of the detainees said to be planning an attack on Pope Francis who visited Jakarta from Tuesday till Friday yielded bows and arrows, a drone, and ISIS leaflets, a source told The Straits Times. Some of those arrested had pledged allegiance to ISIS, Aswin added.
One of the arrested is a militant who belongs to the same terror group that attacked Wiranto, the source said, referring to Indonesias then Chief Security Minister who goes by one name who was stabbed by two ISIS-radicalised assailants in 2019 and underwent surgery after the attack.
He said the militants were angry about Francis visit to Jakartas Istiqlal mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, and upset about the governments appeal to television stations to refrain from the usual broadcasting of azan (Islamic call to prayer) while a live broadcast of Pope Francis visit was in session.
Indonesias fight against terrorism has been going on for decades, marked by high-profile attacks including the 2002 Bali bombing the largest terror attack the country has suffered and the 2009 attacks on Jakarta hotels.
London, Sep 6 (PTI) A British Sikh organisation has written to the UKs Deputy Prime Minister to caution against the government incorporating into law a flawed definition of Islamophobia as it would jeopardise the factual discussion of the history of the Indian subcontinent and persecution of religious minorities around the world.
The Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) on Wednesday wrote to Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who is also the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, after she told Parliament that the newly elected Labour government was actively considering its approach to a definition of Islamophobia.
Back in 2018, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims had defined Islamophobia as a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness.
Adoption of this contested definition into law would have serious implications on free speech, not least the ability to discuss historical truths, reads the NSO letter.
The targeting of mosques and asylum seeker hotels by hooligans and opportunistic thugs is reprehensible and should be universally condemned, as is the targeting of white people by Muslim counter-protestors whom they perceived to be far-right. But targeting criminality with a flawed definition of Islamophobia, would be counterproductive and there is no evidence it would reduce anti-Muslim hatred in any case, it notes.
It goes on to caution that seminal moments in Sikh history will be censored and considered racist.
If the government chooses to incorporate this definition into law, then discussing the history of the Indian subcontinent, and the persecution of religious minorities across the world today, in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria will be absurdly equated to racism. This would be counterproductive, cause disquiet and perversely persecute truth tellers, it adds.
The appeal follows a question addressed to Rayner in the House of Commons about the steps being taken by the government to tackle Islamophobia, in the wake of extremist clashes and riots in the country last month.
Much of last months violent disorder was Islamophobic, and the targeting of Muslims shows that we need to go further and faster in tackling this vile hatred, which was fuelled by fake news, Rayner stated in response.
Asked specifically about a definition of Islamophobia, she added: A new definition must be given careful consideration so that it comprehensively reflects multiple perspectives and considers the potential implications for different communities.
We are actively considering our approach to Islamophobia, including definitions, and we will provide further updates in due course.
The Czech Republic will not return men of military age to Ukraine. There is no question of coercive measures in this regard.
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This was stated by Ukraine's ambassador to Czech Republic Vasyl Zvarych in a commentary to Radio Liberty. Instead, he is convinced that Ukraine should create conditions for those citizens who want to fulfill their duty to the state and protect it from the enemy.
According to the diplomat, Ukrainian men of military age will not be extradited from the Czech Republic for further mobilization.
"I will say and reassure everyone that we are not talking about any coercive measures to return Ukrainians to their homeland, especially those of mobilization age. Of course, the motivation is the matter of consciousness of every citizen of Ukraine. We believe that all citizens of Ukraine, regardless of their place of residence, have one duty to the state, which is to protect their country... Of course, this is the choice of every citizen who, for one reason or another, find themselves outside the homeland," Zvarych said.
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At the same time, the Ukrainian ambassador to the Czech Republic believes that the state should encourage Ukrainian men to return home.
"Our task as a state is to create conditions for citizens who want to defend their country in Ukraine, to create all conditions for such a return," Zvarych emphasized.
Zvarych's comments follow a recent statement by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky that the country does not support Ukrainian men who try to hide from mobilization abroad. However, emphasized that the forced return of Ukrainians to their homeland is out of the question as the Czech authorities have limited powers in this regard.
Currently, according to the Czech Ministry of the Interior, 253,000 Ukrainian men are permanently or temporarily residing in the country. Of these, more than 95,000 Ukrainian citizens are men aged 18 to 65 years old who stay due to temporary protection visas.
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Earlier, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi admitted that the new recruits of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are less prepared than needed. He noted that this situation is due to the dynamics of the fighting at the front. Thus, Ukrainian troops desperately need reinforcement.
Currently, according to Syrskyi, recruits undergo one month of basic military training, followed by six to eight months of specialized training before being sent to fight.
Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Kathmandu, Sep 6 (PTI) Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will be embarking on his maiden foreign visit to the USA to take part in the UN General Assembly, breaking the tradition of visiting a neighbouring country first.
The date of his departure has not yet been announced.
A cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Oli on Thursday endorsed his visit to the USA, government-run Gorkhapatra daily reported quoting a senior cabinet minister.
The 79th UN General Assembly will be held in New York from September 10 to 28.
Oli, who took charge as the prime minister for the fourth time on July 15, was supposed to visit Thailand in the first week of September to attend the BIMSTEC Summit (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).
However, after the Summit was postponed following the political developments in Bangladesh and Thailand, Oli canceled his visit to Bangkok.
Prime Minister Oli's visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly has been fixed. He is scheduled to address the Summit of the Future event during the General Assembly, which is scheduled to take place on September 22-23, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Sharad Singh Bhandari told Gorkhapatra.
Foreign Minister Arzu Deuba Rana will also accompany the Prime Minister during the visit.
Nablus, Sep 6 (AP) Israeli soldiers killed an American woman participating in an anti-settlement protest in the West Bank on Friday, another protester who witnessed the shooting told The Associated Press. Two doctors said she was shot in the head.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the death of the 26-year-old woman but did not say whether she had been shot by Israeli troops. He said the US was gathering more information about the circumstances of her death and would have more to say.
He and the doctors who treated her released the woman's name, but the activist organisation she was volunteering with, the International Solidarity Movement, said her family had asked she not be identified.
The Israeli military said it was looking into reports that troops had killed a foreign national while firing at an instigator of violent activity in the area of the protest.
The woman who was fatally shot was attending a weekly demonstration against settlement expansion, protests that have grown violent in the past: A month ago, American citizen Amado Sison was shot in the leg by Israeli forces, he said, as he tried to flee tear gas and live fire.
Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli who was also participating in the protest, said the shooting occurred shortly after dozens of Palestinians and international activists held a communal prayer on a hillside outside the northern West Bank town of Beita overlooking the Israeli settlement of Evyatar.
Soldiers surrounded the prayer, and clashes soon broke out, with Palestinians throwing stones and troops firing tear gas and live ammunition, Pollak said.
The protesters and activists, including Pollak and the woman, retreated from the hill and the clashes subdued, he said. He then watched as two soldiers standing on the roof of a nearby home trained a gun in the group's direction and shot at them. He saw the flares leave the nozzle of the gun when the shots rang out. He said the woman was about 10 or 15 metres behind him when the shots were fired.
He then saw her lying on the ground, next to an olive tree, bleeding to death, he said.
Two doctors said she had been shot in the head Dr. Ward Basalat, who administered first aid at the scene and Dr. Fouad Naffa, director of Rafidia Hospital in the nearby city of Nablus where she was taken.
We tried to save the American citizen, we tried to revive the heart for several stages, but unfortunately, we did not succeed in restoring the heart to function, Naffa told The AP, adding that she had severe bone fragmentation and damage to brain tissue.
Palestinian officials said the killing reflected how Israel has intensified its repression of Palestinian protests in the territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli forces rarely use live ammunition to put down protests inside Israel. But in the West Bank, Palestinian demonstrations are frequently met with live fire.
Nablus Governor Ghassan Daghals wrote on X that the Israeli occupation wanted to kill for the sake of killing."
A war of extermination in Gaza and a war in the West Bank that eats everything green, he wrote. It does not spare a child or any nationality.
Hussein Al-Sheikh, the secretary general of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, wrote on X that the killing marked another crime added to the series of crimes committed daily by the occupation forces."
Settlements are overwhelmingly viewed by the international community as illegal under international law.
The settlement of Evyatar was initially an outpost unrecognized under Israeli law but was legalized by the Israeli cabinet last month, in a move the far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said was in response to recognition of Palestinian statehood by a number of countries.
Israeli fire has killed over 690 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, attacks by Palestinian militants on Israelis in the territory have also increased. (AP)
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Ramstein Air Base (Germany), Sep 6 (AP) Ukraine needs the ability to strike deep within Russia now, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told US and allied military leaders Friday as Kyiv more fervently pressed the West to loosen weapons use restrictions and allow it to target Russian air bases and launch sites far from the border.
Zelenskyy made the case during an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He appeared to make inroads with some of the defence leaders from the 50-plus partner nations who regularly gather to coordinate weapons aid for the war.
But he did not appear to sway the ally he needs most. After the talks, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back on the idea that long-range strikes would be a game-changer.
I don't believe one capability is going to be decisive and I stand by that comment, Austin said. The Ukrainians have other means to strike long-range targets, he said.
Zelenskyy's request comes after a series of recent deadly Russian airstrikes, including against a Ukrainian military training centre that killed more than 50 and wounded hundreds this week. On Friday, the Kremlin fired five ballistic missiles at the city of Pavlohrad in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring at least 50 people, regional Gov. Serhii Lysak said.
We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the divided territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace, Zelenskyy said. We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.
The question remained whether Zelenskyy could convince President Joe Biden that the US should ease its restrictions as well. While Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire US-provided missiles into Russia in self-defence, the distance has been largely limited to cross-border targets deemed a direct threat, out of concerns about further escalating the conflict.
At the meeting Friday, multiple countries seemed to be persuaded that Ukraine should get the green light, which could add pressure on the Biden administration.
Many countries (are) in favour, said Laurynas Kasciunas, Lithuania's defense minister. Many, many. But the question is not the number of countries, but countries who give (those) missiles.
By announcing Lithuania's support, Kasciunas said, I hope it will help to convince other countries.
Canada's defence minister, Bill Blair, said he hopes other Western allies also get behind the push. Canada does not have long-range munitions it could provide on its own, Blair said.
One of the things President Zelenskyy and his ministers have made very clear to us is that they are suffering significant attacks from air bases and military installations located within Russia, Blair said. We support their request for permission, but it's still a decision of our allies.
Ukraine is now in the midst of its first offensive operations of the war while facing a significant threat from Russian forces near a key hub in the Donbas, and Kyiv is seeing that its time is running short to shore up ongoing military support before the US presidential election in November.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine's surprise assault inside Russia's Kursk region has led to the capture of about 1,300 square kilometres of Russian territory and killed or injured about 6,000 Russian soldiers. But it has not drawn away President Vladimir Putin's focus from taking the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, which provides critical rail and supply links for the Ukrainian army. Losing Pokrovsk could put additional Ukrainian cities at risk.
While Kursk has put Russia on the defensive, we know Putin's malice runs deep, and Moscow is pressing on, especially around Pokrovsk, Austin said.
The Pentagon chief said the US will provide USD 250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defence munitions and artillery.
Zelenskyy, however, said promised weapons systems have been too slow to arrive.
The number of air defence systems that have not yet been delivered is significant, he said.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said those systems, particularly Patriot air defence systems, need to be in Ukraine's hands so it can defend its electrical grid and infrastructure during winter fighting.
As well as resources for air defence and artillery, the meeting aimed to focus on shoring up gains in expanding Ukraine's own defence industrial base so it could be on more solid footing as Biden's term winds down.
Western partner nations are working with Ukraine to source a substitute missile for its Soviet-era S-300 air defence systems, Austin said.
The US is also focused on resourcing a variety of air-to-ground missiles that the newly delivered F-16 fighter jets can carry, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, which could give Ukraine a longer-range cruise missile option, said Bill LaPlante, the Pentagon's top weapons buyer, who spoke to reporters traveling with Austin.
No decisions on the munition have been made, LaPlante said, noting that policymakers would still have to decide whether to give Ukraine the longer-range capability.
I would just put JASSM in that category, it's something that is always being looked at, LaPlante said. Anything that's an air-to-ground weapon is always being looked at.
For the past two years, members of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group have met to resource Ukraine's artillery and air defence needs, ranging from hundreds of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition to some of the West's most sophisticated air defence systems, and now fighter jets. The request this month was more of the same, but it came in person from Zelenskyy.
Since 2022, the member nations together have provided about USD 106 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The US has provided more than USD 56 billion of that total.
The German government said Chancellor Olaf Scholz planned to meet Zelenskyy in Frankfurt later Friday. (AP) GRS
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Nablus, Sep 6 (AP) Israeli soldiers killed an American woman participating in an anti-settlement protest in the West Bank on Friday, another protester who witnessed the shooting told The Associated Press. Two doctors said she was shot in the head.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the death of the 26-year-old woman born in Turkey as Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. He did not say whether she had been shot by Israeli troops. The White House said in a statement it was deeply disturbed by the killing of a US citizen.
Eygi was also a Turkish citizen, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said, adding that the country would exert all effort to ensure that those who killed our citizen is brought to justice.
The Israeli military said it was looking into reports that troops had killed a foreign national while firing at an instigator of violent activity in the area of the protest.
The woman who was fatally shot was attending a weekly demonstration against settlement expansion, protests that have grown violent in the past: A month ago, American citizen Amado Sison was shot in the leg by Israeli forces, he said, as he tried to flee tear gas and live fire.
Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli who was also participating in the protest, said the shooting occurred shortly after dozens of Palestinians and international activists held a communal prayer on a hillside outside the northern West Bank town of Beita overlooking the Israeli settlement of Evyatar.
Soldiers surrounded the prayer, and clashes soon broke out, with Palestinians throwing stones and troops firing tear gas and live ammunition, Pollak said.
The protesters and activists, including Pollak and the woman, retreated from the hill and the clashes subdued, he said. He then watched as two soldiers standing on the roof of a nearby home trained a gun in the group's direction and shot at them. He saw the flares leave the nozzle of the gun when the shots rang out. He said the woman was about 10 or 15 metres behind him when the shots were fired.
He then saw her lying on the ground, next to an olive tree, bleeding to death, he said.
Two doctors said she had been shot in the head Dr. Ward Basalat, who administered first aid at the scene and Dr. Fouad Naffa, director of Rafidia Hospital in the nearby city of Nablus where she was taken.
We tried to save the American citizen, we tried to revive the heart for several stages, but unfortunately, we did not succeed in restoring the heart to function, Naffa told The AP, adding that she had severe bone fragmentation and damage to brain tissue.
Eygi is the third activist from the International Solidarity Movementto have been killed since 2000. ISM activists often place themselves between Israeli forces and Palestinians to try to stop the Israeli military from carrying out operations. Two ISM activists American Rachel Corrie and British photography student Tom Hurndall were killed in Gaza in 2003.
Corrie was crushed to death in March 2003 as she tried to block an Israeli military bulldozer from demolishing a Palestinian home in the southern Gaza town of Rafah near the Egyptian border. Hurndall was shot in the head by an Israeli soldier in April.
It's also one of a handful of cases in which apparent Israeli fire killed Americans inside the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Neither American nor Israeli authorities have released findings into investigations into the twin killings of two Palestinian-American teens, Mohammad Khdour and Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, shot in the span of a month while driving down dirt roads close to their villages in the northern West Bank.
In a written statement shared on X, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said it condemned this murder carried out by the Netanyahu government.
Palestinian officials said the killing reflected how Israel has intensified its repression of Palestinian protests in the territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli forces rarely use live ammunition to put down protests inside Israel. But in the West Bank, Palestinian demonstrations are frequently met with live fire.
Hussein Al-Sheikh, the secretary general of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, wrote on X that the killing marked another crime added to the series of crimes committed daily by the occupation forces."
Settlements are overwhelmingly viewed by the international community as illegal under international law.
The settlement of Evyatar was initially an outpost unrecognized under Israeli law but was legalized by the Israeli cabinet last month, in a move the far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said was in response to recognition of Palestinian statehood by a number of countries.
Israeli fire has killed over 690 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, attacks by Palestinian militants on Israelis in the territory have also increased. (AP)
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New York, Sep 6 (AP) A judge agreed Friday to postpone Donald Trump's sentencing in his hush money case until after the November election, granting him a hard-won reprieve as he navigates the aftermath of his criminal conviction and the homestretch of his presidential campaign.
Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan, who is also weighing a defence request to overturn the verdict on immunity grounds, delayed Trump's sentencing until November 26, several weeks after the final votes are cast in the presidential election.
It had been scheduled for September 18, about seven weeks before Election Day.
Trump's lawyers pushed for the delay on multiple fronts, petitioning the judge and asking a federal court to intervene. They argued that punishing the former president and current Republican nominee in the thick of his campaign to retake the White House would amount to election interference.
Trump's lawyers argued that delaying his sentencing until after the election would also allow him time to weigh next steps after Merchan rules on the defence's request to reverse his conviction and dismiss the case because of the US Supreme Court's July presidential immunity ruling.
In his order Friday, Merchan delayed a decision on that until November 12.
A federal judge on Tuesday rejected Trump's request to have the US District Court in Manhattan to seize the case from Merchan's state court. Had they been successful, Trump's lawyers said they would have then sought to have the verdict overturned and the case dismissed on immunity grounds.
Trump is appealing the federal court ruling.
The Manhattan district attorney's office, which prosecuted Trump's case, deferred to Merchan and did not take a position on the defense's delay request. (AP) GRS
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Chhatarpur (MP), Sep 6 (PTI) Two men wearing masks boarded a private bus and robbed a few passengers at gunpoint in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday, but were arrested within a few hours, police said.
The incident occurred in the morning, the police said, adding that during the probe, it came to light that the duo committed the crime to pay off their loans.
According to the passengers, the accused fired a round in the air when they resisted.
"Two motorbike-borne men waved at the bus, indicating its driver to stop the vehicle at Patharya crossing, about 8 km from district headquarters. The duo then boarded the bus and snatched money from the conductor, a 'mangalsutra' (necklace) and a mobile phone from a woman before fleeing," Superintendent of Police Aagam Jain told reporters.
Accused Rahul Tiwari (20) and Rajendra Patel (18), hailing from Banda district in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh were arrested within a few hours and booked under robbery and other charges of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), he said.
Both of them told the police that they committed the crime to pay off their loans which they had taken to purchase motorcycles, the SP said.
Talking about the incident, bus driver Kishori Kushwaha said after the two robbers waved at the crossing, I stopped the vehicle with 20-odd people on the board, thinking the two wanted to board it.
The bus on its way to Satna district from Chhatarpur.
"After a while one of them whipped out a firearm and threatened the passengers. They snatched jewellery and cash from women sitting in the front row. When these women protested, a shot was fired in the air," he added.
Harendra Mishra, a passenger in the bus, said, "We were travelling by bus, when two men stopped the vehicle at Pathariya crossing. Soon after boarding it, they started robbing the passengers."
Both of them had covered their faces. While one was armed with a country-made pistol, the other one carried a stick, he said.
One of the robbers put the firearm at the temple of the driver, abused him and took the keys of the bus from him, he said.
"One by one, they snatched away the money, mobile phones and mangalsutras of passengers. A round was fired in the air when the passengers protested," Mishra said.
Aarti Ahirwar, a Dalit woman who was robbed by them, said she boarded the bus with her family members from Lavkush Nagar to reach Rajnagar in the district.
"The robbers snatched my mangalsutra and took away my child's gold locket and Rs 18,000 from my husband," she said.
Ahitwar said she and her husband were labourers and worked in Delhi to earn livelihood.
According to her, she had returned home for the treatment of her daughter, who recently lost her eyesight.
Mumbai, Sep 6 (PTI) NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Friday said the squabbling among the ruling Mahayuti allies in Maharashtra over taking credit for the `Ladki Bahin' scheme was unfortunate, and it has exposed the real intentions of the government.
The Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP government began to feel affection for "Bahin" (sisters/women) only after facing a debacle in the Lok Sabha elections, she claimed, talking to reporters here.
Sule's estranged cousin and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar is a deputy Chief Minister.
"Ladki Bahin scheme was not brought in for women's empowerment, but for selfish political interests," the Baramati MP said.
"It is unfortunate that hard-working and self-respecting women are being misled into feeling that they should trust this government. Ministers are fighting with each other to claim credit. This is an insult to the brother-sister relations," she said.
Women receive Rs 1,500 per month under the scheme, launched months before the assembly elections.
Earlier in the day, Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai, who belongs to the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, expressed disappointment over deputy CM Pawar virtually "hijacking" the scheme.
"The scheme has 'chief minister' in the title, and removing it is inappropriate. It should not have been done," Desai said.
Ajit Pawar, who is also the finance minister, last month launched his party's 'Jan Sanman Yatra', a public outreach programme. The promotional material used during the campaign mentioned 'Majhi Ladki Bahin' scheme instead of the full name 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin' scheme.
Mumbai, Sep 6 (PTI) Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Friday said it was a shame followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar fell for the Congress' fake narrative that the BJP would change the Constitution if it won 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.
BJP leaders have often said the narrative cost them dearly in the Lok Sabha polls, results of which were announced on June 4. The party lost its majority in the Lok Sabha and ended up with just 240 seats.
Speaking at a 'Samvidhan Jagar Yatra', which has been organised by the BJP across the state to counter this narrative of the opposition, Rijiju said, "The Congress has consistently marginalised the legacy of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. A review of parliamentary records reveals that even the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi, who secured more than 400 Lok Sabha seats in the 1980s, opposed reservations."
"It is a matter of shame that individuals who follow Dr Ambedkar are susceptible to the narrative propagated by the Congress that the BJP would change the Constitution. Even one person who believes in the teachings of Dr Ambedkar but votes for the Congress is a matter of shame for all of us. It is incomprehensible," he asserted.
The treatment meted out to Babasaheb Ambedkar by the Congress was not a 1000-year-old episode but something that is properly documented as it took place just some decades ago, he added.
"Despite this, the Congress said the BJP will change the Constitution and lakhs of people from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes fell prey to the narrative. We are educated people who have seen the world. How can we be so gullible? I wish Babasaheb Ambedkar had written a book about the humiliation he faced from the Congress," Rijiju said.
The Union minister said the government will announce special economic packages for areas associated with the legendary social icon and jurist, including infrastructure, schools, hostels and training centres.
"I will visit those places and announce such projects. There will be classrooms, hostels, skill development and training centres dedicated to women. The financial package has already been designed," he said.
The Congress had turned the Union minority affairs ministry into the "Muslim affairs ministry" though there are six minority communities, namely Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Jains and Parsi, in the country, he said.
"During the Congress, the head of the ministry was always a Muslim. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Buddhist like me is heading the ministry. A Sikh heads the National Commission for Minority Affairs," he told the gathering.
Kolkata, Sep 6 (PTI)The West Bengal BJP on Friday organised a statewide "Chakka jam" (road blockade) programme in several parts of the city and in districts for an hour demanding justice for the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case and also the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
As part of the protest, BJP workers burnt tyres at multiple locations and shouted slogans seeking justice for the victim and the resignation of the chief minister, who also holds the health and home department portfolios.
In Kolkata, protesters blocked roads in areas like Shyambazar, Lake Town, VIP Road, Salt Lake, Karunamoyee, Behala, and Rajpur, among others from 1 pm to 2 pm.
Similar protests were held in Birbhum, Paschim Bardhaman and Paschim Medinpur districts, where tyres were burnt, causing brief disruption to traffic movement.
Protesters also carried placards and shouted slogans.
This protest is part of the ongoing demonstrations by the BJP, as announced by Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar. The party has organised several protests in the past, including one by its women's wing.
Kolkata, Sep 6 (PTI) West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Friday referred the anti-rape Bill passed by the assembly to President Droupadi Murmu for her consideration, a Raj Bhavan official said.
Bose, who was handed over the technical report of the bill by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant earlier in the day, referred the Bill to Murmu after going through it, he said.
"Governor refers the 'Aparajita Bill' to President Droupadi Murmu for consideration. He referred it after receiving the mandatory technical report from the state government," the official told PTI.
Bose had on Thursday criticised the Mamata Banerjee administration for "failing to send" the technical report along with the Bill, which is necessary for giving assent to it.
The West Bengal assembly had on September 3 unanimously passed the 'Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024' that seeks capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state, and life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.
On September 6, the countries that make up the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) will meet again in Germany. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend the 24th meeting in the Ramstein format.
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Traditionally, the focus of the partners' attention will be on strengthening Ukraine's air defense, but the head of state will also raise another very important issue: lifting the restrictions imposed by the allies on the use of Western weapons to hit targets in Russian rear. OBOZ.UA analyzed what Ukraine can expect from the next Ramstein.
Zelensky at the Ramstein meeting: why is the president going to Germany?
The fact that Zelenskyy is expected to attend the Ramstein meeting on September 6 was reported, in particular, by Spiegel.
The need for the president's personal participation in a meeting of the coalition that has united more than 50 countries to help Ukraine is due to several factors. First, Zelenskyy wants to personally ask his partners to continue supplying weapons to repel the Russian invasion. The supply of long-range missiles and additional air defense systems is a particularly acute question today.
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In order to convince his partners, Spiegel notes that Zelenskyy will personally tell them how serious the situation at the front is.
At the same time, the publication suggests that the visit of the Ukrainian president will make the meeting "more political."
In addition to Zelenskyy, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will take part in the Ramstein meeting. The day before, on September 5, he met with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius, and the head of Ukraine's defense ministry also visited the United States.
According to Spiegel, during the meeting, Pistorius and Umerov were to discuss whether Berlin would be able to assemble additional arms packages in the coming months despite the situation with Germany's budget.
The main priority is protecting Ukrainian skies
Strengthening Ukraine's air defense will be one of the main topics of the next meeting in the Ramstein format. This issue has become particularly acute after Russia's recent brutal massive strikes on Lviv, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, and Poltava.
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The fact that Russia is attacking civilians and infrastructure without even hiding the fact that it is doing so deliberately has shocked the world again. Thus, US President Joe Biden called the latest attacks "Putin's outrageous attempts to break the will of a free people" and promised that the US would continue to "stand with the Ukrainians, including by providing air defense systems and whatever is needed to protect the country."
EU Foreign Policy Spokesperson Peter Stano also said that the attacks on civilians are "another targeted bloodshed" and evidence that Russia seeks to "cause the highest possible loss of life and inflict large-scale devastation" in Ukraine as possible. He emphasized that the European Union is not abandoning its course of strengthening military support, including the transfer of air defense systems and ammunition. After all, "these deliveries strengthen Ukrainian self-defence and save innocent lives."
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In particular, Germany has announced its intention to transfer additional air defense systems to Ukraine. According to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the government has ordered 17 IRIS-T systems of various ranges from the industry. The first systems are to be delivered this year, the rest - in 2025.
"This is another proof that Germany's support for Ukraine is not weakening. We have planned ahead, signed defense contracts and secured funding in time so that Ukraine can continue to rely on us fully," Scholz said while visiting the Todendorf military base where Ukrainian troops are being trained.
Meanwhile, the UK is preparing to provide the Ukrainian Defense Forces with 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) to strengthen its air defense. The total value of the aid, which will help protect Ukraine from Russian missile and drone attacks, is 162 million ($213 million).
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The package will be announced at the Ramstein September 6 meeting by British Defense Secretary John Healey.
"At the 24th meeting of the group, the Secretary of Defense will voice Britain's unwavering commitment to Ukraine and call on allies to continue to supply Ukraine with vital equipment," the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The British-made LMM missiles are versatile and can be launched from a variety of platforms on land, sea and air. The first batch of weapons is scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2024.
Strikes deep in Russia: Ukraine will ask to lift restrictions on the use of Western weapons
The issue of lifting the restrictions imposed by our partners on the use of Western long-range weapons to strike military targets deep in Russia is also extremely important for Ukraine. Zelenskyy is expected to address the partners with a corresponding call.
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On the eve of the meeting, the head of state named four states on which the decision on this issue actually depends. These are the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, which are members of the Ramstein coalition.
Washington seems not ready to lift the restrictions yet. As White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby noted on September 5, despite the fact that the United States condemns Russian attacks and reserves Ukraine's right to defend itself, it is more "focused" on discussing strengthening air defense. The policy on long-range strikes inside Russia and on Russian territory remains unchanged.
"I also think it's important to point out that 90% of the aircraft that Russia uses for guided bombs and long-range strikes, we estimate that 90% of them are located outside of 300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, deep inside Russia. So the argument that you just give them ATACMS and say, 'Okay,' that they will be able to operate and hit most of the Russian aircraft and air bases that are actually used to strike them is not true, it's a misconception," Kirby said without mentioning that Russia began moving its aircraft away from Ukraine not long ago, at a time when Kyiv was unsuccessfully seeking permission from the White House to use American weapons to hit military airfields in Russia.
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At the same time, before the Ramstein, Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov went on a small "tour" and visited the United States, Germany, France, and Britain, which are capable of resolving the issue of a ban on strikes on Russian territory. In all four countries, the Ukrainian defense minister held talks with his counterparts. It will be clear today whether he succeeded in convincing his partners to at least ease the restrictions, if not to cancel them.
Earlier, the Pentagon voiced its stance on ATACMS strikes on targets in Russia. It is believed that 90% of the airfields from which Russian planes launch missiles at Ukraine are inaccessible to the long-range ATACMS missiles that the Ukrainian Defense Forces received from Washington. Therefore, the use of these weapons against Russian military targets, the Pentagon noted, does not have "sufficient strategic value."
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Bhubaneswar, Sep 6 (PTI) The BJD on Friday expelled its Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar for "anti-party activities", soon after he tendered his resignation from the Upper House of Parliament.
The opposition BJD said Kumar has let down the party which sent him to the Rajya Sabha.
In an order, BJD president and former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said that Kumar has also let the aspirations of people of Kalahandi down.
In his resignation letter to the Rajya Sabha chairman, Kumar said he took the decision consciously.
I take this oppostiunity to express my profuse gratitude to you for the opportunities provided to me to raise issues of public importance, and of my state Odisha, in the House, Kumar said in the resignation letter.
This comes a month after Kudumi community leader Mamata Mohanta resigned from the Rajya Sabha and the BJD. She was recently elected unopposed to the Upper House of Parliament as a BJP MP.
Ranchi, Sep 6 (PTI) In a major decision, the Jharkhand cabinet on Friday approved Rs 5 lakh medical insurance for lawyers in the state, a move which is likely to benefit about 30,000 lawyers in the state.
The cabinet also cleared a proposal to increase the pension to advocates aged 65 years and above to Rs 14,000 per month from Rs 7,000.
The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The cabinet also gave a nod to a proposal to provide a stipend of Rs 5,000 every month to the newly enrolled advocates.
An official statement said the approval was given to make a grant-in-aid of Rs 1.5 crore to Jharkhand Advocate Welfare Fund Trustee Committee for the financial year 2024-25 for giving the amount of Rs 5,000.
It added that approval was given to pay a grant of a total amount of Rs nine crore to the Jharkhand Advocate Welfare Fund Trustee Committee in the financial year 2024-25 for providing the benefit of Jharkhand State Health Insurance Scheme provided to the State employees / retired employees.
Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan said that Jharkhand is the only state to implement the welfare of advocates and it is going to set an example for the entire country.
He said that Chief Minister Hemant Soren has fulfilled his promises made to lawyers at a meeting held with them last year.
Various lawyers' bodies hailed the decision.
The chief minister said the decision for the welfare of advocates will prove to be a historic one.
Soren in a post on X said: "For the first time in the country....The state government will now provide monthly financial assistance to all new advocates of the state for five years so that they can get the strength to stay in this profession in the initial days."
"I am confident that taking advantage of this decision, young men and women from poor families will also now mark their strong presence in the temple of justice. Hearty congratulations and johar to everyone!" he added.
The cabinet took several other decisions, including the construction of a hostel for tribal students, at a cost of about Rs 50 crore.
The proposal to cover women aged 18 years and above under the state-run "Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Mainiya Samman Yojana" was also approved to provide financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1,000 per month to them.
Earlier, the scheme was applicable to only those women who had attained the age of 21 years.
The cabinet also approved a proposal to exit from the centrally sponsored Fast Track Special Court Scheme while continuing the operation of 22 Fast Track Special Courts specially constituted in the state as per the current system by the State Government for execution of Rape and POCSO related cases.
Kolkata, Sep 6 (PTI) Residents of Durga Pituri Lane in the citys Bowbazar area on Friday engaged in a verbal duel with Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRCL) officials over persistent cracks and water leaks in local buildings, which they allege have been caused by drilling operations.
KMRCL evacuated 52 people and relocated them on Thursday night to local hotels as a precautionary measure. This action followed reports of underground water leak during tunnel drilling in the Sealdah-Esplanade stertch of the east-west Metro corridor.
A KMRCL official said, "We have moved 52 people from 11 families to four nearby hotels as a precaution. Engineers said the leak has been contained, but we will monitor the situation for another day or two before allowing residents to return."
Despite this, residents voiced their frustration, claiming that no one was taking responsibility for the ongoing issues.
Local councillor Biswarup Dey expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "People are fed up. Since 2019, KMRCL has failed to provide a deadline for resolving these issues. No one is taking responsibility, and people have been displaced from their homes."
Residents of the Bowbazar area in central Kolkata demanded accountability from officials, with one of them commenting, "Every officer is shifting their responsibility to someone else. We want someone to take responsibility."
In response, residents briefly blocked access to the Central Metro station, causing inconvenience to passengers during office hours. The Kolkata Police intervened swiftly to restore order.
The issues of subsidence and building cracks have been ongoing since 2022, with significant damage reported in Durga Pituri in 2022 and 2023. The situation remains volatile with residents threatening to protest on the Metro tracks if their concerns are not addressed.
New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) The Border Security Force (BSF) has asked its Bangladeshi counterpart, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), to "prevent" citizens of the neighbouring country from illegally entering India in the wake of the Sheikh Hasina government's fall in August, the force said on Friday.
The BSF also said it is committed to maintaining the sanctity of the 4,096-km international boundary, along with ensuring the safety and security of the border population.
Since August 12, both the border-guarding forces -- BSF and BGB -- had 722 meetings at various levels, the force said after the meeting of a special committee appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which was held in Kolkata on Thursday.
Both the border-guarding forces carried out 1,367 simultaneous coordinated patrolling (SCP) in vulnerable border patches, the BSF said in a statement.
"During these border meetings, BGB officials have been apprised to prevent Bangladeshi nationals from illegally infiltrating into Indian territory. The BGB has assured to take all steps for the safety of Indian citizens and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh," it added.
Officials of both the forces are in constant contact and sharing information on various operational matters on a real-time basis, the statement said.
The MHA has formed the committee of senior officers, headed by the additional director general (ADG) of the Kolkata-headquartered eastern command of the BSF, to ensure the "safety and security of Indian nationals, Hindus and other minority communities" living in Bangladesh.
New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) Basic science concepts like sound travel, pinhole camera will be presented in an engaging manner to students at the upcoming NDMC's Science Park through 16 different exhibits, an official said.
The NDMC's Science Park, which was supposed to be opened in July, has missed multiple deadlines but according to officials, it is likely to be opened to public in a month.
The Science Park will exhibit 16 models, elucidating different scientific concepts, including 'Sargam ke Swar' explaining the concept of sound and square-wheel cycle explaining the rolling of planks on a cylindrical surface, an NDMC official said.
The idea behind the park is to impart scientific knowledge to students while playing because science enhances critical thinking, the official said.
According to the official, some of the interesting models include the Echo Tube explaining the reflection of sound, self-climbing roller explaining motion against gravity, the pinhole camera explaining the formation of images, and Newton's colour disc explaining the white light comprising seven colours.
Other models are parabolic dishes, periscope and double periscope, lever reduce effort, clutch and gear, DNA double helix, human digestive system, periodic table, crystal structure, pythagoras theorem, and parabolic reflector, explaining different concepts of science, the official said.
According to the official, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the National Science Centre to develop the park along with a Teacher Training Centre as the NDMC aims to make a self-reliant India and not limit children to bookish knowledge only but also to give them information about the use of practical science.
The Science Park is situated at NDMC's Science and Humanities Centre at the Tughlaq Crescent Road here and is in its final stage of completion. It will be open for students soon, the officer added.
New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea filed by former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh 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 Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said as an accused Ghosh has no locus to impleaded in the plea.
"As an accused you have no locus to intervene in the PIL, where the Calcutta high court is monitoring the investigation," the bench said.
The murder and alleged rape of a junior doctor at the state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests.
The medic's body with severe injury marks was found in the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.
The high court's August 23 order had come on a petition by 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 the tenure of Ghosh.
The high court had also dismissed Ghosh's plea to be added as a party in the petition, holding that he was not a "necessary party" in the matter.
New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) A PIL seeking a ban on OTT series 'IC-814: The Kandahar hijack' for allegedly not revealing the real identities of the hijackers was withdrawn from the Delhi High Court on Friday.
Petitioner Surjit Singh Yadav's counsel said since Netflix has now issued a disclaimer carrying the "names of the terrorists" in the series portraying the 1999 hijack of an Indian Airlines flight by Pakistan-based terror outfit Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, he did not wish to press his plea.
"The counsel for the petitioner said in view of the disclaimer inserted by respondents, he does not wish to press the present writ," a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said.
Disposing of the plea, Justice Manmohan remarked that for "completion", the makers could consider having another episode on the court proceedings in relation to the incident.
"There is a judgement of the Punjab & Haryana High Court. Complete picture will emerge," he said.
The petitioner's counsel said his grievance was the movie did not disclose the actual names of the hijackers and anybody who saw it would believe their actual names were 'Bhola' and 'Shankar'-- both Lord Shiva's names.
The petitioner alleged that the "erroneous" depiction of the real hijackers hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community.
Yadav, a farmer and president of Hindu Sena, therefore sought a direction to the Centre and Maharashtra government to cancel the Central Board of Film Certification certificate and ban the series for public viewing.
"The distortion of crucial facts about the real identities of the hijackers not only misrepresents historical events but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misinformation, warranting interference of this court to prevent further public misunderstanding and potential harm," the plea alleged.
Following a controversy over the depiction of the hijackers' "code names," Netflix updated the opening disclaimer to the series earlier this week.
The move came after the central government summoned the content head of OTT platform seeking an explanation on the allegedly contentious aspects of the OTT series
The series, directed by Anubhav Sinha, was released on Netflix on August 29.
It is inspired by real events including an adaptation of the book titled 'Flight Into Fear' written by Captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury.
New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Bhushan Steel's former promoter Neeraj Singal in a money laundering case arising from an alleged bank fraud of Rs 46,000 crore.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar noted that Singal has been in jail for 16 months and the trial was not likely to be over soon.
"The appellant will surrender his passport and not leave India without permission of court. In case there is any violation, it will be open to prosecution to seek recall of the order," the bench said.
Singal has appealed against the January 8 order of the Delhi High Court by which his bail plea and petition challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case were dismissed.
The ED had alleged before the high court that Singal was involved in one of the biggest banking frauds coupled with the offence of money laundering which caused a loss of more than Rs 46,000 crore of public money.
Vijayawada, Sep 6 (PTI) The Engineering Task Force of the Indian Army has arrived here and is working on war footing to close the breaches of Budameru, a rivulet in Vijayawada, which wreaked havoc in the city with floods, the state government said on Friday.
Two breaches have been closed and the most difficult third breach is being worked on by the task force, along with the state government machinery.
"The Engineering Task Force of the Indian Army is engaged in closing the breaches. Two breaches have been closed by officials on a war footing and with the cooperation of Army officials, the most difficult third breach is being worked upon," said the release.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with officials on Friday and enquired about the progress being made in closing the breaches.
He directed officials to close the third breach as soon as possible by roping in all the departments and also checked about power restoration, telecom signal connectivity and drinking water supply through tankers.
The CM also enquired about the distribution of six essential necessities to flood victims and the officials informed him that the things were packed, and the distribution had begun.
A fleet of vehicles has already been readied on Vijayawada BRTS road to distribute the essentials, which include 25 kg of rice, 1 kg dal, 1kg sugar, 2 kg onions, 2 kg of potatoes and 1 litre of cooking oil for the victims.
Civil Supplies Minister N Manohar said that 1,200 vehicles have been readied for distribution.
In the wake of widespread flood damage to vehicles and electric appliances, Naidu observed that technicians should be called from other places for repairs.
"If needed, give some compensation to technicians and mechanics from other places," said Naidu in an release while reviewing relief work with senior officials on the sixth day of the deluge.
Similarly, he also enquired about sanitation work and the deployment of fire engines to clean roads, colonies and houses from the mud and slush dumped by the deluge.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met with flood-affected farmers at Kesarapalli village, accompanied by Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu, Minister of State for Rural Development Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar and others.
Atchannaidu explained to the union minister about the damage in the flood-hit areas.
The farmers appealed for immediate Central help and the union minister promised compensation as soon as possible, while Atchannaidu assured help for every acre to save the farmers.
Meanwhile, a first-level warning has been issued at Dowleswaram as the Godavari river is receiving flood inflows, prompting Atchannaidu to hold an urgent review meeting with agriculture officials.
He directed officials in six districts to be on alert.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Thursday vowed to keep the pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to leave office in January.
She also urged the international community to rise to the occasion by immediately recognizing her factions presidential candidate as the winner of the election in July, and implement measures to hold government officials accountable for abuses unleashed after the vote.
Machado, speaking to reporters online from an undisclosed location in Venezuela, reaffirmed her commitment to negotiate incentives and guarantees that could lead to a peaceful transition of power.
We, the Venezuelan people, have done everything, she said. We competed with the rules of tyranny and we won, and we proved it. So, if the world or some government is thinking of looking the other way, imagine where sovereign will and popular sovereignty end up in the Western world. It would mean that elections are worthless.
Her comments came three days after the countrys justice system, which is loyal to the ruling party, issued an arrest warrant for former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez, who represented the main opposition coalition in the July 28 election.
While the National Electoral Council stacked with ruling party supporters declared Maduro the winner, it never released vote tallies backing their claim. However, the opposition coalition claimed that 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.
Thousands of people, including minors, took to the streets across Venezuela hours after the electoral councils announcement. 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.
Maduros government responded to the demonstrations with full force. A Wednesday report from Human Rights Watch implicated state security forces and gangs aligned with the ruling party in some of the 24 deaths that occurred during the protests.
They have no limits in their cruelty, Machado told reporters Thursday.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday condemned the unjustified arrest warrant of Gonzalez, characterizing it as another example of Mr. Maduros efforts to maintain power by force. Kirby said the U.S. is considering a range of options to show Maduro and his allies that their actions in Venezuela will have consequences.
Under the Biden administration, Venezuelas government has been granted various forms of economic relief from economic sanctions the U.S. imposed over the years to try to topple Maduro. Earlier this year, it ended some of the relief when the government increased repression efforts against members of the opposition, civil society and others it considers as adversaries.
Attorney General Tarek William Saab, a staunch Maduro ally, on Thursday insisted his office had sought the warrant because Gonzalez, 75, failed to appear three times to answer questions in a criminal investigation focused on the publication online of the tally sheets obtained by the opposition. Saab told reporters that the publication constitutes an usurpation of powers exclusive of the National Electoral Council and claimed that the oppositions vote records are false.
You shared the website on your (social media) networks, Saab said, referring to Gonzalez. Explain why you shared it if it is false.
Saabs claim contradicts experts from the United Nations and the Carter Center, which at the invitation of Maduros government observed the election and then determined the results announced by electoral authorities lacked credibility. In a statement critical of the election, the U.N. experts stopped short of validating the oppositions claim to victory, but they said the factions voting records published online appear to exhibit all of the original security features.
(AP)
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has responded to Russian dictator Putin's sudden "praise" of his opponent Kamala Harris. The former US president said that he could not decide whether Putin had helped him or insulted him.
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Trump said this during a speech at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday, September 5. The US presidential candidate admitted that he does not know how to evaluate the Kremlin leader's statements.
"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.
As a reminder, Russian dictator Putin revealed that the aggressor country would "support" Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The dictator said that previously the "favorite" in Russia was US President Joe Biden, who will not participate in the presidential race.
"As for the favorites, it is not for us to determine. This is the choice of the American people. Our favorite, so to speak, was Mr. Biden. He was withdrawn from the race, but he recommended supporting Ms. Harris. And we will do so, we will support her," the dictator said.
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Putin also noted that Harris has a "contagious laugh," so she is "doing well." The Russian president noted that if Harris is doing well, he hopes that sanctions against Russia will be eased if she wins.
After that, Sky News wrote that Putin's statements demonstrate the Russian dictator's "smile and intrigue" because he "does not always say what he thinks."
As reported earlier, Donald Trump commented on the charges brought against him by the special prosecutor over the events of January 6, 2021. The politician said that he had "every right" to interfere in the presidential election.
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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 Trumps 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. Cant go on the way we are now.
Trump also promised to cut 10 government regulations for every new regulation implemented if hes 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 Clintons 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.
(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 Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The WhisperGate attacks in January 2022 could be considered Russias first shot in the war, said William DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBIs Baltimore field office. The cyberattacks penetrated U.S. companies and targeted Ukraines 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 werent 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.
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 Russias 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.
(AP)
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 Toros 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 Trumps 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 watchdogs findings, the secretarys lawyer, Michael Bromwich, said Del Toros 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 Trumps name.
Special counsel Hampton Dellinger said in his report that Del Toro crossed a legal line. And he said the secretarys 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.
(AP)
Fewer adolescents are vaping this year than at any point in the last decade, government officials reported Thursday, pointing to a shrinking number of high school students who are using Elf Bar and other fruity, unauthorized e-cigarettes.
The latest survey numbers show the teen vaping rate fell to under 6% this year, down from 7.7% in 2023. More than 1.6 million students reported vaping in the previous month about one-third the number in 2019, when underage vaping peaked with the use of discrete, high-nicotine e-cigarettes like Juul.
This years decline was mainly driven by a half-million fewer high school students who reported using e-cigarettes in the past month, officials said. Vaping was unchanged among middle schoolers, but remains less common in that group, at 3.5% of students.
This is a monumental public health win, FDAs tobacco director Brian King told reporters. But we cant rest on our laurels. Theres clearly more work to do to further reduce youth use.
King and other officials noted that the drop in vaping didnt coincide with a rise in other tobacco industry products, such as nicotine pouches.
Sales of small, flavored pouches like Zyn have surged among adults. The subject of viral videos on social media platforms, the pouches come in flavors like mint and cinnamon and slowly release nicotine when placed along the gumline. This years U.S. survey shows 1.8% of teens are using them, largely unchanged from last year.
Our guard is up, King said. Were aware of the reported growing sales trends and were closely monitoring the evolving tobacco product landscape.
The federal survey involved more than 29,000 students in grades 6 through 12 who filled out an online questionnaire in the spring. Health officials consider the survey to be their best measure of youth tobacco and nicotine trends. Thursdays update focused on vaping products and nicotine pouches, but the full publication will eventually include rates of cigarette and cigar smoking, which have also hit historic lows in recent years.
Officials from the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attributed the big drop in vaping to recent age restrictions and more aggressive enforcement against retailers and manufacturers, including Chinese vaping companies who have sold their e-cigarettes illegally in the U.S. for years.
Use of the most popular e-cigarette among teens, Elf Bar, fell 36% in the wake of FDA warning letters to stores and distributors selling the brightly colored vapes, which come in flavors like watermelon ice and peach mango. The brand is part of a wave of cheap, disposable e-cigarettes from China that have taken over a large portion of the U.S. vaping market. The FDA has tried to block such imports, although Elf Bar and other brands have tried to find workarounds by changing their names, addresses and logos.
Teen use of major American e-cigarettes like Vuse and Juul remained significant, with about 12% of teens who vape reporting use of those those brands.
In 2020, FDA regulators banned fruit and candy flavors from reusable e-cigarettes like Juul, which are now only sold in menthol and tobacco. But the flavor restriction didnt apply to disposable products, and companies like Elf Bar stepped in to fill the gap.
Other key findings in the report:
Among students who current use e-cigarettes, about 26% said they vape daily.
Nearly 90% of the students who vape used flavored products, with fruit flavors as the overwhelming favorite.
Zyn is the most common nicotine pouch among teens who use the products.
(AP)
Ukraines 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 countrys new chief diplomat. He replaced Dmytro Kuleba, who became one of Ukraines most recognizable faces on the international stage as he petitioned and pleaded with Western countries to support Ukraines war effort.
Sybiha, 49, has been working as Kulebas deputy since April.
Zelenskyy wants to replace almost a dozen top officials in his biggest government shake-up since Russias full-scale invasion started on Feb. 24, 2022. Other changes included the heads of strategic industries, justice, natural resources and farming.
Parliaments 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 countrys resolve. Ukraines power grid is under severe strain after Russian missiles and drones knocked out around 70% of the countrys generation capacity. That could mean going without heat and water.
On the battlefield, Ukraine is waiting to see whether the militarys gamble with its surprise thrust into Russias Kursk border region a month ago pays dividends. Meanwhile, outgunned Ukrainian soldiers are gradually being pushed backward by Russias monthslong drive deeper into eastern Ukraine, and Ukrainian civilians are at the mercy of Russias 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, Ukraines Interior Ministry said Thursday. A search and rescue operation was continuing.
No major policy changes were expected under the new administration. Zelenskyys 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 presidents office, takes on the role as Ukraine endeavors to prevent war fatigue from eroding the Wests commitment.
Kyiv officials will also have to navigate the result of the U.S. election in November, which could produce important policy shifts in Washington.
Top of Ukraines wish list at the moment are more Western air defense 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 U.S. military leaders, including Defense 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 hasnt 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 defense minister Oleksii Reznikov quit a year ago, after Zelenskyy said that he would be replaced and named his successor.
(AP)
A Pakistani national residing in Canada has been charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS after allegedly plotting a mass shooting targeting Jewish communities in Brooklyn, New York. Federal prosecutors revealed the details on Friday, describing the alleged plan as an attempt to slaughter as many Jewish people as possible.
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was arrested in Canada earlier this week. According to the criminal complaint, he had been planning to travel to New York to carry out a terrorist attack at a Jewish center in Brooklyn. Khan began expressing his support for ISIS on social media and encrypted messaging platforms in November of last year, the complaint said.
While Khans plot was described by an NYPD official as aspirational rather than fully operational, the investigation revealed his intent to target a Jewish center, though the specific location appeared flexible. Law enforcement officials also believe that Khan lacked access to a weapon, prompting him to communicate with undercover agents.
Khan allegedly told the undercover agents about his plans for a coordinated assault involving AR-style rifles, aiming to target Israeli Jewish chabads. According to the charges, Khan expressed a preference for carrying out the attack on October 7 or October 11, which coincide with the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel and Yom Kippur, respectively.
Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a statement announcing the charges, saying, The defendant is alleged to have planned a terrorist attack in New York City around October 7th of this year with the stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible. Garland added, Jewish communities like all communities in this country should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fueled terrorist attack.
In response to the potential threat, the NYPD has announced plans to increase security in Jewish neighborhoods ahead of the high holy days. A security briefing for community leaders was already scheduled for Monday at NYPD headquarters.
Khan faces one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
(YWN World Headquarters NYC)
A captured senior Hamas official has revealed a plan by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to smuggle himself, other leaders, and Israeli hostages through the Philadelphi Corridor to Sinai and eventually to Iran, according to a report by the Jewish Chronicle.
The plan was uncovered during the officials interrogation by Israeli security forces and from documents seized last week, the same day the bodies of six murdered hostages were retrieved.
Sinwar allegedly believes Hamass end is near and seeks to escape to Iran. Therefore, Hamas is insisting on Israel withdrawing from the Philadelphi Corridor, which runs along the Egyptian border.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Netanyahu denied reports of a looming deal with Hamas, calling it a false narrative. He emphasized the importance of maintaining control over the Philadelphi Corridor, saying:
It prevents Gaza from becoming this Iranian terror enclave again and its also the way to prevent them from smuggling hostages into Egypt, into the Sinai, where they could disappear, and then theyll end up in Iran or in Yemen, and theyre lost forever.
(YWN World Headquarters NYC)
A group of Jewish students from CUNYs City College were berated and told to go back to Brooklyn by anti-Israel protesters outside a kosher deli in Midtown South on Tuesday.
Moti Zilber, owner of Mr. Broadway Deli, described the scene as very scary and likened it to Nazi-era Germany, saying, It feels like were in Germany over here.
The protesters, masked and chanting antisemitic slogans, blocked the entrance and shouted vulgarities at the students, including Back to Brooklyn, out the Middle East and From the river to the sea.
Zilber stated, They yelled all kinds of racist things at the students These were young, violent kids who you cant even talk to.
The NYPD responded to a call from the restaurant around 9:30 a.m., and the demonstrators eventually dispersed without further incident.
The incident occurred as City College students met with Hillel International, the worlds largest Jewish campus organization, and comes amid renewed college protests over the war in Gaza.
Columbia University saw dozens of anti-Israel demonstrators on Tuesday, with two arrests made at Barnard College.
(YWN World Headquarters NYC)
Israeli police announced that five Palestinians were detained earlier this week while attempting to illegally enter Jerusalem from the Judean Desert, disguised as Jewish commuters. The suspects were stopped by Border Police officers at the az-Zaayyem crossing near Maale Adumim.
The vehicle they were traveling in displayed several items designed to suggest Jewish identity, including a yellow ribbon on the mirror to show solidarity with hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, and an Israeli flag air freshener. During questioning, it was revealed that the driver and three passengers were residents of Yehuda and the Shomron without permits to enter Jerusalem. The suspects were also found carrying Israeli flags, a yarmulke, and a wig.
Further inspection of the vehicle revealed a fifth Palestinian hidden in the trunk. The vehicles original Palestinian Authority license plates had been replaced with stolen Israeli plates, police said.
Four of the suspects have been indicted for attempting to illegally cross the Green Line. The driver was arrested, and a court extended her detention until August 8.
This incident follows a pattern of illegal infiltration attempts. Last month, Israeli security forces arrested three illegal infiltrators from Gaza near the Jewish community of Ofra, though two of them were released shortly after, without explanation.
Israeli Border Police have detained over 8,000 illegal infiltrators since the beginning of 2024, according to data released in June. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir emphasized the governments strict approach toward illegal infiltrators, saying, My policy regarding illegals, who are a platform for terrorism, is very clearzero tolerance!
In a separate incident in November, Jerusalem police arrested 11 Palestinians, including the sister of a Hamas terrorist, during a raid at Al-Makassed Islamic Charitable Society Hospital on Har Hazeisim.
(YWN World Headquarters NYC)
Entrepreneur turned campaigner Dave Fishwick has revealed the things he wants everyone to know about keeping their mobile phone safe from thieves, after he spent a day 'catching baddies' with City of London police officers.
Fishwick, known as the star of the Bank of Dave documentary and film, spent a day on patrol in a segment filmed for ITV's Good Morning Britain to highlight the phone stealing epidemic.
And now he has told This is Money the essential things he wants everyone to do to stop themselves becoming a target.
Caught out: Fishwick on patrol with Stu Ford from the City of London police, apprehending potential mobile phone thieves using illegal e-bikes
Fishwick hit the streets with Sergeant Stu Ford, part of the team that this year apprehended Sonny Stringer - as seen in the video below.
One of the most notorious London phone thieves, Stringer admitted snatching 24 devices in a single morning in the City of London in March, and was sentenced to two years in prison.
The Government pledged to crack down on the phone snatching crimewave this week, after it was revealed that incidents soared by 150 per cent in the year to March 2024.
Some 78,000 people had their phone or bag snatched on Britain's streets in that time, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales.
It is not the loss of the phone that is the primary concern, as thieves' real motivation is to access banking apps and drain their victims' accounts.
And they are now being helped by illegally modified electric bikes, as Fishwick discovered during his day with the force.
On his patrol, Fishwick helped to catch someone riding an illegally modified e-bike, which thieves are using to snatch phones and get away faster.
Criminals prefer these to motorbikes as they are not required to have a registration plate or a licence.
Thieves buy additional battery packs and motors for the bikes, which mean they can go up to 70 miles an hour.
Unlike motorbikes, they are able to ride up and down stairs and in to narrow alleys and the extra speed and weight of the batteries mean they can seriously harm pedestrians.
Over the last year 325 illegal and uninsured e-bikes and e-scooters have been seized by the City of London Police.
Speaking to This is Money, Fishwick said: 'The police showed me a dozen bikes that they had taken in the last few days.
'They were really heavy, they had all these extra batteries on - it was like lifting up half a terraced house.
Team: Fishwick with ITV journalists, Kate Hemingway and Carl Hemp, who have worked on the phone snatching story
'These bikes are only meant to do 14 miles an hour but one of these could do 71 miles per hour. The e-bikes now have become a very serious weapon.'
Police are now targeting users of these bikes in the hope that it will lead them to phone snatchers - and Fishwick told how he helped apprehend one.
'We got a baddie on the day I was there,' he says. 'Stu raced after the bike and I ended up running at the side trying to keep up.
'We caught up with this guy. We lifted the back wheel off his bike and he was doing over 50 miles per hour. I got hold of the bike and took it back to the police station and we arrested him.'
Fishwick has been working on the story with ITV journalists, Kate Hemingway and Carl Hemp.
How can people avoid having phones stolen?
From his day with the police, and an interview he previously did with the leader of a phone stealing gang (see below) Fishwick has gained these tips:
1. Don't show it off
'We need to get people to stop waving their 1,500 phones around in the air,' says Fishwick.
'They wouldn't do it if they had 1,500 in ten pound notes, so why are they doing it with their expensive phone?'
2. Maps should be heard - not seen
'We also need to get people to buy Bluetooth headphones,' he continues. 'They don't need to be expensive, there are some for 20 or 30.
'Many people who have their phone stolen in the street are using a maps app to get directions.
'But if you put your bluetooth headphones in your ear, the app can tell you where you need to go and you can put your phone back in your pocket.
'You can also buy a cheap smart watch, and the watch will give you your emails. The thieves will not try and steal a watch that is what they have told me.'
3. Stand away from the road
'If you have to get your phone out, make sure you have your back against a shop window, as far from the road as possible, and keep it as close to your chest as you can,' says Fishwick. 'Keep hold of it with both hands.
'If thieves see someone with their phone in both hands, they are taught not to grab it as they will end up pulling the person over and that is when they end up in conflict. There's an easier person waving 1,500 in the air a few feet away.'
Mapping out their fate: People who use maps to find directions while out in the street could be a target for criminal gangs on the hunt for mobile phones
4. Protect your passcode
'When you are putting in your passcode, put your hand over it like you would a credit card.
'And make sure you go into your banking apps and make sure you have a different code for every one.
'If the thieves get into your phone, they will have taken your money in seconds.'
5. Use face, fingerprint or voice ID
'Biometrics are really important, you can do a fingerprint, you can do voice recognition, you can do face recognition,' says Fishwick.
'These are all things thieves say really slow them down and they hate people using them.'
6. Know your IMEI code
'We need people do know their International Mobile Equipment Identity or IMEI code,' he says.
'If you type into your phone *#06# it will give you a unique 16-digit number. Note that down and if your phone gets stolen, give the police that 16-digit number. It helps them track and block that phone immediately.'
What happens once a phone is stolen?
Fishwick previously interviewed the leader of a phone stealing gang who pays people 2,500 per day to snatch phones and return them to him.
He explained how people steal mobile phones, who they target and what they do with them.
Fishwick was told in the interview that the main places they look for victims are on the streets, and in pubs and bars.
'They look for people and I have seen lots in the last few days who are waving their phones in the air, they are coming out of gyms and putting in their sat nav details to see where they are going to next, they are on their social media and not paying any attention to what is going on.'
In these circumstances, people have already entered their passcode, so the phone is unlocked and the criminals will access whatever saved debit or credit cards or banking apps they can.
In busy pubs, they will be 'shoulder surfing' - looking for people entering their phone passcodes, for example to pay for a drink.
They will be banking on the fact that most people have the same passcode for their phone as for their money apps, so they can steal it and get an all-access pass to their money and data.
'[The gang leader] sends out guys into the West End, into pubs and bars and restaurants, they are very well dressed, and they are looking over your shoulder to see what your code is,' Fishwick explains.
'Once they see you put it in they then memorise that, two seconds later they snatch the phone, the code is usually their banking app code as well so then they empty your bank account.'
Crime spree: Phones are being stolen and then banking apps hacked for cash
Unfortunately though, that is not the end of it - as the most sophisticated gangs can now mine a phone for personal data in minutes, and use this to apply for large loans.
'Within 15 minutes your phone been plugged into a laptop which takes everything out of it, all your emails and every password you have ever given to anything,' Fishwick says.
'They have an AI system which automatically applies for as many loans as possible in your name, at home and abroad.'
The money, he says, is paid into shell accounts, often opened by teenagers from 'tough areas' of inner cities, who are paid 1,000 by the gang leader to do so.
'[The gang leader] transfers the money into the kids' accounts, then uses it to buy Bitcoin and send it around the world,' Fishwick says.
'The bank will shut it, but they don't shut it immediately. Once it's gone to Bitcoin there is no way of getting it back and that money is used to buy all sorts of things, including drugs.'
'They will then send the phone to China, where it is easier to unlock and resell a stolen phone or break it up for parts.'
Baku is currently hosting an international conference titled "Law and Climate," bringing together local and foreign state officials to discuss key legal aspects related to climate change, Azernews reports.
The conference, as reported by "Report," features prominent participants such as Ramiz Rzayev, President of the Union of Judges; Mukhtar Babayev, President-designate of COP29 and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources; Inam Karimov, Chairman of the Supreme Court and Judicial-Legal Council; Duro Sessa, President of the International Union of Judges (IA); Sabina Aliyeva, Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan; Basri Bagci, Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Turkey; and Anar Bagirov, Chairman of the Bar Association, among other officials.
Divided into two sessions, the conference covers a range of topics, including the plans and expectations for COP29 hosted by Azerbaijan, the role of the International Union of Judges in environmental law, regional and international experiences in judicial cooperation for environmental justice, and legal disputes over climate change at both international and national levels. Other discussions focus on the international legal framework for climate change, particularly the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the key requirements of the Paris Agreement.
On September 5, Lithuania completed the installation of anti-tank obstacles opposite the Queen Louise Bridge, which connects the country to the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation. These engineering structures stop the enemy's movement so that it can be destroyed by fire.
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This was reported by the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense. The ministry noted that "anti-mobility measures" are an important component of the country's defense concept.
The head of the Lithuanian Defense Ministry, Laurynas Kasciunas, explained that the bridge is the property of the Russian Federation, so Vilnius can only set up obstacles in front of it. In particular, it was blocked with Czech hedgehogs and dragon's teeth.
"In addition to these measures, it is also planned to install backup obstacles on the pillars, namely sets of metal beams. At the ford, the enemy will also be hampered not only by the steep slopes of the river, but also by mines, dragon's teeth, Czech hedgehogs and barbed wire. It is important to be prepared for anything that may happen," said the Lithuanian Defense Minister.
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The head of the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs, Agne Bilotaite, said that this line of defense is another step towards strengthening the protection of Lithuania's state border, which is the external border of the EU and NATO.
A total of 27 zones protected by engineering means are being created near the borders with Russia and Belarus in Lithuania.
By the end of 2024, the Lithuanian army plans to receive dragon teeth, prefabricated Czech hedgehogs, cheval de frises, and concrete road barriers worth more than 4 million. At the same time, the state additionally plans to purchase dragon teeth for another 2.5 million euros.
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"Other measures to counter mobility are also planned: deepening reclamation ditches, forming tree alleys along roads and maintaining existing forests up to 20 kilometers from the border and around main and intermediate roads, and strengthening Neman fords on the border with Russia. The development of the Lithuanian army's mine action capabilities will significantly increase the effectiveness of all other counter-mobility measures," the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said.
The ministry summarized that Lithuania needs about 600 million euros to implement all the measures within 10 years.
As reported, Lithuania has mobilized five and a half thousand volunteers to defend the country in case of war. Such mobilization is the idea of the Lithuanian authorities, who seek to involve the civilian population in the defense of the state.
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Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Germany underlined its status as 'the sick man of Europe' as its once-mighty industrial sector suffered another slump.
In a report that stoked fears that Europe's biggest economy is on course for another quarter of decline, official figures showed production fell 2.4 per cent in August.
Sinking feeling: Official figures showed production fell 2.4 per cent in August
That was far worse than the 0.3 per cent expected by economists and cast a further shadow over the eurozone as a whole.
Carsten Brzeski at Dutch banking group ING said the data was 'a cold shower for everyone hoping for a speedy recovery'.
Unilever is finally ditching its Russian business after years of criticism for continuing to sell ice-creams in the warmongering country.
The consumer giant whose brands include Magnum, Wall's and Ben & Jerry's, as well as Dove soap and Hellmann's mayonnaise sparked outrage by refusing to pull out of the country in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine over two years ago.
But Russian media now say a sale has been agreed with chemicals group Arnest.
Criticism: Unilever sparked outrage by refusing to pull out of Russia in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine over two years ago
The deal is speculated to be worth between 300million and 334million after a 50 per cent discount on asset sales under Russian law.
Arnest president Alexey Sagal has been one of the Russian businessmen to cash in on Western firms exiting the country. He has bought the Russian units of drinks packaging firm Ball's and brewer Heineken.
Unilever declined to comment last night. Russian business publications Kommersant and RBC said the deal has been submitted to the Kremlin's subcommittee on foreign investments for approval.
The government has not formally approved yet but is ready to accept, two unnamed sources told the Financial Times.
The Ukraine government dubbed Unilever an 'international sponsor of war' on a list of companies which were still operating in Russia.
Campaigners argue Unilever is indirectly funding the war chest through business taxes.
Unliver boss Hein Schumacher, who took over from Alan Jope in July 2023, had insisted that staying in Russia was 'the least bad option'. Leaving could mean the business falls into Russian hands, Schumacher and his team argued. The firm had stopped advertising and importing to the country.
Mark Dixon, founder of charity Moral Rating Agency, which aims to get firms out of Russia, said: 'It is interesting that a payment of half a billion dollars might help [Unilever] do the moral thing.
'While an exit would be good news, we should never forget that Unilever has been supporting the Russian economy at the rate of half a billion pounds a year which is enough to pay for a thermobaric rocket every nine days or an Iranian drone every 17 minutes. It gets no medal for dancing with the devil for two-and-a-half years.'
The Mail on Sunday revealed last August that FTSE 100 giant Coca-Cola HBC refused to close factories in Russia, and switched to selling a local knock-off cola drink.
Shares in Burberry hit a 14-year low just days after the luxury fashion firm was kicked out of the FTSE 100.
On another dismal day for investors, the company's stock yesterday fell 5.2 per cent, or 33p, to 604.4p, the lowest level since May 2010.
The latest quarterly stock market reshuffle this week saw Burberry replaced in the blue-chip index by the Lloyd's of London insurer Hiscox (down 1.4 per cent, or 16p, to 1165p), which is worth 4billion.
Falling out of favour: On another dismal day for investors, Burberry's stock fell 5.2 per cent to 604.4p, the lowest level since May 2010
The luxury fashion group's value has tanked this year as customers cut spending on its expensive trenchcoats while weaker demand from China hit sales across the industry.
Burberry also issued a profit warning, scrapped its dividend and ousted its chief executive Jonathan Akeroyd this summer.
Shares have more than halved in value this year and lost 14 per cent over the past two weeks. Burberry, which is now worth 2.2billion, is a far cry from when the stock peaked at nearly 2650p in April last year.
Earlier this week analysts at AJ Bell said Burberry is vulnerable to a takeover approach due to the sharp fall in its share price.
On the wider market, the FTSE 100 lost 0.7 per cent, or 60.24 points, to 8181.47 and the FTSE 250 fell 1.3 per cent, or 268.5 points, to 20494.
GSK reported positive results from the latest trial studying the effectiveness of its drug Nucala in treating patients with a common lung disease.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which causes breathlessness and severe coughing, affects more than 300m people worldwide. Shares in the pharma giant edged up 0.8 per cent, or 12.5p, to 1651.5p.
Vistry gave up its gains a day after it revealed it is on track to build more than 18,000 homes and said annual profits should be higher than last year.
The Bovis Homes owner also outlined plans to launch a 130m share buyback this month.
Shares, which rose 8.5 per cent on Thursday, dropped 6.3 per cent, or 90p, to 1340p.
Digital 9 Infrastructure warned of a fall in valuation due to a revised outlook on how much cash is available among the companies it invests in. The data centre and wireless network investor expects to report its net asset value stood at 45p per share at the end of June, down from 79.3p six months ago.
The company, which offloaded its crown jewel Verne Global to French fund Ardian for 450m in March, also wants to sell some assets except for the network provider Arqiva. Shares sank 10.2 per cent, or 2.1p, to 18.5p.
Oil and gas minnow Zephyr Energy reported positive production results at its well in Utah in the US. Shares soared 10.5 per cent, or 0.4p, to 4.2p.
Large-scale battery specialist Invinity nursed heavy losses after it warned a delay in rolling out a new product and closing deals will hit revenues this year. The outlook came as Invinity said chief executive Larry Zulch resigned after four years. Shares plunged 42.3 per cent, or 8.25p, to 11.25p.
'King of Mayfair': Richard Caring is set to sell the Ivy Collection
Hospitality tycoon Richard Caring is closing on a 1billion sale of the restaurant group behind The Ivy.
The so-called 'King of Mayfair' is set to sell the Ivy Collection which runs dozens of sites across the UK to London-based investment firm Si Advisors.
Caring, 76, owns a controlling stake in the company, which runs the original Ivy in West London and its spin-off chain restaurants, as well as Ivy Asia sites, alongside Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar.
The pair put the business up for auction at the start of the year.
Both are expected to sell their stakes as part of the Si Advisors deal, which was first reported by Sky News.
However, the deal will not include Caprice Holdings, Caring's group of other restaurants including London's Scott's, Sexy Fish and J Sheekey.
Caring and the Ivy Collection declined to comment on the reports last night.
In 1970, the British biologist John Maynard Smith came up with a simple analogy to describe one of the worlds most complex problems protein evolution in a paper called Natural Selection and the Concept of a Protein Space.
Maynard likened the evolutionary trajectory of proteins to a simple word transformation game. With a goal of evolving one word into another by means of single letter substitutions, Maynard offered a model of protein evolution. To transform word to gene, it would look something like this: WORD WORE GORE GONE GENE. Word sequences containing words that made no sense would be discarded as not useful to the evolutionary process.
In this way, all proteins of interest would be connected to a greater or lesser extent in a continuous space. The English alphabet has 26 letters, and proteins have 20 basic units called amino acids. In 2010, the American engineer Frances Arnold realized that this simple game summarized an unfathomable space: the number of possible variants to create a single small protein of 100 units is 20 elevated to 100 in other words, more than all the atoms in the universe.
Nature has explored only a tiny fraction of the entire universe of possible proteins over billions of years of evolution. There are countless proteins yet to be discovered, and we can only dream of the immensity of their capabilities, said Arnold, who won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work on the directed evolution of enzymes.
Now, for the first time, artificial intelligence (AI) makes it possible to explore that entire universe. Its growing computational power has already described the three-dimensional shape of all the proteins that nature has invented some 200 million even predicting their interactions, an achievement announced just three months ago by a company linked to Google.
But how AI reached these results is a process inaccessible to humans. The machine gives the right answer but does not explain how it got there. Its creators cant figure it out either, and other scientists are vetoed, because the technology company wont reveal the codebase of its machine. AI is a black box.
This not only happens in questions of science, but also when AI is applied to transportation or finance: a self-driving car that jumps a traffic light and ends up killing a passerby, or a financial AI tool that denies a mortgage to a promising candidate because of his skin color.
Noelia Ferruz in Barcelona. Gianluca Battista
Noelia Ferruz, 36, a chemist specializing in bioinformatics, has just been awarded a Starting Grant by the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) to solve this problem by creating a public, open and self-explanatory AI to be known as Athena.
Today, artificial intelligence is already at the level of a PhD in chemistry, explains Ferruz, who heads her own research group at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona. But thanks to its ability to devise and study compounds that nature has not invented, it will soon have a supernatural power, because it will exceed the known limits of nature.
Ferruz, the daughter of a housewife and a mechanic who never completed their studies, has just received 1.5 million to develop this system over five years. It will be an intelligent agent, a new type of AI capable of analyzing different kinds of information, such as the sequence of a protein, the three-dimensional image of the resulting molecule or the video of its different moving parts. Ferruz will be helped by a team of three bioinformaticians to train the AI while two molecular biologists will test the new molecules it designs in the laboratory. The researchers will inform the system if the experiments have worked, so that it will learn from its mistakes in a further step towards a more human-like intelligence.
The goal is to design new proteins that have a specific function, especially to save lives if they are used as drugs for example, as more effective cancer antibodies. Ferruz wants to focus on enzymes, small proteins that speed up biochemical reactions. Some 25% of current drugs have bonds called carbon-fluorine bonds, which are expensive and polluting to make, which contributes to the fact that some cost 60,000 per dose, Ferruz explains. Enzymes have the ability to make that bond as well, but they are not being used for this purpose yet. Another possibility is to create an enzyme that binds to bisphenol A, a compound in plastic that interferes with human and animal fertility, to neutralize it.
The most difficult part of the project will not be to create this AI agent, but to understand it. Current language models like ChatGPT are made of layers of artificial neurons. Each one does an operation and passes it on to the next one. In the end, we have up to a billion neurons in their latest versions. We see a constellation of neurons activating, but we dont understand why; and the model doesnt know how to explain it to us, says Ferruz.
Ferruzs goal is to understand how AI reaches its conclusions, which in the field is called explanatory AI. Its quite laborious, but we can open up layer by layer and see which neurons are activating in response to certain stimuli, which will show us what has been learned and help us understand how AI generates protein sequences better than a human, she explains. The research has a striking parallel with the study of the brain, made up of 100,000 million neurons that establish 100 trillion connections, with the added paradox that, in this case, the intelligence was created by us.
Sitting in a glass office, a stones throw from the Mediterranean Sea, Ferruz says that she wanted to call this system Pandora. But a colleague reminded her of all the evils that came out of that particular box. I asked ChatGPT and it suggested Athena. Shes the Greek goddess of wisdom, so its quite appropriate, although shes also the goddess of war.
The ERC is the most prestigious and demanding scientific body in the European Union. Each year, it selects emerging projects from young researchers to fund. Ferruzs project is one out of a total of 494 projects that have been selected for funding.
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Judge Juan Merchan decided on Friday to postpone issuing a sentence against Donald Trump for the Stormy Daniels case, where he was found guilty of 34 felony counts over falsifying business records. As a result of the verdict, Trump who is the Republican Partys nominee for president became the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes.
Trump was scheduled to be sentenced on September 18, but Merchan has decided to postpone it until after the November elections, in what is a big win for the Republican candidate. The former president is facing three other cases, but the start dates for the trials if they are held at all have also been postponed until after the election.
Trump was convicted of falsifying invoices, checks and accounting records to conceal $130,000 in hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels, who was paid to keep her quiet about an alleged affair that could have hurt his chances of winning the 2016 election. Falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years in prison, though the sentences for each count can be served concurrently. It is unlikely that Trump would have been sent to prison as he has no criminal record, but it was not completely out of the question. Typically, the convicted person is released on probation or fined.
This is the second time Judge Merchan has postponed sentencing, which was initially scheduled for July 11. Following the Supreme Courts ruling in July, which granted presidents broad criminal immunity for official acts, the judge set a deadline for both sides to present their arguments. Merchan said he would rule on the immunity question on September 16, and planned to sentence Trump, if necessary, on September 18.
Trump asked that the ruling be delayed until after the November 5 presidential election, arguing that a ruling just weeks before the vote could constitute election interference. On Friday, the judge has granted his request.
The decision comes after Trumps failed attempt on Tuesday to postpone sentencing. The former presidents defense team asked a federal court to take over the hush money case, which would have extended the proceedings indefinitely and prevented a sentencing before the presidential election on November 5. Judge Alvin Hellerstein, however, said that the federal court did not have jurisdiction over the case in a strongly worded four-page ruling.
Trump wanted the case moved to federal court precisely so he could seek to vacate the verdict in the wake of the Supreme Courts ruling on presidential immunity. Nothing in the Supreme Courts opinion affects my previous conclusion that the hush money payments were private, unofficial acts, outside the bounds of executive authority, Hellerstein wrote.
On Thursday, Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a two-page order outlining the next steps in the federal case against Trump for his efforts to subvert the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden. There will be no trial before the election, but the prosecution will be able to present new evidence and documents in support of the charges, including transcripts of statements, as early as September. That evidence, some of it that has never been seen before, will therefore be revealed to the public before the U.S. goes to the polls.
Sexual abuse
In his busy court schedule, Donald Trump also went to a New York court on Friday to appeal against the jurys verdict that found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation in a civil suit brought by the writer E. Jean Carroll. The jury ordered Trump to pay $5 million to the victim. In another subsequent defamation suit by Carroll, another jury ordered him to pay an additional $83 million.
Trumps motorcade was greeted outside the court by protesters carrying signs with messages such as guilty, rapist, criminal, and psychopath.
Protesters outside the New York Court of Appeals on Friday carried signs against the former president in which they called him "guilty," "rapist," "criminal," and "psychopath." SARAH YENESEL (EFE)
In an appeals court hearing, Trumps lawyer, John Sauer, argued that the trial had been tainted by poor evidence. This case is a textbook example of implausible allegations being propped up by highly inflammatory, inadmissible propensity evidence, Sauer said, according to AP, noting that the jury was allowed to consider elements such as the infamous Access Hollywood tape in which Trump about grabbing womens genitals.
Trumps lawyers also argued that a new trial should be held in part because the trial judge, Lewis A. Kaplan, improperly allowed two other women to testify about similar acts of sexual abuse they say Trump committed against them in the 1970s and in 2005.
In her book What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal, Carroll recounted that Trump had raped her in the changing room of a luxury department store in Manhattan in 1995 or 1996. At the time, Carroll was hosting the television show Ask E. Jean, inspired by her famous column in Elle magazine, which gave sex and relationship advice.
Author E. Jean Carroll, this Friday before the New York Court of Appeals. ADAM GRAY (REUTERS)
In her book, Carroll recounts how she bumped into Trump at the Bergdorf Goodman department store in New York, and he asked her to help him find a gift for a woman. The columnist said that Trump took her first to the handbag section, then to the hat section, and finally to the lingerie section. According to her account, Trump grabbed a lilac-gray bodysuit, asked her to try it on, and walked her out.
The moment the dressing-room door is closed, he lunges at me, pushes me against the wall, hitting my head quite badly, and puts his mouth against my lips. I am so shocked, I shove him back and start laughing again. He seizes both my arms and pushes me up against the wall a second time, and, as I become aware of how large he is, he holds me against the wall with his shoulder and jams his hand under my coat dress and pulls down my tights The next moment, still wearing correct business attire, shirt, tie, suit jacket, overcoat, he opens the overcoat, unzips his pants, and, forcing his fingers around my private area, thrusts his penis halfway or completely, Im not certain inside me, she writes in the book, explaining that she was able to escape after a struggle.
The jury found that Trump liable for sexual abuse, but not rape. Carroll, 80, testified at the trial, but Trump did not take the stand. On Friday, both Trump and Carroll attended the hearing at the Court of Appeals. The former president was not required to be in court, but he used the court appointment to present himself as a victim of political persecution.
Speaking to the press after his court appearance on Friday, Trump called the courts initial ruling ridiculous. In the past, he also claimed he never met Carroll and did not even know who she was, although he later acknowledged that they appear together in a photo. On Friday, he also referred to other cases he is facing, arguing the judges are very hostile towards him. A decision on his appeal is not expected before the elections.
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The enthusiasm that has surrounded Kamala Harris since she replaced Joe Biden as the Democratic Partys candidate for president has infected donors. The Democrats campaign raised $361 million in August, smashing all records in the history of U.S. presidential elections, according to figures from the Harris campaign. That number is almost triple the $130 million raised by Donald Trump in August, and wipes out his advantage in cash on hand. It is now Harris who has $109 million more cash on hand, although the official campaign picture is only part of a larger landscape.
Harris already broke a record when she raised $81 million in the first 24 hours after being named as her partys nominee. August was the first full month with Harris at the helm of the campaign. That same month, the Democratic National Convention was held in Chicago, a high-profile event that the campaign used to intensify its fundraising efforts.
Since she took over from Joe Biden, Harris has raised $615 million. The candidate benefited from the fact that many large Democratic donors had cut off or withheld donations to Joe Biden, partly as a way of pressuring him to stand aside and partly because they saw the donations as a waste of money, as they did not believe that the president had any chance of being re-elected against Trump after his disastrous debate in Atlanta on June 27. With Harris leading the ticket, the money came flowing back towards the party, this time in huge gushes.
In August, the Harris campaign received donations from nearly three million people. Of this figure, 1.3 million were making their first donation of this election. Of these first-time donors, three-quarters had not contributed to the last presidential election either. Ninety-five percent of all August donations were for less than $200,000, and teachers and nurses continue to be among the top professions for donors. More than 60% of all donors in August were women, and nearly one-fifth of donors were registered Republicans or independents.
In just a short time, Vice President Harris candidacy has galvanized a history-making, broad, and diverse coalition with the type of enthusiasm, energy, and grit that wins close elections, Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement. As we enter the final stretch of this election, were making sure every hard-earned dollar goes to winning over the voters who will decide this election.
$404 million in cash on hand
The campaign for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, her vice presidential candidate, ended August with $404 million in cash on hand. Thats $109 million more than what Trumps has in his coffers. However, super PACs political action committees that have no caps on donations make it difficult to get a clear picture of the candidates financial position.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens to a question during a campaign event at the Economic Club of New York, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in New York. Associated Press/LaPresse (APN)
Trump has the support of numerous billionaires who are willing to put their money where their mouths are. The Harris campaign has pointed out that two billionaires have covered more than $150 million in spending for Trump in just six weeks. MAGA Inc. a super PAC funded largely by a $125 million donation from billionaire Tim Mellon has spent nearly $100 million on ads and direct mail operations since late July. Meanwhile, Preserve America has spent $54 million. This PAC is funded by Miriam Adelson, who has pledged to spend more than $100 million to support Trump.
The Trump campaign claims that 98% of August donations were less than $200. Of the $130 million raised last month, the average donation was $56, meaning that there were just over 2.3 million contributions. The Trump campaign ended August with $295 million in cash on hand.
With Republicans united and a growing number of Independents and disaffected Democrats crossing partisan lines, the Trump-Vance campaign has momentum for the final stretch of the race, Trump campaign Senior Advisor Brian Hughes said in a statement. These fundraising numbers from August are a reflection of that movement and will propel President Trumps America First movement back to the White House so we can undo the terrible failures of Harris and Biden, he added.
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International students in Cork have expressed concern for their safety after an Indian student had a rope put around his neck in a racially motivated attack in Cork city in recent days.
Dr Lekha Menon Margassery, president of the UCC Indian Alumni Community, told RTE that she had called for increased policing in Cork city centre in the wake of what she believes were racially motivated incidents.
Dr Margassery said one student was talking to his friend on the phone near Carroll's gift shop on Patrick Street at around 5.30pm last Saturday when a rope was thrown around his neck.
READ MORE - Panic in Galway school after teen entered with weapon and assaulted student
The shocking incident and others like it are making the city a no-go area for international students, said Dr Margassery.
Suddenly a guy just threw a plastic rope around his neck and tried to strangle him. Somehow the student took off the rope and ran away.
He crossed the road and started walking and took a picture of the entire gang of teenagers.
Dr Margassery said a second incident happened within half an hour in the Adelaide Street and North Main Street area and involved the same group of teenagers.
These two students were working back in India but the company has given them a sabbatical and they are here to do their masters.
They are a husband and wife. And the same guy put a rope around the neck of the husband. He immediately took it off. And [what looked like] a 10-year-old boy laughed as if it were a joke.
It is very scary because that could happen to anyone. I am hearing that about three weeks or a month earlier some graduates were walking across Paul Street shopping centre in Cork. They were just buying groceries. They were surrounded by four people who were abusing them. Telling them to go back to their country.
I am shocked by this. I am here since 2008 and it is only in the last six months that I am hearing of this type of thing.
Dr Margassery said the first impacted student is afraid to leave the UCC campus. He is looking for a job on site as he doesnt want to go to the city centre for part-time work.
Gardai confirmed that they received a report of an alleged incident of assault, which occurred on St Patrick's Street in Cork last Saturday afternoon.
No injuries were reported at the time. Enquiries are ongoing.
A spokesman for the Garda Press Office is making enquiries with the relevant district in relation to the second alleged incident.
Trifol have announced they are to create 70 new jobs in Lanespark, Thurles.
Minister for Finance Jack Chambers TD, has today welcomed the announcement as he visited the new state-of-the-art Trifol facility.
Up to 400 further indirect jobs are to be also to created from the development over the coming years.
Minister Chambers said:
I am delighted that these jobs are being created in what was once a Bord Na Mona briquette factory. These 75 new green tech jobs show that there is an economic benefit to transitioning to a more sustainable economy. It also shows that we can achieve balanced regional development, something which I and my Government colleagues are deeply committed to.
He continued:
Trifol are transforming old waste plastic into a mix of sustainable fuel and wax products, and I want to compliment the company and the team under Pat Alley for developing and patenting this new form of pyrolysis. I understand that this technology can be exported to help tackle the plastic waste issue in other countries.
"It is proof of the quality of the oil and wax products that two leading European oil companies have signed supply agreements with Trifol".
The plant already employs 15 people, and this will increase to 30 in 2025.
Expansion plans are already in place to add 12 more reactors which will increase the number of people employed to 70 by 2030.
Some 45 people have already been involved in the build-out of the
plant over the last two years.
Commercial production commenced at the Lanespark plant in June of this year, and now agreements have been reached with Shell Chemicals Europe to purchase all of Trifols Pyrolysis oil, and further agreements have been made with the German giant H&R (Hansen und Rosenthal) to purchase Trifols sustainable wax, which is also produced in the pyrolysis production.
The company received capital support from the EU LIFE Programme and the Irish Governments Climate Action Fund. Minister Eamon Ryan had this to say:
This project will contribute to a more sustainable and circular economy by converting waste plastic into versatile and useful by-products. I am delighted that the plant is now up and running and will be contributing to new jobs in the area.
"This is also a great example of the Just Transition in action. What was a former briquette factory is now a sustainable hub, creating
employment directly as well as indirectly, both upstream and downstream.
Pat Alley, Chairman of Trifol Resources said:
We very much welcome todays visit by Minister Jack Chambers TD., and we would like to acknowledge the support for our project through the Climate Action Fund.
"We would also like to thank the Dept. of Environment and Minister Eamon Ryan for all the hard work and support we received from them, and finally, we would also like to acknowledge the support of Bord na Mona, which has been tremendous.
"We would also like to acknowledge the tremendous encouragement and support that we have received from the local community and, in particular, from local public representatives.
Our project shows how technology can help us achieve our climate ambitions. Our national target to recycle 55% by 2030 is very achievable. Ireland consumes more plastic packaging per person than any other EU country at 58kgs per capita per annum.
"We can turn the tide on plastic waste. Trifol can recycle some 75% of this target in conjunction with the new Deposit Return Scheme. Ireland can be a world leader is giving old plastic a new life.
We can help make air travel more sustainable in the production of low sulphur fuels. We have led the way in areas such as the smoking ban, plastic bag levy and the ban on smoky fuels. It is within our grasp to do the same in tackling our 450,000 tonne waste plastic mountain and to make our country more environmentally sustainable going forward.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 6, 2024 - 20:44 | World, All, Japan
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol affirmed Friday their commitment to boost the bilateral relationship, even after the Japanese leader steps down from his post.
Kishida told reporters in Seoul after his presumably last summit with Yoon that the two governments also signed a memorandum to cooperate in the evacuation of their nationals in the case of a crisis in a third country.
They also agreed to begin talks on specific measures to streamline immigration procedures for visitors between the two countries, said Kishida, whose tenure as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's chief will end after a leadership election later this month. The new party head is all but certain to become Japan's next prime minister.
The leaders affirmed Japan and South Korea will be "sustainably strengthening cooperation and exchanges," while looking back on the progress they have made in improving bilateral ties that had been soured by disputes over history and territory, Kishida said.
The summit was held as the two neighboring countries seek to bolster their relations ahead of the 60th anniversary next year of normalization of their ties. They are also stepping up trilateral efforts with the United States in addressing regional issues, including North Korea's nuclear and missile development.
Kishida's trip to South Korea through Saturday is part of "shuttle diplomacy," or regular mutual visits, which the two leaders agreed to resume in March last year when Yoon became the first South Korean leader to visit Japan in nearly four years.
Bilateral relations improved since Yoon took office in 2022, with his administration announcing the following year a government-backed foundation to compensate plaintiffs who had won lawsuits against Japanese companies over alleged forced labor during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
Japan has reiterated its stance that issues related to its colonization of the Korean Peninsula were settled under a 1965 agreement normalizing ties with South Korea.
Kishida is set to step down as prime minister after his LDP's leadership election on Sept. 27. During a press conference last week, Yoon said he would continue working to enhance bilateral relations with Kishida's successor.
Meanwhile, South Korean left-wing newspaper Hankyoreh said in a recent editorial that Kishida had proposed almost no measures to reciprocate South Korea's compromise on history issues, saying, "If he just comes empty-handed, takes a photo (with Yoon) and goes home, he will rub salt into the wounds of the South Korean people."
Related coverage:
Japan mulls preclearance for South Koreans for speedy immigration check
South Korea's Yoon vows cooperation with Japan even after Kishida exits
Japan PM Kishida eyes visit to South Korea in early Sept.
By Noriyuki Suzuki, KYODO NEWS - Sep 6, 2024 - 22:08 | All, Japan
Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Friday he will run in the upcoming leadership election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, vowing to "accelerate" reforms of the party following a slush funds scandal and win back public trust.
Koizumi, a 43-year-old rising star within the LDP who has been among the public's favorites to become a future Japanese leader, said he will dissolve the House of Representatives "as soon as possible" if he is elected LDP chief and takes over as prime minister.
"I want to break with Japan's outdated politics," Koizumi told a press conference. "We have lost public trust at a time when Japan is in a crisis situation. The political funds issue exactly mirrors the old LDP."
The LDP's presidential race is being held in the wake of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's sudden announcement in August that he will not seek reelection as leader of the ruling party, which has been rattled by the slush funds scandal that was revealed late last year.
"Becoming prime minister is not an end in itself but a means to tackle challenges that have been left unaddressed," Koizumi said.
Noting that Kishida decided not to seek reelection "to take responsibility" for the scandal, Koizumi said it is necessary to hear the voices of the people and seek a new public mandate.
The next election must be called by October 2025, but opposition lawmakers are wary of the possibility of an election sooner rather than later.
In an apparent bid to win support from conservative LDP members and supporters, Koizumi said he will aim for the country's first-ever revision of the pacifist postwar Constitution as one of his top priorities.
"The Japanese people have never been given an opportunity to decide whether to revise the Constitution. Even if (a proposal to revise it) is rejected, I will change the fact that it has never been put to a national referendum," he said.
The LDP wants the war-renouncing Constitution to stipulate the existence of the Self-Defense Forces to end the domestic debate over their constitutionality.
Koizumi, meanwhile, said he also wants to push for legislation that would allow married couples to use different surnames, a topic that has divided the LDP.
Koizumi's supporters in the party hope he will be able to help renew the LDP's image, but others question whether he has the experience to lead the country. Yoshihide Suga, who was prime minister before Kishida, is believed to be a staunch supporter of Koizumi.
"I'm not perfect, but I will form a superb team of people to make up for what I don't possess," said Koizumi, whose father, Junichiro Koizumi, was premier from 2001 to 2006.
Asked about his stance on economic policy, he said he wants to follow the course charted by Kishida in principle and ensure that the current upward momentum of wages will continue and that Japan does not return to deflation.
The next LDP chief is almost certain to become prime minister because both houses of parliament are controlled by the LDP-Komeito coalition.
The party presidential election is shaping up to be a crowded one, with a record number of candidates poised to join.
Another young LDP hopeful, former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 49, was the first to throw his hat in the ring, vowing to revamp the LDP, a party where factions have exerted significant influence.
Among those who rank high in opinion polls as candidates to become the next Japanese leader, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, 67, has already announced his bid, as has Digital Minister Taro Kono, 61.
Ishiba told reporters Friday that he supports the idea of allowing married couples to use different family names and wants to realize it "the sooner, the better."
LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi, 68, the No. 2 after Kishida, is also seeking to take the helm.
In announcing his policy agenda on Thursday, he sought to draw a sharp contrast with the current government, stating that he will not raise taxes or health insurance premiums to pay for bolstering Japan's defense capabilities and child care support.
After Motegi's remarks sent ripples through the LDP and beyond, Koizumi said he will "follow through" on what the government has already decided.
Former health minister Katsunobu Kato, 68, said he is not of the view that the government's plan can be "halted."
He is scheduled to announce his bid next Tuesday, a day after economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, 63, is set to declare her candidacy.
Related coverage:
Key exec Motegi joins Japan ruling party race, vows "no tax hikes"
Japan gov't spokesman Hayashi joins ruling party leadership election
Japan's LDP pushes for revising Constitution to state defense forces
KYODO NEWS - Sep 6, 2024 - 14:03 | All, Japan, World
Japan has lodged a protest with Belarus over a program shown by its state-run broadcaster in which a Japanese man detained by the Eastern European country was accused of engaging in espionage, a source familiar with the matter said Friday.
The protest was lodged via the Japanese Embassy in Belarus after a special program about Masatoshi Nakanishi was aired on Thursday night, with the source saying the complaint cited concerns the man's rights had been violated.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press conference that the program was "extremely regrettable."
"We will extend as much support as possible from the standpoint of protecting our nationals," the top government spokesman said.
The program, titled "The Failure of a Samurai from Tokyo," reported that the Japanese man in his 50s, who previously worked at a local educational institute in southeastern Belarus as a Japanese language teacher, has been investigated over spying allegations.
Ties between Japan and Belarus, a former Soviet state and currently a staunch Russian ally, have worsened as Minsk has been heavily involved in supporting Moscow's ongoing invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022.
Related coverage:
Detained Japanese man under espionage probe in Belarus: state TV
KYODO NEWS - Sep 6, 2024 - 20:48 | All, Japan
Toyota Motor Corp. has lowered its global production target for electric vehicles for 2026 by around 30 percent, saying it now aims to produce around 1 million units, amid slowing demand for all-electric cars, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
The move comes as sluggish sales of EVs are pressuring global automakers to reconsider their strategy. Volkswagen AG said recently it is considering closing some of its factories in Germany while Volvo Cars said it has abandoned its target to sell only fully electric vehicles by 2030.
Toyota has notified its parts suppliers of the new target.
In April 2023, Toyota President Koji Sato said he planned to sell 1.5 million EVs by 2026 in a major strategy shift for the automaker, which had been reluctant to embrace the technology.
The global EV market initially experienced explosive growth thanks to popular models made by Tesla Inc. and China's BYD Co. But sales in the segment have slowed as battery-driven cars failed to gain traction beyond early adopters due to their high cost and a lack of charging stations.
The outlook for the EV market is also overshadowed by intensifying price competition in China, where local brands are eroding the market share of foreign manufacturers with more affordable EVs.
Toyota sold around 104,000 EVs in 2023, more than four times what it sold a year earlier but significantly paling in comparison with its total vehicle sales of over 10 million units.
In contrast, its hybrid cars are in high demand as gasoline-electric vehicles are increasingly seen as a practical solution to drive carbon neutrality.
Toyota will respond to market demand flexibly, with a plan to ramp up production of plug-in hybrid cars, the sources said.
Related coverage:
Toyota cuts 2024 global output target to 9.8 mil. units amid scandal
Toyota profits hit record high as weak yen covers quality scandal
We all want to save the planet but maybe fewer cows on the planet wouldn't be such a bad thing.
Consider . . .
COW BURPS & FARTS PROBABLY CONTRIBUTE TO MORE TO CLIMATE CHANGE THAN YOUR MUM'S SUV!!!
Sadly . . .
Our local public radio news outlet acknowledges the stinky problem but doesn't go right to the source of the odious crisis.
Check their quote and our effort to provide more info and save the world . . .
"Cattle contribute more greenhouse gases than other livestock. The reasons behind that have some ranchers trying to address environmental impacts, while experts say there are also ways for you to curb your plates climate footprint."
Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Related reading with more deets about cows & skyfall . . .
Cow burps are a major contributor to climate change - can scientists change that? Livestock production-primarily cows-produce 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of that is in the form of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is a natural byproduct of how some livestock process food. But as Christopher Booker reports, scientists are hoping that small tweaks in what cows eat can dramatically reduce a big source of climate emissions.
Which is a bigger methane source: cow belching or cow flatulence? - NASA Science Contrary to common belief, it's actually cow belching caused by a process called enteric fermentation that contributes to methane emissions. Enteric fermentation is the digestive process in which sugars are broken down into simpler molecules for absorption into the bloodstream. This process also produces methane as a by-product.
Developing . . .
A temperature drop, high winds, thunderstorms, rain, hail and even the possibility of waterspouts over Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Georgian Bay are all in the forecast for southern and eastern Ontario to start the Sept. 6-8 weekend.
The sunshine that were enjoying today, well have a pause from it, said Environment Canada meteorologist Trudy Kidd, in a Thursday afternoon interview. Well have a fall-like break before we get back to the beautiful weather again.
The culprit, she said, is a low-pressure system moving in thats going to bring with it unsettled weather. Were looking at thunderstorms (Friday), although we arent expecting them to be severe. Of course, that being said, people still should be cautious and go indoors when the thunder roars.
The amounts of rain will vary according to region, she said. For instance, Environment Canada on Friday is calling for 10-15 millimetres at Pearson Airport, St. Catharines and Windsor, and 20-30 millimetres in Peterborough and Barrie.
On Friday afternoon, she said, areas north of Lake Erie, into Toronto and Niagara, could be dealing with wind gusts of up to 70 kilometres per hour and really small hail.
The system will not only linger over Saturday into Sunday before tapering out, but it will leave in its wake colder temperatures, as these Environment Canada trends show (highs/lows in Celsius):
Pearson Airport: 24/12 Friday into Saturday; 15/8 Saturday into Sunday; 18/13 Sunday into Monday
St. Catharines: 24/13 Friday into Saturday; 15/9 Saturday into Sunday; 19/15 Sunday into Monday
Windsor: 23/11 Friday into Saturday; 17/6 Saturday into Sunday; 22/11 Sunday into Monday
Peterborough: 23/11 Friday into Saturday; 15/5 Saturday into Sunday; 15/11 Sunday into Monday
Barrie: 20/10 Friday into Saturday; 13/6 Saturday into Sunday; 17/12 Sunday into Monday
The Weather Network was warning that conditions are setting up for waterspout formation, and Kidd concurred that a waterspout alert will likely be forthcoming in an upcoming Environment Canada marine forecast for Saturday for Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
As to what a waterspout is, Kidd explained, there are two kinds.
One kind is really easy to conceptualize. Its just a tornado over water, which is called a waterspout, she explained.
The second kind is the one that forecasters say could become possible this weekend.
Theyre generated by whats called an upper-level low, she said. So you get this contrast between the water temperature, which is warm this time of year, and the cold northwesterly winds.
It can produce a rotating column of air that goes from the water to the clouds aloft.
She added that its challenging to forecast them because they are so close to the surface that they can elude radar.
So often waterspout observations happen from people on the ground and that gives us good heads-up of whether theyre occurring or not, she said.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 6, 2024 - 07:28 | All, Japan
Prince Hisahito, the nephew of Emperor Naruhito who is second-in-line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, turned 18 on Friday, becoming the first male member of Japan's imperial family to reach adulthood in around 39 years following his father.
The only son of Crown Prince Fumihito, 58, and Crown Princess Kiko, 57, Prince Hisahito joins a dwindling number of adult members of the imperial family, with the 1947 Imperial House Law limiting imperial heirs to males who have an emperor on their father's side and requiring female members to leave upon marriage to a commoner.
"I hope to learn more through each and every experience, absorbing various aspects and growing through them," the prince said through the Imperial Household Agency on the occasion.
In the statement dated Wednesday, he thanked the many people who have supported him over the years, his parents and his elder sisters, adding, "I want to cherish my remaining time at high school."
While it is customary to hold a Coming-of-Age Ceremony and a press conference to mark the occasion, Prince Hisahito's ceremony will be held in the spring of 2025 or later after he graduates high school so as not to affect his studies, according to the agency.
The prince is also the first imperial family member to reach adulthood under Japan's revised Civil Code that lowered the age of adulthood to 18 from 20 in April 2022. Princess Aiko, 22, the only child of Emperor Naruhito, 64, and Empress Masako, 60, celebrated her coming of age after turning 20 in 2021.
Aside from the prince and the crown prince, the only other heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne is the emperor's childless uncle Prince Hitachi, 88.
According to the agency, Prince Hisahito, a third-year student at a high school in Tokyo attached to the University of Tsukuba, is "extremely interested" in natural history, including the habitats of insects, and has been engaged in fieldwork, attending lectures by experts and reading related materials.
Pursuing his longstanding interest in dragonflies that developed during his years at elementary school, he coauthored an academic paper last year on a survey of dragonflies on the grounds of his family's Akasaka Estate residence, which was published in the Bulletin of the National Museum of Nature and Science.
The agency said the prince is "studying hard" to enter a university that would allow him to explore his field of interest further.
The prince has also slowly begun to be involved in royal duties while attending school, including accompanying his father to the national culture festival for high schools in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan, for two days from July 31.
The number of royal members carrying out such duties has been shrinking, with females marrying out of the family, including the prince's eldest sister, former Princess Mako, 32, who married her university sweetheart in 2021.
The current total stands at 17, with 12 being women, including Princess Aiko and Princess Kako, the prince's 29-year-old sister.
Amid concerns over stable continuation of the imperial family, the male succession rules have been questioned on a number of occasions, most notably under the government of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2005 when an expert panel called for allowing women to succeed to the throne as well as scrapping the rule allowing descent only through the male line.
But the debate quickly lost steam when Prince Hisahito was born in September 2006 as the first new male member of the imperial family in nearly 41 years.
The government of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda led by the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan proposed in October 2012 enabling female members of the imperial family to establish their own imperial branches even after marriage to commoners.
However, those discussions also lost momentum after Noda was replaced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party about two months later.
In December 2021, a government panel tasked with studying ways to ensure a stable imperial succession said the issue "should be judged in the future," despite parliament calling on the government to promptly hold discussions on how to achieve stable imperial succession in a 2017 nonbinding resolution.
Related coverage:
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HANOI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association has proposed cutting down the special consumption tax rates on hybrid electric vehicles to better reflect the environmental benefits of different types of vehicles, Vietnam News reported Friday.
The association has suggested that the tax on hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) should remain at 70 percent of the rate applied to conventional petrol or diesel cars.
The association has proposed reducing the tax on Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) to 50 percent of the rate applied to petrol or diesel cars, down from the current 70 percent.
HEVs and PHEVs are less prevalent in Vietnam compared to other countries. The existing special consumption tax rates in Vietnam make those two types of vehicles 10-20 percent more expensive than comparable internal combustion engine vehicles, said the association.
Adjusting the tax rates will make HEVs and PHEVs more financially attractive to consumers, which could lead to higher adoption rates and would support Vietnam's net-zero commitment by reducing overall emissions by 2050, according to the association.
Almost two weeks after a shooting in Morvant that claimed the lives of two cousins and resul
By Nicole Cooke, September 6, 2024
The University of Central Missouri (UCM) will honor those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with the Patriot Day Moment of Silence event at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the UCM quadrangle.
The observance, which is expected to last about 15 minutes, is coordinated by the UCM Office of Military and Veterans Services in cooperation with the Warrensburg Fire Department and UCMs Army ROTC Fighting Mules Battalion.
Courtney Swoboda, director of military and veterans services, and a UCM service member student will offer brief remarks to open the ceremony. The UCM Army ROTC flag detail will lower the flag to half-staff, followed by a moment of silence. To close out the event, the Warrensburg Fire Department will conduct the ringing of the bell ceremony.
In addition to the remembrance event, the quadrangle will be filled with 2,977 small American flags in memory of the lives lost during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the hijacking and crash of a passenger airplane in a Pennsylvania field.
The flags were placed Friday, Sept. 6 by Military and Veterans Services staff with the help of the UCM Army ROTC Fighting Mules Battalion and DET 440 Air Force ROTC cadets. The flags will remain through Wednesday evening, Sept. 11.
Members of the campus community and the public are welcome to attend the event, which UCM hosts annually to remember those who died in the attacks and to honor the heroes who served bravely.
In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be in the Ward Edwards Building atrium.
University of Central Missouri ROTC Fighting Mules Battalion and DET 440 Air Force ROTC cadets, along with staff and students from the Military and Veterans Success Center, place 2,977 flags on the quadrangle honoring each individual who perished during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The Russian army has already lost 6,000 servicemen killed and wounded in action in the Kursk region.
According to an Ukrinform correspondent, this was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky during the opening of a regular meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's defense at the Ramstein air base in Germany on Friday.
As Ukrinform previously reported, the 24th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense will be held on Friday at the Ramstein air base in Germany.
The Pentagon said that the meeting of the coalition members in the Ramstein format will focus, in particular, on strengthening air defense capabilities for Ukraine, the Coalition of Air Forces, and revitalizing the defense industry of the participating countries.
Updated...
Photo: screenshot from the video
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov of Ukraine discussed with the defense chiefs from Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia new opportunities for the joint production of Ukrainian weapons.
Umerov reported this on Facebook, Ukrinform saw.
"On the sidelines of the UDCG meeting, I held an important meeting with the defense ministers of the Scandinavian and Baltic countries: Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia," he said.
According to Umerov, the meeting focused on new opportunities for joint production of Ukrainian weapons. "I appealed to the partners to expand cooperation in this area," he added.
The first example was already demonstrated by Denmark, when the nation financed the direct purchase of Ukrainian defense equipment through the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. "We need more such initiatives to strengthen our collective defense capabilities," the minister emphasized.
As Umerov noted, Ukraine has wide portfolio of technologies that can serve as the foundation for cooperation, including production of Ukrainian missiles, drones of various purposes: reconnaissance, combat, and long-range, ground robotic systems to support operations on the battlefield, and electronic warfare systems.
"I hope for the support of our partners to jointly create new opportunities for the defense of our countries," concluded the defense minister.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, Umerov discussed Ukraine's military needs with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin before the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format in Germany on September 6.
Photo: Facebook / Rustem Umerov
Spain announced the handover of a battery of the HAWK air defense system to Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported this on X, Ukrinform saw.
"Today, during the meeting of UDCG, Spains Minister of Defense Margarita Robles announced the immediate dispatch of a complete HAWK battery, which includes 6 missile launchers. More air defense capabilities for Ukraine means more innocent lives saved. Thank you, Spain!" wrote the MoD press service.
As Radio Svoboda notes with reference to Spain's Ministry of Defense, the HAWK system is already in Poland, the country bordering Ukraine.
Spain also joined the IT Coalition in support of Ukraine, co-led by Estonia and Luxembourg, and the Maritime Coalition, co-led by Norway and the UK.
HAWK is a U.S.-made medium-range anti-aircraft missile system. The U.S. began supplying HAWK systems to Ukraine back in 2022.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, the UK will provide 650 light multi-purpose missiles (LMM) as part of a contract worth GBP 162 million (approximately $213 million) to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses.
Today, the European Commission has announced an additional EUR 40 million in humanitarian funding to Ukraine ahead of the approaching winter.
The relevant statement was published on the website of the European Commission, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
With relentless [Russian Ed.] attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure, the Commission is boosting its humanitarian funding to vulnerable Ukrainians with an additional EUR 40 million ahead of the approaching winter. Out of this, EUR 35 million is allocated for humanitarian projects in Ukraine and EUR 5 million for supporting Ukrainian refugees and their host communities in Moldova, the report states.
According to the European Commission, the primary focus of this funding is to help prepare Ukraine for the freezing winter months. Together with its humanitarian partners, the EU aims to repair damaged buildings, ensure electricity and heating, and provide shelter to the ones most in need.
In Moldova, the new funding is targeting the most vulnerable Ukrainian refugees, to provide them with protection and access to basic services. Moreover, this will enhance Moldovas preparedness for potential refugee flows in the future.
Russias war on Ukraine has continued to escalate in 2024 with no end in sight, putting civilian lives in constant danger. The approaching winter will only add to their hardships. Together with our humanitarian partners, we are already preparing for the challenges winter will bring to Ukraine. To support the most vulnerable, the EU is boosting its humanitarian aid with an additional EUR 40 million, including EUR 35 million for Ukraine and EUR 5 million for Moldova, raising this years total contribution to EUR 110 million for Ukraine and EUR 13 million for Moldova, European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic said during a regional Civil Protection Forum in Lithuania.
A reminder that the European Union had been providing massive economic, financial, military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since the Russian full-scale invasion started in February 2022.
Including the new funding announced today, the European Commission allocated in total EUR 966 million for humanitarian aid programmes to help civilians affected by the war in Ukraine. Of this funding, EUR 895 million was allocated for humanitarian programmes within Ukraine and EUR 71 million to support refugees who had fled to neighboring Moldova.
Southwest China blends tradition, technology to enhance consumer experience
Xinhua) 08:22, September 06, 2024
Tourists visit Jiefangbei, a business area in southwest China's Chongqing, Aug. 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)
CHONGQING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Wandering through the bustling core of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, one is enveloped by the essence of local culture and the allure of leisure, all the while enhanced by the futuristic interaction of Virtual Reality (VR) that brings history to life.
Nestled within the towering skyscrapers of Yuzhong District, lies a recently revitalized precinct of modern architecture -- the Luzumiao block. Amidst the red-brick and tile-roofed structures, visitors can immerse themselves in the city's storied past while indulging in the eclectic array of shops that promise relaxation and respite.
The Luzumiao block dates back over a century, born when craftsmen gathered to erect a temple in honor of Lu Ban, the revered Chinese artisan, lending the area its name.
Over the decades, it has transformed from a "crafts market" to a "book market," and then to a "flower market," always remaining one of the liveliest arteries in Chongqing.
Since November 2021, a meticulous effort to rejuvenate the district's historic blocks has been underway, focusing on preserving historical significance and architectural features.
This initiative aims to blend the emotional attachment of Chongqing's residents to their heritage with the contemporary aspirations of the younger generation, thus breathing new life into the district's venerable buildings.
Ye Qian, a local resident, revisits a Hong Kong-style tea house named "Uncle" in Luzumiao, sharing, "This was a favorite restaurant of mine 14 years ago. I'm delighted to see it reopen. This street was part of my daily commute during my elementary school days. It now exudes a nostalgic charm with a vibrant new energy."
Jiefangbei, home to Luzumiao, has long symbolized urban prosperity. Amid the high-rise buildings and modern shopping centers, traditional elements had been overshadowed and stagnant.
"Jiefangbei is the embodiment of Chongqing, and we, the younger generation, wish to bring a distinctive flair to this place," said Shu Chang, manager of the Uncle restaurant, who is committed to infusing the old neighborhood with fresh vitality in tandem with the city's rejuvenation.
Beyond the urban renewal that merges tradition with modernity, creating novel consumer experiences, technology also enables immersive historical encounters. When the ancient Chinese mythological classic, "Shan Hai Jing" (Classic of Mountains and Seas), meets cutting-edge technology, it births an enthralling and immersive experience.
Shan Hai Jing, which dates back 2,200 years, gives both a cultural and geographical account of China before the Qin Dynasty. It features geography, folklore, and a wealth of legends and fairy tales, and is often regarded as a primary source of Chinese mythology.
At a shopping center in the city's Jiangbei District, the "Hey! Shan Hai Jing" VR space has become a draw for many families and visitors. With specially designed VR headsets, guests are transported into the mythical world, teeming with legendary creatures and enchanting landscapes.
The VR space, designed by Changjia cultural tourism company, adopts eight state-of-the-art technologies, including real-time rendering, motion capture, eye tracking and spatial audio. Within a 300-square-meter immersive experience zone, visitors can closely observe the 10 major mythical beasts from Shan Hai Jing.
"Such a VR space provides a more immersive experience, replete with interactive elements, which greatly aids children in understanding these stories," said Nie Shujian, a parent who brought his child to the attraction.
Changjia cultural tourism company is actively developing urban digital cultural tourism projects, reimagining well-known historical intellectual properties. In addition to the "Shan Hai Jing" project, it has also developed a project based on its neighboring Sichuan's Sanxingdui site, which attracts some 400 visitors daily.
In July 2021, China approved Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing to take the lead in building international consumption center cities.
In recent years, Chongqing has been upgrading its consumer experiences, with innovative business models, a rapid evolution of experiential offerings and a flourishing variety of engaging activities.
From July to August, also a peak season for the local tourism, Chongqing received about 83.2 million visitors, up 15.3 percent year on year. During the period, the tourists spent nearly 90 billion yuan (about 12.68 billion U.S. dollars), up 13.5 percent year on year, according to local authorities.
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with CEO of Italy's Ansaldo Energia company Fabrizio Fabbri in Cernobbio, Italy on September 6, Azernews reports.
The discussion highlighted Ansaldo Energia's involvement in the reconstruction of Azerbaijan's largest Thermal Power Plant in Mingachevir. The fact that four gas turbines made by Ansaldo Energia for the newly constructed plant with a capacity of 1280 megawatts have been delivered to Azerbaijan to install there was noted at the meeting. The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year or early next year.
They also shared their views on potential collaboration with Ansaldo Energia in the field of "green energy." The company expressed strong interest in contributing to the enhancement of Azerbaijans energy system and indicated its intention to collaborate with Azerbaijans Azerenerji OJSC.
The signing of cooperation agreements between Ansaldo Energia, Azerbaijans Ministry of Energy, and Azerenerji was mentioned, with confidence expressed for joint activity in the future.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng addresses the 9th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
VLADIVOSTOK, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Thursday called for deepening cooperation in the Northeast Asia region while addressing the 9th Eastern Economic Forum in Russia's Far East city of Vladivostok.
Han said that the trend of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit remains unstoppable despite the accelerating changes in the world unseen in a century and the turbulent international environment.
He noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping has put forward the significant concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, along with the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, contributing the "Chinese solution" to global governance, and providing confidence and momentum for the international community to jointly address challenges and achieve common development.
China is willing to work with countries in the region to deepen solidarity and cooperation, and jointly promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity, he added.
On deepening cooperation in Northeast Asia, Han made a three-point proposal. First, uphold openness and inclusiveness. China firmly pursues a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, promotes the construction of an open world economy, and opposes protectionism, decoupling and supply chains disruption, unilateral sanctions and maximum-pressure tactics. China is willing to strengthen solidarity with countries in the region, adhering to openness, fairness, mutual respect, and seeking cooperation and development together.
Second, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. Countries in the Northeast Asia region need to actively seek more areas of common interest, jointly maintain the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains, and strengthen cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and the green economy to promote common development.
Third, develop security in a coordinated manner. China remains committed to being a defender of world peace and a promoter of global development, and resolutely opposes all forms of hegemonism and power politics, Cold War mentality, interference in other countries' internal affairs, and double standards.
Han said that the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee has mapped out a grand blueprint for further deepening reforms and advancing Chinese modernization. He noted that Chinese modernization is a path of peaceful development, and that it benefits the world.
China will continue to promote high-quality development and a high level of opening up, creating more opportunities for the region and the world through its own development, and contributing its share to the modernization processes of both the region and the world, Han said.
During the discussion session, Han answered questions regarding China's foreign investment and cooperation in the Northeast-Far East region, China's contribution to regional and global economic growth, and the promotion of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
This year's Eastern Economic Forum, themed "Far East 2030: Combining Strengths to Create New Potential," runs from Tuesday to Friday and is attended by people from the political, business, industrial, and academic sectors from various countries.
On Friday, Han is scheduled to meet with Igor Kobzev, the governor of Russia's Irkutsk region.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attends the 9th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Sept. 5, 2024.
The forum was also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
NAIROBI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's avocado exports reached 16,000 tons in the first eight months of 2024, compared to 14,000 tons in 2023, a trade association said on Friday.
The growth in exports was attributed to the increasing land under cultivation by farmers seeking to tap into the lucrative horticultural trade, said Hosea Machuki, chief executive officer of the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya.
"We expect to export 17,000 tons by the end of the year," Machuki told Xinhua during a day-long workshop in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Kenyan farmers mainly cultivate Fuerte, Hass, Pinkerton, and Jumbo avocado varieties.
Machuki added that key export destinations include the European Union and the United Arab Emirates, with China emerging as a new market.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is set to implement new measures to prevent discrimination based on national origin after a 2020 complaint to the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights highlighted several antisemitic incidents on campus, including swastikas, vandalism of Jewish symbols, and a brick thrown through a Jewish fraternity's window.
The OCR reviewed 139 incidents of discrimination reported to the university between 2015 and December 2023, most involving antisemitic allegations and a few related to anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian or anti-Arab discrimination. OCR found that the university failed to assess whether these incidents created a hostile environment for students, faculty or staff, the education department said on Tuesday.
Examples of the unaddressed incidents include a physical attack on a Jewish student accompanied by antisemitic remarks, flyers linking Jewish individuals to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a rock thrown at an event at the Hillel Center. Additionally, the university's programs handling these complaints lacked coordination, leading to inconsistent application of policies and procedures, the office concluded.
At the time, the university said, "We deplore antisemitic incidents on campus, including those that demonize or delegitimize Jewish and pro-Israel students or compare them to Nazis. ... All Jewish students, including those who identify with Israel or Jewish campus organizations, should be able to participate in campus activities aimed at fighting racism and achieving social justice."
To address these issues, the university has agreed to revise its nondiscrimination policies, ensure equitable law enforcement responses to protests, provide training on discrimination and harassment based on shared ancestry, conduct annual training for faculty, staff and students, and review its response to complaints from the 2023-24 academic year. The university will also administer a climate survey and develop an action plan based on the results, subject to OCR approval.
"The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has now agreed to take the steps necessary to ensure its education community can learn, teach, and work without an unredressed antisemitic hostile environment, or any other hostility related to stereotypes about shared ancestry," Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon said in a statement. "OCR will work with the University in the coming years to ensure its fulfillment of this core federal civil rights guarantee."
In a surprise move on Tuesday, Cooper Union's outgoing President Laura Sparks announced that graduating college seniors will not have to pay tuition for the next four years.
Current seniors will receive refunds for any fall semester tuition they've already paid and won't be charged for the spring semester. Over the next few years, students in their first, second and third years will also receive full-tuition scholarships during their senior year, according to the private New York City institution.
This decision was made possible by $6 million in grants from three alumni donors. Cooper Union, which was founded in 1859 had been free until 2014, introduced partial tuition due to financial challenges. This year's undergraduate tuition was set at $44,550. In 2018, the university adopted a plan to return to a tuition-free model within a decade.
"In 2018, we began an ambitious journey to provide full-tuition scholarships for all of our undergraduate students," Sparks said. "The response to our plan and the dedication of Cooper Union alumni and New York City funders have been tremendous."
The school, which specializes in architecture, art and engineering, has raised over $114 million in new funds.
"We are so encouraged that Cooper is moving steadily toward tuition-free undergraduate education for all, and we are thrilled by this amazing opportunity to contribute to achieving this goal now for current students in their senior year. It is an honor to be a part of this investment in the future and a joy to witness the impact of doing so," donors and alumni Ross Wisnewski and George Reeves said.
Interim President Malcolm King will take over the leadership of the college as Sparks steps down this week.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) On the Defence Day, various delegations attended the commemoration of martyrs at Ghazian-e-Dograi cemetery, located at Lahore Cantt, where the annual commemoration ceremony was held.
On behalf of the businessmen and journalist community, wreath was laid on the memorial of Ghazian-e-Dograi, and tents were erected to pay tribute to martyrs of the country. The ceremony was attended by the Pakistan Journalist Foundation, Voice of Pakistan, business community of the Fifth Pillar organisation. A delegation of overseas Pakistanis also attended the cemetery.
The Pakistan Journalist Foundation delegation, led by Senior Journalist Zulfiqar Rahat, business community leader of the 'Fifth Pillar' was led by famous businessman Abid Butt. Among others another delegation was led by the President of Australia-Pakistan Association Iqbal Chaudhry.
The members paid tribute to the eternal sacrifices and unparalleled services of the Pakistan Army.
The delegation heads said that no one in the world could defeat the Pakistani people and their passion. Survival lies only in unity, so the whole nation must ensure defence of homeland, they urged.
The Battle Of Dograi on Sept 22 marks the day when India faced defeat at the hands of Pakistani forces. The 17-day war in September 1965 holds great significance in Pakistans military history.
A proud unit affiliated with the Punjab Regiment of the Pakistan Army, led by Lieutenant Colonel J.F. Golwalla, turned the dream of capturing Lahore into a nightmare for the enemy with the blood of 106 martyrs. The 16 Punjab Regiment successfully repelled 18 enemy attacks in those 17 days with the force of only two companies.
The memory of these martyrs is preserved at the iconic Ganj Shahidaan in Lahore Cantonment, where every year on Sept 22, tributes are paid to the sons who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
TOKYO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Tokyo District Court on Friday sentenced a former university student to 23 years in prison over a high-profile robbery and murder case in Komae, western Tokyo, last year.
According to the ruling by the district court's Tachikawa branch, on Jan. 19, 2023, Issei Nakanishi, the 21-year-old former student, conspired with Rikuto Nagata, 22, who is charged over the same crime, and others to break into the house of a 90-year-old woman in Komae.
Nakanishi was party to a fatal assault against the woman and theft of four items, including a luxury wristwatch, worth approximately 590,000 yen (about 4,130 U.S. dollars) in total.
In the Komae case, three other people apart from Nakanishi and Nagata have been indicted on the same charges, including 40-year-old Yuki Watanabe, who is a suspected ringleader of the criminal group "Luffy" responsible for a string of robberies across Japan.
The ruling was the first on the Komae case. Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of 25 years.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) In connection with the Defence Day observance, various delegations attended a ceremony at Ghazian-e-Dograi cemetery, located at Lahore Cantt, here on Friday.
On behalf of the business and journalist communities, wreaths were laid at the memorial of Ghazian-e-Dograi, and tents were erected for visitors to pay homage to the armed forces of Pakistan. The ceremony was attended by the Pakistan Journalist Foundation, Voice of Pakistan, business community of the Fifth Pillar organisation. A delegation of overseas Pakistanis also attended the ceremony.
The Pakistan Journalist Foundation delegation was led by senior journalist Zulfiqar Rahat, business community of the 'Fifth Pillar' was led by famous businessman Abid Butt, and another delegation was led by President of Australia-Pakistan Association Iqbal Chaudhry.
The members paid tribute to the eternal sacrifices and unparalleled services of the Pakistan Army.
The delegation heads said that no one in the world could defeat the Pakistani people and their passion. Survival lies only in unity, so the whole nation must unite to ensure defence of homeland, they urged.
The Battle of Dograi on Sept 22 marks the day when India faced defeat at the hands of Pakistani forces. The 17-day war in September 1965 holds great significance in Pakistans military history. A proud unit affiliated with the Punjab Regiment of the Pakistan Army, led by Lieutenant Colonel J.F. Golwalla, turned the dream of capturing Lahore into a nightmare for the enemy with the blood of 106 martyrs. The 16 Punjab Regiment successfully repelled 18 enemy attacks in those 17 days with the force of only two companies.
The memory of these martyrs is preserved at the iconic Ganj Shahidaan in Lahore Cantonment, where every year on Sept 22, tributes are paid to the sons who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif reached Cantonment area on Pakistans Defense Day to commemorate great sacrifices of country's heroic martyrs.
She laid flowers on the martyrs' memorial and prayed for elevation of their ranks in Heaven. In her speech on the occasion, she said, "It is a matter of great honor and pride for me that today, on the Defence Day, I have got an opportunity to visit the martyrs' memorial and pay the martyrs my respects. She added, "I had a chance to meet their families too at this prestigious event.
The chief minister said, "I want to assure my countrymen that our forces are doing a remarkable job in external defence. She added, "When we sleep peacefully at homes, they wake up to protect our borders. The CM said, "Internal defence of the country is collective responsibility of all of us. She added, "Martyrs offered their lives for us, protecting their dignity and respecting their sacrifices is our collective responsibility.
The CM said, "Today I especially want to pay tribute to mothers of the martyrs, I have met them too. She added, "It is such a sentiment whose depth cannot be gauged. She added, "A mother can understand when her child goes out of the house, she waits and prays for his well-being; only when her child returns safely, she sleeps peacefully.
Maryam Nawaz said, "I think this emotion is also an invincible emotion that when a mother sends her child to the battlefield to protect the country. She added, "A mother knows where she is sending him and what can happen to him; she knows one day his body may come back in khaki.
The chief minister said, "Our officers and men fight bravely on borders. She added, "The spirit of sacrifice under which Pakistan Army sacrifices its lives is nurtured in their mothers laps. She flagged, "Bravery is born in mother's lap; I salute the courage of these mothers and parents. She said, "I salute the families, children and wives of the martyrs. She added, "What can I say to honor the sacrifices of martyrs and their families, we feel ourselves belittled.
The CM said, Sacrifices of martyrs is the red line of any living nation, crossing it is not tolerated by any patriot. She prayed, "May Allah bless Pakistan, long live Pakistan! Ameen
Armed troops of Pakistan Army saluted the martyrs. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif paid tribute to the great sacrifices of martyrs. She met families of the martyrs and expressed her compassion to the children of the martyrs.
(@FahadShabbir)
KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) The Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has paid tremendous tributes to the armed forces on the occasion of Defense Day, being marked across the country including Karach on Friday.
He paid tribute to the great sacrifices of the Pakistan Armed Forces and said that on this day, our forces not only fought the enemy bravely but also repulsed them.
Pakistan's defense capability was formidable, he said adding that the day was marked every year with great devotion and enthusiasm.
The Chief Minister said that Muhammad Mahmood Alam destroyed 5 enemy warships in one minute.
On this day, our brave soldiers protected the country as well as the lives of millions of patriots, he added.
Murad said that the day proved we were a living nation.
'We always remember our martyrs, who sacrificed their tomorrow for our today,' Chief Minister Sindh said.
He further said that the Pakistan Army had full capacity to defend the motherland.
'We stand by the side of our Pakistani forces', he said adding that once again Pakistan was going through a very critical period, on which we need to unite.
He concluded that Pakistan would always remain forever.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)
KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori on Friday visited Al-Mustafa Medical Centre and witnessed free surgeries for cleft lip and palate.
The Governor was briefed by the administration regarding the ongoing free surgeries. The briefing detailed that the free surgery camp will continue for a week, with 30 individuals already registered. A five-member medical team, including three surgeons from the United States, performed the operations.
Tessori lauded the efforts of Al-Mustafa Medical Centre, stating, "I commend the administration for providing free surgeries for cleft lip and palate. Offering such expensive medical services for free is an invaluable example of humanitarian service." He further added that the spirit of selfless service to humanity in Pakistan is truly commendable.
Speaking to the media, the Governor Sindh expressed his pleasure while visiting Al-Mustafa Medical Centre, saying, "I am deeply impressed by the welfare work being carried out by this institution.
They are providing free treatment for individuals who, due to financial constraints, could not receive it in their childhood. I have been informed that experienced doctors from the United States are conducting the surgeries."
In response to a question, Governor Tessori remarked, "Whenever Haji Hanif Tayyab calls, I make it a point to come, as I am also a member of Al-Mustafa Trust. We must all join hands to support this team."
He added that during the Defence Day ceremony in Malir, he met the families of martyrs, including a mother who had lost one son and subsequently recruited her second son in the army. She expressed her desire to send her third son in the Army if her second son embarrassed martyrdom, demonstrating the unparalleled bravery of the nation.
Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori concluded by stating, "It is a great honor for us to have individuals like Haji Hanif Tayyab, who serves as a role model for all of us."
(@FahadShabbir)
ABBOTTABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) A funeral prayers of Shaheed Constable Shahzaib were held with state honors at Police Line Ground, Abbottabad and his native town Nawanshahr and Constable Shahzaib, who was martyred during a patrol in the jurisdiction of Sikandarabad Police Station, was honored by a large turnout of police officers, personnel, and dignitaries.
DIG Hazara Tahir Ayub Khan, DPO Abbottabad Umar Tufail, social and political figures, religious scholars, members of the print and electronic media, the business community, and local residents attended the funeral procession. The Abbottabad police force presented a formal salute to the fallen officer, and DIG Hazara and DPO Abbottabad laid a wreath on his coffin as a tribute to his bravery.
Constable Shahzaib was martyred after drug dealers opened fire, also severely injuring his colleague, Constable Ehtesham Rafiq.
Speaking at the funeral, DIG Hazara expressed his condolences to the family of the martyred constable and assured them that Shahzaib's sacrifice would not be forgotten.
He praised Shahzaib for his courage and dedication, stating that his service in the fight against crime would be remembered.
DIG Hazara confirmed that the constables killer, identified as Ahsan, was killed in a police encounter. He also assured the family of Shaheed Shahzaib that the police department would take full responsibility for their security and financial support.
Later, DIG Hazara Tahir Ayub Khan visited Ayub Medical Complex (AMC) to inquire about the condition of Constable Ehtesham Rafiq, who was injured in the same incident. Accompanied by DPO Abbottabad Umar Tufail, DIG Hazara expressed his support for the injured officer and praised his bravery.
The Deputy Director of AMC, Dr. Jameel Akbar, briefed the DIG on the medical care being provided to Constable Ehtesham. DIG Hazara emphasized that police officers are a valuable asset to the department and assured that every possible medical facility would be provided to ensure the constable's full recovery. The police department pledged full cooperation in the matter.
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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has paid rich tribute to the eternal sacrifices of the martyrs on the occasion of Defence and Martyr's Day of Pakistan. He said that September 6, 1965, is an indelible day in the history of Pakistan. He stated that on September 6, Pakistan's brave armed forces bravely defended the motherland.
In his message on Defense Day, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the cowardly enemy who attacked in the darkness of night was given a crushing response by the Pakistan Army. He added that the brave soldiers of the Pakistan Army showed unparalleled bravery and repulsed the enemy. Mohsin Naqvi said that the sacrifices of the martyrs and the courage and bravery of the soldiers are our identity and pride which will always be remembered.
He highlighted that the soldiers of Pakistan proved by their eternal sacrifices that nations do not win wars with weapons but with faith and courage.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the nation salutes the brave soldiers who risked their lives to defend the country, adding that the martyrs who sacrificed their precious lives for the defence of the country are our honor and pride. He stated that the entire nation expresses its solidarity with the families of the martyrs.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that this day reminds us of the bravery and determination of our military personnel. He reaffired that we will also not hesitate to sacrifice our lives for the defence of the country.
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday visited the residence of Shaheed Lieutenant Abdul Moeed, here on Friday.
During the visit, he met the martyr's mother and brothers, Abdul Hanan and Abdul Mateen, and expressed solidarity with them.
He paid a heartfelt tribute to the ultimate sacrifice of Shaheed Lt. Abdul Moeed, who laid down his life while courageously fighting terrorists. Naqvi highlighted the enduring legacy of the fallen soldier and offered prayers for the elevation of his ranks in the hereafter.
The minister also commended the bravery and resilience of the martyr's mother and brothers. "The courage displayed by Shaheed Lt.
Abdul Moeed's family has strengthened our resolve," Naqvi remarked. He emphasized that the martyrs are the pride of the nation and will always live in the hearts of the people. "Shaheed Lt. Abdul Moeed's sacrifice will never be forgotten," he added.
The mother of the martyr, while speaking about her son, expressed her unwavering faith in Allah Almightys will. "My son was entrusted to me by Allah, and I am content with His decision. Abdul Moeeds absence is deeply felt, but I take solace in the fact that he has achieved martyrdom, a high honor bestowed by Allah Almighty."
It is important to note that Shaheed Lt. Abdul Moeed embraced martyrdom in December 2017 while serving in North Waziristan.
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MUZAFFARGARH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Chairman Standing Committee on Civil Aviation, Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan paid tribute to the immense sacrifices and patriotism of the armed forces for protection of the motherland.
In a statement issued in connection with Defence Day on Friday, he said, "September 6 reminds us of the courageous soldiers who wrote a new history of bravery, courage, and determination during the 1965 war." He highlighted that these valiant soldiers thwarted the enemy's advances, ensuring Pakistan's integrity and strengthening national unity.
He further maintained, "The Defence Day serves as a reminder that the secret to Pakistan's development and stability lies in our national resolve and solidarity.
The nation salutes our brave soldiers and martyrs for their sacrifices. The day renew our commitment to doing everything possible for the safety and prosperity of our homeland."
Nawabzada stressed that every Pakistani has a responsibility to understand their duties and serve the country. He concluded by saying that the Pakistani nation will never forget the great services of its armed forces and will always honor their sacrifices.
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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Federal Minister for Law, Justice & Human Rights, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, held a meeting with the delegation headed by Simon Milner, Vice President Public Policy APAC, Meta here on Friday.
The Minister commended Meta (Facebook) for its proactive role in ensuring safe digital spaces.
He praised Meta (Facebook) for effectively utilizing its platform to support the Ministrys initiatives on child protection, privacy, and related human rights concerns.
The Minister also recognized the Public Service Video (PSM) developed by Meta (Facebook) as a significant contribution to advancing the Ministrys mission. This video highlights the collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Human Rights and Meta (Facebook) to promote the right to privacy and child protection in digital spaces.
The content is designed to educate the public about their digital rights and responsibilities, reflecting the Ministry's broader human rights agenda.
A central aspect of this initiative is the promotion of the TakeItDown platform, developed by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The platform allows individuals to anonymously report explicit images or videos of minors shared online. Through this tool, families and young people can take proactive measures to remove harmful content from the internet, addressing online harassment, exploitation, and cyberbullying.
This collaboration underscores the Ministry's commitment to safeguarding children in the digital space.
Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar emphasized the importance of sustained collaboration with Meta (Facebook) to tackle pressing issues such as online child protection and the preservation of individual privacy rights.
He reiterated the Ministry's dedication to partnering with Meta and other key stakeholders to ensure that Pakistan leads in human rights advocacy and protection.
The Ministry of Human Rights remains committed to expanding its partnership with Meta and other collaborators to enhance the awareness, protection, and promotion of human rights across the nation.
London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) US tech titan Google employs "anti-competitive practices" with regards to online advertising, Britain's competition watchdog concluded Friday in provisional findings of a two-year long investigation.
The probe has focused on so-called ad tech -- the system that decides which online adverts people see and how much they cost.
The US Department of Justice and European Commission are carrying out similar investigations into Google.
In Britain, the Competition and Markets Authority "provisionally found that Google is using anti-competitive practices in open-display ad tech, which it believes could be harming thousands of UK publishers and advertisers", the CMA said in a statement Friday.
The regulator, which launched its probe in May 2022, said it would "carefully consider representations from Google before reaching its final decision".
- 'Flawed interpretation' -
In a statement to media on Friday, Google VP of Global Ads, Dan Taylor, said the CMA's "case rests on flawed interpretations of the ad tech sector.
"We disagree with the CMA's view and we will respond accordingly".
He added that Google's "advertising technology tools help websites and apps fund their content, and enable businesses of all sizes to effectively reach new customers.
"Google remains committed to creating value for our publisher and advertiser partners in this highly competitive sector", Taylor said.
The CMA said it had "provisionally found that, when placing digital ads on websites, the vast majority of publishers and advertisers use Google's ad tech services in order to bid for and sell advertising space".
The watchdog "is concerned that Google is actively using its dominance in this sector to preference its own services.
"Google disadvantages competitors and prevents them competing on a level playing field to provide publishers and advertisers with a better, more competitive service that supports growth in their business".
The UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal recently ruled that a multibillion-pound claim against Google for alleged anti-competitiveness in digital advertising can proceed to trial.
The 13.6 billion ($17.9 billion) claim, brought by the Ad Tech Collective Action LLP, accuses the company of abusing its dominant position and causing significant losses to UK online publishers.
Juliette Enser, interim executive director of enforcement at the CMA, noted on Friday that "many businesses are able to keep their digital content free or cheaper by using online advertising to generate revenue.
"Adverts on these websites and apps reach millions of people across the UK -- assisting the buying and selling of goods and services", she said in the CMA statement.
"That's why it's so important that publishers and advertisers -- who enable this free content -- can benefit from effective competition and get a fair deal when buying or selling digital advertising space".
Google-parent Alphabet recently reported that revenue from online ad searches climbed to $48.5 billion in the second quarter of this year.
People gather at Hillside Endarasha Primary Academy after a fire broke out at the school in Nyeri County, central Kenya, Sept. 6, 2024. At least 17 pupils were killed and 13 others seriously injured after a fire broke out here on Thursday night, local police confirmed Friday. (Photo by Robert Manyara/Xinhua)
NYERI, Kenya, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 pupils were killed and 13 others seriously injured after a fire broke out Thursday night at a school in central Kenya, local police confirmed Friday.
National Police Service Spokesperson Resila Onyango said that 14 pupils were sent to the hospital with serious burns after their dormitores caught fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary Academy in Nyeri County. One died after being hospitalized.
"We are investigating the cause of the fire and taking necessary action," Onyango said via phone. "So far we have 17 pupils dead."
Witnesses said that one of the dormitories housing the students was destroyed, sparking fears that the death toll from the horrific fire could rise.
Rescue teams are on the scene working to manage the situation, said local police.
People gather at Hillside Endarasha Primary Academy after a fire broke out at the school in Nyeri County, central Kenya, Sept. 6, 2024. At least 17 pupils were killed and 13 others seriously injured after a fire broke out here on Thursday night, local police confirmed Friday. (Photo by Robert Manyara/Xinhua)
People gather at Hillside Endarasha Primary Academy after a fire broke out at the school in Nyeri County, central Kenya, Sept. 6, 2024. At least 17 pupils were killed and 13 others seriously injured after a fire broke out here on Thursday night, local police confirmed Friday. (Photo by Robert Manyara/Xinhua)
People gather at Hillside Endarasha Primary Academy after a fire broke out at the school in Nyeri County, central Kenya, Sept. 6, 2024. At least 17 pupils were killed and 13 others seriously injured after a fire broke out here on Thursday night, local police confirmed Friday. (Photo by Robert Manyara/Xinhua)
Bangkok, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Myanmar military air strikes in northern Shan state killed 11 civilians and wounded 11 more, a spokeswoman for an ethnic minority armed group battling the junta told AFP on Friday.
The junta is battling widespread armed opposition to its 2021 coup and its soldiers are accused of bloody rampages and using air and artillery strikes to punish civilian communities.
"They bombed at two areas in Namhkam" town on Friday around 1:00 am local time (1830 GMT), Lway Yay Oo of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) said.
The strikes killed 11 and wounded 11, she said, adding that the office of a local political party had been damaged.
The dead were five men, four women and two children, she said.
Namhkam is around five kilometres (three miles) from the border with China's Yunnan province, with TNLA fighters claiming control of the town following weeks of fighting last year.
Images on social media showed people sifting through rubble and carrying a young person who appeared to be wounded.
One video showed several destroyed buildings. AFP reporters geolocated that video to a site in Namhkam and said it had not appeared online before.
AFP was unable to reach a junta spokesman for comment.
Since last year the military has lost swaths of territory near the border with China in northern Shan state to an alliance of armed ethnic minority groups and "People's Defence Forces" battling to overturn its coup.
The groups have seized a regional military command and taken control of lucrative border trade crossings, prompting rare public criticism by military supporters of the junta's top leadership.
Earlier this week junta chief Min Aung Hlaing warned civilians in territory held by ethnic minority armed groups to prepare for military counterattacks, state media reported.
The junta also announced this week that it had declared the TNLA a "terrorist" organisation.
Those found supporting or contacting the TNLA and two other ethnic minority armed groups, the Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), can now face legal action.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military deposed Aung San Suu Kyi's government in 2021 and launched a crackdown that sparked an armed uprising.
Conflict since the coup has forced more than 2.7 million people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.
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BEIJING, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Ambassador of Pakistan to China and Mongolia Khalil Hashmi on Friday held meeting here with a group of Pakistan media professionals led by Saeed Sarbazi, Chairman,Karachi Press Club and representatives of China Economic Net.
During the meeting, the two sides held good discussion on role of media in projecting Pakistan-China ties.
In a separate meeting, Khalil Hashmi met with Chief Designer of China's Major Projects of Deep Space Exploration Wu Yahnua.
"Exchanged views on further strengthening our space coop. noted with satisfaction existing momentum, including launch of Chang'e 6," the ambassador wrote on his X timeline.
Likewise, Ambassador Khalil Hashmi also held another meeting with Executive Vice Governor of Anhui Province and later listen to his views at second international Deep Space Exploration Conference in Huangshan city.
Hong Kong, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Sep, 2024) Super Typhoon Yagi slammed into southern China's Hainan island on Friday, bringing windspeeds of over 230 kilometres (143 miles) an hour in what is set to be the strongest storm to hit the region in more than a decade.
Hainan province evacuated more than 400,000 people ahead of the storm's expected landfall, while tens of thousands prepared to seek shelter in neighbouring Vietnam.
Yagi killed at least 13 people in the Philippines this week when it was still classified as a tropical storm, triggering floods and landslides on the main island of Luzon before strengthening into a super typhoon over the past few days.
The storm made landfall in China on Friday along the coast of Hainan, a popular holiday destination, and neighbouring Guangdong province at 4:20 pm local time (0820 GMT), the state-run Xinhua news agency said, citing authorities.
The typhoon "is equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane", according to NASA Earth Data.
In Hong Kong, a typhoon warning that had been in effect was lowered shortly after noon following heavy rains overnight as Yagi passed within 400 kilometres (250 miles) of the city.
Trading at Hong Kong's stock exchange was suspended on Friday and day schools were closed.
Authorities said five people were injured in the city due to the weather but damage was limited.
Southern China is frequently hit during summer and autumn by typhoons that form in the warm oceans east of the Philippines and then travel west.
However, climate change has made tropical storms more unpredictable and increased their intensity, leading to heavy rains and violent gusts that cause flash floods and coastal damage, experts say.
London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Sep, 2024) Ollie Pope returned to form on his Oval home ground with a first hundred as England captain on Friday's opening day of the third Test against Sri Lanka.
Pope had managed a mere 30 runs in four previous innings since succeeding the injured Ben Stokes as skipper at the start of this series.
But when bad light ended play for the day, Pope was a run-a-ball 103 not out, with England well-placed on 221-3.
Sri Lanka, already 2-0 down in this three-match series, failed to make the most of overcast conditions and a green-tinged pitch after captain Dhananjaya de Silva won the toss.
And England should arguably have had two century-makers on Friday with opener Ben Duckett, not for the first time, giving his wicket away after making 86.
A rare bright spot for struggling Sri Lanka was the dismissal of Joe Root for 13 shortly before tea.
Root was fresh from two hundreds in a 190-run win at Lord's where he set a new England record of 34 Test centuries.
England, who swept the West Indies 3-0 earlier this season are chasing their first home Test campaign clean sweep since 2004, when Michael Vaughan oversaw seven successive wins.
Duckett was soon into his stride, with the left-hander cover-driving fours off successive Milan Rathnayake deliveries.
- Lawrence out cheaply -
It was a different story for makeshift opener Dan Lawrence, a middle-order batsman by trade.
Lawrence was forced to face the new ball this series in the absence of the injured Zak Crawley.
He had made just five when he got in a tangle against a short-pitched Lahiru Kumara delivery and top-edged a simple catch to gully.
Number three Pope got off the mark in style by cutting a loose ball from fast bowler Rathnayake for four and he also hooked a six off Lahiru Kumara.
The 29-year-old Duckett completed a speedy fifty off just 48 balls, including seven fours.
Even with the floodlights on, the umpires decided it was too dangerous to continue and stopped play for bad light, with England 76-1 off 15 overs. Rain then fell as well and the match did not resume until 1410 GMT.
It was not long before Duckett ramped Kumara for six over fine leg and uppercut him high over third MA, with all of Sri Lanka's four-man pace attack struggling to maintain a challenging line and length.
But Duckett, in sight of just his fourth century in 26 Tests, was out when he miscued an extravagant scoop off Rathnayake to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal.
It was a careless end to a stand of 95 in 16 overs with Pope.
The 26-year-old Pope was fortunate with a top-edged six off Kumara but the persevering paceman did have Root hooking to fine leg, where Vishwa Fernando held onto the catch despite slipping on the wet turf.
Surrey favourite Pope, 84 not out at tea, went to his seventh hundred in 49 Tests, but first at the Oval, when he stylishly square-drove Asitha Fernando for his 13th four in 102 balls, also including two sixes.
Soon afterwards bad light at 1653 GMT again saw the players leave the field, with no more play possible Friday.
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CARACAS, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab on Thursday ratified an arrest warrant against former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, for a string of alleged crimes committed following the July 28 presidential elections.
"The arrest warrant is in effect ... it must be enforced within the framework of the Constitution and the law," Saab told reporters, noting the ex-candidate has failed to heed the summons.
After meeting with Gonzalez Urrutia's lawyer Jose Vicente Haro, he said the lawyer advised his client to appear before the Attorney General's Office, but the ex-candidate had been pressured by people outside his legal team to not attend.
Saab referred to a letter published by Gonzalez Urrutia, in which he recognized the authority and competence of the Public Ministry, the agency to which he must report and give evidence, and distanced himself from a website purporting to show voting records from the elections.
"If you recognize the Public Ministry as an institution of the state ... guarantor of the rule of law, you must appear before it, you must present your arguments," said Saab.
In the letter, the ex-candidate said one of the reasons he was ignoring the summons was the "lack of a basis for such subpoenas."
An American woman was shot and killed Friday by Israeli soldiers, a witness said, during a pro-Palestinian protest of Israeli settlers on the West Bank.
The director of Rafidia Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus told the Reuters news agency the woman was brought to the hospital in critical condition with a head wound.
"We were trying to save her, but unfortunately, we couldn't revive her heart because of her severe injury and then we announced she lost her life," Fouad Nafaa said.
The woman has been identified as 26-year-old Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, described as a Turkish-American activist.
A paramedic at the scene, Faiz Abdel Jabar, described for Reuters what happened at the protest in the town of Beita, not far from Nablus, where demonstrations have been occurring regularly and recently growing more violent.
As usual we have a Friday prayer at the Jabal Subaih, the foreign activists also joined us, he said. The [Israeli] army arrived, and they shot two bullets, one targeted a young man, and it was fine, and the second one was shot in the head of the foreign activist."
At a joint news conference in the Dominican Republic, along with Dominican President Luis Abinader, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed the deepest condolences on behalf of the U.S. government to Eygis family.
Blinken said the U.S. deplores this tragic loss and that the U.S. is focused on gathering the facts of the shooting.
First things first, lets find out exactly what happened, and we will draw the necessary conclusions and consequences from that, Blinken said.
As you have heard me say many times before, I have no higher priority than the safety and protection of American citizens around the world, wherever they are. It's something I take with the utmost seriousness. When we have more info, well share it, make it available and if necessary, we will act on it.
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett also issued a statement.
We are deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, today in the West Bank and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones, the statement said. We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident.
Israel Defense Forces released a statement regarding the incident on its X and Telegram social media accounts, saying: Today, during Israeli security forces activity adjacent to the area of Beita, the forces responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them.
The IDF is looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area. The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review, the statement said.
The incident comes as the Israeli military pulled out of the city of Jenin and its three refugee camps early Friday following a 10-day operation in the occupied West Bank. Fighting in Jenin accounts for the deaths of 21 of 39 Palestinians who local health officials say were killed during the Israeli operation. The military says most have been militants.
In a video interview with The Associated Press, Jenin Governor Kamal Abu al-Rub confirmed the withdrawal, calling it the most destructive incursion by the IDF yet. The video showed destroyed and damaged buildings and streets filled with rubble.
While not confirming the withdrawal, the IDF issued a statement Friday summarizing its counterterrorism operations in Jenin, saying there were 14 terrorists eliminated, over 30 suspects apprehended, approximately 30 explosives planted under roads [that were] dismantled.
The statement went on to say, numerous terrorist infrastructure sites have been dismantled, including an underground weapons storage facility located beneath a mosque, and a lab used to manufacture explosives.
Israeli fire has killed nearly 700 Palestinians in the West Bank, Palestinian health officials say, since the war started in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The militants killed about 1,200 people and captured about 250 hostages. Israel said it believes Hamas is still holding about 100 hostages, including 42 the military says are dead.
Israels counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians but does say most of the dead are women and children. Israel says that most of the dead are combatants.
The terrorist Wassem Hazem, head of the Hamas terrorist organization in Jenin, was also eliminated, the statement said. Hazem directed shooting and explosive attacks in the area of Jenin and was responsible for advancing terror attacks in Judea and Samaria.
Hamas has been designated a terror group by the U.S., U.K., EU and others.
Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
A dozen U.N. Security Council ambassadors strongly condemned on Friday the Afghan Talibans recent morality law which further erodes the rights of women and girls in that country and called for its reversal.
On top of the existing edicts, this new directive confirms and extends wide-ranging and far-reaching restrictions on personal conduct and provides inspectors with broad powers of enforcement, thus deepening the already unacceptable restrictions on the enjoyment by all Afghans of human rights and fundamental freedoms, said Japans U.N. ambassador, Yamazaki Kazuyuki.
Day by day, Afghan women and girls lose their opportunities and hope for their future, he added. This is unacceptable.
Envoys from Ecuador, France, Guyana, Malta, Mozambique, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States joined him as he read the statement before reporters.
The only Security Council members not to lend their support to the statement were Algeria, China and Russia.
On August 21, the Taliban announced the ratification of a detailed Law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which includes among its restrictions a prohibition on Afghan women using their voices in public and orders them to completely cover their bodies and faces outdoors. Women are also forbidden from interacting with non-Muslims, using public transport alone, and looking at men who are not their husband or blood relative.
The Taliban government, which is officially not recognized by any country, has dismissed U.N.-led foreign criticism of the law as offensive.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief Taliban spokesperson, asserted this week 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.
The United States, European Union, United Nations and others have condemned the edict, the latest in a series that have eroded the rights of Afghan women and girls.
Today, we once again urge the Taliban to swiftly reverse all the policies and practices that restrict the enjoyment by women and girls of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, Ambassador Kazuyuki said.
The Taliban need to listen and respond to the voices of Afghan women and girls by respecting their rights to education and for women to work, as well as the freedoms of expression and movement. It is a prerequisite for a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan.
The Japanese envoy noted that the 15-nation Security Council has repeatedly discussed the worsening human rights situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban took over in August 2021 and have raised a united voice on multiple occasions.
Last year, the council unanimously adopted Resolution 2681 which calls for the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
The 12 Security Council members also called on those countries with influence over the Taliban to promote the urgent reversal of the policy, which violates Afghanistans obligations under international human rights treaties to which it is a signatory.
They also urged the Taliban to allow the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan to visit the country. The Taliban have publicly said they will not allow Richard Bennett entry.
The U.N.s agency for gender equality and womens empowerment, U.N. Women, warned in a statement on August 28 that the new law is effectively erasing women from public life and granting broad enforcement powers to the morality police.
U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo warned last month that the law would only impede Afghanistans return to the international fold.
The Security Council plans to next discuss Afghanistan in a meeting on September 18.
Ayaz Gul in Islamabad contributed to this report.
Australia, Japan, and the United States are expanding defense cooperation. Analysts say the moves are a response to China's growing military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
Senior Australian and Japanese officials Thursday met for the 11th Australia-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministerial Consultation in the state of Victoria.
Australias deputy prime minister and minister for defense, Richard Marles, told reporters that plans were agreed for Japan to join U.S. Marine rotations in northern Australia, as well as more joint exercises and fighter jet deployments.
The relationship between our two countries really has gone to a very different level. Today we have agreed to enhance our air engagement with greater people-to-people links, more training, greater exercises between our two air forces, he said.
Long-standing territorial disputes and differences over Taiwan have unsettled Japans relations with China.
China overtook Japan as the worlds second-largest economy in 2010 and analysts have said that greater economic prosperity in China has been accompanied by more aggressive military posturing.
The bilateral talks in Victoria came after two Chinese incursions into Japanese territory.
A Chinese surveillance plane breached Japanese airspace on August 26, while a survey ship entered Japan's territorial waters a few days later.
Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko told reporters that closer ties with Australia are essential.
Amidst the increasingly difficult security environment in the Indo-Pacific, we need to raise the Japan-Australia security cooperation to a new height, said Yoko.
Under the plans, Japanese troops could join up to 2,500 U.S. Marines who train in Australias Northern Territory each year. Japan and Australia could also collaborate on their long-range missile systems. There has been no response, so far, from Beijing to these strategic plans.
Japan was an enemy of Australia and the United States in World War II, but Euan Graham a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a research organization funded by the Australian and other governments, said on social media the proposals show at a symbolic level how successfully Australia and Japan have put wartime memories behind them.
Australias formal military ties with Washington date to the early 1950s and are considered by successive governments in Canberra to the cornerstone of Australias sense of security in an increasingly fractious region.
Georgias arrest of the head of an independent broadcaster at the request of Azeri officials is the latest in a nearly year-long media crackdown by Azerbaijan, according to a report published this week.
Azel TV chief Afgan Sadygov is in detention in Georgia pending extradition after Azeri officials ordered his arrest on charges of extortion and threatening to spread insulting statements. But a media watchdog says the case is part of a broader trend where legal action is used to pressure local journalists.
The London-based Justice for Journalists Foundation recorded 147 cases of attacks and threats against journalists, media workers and bloggers in Azerbaijan in 2023.
Attacks via judicial and/or economic means continued to be the primary method of exerting pressure on media workers, said the report released Thursday.
Azerbaijans government-run Media Development Agency did not respond to VOAs request for comment on the report and other allegations.
A number of arrests of journalists and a crackdown on independent media that began late last year has led to the arrest of many workers with media that criticize the government. Most have been accused of smuggling foreign currency, the report says.
The report cites the August 3 arrest of Sadygov as an example of Azerbaijans attempts to silence its critcs abroad. Sadygov was living in neighboring Georgia at the time of his arrest at Tbilisi airport.
Alya Yagublu, a political commentator and host of an analytical program on Toplum TV, believes the media arrests are directed at rooting out investigations related to corruption and criticism of government activities.
The crackdown came ahead of snap presidential and parliamentary elections, which led some analysts to believe the government was seeking to create a chilling effect and limit coverage.
The arrests have led to the prosecution and arrest of many popular opposition media workers, the Justice for Journalists Foundation report states. It said that more than a dozen journalists were detained in late 2023.
During the elections, media workers were also harassed and prevented from reporting on allegations of ballot-stuffing at polling stations.
Yagublu says some election commission officials and pro-government observers were aggressive toward media, sometimes demanding proof of accreditation or trying to block reporters from filming.
The Justice for Journalists report also flagged problems with a media law enacted in 2023 by President Ilham Aliyev. Under the law, media have to register in order to gain access to officials and news briefings.
The decision over who is eligible to register, which is rife with ambiguities, rests with state authorities, according to critics.
Since the registry came into effect, at least 10 independent media outlets have been formally refused entry, the report says. The refusal to be included in the register imposes significant restrictions on the exercise of journalistic rights.
The Venice Commission, an advisory board for the Council of Europe, which weighs in on constitutional matters, has stated that the law is reactionary and cannot be adopted in a country that is a member of the Council of Europe.
However, Zahid Oruj, chairperson of the Human Rights Committee of the Milli Majlis, a legislative brach of the Azeri government, told VOA that the registry is a legal platform and database, that is similar to databases in all other areas.
Rights defender Samir Kazimli said he believes that journalism in Azerbaijan has become an increasingly risky profession. Referring to legal threats and cases of physical attack, Kazimli said that if assailants who commit violations against journalists were brought to justice and punished under the law, the pressures against media would end.
Unfortunately, in most cases, the authorities are behind the repressions against journalists. All this complicates their work, Kazimli told VOA.
Yagublu believes that the state of freedom of speech and other human rights and freedoms in Azerbaijan will get worse. The current geopolitical situation will present the Azerbaijani government with this opportunity," she said.
Azerbaijan ranks 164 out of 180 on the World Press Freedom Index, where 1 signals the best media environment.
This article originated in VOAs Azeri Service.
Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Gaborone, Botswana, Sept. 2, 2024.(Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)
GABORONE, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has provided important driving forces for building a community with a shared future for mankind, Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Botswana and China, and bilateral relations have witnessed "leaps and bounds" since then, Masisi said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua before leaving for the ongoing 2024 FOCAC summit held in Beijing.
"Fifty years ... is enough time to prove that we are true friends," he said with delight and pride, hoping Botswana to strengthen relations with China not just for the next 50 years, but for eternity.
In 2021, Botswana signed a memorandum of understanding with China on cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), thus becoming the 46th African BRI partner country.
Masisi said the two countries have cooperated in infrastructure, trade and investment, and people-to-people exchanges among other areas, and he was particularly impressed by healthcare cooperation.
China has dispatched 17 batches of medical teams to Botswana since 1981, providing important assistance to the country in combating diseases including AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, said the president. "China has always been there with us and for us. The government and the people of Botswana are immensely appreciative of the support rendered by China."
The China-proposed Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative bring new opportunities for the development of the Global South and open a new blueprint for the progress of the international community, said Masisi.
"I am very confident and very hopeful that we will be able to carry ourselves further as we deepen our collaboration in multilateralism," he said.
Over the past 24 years since the founding of the FOCAC, China-Africa cooperation, featuring equality, practicality and efficiency, has yielded significant fruits, said the Botswanan leader, adding that the forum has also been widely recognized among African and Chinese people, and highly regarded by the international community.
"FOCAC has become a very prominent brand for Africa-China cooperation, and a banner for promoting the spirit and the principles of peaceful coexistence, forging a collective and strong cooperation between Africa and China," he said.
Masisi expressed his belief that the FOCAC conforms to the vision of the African Union's Agenda 2063, expecting China to participate in continent-wide plans including the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa and the Africa Mining Vision.
Libyas oil exports are at a near standstill as political tensions flare over the control of the nations central bank, the key institution managing the nations oil revenues. Only a few ships have been allowed to load crude from existing stocks.
While a recent agreement between rival governments in Libyas east and west have raised hopes for a return to normal, industry analysts say the situation remains unsettled and it is unclear when production might resume.
Forces aligned with eastern leader Khalifa Haftar halted production at major oil fields and terminals on August 26, slashing output by half.
The disruptions, particularly in exports to Europe, have sent ripples through global energy markets and left energy workers, investors and international businesses on edge.
Not for the first time this year, the National Oil Corporation has declared force majeure, seeking release from its contractual obligations because of events beyond its control.
The NOC previously halted production at its Sharara oilfield on January 7 because of protests, which suspended crude supplies to the Zawiya terminal. Two weeks later, the force majeure was lifted, and full production resumed.
'Sudden and surprising'
The International Crisis Groups senior analyst for Libya, Claudia Gazzini, who has also served as a special representative and head of the U.N. Support Mission in Libya, told VOA that the latest disruption in Libyas oil production came unexpectedly.
"These developments were rather sudden and surprising, especially since there had been relative peace on the ground," Gazzini said. She noted that for nearly two years, a deal had been in place in which various factions agreed to continue exporting and producing oil in exchange for a share of the revenues.
According to Gazzini, oil-producing areas in Libya are primarily under the control of the forces backed by Haftar in the east, while the revenues are distributed by the Central Bank of Libya, which is controlled by the rival government based in Tripoli.
There was an understanding, even among foreign partners, that this deal would hold, based on the belief that both sides would benefit from the oil revenues, which was the foundation of the agreement. We weren't expecting the system in place to collapse so abruptly or for this feud over the central bank to erupt, Gazzini said.
She added, We dont know when the feud over control of the central bank will be resolved."
She said the crisis was precipitated when the presidential council in Tripoli fired the bank governor on August 19. The Haftar-backed factions and parliament, which supported the ousted governor, retaliated by shutting down oil production.
We dont expect a quick resolution to this dispute, and these disruptions could persist for a longer period, she warned.
The political standoff cut Libyas oil production significantly, causing world oil prices to briefly rise above $80 per barrel for Brent crude before settling back.
A recent agreement between Libyas legislative chambers has sparked hope that production and exports might soon return to normal, but challenges remain.
Kevin Morrison, an energy finance analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) in Sydney, told VOA that the potential resolution between rival factions in Libya and the subsequent restoration of crude oil production come at a critical time.
OPEC members are now realizing that Chinas oil demand may not be as strong as previously anticipated, said Morrison, who works closely with the global oil and gas team at the IEEFA.
Morrison attributed the decline in Chinese demand not only to a weaker economy but also to the rapid transition to electric vehicles, which has reduced oil consumption in the worlds second-largest economy and largest energy consumer.
Ninety-eight percent of Libyas government income and 65% of its GDP come from oil. At more than 1.2 million barrels per day, Libya ranks as Africas leading oil producer and among the top oil-producing nations globally.
The U.S. Justice Department unsealed two indictments Thursday against a Russian-born U.S. citizen, Dimitri Simes, 76, who was an adviser to Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, and his wife, Anastasia Simes, 55, over separate schemes alleged to have violated U.S. sanctions.
In the first indictment, the couple were cited for their involvement in an arrangement that had Dimitri working for a U.S.-sanctioned, Russian state-owned television station and the couple covering up over $1 million in payments from the station.
Dimitri worked as a presenter and producer at Channel One Russia, which was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control in May 2022. The news outlet was sanctioned for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, the government of the Russian Federation, the Justice Department said in a statement.
In exchange for his work at the sanctioned station, the department said, Dimitri received over $1 million, a personal car and driver, and a stipend for an apartment in Moscow. His work at the station was also supported by a team of 10 Channel One Russia employees.
Dimitris work and compensation, from around June 2022 to the present, violated the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the Justice Department said.
The indictment alleges that Dimitri and Anastasia Simes also engaged in a scheme to commit money laundering, knowing the transactions were intended to conceal the proceeds of IEEPA violations, the department said.
Each is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate IEEPA, one count of violating IEEPA and one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering. They face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.
The couple, who remain at large, have residences in Huntly, Virginia, and in Moscow. The Justice Department said the Simeses are likely in Russia.
Anastasia is facing additional charges in another scheme that the Justice Department said violated IEEPA. It said she received funds from sanctioned Russian oligarch Aleksandr Yevgenyevich Udodov to buy art and antiques for Udovovs galleries and auction house in the U.S. and Europe.
The items were shipped to and stored at the couples home in Huntly and were eventually shipped to Russia. The Justice Department said Anastasia engaged in money laundering to mask the IEEPA violations.
In this second indictment, Anastasia is facing one count of conspiracy to violate IEEPA, one count of violating IEEPA and one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison upon conviction.
Udodov was sanctioned in February 2023 for operating or having operated in the management consulting sector of the Russian Federation economy.
After pledging $51 billion in financial support for Africa over the next three years and positioning China as a fellow developing country in contrast to the Wests colonialist past, President Xi Jinping told dozens of African leaders gathered in Beijing this week that the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history.
This years Forum on Africa-China Cooperation, held every three years, was the first since the pandemic and Chinas own economic slowdown. It comes amid growing geopolitical rivalry between Beijing and the West, and Xi was blunt in his assessment of the latters influence on the continent.
Modernization is an inalienable right of all countries, he said in his opening speech to more than 50 African leaders. But the Western approach to it has inflicted immense sufferings on developing countries.
Lucas Engel, an analyst with the Global China Initiative at Boston University, said China is reacting to increased competition in the region.
Xis reminder of the immense suffering inflicted on Africa by the West in his keynote speech this year is a sharper rebuke of Africas Western partners than weve seen in the past, he told VOA. It is likely that China is feeling the heat as Western partners ramp up cooperation with Africa.
The theme of FOCAC 2024 was joining hands to promote modernization, and analysts told VOA beforehand they expected China to focus on green technology and the green energy transition, agricultural modernization and trade, and education and training.
The money announced was an increase on the $40 billion pledged at the last FOCAC, in 2021, but still fell short of previous pledges, such as the $60 billion earmarked for Africa in 2018 and 2015.
For some time, China has been seen to be moving away from the massive infrastructure projects of the early years of Xis trademark Belt and Road Initiative and toward what it has dubbed small is beautiful projects.
Some of the announcements made at FOCAC, however, surprised analysts by bucking that trend.
Xi announced China would be undertaking a $1 billion upgrade of the TAZARA railway, which will link mineral-rich, landlocked Zambia with Tanzanias coast. He signed an agreement with the presidents of those two countries on Wednesday.
There was already a sense that infrastructure would be one of those asks that would not be entertained by the Chinese side, so I think that has come as a bit of a surprise, Paul Nantulya, a research associate with the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, told VOA.
I think African countries were also quite concerned about infrastructure financing. Now it seems like the Chinese side may have finally backed down, said Nantulya, who was in Beijing for FOCAC. That would indicate that China does not want to be locked out of the infrastructure game, given what the U.S. is doing with the Lobito Corridor.
Nantulya was referring to the G7-backed strategic economic corridor that Washington says is designed to create jobs and enhance export potential for resource-rich Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. As the first big infrastructure project in Africa the U.S. has undertaken in a generation, Washington recently announced it could extend the railway to Tanzania and on to the Indian Ocean.
Chinas offer to refurbish the TAZARA railway connecting copper-rich Zambia with Tanzania on Africas eastern coast appears to be a direct answer to the Western-led Lobito Corridor, said Engel of Boston University.
Did African leaders get what they wanted?
China was not the only country with an agenda at FOCAC, as African leaders also laid out their priorities for relations with their largest trading partner.
For South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who leads the continents most developed economy, the primary aim was to reduce a long-standing trade imbalance and to get China to import more agricultural products. He also wants to see more value-added exports made in South Africa.
Ramaphosa embarked on a state visit to China ahead of FOCAC and made several announcements, including that South Africa would sign up for Chinas Beidou satellite navigation system and inviting Chinese electric vehicle company BYD to use South Africa as a manufacturing hub.
Xi said China would in turn expand market access to African agricultural products and exempt 33 countries from import tariffs. He also announced that China would support 60,000 vocational training opportunities for Africans.
Nantulya said there seemed to be a lot of attention to detail regarding this years announcements.
What that tells me is that the Chinese side has been responding to the African side, he said. You know, the African delegates are very mindful of the fact that one of the big criticisms of FOCAC is that it's very high on pledges and very low on actual concrete tasks.
Yunnan Chen, a researcher at London-based research group ODI, told VOA the pledged areas of cooperation spanned almost every sector.
I think what's interesting to note about them is this very striking emphasis on areas of technological cooperation in industry, in agriculture, in science and technology, she said.
There's a lot of emphasis on training and initiatives that would support knowledge transfer from China to African parties, and I think this is something that's been very much an African demand for many years, she added.
Even though we have seen a decline in Chinese financing in Africa and we know that China is experiencing a lot of domestic financial troubles, there's still a very clear and very emphatic political commitment, she said.
Aside from Ramaphosas trade demands, other African leaders who held bilateral meetings with Xi had specific areas of concern.
Kenyan President William Ruto had infrastructure at the top of his list, asking that Beijing fund an extension of Kenyas Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway. It marked a sharp change from Rutos campaign rhetoric, in which he criticized his predecessors policy of taking Chinese loans.
Ruto made the request even though Kenya is heavily in debt to Western financial institutions such as the IMF and lenders such as China and has been experiencing violent anti-government protests.
Other key areas of cooperation announced at the conclusion of FOCAC included the military and security sectors, with Beijing vowing to allocate some $140 million in military assistance grants alongside training programs for thousands of military personnel from across the continent.
Green energy was also a focus, with Xi announcing China would launch 30 new clean energy projects on the continent.
As the first Egypt International Air Show wrapped up Thursday, industry analysts debated the significance of Chinas presence, which included the most complete demonstration of its advanced Y-20 transport aircraft and the first showcase of its J-10 fighter jets in Africa.
Analysts say the high-profile presence of the Chinese air force at the event held at Egypts El Alamein International Airport underscores China's growing technological prowess, military ambitions, and expanding influence in the Middle East and North Africa.
But analysts also question how much demand the region will have for the Chinese military planes.
China is expanding and targeting the [Middle East] regional market, Kostas Tigkos, manager of mission systems and intelligence at global military intelligence company Janes, told VOA. This marks another milestone in Chinas military diversification and opens doors to more collaboration in security domains, encourages investment opportunities and opens new channels to developing trade beyond traditional ties.
Tigkos said the Middle Easts ranking as the region with Chinas highest bilateral trade growth rate, and source of half of its imported oil, gives it a strategic interest in fostering economic, security, supply route and energy source development.
Interest in Chinese equipment
Countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are increasingly turning to China for military equipment, such as drones, missiles and anti-drone systems. Egypt has expressed interest in acquiring the J-10 fighter jet to diversify its military suppliers and enhance its capabilities.
In July, Egypts air force commander, Lieutenant General Mahmoud Foaad Abdel Jawad, traveled to Beijing at Chinas behest for a meeting with Chinas air force commander, Star General Chang Dingqiu.
According to an Egyptian military statement, the visit was characterized by Egypts keenness to enhance areas of military cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries. The statement added that the talks opened new prospects between the air forces of both countries.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi attended the opening ceremony for this weeks air show and visited the Chinese pavilion.
Images of the Chinese-manufactured Y-20 transporter trailed by six J-10 jets flying over Egypts Giza pyramids in formation last week drew global attention, demonstrating distance and performance capabilities in the 10,000-kilometer flight from China to Egypt.
The Y-20 appearance at the airshow is significant, Wendell Minnick, editor of the "China in Arms" Substack newsletter, told VOA.
This is their attempt to match the U.S. heavy lift, long-range transport or aerial-refueled aircraft, Minnick said.
Capabilities
China says the Y-20 can lift up to 66 tons and carry several tanks over a distance of 7,800 kilometers. Nicknamed Chubby Girl by Chinas aviation industry for its broad fuselage girth, the Y-20 has been in development for 17 years.
Dubbed Vigorous Dragon, Chinas Chengdu J-10C is a combat aircraft armed with air-to-air and surface attack weapons. Primarily an air-to-air combat aircraft that can perform strike missions, the J-10C has been compared to and contrasted with the U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon.
China needs these to project force beyond the mainland for expeditionary warfare, Minnick said, like the U.S. with the C-5 Galaxy and the C-17 Globemaster.
The C-5M Super Galaxy is the U.S. Air Forces largest aircraft, strategically designed to transport cargo and personnel. With a cargo load of more than 127 tons, nearly double Chinas Y-20, it can carry oversized cargo over oceans and take off and land on relatively short runways.
The C-17 Globemaster III is the most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force, according to a U.S. Air Force press release, with a maximum payload of 74 tons.
Nonetheless, Chinas state media touted the Y-20s performance debut and quoted the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force saying it carried out six maneuvers on Tuesday, including large angle ascension and dive, large slope turning and fast landing, showing the aircraft's outstanding maneuverability.
Chinas Y-20 and J-10 appeared at last Novembers Dubai Air Show, and the Y-20 took part in a joint drill in Russia in July and joint drills with Mozambique and Tanzania in August. But this was the first time the Y-20 had performed aerial maneuvers in a show outside China, and the first time the J-10 had performed in Africa.
China wants to have an Africa footprint as part of their expansionist plans, Minnick said.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in March reported, China, which accounted for 19% of deliveries to sub-Saharan Africa, overtook Russia as the regions main supplier of major arms.
US suppliers
Despite Chinas military sales in the region, Middle East buyers wont be cutting ties with U.S. suppliers in favor of China in the near future, according to defense experts, who note that while the Y-20 is cheaper than the U.S. C-17 or C-5, it is less impressive and more vulnerable to missile attacks.
Minnick questions whether there will be any demand from customers in Africa and the Middle East for Chinas military aircraft.
The Chinese transporter requires tremendous training, technical support and additional off-the-shelf parts and components that most Mideast countries cant handle on both technical and financial fronts, he said.
Iran is too poor, Minnick said. Saudi prefers Western aircraft, and Jordan is far more focused on internal security.
Other defense experts like Tigkos say the Y-20 and J-10 present opportunities for long-term business and relationships with training programs, spare parts and maintenance if they can find buyers.
When a country is successful in the aviation realm, it marks a significant difference and upgrade, if you will, toward helping foster relationships of trust and wider markets for China," he said.
The first Egypt International Air Show was held Tuesday through Thursday with about 50 aircraft on display and with representatives from 100 countries and 300 companies in attendance, including U.S. industry giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
The death of a former journalist who experienced beatings and inhumane treatment in prison shows the harassment that media workers and their families endure in Turkmenistan, analysts said.
Khudayberdy Allashov was 35 years old when he died in August, after what watchdogs said was eight years of persecution and physical assault by Turkmen authorities. No cause of death was listed on his death certificate.
The beatings and torture that Allashov was subjected to and the impossibility of providing him with rehabilitation and medical care led to the death of a brave and honest man, Farid Tuhbatullin, the head of the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights, told VOA via email.
Known as one of the most closed-off countries, Turkmenistan has little space for independent reporting. Nearly all media outlets are state-owned, and ministries monitor content, according to watchdogs. Journalists such as Allashov who try to report independently and their families are subject to arrest and harassment, according to Reporters Without Borders, or RSF.
Azatlyk, which is run by VOAs sister outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertys Turkmen Service, provides a rare source of news.
When Allashov was initially detained in 2016, he had been working for Azatlyk for about three months.
That reporting was critical of the government, focusing on social problems such as food shortages, salary delays and forced labor, according to an Amnesty International report published at the time of Allashovs first arrest.
All of this is forbidden to be mentioned in the local media, Tuhbatullin told VOA in an email. The very word problem is taboo. He, too, had been arrested and exiled from Turkmenistan.
Allashov, his mother and his wife were all arrested under charges of possessing chewing tobacco, a commonly used substance in Turkmenistan. There are no other known criminal charges of possessing chewing tobacco; the maximum punishment is typically a fine, Farruh Yusupov, director of Azatlyk, told VOA.
In captivity, Allashov was tortured with electric shock. The severity of the torture during Allashovs 74-day arrest caused him to declare he would no longer work as a journalist.
But even after his release and quitting the profession, authorities continually detained and harassed him up until his death, journalists and experts who spoke with VOA said. He faced violent interrogations in 2019, 2020 and 2023.
Authorities never left him or his family alone, Yusupov told VOA. They told him they would not relent until they chased him to his grave. They were true to their promise.
The Turkmenistan Embassy in Washington did not respond to VOAs email requesting comment.
Despite having ceased his reporting, Allashov was denied any medical treatment due to his status as a target of the authorities, according to RSF. He leaves a wife and two children.
RSF condemned the targeted harassment of independent journalists.
Allashov should never have lived through this nightmare, Jeanne Cavelier of RSF said in a statement. Under the Turkmen dictatorship, the lives of journalists and former journalists and the lives of their families continue to be at risk because of their work.
Turkmenistan ranks 175 out of 180 countries on the RSF World Press Freedom Index, where 1 shows the best media environment.
This is a country where the authorities can do anything to any citizen who expresses any form of dissent, Gulnoza Said, a program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, told VOA.
Yusupov told VOA that while there are no concrete numbers available for how many journalists have been attacked by authorities, there are many well-documented instances.
In 2006, reporter Ogulsapar Muradova died in prison after being denied legal representation. The United Nations recognized the Turkmen government as the responsible party in her death. In 2013, authorities detained journalist Rovshen Yazmuhamedov without cause, according to RSF.
Most recently, in 2023, journalist Soltan Achilova was beaten by police officers and banned from leaving the country. Only a small number of independent journalists still operate in the country, and those who do all work under pseudonyms, said Tuhbatullin of the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights.
Turkmen authorities also harass the families of journalists.
Allashovs wife and mother were arrested with him in 2016, and his mother was detained for three months and beaten. She was taken in for questioning again in 2019, when she was beaten and passed away two days later from heart failure, according to Yusupov.
Authorities also harassed the mother of journalist Yazmuhamedov, banning her from leaving the country to see her other children.
This is one of the tools authoritarian governments use to silence independent reporting, Said told VOA.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has reached out to Turkmen authorities after every government attack on a journalist. The government has never responded, Said told VOA.
Yusupov told VOA that government repression makes the work of journalists like Allashov even more important.
Its important to tell the truth in the face of an oppressive regime and provide independent reporting to society, he said.
The Earth has just experienced its hottest summer on record, the European Unions Copernicus Climate Change Service said Friday.
It says the new record surpasses last year's, driven by human-caused climate change and a temporary boost from the El Nino weather pattern.
According to Copernicus, the average temperature for the Northern Hemisphere's summer months June, July, and August was 16.8 degrees Celsius (62.24 degrees Fahrenheit).
That is 0.03 degrees Celsius (0.05 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the previous record set last year.
Copernicus data goes back to 1940, but records from the U.S., U.K., and Japan, which began in the mid-19th century, suggest that the past decade has been the hottest in about 120,000 years.
Both August 2023 and August 2024 were tied as the hottest Augusts globally, with temperatures reaching 16.82 degrees Celsius (62.27 degrees Fahrenheit).
July 2024 was close to setting a record, but extreme heat in June 2024 made this summer the warmest overall, said Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus.
Stefan Rahmstorf, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, highlighted the significance of the rising temperatures.
What those sober numbers indicate is how the climate crisis is tightening its grip on us, Rahmstorf said.
Initially, Buontempo was unsure if 2024 would surpass 2023 as the hottest year on record due to the extreme heat in August 2023.
However, with August 2024 matching last year's temperatures, Buontempo is now certain that 2024 will set a new record unless significant cooling occurs in the remaining months.
With a forecasted La Nina which temporarily cools parts of the central Pacific the last four months of the year may not be temperature record-setters, but its also doubtful to be cool enough to keep 2024 from setting a new record.
Extreme weather events linked to climate change continue to affect people around the world.
In Sudan, last months heavy rains caused flooding that impacted more than 300,000 people and led to a cholera outbreak.
Severe droughts are affecting the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, while Typhoon Gaemi has devastated the Philippines, Taiwan, and China, resulting in over 100 deaths.
U.S. climate envoy John Podesta visited China this week to discuss climate policies ahead of the United Nations climate summit in November.
Podesta met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday before concluding his three-day visit to Beijing, where he and his Chinese counterpart, Liu Zhenmin, co-chaired meetings on domestic climate policies for both countries.
Podestas visit underscored the potential for cooperation between the two largest greenhouse gas emitters despite broader geopolitical tensions.
Wang, during his opening remarks, said Podestas meeting with Liu sent a positive signal that China and the United States, the two big countries, should and can cooperate.
The record heat is attributed to human-caused climate change and an earlier El Nino event a natural warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean water, which boosts global temperatures as well as changes weather patterns worldwide.
While La Nina may offer some temporary relief, it is unlikely to significantly alter the overall warming trend, according to Copernicus.
Some information for this report was provided by Reuters and the Associated Press.
The Ethiopian government has freed seven Oromo Liberation Front, or OLF, members who have been in prison for more than four years.
A spokesperson for OLF Lemi Gemechu told VOA's Horn of Africa Service that the seven were released on Thursday from the different prisons where they had been held.
He identified the seven as Abdi Regassa, Dawit Abdeta, Lammi Begna, Michael Boran, Kenessa Ayana, Gada Gabisa and Gada Oljira.
"Before their release, there was a process that took all day," Lemi said.
"Just now, the Oromo Liberation Front leaders who have been imprisoned for over four years at different sites have been released, including Abdi Regassa, members of the executive committee and other officials well-known among the people, all seven of them, are now released and here at home," he said.
Abdi is a prominent member of the OLF who once was the commander of the military wing of OLF.
The release took place at Burayu police station outside Addis Ababa.
Some of the released detainees are members of the executive committee while others are central committee and executive members of the OLF.
Lemi said they welcomed their release and congratulated their supporters and those who advocated for their release.
On his Facebook page, Lemi posted a picture of the seven standing with the leader of OLF, Dawud Ibsa.
In a statement issued Thursday on Facebook, OLF said the members were released on bail. OLF said they were detained for "exercising their legitimate political rights" and said their detention was "unjust."
The opposition members were detained in 2020 for what rights groups at the time described as "purely political" reasons.
The Ethiopian government has not yet officially commented on the release of the opposition figures.
The United States has also welcomed the release of OLF detainees.
"We remain ready to support negotiations aimed at ending the violence and promoting durable peace for all Ethiopians," the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs said in a post on X.
Human Rights Watch had been calling on the Ethiopian authorities to release the seven senior members of the opposition political party.
Meanwhile, the family of Taye Dendea, the detained former Ethiopian state minister of peace, has expressed their disappointment with the Supreme Court's decision to deny him bail.
Taye's wife, Sintayehu Alemayehu, told VOA's Horn of Africa Service that she is sad because of the decision of Ethiopia's federal Supreme Court.
The court on Wednesday upheld the decision by a lower court to reject the bail request by Taye.
Taye appeared before a court in Addis Ababa on Wednesday to find that his bail request had been rejected. The former state minister was arrested in December last year after he posted comments criticizing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Police accused him of collaborating with groups aiming to destabilize Ethiopia. It also accused him of using social media platforms to endorse violence.
A lower court acquitted Taye of these charges without requiring him to present a defense but ordered him to defend against the third charge concerning the illegal possession of firearms.
This story originated in VOA Horn of Africa Service.
The father of a 14-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting four people at a Georgia high school and wounding nine others was arrested Thursday and faces charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for allowing his son to possess a weapon, authorities said.
It's the latest example of prosecutors holding parents responsible for their children's actions in school shootings. In April, Michigan parents Jennifer and James Crumbley were the first to be convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting. They were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for not securing a firearm at home and acting indifferently to signs of their son's deteriorating mental health before he killed four students in 2021.
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said at a news conference.
"These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon," Hosey said. "His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon."
In Georgia, second-degree murder means that a person has caused the death of another person while committing second-degree cruelty to children. It is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison. Involuntary manslaughter means that someone unintentionally causes the death of another person.
Authorities have charged 14-year-old Colt Gray as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta. Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse him of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people.
The teen denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriff's report obtained Thursday.
Conflicting evidence on the post's origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. 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 all we could do with what we had at the time," Mangum told The Associated Press in an interview.
When a sheriff's investigator from neighboring Jackson County interviewed Gray last year, his father said the boy had struggled with his parents' separation and often got picked on at school. The teen frequently fired guns and hunted with his father.
"He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them," Colin Gray said according to a transcript obtained from the sheriff's office.
The teen was interviewed after the sheriff received a tip from the FBI that Colt 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 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.
The attack was the latest among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. 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. But there has been little change to national gun laws.
Classes were canceled Thursday at the Georgia high school, though some people came to leave flowers around the flagpole and kneel in the grass with heads bowed.
Gray was being held Thursday at a regional youth detention facility. His first court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning.
He has been charged in the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, according to Hosey.
At least nine other people eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder were wounded and taken to hospitals. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.
It was the 30th mass killing in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer the same definition used by the FBI.
Hamas called on the United States Thursday to "exert real pressure" on Israel to reach a Gaza cease-fire agreement as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was no deal in the making.
The two sides have traded blame over stalling talks for a cease-fire and hostage exchange as Netanyahu faces pressure to seal a deal following the deaths of six Gaza captives.
Hamas's Qatar-based lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya called on the United States to "exert real pressure on Netanyahu and his government" and "abandon their blind bias" towards Israel.
But Netanyahu said there is "not a deal in the making."
"Unfortunately, it's not close but we will do everything we can to get them to the point where they do make a deal," he told U.S. media.
Netanyahu insists that Israel must retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas, whose Oct. 7 attack on Israel started the war.
Hamas is demanding complete Israeli withdrawal from the area and on Thursday said Netanyahu's 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 warn against falling into the trap of Netanyahu... who uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people," Hamas said in a statement.
Washington has been pushing a proposal it says could bridge gaps between the warring sides, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying "90 percent is agreed."
"It's really incumbent on both parties to get to yes on these remaining issues," Blinken said during a visit to Haiti.
'Make them' sign deal
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 cease-fire deal.
"We'll do everything so that all hostages will be with us. And if the leaders don't want to sign a deal, we'll make them," said Gil Dickmann, cousin of Carmel Gat, one of the six hostages whose bodies were found in a Gaza tunnel last week.
Dickmann took part in a rally at Tel Aviv on Thursday evening, where crowds of demonstrators carried symbolic coffins in a procession, an AFP journalist reported.
Key mediator Qatar has said 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 warned.
The Oct. 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 40,878 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.
Israel kept up its bombardment overnight into Friday, with an AFP correspondent reporting a huge explosion in the east of Gaza City.
Six people were killed and others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a house southeast of the city, Gaza's civil defense agency said Friday.
West Bank deadly assault
While Israel presses its Gaza offensive, Defense 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 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 territory's health ministry.
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 36 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
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.
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, and a second stage got underway Thursday in the south, before medics move north.
Louise Wateridge, spokeswoman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, warned however that the vaccination drive in the south may not reach all children, as some do not reside in the designated zones where Israel has agreed not to strike.
The campaign aims to fully vaccinate more than 640,000 children, with second doses due in about four weeks
During a trip to Haiti on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $45 million in new humanitarian aid for the Caribbean nation, which has been wracked by violence for years.
He also called for the renewal of the United Nations mandate for the Multinational Security Support, or MSS, mission to combat the armed gangs that dominate much of the capital.
"At this critical moment, you do need more funding. We do need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission," Blinken told a news conference on a rare visit to Port-au-Prince.
The top U.S. diplomat said he plans to convene a ministerial meeting at the coming U.N. General Assembly to encourage greater international contributions to address Haiti's security, economic, and humanitarian needs.
The MSS mandate is set to expire at the beginning of October. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is reportedly exploring the possibility of changing the mission into a traditional U.N. peacekeeping operation, a move that would ease funding, provide more equipment and enable use of military forces rather than only police officers.
Blinken said that while the MSS mission itself needs to be renewed, it also needs to ensure that it is "reliable and sustainable."
A peacekeeping operation would be one such option. I think there are others, he told reporters on Thursday.
Blinken's visit to Port-au-Prince underscores U.S. support for Haiti as the country grapples with gang violence.
On Thursday, Blinken met with Edgard Leblanc Fils from Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council.
"Both concurred on the critical need to make timely advancements on election preparations," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
Apart from Fils, Blinken also held talks with Prime Minister Garry Conille, MSS head Godfrey Otunge and Normil Rameau, head of the Haitian National Police.
The United States and Canada are the top funders of the MSS in Haiti. The first-year estimated 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.
Gang-related violence and drug trafficking have fueled political instability and insecurity in Haiti, leading to unbearable conditions for Haitians.
At least 80% of Port-au-Prince is no longer under Haitian authorities control, 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 U.N. says at least 578,000 people have been displaced because of violence, including murders, kidnappings and rapes.
The situation is further exacerbated by widespread hunger, with nearly half the 11.7 million population facing acute food insecurity.
After Haiti, Blinken arrived in Santo Domingo later Thursday. His visit follows the start of Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader's second term in mid-August.
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.
VOA's Liam Scott contributed to this report.
Passengers leave a train after arriving at the Dar Es Salaam station of Tanzania-Zambia Railway in Dar Es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, Feb. 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)
"Our Chinese supervisors trained us from the bottom of their hearts," Donatus Ngonyani, a former TAZARA railway construction worker, said with pride. "They were selfless, and I became a qualified locomotive driver within a short period."
by Xinhua writers Hua Hongli, Lucas Liganga
DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Pacing the boarding platform of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) passenger trains at Dar es Salaam Station, 70-year-old Tanzanian Donatus Ngonyani felt great nostalgia for the old days working with Chinese experts and colleagues.
Ngonyani, a former TAZARA railway construction worker, recalled the bustling platform 48 years ago when TAZARA launched the commercial operations of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway connecting Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia in 1976.
"Those were the days when our Chinese friends taught us about the construction of the TAZARA railway. Those were glory days that will be indelible in my memory during my lifetime," said Ngonyani.
A father of three and grandfather of six, Ngonyani shared in a recent interview with Xinhua that he joined TAZARA in 1971 after leaving his plumbing job with an Indian company.
TAZARA, also known as the "Uhuru Railway" or "Independent Railway," is a 1,860 km single-track railway constructed between 1970 and 1975 as a turnkey project through an interest-free loan from China. Commercial operations of the railway began in July 1976.
Ngonyani, who had known nothing about railway construction, vividly recalled his journey of learning from the Chinese experts.
"At first, I was just a novice with no understanding of how to build a railway," he said, referring to the Chinese experts as not merely supervisors but also teachers, who demonstrated the process step by step, patiently guiding Ngonyani and his fellow Tanzanians through each intricate detail of laying down the rail tracks.
"They would take our hands and show us how to handle the tools, measure the distances between the rails, and ensure that everything was perfectly aligned," Ngonyani said, his eyes gleaming with the fond memory. "They didn't just give orders from a distance, they worked alongside us, sharing their knowledge generously."
As construction progressed, Ngonyani's curiosity and eagerness to learn caught the attention of the Chinese supervisors, who, recognizing his potential, trained him as a locomotive driver.
"It was an intense period of training," Ngonyani recalled. "They taught me everything, from the mechanics of the locomotive to the art of controlling its speed and navigating the tracks safely. They were meticulous in their teaching, ensuring I understood every aspect of the job."
The camaraderie forged on the worksite was not just about building a railway but also about building lasting relationships and mutual respect that transcended cultural boundaries.
What stood out most to Ngonyani was the genuine care the Chinese experts showed toward their Tanzanian colleagues.
"Our Chinese supervisors trained us from the bottom of their hearts," he said with pride. "They were selfless, and I became a qualified locomotive driver within a short period."
During the construction of the TAZARA railway, an ever-closer bond had developed between the Chinese experts and Tanzanian workers.
"We ate the same food, stayed in the same camps, and shared our lives together. We learned a lot from them," Ngonyani reminisced.
During a trip to Haiti on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $45 million in new humanitarian aid for the Caribbean nation, which has been wracked by violence for years.
"At this critical moment, you do need more funding. We do need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission," Blinken told a news conference on a rare visit there.
During the visit, Blinken also called for renewing a U.N. mandate for an international security mission to Haiti to fight armed gangs that control much of the country's capital.
The mandate, first approved for 12 months, is set to expire at the beginning of October. Blinken said a U.N. peacekeeping mission could help bring a more sustainable peace to Haiti.
"Much remains to be done, and we're determined to continue," he said. "It's starting to move."
"The Haitian people, not Haitian gangs, will write the country's future," Blinken said.
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.
On Thursday, Blinken also met with Edgard Leblanc Fils, the head of Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council, in Port-au-Prince, a State Department spokesperson said.
"Both concurred on the critical need to make timely advancements on election preparations," spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
Blinken also will visit the Dominican Republic. 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 U.N. 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 assists police
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 U.N. Security Council authorized the MSS.
The United States and Canada are the top funders of the MSS in Haiti. The first-year estimated 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.
Apart from Fils, Blinken met with MSS head Godfrey Otunge and was also to meet Prime Minister Garry Conille and Normil Rameau, head of the Haitian National Police.
Gang violence grips nation
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, which includes murders, kidnappings and rapes.
The situation is exacerbated by widespread hunger, with nearly half 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 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.
VOA's Liam Scott contributed to this report.
Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to ensure the continuity of Tokyo's close bilateral relations with South Korea during his visit to Seoul amid threats from North Korea and China.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters on Thursday that Kishida's trip to Seoul the following day seeks to ensure that enhanced cooperation between Japan and South Korea is "made more concrete."
He said, "The two countries should work together as partners" as they "face international challenges" and that "the bilateral relationship of the two countries will be confirmed" during Kishida's visit to Seoul.
The South Korean presidential office announced on Tuesday that Kishida will make a two-day visit to Seoul starting Friday for a final summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Kishida announced in August he will step down this month, ending his three-year term early in response to political and economic issues in Japan.
"It is very important that Kishida, who identified the 'reset' of Japan-ROK relations as one of his concrete foreign policy achievements" when he announced his decision to step down, "chose ROK as one of the last places of [his] visit as the prime minister," said Yuki Tatsumi, director of the Japan Program at the Stimson Center.
ROK stands for Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea.
Mending ties
At a news conference held to announce his resignation on Aug. 14, Kishida said Tokyo must make restored relations with South Korea "ever more certain" as the two countries celebrate the 60th anniversary of normalized relations next year.
Seoul and Tokyo normalized their diplomatic relations in 1965, but lingering historical disputes stemming from Japan's colonial occupation of South Korea from 1910 to 1945 strained their ties in recent years.
Putting aside their historical differences, Kishida and Yoon forged close ties through their 11 meetings since Yoon took office in 2022.
"Prime Minister Kishida's visit is a manifestation of his sincerity, and that of his government, that Japan is committed to continuing the efforts that have enabled such an important transformation in ROK-Japan relations," said Evans Revere, who served as acting assistant secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs during the George W. Bush administration.
The improved relations led to regular meetings between the two countries that culminated in the Camp David summit with the U.S. in August 2023. There, the three agreed to expand security ties.
In June, the three countries held their first multi-domain land, air and sea military drills, dubbed "Freedom Edge," to boost the security of the Indo-Pacific including the Korean Peninsula.
Cooperation on security
The heightened cooperation comes in response to elevating threats from North Korean missile launches and Chinese air and naval incursions.
China has made multiple incursions into the South Korean air defense zone and Japanese air and maritime defense zones, including what Tokyo claimed as a violation of its territorial air space for the first time in August.
Daniel Sneider, a lecturer in international policy focusing on Japanese and Korean foreign policy at Stanford University, said Kishida's trip to Seoul will send signals to Pyongyang and Beijing that the trilateral security cooperation will be preserved even after his term ends.
"As a Prime Minister, his personal courage, along with ROK President Yoon's, ushered in a new era for U.S.-Japan-ROK trilateral cooperation at last year's Camp David Summit," a State Department spokesperson told VOA Korean on Wednesday when asked about the trip.
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is scheduled to elect Kishida's successor on Sept. 27.
"There's a fair amount of consensus on the importance of continuing security cooperation with South Korea," said Sneider. "But there are parts of the LDP that are much more resistant to having close ties with South Korea."
He added that Kishida "wants to make clear" that preserving security cooperation with South Korea will remain Japan's foreign policy whoever becomes the next prime minister of Japan.
The South Korean presidential office said on Tuesday that "Prime Minister Kishida is expected to continue to provide constructive advice to his successor on foreign policies and the future development of South Korea-Japan relations based on his experience."
Jiha Ham contributed to this report.
A Pakistani man was arrested in Canada this week for plotting a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn on the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas that sparked the latest conflict in the Middle East, federal authorities announced Friday.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Muhammad Shahzeb Khan had attempted to travel from Canada, where he lives, to New York City with the "stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible."
The 20-year-old, who is also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was apprehended on September 4 and charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to the terror group, which stands for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.
"As I said to Canada's minister of public safety yesterday, we are deeply grateful to our Canadian partners for their critical law enforcement actions in this matter," Garland said in a statement. "Jewish communities like all communities in this country should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fueled terrorist attack."
It was unclear if Khan has a lawyer. There was no listing for the case in the online federal court system. Edward Kim, a spokesperson for the Manhattan federal prosecutor's office, which is handling the case, declined to respond to follow-up questions, including where Khan was being held and when he would be brought to the U.S. to face the charges. He deferred to Canadian authorities, who didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
U.S. authorities said Khan began sharing ISIS propaganda videos and expressing his support for the terror group in social media posts and communications with others on an encrypted messaging app last November.
In conversations with two undercover law enforcement officers, he confirmed that he and another ISIS supporter based in the U.S. had been planning to carry out attacks against Jewish centers in America and needed to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition and other materials, according to the Justice Department.
Khan also provided details about how he would cross the border from Canada into the U.S. and that he was considering conducting the attacks on either the October 7 anniversary or on October 11, which is the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, authorities said.
Then on August 20, he told the undercover officers that he had settled on targeting New York City because of its sizable Jewish population and sent a photograph of the specific area inside a Jewish center where he planned to carry out the attack, according to the Justice Department.
Using three separate vehicles, Khan began traveling to the U.S. but was stopped around Ormstown, a town in the Canadian province of Quebec that is about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from the U.S. border, federal authorities said.
Pope Franciss visit to Papua New Guinea will take him to a remote part of the South Pacific island nation where Christianity is a recent addition to traditional spiritual beliefs developed over millennia.
Francis will visit the diocese of Vanimo on the main island of New Guinea, one of the most remote and disadvantaged in a poor and diverse nation, according to local Bishop Francis Meli.
Trappings of modernity are scarce. There is no running water for the more than 120,000 people who live in the diocese, according to a church website. Electricity is a luxury for the few who can afford solar panels or portable generators.
The visit is an extraordinary religious highlight in an area where Christian missionaries did not arrive until 1961, and where the religion coexists with traditional ancestor worship, animism and sorcery.
The pope will meet around a dozen missionary nuns and priests from his native Argentina during his visit scheduled for Sept. 8. He will also inspect a church-built high school and crisis center for abused women and girls.
Argentinian missionary Tomas Ravaioli, a priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, said he came to the Vanimo Diocese 14 years ago after his superiors told him there was a big need for priests.
While Christian churches are full, Indigenous customs and traditions are very much rooted, Ravaioli said.
Sometimes for people, its not easy to live Christianity 100% because they have traditions that are pagan, Ravaioli said.
But honestly, I think Christianity here in Papua New Guinea is very, very strong, he added.
Papua New Guinea is an overwhelmingly Christian country a 2000 census showed 96% of the population identified with the religion but the spiritual beliefs that developed during 50,000 years of human habitation remain part of the fabric of the nations culture.
Michael Mel is a 65-year-old academic who was baptized as a baby by one of the first missionaries to reach his village in the remote highlands. An Indigenous man, he said he also aligns with traditional spirituality and cautions against abandoning Indigenous culture.
Western civilization is great. The West has brought us reading and writing and technology and all of the rest of it, but there are some things where I think our sensibilities were much, much better, Mel said, giving Indigenous forest care as an example.
Mining has widened the countrys economic divide and pitted the haves against the have-nots.
We need to balance ourselves. We cannot just gung ho throw our knowledge away and accept Western civilization completely, Mel said.
But traditional beliefs can also contribute to the deadly tribal violence that is creating an unprecedented internal security threat across the country, especially allegations of witchcraft, known in local languages as sanguma.
Sorcery allegations typically arise in reaction to unexpected deaths or illness. But some suspect they also reflect jealousies and rivalries arising from major societal changes in recent decades that have more to do with rapid modernization and uneven development than religion.
As traditional bows and arrows are being replaced by more lethal assault rifles, the toll of fighting is getting deadlier, and police fear that they are outgunned. Mercenaries are also now a feature of what were once conflicts limited to tribal rivals.
Even though they believe in God and they believe in Jesus Christ, ... they fear witchcraft, said Bishop Meli, who was born east of Vanimo on an island off New Britain.
Authorities dont condone the persecution of supposed witches. Parliament in 2013 repealed the Sorcery Act which had made an accusation of sorcery a partial defense against a murder charge. But a study has found that prosecutions for violence against accused sorcerers remain rare compared to how commonplace witch hunts are.
Another enduring source of conflict is land ownership. Almost all the land in Papua New Guinea is customarily owned, which means it belongs to a distinct tribe or group instead of individuals. With no clear borders between customary lands, territorial disputes regularly lead to violence.
Both were among the complex combination of causes blamed for a massacre in East Sepik province, east of Vanimo, on July 17 when 30 men armed with guns, axes, spears, knives and sling shots launching sharpened steel rods killed at least 26 villagers.
Four weeks later, police reported a single suspect had been arrested. They remained hopeful that the rest of the culprits would be found. The U.N. children agency UNICEF said 395 survivors of the attack, including 220 children, remained homeless more than a month later because their houses were torched.
Meli said tribal violence was not a problem in his diocese, where he described the population as friendly and peaceful.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape relished the attention the papal visit would bring his country, noting that 80 members of the international media had registered to travel there for the event.
Marape said South Pacific leaders he met at the Pacific Islands Forum on Tonga in late August had proposed sending delegations to meet the pontiff.
He also noted that Catholics were the largest Christian denomination in Papua New Guinea. Catholics accounted for 26% of the population, according to a 2011 census.
"We look forward to the visit, Marape told The Associated Press at the Tongan capital, Nukualofa.
The Vatican is highlighting Papua New Guinea on the international stage at a time the United States and China struggle over the former World War II battleground for strategic influence.
The United States and close ally Australia, concerned by Chinas growing influence in the South Pacific, have struck new security agreements with Papua New Guinea. Australias latest pact addresses Port Moresbys concerns about deteriorating internal security problems. China is also reportedly pursuing a bilateral policing pact with Papua New Guinea.
The Vatican. meanwhile, has been working for years to try to improve relations with China that were officially severed over seven decades ago when the Communists came to power. A renewed agreement between China and the Vatican on the appointment of Chinese bishops is expected to be signed in October.
Bishop Meli said the faithful in his diocese were amazed that they would be included in the itinerary of the first visit by a pontiff to Papua New Guinea since Pope John Paul II in 1995.
They are so excited and people are full of jubilation and joy because this is historic, Meli said.
They dont think any pope in history will be able to come again to Vanimo, he said.
Zimbabwes heavy reliance on coal-based energy is hurting the health of people in mining regions who continue to be exposed to dirty air from coal burning. Columbus Mavhunga visited the Hwange thermal power station about 700 kilometers from Harare and the surrounding area, where residents have complained about the air pollution.
Shortly after appearing in court for an appeal of a decision that found him liable for sexual abuse, Donald Trump stepped Friday in front of television cameras and brought up a string of past allegations of other acts of sexual misconduct, potentially reminding voters of incidents that were little-known or forgotten.
The former president has made hitting back at opponents and accusers a centerpiece of his political identity, but his performance at his namesake Manhattan office tower was startling even by Trump's own combative standards. At times he seemed to relish using graphic language and characterizations of the case, which could expose the former president to further legal challenges.
Trump's remarks came just four days before he will debate Vice President Kamala Harris, with early voting about to begin in some parts of the country and Election Day just two months away.
Trump is staying in the public eye while Harris prepares for the debate in private with her advisers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. That's a reflection of their divergent campaign styles, with Trump frequently engaging with reporters often in friendly settings while Harris has done just one interview and no news conferences since taking President Joe Biden's place atop the Democratic ticket.
Trump on Friday repeatedly brought up Harris' lack of news conferences. But his own comments in which he talked about the cases against him for more than half an hour without mentioning any campaign issues threatened to cause him more legal jeopardy. And after convening reporters for what his campaign said was a news conference, Trump walked off without taking any questions.
Legal team makes arguments
A jury returned a $5 million verdict finding Trump liable of sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996. His legal team made its appeal arguments Friday morning.
Juries now have twice now awarded Carroll huge sums for Trump's claiming she made up a story about him attacking her in a department store dressing room in 1996 to help her sell a memoir.
But that hasn't stopped Trump from continuing to make nearly identical statements to reporters. At his news briefing Friday, he said again that Carroll was telling a "made up, fabricated story."
Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, warned in March after a jury awarded Carroll another $83 million that she would continue to monitor Trump's comments and would consider suing again if he kept it up.
Earlier in court, he walked in quietly and passed in front of Carroll without acknowledging or looking at her.
The former president reacted at times during the proceedings, such as shaking his head when Carroll's attorney said that Trump sexually abused her client. He periodically tilted his head from side to side, but otherwise sat still and mostly alone.
A Manhattan jury in May found Trump responsible for sexual abuse. Carroll says Trump attacked her in a department store dressing room, but the former president's legal team says the verdict should be overturned because some evidence that was allowed during the trial should have been excluded while other evidence that should be excluded was allowed. He denies guilt.
In the midst of running for president and facing a series of other legal cases against him, Trump did not attend the Carroll trial and wasn't there when the charges were read though he assailed the verdict as "a disgrace" on his social media site.
Later Friday, he's traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina, to address the Fraternal Order of Police.
More than 12 women make accusations
Carroll is one of more than a dozen women who have accused Trump of sexual assault or harassment. She went public in a 2019 memoir. Trump denied it, saying he never encountered Carroll at the store and did not know her. He has called her a "nut job" who invented her story to sell a memoir.
Trump faces unprecedented criminal and civil jeopardy for a major-party nominee.
He has separately been convicted on 34 felony counts in a New York state case related to hush money payments allegedly made to a porn actor. The judge in that case is expected to decide Friday whether to postpone Trump's sentencing.
Trump has also been ordered to pay steep civil fines for lying about his wealth for years.
And he's still contending with cases alleging his mishandling of classified documents, his actions after the 2020 election, and his activities during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 though none are likely to go to trial prior to Election Day.
Russia, Iran and China are ramping up efforts to impact the outcome of the U.S. presidential election and down-ballot races, targeting American voters with an expanding array of sophisticated influence operations.
The latest assessment from U.S. intelligence agencies, shared Friday, warns that Russia remains the preeminent threat, with Russian influence campaigns seeking to boost the chances of Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump over Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.
Russian actors, led by networks created by the Kremlin-backed media outlet RT, "are supporting Moscow's efforts to influence voter preferences in favor of the former president and diminish the prospects of the vice president," a senior intelligence official told reporters, briefing on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.
"RT has built and used networks of U.S. and other Western personalities to create and disseminate Russia-friendly narratives while trying to mask the content in authentic Americans' free speech," the official said.
And RT, the official added, is just part of a growing Kremlin-directed campaign that is looking to impact not just the race for the White House, but smaller elections across the United States, with an added emphasis on swing states.
"Russia's influence apparatus is very large and it's worth highlighting that they have other entities that are active," the official said. "Russia is working up and down ballot races, as well as spreading divisive issues."
Tracking the Russian influence efforts has become more difficult, with U.S. officials saying that there is a greater degree of sophistication and an increased emphasis on amplifying American voices with pro-Russian views rather than seeding social media with narratives crafted in the Kremlin.
"It's not just about Russian bots and trolls and fake social media persona, although that's part of it," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told VOA Friday.
"We're not taking anything for granted," he added. "There's no question that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has every intent to try to sow discord here in the United States, to try to pump disinformation and Russian propaganda through to the American people, through what he believes were our credible sources, be they online or on television and we have to take that seriously."
The intelligence officials declined to share additional specifics about Russia's network of influence operations. But indictments Wednesday from the U.S. Justice Department have shed some light on the scope of the Kremlin's recent operations.
In one case, the U.S. charged two employees of RT with using fake personas and shell companies to funnel almost $10 million to Tenet Media, a Tennessee-based company producing videos and podcasts for a stable of conservative political influencers.
The aim, prosecutors said, was to produce and disseminate content promoting what Moscow viewed as pro-Russian policies.
In a separate action, the U.S. seized 32 internet domains linked to an operation directed by a key aide to Putin. The aim, U.S. officials said, was to mimic legitimate U.S. news sites to spread Russian-created propaganda.
RT publicly ridiculed the allegations while some of the influencers working with Tenet posted statements on the X social media platform saying they were unaware of the company's links to Moscow.
As for the latest U.S. intelligence allegations, the Russian Embassy in Washington has yet to respond to VOA's request for comments, though it has described previous accusations as "Russophobic."
Requests for comment to the Trump and Harris campaigns have also, so far, gone unanswered.
But earlier U.S. intelligence assertions of Russian support for Trump have raised the ire of the Trump campaign, which has pointed to public statements by Russia's Putin supporting Trump's opponents.
"When President Trump was in the Oval Office, Russia and all of America's adversaries were deterred, because they feared how the United States would respond," national press secretary for the Trump campaign, Karoline Leavitt, told VOA in an email this past July.
U.S. intelligence officials, however, said it would be a mistake to put any faith in Putin's words, including public comments Thursday expressing support for Harris.
The U.S. intelligence community "does not take Putin's public statements as representative of Russia's covert intentions," the senior official said. "There are many examples over the past several years where Putin's public statements do not align with Russian actions. For example, his comments that he would not invade Ukraine."
Experts say Iran, China trying to influence results
U.S. intelligence agencies Friday emphasized Russia is not alone in its effort to shape the outcome of the U.S. elections in November, warning both Tehran and Beijing are sharpening their influence campaigns with just about 60 days until America voters go to the polls.
"Iran is making a greater effort than in the past to influence this year's elections, even as its tactics and approaches are similar to prior cycles," the intelligence official said, describing a "multi-pronged approach to stoke internal divisions and undermine voter confidence in the U.S. democratic system.
U.S. intelligence agencies previously assessed that Iran has focused part of its efforts on denigrating the Trump campaign, seeing his election as likely to worsen tensions between Tehran and Washington.
U.S. officials last month also blamed Iran for a hack-and-leak operation targeting the Trump campaign, though they said that Iran-linked actors have also sought to infiltrate the Harris campaign.
As for China, U.S. intelligence officials said it appears Beijing is still content to stay out of the U.S. presidential race, seeing little difference between Trump and Harris.
But there are indications China is accelerating its efforts to impact other political races.
U.S. intelligence "is aware of PRC [People's Republic of China] attempts to influence U.S. down-ballot races by focusing on candidates it views as particularly threatening to core PRC security interests," the official said.
"PRC online influence actors have also continued small scale efforts on social media to engage U.S. audiences on divisive political issues, including protests about the Israel-Gaza conflict and promote negative stories about both political parties," the official added.
'Malicious speculations against China'
The Chinese Embassy in Washington, Friday, rejected the U.S. intelligence assessment.
"China has no intention and will not interfere in the U.S. election, and we hope that the U.S. side will not make an issue of China in the election," spokesperson Liu Pengyu told VOA in an email.
Liu added that accusations Beijing is using social media to sway U.S. public opinion "are full of malicious speculations against China, which China firmly opposes."
While U.S. intelligence officials have identified Russia, Iran and China, as the most prominent purveyors of disinformation, they are not alone.
Officials have said countries like Cuba are also engaging in influence operations, though at a much smaller scale.
And other countries are edging closer to crossing that line.
"We are seeing a number of countries considering activities that, at a minimum, test the boundaries of election influence," according to the U.S. assessment. "Such activities include lobbying political figures to try to curry favor with them in the event they are elected to office."
Misha Komadovsky contributed to this report.
A South Korean senior official has rekindled debate over the U.S. commitment to that nation's defense, bringing up the possibility of the U.S. rolling back its nuclear umbrella if former President Donald Trump is reelected.
Kim Tae-hyo, South Korea's deputy national security director, said in a Seoul forum Tuesday the reelection of Trump could "weaken a U.S. nuclear umbrella" designed to protect South Korea from North Korean aggression.
"Trump as candidate can be seen as pursuing transactional benefits in terms of the South Korea-U.S. alliance," Kim said, according to news reports. "It is not unlikely that he would suggest negotiating defense cost-sharing or the deployment of U.S. strategic assets from a cost perspective."
Skepticism about America's willingness and capability to protect South Korea from a North Korean nuclear attack has grown among South Koreans as North Korea's nuclear and missile programs become increasingly sophisticated. A recent poll by South Korea's Institute of National Unification revealed that 66% of respondents supported the country having its own nuclear weapons.
Concern over commitment
Gary Samore, former White House coordinator for arms control and weapons of mass destruction during the Obama administration, said Kim's remarks reflect widespread concern among U.S. allies.
There is a concern that "Trump, if reelected, would pursue policies that will weaken U.S. alliances around the world, including in Europe and East Asia," Samore told VOA Korean Wednesday via email.
"In the case of Korea, Trump might seek to resume summit diplomacy with Kim Jong Un and make concessions that weaken the U.S.-ROK alliance, as he did at the Singapore summit in June 2018," Samore said. ROK stands for Republic of Korea, the official name for South Korea.
According to the joint statement released after the 2018 summit, Trump "committed to provide security guarantees" to North Korea, while the North Korean leader reaffirmed "commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."
"However, I think it's premature to predict exactly what policies President Trump will adopt toward Korea if he is reelected," Samore added. "There are too many uncertainties, including, for example, who President Trump appoints for his top foreign policy and defense positions."
Michael O'Hanlon, director of foreign policy research at the Brookings Institution in Washington, told VOA Korean Tuesday via email the South Korean official's assessment of Trump is justifiable.
"I think the official is correct," O'Hanlon said, adding Trump could take steps to address this concern. "I do not know if he will."
'Treat us properly,' says Trump
Trump has often complained that U.S. allies do not pay the U.S. enough for bases and troops used in their defense. In an April interview with Time magazine, Trump said, "I want South Korea to treat us properly," suggesting he would demand that South Korea pay more for the American troops stationed there.
But Frederick Fleitz, who served as chief of staff of the National Security Council in the Trump White House, told VOA Korean by phone Tuesday that Trump's reelection is not likely to affect the U.S. nuclear umbrella.
Making clear that he was speaking for himself, not for Trump, Fleitz said the former president "was a strong friend of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan when he was in office last time and he'll be a strong friend again."
"Why would there be such a big change in a second Trump term when he didn't do that in the first term?" Fleitz asked. "The second Trump administration, concerning South Korea, will be countering the threat from North Korea and this new axis relationship between China, Russia, North Korea and Iran."
Fleitz stressed there is no evidence to suggest Trump would link the defense cost-sharing with offering a nuclear umbrella, adding discussions on how much South Korea pays for U.S. troops in South Korea will not be a "deal breaker" for the second Trump administration.
"It is an issue that will be resolved among friends," he said. "The security threats in the region are so severe I think that's what the U.S. will focus on."
Redeployment of nukes
Robert Peters, a fellow for nuclear deterrence and missile defense at the Heritage Foundation, told VOA Korean Tuesday via email it is "far more likely" that America's extended deterrence commitment to South Korea would strengthen during a second Trump term.
Peters said a second Trump administration could consider redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula, due to the threats coming from North Korea and China.
"I think a second Trump administration would field SLCM-N [nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missiles] in the near term and potentially reintroduce American nuclear weapons to South Korea as a means to assure the ROK, deter North Korea and strengthen regional stability," said Peters.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, is widely expected to inherit incumbent President Joe Biden's Asia policies should she win the election.
The Biden administration is not considering the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea. In 1991, the U.S. withdrew from South Korea all its nuclear weapons, roughly 100 in number, according to some studies.
"The United States does not assess returning nuclear weapons to the Indo-Pacific as necessary at this time," a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement on May 31 in response to a VOA Korean inquiry. "The United States has no plans to forward deploy nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula."
In April 2023, Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol adopted the Washington Declaration, in which the U.S. declared that its commitment to the defense of South Korea will be backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities, including nuclear.
During this week's high-level security talks between the U.S. and South Korea, the Biden administration reiterated its commitment to defend South Korea with nuclear weapons if necessary to deter attacks from North Korea.
"We reaffirm the U.S. extended deterrence commitment to the ROK using the full range of U.S. defense capabilities, and that any DPRK [North Korea] nuclear attack on the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable and will result in the end of that regime," Bonnie Jenkins, U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, told reporters after Wednesday's talks.
VOA Korean contacted the Trump campaign and asked what Trump's stance is on the U.S. nuclear umbrella offered to South Korea, but did not receive a reply by the time this article was published.
The United States and Iraq have reached an understanding on plans for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The plan, which has been broadly agreed but requires a final go-ahead from both capitals and an announcement date, would see hundreds of troops leave by September 2025, with the remainder departing by the end of 2026, the sources said.
"We have an agreement, its now just a question of when to announce it," a senior U.S. official said.
The U.S. and Iraq are also seeking to establish a new advisory relationship that could see some U.S. troops remain in Iraq after the drawdown.
An official announcement was initially scheduled for weeks ago but was postponed because of regional escalation related to Israel's war in Gaza and to iron out some remaining details, the sources said.
The sources include five U.S. officials, two officials from other coalition nations, and three Iraqi officials, all speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Several sources said the deal could be announced this month.
Farhad Alaaldin, foreign affairs adviser to the Iraqi prime minister, said technical talks with Washington on the coalition drawdown had concluded.
"We are now on the brink of transitioning the relationship between Iraq and members of the international coalition to a new level, focusing on bilateral relations in military, security, economic, and cultural areas," he said.
He did not comment on details of the plan and the U.S.-led coalition did not respond to emailed questions.
The agreement follows more than six months of talks between Baghdad and Washington, initiated by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in January amid attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups on U.S. forces stationed at Iraqi bases.
The rocket and drone attacks have killed three American troops and wounded dozens more, resulting in several rounds of deadly U.S. retaliation that threatened government efforts to stabilize Iraq after decades of conflict.
The U.S. has approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighboring Syria as part of the coalition formed in 2014 to combat Islamic State as it rampaged through the two countries.
The group once held roughly a third of Iraq and Syria but was territorially defeated in Iraq at the end of 2017 and in Syria in 2019. Iraq had demonstrated its ability to handle any remaining threat, Alaaldin said.
The U.S. initially invaded Iraq in 2003, toppling dictator Saddam Hussein before withdrawing in 2011, but returned in 2014 at the head of the coalition to fight Islamic State.
Other nations, including Germany, France, Spain and Italy, also contribute hundreds of troops to the coalition.
Under the plan, all coalition forces would leave the Ain al-Asad airbase in western Anbar province and significantly reduce their presence in Baghdad by September 2025.
U.S. and other coalition troops are expected to remain in Irbil, in the semi-autonomous northern Kurdistan region, for approximately one additional year, until around the end of 2026, to facilitate ongoing operations against Islamic State in Syria.
Exact details of troop movements are being kept secret because of their military sensitivity.
The drawdown would mark a notable shift in Washington's military posture in the region.
While primarily focused on countering Islamic State, U.S. officials acknowledge their presence also serves as a strategic position against Iranian influence.
This position has grown more important as Israel and Iran escalate their regional confrontation, with U.S. forces in Iraq shooting down rockets and drones fired towards Israel in recent months, according to U.S. officials.
Prime Minister al-Sudani has stated that while he appreciates their help, U.S. troops have become a magnet for instability, frequently targeted and responding with strikes often not coordinated with the Iraqi government.
The agreement, when announced, would likely present a political win for al-Sudani as he balances Iraq's position as an ally of both Washington and Tehran. The first phase of the drawdown would end one month before Iraqi parliamentary polls set for October 2025.
The State Department and U.S. Embassy in Baghdad did not respond to requests for comment.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that the United States will continue enforcing sanctions against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro following the seizure and investigation of two aircraft linked to him earlier this week in the Dominican Republic.
On Friday, Blinken held discussions with Dominican President Luis Abinader during his first official visit to Santo Domingo as the top U.S. diplomat.
Blinken underscored the U.S. commitment to continued collaboration with the Dominican Republic to promote inclusive economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions, uphold human rights, and improve governance and security.
On Monday, U.S. authorities seized a plane used by Maduro, the equivalent to the U.S. Air Force One. The aircraft, undergoing maintenance in the Dominican Republic, was seized for being illegally purchased through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States, violating U.S. export control and sanctions laws.
After the controversial reelection of Maduro on July 28, Venezuela suspended commercial flights to and from the Dominican Republic.
A second plane linked to Maduro is under investigation in the Dominican Republic. This aircraft is similar to the one seized on Monday and is listed among the sanctioned assets by the U.S. Treasury as belonging to Maduro.
With regard to the plane seizures, we've been very clear. We'll implement our sanctions, and if we find violations of them, we will act. That's what we did, and that's what we'll continue to do, Blinken told reporters during a joint press conference with Abinader at the National Palace.
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.
On August 16, Abinader was sworn in for a second four-year term, vowing to enhance security by increasing police training over the next four years. His administration has also implemented policies barring migrants from neighboring Haiti.
The U.S. has urged the Dominican Republic to establish a path toward normalization with Haiti, as border tensions continue to escalate.
Blinken said he and Abinader are committed to support the Haitians to build security and make sure the people are treated humanely.
Abinader told reporters his country will continue moving forward and normalizing the relationship with Haiti, such as opening air flights, but the security and safety of citizens of the Dominican Republic is still the priority.
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 worlds largest gold mines, and serves as a major global supplier of ferronickel, used for making stainless steel.
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 Republics existing justice system and to reduce crime and violence.
Blinken also announced on Friday "the first phase of a supply chain investment through USAID, an initial $3 million that will help the Dominican government improve its workforce training, build industrial parks, attract high-tech industries here to the Dominican Republic.
GUANGZHOU, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- South China's Guangdong Province is fully prepared for super typhoon Yagi, with outdoor activities halted and flights and schools suspended.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province.
On Friday, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangdong's provincial capital canceled all flights to Hainan Province and Zhanjiang City in Guangdong. The Zhanjiang Wuchuan International Airport, also in Guangdong, suspended all inbound and outbound flights.
According to the Guangdong provincial emergency management department, work at more than 2,600 construction sites in Guangdong has been suspended, with about 74,000 people evacuated. All 8,990 schools, kindergartens and educational institutions in the province have been temporarily closed, and 84,873 fishing boats have sought shelter in harbors.
Linda Sun, the Chinese American political aide accused this week of acting as an agent of Beijing, rose rapidly in New York state politics on her way to a job as deputy chief of staff to Governor Kathy Hochul.
She climbed the ladder with stints as public relations director to a Taiwanese American member of Congress and an assignment as the deputy chief diversity officer in the office of the previous governor.
But according to the indictment made public this week, she used her position to tamp down public criticism of China's treatment of its Uyghur minority and to prevent interactions between Taiwanese government officials and senior New York state officials.
In return, the indictment alleges, Beijing rewarded her with millions of dollars in bribes and business deals.
Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, were arrested Tuesday, accused of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act by illegally acting as agents of the Chinese government. Other charges include visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy. Hu was also charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and abuse of identification.
Court appearance
The two naturalized U.S. citizens made their first appearance in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn on Tuesday. During the arraignment, they pleaded not guilty and were released on a combined $2 million bail. They are not allowed to travel outside New York, New Hampshire and Maine.
In a statement shared with VOA Mandarin, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu dismissed the allegations.
"I am not aware of the specific details. 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.
He added that "China requires its citizens overseas to comply with the laws and regulations of the host country, and we firmly oppose the groundless slandering and smearing targeting China."
Barnard graduate
Sun was born in China in 1983 and moved to the U.S. with her parents at age 5. She is fluent in Chinese.
She got her undergraduate degree in political science from Barnard College in 2006. According to a campus magazine, she first got involved in public service at age 8 by translating forms and filing tax returns for her parents.
She obtained her master's degree in education from Columbia University in 2009, but her path turned to politics.
In 2008, she met Grace Meng, the U.S. representative for New York's 6th Congressional District. Meng was campaigning at the time and was said to be impressed by Sun's energy and initiative.
Sun joined Meng's campaign as public relations director and then became chief of staff for the Taiwanese American congresswoman.
In 2012, Sun became the director of Asian American Affairs and Queens regional representative in the governor's office. She also served as the deputy chief diversity officer in former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration from 2018 to 2020 and then was deputy chief of staff to Hochul from 2021 to 2022.
Alleged effort to silence
As a deputy chief diversity officer, she called on ethnic minorities to have a seat at the table through government programs.
However, according to the indictment, Sun sought to silence voices in the U.S. speaking out for China's Uyghur Muslim minority, whom the Chinese government has long been accused of oppressing. She allegedly had an argument with Hochul's speechwriter, who had insisted the then-lieutenant governor should mention the Uyghur situation in China in a Lunar New Year speech to the Chinese American community.
The indictment said Sun successfully prevented Taiwanese government officials, including former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, from interacting with senior New York state officials, while facilitating Chinese delegations' trips to the U.S. with fraudulent invitation letters.
In return for Sun's political assistance, the indictment says, the Chinese government financially rewarded her with millions of dollars and aided Hu's commercial activities in China.
Using the illegal funds, the couple is alleged to have bought a 2024 Ferrari, a $2.1 million apartment in Hawaii and a $3.55 million Long Island single-family home.
Sun and Hu are scheduled to next appear in court on September 25.
Adrianna Zhang and Adam Xu contributed to this report.
Two decades after the Beslan school siege a notorious terrorist attack on a Russian school that left more than 300 people dead families of the victims are still demanding answers about what happened and why an official investigation has never been completed.
On Sept. 1, 2004, the first day of the school year in Russia, more than 30 heavily armed gunmen seized a school in Beslan, a town in North Ossetia a majority Christian autonomous republic located, like Muslim-majority Chechnya, in Russias North Caucasus region. The gunmen belonged to Riyad-us Saliheen, an Islamist group headed by Chechen separatist warlord Shamil Basayev.
After taking more than 1,000 people hostage, including teachers, parents and over 700 children, they demanded that Moscow withdraw its troops from Chechnya, then in the middle of its second separatist war against the federal authorities, and recognize Chechen independence.
On the third day of the hostage-taking, Russian security forces stormed the school. In the ensuing fighting, 334 people died, 186 of them children.
The next day, Vladimir Putin, then in his fourth year as Russias president, made a pre-dawn visit to Beslan, visiting wounded victims from the incident in a hospital. Still, he was later criticized for not meeting with victims families.
In a speech to the nation on the evening of Sept. 4, 2004, Putin said, We did not fully understand the complexity and the dangers of the processes at work in our own country and in the world, adding: We showed ourselves to be weak. And the weak get beaten.
Late last month, with the 20th anniversary of the Beslan tragedy approaching, Putin made his first visit back to Beslan, where he met with three mothers of children who died in the school Susanna Dudieva, chairperson of the Mothers of Beslan committee, and her co-chairs, Rita Sidakova and Aneta Gadieva.
The three accused Putin of dragging his feet on an official investigation into the events in Beslan, which was launched in Russias parliament in 2006 amid critics allegations that the federal authorities had sabotaged attempts to negotiate for the hostages release and then used excessive force.
After the meeting, Gadieva told the online Russian media outlet Agentstvo that Putin had said he didnt know much about the investigation.
According to the Kremlins transcript of the conversation between Putin and the three women, the Russian president blamed unidentified foreign forces for the Beslan hostage seizure and cited the attack as justification for the invasion of Ukraine this despite strong statements of support for Russia at the time from the United States, Ukraine and other countries, along with planeloads of relief supplies.
Alexander Cherkasov is a leading expert on the North Caucasus who was chair of the Memorial human rights center, which was shut down by the Russian authorities in 2021 and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize the following year.
He told VOAs Russian service that the Beslan tragedy was motivated not by foreign forces but at least in part by the indiscriminate actions of Russian forces in Chechnya. These included counter-terrorist raids in which civilians were kidnapped, tortured and killed, further radicalized the separatists who were fighting Moscow.
The brute force tactics used by the federal center in the Caucasus generated discontent, Cherkasov said. It created a mobilization base for the armed underground. The weapons seized in Ingushetia [from a government arms depot during a June 2004 raid by militants led by Shamil Basayev] were later used in Beslan. And it was not just the militant commanders who were involved, but also rank-and-file participants in terrorist attacks. Many of them did not just join the terrorists for no reason.
In 2005, Marina Litvinovich, a Russian opposition activist and politician, created an online platform, Truth of Beslan, to independently collect data on the Beslan terrorist attack.
She told VOA that in the 20 years since the attack, there has been no fair investigation, and the government has still not acknowledged the difficult truth about how the attack actually happened, how it ended, and why the children died.
According to Litvinovich, during the events of Sept. 1-3, 2004 in Beslan, Russias special services were not primarily focused on saving the hostages
"We received confirmation of this from [then North Ossetia head] Alexander Dzasokhov, who was interrogated in court, that no serious negotiations were conducted. During all three days, no one from the official headquarters conducted negotiations that would have resulted in at least an attempt to free some of the hostages, she said.
Litvinovich noted that Dzasokhov, working in conjunction with, among others, Ruslan Aushev, a former president of Ingushetia, the North Caucasus autonomous republic located between North Ossetia and Chechnya, and Aslan Maskhadov, the then president of the unrecognized breakaway Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, joined forces in an attempt to negotiate a peaceful end to the Beslan hostage crisis, but were apparently sabotaged by the federal authorities.
[O]n the morning of September 3, Dzasokhov came out to the relatives of the hostages and said, inspired and uplifted, that new figures had appeared in the negotiation process (apparently he meant Maskhadov), and there will be no assault [by Russian security forces], she recalled. And exactly an hour after this speech, what was later portrayed as the terrorists blowing up the gymnasium occurred."
According to Litvinovich, the federal authorities claim that the hostage-takers sparked the bloody end of the Beslan hostage crisis by blowing up the schools gymnasium, where the hostages were being held, was a complete lie."
In reality, she said, the full-scale exchange of fire between the hostage-takers and the Russian security forces on the third day of the crisis was sparked when members of the Special Purpose Center of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) fired into the schools gymnasium, using a rocket-propelled infantry flamethrower.
In April 2017, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in a case brought by victims of the Beslan attack and their families that the Russian authorities response to the Beslan hostage-taking suffered from a lack of formal leadership, resulting in serious flaws in decision-making and coordination.
It also found that indiscriminate weapons, including flame-throwers, grenade launchers and a tank cannon, were used on the buildings where hostages were still being held which contributed to the heavy causalities among the hostages.
The court ordered Russia to pay the plaintiffs nearly 3 million euros ($3.2 million).
Russia's Justice Ministry dismissed the court's conclusions as unfounded and unconvincing, in particular calling the court's conclusion that Russian law enforcement agencies indiscriminately used firearms and heavy weapons during the hostage siege "absolutely groundless."
In June 2022, several months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia's parliament passed legislation ending the European Court of Human Rights jurisdiction in Russia.
This article originated in VOAs Russian Service
Mqondisi Dube
Gaborone, Botswana 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.
EIJING (AFP) - 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.
Bernard Avle hosts one of the biggest morning shows in Ghana. But scammers used artificial intelligence, or AI, to clone his voice to endorse a product. Analysts warn the same technology could be used to spread disinformation ahead of Ghanas elections in December. Senanu Tord reports from Accra.
Photo-Illustration: Cristian Lopez and Ashely Rose for Hulu/Getty Images
Lets face it: Ben Affleck is just a Jennifer magnet. He cant help it at this point; he attracts them like a Bostonian to a Dunkin Donuts. The latest Jen in his life is one hes never met his alleged cousin-in-law Jennifer Lynn Affleck, who now stars in the Hulu reality show Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. But the Utah Afflecks might not actually related to the Boston ones.
Fun fact
September 6, 2024: Jennifer told People that she has never met her distant family member; her husband, Zac, is the first cousin once removed to Ben and Casey Affleck (his father is their first cousin). Zacs dad has [met them], when [Ben] was very little, she explains. Im hoping to meet him one day, too! She isnt shy about her not-so-close affiliation to the family, especially her soon-to-be ex cousin-in-law-in-law Jennifer Lopez. She was calling herself the new Jenny from the block in an Instagram video. Jennifer Lynn told People about the coincidence and how she was named after JLO, Especially because my name happens to be not only Jen but Jennifer Lynn Affleck, which is the exact same as J.Lo. She went from Jennifer Lynn Lopez to Jennifer Lynn Affleck, which is so crazy. If she wants to full embrace her name, maybe she can start writing her own greatest love story never told.
A fire starts at the Heart Factory
September 17, 2024: Jennifer and Zacs claims that they are related to Ben and Casey Affleck might be distant from the truth. Based on what they shared, Zacs grandfather Gordon Affleck and Ben and Caseys father, Timothy Byers Affleck, are supposed to be brothers, but according to Family Search, neither family crosses each others family tree. It might just be the Greatest Love Story That Started With a Little Fib.
Photo-Illustration: Everett Collection (Warner Independent, Fox Searchlight, New World Pictures), Columbia Pictures
Few actresses are as synonymous with Gen-X excellence as Winona Ryder, and even fewer have managed to transform that generations sarcastic, disaffected, secretly yearning appeal into an enduring career. Thats because Ryder, for all her goth-princess beginnings in Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands, and her fuck-normalcy counterculture edge in Heathers and Reality Bites, has never been just an aesthetic.
Ryders reunion with filmmaker Tim Burton in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a celebration of her spooky allure and a recognition of how key her performances were to the directors early filmography, but theres so much more to Ryder than her ability to deadpan and how great she looks in choppy bangs. The actress has been delivering cunningly layered, unapologetically sensual, and exaggeratedly comedic performances for decades now. This woman has stolen scenes from Daniel Day-Lewis in two different period pieces! She deserves our respect! And here we are to give it to her, by breaking down 20 of her essential performances across movies and TV.
20.
One of Ryders two collaborations with The Wires David Simon, Show Me a Hero is a true ensemble series; Ryder is just one part of a sprawling ensemble featuring Oscar Isaac, Alfred Molina, Jon Bernthal, Catherine Keener, and Clarke Peters. She doesnt have a ton of screen time as Vinni Restiano, the Yonkers City Council president who advocated for integration of the citys middle- and upper-class neighborhoods through low-income housing. But what she provides is a sense of steadiness theres a lot of political posturing, ambitious striving, and racist and classist hatred from the series other characters. In contrast, Ryders Restiano radiates sureness. Youll look for her in scenes for that energy, which is a nice change of pace from the more flighty persona of her younger years.
19.
Ryder and Keanu Reeves have worked together numerous times and played love interests more than once, but Destination Wedding is perhaps the most straightforward version of that coupling: Its a rom-com! The two bicker and banter and then fall into bed together! On paper, it should be pretty charming; in actuality, Victor Levins film is a little too woodenly written and a little too rotely directed, and, well, Reeves is playing an incel. But Ryder has always been great at falling in love onscreen, and although she and Reeves are both playing jerks, theres still enough chemistry there to make you wonder when someone else will write a better, Ticket to Paradisestyle flick for these two.
18.
Alien Resurrection is not a particularly good movie, but it does feel like an omniscient one. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet and writer Joss Whedon have more ideas than they know what to do with, but a few of those ideas human experimentation, hybrid cloning, trying to tame the alien would actually end up shaping the franchise for decades to come. Still, amid all this overstuffed plotting, Ryder has a nice action turn as mercenary and secret synthetic Annalee Call. She doesnt do many films in this genre, but she handles herself well shooting at the aliens, running around the Auriga ship, avoiding acid blood, and projecting that slightly detached do-gooder vibe that the franchises synthetics are supposed to have unless their coding goes haywire. And while a seductively feral Sigourney Weaver as the human-Xenomorph queen clone Ripley 8 absolutely runs away with the film, her performance works so well because of Ryders wide-eyed affect as the skeptical, scared Call; the contrast between the two women, like in a scene where Ripley 8 tears out the internal second mouth of an alien and offers it to a disgusted Call as a nice souvenir, gives this film its personality.
17.
Sometimes its nice just to watch Ryder have a little fun! She pops up in the first two seasons of Drunk History (RIP), and in each gives a performance thats big, broad, and zany. In Boston, she plays Mary Dyer, a Quaker woman who was eventually hanged for her religious beliefs and for refusing to leave the Puritan-led colony that tried to banish her, and in Philadelphia, she plays Peggy Shippen, Benedict Arnolds spy wife. Dyers story is a lot sadder than Shippens (in the latter, narrator Erin McGathy compliments Shippen more than once by calling her a cunt), but Ryder is lovely as each woman. As Dyer, she projects a confidence and capability that sparks well against Michael Ceras hotheaded Puritan leader, and as Shippen in a gigantic, Marie Antoinettestyle wig shes just hilarious, mugging at the camera with shrugs and eye rolls even when shes having missionary-style sex. Its too bad that Drunk History was abruptly canceled during COVID, because Ryder is a great mime who certainly could have done more on the show.
16.
Legacy sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cycles through all the great moments from Tim Burtons 1988 film (which, yes, ranks higher) without changing too much of the originals formula. The Deetzes Victorian mansion still has the miniature of Winter River in its attic; Michael Keatons titular character is still gravelly voiced and gross; and the afterlife underworld is still a German Expressionist nightmare of bizarre angles and a jukebox playground of yesteryear pop hits. This is nostalgia bait, sure. But its undergirded by a consciously adult, steeped-in-sadness performance from Ryder, whose Lydia hasnt had the best go of it in the nearly 40 years since her father and stepmother moved into this quirky, haunted town. Shes a reality-TV star who hates her job; shes in a relationship with a man shes only barely interested in; and shes had to weather her daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), never believing in her ability to see ghosts. Ryder plays the character as barely held together, gulping down pills and snapping at anyone who says the name of the demon who tried to marry her at the end of the first film. Lydia is emotionally battered, and Ryder makes us feel that in her combination of manic fear of Beetlejuices return and exhausted weariness when dealing with Astrid. When her stepmother asks Lydia wheres the obnoxious little goth girl who tormented me all those years ago?, were meant to sympathize with how much time has worn down Lydia, and we do. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice lets us feel the burden of nostalgia and what too much of it can do, and Ryders performance is central to that feeling of discomfort.
15.
Like Alien Resurrection, James Mangolds Girl, Interrupted is another one where Ryder is overshadowed by a co-star, in this case, Angelina Jolie, whose mercurial performance rightly won her the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2000. But also like Alien Resurrection, Ryder is doing important work here as the straight woman for that flashier performance to play off of. Shes believable and pitiable as 18-year-old Susanna Kaysen, who, after a nervous breakdown and an overdose, ends up in the womens ward of a psychiatric hospital. Girl, Interrupted leans a little too much on all of the other committed women having noticeable quirks or defining traumas (Susannas is the promiscuity caused by her borderline personality disorder), but Ryder is solid as a woman yearning to be liked and to belong to other people, and her performance blooms against those of Jolie, Brittany Murphy, Clea DuVall, and Elisabeth Moss. Ryders wide-eyed gaze gets overused, but that pixie cut really did open up her face.
14.
A few elements of this Friends episode, in which Ryder plays Rachels sorority sister Melissa Warburton, who meets up with her for the first time since college, havent aged well. The central tension of the episode is that Rachel insists she and Melissa kissed, and Melissa insists they didnt and Melissas maybe I passed out and you did stuff to me while I was sleeping getting a laugh-track response isnt great. Some things are better left in the early aughts! But, of course, the two women did actually kiss, and Ryders comedic timing and physical performance sell that reveal. Her face melts when Rachel kisses her in the present to prove a point, and her body goes slack. Her voice gets hoarse and breathy when she says of the college kiss, I think about it all the time, and after Rachel rejects her come-on, it goes up a few octaves during Melissas panicked Shut up! Friends has tons of these little one-episode cameos, but not many of those guest actors did so much with so little as Ryder.
13.
The Star Trek cast werent complete nobodies in 2009 Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, and John Cho all had a few credits before signing onto the franchise reboot from director J. J. Abrams and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. But the ensemble needed an established face to help draw us in and establish narrative stakes, and as Spocks human mother, Amanda Grayson, Ryder did that beautifully. Her gentle wisdom and unbothered love for Spock help soften Quintos super-constrained version of the character like when she fusses with his uniform collar before his emotion-purge ritual and tells him whatever he chooses, you will have a proud mother and Ryder plays her with such poise and dignity that her tragic death is probably the most impactful moment of that whole trilogy. This is the role that feels most like a warm-up for the maternal warmth Ryder would eventually exude on Stranger Things, and she adds exactly the humanity Star Trek needs to feel like a worthwhile new version of a story whose beats we already know.
12.
Its rare for Ryder to play a true villain, but in The Plot Against America her second collaboration with Simon, who has described her as having the standing of the great American ingenue she comes pretty close. In the alternate-history miniseries based on the 2004 novel by Philip Roth, Ryder plays Evelyn Finkel, a Jewish woman who falls in love with John Turturros Rabbi Bengelsdorf. Out of self-loathing, a desire for power, or some other mysterious reasoning, the rabbi is a collaborator with the antisemitic administration led by aviator turned president Charles Lindbergh, and as his relationship with Evelyn deepens, she gets pulled into that hateful project, too. Ryder plays Evelyn as a woman so deep in love that she cant see the consequences of her actions: Shes so head over heels for Bengelsdorf and so captivated by the elite worlds he pulls her into that she nearly immediately lets her own definition of Judaism and Jewish identity be pulled into his. Over six episodes, Ryder walks an impossibly thin line between vulnerability and selfishness, until finally, when its too late, she realizes the gravity of what shes done in separating children from their parents, rubbing shoulders with Nazis, and forcibly relocating Jewish families. Youll hate Evelyn, but Ryder makes it so you also cant help but feel awful for her, and for what the madness of love will make you do.
11.
Perhaps the role that skews closest to Ryders own real-life spontaneity, battery-bunny energy, and exasperation with the youths, Ryders Joyce Byers is like her Amanda Grayson in Star Trek the character who draws us in because of our nostalgia and our recognition, but keeps us coming back to feel her raw emotion. As the desperate and demoralized single mother searching for her missing son, Will, Ryders performance in the first season of Stranger Things is crystal clear in its angst, grief, and trauma, and all of the characters quirks are in service of that. Her flightiness and her paranoia, her shrillness and her brusqueness they all combine to help Joyce feel fully realized from the first episode. The series increasing scale and globe-trotting in its following seasons unfortunately resulted in Ryder being sometimes siloed from the main action; so many of her romantic-relationship beats and her obsessive concern for Will feel like regurgitations of her season-one arc. But theres a reason why Stranger Thingss most defining image still is Joyce in her living room, surrounded by Christmas string lights shes using to communicate with her missing son. Thats when the shows emotional devastation felt most real and its fantastical possibilities most exciting, and Ryder was the reason why.
10.
Maybe it is blasphemous to place Reality Bites on the outer edge of the top ten, but isnt this a sign of how stacked Ryders career actually is? Reality Bites is arguably Gen Xs most defining film (no matter how much star Janeane Garofalo resists that description), and Ryders performance as aspiring documentarian Lelaina Pierce is a wondrous thing, all lit up from the inside with the glowing potential and prickly edges of Ryders youth. Shes all at once an ideological purist and a phony, a romantic and a cynic, and Ryder was more than skilled enough to guide Lelaina through the minefield of so many contradictions. Her relationship with Garofalo, as her best friend, Vickie, was joyous; her sexual tension with Ethan Hawkes aspiring musician, Troy, was hot; and her sarcastic Whats money to an artist? during one of Troy and Lelainas fights was an all-timer of a line delivery. She was a hypocrite, but she was our hypocrite!
9.
Ryder is basically only in one scene in Black Swan, and man, does she make it memorable. As Beth, the New York City Ballet prima ballerina forced into retirement so that Natalie Portmans upstart, Nina, can take over, Ryder is essentially a jump scare, a makeup-smeared woman lurking on the edge of Ninas vision who hissingly calls her such a frigid little girl and waves her drink around like a weapon. Her facetiously toasting Nina with a derisive You make the most of it, Nina! is the films only laugh-out-loud moment, and its a welcome one. The film treats Ryders Beth as the evil hag witch who the virginal hard worker Nina has to beat to achieve her dreams, and Ryder plays that role with relish and gusto. More opportunities for Ryder to play an old-dame bitch, please!
8.
Ryder was 15 years old when she filmed Beetlejuice, but what remains so astonishing about her performance decades later is that theres no precociousness or artifice to it, no overly cutesy adolescent quirks. She doesnt play young, although she actually was young. Instead, Ryders goth-teen Lydia Deetz is just effortlessly cool, a shrugging mass of black fabric, powder-white makeup, and choppy bangs who oozed disinterest in her yuppie father and stepmother and legitimate fascination with the Maitland couple haunting the Connecticut Victorian mansion into which her family has just moved. As ghosts, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis help us understand the world of the undead, but Ryders Lydia helps us understand the world of the living and why humans can choose to be so closed off or ignorant of the paranormal and spectral. She handles that responsibility well, giving the film some of its most memorably wacky moments her delighted floating-in-air dance to Harry Belafontes Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora) and holding her own against Michael Keatons Beetlejuice. Every expression she makes when he tries to forcibly marry her in the films final act is perfect; has anyone ever possessed so many different kinds of disgusted smirks?
7.
As aspiring writer Jo March, Ryder perfectly embodies all the independence, hopefulness, and ambition of Louisa May Alcotts iconic protagonist; she is, as your grandparents might say, spunky. Ryder keeps all of Jos defining qualities in perfect balance, from her slight superiority because of her writing talent, to her selfless support of her sisters, to her frustration with other people not accommodating her dreams and desires, to her not-love for brother-figure Laurie (Christian Bale). Jo can sometimes read as too much, but Ryder tempers that extra-ness with physical economy that allows us to understand the effort Jo takes to connect with and not disrespect others: how still she stands when Laurie kisses her against her will, how she lovingly pages through the books in her future husband Friedrichs (Gabriel Byrne) office. She might not have gotten a Women! meme moment like Saoirse Ronans version of the character in Greta Gerwigs adaptation, but Ryder inspired a generation of nerdy and independent-minded young women in her own right. Rory Gilmore wouldnt exist without her.
6.
One of Richard Linklaters most groundbreaking films visually, A Scanner Darkly improved on the rotoscoping technique the director started using in his previous film, Waking Life, and also gave Ryder one of her most complex roles to date. The adaptation of Philip K. Dicks same-named 1977 novel is, admittedly, a film that demands multiple viewings, since it deals with double and triple identities and a piece of technology called a scramble suit that changes how characters look. You gotta pay attention! Ryder, though, is a grounding force here, playing a woman named Donna who is addicted to a popular drug named Substance D and who tentatively starts a relationship with Keanu Reevess Arctor; unknown to her, hes an undercover cop trying to figure out who her dealer is, but she has motivations of her own, too. To say more about the plot would spoil the film too much, but Ryder is really a chameleon, flickering between quiet melancholy, genuine affection, and darker, more selfish concerns, and the rotoscoping art style accentuates the expressiveness of her face. A moment when she and Arctor clasp hands as they talk about the future, only for her to let go first, is gorgeous and despondent in equal measure.
5.
I dare you to watch the scene where Johnny Depps titular character carves an angelic figure modeled after Ryders Kim from a gigantic block of ice, creating flakes of snow that Kim dances under, and not feel like your heart is tearing in half. This is the movie that cemented Ryders status as a goth icon (and the first she made with Depp, whom she dated for four years and was engaged to for three of them), and this scene is perhaps Ryder at her softest her twirling under the snow communicating a sense of wonder, and the smile on her face conveying that she knows shes loved. (Director Tim Burton smartly keeps his camera on Ryders face as she whirls, and lets her beatific joy take up the frame.) Of course, nothing would ever be that happy again in Edward Scissorhands, and its a beautiful, shattering moment.
4.
The second of Ryder and Daniel Day-Lewiss collaborations, The Crucible written by Arthur Miller, adapting his own 1953 play revolves around Ryders performance as teenager Abigail Williams, whose accusations of witchcraft against her neighbors in 17th-century Salem are fueled by jealousy, hysteria, and spite. This performance came years after Bram Stokers Dracula and The Age of Innocence, so it wasnt a surprise that Ryder could be so conniving, cunning, and sensual as Abigail, whose romantic obsession with former lover John Proctor (Day-Lewis) fuels her to start making up lies about the devil communing with Salems residents. But she shows a powerful command of language in The Crucible, injecting lust, megalomania, and contempt as required, and she does well in the many toe-to-toes with Day-Lewis that the script demands. Her little smirk at Day-Lewiss commanding You will never cry witchery again is simultaneously adolescent and threatening, which is one of the modes Ryder did best in her 1980s and 90s early career.
3.
Sometimes you gotta writhe around in a diaphanous nightgown while sucking blood off an ancient vampires chest, you know? Francis Ford Coppolas film is so maximalist and melodramatic that its easy to get lost in just how luscious this thing looks Eiko Ishiokas animal-inspired and historically influenced costumes, Dante Ferretti and Thomas Sanderss extraordinarily detailed production design. But to focus only on the aura and atmosphere would be a disservice to Ryders dual performance, which drives everything in the movie. Ryder plays both Vlad Draculas wife, Elisabeta, who dies by suicide when she mistakenly hears that hes been killed in battle, and 19th-century well-to-do woman Mina Murray, the wife of Draculas solicitor with whom he becomes obsessed, believing that shes Elisabeta reincarnated. As Elisabeta, she has to make enough of an impact for us to understand Draculas renouncing of God and embrace of vampirism to deal with his grief, and as Mina, she has to be beguiling and pure enough to make Dracula leave the sanctity of his castle to pursue her, and Ryder easily does both. Her performance is the films emotional core; through her innocence, we understand what humanity has to offer, and through her corruption, we understand the depths of what Dracula has lost. The fluidity with which Ryder goes from standoffish when she first meets Dracula, to full-body horrified when he tries to feed on her for the first time, to her eventual eroticization and overwhelming desire as he begins to turn her into a vampire, is phenomenal. This was Ryders first grown-up role, and she made the transition with seemingly no effort at all.
2.
This is Ryder in stone-cold-killer mode, and she excels at it. Martin Scorseses adaptation of Edith Whartons 1920 novel is one of his absolute best films; between this and Coppolas Bram Stokers Dracula, we really were feasting in period-piece aura and atmosphere in the early 90s. The Age of Innocence is primarily about a love triangle between wealthy New York City lawyer Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis), his younger, seemingly naive and vacuous fiancee, May Welland (Ryder), and her more worldly, sophisticated, unconventional older cousin Countess Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer), but the film as with all of Scorseses work quickly becomes an allegory for the American experience at large, about how the strictness of social conventions and public propriety stifle the individual. The films heat is within Day-Lewis and Pfeiffer, who are so unbelievably sexy together that a simple hand caress feels pornographic. Its Ryder, though, who demonstrates an ability for precise cruelty; a scene where she dominates an archery competition, shooting arrow after arrow into a bulls-eye target, is an indication of her yawning need for control and perfection. Every accommodating smile feels barbed, every curtsy an attack, every look of serene placidity a mask. The politeness with which she tells Newland that shes afraid you cant travel to Europe to see Ellen again after she flees New York is a knife in the gut; Ryder is solely responsible for the films tragic final act, and she nails it.
1.
The Ryder performance that has been often imitated, that influenced countless teen movies to come, and that has never been replicated in its verve or confidence. From director Michael Lehmann and writer Daniel Waters, Heathers is a bona fide classic, the black comedy that jettisoned Ryder and her co-star Christian Slater into the upper tiers of teen fame and also crystallized their unique appeal. So many of the qualities we associate with Ryder still smart, sassy, scoffing are born in this performance as self-loathing popular girl Veronica Sawyer, in her precise comedic timing while trading barbs with Slaters J.D. and in her exhausted weariness with her frenemies the Heathers. Heathers has been redone in the years since (a musical, a TV series), but theyre just not the same without Ryder as Veronica, the cynic who eventually grows a soul (and grabs the friend groups totemic red scrunchie for herself). Plus, no one has ever made a monocle look this cool before, and no one ever will again.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang gives a speech while attending the opening ceremony of the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang Friday called on China and Africa to work more closely to elevate economic and trade cooperation to higher levels.
China-Africa economic and trade cooperation serves as a cornerstone of bilateral collaboration and provides strong support for jointly advancing modernization, Li said in a speech at the opening ceremony of the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs held in Beijing.
Li noted that the two sides should further strengthen market alignment. China, he said, will expand unilateral market access to the least developed countries and widen the green channel for African agricultural exports to China.
China also stands ready to work with Africa to enhance mutual opening up and speed up the process of negotiating and signing of framework agreements on jointly developing economic partnerships, he added.
Li called for further promotion of industrial integration, expressing China's willingness to deepen cooperation with Africa in industrial chains to jointly safeguard the stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains.
He also stressed the need to further enhance the innovation-driven momentum, noting that China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Africa in areas such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence and new energy, thereby fostering new drivers of development and exploring more new growth points.
About 1,000 people were present at the opening ceremony of the conference, including African leaders attending the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and business representatives from both sides.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang gives a speech while attending the opening ceremony of the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
Photo-Illustration: Alicia Tatone; Photo: Courtesy of subject
This week, were highlighting 24 talented writers and performers for Vultures annual list The Comedians You Should and Will Know. Our goal is to introduce a wider audience to the talent that has the comedy community and industry buzzing. (You can read more about our methodology at the link above.) We asked the comedians on the list to answer a series of questions about their work, performing, goals for the future, and more. Next up is Gianmarco Soresi.
Tell us a story from your childhood that you think might explain why you ended up becoming a comedian.
Not a lot of people know this about me, but my parents are divorced. And while I didnt really have any religion to rebel against as a kid, I did have a stepfather. He scared the shit out of me, and not in a He might hit me way more like He might make me go with him to Home Depot for six hours on a Saturday and not let me bring a Game Boy kind of way. As such, I timidly followed all his rules, whether somewhat reasonable (I wasnt allowed to listen to Eminem) or absurd (I wasnt allowed to watch The Simpsons) or odd (shoes were to remain on while inside the house).
But then on the night of my 14th birthday, after a wine-infused post-Pictionary fight with my mom, my stepdad told me I would now be going with him and him alone to get some celebratory ice cream. En route to the car, with my mom out of earshot, my phone rang, and I saw that it was my dad calling for the first time that day. I went to pick it up, but my stepfather said, Leave it. I did not get you that phone to talk to that man. So I got in the car. My dad called again. Dont answer it. My phone pinged from a voice-mail. Fine. You can call him back, but I did not get you that phone to talk to that man. I called my dad back, but before a minute had passed, my stepfather gestured for me to wrap it up, so I promptly ended the call, turned to my stepdad, and said, Youre just mad because my dad fucked your wife before you did!
I hate to use the phrase since its become the cliche defense of any joke that is borderline hate speech, but that was the first time I was brave enough to say what we all were thinking. And while this particular quip was not well received by my audience of one, it felt good for once in my life to say what I meant. And I think its wanting to feel that again that led me to pursue an artform that allows me to say similar shit but this time get laughs in the process.
If you were immortalized as a cartoon character, what would your outfit be?
Five-inch shorts, a T-shirt I got on Etsy for a high-school musical production I was not in (that is also a hair too short), a jean jacket that doesnt really make sense given the shorts, and high-top Nikes where one of the colors matches the color of the shirts text. Lets also throw in a thin, gold forever bracelet with a T charm that I got with my girlfriend at a casinos tattoo convention, some Warby Parker glasses, and a brown leather watch, the two hands of which read Memento and Mori respectively.
Which musical, nobody asked? Ideally it would be Falsettos, Company, or LaChiusas Wild Party just to be pretentious. Although if Im thinking about this as a cartoon for a wide audience, I would probably go with The Phantom of the Opera, even though Ive never been much of an Andrew Lloyd Webber stan.
Whats your proudest moment/achievement of your comedy career so far?
My JFL New Faces set is probably the only important set Ive ever done that I wouldnt do over. Generally, Ive found all those career milestones are fraught and stressful and imperfect, so in terms of feeling proud, they pale in comparison to a new joke working or, even better, an old joke finally working.
Actually, I did a pilot last year for a roast-based panel show hosted by Anthony Jeselnik, and he anonymously mentioned me on his podcast The Jeselnik and Rosenthal Vanity Project the following week. I know this because Ive been listening to that podcast to fall asleep for years. I was already asleep, but my girlfriend heard it, shook me awake, and was like Go back! Go back! That was pretty fucking cool.
Last thing (I guess Im more prideful than I thought): Ive been procrastinating filming an hour (holding on to the most destructive thought a creative can have: Ill do it when someone pays me for it), but I had some chunks that were relatively topical, and I felt like if I didnt get them out there I would regret it. This was the exact same anxiety that pushed me to release my first sort-of-special Shelf Life, which was filled with COVID jokes that nobody wanted to hear, by the time 2020 came to a close. As is my wont, I decided with about two weeks notice to film said chunks as a 15-minute special-not-special-because-Im-supposed-to-reserve-that-word-for-an-hour-long-special-someday-down-the-line-for-marketing-purposes at Comedy Connection in Rhode Island. As stressful as it was for me to construct the set, it put even more weight on my opener and videographer Liam Nelson who was able to put together a skeleton crew to film the damn thing (shout-out to Ty Colgate and Julian De Zorzi), edit it, and have it ready for release at the end of August.
But then not sure if everyones aware a lot of things shifted politically in a very short span of time. On the night of the first presidential debate/my girlfriends birthday, a time we had very deliberately decided was not a work night, I got a text from a friend whos more fond of traditional institutions than I that Biden needs to drop out immediately. My heart sank not for my country, but because my set opened with a Joe Biden is running for president again joke. Watching a clip from the debate solidified my fears that the joke might be wildly dated by the end of August, if not the next evening. So the next morning, wide awake at 7 a.m. (which I know isnt impressive for people with real jobs), I woke up my girlfriend/producer/muse panicking, I think I need to release it today! She concurred, and thus proceeded a stress test of the multitude of people I work with to turn a late-August release into a Holy fuck, if we dont release this by 3 p.m. today, everything will have been for naught.
In retrospect, I could have waited until the following week (I forgot how slow Democrats move), but I was proud first of all, for getting over my perfectionism that prevents me from releasing a special, however small; but, more importantly, I felt proud of myself for surrounding myself with smart, supportive, and talented people, from my opener to my manager to my social-media team to my girlfriend, who were willing to show up when it counted.
Which comedians career trajectory would you most like to follow?
John Mulaney, but just in terms of his personal life.
Tell us everything about your worst show ever. (This can involve venue, audience, other acts on the lineup, anything!)
My worst show, or my favorite worst show, was getting hired to feature for a corporate gig in Santa Barbara at a casino. I believe I was getting paid $4,500 to do 25 minutes, which was hands down the most Id ever made off a nights comedy. My mom drove me to the casino from Los Angeles (I cant drive, which is equal parts humiliating and motivating), and on the drive I decided to look up the company I was performing for to see if I could formulate a relevant joke or two. What I learned was that it was less a company and more a union of sorts for West Coast electrical companies with a very intense ideological bent, i.e., their newsletter had articles titled like Has Wokeness Ruined Travel? and COVID, Climate Change, and Other Lies Democrats Want You to Believe. I wish I could tell you I thought about not going through with the gig but that would be a lie.
$4,500.
When I got there, my mom and I (surely the only Jews present) found ourselves surrounded by mostly men in their 60s thousands all wearing full cowboy garb without looking like theyd ever been on a horse. I met the other comedian, a kind and talented comic who nevertheless sold merch shirts that said Who Done Farted???, and the comedy show started as all comedy shows should, in my opinion: a singing of the national anthem. Then the auction, of course, which consisted of small guns, guns that were intended for warfare, training packages for you and five friends to learn how to use those guns before or (hopefully not) after a wine tasting, etc.
Right as they were wrapping up the auction with AK-47s, I looked through the playbill for the evening to ensure there wasnt going to be some kind of cross burning at the end, and thats when I saw the part with my name, which stipulated in big bold letters that the comedy portion of the evening was only possible thanks to a generous donation by Exxon-Mobil. You know, the evil company.
I started freaking out, thinking stupid comedian thoughts like What would George Carlin do?!, but I didnt have any cocaine, so I tried to instead think of a joke that would in some way absolve me of the sin I was determined to pursue. Luckily, I had a bit that would work with a few modifications, and I ran it by my mom (whose usual response to any joke ideas is a curt Not your best). This time, however, she laughed and then told me No, I dont think you should do it. But the laugh was the answer.
So I got onstage and proceeded to bomb my ass off for 23 minutes. I wish I could say this part was on purpose to spite the crowd, but it was more a mix of my lack of practice sticking to clean jokes, plus second-guessing jokes in the moment that I figured wouldnt play well with men old enough to have served in the Confederacy. Then, with two minutes left and absolutely no momentum to speak of, I went for it. At the time, I was closing with a joke about Titanic II, a re-creation of the Titanic built by some billionaire who hopefully was on the recent submarine trip. Normally I would note that the Titanics voyage was much safer nowadays thanks to global warming, but this time I said it was because the icebergs got a lot smaller thanks to my sponsor, Exxon-Mobil!
It wasnt a boo right away. First it was just noise a unified, confused groan. But then, one old man was able to close his mouth enough to produce a B. I wouldnt say it was like an Apollo-level boo; it was nothing like the Apollo, in more ways than one. But it was my first real boo, and whenever I have an extremely shitty gig now, I try to remind myself its worth it for the story.
What have you learned about your own joke-writing process that you didnt know when you started?
I write out all my jokes to the word, a process born of neuroticism and, I think, because I started out as an actor, so memorizing a script feels natural. As such, I always try to solve the joke on the page. I also have, from the start, had various people in my life who have allowed me (in the beginning for free, but as with all things, money finds a way) to call and run copious amounts of jokes and stories by them (shoutout to Alice Grindling). Think of it like an hourlong open-mic headlining set with one generous audience member (Im hoping the CIA doesnt have a Vulture subscription, because I feel like I invented a new form of torture).
All of that has been swell, but what Ive learned is that nothing can replicate saying a joke/chunk/story out loud in front of a full audience. Even if I havent come up with an alternative line, even if it means Im gonna bomb or, worse, get a soft laugh, I just have to keep saying it until something deep in my subconscious screams out a better version loudly enough for me to hear. Embarrassment is, unfortunately, one of the best tools for making better comedy.
Ive also tried to fine-tune the ability to go Okay, that might be funny, but who gives a fuck? or Yeah, this joke isnt as fine-tuned, but its clearly what you want to be talking about right now. I tend to write far more than I would ever actually need stand-up wise, and Im trying to be more purposeful in what I choose to spend my creative time on, because oftentimes writing a new joke is just an excuse to not finish the old one.
Whats the biggest financial hurdle youve encountered since becoming a comedian?
I should make clear up front that I came from a well-off family that allowed me to get a degree in musical theater without any kind of debt, and that same family paid the majority of my bills until I booked enough TV work (mostly non-union commercials) to support myself in my mid-20s. So any hurdles Ive cleared in life have been with the assistance of a step stool.
Having acting income when I first started stand-up in earnest around 2017 is what allowed me to work at LOL Comedy Club doing almost every unpaid check spot there for an entire year (usually four a night on weekdays, and six-plus on the weekend). Had I not had residual checks coming in from my three appearances as Reporter No. 2 on CBS Blue Bloods, this period of my life would have been utterly unsustainable, and I also dont know how I would have gotten the necessary stage time to get better had I not gone through it.
Id say the two scariest moments, financially speaking, was when I got kicked off of TikTok. I still dont know what video it was for or if it was a culmination of strikes from cursing and telling people that the vaccine would turn them into lizards, but at the time, that was my only social-media following and the only engine I had for selling tickets. Thank God I had enough friend of friends of TikTok employees that I was able to get back on soon enough, but had I not, I would have been utterly fucked and probably not on this Vulture list today. Isnt that a healthy system?
The second was, again, social-media related. Toward the end of 2021, in another moment where finances were about to hit an alarming low point, I somehow got early opted into Facebooks new payment program for shortform videos (when I say I got early opted, I mean my all-things-operator Paige Asachika noticed the offer to join and signed me up). I doubt I will ever make as much money off social media as I did in those four months. I kept thinking something was wrong; it all felt so goddamn stupid considering I was just posting old TikTok videos, usually with the audio slightly off-sync because I had to use some free (probably illegal?) website to download the TikTok videos without a watermark. I was riding high, making plans to film specials and sketches, the future was bright. But then one crowdwork clip I posted said the word Nazi in it (in a good way I swear), and Facebook had just added an intense oversight system (previously with shorts, they had none!! Which was glorious. To explain the absurd bleeping systems I have to implement now for videos on YouTube vs. TikTok vs. Snapchat would make you want to un@live yourself), and I was labeled as a domestic terrorist. I wouldnt make any more money off Facebook (nor did my videos get any views) until over a year later, when I finally found someone who knew someone who harangued Meta for long enough that my slate was cleared of wrongdoing.
Whats the phrase? Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. I try now to be prepared for any app at any given moment to shut down or shut me out, but its hard to plan your financial future when its in the hands of brainless algorithms run by companies with no interest in customer service. Almost makes you want the government to step in and break them up as opposed to trying to ban one in America (under the guise that its for national security reasons and not because it shows people the consequences of our actions overseas) and consequently strengthen the others even more!
(I should mention here that I really wish I could make money off Twitter. I know it wouldnt be much, but goddamn do I want the ability to post long videos and make money off tweets. Let that speak to just how much I hate Elon Musk/how full of shit I am acting like any of these other social-media giants are not equally contributing to the downfall of civilization and meaningful art.)
I felt self-conscious writing this one because its all so tedious, unartistic, and boring. But thats what running a company is, and I dont know whats worse: trying to understand algorithms, or having your entire career dependent on whoever the fuck booked The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. I imagine ones opinion would entirely depend on if that guy liked you or not. Considering I havent gotten on The Tonight Show now, Im fine with the former.
These days, my financial hurdles are about trying to scale upward as fast as possible without creating an unsustainable overhead. As someone with no formal business training and an I dont like looking at my bank account because it stresses me out attitude, this has been/is a tough learning process. On top of the manager cut, agent cut, business-manager cut, and sometimes lawyer cut, I pay editors, captioners, social-media managers, PR, and podcast producers while spending money on ads, travel, venue insurance (a new one I didnt even know about), and merch. Merch will be the death of me. Any money Ive made off merch is surely not worth the years of my life lost dealing with it. Why did I order so many Child of Divorce shirts? Thats like selling a tote bag that says I Have Brown Hair well, what about all the people that dont, you fucking moron?? For all I know, by the time this article comes out I will be in deep financial shit that I could have avoided with the smarts I would have gained not being so coddled at the beginning of my career/life.
At the end of the movie 8 Mile, Eminems character, B-Rabbit, starts his final battle rap by dissing himself so the person hes battling has nothing left to attack. How would you roast yourself so the other person would have nothing to say?
This feels like a trick to just list my flaws. Maybe this is what employers should ask instead of the standard Whats your biggest weakness?
If my experience with roast battles holds true, most attacks on me would be variations of getting called gay followed by (alarming on a societal level) the biggest laughs Ive ever heard in my life. Usually in that instance I would lean into my flamboyance, perhaps going so far as to sing and dance and whatnot, that to call me gay would feel almost redundant, which I realize is fairly similar to my regular non8 Mile scenario act.
For a second I thought about writing out a rap verse, but then I remembered Im not getting paid for any of this shit. It would be a lot of ground to cover: Im a lot, Im annoying, failed acting career, clearly dressing by Gen-Z fashion standards that I dont fully understand, cant drive, cant answer simple Vulture puff pieces without using parentheses every other sentence, flat-footed, Ive had a sty for like two weeks now that you can probably see in whatever picture I had to take for this article, Im getting older, as someone commented on a video of mine recently grey in beard gross, and I quote comments on videos of mine. Is that enough self-flagellation for you?
When it comes to your comedy opinions about material, performing, audience, trends you want to kill/revive, the industry, etc. what hill will you die on?
It is simply bad manners, if youre not the host, to do excessive crowdwork on a showcase show. If magic strikes, go for it all rules are meant to be broken, and thats particularly true in comedy but talking to the audience for a prolonged period of time changes the relationship between audience and performer in a way thats a disservice to the other comedians on the lineup. Its not even a matter of This is bad comedy its just rude and breaks the presumably agreed-upon premise that This is a venue for onstage joke-telling. Gather your own audience if you want to farm for clips.
All that being said, comics complaining about comedians doing crowdwork on their own shows can eat my ass. No, I dont think audiences have become more trained to heckle or interact because of crowdwork clips (hecklers existed before the internet did). Take the stage, set the rules however you see fit, and tell good-enough jokes that theyre followed. And sometimes that wont be enough! If someone wants to ruin a comedy show, it cant always be stopped. But thats not Matt Rifes fault. Weve all seen street performers train random crowds of people who werent even looking for a show into being an attentive audience; you certainly can do so while elevated on a stage with an amplification device.
(It should be noted that shortly before writing this, Chris DElia posted a stand-up clip complaining about crowdwork, so I ask my fellow comedians: Whose side do you want to be on?)
One more: We need to bring back bullying. Not just random acts of cruelty, of course, but like, the story of Patrice ONeal throwing a phone book onstage while Kevin Hart was performing and saying something along the lines of Find one person in there who thinks youre funny. Obviously, it can (quickly) go too far, and the boys-club nature of stand-up led to bullying that was sexist, homophobic, transphobic, racist, ableist, etc. So Ill articulate it further: We need to cultivate inclusive bullying that holds comedians accountable for shitty work. Art forms need filters, and anyone can look at the average quality of comedy specials right now to see that our filters have been turned off. And not because everyones nicer now! Its because we all want to be followed back on Instagram, to be invited on the pod. Weve all become (like it or not) artist/gatekeeping hybrids, and anyone whos dealt with a comedy-club booker whos also a comic knows thats a recipe for mediocrity.
So shit-talk! Criticize! Call someone a hack (I know what Im opening myself up to by saying this), say some joke is lazy (even if its ideologically in line with your views! I dont give a fuck! If youre gonna be a piece of shit, at least do it in a way we havent seen before), because nobody is being made into a better artist by our Everyone on the lineup was Story post hoping they reshare and I get a new follower out of it bullshit.
The more I write this out, the more I fear Im coming off like an asshole, and I am, but there was something I gained from working at LOL Comedy Club and occasionally having an older comic boo me from the back of the room. Were they looking out for me and trying to steer me in the right direction? Absolutely not. Booing your co-worker is psychotic behavior. But art is psychotic, and the pressure to not get booed made me nervous to get onstage in the right ways.
What is the best comedy advice, and then the worst comedy advice, youve ever received?
A comic named Ken Boyd told me something along the lines of Confidence is the only way through, an axiom I saw him prove nightly by starting sets off by asking someone in the audience to give him gum and then proceeding to effortlessly kill while loudly smacking his lips. Sure, its stressful to do stand-up comedy, but you know whats only slightly less stressful? Watching stand-up comedy. So Ive found that in order to do well, I have to, at the very least, make the audience feel like theyre in capable hands, even when I know they are not. Ken Boyd also used to boo me from the back of the room (see my previous answer) and bring me onstage with, This next guy is the gayest comedian Ive ever seen, which I can only assume was to help hone my confidence even more. Thanks, man.
As for the worst advice, If you can call secondhand feedback from a comedy-club booker that did not pass me advice, then the worst advice Ive ever received is that I was too one-man show. WHAT IS STAND-UP COMEDY BUT A ONE-MAN SHOW??????
And second, yeah, shes right (whoops!), but thats who I am. I could try dialing it back or adding a couple more ums and whatnot to create the illusion of spontaneity, but that wouldnt be as fun for me. I stopped acting for a reason. And stand-up comedy is too exhausting of a career to not be yourself for the actual joke-telling part of it. If you really want me to move less, make the stage smaller.
Photo: Allyson Riggs/Netflix
There is a turning point in every Jeremy Saulnier film where it feels like the writer-director is reaching out through the screen, grabbing you by the throat, and commanding you to pay attention to the violence about to pop off. In Blue Ruin, its during the mild-mannered Dwights sloppy murder of the man who went to jail for killing his parents. In Green Room, its the maiming by machete of a punk-rock bands bassist. And in Rebel Ridge the genre experiment that Saulnier has spent six years working on, kept alive after its star, John Boyega, walked away, and describes as First Blood meets Michael Clayton the films stranglehold moment happens in its very first scene.
The setup: Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre), a Black former marine, is biking into the small town of Shelby Springs with $30,000 in cash to pay for his cousin Michaels (C.J. LeBlanc) bail when hes immediately targeted by the towns police. They run him off the road. They detain him. They imply that hes a criminal, and they smirk at his military service. And when they find his money, they essentially steal it in an abuse of civil asset forfeiture. Organizations like the ACLU and the Institute for Justice estimate that police departments and federal agencies misuse the practice to collect billions each year; agents need little evidence to seize money or assets, and there are basically no repercussions afterward. Everything that happens in the western-inspired, legal-thriller-flavored Rebel Ridge stems from that initial injustice, which Saulnier describes as unifying in how much it angers people of all political beliefs and coalesces the films audience behind its protagonist.
Having someone wronged felt right for me at the time, and I found it infuriating, Saulnier says of learning about civil asset forfeiture and deciding it would be the subject of his next movie. I dont like to inject big, broad themes forcefully into my films, but I felt passionately about this. I wrote it in 2018, and perhaps a little unification was in order.
Rebel Ridge has all the same crackling, visceral tension of Saulniers previous four films. But it swerves when it comes to the outright violence the directors fans have come to expect. Terry is an expert-martial-artist badass, but he prefers to defuse, not exacerbate, situations; his partner in unraveling a conspiracy and cover-up in Shelby Springs is Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), a government employee with her job on the line. Saulnier knows that Rebel Ridge is a divergence from what hes done before, but he wanted to make a movie that his teen and tween daughters could watch. That felt like a challenge: Can I get through a screenplay without killing everybody in it?
Youve said it wasnt one specific instance of civil asset forfeiture that inspired Rebel Ridge. But there is a racial dynamic between Terry and Michael and most of the police officers they interact with, and a suggestion that civil asset forfeiture is a tactic with an outsize effect on communities of color. What kind of research did you do while writing the film?
What my research found is that it affected a lot of people. Ranchers in Texas who had their entire ranch seized, along with the farm equipment on it and their vehicles, because they had a couple of marijuana plants. Its a loophole thats exploited; companies offer seminars on how to utilize civil assets forfeiture to enrich your police department. And, sometimes, part of the dynamic is its because they need to, because a lot of local PDs are beyond underfunded, which leads to not the best hiring practices. Its this combination of effects that are putting law enforcement in a very tough predicament, and that trickles down to pretty shitty law enforcement. It certainly affects communities of color in certain ways. It affects people without the means to fight the practice, because it is not tied to a criminal charge, so your normal constitutional rights to indigent defense can be sidestepped.
Your films have certain shared qualities. They take place in small, enclosed communities. The protagonist is an outsider or someone living on the fringes. Theres a life-or-death struggle on an existential scale. But Rebel Ridge feels more like a legal thriller to me, like Michael Clayton and Erin Brockovich, in addition to sharing a general frame with an action classic like First Blood. Were you purposefully playing with genre?
Absolutely. The reference I used once I finished the film was First Blood meets Michael Clayton. The spark of the film was more the Eastwood era of westerns, the Man With No Name, and having a guy ride into town on a horse but in this case, it would be a bicycle. Sometimes, its not until the finished version of the movie where Im like, Oh, thats me referring to Axel Foley in the police station, having this really kind of cordial pushback against cops. Shit! Or I didnt know that the Ford F-350 Dually in this movie is a total homage to Lethal Weapon 2. I might enjoy it as an audience member. As a filmmaker, I do not gravitate toward self-referential movies that wink and nod and know theyre a movie. I like to have the sanctity of the story be pure. But for my look book, it was First Blood, Michael Clayton, Mississippi Burning. An image from True Romance made it in there and a shot from Interstellar it was a big truck going through a cornfield. Dirt and texture and color palette. But if Im too hyperaware of the references, I lose track. I had to avoid a Colonel Trautman joke I was gonna make when theyre all in the police station trying to find out who this Terry Richmond actually is. I felt that would break the wall.
But as far as legal thrillers, yes, Michael Clayton, because the dialogue in that film is so compelling. I aspired to have that level of charge between the actors. I enjoyed and indulged in taking time to listen to people talk. If this was going to transpire in real life, it would not be Terry and Summer join forces and gear up and just shoot everybody. It would be, Lets talk to people. Lets get some intel. What would one actually do if this was not a movie trying to get to its finale?
Don Johnson and Aaron Pierre in Rebel Ridge. Photo: Allyson Riggs/Netfli
In the films press notes, you talk about how it was fun to make dialogue scenes play like high-stakes set pieces. Youve done this elsewhere Im thinking of the through-the-door negotiations in Green Room. Did it feel like you were building tension in a different way in Rebel Ridge?
It didnt, but you make a good point, and that is, the dialogue in Green Room is more information deprivation and chaos. Those characters have no fucking clue what theyre doing, so theyre flailing their way through it. With Don Johnson as Chief Burnne and Aaron Pierre as Terry Richmond, theyre both fucking sharp, and that level of dialogue was new to me. It is a standoff, and it just keeps upping and upping and upping until theres a very clear dynamic shift. Its a battle of wits or, as Terry says, its a pissing contest and thats not what Im used to doing. Im used to having an Everyman or Everywoman, people who are underprepared for the situation. In this case, it was the opposite.
John Boyega walked away from the film in 2021 due to family reasons. Recently, Joaquin Phoenix left a Todd Haynes movie, and the production shut down. But you kept Rebel Ridge going. How do you keep making a film when something like that happens?
When John left the film, it was inevitable and out of respect for all parties involved; I cant get into the details of it. But every party would agree, it was the right situation. It had to be that way. And I was willing to risk the movie unless I found the one and only true Terry Richmond. The search was insanely short, because within weeks, I had a Zoom call in Louisiana with Aaron Pierre, and I knew in less than two minutes that this is the guy. We had a very deep conversation. We were at this perfect crossroads, his career, my career. It did not seem in any way desperate, but it felt like we needed each other at that time. And the way he presented himself, his immediate interest and investment and dedication, was uplifting and immediately reenergized me. But because of the logistics of the situation, we opted to go and wait another year, and the reason was, this was a big reset. Everyone needs a little time. Netflix was insanely supportive of giving Aaron the opportunity. And no one whos seen the film can imagine a version of this without Aaron Pierre. He shoulders this movie hes in about 129 scenes, maybe, of 135. And this is not just, like, me trying to brainwash myself. It was the most amazing turn for the film. Im not into hocus-pocus, but I believe the fates intervened and Aaron and I were meant to work together. He was overly reverent toward, as he refers to it, the text. We were in Louisiana with the blazing-hot sun, and he had to lift human bodies over his head and then learn eight pages of dialogue. The task at hand was pretty intense.
You have a team of collaborators youve worked with over your career: your childhood friend Macon Blair, who starred in Blue Ruin, wrote Hold the Dark, and executive produced Rebel Ridge, and the Blair brothers, who have scored all your films. What role did they play here?
Macon has his parallel career; Ive tried to sabotage it many times so he can keep doing more for me. [Laughs] But he and my wife are the first people to ever get my scripts. I trust him. He was off shooting his film The Toxic Avenger, but he saw the first cut and gave me some really brilliant notes. Theres one particular line of dialogue, which is among my favorites in the movie I had the concept, but it just wasnt coming across. And I texted Macon: Macon, translate this into awesome!
His brothers, the Blair brothers, Brooke and Will, have scored every single movie Ive done since my short films, starting in 2002. They had to score Rebel Ridge over a year. Its a hybrid of a cool, electronic, Michael Clayton vibe, but given the nature of the film, I didnt want to go big, twangy, were in the South! Ive seen that done a thousand times. Im always pushing for subtlety and downplay this, downplay that. The last month, I was like, Fuck it, we need more score! I ordered a whole other 20 minutes of full-on score, and they were scrambling to the last minute. But it really was a huge part of the movie, and as we got toward the finale and it was always designed this way it was, Hey, guys, I think Im kind of done here as a filmmaker. We have this amazing footage that we captured in real cars on a real road. You take us away. Those last moments, emotionally, are pure score. That was fun, to let go, and they literally took over the movie and drove it home. Theyre very proud, and they work so fucking hard.
Its like taking a smoke break from my own filmography. Can I please show something to my kids?
One word that keeps coming up in reviews of your films is that theyre muscular, which feels like it refers to them having distinct bursts of violence. What is your relationship with the terminology people use to describe your work?
Clearly, me, yes, Im highly muscular. [Laughs] No, I do like aggressive cinema. I certainly like to infuse deeper layers of real human emotion and also have a little fun. And I dont overthink any of that, because then it becomes untrue.
But if you see Rebel Ridge, and you see and hear the Dually doing its good work, in the mud, in the dust, and the jet-sounding engine, its fucking rad. And it does hark back to me playing in my backyard with toy trucks and G.I. Joes and blowing them up. As an audience member, with such a loving family and these beautiful three daughters and little doggies to take care of, I started to gravitate toward more aggressive cinema. I wanted to escape. I wanted to feel a little bit of fight or flight within the safety of my basement, and I think that carries through to my films. Ill write myself into a corner, write myself out. Especially for Green Room when I ran out of ideas or ways out for our beloved protagonists, thats when they met their end. And the violence, who knows. I do love makeup effects. I love onscreen cinematic violence. I love gore and blood, and I absolutely loathe it in real life. And I think thats the tug-of-war, how awful it makes me feel.
Rebel Ridge might have been an exploration of: Can I even fucking do this? Can I make a movie that is not an overall feeling of dread, where there might be, despite some harrowing moments and some tragedy, some lift to it? Can I get through a screenplay without killing everybody in it? Its like taking a smoke break from my own filmography. Can I please show something to my kids? [Laughs] When we premiere it, its going to be the whole family there, including my mom. And the lift and the feedback that were getting is new and different and intoxicating.
This films opening scene, with Terry getting run off the road by the police and having his cousins bail money stolen from him, made me feel physically ill. It clearly lays out what were going to be dealing with: corrupt cops, terrible legal loopholes, and Terry not being who they think he is. Tell me about it.
Its hard to trace exactly where it came from, but that imagery, that Man with No Name Thing and the Eastwood western thing, was certainly part of it. Iron Maiden was a part of it, too. The Number of the Beast is a majestic sort of battle cry. I want to start hard and big, and then go quiet and real and hear the squawk of radios and have people talking. The research really informed that scene, as far as how a civil asset forfeiture unfolds: the tricks they use, the strategies, the threat of a drug-sniffing dog. I wanted to get it right, and I didnt want to infuse, like, my inner angst. I wanted to be very objective as far as procedure and setting, but be very subjective emotionally with our protagonist. Im very linear in how I write. It can be a hurdle, but if I dont feel something is true, I will stop and I will go look at videos. What would a cop say in this situation? But starting with a bang, it bought me five minutes of just talking. Much like Terry, that adrenaline dump buys you time.
How did that go on set?
Luckily for everybody, because of the schedule and the rain and the chaos in Louisiana, that opening scene was shot near the end of production which we didnt intend but ended up paying off huge because Aaron Pierre had fully inhabited Terry Richmond by then. It made it easy. We did get thwarted by Louisiana thunderstorms. We started, got it all geared up on that cool little bridge, and then didnt get a single shot off and had to regroup. The challenge of that scene was timing out the dialogue so it seems real and effortless, with the insane amount of blocking and propwork to get Terry from the ground, up over to the car, into the back seat, go through the bag, take the camping gear out, put it on the car, and then Officer Lann comes in and checks the ID. It was among the most difficult of the entire shoot, to make it just seem like a routine traffic stop.
Photo: Allyson Riggs/Netflix
For me, the euphoria of Green Rooms Nazi punks, fuck off was very similar to the euphoria of Terry catching up with the bus and fist-bumping his cousin Michael through the window. Both feel like they tap into something very elemental.
The reference for that was Cool Hand Luke. I wanted that moment between these two guys. I actually ran into C.J. LeBlanc, who plays Mike, last night, and the rapport that he and Aaron had was really heartbreaking and wonderful. Im not used to doing traditionally triumphant moments that make people vocal, but Ive witnessed some high-fives in theaters, and thats very exciting.
Don Johnson is great as the villain, Chief Burnne, who tries to intimidate Terry out of town and helped come up with the civil asset forfeiture scheme. How did he and Aaron work together?
We needed a legit heavy for this film, and Don was certainly that. I knew him from my youth and Miami Vice, but what drew me to the show wasnt turquoise and blazers and whatever model Ferrari. It was really fucking good acting, just the groundedness of all that and him. And they had the ability to do these more complex, unhappy endings. I was in Mexico City shooting a commercial, trying to cast Rebel Ridge, and I saw the episode of Watchmen where he sings a song at a dinner table, and I was enthralled. He has a certain presence. Aaron was relatively new to this level of filmmaking, as the No. 1 on the call sheet, and Don was very respectful of that. There was one very sensitive scene outside of a hospital. We shot Dons side and it was great, and Aaron was holding back a bit, and then we turned around on Aaron, and he finally had to unleash what he was preserving for the on-camera takes. It was this moment of these two guys giving it their all, and Don as a far more experienced actor and a mentor fully embracing Aaron as an actor. That was a really big deal.
I felt conditioned for an ultraviolent ending. I was like, All right, were at Rebel Ridge! Were going to get Hold the Dark II, with another shootout! But this ending is more about diversion and creating confusion than bloodshed.
In my filmography, the payoffs are pretty brutal. But as a challenge to myself, I was like, What if I dont kill everybody? And more important, its not just me auditioning new ideas and testing them out. Its being very true to the narrative and very true to the character. Terry is a pragmatist. He is trying to stay on the rails the whole movie and is forced into situations where he has to pull on a different skill set. But even when hes first grappling with the chief and Officer Lann outside the station, it was with minimum force. I mean, the greatest damage that is done in the first fight scene is, like, chagrin. [Laughs] But Terry is just trying to get whats his and get that money across the finish line. And even in the finale, he has absolutely no intention of killing anybody. If you got this guy taking out a bunch of cops in this country, that ending is already written, and I didnt want to go there.
Hes still the character most like an action hero Ive ever written. But hes also vulnerable, and subject to other people in the story. And regarding the police, its not, like, an overly emotional Were so sorry, but them coming to grips with their humanity and finding out internally what their limit is. For some people, thats a huge leap. [Laughs] Its like, How can a cop not be down with murdering people? Well, its a cross-section of humanity, within the court system and the police force and everybody in this whole movie. We all bring our own context. It was threading the needle to get Terry Richmond where I wanted him to go, and I felt like when I designed the finale that I couldnt think of another one.
Given the police corruption in this film, the Nazis of Green Room, and the similar military and police abuses in Hold the Dark, Im curious if you consider yourself a political filmmaker.
Oh, certainly not. I have my own morality, my own politics, and I cannot help but infuse them into the story. But if anything, I work against that. I want to know, as a writer, how to humanize every character. Like in Green Room, when a life is lost, as a filmmaker, theres reverence to that. Its like, Shit, I really am going to miss Tiger. For Rebel Ridge, it was about researching all ends of it not only this very unjust practice, but also the real pressure being put on PDs across America, and courtrooms that cant guarantee constitutional rights, because theres just no fucking money. And no money means you might have to hire deputies or officers who have been fired from three other PDs. No one wants to do that, but theyre forced to. Its not just me trying to hear all voices equally, because this is a fucking Terry Richmond movie. But its only interesting to me if I can infuse real issues on a human level, to create actual drama onscreen. I had a Q&A the other night, and someone asked, Was there pushback from the community? Absolutely not. Leesville, Louisiana, way out near Texas, and New Orleans nothing but love and support. We had law enforcement and ex-military on set, and theres detail in the vernacular, in the weapons handling, in the geography and logistics. This film tested extremely high with conservatives, actually. People want to get behind a protagonist, and its fun to have everybody get behind Terry Richmond.
There is a larger systemic problem that the film is addressing, which I think people from various political perspectives could look at and be like, Okay, I agree with this part of it or this part of it.
Yeah. And thats why I gravitated toward civil asset forfeitures, because politics aside, it truly pisses me off to hear these stories of injustice. Its a narrative tool as it relates to my movie. I get fucking angry, and its very fun to explore that but from a very subjective view of our protagonist.
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Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Everett Collection (Warner Bros., Buena Vista Pictures, Quantrell D. Colbert/Amazon, Paramount Pictures)
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice lives, and it only took 36 years to bring to life. In sequels, as in comedy, its all about timing. Best to strike while the iron is hot, of course, but sometimes, stuff happens to delay even the most anticipated sequels. In the case of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, director Tim Burton was on board, Winona Ryder was on board, and Michael Keaton was especially on board, but, as Burton told Gizmodo, Nothing clicked and truly, it couldnt have happened until now.
Thirty-six years is a bit extreme, but plenty of other beloved films took decades to get a chapter two. Were they worth the wait? Nostalgia for fondly remembered childhood films or favorite characters only goes so far (were looking at you, The Odd Couple II, released 30 years after the original classic comedy).
Here are 15 sequels that took their not always sweet time to make it to the screen, organized by how long we had to wait for them and not so much by quality. Again, like comedy, appreciation of sequels is subjective.
Escape From L.A. (15 years)
I will always want to know what Kurt Russells Snake Call me Snake Plissken is up to, but it took more than a decade for him and director John Carpenter to reteam for this sequel to the sleeper hit and cult favorite Escape From New York. Blame an unsatisfactory script Carpenter commissioned and ascending star Russells availability. But it was Russell who pushed for this mondo sequel set in 2013, when Snake is given the life-and-death task of retrieving the Sword of Damocles, a doomsday device that can neutralize devices all around the world. The president (Cliff Robertson) has amended the Constitution and established himself as president for life, established the United States Police Force, and banished all deemed undesirable to earthquake-ravaged Los Angeles, from which escape is deemed impossible. Drastic measures (thats Snake) are called for when the presidents daughter hooks up with a revolutionary and steals the device. This is the first sequel to a Carpenter film directed by Carpenter (and if you havent seen Escape From New York, get on that). It was not as well received as the original, but it, too, has garnered a cult following. Carpenter makes Blade Runner 2049s Californian dystopian nightmare look like Eden. The supporting cast is cult-icon heaven with Peter Fonda as a surfer who helps Snake ride a tsunami and Pam Grier as a former Plissken cohort, now a transgender woman. This is insane, the presidents daughter shouts at one point. Thats the point, says the revolutionary. Welcome to Carpenters world.
The Two Jakes (16 years)
Forget it, Jake, its not Chinatown. But lets not so blithely dismiss a project that attempted to follow up Roman Polanskis 1974 neo-noir masterpiece whose screenplay by Robert Towne was deemed by screenwriting guru Syd Field to be the best American screenplay written during the 1970s. Originally titled The Iron Jew, the second in a proposed trilogy, its fraught production would sever the friendships of Jack Nicholson, Towne, and producer Robert Evans, each of whom was then in a career valley. Towne was to direct and Nicholson and Evans to star as the titular Jakes. Ultimately, Nicholson took over direction and rewrote some of the script and Harvey Keitel took the role of Jake Berman, whose murder of his business partner for having an affair with Bermans wife sets off a convoluted L.A. mystery circa 1948. Almost worth it just for the line I dont want to live in the past, I just dont want to lose it. For the inevitable provocateur revisionism, check out, Sure Chinatown Is a Classic But Its Sequel Is Better.
The Godfather Part III (16 years)
It gave us Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in, Connie Corleones transformation from pushover into La Madrina, and Joe Mantegna as Joey Zaza, but this problematic sequel to two of the greatest and most quotable films ever made is as divisive as, well, Megalopolis. Youve got three versions to choose from: for purists, the 1990 Oscar-nominated but critically reviled theatrical version, the reworked and expanded Final Directors Cut (1991), or the this-time-we-mean-it, much-better-received The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. Each version suffers from the absence of Robert Duvalls consigliere Tom Hagan and Michael Corleones godawful Tony Bennett joke.
Dumb and Dumber To (20 years)
Any fears that 2014s Dumb and Dumber To would be woke and woker are quickly allayed by a lookslashdont look catheter yank that launches this sequel to the 1994 hit that marked the Farrelly brothers directorial debut and firmly established Jim Carrey as the thenreigning king of comedy. It was Carrey who reportedly set this sequel in motion in 2000 when he caught the original on television and called Peter Farrelly to say he wanted to get the band back together. He hadnt made a flat-out comedy since 2008s Yes Man. Dumb and Dumber To pays fan service with references to and echoes of the original. The Farrelly brothers uncompromised sense of humor remains content to rise below vulgarity, to quote Mel Brooks, but the pre-MeToo Bush Club gag illustrates how much comic sensibilities have changed in the past two decades.
Psycho II (23 years)
Im going to bed right after I take a shower if thats alright with you. Who says you cant go home again, but no sooner does Norman Bates return to the Bates Motel than he experiences unnerving flashbacks of poisoning his mother as a preteen and begins receiving ominous notes and phone calls from her. And then the bodies start to drop. Is someone trying to drive poor Norman wait for it psycho? Perkins, in the role that defined his career, and Vera Miles are back from Alfred Hitchcocks original film with Meg Tilly as a sympathetic waitress at the diner where Norman has secured a job upon his release from the institution. The inevitable reprise of Psychos iconic shower scene is something of a letdown, but there are newer, more explicit shocks, including a curtain-call killing that opened a vacancy for Psycho III, this time with Perkins directing.
The Color of Money (25 years)
Its doubtful many in 1986 were wondering, Whatever became of Fast Eddie Felson?, from the 1961 classic, The Hustler, but this sequel stacks up nicely with the original and is one of the few on this list that can be appreciated without seeing the first film. Paul Newman won his only Academy Award revisiting one of his most indelible roles as the pool shark undone by his own lack of character who finds a new lease on life when he meets Vincent (a live-wire Tom Cruise), a prodigy and incredible flake, and becomes his mentor. After the box-office disappointments of The King of Comedy and After Hours (both much more appreciated today), this was a for-hire project that Scorsese elevated and made his own. The story of Felson recapturing his passion must have resonated with him.
Bill & Ted Face the Music (29 years)
After almost 30 years, a third Bill & Ted film may have seemed unlikely, but so has everything about this little franchise that could. The original 1989 film was a sleeper hit that made Keanu Reeves a star. Bill & Teds Bogus Journey was not as triumphant, but it carried on the originals sweet spirit. Through the years, the possibility of a threequel was bandied about in interviews, but finally, in 2019, Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves announced that the party was on. Face the Music was released during the pandemic in August 2020. Remember what we said about timing? (To recap: Its everything). The pandemic was no time to party on, but it was certainly a time to be reminded that we should all be excellent to each other and play along. Last January, Winter told an interviewer that a fourth film was in the works.
Mad Max: Fury Road (30 years)
Heres how long Mad Max: Fury Road was in development before its 2015 release: Mel Gibson was attached to reprise his star-making role as the postapocalyptic road warrior that he originated in 1979s Mad Max and continued in 1981s The Road Warrior and 1985s Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. That was before, well, you know. Director George Miller thought the franchise had run out of gas, but, as he told the New York Times, I was crossing the street in Los Angeles and this very simple idea popped in my head: What if there was a Mad Max movie that was one long chase Tom Hardy strapped himself in as Max, while Charlize Theron took the wheel as Furiosa and became an instant action icon. One of the great sequels (or was it a reboot? Discuss), made the visceral old-school way with limited CGI, Fury Road was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won two for its cinematography and editing. It paved the way for the prequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, released this year.
Blade Runner 2049 (35 years)
Blade Runner was never a box-office blockbuster or critical darling, but since its polarizing 1982 release, Ridley Scotts adaptation of Philip K. Dicks novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep has gained a considerable cult cachet thanks in part to home video and the release of director-approved alternate versions of the film, including a directors cut in 1992 and Scotts preferred Final Cut (2007). Blade Runner is now considered a benchmark science-fiction film and was inducted into the Library of Congresss National Film Registry of culturally, historically or aesthetically significant American films. This did wonders for the films IP status, and after years of pesky licensing-rights issues, a sequel was green-lit with Ryan Gosling as K, a hunter of replicants, and Harrison Ford, reprising one of his most indelible roles as former blade runner Deckard. Director Denis Villeneueves ambitious sequel fared better with critics, but was also a box-office disappointment (even Ridley Scott said in interviews it was too long). Villeneuve is on record that there will be no further versions of his film.
Top Gun: Maverick (36 years)
Tom Cruises career really took off following Top Gun, the biggest box-office hit of 1986 and one of the defining films of Reagans America. Between the Mission: Impossible films, working with top directors (De Palma, Spielberg, Kubrick) and earning a little Oscar cred for himself (Born on the Fourth of July, Magnolia), its not like he needed to make a Top Gun sequel. But if he were to do it, he told Beverly Hills magazine, he wanted to wait until filmmaking technology made possible his vision to put the audience into what theyre going to feel when they see this movie. Though the buzz was through the roof (Cruise does his own stunts; Val Kilmers return as former nemesis Iceman; Glen Powell), Cruise also insisted that the films original 2019 release be delayed until it could be exhibited in theaters. It put asses back in the seats post-COVID-shutdown and went on to become the highest-grossing film of 2022 and to earn six Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture. It won Best Sound.
Coming 2 America (33 years)/Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (40 years)
Artistically speaking, the primary question should be: Is this sequel necessary? In the case of Coming to America, the second biggest box-office hit of 1988, Eddie Murphy initially didnt think so. He told Extra that he thought the story had been told. But over the years, it became one of cable TVs staples. The movie stayed around, he said. In the case of Beverly Hills Cop, one of 1984s ten biggest box-office hits well, there had already been two sequels of diminishing quality. Both of these 21st-century sequels were legacy-risking propositions: Crown Prince Akeem and Axel Foley, respectively, are two of Murphys most iconic characters. But both films adhere closely to the originals while expanding their universes. Both also benefit from returning beloved original supporting cast members: Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Headley, and John Amos in 2, and John Ashton, Judge Reinhold, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot as Serge in Axel F. And Murphy rises to the occasion in both, especially in 2s barbershop scenes with Hall.
Mary Poppins Returns (52 years)
The 1964 original, arguably the jewel in Walt Disneys live-action crown, transports viewers to wondrous places. The sequel is content to replay the musical and emotional beats with parallel sequences. It didnt ruin my childhood. Emily Blunt administers much more than a spoonful of sugar to help the depressing story (mourning, foreclosure) go down. The films most wondrous effect is a 91-year-old Dick Van Dyke, as the son of the predatory banker in the first film, execute a dance step he performed in the 1961 season-one Dick Van Dyke Show episode Jealousy. Lets leave it at this: I could, right now, lead a sing-along to I Love to Laugh, the merest trifle from the Sherman brothers Oscar-winning musical score for the original, and sitting here, I cant remember a one of the new musical numbers.
Fantasia 2000 (59 years)
Walt Disney envisioned Fantasia (1940) to be a perpetual work in progress with new animated sequences in rotation with the originals. A box-office dud, that film almost sunk the studio, but it gained a second and third life when, in the 1960s and 70s, marketing for the theatrical rerelease focused on the films trippy nature to appeal to a counter-culture audience. In the next decade, it was a best seller on home video. At last, the sequel Walt envisioned was considered commercially viable. Fantasia 2000 is not as highfalutin as the groundbreaking original. A distinguished roster of hosts, including Steve Martin, Itzhak Perlman, Bette Midler, and Penn and Teller (who better to introduce The Sorcerers Apprentice?) keep things light, while the 75-minute runtime (the original clocked in at just over two hours) wont try a childs patience. The best-realized pieces include The Carnival of the Animals, featuring a yo-yo playing flamingo, and Rhapsody in Blue, set in Jazz Age New York and visually inspired by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld (can you spot his signature character, Nina?). Donald Duck gets his turn in the Fantasia spotlight as Noahs assistant, charged with steering animals aboard the ark in a segment set to Elgars Pomp and Circumstance. Its not necessary to have seen the original, but you should. Now, how about Fantasia 2050 for an encore?
The raucous Nutcrackers upholds Stillers place as one of American cinemas funnier objects of humiliation. Photo: Rivulet Media
The last time we saw David Gordon Green, he was lost in the muddle of a cursed Exorcist sequel, which hed made after a trio of interesting but wildly uneven Halloween movies. Onstage at the Toronto Film Festival world premiere of his new comedy Nutcrackers, the director admitted that the inevitable darkness of four horror flicks in a row had gotten to him; the Ben Stillerstarring Nutcrackers, Green said, was born of his desire to make a movie without cynicism and viciousness. Hes certainly done that, but in its own weird way, Nutcrackers reconfigures some of those previous films as well; it feels like an amalgamation of all the various stages of Greens career.
One wonders if the sweetness and light of Nutcrackers was also what brought Stiller out of the woodwork, since he hasnt done many high-profile parts since 2017s one-two punch of Brads Status and The Meyerowitz Stories. Here, he plays Michael Maxwell, a Chicago real-estate developer who drives to small-town Ohio (in his yellow Ferrari, naturally) to take care of his four unruly nephews, whove been left orphaned and alone on a dilapidated farm after the deaths of Michaels sister and her husband.
Wild, unkempt, and uncouth, the home-schooled kids are played by a quartet of real-life brothers: Homer, Ulysses, Arlo, and Atlas Janson, four vivacious nonprofessionals from rural Ohio who apparently inspired Green to make the film in the first place. The kids dont speak much and they feed themselves on uncooked blocks of ramen, cheese puffs with ketchup, and popsicles dipped in well, something. They roam around a farm filled with cats, dogs, hogs, guinea pigs, snakes, and chickens that scramble and slither in and out of their ramshackle house. Nutcrackers might be a goofy comedy, but when Michael is confronted by a silent nephew wearing a giant rabbit mask, or when he chases a chicken with a giant knife while the kids chant, Pluck it, cook it, put it in a pot! we can see how this might not actually be that far removed from Greens unorthodox attempts at horror.
Workaholic city slicker Michael isnt planning to be in Ohio for long. He just needs to watch the boys for a few days while the local childrens services rep (Linda Cardellini) lines up a new foster home. Stiller, who has a knack for playing everyday guys who somehow cant help but act like total jagoffs, brings the right mix of relatable decency and cold calculation to the part; this is not one of his signature performances, but its certainly nice to have him back. Even as Michael grows to bond with the kids, he accelerates his efforts to find them a foster home, never once contemplating the possibility of caring for them himself. I guess its true what Mom said about you then, says one of the kids. What did she say? Michael asks. She said you were incapable of love. See, you can say that to a Ben Stiller character. He wont fight back. He remains one of American cinemas funnier objects of humiliation and abuse.
The narrative outcome of Nutcrackers is aggressively (some will say insultingly) predictable. We can sense the plot gears locking into place when Michael discovers that his sister had a much-loved dance school thats since been abandoned. But heres where it helps to have a director like David Gordon Green. For all the strange directions his career has taken him since he first burst onto the indie scene with understated small-town dramas like George Washington (2000) and All the Real Girls (2003), Green has never entirely abandoned the improvisatory spirit of his early work, be it in Apatovian fantasias like Pineapple Express or gentle indie comedies like Prince Avalanche, or even in the oblique and digressive Halloween Ends. He has a gift for infusing boilerplate material with just enough formal and emotional anarchy to make us wonder if the movies have suddenly left reality behind. And then theres his love of faces his ability to see the ordinary extraordinariness of real people which elevates his work beyond a mere narrative accounting of what happened to whom and where. The familiar contours of Nutcrackers might deceive us, but its inspirations and interests crystallize its restless, independent spirit. It feels like both a summary and a homecoming for this strangest and most American of directors.
After last weeks unrelenting tragedies, Chapter Eleven is a relief: Kite flying! Chicken-thief hunting! Yakitori dates! A horny Kyunghee! Mozasu running around and wishing he could live in the country forever! Thank God, honestly, not that its all roses. Its still 1945, and Yoseb is still in Nagasaki. Though the emergence of a romantic prospect in Naomi is welcome news to Solomons crumbling life, he looks and sounds like someone who is about to cross a line from which there is no return: He stipulates he only has about three months left in his bank account, so not much to lose. Hansus return to Sunjas life makes me nervous, too; he is tender and reasonable here, but his proximity to the boys and to Sunja sets off a current of unease just under the wholesomeness of their new bucolic life.
Cinematographer Ante Chengs camera loves the light of the country the expansive, bright clarity of daytime and the near-total darkness of night. The soft-blue shadows in the sequence when Kim Changho talks at length about what has led him there, waiting on a stakeout with Noa, Mozasu, and Kyunghee, has a cabinlike feel, evoking the intimacy born out of time spent in quietness and communion with nature. In the country, it seems, our characters are able to finally take a breath. But they sure were skeptical when they first arrived.
1945
Chapter Eleven picks up exactly where Chapter Ten left off: Tthe air raids sirens overwhelm the landscape, and you cant see a thing. I held my breath as Sunja, Kyunghee, and the boys made their way home, terrified that one of them might get lost. Hansu and Kim find Sunja in the chaos, and Sunja introduces Hansu to Kyunghee as a family friend. Theyve come to take them to safety in the countryside, but the cautious, prudent Kyunghee is reluctant to leave without her husbands permission. Once you get his permission, Hansu warns her, youll be dead. Sunja reassures her sister-in-law that they can trust the men, and as they pack, Kim proves his dependability. Kyunghee is burying family heirlooms for safekeeping when he comes to rush her along, saying theres no time. We see Kyunghee raise her voice at a man for the first time. Im not stupid, she snaps. Seeing she wont be turned away from the task, Kim gets on his knees to help, telling her to finish packing while he buries the rest of the heirlooms. Its a small but significant turn in the gender dynamics of Kyunghees life, and perhaps a harbinger of other disruptions to come
Sunja and the boys, in the meantime, are packing their own belongings. Noa makes sure to bring a book, and Mozasu to bring bamboo spears. Though the circumstances are different, Sunjas bundle-tying calls back to when her own mother packed her things before she left Yeongdo; they are the movements of a family that, in order to ensure survival, has to constantly be uprooted. In the car, with Kim in the passenger seat and Hansu at the wheel, Sunja remembers Jiyun, the young Korean mother who was her brief partner in rice-wine fermenting. Out the window, Noa spots Pastor Hu, carrying a pile of books. Mozasu looks on at the crowd, which soon begins banging at the cars windows, begging to be let in. As they leave their life behind, darkness envelops the sky of Osaka. Barely visible in the car, Noa watches as a fleet of planes illuminates the horizon with dropping bombs.
In the countryside, by contrast, the light is crisp and clean. It floods the car, blanketing the family in the kind of hopeful light we havent seen at least since Sunja and Hansu snuck kisses at the cove back in Busan. Still, the little house where Hansu and Kim take them looks like it could be in one of the before pictures of Fixer Upper, not that shiplap would make anything better here. Kyunghee is more worried about having a kitchen, or a bed, both of which are absent. If that werent concerning enough, theres also the fact that Kim will live there with them. Thats impossible, of course; that man is a stranger to the women, and Yoseb doesnt even know that theyre there. Sunja and Kyunghee try to argue that they both grew up in the country and can take care of themselves, but Hansu shoots them down: Kyunghees family had servants, and its been more than a decade since Sunja has left the boardinghouse. His tone reminds them that in a house with a man, a woman doesnt have a say. Over and over again, Sunja and Kyunghee find themselves unable to choose, indebted unfavorably to men who dont hesitate to wield power over them.
Speaking privately with Hansu, Sunja sets her boundaries. Though I am grateful for all you have done, I want nothing more from you, she says. Accepting his help scares her emotionally, certainly, but mostly because of Noa. She worries that her son will start figuring things out if he spends time around Hansu. When Hansu wonders, out loud, whether she thinks he would ever jeopardize his son, she reminds them that at this point they are strangers to each other. She is no longer that girl at the cove. Like her mother, she is now a widow. It dawned on me here that it couldnt have been more than a couple of days since Isaks death by the time they have this conversation. She hadnt even had time to consider herself as a widow, to properly mourn her husbands death. Sunjas life is always changing despite her.
Time does go by, mercifully, and in June, Sunja and Kyunghee work alongside other men and women under the watchful eyes of a foreman and Kim, who stands up for them when their Japanese co-workers mock them cruelly. Mr. Kim is looking very well in this country light and his tank top, something Im sure Kyunghee has already noticed. But hes not just good-looking; he is also a spirited, natural companion to the boys. Noa and Mozasu are chasing after a chicken for whose escape Mozasu cheers, hoping shell break free when he comes to aid them, catching her in one fell swoop. This is so much more fun than school, Mozasu says, beaming, feeling grateful for Koh-san and the new luxuries of his farm life.
He only has reason to feel luckier when, like a suited-up Santa Claus, Hansu comes by the farm with a suitcase full of presents, including candy, a radio (!), a kite, and newspapers for Noa. He encourages Noa to practice his reading comprehension, emphasizing how he should pay as much attention to the meaning of the words as to the letters; Sunja looks concerned with it all, but the disarming ease of Hansus interaction with the boys makes my heart ache. Finally, and so unexpectedly in the middle of a violent war, when humanitys capacity for evil was at an all-time high, the boys can have a few nice things. Even Sunja and Kyunghee laugh in delight as Hansu shows the boys how to fly the kite; but its not long until a fleet of planes flies overhead. Seeing her concerned expression, Kim gently reassures Kyunghee that the planes are going in the opposite direction of Nagasaki.
Kyunghee is not wrong when she reminds Sunja, later that day, that its impossible to know for sure, though. You cant promise me hell always be safe, she tells Sunja as she assembles a package with newly sewn clothes for her husband. Kyunghee has been unfaltering in her devotion; but she is also a bit of a dreamer to Sunjas pragmatic sturdiness, a follower to Sunjas lead. Its striking to see her speak so openly about what goes unsaid: In a way, she now occupies the role Sunja took on when she brought meals and clothes for Isak in prison. No one knows if these home comforts actually reach the men or if they make a difference; but its all they can do to keep moving forward.
It takes daily courage to be a member of the Baek family, and Chapter Eleven peels back the different layers of what that virtue might mean in a particular circumstance. There is the courage to accept uncertainty; to rely on a man who has hurt you; to keep going when the future is inconceivable. But there is also Mozasus courage when he promises the farms foreman that he will catch the thief who has been stealing the eggs from the chicken coop. When he divulges his plan to his mother, she immediately says no, its too dangerous. But Kim is sure that the thief is a desperately hungry person, not a dangerous criminal. With the help of the boys, he can catch the delinquent. Leaving Sunja puzzled, Kyunghee asks if she can come along to the stakeout Kim is organizing with the boys. It sounds exciting, she says, by way of explanation. Its true, but she kind of sounds like what I sounded like when I told boys in high school that yeah, totally, I would love to sit on the couch and watch you play three hours of FIFA.
Later that night, the four of them lay out by the chicken coop wearing matching white bandannas and waiting for the thief to come around. Mozasu is impatient, but Noa takes the opportunity to learn a bit more about the mysterious Kim. Answering Noas question about how he met Hansu, Kim tells them about how his father lost his land to the Japanese occupation and later killed himself in the seized fields. After that, he left home and started working down at the docks, where he met Hansu. Just then, they see a group of thieves entering the coop. Kim and the boys circle them but most manage to escape, save for one, a boy who used to bully Noa at school in Osaka. Food is scant at the temple where hes staying. Kim gives Noa a choice: They can let him go with a warning or report him to the teachers at the temple, who would no doubt punish him. Noa lets him go of course. He learned well from his fathers forgiveness of Pastor Hu; and Kim himself complements his grace by gifting the boy a basket of eggs. Mozasu is indignant at his brothers leniency, but Kim teaches him: Its better to have an enemy owe you than the other way around. Its a new read on Isaks ethos of mercy, but a valuable lesson nonetheless.
Its a wonder if well be able to sleep tonight, Kyunghee says to Mozasu when he gushes over how exciting the stakeout was. But its something else that keeps her up. Kyunghee has the unmistakable look of someone who is sick with desire. Moisture weighs down the heavy clouds over the country. On a walk, Kyunghee sees Kim drinking shoreside, his back to her. He doesnt turn around until shes gone. Lightning breaks as if to explain why everyone is all of a sudden sweating.
1989
Its not just Kyunghee whose love life is about to take a turn. When, in Tokyo, Solomon goes to Shiffleys to tell Tom about the landowners new resolution to sell, Naomi makes eyes at him: first across the office, later in the elevator. Its a bit hard to convince Tom of the legitimacy of the old womans decision after she backed out the first time, but Solomon appeals to Toms own insecurity, teasing him with the opportunity to go home with the money made from the deal. Accepting the transfer to Tokyo was a blow to Toms dignity, though he swears it wasnt his fault that one of his clients accounts was filed with irregularities. With the bag collected from the deal with Abe and Colton, Tom could potentially quit the firm and start his own business back in the States, near his children. Much like Hansus machinations more than 40 years before him, Solomon offers Tom a deal he simply cant refuse, though of course, there are strings attached.
On his way out, Solomon stops by Naomis office, formerly his own. Theyre flirty in that I-hate-your-guts kind of way, which seems to be Solomons preferred style of romance, if were to remember the way Hana talked to him. Solomon breaks the news of the landowner to Naomi, and then goes on to patronize her. He tells her that she will never run the firm, no matter how much she deserves it; shes better than all of the guys, but alas, she is but a suited-up woman. Matching his freak, Naomi follows him into the elevator to ask him out. They go on a date to a yakitori stand Solomons pick which doesnt impress Naomi but is what he can afford at the moment. Still, they have a nice time. Solomon wears his heart on his sleeve: He knows hes at a low point, and if that doesnt work for her, therell be no hard feelings. But he promises her that it wont be that way forever. From here on out, he will only fuck over the people who deserve it. Naomi cheers to this absolutely insane statement. Maybe theyre made for each other.
The older Sunja also meets someone in Chapter Eleven, though the jurys out on whether they are flirting or just being nice to each other. A man wearing suspenders and a bow tie approaches her at the grocery store to tell her that he witnessed Solomons outburst from Chapter Nine. He agrees with Solomon that the man behind the counter was out of line, and he thought Solomon was courageous to say something theres that virtue again. This compliment toward her grandsons outburst leaves Sunja uncomfortable, so the man excuses himself. But later, when she sees him feeding the birds in the park on the way home, she sits with him.
At the store, the man approached her while she was by the egg cartons, and feeding the pigeons is an explicit callback to her time on the farm, surrounded by animals and nature and a touch of lightheartedness. They have a nice conversation, and as she gets up to leave, she apologizes for Solomons behavior again. She explains that hes having a hard time, though shed hoped things would be easier for him; when she was his age, she was standing in ration lines and training in air-raid drills. The man is the first older person in the show to suggest that just because he didnt live through the war, poverty, or abjection, it doesnt mean that life is easy for Solomon. In fact, he tells Sunja, No matter the times, life is never easy.
Life may not be easy, but Solomon hopes, at least, that he can make it more abundant and just, and therefore more bearable. Watching the Korean landowner leave her place from the back seat of a car, he gets a call from Tom telling him that theyre all in now. The deal is done. The land belongs to Abe-san.
Pinball Thoughts
Though Im not a Japanese or Korean speaker, I am bilingual, and it pleases me to see the shows inventiveness in the closed caption department. I was grateful to know that Mozasu switches languages mid-sentence, as so many of us do.
Seeing Kyunghee burying her heirlooms at the very beginning of the episode, I was reminded of the bones buried under the Korean landowners plot of land. I much prefer this kind of subtle connection between the future and the past to the heavy-handed transition between the pigeons in the park and the birds flying over the country, for example.
Shoji Kawamori, the prolific director of Macross Plus (in which an AI threatens humanity) predicts the tech is coming for the whole animation industry including him. Photo: Big West
Hollywood workers represented by IATSE Local 839 a.k.a. the Animation Guild are in active negotiations for the future of their industry. Among the issues on the table is artificial intelligence and whether and how it can be used by studios to create the kinds of imagery once only realized by human hands. In Japan, which rivals the U.S. in animation revenue and output, workers face punishingly long hours, low pay, and a dearth of union representation that could address some of these issues. Recently, Shoji Kawamori, one of the industrys elder statesmen and the creator of the Macross franchise, told me hed be perfectly fine using AI in some of his own work.
From a cost and speed perspective, I think its inevitable that AI is going to be used, he said in an interview at Anime NYC in late August, where he was a guest of honor. Putting aside the controversy, I think its just going to happen.
Kawamori is known for the clarity, depth, and style of his mechanical designs, a process developed over his 47-year career. His influence on anime is so vast, his successors often appear like replicas: The Diaclone transforming robots he designed predated Transformers, and his series Super Dimension Fortress Macross was adapted into the first season of Robotech both igniting a passion in the West for Japanese action animation and transforming robots alike. At Anime NYC, he joked that 1986s Top Gun featured a heroic fighter pilot dating a female superior set to a catchy soundtrack, noting that Macross came out four years earlier. Today he continues to shepherd the Macross franchise through new titles and appearances like his latest in the States.
Kawamori isnt an AI optimist. We chatted a few hours before a Japan Society screening of Macross Plus his 1995 film about an AI hologram that threatens humanity which is also being rereleased on Blu-ray September 30. At Anime NYC, he shared stories about the terrific lengths he and his fellow artists go to create their anime. His action-animation director Ichiro Itano once blacked out when the pair flew fighter jets on a research assignment, then animated the experience for Macross Plus; Itano would also shoot fireworks from his bike to better understand how they flew in motion.
Shoji Kawamori sees AI as perfectly fine to use in some animation steps, like in-betweening. Photo: Eric Vilas-Boas
But Kawamori points out that in the early 90s, even human animators could not always satisfactorily follow the action animators lead: What was debated among my colleagues was that all these other animators not Itano can make missiles move prettily and accurately, but they dont look painful, he says of the process on Macross Plus. When you see one of Itanos scenes, not only are you visually attracted, but you can viscerally feel when the missiles hit. The question becomes, are the animators actually thinking to themselves, Oh, it hurts? Or are they just copying him because it looks pretty? To Kawamori, the emotions, and in Itanos case, a mind-set that results in Itanos action hitting as hard as it does, are still essential to creating powerful art. Perhaps that is the kind of thing AI might never fully accomplish, he acknowledges. But I think AI will eventually get to a stage where it looks like its achieved it, even if it actually hasnt.
Kawamori knows that AI cannot reproduce emotions, but he sees some aspects of production that involve manual repetitive labor as less creative than others, like in-betweening, the sometimes rote process of adding transition frames between a given piece of animations keyframes, the shots that define the movement. Drawing the keyframes is certainly a creative enough process that drawing them by hand or using CG is still very necessary, he says. But for the intervening frames, getting from one keyframe to the next, the in-betweens, its perfectly fine to use AI.
In-between animators, who tend to be junior compared to the lead animators who work on keyframes, would likely disagree. In-betweening has been described as the gruntiest grunt work in animation, and historically, the role has served as a step on the career paths of senior animators, Itano included. But Kawamori looks at this in part as a way to account for labor shortages and financial strain of producing anime. We are not replenishing our ranks as much, he says. Theres fewer and fewer staff able to work on it. And he sees its use, even in more actual creative processes, like keyframing, as an inevitability. If I ever find it to be very practical, I may find myself using it as well, he says.
But the artist whos spent a career telling stories about how humans interact with technology tells me he feels that every technological leap forward makes us more efficient but ultimately less creative. Whats at the forefront of my mind right now is, as AI itself also continues to evolve, what is it that we feel? he says. And through those feelings, what are we actually producing? What do we actually bring forth?
Kawamori knows machines can maim and divide us as often as they expand our horizons: The SDF-1 Macross ship he designed for 1982s Macross illustrates that duality, serving simultaneously as a life raft and a war machine. Macross is ultimately a hopeful story, but if AI is as inevitable as Kawamori describes, it portends a future where animation lacks the very soul that ignited those stories one where studios sacrifice the next generation of Itanos or Kawamoris to it.
Want more TV and movie picks? Subscribe to our weekly Streamliner newsletter here. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Parisa Taghizadeh/Warner Bros., Netflix, Fred Hayes/Disney, GKIDS
If youve been feeling troubled that theres no other splashy blockbusters to stock your local theater, you can depend on the hotshot bio-exorcist Betelgeuse in his 36-years-later sequel to entertain. It was a hit then and is shaping up to be a hit now. Beetlejuices services are satisfaction guaranteed, it seems. But if youre not ready to let summer go, theres also Nicole Kidman being rich on the coast of Nantucket in The Perfect Couple, a fizzy murder-mystery series. Speaking of Nicole, wheres the AMC ad parody from Beetleju? Oh, shit.
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Featured Presentations
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Nearly 40 years later, the juice is finally loose once again. Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, and Catherine OHara all return to Tim Burtons gleeful sequel as they make their way back to Winter River, Connecticut, for the Deetz patriarchs funeral. Jenna Ortega joins the cast as Lydias daughter, Astrid, alongside Justin Theroux as Lydias sleazy manager, and Willem Dafoe and Monica Bellucci as two colorful Afterlife characters.
In theaters now
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Nicole Kidman, the star of what weve dubbed the mother-thriller genre, leads this adaptation of Elin Hilderbrands murder mystery about an exceedingly wealthy family and a wedding weekend that turns deadly; the supporting cast includes Liev Schreiber, Meghann Fahy, and Jack Reynor. Roxana Hadadi
Theres a synchronized dance intro??
Streaming on Netflix
.
A Netflix action film usually does big numbers. You all yearn for some kicking and punching. In director Jeremy Saulniers Rebel Ridge, Aaron Pierre and Don Johnson face off as Pierres former Marine character Terry Richmond is wrongly seized and his cousins bail money is taken by the towns police, headed up by its corrupt chief (played by Johnson).
Streaming on Netflix
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The gist from The Front Room that Im getting is its what Monster-in-Law would have been as an explicit horror movie. Instead of J.Lo, Brandy takes the lead as she and her husband (Andrew Burnap) invite his estranged mother (Kathryn Hunter) to stay with them.
Jane FondaKathryn Hunter mother-in-law team up a la Alien vs. Predator when?
In theaters now
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The curmudgeonly spy series is back for six more episodes of explosions, hidden identities, and Jack Lowden booking it through a mass-transit station while being pursued by baddies. Hugo Weaving and James Callis join, each eerily weird in their own way. Kathryn VanArendonk
Streaming on Apple TV+
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From The Front Room to Red Rooms, another thriller out this week tells the story of a woman (Juliette Gariepy) who grows increasingly obsessed with the trial and case of an accused serial killer (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos) known for broadcasting his crimes. As she attempts to investigate the case, that obsession starts to break her down.
In theaters now
Reality Bites
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
Sometimes you want prestige, and sometimes you want to watch a docureality about a friend group of Mormon mom influencers whose lives are rocked by the revelation that theyre also swingers. K.V.A.
Streaming on Hulu
Finally Streaming
The Boy and the Heron
It may have taken nearly a year, but this ones finally coming to Max. Hayao Miyazaki is one of the greatest animators alive, and his latest movie is an award-winning, semi-autobiographical masterpiece. If you havent seen it, prepare yourself for dream logic, bird poop, and weird little guys. Eric Vilas-Boas
Also streaming for the first time a two-hour doc on making the film, Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron.
Streaming on Max
I Used to Be Funny
In this SXSW charmer, Rachel Sennott stars as a nanny (and stand-up comic) whose life gets turned upside-down when the 14-year-old in her charge suddenly goes missing. Last year we called it sometimes hilarious and sometimes harrowing. E.V.B.
Streaming on Netflix
Didi kick flips its way to digital platforms this week, too.
Double Feature
Beetlejuice, the animated series
Lets double, triple the Beetlejuice intake this week with Beetlejuice the animated series. Released soon after the original movie, this series follows a teenage Lydia and her best friend, not almost husband, Beetlejuice across the mortal and Neitherworld.
Streaming on Tubi
About The Perfect Couples perfectly batshit intro
Everyone Is Having Fun in The Perfect Couple Opening Credits, Damn It! Photo: Kathryn VanArendonk/Vulture
I love an insane opening credits sequence, and apparently the cast nearly revolted over this one. As Kathryn VanArendonk wrote of it: This murder show is gonna be a good time! E.V.B.
Want more? Read our recommendations from the weekend of August 30.
VIENTIANE, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the 21st ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces Meeting met here to discuss key issues affecting regional security and defense cooperation.
Speaking at the meeting on Thursday, Lao Deputy Minister of National Defense and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People's Army Khamlieng Outhakaysone expressed his gratitude to all the ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat for their support and contributions, praising their dedication to ensuring the success of this year's meeting, the local Pasaxon newspaper reported on Thursday.
During the meeting, the participants exchanged views on the current regional security landscape and discussed ways to enhance defense cooperation, aiming to build mutual trust, capabilities, and preparedness to address challenges to regional stability.
The discussions underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and unity within ASEAN through collaborative efforts.
ITA Airways cancels 18 flights due to strike.
Air travellers in Italy face disruption to flights on Saturday 7 September due to strike action by airline staff, air traffic controllers and baggage handlers.
The four-hour strike, scheduled from 13.00 to 17.00, will affect some of Italy's main airports and is expected to result in flight delays and cancellations.
Pilots and cabin crews from ITA Airways and Wizz Air are set to strike in parallel to walkouts by air traffic controllers at Rome Fiumicino and Olbia, baggage handlers at Milan Malpensa, Florence and Pisa airports, and cleaning staff at Milan Linate and Malpensa.
ITA Airways says it has been forced to cancel 18 domestic flights on Saturday due to the strike, including connections between Rome Fiumicino and other Italian cities.
WizzAir said it plans to minimise the impact of the strike and that it regrets the "potential inconvenience" to passengers.
The industrial action has been called by various trade reasons for a number of reasons relating to employment contracts and working conditions.
Italy's civil aviation authority ENAC has published information on its website about the strike and the flights that are guaranteed.
In addition to the airport strikes on Saturday, Italy faces a nationwide train strike on Sunday 8 September as well as disruption to local public transport services on Monday 9 September.
For official information about upcoming strikes in Italy see the transport ministry website.
Photo credit: Canary4stock / Shutterstock.com.
The global community largely supports the opening of the Zangazur Corridor, which would connect mainland Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan through Armenia. The Zangazur Corridor is indeed a strategically important road, however, its main purpose is to connect the mainland to Nakhchivan, which has been in a state of blockade for more than 30 years.
However, Iran's rigid stance against Zangazur has been preventing a direct solution to the issue in the region for a long time. Just this time, official Tehran vented its anger about Zangazur on the official Kremlin as notably, Russia backed the opening of this route, emphasizing its strategic and economic importance to the West, Europe, and even itself. Despite this, Iran is pressuring Russia over its support, summoning Russia's ambassador to Tehran, Aleksey Dedov, to express concerns. Mujtaba Demirchilu, head of the Main Directorate for Eurasian Affairs of Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, "Iran is against any geopolitical change in the defined borders of the region."
Iranian diplomats have criticized Russia's stance, suggesting that opening the Zangazur Corridor would cut off one of Iran's key routes to Europe. Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan mentioned the potential for private security companies to manage future transport connections between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which remains a sovereign issue between the two states. However, Iran's interference raises questions: Why is Tehran, as a third party, intervening so strongly?
Sadraddin Soltan, Chairman of the Middle East Research Center, spoke to Azernews about Iran's underlying motives. He believes that Tehran tries to mask its true concerns with vague statements, such as being "against any geopolitical change in the defined borders." He argues, How does the opening of this corridor violate the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Armenia? Official Baku has repeatedly stated that it does not make territorial claims against any country. This means the opening of the Zangezur corridor will not cause problems on the territory of Armenia.
Soltan points out that Armenia could benefit significantly from the Zangazur Corridor, connecting with Central Asian countries, China, and even India for trade. However, Iran fears that Western powersNATO, the USA, and the EUmight use this route, potentially bypassing Iran-controlled key trade passages like the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal.
Currently, Iran influences trade routes through the south, such as by supporting the Houthis in Yemen, which can threaten the Asia-Europe trade route through the Red Sea. The Zangazur Corridor, however, would fall outside Iran's sphere of influence, diminishing its leverage over regional trade. Soltan emphasizes that Iran, therefore, opposes the corridor to maintain its geopolitical influence.
The expert also noted that Iran is worried about the possibility of delegating the security control of the future transport connections between Azerbaijan and Armenia to private security companies.
"It can be assumed that Armenia is attracting a new force or a new military force to its country and the South Caucasus under the name of a security agency," he says. Iran's fears are further fueled by its traditional ally, France, possibly taking a leading role.
Soltan mentions that Heshmatollah Falahatpishe, a former member of the National Security Commission of the Iranian Parliament, called this situation a "friendship trap," suggesting that Russia is opting out of controlling the route in favor of private management, which Tehran sees as a betrayal. Soltan explains, "Under these conditions, Iran is not only deprived of the opportunity to control and use the Zangazur road, even indirectly, it will not even be able to have a chance to control this corridor."
This photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows the sea near Puqian Township of Wenchang City, south China's Hainan Province. Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)
BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center renewed a red alert, the highest level, for Typhoon Yagi on Friday morning as the country braces for the super typhoon.
Typhoon Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year as counted by China's meteorological authorities, was on the sea about 150 kilometers off Wenchang City of Hainan Province at 9 a.m. Friday, the center said.
The typhoon was forecasted to travel northwestward at a speed of 15 to 20 km per hour and make landfall along the coastal areas from Hainan's Wenchang to Leizhou in Guangdong Province between Friday afternoon and evening.
It was expected to make a second landfall on Saturday afternoon along the coastal areas from Fangchenggang in Guangxi to the northern part of Vietnam.
The center warned that gales will batter parts of Guangxi, Guangdong and the South China Sea from Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon, with heavy rainfall also expected in parts of Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan Island.
In response, the Ministry of Water Resources has raised the emergency response for floods in Guangdong and Hainan to Level III, and dispatched four work teams to guide flood prevention efforts in Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan.
The ministry said that efforts will be made to closely monitor the development of the typhoon, guide local governments with disaster prevention work and ensure the safety of people's lives and property.
Heavy rainfall hits the city of Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)
Huge waves lash the shore in Puqian Township of Wenchang City, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)
Heavy rainfall hits Puqian Township of Wenchang City, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)
This photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows the seashore in Puqian Township of Wenchang City, south China's Hainan Province.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)
Fallen branches are seen on a street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)
A tree is blown askew by strong wind on a street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)
A pedestrian walks against wind on a street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)
A barrier is set to hold back water at the entrance of an underground parking garage in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)
Fallen fences are seen near a construction site in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)
A fallen tree is seen on a street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)
Coconut trees struggle against strong wind on a street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon of level 17, packing winds of up to 209 km per hour. The typhoon is forecast to make landfall on Friday afternoon somewhere between the city of Wenchang in Hainan Province and Xuwen County in Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)
Fallen branches are seen on a street before the landfall of super typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Super Typhoon Yagi, the 11th typhoon of this year, made landfall in south China's Hainan Province on Friday afternoon, according to the province's emergency management headquarters.
The typhoon has brought heavy rainfall across most of the island, with severe rainstorms in certain townships and villages. The northern part of Hainan has experienced strong winds ranging from level 13 to 16, while some cities and counties have faced power outages. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)
A fallen billboard is blown down before the landfall of super typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Super Typhoon Yagi, the 11th typhoon of this year, made landfall in south China's Hainan Province on Friday afternoon, according to the province's emergency management headquarters.
The typhoon has brought heavy rainfall across most of the island, with severe rainstorms in certain townships and villages. The northern part of Hainan has experienced strong winds ranging from level 13 to 16, while some cities and counties have faced power outages. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)
Huge waves lash the shore before the landfall of super typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Super Typhoon Yagi, the 11th typhoon of this year, made landfall in south China's Hainan Province on Friday afternoon, according to the province's emergency management headquarters.
The typhoon has brought heavy rainfall across most of the island, with severe rainstorms in certain townships and villages. The northern part of Hainan has experienced strong winds ranging from level 13 to 16, while some cities and counties have faced power outages. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)
Coconut trees struggle in the strong wind on a street before the landfall of super typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Super Typhoon Yagi, the 11th typhoon of this year, made landfall in south China's Hainan Province on Friday afternoon, according to the province's emergency management headquarters.
The typhoon has brought heavy rainfall across most of the island, with severe rainstorms in certain townships and villages. The northern part of Hainan has experienced strong winds ranging from level 13 to 16, while some cities and counties have faced power outages. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)
Huge waves lash the shore before the landfall of super typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
Super Typhoon Yagi, the 11th typhoon of this year, made landfall in south China's Hainan Province on Friday afternoon, according to the province's emergency management headquarters.
The typhoon has brought heavy rainfall across most of the island, with severe rainstorms in certain townships and villages. The northern part of Hainan has experienced strong winds ranging from level 13 to 16, while some cities and counties have faced power outages. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)
Bereavement
The death sadly occurred on Friday, August 30, of Mrs Clare Molloy (nee: Heylin), late of Bellview Terrace, Johns Hill, Waterford.
Predeceased by her beloved husband Tom, and sisters Rose and Mary, she is survived by her loving sons James and Ronan, daughters Frances and Lynda, her brother Frank Heylin, grandchildren Rory, Kevin, Dylan, Cameron, Riley, Flynn, Finbar and Hunter, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Clare will be sadly missed by all her relatives, extended family and friends. Requiem Mass took place in St Johns Church, Parnell Street, on Monday, September 2, at 11am with burial afterwards in St. Marys Cemetery, Ballygunner. Condolences are extended to Clare's family, relatives and friends. May she rest in peace.
Bereavement
The death sadly occurred on Wednesday, September 4, of Mr Dick Donnelly, late of Barrack Street, Passage East, Co Waterford, ex-Waterford Metal Industries. Predeceased by his loving parents Jack and Mary Ann, his brother John and sisters Finola, Maeve, Pauline and Veronica, he is survived by his loving sister Maisie, nieces, nephews extended family neighbours and friends. Dick will be sadly missed by all his family, relatives, neighbours and friends. Requiem Mass took place in St John The Baptist Church, Crooke on Saturday, September 7, at 10am with burial afterwards in Crooke Cemetery. Condolences are extended to Dick's family, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.
Bereavement
The death sadly occurred on Wednesday, September 4, of Mr. Dermot (Der) McEnery, Woodview, Killea, Dunmore East, Co Waterford and formerly of St John's Park, Waterford. Predeceased by his loving son David, parents Alice and John and his brothers and sisters, he is survived by his loving wife Marian, daughter Patricia, granddaughter Isabela, sisters Lilly and Marian, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and friends. Dermot will be sadly missed by all his family, relatives, neighbours and friends. Requiem Mass took place on Sunday, September 8, at 1.30pm in the Holy Cross Church, Killea, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Condolences are extended to Dermot's family, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.
Children in Hospital
We are seeking play volunteers to support children and young people in Waterford University Hospital. As you can imagine, hospital can be a scary and stressful time, so our volunteers provide a space for fun and give them a positive experience. Volunteers must be 18 or older, and be available to give two hours, once a week, weekday or weekends. To find out more information or to apply online go to https://childreninhospital.ie
Age Well Coffee Morning
An Age Well Coffee Morning will take place in the Tower Hotel, Waterford on Friday, September 13, at 9.45am to be seated. Please register by Friday, September 6, for more information or to register email edelfinan@wwetb.ie or phone 086 0845354.
Older People's Council AGM
The AGM of Waterford Older Peoples Council will take place in the Mary Strangman (Large Room) at City Hall, Waterford, on Wednesday, September 18. All are invited to the event taking, which will take place from 2pm to 4pm, and will be chaired by the Older Peoples Council Executive, Susan OConnor. It will also be addressed by the Ombudsman, Ger Deering. Light refreshments will be provided for those attending the event. Information will also be provided at a number of stands located throughout the room.
Ladies Lunch
The Solas Ladies Lunch will take place on Saturday, September 14, in Faithlegg House Hotel. Due to a late cancellation, we have limited tickets available for the event. Contact 051 304604 or email: events@solascentre.ie for details.
Writing Workshops
Waterford Libraries is delighted to again bring a series of free Writing Workshops to the people of Waterford. The programme will run until mid-December and will give participants an opportunity to attend courses in both Irish and English. The courses are free of charge and open to people over 18 years resident anywhere in County Waterford. Application forms are also available at library desks.
Board Game Saturdays
Board Game Saturdays take place at Central Library every weekend. Drop in for some family time playing board games every Saturday morning from 10am to 12pm. All welcome and under-12s must be accompanied by an adult.
Talk 'As Gailege'
A chance to talk 'as Gaeilge' will take place in Waterford through St. Joseph & Benildus Church's, 'Cuppa Agus Comhra' initiative. The initiative will start on Thursday, September 26, in Benildus Parish Centre from 11am to 12noon. The sessions will run weekly, facilitated by Angeline. Whether you are liofa or would like to practise your cupla focal beidh failte romhat. Please contact the Parish office to book at 051 348077 or email: parishofficejbm@gmail.com
Art Classes
Art classes will be starting in September in the parish centre, for six weeks, on Monday, September 16, from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. Explore the fundamentals of painting using acrylics. Learn to mix colours and create landscapes, still life and self-portraits. The cost is 80 and includes all materials. Places are limited so please contact the parish office at 051 348077 or parishofficejbm@gmail.com to book.
Religious Relics
The Relics of St. Bernadette will journey on pilgrimage to Ireland this year for the very first time, visiting every diocese in the country. This is a very special, once in a life-time event and all are invited to come and pray. The relics of St Bernadette will visit the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford, on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 17 and 18. The schedule for Tuesday is: 1pm to 2pm - time for schools; 2pm to 3pm - quiet time; 3pm to 4pm - Welcome Liturgy and Water Ritual; 4pm to 6pm - quiet time; 6pm to 6.30pm - Rosary; 7pm to 8pm - Mass; 8pm to 9.30pm - quiet time. For more information log on to www.waterfordlismore.ie
Showband Greats
Ardkeen Library will be the venue for a very special event on Culture Night, Friday, September 20, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Celebrate Waterfords showband greats and in doing relive memories or if you're discovering them for the first time, come along for an evening filled with fun, laughter, music, dance, and lively chat. Bring your old photos, memorabilia, and stories. This will be a free event and no booking is required.
Tales and Rhymes
Tales and Rhymes takes place in Ardkeen Library on Fridays from 10.30am to 12pm. Children under 12 years must be accompanied and supervised in the library by a parent or guardian. Everyone is welcome.
Waterford Forest Owners Group recently held a visit to the Fennell familys forest at Ballyvoile.
Pictured, from left, Darragh Kiely, James Fennell and Robert Fennell on the Waterford Forest Owners Group visit to the Fennell's forest at Ballyvoile on Thursday, August 29.
Visits such as this, organised by forest owners, help with advice and guidance, where foresters learn from others mistakes, learn different management practices and help the forest owner to get full economic value from their forest.
The general view on this 31-year conifer forest was to go for clear fell, while on the Ash forest site the view was to get a hurley maker on site to mark suitable trees, clear fell and start again.
Ash forest owners, who have not yet applied for a reconstitution scheme, are encouraged to do so, as only on completion of site clearance and replanting will they become eligible to apply for the Climate Action Performance Payment (CAPP).
Next Forest Visit
The next forest visit takes place on Thursday, September 19, meeting in Grange Church carpark, at 6.30pm, as the nights are getting darker.
Visit the grant-aided roadway and turn table, learn the costs, and also visit the site to store pulp wood before chipping, and more.
Larch Bark Beetles
Meanwhile, it is important to note that exports of conifer logs from the pest-free area of Scotland into Ireland have ceased on a precautionary basis, following the finding of larch bark beetles at a port in Cork.
Climate Action Performance Payment
A Climate Action Performance Payment (CAPP), totalling 5,000 per hectare, will be paid in three instalments to grant-aided ash forest owners who clear their sites and replant through one of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marines Ash Dieback Reconstitution Schemes.
This is in addition to the grants paid for clearance and replanting.
If you planted an ash forest with a grant from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and have not yet joined a reconstitution scheme, you may now join the Reconstitution for Ash Dieback Scheme 2023-2027.
If you previously joined one of the following DAFM Schemes, you are eligible for the CAP payment, provided you have replanted under:
Reconstitution Scheme Ash Dieback 2013
Reconstitution and Underplanting Scheme (Ash Dieback) 2020
Interim Reconstitution Scheme for Ash Dieback 2023
A model of excellence is how Minister Roderic OGorman described Waterford Childcare Centre this week during his visit.
Leighanne Walsh, Waterford Childcare Centre, Roderic O'Gorman TD, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Waterford Childcare Centre manager, Majella Cantwell. Photo: Noel Browne
The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of Ireland, and Green Party Leader, visited the centre, alongside colleague Marc O Cathasaigh TD, who recently accepted the Waterford Green Party nomination for the upcoming general election.
The group were given a tour of the centre by staff members, whilst discussing its day-to-day operation, its vital role in the local community and challenges that will need to be addressed by government.
Roderic O'Gorman TD, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Marc O Cathasaigh TD, Rose Murphy, Waterford Childcare Centre Board, Peter Windle, Waterford Childcare Centre Board, Majella Cantwell, Manager, Waterford Childcare Centre, Sinead Guiry and Leighanne Walsh. Photo: Noel Browne
The childcare facility based in the Northern Extension of the Waterford Industrial Estate recently celebrated 30 years in operation. The centre has continuously grown over the years and currently caters to over 200 children.
Speaking to the Waterford News & Star, Majella Cantwell, Waterford Childcare Centre Manager, said that receiving such recognition from Minister OGorman is motivating for staff members.
Waterford Childcare Centre staff, Helen McManus, Sharon Kirby, Liz Boyle and Siobhan Gowings Gonzalez. Photo: Noel Browne
Its brilliant for us because theres staff who have been here for so long. There's more than a dozen of us here whove been here for over 20 years. Because of the support of the team we can offer assurance to our families and this in turn earns their trust. So to get that acknowledgment for us is lovely, because were here 30 years and we hope to set the service up now for the next 30 years."
Majella added that the centre is above all a community-based project that works closely with local businesses, industries and parents.
Our board of directors have always been drawn from parents, local industry and businesses, so were really fortunate to have their support, skills and knowledge," she said.
Minister Roderic O'Gorman at Waterford Childcare Centre. Photo: Noel Browne
The centre has now facilitated generations of Waterford people. Children who once attended the facility now often return to teach, help in the day-to-day operations and for work experience.
Majella said that the centre thrives on seeing young children who once attended, grow and become an integral part of the local community.
Children who attended the centre many years ago now have their own children here. Its great because its such a show of confidence, it says they enjoyed it so much that they now want their own children to experience it. Thats really lovely.
The Green Party Leader meets some of the children at Waterford Childcare Centre. Photo: Noel Browne
We try to make everything less stressful for parents, she added, everything is new to them, they naturally question everything thats happening as new parents and we work closely with them to reassure them so that their experience with us is a positive one.
Pictured at Waterford Childcare Centre. Photo: Noel Browne
Staff at the facility discussed with Minister OGorman ways to bring its service into the future. Topics discussed included increased funding to go towards facilities, such as baby care, which is in high demand in Waterford and indeed across the country.
Meeting the minister at Waterford Childcare Centre. Photo: Noel Browne
Speaking on the importance of supporting such services in Waterford, Rose Murphy, CEO, Waterford Childcare Committee said: Its an essential service for parents and its wonderful to see children participating and attending and being exposed to all these learning opportunities.
Pictured at Waterford Childcare Centre. Photo: Noel Browne
At Waterford Childcare Centre there is fantastic engagement with the Green Schools, Green Flag, Pollinator Programme, Healthy Ireland, and more fantastic initiatives. This makes for a much more enriched experience for everybody.
Pictured at Waterford Childcare Centre. Photo: Noel Browne
"I think here in Waterford we are fortunate there is a lot of engagement with services, organizations and groups, and these early years centres are part and parcel of the community.
Uisce Eireann (UE) have completed work on their 7 million wastewater pump station located on the former Dunlop site in Ferrybank.
According to UE, the new pumping station will enable social and economic growth and development in the region.
The updated wastewater pumping station will reduce the risk of sewer overflow within the catchment, improve the separation of foul and surface water networks, enhance the water quality of the River Suir through improved foul water storage and reduced overflows, and ensure compliance with the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directives.
'Improvements'
Joe Furlong, Executive Engineer, Economic Services with Waterford City and County Council, said: Waterford City and County Council were delighted to work with Uisce Eireann to deliver the upgraded Ferrybank pumping station at the former Dunlop site. Waterford City and County Council would like to thank the Uisce Eireann customers and residents of the area that were impacted by the works for their cooperation and assistance in the successful completion of this project.
"The project will benefit residential customers to improve the overall wastewater infrastructure in the area, and the project represents a further step in the continued delivery of improvements to the wastewater network in Ferrybank.
Programme Manager at UE Lisa Cogan said: We are very pleased to reach completion on this essential wastewater project in Waterford. The construction of the pumping station and new wastewater pipes is key to the transformative North Quays project and will ensure wastewater infrastructure can meet future demand and support social and economic development in the Ferrybank area.
Urban Regeneration
The new pump station is adjacently located by the North Quays Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) and part-funded by Uisce Eireanns Growth and Development Programme, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Governments Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), NTA and Waterford City and County Council.
In August 2024, UE also announced an investment of over 19 million in the Adamstown Water Treatment Plant site in Kilmeadan. The site provides over 70% of Waterfords water supply to customers in the city and county.
Waterford City and County Council must act to enforce a ban on cliff diving by young people from dangerous heights above Newtown Cove.
For years, there has been a turn-the-other-eye attitude to the practice, which sees countless young Waterfordians engage in the hugely risky 'hobby'.
The children and teenagers climb, in some cases, high above what is otherwise an idyllic cove along Waterford's spectacular coastline, throwing themselves into the sea below.
At the weekend, a young swimmer got into difficulty after just such a feat. Thankfully, due to the particularly warm and sunny weather conditions, there were lots of people present to raise the alarm - including Cllr Frank Quinlan, a competent swimmer who understands what to do in such a frightening situation.
His quick thinking is to be commended, in assisting the youth and working with the emergency services, who were on the scene very quickly.
In this instance the rescue effort was able to winch the young person to safety - and they were given the subsequent medical attention that they needed. We wish them a full and speedy recovery.
Students' fight for safe school transport solution
In Ardmore last week students were forced to protest in order to make the Department of Education listen and pay attention to the ludicrous situation they find themselves in, in order to access bus transport to school in nearby Dungarvan.
The only remedy - which is not being offered to all students - is that they face the gauntlet of hailing the bus on the busy N25. Week after week we report on accidents on the dangerous, and high-speed N25 - the main Waterford to Cork Road - in the Waterford News & Star. How the Department of Education can view this as a solution beggar's belief.
The Department must find a better alternative - and looking to the future ensure that when September rolls around the same situation does not arise again. Waterford children from Ardmore, who attend secondary school in Dungarvan, should be supported during what is, in itself, a massive step for so many of them, commencing first year.
Students should not be forced to carry placards and march to seek a basic, safe solution to get to school.
Harvest weekend beckons
Waterford city once again gears up for a fantastic weekend celebrating the gastronomic delights of the Deise. We wish the new team behind Harvest Festival 2024 every good wish for a bountiful event.
Waterford Harvest brings down the curtain on a season of excellent festivals and events across the Deise.
Labour Day has arrived again in the US, with another opportunity to consider the continued decline of the place we call the office. (And yes, we all saw the story about the poor woman in Tempe, Arizona, whose dead body was found in her Wells Fargo cubicle last month, four days after she last clocked in, becoming a new symbol of workplace discontent.)
Lately, and less dire, it seems as if everyones colleagues are dragging them down. Just look at the highest levels of public office, where the drama can get downright Shakespearean. Lawmakers have hurled insults across aisles, clashed over legislation and even come close to physical blows all in the public eye.
Workplace conditions have gone downhill. Credit: Steve Colquhoun
Behind closed doors, it gets even weirder. Earlier this year, Vermont state representative Mary Morrissey (Republican) was caught pouring water into a tote bag belonging to her Democratic colleague Jim Carroll behaviour she had secretly carried out over the course of five months before Carroll set up a camera to catch her in the act.
I just remember thinking, Somebody doesnt like me, and who could it be, and why? Carroll told The Washington Post at the time.
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Review Eating outMount Hawthorn High on garlic, green goddess and gelato at Perth pizza paradise From ramen bars in Mexico to taquerias in Hawaii and now pizzas in Perth, this chefs diverse CV is to our benefit. Max Veenhuyzen September 6, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share
1 / 6 Casas Gianluca Aufieri. Jessica Shaver Bennett 2 / 6 Paul Bentley, Gianluca Aufieri and Cristian Paladini. Jessica Shaver Bennett 3 / 6 Good speck and a bright, piquant pineapple and habanero salsa. Jessica Shaver Bennett 4 / 6 Ice Magic with your gelato, anyone? Jessica Shaver Bennett 5 / 6 A sparse room set with tables, bentwood chairs and bench seating that speaks to designer and Casa partner Cale Masons less-is-more spirit. Jessica Shaver Bennett 6 / 6 French onion soup arancini ($12 for two) made with first-use arborio rice rather than leftover risotto. Jessica Shaver Bennett Previous Slide Next Slide 14.5 / 20 How we score Italian$$$$ Among the tattoos that crowd Paul Bentleys right arm is the word Magno. The Perth-born chef got it to mark the opening of Magno Brasserie, a French bistro in the Mexican state of Guadalajara as well as the first restaurant he launched as chef-owner. Hes since opened other restaurants and, yes, occasionally gotten inked to mark the occasion with concepts including ramen bars in Mexico, plus real-deal taquerias in Hawaii. The result is a diverse CV that Bentley, after returning home in 2020, has utilised to shape the menus at Si Paradiso, El Grotto, Lawson Flats inhouse restaurant Luis, and Casa.
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Yet as fun as it is discussing who has which tattoos on which arms, its what a cook does with their hands that really matters. At Casa Pizzeria Casas pizza offshoot that opened in April Bentley does very good, very interesting things with both of his. Youll find Casa Pizzeria next door to the mothership: a sparse room set with tables, bentwood chairs and bench seating that speaks to designer and Casa partner Cale Masons less-is-more spirit. Originally Casa Pizzeria traded on different days to the bar, but the pair have since synced schedules. This is excellent news, certainly for guests who cant get a walk-in table at Casa who now have a solid plan B to fall back on. There are other connections tying the two operations, too, including being able to buy wine from Casa at takeaway prices and drink it at the pizza shop with no corkage. (Or at least until Casa Pizzerias liquor license comes through, anyway.) Leftover Casa focaccia becomes terrific garlic bread ($12) doused in a verdant green butter high on garlic, chopped herbs and spring onion. Jessica Shaver Bennett Turning leftover Casa focaccia into terrific garlic bread ($12) doused in a verdant
green butter high on garlic, chopped herbs and spring onion also speaks to the
healthy working relationship between the two Casas. The bread is also one of the
pizza-adjacent snacks that the kitchen steadily rotates through. Others include
French onion soup arancini ($12 for two) made with first-use arborio rice rather than leftover risotto, plus considered salads a la gem lettuce leaves anointed with green Goddess dressing ($16) that go some ways to easing feelings of guilt.
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Or at least enough to make you feel okay about ordering the truly excellent, truly luscious house gelato ($10). While flavours such as pistachio, hazelnut and espresso stay true to Italo ideals, the option to add a squeeze of unashamedly out of the bottle Ice Magic ($3) to your gelato is typical of Bentleys wry thinking. This high-low approach carries through to the pizzas, too: magnificent discs of dough that, as per contemporary pizza thinking, celebrate both cucina Australiana and the Old Country. So the dozen-or-so core pizzas include a Hawaiian ($28) albeit one made with good speck and a bright, piquant pineapple and habanero salsa. Among the white-based bianca options is a prawn pizza ($30) turbocharged with the same garlic butter used to rejuvenate the focaccia. Pizza purists, generally speaking, dislike seafood on pizzas. Yet despite this disruptive streak, Bentley is also that rare pizzaiolo serving a legit no-cheese, no seafood marinara ($23), even if its finished with an oil flavoured with toasted kombu. I wont torment anyone with hours or temperatures, but Casa Pizzerias long-
fermented dough is a fine medium for Bentley and pizza chefs Gianluca Aufieri and Cristian Paladini to work with. After opening with a strict no-changes policy, the kitchen has softened its stance and now includes suggested extras for each pizza.
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Sturdy, versatile pizza that eats nicely out of the oven but can also survive a short car ride. Jessica Shaver Bennett Add-ons such as lightening your pepperoni pie with fresh Italian buffalo mozzarella ($6) or slipping some Guindilla chillies ($3) on to your asparagus pizza. Whether you order your pizza standard-issue or bolt on some power-ups, youll eat the same nutty, pliable dough that folds up like a paper plane. A gently blistered crust rings the pizza like a bicycle tyre inner tube. Toppings are deployed with measured generosity. The result is a sturdy, versatile pizza that eats nicely out of the oven but can also survive a short car ride: essential when making pizza designed for both dine-in and takeaway guests. Based on my grossly unscientific testing, the 20-minute drive home barely diminished the eating qualities of my pizza, nor did a sleepover in the fridge. Who doesnt love fridge-cold pizza for brekky?
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Opening restaurants is hard. Opening a second restaurant next to an established
prospect is harder still and invites all sorts of extra comparisons. Open something that sucks and guests will wish they were at the original. Open something thats too similar and youll cannibalise your initial proposition. But open something as fun as Casa Pizzeria and youll have a likeable sequel that complements rather than compromises the OG. (It doesnt hurt, I think, that management has expanded into takeaway and delivery, albeit takeaway and delivery on Casas terms.) The Mount Hawthorn house party continues in fine fashion. The low-down Vibe: a polished pizza joint that can enrich your life in many ways Go-to dish: garlic bread and gelato (plus whatever pizza you like) Drinks: BYO wine with a strong incentive to buy vino from next door plus considered non-alc options Cost: about $90 for two, excluding drinks
MANILA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The performance of manufacturing production in the Philippines sustained its growth in July, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Friday.
Based on the preliminary results of the Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries, the PSA said the year-on-year value of production index (VaPI) and the volume of production index (VoPI) increased by 4.7 percent and 5.3 percent in July, respectively.
The PSA said the VaPI increase in July was faster than the June annual growth of 3.3 percent, bringing the average VaPI growth rate from January to July this year to 1.3 percent.
In July 2023, the VaPI yearly growth was 3.5 percent.
The PSA attributed the acceleration in the year-on-year growth rate of VaPI for manufacturing in July 2024 to the double-digit annual growth rate of the manufacture of computer, electronic, and optical products industry division at 14.4 percent during the month from a yearly increment of 5.6 percent in June 2024.
The manufacture of computer, electronic, and optical products contributed 34.4 percent to the uptrend of VaPI for the manufacturing section in July 2024.
Out of the 22 industry divisions for the manufacturing section, the manufacture of computer, electronic, and optical products was the second industry division with the highest weight in the computation of VaPI for manufacturing.
On the other hand, the PSA said the July VoPI was faster than the 3.6 percent annual growth in June, bringing the average growth rate of VoPI for manufacturing from January to July 2024 to 2.1 percent.
In July 2023, the VoPI for manufacturing recorded an annual increase of 3.6 percent.
The PSA said the uptrend in the year-on-year growth rate of VoPI for manufacturing in July 2024 was primarily driven by three industry divisions, namely the manufacture of computer, electronic, and optical products; the manufacture of transport equipment; and the manufacture of food products.
Of the remaining 19 industry divisions, 11 exhibited annual increases during the period. In contrast, eight industry divisions posted annual declines in July this year.
The divisive rental e-scooters may have ground to a halt in the City of Melbourne, but they are powering ahead in regional Victoria, with some councils embracing them and operators pushing to expand into new areas.
Ballarat and Bendigo have welcomed the ride-share option, hoping it will boost tourism and reduce car use, but Geelong remains cautious after a troublesome e-bike trial.
Michael Poulton has been an early adopter of e-scooters in Ballarat. Credit: Justin McManus
Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton, who uses an e-scooter every day, said they were available in designated spots near most locations he needed to visit.
Its a fun way of getting around town, and its certainly less stressful, he said.
Dominique Pelicot has pleaded guilty to all the charges against him, including aggravated rape and drugging. He is also accused of violating the privacy of his wife, his daughter and two daughters-in-law on suspicion of illegally recording, and at times distributing, intimate photos of them. If he is found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison. He hopes to use the trial to explain himself to his now ex-wife and estranged children, according to his lawyer, Beatrice Zavarro. Standing at a lectern before the row of judges in court, Gisele Pelicot never showed much emotion. She referred to her former husband formally as Monsieur Pelicot. As she told it, they fell madly in love at just 19 and were soon married. Theyd had three children and now seven grandchildren. Theyd been together through some illness, financial problems and even at least one fleeting affair but they made it through. Pelicot told the court she had trusted her husband implicitly, and she said they had what she considered a normal sex life.
I thought we were a strong couple, Pelicot said. We had everything to be happy. After she retired in 2013, they moved from the Paris region to Mazan, a small town in the south. There, she said, her husband supported her through a strange, undiagnosed illness. She was losing her hair, losing weight and, most worryingly, losing her memory of some nights and days, she told the court. She would sometimes awake in the morning with no recall of saying goodbye to her children, watching a movie or getting into bed, she said. These gaps, which she described as total blackouts, frightened her so much that she stopped driving.
I was persuaded I had the beginnings of Alzheimers or a brain tumour, she said. She had also suffered gynaecological problems. Her husband drove her to appointments with specialists, one of whom did a CT scan of her brain. She was never given a satisfactory explanation. I could not have imagined for a single second that I had been drugged, she said, though later she recalled he once gave her a beer that glowed mint green before he threw it in the sink. She said she now believes he was doing trials of ways to drug her. The reality of what prosecutors say was happening was discovered by chance after Dominique Pelicot was caught trying to film under womens skirts in a grocery store. Gisele Pelicot said she forgave him, thinking it was a rare slip in a 50-year marriage. Only later would she learn that he had been caught doing the same thing earlier, in 2010, and was let off with a fine, prosecutors said. It was a warning sign she said she never got to see. She said she would have been more vigilant had she known.
I lost 10 years of my life, she said. Those are years I will never get back. Dominique Pelicot sat apart from the other accused men in a separate glass box and cast his eyes down throughout his wifes testimony. He had met most of those men on a notorious, unmoderated French website implicated in more than 23,000 police cases in France. It was shut down in June. He has argued to the police and through his lawyer that all the men knew his wife had been drugged into submission and followed the rules he had established to ensure she didnt wake up. He filmed the scenes, storing more than 20,000 digital videos and photographs that the police used to track down the accused. Most of the men on trial have been accused of rape with many aggravating circumstances, one being the use of drugs to put her to sleep. Many have pleaded not guilty. Some say they were tricked into having sex with a drugged woman, lured by her husband for a playful three-way encounter and that they had been told she was pretending to sleep because she was shy. In the days after meeting the police and seeing some of the shocking photos that her husband had kept, Gisele Pelicot said she contemplated suicide. But with the help of her children and friends, she began to slowly gather the shards of her broken life and identity. She sold most things in the home in Mazan and moved elsewhere.
TOKYO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. Marine in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa was referred to prosecutors on Thursday on suspicion of sexually assaulting and injuring a woman in late June, the third case of its type to surface on the island this year, local media reported.
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 in her 20s visited shortly after the alleged assault, Kyodo News reported, citing investigative sources.
The Marine Corps member in his 20s, 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, the report said.
Police said that the two were acquaintances but did not disclose whether the man admitted to the allegations, it added.
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 report said.
The case follows indictments of two other U.S. service members in the prefecture on separate charges of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault that came to light in June following local media reports, which roiled Okinawa.
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. But 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.
The two cases led to formal complaints from Okinawa 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.
Okinawa hosts 70 percent of all the U.S. military bases in Japan while accounting for only 0.6 percent of the country's total land area. Crimes committed by U.S. service members and nonmilitary personnel have been a constant source of grievance for locals.
FUZHOU, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition focusing on the Flying Tigers kicked off Friday in Changting County, east China's Fujian Province, highlighting the historic friendship between Chinese and American people.
A delegation from the United States, including members of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation and descendants of Flying Tigers veterans, attended the launch ceremony, which was held at Wolong Academy.
The exhibition features nearly 400 historic photographs of the Flying Tigers, many of which were donated by the veterans themselves.
Changting played a key strategic role during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. In February 1945, the U.S. 14th Air Force established an office in the county, and more than 100 ground staff and aviation personnel from a detachment of the Flying Tigers were stationed there.
"It is our very strong hope that the story of 'Changting Flying Tigers' will be shared by people throughout both China and the U.S.," said Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation.
Margaret Kincannon, daughter of a veteran, shared that her father still remembered the names of two Chinese mechanics he had worked with long after his time with the Flying Tigers, as well as some phrases they had taught him in their local dialect.
The Flying Tigers, officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, was formed in 1941 by U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault. They came to China to help Chinese people fight the invading Japanese troops.
The "Remembering Heroes: Flying Tigers Photo Exhibition Tour" began on Tuesday, and has now reached its second stop in Changting. It is scheduled to also visit areas including Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province.
"I realized that I am someone who is like a bridge of culture between African culture and also the Chinese culture."
From coming to Beijing to study Chinese in 2008 to now being active on the stage of China-Africa cultural exchange, Gabonese presenter Bola's life journey has been closely intertwined with China.
SHREVEPORT, La. The owners of a former donut restaurant have sued their property owners, alleging they were not told about the buildings dire condition which ultimately led to them having to abruptly shut down because the building was too unstable.
Dripp Donuts named the Downtown Shreveport Development Corp. and DSDC2 as defendants. DSDC2, a non-profit that promotes downtown development, owns the property at Texas and Market streets where Dripp Donuts opened its first storefront business.
The donut shops owners allege in their petition they are entitled to monetary damages.
The lawsuit states Dripp Donuts was required to make a substantial investment in excess of $390,000 in the building and its business and also had to provide proof it had available funds to make that investment.
The five-year lease started on Aug. 12, 2022, and Dripp opened on March 4, 2023. Less than a year later, in February, Dripp Donuts told DSDC2 about a crack in the north wall that had expanded and was visible on the interior and exterior.
DSDC2 retained an engineering firm to assess the building and concluded it should be demolished. The firm said the load-bearing walls on the east and west sides were structurally unstable because of long-term mortar deterioration and the lack of shear walls.
Dripp Donuts was evicted from the building on March 1. Thats the same day DSDC2 placed caution tape around the property. Barricades went up three days later, in addition to large lifts with I-beams to brace and shore up the walls.
Dripp Donuts learned another engineer recommended demolition of the building on June 5, 2013.
DSDC2 knew or should have known that the building was structurally unsound prior to the execution of the lease, Dripp Donuts stated in its lawsuit.
On Sept. 29, 2020, the DSDC2 and DSDC executive director sent an email to board members addressing challenges of the building. Cracks allowing water infiltration, damage to the roof and water seepage through the brick walls were noted.
Another email dated March 15, 2021 to another DSDC2 employee said prior owners of the building covered then patched the structure, and instead of helping it contributed to the wet conditions.
We are concerned that this building may suffer a catastrophic collapse if left untended for much longer, the email states.
The building was demolished on May 5.
Dripp Donuts said the building was leased for its business for a potential of 10 years. DSDC2 breached obligations in the lease to provide a suitable property, the company alleges.
Dripp Donuts said in the lawsuit it is entitled to lease build-out costs of $809, build-out labor of $49,600, moving and storage costs of $5,174 and business costs incurred after March 1 including interest on a line of credit, contract buyout, insurance and utilities, along with attorney fees and litigation costs and expenses.
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Irelands minority parties are hoping for a breakthrough in the upcoming general election in Mayo.
Traditionally, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have been the strong performers in Mayo with Sinn Feins Rose Conway-Walsh making the breakthrough for her party in 2020. The Western People spoke with parties that have a smaller share of Dail seats to gauge their views on the general election, the date of which has yet to be announced.
The Green Party has yet to hold a selection convention in Mayo but has had selection processes taking place nationally. A spokesperson for the Mayo Greens said the party is looking to run a candidate in Mayo and will likely have that person in place by the end of September.
We will look to run a candidate to promote and champion the huge opportunities for Mayo in generating Green energy and to have a strong Mayo voice in the Dail, the spokesperson said.
The Labour Party also intends to run a Dail candidate in Mayo. It is understood that Castlebar-based party representative Kamal Uddin will be among those seeking the partys selection with a convention to take place in the coming month.
Cllr Paul Lawless became the first Aontu councillor to be elected in Mayo at the ocal elections in June. He said discussions are ongoing within his party about running a candidate in the general election.
Were seriously considering it and are discussing it now among the party. It is our intention to have a candidate in Mayo, he said.
While Knock-based Cllr Lawless did not confirm whether he would be interested in running for the Dail again, having unsuccessfully run in 2020, he said he would like to see better representation for the east and south of the county.
Our infrastructure is below that of our peers and there is a real regional imbalance happening. I would like to see a local TD representing this area, he said.
People Before Profit-Solidarity (PBP-S) will look to run two candidates in Mayo - one in Castlebar and another in Ballina - and the selection process is likely to be completed by the second week of September.
Joe Daly, who ran for PBP-S in the recent local elections and the last general election, said he is interested in running for the party but nothing has been confirmed.
We would be looking towards a French-style left front pulling together the likes of ourselves, Sinn Fein, the Social Democrats and left-leaning Independents that is based on combating the general shift to the right and the far-right and to emulate the success of this approach we seen in France, he said.
We would rule out a coalition with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and want to give the people a viable option that is an alternative to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.
A spokesperson for the Social Democrats said the party does not have any plans to run a candidate in Mayo at this time.
A Mayo writer has won an award for Best TV Drama script.
Ray Lawlor, from Castlebar, has won a Zebbie Award for Best TV Drama Script at the 17th Writers Guild of Ireland (WGI) Zebbie Awards for his RTE television series Obituary.
Lawlor received the award for the opening episode of the first series of Obituary. The awards are named in honour of O.Z. 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.
The second series of black comedy Obituary will start filming on location in Ballyshannon, Donegal this week with the addition of new cast members. The RTE and Hulu show follows the exploits of Elvira, Bodkin and The Dry star Siobhan Cullen, an obituary writer on a smalltown newspaper who turns to murder to drum up business.
Co-produced by UK company APC Studios and Galway-based Magamedia, the new season will see BAFTA-nominated Irish actress Mairead Tyers (Extraordinary, My Lady Jane) joining the cast.
The new six-part series will again be written by award-winning Mayo scriptwriter Ray Lawlor, with Gemma O'Shaughnessy (KIN, Red Rock) producing. Ray told the Western People that his hometown provided some of the inspiration for the show. I think half the punters in Mick Byrne's will be thinking, 'Is this me?'" Ray joked. Set in the fictional Mayo town of Kilraven, this is a fun, darkly twisted drama that proudly allows me to transport some of the wit and characters I encounter every day in my hometown of Castlebar into the living rooms of the Irish people.
Uisce Eireann has begun laying more than one kilometre of new water main in Westport to facilitate the Murrisk Community Water Connection Project.
Crews are on site in the Carrownalurgan area to install the pipe that will facilitate the project serving more than 500 households in the Murrisk, Lecanvey and Kilsallagh region with a state-of-the-art public water supply.
The delivery of this section of water main is essential to a project which will help provide a safer, more secure water supply for communities in West Mayo. This project will have benefits for generations to come, said Uisce Eireanns Programme Manager Laura Heneghan.
We would like to thank those living along the route for their patience and cooperation. The short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the lasting benefits for the community.
Farrans are carrying out the works on behalf of Uisce Eireann and are expected to be complete before the end of this year. And while in order to deliver the works safely there will be closure of the L2805, local and emergency access will be maintained at all times and diversions are in place and signposted.
A traffic management system with lane closures will be in place for the remainder of the project.
The Murrisk Community Water Connection Project is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and a local contribution from the residents of the areas, along with a contribution from Uisce Eireann to upsize the trunk main so it can be used in the future to supply the Louisburgh area.
The scheme is being delivered as a Mayo County Council Rural Water Project and when completed it will be part of Uisce Eireanns network.
BALLINASTOCKA, CLAREMORRIS, MAYO
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Fancy living in the countryside and owning your own farm? Well if so this is the property for you. It holds huge potential. Set in the open countryside and is just a short drive from Ballyhaunis, Claremorris, Cloonfad, Knock or Ireland West Airport Knock.
This two bedroom property is set on an elevated site and offers upvc windows and doors, fitted with oil fired central heating together with a solid fuel stove. A fully tiled bathroom with an electric shower fitted over the bath is also included.
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CONTACT: KIRRANE AUCTIONEERING - TEL: 094 9630240
At some stage of our evolution, we humans came out of the water. And the signs are on us. As soon as we get back into it, we become animated, playful, and our minds are at ease. Our skins even take on a glow from the water.
When we eventually emerge, the after-effect lingers. Watch people when they have just got out of the water and they have the smug look of people heading out the gate after their club just beat the neighbouring parish.
Every child should be able to swim, and across our region through the summer many children and young people will have learned swimming and water safety techniques. Could you think of a better job for a young person than to be delivering that training? It will certainly stand to them when they do interviews for jobs once school or college or training is done.
Swimming is for me a late vocation. With little enough else to do during the Covid, I tried the water. Id hardly come out anymore, though many would say that it is much too cold to swim around here. But that misses another aspect of human evolution: we adapt pretty quickly. If you swim every day even in just the summer in the west, you will actually become what we often claim to be: hardy.
When you swim like that for a few weeks, you can stand under a cold shower without a bother. And if you then dont swim for a few weeks and stand under the same shower, youll regret it.
The very hardiest go in every day, heedless of the calendar. To those people you would have to say, borrowing a chorus from AC/DC: for those about to rock, we salute you. For myself, and those who dont fancy a winter swim, knowing the calendar is important. The swimming season is a little later than the normal summer, as the water stays warmer into autumn, which is because it takes a long time to warm up, and then that little bit longer to lose the bit of warmth. That means May to the end of October works for me and for people all across the West. You dont even have to hope for weather in order to do it. A little bit of rain hardly harms you when you are within in the Atlantic.
So, as school has returned and the holidays end, we can still enjoy the swimming summer for a while anyway.
Some of our hidden gems will have closed now after the summer, but that is all the more reason to make sure they are on your list for next year. Kilmovee has an indoor swimming pool which is, in my opinion, the marvel of the western world. If you havent been in the village of Kilmovee lately, swing by and see what can be done with a small village in the countryside. Its a very pleasant spot. But the swimming pool isnt even in the urban part of the village. Its hidden away in the countryside Google Maps will find it for you and it is a perfectly good pool, with a roof, which on any summers day will be full of people young people especially enjoying themselves.
Our outdoor swimming pools are also worth a visit. The one in Charlestown, heated and extremely well maintained, is perhaps the best example. The people of Charlestown have long maintained (and closely guarded) this hidden gem. All throughout the summer months, the pool is packed with morning classes and afternoon open swims. Its a fantastic resource, as well as providing great employment and work experience for the very responsible young lifeguards who work there. One of the key age profiles it is particularly good for is the slightly younger one: for parents who have 12-15-year-old kids, too young to work, but plenty old enough to be bored, a few hours at the pool each day is a great distraction and activity. If anyone worries about inactivity and lack of fitness or poor mood among young people, a few lengths of a pool each day will go a long way to address that.
There is another outdoor pool in Ballyhaunis, which is impressive, though its not heated at least it wasnt when I was last there. So Ballyhaunis is where you go when it is warm or when you are hardy, but once you have gotten in, it has the advantage that the temperature will encourage you to vigorous activity. You will not stand still for long. Dont forget these places next summer.
It may surprise readers to learn that Dublin has nothing like this. Outdoor swimming pools exist in Dublin, but for the size of the population, they are as rare as hens teeth. It amazes my Dublin friends when I tell them about their existence west of the Shannon. They must originally have had something to do with how far the place was from the sea, but it is hard to think of any town, anywhere, which does not have an existing pool, where they would not make a great addition to a community. You open it in summer and close it down again over the winter. Whats not to like?
But what if you like the seawater? A gem of an option for those who would like the sea but are more used to swimming pools is the Belmullet Tidal Pool, which only recently celebrated 40 years providing salty swims to Erris and its many visitors. And that is before you mention any of the beaches around Erris, one better than the next, though Elly Bay is my own favourite. Enniscrone at the pier is another favourite spot of mine.
All across our county there is obviously no shortage of spots for sea swimming, much warmer now than they were in June. An additional advantage of a swim from this time of year on is that you are far less likely to encounter jellyfish, which no one likes to come across on their dip.
Louisburgh is a favourite spot for me as it has a beach for every kind of need. Carramore is great for smallies, Carrowinskey for the brave, Cross for those who like the long-isolated walk, Silver Strand for those who want an early glimpse of Heaven. If you fancy a weekend of high adventure, climb Mweelrea (only on a very good day) and finish it off with a swim at the strand. As they say, sell that to Dubs and you will make a fortune.
Of course, there are also beautiful lake spots all across the county, but if you really want heaven, head to one of the islands. A swim on Inishturk before your breakfast is the perfect way to wake up in the morning. Wherever you swim, do it safely, dont do anything reckless, dont ever swim in places where others dont and enjoy keeping active even as the nights draw in.
Chinese magicians perform traditional Chinese magic during the Chinese Magic New Zealand Tour in Wellington, New Zealand, Sept. 13, 2024. Top Chinese magicians have embarked on a performance tour in New Zealand to display the mystique of the traditional face-changing, levitation, and other Chinese intangible cultural heritages, for a spectacular visual feast. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)
by Li Huizi
WELLINGTON, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese magicians have embarked on a performance tour in New Zealand to display the mystique of the traditional face-changing, levitation, and other Chinese intangible cultural heritages, for a spectacular visual feast.
The town hall was packed with audience to watch the debut show of the Chinese Magic New Zealand Tour on Friday evening in Christchurch, the largest city in New Zealand's South Island.
"This is more than just a magic show. It's a journey into rich cultural traditions and history," said Liu Jia, executive director of Magic Moments NZ who organized the show tour in partnership with the China Acrobats Association.
Rachel McErlain, a member of the audience, said Friday's performance was fabulous, entertaining and fantastic.
For the first time to watch the Chinese magic, McErlain also thought it was very emotional, with the stage decoration carrying significant symbols.
"It was good that they translated some of it, but the performance was almost very physical, with lots of movement," McErlain said, adding she quite enjoyed the part of the Tianjin Clapper Talk. "The rhythm was amazing."
Chinese magic dates back to the Qin and Han Dynasties in ancient China, with a history of 2,000 years. The performing art is renowned for its mystique and intricate techniques. It not only showcases extraordinary skills but also blends rich cultural elements and deep historical traditions. Classic acts include face-changing, producing objects out of thin air, and levitation, each leaving the audience in awe.
The fifth and sixth generations of Tianjin magician inheritors have been invited this time to travel all the way from China to New Zealand, showcasing the most original quintessence of Chinese culture, Liu told Xinhua, adding each performer is a master of Chinese magic, boasting hundreds of successful performances to entertain people.
This is the first time a dedicated Chinese magic show has been brought out of China to highlight this unique intangible cultural heritage, which means the entire 90-minute show is devoted to Chinese magic, said Liu, adding it is "very rare to see this kind of show."
Regarding the performance style of Chinese magic, Guo Yuwen, the leading magician of the tour, said the Chinese Tianjin magic emphasizes the cooperation of two people on the stage. Although this increases the performing difficulty, the audience can get more fun from the humorous interactions of performers, plus the magic skills.
Some English explanation of the skills was added in the performance, which hopefully provided more background information to the local people, Liu said.
The performance tour will cover four New Zealand cities including Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Dunedin, with audiences expected to be around 5,000.
The tour's video promotion on a social media website attracted almost 200,000 hits and views before the initial show, indicating a strong interest from the local people, Liu said.
A Chinese magician (R) interacts with an audience during a performance of the Chinese Magic New Zealand Tour in Wellington, New Zealand, Sept. 13, 2024. Top Chinese magicians have embarked on a performance tour in New Zealand to display the mystique of the traditional face-changing, levitation, and other Chinese intangible cultural heritages, for a spectacular visual feast. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)
Chinese magicians perform traditional Chinese magic during the Chinese Magic New Zealand Tour in Wellington, New Zealand, Sept. 13, 2024. Top Chinese magicians have embarked on a performance tour in New Zealand to display the mystique of the traditional face-changing, levitation, and other Chinese intangible cultural heritages, for a spectacular visual feast. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)
A Chinese magician performs traditional Chinese magic during the Chinese Magic New Zealand Tour in Wellington, New Zealand, Sept. 13, 2024. Top Chinese magicians have embarked on a performance tour in New Zealand to display the mystique of the traditional face-changing, levitation, and other Chinese intangible cultural heritages, for a spectacular visual feast. (Photo by Meng Tao/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Sept. 23, 2023 shows the Dar es Salaam Station of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)
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 in the drive for a community with a shared future for mankind.
BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- As an African proverb goes, "a friend is someone you share the path with." In the shared pursuit of modernization of the Global South, China and Africa have stood together as companions over the years.
Themed "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future," the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which attracted over 50 African leaders, highlighted the common pursuit of China and African countries in realizing modernization.
MONUMENT OF FRIENDSHIP
The China-Africa community with a shared future is deeply rooted in the traditional friendship between the two sides.
During the 1970s, a pivotal period for the economic development of Tanzania and Zambia, some 50,000 Chinese workers and engineers came to help construct the Tanzania-Zambia Railway.
In the past five decades, 70 Chinese engineers, technicians, and workers lost their lives in railway construction, technical cooperation, and other projects in Tanzania. To honor their contributions, a monument has been erected at the Gongo la Mboto cemetery in Tanzania.
The 1,860-km-long railway serves as a reminder of the longstanding relationship between China and Africa. As time passes by, the China-Africa friendship remains robust and grows stronger no matter how the world changes.
Issa Fatimoh Abiola, Nigeria's first female train driver, has worked with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) for 16 years. Reflecting on Chinese President Xi Jinping's keynote speech on modernization at the opening ceremony of the 2024 FOCAC Summit, she recalled CRCC's significant contributions to Nigeria's modernization.
"The CRCC has been deeply involved in Nigeria for 43 years, contributing tremendously to the country's transportation and infrastructure modernization," Abiola said.
"Since joining the company in 2008, I have witnessed the successful implementation of numerous landmark projects, including the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Abuja-Kaduna Railway, Lagos-Ibadan Railway, Abuja Light Rail, Lagos Blue Line, as well as 'small and beautiful' livelihood projects that directly benefit people's livelihoods."
Victoriah Mukiri, the legal adviser for China Railway No.10 Engineering Group Co., Ltd, has worked with the company for 17 years. Touched by Xi's remarks on "jointly advance modernization that is open and win-win," Mukiri noted how her company expanded from a few projects to multiple regional ventures in Kenya, ranging from highways to municipal, housing, and mining construction. The company has trained batches of technicians, created thousands of jobs, and significantly improved Kenya's infrastructure.
As President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo said at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC, "China remains an all-time friend." He added that Africa and China are drawing closer through shared history, values and solidarity, and their joint modernization efforts reflect a mutual commitment to prosperity and peace.
This photo taken on Sept. 20, 2023 shows a train leaving for Mombasa waiting at the Nairobi Terminus Station of the China-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Nairobi, Kenya. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
TWO-WAY EFFORTS
"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 at a welcome banquet held at the Great Hall of the People for summit attendees Wednesday, noting that the China-Africa community with a shared future thrives on the strength of win-win cooperation.
This cooperation is driven by development projects with Chinese companies playing an increasing role in bolstering Africa's industrialization.
One notable example is the Sapphire Float Glass Factory in Tanzania's coastal region, which serves both the local market and exports to six other African countries. With a designed production capacity of approximately 700 tonnes per day, the factory has created 1,012 direct jobs for locals and 3,857 indirect jobs since its inauguration in September 2023. Once fully operational, it is expected to provide 1,650 direct and 6,000 indirect jobs.
"China's imprints are evident and vivid in infrastructure improvement, rapid industrialization and all progress in small and medium-sized enterprises in our countries," Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said at the opening ceremony on Thursday.
"Our presence here today reflects the solidarity and commitment to building a shared future of progress and prosperity," she said, calling on African countries to work with China towards fruitful socio-economic innovations and development.
In Botswana, Chinese firms are playing a key role in the country's green energy transition. In August, Botswana Power Corporation signed a power purchase agreement with Sinotswana Green Energy, a consortium of Chinese and Botswana companies, to officially launch the nation's first 100 MW solar photovoltaic power plant.
The project, expected to begin operations by the end of 2025, has been hailed a "key milestone" in the country's energy transition.
Driven by the Plan for China Supporting Africa's Agricultural Modernization, China-Africa agricultural cooperation has also flourished, yielding notable results in technical assistance and training for agricultural experts, the transfer of advanced technologies, the establishment of agricultural parks, and the promotion of farming projects for Juncao and hybrid rice. This cooperation has advanced Africa's agricultural modernization.
"Agricultural modernization ensures high-level productivity. It reduces the risk of disease and lowers the cost of production. That's the way African countries should go," said Nabwera Daraja Nabii, a member of the National Assembly of Kenya.
China has shared its expertise in Juncao technology and hybrid rice cultivation, training over 14,000 people and introducing these techniques to many countries, benefiting millions of farmers. Dozens of countries across the globe have engaged in research and demonstration planting of hybrid rice, with nearly 8 million hectares planted abroad annually.
Professor Lin Zhanxi (R, front), the inventor of Juncao Technology, talks with Alphonse Munyaneza (L, front), a Rwandan university student growing mushrooms, in Kigali, Rwanda, Aug. 3, 2024. (Photo by Huang Wanqing/Xinhua)
Over the past decade, China has established 24 agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa and introduced more than 300 advanced agricultural technologies, increasing local crop yields by an average of 30 to 60 percent and benefiting over 1 million farmers across the continent.
"We hope that China can work very closely with us so that we can feed the world," said Thomas Tayebwa, Ugandan Deputy Speaker of the Parliament. "Africa can be the food basket for the rest of the world."
Talent development is also vital for both China and Africa as they work to improve their economies and livelihoods, making educational collaboration a cornerstone of China-Africa relations.
China has established 17 Luban Workshops in 15 African countries, providing training to help young African youths secure jobs in Chinese-invested enterprises. Over 220,000 Africans have been trained by China, with tailored programs to meet the specific needs of each country.
Under the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development, China aims to train 500 principals and vocational teachers, as well as 10,000 technical personnel with both Chinese language and vocational skills for Africa every year. This talent cooperation is expanding into sectors like digital industries and healthcare, enabling more African youths to pursue their dreams.
"Vocational and technical education is very important in the 21st century. What you can do depends on the training that you have, and the training that you have depends on the kind of institutions you attend," said Prof. Kabiru Bala, Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University of Nigeria.
"Africa is a young continent because we have a large percentage of young people. Our task now is to see that these young people are empowered in terms of skills and competence that can move our developments," said Prof. Olusola B. Oyewole, secretary general of the Association of African Universities of Ghana.
Yonas Akele (R) and Jiang Jiang, head of the Luban Workshop in Addis Ababa, work together in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Technical and Vocational Training Institute in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Feb. 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)
NO ONE SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND
"On the path to modernization, no one, and no country, should be left behind," Xi said in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC.
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 in the drive for a community with a shared future for mankind.
"China's partnership with the African continent is the main pillar of South-South cooperation," said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres while addressing the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC. "Your joint efforts, based on the United Nations Charter, can create a new momentum for African development."
The China-Africa partnership can "drive the renewable energy revolution," and be "a catalyst for key transitions in food systems and digital connectivity," said Guterres, noting that Africa can maximize the potential of China's support in areas from trade to data management, finance and technology.
Isaura Diez, a journalist with Cuba's Prensa Latina news agency, covered the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC in Beijing. She believes that Latin America can take China-Africa cooperation as a "sample," and that all Global South countries should amplify their voices together.
"The FOCAC Summit shows us what kind of collaboration and agreements we can establish as a continent with China," Diez said, adding that "raising China-Africa relations is a magnificent precedent for other regions of the world such as Latin America and the Caribbean. We can work together despite differences based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and non-interference in each other's internal affairs."
The FOCAC summit aims to build consensus on how China and African countries can cooperate to unlock the potential of industrialization, agricultural modernization and youth talent development.
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," Xi said on Wednesday at the welcome banquet.
"I am eager to join the movement for modernization of the Global South. I firmly believe that when we unite and work together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish," said Abiola, the first female train driver of Nigeria.
She said that through coordinated development, people can fully leverage the vast resources of the Global South. "By effectively harnessing these assets to drive economic growth and improve living conditions, I am confident that the future will be filled with hope and opportunity," she said.
BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- China-Africa economic and trade cooperation continues to gather momentum driven by a slew of concrete plans unveiled at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing.
During the summit, China said that, in the next three years, the country will work with Africa to implement 10 partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation and spearhead the Global South modernization.
The 10 partnership actions 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.
Mwangi Wachira, former World Bank economist and advisor to the Kenyan government, said in an interview with Xinhua that he has long taken note of the China-Africa industrial chain cooperation.
Wachira expected Africa to expand its supply chains to feed factories across the continent.
He envisaged a future in which many of these factories would feature collaboration between Chinese and African entrepreneurs, as well as governments, producing consumer goods for the up-and-coming African middle class.
Zhang Shaogang, deputy director of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, attended the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs held in Beijing on Friday. He said that China and Africa's industrial and supply chains complement each other strongly, offering vast opportunities for cooperation.
"The potential for China-Africa cooperation in emerging fields such as the digital economy, green development and artificial intelligence is immense," he said.
Janson Huang, chairman of the Sino-Tanzania Industrial Park, who also attended the conference, said that promoting the integration of industrial and supply chains between China and Africa will bring significant economic benefits to both sides.
"African countries can learn from China's experience in manufacturing and technology, and enhance their own industrialization and production capacity," Huang said, adding that "deeper integration of supply chains will help reduce logistics costs, increase trade efficiency, and promote African products in the global market."
He also expected China-Africa cooperation to drive infrastructure development in Africa, attract more investment, and create more jobs locally.
"Modernization is a vision to be achieved, but we need to put in place a whole synergy of players and stakeholders from different countries with a wealth of experience," said Tchicaya Nebert Gilmart Bienvenu, director of cooperation under the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Crafts of the Republic of Congo.
"China has a wealth of experience, and putting it together with that of Africa could produce something interesting, even very interesting," said the director.
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by Marwa Yahya
CAIRO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi's rare visit to Turkiye was important and sent a positive signal about mending bilateral ties and advancing coordination in regional affairs, Egyptian experts told Xinhua.
Al-Sisi arrived in Ankara on Wednesday for an official visit, the first of its kind in 12 years. The visit reciprocated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's trip to Cairo in February, the first by Erdogan since 2012, as the two countries seek to normalize relations after more than a decade of animosity.
A meeting was held between al-Sisi and Erdogan on Wednesday. The two presidents also co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, after which the ministers of both countries signed a series of cooperation agreements.
In a joint press conference held on Wednesday, al-Sisi expressed hope that his visit would pave the way for "a new phase" of cooperation and integration between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Erdogan said the two countries have agreed to enhance bilateral relations with a win-win approach. He highlighted the goal of "increasing bilateral trade volume to 15 billion U.S. dollars in the next five years," adding that both sides have affirmed their willingness to improve relations in various areas, including trade, defense, health, and energy.
On Thursday, Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat said during meetings with Turkish transportation and finance ministers that forming the council constitutes "a new and active beginning in bilateral ties."
"President al-Sisi's visit to Turkiye was important and successful," Tarek Fahmy, a professor of political science at Cairo University, told Xinhua. The two presidents are open to promoting political and economic relations, he said.
Noting the significance of the timing of al-Sisi's visit amid rising regional tensions, Fahmy said the visit represented "a new phase" in bilateral ties, moving towards "strategic cooperation."
In particular, the two leaders' co-chairing the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was "a qualitative leap at the strategic level," with regional impacts, especially concerning Gaza and Libya, being significant, he said. Warming bilateral ties could enhance coordination between Egypt and Turkiye on addressing regional issues, he added.
Waleed Gaballah, a member of the Egyptian Association for Political Economy, Statistics and Legislation, told Xinhua that al-Sisi's visit aimed at promoting consensus and consultation on various issues. The visit sent a positive message to Turkish investors in the Egyptian market, Gaballah added.
Al-Sisi's visit signals a new era of trade, economic, and political coordination between the two countries, and will positively impact efforts to resolve some regional problems, said Ezzat Saad, director of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs. "There is strong willingness from both sides to address issues in Libya, Palestine, Sudan, Somalia, and to maintain regional security in general," Saad told Xinhua.
Coordination between Egypt and Turkiye on achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is "a necessity beyond the scope of the United States, which has monopolized the settlement process with no real breakthrough so far," Saad added.
Egypt and Turkiye had been at odds over the past decade, mainly due to the ouster of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and the subsequent banning of his Turkiye-backed Muslim Brotherhood group, which led both countries to expel each other's ambassadors.
A thaw in the long-frozen bilateral ties began in 2020 when Ankara initiated a diplomatic effort to reduce tensions with its former regional adversaries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Last year, Ankara and Cairo mutually reappointed ambassadors.
KATHMANDU, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Nepal Telecommunications Authority on Friday directed the country's internet and mobile service providers to lift the ban on TikTok, in line with a cabinet decision on the popular short-video app.
"The authority issues a directive to all the concerned Internet and mobile service providers to remove the restrictions against TikTok until further notice," read the directive.
On Aug. 22, Nepal's cabinet decided to lift the ban on TikTok, which was imposed in November last year.
"We uplifted the ban immediately after receiving the directive from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority," Sudhir Parajuli, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Nepal, told Xinhua.
The UK will send an additional 650 short-range missiles to Ukraine to help in its fight against invading Russian forces, Azernews reports.
The new package of aid comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made another impassioned plea for further support from allies at a defence summit at the Ramstein air base in Germany.
Mr Zelensky said he was grateful for the military support Ukraine had received but urged allies to authorise the used of Western-supplied long-range missiles on targets inside Russia.
Also joining the summit is UK Defence Secretary John Healey, who will be announcing the 162 million package which includes the supply of further Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LLM).
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who is here 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. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)
BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, 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.
Xi said China-Burundi relations have stood the test of changes in the international landscape. Continuously promoting bilateral relations is in the interests of both countries, and is of exemplary significance for Global South countries to unite and strengthen themselves, he said.
Xi expressed the hope that the two countries will take the implementation of the summit outcomes as an opportunity to further enhance their relations.
China is ready to strengthen experience sharing and cooperation in capacity building with Burundi in areas such as reform and development, rural revitalization and poverty alleviation, and promote mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields including infrastructure, agriculture, economy and trade, Xi said.
He said China will strengthen international coordination with Burundi to safeguard the common interests of developing countries and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
The Burundian government is committed to advancing industrialization and agricultural modernization so that people can live a better life, Ndayishimiye said, underscoring the important role of China's support to and cooperation with Burundi.
He welcomed more Chinese enterprises to invest in Burundi and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in mining, agriculture, infrastructure and other fields.
During the summit, the two sides signed a raft of bilateral cooperation documents in areas including the Belt and Road cooperation, economic partnership, agricultural cooperation and coffee beans export to China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who is here 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. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)
HAIKOU, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The southern Chinese province of Hainan had relocated 419,367 residents as of 11:30 a.m. on Friday with super typhoon Yagi approaching, said local authorities.
Yagi, the 11th typhoon of the year, has developed into a super typhoon at level 17, packing winds of up to 245 km per hour. It is moving toward Hainan and is expected to make landfall in the city of Wenchang in the province on Friday afternoon, according to the provincial meteorological bureau.
Typhoon Yagi, featuring strong winds and heavy precipitation, will result in a storm likely to cause devastating damage at the landing site. Yagi is forecast to move north to the island's capital city of Haikou, Chengmai County and other places, before moving to the Beibu Gulf, said the bureau.
The bureau added that the seawater level would surge by 150 to 230 cm along the northern coastal area of Hainan Island from Friday noon to Saturday noon, while Haikou is projected to suffer severe waterlogging due to the storm surge and heavy rainfall.
Operations at multiple tourist attractions have been suspended and traffic control measures have been implemented in the province.
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Newbustar (Cambodia) Tire Co., Ltd., a Chinese-invested car tire plant in northeastern Cambodia, was launched on Friday after a 16-month construction, according to the Cambodian Investment Board of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC).
Speaking at the event, CDC Secretary General Chea Vuthy said the Newbustar (Cambodia) Tire Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China's Qingdao Doublestar Group, has decided to invest about 140 million U.S. dollars to build the car tire plant on a 40-hectare parcel in the UBE Special Economic Zone in Snuol district.
"This car tire plant will help diversify Cambodia's economy, contribute to our socio-economic development, and create jobs for our locals," he said.
In March 2023, a 300-million-U.S.-dollar General Tire Technology (Cambodia) plant, a subsidiary of Chinese tire maker Jiangsu General Science Technology, also launched its operation in the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone in the southwest coastal city of Sihanoukville.
Vuthy said currently, five car tire manufacturing projects have been carried out in special economic zones across Cambodia.
He added that the Southeast Asian country has 26 special economic zones accommodating 775 investment projects with a total investment capital of about 10 billion dollars, generating approximately 180,000 jobs.
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]
(Source: Xinhua)
Editor: Lei Yang
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's durian exports have grown 256.3 percent between 2018 and 2022, with China being the top destination of the fruit export, a Malaysian official said on Thursday.
China imported 887 million ringgit (204.5 million U.S. dollars) worth of durians out of Malaysia's 1.14 billion ringgit in durian exports in 2022 alone, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority's International Market Promotion Division Director Mohamad Paisal Amri told a briefing at the 6th Malaysia-China B2B Business Matching Session.
He said that Malaysia has prioritized the promotion of the fruit to the Chinese market and was working to increase access for Malaysian exporters to both physical and digital market platforms to meet the huge demand with the goal of creating a lasting presence for Malaysian durians in the minds of Chinese consumers.
"Expanding the Malaysian Durian Market in China is a top priority. We are committed to increasing access for local exporters to both physical and digital market platforms. These platforms will serve as vital conduits, connecting our exporters directly with wholesalers and importers in China. By doing so, we are not only opening new avenues for trade but also ensuring that our durians reach the widest possible audience in China," he said.
Previously, Malaysia's Durian Manufacturing Association said that Malaysia exported 25,000 tons of frozen durians and durian pulp to China in 2023.
Malaysia started exporting fresh durians to China in August, 2024, following the successful export of frozen durians to China in 2019. (1 ringgit equals 0.23 U.S. dollars)
Wrexham Lager x The Bank unique tasting experience launched
A new tasting experience has been launched, for locals wishing to showcase local produce and skills as well as a taste of community spirit.
Since its birth in the late 1800s, Wrexham Lager has been served in many top-class establishments and restaurants, both on land an at sea, often referred to as an unsurpassable dinner beverage, with the lager effervescing like good champagne. To this day, the local brewery continues to brew award winning lagers, in the heart of Wrexham, using traditional brewing methods, combined with cutting edge, modern technology.
The tasting notes explain how Head Chef at The Bank, lan Futter and Landlord Alex Jones, have paired the Wrexham Lager portfolio of lagers, with an exciting trio offood choices. Each mouth-watering dish has been prepared using local produce and compliments the three lagers in a way only The Bank could offer.
The Bank was the first pub in the Wrexham town centre to serve Wrexham Lager, when the brewery was re-established by the Roberts family in 2011. Both local businesses are family run, so they say coming together to support each other in this way, feels like the perfect pairing, giving this unique menu notjust tastes of local produce, but also a taste of community spirit, by working together.
Wrexham Lager 4% is paired with a Truffle Mushroom Tart, a superb Welsh Pork Sausage Roll is paired with Wrexham Pilsener 4.6% notably the malt used in this brew is a rare rediscovered
Bavarian Pilsener variety, which has just been recently regrown in limited quantities making it the most expensive malt to buy. It imparts a unique malty flavour and aroma to the beer which is complimented with a blend of German hops with a tasting note that it should be treated like a vintage port.
The 5% Wrexham Export is unusually but surprisingly fitting Peruvian chicken tacos. The difference in the brewing technique gives this beer a deceptively smooth and rounded palate for its strength perhaps the reason why it fits well with the aji verde and pineapple pico.
Wrexham Lager invited Wrexham.com to try out the tasting paddles with the trio of lager matched with the food, and explained, Wrexham Lager have been looking at ways that we can help attract tourism to Wrexham, not just on a Saturday, but anytime during the week and we feel that part of that should be unique experiences that you cant get anywhere else.
The beers are presented on a custom continental style beer paddle, with literal Wrexham Lager branding, along with intricate matching images for each specific pour with a familiar historic landmark on show, The custom wooden paddle boards have been created by a local business, and they have done an amazing job with the glassware also custom made to ensure the champagne style fizz showcases the lager at its best.
The chef explained links with the Welsh Truffle Co, adding, We have a mix of wild mushrooms for the tart, chestnut portobello and enoki which are deep fried on the top. So earthy flavours that works really well with beers, but especially well with Wrexham Lager. The welsh pork and leek sausage roll has caramelised onion ketchup as well as an onion flavoured crackling on the top of it as well. The leeks are braised in Wrexham Lager as well!
Everyone will have heard of Wrexham Lager, with the 4% lager described as smooth drinking beer, you can have it again and again. The pilsner product was described as a more premium product, We use all German imported malt for that, it is brewed in a german built brewhouse as well, which is state of the art. One of the main things, as a sort of benchmark on quality is a lot of breweries will do conditioning for two weeks maximum. We will condition our lager for at least four to six weeks, and really the longer you leave it, the better it is! (lager is german for warehouse).
There was some speculation if the specially branded beer paddles would become available for sale as they are likely to become a must have for the proverbial man caves worldwide as is Wrexham Lager glassware (you can buy glasses online here if you are in the UK!).
You can try the tasting experience for 18 on Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday all day or Saturday / Sunday lunchtimes at The Bank on the corner of High St / Church Street (LL13 8HY) by St Giles church with the lager brewed just around 218 meters away at Wrexham Lager on St Georges Crescent (LL13 8DB)
A bullet train pulls into Yiwu Railway Station of the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Photo by Lyu Bin/Xinhua)
An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows a bullet train running along the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Xianju County, east China's Zhejiang Province.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Photo by Sun Jinbiao/Xinhua)
A bullet train arrives at Tongludong Railway Station of the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Tonglu, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Photo by Xu Junyong/Xinhua)
Train attendants introduce the scenic spots along the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway on the bullet train No. G9505, Sept. 6, 2024.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows the bullet train No. G9505 running on a bridge of the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Tonglu, east China's Zhejiang Province.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)
The bullet train No. G9505 is pictured at Hangzhouxi Railway Station ahead of its maiden trip on the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
The bullet train No. G9505 arrives at Wenzhoubei Railway Station of the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows a bullet train running along the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Xianju County, east China's Zhejiang Province.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Photo by Wang Huabin/Xinhua)
The bullet train No. G9505 stops at Pujiang Railway Station of the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Pujiang, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows a bullet train running along the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Photo by Lyu Bin/Xinhua)
An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows the bullet train No. G9505 running on a bridge of the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Tonglu, east China's Zhejiang Province.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)
The bullet train No. G9505 arrives at Wenzhoubei Railway Station of the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
The bullet train No. G9505 is pictured at Hangzhouxi Railway Station ahead of its maiden trip on the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 6, 2024.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows the bullet train No. G9505 running on a bridge of the Hangzhou-Wenzhou high-speed railway in Tonglu, east China's Zhejiang Province.
A new high-speed railway linking Hangzhou and Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province began operations on Friday. The 276-km line, with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, has nine stations. Its operation offers a rapid transit solution along the route threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu and Wenzhou in one of the country's most economically vibrant regions. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)
With the COVID pandemic approaching the end of its fifth year, the ninth major wave of infections is washing across the global population infecting tens of millions of people each day. The return to school and the winter holidays in the Northern Hemisphere will only cause the number of infections to swell, raising both the number of deaths and the ranks of the invisible millions suffering from Long COVID.
Both in the United States and worldwide, capitalist political authorities have effectively ended any effort to protect the population from this deadly disease. The forever COVID policy, as the WSWS has termed it, or declaring COVID to be endemic, as Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, did last month, means more than just shutting down the collection of data on the number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths, or the number affected by Long COVID.
Willful blindness to the extent of the pandemic has been combined with near-abandonment of efforts to develop more powerful therapies against the disease, even as previously discovered therapies are of sharply declining effectiveness, because of the constant mutation of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since July 10, 2023 [AP Photo/Bryan Anderson]
Notably, the FDA pulled the emergency use authorization (EUA) of the monoclonal antibody Evusheld in January 2023. Only 14 months later, in March 2024, it supplanted this with pemivibart as COVID pre-exposure treatment for people with moderate to severe immune system dysfunctionsolid organ transplant recipients, cancer patients receiving CAR T-cell therapy or stem cell transplants, or those with hematologic cancers that cannot mount a response to COVID vaccines, as well as others such as advanced HIV patients.
This treatment is extremely costly, with a two-hour infusion administered in a medical setting every three months, coming with a price tag of more than $6,000 for one course, not including the additional medical fees for the facility, nursing and physician costs that go into administering the treatment.
Additionally, for most of the worlds population, access to the anti-viral treatments by Pfizer (Paxlovid) and Moderna (Lagevrio) has been thwarted due to lack of availability or the horrendous cost for such treatments. Pfizer announced last year that a five-day course of Paxlovid would cost nearly $1,400.
For patients with health conditions at risk for severe disease, Paxlovid can potentially reduce their risk of hospitalization by nearly half if taken early in the course of illness. But for the standard risk population, the treatment didnt show such benefits. And complications with the treatment include multiple drug interactions and a virological rebound that can extend the duration of the period when the patient is infectious to others.
Similarly, Remdesivir and Lagevrio have proven ineffective in patients with prior vaccine immunity or infections. The known safety concerns with these medications also mean potential complications for little benefit.
This is the reality behind Dr. Cohens declaration that we have the tools to fight the virus that causes COVID, and her implicit blaming of patients who dont take advantage of the tools, rather than the profit-based medical system supposedly supplying them.
The development of new therapies is held back by a health system rooted in capitalist profit interests. Specifically, issues around intellectual property rights, how they are reformulated, regulatory blocks and financialization of the drugs pose significant challenges. Additionally, there are problems in convincing the population to accept new therapies, given the anti-scientific reaction and quackery that was the hallmark of the early days of the pandemic, with fascistic figures like Donald Trump and Brazils Jair Bolsonaro promoting hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin.
The promising results with metformin
Still, one recent medication that has appeared to overcome some of these hurdles is an old drug that has been used to treat diabetes, called metformin. Known to have anti-viral properties, its cheap price, favorable side-effect profile and widespread availability have aroused interest in its potential benefit to treat COVID.
What follows is a summary of significant research on the anti-Covid properties of Metformin, and must not be read as a recommendation for its use without consultation with a well-informed physician familiar with a patients medical history and overall condition. Moreover, Metformin may produce side-effects and is not well-tolerated by all patients to whom it is prescribed.
Discovered in 1922, metformin didnt become widely used until the mid-1990s when broad population-based studies proved its benefits. It is now the most widely used oral therapy for regulating blood sugar levels in diabetics. It has been proven to lower risks of age-related conditions like cardiovascular diseases and cancers as well as reduce all-cause mortality in diabetics. In 2022, it was the second most prescribed drug in the US.
As authors of a 2023 review paper on metformin noted, Interestingly, metformin was originally investigated as an anti-influenza drug in the early 1940s and showed some promise in improving flu symptoms coupled with reducing blood glucose levels. While it was not directly pursued as an anti-influenza drug, metformin showed promise in a variety of infections. Further retrospective studies suggest that metformin has protective benefits during flu infection as well. For example, obese patients with a history of metformin treatment have been shown to have a lower rate of influenza mortality. Another study demonstrated that in diabetics, metformin treatment reduced overall risk for hospitalization due to infections compared to other oral hypoglycemics such as sulfonylureas.
Metformin was the second most prescribed US medicine in 2022.
Complications associated with COVID disproportionately affect the elderly, mainly due to their decline in immune function and ability to fend off infections. Also, those with comorbidities like diabetes and obesity can also develop severe reactions from a COVID infection. Preexisting diabetes has also been a risk factor after infection with SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV coronaviruses. Moreover, patients treated in ICUs for severe complications with these viruses fared better when their blood glucose levels were kept in normal ranges.
The exact mechanisms for metformins health benefits have not been completely worked out. But some researchers have pointed to the possibility that metformin through its ability to cause changes to the ACE2 receptorit adds a phosphate group to this receptor, causing conformational and functional changesit could decrease the binding of the virus to respiratory cells.
It has also been theorized that metformins anti-viral properties stem from its ability to block a crucial signaling pathway used by the coronavirus. A study published in January 2023 in the journal Virus Research found that in cell culture the administration of metformin to SARS-COV-2-infected cells led to a dramatic decline in viral proteins and viral life cycle, thus protecting these cells. A small group of patients treated with metformin in the study showed a drop in their viral titers, underscoring that their results unambiguously demonstrated a potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect of metformin.
Moreover, irrespective of ones diabetic state, metformin has been shown to ameliorate the immune systems response to inflammatory pathways, reducing cytokine levels, which have been implicated for development of severe COVID. As the authors of the above review underscored:
Metformin has the capability to impact immune responses through its modulation of inflammation, the microenvironment, and via metabolic and non-metabolic action on immune cells themselves. These findings highlight the ability of metformin to modulate immune cell function, specifically in T cells, macrophages, and B cells which are essential for controlling responses to infection and generating long-term immunological memory.
One of the first reports on the potential for metformin to mitigate the deadly consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection was published online in May 2020 from researchers in Wuhan, China. In their retrospective analysis of diabetic patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID from January 27, 2020 to March 24, 2020, in-hospital mortality for the metformin group was 2.9 percent (3 of 104 patients), versus 12.3 percent (22 of 179 patients) for the group not taking metformin.
Dr. Carolyn Bramante [Photo: University of Minnesota Medical School]
Another early observational report was published in preprint form in June 2020 by Dr. Carolyn Bramante from the University of Minnesota and colleagues. In that retrospective cohort analysis utilizing data extracted from the insurance company UnitedHealth Groups Clinical Discovery Database, they analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on 6,256 patients admitted to US hospitals, of whom 2,333 were taking metformin in an outpatient setting. Interestingly, the study showed that there was a statistically significant reduction in mortality, but only for women.
The COVID-OUT clinical trial
Nonetheless, with respect to gender, the above work prompted the Minnesota group to initiate the COVID-OUT clinical trial that enrolled participants, either overweight or clinically obese, from December 30, 2020 to January 28, 2022, to investigate three medications: immediate-release metformin, ivermectin (anti-parasite drug), and fluvoxamine (an anti-depression medication from the group known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). The trial included 1,126 people who gave their consent to participate and completed at least one long-term follow-up survey 180 days after starting in the trial. There were six subgroups, one each for metformin plus ivermectin, placebo plus ivermectin, metformin plus fluvoxamine, placebo plus fluvoxamine, metformin plus placebo, and placebo plus placebo.
The study was quadruple blinded, which meant that neither the investigators, the individuals who assessed outcomes (i.e., Long COVID), the treating clinicians, nor the participants themselves knew which combination of drugs any participant was receiving.
The analysis of the impact of metformin on Long COVID was published in Lancet Infectious Diseases, showing that the drug metformin lowered ones risk of developing Long COVID by 41.3 percent, while no such reduction was seen with ivermectin or fluvoxamine.
The overall incidence of Long COVID in the metformin group nearly one year out from their initial infection was 6.3 percent compared to 10.6 percent in the placebo group. Earlier initiation of metformin during acute COVID-19 resulted in a greater reduction in risk. Initiating metformin within four days of symptom onset reduced risk by 63 percent versus 36 percent for initiation after. The strain of the virus did not affect the incidence of Long COVID. Vaccination status also did not impact the results; the reduction in risk was the same for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.
Graph shows reduction in viral load for patients treated with metformin, vs. a placebo. [Photo: University of Minnesota Medical School]
Most recently, their latest publication in the journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases demonstrated a dramatic 3.6-fold reduction in SARS-CoV-2 viral load by day 10. Those receiving metformin were less likely to have detectable viral load than placebo by day five or day 10. The reviewers of the study commented that this
study makes a strong case for a potential effect of metformin on COVID-19 virologic decay and prompts reevaluation of existing data in support of its use. In vitro studies have identified both antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities of the drug, and the investigators initially identified metformin as a promising agent through use of sophisticated in silico modeling.
Furthermore, observational studies have suggested that individuals treated with metformin for diabetes have improved COVID-19 outcomes compared with those not on this drug. While cross-study comparisons have limitations, it is notable that the absolute risk reduction for hospitalization or death for metformin versus placebo in COVID-OUT was nearly identical to that from a recent study that compared nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) to lack of treatment in a propensity-scored matched analysis in the vaccination era (i.e., 1 percent versus 3 percent).
The fact that more than 50 percent of participants in COVID-OUT were vaccinated further amplifies the relevance of the study results to the current immunologic profile of todays population, where nearly everyone has been vaccinated, or had COVID-19, or both.
The authors of the COVID-OUT studies should be commended for their initiative, which has provided compelling evidence for the benefits offered by Metformin. Further work to confirm these benefits should be expedited and consideration given to bringing other treatments forward to address the vacuum that exists in the treatment of COVID.
Clearly, the paucity of effective treatments for COVID and mitigating Long COVID in a period where mass infection has been normalized is part and parcel of the logic of forever COVID. The need for treatments to address the harms caused by repeat infections with SARS-CoV-2 underscores the irrational and reactionary character of the policy of mass infection.
Unlike the flu, where adults may catch the influenza virus on average twice per decade, serial viral infection with COVID is commonplace. There have been more than 1.1 billion infections across the US during the COVID pandemic; on average, every person in the US and, by extension, the rest of the world, can expect to be infected annually. And given the long-term consequences of repeat COVID infections to respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and metabolic systems, many have predicted that chronic health conditions will disable millions more and these illnesses will begin appearing at earlier ages than previously expected.
As has been previously stated, SARS-CoV-2, like any virus, lacks consciousness. Its constant mutation is part of its nature. The conscious factor in the pandemic, up to now, has been the decision made by the ruling elites that public health initiatives cannot encroach on the need to maximize the extraction of profit from the international working class. This needs to be countered by the conscious political mobilization of the working class, allied with principled scientists, to make the survival and welfare of working people, not profit, the basis of healthcare and society as a whole.
Dockworkers: Tell us what youre fighting for in the next contract. All submissions will be kept anonymous.
On Wednesday, with time winding down before the expiration of the contract for tens of thousands of East Coast dockworkers, the International Longshoremens Association (ILA) president gave a pre-recorded statement reiterating threats to strike if a new deal is not in place by September 30.
The video, with ILA President Harold Daggett and his son, Executive Vice President Dennis Daggett, was followed up with a pre-recorded interview with the elder Daggett released Thursday.
Declaring talks at an impasse, the elder Daggett declared, Theres a real chance we wont have a new agreement in place. We could be hitting the streets at 12:01 AM on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
Workers should be warned, however, that this is so much hot air. The ILA bureaucracy is working behind the scenes to impose a sellout much like the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) did last year for the West Coast dockworkers.
In particular, the ILA bureaucracy is drawing from the playbook of the Teamsters last year at UPS and the United Auto Workers at the Detroit Big Three automakers. Both unions used radical-sounding talk to ease the passage of deals with massive hidden concessions.
In the lead-up to talks last year, UAW President Shawn Fain claimed to be demanding a 32-hour workweek and an end to tiered wages. Teamsters General President Sean OBrien issued continuous strike threats and broke off official negotiations in the lead-up to a self-imposed strike deadline, much as the ILA is doing now.
But the Teamsters, after violating their own deadline, announced a deal to block a strike, while the UAW called only a limited stand-up strike that did not seriously impact production before pushing through a deal of its own.
Since then, thousands of workers in both industries have lost their jobs, while the noisy rhetoric of the union bureaucrats has been replaced with a guilty silence. A general rule of thumb has emerged: The bigger the talk beforehand, the bigger the sellout that is being planned.
Dockworkers must learn the lessons from this experience, above all that a real fight requires a rank-and-file rebellion against the union bureaucracy. There is immense potential to build a broader movement uniting with Boeing workers, railroaders, teachers and others, but this can only be done through the creation of new leadership, rank-and-file committees.
There can also be no doubt that a deal is being worked out behind the scenes with the Biden administration, which is prepared to issue an injunction in the event of a coast-wide strike.
Even in the course of their grandstanding, the Daggetts pointed to the terrible working conditions which the bureaucracy has signed off on. These greedy companies have made billions in the past few years, especially during Covid, Harold Daggett said. We never shut the ports down during covid. ILA members lost their lives. When people worked from home not my men. My men went to the docks every day.
In fact, though he treated it in the past tense, the pandemic is still ongoing and workers are still getting seriously ill on the job with minimal protections. But Daggett made no suggestion that the docks should have been shut down, or at least limited to essential goods such as medicine and food. Meanwhile, while the ILA let dockworkers suffer and die for profits, Harold Daggett made $3.6 million since 2020, while Dennis Daggett made more than $2.7 million, according to federal records.
To the extent that industrial workplaces were shut down in the opening months of the pandemic, workers often had to take wildcat action, as they did in the auto industry, to thwart attempts by the union bureaucrats to keep production going.
It is worth noting Daggetts statement is taken almost verbatim from OBrien, who bragged last year that UPS workers kept going to work every single day putting themselves at risk, putting their families at risk, leading the company to double its profits.
Dennis Daggett continued: [Working on the docks] is not a 9 to 5 job, its not a 40-hour [a week] job life-work balance, you dont get that in the ILA.
Our members sacrifice a lot with their families. They dont get to go to dance recitals or ball games. They have to work, and our members have to put in over 100 hours a week most of the time. He added: And were not complaining about that.
This raises the question: If the ILA is willing to accept such conditions as a baseline, what else are they willing to accept?
The younger Daggett added that, in previous contracts, local deals were discussed only after the ratification of the master contract, which contained a no-strike clause. Presenting this as simply a mistake and not deliberate sabotage, he said the carriers took advantage of that. This time, he added, the local contracts were being negotiated before the master contract.
But the Teamsters used this same maneuver last year to claim that they were finally getting serious at UPS. The result was a contract that green-lights the biggest layoffs in the companys history. Dennis Daggett also mentioned that local deals had already been reached for Boston and Virginia, however the ILA has not given any information about the terms of these deals.
The Daggetts stressed that a key question is the expanding use of automation on the docks. This is a real issue, and it is already being used to eliminate huge numbers of jobs, including at UPS and in auto. But a key factor in the ability of the companies to slash jobs in this way has been the imposition of sellouts by union bureaucrats.
Harold Daggett referenced the last major dockworkers strike in 1977, citing the longstanding issue of containerization and earlier technologies used by the carriers to slash jobs. But while Daggett presented this as a major victory, the reality is that huge numbers of jobs were cut in the decades following the strike.
They also sought to downplay the danger of an injunction under the anti-worker Taft-Hartley Act. It was mentioned only in passing in Wednesdays video. In Thursdays interview, Daggett dismissed it, declaring: Go ahead!
In reality, the dockworkers struggle will inevitably develop into a fight against the government. The ILA will dutifully enforce an injunction, just as the railroad unions did when Congress voted to ban a strike two years ago.
But the Biden administrations preferred route has been to impose de facto injunctions by having the union bureaucrats impose sellout deals. Biden is using his domestic NATO, as he referred to the AFL-CIO this summer, as his primary means of imposing labor discipline while the government prepares the country for war.
Internationalism versus the bureaucracy
The Daggetts ended Wednesdays video by claiming to support a global fight, controlled by the union bureaucracy. When I get done with our contract, the elder Daggett claimed, Im gonna form an alliance with every dockworker union around the world.
In todays world, you have three big companies that want to push automation on everybody the only way we can fight this is by having this alliance.
Lets take a company, Maersk Line. Lets say they want 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 world.
The key word is after the contract is in place. This is similar to how UAW president Shawn Fain, to provide the bureaucracy with left and even socialist cover, claims to be supporting a national general strike timed for May 1 of 2028. What this really means is promising four years of labor peace in the meantime for corporate America to carry out mass layoffs.
A real international movement capable of shutting down Maersk or any other global corporation can and must emerge, but only on the basis of a rebellion against the union bureaucracy and its nationalist program, combining the fight against exploitation at home with a fight against US imperialism.
Significantly, the ILA and every other major union has completely ignored the call by the Palestinian trade union federation for industrial action to halt the shipment of weapons to Israel.
While Daggett poses as an internationalist, the ILA has long been among the most right-wing, patriotic unions in the United States. The international deals of the US union bureaucracy as a whole are designed, not to build but to prevent a global movement of the working class. The American trade unions function are typically conducted through CIA fronts such as US AID.
The reality is that the union bureaucracy is whipsawing workers against each other not just around the world, but within the US itself. With the East Coast ILA and the West Coast ILWU on separate contracts, shippers have been shifting traffic from east to west to dilute the impact of a national strike. Despite empty statements of solidarity by Daggett and ILWU President Willie Adams, they have allowed this to take place.
With less than a month to go, dockworkers must begin preparing now to organize a real struggle. This requires a fight not just against management, but against the ILA bureaucrats. Workers must form rank-and-file committees, composed of representatives from docks across the United States and both coasts, in order to prepare action and enforce the democratic will of dockworkers themselves.
They must take the initiative and link up now with dockworkers and others across the world, through the development of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees.
Yesterday, after an unprecedented seven weeks of talks with members of the parliamentary parties since the July 7 elections, President Emmanuel Macron named Michel Barnier prime minister. Barnier will now try to select a ministerial cabinet that can win the support of the majority of the National Assembly.
New Prime Minister of France, Michel Barnier, right, and outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, left, arrive for the handover ceremony, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Paris [AP Photo/Michel Euler]
Macrons selection of Barnier, a member of the discredited, right-wing The Republicans (LR) party, tramples upon the elections and installs the far right at the center of official politics. Jean-Luc Melenchons New Popular Front (NFP) won a plurality in the July 7 elections, with 182 seats. Macrons Ensemble coalition won 163 seats, and the far-right National Rallys (RN) 143, only because the NFP endorsed Ensemble candidates, supposedly to stop a RN victory.
Having preserved his party from collapse with Melenchons support, Frances widely-hated president has now named a right-wing prime minister who would rule with far-right support. LR and Ensemble together control only 233 seats in the Assembly, and Barnier is well short of a 289-seat majority in the 577-seat National Assembly. Yesterday, however, RN officials indicated that they played a central role in selecting Barnier and would, at least initially, support his government.
A Macron-Barnier government would impose violently right-wing policies and, sooner rather than later, provoke mass opposition in the working class. It is committed to policies that face opposition from an overwhelming majority of the French people, above all in the working classnotably escalating the NATO war in Ukraine by sending troops to fight Russia, and continuing attacks on pensions and social spending.
Barnier is a 73-year-old European Union (EU) bureaucrat known mainly as the EUs representative in Brexit talks with Britain. He is a partisan of strict austerity and corporate tax cuts. He denounces social spending for creating entitled people, and opposes renewable energy. He has proposed a further one-year rise in the retirement age, beyond the two-year increase to 64 that Macron imposed in 2023, despite overwhelming popular opposition and mass strikes.
Barnier has adopted violently anti-immigrant, xenophobic positions, especially since the Brexit talks. In 2021, he called for a five-year ban on immigration into France, claiming that otherwise there will be more Brexits. He demanded liberty of maneuver for France to violate EU rules on immigration, and appealed to the police, demanding that immigration decisions be taken out of the hands of people smugglers and judges.
Having spent much of his career in the EU machine in Brussels, near NATO headquarters, Barnier also is a partisan of NATO. During the war in Ukraine, he has criticized policies of EU and French military autonomy advanced earlier by Macron, hailing NATO as a pillar of European defense.
The Elysee presidential palace announced Barniers nomination in a perfunctory communique, stating that Barnier would build a government of unity serving the country and the French people, aiming to be as stable as possible and to have the best chances to create the broadest unity.
Yesterday, RN officials made clear that they played a key role in the selection of Barnier, and that they would keep his government afloat, as long as it carries out policies acceptable to them.
RN leader Marine Le Pen told a press conference at the Assembly: We demanded a certain number of conditions, namely that we have a prime minister that would respect RN voters. I believe that Mr. Barnier fulfills that criterion. As for other things, on substantive issues, we will wait and see what the statement of general policy of Mr Barnier will bring, and the way in which he carries out the necessary compromises on the upcoming budget.
The Belgian establishment daily Le Soir concluded that the RN is the arbiter in the new legislature, while the Courrier International wrote that Barnier was the only name [Le Pen] did not immediately veto.
The announcement of a Barnier government backed by the RN tramples the election results underfoot. Masses of workers and youth voted for NFP candidates, or for Ensemble candidates backed by the NFP, in order to block the coming to power of a far-right government. Under conditions where overwhelming majorities of the population oppose further pension cuts, the genocide in Gaza and military escalation against Russia, there were broad expectations that the vote would compel a shift in policy.
It is apparent that during the seven weeks of negotiations that followed the elections, Macron and the neo-fascists were engaged in constant plotting on how to continue the reactionary political agenda of the previous Macron government.
The NFP and allied trade and student unions have called nationwide protests tomorrow against Macrons theft of the election. While a movement must be built among workers and youth against Macron, this poses profound questions of political perspective and orientation before the working class. Indeed, workers cannot fight war, genocide and social reaction on a national, purely democratic basis, by putting pressure on Macron to respect the election result and name a prime minister who would serve under him.
What faces workers in France, and in every country, is a deepening global war, attacks on social and living conditions, and police-state regimes rooted in an international crisis of capitalism. This cannot be resolved through appeals to national capitalist governments, who now brazenly display their fascistic sympathies at home and support for war and genocide abroad. There is nothing to be negotiated with them.
Indeed, the naming of the Barnier government amounts to an exposure of the bankruptcy of Melenchon and his France Unbowed (LFI) party. He formed the NFP as an alliance with the big business Socialist Party (PS), the Greens and the Stalinist French Communist Party (PCF) that backed Macron in the elections. It refused to make any appeal to mobilize its voters, particularly in the urban working class, in mass strikes and protests against Macrons far-right plotting. It thus played a central role in facilitating Macrons installation of a far-right-backed government.
Now, NFP politicians are attacking Macron and, in the case of LFI, calling for participation in the September 7 protests. The election was stolen from the French people. The message was ignored, Melenchon tweeted, calling for the most powerful possible mobilization.
Macron is continuing to live as an autocrat. By naming Michel Barnier, the president is refusing to respect popular sovereignty and voters choices in the ballot box, commented Mathilde Panot, the head of the parliamentary delegation for Melenchons France Unbowed (LFI) party. She called on her supporters to fight this coup that is unacceptable in a democracy by participating in the September 7 protests.
While the PS called to censure Macron, the NFP collectively issued a statement denouncing Macrons total contempt for millions of French people who voted in the elections, and the arrival in power of the National Rally and its ideas. It reiterated its solemn pledge during the election campaign to form a government that would break with Macrons policies.
The first task facing the workers, however, is to ensure that their struggles cannot be sabotaged by the pseudo-left parties and union bureaucracies of the NFP. The bitter example of last years struggle against Macrons pension cuts, which the union bureaucracies shut down even as Macron faced overwhelming opposition, must be taken as a warning. Faced with a choice between a Macron government and a movement of the working class that threatens to bring down the police state, they will support Macron against the workers.
The critical question is building a movement of workers and youth against the Macron-RN alliance, independently of the NFP bureaucracies, based on uncompromising opposition to imperialist war, genocide and police-state reaction. This requires the construction of rank-and-file organizations of struggle among workers and youth, linking their struggles to the movement of strikes and protests internationally, based on revolutionary socialist opposition to the capitalist system.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The seventh Race Relations Day Multicultural Festival 2024 was celebrated here on Friday evening.
New Zealand Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith acknowledged the festival's inclusive and diverse character.
"New Zealand greatly celebrates the fact that Chinese have come and settled in the city and continue to make strong contributions, development in business, creating wealth and opportunities," said Goldsmith.
Goldsmith and his Parliamentary colleagues have taken the opportunity of this festive occasion to extend their best wishes to the Chinese community for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival.
Chinese Consul General in Auckland Chen Shijie addressed the event by acknowledging the century-long history of Chinese settlement in New Zealand and the friendship between the two peoples.
"For over 100 years, the Chinese community in New Zealand has been a significant part of New Zealand society, witnessing the development of China-New Zealand relations and making their contributions across different sectors. As a result, Chinese cultural events have become popular in New Zealand, and a growing number of young New Zealanders are interested in learning Chinese," said Chen.
This year marks the seventh Race Relations Day Multicultural Festival hosted by the Federation of the Chinese Association of New Zealand, constantly promoting multicultural New Zealand and bilateral relations between China and New Zealand.
Steven Wong, chairman of the Federation of the Chinese Association of New Zealand, said in his opening speech that New Zealand is a multicultural society where different ethnicities live in peace and harmony.
"Tonight's celebration is to bring together people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. May our next generations continue the friendship and unity of which we are a genuine part," he said.
Pacific dancers in vibrant traditional attire started the festival, captivating the audience with their powerful and elegant movement. Performances at the festival ranged from Chinese Sichuan Opera "Bian Lian" (Mask Changing) to Scottish dances, from Iranian folk dance to South American Cumbia.
Guests of the day included members of parliament from parties across the political spectrum, Auckland city councilors, local board members and community leaders.
On Wednesday, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky began the largest shake-up of the countrys cabinet since the beginning of the war. So far, seven ministers have resigned and one presidential aide was fired.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is thus far the most prominent of Zelenskys ministers to offer his resignation in a mass exodus that is expected to continue in the coming days.
Other exiting staff include Justice Minister Denys Maliuska, Ecology Minister Ruslan Strilets, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna, and Deputy Prime Minister Reintegration Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, and Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin, who was in charge of weapons production.
According to the head of Zelenskys Servant of the People party in parliament, David Arakhamia, the changes could end up involving more than half of Zelenskys staff. It is the largest government shake-up since 2020, when Zelensky dismissed much of his early government in favor of ministers closely tied to Western imperialism and the former administration of President Petro Poroshenko.
On Thursday, Ukraines parliament voted to accept Kulebas resignation. He will be replaced by Andrii Sybiha, who previously served as deputy foreign minister. Kuleba, who began his political career under Poroshenko, has served as Ukraines Foreign Minister since March 2020 following the dismissal of then Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk and his entire cabinet. During his brief six-month tenure as prime minister, Honcharuk was best known for attending a neo-Nazi rock concert in Kiev.
Kuleba was involved in the elaboration of a new national security strategy to recover Crimea in early 2021, which is widely seen as a major factor in provoking the Russian invasion a year later. Since 2022, he has continually prodded the Western imperialist powers to remove any limitations on Ukraines use of long-range weapons inside of Russia. He developed particularly close ties with the Biden administration and played a leading role in finalizing the ten-year bilateral security agreement between the United States and Ukraine in June.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in September 2023. [AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky/Pool]
On Tuesday, just one day before his resignation, Kuleba gave an interview to CNN, calling upon Ukraines NATO backers to send more long-range weapons and lift restrictions on striking airfields deep inside Russia, as well as permit the use of NATO air defense systems to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory. Dismissing any concerns over the escalation of war with a nuclear-armed Russia, Kuleba stated, What else has to happen for everyone in the world to understand that the escalation argument is flawed? It never worked in the last two and a half years. He added that fear of escalation simply serves as an excuse not to do something.
Zelensky, who is ruling the country without a legal mandate after suspending presidential elections, has yet to offer any details on the reasons for the mass resignation of his ministers. He only stated on Wednesday that Ukraine needs new energy, and that includes in diplomacy. His own party appears to be divided about the government shake-up. According to Russias Gazeta.ru, Zelensky had to overcome opposition within his own Servant of the People party to complete the sweeping changes especially in regards to Kulebas dismissal and was looking to trade votes for personal, financial or other bonuses. Because of the opposition in the ruling party, Zelensky has still not been able to dismiss as many ministers and officials as he wants to.
The shake-up is an indication of the intense military, political and economic crisis gripping the country.
In East Ukraine, the Ukrainian army is faced with the prospect of collapse. Russia moved only a limited number of troops to counter the Kursk invasion and nearly a month later, Russian forces are now reportedly advancing at a daily rate of 500 meters to one kilometer on several axes in the Donetsk region near the strategically important city of Pokrovsk, which serves as a road and rail hub for the Ukrainian army.
Just 26,000 residents remain in the city formerly of over 40,000 as Russian forces are now reportedly just 10 km east of the city. Its capture is regarded as imminent by military analysts and the Ukrainian government, which ordered its evacuation earlier in August. With further advances into Donetsk, Russia will likely be able to strike Ukrainian forces throughout the neighboring Zaporizhia region.
Meanwhile, after over two years of war and half a million dead, opposition to the war in the population and among the soldiers is growing. Almost every day, new videos circulate showing Ukrainians confronting military recruiters to prevent them from kidnapping men off the street even in the countrys western regions where nationalism has historically had the most support.
At the front lines, three companies of a battalion of the Ukrainian National Guard, including their commanders, refused to execute the orders of the military high command because of a huge personnel shortage, according to Strana.ua. Ukrainian troops are outnumbered by Russian troops by a ratio of one to three. Ukrainian soldiers are reportedly also deserting in large numbers, in what are growing indications of the unfolding disintegration of the Ukrainian armed forces.
In addition to successive military setbacks in East Ukraine, the country is facing a severe energy crisis caused by the war. One of the principal components of Russias military strategy has consisted of targeted attacks on energy infrastructure, which have led to rolling blackouts throughout the country and contributed to masses of Ukrainians fleeing the country or refusing to return from abroad. It is widely feared that the country will be unable to provide enough energy for heat and electricity this winter, and it was the energy minister who was first forced to leave earlier this week.
There are also indications that the government crisis and conflicts in the ruling class are propelled by the US presidential elections. As the Financial Times reported, Uncertainty surrounding the upcoming US presidential election and internal pressures in the EU are also of concern to Kyiv, which fears the long-term security and financial commitments it relies on could soon wane. In an interview with podcaster Lex Fridman on Tuesday, Donald Trump reiterated his promise of ending the war declaring, If I win, as president-elect, Ill have a deal made, guaranteed. Thats a war that shouldnt have happened. For many years, the war against Russia in Ukraine has been central to the factional infighting between the Democratic Party and the Republicans. In 2019, the Democrats made the arming of Ukraine for war against Russia a central issue in their effort to impeach Donald Trump.
Given the intense political crisis in the US, one aspect of the frenzied government reshuffle in Kiev may well be an effort by Zelensky to create as many facts on the ground as possible before a potential shift in power in the White House. Zelensky is expected to attend the United Nations General Assembly and meet with outgoing US President Joe Biden later this month. Several reports in Western media speculated that he hoped to have a new cabinet to present to his NATO backers, who have no doubt been consulted beforehand. Last week, Zelensky also announced that he planned to present Biden with a four-part victory plan but declined to give any details.
In an interview with NBC on Tuesday, Zelensky claimed that his adventurist invasion of the Kursk region is part of his victory plan and that Ukraine plans to hold onto the reported 1,000 square kilometers of occupied Russian territory indefinitely.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations began the second stage of a polio vaccine campaign in southern Gaza Thursday, as the far-right Israeli regime continued with its genocidal onslaught against the Palestinians.
A health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child at a hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024 [AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana]
Having decimated Gazas health care system and destroyed virtually all water treatment and sewage processing facilities during 11 months of continuous bombardment with US-supplied weapons, Israel has created the conditions in which the potentially deadly polio virus, which can cause paralysis in the limbs, could surge across Gaza and beyond.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported Thursday that Israel is refusing to coordinate access for the teams of healthcare workers, numbering some 2,700, involved in the vaccine drive. We appeal to all concerned institutions and authorities to intervene urgently to ensure the success of the vaccination campaign by reaching all children wherever they are, the ministry said in a statement.
The WHO announced the successful conclusion of the vaccination campaign in central Gaza, where its coverage target was surpassed between 1 and 4 September, which may be in part due to the rapid shifts of displaced people to the area. The ongoing phase in the south, which runs until Sunday, aims to reach 340,000 children, while a phase in the north will begin Monday and conclude Wednesday for some 150,000 children.
Although reports claim Israel has agreed to ceasefires in local areas for a few hours each day to facilitate the vaccination campaign, the reality is that attacks on Gazas few remaining healthcare facilities are continuing. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) struck al-Aqsa hospital in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza just hours after its three vaccination points closed at the completion of the vaccine drive in the enclaves central region. Al Jazeera reporter Hani Mahmoud noted that the roads to most vaccination points have been destroyed, making it difficult if not impossible for many Palestinians to reach them.
According to the WHO, 90 percent coverage is required among children aged between one day and 10 years in order to prevent the spread of polio throughout the region. The virus was first detected last month in a 10-month-old baby 25 years after the virus was officially eliminated from Gaza.
The return of polio to Gaza underscores the barbarism of Israels genocide of the Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus fascist government set out to destroy any basis for modern life in Gaza. The systematic obliteration of hospitals, schools and other critical infrastructure, the use of humanitarian aid as a weapon of war, and the indiscriminate massacring of men, women and children have turned Gaza into a massive graveyard. Even if the polio vaccination campaign succeeds in suppressing the resurgence of the deadly disease, which appears highly questionable given the horrendous conditions on the ground, other diseases and starvation will continue to flourish and claim thousands of lives.
BBC Arabic noted late last month that the water off Gazas Mediterranean coast is turning brown due to the direct discharge of raw sewage into the sea in the absence of treatment facilities. Israel has destroyed all of Gazas water treatment plants and sewage management systems. Contact with infected feces is the principal means by which polio is transmitted.
Oxfam has reported that already one-quarter of Gazas more than 2 million residents have been sickened by waterborne diseases. Polio is a waterborne disease and it is directly linked to the sanitation situation, commented Lama Abdul Samad, a water and sanitation expert at Oxfam. The sanitation infrastructure has been damaged severely to the point that it is flooding the streets and the neighbourhoods, and people are basically living adjacent to puddles of sewage.
Earlier in August, the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) reported 40,000 cases of hepatitis A, another disease transmitted through contaminated water, since the beginning of Israels genocide, compared to just 85 for the same period prior to October 7. Rampant skin diseases, especially among children, and the threat of a cholera outbreak are also ringing alarm bells among medical professionals.
The waste management system in Gaza has collapsed. Piles of trash are accumulating in the scorching summer heat. Sewage discharges on the streets while people queue for hours just to go to the toilets, commented UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini. This is a dangerous recipe for diseases to spread.
This is the desired outcome for the Israeli regime, whose leading representatives have described the Palestinians as human animals and openly discussed the use of disease to exterminate Gazas population. As Giora Eiland, the former head of Israels National Security Council, infamously wrote in an article last November:
The international community warns us of a humanitarian disaster in Gaza and of severe epidemics. We must not shy away from this, as difficult as that may be. After all, severe epidemics in the south of the Gaza Strip will bring victory closer and reduce casualties among IDF soldiers.
With the official death toll fast approaching 41,000 Palestinians and the real number of fatalities over 186,000 according to an estimate published in The Lancet, Israel has carried out, with the backing of the imperialist powers, war crimes comparable with those perpetrated by the Nazi regime.
As it continues daily bombardments across Gaza, including a strike Thursday in the north near the Kamal Adwan hospital that killed three, Israel has over recent days intensified its violent assault on Palestinians in the West Bank.
The UNs latest update on the humanitarian situation in Gaza paints a terrible picture. Speaking at a press conference Thursday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric described conditions as beyond catastrophic. More than 1 million Palestinians received no food parcels in August, due to a combination of declining food supplies and the inability of aid organisations to access the enclave. The number of Palestinians obtaining daily cooked meals fell by 35 percent, with Dujarric explaining that the reduction was mainly due to the forcible closure or relocation of 70 out of 130 kitchens following Israeli evacuation orders.
Israel could not have killed hundreds of thousands and laid waste to Gazas infrastructure, creating the perfect conditions for thousands more deaths from disease, without the unstinting support of the imperialist powers. The Biden administrations supplying of at least 14,000 2,000-pound bombs equipped the IDF with the necessary firepower to turn the enclave into a wasteland.
US imperialism and its European allies back this act of barbarism to the hilt because they view it as a necessary component of advanced plans for a region-wide war aimed at Iran. The only social force capable of putting an end to the Gaza genocide and all of its horrific consequences is the international working class, fighting on the basis of a socialist and internationalist programme.
Following his participation at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) summit held in Tonga from August 2630, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell flew to Vanuatu to dedicate the newest US Embassy before travelling on to New Zealand.
Kurt Campbell, national security coordinator in the Biden administration. [AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin]
The stopovers were the latest in a series of high-level visits by senior US officials as Washington seeks to secure its unchallenged economic and geostrategic dominance over the Pacific amid advanced preparations for war against China. The PIF summit approved a far-reaching Pacific policing initiative, backed by the US, to strengthen Australias strategic positioning against Beijing.
In New Zealand, Campbell co-chaired a US-New Zealand Strategic Dialogue summit, met with NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters and senior government officials, and launched a Critical and Emerging Technology Dialogue. According to the US State Department, the parties explored cooperation on critical technologies like AI and biotechnology and on the digital economy, including information and communication technologies.
In an interview with Newsroom, Campbell said that the US and Australia have encouraged New Zealand to invest more in its armed forces, especially in patrolling and policing the Pacific. He had talked to NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Tonga and had high confidence that New Zealand will increase its military capacity.
Campbell declared: We do want to see more investments in their armed forces. We do think the maritime domain is important and we think that this is an arena where New Zealands contributions are natural. Asked about the state of the US-NZ relationship, he called it a strong, improving, deeply respectful partnership that is central to what were seeking to accomplish together in the Pacific.
Successive Labour and National Party-led governments have ramped up military spending significantly. The Air Force recently took delivery of its first new Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft, which will provide interoperability with US forces. The four P-8s, costing a total of $2.3 billion, are described by Boeing as multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft, excelling at anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and search and rescue.
Wellington is preparing a new Defence Capability Plan, which will further boost military spending on navy ships, Air Force planes and other hardware.
The target of this build-up was underscored in a Security Threat Environment report by New Zealands Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS), released just days after Campbells visit. The report was undoubtedly prepared in consultation with US intelligence agencies, with which New Zealand works closely as a member of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network.
The NZSIS designates Russia and China as strategic threats and accuses both countries of foreign interference in New Zealand, without providing actual evidence. It states that China is fostering authoritarian tendencies and undermining the rules-based international orderthat is, the US-dominated imperialist orderin the Indo-Pacific region.
The National Party-NZ First-ACT coalition is engaged in a military and strategic step-up, not just with the US and Australia, but with other partners in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. In a speech to the Lowy Institute in Australia last month, Luxon declared: Strategically, we are strongly supportive of the indispensable role played by the United States in the region, and the broader array of alliances and partnerships that buttress the regions prosperity and security.
In the US in July, Luxon told the Financial Times he was very open to participating in AUKUS Pillar 2, an explicitly anti-China military partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the US. He described the NZ Defence Force as a force multiplier for Australia and the US and other partners.
Following the Tonga Summit, Luxon took off on a visit to Malaysia and South Korea. He has already this year visited Australia three times plus Fiji, Japan, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga and the US.
The central aim of these trips is to assert New Zealands role as a minor imperialist power within the US-led web of alliances. Since World War II, New Zealands ruling class has relied on support from the US to maintain its own neo-colonial interests in the island states including Niue, Kiribati, the Cook Islands, Tonga and Samoa.
Visiting the Philippines in April, Luxon and President Marcos agreed on enabling the countries militaries to work alongside one another in a more frictionless manner. In Japan in June, Luxon and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged to strengthen military cooperation in the Pacific, share more classified information, and increase joint activities and exercises, including in the area of maritime security.
Luxons current trip to Malaysia and South Korea will extend the diplomatic and military build-up aimed against China. A joint statement with Malaysias Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasised the two countries long-standing defence relationship, dating back to the Second World War, and confirmed they will maintain regular defence cooperation.
The South Korean visit is particularly significant. South Korea, Japan, New Zealand and Australia attended the NATO summit in Washington in July. The White House welcomed their participation, declaring that the war against Russia in Ukraine was connected with the threats and challenges facing the Indo-Pacific. New Zealand has stationed about 50 military personnel in South Korea as part of the military encirclement of China and North Korea.
Foreign Minister Peters has also travelled extensively, especially in the Pacific region. In the lead-up to the PIF summit, Peters headed to the Pacific for his fifth tour since December, to Fiji and the US neo-colonies in Micronesia: the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.
Peters agenda echoes that of Australias Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who has made repeated trips to line-up impoverished Pacific states behind Washingtons aggressive confrontation with China, issuing thinly veiled threats about the consequences of any turn toward Beijing.
Journalist Mick Hall reports that Wellington is now a key player in manoeuvres to keep the Pacific countries outside of Chinas orbit and enmeshed instead in Western military architecture. Writing in Consortium News last month, Hall revealed that NZ Defence Ministry briefing documents show that NZ has been pushing for the PIF to be structurally linked to the pro-imperialist South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting (SPDMM).
The SPDMM regional defence ministers meet annually in what is described as the only ministerial-level defence and security forum in the South Pacific. It is focused on maintaining US hegemony, by coordination of actions against security threats in the region.
The last summit, hosted by France in New Caledonia in December 2023, was attended by senior civilian and military officials from Australia, France, New Zealand, Chile, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Tonga, plus observers from the US, the UK, and Japan. The PIF Secretariat has been invited to send an observer to SPDMM Defence Ministers meetings, the next one due in New Zealand in November.
In all this, the National-led government is proceeding with bipartisan support from the opposition Labour Party. The 20172023 Labour government, which included the Greens, supported the US-led militarisation of the Indo-Pacific region and sent troops to Britain to train Ukrainian forces to fight against Russia.
A section of NZs ruling establishment, led principally by former Labour Party Prime Minister Helen Clark and ex-National Party leader Don Brash, have expressed concern that Luxons explicit alignment with the US will make it difficult to maintain relations with China, New Zealands largest trading partner. These politicians support the US allianceClarks government sent troops to the illegal US wars in Afghanistan and Iraqand there is no question that they would line up behind a US-led war with China.
The entire Pacific region is being placed on a war footing, without the consent of the population, who have not been consulted. There is widespread anti-war sentiment in New Zealand itself, as shown by 11 months of ongoing protests against the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza, which is backed by the Luxon government. Meanwhile, the increase in military spending is being funded through brutal cuts to public services and attacks on living standards, which is paving the way for renewed struggles of the working class at home.
People attend the "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 6, 2024. The "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event took place in Munich on Friday, drawing over 100 attendees, including German political and business leaders, along with a trade delegation from Shenyang, China. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
MUNICH, Germany, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event took place in Munich on Friday, drawing over 100 attendees, including German political and business leaders, along with a trade delegation from Shenyang, China.
Organized by the Shenyang municipal government, the event aimed to showcase Shenyang's evolving image, attract foreign investment, and forge stronger international partnerships.
Officials from the capital city of Liaoning Province in northeast China highlighted the success of the global campaign launched last year, focusing on the city's steady economic growth and its ambition to become a national central city and a key hub for Northeast Asian cooperation. They underscored Shenyang's commitment to fostering international openness across ten key development areas.
Wang Xinwei, deputy secretary of the CPC Liaoning provincial committee and secretary of the CPC Shenyang municipal committee, emphasized the deep-rooted economic and cultural ties between Shenyang and Germany. He highlighted opportunities for collaboration in areas such as industrial development, consumer market expansion, technological innovation, and cultural exchange.
"In 2023, trade between Shenyang and Germany reached 33 billion yuan (4.66 billion U.S. dollars), making Germany Shenyang's largest trading partner among the 219 countries and regions it trades with," said Zhu Ling, director of the Shenyang municipal commerce bureau. By June 2024, 205 German-invested enterprises had been established in Shenyang, placing Germany 10th among the 137 countries investing in the city.
Lin Kai, acting consul general at the Chinese consulate in Munich, praised the thriving China-Germany partnership, noting that German investment in China hit a record 7.3 billion euros in the first half of 2024. He encouraged German businesses to further explore opportunities in the Chinese market.
German representatives expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation with Shenyang, particularly in sectors such as industrial development, consumer markets, technology, and cultural exchange.
BMW, a key player in Shenyang's economy, was cited as a success story. Since its plant was established there in 2003, Shenyang has become one of BMW's largest global production bases, responsible for one-third of the company's total output. Volker Letzgus, vice president of Joint Ventures China at BMW Group, reaffirmed the company's commitment to deepening its partnership with Shenyang.
Frank Steinbacher, CEO of eLoaded GmbH, also underscored Shenyang's strategic importance for the company's energy innovation projects, praising the city's strong industrial foundation and favorable business environment.
Several agreements between Chinese and German companies were signed during the event, further solidifying Shenyang's role as a global economic hub.
Since its launch, the "Hello, Shenyang" campaign has been held in major cities such as Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, Geneva, and Sydney, positioning Shenyang as a platform for fostering international cooperation and driving high-quality development. (1 euro = 1.11 U.S. dollar)
Frank Steinbacher, CEO of eLoaded GmbH, speaks at the "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 6, 2024. The "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event took place in Munich on Friday, drawing over 100 attendees, including German political and business leaders, along with a trade delegation from Shenyang, China. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
People attend the "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 6, 2024. The "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event took place in Munich on Friday, drawing over 100 attendees, including German political and business leaders, along with a trade delegation from Shenyang, China. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
People attend the "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 6, 2024. The "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event took place in Munich on Friday, drawing over 100 attendees, including German political and business leaders, along with a trade delegation from Shenyang, China. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
People attend the "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 6, 2024. The "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event took place in Munich on Friday, drawing over 100 attendees, including German political and business leaders, along with a trade delegation from Shenyang, China. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Lin Kai, acting consul general at the Chinese consulate in Munich, speaks at the "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 6, 2024. The "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event took place in Munich on Friday, drawing over 100 attendees, including German political and business leaders, along with a trade delegation from Shenyang, China. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Volker Letzgus, vice president of Joint Ventures China at BMW Group, speaks at the "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 6, 2024. The "Hello, Shenyang" global promotion event took place in Munich on Friday, drawing over 100 attendees, including German political and business leaders, along with a trade delegation from Shenyang, China. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
ANKARA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish military "neutralized" 35 "terrorists" in operations in northern Iraq and northern Syria over the past four days, the country's Defense Ministry said on Friday.
Turkish forces killed 27 members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in airstrikes since Monday, targeting multiple regions in northern Iraq, including Matina, Zap, Gara, Hakurk, Qandil, and Asos, the ministry said in a statement.
Of those killed, 20 were targeted on Monday, and the other seven in Hakurk in the following days, it said.
"Turkish jets continue to monitor the area," the ministry said in a post on the social media platform X.
In a separate operation in northern Syria, Turkish forces killed eight members of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the ministry said.
Turkiye considers the YPG group to be the PKK's Syrian branch.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades.
Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralized" in their statements to indicate that the "terrorists" in question surrendered, were killed, or were captured.
When Embeth Davidtz wanted to adapt Dont Lets Go To The Dogs Tonight, Alexandra Fullers bestselling 2001 memoir about living in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) with her white farming family, she delivered an impassioned pitch to the author. I know how to tell this story, Davidtz told her. I know it in my bones.
Best recognized for her striking work in Schindlers List, Bridget Joness Diary, and, recently, The Morning Show, the versatile actor indeed deeply understood Fullers story, a collection of memories that unfold as Rhodesias 1980 election that would eventually morph the country into contemporary Zimbabwe nears, amid a political climate that both underscores and rejects the countrys blatant racism. While Davidtz herself hasnt lived in Zimbabwe, she has roots in neighboring South Africa, along with memories of witnessing violence and racism like the films seven-year-old protagonist, Bobo (first-time actor Lexi Venter in a revelatory performance).
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My parents are South African, Davidtz said during a sitdown with IndieWire at the 51st Telluride Film Festival, where her debut as a writer/director world-premiered to positive response and reviews. They were studying in the States. I was born there, and then our life was uprooted, and we moved to South Africa when I was eight. Bobo reminds me of arriving at South Africa, being in a poor family with an alcoholic parent in a country that was so racist. I was a child that suddenly had this separation between what I was seeing, and what I knew to be right or wrong. I was seeing how casual the racism was. You know, the benches said, Whites only. It was still that time.
Elegant, stylistically assured, and visually articulate, the film unfolds entirely from the perspective of Bobo, who runs around with animals at the shabby farm, dirty and barefoot, observes her father Tims (Rob Van Vuuren) and alcoholic mother Nicolas (Davidtz) struggles and copies all the racist remarks shes heard from her parents, parroting them to her familys Black servants, Sarah (Zikhona Bali) and Jacob (Fumani N. Shilubana). Through Bobo, Davidtz both emphasizes the cost of what children inadvertently perceive, and how racism is passed down through generations.
Dont Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight Courtesy TIFF
Heading to the Toronto International Film Festival next, Davidtz still cant believe her film just made its first bow in the Colorado mountains. People use that word surreal; its absolutely that. Its pinch-me. Its I cant believe it, she said. I was in prep just this time last year. And I knew Telluride was a big deal, but I didnt know how much of a big deal. You raise a tiny amount of money. You work on something, you put it out there. Its a gift, and one of the biggest of the thousand miracles so far.
The following interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Its surprising that the book was written in 2001, and it took this long for someone to adapt it. What was your way into adapting it for the screen?
The book was a big hit in 2001, and someone bought the rights then, sat with it, attempted to crack the screenplay [but couldnt]. It is actually a 22-year memoir. My desktop is littered with the drafts that I wrote. I first started by writing the whole thing: the young Bobo, the middle-aged, then the older. Then at one point I gave it to somebody else, and she didnt even know the direction to go in. Then I gave it to Alexandra. I adore her writing, but she went completely off on a tangent. And so I said, Alexandra, I love you. But Im going to take it. And shes like, Go for it. So I isolated myself and chose one window through the childs eyes. That was the thing that made it work. I borrow heavily from the book as Alexandra writes dialogue very well. Like when Bobo is younger, she would say, I can fire you if I want [to Sarah]. That was Alexandra.
Im worried because Alexandra hasnt seen the film yet. She will in the next couple of days. I dont want to give away what I did with the ending to anybody, but she could hate [the ending]. I completely reshaped it.
What was it like to reconcile with your childhood through making this film?
Its super painful in some ways. I left South Africa [about] 35 years ago. And I would only go back to visit family. But you carry [your childhood], right? My family moved to Africa, but my father stayed behind, still lecturing in the States. My mother got very ill. My little sister was sick. I just remember bells rang at school. South Africa was in a military state. There are moments in our life, especially in childhood, where you are snapped, like your DNA gets affected by something. Then you come back to it 35 years later, and that DNA starts to light up like a cat scan.
Something in me started to recognize the things that I thought and felt as a child. Ive always been fascinated by the stories from childrens point of view. Its why I think Empire of the Sun had such an impact on me. That little boy, somewhat neglected That was my experience, with racial tension, with massive amounts of violence. You would see things as a child, people beaten up, thrown in the back of a police van. I remember walking home from school in the early days after getting there and seeing very violent arrests take place.
And then I come back and see South Africa so changed. Its more integrated in many ways than America is. But the blueprint of it all were laid down, [like it was in] Zimbabwe. What happens when you get back the inheritance of whats been spoiled and taken? Now the whole organism is something thats been deformed because of colonialism.
I had to act out all those [racist] scenes in front of my largely Black crew and be that woman that says racist stuff. I love my assistant director so much. Hes a Zulu man, Thabani Gigaba. I do this terrible scene, we called cut, and he was so funny he went like this [shows middle finger and laughs]. And I said, Im sorry, Im so sorry. I was devastated after some of those days. Its stuff that I saw as a child and I was white. In some way, you are white, you are complicit, you just are. So Im trying to exorcise something out of my soul. Its largely Alexandras story, I dont want to overlap and step on [her] toes. But I wove in a ton of things that were my own.
On that note of hard shooting days, and the difficult topics you depict like racism, sexual assault, alcoholism how did you make everyone, especially the children, feel safe in the moment?
I talked to the kids a lot. I explained a lot, because they live in a different world. Their friends are Black, theyre in integrated schools. They are very mature, smart children. I would say to Lexi, Listen, this isnt me. You know, this is how it used to be here. And were going to show that.
With that fight under the table between the parents, I had two cameras on her, and I didnt tell her what was about to happen. I said, They get into an argument, but I just ran the camera. She didnt know it was going to be this knockdown and drag-out fight. If you ever watch her face in it, she is looking, then looking away and then looking. I got it in one take. I didnt tell her what was coming with the racist stuff. And she wasnt on set when that big explosion takes place. I turned the camera around and put her there, and did a very toned down version of it.
Lexi Venter gives one of the best performances at Telluride this year. How did you find her?
I knew instinctively that I needed a child whos never acted before, once I saw the first few kids the casting director brought in. They were overacting. The kids watch too much TV. Theyre on their phones and tablets all the time, so they see nonsense. Theyre not watching great film performances by Jodie Foster or Christian Bale. So then I went with a casting director that casts for a child reality show. And I said, I need a wild, untrained, feral, spontaneous creature. Nobody was close to Lexi; I knew it immediately. She was licking her thumb that had been injured on a piece of pipe that her brother had left out in the sun. The minute I saw her face complaining about her brother, I was like, That kid. And then I met her at her familys house. And she has this very feral existence. And the little dog [in the movie], the one she ties the thing around her head, is her dog.
What about the rest of the cast? Did they and Lexi have some time to spend with each other?
Spielberg taught me this: Casting is everything. I saw Zikhona Bali and [noticed] the serenity of her. Shes like a glass of cold water, unflappable. Her aura is amazing. She was beautiful with the child, and I knew it. And shes never acting. She just simply says a line. Fumani N. Shilubana has this stature, this beautiful voice. I gave them the kinds of notes I wished Id been given as an actor. I just said, You are the keeper of the land. You have no racial resentment to play. You stand in your power as the man whose ancestors came from this land. They didnt get as many close-ups as I wouldve liked to have given them. God, I wish I just had had more time. But I think I had enough.
Youve mentioned giving them the kinds of notes you wish you were given. What else did you bring from your acting career to the directors chair? Youre obviously able to speak an actors language, and anticipate what they need.
Yes, thats the gift. I was talking about this with these amazing student fellows who come here to Telluride. I just said, For any of you guys in the room that are directors, cinematographers, writers, you have got to nurture actors and make their imaginations alive. Give them the space, give them a secret right before you do a take. And careful how you give direction, how you break them down. Give each actor with even the smallest part some little nugget that they can bring to life because then they wont be bored. Dont leave them standing around very long, especially children. Keep them occupied. For [my film], we had no money. But I took my own credit card and created a room for the kids. I bought coloring stuff, big rolls of paper. So the kids were drawing and playing.
So these are the things I learned. Dont hem [the actors] in. Dont make something super technical because its so draining. There are directors Ive worked with that make you do a thousand takes. I did as few takes as possible, as the kids would just get tired. So I had to adjust to getting in very tight with the camera very quickly.
What was the toughest day you had on set? Theres this saying that you shouldnt make movies with animals, with children, or with water. And you checked two out of those three boxes.
[Laughs] My God. In some way, the toughest day was when we were shooting the group shots with the adults because I was trying to cover that room from the childs point of view. But I also had really important things in the dialogue that I needed to get in. Like, The election results come out tomorrow. And, They just left the bodies there, and the dogs ate them. I wanted to hear these snippets and the camera needed to move. I did something where I actually wanted the children running through it to lead the camera. It was a nightmare because the children had never done it before. And then I had this complicated Steadicam. In the end, I cut all of that stuff, used some voiceover and snippets. I watched Jason Reitmans film [Saturday Night] last night, and I was just like, Jason, how did you do that?
Right, its incredible.
It is incredible. Were friends and I said, I dont want you to go and see my movie now. And he was like, Fuck off. And I said, No, I dont want you to. Because I plodded along with a little camera. What he did, I couldnt even conceive of doing something like that. So I need to learn as a director how to manage something that massive. In a weird way, as a first-time director, shooting something on such an intimate scale, seeing the magic of a dirty foot and a hand, or pills on a side table, or the color of the alcohol, thats a world I can get. But wow. Something moving and massive like that, I could never do.
Youve so rightly said earlier, If youre white, youre complicit. And that is something were seeing every day in every country. Are you hoping to encourage that conversation with your film?
Someone might ask, What do you do this for? What do you want to show this child for? I want to show what children see. What are the kids in Gaza seeing every day? What is imprinted? The way I sat in that moment in time was seared into my cells, my DNA. And when the child that leaves, what do they go off with into the world? I hope that people [consider] what a child is seeing with any violence, any act of oppression, even internally in a home. I didnt want my parents to be fighting, so thats on the micro level. On the macro level, look what war does to kids.
Dont Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight premieres Friday, September 6 at the Toronto International Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.
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In 1970s France, the trial of Pierre Goldman was known as The Trial of the Century. Goldman was charged in April 1970 with four armed attacks, one of which led to the death of two pharmacists. Sentenced to life imprisonment in December 1974, Goldman insists he is innocent of the murders. In November 1975, the appeals court transfers the case to the Amiens Criminal Court where Goldman is retried for his crimes.
The Goldman Case is director/cowriter Cedric Kahns gripping, dramatized recounting of the trial and filmed almost entirely in the courtroom. As witnesses testify, Goldman speaks out, his supporters react, and the accuseds lawyers try to mount a defense for their client. The case is as fascinating as Goldmans character. He was a Polish Jew, born in France, who became a revolutionary and spent time in Venezuela. He was assassinated in 1979 in conditions that remain unclear.
Kahns film portrays Goldman as a man who wants the facts of the case to prove his innocence. Yet he also refuses to identify someone who can prove his innocence because he does not rat on people, and, he insists, he is innocent of the killings. Goldman also sees himself as a Jewish warrior, and a scapegoat for the crimes. The police are racist and antisemitic and intimidate witnesses who provide contradictory testimony. But Goldmans actions in the courtroom, which include insulting the prosecutions lawyer, cause his attorneys grief, and at one point, cause him to be restrained.
In the title role, Arieh Worthalter delivers a committed performance, with Arthur Harari lending fine support as Goldmans lawyer, Maitre Kiejman. (Harari is no stranger to courtroom drama; he won an Oscar for cowriting Anatomy of a Fall.)
The Goldman Case is riveting as it presents the courtroom proceedings and the verdict and its aftermath. With the assistance of interpreter Nicholas Elliott, Kahn spoke with Salon about Goldman and his trial.
How did you learn of the Goldman case and what interested you about this particular trial?
My first encounter was reading Goldmans autobiography. I was very interested in the character and doing a film about justice. I saw the possibility of making a film that was dialectic, where words and speaking were at the center of the film.
Did you have access to transcripts or footage from the case? How did you create the narrative since you imagined this as a dialectic film?
In France, the law forbids filming or photographing trials. We tried to get the transcripts, but they werent granted to us. We recreated the trial using newspaper articles from the time, but since a lot of things were missing from those newspaper articles, we recreated the gaps by making things up. Its a little paradoxical, but we invented by trying as much as we could to maintain the spirit of truth.
The Goldman Case
What can you say about filming The Goldman Case almost entirely in the courtroom? There are little to no private moments.
It is specifically because these private moments would have created subjectivity for the viewer. I wanted the viewer to be in the position of the juror and to be constantly or permanently confronted with the question of truth.
Goldman is shown to be aggressive in the courtroom. He is righteous, he is outspoken, he is rebellious. He is also loyal and refuses to rat on someone who can prove his innocence. He is an activist and a Jewish Warrior. He feels guilt and may be seen by some as a martyr. What did you think of his character?
He is all of those things, but what one has to remember is that he is someone who is trying to save his life because at the time, he still risked the death penalty. I think he was fragile psychologically or borderline, as we say. Goldman had a relationship to truth that was very blurry, like all people who are borderline.
What do you believe he believed?
I believe Goldman believed in his innocence. But your question is a complicated one. I believe he wanted to be a hero. His models were his parents who lived through exceptional circumstances the war; they were resistance fighters who emigrated from Poland. Goldman was someone who came too late. He would have liked to have lived in exceptional circumstances. He would have liked to have had an exceptional life.
That may explain why he went to Venezuela. There is a question of Goldmans past being examined including his political views. A line in the film by one of his lawyers says that you cant understand Pierre Goldman without understanding the impact of his familys past, his personality and his struggles. What did you think of that?
Regarding Venezuela, Goldman himself says that he arrived too late, after Che Guevara had died and after the guerrilla warfare was over. What one has to understand about Goldman is that he was reunited with his mother in the 1960s. He admired her tremendously as a militant and revolutionary. He took her as his model, and it was her that directed him to warfare in South America. Not much happened in Venezuela or, very anodyne things did. He was a long way from revolutionary war. So, in 1969 he returned to France, and became a stickup artist. What is fascinating about Goldman is the gap between his discourse and reality. Thanks to the power of his discourse, of his words, he created a kind of fanaticism around him. The French Left at the time admired him and were his fans. They had no doubt of his innocence.
What did you think of Goldmans behavior in the courtroom? He lashes out against lies and injustice at incredible risk. That is where we see his character.
From my perspective, his defense strategy, is very risky, nearly suicidal. Im quite in agreement with his defense lawyer, Kiejman. Because Goldman politicizes everything. He brings up antisemitism and racism, but he does not deal much with the facts. Kiejman is very rational. There are many moments in the trial when one gets the impression that Goldman wants to be convicted. Actually, he is putting on a show. It seems like it is more important for him to do his show than to be exonerated.
The issues raised about antisemitism, racism, police abuse and intimidation persist today. Is your film showing us how things have not changed? Do we not learn from history?
It is absolutely timely. When we started to write the screenplay, we thought we were making a film about the 1970s. But we realized the political context and French society had not changed that much. It was probably the same context we had during Occupation when a part of French population had collaborated, and a part of the French population resisted. I observe certain deep-seated constants in French society. It is a society that does not change that much.
How does this film fit into your career? Your films, such as Wild Life and A Better Life are critical of society. Why did this film speak to you in this moment?
That is a difficult question. There is always an instinctive aspect in the choices we make about what films to make. This is a film I wanted to make for a long time. But it is a film that stands apart for me because it is the first one that I made with a Jewish subject. I was happy to deal with the subject of Judaism through a character who was subversive. He lived surrounded by Black people who shared the struggle of Jews. He was, in a sense, a marginal Jewish man.
Did you identify with Goldman?
I looked at Goldman with a lot of curiosity as well as a mix of fascination and antipathy, but I did not identify with him. I identified more with Kiejman. For me, the device of using only the trial in the film was a way of keeping a distance from the character. If I had private scenes with him or scenes with him alone, I wouldnt be able to keep this distance from him.
The Goldman Case
How did you work with Ariel in creating Goldmans character?
I did a work session with Ariel before I cast him. He had read the screenplay. He was so convinced and inhabited by the character that right away I trusted him. He worked a lot on his own. He read Goldmans book several times and he really knew the screenplay by heart, so he arrived extremely well prepared. He needed to be isolated on the shoot a lot, and needed a lot of time alone, so, in fact, we did not communicate very much. We created a real courtroom with a real audience that was very reactive. Ariel had to fight for his own innocence in a sense. The only question he asked me before we started shooting is, Do you think he is innocent or guilty? I said, I dont know, but you have to play him with the conviction that he is innocent.
Do you think Goldman was innocent or guilty? Although, it almost doesnt matter.
I never answer that question. But I am convinced of something. I do have a position.
I like that the film forces you to think critically about a man who is a criminal, but you kind of want him to be innocent.
In reality, Goldman was very seductive. That was the power of his allure and his discourse. That is why justice is so hard to deliver. It is a film about justice and truth. What is truth?
And I guess well never know . . .
No, but thats whats interesting. There is a mystery about Goldman before the film, and the film maintains that mystery about him. To this day, there are still many books and articles about Goldman. People are still asking questions about his innocence, and his sincerity. Im not going to tell you because I respect justice and the legal proceedings. But I am very much fascinated and admiring of Goldmans intellectual brilliance. Thats very impressive, but if one is a rational person, the lawyers discourse is far more reassuring.
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What are your thoughts about his assassination?
His assassination is part of his legend. What is interesting about Goldman is that he created his own legend. He created it as he tried to save his life. To this day, we dont know the truth about his assassination. There are many hypotheses, which are, in my view, on the order of mythology. Many people believe that he was murdered by the police, but I dont believe that for a second.
The Goldman Case opens in New York City on Sept. 6, and in Los Angeles on Sept. 13, with a national expansion to follow.
Taiwan-based Andrews Film has picked up international sales rights to drama film Daughters Daughter ahead of its premiere in the Platform section of the Toronto International Film Festival.
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Directed by Huang Xi (Missing Johnny), the film has an impeccable pedigree flowing from its executive producers Hou Hsiao-hsien and Sylvia Chang. Taiwan industry icon, Chang also stars in the picture, alongside Karena Lam and Eugenie Liu (Old Fox).
The film chronicles the journey and the choices made by a 60-year-old woman whose daughter dies in an accident. The older woman discovers that she is responsible for her dead daughters IVF embryo and decides to confront the other daughter she had as a teenager. While past regrets and future responsibilities collide, the film also probes the complexities of reproduction among the LGBT community.
The film is produced by Sun Lok Productions and received project investment from TAICCA on behalf of National Development Fund. Andrews has secured the first sale, to Hong Kongs Edko Film ahead of the films Toronto world premiere.
Other credits go to supporting cast Alannah Ong, Winston Chow and Tracy Chou. The producers are Shao Dongxu and Lu Hsin-li. Yao Hung-I was cinematographer. Sound credits go to Agnes Liu and Chu Shih-yi; music to Kay Huang, Liang Angu and Mukio Chang, film editing Liao Ching-Sung and Jerry Kao with production designer by Hwarng Wern-ying and costume designer by Shirley Kao.
Director Huang has worked closely with Hou since Hous 1996 film Goodbye South, Goodbye. Huangs own work focuses on contemporary urban relations, loneliness and chance. Missing Johnny, his 2017 debut as a solo director, was selected for Busan, Tokyo FILMeX, HK Asian FF and won awards at both the Taipei festival and the Golden Horse Awards. Twisted Strings, his 2022 TV series for HBO, also featured Sylvia Chang. It dissected the humor and absurdity behind death and desire.
Taiwan legalized gay marriage in 2019, making it one of the first jurisdictions in Asia to do so. But complications dont stop there.
Throughout Taiwans journey towards legalizing same-sex marriage, countless stories unfolded. Yet in this process, we see issues extending beyond marriage, which are even more complex and controversial. IVF is one of them, and such reproduction topic applies to a larger population than youd expect, not only confined to LGBT community, said Hwang. I wanted to tell a story relating to this modern topic, from the perspective of a mother, or a woman, or of humanity itself.
Watch the trailer for Daughters Daughter here.
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Presenters at the 2024 VMAs will include TikTok star Addison Rae, Flavor Flav, Big Sean, Busta Rhymes, Halle Bailey, Jordan Chiles, Paris Hilton and many more
Amy Sussman/WireImage, John Nacion/Getty, Kevin Mazur/Getty Halle Bailey; Jordan Chiles; Paris Hilton
The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards is announcing its star-studded list of presenters!
On Friday, Sept. 6, MTV announced that a number of celebs including influencers, musicians, actors, Olympians and more would be stepping out on stage to help the network hand out its awards on Sept. 11 at New York's UBS Arena.
Included in the lineup of award presenters this year are Big Sean, Busta Rhymes, Carson Daly, Cyndi Lauper, TikTok star Addison Rae, Chicken Shop Date host Amelia Dimoldenberg and model Alessandra Ambrosio.
Others include musicians Damiano David of Maneskin, DANNA, DJ Khaled, Lil Nas X, Miranda Lambert, Fat Joe, Flavor Flav and French Montana, plus Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, Naomi Scott, Paris Hilton, Suki Waterhouse, Thalia and Tinashe.
Related: Taylor Swift and Post Malone Lead the 2024 MTV VMAs Nominations See the Full List!
Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Jordan Chiles in Paris in August 2024
The ceremony also announced that outside of its stacked lineup of mainstage performances, up-and-comers Jessie Murph and Teddy Swims would be performing on its Extended Play Stage, and that Nessa, Dometi Pongo and Kevan Kenney would be hosting the pre-show which will also feature a special performance by LE SSERAFIM.
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In August, the network also announced that Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Camila Cabello, GloRilla and Rauw Alejandro would be performing live at the ceremony, marking a debut for all of the performers aside from Cabello. Just last week, Anitta, Karol G, LL Cool J, Halsey, Lenny Kravitz, Lisa, Benson Boone and Shawn Mendes were also added to the performance lineup.
Roan, Carpenter, Cabello and more of the performers are also nominated for a host of awards at this year's VMAs. Of each of the performers, Carpenter leads the pack at six nominations, which include her going up against the likes of Bad Bunny and Taylor Swift for artist of the year and song of the year for her Top 40 hit "Espresso."
Related: Anitta, Karol G, LL Cool J and Shawn Mendes to Join Star-Studded Performers Lineup at 2024 MTV VMAs (Exclusive)
John Shearer/Getty Images Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter attend the MTV VMAs in New Jersey in September 2023
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However, she didn't take home the most nominations overall that goes to Swift, who has 10 total nods including video of the year and best pop artist, Her "Fortnight" collaborator Post Malone, follows close behind her with nine nominations, including best collaboration for his work with Morgan Wallen on their country track I Had Some Help."
Roan is up for best new artist as well as an MTV Push performance of the year nod along with GloRilla. This year's ceremony also features 29 first-time nominees, including Carpenter, Roan, Alejandro, Tyla, Jelly Roll, Sexxy Red, Victoria Monet and more.
Fans can vote for their favorite artists at vote.mtv.com through Friday, Aug. 30. The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
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Pamela Anderson attends the premiere of "The Last Showgirl" during the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
TORONTO (AP) The Toronto International Film Festival has played host to many comeback stories over the years. Brendan Fraser was cheered here two years ago for his performance in The Whale. This year's unlikely comeback story might be Pamela Anderson.
On Friday, Gia Coppola premiered her film The Last Showgirl, an indie drama starring Anderson as an aging Las Vegas showgirl. Shelley (Anderson) is the long-running star of casino dance show of scantily clad, feather-adorned women that has seen better days. With attendance dwindling, the show's stage manager (Dave Bautista) announces they will soon give their last performance, leaving Shelley who believes sincerely in the show pondering her choices.
The film, which is for sale in Toronto, drew mixed reviews but warm applause for the 57-year-old Anderson.
Ive been getting ready my whole life for this role, Anderson told the crowd at the Princess of Wales Theatre following the premiere.
For Anderson, whose most notable credits include Baywatch and Borat," the festival acclaim was a novel experience. Even just getting a script like The Last Showgirl was something new for her.
It's the first time I've read a good script, first of all. I've never had a script come to me that was coherent, said Anderson. I was like: I'm the only one that can do this. I've never felt that strongly about something.
The Last Showgirl" extends a run of good fortune for the former Playboy Playmate that includes her 2023 memoir Love, Pamela and the Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary Pamela, A Love Story." It also shares some of the same themes as another TIFF entry, the body horror film The Substance." That film, starring Demi Moore, likewise grapples with agism for female entertainers.
Jamie Lee Curtis, who co-stars as a very bronze casino waitress in The Last Showgirl, got emotional discussing her character.
I'm just a product of that same reality, said Curtis. You know who Annette is. Every single one of you know an Annette. It's a movie about dreams and going after your dreams. But of course, the dreams become a really (expletive) harsh reality. And for women, it's a really harsh reality that men don't have as much.
Curtis then added, with a grin, And a spray tan helps.
BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council on Friday announced the appointment and removal of several officials.
Lin Tao was appointed deputy secretary-general of the State Council, replacing Guo Wei.
Liu Bin was appointed assistant minister of foreign affairs.
Qiao Yueshan was appointed deputy head of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
Chen Xinfa was appointed deputy head of the China Academy of Engineering Physics.
Argentine auteur Paula Hernandez, helmer of The Sleepwalkers and Las siamesas, is attached to direct and co-write project series Duarte. Evita behind the Icon, produced by Buenos Aires-based powerhouse Kapow, the associate producer on Fabula-Fremantle hit drama La Jauria.
In development, and scheduled for a 2025 second-half shoot, Duarte is structured as a 5 episode, 60 minute series, based on the early youth of legendary Eva Duarte better known as Evita the second wife of Argentine president Juan Domingo Peron.
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Duarte is one of the projects participating at the 2024 Co-Production and Financing Forum, taking place Oct. 1-2 in Madrid, as part of the fourth edition of Iberseries & Platino Industria event.
Produced by Kapow co-founders Agustin Sacanell, Lucas Rainelli and Diego Ventura, the companys head of scripted development, the series aims to be a journey through Duartes personal story and, at the same time, through Argentina during those years which, just like Eva, undergoes a full transformation.
The script is written by Hernandez alongside Leonel DAgostino, a scribe on La Jauria, and Pablo Giorgelli, the director and co-writer of Las Acacias, a Cannes Camera dOr best first feature winner.
Hernandez has directed seven features to date, all of which have been presented at major festivals. Sleepwalkers, a drama on a ritualistic, matriarchal and inward-looking family, world premiered at Toronto, won best film and screenplay in Havana, and was Argentinas 2020 Oscar submission. Her road movie Las siamesas earned a nomination for the 2022 Goya Awards for best Ibero-American film.
Today, it seems like talking about women and men (deconstructing women and men) is politically the right thing to do. Feminism, parity of rights and patriarchy seem to be the buzzwords that exponentially replicate like thunder, said Kapows Ventura.
He added: In this conjuncture, its interesting to go back in time and give some thought to the pursuit of rights for women over the course of time (many times, without calling themselves feminists) personified in the figure of Eva Duarte.
Duarte seeks to address many of these aspects from an intimate world. These wont be narrated as a flag of the causes, but rather as the genuine seed of a woman who never lost sight of her origins in order to build her own identity according to her drives and convictions and, at the same time, to build a universe for a crowd who would believe in many of her ideals, he commented.
For Duarte, Kapow is closing a co-production deal with two relevant industry players; a major English distributor and a Spanish production company to finalise this project, Ventura unveiled.
A production company launched in 2003 to develop content with global reach, Kapows standout productions also include 2016s Estocolmo, Argentinas first Netflix series, 2020-22 Amazon Original series The President, focusing first on the FIFA Gate scandal, and Argentinas TV Publicas widely-popular cooking show Argentine Cooks.
We have an associative spirit and are always looking for potential partners to strengthen our projects, Ventura explained.
For some time now, we have been moving towards an associative model, bringing players together and being able to set up the business before going to a platform, managing to retain IP, he concluded.
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After becoming the first Singaporean filmmaker to win Locarnos Golden Leopard for A Land Imagined, Yeo Siew Hua will break new ground again with mystery thriller Stranger Eyes, which is the first Singapore film to premiere in-competition at the Venice Film Festival.
The Singapore-Taiwan-France-U.S. co-production stars a Taiwanese ensemble cast featuring legendary actor-director Lee Kang-Sheng, Wu Chien-Ho, Annica Panna and Vera Chen. Malaysian actor Pete Teo and Singaporean actress Xenia Tan also appear in the film.
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Yeo conceived the Stranger Eyes project more than 10 years ago but he and Akanga Film Asias veteran producer Fran Borgia hit several dead ends with funding.
We decided that we were going to try something else and pitch different projects, so thats how A Land Imagined came about, Yeo told Deadline.
A Land Imagined, Yeos second feature, also went on to clinch Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Film Score at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Awards in 2019.
After A Land Imagined garnered success, we decided to re-look at Stranger Eyes, said Yeo. Funding came a lot easier this time around and Yeo began workshopping Stranger Eyes at several labs from 2016 to 2022, including the Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab, Produire au Sud and Nipkow Programm.
Besides Borgia, Stefano Centini (Volos Films), Jean-Laurent Csinidis (Films de Force Majeure) and Alex C. Lo (Cinema Inutile) also joined the project as producers.
Surveillance and image
Stranger Eyes follows a young couple who receives strange videos while investigating the mysterious disappearance of their baby daughter. They realize that someone has been filming their daily life, including their most intimate moments. The police sets up surveillance around their home to catch the voyeur, but tensions within the family rise as secrets unravel under the scrutiny of eyes watching them from all sides.
Revisiting Stranger Eyes after a decade, Yeo made significant re-writes to the film, especially to reflect how the discourse on surveillance has changed since the pandemic. Stranger Eyes was shot in both Singapore and Malaysia.
We are already [in] sort of a surveillance state, but across the pandemic, something shifted. We stopped talking about encroachments on privacy to something different, to how self-surveillance is a moral responsibility during the pandemic, said Yeo. Were no longer even questioning whether we are being watched. Instead, were talking about how to co-exist with being watched by the state, by big corporates and by each other.
Yeo added that it was important that his films characters lived in Singapores public housing flats (referred to as HDB flats), ubiquitous across the island-state.
Something of this film came about through living in an HDB, an apartment where you are watching your neighbors constantly and your neighbors are probably watching back at you, and at the same time, knowing that the state is watching you watch someone else. There is this game of watching each other, and I was thinking about how I can translate this into film through a play of subjectivities and through the change of perspectives.
The Singaporean director also pointed out that he was very interested in examining the role of images and screens within screens in the film as well.
Cinema loves the voyeur, because we get glimpses into other peoples lives, said Yeo. Ive been thinking about what being an image means in the time that we live in now, where were increasingly becoming images for others to see and where images have become such an important part of our own identities. The image has sort of become even more real than who we are sometimes.
International collaborators
With TAICCAs support, Yeo also managed to cast several top Taiwanese actors in Stranger Eyes, including Lee Kang-sheng, a mainstay in Tsai Ming-liangs oeuvre of films for over 30 years.
Yeo said that Lees acting style was a perfect fit for the role of Lao Wu, a silent voyeur in Stranger Eyes. Lees body of work has been very sparse in dialog, so he has a real mastery in his body language. Hes really good at using the power of his gaze and the way he moves, said Yeo. He is a very humble and quiet person and he really thinks about his role and his characters. He was spot on and there was not a moment that I was disappointed, in getting to work with with my heroes.
Yeo also worked with French editor Jean-Christophe Bouzy, who worked on Palme dOr-winner Titane, as well as sound editor Tu Duu-Chih.
Tu is well-known for his work on films by Tsai Ming-liang, Wong Kar-wai, Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-hsien.
He was involved in everybodys films and still going, so it was very exciting for me to be able to work with someone with that kind of experience, said Yeo. When were talking about perspectives and subjectivities, you see it visually, but there is also a lot going on in the way we designed the sound to present this and bring out these elements.
While Yeo acknowledge that it was exciting and refreshing to work with new international collaborators, he also made sure to continue working with several of his regular partners, including cinematographer Hideho Urata (A Land Imagined, Japans Plan 75) as well as production designer James Page and costume designer Meredith Lee.
Its always great to work with new configurations of collaborators, but at the same time, I also made sure to work with some of my regulars. It was very comforting and grounding to work with the team that I was already familiar with.
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Reddit user FragmentedTungsten recently asked the AskReddit community, "What is the most out-of-pocket thing your doctor has said to you?" We shared some of the most jaw-dropping replies in a post, then received dozens of comments and submissions from BuzzFeed Community users who also had strange, uncomfortable encounters at the doctor.
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Jobs in healthcare are often grueling, tiresome, and thankless. The bright, courageous folks carrying out those jobs are true heroes. That being said, there are still individuals within the field whose judgment is clouded by ego, biases, and other harmful factors. Here are some doctors who did not treat their patients with the consideration and care they absolutely should have:
1."Years ago, I was having extreme pain during intercourse. I told my OB-GYN that my husband and I hadn't had sexual relations in several months. His response was, 'I'll bet you're horny.' No, I'm in PAIN! Dropped him as my doctor immediately!"
Anonymous
2."My ex-husband and I went to the same doctor. I loved this doctor until the day he sent my husband home with a joke 'prescription' (actually written on his prescription pad) for me to cook more and have more sex. I was done with that doctor at that moment."
kathernelson1
Stevecoleimages / Getty Images
3."I went to see a new doctor because I was having mobility problems in both legs and couldn't even bend them very far. The doctor immediately replied, 'Really? Because I can do THIS!' and proceeded to do a full rep of deep squats like she was in a workout video. Nice."
Anonymous
4."I recently met with a neurosurgeon about options for a weird, complicated condition I have. I take handfuls of medication every day, and I would prefer not to; the drugs make me feel awful, and I have moderate kidney impairment. The doctor looked at me and said, 'So, you take a lot of medicine? Big deal. You'll probably have to take a lot more medicine. You're working outside the home, and you're living your life. What more do you want?' I sat in stunned silence as he walked out."
aakia
Tetra Images / Getty Images/Tetra images RF
5."I was 19 and experiencing some issues with my period. While at the appointment, I asked about getting a pap smear as I hadn't ever had one. The doctor said, 'Fat girls don't need pap smears.'"
Anonymous
6."I was seeing a psychiatrist for depression and anxiety. She had a really fancy office right in downtown Chicago, so I figured she was good at what she did. During one of my sessions, she turned her computer around and started showing me pictures of her vacation home's interior. I was literally paying for her to show me pictures of her vacation home on her laptop."
Anonymous
Fiordaliso / Getty Images
7."I was trying to get my tubes tied at 26. I had already had one child and knew I didn't want any more. I was also divorced. After expounding on the possible side effects of the surgery, the OB-GYN (a guy who was too old to be practicing) said patronizingly, 'You do realize that this surgery will SIGNIFICANTLY reduce your chances of ever finding a husband again.'"
Anonymous
8."The male gynecologist who put in my second IUD gave the string what he called 'the husband snip' and cut it extra short. I had to get a specialist to remove it with some special tools when I later went to replace it, and she said she had never seen a string cut that short before."
Anonymous
Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images
9."When I was 19 (in the year 2000), I went to see my GP for (what I now know to be) anxiety and panic attacks. She gave me a church pamphlet and recommended I find God. I was having such bad panic attacks I ended up dropping out of university, and it took a couple of years for me to go back. My mental health issues went undiagnosed for another five years and untreated for more than a decade as a result. Thankfully, the approach to mental health has significantly changed since then!"
Anonymous
10."I took my dad to the GP because he was showing signs of dementia. She asked him to touch his toes (which he did, as he was physically fit), then said, 'I bet you can't do that. He's fine.' The second opinion we got was vascular dementia, which he died from."
phoenixpink
Sdi Productions / Getty Images
11."My mother was pregnant with me when she saw a different OB-GYN, as is standard when you're early into your pregnancy. This man said to her, while she was with my sister, who was 2 at the time, 'Most husbands prefer a tight vagina.' My mother called and demanded not to see him again. She only saw another OB-GYN the day I was born."
Anonymous
12."Several months after a partial knee replacement (with very little pain and a fast recovery), I started having serious pain on the other side of the same knee. I went back to the surgeon, who took an X-ray and, after a brief exam, told me, 'Well, the scar looks great. The cement is still holding the replacement. Some people just feel more pain than others. Suck it up.' After many weeks of awful pain, I got into a new doctor who took an MRI and told me I'd torn my meniscus on the other side of the knee, probably from PT!! Yay! More surgery!!"
Anonymous
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13."I was getting a breast exam, and while he was in the middle of the exam, he asked, 'Are you one of Hugh's girls?' referring to Hugh Hefner. I never went back to that doctor."
Anonymous
14."I went to get a referral to therapy/a psychologist to go on anti-depressants/anti-anxiety meds after being bullied at work for four years. The doctor said, 'Go for a walk, drink some water, get a good night's sleep, and come back to me next week. You're just having a bad day.' I returned the next week, and he asked, 'Why are you here?' I reminded him of the previous week's appointment, and he responded, 'You don't look depressed or anxious.' I was sitting in his office crying and shaking from a panic attack. I left the appointment and requested an appointment with another doctor immediately. My new doctor gave me recommendations for three therapists and prescribed an SSRI."
Anonymous
Zeynepkaya / Getty Images
15."It was one of my first-ever gynecological exams. The male doctor walked in, told me to get in the stirrups, and said emphatically, 'Best one I've seen all day.' I now have a female gyno."
Anonymous
16."While delivering my first (nine-pound) baby, the hospitalist OB tried to use suction and then had to use forceps to deliver. I did not have an epidural. The forceps damaged my insides, and I bled a lot so much that she very casually stated, 'Wow. I've never had to call someone in to mop up blood off the floor before the baby's even out!' She said that with the forceps still inside me. Then, when the baby was out and I was getting stitched up, my husband asked how many stitches she'd done, and she replied, 'Oh, I dunno. I lost count.'"
rgmartin1981
Serrnovik / Getty Images
17."I was recently diagnosed with cancer in my kidney. This was totally unexpected, so I was still processing it and my treatment options with the doctor assigned to me in the hospital. Throughout a few visits, I asked the doctor the same question twice to make sure I understood what she said. Her response: 'You already asked me that before. I think the cancer may have gone to your brain.' She also told me I had six months to live, would not discuss any treatment options other than what she wanted, and discouraged a second opinion. I changed healthcare systems, am delighted with my current oncologist, and am doing well seven months after the first doctor said I should be dead."
Anonymous
18."I had just had an endoscopy and was told to eat only soft food the rest of the day. I told the doctor, 'Yay, chocolate pudding and milkshakes!' He replied, 'No, if you eat that stuff, youll get fat, and your husband wont want to have sex with you anymore.' WTAF?"
Anonymous
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19."During my first marriage, we were trying to get pregnant, and I had several miscarriages. I also had hyperemesis gravidarum each time and would be throwing up continuously for several weeks, with no real solutions beyond repeated admissions for fluids. Discussing the need for yet another D&C for another miscarriage, my OB at the time looked me in the eye and said, 'I'm thinking you don't really want to be pregnant.' Never saw him again."
Anonymous
20."When I was 15, I began feeling a lot of seemingly random pain in my joints and arms. Our family doctor suspected fibromyalgia and directed me to a neurologist. The man was extremely dry and barely looked at me while conducting a bunch of strength and movement tests, but I didn't care. I just wanted him to make the pain stop. He finished the tests, sat behind his desk, looked at my mom, and said: 'Where's this girl's father?' My mom said: 'We've been divorced since she was a baby.' Then the doctor said: 'This is not a health problem. She's just missing her father.'"
"My mom and I were speechless. We left his office and never came back. Even our family doctor got very angry on our behalf. You don't dismiss a patient's pain without a more thorough investigation. Even if he asked all the right questions about my life and decided I had mental health issues related to my family situation, he should have referred me to see a therapist and maybe a psychiatrist. That's what the family medicine doctor said. More than a decade later, I was diagnosed with autism, and I was told the chronic pain was related to the neurological differences in my brain. The autism diagnosis is also something that the neurologist missed because he didn't do a proper investigation."
inog
Luis Alvarez / Getty Images
21."Many years ago, I went to see a new gyno. I was working overnights at the time. The day prior, I woke up early and had a busy day. I couldn't take a nap before my shift that night, and my appointment was a few hours after my shift ended, so I was awake for about 30 hours when I went in. Of course, I was dog-tired and just trying to get through the exam to go home and sleep. Homeboy had the audacity to tell me, 'You seem like you have a 'blah' personality.' Excuse me? I was trying not to fall asleep on this table. I wasn't there for conversation. Then, when I tried to talk to him about an issue I was having, he said he wasn't even going to address it until I quit smoking. Needless to say, that was the only time I saw him."
bloobeebloobeeblooblooblooo
22."'You do realize postnatal depression isn't actually real? It's normal for women to be a bit tired.' I reported the guy HARD!!!"
goldenmoon51
Kieferpix / Getty Images
23."When I went to the OB-GYN for an IUD replacement, the doc asked if I have children; I said I'm childfree. Then, he tried to convince me to get pregnant because, in his words, 'bearing children is a woman's fate.' He had already taken my IUD out of my uterus but waited a sweet while until I stood firm with my childfree stance to put the new one in."
velvetviolet
24.And: "I had one OB-GYN who asked me who I was voting for in the middle of a pap smear (this was 2016). The same guy also asked me to show my Apple watch to the medical student observing my appointment during my breast exam. He also said it was surprising someone like me (??) wasn't pregnant yet. I was 22 at the time. Needless to say, I have not been back."
thewaywarddaughter
Have you ever had an uncomfortable or invalidating experience with a doctor? Tell us your story in the comments or submit it anonymously using this form.
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
This Country Was Named the Best Place to Retire in Southeast Asia for Health Care, Housing, and Cost of Living
Thailand also boasts over a thousand picture-perfect islands.
R.M. Nunes/Getty Images
Retiring abroad is becoming a reality for more and more Americans. Whether seeking a more affordable lifestyle or just a new adventure, the number of retirees receiving their social security checks abroad has more than doubled since 2008 to 760,000 in 2022. And while some opt to relocate to a European country like Spain or Portugal, others focus on far-flung locales like Southeast Asia. If this sounds like you, consider spending your golden years in Thailand.
The country was recently named the best for U.S. expats to retire in the region, and the 16th best overall by Global Citizen Solutions (GCS). The company ranked countries in three categories: quality of life, acceptance and integration, and economics. Thailand was second in the economics category and seventh for overall quality of life. GCS compared consumer prices in Bangkok and New York City, and pointed out that the cost of living in the Big Apple is 149 percent higher than in the Thai capital.
"Rent is notably steeper in New York, at 503.5 percent higher than in Bangkok. Restaurant prices also show a substantial difference, being 420.1 percent more expensive in New York compared to Bangkok. Grocery items follow this trend, costing 122.1 percent more in New York," GCS's report states. The company also pointed out that rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Bangkok costs, on average, $615.35.
Another benefit of relocating to Thailand is that retirees get access to one of the world's best and most effective health care systems. The Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited 62 hospitals in the country, the fourth-most in the world. JCI is a non-governmental organization that measures best practices in patient care and safety globally. GCS noted that procedures like "MRIs, hip replacements, and dental services are offered at a fraction of the cost found in Western countries."
As part of the application process for a non-immigrant visa "O-A" granted to people 50 or older the most popular type among retirees the country now requires proof of health insurance with a minimum coverage of $100,000.
"The cost of living in Thailand is significantly lower than in many Western countries, allowing retirees to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle and stretch their pensions further. Additionally, Thailand's favorable tax regime exempts foreign-sourced income from local taxation if not remitted within the same year, which is particularly beneficial for retirees who receive their pensions from abroad," Laura Madrid, leader of GCS' research team within the Global Intelligence Unit, told Travel + Leisure.
Of course, a significant draw for seniors is Thailand's weather, delicious food, and many islands, which offer white-sand beaches, lush views, and a laid-back lifestyle. "The allure of Thailand is also tied to its rich cultural heritage and stunning natural landscapes, providing retirees with numerous opportunities for exploration and enjoyment," Madrid added.
The country's lowest scores on GCS's report are in English proficiency (the company states that Thailand was 101st out of 113 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index) and Migrants Acceptance sub-categories. Its security score was in the mid-range as its Global Peace Index score is 92nd out of 163 countries.
Malaysia is the only other Southeast Asian country on Global Citizen Solutions's ranking of best countries to retire. You can see the complete list on globalcitizensolutions.com.
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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
For a week each February, Velaa Private Island in the Maldives is transformed into a cultural hub. In addition to pristine beaches, an impressive wine cellar, and a village dedicated to wellness treatments; Velaa adds Heaven on Earth, a world-class ballet event, to its roster of amenities. A 47-villa resort on Noonu Atoll, Velaa already offers plenty of activities to keep even the most Type A of us occupied, but an evening of tutus and plies may not have been the most obvious item on the calendar of events.
When it was first launched in 2021, Velaa partnered with principal dancer Julian Mackay, the first American to complete the lower and upper schools at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, for a pandemic-era pivot. He was also able to convince some of the best ballerinas globally to come to the Maldives for an experimental performance, says Lisa Jakobsson, Velaas director of public relations. It was an exciting new concept that we hadnt explored before.
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Velaa Private Island in the Maldives
It was a hit. And Velaas been staging a weeklong celebration of ballet every February since, luring the likes of Alena Kovaleva from the Bolshoi Ballet, Christine Shevchenko from the American Ballet Theater, and renowned dancer Boris Zhurilov to the Indian Ocean. The intimate setup, where your proximity to big-name ballerinas can almost make you feel like theyre dancing in your living room, has made Ballet Week one of Velaas marquee activations. (The resort hosts a slew of themed events during peak season, including Novembers Gastronomy Month where a small army of chefs with Michelin-starred restaurants cook on the island.)
Resorts recognize that todays travelers are increasingly interested in adding more to their vacations. Yes, they love to indulge in poolsize cocktails and spend hours in the spa, but guests are also looking for opportunities to engage with the local culture, art, and community, says Peter Roth, regional vice president of Madinat Jumeirah, the 100-acre Dubai resort where Art Dubai unfolds every March. By offering such unique events, we meet this demand and position our resort as a destination that offers the best of both worlds: luxury relaxation and cultural enrichment.
Art Dubai at Madinat Jumeirah
During Art Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah becomes a hotbed for creativity; a variety of installations, exhibitions, and creative displays lure nearly 35,000 visitors (from serious art collectors to families looking for something to do) to the resort. In fact, as hotels and resorts all over the world continue to invest in their artsy bona fides, hosting glitzy art events is becoming more common: Scorpios, in both Mykonos and Bodrum, launched Encounters last year as did Baha Mar with Fuze Art Fair, which aims to celebrate Caribbean art during its October event. These may not be as large-scale as 20-year-old Art Dubai, but theyre proving to be just as alluring: Scorpios Encounters, which allows attendees to access pieces before they go on sale, secured a performance from Chinese-Canadian AI artist Sougwen Chung at the Bodrum property this month.
Like with Heaven on Earth in the Maldives, performance-based initiatives are proving to be quite the draw, too. Mallorcas tony Cap Rocat has been staging its own classical music event called Festival Cap Rocat since 2021. Last month, opera superstars Jonas Kaufmann and Sondra Radvanovsky performed Puccini, Mascagni, and Leoncavallo.
Pangkor Lauts Opera in Paradise
Newer still is Pangkor Lauts Opera in Paradise, which the luxury Malaysian island resort introduced last October with a weekend of world-class performances from the likes of Pavarotti-collaborator Andrea Griminelli and Michael Austin, one of the very few African-American tenors to play the role of Othello. Griminelli will return to Pangkor Laut for the events 2024 edition next month, where he will be joined by Cathy-Di Zhang, and John Longmuir, Laura Wright, who once sang for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The lush, tropical setting provided by a Southeast Asian island may not be the most obvious place to hear the rising scales of an aria, but according to Dato Mark Yeoh, the executive director of YTL Hotels, Opera in Paradise transforms the resort, adding an uplifting aura to the weekend. The presence of opera attendees has introduced a distinct vibrancy throughout the property, he adds.
And perhaps thats what makes these events so popular right now: it adds an unmistakable buzz to a resort that might otherwise be a little too relaxing.
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Peter Greenberg travels the world, reporting on Hidden Gems in places like Ireland, Saudi Arabia and now South Mississippi.
Americas Hidden Coast: Mississippi is the first time Greenberg, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and producer, has this produced this travel show in the United States.
A sneak peek was presented Wednesday at the Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, where the audience got to see the stunning photography and hear the captivating stories from Coast natives.
It can intrigue people, said Greg Haney, chairman of the Mississippi House Tourism Committee, after watching the hour-long show that takes viewers out on the water, to the barrier islands, to a ghost town, a sunken island and a turtle rescue.
The show will broadcast at 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9 on Mississippi PBS television.
It then will roll out to a potential audience of close to 103 million viewers on other Public Broadcasting stations, Amazon Prime and Apple TV, he said.
Its the first U.S. destination featured
Greenberg already was familiar with South Mississippi, when he met Patricia Meagher, director of communications at Coastal Mississippi tourist promotion agency, who suggested he feature the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
In 1972, he got a job reporting for Newsweek magazine, driving from Houston to Mississippi in his orange VW bus.
Coming to Mississippi for the first time back then, It was all hidden to me. And I knew it was hidden to my audience, he said.
He thought about Meaghers request for a Hidden Gems show and said, You know what? Weve never done one in the United States. Lets do the first one in Mississippi.
Travel reporter Peter Greenberg has been to Greece and most other countries around the world and this week is in South Mississippi filming an episode of Hidden Gems for PBS.
He now has several travel shows on radio and television. For these Hidden shows, the premise is: No gift shop, no tour bus, no brochures, no guidebooks, no Trip Advisor stickers. Were taking you the audience to the most amazing experiences that nobody knows about, but theyre all accessible to them.
It shows the character of the Coast, said Judy Young, executive director of Coastal Mississippi, and is a great jumping off point for future projects on the characters of the Coast.
What viewers will see
The local audience knows about many of the places on the show. The national and international audience does not, he said
Local viewers may be unhappy that while Greenberg says there are 12 cities on the Coast, he doesnt feature them all.
I do not promote tourism. Thats not my job, he said. His job, he said, is to present information to people so they can make informed and intelligent decisions about where they want to go and what they want to do.
So he takes the audience to the days of Hurricane Katrina, when Nikki Moon was forced to hold on to a tree to stay alive.
Among his other features are:
He goes out onto the sand with Harrison County Supervisor Rebecca Powers, where he drove one of the the sand cleaning machines that groom all 26 miles of beach every day.
At Ocean Adventures Marine Park in Gulfport, he learns about the rehabilitation of dolphins and sea turtles, and meets Tofu, a turtle that was cared for and released back into the Gulf minus his back flipper.
He learns to deal blackjack at a Coast casino, took a sunrise sail on a Biloxi schooner and played How Great is Our God, on the organ at 100 Men Hall in Bay St. Louis, saying he felt the history of legendary musicians like B.B. King and Ray Charles, who had taken that stage before him.
Exploring hidden places
He went places many people in South Mississippi never experienced before and met storytellers South Mississippi characters who shared nearly forgotten history:
He journeyed to Logtown, now a ghost town on the Pearl River.
He went to look for the Isle of Caprice off the Mississippi Coast. Once known as the Monte Carlo of the South, the island now lies under four feet of water. Susan Hunt, whose grandfather ran a resort on the island, said she and her sister Martha Tripp still paid the $8.22 in taxes on the land this year, just in case the island should surface as its done before.
Greenberg rowed up to Horn Island, as legendary artist Walter Anderson did when he would escape civilization. Ronald Baker, who was raised on Deer Island off the Coast of Biloxi., loaned Greenberg a 60-year old skiff for the scene and apologized that it was leaking.
On Horn Island, he explored and sketched with Walter Andersons great-grandson, Matt Stebly.
I can think of worse places to be, Stebly said as the cameras capture the islands beauty.
Me too, Peter replied.
Catching dinner
Greenberg closes the show with a pop-up dinner he caught himself on the King Arthur shrimping boat with owner Ron Barker, whos been shrimping the Coast for 43 years.
The hosts were Michael and Stephanie Paoletti, who cooked the seafood dinner on The Lot in Ocean Springs. Everyone featured in the show came to dinner, Greenberg said.
What he was looking in the show filmed on the Mississippi Gulf Coast was to find a place where history still lives in resilient communities, he said.
He was welcomed by the glue that holds the Coast together, he said, Genuine hospitality.
The public can catch the most anticipated food contest of the year in Albuquerque on Sept. 9 at the New Mexico State Fair.
The Original Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge will kick off at noon and features 10 restaurants including 2022 winner, Sparky's Burgers, BBQ & Espresso.
Sparky's is in Hatch, New Mexico, home of the famed Hatch Green Chile. Sparkys award-winning green chile cheeseburger are available at the restaurant located at 15 Franklin St. which is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday and closed Monday through Wednesday.
Teako Nunn, owner of Sparkys BBQ and Espresso in Hatch, stands with a replica New Mexico Historic Marker sign that was once a prop at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. The sign gives the history of the Sparkys site, and promotes the Farm & Ranch Museum.
This is the Super Bowl of Green Chile Cheeseburger contests in this State, said State Fair General Manager Dan Mourning. It continues to get bigger and bigger each year so we decided to move it out to Main Street to accommodate the huge crowds that flock to this event. Peoples choice ballots are extremely limited so make sure youre here early."
Blind judging and the People's Choice Award will be handed out at the State Fair. Only 100 public ballots will be available, handed out by the New Mexico State Police to those who receive a wristband from the New Mexico Ag Department at the Fair.
Your New Mexico State Fair 2024 guide: Green chile burger contest, champion livestock, vendors, tickets and more
Other restaurants competing in the green chile burger competition are:
Downshift Brewing Co. Lincoln County
Dels Family Restaurant Quay County
Effingbar & Grill Bernalillo County
Savoy Bar and Grill Bernalillo County
Craft Republic Bernalillo County
Big Mikes Burgers and More Valencia County
Isleta Grill Isleta Pueblo
Grill at the Monte Carlo Taos County
Slate Street Billiards Sandoval County
Missing from the lineup is Oso Grill of Capitan, New Mexico - winners of the 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023 green chile cheeseburger competition.
Visit statefair.exponm.com to purchase tickets including park and ride and concert tickets.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Sparky's 'best green chile cheeseburger' headed back to NM State Fair
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Credit: Stiliyan Ivanov/National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Archaeologists in Bulgaria have unearthed five gold coins dating to the time of the emperor Justinian the Great (ruled from A.D. 527 to 565). Although it is not unusual to discover coins during excavations, these ones were located on the floor of a 10th-century house suggesting the dwelling's medieval occupants may have kept the coins as a kind of heirloom or artifact.
The coins were found in August during an archaeological dig in the village of Debnevo in northern Bulgaria. Excavations in Debnevo and the nearby fortress, which was built in the early fifth century, have been ongoing since 2019, and archaeologists have so far found the remains of a large fourth to third century B.C. settlement, as well as evidence of habitation from the fourth to sixth centuries A.D., when the area was part of the Byzantine Empire .
During a recent expedition, archaeologists excavated a medieval dwelling in Debnevo that had been badly damaged by fire. The occupants appeared to have abandoned their house following the fire in the 10th century, and the team recovered iron tools, including two sickles and two axes; a belt buckle; ceramic vessels; and three bronze rings in addition to five gold coins that were around 400 years older than the house.
The coins were minted during the reign of Justinian the Great, whose rule saw the Byzantine Empire reach its greatest geographical extent in the mid-sixth century, after the Western Roman Empire had fallen . Justinian's legacy includes the publication of a body of Roman laws as well as the development of new art and architectural styles that would come to be known as Byzantine. One of Justinian's goals was to " restore the empire of the Romans ", which he accomplished by reestablishing control over Western European and North African provinces.
Related: 700-year-old coin depicting Jesus and medieval king discovered in Bulgaria
All five coins are of the same type: a "tremissis" a small gold coin worth one-third of a "solidus" that depicts the emperor wearing a pearl diadem on the front, while the back depicts the personification of Victory holding a wreath in her right hand and a cross and globe in her left. The inscription on the front reads "Our Lord Justinian Perpetual Augustus," a reference to the first Roman emperor, whose name was later used to refer to all emperors, while the back reads "Victory of the Augusts." Two of the coins, likely burned in the fire that destroyed the house, are stuck together.
A charred square excavation site
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"The dwelling was built on the remains of an early Byzantine building," expedition leader Stiliyan Ivanov , an archaeologist at the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, told Live Science in an email. "Therefore, we assume that the coins were found during the construction of the early medieval dwelling. Our working hypothesis is that the owners kept the coins because of the gold value."
Although it was never a large settlement, Debnevo has a deep history , as the archaeological team has found evidence of structures, burials and artifacts dating as early as 5000 B.C. and as late as the 18th century.
Some 1,900 homes in Pierce County on boil-water notice after E. coli detected in sample
Roughly 1,900 homes in the Gig Harbor area have been advised to boil tap water after E. coli was found in a water sample, the city announced Friday.
The majority of this water system is located in unincorporated Pierce County, but several neighborhoods along Peacock Hill in city-limits are also affected, the city said on its website.
Washington Water Service posted a notice Thursday evening warning that bacteria had been found in a sample collected from a Peacock Hill water-system storage tank. The 1,900 lots and houses that use this system are urged to drink and cook with bottled or boiled-tap water until further notice.
The sample that detected the E. coli and total coliform bacteria was taken Wednesday.
Another round of samples will be administered Friday, Sept. 6, according to a press release. Afterward, the water service will introduce chlorine to the systems other storage tanks as a precautionary measure.
We have notified the Washington State Department of Health about this incident, and we are advising you to take this measure out of an abundance of caution because protecting your health and safety is our highest priority, the Washington Water news release states.
If E. coli is present in a sample, it means that the water could have been impacted by animal or human wastes, per the release. Short-term symptoms are possible from exposure, including nausea, diarrhea, headaches and cramps. Some immunocompromised people are especially at risk, as are young kids, infants and certain elderly people.
You must boil tap water bringing it to a rolling boil for a minute and allowing it to cool before drinking it, according to Washington Water. In addition to using boiled or bottled water for drinking, it should also be used for brushing teeth, making ice, hand-washing dishes and prepping food.
You can use tap water for bathing, showering and using the dishwasher so long as commercial dishwashing detergent and the sanitizing/heat cycle are used, the release states.
Those who buy bottled water as a result of the advisory can ask for a reimbursement by mailing a receipt, with their address and account number, to P.O. Box 336, Gig Harbor, WA 98335.
Residents with concerns or questions can call 877-408-4060 or email customerservice@wawater.com. View a map of the affected area by visiting wawater.com/alerts/peacock2409.
BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Education has announced the launch of multiple programs to enhance the cooperation between China and Africa in the education sector.
A China-Africa-UNESCO dialogue on education and cultural heritage protection was held in Beijing on Friday, with over 40 representatives from China, Africa and UNESCO attending.
A document on the initiative for China-Africa cooperation in education and cultural heritage protection was issued at the meeting, according to a statement released by the ministry after the event.
The meeting also issued a plan on cooperation between Chinese and African universities, and announced the launch of five centers for China-Africa cooperation in fields such as Chinese language and vocational skills education, and teacher training, the statement said.
The ministry also stressed China's continued commitment to deepening cooperation with African countries and the UNESCO on education to facilitate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
1 killed, 5 injured in Russian attack on Krasnopillia in Sumy Oblast
Russia attacked the community of Krasnopillia in Sumy Oblast on Sept. 6, killing a woman and injuring five others, including two teenagers, the Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported.
According to investigators, Russia dropped three KAB guided aerial bombs on the community around 3 p.m. local time, damaging 15 homes. A 66-year-old woman was killed and five other people, including a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy, were injured in the attack.
No information was provided on the extent of the victim's injuries, or the ages of the remaining victims.
Residents in Sumy Oblast are subjected to daily attacks on the region, with Russia intensifying the use of KAB guided aerial bombs in the area.
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.
Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with CNN, published on Sept. 5, that Russia was planning an offensive from Russia's Kursk Oblast onto Sumy Oblast before Ukrainian forces launched operations there.
Russian KAB guided bomb attacks on Sept. 4 injured seven people across the region. 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.
Sumy Obast experienced 186 explosions in 70 different attacks throughout the day on Sept. 6, the region's military administration reported.
Read also: Zelensky claims 6,000 Russian soldiers killed, wounded in Kursk Oblast
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NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) Though damaged, Jim Bennett is thrilled to once again sit on his Worksman PAV-3 electric trike after it had been stolen near his home in the Freemason Harbor district a week ago.
The 82-year-old Vietnam veteran has a neurological condition that has weakened his lower body and makes the trike critical to his well-being.
They flipped the handlebars, cause everything here was reversed, Bennett said. They broke the headlight headlights broken. They severed the cable for this assembly here, which is the gear change cable and the left-rear fender damage. And it has a bad flat left-rear tire. So Ive got to change out the tire or the fender, the gear, change the assembly and replace the headlight.
News of the recovery came early Friday morning in a phone call from a Norfolk Police detective. Police said that after getting an anonymous tip on the trikes whereabouts, it was found and police returned it to Bennett. Police said that, at this time, no arrests have been made.
Norfolk man needs help getting his special trike back
He said that they got an anonymous call, that someone had the bike and wanted to return it, Bennett said. And they said that he was sure because the way they publicized it on TV, they just felt like theres no way they could use it without being seen. And its a very unique bike, probably one or two, maybe only in the whole city like this. So it seems as if whoever it was maybe had a guilty conscience.
Bennett believes the damages can be fixed. He paid $3,100 for the trike and estimates the repairs will cost $500.
Im just looking forward to being able to get out on it, Bennett said. Ive got a dog, a large dog that I need to take out for a walk, and he can accompany me with it. So thats, you know, two things one, it gives me a little bit of mobility because I have difficulty walking, falling, and breaking my hip one time, but Im most happy and really pleased with WAVY 10 for taking the time and effort to publicize this.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
HONOLULU (KHON2) A portion of the hundreds of Hawaii teachers who have not been paid yet this school year are supposed to have received payments on Thursday, Sept. 5.
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Others are still waiting and many have questions about money that they were given to tide them over until the payroll catches up lawmakers told KHON2 that the situation is unacceptable.
The Hawaii State Teachers Association started the complaint process after the union said Education Department officials stonewalled the unions efforts to find out more about about a paycheck delay that affected more than 300 public and charter school teachers.
This event is your door opening to a medical career
The union said they still do not know how many teachers have not been paid since the school year began and a member of the House Education Committee is not happy about it.
They should not have to sacrifice and be in limbo waiting. Wheres my paycheck? Whats going to happen? This is completely unacceptable, Rep. Diamond Garcia said. This could potentially impact their rent, their car payments, their, their childrens education.
377 public and charter school teachers go unpaid
The DOE said $2,000 checks were offered to affected teachers, an educator at a Hawaii Island charter school who asked not to be identified said they are more like zero-interest loans that will have to be paid back when their payroll kicks back in.
Why pay someone money and then tell them, Well, you owe it back, or, Heres some money to help you out because we failed at paying you out on time, but you have to pay it back,' Rep. Garcia said. It doesnt make sense!
I learned from my mom, so Im keeping the tradition alive
A teacher from a Kailua, Oahu charter school said she was paid for the first time on Thursday since mid-August, the payment included back pay but there is now confusion over how her paycheck which was twice the usual amount will be taxed.
KHON2 reached out to the DOE and the Department of Accounting and General Services but did not hear back.
The Education Committee can hold the DOE and DAGS feet to the fire and say, Exactly whats going on? Which teachers have been affected? And DAGS, Wheres the money? Whats going on? Lets get it out ASAP,' Garcia said.
DOE officials previously told KHON2 that all paychecks would be in teachers hands by Friday, Sept. 20 but did not confirm on Thursday if that is still the case.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
12-year-old boy arrested for making terroristic threats after making threats against schools online
Athens-Clarke County police say a 12-year-old boy has been arrested and placed in the custody of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.
The Athens-Clarke Police Department said the boy was posting pictures of firearms with the names of various Clarke County Schools.
Detectives and crime analysts reviewed the posts and identified the account, then found the suspect, ACCPD said.
Police said the suspect did not have any weapons and the images were pictures of firearms taken from online.
The 12-year-old, who was not identified by police, was charged with making terroristic threats and detained by the Department of Juvenile Justice.
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RELATED STORIES:
In the days following the school shooting at Apalachee High School, law enforcement officers have arrested several people accused of making threats against school districts.
The Gainesville Police Department said Thursday morning that a teenager had been arrested for making several threats against schools in the area, while another teen was arrested Thursday afternoon for threatening to finish the job at Apalachee High School.
Both teens were taken into custody, but have not yet been identified.
In Thomasville, a student was arrested after being found at Macintyre Park Middle School with a gun on Thursday afternoon.
The Dunwoody Police Department said schools in Dunwoody have gotten threats so theyve increased patrols as well.
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IN OTHER NEWS:
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 Associated Press
A New York man found out the hard way that its illegal to own a Burmese python without a permit in the state of New York.
Local authorities confiscated his 13-foot snake last week after receiving a complaint about it, according to a Facebook post from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
When a conservation officer visited the mans home in New Hartford, New York, to investigate the report, the man stated that he hadnt known how big the python would get. It was being contained in a tank between 4 and 5 feet long. The man recognized that he was no longer able to properly care for it.
National Geographic states that Burmese pythons can grow up to 23 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds. They can be as wide as a telephone pole.
This particular snake measured 13.2 feet and weighed 80 pounds, though the Department of Environmental Conservation says that its still growing.
The python has been transported to the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome, New York. The former owner has been assessed a ticket for possession of wildlife as a pet and for possessing dangerous wildlife without a permit.
People responded to the Department of Environmental Conservations Facebook post in a variety of ways. Some believe the man should be given the chance to secure the proper permits and habitats and then regain custody of the python. Others believe that exotic animals like that do not belong in homes.
Is the Burmese python an invasive species?
The Burmese python is in a unique position, as it is considered vulnerable one step below endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, yet its also considered an invasive species in Florida.
First imported to the United States as part of the pet trade, escaped and released Burmese pythons have multiplied in Florida to the point where they now compete with the American alligator as the regions top predator.
In an attempt to scale back the number of Burmese pythons, the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida hands out a total of $25,000 annually to hunters who turn in the most pythons.
In their native land of Southeastern Asia, these snakes are hunted for both skins and the pet trade, which has decreased their population significantly.
13-foot Burmese python relocated to NY zoo after owner admitted it was getting too big to handle
This pet is hiss-tory.
A 13-foot Burmese python snake was relocated to a New York zoo after its owner admitted she was getting too big for him to care for.
The three-and-a-half-year-old snake named Mango is now under the care of Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome, New York after the pet was surrendered to authorities, the zoo said in an Aug. 30
.
The owner was a little overwhelmed by how quickly she grew! the zoo said in the statement. We were surprised as well, but we are ready for the challenge of maintaining this awesome creature!
The Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo welcomed Mango, a 13-foot Burmese python after she was taken from her previous owner. Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo
The female snake, which the zoo said is a rare Albino Burmese python was relocated after a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officer responded to a complaint of a large snake that was thought to be illegally kept as a pet, the department said in an
.
The Environmental Conservation officer Jeff Hull identified the snake as a Burmese python based on the arrowhead design on its head, after seeing a picture of it.
When Hull entered the pets home, the officer discovered the 13.2-foot snake confined to an enclosure that was no bigger than 5 feet. The snake, which the officer said was still growing, weighed a whopping 80 lbs.
Mangos owner confessed that he was not prepared for how fast the animal would grow, and realized he could no longer take care of it, the NYSDEC said.
Mango was seized and donated to the zoo, which has the required permits to possess the snake, the NYSDEC said.
Say cheese? A New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officer got to get close to Mango. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Her owner, who is based in New Hartford in Oneida County, according to WNYT, was issued citations for illegal pet ownership and for possessing a dangerous animal without a permit, the NYSDEC said.
The zoo, meanwhile, said it is working on plans to enlarge her habitat, to suit her growing needs.
The owner, who identified himself as Mike Stone through a Facebook comment on the zoos post, said he could not be happier with where she ended up!
Thank you soo much for taking my bella in and giving her a great home to live her long life out! he commented on the post.
He added that Mango is docile, loves affection and attention and will be missed by him and his kids. He said he and his family will be regular visitors now going forward.
Rebecca Stedman, who co-owns the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo with her husband Chris, told The Post that the zoo is also delighted to have Mango join the Zoo family.
Were thrilled because she is so docile shes really easy to work with, Stedman said. Shes gonna be a great animal for education purposes. We can bring her out, and let kids get up close and meet her.
Stedman added that it was crucial for a snake her size to be able to stretch out to breathe properly, otherwise theyre prone to respiratory infections.
The snake, which could reach up to 17 feet in length, was clearly well fed and was heavier than the average python at her age, Stedman said.
She added that as long as the snake isnt startled, its generally safe to take care of.
The zoo also has a ball python and two boa constrictors, Stedman added.
The Stars ongoing coverage of the International House of Prayer-Kansas City began with reporting on sexual abuse allegations against the organizations founder Mike Bickle. Our reporters continue to cover the organizations financial struggles, upheaval and investigations into wrongdoing.
Former IHOPKC leaders, known as the Advocate Group, have called for a third-party investigation into the handling of abuse claims, citing credibility issues with internal investigations. In response, IHOPKC has announced restructuring efforts and the hiring of a law firm to examine past misconduct and overhaul current policies.
Meanwhile, followers remain split, with some expressing deep hurt and betrayal while others continue to maintain their faith in the organization.
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists at The Star. All stories below were reported, written and edited by Star journalists.
Mike Bickle, founder of IHOPKC
Woman says IHOPKC founder groomed, sexually abused her when she was 14 in the 1980s
A Michigan woman has come forward with allegations that International House of Prayer founder Mike Bickle sexually abused her starting when she was 14 and before he formed the Kansas City ministry. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
The International House of Prayer Kansas City on Saturday Nov. 11, 2023, in Kansas City.
IHOPKC founder made video about sex abuse claims, sent script to accuser to review
A week before Tammy Woods came forward with allegations that the International House of Prayer-Kansas City founder sexually abused her starting when she was 14, Mike Bickle sent her the script for a video hed made about his failures and asked her to review it, she said. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
Prophecy promoted by IHOPKC founder is based on incorrect information, document shows
A decades-old prophecy promoted by embattled IHOPKC founder Mike Bickle that has been repeatedly recited by charismatic leaders to rally believers was based on information that isnt true, The Star has learned. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
Mike Bickle, 68, founder of the International House of Prayer of Kansas City, admitted to past sins as the church investigates allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
IHOPKC founder more likely than not engaged in clergy misconduct, investigation finds
International House of Prayer-Kansas City founder Mike Bickles behavior was an abuse of power for a person in a position of trust and leadership, an investigation has found. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
The International House of Prayer-Kansas City, Nov. 11, 2023.
What is IHOPKC? The controversial KC Christian organization closing, leaked report said
The International House of Prayer of Kansas City IHOPKC is a Christian prayer organization that draws people from around the world to its headquarters on Red Bridge Road in South Kansas City. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
Former International House of Prayer-Kansas City leaders (from left) Jono Hall, Allen Hood, Wes Martin and Dwayne Roberts are seen in a video recently released by the group. The video showed the former leaders discussing sex abuse allegations against IHOPKC founder Mike Bickle.
Former IHOPKC leaders release explosive videos with new details of sex abuse allegations
A group of former International House of Prayer-Kansas City leaders has released a series of explosive videos that include members discussing the sexual abuse allegations against founder Mike Bickle and how they say current leadership is mishandling the issue. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
Mike Bickle, founder of IHOPKC
IHOPKC says Mike Bickles actions predatory, apologizes for handling of abuse claims
International House of Prayer-Kansas City leaders say they believe that founder Mike Bickle sexually abused two women one as a minor calling his actions predatory and sick and apologizing for how theyve addressed the allegations. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
Bob Hartley, a self-proclaimed prophet, prays at the International House of Prayer-Kansas City in December 2023.
Prophet with close ties to embattled IHOPKC founder is a complete fraud, son says
A man known in charismatic circles for his prophetic ministry who has close ties to embattled International House of Prayer-Kansas City founder Mike Bickle is a con artist and a fraud, his son said. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
Besieged by scandals and sex abuse allegations, IHOPKC to close, form new organization
The International House of Prayer-Kansas City, plagued for months by sexual abuse allegations against its founder Mike Bickle, plans to close its doors and open a new, smaller organization. The leadership feels the best way to resolve the issues is to close IHOPKC as an organization and shift to a more missional church structure in the future. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas and Laura Bauer
The International House of Prayer=Kansas Citys Forerunner Church in Grandview held its final worship service on May 19. The church is closing its doors as the organization continues to deal with the sex abuse scandal involving its founder, Mike Bickle.
New misconduct reports at IHOPKC very swiftly dealt with and addressed, spokesman says
The International House of Prayer of Kansas City has received new misconduct reports, a spokesman said as the 24/7 prayer ministry continues to investigate sex abuse allegations against its founder. There have actually been a few new reports of misconduct that have come in in the last three weeks, and they were very swiftly dealt with and addressed, said Eric Volz, updating followers about the case during IHOPKCs Forerunner Church service in Grandview. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
The International House of Prayer-Kansas City, Nov. 11, 2023.
I had to step away: IHOPKC board member resigns over stalled sex abuse investigation
After six months of serving on the International House of Prayer-Kansas City board of directors, Shane Holden decided that his work with the beleaguered ministry was done. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
Sexual misconduct allegations underscore what many say is a longstanding culture of systemic abuse and cover-up that thrived within the 24/7 global prayer movement.
IHOPKC says outside firm to examine handling of abuse claims. Is it truly independent?
When the investigation into how it handled sexual misconduct allegations is complete, IHOPKC said, important findings will be made public. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
Whether its small, or whether big, God is always here, said Jacob Lee, 75, who is sticking by the International House of Prayer-Kansas City in the face of recent scandal.
Shaken by scandal, hurt and betrayal, these members of IHOPKC ministry look to heaven
Human beings can make mistakes. We just see God, said one IHOPKC follower. | Read Full Story by Judy L. Thomas
This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.
Teen charged in Georgia school shooting and his father to stay in custody after hearings
WINDER, Ga. (AP) The 14-year-old suspect in a shooting at a Georgia high school that killed four people and his father will both stay in custody following back-to-back court hearings Friday morning where their lawyers declined to seek bail.
At 14-year-old Colt Grays hearing, the teen was advised of his rights along with the charges and penalties he faced.
After the hearing, the teen was escorted out in shackles at the wrists and ankles in khaki pants and a green shirt. The judge then called Colt Gray back to the courtroom to correct an earlier misstatement that his crimes could be punishable by death.
Because hes a juvenile, the maximum penalty he would face is life without parole. The judge also set another hearing for Dec. 4.
Colt Gray leaves the the Barrow County courthouse after his first appearance for the Wednesday shooting at Apalachee High School, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)
Shortly after Colt Grays hearing, his father, Colin Gray, was brought into court. Colin Gray, 54, was charged Thursday in connection with the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, outside Atlanta. Nine people were also hurt in Wednesdays attack.
Colin Gray, dressed in a gray-striped jail uniform at Fridays hearing, answered questions in a barely audible croak, giving his age and saying he finished 11th grade, earning a high school equivalency diploma.
About 50 onlookers were in the courtroom for the hearings, in addition to news media and sheriffs deputies. Some family members of victims in the front row hugged each other and one woman clutched a stuffed animal.
Before the hearings at the Barrow County courthouse, court workers set out boxes of tissue along courtroom benches, and relatives and community members began to trickle into the courtroom Friday morning in advance of the hearings for the son and father.
According to arrest warrants obtained by The Associated Press, Colt Gray is accused of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle to kill two students and two teachers at the school. Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how he obtained the gun or got it into the school.
Colin Gray was charged Thursday in connection with the shooting, including with counts of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said.
His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon, Hosey said.
Suspect in deadly Georgia high school shooting denied making online threats last year
Its the latest example of prosecutors holding parents responsible for their childrens actions in school shootings. In April, Michigan parents Jennifer and James Crumbley were the first convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting. They were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for not securing a firearm at home and acting indifferently to signs of their sons deteriorating mental health before he killed four students in 2021.
Before Colin Grays arrest was reported, the AP knocked on the door of a home listed for him seeking comment about his sons arrest.
Colt Gray was charged as an adult with four counts of murder in the deaths of Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.
A neighbor remembered Schermerhorn as inquisitive when he was a little boy. Aspinwall and Irimie were both math teachers, and Aspinwall also helped coach the schools football team. Irimie, who immigrated from Romania, volunteered at a local church, where she taught dance.
The teen denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriffs report obtained Thursday.
Conflicting evidence on the posts origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. 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.
The attack was the latest among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. 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 but there has been little change to national gun laws.
It was the 30th mass killing in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer the same definition used by the FBI.
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A law enforcement officer holds a roll of caution tape after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A woman is comforted while on the phone after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A mother and daughter watch as an ambulance leaves after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Cars line the road as parents arrive to meet students after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Law enforcement and first responders work at the scene as students wait to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students walk off campus with their families after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Officers hold guns while talking outside after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students walk off campus with their families after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Law enforcement works at the scene as students wait to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students wait to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Cars are parked on the lawn of the school after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A father walks by Apalachee High School with his son on his shoulders as after a school shooting 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)S
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students walk off campus with their families after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Gretchen Gierlach, a member of the community, came to Apalachee High School to demonstrates after a shooting there on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith speaks to the media after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey speaks to the media after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and family members are line up nearby after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Cars line the road as parents arrive to meet students after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students are directed to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students wait to be picked up by their parents 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A school bus sits on site after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students wait to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
Massive police presence at Appalachee High School in Barrow County
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. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
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)
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. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
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. (Erin Clark via AP)
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$15,000 reward offered to find man accused of killing wife, two teens in Concrete
A $15,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of a man accused of murdering his wife and two teens in Concrete.
The U.S. Marshalls Office says 50-year-old Jason Birman has been missing since August 9 after a fire destroyed the family home.
The bodies of 52-year-old Erin Birman, her son 19-year-old Taylor Dawson, and his girlfriend, 18-year-old Jillian Whitney Van Boven were found in the debris.
Mount Vernon Police believe all three were shot before the house was set on fire.
Authorities believe Jason Birman is responsible.
A warrant has been issued for his arrest on three counts of second-degree murder.
Authorities say he drives a blue 1994 Chevrolet pickup truck with Washington registration C67636L.
The United States Marshals Service is offering a $5,000 reward and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Birmans arrest.
Anyone who has had contact with Birman or has any information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-Wanted-2 (1-877-926-8332), submit a tip using USMS Tips or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). If seen, call 911 and do not approach.
15-year-old shot dead by another student in bathroom on their first day in Maryland highschool, police say
UPDATE: A 16-year-old male student was arrested after being accused of shooting a 15-year-old male student, who was airlifted to the hospital in a serious condition, said the Sheriffs Department in Harford County.
UPDATE: Warren Curtis Grant, 15, died after the shooting at Joppatowne High School, the sheriff said at a media briefing.
JOPPA, Md. (AP) A fight involving a firearm erupted at a Maryland high school Friday, officials said. Authorities described the confrontation as an isolated incident.
The Harford County Sheriffs Office responded to Joppatowne High School after the fight, according to county school officials statement on their website. The statement did not say what kind of weapon was used, but the Harford County Sheriffs Department later confirmed that it was indeed a firearm.
Its a tragic day, four days into the school year, Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said at the news conference.
Gahler said the 16-year-old boy, who started school today at the Joppatowne High School, shot the 15-year-old classmate in a bathroom on campus. It is believed by the sheriffs department that a single shot was fired that struck the classmate.
Following the shooting, police found the 16-year-old suspect a short distance away in some houses, said the Sheriff, where they arrested him.
He has yet to be charged but will be charged, and at the time those charges are preferred as an adult, we will release the name of the suspect, Gahler said.
Gahler also said that the sheriffs office has had more than 10 incidents since 2022 where the suspect was either the victim, witness or the suspect in an incident handled by the Harford County Sheriffs Office, adding that the investigation was in its early stages.
The firearm has not yet been recovered.
In a social media post, the sheriffs office asked people to avoid the area but emphasized that the confrontation was an isolated incident, not an active shooter. A parent-student reunification center was established at a nearby church.
The Associated Press sent an email to a school spokesperson seeking more information.
The confrontation happened just two days after a shooter, whom authorities identified as a 14-year-old student, shot and killed four people at a high school outside Atlanta, an attack that renewed debate about safe storage laws for guns and had parents wondering how to talk to their children about school shootings and trauma.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
After the dismal results in the State elections of Saxony and Thuringia, Social Democratic Party (SPD) parliamentarians are starting to question German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs leadership, Azernews reports.
At the start of the Socialist parliamentary group retreat marking the end of the Bundestag summer break, MPs discussed Scholz who leads the unpopular traffic-light coalition, a progressive government of Socialists, Greens, and Liberals with questions being raised about the chancellors future viability.
While SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mutzenich said at the start of the event on September 5 that he absolutely supports Scholz, others were less enthusiastic about the situation.
One SPD MP was anonymously quoted saying people had lost trust in the Socialist Party and that needed to be regained. He said if the current members were unable to achieve this, then we have to think about who we can do it with.
Another MP reportedly called the exercise useless, asking: Whats the point? because, she claimed, Scholz remained deaf to their protestations.
The SPD has been in power and providing State premiers in Brandenburg since 1990.
n addition, national polls have also indicated a major setback in 2025, when general elections will be held. Some polls indicate the Socialists could lose half of their members in the German Parliament.
NEW YORK, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- China Institute in America held its annual Blue Cloud Award gala in New York City on Thursday and honored three people for promoting cross-cultural understanding between the United States and China.
The three awardees are Ronald Diamond, vice chairman of the board of Conair LLC, and CEO of Cuisinart Outdoors; Henry A. Fernandez, chairman and CEO of MSCI Inc.; and Sheldon Pang, vice chairman of Freepoint Commodities and chairman of Freepoint Solar.
Addressing the event, Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping appreciated China Institute's unremitting efforts in cementing China-U.S. mutual understanding and introducing China to American people since its founding almost 100 years ago.
Huang expressed his hope that both countries would follow the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, properly handle differences, enhance exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and work together to promote the sound and steady development of bilateral relations.
Founded in 1926, the China Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing understanding and deepening trust between the United States and China. The Blue Cloud Award was first introduced in 1984 to acknowledge outstanding individuals who embody the China Institute's mission.
16-year-old accused of fatally shooting Salisbury store owner, father to be tried as an adult: Sheriff
16-year-old accused of fatally shooting Salisbury store owner, father to be tried as an adult: Sheriff
ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) The Rowan County Sheriffs Office has identified a teenager who is accused of shooting and killing a Salisbury store owner and father, saying he will now be tried as an adult in the homicide case.
Jhack Aaron Pless, 16, will be tried as an adult for first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon. His bond has been set at $850,000 secured.
This was family. Community crushed over slaying of Salisbury store owner, father
The deadly shooting and robbery occurred on Aug. 13, 2024, at the Tobacco House Store on Airport Road. The store owner, identified as Mainank Mike Patel, 36, was pronounced dead at the scene. After an all-day manhunt, deputies arrested 16-year-old Pless.
Patel was the father of a young child with one more on the way.
Pless case has been transferred to the Rowan County Superior Court. If Pless posts bond, he will be monitored by GPS, authorities said.
He is currently being held at the Stonewall Jackson Youth Development Center in Concord.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
A 16-year-old has been charged for the murder of YBC Dul, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The fatal drive-by occurred last month in Philly, and the teen has been linked to multiple other shootings in the city, according to police.
The rapper, ne Abdul Vicks, was 25 at the time of his passing and was reportedly the latest casualty from the Young Bag Chasers collective in Phillys ongoing gang war, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.
In the surveillance footage, a person pulls up in a white Hyundai next to the car that the rapper was in and shoots directly into the vehicle. Philly law enforcement located the Hyundai in question later that afternoon, burning in a vacant lot. The 16-year-old is being charged as an adult.
Prior to his death, Dul was actively releasing music. In 2024, he dropped off singles like 5500, Draco, Evil Thoughts, Left Hollywood, The Villains/Nonstop, and plenty more.
His last interview would also be released just days before he was fatally shot. YBC Dul spoke to YouTuber Brand Buckingham as the two walked around his neighborhood and spoke about his current situation.
I go overboard. I disrespect peoplelike, badly I aint gonna lie, bro, the rapper said. You should be nervous, though, cause walking with me a bad jawn. We tortured the whole hood. Nobody dont come outside around here. We walking through blocks, you dont see nobody. This sh*t is a ghost town It aint no block you could go on down here and people outside.
Vicks added, We f**ked the blocks up I never got robbed, I never got touched.
Philadelphia, PA
Police have now confirmed that 25 year old Abdul Vicks aka YBC Dul aka Mr.Disrespectful of the West Philly gang Young Bag Chasers was gunned down and killed today in the 35th District
It happened at 3:34pm on the 5600 block of N 6th Street.
YBC Dul, who pic.twitter.com/rpkJPHR6cn PhillyCrimeUpdate (@PhillyCrimeUpd) August 23, 2024
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UPDATE: He was found unharmed at the bridge at N. Spring Avenue and E. Valentine Street in Tyler.
SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK) Authorities are searching for a missing teenager in Smith County.
Trash truck allegedly leaks unknown substance in Tyler neighborhood
The 16-year-old is a white male and was last seen near CR 37 around 6 p.m. He is roughly 55, 130 lbs. and has shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes.
Smith County Emergency Service District 2 officials said the boy was wearing black jeans, black boots and a red and blue plaid over shirt.
According to the Smith County Sheriffs Office, he sometimes wanders off and is adept and climbing trees.
His family reportedly called in about the missing teen at 1:30 Friday morning and authorities have been searching for him since.
Anyone in the area who sees the teen is asked to call 911.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) 17 people have been convicted for their role in a large-scale drug trafficking operation in Hampton Roads.
Federal prosecutors say the group distributed fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and other drugs from at least February 2021 through October 2023, including fentanyl that looked like Roxicodone prescription pills.
Investigators reviewed thousands of phone calls and text communications, and worked with confidential informants, to bring down the network.
The group was led by 47-year-old Chesapeake resident Corey Wright and 48-year-old Malik Dillard, aka Mayo, of Virginia Beach. They would procure the methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl from out-of-state and have it shipped to mid-level distributors.
They included: Akime Russell Porter, 41, of Norfolk; Darryl Deangelo Bond, 40, of Chesapeake; Clyde Byrd Jr., 31, of Norfolk; Jared Wayne Haddock, 46, of Virginia Beach; Holly Elizabeth Triplett, 37, of Portsmouth; Christopher Eanes, 38, of Chesapeake; Leo Charles Frueh, 43, of Virginia Beach; Bryan Austin Ruscoe, 27, of South Mills, North Carolina; Julius Justin Freeze, 34, of Virginia Beach; Jesse Ryan Martin, 34, of Norfolk; Richard Olsak-Finn, 44, of Chesapeake; Sebastien Balthazar, 25, of Port-au-Prince, Haiti; and Jessica Brunelle, 40, of Norfolk.
Prosecutors say 45-year-old Aimee Brooke Yanez, of Suffolk, and 46-year-old Norfolk resident Lisa Michelle Clark also were involved by allowing their homes to be used for drug processing.
Wright pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. Prosecutors say Wright received some narcotics hidden in stuffed animals from California suppliers. He was faces between 10 years and life in prison when hes sentenced on Nov. 1.
Porter meanwhile also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, and faces between five and 40 years in prison. Hes scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 17, 2025.
You can read the convictions and sentencing guidelines for the other codefendants here.
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17 students killed in Kenya elementary school fire as officials say 70 remain unaccounted for
At least 17 students have been killed and 14 injured following a fire in an elementary school dormitory in central Kenya, while a further 70 children remain unaccounted for, authorities said Friday.
The inferno occurred late Thursday at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kieni, in the countrys Nyeri county, Resila Onyango, a spokesperson for the Kenya National Police Service said. She added their bodies had been burnt beyond recognition.
The cause of fire is unknown at this time but we will update the public when we know more, Onyango told CNN.
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said in a statement Friday that the fire broke out at around midnight in the male dormitory of the mixed private boarding school, adding that more than 150 boys were in the dormitory at the time.
Kenyas education ministry said 824 students 402 boys and 422 girls were enrolled in the school. It added that 156 of the boys and around 160 girls were boarders while the rest were day scholars.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said that 70 children are still unaccounted for.
We still have 70 kids that are unaccounted that does not mean they are perished or they are injured. The word is that they are unaccounted for. We are praying and hoping for the best, he said at a press conference Friday.
Gachagua said that some parents, hearing the news of the fire, came to the school to collect their children without informing school officials.
I am appealing to each and every parent who took their child from here to report so that we know where that child is, he said.
Part of the dormitory where the blaze took place is seen following the fire at the school. - AP
Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday offered his condolences. Describing the incident as devastating news, Ruto said our thoughts are with the families of the children who have lost their lives in the fire tragedy at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County, in a post on X.
I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account, his post continued, adding his government was mobilizing all the necessary resources to support the affected families.
Kenya Red Cross personnel and relatives try to comfort a woman reacting near the burned-out dormitory. - AP
Distraught parents converged on the school Friday morning, waiting anxiously for news as authorities searched for bodies and survivors.
The Kenya Red Cross also posted a statement Friday, saying it would provide psychosocial support services to the pupils, teachers and affected families.
The statement added that 11 children have so far been taken to hospital, with the area of the fire cordoned off by police.
Kenya Red Cross, alongside a multi-agency response team, is currently on the ground responding add has set up a tracing desk at the school, the statement continued.
School fires often attributed to arson and overcrowding are relatively common in Kenya, where similar tragedies have led to multiple casualties in the past.
In 2017, at least nine students died when a boarding school in the capital Nairobi erupted in flames. The government said at the time that the fire was not an accident but an arson, and part of a rising trend of deliberate school fires. From 2015 to 2016 around 350 schools had caught fire, according to official figures reported by Reuters.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNNs Nimi Princewill and Eve Brennan contributed to this report.
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17YO with local ties is wanted in Maryland on first-degree murder charges
COLUMBIA, Md. (WAVY) A 17-year-old boy with known ties to Chesapeake is wanted out of Maryland on first-degree murder charges after a fatal shooting at a mall, police said.
William Junior Marshall III
William Junior Marshall III was identified as a suspect by Howard County police in connection to a fatal shooting at The Mall in Columbia on July 27. The reward for information leading to an arrest has been increased to $10,000.
The release was sent out by Chesapeake police due to Marshall having ties to the area.
Those with information can contact police at 410-313-STOP or use the email HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov and may remain anonymous.
If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip.
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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) 18 men have been arrested following a multi-agency undercover operation targeting child sex predators in North Las Vegas.
Those arrested were: Andres Herrera-Rodriguez, 34; Trevor Moody, 24; Jordan James, 22;
Jose Haro Castaneda, 46; Jacob Miller, 23; Jesse Baca, 37; Marc Carofano III, 28; Giovanni
Cruz, 30; Renato Moreno, 45; Arcenio Lagas Jr., 24; Jaret Ward, 26; Andrew Naranjo, 31;
Jason Creech, 48; Wilberth Maldecino, 32; Roy Romero, 30; Leon Park, 40 and Manuel Cruz, 29. They all face charges for luring a minor with a computer to engage in sex.
In addition, Michael Reider, 60, was arrested and faces a charge of Attempt Sexual Assault of a
Minor under 14.
It took place on Aug. 22 and 23 as part of a joint operation with Las Vegas Metro police, the FBI, North Las Vegas police, Henderson Police, Homeland Security Investigations, US Air
Force Office of Special Investigation, and the Nevada Attorney General who participated in
organizing and conducting the operation.
Police urge parents to discuss with their children the dangers of online chats with strangers. Parents are encouraged to routinely monitor their childrens activity on social media and other online applications to prevent them from becoming victims of child sex predators. This operation was conducted as part of the ongoing efforts to reduce violent crime and protect children in our community.
Anyone who may have been a victim of any of these subjects or has information about their
crimes is urged to contact the LVMPD Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force by phone at
702-828-3111. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
18-year-old brought pistol, planned fight with another adult before teen was killed in east Las Vegas, police documents say
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) An 18-year-old is accused of the shooting death of a teen after witnesses said he arrived at the home armed, intent on fighting another individual in the street near an east Las Vegas complex.
Just before 4:45 p.m. on Monday, dispatchers received a 911 call regarding the shooting of James Lobue, 15, in the 6900 block of Kepler Drive near Carey Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard. Lobue was reported missing in North Dakota, having previously lived with his mother in Bismarck.
When officers arrived, a number of young people fled the house. According to police documents, there were two adults in the apartment at the time of the shooting. Lobue was found in an apartment with a gunshot wound to his torso.
Suspect arrested in deadly shooting of teen in east Las Vegas
A witness told police that Lobues brother, identified as Browdy Shaffer, 18, had come to the apartment with a pistol. According to the report, Shaffer was planning to confront a person who lived there for a previous incident to fight that person in the street. That fight never occurred.
According to the witness, Shaffer had placed a video call to a girl and was showing off the pistol, illuminating the attached flashlight and laser. The witness told police that they had heard a loud pop before Lobue grabbed his side, groaning in pain. Everybody ran, the witness said, and Browdy attempted to help the 15-year-old before leaving.
Witnesses identified Shaffer, and two days later, he was taken into custody by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officials. He was booked on charges of open murder with a deadly weapon.
Shaffer is being held in the Clark County Detention Center and is due for a court appearance on Sept. 10.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) An 18-year-old was shot Thursday night at an apartment complex in Spartanburg.
The Spartanburg Police Department responded to Robert Smalls Apartments at 561 Wofford Street around 8 p.m. in reference to the shooting victim.
Upon arrival, officers located an 18-year-old lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest. Witnesses reported to police that the teen was shot in the back.
The victim was taken to the hospital where his condition is unknown at this time.
Police said they are currently interviewing witnesses and possible suspect(s) but no arrests have been made.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact the Spartanburg Police Department.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
More new apartments will be hitting the market next year in Detroit's ever-popular Midtown area.
Local developer Greatwater Opportunity Capital is nearly finished constructing a four-story, 57-unit residential building with retail space at 3740 Second Ave., and it's also busy transforming an early 20th-century brick building at 450 Amsterdam into 90 mixed-income apartments.
The Second Avenue building is on pace to open next spring with 33 small studio apartments, 24 one-bedroom units and ground-floor retail space. Asking rents for the market-rate units will average $1,290 per month for the studios and $1,690 for the one-bedrooms, with 20% of the building set aside at below-market rents for those with eligible incomes.
A new apartment building on Second Avenue in Midtown was nearing completion on Sept. 5, 2024.
The building went up on a vacant grass lot that previously hosted a pair of early 2010s solar panel arrays that once connected to a nearby apartment building, although they were disconnected before Greatwater acquired the property.
Former Cadillac plant rehab
Near the northern edge of Midtown, work began this spring on a residential conversion of 450 Amsterdam into 90 apartments. The building dates to 1905, when it opened as an assembly plant for the Cadillac Motor Car Co.
A recent photo of 450 Amsterdam, which is being transformed into 90 new apartments.
It later was headquarters for Westcott Paper Products, which became Westcott Display. Greatwater Opportunity Capital bought the building for $3.35 million in 2022, according to a news release.
Construction crews are now at work preserving the building's historic shell as they rebuild the three-story interior for housing.
"So you'll get cool exposed brick and big awesome old windows," Greatwater co-founder Matthew Temkin said Thursday.
A rendering of how 450 Amsterdam is expected to look once Greatwater Opportunity Capital completes the historic rehab
Plans call for finishing the project and welcoming the first residents in summer 2025. Asking rents are expected to average $1,282 for studio units, $1,763 for one-bedroom units and $2,511 for two-bedrooms units.
As far as financing and capital stack, it is the most complicated project weve ever done," said Justin Golden, a co-owner at Greatwater. "It is complicated when you put 90 apartments into a building that used to manufacture automobiles."
Greatwater recently closed on construction financing for the $26 million project, which features a mix of local, state and federal development incentives, including historic tax credits, a local Neighborhood Enterprise Zone tax abatement, Brownfield tax-increment financing and Opportunity Zone investment.
McIntosh Poris Architects is the architect on both the Amsterdam and Second Avenue projects.
Midtown and adjoining neighborhoods, such as Brush Park, have seen a significant amount of new apartment supply hit the market in recent years. Even so, the official occupancy rate for Midtown housing was a solid 95% in August, according to a survey by the nonprofit Midtown Detroit Inc.
The strength of the market is good; as we are bringing on new units, they are being occupied," said the organization's Interim Director Maureen Stapleton.
Some Midtown landlords did significant rent increases as the area bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic. Even so, Stapleton said that about 17% of all Midtown housing is still considered affordable under federal guidelines.
"As we work with our developers, weve been very pleased that many of them have included affordable units to ensure we keep that momentum going," Stapleton said.
Greatwater Opportunity Capital has emerged over the past decade as a significant player in Detroit residential development, The firm has five Detroit developments projects underway including the Second Avenue and Amsterdam developments and another 34 in its portfolio that are completed or leased up.
Temkin, the Greatwater co-founder, said he believes there is still significant unmet demand for new housing in Midtown and across the city.
"When we finish projects, people come and lease them," he said. "For the price point that we operate in around the $1,000 a month mark theres a wide range of people looking for that."
He added, I think Detroit could use a lot more housing. I dont think were anywhere near saturation.
In May, Greatwater cut the ribbon on a still-underway development of newly built detached single-family houses on the city's East Village neighborhood, which is one block from Indian Village. The initial batch of completed homes, priced from about $340,000 to $460,000, have since all sold and the firm is taking orders to build out the development.
More: Rare development in Detroit of new single-family houses now underway
Contact JC Reindl: 313-378-5460 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2 apartment buildings, 1 a former Cadillac plant, coming to Detroit
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers take an oath in front of King Maha Vajiralongkorn at the Dusit Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 6, 2024. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week. (Bureau of the Royal Household/Handout via Xinhua)
BANGKOK, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week.
Paetongtarn and 35 cabinet members under the Pheu Thai Party-led coalition took the oath of allegiance before the king in a traditional ceremony held at the Dusit Palace in capital Bangkok.
Six deputy prime ministers from three core parties in the coalition, namely Pheu Thai, Bhumjaithai and the United Thai Nation, attended the ceremony, along with cabinet ministers and their deputies.
Paetongtarn is scheduled to hold a special cabinet meeting on Saturday to prepare the government policy statement, which is expected to be presented to the parliament next week before she officially assumes office.
Paetongtarn, 38-year-old Pheu Thai Party leader and the daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was elected the Southeast Asian country's youngest and second female premier after winning a parliamentary vote in August.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and new cabinet members pose for a group photo at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 6, 2024. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra meets with media at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 6, 2024. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra meets with media at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 6, 2024. Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra meets the press at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2024.
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra (C, front) and new cabinet members pose for a group photo at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2024.
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra (C, front) and new cabinet members meet the press at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2024.
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra (C, front) and new cabinet members pose for a group photo at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2024.
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra (C, front) and new cabinet members meet the press at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2024.
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn swore in Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and cabinet ministers in a coalition government on Friday, following the royal endorsement of the new portfolios earlier this week. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
DENVER (KDVR) Two people were arrested as suspects in a theft that occurred shortly before 7 a.m. outside the Cougar Run Elementary on Aug. 27, according to the Douglas County Sheriffs Office.
During the theft from the parked vehicle, a 9-year-old was still inside the car. The sheriffs office said a white male entered the vehicle, took a computer and a bag, then got into the passenger seat of a black SUV and fled.
Man wanted for allegedly assaulting teen in Greeley
Minutes later, the victims credit card was used at a King Soopers near Highlands Ranch Parkway and University Parkway. Police responded to the grocery store, but were not able to arrest the suspects.
On Sept. 3, Labor Day, two suspects were arrested at a hotel in the 7600 block of East Union Avenue in Denver. Police said one suspect was arrested in the hotel lobby, where they found he was armed with a handgun and extra ammunition. The second suspect was arrested shortly after near a stolen Toyota RAV4 parked outside the hotel.
Deputies searched the vehicle and found a hoodie and mask matching the description of what was worn during the Cougar Run trespass, in addition to drugs and multiple stolen credit cards. Deputies also searched the hotel room the suspects had been staying in and found allegedly stolen property. Items recovered included four computers, numerous passports, drivers licenses, social security cards and credit cards. There were also some personal items linked to various victims.
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Police identified the suspects, both of whom were in their mid-20s and with multiple warrants out for their arrest. The sheriffs office said charges under consideration in this case include motor vehicle theft and vehicular trespassing.
Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to contact the sheriffs office tip line at 303-660-7579. The investigation is ongoing and the Douglas County Sheriffs Office is working to identify further potential victims linked to the recovered items.
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Multiple deputies and a suspect were injured Thursday evening after a stolen car chase through Rochester.
According to the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, deputies were amid a multi-agency stolen vehicle detail when they came across a Kia Sorento in the area of Lyell Avenue and Sherman Street. Deputies said they believed the car was stolen, so they attempted to stop the driver, to no avail.
The driver took off, and a chase ensued around 6 p.m. Deputies said multiple vehicles belonging to the Rochester Police Department and the Monroe County Sheriffs Office were hit by the stolen car as the driver attempted to get away, driving recklessly.
The Kia stopped on I-390 North around Lexington Avenue. Two people in the car were arrested, one of them were taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries. Multiple deputies were also treated at the scene for what were described as minor injuries.
Deputies said both suspects face multiple charges, but did not elaborate any further.
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ORLANDO, Fla. Two former Central Florida cops with ties to the far-right Proud Boys pleaded guilty Friday for their roles in the 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Kevin and Nathaniel Tuck who are father, 52, and son, 32, and worked for the Windermere and Apopka police departments, respectively both admitted to entering a restricted building on Jan. 6, 2021, when swarms of supporters of then-President Donald Trump invaded the Capitol complex to stop the certification of the 2020 election. The mob was motivated by Trumps false claims that the election was rigged against him.
They both pleaded guilty to charges that carry a maximum one-year federal prison sentence. The younger Tuck could face up to an additional five years in prison after admitting to a charge of civil disorder. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 8 two days after the fourth anniversary of the attack.
According to federal court documents detailing the Tucks actions, the father-and-son duo talked about what to do in light of Joe Biden winning the 2020 election. Within two weeks of the election being called for Biden, Nathaniel Tuck bought a plane ticket to Washington, D.C., and booked a hotel. The move caused a rift with his wife, a cop with the Longwood Police Department.
So my wife just found out that I bought my flight and hotel to DC. Shes not speaking to me, Nathaniel Tuck, according to court documents, told a group chat of local Proud Boys. Im sure Martha Washington was always mad at George.
The Tucks were later added to a group chat of the Proud Boys so-called Ministry of Self-Defense hosted on the text-messaging app Telegram, where prosecutors documented how Proud Boys planned the Capitol attack and spoke openly about violently forcing Trump back into the presidency.
Kevin Tuck later told investigators his son was a leader in the Space Coast branch of the Proud Boys based in Orlando while he was an Apopka police officer. Kevin Tuck rejoined the organization ahead of the J6 riot after a brief period away from the group, according to prosecutors.
The pair apparently were at odds at one point in the group chat, as it appeared Kevin Tuck attempted to soften the Proud Boys stance on battling law enforcement at the Capitol.
In a text documented in court records, Nathaniel Tuck told his father Dec. 14, 2020, Youre not going to convince anyone to support the police. It doesnt matter if the cops like us, theyll still arrest us. Theyll still be the arm of the leftist government if theyre told to.
The elder Tuck said, Agreed but we cant make them our enemy. His son replied, They will be one day.
The day of the riot, the Tucks along with Arthur Jackman, then a vice president of the Orlando-based Proud Boys chapter who pleaded guilty for his role last week followed a crowd into the Capitol as they tried pushing past a police barricade overwhelmed by rioters. Nathaniel Tuck made it through while his father was repelled by police, prosecutors said.
Once inside, he and Jackman made it to the Senate gallery, where they stayed for several minutes before leaving the room and later the building. They also stole an American flag, with which they took a photo along with other Proud Boys members to commemorate the riot. That photo and others were included in court records as evidence against the Tucks.
We stormed the Capitol, fought the police, Kevin Tuck allegedly wrote to his family. We took the flag. Its our flag.
Along with entering a restricted building, the Tucks were charged in part with disorderly conduct and assaulting police officers, which will be dropped except for Nathaniel Tucks civil disorder charge as part of their plea agreements. They also were charged with obstructing an official proceeding, which was dropped after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling forced prosecutors to prove defendants charged with obstruction tried to tamper with or destroy documents.
Along with Jackman and other Proud Boys leaders, the Tucks were further named in a lawsuit by the U.S. government as part of a broader legal battle with the Proud Boys.
Their arrests came as a shock, as both were known police officers while Kevin Tuck also served as a senior pastor at Lighthouse Church in Apopka. Nathaniel Tuck resigned from the Apopka Police Department months before the riot, last serving as a reserve officer, according to the agency.
Kevin Tuck joined the Windermere Police Department in May 2019 and resigned after his arrest. At the time, Chief David Ogden said in a statement he was disheartened by the arrest.
Ogden further stated the arrest was the result of a fellow officer raising concerns about Kevin Tuck, prompting the agency to contact the FBI. At the time, federal authorities said they had no indication Kevin Tuck had been inside the Capitol that day and hed denied entering the building.
But according to court records, the Tucks texted each other about possibly being identified after the arrest of Joe Biggs, a Florida-based organizer of the Proud Boys, who in August 2023 was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for seditious conspiracy and other charges. Kevin Tuck, records indicate, was worried about Biggs identifying him, to which his son replied, Only way is if Biggs identifies you, but he is not a snitch.
Other texts from March 2021, about four months before they were arrested, show they talked about how they believed federal prosecutors were overcharging fellow Proud Boys.
Politics wont save us. Violence is the only way we will win, Kevin Tuck told his son.
This November, millions of voters will cast a ballot for the first time since the pandemic. But a lot has changed about voting since 2020 the voting methods that are available (and preferable), new voting laws both restrictive and expansive and a trend of high turnout unprecedented in recent years. In the last four years, America has changed many of the ingredients that go into its electoral process. Will these new ingredients merely alter the flavor of Election Day, or is it a recipe for disaster?
"Voters are facing a lot of changes, but some of them are good," said Hannah Fried, the executive director of All Voting is Local, a voting rights advocacy group. "I am of the view that it is a mixed bag."
For this recipe, we're going to start by subtracting a key ingredient: polling places, the number of which has been declining in recent years. In 2018, there were more than 200,000 polling places in use, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. In 2020, that was down to just over 132,000, and in 2022 it was fewer than 95,000. Polling place closures often disproportionately impact areas with high concentrations of voters of color, can lead to longer wait times and can even decrease turnout.
Now let's add a healthy dollop of in-person Election Day voting, which has rebounded after the pandemic. In 2020, 43 percent of voters cast their ballot by mail, and an additional 26 percent voted early in person, according to data from MIT's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. In the 2022 midterms, a plurality of voters (50 percent) returned to voting in person on Election Day: Just 32 percent voted by mail and 18 percent voted early in person. Voting by mail continues to be more widespread than it was a decade ago, but it has reverted to the trajectory it was on before the pandemic.
Part of the reason for this is practical with most Americans no longer concerned about COVID-19, the prospect of voting in person on Election Day is more palatable, and it's the preferred method for many voters. But another part of the reason is bureaucratic. Many jurisdictions that expanded access to early or mail-in voting during the pandemic ended up rolling back those expansions after 2020.
For example, most states allow voters to cast an absentee ballot without providing a reason (or simply conduct elections entirely by mail). But at the start of 2020, 16 states still required an excuse to vote absentee, according to data compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures. For that year's election, 14 of those states changed the rules to allow for no-excuse absentee voting, but only one (Virginia) ended up making this change permanent. The rest have reverted to requiring an excuse to vote absentee, meaning most voters in those states will need to cast a ballot in person once again.
The next ingredient is an absolutely heaping cup of new voting restrictions, which have been enacted in many, mostly Republican-controlled states in the years since the 2020 election. States removed ballot drop boxes, shortened polling place hours, introduced new ID laws, even banned individuals from giving out food or water to voters waiting in long lines. To name just a few headline moments: Texas enacted a sweeping voter restriction bill, Georgia banned mobile voting vans and Ohio introduced one of the strictest voter ID laws in the country.
Voters in North Carolina will also be required to show a photo ID for the first time in a presidential election this fall. There, "citizens are going to see a literal increase in the difficulty [of] voting," said Michael Pomante, a political scientist at Jacksonville University who produces a cost of voting index each election to gauge the difficulty of voting in each state. "Every citizen that goes to vote will notice that difference."
Finally, add a few scoops of voter enthusiasm that could portend high or even record levels of turnout. With Vice President Kamala Harris now at the top of the Democratic ticket, enthusiasm from voters across the political spectrum has risen. In a recent Gallup poll, 69 percent of U.S. adults said they were more enthusiastic than usual about voting, the highest level since the pollster started asking the question in 2000. Of course, reported enthusiasm alone doesn't necessarily translate into higher voter turnout, but turnout has been historically high since former President Donald Trump took office, and if nothing else, voter enthusiasm doesn't give us any signal that turnout would drastically drop.
All of these ingredients combined could make it harder for voters to cast their ballots. Imagine you voted by mail in 2020, only to find out you have to vote in person in 2024 because your state got rid of no-excuse absentee voting. You then learn the local polling place has closed, and your new polling station is farther away. Then, when you get there, after waiting in line for an hour, you discover you don't have the newly-necessary ID to cast your ballot. Voters could easily wind up with a bad taste in their mouth.
But not all the changes since 2020 make it harder to vote. Many states have expanded voter access or kept pandemic-era changes that made it easier to cast a ballot. Voters in Michigan, for example, passed a state constitutional amendment to guarantee access to early voting and drop boxes, and Nevada made universal vote by mail, which it piloted in 2020, permanent.
But the potential for the disaster scenario is still worrying because of the high stakes. With Republicans already laying out plans to potentially challenge or delay the certification of results, problems at the polls on Election Day could be wielded, unfactually, as evidence by Trump and others that widespread fraud has occurred.
"The message, really, for election officials is to prepare expansively," Fried said. "The end result here is that these elections will get certified. It's just a question of how painful some folks want to make it in the process."
Compared with the 2020 election, conducted at the height of the pandemic, this year's election may feel like it will finally be a return to normal. But when mixed together, the new ingredients that will make up the voting process this year could leave voters with a whole new level of indigestion.
The 2024 voting landscape is a recipe for confusion originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
21,800 years old: FSU Panama City to host Mastodon exhibit at the Holly Academic Center
FSU PC will host a Mastodon exhibit in Bay County.
PANAMA CITY Florida State University Panama City will present "Priscilla from Aucilla," a mastodon skeleton, on campus on Sept. 27 and 28.
The skeleton is estimated to be more than 21,800 years old. It will be displayed in front of the Holley Academic Center, 4750 Collegiate Drive. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
According to a press release from the school, the Aucilla Research Institute will provide a mobile museum and guest speakers to discuss what life was like in Northwest Florida for native people in Priscillas lifetime.
The skeleton was recovered from the Aucilla River near the town of Lamont in 1962-63 and was initially thought to be from a female mastodon, the release says. Once the entire skeleton was put together weighing in at 2 tons researchers determined it was that of a male; however, by then the name had stuck.
Priscilla will make an appearance in combination with FSU PCs "Discovery Day at the Bay."
Discovery Day will be from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, in the Holley Academic Center.
Suicide prevention: Break the silence: Bay County billiards events geared toward suicide prevention
Discovery Day is a time when students and their families can tour campus, including the Seminole Landing residence hall. Various orientation events will be provided as well.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: FSU PC will host Mastodon exhibit Sept. 27-28
A 26-year-old American activist, Aysenur Eygi, has been shot and killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during an anti-settlement protest near Nablus, CNN reported.
The woman, who had U.S. and Turkish citizenship, was protesting against the expansion of illegal settlements in the Palestinian town of Beita, near Nablus, when she was shot by Israeli troops, according to eyewitnesses.
The Israel Defense Forces admitted Friday that its soldiers opened fired on demonstrators, saying they responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them in the Beita area," the BBC reported. The IDF said that it was looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area.
Eygi was rushed to a hospital in Nablus where she was later pronounced dead, AFP reported. Dr. Fouad Naffa, the head of the hospital where the activist was admitted, confirmed that an American citizen in her mid-20s died from a gunshot in the head.
According to CNN, Eygi was protesting as part of the International Solidarity Movement, a group that opposes illegal Israeli settlement building in the West Bank. In 2003, Israeli forces killed Rachel Corrie, another U.S. activist associated with the group, by running her over with a bulldozer as she protested the razing of Palestinian homes.
3 Oklahoma universities ranked in Forbes' list of top colleges. Which school is on top?
Cherokee Gothic facades decorate the south entrance of the Bizzell Memorial Library on the University of Oklahoma campus in this 2005 photo. [Photo By Steve Gooch/The Oklahoman File]
Three of Oklahoma's largest universities were listed among Forbes' list of Top Colleges in America, an annual ranking of 500 universities.
Which university in the Sooner State came out on top?
Here's where the global media company ranked some of Oklahoma's biggest universities:
No. 113: University of Oklahoma
Forbes ranked the University in Oklahoma, a public university in Norman, at number 113 out of 500 universities.
Student population: 31,604
Total annual cost : $49,241
Alumni salary: $116,700
Acceptance rate: 73%
No. 171: Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma State University, a public university in Stillwater, ranked at number 171 in Forbes' list of top colleges in America.
Student population: 27,223
Total annual cost : $41,724
Alumni salary: $117,200
Acceptance rate: 71%
No. 307: University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa, a private university in Tulsa, was ranked at number 307 by Forbes.
Student population: 4,087
Total annual cost : $65,607
Alumni salary: $126,000
Acceptance rate: 69%
How did Forbes determine its ranking?
Forbes ranks universities based on a methodology that emphasizes outcomes and value. Their approach typically includes the following factors:
Alumni salary and success: This measures the earnings of graduates and their career success. Forbes often uses data from sources like Payscale and the U.S. Department of Educations College Scorecard. Student debt: This assesses the average debt students incur and their ability to repay it after graduation. Schools with lower average debt levels and higher repayment rates score better. Return on investment: This looks at the long-term financial return of attending a particular institution, comparing costs such as tuition and fees with alumni earnings over time. Graduation rate: The percentage of students who complete their degree within a set period (usually six years) is a key factor, reflecting the institution's effectiveness in guiding students to graduation. Retention rate: This measures the number of students who return for their second year, indicating student satisfaction and institutional support.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: These Oklahoma universities were named to Forbes' list of top colleges
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) Three teenagers were charged for breaking into vehicles after attempting to flee Berkeley County deputies, the agency said.
Dispatch received a call about possible vehicle break-ins just before 3 a.m., the agency said.
Deputies responded and searched the area of Archibald Drive in Goose Creek, where they found three suspects who matched the callers description.
The three suspects saw the deputies and ran off. One fell shortly after running away, and a deputy attempted to detain him.
He began to fight back against the deputy grabbing his vest, according to the Berkeley County Sheriffs Office.
He then allegedly hit the deputy in the face. Another deputy arrived to help, and the teen was eventually detained.
Law enforcement found the other two suspects a short time later.
When found, one of the suspects had a pair of AirPods and a Beats headset on him. The sheriffs office said he admitted to authorities that he stole the items from a vehicle in a nearby neighborhood.
One 17-year-old was charged with breaking into a motor vehicle and resisting arrest with assault on law enforcement. Another 17-year-old was charged with breaking into a motor vehicle. The third suspect, who was 15-years-old was charged with breaking into a motor vehicle.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A Rapid City man is behind bars facing an attempted murder charge.
Rapid City Police say that on Thursday around 6:30 p.m., they were dispatched to the 700 block of E. North Street for a report of a person who had been shot, according to a news release from RCPD.
13-year-old dies from injuries sustained in RC shooting
On scene, police found a man with a gunshot wound to the head. The victim was conscious and able to tell authorities information about the shooting suspect. Police were able to identify and find the suspect as 30-year-old Trevon Spotted Eagle, of Rapid City, nearby.
Spotted Eagle was placed under arrest for attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a former violent offender.
The victim was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Comorian President Azali Assoumani speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Moroni, capital of Comoros, Aug. 29, 2024.(Xinhua/Wang Guansen)
MORONI, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The partnership between African nations and China has been "exemplary" for the Global South seeking equality and win-win cooperation regardless of countries' size or strength, said Comorian President Azali Assoumani.
Azali made the remarks in a recent interview with Xinhua before leaving for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) going on in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday.
Over the last few decades, China has always upheld the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and fostered fruitful relations with African countries spanning from political to the socio-economic spheres, said the president.
In its cooperation with Africa, "China considers all countries as equal partners" and always holds the importance of mutual benefit, which helps promote "a fair, just and better-protected world," he said.
China established diplomatic relations with the Comoros in 1975, and next year will be the 50th anniversary of bilateral ties, he added.
Speaking highly of this historic relationship, Azali noted that China has always been at the forefront of supporting the Comoros in its development efforts.
"A Comorian born today observes China through the concrete achievements it has brought to the country, visible and tangible acts. I am delighted to note that all the authorities, both in China and in the Comoros, have worked tirelessly to strengthen these relations over the years," he said.
At the 2018 FOCAC summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed China's willingness to align the Belt and Road Initiative with the "Comoros Emerging Plan" (PCE 2030), and to continue to provide assistance to the Comoros within its capacity to help the state achieve self-reliant and sustainable development, recalled Azali, adding that these commitments have been transformed into "concrete actions."
In the infrastructure development of the Comoros, China has played an important role, he said, citing the El-Maarouf Hospital as an emblematic example of this cooperation.
Meanwhile, China has offered strong support to the African country in combating malaria and other health challenges. In 2017, the Comoros was recognized as a champion in the fight against malaria "thanks to China's support," stressed the president.
"China has played a crucial role in preparing our medical staff to face major health challenges," he noted. "During crises such as the COVID-19 and cholera, many of our doctors, trained in China, were on the front line. Their expertise was decisive in our fight against these epidemics."
In 2023, Azali assumed the rotating chairmanship of the African Union (AU). Last September, the AU became a full member of the Group of 20 (G20).
"It's the pride of Africa. This success marks the end of a long struggle led by our predecessors," Azali said.
Being a member of the G20 means gaining access to the "decision-making circle of the global economy," he said, expressing gratitude for China's help in making this happen.
Regarding the theme of the 2024 FOCAC summit, "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future," Azali said that modernization, including digitalization, is crucial to Africa's future development, such as modernizing agriculture, improving storage and processing infrastructures, and ensuring food and health self-sufficiency.
China has been making consistent efforts to advance its ties with Africa, which is marked by a "continuous rise," said the president.
Comorian President Azali Assoumani speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Moroni, capital of Comoros, Aug. 29, 2024.(Xinhua/Wang Guansen)
CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) A $374,000 Palmetto Cash 5 rolling jackpot winning ticket was sold at a Conway gas station on Thursday, according to the South Carolina Education Lottery.
The ticket, which matched all five numbers drawn, was bought at the Shree 701 on Main Street in Conway. The winner has 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prize.
The winning numbers in Thursday nights drawing were 15, 30, 36, 37, 38. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 850,668.
For more information on claiming prizes, visit sceducationlottery.com.
* * *
Jordan White is a Digital Producer at News13. She joined the News13 team in August 2024. Jordan, a Myrtle Beach native, graduated from St. James High School in Murrells Inlet and is a graduate of Coker University. Follow Jordan on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, 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.
MIDVALE, Utah (ABC4) After a week in intensive care in a local hospital, a 4-month-old infant died Friday due to severe injuries she allegedly suffered while being watched by a family friend.
Zachary Walton, 29, of Midvale was officially charged on Sept. 6 with first-degree felony murder and two counts of second-degree felony aggravated child abuse.
Tragic deaths of West Haven mother, children, ruled murder-suicide by Weber Co. detectives
The infant suffered two skull fractures and had a significant brain bleed allegedly under Waltons care while her mother was at work. According to court documents, first responders quickly provided CPR and life-saving measures before she was taken to a local hospital for further care.
Court documents reveal the child died just after 7 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 6.
Walton was taken into custody by Unified Police Department detectives and allegedly admitted he had become frustrated while watching the baby because she would not stop crying. Walton reportedly described his frustration as being an 8 out of a 10. Court documents say Walton planned to take the baby up to the roof to get her some fresh air, claiming it helped to calm her.
While on the way to the roof, Walton reportedly said he accidentally hit the babys head on the metal corner of the elevator near the buttons while he was trying to get something out of his pocket. He reportedly told detectives this only made the baby cry harder. Waltons frustration allegedly grew which is when he consciously decided to strike the babys head against the elevator corner again.
The defendant was trusted with the care of the child and when he couldnt handle it, he took dramatic actions, prosecutors allege in the charging documents. The defendant was unable to control his frustration which resulted in the injuries to the child.
Walton has been ordered to be held without bail, pending a pretrial hearing. A court date has not been set as of Friday afternoon, Sept. 6.
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
New 40-year agreement means Oak Creek will continue providing water to the city of Franklin
Water links us to our neighbor in a way more profound and complex than any other.
That John Thorson quote on Californias WATER Institute website holds true in Wisconsin for Oak Creek and Franklin. These neighboring communities are renewing their water supply agreement with another decades-long deal.
The Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility has been providing filtered and treated Lake Michigan water to the Franklin Municipal Water Utility for the last three decades. The new agreement will ensure the residents and businesses of Franklin will continue to receive high-quality drinking water through Oak Creek, according to a Sept. 5 news release from the City of Franklin.
The initial 30-year agreement between the municipalities was signed in 1994 and expires this year. Conversations regarding a renewal started in 2016, according to the release, with Franklin wading through its options, including possibly sourcing its water elsewhere, such as from Milwaukee.
Franklin decides to go with the flow and continue water relationship with Oak Creek
The amount of cost that would have been passed on to the people and businesses of Franklin to develop the infrastructure from another supplier was inconceivable, Franklin Mayor John Nelson said in the release. And truthfully, why change a partnership that has served our residents extremely well over the past 30 years?
This new agreement is not watered down. In fact, it's extended from 30 years to 40 years with an automatic renewal of an additional 40-year period, the release said.
Mike Sullivan, the general manager for Oak Creeks Water and Sewer Utility, told the Journal Sentinel the new 40-year time frame matches the 40-year agreement between Oak Creek and Caledonia.
Its a nice planning window for Oak Creek to know we have a predictable customer base, he said.
Oak Creek is currently charging Franklin $3.12 per 1,000 gallons of water, Sullivan said, a number that will not change with the new agreement.
In fact, we have not increased rates since 2016 and anticipate no changes for at least the next five years, he said.
As for Franklin residents, they will pay $5.04 per 1,000 gallons for the first 10,000 gallons of usage, Nelson told the Journal Sentinel. That rate goes up to $5.24 per 1,000 for the next 10,000 gallons and $5.64 per 1,000 gallons for usage over 20,000 gallons of water.
Commercial, industrial and multifamily users will pay $5.49 per 1,000 gallons up to 60,000, Nelson shared. Rates drop to $5.39 per 1,000 for the next 940,000 gallons and $4.94 per 1,000 gallons for any usage over 1,000,000 gallons of water.
Oak Creek annually produces three billion gallons of award-winning water. Sullivan said about 37% of that is sold to Franklin and 6% goes to Caledonia.
Our treatment plant is operating at about 50% capacity with room to grow, Sullivan said, adding that the plant serves a population of about 70,000 people.
The agreement is scheduled to be signed by Nelson and Oak Creek Mayor Dan Bukiewicz on Friday, Sept. 6.
After years of research and analysis, the priority for the citizens and businesses of Franklin was, and will always be, to provide them with the best quality of water at the most cost-effective price, Nelson said. As a result, we determined the correct course of action was to secure our partnership with Oak Creek for the long term.
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Franklin and Oak Creek signing 40-year water supply agreement
5 things to know about the Harris-Trump presidential debate
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.
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.
5 things to know about the Harris-Trump presidential debate
an image of the White House that's 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.
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.
500 evacuated from mountain in central Germany as wildfire breaks out
A small fire-fighting plane flies through clouds of smoke over the Koenigsberg in the Harz Mountains below the Brocken. Matthias Bein/dpa
Some 500 people are being brought to safety from the a mountain in northern Germany due to a forest fire, a spokesman for the Harz district said on Friday as the blaze continued to spread despite efforts to control it.
Tourists, hikers and athletes are being taken by bus down from the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz mountain range.
The wildfire was discovered in the afternoon at Konigsberg. District fire chief Kai-Uwe Lohse initially spoke of a fire extending some 300 metres.
By evening, two aeroplanes from the state of Lower Saxony, a plane from the Harz district and a helicopter were deployed in efforts to put out the fire, according to the district spokesman, who said six more helicopters had been requested.
Many fires have merged, creating a larger front, despite the efforts of 150 firefighters on the ground, he said.
The town of Wernigerode and the regional district have formed a joint task force. The Harz Narrow Gauge Railways closed a route due to the forest fire, causing significant delays.
Currently, the risk of forest fires is very high in large parts of the state of Saxony-Anhalt after recent blazes, especially in the north of the state, though most were soon extinguished.
Clouds of smoke rise from the Koenigsberg in the Harz Mountains below the Brocken. Matthias Bein/dpa
6 people injured in Russian attack on Liubotyn in Kharkiv Oblast photo
On 6 September, Russian troops used a Tornado-S multiple-launch rocket system to strike the city of Liubotyn in Kharkiv Oblast, injuring six people.
Source: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office on Telegram
Details: Law enforcement agencies reported that according to preliminary information, there were five Tornado-S MLRS strikes between 7:30 and 8:30. Six casualties have been reported.
Among the civilians injured in the attack are a 42-year-old woman, a 16-year-old girl, a 65-year-old woman, a 53-year-old woman, and a 14-year-old girl.
Twenty-eight private houses and two cars were also damaged.
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Five districts reported recieving threats this week in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Six teens have been arrested in connection with threats made to schools on social media this week, Cincinnati police said in a news release.
Five districts in the Greater Cincinnati area either suspended classes or increased security this week due to threats. Mount Healthy was closed Thursday and more police were sent to Cincinnati Public Schools, Princeton City Schools, Northwest Local Schools and Lakota Local Schools.
Cincinnati police reported Friday that a 16-year-old Oyler student, a 15-year-old DePaul Cristo Rey student, a 14-year-old Taft student and three 13-year-old Roberts Academy students had been arrested. They were all charged with inducing panic and making false alarms.
"Making a threat of violence against a school is a crime," police said in the release. "The things we say to each other on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Discord and more have real-world consequences."
The names of the teens were not released. Police have not released any details about threats.
The students' cases will be handled in Hamilton County's Juvenile Court.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 6 teens arrested in connection with school threats in Cincinnati area
A 65-year-old Ohio grandma used a rock to rescue another woman from an attack. It happened last month in Akron.
Donna McFadden was on a hike with two friends when she saw the attack.
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She spent two years in the Marines, putting herself in danger to protect the woman.
I picked up a rock, pretty big rock and I just hit him in the head with it, McFadden said.
Donna said the stranger kept attacking but when she picked up a second rock, he stopped and was arrested.
McFadden said she hopes sharing her story will encourage others to not walk or run alone and to help someone in need if they can.
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7-Year-Old Girl with Autism Found Dead in Potomac River After Going Missing, Officials Say: 'Tragic'
"My thoughts and prayers go out to the child's family as well as the first responders who endured this event," the local sheriff said
Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty The Potomac River
The search for a missing girl with autism ended in tragedy this week when her body was found in the Potomac River in Maryland, authorities said.
On Monday, Sept. 2, the Allegany County Sheriffs Office responded to a call at 1:41 p.m. local time of a missing 7-year-old who had disappeared from her home for roughly 10 minutes, according to a news release from the sheriff.
Authorities immediately began searching for the young girl (who has not been publicly identified), enlisting the help of other agencies including the Maryland State Police and Trooper 5, Maryland Natural Resource Police and Cumberland City Police Department, the release stated.
Related: Missing 6-Year-Old Boy with Autism Found Dead in Maryland Pond Following Massive Overnight Search
Allegany County deputies, assisted by the Cumberland City Police's K-9 unit, began tracking the girls whereabouts along the Potomac Rivers north end before they discovered an unconscious subject in the water.
"After a search of the area, the child was located face down in the Potomac River by Maryland State Police Trooper 5 Aircraft," Allegany Sheriff Craig A. Robertson said in a statement.
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The girl was moved to a riverbank to receive medical attention, officials said.
As first responders performed CPR on the young girl, officials said in the news release that several responders [had] to be transported to the hospital for excessive amounts of bee stings and other injuries due to the steep terrain conditions in the area.
Related: Missing 12-Year-Old Girl with Autism Found Dead in Lake Near Texas Home: 'Our Hearts Are Heavy'
Though troopers had "directed ground deputies to the location" to undertake "life-saving measures," Sheriff Robertson said in his statement, "Unfortunately, those measures were unable to save her life."
The girl was pronounced dead at the scene, police officials said.
"The investigation into this tragic death is still ongoing," he said. "My thoughts and prayers go out to the child's family as well as the first responders who endured this event. It has saddened our community."
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HONG KONG, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Observatory on Friday issued the No. 3 signal in revising the wind intensity as Super Typhoon Yagi weakened and moved away from Hong Kong.
On Thursday afternoon, the observatory issued this year's first No. 8 Northeast Gale or Storm Signal under the effect of Yagi.
Chan Kwok-ki, chief secretary for administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said that the Security Bureau's Emergency Monitoring and Support Center was put into operation on Thursday evening, with the staffing level lifted.
Various government departments have also made arrangements to deal with the aftermath of Yagi, so that the market and other activities in Hong Kong can return to normal as soon as possible after the typhoon went away, according to Chan.
Due to typhoon Yagi, the flag-raising ceremony scheduled for Friday morning at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai district was canceled. In line with the direction by the Education Bureau, classes of all day schools in Hong Kong remained suspended on Friday.
By 10 a.m. local time Friday morning, the Home Affairs Department of the HKSAR government had opened 30 temporary shelters to cover all the districts of Hong Kong, and 269 people had sought refuge in them.
On Friday flight operations are planned to recover to 80 percent of the normal level at the Hong Kong International Airport.
For 7 years, this sunken crane barge has been in the Providence River. Now, it will become art.
PROVIDENCE The half-submerged barge that's blighted the Providence River since 2017 will finally be removed and turned into public art.
A $1.5 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will cover the cost of extracting the 114-foot crane-topped barge from the spot where it sunk in a fall nor'easter, Rhode Island's congressional delegation announced on Thursday.
Pieces of the steel-hulled barge will then be transformed into "community-informed art" and amenities that will be installed at the waterfront access point at the end of Public Street through a partnership between the Department of Environmental Management and The Steel Yard.
Finally getting that sunken crane out of the water will be a big deal," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, whose office announced the grant funding, said in a statement. "I am looking forward to seeing what The Steel Yard and some talented Rhode Island students can do to turn the eyesore into public artwork befitting its location across the highway from the iconic Big Blue Bug."
The grant funding comes from NOAA's Marine Debris Program, according to the release.
A crane, on a sunken barge in the waters at the end of Public St. in Providence, sticks up through the water on April 24, 2023.
Why wasn't the barge removed earlier?
After the 150-ton MG Marine Barge sunk in a 2017 storm, its owner, Mark Ginalski, refused to remove it. He died in 2020, leaving the state to clean up his mess.
The barge wasn't found to be an immediate environmental hazard, and isn't obstructing shipping traffic. However, local elected officials suggested that leaving it in place would be yet another example of South Providence serving as a dumping ground.
As The Providence Journal previously reported, the barge's large size makes it extremely unwieldy to remove. One option would be to drop a heavy steel beam on it and break it into smaller pieces but the Coastal Resources Management Council frowned on that, saying that it could disturb the riverbed and release pollutants into the water.
Other possibilities include using a massive crane to lift the barge out of the water, or having divers cut it up with blowtorches. But for many years, no funding was available.
"The derelict vessel, its crane tilting out of the water at a 45-degree angle, has been there so long now it's become a part of the South Providence scenery, like Rhode Island Hospital and the Big Blue Bug," The Journal observed last year.
More: RI may be the smallest state, but we have the world's largest Big Blue Bug
Barge will have unexpected afterlife
DEM and The Steel Yard, a Providence-based art center specializing in welding and blacksmithing, will work with community groups and high school students to find creative new uses for salvaged materials from the barge, according to the press release from Whitehouse's office.
"The crane's removal is long overdue, and I'm excited to see what our state's talented artists and students create to turn this blight into beauty,Gov. Dan McKee said in a statement.
The abandoned barge sunk just off industrial Public Street, one of the only waterfront rights of way in South Providence. The access point was blocked off for years, but in 2021, the CRMC officially designated it as a public right-of-way and since then, there's been talk of reimagining it as a community park.
One day, instead of looking out at the half-submerged barge, visitors could find themself sitting at a bench or a picnic table crafted from its remains.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Sunken crane-topped barge in Providence River will become public art
TOPEKA (KSNT) Construction crews are set to close several highway exit ramps in the Topeka area Thursday night.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) announced in a press release on Sept. 5 that drivers should expect exit ramp closures from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Sept. 6. The closures are temporary and will remain unavailable to motorists for a few hours each.
Ramps closing from 6 p.m. to midnight on Sept. 5. Eastbound I-70 exit ramp leading to eastbound I-470. Eastbound I-70 exit ramp leading to Wanamaker Road.
Ramps closing from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Sept. 6. Eastbound I-70 exit ramp going to northbound U.S. 75. Southbound U.S. 75 exit ramp heading to eastbound I-70.
Kate Craft with KDOT said message boards and signage will be in place to help direct traffic. Drivers can keep up with ongoing highway projects by calling 511 or going to kandrive.gov.
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For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) The Manatee County Sheriffs Office along with the Internet Crimes Against Children unit arrested eight people in Operation Safe Summer.
The operation was conducted during the month of July, targeting adults having inappropriate conversations with children online, according to MCSO.
Undercover detectives posed as teenagers over numerous dating sites and social media platforms where the suspects made contact with them, deputies said.
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The following suspects have been arrested after traveling to meet the assumed teenagers at a specific location:
Christopher Paugh, 43, from Bradenton
William Henry Finken, 53, from Lutz
Paul Huffstutler, 47, from Bradenton
Nitin Singare, 41, from Tampa
Oscar Muthe-Mora, 27, from Clearwater
Clenton Pol Chan, 24, from Bradenton
Oscar Alberto-Gonzalez, 25, from Sarasota
Sreedhar Yadav, 54, from Temple Terrace
Detectives are currently following leads on other suspects engaging with teenagers.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
RILEY COUNTY (KSNT) Firefighters in Riley County doused a garage fire Friday that caused nearly one million of dollars in damage.
Vivienne Leyva with the Riley County government said in a press release that fire crews were called around 10:15 a.m. on Sept. 6 to a home in the 5500 block of High Meadow Circle near Tuttle Creek Lake. Riley County Fire District #1 responded to the call for help, finding a garage next to a single-family home emitting black smoke.
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Fire crews were able to put the flames out within 20 minutes with no injuries reported. The family living in the home had a smoke detector to thank for alerting them to the danger.
A working smoke detector alerted the resident of the fire in its early stages of development which allowed for timely notification to the fire department and the quick response and knock down of the fire, Fire Chief Russel Stukey said.
Fire investigators say no foul play is suspected with this situation. The total damages caused by the fire to the home, a vehicle and other contents of the garage are in the $90,000 range.
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Im incredibly proud of the skill and dedication shown by our volunteer firefighters,Deputy Fire Chief Doug Russell said. They responded quickly and worked efficiently to locate and extinguish the fire within just a few minutes of their arrival on scene. Thanks to their hard work, as well as the working smoke detectors, the damage to the home was minimal, and the fire was contained to the garage.
For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
DENVER (KDVR) An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division found that a Littleton landscaping company denied overtime pay and failed to keep payroll records, violating the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The Labor Department said in a Thursday release that JRM Landscape & Design paid 21 workers straight time for all hours worked, including time worked past 40 hours per workweek. Under federal law, employers must pay workers time and a half for all hours worked over 40 hours per workweek.
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Employers must comply with federal law and pay workers the overtime wages they are rightfully owed, David Skinner, Wage and Hour District director in Denver, said in a release. Employers have an obligation to understand the law. Employers and workers who need help understanding the law should contact the Wage and Hour Division.
According to the Department of Labor, the landscaping company failed to pay approximately $45,537 in back wages and was assessed the same amount in damages. Because of this, the department recovered $91,074 from JRM Landscape and Design.
According to the Better Business Bureau, the business has been in operation since 1997. The BBB lists the landscaping company as having an A+ rating.
The U.S. Department of Labor has an online search tool that allows workers to check if theyre owed wages. If you are owed back wages collected by the division, file an online complaint.
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Aberdeen Police are asking for your help in finding a wanted woman.
Ciara Ochotorena, 31, is wanted for rape, sexual exploitation of a minor, and disseminating material harmful to minors.
30-year-old arrested for attempted murder in Rapid City
Court documents say the alleged crimes happened between June 1 and Aug. 14 of this year. Documents also say they involve 13 and 14-year-old children.
If you see Ochotorena, you are asked to call Brown County Dispatch.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) An Abilene orthodontist has been indicted for sexual assault.
Victor Lee was indicted on two counts of sexual assault by a Taylor County Grand Jury Thursday in connection to the allegations that stem from an incident in November 2016.
Court documents state an adult woman came forward in 2017 and reported her then boyfriend, Lee, assaulted her while she was intoxicated after an event.
She says she went to this event and consumed several glasses of wine. According to the documents, she then had Lee pick her up, and he took her to his house.
The documents state the next morning, the victim woke up at her house and found a video on her phone showing her engaging in sexual activity with Lee.
According to the documents, the victim told investigators that, she does not recall the sexual encounter due to her level of intoxication and could not have consented to the sexual encounter.
She no longer wanted to pursue charges a month after the initial filing but changed her mind 6 years later after years of counseling, the documents reveal.
Lees attorney released the following statement on his behalf in light of the recent indictment:
Lee Orthodonics learned today of Dr. Lees arrest on a fake charge. This entire 2016 accusation
has been litigated, the night in question has been litigated, and this womans credibility has
been litigated. A jury heard it all and acquitted Dr. Lee in under 30 minutes. We are confident
the same will happen hereif it gets there. Despite continued abuses of power by the Taylor
County District Attorneys Office and disgruntled ex-girlfriend, Lee Orthodontics continues to
provide the quality care it has for the past 17 years serving the Big Country.
Lee was released from jail after posting a $25,000 bond.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
Downtown Grand Junction, Colorado on May 21, 2021. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline)
Colorado Newsline editor Quentin Young will participate in public events in the Grand Junction area as part of the Above the Noise initiative.
Above the Noise seeks to create a resilient and sustainable media ecosystem in Colorado while fostering community listening sessions. It was launched by Rocky Mountain Public Media in partnership with Colorado Press Association, Colorado Media Project, and Colorado State Universitys Center for Public Deliberation. The initiative supports 40 small newsrooms across the state, including Newsline.
Central to Above the Noise is a program of community engagement. Organizers have already hosted events in Edwards, Salida, Florence, Denver and other locations. The events include film screenings and discussions.
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Two Above the Noise public events are scheduled in the Grand Junction area:
Poster for the documentary Undivide Us.
Fruita
When : 6-9 p.m., Sept. 11
Where : Fruita Arts Recreation Marketplace (The FARM), 160 S. Park Square, Fruita CO
Register here.
Clifton
When : 5-8 p.m., Sept. 12
Where : Clifton Library, 3270 D 1/2 Road, Clifton CO
Register here.
The events feature a screening of Undivide Us, a documentary that seeks to promote a healthy national conversation in advance of the 2024 election, and a community discussion. The event is free, but participants are asked to register. Young will be available to answer questions and speak with community members.
There are almost 600 local news outlets in Colorado, and many face challenges, such as decreasing funding and lack of other resources. Above the Noise helps newsrooms adapt to a changing media landscape by supporting storytelling thats relevant to local audiences and diverse communities.
Learn more about Above the Noise here.
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Colt Gray, 14, and his father Colin Gray had separate court hearings Friday to face murder and other charges in the Georgia Apalachee High School shooting that killed four and wounded nine. Colt gray is pictured in a Wednesday booking photo. Photo courtesy of Barrow County Sheriff's Office/UPI
Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Both the accused Georgia school shooter Colt Gray and his father, Colin Gray, made brief separate court appearances Friday morning on murder charges in Georgia's Apalachee High School shooting.
Colt Gray, 14, faces four felony murder counts. His father Colin, 54, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder, four of manslaughter and eight of cruelty to children.
Barrow County Superior Court Judge Currie Mingledorff told the teen he could get life in prison if convicted -- the maximum sentence due to Gray's age. For adults, the death penalty would have been possible.
With victims' families in the courtroom, Colt Gray appeared briefly in handcuffs and chains wearing a green shirt and tan pants.
Judge Mingledorff told Colin Gray he could get 30 years in prison for each second-degree murder count and up to 10 years on the involuntary manslaughter counts. He also faces up to 10 years on each of eight counts of cruelty to children.
The defendants did not enter pleas and they did not request bond during the hearings.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey told reporters that the charges against the father "stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to posses a weapon."
Two students -- 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo -- and two teachers -- Richard Aspenwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53 00 were killed and nine others wounded in the shooting at Apalachee High School in the Atlanta suburb of Winder City Wednesday.
Colt Gray is accused of using an AR-style rifle to gun down the victims.
According to an aunt of Colt Gray, the 14-year-old accused murderer had been "begging for months" for help with his mental health before allegedly carrying out the mass shooting at the school.
Annie Brown said adults around him failed him.
She said Gray's grandmother last week went to see a school counselor and said one week before the accused shooter attacked the grandmother said in a text message that he "starts with the therapist tomorrow."
Activists and the sister of the man killed by out-of-state police during the Republican National Convention criticized the officers and the Milwaukee polices messaging of security plans at a public meeting Thursday night.
Angelique Sharpe whose brother Samuel Sharpe Jr. died July 16 during the second day of the convention spoke at a meeting of the citys Fire and Police Commission, the oversight body for the citys police and fire departments. She joined with activists to criticize the Milwaukee Police Department and the Columbus, Ohio, officers involved in the shooting.
My brothers life will not be in vain. People are going to be held accountable, Sharpe said to the commission during public comments. "This whole situation needs to be properly investigated and looked at holistically and systemic change needs to happen.
Columbus, Ohio, police shot and killed Sam Sharpe as he wielded two knives and moved toward another man, bodycam footage shows. The situation happened rapidly, with about 15 seconds passing between when officers first saw Sharpe and opening fire.
Sharpe's family has said at memorials and other events he was acting in self-defense. They've described him as a strongly devout man who chose to become unsheltered in an attempt to spread his faith.
Activists and his sister have criticized what they described as a lack of de-escalation attempts, the number of shots fired and the lack of local police officers with the group of Ohio officers.
Miriam Horowitz, chair of the Fire and Police Commission, asked Police Chief Jeffrey Norman to elaborate on why the out-of-state officers were at the park and for issues around communication of out-of-town officers' roles.
Angelique Sharpe, sister of Samuel Sharpe Jr., holds her brothers bible after a protest at Red Arrow Park on July 18 in Milwaukee.
A Milwaukee police official told the Journal Sentinel before the convention that out-of-town officers would be placed in non-forward facing roles.
Our intent is to place them in positions where they're not necessarily forward facing, Milwaukee police Inspector David Feldmeier said at the time. We would like our officers, our MPD officers, to be the ones to have contact with the community.
Norman said he was limited in what he could say, due to the ongoing investigation into the shooting, but said he didnt know how the message got out there that the non-Milwaukee officers would not engage with the community, but said it was intended they would not be in any critical areas.
He conceded the officers shouldve been accompanied by a Milwaukee police officer.
If we were having officers in certain roles that would have to have a navigation of the lay of the land, we should have had an officer with those officers, he said. So, theres been no lack of accountability or standing forth in regard to owning that.
Norman said he would be able to talk further on the shooting once the investigation is complete. The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, led by the Greenfield Police Department, is investigating the fatal shooting.
Activists from the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression spoke in support of Sharpe during the meeting. The group lobbed harsh criticisms at Norman and noted their early reservations at having out-of-town police involved in the Republican National Convention.
They were critical of Norman and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnsons comments after the shooting that the officers had saved a life.
Im also here in utter disgust and disappointment with the Milwaukee Police Department, Lo Cross said. Saying that you saved a life when that wasnt even the original purpose of Columbus police being in that area anyways is downright flagrant and disrespectful.
During the meeting, Sharpe and Norman spoke in city hall for about 10 minutes. Sharpe said the police chief gave his condolences to her again for her brothers death and she told him of her frustrations of attempting to communicate with the department for updates on the investigation.
Sharpe said she appreciated the chiefs willingness to express his condolences and willingness to say a Milwaukee officer should have been with the Ohio police.
Sharpe said the shooting of her brother has been limited in its telling, with many only focusing on the moment he died and not what led up to it in the days prior. During her public comment, Sharpe said her brother had called them the day before to tell them of a confrontation he had with the other man in the incident.
My brother he had a whole life," Sharpe said outside of the meeting chambers. "He had a whole story."
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Activists, Samuel Sharpe's sister critical of police at public meeting
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Friday celebrated its 59th Defense Day anniversary to commemorate the sacrifices of fallen heroes who defended the South Asian country.
The day started with a 31-gun salute in the country's capital, Islamabad, and a 21-gun salute in provincial capitals, followed by prayers, wreath-laying ceremonies at the tombs of martyrs, and special prayers in mosques for the progress and prosperity of the country.
A smartly turned-out contingent of the Pakistan Air Force presented the guard of honor and assumed guard duties at the mausoleum of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in the southern port city of Karachi.
On the occasion, the Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a statement that the Pakistan Armed Forces reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to defending the country against all threats and challenges, adding, "We, along with law enforcement agencies, stand ready to defend our homeland with unwavering dedication and unrelenting passion."
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the soldiers who defended the country "against external aggression and made great sacrifices. This day reminds us of our unwavering national commitment to defend our sovereignty."
"Our armed forces are alert, always ready, and committed to responding to any challenge to national sovereignty and national integrity," said the president.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, "Today, I join the entire nation in honoring the sacrifices of our soldiers and martyrs, as well as all those who have fought valiantly for Pakistan's defense."
He urged the nation to draw inspiration from martyrs and veterans to defend and rebuild Pakistan with the same spirit by "embracing the values of hard work, integrity, and compassion to chart a course towards a brighter future for our beloved Pakistan."
A wastewater treatment plant is seen in Phenix City, Ala. on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. The head of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management said Thursday that ADEM should meet a deadline to spend its share of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, allocated mainly to water and sewer projects. (Stew Milne for Alabama Reflector)
The states environmental agency told lawmakers Thursday that it has plans in place to spend a tranche of federal money before a coming deadline.
Lance LeFleur, director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), told lawmakers on the Joint Legislative Committee on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Funds that ADEM has multiple contingency plans to prevent any loss of federal funding. If these funds are not spent by the end of 2026, the funds will have to be sent back to the federal government.
ARPA, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package signed by President Joe Biden in 2021 following the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, provided $350 billion to state and local governments. Alabama received about $2.12 billion in two tranches, of which ADEM was allocated $620 million.
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Under the law, agencies have until Dec. 31 to establish agreements for specific projects, known as obligations. ADEM said it has already obligated the entire $620 million to water and sewer projects, with a focus on the Black Belt and rural Alabama. Once the funds are obligated, they must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026.
ADEM will require a project to show its ability to finish construction within the time required by law by June 1, 2026, an internal deadline. If its not complete, the department will decide how to reallocate the funds to projects that can be completed.
LeFleur said ADEM will also utilize other federal funds, such as those from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which has a more flexible timeline, as well as local matching funds that can be used after the federal deadline.
We can mix and match, if you will, but we will know well ahead of time if there are any potential foreseeable or hiccups in the process, and if some unforeseeable ones come up, we have plans to adjust as necessary, LeFleur said.
ADEM was the only agency that presented to the committee.
Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, co-chair of the ARPA oversight committee, initially expressed concern about meeting the deadline as the meeting started. He said that he doesnt want to get to the point of having checks written and printed but not mailed by the construction deadline, risking them being sent back to the federal government.
As the meeting progressed, he seemed to become more comfortable with ADEMs progress after hearing the agencys plans if some projects are not able to meet the deadline, saying that Alabamas done its job.
Alabama put these monies in. We did the appropriation. We handled it all with the existing, current staff that we have, and we handle it correctly. Theres been glitches The staff handle all that, Albritton said.
Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, also expressed optimism and said that ADEM had addressed concerns about the progress the committee voiced last year.
Lets help these cities be successful, and youve done absolutely that in that, Reynolds said.
Sen. Chris Elliot, R-Josephine, said that, despite his initial skepticism about getting the projects done in time, he was turned into a believer but said to LeFleur that the internal deadline in June for companies to show projects can be complete must be a hard deadline.
As we get closer to the 26 deadline, were going to start pushing harder to make sure that it gets to places where it can be expended in time. So, if [project applicants are] lollygagging, quit it and get this man your paperwork, Elliot said.
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Iran is reportedly ramping up efforts to influence U.S. public opinion ahead of the upcoming election, targeting the campaigns of Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris. Senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Karim Sadjadpour, joins Morning Joe to discuss how Irans cyber activities aim to exploit internal polarization, following tactics used by Russia in past elections.
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DENVER (KDVR) State lawmakers and families with lived experience rallied outside the Colorado Supreme Court on Thursday demanding change to family courts.
Lawmakers said they are worried that new laws surrounding family courts are not being followed. Families say their lives are being ruined because of it.
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Enough is enough! Enough is enough! Enough is enough! advocates chanted outside the Colorado Supreme Court.
Lawmakers and families are fed up, calling for courts to follow newly passed laws designed to keep children safe from their alleged abusers.
The latest one was House Bill 1350, which said unequivocally that we need to take a hard look at forced reunification, which is this idea that children should be forced into a relationship with an abuser, said state Rep. Meg Froelich, main sponsor of that bill and several others aimed at addressing the problem.
Advocates said the practice known as family reunification allows parents who have been charged with domestic violence to visit children, cutting off access to a trusted caregiver despite lawmakers passing a law last year to stop that from happening. They delivered letters to Colorados newest Supreme Court chief justice on Thursday in an effort to get her to ensure the law is upheld.
Mother faces charges of violating court order
Advocates rallied for a mother currently facing charges of violating a court order in what she said was an effort to protect her children from her ex-husband, who has been charged with sexual assault.
I was charged with contempt and I have a hearing on Sep. 12 in Larimer County, and I have requested that the judge revisit that charge for contempt. He has refused, said Rachel Pickrel-Hawkins.
She maintains she was not trying to disobey court orders and was trying to comply.
The charge came out of the concern that I raised for my childrens welfare and their wellbeing. And I objected to the results that were happening, Pickrel-Hawkins said.
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Even with the group of new laws passed over the last two years, families with bad experiences with the courts said more reforms need to happen soon.
I do not believe that the bill (House Bill 24-1350) gives enough training to those specific individuals. Its 20 hours of training when really what calls for proper training and understanding for what statistics show needs 200 hours. Our judges need to be informed about this as well, said Noella Elias, another mother who said shes had a bad experience with the family court system; specifically highlighting training for child family investigators and parental responsibility evaluators.
Colorados chief justice responds
Colorado Chief Justice Monica Marquez reacted to the letters after receiving them Thursday evening.
I am reviewing the letter and plan to follow up personally with Representative Froelich soon, Marquez said. We care deeply about the welfare and safety of all who come to our courts, and I acknowledge the pain and frustration of families who have been through contentious custody battles. The recommendations coming from the HB23-1108 task force are substantive and meaningful. We are committed to implementing those recommendations, and we will meet with the task force members to report on our progress and to seek additional input in prioritizing our work.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) Greenville Kearns Aerospace Maintenance (GKAM) will invest in its aircraft maintenance operations in Greenville. The project is a $11.75 million corporate investment and will create 31 new jobs.
According to the company, GKAM specializes in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, as well as avionics/structure modifications, manufacturing, inspection and kitting for military and civilian aircraft. Since 2022, the company has leased a hangar at Mid Delta Regional Airport, where it previously committed to creating 250 jobs.
With this newest investment, GKAM plans to retrofit two existing aircraft hangars to be used for aircraft painting, paint striping, hazmat capture and hazmat storage and containment. The 31 new jobs will bring the total number of jobs committed to by GKAM to 281.
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This expansion marks the start of an exciting chapter in Greenville Kearns Aerospace Maintenance history. Adding the strip and paint to our modification and maintenance capability will establish GKAM as one of the largest maintenance and depot facilities in the southeast. Having the capacity to work up to six C-130 aircraft under roof simultaneously and now adding strip and paint to our capabilities make us a true competitor in the DoD aircraft maintenance space, said Ronnie Kearns, GKAM President and CEO.
The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, or MFLEX, program. AccelerateMS and Washington County also are assisting with the project.
GKAM expects to complete the expansion by the end of the second quarter of 2025.
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A health worker carries medication to be giving to a man suffering for mpox at the Kamituga General Hospital in South Kivu Congo, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization launched on Friday a continent-wide response plan to the outbreak of mpox, three weeks after WHO declared outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.
The estimated budget for the six-month plan is almost $600 million, with 55% allocated to the response to mpox in 14 affected nations and boosting readiness in 15 others, Africa CDC director-general Dr. Jean Kaseya told reporters on Friday. The other 45% is directed towards operational and technical support through partners. The organization didnt give an indication of who would be funding it.
The plan focuses on surveillance, laboratory testing and community engagement, Kaseya said, underscoring the fact that vaccines aren't enough to fight the spreading outbreak.
The organization said that since the start of 2024, there have been 5,549 confirmed mpox cases across the continent, with 643 associated deaths, representing a sharp escalation in both infections and fatalities compared to previous years. The cases in Congo constituted 91% of the total number. Most mpox infections in Congo and Burundi, the second most affected country, are in children under age 15.
The plan comes a day after the first batch of mpox vaccines arrived in the capital of Congo, the center of the outbreak. The 100,000 doses of the JYNNEOS 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, Congolese authorities said.
These vaccines are vital in safeguarding our health workers and vulnerable populations, and in curbing the spread of mpox, Kaseya said Thursday.
The 200,000 doses are just a fraction of the 3 million that doses authorities have said are needed to end the mpox outbreaks in Congo, the epicenter of the global health emergency. The European Union countries pledged to donate more than 500,000 others, but the timeline for their delivery remained unclear.
Emmanuel Lampaert, a representative of Doctors Without Borders in Congo, said that vaccination was an additional tool. Basic health measures were still crucial to combat the outbreak, and there were challenges with that in many parts of Congo.
Congo issued an emergency approval of the vaccine, which has already been used in Europe and the United States in adults, but it remained unclear on Friday when the vaccination campaign would begin. For the moment, the rollout would be reserved for adults, Kaseya said, with priority targeted groups being those who have been in close contact with infected people and sex workers.
The European Medicines Agency is examining additional data to be able to administer it to children ranging in age from 12 to 17, which could happen at the end of the month, HERA Director-General Laurent Muschel said.
We dont have all the answers, Muschel told reporters on Friday. We learn by doing. We are going to adapt the strategy depending on the impact of the vaccination campaign."
Mobile fire group. Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Air defence has been responding in Lviv Oblast and an explosion has been heard in the city of Lviv on the night of 5-6 September.
Source: Maksym Kozytskyi, Head of Lviv Oblast Military Administration; Ukraine's Air Force; a correspondent of Ukrainska Pravda
Quote: "Air defence is responding in Lviv Oblast, including mobile fire groups.
Make sure you're in a safe place. Stay there until the all-clear is given!"
Updated: The all-clear in Lviv Oblast was given at around 02:00.
An air-raid warning was issued in Lviv Oblast again at 02:44. Later, military officials reported that a Shahed drone was heading toward the city of Lviv from the north.
Lviv residents heard an explosion.
Background: On the evening of 5 September, Russian forces launched attack drones from the south. After midnight, the Shahed drones reached Lviv Oblast. Russian forces also launched more UAVs from Russias Belgorod Oblast toward Sumy Oblast.
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An airplane crash landed on Interstate-64 in Jefferson County Friday, Illinois State Police said.
The plane experienced some kind of mechanical problem and the pilot brought it down on the interstate before hitting a guardrail near milemarker 80 in Mount Vernon. State police were alerted to the incident at 8:20 a.m.
No injuries have been reported.
Two federal agencies said they will not investigate what happened with this plane, which they described as an unregistered ultralight.
The National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement that it will launch an investigation because it involves an unregistered ultralight, which does not meet our criteria.
And the Federal Aviation Administration said it does not investigate unregistered ultralight accidents/incidents as the vehicle does not meet the definition of an aircraft.
(WKBN) A large fire broke out at SMB Products in Akron, Ohio, on Thursday, and it was so large that the National Weather Service radar in Cleveland was able to detect it.
Chemical fire at SMB products in Akron, Ohio caught on the Cleveland NWS radar. Storm Team 27.
The wind Thursday was blowing out of the south, and you can see that the smoke plume moved off to the north. The signature was visible on the radar for nearly 3 hours. Currently, there are no concerns from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding hazardous chemicals in the atmosphere.
How does radar detect smoke?
The radar signature Thursday was similar to the one that was present during the East Palestine train derailment last year. Usually, when people think of weather radars, they are thinking about how they are used to detect rain and snow.
However, weather radars have numerous non-meteorological uses such as the detection of birds, insects, and in this case, smoke from fires.
Radars emit pulses of electromagnetic radiation in both a horizontal and vertical direction. This radiation travels roughly at the speed of light, and it encounters clouds, bugs, precipitation and more along the way.
When the radar pulse interacts with these objects, a portion of it is reflected back to the radar dish, and this is recorded as an echo. However, there is a caveat. The radars that the National Weather Service use are designed specifically to detect precipitation-sized particles. Raindrops have a diameter of 1-2 millimeters, which are well within the detectable range of the radars that the National Weather Service uses.
Smoke particles are typically smaller than this, but larger fires can feature bigger smoke particles, and the high density of smoke particles during such fires makes them detectable using radar.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Alabama Man Found Beheaded with Chainsaw, Mother of His Child Arrested on Murder Charge
Benito Morales Guzman, 41, was found dismembered last month, leading to a murder charge against his girlfriend Joselina Elizabeth Lopez, per police
Geneva County Joselina Elizabeth Lopez
An Alabama woman has been arrested in connection with the decapitated body of her boyfriend found in a car at their home last month.
Authorities found the "dismembered and decapitated" body of Benito Morales Guzman, 41, at a Slocomb, Ala., home on Tuesday, Aug. 27, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency confirms with PEOPLE.
The Geneva County coroner confirmed the identity of the victim with PEOPLE, further noting that Guzman was found beheaded with his body "completely dismembered."
On Thursday, Aug. 29, the agency announced in a press statement that they arrested 26-year-old Joselina Elizabeth Lopez on a murder charge in connection with body found in the couple's home.
Authorities responded to the home after Guzmans co-worker notified the sheriffs office because he had not shown up for work, per AL.com.
When they arrived in the home, they smelled a "strong odor of decomposition" from a car and saw several garbage bags in the vehicle, ALEA's Agent Phillip Schuler said during a bond hearing on Wednesday, Sep. 4, per the outlet.
There they found Guzmans remains "mutilated into multiple pieces" across several bags in the car along with an electric chainsaw, knives and cleaning supplies, the outlet reported, citing unspecified court records.
The chainsaw found in the vehicle still had human flesh on it, authorities noted in the record, per AL.com. They also found blood on a box of baby formula in the diaper bag, court records stated.
The couple share a 4-year-old child, the coroner confirmed with PEOPLE. Prosecutors and investigators suspect that child, who has autism and unspecified disabilities, was present during the alleged killing, per WDHN.
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Guzman claimed during a court appearance that she was acting in self-defense, per WDHN and WTVY. She was denied bond by a judge, per AL.com, FOX 10 TV and WDHN.
It wasn't immediately clear if Guzman has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on her behalf.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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Read the original article on People.
ISTANBUL, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- An object containing explosives was discovered off the Black Sea coast of Istanbul, Turkiye's largest city, the NTV broadcaster reported on Friday.
The report said that on Thursday evening, a fisherman spotted a large iron object floating in the sea near the Arnavutkoy district on the European side of the city.
After securing the object to his boat and bringing it ashore, the fisherman discovered explosives attached to the iron piece.
Following his tip-off, gendarmerie teams were dispatched to the scene. They evacuated nearby residents and restaurants and implemented security measures.
After hours of effort, the teams successfully removed the explosives from the object, which was transported for further examination, it added.
The possibility of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. becoming Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary if former President Trump wins has rankled Democrats and the public health community as he gains influence within the former presidents transition team.
Speculation about Kennedys future role has grown after Nicole Shanahan, who was Kennedys running mate before he suspended his campaign last month, said recently that he would do an incredible job at HHS should Trump win in November.
While the former president has not said what, if any, Cabinet position he would offer Kennedy, the prospect of the former independent candidate taking the reins of HHS is already drawing pushback from health experts critical of Kennedys anti-vaccine rhetoric.
We can only hope that he will have no position in the administration, because someone who thinks like that, who just has these beliefs that are immutable no matter how much evidence is against them, is not the kind of person you want in a position of authority, said Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.
Shanahan sparked talk of a possible HHS secretary role for Kennedy during a recent conversation on a podcast with nutrition entrepreneur Tom Bilyeu.
It oversees a massive portfolio, she told Bilyeu. Bobby in a role like that would be excellent.
Id love to see the state of science go uncensored, Shanahan added.
Kennedy has long courted controversy for pushing the debunked theory that vaccines cause autism, a message championed and amplified by the nonprofit he founded, Childrens Health Defense. He has now broadened his focus to the increase of childhood chronic disease, something he also attributes to vaccinations.
As he looks to help Trump defeat Vice President Harris, Kennedy has been telling voters that the 45th president will make America healthy again. Before suspending his campaign, he was running ads on social media asking, Is America sicker than its ever been?
The Democrat-turned-independent has been lobbying Trump for a role in his possible next administration, and one ally of Kennedy said he would likely have a position that impacts something in public health.
Bobby has the network of experts, lawyers and leaders ready to step up and do battle, the ally said.
Trump said recently during a rally in Arizona that he would ask Kennedy to work on a panel that would investigate the decades-long increase in chronic health problems, including autoimmune disorders, autism, obesity, infertility and many more.
The former presidents comments come as Kennedy continues to draw scrutiny over his views on the public health sector. Kennedy has vowed to eliminate corporate corruption from public regulatory agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which he says are controlled by large corporate interests.
HHS oversees 13 separate agencies, and Kennedy has long argued they are in desperate need of reform.
In campaign speeches, news interviews, podcasts and other public forums, he has described wanting to gut the scientific agencies in charge of science and health policy, such as the NIH, FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He told NBC News last year that the agencies have become sock puppets for the industries they regulate, and he wants to replace the scientists and government officials with people who align with his views and arent burdened by conflicts of interest.
Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly said he would not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate or a mask mandate. The Republican nominees campaign says he is only referring to school COVID-19 vaccine mandates, but that hasnt eased fears that he could accelerate already worrying trends of declining child vaccination.
Every state, as well as Washington, D.C., requires children to get vaccinated against certain diseases before they start school, including measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, whooping cough and chickenpox. A plan to withhold federal funding would have widespread impact.
Brett Giroir, who served as assistant secretary for health during the Trump administration, said he never experienced pushback from the president on vaccines, even as he made increasing childhood HPV vaccination levels a priority, as well as COVID-19 shots.
Giroir also noted Trump enthusiastically signed an executive order focusing on modernizing influenza vaccines.
He suggested the former president has always wanted to hear a diversity of opinions, which is why he may be offering Kennedy a sympathetic ear.
Kennedys controversial stances around medicine, health and wellness made him a target for Democrats, who accused him of running a spoiler campaign to benefit Trump. Now that Kennedy has suspended his campaign and officially endorsed Trump, theyre sharpening the attacks.
Four years after a generational pandemic shook our nation to its core, we have a presidential candidate attempting to play into those fears by suggesting hell select someone who will dismantle an agency pivotal to coordinating the science and distribution of the COVID vaccine that saved millions of lives, said Michael Ceraso, a Democratic strategist and campaign veteran.
Trump continues a message of fear-mongering instead of offering policy solutions grounded in reality, he said. Its suffering now from RFK and Trump being front and center.
Kennedys supporters see his positions as a necessary change in the health-industrial complex. They like how he questions narratives around certain chemicals and their impact on humans. Some in the environmental community also appreciate his criticism of toxins and pollutants.
Leading the health agency, some Kennedy sources say, is a natural fit, given where his personal interests have led him.
No position will be easy, but I think he has the best experience for HHS, a Kennedy ally said about his possible future.
During Trumps first term, the president ran into difficulty getting some nominees confirmed. He could face opposition again, particularly if Democrats retain control of the Senate.
He could also face some pushback from his own party.
According to Project 2025, the conservative Heritage Foundations plan for what Trump could accomplish if elected again, Republicans want to restore HHS to the department of life, using a Christian-centric basis for governing.
Theres concern among Republicans that Trump would alienate the religious right by tapping Kennedy. Many are not interested in having a former Democrat chairing the department.
There would be serious backlash from pro-life Republicans, said Matt Wolking, who was deputy director of communications for Trumps 2020 campaign.
Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said outside of his views, Kennedys lack of experience as an administrator should be immediately disqualifying.
Unlike others who came before him, he hasnt had firsthand experience running large health systems or in the industry directly.
Hes done none of that. He certainly has been a pretty effective environmental advocate and a lawyer, but from both the skill, expertise and training perspective, hes not qualified, Benjamin said.
Democrats, meanwhile, say Trump will pay for bringing Kennedy into the fold.
Donald Trump now owns all of RFK Jr.s baggage, including his dangerous public health stances that have cost children their lives, Democratic National Committee spokesperson Matt Corridoni said in a statement.
For anyone who had concerns about the first Trump administration being too extreme, RFK Jr. being anywhere near a second Trump term should terrify you.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Lamine Chikhi
ALGIERS (Reuters) -Algerians voted on Saturday in an election in which military-backed President Abdulmadjid Tebboune is widely expected to win a second term, but early turnout figures suggested little enthusiasm among voters.
By 5.00 p.m. (1600 GMT) only 26.5% of registered voters had cast ballots, the electoral commission said, announcing that polling stations would remain open until 8.00 p.m., an hour later than planned, to allow more people to vote
Tebboune, who has used higher gas revenues to splurge on social benefits in his first term of office, faces no serious rivals. Two other candidates are running, but neither opposes the military establishment that has called the shots since the 1960s.
Preliminary results may be announced late on Saturday, though final official results are not expected to be declared until in the coming days.
"I have voted for Tebboune to give him an opportunity to pursue his policies," said Smail Hached, 39, at a polling station in an Algiers suburb.
Abdeslem Aziz, 24, said he dislikes politics and politicians and does not see any change coming from the election so he would not vote.
A Tebboune victory would mean Algeria keeping policies aimed at strengthening the country's energy exports and enacting limited pro-business reforms while upholding lavish subsidies and keeping a tight rein on internal dissent.
However, many Algerians will be watching to see whether turnout will exceed the 40% registered in 2019's election, held amid the mass 'Hirak' protests that forced Tebboune's predecessor Abdulaziz Bouteflika from power.
In Lakhdaria east of Algiers, Naima Belgacem said she was one of the roughly two million Algerians to have benefited from the 15,000 dinars ($113) a month unemployment benefit Tebboune introduced, and that she intended to vote in the election.
"It's not huge money, but it's still good money. It covers my phone expenses and other things," Belgacem said.
While Algeria's unemployment rate fell to 12.25% last year from more than 14% during the COVID pandemic in 2020, many young Algerians like Belgacem are seeking work and Tebboune has promised to raise their benefits and create half a million jobs.
Belgacem, who has a diploma from a business school in Algiers, often takes the bus into the capital in search of work but there is "still nothing", she said.
STATE SPENDS ON SOCIAL HOUSING
In March the International Monetary Fund praised Algerian efforts to reform the economy to diversify away from oil and gas as a means of boosting private sector growth that could drive employment.
However, the fund warned that large government deficits driven by high spending risked leaving public finances vulnerable to economic shocks.
The spending is visible everywhere in Algiers, where new apartment blocks providing social housing have risen across the capital's suburbs, creating new neighbourhoods festooned over the past weeks with election posters.
The contrast to Algeria's last election in 2019 is stark. Then, President Bouteflika had been in office for 20 years and was in frail health, often unable to make public appearances.
Low energy prices from 2014 had tanked state finances, leading to big cuts in government spending on housing and other benefits.
The 2019 mass protests brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets to demand an end to corruption and the departure of the old political elite.
Demonstrations kept going after Bouteflika left office, saying the Hirak movement's goals had not been met, but the COVID pandemic closed the streets and a series of arrests targeted some protest leaders, bringing the rallies to an end.
Rights group Amnesty International this week said Algerian authorities had used new laws targeting dissent, as well as crackdowns on opponents, in the run-up to the election.
(Reporting by Lamine Chikhi in Algiers, writing by Angus McDowall, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
(NewsNation) The teenager charged with opening fire Wednesday at a Georgia high school, killing two teachers and two students, will remain in jail on multiple murder charges.
Colt Gray, 14, is charged as an adult with four counts of felony murder in connection with the shooting at Apalachee High School, about 50 miles from Atlanta. Prosecutors may file additional charges tied to the nonfatal injuries others suffered during the shooting, Barow County District Attorney Brad Smith said after court Friday.
Grays father, Colin Gray, also went before a judge Friday on charges of involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and cruelty to children. Investigators havent gone into detail about those charges beyond saying theyre directly connected with the alleged shooters actions and allowing him to possess a weapon.
Neither the teens attorney nor his fathers requested bond, meaning theyll remain in jail for now. The court may appoint a different set of attorneys to the cases to avoid any potential conflicts of interest that could arise if the public defenders office represented both the alleged shooter and his dad. A new lawyer could choose to ask for a bond hearing, though immediate next steps are unclear.
The teenager entered the courtroom Friday wearing green shirt and khaki pants, his hands and feet shackled. He sat beside a public defender as the judge read aloud the charges and explained his rights. Gray is charged in the deaths of 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.
Each count carries a maximum possible sentence of death or life in prison, Judge Currie Mingledorff said. But because the alleged shooter is younger than 17, he wont face the death penalty.
Lakeland football player charged for school shooting threat: PCSO
Police in Georgia spent much of Thursday questioning the high school student, but it wasnt their first time speaking with him.
The teenager denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a reported threat made on the messaging platform Discord, according to a sheriffs report obtained by The Associated Press.
The FBI said it received several anonymous tips last May about online threats including photos of guns.
The boys father also told investigators he had hunting guns in their home but said his son didnt have unfettered access to them.
Meanwhile, court records show the boys mother, Marcee Gray who is not charged in connection with the shooting may be barred from contacting her estranged husband Colin Gray unless through a third party.
The stipulation was a condition of the mothers probation stemming from an unrelated December charge. Shes faced various criminal and traffic violations throughout the past decade in several Georgia counties, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper.
Outside the school, theres a growing memorial.
Georgia school shooting: Football coach killed was proud girl dad
I heard the banging, I heard the gunshots, and I heard the police, and I heard the sirens, a senior student told NewsNation.
When he walked out of the class, he did see a body on the floor and he assumed that that was the shooter that was killed by the cop, but apparently thats not the case, her father said.
A new security system installed last week may have prevented further tragedy.
A special badge with a panic button worn by staff at the school allowed teachers to discreetly request emergency help in their exact location.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Robert Paul Rundo (Obtained from court records)
Months after a federal appeals court revived charges against two alleged members of a white supremacy extremist group, one of the men this week agreed to plead guilty potentially bringing to a close a case that's dragged on for nearly six years.
Robert Rundo on Wednesday agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to riot, a charge tied to his role in the Rise Above Movement, or RAM, a group accused of inciting brawls at political rallies throughout the state, according to a federal court filing. Rundo had spent nearly a year as a fugitive until he was extradited from Romania last year to face conspiracy and rioting charges.
As part of the plea, the government has agreed to seek no more than two years in prison. Rundo, 34, already has spent close to two years in prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Robert Boman, another alleged member of the group, still faces a potential trial, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles.
An Orange County federal judge at least twice dismissed charges against Rundo and Boman, at one point finding that the men were being selectively prosecuted, while far-left extremist groups, such as Antifa were not. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in July rejected that finding.
Read more: Judge clears charges against alleged white supremacists, says there's a bias against the far right
Rundo's federal public defenders did not respond to a request for comment.
Stephen Yagman, who had been set to represent Rundo if his case went to trial, accused the U.S. attorney's office of filing the case "just to get publicity." Yagman said the government is essentially allowing Rundo to plead guilty to time served.
"Mr. Rundo is not, as portrayed, a white supremacist. That is simply bulls," Yagman added. "That is what the government says and as frequently the case the government is misrepresenting things."
The U.S. attorney's office in L.A. declined to comment.
According to the plea agreement, between March 2017 and May 2018, Rundo and co-conspirators participated in an organization known as the "DIY Division," which later was rebranded as RAM. The group "represented itself as a fighting group of a new nationalist white supremacy and identity movement," the agreement states.
As part of their membership, according to the plea, Rundo and other members agreed to attend, and did attend, rallies "with the intent to provoke and engage in violent physical conflicts."
Read more: Appeals court revives charges against alleged white supremacists over protest violence
The government previously accused Rundo of being a founding member of the group, although Rundo did not admit to that in his plea agreement.
The plea agreement laid out preparation Rundo and others took, including hand-to-hand and other fight training sessions. The men posted photos of that preparation on social media, including statements such as "When the squad[']s not out smashing commies," and "#rightwingdeathsquad."
As part of the agreement, Rundo admitted to attending a Huntington Beach rally on March 25, 2016, where he and others "pursued and assaulted" people. Rundo further admitted to tackling and punching one protester multiple times.
Rundo also admitted to attending two other rallies, one in Berkeley on April 15, 2017, and another in San Bernardino on June 10, 2017, according to the agreement.
Rundo was originally charged and arrested in October 2018, alongside two other alleged members, Boman and Tyler Laube of Redondo Beach.
Judge Cormac J. Carney first dismissed charges in the case in 2019, after Rundos attorneys argued that the Anti-Riot Act was unconstitutionally over-broad. The 9th Circuit reinstated the charges in March 2021, finding that parts of the law were constitutional, thus landing it back before Carney.
After charges were reinstated in January 2023, Rundo eluded authorities. FBI agents caught up with him after he was located by Romanian authorities in a Bucharest neighborhood, according to an arrest warrant. Rundo was extradited from Romania last year.
Read more: White nationalist leaders arrested in L.A.; private messages show effort to 'reimagine' movement
In a February decision, Carney who has since retired dismissed charges against Rundo and Boman, agreeing that they were being selectively prosecuted.
By the time Carney dismissed charges against Rundo and Boman, Laube had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for repeatedly punching a journalist.
In April, Carney sentenced Laube to time served the 35 days he had spent in pretrial custody.
Three months later, the appellate court reversed Carney's decision to dismiss the case against Rundo and Boman and ordered a new trial.
Rundos change-of-plea hearing is set for Sept. 13.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
It's almost fall in Arizona. Here are 5 places to see the leaves changing
While summer still has its grip on Arizona, fall is slowly approaching.
The leaves don't start to change color until October, with some areas peaking early in the month and other areas seeing the most vibrant colors later in the month and into early November.
Arizona Republic photographers have captured stunning images of the fall leaves over the past decades. Take a look at some of the best photos they've taken in this gallery to get more ideas of where to see the vivid foliage and feel the fall weather.
Here are five suggestions on where you can see vibrant fall leaves in the Grand Canyon State.
5 places in Arizona to see fall leaves
Here's where to see the fall leaves in Arizona:
Flagstaff: There's no denying that Flagstaff is a popular spot for leaf peepers. Some of the best places to see the leaves around town include the Aspen Nature Loop, Kachina Trail or the Inner Basin Trail.
White Mountains : Take a drive along State Route 260 between Pinetop-Lakeside and Eagar for some beautiful scenery. Along the road, there are several lakes or pull-offs to take in the sights. Big Lake is also a popular place to see changing leaves.
Mogollon Rim: Drive Forest Road 300, also called Rim Road, between SR 260 and SR 87 or hike See Canyon Trail for a closer look at the fall colors.
Sedona: For the best leaf peeping around Sedona, take State Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon. The West Fork Trail along Oak Creek allows hikers to get up close with the leaves, which are beautifully juxtaposed against the canyon walls.
Boyce Thompson Arboretum: The arboretum near Superior often sees leaves changing around late October through mid-November.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 5 places to see the leaves changing color in Arizona
Its almost time to start voting, North Carolina. Here are the rules.
Photo: Adobe Stock
Update, 11:30 am, Sept. 6: An Appeals Court panel granted Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s request for a temporary stay. No ballots can go out with his name on them until Kennedys appeal is decided or until the Appeals Court says its okay.
Its nearly time for voters to start marking their ballots, though a court decision Thursday is delaying for how long, no one knows the start of absentee voting.
Counties were to start mailing absentee ballots to voters this morning, but theyre holding off because Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants his name removed from the ballot.
A Superior Court judge turned him down Thursday, but gave Kennedy 24 hours to appeal. So, timing of the first absentee ballots going out depends on what happens with the appeal. As a state Board of Elections lawyer told county election directors, Stay tuned.
Counties will send out absentee ballots eventually. If you plan to vote by mail, here are some things you should know.
The absentee ballot request deadline is 5 pm, Oct. 29.
Every voter will be asked to show a photo ID, including people who vote by mail. People voting by mail are required to include a copy of their ID or a complete exception form with their ballot.
When it arrives, the ballot package will include the ballot, a ballot envelope with a form on one side and a clear sleeve on the other side, and a yellow photo ID exception form for voters who do not have a copy of an ID, and a return envelope.
The voted ballot goes into the ballot envelope. A copy of the photo ID or a completed ID exception form goes into the clear sleeve.
The completed ballot envelope must include the voters signature and the names, addresses, and signatures of two witnesses, or alternatively, a notary public seal and certification. Notaries public are not allowed to charge fees for ballot service.
To send the ballot back through the mail, put $1.77 worth of postage on the return envelope. That means the envelope needs three Forever stamps. Voters can also hand deliver their completed absentee ballots to early voting sites in their counties during the early voting period or to their county elections headquarters any time before 7:30 pm on Election Day.
The deadline for getting absentee ballots back to county elections offices, whether theyre hand-delivered or sent through the mail, is 7:30 pm on Election Day. Mail-in ballots will not be accepted at polling places on Election Day.
The fact that you requested an absentee ballot doesnt require you to vote by mail. If you request an absentee ballot, you can still vote in person. Just dont do both.
About 4% to 5% of voters choose to vote by mail in typical presidential years, according to state data. The recent exception was the pandemic year of 2020, when 18% voted by mail.
As of Thursday morning, 127,645 voters had requested absentee ballots, according to the state Board of Elections. That included 2,440 requests from people in the military and 9,761 citizens living overseas.
More people use in-person early voting than any other voting method.
The in-person early voting period starts Oct. 17 and ends Nov. 2.
Registering to vote is allowed during the early voting period. Same-day registration allows people to register and vote all in one trip. People who want to register to vote at an early voting site must show a document with their current address.
Acceptable documents include a valid drivers license; another government document with a name, address, and photo; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck with a name and address. For students living on campus, a school document with the applicants on-campus housing address will work.
Nov. 2, the last day of early voting, will be the last chance to register to vote in this years election. Voter registration isnt allowed on Election Day.
If you want to know what your ballot will look like before you go to the polls, you can find your sample ballot using the Board of Elections voter search.
Polling places will be open from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm on Election Day. Voters will be asked to show a photo ID. People without IDs can fill out an exception form and vote a provisional ballot, or vote a provisional ballot with the understanding they will return to their county elections headquarters to show an ID in order for their ballot to be counted.
Here are the key dates to remember, according to the State Board of Elections.
Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline, 5 pm
Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.
Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline, 5 pm
Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends, 3 pm
Nov. 5: General Election Day.
Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline, 7:30 pm
Altamonte Springs offers residents sandbags as more heavy rainfall expected
Relentless rain is bogging down homeowners across Central Florida.
Extra water is also filling ponds and streams in the Wekiva area.
The City of Altamonte Springs is now offering residents free sandbags to help protect their property.
Watch: Its pathetic: Orlando residents outraged after flooding destroys their home
The sandbags will be available at the Altamonte Springs SunRail Station and Westmonte Recreation Center from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Altamonte Springs residents will be able to grab 16 bags per household.
Watch: It was worse than Hurricane Ian: Neighbors clean up after Sunday flooding
The bags and sand will be free, but residents must bring their own shovels.
Data shows parts of Altamonte Springs received 4.43 inches of rain on Thursday.
Watch: Flooding damages poverty resource center in Orlando
According to the National Weather Service, more showers and storms are forecast each afternoon through the middle of next week, leading to localized flooding.
See more in the video above.
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File - The Amazon logo is displayed at a Best Buy store in Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Amazon is challenging the structure of the National Labor Relations Board in a lawsuit that also accuses the agency of improperly influencing the outcome of a union election at a company warehouse more than two years ago.
The complaint, filed Thursday at a federal court in San Antonio, mirrors legal arguments the tech giant made in front of the agency earlier this year after NLRB prosecutors accused the company of maintaining policies that made it challenging for workers to organize and retaliating against some who did so.
In the new legal filing, attorneys for Amazon pointed back to a lawsuit the agency filed against the company in March 2022, roughly a week before voting for a union election was set to begin at a company warehouse in the New York borough of Staten Island.
Amazon views the agencys lawsuit, which sought to force the company to give a union organizer his job back, as improperly influencing the outcome of the election. The company has also cited the action as one of its objections to the historic election, where workers voted in favor of union representation for the first time in the U.S.
Last month, the NLRBs board denied Amazons appeal to review its objections, closing off any options for the company to get the election results overturned within the agency.
In its new complaint, Amazon said the four NLRB board members who authorized the injunction were later judges reviewing the objections that came before them. It argued that structure was unconstitutional because board members are shielded from removal by the president, violates Amazons due process rights as well as right to a jury trial.
Other companies, such as Elon Musks SpaceX and Trader Joes, have also challenged the structure of the agency in pending lawsuits or administrative cases. Kayla Blado, spokesperson for the NLRB General Counsel noted that while big companies have sought to challenge the NLRB, the Supreme Court in 1937 upheld the agencys constitutionality.
While the current challenges require the NLRB to expend scarce resources defending against them, weve seen that the results of these kinds of challenges is ultimately a delay in justice, but that ultimately justice does prevail, Blado said.
Earlier this year, NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, said at an event that the challenges were intended to prevent the agency from enforcing labor laws as companies divert attention away from the fact that they're actually law-breakers."
Amazon is asking the court to issue an order that stops the agency from pursuing unconstitutional administrative proceedings against the company as the case plays out.
Amazon and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) are sparring yet again.
On Thursday, the e-commerce giant filed suit against the labor board, alleging that its structure is unconstitutional and that it improperly influenced the union election at the Staten Island, N.Y. warehouse that won unionization in 2022.
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The suit follows the boards decision to uphold the certification of the union that won that election, the Amazon Labor Union. The NLRB rejected Amazons claims that the unionization was tainted by worker and organizer demonstrations, and other allegations that board officials who oversaw the voting were biased toward the union.
That election remains the first and thus far only successful union campaign in the U.S. with attempts at other warehouses in Alabama and New York voting against organizing.
Amazons lawsuit says the boards in-house enforcement proceedings deny the company due process, as well as violate the constitutional separation of powers and the companys right to a jury trial.
Amazons lawsuit also alleges that the NLRBs five members, who are appointed by the president, are improperly shielded from presidential removal except for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. The Big Tech firm argues that the boards structure where it serves as a prosecutor, judge, and jury in certain cases violates the U.S. Constitution.
The company already has argued in a separate February court filing that the NLRBs structure is unconstitutional on similar grounds.
The NLRB has been busy with Amazon over the past month, hitting the tech titan with separate determinations that it is a joint employer of two of its delivery service partners.
In August, the board deemed Amazon a joint employer of former delivery partner Battle-Tested Strategies out of Palmdale, Calif. The employees of that firm unionized with the Teamsters in April after Amazon severed their partnership last year, and have since picketed Amazon warehouses nationwide in protest of the alleged unfair labor practices it filed with the NLRB.
The regional director determined that the joint employers unlawfully failed and refused to bargain with the union over effects of the decision to terminate the BTS contract, eliminate or transfer unit work and terminate all unionized employees; delayed start times by grounding vans and not preparing packages for loading; and solicited grievances, said spokesperson Kayla Blado in a statement.
According to Blado, the regional director further determined that Amazon made unlawful threats, held captive audience meetings and failed and refused to furnish relevant information to the union.
Amazons delivery service partner program has also taken heat from lawmakers alongside contracted employees. Despite wearing Amazon-branded vests, driving Amazon-branded vans and exclusively delivering Amazon packages, they are not directly employed by Amazonthus helping the company avoid regulatory scrutiny, officials argue.
On Thursday, the NLRB made its second determination for contractor MJB Logistics, a last-mile delivery company based out of Atlanta.
That determination came after an individual filed two unfair labor practice charges against both Amazon and MJB Logistics, including allegations of interrogation, coercive statements and coercive actions like surveillance.
The regional director found merit to the allegations that the joint-employers unlawfully made coercive statements and gave the impression of surveillance, said Blado. She also determined that the joint-employers made threats of unspecified reprisal, threats of plant closure, and threats of utility, if workers at the location formed a union.
Blado said the regional director did not find merit to allegations of interrogation. She said the director will issue a complaint on the allegations with merit unless a settlement is reached.
The NLRBs determinations in Atlanta and Palmdale arent board decision or rulings, according to spokesperson Kayla Blado. Rather, theyre the first step in the agencys general counsel litigating the allegations laid out in an unfair labor practice charge. If the parties dont settle and a complaint is issued, a hearing will be scheduled with an NLRB judge.
Either party can appeal that judges decision to the NLRB board, and it can be further appealed in federal court.
The agency lacks the authority to hold impose penalties for unfair labor practices or make companies pay punitive damages.
But with the findings now applied to two separate companies, the Teamsters are hoping the decision will set the stage for more Amazon delivery partners in the U.S. to unionize in the future.
Amazon drivers have taken their future into their own hands and won a monumental determination that makes clear Amazon has a legal obligation to bargain with its drivers over their working conditions, said Teamsters general president Sean OBrien, in a statement. This strike has paved the way for every other Amazon worker in the country to demand what they deserve and to get Amazon to the bargaining table.
A 26-year-old American woman was killed after being shot in the head in the West Bank, according to a hospital.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi -- a dual American and Turkish citizen -- died at Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, in the West Bank, according to the hospital director.
Eygi was a "foreign solidarity" activist, one of a number of Americans and other foreigners, who work to protect Palestinian farmers in the West Bank from attacks by Israeli settlers.
MORE: Israel-Gaza live updates: Israeli forces pull out of Jenin, leaving behind destruction
The hospital director said medical teams provided CPR after she was shot, but she was later pronounced dead.
In July, shocking video showed a group of activists attacked by settlers near Qusra, in the West Bank, while trying to protect Palestinian farmers harvesting olives.
The U.S. State Department said it was aware of the "tragic death" of Eygi in the West Bank.
"We offer our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. We are urgently gathering more information about the circumstances of her death and will have more to say as we learn more. We have no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens," said Matt Miller, a spokesperson for the State Department.
PHOTO: Medics transport the body of a U.S. citizen after she succumbed to her wound from a reported gunshot, at a hospital in Nablus in the occupied West Bank on Sept. 6, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
President Joe Biden told reporters on the tarmac in Detroit after he deplaned from Air Force One that he was talking to his team and he would have "more" later when asked about Eygi's killing.
"I need more information. That's why I was late coming down," Biden said to reporters. "I was on the phone with my team."
National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said the U.S. is "deeply disturbed by the tragic death" of Eygi in the West Bank. Savett added the White House is in contact with the Israeli government to get more information and to ask for "an investigation into the incident."
The Israel Defense Forces had released a statement on activity in the area where Eygi was killed and said the "incident" is under review.
"The IDF is looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area. The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review," the IDF said in a statement to ABC News.
MORE: 'Rotten to the core': Inside the Israeli and IDF system of incarcerating Palestinians
The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned Eygi's killing in a statement.
"We condemn this murder committed by the Netanyahu Government. Israel is trying to intimidate all those who come to the aid of the Palestinian people and who fight peacefully against the genocide," the ministry said in a statement.
"This policy of violence will not work," the ministry continued. "The Israeli authorities who commit crimes against humanity and those who unconditionally support them will be held accountable before international courts."
PHOTO: Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a dual American and Turkish citizen, died at Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, Sept. 6, 2024. (International Solidarity Movement/Eygi Family)
Turkey's Consulate General in Jerusalem is in contact with local authorities regarding the incident, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Oncu Keceli said.
Eygi's family will decide where her body is buried and if it will be in Turkey, Keceli said.
Eygi had most recently been living in the United States and was living in Turkey before that, according to Keceli.
ABC News' Dana Savir, Victoria Beaule, Shannon K. Kingston, Engin Bas and Kerem Inal contributed to this report.
American activist fatally shot in head in the West Bank: Officials originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China and African countries will work together to advance their respective modernization, according to leaders at a high-level meeting of the ongoing 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held on Thursday.
The meeting on industrialization and agricultural modernization was co-chaired by Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Wang said China and African countries should adhere to paths of industrialization and agricultural modernization suited to their respective national conditions, and promote fair and equitable global governance.
Wang stated that China is willing to continue working with African countries to foster industry cooperation growth clusters, enhance connectivity, and strengthen cooperation in industrial and supply chains.
China is prepared to enter into framework agreements on economic partnerships with African countries, and aims to build together a model for implementing the Global Development Initiative, Wang said.
China seeks to contribute to poverty reduction, employment, income generation and the improvement of people's livelihoods in Africa, Wang said, adding that China will continue to provide African countries with new energy technologies and products, support Africa's energy transition, and enhance Africa's environmental sustainability and climate resilience.
African leaders praised the achievements of Africa-China cooperation in the areas of industrialization, agricultural modernization and green development.
They said their countries look forward to exploring a path of industrialization, agricultural modernization and green development with their own national characteristics, and spearheading the process of modernization in the Global South.
FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines commercial aircraft flies over Washington as it approaches to land at Dulles International Airport
By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) -A former American Airlines aircraft mechanic was sentenced on Friday to nine years in prison after being convicted of trying to smuggle cocaine hidden beneath the cockpit of a flight to New York from Jamaica.
Paul Belloisi, 56, of Smithtown, New York, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dora Irizarry in Brooklyn, after being convicted in May 2023 of conspiring to possess cocaine, conspiring to import cocaine and importing cocaine.
The case arose from a routine search of American flight 1349 following its Feb. 4, 2020 arrival at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, where Belloisi had been an American mechanic for more than two decades, from Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Prosecutors said custom officers found 10 cocaine bricks weighing 25.6 pounds (11.6 kg) in an electronics compartment beneath the cockpit, and replaced them with fake bricks sprayed with a substance that glows under a special black light.
Belloisi allegedly drove up to the plane before it could take off again, and entered the electronics compartment.
Prosecutors said law enforcement confronted him, and showed that he handled the fake bricks because his gloves glowed under the black light. They also said Belloisi was carrying an empty tool bag and wore a jacket large enough to hold the cocaine.
The cocaine had a street value of more than $250,000. American was not accused of wrongdoing.
Belloisi's lawyer David Cohen, from the law firm Cohen Forman Barone, said his client plans to appeal his conviction.
"Given Mr. Belloisi's personal history, as well as national and district-wide statistics, this was an excessive sentence, far beyond what is necessary to achieve the goals of sentencing," Cohen said in an interview.
Irizarry on Friday separately rejected Belloisi's request for an acquittal.
She wrote that jurors could infer beyond a reasonable doubt that Belloisi knew the cocaine was aboard flight 1349 and "intentionally conspired and aided in its importation."
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace in Brooklyn said Belloisi's conduct posed "a serious threat to the security of a vital border crossing in our district and our transportation infrastructure."
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Richard Chang and Diane Craft)
American F-35 stealth fighters landed on a highway in Europe for the first time in training with one of NATO's newest allies
American F-35 stealth fighters landed on a highway in Europe for the first time in training with one of NATO's newest allies
The US landed two F-35 Lightning II fighter jets on a highway in Europe for the first time.
The training occurred in Finland, one of NATO's newest members.
Highway flight operations are part of the US military's focus on Agile Combat Employment efforts.
The US Air Force landed two of its fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters on a highway in Europe for the first time ever this week.
US Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa announced the successful landing on Wednesday, writing that two F-35s executed a landing on a highway in Finland as part of the larger exercise BAANA 2024, a Finnish-led annual exercise focused on expeditionary and dispersed operations outside main bases.
Gen. James Hecker, the USAFE-AFAFRICA commander, said "the successful first-ever landing of our fifth generation F-35 on a highway in Europe is a testament to the growing relationship and close interoperability we have with our Finnish Allies."
For the first time, a @usairforce F-35 Lightning II landed on a highway strip in Finland! The maneuver was conducted while executing Agile Combat Employment training during exercise BAANA 2024. #AgileForceshttps://t.co/hPxkgX45J1 pic.twitter.com/T7b0QnAHE8 USAFE-AFAFRICA (@HQUSAFEAFAF) September 4, 2024
"The opportunity to learn from our Finnish counterparts improves our ability to rapidly deploy and employ air power from unconventional locations and reflects the collective readiness and the agility of our forces," Hecker added.
Though the landing was a first for the US, F-35s have previously landed on highways on the continent. European ally Norway was, for instance, the first to operate F-35As on a highway.
Norway landed two F-35As on a highway in Finland in 2023. Eivind Byre, Norwegian Armed Forces
While the moment this week was a historic first, the concept of using highways to operate military aircraft is nothing new. It is a tactic Finland has long embraced and something the US and other allies are increasingly looking to given the threats to fixed airbases.
For the US, the concept of operating military aircraft on highways is a larger part of the Agile Combat Employment efforts, which are focused on dispersing air forces to both traditional and non-traditional airstrips in a manner that makes it more difficult for enemies to eliminate airpower.
The first demonstration of this concept in the US came in 2021, when the US Air Force landed an A-10 Thunderbolt II attack plane on a highway in Michigan. There had been other similar activities carried out in Europe, but that was a first on US soil.
Since then, the military has also landed a MC-130J Commando II, a MQ-9 Reaper drone, and MH-6M Little Bird helicopters on a highway in Wyoming, as well as a Reaper drone on a dirt strip in Texas. The Air Force is even looking at what landing on a beach would look like.
The US has also landed its fifth-gen F-35s on highways, though only at home, unlike the recent training operations in Europe. In August 2023, the Marines landed an F-35B on the Old Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California.
F-35s are highly advanced fifth-generation aircraft. Nick Ut/Getty Images
The Pentagon has repeatedly assessed that this capability is especially important for potential conflicts with Russia and China, as preemptive strike capabilities, such as from China's missile force, could render traditional airbases and runways inoperable.
Read the original article on Business Insider
(NewsNation) The U.S. State Department confirmed a 26-year-old American woman was killed Friday in the West Bank.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller identified the woman born in Turkey as Aysenur Ezgi Eygi.
The White House said it was deeply disturbed by the killing.
Our hearts go out to her family and loved ones. We have reached out to the Government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident, said Sean Savett, a White House National Security Council spokesperson.
Ex-flight attendant honors 9/11 victims with 200-mile trek
Witnesses told The Associated Press Eygi was shot by Israeli soldiers during an antisettlement protest.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli added the country would exert all effort to ensure that those who killed our citizen is brought to justice.
The Israeli military said it was investigating reports of troops firing at an instigator of violent activity in the area of the protest.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces appeared to have withdrawn from three refugee camps after a more-than-weeklong military operation that left dozens dead. Israel claims the large-scale raids in the territory were aimed at dismantling militant groups and preventing attacks. Palestinians fear a widening of the war in Gaza.
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.
LONDON (AP) An American woman accused of murdering her two youngest children in Colorado last December told her 11-year-old daughter who survived the attack that God made her do it, a prosecutor said in a London court.
The girl begged for her life after Kimberlee Singler slashed her in the neck with a knife and despite the childs plea for mercy cut her again, prosecutor Joel Smith said.
The harrowing details came as Singler fights extradition to the United States in Westminster Magistrates Court.
Singler denies attacking her children and is concerned her daughters statement to police was coerced, defense attorney Edward Fitzgerald said.
Singler should not be extradited from the United Kingdom because if shes convicted of first-degree murder in the U.S. state of Colorado, where the killings took place, she would face life without parole a sentence that violates European human rights law, Fitzgerald argued on Friday.
Singler, 36, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting and stabbings of her 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, and one count of attempted murder for cutting the older daughter with a knife.
She faces additional counts because the children were under the age of 12, along with an additional count of assault.
Fitzgerald, who represented Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in his long extradition fight to face espionage charges in the U.S., argued that life without parole would be inhuman because it offers no prospect for release even if she is rehabilitated.
Despite the possibility that the sentence could be commuted by a Colorado governor, that would amount to political suicide, Fitzgerald said, citing experts who said it had not been done before.
In Colorado, as a matter of history and political reality, there is no realistic prospect of release, whatever progress is made, Fitzgerald said. No matter how bad the crime, there should be some opportunity of release.
As Fitzgerald was winding up his argument, Smith rose to say he had become aware of evidence that former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper had commuted first-degree murder sentences of six men in 2018.
Judge John Zani then adjourned the three-day hearing in light of potentially important information until Dec. 2 to allow lawyers to confirm a news report about the commutations and provide further arguments.
Singler, who is in custody, was in the dock and only spoke to acknowledge that she understood why the hearing was being continued.
The hearing was primarily focused on the legal issues surrounding extradition.
On Wednesday, Smith outlined new details in his opening statement.
He said that at the time of the killings, Singler was in a custody battle with her ex-husband, Kevin Wentz. He had been awarded more time with the children and she had been ordered to turn them over to him from Dec. 16-31, but had not done so.
Shortly after midnight on Dec. 19, Singler made an emergency call to Colorado Springs police.
Officers found the two youngest children, Aden Wentz, 7, and Elianna Ellie Wentz, 9, dead in bed together in their apartment. They had been shot and stabbed, Smith said.
Singlers older daughter, identified in court papers only by her initials, M.W., was seriously wounded with multiple neck lacerations.
Singler, who had superficial knife wounds, was initially considered a victim in what was reported as a burglary, police said.
She would later tell police that she had woken on (Dec. 18) feeling weird and woozy, and that the children had seemed drowsy as well, Smith said. She said that she suspected her former partner (the childrens father) of killing them, or organizing to have them killed. She said that a dark figure had entered her apartment and that she had fainted.
Singlers ex-husband, however, had a solid alibi, Smith said. He was driving a truck that had GPS tracking.
The daughter who survived her attack initially told police that a man entered their home from the patio and attacked them. But after recovering from her wounds and being transferred to a foster home, she told a caretaker that her mother was responsible and had asked her to lie to police.
The girl said Singler gave the children milk with a powdery medicine to drink and told them to close their eyes as she guided them into one of the childrens bedrooms, Smith said.
Singler cut her neck and, as the girl begged her to stop, she slashed her again, Smith said. The girl said her mother had a gun.
The defendant told her that God was telling her to do it, and that the childrens father would take them away, Smith said.
A blood-stained handgun and a bloody knife were found, along with bullets and spent cartridges. DNA tests on the weapons found a mixture of blood matching the children and their mother. An empty bottle of sleeping pills was also found in the house.
After her daughter changed her story, police sought to arrest Singler on Dec. 26 in Colorado but she had fled abroad. She was caught in Londons posh Chelsea neighborhood four days later.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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UPDATE (Sept. 7, 2024; 8:50 a.m. ET): This post has been updated to include a statement from Aysenur Egzi Eygi's family.
A 26-year-old American woman who was reportedly protesting the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank was killed on Friday, prompting an outcry from human rights groups and a White House request for an investigation.
The International Solidarity Movement said the woman, Aysenur Egzi Eygi, was an activist with the group, which supports Palestinian resistance against Israeli oppression.
Eygi, a dual American-Turkish citizen, was in the West Bank town of Beita for a weekly demonstration against the expansion of settlements when the Israeli army intentionally shot and killed her, ISM said in a statement. A protester who witnessed the shooting also told The Associated Press that Israeli soldiers killed the woman. Two doctors said she was shot in the head, the AP reported.
The Israel Defense Forces told NBC News that it responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who was throwing rocks. It also said that the details and circumstances of a foreign nationals death as a result of shots fired were under review.
State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said in a statement that they were aware of Eygis death and are urgently gathering more information about the circumstances of her death.
Eygis family said in a statement that she was killed by a bullet that video shows came from an Israeli military shooter, and urged the Biden administration to launch an independent investigation into her death.
We welcome the White Houses statement of condolences, but given the circumstances of Aysenurs killing, an Israeli investigation is not adequate, they said, adding: We call on President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary of State Blinken to order an independent investigation into the unlawful killing of a U.S. citizen and to ensure full accountability for the guilty parties."
With much of the attention focused on Gaza since Oct. 7, Israeli forces have unleashed a brutal wave of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, Amnesty International reported in February. In the past week, the IDF has conducted a devastating security operation in the West Bank, focusing on the city of Jenin, which houses a large refugee camp. Israel said it killed 14 militants, including the head of Hamas presence in Jenin, in the operation. Reuters reported that a total of 21 people were killed in Jenin, including a 16-year-old girl whose father reportedly said she was shot dead by an Israeli sniper while she was looking out the window of her home. The Israeli military said earlier this week that it was looking into reports of her death.
Eygi is the 18th protester killed in Beita located about 40 miles north of Jerusalem since 2020, according to ISM. American activist Rachel Corrie, another ISM volunteer, was engaging in a peaceful protest against the demolition of homes in Gaza in 2003 when the Israeli Defense Forces crushed her with a military bulldozer. (The IDF said the soldier operating the bulldozer hadnt seen her, and that Corrie was responsible for her death for not moving out of the way. Her parents have disputed the military account of her death.) Last month, another U.S. volunteer with ISM was also reportedly shot in the leg by Israeli forces in the West Bank.
The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned extremist settler violence in the West Bank, and the Biden administration has ordered multiple rounds of sanctions on extremist individuals and organizations, and settler outposts. Pro-Palestinian activists and allies, as well as the United Nations top court, view Israeli settlements in the West Bank as a violation of international law.
Despite finding Israeli settlements illegitimate, pro-Palestinian activists say the Biden administration has not sufficiently pressured the Israeli government against supporting the expansion of settlements on the West Bank. Three extremist settlers who were targeted by U.S. sanctions told the AP in June that those sanctions had little impact on them.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, confronted by members of the public after a meeting of the committee on studying rejecting federal education funds in Nov. 2023. Several officials in Ragan's district say his stances on education played a factor in his Aug. 1, 2024 loss in the Republican primary.(Photo: John Partipilo)
Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, confronted by members of the public after a meeting of the committee on studying rejecting federal education funds in Nov. 2023. Several officials in Ragan's district say his stances on education played a factor in his Aug. 1, 2024 loss in the Republican primary.(Photo: John Partipilo)
Positions on Gov. Bill Lees school voucher plan and reading standards may have cost Rep. John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican, his berth as the Republican nominee.
Ragan is challenging his 258-vote loss to former Clinton Police Chief Rick Scarbrough in the Aug. 1 primary and the Tennessee Republican Party Executive Committee will hear arguments in his case Saturday.
Ragan has blamed his loss on Democrats who crossed over to vote in the Republican primary but local elected officials said his education stance played a role.
In short, I believe that John Ragan lost because he listens to lobbyists and party hacks, and not to his constituents, said Angi Agle, a member of the Oak Ridge Board of Education, noting she does not speak for the board. When (predecessor) Jim Hackworth served the 33rd District, he would frequently call to inquire about how a proposed bill might affect Oak Ridge Schools. He was doing his homework, not calling on someone from his own party, but someone with boots on the ground who might be able to provide additional insight.
Teresa Portwood with Anderson County Board of Education echoed a disconnect with constituents.
The people elected you as their representative. You have voted for laws that your constituents asked you not to, she said. Why do you not listen to educators [when] obviously you are not one?
Other officials specifically addressed Ragans support for vouchers.
The Anderson County Commission along with Oak Ridge City Council and Clinton City Council passed resolutions asking him to oppose school vouchers along with the Anderson County Board of Education, the Oak Ridge School Board as well as the Clinton City School Board. His response was no, thus leading to his defeat, Anderson County Commissioner Robert McKamey said.
The people elected you as their represenative. You have voted for laws that your constituents asked you not to. Why do you not listen to educators (when) obviously you are not one?
Teresa Portwood, Anderson County Board of Education
Ragans public position on vouchers is nuanced, however. Before the primary, he spoke to the Oak Ridge chapter of the League of Women Voters and with Anderson County Commissions Legislative Committee. At both events he defended a school voucher bill that failed to pass. He argued he supported the House bill not based on vouchers but on other provisions in the bill such as increased teacher pay, health benefits and funding for school maintenance. He said he would not support any bill for vouchers alone.
I didnt support Gov. Lees proposal. I did support his proposal as modified by the House, Ragan said.
At the same event, Scarbrough said he opposed the bill but focused his response not on vouchers but on the additional measures added to the version Ragan endorsed. For example, he criticized the bills changes to health insurance policy due to the funding required. His campaign website does not state whether he endorses Lees voucher proposal.
Agle also said Ragans support for a controversial third grade retention measure based on TCAP scores could have alienated voters.
While I agree that reading is of primary importance, I do not agree that any one-day exam is appropriate for determining whether a student is ready to be promoted. Individual teachers and principals are much better judges of that readiness, Agle said.
But not all local officials agree with the assessment from Agle, Portwood and McCamey.
Oak Ridge Board of Education member Heather Hartman agrees with Ragan that his defeat was likely due to Democrats voting for Scarbrough, echoing Ragans statements.
Its one of the risks of open primaries, she said.
Anderson County Commissioner Anthony Allen endorsed Ragans challenge of the results.
The Republican Party primary doesnt belong to Democrats to meddle in or vote in. In the Republican primary, Republicans decide who our candidates are, not Democrats! he wrote in a public Facebook post. Do not listen to the sirens who are unaccustomed to winning! Instead, listen to what Trump said during the assassination attempt. He stood up, raised his fist in the air and shouted Fight! Fight! Fight!
Anderson County Republican Party Chairwoman Myra Mansfield quoted Allen in an email, adding, May the Anderson County Republican Party turn the key that unlocks election integrity for all!
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Former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) chats with admirers at a dinner Wednesday sponsored by Principles First, a conservative group whose members oppose former President Donald Trump. Photo by Josh Kurtz.
The event Wednesday night, at a fancy hotel in College Park, was billed as a look at the legacy of the Watergate scandal on todays politics, 50 years after former President Richard Nixons resignation. It was sponsored by the conservative group Principles First, which has emerged as a top refuge for Republicans who oppose former President Donald Trump.
But anyone who was expecting conversations about Haldeman and Ehrlichman, Woodward and Bernstein, the Saturday Night Massacre, the smoking gun, twisting slowly, slowly in the wind or other reminders of that unique moment in American politics would have been sorely disappointed. There was a brief video with footage of a news report about Watergate, a burst of nostalgia featuring the flat Midwestern baritone of the estimable newsman Harry Reasoner, but that was about it.
What the event largely turned out to be was an infomercial for former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and his bid to become a U.S. senator.
Hogan, a consistent and longtime Trump critic, was listed as the keynote speaker, and he did talk a little about Watergate. But he limited the conversation to the role of his father, the late U.S. Rep. Lawrence Hogan Sr., who was the first Republican on the House Judiciary Committee to call for Republican President Richard Nixons impeachment and was the only GOP congressman on that panel to vote for all three impeachment articles.
That decision cost him dearly, Hogan recalled. He lost friends and supporters and the Republican nomination for governor [in 1974]. But he earned something more valuable.
Hogan said his fathers courage and political independence helped to shape the man I am today. Then he launched into his standard stump speech about how American politics are broken, how toxic political divides are stymying any possibility for progress on Capitol Hill, and how, while he has no burning desire to be a senator, he decided to run at the 11th hour to be an independent operator and help end the dysfunction in Congress.
Hogan, who touted his bipartisan record and high poll numbers when he left office, also attempted to define his place in the anti-Trump universe a critical component of his campaign in a very blue state.
Unlike many Republicans, I have never wavered and have never backed down and I never will, he said, to enthusiastic applause.
That part of the message echoed a minute-long TV ad that Hogan began airing this week, in which a narrator calls the former governor the face of the anti-Trump GOP, and describes how Hogan moved swiftly to send Maryland State Police officers and National Guard personnel to secure the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, while Trump watched the chaos on television from the White House.
That ad airs as Hogans Democratic opponent, Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, and her allies amp up their attempts to tie Hogan to Trump and conservatives in Congress and their policy priorities. On Thursday, the political arm of EMILYs List, a national fundraising powerhouse that backs Democratic women who support abortion rights, announced that it would spend $2.2 million to air a 30-second TV ad attacking Hogans record on abortion.
Earlier this week, Hogan and the National Republican Senatorial Committee began airing a 30-second TV ad touting his record as governor and independence that, among other things, attempts to remind voters that Hogan supports restoring womens right to choose everywhere.
Critics have called this an election-year conversion.
His entire career hes been anti-abortion, a narrator says in the EMILYs List Women Vote ad. So dont let him fool you now.
Angela Alsobrooks is a groundbreaking candidate with the talent and experience necessary to defeat Mitch McConnells top recruit, Republican Larry Hogan, said EMILYs List President Jessica Mackler. While Hogan is trying to hide from his anti-abortion track record, we are going to make sure voters know his real record.
I love Larry Hogan
Hogan did not stick around for the second part of the Principles First dinner program Wednesday evening, but even in his absence, it said a lot about the anti-Trump movement within the national GOP and Hogans standing in it. It also said something about the state of the race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D) and Marylands outsized role this year in determining which party controls the Senate in the next Congress.
Watergate did not enter the conversation.
Following Hogan as speakers were Kyle Sweetser, a steelworker and two-time Trump voter from Alabama who addressed the Democratic National Convention last month; Sarah Longwell, a political strategist, publisher of the conservative news and opinion website The Bulwark, and founder of Republican Voters Against Trump; and Joe Walsh, a former congressman from Illinois who briefly challenged Trump for the GOP presidential nomination in 2020 after supporting him in 2016. Notably, all are vocal supporters of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the White House election.
Walsh all but harangued the audience of about 100 Republicans to stop thinking about the future of the GOP until Trump exits the political scene.
None of that matters unless we beat him! he shouted, pacing across the stage with a hand-held microphone. Sometimes I get pissed off about the whole what next? [conversation]. Not now. Weve all got one job the next 60 days: Stop him!
That full-throated advocacy for Harris has been a bridge too far for Hogan. He has said he wont vote for Trump or Harris this year, just as he didnt vote for Trump or the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016 and 2020. In 2016, he wrote in his father for president, when the elder Hogan was still alive; in 2020, he wrote in the name of former President Ronald Reagan, then 16 years dead.
Longwell, a Maryland resident and Hogan fan who tried to recruit him as far back as 2017 to challenge Trump for the Republican nomination, until polling and focus groups convinced her that it would be a fools errand, said Wednesday that Hogans stance on the presidential election is defensible, especially since hes a candidate for statewide office.
He isnt for Kamala, she said. Hes running for Senate as a Republican. He probably cant say that. Id like him to say it.
Within the galaxy of anti-Trump Republicans, there are different approaches to the presidential election. While many will vote for Harris, others, like Hogan, will essentially throw their votes away.
Trumps former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, a sharp critic of his former boss whose political action committee has already spent more than $1 million attempting to get Hogan elected, has said hell write in the name of former Vice President Dick Cheney in November. Meanwhile, Cheneys daughter, former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), said Wednesday shes voting for Harris. That news went public just as the Priorities First dinner was beginning.
Two recent public polls have shown the Senate race to be close. One poll, released by the Maryland AARP, showed Hogan and Alsobrooks tied at 46% each. The other, from Gonzales Research, showed Alsobrooks ahead, 46% to 41%.
Both polls, as expected, showed Trump far behind Harris in Maryland, though her lead was somewhat more modest in the Gonzales survey. But one thing thats notable is that, even in a state where Trump allies have seized control of the party apparatus, Hogan was running slightly ahead of Trump among Republican voters in the Gonzales poll, while both took 83% of the GOP vote in their respective races in the AARP poll.
The essential ingredient to any Hogan victory, political analysts and strategists agree, is for the former governor to come close to or exceed 30% of the Democratic vote against Alsobrooks and both recent polls suggest hes falling short.
At the Principles First dinner, a question to Longwell from a member of the University of Maryland College Republicans illustrated Hogans challenge. The student said that as he hands out leaflets for Hogan on campus, several Democratic and independent voters tell him they admire Hogan generally, but are reluctant to vote for him because he could flip the Senate majority to Republicans or enable GOP policies that they oppose. Longwell said she understands the dilemma.
I love Larry Hogan, I want to vote for Larry Hogan, she said. But man, Ive been burned a lot by people who wind up voting for the Trump agenda.
Longwell said shes able to support Hogan, even with the risk of him sometimes voting for policies that she might dislike or enabling a Senate GOP majority, because the Senate needs more Republicans who are willing to reach across the aisle and seek consensus.
If the party is to stop being in thrall to Trump, One of the key ways we can get out of this is in leadership, she said.
A stark and unsettling reminder of whats at stake
That may be a comfort to some voters who view Hogan favorably, but it may not be enough to sway some of the Democrats who supported him for governor in 2014 and 2018.
Hogan on Wednesday night sought to contrast his approach to politics and policymaking with Alsobrooks.
My opponent in the race for United States Senate only wants to spew partisan rhetoric about the red vs. the blue, he said. And I want to get back to the red, white and blue.
State Sen. Cheryl C. Kagan (D-Montgomery) is protesting the use of this image of her in a Larry Hogan campaign ad. Screen shot.
But some of Alsobrooks allies are suggesting that Hogans recent messaging isnt as bipartisan as it might seem.
After the joint Hogan-NRSC ad began airing this week, state Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher (D-Montgomery), an early Alsobrooks supporter, said it was disingenuous for Hogan to portray himself as untrammeled when hes in cahoots with a campaign committee whose sole purpose is to elect Republicans.
Its rich that Larry Hogan is running ads paid for by the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee while trying to posture as some type of independent,' Waldstreicher said. This latest bankrolled ad is just a stark and unsettling reminder that for Republicans, this Maryland Senate race is solely about taking back the Senate majority.
And on Thursday, state Sen. Cheryl C. Kagan (D-Montgomery) protested the Hogan campaigns decision to use footage of her standing and applauding during one of the former governors State of the State speeches in his latest ad.
I often tell constituents that Republican Larry Hogan isnt nearly as moderate or bipartisan as his PR people would lead you to believe, Kagan said in an email to supporters. Sadly, his consultants have spent years, stretching the truth in order to reinforce that inaccurate perception. It is outrageous and misleading that I was included in Hogans most recent campaign ad. Just because I applauded at one part of his annual State of the State address does not imply that I approve of the Republican agenda.
At the end of her missive, Kagan writes: I am asking that Larry Hogan remove my image from his latest ad and never use it again without my express permission.
But unlike liberal rock stars who are sending Trump cease-and-desist letters demanding that he no longer use their music during his rallies, Kagan may be on far less solid legal ground calling for her image to be removed from Hogans ad.
Cadets sing the national anthem on the first day at school in a cadet lyceum in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. Children and students went to school despite the fact that Kyiv was hit by massive Russian missile barrage early in the morning, causing fires, damaged buildings and infrastructure objects. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Aug. 30 - Sept. 5, 2024
Cadets sing the national anthem, an woman dances, a health worker administers a polio vaccine to a child and boys row on the Sava river in Serbia.
Children visit a Blow Up Experience installation, actress Mahlagha Jaberi poses for photographers and Chinese J-10 fighter jets perform during the Egypt International Airshow.
This gallery highlights some of the most compelling images published in the past week by The Associated Press.
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ZHENGZHOU, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The main genetic components of the Han and Tibetan ethnic groups came from people living in the middle reaches of the Yellow River about 7,000 years ago, according to a study carried out by Chinese archaeologists.
The study involved several institutions, including the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology (HICHA) and Xiamen University. Its results were released in the latest edition of Science Bulletin, a multidisciplinary academic journal supervised by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and co-sponsored by the CAS and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
Using ancient-DNA capture techniques, researchers obtained eight unrelated genomes for use in population genetic analysis for the first time. They found that 57 to 92 percent of the Han Chinese ethnic group's genetic components came from the Neolithic people living in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, particularly people from the Yangshao culture.
The DNA research also supported the theory that people living around the Yellow River thousands of years ago contributed to the genetic formation of those living on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and in southwest China today, with 70 to 80 percent of the genetic components of the Tibetans and a large proportion of those from ethnic groups such as Miao and Zhuang coming from the Neolithic people living in the middle reaches of the Yellow River.
In 1921, the first excavation of the Yangshao Village site in Mianchi County, Henan Province, marked the birth of modern Chinese archaeology.
Originating around the middle reaches of the Yellow River and dating back 5,000 to 7,000 years, the Yangshao culture is considered to have been an important contributor to the Chinese civilization.
Wei Xingtao, deputy chief of HICHA, said that the latest study has filled a void in paleo-genomic data on the Neolithic people living along the middle reaches of the Yellow River and that it is important to the understanding of the history of those Neolithic people, and of the origin and spread of the Chinese civilization.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs speaks during an event where the Department of Interior announced delisting the Apache Trout from the Endangered Species list in Mesa, Arizona, on Sept. 4, 2024. Photo by Shondiin Silversmith | Arizona Mirror
After more than five decades of conservation efforts led by tribal, state, federal and non-governmental organizations, Arizonas state fish, the Apache trout, has been removed from the Endangered Species list, making it the first sport fish and trout to be delisted due to recovery.
The incredible recovery of the Apache trout reminds us of the transformational power that collaborative conservation efforts grounded in Indigenous knowledge can have on fish and wildlife, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said.
Haaland visited Arizona on Wednesday to announce the removal of the Apache trout from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife alongside Gov. Katie Hobbs, White Mountain Apache Tribe Chairman Kasey Velasquez, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Deputy Director Siva Sundaresan and other conservation partners.
The Apache trout is the first fish species in Arizona to be delisted, Hobbs said. The trout was one of the first endangered species to be federally listed in 1967.
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This is a historic day that is the result of decades of collaboration and partnership, Hobbs said. Preserving the Apache trout, our state fish, is a testament to what is possible when leaders work together toward a common goal.
Haaland said that tribal, state, and federal partners came together for decades of hard work to ensure the species had a fighting chance at survival, but the White Mountain Apache Tribe has led these conservation efforts.
It was the White Mountain Apache Tribe who stepped in to protect the species by passing several ordinances in the 1950s and 60s that closed certain streams from fishing, saving the species from potential extinction, Haaland said.
She said that for more than six decades, the White Mountain Apache Tribe has been a constant leader and partner in Apache trout recovery efforts.
Our tribe has played a crucial role in saving the only impacted trout species in the world, which was on the verge of extinction, Velasquez said, adding that it is thanks to the leadership of White Mountain Tribal leaders who came before him.
He said the White Mountain Apache Tribe recognizes the collective efforts from all parties that brought them to this point where the Apache trout no longer needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act.
However, we cannot take our success for granted, he added. The Apache trout will continue to be reliant on our vigilance and our earnest commitment to ensure this magnificent jewel continues to enhance not only our lives, but the lives of generations yet to be born.
The Apache trout is found exclusively in streams of the White Mountains in the eastern part of Arizona and it is one of only two species of trout native to the state. It is sacred to the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
The Fort Apache Indian Reservation, our home, is a breathtakingly beautiful landscape that provides a safe haven for many species of plants and wildlife, Velasquez said, adding that as part of Apache philosophy, their people work to protect, study and manage all species for future generations to enjoy.
The Apache trout gained protection under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 due to habitat loss and the introduction of non-native species. In 1975, the species was downlisted to threatened rather than endangered.
Four years later, 14 known Apache trout populations occupied 30 miles of habitat. Now, after decades of recovery and conservation efforts, there are 30 Apache trout populations occupying 175 miles of habitat.
Essential conservation actions, including the removal of non-native trout and reintroduction of Apache trout, have driven this recovery, the Department of Interior said in a statement. Apache trout require continual management to maintain conservation barriers and prevent hybridization with non-native species.
Hobbs said that recovery is an amazing accomplishment, and its owed to the collaborative efforts of many partners, but particularly the White Mountain Apache Tribe, which was critical to this success.
She said the White Mountain Apache Tribe had remarkable foresight, an unwavering dedication, and a steadfast commitment to conserving the Apache trout long before the fish was listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Today, the Apache trout is alive and thriving under the Cooperative Management Plan, and we will make sure it stays that way far into the future, she said.
Haaland said the experts leading the Apache trout conservation projects have long championed the fishs recovery because they know just how valuable it is to the surrounding ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
The restoration of the Apache trout is a unique success story that has a great deal to teach us as we double down on our conservation efforts nationwide, Haaland said.
The recovery of the Apache trout was accomplished through actions such as reintroduction of Apache trout to streams, along with elimination of non-native trout.
Thanks to resources from the Presidents Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and partners were able to reopen over 60 miles of habitat and reinforce existing conservation efforts, resulting in todays impressive announcement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams in a press release.
The Department of the Interior stated that the Apache trout requires continual management to maintain the conservation barriers and prevent hybridization with non-native species.
To address those needs, a cooperative management plan to safeguard and sustain Apache trout populations and their habitats over the long term has been established in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Forest Service, the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the Arizona Game and Fish Department and Trout Unlimited.
Two Apache trout conservation projects were funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the 2022 Apache Trout Recovery Fish Passage Infrastructure Project and the 2023 Crooked Creek Route 55 Culvert Fish Passage Project, both led by the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
The 2022 Apache trout Recovery project is ongoing. Its goal is to remove seven barriers and replace six culverts, most of which are on White Mountain Apache tribal land.
The barriers were constructed decades ago to protect against invasion by nonnative predatory trout, but they now block Apache trout, are outdated, and no longer needed due to improved protection measures far downstream, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The projects goal is to create larger populations of Apache trout and reopen access to about 52 miles of habitat.
The 2023 Crooked Creek project is working to replace a culvert that prevents fish from moving freely in the creek..
Crooked Creek contains one of only 17 populations of threatened Apache trout, and this project will allow Apache trout to move freely within their habitat, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife. As climate change impacts freshwater streams, this habitat will be stable for Apache trout in the future, supporting its need for restoration.
The project supports goals established by the White Mountain Apache Tribe Native Fishes Management Plan, which includes the conservation, maintenance and enhancement of the existing native fish population that is culturally and commercially important to the tribe.
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Accused Barrow County school shooter Colt Gray and his father, Colin Gray, appeared in person for their first appearances in court Friday morning.
At the hearing, Colt Grays attorney did not request bond, and he was returned to the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center soon after.
Colin Gray rocked back and forth as the judge laid out the charges against him. His attorney opted not to request bond, meaning both Colt and Colin Gray will remain in custody.
Channel 2s Matt Johnson was in the courtroom as both father and son appeared before a judge while the victims families sat just feet away.
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After the hearing, District Attorney Brad Smith held a news conference saying hes just doing his job by charging the father, along with his son.
Im not trying to send a message, Im just trying to use the tools in my arsenal to prosecute people for the crimes they commit, Smith said.
He went on to say that more charges are expected against Colt Gray once they can interview survivors.
Weve been assured by a lot of people that any help we need will be forthcoming, he said.
Colt Gray is too young to face the death penalty, so he could be facing life in prison. Colin Gray faces up to 180 years in prison.
The younger Gray has been held in the RYDC since Wednesday, after shooting and killing four people and wounding nine others.
As reported by Channel 2 Action News, Colt Gray faces four counts of felony murder for the shooting at Apalachee High School, with the GBI saying more charges are expected.
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Colin Gray, Colt Grays father, was arrested on Thursday, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. GBI Director Chris Hosey said Thursday night that Colin Gray allowed his son to have the weapon used in the deadly school shooting on Wednesday morning.
Colin Gray faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. He was booked into the Barrow County Detention Center on Thursday.
Prosecutors say they will present the case to a grand jury on Oct. 17.
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IN OTHER NEWS:
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is answering your frequently asked questions about the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School.
Four people were shot and killed: teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie and 14-year-old students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn. Nine others were wounded and hospitalized. Some of them have since been released.
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Here are the GBIs answers to your frequently asked questions.
Where do I go for more information? Click here.
What jail was Colt Gray booked into? Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center
What jail was Colin Gray booked into? Barrow County Jail
When and where was Colt Grays first appearance? Friday, September 6, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. at the Barrow County Courthouse
Of the nine people injured, how many students and how many are teachers? 8 students and 1 teacher
How many of the nine people that were injured were shot? 1 adult was shot and 6 students were shot
Will Grays parents face charges? Colin Gray, the father of Colt Gray, has been charged.
Who were the student resource officers who assisted during the incident? Brandon King and Donovan Boyd
Was Colt Gray booked into jail on Wednesday? Colt Gray was booked into jail on Wednesday, September 5, 2024.
Where did the student get the gun? Colin Gray knowingly allowed his son, Colt Gray, to possess a gun. Due to the active investigation, were unable to release further details.
Did Colt Gray live with his father, Colin Gray? Yes, Colin Gray had custody of Colt Gray.
Was there more than one shooter? No
Was Colt Gray investigated for bringing a knife to campus Wednesday morning before the shooting occurred? We dont have any information indicating this.
Does Apalachee High School have metal detectors? No
Did Discord users contact the FBI about Georgia shooting suspect Colt Gray? Please contact the FBI for information about their investigation.
Did the panic alert system go out campus-wide, alerting a lockdown? Teachers wear badges that have panic alert buttons and are to able press the button to alert law enforcement of an incident. This system has been active for about a week before the tragedy at Apalachee High School. Several teachers pressed the alert buttons.
What time was the shooter apprehended? 10:26 a.m., moments after shots fired call came through.
Can you confirm that the GBI is looking at accomplices? There are no accomplices.
Did school staff or law enforcement use bleeding control kits to help any of the victims yesterday? Tourniquets were used.
How can I report threats or suspicious activity? You can submit anonymous tips via the See Something, Send Something mobile app, available for Apple and Android.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images)
A state Appeals Court panel on Friday said Robert F. Kennedys name must be removed from North Carolina ballots.
Counties were to begin mailing absentee ballots Friday with Kennedy on them, but the Appeals Court order now prevents it.
Kennedy fought to get his name on North Carolina ballots this year, then sued to get off. A Superior Court judge told him no on Thursday, but the Appeals Court reverses that ruling. The Appeals Court sent the case back to Judge Rebecca Holt with the direction that she enter an order telling the state Board of Elections to distribute ballots without Kennedys name.
On Aug. 23, Kennedy announced he was suspending his campaign and endorsing former President Donald Trump. He said he would have his name removed in 10 battleground states so as not to draw votes from the GOP presidential nominee.
Kennedy started a party called We the People to gain access to the ballot in North Carolina and a handful of other states.
Last Thursday, the state Board of Elections voted 3-2 to keep Kennedy on the ballot, with the Boards Democratic majority arguing that it was too late and too expensive. Counties had already started printing ballots in preparation of mailing absentee ballots to voters on September 6.
The day after the Boards vote, Kennedy filed a lawsuit challenging the decision.
Kennedys lawyer, Phil Strach, told the Superior Court judge Thursday that the State Board told counties to continue plowing ahead with ballot printing while knowing that Kennedy wanted to drop out.
Its unclear how much it would cost the counties to print new ballots.
The state faces a Sept. 21 federal deadline to make absentee ballots available to people serving in the military and citizens overseas.
BAXLEY, Ga. (WSAV) Like many school districts around Georgia, the Appling County School System has called for an additional law enforcement presence at their schools on Friday.
While there have been no incidents at our schools, we are taking this proactive step to ensure the safety and security of all students, the district stated.
Officials reiterated that the beefed-up security is purely a precautionary measure and that there is no reason to be alarmed if additional patrol cars are seen.
Teen suspect in Ga. school shooting and his father to remain held after hearings
The measures are being taken in response to the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School.
Locally, there have been shooting threats in at least two school districts.
Thursday, the Liberty County School System received threats made online to shoot up local schools.
In Toombs County on Friday, two students were taken into custody after a disturbing post on social media about a shooting.
Meanwhile, the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System elevated security due to concerns from parents and students, though there were no threats to any of their schools.
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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON) A plan to place a sexually violent predator in an Aptos beach house fell apart this week. Convicted rapist Michael Thomas Cheek was slated to be released from a state psychiatric hospital and begin living in a one-bedroom house at 204 Forest Drive.
On August 26, the Santa Cruz County District Attorneys Office publicly announced the states plan for Cheek to reside in Aptos near Rio Del Mar Beach. Community outrage erupted on social media as the news circulated quickly between local residents.
Just 48 hours after the 204 Forest Drive address was made public, the homeowner rescinded her agreement to rent to Cheek through Liberty Healthcare of California, prosecutors said.
Michael Thomas Cheek
The Department of State Hospitals contracts with Liberty to supervise, monitor, and select housing locations for all sexually violent predators (SVP) when they are released from state custody for outpatient treatment. A judge must approve a proposed home address before an SVP can be released from custody and move in.
The District Attorneys Office had significant public safety concerns with the proposed
placement made by Liberty and are pleased that the property will no longer be considered, prosecutors wrote.
Liberty filed a letter in court this week, writing, On August 28, 2024, the homeowner contacted Liberty staff requesting to rescind her agreement to rent to Mr. Cheek; subsequently rendering the property unavailable for placement. The homeowner has returned the holding money paid for the property. Liberty respectfully requests to withdraw the aforementioned property from consideration by the Court.
The homeowner was identified as Gina Buccieri-Harrington, Lookout Santa Cruz reported. Its unclear if the homeowner realized who she was renting to when she initially entered an agreement with Liberty, Deputy District Attorney Alexander Byers told Lookout. Scorn of her neighbors could have also caused her to pull out from the plan, Byers told Lookout.
Currently, there are no new proposed home placement locations for Cheek, the DAs Office said. Cheek continues to receive patient sex offender treatment through the Department of State Hospitals in a locked psychiatric facility, prosecutors wrote.
Cheek, 72, is originally from Concord. In 1980, he attacked and raped a 21-year-old-woman at gunpoint on Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz. Cheek escaped from custody in 1981 and raped a 15-year-old girl at gunpoint.
Cheek completed a decades-long prison sentence in 2017. When his prison term ended, the Santa Cruz County District Attorney successfully petitioned to have him declared an SVP. Cheek completed a two-year sex offender treatment program at a state prison hospital in 2019. Since then, state officials have struggled to find a suitable place for Cheek to live.
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A student concentrating and taking notes while working in a classroom with her classmates.
(Getty Images)
The Arkansas Department of Education has received a $3.6 million federal grant that will allow educators to improve instruction and student learning.
Arkansas is one of 10 states receiving nearly $30 million worth of the U.S. Department of Educations Competitive Grants for State Assessments awards. The program helps states develop and implement high-quality, innovative, and authentic assessments that will improve teaching and learning, and provide timely information about student progress, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
The federal agency announced the awards Wednesday, along with a record $179 million in new Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant awards, which are focused on supporting academic acceleration.
According to an ADE press release, Arkansas will use its grant to:
Partner with select districts to pilot new teaching and assessment practices
Develop professional learning that empowers educators to interpret and use test data to guide instruction and learning
Strengthen collaboration among educators who use and share data
Expand the program statewide
Create micro-credentials in data and assessment literacy that educators can add to their licenses
We are pleased to receive this grant to improve data literacy among educators in Arkansas, Education Secretary Jacob Oliva said in a statement. As we prepare to release test scores next month from the new assessment administered this spring, the grant will help us provide ongoing supports to educators to assist with understanding the results and using them to guide student learning.
The state education department developed a new statewide assessment to replace the ACT Aspire exam in 2023. The Arkansas Teaching and Learning Assessment System (ATLAS) was rolled out to grades 3-10 this spring.
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Officials with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission announced Friday that theyll be hosting two meetings in September to update hunters on new regulations involving chronic wasting disease.
During the meetings, officials will familiarize hunters with regulations in Cleburne, Mississippi and Sharp counties, which were all added to Tier 2 of the AGFCs CWD Management Zone in February.
White-tailed deer in Arkansas tests positive for chronic wasting disease, AGFC confirms
Craighead County has also been added to the management zone after a CWD-positive case was found.
The meetings will be held at the Heber Springs Community Center from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 12 and the ASU Cooper Alumni Center in Jonesboro from 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 17.
Were really looking forward to these opportunities to talk with hunters and landowners to help kick off the fall season, Dr. Jenn Ballard, state wildlife veterinarian for the AGFC, said. We want to make sure we answer all their questions about CWD, but well also have staff on hand to talk about the new seasons and our expanded Deer Management Assistance Program. Hunters are so important for our state. We really cant manage deer or challenges like CWD without them.
Both meetings will begin with an introduction and brief presentation on what CWD is, how it is transmitted, and ways hunters can help slow its spread.
Arkansas Game and Fish continue tracking chronic wasting disease in deer after case found in Union County
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease that affects members of the deer-elk family. Research from the National Institutes of Health claims CWD is unlikely to move from animals to people.
For more information on chronic wasting disease and the AGFCs network of testing drop-off locations, visit AGFC.com.
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BARCELONA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The growing impact of mass tourism on local residents has sparked increasing debate in Barcelona, one of Europe's most popular holiday destinations.
According to the city council, over 1.2 million tourists visited Barcelona in July, a 7.5 percent increase compared to the same month last year. The city is on track to surpass the 2019 record of 19.3 million visitors, set before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, as tourist numbers rise, so do local concerns. A recent city council public opinion survey revealed that 13 percent of residents now view tourism as Barcelona's biggest issue, more than doubling last year's figure of 5.9 percent.
The 2023 Perception of Tourism report, which surveyed around 1,900 residents, found that 23 percent consider tourism harmful to the city, the highest percentage ever recorded.
"There are too many tourists, and sometimes it's hard to move or walk down certain streets," said local resident Palmira Moncunill, adding that something needs to be done. While acknowledging tourism's economic benefits, she questioned the city council's emphasis on attracting "quality over quantity."
This year, Barcelona hosted high-profile events including the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the ongoing America's Cup, targeting visitors with greater spending power. However, these events have drawn criticism from some local people.
"The authorities talk about managing tourism, but we need to reduce its scale and decrease the city's economic reliance on an industry that is both harmful and volatile," said Dani Pardo, a member of the Assembly of Neighborhoods for the Reduction of Tourism.
In early July, over 3,000 people took to the streets of Barcelona, protesting under the slogan "Enough, let's put limits on tourism." The demonstration was organized by 140 neighborhood, social, and environmental groups.
Pardo attributes the increasing criticism to "better communication between local communities" and the fact that "tourism is now affecting everyone." He also criticized the authorities for making promises without meaningful action, claiming their goal is to "silence opposition, not reduce tourism's impact."
In response to these concerns, the city council announced new measures in July, including raising the tourist tax to four euros per night and pledging to revoke 10,000 tourist apartment licenses by 2029. However, local organizations say these measures are not enough and are pushing for more radical actions, such as reducing airport capacity, closing cruise ship terminals, and banning the expansion of tourist accommodation.
"There's a debate in Barcelona, as in most European cities, about the limits of tourism. We must manage tourism without increasing the limits, and we're interested in attracting more Asian visitors. But Barcelona cannot become solely a tourist city," said Jordi Valls, the city's Deputy Mayor for Economic Promotion and Tourism.
The Barcelona Chamber of Commerce reports that tourism contributes 14.5 percent of the city's gross domestic product (GDP) and supports 155,000 jobs. The America's Cup alone is expected to generate 1.2 billion euros (1.33 billion U.S. dollars) by the time it concludes in October, according to the Barcelona Capital Nautica Foundation.
Arkansas Johnny Cash statue on the way to Washington D.C.
Arkansas Johnny Cash statue on the way to Washington D.C.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The likeness of Johnny Cash set to live in the U.S. Capitols statuary hall is now on its way to D.C.
The bronze statue of Arkansas-born Cash will join another recent addition to the space; Daisy Gatson Bates, who was placed there earlier this year as Arkansas newest representation.
Our hope is that it will encourage people from all around the world who tour the U.S. Capitol to want to come and visit Arkansas, Arkansas National Statuary Hall Steering Committee Chair Shane Broadway explained.
US Capitol statue of Johnny Cash to be unveiled in late September
Broadway noted that some four million visitors stop by the Capitol per year.
An 18-wheeler carrying the heavily packaged statue of Cash pulled out of Little Rock this morning, but not without ceremony. The send-off ended the five-year process of getting The Man in Black to Washington, bringing in Cashs Arkansas relatives from Kingsland and the statues artist, Kevin Kresse.
It creeps in occasionally and it does hit me, Kresse explained when asked about the magnitude of the project. When hes fully inside the Capitol safely put together, then I can fully take a deep breath.
Arkansan chosen to create Johnny Cash statue for National Statuary Hall
Kresse spent three years working on the statue, starting with a clay base and finishing with a bronze cast set atop a stone pedestal; a pedestal covered in Arkansas natural resources.
Im very proud that Im from Arkansas and doing this piece and that the stone is from Arkansas, that its very much an Arkansas product, Kresse said.
Something else based in the Natural State is the company thats taking Johnny to Washington. Dedicated Logistics of Crossett is, as Broadway explained, a veteran carrying a veteran and south Arkansas transporting a south Arkansas guy.
Public invited to see Arkansas artist Kevin Kresse create statue of country icon Johnny Cash
Johnnys statue will arrive in Maryland on Monday and will stay covered up until his grand unveiling in Statuary Hall on Sept. 24.
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MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. Arkansas State Police said state troopers arrested a man who is accused of making a threat against Attorney General Tim Griffin.
According to ASP officials, special agents were notified in August after the attorney general received a threatening message through his offices Facebook Messenger account on July 26.
Arkansas woman pleads guilty to bomb threat against Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Investigators said an arrest warrant was obtained for 39-year-old Jeffrey Roger Pyzocha of Flippin. On Sept. 5, Pyzocha was taken into custody in Mountain Home.
Pyzocha is facing a charge of first-degree terroristic threatening. He is being held at the Baxter County Detention Center on a $25,000 bond.
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Arkansas man arrested in connection with shots fired on bridge, Morgan City police say
ST. MARY PARISH, La. (KLFY) An Arkansas man is accused of shooting a gun from a vehicle while traveling on the U.S. 90 bridge connecting Morgan City and Berwick, according to authorities.
Jordan Alexander Renfroe, 20, of Hot Springs, was arrested around 3 p.m. today and charged with illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities, according to the Morgan City Police Department.
Morgan City police said in a news release that they went to Brasher Avenue near Fifth Street at 9:25 a.m. this morning in response to reports of gunshots being fired in the area. Responding officers were unable to locate anything, police said.
According to the news release, reports were made to the Berwick Police Department in which witnesses say they saw an occupant of a grey Honda Accord, that was traveling on U.S. 90, fire several gunshots out of the vehicle window.
Together, Morgan City and Berwick police were able to locate the suspect vehicle in the area of Jones Street in Berwick. Police said they executed a search warrant there and Renfroe was developed as a suspect.
Reports indicate that evidence was uncovered linking Renfroe as the subject who had fired the weapon out of the vehicle. The firearm in question was also recovered and seized by investigators, Morgan City police said.
Latest News
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Arkansas State Police arrest Augusta Mayor Jeff Collins on charge of theft of property
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Arkansas State Police arrested Augusta Mayor Jeff Collins Thursday afternoon on charges of misdemeanor theft.
An ASP release stated Collins was arrested and booked into the Woodruff County jail on a Class A misdemeanor theft of property charge. Officials said Collins was released with bond waived after booking.
Arkansas State Police agents arrest former Wheatley PD chief marshal
ASP officials said the investigation into Collins occurred after the agency received a letter from Woodruff County senior deputy prosecutor John Bell in March.
In the letter, Bell references an Arkansas Legislative Audit of Augusta for 2020 through 2022, claiming findings of the audit showed certain city officials may have engaged in unlawful conduct in a number of areas.
Bell outlined the audit findings of extensive utility write-offs, $300,000-plus in expenditures without authorization, thousands of dollars in questionable credit card charges, and thousands of dollars in unexplained or inadequately documented disbursements.
Former Alexander city employee arrested after investigation by attorney generals office
A review of the state legislative audit report confirmed the details in Bells letter, including utility write-offs of over $167,000.
Auditors also noted the city did not timely select an accounting firm to complete financial audits of the City for six calendar years through 2022.
The citys response to the audit finding was included in the report. It stated that the city had addressed all the lapses and was developing policies and procedures to prevent them from occurring again.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin: Two Cotton Plant city employees facing theft charges
State police noted that Collins first court date is Oct. 15.
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CONWAY, Ark. A Conway man accused of rape was arrested by Arkansas State Police after a chase Wednesday night.
According to ASP officials, police in Conway requested help from state troopers while pursuing the suspect, 38-year-old Dan Joyce, around 8:47 p.m.
Arkansas man arrested, accused of making threat against Attorney General Tim Griffin
Special agents said that Joyces vehicle was speeding at 120 miles per hour on Interstate 40 eastbound before taking an exit and continuing west.
ASP officials said authorities performed a tactical vehicle intervention just west of the exit ramp.
Bull Shoals man facing child sexual abuse, exploitation charges
Joyce was then arrested and taken to the Faulkner County Detention Center, where he is facing charges of felony rape and fleeing.
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Sarah Poontong, 49, became a citizen late last year and one of the first things she did was register to vote.
Shes part of a notable trend Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have had the largest increase in voter registration of any racial group in the country from January to June, compared to the same period during the 2020 election cycle. Thats according to analysis first shared with NBC News from the civic engagement nonprofit APIAVote and the research company TargetSmart.
Experts say the gains can be attributed to the increasing numbers of first-generation immigrants who are getting naturalized, and more young U.S.-born Asian Americans who have come of age, as well as greater efforts to get out the vote. From 1960 to 2019, there was a 29-fold increase in immigrants from Asia coming to the U.S. And the group was more likely than the overall foreign-born population to get naturalized. Since 2020, the racial group has represented the fastest-growing segment of eligible voters.
Thats true for Poontong. She said she felt that as an Asian immigrant from Thailand and daughter of factory workers, big ticket issues often excluded her. She said it felt as though her vote didnt count, so she never cast one. But after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Poontong said she couldnt sit back any longer.
I realized just how important it is to vote in your local elections and the presidential election, Poontong, who lives in Chicago and works in operations and finance, said. So I made the conscious choice to get my citizenship and register to vote, and I voted for the first time in the primaries.
Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote, said the gains can be attributed to not only a growing population that has come of voting age, but also to the political momentum and activism against anti-Asian hate that galvanized the Asian American community during the last election and at the height of the pandemic.
Such organizing was largely orchestrated by the same groups that have long been behind get-out-the-vote efforts and helped draw more attention to voting and civic engagement, she said. Its important, Chen said, given that the Asian American and Pacific Islander electorate has exceeded the margin of victory in a number of states, including Georgia in the 2020 election.
Theres just a feeling of not being safe and not being secure. So I think people are looking for change, Chen said. Theyre recognizing that this is part of the equation that they need to lean in and actually participate.
Researchers looked at national voter registration data up until June 4, the latest date for which all 50 states released their numbers, and compared them to the same point in 2020. They found that registration for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders increased by 43%, from 550,682 to 787,982 voters. Thats more than double the increase compared to both new Black and white voters.
Chen said that historically the community hadnt seen as dramatic gains in political participation. However, things changed in 2020 when Asian Americans had a significant double-digit increase in presidential election turnout. In the last few years, Chen said, more resources and more community organizations have been dedicated to turning out the vote.
So leading into 2020 there were a lot more efforts from the community to talk about building political power and connecting that to voting, Chen said. Then you have the rise of anti-Asian violence and the pandemic. People are still feeling that elected officials, not enough of them are hearing from us and paying attention to us. And so I think that also continued to drive the growth.
Karthick Ramakrishnan, co-founder of the research nonprofit AAPI Data, said that the growth is also driven by naturalized citizens, who make up a majority of Asian American eligible voters. In fiscal year 2022, roughly 1 million lawful immigrants became U.S. citizens, almost matching record highs of 1996 and 2008.
Those whove been in the U.S. for a long time, in particular, are more likely to take that next step and register to vote, he said.
But if theyve lived in the country longer, they tend to be more interested in politics, more likely to be engaged, more likely to be reached out to, and therefore more likely to register to vote if theyre naturalized, he said.
Ramakrishnan also noted that some states have made it much easier and more convenient for naturalized citizens to register to vote in a civic engagement process that can be difficult for immigrants to navigate.
Changes in voter registration rules in a handful of states that are making it much easier and much more automatic for people to be registered to vote, he said.
Of course, many others are compelled to register as this election feels more controversial, Ramakrishnan said, adding that its hard to have a neutral stance on Trump.
Its undeniable that Donald Trump has increased peoples interest in engaging with politics. Hes a polarizing figure, he said. Either people are energized in support of Trump or opposed to Trump.
Poontong said shes been among those who have felt this election to be a particularly pivotal moment in history and even scheduled a vacation around the polls in November, so that she can show up in person. Her biggest concern, she said, is reproductive rights.
Thats my No. 1 issue just to make sure that we, moving forward, have bodily autonomy, she said.
Ramakrishnan pointed out that since the data set ended before Vice President Kamala Harris entered the race, its likely that the increase in Asian American voter registration is even more dramatic.
Were seeing this more generally, regardless of race and ethnicity, but especially what Ive seen is among younger voters, among female voters, voter registration has gone up significantly in the last month, he said. I would expect the Harris candidacy to also drive higher voter registration and higher voter interest among Asian Americans.
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This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Participants listen to a presentation in English and Spanish on how to monitor air quality, how to protect yourself during chemical events and how to voice concerns at the Galena Park Library where The Texas Tribune hosted a community workshop event on Aug. 10, 2024. Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune
Residents of communities along the Houston Ship Channel came together on a Saturday in August at the Galena Park Library to share their stories about air pollution and seek solutions on how to better protect themselves from industry emissions at a community event hosted by The Texas Tribune.
A resident recounted the pervasive stench of rotten eggs and onions that haunted her neighborhood, while a local bakery owner asked environmental experts about the best ways to prepare for a potential chemical incident. A young mother, balancing her baby on her shoulder, listened intently as she learned how to file an air quality complaint with the state environmental agency.
For the people living in communities that sit in the shadow of one of the worlds largest petrochemical complexes, strange smells and polluted air are as much a part of daily life as traffic jams are to the rest of the city. Yet, for too long, these communities have felt forgotten.
The event, part of The Texas Tribunes community engagement efforts, was inspired by my previous reporting on environmental health impacts in those communities. My colleagues and I saw an opportunity to fill important information gaps by returning to the community, distributing the story in person, and hosting a community-focused event something that's not always possible in journalism.
From disastrous chemical fires to the routine chemical releases from industrial plants, the residents near the Ship Channel constantly face environmental hazards.
Last year, a joint investigation by the Tribune and Public Health Watch into a 2019 chemical fire in Deer Park found that benzene emissions reached dangerous levels weeks after the fire was extinguished, and officials at times didnt immediately alert residents about the invisible danger.
A participant looks at a map during a workshop session about monitoring air quality in Houston. Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune
The Texas Tribune hosts a community workshop event at the Galena Park Library in Houston. The workshop, presented in English and Spanish, taught participants about air quality monitoring, how to protect oneself during chemical events and how to voice concerns. Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune
Our most recent investigation, in collaboration with Altavoz Lab and Environmental Health News, found that air-quality data from the state is often inadequate, hard to access, and typically only available in English. As a result, crucial information on how to avoid chemical exposure and the public health consequences of such incidents doesnt always reach those who need it most.
The event at the Galena Park Library aimed to give residents more accessible information and a space to ask questions offering residents practical knowledge and resources at three interactive stations:
* Monitoring air quality: Advocacy groups taught residents how to track the pollutants in the air they breathe using community air monitoring systems.
* Protecting yourself: Environmental experts provided guidance on what to do during a chemical event, including how to recognize symptoms of chemical exposure.
* Making your voice heard: Residents learned how to file complaints with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and make public comments on proposed petrochemical facility permits.
The event was bilingual, with Spanish-language interpreters on hand. The dozens of people who attended asked thoughtful questions and expressed gratitude that The Texas Tribune had taken the time to return and listen to their concerns.
Its because of events like these that we are able to educate people about these issues," said Rodney Reed, an assistant chief of operational support for the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office.
Thank you for informing us about what to do during a chemical emergency, said a woman who attends St. Andrews Roman Catholic Church in Channelview.
Environmental reporter Alejandra Martinez speaks with a participant at a community workshop hosted by The Texas Tribune at the Galena Park Library in Houston. Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune
After our stories published in March, we also wanted to find a way to bring our work directly to people in Cloverleaf, a predominantly Latino community where more than 71% of Cloverleaf residents speak Spanish at home and are not regular readers of The Texas Tribune. How do you reach a community that relies on Facebook groups, WhatsApp, and word-of-mouth for news?
The answer was simple by showing up.
In April, freelance reporter Wendy Selene Perez and I went back to Cloverleaf for four days, distributing flyers with critical information on chemical emergency preparedness and civic engagement. The flyers also had a QR code that took people to our website so they could read and listen to our stories in English or Spanish.
We walked through mobile home parks, visited local panaderias and washaterias, and handed flyers to parents waiting in line to pick up their children from school. The response was overwhelming.
The owner of a quinceanera dress shop shared how she used to speak out at public meetings about the fumes and chemicals but had since felt ignored and stopped speaking out. Holding the flyer, she said, I really like this. I didnt know who to talk to, but at least someone came to talk to me. I am happy, and I will read it.
Hugo Munoz, a general manager of El Rancho Bakery, encouraged his customers to pick up the flyers, even handing them out himself. Its so great that you are doing this and taking notes and testimonials, he said.
Jocelyn Prado, a resident who said she has persistent allergies and skin irritation, added: If yall had never come by, I would not have been as informed. Finally, people like yall are taking time out of your hands trying to figure this out for other people.
Beyond raising awareness, we at the Tribune and our reporting partners also facilitated connections between residents and local environmental organizations like Air Alliance Houston, a nonprofit that operates its own air monitoring network in Galena Park, Pasadena, Channelview and Baytown. During the visit, three families living in Cloverleaf asked to have community air monitors set up outside their homes a direct result of the Tribune's efforts.
People listen as Matt Ewalt, senior director of events and live journalism, speaks at the community workshop in Houston. Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune
Yvette Arellano, founder of Fenceline Watch, left, highlights a pamphlet as Erandi Trevino, a coalition organizer for Healthy Port Communities Coalition, right, looks on during the community event held at Galena Park Library. Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune
Reporters often come, hear our stories, and then leave, never to return, said Juan Flores, a community air monitoring program manager for Air Alliance Houston. But youre different. You came back.
In the end, the engagement strategy wasnt just about distributing information it was about building trust, fostering dialogue, and empowering a community to take action. By returning to the neighborhoods along the Houston Ship Channel, this collaboration showed that journalism doesnt have to end when the story is published; it can continue as a conversation with the people it serves.
This project was created through the Altavoz Lab Environmental Fellowship in partnership with Environmental Health Sciences and received additional funding from the Pulitzer Center. It was co-published by The Texas Tribune, Environmental Health News and palabra.
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.
The Washington State Attorney Generals Office has filed a petition seeking to civilly commit a Whatcom County man, who was set to be released from prison Thursday, indefinitely to an island for sex offenders.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a petition Tuesday, Sept. 3, in Whatcom County Superior Court requesting a Whatcom County judge detain 38-year-old Jake J. Unick at McNeil Island until a jury trial can be held to determine whether Unick meets the criteria to be designated a sexually violent predator, according to court records and a Tuesday press release from the attorney generals office.
A warrant was issued for Unicks arrest the same day. He was transported from the Monroe Correctional Complex in Snohomish County to the Whatcom County Jail, where he is being held without bail, until a probable cause hearing can be held, according to court records.
Unicks probable cause hearing is scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Previous convictions
Over a 10-day period from late February to early March 2013, Unick attempted to kidnap two girls and one woman off the street before he briefly took a 2-year-old girl from the Fred Meyer grocery store on West Bakerview Road.
The first kidnapping attempt occurred Feb. 22, 2013, in Ferndale, when a 16-year-old girl reported that a man, later identified as Unick, grabbed her arm, shoved something sharp into her side and told her to keep moving. Unick threatened to kill the girl multiple times and threatened to spray her with pepper spray. The girl was able to get away and police were called, according to previous reporting in The Bellingham Herald.
One week later, In the morning on March 1, Unick grabbed a 13-year-old girl while she was walking to her school bus stop on West Bakerview Road and told her to do what he said. When the girl screamed no, Unick punched her in the face and sprayed her with pepper spray. The girl ran away and ultimately got away from Unick.
Less than 12 hours later, a 24-year-old woman reported she was attacked in a similar manner in the same area. Unick also sprayed her with pepper spray and told the woman to do what he said. The woman was able to run to her apartment on West Bakerview Road, where she got help from a neighbor who called 911, The Herald previously reported.
Roughly three days later, on March 4, a 2-year-old girl was reported missing from the Fred Meyer on West Bakerview. An alert went out and Unick brought the girl back inside the store, where he worked part-time. He told the manager he found the girl outside, but security footage revealed Unick took the girl by the hand from where she had been with her parents in the middle of the store and took her outside. Unick was outside with the toddler for approximately 10 minutes before he brought her back inside the store. A medical exam revealed no injury to the girl, according to prior reporting in The Herald.
Unick was convicted May 8, 2014 in Whatcom County Superior Court of one count of first-degree kidnapping, two counts of second-degree kidnapping with sexual motivation and one count of harassment (making threats to kill).
He was sentenced Aug. 5, 2014 to 10 years in prison, with three years probation.
Special Commitment Center
McNeil Island, a roughly seven square mile island in the south Puget Sound, is home to the Special Commitment Center, which is run by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. The Special Commitment Center houses people who have been civilly, or involuntarily, committed under Washington state law as sexually violent predators. The people, who are referred to as residents, have completed their prison sentences, mainly for sexually violent offenses, and have been determined they are more likely than not to reoffend if not securely detained.
The law that allows the process, known as the Community Protection Act of 1990, was the first of its kind in the nation to allow a state to detain people after their prison sentences based on their potential risk to commit another sexually violent offense. Following Washingtons lead, 19 states, the federal government and Washington D.C. now have similar laws allowing people to be indefinitely detained for sexual violence, according to the Seattle Times.
To start the process of committing someone to McNeil Island, a person will be evaluated once they are near the end of their criminal sentence to determine if they meet the criteria to be designated a sexually violent predator. Washington state law defines a sexually violent predator as someone who has been convicted of or charged with a crime of sexual violence and who suffers from a mental abnormality or personality disorder which makes the person likely to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility, according to Brionna Aho, a spokesperson for the state attorney generals office.
If the evaluator determines the person meets that criteria, the state attorney generals office will first file a petition seeking to commit a person under the Community Protection Act. The petition will be filed shortly before a persons release from prison, or if they are accused of committing an act that is predatory and similar to past behavior.
An adversarial probable cause hearing will then be held to determine if the person allegedly meets that criteria.
If a judge finds probable cause that a person allegedly meets that criteria, the person will be arrested and admitted to the Special Commitment Center, until a civil commitment trial can be held. State law says a trial should be held within 45 days following the probable cause hearing, but that timeline is often extended in order to prepare time for the state and defense attorneys to prepare for trial, Aho said.
It is the states burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person meets the criteria to be designated a sexually violent predator.
Following the trial, a jury or judge will decide whether that person is more likely than not to reoffend and should be considered a sexually violent predator.
If a judge or jury rules the person does not meet the criteria to be designated a sexually violent predator, they will be released from the island, the Seattle Times reported.
If a judge or jury determines the person does meet the criteria, they will be involuntarily committed to the Special Commitment Center indefinitely. Once on the island, people are expected to receive treatment and services, provided by the state department of social and health services. However, an August 2024 Seattle Times investigation found that one in four people the state has committed and released from the rehabilitation program have been arrested for new crimes, and one in seven have reoffended in a serious manner.
The Times investigation also revealed that DSHS does not track the people it releases or whether they commit new crimes and does not track whether its treatment program improves public safety. There are also no regular independent audits or enforceable state or federal standards for the quality or efficacy of care, the Times found.
State law requires that people held at the Special Commitment Center be reviewed annually by a DSHS mental health professional to determine whether they continue to meet the criteria to be designated a sexually violent predator.
If the DSHS expert finds that a person no longer meets the criteria, the state attorney generals office will retain a second expert to conduct an additional evaluation, per protocol put into place by Ferguson, the state attorney general.
If either one of the experts determines the person still meets the criteria to be designated a sexually violent predator, the state attorney generals office will contest that persons release every time, Aho said.
As of Aug. 2, there are 183 people in the states Special Commitment Program, according to the attorney general office press release.
Unick was accused of molesting two young girls known to him, beginning when he was around 13 or 14 years old. The girls were between 5 and 8 years old at the time. The Ferndale Police Department investigated the allegations, but no charges were filed, after one of the girls mothers instructed her not to cooperate.
In 2007, Unick attended a single semester of Community Bible College in British Columbia, Canada. While there, Unick was referred to a sex offender treatment provider after he sent an email to a classmate describing an elaborate rape fantasy where he would break into a house with a gun while wearing a ski mask, and kidnap and rape two girls he knew, before leaving them in a forest. Unick had allegedly previously been seen looking through blackberry bushes at the home of one the girls in his fantasy. The classmate turned the email over to school administration, and Unick was referred to the sex offender treatment provider. He attended sexual deviancy treatment for two months before he quit attending, around the same time he was being investigated by Ferndale police for allegedly molesting two young girls known to him.
In 2015, while Unick was incarcerated in a Washington state prison, he was found to have sexually explicit photos in his possession. He received an infraction and was given a verbal reprimand.
In 2017, Unick wrote a letter to a woman in North Carolina requesting that she send him sexually explicit photos of women between the ages of 18 and 24. The letter was provided as part of a request that money be sent to the woman in exchange for the photographs.
In 2020, a search of Unicks property revealed he had 12 sexually explicit photographs of underage girls.
Resources
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Whatcom: https://www.namiwhatcom.org/crisis-resources.html
Washington State Crisis Line/National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call or text 988 or text HOME to 741741 for a crisis counselor.
If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. An online chat is also available at 988lifeline.org
Whatcom County Triage Center Crisis Line: 800-584-3578
Brigid Collins Family Support Center: 360-734-4616, brigidcollins.org
Brigid Collins Family Support Center professionals are on-call between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, to answer questions about children, families, abuse prevention or treatment at (360) 734-4616.
Child Protective Services: Washington state hotline for reporting child abuse and neglect, 866-829-2153.
Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services: 24-hour Help Line: 360-715-1563, Email: info@dvsas.org.
Lummi Victims of Crime: 360-312-2015.
Tlils Taaaltha Victims of Crime: 360-325-3310 or nooksacktribe.org/departments/youth-family-services/tlils-taaaltha-victims-of-crime-program/
Bellingham Police: You can call anonymously at 360-778-8611, or go online at cob.org/tips.
WWU Consultation and Sexual Assault Support Survivor Advocacy Services: 360-650-3700 or wp.wwu.edu/sexualviolence/.
If you or a child is in immediate danger, call 911 and make a report to law enforcement.
To report child abuse or neglect call 1-866-END HARM.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who is here 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. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)
BEIJING, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, 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.
Xi said China-Burundi relations have stood the test of changes in the international landscape. Continuously promoting bilateral relations is in the interests of both countries, and is of exemplary significance for Global South countries to unite and strengthen themselves.
Xi expressed the hope that the two countries will take the implementation of the summit outcomes as an opportunity to further enhance their relations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who is here 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. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)
A lawyer representing the first death row inmate likely to be executed in South Carolina since 2011 has decided that he should die by lethal injection after the prisoner refused to choose between three different killing methods, saying that to do so would be akin to suicide.
Freddie Owens is now set to be executed using a fatal dose of the sedative pentobarbital. The prisoner had been given until Friday to decide between the three execution methods: lethal injection, the electric chair and the firing squad.
Owens had joined other death row inmates in objecting to both the electric chair and firing squad as cruel and unusual forms of punishment banned under the US constitution. He had also objected to signing the form that would decide between the three techniques on grounds that to do so would mean he were participating in his own killing equivalent to suicide, he said, which is forbidden by his Muslim faith.
Related: South Carolina supreme court rules states death penalty is legal
In the absence of a decision from the prisoner himself, Owens defense lawyer, Emily Paavola, to whom he had granted power of attorney, stepped in. She knew that if she failed to meet the Friday deadline, South Carolina would by default kill her client by electrocution; in that invidious position, she opted instead for lethal injection.
In a statement, Paavola said: I have known Mr Owens for 15 years. Under the circumstances, and in light of the information currently available to me, I made the best decision I felt I could make on his behalf.
Owens was sentenced to capital punishment for the 1999 murder of a petrol station worker, Irene Graves, during a string of robberies. He is the first of five prisoners who have exhausted all their appeals and now face execution after a period of 13 years in which the states death chamber has gone unused.
Much of that delay was caused by the difficulty South Carolina has had in procuring lethal injection drugs, given a global boycott by pharmaceutical companies unhappy with their medical products being used to kill people. The state has adopted tight secrecy laws that prevent the public from knowing where it is obtaining its lethal drugs.
Owens defense team is now hoping that it can delay the pending execution through last-ditch legal challenges. The lawyers are protesting that the state has provided insufficient information about the quality of the pentobarbital it plans to use, arguing that there could be dire consequences for the prisoner should the drug be faulty or ineffective.
His attorneys are also asking for the execution to be postponed to give more time for new evidence to be considered in his case. In a motion lodged with the states supreme court, they argue that a plea deal that was offered to Owens co-defendant has come to light that puts his conviction in doubt.
Steven Golden, Owens friend who was involved in the robbery, was the only eyewitness to the murder, and there is no other forensic evidence. The motion says that Golden was offered a plea deal whereby he would avoid the death penalty or life in prison without parole if he testified against his friend a crucial detail that was withheld from Owens lawyers at trial.
NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Friday morning to unveil the newly constructed auditorium at North Providence High School, following nearly a year of work.
The school now has a state-of-the-art auditorium with new seating, lighting, and other modern upgrades.
We have this new, beautiful facility for our music performances, drama performances, and obviously for community use as well, North Providence Superintendent Joseph Goho told 12 News.
New lights inside renovated auditorium at North Providence High School
The auditorium isnt the only improvement students will notice this year. Goho said the Library Media Center at the high school and the gymnasiums at Ricci and Birchwood middle schools have also been renovated.
Were really pleased at the fact that our kids and teachers and staff are going to work into very positive, learning environments on the first day of school, Goho added.
RELATED: Students in North Providence head back to school
As part of a five-year project, North Providence is also adding a new administration facility for the high school and two new buildings to replace Centerdale, Greystone, and Whelan elementary schools.
Officials expect the new administration building to open in October.
According to the North Providence School Projects website, once the new elementary schools are complete, Greystone and Whelan will be demolished. Centerdale Elementary is being considered for new purposes, such as a community center or recreational facility.
Within the next two years of that construction being completed, every elementary school in North Providence will be totally brand new, Goho said.
Rendering of the proposed consolidated Greystone Elementary School (North Providence School Projects)
Rendering of the new Whelan Elementary School (North Providence School Projects)
The objectives of the District-Wide Construction Program include creating welcoming environments that reflect the towns character, reducing energy usage and costs, and providing dedicated support spaces for students and staff.
Goho noted the link between student achievement and the type of facilities in which they learn.
We know that new modern learning facilities provide expanded learning opportunities and lead to increased student achievement. They just make it more, positive to come to school and to work every day, both for teachers and for students., Goho explained.
All construction is slated for completion by December 2028.
For more information, visit the North Providence School Projects website.
LEARN MORE: North Providence School Projects
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AUSTIN (KXAN) The City of Austin doesnt know exactly how many crashes involve electric scooters, according to an audit from the Austin Auditors Office released in August.
The audit found the city had a lack of complete and reliable data that negatively impacts the citys ability to make e-scooter safety changes and recommendations. The lack of reliable data has limited the citys ability to detect how many e-scooter crashes have happened, analyze possible trends and patterns behind crashes, provide educational outreach on e-scooter safety and properly informing and recommending rule changes.
E-scooters first arrived in Austin in April 2018. The audit found there had been nearly 18 million e-scooter trips in Austin over a five-year reporting period, from 2019 through 2023.
The analysis found faulty reporting from the citys e-scooter providers, with crash reports supposed to include the number, location, time and severity of the e-scooter-involved crashes. However, the audit noted discrepancies in data, including some e-scooter providers reporting zero crashes on their devices over a multi-year time period.
AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION NEWS: When will TxDOT kick off I-35 expansion project in downtown Austin?
Based on our review of e-scooter collision reports from calendar years 2022 and 2023, it appears unlikely that all collision data was reported to the City, the audit read in part. For example, two of four providers reported zero collisions across the entire period. By contrast, one of the other providers reported 342 collisions and the other provider reported 21.
The audit flagged issues contributing to incomplete data, including the city not having key terms for crashes that can impact data collection as well as multiple agencies collecting information on e-scooter crashes but not necessarily working in tandem. Alongside the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department, other agencies that could collect relevant information include the Austin Police Department, Austin-Travis County EMS, local hospitals, private doctors offices and urgent care sites.
One example mentioned in the audit is that scooter crashes arent always coded consistently, with a scooter incident ranging anywhere from a crash involving an e-scooter, someones personal scooter or a motorized, Vespa-style vehicle.
These issues arent exclusive to Austin. A 2021 National Transportation Safety Board study stressed e-scooter data challenges across the country are impacting crash records due to:
A Lack of complete, accurate or consistent data
Data coding that doesnt specify if it was an e-scooter crash
Bad quality trip data that can impact on e-scooter operations are assessed
That 2021 study recommended cities have specific police codes for e-scooter crashes and to collect e-scooter trip data to be able to more accurately compare any existing safety trends or injury and fatal crash totals.
The citys audit compared Austins e-scooter operations to those in eight other cities: Dallas, San Antonio, Denver, Nashville, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Overall, it reported Austin and these peer cities had similar e-scooter frameworks overall.
However, it did note variations in fleet sizes, restricted hours of operations for e-scooters and added four cities had measurable goals in place for e-scooter equity work, including minimum percentage requirements for e-scooters to be dropped off in underserved areas.
The audit recommended the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department work to define terms like e-scooter, collision and crash in its protocol and collaborate with APD and ATCEMS to establish standardized coding for e-scooter crashes, with the goal to enhance safety related data.
It also suggested the citys transportation department continue to meet with e-scooter vendors on a monthly basis to discuss continuous or growing problems, outline possible solutions for minimizing those issues and communicating with them on any e-scooter operational changes at the city level. Those recommendations came with a suggested implementation deadline of March 2025.
The full audit is available online.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
AUSTIN (KXAN) The Austin Independent School District must create a $4 million fund for hundreds of students it failed to evaluate for special education services within state and federal timelines, according to nonprofit Disability Rights Texas, or DRTx.
The fund was part of a settlement the district agreed to after a three-year legal battle with DRTx. At the time, the lawsuit alleged the district illegally delayed evaluations for an estimated 800 students suspected of needing special education services.
District officials said on Friday the district currently has zero delayed evaluations and has not since Aug. 20.
We are pleased to reach this agreement on behalf of hundreds of children who attend AISD schools, said Kym Davis Rogers, supervising attorney at DRTx.
According to Austin ISDs General Counsel Kenneth Walker, the district, through the agreement, would consider offering services to impacted students who were denied compensatory services if they were currently enrolled students and if their evaluation was delayed more than 20 school days beyond the state requirement that Austin ISD conducted from March 1, 2020, through the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
Austin ISD school board postpones vote on Texas Education Agencys state intervention plan
Federal law requires school districts to evaluate students within 45 school days of getting parental consent, but an April 2023 Texas Education Agency investigation found the district repeatedly failed to do this on time and, in some cases, delayed evaluations for up to nine months.
The investigation prompted TEA officials to recommend state intervention. After appealing the recommendation, Austin ISD trustees voted last year to enter into an agreement allowing it to remain in control of its special education operations for now while working to comply with a years-long backlog of evaluations and other state requirements.
At 15, she needs special education and homebound services to learn. For weeks, she got neither
The decision meant the district waived its ability to appeal or sue if the agency decided to increase the level of state intervention in the future. The district also agreed that the TEA could do just that if, at any point, the district failed to meet a requirement or deadline set by the state.
Under the TEA agreement, the agency would require the district to comply with more than a dozen corrective action plans, including completing evaluations requested during the previous school year.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
A disagreement among a group of people, possibly due to jealousy from a romantic interest, led to a man shooting and killing two people and injuring another near a homeless camp in Southeast Austin in June, according to an arrest affidavit.
However, the document charging Hector Olvera with capital murder in the shooting deaths of Ricardo Martinez, 39, and Aldo Edgar Romero-Milan, 29, does not offer a clear explanation about how all the parties were connected and what specifically led to the shootings.
Carlos Amaya, a bystander and friend to one of the slain men, told police he visited the area near 2317 S. Pleasant Valley Road to pick up Martinez with plans to visit a store together. Martinez lived nearby in a homeless encampment, the affidavit states.
Austin Police Department
While picking up Martinez, the charging document said, Amaya said he noticed Romero-Milan looking through a container in the cul-de-sac. At that time, another man came out of the encampment and put a machete blade to Romero-Milan's neck.
During this altercation, Olvera came out of the woods where the encampment was located, pulled out a gun, aimed it at Amaya and fired at him but missed, according to the charging document.
Olvera then went to the passenger side of Amaya's car, where he shot and killed Martinez, the affidavit states. Olvera then fired a shot that killed Romero-Milan.
Hector Olvera
The man with the machete began to run away, and Olvera chased after him and then shot and injured him, the document said. The man, who has not been charged in the incident, later told police he believed he was the target, as Olvera had "romantic feelings" for his girlfriend.
Both the man and Amaya told police that Olvera shot and killed Martinez and Romero-Milan.
In an interview with police, the girlfriend said Olvera had been at the campsite five minutes before the shooting. She told police she believed Amaya, Martinez and Romero-Milan were there to kill her boyfriend, according to the charging document.
A reason was not given in the affidavit as to why she believed this, but police noted that she stayed in her tent the night of the shooting because of an "aggressive conversation." Details of this conversation were not listed in the affidavit.
"There are a lot of unanswered questions the (probable cause) affidavit seems to leave out," said Olvera's lawyer, Brian Erskine. "Im looking forward to working with Mr. Olvera, and am hopeful the truth is revealed after a thorough investigation."
Olvera is in the Travis County Jail and faces seven other charges, most unrelated to this case. He was arrested on Sunday for the unauthorized use of a vehicle and evading arrest.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Affidavit: Disagreements between groups led to June double homicide
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Authorities investigated reports of shots fired near the George Bailey Detention Facility in Otay Mesa Friday morning, said the San Diego County Sheriffs Department.
A call came in just before 7 a.m. reporting gunfire, with deputies immediately responding to the scene to investigate, authorities explained.
According to the department, there was restricted inmate movement at that time, meaning recreation and outdoor activities were halted until their investigation was completed.
In an update around 9 a.m., the sheriffs department said the incident had been cleared after nothing out of the ordinary was found.
There are no reports of injuries at this time.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Donald Trumps latest boast about his handling of the economy when he was president backfired and prompted plenty of awkward reminders for the GOPs 2024 presidential nominee.
For four straight years, I fought for American workers like I would fight for my own family. I took care of our economy like I would take care of my own company, Trump told the Economic Club of New York on Thursday about his fiscal plans for a potential second administration.
Democratic nominee Kamala Harris campaign pointed out the issue with Trumps comments on X, formerly Twitter. Namely, that he ran the country like his companies.
Donald Trump bankrupted a casino and multiple other businesses, the vice presidents team captioned footage of Trumps claim.
Trump: "I took care of our economy the same way as I took care of my own company
(Donald Trump bankrupted a casino and multiple other businesses) pic.twitter.com/ORsvc77nr5 Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) September 5, 2024
Other social media users echoed the sentiment, noting his failed companies and pointing out Trumps legal woes too:
Reminder - Trumps under criminal investigation in multiple states for his corrupt business practices.
Not the Flex Trumps looking for. Travis Matthew (@Matthewtravis08) September 5, 2024
Trump did not have the best economy in history GDP grew more under Biden than Trump. pic.twitter.com/Dg3INY9xYz Steven Rattner (@SteveRattner) July 19, 2024
The companies like trump Steaks, trump ice, trump vodka, trump college, trump casino? Gorillianaire (@Gorilianaire) September 5, 2024
Let's not forget the billions of dollars he's lost his shareholders in the past six months. pic.twitter.com/eZVBY7Bowj Andy's Not Going Back (@mountainmoon95) September 5, 2024
Thats right. Trump ran up the bill and didnt want to pay it. Mike Harvey (@electMikeHarvey) September 5, 2024
"I took care of our economy the same way as I took care of my own company
Trump has been made bankrupt 6 times already, and found guilty of 34 felony counts in his NY business fraud case.
The idea that hes a good businessman is BS.#TrumpIsAMoron
pic.twitter.com/lJPWDTGrGd Alexander Richards (@AlxdrRchrds) September 5, 2024
Donald Trumps company committed so much fraud, hes barred from doing business in NY for years and was fined over $350M. https://t.co/LuaT6XyMBF Jason Karsh (@jkarsh) September 5, 2024
Donald Trump is a failed Business man - why would we trust him on the economy when everything he touches turns to shit? https://t.co/taCExTeK28 - World Pulse (@PulseWP) September 5, 2024
Makes sense. Under Trump:
- worst job losses of any president
- highest federal debt growth since 1950s
- wealth inequality exploded
- trade deficit jumped 36%
- poverty and child poverty increased
- 3 million lost health insurance https://t.co/AzXf9s87ML Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) September 5, 2024
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Soldiers from the Azov 12th Special Forces Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard have regained control of a part of the village of New-York on the Toretsk front and successfully broken the Russian encirclement of Ukrainian troops in the area.
Source: Azov on Telegram
Quote: "When the brigade engaged in combat operations in the area, the battlefield situation was dire. However, thanks to their high combat spirit, courage, and professionalism of their fighters, Azov managed to stabilise the situation, regain control of part of New-York, and break the enemy's encirclement of Ukrainian soldiers."
Details: Meanwhile, the situation in New-York remains tense. Russians are conducting up to 15 assaults in the brigade's area of responsibility every day.
"The enemy has repeatedly claimed to have completely occupied New-York. However, this is yet another manipulation by the invaders. The defence forces control a part of the settlement and are doing everything possible to liberate Ukrainian territories," the brigade said.
Previously:
In a report dated 18 August, the Institute for the Study of War, citing Russian military bloggers, reported that the Russians were in control of most of New-York and perhaps had "captured the city".
On 20 August, Ukrainska Pravda sources in the leadership of the 53rd Brigade and the Luhansk Operational Tactical Group reported that Ukrainian forces, in particular the 53rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, were continuing to hold the line in the northern part of the village of New-York in Donetsk Oblast.
On 5 September, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, told CNN in an interview that Ukrainian forces had managed to stop the Russians on the Pokrovsk front, the hottest area of the war zone.
DeepState, a group of military analysts, noted that Ukrainian forces had regained positions in New-York and Nelipivka in Donetsk Oblast and near Lyptsi in Kharkiv Oblast.
Read also: Russia attacks New-York and Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast, killing civilians Ukrainska Pravda photo report
Background:
The Russians launched an offensive on the Toretsk front, in particular towards the city of Toretsk and the village of New-York, in the second half of June 2024. Prior to that, there had been no progress in this area of the war zone since the full-scale invasion began.
An Ukrainska Pravda source familiar with the situation on this front said there were two reasons why the offensive had been possible. First, Ukrainian intelligence had not detected the build-up of Russian forces and resources from the side of occupied Horlivka. Second, the Russians took advantage of a rotation in Ukrainian units when the 24th Brigade left Toretsk for Chasiv Yar and the 41st Brigade moved from Chasiv Yar to Toretsk.
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BAKU, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has expressed a willingness to participate in resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, should such involvement be deemed necessary, AZERTAC news agency reported.
Speaking on Friday at the International Cernobbio Forum, Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijan's historical and diplomatic connections with both nations, underlining Azerbaijan's readiness to engage in mediation efforts.
"For a hypothetical possibility, it is possible," Aliyev said in response to a question from the forum's moderator. He pointed out that Azerbaijan, along with Russia and Ukraine, was part of the Soviet Union for 70 years, which has resulted in deep-rooted ties on both people-to-people and political levels.
"We consider our relations with Russia and Ukraine to be very good. We strongly support Ukraine's and all countries' territorial integrity and sovereignty," Aliyev emphasized. However, he ruled out his country's participation in the anti-Russian sanctions campaign, maintaining a pragmatic approach to its relations with both countries.
Aliyev noted that while Azerbaijan has not sought to take a leading role in conflict mediation, it is prepared to step in if needed. "We have never initiated that. I know there are many others who want to be involved. But if our involvement is needed, we are ready," he added.
Back to School help for vaping concerns and trends among local students
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) For our back-to-school coverage all week, local doctors are joining us on Sunrise to offer advice for parents and students starting the new year.
Todays topic with Dr. Susan Gasparino from UR Medicine Golisano Childrens Hospital covers vaping concerns, trends were seeing locally with students, and where to find help.
Watch the interview with Sunrise anchor Brennan Somers in the player on this page.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
Barber charged in beating death of boy, 6, met childs mother at Southern California church
As new details emerge about the 41-year-old barber in Orange County accused in the brutal, tragic and fatal beating of 6-year-old Chance Crawford, a memorial to the young child at a park in Cerritos where he once celebrated his birthday is growing.
Ernest Lamar Love, who was babysitting Chance while the boys mother worked the night shift at St. Josephs Hospital on Aug. 29, has been charged with felony counts of murder, torture and child abuse after he allegedly beat the first grader inside his Placentia barbershop with a raw piece of lumber.
In a news release, the Orange County District Attorneys Office said Love grew violent with the child after he accidentally urinated in his pants at a local park.
Love is accused of beating the first grader with a piece of lumber, pouring hydrogen peroxide in his wounds before making him do sit-ups, pushups and jumping jacks until the boy collapsed, Kimberly Edds, a spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorneys Office, told KTLA.
Barber charged in horrific, fatal beating of boy, 6, in Southern California
The 41-year-old is then accused of taking Chance to the emergency room at Childrens Hospital of Orange County at around 1 a.m. Saturday instead of calling 911 when the 6-year-old became unresponsive.
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.
On Sept. 3, Chance succumbed to his injuries and died.
Ernest Lamar Love, 41, seen in this undated photo. (viewer image)
Ernest Lamar Love, 41, seen with several others at his barbershop in Placentia in this undated photo. (viewer image)
Ernest Lamar Loves barbershop in Placentia. (KTLA)
Vance Crawford and his son, Chance, seen in this undated family photo. (Vance Crawford)
Chance Crawford, 6, seen in this undated family photo. (Vance Crawford)
Chance Crawford, 6, seen in this undated family photo. (Vance Crawford)
According to Investigators, Love met Chances mother at a Lake Elsinore church called Amazing Church.
A church leader told KTLAs Sandra Mitchell that the 41-year-old barber had been suspended from Amazing Church due to inappropriate relationships with women.
A former member of the Lake Elsinore church who spoke to KTLA on the condition of anonymity echoed that claim, saying Love was involved in several different relationships.
Escaped suspect in fatal Southern California pursuit crash back in custody
Every few months, he would have a different woman there at the church, he said.
Even more alarming, he said the alleged killer worked in the churchs child ministry and had apparent anger issues.
He was kind of stern, the former church member said. He would get angry about certain things, you could see it on him, but I never saw him take it out on kids.
According to Chances mother, she once considered Love a friend and trusted her son with him.
As for Chances father, he said he considers Love a a monster.
Im sorry, Vance Crawford, the 6-year-olds father, told KTLA. He deserves whats coming. Im going to let God handle him.
Love, who pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail, faces a maximum sentence of 32 years to life in prison if convicted as charged.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
(Bloomberg) -- Michel Barnier is taking the reins of the French economy with a near impossible task: Reconcile the need for fiscal discipline with overwhelming political pressure to do the opposite.
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The new prime ministers appointment by President Emmanuel Macron has ended two months of stalemate but left unresolved the lingering question over how to stem a growing mountain of debt amid incessant demands for public spending.
Barniers ability to confront that challenge without a majority in parliament will be critical to whether the European Unions second-biggest economy can keep speculators at bay. Market turmoil after Macrons decision to call snap elections in June is evidence enough of the dangers France faces if the premiers mission fails.
In the time Im here, which I hope is until the end of the presidential term if parliament wishes, I dont want to increase our countrys debt, Barnier said on TF1 TV on Friday. I will state the truth, even if its difficult and very grave.
Barnier and Macron have a broadly shared vision of economic policy to address Frances weaknesses, grounded in pro-business tax policies and trimming expansive social spending.
When running in a conservative presidential primary in 2021, the former EU chief Brexit negotiator called for strict commitments to spending cuts and a retirement age of 65 one year later than in Macrons contested 2023 pension reform.
But the presidents approach has long been unpopular and slammed for favoring business over workers.
The new premier promised a change in governing style that will require listening more to opposition parties and unions. But he indicated debt constraints allow only for limited tweaks to core policies.
We wont call everything into question, Barnier said of the pension reform. Ill open the debate on improving this law for the most vulnerable people.
The prime ministers success in winning over voters and lawmakers where Macron has struggled will be key to the presidents ability to restore the economic credibility built over seven years in office.
That stint saw a sharp rise in employment, resilient growth, and an improvement in public finances until they succumbed to the strains of the Covid pandemic and energy crisis.
Even before recent political upheaval prompted investors to dump French assets, driving up borrowing costs relative to other European countries, the outgoing governments plans to close the deficit had drifted off course. The Finance Ministry now reckons the situation worsened over the summer.
The Treasury warned in documents sent to lawmakers on Monday that the budget gap could rise to 5.6% this year and 6.2% in 2025 if no policies are changed.
According to ING economist Charlotte de Montpellier, that would require an unprecedented 110 billion ($122 billion) of savings to meet the target of a deficit within 3% of economic output in 2027.
Barniers mission is very difficult, and his appointment remains fragile, de Montpellier said. Budgetary leeway is non-existent.
Not only does Barnier have no majority, but he faces a National Assembly with many lawmakers outright hostile to him, or at best demanding policy concessions in exchange for not toppling the government in a no-confidence vote.
The prime minister has little time to act. French law states that the government must submit a budget by the first Tuesday in October in this case, Oct. 1 and EU rules demand a longer-term fiscal strategy be sent to Brussels in September.
Before that, he must also find a new finance minister to replace Bruno Le Maire, an erstwhile ally who has said he wont remain in the post.
Barnier said his government wouldnt just be made of conservative ministers. He could also call on politicians from Macrons centrist group and the left, he told TF1 in his first television interview in the new role.
Voters are not convinced Barnier can get the job done. According to a poll by Elabe of 1,007 adults carried out online on Sept. 5-6, only 52% of French people think he will manage to form a government capable of adopting the 2025 budget.
After the Oct. 1 deadline, France faces scheduled assessments from Fitch Ratings on Oct. 11 and Moodys Ratings Oct. 25. Both kept their views unchanged earlier this year, but warned of negative action depending on criteria including deficits, debt-financing costs and commitments to fix public finances.
Parliament has until the end of the year to adopt the budget. Because of a convention that opposition lawmakers refuse to back financial bills whatever the circumstances, Barnier will likely have to use a constitutional clause to adopt it without National Assembly approval raising the danger of a no-confidence vote.
To avoid such a motion succeeding, Barnier will have to offer olive branches across the political spectrum. With the left indicating it will censure the government come-what-may, the prime minister would need to persuade Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally to abstain.
Such compromise could cross red lines of Macrons economic policy and go further than the minor modifications Barnier has so far outlined. The far-right campaigned on pledges for broad tax cuts for households and the abolition of the presidents law raising the retirement age.
This reform was a bad reform, Louis Aliot, National Rallys vice president, said on RTL radio on Friday. It will be appropriate to come back to a vote on it.
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Bartonville Mayor to Village: Its just Guard training over at the airport
BARTONVILLE, Ill. (WMBD) It might sound like open warfare in the area west of Bartonville but the villages mayor says not to worry, its just the National Guard doing some training.
In a Facebook post, Mayor Leon Ricca said the Air National Guard, which is the 182nd Airlift Wing, will be doing training exercises Friday and Saturday. They will be using simulated weapons and there will be loud bursts of noise at various times throughout the days.
The wing is based at the Gen. Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport and can do training in the wooded areas around their base. The wing often does low-level flying maneuvers in their C-130H3 Hercules cargo planes as well as weapons practice on the ground.
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PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) All throughout the month of September the Bay County Chamber of Commerce is hosting events in celebration of Industry Appreciation Month.
Some of the events taking place over the next few weeks include a networking event on Tuesday, September 17th at 4 p.m., an awards breakfast at 8 a.m. on Friday, September 20th, and a Sporting Clay Tournament at 8 a.m. on Friday, September 27th.
The chamber is also offering tours of Maritech Machine and JENSEN USA on Wednesday, September 25th.
Let your creativity shine at Art Break Day in St. Andrews
The reason behind these tours is to provide attendees with an inside look at how certain industries operate and benefit Bay County.
A lot of people dont realize what these industries do and what they bring to the table, said Bay County Chamber of Commerce Chairman Joe Holt. For example, out here, a lot of people have never seen 9000 metric tons of copper behind them. It gives the community an insight into what these industries are doing and what theyre bringing to the community.
These events are tailored to members of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce.
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) The Better Business Bureau just released the results of a new study that shows investment scams are exploding in the U.S., including KELOLAND.
Scammers have stolen more than $11 billion in the last four years using such tactics. The scammers often target more mature people with larger sums of money to invest. The scammers are using social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, often pretending to be friends or acquaintances.
Somebody sends you a message, Hey, Ive been able to make a ton of money through my friend Ray; Im going to connect you. Well, as we have taught many times over the years, dont trust any message you get over social media on something about this: there is no free money, said Jessie Schmidt, the South Dakota Region Vice President of the Better Business Bureau.
Most of these investment scams originate in Asia and have things in common. Promises of massive returns often using Cryptocurrencies or precious metals like gold and silver.
The victim is given access to a fake investment platform that shows their money is growing.
The scammers work to develop trusted or romantic relationships. And if the victim gets nervous and tries to withdraw their investment, thats when the scammer and the money disappear.
And its all a Ponzi scheme. You get your money in, and you never get it out, said Schmidt.
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According to Schmidt, there are red flags to look for that point to a scam. For instance, a stranger befriends you by phone or social media. Someone offers their secret strategy, and you are among the first to hear about it. This new friend guarantees returns. They also find a reason to share your Cryptocurrency wallet or get you to invest more and more over time.
If anybody online is telling you that they are going to get you these crazy, crazy sorts of returns, we are going to tell you they are just not out there, said Schmidt.
Schmidt says there are plenty of investment experts in KELOLAND that can help you safely grow your money. She recommends dealing with someone locally who is licensed and bonded.
You can see the full BBB study below.
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AUSTIN (KXAN) A woman was arrested in connection with a 19-year-old womans death that happened back in February, after the Bastrop County Sheriffs Office said she died from a fentanyl overdose, the agency said on social media Thursday.
BCSO responded to the initial report of the death in northeast Bastrop after the woman was found unresponsive in her bed. She was later pronounced dead, according to BCSO. Investigators found a small white powdery substance that was later confirmed to be fentanyl.
The BCSO Narcotics Unit started its investigation on how the woman came into possession of the fentanyl. According to investigators, she was in the Austin area when she purchased the fentanyl the night before she died, according to BCSO.
The suspect was identified as Alba Karina Canales, 29, according to BCSO. The agency said she was found to have a history of drug usage and trafficking.
KXAN reached out to the attorney listed for Canales. We will update this if a statement is received.
Under a relatively new state law a person can be prosecuted for Murder if a person furnishes fentanyl to someone who later dies from a fentanyl overdose, the agency said.
Canales was arrested in Williamson County and was in possession of fentanyl and other illegal narcotics, according to BCSO. She remained in the Bastrop County Jail in lieu of bonds at $100,000, the agency said.
The case remained under investigation Thursday.
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Bear Fire: Some Sierra Brooks residents allowed to go home as firefighters begin containment
Parts of Sierra County are beginning to be repopulated Friday after firefighters made progress slowing the spread of the Bear Fire near Lake Tahoe.
As of Friday morning, the Bear Fire had blazed through 3,325 acres and was 15% contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Officials said 881 fire personnel have been assigned to the fire, which is roughly 40 miles north of Truckee and 100 miles northeast of Sacramento.
Evacuation orders for the Sierra Brooks area were lifted at 4 p.m. Thursday, according to the Sierra County Sheriffs Office. Residents of the small Sierra County community were allowed to enter the road closure at Smithneck Road and Highway 49 to return to their homes.
The fire was contained at Bear Valley Road, but officials urged residents to take caution as repopulation efforts continued.
It remains crucial for residents to be prepared for potential evacuation if fire conditions worsen or if the Sierra Brooks community faces new threats, the Sheriffs Office said.
Zones SIE-E031-A, SIE-E032-B, and SIE-E032-C were downgraded to evacuation warnings Thursday. Evacuation orders are still in place for zones SIE-E030, SIE-E031-B, SIE-E032-A, SIE-E058, SIE-E059 as of Friday morning.
During a Thursday night briefing, Tahoe National Forest officials announced they had successfully built a line around the fire that broke out Monday and did not anticipate it moving outward in the days ahead.
They said the area was not out of the woods yet, since some isolated pockets of heat were continuing to burn along the edges of the fire. However, improved weather conditions allowed fire crews to hike in and lay hose Thursday.
Were going to continue to do our due diligence, particularly over the next 72 hours to mop up and secure that fire and make sure it stays in its existing footprint, officials said.
The U.S. Forest Service said the fire had remained in its current footprint overnight with help from aircraft assistance throughout the evening.
Crews are expected to continue the mop-up process Friday. Firefighters plan to put out any remaining hot spots, removing hazardous burned trees and assess logs that could create additional fire hazards, according to Forest Service officials.
Thunderstorms with potential lightning and wind hazards were forecast Friday. Rapid rates of fire spread could occur in the days ahead as gusts of dry, southwest winds up to 30 mph are expected through next week, according to the Forest Service.
The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation.
Belarusian fighter jets reportedly shot at a Russian drone in Belarusian airspace for the first time.
Sweden to review Belarusian asylum application rulings amid criticism for using outdated country information.
Belarusian activist awaits Serbian courts extradition ruling, fears persecution and torture at home.
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Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko pardons 30 more political prisoners amid ongoing repressions.
At least 126 Belarusians were prosecuted in 2024 for receiving food packages as support for political prisoners' families, human rights group reports.
Noted Belarusian opposition figure Maria Kalesnikava starving in detention, relatives say.
Belarusian propaganda machine ramps up for 2025 presidential elections, announces a new TV channel and Belarusian version of YouTube.
Belarusian fighter jet shoots at stray Russian drone in Belarussian airspace for first time, monitoring group reports
A Belarusian fighter jet engaged a Russian Shahed-type drone that veered off course into Belarus airspace during an overnight attack against Ukraine on Aug. 29, the Belarusian Hajun monitoring group has reported.
According to Belarusian Hajun, the drone entered Belarusian airspace in Yelsk District of Homel Oblast around 3.30 a.m. while the fighter jet was patrolling the area. Twenty minutes later, at about 3:55 a.m., two explosions could be heard, and a bright flash was observed over Yelsk District.
The monitoring group suggested the explosions were from the drone being fired on, writing that "this is probably the first recorded case when a fighter jet of the Belarusian Air Force attempted to destroy a real military target in the sky.
The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claim. The Belarusian Defense Ministry has not commented on the alleged incident.
Read also: Belarus confirms downing drone during Russian attack on Ukraine
Irrespective of the event, the 61st Fighter Aviation Base of Baranovichi told local media on Aug. 29 that air patrols carried out by Su-30SM fighters have currently been stepped up along the Southern Operational Area State Border.
Russian attack drone incursions into Belarusian airspace have been recorded multiple times, with at least nine incidents recorded in July, and six Russian drones reportedly entering Belarusian airspace during the previous mass attack on Ukraine on Aug. 26. The most recent Russian drone incursions were reported on Aug. 31 and Sept. 2.
Minsk has never publicly raised objections about these airspace violations with Moscow its key ally.
Instead, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has claimed his country's forces have downed several Ukrainian drones in Belarusian airspace a claim denied by Belarusian Hajun.
Lukashenko pardons another 30 political prisoners, 1,400 remain behind bars
Alexander Lukashenko on Sept. 4 signed a decree pardoning 30 prisoners convicted of protest offenses, Lukashenkos press office reported via an affiliated Telegram channel. The report states that seven women and 23 men who are parents to minors were released in what is described as a humane gesture and a "chance to return to normal life. The names of the pardoned remain undisclosed.
According to the press office, all released individuals pleaded guilty and repented in exchange for their pardons and will be monitored by the Interior Ministry for "law-abiding behavior.
Belarus democratic leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said she was relieved" that more prisoners were pardoned but called to sustain international pressure on the regime to free all imprisoned on politically motivated grounds.
"Repression continues to escalate, and more than 1,400 remain imprisoned on political grounds. We need sustained international pressure to secure the freedom of all of them, Tsikhanouskaya wrote on X.
This is the third instance of Lukashenkos regime releasing political prisoners. According to the Viasna Center for Human Rights, 18 political prisoners were released in Belarus on July 3 ahead of the countrys official Independence Day celebrations, and 21 people were confirmed to be released on Aug. 16.
The announced total number of released prisoners reached 78, while the aggregated reports from human rights activists confirmed the release of only 39 political prisoners so far. Human rights organizations say they are maintaining information silence regarding the names of the other released prisoners, citing concerns for their safety.
Sweden to revise Belarusian asylum seekers' applications amid criticism
The Swedish Migration Agency said on Aug. 28 that it would reexamine asylum applications from Belarusian citizens amid criticism that some have been rejected on the basis of outdated information.
Earlier the same day, Sveriges Radio reported that a Belarusian citizen had been detained on politically motivated accusations when crossing into Belarus, after Swedens Migration Agency denied him asylum and deported to his home country.
We are aware of the information and criticism directed at us, Anna Lindblad of the Swedish Migration Agency was quoted as saying.
In a message to RFE/RL, Swedish Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said the ministry will conduct a legal review this autumn regarding the handling of cases from asylum seekers from Belarus.
According to Sveriges Radio, the man arrived in Sweden with his mother two years ago and filed for asylum, citing fear of returning to their home country over an ongoing criminal investigation in Belarus for participating in the 2020 anti-government protests. Reportedly, both the mans and his mothers applications were rejected in 2023, leading to their recent deportation from Sweden to Belarus, via Lithuania.
The publication states the man was immediately detained at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border, while the fate of the woman remains unknown. A third member of the family, the mans sister, remains in Sweden, but was scheduled to leave the country before Sept. 3, RFE/RL reported.
Sweden has previously rejected applications from notable opposition figures. They include Kanstantsin Syarohin, a member of the election team of jailed presidential candidate Siarhei Tsikhanousky.
In 2023, Sweden granted asylum to only three out of 100 applications submitted by Belarusian citizens, according to Zmitser Vaserman, a representative of the Peoples Embassy of Belarus in Sweden, a Belarusian diaspora organization.
Analyzing the rulings, the Peoples Embassy of Belarus in Sweden said the main arguments for asylum applications being refused include applicants being able to leave Belarus legally, not applying immediately after the events of 2020, or applicants playing an insignificant role in Belarusian opposition movement, implying that it is safe for the applicants to return to Belarus.
Additionally, the agency said that limited dissemination of posts on social media by applicants that are critical of the regime meant that they faced little risk of persecution.
However, Stefan Krstic, an attorney representing several asylum seekers from Belarus in Sweden, says he believes that the asylum applications of many Belarusians have been unfairly rejected by the Swedish Migration Agency on the basis of outdated country data.
Their asylum cases have been assessed according to the old country information, which said that many of the problems were isolated until 2020, and that there are no signs of opposition members being hunted down (systematically, as according to) the new country information, Krstic said.
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Belarusian activist in Serbia awaiting court ruling amid threat of deportation to Belarus
After an appeals hearing on Aug. 27 for Belarusian opposition activist, journalist, and filmmaker Anddrei Hnyot, a Serbian court now has 30 days to rule on a Belarusian request for the activists extradition, which critics say could lead to his imprisonment and torture in Belarus.
Hnyot has been under arrest in Serbia since October 2023. He was detained at Belgrade airport under an Interpol Red Notice, request made by Belarus. Accused of tax evasion an accusation that Hnyot dismisses as a faux pretext for politically motivated persecution the activist spent seven months in custody before being placed under house arrest.
The activist appealed against a court ruling made in May and sustained by a higher court in July that would have permitted his extradition to Belarus. The Court of Appeal is the final instance standing between the activist and extradition to Belarus, which human rights activists believe is fraught with the risk of torture and even death in detention.
The case again demonstrates how authoritarian regimes like Belarus can exploit Interpols Red Notice to harass dissidents beyond their borders with politically motivated charges. In February, Interpol temporarily blocked access to Hnyots data in its database.
Hnyot said the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg has denied the activist protection from extradition three times, citing the premature nature of the request. (The ECHR) may change its decision ... after the Serbian trial, which will be the last and final one, Hnyot wrote on Facebook.
Belarusian Human rights activist Aliaksei Liavonchyk notes that the ECHR can intervene once a verdict has been reached by the court of final instance, but warns that an extradition ruling in Serbia can be executed within 3-4 hours on the announcement of the decision, making it unlikely that the ECHRs request would reach Belgrade in time.
In July, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Amnesty International urged Serbia to adhere to its human rights obligations and not go ahead with the extradition.
Prominent filmmakers, including Wim Wenders, Yorgos Lanthimos, Agnieszka Holland, and Juliet Binoche have signed a petition to the Court of Appeal in Belgrade and, personally, Serbias Justice Minister Maja Popovic, calling on the Serbian authorities to prevent the extradition.
Hnyot participated in widespread protests, among thousands of others, against Belarus president in 2020 after elections that were widely declared not to have been free and fair. He founded Belarus Free Association of Athletes, which was later branded as an extremist organization by the Belarusian government.
Following a brutal crackdown on civil society in Belarus, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians were forced to flee. However, the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko employs various mechanisms, like Interpol warrants and in absentia trials, to punish critics who have fled abroad.
Read also: Belarusian opposition working to create alternative passport, safeguard exiles from Lukashenko regime
Viasna: 126 Belarusians charged over receiving aid for political prisoners
At least 126 Belarusians relatives of political prisoners and people formerly detained on politically motivated grounds have been fined for receiving food packages from an exiled Belarusian solidarity initiative, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported on Sept. 3.
The regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko cracked down on Belarusians for receiving aid by carrying out a massive raid on families massive raid on families of political prisoners in January 2024. The raid targeted at least 287 individuals, according to the Viasna Human Rights Center.
The activists linked the mass raids to the emergency food assistance project INeedHelpBY, which was supporting people who have lost their income due to political repression in Belarus. The Belarusian KGB security service earlier designated the project an extremist formation.
Thirty individuals have been detained on criminal charges for supporting political prisoners financially since the last wave of detentions. At least 126 Belarusians were found guilty of receiving foreign aid to pursue extremist activities.
According to Belarusian state prosecutors, receiving such aid for those with pseudo-status of political prisoners was enabling extremist activities by illegally (reducing) the consequences of prosecution, harming the state and public interests.
Those convicted were fined roughly $125 to $370 and ordered to compensate the state for the full value of the aid received.
For over 1,400 political prisoners in Belarus, support from their friends and relatives is their only lifeline in detention, and this often drains the family budget. With the officially reported average salary in Belarus being roughly $740 per month (as of July 2024), families say they spend at least $60-100 on a lawyer for each prisoner visit, and $158 per package of food and personal belongings for a prisoner in pre-trial detention.
A member of the Belarusian diaspora wears a t-shirt with the inscription 'Free Kalesnikava' featuring political prisoner Maria Kalesnikava, during the Day of Solidarity with Belarus rally at Krakow's Market Square, on Aug. 9, 2024, in Krakow, Poland. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Relatives alarmed over health of Maria Kalesnikava, reportedly starving in detention
Prominent political prisoner Maria Kalesnikava is practically starving in detention, the prisoners sister, Tatsiana Khomich, has written in a Facebook post.
Khomich demanded that her sister, who is being held incommunicado, be provided with proper nutrition and medical care, and that she be allowed to contact her family.
She said that Kalesnikava now weighs only 45 kilograms. The normal range of weight for a woman of Kalesnikavas height (170 centimeters, or 5 feet 7 inches) is between 57 and 74 kilograms.
Kalesnikava, a leading figure in Belarusian civil societys resistance to the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko, is four years into an 11-year prison sentence on trumped-up charges of extremism and plotting to seize power. In November 2022, she was admitted to intensive care after suffering from a perforated ulcer.
She has since been returned to serve her sentence in a penal colony without any accommodation for her health condition. According to Khomich, Kalesnikava is unable to eat prison food due to her health condition. Additionally, her limit of roughly 40-80 rubles ($10-20) for shopping at the prison shop provides for near-starving conditions, making her choose between buying personal hygiene products or food.
Its not about punishing a criminal, Khomich writes. Its not about isolating a political opponent. Its torture and abuse of a human being, its a crime against humanity. Its unacceptable that in the twenty-first century, in the center of Europe, in prison, a person could be starved to death.
Citing its sources, the Belarusian edition of Russian independent medium Mediazona reports that the penal colony administration had kept Kalesnikava in a solitary confinement cell for 18 months, despite the allowed maximum for this punitive measure being set at six months.
Six political prisoners have died in Belarusian prisons since 2020, five of them due to lack of adequate medical care irrespective of their health conditions.
Read also: Opinion: Russias war may have opened Pandoras box for Belarus
Belarusian propaganda media gear up for next years presidential election
The launch of a new pro-government TV channel and the Belarusian version of YouTube were announced during a meeting on Aug. 29 between Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko and his chief propagandists.
The only part of the meeting disclosed to the public concerned discussions about the role of media in the upcoming Belarusian presidential elections in 2025.
Were about to enter the election campaign, Lukashenko was quoted by his press office as saying. Naturally, the media, fortunately, thank God, will play one of the leading roles in this situation.
Attending the meeting with Lukashenko were the deputy head of his administration, Uladzimir Piartsou (ex-Minister of Information), Information Minister Marat Markau, Lukashenkos press secretary Natalia Eismant, and her husband Ivan Eismont, the chairman of the sanctioned Belteleradiocompany. Lukashenko instructed the media to showcase his regimes achievements while not showing bias towards him in the upcoming elections.
We have to show in this election campaign what we have achieved at this time, Lukashenko said. (But) we dont need to favor the incumbent president if he is a candidate. We should (just) calmly show what we have (achieved).
The head of Lukashenkos administration, Piartsou, reported that a new state-owned TV channel was ready to start broadcasting. Presented earlier that day, the First News TV Channel was described as a 24/7 information channel that would include TV broadcasts, online news, and corresponding social media coverage.
Piartsou also announced plans for the launch on Sept. 12 of a Belarusian version of the video hosting site YouTube. While admitting that the new service was still weak, he said it was the first step toward launching Belarus own YouTube.
While Belarus has not slowed the real YouTube down as Russia has recently done, the Belarusian authorities have drawn up a list of so-called extremist materials. The list of over 4,000 entries features various independent media websites, along with Telegram and YouTube channels, interaction with which is punishable by fines.
The authorities also interfered with access to YouTube in January 2024 to prevent Belarusians from watching a New Years Eve address given by exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
The next presidential election in Belarus is to be held no later than July 20, 2025. According to a report by the exiled association of former law enforcers BelPol, the election date has already been scheduled for Feb. 23, 2025.
Lukashenko has made several contradictory statements about whether he will run for another, seventh, consecutive term in office, first announcing his plans to run and then retracting his statements a typical obfuscation strategy he has employed in every previous campaign.
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Bellevue motorcycle officer who fell 50 feet during motorcade back at work after more than a year
A Bellevue police officer, who almost died when he fell at least 50 feet while taking part in a motorcade to escort the Vice President, is officially back to work after more than a year on medical leave.
Officer Kevin Bereta returned to work with the department on August 30.
Motorcycle officer Bereta took part in the motorcade on August 15, 2023. During that detail, he was on the Michigan Street bridge when he hit a guardrail and fell onto I-5 and oncoming traffic below.
Bereta, who joined the Bellevue Police Department in 2018, described the moments leading up to the terrifying fall.
When I went over, it was very peaceful. I recognized the fact that I was going to die, he said.
The Bellevue officer was conscious when he landed on his back.
No one stopped to help him, except for one driver named Tyler, he said.
I knew I was going to get run over, he said. People were driving passed me. And they were driving passed me. nobody stopped. He was the only one that got out of his vehicle to make sure I was okay. He is a hero.
At one point, Bereta was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Harborview Medical Center. Since the crash, he has had nine surgeries to repair his injuries, including his broken back, foot and ribs.
The horrible fall happened after his best friend and patrol partner, Bellevue police officer Jordan Jackson, was killed in a crash while on the job in 2022.
It impacted us all and we all know his partner was killed over a year ago. The level of trauma that he has had to carry with him and his family, his wife as well, is nothing but amazing. I feel very blessed. We feel very blessed hes back working, said Bellevue police chief Wendell Shirley. Its been difficult for everyone so Kevin coming back has shined a bright light of hope and we know Jordan is watching over this whole process as well.
While there were moments when the pain was unbearable, the father of three told KIRO 7 News that his children and wife motivated him to push through, including his older son who joined him during his physical therapy sessions.
If I could bestow anything of my work ethic onto him and hes seeing this as, Ill say it, as a broken father, coming from a wheelchair to crutches to walking, he shared. I dont think I could have done it if I didnt have kids. Its not about me. Its about them and I need to be there for them.
Bereta still has a long road ahead of him as he may need another surgery, he said.
The officer is working on light-duty tasks until he is cleared to return to patrol duty, the chief said.
After more than a year, Bellevue officer Kevin Bereta is officially back to work after he had suffered life-threatening injuries when he fell at least 50 feet while escorting the Vice President last year. Hear from Bereta & what motivated him to push through on @KIRO7Seattle at 5 pic.twitter.com/zqegnyTyFb Louie Tran (@louie_tran) September 5, 2024
GAZA, Sep. 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 Palestinians were killed in Israeli bombings targeting two residential houses in central and southern Gaza Strip on Friday, said Palestinian sources.
Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that Israeli aircraft struck a house located west of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Medical sources said that the airstrike killed five people, with several still trapped under the rubble.
Also on Friday, five people were killed and several others injured in an Israeli bombing of a home in central Khan Younis, southern Gaza, the Palestinian Civil Defense said in a statement.
The Israeli army has not made any comment on the incidents.
Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 others taken hostage.
The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 40,878, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday.
BENTON, Ark. Police in Benton said they have found a man who escaped from a behavioral health facility on Thursday.
In an update sent out later Thursday night, Benton Police Department officials said 28-year-old David Garrison Goings has been located and taken into custody.
BPD officials said they were searching for Going after he escaped from Rivendell Health Services where they said he was being held for a psychological evaluation for Miller County law enforcement.
Authorities said Goings is known to have violent tendencies towards himself and others.
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You can get a better understanding of how the police force operates through Summerville PDs citizen police academy
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) Are you interested in getting a better understanding of how a local police department operates?
The Summerville Police Department is hosting a Citizens Police Academy later this month to give residents an inside look at how the police force operates and their role in keeping neighborhoods safe.
Department instructors and employees with specific or specialized knowledge and experience will lead the classes with video and audio presentations, and practical hands-on exercises expected.
Participants will use information learned to gain a new and hopefully positive insight into the complex challenges of todays law enforcement personnel, the agency said.
Summerville residents aged 18 and older interested in learning about the day-to-day activities of protecting and serving the community are invited to attend the series.
The sessions begin on Monday, September 30, and will mostly be on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. through Tuesday, November 26. There will be some optional Saturday classes offered for hands-on training.
Classes will primarily be held in the Summerville Police Annex Training Room.
Space is limited. Those interested should contact Sgt. Dylan Reynolds by calling 843-285-7020 or emailing dreynolds@summervillesc.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 WCBD News 2.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks during a meeting with governors, labor leaders and private companies launching the Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., in 2022. On Thursday, the Biden administration announced that the long-planned Maryland Offshore Wind Project, which aims to deliver more than 2 gigawatts of clean energy to two states, landed final approval. File Photo by Shawn Thew/UPI
Sept. 5 (UPI) -- The long-planned Maryland Offshore Wind Project, which aims to deliver more than 2 gigawatts of clean energy to two states, landed final approval from the Biden administration on Thursday.
The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has officially signed off on the nation's 10th offshore wind project after more than a decade of efforts, Acting Deputy Interior Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis announced.
As planned by developer U.S. Wind Inc., of Baltimore, the project seeks to generate more than 2 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy for Maryland and Delaware and power over 718,000 homes over two construction phases.
The administration forecasts the development and construction phases of the Maryland project will support more than 2,500 jobs annually over a seven-year span. The lease area is 8.7 nautical miles offshore of Maryland and 9 nautical miles from Sussex County, Delaware, at its closest points to shore.
With Thursday's approval, the Biden administration has signed off on more than 15 gigawatts of clean energy from offshore wind energy projects -- equivalent to half of the capacity needed to achieve President Joe Biden's goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.
The Maryland Offshore Wind Project will see the installation of 114 wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean in a lease area located 8.7 nautical miles offshore of Maryland and 9 nautical miles from Sussex County, Delaware. Image courtesy U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
That record represents a "total game-change" from the zero projects approved before Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took office in 2021, added White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi.
"From port infrastructure upgrades and new tax credits to speeding responsible and efficient permitting, we are using every tool available to continue turbocharging this industry and delivering a clean energy future for the nation," he said.
Biden said in a statement that for the remainder of his tenure in office, the White House "will continue to partner with industry, Tribes, ocean users, and other stakeholders to support supply chains that are Made in America, incentivize union-built projects, and continue seizing opportunities for additional clean energy technologies."
BOEM first awarded the Maryland's project lease to U.S. Wind in 2014 under the administration of President Barack Obama, but it wasn't until 10 years later that project got the official go-ahead to proceed.
One of the obstacles it has faced in recent years is opposition from officials in Ocean City, Md., who fear the installation of up to 114 wind turbine generators, up to four offshore substation platforms, a meteorological tower and offshore export cable corridors will interfere with its vital tourism industry.
Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said last month the city would likely sue if the Interior Department issued an approval.
Biden administration wants to save over US$6 billion in Ukraine aid as deadline expires
Reuters, citing sources, has written that US President Joe Bidens administration is in urgent discussions with Congress to allow it to use more than US$6 billion in military aid to Ukraine before 30 September,
Source: European Pravda with reference to Reuters
Details: The Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), a key component of the US$6 billion aid package to Ukraine passed in April, allows the president to transfer defence items and services from US stocks in response to emergencies.
The PDA has been the primary mechanism the Biden administration uses to deliver arms to Ukraine. Most recently, on 23 August, the administration announced a US$125 million military aid package, including air defence missiles, anti-drone equipment, anti-tank missiles and ammunition.
However, most of the US$7.8 billion in the bill Biden signed in April has not been used, leaving officials scrambling to find a way to preserve the remaining US$6 billion as a 30 September deadline, the end of fiscal year 2024, approaches.
Sources close to the negotiations told Reuters that the State Department hopes to include the extension in a Continuing Resolution, a short-term emergency spending bill that the Senate and House of Representatives must pass this month to avoid a government shutdown on 30 September.
Congressional aides, who requested anonymity to discuss the ongoing negotiations, insisted that a solution will be found given the strong bipartisan support for aid to Ukraine.
Congressional aides said it was not entirely clear why the flow of weapons to Ukraine has slowed this year but said it was partly due to the US Department of Defense's concern that its stocks are being depleted as the arms industry struggles with supply chain problems.
Lawmakers supporting Ukraine from both parties have stressed the importance of continued support.
While negotiations with Congress continue, the administration is considering a contingency plan in which the State Department would make a substantial aid announcement by 30 September, effectively spending the remaining US$6 billion before the programme expires.
The sources report that under this contingency plan, the timeline for the delivery of weapons and equipment would be extended, allowing for a more gradual transfer of resources to Ukraine.
Congressional aides and administration officials also point out that another resource is available: about US$3 billion in PDA authority, allocated because of a Pentagon accounting error, remains available to help Ukraine. These authorities do not expire.
Background: Several US civil society organisations have asked the State Department not to miss the opportunity to use the remaining US$6.2 billion still available under the President's PDA authority to help Ukraine. However, this will only be available until the end of the budget year, which expires on 30 September.
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(Bloomberg) -- Top aides to President Joe Biden have been crafting a proposal to create a sovereign wealth fund that would allow the US to invest in national security interests including technology, energy, and critical links in the supply chain, according to people familiar with the effort.
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The behind-the-scenes work by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his deputy, Daleep Singh, mirrors at least in spirit a proposal floated Thursday by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who called for a government-owned investment fund to finance great national endeavors during a speech to the Economic Club of New York.
Sullivan and Singh have been working on the project for months across a series of weekly brainstorming efforts, and have met with economic experts on the National Security Council to debate the size, structure, funding, leadership, and potential guardrails for a proposed fund.
The work has progressed to the point where planning documents have been circulated among White House staffers and key agencies, according to the people familiar, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. But even as the work has progressed, key details including, critically, the funds structure, funding model, and investment strategy remain unclear.
Still, Trumps public endorsement of the idea could provide bipartisan momentum for the initiative, which would be relatively novel outside of countries with significant commodity exports and budget surpluses, like oil-rich nations in the Middle East.
Countering US adversaries grip on critical materials and emerging technology is a key motivator of the project, and aides are particularly concerned about being able to tap capital at the pace and scale of other countries. The China Investment Corporation, for example, has made substantial investments in natural resources, leveraging the countrys foreign exchange reserves.
Those working on the effort are eager to formalize the proposal during the remaining months of Bidens presidential term. Aides believe such a fund could help bolster US interests by providing first loss equity capital, guarantees, or bridge financing to illiquid but solvent companies competing with Chinese firms.
Proponents of the idea believe the fund could be tapped to support emerging technologies where there are high barriers of entry including shipbuilding, emerging geothermal and nuclear fusion projects, and quantum cryptography. Biden aides similarly think the fund could be used to create synthetic reserves of critical minerals by purchasing futures contracts. Singh, one of the projects architects, recently returned to the administration after a stint working for PGIM Fixed Income.
The approach is not dissimilar from the aggressive investment in technology firms by some Asian nations, like Singaporean state-owned firm Temasek Holdings backing of Microsoft Corp. and NVIDIA Corp. But Temaseks investment in now-bankrupt crypto firm FTX shows some of the risks of such an endeavor.
Most other sovereign wealth funds including investment authorities in Kuwait, Norway, and Abu Dhabi created in the mid-20th century were seeded with surplus oil revenue. Still, some US states, including Alaska, New Mexico, and Texas, have seen success setting up their own government-run investment ships financed by energy and mineral resources. And other nations, like Canada and Australia, have independently managed sovereign wealth funds.
Congressional Outreach
The creation of any fund would require an act of Congress, where a battle over a potential funding source is likely to prove contentious. The White House has not yet begun engaging lawmakers on the idea though they plan to discuss the proposal with both Capitol Hill and the private sector in the near future.
Last year, a bipartisan group of senators led by Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy and Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, suggested creating an investment fund with profits helping bolster Social Security benefits.
The idea of a US sovereign wealth fund has at least some outside support. Hedge fund billionaire John Paulson said Thursday that he supported the US building a pool that would surpass the $1.7 trillion Norway uses for investments.
It would great to see America join this party and instead of having debt, have savings, Paulson said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. It would be, over time, larger than any of the existing funds.
Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, responding to Trumps proposal, though, called the idea incomplete.
Its one thing if youre Norway or the Emirates that has this huge natural resource thats going to run out that youre exporting to accumulate a big wealth fund. But weve got a big trade deficit. Weve got a big, budget deficit, Summers said on Bloomberg Televisions Wall Street Week with David Westin Friday.
Summers said it was hard to believe that setting aside lots of funds for unspecified investments made in unspecified ways, where you dont even know what its going to be called, is a particularly responsible, kind of proposal.
Mixed Support
Critics argue that the fund could be exploited for political projects of sitting presidents, and prove difficult to fund particularly as the nation continues to run sizable deficits contributing to a national debt that tops $35 trillion.
Jared Bernstein, chairman of the White Houses Council of Economic Advisers, told Bloomberg Television he would be very wary of getting involved in any kid of wealth fund.
Its certainly something I havent talked about in meetings Ive been in, he said
Conservative economist Douglas Holtz-Eakin questioned the need for a fund.
What problem would this solve? To my mind, none. Theres no merit to it regardless of who proposes it, Holtz-Eakin said Friday. All this would do is insulate that process from political scrutiny and oversight, and thats the last thing we need.
Trump, speaking to economic leaders on Thursday, said he envisioned the fund as a way to address persistent debt issues and said it would be funded through his plan to impose tariffs on all imports.
Well 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, Trump said. And it is many of the people in this room who will be helping to advise and recommend investments for this fund.
(Updates throughout with additional sourcing, comments from Summers, Bernstein, Holtz-Eakin)
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WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden will host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for talks in Washington next week that are expected to touch on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and other issues.
Next Friday's meeting with the leader of one of America's closest allies comes as Biden looks to step up engagement on the international stage in his final months in office. U.S. allies and adversaries are also intently watching how the race to succeed Biden between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump plays out.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that the Oval Office visit, the second by Starmer since he was elected earlier this summer, will focus on continuing Western support for Ukraine as it tries to repel Russia's invasion, ongoing efforts to secure a hostage and cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea posed by the Houthis, an Iranian-backed group, as well as shared concerns about the Indo-Pacific.
Starmer visited the White House two months ago for one-on-one talks with Biden when he was in Washington for the NATO Summit.
President Biden will host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House next Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, among other topics, the White House announced.
Biden and Starmer will meet Sept. 13, when the two will have an in-depth discussion on a range of global issues of mutual interest, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
In addition to conflicts abroad and efforts to secure a cease-fire and hostage release deal in Gaza, the two will discuss opportunities to strengthen U.S.-UK cooperation to secure supply chains and increase climate resilience. President Biden will underscore the importance of continuing to strengthen the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, Jean-Pierre added.
Both the U.S. and United Kingdom have been among the key partners in aiding Ukraine in its war against invading Russian forces, and the two allies have also pushed for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
It will mark the second time Biden has met with Starmer since he was elected prime minister in the Labour Partys landslide victory in early July. But it will be the first time the two have met since Biden announced he would not seek a second term.
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Biden once threatened to fire Harriss staffers who leaked negative stories about the VP
President Joe Biden reportedly warned Kamala Harriss staffers in 2021 that if they leaked negative stories they would be fired (AFP via Getty Images)
President Joe Biden is fiercely loyal to his friends and political allies so when tensions arose in Vice President Kamala Harriss office in 2021 as she hemorrhaged staff, he reportedly issued a stark warning to her staffers - if they leaked negative stories he would fire them.
The president and vice president had just taken office at the time and Harris was apparently trying to figure out a sustainable management style amid large turnover, according to The Washington Post.
Staffers were reportedly frustrated with Harriss prosecutor-like leadership style in which she asked pointed questions about every detail of her schedule and briefings and doled out harsh criticisms all while approaching decisions with an irksome caution.
Vice President Kamala Harris walks alongside aides and staffer in 2022. She lost numerous staff members when she first took the office as concerns about her management style arose (Getty Images)
It led to somewhat of an exodus mimicking similar patterns that occurred in Harriss office when she was Senator of California.
In June 2021, POLITICO interviewed 22 current or former aides who attested to Harriss office being dysfunctional and very negative.
So Biden apparently took matters into his own hands, demanding they maintain the same level of loyalty to Harris that he values.
The Independent has asked the White House for comment.
Harriss office had a rocky start with more than 90 percent of staffers who began with her in 2021 having left her office. But three years later, things have apparently smoothed over as shes found a management style that works.
Last month, more than 300 former staffers for Harris endorsed her for president in a letter that attested to her great character, clear eyed plans for a better future and extraordinary leadership.
We have no doubt that Kamala Harris will make an excellent President of the United States, the letter says.
We have seen her take on bad actors and fight for those who are overlooked and left behind. We have worked alongside her as she has tackled the toughest challenges and the most intractable issues. And she has delivered results in every office she has ever held.
It is not uncommon for high-ranking officials to see more turnover in their office than local or state-level politicians due to the demanding and high-pressure nature of the job.
President Bidens A-Team, or senior-level executive branch staff, turnover is approximately 71 percent, according to Brookings.
Donald Trumps A-Team turnover was approximately 91 percent at the end of his term. Former Trump staffers and officials have come forward with allegations of a chaotic and negative working environment and concerns about a second Trump presidency.
BIG SPRING, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) The Big Spring Police Department and Crime Stoppers are looking to identify two suspects involved in a theft earlier this week.
According to Crime Stoppers, on Thursday, September 5, two unknown suspects took several packages from a residence in Big Spring.
Big Spring Police searching for video game thief
If you recognize either of these individuals, or have any information, please contact the Big Spring Crime Stoppers at (432)263-TIPS (8477) or through the P3 Tips mobile app and reference case number 2-24-02572. The first tip made to Crime Stoppers that leads to an arrest or case closed may be eligible for a cash reward. Caller ID is never used and tippers remain anonymous.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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ACCRA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) provides a platform for China and Africa to deepen their cooperation on global issues, Paul Frimpong, executive director of the Africa-China Center for Policy and Advisory, a Ghana-based think tank, has said.
In a recent interview with Xinhua, Frimpong said the summit provides a platform for both China and Africa to deepen discussions on new ideas that China has been promoting in recent years.
"We are talking about the Global Development Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Belt and Road Initiative, and many others," Frimpong said. "We need to broaden the conversation to get deeper and ensure that we can appreciate the civilization journey and take the lessons in there to broaden the conversation we have on the table."
The 2024 FOCAC summit, held from Sept. 4 to 6 in Beijing, brought together leaders from China and African countries under the theme "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future."
Frimpong said the theme highlights the need to work together for the greater good of humanity, adding that it is about envisioning an ideal future together, where Africa and other developing countries will also be part of decision-making in the world.
He also said building a community with a shared future is about peace, "where the world does not fight over a small pie but increases the size of the pie to meet everybody's needs."
The expert stressed that the summit is important in global affairs because it gathered the leaders of a large population.
"Once Africa and China, whose combined population comes to about a third of the world population, work together on this agenda, there will be a rippling effect on other regions, notably in the Global South," Frimpong added.
Originally from Germany, the Lidl grocery chain is close to reaching 200 locations in the U.S., though you'll need to be on the East Coast to get your shopping done. Trawling its aisles is a joy, with international goodies mingling with produce, mixes, and the fresh smells of pretzels and bread wafting from the bakery.
Yet like any grocery store, it isn't surprising to encounter recalls on our favorite products. The company has handled a multitude of incidents since launching stateside in 2017, all to varying degrees of danger for its customers. For example, on March 29, 2024, a labeling faux-pas forced stores to pull Deluxe Macarons "Party Edition" off shelves. Since the treats featured major allergens that weren't disclosed to shoppers -- wheat and nuts to name a few -- shoppers were instructed not to eat them in fear of an adverse reaction.
Whether it's the reach of states affected or the illnesses tallied by health authorities, we've gathered some of the biggest recalls to happen in Lidl's history. To touch on all the bases, past (and even present) controversies from the U.S. and Europe are fair game.
Read more: Huge Mistakes Everyone Makes When Shopping At Sam's Club
Quaker-Brand Items Potentially Harboring Salmonella
Chewy brand granola bar snacks - Deutschland Reform/Shutterstock
"Start your day right" is one of the comforting mottos attached to Quaker Oats, a brand long revered for its wholesome breakfast products. A pantry without its famous oatmeal -- or instant packets flavored with cinnamon apples or dinosaur eggs -- just isn't a pantry we'd consider well-stocked. So you could see why a do-not-eat order on granola bars and Cap'n Crunch would elicit shock. Suspicions of salmonella poisoning jumpstarted a recall effort in December 2023 that, per the FDA, continues to remain in effect on over 90 snacks.
Illnesses from the corrupted items haven't surfaced since the original announcement, which perhaps explains why the FDA decided to label the situation a Class II. The ranking distinguishes this as a matter beneath the most severe, one that doesn't gravely jeopardize one's health. Still, risking this illness is no joke, as it torments victims with nausea, diarrhea, and side effects that can grow more serious with pre-existing ailments. Because of this, sounding the alarm for its customer base was definitely the right move by Lidl, who alerted shoppers to avoid Chewy Granola Bars in Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip, and the Halloween Minis.
Kraft Singles Pulled For Choking Hazard
Kraft singles American cheese packets - Billy F Blume Jr/Shutterstock
American cheese possesses an uncannily plastic taste, nobody can deny it. However, it's doubtful Kraft had that in mind when it issued a withdrawal on its processed slices in September 2023. Kraft Singles were culled from the supply chain after the FDA discovered that certain batches were linked to reports of choking. The press release claimed that a machinery error in its production site was causing pieces of the wrapper to stick to the slice, leading customers to gag on the substance without realizing it hadn't been fully peeled off. Since adding synthetic materials is not a grilled cheese hack anybody would crave, the defective allotment -- about 83,000 individual slices -- was retracted.
To the relief of public health officials, customers were left mostly unscathed by the debacle, though unlucky buyers were highly encouraged to seek a refund at the store where they purchased the marred item. The expiration dates ranged between January 10 to January 27, 2024, for 16-ounce packages, and January 9 to 13, and January 16, 2024, for 3-pound packages. Just about every supermarket retailer in business carries Kraft Singles, and Lidl did its part in eliminating the affected batches.
Over 600,000 Pounds Of Charcuterie Meats
charcuterie coppa meat on board - Bwfolsom/Getty Images
A New Year's surprise desired by no one, February 2024 witnessed an assortment of store-bought charcuterie meats blighted by salmonella. Trays of the Antipasto Trio and Traditional Coppa from Lidl originated from the same distributor responsible for the outbreak, Fratelli Beretta USA, Inc., who quickly disposed of the 600,000+ pounds linked to the dangerous bacteria.
The crisis disrupted grocery stores across 33 states, and at least 104 people were sickened in the ordeal. A smaller percentage of cases had to visit the emergency room, which isn't unheard of for salmonella poisoning. Side effects like dehydration, fever, and shortness of breath can definitely impact the immune system differently, displaying temporary discomfort in some and more serious ailments in others.
It's a matter of routine for Lidl to track down shoppers who might have bagged the items not knowing they were soiled. After all, the contaminant is known to linger in cold environments, and these cold cuts were dated best before June 24, 2024. One customer expressed gratitude for this practice, sharing their positive experience of the chain's direct communication with fellow Reddit users.
Soft Cheeses Sold In America And Mexico
camembert cheese with knife - Picture Partners/Getty Images
Listeria burrows its way through a variety of foods, but it's apparent that soft cheeses are the pathogen's siren-song. The heavy levels of moisture and cultures make bacteria much harder to stave off, which isn't much of an issue with hard cheeses (think Parmesan). Old Europe Cheese Inc. stocks the shelves of Lidl, Meijer, Safeway, and others, and was forced to toss out Camembert and Brie cheeses in September 2022.
The cheeses impacted by the recall were sold in America and Mexico, featuring best-by dates of September 28 through December 14, 2022. Lidl originally ordered the removal of its 8-ounce Brie rounds, but an addendum on October 5, 2022 expanded the reach to include a selection of baked Brie cheeses as well.
Lasting three months, immediate action taken by the CDC and FDA helped keep this outbreak under control. As for the six people who got sick, all of them recovered. Relief aside, the supplier wasn't let off the hook just yet; the FDA delivered a warning letter the following year lambasting the company for unsanitary conditions that paved the way for the organism to spread.
Close To 9 Million Pounds Of Tyson Poultry
Tyson Foods frozen chicken - Colleen Michaels/Shutterstock
Every dining establishment or supermarket you can think of likely gets its poultry from one place: Tyson Foods. No one could have foreseen the pandemonium, then, when a staggering 8,955,296 pounds of chicken got pulled from circulation. In July 2021, health authorities demanded the company retract a wide range of frozen chicken products, including wings and nuggets, out of concern that the meat was carrying listeria. The final toll given by the Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS), a division of the USDA, was one death and three people plagued with listeriosis.
The conglomerate is a major player in industrialized food, so no grocery store in America could really go unscathed by the chaos. Lidl responded to the matter quickly, taking the time to notify shoppers and encourage those who'd purchased any item to take it back to the store. What did consumers need to look out for? The total lineup, found on the USDA's website, featured products listed with expiration dates falling anywhere from December 26, 2020, into April 13, 2021. That's four months of potentially soiled frozen food, which highlights why it's important to check labels frequently.
Dole Salads Tainted With Listeria
close up lettuce greens salad - EPhotoshot/Shutterstock
It's not just eating your greens that's important -- washing them is too. Otherwise, you might risk produce ruined with potentially-deadly organisms. Beginning in December 2021, Lidl eliminated 15 salads from its stores out of regards to a broader recall on greens from Dole Fresh Vegetables. The FDA discovered, in procedural fashion, that lettuce blends produced under its watch -- specifically, warehouses residing in Yuma, Arizona, and Bessemer City, North Carolina -- tested positive for listeria.
To give a sense of the stakes, investigations into the ordeal had been a work in progress for almost a decade. That's right; from 2014 on, CDC officials had encountered people falling ill, without much indication of where the pathogen had originated. From there, around five to six years passed before officials concluded the contaminant came from the facilities in question, leading to the recall's announcement.
As a conclusion to the event, 18 people were sickened overall, with most hospitalized for their illnesses. Sadly, three people died. Can supermarkets ever catch a break from Listeria Monocytogenes? As long as processing facilities keep endangering the masses, invisible pathogens will only continue to multiply (and make us sick).
Salsas Linked To Massive Onion Recall
crate of yellow onions - Kat Popova/Shutterstock
A gigantic recall on red, white, yellow, and sweet yellow alliums rippled through the nation in August 2020, which health experts traced to foodborne illnesses. The allotments were distributed by Thomson International, Inc., and the California manufacturer suspected the produce was tarnished by salmonella. Subsequently, this information was brought to the attention of every grocery outlet and dining establishment in its network, who worked overtime ridding its premises of the loads -- weighing between 5 and 50 pounds, respectively.
Being one of its clients, Lidl cautioned buyers on two of its salsas that contained the onions as an ingredient. The dips were produced by one of the store's wholesalers (Lancaster Foods, LLC) and the varieties pulled were Mild Fresh Salsa and Southwestern Salsa. One might assume every jar was a biological hazard, but the store's website was transparent about which lots could be sullied, instructing shoppers to throw out (or exchange for a refund) any jar labeled with an expiration date of August 7 to August 12, 2020. If there's any evidence storing onions wrong can have terrible consequences, the incident poisoned over 1,600 people.
Bone Broths, Teas, And Nut Milks
bowl of chicken broth - Mara Ze/Shutterstock
Lidl earns its keep with the affordable practice of private-labeling. This means many processing woes that occur under its name will be blamed, technically, on who was behind the wholesaling. What transpired in September 2023 was a humungous blunder for the guilty party involved, TreeHouse Foods. We're talking about 439,240 lots of cooking broths and oat milks rescinded for "potential microbial contamination," an issue touching every state in the union since the producer's goods are transported to major players in the grocery game. Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Sprouts, and others all had to enact safety precautions, urging visitors to hold off on the kitchen staples until the problem was resolved.
A single Lidl offering, the32-ounce Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth, was verified in the recall order -- which purchasers, presumably, dumped in lieu of simmering into a hearty fall soup. To date, the pathogen has never been divulged. But what we do know is that one, nobody became sick; and two, TreeHouse Foods endured rough times from the fallout. It rebooted operations at the source -- a plant in Cambridge, Maryland -- and saw annual profits decline by $34 million dollars. Oof.
Nationwide Recall Sparked By Tainted Hummus
hummus dip veggies and crackers - Kabachki.Photo/Shutterstock
With chickpeas, olive oil, and tahini, pureed dips like hummus are exceedingly perishable -- and thus primed for risky bacteria. In July 2019, listeria was confirmed in spreads distributed by Pita Pal Foods, a wholesaler responsible for stocking grocery aisles as well as convenience stores throughout the U.S. In addition to a nationwide halt, retailers in the United Arab Emirates were also roped into culling hummus from shelves.
How did the incident come about? Government personnel was assigned a visit to the processor's warehouse in Houston, Texas, and was able to detect signs of the bacteria through rigorous sampling. The low-down on afflicted items posted by the FDA involved Harris Teeter, Fresh Thyme, and Bucee's, plus many more. Lidl's Hummus Quartet was listed, and the notice highlighted containers weighing 16-ounces dated August 10, August 12, and August 29, 2019, with the UPC code 4334035782713.
In general, no illnesses were formally reported, which is to say that if anyone was affected, they were probably able to manage their recovery without the help of a doctor. Still, organisms can live in food for months, so throwing it away ASAP was key.
200 Million Eggs Linked To A Salmonella Outbreak
eggs at factory site - Muhammad Gunawansyah/Getty Images
In 2018, Lidl was ensnared in a giant egg recall circling back to Rose Acre Farms. On April 13, the Indiana processor released a warning involving over 200 million eggs exhibiting traces of Salmonella Braenderup. This number leaves out the additional 23,400 eggs Cal-Maine Foods removed from its stock following the announcement. Before long, 45 people were left ill as the spread surged through 10 states, including New York and Florida.
In time, details emerged on the health code violations that were uncovered at the company's facility in Hyde County, North Carolina. What the FDA testified to seeing is stomach-churning, to say the least. Revelations exposed by the agency pointed to horrific sanitation, between the dirty floors and filthy equipment to premises overrun by vermin. Officials also knocked workers for abysmal cleanliness habits. In other words, the environment was a petri dish for incubating microorganisms.
Though nobody died, it's still one of the more horrifying food recalls to hit Lidl's shelves. The agribusiness is a top producer for eggs in the country, so by extension, a lot of people were put at risk. Amazingly, it failed to match the numbers of a 2010 egg recall. That total? 550 million.
Hard-Boiled Eggs In Five States
hard-boiled eggs wood background - Sasapanchenko/Getty Images
Lidl was part of another recall that struck numerous food retailers and resulted in one death in 2019. Seven cases of listeria poisoning occurred from hard-boiled eggs manufactured by Almark Foods, confirmed through an investigation of the company's Gainesville, Georgia, factory. The announcement on December 20, 2019 was originally limited to the 20- to 25-pound plastic tubs, but within three days, a second round-up was proven necessary to account for additional packaged items primarily sold in the refrigerated and freezer sections.
Brands among the 30,300 pounds disposed of that year included Walmart's Great Value label and O Organics, commonly found at chains like Safeway and Albertsons. Lidl, which came up during the follow-up effort, quickly pulled its 6 Count Stand-Up Pouch Hard-Cooked Eggs out of caution.
Boiling eggs seems like a sensible idea to consumers wary of food poisoning, but it's not foolproof for protecting yourself. Factory-farmed livestock, including chickens, can easily transmit pathogens from their unclean environments, with further troubles brought on by improper pasteurization (the process that makes our eggs safe to consume). This explains why even cooked or peeled whole eggs have to be watched.
Beef Swept Up In The EU's Horse Meat Scandal
horses on farm outdoors - Doris Fotografie/Shutterstock
The discovery of horse meat in supply chains traversing Europe was a cataclysmic scandal that aroused global attention in January 2013. In summary? Manufacturers from Ireland and England were dispensing beef goods that, as testing revealed, actually featured equine matter. In some cases, very high levels to boot (the British chain Tesco had hamburgers boasting almost 30%). To put it simply, the findings caused an uproar, with health officials and grocery stores scrambling to remove the mystery meats.
Lidl may be a footnote in this story, yet like all the implicated stores it remains attached to the saga, whether it wants to be or not. On February 18, 2013, Reuters reported that Swedish outposts rid shelves of questionable goulash soups and penne bolognese pastas. Meanwhile in Finland, the offending products included ravioli and a beef goulash meal distributed under the Coquette label.
E. Coli-Riddled Hamburger Sickened Over A Dozen Children
raw hamburger patties kitchen counter - Kajakiki/Getty Images
Skip the cheeseburger. France was the site of a horrific E. coli outbreak related to Lidl ground beef. The culprit, Steak Country hamburger patties, was delivered via the supplier Company La Societe SEB. Lidl acquired the meat from one facility, but what was notable about the infected beef was that the manufacturer had in turn sourced it from French, Dutch, and German farming sites.
Illnesses appeared mostly in young children. Seven cases were first reported by The Guardian in 2011, but the toll quickly rose to 14, a majority under the age of 8 who in turn suffered grave reactions from the strain. One child died from complications, eight years after contracting the bug. Fallout from the crisis was, of course, inevitable. Guy Lamorlette, head of the manufacturing plant when the spread was happening, was punished and sentenced to two years in prison.
Contaminated Cheese That Lead To Seven Deaths
curd cheese on white background - Istetiana/Getty Images
This one hits home for Lidl. Back in January 2010, seven fatalities connected to sour cheeses rocked the discount chain. The cause was listeria, and it had gotten into acid curd cheeses the chain stocked at its German and Austrian locations from Prolactal, an Austrian manufacturer. The company did the responsible thing, ceasing operations at the facility in Hartberg while officials continued to monitor the outbreak.
Past recalls have demonstrated that Lidl moves swiftly in handling chaos, most significantly, giving notice to patrons. In this situation, however, the discount chain dropped the ball massively, as a lawsuit filed by FoodWatch, a consumers' protection firm, aimed to show.
Where did Lidl, as well as the supplier and participating experts fail? By failing to provide broader coverage of the tainted cheese. Besides one region in Germany (Baden Wuerttemberg), most of the country did not receive a warning on the dairy items. The strain infected 45 people, and arguably, that number could have been lower if Lidl had taken better precautions.
Read the original article on Mashed.
Bill would guarantee free lunches for students in need
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) The kids are back in school and whatevers on the school lunch menu, like chicken nuggets and gravy or garlic toast, Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) wants to ensure all disadvantaged students have access to school meals.
Its essential that children are fed. Hungry children do not learn, Hayes said.
Hayes introduced a bill that would automatically certify all school-age students into the National School Lunch Program, if they receive help through programs like Medicaid or SNAP.
So that there is not another step. There is not a different application. We already know that those families are stressed and vulnerable, and those children are in danger of being food insecure, Hayes said.
The School Nutrition Association reports, more than 95,000 schools utilize the school lunch program. 19 million students receive free lunches and more than one million get reduced prices.
Hayes says there are more kids who need help, I dont know any place in this country where this is not an issue.
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) supports the school lunch program.
There already is a process in place for identifying students, for, free lunch program, Miller-Meeks said, but she is not sure about the legislation.
Is that the most productive way and most efficient way to go about delivering a program or a service? And then what are the unintended consequences? Miller-Meeks asked.
Hayes says if passed, states would need to match funding from the federal government.
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) The Birmingham Public Library is hosting three upcoming events this month at its Central Library location downtown.
On Friday, Sept. 6, BPL will host its last Bards and Brews Poetry Slam of the year at 6:30 p.m. At this event, Birmingham-based spoken word artists will compete for cash prizes. The first-place winner will receive $200, the second-place winner will receive $100 and the third-place winner will receive $50. Admission is free, and the event is 18-and-up.
Cellphone bans in classrooms reduce distractions, but cause some parents safety concerns
BPL will present a blues concert featuring Earl Guitar Williams and other artists as part of the 40th birthday celebration of the Central Library East Building on Sept. 13. This will be a part of the Loud at the Library Series, and it will take place from 5- 7:30 p.m. As a part of Library Card Sign-Up Month, attendees will be able to sign up for new library cards or renew their old ones.
On Sept. 14, from 3- 5 p.m., BPL will host a reception for three artists who currently have exhibitions on display at the Central Library as a part of the Art for Everyone Visual Series. The artists will be there to discuss their work.
The current exhibitions on display at the library are the following:
Things Great and Small by Nelson Grice.
Shaken by the Roots by Leanna Leithauer-Lesley.
Stop, Look and Listen by Roger Stephenson.
All three of these events are sponsored by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
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Bitter boyfriend allegedly set NJ home of girlfriends parents on fire with her inside after argument
A bitter boyfriend allegedly lit the home of his girlfriends parents on fire sending her running as flames engulfed the house, police said.
Leonard Jones, 50, allegedly ignited the blaze after fighting with his gal pal inside the Old Beekman Road house in South Brunswick at around 3 a.m. Tuesday, cops said.
Leonard Jones, 50, allegedly set his girlfriends parents South Brunswick home on fire. South Brunswick Twp Police Department
Police were called to the Middlesex County home after Jones refused to leave, the South Brunswick Police Department said.
As cops were on their way to the scene, they received a second 911 call reporting the home on fire.
Four residents, including Jones, made it safely out of the house as the fire raged through the single-family home.
Neighbor Elise Campanella said one of the residents knocked on her door, warning her of the insane fire before smoke eaters arrived.
Four residents, including Leonard Jones, made it safely out of the house as the fire tore through the home. Instagram/sobrunswickpd
It was quite extensive and my fear was that it was going to come from the trees and then fall on top of my house. It was insane, she told News 12 New Jersey.
Jones was arrested outside the home and charged with aggravated arson and domestic violence.
Black church leaders brought religion to politics in the 60s but it was dramatically different from todays white Christian nationalism
Fifty-eight years ago in the summer of 1966, a group of Black church leaders took out a full-page advertisement in The New York Times titled Black Power. Their densely worded statement called on national leaders, white churchmen, Black citizens and the mass media to correct the countrys racial power imbalance. In essence, they asked their fellow citizens to support Black power.
Prominent church leaders such as Rev. Paul Washington of the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia, Rev. Gayraud Wilmore of the Presbyterian Commission on Religion and Race, and Rev. Benjamin Payton of the National Council of Churches were among the signatories. With years of civil rights experience, 48 Black church leaders boldly asserted their unequivocal support for the Black Power movement.
Like many white Christian nationalists in 2024, these Black church leaders believed that God was punishing their beloved country. Both groups called for repentance and fundamental change. And like white Christian nationalists, the 1966 Black Christian activists asserted that their faith had something to say on matters of racial identity and power politics.
Such a comparison might suggest that the two groups each proud of their racial identity were alike in the ends they sought. However, the church-based advocates of Black Power in 1966 articulated their vision, pursued their goal of correcting the nations corruption and engaged with their fellow citizens in dramatically different ways than white Christian nationalists do today.
As a scholar of religion and race in social protest movements, I argue that the assertion of Black power was not in any way a threat to democracy unlike todays white Christian nationalists demands for taking the reins of power.
A pragmatic approach to power
Stokely Carmichael, center, with his friends. Ollie Noonan, Jr./The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Only weeks before the ad appeared, activist Stokely Carmichael had brought the phrase Black Power to national attention during a freedom march in Greenwood, Mississippi. He proclaimed: Weve been saying freedom for six years, and we aint got nothin. What we got to start saying now is Black Power! We want Black Power. His rhetoric and the race riots then rocking the country in cities like Chicago, Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio, prompted the Black church leaders to take out their ad.
In the nearly 3,000-word full-page statement, pastors proposed that fair distribution of political and economic power would solve the cities problems. Accurate news coverage, full employment and equal education would make that power sharing possible. As religious leaders, they also called their congregations to heal internal divisions and practice racial self-love.
In addition, the Black church leaders used the text of their paid advertisement to refute the idea that any nation, race or organization had the right to hold ultimate power. They aimed to reassure readers that the Black Power activists shouldnt hold ultimate power, either. They then moderated their patriotism by noting that America is our beloved homeland but that the country was not God. Unlike some Black nationalist activists of the era, they did not call for separation from white society.
Rather than an other worldly conception of Gods power, they focused in their ad on exercising power in the here and now. And they called for access to power that would allow Black citizens to participate at all levels of the life of our nation.
As historian and activist Vincent Harding has observed, their words echoed congregants who would criticize overly spiritual church leaders by asserting, Praying is fine in a prayer meeting, but it aint no good in a bear meeting. That is, in a dangerous situation whether an urban rebellion or an encounter with a wild animal religious resources were insufficient.
Theirs was a pragmatic embrace of power, grounded in an appeal to the founding principles of the United States.
Power with limits
However, their pursuit of Black power had limits. In the text of their ad, the Black church leaders clearly advocated for all people to have power which, by necessity, required that Black people also have power.
They also conceded that the very institutions they led Black congregations already had some degree of power. Since the mass exodus of Black congregants from white-led congregations in the aftermath of emancipation, independent Black congregations had provided religious support and sustenance while also fostering a base for political action.
Black congregations had supported congregants who challenged white supremacy during Reconstruction, called for access to jobs during World War II and marched on Washington for jobs and freedom during the Civil Rights Movement.
A means to participation
But perhaps most centrally, the 48 signers of The New York Times statement like other secular proponents of Black power at the time did not seek control of the country.
Instead of a foolish effort at domination or a new form of isolationism, they said in the ad, they sought power so that they could effectively participate at all levels of the life of our nation. Their goal was to make the rebuilding of our cities the countrys first priority.
Within a decade of the 1966 publication of the statement, the phrase Black Power had waned even among its most vocal advocates. Internal fractures, often prompted by paid informants, had weakened Black Power organizations. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had organized violent attacks on Black Power activists. Other proponents of Black power were arrested and imprisoned by both local and federal officials.
As Lerone Martin, the director of Stanford Universitys King Center, has shown, Hoover was motivated in his undermining of power for Black people out of his devout expression of a Christianity that was unerringly conservative, patriotic and white.
Another way to join faith and politics
Proponents of white Christian nationalism continue to seek a religiously run, white-dominated government. A recent PPRI study also found that white Christian nationalists were twice as likely to support political violence.
By contrast, the example of the short-lived, church-based promotion of Black power puts contemporary Christian nationalism in a broader context. The Black church leaders demonstrated that there was a way to bring religious commitments to bear on political pursuits without insisting on racial dominance or rejecting the separation of church and state.
As these Black Power advocates made clear, it was possible to be patriotic and also be critical of the nations failures to embody racial justice. Unlike the contemporary proponents of a belief in the United States as being founded on Christian principles and threatened by non-whites, non-Christians, and immigrants, in their statement the 1966 Black Power advocates condemned the overt violence of riots. Even Malcolm X, the outspoken Nation of Islam activist, was suspended from his religious duties for implying that President John F. Kennedys actions had resulted in his assassination when he said that the chickens had come home to roost.
From both a pragmatic and a principled position, the Black church leaders did not see violence as viable. Even when promoting the highly controversial idea of Black power to a white nation, they maintained a belief that democracy was consistent with their goals rather than opposed to it.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Tobin Miller Shearer, University of Montana
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Tobin Miller Shearer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Blend your own bourbon at new Downtown bourbon bar, Willow Run
General Manager Katie Tobin stands outside the new Willow Run custom bourbon bar Downtown. Willow Run, which invites customers to blend their own bourbons, is set to open Sept. 12.
The founders of Newtown-based WoodCraft Bourbon Blender are preparing to open a new franchise Downtown where customers can blend their own bourbons.
Willow Run, named after the Willow Run Distilling Co. founded in the Cincinnati area in 1865, is set to open Thursday at 645 Walnut St., across from the Aronoff Center.
September is National Bourbon Heritage Month
The opening will coincide with National Bourbon Heritage Month, which was designated in September 2007 by the U.S. Senate to celebrate bourbon's traditions and heritage as America's native spirit.
Willow Run's namesake distillery was founded by William J. McRoberts Jr., a distiller who smuggled slaves from Kentucky to Cincinnati as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, according to WoodCraft CEO Doug Hall, who also co-founded WoodCraft's sister company, Brain Brew Distillery in Newtown.
An artist's illustration of Willow Run bourbon awaiting shipment from Cincinnati in the 1800s.
"We're returning bourbon to its rightful roots in the Queen City,'' Hall told The Enquirer, noting that in 1850 about 85% of the whiskey shipped around the nation came from Cincinnati, which was the sixth-biggest city in the country.
All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon
Bourbon is a type of barrel-aged whiskey that must contain at least 51% percent corn. Wheat, barley, rye and other grains are commonly used to round out the mash bill, or recipe, recipe, for bourbon.
In addition to learning about bourbon and its roots in Cincinnati, Willow Run customers will also be able to choose from a variety of bourbons and craft cocktails in addition to "custom bourbon experiences,'' including blending their own bourbons.
Willow Run will use free-standing bourbon blending machines to mix Woodcraft bourbons with different types of woods to produce different flavor notes, such as pepper, spice and caramel.
Six different woods can be used to blend your own bourbon
A half dozen woods will be available to use in the blending process, including cherry, maple and four different types of oak.
Customers can have their custom-blended bourbons bottled on-site and purchase for about $50, he said.
The Downtown location will be the second custom bourbon location for WoodCraft, including its Barrels & Billets Bourbon Experience in Louisville.
Inside Barrels & Billets Bourbon Experience in Louisville.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Willow Run: Where can I make my own bourbon in Cincinnati
The News
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed greater US support for Haiti as it fights to wrest control of its territory from powerful gangs.
During a visit to Port-au-Prince Thursday, Blinken announced a new humanitarian aid package for the island nation, where hundreds of thousands are facing hunger after gangs brought commerce to a standstill.
The US-backed deployment of Kenyan police officers has largely failed to make a significant impact against the gangs, which control around 80% of the capital. Now many in Haiti fear a promised further deployment of security forces will never materialize.
SIGNALS
Haiti trip a gamble for Biden administration
Sources: The New York Times, The Washington Post
Blinkens trip is a gamble for the Biden administration, The Washington Post argued, as it brings attention to a burgeoning international crisis only two months before the US presidential election. But the US cant afford to ignore Haitis plight, The New York Times wrote, because the criminal anarchy engulfing the country risks causing a flood of refugees into the US, as happened during the Haitian refugee crisis of the 1990s. Despite the promise of elections next year, the fragile political landscape fraught by corruption allegations and a lack of public confidence may thwart any meaningful political and security progress in the country, analysts say.
Idea of UN peacekeeping mission evokes bad memories for Haitians
Source: The Washington Post
Haitians are wary of the possibility of a UN peacekeeping mission given their bad memories of the one from 2004 to 2017, The Washington Post wrote, where international forces were linked to incidents of sexual violence and a deadly cholera outbreak. The US-funded Kenya-led police mission in Haiti is already facing criticism for failing to quell violence, and Washington is caught between providing stability and eliciting another backlash. Despite ongoing international efforts to curb gang violence, experts say that without deeper political reforms, external interventions may prove futile. For me, theres really little chance of a security force providing lasting stability in Haiti absent significant political changes, a research associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research told the Post.
Funding issues put future of Kenyan mission in doubt
Sources: Reuters, The New York Times, Haiti Libre
The Kenyan police operation to counter Haitis armed gangs has so far been plagued by a shortage of troops and funds, Reuters reported. The US funds the majority of the mission, but Blinken warned Thursday that more international funds were crucial for the missions sustainability, prompting local news outlet Haiti Libre to argue that it seems easier for the U.S. to release billions for Ukraine than a few hundred million for Haiti. But even if the mission can successfully improve security in Haiti, it will only be a starting point in the countrys recovery, a foreign policy researcher wrote for Brookings. The international community should not assume that it can heave a sigh of relief, she argued.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader hold a joint news conference at the National Palace in Santo Domingo, Sept. 6, 2024. (Roberto Schmidt/Pool photo via AP)
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) The U.S. secretary of state and the leader of the Dominican Republic held private talks Friday on a range of issues, from human rights, economic prosperity and regional security. However, the crisis in violence-wrecked Haiti dominated the discussions.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Dominican Republic for a one-day visit after landing in neighboring Haiti on Thursday to support a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenya to fight rampaging gangs there.
Blinken said he spoke with Dominican President Luis Abinader about the latter's concerns regarding Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic.
Abinader told reporters that his administration is concerned over the apparent lack of resources for the mission and the thousands of inmates who escaped after gangs raided Haitis two biggest prisons earlier this year as part of a coordinated attack.
Haitis crisis has caused a surge in migrants trying to enter the Dominican Republic, Abinader said, adding that theyre overwhelming schools and hospitals.
Abinaders administration has been criticized in recent years for its treatment of Haitian migrants and those born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian parents. The government has largely closed the airspace to Haiti and is building a wall along the border between the two countries.
Blinken said the United States has seen some improvement in Haiti after the arrival of nearly 400 Kenyan police in recent months to crack down on gangs that control 80% of the capital of Port-au-Prince.
The foundation for progress in Haiti has to be security, Blinken said. This has to be something that the authorities, the state and ultimately the Haitian people control, not the gangs.
Both Blinken and Abinader said they are pushing to normalize relations between the Dominican Republic and its neighbor.
We have a strong interest in trying to help Haiti succeed, Blinken said.
Blinken noted that the Dominican Republic has the largest economy in the Caribbean and one of the fastest growing in Latin America. In a boost to that growth, Blinken announced the first phase of a $3 million supply-chain investment via USAID to improve workforce training and build industrial parks in the Caribbean country.
On Thursday, Blinken announced an additional $45 million in humanitarian assistance for Haiti and said he supported creating a U.N. peacekeeping operation as a way to secure funding and resources for fighting the gangs and restoring security to Haiti.
Blinken is expected to return to the U.S. late Friday.
Body of second British hiker who died after flash flooding found in Majorca
The Briton was missing in a flooded canyon known as the Torrent de Pareis - ASA/NPZ
The body of a second British person who died in a flash flood while hiking in Majorca has been found.
Police discovered the bodies of two hikers in a flooded canyon in the Tramuntana mountains after a major search.
The body of the man was found on Friday morning in an area of the Torrent de Pareis river gorge in the north of the island, after the womans body was discovered on Wednesday.
Local media reported that British hikers Alexander Johnson, 32, and his partner Sarah Jane Thompson, 26, had gone missing on Tuesday after a storm that caused water levels to rise suddenly along the gorge.
The Guardia Civil police force rescued a dozen hikers who had been stranded during the flood, whisking them to safety with a rescue helicopter.
Some of the hikers who were rescued said that two people had been swept away by the rising water.
In the search for the British couple, rescue workers focused on a deep pool that had formed in an area with sheer cliff walls. On Thursday they discovered a pair of trousers and a shoe that Mr Johnson had been wearing.
A post mortem examination will now seek to establish the mans cause of death.
The couple had reportedly travelled to Majorca with family and friends for a late-summer holiday.
Tuesdays weather began bright and sunny but local authorities had warned of an impending storm due to hit Majorca.
The speed at which the water level can rise and its sheer rock walls mean the Torrent de Pareis can quickly turn into a dangerous area for unwary sightseers.
According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, seven people have lost their lives in torrents and ravines since 2017 in Majorca.
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ANKARA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye's Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned the killing of a Turkish-American woman by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, vowing to seek accountability "before international courts."
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was shot during a protest against an Israeli settlement near the Palestinian village of Beita, and died of her wounds on Friday, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
The incident took place during a regular protest march by activists in Beita, a town near Nablus that has frequently been targeted by Jewish settlers, according to WAFA.
"We condemn this murder committed by the Netanyahu Government," the Turkish ministry said in a statement, pledging to hold those responsible "before international courts."
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew confirmed Eygi's death and said the embassy was "urgently gathering more information about the circumstances of her death."
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its forces "responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them." The IDF added it was investigating reports of a foreign national's death.
Turkiye has been a vocal critic of Israel during the ongoing war in Gaza, which began after Hamas's Oct. 7 attack. Ankara recently halted trade with Israel and sought to participate in a genocide case against Israel at an international court.
Body of one of two missing boaters recovered following deadly crash in Old Saybrook
The body of one of the two men who were missing following a boat crash in Old Saybrook on Monday night was recovered from the water on Friday as the search for the second man continued.
The identification of the recovered man was being withheld at this time pending notifications, according to Will Healey, spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of death.
The search for the second missing man continued Friday until sunset and was set to resume on Saturday morning with available assets, Healy said.
The 31-foot open motor boat was returning from Block Island on Monday shortly after 9 p.m. when it struck the east break wall in the Long Island Sound and was later found significantly damaged and half submerged near the Harbor One Marina, according to officials.
One dead, two missing after boat crash in Old Saybrook
Nine people were on the boat at the time of the collision. Earlier this week, police identified 34-year-old Christopher Hallahan of Westbrook as one of the people killed following the deadly crash. Hallahan was one of three people initially reported missing following the crash before authorities found him dead within the vessel, according to officials.
Six others who were on the boat were taken to area hospitals after some of them were ejected from the vessel. This included the operator of the boat, officials said.
The crash occurred not far from where a boat crashed into a break wall last year on Labor Day. That crash was reported around the same time and landed four people in the hospital.
The incident remains under investigation, according to Healy.
In addition to DEEP EnCon Police, DEEP thanks the many agencies that provided resources and have aided in the search effort thus far, including: Middletown PD and Fire, the US Coast Guard, Sea Tow, Old Saybrook PD and Fire, East Lyme PD, the Connecticut State Police Dive Team and Air Units, Guilford Fire, Taftville Fire, Goshen Fire, Greenwich Police, Voluntown Fire, Old Mystic Fire, Middlesex EMS, Old Saybrook EMS, Tow Boat US, and the Old Lyme Harbormaster, said Healy.
Boeings Starliner spacecraft landed in a New Mexico desert late on Friday, months after its original departure date and without the two astronauts it carried when it launched in early June.
Starliner returned to Earth seemingly without a hitch, a Nasa live stream showed, nailing the critical final phase of its mission.
The spacecraft re-entered Earths atmosphere around 11pm ET at orbital speeds of roughly 27,400km/h (17,025mph). About 45 minutes later, it deployed a series of parachutes to slow its descent and inflated a set of airbags moments before touching down at the White Sands Space Harbor, an arid desert in New Mexico.
The Nasa astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore should have flown the Starliner back to Earth in June, a week after launching in it. But thruster failures and helium leaks marred their ride to the space station. Instead, they will remain at the ISS for the rest of the year and will return in February aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Nasa ultimately decided it was too risky to return Williams and Wilmore on the Starliner. So the capsule contains their empty seats and blue spacesuits along with some old station equipment.
Related: Nasa astronaut reports strange noise from Boeing Starliner spacecraft
Boeings first astronaut flight caps a journey filled with delays and setbacks. After Nasas space shuttles were retired more than a decade ago, Nasa hired Boeing and SpaceX for orbital taxi service. Boeing ran into so many problems on its first test flight with no one onboard in 2019 that it had to repeat it. The 2022 do-over uncovered even more flaws and the repair bill topped $1.5bn.
The Starliner finally blasted into space on 5 June from Floridas Cape Canaveral Space Force Station after unsuccessful launches on 6 May and 1 June were plagued with problems and after earlier delays that included reports of helium leaks in the service module.
On the first launch attempt, a problem was found with a valve on the second stage, or upper portion, of the rocket. On the second, a computer tripped an automatic hold just three minutes and 50 seconds from liftoff. That was later attributed to a single ground power supply fault within one of the launch control computers.
Even after it successfully launched, helium leaks continued to trouble the spacecraft. As the Starliner approached the ISS, two leaks were detected but Nasa determined the spacecraft remained stable.
What started as an eight-day mission dragged on for three months after the leaks and faulty thrusters raised safety concerns.
However, Nasa and Boeing officials were adamant that the astronauts were not stranded and that the technical difficulties did not threaten the mission.
Well come home when were ready, Steve Stich, Nasas commercial crew program manager, said in the press conference in July.
Turbines from Dominion Energys wind project off Virginia Beach. (Photo by Sarah Vogelsong/Virginia Mercury)
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management released its final environmental assessment of the wind energy area in the Gulf of Maine Friday.
In its review, the agency found that leasing activities such as surveys and installing meteorological buoys in the Gulf of Maine will not have significant impacts on the environment.
The agency did not look at the impacts of installing offshore turbines, however, which would be assessed in a separate environmental review if a leaseholder submits a project proposal, according to BOEM.
We are committed to ensuring that future offshore wind development proceeds in a manner that reduces potential impacts on other ocean activities and the surrounding ecosystem, said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein.
The Gulf of Maine is slated to have eight commercial lease areas off the coast of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which have the potential to generate 15 gigawatts of clean energy to power more than five million homes, according to BOEM.
In late May, BOEM also offered the state of Maine one research area lease for up to 15 square miles in federal waters about 30 miles southeast of Portland. It will include up to 12 floating turbines to help inform how floating offshore wind operates and interacts with ecosystems in the water. The state and federal government reached a lease agreement for the research array in August.
The states Offshore Wind Research Consortium has identified research priority areas for the array, which include environmental questions such as which bird and bat species may be at risk from floating wind turbines.
Stephanie Watson, offshore wind program manager for the state, told Maine Morning Star that she hopes the information learned from the research array can help inform the commercial-scale projects to come.
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Protesters lodged accusations of open meetings violations at three conservative State Election Board members on July 12. Board member Rick Jeffares, right, responds by threatening to remove people for being disruptive while Janelle King (left) looks on. Stanley Dunlap/Georgia Recorder
This is a time for extreme courage, Donald Trump told his vice president in an inflammatory tweet on the morning of Jan. 6, 2021.
As we know, Trumps goal that day was to stay in power by whatever means necessary. And to achieve that goal, he needed Mike Pence to refuse to count electoral votes from Georgia and other swing states that he had lost, claiming that the true winner in those states was unknowable due to fraud.
Pence refused, because he knew he had no such power.
The vice president understood that under the Constitution, his only role in presiding over the electoral vote count later that day would be ceremonial. He had no legal authority to dictate which electoral votes would be counted and which would not. His only job was to announce the results.
So thats what he did, and the republic was saved.
Here in Georgia, local boards of election play a similar ceremonial role in certifying an election. Under long-standing state law, these unelected, untrained volunteers have no power to block the counting of votes or to judge the legitimacy of an election. They have no power to investigate supposed wrongdoing. Like a vice president counting electoral votes, their only function is to announce the results.
However, a three-member rogue majority on the State Election Board is attempting to undermine that system, with potentially significant consequences to the upcoming election. That new majority, all Trump supporters, has rushed through a series of rule changes attempting to redefine what it means to certify an election, giving local boards a degree of authority that the state Legislature never envisioned.
Suddenly, thanks to those rule changes, certify means to attest, after reasonable inquiry, that the tabulation and canvassing of the election are complete and accurate. Suddenly, local volunteer boards are not just empowered to investigate, they have a duty to do so. Suddenly, those boards also have the authority to demand any election-related documents they believe they need to judge the legitimacy of an election.
Ensuring that every county election board member has access to all election-related documentation actually strengthens the certification process, claims Janelle King, one of the three board members pushing through these changes. By being fully informed, board members are better equipped to certify with confidence, knowing they have all necessary information to support their decisions.
According to King, local board members need those new powers if they are to feel comfortable with their decision to certify.
No, they do not.
Under state law, board members dont have to feel comfortable about their decision because, just like Pence on Jan. 6, they dont have a decision to make in the first place. Just as the Constitution says that the vice president shall open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted, Georgia law says local election board members shall certify, which means announce the results, and must do so by a date certain. There is no wriggle room.
By falsely claiming that local boards have a decision to make in certifying, by giving them the power to do their own research until they feel comfortable, you create a false expectation that their decision can be no. Basically, those local boards are being told what Trump told Pence, that they have the power to decide whether votes are counted.
We have Republican stronghold counties who have majority Republican boards that could just performatively say were not going to certify this, an unnamed official in the secretary of states office told The Dispatch. I think thats very likely to happen.
Its important to note that these rule changes are strongly backed by national election-nullification groups that still insist Trump was the legitimate victor in 2020. Indeed, theres strong evidence that those national groups even wrote the rules that the state board is enacting.
So what can be done to prevent chaos come November, when state and national polls suggest another very close race?
One avenue is through the courts. Democrats have already filed a state lawsuit seeking to block implementation of the new rules. They have also filed ethics complaints against the three rogue election board members, alleging that they are acting illegally by attempting to give local boards a power to nullify election outcomes that no state law gives them.
On the political side, all this comes at a delicate time for Gov. Brian Kemp and other top Georgia Republicans. Trump has publicly embraced the work of the state boards majority, celebrating them as pit bulls for victory, so any move by Kemp to rein them in would renew Trumps rage against him. It might also doom Kemps effort to project an image of GOP unity with the election just two months away.
As governor, Kemp has the power to appoint the chair of the five-member state board.
In January, to his credit, he named Waffle House executive John Fervier to that thankless position, and Fervier has acted with integrity and immense patience. Its not his fault that he has been outvoted.
Under state law, the state Republican and Democratic parties each get a nominee to the board. The state GOP, dominated by diehard election deniers, of course appointed an fellow election denier in Dr. Janice Johnston. The Georgia Senate, under Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, named Rick Jeffares as its nominee. Jones was deeply involved in the conspiracy to throw out the Georgia results four years ago, even serving as a fake Trump elector, so its no surprise that Jeffares is of similar mind.
King, the third of the pit bulls, was appointed by House Speaker Jon Burns, who typically takes a more reserved, much more responsible approach to leadership duties. Unfortunately, Burns has remained publicly silent about the actions of his appointee to the state board, and according to King has expressed no concerns privately either.
Thats irresponsible. Kemp, Burns and Attorney General Chris Carr each have an obligation to defend state law, state elections and democracy, and its up to Georgia voters to remind them of their duty to do so now, before the votes are being counted and the system is most vulnerable to disruption.
Heres how they can be reached:
Gov. Brian Kemp: 404-656-1776
Attorney General Chris Carr: 404-458-3600
House Speaker Jon Burns: 404-656-5052
From new bookshops to familiar food favorites, the North Shore will see new businesses
From new bookstores to familiar fast food restaurants, there is a variety of new businesses opening in Milwaukee's northern suburbs.
Here's what to know about a few of the planned openings coming soon to the North Shore:
Children's book store and literary-themed event space to open in Shorewood
In Shorewood, a local event planner is embarking on a new endeavor to transform a former pharmacy building on Capitol and Downer into Wonderland Bookshop.
The storefront will open during late October in the former Hayek's Pharmacy building at 4001 N Downer Avenue, owner Courtney Hyzer said.
Wonderland Bookshop will open in Shorewood during late October.
The family-owned bookshop will sell board books and picture books for children, along with series for middle readers, all-ages reads marketed to young adults, and both fiction and nonfiction for adults a roster that promises to captivate the imaginations of young readers and their families, according to the shop's website.
Hyzer will also operate a small event space within the building for small literary-themed tea parties, showers and birthday parties. Book lovers can also purchase from the store's online book and audiobook shop.
The shop is named after Shorewood's early 1900s Wonderland Amusement Park, which once drew many people to the village for thrilling rides, games and paddle boating until it closed in 1916.
"Today, we aim to capture that same playful energy here at Wonderland Bookshop as a nod to this cherished chapter in Shorewood's colorful history," Hyzer wrote on the store's website. "Our shop is a place where our vibrant community can gather, where folks from all over are welcome, and every day offers a touch of whimsy."
The store will be closed on Mondays; open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Cedarburg apothecary reopens under new ownership with more locally sourced goods
On Aug. 17, the Cedar Creek Apothecary reopened under new ownership, offering more locally sourced herbal apothecary items, high-end home and gift shop and natural bath and body products, per the stores website.
The Apothecary first opened its doors in March 2022 under Siara Dohmen in place of longtime business The Cedar Creek Trading Post at N70W6340 Bridge Road in the Cedar Creek Settlement building.
The Cedar Creek Apothecary reopened Aug. 17 under new ownership, offering more locally sourced and organic items.
New owners Jessica Schaetzel and Karen Goeben bought the store from Dohmen in April after they had worked there for several months and Dohmen decided to move to Florida.
Goeben has run her own soap-making operation for the past several years, and Schaetzel is a former pharmacist.
Under the new ownership, the shop is honing in on providing more organic and locally sourced products, as well as higher end items that other stores in the area don't carry, Goeben said. In October, the store will launch its own soap line with Goeben's experience.
"We are excited for our customers to come and explore our extensive range of natural products," the owners wrote in an Aug. 7 release announcing the opening.
The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce wrote in an Aug. 16 Facebook post that the store is "a treasure trove of premier health & home goods items.
Be sure to stop in next time youre looking for a great gift and something special for yourself.
Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Coming to Glendale in 2025: Dunkin'
Three new restaurants will fill a proposed new building in Glendale by the summer of 2025, including a Dunkin'.
On Aug. 13, Glendales Planning and Architectural Review Commission approved the site and design plan for the construction of a 5,355-square-foot commercial building that will include a Dunkin with a drive-thru, Taco Pros and Crisp & Green, according to the meeting agenda packet.
The building will be located at 6280 N. Port Washington Road on a vacant 0.69-acre site.
The agenda materials submitted to the commission focus on the Dunkin, but Taco Pros and Crisp & Green are shown in project renderings by Logic Design and Architecture, Inc.
Three new restaurants, including a Dunkin', will fill a proposed new building in Glendale by the summer of 2025.
Taco Pros is a restaurant chain from Illinois, and Crisp & Green is a build-your-own salad business from Minnesota.
According to the packet, Dunkin expects to have 16 employees present at peak times and an average of 12 otherwise. A total of 23 parking spaces were included in the development plan.
Hours of operation are proposed from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
Bonus: When will the Starbucks in Brown Deer open?
A new Starbucks was set to open in September in Brown Deer at 5960 W. Brown Deer Road, the site of the former Blood Center building. It is currently unknown when construction will continue and the storefront will open.
Earlier this year, Brown Deer's Village Board approved architectural plans for a multi-tenant retail development that will include a Starbucks with a drive-thru, outdoor seating and two other tenants.
The developer tore down the building around two months ago but then everything stopped, Brown Deer Community Development Director Nate Piotrowski said.
He said the delay is caused by the developer seeking a new general contractor, which is out of the village's control.
Demolition of the Blood Center building was finished in early May, according to Brown Deer's May 3 newsletter. The site at 5960 W. Brown Deer Road is the location of a proposed Starbucks and two other tenants that have not yet been announced, according to village documents.
Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New business openings in Shorewood, Cedarburg and Glendale
DENVER (KDVR) Stephen Redfearn will be Boulder Police Departments next chief after serving in the position on an interim basis since January.
Redfearn was first appointed after former Police Chief Maris Herold took a job with the U.S. Department of Justice Law Enforcement Knowledge Lab.
According to a release from Boulder City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, Redfearn has been in policing-related public service for more than 25 years. He worked in Aurora for a portion of that time and was part of the police departments team that responded to the shooting at the Century 16 Theatre and was a captain there when Elijah McClain was killed.
I admire Steves courage and integrity in standing up for what is right. He has demonstrated that accountability matters, Rivera-Vandermyde said. This includes remaining open and reflecting deeply in the midst of criticism, which at times as been vitriolic and personal, as well as taking concrete steps to address policing protocols that can lead to community distrust. During his time in Boulder, Steve has stood steadfastly as a supporter of reform, and I am proud to name him as our next chief.
They walk with you: Boulder mass shooting survivor speaks before testimony
In 2021, he moved to the Boulder Police Department.
I am honored to be able to lead the talented officers and employees of the Boulder Police Department as we work collaboratively and pro-actively with our community to make policing equitable and effective in its core mission. We often think about our role to protect and serve, but we also have an opportunity and an obligation to prevent harm, Redfearn said. Well do this through a re-evaluation of our policies, best-practices training, a focus on employee well-being, and absolutely, a renewed commitment to engaging with community. That is what policing is about.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Brazil's Minister of Human Rights Silvio Almeida gestures during the launch of the Living Without Limits Program, a set of actions for the dignity and promotion of the rights of people with disabilities, in Brasilia
By Lisandra Paraguassu
BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday fired Human Rights Minister Silvio Almeida following accusations that he sexually harassed several women, including another cabinet minister.
"The president considers it unsustainable to keep the minister in office considering the nature of the accusations of sexual harassment," Lula's office said in a statement.
A police investigation has been opened, it added.
Almeida, an activist for the legal defense of minority rights, claimed his innocence in a statement after losing his post, adding that he had asked President Lula to fire him in order to provide "freedom" for the investigations.
"It will be an opportunity for me to prove my innocence and rebuild myself ... Let the facts be laid out so that I can defend myself within the legal process," he said.
Almeida had called the accusations baseless and "absurd lies" in a video shared earlier on his social media, before he was fired.
One of the women who was allegedly harassed is the Racial Equality Minister Anielle Franco, local media reported.
Franco, also a human rights activist, shared a statement on Friday thanking those who showed their support to her amidst the news.
"I ask you to respect my space and my right to privacy," she said on social media platform Instagram. "I'll contribute to investigations whenever I'm called."
Her sister, former Rio de Janeiro city council member Marielle Franco, was murdered in 2018 together with her driver in a case that was reported internationally.
"Someone who harasses won't stay in the government," Lula said earlier in an interview to a local radio station.
Both Franco and Almeida have been in the cabinet since the beginning of Lula's current term in 2023 and are seen in Brazil as important human rights activists.
(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; additional reporting by Luana Maria Benedito; Writing by Andre Romani; Editing by Sandra Maler)
VIENNA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Austria's foreign trade registered a weak performance in the first half (H1) of this year, with the imports declining by 12.2 percent and exports dropping by 5.5 percent year on year, Statistics Austria said on Friday.
The country's H1 imports stood at 94.05 billion euros (104.27 billion U.S. dollars) and exports at 96.9 billion euros, logging a trade surplus of 2.85 billion euros.
In June, Austria's imports dropped by 11.6 percent year on year to 15.48 billion euros, while its exports decreased by 7.6 percent to 15.97 billion euros.
Tobias Thomas, director-general of Statistics Austria, attributed Austria's continued lackluster performance in foreign trade to its declining trade volume with its neighbor and biggest trading partner, Germany.
In June, Austria's imports from and exports to Germany both fell by over 9 percent compared to the same month last year, Thomas said. (1 euro = 1.11 U.S. dollar)
Brazil's flag is reflected in a window at the Planalto Palace, almost one year after the protest of January 8 in Brasilia
By Bernardo Caram
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's government is considering tax hikes that do not require congressional approval to balance this year's budget, two finance ministry sources said on Friday, after officials acknowledged that new revenue measures could be implemented.
Taxes in this category could include a levy on financial transactions (IOF), and import and export taxes, which can all be adjusted via presidential decree.
On Thursday, the Treasury unveiled a plan for new revenue measures, if necessary, to ensure compliance with the year's fiscal target of eliminating the primary deficit.
The fresh measures could be included in the bimonthly revenue and expenditure report due later this month, the Treasury said.
In July, the government froze 15 billion reais ($2.68 billion) in federal expenditures to meet the fiscal goal. The new assessment of federal accounts will be presented on Sept. 20.
To finalize its analysis, the Finance Ministry is waiting for approval of a bill that includes compensatory measures for costly payroll tax waivers passed by Congress.
These measures include securing resources from judicial deposits, collecting dormant bank account funds and repatriating overseas assets.
One of the sources noted that even with the approval of these measures, the implementation process will not be straightforward, requiring the issuance of new regulations and programs.
($1 = 5.5988 reais)
(Reporting by Bernardo Caram; Writing by Marcela Ayres; Editing by David Alire Garcia and David Gregorio)
Brexiteers need not worry Michel Barnier could be ally Britain needs
Brexiteers were dismayed after their bete noire Michel Barnier was named prime minister of France.
However, the likes of Nigel Farage and Jacob Rees-Mogg, who said that the former Brexit negotiator was no friend of the UK, need not be worried.
The Frenchmans inflexibility on the EUs red lines will actually make it harder for Labour to unpick the Brexit deal and forge closer ties with the bloc.
Mr Barnier met Sir Keir Starmer in Brussels when he was Jeremy Corbyns shadow Brexit secretary. In his 2018 diary entry, he predicted Sir Keir would become Prime Minister.
But that admiration, if Mr Barnier was still Brexit negotiator, will not translate into giving Sir Keir an easy ride.
Before his comeback, he warned the Labour leader there could be no cherry-picking single market access without a return to free movement, which the Government has ruled out.
Mr Barnier with Sir Keir Starmer, Jeremy Corbyn and Emily Thornberry in Brussels in 2019
That stance suggests a relationship far closer to the status quo, which largely suits Brussels, than EU membership.
Unless, of course, Labour caves completely to the EUs demands, which is what Brexiteers must fear.
Mr Barnier is an influential pundit on matters like Brexit but his sway should not be overstated.
Under the French system, it is the president, Emmanuel Macron, who is responsible for foreign policy and not the prime minister.
He always drove for the toughest line on Britain during the negotiations anyway to sap support for the Frexit-supporting Marine Le Pen.
Brussels showered warm words on Mr Barnier, a commissioner for 15 years and a member of the centre-Right Republicans, after his elevation.
But he does not get on with Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president. He refused to back her nomination for a second term and has muttered darkly about German domination of the EU.
Her interlocutor in France will be Mr Macron, who Sir Keir has courted assiduously and who played a crucial role in appointing Mrs von der Leyen in her first term.
The commission, which handles Brexit talks, is unlikely to pink its red lines for Labour anymore than it did for the Tories.
However, the anglophile Mrs von der Leyen, a former LSE student, is more likely to back a last-minute fudge than Mr Macron or Mr Barnier.
Mr Barnier does not get on with Ursula von der Leyen and refused to back her nomination for a second term as European Commission president - FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP
Even if he harboured a grudge against Britain, Mr Barnier has his hands full with Frances political crisis.
Theres no guarantee he will still be prime minister by the time Brexit talks reboot next year.
He was picked as a prime minister that both Mr Macrons centrists and the Republicans could support to break the deadlock after snap elections this summer ended in a hung parliament.
Ms Le Pens hard-Right National Rally, the largest single party, seems prepared to tolerate Mr Barnier for now, but could collapse the government at any time.
Meanwhile, the coalition of Leftist parties, the largest bloc after the elections, are furious at Mr Macrons betrayal and have called on their supporters to take to the streets.
Mr Barnier, who has campaigned for tough laws against illegal migration, could even prove to be an unlikely ally to Britain.
His new Right-leaning government will crack down on immigration to keep Ms Le Pens nationalists on side.
This could make Paris more receptive to Sir Keirs efforts to include the fight against illegal migration in a new security pact with the EU.
Mr Barnier called for a security deal when he was Brexit negotiator but was rebuffed by the Tory government.
Stronger French borders will also mean fewer illegal immigrants arriving at the Channel and taking to small boats.
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An employment tribunal in the United Kingdom has ruled that the Next clothing chain should not pay its retail workers, who are mostly female, less than its predominantly-male warehouse workers. This opens the door to store workers receiving more than 30 million ($39.43 million) in back pay. Next's lawyers noted that pay for warehouse workers is greater than for retail workers in the economy as a whole. But the tribunal said that did not justify the company paying different rates. It acknowledged that the pay difference was not due to any "direct discrimination" or even to the "conscious or subconscious influence of gender." But it said that the company's "business need was not sufficiently great as to overcome the discriminatory effect of lower basic pay."
The post Brickbat: Equal Pay for Unequal Work appeared first on Reason.com.
LONDON (Reuters) - The British government said on Friday it would provide Ukraine with 650 lightweight multi-role missiles worth 162 million pounds ($213.13 million) to help protect the country from Russian drones and bombing.
Russia last week unleashed its largest air attack on Ukraine since the full-scale war began early in 2022. Ukraine has made repeated requests for more air defence support to defend itself from missile and drone attacks.
The new supply of missiles was announced as British defence minister John Healey attended the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, an ad-hoc coalition of some 50 nations, at a U.S. air base in Germany.
The Ministry of Defence said, in keeping with the new government's commitment to speed deliveries of aid to Ukraine, the first batch of missiles announced on Friday were expected to arrive by the end of the year.
"This new commitment will give an important boost to Ukraine's air defences," Healey said in a statement.
The Ministry of Defence said the missiles made by Thales have a range of more than 6 kilometres (3.73 miles) and can be fired from a variety of platforms on land, sea, and air.
Last Monday, Russia fired more than 200 missiles and drones at Ukraine, killing seven people and striking energy facilities nationwide in what Kyiv called the war's "most massive" attack.
($1 = 0.7601 pounds)
(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
Its understandable to wonder why a rabbi and a reverend would be offering editorial commentary on an issue as seemingly secular as prescription drug pricing and the medication supply chain. It is because what would seem on the surface to be strictly a public policy issue has become nothing less than a systemic moral failure, one that is doing serious harm to people in our congregations, across Delaware, and the entire country.
We have joined other members of the clergy in our state in a letter to U.S. Senator Chris Coons, urging him and his colleagues to act expeditiously in passing reform legislation to stop the current practices of pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs. PBMs are corporations that determine whether patients can access their medications and how much they pay for those medications when they fill a prescription at the pharmacy. Every day in our communities, we are seeing the impact of what the PBMs are doing in the form of people losing jobs and patients being unable to afford the medicines they need.
Congressional committees, the Federal Trade Commission and multiple journalists have compiled volumes of information on how the PBMs, essentially middlemen in the supply chain, are manipulating the drug pricing process for their own profit. The six largest PBMs control 95% of the prescription drug marketplace and they are combining with health insurers, mail-order and specialty pharmacies and health care providers to form mammoth multinational corporations and a competition-free environment.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 23: In a photo illustration, prescription drugs are seen next to a pill bottle on July 23, 2024 in New York City. A major issue in the presidential race between both parties is the increase in prescription drug prices, an issue that especially energizes older voters. From 2022 to 2023 the average increase of drug prices in the U.S. was 15.2%, higher than the inflation rate, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Photo illustration by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
What they are doing with this power is unconscionable. They are demanding large rebates and discounts from drug manufacturers, keeping those dollars instead of passing them along to patients, and then the PBMs are steering patients toward higher-priced drugs that generate the greatest profits for them. They are charging employers and governments far higher prices to acquire drugs than they are paying the pharmacies that dispense them and, in fact, a report issued last month described how a major PBM overcharged postal workers $45 million for medicines over five years. Their price manipulations are sometime difficult to believe. One recent study found that PBMs were charging over $4,400 for a multiple sclerosis treatment that could be purchased at Mark Cubans Cost Plus Drug company for less than twenty bucks.
For so many Delaware households, the impact of these practices has been devastating. In the past year alone, multiple pharmacies in the state have closed in no small part because PBMs reimburse them less to dispense medicines than it costs the drugstores to purchase them. Further, PBMs are encouraging customers to use their own mail order and specialty pharmacies, pulling business away from community pharmacies. This is costing people their jobs and leaving too many neighborhoods without what had been a trusted health care center.
And, as the Federal Trade Commission pointed out in its report on PBMs, nearly three of every 10 Americans are reporting that they are either rationing their prescriptions or skipping doses of necessary medicines because they cant afford the out-of-pocket costs that, again, are determined by the PBMs.
There are solutions within easy reach for Congress. In fact, theyve already been incorporated into legislation. PBM profits should not be connected to the price of medication to remove the incentives to steer patients toward higher-priced drugs. And PBMs should be required to pass cost savings to patients. In both the U.S. Senate and House, there is genuine bipartisan momentum behind these ideas.
Robert Hall
We are speaking out on this because this is undeniably a moral issue affecting the health and well-being of our communities and the people to whom we minister. It is simply wrong when anyone has to choose between food and medicine, or when they lose their jobs and wonder how to keep a roof over their heads, all so a small handful of mega-corporations can move a few spots up on the Fortune 500 list.
Congress has the ability to fix what is clearly broken to make medicines affordable and enable neighborhood pharmacies to keep their doors open. In this case, the smart thing to do and the right thing to do are perfectly aligned.
Rabbi Michael Beals is lead Rabbi at Temple Beth El in Newark, Delaware, chair of the Delaware Council of Faith-Based Partnerships and served twice as oresident of the Delaware Association of Rabbis and Cantors.
The Rev. Robert Hall serves as pastor of Salem United Methodist Church. Rev. Hall recently retired as executive director of the Delaware Ecumenical Council on Children and Families. Hall also served as president of the Delaware Public Health Association, vice-president of the Health Education Network of Delaware, and vice-chair of the Delaware Consumer Health Care Coalition.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: The broken prescription drug pricing system is a moral issue
The brothers of three high ranking officials in Mayor Eric Adams administration have become ensnared in a corruption investigation that prompted federal authorities to execute search warrants on them and several top mayoral advisers this week, according to law enforcement sources and other individuals familiar with the matter.
The two brothers James Caban and Terence Banks respectively have financial interests in nightlife industry security and government relations, and the federal investigators leading the latest probe are scrutinizing both areas, sources familiar with the matter tell the Daily News.
The probe burst into public view Thursday, when it emerged that NYPD Commissioner Ed Caban, James Cabans twin brother, had his electronics seized and home searched by federal investigators.
Within the same 36-hour span, Schools Chancellor David Banks and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, the older brothers of Terence Banks, had their homes searched and electronics seized by the feds, too, as did First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, who is David Banks longtime partner and lives with him in Manhattan.
No one targeted by the searches and seizures currently stand accused of wrongdoing, and the Manhattan U.S. attorneys office, which is spearheading the investigation, has declined to divulge its focus.
But some details about the probe which is separate from the Manhattan feds investigation into Adams 2021 campaign ties to Turkeys government began to emerge Friday.
Sources familiar with the matter told The News that both James Caban and Terence Banks had their homes searched and electronics confiscated by the feds over the same time span as the top Adams administration officials. They are the only individuals believed to be involved in this weeks law enforcement operations who are not members of the Adams administration.
Caban hasnt returned phone calls this week, and the NYPD wouldnt comment other than to say it is fully cooperating in a Manhattan U.S. attorneys office investigation involving members of the police department.
Federal investigators also seized devices from Terence Banks, the younger brother of Phil and David Banks.
The youngest Banks, who also hasnt returned calls, worked at the MTA for over two decades before launching a company that on its website describes itself as working in government and community relations.
Companies listed on the website as clients of the firm include several with city government contracts, according to public records reviewed by The News. Terence Banks isnt registered to lobby in New York.
Adams doesnt appear to have been targeted in the latest round of law enforcement actions this week, and his chief counsel said Thursday the feds have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation.
Adams was served with a grand jury subpoena in July as part of the unrelated federal investigation into whether the Turkish government funneled illegal donations into his 2021 campaign coffers.
As part of that probe, FBI agents stopped Adams in the street last year and confiscated his electronics, a dramatic move that came days after they had also raided the homes of Brianna Suggs and Rana Abbasova, two longtime aides to the mayor involved in both his campaign and city government office.
The Brooklyn U.S. attorneys office, meantime, has been leading another investigation that resulted in FBI agents in February raiding the homes of Winnie Greco, another senior adviser to the mayor at City Hall. That probe is reportedly in part scrutinizing trips Adams and Greco took to China while he was Brooklyn borough president that were partially funded by the countrys Communist Party.
Adams hasnt been accused of wrongdoing. For months, he has maintained he repeatedly instructs his staff to follow the law.
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 told reporters while walking out of City Hall on Thursday afternoon.
______
NEW YORK The brothers of three high ranking officials in Mayor Eric Adams administration have become ensnared in a corruption investigation that prompted federal authorities to execute search warrants on them and several top mayoral advisers this week, according to law enforcement sources and other individuals familiar with the matter.
The two brothers James Caban and Terence Banks respectively have financial interests in nightlife industry security and government relations, and the federal investigators leading the latest probe are scrutinizing both areas, sources familiar with the matter tell the Daily News.
The probe burst into public view Thursday, when it emerged that NYPD Commissioner Ed Caban, James Cabans twin brother, had his electronics seized and home searched by federal investigators.
Within the same 36-hour span, schools Chancellor David Banks and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, the older brothers of Terence Banks, had their homes searched and electronics seized by the feds, too, as did First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, who is David Banks longtime partner and lives with him in Manhattan.
No one targeted by the searches and seizures currently stand accused of wrongdoing, and the Manhattan U.S. attorneys office, which is spearheading the investigation, has declined to divulge its focus.
But some details about the probe which is separate from the Manhattan feds investigation into Adams 2021 campaign ties to Turkeys government began to emerge Friday.
Sources familiar with the matter told The News that both James Caban and Terence Banks had their homes searched and electronics confiscated by the feds over the same time span as the top Adams administration officials. They are the only individuals believed to be involved in this weeks law enforcement operations who are not members of the Adams administration.
James Caban, a former NYPD officer, works as a consultant providing security for nightlife venues in the city; sources said his role was under scrutiny.
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.
Caban hasnt returned phone calls this week, and the NYPD wouldnt comment other than to say it is fully cooperating in a Manhattan U.S. attorneys office investigation involving members of the police department.
Federal investigators also seized devices from Terence Banks, the younger brother of Phil and David Banks.
The youngest Banks, who also hasnt returned calls, worked at the MTA for over two decades before launching a company that on its website describes itself as working in government and community relations.
Companies listed on the website as clients of the firm include several with city government contracts, according to public records reviewed by The News. Terence Banks isnt registered to lobby in New York, and sources said his role is under review.
By law, individuals have to register with the state or the city if they receive income exceeding certain monetary amounts while lobbying, which is defined as advancing private business interests in communications with public officials. It is unclear what Banks income levels are.
A New York businessman, who spoke on condition that neither his name nor his business sector be identified, said he was once approached by Terence Banks. The businessman said the service Banks offered amounted to helping smooth the way for business opportunities with the city government.
Adams doesnt appear to have been targeted in the latest round of law enforcement actions this week, and his chief counsel said Thursday the feds have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation.
Adams was served with a grand jury subpoena in July as part of the unrelated federal investigation into whether the Turkish government funneled illegal donations into his 2021 campaign coffers.
As part of that probe, FBI agents stopped Adams in the street last year and confiscated his electronics, a dramatic move that came days after they had also raided the homes of Brianna Suggs and Rana Abbasova, two longtime aides to the mayor involved in both his campaign and city government office.
The Brooklyn U.S. attorneys office, meantime, has been leading another investigation that resulted in FBI agents in February raiding the homes of Winnie Greco, another senior adviser to the mayor at City Hall. That probe is reportedly in part scrutinizing trips Adams and Greco took to China while he was Brooklyn borough president that were partially funded by the countrys Communist Party.
Adams hasnt been accused of wrongdoing. For months, he has maintained he repeatedly instructs his staff to follow the law.
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 told reporters while walking out of City Hall on Thursday afternoon.
______
Healthcare workers transfer the body of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, a U.S. activist of Turkish descent, at the Rafidia Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Sept. 6, 2024. A U.S. activist was killed by Israeli army gunfire in the town of Beita, south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank, according to Palestinian official sources on Friday. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
RAMALLAH, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. activist was killed by Israeli army gunfire in the town of Beita, south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank, according to Palestinian official sources on Friday.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, a U.S. activist of Turkish descent, was killed by gunfire, Director of Rafidia Governmental Hospital in Nablus Fouad Naffa said in a press statement.
Eygi arrived at the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head, and brain tissue was visible, he said, adding that medical teams performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for a few minutes, but she died due to severe injuries.
Palestinian local sources told Xinhua that Eygi was shot during "the Israeli army's suppression of the weekly march" in Beita, which was protesting against settlement expansion.
The sources said that the Israeli army fired live ammunition, sound bombs, and tear gas at the participants. In addition to the U.S. activist, an 18-year-old man was injured by live ammunition fragments in the thigh.
According to sources, Eygi was volunteering with the "Fazaa" campaign, which aims to support and protect Palestinian farmers from the Israeli army and settlers.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Friday that "during Israeli security forces activity adjacent to the area of Beita, the forces responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them."
"The IDF is looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area. The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review," it added.
"We are deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Egzi Eygi, today in the West Bank, and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones," the White House said in a statement.
"We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident," the statement said.
Healthcare workers transfer the body of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, a U.S. activist of Turkish descent, to the Rafidia Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Sept. 6, 2024. A U.S. activist was killed by Israeli army gunfire in the town of Beita, south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank, according to Palestinian official sources on Friday. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
Healthcare workers transfer the body of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, a U.S. activist of Turkish descent, at the Rafidia Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Sept. 6, 2024. A U.S. activist was killed by Israeli army gunfire in the town of Beita, south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank, according to Palestinian official sources on Friday. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Brown University has welcomed its first class of students since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to prohibit the consideration of race in the admissions process.
The university said that, among its 1,725 first-year students, 18% have come from groups underrepresented in higher education, which is a decline from 27%.
RELATED: RWU, PC update applications after affirmative action ruling
Even with a significant number of measures in place to ensure a diverse, talented applicant pool and enrolled class, we recognized the likelihood that declines in the number of students of color at Brown and other selective universities were widely anticipated across the country, said Logan Powell, associate provost for enrollment and dean of undergraduate admission.
Brown said the university expected the declines after watching what happened in states like California and Michigan, which both eliminated the consideration of race in the admissions process years before the Supreme Courts ruling.
In its breakdown of the class of 2028s racial diversity, Brown said the percentage of every group dropped except for Asian students, which increased from 29% in 2023 to 33% in 2024. The percentage of Black students changed the most, falling from 15% in 2023 to 9% in 2024.
The percentage of students who chose not to report their race or ethnicity rose from 4% in 2023 to 7% in 2024, he added.
Expanding race-neutral strategies to encourage outstanding and increasingly diverse incoming classes will remain our priority moving forward, Powell said.
The video in the player above was aired July 8, 2024.
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Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Defense attorneys for Bryan Kohberger will attempt to remove the possibility hed face the death penalty, a sentence prosecutors plan to pursue if a jury finds him guilty of murder in the deaths of four University of Idaho students in November 2022.
Kohbergers defense team met a court deadline Thursday to file challenges to the states planned pursuit of capital punishment. The defense submitted 13 filings, which posted publicly to a state courts website later in the day.
The documents included thousands of pages full of arguments and citations to precedents, and Kohbergers attorneys alleged that Idahos various laws regarding the death penalty are unconstitutionally vague.
Prosecutors issued their intent last year to seek the death penalty against the 29-year-old accused of killing the U of I students. Prosecutors may now submit their response to the defenses challenge by Oct. 10. A hearing on the death penalty issue is scheduled for Nov. 7.
Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbings of the college students at an off-campus home on King Road in Moscow. The victims were Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle, both 20, and Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21.
At the time, Kohberger was a graduate student at Washington State University in nearby Pullman, Washington, on the Idaho state line. He was arrested almost seven weeks later at his parents Pennsylvania home in December 2022 and brought to Idaho to face the charges.
To sentence Kohberger to death, jurors would need to unanimously find that there were aggravating factors, which include the occurrence of more than one killing at one time, under Idaho law. Idahos alternative sentence for first-degree murder is life in prison, which would mean the convicted defendant must serve at least 10 years before the chance of parole.
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson, whos leading the prosecution of Kohberger, cited four aggravating factors in his decision to pursue the death penalty, including that the four victims deaths were especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel, manifesting exceptional depravity.
The defendant also exhibited utter disregard for human life, Thompson said, as well as a propensity to commit murder, which will probably constitute a continuing threat to society, Thompson wrote in a court filing.
Defense argues for change in sentencing phase of trial
In its flurry of motions, Kohbergers defense moved to strike that aggravating factor, citing the Eighth Amendments prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, saying the Idaho Supreme Court cannot place a limiting construction on the statute.
A statutory aggravating factor is unconstitutionally vague if it fails to furnish principled guidance for the choice between death and a lesser penalty, the filing said.
Kohbergers defense also filed a motion to strike the heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravator and the multiple victims aggravator.
This motion is made on the grounds that murders cannot be aggregated in a manner that makes the act of a malice aforethought murder aggravated, the filing to strike the multiple victims aggravator said.
In addition, the students stabbing deaths took place in the midst of another crime, which Idaho also defines as an aggravating factor in death penalty cases, Thompson previously wrote. Kohberger is charged with one count of felony burglary in addition to the murder counts.
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson is leading the prosecution of defendant Bryan Kohberger in the University of Idaho students homicides. He intends to seek the death penalty if a jury convicts Kohberger on four counts of first-degree murder.
Kohbergers defense asked the court to strike that as well, saying that murder cannot be predicated on a burglary predicated on murder.
In a filing to break up the proceedings into three parts, the defense said there should be separate culpability, eligibility and sentencing phases, rather than just two phases: culpability and penalty. To not break them up would violate Kohbergers constitutional rights, his attorneys said.
The defense said that because the state will attempt to produce substantial evidence for the aggravating factors, some of which may be considered nonstatutory such as victim impact statements, hearsay and information about Kohbergers past then the nonstatutory aggravation evidence should be presented during a separate hearing, after the jury considers the issue of whether the statutory aggravators apply.
When jurors are emotionally overwhelmed by extensive victim impact evidence, they are likely to use the evidence and their grief for the victims to the support statutory aggravators even though it is unrelated, the defense wrote in Thursdays documents.
In another filing, the defense asked that the prosecution be required to prove any nonstatutory aggravating fact or circumstance beyond a reasonable doubt to the unanimous satisfaction of the jury, before the jury can consider it as a reason to support a death sentence.
Kohberger appeared in court last week for a hearing over whether to move his capital murder trial out of Moscow on arguments from his attorneys that he cannot obtain a fair trial there. They have asked Judge to change the venue to Boise, which prosecutors oppose.
After the all-day hearing, Judge acknowledged the choice is probably the most difficult decision Ive ever had to make of his legal career. He said he would issue his ruling at a later time.
Earlier this summer, Judge scheduled Kohbergers trial to start in June 2025.
BUCKEYE LAKE, Ohio (WCMH) The Buckeye Lake Fire Department has appointed a new interim fire chief after its previous chief and a number of firefighters resigned Monday.
According to Buckeye Lake Mayor Linda Goodman, Jerry Brooks was sworn in as interim fire chief Thursday. Goodman said Brooks has been a firefighter for 42 years, and holds a number of certificates related to the field.
Brooks credentials include a Firefighter II certificate, which is the highest level of firefighter certification available in Ohio, according to Ohio EMS. Brooks also has a paramedic certificate and holds a fire inspector card, Goodman said.
The interim chief was sworn in after a mass resignation Monday, leaving multiple vacancies in the fire department. Former chief Keisha Amspaugh said she had been with the department for seven years, but made the difficult decision because she felt there was a lack of support from village administrators.
Village Council President John Lemmon said on Tuesday that the department is currently understaffed, but is quickly hiring new firefighters, with some already joining the force this week and other interviews scheduled.
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Bureaucracy is despised for inefficiency and waste. But it might just save us from climate change
The term "bureaucrat" has held a negative connotation pretty much since it was invented, especially when applied to governments. Described by Irish novelist Lady Morgan as "office tyranny" in 1818, bureaucracies have been widely loathed ever since, from the literature of Franz Kafka to a catchy animated song in "Futurama."
Government bureaucrats are often depicted as wasteful and inefficient bleeding hearts with secret, sinister and sometimes "socialist" agendas. Former president Ronald Reagan famously denounced bureaucrats throughout his political career and, four decades later, Donald Trump and his acolytes did so in their own way by decrying a supposed "Deep State."
Trump, the current Republican presidential nominee, has vowed to fire career civil servants en masse and replace them with loyalists, specifically laying out how he will do this through Agenda 47 and Project 2025. He even recently said he will appoint billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk to help him cut "trillions" in government spending through a "government efficiency commission" to audit the entire federal government.
Yet according to experts who spoke with Salon, this kind of anti-bureaucratic sentiment can have profoundly negative policy consequences, especially when it comes to regulations that protect the planet. Scholars who study bureaucracies agree that these organizations are actually more important than ever. Indeed, humanity's ongoing survival as a species will depend on many of the bureaucracies that Trump and Musk wish to eliminate, such as energy regulatiors, environmental agencies and any institution that holds fossil fuel and other companies responsible for greenhouse gas emissions.
The Trump/Musk perspective is distinctly ahistorical. Bureaucracies have already helped Earth avoid potential life-ending catastrophes: International coalitions of governments and private entities worked together to protect the ozone layer when they learned releasing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) was destroying it, and did so again to reduce the impact of acid rain when environmental activists raised the alarm.
Conversely, history is riddled with examples of occasions when a well-managed bureaucracy might have averted considerable calamity. Perhaps most infamously, the incompetence and corruption of the Soviet bureaucracy was so severe that, when the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine experienced a disaster, the bureaucrats threw their own citizens under the bus to cover up their mistake. Decades later, the ruthless march of deregulation implemented by neoliberal presidents like Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush resulted in the economic crash of 2008. Climate change is as severe as it is today in part because fossil fuel companies subsidized spreading misinformation to justify energy deregulation during the Bush era.
While reactionaries, red-baiters and the rich have long tried to weaken regulatory bodies, there have also long been public figures who recognized their value. Other Americans have advocated for strong bureaucracies to monitor potentially apocalyptic activities like testing weapons of mass destruction as far back as Adlai Stevenson's 1956 presidential campaign.
On a global scale, American scientists realized starting in the late 1960s that pollution could make the Earth uninhabitable to future generations, with 1972 presidential frontrunner Edmund Muskie famously staking his candidacy on the need for stronger regulatory bodies to protect the environment. (Muskie's campaign was later sabotaged by Richard Nixon as a target in what later became the Watergate scandal.) Meanwhile, calls for strong financial regulations can be traced all the way back to the Progressive Era.
"Bureaucracies are designed to manage complex tasks through standardized procedures, which can indeed lead to slower decision-making processes," Sounman Hong, a distinguished professor in public policy and management at Yonsei University, told Salon. "However, this very structure also ensures consistency, accountability and fairness, which are crucial in democratic governance."
In short, bureaucracies are a tool, neither inherently good or evil but only as effective and virtuous as the bureaucrats who run them and, of course, the politicians who operate over the bureaucrats.
Although bureaucracies implement regulations and procedures that some may find restrictive, "these rules are often in place to protect public interest, ensure equity, and prevent abuses of power," Hong said. "The challenge lies in balancing these controls with the need for flexibility and responsiveness."
When bureaucracies fail, it is often because the people who staff them become resistant to change and therefore rely on out-of-date knowledge.
"Effective bureaucracies are those that continuously adapt to new information, technologies and societal needs," Hong said. "The perception that bureaucracies are slow to change often overlooks the many instances where they have been at the forefront of adopting innovative practices."
Indeed, when bureaucracies do not innovate, it is often not because they are structurally unsound, but rather because they are held back by politicians who have their own agendas.
"Bureaucracies respond most and best to crises: when the system they manage cannot proceed as normal, confronts a problem it was not prepared for, and perhaps most importantly finds itself under intense criticism from the public it ostensibly serves," Richard D. Wolff, an economist emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told Salon. "Repression of social problems by governments allow bureaucracies to rot and become sclerotic as the social pressure builds to the point where bureaucracies are exploded."
Wolff added that often the most nefarious bureaucracies are the ones controlled by private entities like corporations rather than governments. For all of the boilerplate conservative denunciations of bureaucratic structures, capitalists observed their effectiveness in government structures and therefore applied them to their private businesses.
"Bureaucracy was once applied to government alone," Wolff said. "Capitalist enterprises were then relatively small and many in number; their regulating institution could be and was the market. That time is long past except in the minds of apologetic ideologues. Nowadays, and for many decades, the dominant form of capitalist enterprise is the corporation and its dominant size is large. In short, corporations have had to develop bureaucracies to manage their affairs alongside governments."
Wolff described capitalism in the modern era as "a kind of revolving door between corporate and government leaders moving easily between the similar bureaucracies they manage on either side of those doors. Indeed, the two bureaucracies have become ever more similar because they borrow so much from one another, alongside the CEOs they borrow."
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Bert A. Rockman, professor emeritus of political science at Purdue University, told Salon that the questions about bureaucracies remind him of the sociologist Max Weber, who argued that "the most proficient means of organizing is with a professional class of operatives with expertise in the relevant subject matter." (Perhaps that's why Weber is known as the "father" of the bureaucratic organization theory.)
"That's true in business; it's also true in government," Rockman explained. "We've seen earlier experiments to eliminate bureaucracy that typically ended in anarchy."
Rockman pointed out that modern conservative complaints about bureaucracies even ignore how American founding fathers like Alexander Hamilton advocated "the development of an institutionalized governmental apparatus."
"A great deal of the anti-bureaucracy sentiment is associated with right-wing populism which often sputters between anarchism and fascism (turning all agencies into the playthings of a right-wing dictator)," Rockman noted.
The Supreme Court has recently drawn outrage over rulings limiting bureaucracies. In June, it overturned the so-called Chevron doctrine i.e., the 1984 ruling Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council which required lower courts to defer to experts in federal bureaucracies on how to interpret the law as long as the bureaucrats' reading was reasonable. The Chevron doctrine simultaneously helped create consistent policy implementation throughout the United States and restrained potentially partisan and activist judges from overturning expert-crafted policy for political reasons.
Gautham Rao, a professor of legal history at American University, told Salon that the recent Chevron decision had similar "historic implications" as the January 6 insurrection, at least in the sense that it is an attack "on what we call the administrative state," referring to people who have worked in government for their entire careers, learning how to best serve the citizens with whom they interact and developing invaluable stores of firsthand knowledge.
"Things like scientific matters pertaining to clean air and clean water, as one example, or complicated matters pertaining to labor relations between employer and employee," Rao said, are generally best figured out by scientific and/or legal authorities. By empowering politicians to ignore experts, the Supreme Court puts the public welfare at risk.
"Let's just say, for example, a court majority doesn't believe in climate change, they can essentially take down all manner of regulation on environmental matters, as an example," Rao said. He added that the court, rather than relying on historical precedent to reach its decision in these cases, can fabricate its own alternative facts.
"The Supreme Court's now very specious reliance [is] its version of history, and rendering the founders of the United States into versions of what they want but in reality not what the founders actually were," Rao said. "This is now a continuation with the Dobbs decision and others, where the court has looked to history and essentially created its own history that it finds very convenient to use as justification for undoing major governmental policies and traditions over the 20th Century."
If someone genuinely wishes to reform bureaucracies as opposed to simply disempower them for the sake of enabling one political party's agenda to win over another's the best way to do so is make sure they remain reflective of the people they are supposed to serve. According to Hong, this requires that bureaucracies operate as close to the ground as possible, particularly through local government agencies or other community-based organizations.
"These entities often have a more direct understanding of the needs and concerns of the populations they serve, allowing them to respond more effectively," Hong said. "Conversely, large, centralized bureaucracies may be less responsive to immediate public needs due to their scale and complexity. The multiple layers of hierarchy can slow down decision-making processes, making it more challenging to address local concerns quickly."
Hong added, "According to my research on bureaucracy, however, it is important to recognize that the responsiveness of local bureaucracies may come at the cost of efficiency and long-term outcomes. This is especially true when electoral accountability is the primary driver of responsiveness."
He added that electoral accountability can be a "double-edged sword," since they can unintentionally encourage short-term thinking.
"Politicians and bureaucrats in local governments may prioritize policies that yield visible benefits before the next election, sometimes at the expense of longer-term investments that would benefit the public in the future," Hong said. By contrast, "central bureaucracies may be better suited to prioritize long-term outcomes, which can be advantageous for policies requiring sustained efforts or where the outcomes are less observable to the public. This management-driven approach can lead to greater effectiveness in areas that require long-term planning and investment, although it may also result in a disconnect from the immediate preferences of the public."
Wolff also encouraged social critics to not be hoodwinked by "simple-minded arguments" that attempt to turn people off from all left-wing politics through generic vilification of bureaucrats.
"Defenders of capitalism have crafted ideological arguments designed especially to block [and] thwart socialism," Wolff said. "Such ideological projects conceive socialism as a movement aimed at expanding the role of government as a controller and regulator of capitalist economies. To prevent that, the ideologues have reified ideology, made it something to be analyzed in and by itself as if 'its' consequences were not over-determined by everything else in society that bureaucracies interact with and are shaped by. Bureaucracy is thus bad, enabling the argument to be extended to socialism because its governmental focus entails 'more' bureaucracy than the smaller government focus of capitalism's defenders."
Wolff added, "It is a simple-minded argument based on the false premise that the comparably large bureaucracies of mega-corporations and governments either do not exist or do not matter."
A Burlington man was arrested Thursday after a brutal knife attack that sent a woman to UVM Medical Center with severe injuries.
Kevin Calero-Alvarez, 30, was detained by police about 11:30 a.m. outside a Greene Street residence, shirtless and crying hysterically, according to police.
Police were responding to several 911 calls reporting that a woman had possibly been stabbed to death and her throat slashed.
Officers found the woman inside the residence on a bed crying, with stab wounds to her torso, arms and neck. She was transported by the Burlington Fire Department to the UVM Medical Center, where she is in serious condition,
Police said Calero-Alvarez had also assaulted another woman in the residence while holding a knife.
Calero-Alvarez was jailed at Northwest State Correctional Facility without bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Friday on charges of attempted murder and aggravated domestic assault.
Kevin Calero-Alvarez, 30, was arrested outside a Greene Street residence, shirtless and crying hysterically. (BPD)
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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) This years fair and festival season continues with several events happening around western Massachusetts this weekend.
New Fright Fest attraction Camp Killamore debuts for 2024
Friday marks the second day of the four-day-long Franklin County fair. The fair is one of the largest in western Mass., and features live performances, food, rides, agricultural competitions, and more.
Friday evening, St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral begins its three-day long celebration of Glendi, celebrating Greek culture and community in Springfield, with food, traditional Greek dancing, and vendors.
Then Saturday, Springfields Mattoon Arts Festival begins. All weekend, artists, crafters, and food vendors will line Mattoon Street for the longest-running arts festival in the Pioneer Valley.
The second annual Latino Arts Festival begins at the Springfield Museums Friday evening, festival events are free and open to the public. This festival leads into National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the myriad arts and rich cultures of the Latino population here in Springfield.
It is also officially one week away from the much anticipated Big E from September 13th to the 29th people can enjoy top-name artists, vendors, local agriculture, and those iconic fair foods.
Rockys Ace Hardware is selling discounted tickets at 13 locations across the region.
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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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Thursday announced a wide-ranging investigation into the frequent flyer rewards programs of the four biggest U.S. airlines. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI
Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Thursday announced the launch of wide ranging probe into the "fairness and transparency" of the four biggest U.S. airlines' frequent flyer rewards programs.
At a time when such rewards programs have become a vital asset for the traveling public, new efforts are needed to ensure that American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines are providing the promised value for customers, Buttigieg said.
"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," he said in a statement.
"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.
"Our goal is to ensure consumers are getting the value that was promised to them, which means validating that these programs are transparent and fair," he added.
Under the effort, the Department of Transportation is demanding company documents and information covering four categories: devaluation of earned rewards, hidden and dynamic pricing, extra fees and reduction in competition and choice.
For instance, the DOT is asking the four airlines to provide documentation on if they reduce the actual dollar value of the points by "moving the goal posts," such as by increasing the number of points needed for redemption, changing an expiration date or adding new hurdles to qualify for status upgrades.
Similarly, Buttigieg is demanding airlines provide the average dollar value of one reward point, the value of a point when it is redeemed for various services, and the price to purchase a point directly from the airline.
The DOT also seeks to shed light on the "opaque" dynamic pricing of frequent flyer points, under which the number of points needed for redemption change "frequently and unpredictably."
Extra fees are targeted as well, with the DOT demanding the four airlines "identify and describe ... each fee associated with their rewards program that is charged to consumers" and to provide "the rationale for charging the fee."
The airlines issued responses on Thursday indicating they are willing cooperate with the probe.
"Our Members' loyalty means everything to us, and providing a meaningful rewards experience is the top priority within Delta's SkyMiles Program," Delta Air Lines said in a statement issued to media outlets. "We received the DOT's inquiry and will respond accordingly."
The new probe comes as President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party's 2024 presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, are focusing on consumer protection as a key campaign theme.
Last month, the White House announced proposed rule changes across several departments to streamline customer service experiences and prevent companies from saddling consumers with cumbersome waits and processes to cancel services or get refunds.
As part of that initiative, the DOT presented a rule that would require airlines to give automatic cash refunds to customers instead of leaving the burden to customers to navigate a series of steps to receive the funds back.
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
The secretary of Fix the Damn Roads, as Pete Buttigieg says Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer calls him, visited the Lansing area Friday to discuss investments in infrastructure and the economy under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Buttigieg, who serves as U.S. Transportation secretary, was joined by U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) and Lansing Mayor Andy Schor while speaking with union workers constructing the more than $200 million project on US-127/I-496 funded by the Biden administration.
For too long, Americans were looking at the state of our infrastructure, saying, Why cant we have nice things? And the answer was, it was a choice, because the funding just wasnt there, Buttigieg said during a news conference at a construction site. Thats what weve changed with project after project, from six-figure projects to fix a crosswalk or a street light somewhere, to projects that will invest hundreds of millions of dollars to save lives like the one that were celebrating today.
The bulk of the construction in the Lansing area segment of roadway is focused on driver safety by rebuilding bridges, fixing up signage and road markings, as well as repairing the pavement.
The much needed refresh to US-127, which runs between Michigan and Tennessee, didnt get the greenlight overnight, Slotkin said. The funding, totaling more than $1 trillion for nationwide projects, was allocated under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was workshopped in the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in Congress of which shes a member.
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
Construction being done on US-127/I-496 on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
Construction being done on US-127/I-496 on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
Construction being done on US-127/I-496 on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
Operating Engineer Member Al Payne speaks ahead of US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in Ingham County, Michigan on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin embraces Lansing Mayor Andy Schor after he speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
Lansing Mayor Andy Schor speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (right) and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (left) arrive in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (right) and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (left) arrive in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (left) arrives in Ingham County, Michigan to speak about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
Construction being done on US-127/I-496 on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks in Ingham County, Michigan about infrastructure projects in Michigan receiving funding from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Sep 6, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
Real stuff happens when people act like adults in Washington, Slotkin said. When we work together and stop all the angry rhetoric and all the potshots and all the nastiness, we actually get stuff done.
Slotkin is running for the open U.S. Senate seat against former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake).
There are about 600 infrastructure projects slated for Michigan, according to the Department of Transportation. Michigan is paying for the bulk of the construction to US-127, with more than $36 million federal dollars being designated to the project.
Putting the right people in positions of leadership matters, Buttigieg said, adding that lawmakers like Slotkin that are willing to reach across the aisle and compromise make large-scale investments possible.
Its easy to talk now like it would have happened no matter what, so let us remember that during that period of months as [Slotkin] and her House colleagues were reaching across the aisle and engaging with each other, that the political obituary of this legislation was written half a dozen times by Washington commentators. It was far from certain that this infrastructure plan would become a reality, Buttigieg said.
The U.S. Transportation secretarys visit to Lansing came earlier in the day before Biden was scheduled to speak in Ann Arbor about his Investing in America agenda, of which the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a part.
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Donald Trumps vague, meandering answer to a question about whatif anylegislation he would support to lower childcare costs drew considerable attention Wednesday night on the three major cable news networks, including on CNN, where anchor Anderson Cooper called the former presidents response an absolute word salad.
Meanwhile, on MSNBCs All In, anchor Chris Hayes played the entirety of Trumps answer, which included no mention of any legislation, but rather the incoherent statement that he want[s] to stay with child care. Trumps comment was his final one during the question-and-answer session at an appearance at the Economic Club of New York.
If you win in November, Reshma Saujani, founder of the nonprofit organization Girls Who Code, asked the former president, can you commit to prioritizing legislation to make childcare affordable, and, if so, what specific piece of legislation will you advance?
You can read Trumps statement in full here, but among his reply, reads: Well, I would do that, and we're sitting downyou know, I was, somebody, we had Senator Marco Rubio, and my daughter Ivanka was so impactful on that issue. It's a very important issue. But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I'm talking about, thatbecause look, childcare is childcare, itscouldnt, you know, its something, you have to have it, in this country you have to have it.
His answer was followed by applause from the audience and some on stage.
Watch Trump talking about child care vs. Kamala Harris talking about child care. pic.twitter.com/7ia5dzKux8 All In with Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) September 6, 2024
They applaud at the end, Hayes laughed on MSNBC. After hes like falling all over, he does the Simone Biles dismount. MAGA!
Did you get all that? Hayes continued. Remember, the question was: What specific piece of legislation will you advance to keep childcare costs down?
Hayes then contrasted Trumps answer with a clip of Vice President Kamala Harris addressing the same issue last month in North Carolina. In that speech, she outlined how she has proposed an expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, as well as a $6,000 tax credit to parents of newborns.
So, there you have it, Hayes concluded. In Trumps defense, he was not on teleprompter. He was just riffing there. But, I dont know, man. Thats the quality of the brains right now that weve got over there.
On MSNBCs The Last Word a few hours later, Lawrence ODonnell excoriated Trumps answer as a horrific jumble. ODonnell also pointed out how disturbing it was that Trump received applause for his typical Trump incoherence, and blamed those in attendance for bringing the nation to this crisis point.
On Fox News The Five, meanwhile, liberal co-host Jessica Tarlov challenged her conservative colleagues to translate the former presidents comments.
I would dare any of you to listen to his answer on childcare and tell me what the hell he was talking about, she said. It was one of the more incoherent things Ive ever heard. He thinks tariffs are going to pay for everything. We know that theyre attacks on the consumer.
None of it is explainable, Tarlov said moments later, before also criticizing JD Vances solution to childcare costs. This issue, which is a big priority for peopleobviously a central plank of what is going on in the Harris campaignhe doesnt have an answer besides tariffs, and JD Vance yesterday was talking about just having grandma and grandpa do morethat thats some sort of solution for people.
No one at the roundtable opted to take Tarlov up on her challenge to explain Trumps answer.
Jessica: I would dare any of you to listen to Trumps answer on child care and tell me what the hell he was talking about. It was one of the more incoherent things I've ever heard.. pic.twitter.com/Ps8XJBssiN Acyn (@Acyn) September 5, 2024
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SACRAMENTO, California Mark Ghaly, dubbed Californias Dr. Fauci by Gov. Gavin Newsom for his leading role in handling Covid-19, is stepping down as the states health and human services secretary, telling POLITICO he wants to spend more time with his family in Los Angeles.
He will be replaced by Kim Johnson, who currently serves as the director of the California Department of Social Services.
Ghaly, a trained pediatrician who first took office in 2019, has led the department through generational shifts in Californias health care landscape and along with Newsom became the face of the states pandemic response, which came to define his tenure and riled critics of the administrations strict lockdown measures.
Under his watch, the state also started rolling out all new Medi-Cal benefits to keep populations with the highest needs out of the hospital and expanded coverage to include undocumented immigrants. Hes overseen a complete revamp of the states behavioral health system and how California provides prescription medications.
Californians want health care to be better and more affordable, Ghaly said in an interview with POLITICO ahead of the announcement Friday, and until we get a system that is those two things, I think we're going to see an ongoing piercing of this balloon that is health care, until we see some radical change.
His departure comes during a period of transition for the Newsom administration in the final two years of the governors term, and theres pressure to start showing progress. Now, Newsom will have to finish work on some of the states biggest health problems without Ghaly.
Its not just the next two years that matter, Ghaly said. I think we've dug a new foundation, we've rebarred, we've done all the reinforcements so that it's stable in times of uncertainty to really see California thrive.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Newsom referred to Ghaly as my doctor, as he gave the governor both his vaccine and booster doses on TV. More than three years later, Ghaly said hes proud of how the Newsom administration responded to the pandemic: distributing meals to seniors, the aggressive push to test and vaccinate and the staged reopening of businesses and activities outlined in the states Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
Dr. Ghalys heroic service to the people of our state and his profound contribution to reshaping Californias health and social services cannot be overstated," Newsom said in a statement announcing Ghaly's departure.
"His steadfast leadership of Californias nation-leading response to the pandemic saved countless lives and set the stage for our states strong recovery."
Through Newsom and Ghaly, California put forward some of the strictest Covid measures in the country, keeping students out of school longer than any other state and requiring vaccinations for health care workers, all unpopular moves among Newsoms detractors. A 2021 failed recall attempt against Newsom was nominally about a list of complaints including over taxes and immigration, but the vote became a referendum on Newsoms handling of the pandemic, especially schools.
Some of Newsoms recall opponents made reopening schools the cornerstone of their campaigns, with former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer saying at the time that it was the governors fault our public schools have not been safely reopened. And yet private schools are open and public schools across the country have safely reopened.
Ghaly himself said in the POLITICO interview that his biggest regret about the pandemic was that children were kept out of school too long.
The goal would be to have kids in school more, Ghaly said. As we learn of the impact, and frankly, the overall lower impact on death and morbidity in kids, we may have been able to have kids in school differently than we did throughout the pandemic.
The pandemic would become one of the most significant moments of Ghalys term, not just for the scale of the problem but for the impact it had on policy going forward. Ghaly called Covid-19 an accelerant at HHS, pushing forward and broadening Medi-Cal reforms as well as more deeply embedding housing as a core mission of public health.
When we as a nation have advanced policy proposals and investments that allow other safety net systems to adequately support people being housed, then maybe the health system won't have to either pick up the tab or be so focused on that, he said.
Housing has become a massive part of the Newsom administrations approach to health, especially behavioral health. The states behavioral health system is undergoing a period of immense change, and most of these overhauls are in the very early stages. The Newsom administration pushed through a $6.4 billion bond in March by a close margin Proposition 1 meant to build thousands of new treatment slots, inpatient beds and supportive housing. Counties will now be devoting a third of some mental health budgets to housing interventions.
My successor is going to need to continue to lengthen the implementation of each of those things, Ghaly said. Sure, we got a narrow win at the ballot, but in 2026, it's go time. Are people going to be ready?
Activists and mental health professionals have expressed some trepidation about the suite of reforms Ghaly and Newsom have pushed through. The renewed focus on severe mental health and substance use issues on the street which critics argue could come at the expense of prevention and the push for more compelled treatment have elicited doubts about the states direction.
Still, this tapestry of behavioral health changes is what Ghaly says hes most proud of. Newsom even brought up these ideas during Ghalys job interview, the secretary said.
But it could still be years before some of these programs show results, meaning they will fall to the next HHS secretary, and even the one after that.
Decisions happen in Sacramento, they get implemented locally, and that's not always easy, it's hard, Ghaly said. So I wish so many of these things on the bullet list were done to further completion that it didn't take as long to get the kind of progress and results.
Ghaly will stay on at HHS through the end of the month, and Johnson will take over starting Oct. 1.
Looking to the future, Ghaly was clear about what else he thinks needs to be done next. He wants to see California-branded insulin on the shelves soon after the state pledged to produce its own in 2020. He wants to see more transparency and accountability from health insurance plans and predicts a greater role for community health workers in the future.
I think the affordability of health care is going to keep boiling, Ghaly said. I do think it will get to that boiling point if some changes are not made.
People sit at Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles, California, the United States, Sept. 4, 2024. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)
The soaring temperature reportedly reached 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 degrees Celsius) in Burbank on Friday, an all-time record high temperature for the Southern California city.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- An unrelenting heat wave has engulfed Southern California this week with temperatures in some areas reaching record highs on Friday, triggering excessive heat warnings and health alerts.
An excessive heat warning has been extended for a large portion of southwest California through Monday evening. The National Weather Service Los Angeles warned "another very hot day" on Friday across portions of the region.
"A long duration heat wave will peak today, with only minor and slow improvement after through Monday," said the agency, noting that near record high temperatures will peak on Friday with highs between 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.2 degrees Celsius) and 118 degrees Fahrenheit (47.8 degrees Celsius) common over the valleys, lower mountains, and deserts.
"A very hot air mass will remain over the region into the weekend as strong high pressure aloft over the Western United States will limit onshore flow. Dangerously hot conditions are expected away from the coast, especially in the mountain and foothill locations where overnight low temperatures will cool little from daytime highs," the weather service added.
The soaring temperature reportedly reached 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 degrees Celsius) in Burbank on Friday, an all-time record high temperature for the Southern California city.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pointed out that this is "critical fire weather due to hot, dry daytime conditions and poor humidity overnight." A red flag warning is in effect for parts of Southern California through Saturday.
Hundreds of firefighters are battling a fast-moving wildfire in high temperatures in San Bernardino County, which grew to 1180 acres (about 4.8 square km) with 24 hours.
People cool off at Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles, California, the United States, Sept. 4, 2024. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)
Public health officials across the region have reminded residents to take precautions to avoid heat-related illness, especially older adults, young children, pregnant people, outdoor workers, athletes, and those with a chronic medical condition who are more at risk for negative health impacts from extreme heat.
"Protect yourself and others during excessive heat," said the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on social media platform X.
The department urged people to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated throughout the day, avoid going out during the hottest hours, and be aware of the symptoms of heat-related illness like heat exhaustion and heat stroke in its suggestions.
"Heat can be deadly and it often catches people by surprise," said Christina Curry, chief deputy director of the California governor's office of emergency services, in a news release, adding that "it's important for all Californians to do their part and take steps to stay safe in dangerously hot conditions."
The agency said it is coordinating with local governments and emergency managers on any regional needs.
Seven extreme heat events between 2013 and 2022 resulted in nearly 460 deaths, 5,000 hospitalizations, and 344 adverse birth outcomes, affecting nearly the entire population of California, reported KTLA, a television station in Los Angeles, citing a recent report from California's insurance department.
The cumulative cost of these heat events is estimated at 7.7 billion U.S. dollars in California, which includes labor productivity losses ranging from 7.7 million dollars to 210 million dollars per heat event, often through uninsured wage losses, said the report.
California is continuing its ban on various food additives, this time with a new bill that targets specific chemicals served in school lunches throughout the state. The California School Food Safety Act (Assembly Bill 2316) will ban artificial dyes, which California lawmakers believe are linked to behavioral issues in children.
The bill prohibits state school districts and charter schools from serving 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 kindergarten through 12th grade. These dyes are commonly found in ice creams, fruit snacks, drinks (like Gatorade and SunnyD), cereals, candy and flavored chips.
Although research into the neurological effects of artificial food dyes is still ongoing, such dyes have been shown to have negative impacts on childrens attention span. Californias Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) research into the link between food dyes and child behavior found that the levels (or doses) of dyes deemed safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not adequately take neurobehavioral effects into account. Thats because the animal studies that the FDA conducted to determine an acceptable exposure level are many decades old and were not capable of detecting the types of neurobehavioral outcomes measured in later studies, or for which there is concern in children consuming synthetic dyes, per OEHHA.
The recent School Food Safety Act comes after Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Food Safety Act, which prohibits the sale of foods containing brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, or red dye 3 in the state.
A 4-year-old girl in Californias Central Valley was fatally attacked by her family dog Wednesday night, according to police.
The Visalia Police Department said officers responded to a home on the 2300 block of West Monte Vista Avenue shortly after 8 p.m. following a report of the attack by the familys pit bull.
The girl had just finished swimming and was inside the home when the dog attacked, according to police. Despite receiving immediate medical attention and being transported to the hospital, she died from her injuries.
Her name was not immediately released.
Pit bull breeder mauled to death by his own dogs in Compton
Detectives investigating the case found no evidence of neglect or criminal wrongdoing by the girls family.
This heart-wrenching event is a tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this incredibly difficult time, police said.
California has regulations regarding dangerous dogs, but the state does not have a comprehensive statewide ban on pit bulls. Local jurisdictions may impose their own restrictions, and some cities bar the ownership of pit bulls that are not neutered or spayed.
TMX contributed to this report.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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By Brendan Pierson
(Reuters) - California and Hawaii can enforce bans on carrying guns in some public locations including bars and parks, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday, partly reversing lower court orders blocking the bans.
A unanimous panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that both states can enforce gun bans in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol and in parks, and that California can enforce bans in casinos, libraries, zoos, stadiums and museums. Those bans extend to adjacent parking lots.
The panel said Hawaii can ban guns on beaches, and on private property that is open to the public without explicit permission from the owner.
Both states passed their laws in response to a June 2022 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which found for the first time that the right to bear arms guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution includes individuals' right to carry handguns in public for self-defense.
The Supreme Court said any restrictions on carrying guns must be "consistent with this nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation," and could include bans in "sensitive places." The states argued that their new restrictions qualified.
The lower courts in both states' cases largely struck down the state laws after finding that there were no similar laws at the time the Second Amendment was adopted.
The 9th Circuit panel said that their reasoning was too narrow. For example, it found that parks in their modern form arose only in the 19th century and that municipalities quickly began banning firearms in them.
However, the appeals court upheld portions of lower court orders ruling that neither state could enforce bans on carrying guns in banks or adjacent parking lots, and that Hawaii cannot enforce a ban on guns in parking lots shared by government and non-government buildings. It said that California cannot enforce bans in hospitals, public transit, gatherings requiring a permit and places of worship.
All three judges on the panel were appointed by Democratic presidents.
"This law was never about safety," Chuck Michel, president of California Rifle & Pistol Association, which had challenged the California bans, said in an email. "The places where permits are now invalid have now become criminal empowerment zones, and the public is less safe in those places."
Michel said the plaintiffs would consider a petition for rehearing in the 9th Circuit or an appeal to the Supreme Court.
"I certainly am happy that they ruled for us on the issue of banks and shared parking lots," said Alan Beck, a lawyer for the Hawaii plaintiffs, adding that the issue of a ban on private property could go to the Supreme Court.
The office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez did not immediately respond to request for comment.
(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Alistair Bell)
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.
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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.
Under California law, anyone caught diverting water in violation of a state order has long been subject to only minimal fines. State legislators have now decided to crack down on violators under a newly approved bill that sharply increases penalties.
Assembly Bill 460 was passed by the Legislature last week and is among the water-related measures awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsoms signature. Other bills that were approved aim to protect the states wetlands and add new safeguards for the water supplies of rural communities.
Supporters say increasing fines for violations will help the State Water Resources Control Board more effectively enforce its orders to curtail water use when necessary.
It helps the water board enforce the laws that they have on the books, said Analise Rivero, associate director of policy for the group California Trout, which co-sponsored the bill.
The bill, which was introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), is intended to prevent the sort of violations that occurred in 2022 in the Shasta River watershed, when farmers and ranchers who belong to the Shasta River Water Assn. defied a curtailment order for eight days and diverted more than half the rivers flow, flouting requirements aimed at protecting salmon.
The state water board fined the association the maximum amount for the violation: $4,000, which worked out to about $50 for each of its members. Those small fines didnt deter farmers and ranchers from reducing the rivers flow to a point that threatened salmon and affected the supplies of downstream water users.
The case in Siskiyou County led to widespread calls for larger fines and stronger enforcement powers.
The legislation increases fines for violations of state water curtailment to as much as $10,000 per day, plus $2,500 for each acre-foot of water diverted. (An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, or enough to cover one acre a foot deep.)
This bill closes that loophole and makes the existing law stronger, and it's an important step in disincentivizing water theft, Rivero said.
Rivero said being able to impose larger fines is important as California grapples with the effects of climate change on water supplies.
Leaders of a coalition of environmental groups urged Newsom to sign the bill. In a letter, they said enforcing harsher penalties for violators is crucial for the state water board to fulfill its mission of protecting fish, water, and people.
Read more: Who else was stealing? Conspiracy plea deepens mystery in San Joaquin Valley water heist
Bauer-Kahan said that for too long, breaking the law and paying the fines have been seen as the cost of doing business by some illegal water diverters.
Although we did not go far enough in ensuring that our water rights system functions in times of scarcity, we did take an important step, Bauer-Kahan said.
The legislation raises penalties to better hold those who steal water accountable, she said. Water is a precious resource, and we must do everything possible to ensure its protection."
Proponents of the bill made some sacrifices to secure sufficient support in the Legislature, dropping a provision that would have given the state water board authority to act faster in emergencies to prevent irreparable injury to streams, fish or other water users.
The result was a relatively modest reform, but one that serves an important purpose, said Cody Phillips, staff attorney for the group California Coastkeeper Alliance.
Being able to get the California Legislature to agree to increase fines in water is a major deal for the practical consequences of preventing water theft, but also to show that we can change these important details about our water rights system, and the sky doesn't fall, Phillips said.
Read more: 'Improvised, spotty and belated': Will California reform its oversight of water rights?
Other proposals have recently encountered strong opposition from agricultural groups and water agencies.
Phillips and other environmental advocates supported another bill , AB 1337, which sought to clarify the state water board's authority to issue curtailment orders for all diverters, including senior rights holders that use a large portion of the states water. But that bill didnt secure enough support to pass this year in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.
Water is often referred to as the third rail in California politics, and we've seen that any changes, even modest changes, like 460 and frankly 1337, are met with ferocious pushback, Phillips said. But we can't avoid these issues climate change, overallocation, they've all led to a system where the way that we deal with water just doesn't work.
Some legal experts said the bill is a step in the right direction.
We know that water is the single most important resource in the state, and yet we do not have a clear understanding of who uses it, where, and when, and we do not have a robust system for correcting unlawful use, said Jennifer Harder, a professor at University of the Pacifics McGeorge School of Law.
Harder said the state needs to continue improving collection of water use data and should adopt measures to improve oversight of water rights. She said she is optimistic that local water suppliers will come to understand that state-level standards can support and enhance local management.
One of the other water-related measures passed by the Legislature included a bill intended to protect Californias wetlands after the rollback of federal protections under a Supreme Court decision last year. The courts ruling in Sackett vs. EPA rewrote the federal definition of wetlands and removed federal protections for many streams that do not flow year-round, leaving ephemeral streams vulnerable to development and pollution.
Read more: Supreme Court scales back clean water protections. What does it mean for California?
If signed by Newsom, the bill, AB 2875, will codify an executive order that then-Gov. Pete Wilson issued in 1993 establishing a state policy of no net loss of wetlands and calling for a long-term increase in the acreage of wetlands. Despite that policy, the state has continued to lose more wetland acres to development during the last three decades.
We have wetlands that only flow certain times of year, and they are seasonal, ephemeral streams that were stripped of protections, and yet they are really, really important biologically and for habitat, said Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), who introduced the legislation.
Wetlands and a riparian forest are sustained by groundwater at the National Audubon Society's Kern River Preserve. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Friedman and other supporters of the measure have stressed that because more than 90% of Californias original wetlands have already been drained and destroyed, strong protections for those that remain are vital. They say since the Supreme Court has scaled back the Clean Water Act's federal protections for wetlands, the state will need to play a bigger role.
We care about our state's natural resources here in California, and it's a shame that we right now have a Supreme Court that doesn't seem to be very concerned about the kind of destruction that we're seeing to our environment, Friedman said. It falls on states to really play whack-a-mole and catch up, because we have relied for a long time on existing, long-standing federal regulations.
Scientists have documented major declines in North American bird populations since the 1970s, and they cite causes including the loss of habitats and warmer, drier conditions driven by climate change, among other factors.
The bill was sponsored by leaders of Audubon California, who called the measure an important step toward protecting wetland habitats that birds need to survive.
Read more: How a water scientist hopes to save California habitats that could be pumped dry
The bill doesnt create a new regulatory framework but does make a strong statement that California will protect and add wetlands, said Mike Lynes, Audubon Californias director of public policy. We've already lost so much of our natural wetland habitat. We've seen a decline in biodiversity, and there's a ton of benefits by creating wetlands, not only for ecosystems, but also for flood control and for recreational opportunities, whether it's birding, hunting, just hiking out in wetland areas.
Another bill that was approved, AB 828, is aimed at improving safeguards for managed wetlands that are sustained by groundwater pumping, as well as rural communities that depend on wells. The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael), would allow these managed wetlands and small communities to temporarily continue to pump amounts of water in line with historical averages without facing mandatory reductions or fees imposed by local agencies under the states groundwater law.
Supporters said they proposed the change after several local agencies proposed groundwater allocations that would excessively limit supplies for communities or wildlife areas while also limiting pumping by agricultural landowners who are the largest water users.
It sets a pause on pumping restrictions for small community water systems and managed wetlands, and on some fees, until those issues and their needs are considered, Lynes said.
Some communities in the Central Valley have faced unworkable requirements to cut water use dramatically and start paying high fees for exceeding those limits, said Jennifer Clary, state director for the group Clean Water Action.
We wanted a long-term exemption, but there was a lot of concern in the Legislature about that, Clary said.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Five of Californias seven known gray wolf packs have had pups this year, according to a new report from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. With 30 new pups, the total wolf population in the state has now grown to 65.
Seeing wolves return to the places they once called home, and having these adorable new pups, is as inspiring as it gets, said Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. At least five California packs have now started families, which really shows the impact of strong protections under the federal and state endangered species acts.
All of the packs are located in the far northern part of the state.
According to the report, the Lassen pack had five pups, the Whaleback pack had six, the Beyem Seyo pack had five, and the Harvey pack in Lassen and Shasta counties had seven. Californias southernmost pack, the Yowlumni in Tulare County, also had seven pups.
California wolves
Two packs had no pups this spring.
In addition to the packs, small groups of wolves or lone wolves -four in total- were spotted in Tehama and Plumas counties, officials said. Surveys are ongoing for wolves recently spotted in Modoc County.
Wolves in California are fully protected under the federal and state Endangered Species Acts. They began returning to the state in 2011 when OR-7, a radio-collared male wolf from Oregon, crossed into California. His daughter is now part of the Yowlumni pack in Tulare County.
Im thrilled California now has about 65 wolves, Weiss said. Its a great start, but theres still more work to do. Wolves need strong protections to fully recover and thrive here.
U.S. wont restore protections for wolves in Rockies, proposes national recovery plan
This resurgence is part of a broader wolf reintroduction effort in the western United States.
Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in the mid-1990s after being nearly eradicated by the early 20th century. These reintroduction programs have led to a slow but steady recovery of wolves in the West.
However, the reintroduction efforts are not without critics, particularly ranchers and hunters who are concerned about the potential impacts on livestock and game populations.
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California woman starts graffiti festival to honor late brother. She wants it in Modesto
For more than a decade, Serena Rain Lujan has held a graffiti festival in a Fresno-area park in honor of her late brother. Last years Bizare Art Festival drew more than 80 graffiti artists and 1,500 people from throughout California and other states.
But Lujan, 54, would like to bring the annual festival home to Modesto. Its the city weve lived in for over three decades, she said. Its the city my brother lived in and where he passed away.
Lujan rents Calwa Park near Fresno every January. The 20-acre park features a quarter-mile-long cinder-block art wall where graffiti artists and muralists create their work.
Lujan said she screens all of the festivals artists to ensure their work is free of profanity and references to drugs, violence or anything else that is not family-friendly. There is no alcohol. She said the festival inspires graffiti artists to become their best selves and help others to do that as well.
The festival includes DJs, breakdancers and rappers, as well as artisans selling handmade clothing, hats, jewelry and other items. Lujan said there are at least two bounces houses for children and other activities for them, such as face-painting.
She said about 80% of the festivalgoers come from Chico to San Diego, with the rest coming from outside of California, primarily from the western United States. About 10% are children.
The Bizare Art Festival is held on a Saturday but people start arriving Friday and typically leave late Sunday. Lujan said these out-of-towners book hotel rooms, rent Airbnbs and eat in local restaurants.
Quarter-mile-long art wall
Ive only been here one year, but it worked out fine, said Tim Chapa, the Calwa Recreation & Park District administrator, about last years festival. From our staff, I understand its always a positive event.
Calwa is a primarily Latino, unincorporated community near Fresno. Lujan picked Calwa Park because it was among the places her brother painted and because of its quarter-mile-long art wall. Anyone can rent space on the wall throughout the year.
This mural depicting the late Salvador Bizare Lujan was painted during the 11th annual Bizare Art Festival near Fresno.
Lujan and her brother Salvador Bizare Lujan moved to Modesto from San Jose with their family in 1988. Lujan said her brother was a graffiti artist and in 1986 founded Legends Of Rare DesignS, or LORDS, a Bay Area-based graffiti crew.
He died of a heart attack in 2013, when he was 44. Lujan said her brother meant so much to the graffiti artist community that fellow artists raised money for his funeral. She said more than 300 people attended, many fellow graffiti artists.
Lujan said as much as she considers Calwa Park the festivals home she would like to hold it in Modesto. She has looked for potential sites in the past and will start looking again, including city parks and industrial sites.
She asks anyone with suggestions on potential locations to email her at rain@bizareartfestival.biz.
In this 2015 file photo, graffiti artists work on their sections of the wall at Calwa Park during the second annual Bizare Art Festival.
One of the murals painted during last years Bizare Art Festival held in a park near Fresno
One of the murals painted during last years Bizare Art Festival held in a park near Fresno
NORTHFIELD, Ill. (WGN) The night of Sept. 25, 1996, Mary Ann Hayes was found dead in her bedroom in Northfield.
Initially, police found her death to be suspicious. But it was not ruled a homicide.
Instead, authorities said the north suburban mother died of self-strangulation, using a household extension cord.
That to me was the moststriking aspect of that evening was how we found her, said Robin Altman, Hayes oldest daughter.
As time passed, Altman began questioning her mothers death.
That led her to contact Alliance for Hope International, a nonprofit founded by two former California prosecutors. The group investigates suspicious deaths nationwide.
Alliance and its forensic expert, Dr. Bill Smock, spent months looking into Hayes death.
What caught my eye in this particular case is when I looked at the photographs from the crime scene, looked at the autopsy, looked at the autopsy photographs I said this is inconsistent with a suicidal scene, a suicidal death, Smock said. This is a homicide.
Altman and Alliance have called on Dr. Ponni Arunkumar, Cook Countys Chief Medical Examiner, to change the ruling in Hayes death, from suicide to homicide. A major reason, they say, is because theres no evidence of a knot or locking mechanism on the cord.
I think everybody, immediately sees wheres the knot? said Gael Strack, Alliances co-founder. How are you going to continue to apply continuous pressure? Because thats what you need in order for someone to die.
Since our stories, WGN Investigates heard from other experts who agree that Hayes death was suspicious and deserves to be reviewed by an outside, independent agency.
Clearly, this case has a lot of red flags, said Dr. Megan Quinn, an independent forensic pathologist who reviewed Hayes case. From the scene handling to the law enforcement investigation, to the interpretation of the autopsy findings and injury findings.
In her six-page report on Hayes death, shared with WGN Investigates, Quinn wrote, There are numerous findings from this investigation that raise serious concerns this womans death was homicidal in manner and subsequently staged to look like a suicide.
It is simply illogical to conclude that someone would die from having an electrical cord wrapped around their neck that is not exerting pressure, Quinn said.
There are also unexplained injuries to Hayes throat, separate and apart from the ligature mark and noted in the original autopsy report.
Both Smock and Quinn said theyve never seen such injuries in a self-strangulation case.
I have a lot of questions, said Matt Konie, a retired Illinois State Police detective.
See More: Watch the full Hidden Homicides series here
In 2018, Konie fielded a call from Altman, asking if he would investigate her mothers death.
That did not happen because Northfield Police didnt formally request the agencys assistance.
But Konie believes the questions surrounding Hayes death, deserve a closer look.
I found it concerning and troubling that there was never any answer to those injuries, he said.
Dr. Ponni Arunkumar reviewed Hayes case in 2018. She declined to change the ruling to homicide, in part because she told Northfield Police she found a similar case of self-strangulation, according to records obtained by WGN Investigates.
WGN Investigates has repeatedly asked Arunkumars office for the name of that other case. But despite telling police one existed, she has never disclosed a name.
When mistakes have been made, those mistakes should be righted, Quinn said. Those wrongs should be righted. Those mistakes should be fixed.
A Northfield police official declined to comment for this story. A medical examiners office spokeswoman has said Arunkumar doesnt comment on individual cases.
Altman and Alliance are still working to gather information about Hayes death. Anyone with tips or information is asked to email info@HiddenHomicide.com.
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KINSHASA/ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Africa is witnessing an "upward trend" in mpox cases, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) warned on Friday as it launched a joint continental response plan with the World Health Organization (WHO).
The six-month plan, running from September 2024 to February 2025, has an estimated budget of nearly 600 million U.S. dollars. Of this, 55 percent is allocated to mpox response efforts in affected countries, while the remaining 45 percent is directed toward operational and technical support through partner organizations.
Since 2024, the continent has reported 24,851 suspected mpox cases, including 5,549 confirmed cases and 643 deaths, said Jean Kaseya, director general of Africa CDC, during an online press briefing.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, accounting for 90 percent of reported cases. The DRC has reported 20,463 suspected cases, including 635 deaths.
Kaseya said there is an "upward trend" in mpox cases across Africa, with at least 14 countries affected, particularly since May 2024.
WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti, who also participated in the briefing, called for a unified approach to contain the outbreak in the DRC. She emphasized the importance of coordination under the Africa CDC-WHO joint continental response plan.
"This is an important milestone for coordinated action between our agencies to support countries by strengthening expertise, mobilizing resources, and rapidly halting the spread of mpox," Moeti said. "By working together, we can achieve more, ensuring that communities and individuals are protected from this virus."
In mid-August, the WHO declared the ongoing mpox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of international concern, citing the emergence of a more dangerous but poorly understood variant, clade 1b, first detected in the DRC in September 2023. Cases of this clade 1b strain have since been reported in several countries, including Sweden and Thailand.
On Wednesday, Guinea confirmed its first mpox case, and Kaseya noted that genetic sequencing tests are underway to determine if the clade 1b variant has spread to West Africa.
The DRC, which received its first batch of 99,100 mpox vaccine doses on Thursday, is currently developing a distribution and vaccination strategy, particularly in the eastern part of the country, where most cases have been reported amid a prolonged humanitarian crisis. However, health authorities have not yet announced when vaccinations will begin.
Kellie Wasko, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Corrections, speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for a women's prison on Oct. 16, 2023, in Rapid City. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)
Kellie Wasko, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Corrections, speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for a women's prison on Oct. 16, 2023, in Rapid City. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)
The first meeting of the South Dakota Corrections Commission in nearly a year drew calls for transparency and accountability from commissioners, lawmakers and members of the public.
Under state law, the commission is meant to advise the Department of Corrections (DOC) on matters of justice and public safety. The DOC also needs commission approval to spend any money to adjust the operations of prison industries like the states license plate or sign-making shops.
There was much to discuss on Thursday.
Since the commissions last meeting in October of 2023, the Department of Corrections has faced a series of controversies, among them a lawsuit in Lincoln County over its proposed site for a new mens prison, two bouts of unrest at two separate prisons that injured inmates and staff, a suspension of tablet-based communications that contributed to one of those bouts of violence, and concerns from inmates and family members over the price of goods made available through the states new commissary vendor.
Questions have also emerged about the commissions role in light of testimony from DOC Secretary Kellie Wasko to lawmakers on the states Government Operations and Audit Committee in July, as well as comments from some commission members suggesting that the group has ceased to serve its intended purpose.
As many as 33 people at a time logged in for the virtual meeting, a figure that includes Department of Corrections staff members and commissioners.
Most who spoke expressed concerns over the host of issues facing the prison system.
Ive heard nothing but more chaos in the past six months, said Sen. Shawn Bordeaux, D-Mission, who was elected to serve as the commissions chair on Thursday. Im really struggling with what we can do.
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Role of commission debated
Wasko began the meeting by addressing what she called perceived interpretations of the laws defining the commissions role.
On July 31, Wasko told the states audit committee that she answers to it, not the commission. Prior to that meeting, DOC officials had asserted in public statements that the commissions only role was to oversee Pheasantland Industries, the umbrella term for the industrial shops inside DOC facilities.
Those assertions came despite language in state law that defines the commissions role more broadly. In the past, its members toured prisons, asked questions about justice reform efforts and security measures, and weighed in on new prison construction options.
Particularly with security incidents, Wasko said July 31, she doesnt feel that she should discuss the details with the commissions citizen members in the groups open public meetings. She also suggested that lawmakers reassess the commissions role.
On Thursday, she read the law that created the commission, noting that the statute refers to it as an advisory body, not an oversight one. She said shed done some homework by reviewing notes from 10 years of commission meetings and learned that the commissions focus narrowed to prison industries sometime around 2018.
The commissions members were given paper copies of the DOCs annual statistical report in January. If commissioners want to weigh in and advise the DOC based on those figures, Wasko said, they are welcome to do so.
She receives and responds to calls from lawmakers on a weekly basis, she said. But aside from Judge Christina Klinger and newly appointed member Sen. Helene Duhamel, R-Rapid City, Ive never received a single email, text or call from another member of this commission asking for an opportunity to discuss a concern, Wasko said.
Commission members David McGirr and Mark Anderson have bemoaned the bodys narrowed focus. On Thursday, McGirr said previous iterations of the commission had a more useful role.
Without discussions on broader justice issues, he said, theres little incentive for the unpaid commissioners to show up at all.
It really feels like we dont need to be meeting several times a year to discuss prison industries and financials, he said.
Previous commissions spent time talking about diversion programs and ways to reduce the prison population, Anderson said. Yet the commission has never discussed the states current plans for new prisons over the two years those plans have taken shape.
My biggest concern is that were looking at building a prison when the people before you, their intention was to reduce the number of inmates so we didnt have to build a new prison, Anderson said.
Rep. Kevin Jensen, R-Canton, a former commission member, joined Thursdays meeting to say he intends to bring legislation to strengthen the commissions role. The group learned a lot from tours, Jensen said, and its members discussed justice issues and potential legislative fixes on an ongoing basis. The law that created the commission says the group should engage in a continuing study of criminal justice issues, Jensen said.
I dont see any continuing study, he said. It seems like its just meeting to meeting.
Jensen wrote an op-ed for The Dakota Scout newspaper, published Thursday morning, that outlined his concerns in more detail.
Wasko told commissioners shed be happy to offer more information or to set up tours of prison facilities. As for justice reform efforts, Wasko said none of them moved the needle on the states prison population in the years before her arrival from Colorado in 2022. Shes worked since then to address the issues that were front and center, such as overcrowding and staffing.
I came into this state looking at an agenda, and I followed what that agenda was, Wasko said.
As for calls to adjust the authority or scope of the commissions work, Wasko said she would prefer that it remain in the advisory capacity, as state statute recommends.
Calls for transparency
The meetings regular agenda included a discussion of changes to prison commissary operations. The DOC switched its vendor for the prison store starting this month. As part of the contract with Union Supply, inmates work to manage inventory on site at the prison in Sioux Falls.
DOC Finance Director Brittni Skipper said one of the goals of the switch was to offer inventory skills training in areas like forklift operations.
They get the skills that are needed in a high-demand industry in e-commerce, Skipper said.
Some inmates and family members have complained of higher prices, however. McGirr said hes seen media reports on the prices, and said hed voted to approve the changes last October with the understanding that prices would drop.
The idea was that we would see a lowering in cost to the prisoners as well as some profit-making to help run the prisons, McGirr said.
Skipper said the new commissary catalog includes 142 new items. Of the items listed in both the old and new catalogs, she said, more than half cost less or are within 10 cents of their prior price.
One of the biggest items for commissary are ramen noodles, Skipper said. The difference is one cent.
McGirr wondered why there wouldnt be more savings, given that inmates earn a dollar an hour to manage the system.
I had hoped we would live up to our expectations, he said.
Wasko said there are good reasons for some of the price increases. Televisions cost more now, she said, but the new televisions are prison grade, more durable and with clear outer casings for security.
Beth Warden, a reporter with Dakota News Now, referenced that point in her own public comments. Warden decried what she described as a lack of transparency and argued that the DOCs reticence to answer basic questions on security incidents or issues like price increases does damage to the agencys credibility.
Waskos explanation on the price of televisions, Warden said, couldve been shared with the reporters covering the inmates price concerns.
Why are we having to fight to get answers that would lower the tension? Warden said.
Lynette Johnson, the widow of slain correctional officer Ron R.J. Johnson, also called on Wasko to adjust her approach. Johnsons husband was murdered by two inmates in 2011, both of whom have since been put to death.
If you follow the agenda of the past, there was no transparency, Johnson said.
Rep. Linda Duba, D-Sioux Falls, put the blame for a lack of openness on Republican Gov. Kristi Noems office. The lawmaker said the state needs more information on corrections, because it belongs to all of us.
For six years, I have seen the shutting down of transparency in this state, Duba said. I agree with the press in their frustration.
Nieema Thasing, an advocate for inmates who lives in Sioux Falls, thanked Wasko for opening up the discussion and addressing several of the issues that have arisen this year, calling the discussion forward-looking.
Thasing then suggested that the state create a citizen commission to address the concerns of inmates, family members and members of the communities to which most incarcerated individuals return after serving their sentences.
I would volunteer myself, and I know there would be other people who would serve on a citizen commission, Thasing said.
After the meeting, newly elected commission chairman Bordeaux said he supports the idea of a citizen commission, and that he would be happy to work with Rep. Jensen on bills to strengthen the corrections commissions role. He also said he plans to bring a bill to add two more lawmakers to the commission to act as liaisons for the rest of the Legislature.
The next Corrections Commission meeting is set for Nov. 19.
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Calvert County officials search for man who made threats against police, children
CALVERT COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) A multi-jurisdictional search is underway for a person believed to have made threats against children and police officers.
The Calvert County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) said 21-year-old Kevin Lee Bonnie posted multiple statements online expressing intent to harm officers and children waiting at bus stops. The posts were made on Thursday, Sept. 5.
The Charles County Sheriffs Office and St. Marys County Sheriffs Office are also actively investigating the threats.
Man wanted after DC officers death appears in court for first time
(Courtesy of the Calvert County Sheriffs Office)
Though he has had recent interactions with law enforcement in Charles and St. Marys counties, CCSO said they do not know where he is now.
Officials said he might be driving a dark 2020 Chevy Sonic with Maryland license plate 4GG3607. Anyone who sees him should call 911.
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Canada announces new aid package for Ukraine at Ramstein-format meeting
Canada has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine, which will include aircraft missiles, small arms and equipment.
Source: Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair on 6 September at the 24th meeting of the Contact Group on Defence of Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The new package will include 80,840 additional engines for CRV-7 aircraft missiles and 1,300 warheads in addition to the 2,160 engines already delivered. They will arrive "in the coming months".
Canada will also provide 960 C6 machine guns and 10,500 9mm pistols from its arsenal.
At Ukraine's specific request, Canada is also providing Ukraine with decommissioned chassis from 29 M113 tracked armoured personnel carriers and 64 Coyote light armoured personnel carriers used by the Canadian army. This equipment has already been withdrawn from use by the Canadian military, so it is being given away for spare parts.
In addition, Bill Blair announced the delivery of 10 ambulances in September and clarified that the armoured support vehicles assembled at Canadian companies for Ukraine are already being used to train Ukrainian troops in Europe.
The Ministry of Defence of Canada recalled that Canada has provided US$4.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since 2022.
Background:
On 6 September, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that President Joe Biden would announce a new US$250 million military aid package for Ukraine today.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group.
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This week, a group of Ukrainian fighter pilots arrived in Canada for training.
Source: Canadas Department of National Defence on 6 September at the 24th meeting of the Contact Group on Defence of Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair announced that this week, a group of Ukrainian pilots arrived in the country to undergo training under the Fighter Lead-In Training (FLIT) programme.
This programme provides pilots with fundamental skills for operating fighter jets. The standard course lasts 6 months and includes 120 hours of instruction, 20 hours of simulator time, and 50 hours of actual flight training.
Bill Blair also announced that this month, Ukrainian military personnel will begin training on Skyranger drones, which have already been provided by Canada, within Ukraine.
Background:
Canada announced a new military aid package for Ukraine, which will include aircraft missiles, small arms and equipment.
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Canada to supply Ukraine with over 80,000 unarmed small rockets, some warheads
Canada's Minister of National Defence Bill Blair holds a press conference in the House of Commons foyer on Parliament Hill in Ottawa
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada plans to send 80,840 surplus small unarmed air-to-surface rockets to Ukraine as well as 1,300 warheads in the coming months, Defense Minister Bill Blair said in a statement on Friday.
Canada announced an initial shipment of 2,160 unarmed CRV7 rockets in June. Each CRV7 rocket can be equipped with warheads designed variously to hit buildings, tanks or soldiers.
Canada will also donate chassis assemblies from 29 M113 armored personnel carriers and 64 Coyote armored cars, which the Canadian armed forces are no longer using, Blair said.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Canada has committed C$4.5 billion ($3.3 billion) in military aid.
($1 = 1.3509 Canadian dollars)
(Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
panchanok premsrirut
In this op-ed, Brigittine French, who specializes in femicide and gender-based violence at Grinnell College, argues that we need to explicitly name gender-based violence in order to prevent it.
In the days following the horrifying murder of Rice University student Andrea Rodriguez Avila, in her dormitory by a man she knew, Ive been thinking a lot about the complexities of gender-based violence facing women in the United States. Identifying violence against women can be challenging, especially in the U.S., where legal and social systems often overlook certain forms of it, despite readily condemning such violence in other countries. As a result, many women are left uncertain about what qualifies as abuse or assault and how it may show up in their own lives.
I was reminded of this recently while watching Bottoms, a comedic film that nevertheless explores these very serious issues. In one scene, a diverse group of high school girls gather in an afterschool club to discuss their common experiences. The characters are asked if they've ever been raped and they all say no. Then, they are asked if they have kind of been sexually assaulted and they all raise their hands. In other words, they struggle to answer because they know they have faced unwanted sexual interactions, but they arent clear about what actions count as forms of gender violence.
This ambiguity and lack of recognition creates a dangerous environment where instances of aggression and control that can escalate into lethal violence thrive under the radar, often disguised as cultural norms or brushed off as misunderstandings between couples. As young women return to campus this falland with Octobers Domestic Violence Awareness Month approachingits crucial to understand these nuances and trajectories of violence that can lead to femicides like seemingly that of Rodriguez Avila.
Femicide is the crime of murdering a woman because of her gender; since gender is a social, rather than biological category, it means that gender roles, identities, and relationships are the key factors that lead a perpetrator, usually a man, to kill a woman. Femicide is a violent crime that the United Nations calls a global epidemic, affecting every country of the world. It is a legally recognized crime, separate from homicide, in justice systems throughout neighboring countries in Latin America and increasingly in other parts of the world thanks to women and human rights activists around the globe.
Femicide Is a Growing Issue in the United States
The killings of Vanessa Guillen, Oluwatoyin Salau, Nina Pop, and many more are part of a global problem.
The United States is an exception; the reality of femicide is not recognized legally or socially in this country. In fact, we hardly use the term at all, in any context. Instead, we recognize and condemn other forms of extreme gender-based violence associated with other parts of the world, like female genital mutilation, or the profound violent removal of women from all aspects of public life, work, and education by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Honor killings, where men in a family murder a young woman because she has tarnished the familys honor through perceptions of promiscuity, is another example. (While we think about these crimes affecting women in other places, honor killings do happen in the U.S. and they are femicides.) When we see such extreme violence against women in communities other than our own, it is easy to think that women are safe because we dont necessarily face these kinds of overt attacks; it creates a false sense of security. We also tend to soften our language when it comes to gender-based violence in our country. We often simply label femicide domestic violence or intimate partner violence, as in the case of the murder of Temple University student, Milan Jones who was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend, Tamir Lackey.
What links non-lethal forms of gender violence and femicides? The answer is control and power over womens bodies, choices, and ultimately lives. A boyfriend reading all of his girlfriends text messages from new male friends at college is not as explicit or wide-reaching as a law that says women must cover themselves completely when walking on a public street, but they are both rooted in similar goals. One is subtle and the other is a blatant attempt to regulate womens self-autonomy. Both are moments in longer processes of surveillance and restriction by men that can and do have deadly consequences when women resist. When a man in your life always wants to have his way in any disagreement, asks you to change your clothes before going out, gaslights your perceptions, or acts out when you spend time with other people, these are signs of coercive behavior.
Gender-based violence is almost never a single event, it is a process that unfolds over time. As such, it calls on all women, and those who love them, to be vigilant, call out unacceptable behavior, and fight for laws that keep us all safe, on and off campus.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7, for confidential assistance from a trained advocate. If youre unable to speak safely via phone, you can chat online at thehotline.org.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A local barbershop that provides sensory-friendly haircuts to autistic children was recently damaged after a car crashed into the business on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in far East El Paso.
At around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, a car crashed into the Gentlemans Barbershop by Bissuett, located at 14701 Marvin Lane in far East El Paso, forcing the business to close its doors for a few days.
Barber Edgar Scissorhands says the barbershop provides a safe and comfortable place for autistic children and those with disabilities.
Ive cut hair here on the floor, outside. You know, on the patio. I do it, Ive done it all. You know, everybodys like, you have too much patience for these kids, and Im just like, every kid deserves a haircut.
Amy Phillips, a client who regularly takes her children to the barbershop says it has changed the way her children respond to getting their hair cut.
Getting your haircut for anyone that has sensitivities, especially the autistic community, at any age, it can be really hard. And to find an inclusive, accommodating haircut place is so hard and it shouldnt be. So when I met Edgar, it it just clicked, Phillips said.
The community recently created a GoFundMe to help the business with repairs. To access that click here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-the-gentlemans-barbershop-by-bissuett
To learn more about the Gentlemans Barbershop by Bissuett, click here: The Gentlemans Barbershop by Bissuett | Facebook Page.
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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A cargo ship lost power while approaching the dock at the Port of Tampa Thursday. Officials said quick thinking by harbor pilots and tug boats got it under control.
Cargo ship Tyndall came to Tampa from Mobile, Alabama. The power went out at about 9 a.m. No damage was reported.
Tampa Harbor Pilot Captain Ken Sears knows the port like the back of his hand.
Im passionate about, and Im very fortunate that I get to do it every day, something that I enjoy very much, Sears said.
Sears was on board the Tyndall for the transfer, so he directed the crew. He said the important part of approaching the dock is controlling the speed. At the time, it was down to a knot and a half.
I could see the RPM indicator showing me that the engine wasnt working, Sears said. And were now approaching the dock. Were still doing about a knot and a half, and I had to change plans quickly. I was able to use the tug and the ships bow thruster to start angling away from the dock. So as the ship gradually slowed down, going past its final mark.
There were cranes, the dock, and another ship in the Tyndalls path.
If we werent able to slow it down and get the angle corrected, thats what we were, I would have been heading for, Sears said.
Harbor pilot Brett Baker commends Sears for avoiding a potential disaster.
[It] could have been pretty terrible, but Ken did a great job, Baker said.
The Tyndall went under the Skyway Bridge before getting to Tampa. In 1980, a ship hit the bridge, causing it to collapse.
More recently, a cargo ship crashed into the Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.
Powerless cargo ships have led to fatal and costly wrecks.
But how common is it for these massive ships to lose power?
Its, you know, luckily, its not very common. But ships lose power. Its a mechanical system, you know, Im sure the crew did a great job maintaining it, but accidents happen and systems fail, Baker said. The state, you know, licenses us and regulates us to make sure that theres someone here to prevent these types of potential disasters.
Baker said had this gone wrong, peoples lives couldve been endangered as well as the economy, as 45% of the states fuel comes through this bay.
Sears said they are trained for moments like this.
Only when theres a disaster are we really reminded of what is at stake, and an event like this morning shows that it can happen and still end all right, Sears said.
Tampa Port officials said the mechanical failure was reported to the U.S. Coast Guard. They will determine if the ship is safe to depart from the port again.
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) At least one new shelter is expected to be operating when the City of Morgantowns controversial camping ban ordinance goes into effect next month.
The ordinance, which prohibits anyone from camping on city-owned land and allows law enforcement to fine or arrest anyone with multiple violations, is an effort to maintain public safety and encourage people who are experiencing homelessness to get help.
Several changes have been made in the city already in preparation for the ordinance going into effect on Oct. 3. Morgantown Community Resources, Inc. (MRC) announced that the Catholic Charities West Virginia (CCWV) has signed an agreement to assume operations of the second-floor shelter at Hazels House of Hope, according to a press release from the City of Morgantown.
CCWV has already appointed a new shelter director and the shelter is expected to be open by mid-September, ahead of the ordinance going into effect.
Monongalia County students receive YONDR pouches as part of smartphone-free policy
This is another step forward in the process of expanding our local shelter opportunities, said Morgantown City Manager, Kim Haws. The City of Morgantown is eager to work with everyone and explore ideas that will ultimately provide safer housing options to citizens who are unsheltered.
Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia (ACLU-WV) and the Morgantown Coalition for Housing Action (MoCHA) have spoken against the ordinance, with MoCHA even starting a petition to get it repealed. One point against the Camping on Public Property Ordinance is that it makes upward mobility more challenging instead of helping people who might be camping on city land find permanent housing.
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PARIS, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- France's new Prime Minister Michel Barnier said on Friday evening that his future government would not just be a right-wing only government.
Interviewed by the French public television TF1, Barnier said that his government could include people from his political family, Les Republicains (The Republicans), members of the previous government, and even members of left-wing parties.
Repeatedly saying that sectarianism is a sign of weakness since he took office on Thursday, Barnier told TF1 that he would not forbid himself from "bringing together, around the same table, men and women who are competent."
Given that the French far-right wing party National Rally (RN) is the individual party with the most seats in the National Assembly, Barnier said he would take proportionality into account when forming a government, if necessary.
"But I need to discuss with all the political groups," he added.
During the interview with TF1, Barnier noted that he would commit to controlling "migratory flows with concrete measures."
"There are proposals everywhere. No one has a monopoly on good ideas. We need to find solutions. The priority is to control immigration in a rigorous and humanist way," he said.
He said that he would also focus on budget and economic growth, and "improve" the retirement reform.
French President Emmanuel Macron nominated on Thursday former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as the new prime minister.
Speaking at a handover ceremony on Thursday evening, Barnier said that as the new prime minister, he intends to address "the challenges, the anger, the suffering, and the sense of abandonment and injustice" that the country is currently experiencing.
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 the National Assembly.
Richard Rick Crittenden Sr. was Joe Allens boss when he joined North St. Paul police as a reserve officer, a volunteer job that he worked for five years.
The two became close friends, despite a large age difference. And in 2007, when Allen was hired by the police department to become a full-time officer, Crittenden trained him in the field.
He told me, I understand were friends, but not anymore. Rick was all business when it came to stuff like that, Allen recalled Thursday. Right away, he said, Im going to criticize you. Im going to grill you. Im going to teach you. Im going to mold you. He gave me the basis of what was going to happen.
But nothing could have prepared Allen for what happened on Labor Day 2009. Crittenden, a 57-year-old husband, father, grandfather and nine-year veteran of the department, was shot and killed while on a domestic call.
Allen was driving on Minnesota 36 near U.S. 61 in Maplewood after a shift working the State Fair when his now-mother-in-law called and said there was a shooting in North St. Paul. He drove to the scene, not knowing his friend was dead.
I had no idea what I was walking into, he said. We went to the door and I saw Rick on the ground.
Now, 15 years later, Allen is the coordinator of a remembrance ceremony to mark the anniversary of Crittendens ultimate sacrifice. Saturdays public ceremony will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. outside City Hall, near the life-size bronze memorial statue of the citys sole officer to be killed in the line of duty.
It will include a presentation of colors by retired and active law enforcement officers who worked closely with Crittenden, as well as attendance by several members of his family.
Allen, 43, is the only officer left who was with the department at the time of the murder.
Its our way to kind of help the younger guys know that theres some history here, and you have to be careful, he said.
Ambushed, shot with his own gun
Crittenden lost his life Sept. 7, 2009, when he and Maplewood police officer Julie Olson responded to a call reporting a violation of an order for protection at Aspen Village apartments in North St. Paul around 8:30 a.m.
A woman had asked for a police escort for herself and her teenage daughter in case her estranged husband, 34-year-old Devon Dockery, was inside the building. Crittenden was working the day shift alone but happened to be in contact with Maplewood officers at the time.
What had happened, which not a lot of people know about, was that Rick was taking a break with Maplewood (police officers) right around the corner from where the call happened, Allen said. So when dispatch asked him about the call and if he needed help, he said, Yeah, Ill take a Maplewood car, while looking in the eyes of Julie Olson, who ended up helping him at the scene.
When the foursome entered the apartment, Dockery ambushed the group with a flaming rag. Crittenden pushed Stacey Terry and her daughter out of harms way and a struggle ensued. Dockery burned Crittendens head with the cloth, grabbed his holstered gun and shot him in the head.
Dockery and Olson fired at each other six times each. Dockery was hit with five bullets and died. Olson was injured when fragments hit her right arm.
When Crittendens body was taken out the back entrance of the apartment building and put into a hearse, about 40 officers and paramedics saluted.
It never leaves me
A year after Crittendens death, the city unveiled the 6-foot-2 statue depicting him walking hand in hand with his granddaughter Meghan. Hes wearing his police uniform with his badge number, 933, prominently displayed.
I know he was a family guy, loved his grandkids, loved his family time, said North St. Paul Police Chief Raymond Rozales III, who started with the department as a reserve officer two months after Crittendens death. He loved being a police officer, from what Ive heard, and he had a dry sense of humor that everyone very much enjoyed.
Three weeks after Crittendens funeral, Allen got a tattoo on his left forearm of the fallen officers badge with a mourning band and his end-of-tour date. Allen put it in the same spot where Crittenden had an Army tattoo representing his time in Vietnam.
It never leaves me, Allen said. He was such an integral part of who I became and who I am, and I just got that feeling that I need to realize what this job can give you and what it can take from you.
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AUSTIN (KXAN) The state is working toward making faster, more reliable internet service available to the estimated seven million Texans who still do not have access to broadband. Last year, voters approved $1.5 billion to help push more projects forward, but challenges are still emerging despite more money becoming available.
The Texas Senates finance committee met Thursday to discuss how implementation is progressing with the Broadband Infrastructure Fund, a measure approved by more than 69% of Texas voters in November. Glenn Hegar, the states comptroller of public accounts, told senators his office is still working out how to distribute the state resources approved by voters on top of dealing with a lot of strings tied to federal dollars that are also available.
Our efforts to make progress have been affected by essentially the federal governments ever-shifting guidance, and the slow approval process placed significant pressure on our diverse state, Hegar testified Thursday.
The federal bureaucracy is something Blanco County is dealing with now, too. County leaders there are partnering with HC Wireless, a local broadband provider, in hopes of securing a federal grant worth more than $4 million to build out more broadband. David McCullough with HC Wireless called navigating that process complex, but he added its worth it.
We built our company to serve our communities, and one way we serve our community is to be able to reach them, McCullough said. Theres only so much we can do with our private funding, as large as our county is, so to have some federal funds potentially coming our way, take advantage of these opportunities, we are now able to serve our community, which was our original goal.
A Texas congressman is now part of an effort to streamline the federal process and improve broadband access to underserved communities. U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, whose district includes rural areas in the Hill Country and west Texas, introduced the PROTOCOL Act this week.
He said this legislation would help improve the mapping process for broadband funding and enhance inter-agency coordination when awarding grants. In a statement Thursday, Pfluger said the goal is to make sure federal funding can be directed to close the digital divide, while preventing wasteful spending.
The federal government is spending billions of dollars through various broadband-supporting programs to close the digital divide, Pfluger said. However, due to a lack of coordination between federal agencies, rural communities like those in West Texas risk being unserved due to inaccurate broadband maps. Furthermore, taxpayer dollars risk being wasted overbuilding already-served locations. The PROTOCOL Act ensures accurate broadband mapping across the United States so federal funding can be directed to close the digital divide while preventing wasteful spending.
Blanco County is like many rural areas across the state striving to expand broadband. Bobby Mack-McClung, the mayor pro-tem of Blanco, said the community used to be kind of a black hole of fiber until about 10 years ago when some broadband fiber connectivity finally became available in a limited area. Hes now planning to join a countywide committee aimed at looking for opportunities to expand where its offered.
People certainly see the need, and Blanco is a little bit of a target right now, with growth from both San Antonio and Austin, Mack-McClung said. Were right there in the middle, so its a critical need and an urgent need for us. Theres some public and private discussions about building more private networks, so were looking at all options, but its critical. Help is on the way.
Blanco County should learn in the fall whether it received the multi-million-dollar grant from a U.S. Department of Agriculture program, McCullough said.
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The seven seats and court of the Montana Supreme Court (Photo by Eric Seidle/ For the Daily Montanan).
The Montana Chamber of Commerce endorsed candidates in the two Montana Supreme Court races on Thursday on the same day that the American Civil Liberties Union announced it was putting $1.3 million into an educational campaign that highlights differences between the candidates in each race.
The Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses and business interests across Montana and said having a balanced judicial system is essential to a strong business climate in Montana, endorsed Broadwater County Attorney Cory Swanson for chief justice and Judge Dan Wilson for associate justice of the Supreme Court.
The chamber said it chose to endorse candidates this year because finding information about which candidates have certain stances is difficult because the races are nonpartisan.
Wilson and Swanson will bring grit and integrity to the Montana Supreme Court, Chamber President and CEO Todd OHair said in a statement. Both candidates understand that ability in our court system and predictability in the way decisions are made are essential to the operations and success of Montana businesses.
The chamber said its review committee interviewed all four candidates in the race individually, with some of the committee members split to avoid potential conflicts of interest. Committee members then met as a group to pass their endorsement on to the chamber board for approval.
The ACLU and ACLU of Montana also announced they were putting more than a million dollars toward mailers and advertisements highlighting the differences between the candidates in both races when it comes to issues like abortion, marriage equality, supporting Indigenous communities and birth control.
The initial mailer, sent to mailboxes this week, describes the experience of Swanson, his opponent Judge Jeremiah Lynch, Wilson, and his opponent Judge Katherine Bidegaray. It asks voters which candidate they trust to protect abortion access.
At the bottom of one side of the advertisement, it includes check boxes saying Lynch and Bidegaray support abortion access, and that Swanson and Wilson accepted campaign donations from anti-abortion donors.
The first digital advertisement released highlights similar differences between them on abortion rights.
The ACLU makes clear it is not endorsing any candidate in the nonpartisan races despite highlighting issues that are more likely to be supported by Democrats than Republicans. The organization also said it was focused on abortion rights education; Montanans will vote in November on CI-128, which if passed would enshrine abortion protections in the state constitution.
From abortion to marriage equality and Indigenous voting rights, the people we entrust with seats on the Supreme Court of Montana will play a critical role in determining whether we keep the rights Montanans value or whether politicians will be allowed to take away our freedom, ACLU of Montana Executive Director Akilah Deernose said in a statement. That ACLU and ACLU of Montana are fighting to ensure voters know where supreme court candidates stand on these issues so that they can cast an informed ballot this November.
In the chief justice race, Swanson had more than double the cash of Lynch as of the last campaign finance filing deadline on Aug. 15. He ended the period with $141,000 in cash on hand, compared to Lynchs $66,000. Lynch spent about $100,000 over the two-month period compared to Swansons $23,000 in expenditures.
In the associate justice race, Bidegaray ended the period with $192,000 in cash on hand, compared to Wilsons $126,000. Both raised around $61,000 from mid-June to mid-August.
Supreme Court races in recent years have increasingly drawn in larger fundraising and spending despite them being nonpartisan races because often the candidates have previously expressed political leanings or made rulings that side with certain party persuasions.
The Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform, formed by the Republican Senate president in the wake of court decisions that often struck down Republican-supported laws as unconstitutional over the past two years, in recent weeks has discussed running another bill next session to allow judicial candidates to declare a party in their race, which they say would help clarify to voters which candidates support different types of policies. A similar proposal last year failed.
Changes to NY poll sites and hours face new scrutiny under 2022 voting rights law
Westchester and Monroe counties and other New York jurisdictions will soon need permission from the state attorney general or a judge before moving a voting site or making other election changes.
Under part of a 2022 state law that takes effect this month, certain counties and other jurisdictions must get what is known as preclearance to alter their election procedures. That means applying to the Attorney General's Office or going before a state judge for approval for typical pre-election decisions, such as adding or dropping voting locations or changing poll hours on one of the state's nine early-voting dates.
The new requirement comes under New York's John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act, a multi-pronged law that aimed to thwart voter suppression or intimidation and protect minority voting power.
Voters fill in their ballots at the Khalil Gibran School in Yonkers on Election Day, Nov. 7, 2023.
Among the places that will need preclearance for election changes starting Sept. 22 are New York City and nine counties on Long Island and north of the city, including Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Monroe.
The list also includes six school districts, which run their own elections for budgets and school board seats. Among the covered school systems are Rochester, Mount Vernon in Westchester, and East Ramapo in Rockland.
Just one New York village will need permission to change election policies: Port Chester in Westchester. The village changed its voting system in 2018 after the U.S. Justice Department charged Port Chester with racial discrimination.
AG's Office identified the jurisdictions that are covered
The Attorney General's Office identified which jurisdictions are covered by the law based on various factors that it prescribed, including whether they had committed a voting or civil rights violation within the last 25 years.
Reform push: NY voting rights: Voter intimidation, absentee ballots among lawmakers' push for reforms
Those that are covered must seek permission from either the attorney general's Civil Rights Bureau or one of four courts. The Civil Rights Bureau must solicit public comments on each proposal and decide within 15 or 55 days, depending on the type of change. The courts must approve or deny a request within 60 days.
Several suits have been brought under a different part of the Voting Rights Act meant to prevent the dilution of minority votes. Three towns including Mount Pleasant in Westchester and Newburgh in Orange County have been sued by voters of color to force the adoption of ward systems for their governing boards, which now have at-large seats.
Westchester lawsuit: Hispanics seek change in Mount Pleasant at-large voting system under new state law
The goal is to foster minority representation on those boards by giving different areas of the towns the ability to elect their own council members. The towns are fighting back in court by challenging the law's constitutionality.
Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA Today Network. Reach him at cmckenna@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY tightens oversight over voting site changes as 2022 law kicks in
(CBS DETROIT) - The father of the 14-year-old accused of killing two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school was charged in connection with the shooting. His charges follow in the wake of the convictions of two Michigan parents after a school shooting carried out by their child.
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, in the shooting that happened at Apalachee High School Wednesday morning. The 14-year-old suspect was charged with four counts of felony murder.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said the charges come from Colin Gray "knowingly allowing his son to possess a weapon." The father was in court Friday morning, where a judge told him he could face up to 180 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
The father of the shooting suspect being charged comes after the historic case of James and Jennifer Crumbley, who were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter, becoming the first parents in the U.S. to be convicted in a mass school shooting carried out by their child.
James and Jennifer Crumbley were held responsible for their roles in the Oxford High School shooting that killed four students Justin Shilling, Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre and Hana St. Juliana and injured seven other people on Nov. 30, 2021.
During their trials, the prosecution argued that the Crumbley parents ignored their son's mental health needs and purchased the gun that he used in the shooting.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, the prosecutor in the Crumbley case who set the precedent for prosecuting parents in mass school shootings, reacted to the news that the Georgia suspect's father was charged in an interview with CNN Thursday.
"My reaction is rage because you know it the prosecution of the Crumbleys was never, ever meant to be a floodgate of charges against parents, because it was such an egregious set of facts," said McDonald. "I share the emotions of the entire country that, even after that well-publicized case, we're still here."
Former federal prosecutor and defense attorney Rick Convertino, appearing on CBS News Detroit to discuss the shooting at Apalachee before it was revealed that the shooter's father had been charged, noted the differences between the gun laws in Georgia and Michigan and claimed "gun culture" is different in Georgia than it is in Michigan. Georgia passed a law in 2022 that allowed residents to carry without a permit, which means adults do not need to have a permit to buy or carry buy rifles, shotguns or handguns.
One of the most significant differences, according to Convertino, is with the gun storage laws. "In Georgia, there's no specific child-preventive act that requires the guns to be secured and safe from unrestricted children to have access to it," said Convertino.
There is also no gun lock law in Georgia or any "red flag" laws that allow for the removal of guns from someone who is determined to be a risk for harming themselves or other people. Georgia's laws are among the least strict in the nation, according to a CBS News analysis.
"We've seen this 14-year-old shooter had made threats a year before. The father apparently said to the police that he bought the AR-style weapon for a Christmas present for his minor child," Kris Brown, president of gun control advocacy organization Brady, told CBS News' Natalie Brand, drawing a parallel to the Crumbley case.
Brown said Colin Gray's arrest and the convictions of James and Jennifer Crumbley send a message.
"If you have a firearm in the home, you better safely store that firearm, or you will have a risk if something happens of being criminally charged," she said.
Michigan's new gun safety laws went into effect in February, a little over two years after the Oxford High School shooting.
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MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. (WHNT) The Muscle Shoals Police Department said that a warrant for robbery led to an arrest of a Chattanooga man.
According to the Muscle Shoals Police Department (MSPD), officers and detectives responded to a robbery call at Little Caesars Pizza, located at 1409 Woodward Ave. in Muscle Shoals on August 20.
Upon further investigation, detectives were able to receive video evidence and determine Demarketh Larmont King, 35, of Chattanooga, Tennessee as a suspect in the robbery.
Muscle Shoals man among nine arrested in Tennessee human trafficking investigation
MSPD said that information regarding King and his vehicle were given to all MSPD officers on all shifts. Officers were also informed that King had an active warrant of arrest for a traffic violation out of Muscle Shoals.
Through information gathered by working with multiple agencies, detectives learned that King was leaving the area possibly planning a return to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Muscle Shoals Police began to work with other agencies to try to find King as all MSPD officers were on alert in case King returned to the Muscle Shoals area.
On Wednesday, September 4, a Muscle Shoals Police Department School Resource Officer recognized Kings vehicle in the Pick Up/Drop Off Line at Howell Graves Preschool.
MSPD said that the SRO quickly put the preschool on Code Yellow. The SRO then noticed that King was no longer inside the vehicle and saw him in front of the school.
In an attempt to prevent the robbery suspect from intruding on any other school property, King was taken into custody without incident.
According to MSPD, King was arrested on a warrant regarding the traffic violation. A warrant was also obtained for robbery-1st degree.
He was transported to the Muscle Shoals Police Department before being taken to the Colbert County Jail for where he is being held with no bond pending an Aniahs Law hearing.
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Cheektowaga man was arraigned Thursday and accused of causing a vehicle collision last month in West Seneca that killed a woman, the Erie County District Attorneys Office announced.
Alan P. Bulera, 48, was allegedly driving a Toyota RAV4 at a high rate of speed on the evening of Aug. 11 on Clinton Street when he crashed into the rear-end of a minivan at the Borden Road intersection, officials said.
Photo: Erie County District Attorneys Office
Both Bulera and the driver of the minivan, 76-year-old Irene Mair of West Seneca, were transported by ambulance to ECMC for treatment. Mair was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Bulera was charged with one count of first-degree manslaughter. He is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 4 and faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Prosecutors requested Bulera be remanded, but his bail was set at $350,000 cash or bond with the conditions that he is monitored with an electronic device, abstain from alcohol and illegal drugs and not drive a vehicle. Buleras drivers license was temporarily suspended, as well.
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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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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. Cherokee Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said Saturday his tribe will continue to provide car tags to its citizens, even if Gov. Kevin Stitt does not renew its state compact.
No matter what happens with our compact come January the first of 2025, we will continue issuing car tags and titles to Cherokee citizens, no matter what, Hoskin said during his State of the Nation address.
Stitt has pushed against the Cherokee Nations right to issue car tags for fear of losing money from state-issued tags. In his Saturday speech, Hoskin said the tribe will continue to print vehicle tags on its reservation and share tag revenue with the state next year, if the governor agrees to renew a fair compact.
So I ask Governor Stitt this, and I want you to help me, he said to the crowd of around 400 Cherokee citizens, as well as state and federal representatives. I ask Stitt to put aside his hostility to tribal sovereignty. I ask him to stop turning state-tribal relations into some sort of contest, and simply use common sense, and treat the Cherokee Nation with respect.
Newly crowned Junior Miss Cherokee Dayci Starr (right) and Miss Cherokee Ella Mounce greet the crowd Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at the annual Cherokee Nation Holiday in Tahlequah, Okla. (Felix Clary, ICT + Tulsa World)
Hoskin's speech took place during the three-day annual Cherokee Nation Holiday that opened Saturday morning. Hoskin addressed challenges and successes that the tribe has experienced throughout the year. The vehicle tag compact, he said, is the one of the greatest issues facing the nation currently.
The housing crisis is another issue the tribe faces, said Hoskin. In 2019, he and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner proposed the Housing, Jobs and Sustainable Communities Act, which he said is the largest housing investment in the tribe's history.
Hoskin said the tribe has completed 2,800 individual housing projects since the creation of the Cherokee housing legislation, which he compared to the federal Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act.
We built 363 new homes, including four housing additions, for people who have been waiting for years to be served, he said. Too many of our fellow Cherokees continue to struggle when it comes to housing. Weve got to be honest about it.
He also mentioned the housing research study that will be completed to survey the tribes citizens and their housing needs.
Hoskin said the tribes housing act expires in one year and the tribe must decide, as a government, "whether we need to return to the days of waiting on the United States to come to the rescue, to hand down whatever inadequate funds Congress happens to approve.
He said he plans to send to the tribal council not just a temporary housing act, but a permanent law that will put $40 million to the cause of housing every three years in perpetuity.
Thats $40 million on top of what the Housing and Urban Development Department provides under NAHASDA, and it will include our own business profits, Hoskin said.
Hoskin announced that he plans for the Cherokee Nation to take control of the Indian hospital in Claremore, Okla., which is currently run by Indian Health Services, by proposing legislation for ownership of the facility to the council.
The IHS budget is seven times less than it ought to be, he said. Quite simply, we have proven that when the Cherokee Nation operates our own health care system, we do it better.
He also announced that by 2026, the tribe plans to replace the Markoma center in Tahlequah with a new wellness center. Since 2019, Hoskin said the Cherokee Nation has expanded four health centers. The tribe is working on construction for a Carson Wellness Center in Stillwell, a $450 million hospital in Tahlequah, which will double inpatient capacity, and an $85 million health center in Salina.
He said it was the vision of his wife, January Hoskin, to build a $25 million drug treatment center near Tahlequah, which saw a ground-breaking in August.
The Cherokee Nation also recently broke ground on a new language immersion middle school, which he said means more immersion students, more translation work, and more leveraging high tech to make our language accessible, more master apprentice students, more jobs in the language and more care for our elder fluent speakers.
The Cherokee language is making a come-back, he said.
He reported that a record 6,700 Cherokee students received scholarships for higher education this year, and that this month, he plans to send the council the Sequoyah Schools Capital Plan, a $65 million investment to transform the campus into a 21st century education complex worthy of the faculty, administrators, staff and students.
He said this generation of Cherokee students are counting on the tribe to assure jobs for them after graduation. The nation currently employs 14,000 people worldwide.
But small businesses remain the biggest driver of this economy, he said. So Im excited to announce that we have reached a historic agreement with the U.S. Department of Treasury to support Cherokee entrepreneurs.
He said over the next seven years, the tribe will open a pool of $86 million in loan funds to support Cherokee start-up businesses.
This story is co-published by the Tulsa World and ICT, a news partnership that covers Indigenous communities in the Oklahoma area.
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CHESTER, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) The owner of a Chester County tactical supply business has pleaded guilty to multiple charges in a multi-million dollar scheme, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of South Carolina announced on Friday.
Lawrencium Martin, 47, of Chester, faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges including tax evasion and gun possession as a felon.
Court records stated that from 2019 through 2020, Martin operated a business called Lancaster Tactical Supply where at least 380 customers from across 43 states lodged complaints about products that they ordered and were never delivered.
The business generated $2,000,000 in revenue in 2020 while the investigation also stated that Martin failed to pay state or federal income taxes for several years.
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TEHRAN, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and his Serbian counterpart, Marko Djuric, on Friday called for expanding bilateral relations.
In a phone call, Djuric expressed his hope that friendly ties between the two countries would further develop during the new Iranian administration's term, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
He also praised Iran for its "valuable" support of Serbia's territorial integrity.
The Iranian foreign minister, for his part, said maintaining and strengthening friendly relations with Serbia and ensuring stability in the Balkans were among the foreign policy approaches of Iran's new administration.
He underscored Iran's position of supporting the territorial integrity of Serbia and principled opposition to border and geopolitical changes in different regions.
Araghchi highlighted the necessity of expanding relations between the two countries, especially in the economic and trade sectors.
The two sides also agreed to continue consultations between their countries at different levels.
SKOKIE, Ill. A Chicago man has been identified after his body was recovered in the North Shore Channel Thursday morning.
Authorities were called out to the channel, located under Dempster Street near McCormick Boulevard, at around 6:20 a.m. on the report of a man face down in the water.
A body, identified Friday as Roland Gross, 45, of Chicago, was recovered.
Death investigation launched after body found in North Shore Channel in Skokie
Illinois State Police said a death investigation is ongoing. A cause of death is not available at this time.
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Chicago priest asked to step aside from parish, school due to child molestation allegations
CHICAGO A Chicago priest has been asked to step aside from a Lincoln Park parish and school following allegations of child exploitation and molestation.
Father Martin Nyberg, 28, has been an associate pastor at St. Josaphat Parish and School, located in the 2200 block of North Southport, since July 1, according to the archdiocese.
Prior to that, he was a deacon at St. Paul of the Cross Church and School, located in the 300 block of South Washington Avenue in Park Ridge, from June 1, 2023 to May 17, 2024.
On Friday, a letter was sent home from Cardinal Blase Cupich to the two schools.
I write you with difficult news. The Archdiocese has been notified that the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has opened an investigation into allegations they termed child exploitation and child molestation during a public penance service against Father Martin Nyberg, archbishop Blase Cupich wrote in the letter.
He went on to say Nyberg strenuously denies the allegations and is cooperating after being asked to step aside from ministry.
According to a biography, Nyberg was born in Chicago and went to St. Ignatius.
The allegations against Nyberg have shocked the school and community.
This is a very sad situation thats going to be investigated. The Archdiocese has been on this since day one and so has the leadership from this school, including the pastor, Parent Brian Patton said. As soon as this allegation came forward, everybody reacted extremely fast.
Patton is the father of a pair of twins who have attended St. Josaphat Parish and School for nine years.
His children are both younger than those he says are victims of the alleged misconduct by Father Nyberg.
Theres nobody more angry about this situation than priests. I want to make sure thats very clear. One rogue priest and the Archdiocese and the Catholic Church have learned how to handle the situation, Patton added. Theyre doing all the right things. Its just one thing were very about and let the chips fall where they may. Its being investigated and Ive got nothing but empathy for the kids and the parents that are involved in this.
WGN News asked the archdiocese if the allegations took place at St. Paul of the Cross, St. Josaphat or both.
We have nothing beyond the letter. This case will be handled according to our policies, and we will inform you of the outcome, the archdiocese replied.
You kind of assume the worst and you hope for the best and I just feel bad for all the parents and the kids especially, Matt Reznik, who lives nearby, said.
Reznik is not involved with the parish but said it is a huge part of the community.
I mean its just unfortunate, especially a new priest, Reznik said.
WGN-TV reached out to the Chicago Police Department and Park Ridge Police Department to confirm whether their agencies are involved in the investigation.
A spokesperson for Park Ridge said their agency has not been informed of any allegations by DCFS or asked to investigate.
Police in Linn, Wisconsin confirmed Saturday morning that they are investigating the allegations against Nyberg.
We are in the very early stages of our investigation and no other information is available at this time, Jon Albrecht, Chief of Police for the Town of Linn Police Department said.
Resources for survivors of clergy sex abuse are available at SNAP Network. Anyone can report historical abuse to the archdiocese at 312-534-5205 and the DCFS Hotline is 800-252-2873.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
UPDATE: As of 9 p.m. Thursday, police have located Strogopeti.
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) Police are asking for the publics assistance in locating a missing woman, Judith Strogopeti, who was last seen Thursday afternoon.
According to Chicopee Police, Strogopeti was last spotted around 1:30 p.m. in the area of Cyman Drive.
Courtesy of Chicopee Police Department
Strogopeti, whose age has not been provided, was last seen wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, black pants with a white stripe, and white shoes.
Authorities are urging anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact the Chicopee Police Departments Detective Bureau at 413-594-1740. Police have not yet released further details regarding the circumstances of her disappearance, but they are continuing to investigate.
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.
Childrens of Alabama opening 3 new playrooms in partnership with Panda Restaurant Group
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Childrens of Alabama patients are getting a new care experience thanks to a commitment from a longtime partnership company.
The Panda Cares Center of Hope features three age-appropriate playroom spaces for patients and their families, providing comfort alongside their healthcare.
According to a news release, specially curated programs at the center will address each childs well-being including mental, physical and spiritual needs.
Cellphone bans in classrooms reduce distractions, but cause some parents safety concerns
We are proud to partner with Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals to bring the vision of the Panda Cares Center of Hope to life and are humbled to be part of the healing journey for the families and kids at these hospitals, Dr. Peggy Cherng, co-founder and co-CEO of Panda Restaurant Group, stated in a press release.
The Panda Restaurant Group is the parent company of Panda Express and other subsidiaries across the U.S.
Panda Care Centers of Hope have opened in Childrens Miracle Network hospitals nationwide through donations from Panda Express associates and guests. The agencies have partnered together since 2007.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
The News
The 2020s have seen enormous political shifts in Chile. A historic push to replace a constitution drafted during the Pinochet dictatorship saw some of the lefts greatest-ever victories in the country. These culminated with the election of Gabriel Boric, a progressive former student activist who rode a wave of momentum from the constitutional reform drive to become Chiles 37th president.
But since Boric took office in March of 2022, that momentum has reversed. The proposed constitution, written by a publicly-elected body with a markedly left-wing and anti-establishment character, was firmly rejected by voters in a referendum held later that year. By that time, political headwinds were already headed towards the right, with Boric approval sinking. The next election for a constitutional assembly, now to be guided by a council of experts, saw a shocking victory for the pro-Pinochet nationalists of the Republican Party.
In 2023, Chilean voters were called to vote in another constitutional referendum, with a choice between keeping the Pinochet-era constitution or ratifying a document heavily influenced by modern Pinochetists.
The public opted for the former, keeping their constitution in place. The entire constitutional push was set aside, and Boric, limited to one consecutive term in office, shifted focus to the remaining years of his presidency.
Now, Chiles presidential election is just a year away, and fortunes for the left have not improved. Borics approval ratings remain poor, and the upcoming campaign is set for a knock-down, drag-out battle within the right, with a slate of candidates each hoping to ride a tide of anger to national power.
The frontrunner so far is conservative Evelyn Matthei. Matthei, a former government minister who serves as mayor of the city of Providencia, has run for president twice, most notably in 2013 when she lost to Socialist Party candidate Michelle Bachelet, who had previously served as president. After failing to gain traction for her partys nomination in 2021, Matthei is now at the top of polls for 2025, and represents a center-right approach.
Also in the mix is last presidential elections runner-up, Jose Antonio Kast. The leader of Chiles Republicans, Kast is one of Chiles chief revisionists of the Pinochet era, described as an ultra-conservative in international media. Kast is significantly behind Matthei in polls, however.
Johannes Kaiser, a legislator and former Youtuber who left the Republicans earlier this year, has also declared his plans to run in 2025 with his newly-founded National Libertarian Party. Following his election to parliament, Kaiser outraged the country with unearthed comments made on Youtube that questioned womens right to vote. Polls that include Kaiser have given him up to 7 percent support.
Notable
Chile will hold municipal elections this October, which will provide an early forecast of political conditions in the country. As a relatively new political force, the Republicans will be looking to expand their influence in these contests.
The News
Beijing called for the US to lift all sanctions on Chinese goods as the trade war between the two countries continues.
The Chinese commerce ministrys demand came ahead of an expected White House announcement of hikes on levies on electric vehicles and other goods. The announcement has already been delayed twice, most recently after US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan visited Beijing to meet with high-ranking Chinese officials, including leader Xi Jinping, on the importance of managing the relationship between the superpowers, Reuters reported.
Tariffs imposed by the US and other countries are hurting the Chinese economy JPMorgan downgraded Chinese stocks in the face of geopolitical tensions ahead of Novembers US election.
SIGNALS
Chinas batteries may be hit harder by US tariffs than EVs
Source: Foreign Policy
The US is playing a long game with tariffs on China, by actually targeting batteries more than electric vehicles, a Foreign Policy columnist argued. Only 2% of all EVs sold in the US came from China in 2023, whereas China supplies about 70% of the lithium-ion batteries used by the US. The impact of tariffs on Chinas battery sector will likely be massive; its US sales could drop by around one third. Washington has committed significant funds through the Inflation Reduction Act to boost its domestic production of batteries, the columnist wrote, so the tariffs could be seen as preemptive measures to protect a nascent clean tech industry and make sure that there is domestic demand.
Tariffs could negatively affect the US, some say
Sources: The New York Times, S&P Global Intelligence
Economists critical of US tariffs on Chinese goods argue that they will not only raise product prices for American consumers, but could also slow down the economy, by forcing companies to purchase artificially expensive local goods instead of cheaper ones that could be coming from China, The New York Times reported. Another unwelcome consequence of the tariffs could be higher inflation, complicating the US Federal Reserves decisions to cut interest rates, analysts at S&P Global wrote in a report earlier this year.
Export restrictions on AI chips are creating the black market conditions
Source: The Financial Times
The trade war between the US and China has also involved sanctions, notably on exports of high-end AI chips produced by American tech giant Nvidia, among others. The curbs have hurt Chinese tech businesses, but a black market for the chips is proliferating, the Financial Times reported: Some small-scale cloud providers rent Nvidia servers to Chinese companies for just $6 an hour, cheaper than the equivalent service in the US. The price is an indication of plentiful supply of Nvidia chips and the circumvention of sanctions, the FT argued.
China has ended foreign adoptions of Chinese children, a move that could potentially impact hundreds of U.S. families.
The confirmation of China's change in policy was announced Thursday by the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"China will not send children abroad for adoption," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said in a Sept. 5 press conference. "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."
PHOTO: In this file photo, newly-naturalized Jillian, 4, originally from China, is held by her adoptive mother Eileen Kalerduring during a ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices in New York City, Nov. 18, 2010. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images/FILE)
The policy does allow exceptions for foreigners adopting stepchildren and children of relatives within three generations in China.
The State Department confirmed to ABC News it is aware of the change, which applies to all pending adoptions across all receiving countries, including the U.S.
The U.S. embassy in Beijing is also requesting clarification in writing from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs on the change, according to the State Department, which emphasized that intercountry adoption remains one of the department's highest priorities.
"We understand there are hundreds of families still pending completion of their adoptions and we sympathize with their situation," a State Department spokesperson said. "We strive to provide prospective adoptive parents (PAPs) and adoption service providers (ASPs) with accurate information. The Office of Childrens Issues will update adoption service providers when we have additional information."
"The State Department is engaging the MCA and different levels of government to understand the reasons behind this announcement, discuss the impact for children and prospective adoptive parents, and understand the specific terms of the PRC's suspension for adoption cases in progress," the spokesperson added.
Twins who didn't meet until age 10 are now both high school valedictorians
The move comes four years after China suspended foreign adoptions during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and then resumed a small number of cases in 2022 and 2023. Only 16 adoptions from China were finalized in 2023, according to a State Department report, down considerably from 2008-2016, when the State Department was reporting approximately 2,000 to 3,000 adoptions from China each year.
China, along with the U.S, is a member participant of the Hague Adoption Convention, which protects intercountry adoptions but China had only allowed adoptions from China to the U.S.
Ryan Hanlon, the president of the National Council For Adoption, an adoption advocacy nonprofit, said the ending of Chinese adoptions will impact "hundreds of families."
6 months since Roe ruling, how the adoption landscape has changed
"The news that China will be ending intercountry adoption is very disappointing, primarily for the children who will continue to live in orphanages instead of families, but also for the families who have been matched with a child for adoption and have waited years, only to learn this sad news," Hanlon said in a statement to "Good Morning America." "Hundreds of families had been approved by China's government for adoption and have faithfully waited more than four years, beginning with COVID-19 shutdowns until now."
"We hope the governments of China and the United States can find a way to cooperate in this regard and prioritize the best interests of children," Hanlon added.
China's population has been on the decline, falling for a second year in a row to about 1.4 billion, as the Associated Press reported in January. The Chinese government has been working to address concerns and in 2015, the ruling Chinese Community Party ended its controversial one-child family planning policy after 36 years.
China ending foreign adoptions, likely impacting 'hundreds of families' originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
(Bloomberg) -- China Harbour Engineering Co. agreed to build a 68-kilometer (42-mile) railway in Lagos, the Nigerian commercial hub known for traffic snarl-ups that leave commuters stranded for hours.
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Nigerias Ministry of Finance Inc., a state-owned fund manager, and the Chinese company will source the funding to design, finance, operate and maintain the line, the Lagos state government said Thursday in an emailed statement.
A memorandum of understanding on the so-called Green Line Rail Project was signed at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing this week. Chinese leader Xi Jinping unveiled a raft of economic sweeteners for Africa at the summit, including providing $50 billion of financial support and $10 billion in investment by Chinese companies.
The rail line will connect Marina in Lagoss central business district to the Lekki Free Zone on the outskirts of the city, where the Lagos Deep Sea Port and the 650,000 barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery are located.
This rail line is projected to carry over 500,000 passengers daily at launch, rising to over a million as demand grows, according to the statement. When completed, the new route will add to an existing so-called Blue Line that was commissioned in August 2023, and a Red Line that began operating this year.
Lagos, about the size of the US state of Rhode Island, is home to more than 20 million people and has one of the fastest-growing populations in Africa.
The states poor road and transport infrastructure means residents are forced to sit in traffic for hours, with commuters estimated to spend a total of 14.1 million hours a day in traffic every year, according to a 2021 report by Lagos-based Danne Institute for Research.
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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- Premier Li Qiang signaled that China will open up more to businesses in Africa, comments likely aimed at fending off worries about a record trade surplus with the continent.
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The Asian nation will expand unilateral opening up to the least developed countries and work with Africa to keep promoting mutual opening up, Li said Friday in Beijing at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. We need to further strengthen market connectivity.
He pledged to facilitate agricultural shipments and a greater amount of high-quality goods from Africa to China, and invited nations to make greater use of a supply-chain expo Beijing launched last year.
Lis brief speech appeared aimed at addressing worries about Chinas trade surplus with Africa climbing to a record $64 billion last year. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told Chinese leader Xi Jinping earlier that he wanted to see that figure shrink and address the structure of our trade.
Ramaphosa also called for more sustainable manufacturing and job-creating investments.
Other Africans suggested on the sidelines of the forum that the trade imbalance was a concern for them. Ambassador Akinremi Alade Bolaji, director of the Nigerian Foreign Ministrys trade department, said trade has to be deliberately adjusted. He added that he was encouraged by a pledge Xi made earlier to provide more market access.
Sourakhata Tirera, a Senegalese businessman based in the Chinese manufacturing hub of Yiwu, said that We dont want to live our life only for importing.
This is not good for our next generation, he said.
In his speech on Thursday, Xi unveiled a raft of economic sweeteners for Africa, showcasing Chinas commitment to strengthening its influence over a continent thats key to his geopolitical ambitions. That primarily involves offsetting what Beijing views as US hegemony of world affairs.
Xi vowed to provide $50 billion in financial support, including $10 billion in investment by Chinese companies. He also waived all tariffs for 33 low-income African economies and pledged to create 1 million jobs on the continent.
Li expanded on the job-creation theme in his remarks Friday at the forum, Beijings main vehicle for managing its relationships in Africa. Chinese companies in Africa should continue to localize their operations, create more local jobs, train more local talent, and further contribute to local peoples wellbeing, he said.
Chinas three-day charm offensive highlights Beijings strategy of positioning itself as the leader of the Global South, a term for the worlds developing nations.
(Updates with comments from people at the forum.)
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Satellite imagery and videos offer new evidence of a surge in the development of the stealthy flying-wing uncrewed combat air vehicles in China, especially with regard to the GJ-11 Sharp Sword.
Satellite imagery of a secretive Chinese aviation test base offers new evidence of a surge in the development of the GJ-11 Sharp Sword, a stealthy flying-wing uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV). Work on the GJ-11, which has already come with a growing eye toward future shipboard operations, swarming in cooperative groups, and teaming with crewed combat jets, reflects a broader expansion of testing of Chinese flying-wing UCAV designs. Chinas efforts in this realm have been further underscored by video clips that recently emerged online and stand in stark contrast to those of the U.S. military, which is not currently pursuing any similar designs, at least that we know of in the public domain.
The War Zone has obtained and otherwise reviewed satellite imagery from Planet Labs that shows a pair of GJ-11s have been very active in recent months at Malan Air Base, which is located in Chinas far-western Xinjiang province, in recent months. Sharp Swords have been spotted in the past at Malan, which has long been known to be a major hub for testing uncrewed platforms.
Two GJ-11s seen on the ramp at Malan on July 12, 2024. PHOTO 2024 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION
A pair of GJ-11s seen parked in front of a hangar at Malan on July 18, 2024. PHOTO 2024 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION
Having more than one GJ-11 available would allow for expanded real-world tests to demonstrate the ability of the drones to operate cooperatively, as well as alongside crewed platforms, and potentially do so with a high degree of autonomy. Multiple Sharp Swords would also just increase the overall available capacity for testing these UCAVs, which could also help with the exploration and refinement of future tactics, techniques, and procedures for employing them operationally.
Imagery showing the first flight of a Sharp Sword prototype with a substantially less stealthy design first emerged publicly in 2013. A mockup of a streamlined version with a completely overhauled rear aspect arrangement appeared at a parade in Beijing in 2019. Multiple images that appear to be of stealthier GJ-11s in flight have appeared online since then. What appears to be a new video clip of one of them in the air emerged online in the latter half of August.
https://twitter.com/Hurin92/status/1826642313441149344
https://twitter.com/RupprechtDeino/status/1826974515378671893
The GJ-11 is designed for strike missions, with the ability to carry munitions in a pair of internal bays, as well as perform ISR tasks. Sharp Swords have been depicted launching decoys and carrying out what appear to be electronic warfare attacks, as well.
The Sharp Sword has already been increasingly tied to Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) plans to team crewed J-20 stealth fighters with UCAVs. The War Zone has previously explored how the two-seat version of the J-20 that first emerged in 2021 could be especially well suited to the airborne drone controller role.
https://twitter.com/HenriKenhmann/status/1580279637506228224
Since 2019, a variant or derivative of the GJ-11 has also looked to be increasingly bound for future operations from PLA Navy (PLAN) carriers and big-deck amphibious assault ships.
https://twitter.com/louischeung_hk/status/1446158566633598983
Earlier this year, a pair of apparent GJ-11 mockups emerged at a test and/or training site on Changxing Island in Shanghai near where the first example of a new supersized amphibious warship commonly referred to as the Type 076 is under construction. The yard where that ship is being built also produced Chinas new aircraft carrier, the Fujian, the countrys first to feature a catapult-assisted takeoff but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) configuration. A Sharp Sword mockup has also been previously spotted at a full-size aircraft carrier deck test facility in Wuhan.
A pair of apparent GJ-11 mockups at a test and/or training site on Changxing Island in Shanghai in May 2024. Google Earth
A GJ-11 mock-up is seen at Chinas full-scale aircraft carrier test facility in Wuhan in this undated satellite image. Chinese Internet
The Sharp Sword is just one of a number of flying-wing designs that Chinese companies have been working on publicly in recent years. This comes amid the PLAs ever-growing uncrewed ambitions across all domains and other relevant developments, especially in crewed-uncrewed teaming and swarming technologies.
Another video that began circulating online on Monday most recently drew specific attention to Chinas broader stealthy flying wing UCAV developments. However, it is unclear where or when the clip was shot, and elements of the footage, seen below, raise questions about whether it is entirely new.
In 2022, a clip with a very similar runtime (separated in length by just around a second) showing a very similar, if not identical design also appeared online, again without clear details about its origins.
https://twitter.com/CRNICASMILITAR1/status/1581685675849814016
The new video is higher quality than the one from 2022 and shows the drone moving in the opposite direction, but there are some distinct similarities between the two clips, as seen below.
A comparison of screen captures from the video that emerged yesterday (at left) and the one that appeared online in 2022 (at right). Chinese Internet via YouTube/X
What the clip from 2022 or the one that more recently emerged shows remains unknown. The possibility has been raised that the clip that began making the rounds on Monday shows a design from the state-run Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) called the CS-5000T, which first appeared publicly at the biennial Zhuhai Airshow in 2022. The War Zone noted at the time that the example on display at Zhuhai that year had features that suggested it was not a mock-up and raised the question of whether it might be what was seen in the 2022 footage, which had emerged just weeks beforehand.
https://twitter.com/RupprechtDeino/status/1589897444003033089
Little is known about the CS-5000T, but [as far as I know], the CS-5000T is a demonstrator for an ISR UAV [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance uncrewed aerial vehicle] with a secondary strike role, Andreas Rupprecht, a longtime China aerospace observer and contributor to The War Zone, wrote on X. Other smaller designs in AVICs CS-series have been described as target drones for use in training, as well as for research and development and test and evaluation activities. However, as The War Zone has noted in the past, the CS-5000Ts is a substantially bigger and more capable-looking drone that seems unsuited to the flying target role.
Other drones with modified cranked kite planforms have also emerged in China over the years, including AVICs smaller CS-550T. Star Systems Star Shadow and the CH-7 from state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) were also raised the possibilities for what was seen in the video that emerged back in 2022.
https://twitter.com/savunmaisleri/status/1563448761203847168
A model of Star Systems Star Shadow stealthy drone. Chinese Internet
The CH-7 mock-up on the CASC stand at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2018. Chinese internet
There remains the potential that the 2022 clip and/or the newer one show a subscale demonstrator or some other kind of flying model, as well.
Still, the breadth of potential options underscores the difference between what is being observed in Chinas aviation sector and that of the United States when it comes to flying wing UCAVs. The U.S. military has no such drones in active development, at least that we know about, and public interest in designs of this kind has completely disappeared within Americas armed forces. This is all despite extensive work the U.S. military funded on stealthy flying wing UCAVs in the past and their absence has become particularly pronounced when it comes to U.S. Air Force future planning, as you can read more about in this past War Zone feature.
The U.S. Navy did conduct very thorough testing of a pair of carrier-capable X-47Bs, a design that also has modified cranked kite planform, during the 2010s. For a time, the X-47B looked set to be the precursor to a new fleet of stealthy pilotless strike and reconnaissance platforms for the Navys carrier air wings before that was supplanted by a plan to acquire drone tankers with secondary ISR capabilities, which led to Boeings MQ-25 Stingray. Talk of arming the MQ-25 has emerged, but when or if that might happen is unclear.
In terms of next-generation air combat drones, the Navy, as well as the U.S. Air Force are currently focusing their attention on lower-cost designs intended to work closely with crewed combat jets, at least initially, as part of their respective Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programs. CCAs are a completely different category of drone from flying wing UCAVs, which offer the potential to be very low-observable (stealthy) in their designs, as well as have much greater range and payload capacities.
There is the possibility that some level of U.S. stealthy UCAV work is continuing in the classified realm, but The War Zone has been highlighting the apparent growing trend in ceding this space to competitors like China for years now.
The new satellite imagery of GJ-11s at Malan, coupled with the other evidence of expanding Sharp Sword testing, as well as the recently emerged videos, now point to further expansion of Chinese work on flying wing UCAVs.
Contact the author: joe@twz.com
People carry the body of 13-year-old Bana Baker in Rafidia Governmental Hospital in the city of Nablus in the West Bank, on Sept. 7, 2024. The Palestinian girl was killed by Israeli gunfire on Friday in the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, Palestinian sources said. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
People carry the body of 13-year-old Bana Baker in Rafidia Governmental Hospital in the city of Nablus in the West Bank, on Sept. 7, 2024. The Palestinian girl was killed by Israeli gunfire on Friday in the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, Palestinian sources said. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
RAMALLAH, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian girl was killed by Israeli gunfire on Friday in the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, Palestinian sources said.
Medical sources told Xinhua that 13-year-old Bana Baker died from a gunshot wound to the chest during an attack by settlers on the village.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement that its teams treated a girl with critical chest injuries from live ammunition in Qaryut.
The injured girl was transported to Rafidia Governmental Hospital in Nablus, where doctors declared her dead from her injuries.
Her father told Xinhua that Baker was hit by Israeli army gunfire while she was in her room at home with her sisters.
Local sources reported that a number of settlers stormed the village on Friday, attacking residents, throwing stones, and setting fire to the land.
There was no Israeli comment on the incident yet.
The West Bank has been experiencing increasing tensions between Palestinians and Israelis since Oct. 7, 2023, when the Hamas-Israel conflict broke out.
Relatives mourn the death of 13-year-old Bana Baker in Rafidia Governmental Hospital in the city of Nablus in the West Bank, on Sept. 7, 2024. The Palestinian girl was killed by Israeli gunfire on Friday in the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, Palestinian sources said. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
People carry the body of 13-year-old Bana Baker at Rafidia Governmental Hospital in the city of Nablus in the West Bank, on Sept. 7, 2024. The Palestinian girl was killed by Israeli gunfire on Friday in the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, Palestinian sources said. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
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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.
Chutkan Will Let Jack Smith Make New Immunity Arguments, Possibly With New Evidence
WASHINGTON, DCU.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Thursday granted Special Prosecutor Jack Smiths request that the government present an opening brief to defend its superseding indictment under the Supreme Courts new presidential immunity regime.
In making the request, the government had also indicated that it had new evidence, not currently part of the indictment, to include. This schedule means that the evidence could become public knowledge before the election, if Chutkan doesnt put it under seal. The DOJs Thomas Windon had mentioned grand jury and interview transcripts as part of the new tranche of information.
The opening brief is due September 26, the date by which Windon had told Chutkan earlier on Thursday that the government could finish. He added that theyd begun work already, but needed to pull the exhibits together.
John Lauro, Donald Trumps lawyer, railed against the governments request, which he painted as a grave miscarriage of justice.
Its enormously prejudicial to President Trump, Lauro said, adding that he couldnt imagine a more unfair procedure.
Chutkan was unmoved, pointing out that it would benefit the defense to get an advance look at the prosecutions arguments.
Theres nothing inherently unfair in that, its just a matter of who goes first, she said.
Trumps team wants Chutkan to dismiss the entire indictment and claimed Thursday that Trumps pressuring of then-Vice President Mike Pence not to certify the election is a) protected, immune behavior and b) by its inclusion in the indictment, taints the unofficial, unprotected behavior as well, sinking the whole thing.
Chutkan, who sounded unimpressed by the dismiss it immediately arguments, set October deadlines for that argument, along with a series of others through the fall for Trumps additional, disparate attempts to get rid of the case.
One of those attempts rests on the right-wing contention that all special prosecutors including Smith are improperly appointed, mooting the whole case.
Is your argument that another district court in Florida, that plus dicta in a concurrence, those two things combine to warrant me going against binding D.C. Circuit precedent? Chutkan asked Lauro incredulously, adding that the she didnt find the Florida opinion Judge Aileen Cannons ruling to dismiss the Mar-a-Lago documents case under this argument very persuasive.
It was one of the most combative moments of the hearing, when Lauro responded that Justice Clarence Thomas, writing in concurrence on the immunity decision, directed us to raise this issue.
He directed you to do this? Chutkan asked quickly, causing Lauro to furiously backpedal.
As she indicated that she would, Chutkan is keeping Trumps many avenues to try to get the case nixed running more or less concurrently, thwarting Trumps attempts to take them in turns and delay the case.
We all know that whatever my decision on immunity is is going to be appealed, Chutkan said Thursday. There needs to be some forward motion in this case.
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)On Thursday, family, friends, and military colleagues gathered at the Citadel to celebrate Lowcountry native and Citadel alum Lieutenant General David Wilson for making history.
You know, its a little bit humbling and, especially, to be able to come back home to Charleston, South Carolina, where I grew up, attended school from Sanders Glide Elementary to Rivers Middle to Burke High School, to have people in the room from all across the city its pretty overwhelming, said Lt. General Wilson.
Wilsons wife and two daughters pinned three stars on his uniform to display his new United States Army Lieutenant General ranking. The Citadels president was also there, praising the prestigious achievement.
Only four people decided to make him a lieutenant general: the chief of staff at the army, the secretary of the military, the secretary of defense, and the president of the United States; some pretty senior people who decided, I might add, that David has all it takes, said General Glenn Walters, the president of the Citadel.
LT. General Wilson spoke to the cadets who wanted to follow in his footsteps, and his biggest advice was to be your best self and lead by example.
Your audio must match your video. I could say many things in front of my troops, but they wont follow me if my example is not what Im saying. So thats what I would tell the young cadet or the young Burke High junior ROTC student thinking about Enlisting in the US Army or going off to college, said Lt. General Wilson.
For more information about the army program, click the link below.
The Citadel Army ROTC
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HONOLULU (KHON2) The City and County of Honolulu is looking to get kupuna more engaged with clubs and big events.
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Research has shown that within five years of retirement, if the seniors dont get busy, dont get active, dont keep their mind working, theyll pass away. Our job is not to let that happen. We want them to be as busy as possible, said Steve Santiago, Honolulu Senior Coordinator.
A step in that direction is an Aloha Friday day out on the town with a seniors fun walk scheduled for Sept. 13.
Its a great event. Seniors going to get out, take a little stroll in the morning, get some shopping in and were going to entertain them with some questions to keep them focused as they walk around the mall.
Kupuna Caregiver: Exercising physical and mental health through hula
It begins at 10 a.m. at Pearlridge Center.
The whole family is invited.
They can do it with their friends. They can do it with family. Lets say you have a grandchild or a younger daughter or son, they can walk with mom, dad through the mall, enjoy the different things they see but also the information fair is open to everyone.
They can also enjoy a scavenger hunt.
The scavenger hunt will focus on different stores in the mall, just to get them walking a little bit more so it will keep their mind active and get a little bit of exercise at the same time, said Karen Castillo-Ben, Honolulu DPR Senior Specialist.
Then there will be an informational fair with booths and 30 vendors.
The City said it was to keep kupuna active with mind and body with clubs and large events.
Classes offered by the City include cooking, zumba, dancing.
More information will be in the downstairs lobby near Longs, at 10 a.m.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Columbus Parks and Recreation department is being sued by an Italian American after accusations that the city is demonstrating hostility toward its namesake.
The lawsuit is based on a single park, Christopher Columbus Square, renamed Warren Square after a petition from the Italian Village Society. Now, some Italian Americans say its part of an ongoing effort to erase his influence and say the name change violates the citys own rules.
John Cardi said he stands for Italian people and Christopher Columbus. Cardi said he absolutely recognizes Columbus was a flawed figure, but he feels Italian community members were disregarded in the renaming.
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The flaws Cardi recognized led the city to make the change in the first place, part of the citys efforts to distance itself from its namesake. The city cites the use of violence and slavery in 1492 and the introduction of diseases to the Americas as reasons to lean away from celebrating Columbus as a historical figure.
According to the Parks and Recreation Departments naming guidelines, a park can only be renamed if the person it is named for comes into disrepute in relation to the community at large.
Cardi argues Columbus does not fall into these restrictions. He said he is further frustrated because the city did not consult any local Italian organizations in the decision.
Members of the Columbus Italian Club agreed and said they felt silenced when city leaders canceled Columbus Day celebrations, removed the Santa Maria replica from the Scioto River, and removed the Columbus statue at City Hall. The statue was especially poignant for the club, who said they saw it as the citys most iconic tribute to Christopher Columbus.
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So I dont see that it would be at all possible or recommended that you could rename our city and Columbia University, the District of Columbia, Columbus, Georgia, James Sisto, the Columbus Italian Clubs attorney, said. I mean, the name Columbus, or Columbo, which was his Italian name, is all over the United States. Its all over the world. We just happen to be the largest city in the world, named after Christopher Columbus.
A city spokesperson said the city is committed to multi-cultural representation and said they received feedback from community members that Christopher Columbus legacy does not respect the citys values.
Sisto was part of an arts council group that spent three years discussing what to do with the Columbus statue, eventually concluding it should be displayed again. However, the city then got a grant to start the study again, and Sisto said Italian voices are being ignored.
For more information on the citys namesake debate, tune into The Spectrum this Sunday morning at 10 a.m. on NBC4.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Cladding boss blamed in Grenfell report says tragedy had nothing to do with him
The inquiry report found that Claude Wehrle knewfire performance tests proved the cladding was more likely to burn if it was folded into box shapes, as it was on Grenfell Tower - Toby Melville/Reuters
A boss of a cladding company that manufactured the flammable panels used on Grenfell Tower has claimed the tragedy had nothing to do with him.
Claude Wehrle, a former head of the technical sales support team at Arconic, was heavily criticised by the inquiry report into the 2017 west London disaster, in which 72 people died.
It said he had resorted to deliberate dishonesty to sell flammable Reynobond PE cladding and put the debatable requirements of French law above the interests of the survivors by refusing to give evidence to the inquiry in person.
Confronted in eastern France, where he works as a volunteer fireman, Mr Wehrle told the BBC he was not the one making decisions about cladding sales.
The report said Claude Wehrle had resorted to 'deliberate dishonesty' to sell flammable Reynobond PE cladding - Facebook
But the report found he knew that fire performance tests had proved the cladding was more likely to burn if it was folded into box shapes, as it was on Grenfell Tower. It said he then withheld the test results from a British body that issued product safety certificates used in the construction industry.
Mr Wehrle claimed it had not been his decision to do so, saying: There are people in that company who were better placed than me to make that kind of decision.
He said the deaths in the tower were a tragedy and more than a pity, adding: I feel the same way any other human being would, whether bearing no responsibility at all or not.
In 2010, Mr Wehrle sent an email to colleagues in which he said the Reynobond PE product would not meet European fire standards for tall buildings if folded into a box shape.
We have to keep [this] as very confidential, he wrote in the email. The same year, he wrote to a customer that the box shape would be safer.
Rogue result
The inquiry said this comment demonstrated his willingness to resort to deliberate dishonesty in order to support the sale of the product.
The aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding comprised a layer of highly combustible plastic called polyethylene, held between two thin aluminium skins.
The cladding could be fitted either as a riveted version, where it was bolted onto frames attached to walls, or in a cassette form, where the panels were bent and hung from hidden rails.
In 2004, a test found that the cassette version burned 10 times as quickly and seven times as hot as the riveted alternative. But Arconic described this as a rogue result, and the cassette panels remained on the market.
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In 2006, the British Board of Agrement, a certifying body, issued a certificate stating that the panels met the minimum standards for high-rise buildings.
Arconic had given the body successful test results for the riveted version and a fire-retardant alternative, the inquiry heard, but it did not disclose the previous failed test on the cassette form.
Claude Schmidt, the president of Arconics French arm, had previously told the inquiry that a failure to volunteer the information about the test results was a misleading half-truth, rather than a deliberate concealment.
Stephen Hockman KC, representing Arconic at the inquiry, said other companies had blamed it to create a very convenient way of avoiding their own responsibility.
The company had said ACM is safe as a building material if used correctly.
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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A report on Nevadas annual homeless count released on Thursday confirmed the valley is at a 10-year high with 7,906 people experiencing homelessness.
The point-in-time (PIT) count conducted each January found an increase of 1,340 people compared to January 2023 a 20.4% increase in a single year. The number has been going up since 2021, when 5,083 homeless people were found in the annual count. The homeless population has increased 56% over three years.
We are seeing more walkups of people, Merideth Spriggs, Chief Kindness Officer of Caridad said. Just desperate to get affordable housing.
In May, 8 News Now reported the preliminary results of the PIT count, which happens during the last 10 days of January. At the time, numbers had not been verified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The final count went down by 22.
(Courtesy, Clark County)
Clark County officials said the PIT count shows that efforts to shelter homeless individuals is making a difference. The number of people taking advantage of shelters went from 2,654 in 2023 to 3,704 this year, according to the county. Thats an increase of nearly 40%.
Clark County, local organizations unite to support unhoused population
A report on Nevadas annual homeless count released on Thursday confirmed the valley is at a 10-year high with 7,906 people experiencing homelessness. (KLAS)
The recent increase in the sheltered count is likely due in part to the expansion of shelter access for individuals experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness and a change in our counting methodology. Since the opening of non-congregate shelters in Clark County, more people can access safe and stable housing, which can help to break the cycle of homelessness, according to a county news release.
Heres what the PIT count tells us about people experiencing homelessness in Clark County:
About 42% are African American, 33% are white and 8% are multi-racial.
Females account for 63.6% of the homeless population, and 36.5% are male.
81% are single adults, and 19% are families with children.
22% are between the ages of 35 and 44, 18% are 45-54, 17% are 55-64, 16% are 25-34, 12% are under 18, 9% are over 64, and 6% are 18-24.
53% of Clark Countys homeless population is unsheltered. 47% are in shelters.
34% of those found through the PIT count were chronically homeless.
Veterans make up 6% of Clark Countys homeless population.
6% are unaccompanied youth.
Only about 8.9% (703) were identified as being involved with substance abuse.
About 11.4% (900) were experiencing mental health challenges.
About 3% (237) were identified as victims of domestic violence.
The county noted a significant rise in the number of sheltered individuals, with a 62% increase in non-congregate shelter beds and expanded access to emergency shelters.
A report on Nevadas annual homeless count released on Thursday confirmed the valley is at a 10-year high with 7,906 people experiencing homelessness. (KLAS)
This years Point-in-Time count shows that our efforts to expand shelter options are having a tangible impact, Deputy County Manager Abigail Frierson said. While the number of individuals living unsheltered remains high and we continue to work to secure permanent, stable housing, it is encouraging to see that we are steadily moving residents off the streets and into safer environments.
Clark County has initiated a range of programs to assist the homeless:
Rapid Rehousing 40 programs in the community to provide shelter and wraparound services.
Emergency and Non-congregate Shelters Services for the most vulnerable, including a $23 million outlay for six non-congregate shelters that provide short-term temporary housing to keep families together and assist single-member households in getting long-term housing.
Navigation Center An emergency housing and navigation center to assist homeless adults without children, using individualized case management to address root causes of homelessness.
Permanent Supportive Housing A community housing fund that has approved over $170 million for affordable housing for low-income residents.
The Southern Nevada Homelessness Continuum of Care coordinates the Point-in-Time count and serves as a central hub for collaboration between various organizations and local communities working to address homelessness.
For information regarding emergency shelter or housing assistance through the Nevada Homeless Alliance click HERE or for more information regarding coordinated entry for homeless individuals click HERE.
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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) At least one person has died following a head-on crash that occurred in Clarksville Thursday night.
The Clarksville Police Department said the crash took place just after 10 p.m. at the 41A Bypass near Riverwood Place.
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Authorities advised residents to avoid the area Thursday night as investigators worked as fast as possible to process the scene and clear the roadway for vehicle traffic.
On Friday, officials announced the crash resulted in the death of Matthew Bouslog. It remains unclear what led to the crash.
READ MORE | Latest headlines from Clarksville and Montgomery County
According to the Clarksville Police Department, an investigation into the collision remains ongoing.
No additional information was immediately released.
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Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.
This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.
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Editors Note: This missing person has been found.
CLEVELAND (WJW) The Cleveland Division of Police is asking for the publics help finding a man who investigators say is missing and endangered.
According to Cleveland police, 32-year-old Lee Frame was reported missing from the 10800 block of St. Mark Avenue.
Lee Frame missing
Frame is 56 and 190 pounds with Brown hair and green eyes.
Akron residents allowed to return home following evacuation for commercial fire
Investigators say he was last seen riding a black Harley Davidson motorcycle with Ohio license plate LTJ07 in North Olmsted.
According to police, Frame is reportedly in a crisis situation and considered endangered.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call 911 or the Cleveland Division of Police at 216-621-1234.
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A Clinton Township man is facing charges that he shot and killed his neighbor's dog, according to Macomb County authorities.
Andrae Jones, 43, was arraigned Sept. 3 on four charges, including third-degree killing/torturing an animal, a four-year felony, the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office stated in a release Thursday.
It said Jones shot and killed the dog, named Buddy, on Aug. 15 when it came close to his property line. The release didn't indicate where in the township the incident occurred. Messages were left Friday for spokespeople at the prosecutor's office and township police seeking additional details.
Jones also is charged with a felony firearms offense as well as careless discharge of a firearm and malicious destruction of property more than $200 but less than $1,000, both misdemeanors, according to the prosecutor's office release.
"Under Michigan law, intentionally killing a dog is a four-year felony. The consequences of the defendant's actions extend beyond just legal repercussions. The family is now grieving the loss of a beloved family member. We will ensure the defendant faces the consequences of his alleged actions," County Prosecutor Peter Lucido stated in the release.
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Jones pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in 41B District Court in Clinton Township, according to online court records.
No attorney was listed for him in the online court records. A request for a court-appointed attorney was filed, the records indicate, and he was represented by unidentified appointed counsel at arraignment.
A probable cause conference is set for Sept. 16.
Jones' bond was set at 10% of $20,000 with the magistrate ordering that if he posted bond, Jones was to have no contact with the dog's owners or possess any firearms or ammunition, per the prosecutor's office release and the court.
Jones was not listed Friday in a online search of county jail inmates.
Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan man charged with shooting, killing neighbor's dog
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with U.S. Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
BEIJING, Sep. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's top diplomat Wang Yi met with U.S. Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta here on Friday.
Wang, Chinese foreign minister and also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, noted that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the United States.
The 45 years of experience have revealed that China and the United States should be partners instead of being rivals, said Wang, adding that the two sides should enable each other's success instead of competing viciously.
China stands ready to work with the United States to follow the important common understandings reached by the two presidents in San Francisco, find a right way to get along with each other as two major countries, and strive for the sound, stable and sustainable development of bilateral relations, Wang said.
Noting that China is firmly committed to green, low-carbon and sustainable development, Wang pointed out that dialogue and cooperation on climate change is not only an integral part of bilateral relations, but also an important measure to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state.
He noted that the teams of both sides on climate response have maintained close communication and reached a series of practical cooperation outcomes this year. It is hoped that the U.S. side will maintain policy stability, earnestly respect China's concerns, avoid protectionism and overstretching the concept of security, and jointly address this global challenge with China.
Podesta stated that cooperation on addressing the climate change is an important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and it is a key component of the U.S.-China relationship and concerns the global multilateral cooperation process.
The collaboration between the United States and China will not only benefit the people of both countries but also bring more welfare to the world, he said.
The U.S. side is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China and engage in constructive cooperation, Podesta said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with U.S. Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy John Podesta in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
A woman was fatally shot in southeast Charlotte early Friday morning, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Her boyfriend has been charged with murder.
Just before 2 a.m. Friday, police responded to the 8100 block of Woodway Oak Circle. The scene was outside the Mission Matthews Place Apartments off east Independence Boulevard.
Court documents show the suspect, Charles Hodge Jr., 25, called 911 to report his girlfriend was shot in the neck and losing blood.
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At the scene, police found 23-year-old JeNyah Wright. She later died from her injuries, according to police.
Family members told Channel 9 that Wright was a mother to two children.
We are in the very preliminary stages of this investigation, so we are asking for any and all assistance from the community, said Maj. Gene Lim.
According to court documents, arriving officers found Hodge kneeling over Wrights body and applying pressure to her injury with a shirt. Officers noticed he was not wearing any shoes and his socks were soaked with blood.
Hodge went with detectives to be interviewed, the documents say. He told them he had been dating Wright for two months. He said she had gone out to a bar with friends and she called him asking for a ride home. He said he picked her up and took her to her apartment where they sat in the car and chatted.
Hodge said a man wearing all black and a black mask over his face approached the car. When Hodge opened his door to see what he wanted, he said the man asked for a lighter and then pulled out a gun and pointed it at him. He said they wrestled over the gun and the man shot twice into the car and ran away.
Hodge told detectives he called 911 at that point. He said while he was waiting for police to arrive, he was walking around looking for someone to help him. He said he never walked into a grassy area between buildings 8118 and 8114.
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Detectives said they found bloody footprints leading away from Wright and away from the car. They followed the footprints into the grassy area, where a K-9 found a Glock 40-caliber pistol with one round.
Investigators also said Wright was shot on both sides of her neck. One of the injuries indicated she was shot at close range, which contradicts what Hodge told them, the documents say.
Charles Hodge was charged on Friday with first-degree murder.
A woman was fatally shot in southeast Charlotte early Friday morning, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Her boyfriend, Charles Hodge, has been charged with murder.
Neighbors told Channel 9s Hunter Saenz what they remember about Wright.
She brought so much joy into peoples lives, said Pasquel Flores, who lives nearby.
Neighbors would often see Wrights two young boys playing outside. Now, theyre just thinking of them and their tragic loss.
I really love my mom and I could never imagine that, especially at a young age cause the kids have so much life ahead of them, Flores said. Whos going to be their guidance, their protector?
WATCH: Affidavit: Kidnapping suspect linked to murder cases in Charlotte, Kannapolis, and Texas
The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy rescued the passengers of a French-flagged vessel caught in bad weather off the coast of Honolulu, Hawaii, over the weekend, as well as a cat and tortoise that were along for the cruise.
Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received a distress signal at 12:33 p.m. from a sailboats emergency position indicating radio beacon Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The endangered passengers were 925 miles east of Honolulu.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu responded by dispatching an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point to coordinate a rescue.
The crew arrived to find a 47-foot sailboat broadcasting mayday calls from a 47-year-old woman who said she and her 7-year-old daughter were on board and in dire need of rescue.
Coast Guard rescues Barstool Sports Captain Dave Portnoy
The woman also said there was a dead man on board.
The rescue crew, unable to radio the woman back as her ship battled 20-mph winds and six-foot waves, requested help from the Navys U.S. 3rd Fleet and U.S. Pacific Fleet.
U.S. Pacific Fleets guided-missile destroyer William P. Lawrence, which is home-ported in Pearl Harbor, responded by heading towards to the distressed boat.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu also requested assistance from an automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue-registered gas tanker located 290 miles south of the sailboat.
A 7-year-old girl hugs a U.S. Navy sailor who helped rescue her from an adrift sailboat off the coast of Oahu. (Guillaume Maman/U.S. Coast Guard)
Automated mutual-assistance vessel rescue is a computer reporting system operated by the U.S. Coast Guard that provides information about a distressed vessel to ships nearby and allows them to help with search-and-rescue attempts.
The Singapore-flagged gas tanker Seri Emperor arrived Sunday at 5:20 p.m., but poor weather from approaching Hurricane Gilma prevented the rescue.
The Seri Emperor remained near the distressed vessel until the Lawrence arrived.
Expecting 25-foot waves within 12 hours, a small boat crew from the Lawrence worked quickly to rescue the two passengers and their pets.
The deceased passenger, who the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed was the sailboats captain, could not be rescued as a result of the worsening weather.
I am extremely proud of the crews professionalism in planning and executing the safe recovery of two persons at sea on a disabled vessel in worsening conditions, said Navy Cmdr. Bobby Wayland, commanding officer of the Lawrence.
The Lawrence docked at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
The Coast Guard and the Honorary Consul of France in Hawaii provided care to the two passengers once on shore.
While saddened by the loss of the sailing vessels master, I couldnt be prouder of the combined efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy who saved the lives of two other passengers, said Vice Adm. John Wade, commander of U.S. 3rd Fleet.
The sailboat remains adrift at sea.
HONOLULU (KHON2) Consolidated Theatres has partnered with Coca-Cola to introduce a new custom drink flavor called Consolidated Theatres Island Punch.
This exclusive beverage combines Fanta Cherry, Vanilla and Lime flavors and is available at the newly upgraded Coca-Cola Freestyle beverage fountains at Consolidated Theatres Ward Village and Olino locations.
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The new Coca-Cola Freestyle fountains allow guests to choose from over 200 drink combinations or create their own custom blends.
The upgraded kiosks at Ward Village and Olino are designed to enhance the movie-going experience by offering more options for refreshing beverages.
In addition to the new Island Punch, Coca-Cola is celebrating the upcoming release of Warner Bros. Pictures film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice with a special drink promotion.
The Summon What You Wanta campaign features a limited-time beverage called Haunted Spritz, available on the Freestyle fountains through Oct. 31.
Guests can enjoy this themed drink while watching the film in TITAN LUXE auditoriums, which include Dolby Atmos sound for an immersive experience. Tickets for early screenings of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice go on sale Sept. 5.
Kyler Kokubun, marketing and events manager for Consolidated Theatres, expressed enthusiasm about the new collaboration.
Were thrilled to offer our exclusive Island Punch and other exciting beverage options to enhance our guests movie experience, Kokubun said. Our partnership with Coca-Cola continues to bring new and enjoyable flavors to our theaters.
To celebrate the films release, Consolidated Theatres will also offer a special menu featuring creative food options inspired by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
For showtimes, tickets, and more information on the new beverages and movie menu, click here or check out their social media and mobile app. You can watch the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer in the video above.
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The movie, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine OHara and Jenna Ortega, is rated PG-13 and tells the story of a mischievous demon who causes chaos after a portal to the Afterlife is opened.
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The debris at the site where an airplane crashed with 61 people on board, in Vinhedo, Sao Paulo state, Brazil, early on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. Brazilian authorities are working to piece together what exactly caused the plane crash in Sao Paulo state the previous day, killing all 61 people aboard. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
SAO PAULO (AP) The pilots of a Brazilian passenger plane that crashed last month, killing all 62 people aboard, reported failure in the system to remove ice from the plane, according to a preliminary report made public Friday.
Investigators in Brazil were careful to avoid saying this was the cause of the accident, and stressed there was more work to be done. Still, their report lent further credence to aviation experts' main hypothesis: that the lift loss had been caused by ice formation on the plane's wings and failure of its de-icing system.
Weather reports from the day of the accident predicted ice formation in the region where the plane went down.
Audio from the cockpits voice recorder included comments from pilots indicating ice was accumulating and there was a failure in the de-icing system, Paulo Froes, an investigator in the the air forces center for the investigation and prevention of air accidents, told reporters in Brasilia.
Just two minutes before the crash, the copilot said, A lot of ice.
The planes data recorder also indicated that its de-icing system, responsible for preventing ice build-up on wings, turned on and off several times, according to their report.
There are still many doubts. This accident shouldnt have happened, not in the conditions in which the plane was flying and was being operated. It had protection equipment, said Carlos Henrique Baldin, head of the center's investigation division.
Operated by the airline Voepass, the flight departed Aug. 9 from the city of Cascavel, in Parana state, bound for Sao Paulos Guarulhos international airport. It crashed into the backyard of a home in a gated community in the city of Vinhedo, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of the metropolis of Sao Paulo.
Footage of the ATR 72 twin-engine turboprop plunging while in a flat spin horrified people across Brazil.
Based on the preliminary report, it isnt possible to conclusively affirm that ice on the wings caused the accident, but there are indications ice formation was a significant contributing factor, Henrique Hacklaender, the president of the national aviators union, told The Associated Press after the press conference.
Hacklaender said the ATR 72's de-icing system is manually controlled by pilots, and the preliminary report reveals that it was activated during the flight, indicating an attempt to use it. However, the report doesnt clarify if the system was actually employed, he added.
The air forces center, known as Cenipa, is continuing its investigation into the cause of the accident with no set deadline for conclusions. Theyre also collaborating with an ongoing Federal Police inquiry to determine if anyone is liable for the crash.
ATR is a French-Italian company. Its model 72 is generally used on shorter flights. The planes are built by a joint venture of Airbus in France and Italys Leonardo S.p.A. Crashes involving various models of the ATR 72 have resulted in 470 deaths going back to the 1990s, according to a database of the Aviation Safety Network.
It was the deadliest airline crash since January 2023, when 72 people died on board a Yeti Airlines plane in Nepal that stalled and crashed while making its landing approach. That plane also was an ATR 72, and the final report blamed pilot error.
An American Eagle ATR 72-200 crashed on Oct. 31, 1994, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause was ice buildup while the plane was circling in a holding pattern. The plane rolled at about 8,000 feet (2,500 meters) and dove into the ground, killing all 68 people on board. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued operating procedures for ATRs and similar planes telling pilots not to use the autopilot in icing conditions.
Coe College will once again keep costs close to Iowa's public universities for certain incoming Iowa students next fall through the Iowa Ready initiative. (Photo by Catherine Lane/Getty Images)
With the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) cycle scheduled for another late release this year, Coe College in Cedar Rapids has announced it will continue its efforts to keep costs for certain Iowa students level with the states public universities.
Coe College will cap out-of-pocket costs at $24,000 for incoming, in-state students who meet requirements, according to a news release. That is within 10% of the average cost of tuition, fees, housing and food for students attending a state university this fall. Students will see their costs reduced by additional scholarships and grants through the universitys Iowa Ready initiative.
The U.S. Department of Education announced in early August it will take a staggered approach to releasing the 2025-26 FAFSA. The department plans to open it to hundreds of students Oct. 1 and gradually release it for larger groups until Dec. 1, when it will be available for everyone. The department will partner with community organizations, high schools and universities throughout different stages of the testing process to identify any issues and rectify them before the forms full release.
Due to the 14% drop in Iowa FAFSA filers last year, we were hoping for a smooth FAFSA rollout this fall, said Coe College President David Hayes in the release. With news confirming the form wont be fully operational in a timely manner, we have decided to continue our support of Iowas students and families to assure they have the necessary information to support their college search.
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The college first implemented the Iowa Ready initiative in the spring as families and institutions experienced delays and glitches with the new FAFSA rollout, offering a state university price match of $21,060 through June 1. At the time of the announcement, FAFSA filing rates in Iowa were under the previous years by more than 30%.
In order to qualify for the program, students must be current Iowa residents enrolling in college for the first time in fall 2025, have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average, file the FAFSA, visit campus by March 1, 2025 and confirm enrollment by May 1, 2025. They must enroll for classes as a full-time student and keep their resident status and meal plan the entire school year, as well as the following years.
According to the release, the Iowa Ready initiative aims to provide families with economic certainty when looking at Coe College during their college search, as well as make the university more accessible and affordable for Iowa students.
We stand firm in our belief that an Iowa high school student should have every opportunity to pursue their higher education right here within their home state and Coe offers a wonderful opportunity to do just that, Hayes said in the release. We will continue to support our high school students.we remain Iowa Ready.
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Kansas City, Kansas police arrested a man Friday in connection with a 2016 cold case involving the rape of a 91-year-old woman.
Kyle Blake States, 26, of Kansas City, Kansas, is charged with rape in the cold case, police said in a news release Friday. States would have been 18 at the time of the alleged crime.
Cold Case detectives and U.S. Marshals attempted to serve the warrant for his arrest at his residence in the 5300 block of Custer Avenue shortly before 6 a.m. Friday. When they arrived, States barricaded himself in the home, police said in a news release.
Police believed States was armed, so they called the KCKPD Special Operations Unit to the scene. Around 9:15 a.m., States came out of his home and was taken into custody.
No other information about the case was immediately available Friday.
Police said the case is still under investigation by the KCKPD Cold Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case should contact the anonymous TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).
Colin Gray, the father of the suspect in a deadly school shooting that left four people dead in Georgia this week, was arrested in connection with the attack, state officials announced Thursday.
Gray, 54, faces a slate of charges including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon, Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said at a press conference.
Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, was arrested Wednesday after the shooting and charged with felony murder.
UPDATE #2 - September 5, 2024:
In coordination with District Attorney Brad Smith, the GBI has arrested Colin Gray, age 54, in connection to the shooting at Apalachee High School. Colin is Colt Grays father.
(1/3) GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) September 5, 2024
Two students and two teachers were killed at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday after a gunman opened fire. Nine others were injured two teachers and seven students although officials said Thursday all nine are expected to make a full recovery and some had been released from the hospital.
The shooter used an AR-15 style semiautomatic rifle, according to officials. Eviction records obtained by media show the suspects father owned a black AR-15 in 2022.
Several mediaoutlets reported Thursday Colin Gray told investigators he bought his son a gun as a holiday gift last December, although officials did not confirm that detail during a press conference.
Investigators have been looking into a motive behind the shooting.
The FBI said Wednesday law enforcement officials had investigated online threats made by an email account belonging to Colt Gray in May 2023 after receiving several tips. At the time, the younger Gray denied he had made them and claimed his account on the social media site Discord had been hacked.
A memorial of flowers and balloons in front of Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Jessica McGowan via Getty Images
At the time, Colin Gray told investigators there were hunting rifles in his house, but that his son did not have unfettered access to them, The New York Times reported.
Im going to be mad as hell if he did make threats, Colin Gray said in an interview in May 2023. Then all the guns will go away.
The investigation ended with no determination or arrest, the FBI said Wednesday.
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, an investigator wrote at the time.
Colt Gray will have his first court appearance on Friday. Officials said he is expected to be tried as an adult.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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(NewsNation) After Colin Gray, the father of Georgia high school shooting suspect Colt Gray, was charged in the death of four people at Apalachee High School, the issue of parental responsibility in connection with a fatal school shooting has again catapulted into the national spotlight.
Gray remains in jail after he was charged on Thursday with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder, and cruelty to children. Prosecutors have not provided details about Grays ties to his sons actions this week, but multiple media outlets reported on Thursday investigators have indicated Colin Gray purchased an AR-15 for his son for Christmas.
Neither Colon or Colt Gray have requested that bail be set,
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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said at a news conference on Thursday that the criminal charges Gray is facing stem from him knowingly allowing his son to possess a weapon.
The alleged purchase of the assault weapons by Colin Gray came months after he and his son met with the FBI about threats of school gun violence that Colt Gray allegedly made online.
During that meeting, Colin Gray told investigators that he had discussed the dangers of guns with his son as well as all the school shootings, the things that happen, The New York Times reported. He also said that he had been teaching his son about guns and hunting as a way of getting his son to spend less time playing video games, the report said.
He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them, Mr. Gray told the investigator during the meeting with the FBI, the New York Times reported.
The filing of criminal charges against Gray came in the same year as Jennifer and James Crumbley became the first parents in U.S. history to be convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with a deadly school shooting in Michigan.
Jennifer and James Crumbley
In separate trials, Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of convicted school shooter Ethan Crumbley, were each convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the 2021 fatal shooting of four Oxford High School students in Michigan.
Both received prison sentences of 10-15 years for their role in the slayings. Ethan Crumbley is serving a life sentence for murder and other crimes.
Judge Cheryl Matthews said the case wasnt about poor parenting but about the couple avoiding actions that could have halted an oncoming runaway train.
Opportunity knocked over and over again louder and louder and was ignored, the judge said at the sentencing hearing, according to the Associated Press. No one answered.
Prosecutors say Ethans parents were grossly negligent when she failed to tell Oxford High School officials that the family had guns, including a 9mm handgun that was used by their son at a shooting range just a few days earlier.
Besides knowledge of the gun, the Crumbleys are accused of ignoring their sons mental health needs. In a journal found by police in his backpack, the son wrote his parents wouldnt listen to his pleas for help.
Police respond to barricade situation inside gun shop in Virginia
Before their respective trials, the Crumbleys have been in jail for more than two years, unable to post $500,000 bond while awaiting trial.
James Crumley was convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in April, a month after his wife was found guilty of the same charge.
After the verdict was read, defense attorney Mariell Lehman said that her client obviously feels terrible about the 2021 shooting.
Prosecutors focused on two key themes at the trial: the parents response to a morbid drawing on Ethan Crumbleys math assignment a few hours before the shooting, and the teens access to a Sig Sauer 9 mm handgun purchased by James Crumbley only four days earlier.
However, James and Jennifer Crumbley declined to take their son home following a brief meeting at the school, and staff didnt demand it. A counselor, concerned about suicidal ideations, told them to seek help for the boy within 48 hours.
Jennifer Crumbley expressed deepest sorrow about the school shooting but blamed the school for not giving the parents more information about their son.
The prosecution has tried to mold us into the type of parents society wants to believe are so horrible only a school or mass shooter could be bred from, Jennifer Crumbley said, according to the AP. We were good parents. We were the average family.
Deja Taylor
Deja Taylor, the mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot his first grade teacher at a Virginia elementary school, was sentenced to two years in prison after she pleaded guilty to one felony count of child neglect.
Taylor was charged criminally after the teacher, Abigail Zwerner, was shot in the hand and chest after the student pulled a gun out of his backpack and fired.
The boys family said in a statement that the child had an acute disability and had previously been accompanied to school each day by his mother or father. The week of the shooting was the first time that a parent had not been in class with him, the statement said, according to the New York Times.
We will regret our absence on this day for the rest of our lives, the family statement said.
In sentencing the boys mother, the judge in the case said that Taylor had abdicated her responsibilities as a parent, which led to egregious results.
Taylors son told authorities he got his mothers 9mm handgun by climbing onto a drawer to reach the top of a dresser, where the firearm was in his moms purse. He concealed the weapon in his backpack and then his pocket before shooting Zwerner, in front of her first-grade class.
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Taylor initially told investigators she had secured her gun with a trigger lock, but investigators said they never found one.
Taylor was also sentenced to 21 months in prison after being convicted of federal felony charges, including unlawful use of a controlled substance while possessing a firearm and making a false statement while purchasing a gun.
Under the sentencing guidelines, Taylor is also prohibited from having unsupervised visits with her now-7-year-old son until he is 18.
In addition to Taylors connection to the shooting, the former assistant principal at the school faces charges connected to the shooting. Ebony Parker was charged with one count of felony child neglect.
A grand jury determined that Parker showed a reckless disregard for the students at Richneck Elementary School. Parker, along with other school officials, were already named in a $40 million lawsuit that was filed by Zwerner. The lawsuit alleges that Parker and others ignored multiple warnings that the 6-year-old boy had brought a gun to school and was in a violent mood.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
(Bloomberg) -- Colombias government reached an agreement with truckers to raise diesel prices by less than planned, bringing to an end a strike that virtually paralyzed the country as it entered its fifth day.
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After intense negotiations that extended through the night, the government and truckers agreed on a gradual increase of 800 pesos (about $0.20) this year, Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla said on Blu Radio radio on Friday. Thats less than the nearly 2,000 pesos announced by Gustavo Petros administration on Aug. 31.
The government will continue to negotiate with truckers to discuss additional increases next year, Bonilla said.
From this moment on the agreement is to end the protests today so that Colombians can return to normalcy, Transportation Minister Maria Constanza Garcia said in a press conference following the agreement.
Truckers have started to free up roads. Since Monday the blockades had led to warnings of food and fuel shortages nationwide.
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OTTAWA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Canada announced additional military assistance for Ukraine on Friday.
Canada will donate and transport 80,840 additional CRV-7 rocket motors and 1,300 warheads to Ukraine, Minister of National Defence Bill Blair said in a statement.
The additional rocket motors, which followed Canada's initial delivery of 2,160 CRV-7 rocket motors, are being prepared for shipment to Poland and will arrive in the coming months, said the statement.
Canada will also be donating 970 surplus C6 machine guns and 10,500 surplus 9mm pistols from its inventory.
In response to a specific request from Ukraine, Blair also announced that Canada will donate decommissioned chassis from 29 M113s and 64 Coyote LAVs which will be repurposed or used for spare parts by Ukraine.
Since 2022, Canada has committed 4.5 billion Canadian dollars (3.3 billion U.S. dollars) in military assistance to Ukraine.
Blair was at Ramstein Air Base in Germany to participate in the 24th Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, according to the statement.
BOGOTA (Reuters) -Colombia's government on Friday reached a deal with truckers to suspend a protest over a rise in diesel prices after road blockades threatened to cause food and fuel shortages in the biggest cities.
The deal came after the government backed down from its plan to increase the price of diesel by 1,904 pesos (45 cents) per gallon starting this month, instead agreeing to a rise of just 800 pesos in two equal increments during the rest of the year.
"After several days of dialogue, the government has signed a commitment with the transport bases to lift the strike," the transport ministry said in a post on X.
Protests began on Monday this week.
Previously, diesel prices had been held at an average 9,065 pesos ($2.16) per gallon for almost five years, amid government subsidies that Finance Minister Ricardo Bonilla said cost some 12 trillion pesos ($2.87 billion) per year.
Such high costs mean the price of diesel needs to be brought more in line with international prices, to free up resources for spending on social initiatives, according to the government.
The government and the truckers also reached agreements on another 14 points, the transport ministry said, which include suspending additional diesel price rises until "structural transformations" are made in the sector.
Citing the protests and a separate spate of attacks on two of its pipelines, Colombia's majority state-owned energy company Ecopetrol on Thursday said it had shut off one of its fields producing 45,000 barrels per day and would also halt operations at others.
(Reporting by Luis Jaime AcostaAdditional reporting and writing by Oliver GriffinEditing by Christina Fincher and Andrew Cawthorne)
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The Colombian woman who sued Tim Ballard among others for the defamatory portrayal of a character in the film Sound of Freedom, was convicted of child sexual exploitation crimes, according to Latin American news sources.
Kely Johana Suarez Moya was convicted of inciting prostitution and child procurement in connection to an incident that took place in 2014, Colombian news sources El Universal and Caracol Radio reported on Monday, Sept. 2.
The court found Moya guilty of procuring minors under the age of 14 for sexual activities at a party in the Isla Baru area in 2014. Fifty-four children and adolescents were rescued from the party that day, according to Caracol Radio.
RELATED STORY: Everything to know about the Tim Ballard controversies
The conviction came after years of legal battles involving Moyas alleged involvement in a child trafficking ring. She was first arrested following the 2014 Operation Underground Railroad (OUR) sting operation where Ballard and his associates planned the fake sex party to catch pedophiles and child traffickers.
She was released by habeas corpus 18 months later and was not convicted of any charges related to the 2014 incident until this week.
In February, she filed a lawsuit against Tim and Katherine Ballard, OUR, and Angel Studios, among others, over the portrayal of a Sound of Freedom character that she claims was openly based on her.
She claimed the film painted her as a monster who owned a modeling agency and trafficked children. Her lawsuit which was filed in Utah claimed she never owned a modeling agency and was mistaken for someone else during the OUR sting operation.
In the lawsuit, Moya claims she was at the party as one of the girls paid to have sex, not as an organizer of the party. Ballards spokesperson, however, previously pushed back on that statement, providing a video that allegedly shows her at one of the planning meetings.
Ballard commented on Moyas conviction, saying it proves the value of our work to protect innocent children and continues an unbroken string of failures in cases against me.
Moyas Utah attorneys, however, say the conviction is not due to her guilt, but rather due to Ballards use of donor money to procure a conviction. They say he had bragged about going to Colombia to ensure the conviction and therefore this only adds weight to her defamation case.
It should not be forgotten by the citizens of Utah that an innocent woman of color, entrapped in a cosplay raid, is facing up to twenty years in a Colombian prison, their statement read. Putting innocent women of color into prison in order to make his faux life appear legitimate is not the type of person we want as the face of our State and is not in alignment with Utah values.
The full statements from Tim Ballard and Moyas attorneys provided to ABC4 can be read below:
The same attorneys who have so far lost every case against me and my wife promoted the false claims of woman now convicted of child sex trafficking, likely dooming her civil case too. 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. Tim Ballard
Ballards bragging that he went down to Colombia with donor money to assure a conviction opens up his life even more for broader discovery in the defamation case in order to show what Ballard has done to procure a conviction. It should not be forgotten by the citizens of Utah that an innocent women of color, entrapped in a cosplay raid, is facing up to twenty years in a Colombian prison. It is also disturbing that Ballard was telling media last year that Kely was serving a twenty-year prison sentence, before her case had been reactivated. Putting innocent women of color into prison in order to make his faux life appear legitimate is not the type of person we want as the face of our State and is not in alignment with Utah values. We see once again that Tim Ballard is the closest thing to a mafia boss we have in Utah. He lies to mothers so he can sexually assault them. He uses donor money to have sex with escorts who charge more an hour than his team of lawyers. He continues to pay off government officials with donor money to cover his tracks. He compromised our Utah Attorney General to the point he cannot run for re-election in order to avoid investigation or prosecution. And he pandered to religious leaders who fell for his deceptions. And yet, he still cannot produce one kidnapped sex-slave child that he claims to have rescued . His books are no longer sold in Deseret Book. He has been excommunicated from the LDS Church. And he still does not deny that his semen was found on his undercover couples ruse partners skirt. Ballard is taking his victory lap at the expense of an innocent woman but at the end of the day he is still Tim Ballard. What a thing to be proud of?! Attorney Alan W. Mortensen
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Residents of an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, are speaking out after viral videos showing armed men entering one of the apartments have prompted anti-immigrant rhetoric, fearmongering and misinformation.
The videos were released by former residents at The Edge at Lowry Apartments and depicted several Spanish-speaking men with guns making their way up a set of stairs and into an apartment on Aug. 18.
Conservatives including former President Donald Trump began to spew unfounded claims that a Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua was running the complexand taking advantage of residents.
Residents sought to set the record straight during a press conference on Tuesday to dispel rumors that the entire complex was taken over by a migrant gang. Many took the opportunity and also drew attention to the unsanitary living conditions inside the apartment complex, including mice, piles of trash that hadnt been collected, faulty appliances, leaky pipes, and more, according to The Associated Press.
The only criminal here is the owner of the building, said a resident named Moises Didenot, who is from Venezuela, according to the AP. Didenot also displayed live mice on a trap that he had caught recently in his apartment.
I have been here for a year, and I have not received any kind of violence, another resident said at the press conference, according to CBS News.
Another resident, who did not reveal their name, said that the narrative of a takeover from Tren de Aragua has prompted people in the Aurora community to classify all the residents at the Lowry Apartments as criminals.
They are trying to put us all in one group, all in one bag, the resident said. They are trying to say that here there are delinquents, there are criminals. Here theres moms, theres families.
In a Fox News interview last week, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman blamed failed border policy for the alleged incident and baselessly claimed that the gang pushed out the property management and has taken over at least two apartment buildings.
Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky added fuel to the fire when she claimed in an interview with The National Desk that the residents complained about the men going through the complex, heavily armed.
They patrol the complex. They control who comes in, who goes out, they go from door to door. They have forced their way into many complexes. They have thrown people out, she added.
Interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris quickly dispelled the idea of a Tren de Aragua takeover after talking directly to the people who live there.
Weve been talking to the residents here and learning from them to find out what exactly is going on, and theres definitely a different picture, Morris said. Im not saying that theres not gang members that dont live in this community, but what were learning out here is that gang members have not taken over this complex.
AURORA POLICE CHIEF: But what were learning out here is that gang members have NOT taken over this complex. Interim Chief of Police for Aurora, CO: Heather Morris
Even the police department that is subjected to a consent decree for their racist practices against Black pic.twitter.com/V8CcOIpHXc Auontai M. Anderson (@AuontaiAnderson) September 4, 2024
The police department, in coordination with state and federal partners, previously created a special task force in August to address crimes around the city involving Tren de Aragua. In a statement addressing the concerns at the Lowry Apartments, police officials reiterated that their task force was already investigating the gang and their investigations have led them to believe that reports of Tren de Araguas influence are isolated.
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, the statement reads. Based on our initial investigative work, we believe reports of TdA influence in Aurora are isolated.
The string of events mirrors a similar situation in Chicago where claims that the Venezuelan gang had taken over an apartment building were dispelled.
The anti-immigrant rhetoric and misinformation about migrant crime that have followed the incidents are reflective of right-wing fearmongering perpetuated by the Trump campaign.
At the 2024 Republican National Convention in July, for example, speakers fibbed freely about immigrants and crime despite research that indicates that Americans are more likely to commit crimes on American soil than immigrants, and that crime rates generally appear to be dropping across the nation.
Every day Americans are dying murdered, assaulted, raped by illegal immigrants that the Democrats have released, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said at the RNC.
Former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro was one of many others to lean into the anti-immigrant rhetoric at the RNC.
Joe and Kamala, they threw out the woke blue carpet across the Rio Grande, opened our borders, to what? Murderers and rapists, Navarro said. Its murderers and rapists. Drug cartels. Human traffickers. Terrorists. Chinese spies. And a whole army of illiterate illegal aliens stealing the jobs of Black, brown and blue-collar Americans.
Former President Donald Trump, who is known for his harmful and violent verbiage surrounding the subject of immigration and a multitude of other topics, previously nodded to Adolf Hitler when talking about immigration, claiming that immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country.
He also addressed the Aurora conflict in an apparent fearmongering attempt.
You havent seen even the beginning of this migrant crime, he said about the video while campaigning for the presidency last week.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A man wanted in connection with a stabbing in Downtown, Columbus was arrested 500 miles northwest of the city Thursday evening.
According to the U.S. Marshals Office, Southern District of Ohio, Derrick Faison was safely arrested by the U.S. Marshals Task Force in Madison, Wisconsin after he fled central Ohio. Faison, charged with attempted murder, was wanted for stabbing a man on Aug. 17 in Downtown, Columbus.
Columbus officer who shot and killed man after five-mile chase will not be charged
Police responded to reports of a stabbing at 10:16 p.m. and found a man with a critical injury. He was taken to an area hospital and survived his injuries. At the time, police did not have any leads on suspects, but Faison was later charged in Franklin County Municipal Court.
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Faison became a wanted fugitive, and The Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team sent information to the task force in Madison, leading to Faisons arrest on Fish Hatchery Road.
An arraignment hearing will be scheduled once Faison is extradited back to Columbus.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
The United States Justice Department (DOJ) on Sept. 5 unsealed two indictments against Russian-born U.S. citizens, Dimitri and Anastasia Simes, a married couple charged with violating sanctions against Russia.
Dimitri Simes, once an adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump, works as a presenter for Channel One Russia, a state-run television station sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in May 2022.
The charges come amid a sweeping crackdown on Russian propagandists accused of attempting to interfere in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The first indictment alleges that both Dimitri and Anastasia Simes violated the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by providing services to and accepting over $1 million in payment from Channel One Russia, a sanctioned broadcaster.
The indictment includes a charge of money laundering, since the Simes' financial transactions attempted to conceal the proceeds of sanctions violations. The first indictment contains three separate charges of sanctions violations, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted.
The second indictment charges Anastasia Simes with providing art and antiques to sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexander Udodov.
A photograph of artwork stored in Anastasia and Dimtiri Simes residence, allegedly on behalf of sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexander Udodov. (U.S. Department of Justice)
Simes allegedly purchased the goods on Udodov's behalf from galleries in the U.S. and Europe, then stored the items at her residence in Huntly, Virginia. She eventually shipped them to Russia, collecting a service fee from Udodov in return.
The DOJ alleges that Simes carried out this scheme after Udodov was sanctioned in February 2023.
The second indictment against Anastasia Simes includes three charges, with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
"These defendants allegedly violated sanctions that were put in place in response to Russia's illegal aggression in Ukraine," said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves.
"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."
Dimitri Simes, a U.S. citizen who left the Soviet Union in 1973, has advised former U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon and Trump, and advocated for improved relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. His U.S. residence, shared with his wife Anastasia, was raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in August 2024.
Dimitri and Anastasia Simes are believed to currently live in Russia.
Read also: US sanctions Russian propagandists amid crackdown on election interference
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South Dakota Wildlife Federation Executive Director Dana Rogers argues in favor of a proposal before the state Game, Fish and Parks Commission on July 11, 2024, at Good Earth State Park near Sioux Falls. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
South Dakota Wildlife Federation Executive Director Dana Rogers argues in favor of a proposal before the state Game, Fish and Parks Commission on July 11, 2024, at Good Earth State Park near Sioux Falls. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission unanimously approved a recommendation Thursday to protect bobcat numbers by limiting trappers to one per year in the Black Hills.
If approved by the Legislatures Rules Review Committee, the new rules will apply during this year and next years seasons, and then will be reviewed. There was previously no limit on Black Hills bobcat trapping.
Estimates show the statewide bobcat population declined from 2,708 in 2017 to 1,322 in 2022. The number of bobcats in the Black Hills declined from 359 to 162 during the same period.
During the 2022-2023 season, 14 trappers in the Black Hills trapped 42 bobcats. Bobcat pelts sold for an average of $296.83 in early 2023, which is why some trappers pursue them.
Steve Cherkas of Edgemont testified against the proposal during Thursdays commission meeting in Rapid City. He said he traps 12 to 16 bobcats annually.
Quotas dont work, he said. People are going to harvest any little cat.
Cherkas is one of the few trappers in the Black Hills who trap more than one bobcat per season. A Department of Game, Fish and Parks official said five Black Hills trappers harvested multiple bobcats during the 2022-23 season, and six harvested multiple bobcats during the 2023-24 season.
For all intents and purposes, this main change is going to affect five to six individuals that harvested multiple cats, said Wildlife Program Administrator Andrew Norton.
Norton said if population data from the next couple of seasons show improvements, the department will consider relaxing the restrictions.
Turkey license change finalized
The commission also approved a proposal to limit nonresident spring turkey-hunting licenses in the Black Hills.
The commission previously endorsed an amended version of a South Dakota Wildlife Federation plan to cap nonresident licenses at 2,225. The existing, unlimited system awarded 3,170 of the licenses this year. Some residents have been complaining about losing opportunities to out-of-state hunters.
Multiple residents unsuccessfully argued in favor of lowering the nonresident cap even further to around 1,000, saying the currently proposed number does not do enough.
Both proposals final stop is the South Dakota Legislatures Rules Review Committee.
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Dont want it to be real: Community search underway for missing Providence nurse in Beaverton
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A community search is underway for a woman who disappeared from her Beaverton apartment Wednesday morning.
Melissa Marie Jubane, 32, was reported missing after she did not show up for work as a nurse at the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. Her co-workers, immediately concerned, contacted the Beaverton Police Department.
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Investigators describe Jubane as 52 and 120 pounds. Further details about this case have yet to be shared with the public, but officials said they have not found any leads.
After a police search through Wednesday was unsuccessful, community members announced plans to kick off a 7 a.m. search for Jubane on Friday.
You hear about it and you see about it all around different areas around the world about missing people and when its someone that you really care about and youre really close to, it just doesnt feel real, former co-worker Samantha Oregon said. Its like you dont want it to be real.
An additional search took place at 7:30 p.m., starting in the Beaverton Costco parking lot on 15901 SW Jenkins Rd near her apartment complex.
Between the two events, at least 100 people showed up to try and help.
Beaverton police reported they have allocated every free resource to the case, including using a blood hound to search the property.
Were just trying to find answers, for Melissa and her family. you know, trying to find anything that could help us as to her whereabouts, Oregon said. Whenever she see me little down, she would always bring me back up. So she was definitely like my rock. Whenever I had tough times.
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Jubanes brother, also a doctor in the region, is reportedly working closely with detectives. Meanwhile, the family has not yet spoken to the media.
Everyone has been saying she was a super sweet person, she has a good heart, always wanting to help people, Vianca Urias, another former co-worker, said. Everyone co-workers, friends a lot of people that came today, that shows a lot of her personality and what kind of person she was.
Jubanes friends said she was newly married by nearly two weeks and that her disappearance is out of character.
Its definitely not like her. And she has her, her dog. So I know that she wouldnt want to leave her dog for so long. So that was like her little baby, Oregon said. Its been very difficult for everyone that knew her and how great of person she is,
On Wednesday, a Providence Health spokesperson released the following statement regarding Jubanes disappearance:
All of us at Providence are holding Melissa Jubane, her family and friends and those who work with her closely in our hearts and in our prayers.
Melissa is an RN at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. When she did not arrive for her shift yesterday, Melissas coworkers were immediately concerned. With the support of the Providences security team, we asked police to check on Melissa. Police have now issued a public call for help in finding Melissa.
Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.
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The Complete List Of Past GOP Presidential Ticket Members Who Say They're Voting For Trump
Neither Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) nor former Vice President Dick Cheney plan to vote for Donald Trump. AP/Getty Images
WASHINGTON When Kamala Harris accepted her partys presidential nomination at the Democratic convention last month, several former presidents, vice presidents and nominees to these posts came together in a show of public support for her bid for the White House.
Barack Obama. Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). President Joe Biden, who even dropped his reelection bid to unify not just Democrats, but Americans.
And on Donald Trumps side? Which past Republican presidents, vice presidents and nominees are lining up behind him?
We didnt see any of them speak in support of him at the GOP convention in July, but surely theyre out there.
Here, presented for the first time, is an exhaustive list of the previous Republican presidents, vice presidents and nominees to these posts who have publicly said they will be voting for Trump in November:
1. Sarah Palin.
Thats it. Thats the whole list.
The 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee reaffirmed her support for Trump in March 2023.
Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said he is absolutely not voting for Trump. Neither is former Vice President Dick Cheney, former vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, or, presumably, former Vice President Dan Quayle, who helped prevent Trump from stealing the election in 2020. Trumps own former vice president, Mike Pence, whom Trump nearly got killed on Jan. 6, 2021, said it should come as no surprise that he will not endorse Trump.
Former Republican President George W. Bush has not said if hes voting for Trump, but in 2020 he reportedly said he would not support his reelection.
Bush didnt have a positive response to Trumps inaugural address in 2016, where Trump described the country as a dark wasteland of American carnage: That was some weird shit, Bush reportedly said.
Related...
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Questions are being raised over the Rochester City School Districts calendar for the 2024-2025 school year.
This year, the Lunar New Year falls on January 29, 2025 which is a Wednesday. The districts calendar on its website currently lists that as a day off for kids, but its scheduled as a Superintendents Conference Day.
Last year, Governor Hochul signed a bill that declared the Lunar New Year as a public school holiday. According to the New York State Department of Education, school districts are prohibited from holding sessions on that day they also cannot hold a superintendents conference day:
That law took effect on July 1, 2023, but the last Lunar New Year fell on a Saturday when students would already have the day off. 2025s holiday will be the first on a weekday since the law was passed.
News 8 has reached out to the Rochester City School District several times for a response and have not heard back.
According to Adam Urbanski, the president of Rochester Teachers Association, RCSD is unwilling to change the calendar.
The RCSD has a different interpretation of the law, he explained. They did offer to allow affected teachers to use a personal day for being absent on that day. I plan to address this with the Interim Superintendent Demario Strickland at the next opportunity (by middle of next week or sooner).
RCSDs 2024-2025 Calendar
2024-25-RCSD-At-A-Glance-School-Calendar-to-BOARD-APPROVAL-FINAL-062624Download
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CHICAGO A convicted serial killer dubbed the Hollywood ripper is appearing in court in Skokie on Friday after authorities long sought to bring him to trial in the 1993 slaying of 18-year-old Tricia Pacaccio.
Michael Gargiulo was questioned by police after the Glenview teen was found by her father stabbed to death on the front porch of her home on Aug. 14, 1993. But the case remained unsolved for years, as Gargiulo, originally from Glenview, relocated to California, where we was eventually tried and convicted for multiple murders, including that of a woman who was set to go on a date with actor Ashton Kutcher the night she was killed.
In 2011, Cook County prosecutors charged Gargiulo with murder in Pacaccios killing, though he was already being held in Los Angeles on other murder charges.
Now, Pacaccios family has a chance to see justice of their own, as Gargiulo will finally stand trial in her death.
After he was charged, her parents, Rick and Diane Pacaccio, thanked Cook County detectives who worked on the case but criticized prosecutors for failing to charge Gargiulo in 2003, after his DNA matched a sample found on their daughters fingernails.
We just cant understand why they didnt do anything sooner when they had the DNA, her mother told the Tribune at the time.
Then Cook County States Attorney Anita Alvarez had said the case against Gargiulo only reached the standard for charges after two witnesses came forward to say Gargiulo admitted to them that he killed Pacaccio. The DNA match linking Gargiulo to Pacaccio, she said, was critical to the case, but in the end it was no silver bullet, she said, according to Tribune archives.
On the night she was killed, Pacaccio had gone out with friends, driving around for a scavenger hunt. She never made it back inside her home.
The next morning, her father found her body at the door. She had been stabbed repeatedly.
Neighbors described hearing her fathers cries across the neighborhood that morning.
Pacaccio, described as a top-notch student, had finished high school and planned to attend Purdue University to study engineering.
Gargiulo, then 17, lived a block away and was considered a suspect, but prosecutors said there was not enough evidence to bring charges.
Detectives with the Cook County sheriffs office in 2003 obtained a DNA match to Gargiulo from material under Pacaccios fingernails, but Alvarez at the time said prosecutors needed more to file charges because Gargiulo had been in her home previously.
In 2008, Gargiulo was charged in Los Angeles with the 2001 stabbing death of Ashley Ellerin, 22, the girlfriend of Kutchers, as well as the death of another woman, Maria Bruno in 2005, and the attempted murder of a third, Michelle Murphy in 2008.
He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in those killings and sentenced to death. There is currently a moratorium on carrying out capital punishment in California.
____
ANKARA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The head of Turkiye's Intelligence Organization, Ibrahim Kalin, visited Tripoli, Libya, on Thursday amid the country's ongoing armed conflict and political instability, according to Turkish media reports.
During the visit, Kalin held talks with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, Libyan Presidential Council Vice Presidents Abdullah Al-Lafi and Musa al-Koni, and other high-ranking officials from the western-based government, the reports said on Friday.
In these talks, Kalin called for resolving Libya's internal conflict through conciliation and dialogue and expressed support for continued de-escalation, which he said is vital for Libya's future.
The two sides discussed bilateral ties and common interests, pledging to deepen strategic and security cooperation, the reports said.
They also addressed developments in the Gaza Strip and the wider Middle East region, emphasizing the need for joint action to protect civilians and prevent more severe humanitarian crises, the reports added.
Turkiye has been providing political and military support to the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, which is opposed by a rival administration in the east.
Oil-rich Libya has struggled with fragmentation since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with the country essentially divided between a UN-recognized western-based government in Tripoli, supported by the Libyan Presidential Council, and an eastern-based rival administration in Benghazi, led by self-styled Libyan National Army General Khalifa Haftar and backed by the House of Representatives.
Kalin's visit came about a week after the eastern-based government announced the closure of all oil fields and ports under its control, following a decision by the western-based government to replace the Central Bank governor, which was rejected by the eastern side.
Gov. Roy Cooper and Democratic legislators spoke out on Thursday against what they say will be a Republican attempt to expand the state's private school voucher program when the General Assembly returns to Raleigh next week. (Photo: Ahmed Jallow)
Gov. Roy Cooper and Democratic lawmakers said at a Thursday afternoon press conference that they expect Republican legislative leaders to revive their plans to expand the states controversial Opportunity Scholarships private school voucher program next week. The General Assembly returns to Raleigh on Monday to reconvene the legislative session thats effectively been in recess since late June.
While Republican leaders have yet to announce their plans for next week, Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue, D-Wake, revealed that he believes new funding for vouchers will be on the agenda. Ive not been officially informed or advised by the Senate Republican leadership of whats on the agenda come Monday, said Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue, D-Wake. But Ive heard from reliable sources that vouchers will be an important part of what we take on for two or three days next week. Neither the House nor the Senate calendars for Monday showed any scheduled business as of Thursday.
The program ran out of money earlier this year before 54,000 students could receive their vouchers. Last year, the General Assembly removed income caps, making all students eligible for vouchers regardless of income.
Despite efforts by Republican leaders to expand the program during the recent short session, negotiations collapsed due to disagreements over funding details.
If the expansion effort materializes, the governor and his fellow Democrats made clear they will be opposed. Cooper said the hundreds of millions of dollars Republicans are proposing to spend on private school vouchers could be better spent on public schools. Lets use this money for public schools instead, Cooper said. When you get wealthy people yet another tax break for these vouchers, it is extremely difficult to get a future legislature to ever take it away. That means $4 billion less for our public schools over the next decade.
Democrats highlighted disparities in voucher distribution, noting that more funds are flowing into Wake and Mecklenburg counties than into the bottom 70% of North Carolinas counties combined. This isnt about providing opportunity, said Senator Michael Garrett, D-Guilford. It is about deepening the divide between urban and rural areas and the haves and the have-nots.
Garrett also criticized the programs lack of accountability. This program isnt just inequitable, its unaccountable. These private schools receiving voucher funds are not required to meet the same standards as our public schools, and yet, we are sending them millions of dollars in public moneyyour tax dollars. said Garrett.
Democrats presented data showing that nearly half of all voucher schools in North Carolina are located in just 10 counties, leaving rural students behind. They also noted that almost 30% of counties have one or fewer voucher schools, and nearly 75% of the states 666 voucher schools are religious institutions.
The bottom line is this: Republicans have rigged the system to benefit the wealthy, while our most vulnerable students are left to fend for themselves, said House Democratic Leader Robert T. Reives II, D-Chatham and Randolph Counties.
FILE - Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens speaks to members of the media following a session of the Ohio House of Representatives in the Ohio Statehouse House Chamber on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) An appeals court has returned control of Ohio House Republicans' campaign purse strings to Speaker Jason Stephens, but the Thursday ruling appeared to do virtually nothing to resolve a yearlong intraparty dispute.
On X, Stephens tried to strike a unifying tone after a three-judge panel of the 10th District Court of Appeals ruled unanimously to vacate a lower court order that had put a rival GOP faction in charge of the caucus campaign fund, known as the Ohio House Republican Alliance.
Now that there is certainty, as Republicans, it is time to come together," he wrote, pledging to help elect Republican candidates from presidential nominee Donald Trump on down the ballot and to defeat a redistricting ballot issue.
Republican Rep. Rodney Creech, a Stephens adversary, posted back that he was happy to see Stephens finally supporting the House majority. This is the first time you have since you stole the gavel 20 months ago.
In January 2023, Stephens surprised the GOP-supermajority chamber by winning the speakership with support from a minority of the Republican caucus but all 32 House Democrats.
Republicans who supported speaker-apparent Rep. Derek Merrin representing a caucus majority rebelled in a host of ways. They tried to elevate Merrin as speaker anyway, to form a third caucus of their own, and then to take control of the campaign cash.
The rival group later acted independently to elect Rep. Phil Plummer to head the fund after Merrin launched a congressional bid, a decision never recognized by Stephens.
As significant lawmaking has languished during the feud, the group has continually argued that they represent most of the House majority caucus and should rule.
When Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Mark Serrott issued his preliminary injunction in June, he sided with that argument, saying majorities rule in a democracy and, therefore, when Ohio law says the caucus controls the fund, it means the group representing the most caucus members.
The appellate court disagreed.
The judges found that position lacked any perceptible statutory permission. They also said it isn't the judiciary's place to get involved in the political inner workings of another branch of government.
Courts are not hall monitors duty-bound to intervene in every political squabble, Judge David J. Leland, a former state representative and state Democratic chairman, wrote. The other two judges concurred.
They declined to resolve the central question in the dispute: what the statute means by caucus.
All the statute tells us is the caucus must be in control of its LCF (legislative caucus fund) but that advances the analysis only so far, the opinion said. Both appellants and appellees are members of the House Republican caucus, both with competing claims to lead the caucus.
In a statement, Plummer rejected the court's position. He said he has been operating the alliance pursuant to a clear statute and that the decision will have no practical effect.
Plummer said he has retained four full-time staffers and campaign managers in every targeted race and that work will continue.
Plummer is an ally of the president of the Ohio Senate, Republican Matt Huffman, who is term-limited and running unopposed for a House seat this fall. Huffman is expected to challenge Stephens for the speakership in January.
This spring, they successfully picked off several Stephens allies in Republican primaries though came one vote shy of being able to oust him.
With COVID aid ending, how will RI school districts adapt?
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Since the height of the pandemic, school districts across Rhode Island have been receiving waves of federal funding to address learning loss and other issues.
But with those payments set to end this month, superintendents are having to decide how to return to their pre-pandemic budgets in a post-pandemic world.
In the above video, Target 12 Investigator Kate Wilkinson sits down with school officials to find out whats being done in the states biggest districts.
RELATED: State votes to continue Providence schools takeover through 2027
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Roberta law enforcement planned to have an increased presence at Crawford County Middle High School on Friday after investigating a school shooting rumor that circulated online.
The threat mentioned that a possible shooting would occur at the school on Friday. School administrators and local law enforcement said the threat originated out of state and wasnt believed to be credible, according to a Facebook post.
We cant find anything credible about this threat, but were not going to write it off. Were going to take it seriously, Roberta Police Department Chief Ty Matthews said over the phone.
Matthews said the rumor was found on a fraudulent web address that was similar to the school districts actual webpage.
Crawford County Schools Superintendent Anthony Aikens said he was notified of the threat from a parent, who received the information from her son in North Georgia.
This same information has been circulated to multiple school districts across the state, Aikens said in an email. It has been my experience that this type of threat has happened in the past following school shootings.
The rumor follows a nation-wide panic over campus safety after a 14-year-old Barrow County student was arrested for allegedly opening fire at the Apalachee High School, killing two teachers and two students.
Matthews said local authorities were already taking extra steps to provide more security at the school on Thursday following the school shooting.
Parents are on edge about this, and rightfully so, he said. But we will be there Friday morning and all throughout the day to ease parents nerves and make sure the faculty, staff and students can do what theyre there to do.
Despite the assured protection, numerous Crawford County parents online expressed anxiety about their childrens safety and contemplated keeping them at home, citing that this isnt the first time the school has had school shooting threats.
Monroe County
The Monroe County Sheriffs Office and Forsyth Police Department were also taking extra measures after being made aware of threatening comments on social media that could be considered terroristic threats, according to a Facebook post Thursday night.
Authorities identified Chris Cooper, 26, as the suspect on Friday morning, according to a press release. He was charged with dissemination of information relating to terroristic acts and served with a temporary protective order.
Authorities said the disturbing threats of violence were toward the Monroe County School District, prompting heavy police presence at all five schools in the area on Friday.
Cooper was being held without bond at the Monroe County Jail Friday.
We are actively investigating this matter and taking these comments seriously. If you have any information on this matter, we ask you to please contact the Monroe County Sheriffs Office at 478-994-7010 or the Investigations Division at 478-994-7043, the post reads.
FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) Norwood Park officially broke ground in Fairmont on Thursday, a project that Planning and Development Director Shae Strait believes will be the first of its kind in West Virginia.
The park will be located next door to Victory Baptist Church and will be universally accessible, including a parking lot that will be able to accommodate larger vehicles, according to Strait.
Strait said that the playground will be tiered and will have elementary-level play equipment and a natural play area in the front, a more intermediate play area in the middle and an advanced area in the back which will include equipment like zip lines and swings.
So theres active places with equipment thats adapted for individuals with all kinds of abilities and disabilities, District 6 Councilmember Gia Deasy said. But then theres also areas that are more quiet, where you can kind of pull yourself back together if youre overexcited, overstimulated, whatever. So that balance is beautiful.
The Canteen returns to Clarksburg
Strait added that there will also be features that are sound or texture-oriented for childrens different needs, as well as a quiet space in the very back of the park. Deasy described the project as an opportunity for all our children to play together, thats the biggest deal.
Deasy told 12 News that she was previously the Director of Special Education in Marion County for over 25 years. So inclusion is always a big deal for us, but to have an inclusive opportunity to play, not just in the classroom but to have fun, thats the biggest piece of this park for our town.
The park will amount to a total of 1.2 acres, thanks to a land donation from Novelis Aluminum which Strait said has helped more than double the current area of the park. According to Strait, EPA assessment money, TIF money, general fund dollars, American Rescue Plan funding as well as donations from Fairmont Federal Credit Union and Novelis helped to fund this project.
A project like this becomes a reality because people get involved, because they get engaged and they care, said Strait. This all started with one idea at one meeting, and somebody just said what if we did a [universally accessible] park and it transformed into a $2.5 million project.
According to Deasy, its not uncommon for a park to cost that much, and said that the price is the investment needed in order to have the kind of inclusive park that everyone can enjoy. She added that the best part about the park is that all of the equipment will be side-by-side so that all types of children are able to play together.
So equipment for the typical developing child right alongside the child that might need an adaptation, thats the best feature I think of the playground, she added. So it is truly for everyone. Whether youre a grandparent bringing a typical child out, or a busy parents with children that are both typical and atypical. This park will be inclusive for all generations and for all types of developmental levels.
The park is expected to be officially completed by July 2025.
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When Roy Richards spotted workers cutting down and shredding Joshua trees for a sprawling solar energy project near his Mojave Desert home last week, he started taking photos.
Once the trees go through the shredders, they vanish, he said, showing a reporter an image of a small pile of brown dust left by the crews.
The developer of the Aratina Solar Center has government approval to fell all of the thousands of trees on the site. The solar energy farm won a controversial exemption from rules protecting Joshua trees four years ago after closed-door meetings between industry executives and state wildlife officials.
On Saturday, residents of nearby Boron and Desert Lake, as well as other opponents of the project, will rally to demand a halt to the project.
A 2020 survey counted 4,700 trees on the project site. Since then, however, the size of the project has been reduced.
Hundreds of Joshua trees appeared to have been destroyed in the last week, but on some portions of the site the trees still stand, residents said. Neither the company nor government agencies would say how many trees have been cut down. Avantus, the developer, said fewer trees will be destroyed than the government approved.
Heavy equipment has not yet started leveling the land where the trees were felled to prepare for the solar panel installation.
Residents fear the earth-moving work will increase the threat of valley fever a fungal respiratory infection that is transmitted in dust. A local group found the fungus that causes valley fever in samples of topsoil from the five parcels surrounding the towns where the solar panels will be built.
I dont want another town to go through this, Richards said.
Executives at Avantus say the company is following development rules set by the state and Kern County as they construct the 2,300-acre project, which is planned to produce 530 megawatts of renewable energy. They said they would keep the dust down by minimizing the grading of the land.
Aratina will produce clean, affordable, and reliable energy for hundreds of thousands of Californians, contributing to Californias renewable energy goals, the company said in a statement. And as a changing climate forces Californians to endure more frequent and intense heat waves like the one were experiencing right now, projects like Aratina will help stabilize the grid and keep the lights on.
Boron, where the poverty rate is twice the state average, will not get access to that green energy. Instead it will be sent hundreds of miles away to wealthier Central Coast and Silicon Valley communities, according to contracts signed earlier by the company.
A Joshua tree believed to be 150 to 200 years old rises from the desert near Boron. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
The controversy over the Mojave Desert project is an example of the many trade-offs being made as California pushes for a rapid transition from planet-warming fossil fuels to renewable energy. Solar and wind fields are expected to help mitigate climate change which is one of several factors pushing Joshua trees toward extinction but they are also tearing up undeveloped land, harming threatened plants and wildlife and causing concern in rural communities.
We need sustainable energy solutions that do not come at the cost of irreplaceable natural treasures, says a petition that is trying to stop the project. The petition has been signed by more than 51,000 people.
Joshua trees create habitat for other species, and Avantus has had to work to relocate the wildlife that lives there.
The company said that biologists will be onsite throughout construction to ensure rules set by state wildlife officials are followed. Workers have been trained to notify a supervisor whenever they see wildlife.
The site is habitat for desert tortoises and Mohave ground squirrels, which are both listed as threatened under the states Endangered Species Act.
Avantus said that so far they have found one Mohave ground squirrel and no tortoises.
In all, 44 animal species have been found on the project site. One of those is the desert kit fox, a cat-sized canine with long delicate ears and fur on the soles of its feet to protect them from the hot sand of the Mojave.
In a 2020 survey of the site, biologists found more than 150 dens used by desert kit foxes.
According to the Center for Biological Diversity, kit fox dens are being increasingly destroyed by large-scale industrial energy development. Even smart, climate-saving clean-energy development like solar projects are often badly sited and destroy important kit fox habitat, the center says .
Kern County documents say that Avantus must passively relocate the kit foxes by blocking their dens with soil, sticks and debris. The dens are then destroyed to prevent the kit foxes from using them again as the panels are erected, according to the documents.
Avantus explained in a statement to The Times that the tactics encouraged the kit foxes to move only temporarily from the construction site. The company said the perimeter fence has an opening at the bottom so wildlife can return after construction.
Solar panels can provide shade and predator protection, and we have found that kit foxes and other wildlife sometimes do migrate back to an area after construction is complete, the company said.
Fence posts are installed around the Aratina Solar Center recently. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
The Aratina project was one of 15 solar projects that Gov. Gavin Newsoms Fish and Game Commission voted to exempt from rules protecting Joshua trees in September 2020 using a controversial "emergency" regulation. At that time, solar executives argued that the 15 projects had already been through extensive environmental reviews and were so close to construction they were shovel ready.
Executives representing the 15 projects told the state repeatedly they were ready to construct and that it would be unfair to make them follow new planned Joshua tree restrictions.
In reality, executives working on Aratina had just begun the review process of the project at the Kern County planning board, according to documents. Construction did not begin until this summer nearly four years after the county Board of Supervisors voted to approve the project.
Clearly they were not shovel ready, said Casey Kiernan, a photographer who lives in the town of Joshua Tree. Kiernan created the petition seeking to stop construction.
A stand of Joshua Trees form a unique silhouette against the colors of sunset in Joshua Tree National Park in April 2019. (Mark Boster / For the Times)
Melanie Richardson, a nurse whose sons attend schools in Boron, said it was hard to even watch as the crews began cutting down the trees.
She was part of a team that found the fungus that causes valley fever in soil samples taken across the site.
Richardson said she has been working on signs for Saturdays rally, including one that says, Why is solar more important than health.
Nobody wants this to happen, she said.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Crime Reports: Suspect accused of bashing victims head with blunt object in Abilene
Editors Note: The following arrest and incident reports were supplied by the Abilene Police Department. All information below comes from reports made by responding officers, and all suspects are considered not guilty unless determined otherwise in a court of law.
Incidents
900 block of N Mockingbird Lane Theft of Motor Vehicle
An unknown suspect cut a chain fence at a north Abilene business and stole 2 ATVs.
3400 block of E Hwy 80 Burglary of Vehicle
An unknown suspect cut a fence to a business lot and broke into multiple work vehicles.
600 block of N Jefferson Drive Assault Family Violence
A report for assault was made against a 72-year-old victim.
1900 block of Sayles Boulevard Assault
Police took a report in reference to assault and theft.
300 block of Burger Street Theft of Property
A trailer was reported stolen.
900 block of Burger Street Theft of Property
A trailer was reported stolen in north Abilene.
2700 block of S 7th Street Theft of Property
A victim reported cash, tuna, and more were stolen after the victim helped two known suspects.
4800 block of State Street Theft of Property
A check was reported stolen.
3600 block of Cedar Run Road Criminal Trespass
Officers responded to a criminal trespass in progresss at a south Abilene hotel.
1200 block of Plum Street Criminal Mischief
A criminal mischief report was taken in north Abilene.
1400 block of Sayles Boulevard Theft of Property
A license plate was reported stolen in south Abilene.
1100 block of Plum Street Aggravated Assault Deadly Weapon
A victim reported she was threatened with two handguns by known suspects.
1200 block of Buccaneer Drive Burglary of Habitation
A victim reported a known suspect gained entry into her home without permission and stole items from her property.
6200 block of Hwy 83/84 Criminal Trespass
1000 block of Chestnut Street Aggravated Assault Deadly Weapon
A suspect had visible head injuries after being struck with a blunt object. A suspect was later located and arrested.
1600 block of Hwy 351 Assault
A report was taken for assault.
1500 block of W Overland Trail Theft of Property
Arrests
Makena Roque Possession of Controlled Substance
Genaro Jorge Warrant
Ivory Dearing Violation of Bond/Protective Order
Luis Ortiz Warrant, Failure to Identify
Jason Watson Criminal Trespass
Robert Johnson Possession of Controlled Substance, Tampering with Physical Evidence
Kellye Underwood Warrant
Luis Feliciano Public Intoxication
Brittany Marquez-Ramirez Warrant
David Reinert Public Intoxication, Obstruction
Eric Carr Warrant
Destinie Sanders Warrant
Christopher Covington-Smith Warrant
Joshua Urrutia Possession of Controlled Substance, Tampering/Fabricating Physical Evidence
Austin Fischer Criminal Trespass
Stephanie Smith Possession of Controlled Substance
Crystal Whitley Aggravated Assault Deadly Weapon
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Years after it was declared a public health emergency, the overdose crisis continues to impact the nation in profoundly tragic ways. In 2023, more than 107,000 people in the United States died of a drug-related overdose. For people aged 1845, the leading cause of death may be fentanyl-related drug overdose; each week, dozens of teens die of an overdose across the country. Overdose death rates have increased for Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native Americans. Families from rural West Virginia to the streets of the Bronx have something sorrowful in common: They all find themselves grieving a loved one.
But if youve been paying attention to this years presidential campaign, you wouldnt really think its that big an issue. The Republican Party platform has no section about tackling the overdose crisis, while the Democratic Party offers three small paragraphs that address the Biden administrations work in expanding treatmentand increasing the use of naloxonewhile promising this work will continue under a Harris administration.
And while you may not hear about overdose deaths themselves, both parties have extensively referenced the drug that is causing themfentanyl. The Republican Party platform makes mention of the drug, and the Democrats reference it 16 times in their own platform. But instead of tying the synthetic opioid to the ongoing public health crisis, politicians have cynically entangled fentanyl in an entirely different issue: Its being used to hype up the ongoing political culture war involving border security and immigration.
In multiple ads touting her border security chops, Kamala Harris promises that as president she will crack down on fentanyl, including by investing in fentanyl detection technology to block it from entering the country. The Republicans, meanwhile, directly implicate migrants, with Donald Trump frequently saying that migrants are responsible for an increase in fentanyl overdoses. All of this has damaging impacts on what people believe about asylum-seekersa 2022 poll, for instance, found that many Americans, especially Republicans, believe that migrants are smuggling fentanyl across the U.S. border. This, of course, is a flat-out lie: Most fentanyl enters the country through ports of entry and is carried by U.S. citizens.
Predominately talking about overdoses as a border security issue not only falsely ties people seeking asylum to overdose deaths but also overshadows real solutions to this crisis, while inhibiting their potential effectiveness. Fentanyl is a dangerous drug, but it is talked about as if it was a weapon of mass destruction and treated like a threat to national securitylike anthrax, rather than something that contributes to overdoses and substance use disorders. What this misses is how fentanyl impacts the drug supply and who uses drugs in the United States.
On the one hand, fentanyl is found in pressed pills and can sometimes be mixed into drugs like cocaine (usually inadvertently). For people who have no prior exposure to fentanyl, say a teenager buying pills, such a dose can be deadly. There are also people who regularly use fentanyl (heroin is almost impossible to get in the U.S. nowadays) and are used to the dosages. If they dont use fentanyl, they can go into withdrawal. At the same time, the drug supply is constantly changing, and new, more potent drugs can emergeputting regular users at risk of overdosing. This is a complex and multifaceted problem, and it affects different people in a range of ways.
Instead of flattening this knotty issue into the discourse about immigration, politiciansespecially Vice President Harriscould pick a more fruitful path by engaging with the current, cutting-edge solutions that are on offer.
For instance, there are still barriers to access to medications for opioid use disorder, such as methadone and buprenorphine. While the pandemic did precipitate some changesbuprenorphine and methadone can be prescribed through telehealth, and people using methadone can now get a 30-day take-home supplymedication remains inaccessible to many of the people who need it most. One such issue that evades our one-size-fits-all approach to the crisis is that federal regulations still require people to get methadone from an opioid treatment facility, which can force people to travel long distances to get their dosages.
Currently, there is a bipartisan billthe Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Actsponsored by Senators Rand Paul and Ed Markey, which aims to allow people to get their dosage from a pharmacy. This is how other countries, such as France, dole out doses of lifesaving opioid medication. Another issue presented by the changing drug supply is that more potent forms of fentanyl mean that current treatment regimens may not be sufficient to prevent withdrawal. These dosages are regulated and controlled by the federal government, and there may be a need to increase these limits to better assist people in treatment.
Naturally, not everyone is ready and willing to stop using drugsbut these people dont deserve to die. Overdose prevention centers are a solution being explored in places like New York, Vermont, Minnesota, and Rhode Island. These are facilities where people can bring pre-obtained substances to use under the supervision of trained staff who can intervene in the event of an overdose. These sites are not just effective at preventing overdoses, they offer a slew of other health and community benefits.
Instead of engaging with these measures, both Republicans and Democrats are instead choosing a failed law-and-order approach that aims to control the supply of drugs rather than addressing the root causes behind the demand. To an outside observer, it might seem sensible to take this approachjust stop the fentanyl from coming in, and people will stop overdosing, right?
The problem is that this approach, in practice, is a failure: It hasnt proven to be effective and, as it stands, may make matters considerably worse. For instance, when Donald Trump secured an agreement with the Chinese government in 2019 to ban fentanyl, it did result in a drop in fentanyl shipments from China. Sadly, this did not solve the problemfentanyl continued to enter the country, produced via precursors; since then, the animal tranquilizer xylazine and other drugs have been emerging in the drug supply.
It is, in other words, a game of Whac-a-Molehit the supply in one place, and a more deadly variant may emerge somewhere else.
This can even be seen at a local level with drug seizures. One study that looked at counties nationally found that counties with a high amount of fentanyl seizures had higher overdose mortality than counties that didnt have as many seizures. Another study found a similar result in Indianapolis, where there was an increase in overdoses and related deaths days and weeks after a seizure of drugs. This is an underappreciated consequence of seizures: When someones usual supply of drugs is interrupted, they will go to dealers and supplies they are unfamiliar with, which means potentially encountering doses of greater lethality.
In line with this law-and-order push that focuses on tackling the supply, harsh penalties for fentanyl possession are being pushed across the country and people are being charged with homicide for dealing fentanyl when it results in an overdose. Never mind the fact that those who deal drugs are often those who use drugs and that one of the biggest risks for overdose is recent incarceration. These policies further push people in the shadows at a time when they may need help.
This is happening simultaneously with a massive push from cities and states, like California, to use the Supreme Courts recent ruling in the Grants Pass case to evict homeless people from encampments. Public drug use is an oft-cited rationale for clearing people from the streets, but people who are without housing are often at high risk of overdosing and encampment sweeps only increase this risk by cutting people off from communities and services that they depend on.
It need not be this way. Instead of scapegoating migrants and continuing to burn money on a supply-side, law enforcement strategy, politicians can choose to engage with the overdose crisis as the public health issue it is. They can support evidence-based, people-centered policies that focus on treatment and harm reductionand which dont inadvertently kill the people they are ostensibly trying to save. They can address a key risk factor for overdosingbeing unhousedby expanding housing, which evidence suggests can reduce overdose risk. They can expand social welfare programs like unemployment insurance, which can reduce the impact that job loss has on overdose risk. Such policies should be viewed as preventative, as much as, if not more than, drug-related education.
These policies can all be framed as a muscular effort to put drug cartels out of business by denying them a market in the U.S. by addressing the root causes of the crisis they are exploiting. While the overdose crisis is not going to be solved overnight and Americas relationship with substances will require decades of workinseparable from other struggles for economic and social justicepoliticians can choose to start to stem the bleeding now by ending their own dependence on policies that may sound tough but have failed on every level to end this crisis.
ENID, Okla. (KFOR) The family of an Enid man police believe was lured to his own death for information pertaining to a missing woman say they wont rest until justice is served.
Enid Police found human remains inside a storm cellar at a home last week after getting a tip from an inmate who told them one of the suspects confessed to putting the body there. Police believe the remains are that of Colby Sheppard, whos been missing for eight months.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Enid Police: Man found dead in cellar lured to his own murder
Suspects Charles Jordan, Heaven Jordan, Devin Harris and Victor Battelo have been charged with first degree murder in connection the case. Documents say Heaven Jordan, Charles daughter, lured Sheppard to her fathers home where he was beaten and killed. The documents further state after interviews with witnesses that Sheppards body was wrapped in a tarp, tied up with rope and dumped in the cellar. Suspect Charles Jordan allegedly tried to pay an inmate to move Sheppards body for him but the inmate tipped off authorities instead.
Charles Jordan. Photo courtesy Garfield County Detention Facility.
Devin Harris. Photo courtesy Garfield County Detention Facility.
Heaven Jordan. Photo courtesy Warren County Jail.
Victor Battelo. Photo courtesy Garfield County Detention Facility.
No information was gained by any of the suspects, said Cass Rains with the Enid Police Department.
Police believe the suspects were trying to get information from Sheppard about the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, Kendra Battelo, whos been missing since 2022. Battelos family says Sheppard was one of the last people they saw her with before she went missing.
Court records obtained by News 4 describe a domestic incident that happened in June 2022 between Battelo and Sheppard.
An affidavit says an Enid Police officer was dispatched to a hotel in town and when they got there Battelo advised them Sheppard had assaulted her. The affidavit says Battelo showed the officer marks and bruises she had on her body, and had multiple bruises around her neck a bruise on her right forearm and swelling on the right side of her head.
Battelo told the officer Sheppard was being childish and petty about coins he claimed were missing and that she knew where they were; starting an argument that led to the assault.
The case was dismissed in February 2023 because Battelo didnt show up for court, months after her family had already reported her missing. Police say theres no evidence tying Sheppard to her disappearance.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Its wild: Body found in Enid cellar could be tied to revenge killing
News 4 received a statement from Sheppards family Thursday who say they are heartbroken and outraged. The entire statement makes allegations against individuals connected to the suspects families that have not been formally charged with a crime so News 4 is only including part of it below:
We are heartbroken and outraged by the tragic loss of Colby.His life brutally taken by Victor Battelo, Charles Jordan, Heaven Jordan, Devin Harrisat a residence in Enid, Oklahoma. They showed no mercy or compassion, leaving him to suffer inconceivable pain.We cannot comprehend the level of cruelty and inhumanity that drove them to commit such a heinous crime. We call upon the justice system to hold them accountable for their actions and ensure that they face the consequences they deserve. We will not rest until justice is served for Colby. Colby Sheppards family
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Since filing their nomination paperwork in June, 15 candidates have fallen out of the running in Chicagos historic school board election this November.
With the exception of one candidate, each of the hopefuls either withdrew their names or were knocked off the ballot during the objections process. Challenging the validity of the constituent signatures that every candidate running for office in Illinois is required to file, the more than 40 objections to school board candidates were filed by only a handful of nine lawyers whose ranks include high-profile political operatives and lobbyists.
Its not uncommon for candidates in Chicago elections to hire attorneys able to use the objections process to narrow their competition. But Board of Elections records show a pattern that stands out: Four of the attorneys Kevin Morphew, Steven Fine, Michael Kreloff and Michael Kasper mounted nearly half the objections, opposing only candidates the Chicago Teachers Union has not endorsed and defending the nominations of only candidates that the CTU backs.
For special interests, including the teachers union, charter schools and private school voucher program proponents, the school board elections taking place in 10 districts across the city will determine who gets to make high-stakes decisions, on collective bargaining, charter contracts and more, come January, when a new board is seated.
In the meanwhile, the often time-consuming and expensive objections process has squeezed multiple candidates without special interest backing off the ballot raising questions on whether the switch to a new governance model will be as inclusive of Chicago Public Schools parents and community members as advocates had hoped.
The Chicago Teachers Union, in coalition with parents, students, and community groups, worked for over a decade to expand democracy by winning an elected school board for Chicago, a union spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
CTU declined to comment on how the union supports the candidates it has endorsed and whether it hired the four lawyers or funded their legal fees through any of its entities, including indirect transfers among campaign committees.
The most recent quarterly expenditure reports that committees are required to report to the Illinois State Board of Elections show neither of the unions two Political Action Committees, nor the committees of CTU-endorsed candidates included the lawyers names among their expenses through June 30.
On the following day, July 1, Chicago Board of Elections documents show that two of the lawyers, Kreloff and Fine, notarized initial paperwork for nearly all of the school board cases in which they appeared.The attorneys provided legal counsel as a group in 19 cases and Fine served as a lone lawyer on an additional case. A smattering of other, individual lawyers filed the remaining approximately 20 objections, often concentrated in specific districts, including challenges to four candidates endorsed by CTU.
Morphew declined to comment and Fine, Kasper and Kreloff did not return the Tribunes requests for comment by phone or email.
On Chicago Board of Elections documents, all lawyers appear on half of objectors.
The person or entity bankrolling their legal fees is attorney-client confidential information and the Electoral Board may not inquire, according to the Chicago Board of Elections general counsel.
Among the 27 candidates to face objections, 14 were removed from the ballot or withdrew, including CTU-endorsed candidate Brenda Delgado.
CPS parent Anthony Hargrove, whod filed to run in District 5, said being removed felt like a dagger to the heart, after long hours of knocking on doors to gather signatures with his wife, who is a CPS teacher, and kids.
Prior to becoming the associate director of Breakthrough Urban Ministries teen mentoring program, the West Side native worked with CPS families as the dean of students at five schools.
I really love my community. I live here. I work here. My kids go to school here. I was born and raised here. Im not going anywhere, Hargrove said. Im not a politician. Im a parent.
Nathaniel Nate Ward had similarly hoped to run in the 10th, after serving as a parent member and chair of the Dyett High School Local School Council last school year. His daughter committed to CPS teacher pipeline program upon graduating and will be returning to the district as an educator upon finishing college.
I wanted to get in this race to have an independent parent voice be on the board, not beholden to any particular group, Ward said. I dont believe theres a voice now that will put parents and students first and everything else second. Thats what I wanted to run for and I quickly got humbled, he said of the objections process.
Ward hadnt created a fundraising committee, while Hargrove reported only $250 in total campaign contributions as of the most recent quarterly filings.
However, multiple PACs with stated interest in the races are building substantial war chests, including the new One Future Illinois PAC, which entered the fray in July with the stated aim of raising at least seven figures to in part back school board candidates in support of the business communitys agenda.
How they and others have been spending their money as candidates have been knocked off the ballot likely wont be apparent until the next round of disclosures are due Oct. 15.
CTU said it has endorsed grassroots candidates running against campaigns funded by Walmart heirs, Netflix billionaires, charter school operators, and corporate education reformers like Juan Rangel and Paul Vallas, who will continue to pour millions into these races.
Since the start of the year, Walmart heir Jim Walton has contributed $350,000 to Illinois Network of Charter Schools PACs, and Netflix Chairman Reed Hastings has contributed another $100,000, according to state elections board data.
Vallas, the former CPS CEO who lost his 2023 bid for mayor, and Rangel, former head of the UNO charter school network, which disbanded after the Securities and Exchange Commission investigated Rangel for fraud, co-founded the Urban Center PAC in March. The committee supports school choice, according to its website, and contributed a cumulative $3,000 to two school board candidates, Andre Smith and Eva Villalobos, as of the Urban Centers most recent disclosure, which also includes a $5,000 contribution from the Illinois Network of Charter Schools INCS Action PAC, Illinois State Board of Elections data show.
Encouraging parents and educators to hit the doors and talk with everyday voters, CTUs statement accused the statewide charter school network of giving candidates money to turn back the clock to the days of school closings and privatization.
INCS has yet to finalize its endorsements according to President Andrew Broy.
In June, the group sent out a candidate questionnaire to gauge candidates positions on school choice, contract terms for charter school operators and expanded charter school funding, in addition to their willingness to engage with charter operators. Based on their replies, INCS is continuing to interview candidates, he said.
Were about ballot access, letting ordinary people run for office, Broy said, noting that INCS advocated for a lower entry threshold, of 250 signatures, to be on the ballot.
We didnt file any objections, Broy said. He declined to comment on campaign strategy further, but added that the INCS Action PAC has engaged in electioneering among races at all levels in Illinois for the past decade. The same can be expected of Chicagos school board elections, he said, including engaging the 58,000 charter school households in the networks orbit in the city.
We do politics out of necessity, not because we love it. Its just part of the work we have to do to make sure our policy ideas become actionable, he said.
Of two candidates whove received a cumulative $7,000 from the INCS as of the most recent disclosures, District 6 candidate Andre Smith recently weathered an objection, as did District 3 candidate Carlos Rivas, whose expenditures include $2,500 in legal fees.
In District 7, Villalobos is also among those whove prevailed. To see that a lot of great, amazing candidates were knocked off was very disheartening, but also very much a motivator for me to keep pushing forward, said Villalobos, who advocated in favor of Illinois recently-sunset Invest in Kids voucher program as a private school parent.
Villalobos campaign finance reports show multiple ties to proponents of school choice, including a cumulative $3,500 in contributions from the Urban Center PAC and Robert Sylvester, executive director of community and government relations for Empower Illinois, which was the largest administrator of Invest in Kids funds. Prior to a recently-filed amendment, Villalobos had also pledged her residual campaign funds to Kids First Chicago, a nonprofit with roots in the Emanuel administrations Renaissance 2010 school privatization initiative.
An objection to Villalobos CTU-endorsed opponent, Yesenia Lopez, was also overruled, as was a challenge to the union-backed candidate in District 3, Jason Dones. Lopez reported she had zero campaign funds as of the end of June, while Dones has disclosed receiving around $2,100 from the Grassroots Illinois Action PAC, which supports quality neighborhood schools and has organized against the expansion of charter schools.
Robert Jones, who has the CTUs support in District 10, saw a challenge to his nomination by objectors affiliated with Che Rhymefest Smiths campaign, withdrawn on the same day that Jones lawyers withdrew an objection to Smith. State elections board data show CTU has contributed around $1,500 in field organizing services to Jones campaign, among approximately $60,000 in total in-kind contributions to union-backed candidates, in Districts 2, 4, 6 and 8, as of Sept. 5.
High-profile political operatives and lobbyists are among the four attorneys representing the bulk of objectors. Before President Joe Biden bowed out of the November election, Morphew appeared on his behalf to quash objections to Biden appearing on the primary ballot in Illinois early this year. As a lobbyist, Morphews clients have included the Chicago Bears and Walgreens.
A former lawyer for longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, Kaspers recent lobbying efforts include the defeat of the 2023 Bring Chicago Home ordinance, which was supported by the CTU. Based in Northbrook, Kreloff is also a lobbyist and a former committeeperson for the Northfield Township Democrats, who was involved in former Mayor Rahm Emanuels 2010 campaign. A criminal defense attorney, Fine is a relative newcomer at Board of Elections proceedings.
During a review of his signatures, Ward said he was stunned by the intensity of an opposing lawyers efforts. No matter what the hearing officer said, they objected to it. If the hearing officer said, This signature is good, (they said) We object to that..
It got to be intimidating, Ward said. If youre not well-financed or have hired an attorney, the process can be very belittling, he said.
Hargrove said he still plans to run as a write-in candidate, though he knows the odds are against him.
We can really reimagine education and how we do it here in Chicago, and open up new possibilities for our students, Hargrove said of Chicagos first school board election this fall. But unfortunately, Chicago politics is playing a role in these races. And well get what we get.
Chicago Tribunes Molly Morrow contributed.
People are seen on a street destroyed in an Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 6, 2024. The Israeli army withdrew from the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday after a 10-day operation that left 21 people dead, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
RAMALLAH, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army withdrew from the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday after a 10-day operation that left 21 people dead, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.
During the operation, Israeli forces caused significant damage to infrastructure and residential buildings, leading to power, communication, and internet outages in large areas of the city, Palestinian security sources said.
The Palestinian Civil Defense announced that more than 25 km of streets and neighborhoods in Jenin city and its camp were completely destroyed by the army's operation, according to initial damage assessments.
Meanwhile, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that the army had eliminated "terrorists" during the operation, arresting over 40 suspects, seizing 24 weapons, and destroying dozens of explosive devices.
However, Israeli security sources told the broadcaster that the operation is not over, and "we will soon return to Jenin and other places."
On Thursday, the Ramallah-based Palestinian Ministry of Health said that 39 Palestinians had been killed and about 150 others injured in the West Bank since the start of the Israeli military operation on August 28.
A man stands inside a house damaged in an Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 6, 2024. The Israeli army withdrew from the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday after a 10-day operation that left 21 people dead, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
People are seen inside a house damaged in an Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 6, 2024. The Israeli army withdrew from the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday after a 10-day operation that left 21 people dead, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
People are seen inside a house damaged in an Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 6, 2024. The Israeli army withdrew from the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday after a 10-day operation that left 21 people dead, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
A man stands on the roof of a house damaged in an Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Sept. 6, 2024. The Israeli army withdrew from the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday after a 10-day operation that left 21 people dead, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
Russian gas should not be allowed into Europe through the back door after the expiry of a gas transit agreement between Kremlin-controlled Gazprom and Ukraine at the end of the year, Czech trade and industry minister Jozef Sikela has suggested in a letter to EU energy commissioner Kadri Simson and his counterparts in Budapest and elsewhere.
Sikela, who is Czechias nominee for the next EU executive and tipped to take over Simsons role, also sent the letter to his counterparts in Austria, Hungary and Slovakia, who remain reliant on imports of Russian gas, and Germany, whose direct connection was definitively broken two years ago when the Nord Stream pipeline was sabotaged.
Russia repeatedly demonstrated that it is an unreliable trading partner willing to use energy supplies as a weapon to disrupt and destabilize our energy market and the entire economy, Sikela said in a statement on Thursday (5 September). It is clear that nothing will change for the duration of its aggression against Ukraine.
The minister has proposed that reverse gas flows through his country could be used to replace the 40-42m cubic metres of Russian gas that currently flow daily through Ukraine. The most suitable alternative supplies could be LNG imports, the Czech trade ministry said, noting that the viability of his plan was increased by Germanys decision to lift controversial storage fees from the beginning of next year.
"In case gas transit from Russia via Ukraine is halted, replacement supplies must be found primarily with alternative suppliers, Sikela said. We need to avoid a situation when we purchase gas that is formally non-Russian, but which could be swapped for Russian gas en route, undermining our efforts to reduce dependency on Russian supplies.
Sikela said the EU had made substantial progress in reducing its dependence on Russia gas down to 8% last year from over two-fiths before Putin launched his undeclared war on Ukraine in February 2022, but told Simson and fellow ministers that nevertheless we must intensify our efforts.
While Hungary has drawn fire from EU partners for actively courting Moscow and striking new gas supply deals since the start of the war, Austria imported a record 98% of its gas from Russia last December, and Slovakia, too, remains heavily dependent.
Austria's Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology told Euronews today that it had not yet received Sikela's letter so could not comment directly on its contents.
"However, one thing is for certain: gas supplies and energy dependency from Russia represent a huge economical and security risk," the ministry said in an emailed statement. "It is therefore essential for the security of our country to strengthen the independence of our energy supply."
To that end, the Austrian energy ministry had been "preparing intensively in close coordination with the energy regulator E-Control since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine", it said, noting also that domestic gas consumption had been reduced by almost a quarter over that time.
"Austria's currently available import capacities via Italy and Germany alone amount to around 160 TWh/year, which is around twice Austria's annual gas consumption," the ministry said.
This article has been updated to incude a response from the Austrian government.
DELAWARE COUNTY, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) The Delaware County District Attorneys Office is looking to convene an emergency grand jury session in order to secure indictments against a Masonville man for allegedly stabbing his pregnant wife to death.
The New York State Police held a news conference today at Troop C headquarters in Sidney to release additional details about the arrest of 32-year-old Drew Garnier.
Police say Garnier fatally stabbed his 29-year-old wife Samantha Garnier and also stabbed their two daughters, ages 6 and 9, seriously injuring them.
Samantha Garnier was airlifted to Wilson Hospital where she later died.
Both children are being treated at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse and are expected to make a full recovery.
Major Lucas Shuta is Troop C Commander.
Family members have arrived from outside of the area and will be caring for the girls upon their release from the hospital. The State Police would like to extend our condolences to the family and would also like to thank all of the first responders who assisted at this horrible scene, said Shuta.
Drew Garnier was arrested at the scene and taken to AO Fox Hospital for treatment of minor superficial wounds he received during the alleged assaults. He is now in the Delaware County Jail with no bail.
Samantha Garnier was five months pregnant when she died.
District Attorney Shawn Smith was asked whether that might lead to a second murder charge.
The short answer is no, its not. Were going to look into see if there are charges, we can bring then certainly we will. But, no its not like you may think or want. No, its not two murders because the child passed away, said Smith.
Smith says a felony hearing for Garnier is scheduled for next Wednesday but that he plans to seek a grand jury indictment before then.
State Police charged Garnier with murder and two counts of attempted murder.
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Releasing the full work phone history of Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, who served as the lead investigator in the Karen Read murder case, could compromise public safety and jeopardize other cases, according to the Norfolk District Attorneys Office.
In a new filing obtained Friday by Boston 25s Ted Daniel, the DAs office said it had conducted a preliminary review of data on Proctors work phone and cloud. Proctor was suspended without pay in July amid an internal affairs investigation into his unprofessional behavior following the death of Boston Police Officer John OKeefe.
Releasing the entire extraction report outside of law enforcement is anticipated to jeopardize open investigations, compromise the privacy and safety of civilians, and thus be contrary to the interests of justice, the DAs office stated in the filing.
The release of sensitive information on Proctors work phone would also pose as a physical risk to individuals and the public alike, the DAs office stressed.
The phone and cloud account may include sensitive and confidential communications and information regarding unrelated cases and active investigations, the DAs office said. This information may include criminal offender record information; the names and contact information of confidential informants; names and contact information of civilian witnesses and victims, including minors; impounded search warrants; status updates of covert investigations; information about grand jury proceedings; autopsy records and photographs; and other sensitive privilege information.
The DAs office said Massachusetts State Police shared the contents from an extraction of Proctors phone and cloud account with them over recent days. The office is now trying to determine what, if any data, should be publicly shared and how that would happen.
Michael Proctor
During testimony and cross-examination, Proctor came under fire for a series of disparaging texts about Read that he sent to friends, family, and supervisors, which he read aloud in court during her trial.
Proctor admitted on the stand that the texts were unprofessional and he apologized multiple times, telling the jury his texts did not impact his investigation into the death of John OKeefe, Reads Boston police officer boyfriend.
In those texts, Proctor commented on Reads physical appearance, used vulgar language, suggested he had made up his mind based on evidence as to Reads guilt, and said he wished Read would kill herself.
After Judge Beverly Cannone declared a mistrial in the two-month-long murder trial due to a deadlocked jury, Proctor was relieved Proctor of his duty, transferred out of the Norfolk District Attorneys State Police Detective Unit, and administratively assigned to Troop H in field services.
Earlier this summer, Boston 25 legal expert Peter Elikann said Proctor could be fired or charged criminally by the time the retrial of Read comes around. Cannone has since scheduled the retrial of Read for January 2025.
Read is accused of killing OKeefe by striking him with her SUV and leaving him in a snowstorm in Canton in January 2022.
Prosecutors said Read and OKeefe had been drinking heavily before she dropped him off at a party at the home of Brian Albert, a fellow officer. They said she hit him with her SUV before driving away.
The defense sought to portray Read as the victim, saying OKeefe was actually killed inside Alberts home and then dragged outside and left for dead.
Proctor currently remains ineligible to work.
Breaking: New filing in the Karen Read case from Norfolk DAs office says releasing Trooper Proctors full phone work phone history outside of law enforcement could compromise privacy and impact other cases. DAs Office says its determining what if any data should be publicly pic.twitter.com/GSRQ12mEfc Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) September 6, 2024
DAs office determining what - if any - information is discoverable in this or other cases the filing says. Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) September 6, 2024
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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ELK POINT, S.D. (KCAU) A judge has ruled that a recording of a phone call made by a man accused of killing a woman will be allowed to be used as evidence.
The judge made the ruling on the states motion to admit an alleged confession that Alfredo Castellanos-Rosales, 40, of Sioux City, reportedly made to his estranged wife. South Dakota Deputy Attorney Ernest Thompson filed the motion earlier in July.
Castellanos-Rosales is charged with first-degree murder, child neglect, and child abuse in the stabbing of 23-year-old Jordan Beardshear on April 25, 2023. The two had a child together and were in a significant romantic relationship, according to documents. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on June 29, 2023.
In Thompsons filings, Reyna Castellanos, 36, of South Sioux City, allegedly told officials she received a phone call from Castellanos-Rosales on April 26, 2023, as he asked her to drive him to different locations. She claimed she didnt know he had any involvement in Beardshears death, and left him on a Sioux City highway.
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Castellanos provided officials with her phone. They later found an audio file of the call she received from Castellanos-Rosales where he allegedly admitted to killing Beardshear.
Castellanos would later allegedly admit that she took her husband to a residence in Jackson and brought him food. She then later took him to a Sioux City residence when he tried to flee the area. Castellanos-Rosales was eventually apprehended in Mexico and turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Thompsons brief states that Castellanos-Rosales admitted three times to killing someone and that the conversation underscores that he has no defense, like self-defense, to the killing he committed.
Communications between a husband and wife are usually privileged, so Thompson filed the motion to argue that there is an exception for communications between married persons who are jointly participating in criminal activity. He said that Castellanos assistance made her an accessory to the homicide [a]nd not an inadvertent or unknowing accessory.
The judge agreed, saying in the ruling that the conversation between Castellanos-Rosales and Castellanos shows she became an accessory immediately at the time of the first conversation. The judge later stated that the communications are not confidential to Castellanos involvement as an accessory.
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Prosecutors have already said they wont be seeking the death penalty against Castellanos-Rosales. If he is found guilty for first-degree murder, he faces life in prison.
Castellanos was arrested in Dakota County, Nebraska on July 25 and charged with compounding a felony, false reporting, and two counts of accessory to a felony. The charges of compounding a felony and false reporting were dismissed without prejudice.
Castellanos will next appear in court for an arraignment on Oct. 4.
To view previous coverage of this case by KCAU 9, click here.
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MCLOUD, Okla. (KFOR) For the first ever, the Corn Leafhopper now calls Oklahoma home.
Jacob Nowakowski says he noticed something was off with his crops in June.
His farm is a typical hot spot every summer.
Its just this terrible, terrible situation we have, says Nowakowski.
The insect causes whats called Corn Stunt Disease.
Its infected and puts an infection in the plant, making it sick so it wont put out the energy. Its fighting itself and its not putting any energy into the crop, Nowakowski said.
Dr. Ashleigh Faris is an Entomologist at Oklahoma State University who says the insects are coming from Latin America.
Theres actually a few different reasons as to why it could finally be reaching Oklahoma, the first being that of the wind aided travel, Dr. Faris said. There could be other reasons, too. We might possibly attribute it to some of these warming temperatures.
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Nowakowski says he had to start his harvest earlier than normal, but stunt disease still caused them financial loss.
If we didnt know it was out there and it was worse, it could have got the whole corn crop and made it, you know, be a catastrophe really, Nowakowski said.
Dr. Faris says she and her team are looking at possible chemical control options which may be available to farmers in the future.
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Danny Elfman, September 2023 (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
Danny Elfman was sued, last year, by a woman who claimed that the composer sexually abused her between 1997 and 2002. The lawsuit has now been dismissed, Rolling Stone reports. In court documents, viewed by Pitchfork, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Lisa K. Sepe-Wiesenfeld ruled in favor of Elfman and his company, Musica de la Muerta, on the basis that the plaintiff (identified by the pseudonym Jane Doe XX) failed to provide evidence of sexual assault, and did not meet the statutes of limitations for multiple allegations.
In the original complaint, the plaintiff claimed that she met Elfman at a house party when she was 21 and the composer was 47. She alleged that, during a period of time between 1997 and 2002, there were instances when Elfman would walk around naked and expose his genitals to her. The lawsuit also stated that Elfman would sometimes sleep nude in the same bed next to a fully-clothed Doe when she was in-between apartments and staying at his home in 1998. In addition, the complaint detailed an instance, in 2002, when Elfman allegedly told Doe: Every time you have ever slept next to me, I would masturbate next to you.
In an August 13 motion for summary judgment, Elfmans camp argued: Plaintiffs allegation that Elfman undressed in her presence and masturbated while she slept is not, as a matter of law, sexual assault, such that Plaintiffs claims are fatally defective. The composers lawyers also referred to Does allegations as speculative statements that it is possible she could have been sexually assaulted. In addition, they pointed to a number of expired statutes of limitations pertaining to Does allegations.
Judge Sepe-Wiesenfeld ruled in Elfmans favor on Wednesday, September 4. One of Does attorneys, Jeff Anderson, told Rolling Stone, We are disappointed but not shocked that the court found that the law does not permit her case to proceed.
Prior to Jane Doe XXs complaint, Elfman was sued by by composer Nomi Abadi, who alleged that Elfman failed to pay two installments of $42,500 from a $830,000 settlement. The settlement related to Abadi accusing Elfman of multiple instances of sexual harassment that allegedly occurred in 2016, filing a report with the Los Angeles Police Department the following year.
Earlier this year, Abadi sued Elfman for defamation over statements he made in a Rolling Stone interview in 2023. Abadi accused Elfman of breaching the nondisclosure agreement put in place during their initial settlement.
Jane Doe XX and Danny Elfmans respective attorneys have not returned multiple requests for comment from Pitchfork.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
http://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text HELLO or HOLA to 741-741
Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
(NewsNation) Most states in America are not making information on student performance after COVID school closures accessible or transparent, a new study from the Center on Reinventing Public Education found.
How easy would it be for a parent or advocate to compare student performance pre- and post-COVID? the Arizona-based organization said. The short answer: in most states, its not easy at all.
Researchers evaluated all report card websites from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and gave them a grade based on how easy it would be for someone to find longitudinal data on performance. Only seven earned an A: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
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There were 34 states that received a grade of C or worse, and reviewers rated 27 states reports as fair or poor in terms of usability.
Many of the report card websites differed substantially in usability and interpretability, researchers said.
For instance, some sites featured attractive visuals that we thought a parent would be able to interpret, they said. In contrast, other sites bombarded the user with mountains of disaggregated data that would be very difficult, if not impossible, for an average viewer without a PhD in data science to understand. On some sites, the menus for searching and selecting schools were easy to use, while on others, they were sources of maddening frustration.
This is a problem, the Center on Reinventing Public Education says, because the group has lots of suggestive evidence that parents dont understand the magnitude of the COVID-19 downturns in achievement or attendance, or at least arent as concerned as experts think they should be.
The Education Recovery Scorecard found that while U.S. students made gains in subjects like math and reading in the last school year, they remained behind compared to where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning gaps created by this mostly fall along socioeconomic lines, according to the Education Recovery Scorecard. The Center on Reinventing Public Education also noted that students from historically marginalized groups students of color, low-income students, students with disabilities and English language learners were more negatively affected by the pandemic.
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While student achievement in general has declined substantially in all core subjects, the Center on Reinventing Public Education said this isnt the only issue that needs attention. Student absenteeism has skyrocketed as well, with rates in many locales doubling, the center said in its report.
While students have recovered some of their losses, they are not where they were or where they would have been if COVID-19 had not happened, the center said in its report.
To rectify data accessibility issues, the center suggests states collaborate to create a unified, user-friendly report card model with consistent and transparent data; that schools test users experience on the report card sites; and that federal support might be needed to standardize transparency efforts.
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A muzzle hangs from a door handle of a dog enclosure. Prompted by a complaint from a dog bite victim, the San Diego County grand jury has recommended the county improve collection of dog bite data and start a database. (Picture alliance / Getty Images)
If a pet dog has a history of biting, does the public have a right to know?
The grand jury in San Diego County considered this question and answered in the affirmative.
In an investigation prompted by a complaint from a dog bite victim who found the official response inadequate, the watchdog group recommended that San Diego County publish the addresses of dog owners whose pets have been determined to be dangerous.
"Dog bites can cause physical and psychological harm and spread disease," the grand jury said in a report to the Board of Supervisors last week. "About 2,500 dog bites are reported annually by San Diego County to the California Department of Public Health, although the true number is larger as not all cities make the required report."
Read more: How do you move a 4-ton elephant to a new home 120 miles away? Very carefully
The supervisors sent the report to the county's Animal Services Department for review.
The county has a dog bite page on its website giving tips on how owners can keep their dogs from biting and how others can avoid being bitten.
It instructs those bitten on how to report the incident and provides a link to a dog bite report. But it provides no information on where dangerous dogs may be encountered.
Citing examples of dangerous-dog databases maintained by the state of Virginia; Volusia County in Florida; and Minneapolis, the grand jury recommended the county "develop a plan for collecting information about the location of a declared dangerous dog within the county and posting this information, so it is readily available to the public."
The report found several deficiencies in how the county, and cities in the county, handle dog bite incidents. Not all cities pass on dog bite reports to the county, and some lack regulations allowing animal control officers to fine owners of dogs that are dangerous.
The grand jury recommended that all cities that don't already have them develop regulations allowing officers to cite and fine owners for violating animal control ordinances, and that all dog bites be reported annually.
Dogs that have been declared to be dangerous must be muzzled in public, and the owner is required to post warning signs and maintain liability insurance of at least $100,000.
But in recommending a database of dogs that have been declared dangerous, the watchdog group acknowledged a hurdle.
Read more: L.A. confiscated his goats. He went to war with Animal Services to get them back
The procedure for designating dogs as dangerous requires the victim to testify in a court hearing. Victims interviewed by the grand jury described testifying as "a daunting experience" and one of the primary reasons hearings seldom occur.
"In the San Diego Humane Society reports for the last 3 fiscal years, 9 to 18 Dangerous Dog hearings a year took place, with 78% to 90% of those hearings resulting in the declaration that the dog was dangerous," the report said.
Although not recommending any changes to make the process more accessible, the grand jury commended cities that levy fines of up to $500 for multiple violations of dog ordinances as a way of encouraging responsible ownership.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
DAMASCUS, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Five people, including a child and a woman, were injured Friday evening when an explosive device went off in Syria's southern province of Daraa, according to a police report.
The bomb, planted by suspected terrorists, exploded near the Panorama roundabout at the northern entrance of Daraa, where sporadic violence continues despite the government's attempts to restore order.
The report said the device was likely planted to target civilian areas.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.
David Heckard is a meteorologist at Channel 9. He joined the Eyewitness News team in September 2024.
David has extensive experience in covering weather in Florida, having tracked and forecast tornadoes, major hurricanes and extreme flooding in the state for more than a decade.
Before joining Severe Weather Center 9, David worked at WJXT in Jacksonville, where he covered Hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Idalia.
He previously spent five years in the market, where he tracked Hurricane Irma and its impacts across Central Florida.
His coverage of the 2020 Orlando tornado earned him an Emmy nomination.
Heckard previously worked for four years at WZVN in Fort Myers.
Most recently, he was with FEMA, providing critical support during six major federally declared disasters in Florida.
A Midwest native, Heckard graduated from Purdue University with a degree in meteorology.
He is a certified broadcast meteorologist with the American Meteorological Society.
Heckard developed an early passion for meteorology, especially thunderstorms and tornadoes.
He now lives in west Orange County with his wife and daughter.
You can watch his weather forecasts on weekend evenings and at noon.
On This Day, Sept. 6: Funeral held for Princess Diana
A mourner says a prayer for the late Princess Diana at a make shift floral memorial outside of the British Consulate, September 1, 1997, in New York City. Diana was laid to rest September 6, 1997. File Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI
Sept. 6 (UPI) -- On this date in history:
In 1522, one of Ferdinand Magellan's five ships -- the Vittoria -- arrived at Sanlucar de Barrameda in Spain, completing the first circumnavigation of the world.
In 1620, 149 Pilgrims set sail from England aboard the Mayflower, bound for the New World.
In 1901, U.S. President William McKinley was shot by an anarchist at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y. McKinley died eight days later.
In 1909, word was received that U.S. Navy Adm. Robert Peary had reached the North Pole five months earlier, on April 6, 1909.
German soldiers are at the front at the First Battle of the Marne during World War I. The battle started September 6, 1914. File Photo courtesy the German army
In 1914, World War I's first Battle of the Marne took place outside Paris, France. The allied forces of France and Britain defeated Germany, resulting in the deaths of some 150,000 people.
In 1916, the United States' first supermarket, Piggly Wiggly, opened its doors in Memphis.
Former President Bill Clintonn campaigns for Sen. John Kerry at the Stephen P. Clark Gevernment Center in Miami on October 25, 2004. It was one of Clinton's first public appearances since his heart bypass operation September 6, 2004. File Photo by Michael Bush/UPI
In 1966, South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, an architect of his nation's apartheid policies, was stabbed to death by a deranged messenger during a parliamentary meeting in Cape Town.
In 1995, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr., played his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking the record set in 1939 by Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees. Ripken voluntarily ended his streak at 2,362 games in 1998.
The numbers on the Camden warehouse wall, pictured September 6, 2007, are the same ones used when Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played on September 5, 1995. File Photo by Mark Goldman/UPI
In 1997, Britain bid an emotional farewell to Princess Diana -- killed in a car accident a week earlier -- in a funeral at London's Westminster Abbey that was broadcast worldwide.
In 2004, former U.S. President Bill Clinton underwent a 4-hour quadruple heart bypass operation at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
In 2007, Luciano Pavarotti, one of opera's foremost tenors, died of cancer at his home in Modena, Italy. He was 71.
File Photo by Ezio Petersen/UPI
In 2010, officials said they feared up to 270 people died in two weekend riverboat accidents in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Caribbean's easternmost islands, tearing roofs off homes and buildings. The storm later passed over Florida and into the southeastern United States, and caused 52 deaths.
In 2022, Liz Truss addressed Britons for the first time as prime minister, replacing Boris Johnson as head of government.
File Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI
Dayton man gets 10 years for armed robbery of postal carrier
Dayton man gets 10 years for armed robbery of postal carrier
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A man is heading to prison for the next ten years, according to authorities.
The Department of Justices Southern District of Ohio (SDOH) reports Marvin Brown, Jr., 20, of Dayton, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison. According to SDOH, Browns prison sentence is for federal charges of assaulting a postal carrier and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
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Citing court documents, the SDOH claims the assault occurred on Dec. 18, 2023.
Upon finding a postal worker, Brown approached the victim and brandished a handgun at him, demanding his mail bag, said SDOH. Brown discharged the firearm at least twice into victims postal vehicle.
Brown reportedly pleaded guilty back in June.
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DC judge gives Jack Smith the chance to submit new evidence in Trump's January 6 case ahead of Election Day
DC judge gives Jack Smith the chance to submit new evidence in Trump's January 6 case ahead of Election Day
A DC judge said she won't factor Election Day into the timing of Trump's January 6 case.
Trump is still unlikely to go to trial before November 5, legal experts told BI.
However, the judge's decision allows for the possibility of new evidence to be made public.
A US district judge for the District of Columbia said on Thursday that she won't factor in the upcoming election when establishing the timeline for former President Donald Trump's criminal case related to his alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election results.
While it's still unlikely Trump will see a day in court before November 5, the public may have the chance to see new evidence in the case, such as grand jury transcripts, before heading to the polls, legal experts told Business Insider.
"I think it's quite possible that there will be some new information that will come out well before there will be actual trial testimony," Robert Weisberg, a criminal law professor at Stanford Law School, told BI.
During a Thursday court hearing, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan set a timeline for several filings from the prosecutors and defense. In establishing deadlines, the judge made clear that the "court is not concerned with the electoral schedule," The Washington Post reported.
One such deadline requests that special counsel Jack Smith's team file a brief by September 26 on the former president's immunity in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling that gave the president partial immunity for official acts he took while in office.
Alex Reinert, a criminal and constitutional law expert at the Cardozo School of Law, told BI that it's possible those filings could include some new evidence.
"I expect there to be evidence we haven't seen included in the filings," he said. "I just don't know that it will be publicly available or whether it will be only for the judge and the defense."
Trump's legal team had tried to keep evidence from being made public until after the election.
A representative for the former president did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers and a former federal prosecutor, said any new evidence proferred by the prosecution would most likely be part of the public record.
"If it's part of these motions, the election doesn't really matter," Rahmani said. "It's evidence that is part of a motion, so it should be public."
Some pieces of evidence, however, could be put under seal or redacted at the judge's discretion, Weisberg, the Stanford Law professor, told BI.
Rahmani said Trump's defense attorneys will also likely try to block new evidence from being submitted, but they may not be successful.
Last month, Smith filed a superseding indictment in the case that removed some of the allegations that could be considered protected by presidential immunity.
Read the original article on Business Insider
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested a man accused of repeated thefts at two different D.C. CVS stores Monday.
MPD said that 28-year-old Emmanual Hard was accused of going to the CVS locations to steal items between June 28 and July 27. Hard allegedly stole almost $8,000 of goods in total.
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Hard was charged with an attempt to commit robbery for an incident at 1400 14th St. NW on Aug. 17.
He was charged with first-degree theft for incidents on July 20 and 21 in the 1600 block of P St. NW.
Hard was also charged with second-degree theft in 19 other offenses in the 1400 and 1600 blocks of P St. NW.
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PITTSBURGH Vice President Harris is hunkering down in western Pennsylvania for almost a full week as she prepares to take on former President Trump in their first and perhaps only debate.
Harris arrived in Pittsburgh on Thursday and is expected to remain based there until the crucial clash, set for Tuesday in Philadelphia.
The vice presidents seemingly unusual decision to base herself outside of Washington may be intended to cultivate a positive atmosphere and beneficial local media coverage in a state that is the biggest and most crucial of the seven battlegrounds that will decide the election.
But the vice president will also be focusing intently on the debate itself, the most high-stakes moment for her candidacy since last months Democratic National Convention.
Philippe Reines, who served as a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of State, is playing Trump during preparations. Reines also stood in for Trump during Clintons preparation in 2016. Democratic operative Karen Dunn and Harriss former Senate chief of staff Rohini Kosoglu are running the debate prep, a source familiar told The Hill.
The Keystone State carries the prize of 19 Electoral College votes, pushing their victor significantly closer to the White House. Biden, who considers Pennsylvania a home state along with Delaware, won the commonwealth in 2020 after Trump carried it in 2016.
Right now, the battle for the state seems balanced on a knife-edge. A CNN poll released Wednesday found the race there to be an exact tie, with 47 percent of voters apiece backing Harris and Trump.
In the polling average maintained by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), Pennsylvania is also essentially tied, with Harris up by less than 1 percentage point.
Harris is following in former President Obamas footsteps of choosing to do debate prep in a state that the campaign is laser-focused on in November.
Obama based himself in western North Carolina in 2008 while he prepared to debate then-Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). During his prep, he made an appearance at an Asheville, N.C., barbecue restaurant to talk to diners. Obama went on to win North Carolina in 2008, becoming the first Democrat to carry the state in a presidential election since Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Harris traveled to Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon and was greeted by Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.).
Political watchers expect her to talk to Pennsylvania voters at some point between Friday and Monday, whether through formal planned events or informal stops like at a coffee shop. She will then travel from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia on Tuesday to take the stage with Trump.
If you go out to get a cup of coffee or decide to take a walk, youre taking a walk in a state where youre trying to generate news and interest, a Democratic operative described. Its always better to not be at home. You want to be in a different environment so your brain can focus.
Harris was also in Pittsburgh on Monday, when she joined Biden at their first official campaign event together a joint stop in Maryland last month was technically a White House event, not run under the auspices of the Harris campaign. On Monday, Harris and the president spoke at an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union hall, conducting a meet-and-greet with a friendly small crowd beforehand.
Harriss choice to be in Pittsburgh before the debate is starkly different from Bidens choice to hold his prep at Camp David ahead of his now-infamous June 27 clash with Trump. He was at the presidential retreat for a week, completely out of the public eye, before traveling to Atlanta for the debate, where he performed so poorly that it plunged his party into crisis and ultimately led to his exit from the race.
Former Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Carney (D), a senior adviser at Nossaman LLP, said debate prep in Pittsburgh is a way for Harris to be productive and present in a state that is so critical this cycle.
Posting up in Pittsburgh is an efficiency thing. She can do debate prep and campaign stops in the western and northwestern part of the commonwealth, especially around Erie obtainable Trump Dem votes there, Carney said.
Erie County is considered a critical area in the battle to win the state. Biden won Erie by fewer than 1,500 votes after Trump won it in 2016 by fewer than 2,000 votes, according to NPR.
Harriss running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), campaigned in Erie on Thursday and also traveled to Lancaster and Pittsburgh this week. While Harris is in Pittsburgh, second gentleman Doug Emhoff will travel to Wayne, a Philadelphia suburb, to campaign Sunday.
Todd Belt, director of the political management program at the Graduate School of Political Management at the George Washington University, reiterated the importance of Erie County as a bellwether.
But Belt also noted that any positive attention Harris receives in western Pennsylvania in general could help in a key task narrowing Trumps margins in some of the rural and exurban counties where Republicans hold an advantage.
Remember, the goal is not to win the rural white vote the goal is not to lose it as badly as Hillary Clinton did, Belt said. It all goes toward the state totals.
Belt also suggested that the kind of local coverage engendered by any informal visits Harris makes while in the area could be politically useful.
The alternative is not doing it and then you open yourself up to the attack of being elite and disconnected, one of the coastal elites.
Harriss decision may not sound like the kind of momentous decision upon which an election hinges.
But in a state where the margin of victory has been so slim in the past two elections, even the slightest advantage could make all the difference.
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A Georgia woman was arrested almost twenty years after her friends dismembered body was discovered on the side of the road. Angel Marie Thompson is not considered a suspect in the death of her friend Nicole Alston, but she is being charged with concealing Altons body as part of an identity theft scam that went on for nearly a decade.
The case goes back to December 2007, when the partial remains of an unidentified womans body were discovered inside a burning bag that was left on the side of a road in Hogansville, Georgia. The case went cold until 2023 when authorities identified the victim as 24-year-old Nicole Alston of New York City through a DNA match, according to a September 3 Facebook post from the Troup County Sheriffs office.
Police say Alstons family confirmed their last contact with her happened around Thanksgiving 2007 after shed moved to Atlanta with Thompson. Although Thompson isnt considered a suspect in Alstons death, police allege she failed to report her friend missing and instead used her identity to gain access to her social security benefits, food stamp allotment and Section 8 Housing benefits. They add Thompson was wanted in New York for theft and identity fraud around the time she left the state.
The report goes on to say Thompson stopped stealing the benefits in 2015 when the Social Security Administration notified Alston that she would need to come into an office and reapply for her benefits in person. But by then, police say the total amount of Thompsons shady scheme was valued at nearly $200,000.
Authorities arrested Angel Marie Thompson on August 19 charging her with concealing Nicole Alstons death. The investigation into her murder continues as police have still not been able to identify a suspect.
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DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) A woman is facing two murder charges following two separate death investigations, according to the Decatur Police Department.
On Aug. 25, Decatur police officers responded to a stabbing call at a home on Ororke Lane. An adult man was found with multiple lacerations. At the time, the man was taken to Huntsville Hospital for treatment.
Two people found dead in Decatur home during well-being check
Police say a woman, identified as Mary Hughes, was also at the home when they arrived. Following an investigation, Hughes was charged with domestic violence assault and taken to the Morgan County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
Hughes bonded out on Aug. 28.
On Aug. 31, officers responded to a call about an assault on Line Street and Market Street. The report said that a woman had attacked an elderly woman with a hammer before leaving the scene in a vehicle. Witnesses were able to follow her until officers arrived.
The injured woman was identified as Mimi Marquette. She was taken to Huntsville Hospital for treatment. While on scene, officers were able to identify the suspect again as Hughes.
She was arrested and charged with first-degree assault. She was again taken to the Morgan County Jail and her bond was set to $50,000.
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On Sunday, Sept. 1 officers found a dead man inside his home. Through an investigation, the man was identified as James Jefferson. He was taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for an autopsy, which later determined homicide was the cause of death. The investigation remained ongoing.
Officers received a call on Thursday, Sept. 5, that Marquette had died from her injuries. Hughess bond was raised to $100,000 and her charge was changed to murder. The investigation into Jeffersons death also revealed that Hughes was a suspect in his murder as well.
On Thursday, Hughes was charged with an additional count of murder, and given a bond of $200,000 for that charge.
Hughes now remains in the Morgan County Jail on a $300,000 bond and is charged with two counts of murder.
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It was a tale of two freeways.
In April, protesters on U.S. 101 in San Francisco shut down the Golden Gate Bridge and I-880 in nearby Oakland to protest Israels military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, blocking traffic for hours. Protesters in Oakland chained themselves to cement-filled barrels to avoid being forced to leave. On the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the anti-Israel activists used a heavy chain to connect several cars at the front of the logjam.
The story of the two simultaneous protests diverges when it comes to the consequences the protesters on each highway are now facing. In August, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins charged 26 people with false imprisonment, trespassing and other charges, alleging that they forcibly kept drivers on the Golden Gate Bridge for more than four hours. Meanwhile, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price has not filed charges against any of the protesters who shut down I-880 in Oakland.
The two district attorneys strikingly disparate handlings of similar incidents reflect their different approaches to prosecuting crime and offers a window into how different law enforcement officials have dealt with rising antisemitism since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks last year and anti-Israel protests that have at times veered into unlawfulness.
Price was elected in 2022 as a staunch progressive who ran on a platform of reducing sentences and limiting incarceration. She now faces a recall in November from community members worried she isnt doing enough to stem rising crime in Oakland. Jenkins, meanwhile, was appointed San Francisco DA in 2022 after her progressive predecessor, Chesa Boudin, was successfully recalled in a campaign similar to the one seeking to oust Price.
Images of illicit encampments, disruptive protests and videos of activists chanting hateful slogans about Israel and Jews outside kosher restaurants are often met with what seems like a simple demand from Jewish Americans concerned about rising antisemitism: Why isnt more being done about this?
People have a right to protest. People have a right to go out and hate as much as you want. This is America. You dont have to like me, said Hermann Walz, a former prosecutor in Queens and an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. What youre not allowed to do is trespass, deface property, harass other people, those kinds of things.
But even when protesters break the law, such as on the Golden Gate Bridge and I-880 in Oakland, what happens to them next and what consequences they might face for their actions can vary widely. Prosecutors have discretion in deciding when to bring charges and how severe the charges will be. Just because a person is arrested on the scene of a protest does not mean they will face charges; The New York Times reported in July that more than 3,000 people were arrested at campus protests last spring, the majority of them have not faced any charges or have since had charges dropped.
Aysha Abraibesh leads a chant while pro-Palestinian demonstrators block commute traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, in San Francisco. Sometimes its a question of capacity: Does a district attorneys office have the resources to carry the cases through? Do they have enough evidence from the police? Even still, they may not want to devote the necessary resources to these kinds of cases.
I think historically, most people who have been arrested at protests have not been prosecuted, said David Sklansky, a professor at Stanford Law School. In the protests against the Vietnam War in the 1960s, for example, most of those people who were arrested were not then formally charged and prosecuted in court because the court capacity and the prosecutors offices couldnt accommodate that.
Often, though, its a question of values. Progressive prosecutors such as Price were elected on the promise that they would be more discerning in deciding which cases warrant prosecution, a message that held particular appeal in recent years as greater attention was paid to racial disparities in policing and excessive use of force by law enforcement officers.
Many progressive prosecutors run on a platform of being less carceral and less inclined to seek criminal sanctions across the board, Sklansky said. It wouldnt be surprising if you see that in cases of protest.
Since Oct. 7, some Jewish constituents represented by prosecutors who have adopted a soft-on-crime approach are frustrated by what they see as a lack of enforcement and accountability.
In Alameda County, which encompasses Oakland and Berkeley, Prices hands-off approach to protest-related incidents is just one area of concern for Jewish leaders in the area. She also hasnt spoken out against some of the most high-profile antisemitic incidents in the area, such as when a Chabad menorah placed in a public park was dismantled and thrown in a lake, with threatening graffiti left in its wake. In early November, she voted for a local Democratic Party resolution that accused Israel of genocide, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and the war crime of collective punishment. A spokesperson for Price did not respond to requests for comment.
I think the Jewish community has been very disappointed in the lack of communication and condemning of incidents that we have seen across the East Bay, said Jonathan Mintzer, director of government affairs at the Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council. Price has never contacted the JCRC. Jenkins, for her part, has worked closely with the San Francisco Jewish community to provide updates on relevant prosecutions and speak directly with concerned San Franciscans.
I would say the majority of the Jewish community has probably lost confidence in [Prices] ability to build bridges, added Tyler Gregory, the JCRCs CEO.
The frustration expressed by Bay Area Jewish community leaders reflects a wider sense of concern among Jewish leaders that prosecutors particularly those in deep-blue jurisdictions are not doing enough to fight rising antisemitism.
We have heard incredible frustration, not just from the community, but from many law enforcement partners, about the lack of prosecution and/or political support to hold people accountable for violating the law, said Michael Masters, a former chief of staff at the Chicago Police Department who is now the CEO at Secure Community Network, which provides security services and assessments to Jewish organizations.
It doesnt appear that the perpetrators of these acts fear the consequences of their actions, said Richard Priem, CEO of the Community Security Service, another Jewish communal security organization.
Even when people at protests are breaking the law in some way, like trespassing or refusing to disperse when ordered by police, its hardly a guarantee that theyll face charges.
Whether its fair or not fair, accusations of stifling free speech and accusations of cracking down on protests are going to be levied anyways, even if there were real acts and real attempts to break the law, Priem said.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner who was elected in 2017 as a self-described progressive prosecutor, one of the earliest wins for the movement was a civil rights attorney earlier in his career. This spring, when anti-Israel activists set up an encampment at the University of Pennsylvania, he expressed support for students right to protest and criticized Columbia University for its handling of campus protests.
The First Amendment comes from here, this is Philadelphia, we dont have to do stupid like they did at Columbia, Krasner said. The day before, Columbia had arrested several dozen people for breaking into and occupying a campus building. (The charges were later dropped in most cases.) When UPenn police arrested four people for attempting to occupy a campus building, Krasner declined to bring charges.
Pro-Palestinian protesters march outside Columbia University in New York City on April 18, 2024.
He has not been diligent in prosecuting, so the prosecutions have been minimal. I just dont think hes been as responsive. Weve tried to speak with him, said Robin Schatz, director of government affairs at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. There is frustration on the part of the police and on the part of our security director because there has been a reluctance, when arrests are made, to prosecute.
Prosecutors discretion over whether to file charges against people extends to cases involving more serious actions than just out-of-control protests. In Los Angeles, Jewish community members are upset that no charges have yet been filed related to a June protest outside a synagogue in the heavily Jewish Pico-Robertson neighborhood that turned violent. President Joe Biden called the protests, which blocked entry to Adas Torah synagogue while it was holding an event about real estate in Israel, dangerous, unconscionable, antisemitic and un-American. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass condemned the violence and pledged to do more to protect the Jewish community.
George Gascon, the Los Angeles County district attorney, is not taking antisemitic hate crimes seriously, said Sam Yebri, a lawyer and activist in the L.A. Jewish community. The feeling in the Jewish community is that our safety is no longer a priority for our prosecutor.
Gascon, a progressive, faces what is expected to be a competitive race in November against Nathan Hochman, a former Republican candidate for California attorney general. Hochman shared a video from Adas Torah soon after the violence broke out, saying Gascon is missing in action.
Our office is not aware if any cases have been filed against anyone in this incident, a spokesperson for Gascon said when asked about the Adas Torah incident. Days later, Brian Schirn, a deputy DA who runs the Narcotics Division, said, for the first time in his three decades in the DAs office, that he has no confidence in our office treating a Jewish victim the same as anyone else.
You have a right to assemble, but you have to have a time, place and manner, and then bringing weapons like bear spray, etc, to these protests is highly illegal. There just has been, uniformly, no enforcement of these kinds of things, said Rabbi Noah Farkas, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Jewish Federation.
In all of these cases, some Jewish community members are left wondering why no further action is being taken. Does it stem from a deeper philosophical approach to criminal justice? Is there a blind spot when it comes to Jews concerns about antisemitism? Or could it be political, a desire to avoid upsetting constituents on the left?
The loser of this, said Community Security Services Priem, is the Jewish congregant, the Jewish person in the neighborhood or the Jewish student on campus who is seeing that certain transgressions that could be acted upon, that could be prosecuted, that could lead to arrest, are tolerated because theyre not severe enough, and there is a hesitancy to draw that kind of scrutiny and criticism from the other side.
Deep divisions in battleground Pennsylvania over proposed sale of U.S. Steel to Japanese company
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. Its one the few things Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump agree on: opposing the sale of U.S. Steel to the Japanese company Nippon Steel.
But the proposed deal is shattering party loyalty in parts of western Pennsylvania where some steelworkers feel theyre being used as political talking points.
Im pissed, said Chris Kelly, the mayor of West Mifflin, a small town near Pittsburgh. I believe everybodys being played as a pawn.
Kelly, a Democrat, said he was initially skeptical of Nippon buying U.S. Steel, which operates plants in West Mifflin and surrounding communities known as the Mon Valley. The company has been making steel here since its inception in 1901. It employs some 4,000 people across Pennsylvania and has said it sustains more than 11,000 indirect jobs and brings in $3.6 billion in economic impact to the region.
During an interview inside his garage which doubles as his mayoral office Kelly said Nippon won him over by promising billions of dollars in investments.
Ive learned what the deal is about, he said, adding that it would protect jobs and pensions. I wish [national politicians] were here today to talk to actual union workers in the mill and the effect it would have on them if they stop this deal in its tracks. Its too important.
Kelly is bucking his own party. Two people familiar with the matter confirmed to NBC News that President Joe Biden is preparing to announce that he will formally block the sale. The news was first reported by The Washington Post.
A White House official said the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States hasnt sent a recommendation to Biden the next step in the process.
Biden opposed the sale during a visit to Pittsburgh in April. Earlier this week, during her own visit to the Steel City, Harris said she opposed it, too.
I couldnt agree more with President Biden, she said. U.S. Steel should remain American owned and American operated, and I will always have the back of America steelworkers.
Vice President Kamala Harris during a campaign event at IBEW Local Union #5, in Pittsburgh, on Monday.
Trump is against the deal, too.
But U.S. Steels CEO, David Burritt, is warning that without Nippons investment, hell have to pull resources out of western Pennsylvania, potentially costing the area thousands of jobs.
Troy Stephenson, a union member who has worked at U.S. Steel for 27 years, said, "We worry about our jobs all the time."
Right now, with what we know, we feel like Nippon is the better deal, he said.
Still, union leadership argues that the deal would benefit stockholders, not workers. In an interview with NBC News, David McCall, the United Steelworkers president, said he didnt believe threats of U.S. Steel pulling out of Pennsylvania.
I think it is the most baseless, irresponsible threat and statement that any CEO could possibly make, he said. I take no great satisfaction in being opposed to this deal, other than it does not meet the needs of our members or our retirees, and certainly not the needs of national defense.
McCall said his unions opposition to the detail was largely because it did not meet the criteria of its collective bargaining agreement and his members believed that Nippon might move some of its assets from the region to Arkansas.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa, has come out strongly against the sale.
Im calling bull---- on the U.S. Steel executives, he said in a written statement Thursday. As Ive always said, I will follow and stand with the United Steelworkers against the shameless executives looking for a golden parachute.
The sale and the possibility it could be nixed is now deeply dividing this region, pitting members of the same party and even the same union against each other in a key battleground state.
Kelly, the West Mifflin mayor, said he was bewildered with both Harris and Trump.
How could this be the only thing in the whole political race that they agree on? Kelly said. Come to where its affecting the people. Dont make this decision from Washington, D.C.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
NYERI, Kenya, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 pupils were burned to death and 13 others seriously injured following a fire incident at a school in central Kenya, local police confirmed Friday.
National Police Service Spokesperson Resila Onyango said that 14 pupils were sent to hospital with serious burns following the fire on Thursday night at Hillside Endarasha Primary Academy in Nyeri County. One died after being admitted.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A driver told police that a deer caused a rollover crash on Friday afternoon.
The vehicle flipped over in the 2200 block of Coitsville Hubbard Road.
Police said the driver told them that he swerved to miss a deer, leading to the crash.
The driver was wearing a seat belt and managed to crawl out of the vehicle on his own. No major injuries were reported.
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reports that they have confirmed at least 120 cases of a viral disease among deer in St. Joseph County and more will likely be found in neighboring counties soon.
The cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease have come in over the last few weeks. The DNR says this is the first time since 2021 that the disease has been found in St. Joseph County.
Chad Stewart, acting supervisor of the Wildlife Divisions Sustainable Populations Section, says outbreaks of EHD are hit or miss.
Although early reports indicate 2024 could see a significant outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in pockets of Michigans deer population, this isnt necessarily unusual, Stewart said in a statement.
EHD outbreaks have occurred off and on in Michigan since 2006. Typically, outbreaks are limited to isolated areas and anywhere from an estimated 50 to 1,000 deer die.
DNR establishes new state game area in Van Buren County
The largest EHD die-off happened in 2012, when an estimated 14,000 deer died across more than 30 counties. But in 2014 and 2015, no cases were found.
The last West Michigan cases were reported in 2021, when 24 counties confirmed outbreaks, including Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Ionia, Kent, Oceana, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties. EHD was also reported in Cass County in 2022.
EHD is transmitted by a specific type of midge. The DNR says weather conditions have allowed the midges to thrive this year, providing more avenues for the virus to spread.
DNR adds more than 9 million fish to local waters
Studies in other states have shown that a warm spring followed by a relatively rainy July and hot, dry August seem to be significant factors that make an outbreak more likely, the DNR reports.
Typically, EHD-positive deer lose their appetite and their natural fear of humans. They will also grow weaker, salivate excessively and lose consciousness. They often die due to fever and dehydration, which is why EHD-positive deer are typically found near bodies of water they die while trying to cool off and rehydrate.
There is no known effective treatment for EHD. However, it is not considered a terminal disease not all deer die from their infections.
Deer that survive epizootic hemorrhagic disease develop immunity to the virus and outbreaks are rarely seen in the same area in consecutive years, Stewart said.
DNR approves proposal to allow e-bikes on state-owned trails
EHD is only transmitted by the flies; it is not spread from deer to deer. Neither humans nor pets can contract EHD. While hunters are urged not to consume visibly sick deer, there is no evidence that shows a human can contract the virus from eating venison from an EHD-positive animal.
Anyone who suspects a deer has died from EHD is encouraged to contact the DNR using the Eyes in the Field website.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Olean McCaskill talks with Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson in Olean's restaurant in Tallahassee on Sept. 6, 2024. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)
TALLAHASSEE A Tennessee state House member once expelled from that body flew to Florida to advocate against authoritarianism and stump for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz.
Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson, one of the Tennessee Three expelled for protesting on the House floor against gun violence, made a stop in Tallahassee Friday, a place he believes is integral to the future of Democratic politics.
Absolutely, Florida is in play. I think Vice President Harris has increased the level of momentum and energy in this state in a way that we have not seen in quite a long time, Pearson said. Especially the youth vote, he said, is going to help swing this election.
Pearson dined at Oleans Cafe, a venerable soul food restaurant that also hosted then-Vice President Joe Biden in 2016 while in town for a fundraiser.
Pearson, who represents part of Memphis, and Rep. Justin Jones were expelled for their protests on the Tennessee House floor last year. The two, both Black, won reelection to their positions and continue to serve as Democrats amid a Republican supermajority. Democratic Rep. Gloria Johnson also protested but was not expelled. She is white.
The 29-year-old Pearson saw a parallel between leadership in his home state and the Sunshine State, both dominated by Republicans.
Because democracy is at stake, the future of our opportunities as people is at stake, and when you live in a place like Florida or Tennessee you see what happens when authoritarians are in charge, Pearson said.
And when we have somebody who says they want to be dictator on Day One, we have a responsibility of making sure they lose so that we can preserve this democratic experiment.
Small business tax proposal
Pearson appeared in the state capital in part to promote the small-business tax proposal Harris released this week.
She wants to increase tax incentives for startup businesses from $5,000 to $50,000, with an option to wait to claim the deduction until the business turns a profit, for maximized effect. The vice presidents campaign set a goal of 25 million new small business applications in her first term, if elected.
Pearson said Harris hopes to create an opportunity economy, and the small-business tax relief would help that, he said.
The Harris campaign is really committed to our small businesses, committed to our HCBUs [historically Black colleges and universities], committed to helping to grow the places that havent been given the necessary investments, particularly in Black and lower-income communities, Pearson said at the cafe, located across the street from Florida A&M University, the states sole public HBCU.
The release of the small business proposal came less than a week before the two presidential candidates are scheduled to debate.
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Georgia school shooting
The representative who made national headlines for his protest against gun violence commented on the school shooting Wednesday in Georgia that took the lives of two students and two teachers.
Pearson said the shooting in Georgia was preventable and criticized Republicans who have blocked increased protections from firearms.
We get folks expelling members of general assemblies instead of doing all they can to pass laws that actually protect our communities, Pearson said. And a lot of our communities experience gun violence nearly every single day.
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Democratic US Senate candidate Ty Pinkins is upset with the Democratic Party. Here is why
Ty Pinkins, the Democratic challenger to Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, is unhappy with what he said is a lack of support from the National Democratic Party.
Pinkins' team in an email to the Clarion Ledger on Tuesday said Pinkins is unsatisfied with the party's lack of effort in supporting his candidacy and said Mississippi Democrats are now missing out on millions of dollars flowing from the Vice President Kamala Harris Presidential Campaign to down-ballot candidates throughout the nation.
"We have learned that the Harris campaign is allocating an unprecedented $25 million for down-ballot spending, but none of that funding is being directed to Mississippi to support local candidates," the email states.
Pinkins' email also expressed a lack of support from U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Dist. 2, who declined to comment on the email.
Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman and State Rep. Cheikh Taylor, D-Starkville, told the Clarion Ledger Thursday that while he understands Pinkins position, Mississippi is not a battleground state and funds the DNC gives to candidates are needed elsewhere.
"That money will be for the entire country, but this is not a battleground state," Taylor said. "We do hope to be a pivotal swing state in the next four years. Ty Pickens is an excellent candidate As a candidate (for state office), I get the frustration."
Ty Pinkins speaks about issues regarding the decades-long failure to install the Yazoo Pumps to mitigate flooding during a town meeting in Rolling Fork on Aug. 24, 2022. Pinkins' campaign told the Clarion Ledger via email that he is unhappy with the National Democratic Party and Bennie Thompson.
More about Ty Pinkins Ty Pinkins announces campaign for US Senate
Taylor said he is hoping to assist Pinkins with a $300,000 grant from the DNC that will pay for new state party staff members and campaign marketing for all three state candidates, including Pinkins and other Democratic candidates, Diane Black, who is running against Trent Kelly in District 1, and Thompson, who faces Republican Ron Eller.
"It's my hope that somehow, very quickly, that that narrative changes and that we could go ahead and secure victory for that U.S. Senate seat," Taylor said, noting how useful the money could be to the state.
Taylor said that money will help in efforts to turn Mississippi into more of a battleground state by creating more positions in key areas to advocate on the party's behalf. Awardees of the grant will be announced later this month, Taylor said.
During the 2023 election cycle, the state party was slated to receive up to $250,000 in a donation from the DNC, but because of instability caused by former Party Chair Tyree Irving, who was later ousted from the position and replaced by Taylor, that money never came.
More about M Democratic Party Cheikh Taylor fends off challenger, maintains MS Democratic Party chairmanship
As for whether those funds, if awarded to the Mississippi Democratic Party, could help put Pinkins over the hump with Wicker, Taylor said that no matter what happens, the recent rise of Vice President Kamala Harris to the Democratic Nominee to face off with GOP candidate and former President Donald Trump, will rise up other Democrats like Pinkins.
Pinkins initially agreed to answer further questions on his campaign's initial statements but was unable to respond by press time.
Since 2023 Pinkins has raised approximately $499,333 and spent $447,374, leaving him with about $52,106 in cash on hand, according to Federal Election Commission data. A large portion of that fundraising has come via ActBlue, a political action group and fundraising platform that sends money from individual donors to candidates aimed at supporting Democrats.
In comparison, Wicker has raised $6.1 million in contributions and transfers from other committees and spent more than $5 million. Wicker has $3.6 million in cash on hand, which includes funds he raised prior to 2023.
Neither candidate has directly received money from their state or national parties, according to FEC filings ending on June 30.
Poll data from The Hill, a news and political data website, reports Wicker has a 99% chance of keeping his seat in the Senate.
Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS Senate candidate feels unsupported by DNC, Bennie Thompson
ROAN MOUNTAIN, Tenn. (WJHL) Demolition of the swimming pool at Roan Mountain State Park began Thursday.
It is one of many state park swimming pools that closed following the 2019 season and never reopened.
According to a state parks official, funding has been secured for a replacement amenity: a paved, accessible trail connecting the campground, cabins, and playground.
Flash droughts and disease cause an early show of fall color in some trees
We are looking forward to the new trail, which will provide visitors and locals with an outdoor recreational opportunity that can be utilized year-round and will connect key parts of the park in a safe manner, said Kim Schofinski, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, which is over state parks.
Schofinski said Tennessee State Parks is working with Carter County, Elizabethton, and Roan Mountain regarding potential additional recreational amenities within these communities.
We look forward to sharing more details as those conversations continue, she said.
Crews completed the demolition of David Crockett Birthplace State Parks pool last week. It will be replaced with a new playscape.
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In May, the Louisiana state legislature passed an unfathomably stupid and unscientific law that reclassified the increasingly politicized drugs mifepristone and misoprostol, which are in some cases used to induce abortions, as "controlled dangerous substances."
The law was idiotic for a slew of reasons, one of them being that these drugs aren't just used to terminate unwanted or doomed pregnancies. They're also used to safely assist women who have miscarried, and in the case of misoprostol, used as a life-saving emergency medicine to treat postpartum hemorrhaging. And now, as a devastating report by the Louisiana Illuminator reveals, Louisiana hospitals are starting to pull misoprostol off their emergency carts due to the drug's catastrophically dumb new categorization an entirely avoidable outcome that, doctors warn, could result in women losing their lives.
"It is causing a lot of confusion and angst just not understanding, just not knowing," one OB-GYN, who opted to stay anonymous for the security of her job, told the Illuminator. "They're still trying to figure out what to do."
Mifepristone and misoprostol have no risk of dependency, and have been used safely under Federal Drug Administration guidelines for more than 20 years. Under the new law, however, mifepristone and misoprostol are considered Schedule IV substances in Louisiana, ranking them alongside addictive opioids and depressants. This means that prescriptions are much more difficult to obtain, and carrying or providing the drugs without prescriptions may carry civil and even criminal fines and penalties that could apply to patients and doctors.
Crucially, the law doesn't provide any guidance for these drugs' use in emergency settings, including misopristol's often essential role in halting life-threatening postpartum blood loss. That means patients and doctors will have to go through a time-consuming pharmacy process to obtain it, which in turn renders it pretty much impossible for doctors to use in emergency settings without risking possibly life-changing penalizations.
In other words, the new law has completely disrupted safe, standardized emergency interventions for preventing maternal deaths. (According to the Illuminator, one physician in the state compared the situation to not being allowed to use an EpiPen on patients experiencing deadly anaphylactic shock.)
"The physician community that I work within is certainly anxious about what the changes to the normal process will be," Stacey Holman, a division director at the Touro hospital's maternal child services, told the Illuminator. "It's an unnecessary barrier and really critical to the regular everyday care that we provide to our patients."
"We're trying to fix something that is not broken," Holman added, "and that is absolutely safe."
Louisiana has also done such a poor job at actually communicating the stupid legislation that, per the Illuminator, some doctors working at rural hospitals didn't even know that the law would likely force medical systems to remove misoprostol from emergency carts.
"What? That's terrifying," one rural physician told the Illuminator. "Take it off the carts? That's death. That's a matter of life or death."
The law is set to go into effect on October 1. Per the report, over 50 doctors in the state last month signed a letter addressed to Louisiana Department of Health and Surgeon General Ralph Abraham pleading for additional guidance for misoprostol in emergency settings before that date. Abraham, a former US Congressman and longtime anti-abortion figure, has yet to respond. And yet it's worth noting that Abraham faced allegations during his 2019 governor run of overprescribing opioids in other words, actual dangerous substances that should be controlled during his years as a practicing physician. He was appointed to his cabinet role by current Louisiana governor Jeff Landry, who as Jezebel reported in 2022 withheld New Orleans' emergency flood response funds in a ploy to pressure officials to enforce the state's extreme abortion ban.
The lack of comprehensibility of the new legislation is indicative of how profoundly shortsighted and consequential it is.
As The Washington Post reported in May, the bill's main author was Louisiana state senator Thomas Pressly, whose sister experienced something genuinely horrifying: while pregnant, she was fed misoprostol without her knowledge by her husband. That's an awful thing. But it's also exceedingly rare, and completely misrepresents the proven safety of these drugs overall. And in using an exceptional situation as the rule as opposed to using established science and proven healthcare precedents to formulate legislation that impacts the medical system Pressly, Landry, and everyone else who put this law into effect might put many more women's lives and healths at unnecessary risk.
"We are not going to put patients in harm's way," Holman, the Touro director, told the Illuminator. "We are going to figure out solutions to this, but we're going through a lot of steps and figuring out a lot of things for a medication that is actually safe."
More on what could be the dumbest of abortion laws out there: Louisiana House Passes Unbelievably Stupid Bill That Classifies Extremely Safe Abortion Pills as "Controlled Dangerous Substances"
Members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 32BJ march on Feb. 21, 2024, in Miami. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is a man of the people, a vocal champion in defense of labor unions. And he cares deeply about bread-and-butter issues and promoting workers rights.
DeSantis also labors tirelessly to secure better wages, salaries, and conditions for working and middle-class Floridians.
Okay, you can wake up now. None of the above is true. DeSantis could be all these things but any hint he supports labor unions is fiction, because hes sold his soul to the Devil.
In the real world, the governor delights in screwing over labor unions. He has shown himself a gleeful nemesis to public-sector and other union workers. DeSantis is an unapologetic mouthpiece of the far-right, anti-union, anti-worker faction of the Republican Party.
He illustrated that animus by signing a sweeping anti-union law in 2023 that, a year later, is roiling the states labor landscape while throwing Florida unions into disarray.)
An investigation by WLRN found that more than 42,000 public service employees have lost union representation because of the new law. This includes janitors, groundskeepers, park employees in the state, accountants, just office clerks, WLRNs Daniel Rivero reported. They have lost their unions. Its a lot of people. This law does exempt unions for police, firefighters and correctional officers from these new requirements .
This law means the unions havent been able to hit the new dues-paying member requirements under the law, which is that 6 in 10 workers need to pay their dues or else the union dies.
The scope of the potential fallout is difficult to put into words without becoming a massive, eye-blurring list, Rivero wrote.
Union purge
State officials say 20 bargaining units representing non-instructional employees have been decertified at campuses including Florida International University, University of Central Florida, Florida State University, University of Florida, University of South Florida, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, the University of North Florida, and the University of West Florida.
So have units representing municipal workers in Oakland Park, High Springs, Naples, Jacksonville, Sebring, Bradenton and other cities, plus four Association of Federal State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) units representing 42,000 state workers. And the eight unions representing 8,000 adjunct professors at public colleges and universities.
Public-sector unions play a critical role in the lives of the employees they represent. Unions help negotiate everything from break times to purchasing new equipment to working conditions and disciplinary or termination procedures. Without a union to negotiate or enforce a collective bargaining agreement, those negotiated worker protections can be reversed.
Why this strategy?
To destroy unions, because they provide the money, resources, and muscle for the Democratic Party and also to strip off basic workplace protections and remove collective bargaining rights for public employees, as AFSCMEs Roberta Lynch explains.
DeSantis claimed while signing the bill that SB 256 is a way to keep unions in check and curb the power theyve had for too long. He also cited concerns that unions misused funds and bullied teachers.
At the end of the day, DeSantis, Republican lawmakers, policy wonks, and rightwing donors like Koch Industries and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation have depended on the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC has been at the forefront for the past 50 years trying to dismantle unions and cement anti-worker laws state by state.
Egregious anti-union bill
ALEC, DeSantis, and the rest of the cabal always claim to support worker freedom and flexibility. But they have done the opposite, using a well-financed, coordinated strategy to make it harder for them [unions] to organize, harder for local governments to support decent-paying jobs, and easier on big business, In These Times reports.
It should be national news, said Karla Hernandez-Mats, president of United Teachers of Dade. This is the most egregious, most anti-union bill ever proffered in the entire United States history.
Meanwhile, unions elsewhere have increasingly exerted their might to secure hard-earned concessions from corporate leadership across the country.
By Bill Fletchers estimation, the wave of labor activism sweeping the United States began more than a decade ago.
This didnt pop up out of nowhere. What were witnessing is the result of a sort of insurgency that we began to see in 2011 with the Occupy movement and the Madison Rebellion that in many ways helped Barack Obama win a second term, said Fletcher, a veteran labor union activist, author, and talk show host in an interview. It demonstrated that something was going on at the base.
The Madison Rebellion refers to a months-long occupation of the Wisconsin state capitol by tens of thousands of public-sector and other union members and their allies after former Gov. Scott Walker passed a law that stripped public employee unions of their collective bargaining rights and closed off the ability of union leadership to use a dues check-off system to fund union activities. The protests began on Feb. 15, 2011.
The law caused many teachers to leave the profession and severely damaged work standards for public employees. Nonetheless, the struggle to oppose the law in the winter of 2011 was indeed historic.
Frustration building
Vast income disparities, obscenely generous salaries for corporate heads, stagnant employee wages, and the polarization of wealth and opportunity have ignited deep and profound distrust and frustration among rank-and-file workers and employees, Fletcher said.
The frustration has been building over decades and unions are taking advantage of that. Union leaders understood the need for social justice unionism beyond wages and salaries and looked at broader issues, Fletcher explained.
The Teamsters 340,000 members received raises and other perks from UPS; 84,000 Kaiser Permanente employees won 21% pay increases; United Airlines 16,000 pilots secured pay increases of between 34% and 40%; and nurses, teachers, school administrators, graduate students, baristas, janitors, custodians, bus drivers, and other employees won concessions from their bosses.
Im very excited by the passion, energy, and zeal of the workers but, unless these gains are codified, I cant say if this momentum is sustainable, Marc Bayard, an associate fellow, director of the Institute for Policy Studies Black Worker Initiative and founding executive director of the Worker Institute at Cornell University, told me.
The UAW victory was phenomenal because its important to stand up to the Big Three. Its very exciting in what the UAW is leading, he said.
Bayard referred to the United Auto Workers successful strike last year against the Big Three Detroit automakers.
UAWs victory illustrates organizational power used creatively, consistently, and effectively, Bayard said. Its leaders demonstrated core values: justice, fairness, and inculcation of a belief in people that countered the pervasive unfairness and imbalance of power.
Theres a whole new message and culture in place, and unions and workers have reaped rewards of their advocacy and push for a share of the profits their hard work has produced, said Bayard. We have also seen clear messaging on new platforms.
While some union members and leaders in Florida have thrown up their hands, others, like Hernandez-Mats in Miami-Dade, while viewing the law as nothing less than an attack on workers in Florida, insist all is not lost.
Its forcing us to educate people on the importance of labor and the importance of unions. And its going to make a difference. Not only is this making our educators angry and upset at the attacks that theyre receiving, but its also mobilizing people. Its mobilizing people into action.
Despite opt-outs by GOP states, debut of kids summer food program seen as a success
The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, known as Summer EBT, popped up in 37 states, the District of Columbia and multiple territories and tribal nations this year and is intended to feed hungry kids. (Inti St. Clair | Getty Photos)
A U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative to feed hungry kids during the long summer months is mostly winding down, with advocates calling it a success despite some hiccups and the federal government and many states are already working to bring the permanent program back in 2025.
The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program or Summer EBT has popped up in 37 states, the District of Columbia and multiple territories and tribal nations this year. Advocates say that despite the programs fair share of challenges, especially given its first year of implementation, the program emerged as an important resource in the fight against kids summer hunger.
Summer EBT, also known as SUN Bucks, provides low-income families with school-aged children a grocery-buying benefit of $120 per child. Children are automatically enrolled in Summer EBT if already enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, known as TANF; or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, per the USDA.
Students might also be automatically enrolled if their school offers the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program and their family qualifies for free or reduced-price school meals, according to the USDA. Most states deadlines to apply for the benefit this summer have already passed, and many have already issued the benefit for the summer months.
Allan Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the USDA, said its too early to say just how many children have been served through the program so far this summer, but based on the participating states, territories and tribes, an estimated 21 million children are eligible to receive the benefits.
Critical support to families
Kelsey Boone, senior child nutrition policy analyst at the Food Research & Action Center, told States Newsroom that like any new program, there are challenges with Summer EBT.
The national nonprofit works to reduce poverty-related hunger through research, advocacy and policy solutions.
That has included tight implementation timelines, logistical complexities and the need to raise awareness among eligible families, Boone said.
Despite those challenges, Boone said the program is definitely worth it and provides critical support to families by ensuring children have access to nutritious foods during the summer months, bridging the gap when school meals are unavailable.
Boone said we are still in the midst of implementation, so there arent hard statistics on how the programs are really rolling out at this point.
She added that some states have had to return to USDA and ask for higher amounts of benefits, and that is due to the fact that they are streamline certifying, or automatically giving benefits to more students than they expected, and that is a very big positive for the streamlined certification process.
Boone noted that some states have been delayed in issuing the benefits, which means some families will not be receiving benefits until September or even October or November.
Still, Boone said that despite the importance of receiving the benefits during crucial summer months when school meal programs are not an option, it is also going to be helpful no matter what.
Over a dozen states opted out
But 13 states all with Republican governors chose not to partake in the program this year, including Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Multiple tribal nations in Oklahoma are participating despite the state opting out.
Rodriguez said the department expects that even more states and tribes will provide SUN Bucks next year.
States have until Jan. 1 to submit a notice of intent if they plan to participate in Summer EBT for 2025, according to the USDA. Alabama has already allocated millions of dollars in funding for the program next summer.
We recognize that standing up a new program in a very short time period is no easy task, Rodriguez said, adding that potential challenges may include making systems changes, identifying sufficient staff, and securing financial resources to cover program administration, particularly [states] responsibility for covering 50% of the administrative costs associated with operating the program.
The USDA is committed to working closely with all states, U.S. territories, and eligible tribes to support our shared goal of ensuring children have access to critical nutrition in the summer months through SUN Bucks, Rodriguez added.
Justin King, policy director at Propel a financial technology company helping low-income Americans track Electronic Benefit Transfer balances, like Summer EBT, through an app said theres a lot of frustration and disappointment among folks who feel left out because their state has chosen not to participate this year.
The company, which has partnered with the Biden administration, serves more than 5 million households each month.
King said the big takeaway from looking at Summer EBT is that while there might be inevitable hiccups and challenges, Summer EBT can work, and it does make a difference for the households that it serves.
The comments that weve gotten from households whove received the benefit this year are overwhelmingly positive about it making a real difference in their ability to keep their kids healthy and fed in summertime.
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The fallout from last weeks Arlington National Cemetery fight is still plaguing the Trump campaign.
The Trump staffers reportedly involved in accosting a cemetery official are Justin Caporale, a deputy campaign manager for Donald Trumps reelection bid, and Michel Picard, a member of Trumps advance team, NPR reported Thursday evening.
Caporale had previously worked under former First Lady Melania Trump, and served under Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as director of external affairs, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Caporale was also listed as an on-site contact during the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. He was, at the time, a project manager for the Women for America First rally, before some of the crowd stormed into the halls of Congress.
Trumps decision to film at the military graveyardand in Section 60, where recent military casualties are buriedviolated federal law, which prohibits politically related activities in the cemetery such as taking photos and videos in support of a political campaign. The criminal behavior sparked a verbal and physical fight between Trumps surrogates and an Arlington National Cemetery official who attempted to rein in the politicos videotaping.
The Trump campaign claimed that they had been given permission to videotape by the families of fallen service members, but unfortunately for Trump, that doesnt change federal law. In a rare statement last week, the Army said that it considered the case closed but sided with the cemetery official, writing that they believed the official had been abruptly pushed aside and unfairly attacked by Trump staffers.
Trump has even begun this week to insist the fight did not happen at all, making the involvement of a senior campaign staffer all the more damaging. Trumps campaign has repeatedly promised to release video exonerating both him and his staffers, but no video has appeared.
The Republican presidential nominees anti-military rhetoric has been a point of contention with current and former service members in recent weeks. In August, the reputed Vietnam-era draft dodger came under fire for arguing that the Presidential Medal of Freedom he awarded to one of his billionaire donors was much better than the nations highest military honor, the Medal of Honor. That comment struck a nerve with veterans, who connected Trumps disrespectful rhetoric to a 2020 Atlantic report that caught the former president repeatedly referring to fallen soldiers as suckers and losers.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline at 988. National Alliance on Mental Illness Utah: namiut.org
WEST HAVEN, Utah (ABC4) Detectives have ruled the tragic deaths of a 32-year-old woman and her three children in West Haven earlier this week was a murder-suicide.
The West Haven mother allegedly shot her three children aged 4, 2, and 1 before shooting herself. It is unclear when the shots were fired, but detectives believe the shooting happened Sunday night into Monday morning.
Lt. Terance Lavely with the Weber County Sheriffs Office said that based on video and physical evidence, as well as statements from eyewitnesses and family members, no one else was involved in their deaths.
The family said in a statement they were unaware of the mothers mental health and always saw her as a loving mother. Her and her childrens sudden deaths came as a painful shock.
Juvenile suspect in death of Jordan High School student charged as an adult
We do not the know the exact reasons why this tragedy happened, and we deeply regret it, the familys statement reads in part. This pain is something we wish no one would ever have to go through. Therefore, we urge all those going through difficult times to seek help; please never hide your pain. Speak out and trust that you can overcome any situation.
Lavely said the entire crime scene was isolated within the car, which was parked outside a West Haven home near 1800 South and Prevdel Drive.
The bodies of the four individuals were found just before 10 p.m. on Sept. 3. By the time deputies arrived at the scene they said the mother and three children were all beyond help.
An investigation into the deaths is still ongoing, according to Lavely, as detectives work out a motive behind the deaths. The investigation will reportedly include interviews as well as downloads of cell phone records.
Our condolences go out to the family of the deceased, said Lavely. Our hearts also go out to Weber County deputies, Roy City Police Officers, CSI, and detectives who responded to this horrific scene and continue to work this ongoing investigation.
This is the second child death in as many months for the Weber County Sheriffs Office and the 11th child-death scene processed by the department in 2024, according to Lavely.
The full family statement can be found below:
With deep sorrow in our hearts, we want to express the following words. We are going through an extremely difficult time, with a pain in our hearts that cannot be explained in words due to the invaluable loss we have suffered, because they were the light of our lives. As a family, we unfortunately knew nothing about her mental health. We always saw her as a loving mother, which makes this so shocking for us. We do not know the exact reasons why this tragedy happened, and we deeply regret it. This pain is something we wish no one would ever have to go through. Therefore, we urge all those going through difficult times to seek help; please never hid your pain. Speak out and trust that you can overcome any situation. As we mentioned, our pain is beyond words, and as a family, we are trying to get through this, even though we honestly do not know exactly how to cope with it. This is why we ask you to please respect our grief, so that in this way you cna help us begin to heal, little by little, even though right now it seems unattainable. We trust that God and the outpouring of love from the community will keep us strong and guide us to a path where we may one day find peace. We are grateful for the support and prayers of the entire community. Family 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 ABC4 Utah.
NAIROBI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Health on Friday confirmed a fifth case of mpox in the country as it intensifies surveillance to help curb the spread of the highly infectious viral disease.
Deborah Barasa, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health, said the latest case was detected in the coastal city of Mombasa, involving a 29-year-old woman with no recent history of travel.
The woman is the spouse of the fourth confirmed case, who is being treated at a health facility in Nakuru, northwest Kenya, Barasa said.
She said the latest case is in isolation at a coastal health facility's mpox isolation center, while 33 contacts remain under close observation.
"The patient has no recent travel history to a country reporting mpox cases. Her spouse recently travelled to Rwanda, returning on Aug. 14," Barasa said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
So far, Kenya has received 124 samples for mpox testing, and of those, 110 have tested negative, nine are under analysis, and five cases have confirmed positive for mpox, the official said.
Out of the five confirmed cases, two have fully recovered while three remain in isolation and are responding positively to treatment, Barasa said.
She said Kenya's health care facilities are fully prepared to diagnose and treat mpox, and people don't need to panic if they contract the disease.
Kenya has so far screened 687,233 travelers at its 26 ports of entry across the country and has also issued hotline numbers for people to report cases to health officials.
The East African nation declared the first mpox case on July 31, involving a driver who traveled from Uganda to the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa and then continued to Rwanda via Tanzania through Taita Taveta in southeastern Kenya through a one-stop border point.
On Aug. 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern and called for a coordinated international response.
The WHO declaration came after the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deemed the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of continental security.
Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have laid out plans to unlock development on 'grey belt' land - Darren Staples/Getty Images Europe
One of the UKs biggest housing developers is seeking to build tens of thousands of homes on green belt land as part of Sir Keir Starmers efforts to revolutionise planning reforms.
Vistry Group said the majority of the 75,000 plots in its so-called strategic land bank are on green belt sites, making it uniquely positioned to help deliver on Labours manifesto pledge to build 1.5m homes over the next five years.
Greg Fitzgerald, the Vistry chief executive, said: Our strategic land bank is more green and grey belt than brownfield land. We feel quite confident today, with the numbers that the Government is looking to [build], that an awful lot more of that will come through than would have done under the previous government.
Angela Rayner, the Housing Secretary, laid out plans at the end of July to unlock development on grey belt land, defined as land within the green belt which makes only a limited contribution to the protected areas purpose to stop urban sprawl.
Half of the homes built on this land should be classed as affordable, Ms Rayner said.
Vistrys existing bids to build on green belt land include on sites in Essex and around Coventry and Birmingham.
Mr Fitzgeralds comments came as Vistry posted a 7pc increase in profits to 186m in the first six months of the year, compared with a year ago.
Vistry announced last September that it was going to increase its focus on affordable housing by merging its housebuilding division with its partnerships arm, which builds for local authorities and housing associations.
Mr Fitzgerald said: The groups growth strategy and greater delivery of affordable housing is well aligned to the new Governments ambitions to address the countrys housing crisis, and uniquely positions Vistry to play a key role in delivering the Governments new housing targets.
However, he said Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, must announce billions of pounds in funding to further boost affordable housebuilding, otherwise the Government will get nowhere near its housing targets.
Mr Fitzgerald added: Housing associations over the next few years are going to need at least double what theyve needed in the last programme, which finishes in 2026.
The previous government allocated 14bn in funding for Homes Englands Affordable Housing Programme, which provides grants for housing associations and local authorities.
Mr Fitzgerald called on the Chancellor to increase this grant funding as well as announce a long-term rent settlement for the social housing sector, which will give housing associations certainty of their future income and enable them to borrow to invest.
But the steps that the Government has taken so far are already encouraging councils to ramp up planning approvals.
Since Ms Rayner published the draft National Planning Policy Framework, which includes plans to both reimpose and increase mandatory local authority house building targets, councils have already become much more likely to grant planning permission, Mr Fitzgerald said.
He added: I absolutely see there is a sea change. We have seen a couple of strategic land wins come through where we have been surprised on the upside, which has been very rare over the last five or six years.
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UPDATED, with Cheney statement & Kamala Harris statement: Former Vice President Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris in the November election, his daughter Liz Cheney said today. The announcement by the former Wyoming Congresswoman was soon followed by confirmation by the ex-VP himself, and then follow up with words of thanks by the current vice president.
Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris, Liz Cheney said at the Texas Tribune Festival, where she was participating in a Q&A with The Atlantics Mark Leibovich.
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Her father later released a statement, saying that there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump. He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again.
The elder Cheney added, As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Later on Friday, the Harris campaign had a statement of its own that would have seem impossible just a few months ago in what has proven to be an almost impossible-to-believe election so far.
The Vice President is proud to have the support of Vice President Cheney, and deeply respects his courage to put country over party, Jen OMalley Dillon, one of the top aides of the 49th VP said of the 46th VP.
He joins hundreds of Republicans who are backing the Vice President and her patriotic vision of America over former President Trump, because, as Vice President Cheney said, the very future of our republic is at stake in this election, Harris-Walz Campaign Chair Dillon added, noting the words of the GOP DC insider fighter once proudly called Darth Vader. For every voter who cares about America and understands the fundamental threat Donald Trump poses to our democracy and our Constitution, this campaign has a home for you. Vice President Harris will be a president for all Americans whether Republican, Democrat, independent, or none of the above and she will keep working to earn the support of every American
Liz Cheney announced earlier this week that she would be voting for Harris, warning of the perils of returning Donald Trump to the White House.
As Liz Cheney was running for reelection in Wyoming in 2022, her father taped a commercial in which he also warned of Trump. Liz Cheney lost the primary to a challenger backed by Trump and Republican leaders, including Kevin McCarthy. She had been stripped of her GOP leadership role in the House because of her opposition to the former president.
In her remarks earlier this week, Liz Cheney said that it was not only important to oppose Trump, but to support Harris rather than write in a name, as some traditional anti-Trump conservatives have done in previous cycles.
Cheney and her father have had sharp policy differences with the Biden administration, and both have been long supporters of pro-life causes. But she has said that those have to be set aside this election because of the threat that Trump poses to democracy.
The idea that Dick Cheney would back the Democratic presidential nominee would be been unthinkable two decades ago, when he was vice president. Back then, he was reviled by Democrats for his role in orchestrating the George W. Bush administrations war on terror policies and invasion of Iraq.
Cheney served as vice president from 2001 to 2009. Bush has not weighed in on the 2024 election, but told People magazine that in the 2020 election, he wrote in the name of Condoleeza Rice, his former secretary of state. Trumps vice president, Mike Pence, has said that he wont be voting for him, but indicated that he would not vote for Harris either.
At the event, Liz Cheney said that she also was endorsing Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX) in his bid to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who is seeking a third term.
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Dick Cheney Is Voting For Kamala Harris, And X Users Don't Know How They Feel
Former Rep. Liz Cheneys announcement that her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, would be crossing party lines and voting for Kamala Harris shocked many people on social media.
And, frankly, many werent sure how to feel.
The former Wyoming congresswoman announced the news Friday at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, one day after she shared that she was endorsing Harris over Donald Trump.
Although audience members applauded Cheneys announcement, many people on X, formerly Twitter, said it was a sign that things had gotten really bad for the GOP.
As one person put it, How awful is Donald trump? Dick Cheney is voting for his opponent who is a female democrat. Thats how awful he is.
How awful is Donald trump? Dick Cheney is voting for his opponent who is a female democrat. Thats how awful he is. Ritley (@RitleySammich) September 6, 2024
Wow! Dick Cheney, who served as Vice President to George W. Bush, will be voting for Kamala Harris. Never been a fan of Dick Cheney, but this exposes how todays Republican Party no longer believes in principles of conservatism. Its just a cult of Trump.pic.twitter.com/2MkIhmAyxf Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 6, 2024
You know you've got a horrible candidate when Dick Cheney votes for Kamala Harris. You guys need a heavy reboot. It's pathetic. Donald Trump is mentally unfit for any job Nick Adam's Nightmare. (Sigma Male) (@FightFascism2) September 6, 2024
Can you imagine how bad of a Republican you have to be in order to get Dick Cheney to openly vote for a Black Female Democrat? Thomas Paine's Ghost (@Rdsaucier) September 6, 2024
The Republican Party has become so extreme and irresponsible that Dick Cheney now is voting for the Democratic presidential nominee. Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer) September 6, 2024
If you lose the Cheneys then you're no longer conservative. This is what Trump has reduced the GOP to. Ron (@Ronxyz00) September 6, 2024
BREAKING: Former Vice President Dick Cheney is voting for Kamala Harris. Dick Cheney was one of the most conservative congressmen and VPs in history. He sees the threat Trump poses to our democracy and is voting for a Democrat for the first time. https://t.co/6S7gMkRVzl Barry Markson (@BarryMarkson1) September 6, 2024
Dick Cheney previously denounced Trump in a 2022 ad for his daughters failed reelection campaign.
This time around, some people praised the Cheneys for putting country over party, but others werent thrilled by the announcement.
Thats because many people arent necessarily fans of the former vice president, whose stance on torture during the war in Iraq led to him being accused of being a war criminal.
That led one user to make a dark joke about how hard Cheneys decision must have been for him.
must be torture for him https://t.co/Lv6p1ydc1m Mike Scollins (@mikescollins) September 6, 2024
Mehdi Hasan was also torn by the news, since he believes Dick Cheney should be on trial at the Hague, but that Trump is an existential threat to American democracy.
On the one hand, Dick Cheney should be on trial at The Hague.
On the other hand, *even* Dick fricking Cheney recognizes that Trump is an existential threat to American democracy as we know it. This is not a left-right issue. https://t.co/AJBy1KkhpR Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) September 6, 2024
Another person referenced another infamous Dick Cheney moment the time he shot a friend in the face while on a hunting trip for another dark joke.
Maybe Dick Cheney would serve Harris better if he went hunting with trump, the person posted.
Maybe Dick Cheney would serve Harris better if he went hunting with trump. Rodney (@RodHargrove) September 6, 2024
Others had different reasons for being a little taken aback with his decision.
Well that's nice to know. But I still won't forget what he did with SCOTUS, Iraq, and the 2000 election. TrumanDem (@TrumanDem) September 6, 2024
This is the type of endorsement that would convince me to vote for the other guy Patrick (@PatriciusAcutus) September 6, 2024
I think the tent has gotten too big https://t.co/aGNqYSWJenpic.twitter.com/ju8kxMkpkp ali golub (@alibrooke4ever) September 6, 2024
Although the announcement was probably intended to show skittish never Trumpers that its OK to vote for a d-d-d-Democrat, some party members werent sold on the idea.
If there was ever a single person alive who is probably more likely to go to Hell than Donald Trump, its Dick Cheney. Mauty480 (@Mauty480) September 6, 2024
Dick Cheney is a fake Republican and a coward for announcing he will vote for Kamala Harris.
His shooting accuracy is much better than his political instincts. Cryptid Politics (pro-DeSantis) (@CryptidPolitics) September 6, 2024
Dick Cheney is the least popular person in American politics this century. Absolute filth and an embarrassment to the country. This is quite the endorsement for Trump. https://t.co/zYnko61jUT National Conservatism (@con_national) September 6, 2024
Related...
165 combat clashes have been recorded at the combat zone in Ukraine since the beginning of the day. The situation is the most intense on the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts.
Source: General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Facebook
Quote: "Since the start of the day, there have been 165 combat clashes, the enemy has launched 2 missile strikes (6 missiles), 57 airstrikes (61 guided bombs), carried out 472 strikes with kamikaze drones, and launched 2,776 shells on our soldiers' positions."
Details: On the Kharkiv front, Russian forces assaulted Ukrainian positions near Lyptsi and Vovchansk four times.
On the Kupiansk front, the Russians attacked Ukrainian defences 24 times near Synkivka, Hlushkivka, Andriivka, Berestove and Stelmakhivka
On the Lyman front, Russian troops stormed Ukrainian defenders' positions 17 times.
On the Siversk front, Ukrainian soldiers thwarted five Russian attempts to strengthen their tactical position near Verkhnokamianske and Spirne.
On the Kramatorsk front, the Russians forces carried out three unsuccessful attempts to advance at Hryhorivka, Chasiv Yar and Andriivka
On the Toretsk front, the Russians stormed the area in the vicinity of Toretsk and Nelipivka nine times.
The Russian forces continue their attack on Ukrainian positions on the Pokrovsk front. During the day, there were 45 assault and offensive attempts recorded.
A severe situation has unfolded on the Kurakhove front, with 41 combat clashes reported.
On the Vremivka front, the Russians stormed Ukrainian positions eight times.
Nine Russian attacks were repulsed on the Prydniprovske front.
The Ukrainian defence forces' operations in Russias Kursk Oblast continue.
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Scott County residents can get local help applying for disaster relief from storms earlier this year.
FEMA opened a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) today, Thursday, September 5 to offer one-on-one help for people affected by spring flooding, severe storms and tornadoes. Recovery specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will have information on available services, explain assistance programs and help residents complete or check on the status of their applications.
Disaster-Assistance-Registration-Flyer-English-and-Spanish-Iowa-FEMA-002Download
The DRC will be open starting at 1 p.m. today at the former Davenport Fire Station at 3506 N. Harrison Street. The center will be open Monday Saturday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and closed on Sundays. Apply online or by phone before coming to the center by:
Clicking here
Calling FEMA directly at 800-621-FEMA (3362)
Using the FEMA app
Centers may temporarily close due to weather. Centers are accessible to people with disabilities or with access and functional needs with assistive and adaptive technology like amplified phones, caption phones, video phones, wheelchair ramps and other resources. Anyone using a relay service, such as a video relay service (VRS) or captioned telephone service can call FEMA at 800-621-FEMA (3362).
For more information, click here.
Click here for a video on three ways to apply for FEMA assistance.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
NEWTOWN, Conn. (WTNH) The recent school shooting in Winder, Georgia may be on the minds of Connecticut parents, students and educators, as the Nutmeg State enters a new school year.
Bloomfield High School lockdown lifted after search for possible gun
The discussion about school shootings and lockdowns can be difficult for parents to have with their children, but theres some advice for families.
Dr. Ryan Loss, executive director at Connecticut Behavioral Health, said parents should create a sense of reassurance for their kids and approach the conversation differently based on a childs age.
[For] kids in the early elementary and kindergarten ages, youre going to be very clear and concrete with them about certain information, Loss said. As they start to get through later elementary school, middle school, into high school; theyre going to have maybe more questions, more thoughts, more feelings that theyre open to expressing about the situation. So, we want to make sure were listening, still providing certain levels of reassurance for them.
Loss said that the folks who are most traumatized are those who suffered and struggled with a tragedy, including those impacted by the 2012 school shooting in Sandy Hook.
Connecticut educators learn how to deal with threats
Its devastating and retraumatizing for our community because the trauma lingers for over a decade here in Sandy Hook and Newtown, Po Murray, chairwoman for the Newtown Action Alliance, said. We know what those families are going through in Winder, Georgia.
The trauma hits home for Nicole Hockley, whose son, Dylan, was tragically killed inside his 1st grade classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary.
This is something that no one can ever actually be prepared for, and it is a never-ending cycle of grief, Hockley said.
Through her grief, Hockley said that whats most important is for parents to not avoid the conversation.
Suspect apprehended after pipe bomb threat evacuates several buildings at Quinnipiac University
Dont hide and not talk about it because kids know more than we think they know at any age, Hockley say. So be honest with [your children], be open to them, validate their concerns and feelings, allow them to see that you have your own concerns and feelings.
She said parents should remind their kids that local schools and communities have safety protocols in place.
Schools are still one of the safest places to be, Hockley said. School shootings are not the norm. Its something that we have a lot of fear about, but schools are actually very safe places.
Hockley said that if you see something, hear something, or feel something you should say something.
Parents and kids should also have the ability to recognize when someone could be at risk of hurting themselves or others.
Hockley said there is a guide that can help parents have a their conversation with their children.
The Sandy Hook Promise has a guide with different resources to navigate back-to-school and these kinds of conversations.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Ballots at the primary election polling place for Des Moines precincts 12 and 13 on June 4 at First Church of the Open Bible in Des Moines. (Photo by Jim Obradovich for Iowa Capital Dispatch)
With only weeks remaining before ballots must be certified for the 2024 general election, Iowa Libertarian congressional candidates argued in District Court Thursday to regain their place on the ballot.
Polk County District Court Judge Michael Huppert heard arguments from lawyers representing Nicholas Gluba in Iowas 1st Congressional District, Marco Battaglia in the 3rd District and Charles Aldrich in the 4th District, as well as from attorneys representing the Republican voters who challenged their candidacies and the State Objections Panel.
On Aug. 28, the State Objections Panel, headed by Republicans Secretary of State Paul Pate and Attorney General Brenna Bird as well as Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat, ruled 2-1 along party lines to remove the three candidates from Iowa ballots. Republicans challenged the legitimacy of the Libertarian Party of Iowas nominating process.
Pate and Bird found the objection to be valid, as the state Libertarian Party held its county conventions on the same day as its precinct caucuses, despite Iowa Code stating that delegates elected at caucuses do not begin in their positions until the next day. Noncompliance with the law means that the county conventions, as well as the June 8 special nominating conventions, are invalid, they and lawyers with the state and GOP challengers argued.
Alan Ostergren, the lawyer representing the objectors in the case, said the panel decision should be upheld as there is a clear state interest in regulating the formation and qualifications for candidates to get on the general election ballot.
No candidate has an unfettered right to access to the general election ballot, Ostergren said. To get on the general election ballot, a candidate has to follow certain rules. If that candidate wants to get on the ballot by being nominated by his or her party, that party has to follow the rules in order to have access to the ballot.
However, lawyers representing the Libertarian candidates brought multiple challenges to this ruling. One of the arguments made by Jennifer DeKock, the attorney representing Battaglia, was that the objections panel did not have the authority to rule on the objections brought, as Iowa statute allows the body to review challenges from voters based on their nominating papers and certificates of nomination, but not necessarily a partys convention process.
For some of the county conventions being challenged, these events were held just 181 minutes before midnight, DeKock said. She argued that while the Libertarian Party nominating process did not literally satisfy the statutory requirement, that it was sufficiently in Iowa law to stand.
Libertarians, as well as Sand in his dissent on the panels decision, also cited a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that states cannot dictate party nominating processes in regards to minutiae and procedure.
What theyre trying to do is say if you dont do it, if you dont follow the minutiae, if you dont make sure that all your ts and is are crossed and dotted, then were going to take you off the ballot, DeKock argued. If you dont comply, then your substantive rights are destroyed.
Lawyers for the challenged candidates also argued that the voters who objected to the Libertarian candidates did not have standing to do so, as they did not participate in the Libertarian nominating process. But Patrick Valencia, the deputy solicitor general from the Iowa Attorney Generals Office, representing the objections panel, said the objectors filed the challenges in line with Iowa law because the delegates had not followed the requirements laid out in state law.
The legal sufficiency of the certificate of nomination is what objections can be made for, he said. And here, the objectors said this this certificate was legally insufficient because the person who issued it had no authority to issue it.
Jules Cutler, the Libertarian Party of Iowa chair and attorney representing Gluba and Aldrich, also argued that these challenges were politically motivated. While all of Iowas federal congressional delegation is currently Republican, election analysts say that there could be competitive races in Iowas 1st and 3rd districts. Having a third-party candidate on the ballot could potentially have a significant impact in competitive districts.
Cutler said that the takeaway of the case was that Libertarian candidates were facing bullying.
The big kid on the block does not like the fact that the new kid is coming to play, Cutler said.
The hearing took place just two days after Huppert granted a temporary injunction of ballot certification for the case on Tuesday the date when the Secretary of States office would typically finalize candidates for the ballot. While the temporary injunction is currently in effect, officials with the Secretary of States office said that the Sept. 21 deadline for ballots to be certified and ready for overseas and military voters is fast approaching.
Huppert said Thursday he understands the case is a time-sensitive topic, and he expects his decision, regardless of outcome, to be appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court.
I will endeavor to get a ruling out that addresses all of these issues in relatively short order, and perhaps get the matter to where its probably going to be ultimately decided, he said.
A Nassau County home builder is facing twelve charges, after families said he took their money, promising to build their dream home, and failed to pay the people who did the work.
Michael Chad Reed, 39, turned himself in Thursday and quickly bonded out of jail. Hes been charged with organized fraud, misapplication of construction funds, and grand theft, according to an arrest affidavit.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
In total, documents showed there were five families who fell victim.
Spencer Kelly and his wife were one of them. They built their dream home in Fernandina Beach, but the process was far from smooth.
Started a home in January 22, Spencer Kelly said. Mr. Reed started the construction process. We cleared land, and he disappeared about four months.
Documents showed the couple provided a total deposit of $114,809.65 in agreement to build their home. According to Kelly, Reed finally returned their calls and they broke ground in May.
In total, the Kellys gave Reed more than $500,000, according to documents.
They moved in last November. But there were a slew of issues that needed to be fixed. Kelly showed Action News Jax photos of gashes and cracks in cabinets. There were windows with gas expanded in between panes and grout work was done poorly.
Kelly said Reed never returned to fix those issues.
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February rolls around, we have a contractor approach us saying we had outstanding bills. It was roughly $13,000 for a painter. He explained to me there were about three or four more outstanding invoices, Kelly said. We were shocked. It was to be expected some. Others were already in the process of firing him due to lack of movement on their home.
Investigators said theres no proof all of the money given to Reed was entirely used for construction, as many homes were left unfinished.
Were left holding a bag on something we gave him the money for, Kelly said. Only thing I can think of was it was spent elsewhere.
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One family in Callahan gave Reed $169,374.22 to build their home. In February of this year, a lien was placed on their home by a building company after it failed to get payment for the completed work. The home currently sits unfinished.
Kelly also had a lien placed on his home for a $400 door, which turned into $2,500 including attorney fees.
its disturbing that people have to go through this. Theres individuals that have lost money. There are individuals who dont have a house that started building a house. Im lucky, Kelly said. We want retribution for the crimes committed. We dont want restitution. We want him to know that you cant do this to people.
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House Speaker Pro Tem Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, sits in the speaker's chair in the Alabama House of Representatives on Feb. 8, 2024 in Montgomery, Alabama. During a meeting of the state's Contract Review Committee on Thursday, Pringle asked a DOC attorney to respond to what he described as an assault on an inmate and an extortion attempt directed at the inmate's family. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)
A member of the Legislatures Contract Review Committee Thursday asked an attorney for the Alabama Department of Corrections to respond to what he said was an extortion threat to a constituent whose child is in prison.
Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, told Mandy Speirs, assistant general counsel for the Alabama Department of Corrections, that the constituent had received a video claiming that their loved one had been sexually assaulted, with a threat for further violence if they did not get money.
Pringle spoke as the committee considered a contract from The Moss Group Inc. based out of Washington D.C. According to the contract description, it is intended to provide strategic support, consulting services on sexual safety, operational practice, staff training, PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) compliance (and) maintain continuity of efforts with regard to (the) Male Inmate Pilot Risk Reduction Plan.
The contract pays the company $378,000 between October of this year and September 2025, with an option for an extension. That increases the total award to almost $1.9 million.
This poor lady, her son, is constantly getting the crap beat out of him, Pringle said. I couldnt tell because the video is bad, but he is getting up off the floor and pulling his pants up.
Pringle told DOC staff during a Contract Review Committee meeting in June that he fielded calls from constituents saying their family members had been subjected to assault in prison.
Speirs said she was sorry to hear that.
You think you are, imagine how his mother felt when she was sent this video, Pringle said in response.
Spiers then told members of the committee that Corrections has been working to address the issue for the past few years.
As I say when I come here every month, we are making great strides in this area, she said. I would love to talk with you offline, invite you to come over and speak to any of us, come to any of our facilities and see the things that we have tried to turn around in the last few years.
Some on the committee were not moved.
Something is not working, said Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa. Something isnt working. And I think some of the other contracts that are on todays agenda also reflect some of the same issues, same problems, costs going up, giving more money, but we get less in return.
The pleas came as the committee approved two legal contracts totaling $400,000 for the Birmingham law firm of Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt, LLC to defend Corrections officers and administrators in two ongoing cases alleging civil rights violations.
Committee members unanimously approved the two contracts.
Alabamas prisons remain some of the most violent in the nation, and Thursdays conversation is only the most recent in a string of meetings in which the public, along with legislators, have repeated their comments.
Many of the same concerns and issues were brought to lawmakers attention during the Joint Prison Oversight Committee meeting in July. The U.S. Department of Justice sued the state in 2020 over rampant violence in state prisons, alleging the conditions violated inmates Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment.
During Thursdays meeting, the Alabama Attorney Generals Office presented one new legal contract to the Contract Review Committee that members approved totaling $200,000 to Terri Tompkins. Esq. of Rosen Harwood PA, a law firm based in Tuscaloosa, to represent Corrections staff in another case.
Members of the Contract Review Committee also approved four additional contracts. Two of the contracts were new but would not cost the state any money. The first contract is to Union Supply Group, Inc. based in Dallas, Texas to sell, furnish and deliver footwear and incentive packages for people in DOC custody who are eligible to receive such items.
The second contract, also at no cost to the state, is to Securus Technologies, LLC based in Plano, Texas to provide a communications system.
A third contract that was approved was awarded to YesCare, based in Brentwood, Tennessee, to provide health care to those within DOC custody. With the awarded contract, the company is set to receive an additional $2 million from the state on top of the more than $1 billion that Corrections awarded to the company in early 2023.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A Las Cruces man was sentenced to prison on Thursday, Sept. 5, after attempting to hire a hit man to kill his wifes mother in April 2022, according to court documents obtained by KTSM.
Court documents say Leif Hayman, 34, pleaded guilty to the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire and was sentenced to 10 years in prison this past Thursday after trying to hire a hit man on rentahitman.com to have his wifes mother killed back in 2022.
On Sunday, April 10, 2022, Hayman provided his contact information to the rentahitman.com website and also used an alias. Hayman wrote, I want her gone now too much that I dont like about her shes controlling my wife, according to court documents.
Hayman provided an address, phone number, and email address for the victim and also provided a photo of his wifes mother and a secret code phrase that should be used in the event someone from the website would contact him.
A week later, Hayman reached out to the website again, providing a different alias but the same contact information, adding, Kill that b****, according to court documents.
A couple of days later, Hayman sent multiple emails to the website saying that the issue cant wait needs to happen this week 5 days is too long for me to wait and You people are fake if u were real someone who have contact me already I cant wait anymore Im doing it my f****** self thank you for nothing fake people, according to court documents.
On Tuesday, May 3, 2022, a special agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received information on Haymans actions which was provided by the owner of the website who resides in California. The owner initially tried to contact other law-enforcement agencies in Las Cruces but was unsuccessful.
On Thursday, May 5, 2022, an ATF investigative assistant went undercover, contacted Hayman via phone, and left a message using the secret code phrase. The agent also sent a text message to Hayman stating, R U still interested in my services. To which Hayman replied, Yes I am still interested, according to court documents.
Later that Thursday, the undercover agent received a phone call from Hayman, stating that he needed somebody eliminated as soon as possible.
Hayman also suggested $200 as the starting price for the job and said he would leave the money in the mailbox and provided his address.
Hayman also said, Its my wifes mom were talking about, so I dont want any evidence
to come back to me or you, according to court documents.
The undercover agent told Hayman that he needed an address for the victim, a recent photograph of her, and her place of employment, to which Hayman responded that the best place to kill the victim would be at her residence, according to court documents.
The phone conversation also went over what weapon should be used, the cost of the weapon or weapons, and that he would ask his wife for money but would tell her that he needed the money for something else.
Hayman also told the undercover agent, I did not think you guys were going to get to me. I was about to do what youre about to do. I was like I have to wait. I have no way of getting there. He also stated I hate her mom with a passion, and that, f***** b**** deserves to die after
what she did to me and her (Haymans wife) a few weeks ago. She deserves to die.
Hayman also told the undercover agent that he lives alone but he has staff with him 24/7 and told the agent that person would have to be killed as well.
On Wednesday, May 11, 2022, ATF agents conducted an operation where Hayman was going to be picked up by an agent to murder the victim. Upon arriving at Haymans residence, Hayman pointed at another man walking in front of him like he wanted the agent to do something to him.
Hayman was arrested in August 2023 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with three years of supervision on Thursday, Sept. 5.
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SOUTH KINGSTOWN A group of doctors, donors, former board members and others are raising systemic and administrative concerns against South County Health, the parent organization over the 100-bed South County Hospital, that they say need to be addressed to prevent negative impacts on patient care.
In a letter shared with news outlets Wednesday the signatories aired a litany of grievances against the health care system. Among them:
A lack of support and adversarial relationship between executive leadership and providers that led to the resignation of most hematology oncologists from the hospitals cancer center
The resignation of the director of radiation oncology due to a dramatic increase in patient volume
The imposition of benchmarks for patient visits that result in shorter visit times for services such as nephrology
Departures of primary care doctors from South County Medical Group due to irreconcilable differences with management
Staffing shortages of cardiology and pulmonary services
The elimination of the sleep lab and reduction of other services
South County Hospital in South Kingstown.
The letter also criticized the management style of South County Healths CEO Aaron Robinson, saying it has fostered divisions rather than collaboration and has been characterized by abrupt, callous and confrontational attitudes, as well as disinterest in the well-being of practitioners, former trustees, and donors.
The signatories are concerned these issues are already impacting patient care and South County Healths ability to attract and retain doctors and hospital staff. If unresolved, they argued, the issues will also diminish South County Healths ability to form partnerships with other organizations.
Hospital responds to letter
In a statement released by South County Health, Joseph Matthews, South County Healths chairman of the board, and Aaron Robinson, CEO and president, responded to the letter.
The statement pinned blame on skyrocketing health care costs and low reimbursement rates in the state.
This has systematically created an unsustainable health care delivery environment, and is the direct root cause of the challenges that all Rhode Island health care systems experience, not just South County Health, in recruiting and retaining providers, as well as their inability to fully invest in infrastructure, the statement said.
South County Health also released a point-by-point response to the letter as well as a landing page with lengthy explanations of the decisions made by the health care systems leadership addressing the signatories grievances.
The resignation of oncologists, according to South County Health, occurred after they advocated for turning over the cancer center to a national, for-profit oncology organization. The health care system also retained one full-time oncologist and secured three others who will begin in October.
The director of the radiation oncology services, who came out of retirement to take on the role, resigned after South County Health explored partnerships with organizations that could ensure full coverage over the long-term though it is unclear why the director objected to this.
Benchmarks, South County Health explained, are industry standard, and doubling the time of patient visits unnecessarily reduces access to patients who need service while undermining the sustainability of the practice.
The health care system explained two primary care physicians employed by South County Medical Group left after the medical director of the practice retired, resulting in expanded patient loads and mounting demand for coverage.
South County Healths former cardiologists were seeking better pay, a broader continuum of cardiovascular subspecialists and a more modernized medical record system. These doctors seem to have left South County Health but remained practicing in the South County community through a partnership with Care New England. South County Health also lost a pulmonary physician who sought higher out-of-state reimbursements, while retaining another.
The sleep lab closed due to aging equipment, which replacing substantially eclipsed operative revenue. Services have migrated away to in-home and ambulatory settings, according to South County Health, and are available in the community.
As for the management of Robinson, South County Health asserted the Board of Trustees rejects this characterization for a leadership team that has been executing on Board directives.
The health care system asked for the benefit of the doubt from the community, acknowledging that invariably there will be disagreements or different of perspectives when making decisions.
South County Health will hold a live community forum on YouTube on Sept. 16 where leaders from the health care system will answer questions. Questions can be submitted online ahead of the forum.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Doctors raise concerns over management of South County Health
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the Ukrainian Canadian Congress' statement following revelations that the Canadian government-backed Canada Media Fund provided 340,000 Canadian dollars to support the film.
Controversy arose at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 5 following the screening of a documentary film that attempts to humanize Russian soldiers involved in the war against Ukraine.
Russian-Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova, the director of Russians at War, was embedded with Russian troops fighting a war of aggression in Ukraine.
I didnt go there with prejudgement. Of course, I had all these stereotypes in my head that I got from reading Russian and Western media. But I didnt judge (the Russian soldiers), she said in an interview with Fred Film Radio during the festival.
The documentary trailer reveals that the film echoes several stereotypes propagated by Russian state-controlled media in an attempt to legitimize its genocidal war against Ukraine, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
Russia and Ukraine have always been inseparable. I miss the brotherly union, one soldier says to the camera, reinforcing the false narrative that Ukraine cannot exist as an independent state.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly claimed that Ukraine is "inseparable from Russia's history and culture, especially since the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014
Another soldier in the trailer for the film declares, I came (to war) today so that my kids dont go tomorrow, conveying the belief that their military aggression in Ukraine is somehow just.
Some of Trofimovas previous work was affiliated with Russian state-controlled media. Several of her documentaries, Congo, My Precious, Victims of ISIS, Her War: Women vs. ISIS, and The Road to Raqqa, were produced by RT Documentary, a Russian state-owned TV channel.
Controversy over the film only grew louder with the revelation by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) that the film is set to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and has previously received Canadian government funding.
A database of funded projects maintained by the Canada Media Fund - a public-private partnership backed by Department of Canadian Heritage - reveals that the film had received 340,000 Canadian dollars in funding from the Fund during their 2022-2023 fiscal year.
In the end credits of the film, the government of Canada's logo is shown, the UCC revealed.
The end credits of the Russians at War" film reveals the government of Canada's logo inserted as a funder of the project. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress revealed on Sept. 6, 2024 that the film received 340,000 Canadian dollars in funding from the Canada Media Fund - a public-private partnership backed by Department of Canadian Heritage. ("Russians at War" end credits/via Ukrainian Canadian Congress)
In a letter sent to the Chair of TIFF on Aug. 19, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress decried the screening of the film, noting that Trofimova likely did not have permission from Ukraine's government to travel to Russian-occupied territory.
"If it is indeed the case, (Trofimova) has illegally crossed the internationally recognized Ukraine-Russia border, violated Ukrainian law and possibly breached Canadian sanctions," the letter read.
The UCC called on the screening to be canceled and that the organization would be "bringing this matter to the attention of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police," referring to Canada's national police force.
Ukrainian filmmakers, including those at this years Venice Film Festival, have voiced their concerns about the documentary being given a legitimate international platform.
According to Ukrainian film producer Darya Bassel, whose war documentary Songs of Slow Burning Earth is also being screened at the Venice Biennale, misinformed viewers might think that Trofimovas Russians at War is an anti-war film.
Read also: Opinion: Russian soldiers in Ukraine are ordinary guys who commit horrific war crimes
In the documentary, Russian soldiers are shown repeatedly questioning the purpose of their involvement in the war, with Trofimova ultimately suggesting that they are being manipulated by larger political forces.
The filmmaker like Putin and his regime plays an interesting game with these people. They deny (Russians) the simple ability to possess dignity and to think and decide for themselves. To her, these people are merely powerless objects, Bassel wrote on Facebook.
While Im writing this and while youre reading it, missiles are striking Ukrainian cities. The buttons are pushed by ordinary Russians. Are their crimes any less significant simply because they claim to be unaware of why they are involved in this war?
In her ongoing press coverage for the film, Trofimova has also claimed that she never witnessed any war crimes being committed by Russian soldiers during her time on the front line.
The latest data published by the Prosecutor Generals Office in Ukraine shows that 141,518 war crimes have been committed by Russian soldiers since the start of the full-scale war in 2022.
Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A pregnant shark was tagged and monitored for 5 months, then disappeared. Scientists now know its fate
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When scientists attached a tag to a pregnant porbeagle shark in October 2020 to learn more about the creatures habitat, they didnt expect their tracker to capture evidence of how large sharks hunt one another.
But when the tracker registered some unexpected activity in March 2021, the scientists realized a larger shark had eaten their research subject.
The team shared these unexpected findings in a new study published Tuesday in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.
This is the first documented predation event of a porbeagle shark anywhere in the world, said lead study author Dr. Brooke Anderson, a marine fisheries biologist in the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, via email.
Porbeagle sharks, which are found across the Atlantic and South Pacific oceans and Mediterranean Sea, can reach a little more than 12 feet (3.7 meters) long and weigh as much as 507 pounds (230 kilograms). The elusive, large sharks can also live between 30 and 65 years old. But female porbeagles cant reproduce until they reach 13 years old. The females give birth to four pups every one or two years.
Habitat loss, overfishingand their fate as bycatch in fishing nets have threatened porbeagle shark populations. Northwest Atlantic porbeagle sharks are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
In one event, the population not only lost a reproductive female that could contribute to population growth, but it also lost all her developing babies, Anderson said. If predation is more widespread than previously thought, there could be major impacts for the porbeagle shark population that is already suffering due to historic overfishing.
Now, the researchers said they may have identified two suspects a great white shark and shortfin mako sharkin this scientific murder mystery, changing the way researchers think about how large sharks interact.
Keeping tabs on sharks
When Anderson and her colleagues were tagging porbeagle sharks off Cape Cod in Massachusetts in 2020 and 2022, their intention was to track where pregnant porbeagles go to identify areas where the sharks and their newborn pups require conservation and protection efforts.
She and her team have been studying porbeagles for more than a decade, and they have become experts at tagging the sharks for study.
The researchers used rods and reels to catch the sharks and bring them aboard their boat. Saltwater pumps were placed in the sharks mouths to allow them to breathe.
They actually calm down really well to make tagging easy, Anderson said. Weve tagged dozens of porbeagle sharks in the past 10 years and are currently working on analyzing the data to determine the most important habitats for the population that can be prioritized for conservation and management directions.
Each shark was outfitted with two satellite tags, a satellite transmitter mounted on the fin, and a pop-off satellite archival tag. The fin-mount tags transmit a sharks current location to satellites when its fins are above the oceans surface. The pop-off tags measure depth and ocean temperatures and store the data until the tag pops off after a certain amount of time, floats to the surface and transmits its data to satellites.
The fact that the pregnant porbeagle was prey for a bigger shark became a bonus scientific discovery, Anderson said.
The researchers tagged multiple porbeagle sharks in 2020 and 2022. - Courtesy James Sulikowski
The teams shark, measuring 7.2 feet (2.2 meters) long, largely remained underwater for five months, cruising along at depths of 328 to 656 feet (100 to 200 meters) at night and 1,969 to 2,625 feet (600 to 800 meters) during the day. The ocean temperature fluctuated between 43.5 and 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit (6.4 and 23.5 degrees Celsius).
But 158 days after the shark was tagged and released, the pop-off tag began to transmit data from the sea southwest of Bermuda, suggesting it had come off the shark and was floating on the oceans surface.
For four days in March 2021, the tag registered a constant temperature of 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius) at a depth ranging from 492 to 1,968 feet (150 to 600 meters). Then the tag floated up.
The team pieced together several factors that indicated the shark had been eaten and the tag excreted by a larger predator that gobbled up the shark, Anderson said.
The first and most important data was the sudden spike in temperature recorded by the tag, even at 600 meters depth, she said. This indicated right away that the tag was now inside the stomach of a warm-bodied predator such as a lamnid shark. There was also a slight change in the diving pattern recorded by the tag, which also indicated the tag was now tracking another animal (the predator).
The tag popped off eight months earlier than expected, and the porbeagles fin-mount tag never transmitted any data again.
If the pregnant porbeagle shark was indeed still alive, we expect that she would have returned to the sea surface again and the fin-mount tag (would) transmit her location, Anderson said.
Unusual suspects
Porbeagles belong to a family called lamnid sharks, which also includes great white sharks and mako sharks.
Unlike other sharks, most lamnid sharks are endothermic, meaning they can keep their bodies warmer than the water temperature.
The porbeagle can do this better than almost all of its relatives and loves the colder waters of Canada and New England year-round, Anderson said.
To determine what could have eaten the porbeagle shark as it swam near Bermuda, the team narrowed down the list of large predators swimming in the same vicinity big enough to hunt porbeagles including its relatives, the great white shark, or Carcharodon carcharias, and the shortfin mako shark, known as Isurus oxyrinchus.
Shortfin makos have been known to hunt small sharks, porpoises, sea turtles, seabirds, bony fish and cephalopods. And great whites chow down on whales, dolphins, seals and rays.
Andersons team suspects the great white shark is the most likely culprit, given that shortfin makos make rapid dives between the ocean surface and its depths during the day, which the pop-off tag didnt register.
We often think of large sharks as being apex or top predators, but with technological advancements, we have started to discover that large predator interactions could be even more complex than previously thought, Anderson said.
Its clear that we need to continue studying predator interactions, for example to estimate how often large sharks are hunting each other, and start to uncover what cascading impacts these interactions could have on the ecosystem.
Its not the first time one large shark has been eaten by another large one, but documentation of such events is rare.
Sharks hunting sharks in the open seas
Some of the biggest shark species arent shy about hunting their own kind, which is a fascinating part of the shark world that often goes unnoticed, said shark biologist Dr. Adrian Gutteridge, fisheries assessment manager for international nonprofit Marine Stewardship Council and member of the International Union for Conservation of Natures Shark Specialist Group.
Gutteridge, who was not involved in the study, agrees that a white shark is the most likely culprit.
This particular porbeagle, at 2.2 meters, might have seemed pretty formidable, but white sharks are around 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) the moment its born, Gutteridge said. By the time they reach their full size at 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16.4 feet), theyre fully capable of taking down other sharks. So, this porbeagle meeting its end from a much larger white shark isnt so much surprising as it is a reminder of white sharks being at the top of the food chain.
Satellite tagging is helping researchers track and discover shark nurseries, seasonal movement and behavioral patterns in sharks, which is especially crucial for protecting vulnerable populations, he said.
For decades, northwest Atlantic porbeagles were hunted for consumption. Fortunately, that population is stabilizing and increasing, but continued protection is vital to allow such recovery to continue, Anderson said.
Now, the team wants to uncover how often other sharks hunt porbeagle sharks.
Uncovering the mysteries of the open ocean has always been challenging, Anderson said. Its possible that the more large sharks we can tag and track, the more behaviors like this are going to be revealed.
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Does Florida have an age limit for driving? What the law says about taking the wheel
Posting celebratory photos on social media of teens clutching their first drivers license after passing the test is a common rite of passage. They also signify that states set age requirements on a persons permission to drive.
But what about the other side of life? Does Florida have an age limit for driving?
The question comes up from time to time when tragic accidents happen involving senior citizens.
The answer is: No.
Florida doesnt place a specific age cap on driving privileges.
But there are rules related to age that have evolved over time. The debate about when its time to give up the car keys has been stirred once again by recent tragedies.
On Monday, a 92-year-old woman aimed to park her Nissan, but instead sailed onto a sidewalk at the front of a Miami Navarro Pharmacy at Southwest 32nd Avenue and 22nd Street. She hit a 7-year-old girl who was walking into the store with her mother, who was also injured.
The driver told police her brakes werent working. Miami police spokesman Michael Vega countered that video from the scene showed the Nissans brake lights never illuminated. She accidentally pressed down on the accelerator mistaking it for the brakes, Vega said.
As we get older, our senses get different, and maybe we need to say, Maybe I shouldnt be driving and maybe look at another alternative to driving, Vega told Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami.
Days later, the girl was fighting for her life with head injuries at Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson hospital. Her father, Joany Figueredo, told WPLG Local 10 in Spanish that families should use this tragedy to re-evaluate whether their elderly loved ones should be behind the wheel.
The girl died several days later, according to her family.
A personal decision
In this file photo from Sept. 28, 2004, a Toyota Camry is prepared to be taken out of Physiotherapy Associates on University Drive after a driver tried to park next door at a UPS Store. The driver told police he tried to hit the brakes but the car did not stop.
The decision on when to give up driving is a personal matter made by an elder, and in some cases at the urging of loved ones or concerned outsiders. Its seldom an easy decision.
The state doesnt have an upper age limit for driving. Though an advisory council at the Florida Senate level led by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles met in Tallahassee in 2007 to study the effects of aging on driving ability, a law listing an exact age limit was never enacted.
In 2004, Florida mandated that drivers 80 or older needed to pass a vision test and file a vision examination report when renewing a license. You pass and your license can be renewed, unless a doctor notes otherwise.
In 2007, former Miami Herald columnist Claire Mitchell, then 86, wrote about the need for a law regulating age or condition of elderly drivers that goes beyond the requirement of a vision test. In her column, The Third Third, she wrote, Young people are required to be tested before they can get a permit to drive, but the aged are not.
She concluded, It is not something that should be left to the individual. Someone in Tallahassee should be protecting us from ourselves. Why has that not been done?
Though the 2004 vision requirement law remains intact without an exact age limitation, there are stipulations senior drivers must adhere to that their younger counterparts generally dont have to ponder.
What does the law say about seniors driving?
A DMV drivers license outlet inside Midway Crossings mall draws a line of motorists applying for or renewing licenses on May 30, 2024.
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a Florida Class E drivers license a standard drivers license for non-commercial vehicles must be renewed every eight years for those who are 79 years old and younger.
But at age 80, drivers licenses must be renewed every six years.
Customers who are 80 or older and are not eligible to renew their drivers license online must pass a vision test, the state says. The test can be taken at a Florida drivers license service center. There is not a separate charge.
Customers can also ask their Florida-licensed medical doctor, osteopathic physician or an optometrist to administer a vision test. Once a customer passes the vision test, the driver or a doctor must submit a Mature Driver Vision Test form that is available from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
If the vision test reveals medical conditions that result in a referral to an eye specialist, such as a Florida-licensed ophthalmologist or an optometrist, a customer will need to submit a completed Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Report of Eye Exam form.
On that form a physician can sign off on patients being safe to drive if they pass the visual test. But eye examiners can also sign the form recommending that a license be denied and can state why. The medical professional can also OK the patient to drive but only under certain specifications such as daytime only or only after passing a driving test or with special equipment on the car.
How to request an unsafe driver investigation in Florida
Sometimes the problem may go beyond visual and you may have to have a talk with your family member, friend or doctor. Sometimes you may have to reach out to the state.
After a 90-year-old crashed into a bank in Manatee County when he hit the accelerator rather than brake while trying to park in 2020, ABC7 viewers in Bradenton started the chorus of questions again: Should there be age restrictions on driving?
Florida AARP communications manager Dave Bruns told the station that his organization was concerned about the issue as the organization noted that there were 825,000 drivers 80 or older and 112,000 drivers 90 or older registered in Florida.
But we also think its unfair to say that its age alone that is an indicator of why you should be or not be behind a wheel, he said.
Its not so much age. Its really about health conditions, Bruns said.
Florida had the largest number of older drivers involved in fatal crashes at 767 compared to other states, according to a 2021 U.S. Department of Transportation report.
In 2020, about 7,500 adults 70 and older nationwide were killed in traffic crashes, and almost 200,000 were treated in the ER for crash injuries, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These figures translated to 20 older adults killed and almost 540 injured in crashes daily.
Sometimes age-related impairments are a factor and the driver may not be willing to give up their independence or recognize the time may have come.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will accept information from any doctor, person, or agency representative who knows of a physical or mental condition that may affect an individuals ability to drive safely, according to Nolo, a nationwide firm that answers legal questions. These reports can be filed to the state by completing the departments Medical Referral form.
Reports are kept confidential, but you must include a name, address and telephone number. Department investigators may interview family members, neighbors or the drivers doctor, and may also require medical tests or written or road retests.
Students hold flags as they protest against Katy ISD's new transgender policy outside the school district's educational support complex on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023 in Katy. Credit - Brett Coomer/Houston ChronicleGetty Images
Brayden Hunter Herveys court date was three days too late. The 38-year-old Texas resident was in the midst of applying for a gender marker updatea process he started in Maywhen a new Texas policy barring transgender people from changing their gender markers on their state IDs went into effect on Aug. 20.
The change, which was quietly made by the Texas Department of Public Safety without any notice, has left many in the trans community in Texas confused and frustrated. It made me disappointed in society, says Hervey, who was hoping to obtain a court order from a Texas judge to present to the Department of Public Safety, as per the previous gender marker update policy. I don't understand [how] a person's gender affects the next person. Hervey says that during his virtual court hearing on Aug. 23, the judge advised him to put his pursuit of a gender marker update on pause, calling it dangerous and saying that she wasn't sure what the state was going to do with the data it is gathering on people seeking these changes.
Trans Texans arent the only ones without recourse to get a government ID that matches their gender identity; Texas is one of a number of states that have or are considering similar policies. The ACLU legislative tracker found at least 16 bills introduced this legislative year in states from Florida to Iowa that would bar access for trans people to get IDs that match their gender identity.
Proponents of the policies say state IDs should only reflect a persons sex at birth, and have sought to remove nonbinary as a possible gender marker. But IDs are essential for transgender people to feel safe in everyday lives, advocates say. We use our IDs for everythingto vote, to open a bank accountand having an ID that matches who you are is just so simple, says Johnathan Gooch, director of communications at Equality Texas. This year the stakes could be particularly high: Joelle Bayaa-Uzuri Espeut, director at The Normal Anomaly Initiative, a Black LGBTQ+ nonprofit, says shes concerned about transgender Texans being comfortable voting with their IDs in November.
[These are] the beginning steps of trying to eradicate us as a people in Texas, making it harder for us to change our gender markers and our names, which a lot of times, is done out of safety for a lot of trans people, says Mya Wesley, a 32-year-old Texan who is considering leaving her home state given the recent policy changes. I don't feel safe here in Texas, especially as a Black trans woman.
Texas has the second largest LGBTQ+ population in the country, according to the nonpartisan think tank Public Policy Institute of California. Its also home to more than 125,000 transgender adults. The latest moves there come amid a nationwide wave of laws affecting trans people: This year marked a record-breaking year for anti-trans legislation, with more than 650 bills introduced in 2024, according to the independent research organization Trans Legislation Tracker, compared to 615 bills in 2023.
Read More: As Texas Targets Trans Youth, a Family Leaves in Search of a Better Future
In Texas last week, the state stopped letting trans people update their gender markers on their birth certificates by modifying the birth certificate correction form, the Transgender Education Network of Texas first reported. The Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed to TIME that it is no longer changing sex on birth or death certificates based on court orders due to recent public reports have highlighted concerns about the validity of court orders purporting to amend sex for purposes of state-issued documents.
Under the new gender marker update directive, the Department of Public Safety asked employees to send requests for gender marker updates to a specific email, according to an internal email obtained by KUT News, stoking concerns about the possible creation of a database of transgender people.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has previously attempted to obtain information regarding transgender individuals. In 2022, his office requested data on how many Texans had changed their gender marker on their licenses in the past two years, though the request was denied by the Texas Department of Public Safety. The Attorney Generals Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The surveillance is especially alarming because there was no notice of it, says Gooch. So people who were already moving through the process to update their gender markers were involuntarily subsumed into this surveillance project by the Attorney General, having their birth certificates or whatever primary documents they were using to update their gender marker along with their court order and their driver's license, scanned and sent to this email address.
Christen Valentine, a 34-year old Texas resident, says the trans community thinks surveillance is part of the point of the ID policy. I think being scared is exactly what they want, says Valentine. The thing about it is us, as trans people, [is] well always have fear. Fear is something that we carry. We honestly carry it on our backs every day.
Valentine has considered moving from the state in light of the latest policies, but wants to feel she has agency in the choice. I cannot allow somebody to take me away from something when I'm not ready, she says. You're not going to force me out. Now, when I'm ready and if I want to leave, yes, but not just because you say so.
Contact us at letters@time.com.
By Jack Queen and Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) -A lawyer for Donald Trump urged an appeals court to throw out a $5 million verdict finding Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll, saying testimony from two other female accusers was improperly admitted at trial.
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, left the campaign trail to attend Friday's hearing before the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on whether the May 2023 civil jury verdict should stand.
Much of Friday's arguments turned on whether the trial judge should have let jurors hear testimony from two other women who said the former U.S. president sexually mistreated them decades ago.
Trump's lawyer John Sauer also objected to letting jurors see a 2005 "Access Hollywood" video where Trump boasted graphically about forcing himself on women.
"This case is a textbook example of implausible allegations being propped up by highly inflammatory, inadmissible propensity evidence," Sauer said.
Wearing a blue suit and red tie, Trump showed little emotion during the arguments, but shook his head when Carroll's lawyer Roberta Kaplan accused him of a pattern of "chatting up" women before he "pounced" on them.
Friday's panel of three judges, all appointed to the bench by Democratic presidents, did not say when it would rule.
TRUMP ATTACKS 'RIDICULOUS CASE'
The verdict stemmed from Trump's encounter around 1996 with Carroll in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan, and an October 2022 Truth Social post where he called Carroll's claim a hoax.
Though jurors stopped short of finding that Trump raped Carroll, as she had claimed, they awarded the former Elle magazine advice columnist a respective $2.02 million and $2.98 million for sexual assault and defamation.
A different jury ordered Trump in January to pay Carroll $83.3 million for having defamed her and damaging her reputation in June 2019 after she first accused him of rape.
Trump, 78, has consistently denied wrongdoing.
In both denials underlying Carroll's lawsuits, Trump said he didn't know Carroll, that she was "not my type," and that she made up her story to promote her memoir.
Speaking to reporters after oral arguments, Trump suggested without evidence that a decades-old photo of him and Carroll, in which he once mistook Carroll for his second wife Marla Maples, may have been generated by artificial intelligence.
"It's a ridiculous case," Trump said. "It's political interference, it's a witch hunt."
Trump is also appealing the $83.3 million verdict.
Carroll, 80, also attended Friday's arguments, wearing a dark blazer and suit with a navy blue hair ribbon. She and her lawyers did not talk with reporters after arguments ended.
'HE SAID, SHE SAID'
Both trials were overseen by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who is not related to Roberta Kaplan.
Trump's appeal has focused on whether the judge erred in admitting testimony from Jessica Leeds, who said Trump groped her on a plane in the late 1970s, and Natasha Stoynoff, who said Trump forcibly kissed her at his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2005.
Sauer called the case "a quintessential he said, she said case" brought by a woman with a political motive to hurt Trump -- Carroll is a Democrat -- and funded by Trump's enemies.
Circuit Judge Denny Chin cautioned, however, that "it's very hard to overturn a jury verdict based on evidentiary rulings."
Carroll's lawyer Kaplan said Trump had a habit of letting "pleasant chatting" with women spiral out of control, and then forcefully denying their accusations he did anything wrong.
Circuit Judge Susan Carney sought assurance from Kaplan that jurors were not swayed unduly by Leeds' testimony, if her accusations proved "too remote (and) too unlike the circumstances that your client alleged."
Kaplan said she could. "I was going through the evidence at trial," she said. "It was incredibly powerful."
Carroll's cases are separate from multiple criminal cases against Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Trump was convicted in May in Manhattan state court of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to silence porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
The judge in that case on Friday delayed Trump's sentencing to Nov. 26 from Sept. 18, in part to "avoid any appearance -- however unwarranted" that the case would interfere with the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5.
(Reporting by Luc Cohen, Jack Queen and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Jonathan Oatis)
Former President Donald Trump speaking in Charlotte to the Fraternal Order of Police on Friday. (Photo: C-SPAN.org)
Former President Donald Trump on Friday traveled to North Carolina to address police and accept the endorsement of the largest law enforcement union in the U.S.
Speaking at a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police in Charlotte, Trump pledged to back the blue while railing against Vice President Kamala Harris record on criminal justice.
We might over-fund the police, Trump said.
And with early voting in North Carolina about to get underway, he urged officers to watch for voter fraud. (There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud in presidential elections, in North Carolina or elsewhere, despite Trumps claims.)
I hope you watch for voter fraud, Trump said. It starts early. It starts in a week. . Believe it or not, theyre afraid of that badge. Theyre afraid of you people. I hope you can watch.
The former president criticized law enforcement action taken against him in front of the crowd of officers calling the ongoing Manhattan trial against him a DA witch hunt and an attack by my political opponent.
Trump also said he was calling for a strong death penalty for anyone who kills a police officer, which garnered cheers from the crowd.
Trump on RFK Jr.s removal from NC ballots: A big thing
Trump also commented on news earlier Friday that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.s name would be removed from North Carolina ballots.
Counties were to begin mailing absentee ballots Friday with Kennedy on them, but the Appeals Court order now prevents it. He dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump last month.
It means all of those who love Bobby, and theres a lot of them they vote for me, Trump said. All the Bobby people are going to vote for me, and I appreciate the decision.
Durham sheriff blasts Trump ahead of speech to police
Harris campaign, which has aimed to position the race as a prosecutor vs. a convicted felon, offered criticism from officers ahead of Trumps remarks Friday.
Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said in a call with reporters that the former president cant be trusted to deliver on his promises to law enforcement.
He would waste precious time and money on his personal grievances instead of pouring valuable resources into communities like mine that rely on our federal partners, Birkhead said.
Birkhead was also joined by Harry Dunn, a former Capitol Police officer who was present at the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and has been outspoken against Trump since.
He doesnt care that he put my life and the lives of my fellow Capitol Police officers in danger on Jan. 6, Dunn said. He only cares about getting power for himself.
Donald Trump gave a speech Thursday to the Economic Club of New York in which he said, about Kamala Harris:
She wants four more years to enforce a radical left agenda that poses a fundamental threat to the prosperity of every American family and America itself. Im here today to lay out my plan to rescue our country from this nightmare and to bring back to its citizens the American dream, bigger, better, and stronger.
This was a welcome change. As Ive written before, Trumps campaign (and even the Republican platform, which Trump and his team wrote) has been skimpy on the details of what he will do if he wins. But Trumps speech wasnt much help. Newspaper stories about the speech groped for a headline. One spotlighted Trumps promise to put Elon Musk (whos given me his complete and total endorsement, which is nice) in charge of a commission on government efficiency. Another announced that Trump would somehow ban mortgages for illegal immigrants.
Mostly, Trump attacked Harris and President Joe Biden and recited various accomplishments, most of them imaginary, from his previous term, speaking in his usual stream-of-consciousness way, this time at the quieter singsong timbre he reserves for solemn occasions. Trump reviewed a little history, repeating his previous crackpot praise for President William McKinley, and at one point he conflated Theodore with Franklin Roosevelt. It wasnt really an economic speech. It was a Trump speech.
The best guide to Trumps economic plan, such as it is, is still Project 2025s Mandate for Leadership. Trump has attempted to disavow it, but 140 members of his administration helped assemble it, according to CNN, including six former Cabinet secretaries as well as Reince Priebus, Trumps first chief of staff. Mandates chapter on tax policy was co-written by Stephen Moore, whom Trump nominated, unsuccessfully, to the Federal Reserves Board of Governors. Moore advised Trumps 2016 campaign and is now advising his 2024 campaign. (According to The Washington Post, it was Moore who persuaded Trump to create the Musk commission.)
The Project 2025 document calls for collapsing the income taxs seven brackets into two, 15 percent and 30 percent, the second of these kicking in at about $167,000. That would raise taxes on the haute bourgeoisie earning roughly $95,000 to $182,000. Currently these people pay a top marginal rate of 24 percent, but theyre mostly Democrats, so to hell with them. More to the point, it would lower taxes on the rich, who vote Republican.
Thats kind of a theme. The corporate rate would fall to 18 percent. As president, Trump cut the top corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent; Harris proposes to raise it to 28 percent. Trump affirmed his support for further lowering corporate taxes in Thursdays speech, but said hed reserve the reduced rate solely for companies that make their products in America.
As president, Trump said he wanted to cut the capital gains rate from 20 percent to 15 percent, and thats what Project 2025 calls for. Until this week, Harris favored raising the capital gains rate to 39.6 percent for high earners, but this week she revised her plan: Now she proposes going only as high as 28 percent. I find this dismaying, but its still much higher than Mandates 15 percent, which would tax capital at less than half the top rate on labor.
In an effort to corral the GOP tickets scattershot proposals, Bloombergs Eric Wasson and Enda Curran this week did their best to catalog whatever concrete tax plans Trump and J.D. Vance have touted on the campaign trail, and to calculate their cost. Heres what they found:
Trump has pledged (and repeated that pledge Thursday) to extend all of his 2017 tax cuts, which are due to expire in 2026. That would cost $4.6 trillion over the next decade.
Lowering the corporate tax to 15 percent would cost another $874 billion over the same period. (Wasson and Curran did their tally before Trump limited the reduction to corporations that make products in the United States, but its doubtful that would change much.)
Trump said on Truth Social in July that senior citizens shouldnt pay taxes on Social Security. Thats another $1.8 trillion.
In June Trump said that he would eliminate taxes on tips; he repeated this promise Thursday. Thats another $250 billion.
As vice presidential candidate, Vance has proposed increasing the child tax credit from $2,000 per child to $5,000 per child. Trump got asked about that Thursday and his reply was, if Im being charitable, incoherent. At any rate, thats another $3 trillion.
All this adds up to $10.5 trillion in tax cuts over 10 years. Conceivably these revenue losses might be offset by the 10 (or possibly 20) percent across-the-board tariff that Trump wants to impose on all foreign imports. Trump certainly believes this to be the case, saying in Thursdays speech that as much as childcare, uh, is talked about as being expensive, its, relatively speaking, not very expensive compared to the kind of numbers well be taking in. (This is going to be news to most parents.)
What does the back-of-the-napkin math look like? A 10 percent tariff (essentially a flat national sales tax) would raise $2.8 trillion over 10 years. But Wasson and Curran advise against recalculating the lost-revenue total to $7.7 trillion because that doesnt take into account what economists warn are large negative economic growth effects of the tariffs, which would reduce revenue further, or the cost of compensating farmers for trade retaliation from other countries. Plus theres Project 2025s collapsed income tax brackets and lowered capital gains tax. So, lets assume (perhaps generously) that it all comes out in the wash and stick to $10.5 trillion.
Trump could pile another $10.5 trillion onto the deficit, which is what Trump (and most Republican presidents) did with tax cuts in the past. When Trump was asked Thursday what impact his tax cuts would have on the deficit, he said, Were going to make our money back on growth. This is a promise on which supply-side carnival barkers have failed to deliver for close to half a century. During Trumps previous four years in office, for example, the deficit grew from $585 billion to $3.1 trillion. (By the end of the last fiscal year Biden had brought it down to $1.7 trillion.)
Wasson and Curran assume, as a generous sort of thought experiment, that Trump wants to pay for his tax cuts. Since Trump has pledged not to cut Social Security or Medicare, and to increase the defense budget, the money would have to come out of domestic discretionary spendingthat is, every federal agency except the Pentagon.
The trouble is that the combined cost of running these non-defense agencies over the next 10 years will total only $9.8 trillion. In effect, Trumps tax plan would require eliminating every agency of the federal government except the Pentagon, and also adding another $700 billion to the deficit. Left unanswered is the question of who would be around to cut Social Security checks and supervise the administration of Medicare claims.
Were still seeing some polls that show voters trust Trump more than Harris on the economy. If eliminating the entire federal government is your idea of economic growth, then Trumps your man. Otherwise, you might want to take a second look.
Donald Trumps new sentencing date in New York? That could be delayed, too.
It wasnt surprising when Judge Juan Merchan on Friday postponed Donald Trumps New York state sentencing until after the presidential election. After all, the Manhattan District Attorneys Office all but agreed with Trumps delay request.
But Merchan not only set a new sentencing date for Nov. 26, pushing it back most recently from Sept. 18. The judge also pushed back the date for ruling on Trumps motion to set aside his guilty verdicts based on the Supreme Courts immunity ruling, from Sept. 16 to Nov. 12.
But this new schedule risks even further delay.
When Trumps lawyers asked Merchan last month to push back the sentencing, they told him that if he ruled on Sept. 16 against Trumps immunity claim, then they were immediately going to seek to challenge his ruling on appeal before any sentencing could take place. The requested adjournment is also necessary to allow President Trump adequate time to assess and pursue state and federal appellate options in response to any adverse ruling, they wrote, adding that a single business day is an unreasonably short period of time for President Trump to seek to vindicate these rights.
Putting aside whether Trumps immunity claim in the so-called hush money case has any merit, its true that, had Merchan rejected that claim on Sept. 16 while keeping the Sept. 18 sentencing, there was a good chance that that sentencing wouldnt have happened as scheduled. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office effectively agreed with that notion, writing to Merchan last month that:
Assuming that defendant seeks an interim stay of the sentencing hearing immediately after this Courts September 16 ruling, the People respectfully note that an appellate court considering such a request will understand that, without an interim stay, it would have to receive briefing and decide certain issues of first impression in one day.
So it made some sense for Merchan to delay the sentencing. That is, it made sense as much as anything can after the Supreme Courts immunity ruling in the federal election interference case. That ruling shouldnt have called into question Trumps state prosecution for covering up a private hush money scheme, but here we are.
So the decision to push to November a ruling on Trumps motion to set aside his guilty verdicts means that, if Merchan rules against Trump at that point, Trumps appellate challenges will still need to play out; thats his lawyers stated intention, at least. Theres now more space between that ruling and sentencing from Sept. 16 and 18 to Nov. 12 and 26, respectively.
Would it take less than two weeks to address Trumps challenges before his state sentencing could go forward? Especially if those challenges include a trip to the Supreme Court, whose immunity ruling helped Trump get to this point? We wont know the answer until after the election again, thats if Merchan rejects Trumps immunity claim and much else can happen between now and then, legally and politically.
But whatever happens at the ballot box, we shouldnt carve this new sentencing date into stone just yet, however delayed it has already been.
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This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
NAIROBI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday ordered investigations into a school fire that killed 17 children and left 13 others with serious burn injuries in central Kenya.
Ruto, who is attending the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing, said those responsible will be held to account for the fire that erupted at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri on Thursday night.
"I instruct the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account," Ruto wrote in a post on social media after a phone call with the school's head.
The president also directed government agencies to mobilize resources to support those affected.
"This is heartbreaking; it is devastating," said Ruto as he prayed for a speedy recovery for the survivors and pledged support to the affected families.
The victims who died in the fire were aged between seven and 11, according to the police.
National Police Service Spokesperson Resila Onyango said security experts were on the ground to establish the cause of the fire.
The team will thoroughly examine the site, gather evidence, and interview witnesses to uncover the source of the fire and determine if any foul play was involved, Onyango said.
Witnesses said 16 died on the spot while one succumbed while being taken to hospital after one of the dormitories housing the pupils was razed down on Thursday night.
The school is one of those billed as the best in the region in academic performance. There are fears that the death toll may increase.
It seems like only yesterday that the elite media were extremely concerned that President Joe Biden had mistakenly referred to the president of Egypt as the president of Mexico. In the course of an otherwise cogent discussion of foreign affairs, he'd made that mistake in passing but it caused a huge uproar and spawned yet another round of critical reporting about his age and mental capacities. No one in the press blew off the gaffe and the substance of his comments went virtually unreported.
That press conference came in the shadow of the Hur report, in which the special counsel made a gratuitous comment about Biden being an elderly man with a bad memory. From that moment on almost every story about Joe Biden was framed in terms of his advanced age and the question of whether he was up to the job. The drumbeat continued for months until Biden's disastrous debate performance validated the narrative and it continued until the day he withdrew from the race. No one in the media cut Joe Biden any slack for his performance.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, has been speaking nonsense and spouting gibberish on the campaign trail and the media is covering for him by pretending that his verbal incontinence actually makes sense or by ignoring it altogether. Yes, there's been some mordant chuckling in the media over his bizarre comments about "the late great Hannibal Lecter" and his meandering tales about electric boats and shark attacks. Those stories are all delivered with a twinkling eye-roll as if to say "Oh that wacky Trump, there he goes again" as if it's just a funny little anecdote, apropos of nothing.
And it's true that he's always done this to some extent. His speeches and press conferences are surreal windows into his undisciplined, puerile mind. Despite his regular protestations that he's "like, really smart," he communicates at a 4th grade level (the lowest level of any of the past 15 presidents going back to Hoover) and uses the same handful of words and phrases over and over again to cover for the fact that he never really has any idea what he's talking about.
But Trump's getting worse and the press is failing to properly report it. Over the past couple of weeks, the problem has gotten more acute and there has been very little recognition of it. Because political reporters have normalized his unfit intellectual and emotional characteristics for so long they're just continuing to cover him as if they are perfectly ordinary even though he is rapidly deteriorating,
Trump appeared with Sean Hannity for a pre-taped "town hall" in which he wondered how anyone could be voting for Biden. He has repeatedly made that mistake, declaring that he's running against his former rival instead of his current one. That might have been an understandable gaffe in the early days after Biden withdrew but this has now been going on for a couple of months. I think we know that if Biden had done this we would have had screaming headlines.
But it's the truly demented and/or incoherent blather that's going unremarked upon and there is no excuse for it. I already wrote about his stunning declaration at the Moms for Liberty event in which he said that kids are getting transgender surgeries in school and the parents don't know anything about it. But in the write-ups of the event in all the big papers it wasn't even mentioned. Instead, we got headlines like Trump Questions Acceptance of Transgender People as He Courts His Base at Moms for Liberty Gathering and Can Moms for Liberty save Trump?
The New York Times' Jamelle Bouie smartly called this bizarre coverage (and the double standard) out in a TikTok video:
Once again @jbouie gives a fundamental lesson in journalism pic.twitter.com/bCA8xSII7F Jeff (Gutenberg Parenthesis) Jarvis (@jeffjarvis) September 2, 2024
On Thursday Trump gave what was billed as an economic policy speech to the New York Economic Club. This was a room ostensibly filled with educated people who have a deep understanding of the way our economic system works. Trump attempted to deliver a rote teleprompter speech that derided Biden's economy and discussed his plans to raise more tariffs, drill baby drill and lower more taxes. It could have been finished in 10 minutes. But Trump inevitably digressed to his usual meandering stump speech which he delivered in ever desperate tones to an audience that was more often silent than not.
But the memorable moment came when he answered a question about what specific legislation he planned to propose to deal with the crisis in child care by spewing an incoherent string of words that sounded like a 4th grader giving a book report of a book he didn't read. He clearly had no idea about child care and so he reverted to the only economic policy he's ever known: tariffs, the cure-all for every economic ill.
Donald Trumps answer on how he will make childcare more affordable: pic.twitter.com/Hwu7R5aIt6 Acyn (@Acyn) September 5, 2024
Here is how the New York Times wrote that mess of a response up:
After his speech, Donald Trump was asked how he might address rising child care costs. In a jumbled answer, he said he would prioritize legislation on the issue but offered no specifics and insisted that his other economic policies, including tariffs, would take care of child care. As much as child care is talked about as being expensive, its, relatively speaking, not very expensive compared to the kind of numbers well be taking in.
Does that accurately describe Trump's incomprehensible babble? I don't think so but it certainly was nice of the Times to "interpret" his comments to mean that he "insist[ed] that his other economic policies, including tariffs, would take care of child care." It's very generous of them to help him out that way otherwise people might think that Trump had absolutely no idea what he was talking about and clearly has no economic "policy" other than tariffs (which he doesn't understand either) even after having spent four years in the White House. Why, they might even conclude that he doesn't have the mental capacity to be president. I guess that would be rude.
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The New Republic's Greg Sargent wrote about this phenomenon which he calls "sane-washing" (coined, I believe, by Parker Molloy.) He speculates that the reason members of the media are unable or unwilling to characterize Trump as being unfit for the job is because they think calling Trump's ignorance and irrationality what it is would require them to make a value judgment that interferes with their self-regard as unbiased, objective observers. If that's the case, they are simply failing to do their jobs. As he writes:
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.
They could, but in all these years, Trump has dominated the political culture they never have. I wouldn't hold my breath.
Meanwhile, here's a recent headline about Vice President Kamala Harris that's indicative of the coverage she's been getting from the Times: Harriss Early Campaign: Heavy on Buzz, Light on Policy. The piece immediately inspired a whole line of criticism about Harris' grasp of the details of the job of president. Just last night, we got this from Alex Thompson at Axios: Harris abandons 2019 pledge to ban plastic straws.
Trump's "policy" speech (talk about light!) at the New York Economic Club should have been reported as a train wreck. But the media covered for him as they so often do. He has the whole press corps acting as his ghostwriter, sanitizing his babble for the public. But Joe Biden and Kamala Harris aren't so lucky. They have to campaign and govern in a world where they are held to the standard that requires a president to be able to demonstrate his or her fitness for the presidency.
Donna Adelson in court again for motion hearing ahead of her trial in Dan Markel murder
Donna Adelson, who is set to go on trial later this month for the murder of law professor Dan Markel, appeared in court Friday for a pre-trial motion hearing.
Leon Circuit Judge Stephen Everett heard arguments on a defense motion to preclude a key state witness, Tallahassee Police Department Sgt. Chris Corbitt, from being certified as an expert witness, which would allow him to offer opinions on the evidence.
The defendant, Donna Adelson, stands accused of murder-for-hire killing of law professor Dan Markel in pretrial hearing Friday, September 5 2024.
The defense, in a motion filed late last month, also asked that a 329-page PowerPoint presentation on communications between defendants that the state plans to present with Corbitt on the stand be kept out of the jury room during their eventual deliberations.
Later in the morning, Everett presided over a closed-door hearing in chambers that may have involved a sealed motion filed Thursday by the defense. The motion pertains to Rob Adelson, one of the defendant's three children and a witness for the prosecution.
A doctor who is reportedly estranged from his family, Rob Adelson was on the list to testify in his brother's trial last year but never took the stand. No other information about the motion or the hearing was immediately available.
Corbitt in the crosshairs
Dan Rashbaum, a Miami lawyer representing Adelson, argued that Corbitt, who has testified in previous trials against Markel murder defendants, didnt meet the statutory definition of an expert witness. He also said the states PowerPoint on communications was essentially the states closing argument. Jurors dont get copies of those when theyre deciding the case.
Our argument is No. 1, hes not an expert and No. 2, the actual exhibit is not an appropriate exhibit that would go back to the jury during deliberations, Rashbaum said.
But Assistant State Attorney Sarah Kathryn Dugan said it would be beneficial for the jury to hear Corbitts specialized knowledge, including opinions on who was communicating with whom.
Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman speaks Friday during a pretrial hearing in the upcoming first-degree murder trial of Donna Adelson, who is accused in the murder-for-hire killing of law professor Dan Markel September 6 2024.
They dont want him to be able to offer an opinion, Dugan said.
Everett ruled that Corbitt would be allowed to interpret the records beyond the mere location of cell towers or what phone records show.
That would go to scientific or technical expertise in which he is properly able to give an opinion, Everett said.
Leon Circuit Judge Stephen Everett presides over pretrial hearing in the upcoming first-degree murder trial of Donna Adelson, who is accused in the murder-for-hire killing of law professor Dan Markel Friday, September 6 2024.
However, Everett said he will need to hear from Corbitt himself as to how he put the PowerPoint presentation together and how his opinions were formed by evidence within the summary.
Otherwise, I agree with the defense position, Everett said. This is proper and demonstrative, but to admit it as evidence, I'm going to have to hear more.
Judge advises Adelson that window for a plea deal is closing
At the end of the hearing in Courtroom 3G, Everett told Adelson that she needs to decide before a jury is seated on whether she might take a plea in the case. He added that he doesn't "prod" defendants one way or the other in plea considerations.
"However, if you wish to consider taking a plea offer from the state, the time is rapidly coming for you to make that decision. If you want your counsel to provide an offer to the state, also time is coming very close .. for them to do that as well," Everett said.
Robert "Alex" Morris, left, and Daniel Rashbaum, both attorneys for Donna Adelson, participated Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in a pretrial hearing of Adelson, who is accused in the murder-for-hire killing of law professor Dan Markel Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
In other developments, Everett ruled Thursday against a defense motion to dismiss the indictment against Adelson or exclude certain evidence because of pre-trial delay.
The 74-year-old Adelson is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation in the 2014 shooting death of Markel, her former son-in-law. He was shot at point blank range in his Betton Hills garage by two hit men around the same time he and his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, Donna Adelsons daughter, were feuding in court over custody of their two sons.
Adelson is the fifth person charged in the notorious murder-for-hire following the conviction of her son, Charlie Adelson, last year and the two hit men and one of their girlfriends before that. She was arrested last November, a week after her sons conviction, while trying to board a Miami flight with one-tickets to Vietnam.
Jury selection in Donna Adelson's trial begins Sept. 17 at the Leon County Courthouse.
Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Donna Adelson in court again ahead of her trial in Dan Markel murder
Doral is so eager to advance its long-standing goal of relocating Miami-Dades controversial waste plant that the City Council has agreed to start negotiations with the county to set the terms for relocation, which could include Doral making a long-term tax contribution of at least $20 million to the county.
After the countys trash incinerator caught fire in February 2023 at its longtime site within Doral city limits, there has been a debate about whether a new incinerator, also known as a waste-to-energy plant, should be placed at the same site or if an alternative location should be chosen.
Doral residents have long complained about garbage odors from the incinerator and worried about its effect on property values. At a meeting Tuesday night, Dorals city council unanimously authorized the negotiation of a memorandum of understanding with Miami-Dade County and endorsed the relocation of the waste-to-energy plant.
If the incinerator site is moved outside of Doral city limits, the county is requesting that Doral contribute a portion of the increased property tax revenue generated from properties within a 1-mile radius of the former site. That contribution would be from any property value increases exceeding 3.5%. On that matter, Doral is prepared to offer a 30-year commitment of tax contributions, estimated to be around $20 million, to facilitate the relocation of the waste plant. However, the county is seeking a 40-year commitment of those property tax revenues.
And the city has one non-negotiable condition: ensuring that the old site is not used for any type of solid waste project or for a bulky waste facility, which Miami-Dade has been considering putting on the property. City officials have emphasized that the issue will be a key focus of the negotiations.
We dont want a transfer station its essentially just garbage, Councilwoman Maureen Porras told el Nuevo Herald after this weeks council meeting. Its crucial for us that the site is not repurposed or exchanged for a transfer station.
Councilwoman Maureen Porras believes that the newly proposed fourth location for a Miami-Dade County incinerator is the best option for residents.
Councilman Rafael Pineyro agreed. If the county expects Dorals support on this issue, the transfer station cannot remain within the city, he said.
A debate over future incinerator site
Dorals resolution comes just two weeks before Miami-Dade County commissioners are set to debate the future of the incinerator on Sept. 17.
Initially, the county considered two other locations outside of Doral: one in Medley and another at the site of the defunct Opa-locka Airport West. Now, Miami developer David Martin, the CEO of Terra Group, has introduced a new option.
Martin is offering up a piece of land outside of Miami-Dades Urban Development Boundary, which protects rural areas and the Everglades from suburban sprawl. He is hoping to trade that property for county-owned land outside Doral, near Northwest 58th Street and 87th Avenue, for a development that would include 1,002 low-rise apartment units and 1 million square feet of industrial space. The land is currently used by the countys Solid Waste Department.
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City officials in Doral argue that Martins proposed site would be the most favorable for residents, as it is more than 2 miles away from any neighborhoods.
No community would be impacted by this new solid-waste facility, said Doral Mayor Christi Fraga.
Porras asked to add language to the resolution supporting a request by County Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez, a former Doral mayor, for a comprehensive and expedited review of the fourth location put forward by Martin.
READ MORE: Miami-Dade plans to build the biggest waste-to-energy facility in the country
M ore cities join opposition to new proposed incinerator location
The Martin site is nearly 2 miles from Miramar, where city officials have threatened to sue Miami-Dade if the $1.5 billion incinerator is built near the county line.
Hialeah Heights, a neighborhood in the newest area of Hialeah, is also voicing opposition. Residents of that area, located 3.8 miles from Martins proposed site, are preparing to fight the project. Bermudez, who represents the area, will play a key role in the discussions.
Hialeah Councilwoman Monica Perez told el Nuevo Herald that she has been in conversations with state representatives and county commissioners to gain support in blocking the Martin site. Councilman Bryan Calvo said he is willing to sponsor a resolution opposing that site when the council meets next week.
Hialeah Mayor Esteban Steve Bovo, a former county commissioner, also expressed concern about the Martin site in an interview with el Nuevo Herald, stating, I want to know how this is going to affect my city. Without all the details, Bovo raised questions about the potential impact on Hialeah residents. I want to see the proposal and discuss it with my commissioners to fully understand the implications, he said.
Bovo described the issue as toxic and downplayed the likelihood of the county making a decision at the Sept. 17 meeting.
A large turnout of residents from Doral, Hialeah and Miramar is expected to show up at the upcoming County Commission meeting, although opinions on the proposed incinerator locations remain divided.
Double shooting leaves 1 dead in North Lawndale, police say
Double shooting leaves 1 dead in North Lawndale, police say
CHICAGO A 39-year-old man is dead after a double shooting in Chicagos North Lawndale neighborhood.
According to police, the two male shooting victims were standing in the 1500 block of S. Kenneth Ave. Thursday, around 11:15 p.m., when police approached and fired shots. The 39-year-old victim was shot multiple times, including a wound to the back of the head.
Paramedics rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The second shooting victim, a 42-year-old, also suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He arrived at the hospital in fair condition.
Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines
Police added that the shooter fled in a dark-colored sedan.
No one is in custody.
Anyone with additional information may leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.
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After stealing her mothers car and crossing state lines, a 17-year-old girl from Georgia led Beaufort County police on an extended, winding car chase across St. Helena Island. The Wednesday morning pursuit drew dozens of residents into their front yards to watch the vehicles passing back and forth even after a spike strip forced the suspect sedan to drive on its rims.
Deputies from the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office were called just after 9 a.m. Wednesday to Toomer Road, a low-traffic side street in southern St. Helena. The caller told police a silver Honda Accord had attempted to hit pedestrians in the residential area.
Just a few minutes later, police received confirmation from Georgia police that the vehicle was reported stolen out of Screven County, which lies about 50 miles west of the Savannah area. Patrol officers soon learned the driver was a 17-year-old girl who had taken her mothers car, making the nearly two-hour drive into northern Beaufort County with her 14-year-old brother in the passenger seat.
After the teen fled an attempted traffic stop in the area, more than a dozen sheriffs deputies and one Highway Patrol trooper joined in the effort to catch her.
Throughout the approximately 35-minute pursuit, police saw the Honda swerving outside its lane, running stop signs and brake-checking police vehicles following behind it, an incident report says. At multiple points, strategically stationed deputies threw tire spikes in front of the car, but the teen avoided the traps through aggressive lane swerving, sometimes leaving the road entirely to drive around the strips.
A screenshot of a public Facebook video shows several vehicles from the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office driving down Seaside Road on St. Helena Island with sirens blaring Wednesday morning. Over a dozen officers were chasing a 17-year-old girl who had stolen her moms car in Georgia and fled across state lines.
Despite lasting significantly longer than most local police pursuits, the chase was contained to a small area primarily Lands End Road, Seaside Road and the Fort Fremont area, according to sheriffs office spokesperson Master Sgt. Danny Allen. The fleeing Honda briefly reached a top speed of 87 mph, although most of the chase played out at relatively low speeds as the teen slowed down to make U-turns and switch directions.
Finally, one set of spikes popped both of the Hondas driver-side tires but the teen continued to flee. After police threw more spikes targeting the passenger-side wheels, the car ran off the road briefly, losing control before swerving back onto Lands End Road and striking the front of a corporals patrol car. He withdrew from the chase due to the damage to his vehicle, according to the police report.
Video from bystanders on Lands End Road shows the damaged Honda passing by at a moderate speed, its deflated tires visibly tilting the cars frame toward the drivers side. Four sheriffs vehicles trailed behind.
Not long after, the line of vehicles passed the homes again in the opposite direction. The driver and passenger in the Honda were seen waving at the camera through the cars open windows.
Doing it on flats, yall, said the woman recording the video. Im not making it up.
As the police sirens faded out on the typically quiet rural street, the odor of burnt rubber hung in the air. You can smell it, remarked another woman, who had already joined others in the middle of the roadway to watch the chase continue.
A 17-year-old girl was seen waving to a cellphone camera as she led a police chase on St. Helena Island Wednesday morning. The teen faced nine traffic citations and a pair of criminal charges after she stole her moms Honda out of Georgia and drove recklessly across rural Beaufort County.
The ordeal ended shortly before 10 a.m., when the 17-year-old returned to the area of Toomer Road and brought the car to a stop. While deputies detained the two occupants and called their mother, the trooper on scene began documenting the crash between the Honda and the sheriffs vehicle.
Altogether, the teen was given tickets for driving without a license, reckless driving, failure to obey traffic devices, improper signals, a seatbelt violation, fleeing police, shifting lanes improperly and child endangerment, the last citation correlating to her 14-year-old brother who was in the vehicle. Her two criminal charges out of Beaufort County include hit-and-run and possession of a stolen vehicle.
The 17-year-old driver was medically evaluated at Beaufort Memorial Hospital before police transported her to the Department of Juvenile Justice. She is scheduled to appear in court for her nine traffic citations at the end of October.
The sluggish final minutes of the chase shaved the Hondas driver-side tires down to the rims. Photos shared online by the girls mother showed the car had a broken headlight, significant front-end damage and thin, frayed rings of rubber where the tires used to be.
Beaufort County Sheriff P.J Tanner says his officers consider a number of factors when deciding whether to terminate a chase, including the time of day, weather conditions, the suspects speed or the amount of traffic in the area. Pursuits can be called off by individual patrol officers or their supervisors based on the risk posed to the public.
This pursuit lasted a while because we decided that the risk factors were low, so we continued to pursue, Tanner said of Wednesdays incident, noting the low traffic volume on St. Helena at the time. Because of the frequent switchbacks as well as slowed speeds due to the deflated tires, he estimated the chases average speed was only about 20 mph across its half-hour span. And some of that time was on rims.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Its September, and Downtown Fresno is getting ready ahead of the Fiestas Patrias celebration on Sept. 15.
On Thursday morning, Fresnos Public Works team added some color to Downtown Fresno by hanging papel picados along Fulton Street. This, according to city officials, comes ahead of the celebration of Fiestas Patias on Sept. 15 in partnership with the Downtown Fresno Partnership.
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Fiestas Patrias in Downtown Fresno, officials say the celebration will bring together the culture and spirit of people residing in the Central Valley, celebrating the history of Latino culture and inviting all to come together to show cultural pride and commemorate freedom.
The free Fiestas Patrias celebration in Downtown Fresno will be held on Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and organizers say it will kick off with a parade down Fulton Street and continue with performances, vendors and downtown businesses.
Organizers say there were about 10,000 volunteers last year for the event, and they encourage those interested in volunteering or signing up for the parade to do so by visiting the Fiesta Patrias webpage on the Downtown Fresno website.
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Driver saves a kitten on the 91 Freeway but causes a three-car crash
The 91 Freeway in Corona. A kitten stranded on another section of the roadway spurred a misguided rescue effort. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
It was one of those moments with an irresistible emotional tug.
They were driving east on the 91 Freeway in Riverside when they saw it: a kitten stranded on the westbound side.
The woman at the wheel and her male passenger, both in their 20s, made a quick decision.
They took the next off-ramp and circled back, slowing to about 30 mph in the HOV lane with the car's hazard lights on.
They saw the kitten. The driver slammed on the brakes and stopped, pulling as far out of the carpool lane as the narrow shoulder allowed. The passenger jumped out, took off his shirt and scooped up the kitten.
Read more: Worker buried in trench in Los Feliz is freed after a sweltering six-hour rescue effort
And that's when a beautiful moment unraveled into a catastrophe Wednesday afternoon.
According to the California Highway Patrol, one trailing car didn't brake in time and swerved into the center divider, heading right toward the man holding the cat.
Thinking he was about to be killed, the man tried to jump over the wall, losing the cat.
To avoid him, the driver swerved the other way, clipping the bumper of another car and then careening across all lanes of the freeway until the vehicle hit a tractor-trailer.
The good news? No one was seriously hurt; the Riverside Fire Department said one person was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries, CBS reported. The semi drove off, apparently unaware it had been hit. And the cat escaped alive.
But it isn't necessarily over for the would-be rescuers, whose names were not disclosed. The case is still under investigation with potential violations around non-emergency stopping and impeding traffic, said Javier Navarro, public information officer for the CHP in Riverside.
"The great thing is that the cat made it, but these people caused a big mess," Navarro said. "Who stops on the freeway like that?"
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) A judge sentenced 20-year-old Usman Shahid to four years in prison for the deaths of two high school students in a 2022 crash outside of Oakton High School.
Shahid was speeding down Blake Lane shortly before noon on June 7, 2022, when he collided with an SUV that was trying to make a left turn onto Five Oaks Road.
His car careened onto the sidewalk, striking and killing 14-year-old Ada Gabriela Martinez Nolasco and 15-year-old Leeyan Hanjia Yan as they were walking home from Oakton High School. A third girl was also hurt.
PREVIOUS: Jury recommends 4-year sentence for driver convicted in deadly Fairfax County crash
During the trial, prosecutors proved that Shahids high rate of speed and lack of action to avoid the situation caused the crash and pedestrian collision. A crash expert also testified that his car indicated he continued accelerating from 60 mph to 81 mph in the five seconds right before the crash.
Data also indicated he did not try braking as he approached the intersection, according to the Commonwealths Attorney Steve Descano.
Shahid was convicted of two counts of involuntary manslaughter in April. The four-year sentence handed down was the maximum sentence available. The judge added three years of post-release supervision.
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DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Doto Biteko on Friday urged African countries to harness the potential of green hydrogen to power the continent's future, drive sustainable development, and lead the global energy transition.
A statement by the Deputy Prime Minister's Office said Biteko made the call when he addressed the Global African Hydrogen Summit in the Namibian capital of Windhoek.
"African countries are confronted with the need for increased energy access in meeting their development aspirations and transition to green energy," Biteko said at the summit, held under the theme "From Ambition to Action: Fueling Africa's Green Industrial Revolution."
"Looking at the stumpy electrification rates in countries such as Tanzania, which stands at less than 70 percent, we need to increase generation capacity using our available resources that include hydro, natural gas, and renewables such as solar, small hydro, wind, and geothermal," he said.
Biteko said Africa, with its abundant natural resources, youthful population, and emerging markets, is uniquely positioned to become a leader in the global green energy revolution.
"Yet, we also face significant challenges that require innovative solutions, collaborative efforts, and visionary leadership," he added.
Biteko said advocating for cleaner fuel should be a priority for all African governments to achieve a low-carbon economy.
He also said investing in green hydrogen is costly and involves many challenges that call for enormous attention in financing, infrastructure development, market creation, and demand stimulation.
"The global energy landscape is changing rapidly, and Africa cannot afford to be left behind. We must seize the opportunities presented by green hydrogen to build a sustainable, prosperous, and resilient future for our continent," said Biteko.
Duke Energy Florida says bills should be lower in 2025. Here's why
If you're a Duke Energy customer in Florida, your rates are going up. And down.
On Thursday, Duke Energy Florida announced they wanted to lower residential rates by about 6% per year starting in 2025. The company said the move is part of an annual adjustment for the cost of fuel used to generate electricity.
The request comes a few weeks after the Florida Public Service Commission approved Duke Energy's request to increase base rates by $262 million over the next two years, an average increase of 2% over three years. It also set Duke's return on equity (basically, its profit margin) at 10.3% (with a range of 9.3%-11.3%). That's up from the 9.85% (a range of 8.85%-10.85%) agreed upon in 2021. The national average for utility company's ROE is 9.60%.
Duke Energy had originally requested about $820 million over three years but after going back and forth with energy consumer advocates the company reached a settlement to cut the request to less than half, while adding an estimated $141 million in costs for new solar plants.
Duke Energy also agreed to other changes, including:
Customers will no longer get their power shut off for non-payment when the temperature is 95 degrees or higher, or at a heat index of 105 and higher
Duke Energy will increase participation in its Neighborhood Energy Saver program by 10%
Duke Energy will increase the installation of smart thermostats from 10% to 40% for income-qualified customers
What are power company base rates?
Base rates are the fixed amounts customers pay to get power. They make up about half your bill and they're generally locked in for several years. But other fees such as environmental costs, storm costs and power-plant fuel costs can be adjusted after review from the Public Service Commission.
Why will the Duke Energy changes save you money in Florida?
If the request is approved, Duke Energy says that typical residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) will see a decrease of $9.77, or approximately 6%, on their January 2025 bill compared to December 2024. Commercial and industrial customers will see bill decreases ranging from 5.1% to 11.1%.
Fuel costs spiked in 2022 but they've since declined again, allowing power companies to reduce their rates.
According to Duke Energy, even with the newly increased base rate customers should see lower bills due to the requested drop and because several additional line items expire at the end of the year such as a 2022 fuel under-recovery, storm restoration cost recovery and some legacy power contracts.
The added revenue for Duke Energy will also enable the company to invest in upgrades and new technology to reduce outages, shorten response times, meet future demands and increase solar generation, the company said.
According to a news release, Duke Energy has already reduced rates twice this year, in January and June.
"Duke Energy is consistently looking for creative ways to reduce rates and provide financial relief to our customers," said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. "We work to deliver real value, including a stronger, more reliable grid and cleaner energy."
Nate Monroe: Electric companies eye increases, foreshadowing dark time for Florida consumers | Commentary
Why could the Duke Energy changes cost you more on your electric bill in Florida?
As Duke Energy said, even with the higher base rates your bills may go down as some of those extra fees like storm recovery costs and other items expire by the end of the year. But as we continue into what has been predicted to be a busy hurricane season, there could easily be new storm recovery fees or other costs added to the new rates at a later time which could result in even higher electric bills.
Customers will also see "solar base rate adjustments" added to their bills at some point to help cover 12 new solar facilities as they come online. Duke Energy has not said how much this may cost customers, but the total costs are estimated at $12 million in 2025, $71 million in 2026 and $58 million in 2027.
Floridians already pay more for power about 40% more than the national average and we buy more than any other state besides Texas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Requests for base rate and ROE increases from investor-owned utility companies have skyrocketed in the last few years, according to data analysis site S&P Global, and ROE rates in Florida are already higher than the national average of 9.60%.
What about Florida Power & Light electric rates?
In 2021, Florida Power & Light secured the largest electric rate increase in Florida history with a multi-year increase of $692 million and a new effective ROE of 11.8%, although that agreement is still going back and forth in the Florida Supreme Court. FPL raised rates multiple times in 2023.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Duke Energy rate drop in Florida could mean higher bills
Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland is urging Duval County residents to take advantage of early voting before Election Day.
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According to a news release, a nearly 80% voter turnout is expected.
Duvals 24 early voting sites will be open from Oct. 21 through Nov. 3.
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You can cast your vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
If you wait until Nov. 5 to vote, you can cast your ballot from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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BOONVILLE, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) A motorcycle accident near the Pixley Falls State Park in Boonville has sent one person to the hospital, according to the Oneida County Sheriffs Office.
Officers were called to State Route 46 near the state park at approximately 9:30 on Friday, September 6. Further investigation found that the single motorcycle driven by 77-year-old Robert Mathis of Rock Springs, Wyoming was traveling northbound on State Route 46 when he attempted to negotiate a curve.
After failing to do so, the motorcycle left the eastern shoulder of the roadway and hit a guardrail. Mathis was ejected from the motorcycle, sustaining several injuries.
Mathis was airlifted via Mercy Flight to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse for his injuries. His condition is unknown at this time. According to Oneida County Sheriffs, the accident is still under investigation.
Oneida County Sheriffs were assisted on the scene by the New York State Police, the fire departments of Boonville and Western, Star Ambulance of Prospect, Mercy Flight and Growers Towing of Boonville.
The incident is still under investigation. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
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Voters are greeted by lawn signs outside the Julia and Charles Cherry Cultural and Educational Center in Midtown Daytona Beach during early voting in 2020. The site was closed for early voting for the August primary but will reopen Oct. 21, when early voting for the 2024 general election begins.
After complaints about eliminating the only primary election early voting site with a history of drawing more Democrat voters than Republicans, the Volusia County supervisor of elections will reinstitute it for the general election.
The Julia and Charles Cherry Cultural and Educational Center, 925 George Engram Boulevard in Daytona Beach, is among eight early voting sites set to open on Oct. 21, ahead of the Nov. 5 election. The others are at libraries in Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach, community centers in Port Orange, DeBary and Deltona and the election supervisor's office in DeLand.
The Midtown site first became an early voting site in 2020. But before this year's primary election, Elections Supervisor Lisa Lewis dropped it in favor of the Florence K. Little Town Hall in DeBary,
In 2020, Donald Trump won in each of DeBary's precincts, and 66% of the voters who turned out in the DeBary early voting site were Republicans.
The 2024 DeBary primary turnout, 700, was better than the Midtown site in the 2022 primary, when 568 people voted, with 82% of those casting ballots being Democrats.
Lewis, who is a Republican, said the Midtown site was first opened in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Lisa Lewis
"We haven't had the turnout there, so we did opt to close it, and that was talked about when we first opened it," Lewis said. "But there really has been a cry that people do want us to give it another try."
Jewel Dickson, the Volusia County Democratic Party chairwoman, said she was among those urging Lewis to reconsider closing the Midtown early voting site.
There was enough community pressure from different groups that she looked at it and said, OK, well go back and do it again. Dickson said, adding that she believes Lewis was kind of pushed into that decision by Republicans, although she clarified: I dont know that. ... I just had a feeling that she was under pressure.
Lewis said when she reviews early voting sites, she has to consider numerous things, including making sure the sites geographically "cover the county." There are also restrictions on where early voting may occur, with most sites needing to be in public places such as libraries and community centers.
"When I look at sites, I don't look at the party of people, the ethnicity of people. I simply look at the numbers. They weren't there. And it costs a lot of money for an early voting site, but we're going to open it back up. That's what they want in the community, and we're going to do it."
Each additional early voting site during the general election is open for 13 days from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. She said the costs for each early voting site run from $7,500 to $10,000, and those sites are limited, as they can only be located in public buildings such as libraries and community centers.
Susanne Raines, the Volusia County Democratic committeewoman, was among people applauding Lewis for reopening the Midtown site.
"Reopening that early voting location was a smart move because turnout in November is going to be big," Raines said.
A News-Journal analysis of 2024 primary election early voting sites in Florida's 67 counties showed Volusia had the 12th lowest number per capita, with 1.2 per 100,000 people. Polk County had the lowest per capita total, with 0.2 per 100,000. Calhoun and Franklin two of Florida's smaller counties with 13,000 populations tied for the most, with 15.4 per 100,000.
Early voting is just one of three methods used in Florida. Voters can go to more local polling places on election day or vote by mail. In the primary, more Volusia voters opted the mail option than going to early voting and election day combined.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona Beach advocates successfully lobby for 8th early voting site
It will be easier to get into some NC colleges and universities. What you need to know.
Two new programs announced this week will make it easier for tens of thousands of North Carolina public high school seniors to get accepted into a college or university for the 2025-26 school year.
Both the UNC System and the North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities are launching a simplified application process for high school seniors who have a weighted 2.8 grade point average. Students will be able to claim spots at 32 colleges and universities and all 58 community colleges without having to fill out a long application form.
The state Department of Public Instruction estimates 70,000 seniors are eligible for the new opportunity.
We know that often times one of the barriers to college admissions whether a two-year or four-year degree is the application process, State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said at Thursdays State Board of Education meeting. This is a new initiative that will hopefully increase access to higher education by simplifying the application process.
Theres tension, though, because DPI is working with the UNC program and not the one offered by the private colleges and universities.
NC College Connect Program
The UNC System announced the launch of the NC College Connect program on Thursday. The pilot program will make it easier for students to get into one of six universities or any of the community colleges.
The participating universities are:
Elizabeth City State University
Fayetteville State University
UNC-Asheville
UNC-Greensboro
UNC-Pembroke
Winston-Salem State University
Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State and UNC-Pembroke are part of the NC Promise Tuition Program. This means in-state undergraduate students only pay $500 in tuition each semester.
Eligible students will receive a letter in the mail in early October about the program. They can use their College Foundation of North Carolina account to log into the application portal at NCCollegeConnect.org.
Students can claim their spot by submitting a simplified application to each school theyre interested in attending. Students will be encouraged to submit during College Application Week, Oct. 21-27, to avoid most application fees.
Students will be contacted by those schools on what next steps to take.
NCICU Direct Admission Program
On Wednesday, the North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities announced its new Direct Admission program.
Eligible seniors will be able to get more immediate acceptance into 26 schools participating in the program:
Barton College
Belmont Abbey College
Bennett College
Catawba College
Chowan University
Gardner-Webb University
Greensboro College
Guilford College
Johnson C. Smith University
Lees-McRae College
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Livingstone College
Louisburg College
Mars Hill University
Meredith College
Methodist University
Montreat College
North Carolina Wesleyan University
Pfeiffer University
Shaw University
St. Andrews University
Saint Augustines University
University of Mount Olive
Warren Wilson College
William Peace University
Wingate University
Students will be able to complete their simplified application at www.ncicu.org.
But unlike the NC Connect Program, students wont get letters through DPI notifying them theyre eligible for the Direct Admission program. Truitt told the group that sending a separate letter would confuse families and affect the success of the N.C. Connect Program.
As a result, NCICU is asking district superintendents and high school principals to champion the program. The group will also distribute handbooks with information about the program to more than 1,000 North Carolina school counselors.
East winds, heat wave could fan wildfire flames in Oregon over the weekend
A helicopter drops water on the Chalk Fire in the Willamette National Forest east of Eugene on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Cody Mosley/Willamette National Forest)
A helicopter drops water on the Chalk Fire in the Willamette National Forest east of Eugene on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Cody Mosley/Willamette National Forest)
Wildland firefighters in Oregon got a reprieve thanks to cooler weather in late August and early September, but officials warn a heat wave and dry, easterly winds could fan flames or start new fires through the weekend.
Oregon is still experiencing one of the worst seasons weve seen in the past decade, and the department warns the public against complacency, the Oregon Department of Forestry wrote in a press release Thursday morning.
So far this year, more than 1.5 million acres have burned in Oregon, the most in its recorded history .
The department warns Oregonians to be cautious. Some tips for preventing wildfires include:
Dont park your car over dry grass, and make sure your vehicle is regularly serviced to prevent overheating.
Never toss cigarette butts on the ground.
Check local restrictions before lighting a campfire.
Cover any debris piles until fire season is over. It is safer to burn debris piles during wet fall and winter conditions.
A combination of strong east winds and high temperatures fueled the catastrophic 2020 Labor Day Weekend fires across Oregon. Even so, fire officials told OPB this weeks east wind event wont be nearly as strong.
We want to be clear that these are not at the same level of significance or threat as what we saw several years ago, said Joel Brumm, the spokesperson for the Whisky Creek, Sandstone and Blister Creek fires.
Those wildfires are burning in the Mount Hood National Forest. On the northern end, flames from the Whisky Creek Fire have spread up to the burn scar left by the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire. That scar has created a barrier that is preventing the Whisky Creek Fire from growing.
The fire is also burning about a dozen miles east of the Bull Run Watershed, a collection of rivers and streams that provide drinking water to about 1 million people in the Portland area. Still, Brumm said theres little threat to the watershed.
It would be a very rare event that would cause these fires to really pick up and leave their existing footprint, Brumm said.
Even with the heat wave, Brumm said his team isnt expecting these fires to grow significantly.
Still, fires in Central and Southern Oregon appear to be kicking up. The Copperfield Fire in Klamath County has burned eight homes and 19 other buildings , reports the Klamath Herald and News. Fire agencies have also added recreational closures in the Ochoco National Forest due to increased fire activity.
Although the three Mount Hood fires are relatively small compared to others in the state their boundaries collectively cover a little over 2,100 acres they have so far cost the U.S. Forest Service almost $39 million to suppress, according to data from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Brumm attributes the steep price tag to the general cost of fighting fires in steep, mountainous terrain, which requires more planes and helicopters to douse flames and transfer firefighting equipment to crews.
The Forest Service has so far spent $759 million fighting fires in Oregon this year. The agency spends an annual average of $2.9 billion suppressing wildfires across the country. That price is expected to rise as much as 84% by 2050 , as climate change fuels bigger, more expensive wildfires.
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ECTOR COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Residents of Ector County said they are tired of not having running water in their homes. Many have lived decades, if not their entire lives, without usable water.
Today, Darrell Pando, Jesus Sanchez and John Kelley held a meeting beside a water tower across from Knox Street in West Odessa, to encourage people to vote for them. The three are running for Ector County Utility District seats and they have promised residents change.
We have these water towers that are here and you can see around. Just around this water tower here on Knox, people dont have, people arent tied into it and no efforts or discussions of when theyre gonna do that have been made, said Pando.
Pandos friends and family catch a glimpse of the water tower nearly every day, but said they cant receive water from it.
Many people in the area with no access to water still pay the residential water base fee that is $65 a month or the multi-family rate that is $75 a month.
Other residents said they have spent years paying for water to be delivered to their homes in tanks, or for wells to be built in their yards.
These people out here can barely get enough water if theyre lucky to basically support their house just to take a bath and use for personal living, said West Odessa resident, Jay Davidson.
Although Davidson lives in an area where he has access to running water, many of his family members cannot say the same thing. He said he is worried about them.
Theyve got wells, but their wells are running dry or theyre low producing, Davidson said.
ECUD will host a public hearing on September 11, 2024 at 6 PM at Kellus Turner Park, located at 223 Sycamore Drive.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Foreign governments trying to tip the scales of American elections is nothing new, but the brazenness with which Russia and Iran are meddling in the 2024 presidential election is notable.
In a DOJ indictment, federal authorities announced charges and sanctions against Russian-government-linked operatives for interfering to boost Donald Trump, including funneling $10 million to the U.S.-based Tenet Media, which employs right-wing and pro-Russia propagandist including Tim Pool, Benny Johnson and Dave Rubin.
Separately, Iran has been setting up fake news sites and taken other steps to sow political discord, at least partly aimed at hurting Trumps chances. Kamala Harris should not welcome this support from the mullahs nor should Trump bask in being the Kremlins favorite, though Trump at least has seemed happy with foreign interference on his behalf before.
The American internet personalities funneled millions in Moscows cash unwittingly, they claim should do some self-reflection, though we wont be holding our breath for the likes of Benny Johnson to take time for contemplation. At the very least, they should explain why it seems the Russian state thought they were such a good investment.
Russia and Iran are particularly nasty players and adversaries on the world stage, but of course we dont want anyone trying to stick their mitts in our elections, even friends. Other countries are inevitably going to have an interest in political affairs that determine the direction of this country. But they can make their preferences known through official communiques and registered lobbying, not subterfuge, astroturfing, direct political spending or troll armies.
Part of the trouble is the difficulty in rooting out these campaigns and taking action against them. The commentators that took the Russian money still, of course, are perfectly within their First Amendment rights to parrot Putin talking points. The funneling of the money is a crime but it is not a crime for the recipients to be unwitting useful idiots. The kind of speech that the Iranians are fomenting with their fake sites and the Russians are stoking with their bot armies is perfectly permissible political speech when engaged in by Americans airing their views.
That legitimate and illegitimate political speech can look identical makes it harder to police, and generates the risk that overzealous government responses will end up violating free speech rights. Thats why we need the tech giants that often facilitate and host this content to be more proactive about preventing misuse in the first place for example, building in safeguards to prevent large language models to easily emulate voters and spread political messages and Washington to respond forcefully with diplomatic pressure and tangible consequences for countries found to be engaged in these efforts.
More broadly, it wouldnt hurt to get Americans a bit more media literate so theyre not as susceptible to these influence campaigns in the first place. The weakening of public faith in media and other institutions is helping produce the information free-for-all, which benefits no one and makes it impossible for many people to tell fact from fiction. It wont be easy, but we must inch back to a place where we can all at least live in the same reality.
___
The Regional Center of Orange County in Santa Ana is one of 21 nonprofit agencies that serve 400,000 Californians with developmental disabilities. A bill on the governor's desk would subject regional centers to the state Public Records Act. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The 21 nonprofits that serve Californians with developmental disabilities are secretive about their decision-making processes. They hold tight to desk manuals and other documents and data that could shed light on serious problems, including service disparities depending on neighborhood or race.
That lack of transparency could be solved in part if the nonprofits become subject to the Public Records Act, which requires that state agencies make their documents available to the public when asked, with few exceptions. Assembly Bill 1147 would make that happen. Gov. Gavin Newsom should sign it.
Read more: Nearly $1 billion in funds left unspent by centers for disabled Californians
At issue are regional centers nonprofit organizations created by state law, operating with public funds to perform a public task: coordinate services to protect their clients rights to make their own decisions and live as independently as possible.
About 400,000 Californians currently receive regional center services that enable them to live independently or in support networks that may include family, clinicians and professional advisors. Those eligible have serious disabilities that originated before adulthood, including epilepsy, autism, intellectual disability and cerebral palsy. Before the Lanterman Act was adopted in 1969, they would have been left with little or no assistance or rights.
Read more: Editorial: Race and geography limit service for disabled Californians. That's wrong
The regional centers have had problems. Reports going back more than a decade have found that the quality of services still depends largely on the time and effort that families can spend navigating the bureaucracy. A 2022 state audit found insufficient staff and funding and inadequate data collection and analysis. The Little Hoover Commission conducted a series of hearings and in 2023 issued recommendations to improve service delivery and transparency.
Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) responded with AB 1147. An earlier version of this good bill would have provided a broad range of badly needed reforms to make the system more equitable, transparent and accountable. Most of the reforms in the bill evaporated in the face of a very tight budget.
The Public Records Act portion remains, and it's a worthy reform on its own. It would make clear that regional centers data and documents belong to the public and must be disclosed within reasonable time limits at the public's request.
Read more: California's proposed budget cuts would leave many autistic young adults without a safety net
The centers' administrators might prefer to think of themselves as operating private businesses, but the centers are creatures of the state and should be subject to state disclosure. They argue that it will cost each of the 21 centers about $1 million a year just to hire enough staff to comply with disclosure requirements.
While its true that answering data requests sometimes takes time and effort, bill proponents argue that the costs would be much lower. And it's noteworthy that a Times analysis found that the network of centers left nearly $1 billion unspent in the 2021-22 fiscal year.
Read more: People with disabilities love this program. Why are Latinos underrepresented?
In any case, if the records belong to the public as they should, given that the centers are using the publics money to do public work the centers must make them available. Some documents, like desk manuals, could easily bypass any costly request process if they are simply posted on the state Department of Disability website.
More reform to the states disability bureaucracy is warranted and will come in better budget times. For now, both houses of the Legislature agree that public records disclosure is an important step forward. Newsom ought to appreciate that the biggest budget-busting portions of the bill are on hold, and that agencies providing state services should be subject to state disclosure laws.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference held at Trump Tower, Friday, Sept., 6, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
A judge has agreed to postpone Donald Trump s sentencing in his New York hush money case until after the November election.
Judge Juan M. Merchan said in his decision Friday that he wanted to avoid any perception that the sentence was intended to tilt the scales in the presidential campaign. The judge delayed Trumps sentencing until Nov. 26.
Earlier in the day, Trump spoke before television cameras on Friday following a court appearance and brought up a string of past allegations of other acts of sexual misconduct, lashing out at the women who came forward. Although billed as a news conference, the former president took no questions.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris largely stayed out of the public eye, preparing in private with her advisers in Pittsburgh for next week's debate with Trump. Her campaign announced Friday that it raised $361 million from nearly 3 million donors in her first full month as a candidate.
Follow the APs Election 2024 coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.
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Dick Cheney will back Kamala Harris, his daughter says
Former Vice President Dick Cheney, a lifelong Republican, will vote for Kamala Harris for president, his daughter former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney said Friday.
Liz Cheney, who herself endorsed Harris on Thursday, made the announcement when asked by Mark Leibovich of The Atlantic magazine during an onstage interview at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin.
Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris, Liz Cheney said to audience cheers during the interview at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin.
Wow, Leibovich replied.
Like his daughter, Dick Cheney has been an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump, notably during Liz Cheneys ill-fated re-election campaign in 2022.
American company, Russian propaganda: New Kremlin tactic reveals escalating effort to sway US vote
WASHINGTON Russia has long sought to inject disinformation into U.S. political discourse. Now, its got a new angle: paying Americans to do the work.
This weeks indictment of two Russian state media employees on charges that they paid a Tennessee company to create pro-Russian content has renewed concerns about foreign meddling in the November election while revealing the Kremlins latest tactic in a growing information war.
If the allegations prove correct, they represent a significant escalation, analysts say, and likely capture only a small piece of a larger Russian effort to sway the election.
We have seen the smoke for years. Now, heres the fire, said Jim Ludes, a former national defense analyst who now leads the Pell Center for International Relations at Salve Regina University. I dont wonder if theyre doing more of this. I have no doubt.
Read more here.
Wisconsin judge rules against RFK Jr.'s latest request in bid to have his name removed from ballots
MADISON, Wis. A Wisconsin judge ruled against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s request for a temporary restraining order on Friday in a bid to get his name removed from Wisconsins presidential ballot after the state elections commission voted to keep him on it.
Dane County Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke ruled that a matter of such consequence deserves a full development of the record with appropriate briefing by all sides. He set a scheduling conference for Wednesday, a week before the deadline for the printing of ballots.
Some election officials have already printed ballots, creating another hurdle for Kennedy.
He is one of eight presidential candidates on Wisconsins ballot as approved by the state elections commission.
Its not just Harris and Trump who have a lot at stake in next weeks debate. ABC News does, too
Hours after ABC News released the rules for next Tuesdays presidential debate, resolving a final dispute in Donald Trumps favor, the former president was on the attack against ABC News.
I think a lot of people will be watching to see how nasty they are, how unfair they are, he said Wednesday on a Fox News town hall.
It was an unsubtle reminder that Trump and Kamala Harris arent the only ones with a lot at stake next week. The same is true for ABC News and moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis, in what is the only scheduled debate between the presidential contenders this fall.
Multiple outlets will televise and stream it. But unlike in past years, when presidential debates were organized by a bipartisan commission, this is solely an ABC News production. It wont include a live audience.
Read more here.
Judge delays Donald Trumps sentencing in hush money case until after November election
A judge has agreed to postpone Donald Trumps sentencing in his New York hush money case until after the November election.
Judge Juan M. Merchan said in his decision Friday that he wanted to avoid any perception that the sentence was intended to tilt the scales in the presidential campaign. The judge delayed Trumps sentencing until Nov. 26. That will mean that people casting votes in the presidential election wont know Trumps punishment, or whether he will be sentenced to jail.
The sentencing had been scheduled for Sept. 18.
Trump had asked the court for a delay and prosecutors said they didnt necessarily oppose one.
Read more here.
Carroll's attorney says all options are on the table following Trump's comments
Writer E. Jean Carrolls attorney, Roberta Kaplan, had a speedy response Friday to fresh comments former President Donald Trump made about her client that sounded like the kinds of things he said that led juries to conclude he owes Carroll $88.3 million.
Ive said before and Ill say it again: all options are on the table, Kaplan said in a statement shortly after Trump spoke at length during a Trump Tower news conference in midtown Manhattan.
Whenever Trump denies that he sexually assaulted Carroll, he runs the risk she will sue him again for defamation.
Juries have twice awarded Carroll huge sums after Trump claimed she made up a story about him sexually abusing her in a department store dressing room in the spring of 1996 to help her sell a memoir.
That hasnt stopped Trump from continuing to make nearly identical statements to reporters. At his news briefing Friday, he said again that Carroll was telling a made-up, fabricated story.
Trump says woman who accused him of molesting her on a flight would not have been the chosen one
In one of the most startling moments of the news conference, Trump said that a woman who accused him of molesting her on an airline flight in the late 1970s would not have been the chosen one while saying she made up the story.
Trump is referring to an accusation made by Jessica Leeds, who testified last year in the same case that Trump grabbed her chest and ran his hand up her skirt as they sat side by side in first class on a New York City-bound jet.
Think of the impracticality of this. Im famous, Im in a plane. People are coming into the plane, and Im looking at a woman, and I grab her and I start kissing her and making out with her. What are the chances of that happening? he said. And frankly, I know youre going to say its a terrible thing to say, but it couldnt have happened. It didnt happen. And she would not have been the chosen one.
Trump calls legal cases against him fake
Donald Trump claimed without evidence Friday that the lawsuit brought against him was for political reasons and accused the Department of Justice of being behind this and other cases against him and called it a political interference and a witch hunt.
Im running for president, and I have all these cases all of a sudden come, he said. And theyre fake cases.
He was convicted on 34 felony counts in a separate New York state case related to hush money payments allegedly made to a porn actor. The judge in that case is expected to decide on Friday whether to postpone Trump's sentencing.
That case is a disgrace. I did nothing wrong, he said.
FACT CHECK: Every time Trump denies that he sexually assaulted columnist, he runs the risk that she'll sue again for defamation
Every time Trump denies that he sexually assaulted E. Jean Carroll, he runs the risk she will sue him again for defamation.
Juries now have twice awarded Carroll huge sums for claiming she made up a story about him attacking her in a department store dressing room in 1996 to help her sell a memoir.
But that hasnt stopped Trump from continuing to make nearly identical statements to reporters. At his news briefing Friday, he said again that Carroll was telling a made-up, fabricated story.
Carrolls lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, warned in March after a jury awarded Carroll another $83 million that she would continue to monitor Trumps comments and would consider suing again if he kept it up.
Trump criticizes verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing a columnist in 1996
In a news conference in New York on Friday, former President Donald Trump criticized a verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing a columnist in 1996 and repeated that he never met, touched or would have had any interest in the woman who brought the lawsuit against him.
Its an appeal of a ridiculous verdict of a woman I have never met, he said. I have no idea who she is, he said.
Trump claimed E. Jean Carroll fabricated the story inspired by a Law and Order episode.
Its so false. Its a made-up, fabricated story by somebody, I think, initially, just looking to promote a book, he added.
North Carolina court orders RFK Jr.'s name off state ballots for president
A North Carolina appeals court on Friday directed that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s name be taken off state ballots for president, blocking the planned distribution of absentee ballots later in the day in what would have been the first sent out nationally for the Nov. 5 elections.
The intermediate-level Court of Appeals issued an order granting the request of Kennedys attorneys to halt the mailing of ballots with his name. The court also told a trial judge to issue an order telling the State Board of Elections to distribute ballots without Kennedys name on the ballot.
State law otherwise required the first absentee ballots be mailed or transmitted no later than 60 days before the general election, which was Friday. The process of reprinting and assembling ballot packages likely would take over two weeks, state attorneys have said. Fridays ruling could be appealed.
Kennedy, named earlier this summer the nominee of the We The People party, had sued last week to get off North Carolina ballots after he suspended his campaign and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump. But the Democratic majority on the State Board of Elections rejected the request, saying it was too late in the process of printing ballots and coding tabulation machines.
Trump appears in court as his lawyers try to overturn verdict in sex abuse suit
NEW YORK Former President Donald Trump appeared in court on Friday as his team tries to overturn a verdict finding him liable for sexual abuse and slander. Trump walked in quietly and passed right in front of writer E. Jean Carroll, who brought the lawsuit against him, and did not acknowledge or look at her.
Trump reacted at times such as shaking his head when Roberta Kaplan, Carrolls attorney, said that Trump sexually assaulted her client. He would tilt his head from side to side periodically but otherwise sat still and mostly alone.
When the hearing concluded, Trump stood up and his lawyers approached him briefly. He did not appear to say anything, then looked up and stood for a few moments before walking out of the courtroom.
From stirring to cringey: Memorable moments from past presidential debates
It could be a well-rehearsed zinger, a too-loud sigh or a full performance befuddled enough to shockingly end a sitting presidents reelection bid.
Notable moments from past presidential debates demonstrate how the candidates words and body language can make them look especially relatable or hopelessly out-of-touch showcasing if a candidate is at the top of their policy game or out to sea. Will past be prologue when Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday?
Being live television events, without a script, without any way of knowing how they are going to evolve anything can happen, said Alan Schroeder, author of Presidential Debates: 50 years of High-Risk TV.
Read more about some highs, lows and curveballs from presidential debates past.
New DNC billboards in North Carolina target Trump ahead of his planned visit
The Democratic National Committee is up with new digital billboards in the battleground state of North Carolina as former president and GOP nominee Donald Trump plans to visit the state for a meeting of law officers.
The DNC says its digital billboards are running in half a dozen locations around Charlotte, where Trump is slated to speak later Friday at a gathering of the Fraternal Order of Police.
One bears only the text TRUMP 2024 and CONVICTED FELON. Another notes the 140 Police Officers Assaulted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, along with what Trump has said about wanting to Pardon the Capitol rioters.
A third billboard says that the Project 2025 plan Gives Trump Virtually Unchecked Legal Power.
Feds to observe Tuesday's primary election in Rhode Island city
The Justice Department announced Friday it will send federal observers to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws in Tuesdays primary election.
This comes after federal prosecutors filed a lawsuit earlier this year alleging the city failed to make voting information, forms, instructions and ballots available in Spanish, violating sections of the federal Voting Rights Act.
A federal court in May approved a consent decree to resolve the claims. The decree also addressed a claim that Pawtucket election officials didnt allow voters to cast a provisional ballot or properly train poll workers on provisional ballots, violating a section of the Help America Vote Act.
The agency regularly sends observers to monitor compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country.
Harris raised $361 million in August from nearly 3 million donors, campaign says
Vice President Kamala Harris raised well more than double what former President Donald Trump took in from donors in August, her campaign announced Friday, saying it raised $361 million from nearly 3 million donors in her first full month as a candidate.
Trumps team announced Wednesday he brought in $130 million over the same period. Harris team says it ended the month with $404 million on hand for the final sprint to Election Day, $109 million more than Trumps campaign says it had at the end of August.
The massive Harris war chest is being used to fund a $370 million paid media effort for the final two months of the campaign, and to pay for its more than 2,000 field staff spread through more than 310 offices in battleground states.
Harris fundraising builds on the $310 million she raised in July, the overwhelming majority of which came in after she took over President Joe Bidens campaign after he dropped out that month. The ticket swap has helped the Democratic party reverse the fundraising edge Trump had developed in the prior months when voter doubts about Bidens fitness for another term dampened donor and voter enthusiasm.
Read more here.
Donald Trump returns to North Carolina to speak at Fraternal Order of Police meeting
CHARLOTTE, N.C. Donald Trump is returning to the battleground state of North Carolina Friday to address a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police as he tries to portray himself as tougher on crime than his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, in the campaigns closing months.
Trump is scheduled to address FOPs National Board of Trustees fall meeting in Charlotte. The FOP, the worlds largest organization of law enforcement officers, endorsed Trumps reelection bid in 2020, with its president saying on behalf of its 373,000 members that Trump had made it crystal clear that he has our backs.
The imagery of the former president and GOP nominee in a room of law enforcement officers offers Trump the platform to contrast their support with his characterization of Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general whom Trump has called the ringleader of a Marxist attack on law enforcement across the country.
Read more here.
Walz says a ceasefire, return of hostages is only way forward in Israel-Hamas war
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz was asked on WCMU in Michigan Thursday how a Harris administration would handle the Israel-Hamas war and whether his running mate would break with President Joe Biden, who has steadfastly supported Israel while working to broker a ceasefire.
Walz said the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that touched off the war, was a horrific act of violence against the people of Israel. They certainly have the right to defend themselves.
But, he said, we cant allow whats happened in Gaza to happen. The Palestinian people have every right to life and liberty themselves.
He said those protesting the war in Michigan were speaking out for all the right reasons.
He said the only way forward was a ceasefire and return of hostages. He didnt mention the revelation earlier this week that six additional hostages had been killed by Hamas.
JD Vance pedals Trump's message on mass deportations
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is promoting Donald Trumps plans to deport people living in the country illegally at record levels.
The Ohio senator spoke to a friendly crowd of about 300 people at a Phoenix hotel, saying a second Trump administration would finish that beautiful border wall, stop releasing asylum seekers while they await a court hearing and end Medicare benefits for people living in the country illegally, though unauthorized immigrants are not currently eligible for Medicare.
I have a message from Donald J. Trump, Vance said. If you are in this country illegally in six months, pack your bags.
Judge OKs prosecutors' request to lay out fresh evidence in Trump election case
The federal election interference case against Donald Trump is inching forward.
A judge on Thursday permitted 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 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. She turned aside defense efforts to delay the process while also acknowledging that the case is nowhere close to a trial date.
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. The case against Trump charges him 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 the former president enjoyed immunity. Defense lawyers, however, believe that that indictment did not fully comply with the justices ruling.
Read more here.
NAIROBI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Fresh produce exporters from Kenya on Friday called for urgent resolution of the Red Sea tensions, which have increased both the cost and time required to transport cargo to the European Union.
The exporters said that the Red Sea tensions have exacerbated geopolitical and logistical challenges, negatively impacting the fresh produce sector. This has forced businesses to seek alternative routes and markets to sustain their operations.
At the Kenya-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) forum in Nairobi, Hosea Machuki, chief executive officer of the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya, said that exporters in Kenya and Tanzania are experiencing substantial losses.
"We have had to adopt radical measures to keep our businesses afloat, including exploring budget-oriented markets with challenging payment terms, which are particularly difficult for small firms to handle," Machuki said.
He added that local exporters are now looking into new markets such as India, China and Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The Red Sea tensions have doubled transit times from Kenya to key European and Turkish markets, eroding profit margins and compromising the quality of fresh produce. "Exporters are extending their seasons and shipping produce under less-than-optimal conditions to minimize supply gaps. Alternative routes, such as the Cape route, have increased transit times from 18-20 days to 40-45 days," Machuki said.
Small-scale producers, especially those exporting avocados, have been hit hard by the crisis, facing reduced demand and revenue due to the loss of the European market, which previously accounted for 70 percent of Kenyan fruit exports.
Machuki urged for government intervention to address the Red Sea crisis and restore unfettered access to the European market for Kenyan exporters.
The Red Sea tensions pose a significant threat to global supply chains, with implications extending beyond East Africa. As Kenyan exporters face these challenges, their resilience and innovation will be crucial in shaping the future of the horticultural industry, according to Machuki.
Houthi rebels from Yemen have been targeting commercial ships in recent months. The Houthi group claims these actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
In response to the Houthi maritime attacks, the U.S.-led naval coalition operating in the region has stepped up strikes on Houthi military sites. However, this has only spurred the tit-for-tat exchanges, with the Houthi vowing to continue targeting vessels they claim are linked to Israel.
Allan Lichtman, who has a near-perfect record of predicting presidential elections over the past 40 years, announced his pick this week for Novembers showdown between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.
The American University history professor told The New York Times he analyzes 13 keys, including midterm election gains, social unrest, charisma and scandal. Lichtmans prediction system has correctly called almost every presidential election since 1984 the exception being the results in 2000, although he predicted correctly that Al Gore would win the popular vote.
If you want to know Lichtmans pick immediately, keep reading under the Times fun video below.
If you want to watch him analyze the election as if it were a race around a track before declaring the victor, stop here and check out the clip:
So who did Lichtman foresee for the White House?
Kamala Harris will be the next president of the United States, he said. At least thats my prediction. But the outcome is up to you. So get out and vote.
For what its worth, Lichtman successfully foretold that Trump would win in 2016 (although Trump did not win the popular vote) and lose in 2020. But then again, he recently opined that President Joe Bidens wobbly debate would have zero impact and that his withdrawal from the race would be misguided.
It seems even a forecaster hyped as a Nostradamus by some media outlets isnt perfect.
This article has been updated with additional information about the 2000 and 2016 elections.
Related...
Election Q&A: How soon can I vote in the November 2024 election?
This story is one in a Lansing State Journal Q&A series about the upcoming election. Have a question about voting, ballots or results? Ask it in the form at the bottom of this story. We'll get you the answer.
Q: How soon can I vote in the November 2024 election?
Election Day is creeping up, but voters don't need to wait much longer to cast their ballot.
Michigan gives voters three options: They can go to their polling place on Election Day, vote in person but before Election Day or they can cast an absentee ballot.
And depending on which route they take, some can vote as soon as Sept. 26.
Absentee voting starts the soonest
Michigan's expanded, no-reason absentee voting means any registered voter can fill out an application for an absentee ballot and then cast their vote at their convenience, either by dropping it in the mail, into a secured drop box or with their local clerk.
Some voters may have even contacted their local clerks to put themselves on the permanent ballot list. Those voters will automatically be sent an absentee ballot before each election they're eligible to vote in.
By law, local clerks must have absentee ballots ready for voters beginning 40 days before the election. That means for the Nov. 5 election, voting starts on Sept. 26.
The Michigan Secretary of State's Office recommends voters place absentee ballots in drop boxes or hand-deliver them to their local clerk's office if doing so within two weeks of the Nov. 5 election to avoid possible mail delays.
Early, in-person voting starts in October
Michigan voters can also cast ballots in person before November.
The state's mandatory early voting went into effect earlier this year. Each municipality must offer at least nine days of early voting. For the November election, that means early voting will start, at the latest, on Oct. 26 and end on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Some municipalities will have early vote centers where any registered voter in the municipality can vote and others will use their office as the location.
And while early voting must be offered for nine days, clerks are allowed to extend that time to as soon as Oct. 7. Voters can find contact information for their local clerk online through the Secretary of State's Office.
Election Day is Nov. 5
When Nov. 5 rolls around, election workers and clerks will be hard at work processing and tabulating absentee votes, but more will need to be counted.
Registered voters who prefer the Election Day experience can go to their local polling place to cast their ballot. Same-day voter registration means residents eligible to vote can do so on Nov. 5 even if they need to re-register or are new to Michigan.
There's evidence that Michigan voters increasingly prefer the new options to vote before Election Day. The August primary election was the first with a mandatory nine days of in-person early voting and the state said that about two-thirds of all votes came in before Election Day, with the majority being absentee votes.
Local election clerks, the officials chiefly responsible for election administration in Michigan's decentralized system, have encouraged early and absentee vote options as ways to lessen the rush of activity on Election Day.
Voters curious about what's on their ballot can find Lansing area ballot information at the Lansing State Journal website or can get that information through the state Secretary of State website.
Election Q&A: I'm moving before Election Day. Will that impact my voter registration?
Election Q&A: Do college students registering to vote on campus risk financial aid, loans?
Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at 517-377-1026 or mjmencarini@lsj.com.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: How soon can I vote in Michigan in the November 2024 election?
The study by political scientists from Stanford and Tufts universities appears just as a heated debate is flaring again in Congress over the partisan and racial impact of recent voting laws. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The Center for Election Innovation & Research has some good news and a few pointed critiques ahead of this Novembers election. In a survey of states efforts to protect their voter registration databases from cyber-attacks, the group found election administrators have made great strides in protecting the voter rolls from outside threats.
CEIR executive director David Becker explained that in 2016, Russian actors briefly gained access to Illinoiss voter registration database. His organization has been surveying states about security protocols every federal election cycle since.
Our nation and the 50 states are doing a very good job with voter registration database security, he explained. I think its one of the reasons that weve seen, to my knowledge, no real successful efforts to breach voter registration databases over the last several election cycles after the 2016 wakeup call.
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But at the same time election officials are thwarting threats from without, theyre also undermining voter confidence from within through last-minute, legally dubious audits and policy changes.
These audits are actually demonstrating that noncitizen voting is not a problem, Becker said, it does not threaten our election integrity, that states already have the tools to detect it and contact those voters to confirm.
So, the question becomes, he added, why are some pushing this issue two months before a presidential election?
Cyber hygiene
The CEIR survey seeks responses from states about who has access to their voter registration database, how they keep the database secure and how they back up their data. To this point, 23 states have responded, but the organization maintains their anonymity to ensure they dont publicize potential vulnerabilities.
CEIR research director Chris Mann explained in every state, the people in charge of the database are IT professionals.
These are folks who are skilled professionals who think about the security and maintenance of (voter registration databases) as their full-time job every day, all year, and many of them have been doing it for years, and bring a great deal of expertise to that, he said.
CEIR also found states actively train those professionals on emerging cyberthreats and restrict access to the database itself with features like two-factor authentication.
The one state that said no, they dont use multi-factor authentication, its because they dont allow any remote access, Mann said. They require a physical connection, which is a very strong layer of security so that people cant get unauthorized access to these databases.
Each states has employed some sort of intrusion detection system, with most using a network monitoring program known as Albert which was developed for state and local governments. Every state also regularly backs up their database and most encrypt those backups and store copies offline.
Pushback
Although CEIR gave high marks for states election security systems they chastised efforts to alter voting policies or audit the voting rolls with a major election right around the corner.
Election officials are very skeptical, generally, of making any changes even if theyre really good changes in close proximity to an election, Becker argued, because theres always a price to be paid for a change, and thats price is usually paid in voter confusion.
And its a familiar refrain. One, in fact, that Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose himself cited in 2020, while defending his decision to limit the number of ballot drop boxes ahead of that election. Hed previously stated he would allow local officials to set up multiple drop boxes if he had the statutory authority to do so. Several courts said he did, but Republican officials and the Trump campaign opposed the idea.
Among the last-minute changes Becker cited in the current election was a recent directive requiring anyone who is dropping off a ballot for someone else to fill out a form stating they are doing so in compliance with state law. The change comes in response to a federal court decision that found Ohios attempt to restrict who can assist a voter went too far. The decision allows disabled voters who need assistance with their ballot to select a person of their choice as longstanding federal law guarantees so long as they arent their employer or a union representative.
In a letter to state leaders, LaRose argued this allowance, which only extends to disabled voters, could open the door to ballot harvesting.
This effectively creates an unintended loophole in Ohios ballot harvesting law that we must address, LaRose wrote. I suspect this is exactly the outcome the (League of Women Voters) intended. Under the guise of assisting the disabled, their legal strategy seeks to make Ohios elections less secure and more vulnerable to cheating, especially as it relates to the use of drop boxes.
LaRoses resulting directive means that anyone returning anothers ballot even those close relatives explicitly allowed to do so under state law will have to sign a form affirming theyre following the law.
That seems remarkably burdensome for someone who wants to just take their husbands or wifes ballot, to be convenient, out to the drop box, Becker said.
I dont know if thats going to have a suppressive impact, he added. Its just not a really strong idea, and it has no relation to election integrity.
Becker also criticized moves by a handful of Republican-led states, Ohio among them, to carry out so-called noncitizen audits.
He said the audits themselves undermine the arguments for conducting them in two ways.
First, if theyre finding people to flag, election officials clearly have the tolls they need to identify bad actors, so why wait until two months before an election? Notably, the 1993 Motor Voter law prohibits the systematic removal of voters from the rolls within 90 days of an election.
And second, the number of alleged noncitizens is infinitesimal compared to their voter lists overall. And Becker placed particular emphasis on the fact that even those figures likely exaggerate the issue because election officials havent actually proven anything.
So, when you look at a state like Ohio, you look at a state like Texas, you find them overstating what theyre finding, he said. Its not noncitizens its potential noncitizens.
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ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) On Monday the Elmira City Council will vote to repeal and replace the citys monthly Fight on Blight list. The vote is set for 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
A bipartisan resolution first approved in April called for publishing a monthly list of rental properties that fail to address code violations in a timely manner, are not properly registered or have refused inspections. The city will vote on repealing that resolution and replacing the list with a new housing report from the City Manager on the 15th of every month.
Mondays resolution reads: Act on resolution repealing in its entirety Resolution 2024-145, the City Manager shall issue a report on the Citys efforts to fight blight and promote housing on or before the 15th of every month to include information on programs, partnerships, grants, enforcement actions, including civil filings, and that the requirement for monthly reporting
remain in effect until December 16, 2027.
Basically, were just going to amend it, Mayor Dan Mandell told 18 News. Originally, during the reporting aspect of this resolution, we were going to have a list put out by our Code Department of delinquent properties. After discussion with the city manager and the Code Director, we thought wed be able to do that fairly simply, that it would be something we could extrapolate, but it became more burdensome than what we thought wed be able to do.
City of Elmira pulls first Fight on Blight list due to wrong data
Mayor Mandell says a new monthly report from the City Manager will be more comprehensive, including both code violations and positive developments in Elmiras housing market.
Elmiras most unsafe blighted properties
So now were going back and redoing the resolution to give the city manager the discretion of what can go on that report every month, whether it be court, cases that have been adjudicated against these properties, the Mayor added. Also bring some positive things that are happening with housing Elmira, whether it be renovations, infill projects, saying that you were a pro housing community, putting on persistent violators of code, which the Code Director will be able to point out and add to that reportSo, it gives the city manager more discretion when going on the report. Its just not narrowed down to a list thats generated from a database.
Mandell says the new monthly report will still include names and addresses of property owners with multiple active code violations.
Its all public information, so thatll be on there too, Mandell said. So, its going to be our persistent violators that continuously refuse to address their code violations and continue to get more code violations.
It could also vacant properties that havent been addressed, maybe rental registration issues that havent been addressed. So, it actually widens it up more for what can be in that report. I think its a good thing that weve done this. I think it definitely needed to be amended with anything else you know, with anything thats brand new, you always have growing pains, and youll learn as you go.
The initial Fight on Blight resolution was co-sponsored by Mayor Mandell and fourth district councilmember Gary Brinn.
In a Facebook post, councilman Brinn said in part:
We are doing this for two primary reasons: 1) There is a lag in data on property transfers. This made it hard to insure the accuracy of the rental registration report. The Code Violation Report was accurate, but time consuming given ongoing staffing challenges. 2) Our Fight on Blight includes other focus areas not covered in the original resolution, including vacant/zombie property, and infill development.
Were even working to make registration requirements and expectations uniform for vacant, rentals, commercial, and industrial.
Weve received permission to pursue housing cases in City Court, and have heard the landlord requests to hold tenants responsible when appropriate.
In other words, our Fight on Blight has been successful in ways we had not anticipated.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the intent of the original resolution, and we will continue to aggressively pursue those who cause blight conditions in our city through their greed and negligence.
You can read councilmember Brinns full statement on his Facebook page.
On Monday the City Council will also vote to apply for $851,236 from the New York State Vacant Rental Improvement Program (V-RIP). The money would be used to fix up vacant properties and put them back on the rental market. The city is hosting a community meeting on the program on Wednesday, September 11th at 10 a.m. at the Steele Memorial Library.
You can view the full agenda for Mondays City Council meeting here.
Status of Erie Plaza
Erie Plaza at 826 Erie St.
We also asked Mayor Mandell about the citys efforts to demolish some of the most unsafe properties on the list. When asked about the abandoned Erie Plaza, Mayor Mandell said: I believe we are proceeding with legal matters against them, but thats what we normally do, try to get them to court. We have to wait for that to work.
An active code violation at 826 Erie Street says, Building is very unsafe and is in disrepair, partially collapsed. The violation has been active since April 18, 2023. The property has been vacant for nearly 20 years.
The Fight on Blight list says the owner Tasty Alimentos, LLC with an address in Niagara Falls. In an interview on October 26, 2023, owner Jawed Syed told 18 News he was working with an architect to design a plan to secure the property and redevelop the plaza. 18 News has made repeated attempts to reach Mr. Syed to ask for an update on his plans. Our calls have not been returned.
Cost of demolishing 909 Davis Street
We also learned how much the city paid to demolish one of the properties on the list: 909 Davis Street. Thats next to the former Rossi Lanes Bowling Alley.
909 Davis St. before demolition.
An invoice obtained by 18 News shows the city paid $3,750 to tear down a home that had its roof caving in. The price doesnt include the removing the pile of debris, which is still there today. Public records show the property owners address is in the Bronx. The city says the cost of the demolition was added to the owners tax bill. The demo was performed by LCP Group, Inc., based in Vestal, New York.
909 Davis St. after demolition
Which properties will be demolished next?
Mayor Mandell told says the city is currently studying which blighted properties will be demolished next.
Its still being assessed right now. A lot of it obviously comes down to cost, Mayor Mandell said. Frankly, its the property owners responsibility to take these down. They dont do it, so we end up having to take it down. We put it on their tax bill. Sometimes we can recoup it if they decide to pay that fee. A lot of times, the city ends up having to pay for it. So thats the problem.
Which unsafe properties will be demolished next in Elmira?
We do have a budget item that we put in for demolitions this year. I dont believe we put anything in, but next year, Im sure well be discussing putting money in for demolitions. We also work with the Chemung County Land Bank. A lot of times these properties go through foreclosure, theyll take control of them and then demolish them for us as they get some grant money. So, it is a joint effort between the city and the county. As far as demos are concerned, its a case by case.
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Editor's Note: The Boeing Starliner undocked from the space station Friday before landing early Saturday at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. Read the latest here.
Boeing's Starliner has left the International Space Station and is making its way back to Earth for a landing in the New Mexico desert.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore could do little more than watch from the orbital outpost as the spacecraft that brought them there in June undocked autonomously and departed without them. About two weeks ago, NASA made the call to scuttle the pair of astronauts' return to Earth on Starliner, determining that Boeing's troubled capsule was not reliable enough to bring them home.
Instead, Starliner is now making a journey back to the ground without its crew, who are scheduled to remain at the space station for another five months and return in February aboard a SpaceX vehicle.
"OK, she's on her way home," Williams said on the livestream of the undocking. "Congratulations to the undock team."
Despite NASA's hesitancy to send Williams and Wilmore home on Starliner, agency officials expressed confidence that the spacecraft's landing should go off without a hitch. Ahead of the Starliner is a venture that should last a few hours before an anticipated landing early Saturday using parachutes to slow its fall.
We have confidence in the vehicle, Steve Stich, the manager of the commercial crew program at NASA, said during a Wednesday news conference. Its been a journey to get here, and were excited to have Starliner undock and return."
Uncrewed spacecraft Starliner departed from the International Space Station and is making its way back to Earth for a landing in the New Mexico desert on August 6, 2024
Starliner undocks from space station, heads for Earth
The uncrewed spacecraft departed from the station at 6:04 p.m. ET in a process that took five minutes to complete. NASA streamed the successful undocking, capturing the light show that appeared as 27 jets fired.
At 6:11 p.m. ET, all 12 breakout burn firings completed successfully crossing the ISS's Keep Out Sphere as planned.
The spacecraft is set for perfect trajectory where it drop out of orbit and pass the Pacific Ocean across Baja California before landing at the New Mexico space harbor.
Using thruster burns, the Boeing capsule autonomously steered itself away from the space laboratory and toward Earth to begin its descent into the atmosphere. The entire trip is expected to take a few hours before the uncrewed vehicle lands around 12:03 a.m. Saturday at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.
Boeing has work ahead if Starliner is to be certified
The anticipated landing would bring to a conclusion the first crewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner, which had encountered troubles even before liftoff.
A series of mission scrubs delayed Starliner's launch for about a month until June 5, when it was finally able to take off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop an Atlas V rocket. When the capsule made it to the orbital outpost a day after the launch, engineers discovered a slew of helium leaks and problems with the craft's propulsion system that hampered Starliner's return.
Boeing officials had high hopes that a successful mission would be the demonstration needed to win approval from NASA for Starliner to join SpaceX in making routine trips to orbit on behalf of the U.S. space agency.
But now, Boeing has its work cut out for it to get Starliner up to the task of regularly transporting crews and cargo to the space station. Ahead of the aerospace company are more ground tests and potential modifications to the vehicle to remedy its propulsion system woes and prepare it for routine spaceflight, NASA officials said Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk's SpaceX has already begun reliably transporting astronauts and supplies since 2020 to the space station aboard its Dragon.
NASA shelled out billions of dollars to both Boeing and SpaceX to develop the vehicles as part of its commercial crew program. In recent years, the agency has shifted to paying private companies for missions it once would carry out itself as a way to cut costs.
Wilmore, Williams to return with SpaceX in February
As for Wilmore and Williams, they'll have no choice but to remain at the space station for another five months, barring any changes to NASA's outlined plan.
That's of course much longer than the 10 days that the pair of astronauts were originally scheduled to be at the space station before they were slated to return aboard the Starliner. But NASA officials have insisted that the veteran astronauts, who have each been to space twice before, were trained and prepared for the possibility of an extended mission.
As it stands, the plan now is for Wilmore and Williams to return in February on a SpaceX Dragon vehicle that will launch to reach the station as early as Sept. 24. The Dragon, which was initially scheduled to bring a full contingent of four Crew-9 astronauts, will instead bring just two so that the Starliner crew have room to hitch a ride home, NASA has said.
The Boeing spacesuits that Wilmore and Williams wore on their way to orbit will return with Starliner. A SpaceX suit is already available for Williams to wear on the return journey, while Crew-9 will launch with an extra suit for Wilmore, Stich said Wednesday.
The Crew-9 astronauts are to relieve the Crew-8 mission to begin a six-month rotation at the space station, which is why Wilmore and Williams cannot return sooner.
During their stay, Williams and Wilmore have joined Expedition 71 in conducting more than 40 scientific experiments aboard the station already, said Dana Weigel, the program manager for the space station at NASA. Until they return next year, the astronauts will continue to help with scientific research and routine maintenance.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boeing Starliner begins return home without astronauts on board
Mackinac Bridge on May 28, 2024 (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols)
Earlier this week, Enbridge agreed it would not act on a 2021 permit from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), which is one of three permits the Canadian pipeline company needs to move forward with its controversial Line 5 tunnel project.
Michigans Tribal Nations and environmental advocates have repeatedly raised concerns about Enbridges Line 5 pipeline, which runs through the Straits of Mackinac where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron connect. The pipeline transports about 23 million gallons of crude oil and liquid natural gas through the straits daily, with University of Michigan Researcher David Schwab calling the region the worst possible place for a Great Lakes oil spill.
Concerns of a spill increased after the pipeline was dented by an anchor strike in 2018. In response, Enbridge proposed moving the dual pipelines in the straits into a concrete-lined tunnel embedded in concrete beneath the lakebed.
In order to proceed with the project, Enbridge must receive permits from EGLE, The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Both EGLE and the Public Service Commission approved permits for the project, both of which were subsequently challenged by the Bay Mills Indian Community, with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi joining Bay Mills in contesting the permit issued by the MPSC.
The Army Corps of Engineers announced in March 2023 that it would extend its environmental review for the Line 5 tunnel project with the corps now expected to issue its draft environmental impact statement in spring 2025, which Enbridge said would push the start of construction into 2026. The companys permit from EGLE is set to expire on Feb. 25, 2026.
While the Bay Mills Indian Communitys appeal of the EGLE permit was put on hold as Enbridge conducted further surveys of wetlands, Debbie Chizewer an attorney with Earthjustice, which is representing the Bay Mills Indian Community in challenging EGLE permit told the Advance they were informed by both EGLE and Enbridge that the company would need to apply for a new water resources permit incorporating the results of the new wetlands surveys.
EGLE, Enbridge and the Bay Mills Indian Community were encouraged to reach an agreement in the contested case for the permit, with the parties later stipulating that the case would be dismissed on the condition Enbridge will not act on, attempt to use, or otherwise engage with the previously issued water resources permit, and will allow it to expire on its own terms on Feb. 25, 2026.
I think it is a win, because now EGLE is going to have the opportunity to go back and do a better job than it did last time, right? We brought a contested case because they hadnt adequately considered all the impacts and Tribal interests, and now they will have the opportunity to do that and get it right, Chizewer said.
The Bay Mills Indian Community and Earth Justice argue EGLE did not have an accurate picture of the wetlands that would be damaged by the construction of the Line 5 tunnel project, and that its analysis of Tribal interests and cultural resources was inadequate.
The Native American Rights Fund, which has also supported Bay Mills in challenging the EGLE permit, notes that the Straits of Mackinac are integral to the communitys daily practices of cultural lifeways, and are full of historic and archaeological sites.
Enbridge spokesperson Ryan Duffy did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
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The union representing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff called on the agency to allow temporary remote work after Legionella bacteria was found at multiple EPA facilities around the country.
Officials have reportedly closed certain sinks, water fountains and other water sources at EPA buildings in Washington, D.C.; Houston; and Chicago after positive tests for the bacteria.
Legionella is associated with various infections, including the pneumonia-like illness Legionnaires disease, although the type found in the EPA facilities is not the type most commonly associated with the disease.
The General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees many federal office buildings, has said repairs are ongoing to address the test results, which also found lead and copper in the Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building in Chicago.
In a Thursday statement, Marie Owens Powell, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238, which represents thousands of EPA employees, called on the leadership of the agency and the GSA to make telework options available while the outbreak is resolved.
EPA employees work day in and day out to keep our communities safe from environmental hazards. The irony of legionella, along with lead and copper contamination, being found in EPA buildings across the country, is not lost on us. Legionella can become airborne and deadly, Powell said in a statement.
Expecting staff to come into the office and put themselves at risk of exposure is completely unacceptable. We have the ability and the technology to allow our workers to continue working safely from an alternate work location while the situation is being remediated.
AFGE Local 704, which represents the Chicago facility, has also filed a grievance noting that its contract requires telework options when the agency cannot provide a safe and healthful workspace, and also requested a shutdown of all drinking water sources in the affected buildings.
EPA leadership is committed to ensuring that the agencys workforce has access to healthy and safe drinking water. As part of federal government-wide safety and building operation efforts, GSA, the owner and building manager for most federal government facilities, has performed routine drinking water testing at EPA facilities, an EPA spokesperson told The Hill. GSA is testing approximately 1,400 federally owned facilities and approximately 6,000 leased spaces, covering all federal tenants in those facilities, including EPA.
The Hill has reached out to the GSA for comment.
Updated Sept. 6 at 10:35 a.m.
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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) An 18-year-old man was arrested, and two juveniles were taken into custody and referred to the Juvenile Probation Department, after allegedly shooting a man during a home invasion that happened on Sunday, July 14 in West El Paso, according to El Paso Police (EPPD).
According to EPPD, the incident took place at roughly 9:20 p.m. at the 400 block of South Mesa Hills on July 14.
Officers were deployed to the scene in reference to a shooting and when arriving at the residence, they found the victim, age 18, with a gunshot wound in his abdomen, according to EPPD.
The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Aiden Nathaniel Mosher, 18, was placed under arrest by the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Task Force on Friday, Aug. 9, and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility for his alleged involvement in the home invasion.
Mosher was charged with burglary of habitation with intent to commit another felony (aggravated assault) and aggravated robbery with a total bond of $150,000, according to EPPD.
The two other suspects were a 16-year-old male and a 15-year-old female, who were also charged with burglary of habitation while intending to commit another felony (aggravated assault) and aggravated robbery, according to EPPD.
The 16-year-old male was taken into custody and referred to the JPD on Aug. 27, and the 15-year-old female was also referred to the JPD on Sept. 5, according to EPPD.
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A student watches Youtube as he takes a break during class at the New England Center for Children, a school for children with autism, in Southborough, MA on Sep. 6, 2017. Credit - Jessica RinaldiThe Boston Globe/Getty Images
As summer winds down and the familiar hum of school buses returns to our neighborhoods, millions of American students are gearing up for another year of learning. But as we stand on the cusp of an artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, this annual ritual is about to face a seismic shiftespecially for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The decisions that school leaders make in the next academic year are likely to determine whether this technological wave creates more inclusive learning environments, or exacerbates existing disparities. A recent study from the Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education reveals a complex landscape of attitudes towards AI in education and a fear of leaving students with IDD behind.
The study found the majority of educators (64%) and parents (77%) of students with IDD view AI as a potentially powerful mechanism to promote more inclusive learning. AI will never replace the centrality of genuine human connection in teaching, the essential element for our community to flourish in the classroom or on the playing field. But contrary to the alarms that many are raising about AI in schools, our research demonstrated significant optimism about the technology. Those who work most closely with young people with ID see great potential in AIs ability to simplify informationincluding lectures and curriculamaking it more accessible to students with disabilities. Imagine the adaptive learning systems that can provide each student with an educational approach tailored to their unique needs.
But despite teachers confidence in AI's potential for students with IDD, our research also shows that their fears about potential negative impacts on the general student population overshadow their enthusiasm for its role as a learning aid. Specifically, the majority of teachers (78%) express concern that the use of AI in schools might lead to a decrease in human interaction in schools, with 65% also worried about AI use potentially reducing students ability to practice empathy.
How do we overcome those fears? We found that teachers who have used AI are much more likely to think it can make education more inclusive, inspiring more creative thinking about how it can support their students with IDD. These educators are less prone to generalizing concerns that AI will negatively impact the classroom experience for the broader student population. Such findings demonstrate the importance of comprehensive teacher training on AI platforms. By familiarizing educators with AI tools, we can bridge the gap between potential and application, fostering more inclusive learning environments for all students.
But ultimately, educators experience with the tools alone is insufficient. Our study reveals concerns among teachers (72%) and parents (63%) that AI models themselves have not been trained on data provided by persons with IDD, and therefore do not accurately reflect their capabilities and contributions.
Thus, people with IDD must have a seat at the table when discussing the responsible use of AI in education. For example, Microsoft acknowledges that humanity traverses a broad neural spectrum and has expanded design approaches that once narrowly focused on physical disabilities to include differences in cognitive issues and learning styles. They have also acknowledged the importance of diversifying the teams that build and test AI, as well as making a conscious effort to identify bias in the data sets used to train AI systems. Greater attention to and adoption of inclusive design principles for educational technology will translate into more inclusive learning environments.
A failure to listen to people with IDD will result in 3% of the population being locked out of the most revolutionary technology since the advent of the personal computer. That must not happen.
Making AI tools inclusive requires a collaborative effort among teachers, parents, and most importantly, tech companies. Special Olympics is calling on the companies that develop AI systems to convene experts in technology and inclusive education to initiate meaningful dialogues with the IDD community to ensure their needs and perspectives are considered in product development.
Timothy Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics, speaks during the Special Olympics press conference on January 24, 2017 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Tom DulatGetty Images
Many Special Olympics athletes are already using AI tools independently to help ensure they are understanding the nuances of conversations, meetings and lectures, as well as to help organize ever more complex schedules and training regimes. Education leaders can utilize AI to help identify when their school climate is sliding into toxicity, allowing for more targeted early interventions to address isolation and bullying. Young people with ID have been on the frontlines of this fight, working to create a climate of justice and joy where social inclusion is the norm. They have reflected deeply on AI and what it means for their future; we only need to ask them to share their thoughts.
As pencils are sharpened and backpacks are filled, let's also sharpen our resolve to make this school year a turning point for inclusive education. If used responsibly, AI can help to tear down the physical walls at segregated schools, as well as the invisible barriers that separate children of different abilities within the same classroom. We believe that AI can get us there.
Our research illuminates both the promise and the challenges of AI in supporting students with IDD. But it also shows us the way forward: through teacher training, community involvement, and a commitment to inclusive design. As we step into this new school year, we have before us an unprecedented opportunity to reshape education, to close gaps, and to unlock the full potential of every student.
The school of tomorrow is being built todaylet's make sure it has room for everyone.
Contact us at letters@time.com.
KAMPALA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has allocated 2,000 doses of mpox vaccine to Uganda, a senior government official said here on Friday.
Ugandan Minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng told reporters that the vaccines are expected to arrive soon and will cover up to 1,000 individuals.
"Furthermore, (the) government is working with development partners to secure additional doses of the mpox vaccine," she said. "The Ministry of Health is working on the most appropriate modalities for the most equitable delivery and distribution of these vaccines informed by the epidemiology and severity of the disease."
Uganda, which confirmed the outbreak of the highly infectious viral disease in early August, so far has recorded 10 cases of mpox and 49 contacts across northern, eastern, central, and western regions as well as Kampala, the country's capital, with four individuals recovering from the disease and six receiving treatment, according to the ministry.
"I want to reassure you all to remain calm and vigilant, as the Ministry of Health is in full control of the situation. The country is extremely safe for tourism, travel, and trade, and everyone is welcome," said Aceng, urging the public to maintain good personal hygiene.
The World Health Organization in August declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus that is spread through close contact, with symptoms including fever, swelling of the lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rash, and back pain.
Colonel Ants Kiviselg, Head of the Military Intelligence Centre of Estonia, states that despite increasing the number of daily attacks on Ukrainian positions, Russia has not managed to achieve significant progress on the battlefield.
Source: European Pravda, citing ERR
Details: At the weekly press conference of the Estonian Defence Ministry, Kiviselg noted that in July and August, Russia conducted 140 to 160 attacks per day, and at the beginning of September, this number reached 190.
He said the Russian Armed Forces continue to maintain the initiative at the operational level, with their primary offensive focus still directed at Donetsk Oblast, particularly the city of Pokrovsk.
At the same time, there have been no significant changes on the front line in Ukraine over the past week, the colonel emphasised.
Quote: "The Ukrainians have managed to slow down the Russian advance on the Pokrovsk front. While in previous months, the Russians advanced seven to eight kilometres per month on this front, we now see that in recent days, the pace of their advance has significantly slowed," Kiviselg noted.
He added that Ukraine has also deployed additional units to the Pokrovsk front.
Furthermore, the Head of the Military Intelligence Centre of Estonia pointed to an increase in air attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure, specifically mentioning strikes on a military academy and a hospital in Poltava earlier this week.
If Russia intends to pressure Ukrainian society and weaken its resistance with such attacks on civilian infrastructure, Kiviselg assesses that Moscow has not succeeded.
Quote: "At this point, I can say that the Russian Federation has not achieved this goal as a result of these attacks, the will to defend among Ukrainians remains strong and continues to grow. These attacks also keep the support for Ukraine from its allies high," he pointed out.
Background:
Last week, UK Defence Intelligence noted that the advance of Russian forces towards the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast had accelerated.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg previously emphasised the importance of supporting Ukraine, especially during the "current difficult phase of the war".
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A state ethics commission has dismissed a complaint against Tennessee Education Commissioner Lizette Gonzales Reynolds. (Screenshot from Senate hearing video.)
The Tennessee Ethics Commission dismissed a sworn complaint against state Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds after she paid back more than $2,000 an education group spent to send her to two conferences.
In a letter to Rep. Caleb Hemmer, who filed the complaint citing violations of state law and an executive order by the governor, the commission found that although the need to address these matters is disappointing, because of Reynolds repayment of the expenses, it found insufficient probable cause to proceed with the matter.
The Tennessee Journal reported that the commission voted 4-0 in a closed meeting last week to dismiss the complaint. Two members were absent and one voted by phone.
The commission decided it needed no more information and opted against referring the matter to the Attorney Generals Office for investigation.
Hemmer, a Nashville Democrat, filed the complaint against Reynolds following reports she attended two out-of-state education conferences paid for by ExcelinEd, a pro charter and pro voucher group she worked for previously. Acceptance of such a gift from groups that hire lobbyists is a violation of state law and an order by Gov. Bill Lee.
Bill Young, executive director of the Board of Ethics and Campaign Finance, notified Hemmer the Ethics Commissions main purpose has been to ensure compliance and that no further action is needed because Reynolds repaid the money. According to reports, she was reimbursed by the state.
Youngs letter noted the commission made it clear it did not determine whether Reynolds knowingly broke the law by directly or indirectly accepting a prohibited gift from an employer of a lobbyist. Yet the commission decided Reynolds willingness to correct the potential violation, albeit without admitting any wrongdoing, is satisfactory to the commission that no further action is necessary.
In addition, the commission instructed Youngs office to recommend all members of the governors cabinet to attend the same ethics training as the General Assembly.
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FILE - European Union envoy for the Western Balkans Miroslav Lajcak, speaks during a joint press conference with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Gabriel Escobar in Belgrade, Serbia, on Feb. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovicm, File)
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) The European Union envoy for the Western Balkans on Friday urged Kosovo and Serbia to step up their efforts at normalization talks, saying these are decisive toward the two countries' membership in the bloc.
Miroslav Lajcak was in Kosovos capital, Pristina, for talks with Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, in charge of the Kosovo side of the EU-facilitated talks. The local media said the envoy was not expected to go to Belgrade, Serbia's capital, as on previous trips.
The EU and the United States are pressing both sides to implement agreements that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti reached in February and March last year.
The agreement has also become part of Kosovo's EU path and Serbia's EU path, Lajcak told reporters after meeting with Bislimi, adding that there are statements here and there which are not helpful.
Lajcak, whose mandate has been extended until January by the bloc's Council, is working on the next high-level meeting for the two countries' leaders.
The relationship between Kosovo and Serbia remains tense and the 13-year-long normalization talks facilitated by the European Union have failed to make progress, especially following a shootout last September between masked Serb gunmen and Kosovo police that left four people dead. NATO-led peacekeepers have also increased their numbers along the Kosovo-Serbia border.
Washington, Brussels and the peacekeeping force have urged Kosovo to refrain from unilateral actions fearing the revival of inter-ethnic conflict, after authorities last week closed five so-called parallel institutions in the north where most of the ethnic Serb minority lives.
Kosovos Serbs said they would block roads to four out of five border crossings later Friday in protest against the closures. They also demand Kosovo police withdrawal from the north and want the peacekeepers to take control.
Lajcak urged the minority Serbs not to block the crossings as that would have a negative impact on the freedom of movement.
Meanwhile, Kosovos Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz said the threats to block the crossings reflect Serbia's hegemonistic goals and are also "provocative and destabilizing acts.
Kurti last month called for the full reopening of a bridge in the flashpoint city of Mitrovica, a move that the West is concerned would escalate tension with the minority Serbs. Mitrovica is divided into a Serb-dominated north and ethnic Albanian south, and the two sides rarely mix.
Kurti has also been at odds with Western powers over Kosovos unilateral closure of six branches of a Serbia-licensed bank in northern Kosovo earlier this year.
Kosovo, where 90% of the 1.6 million population is Albanian, is holding parliamentary elections next February, a vote that is expected to be a test for Kurti, whose governing party won in a landslide in the 2021.
Kosovo was a Serbian province until NATO's 78-day bombing campaign in 1999 ended a war between Serbian government forces and ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo, which left about 13,000 dead, mainly ethnic Albanians, and pushed Serbian forces out.
Serbia does not recognize Kosovos independence, proclaimed in 2008.
___
Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Follow Llazar Semini at https://x.com/lsemini
The EU is providing Ukraine with a $44 million (40 million euro) humanitarian aid package to assist with energy repair works ahead of winter, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Sept. 6.
"Russia is relentlessly targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Temperatures will soon go down, so we are stepping up our humanitarian aid to Ukrainians in need," von der Leyen posted on X.
The new package will provide funds for repair works, electricity, heating, and shelter, von der Leyen said.
Ukrainians have been living with intermittent power outages throughout the summer since Russia stepped up its campaign of strikes targeting energy infrastructure in March.
Russia launched what Ukraine's Air Force described as the largest attack on Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on Aug. 26, striking 15 oblasts across the country. The attack damaged energy infrastructure, killed seven civilians, and injured 47 more.
Economy Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced during her visit to Washington on Aug. 31 that Ukraine is set to receive $800 million from the U.S. to help stabilize its severely damaged energy infrastructure.
Read also: A near-death feeling: Largest-yet Russian attack on Ukraines energy infrastructure brings back widespread power outages
Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The European Commission has announced the allocation of additional 40 million for Ukraine amid constant Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Source: Janez Lenarcic, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The statement says that due to constant Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, the European Commission increases the funding of humanitarian aid for Ukrainians, allocating an additional 40 million.
The main goal of this funding is to help Ukraine prepare for cold winter months.
Reportedly, 35 million is allocated for humanitarian projects in Ukraine and 5 million for supporting Ukrainian refugees and their host communities in Moldova.
"Together with its humanitarian partners, the EU aims to repair damaged buildings, ensure electricity and heating, and provide shelter to the ones most in need," the statement says.
During spring and summer 2024, Russia destroyed 9.2 GW of energy generation in Ukraine, and in May 2024, rolling blackouts resumed in Ukraine for the first time since February 2023.
On 26 August, Russia carried out another large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine, which resulted in four Rivne Nuclear Power Plant power units being temporarily disconnected from the power grid.
Later, in the morning of 4 September, Russia conducted another large-scale attack on Ukraine. As a result, as the latest reports say, seven people were killed in the city of Lviv, three of them children. 26 people are currently being treated in the citys hospitals, 10 of them in a critical condition.
Then it became known that Poland was planning to draw up a plan to help Lviv in the near future, in particular with regard to the reconstruction of damaged buildings, and that Germany's Freiburg had decided to donate 100,000 to Lviv, which is its sister city, to help address the consequences of the Russian attack.
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After all the arguments about the Rwanda Plan, could it be Germany that makes it work? The idea has been mooted by Joachim Stamp, Germanys migrant commissioner, who said in a podcast that the EU could use the asylum facilities in Rwanda left lying unused after Keir Starmer cancelled the plan to use the African country for the offshore processing of asylum seekers who arrived illegally in Britain.
Stamp suggested that the processing could be overseen by the United Nations and would be specifically targeted at asylum seekers crossing into the EU from the east, where Russia has been accused of weaponising illegal immigration flows and where a Polish border guard was recently murdered by people smugglers.
Its the latest move in seeking to restrict asylum by European countries, with more and more nations previously known for their generosity mooting tougher solutions. Sweden, long a by-word for pro-immigration politics, has been bragging this year about having the lowest number of asylum seekers since 1997. Frances new prime minister, Michel Barnier, might be best known in Britain as the EU negotiator on Brexit but when he re-entered French politics it was with a suggestion to end all non-EU migration for three to five years.
Germany has been at the epicentre of this. Back in 2015 Chancellor Merkel won universal liberal plaudits for opening Germanys borders to Syrian refugees. Awkward questions like whether she had the mandate to do this or whether Germans wanted it were skated over.
Now, nearly a decade later, this well-meaning offer seems like a terrible mistake. Germany has suffered a summer of violence, with seemingly every day bringing new stories about sexual harassment in swimming pools, violence by criminal clans, the increasing number of gang rapes, and an uptick in shootings.
What too many of these stories have in common is that the perpetrators are of non-German background. That reached a head with the stabbing in Solingen, when a Syrian asylum seeker who should have been deported in 2022 went on a stabbing spree at a Festival of Diversity, murdering three.
The deeply unpopular Left-wing coalition government in Germany hoped that deporting 28 Afghans back to their home country, after negotiations conducted through Qatar, might show voters that they were serious about listening to their concerns. That was undercut by the news that one of the criminals, who together with four other Afghans had raped a 14-year old girl in their asylum shelter, might nonetheless be able to return to Germany because his girlfriend is pregnant and their child will be a German citizen.
Just days after the deportation flight, the anti-immigration Alternative fur Deutschland came first in one state election and barely second in another. Despite media hostility and repeated warnings about their supposed far-right links, in both elections they won more votes than the three parties of the coalition government put together. Another election is due in two weeks in Brandenburg, with the AfD in the lead in some polls.
Although the AfD remain locked out of governing by the so-called firewall between them and other parties, the centre-right CDU have become increasingly happy to imitate their rhetoric. Friedrich Merz, likely the next Chancellor of Germany, suggested after Solingen that a national emergency to deal with immigration be declared and now demands an end to the knife attacks, gang rapes, and disrespect of women which he says are associated with young migrants.
Could this mean that Germany makes the Rwanda plan work where Britain failed? There are still major obstacles in the way. The United Nations was hostile to the Rwanda Plan when it was being set up, so it would be difficult to get them to run a slightly different version. The German political system also makes coalitions near-inevitable. So, with the CDU unwilling to work with the AfD, they will likely form a coalition with the centre-Left after the next election instead, who will be deeply sceptical of such a plan.
Most importantly, unless offshoring is extended to all illegal arrivals, it will fail to have the desired deterrent effect. Only applying it to asylum seekers arriving from the east wont be enough. Australia showed how effective offshoring could be, reducing the number of migrant deaths due to drowning in the process. However, it didnt have to deal with the ECHR or the complex demands of EU membership.
Nonetheless, with Cyprus trying to declare a safe zone in Syria to repatriate asylum seekers, and Italy opening a processing centre in Albania, the increasing consensus across Europe is that mass immigration is too expensive and dangerous to continue. If human rights laws make processing in Europe too hard, then processing overseas is the only answer, whether that is in Rwanda or somewhere else. It would be ironic if Britain, having pioneered this approach, ends up lagging behind the rest of Europe on the issue.
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HONOLULU (KHON2) Hawaii is facing a significant shortage of healthcare workers, and a special summit is set to address this pressing issue. And this opportunity is your chance to look into switching careers or figuring out what you want to do when you grow up.
The 2024 Hawaii Health Workforce Summit will take place this Saturday, Sept. 7, and it is intended to draw attention from key figures in healthcare and government.
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The summit, which begins at 8:30 a.m., aims to address Hawaiis need for more than 4,000 new healthcare professionals. It will be held at the John A. Burns School of Medicine and will feature a range of activities designed to inspire and educate both current and future healthcare workers.
Dr. Kelley Withy, a prominent figure in Hawaiis healthcare community, will play a key role in the summit. Dr. Withy is the Director of the Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and a professor at the JABSOM. She shared her passion for healthcare to KHON2.com.
When I was 12, I saw my brother being born, Dr. Withy said. He was the ugliest thing Id ever seen, but when the doctor held him up, my stepmom said, Oh, hes beautiful. I thought she was crazy at first, but then I realized how much joy she found in her work. From that moment on, I wanted to pursue a career in medicine.
Dr. Withy has dedicated her career to addressing healthcare shortages in Hawaii. She noted that Hawaiis healthcare system needs a diverse range of workers, not just doctors.
We dont just want to recruit medical students; we need all types of healthcare workers. Our state needs over 4,000 new professionals to meet the demand, she explained.
The summit was inspired by a conversation Dr. Withy had in 2008 with David Sakamoto, then head of the State Health Planning and Development Agency.
They discussed the urgent need for more healthcare professionals, particularly on Hawaii Island. The initial assessment revealed a significant shortage, prompting Dr. Withy and her colleagues to push for a statewide solution.
We started by assessing the Big Islands needs, and then we took our findings to the legislature, Dr. Withy said. Legislation was passed to fund our efforts through a $60 relicensing fee for doctors, which supports the summit and other initiatives.
Dr. Withy explained that this summit is for anyone who may be in any way interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. This includes everyone from those who want to switch career tracks to those in high school trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives.
Healthcare Association Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific Health are doing an awesome job in the high schools and training hundreds of students a year to come out with certificates, so they can go right into the profession, explained Dr. Withy. Then, they can advance along the way, and my office will help them, help you, any step of the way, every step of the way, for anybody who wants to go into healthcare in Hawaii.
The Hawaii Health Workforce Summit, originally called the Physician Workforce Summit, has grown over the years to include various healthcare professions.
It offers educational sessions on topics such as substance use prevention, childhood mental health and community health. There are also networking opportunities, job fairs and raffle prizes.
This years summit will feature several exciting activities, Dr. Withy said. Well have presentations on rural health, community health workers, and even a yoga session to start the day. We aim to provide continuing education and connect people with resources they need.
The summit is not only for current healthcare workers. Dr. Withy emphasized that its also open to students and the general public who are interested in healthcare careers.
We have volunteers from pre-health career programs, medical students, high school students, and college students, she added. They will present posters and engage with professionals.
With everyone from our Hawaii State Legislature and Hawaiis Congress members being invited, some local and national legislators are already slated to attend the summit, including Congresswoman Jill Tokuda, who will open the event.
Were excited to have Congresswoman Tokuda with us, Dr. Withy said. Usually, the governor attends, but hes off-Island this year. Instead, Della Au Belotti from the state legislature will be present, and were inviting all local legislators to join us.
Dr. Withy believes that having lawmakers at the summit is crucial for addressing Hawaiis healthcare needs.
We need our legislators to see firsthand the challenges we face and the solutions were working on, she said. Their support is essential for our efforts to recruit and retain healthcare workers.
The summits registration is available on Eventbrite and through the AHEC website; click here. Interested participants can find more information and secure their spots by visiting the website.
You can click here to learn more about JABSOMs Area Health Education Center.
As Hawaii prepares for this important event, excitement is building. Were looking forward to a productive and inspiring day, Dr. Withy said. Its a chance for everyone to come together, learn, and work towards improving our healthcare system.
Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8
The 2024 Hawaii Health Workforce Summit promises to be a significant step toward addressing Hawaiis healthcare workforce challenges and ensuring that the state can meet its growing healthcare needs.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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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The following weekly digest is written and compiled by the Trans Formations Project, a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to tracking and educating about the anti-trans legislative crisis currently sweeping the United States. You can follow their work and latest updates via Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Tumblr, and Facebook.
Hello readers. Its Friday, September 6, 2024.
As a reminder, legislative sessions are different for each state and you can keep track of your states legislative session here. Currently, bill progressions have slowed following the conclusion of legislative sessions in most states.
This week: no new bill progressions or introductions!
Editorial Feature: Chevron Deference
This week, Mika Fernandez, Esq. (she/her), President of the Board of Trans Formations Project, updates us on the ongoing impact of the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to overturn Chevron deference.
Mika is a practicing civil rights lawyer with over 12 years of experience. She specializes in education law, focusing specifically on cases that impact children from marginalized communities.
In Mika's own words:
Back in July, I wrote about the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Chevron v. NRDC, commonly referred to as Chevron deference. In that article, I discussed the potential negative impact of this decision on minoritized groups, including the trans community. I am writing to you now with an update on the current legal landscape in the absence of Chevron.
On Thursday, August 22, a Trump-appointed judge blocked the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPAs) Office of External Civil Rights Compliance from considering disparate environmental harms. At issue was Section VII of the Title VI legal manual, pertaining to the implementation of the Civil Rights Act of 1965. This bill allows the federal government to prohibit discriminatory state-level action against minoritized groups, regardless of the intentions of such action. Currently, 26 federal agencies have rules prohibiting this kind of discrimination, also known as disparate impact discrimination. Since the Supreme Court struck down Chevron deference in July, those discrimination rules have been called into question.
One might wonder, after reading the above paragraph, why it matters whether or not a state intends to discriminate. Given that we are currently experiencing one of the most concentrated attacks on LGBTQIA+ rights in U.S. history, it seems like common sense to assume that state officials are acting with discriminatory intent. This is, of course, true: to any trans person, LGBTQIA+ person, or person who simply pays attention, its obvious that our community faces discrimination. Its proving discriminatory intent in court that becomes the issue.
Proving harm in court is easy. Proving in court what an Attorney General, or a bureaucrat, or an entire legislature intends is a much harder task. Public statements of hatred often work as evidence, but in most cases, elected or appointed officials who intend to discriminate know better than to say the quiet part out loud.
What does this mean for the trans rights movement? As many people are undoubtedly aware, or are becoming so, trans people cannot rely on the federal government to protect us from state-level persecution. State and local elections, on the other hand, are an increasingly crucial battleground on which the fight for LGBTQIA+ civil rights takes place. This November, dont forget about down-ballot, local candidates their efforts will be some of the most important in securing trans rights in your state.
One of the most important things you can do for the trans/GNC community right now is vote in your local and state-level elections! If you arent already registered to vote in your state, you can do so here.
The Things We Won!
On Tuesday, September 3, 64 transgender adults including actor Elliot Page and Delaware state Senator Sarah McBride filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in United States v. Skrmetti. In the amicus brief, trans Americans from a wide range of backgrounds voice their support for gender-affirming care, communicating its physical and psychological benefits. The individuals who filed the brief (referred to collectively as amici) claim that for those [among us] fortunate enough to receive gender-affirming healthcare as minors, early intervention proved crucial to [our] wellbeing and survival. United States v. Skrmetti concerns TN SB0001, a gender-affirming care ban for minors that became law in Tennessee on March 22, 2023. In October, the Supreme Court will determine whether or not SB0001 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
On Thursday, August 29, the ACLU of South Carolina filed a lawsuit against SC H4642, a gender-affirming care (GAC) ban for minors. In addition to banning GAC for minors, SC H4642 prohibits the state Medicaid program from covering transition procedures or related care. In an August 29 press release, the ACLU of South Carolina asserts that SC H4642 sets a dangerous double standard for medical care that is clearly discriminatory against trans individuals. For this reason, among others, the plaintiffs in the case argue that H4642 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Furthermore, the plaintiffs object to H4642 on the basis that it violates both parental due-process and the anti-discrimination clauses present in the Medicaid Act, Affordable Care Act (ACA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Rehabilitation Act.
What the Heck Else Happened This Week?
Two weeks ago, we reported that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had banned gender marker changes on state drivers licenses. This week, Texas went one step further, banning citizens from changing the sex on their birth certificate. The rule change makes an exception for clerical errors or omissions in which the hospital is at fault. This move is the latest in Attorney General Paxtons anti-trans policy campaign. Advocates from Equality Texas, an LGBTQIA+ rights organization, have accused Paxton of bullying state agencies in order to make public life more difficult for trans Texans. With this decision from Attorney General Paxtons office, Texas joins a small group of states including Kansas, Montana, and Oklahoma that have outright banned citizens from amending gender markers on birth certificates.
Mental Health Resources
We know that staying up-to-date with anti-trans legislation may be distressing to our readers. If you or someone you know needs support, here are a few affirming resources that you can reach out to:
If you need support or are in crisis, you can contact the Trans Lifeline hotline at (877) 565-8860.
The Trans Lifeline is run by trans people, for trans people, and does not engage in non-consensual active rescue, meaning they will not call law enforcement without your consent.
You can connect with a Trevor Project crisis counselor via phone 1 (866) 488-7386, chat, or text (Text START to 678-678).
Note: This resource could utilize non-consensual active rescue, including law enforcement, 911, and first responders.
You can call the LGBT National Hotline at (888) 843-4564 or connect with a peer via chat.
The LGBT National Help Center will NOT call other suicide hotlines, law enforcement, 911, or rescue services.
BlackLine is a BIPOC LGBTQ+ support line, run by BIPOC folks, for BIPOC folks. This resource does not involve law enforcement or state agencies. You can call 1 (800) 604-5841 to chat with a peer.
For folks under 25, you can call the LGBT National Youth Talkline at (800) 246-7743.
The LGBT National Help Center will NOT call other suicide hotlines, law enforcement, 911, or rescue services.
Adults (folks 18+) can text the THRIVE Lifeline, which is trans-led and operated. Text "THRIVE" to (313) 662-8209 to begin your conversation.
THRIVE Lifeline does NOT call emergency services for people who are at risk of harming themselves without their consent.
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Originally Appeared on them.
(NewsNation) Boston native Paul Veneto was serving beverages on a United Airlines flight in 2002 when he knew exactly what he needed to do. It had been one year since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and Veneto had been battling a storm of anger.
Now, the 65-year-old is on a mission to ensure the lives of his friends and colleagues on United Airlines Flight 175 will never be forgotten.
9/11 attack masterminds must go on trial, victims daughter says
Sept. 11, 2001
I was hoping to spend the rest of my career with United and retire, and as we know, the world changed on September 11, Veneto said.
When Veneto began working for United in 1997, he was regularly assigned to the United Flight 175 crew from Boston to Los Angeles.
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
Former flight attendant Paul Veneto pushes an airline drink cart along the routes of the four airplanes hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Heres an older image of Veneto when he was a flight attendant for United Airlines. (Credit: Paul Veneto)
On Sept. 10, 2001, Veneto returned to Boston from Los Angeles on the aircrafts final flight of the day.
The next morning, the former flight attendant was off work and watched with the world as his co-workers and aircraft crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
When the buildings came down, I felt a burning in the middle of my stomach, and I never felt anything like that before, he said.
About 30 minutes into the flight, it was hijacked by five al-Qaida terrorists, causing the flight crew on board to try all they could to prevent the attack from happening.
Chaos erupted. I saw those buildings come down just like everybody else did on TV and around the world, he said. We all watched that scene, and something happened to me.
He continued, I knew at that moment everyone was going to forget what happened at the beginning of the day.
Veneto considers the crew on that flight as the real first responders to the terrorist attack. He said what went on during that flight was tragic, chaotic and gruesome.
They were doing everything possible under those conditions. Its just mind-boggling. It always has been, Veneto said.
Five days after the attacks, Veneto knew he had to do something. He wanted to keep his late co-workers memory alive.
So, the former flight attendant had a picture made of the crew of Flight 175. He attached it to his flight bag and for the next 10 years of his career with United, he was known as the guy with the picture on his bag.
But that still wasnt enough for Veneto.
9/11 victims remains identified nearly 23 years later as Long Island man
Paulies Push
For 10 years, Veneto suffered through the burning pain of grief and anger. He was prescribed pain medication and didnt realize he was numbing his emotions.
I just didnt understand it, you know, I knew a fire in my stomach was there, but it was, it was smoldering because of this pain medication, Veneto said.
For years, he fought addiction and numbness. But he never spoke about his journey because he never wanted to take away from or overshadow the heroics of the flight crews and passengers aboard all four hijacked flights.
But Veneto fought, overcoming the addiction and turning his life around, which he was grateful for. It wasnt until he was five years sober that he knew he was ready to take on the mission he was meant to do.
So, with the help of his family and friends, Veneto created a plan for Paulies Push.
For the past four years, Veneto has made it his mission to walk the flight paths of each aircraft hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, pushing a plane beverage cart.
For the 20th anniversary of the attacks, Veneto set out from Boston to ground zero to honor the flight path of United 175.
In 2022, he trekked the route of American Airlines Flight 77 from Dulles International Airport to the Pentagon Memorial.
And last year, Veneto set out on his longest journey yet, walking the route of United Flight 93 from Newark Newark Liberty International Airport to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown, Pennsylvania a 300-mile, 30-day trek.
All three years, Veneto was successful, gathering support from thousands of people along the route and uniting communities with the same goal: Remember and honor those who fought and lost their lives on 9/11.
People just showed up out of nowhere, Veneto said, and he knew something different.
Not only did Veneto keep the memory of those lost alive, but he also created a community based on hope and strength. As he walked through the streets, people from all over would come up to him and share their stories, whether they related to the terrorist attacks or not.
And Veneto would listen.
Ill be in the middle of the street crying with people, and it happens every day, every single day Im out there, he said.
FDNY deaths from 9/11 illnesses now equal to number who died in attack
Part 4: American Airlines Flight 11
Now, the retired flight attendant is making his way through Connecticut as he pushes the beverage cart along the American Airlines Flight 11 route from Boston to ground zero.
The 200-mile journey will take the 65-year-old a total of 24 days, with plans to reach ground zero by the 23rd anniversary of the attacks.
Along the way, Veneto is also walking to teach about the horrors of that day and what the flight crews on board did. He has spoke at schools and events, educating children who were born after the attacks about that day.
As to what Veneto will do when his four-year mission comes to an end, he said he has some ideas floating around in his head.
One of those ideas, which was based on suggestions from people around him, involves the 25th anniversary and the participation of several communities.
Veneto shared that he is hoping to formulate a collaborative walk, where members of the community from children to adults to first responders push the beverage cart along the route from Boston to ground zero. Every few miles or so, the next group of people would take over pushing the cart, and so on, until the journey is completed.
While that is still a few years away, Veneto said he is working with his team to make the goal possible.
But for now, Veneto says he is grateful to be able to have the opportunity to be involved.
Im grateful for every breath I take. Trust me, Im just so grateful that I can, he said.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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FILE PHOTO: Booking mug handout of former mob boss and fugitive James "Whitey" Bulger, who was arrested in Santa Monica
By Nate Raymond
(Reuters) - A former mafia hitman who was already serving life in prison was sentenced to 25 years in custody on Friday for the killing of notorious Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger in his prison cell in 2018.
Fotios "Freddy" Geas, 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas Kleeh in Clarksburg, West Virginia, after striking a deal to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for having more serious murder charges that carried life in prison dropped.
Geas was the last of three inmates to plead guilty and be sentenced after reaching deals in May to resolve charges filed in 2022 over Bulger's death. Geas has been serving a life term for the 2003 murders of a mob boss in Springfield, Massachusetts, Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno, and an associate.
Geas' lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.
Bulger lived a double life as one of Boston's most notorious mobsters while also acting as a secret FBI informant. He went on the run in 1994 after he was tipped off by his FBI handler about a pending racketeering indictment against him and remained a fugitive until he was captured in California in 2011.
Two years later, Bulger was convicted for 11 murders and other offenses and sentenced to life in prison.
The 89-year-old's murder came shortly after he was transferred from a prison in Florida to one in West Virginia.
Prosecutors said that on the morning of Oct. 30, 2018, Geas, an associate of the Genovese crime family, and another inmate, Massachusetts gangster Paul DeCologero, went to Bulger's cell.
Geas and Bulger got involved in a verbal altercation, and Geas struck him in the head and assaulted him, prosecutors said. He and DeCologero then placed Bulgers body in his bunk bed and covered him with bedding, prosecutors said.
Prison staff did not discover Bulger for nearly two hours. Other inmates later reported that some men tied to the killing had referred to Bulger as a "snitch," prosecutors said.
DeCologero last month was sentenced to 51 months in prison. A third inmate, Geas' cell mate Sean McKinnon, was sentenced to time served in June after pleading guilty to lying to an FBI agent when he claimed he did not know what happened to Bulger.
(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Leslie Adler)
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- As South Africa ramps up efforts to attract Chinese tourists, a tourism expert has lauded the government's plan to introduce the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS), a move aimed at streamlining visa processes and boosting tourism from China.
Unathi Henama, a tourism expert from Walter Sisulu University, praised the scheme as a significant step to tap into the Chinese market, which is estimated to become the world's biggest outbound tourism market in the coming years.
"The TTOS is a great initiative to lure this market to visit South Africa, which will benefit the country's tourism industry and the economy," Henama told Xinhua.
Henama sees the scheme as a great initiative to make South Africa a more attractive destination, potentially leading to reduced visa requirements in the future.
"Chinese tourists travel to be immense in learning. The Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria has been able to cater to their need of learning about history and heritage by making linkages between the Voortrekker Monument and the Great Wall of China," Henama said.
With tourism being a major contributor to the country's gross domestic product, South Africa received over 93,000 Chinese tourists in 2023.
The TTOS, announced by South Africa's Department of Home Affairs on Monday to boost tourism from China and India, is set to be implemented in January 2025.
The department said it was working in collaboration with other departments, including the Presidency, to address obstacles that currently hinder tourists from visiting South Africa.
An ex-Mafia hitman is sentenced to 25 years in the slaying of gangster James Whitey Bulger
An ex-Mafia hitman is sentenced to 25 years in the slaying of gangster James Whitey Bulger
A former Mafia hitman was sentenced to 25 years in prison Friday in the 2018 fatal prison bludgeoning of notorious Boston gangster James Whitey Bulger.
Federal prisoner Fotios Freddy Geas was sentenced in federal court in northern West Virginia after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Prosecutors said Geas used a lock attached to a belt to repeatedly hit the 89-year-old Bulger in the head hours after he arrived at the troubled U.S. Penitentiary, Hazelton, from another lockup in Florida in October 2018. Defense attorneys disputed that characterization, saying Geas hit Bulger with his fist.
Geas, 57, already was serving a life sentence for previous violent crimes. The Justice Department said last year that it would not seek the death penalty against him in Bulgers killing.
Bulger, who ran the largely Irish gang in Boston in the 1970s and 80s, also served as an FBI informant who ratted on his gangs main rival, according to the bureau. Bulger strongly denied ever being a government informant.
Bulger became one of the nations most wanted fugitives after fleeing Boston in 1994 thanks to a tip from his FBI handler that he was about to be indicted. He was captured at age 81 after more than 16 years on the run and convicted in 2013 in 11 killings and dozens of other gangland crimes.
Another Hazelton prisoner, Massachusetts gangster Paul J. DeCologero, was sentenced to more than four years in prison in August on an assault charge in Bulgers killing. Prosecutors said he acted as a lookout for Geas. A third inmate, Sean McKinnon, pleaded guilty in June to lying to FBI special agents. McKinnon was given no additional prison time and was returned to Florida to finish his supervised release. He had served a sentence for stealing guns from a firearms dealer.
According to court records, prisoners found out ahead of time that Bulger would be arriving at the West Virginia facility. DeCologero and Geas spent about seven minutes in Bulgers cell during the attack.
A prisoner testified to a grand jury that DeCologero told him Bulger was a snitch and they planned to kill him as soon as he came into their unit.
Geas was a close associate of the Mafia and acted as an enforcer but was not an official made member because he is Greek, not Italian. He and his brother were sentenced to life in 2011 for their roles in several violent crimes, including the 2003 killing of Adolfo Big Al Bruno, a Genovese crime family boss in Springfield, Massachusetts. Another mobster ordered Brunos killing because he was upset that Bruno had talked to the FBI, prosecutors said.
Plea deals for Geas, DeCologero and McKinnon were disclosed May 13. Geas and DeCologero were identified as suspects shortly after Bulgers death, but they remained uncharged for years as the investigation dragged on.
After the killing, experts criticized Bulgers transfer to Hazelton, where workers had already been sounding the alarm about violence and understaffing, and his placement in the general population instead of more protective housing.
A Justice Department inspector general investigation found in 2022 that the killing was the result of multiple layers of management failures, widespread incompetence and flawed policies at the federal Bureau of Prisons. The inspector general found no evidence of malicious intent by any bureau employees but said a series of bureaucratic blunders left Bulger at the mercy of rival gangsters.
That year, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Bulgers family against the bureau and 30 unidentified prison system employees.
In July, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to overhaul oversight and bring greater transparency to the bureau following reporting from The Associated Press that exposed systemic corruption in the federal prison system and led to increased congressional scrutiny.
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An ex-Mafia hitman is sentenced to 25 years in the slaying of gangster James Whitey Bulger
A former Mafia hitman was sentenced to 25 years in prison Friday in the 2018 fatal prison bludgeoning of notorious Boston gangster James Whitey Bulger.
Federal prisoner Fotios Freddy Geas was sentenced in federal court in northern West Virginia after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury
Prosecutors said Geas used a lock attached to a belt to repeatedly hit the 89-year-old Bulger in the head hours after he arrived at the troubled US Penitentiary, Hazelton, from another lockup in Florida in October 2018. Defense attorneys disputed that characterization, saying Geas hit Bulger with his fist.
Geas, 57, already was serving a life sentence for previous violent crimes. The Justice Department said last year that it would not seek the death penalty against him in Bulgers killing.
Bulger, who ran the largely Irish gang in Boston in the 1970s and 80s, also served as an FBI informant who ratted on his gangs main rival, according to the bureau. Bulger strongly denied ever being a government informant.
Bulger became one of the nations most wanted fugitives after fleeing Boston in 1994 thanks to a tip from his FBI handler that he was about to be indicted. He was captured at age 81 after more than 16 years on the run and convicted in 2013 in 11 killings and dozens of other gangland crimes.
Another Hazelton prisoner, Massachusetts gangster Paul J. DeCologero, was sentenced to more than four years in prison in August on an assault charge in Bulgers killing. Prosecutors said he acted as a lookout for Geas. A third inmate, Sean McKinnon, pleaded guilty in June to lying to FBI special agents. McKinnon was given no additional prison time and was returned to Florida to finish his supervised release. He had served a sentence for stealing guns from a firearms dealer.
According to court records, prisoners found out ahead of time that Bulger would be arriving at the West Virginia facility. DeCologero and Geas spent about seven minutes in Bulgers cell during the attack.
A prisoner testified to a grand jury that DeCologero told him Bulger was a snitch and they planned to kill him as soon as he came into their unit.
Geas was a close associate of the Mafia and acted as an enforcer but was not an official made member because he is Greek, not Italian. He and his brother were sentenced to life in 2011 for their roles in several violent crimes, including the 2003 killing of Adolfo Big Al Bruno, a Genovese crime family boss in Springfield, Massachusetts. Another mobster ordered Brunos killing because he was upset that Bruno had talked to the FBI, prosecutors said.
Plea deals for Geas, DeCologero and McKinnon were disclosed May 13. Geas and DeCologero were identified as suspects shortly after Bulgers death, but they remained uncharged for years as the investigation dragged on.
After the killing, experts criticized Bulgers transfer to Hazelton, where workers had already been sounding the alarm about violence and understaffing, and his placement in the general population instead of more protective housing.
A Justice Department inspector general investigation found in 2022 that the killing was the result of multiple layers of management failures, widespread incompetence and flawed policies at the federal Bureau of Prisons. The inspector general found no evidence of malicious intent by any bureau employees but said a series of bureaucratic blunders left Bulger at the mercy of rival gangsters.
That year, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Bulgers family against the bureau and 30 unidentified prison system employees.
In July, the US Senate passed legislation to overhaul oversight and bring greater transparency to the bureau following reporting from The Associated Press that exposed systemic corruption in the federal prison system and led to increased congressional scrutiny.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Ex-NC cop shows up late for York County church sex crimes case, gets extra year in prison
Erickson Lee, center, in court Friday Sept. 6, 2024. Lee, a former North Carolina police officer, was sentenced to nine years prison for child sex crimes while a volunteer at a Fort Mill, South Carolina church.
Former North Carolina police officer Erickson Douglas Lee showed up in York County court Friday on child sex charges a day late and still received a plea deal.
The former church volunteer failed to appear Thursday for what was supposed to be a guilty plea for an eight-year sentence. On Friday, he received a sentence of nine years one year longer because of the missed court date.
Lee, 26, was the volunteer leader of a youth group at Morningstar Fellowship Church in Fort Mill from 2020 to early 2023. Lee used that status to abuse boys, prosecutor Hannah Woods said. Lee coerced and intimidated boys at his Fort Mill home while giving them alcohol and vapes, showing them porn and sexually touching them, Woods said.
This was over the course of several years, Woods said. The same things happened to minors multiple times.
Lee was fired from his police job in Cornelius, N.C., which is north of Charlotte, when he was arrested in April 2023.
The four victims were in court Friday but did not speak. All four had been at court Thursday for hours when Lee did not show up.
A written statement from the victims and their families read in court described Lee as a predator and master manipulator.
The plea deal and sentence
Sheriffs deputies arrested Lee Friday morning on a bench warrant when he arrived at the courthouse. Judge Dan Hall vacated the bench warrant after Lee pleaded guilty.
Prosecutors and Lees lawyer negotiated the nine year sentence on five of the 11 charges Lee originally faced. Prosecutors dismissed the other six charges as part of the plea deal.
Judge Hall accepted the negotiated deal.
Lee pleaded guilty under what is called an Alford plea to second- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child, first-degree assault and battery, dissemination of obscene material to a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
In an Alford plea, a defendant does not have to admit guilt, but accepts the evidence strongly showed he would be convicted at trial, Judge Hall said in court. An Alford guilty plea is treated the same for sentencing as any guilty plea.
In court, Lee said he hoped one day victims and families could find forgiveness.
What happens now?
Lee, who lived in Charlotte, will serve the nine years at a South Carolina prison. He must register as a sex offender when he gets out.
Hall also signed a 50-year restraining order that bans Lee from contacting the victims.
The criminal cases against Lee are now done. But separate civil lawsuits remain that were filed by three of the victims against Lee, the church, and some church officials.
Morningstar CEO Rick Joyner told the Herald church officials contacted law enforcement in 2023 when allegations against Lee were brought to the attention of church leaders.
The lawsuits allege negligence, a cover-up and other claims because Lee was a church volunteer at the times of the abuse. One suit was filed in August, and the other two were filed Tuesday and Thursday of this week.
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 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.
Exclusive-US-Iraq deal would see hundreds of troops withdraw in first year, sources say
By Timour Azhari and Ahmed Rasheed
BAGHDAD (Reuters) -The United States and Iraq have reached an understanding on plans for the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The plan, which has been broadly agreed but requires a final go-ahead from both capitals and an announcement date, would see hundreds of troops leave by September 2025, with the remainder departing by the end of 2026, the sources said.
"We have an agreement, its now just a question of when to announce it," a senior U.S. official said.
The U.S. and Iraq are also seeking to establish a new advisory relationship that could see some U.S. troops remain in Iraq after the drawdown.
An official announcement was initially scheduled for weeks ago but was postponed due to regional escalation related to Israel's war in Gaza and to iron out some remaining details, the sources said.
The sources include five U.S. officials, two officials from other coalition nations, and three Iraqi officials, all speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Several sources said the deal could be announced this month.
Farhad Alaaldin, foreign affairs adviser to the Iraqi prime minister, said technical talks with Washington on the coalition drawdown had concluded.
"We are now on the brink of transitioning the relationship between Iraq and members of the international coalition to a new level, focusing on bilateral relations in military, security, economic, and cultural areas," he said.
He did not comment on details of the plan and the U.S.-led coalition did not respond to emailed questions.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson and a defense official said U.S. President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in a joint statement in April affirmed they would review factors to determine when and how the mission of the Global Coalition in Iraq would end and transition to enduring bilateral security partnerships.
The agreement follows more than six months of talks between Baghdad and Washington, initiated by Prime Minister al-Sudani in January amid attacks by Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups on U.S. forces stationed at Iraqi bases.
The rocket and drone attacks have killed three American troops and wounded dozens more, resulting in several rounds of deadly U.S. retaliation that threatened government efforts to stabilize Iraq after decades of conflict.
The U.S. has approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighbouring Syria as part of the coalition formed in 2014 to combat Islamic State as it rampaged through the two countries.
The group once held roughly a third of Iraq and Syria but was territorially defeated in Iraq at the end of 2017 and in Syria in 2019. Iraq had demonstrated its ability to handle any remaining threat, Alaaldin said.
The U.S. initially invaded Iraq in 2003, toppling dictator Saddam Hussein before withdrawing in 2011, but returned in 2014 at the head of the coalition to fight Islamic State.
Other nations, including Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, also contribute hundreds of troops to the coalition.
Under the plan, all coalition forces would leave the Ain al-Asad airbase in western Anbar province and significantly reduce their presence in Baghdad by September 2025.
U.S. and other coalition troops are expected to remain in Erbil, in the semi-autonomous northern Kurdistan region, for approximately one additional year, until around the end of 2026, to facilitate ongoing operations against Islamic State in Syria.
Exact details of troop movements are being kept secret due to their military sensitivity.
The drawdown would mark a notable shift in Washington's military posture in the region.
While primarily focused on countering Islamic State, U.S. officials acknowledge their presence also serves as a strategic position against Iranian influence.
This position has grown more important as Israel and Iran escalate their regional confrontation, with U.S. forces in Iraq shooting down rockets and drones fired towards Israel in recent months, according to U.S. officials.
Prime Minister al-Sudani has stated that, while he appreciates their help, U.S. troops have become a magnet for instability, frequently targeted and responding with strikes often not coordinated with the Iraqi government.
The agreement, when announced, would likely present a political win for al-Sudani as he balances Iraq's position as an ally of both Washington and Tehran. The first phase of the drawdown would end one month before Iraqi parliamentary polls set for October 2025.
For the U.S., the two-year time frame provides "breathing room," allowing for potential adjustments if the regional situation changes, a U.S. official said.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad did not respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Timour Azhari and Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Washington; Editing by Philippa Fletcher and Diane Craft)
The US has detected increased Russian military activity around key undersea cables, and believes Russia may now be more likely to carry out potential sabotage operations aimed at disabling a critical piece of the worlds communications infrastructure, two US officials told CNN.
Russia has put increasing emphasis on building up a dedicated military unit, which deploys a formidable fleet of surface ships, submarines and naval drones, according to one of the officials. The unit, the General Staff Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research, is known by its Russian acronym GUGI.
We are concerned about heightened Russian naval activity worldwide and that Russias decision calculus for damaging US and allied undersea critical infrastructure may be changing, a US official told CNN. Russia is continuing to develop naval capabilities for undersea sabotage mainly thru GUGI, a closely guarded unit that operates surface vessels, submarines and naval drones.
The US regularly tracks Russian ships that patrol close to critical maritime infrastructure and undersea cables often far from Russian shores, the official said. US concern about the secretive Russian units undersea operations has not been previously reported. CNN has requested comment from the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Undersea cables form a critical backbone of internet and telecommunications traffic around the world. Most communications and internet traffic travels across a vast network of high-speed fiber-optic cables installed along the ocean floor. A coordinated attack could significantly disrupt private, government and military communications along such cables as well as industries that rely on such communications, including financial markets and energy suppliers.
Undersea cables also carry vast amounts of electricity among several European countries.
The US and its allies closely monitor Russian naval activity over key undersea cables around the world. Commanders aboard a NATO patrol vessel in April 2023 told CNN they had witnessed an increase of such activity over undersea cables in the Baltic Sea in recent years.
The seas around Northern Europe are a focus of such Russian military surveillance and activity. Last year, a joint investigation by the public broadcasters of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland found that Russia has a fleet of suspected spy ships operating in northern European waters for potential sabotage of both undersea cables and wind farms.
Using data analysis, intercepted radio communications and intelligence sources, the broadcasters tracked over several years some fifty ships operating in the area, using underwater surveillance to map sites for potential attacks.
Taiwanese and US forces have seen similar activity by the Chinese Navy in waters around Taiwan, as I reported in The Return of Great Powers in March. The activity looks like targeted harassment by Beijing or an exercise in preparation for cutting off the whole of Taiwan, Elisabeth Braw wrote in Foreign Policy magazine in February 2023.
Russias threatening activity has not been disrupted by its ongoing war against Ukraine. The Russian leadership places great value on GUGI, a US official told CNN, continuing to fund the unit even while waging war in Ukraine.
A US official told CNN the US would consider any such sabotage of undersea infrastructure as a significant escalation in Russian aggression outside of Ukraine.
Any activities that damaged seabed infrastructure including undersea cables especially during periods of heightened tensions risks misunderstandings and misperceptions that could lead to unintended escalation, the US official told CNN. The US would be especially concerned about damage to our or our allies critical undersea infrastructure.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
By Kirsty Needham
FUNAFUTI, Tuvalu (Reuters) - World Bank President Ajay Banga said on Friday that young people in the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu need training to help them move and adapt to climate change as he visited the frontline of the battle against rising sea levels.
On the first visit by a World Bank chief to Tuvalu - where 11,00 people live on 26 square km (10 square miles) of land stretched across nine atolls - the impact of the changes was clear, he said, as the tiny nation fortified its ports and reclaimed coastal land.
Soon after taking on the top job in June last year, Banga expanded the global lender's remit for the first time in 80 years to encompass climate change, under the banner of alleviating poverty in a liveable planet.
Scientists say by 2050, half of Tuvalu's main town of Funafuti will be inundated by tides. A climate migration deal struck with Australia last year gives its population a pathway to move when its atolls become uninhabitable.
Banga spoke to young people who said they told him leaving their home was the "Plan B".
The World Bank's vision for a liveable planet was wider than physical infrastructure, he said in an interview with Reuters.
"It is also about human infrastructure," he said.
"Why should they not have education and health care when they are growing up? It's not just a question of survival. It's a question of quality of life."
Banga said he wanted the World Bank to move faster, focus on impact, share its knowledge with the Pacific islands and create jobs for young people.
In Tuvalu, this could mean investing in skills institutes to give young people who face migrating to another country training as a nurse or plumber, he said.
Talua Nivaga, vice president of the Tuvalu National Youth Council, said climate mobility "doesn't mean that we are right now requiring this movement of people at this stage".
"What we are advocating for is the clear path of people to move when it comes to worst case scenarios," he said.
He discussed with Banga the skills a climate migrant might need.
"That skill would have been maintained in Tuvalu and first used for the benefit of our people," he said.
Since taking on the role just over a year ago, Banga has visited every region where the World Bank operates. The Pacific Islands nation of Tuvalu, population 11,000, is the last stop.
The World Bank said in December it will deploy 45% of its annual financing to climate change adaptation and mitigation by 2025. In the Pacific Islands, that goal has already been reached, he said.
Banga will use the platform of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month to highlight reforms to the World Bank and urge rich nations to replenish funds to its International Development Association (IDA), which supports the poorest nations, including many in the Pacific Islands.
Tuvalu's Deputy Prime Minister, Panapasi Nelesoni, said on Friday that water inundation from sea level rise makes it harder to grow vegetables for food, compounding health problems.
"The IDA fund is very important because it is grants given to us. Right now it is difficult for us to borrow money and we like to see a continuation of that assistance from rich countries, given the problem we have with climate change," he said.
STAY OR GO?
Grace Malie, 25, one of the young people who spoke with Banga, said she learnt about climate change at the age of eight as her parents explained why the space for playgrounds was shrinking.
She wants support for Tuvalu to adapt for as long as it can. "I love my country, I love my home and I love doing what I do every day in Tuvalu and I wish to stay," she said.
In the streets of Funafuti, IT worker Maani Maani, 32, said his generation faced a difficult decision. While someone with his skills can get visas to work in places like Australia, he worried about the older people left behind.
"Our mainland is getting thinner and thinner. Crops can't grow well. I think God is not going to save us this time," he said.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Funafuti, Tuvalu; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
EXETER You could be forgiven for thinking that it was a dream, or a hallucination.
Did a fish-shaped barn really rise up in a cow pasture on Ten Rod Road near Exeter Town Hall, with goggle-like windows for eyes, round blue-green shingles layered on like scales, twin balconies that stuck out like fins, and an open doorway that hung open like a gaping mouth? And if it was real, where did it go?
Here's the full, sad story of an whimsical, well-intentioned scheme that turned into a nuisance and had to be destroyed.
Who built the fish barn, and why?
The unusual three-story structure that became known as the "fish barn" was the vision of flower farmer Karl Aughinbaugh, who began constructing it after he and his wife, Nancy, bought 6.4 acres of land fronting Ten Rod Road in early 2019.
Exeter's "fish barn" was intended to be a farm stand, and attracted so much attention that it became a major source of local controversy.
Some locals insist that the eccentrically-shaped building was intended to honor Sarah Balmforth, a 27-year-old woman who raised cattle on the farm before she was killed in a hit-and-run in 2017. However, Aughinbaugh's son, Jeremy Taylor, told the Providence Journal in 2019 that it was a tribute to Walter S. Taylor Jr., who died that same year Taylor's grandfather, and Aughinbaugh's father-in-law.
Walter S. Taylor Jr. was a former president of the Rhode Island Dahlia Society and a devoted community volunteer, and Aughinbaugh envisioned continuing his legacy by growing dahlias and delivering bouquets to nursing home residents. The fish barn would serve as a farmstand, allowing Aughinbaugh to fund the charitable undertaking by selling fresh flowers and other farm products to the public.
It's not clear why the stand needed to be shaped like a fish though the unique design certainly succeeded at catching the eye of passing drivers as they sped along Ten Road Road.
Neither Aughinbaugh or Taylor could be reached for comment for this story. Megan Rothwell, who later purchased the property, said she was told that Aughinbaugh also intended the farmstand to have a pond for his extensive collection of koi fish.
Why the fish barn became controversial
Some Exeter residents considered the fish barn to be an eyesore. Others, especially young children, enjoyed watching it go up. But the main source of complaints was the amount of attention it attracted, which reportedly resulted in at least one car accident.
Drivers would come flying down heavily-traveled Ten Rod Road, then come to a dead stop when they reached the bottom of the hill and saw the fish barn under construction. Others would pull out of the farm's small driveway without checking for oncoming traffic, leading to numerous near-collisions.
Megan and Richard Sadler, who live across the street, grew exasperated with the number of gawkers parking on their property and darting across the dangerous, 45 mile-per-hour road to take photos. They erected orange snow fencing and "No Trespassing" signs, and begged the Exeter Town Council to intervene before someone was injured or killed.
"I don't feel safe," Megan Sadler told councilmembers at a September 2019 meeting, noting that she moved to Exeter for peace and quiet after retiring from the U.S. Navy. People were climbing fences and harassing pregnant cows at the Aughinbaugh property, she said, and an errant car had "ended up in a field."
The controversial "fish barn" potentially violated Exeter's zoning code because of its size.
As the fish barn's notoriety grew, its legality came into question.
On one hand, Exeter building officials had issued the necessary permits for the project, and there was nothing saying that a farmstand couldn't be shaped like a fish: At the time, Exeter didn't have any design standards for outbuildings.
But the fish barn was considerably larger than 200 square feet the maximum size for farmstands, councilman Francis DiGregorio said at a December 2019 meeting. There was already one barn on the property but no residential dwelling, so building another barn was also a potential zoning violation.
Odd structure became liability for farm's new owner
Exeter officials never reached a resolution on what to do about the fish barn. By the time the matter landed on the town council's docket, Aughinbaugh had already halted construction and put the farm up for sale less than a year after buying it.
The project "just became too much," his son, Taylor, told The Journal by way of explanation.
Rothwell, an equestrian and animal trainer, purchased the farm in 2020. The idea was that she'd keep her three horses there, and her parents would eventually build a retirement home on the empty land. They weren't exactly in the market for an unfinished fish barn, but it came with the property.
Construction on the Exeter "fish barn" stopped abruptly and was never finished, creating liability concerns for its later owners.
The oddity quickly became a headache. Parts of the building were left wide open when construction stopped, which meant the interior wood was exposed to the elements and starting to rot. There was no way to prevent trespassers from getting inside, and a high risk that uninvited thrill seekers would fall from the barn's upper level.
"We just didn't want to have that liability," Rothwell said.
She didn't mind all the people who pulled over to take photos on a daily basis, but worried about what happened when no one was around at night, she said. People were clearly sneaking onto the property at one point, the farm's front gate was completely removed from its hinges and tossed aside.
Why the fish barn couldn't be saved
Rothwell and her family considered completing the unfinished project, but all of the contractors who looked at the fish barn concluded that it was structurally unsound, she said. Disassembling it and donating the lumber to Habitat for Humanity wasn't an option: Too much wood had already rotted.
Nor could Exeter firefighters burn the fish barn as a training exercise. Rothwell said she was told that doing so would violate air quality regulations.
"What ended up happening, which we were very sad about because it was just such a waste, was that a demolition company came in and demolished the fish barn and took the lumber away in dumpsters," she said.
If there was any doubt that the fish barn needed to be torn down, it vanished that day. The demolition contractor "just lightly tapped the top of it, and the whole thing collapsed," Rothwell said.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Exeter fish barn: Why the quirky roadside farmstand was torn down
TAMPA Almost 40 years ago, a Tampa jury found Robert DuBoise guilty of a murder he did not commit, and a judge condemned him to die in the electric chair.
On Friday morning, he stood, alive and smiling, before a crowd of about 50 at a downtown Tampa event hall, answering questions about whats its like to be wrongfully convicted and exonerated.
Beside him stood Andrew Warren, the ousted state attorney who was one of the people who helped free him from prison.
This is a story that needs to be told, Warren told reporters afterward. Its a story about doing the right thing.
DuBoise and Warren were the featured speakers Friday at Cafe con Tampa, a weekly community gathering at The Portico. It was the first time the pair have appeared together publicly since immediately after DuBoises exoneration in 2020.
Warren recounted the story of DuBoises case, the nearly 37 years he spent in prison and the unlikely circumstances that led to his release in 2020. The Hillsborough state attorneys office conviction review unit, which Warren established to examine cases of defendants who claimed to be innocent, was instrumental in identifying DNA evidence that proved DuBoise was not guilty.
DuBoises story was the subject of The Marked Man, a Tampa Bay Times narrative published this spring.
Although Warren is in the midst of a closely-watched political campaign against Suzy Lopez, the longtime prosecutor that Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed after suspending Warren two years ago, Warren avoided discussion of the race Friday.
Still, there came a few political questions. Among them: If he wins, how likely is it that the governor would suspend him again? Warren didnt dwell on the question, but he asserted that DeSantis move broke the law.
Youll have to ask the governor whether he intends to respect the rule of law, respect free speech, respect our democracy, he said.
Another question concerned people in the community who doubt DuBoises innocence, a nod to Lopez and Mark Ober, the former state attorney who as a young prosecutor secured DuBoises conviction, and some in law enforcement.
Theyre wrong, Warren said. The evidence is beyond conclusive.
He noted that a judge immediately released DuBoise after a court hearing in 2020, that the Florida Legislature voted almost unanimously to award DuBoise close to $2 million in compensation for his wrongful conviction, that one of the two men alleged to be the true killers has since pleaded guilty.
There is no evidence tying Robert to that crime, Warren said. And the only people who still believe hes (guilty) are those who are either too afraid or too blinded by their own pride to actually see the facts and see the truth.
Asked to respond to Warrens comments Friday afternoon, a spokesperson for Lopez referred to her prior statements about the case, saying the office had nothing new to add. Lopez previously took issue with the way Warren handled DuBoises case, criticizing him for not personally speaking to Ober and the cases original detectives.
DuBoise was 18 when he was arrested for the murder of Barbara Grams. The young woman was attacked, raped and beaten as she walked home one night in August 1983 from her job at the Tampa Bay Center mall.
The key evidence against DuBoise was a bite mark on the victims cheek, which a dentist opined was a match to him. A jailhouse informant also claimed DuBoise had confessed. Sent to death row, his sentence was later reduced to life in prison.
Scientific studies have since demonstrated that bite mark analysis is highly unreliable. Jailhouse informant testimony is also a frequent factor in wrongful convictions.
DuBoise obtained the help of the Innocence Project, the New York legal organization. They submitted a petition to the conviction review unit. The units attorney, Teresa Hall, located samples of DNA from a rape exam taken from Grams. When tested, the results showed no match to DuBoise.
The DNA did link to two other men, with whom he had no connection, who were in prison for a different murder that occurred in 1983. Amos Robinson and Abron Scott were later charged with Gramss murder, along with the long-unsolved slaying of Linda Lansen, who was killed about a month before Grams. Scott later pleaded guilty. Robinson awaits trial.
The jailhouse informant in DuBoises case later testified that hed lied about DuBoise confessing to the crime, saying he felt pressured by police and prosecutors.
DuBoise was asked about the first things he did when released four years ago, how he managed to adapt to life after prison. He spoke about his time at the Sunny Center, an organization that provides housing to exonerees, and learning to adapt to freedom in a new era, much the same way he had to adapt to prison life.
He spoke about learning to use a cell phone, staying up late figuring out how to answer a call.
Someone asked how the experience affected their opinions of the death penalty.
Thats kind of a sore subject with me, DuBoise said, drawing laughter. He mentioned the cases of two men he knew on death row whom he believed were wrongfully executed.
Someone asked what society can do to make him whole again. His response drew applause.
Theres really nothing you can do to help, DuBoise said. I dont really accept help very well, because I dont feel like I need it. Im more focused on doing stuff for other people. So theres really nothing that anybody can do, except just be honest and kind to each other. Thats all I hope for.
MURRAY, Utah (ABC4 Utah) Intermountain Healths Supply Chain Organization is celebrating a 40,000 square foot expansion at its state-of-the-art warehouse in Midvale, Utah.
The new upgrade allows for 30 percent more bulk space storage for vital medical supplies, which is a part of its efforts for cost savings and emergency preparedness.
The upgrade allows for supplies currently being stored in rented spaces to be consolidated under one roof at the Intermountain supply chain warehouse. This step alone will save more than $12 million annually. Extra savings also comes from avoiding thousands of unnecessary trucking miles to ship supplies back and forth from other warehouses.
This expansion is another step in our continuous effort to streamline our supply chain while adapting to growing needs of our communities, said Allison Corry, chief supply chain officer at Intermountain Health. Being able to store large amounts of vital medical supplies played a major role in getting us through the pandemic and this new space will make us resilient for the next emergency.
The new space also allows for an expansion of the pharmacy fulfillment center, which already operates at the supply chain warehouse and fills nearly a million prescriptions annually. This makes room for new storage machines and upgraded automated systems to fill orders for patients.
Its rare for health systems to own and manage large warehouses for supply chain needs, but at Intermountain its key to keeping costs low and medical supplies and medication accessible. This was especially important during the pandemic when having the space for storage allowed them to stock up on supplies when they were available.
The Intermountain warehouse handles daily deliveries of supplies and other logistics to hospitals and clinics in Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada.
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CANBERRA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Australian authorities have issued a warning over a rise in the number of children being coerced into producing sexual and violent conduct online.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) on Friday cautioned parents and guardians over an online trend emerging in Australia involving young victims who are being coerced over the internet to produce extreme content.
The AFP said that sadistic sextortion is a growing type of internet crime where online communities target children as young as 12 and pressure them to self-produce an image or video of an explicit sexual or violent act to gain acceptance into the community.
Once the image or video is produced and sent to an offender, the recipient will then send the content to other members of the community who will extort the victim by threatening to share the explicit material with their friends or family unless more extreme content is produced.
According to the AFP, offenders in some cases are the same age as victims being targeted.
Helen Schneider, AFP Commander of Human Exploitation, said that intelligence received by the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) suggested most offenders in extreme online groups were motivated by obtaining status or notoriety within the group rather than money.
"These offenders are not motivated by financial gain. Instead, they are driven by exploiting vulnerable victims into producing abhorrent content for their deranged amusement," she said in a statement.
"Unfortunately, some victims in these groups do not see themselves as victims. They do not believe they are being coerced into performing these extremely horrific acts and therefore are unlikely to report it to the authorities."
The AFP issued the warning to coincide with National Child Protection Week (NCPW), which aims to engage and educate Australians about the complexity of child abuse and neglect.
Schneider said that parents and guardians should be aware of the warning signs that a young person is being groomed - such as increased screen time and self-isolation - and be prepared to have a conversation with a child they believe is engaging in harmful activity online.
The Kremlin on Sept. 4 said Russia would be adjusting its nuclear weapons doctrine in response to what it described as the "challenges and threats, prompted by countries of the so-called collective West."
Accusing Western nations of "rejecting dialogue," ignoring Russia's security concerns, and inciting the war in Ukraine that Russia itself is waging, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said such actions could not go unanswered.
"All of this is taken into account in Moscow, all of this is being analyzed and will lay the foundation for proposals (regarding the nuclear doctrine) that will be shaped," he said.
Peskov's comments are the latest instance of Russian nuclear rhetoric and saber-rattling, fueled in large part by developments during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022.
Throughout the war, the Kremlin has repeatedly laid down red lines, the crossing of which it has said could provoke a nuclear response. Moscows intent of increasingly warning that it could resort to using nuclear weapons from its arsenal, the largest in the world, has been to deter Ukraines Western allies from further arming Kyiv.
Kyivs allies have gradually provided increasing amounts and higher grades of weaponry to Kyiv in fear of such an outcome, short of what Ukraine needs to win the war decisively. Though the Western weaponry supplies have been drip-fed, as if testing Russias red lines, Russias tactic has not delivered the intended outcome thus far of reducing such continued and increasing armament of Ukraine.
"Russia's leadership is worrying a lot about the fact that its nuclear threats do not work. That is why they try to solve the problem of making the threats work again," Pavel Luzin, Senior Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), told the Kyiv Independent.
Read also: Opinion: We cant lose sight of nuclear nonproliferation
What is Russia's nuclear doctrine?
As one of the eight countries in the world that has publicly announced possession of nuclear weapons, Russia also has a set of rules that dictate when they can be used.
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a nuclear doctrine in 2020, the provisions of which listed for the first time the threats against which nuclear weapons could be deployed.
It states among other things, that Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction are used against it or its allies.
Russian forces can also deploy their nuclear arsenal in response to any conventional weapons if Russia's existence is threatened. The country's president decides on the use of nuclear arms, it adds.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a reception for Naval officers after the military parade, marking the Navy Day in Saint Petersburg, Russia on July 28 2024. (Contributor/Getty Images)
However, in late February 2024, journalists from the Financial Times (FT) were able to obtain access to secret Russian documents related to Russia's tactical nuclear weapons.
The threshold for the use of these weapons by Russia is much lower than Russian officials have publicly claimed, the FT said.
According to the media outlet, the Russian military could also use them to "deter states from aggression" or "escalating military conflicts."
Read also: Opinion: Much ado about Russias nuclear rumblings?
How many nuclear weapons does Russia have?
According to a March report from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Russia currently has a total inventory of 5,580 nuclear warheads (including around 1,200 awaiting dismantlement), the most of any country in the world.
Putin and other Russian officials have reiterated several times since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Russia is "prepared" for a nuclear war, and could use its nuclear arsenal if necessary.
In February, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, said the world risked a global "apocalypse" if Western nations continued to send arms to Ukraine.
And in May, he made similar threats amid discussions about the possible deployment of Western troops to Ukraine, which French President Emmanuel Macron widely supported.
"Sending their (Western) troops to Ukraine will entail a direct entry of their countries into the war, which we must respond to. And, unfortunately, not on the territory of Ukraine," he said.
The threats have also been accompanied by the reported deployment of tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, as well as joint nuclear exercises between the two countries.
Russia's new nuclear doctrine
As well as Peskov's recent comments, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Sep. 1 that Russia will change its nuclear doctrine based on an analysis of recent conflicts and the West's "escalation course."
Work on the doctrine changes is at "an advanced stage," according to Ryabkov, but the Russian official did not reveal any deadlines for the document's drafting or the changes to be introduced.
Experts suggest any announcements in a change in doctrine are more for political and psychological effect, rather than a step towards their actual use.
"In this way, it does not matter what will be changed because any changes will have political and psychological senses, but not a military sense itself," Luzin said.
Jacob Kaarsbo, a senior analyst at the Think Tank Europa, echoed Luzin's stance, saying that the Russian government has become more vocal amid talks of allowing Ukraine to use Western long-range weapons to strike Russia back and Ukraine's ongoing incursion in Kursk Oblast.
"By making this announcement now, Ryabkov is trying to deter outgoing U.S. President [Joe] Biden and his administration to keep them away from making this decision [to allow Ukraine to strike with Western weapons deep inside Russia]," Kaarsbo told the Kyiv Independent.
Kaarsbo noted that this is the same phenomenon that had previously been observed during the war when Kremlin representatives became more active during discussions of important decisions to support Ukraine.
Visitors watch a video of a nuclear bomb test as they visit the Atom pavilion, a permanent exhibition center designed to demonstrate Russia's main past and modern achievements of the nuclear power industry, at the All-Russia Exhibition Centre (VDNH) in Moscow on Nov. 4, 2023. (Tatyana Makeyeva / AFP via Getty Images)
"That's an old trick from the intelligence book," Kaarsbo said, adding that Russia's nuclear posture has not changed recently, and its latest statements are purely political.
The Kremlin's latest announcement of changes to its nuclear doctrine has not gone unnoticed by its allies as well.
China, which is one of Russia's key partners in helping it stay afloat under Western sanctions, said the day after Ryabkov's announcement that "a nuclear war cannot be won."
The influence of allies is also a deterrent for Russia because the use of nuclear tactical weapons, particularly against Ukraine, would harm Putin himself in the first place, Kaarsbo added.
Yet, Luzin said that the only correct way to deal with Russia is a presumption that if Russia is politically, technically, and organizationally capable of using nuclear weapons, it will use them sooner or later. The world must be ready for the worst-case scenario and make military preparations for this, he added.
"If Russia's leadership realizes that in case of any scale of such use [of nuclear weapons], it will be inevitably eliminated together with all their families, including grandchildren, and that Russia will be totally destroyed and disarmed, that will be an effective deterrence."
"Russia's leadership should be aware that this response will be unacceptably painful for them. And that's the problem because it seems that guys in the Kremlin believe they can survive," Luzin said.
Read also: Silent killer: Russia boosts grinding Donbas advance with chemical warfare
Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The crash of the F-16 fighter jet in Ukraine has raised the question of the pace of training of Ukrainian pilots to use the aircraft on the battlefield, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Sept. 6, citing unnamed U.S. and Western officials.
Ukraine's General Staff confirmed on Aug. 29 that the F-16, which had been recently delivered to the country and was being operated by Ukraine's top pilot Oleksii Mes, call sign "Moonfish," had crashed while defending against a mass Russian drone and missile attack on Aug. 26. Mes was killed in the crash.
Ukraine's Air Force has not yet announced the cause of the crash. An investigation, with the U.S. involvement, is underway.
Kyiv is yet to establish whether the plane was shot down by Russia or "friendly fire," or whether a mechanical malfunction caused the crash, U.S. officials told the WSJ.
One of the American officials claimed that a Russian missile exploded near the F-16 shortly before it disappeared from radar, which could have either damaged the jet or forced the pilot to maneuver too low over the ground, leading to the crash.
The training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16s has been happening at an accelerated pace. Ukraine's pilot training program is ongoing, but "the crash shows what happens when you try to rush things," an unnamed senior defense official told the WSJ.
Western officials are now discussing Ukraine's decision to use the jets on the battlefield weeks after the arrival of the first batch, sending pilots who have had limited flying hours in the U.S. aircraft on combat missions, the WSJ reported.
Ukraine received its first F-16s at the beginning of August, a year after its allies formed the fighter jet coalition at the NATO summit in Vilnius to support Kyiv with training and aircraft.
Following the F-16 crash, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Ukraine's Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk on Aug. 30. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that his removal was not connected to the deadly accident.
Read also: F-16 fighter jet in Ukraine unlikely shot down by friendly fire, NYT suggests
Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Claim:
A photo genuinely shows Donald Trump giving a thumbs up in front of nearly two dozen people wearing shirts reading, "Walz's for Trump."
Rating:
Rating: Fake
Context:
This picture displayed signs that someone generated it with an artificial-intelligence (AI) tool. Meanwhile, as we previously reported, a different and genuine photo truly did show eight of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's relatives wearing shirts reading, "Nebraska Walz's for Trump." The Associated Press published that the eight people were distant cousins of Walz. Trump did not appear in that real picture.
A picture circulating online in the summer of 2024 purportedly showed former U.S. President Donald Trump posing and giving a thumbs up in front of nearly two dozen people all appearing to wear T-shirts reading, "Walz's for Trump." The image indicated the people standing behind Trump were relatives of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Vice President Kamala Harris' Democratic vice-presidential running mate in the November 2024 U.S. presidential election.
For example, on Sept. 4, a user on X named Ivanka Trump News (@IvankaNews_) an account with no official affiliation with Trump's daughter, Ivanka posted (archived) the picture with the caption, "BREAKING: The *entire* Tim Walz Family just endorsed Donald J. TRUMP for President 2024! What are your reactions?"
Several other users also shared the same image on the LipstickAlley.com forums, Reddit, YouTube and X.
However, this was not a real photo, nor did Walz's entire family endorse the former president. The image displayed signs someone generated it with an artificial intelligence (AI) tool. No news websites genuinely reported on the picture, nor did any independent blogs geared toward supporting Trump. We contacted via a direct message on X the @IvankaNews_ user to ask about the image's creation but did not yet receive a response.
Separate from the fake photo, as we previously reported, it was true that, in September 2024, some of Walz's relatives living in Nebraska signaled support of Trump in a genuine picture. That photo showed eight people wearing T-shirts reading, "Nebraska Walz's for Trump."
The Associated Press published that the people in the real photo were distant cousins of the Walz family. Trump did not appear in the genuine picture.
A Closer Look at the Fake Photo Showing Trump
As for the fake, AI-generated image featuring Trump posing with a thumbs up, readers may have noticed something generally seemed a bit different about Trump's face compared to real photos of him captured in recent years. Worse, while some of the faces nearest Trump appeared reasonably realistic, the ones in the background most certainly did not.
For example, behind this smiling, AI-generated man's head is another person whose head appears unrealistically wide:
The glance exhibited by this AI-generated person might remind readers of the fake faces produced by the website thispersondoesnotexist.com:
Meanwhile, the fake person shown on the left side of this zoomed-in image displayed a blurry and somewhat flattened face, especially around the mouth, while the shoulders of the man on the right appeared strangely high:
Other faces in the picture also displayed signs typical of AI-image manipulation.
For further reading, we previously reported about another AI-generated picture described as "five dancing Israelis" purportedly showing five shirtless men recording themselves waving an Israeli flag on 9/11 as the World Trade Center's twin towers burned in the background.
Sources:
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.
Liles, Jordan. "Photo Shows Relatives of Tim Walz Wearing 'Nebraska Walz's for Trump' Shirts?" Snopes, 5 Sept. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/nebraska-walzs-for-trump/.
"Search with an Image on Google - Computer." Google Search Help, https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/1325808.
Claim:
A photo shows relatives of 2024 U.S. 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 photograph allegedly showing members of 2024 U.S. Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz's family wearing pro-Trump T-shirts trended on social media in early September 2024, just weeks before the November election.
People's fascination with the photo stemmed from the fact that Walz, Minnesota's governor, is on the Democratic presidential ticket with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, running against former President Donald Trump, who is a Republican. The T-shirts in question bore the slogan "Nebraska Walz's for Trump."
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 (AP) 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: Yes, Wells Fargo Employee Was Found Dead at Desk 4 Days After Last Clocking In
Claim:
A Wells Fargo employee was found dead at her desk four days after she last clocked in on Aug. 16, 2024.
Rating:
Rating: True
In late August 2024, news broke about the tragic death of Denise Prudhomme, a 60-year-old employee at Wells Fargo financial corporation's Tempe, Arizona, office. Reports said her body remained undiscovered at her desk for four days after she last clocked in.
Both the Tempe Police Department and Wells Fargo confirmed key details of the incident, verifying that Prudhomme died while at work, and that her body was not found for several days.
According to a Tempe PD statement sent via email:
Tempe PD responded to the Wells Fargo location in Tempe at 1150 W Washington St on 08-20-24 after on-site security called about an employee, Denise Prudhomme (60 years old) and believed she was dead in a cubicle located on the third floor of the building. Denise was pronounced dead at 4:55PM. We can confirm Denise was a Wells Fargo employee. Denise last scanned into the building on Friday at approximately 7am and there is no further scan in or out. The cause of death is a determination made by the Office of Medical Examiner (coroner in AZ). Based on the timeline we provided, last scanned in on Friday 08-16-24 at 7am and located 08-20-24 at 4:55PM. The preliminary investigation did not show any obvious signs of foul play. We have no further information at this time as this is an on-going investigation.
Prudhomme last scanned into the building on the morning of Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, at 7 a.m. Her body was found four days later on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
According to numerous reports, Prudhomme's third floor cubicle was located in an underpopulated area with little foot traffic. Several people reportedly noticed a foul odor but attributed it to plumbing issues. A security guard reportedly found her body and called 911.
A Wells Fargo employee who spoke anonymously to local Phoenix-area NBC affiliate 12News expressed shock, telling the outlet: "To hear she's been sitting at the desk like that would make me feel sick," adding, "And nobody did anything. That's how she spent her last moments."
Wells Fargo expressed sorrow over Prudhomme's death in a statement sent via email:
We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague, Denise Prudhomme. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones, and we are in contact to ensure they are well supported during this difficult time. We are committed to the safety and wellness of our workforce. Counselors are available to support any employees impacted by this event.
The company also said there were no additional details available, as of this writing, that the organization was "fully cooperating" with the ongoing investigation conducted by the Tempe PD, and has deferred additional inquiries to law enforcement officials.
Although authorities ruled out foul play, the Maricopa County medical examiner had not yet released the official cause or time of death, which remained pending, as of this writing. While Prudhomme last clocked into the office on Aug. 16, it remains unclear precisely when she died.
Snopes has previously fact checked claims about people dying at work, including a false claim about a man who died at his office desk and went unnoticed for five days, and a Frito-Lay worker who died on the assembly line.
Sources:
- YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihhb1wTwrmg. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.
---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4bGlckBr5k. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.
---. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXrGb_Ju_oU. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.
"A Woman Clocked in for Work at Wells Fargo on Friday at 7 a.m. 4 Days Later, She Was Found Dead at Her Desk." 12news.Com, 27 Aug. 2024, https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/investigation-underway-after-body-of-wells-fargo-employee-found-dead-at-work-tempe/75-1329570f-3b63-4869-b4bd-7d45801a80f2.
Cortez, Alexis. "Wells Fargo Employee Dies at Work in Tempe Office; Body Not Found until Days Later." Https://Www.Azfamily.Com, 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.azfamily.com/2024/08/29/wells-fargo-employee-dies-work-tempe-office-body-not-found-until-days-later/.
Diaz, Elvia. "Wells Fargo Employee Found Dead at Her Desk, and No One Notices? This Is a Wakeup Call." The Arizona Republic, https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/elviadiaz/2024/08/30/denise-prudhomme-died-tempe-wells-fargo-remote-work/75014953007/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.
Jackson, Ashleigh. "Wells Fargo Employee Found Dead in Her Office Cubicle 4 Days after Clocking In." Oklahoma's News 4, The Nexstar Media Group, 31 Aug. 2024, https://kfor.com/news/wells-fargo-employee-found-dead-in-her-office-cubicle-4-days-after-clocking-in/.
---. "Wells Fargo Employee Found Dead in Her Office Cubicle 4 Days after Clocking In." WKBN27, Nexstar, 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.wkbn.com/news/national-world/wells-fargo-employee-found-dead-in-office-cubicle-4-days-after-clocking-in/.
Medical Examiner | Maricopa County, AZ. https://www.maricopa.gov/468/Medical-Examiner. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.
MSN. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/wells-fargo-employee-unnoticed-for-days-found-dead-at-desk/ar-AA1pOlFe. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.
'Officials Probe Death of Wells Fargo Employee Found in Her Cubicle 4 Days after Last Scanning into Work'. NBC News, 29 Aug. 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/officials-probe-death-wells-fargo-employee-found-dead-cubicle-4-days-l-rcna168756.
"Rest in Peace Denise Prudhomme from Tempe Arizona." Reddit, 31 Aug. 2024, https://www.reddit.com/r/WellsFargoUnited/comments/1f4zgym/rest_in_peace_denise_prudhomme_from_tempe_arizona/.
"Wells Fargo Employee Found Dead 4 Days After Clocking in at Work." Trending, https://popculture.com/trending/news/wells-fargo-employee-found-dead-4-days-after-clocking-in-at-work/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.
"Wells Fargo Employee Found Dead at Desk after Four Days." Daily Wrap, 1 Sept. 2024, https://dailywrap.ca/wells-fargo-employee-found-dead-at-desk-after-four-days,7066415336900225a.
Yang, Maya. "Wells Fargo Worker Found Dead at Her Desk Four Days after Clocking In." The Guardian, 29 Aug. 2024. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/aug/29/arizona-wells-fargo-worker-death.
(Reuters) - The status of a narrow stretch of land known as the Philadelphi corridor on Gaza's border with Egypt has emerged as a stumbling block in efforts to secure a deal for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after 11 months of war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel needs to keep forces in the corridor to prevent it from becoming a lifeline for Hamas to smuggle weapons into Gaza.
But Egypt says Israel must pull out, and Hamas is demanding an Israeli withdrawal from the whole of Gaza. Here are some facts about the corridor.
WHAT IS THE PHILADEPHI CORRIDOR?
The corridor is a strip about 14km (9 miles) long, running from the Mediterranean sea at its north-western end to near the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing at its south-eastern end.
Israel gave it the code name Philadelphi, while the Palestinians and Egypt commonly call it the Salah al-Din route or axis.
Securing the border has long been a concern for Israel. Before it withdrew forces and settlers from Gaza in 2005, attacks on Israeli soldiers patrolling the corridor were common.
As part of the pull-out, Israel signed an agreement with Egypt which allowed for a 750-strong Egyptian border guard that was meant to tackle smuggling and militancy on the border. Control of the Gazan side passed to the Palestinian Authority until Hamas took over Gaza in 2007.
WHO CONTROLS IT AND WHAT DOES ISRAEL WANT?
Israel seized control of the Philadelphi corridor in May as part of its advance into Rafah, in southern Gaza.
It says it needs to secure the corridor because Hamas used tunnels linking Gaza with Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to smuggle weapons and banned material.
Long after Israel withdrew from Gaza, a large network of tunnels remained in use. In May, an Israeli delegate at the International Court of Justice said about 50 such tunnels had been identified in Rafah after the entry of Israeli forces.
Egypt says it destroyed the tunnel network from its side of the border as it began to push back against an Islamist insurgency in northern Sinai almost a decade ago, and that it later created a buffer zone and border fortifications that prevent smuggling.
WHY IS THE CORRIDOR IMPORTANT FOR PALESTINIANS?
Since Hamas took over Gaza, Israel along with Egypt enforced a blockade on the territory.
That included tightly controlling movement through the Rafah crossing, which is located on the Philadelphi corridor and was the only crossing on Gaza's borders not directly controlled by Israel.
Despite the restrictions, it remained a lifeline for Palestinians, allowing those with security approval to leave and re-enter the territory and serving as a gateway for trade.
After the outbreak of war on Oct. 7 last year the Rafah crossing became the main entry point for humanitarian aid and an evacuation route for those in serious need of medical treatment.
Israel's advance in May resulted in the closure of the crossing, sharply reducing aid deliveries and medical evacuations.
WHAT'S EGYPT'S POSITION?
Egypt says the corridor is guaranteed by its 1979 peace treaty with Israel, that Israel must withdraw, and that a Palestinian presence at Rafah should be restored.
The Israeli advance deprived Egypt of its role brokering access over the border, a position that had given Cairo leverage over Hamas.
Security at the border is highly sensitive for Egypt because of its history of conflict with Israel, fears that Israel's military offensive could create a breach of the border and push large numbers of Palestinians into Sinai, and the risk of militancy.
While Egypt has developed extensive contacts with Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was banned in Egypt after then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led the 2013 overthrow of its democratically elected president, Mohamed Mursi.
Early in the current conflict, Sisi raised the prospect of Sinai becoming a base for attacks against Israel if Palestinians were forced across the border en masse.
WHY IS THE CORRIDOR A FOCUS OF CEASEFIRE TALKS?
Israel's desire to keep troops deployed in the Philadelphi corridor and the Netzarim corridor, which cuts across the Gaza Strip south of Gaza City, have recently emerged as sticking points in ceasefire talks.
Over months of negotiations Hamas's core demands have been a guarantee of a permanent ceasefire and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The group wants Palestinians, many of whom were displaced from northern to southern Gaza, to be able to move through Netzarim from the first phase of any ceasefire deal.
It has accused Netanyahu of raising new demands as a pretext for continuing the war.
Egypt is a mediator in ceasefire talks together with the United States and Qatar, and has reacted angrily to Israeli suggestions that its border with Gaza is not secure.
Negotiators have discussed surveillance systems that could allow Israel to pull back its troops if a ceasefire was agreed. There has also been discussion of deploying international monitors at the border.
Netanyahu has rejected a withdrawal from the corridor in the first phase of a ceasefire deal. Israel would only agree to a permanent ceasefire after that with guarantees the corridor would be secured, he said.
(Compiled by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Factbox-Who is Philippine ex-mayor Alice Guo and what is known about her arrest?
By Neil Jerome Morales and Mikhail Flores
MANILA (Reuters) - Former Philippines mayor Alice Guo, accused of ties to Chinese criminal syndicates and money laundering, arrived in Manila on Friday on a chartered flight after being deported from Indonesia.
Guo, also known as Chinese national Guo Hua Ping, was arrested in the Indonesian city of Tangerang near the capital of Jakarta on Tuesday.
Her case has gripped the Philippines at a time of growing suspicion about China's activities following an escalation of disputes in the South China Sea where the two nations have overlapping claims.
WHO IS ALICE GUO?
Guo ran for mayor of Bamban, an agricultural town north of the capital, as a Philippine citizen in 2022. But law enforcement authorities later found her fingerprints matched those of a Chinese national, Guo Hua Ping.
The Philippine Senate opened a congressional probe into Guo in May, two months after authorities raided a gambling hub catering to offshore clients who are mostly Chinese. The raid uncovered what authorities described as online scams inside a facility built on land that Guo partially owned.
Guo refused to appear at subsequent hearings in June, citing emotional trauma from her previous attendance. That led the senate to cite her in contempt and ordered her arrest.
WHAT VIOLATIONS IS SHE ACCUSED OF?
The Philippines' anti-graft office removed her as mayor in August due to grave misconduct over her alleged ties to illegal gaming operations in Bamban.
The raid on the gambling hub uncovered hundreds of trafficked workers including foreign nationals, which triggered a human trafficking complaint against Guo from an anti-crime commission.
Philippine authorities filed several counts of money laundering against Guo and her accomplices last month.
Guo has insisted she is a natural-born Philippine citizen facing "malicious accusations", and had no knowledge of criminality.
HOW DID ALICE GUO ESCAPE THE PHILIPPINES?
Guo fled the country in July, travelling to Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia using her Philippine passport, the Philippine anti-crime agency said.
The former mayor and her two supposed siblings fled the Philippines by boat to Malaysia, Sheila Guo, an alleged accomplice who was arrested earlier in Indonesia, told a Philippine senate hearing last week.
HOW WAS ALICE GUO CAPTURED IN INDONESIA?
The 34-year-old former mayor was apprehended by Interpol Indonesia on Tuesday in Tangerang, Indonesia's immigration agency said in a statement.
From closed-circuit television checks, immigration officers found that a Singaporean national helped Guo book four hotel rooms at a hotel on Indonesia's Batam island for the past three days prior to their arrest on Tuesday.
WHO IS GREGOR HAAS AND WHY IS HE INVOLVED IN THE CASE?
According to reports by Indonesian media, authorities from Jakarta had requested a prisoner swap, where they would get Australian national Gregor Johann Haas who is being held in the Philippines.
Philippine immigration authorities arrested the 46-year-old Haas in May in the city of Bogo in the central province of Cebu.
The arrest was made on account of a standing red notice by Interpol over a criminal case filed against him in Indonesia, the Philippines' immigration bureau said in a statement on May 19.
Indonesian authorities have accused Haas of links to the Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel, and an attempt to smuggle into Indonesia in December 2023 a shipment of floor ceramics filled with over five kilograms of methamphetamine.
Haas is detained at an immigration detention facility while awaiting deportation proceedings.
Philippine Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said on Thursday there was no official request from Indonesian counterparts for a prisoner swap, but he said he is aware of the supposed swap request based on media reports. A prisoner swap request, Remulla said, would go through the foreign ministry unless he is authorised to directly coordinate with his counterparts in Jakarta.
(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales and Mikhail Flores)
FAIR LAWN, N.J. (PIX11) Dozens of veterans in Fair Lawn were ready for a fight after the borough earlier this week showed hesitance to include a symbolic statue in their veterans memorial expansion project.
Upset isnt the word. I cant use the words, said Fair Lawn Veterans Council Chair Jim Florio, a Navy veteran. We were really in an uproar about this.
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The Battlefield Cross is a symbol in the military community to honor a servicemember killed in combat. It includes a pair of boots, a rifle with a bayonet stuck into the ground, a helmet, and dog tags.
It has no religious connotation, it has no ethnic connotation, its certainly not political, said Florio. Its nothing but a monument of respect to fallen heroes, and belongs right here in Veterans Circle.
Mayor Gail Rottenstrich was among some in the Borough to express concern. There was a focus in the depiction that I saw that was basically more about a rifle than a monument, said Rottenstrich, she said.
Rottenstrich was worried that children would see the rifle and not know what it meant in the context of the memorial, noting it is surrounded by several playgrounds and a school.
Theres Memorial Middle School there, said Rottenstrich, and I really want the kids who encounter it to have an understanding of what it means.
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Florio invited the mayor to come have a conversation with local veterans on Monday.
On Thursday morning came a compromise: the Battlefield Cross will stand after all, and it will have a plaque explaining its symbolism.
People will come to see it and know exactly what it means, said Florio.
Rottenstrich is married to a veteran and wants all veterans stories to be told.
Thats whats important, said Rottenstrich, that we all work together and find common ground and educate everybody.
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(FOX40.COM) The Fairfield Police Department said a 73-year-old man reported missing Friday has been found and reunited with his family.
According to police, the man had last been seen near Sanderling Drive around 8:45 a.m. Friday morning wearing a long-sleeved shirt and grey pants.
The has dementia and was considered at risk,
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VIENTIANE, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has urged Lao people to actively support the country's role as host of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related meetings as well as Laos' ASEAN chairmanship in 2024.
Sonexay made the remarks on Thursday, inviting all ethnic groups in Laos to contribute to the country's ASEAN chairmanship in 2024, Lao News Agency reported on Friday.
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Sonexay emphasized that 2024 is a crucial year for Laos, citing the Visit Laos Year 2024 event and the nation's ASEAN chairmanship.
He highlighted the importance of ASEAN chairmanship in raising Laos' profile and showcasing the country's rich cultural heritage. It also serves as a platform to attract support, and promote collaboration in trade, investment, tourism, and human resource development with ASEAN and external partners, according to him.
Under the theme of "ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience," Laos' ASEAN chairmanship in 2024 aligns with the country's strategic goal of transforming from a landlocked nation into a regional connectivity hub.
The theme also reflects ASEAN's broader mission of strengthening integration and addressing emerging challenges effectively.
Laos' ASEAN chairmanship has seen significant progress in the past eight months, with various ministries and sectors hosting and presiding over ASEAN meetings.
Sonexay urged the Lao people to take pride in their country's achievements and to continue supporting Laos' ASEAN chairmanship, as it will contribute to the nation's long-term development and growing role on the global stage.
Family of two Worcester murder victims crowd into court for suspects arraignment
An emotional day in Worcester as dozens of family members of two women found murdered last month, crowd into Worcester District Court for the suspects arraignment.
59-year-old William Rodriguez is now charged and arraigned on two counts of murder for the deaths of Sergia Acosta and Ana Maria Martinez.
The courtroom was packed with family of the victims.
They arrived at the courthouse, still wearing their funeral clothes, directly from the double funeral for Sergia and Ana Maria.
I hope every single day, you are behind those bars, you remember my aunts face, my grandmas face. Justice will be served, the victims niece Genesis Berrios said. When youre evil, that, theres no way you can feel any remorse.
On August 24th Sergia and Ana Maria were found slashed and stabbed to death in a Worcester apartment.
Authorities say witnesses told them Rodriguez was in a dating relationship with Ana Maria, and that the two had been arguing.
In 2007, William Rodriguez pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the 2004 slashing death of his wife, Carmen Rodriguez, at a Worcester hotel where the two worked.
He served 15 years and was released on parole in 2019.
Ana Marias family says, she only discovered what happened to Rodriguezs wife shortly before the double murder.
They confronted him about it, and my aunt didnt want anything else to do with him, and I think thats what drove him to madness, Berrios said.
For the families of the victims, the day began with a tearful double funeral
And it ended in a courtroom, looking for justice for the man accused of causing all this heartache.
Everything happens for a reason. And were going to show up for our family, niece Cathi Rodrigues said.
We just hope that justice is served so that no other family has to go through this, because of this evil person, Berrios added.
William Rodriguez was ordered held without bail.
He is due back in court for a dangerousness hearing on October 10th.
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How the family of a wealthy heiress stopped her evil, dangerous killer inheriting her 4m fortune
A high court judge has emphatically ruled wealthy heiress Paula Leeson was unlawfully killed by her husband, blocking him from inheriting her 4.4m estate.
Serial liar Donald McPherson, 51, was ordered to be found not guilty of the 2017 murder of his wife Ms Leeson, 47, on a judges direction halfway through his trial in 2021.
But Ms Leesons family successfully blocked his bid to inherit her 4.4 million estate by bringing legal proceedings against McPherson at Manchester Civil Courts of Justice.
On Friday, Mr Justice Richard Smith ruled that McPherson had unlawfully killed his wife by compressing her neck in an arm lock then putting her in a swimming pool leaving her to drown. He said the motive was clear money.
A judge has made the finding in a civil case, which has a lower standard of proof in criminal cases. The ruling does not mean that McPherson has been found guilty of a crime.
But how exactly did evil and dangerous McPherson come to as the judge found deliberately and unlawfully kill Ms Leeson at a holiday cottage in remote western Denmark in 2017?
How Donald McPherson and Paula Leeson met
Before McPherson, Ms Leeson lived with her parents and worked for the family business, specialising in groundwork and skip hire, in Sale in Greater Manchester. Ms Leeson, a mother-of-one, and her brother, Neville, stood to inherit the business from their father.
She oversaw the skip hire business where she met McPherson, who renovated and sold on property.
Paula Leeson had her only child, Ben, when she was 17 years of age and her relationship with her sons father soon fizzled out.
Donald McPherson was ordered to be found not guilty of the 2017 murder of Ms Leeson (MEN Media)
Ms Leesons brother Neville said McPherson just landed as if he dropped from space after she introduced him to the family.
He was taciturn with his wifes family. McPherson rarely engaged in conversation and it was said he resented the fact that Willy Leeson sat on his great wealth, his murder trial heard.
Paula and McPherson married following a whirlwind romance in a no expense spared ceremony at Peckforton Castle, Cheshire, in June 2014. McPherson had no family or friends present.
Paula Leesons father, Willy Leeson, outside Manchester Civil Justice Centre (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)
Born Alexander James Lang and originally from New Zealand, McPherson met Ms Leeson in 2013, using a cover story of being an orphan to hide his past after serving jail time for an 11 million bank fraud in Germany, a court previously heard.
The court also heard how McPherson was described as a Walter Mitty due to him changed his name multiple times, had 32 convictions spanning 15 years in three countries.
The court had been told McPherson has been convicted of 32 criminal offences of dishonesty or fraud in New Zealand. He was also known to have used aliases, including the name Rob Jones.
At Fridays hearing, Mr Justice Richard Smith, on delivering his verdict, said: It is no exaggeration to say that lies and dishonesty pervade every aspect of Dons life. Don lies to anyone if it might serve his interests.
Paulas death in Denmark
Ms Leeson was found dead in a swimming pool while staying at a holiday cottage with McPherson in remote western Denmark in 2017.
McPherson told Danish police at the time he woke up to find Ms Leeson face down in the shallow swimming pool at the holiday home he had booked for them.
Her death was initially treated as a tragic accident by the Danish authorities though she had suffered several external injuries. Pathologists found 13 separate injuries on Ms Leesons body, which jurors heard may have been sustained while being restrained or in a rescue and resuscitation attempt.
Paula Leeson died in 2017 (Supplied)
Ms Leeson, who was 5ft 5in tall, drowned in the pool that was less than 4ft deep, though she could swim and was otherwise healthy.
Lawyers for the Leeson family argued to save herself from drowning she could simply have stood up, so must have been choked before being put into the water unconscious.
In 2021, McPherson was put on trial for her murder - and it was heard how he transferred thousands of pounds from her accounts to cover his debts in the hours after she died, and a week later joined a group, Widowed and Young, he described as, Tinder for Widows.
Manchester Crown Court also heard how he had taken out life insurance policies before her death worth 3.5million.
A judge ordered a jury to find him not guilty of the murder, ruling that despite circumstantial evidence, members could not be sure to the criminal standard beyond reasonable doubt that he had killed her.
McPherson had denied murder, claiming to be sleeping when she drowned in the pool. He did not attend the civil cases and is believed to be living in the Pacific.
What now for her heartbroken family?
Ms Leesons elderly father, Willy, and brother, Neville, sat with her son, Ben, in court as the judgment was given on Friday.
Outside court, the Leeson family said todays ruling confirmed what they had known all along: that Donald McPherson killed Paula.
Paula Leeson's brother Neville (left) and father Willy (right) outside Manchester Civil Justice Centre (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Today is bittersweet. It has been very difficult for us to hear this outcome without it being followed by the sentencing of Donald McPherson to prison, their statement said.
This was a pre-meditated, cold-blooded murder, entirely motivated by Donald McPhersons wicked greed, to seek to benefit from insurance policies totalling 3.9 million, the majority of which he had incepted dishonestly, deceptively and without Paulas knowledge.
They called on Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service to re-open the murder investigation.
They added: As the judgment demonstrates, Donald McPherson is an evil, dangerous man and a long-standing fraudster. He has convictions worldwide for dishonesty offences.
We hope the judgment also serves as a warning to all who unwisely chose to associate with Donald McPherson or whatever he may now call himself. He is an extremely dangerous individual.
HENDERSON COUNTY, Ky. (WEHT) A group of farmers say their safety is at risk because of a bridge closure. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet closed the Highway 136 bridge in May after discovering steel deterioration. The detour is Kentucky 268, which farmers say is hard to travel with their big machinery.
This is our office. This is where we make our livelihoods. We do not like being put on the back burner, says Cory Duncan, a farmer impacted by the bridge closure.
Duncan says hes been left in the dark for months without answers after state officials closed the bridge on May 10th. KYTC officials say the bridge either needs to be repaired or replaced and tell us engineers are working on a solution. In the meantime, KYTC asks drivers to use Kentucky 268.
To get down here to several hundred acres, we have to go through Geneva, so we have to go towards town, then we have to go on 268 for several miles, just to get to this, says Jerry Long, a helper on a farm and retired firefighter.
Do you know how long it takes us to get here, on a piece of farm equipment going 20 miles per hour, says Charles Gabhart, another farmer who is impacted by the bridge closure.
Farmers say parts of the detour are overgrown and can damage their machines. We saw their concerns firsthand. When we went on the detour, a farmer pulled off in the weeds to let us through.
It tears tires up, Duncan says.
Duncan has fields near the bridge and says the closure also poses a significant safety issue.
Ive got a five-year-old son that likes to ride with me. One of my wifes concerns is what would happen if myself, my son, my father, or anyone else in our operation got hurt anything can happen. How long are we going to have to wait or sit, Duncan says.
On the aspect of emergency responders, there is what is called a golden hour. This means that once you are seriously injured, youve got an hour to get advanced life support. And not in an ambulance. At a hospital, Long says.
As harvest season approaches, the farmers say they hope officials hear their concerns and begin to work to repair the bridge quickly.
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Farmworkers are the backbone of Californias ag economy. Reports must recognize that | Opinion
Midway through his October 1996 solo concert at Fresnos Saroyan Theatre, Bruce Springsteen stopped to encourage fans to feed a piggy bank that had been set up at the exit. Donations would go to help the hardworking men and women in the fields.
His set list borrowed heavily from his Ghost of Tom Joad album, which included Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos), a song about the 1948 plane crash that claimed the lives of 28 braceros being deported to Mexico.
The Boss in a chat referenced in the 2019 book The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California turned to author Mark Arax during a post-concert chat.
Tell me, what kind of place is this? Springsteen asked. Not a single penny was put in that piggy bank.
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That shouldnt be a shock to farmworkers who are just as important as water and soil in helping to create a multi-billion agricultural industry that is the envy of the world. Yet these important pieces of the ag cog remain mostly invisible.
So kudos to the Modesto-based Latino Community Roundtable for suggesting the worth of farmworkers be recognized and rewarded. Their comments were made on Tuesday when the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors received a 2023 crop report that came in at $3.37 billion.
Raising the importance of farm labor in the Valleys agricultural riches is a worthy effort. In a region that feeds the country, the farmworkers role in planting, tending, milking cows and harvesting fruits and vegetables helps increase the value of those crops year after year.
Last month, Fresno Countys crops in 2023 were valued at a record $8.6 billion. Earlier this week, Stanislaus County reported a 10% decline in its crop value due to a lower price for milk, but still registered $3.37 billion.
Roundtable President Karlha Arias said field laborers face numerous hazards, from heat to pesticides, as reported in The Modesto Bee.
The people who harvest our crops and maintain our orchards are paying with their health, and, in some cases, with their own lives, said Arias, the daughter of farmworker parents in Hughson. Yet these workers remain invisible, their health needs unmet and their own contributions unrecognized.
Progress is being made
It should be noted that steps have been taken in recent years to provide more resources for a farmworker community that is estimated to be as many as 800,000 in California. Health care has been expanded to include the undocumented, new labor rights enforcement offices have been opened in the Central Valley and farmworkers can vote for a union under a process made easier under a 2023 state law.
There are other examples:
In March, Stanislaus County became the third in the state to establish a farmworker resource center when it directed $1 million in COVID relief funds to the Central Valley Opportunity Center. Sadly, other ag-rich counties like Fresno didnt bother to apply for the state funds.
In 2020, the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, the Modesto Rotary Club and AgSafe launched a Farm Worker of the Year award (this year, it went to Salvador Anaya, an almond business worker).
The California Farmworker Association, based in Delano, has held a vine pruning contest the last three years for area farmworkers. Cash prizes are given to the top performers, which includes a womens division. It is modeled after a contest in Napa Valley that is now in its 22nd year.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, at the bequest of the Legislature, declares each Aug. 26 as California Farmworker Day. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to the farmworkers at the heart and soul of California who sacrifice and contribute so much to our state, Newsom said in this years proclamation.
We believe county ag reports should include information about farmworkers and their work. Stanislaus County Supervisor Channce Condit, said he, too, would prefer to see more about the laborers in future reports.
We agree.
(Bloomberg) -- Mpox cases caused by the fast-spreading clade Ib variant and at least one other strain were detected in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congos densely populated capital, which has direct flights to more than a dozen countries.
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Co-circulation of clades Ia and Ib was reported for the first time in the central African city of more than 17 million people, researchers said in a study Wednesday. The finding, based on 11 mpox cases detected since July, indicates a fresh outbreak area 900 miles from the epicenter in eastern Congo, where a surge in mpox cases and subsequent spread to neighboring Burundi triggered a global health emergency last month.
The clade Ib strain was not expected to be circulating in western Congo, said Eddy Lusamaki, one of the studys authors, in a separate report. Its detection in Kinshasa is of particular concern due to the citys high population density, proximity to Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, and international connections via air travel. Cases have been reported in several African nations as well as Thailand and Sweden.
In August, the first case of a person infected with the new variant of the mpox virus outside the African continent was reported in Sweden. The patient, who contracted the disease in central Africa, didnt need to be hospitalized and no further cases have been identified in the country since then. Thailand also reported a case of clade Ib last month.
In Congo, more than 550 people have died from mpox this year. While clade Ia variants are the most commonly reported in the sprawling nation, the Ib strain has sparked increasing international attention since emerging in South Kivu Province last year because of its association with sustained human-to-human transmission driven by close physical contact with infected individuals, including through sex.
The co-circulation of two distinct strains was detected using genomic sequencing of viral specimens from cases in July and August in Kinshasa, according to the study, which was released ahead of peer-review and publication.
The finding illustrates the complexity of mpox outbreaks in Congo and the need for enhanced community surveillance and further investigation to better understand and address the factors contributing to outbreaks, said the papers multinational authors, led by Placide Mbala-Kingebeni and Tony Wawina-Bokalanga of the Congos National Institute of Biomedical Research.
The World Health Organization released a draft mpox response plan last week that focuses on vaccinating health-care and front-line workers and people known to have been exposed to the virus. Congo received its first mpox vaccines on Thursday.
--With assistance from Niclas Rolander.
(Updates to add cases in Sweden and Thailand in fourth paragraph.)
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Colin Gray has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children
Jessica McGowan/Getty Law enforcement stand outside of Apalachee High School where four people were killed in a mass shooting on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024
The father of 14-year-old student Colt Gray, the suspect in the Georgia school shooting that took place on Wednesday, Sept. 4, has been arrested.
"In coordination with District Attorney Brad Smith, the GBI has arrested Colin Gray, age 54, in connection to the shooting at Apalachee High School. Colin is Colt Grays father," the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a post on X, Thursday, Sept 5.
According to the department, Colin has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. His son Colt has been charged with four counts of felony murder.
CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, the site of a mass shooting that left 4 dead
Related: Victims of Georgia School Shooting Were 2 Students, 2 Teachers; Teen Suspect Will Be Charged as Adult
At a press conference on Thursday night, authorities said that Colin's charges stem from "Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son Colt to possess a weapon."
The Sept. 4 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., left four people dead: students Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, as well as teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53. Autopsies of the four victims were performed Thursday, per the GBI.
The nine individuals who were injured during the shooting are expected to make a "full recovery," according to the press conference.
Apalachee High School shooting victims (clockwise from top left): Christian Angulo, Richard Aspinwall, Mason Schermerhorn and Christina Irimie
Related: What We Know About the 2 Students, 2 Teachers Killed in Georgia School Shooting: 'So Loved by Many'
In May 2023, Colt was interviewed by law enforcement about alleged threats he made to commit a school shooting, the FBI's Atlanta Division said in a previous statement.
"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," said FBI Atlanta.
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While FBI Atlanta said there was no probable cause for an arrest or any further law enforcement action, local schools were notified for "continued monitoring of the subject."
This story is developing.
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Father of Georgia school shooter faces charges for allowing his son access to a gun
The father of 14-year-old suspected mass shooter Colt Gray told investigators that he purchased the firearm used to kill at least four and injure nine more as a Christmas gift for his son in December 2023, a CNN report alleges.
Per the Georgia Bureau of Investigations, 59-year-old Colin Gray was charged in connection to the Apalachee High School killing spree, with a source telling CNN that the weapon was purchased at a local gun store after law enforcement raised red flags.
Colin Gray, charged on Thursday night with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, was interviewed by local law enforcement in May 2023 when the FBI found threats to commit a school shooting made by the younger Gray online.
That investigation ended when the threat couldnt be substantiated.
These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son Colt to possess a weapon, GBI Director Chris Hosey reportedly said.
Colin Gray reportedly told the local sheriffs department then that his son didnt have unsupervised access to the guns he kept in the house, before later purchasing his son the weapon.
Colt Gray, charged with four counts of murder on Thursday, was in the midst of his first full day of school at Apalachee High School when he shot 13 students before surrendering to a school resource officer.
Of the deceased, two were students at the school Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo alongside two teachers, Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.
Father of Georgia School Shooter Told Police in Newly Released 2023 Audio That Greatest Day Was When Son Killed 1st Deer
Colin Gray, 54, and his 14-year-old son Colt Gray, both face charges in connection with the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga.
Brynn Anderson-Pool/Getty Colin Gray
Colin Gray, the father of suspected Georgia school shooter Colt Gray, previously expressed pride in his teenage sons hunting while speaking with authorities who were investigating alleged threats the boy made to commit a school shooting in 2023.
Now the son, 14, has been charged with four counts of felony murder in connection with the Sept. 4 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., that claimed the lives of four people. Colin, 54, was also arrested and charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children.
In May 2023, the son was interviewed by law enforcement about alleged threats he made to commit a school shooting, the FBI's Atlanta Division previously said.
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," the FBI said.
Related: Georgia School Shooting Suspect, 14, Was Interviewed by Authorities Over Alleged Threats in May 2023
While speaking to investigators, Colin allegedly said he had been teaching his son about guns and hunting in an effort to have him spend time outdoors and play fewer video games, The New York Times reported, citing a newly-released audio transcript.
Per the transcript, also obtained by PBS, Colin described a photo of Colin after shooting his first deer and said it was the greatest day ever.
According to records cited by The New York Times, Colin owned multiple weapons, including an AR-15-style rifle.
HANDOUT/Barrow County Sheriff's Office/AFP via Getty (2) Colt Gray (left) and Colin Gray
When asked by an investigator if the guns are accessible, Colin allegedly said, "They are ... I mean there's nothing loaded, but they are ... we do a lot of shooting, we do a lot of deer hunting, per the audio obtained by Fox News. Colin also allegedly said, "I'm going to be mad as hell if he did," in response to his son's alleged threat, and promised to take away all access to the guns, the outlet reported.
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According to the FBI, there was no probable cause for an arrest or any further law enforcement action, but local schools were notified for "continued monitoring of the subject."
The Sept. 4 attack killed two students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Nine others were hospitalized with injuries and are expected to make a full recovery, authorities previously said.
Related: What We Know About the 2 Students, 2 Teachers Killed in Georgia School Shooting: 'So Loved by Many'
Colin and the shooting suspect, who will be tried as an adult, appeared in court for the first time on Friday, Sept. 6.
A judge ruled the shooting suspect will not face the death penalty since he is under 18, CNN reported, adding that his preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 4. As for Colin, the judge said he could face up to 180 years in prison if convicted on all counts, per the outlet.
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WINDER, Ga. (AP) The father of a 14-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting four people at a Georgia high school and wounding nine others was arrested Thursday and faces charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for letting his son possess a weapon, authorities said.
Its the latest example of prosecutors holding parents responsible for their childrens actions in school shootings. In April, Michigan parents Jennifer and James Crumbley were the first convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting. They were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for not securing a firearm at home and acting indifferently to signs of their sons deteriorating mental health before he killed four students in 2021.
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said at a news conference.
Teen student charged with felony murder in Georgia school shooting
His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon, Hosey said.
In Georgia, second-degree murder means that a person has caused the death of another person while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of intent. It is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison, while malice murder and felony murder carry a minimum sentence of life. Involuntary manslaughter means that someone unintentionally caused the death of another person.
Authorities have charged 14-year-old Colt Gray as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta. Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse him of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people.
The teen denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriffs report obtained Thursday.
Conflicting evidence on the posts origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. 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.
Georgia shooting suspect interviewed by FBI in 2023
When a sheriffs investigator from neighboring Jackson County interviewed Gray last year, his father said the boy had struggled with his parents separation and often got picked on at school. The teen frequently fired guns and hunted with his father, who photographed him with a deers blood on his cheeks.
He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them, Colin Gray said, according to a transcript obtained from the sheriffs office.
The teen was interviewed after the sheriff received a tip from the FBI that Colt 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 sheriffs office incident report.
The FBIs 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 investigators report.
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. The teen said he stopped using the account a few months earlier after it was hacked.
The attack was the latest among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. 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. But there has been little change to national gun laws.
Classes were canceled Thursday at the Georgia high school, though some people came to leave flowers around the flagpole and kneel in the grass with heads bowed.
When the suspect slipped out of math class Wednesday, Lyela Sayarath figured her quiet classmate who recently transferred was skipping school again. But he returned later and wanted back into the room. 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, Sayarath said.
The teen then opened fire in the hallway, authorities said.
Sayarath said she heard a barrage of 10 to 15 gunshots. The students fell to the floor and crawled in search of a safe corner to hide.
Two school resource officers confronted the shooter within minutes after the gunshots were reported, Hosey said. The teen immediately surrendered.
Gray was being held Thursday at a regional youth detention facility. His first court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning.
He has been charged in the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, according to Hosey.
At least nine other people eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder were wounded and taken to hospitals. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.
Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how the suspect obtained the gun and got it into the school of roughly 1,900 students in a rapidly developing area on the edge of metro Atlantas ever-expanding sprawl.
Since the shooting, Georgia districts are reportedly dealing with multiple threats, in which police have pressed charges and made arrests.
It was the 30th mass killing in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer the same definition used by the FBI.
Prior cases have emerged in which someone who was once on the FBIs radar but was not arrested went on to commit violence.
Georgia school shooting: Football coach killed was proud girl dad
A month before Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at the Parkland, Florida, high school in 2018, the bureau received a warning that he had been talking about committing a mass shooting. The FBI also investigated a tip about the person later convicted in a deadly 2022 shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado.
The pattern underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in trying to determine when concerning behavior crosses into a crime. Investigators sift through tens of thousands of tips every year to try to determine which could yield a viable threat. Cases such as the Georgia school shooting prompt fresh questions about whether more intensive investigative work might have averted the violence.
The sheriffs report says investigator Daniel Miller spoke to the boy and his father May 21, 2023. The father said his son had access to guns in the house.
I mean they arent loaded, but they are down, Grays father said, according to the interview transcript.
He described a photo on his cellphone from a recent hunting trip with his son: You see him with blood on his cheeks from shooting his first deer. Grays father called it the greatest day ever.
This story corrects the death toll at Sandy Hook Elementary to 26, not 20.
Martin reported from Atlanta. Associated Press journalists Charlotte Kramon, Sharon Johnson, Mike Stewart and Erik Verduzco in Winder; Trenton Daniel and Beatrice Dupuy in New York; Eric Tucker in Washington; Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia; Kate Brumback in Atlanta; and Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, 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 NewsNation.
ANKARA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- An Air Vistara passenger plane en route from Mumbai to Frankfurt made an emergency landing in eastern Turkiye on Friday following a bomb threat, a local official said.
The aircraft, carrying 247 passengers and crew, landed at Erzurum Airport where bomb disposal experts are searching the plane, Erzurum Governor Mustafa Ciftci told state broadcaster TRT.
"The plane belonging to Vistara Airlines first wanted to land at Ordu airport when a bomb threat was reported in the air. But since there was renovation work there, they directed it to Trabzon. Since the air traffic is also heavy there, they diverted it to Erzurum," Ciftci said.
The governor added that Erzurum airspace has been closed to flights.
Vistara, a joint venture of India's Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has not commented on the incident. Turkish authorities have not yet provided details on the nature of the bomb threat or its origin.
8 p.m. Update:
The father of a 14-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting four people at a Georgia high school and wounding nine others was arrested Thursday and faces charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for allowing his son to possess a weapon, authorities said.
Its the latest example of prosecutors holding parents responsible for their childrens actions in school shootings. In April, Michigan parents Jennifer and James Crumbley were the first convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting. They were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison of not securing a firearm at home and acting indifferently to signs of their sons deteriorating mental health before he killed killing four students in 2021.
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said at a news conference.
These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon, Hosey said. His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon.
In Georgia, second-degree murder means that a person has caused the death of another person while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of intent. It is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison, while malice murder and felony murder carry a minimum sentence of life. Involuntary manslaughter means that someone unintentionally causes the death of another person.
Previous story:
The father of the teenager charged in the killing four people at a Georgia high school has been arrested, authorities said Thursday.
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, has been 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 in a social media post.
No other details were immediately provided. A news conference was planned later Thursday.
Authorities have charged 14-year-old Colt Gray as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta. Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse him of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people.
Read: Georgia high school shooting: Panic button system saved lives
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. APs earlier story follows below.
WINDER, Ga. (AP) The teen charged with opening fire at a Georgia high school denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriffs report obtained Thursday.
Conflicting evidence on the posts origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. 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.
Authorities have charged 14-year-old Colt Gray as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta. Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse him of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people.
Read: Apalachee High School Shooting: Who are the victims?
When a sheriffs investigator from neighboring Jackson County interviewed Gray last year, his father said the boy had struggled with his parents separation and often got picked on at school. The teen frequently fired guns and hunted with his father, who photographed him with a deers blood on his cheeks.
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 sheriffs office.
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 sheriffs office incident report.
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: People gather as students, faculty and community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students, faculty and community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: People light candles as students, faculty and community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A family holds balloons as students, faculty, and community members gather for a vigil after a school shooting took place at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. .(Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: (EDITOR'S NOTE: retransmission of image for improved quality) Two women embrace as students, faculty and community members gather for a vigil 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A person puts out flowers as students, faculty and community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: FLowers are laid ou as students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and faculty as well as community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A woman cries as students, faculty and community members gather for a vigil after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
The FBIs 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 investigators 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.
The attack was the latest among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. 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. But there has been little change to national gun laws.
Classes were canceled Thursday at the Georgia high school, though some people came to leave flowers around the flagpole and kneel in the grass with heads bowed.
When the suspect slipped out of math class Wednesday, Lyela Sayarath figured her quiet classmate who recently transferred was skipping school again. But he returned later and wanted back into the room. 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, Sayarath said.
The teen then opened fire in the hallway, authorities said.
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A law enforcement officer holds a roll of caution tape after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A woman is comforted while on the phone after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A mother and daughter watch as an ambulance leaves after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Cars line the road as parents arrive to meet students after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Law enforcement and first responders work at the scene as students wait to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students walk off campus with their families after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Officers hold guns while talking outside after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students walk off campus with their families after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Law enforcement works at the scene as students wait to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students wait to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Cars are parked on the lawn of the school after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A father walks by Apalachee High School with his son on his shoulders as after a school shooting 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)S
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students walk off campus with their families after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Gretchen Gierlach, a member of the community, came to Apalachee High School to demonstrates after a shooting there on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith speaks to the media after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey speaks to the media after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students and family members are line up nearby after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Cars line the road as parents arrive to meet students after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students are directed to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four fatalities and multiple injuries have been reported, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students wait to be picked up by their parents 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: A school bus sits on site after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 4: Students wait to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School 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)
Massive police presence at Appalachee High School in Barrow County
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. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
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)
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. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
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. (Erin Clark via AP)
Sayarath said she heard a barrage of 10 to 15 gunshots. The students fell to the floor and crawled in search of a safe corner to hide.
Two school resource officers confronted the shooter within minutes after the gunshots were reported, Hosey said. The teen immediately surrendered.
Gray was being held Thursday at a regional youth detention facility. His first court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning.
He has been charged in the deaths of 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.
At least nine other people eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder were wounded and taken to hospitals. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.
Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how the suspect obtained the gun and got it into the school of roughly 1,900 students in a rapidly developing area on the edge of metro Atlantas ever-expanding sprawl.
It was the 30th mass killing in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer the same definition used by the FBI.
Prior cases have emerged in which someone who was once on the FBIs radar but was not arrested went on to commit violence.
A month before Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at the Parkland, Florida, high school in 2018, the bureau received a warning that he had been talking about committing a mass shooting. The FBI also investigated a tip about the person later convicted in a deadly 2022 shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado.
The pattern underscores the challenges law enforcement faces in trying to determine when concerning behavior crosses into a crime. Investigators sift through tens of thousands of tips every year to try to determine which could yield a viable threat. Cases such as the Georgia school shooting prompt fresh questions about whether more intensive investigative work might have averted the violence.
The sheriffs report says investigator Daniel Miller spoke to the boy and his father May 21, 2023. The father said his son had access to guns in the house.
I mean they arent loaded, but they are down, Grays father said, according to the interview transcript.
He described a photo on his cellphone from a recent hunting trip with his son: You see him with blood on his cheeks from shooting his first deer. Grays father called it the greatest day ever.
The teen told Miller he stopped using Discord a few months earlier after his account got hacked.
I gotta take you at your word and I hope youre being honest with me, Miller replied.
A phone number associated with the account was linked to a different person in another Georgia city, the report said. The accounts profile name, written in Russian, translated to Lanza. The investigator noted that Adam Lanza was the perpetrator of the 2012 mass shooting that killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
The sheriffs office alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the teen. But the investigator concluded that he could not substantiate the tip I received from the FBI to take further action.
___
This story corrects the death toll at Sandy Hook Elementary to 26, not 20.
___
Martin reported from Atlanta. Associated Press journalists Charlotte Kramon, Sharon Johnson, Mike Stewart and Erik Verduzco in Winder; Trenton Daniel and Beatrice Dupuy in New York; Eric Tucker in Washington; Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia; Kate Brumback in Atlanta; and Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed.
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The father of the teenager charged in the deadly Apalachee High School shooting now has been arrested and charged in the case, the director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Thursday night.
We had probable cause to make the arrest, GBI Director Chris Hosey said of 54-year-old Colin Gray at a news conference. All I can tell you is that he is in custody at this time.
The son, 14-year-old Colt Gray, is charged as an adult with murder. He is accused of opening fire Wednesday at the Georgia high school outside Atlanta. The Associated Press is reporting that he has denied to investigators that he threatened to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriffs report obtained Thursday.
Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse Colt Gray of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people.
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Colin Gray is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children, Hosey and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a social media post.
Hosey did not offer much else about the circumstances of the fathers arrest because the investigation remains fluid.
This is a time for all of us, as a community and as a state, to come together and remain vigilant, he said. He also asked students throughout the state to report any suspicious activity they might see.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith, who also spoke at the news conference broadcast live via social media, gave an update on the wounded -- two adult teachers and rest, students.
The nine injured, I am very happy to say, will make a full recovery, the sheriff said. Thats a testament to the response we had, in my opinion, and the response the medical staff had, in my opinion.
He noted that several of the victims remain in a hospital and some have been released.
Smith said his office met with teachers on Thursday, also noting that emotions are very high, obviously. We told them we love them. We our teachers and what they do . . . They stood in the gap between evil to protect the children.
We will continue to follow this story.
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Students wait to be picked up by their parents after a school shooting took place on Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Georgia. Two Apalachee High School students and two teachers were killed and multiple others injured in the attack. (Megan Varner | Getty Images)
The father of the suspect in Wednesdays shooting at a Georgia high school has been arrested and is being held at a county detention center, authorities announced Thursday.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that Colin Gray is now detained at the Barrow County Detention Center after he was arrested Thursday on charges of four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children connected to the Wednesday morning mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, attended by his 14-year old son.
The teenager, Colt Gray, also faces murder charges for allegedly firing the shots that killed two teachers and two students. Nine other people injured in the shooting are expected to make a full recovery, federal, state and local agencies reported Thursday.
Colt Gray was arrested minutes after law enforcement stormed the school. He is accused of firing bullets from an AR-15 rifle with a collapsible stock police say was used to kill 14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.
According to law enforcement officials, the 54-year-old Gray purchased the AR-style gun used in the shooting in December as a Christmas gift for his son. Shortly after the Apalachee High shooting, police confirmed Colt Gray was also interviewed last year as a suspect after posting threatening social media messages targeting a school in Jackson County.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the firearm used in the Barrow shooting was given to Colt Gray his father several months after the Grays were interviewed by Jackson sheriffs investigators in 2023. Investigators declined to press charges at the time, deciding they lacked probable cause.
In Wisconsin, President Joe Biden prefaced his announcement of a new rural clean energy electrification program Thursday with words of comfort for the victims and survivors of the Georgia shooting and a call for lawmakers to take action.
Biden said the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI were working with state and local law enforcement investigating, and expressed gratitude for school personnel and first responders who he said prevented more casualties and took the suspected gunman into custody.
But as a nation, we cannot continue to accept the carnage of gun violence, Biden said. We need more than thoughts and prayers. Some of my Republican friends in Congress just finally have to say, enough is enough.
Biden said he supports stiffer requirements that firearms at home be stored safely.
How could you have an assault rifle, a weapon in a house not locked up, and knowing your kid knows where it is? he said. Got to hold parents accountable if they let their child have access to these guns.
He also called for universal background checks and an end to legal immunity for gun manufacturers, calling them the only outfit in the world that we cant sue.
We have to do something together. Lets ban assault weapons, Biden said. High capacity magazines, once again. What do we need them for in terms of domestic use?
Portions of this report are republished from Georgia Recorder. Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and X.
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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 father of the 14-year-old boy accused of opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder and killing four people on Wednesday was arrested Thursday and charged with murder for allegedly allowing his son to possess a gun.
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, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
His son has been charged with four counts of murder.
The 14-year-old was known to the FBI at least a year prior to this weeks tragedy. Back in May 2023, the agency sent Jackson County police officials out to investigate the then-13-year-old after receiving tips about online posts alluding to shooting at school, according to the FBI.
At the time, investigators did not have enough evidence to make an arrest.
The Jackson County Sheriffs Office located a possible suspect, a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father, the statement reads. The subject denied making threats online. Jackson County alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject.
Now, 16 months later and just weeks after the start of the school year, the teen is charged with murdering two of his classmates Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14 and two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.
At least nine other people were injured in what is the nations 385th mass shooting this year.
According to the GBI, the teen used an AR-style rifle to shoot students and faculty outside his algebra class early Wednesday morning. Local police apprehended the suspect at 10:26 a.m., moments after receiving an alert that shots were fired.
The teen appeared for his first bond hearing Friday morning at the Barrow County Superior Court, just 45 miles outside of Atlanta. He is currently being held at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center and being charged with four counts of murder. If convicted, he could potentially face the death penalty or a maximum sentence of life without the chance of parole.
He will also be tried as an adult. Details about a potential motive are beginning to emerge as officials look for answers.
In a transcript report obtained by The New York Times, Gray told Jackson County officers last year that he was actively teaching his son about firearms and the outdoors to divert him from video games. He also stated that, at that time, the youth was actively being bullied by classmates.
He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them, Gray told an investigator, according to the transcript.
A tragedy that hits close to home
Atlanta parents are paying close attention to how their districts are responding to the shooting. Chanelle Evans, a Fulton County schools parent, told Capital B Atlanta on Thursday that she found comfort in the notification the district sent the day prior, which read the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.
It was like a relief for me, said Evans, whose daughter attends Cliftondale Elementary in College Park. Its heartbreaking to think how parents dropped their kids off at school yesterday and had no idea that that could have been the last time they saw them alive.
Jessicka Powell, another Cliftondale parent, echoed Evans sentiments, adding that its unfair for children to be afraid in places where they should feel liberated and excited.
Its just so scary to be a child these days, Powell said. Im always on guard when it comes to knowing how my district plans to keep my child safe in moments like this.
Gwinnett County Public Schools Superintendent Calvin Watts said the district has received numerous communications from stakeholders, given the districts proximity to Barrow County.
Please know that Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is unwavering in its commitment to the safety and well-being of all our students and staff, Watts said in a statement. As a parent, I understand your concerns and fears.
Remembering the victims
Barrow County Schools remain closed today as loved ones mourn the Apalachee shooting victims.
Schermerhorn was described as the sweetest most loving soul with the biggest smile, according to a fundraising post created by Artisea Bethea, a friend of the family.
Please keep this sweet family in your prayers, she wrote.
A fundraising post created by Angulos older sister, Lisette, described him as a very good kid who was sweet and caring.
He was so loved by many. His loss was so sudden and unexpected, she wrote. We are truly heartbroken He really didnt deserve this.
Donations for the victims have collectively surpassed $600,000 just two days after the shooting. If you are interested, you can connect to the platforms here.
The post Father of Suspected Apalachee High School Shooter Arrested as Atlanta Parents React appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
Father of suspected Georgia school shooter being charged with murder, cruelty to children
The father of the 14-year-old suspected of killing four people and injuring nine others in a mass shooting at a Georgia high school on Wednesday is now also facing charges.
Action News Jax sister station WSB-TV in Atlanta reports that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has announced that they will be charging Colt Grays father, 54-year-old Colin Gray.
Colin Gray faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children.
The shooting happened at Apalachee High School in Barrow County on Wednesday morning. Its about 45 miles northeast of Atlanta.
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Colt Gray has been charged as an adult with murder in the shootings.
The victims have been identified as 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn, 14-year-old Christian Angulo, 39-year-old Richard Aspinwall and 53-year-old Christina Irimie.
GBI said Thursday night that the nine people who were injured in the shooting are expected to make a full recovery.
This is a developing story. Check back for the latest details as they become available.
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) A Fayetteville man pleads guilty on Sept. 5 to second-degree murder for the death of his four-week-old daughter.
According to court documents, Charles Dugan, 29, was sentenced to 15 years in prison with a 15-year suspended sentence.
On August 29, 2021, Fayetteville Police Department patrol officers responded to apartments at 2719 E. Kantz Drive, to assist the Fayetteville Fire Department and Central Emergency Medical Service.
According to a neighbor who called 911, a four-week-old infant was in cardiac arrest and did not appear to be breathing. Emergency medical personnel attempted life-saving measures for several minutes before transporting her to Arkansas Childrens Hospital-Northwest. The infant was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Officers conducting the initial investigation interviewed Dugan, the childs father, as well as the mother of the baby. According to the mothers statement, she had left the residence at 5:15 p.m., leaving Dugan alone with the infant.
The mother stated that this was not uncommon and that Dugan usually watched the child alone while the mother worked. She stated that she did not return until after 9 p.m. after being contacted by her husband.
Dugan told police in his first statement that he placed the baby in her crib while swaddled in a blanket and propped a bottle in her mouth using another blanket. He said he then went to the bathroom and returned around ten minutes later to find the infant choking on milk.
Police were contacted after the infants death when, according to a medical examiners report, the cause of death was identified as closed head injuries caused by blunt force trauma, with contributions from recent and healing posterior rib fractures. The manner of death was deemed a homicide.
Fayetteville man facing 2nd degree murder charge for August death of infant daughter
The police contacted Dugan and interviewed him at Fayetteville PD on December 6, where his story changed. He admitted to falling asleep with the baby on his chest, and stated that he believed the infant fell to the floor. He said he was unsure if the infant struck a coffee table near the sofa or landed directly on the floor.
He said he awoke to the sounds of her screaming on the floor.
He told investigators that this incident occurred around 30-45 minutes before finding the child unresponsive in her crib.
Despite the presence of several police officers, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, nurses, and doctors, Dugan never told anyone about the fall at the time.
On December 9, police met with the childs parents at their apartment to take measurements of the fall distance. The mother told them that Dugan often suffers from sleepwalking and that it was possible Dugan sleepwalked.
She said that Dugan often walked around the apartment and once attempted to body slam her during a sleepwalking episode.
Dugan could not remember if he had sleepwalked and did not remember if he had awakened seated or standing, according to a police report.
On December 16, Dugan was arrested for unrelated charges stemming from a battery at a local hospital.
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Mayor Eric Adams, right, with First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. Their houses were entered by FBI officers - AP
The FBI has raided the home of the New York City police commissioner and seized his phone.
Officials confirmed that Commissioner Edward Caban was among several figures close to New York Mayor Eric Adams whose properties were raided earlier this week.
Those individuals reportedly also included First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and Schools Chancellor David Banks. The pair are a couple and live together.
A lawyer for the city administration, Lisa Zornberg, said in a statement: 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.
On Thursday evening, Mr Adams left his office and was surrounded by a throng of reporters, according to the New York Post.
As youve heard me say over and over again, as a former law enforcement person we will always follow the law and that is what this administration always stood for and will continue to stand for, he said.
Edward Caban, the police commissioner, had his phone taken - AP
He added: Whatever information is needed, we will turn over.
Federal officials have failed to provide details of their activities or the number of people whose homes were raided.
It is not clear whether the raids are part of part of a broader probe authorities have launched into allegations the Adams campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal campaign contributions from foreign sources.
Mr Adams, 64, who was elected on the Democrat ticket in 2022, has always denied any wrongdoing.
Over the last 12 months, FBI agents have searched the homes of multiple city officials and advisors close to the mayor.
In November, federal agents seized Mr Adamss phones and iPad as he was leaving an event in the city and raided the home of one of his top fundraisers.
Other people whose homes were raided on Wednesday included Timothy Pearson, a senior advisor to Mr Adams, the deputy mayor for public safety, Philip Banks III, and Terence Banks, a consultant. Philip Banks, David Banks and Terence Banks are brothers.
Mr Caban, the citys first Latino police commissioner, has been leading the department since July 2023.
None of the individuals whose homes were raided has yet to comment.
The New York Police Department said in a statement it was aware of, and cooperating with, an investigation by federal prosecutors involving members of service.
The statement added: The department is fully cooperating in the investigation.
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KIEV, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine shot down 27 out of 44 Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones launched by Russia overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said Friday.
Eight drones have disappeared from the radars, while another one has flown in the direction of the Russia-held area in the Donetsk region, it said in a post on social media Telegram.
Several drones remained in the Ukrainian airspace as of Friday morning, the air force said.
Apart from the drones, Russia fired Kh-59 guided missiles and Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles at Ukraine.
In the attack one person was killed and 30 others injured in the town of Pavlograd in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, said regional governor Sergii Lysak.
The air defense was also activated in the Kiev region, but there were no casualties or damage to critical and housing infrastructure, according to the Kiev Regional Military Administration.
(The Hill) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun an expert, independent review of recent research on the health effects caused by heavy metals in tampons after lawmakers sounded the alarm on possible toxins in the products.
The Hill confirmed the move after Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) announced the FDA would conduct the review in response to a July letter she sent the agency, according to a statement released Thursday.
In the letter, Murray asked the agency to investigate the findings of a recent study showing a worrisome level of toxic metals in several brands of tampons.
In response to the letter, the FDA said it has an expert, independent review of research on health effects caused by metals in tampons and an internal lab study to examine the metals found in tampons and how they are released during normal use.
The FDA is currently working on a more detailed response to the senators questions from her letter and two related studies, a spokesperson told The Hill.
Murray sent the letter to the agency after a study published earlier this summer found a worrisome level of toxic metals in several brands of the period product.
The study, published last month in the scientific journal Environmental International, shows the presence of lead, cadmium, arsenic and 13 other harmful metals in 14 commonly used tampon brands.
Between 52 and 86 percent of menstruating people in the United States use tampons a small cylindrical cotton or rayon-based product inserted into the vagina to absorb blood.
The study notes that the products may contain metals from agricultural or manufacturing processes, which could be absorbed into a persons bloodstream during use.
Heavy metals can cause numerous health issues such as kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Researchers noted that while they detected all 16 metals in at least one sampled tampon, future research is needed to replicate the findings and see if they can be absorbed by the vaginal wall.
While the August study is the first to find harmful metals in tampons, it is not the first to find dangerous chemicals in the feminine product.
Research findings from the University of Notre Dame released last year found indicators of PFAS, otherwise known as forever chemicals, in many feminine products, including some tampons.
Murray is not the only lawmaker who has sounded the alarm on possible toxins in tampons.
Yesterday, members of the Democratic Womens Caucus wrote a letter to the FDA urging the agency to address concerns about the ingredients in tampons in light of recent research exposing possible toxins in the products.
The FDA must review and improve the current safety standards for tampons, members of the Democratic Womens Caucus wrote in the letter.
We urge the FDA to take swift action to ensure that women are safe from harmful and toxic substances in tampons. We look forward to reviewing your plan to address these concerns and working with you on this issue.
Members of Congress who signed the letter include Reps. Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), according to a copy of the letter shared with The Hill.
An FDA spokesperson told The Hill that the agency had received the letter and would respond to the caucus directly.
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Federal agents seized phones from New York City schools Chancellor David Banks and his partner, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, early Wednesday at their Harlem home, the New York Times reported.
Federal agents also seized devices at the Queens home of Banks brother, Phil Banks, also a top aide to Mayor Eric Adams. Agents searched the home of a third Banks brother, Terence Banks, who retired from the MTA and now works as a consultant, according to the New York Times. THE CITY first reported some of the moves made by federal agents.
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In a statement on Friday, Chancellor Banks confirmed he was cooperating with a federal inquiry.
Yesterday was the first day of school for the 1.1 million students and staff of New York City Public Schools, and I remain focused on ensuring they have safe, academically rigorous, and joyful school year, he said. I am confirming that I am cooperating with a federal inquiry. At this time, I cannot comment any further on that matter.
None of the officials have been accused of a crime, according to the New York Times.
The news of federal agents arrival at the doorstep of the schools chancellor came Thursday, on the first day of classes, casting a cloud over the typically ebullient first-day-of-school mood.
As he left a visit from a Queens high school Thursday afternoon, Chancellor Banks told a reporter from Fox 5, Today is the first day of school, it is all about the kids. If theres any other comments that are made, it will be happening tomorrow.
Several Education Department staffers said news of the federal agents moves spread quickly in education circles Thursday. Multiple sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Education Department employees were shocked by both the news and timing, as the nations largest school system reopened its doors to nearly 900,000 students on Thursday.
Aaron Pallas, a Teachers College professor and longtime observer of the citys Education Department, said the incident could impact Banks work leading the nations largest school system.
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Anything that can distract them from staying focused on the task at hand could impede their effectiveness, he said.
Wednesdays activity was the latest move in a swirl of law enforcement inquiries surrounding Adams, his administration, and his campaign. Federal officials are also looking into possible illegal campaign activity involving the Turkish government. The New York Times reported that the federal campaign inquiry was separate from the matter that federal agents were looking into Wednesday.
Meanwhile, search warrants were also executed on NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and Tim Pearson, a top mayoral aide embroiled in multiple scandals, New York 1 reported.
Investigators have not indicated to us [that] the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation, Adams chief counsel, Lisa Zornberg, told THE CITY in a statement. As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law.
As he left City Hall on Thursday, Adams also told reporters that he had confidence in the team, according to THE CITY. 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.
Chancellor Banks is a core member of the unusually tight-knit inner circle of the Adams administration. Banks and Adams have known each other for years, and their family and professional lives are intertwined. Adams girlfriend, Tracey Collins, and his sister-in-law, Sharon Adams, both work in the city Education Department.
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
A federal appeals court on Friday upheld the obstruction conviction of a former U.S. Capitol Police officer who urged a Jan. 6 rioter to erase incriminating social media posts and later deleted evidence of his own attempts to warn the rioter.
Michael Riley, a 25-year police veteran who was on duty when a mob attacked the Capitol, faced charges for telling a rioter to take down a Facebook post that acknowledged the rioter had been inside the Capitol, warning that everyone who was in the building is going to be charged. He was also accused of later attempting to cover up their correspondence by deleting direct messages on Facebook and proof of calls.
A jury convicted Riley on one count of obstructing an official proceeding for deleting his own messages and calls, but it failed to reach a verdict on his advice to the rioter, which resulted in a mistrial and the dismissal of that charge.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Friday that Rileys conviction would stand.
The ex-Capitol Police officer argued on appeal that the government did not prove that a grand jury proceeding over his conduct was foreseeable and that he deleted his contact with the rioter to evade any such proceeding.
The record is to the contrary, Judge Cornelia Pillard wrote in the panels 21-page decision. Riley was a veteran Capitol Police officer concededly aware of the role of grand juries in the criminal process, and his own messages showed he expected felony prosecutions of unauthorized entrants into the Capitol building on January 6.
Pillard called Rileys core argument flawed, and thus, all arguments failed, the panel ruled.
Riley was sentenced to two years of probation and four months of home detention. During his sentencing in April, he said awful judgment cost him his career and tarnished his reputation.
The amount of regret and remorse I have over this situation is unimaginable, Riley told the judge, according to The Associated Press.
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) The Federal Hill Taphouse & Kitchen has closed its doors, 12 News has learned.
The Federal Hill restaurant, known for its expansive craft beer selection, voluntarily surrendered its liquor license and related licensing privileges on Aug. 26, according to documents filed with the Providence Board of Licenses.
The restaurants sudden closure was first reported Thursday by The Boston Globe.
Its unclear exactly when or why the Atwells Avenue restaurant closed. The restaurants number automatically redirects to the neighboring Providence Oyster Bar, and its website also diverts to the nearby Providence Burger Bar.
Federal Hill Taphouse & Kitchen, Providence Oyster Bar and Providence Burger Bar are owned by Atwells Group Hospitality Management.
Rick Simone, president of the Federal Hill Commerce Association, wouldnt speculate as to why the restaurant closed.
Federal Hill is maintaining an over 90% occupancy rate for our business locations, he said in a statement. We are disappointed to see the Federal Hill Taphouse close, however, we know that this desirable location will not remain vacant for very long.
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Dave Rubin, a photo used to represent "Eduard Grigoriann," and Tim Pool Getty, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Tim Pool
How easy is it to fool high-profile right-wing media personalities into joining an alleged Russian influence operation?
A federal indictment this week revealed the answer.
The 32-page charging document alleged that two employees of the Russian media company RT, formerly known as Russia Today, undertook a conspiracy to launder money and violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Using nearly $10 million allegedly laundered through shell companies, the pair Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva worked to create and distribute content to U.S. audiences with hidden Russian government messaging, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Wednesday.
Key to the operation were a handful of fake personas the Russians allegedly used to appear legitimate to unwitting on-air personalities. The indictment dubbed their media venture U.S. Company-1, and it has been widelyidentified as the right-wing startup Tenet Media, which shuttered Thursday.
The main character of the Russians narrative was Eduard Grigoriann, a fictitious globe-trotting businessman and banker. He had no digital footprint, nor any public record of his existence, the indictment found.
He was allegedly represented by various personas who pretended to be his employees all of whom in fact were the same person, though the indictment did not identify this person by name.
Tenets founders, Lauren Chen and her husband, Liam Donovan referred to as Founder-1 and Founder-2 in the indictment repeatedly referred to Grigoriann during communications with Tenets media personalities, describing him as an investor and the source of the companys money, according to prosecutors.
Chen did not immediately respond to HuffPosts questions Friday, nor did HuffPost receive a response from a message portal for Tenet. (Donovan does not have a public-facing email address).
But the indictment suggested the pair knew Grigoriann was a fake: Despite describing U.S. Company-1s investor ... as Eduard Grigoriann, a purported finance professional in Western Europe, Founder-1 and Founder-2 admitted to each other in their private communications that their investors were, in truth and in fact, the Russians, the indictment alleged.
Who Was Eduard Grigoriann?
Around February last year, Founder-1, which appears to be Chen, solicited Commentator-1 and Commentator-2 to perform work on behalf of Eduard Grigoriann, the indictment alleged.
Commentator-1 and Commentator-2 appear to be right-wing media personalities and former Tenet contributors Dave Rubin and Tim Pool, according to analysis from NBC Newsand others.
That month, Chen sent Pool an email introducing Pool to Eduard Grigoriann and set up a call between them and others, which occurred around Feb. 22, 2023, the indictment said. Around that same time, Chen said in an email to Persona-1 one of Grigorianns supposed representatives that Pool was happy with the licensing arrangement that was discussed but still would like to know more about the company and who he will be working with.
Chen noted that she assured Pool that as we finalize the contract and begin working to put his show together and coordinate the launch, everyone will have time to get to know each other better and feel less like strangers!
Rubin also wanted some more information, according to Chen, who said in an email to Persona-1 that the commentators would like some material about Mr Grigoriann to learn a bit about who [Rubin would] be working with. She asked if there any links (press release, interviews, Linkedin, profiles, etc) we can forward to Rubin about Grigoriann.
Aside from a LinkedIn page for Grigorianns media company, Persona-1 didnt have anything for Chen. In April, the indictment alleged, Chen performed Google searches for Grigoriann and found no results. She followed up with another email, stressing that Rubin was really insisting on seeing some materials (profile, article, whatever) on Eduard before [he] feels comfortable moving forward. Is there anything we can provide [Rubin] with?
At that point, Persona-1 emailed a CV to provide to Rubin, according to the indictment, which reproduced it:
The fake "Eduard Grigoriann" profile United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York
Rubin, though he did not respond to HuffPosts questions, was apparently unfazed by the fake resume, and the indictment makes no mention of any questions he may have had about Grigorianns lack of a digital footprint.
Except for one thing: He apparently didnt like that Grigorianns CV used the phrase social justice.
I think it may be because thats usually a term used by liberals, but were trying to create a conservative network, Chen told Persona-1. Chen asked Persona-1 to set up a Zoom meeting between Rubin and Grigoriann.
That meeting revealed another red flag: It was scheduled for 5 p.m. Paris time, but Grigoriann logged on an hour early, according to the indictment. (He would have been on time if attending from Moscows time zone, which is an hour later than Paris, the indictment noted.)
Approximately two minutes later, Eduard Grigoriann performed a Google search for time in Paris, the indictment alleged. Eduard Grigoriann then replied again to his email, in part: Sorry, wrong hour. Didnt sync the calendar.
This was apparently enough to convince Rubin. Well, that and a few million dollars.
After further negotiations, his production company agreed to a contract with Tenet in which he would host four weekly videos in exchange for a $400,000 monthly fee, $100,000 signing bonus and additional performance incentives, according to the indictment.
After receiving the fictitious profile, [Rubin] agreed to work with [Tenet] and produced approximately 130 videos that were published on [Tenets] platform, the indictment said.
Its not clear if Pool saw the fake resume, but he was also apparently unbothered by working with Grigoriann. According to the indictment, his production company came to an agreement with Tenet in which he would receive $100,000 per video.
Pool also did not respond to HuffPosts questions, but he maintains that if the indictments allegations are true, he was deceived. Rubin similarly said he and other commentators were victims of a scheme.
Four other commentators were mentioned in the indictment, though they were similarly not named. Tenets four other commentators were Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, Matt Christiansen and Benny Johnson. Southern does not appear to have released a statement on the indictment, but Hansen, Christiensen, and Johnson similarly disavowed any involvement with the alleged crimes and stressed they made their own editorial choices.
Related...
Federal judge: No evidence to support claims of unpaid labor, retaliation made by former Greece employee
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A federal judge has dismissed claims made against the Town of Greece by a former Public Works employee.
The decision dismissed allegations that the town, Greece Supervisor Bill Reilich and former Deputy Supervisor Michelle Marini violated the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO statute.
The court found that former Public Works employee Robert Johnson could not provide any examples to prove his allegations. According to Johnson, he was asked to do unpaid work for Marini and Reilich.
Former Greece employee sues town supervisor, alleges unpaid labor
The court also dismissed claims from Johnson, alleging that the Town of Greece violated the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Johnson previously accused Marini and Reilich of retaliation, saying that he would have lost his job had he not performed what was asked of him.
Town Supervisor Bill Reilich praised the courts decision, promising that the Town would continue to vigorously defend against all meritless lawsuits seeking money from the Towns taxpayers.
Thursday, Greece town officials declined to comment further on the matter, citing ongoing litigation.
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In February, an advocacy group warned the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) that there was a severe problem with synthetic marijuana inside a federal women's prison in Minnesota. Women were vomiting, hallucinating, and having seizures after smoking the contraband drug.
Nothing happened, besides a perfunctory reply from the warden about the agency's commitment to safety.
Last week, at least seven women at the same prison were sent to a local hospital for suspected drug overdoses, and incarcerated women and attorneys say the conditions inside are chaotic, filthy, and violent because of rampant abuse of the dangerous drug.
"Last week, out of an abundance of caution, the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Waseca sent seven incarcerated individuals exhibiting signs of drug use to a local hospital for additional evaluation," a BOP spokesperson confirmed to Reason. "All were evaluated and returned the same day."
"The [BOP] takes seriously our duty to protect the individuals entrusted in our custody, as well as to keep correctional employees and the community safe, by maintaining a controlled environment that is secure and humane," the spokesperson continued.
The conditions at FCI Waseca, which holds roughly 900 women, are part of the wider, chronic dysfunction and poor conditions inside the federal prison system. Earlier this year, the BOP shut down a women's prison in California that had become a notorious haven for corrupt and sexually abusive guards. (All of the women at that prison, FCI Dublin, were transferred to other prisons, including FCI Waseca.) Congress also passed a bill in July creating independent oversight of the BOP after congressional investigations documented widespread corruption and abuse at other federal prison complexes.
The Biden administration appointed Colette Peters, the former head of the Oregon prison system, to turn around the troubled agency in 2022, but it's a monumental task.
Among the problems plaguing the BOPunderstaffing, cover-up culture, crumbling facilities, and atrocious medical neglectis contraband drugs. Synthetic marijuana, commonly called "K2" or "spice," is especially popular in prison systems and jails across the country because it's cheap, easy to smuggle, and doesn't show up in routine urine screenings. However, advocacy groups and incarcerated women say K2 abuse is worse than usual at FCI Waseca.
Catherine Sevcenko, senior counsel with the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, an abolitionist organization, says she has been fielding regular emails from women at FCI Waseca about the drug problem there since at least last December.
"The descriptions of being locked up with someone who is hallucinating, aggressive, unable to control their bodily functions, and ready to do anything to get their next high are horrifying," she tells Reason.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, synthetic marijuana, a catch-all category for hundreds of different lab-made drugs that target the same receptors in the brain as marijuana, can cause agitation, violent delusions, seizures, breathing problems, and heart attacks.
"The women at Waseca are desperate," Sevcenko continues. "They want their emails shared, risking retaliation from the prison, which could include time in solitary confinement, being unable to speak to their families for weeks or months, or loss of good time credits. They email me nearly every day saying they are scared for their safety. And with good reason. Waseca's public track record is abysmal."
Three women have died at FCI Waseca since 2023: two from suicide and one, Sevcenko alleges, from medical neglect.
This February, Sevcenko sent a letter to the warden of FCI Waseca detailing accounts from inside the prison about women smoking K2 and vomiting, having diarrhea, seizures, and hallucinations. Users became aggressive and paranoid. Addiction and drug debts were leading to violence and theft.
The Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment requires that incarcerated people be held in generally safe and hygienic conditions, and Sevcenko warned that the prison's failure to stop the introduction and use of K2 may violate the Constitution.
"Everyone who has reached out to us believes that someone will die, whether from over dose or being attacked, if things do not change quickly," Sevcenko wrote.
A week later, the warden replied, although his letter was little more than a restatement of BOP policy.
"I would like to assure you that the Bureau of Prisons is committed to providing a safe and healthful environment for individuals in our custody, as well as our staff," FCI Waseca Warden Michael Segal wrote. "The introduction and use of illicit substances within our facilities is prohibited and the prevention of such remains a priority to all Bureau staff. At FCI Waseca, procedures exist to prevent and detect the introduction of contraband into the facility, as well as to prevent and detect the use of illicit substances inside the facility."
Those incarcerated at FCI Waseca say those procedures have done nothing to stop widespread drug use in the prison. They also say the number of hospitalizations provided by the BOP understates the scope of the problem.
"We are living in pure chaos and have been for months on end, with no end in sight," Holli Wrice, who is currently incarcerated at FCI Waseca, writes to Reason in an email, which has been edited slightly for clarity. "It was 12 women to be exact. Two had to be resuscitated. It was a total of 38 women that fell out in a matter of 6 days, and there were numerous others that staff were not aware of that other inmates threw cold water on to bring them out of the state they were in."
In May of last year, the Justice Department Office of the Inspector General released the results of an inspection of FCI Waseca. The report found that the prison is "generally well-run, with dedicated staff and an environment in which both inmates and staff generally reported feeling safe."
However, the Inspector General also cited a "significant challenge limiting the amount of contraband in the institution, specifically drugs (synthetic cannabinoids and illicitly acquired opioid use disorder medication)." In addition, the report noted "serious facility issues," such as roofs that routinely leak and women being housed in basement cells with beds next to leaking pipes.
A BOP spokesperson says an investigation into last week's incidents at FCI Waseca is ongoing.
Sevcenko says the women inside FCI Waseca can't wait.
"A prison sentence should not be a death sentence," she says. "But if the BOP doesn't do something soon, women are going to die."
The post A Federal Prison Was Warned About Synthetic Marijuana. Then Inmates Started Overdosing. appeared first on Reason.com.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) During the 10 years before 2021, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said authorities have tracked an increase of 570% of the confiscation of machinegun conversion devices, more commonly known as Glock switches.
Theyre used to make semiautomatic weapons fire like machine guns, and theyre illegal.
Thats why federal authorities announced theyre working to train local law enforcement officers to find them and get them off the street.
The devices are now more easily available and can be made with a 3D printer. ATF Director Steven Dettelbach said even having a machinegun conversion device is illegal.
That pounding, repetitive sound of an automatic weapon fire has hit the streets of this nation, Dettelbach said.
He pointed to incidents where theyve been used. In Houston, Dettelbach said, authorities recovered a Glock switch after a shooting that killed a Houston Police Officer. In Alabama, investigators said they found a switch at the scene of a shooting at a Sweet 16 party that killed four people.
In five years, something completely unexpected has come onto the scene and caused an entirely new wave, an entire shift in violent crimes caused by firearms, said Chris Kavanaugh, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia.
The U.S. Attorneys in Oklahoma and Texas have announced programs targeting these switches. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the initiatives are working.
Theyre cheap. Theyre not hard to manufacture, often with 3D printers, Monaco said. Gang members are scared to death to use the switches because their buddies are going to federal prison.
On Friday, ATF and DOJ leaders convened a workshop with local and federal law enforcement, and teams of scientists familiar with 3D printing, to try to stop the use of Glock switches.
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The East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River flows through the abandoned Yellow Pine Pit at the Stibnite Mine in Central Idaho. (Clark Corbin/Idaho Capital Sun)
The U.S. Forest Service issued a draft record of decision Friday authorizing a gold mining company to resume operations at Stibnite Mine in Central Idahos Payette National Forest, a proposal that would become one of the largest gold, silver and antimony mines in the United States.
Fridays draft record of decision begins a 45-day objection period where the public can comment on the draft record of decision and a 45-day resolution period. After that, the U.S. Forest Service can issue a final record of decision, which supporters of the project said could happen before the end of the year. Information about commenting and filing objections is available on the U.S. Forest Service website.
The decision involves the Stibnite Gold Mine, which is located outside the tiny town of Yellow Pine in Valley County, about 45 miles from Cascade and 100 miles from Boise. The mine is located just outside the boundary of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, which wildlife biologists and conservationists say is an important habitat for a variety of wildlife species including salmon, bears, wolves, wolverines, elk, eagles and other animals.
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Plan would allow for gold, silver and antimony mining on about 3,200 acres
The plan the U.S. Forest Service selected will disturb or re-disturb about 3,200 acres of land by creating or expanding three open pit mines, an area for processing ore, a facility to store mine tailings, buttress, an employee housing facility, an access road, a transmission line and a road maintenance facility, according to the draft record of decision.
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The plan has several phases, including three years of construction, 15 years of mining and ore processing operations, for a total of 17 years of surface and underground exploration.
The Stibnite Gold Project would create one of the largest gold, silver and antimony mines in the United States, officials with the U.S. Forest Service said in a press release announcing the draft record of decision.
Officials with Perpetua Resources, formerly Midas Gold, are seeking approval to resume mining at Stibnite Gold Mine. In a statement released Thursday, officials with Perpetua Resources said they plan to mine for gold and unlock the United States only reserve of a mineral called antimony, all while cleaning up historic mine waste. Perpetua Resources says antimony can be used to develop liquid metal batteries and ammunition.
We believe that the Stibnite Gold Project is a win-win-win, said Jon Cherry, president and CEO of Perpetua Resources in a written statement. Its a win for Idaho, its a win for the environment, and its a win for Americas national security. Our independence from Chinese control over antimony is right here in our backyard, and Perpetua Resources is honored to provide a critical part of the solution to the United States strategic need for antimony, while also delivering an economically robust gold mine that will create new jobs in Idaho. Its time for the Stibnite Gold Project to help secure our future.
Conservation organizations, tribes remain concerned about pollution from the mining project
But conservationists and members of the Nez Perce Tribe have voiced concerns for years about the proposal. A coalition of organizations including Save the South Fork Salmon, Idaho Conservation League, Idaho Rivers United, Advocates for the West, American Rivers and Earthworks issued a statement Friday expressing concern that the pollution from the mine could harm threatened fish in the Salmon River watershed. They also warned the mine and mining activities would permanently scar thousands of acres of public lands in the Salmon River Mountains, violate treaties signed with Native American tribes and jeopardize clean water.
The Stibnite Gold Project risks irreversible harm to one of the nations most cherished and ecologically important river ecosystems, said Zack Waterman, Northern Rockies conservation director for American Rivers.
Stibnite Mine
Conservation groups said the plan doubles the size of the disturbed area and allows the Yellow Pine Pit to extend 700 feet below the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River, which would require the river to be rerouted through concrete tunnels while mining takes place.
The plan still involves excavating three massive open pits, punching in a road through three roadless areas along the boundary of the Frank Church River of Return Wilderness, and filling Meadow Creek with toxic mine waste, John Robison of the Idaho Conservation League said in a written statement.
Area creeks and rivers are polluted due to nearly 100 years worth of mining near Idahos Stibnite Gold Mine
Mining began near Stibnite in 1899 with the Thunder Mountain Gold Rush and ramped up through the 1930s and 1940s, when antimony and metals mined at Stibnite contributed to the World War II effort, according to Forest Service records and Perpetua Resources. All mining operations stopped by 1992, according to Forest Service documents. A lot of the mining equipment was abandoned, and much of it remains in the forest today. The East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River flows into an abandoned open pit mine, and rivers and creeks in and around the mine site are polluted with arsenic and sediment, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported, following a 2022 tour of the mine site.
Perpetua Resources is proposing to resume mining operations and says it will clean up some of the legacy waste as it conducts mining operations. Perpetua also plans to backfill a mine pit, reclaim the area and rebuild sections of the river and restore 450 acres of wetlands. Some of the projects would take place while mining is underway and other projects would take place after mining ends.
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Stibnite Gold Mine Draft Record of Decision
Residents of Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, are taking stock after nine days of what they say has been the most intense and sustained Israeli military operation in their city since October 7.
Witnesses describe widespread destruction of infrastructure, severed water and electricity supplies, and people rationing food for fear of going outside. It has been the deadliest period in the West Bank since November, according to the UN.
The military withdrew from Jenin and Tulkarem on Friday, according to residents. But an Israeli security source said that the overall operation in Jenin is not over, it is only a pause.
Though the war in Gaza has attracted most attention, Israels military has persistently and increasingly brought unsparing military tactics to the West Bank.
Israels security forces on August 28 launched what they dubbed a counterterrorism operation in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas, in the northern West Bank. It has come to be known as Operation Summer Camps.
We will not let terrorism in Judea and Samaria raise its head, the head of the Israel Defense Forces, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, said during a visit to Jenin over the weekend, using the biblical names for the West Bank commonly used in Israel.
Residents say Jenin has been left transformed and scarred.
It felt like Gaza, 36-year-old Lina Al Amouri said by telephone from Jenin. She and her husband fled several days into the IDF incursion, but went back when they heard rumors that the operation had quieted.
Israeli army armoured vehicles move along an excavated section of a road in the centre of Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Thursday amid ongoing military operations in the Palestinian territories. - Zain Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images
When we returned yesterday, we saw that all the streets were destroyed, she said. Soldiers were everywhere, continuing to bulldoze everything around them, not just the streets.
We heard many gunshots, and then we received news that my mother-in-laws nephew had been shot seven times near the camp. They let him bleed until he died and prevented ambulances from reaching him.
The IDF has previously said that it often must impede ambulances to check for militants.
Eight children killed
Nearly 700 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah and the UN, whose figures do not distinguish between militants and civilians.
Since the Israeli operation began last Wednesday, 39 Palestinians have been killed, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah reported. Among them were at least nine militants, according to public statements from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Eight children have also been killed according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Tawfiq Qandeel, 85-years-old, from eastern Jenin, had gone several days on meagre rations last week, too frightened to leave his house, his son Arafat told CNN.
He left home on Friday to get food and attend Friday prayers. On his way back, Arafat said, he was gunned down in the street, where he lay for hours as he bled out.
A Palestinian refugee stands in front of his shop that was partly destroyed during the Israeli army operation in Tulkarem, West Bank, on Thursday. - Nasser Nasser/AP
A video posted online Sunday by the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows his corpse lying in the nearly unrecognizable moonscape of a street. An Israeli armored personnel carrier trundles down the road and over the dead mans leg.
In a statement to CNN, the IDF acknowledged that while disarming improvised explosive devices, security forces shot and killed an individual approaching their position, and that the incident was under review.
As the troops were departing the scene, an IDF vehicle inadvertently struck the deceaseds body, it also said. The military said that it deeply regrets any harm caused to civilians.
The Israeli military has severely restricted access to the city since its operation began, so international media have had to rely on residents, local journalists, and social media video for independent information about the operation.
Journalists this week said that they were fired on by the Israeli military during a raid in Kafr Dan, near Jenin. Mohammed Mansour, a journalist for WAFA, was injured when the car he was driving was struck by gunfire, according to video of the aftermath and his employer.
Armored bulldozers also daily used heavy duty plows to tear up roads. The military says this is necessary to unearth improvised explosive devices planted under the tarmac. But the tactic has caused significant infrastructure damage, leaving many roads impassable.
The UN says that since October, Israeli authorities have destroyed, demolished, confiscated, or forced the demolition of 1,478 structures in the West Bank. Jenins mayor said that more than 70% of his citys critical infrastructure has been destroyed.
While deadly ground raids in the West Bank were a regular occurrence before Hamas brutal October 7 attack, air strikes though not entirely unheard of were extremely rare. When in July 2023 Israel used a drone to launch airstrikes as part of a large operation in Jenin, it made headlines around the world. Not a single Palestinian in the West bank was killed by an air strike in the preceding three years, according to the UN.
Dont play with us
Since October, such strikes have become a near-daily occurrence. And their use has dramatically ramped up in recent weeks. The UN says that of all deaths by Israeli air strikes since October, nearly a third came in August alone.
No place in Palestine is safe, not just Gaza, Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan said during a visit to Jenin on Thursday the first time a Palestinian official visited the city since Israels operation began. We witness the occupying enemy repeating the systematic destruction I saw before, targeting both human life and infrastructure.
Brigadier General Nitzan Nuriel, who ran the counter-terrorism bureau of the Israeli Prime Ministers Office until 2012, and now serves in the reserves, said that Operation Summer Camps was launched to send a message to Israels adversaries.
The message to the other side is, Dont play with us. Dont think that if we are very much down in the south and probably we are going to be busy up in the north, we will not be able to take care of whats going in Judea and Samaria.
The Israeli military, Halevi said during his visit to Jenin, will go city to city, camp to camp, with excellent intelligence, very good operational capabilities, very strong aerial intelligence support, and above all, with very moral and determined soldiers and commanders.
Palestinian paramedics help to evacuate residents during an Israeli military operation in Tulkarem, West Bank, on Wednesday. - Nasser Nasser/AP
Duha Turkman, 18 years old, sheltered with her sister at an aunts house for a week when the operation began, too scared to go outside because of the Israeli snipers they saw on surrounding rooftops.
We tried to conserve food as much as we could, she said. We were eating very little, had no water, and no electricity.
Suddenly, on the seventh day, Israeli soldiers burst through their door, she said. A video taken by Turkman shows shrapnel pockmarking the stairwell of the house. They soon fled to an uncles house elsewhere in the city.
When we look at Gaza, we realize that we have been going through this for nine days, and it is already incredibly difficult for us, she said. We can only imagine what the people in Gaza are enduring. The situation here mirrors Gaza with airstrikes, bulldozing, and it doesnt seem like the situation will change anytime soon.
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This photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows an entrance of IFA Berlin 2024 in Berlin, Germany.
IFA Berlin 2024, the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, kicked off Friday, bringing together over 1,800 global exhibitors, 125 keynote speakers and more than 182,000 visitors from 139 countries, according to the organizer.
This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of IFA, with global tech giants showcasing their cutting-edge innovations like artificial intelligence, robotics, and even a flying car. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)
BERLIN, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- IFA Berlin 2024, the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, kicked off Friday, bringing together over 1,800 global exhibitors, 125 keynote speakers and more than 182,000 visitors from 139 countries, according to the organizer.
This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of IFA, with global tech giants showcasing their cutting-edge innovations like artificial intelligence, robotics, and even a flying car.
Leif Lindner, the CEO of IFA Berlin, highlighted the enduring appeal of the trade show, citing the strong demand from exhibitors.
"IFA has always been and will always be at the forefront of change and disruption, showcasing real-life innovation, with real consumers responding to new technology in real time," Lindner said.
According to the organizer, artificial intelligence and sustainability are the major themes of IFA 2024. During the five-day event, the world's first real flying car is expected to be demonstrated.
"IFA will continue to prove itself as a sustainable driver of growth and innovation in its anniversary year," said Sara Warneke, managing director of gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH, which owns the trademark IFA.
Chinese tech giants continue to make a significant impact at this year's event. According to the official IFA website, exhibitors such as Haier, Hisense and TCL have secured some of the largest exhibit spaces, offering a wide array of innovative products.
"With a 3,300-square-meter exhibition area, Haier is showcasing a full range of eco-friendly and cutting-edge products this year," Neil Tunstall, CEO of Haier Europe, told Xinhua. "We're excited to connect with international businesses at IFA and bring high-end products and smart technologies to users worldwide."
This photo taken on Sept. 6, 2024 shows the booth of Haier at IFA Berlin 2024 in Berlin, Germany.
IFA Berlin 2024, the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, kicked off Friday, bringing together over 1,800 global exhibitors, 125 keynote speakers and more than 182,000 visitors from 139 countries, according to the organizer.
This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of IFA, with global tech giants showcasing their cutting-edge innovations like artificial intelligence, robotics, and even a flying car. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)
Visitors try food cooked in a smart kitchen at the booth of Miele at IFA Berlin 2024 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 6, 2024.
IFA Berlin 2024, the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, kicked off Friday, bringing together over 1,800 global exhibitors, 125 keynote speakers and more than 182,000 visitors from 139 countries, according to the organizer.
This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of IFA, with global tech giants showcasing their cutting-edge innovations like artificial intelligence, robotics, and even a flying car. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)
Timo Boll participates in a promotion event at the booth of HONOR at IFA Berlin 2024 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 6, 2024.
IFA Berlin 2024, the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, kicked off Friday, bringing together over 1,800 global exhibitors, 125 keynote speakers and more than 182,000 visitors from 139 countries, according to the organizer.
This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of IFA, with global tech giants showcasing their cutting-edge innovations like artificial intelligence, robotics, and even a flying car. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)
Visitors try new products at the booth of TCL at IFA Berlin 2024 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 6, 2024.
IFA Berlin 2024, the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, kicked off Friday, bringing together over 1,800 global exhibitors, 125 keynote speakers and more than 182,000 visitors from 139 countries, according to the organizer.
This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of IFA, with global tech giants showcasing their cutting-edge innovations like artificial intelligence, robotics, and even a flying car. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)
Staff members introduce new products at the booth of Siemens at IFA Berlin 2024 in Berlin, Germany, Sept. 6, 2024.
IFA Berlin 2024, the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, kicked off Friday, bringing together over 1,800 global exhibitors, 125 keynote speakers and more than 182,000 visitors from 139 countries, according to the organizer.
This year's event marks the 100th anniversary of IFA, with global tech giants showcasing their cutting-edge innovations like artificial intelligence, robotics, and even a flying car. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)
FEMA to be at Clay County Fair
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCAU) FEMA will be stopping by the Clay County Fair to help out victims of recent severe storms and flooding.
According to a release, representatives from FEMA will be at the fair to help survivors register for disaster assistance. They will provide information on home repair and rebuilding.
Sioux Point Road closure begins Monday
FEMA will be set up in the Emergency Management every day of the fair (Sep. 7 through Sep. 15) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Residents do not have to meet with FEMA in-person to apply for assistance. Other ways to apply for assistance with FEMA include:
Visiting DisasterAssistance.gov online (DisasterAssistance.gov/es for Spanish speakers)
Using the FEMA mobile app in English or Spanish
Calling the disaster assistance helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362) any time from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Central Time seven days a week until further notice
Assistance is available for those affected in Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Humboldt, Lyon, Monona, OBrien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pottawattamie, Scott, Sioux and Woodbury counties, the release states.
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13-year-old girl arrested for online shooting threat to school: HCSO
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A 13-year-old girl was arrested Friday morning after making a threat to shoot up the school on social media, according to The Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office.
According to deputies, the girl made the threats on her Instagram account, writing im the one who gonna shoot up dowdell middle magnet.
Authorities had received the anonymous tip at 7:42 a.m. about the Dowdell Middle School student and met her at the school around 8:20 a.m. The student said she wrote the note as a joke. Officials said a gun was not found at the school.
The teen was arrested and charged with a written or electronic threat to conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism and the unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
VIDEO: Vice Principal, teacher arrested after student put in chokehold at Tampa middle school, deputies say
Its horrific to see that, in just two days, weve had students making online threats as jokes. Let me be clear. These threats are not funny, and they come with serious consequences. I urge parents to talk to their children about the severity of their actions and the lasting repercussions they can have, Sheriff Chad Chronister said. I want to commend the person who reported the threat, allowing our detectives to act quickly and ensure the safety of both students and teachers at the school.
This remains an active investigation.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Is there a fentanyl vaccine? University of Houston to start clinical trials in 2025
Opioid overdoses are a recurring problem in Texas and throughout the U.S.
In May, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services responded to 75 intoxication cases in days. At least 50 of those calls in a 24-hour span, which was a 1,000% increase in overdose emergency calls in one day, according to EMS Assistant Chief Steve Whitean. Eight people died of overdose during that opioid outbreak.
Austin and several major cities in the U.S. have tried to combat the problem by providing free Narcan kits at some public libraries and nonprofits or for purchase at local drug stores.
There isn't a current fix to prevent opioid addiction, but scientists in Texas could have a solution in the near future.
Clinical trials for fentanyl vaccine starting in 2025
As explained by researchers from the University of Houston, there could be a vaccine that could prevent opioid addiction.
UH Professor of Psychology and Addictions researcher Colin Haile said clinical trials for a fentanyl vaccine would start next year. He noted that vaccines train the immune system to identify the opioid and block it from reaching the brain.
"In a prototypical vaccine, youre vaccinated with a piece of bacteria or virus you want to be protected against, Haile told UH Magazine. Your body recognizes it as foreign, then develops antibodies against that pathogen. What weve done here is [produced] a vaccine that [creates] antibodies against a chemical: fentanyl. We vaccinate, and the individual develops anti-fentanyl antibodies, which bind to the chemical and prevent it from getting to the brain, instead keeping it in the blood until it is eventually eliminated from the body.
However, there are hurdles. The vaccine has to get approval from the Federal Drug Administration. The vaccine also might not be available to the public for another five to 10 years.
What are the signs of an opioid overdose?
As indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are signs to recognize if someone is near overdosing on opioids. Its imperative to call 911 or seek medical care for the individual and not leave that person alone. Signs of an overdose could be:
Small, constricted pinpoint pupils
Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
Slow, shallow breathing
Choking or gurgling sounds
Limp body
Pale, blue, or cold skin
How potent is fentanyl?
Texas Health and Human Services says fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin, can be easily mixed with other illicit drugs, and often deadly. This synthetic opioid is inexpensive and continues to be smuggled into the country in large quantities.
How did the opioid crisis start?
Based on the National Library of Medicine, for decades, opioids were overprescribed for pain relief, leading to hundreds of thousands of people becoming addicted nationwide.
What is Narcan?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Narcan is a brand name for naloxone, which is a medication used to rapidly reverse opioid overdose.
It works by binding to the same opioid receptors in the brain that opioids bind to, but naloxone has a stronger affinity for these receptors, displacing the opioids and reversing their effects.
Where can you get free Narcan?
To find specific locations where you can get free Narcan in Austin, you can try the following:
Contact Local Health Departments : Reach out to the Austin Public Health Department or the Texas Department of State Health Services to inquire about naloxone distribution programs in the area. They may be able to provide information on locations where Narcan is available for free or at a reduced cost.
Harm Reduction Organizations : Look for harm reduction organizations or nonprofits in Austin that focus on substance use issues. These organizations often provide naloxone distribution programs and may offer free Narcan kits along with training on overdose recognition and response.
Community Health Centers: Check with community health centers or clinics in Austin to see if they offer naloxone distribution programs. They may provide Narcan kits as part of their harm reduction initiatives or overdose prevention efforts.
7 steps to avoid or reduce opioid overdose
The CDC recommends the following steps to reduce injury from opioid use disorder:
Carry Naloxone: Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a life-saving medication that can rapidly reverse opioid overdose. Obtain naloxone from a pharmacy or community health center and learn how to administer it properly. Create a Safety Plan: If you or someone you know is at risk of opioid overdose, develop a safety plan. Identify triggers and high-risk situations, and establish strategies to prevent overdose, such as avoiding drug use alone and setting limits on opioid consumption. Know Your Limits: Understand your tolerance to opioids and never exceed recommended dosages. If you're prescribed opioids for pain management, communicate openly with your healthcare provider about your concerns and any potential side effects. Dispose of Unused Medications Safely: Properly dispose of unused or expired opioids to prevent accidental ingestion or misuse. Take advantage of drug take-back programs or follow FDA guidelines for at-home disposal, such as mixing medications with undesirable substances like coffee grounds or kitty litter before throwing them away. Utilize Harm Reduction Strategies: Harm reduction approaches aim to minimize the negative consequences of drug use. Consider alternatives to opioid medications, such as non-opioid pain management techniques, and explore harm reduction programs in your community for support and resources. Stay Informed About Opioid Trends: Keep yourself informed about opioid trends, including the prevalence of potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Stay up-to-date on local overdose statistics and emerging risks to better understand the landscape of opioid use in your area. Advocate for policy change: Advocate for policies that address the root causes of opioid overdose, such as improving access to addiction treatment and mental health services, implementing syringe exchange programs, and promoting naloxone distribution. Get involved in community initiatives and support organizations working to combat the opioid crisis
American-Statesman reporter Bianca Moreno-Paz contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Is there a fentanyl vaccine? Clinical trials to start in Texas in 2025
The start of the new term inevitably flooded social media feeds with charming pictures of the children of the UK in their brand new school uniforms and shiny shoes. In a typical parenting fail, I completely forgot to photograph my youngest on her first day of big school preoccupied with the prospect of traffic on the school run and the need to make it to work on time.
But the beginning of the school year is an important reminder that the majority of kids in this country want to learn, make friends and get on in life. And the majority of parents are there to support them in becoming well-rounded adults, able to make a valuable contribution to society.
But an undeniable rot has set in since lockdown that we must address. Weve always had to put up with our fair share of feckless parents, letting their feral children run amok while the rest of our offspring mind their Ps and Qs. You know the types Im talking about here; theyre loud, theyre objectionable and theyre prone to ruining your pub lunch. (It isnt a class thing, by the way. Posh children are invariably the most irritating on account of their unself-aware and entitled, Boden-clad Mamas and Papas).
But the pandemic appears to have unleashed a new subgroup of brats whose bad behaviour extends well beyond the mere annoying.
Theres a new element of fear in Britain today; a feeling that things arent as safe as they used to be; that the social fabric is fraying. We used to attribute those feelings to men behaving badly but part of it is now undoubtedly down to the way that some children are carrying on.
It was revealed this week that there has been a serious rise in the number of crimes being committed by children some of them very violent. The number of under 18s arrested for all offences has risen 9 per cent in a year up 16 per cent since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.
Children now account for nearly four in 10 (39.1 per cent) of all robbery arrests, where they use force to steal from a person or a place, while the number of young people arrested for carrying a knife is on the rise.
The number of children arrested for violence against the person, which ranges from assault to murder, has increased by 22 per cent since the pandemic, to 18,220 in the year to March 2023. In total, child arrests reached 58,507 in the year to last March.
The rise in youth crime since lockdown mirrors a decline in behaviour within schools, with suspensions and exclusions expected to have increased by a fifth in the last academic year. It comes after Department for Education figures revealed that last years cohort of year nine and 10 students were some of the worst behaved on record, with over 50 per cent more suspensions.
Since these were the lockdown guinea pigs who missed the crucial transition from primary to secondary school while the UK was in enforced social isolation, it is no wonder that experts have linked the surge in absenteeism to the various Covid measures. Thats certainly right.
It wasnt just a problem that children spent months isolated at home without the support of teachers and their peers. Lockdown also abandoned a generation to their own devices literally and what children have been exposed to online since the advent of the smartphone may well have contributed to the problem of unsocialised and lawless youngsters turning to criminality. So lockdown is definitely a huge factor.
But these figures appear to reflect a broader collapse in authority, as well as an increase in terrible parenting. The signs of this are everywhere from the mother who went to Ibiza while her son was supposed to be sentenced for his role in the August riots (the fathers whereabouts are anyones guess), to the parents who think nothing of taking a two-week family break in term time.
Remember the days when parents would support teachers in disciplining their wayward children? We have now entered a parallel universe where parents will openly criticise a school for exercising authority over its pupils, seemingly oblivious to how damaging it is to let a child get their own way all the time. And if parents cant even follow basic rules like uniform why should the children?
Extend that abrogation of responsibility to the rule of law, and weve got serious problems. In recent months, we have read countless headlines about teenagers caught up in serious crimes, including murder. There are now so many examples that they are in danger of losing their capacity to shock.
Consider the case of the 16-year-old boy who fatally stabbed schoolgirl Holly Newton in an alleyway in Hexham, Northumberland. The boy, who is now 17, knifed her 36 times and was found guilty last month.
That a young person can commit such a savage act having approached his victim at a bus stop in the early evening, with traffic driving past also speaks to a total lack of respect for the police.
In general, confidence in the police has worsened in recent years, but the most recent polling shows that perceptions among Gen-Z (those born since 1996) in particular are reaching new lows. The World Values Survey found that just 67 per of British adults have confidence in the police compared to 87 per cent in 1981. But among those aged 28 and below, the figure falls to 44 per cent. This is much lower than Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) and Millennials (1981 to 1996).
One of the reasons for this might be a growing awareness among the good kids that the bad kids often get away with their crimes. If adults find feral, anti-social and indeed, criminal children horrifying imagine what it is like for other children. They feel just as forced out of communal spaces like playgrounds, parks and shopping malls as the average, intimidated Boomer.
Ironically, it is the law-abiding, school-attending Gen Zs for whom the woke pendulum has well and truly swung too far who have become particularly intolerant of the bad behaviour of their unruly peers. Unlike their I know my rights Millennial elders, still obsessing over pronouns and puberty blockers, your average Gen-Zer is a bit like their children of Thatcher, Gen-X parents in believing in personal accountability. Many of them found lockdown so difficult precisely because there were no boundaries and the decision-making was so nonsensical. Like the rest of us, they prefer a rules-based order, provided its fairly enforced. Some went off the rails but most didnt.
As ever, the onus is on the grown-ups to restore authority and not let a small minority run riot.
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A propaganda video released by Hamas on Thursday showing American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of six Hamas hostages killed last weekend in Gaza, should be an "immediate wake-up call to the world" to focus on securing a cease-fire deal, his parents said.
We are in the midst of the seven day Jewish mourning period after burying our son Hersh, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin said in a statement on Thursday shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents families of the hostages.
But the couple outspoken advocates for a deal to end Israel's nearly year-long assault on the Gaza Strip and secure the return of those still held captive said they felt compelled to speak out once again after Hamas released the new video of Hersh.
It was taken before he was killed, nearly 11 months after being taken hostage at the Supernova music festival, where he also lost part of his arm in a blast during Hamas' Oct. 7. terror attacks.
The video was one of a series released by Hamas this week showing the six hostages, who Israeli officials say were killed by their captors before they could be rescued by Israeli forces. Hamas has said militants have been operating under new instructions on how to handle hostages if Israeli forces approach the locations where they're being held.
The forum has accused Hamas of conducting psychological terror against the families of hostages through the calculated releases of distressing footage.
In their statement, Goldberg and Polin said they were nonetheless OK with the video being shared widely. They called on the international community to "take action today" to secure the release of the hostages who remain in Hamas' captivity "before it is too late."
"No other family should go through what our family (and the families of the other recently executed hostages) have endured," they said.
Goldberg-Polin's parents, with his sisters Orly and Leebie, during the funeral in Jerusalem on Monday.
Around 100 people are believed to remain in Hamas' captivity after some 250 people were taken captive and some 1,200 people were killed on Oct. 7, according to Israeli officials. At least around a third of the hostage are believed to be dead.
Goldberg and Polin have also been outspoken in the need for compromise in negotiations to end the suffering not only for hostages and their families, but also for Palestinians in Gaza. More than 40,800 people have been killed in the enclave, local officials said, since Israel launched its deadly offensive after Hamas' attacks, which marked a major escalation in a decadeslong conflict.
At Hersh's funeral on Monday, his mother said she prayed that her son's death would be a "turning point in this horrible situation in which we are all entangled."
Yet there has been little sign of progress in talks in the days since, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brushing off intense pressure from all sides to drop his insistence on keeping Israeli troops in an area along the Gaza-Egypt border.
He maintained Thursday that an agreement was far from "close," even as Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that "90 percent is agreed."
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Fire hydrants to be flushed in Howland Township
HOWLAND TWP., Ohio (WKBN) The Trumbull County Sanitary Engineers will be flushing fire hydrants beginning next Tuesday, Sept. 10.
The flushing will last about two weeks and will include fire hydrants only in Howland Township.
Water may become rusty or off-color when fire hydrants are flushed. The Trumbull County Sanitary Engineers Department encourages residents to check their water before cooking, showering or doing laundry.
Water lines may be cleared by running the washing machine on the full cold water cycle with no clothes in the washer. Check all other fixtures, and let the water run until it is clear again.
Crews will start the flushing at about 8 a.m. on Tuesday and continue flushing until about 8 p.m. on weekdays.
Drivers are encouraged to slow down and use caution while this work occurs.
Contact the Trumbull County Sanitary Engineers Department with any questions between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 330-675-2475.
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) There was a fire in an alleyway behind a home in Fresno on Thursday, the Fresno Fire Department said.
Crews responded to an outside fire in the alleyway behind a home in Fresno around 11 a.m. on Thursday.
Upon arrival, fire officials say Engine 4 requested additional resources after it was reported that the fire had extended to an outbuilding, threatening structures.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire before they say it could spread to nearby homes, preventing further damage. No injuries were reported.
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Teen charged in Georgia school shooting and his father to stay in custody after hearings
WINDER, Ga. (AP) The 14-year-old suspect in a shooting at a Georgia high school that killed four people and his father will both stay in custody following back-to-back court hearings Friday morning where their lawyers declined to seek bail.
At 14-year-old Colt Grays hearing, the teen was advised of his rights along with the charges and penalties he faced.
After the hearing, Colt Gray was escorted out in shackles at the wrists and ankles in khaki pants and a green shirt. The judge then called Colt Gray back to the courtroom to correct an earlier misstatement that his crimes could be punishable by death. Because hes a juvenile, the maximum penalty he would face is life without parole. The judge also set another hearing for Dec. 4.
Shortly after Colt Grays hearing, his father, Colin Gray, was brought into court. Colin Gray, 54, was charged Thursday in connection with the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, outside Atlanta. Nine people were also hurt in Wednesdays attack.
Colin Gray, dressed in a gray-striped jail uniform at Fridays hearing, answered questions in a barely audible croak, giving his age and saying he finished 11th grade, earning a high school equivalency diploma.
BACKGROUND: Student kills 4 and wounds 9 in shooting rampage at Georgia high school
About 50 onlookers were in the courtroom for the hearings, in addition to news media and sheriffs deputies. Some family members of victims in the front row hugged each other and one woman clutched a stuffed animal.
Before the hearings at the Barrow County courthouse, court workers set out boxes of tissue along courtroom benches, and relatives and community members began to trickle into the courtroom Friday morning in advance of the hearings for the son and father.
According to arrest warrants obtained by The Associated Press, Colt Gray is accused of using a black semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle to kill two students and two teachers at the school. Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how he obtained the gun or got it into the school.
Colin Gray was charged Thursday in connection with the shooting, including with counts of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said.
His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon, Hosey said.
Its the latest example of prosecutors holding parents responsible for their childrens actions in school shootings. In April, Michigan parents Jennifer and James Crumbley were the first convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting. They were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for not securing a firearm at home and acting indifferently to signs of their sons deteriorating mental health before he killed four students in 2021. The Georgia shootings have also renewed debate about safe storage laws for guns and have parents wondering how to talk to their children about school shootings and trauma.
The morning court hearings for the father and son came as police in the Atlanta suburb of Dunwoody said schools there and nationwide have received threats of violence since the Georgia shooting, police said in a statement. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also noted that numerous threats have been made to schools across the state this week.
RELATED: What measures are local schools taking to deter gun violence?
Before Colin Grays arrest was reported, the AP knocked on the door of a home listed for him seeking comment about his sons arrest.
Colt Gray was charged as an adult with four counts of murder in the deaths of Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.
A neighbor remembered Schermerhorn as inquisitive when he was a little boy. Aspinwall and Irimie were both math teachers, and Aspinwall also helped coach the schools football team. Irimie, who immigrated from Romania, volunteered at a local church, where she taught dance.
Colt Gray denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriffs report obtained Thursday. Conflicting evidence on the posts origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. 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.
SEE ALSO: Father of Georgia school shooting suspect arrested
The attack was the latest among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. 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 but there has been little change to national gun laws.
It was the 30th mass killing in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer the same definition used by the FBI.
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The Air Force landed two F-35A fighters on a highway in Finland on Wednesday to practice how aircraft might operate in a high-intensity future war.
The F-35s, which were from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath in England, carried out the landings on the Hosio Highway Strip in Ranua, Finland, under the so-called agile combat employment, or ACE, concept. It was the first time the Air Force had landed its F-35s on a highway, the service said.
The Air Force worries that if war breaks out with an adversary boasting stand-off weaponry, like China, their military could target large American bases in places like Japan and Guam with missile barrages or other attacks. If the Air Force only operated from those bases, a series of those Chinese attacks could potentially devastate its ability to launch aircraft.
The service developed the ACE concept to counter that possibility. The Air Force plans to spread out operations across a given region in hub and spoke patterns, using a series of smaller, more austere bases. By dispersing these operations, the Air Force says, enemy forces would have to carry out many more attacks than if they were centralized.
Under ACE, the Air Force could create rough air fields for their distributed bases, or use existing local highways as runways.
The Air Force said the highway landings, which took place during the BAANA 2024 exercise in Finland, showed how NATO allies had improved their ability to work together, and operate under ACE tenets.
The successful first-ever landing of our fifth-generation F-35 on a highway in Europe is a testament to the growing relationship and close interoperability we have with our Finnish allies, Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, said. The opportunity to learn from our Finnish counterparts improves our ability to rapidly deploy and employ airpower from unconventional locations and reflects the collective readiness and the agility of our forces.
Finland and other Nordic nations have military-civilian integration, like warplanes using highways, baked into their national defense calculus.
Allied aircraft that also practiced highway landings included a German Eurofighter Typhoon and a Finnish Hawk jet trainer.
Finland formally joined NATO in 2023, spurred largely by Russias invasion of Ukraine. The Air Force said Finlands membership has increased U.S. airmens ability to train with Finnish airmen and learn from them, at events such as the 1v1 air superiority exercise held in June at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
MOSCOW, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The "Magic of Shandong Province" photo exhibition opened at the China Cultural Center here on Thursday.
Running until Sept. 16, the exhibition highlights the unique charm and dynamic developments of Jinan and Zibo, two renowned historical and cultural cities in China's Shandong Province.
Under the Belt and Road Initiative, the economic and trade relationship between Shandong Province and Russia has been deepening. Shandong-made products are now widely available in the Russian market, serving as a prime example of China-Russia trade cooperation.
The exhibition showcases around 60 works by Chinese photographers, featuring Shandong's natural landscapes and its historical and cultural landmarks.
The leaders of both countries have announced that 2024 and 2025 are the China-Russia Years of Culture, with cultural exchanges between the two countries having significantly increased.
Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Russia Feng Litao and First Deputy Chairperson of the Russia-China Friendship Association Galina Kulikova attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition.
At the ceremony, Feng noted the great economic potential of Shandong Province and the growing cooperation between the province and Russian regions.
"In the context of remarkable growth, the unprecedented development of Russian-Chinese relations and interstate ties, as well as growing economic cooperation, it becomes particularly important to develop cultural cooperation," said Kirill Barsky, vice-chairman of the Russia-China Friendship Society.
Russian media representatives, orientalists, businessmen, and Russian and international students were among the guests attending the ceremony.
The exhibition is organized by the Eurasian Bureau and the Shandong Bureau of China's Xinhua News Agency in cooperation with the China Cultural Center in Moscow.
First Lady Jill Biden was the surprise keynote speaker Friday morning at the Fashion for Our Future march that encouraged voter registration during this election year.
A crowd estimated by the organizers at more than 1,000 industry professionals came out for the 9 a.m. march, including Prabal Gurung, Michael Kors, Cynthia Rowley, Rebecca Moses, Thom Browne, Zac Posen, Tory Burch, Wes Gordon, Stan Herman, Jack McCollough, Lazaro Hernandez and Karlie Kloss, who walked from Herald Square to Bryant Park.
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Organized by the CFDA and Vogue, the march was an opportunity for the industry to champion democracy. Wearing white T-shirts created by Old Navy that said Fashion for Our Future, on the front and Vote on the back, participants, including children in strollers, carried banners and foghorns, encouraging people to get out and vote.
After each member of the crowd was individually checked by security upon entering Bryant Park, Biden, along with Thom Browne, chairman of the CFDA, and fashion designer and activist Aurora James, spoke.
Biden said that, as a young woman, she almost didnt vote for her future husband, Joe Biden, when he first ran for the Senate. It was the 70s, and I was a student at the University of Delaware. And there was a genuine buzz on campus for this young candidate. His name was Joe Biden. Everyone was voting for him, she said.
But I wasnt so sure. You see, my parents were Republicans. Politics wasnt any part of my life. But we were told that every vote mattered. We believed in making a difference, and so Joe won that election by only about 3,000 votes, and it could have easily gone the other way, said Biden, who was dressed in the official march T-shirt under a black Zadig & Voltaire blazer that spelled out Love on the back in metal studs, skinny leather pants and grey sneakers.
Years later, on a Saturday afternoon, she was asked out on a date out of the blue. This is a pretty young crowd. I remember that I wore my hair down to the middle of my waist, as did most of the men I dated. But that evening, a handsome senator showed up at my door, but I took one look at his perfect suit and his leather loafers, and I thought, Thank God, its only one date. But then we went to dinner and you know, I said to myself, Thank God I voted for him.'
She told the crowd, So now your day may not start or stop with politics, but elections are about so much more. Theyre about the freedom for our children to learn without fear, without hate, without gun violence.
Pointing to this weeks tragic school shooting, Biden said, We all stand with Georgia in sorrow and prayer but we also have to act. We cannot accept these school shootings as a fact of life [a reference to a comment made by Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance]. We must ban assault rifles, and I know that you care about the freedom to make your own choices. Be who you are, love who you love, the freedom, your freedom of creative expression. These freedoms are at risk because of court decisions, book bans, shrugs of apathy when people forget the power of the vote, Biden said.
Further, she noted, Lets remember this next president, your next president, will likely appoint new Supreme Court justices, your next senators will confirm them, and our children and grandchildren will have to live with those consequences. But first, you get to decide. Elections matter.
She encouraged the audience to vote, vote early, then help others do the same.
Browne noted that this year marks the fourth anniversary of CFDAs collaboration with I am a voter. He said the first lady recognized the importance of having everyone engaged in the whole process.
James said she came to this country almost 20 years ago because I was chasing a dream too. Each of us here today represents a weave in the fabric that makes this country so special, that makes this country so beautiful, so strange, so magical and so fruitful. She said that every person, whether theyre a garment worker, a bus driver, a lawyer or a shoe designer, contributes to our collective success.
But this fall, that success is on the ballot. Weve seen it threatened before, and we absolutely cannot go back. For all of us to prosper, we need to act on the passion and the love for this country. We have to show up and vote because theres one thing that I also know: Elections are not just about marches. Theyre about opportunities to exercise democracy to actually help shape and empower the people, the ideas and the policies that empower all people, not just some people, James said.
She encouraged people to identify five people in their phone contacts and text them and ask their plan to vote. And then text another five friends.
Along the march, industry executives were chatting and catching up with one another on the first day of New York Fashion Week.
Im so proud to be out here and encourage everyone to get out to vote, especially with reproductive rights [on the ballot] in my home state in Missouri. We have to do what we can. This is the least we can do, Kloss said.
I think this is a really important message to get out, said Ken Downing, creative director of Halston. He said he has voted since he got the first opportunity and voted in the election of Ronald Reagan versus Jimmy Carter. Not necessarily, I voted the right way, he said. Ive voted in every state that Ive ever lived in.
Fern Mallis said, Im rooting for fashion in our future. I think everything is in jeopardy right now. She said she was happy to see the industry get together on this. Maybe this is something we can all agree on to get out and vote and make a woman president, she said.
Buxton Midyette, vice president of marketing and promotions for Supima, said, This is such an important moment. I love that its part of the conversation. Fashion is such an important industry in our country and we need to have a voice.
Julie Gilhart said she plans to get young people on the phone and encourage them to vote.
Ulrich Grimm, former Calvin Klein executive vice president, global design, shoes, bags, accessories and home, whos a consultant and teacher at Parsons School of Design, said, Ive never seen so many fashion people in front of Macys at a quarter to eight. It is kind of amazing when the community comes together, it is very strong.
Tracy Reese flew in from Detroit for the event. Asked what brought her out, she said, Hope, urgency, advocacy, community and the future. Its all about policy and community. She said the CFDA used to do so many community events for other causes such as breast cancer and AIDS. We miss those moments. This is one of those moments, Reese said. She said she is helping people in Detroit get registered and then to make sure they get to the polls. Michigan is a pivotal state and we want to make sure people use their voices, she said.
Lafayette 148 chief executive officer Deirdre Quinn brought 14 people from her company, as well as Sophie Elgort and Camila Perez. Its so exciting. I think there are really important issues. Im sure its the most important election of our time, she said.
Gary Wassner, chief executive officer of Hilldun Corp., said he came to support voting.
We cant be political [at this event], but we need to get out the vote. We need to have a voice. Were a huge industry that has very little common voice, Wassner said.
Rebecca Moses said shes obsessed by voting. She started a Go Go Vote Girls on Instagram after the Democratic National Convention, where every day shell ask women to write a brief letter about why theyre voting for Kamala Harris. I do a portrait of them to document a monumental election, she said. Were trying to get people registered and understand the difference between lies and truths. Theres so much riding on this election.
Launch Gallery: Jill Biden, Tory Burch, Michael Kors and More Attend the CFDA Fashion For Our Future March
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New York Fashion Week is here with surprise speech from Jill Biden on first day at the Fashion For Our Future Rally
On September 6, the first official day of New York Fashion Week, Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America hosted a march down Broadway, rallying designers, artists, influencers, editors, and activists alike to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
Entitled Fashion For Our Future, the early morning gathering saw Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Zac Posen, and Thom Browne lead the way toward Bryant Park, where First Lady Jill Biden made a surprise speech to encourage voter registration and thank the fashion community for its continued efforts in advocating for the democratic party.
Aurora James, a Toronto native who came to the US to chase her dream as a fashion designer, opened the rally. Your story is the American story, James, the creative director and founder of Brother Vellies, started. Each of us here today represents a weave in the fabric that makes this country so special. That makes this country so beautiful, so strange, so magical, and so fruitful of all of our dreams.
The 40-year-old style architect acknowledged the promise of prosperity and freedom in the country and the contribution of US citizens in helping to advance these ideals. This place can be exactly what we make of it, James remarked. Each of us contributes to our collective success. Each of us contributes to our collective liberation.
With just two months before the presidential election, James expressed concern for the future, noting how democracy has been threatened before and that same peril is present now.
First Lady Jill Biden asks people to vote at the Fashion For Our Future rally (Getty Images)
Anna Wintour poses with Thom Browne, EB Kelly, and Steven Kolb for Fashion For Our Future march in New York City (Getty Images)
Thom Browne, chairman of the CFDA and creator of his eponymous brand, expressed a similar sentiment after James. As a major actor in the industry, Browne recognized how fashion is culturally, economically, and politically significant. Not only does the industry impact the economy, but its often used as a platform for free speech, pushing impactful messages on major issues such as abortion rights and gun violence.
First Lady Jill Biden on stage with Thom Browne and Aurora James (Kaleigh Werner)
First Lady Jill Biden echoed Brownes remarks, praising him, Wintour, and James for effectively rallying the fashion industry to help sustain democracy. Additionally, she took a moment to express her condolences to all those affected by the recent school shooting in Georgia.
Your day may not start or stop with politics, she said. But elections are about so much more. Theyre about the freedom for our children to learn without fear, without hate, without gun violence.
This week we saw yet another tragic school shooting. We all stand with Georgia in sorrow and prayer, but we also have to act, the first lady exclaimed.
Speaking directly to those in the crowd, she continued: Elections matter. And I know that this crowd is ready for this one. The fashion industry always comes together when it matters most, when AIDS engulfed the industry, you raised awareness and money for research, and you did the same for breast cancer.
Fashion has always been our future, this much is clear. You walk the walk, and youve always done it together, and thats what we have to do again this fall.
Eva and Yvette Estime, founders of Dirty Celebrity, at the Fashion For Our Future Rally (Kaleigh Werner)
For Eva Estime, co-creator of Dirty Celeb and CFDA award winner, showing up to the Fashion For Our Future event meant showing up for disability rights. Fashion has always been a huge part of politics, whether its punk or, you know, statements that give a rise to political voices, they told The Independent. Fashion plays a huge role in that.
The accessories designer established their brand alongside Yvette Estime as a mode of individuality, using sustainable materials to craft sophisticated yet playful pieces that challenge social norms and stiff trends.
Looking at fashion as a form of democracy, a method of expression for designers and wearers, is a consideration James believes many ignore. I think that people are really tough on fashion a lot of the time. Like, they just want to kind of eye roll at it. They dont really think about the impact that we have, she confessed.
That said, the first lady recognized the industrys impact, as well as the diverse leaders and workers who are just as affected by the issues reflected on the ballot as anyone else in the country. Im grateful to the first lady for understanding that we do really care as well, and we do as much as we can to sort of push things forward in our small corner of the world, and its better to do something than nothing, James added.
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) The first man accused in the torture-murder case in Chemung County has been sentenced to serve 12 years in prison.
According to the District Attorneys Office, Thomas Bovaird will serve a 12-year sentence after being convicted of manslaughter in the first degree and kidnapping in the second degree for the kidnapping and murder of Juan Jose Gotay in January of 2021. He was sentenced to 12 years for each count, which will run concurrently. He is also sentenced to two and a half years of post-release supervision.
Chemung County Torture Murder Case leader sentenced to life in prison
Bovaird was one of four to be charged in the case along with Eddie Marte, Malik Weems and Kavon Sanders.
Bovaird pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder charge on June 8, 2023, in the Chemung County Court. He was the second person in the case to plead guilty to murdering Gotay, after Weems, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the torture case, as well as kidnapping someone in Geneva.
Eddie Marte murder trial continues in Elmira
Marte, the leader of the case, was sentenced to serve life in prison on Aug. 2. According to reports from this date, Sanders is the last person to be convicted, as he has yet to be seen in court for his involvement in the case.
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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) Opposing sides are scheduled for their first courtroom appearance Friday in a bitterly contested federal civil lawsuit alleging Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) corruption related to accused serial rapist Sean Williams.
PREVIOUS: New lawsuit filing alleges JCPD payoffs to protect alleged rapist Sean Williams
Federal Magistrate Judge Jill McCook is set to hear arguments in a federal courtroom on the plaintiffs motion to compel the defendants the City of Johnson City and several current and former police officers to produce years worth of financial records.
Defense attorneys oppose the motion and have called the requests a fishing expedition and say their clients have already produced significant amounts of financial records with no proof yet from plaintiffs of any corruption.
Lawyers for the multiple alleged Williams victims claim the requested records could hold keys in their bid to prove what is perhaps their primary argument: that police took money or otherwise benefited in exchange for overlooking Williams alleged serial sexual assaults.
Why a hearing now?
Both sides in the Doe suit have filed numerous dramatic and fiercely opposing claims in recent months. Along with deposition transcripts, the filings in the suit exceed 300 and the pages filed are in the thousands.
Judges both McCook, the magistrate in the case, and presiding Judge Travis McDonough have ruled on previous contested motions based just on the paper filings. Just over two weeks ago, McDonough dismissed individual claims against former Capt. Kevin Peters and officers Justin Jenkins and Brady Higgins, leaving former Chief Karl Turner and officers Toma Sparks and Jeff Legault along with the city as remaining named defendants.
Some defendants dismissed in Jane Doe lawsuit against JC, police
But the case thats currently scheduled for an April 2025 trial may be nearing some additional important rulings, including whether to allow it to proceed as a class action. The plaintiffs have deposed numerous related parties who arent specific defendants, including Ball and Williams former business partner, known as Female 4 whom plaintiffs attorneys have suggested was at the center of the alleged corruption scheme.
An Oct. 1, 2023 Facebook post, written on a page supposedly belonging to Williams (he was jailed at the time), included multiple allegations of JCPD corruption. Among them was a claim that Female 4 made $2,000 a week payments to JCPD officers because she got caught selling cocaine and the corrupt officers targeted her for extortion probably due to her association with me.
The Jane Doe attorneys successfully subpoenaed bank records related to Williams former company, Glass & Concrete Contracting (GCC), and asked Female 4 numerous questions about transactions during an hours-long deposition. She repeatedly denied that any of the withdrawals and transfers attorneys brought up were improper in any way.
In filings, defense attorneys noted theyve agreed to provide some of the additional requested financial documents but that the extent of the requests is overbroad and burdensome.
The plaintiffs attorneys, conversely, say the information they have received, the depositions theyve conducted and the claims theyve made in filings so far show strong circumstantial evidence pointing toward police corruption.
Plaintiffs requests are not intended to harass, nor are they unduly burdensome, but are reasonably calculated to obtain material evidence proving that the Defendant officers had a financial incentive to carry out acts of obstruction, a portion of the motion to compel reads.
(B)ank records and deposition testimony tend to corroborate Plaintiffs allegations regarding the movement of funds out of GCC to Female 4 in ways that do not appear to be explained by legitimate business activity, it states elsewhere.
It claims officers might have benefited as, according to the plaintiffs, Female 4 liquidated Glass and Concrete Contractings assets in 2022.
All of this further supports that evidence of the corruption scheme is likely to be found in Defendants financial records, the motion says.
Attorneys for the city and several current and individual defendants have fired back.
Kristin Berexa represents Toma Sparks, a JCPD detective at the center of the corruption claims. Her response to the motion to compel references the Oct. 1, 2023 Facebook post, which specifically claims Sparks was among recipients of money laundered through using bogus fraudulent 1099 names and forged owners draw.
Berexa claims the post is (t)he underpinning of this specious theory of bribery and extortion by JCPD officers
Her response accuses plaintiffs of weaving together unfounded allegations, incomplete deposition testimony, incomplete and inaccurate analysis of bank records, and an inaccurate analysis of City-produced audit trails.
Berexa claims that was done in an attempt to support their baseless theory that Johnson City police officers engaged in an extortion and bribery scheme with Sean Williams. Plaintiffs use this theory as the basis for their need to obtain wide-reaching financial information from the Defendants through discovery requests.
The motion also seeks the real estate contract City Manager Cathy Ball entered in early 2022 to buy Williams fifth-floor condominium at 200 E. Main St. Ball did not purchase the condo, and in a deposition and in a later news conference, she said she withdrew from the contract after learning Williams was a fugitive.
Dozens of women are alleged to have been sexually assaulted in that condo, mainly between 2018 and 2021, with authorities now claiming to have video and still recordings of those incidents after allegedly recovering digital devices from Williams when he was arrested in April 2023. One affidavit claims that the women in the images appear to be drugged.
In addition to providing some financial records to attorneys for multiple alleged victims of Williams, 52, in the Doe et al vs. Johnson City civil suit that was first filed in June 2023, they and other parties have sat through hours of depositions. Doe is the second federal civil suit related to JCPD and Williams, who was at large for almost two years after JCPD unsuccessfully tried to arrest him on a federal ammunition charge at his condo in early May 2021.
Williams alleged sexual assaults first made news in June 2022, when former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kat Dahl sued the city for wrongful termination. Her suit, currently set for trial in October, alleges JCPD terminated her in mid-2021 as retaliation for her efforts to get JCPD to more aggressively investigate allegations that Williams was a serial sex offender.
A year after Dahl filed suit, Vanessa Baehr-Jones and other attorneys sued the city on behalf of what were then nine Jane Doe plaintiffs. The suit has been amended twice and lawyers are now seeking class-action status. All defendants have denied all allegations and claims in both lawsuits.
Williams, meanwhile, was arrested in Cullowhee, N.C. April 29, 2023 by campus police from Western Carolina University (WCU) after an officer checked on a parked car at an off-campus parking lot in the middle of the night. That officer allegedly found more than 14 ounces of methamphetamine and 12 ounces of cocaine.
Computer files show 52 Sean Williams alleged rapes
When WCU police searched thumb drives and other devices for evidence of drug transactions, they allegedly stumbled across a massive cache of digital files some arranged by name in folders purportedly showing Williams sexually assaulting dozens of apparently drugged women in his apartment. Williams has since been indicted in state and federal court for sex crimes against children based on some of that evidence and faces an October federal trial on three such counts that could net up to 90 years in prison.
While attorneys for both sides have engaged in heated exchanges during depositions and sometimes been far from collegial in their filings, their scheduled appearance before a judge in the case would mark a first.
McCook has not indicated in her very brief notice of the hearing whether she will rule on the motion immediately Friday or issue a ruling later.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Firefighters are making progress battling the First Thunder Fire south of Rapid City.
Officials say the blaze is 157 acres and is around 77% contained. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
First Thunder Fire update: Crews are working to slow it down
The fire was reported Monday night and scatter showers this week helped crews reinforce the fireline.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
LOUISIANA (KTAL/KMSS) Voting for the first time can be overwhelming and stressful.
Whether you are freshly 18, a new citizen, or never have voted before, voting can be easy when you are prepared. There are a few steps you need to take to cast your vote in the upcoming election.
Explainer: How accessible are the election polls?
Register to vote
Louisiana has a few restrictions around when you can register to vote. The Louisiana Secretary of State website states that to be eligible to vote in Louisiana for a particular election, you must be registered at least 20 days prior to an election if registering online with a Louisiana drivers license or Louisiana ID card or 30 days prior to an election if registering in person or by mail.
Online: Register by Tuesday October 15
By mail: Form must be post marked by Monday October 7
In person: Register by Monday October 7
Choose your party
Louisiana has five recognized political parties. The five are as follows:
Democrat
Republican
Green
Libertarian
Independent
If you are new to government and politics, you may not know what political party your values and morals aligns with most. One way to get an idea is through an online test that asks your stance on certain political issues.
Research and issues
Once you have decided what party aligns with your values, it is time to research the issues the issues that are on the ballot this election. The best thing you can do is determine what issues are most important to you as a citizen and voter.
Look for reliable sources for the most accurate, unbiased information. Some reliable sources include research journals, news outlets, and data backed articles. Some unreliable sources include, social media, partisan news outlets, opinion/editorial pieces, and citizen journalists.
Utilize websites like AllSides to determine where your preferred news outlet falls on the chart of bias.
Explainer: Why government projects take so long to complete
Check your local voting rules
For the November Presidential Election, the polls are open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Louisiana requires voters to show photo identification when voting. There are four forms of ID that are accepted at the polling place.
Louisiana drivers license
Louisiana special identification card
LA Wallet digital drivers license
Military ID
Ballotpedia states that voters who do not have an accepted ID may vote by completing a voter identification affidavit.
Find your polling place
When you register to vote, you should be given the location of your polling place, where you can cast your vote on election day.
If you need help finding your polling place location, the Louisiana Secretary of State website offers a search engine to find yours.
Abortions ancient history
Geaux vote!
Once you have registered to vote, know which candidates and issues resonate most with you, and know your polling place, you are ready to vote in Louisiana.
Making a plan for the day of, like what time you want to arrive and how you will get there. If you are experiencing voter anxiety, invite a friend to ease your fears.
Get out and make your voice heard this election day.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
1 civilian killed and 50, including 3 children, injured in Russian strike on Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast photos
Russian forces struck the city of Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with five Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles on 6 September, leaving 1 civilian dead and 50 more injured, including three children aged 4, 9 and 11.
Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration; Ukraine's Air Force; Ukraine's Interior Ministry; State Emergency Service (SES)
Quote from Lysak: "The enemy has attacked Pavlohrad.
Early reports indicate that five people have been injured. Severe damage also occurred. The threat persists, so observe information silence. Stay in shelters until the all-clear is sounded."
The aftermath of the Russian attack on Pavlohrad.
Photo: SES
Details: Earlier, the Air Force warned of a high-speed target approaching Pavlohrad from Donetsk Oblast and urged residents to take cover: "Pavlohrad, take cover immediately!"
The aftermath of the Russian attack on Pavlohrad.
Photo: SES
Updated: Lysak later reported that the attack had resulted in 1 person being killed and 18 others, including a child, being injured.
Quote: "Sadly, a civilian has been killed in Pavlohrad. The number of injured is growing. There are 18 of them in hospital now, including a 9-year-old girl.
Details: He noted that several fires occurred in the city. A flat caught fire in one of the apartment blocks. Firefighters extinguished the fire and rescued five people.
Later, Lysak noted that the number of injured had increased to 30.
"Three of them are children. In addition to the 9-year-old girl, boys aged 11 and 4 have been injured in the missile attack on the city. Among the people in hospital, two are in a serious condition. Doctors are doing everything to save their lives," added Lysak.
Minutes later, the SES reported that 40 people had been injured in the Russian attack on the city.
The aftermath of the Russian attack on Pavlohrad.
Photo: Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration
Updated: At 12:52, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces had launched a missile attack on the civilian infrastructure of Pavlohrad at around 10:00.
"Early reports indicate that five Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles were launched from Voronezh and Rostov oblasts of the Russian Federation," the Air Force said.
In addition, Lysak reported that 50 people had been injured. He noted that the oldest is 86 years old and the youngest is 4. All are being provided with the necessary assistance. In addition, the houses of local residents have been damaged. Information on the aftermath of the Russian attack is still being gathered.
Background:
On 5 September, the Myrnohrad City Military Administration announced that evacuation trains from Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast had been cancelled due to the deteriorating security situation.
The departure point for the evacuation trains carrying civilians from Donetsk Oblast is Pavlohrad station in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
On 4 September, Vadym Filashkin, Head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, reported that about 26,000 people, including 1,076 children, remained in the frontline city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, towards which the Russians are seeking to advance.
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Mpox vaccines are prepared to be distributed at a Galveston County Health District mobile clinic, in Texas, on Sept. 3, 2022. Credit - Marie D. De JesusHouston Chronicle/Getty Images
From its epicenter in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africas mpox epidemic is spreading fast, reaching a dozen other African nations so far. The single most important tool for extinguishing the fire is mpox vaccination, which prevents infection and illness. Until yesterday, not a single dose of mpox vaccine was available in Congo. Few shots are available anywhere on the continent.
Congos health minister Samuel-Roger Kamba says his country urgently needs 3.5 million doses to stop its outbreak, while 10 million doses are needed for the whole African continent. Without these shots, mpox will continue to spread.
And heres the kicker. While adults and children in 13 African nations are getting infected, sick, and in some cases dying, several rich nations are sitting on large stockpiles. The U.S., for example, is believed to have stockpiled 7 million doses by mid-2023, while Spain has 2.5 million doses. If a rich country were to become affected, it could immediately launch a vaccination campaign to protect its own citizensas we saw during the 2022 U.S. mpox outbreak, when the government mounted a robust vaccine campaign, distributing more than one million shots by the end of the year.
The return of vaccine apartheid
It is painful to watch history repeating itself. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed what Winnie Byanyima, executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, called a global vaccine apartheida profound injustice in which rich countries were the first to get vaccines and boosters, while low- and middle-income nations were left behind. Now we are witnessing mpox vaccine apartheid.
Beyond being unfair and causing preventable illness and deaths in the 13 affected nations and counting, this vaccine inequity also hurts rich nations in two important ways. First, an adage in public health is that an outbreak anywhere can become an outbreak everywhere. In other words, if the outbreak is not contained, it will continue to spread, including to rich nations.
Read More: What Its Like to Respond to Mpox in Africa Right Now
Were already seeing this happen. The outbreak centered in Congo is of an mpox strain targeting adults and children called clade I, which is thought to cause a more severe illness than clade II, the strain that caused a multi-country mpox outbreak in 2022-2023. Cases of clade I mpox have recently been identified as far away as Sweden and Thailand, in people who had traveled to African countries.
Second, when vaccine apartheid causes a pandemic to smolder, it hurts the entire global economy by disrupting supply chains, imports, and exports. It is not just low- and middle-income countries that suffer this economic pain. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, one study estimated that about half of the global economic losses caused by vaccine apartheid were borne by rich nations, mostly through suppressed exports.
Mounting an urgent mpox vaccination campaign in the countries affected in the African region is in the whole worlds interest. Why is it not yet happening? Understanding the reasons is criticalnot just to control Africas current mpox epidemic, but to ensure we do not make the same grave mistakes again.
Mpox shots are made in rich nations and must trickle down to low-income countries
At its heart, the reason for mpox vaccine inequity is that the shots are made by companies in rich nationsDenmarks Bavarian Nordic and Japans KM Biologicsand their high costs (around $200-$400 per course) means they are largely unaffordable to low-income nations like Congo. The affected countries in the African region that are unable to afford the high prices are therefore left to rely on charitable donations of shots from rich nations current stockpiles. Even if an affected African nation had enough cash in hand now, vaccine makers are likely to sell doses to the highest bidders first. Thats exactly whats happening: rich countries are now buying up mpox doses, and low-income countries are at the back of the queue.
A laboratory specialist takes a sample from a patient suspected of being infected with mpox at the Kavumu hospital in Kabare territory, South Kivu region, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Sept. 3, 2024. Arlette BashiziBloomberg/Getty Images
This is topsy turvy. In the middle of a devastating epidemic in Africa, why on earth is the region dependent on mpox vaccines trickling down from the rich world? Instead, there should be capacity built within the region to manufacture mpox shots locally and have them close to those most affected. Affected countries in Africa should also be making investments to ensure they are better prepared to respond to future mpox outbreaks with a well-trained workforce and the right tools: vaccines, medicines, and diagnostic tests.
Read More: What to Know About Mpox in 2024
Since the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Africas mpox epidemic to be a global emergency (what it calls a public health emergency of international concern), theres a powerful case for waiving the intellectual property rights on mpox vaccines to allow any company worldwide to make the shots. Sadly, there is no indication that a waiver is on the table. But at the very least, Bavarian Nordic and KM Biologics should share the technology with African manufacturers and support them to scale up manufacturing as soon as possible. Even if these manufacturers do not produce mpox vaccine doses immediately, such technology transfer would ensure that lasting capacity is built on the continent for this endemic disease.
In the long run, as we discuss in our recently published roadmap on improving the development of medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics worldwide, a concerted global effort is needed to build vaccine manufacturing capacity in all regions of the world. If theres a new infectious disease epidemic in Africa, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, or any other region, the fastest and most affordable way to get shots in arms is to make doses locally. No more going hat in hand begging for doses from the rich world.
The system for approving pandemic vaccines isnt fit for mpox
Since it looks like mpox vaccine manufacturing wont be up and running in the African region in the coming days, weeks, or perhaps even months, in the short term, the only feasible avenue for beating the epidemic is a well-structured donation program. Yet even on this front, the international community cant get its act together.
The only realistic avenue for a large vaccination campaign is one led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF. Because of their existing relationships with manufacturers, and their positioning as the two major agencies that buy and deliver vaccine shots at large scale to low- and middle-income countries, they are best placed to strike a deal the quickest. But right now, they are paralyzed.
UNICEF and Gavis rules mean they are only allowed to buy vaccines that have been approved by WHOyet while the U.S., Europe, and a few African nations have approved them, the WHO has still not approved mpox vaccines. Sania Nishtar, Gavis Chief Executive Officer, told The Lancet in late August that we are still weeks away from any vaccine being approved for emergency use by WHO and even then, it will take time for manufacturers to supply doses in large quantities.
Read More: A New Era of Special Education Begins with Inclusive AI
It is hard to believe we are in this situation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an mpox vaccine in September 2019. The European Medicines Agency approved an mpox vaccine in July 2022. Bavarian Nordic says it met with WHO in August 2022 to discuss approval of its vaccine, Jynneos. But here we are, two years on, and WHO still has not given the green light through its approval system known as pre-qualification.
Doctor Robert Musole, medical director of the Kavumu hospital, visits patients recovering from mpox in the village of Kavumu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Aug. 24, 2024. Glody MurhabaziAFP/Getty Images
While WHO pre-qualification is important in helping ensure the safety and effectiveness of medicines and vaccines, the delay in approving mpox vaccines indicates that the system is too slow, risk averse, and inflexible.
With UNICEF and Gavi hampered by these bureaucratic hurdles, a handful of rich-country governments have stepped in to pledge doses, although others wont release any of their stockpile. For example, last week the U.S. donated 10,000 doses to Nigeriathe first shots to arrive anywhere on the continentand yesterday 100,000 doses arrived in Congo, donated by the European Union, but other rich countries have not committed to release any of their stockpiles.
But theres another sorry twist to the tale. The regulatory agencies in Congo and Nigeria have both approved the mpox vaccine, so these countries can start vaccination as soon as doses arrive. But many affected African nations have not yet approved it, so even if shots were to be donated, they cant go into arms immediately. In a situation in which a country has not approved it, it relies on WHO approval, which, as we have seen, comes with its own challenges. Regulatory agencies in low-income nations must work together to jointly assess not just mpox vaccines but all medicines and vaccines, reducing dependence on WHO approval as the only avenue.
History will keep repeating itself unless we act now
Each time theres a new epidemic or pandemic, the international community pledges to make it the last. But this is a pipe dream unless we see a concerted, coordinated effort to invest in building a global system of vaccine development, manufacturing, and distribution that benefits everyone.
In addition to urgently streamlining the WHO prequalification process, over the long run, the regulatory agencies in low- and middle-income countries that assess and approve vaccines and other medicines should continue to build local capacity and expertise. Richer countries should provide technical and financial support to national and regional regulatory agencies, such as the newly formed African Medicines Agency, to ensure that these agencies can effectively perform core regulatory functions. Equally, African nations should invest in health systems strengthening and ensure that national budgets meet the annual financial commitments made in declarations such as the Abuja Declaration committing 15% of annual budgets to health. Cross-collaboration between regulatory authorities within the region, as well as with those abroad, will also be critical to build this capacity.
With strengthened national and regional regulation, increased research and development, and scaled-up local manufacturing, we can start to see meaningful progress towards the end of vaccine apartheid.
Contact us at letters@time.com.
Flabbergasted. Short-staffed KC police sent officers to RNC. Should they have?
Reality Check is a Star series holding those with power to account and shining a light on their decisions. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email our journalists at RealityCheck@kcstar.com.
The decision by Kansas City police to send officers to help at the Republican National Convention, at a time when the department is understaffed, is being questioned by some.
In July, the Kansas City Police Department sent 30 officers to Milwaukee where they worked alongside law enforcement officers from Wisconsin and across the country. The KC officers were sent to provide overnight perimeter security, said Capt. Jake Becchina, a police spokesman.
The costs incurred by KCPD for the assistance were reimbursed by the RNC, Becchina said.
Even so, some activists question why the department chose to assist the political convention when the department is down about 300 officers.
Sheryl Ferguson, the founder of Its Time 4 Justice, a Kansas City-based activist organization that has frequently spoken out against allegations of police brutality, said she was flabbergasted by the decision.
We constantly keep hearing about how we dont have enough officers on patrol and were actually going to send them somewhere else? Ferguson said. Doesnt make sense to me.
Ferguson also appeared to point to a recent statewide vote that forced Kansas City to spend more of its budget on police, saying if KCPD worked more on training their officers to not be so violent, they wouldnt need so much money.
In July of 2023, Becchina said, the Milwaukee police department reached out to several agencies for assistance with the convention which was held nearly two months ago. And KCPD was one of them, he said.
KCPDs role in assisting agencies outside of the immediate Metro is not anything new, Becchina said in an email. ... KCPD helped during the Joplin tornado, the Popes visit to St. Louis, and the 2021 Inauguration of President Biden. KCPD will again be helping in the 2025 Presidential Inauguration.
Added Officer Alayna Gonzalez, a police spokeswoman: KCPD has attempted to be responsive in providing assistance when requested of us from outside agencies, despite officer vacancies.
KCPD move faces criticism
The departments decision to help in Milwaukee has come under scrutiny after revelations that the Missouri State Highway Patrol sent troopers to the RNC. The move also drew criticism from some lawmakers and others as the patrol suffers from a shortage of troopers.
On its Facebook page, the patrol posted a photo of the 30 troopers at the RNC. Several people questioned the decision and wondered if troopers would be sent to the Democratic National Convention as well.
Neither the patrol nor KCPD received a request for assistance from the Chicago Police Department or the Democratic National Convention, each agency said.
Lauren Bonds, executive director for the National Police Accountability Project, a nonprofit that promotes law enforcement accountability, also questioned the decision.
While its not uncommon for law enforcement agencies to send personnel to assist with security at large events, you usually see this type of support from large departments with a lot of capacity, Bonds said. KCPDs decision to send officers is difficult to square with their claims that they have staffing shortages.
In response to the staffing shortage, the department in January changed from a 10-hour shift for all patrol division officers to an 11-hour shift.
At that time, department officials said the change would deploy more officers on the street during peak times, according to a police news release in early January. It will reduce response times and provide officers the opportunity to proactively address crime issues.
Kansas City is the only city in Missouri that does not directly control its police force. A five-member board of police commissioners oversees the department. The governor appoints four while Mayor Quinton Lucas fills the remaining spot.
Lucas spokesperson Jazzlyn Johnson directed all questions about KCPDs decision to KCPD and the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, saying only that Lucas does not make deployment decisions.
After the Aug. 28 shooting of local chef Shaun Brady in Brookside, Lucas noted police staffing challenges. He also said the department needed to increase patrols in areas where crime was an ongoing issue.
Police, he said, needed to return to a policy of arresting for all law and ordinance violations, even if only to intervene in criminal activity, to show some certainty and swiftness of consequences.
Rep. Jeff Coleman, a Grain Valley Republican, said in an interview that he understood some of the criticism about KCPDs move but added that he couldnt say whether it was the wrong decision because its something that a local police department should decide.
Coleman made clear that he supports the police. He said he was concerned about the shortage of officers.
Im not sure why we would send people away, he said. I can see the Highway Patrol, but from a personal standpoint, Im not sure why Kansas City has to send somebody.
More than two years after a 10-month-old baby girl died from ingesting fentanyl at her parents home in Boynton Beach, the South Florida dealers that sold the drug to the couple pleaded guilty to distributing the synthetic opioid that killed her.
Samantha Yi, 32, pled guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Her boyfriend Darnell Mendez, 31, pled guilty to the same charges on July 25.
READ MORE: South Florida couple sold fentanyl to a mom whose infant died after eating it, feds say
Mendez has a sentencing hearing set for Oct. 29; meanwhile, Yis sentencing has been slated for Jan. 9, federal court documents show.
The Lake Worth pair are accused of selling the babys mother, Kelly Kirwan, then 32, the fentanyl that killed her baby in 2022.
On March 31, Kirwan noticed her daughter was making strange noises while sleeping in the afternoon and texted video clips to friends and family who told her the sounds were not normal, according to the Palm Beach Post.
Kirwan also sent videos of the baby in distress to Yi the same day she ingested the fentanyl, court records reveal.
Two hours later, Kirwan reportedly drove to Yis home to buy more drugs, WPTV 5 reported. Court documents confirm that Kirwan and Yi had been communicating back and forth and location data shows that Kirwan went to Yis mothers house at some point during the day.
Shortly thereafter, federal prosecutors say Kirwan called 911 from a shopping plaza outside of Boynton Beach and reported that her baby was unresponsive. Fire rescue officials then took the baby to Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach.
On April 1, the 10-month-old was transferred to Joe DiMaggios Children Hospital in Hollywood. By April 5, the baby had lost all brain activity and was taken off of life support, court records indicate.
The Palm Beach Countys Medical Examiners Office ruled the babys death a homicide and a toxicology report determined she had fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, norfentanyl, and naloxone in her system.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, according to the CDC. It is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency.
$11,930, undercover officers and 14 guns
Following the babys death, the Boynton Beach Police department conducted a homicide investigation in which they found the childs mother and father were addicts and had been abusing fentanyl regularly in the kitchen of their apartment. The probe also uncovered that the baby was teething and ingested fentanyl on March 31, 2022 while in the care of her mother, according to the feds, who noted her father was at work at the time.
Months later, Kirwan was arrested by Boynton Beach officers in October 2022. She faces an aggravated manslaughter of a child by culpable negligence charge. She has since bonded out of jail, pleaded not guilty to the charge and remains under house arrest, according to Palm Beach County court records. Her next court date is unclear.
After examining months worth of text messages between Kirwan and Yi, investigators found that Yi had sold fentanyl to Kirwan the day before her baby had eaten it. Yi was found to be her only dealer. The investigation further determined that Yis boyfriend, Mendez, was also complicit in the distribution of fentanyl.
As part of the joint probe, DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, BBPD, and PBSO conducted an operation involving two undercover officers who purchased fentanyl from the couple.
After Yi and Mendez received $11,930 from undercover agents during a drug transaction, they were arrested March 6 at their Lake Worth residence, according to court documents.
While there, law enforcement discovered 14 firearms, including a 12-Gauge shotgun and multiple pistols and revolvers inside the couples home. Yi and Mendez admitted being felons unlawfully in possession of firearms as part of their pleas.
Both defendants face a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years to a maximum sentence of life.
MOSCOW, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Russia will continue its special military operation until all objectives are achieved and there is currently no set deadline for when it will end, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday.
"We must fulfill the goals that were set at the start of the special military operation," Peskov said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum currently being held in Russia's Far East city of Vladivostok.
Peskov said that it is important to ensure security and predictability for future generations, and to establish a new security architecture across the continent.
The spokesman added that there are no specific time limits regarding when the special operation should end.
"The timing is not important here," Peskov said, expressing hope however that this would be sooner rather than later.
Florida DOT offers open house in Lakeland with information on US 98 widening project
The Florida Department of Transportation will hold an open house Tuesday in Lakeland to provide information on the U.S. 98 widening project in northern Polk County.
The Florida Department of Transportation will hold an open house Tuesday in Lakeland to provide information on the U.S. 98 widening project.
The open house will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Lake Crago Outdoor Recreation Complexs banquet room, 525 Lake Crago Drive, in Lakeland.
The project includes widening U.S. 98 in Polk County from a two-lane undivided roadway to a four-lane divided highway from West Socrum Loop Road/Hall Road to County Road 54 at the Pasco County line. Two roundabouts will also be built at Big Cypress Boulevard and State Road 471.
Shared-use paths will be constructed on both sides of the highway from Hall Road/West Socrum Loop Road to just north of Rock Ridge Road.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Open house planned Tuesday in Lakeland on U.S. 98 widening
Florida is reportedly sending police officers to the homes of people who signed a petition supporting an abortion rights ballot initiative.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantiss administration has begun investigating thousands of verified signatures that helped to put a state constitutional amendment protecting the right to abortion on the ballot in November. The amendment would overturn Floridas current six-week abortion ban.
Petition organizers collected about 100,000 more signatures than they needed, surpassing the 900,000 that are required by the state and ensuring that their policy would be on the ballot. Now the Department of States spokesperson Ryan Ash claims that his agency has uncovered evidence of illegal conduct with fraudulent petitions.
Supervisors in Hillsborough, Orange, Palm Beach, Osceola, Alachua, and Broward counties have been requested to gather around 36,000 signatures for state review, according to the Tampa Bay Times. One supervisor with 16 years of experience told the Times that the states request was entirely unprecedented. Not only had the state requested signatures that had already been verified, but they did so for a validated petition, not a rejected petition, which are typically the basis of fraud investigations.
Multiple residents in Lee County have reported being visited by law enforcement following up on their petition signatures.
Fort Myers resident Isaac Menasche shared in a Facebook post Wednesday that a detective investigating petition fraud had come to his home.
I had indeed signed a petition seeking to have the right to an abortion placed on the ballot in Florida. I remembered doing so and the circumstances surrounding it, wrote Menasche, noting that he doesnt usually sign petitions.
The experience left me shaken. What troubled me was he had a folder on me containing my personal informationabout 10 pages. I saw a copy of my drivers license and copy of the petition I signed. It was obvious to me that a significant effort was exerted to determine if indeed I had signed the petition.
Menasche wrote that it was troubling that such resources were being allocated to the investigation and wondered if the same would have been done for a less divisive issue than abortion.
Florida state Representative Anna Eskamani responded to the reported police encounter in a post on Facebook Friday.
This is unhinged and undemocratic behavior being pushed by Governor Ron DeSantis in an effort to continue our states near total abortion ban, Eskamani wrote. Its clear voter intimidation and plain corruptioncontinue to call it out and fight back.
TALLAHASSEE Gov. Ron DeSantis administration is leaning on the states power to combat a proposed abortion amendment on Floridas November ballots.
On Thursday, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration launched a website opposing Amendment 4, saying that it threatens womens safety.
The website, which includes the agencys seal, reiterates much of the same rhetoric used by political committees dedicated to fighting the amendment, including concerns about a lack of definitions in the amendment.
The website notes that some out-of-state groups have donated to the amendment effort. It tells visitors that Florida is protecting life and warns, Dont let the fearmongers lie to you.
A document on the page, which compares current law to Amendment 4, has the state seal on it.
Democrats, supporters of the amendment and some legal experts criticized the website as an unethical and potentially illicit use of state resources for a political message.
Bacardi Jackson, the executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said that it was unprecedented for the State to expressly advocate against a citizen-led initiative.
This kind of propaganda issued by the state, using taxpayer money and operating outside of the political process sets a dangerous precedent, Jackson said in a statement. This is what we would expect to see from an authoritarian regime, not in the so-called Free State of Florida.
A spokesperson for the Agency for Health Care Administration, when asked whether this use of state resources was legal, said that part of the agencys mission is to provide information and transparency to Floridians about the quality of care they receive.
The state did not say how much the website cost or whether any outside groups were involved in its design.
Our new transparency page serves to educate Floridians on the states current abortion law, and provide information on the impacts of a proposed policy change on the ballot in November, the agency said in a statement. The law is the law however many in the media have not covered it correctly.
The abortion amendment would protect access to abortion until viability, generally considered to be around 24 weeks of pregnancy. If approved by 60% of voters, it would undo Floridas six-week abortion ban.
Barry Richard, an elections lawyer who worked on the amendment in its early stages, said he thinks the states website is completely inappropriate.
Richard said that while some officials are expected to take political stances as part of their jobs, he doesnt think that an agency is supposed to push for a position.
They shouldnt be able to advocate for, no matter which side youre on, for or against a constitutional amendment thats on the ballot, he said.
Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a professor of election law at Stetson University, pointed to a Florida statute that says no state employee or officer shall use their official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or coercing or influencing another persons vote or affecting the result thereof.
Torres-Spelliscy suggested that statute could mean the states website is illegal.
Supporters of the constitutional amendment have already accused the government of levying its power to affect their campaign in other instances.
For instance, earlier this year, a state panel of mostly political appointees rewrote a financial impact statement that will be below the amendment on voters ballots. The rewritten statement questioned whether the amendment could lead to state-funded abortions and said it would lead to additional costs to the government from litigation.
Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group sponsoring the amendment, criticized the rewritten statement as a dirty trick, noting the groups prior estimate didnt include that information.
Meanwhile, in a move that the amendments supporters worry could be political interference, the DeSantis administration is reviewing thousands of already-verified petitions that were used to get the amendment on the ballot.
The Department of State has asked election supervisors in Hillsborough, Palm Beach, Orange, Osceola and other counties for signatures they verified months ago. The state said it is looking into potential fraud.
Floridians Protecting Freedom surpassed the required number of signatures statewide by about 100,000.
Whether the reviewed petitions could be used to challenge the amendments standing on the ballot is unclear. The state certified the amendment to appear on the ballot back in January. Two election supervisors called the states request, for only petitions already deemed valid, highly unusual.
Can you fly a drone over someones house in Georgia? Heres what legal and what isnt
Drones are used for just about anything, from emergency management to agriculture assistance, search and rescue or even crop mapping.
Of course, some drones are flown for more leisure activities such as videography, photography or hunting.
Whatever the case, drone flying does require users to abide by certain laws under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). So before you go flying all over town, be sure to brush up on all things drone.
One of the laws regarding drones is all about flying over private property. Heres what to know about it in Georgia.
Is it legal to fly a drone over someones house or private property in Georgia?
According to Usman Khan, a commercial drone pilot, it is legal to fly over a persons private property, as long as you dont violate someones privacy.
But the FAA has other regulations to know about:
Drone pilots should avoid flying over private property without the owners permission, said Khan. It is also important to avoid flying too low over private property, as this may lead to issues of trespass or nuisance.
If you dont get consent beforehand or fly a drone in a way that disregards the property owners privacy or in a harassing manner, the property owner can take legal action.
In some cases, the property owner may be able to file a civil lawsuit against the drone operator for invasion of privacy or trespassing, said Khan.
Drone pilots also cannot take photos or video of any property without permission.
Of course, there are many more drone laws to know about. Here are a few:
Other Georgia drone laws
Here are some other things to know about before flying your drone:
Maintain visual line of sight with your drone at all times.
Do not fly more than 400 feet above the ground.
Do not fly within 5 kilometers of an airport.
Keep at least 50 meters distance from people or buildings (except during takeoff/landing).
Have any questions? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com.
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File cabinets. (Getty)
One of the less noticed features of the Virginia Way is the long-running tendency of the commonwealths leaders to conduct their decision-making behind closed doors. While the Virginia Freedom of Information Act presumes all government business is by default public and requires officials to justify why exceptions should be made, too many Virginia leaders in practice take the opposite stance, acting as if records are by default private and the public must prove they should be handled otherwise.
In this feature, we aim to highlight the frequency with which officials around Virginia are resisting public access to records on issues large and small and note instances when the release of information under FOIA gave the public insight into how government bodies are operating.
Does the government overuse exemptions to withhold information from the public?
An out-of-state professor of journalism and podcasting encountered difficulties accessing records from Virginia law enforcement under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), according to a recent report by WTVR in Richmond.
David DesRoches was investigating a 1990s murder case that occurred on his familys property in Goochland County, which was solved and closed by the Richmond Police Department in 2015.
DesRoches sought the case files for educational purposes but was denied access due to a FOIA exemption that allows law enforcement to withhold information, even for closed cases.
Richmond Police cited their policy of using exemptions in serious violent crime and death investigation cases a practice DesRoches found unusually restrictive compared to his experience in Connecticut.
Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, who chairs Virginias Freedom of Information Advisory Council, told WTVR that overuse of these exemptions is a common issue in the state, with many agencies applying them too broadly, limiting public access to information.
Simon explained that while FOIA exemptions are discretionary, they are often used as a shortcut by government bodies to reduce their workload, instead of fully processing public requests. He suggested that requiring agencies to justify their denials in detail could encourage more transparency and limit the overuse of exemptions.
Man sues Portsmouths top prosecutor in open records dispute
Josh Stanfield, a 38-year-old from York County, frequently files open records requests with state and local agencies, a hobby that often leads him to court.
In December, Stanfield sought records on former Portsmouth Police Officer Vincent McClean, who was charged with manslaughter for failing to provide aid in two separate 2018 cases, the Virginian-Pilot reported earlier this week.
Stanfield also requested records on Robert Huntington, a former investigator involved in McCleans case, but encountered delays and conflicting information from the Portsmouth Police and the local Commonwealths Attorneys office.
After getting the runaround from both agencies, Stanfield hired attorney Verbena M. Askew and sued Commonwealths Attorney Stephanie Morales, arguing the office violated Virginias Freedom of Information Act by not responding within the required five business days. At a court hearing, Morales attorneys admitted the response was late but argued the records were exempt due to personnel and administrative protections, making the delay irrelevant.
Circuit Court Judge Randall Smith acknowledged the frustration caused by the delay but allowed the prosecutors office to cite exemptions. He questioned whether government agencies should have the sole authority to withhold documents without external oversight, suggesting he might review the records personally.
Stanfield told the newspaper that he viewed this experience as part of his ongoing effort to hold government agencies accountable, though he remains frustrated that his reputation for persistence has not yet led to better compliance with public records laws.
The Mercurys efforts to track FOIA and other transparency cases in Virginia are indebted to the work of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, a nonprofit alliance dedicated to expanding access to government records, meetings and other state and local proceedings.
Few Virginia whistleblowers, even fewer rewards, from state fund
In 12 years, Virginias whistleblower reward fund, managed by the state inspector general, has paid just one claim $2,041 in fiscal year 2023 despite receiving 32 tips for potential rewards, according to an analysis by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
This lackluster performance has disappointed former legislator Manoli Loupassi, who championed the funds creation based on the success of a similar program in Richmond. Loupassi questioned the incentives for government officials to report fraud or waste, suggesting a lack of awareness about the fund.
The Office of the State Inspector General (OSIG) receives hundreds of complaints annually but substantiates only a fraction. In 2023, it resolved 165 cases out of 762 complaints, with only 32 deemed valid. OSIGs public relations officer, Maggie Sotos, explained that many complaints dont meet the criteria for fraud or abuse, and rewards are only issued if tips lead to recovering at least $5,000. The whistleblower receives up to 10% of the recovered funds.
Despite a 34% increase in hotline cases investigated over the past three years, the number of unsubstantiated allegations remains high. A 2018 study found that OSIG handled less than 5% of fraud and waste investigations, with most being handled by individual state agencies. These investigations are often conducted by untrained personnel, raising concerns about their thoroughness and effectiveness.
A recent report from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission highlighted the need for the inspector generals office to better investigate complaints, especially those involving state psychiatric hospitals. The commission warned that failure to fully investigate could lead to critical issues being ignored or concealed.
Have you experienced local or state officials denying or delaying your FOIA request? Tell us about it: info@virginiamercury.com
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Ford is recalling close to 100,000 EcoBoost V6 engines. The 2.7L and 3.0L V6 engines are in the F-150, Bronco, Explorer, and Edge, as well as the Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus. The fix is a new engine, at least for some owners, after an inspection.
The recall has been a long time in the making. The first investigations into the 2.7L and 3.0L EcoBoost V6s, also called Nano EcoBoost, opened in January 2022. A high rate of early failures seen was found to be the result of fractured intake valves. The broken valves would fall into the engine, causing all kinds of destruction.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, the valves were failing because they were too brittle. A suppliers issue caused the problem, which was fixed after the end of October 2021.
2.7L EcoBoost
NHTSA Noted High Number of Failures
In May 2022, the NHTSA opened an investigation after a large number of owners alleged catastrophic engine damage. In 2023, the NHTSA expanded that into an Engineering Analysis and broadened the scope from the 2021 Bronco to all 2.7L- and 3.0L-equipped Ford and Lincoln vehicles.
As of August 9, 2024, Ford said it was aware of 811 warranty claims that were confirmed or suspected to result from fractured intake valves. Ford says it is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries resulting from the problem. The NHTSA recall notice says that the engine intake valves may break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a loss of drive power. Those factors could increase the risk of crash and injury.
The recall affects 15,835 2021-2022 Ford Bronco models, 47,791 F-150s, 2,366 Edge, 14,262 Explorer, 3,355 Lincoln Nautilus, and 7,199 Aviator models.
2021 Ford F-150 XLT with 2.7L EcoBoost
Ford Recall Fix
The fix is a strange one. The recall documents say, Dealers will inspect each vehicle to determine its cumulative number of engine cycles. For vehicles that do not meet the engine cycle threshold, dealers will accumulate high revolutions per minute (rpm) engine cycles per a service procedure. Engines will be replaced on vehicles that do not pass the engine cycle accumulation.
Most of the engines fail soon into their service life, Ford said. Think low miles or at least low total engine revolutions. That means the fix is to make sure the engine is outside of that short window, and if its not, to run the engine until it is. If the engine fails, then owners get a new one with the valve issue solved.
Owner notifications should go out by the end of September. Owners can also check with the NHTSA or contact Ford customer service quoting recall #24S55.
The post Ford Recalls 90,000 SUVs and Trucks Over EcoBoost Engine Failures appeared first on GearJunkie.
With 60 days to go until the U.S. presidential election, foreign actors primarily Russia, China and Iran are ramping up their influence campaigns, according to an official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).
The closer we get to Election Day, we see more activity by foreign actors, the ODNI official told reporters on a conference call Friday.
ODNI officials and an FBI official on the call outlined what they said are threats facing the upcoming election, and said they expect the influence activity from foreign governments will continue as Election Day draws closer.
The ABC News presidential debate will take place on Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. ET and air on ABC and stream on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.
Russia is still the preeminent and most active foreign influence threat to the election, officials said, and pointed to actions taken this week by the U.S. Department of Justice as an example of Russias efforts to influence the 2024 election.
MORE: DOJ task force, formed in 2021 to fight election threats, has brought only 20 cases
Russia is looking to amplify divisive rhetoric and influence electoral outcomes, which both speak to Moscow's broader foreign policy goals, weaken the United States and undermining Washington's support for Ukraine, according to an ODNI official. Moscow is further attempting to influence voter preferences in favor of the former president and diminish the prospects of the vice president, according to the official.
PHOTO: Military musicians perform during the Spasskaya Tower International Military Music Festival, at the Red Square in Moscow, on Sep. 1, 2024. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)
The allegations come as Russian President Vladmir Putin said Thursday that Russia supports Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
The [intelligence community] does not take Putin's public statements as representative of Russia's overt intentions, an ODNI official said, pointing to instances where Putins actions were different than his words, including his statements that Russia wouldnt invade Ukraine, which it did in February 2022.
Not only is Russia working to influence the presidential election, it's also working up and down the ballot to influence other races, according to the official.
The ODNI claims come two days after the Justice Department indicted two employees of the Russian state-controlled media outlet Russia Today, or RT, alleging that they 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."
The unnamed Tennessee-based company is described in the indictment as "U.S. Company-1." However, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News that the company is Tenet Media, the website for which features videos from the popular right-wing and pro-Trump commentators Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern and two others.
The indictment does not allege that any commentators knowingly took part in this alleged scheme, specifically saying that two commentators were "deceive[d]." Tenet Media personalities Tim Pool and Benny Johnson have since said publicly that they were victims of a $10 million Russian influence scheme.
PHOTO: Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Trump Tower in New York City on Sep. 6, 2024. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
MORE: Biden admin targets Russia over 2024 election disinformation efforts
Another election threat actor is Iran, which has been called out by the intelligence community for its attempts to infiltrate both presidential campaigns.
Iran is making a greater effort than in the past to influence this year's elections, even as its tactics and approaches are similar to prior cycles, an ODNI official said. Like Russia, Iran has a multi-pronged approach that looks to stoke discord and undermine confidence in our electoral process.
The U.S. intelligence community has also assessed China as attempting to influence the down-ballot races, but currently not the presidential election.
PRC online influence actors have also continued small-scale efforts on social media to engage U.S. audiences on divisive political issues, including protests about the Israel-Gaza conflict, and promote negative stories about both political parties, according to an ODNI official.
Both the Harris and Trump campaigns have been offered briefings by the intelligence community about election threats, officials said on Friday's call. However, they wouldnt say whether either campaign had accepted the invitation or had been briefed. Officials on the call also wouldnt say whether theyve given defensive briefings to the victims of the alleged threat actors indicted this week.
An ODNI official said Friday that there also are other countries engaged in efforts to influence the election but did not name them, adding that those efforts were done more overtly.
These activities include lobbying political figures to try to curry favor with them in the event that they are elected to office, the official said.
Foreign actors 'ramping up' influence campaigns as the election draws closer, say officials originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Former CCSD trustee says community noticed Katie Williams was not there
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A former Clark County School District trustee tells 8 News Now he isnt surprised by the district attorneys decision to kick a fellow trustee off the board.
Dane Watson helped initiate the Clark County District Attorneys investigation into Katie Williams. On Wednesday, the DA ruled Williams has to vacate her seat by Sept. 9 or she will be removed.
PREVIOUS STORY: CCSD trustee will need to give up seat or face proceedings to vacate: Clark County DA
Watson was on the Clark County School Board of Trustees up until last month. He was one of the four non-voting appointed members.
Everyone noticed that she was not there. It was not just me who sat next to her who noticed that she was not present, but the entire community noticed that she was not present, Watson, who was appointed by the City of North Las Vegas, said.
In March, 8 News Now reported that Williams had not attended at least 14 board meetings in-person. She would opt to call in. Williams represented District B on CCSDs school board.
PREVIOUS STORY: CCSD trustee misses 14 in-person school board meetings
At the time, Williams said she was working remotely for a job that required her to travel between Utah, California and Nebraska.
The reporting by 8 News Now prompted five trustees, including Watson, to write a letter to District Attorney Steve Wolfson in June to investigate if Williams still lives in the state and her district.
PREVIOUS STORY: CCSD Trustee Katie Williams defends residency amid board concerns
On Wednesday, Wolfsons office sent a letter to Williams stating it was prepared to start proceedings to vacate her seat. The DA determined she didnt live in the state nor in her district.
Were the fifth largest school district in the country in the middle of a superintendent search, and so now we have a school board member who is noticeably absent physically, Watson said. I think it did raise a lot of eyebrows about, where is Trustee Williams?
In its letter, the district attorneys office is asking Williams to respond by Monday.
Watson said this issue could potentially be postponed until next year when the new superintendent is hired.
Williams is not running for re-election. She was first elected to the board in 2020.
PREVIOUS STORY: Where is Clark County School District Trustee Katie Williams?
She issued a statement on her Facebook page Thursday afternoon saying, she is not giving up. She is sticking with Jesus Christ til the very end.
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Former DCPS worker, contractor indicted in bribery scheme, officials say
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Former District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) workers and contractor were indicted in a bribery scheme, according to officials.
Sixty-year-old Dana Garnett, of Hyattsville, Md., and former DCPS employee was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud.
Forty-year-old Yelake Meseretu, who owns U.S. Office Solutions, a vendor of goods to DCPS, was also charged with bribery and wire fraud.
DC nonprofit worker indicted for stealing over $300K from organization
The indictment claims that for at least five years, Garnett accepted money from several vendors who provided goods to DCPS, and in return, Garnett directed business to the vendors.
Some of the payments were made through fake orders that were given to the vendors and paid in full by DCPS.
The indictment also claims that Garnett and co-conspirator Patricia Bailey, who is a former DCPS employee, worked together with the vendors to deliver fewer goods than it was registered on the orders.
Vendors paid in cash to Garnett and Bailey at multiple locations in D.C. and Maryland.
Three defendants pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme in several related cases.
DCs Doggy Day Swim 2024 being held at 4 pools
Bailey pleaded guilty pursuant to a plea agreement and information filed in October 2023 in U.S. District Court.
Two business owners, Donald McWhirter, the owner of General Merchandise, and Duane King, the owner of American Business Supplies pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.
Sentencing is pending for the three defendants.
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An arrest warrant affidavit out of Howard County in Indiana alleges that a former Gateway Church group leader molested three girls all under the age of 11.
A warrant for Scott Gerbers arrest was obtained on April 26, 2023. The 65-year-old faces two counts of molesting a child under the age of 15, Howard County court records show.
Gerber was a group leader at the Gateway Church in Frisco, Texas, two former members Anita and Nicole Ishee told the Star-Telegram in June. He served on the churchs altar and prophetic teams, according to Anita and Nicole Ishee.
A Howard County arrest warrant obtained by the Star-Telegram details three different occasions where Gerber allegedly molested three young children.
According to a victims account, Gerber was staying at a family members house in Kokoma, Indiana, on Feb. 10, 2023. On or around that day, Gerber was sitting in the living room when he asked one of the victims to sit on his lap. The victim and Gerber were alone when he molested the child, the warrant says.
He had his other arm wrapped around the child so she could not get up, the warrant states. The child grabbed Gerbers arm to get off his lap and told family members of the abuse.
In interviews with Howard County Sheriffs deputies, two other children reported that in 2020, Gerber also had them sit on his lap when he put his hands inside of their clothing. They both told Gerber to stop, but he would not listen, according to the warrant.
He told both of those children to be quiet and to not tell anyone about him touching them, authorities wrote in the warrant. One of those children said she was molested by Gerber eight times, up until she was 10 years old.
Another child said she was molested by Gerber twice in one night at a home, where there were other children around him, the warrant says.
According to screenshots of text messages obtained by authorities, a family member of Gerber approached him about the alleged molestations.
I deserve for you and your family to never consider me again, said Gerber in a text. He also sent a message that reads, No excuses shame and fear gripped me, according to the warrant.
A Gateway spokesperson told the Star-Telegram that Gerber was a member, but was never employed with the megachurch.
Scott did attend Gateway Church and when we learned he was under investigation in another state, we asked him not to return until the allegations were investigated and his name was cleared, said a Gateway spokesperson in a statement.
A jury trial for Gerber is scheduled for Oct. 4, 2024. Gerbers arrest came about four months before former senior pastor and Gateway founder, Robert Morris, resigned from his position in late June after admitting he sexually abused Cindy Clemishire, starting when she was 12, in the 1980s and 90s in Oklahoma and Texas. He was 20 when the abuse began, according to Clemishire, who is now in her 50s.
Morris resignation from the church was the first in a recent series of North Texas church leaders stepping down from their positions.
Tony Cammarota, pastor of the Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, was fired July 7 when he confessed to church leaders of a moral failure, which was not specified.
Robert Morris son, James Morris, was set to take his fathers role of senior pastor in 2025 at the Southlake Gateway Church, but stepped down about a month later. The decision was made collectively by church staff and James Morris, according to a statement.
Former lead pastor at Cross Timbers Church, Josiah Anthony, was asked to resign in late July due to inappropriate contact with women in the church, church elders announced.
Kemtal Glasgows is the latest in the string of resignations. The former campus pastor for Gateway was let go due to a moral issue, the church said in a statement in August.
SACRAMENTO, the United States, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Valley Fever, a fungal disease, has been spreading in California, with warnings from state health authorities about an increased risk through the fall, local news outlets reported Thursday.
Valley Fever is caused by breathing in dust from outdoor air that contains spores of the Coccidioides fungus. It usually affects the lungs and can cause prolonged symptoms, including cough, fever, chest pain and fatigue.
It can also lead to severe diseases, such as meningitis, and even death, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
People living in or traveling to the state's Central Valley and Central Coast regions face higher risks, warned the CDPH last week. The department said it was preparing for "another possible increase in Valley fever cases in the coming months."
"If you have a lingering cough and fatigue, please talk to a doctor about Valley fever, especially if you've been outdoors in dusty air in the Central Valley or Central Coast regions," said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Tomas Aragon in a news release.
A recent valley fever outbreak has been traced to the Lightning in a Bottle music festival held in May near Bakersfield, California, local KGET news channel said Thursday, adding that as of Aug. 21, health officials had confirmed at least 19 cases of the fungal infection among festival attendees and workers, with eight individuals requiring hospitalization.
The CDPH is investigating the outbreak. The electronic dance music festival at Buena Vista Lake in Kern County of California drew approximately 20,000 attendees from May 22 to 27.
The surge in cases was believed to be linked to the festival's dusty conditions, exacerbated by high winds during the event. Festival organizers had implemented dust control measures, including watering the ground and providing free masks, but these efforts appeared to have been insufficient in preventing the outbreak.
Valley fever has been on the rise in California in recent years, with over 9,000 cases reported last year and over 5,000 preliminary cases reported as of July 1, according to the CDPH.
The department said possible causes of this recent increase include winter rains after several years of drought, an increase in soil disturbance activities in high-risk areas, and increased disease recognition.
Though most cases of Valley fever in California are reported from the Central Valley and Central Coast regions, the state health department has seen increasing cases outside of these regions, including in the northern Central Valley and in Southern California.
HARTFORD, Michigan (WOOD) The Hartford city manager confirms former Police Chief Mike Prince was not fired for misconduct.
The city of Hartford fired Mike Prince in July, saying the department needed to go in a different direction. City leaders and the former police chief himself have been tight-lipped on what exactly led to Princes firing.
Hartford City Manager Nicol Brown told News 8 in July that they were considering alternative options for the police department due to staffing shortages. A special meeting was scheduled for Monday, July 29, for the purpose of abolishing the police department.
Following numerous calls from concerned residents, the meeting was canceled. Brown said the notice was not approved by her and was poorly worded.
Brown and Hartford Mayor Richard Hall released a statement in early August saying the citys goal was to preserve the police department.
In the coming weeks, city staff intends to develop a long-term plan for preserving our police department, partnering with the Van Buren County Sheriffs Department and Tribal Police to help provide 24/7 coverage, Mayor Richard Hall said in a statement released Thursday. This is something we havent had for more than a year.
The statement did not address the issues that led to the firing of the former police chief.
News 8 submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the city of Hartford asking for Princes personnel file in late July. City Clerk RoxAnn Rodney-Isbrecht denied the request, citing MCL 15.243(1), which specifically exempts law-enforcement personnel records from public disclosure.
News 8 immediately appealed the denial to City Manager Nicol Brown, citing part of that same statute that makes an exception to the exemption if the public interest in disclosure outweighs the public interest in nondisclosure, arguing that if Prince was terminated for misconduct, the public interest outweighs nondisclosure.
On Wednesday, Brown again denied News 8s request, saying, To the extent your email suggests that Mr. Prince was terminated for misconduct during his time with the City of Hartford, that suggestion is mistaken. The City is not aware of any particular incidents of misconduct, and there are no records in his personnel file that refer to any such incidents.
The denial letter goes on to say, Mr. Prince was terminated due to performance issues and because it was determined that a leadership change would benefit the department. No other details on what the performance issues were that led to Princes termination have been made public.
Prince stepped in as interim chief in early 2023 after former Chief Tressa Beltran stepped down amid a drug investigation. Beltran was sentenced in June to prison after pleading to two felonies. Authorities say she stole drugs from a disposal box at the police department.
Phil Lucas is filling the role of interim chief as the city council works to develop a plan for the future of the police department.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Former Horry County officer hit, killed woman on beach because of his inattention, report says
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) The former Horry County police officer who hit and killed a woman on the beach in June hit her because of his inattention, according to a South Carolina Department of Public Safety report.
Julian Duke Brown contributed to the crash that killed Sandra Schultz-Peters, 66, on June 13 at a beach access near Nash Street in the Myrtle Beach area, according to the report. It happened between the Myrtle Beach State Park and the Doubletree Resort by Hilton.
Brown was driving north on the beach at about 6 mph when he hit Schultz-Peters, who did not contribute to the crash, while she was facing the ocean, the report shows.
He was tested for alcohol and drugs, but the results are not shown in the report. It also does not indicate if Brown might be charged.
Brown and the Horry County Police Department were sued by Schultz-Peters family weeks later.
Brown, who joined Horry County police in 1988, retired from the department last month. He was expected to have his service weapon declared surplus and handed over to him as a symbolic gesture of thanks thats routine for retiring officers.
News13 requested the incident report from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety on June 13. The report was sent on Friday.
News13 has also reached out to Horry County police for a comment. As of this writing, we have not heard back. Count on us for updates.
* * *
Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
A former Kentucky prosecutor who admitted to helping people in court in exchange for sex and methamphetamine was sentenced Thursday to four years and six months in prison.
Scott Blair, 52, was commonwealths attorney for Perry County when the FBI and Kentucky State Police began investigating allegations that he was abusing his position, according to an affidavit filed in the case.
As commonwealths attorney, Blair prosecuted felony criminal cases. He was elected to the position in 2019.
The investigation turned up several examples of Blair using his position to recommend probation or drug treatment for people facing drug charges, rather than prison time, or not moving to send someone to jail on a parole violation, in exchange for quantities of methamphetamine, procurement of methamphetamine, and sexual favors, according to his guilty plea.
In one example, Blair acknowledged telling someone in a Facebook conversation that he wouldnt recommend revoking the persons probation for missing a court date, then asked the person to come over for sex.
Blair sent the person a message saying, You should know I watch out for you, according to an affidavit from Zachary Bryson, a state police officer who investigated as part of an FBI task force.
Blair pleaded guilty to a charge of honest services wire fraud, meaning he deprived people of the honest services he owed them as an elected official, and used electronic communications, such as Facebook, as part of the crime.
Blair faced a sentence between 46 and 57 months under advisory guidelines.
Scott Blair was commonwealths attorney for Perry County, Ky., before he was charged with trading favors for meth and sex.
His attorney, Ned Pillersdorf, said Blair had been a good prosecutor but was undone by his severe, longstanding depression and addiction to meth, which clouded his judgment.
Blairs salary was about $120,000 a year but he is in debt, Pillersdorf said in the memo.
It is clear that his various methamphetamine suppliers are the cause of Mr. Blairs insolvent state, Pillersdorf said.
Blair told U.S. District Judge Robert E. Wier at the hearing Thursday that he had tried more than two dozen medications for depression without lasting success, before turning to meth in desperation.
Im not a bad person. Im just a person who made mistakes, he said.
Pillersdorf sought a sentence at the bottom of the guidelines, three years and 10 months, noting that Blair quickly accepted responsibility and has lost his career and been publicly humiliated.
Supporters of Blair, including educators, business owners, church members and attorneys, filed 120 pages of letters with the court seeking leniency for him.
They described Blairs compassion, generosity and kindness, his work to help people through the court system, his support for charitable causes and his work on community organizations such as the Salvation Army and a facility for abused children.
One woman whose son died of a drug overdose said Blair helped her set up a booth at a community event to educate people on the dangers of fentanyl; another said he bought an air-conditioner for an elderly lady; and another recalled him offering to pick up groceries and medication when she came down with COVID-19 on Thanksgiving.
Scott is a genuinely good person who became engulfed in the throes of addiction, Michael Mulligan Deaton said in a letter.
But the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin E. Blankenship, said during the hearing that Blair was living two lives.
One was the public life the supporters saw, and the other was a private one in which he victimized people who were vulnerable because of their drug addiction and legal troubles, Blankenship said.
The court system became a hunting ground for Blair, the prosecutor said, where he used his power over people he was prosecuting to involve them in getting meth for him perpetuating the harm of the corrosive drug he was supposed to be fighting and to coerce them to perform sex acts.
One victim who submitted a letter to the court said Blair had him pick up meth for him and said he wanted to perform a sex act on the victim.
Blair held the threat of jail over the mans head, so he felt he didnt have a choice, according to his statement, which the prosecutor and judge cited in court.
He held my life in his hands so I done whatever he told me to do, the victim wrote.
In sentencing Blair, Wier said he deserved credit for the good he had accomplished.
But the judge said Blair violated the oath he took to uphold the law, abused his office and exploited the weak in pursuit of his own desires, and corroded the public trust that is vital to the integrity of the court system.
Wier said that while he believed most public officials try to do the right thing, the history of Kentucky suggests some public officials are vulnerable to the temptation to abuse their offices, and that the sentence for Blair must send a message that such conduct is intolerable.
Wier acknowledged Blair had struggled with mental health problems and addiction, but said that did not rob him of the ability to make rational decisions.
He also rejected any idea that Blair was a victim or simply made a mistake, saying Blair engaged in intentional criminality.
You were victimizing others, Wier said.
Blair has been in jail since he was arrested in April, and will get credit for that time against his sentence.
Blair could cut a year off his sentence if he qualifies for a drug-treatment program in prison and completes it, meaning he could be out in about three years, Pillersdorf said.
Blair resigned as commonwealths attorney soon after being arrested.
Later today, NASA will attempt to autonomously undock Boeing's much-maligned Starliner spacecraft from the International Space Station and deorbit it for a soft landing in the New Mexico desert.
Glaring technical issues plaguing the spacecraft's propulsion systems led to NASA abandoning plans for it to bring the two astronauts it carried to space back home on its return journey, instead scheduling the pair to come back to Earth on a SpaceX mission in February.
But even without any crew on board, retired NASA Johnson Space Center engineer Don Nelson warns that there could still be risk.
"There is a high probability that the Boeing Starliner service modules thrusters will exceed their design temperature limits and fail during the deorbit burn," he wrote in an email to NASA's Commercial Crew Program leadership, and "therefore there is also a high probability that the service module debris and command module will impact in a populated area... downtown Houston?"
"The only safe way to handle the Starliner is to put it in a death dive deorbit trajectory into the Pacific," the email continued. "The NASA safety panel remains silent on this catastrophic issue. Will your silence get someone killed?"
In an interview with Futurism, Nelson cautioned that an imperfect deorbit burn for the troubled Starliner capsule could result in disaster. A reentry at the wrong altitude could cause it to break up into pieces, which he worries could come crashing down over populated areas.
"If this thing is not safe enough to bring the crew back, why is it safe enough to bring the vehicle back and risk having it impact in a populated area?" Nelson said. "That logic just doesn't doesn't make sense."
"Protect and save Boeing's money, but to heck with people on the ground," he added. "Let them duck and run."
Nelson was an aeronautical engineer at NASA who contributed to missions ranging from Mercury and Gemini to Apollo and the International Space Station before retiring in 1999.
More recently, he's emerged as a critic of the space agency's safety practices sometimes with ominous foresight. As detailed in his 2017 book "The NASA Letters," Nelson warned the White House in the early 2000s that there were too many crew assignments on NASA's Columbia Space Shuttle, noting a "high probability of a failure of the system," as he told Futurism.
The Columbia shuttle ended up disintegrating in February 2003 as it reentered the atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts on board.
"The vehicle was just screaming that it had a lot of problems that needed to be corrected," he added. "That was really a very poor decision on NASA to file those people on that vehicle. We lost people we shouldn't have."
Starliner's service module, which houses the malfunctioning thrusters, was always designed to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. However, its empty crew module is still scheduled to land in White Sands, New Mexico, slowed down by a number of parachutes.
Earlier this summer, NASA engineers found that a Teflon seal in a valve known as a "poppet" expanded while Starliner's thrusters were firing, greatly degrading their performance.
In response, NASA says it's playing it safe by planning to perform a "breakout burn" maneuver to get the spacecraft away from the ISS rapidly, in case it loses control and endangers the station.
Nelson, however, worries that the deorbit burn could still generate enough heat to cause the seals to swell up.
"And if that's the case, then you've got a situation where, if that happens, you don't know where in the world the command module or the service module is gonna go," he told Futurism. "Anybody's guess what happens to them if we don't get a complete burn."
Alternately, according to Nelson, Starliner could become trapped in orbit and circle the Earth for years before causing more potential problems down the road.
"If it does stay in orbit, then you've got this thing up there going around in low altitude, which eventually will deorbit, and again, it will break up, and you don't know where it's going," he said. "This could happen a year, two years, even five years from now. It's anybody's guess when they might come in if they don't get this burn completed."
Instead of touching down in New Mexico, Nelson argues that Starliner should be dumped in one of the largest unpopulated areas on Earth: the Pacific Ocean.
"In the past, we've always targeted our landings out in the Pacific because the service module has components that have been known to survive reentry," he said. Flight control should "apply short duration burns" to slowly lower Starliner to the point where "atmospheric drag would bring it in."
"That would be my fingers crossed way of trying to get the dadgum thing down," he argued.
"The only reason for doing this is to save Boeing money," Nelson added. "They could dump that thing in the Pacific and still have a possibility of recovering it."
Space junk falling on populated areas isn't a theoretical concern. Discarded batteries from the ISS crashed into a Florida home earlier this year, and SpaceX debris has fallen in New South Wales, Australia, Saskatchewan, Canada, and North Carolina over the last two years alone. In June, NASA and SpaceX announced they were examining new ways to prevent similar incidents.
According to Nelson, Starliner's disastrous crewed test flight is the result of a toxic "buddy-buddy" relationship between NASA and Boeing, as well as "incompetent" leadership.
Meanwhile, SpaceX's well-established Crew Dragon spacecraft is the "only viable option" NASA has right now, he argued. The spacecraft was developed under the same Commercial Crew program as Boeing's Starliner, but has completed just shy of a dozen crewed journeys to the ISS with no comparable drama to Boeing's woebegone Starliner.
Beyond Starliner, Boeing's other contributions to NASA are also quickly turning into a billion-dollar headache for the agency. In a damning report by NASA's inspector general last month, the watchdog discovered "an array of issues" with Boeing's Space Launch System (SLS). NASA is hoping to use the massive rocket to get astronauts to the Moon before the end of the decade.
The report outlined "Boeing's inadequate quality management system, escalating costs and schedules, and inadequate visibility into the Block 1Bs projected costs."
"I think finally, people in Congress have realized that they're throwing money down a rat hole, and they'll cancel it, hopefully before we kill the crew," Nelson told Futurism, referring to the SLS' soaring costs. "This thing's a monster disaster waiting to happen."
In response to questions, NASA had no reply, and Boeing offered the same statement it's been sending to reporters across the media about Starliner.
"Boeing continues to focus, first and foremost, on the safety of the crew and spacecraft," it read. "We are executing the mission as determined by NASA, and we are preparing the spacecraft for a safe and successful uncrewed return."
NASA will attempt to undock Starliner from the space station this evening and there'll likely be many crossed fingers in the room at ground control.
More on Starliner: NASA Admits Tension in the Room as It Told Boeing Starliner Couldnt Return Astronauts to Earth
LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) A former Commonwealths Attorney was sentenced on Thursday after committing honest services wire fraud.
The Department of Justice said 52-year-old Scott Blair of Hazard pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud and was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison.
Woman speaks out after alleged Lexington road rage incident in August
According to his guilty plea agreement, between April 2020 and March 2024, Blair devised a scheme to fraudulently deprive the citizens of Perry County of their right to his honest services, as the elected Commonwealths Attorney through bribery.
The agreement said on multiple occasions, Blair agreed to take official actions, in his position as the Commonwealths Attorneyincluding making recommendations on probation, drug court, and probation violations or sanctions for defendants he was prosecutingin exchange for methamphetamine and sexual favors.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman previously publicly called for Blair to resign from his office.
As Attorney General, I have a responsibility to uphold the rule of law and protect families across Kentucky, including those I was elected to serve in Perry County. This individual like all Americans is presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, prosecutors cannot be effective if they violate the public trust. Given the serious accusations of abusing his office to assist criminals in exchange for drugs and sexual favors, the public good demands that Scott Blair immediately resign. Finally, I want the families in Perry County to rest assured that they will not be without a felony prosecutor at any point. Our Office, along with law enforcement partners and prosecutors across the Commonwealth, will step in to protect this community and uphold the rule of law. Attorney General Russell Coleman
After Blair pleaded guilty to the charges against him in May, Coleman said Blairs conviction would help restore public trust.
Read more of the latest Kentucky news
All Kentuckians, including the people of Perry County, deserve prosecutors with integrity and public servants they can trust. Scott Blair violated that trust and broke the law, said Attorney General Russell Coleman. This conviction will help restore public safety in this community, and it is an example of the zealous collaboration between our office and our partners that is key to protecting Kentucky families, Coleman said.
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Former postal carrier admits to taking gift card from Granite City mailbox, feds say
A former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier has pleaded guilty to stealing a $200 Visa gift card from a mailbox in Granite City and using the gift card for personal purchases last year.
Phillip E. Tucker, 37, of Madison pleaded guilty in federal court in East St. Louis to one count of theft of mail by a postal employee, according to a news release on Friday from the U.S. Attorneys Office.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend Tucker receive a sentence of one year on probation, according to court records filed Aug. 29. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18.
Tucker has agreed to pay $200 in restitution and he admitted that he stole the gift card on May 6, 2023. Tucker resigned from his job at the postal service after the theft was discovered, according to court records.
Records show Tucker used the gift card between May 6, 2023, and May 16, 2023. He was employed by the postal service from October 2017 to July 2023.
As part of his guilty plea agreement, Tucker agreed that he will not seek re-instatement with the United States Postal Service, nor will he apply for employment with any other federal agency.
Tucker is being represented by St. Louis attorney Jen Kusmer, who said Tucker is very remorseful for what happened and that he is taking full responsibility for the theft.
Mail carriers are entrusted public servants, and postal workers who steal from collection boxes willingly break that trust, U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe said in the news release. I commend the investigators for holding this defendant accountable.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.
Persons found guilty of theft of mail by postal employee can be sentenced to serve up to five years in prison, the news release stated.
Former schools police chief says he was not at fault in Uvalde shooting, asks judge to toss charges
Pete Arredondo, facing a criminal case based on how he handled a school shooting as chief of the Uvalde school district police, has asked a judge to throw out the charges. Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune
Former Uvalde schools police Chief Pete Arredondo asked a state district court on Friday to quash ten felony charges of child endangerment for his response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting.
Arredondo is one of two law enforcement officers who face criminal charges for their response to Texas deadliest school shooting, which left nineteen children and two teachers dead on May 22, 2022. An indictment handed down in June by a Uvalde County grand jury called Arredondo the incident commander and accused him of causing imminent danger to ten children by delaying law enforcements response to the active shooter and not responding as trained.
In their motion to toss out the indictment, Arredondos lawyers say school districts and their employees dont have a duty to protect students from third-party threats. The lawyers also point out that the children were already in danger when Arredondo responded.
The indictment does not allege that Mr. Arredondo engaged in any conduct that placed a child in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment, the filing states. To the contrary, the language in the indictment itself makes clear that when Mr. Arredondo responded as part of his official duties, an active shooter incident was already in progress.
Arredondo said soon after the shooting that he did not think he was the incident commander and that he did not give any orders. Nearly 400 local, state and federal law enforcement officers descended upon the school but failed to act decisively, instead waiting for more than an hour to confront the gunman.
Border Patrol agents ultimately decided to breach the classroom and killed the shooter.
Since the school shooting, families of Uvalde victims have called on local and state elected officials to hold officers accountable for their failures in leadership. Many said they were disappointed that the grand jury indicted only two officers.
In addition to Arredondo, former district officer Adrian Gonzales was indicted on 29 counts of child endangerment. Gonzales has also denied violating school district policy or state law. Both officers were released from Uvalde County Jail on bond.
Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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.
Former Science Teacher Sentenced for Trying to Pay for Sex With Children: 'The Younger the Better'
Sean Stevenson, 58, was arrested last October after he showed up to the planned encounter with $140 in cash
Getty Man texting on a phone
A former high school science teacher was sentenced to 10 years in prison this week after pleading guilty to trying to pay for sex with underage girls.
A Department of Justice press release said former University City High School science teacher Sean Stevenson was sentenced Thursday, Sept. 5, after pleading guilty on June 13.
Stevenson, 58, was arrested last October by an undercover officer. The Department of Justice said in a June press release that Stevenson was arrested after he believed he'd succeeded in setting up a meeting to have sex with a 16-year-old girl through another individual. Instead, the individual that Stevenson was texting with was actually an undercover officer who arrested him upon meeting up.
The DOJ said that Stevenson had texted the undercover officer a number of incriminating messages, including: I dont suppose you know in[sic] younger girls I could pay u a premium for?; I pay u a finders fee and I pay her; The younger the better; and Just keep it in mind if you come across any high school age girls.
Related: A Science Teacher Tried to Pay for Sex with an Underage Girl. Here's How He Was Caught
The Justice Department said in its June news release that when the undercover officer suggested an 18-year-old girl for Stevenson to meet up with, the 58-year-old man replied: Not young enough.
Authorities began investigating Stevenson following the April 2023 arrest of a pimp and a sex worker in a separate case, NBC San Diego, citing court documents, reported earlier this summer.
According to the Justice Department, Stevenson had $140 in cash with him in his car when he was arrested last October, when he arrived for what he thought would be a meeting with the 16-year-old girl.
Once Stevenson is released from prison, he must register as a sex offender and he will be placed on a supervised release for 15 more years, according to local CNS in San Diego.
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Stevensons defense attorney Dana Grimes wrote to U.S. District Judge Anthony Battagliain a sentencing memorandum that the former teacher "is immensely remorseful for his conduct underpinning this case and has accepted the fact that his life as he knew it, including his career and a significant amount of his freedom, is over."
Stevenson also vowed to change, according to CNS.
"I'm horrified by my actions and I will be happy to participate in any programs that the government deems necessary, the ex-high school teacher told the judge at his sentencing. You will never see me again under these circumstances."
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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Former TikTok Star Sentenced For Murdering His Wife And Her Male Friend
A former TikTok star was sentenced Friday to life in prison without parole for fatally shooting his estranged wife and another man in their Southern California high-rise apartment in 2021.
A jury in May found Ali Abulaban, 32, guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Ana Abulaban, 28, and Rayburn Barron, 29, who had been cuddling on the couch when he burst into the apartment and fired six shots at them.
Abulaban, a rising star on TikTok known for his comedic Scarface impressions, did not deny killing his wife and her friend but testified that he snapped after finding them together in the San Diego apartment that the Abulabans had shared with their young daughter.
Ana Abulaban was sitting on a couch with her friend Rayburn Barron when her estranged husband barged into her apartment and fatally shot them. Facebook / GoFundMe
Ali Abulabans defense team argued that he had acted in the heat of passion and asked the jury to find him guilty of the lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter or second-degree murder. The jury, however, found that the killings were premeditated and intentional.
The couple were separated at the time of the murders after a volatile marriage marred by years of Ali Abulabans abusive behavior, including physically assaulting his wife.
On the morning of the killings, while the couples then-5-year-old daughter was at school, Ali Abulaban broke into the apartment and hid a microphone device in his wifes bedroom so he could listen remotely.
When he heard live audio of his wife with Barron, Ali Abulaban drove to their building from the hotel where he was staying. A number of surveillance cameras captured him outside the property and riding the elevator to the 35th floor. Audio from a neighbors surveillance camera, which was played in court, caught the sound of six shots being fired, and a scream.
The first-degree murder charges included allegations of using a handgun in the killings. Because the jury had also affirmed the special-circumstance allegation of committing multiple murders, he faced two mandatory sentences of life in prison without parole. The judge on Friday rejected the defense attorneys request that Abulaban serve his sentences concurrently, instead ordering them to be consecutive.
Emotions ran high in the courtroom Friday.
In response to a prosecutors comment while the judge was hearing the defense teams motion for a mistrial which he denied Abulaban shouted bullshit, and Ana Abulabans sister yelled back at him from the gallery.
She and other relatives of the victims delivered statements on the killings affected the families. Barrons sister, Sylvia Barron, spoke to Ali Abulaban directly.
Your sick narcissism cut short two beautiful lives at their prime and left a devastation of broken hearts on Rays and Anas side, and your side as well, she said.
Abulaban was the last to speak and apologized while still refusing to accept full responsibility for the murders. He complained about his sentence, saying it wasnt right that he would be denied the opportunity for parole.
I dont think thats fair at all, he said, especially after it has been made clear that drugs and alcohol were involved. And add that to infidelity and mental illness, and youve got a recipe for disaster, one that anyone could fall into.
Judge Jeffrey F. Fraser said he didnt believe any of Abulabans crimes were connected to his mental health or substance abuse.
Hes a very talented actor, the judge said, referring to Abulabans behavior in his courtroom and his TikTok videos.
When I saw the Scarface videos, its as if, when he committed these crimes, he became that persona of Scarface just coldblooded killing without remorse. Any tears that hes cried in this courtroom have been for himself. They are not for Ray and Ana. Hes somebody that is only thinking about himself. And the idea of killing two innocent people doesnt disturb him. Its chilling, the judge said.
So the bottom line here is he will die in prison. He will never be a free man. He will take his last breath there.
The courtroom erupted in applause. Abulaban turned and sneered at them and made a show of clapping his own hands.
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Related...
Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, McLean, Virginia, January 6, 2022. The former congresswoman spoke at the University of Montana on Oct. 5, 2023. (Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Center for Creative Photography/University of Arizona; provided by the University of Montana)
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.
This story was originally produced by NC Newsline 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.
NEW YORK, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- NASA said on Friday it has decided to delay the launch of a new science mission -- ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) -- to Mars.
The ESCAPADE mission will use two identical spacecraft to study how the solar wind interacts with Mars' magnetic environment, driving the planet's atmospheric escape.
The mission is previously scheduled to launch no earlier than Oct. 13, on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
NASA said the decision to delay the launch was made to avoid significant cost, schedule, and technical challenges associated with potentially removing fuel from the spacecraft in the event of a launch delay, which could be caused by a number of factors.
The alignment of Earth and Mars constrains ESCAPADE's windows of launch opportunities to the Red Planet. This means that small schedule changes can result in months-long delays in launch, according to NASA.
The mission team is analyzing larger planetary window opportunities. NASA and Blue Origin are discussing an additional opportunity to launch the spacecraft to Mars no earlier than spring 2025.
The former Uvalde, Texas, school district police chief charged in connection with the botched police response to the 2022 school shooting rampage filed a motion Friday to have the indictment thrown out.
The former chief, Pete Arredondo, who was the on-site commander the day of the shooting, was arrested in June on 29 charges of abandoning and failing to protect children. He has pleaded not guilty.
Former Uvalde school district police officer Adrian Gonzales was arrested on the same charges and also pleaded not guilty.
PHOTO: This photo provided by Uvalde County Sheriff's Office shows Pete Arredondo, the former police chief for schools in Uvalde, who was arrested and briefly booked into ail before he was released, June 27, 2024. (AP)
MORE: Former Uvalde school district police officer pleads not guilty as victims' families look on
The new eight-page motion focuses on the overarching question of whether Texas criminal statutes can be invoked to charge both Arredondo and Gonzalez. The Uvalde case represents the first time Texas penal laws have been used to file these types of criminal charges.
"While the indictment may attempt to invoke a duty by alleging Mr. Arredondo was the incident commander 'on a school campus which was under his control,' such an allegation may invoke a moral duty to perform his job well, but it fails to invoke a legal duty," according to the motion. "'Moral imperatives are not the functional equivalent of legal duties.'"
The motion said, "The indictment fails to allege an offense, and the indictment fails to give Mr. Arredondo the constitutionally required notice necessary to allow him to prepare a defense."
PHOTO: Uvalde School Police Chief Pete Arredondo, third from left, stands during a news conference outside of the Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, TX, May 26, 2022. (Dario Lopez-Mills/AP)
MORE: Former Uvalde school police chief charged with 10 counts of 'abandoning and endangering' Robb Elementary survivors
"The indictment does not allege that Mr. Arredondo engaged in any conduct that placed a child in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment," the motion said. "To the contrary, the language in the indictment itself makes clear that when Mr. Arredondo responded as part of his official duties, an active shooter incident was already in progress and that an active shooter was already hunting and shooting a child or children in Room 112 at Robb Elementary School."
Two teachers and 19 students were killed in the May 24, 2022, shooting at Robb Elementary School. Law enforcement waited some 77 minutes at the scene before breaching a classroom and killing the gunman.
PHOTO: Crosses set up to honor those who lost their lives during the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, TX, Nov. 8, 2022. (Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images)
MORE: Inside Uvalde football's transformative, emotional season that uplifted a grieving town
The indictment alleges that, after hearing shots fired, Arredondo failed to identify the situation as an active shooter, failed to respond as trained and instead called SWAT, which delayed the law enforcement response.
PHOTO: Law enforcement officers outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, May 24, 2022. (Eric Thayer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The indictment also alleges he chose to negotiate with the gunman instead of engaging; failed to timely provide keys and breaching tools; failed to determine if the classroom door was locked; failed to follow the school district's active shooter policy; and failed to develop an immediate action plan.
The next court date in the criminal case is set for Sept. 16. No hearing has been scheduled yet on the motion to dismiss the indictment.
Former Uvalde school police chief moves to dismiss criminal charges connected to massacre originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The former Uvalde schools police chief asks judge to throw out the charges against him
FILE - Uvalde School Police Chief Pete Arredondo, third from left, stands during a news conference outside of the Robb Elementary school on May 26, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, File)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The former Uvalde, Texas, schools police chief asked a judge on Friday to throw out the criminal indictment filed against him over the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
In a motion filed in a Uvalde court, Pete Arredondo's lawyers question whether the 10-count indictment on child endangerment and abandonment charges applies to the former chief, who has been described as the on-site incident commander as nearly 400 federal, state and local officers waited more than 70 minutes to confront and kill the shooter in a classroom.
Arredondo has said he should not have been considered the incident commander and has been scapegoated into shouldering the blame for law enforcement failures that day.
The indictment alleges Arredondo did not follow his active shooter training and made critical decisions that slowed the police response while the gunman was hunting victims.
But Arredondo's attorneys argued that imminent danger of death, bodily injury and physical and mental impairment was not caused by him, but by the shooter.
(The) indictment itself makes clear that when Mr. Arredondo responded as part of his official duties, an active shooter incident was already in progress, attorney Paul Looney wrote in the motion, calling the indictment vague, uncertain and indefinite.
The massacre was one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Arredondo was indicted in June.
His motion to dismiss the charges came two days after two teachers and two students were killed at a school shooting in Winder, Georgia. In that case, school security officers quickly confronted a teenager who is now charged in the killings.
Arredondo, 52, and another former Uvalde schools police officer, Adrian Gonzales, 51, are the only law enforcement officers who have been charged for the response to the Robb Elementary shooting. Gonzales faces 29 similar charges, and both have pleaded not guilty.
The charges carry up to two years in jail if convicted.
The actions and inactions by both Arredondo and Gonzales amounted to criminal negligence, the indictments said. Terrified students inside the classroom with the shooter called 911 as parents begged officers some of whom could hear shots being fired while they stood in a hallway to go in.
Former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney will vote for Democrats Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, according to his daughter Liz Cheney.
Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris, the former Wyoming Congresswoman told reporter Mark Leibovich during a panel on Friday. My dad believes and hes said publicly theres never been an individual in our country that is as grave a threat to our democracy as Donald Trump.
Cheney: Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris. pic.twitter.com/Pk1nnRl1ih Acyn (@Acyn) September 6, 2024
The ultra-conservative vice president and architect of the war in Iraq was once a majorly influential voice in Republican politics. He previously voiced his condemnation of ex-President Donald Trump in a 2022 campaign ad for his daughter, calling him a threat to our Republic and a coward.
Liz Cheney, who herself announced her plan to vote for Harris on Wednesday, lost her primary race in 2022 after voting to impeach Trump following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Vice President Harris and I have had and have policy disagreements on some issues, but I have been really impressed, watching, for example, the Democratic convention, listening to her speech at that convention, the younger Cheney said. I think we all have to walk ourselves back from this abyss that weve looked over in our politics and work together to build a better future for this country.
Other prominent Republicans like the son of Arizona Senator John McCain, a group of hundreds of former Republican White House officials, and several Trump administration alumni, have announced their plans to vote against Trump in the coming election.
Former Vice President Mike Pence has moved into the classroom at this western Pa. college
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served under President Donald Trump and made his own unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination, has started a new job.
Pence is teaching political science at conservative Grove City College in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.
Pence, who taught his first class Thursday, is joined in the classroom by Grove City College President Paul. J. McNulty.
Former Vice President Mike Pence is teaching political science at Grove City College in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.
Pence makes first visit to classroom
Pence was in Grove City for his first class, but might join at other times by videoconference, depending on his schedule.
Pence said in a college news release that his wife, Karen, a retired teacher, warned him that "it's harder than it looks."
"So, be patient with me," he asked students before beginning his first lecture.
According to the college, Pence is excited about his role
"I just have immense respect for the mission of Grove City College and the opportunity to teach several courses with young men and women who I know are going to be Christian leaders in this country in the years ahead is a great privilege, Pence said.
Pence is first to fill new Distinguished Fellow role
Grove City College is a 180-acre Christian private liberal arts and sciences. It does not accept federal funding, including federal student aid for its 2,400 students. The college on its website noted 97% of students live on campus, where tuition for the 2023-24 academic year is $20,890, and food and housing costs $11,770.
Earlier this year, the college established the Center for Faith & Public Life and named Pence as its first Distinguished Fellow for Faith and Public Life.
A former Indiana governor, Pence joined Trump in Washington, D.C., after they were elected in 2016.
He notably parted company with the former president when Pence declined to follow Trump's directive that he not certify the 2020 election that made Joe Biden president. Pence saw his role as ceremonial and argued that he did not have the authority to reject the votes before him.
That divide came to a head with the Jan. 6, 2021, siege of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, many of whom were displeased with Pence.
According to Grove City College, there was little evidence of that divide Thursday as the former vice president toured campus and mingled with students, many of whom posted photos of their encounter.
I'm extremely impressed with the graciousness of the student body, Pence said. The warm welcome that I've received from students from literally every background has been very humbling.
Pence, an early candidate for the Republican nomination in 2024, dropped out in October.
Contact Jim Martin at jmartin@timesnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Where is Mike Pence? Former vice president is teaching a college class
Former vice president and staunch Republican Dick Cheney will vote for Harris over Trump, his daughter says
Dick Cheney, a well-known Republican who served as vice president to George W. Bush, will be voting for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in November, his daughter said.
Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris, former Representative Liz Cheney told a crowd Friday at the Texas Tribute Festival.
The audience erupted into applause at the unexpected announcement.
Former vice president Dick Cheney is planning on voting for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in November, despite being a well-known Republican (Getty Images)
Dick Cheney, a notorious figure of the Republican Party, now adds his name to the growing list of conservative figures who are abandoning the Republican Partys nominee Donald Trump.
Liz Cheney, a conservative critic of Trump, said that her father is concerned about the future of democracy under the former president.
If you think about the moment that were in and you think about how serious this moment is, you know my dad believes and hes said publicly that theres never been an individual in our country who is as great of a threat to our democracy as Donald Trump is, Liz Cheney said.
And thats the moment that were facing."
The Independent has asked the Harris campaign and Trump campaign for comment on Dick Cheneys decision.
Liz Cheney announced on Thursday she would vote for Harris in the upcoming presidential election because Trump poses a danger.
She encouraged her fellow conservatives who may be unsure about voting for Trump again to vote for Harris. Liz Cheney emphasized that they dont have the luxury of not voting or writing in someone elses name.
Before being voted out of her congressional seat, Liz Cheney was an adamant critic of Trump especially in the wake of the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Her father appeared in a campaign advertisement for her in 2022 where he also lambasted Trump for being a coward and the greatest threat to our republic.
In our nations 246 year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump, Cheney said in the ad. He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him.
He is a coward. A real man wouldnt lie to his supporters. He lost his election and he lost big. I know it, he knows it and deep down I think most Republicans know it, Cheney said at the time.
Liz Cheney pictured with her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, in 2022 (AP)
Cheney and his daughter are part of a group of traditionally conservative individuals who refuse to support Trump in the upcoming election.
Last month, more than 200 Republicans who worked in the Bush administrations, for the late Senator John McCain or former Senator Mitt Romney endorsed Harris in an open letter.
They warned that policies laid out in Project 2025, the 900-page document that lays out a blueprint for the next conservative president, as well as Trumps relationship with dictators like Vladimir Putin, would hurt institutions and people.
Former Trump administration officials, conservative politicians and more have also voiced support for Harris and her running mate Tim Walz come November.
(COLORADO SPRINGS) The Armed Forces and Fort Carson have removed the Citadel Mall from the off-limits list released in late July.
After being taken off the list on Wednesday, Sept. 4 the City released a statement following the decision of the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board to remove the Citadel Mall from its off-limits areas and establishments list.
Fort Carson updates off-limits businesses for soldiers
Mayor Yemi Mobolade reacted to the decision on Thursday, Sept. 5, and said it was a positive development for the community. The Citadel Mall was put on a three-month probationary status.
Thank you to 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson Commanding General MG David Doyle and the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board for recognizing the good faith effort of the Citadel Mall owners to make security improvements, said Mayor Mobolade. This decision is the result of dedicated stakeholders joining together to make necessary changes and demonstrate a proactive approach to safety. By welcoming military families back to the Citadel Mall, we not only restore a sense of normalcy, but also reinforce the strong bond between the military community and Colorado Springs. It is crucial we maintain this momentum. By sustaining open communication and ongoing collaboration with all parties, we can continue to build a safe and enjoyable experience for all.
Citadel Mall was among 12 locations where soldiers were not allowed to go, including seven different bars/clubs and five other businesses. Servicemembers are not allowed to go in while in uniform.
The military said the purpose of the order was to prevent service members from being exposed to locations where crimes regularly occur or environments that could potentially jeopardize their health or welfare.
What needs to change at the Citadel Mall?
On August 15, Namdar Realty Group who owns Citadel Mall held a press conference with Colorado Springs leaders to discuss the ongoing safety concerns at the mall. Both parties planned to work together to try and get the mall off the banned list.
The conversations came after multiple shootings that have happened at the mall over the years. Including one in early August that left one injured from a gunshot wound to the leg and another shooting in Dec. 2023 that left one dead and three injured.
Citadel Mall reopens after shooting, police remain on scene
During the press conference in August, the mall said they planned to install more cameras, increase security, install more lights, and add gates to the parking lot entrances. The city and the mall also planned to host a community conversation on Friday, Sept. 20 to figure out what the mall should look like moving forward.
Citadel Mall Ownership and Management have worked diligently to collaborate on solutions and implement the changes needed to welcome military members and their families back to the mall. We are proud of the progress made and grateful for the communitys support in this effort, said the statement from Asset Manager Kevin Chadrijan, Namdar Realty Group. We recognize, too, that the militarys decision remains linked to our continued proactivity and engagement with regards to safety and security. We look forward to demonstrating our ongoing commitment to the Citadel Mall and this community in the months to come.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
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An LGBTQ+ history museum in Fort Lauderdale has received a refund from Floridas official tourism website after the state deleted a page for LGBTQ+ visitors late last month.
A spokesperson for the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library told local ABC affiliate WPLG on Thursday that the organization received a refund after previously expressing anger over the money it had paid to be featured on the since-deleted page VisitFlorida.com, an online tourism resource funded through a public-private partnership with state businesses. The museum is the largest LGBTQ+ collection in the world, according to its official website.
Prior to receiving the money, the museums executive director Robert Kesten expressed disapproval with the decision to remove the LGBTQ+ section. There is no reason to discredit a group of people that drive a tremendous amount of tourist dollars into the state, Kesten told WPLG. An apology should be made and the pages should be reinstated.
In late August, multiple media outlets reported that a portion of VisitFlorida.com dedicated to LGBTQ+ travelers had been removed, prompting widespread outcry. Florida governor Ron DeSantis defended that removal at a press conference this Tuesday.
Our view as a state is were the best place to visit, were open to all, but were not going to be segregating people, he said, in comments reported by WPLG. As the local ABC affiliate also pointed out, Visit Florida has not removed pages catering to specific racial and ethnic groups, including pages for Black and Latino visitors.
It's just disgusting to see this, Keith Blackburn of the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce, told the Associated Press. They seem to want to erase us.
The removed LGBTQ+ page touted Florida as a a draw for people of all orientations, but especially appealing to a gay community looking for a sense of belonging and acceptance, according to Tampa-based ABC affiliate WFTS. Visit Floridas CEO Dana Young told WFTS that the reason for the deletion is fairly simple.
Visit Florida is a taxpayer funded organization and, as such, Visit Florida, our marketing strategy, our materials and our content must align with the state, Young said.
The move has angered local business people, as well. It doesn't make any sense from a business perspective, Rachel Covello an LGBTQ+ travel blogger, told WFTS. It makes the LGBTQ people living in Florida and traveling to Florida think that the state just doesn't care about us.
Covello has started a Change.org petition to get Visit Florida to reinstate the LGBTQ+ visitors page. It currently has over 1,000 signatures. In the time since the removal, some other states have taken direct shots at Visit Florida, while trying to court LGBTQ+ dollars, as well.
Hello gay tourists! Since Florida doesnt want you, come on over to explore what Colorado has to offer! out gay Colorado governor Jared Polis wrote on Facebook.
One Year After DeSantis Takeover, Floridas New College Throws Out Hundreds of LGBTQ\+ Books
While doing maintenance of the school library, New College also tossed hundreds of books from the Gender and Diversity Center.
Meanwhile, Illinois official tourism page Enjoy Illinois has updated its page to read, Lack of Love in the Sunshine State? Come to Illinois!
Prior to Visit Floridas move to delete its LGBTQ+ page, several organizations warned LGBTQ+ travelers about potential sojourns to the hostile state. In April 2023, statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Equality Florida issued a travel advisory for queer and trans people planning to visit the state.
As an organization that has spent decades working to improve Floridas reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place to live work and visit, it is with great sadness that we must respond to those asking if it is safe to travel to Florida or remain in the state as the laws strip away basic rights and freedoms, Equality Florida executive director Nadine Smith said at the time.
The NAACP issued one as well, calling Florida openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.
These warnings came after the Florida legislature and Gov. DeSantis spearheaded a bevy of anti-LGBTQ+ laws that led to over 300 books being banned in schools and that criminalized the use of government-owned public bathrooms that dont align with a persons assigned gender at birth.
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Originally Appeared on them.
Four highlights from our investigative podcast about a 1978 car bombing and the Milwaukee Mafia
I grew up in a family of storytellers.
My Uncle John would tell us about my grandparents' arranged marriage. My dad loved to share memories of my grandmother's cooking and baked goods. And my aunts would tell stories about how spoiled my dad was, despite his tales to the contrary.
But there was one story nobody in the family would talk about. The story of my cousin, August "Augie" Palmisano, who was killed by a car bomb in downtown Milwaukee in 1978.
With the help of my Journal Sentinel colleagues, I've spent months investigating the murder of my cousin. In January, we published an article about our investigation.
More recently, we've been working on a podcast about Augie's life and death called "My Cousin Augie," which can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere else you get your podcasts. The seventh and final at least for now episode was released Aug. 21.
It's been a wild ride packed with new people, interviews and information that wasn't included in the original investigation. Thanks to the help of executive producers Bill Schulz and Gina Barton, we were able to weave in much more about Augie's story.
For example, we detailed the lengths those in law enforcement went to to investigate a string of unsolved homicides believed to have been ordered by the Milwaukee Mafia in the 1970s.
We also added additional context about Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward and more family stories, including some told by Augie's son, Mike Palmisano.
This podcast is also meant to be a "thank you" of sorts to the several hundred of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel readers who have emailed, called, texted and sent letters and messages about our investigation.
Here are some of the new developments that can be heard only in the "My Cousin Augie" podcast:
The hitman, the paperboy and the hypnotist
One of the stories we included in the podcast involved the 1975 assassination of one of my cousin's close friends. That man, August "Augie" Maniaci, was shot to death in the alley behind his home. Like my cousin, he was killed in the morning as he was leaving to go to work.
The shooter used a .22-caliber gun equipped with a silencer.
The murder immediately was believed to be the work of organized crime, and a professional hitman. But unlike many such killings, there was a witness. A newspaper delivery boy had just finished his route and was walking down the alley when he saw the shooting. Trouble is, he was terrified and said he couldn't remember the assassin's face.
Eventually, the FBI decided to bring in a hypnotist in an effort to unlock the paperboy's memories. While under hypnosis, the teenager was able to remember the man's face in remarkable detail. We examined the case in Episode Four, "Augie's World."
The architect of 'the skim'
Frank P. Balistrieri was widely known as the boss of organized crime in Milwaukee. He was also a key figure in the skimming of Las Vegas casinos, which later inspired the 1995 Martin Scorsese movie "Casino" starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone.
We detailed Balistrieri's involvement in Episode Three, "Fancy Pants."
In the episode, retired FBI Agent Gary Magnesen shares how Balistrieri used his connections with the Teamsters Union pension fund to help businessman Allen Glick purchase several casinos. But it wasn't long before other Mafia bosses got wind of Balistrieri's deal and demanded they get a piece too, Magensen said.
"He was actually threatened," Magnesen said. "That this is the way its going to be, or you ain't going to be around anymore."
The investigation into "the skim," as it came to be known, eventually helped deal a crippling blow to organized crime in Milwaukee.
An act of kindness
I was honestly a bit nervous about what stories might emerge about my cousin once the initial investigation ran. He sounded like a good guy, but you never know who may come forward to share a different side of someone.
But I've instead been overwhelmed by the dozens of people who have gotten in touch since the article ran to share stories about my cousin's kindness and generosity. One of those people was Robert Gegios, a prominent Milwaukee attorney who grew up in Whitefish Bay. He called the day my article ran and left me a voicemail.
Gegios told me that Augie would deliver produce to his parents' restaurant when he was a young child. Then, Gegios told me about Augie's act of kindness one Christmas which he didn't find out about until many years later.
"There's no way that I wouldn't remember this as long as I live," Gegios said.
We included Gegios' story in Episode Two of the podcast, which was titled "The King of Commission Row."
Cousin Mike shares his memories
After the initial article ran, Augie's son, Mike, agreed to do a wide-ranging interview about his father. His stories about Augie were incredibly touching and provided an important glimpse into who Augie was as a person. It's impossible to imagine the podcast without him.
Many of his stories were included in Episode Two, "The King of Commission Row," as well as Episode Seven, "The Downfall of Mr. B."
In the podcast, Mike shares what it was like to lose his father at a young age, in a brutal and public manner.
He said people have come up to him over the years to ask whether he and his family were part of the Mafia.
"When the movies come out, like 'The Sopranos' or so on and so forth, they romanticize about it, and they think that it's so cool or whatever," Mike said. "But I've been on the receiving end of it falsely and it's not that romantic."
"It's a relief for me that the truth has come out."
Mary Spicuzza is an investigative reporter with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at mary.spicuzza@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Four highlights from 'My Cousin Augie' podcast on the Milwaukee Mafia
Four lorries burned near Lviv due to Shahed drone debris photos, video
Aftermath of the Russian attack on Lviv Oblast. Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Four lorries have been destroyed by fire as a result of a downed Shahed drone wreckage falling near Lviv.
Source: Maksym Kozytskyi, Head of Lviv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram
Quote: Debris from a Shahed (Geran-2) drone fell in an industrial zone in the Lviv district at around 03:15 last night. Four lorries caught fire. Firefighters arrived at the scene quickly. The fire was extinguished in one and a half hours. Unfortunately, the lorries cannot be repaired."
Aftermath of the Russian attack on Lviv Oblast.
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Details: Kozytskyi said 32 firefighters and 6 units of special equipment were involved in extinguishing the fire.
"Overall, the enemy attacked our oblast with three attack drones during the two air-raid warnings issued in Lviv Oblast last night. Our air defence downed all [drones]. Most importantly, there were no casualties," Kozytskyi concluded.
Aftermath of the Russian attack on Lviv Oblast.
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Lviv City Council Member Ihor Zinkevych published photos from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine showing the aftermath of the fire.
Aftermath of the Russian attack on Lviv Oblast.
Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Background:
On the evening of 5 September, Russian forces launched attack drones from the south. After midnight, the Shahed drones reached Lviv Oblast. Later, the Russians launched new UAVs from Russias Belgorod Oblast towards Sumy Oblast.
Explosions were heard in Kharkiv and Lviv Oblast. Warehouses near the village of Malekhiv, Lviv Oblast, are on fire due to the fall of Shahed drone wreckage.
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Pensioners have warned Housing Secretary Angela Rayner that scrapping the single person discount would be a betrayal - UK PARLIAMENT
Four million pensioners living alone are at risk of a council tax raid under Angela Rayner at the same time as they face losing winter fuel payments.
Retirees make up around half of the 8.4m people who will be affected if the Housing Secretary abolishes a council tax break for one-person households, analysis shows.
Ms Rayner, the Housing Secretary, this week refused to rule out scrapping the 25pc sole occupier discount, which cuts around 543 per year from the average Band D council tax bill in 2024-25.
Scrapping the single-person council tax discount would save the public purse around 3bn a year, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
But pensioners warned that removing the discount would be an unforgivable betrayal of older people and could mean they lose their homes.
It comes after Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, announced she would scrap winter fuel payments worth up to 300 for 10m older people.
Ms Reeves said in July that she would start to means-test the benefit, which was previously available to all pensioners, in an attempt to claw back 1.4bn for the Treasury this year.
On top of this, single older people many of whom are widows and widowers could now face losing their council tax relief.
Jan Shortt, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, said: A Labour Government hitting their older generation with a double whammy would be an unforgivable betrayal and will not be forgotten.
It is a further attack on older people and those on low income, who may be forced to give up their homes. It seems older people, who have no voice in parliament, are seen as easy targets.
Graham Stuart, the Tory MP who pressed Ms Rayner on the issue in the House of Commons, said: Older people who may have lost their life partners and are living on reduced incomes are not only losing their winter fuel payments but would also be losing their council tax discounts.
That is taking hundreds of pounds from those that can least afford it. We cannot have such an unnecessary impact on pensioners.
Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Ms Rayner said that the Government had no plans to increase council tax, but she did not give the same commitment when she was asked to confirm that she would not remove the single persons discount.
Asked by Mr Stuart if she could guarantee that she would not remove the single person discount, Ms Rayner said: This Government is about making sure that working people are better off, and we intend to do that.
Around 8.4m homes in England are entitled to the 25pc single person council tax discount, according to the data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
A further 253,000 households are entitled to the relief because all but one resident is disregarded for council tax purposes.
Separate figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that half of the people who live alone are aged over 65.
The largest number of single-person households eligible for the discount are in Birmingham, where 152,000 people benefit from the tax saving. Other top 10 hotspots include rural areas popular with retirees such as Cornwall, Somerset and North Yorkshire.
As Britain ages, and the population of over-65s swells, the number of people living alone is rising steadily. In the decade to 2023, the number of people living alone climbed by 8pc.
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, warned that older people who live alone are already grappling with a heavier burden from household bills.
Ms Abrahams said: Fixed costs, such as heating and repairs, do not reduce if only one person lives in a property and meeting these from a single income already strains many budgets.
We believe that about 4m pensioners could be impacted if the single person discount for council tax was abolished, many of them widows ... if they do receive the discount, are on a low or modest income, and lose their Winter Fuel Payment too, this could absolutely shatter their finances.
A spokesman for the Housing Department said: The Government currently has no plans to reform council tax.
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Description
Guild Hall (158 Main Street, East Hampton) continues Academy Icons, a new series that spotlights Guild Hall Academy of the Arts members and their work. This seasons program features films by Susan Lacy, an acclaimed director and producer best known for creating American Masters, the PBS biography series, which began in 1986, profiling artists and visionaries who have helped shape our countrys culture.
The third of four programs returns Sunday, September 6 at 7 PM with a screening of Paul Simon: Born at the Right Time followed by a conversation with Susan Lacy and filmmaker Mirra Bank.
In the 1960s, Paul Simons moving lyric Bridge Over Troubled Water was an anthem for a generation. With Art Garfunkel, he made moving testaments to the times, fusing folk and rock music. In the 1980s, he pioneered popular cross-cultural music that brought South African musicians into mainstream America with Steve Martin, Lorne Michaels, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
The series will close with Lou Reed: Rock & Roll Heart on September 15 at 7 PM followed by a talk with Susan Lacy, multidisciplinary artist and Reeds wife, Laurie Anderson, and director Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.
Musician, poet, and composer Lou Reed made rock and roll into avant-garde. This incredible retracing of Reeds evolution is filled with interviews with the artist, his friends, and some of the major artists he influenced including David Bowie, David Byrne, John Cale, Philip Glass, and Patti Smith.
Tickets are $25 ($22.50 for Guild Hall members). For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.guildhall.org/.
Fox News Jessica Tarlov struggled to make sense of Donald Trumps confusing response to a question about making child care more affordable on Thursday.
I would dare any of you to listen to his answer on child care and tell me what the hell he was talking about, the co-host of The Five said of the former president.
It was one of the more incoherent things Ive ever heard.
The Republican nominee, who has sparked questions overhismentalacuity during his campaign, cooked up a rambling reply when asked at the Economic Club of New York whether hed commit to prioritizing legislation related to child care should he return to the White House.
Its a very important issue. But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that Im talking about, that because, look, child care is child care. Its, couldnt, you know, theres something, you have to have it in this country, you have to have it, said Trump before pivoting to talk of imposing tariffs on imported goods.
Tarlov declared that the former presidents remarks really highlight a big problem.
Everyone is saying, Well, Trump is so transparent and Trumps out there and thats all that matters. What matters is the content of what hes saying and none of it, none of it is explainable, Tarlov said.
She noted that the cost of child care is a big priority for people, an issue she described as a central plank in Vice President Kamala Harris campaign.
He doesnt have an answer besides tariffs and [Trumps running mate] JD Vance yesterday was talking about just have grandma and grandpa do more, that thats some sort of solution for people, said Tarlov who referred to the Ohio senators suggestion to lower the cost of day care.
She continued, Hes gonna halve energy prices drill, baby, drill even though were producing more oil than weve ever have before, leading the world. More tax cuts for the rich and tariffs are the only way were gonna be paying for it.
Related...
Franklin County Schools to close all schools after receiving online threats overnight
The Franklin County School System will close all of its schools Friday due to receiving threats.
According to the district in Northeast Georgia, online threats were made against the school system late Thursday night.
Out of an abundance of caution, the schools will all be closed on Friday for staff and students.
School officials said they are working closely with local law enforcement and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation about this situation.
In the days following the school shooting at Apalachee High School, law enforcement officers have arrested several people accused of making threats against school districts.
The Gainesville Police Department said Thursday morning that a teenager had been arrested for making several threats against schools in the area, while another teen was arrested Thursday afternoon for threatening to finish the job at Apalachee High School.
Both teens were taken into custody, but have not yet been identified.
In Thomasville, a student was arrested after being found at Macintyre Park Middle School with a gun on Thursday afternoon.
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SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) Fifty-four-year-old Samuel Harris of Suffolk, who spent 24 years behind bars, was released from prison July 1 after Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued a pardon.
Last month, he met the governor in Richmond to thank him. In an interview outside his home in Suffolk, Harris described meeting the man whose signature is on the pardon.
He said, Im so proud of much about what youre doing, and I even told him, I said, and I thank you,' Harris said. I said, for you to come in and do this, it means the world to me.'
Suffolk veteran returns home after more than 24 years in prison
Youngkin was in Suffolk Wednesday for a groundbreaking ceremony. Later, he met with the media and was shown a photo of Harris, who has said hes proud of the pardon, but disappointed his rights were not restored.
In a claim the governor denies, the Virginia NAACP says rights restoration, Youngkin-style, lacks consistency and clear standards.
We have not slow-walked the process at all, Youngkin said. And in fact, we have been very proactive in this process. And I just want to be clear with restoration of rights, the Supreme Court of Virginia opined very clearly that the governor must review every single person who is getting their rights reviewed. And, thats exactly what I do.
Those who lost their right to vote, serve on a jury, run for public office or serve as a Notary, can now apply online for restoration in a process that could take up to 60 days.
I dont know the specifics of his application, but I will tell you, if hes gotten it in, we have processed it within 60 days and I will review it personally, because thats what I do on every single one., Youngkin said.
Harris completed his application Wednesday. Early voting in Virginia starts Sept. 20, and election day is Nov. 5. At 54, Harris told 10 On Your Side he has never voted. He hopes that chapter in his history will soon change.
I feel a disservice to my ancestors for losing it, he said. But Im thankful that hes going to restore it and Im looking forward to doing it. And especially, in this historical-making election that were going to have, its going to be probably one of the biggest things I can do when Im home to vote.
Harris is hopeful hell have his voting rights restored in time for the upcoming elections.
What does he say to others who have the right to vote and dont, or to others whose rights have not been restored?
For others who have a right to and they have it? I think, is one of the most basic fundamental rights we have that we take for granted, Harris said. And as I tell people, if you dont vote, you cant complain. And also for my fellow reentering society citizens, take advantage of it. Yeah, I just want to get [my] rights restored because I know its going to make me a human again.
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BRAZIL, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) If youre looking for a place to retire your old American flag, French Funeral Home now has a flag box.
Just outside their back door, there is a wooden box that anyone, at any time, can put their old flag into.
Then, once a year, the funeral home will schedule an event with local VFWs, American Legions, and the Boy Scouts to perform a traditional flag burning ceremony.
The idea came from Nick French, the son of the owners, when they had a flag, they wanted to retire, but didnt know how to do so.
The owner says the response to the project has been positive.
Its very welcomed by people. They can come by, like I said, at their convenience, they can bring that by. They dont have to wait to see if we are here or not, or if were busy. They can just bring it in and know that its being cared for and respectfully retired. Susie French Owner
The box is open to all flags, U.S. or state.
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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
France's new Prime Minister Michel Barnier began the difficult task of trying to form a government on Friday, one day after his surprise appointment by President Emmanuel Macron.
The former EU commissioner met representatives of the divided parties to sound out the possibilities for a majority capable of forming an administration.
He also met Macron for a working lunch and will later make his first public statement on his plans for office on television.
As he took office on Thursday evening, Barnier announced a new political direction for France, but it remains unclear which parties the 73-year-old conservative intends to govern with.
France's left-wing New Popular Front (NPF) alliance emerged victorious from the early parliamentary elections in July, ahead of Macron's centrists and Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally in third place.
However, the NPF did not receive an absolute majority of seats in the National Assembly, and Macron refused to appoint their candidate Lucie Castets as prime minister, claiming she would be immediately vetoed by the other parties.
The left-wing alliance has reacted with fury to the appointment of Barnier, whose centre-right Republicans performed poorly in the elections. It is already being suggested that Barnier may have to turn to the far right for support.
Fresno fight leads to deadly crash into tree, police say
Fresno fight leads to deadly crash into tree, police say
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A man died after he crashed a Honda Accord into a tree after a fight at a bar in Fresno Friday morning, according to the Fresno Police Department.
Police say around 1 a.m. officers responded to a fight at a place called The Other Bar near Sierra and Blackstone avenues.
Fresno Police cadet arrested by FBI
Investigators say when officers arrived, they learned a fight had broken out and a man had pulled out a gun and left the scene speeding away in a Honda Accord.
While leaving the scene, he was followed by a police helicopter until he crashed into a tree near Sierra and Forkner avenues.
When police got to the crash, they said the man was dead.
Officers say a handgun and ammunition were located inside the vehicle. The California Highway Patrol has taken over the investigation.
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In 1965, Warren Buffett became CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) and began a stretch of notable outperformance, compared to Wall Street's benchmark stock indexes. Over nearly six decades, he's overseen a cumulative return in his company's Class A shares (BRK.A) that tops 5,700,000%!
Money managers who run circles around Wall Street tend to garner a lot of attention. But when you deliver a gain of more than 5,700,000%, investors will pay attention to your every word and potentially mirror your buying and selling activity.
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. Image source: The Motley Fool.
What's interesting about the Oracle of Omaha's success is that he's predominantly been an open book regarding what traits he looks for in investments. For instance, Buffett regularly seeks out time-tested businesses with identifiable competitive advantages and strong management teams that can be held for years, if not decades. He's also a big fan of concentrating his company's invested assets in his best ideas.
However, not all 45 stocks held in Berkshire Hathaway's roughly $318 billion investment portfolio share the same outlook. While "years" tends to be the typical holding period for a stock in Berkshire's portfolio, Warren Buffett's latest annual letter to shareholders outlined eight stocks that were dubbed "indefinite" holdings.
As you might imagine, top investment ideas would be expected to stick around for a long time. These eight forever holdings currently account for a whopping 34% ($106.5 billion) of Berkshire Hathaway's invested assets.
No. 1: American Express, $39.2 billion (12.3% of invested assets)
Following the sale of around 150 million shares of Bank of America since the midpoint of July by Buffett and his team, credit services goliath American Express (NYSE: AXP) has vaulted to the No. 2 spot by market value in Berkshire's portfolio. "AmEx," as the company is more commonly known, has been a continuous holding by Buffett's company since 1991.
Financials are the Oracle of Omaha's favorite sector, largely because they're cyclical. Buffett and his top investment aides, Todd Combs and Ted Weschler, are fully aware that recessions are a normal and inevitable part of the economic cycle. Rather than throwing darts and trying to guess when these downturns will occur, they lean on a numbers game that undeniably works in their favor.
In the 79 years since World War II ended, there have been a dozen recessions in the U.S., and all but three resolved in less than 12 months. By comparison, almost every period of growth has endured multiple years, with two expansions hitting the 10-year mark. Wagering that the U.S. economy and consumer/enterprise spending will grow over long periods has been a genius move.
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American Express also benefits from both sides of the transaction counter. In the U.S., it's the third-largest payment processor by credit card network purchase volume, which allows it to collect fees from merchants. However, it also generates fees and interest income from its line of credit cards.
Don't overlook AmEx's ability to attract high earners, either. High-income cardholders are less likely to adjust their spending habits or fail to pay their bill during minor economic disruptions.
Image source: Coca-Cola.
No. 2: Coca-Cola, $29 billion (9.1% of invested assets)
The only forever holding that's been in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio even longer than AmEx is beverage giant Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), which has been continuously held since 1988.
Berkshire's cost basis in Coca-Cola is only $3.2475 per share, which equates to a nearly 60% yield on cost, based on Coke's annual payout of $1.94 per share. In other words, Buffett is seeing his initial investment in Coca-Cola more than double from the dividend income alone every two years.
One reason Coca-Cola is such a wonderful company is because it's a consumer staples stock. It's providing a good (beverages) that consumers need, regardless of how well or poorly their country's economy is performing. This leads to highly predictable operating cash flow year after year.
In terms of consumer goods companies, you'd probably struggle to find a business with better branding than Coca-Cola. Kantar's annual "Brand Footprint" report labeled Coca-Cola as the most-chosen brand by consumers off retail shelves for a 12th consecutive year. This is a testament to its lengthy history as a public company, as well as its ability to connect with mature and young audiences through a combination of brand ambassadors and digital media.
Furthermore, Coca-Cola's geographic diversity is virtually unmatched. On top of having more than two dozen brands that generate at least $1 billion in annual sales, the company has operations in every country except Cuba, North Korea, and Russia. Coca-Cola is able to generate meaningful cash flow in developed countries, all while moving the organic growth needle in emerging markets.
No. 3: Occidental Petroleum, $14.5 billion (4.6% of invested assets)
While it's been known for some time that AmEx and Coca-Cola are indefinite holdings for Warren Buffett, the addition of integrated oil and gas stock Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) in his February-released annual letter to shareholders was an eyebrow-raiser.
The Oracle of Omaha and his team began purchasing shares of Occidental in the first quarter of 2022. Since then, Berkshire's stake in the company has grown to almost 255.3 million shares, or about 27.3% of Occidental's outstanding shares. Buffett has been given permission by U.S. regulators to purchase up to a 50% stake in Occidental, but he has no interest in acquiring the company outright.
Since Warren Buffett is a big proponent of never betting against America, one of the most logical wagers he can make is on growing demand for energy commodities, such as oil.
One of the more interesting catalysts for Occidental is global crude oil supply constraints. Approximately three years of significant capital spending reductions by global energy majors during the COVID-19 pandemic has the industry playing catchup. When the supply of an in-demand good is tight, it tends to buoy its price.
Few integrated oil and gas operators generate a higher percentage of their revenue from drilling than Occidental. If the spot price of crude oil remains elevated or increases further, Occidental should enjoy an outsized benefit to its operating cash flow. Just be warned that a reciprocal event (i.e., a decline in the spot price of crude oil) would adversely impact its cash flow more than other integrated energy companies.
No. 4 through No. 8: The five Japanese trading houses, $23.7 billion (combined) from Mitsubishi (2.3% of invested assets), Itochu (2%), Mitsui (1.7%), Marubeni (0.8%), and Sumitomo (0.7%)
The other group of stocks Buffett talked up as forever holdings in his newest annual letter to shareholders is Japan's five major trading houses: Mitsubishi (OTC: MTSU.Y)(OTC: MSBHF), Itochu (OTC: ITOCY)(OTC: ITOCF), Mitsui (OTC: MITSY)(OTC: MITSF), Marubeni (OTC: MARUY)(OTC: MARUF), and Sumitomo (OTC: SSUM.Y)(OTC: SSUM.F).
You might be wondering why some of the companies Buffett is so high on account for less than 1% of Berkshire's invested assets. The simple reason is that Buffett and his team agreed to not purchase a greater than 9.9% stake in these five Japanese trading houses. These five stakes currently range from 7.5% (for Itochu) to 8.6% (for Mitsubishi) of outstanding shares.
One of the likely reasons the Oracle of Omaha favors these five businesses as indefinite holdings is because they're heavily ingrained in Japan's economy. Mitsubishi, Itochu, Mitsui, Marubeni, and Sumitomo are involved in oil and gas operations, food production, mining, renewable energy, chemicals, and so on. The list of what these companies have their fingers in would be a book in itself. If an investor believes the Japanese economy will grow over the long run, these trading houses make for no-brainer buys.
Valuation is another key lure for Japan's five trading houses. The stock market is historically pricey at the moment, and it's been this way for much of the last decade. Japan's trading houses have low price-to-earnings ratios and generally robust capital-return programs.
What's more, the management teams of these five businesses receive reasonably low compensation packages. This means the focus is on shareholder returns, which is something Warren Buffett appreciates immensely.
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Bank of America and American Express are advertising partners of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Sean Williams has positions in Bank of America. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bank of America and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool recommends Occidental Petroleum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
34% of Warren Buffett's $318 Billion Portfolio Is Invested in These 8 "Forever" Stocks was originally published by The Motley Fool
Students wait to be picked up by their parents 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
The father of Colt Gray, the suspect in Wednesdays Apalachee High School shooting, has been arrested and is being held at the Barrow County Detention Center, authorities announced Thursday.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that Colin Gray is now detained after he was arrested Thursday on charges of four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children connected to the Wednesday morning mass shooting at the Barrow County school attended by bis 14-year old son, Colt Gray. The younger Gray also faces murder charges for allegedly firing the shots that killed two teachers and two students. Nine other people injured in the shooting are expected to make a full recovery, federal, state and local agencies reported Thursday.
Colt Gray was arrested minutes after law enforcement stormed the school. He is accused of firing bullets from an AR-15 rifle with a collapsible stock police say was used to kill 14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Cristina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.
According to law enforcement officials, the 54-year-old Gray purchased the AR-style gun used in the shooting in December as a Christmas gift for his son. Shortly after the Apalachee High shooting, police confirmed Colt Gray was also interviewed last year as a suspect after posting threatening social media messages targeting a school in Jackson County.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the firearm used in the Barrow shooting was given to Colt Gray his father several months after the Grays were interviewed by Jackson sheriffs investigators in 2023. Investigators declined to press charges at the time, deciding they lacked probable cause.
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GEORGETOWN, Ky. (FOX 56) Promise Kids a Future (PKAF) is a Georgetown adoption agency, but the teams mission expands thousands of miles away. Saturday is the communitys chance to not only find some cool things but to also change lives.
You never know what youll find in a yard sale, from home decor to kitchen appliances. What youll also find is the chance to help children at Noahs Ark Orphanage in Busia, Uganda. PKAF executive director Jill Baker was there for Fridays day of the yard sale.
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The community has turned out for us. Theyre coming to buy lots of things, but theyve also donated. Over the last couple of months, weve had drop-off dates, and people are just continuing to bring us stuff to sell for the kids, Baker said.
Raising money for the Uganda orphanage is a big task, but the team with PKAF isnt in this alone, and thats represented with both the inside and outside filled with donations.
Its huge because its so much of a passion for me, but then you get to share it with everyone else. They may not be able to see the kids, but theyre able to give. It goes towards medical, for food, and clothing. Its just huge, Baker said.
Behind every dedicated team is a group of dedicated volunteers. Volunteer Emily Mann used her social media skills to make fun promos leading up to the sale. In addition to building excitement, Mann also helped stock the donations.
Every day that we had a drop-off, we would just organize and price items as they came in. Then, wed fill up the back room of the church. Yesterday and the day before, we brought everything down, Mann said.
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When the team has a lot of stuff to move, its a good sign for them because it means the community is in on it.
Its awesome to know that they support such a great cause, and being able to see everyone come together is really awesome, Mann said.
For the team, it always shines a light on why they do what they do.
I think its just really special since its really family-oriented, and thats a big part. We just want our family and families around the world to come together, which is really special, Mann said.
I just want to say thank you so much for donating. It means the world to us, and it means the world to our agency, but also to 43 kids who live in an orphanage across the world, Baker added.
The sale will continue Saturday from 8 to 5 at 115 North Water St. Georgetown, Ky.
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PKAF is also hosting the Run for Another 2024 5K and 10K on Oct. 26 at 9 a.m. The link to register can be found here.
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HONOLULU (KHON2) She dedicated four decades to the state of Hawaii, serving in various roles in both the City & County and state government.
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Georgette Deemer served as the film commissioner, during which time she oversaw the development of the Hawaii film studio facility at Diamond Head.
She was the communications director for the Hawaii House of Representatives then went on to serve as the City deputy managing director before retiring in 2020.
Deemer battled cancer before passing away on Sunday at the age of 71.
A celebration of life will be held on Oct. 27 at Nuuanu Memorial Park. Visitation starts at 2 p.m.
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Georgia House Democrats urged Gov. Brian Kemp Friday to call a special session of the General Assembly to take up gun safety legislation following Wednesdays school shooting in Barrow County that left four dead and injured nine others.
Democratic lawmakers introduced a series of bills during the 2023-24 legislative term either encouraging or requiring Georgians to lock their firearms and store them in a secure location, but none made any headway.
Not one bill had a hearing. Not one had a chance to make it through to the governors desk, House Minority Leader James Beverly, D-Macon, said during a news conference at the state Capitol.These bills would address the health-care crisis of the gun epidemic. ... But we cant even begin to have these conversations.
A 14-year-old student was arrested at Apalachee High School near Winder Wednesday after a shooting spree that killed two teachers and two students. Colt Gray, who allegedly used an AR-15 rifle with a collapsible stock, was arraigned Friday on four counts of felony murder.
The suspects father, Colin Gray, also faces charges of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and cruelty to children for allowing his son to possess the weapon, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said.
The House did pass one gun safety measure during this years legislative session, a Republican-backed measure offering tax credits to Georgians who buy firearm storage devices such as trigger locks or gun safes.
After passing the House 162-3 in late February, House Bill 971 cleared the Senate Finance Committee. But it failed to reach the Senate floor for a vote.
House Democrats said failing to pass any of the safe firearm storage bills before the General Assembly during the last two years was a missed opportunity on the part of majority Republicans that could have prevented Wednesdays tragedy.
We had the policy tools to prevent this from happening, said Rep. Saira Draper, D-Atlanta. Inaction will mean more shootings, more devastation, more deaths. ... Every day that goes by is a day were telling the people of Georgia were beholden to the gun lobby.
Garrison Douglas, a spokesman for Kemp, said the governor does not believe this is the proper time for a special session.
As the governor has said before, now is the time for investigation and to mourn those weve lost, not politics, and the governor is ensuring that law enforcement and the Wildcat community continue to have the resources they need for as long as they need it, Douglas said.
Kemp has included school safety measures in the state budget. This years budget set aside about $109 million for school districts to use in safety efforts.
Emotion boiled over during Fridays news conference, with a couple of parents in the audience saying theyre afraid to send their children to school, citing emails from school administrators warning of threats of further violence.
Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, said the 78 House Democrats need the support of just 13 Republican lawmakers to pass gun safety legislation.
The partisan crowd assembled on the Capitol steps behind the speakers erupted in a chant of Vote Them Out! aimed at Republican House members running for reelection in November.
Georgia Firefighter Dies in Explosion While Battling Truck Blaze: 'His Legacy Will Forever Inspire Us'
Chris Eddy was "always ready to help, always willing to teach, and always ready to respond," said Morgan County Fire Chief Garret Smith
Greene County Board of Commissioners/Facebook Greene County Fire Rescues Battalion Chief, Chris Eddy
A beloved Georgia firefighter was killed in the line of duty this week after an explosion while battling a truck fire.
The Greene County Board of Commissioners said in a post on Facebook that Greene County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Chris Eddy who was assigned to the county's Station 11 died on Wednesday, Sept 4. At the time, Greene County Fire Rescue shared in a public statement that it had "no words right now" and that Eddy's fellow firefighters were "truly in disbelief."
"Pray for our department over the next few days and weeks ahead," the initial Facebook note read. "RIP Chief Eddy!
Eddy was killed in an explosion while battling a truck fire, according to Fox affiliate WAGA, The Union-Recorder and The Morgan County Citizen, as well as a fundraiser in honor of the late firefighter.
Before 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday, fire crews were called to Athens Highway at Lick Skillet Road near Greensboro, per WAGA, where an explosion took place.
Per the Citizen, an official said the "violent explosion" happened when the back of a trailer was opened.
Related: 25-Year-Old Oakland Firefighter Drowns in San Diego, Four Years After Firefighter Dad Died on Duty
At the present time we do not know all the details surrounding the incident, however I feel confident in the coming weeks we will learn more about all that occurred resulting in this tragic event, Morgan County Fire Chief Garret Smith said in a statement, per the Citizen. I ask that we allow the investigation into the circumstances to unfold and resist speculating and spreading inaccurate information.
Smith added that Eddy was "a firemans fireman" someone who was "always ready to help, always willing to teach, and always ready to respond."
According to WAGA and The Union-Recorder, an autopsy will determine his cause of death.
Related: Cop Died and Was Revived 3 Times After Getting Pinned by Metal Gate in Freak Accident: 'Truly a Miracle'
The fundraiser, set up via the Yard Foundation, noted that his "courage and unwavering commitment to serving the community will never be forgotten." More than $19,000 of its $25,000 goal has been raised as of Friday, Sept. 6.
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"Chief Eddys loss is deeply felt by his family, friends, and the entire firefighting community," the page read. "We ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time as we honor the legacy of this courageous firefighter who gave his life in service to others."
Related: Firefighter Dies, 4 Others Injured While Battling Blaze in Baltimore: 'Our Citys Heart Is Broken'
Eddy first started working for Greene County Fire Rescue in 2019, before his promotion to battalion chief in 2021, per ABC affiliate WSB-TV.
Green County Fire Rescue shared in a Facebook post that Eddy's family includes his wife Lindsey and son Bryson, while sharing a touching video compilation featuring images of Eddy.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our brother, but even more so by the loss of an incredible leader," GCFR wrote. "Battalion Chief Eddy touched so many lives, and his legacy will forever inspire us. Thank you for standing by the men and women of GC Public Safety as we honor his memory."
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Georgia high school shooting shows how hard it can be to take action even after police see warning signs
Most school shootings dont just happen out of nowhere there are typically warning signs.
A year before a 14-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly opening fire in his high school math class in Winder, Georgia, on Sept. 4, 2024 killing two teachers and two students authorities visited his home to investigate several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting.
When they interviewed the boy, who was 13 at the time, he denied making the threats. The father told police there were hunting guns in the house but that the boy didnt have unsupervised access to the weapons.
The FBI said in a statement on the day of the shooting that there was no probable cause for an arrest and that local law enforcement alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject.
Teachers at the school had been supplied with special identification cards with panic buttons a week prior to the shooting. While authorities credit the ID cards with preventing the shooting from being worse than it was, the action still came too late to stop the killings.
In many ways, the story mirrors dozens of similar stories that we, a sociologist and psychologist, have collected in recent years in our effort to study the lives of mass shooters. It typifies what we believe is one of the biggest challenges that schools face when it comes to averting school shootings: recognizing and acting upon warning signs that school shooters almost always give well before they open fire.
In our database of U.S. mass shootings since 1966 defined as incidents in which four or more victims were murdered with guns in a public location and with no connection to underlying criminal activity, such as gangs or drugs there have now been 15 shootings at K-12 schools. The first took place in Stockton, California, in 1989.
Seven of those school shootings occurred in the past decade, including the second and third deadliest on record: Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022 (21 dead) and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 (17 dead). The deadliest in history occurred in December 2012, when 20 children and six adult staff members were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
In all, 138 people were killed in the attacks and at least 177 people were injured.
What we know about mass school shooters
When the Columbine High School massacre took place in 1999, it was seen as a watershed moment in the United States. At the time, it was the worst mass shooting at a school in the countrys history.
Twenty-five years later, it ranks fourth.
Despite the billions of dollars invested in school safety since Columbine, school shootings have become more frequent and more deadly. Beyond the mass shootings that grab the headlines, a gun goes off in an American school almost every day.
Our research and dozens of interviews with school shooting perpetrators, survivors and first responders suggest that part of the problem is law enforcement and school officials. Influenced by myths and misinformation about Columbine, they still dont know enough about mass school shooting trends to recognize the warning signs.
The majority of mass school shootings were carried out by a lone gunman, with just two Columbine and the 1998 shooting at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas carried out by two gunmen.
The choice of gunmen to describe the perpetrators is accurate all but one of the mass school shootings in our database were carried out by men or boys. The average age of those involved in carrying out the attacks was 18 the youngest was 11 and the oldest was 32. As juveniles, a majority of school shooters used guns borrowed or stolen from parents, caregivers and other significant adults in their lives.
After every school shooting, people say we never thought something like this could happen in our community. However, mass school shootings happen most frequently in small suburban or rural communities like Winder, Georgia. There, the suspect is a 14-year-old student at the school. This is unsurprising. Most school shooters have a connection to the school they target. In our database, we found that 15 of the 17 school shooters were either current or former students.
For most perpetrators, the mass shooting event is intended to be a final act. The majority of school mass shooters die in the attack. Of the 17 mass school shooters in our database, eight were apprehended. The rest died on the scene, nearly all by suicide the lone exception being the Robb Elementary shooter in Uvalde, who was shot dead by police.
Preventing the next school shooting
Inspired by past school shooters, some perpetrators are seeking fame and notoriety. However, most school mass shooters are driven by despair and generalized anger; over 80% of school mass shooters showed signs of a crisis before the shooting, including depression, mood swings, agitation, isolation, trouble with daily tasks and other noticeable behavior changes.
Most importantly, over 90% leaked their plans ahead of time to others, preempting their attacks by leaving posts, messages or videos warning of their intent. School shooters communicate their intent to do harm in advance as a final, desperate cry for help.
The key to stopping these tragedies is being alert to these warning signs and acting on them immediately. Even if investigators dont have enough evidence for an arrest, they can continually monitor students and help connect them to school- or community-based services or interventions, including peer-mentoring or mental health treatment. Simply criminalizing or punishing threats increases the risk for violence by worsening grievances with the school.
At the same time, parents can be reminded to keep guns secure. Almost all shootings by children and teens can be prevented by safe storage of firearms and accountability for adult gun owners. When a weapon is stored separately from its ammunition, locked and unloaded, it is much more difficult for someone to quickly use it in a violent attack.
Portions of this article originally appeared in previous articles written by the authors and first published on Feb. 8, 2019, and May 25, 2022.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world.
It was written by: James Densley, Metropolitan State University and Jillian Peterson, Hamline University .
Read more:
James Densley receives funding from the Joyce Foundation and the National Institute of Justice.
Jillian Peterson receives funding from the Joyce Foundation and the National Institute of Justice.
Sen. Emanuel Jones, a Decatur Democrat, described Thursday the Senate firearm safety study committee that he chairs this fall as coming up with law and policy changes that better protect young people from rising gun violence. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
Gun safety advocates representing nonprofits, law enforcement, and mental health specialists met Thursday morning in a Georgia Senate committee studying gun safety to discuss the urgent need to pass laws protecting young people in the wake of Wednesdays deadly school shooting in Barrow County.
The Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage meeting began with lawmakers expressing dismay and outrage over the shooting at Apalachee High School, which left two students and two teachers dead and another student charged with their murders.
Colt Gray, 14, was arrested on the Apalachee campus minutes after local and state law enforcement stormed the school. He is accused of firing bullets from an AR-15 rifle with a collapsible stock police say was used to kill 14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Cristina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.
And late Thursday, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that Grays father, Colin Gray, 54, was arrested on multiple charges, including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. He knowingly allowed his son, Colt, to have the weapon, the GBI said in a news release.
The committee meeting was scheduled prior to Wednesdays school shooting that captured the nations attention. Democratic Sen. Emanuel Jones of Decatur, who chairs the study committee, decided not to postpone the meeting for the group that is charged with the significant undertaking of crafting and helping pass gun safety laws and policies to protect young people from violent and deadly encounters.
Georgia senators and gun safety experts spent two hours Thursday discussing potential legislation, such as offering state tax credits to give people a financial incentive to purchase safes to securely store their firearms, strengthening laws around mental health evaluations prior to firearm purchases and making it illegal for parents who allow minors to access firearms that were kept in an unsecured place.
The committee chair praised Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones for forming the committee after years of pushing by Democrats and for the Senate leaders staff expressing support for the committee during a phone call prior to Thursdays meeting.
The timing was unfortunate, but at the same time, we didnt want to move the meeting, because we are talking about the horrible attack yesterday, Jones said to a group of reporters Thursday. And were certainly hoping to capitalize on the tension from the event that happened at Apalachee High School, and to reassure the citizens of our great state, and not just Georgians, but around the country, that we are singularly focused on this issue.
More than 300 children have been treated in Georgias emergency rooms for a firearm wound this year, according to the state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Georgias law allows adult gun owners to carry their weapons openly without a permit and imposes no safe storage requirements to keep guns out of the hands of minors.
Heather Hallett of Georgia Moms for Change says the state needs to take action on its lax gun regulations that could improve public safety and safeguard gun owners rights at the same time.
There are no universal background checks required for gun purchases in Georgia, nor are there strong enough laws punishing adults when minors gain access to their weapons, she said.
Were a state of gun owners and most gun owners, Republicans and Democrats, agree that there are common sense solutions and regulations that can save lives, and also protect our Second Amendment rights, Hallett said at the state Capitol hearing. This is not an either or situation, and for the sake of those families in Winder, I beg that all of us take a step away from whatever forces pull us to political polls, and instead look at the problem of gun violence from a public health perspective again.
Were unique in this sense, the states that have the lowest rates of gun violence universally employ evidence-based regulations that create this framework for safe gun ownership that weve been talking about in Georgia. Hallett said.
Calls rang out across the state after news reports confirmed the accused shooter is too young to own a gun for Georgia to adopt laws enacted in states like Texas and Florida that hold adults accountable with criminal and civil penalties if a minor commits a crime with an unsecured firearm. Jones said he would support another attempt to get the law passed.
Jones recommended that Georgia legislators consider closing what he says is an archaic gun ownership and mental stability law that requires a person to be admitted to a mental health hospital before being prevented from owning a firearm.
Everyone (now) is treated at home with medication or in a hospital setting temporarily, and then they get discharged and I think we can do a lot of work, particularly having papers pre-screened prior to getting a permit to buy a weapon, Jones said.
Everytown For Gun Safety published a report in June 2022 on the rising suicide rates among young people in America, which saw Georgias rate increase by 90% during the previous decade. The report says that about 80% of suicides committed by people ages 18 and under involved firearms that belong to a family member.
Reducing suicide rates means Georgia state leaders must invest more in mental health services and enact policies that promote safe storage of firearms, such as unloading the weapons and storing them in a locked location while at home, said Chelsea Piatt, associate area director of the Georgia chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
She said she supported legislation considering the use of tax credits to promote safe firearm storage, laws allowing for voluntary do-not-sell lists, and mental health pre-screening for gun permits.
So if you feel like you are struggling, or your son or daughter is struggling, you can go and put their name or your name on a voluntary do-not-sell list for a period of time, and that person will not be able to purchase a gun, Piatt said.
Democrats called for further steps. State Rep. Michelle Au, a Johns Creek Democrat, achieved a rare victory for gun safety supporters last year when her gun storage bill received a legislative hearing. The measure would have created 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 like safes and trigger locks.
The Senate panel also heard testimony Thursday from Jordan Murphy, executive director and pediatric nurse practitioner with Girassol Wellness, an Atlanta-based mental and behavioral health care nonprofit. Murphy spoke about her experience helping counsel young people who have survived gun violence committed against their family members and friends and live in high-risk communities.
Firearms are now the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in Georgia, Murphy said.
She called for more intensive gun safety education and comprehensive support for young people who have been affected by gun violence, especially those living in high-risk areas.
What actually happened is as I started treating children, they were coming in for stress-related concerns, Murphy said. Ive heard children tell me that they were afraid to walk in the halls during school and when class was in session, they didnt want to go to the restroom because they were worried about something happening.
Sen. Frank Ginn, a Danielsville Republican, said he wants the study committee to continue protecting Second Amendment rights while coming up with ideas that better address mental illness that can often be an impetus when young people resort to deadly violence.
Biden urges stronger gun control laws
On a visit to western Wisconsin, where he announced a new rural clean energy electrification program, President Joe Biden began his remarks with words of comfort for the victims and survivors of the Georgia shooting and a call for lawmakers to take action.
Biden said the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI were working with state and local law enforcement investigating, and expressed gratitude for school personnel and first responders who he said prevented more casualties and took the suspected gunman into custody.
Biden said he supports stiffer requirements that firearms at home be stored safely.
How could you have an assault rifle, a weapon in a house not locked up, and knowing your kid knows where it is? he said. Got to hold parents accountable if they let their child have access to these guns.
He also called for universal background checks and an end to legal immunity for gun manufacturers, calling them the only outfit in the world that we cant sue.
We have to do something together. Lets ban assault weapons, Biden said. High capacity magazines, once again. What do we need them for in terms of domestic use?
The Georgia Recorders Ross Williams and Wisconsin Examiners Erik Gunn contributed to this report.
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Democratic Georgia representatives joined with a local small business owner Friday to tout Vice President Kamala Harris tax plan in Columbus.
Earlier this week, Harris proposed increasing the existing small business tax deduction for startup costs and making starting a small business easier.
Small businesses can currently deduct up to $5,000 in the year they begin operating, according to the Congressional Research Service. Harris plan would expand the tax deduction to up to $50,000 and allow them to wait to claim the deduction until they first turn a profit.
It costs about $40,000 on average to start a business, Gerald Riley, retired veteran and owner of Overflo Salon and Barber Shop on Rigdon Road, said during the press conference.
Gerald Riley, owner of Overflo Salon and Barber Shop on Rigdon Road in Columbus, Georgia, speaks at a Friday morning press conference in support of Vice President Kamala Harris and her proposal to bolster small businesses. 09/06/2024
Riley recalled the time spent crunching numbers and analyzing receipts when he began his barbershop.
I put in late nights trying to figure out how I can get my business off the ground, he said. And I quickly realized it costs a lot of money.
Riley recently spoke with other young barbers about the struggles he had building his business. He believes this proposal would have a positive impact on the up-and-coming businesses.
Im already established, Riley said. Ive been in business 27 years. But I thank God that now the young entrepreneurs coming up under me are going to have a better tax break than I did.
Harris other proposals to support small businesses included measures to make it easier for business owners to file taxes and work across state lines; offering federal incentives so state and local government can ease regulation; and investing in community development financial institutions serving low-income communities.
Georgia State Reps. Carolyn Hugley and Teddy Reese, who joined Riley in the press conference, spoke about the impact cutting red tape would have on small business.
Georgia State Rep. Teddy Reese, right, joined Gerald Riley, owner of Overflo Salon and Barber Shop on Rigdon Road, during a press conference Friday morning to support Vice President Kamala Harris and her proposal to bolster small businesses. 09/06/2024
Many individuals who start small businesses begin with a small amount of money, Hugley said, and a lot of people dont realize how much taxes they have to pay.
For example, youve already bought this chair, she said. But at the end of the year, youre going to have to pay taxes on this chair. Those are the things people dont really think about.
Relieving these types of burdens can help more people go after the dream of opening a business, Hugley said.
Georgia State Rep. Carolyn Hugley, speaks at a Friday morning press conference in Columbus, Georgia to support Vice President Kamala Harris and her proposal to bolster small businesses. 09/06/2024
Harris goal with the tax plan is to spur 25 million new small business applications over four years.
The idea of promising tax break in a campaign isnt new, Reese said.
But this is one of the first times weve heard it talked about for small businesses, he said.
During the press conference, Reese also took time to state, on the behalf of the local delegation, that his heart was with the victims of the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder.
We have seen too many senseless killings as it relates to gun violence, Reese said. And I know were talking about the economy, but we must take a moment to say that we cannot stand for this foolishness anymore.
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The Adani Group plans to build a semiconductor fabrication plant with an Israeli partner, in a bid to bolster Indias chipmaking capabilities as semiconductors become a key geopolitical battleground globally.
The conglomerate, led by billionaire Gautam Adani, and Israels Tower Semiconductor Ltd. will set up the chip manufacturing facility at Taloja on the outskirts of Mumbai at an investment of $10 billion, Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, said in a post on X Thursday that listed all the approved projects.
The unit is expected to have a production capacity of 40,000 wafers in the first phase, and 80,000 wafers in the second, Fadnavis said in the post, without sharing any timeline for the project.
The project, housed under the groups flagship and incubator Adani Enterprises Ltd., will be built over three to five years, according to a person familiar with the planning, who asked not to be identified citing rules. The ports-to-power conglomerate will be largely fund the investment through its internal accruals and some debt, the person added.
The chips manufactured at the upcoming facility will be used in drones, cars, smartphones and other mobility solutions.
An Adani Group representative couldnt immediately comment when reached by phone.
Adani, whose group is focusing efforts toward expansion after a scathing short-seller attack last year, is entering yet another sector which is a key focus area for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration.
Modi is looking to turn the worlds most-populated country into a technology superpower, lure more international chipmakers and cut reliance on expensive imports.
Semiconductors have grown into a crucial resource amid an escalating tech rivalry between the US and China, with many nations reviewing the risk of relying too much on imports and investing heavily in developing domestic capabilities. The Adani pact also gives Tower Semiconductor a foothold in a key emerging market, helping it move out of the shadow of its failed acquisition bid by Intel Corp.
Story continues
Although Towers sales are a fraction of industry giants Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., it makes components for large customers such as Broadcom Inc. and serves fast-growing sectors like electric vehicles.
Mature Chips
Adani is following the Tata Group into Indias nascent semiconductor industry. The Tata conglomerate has partnered with Taiwans Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. for its $11 billion chip fabrication plant in Dholera in the western state of Gujarat.
The new Tata facility will produce 50,000 of the so-called mature chips using 40-nanometer or older technology that are still widely used in consumer electronics, automobiles, defense systems and aircrafts.
The Indian government has received proposals worth $21 billion to beef up semiconductor capabilities across the country, with more than $15 billion investment in chipmaking plants already announced earlier this year.
India has also created a $10 billion fund to woo chipmakers to the country, which has already helped US memory maker Micron Technology Inc. establish a $2.75 billion assembly facility in Gujarat.
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Georgia school shooting shows how hard it can be to take action even after police see warning signs
Students kneel in front of a makeshift memorial on Sept. 5, 2024, in front of Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., where two students and two teachers were shot and killed the day before. (Photo: Jessica McGowan via Getty Images)
Most school shootings dont just happen out of nowhere there are typically warning signs.
A year before a 14-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly opening fire in his high school math class at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Sept. 4, 2024 killing two teachers and two students authorities visited his home to investigate several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting.
When they interviewed the boy, who was 13 at the time, he denied making the threats. The father told police there were hunting guns in the house but that the boy didnt have unsupervised access to the weapons.
The FBI said in a statement on the day of the shooting that there was no probable cause for an arrest and that local law enforcement alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject.
Teachers at the school had been supplied with special identification cards with panic buttons a week prior to the shooting. While authorities credit the ID cards with preventing the shooting from being worse than it was, the action still came too late to stop the killings.
In many ways, the story mirrors dozens of similar stories that we, a sociologist and psychologist, have collected in recent years in our effort to study the lives of mass shooters. It typifies what we believe is one of the biggest challenges that schools face when it comes to averting school shootings: recognizing and acting upon warning signs that school shooters almost always give well before they open fire.
In our database of U.S. mass shootings since 1966 defined as incidents in which four or more victims were murdered with guns in a public location and with no connection to underlying criminal activity, such as gangs or drugs there have now been 15 shootings at K-12 schools. The first took place in Stockton, California, in 1989.
Seven of those school shootings occurred in the past decade, including the second and third deadliest on record: Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022 (21 dead) and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 (17 dead). The deadliest in history occurred in December 2012, when 20 children and six adult staff members were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
In all, 138 people were killed in the attacks and at least 177 people were injured.
What we know about mass school shooters
When the Columbine High School massacre took place in 1999, it was seen as a watershed moment in the United States. At the time, it was the worst mass shooting at a school in the countrys history.
Twenty-five years later, it ranks fourth.
Despite the billions of dollars invested in school safety since Columbine, school shootings have become more frequent and more deadly. Beyond the mass shootings that grab the headlines, a gun goes off in an American school almost every day.
Our research and dozens of interviews with school shooting perpetrators, survivors and first responders suggest that part of the problem is law enforcement and school officials. Influenced by myths and misinformation about Columbine, they still dont know enough about mass school shooting trends to recognize the warning signs.
The majority of mass school shootings were carried out by a lone gunman, with just two Columbine and the 1998 shooting at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas carried out by two gunmen.
The choice of gunmen to describe the perpetrators is accurate all but one of the mass school shootings in our database were carried out by men or boys. The average age of those involved in carrying out the attacks was 18 the youngest was 11 and the oldest was 32. As juveniles, a majority of school shooters used guns borrowed or stolen from parents, caregivers and other significant adults in their lives.
After every school shooting, people say we never thought something like this could happen in our community. However, mass school shootings happen most frequently in small suburban or rural communities like Winder, Georgia. There, the suspect is a 14-year-old student at the school. This is unsurprising. Most school shooters have a connection to the school they target. In our database, we found that 15 of the 17 school shooters were either current or former students.
For most perpetrators, the mass shooting event is intended to be a final act. The majority of school mass shooters die in the attack. Of the 17 mass school shooters in our database, eight were apprehended. The rest died on the scene, nearly all by suicide the lone exception being the Robb Elementary shooter in Uvalde, who was shot dead by police.
Preventing the next school shooting
Inspired by past school shooters, some perpetrators are seeking fame and notoriety. However, most school mass shooters are driven by despair and generalized anger; over 80% of school mass shooters showed signs of a crisis before the shooting, including depression, mood swings, agitation, isolation, trouble with daily tasks and other noticeable behavior changes.
Most importantly, over 90% leaked their plans ahead of time to others, preempting their attacks by leaving posts, messages or videos warning of their intent. School shooters communicate their intent to do harm in advance as a final, desperate cry for help.
The key to stopping these tragedies is being alert to these warning signs and acting on them immediately. Even if investigators dont have enough evidence for an arrest, they can continually monitor students and help connect them to school- or community-based services or interventions, including peer-mentoring or mental health treatment. Simply criminalizing or punishing threats increases the risk for violence by worsening grievances with the school.
At the same time, parents can be reminded to keep guns secure. Almost all shootings by children and teens can be prevented by safe storage of firearms and accountability for adult gun owners. When a weapon is stored separately from its ammunition, locked and unloaded, it is much more difficult for someone to quickly use it in a violent attack.
Portions of this article originally appeared in previous articles written by the authors and first published on Feb. 8, 2019, and May 25, 2022.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Just a couple of weeks ago, a special panel of Georgia state senators convened to study potential laws aimed at keeping firearms safely locked up and out of the hands of children.
A day after a 14-year-old was charged in a deadly shooting at his Georgia high school, that same panel gathered again Thursday to discuss safe gun storage policies. The lawmakers are still talking about the issue because like many state legislatures across the U.S. they have been unable to agree in recent years on whether new gun safety measures provide a solution to the all-too-frequent occurrence of mass shootings at schools and public places.
The Georgia school shooting marked the 30th mass killing in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings.
Under federal law, no one younger than 18 can legally purchase a rifle or other long gun from a licensed firearm dealer. Yet authorities say Colt Gray used a semiautomatic assault-style rifle to kill two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School near Winder, just outside of Atlanta. Nine others were injured.
His father, Colin Gray, was charged Thursday with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in connection with his son's actions and for "allowing him to possess a weapon, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said.
Lawmakers, meanwhile, are wrestling with what to do.
While we sit here and mourn the families and the kids, what are we doing about it?" state Sen. David Lucas, a Democratic member of the study committee, rhetorically asked. "Are we talking? Or are we doing something to try to make sure that legislation is passed in order to give us some kind of relief when it comes to guns?
Republican state Sen. Frank Ginn, a panel member whose district includes Apalachee High School, said he agreed that "we need to take some action on things. But Ginn said the focus should on be on mental health.
Firearms are not the enemy," Ginn said. "The enemy is the mentally deranged.
Firearm storage
A recent report by the RAND Gun Policy in America Initiative found supportive evidence that safe gun-storage laws reduce firearm injuries and deaths among youth.
A total of 26 states including Democratic-led California and New York and Republican-led Florida and Texas have laws requiring gun owners to lock up firearms or penalizing them if a child gains access to an unsecured gun, according Everytown for Gun Safety, a national advocacy group that works to fight gun violence. Georgia is not among them.
But Georgia lawmakers have considered a variety of firearms storage proposals.
In February, Georgia's Senate passed legislation that sought to promote safe firearm storage by exempting gun safes and other firearm safety devices from state sales tax. A couple weeks later, the House passed legislation to create a state income tax credit of up to $300 for the purchase of gun safes, trigger locks, other firearms security devices or the costs of instructional courses on safe firearms handling.
But neither chamber signed off on the other's approach.
Republican state Rep. Mark Newton, a lead sponsor of the proposed income tax credit, said Thursday that he hopes senators will take a close look at the plan during the 2025 legislative session.
The Senate Safe Firearms Storage Study Committee is considering proposals for next year.
This years rival bills both had strong support and demonstrated the desire to incentivize gun safety, Republican state Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, the sponsor of the Senate version, said Thursday. I am certain that we will be continuing the conversation next session.
Meanwhile, Democrats gained little traction on legislation that would have created a misdemeanor crime for negligently failing to secure firearms accessed by children.
However, in a test case thats being challenged in court, the Democratic-led city of Savannah enacted an ordinance that imposes fines and possibly jail time for people who leave guns inside unlocked cars.
School safety
State lawmakers and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp have approved multiple rounds of school security grants in recent years, totaling $184 million.
The state budget that began July 1 includes more than $100 million in ongoing funding, enough to provide $47,000 a year to each public school to address safety needs. Schools can use that for whatever security purpose they believe is most pressing, though Kemp has said previously that he wants it to help underwrite a security officer for each school.
Kemp called the shooting our worst nightmare. But he declined to discuss what state government could have done differently.
Look, weve done a tremendous amount on school safety, Kemp told reporters outside Apalachee High School on Wednesday night.
Apalachee High School had recently equipped teachers and staff with wearable panic alert buttons as part of its safety efforts. A school employee used the alert during Wednesday's shooting, automatically summoning authorities to the scene. The school safety company Centegix said its CrisisAlert system is used at about 12,000 sites nationwide, primarily in K-12 schools.
After numerous high-profile shootings, school security has become a multibillion-dollar industry in the U.S., with some companies lobbying policymakers to write their particular corporate solutions into state law.
Legislatures in some states, including Iowa, Nebraska and Tennessee, passed laws this year expanding the potential for armed personnel in schools. It's been legal for Georgia school districts to let employees carry guns for years, but very few of the states 180 districts are known to have enacted such policies.
Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican, traveled last year to an elementary school in Winder to outline a plan to pay up to $10,000 annually to teachers who hold a firearms training certificate and carry guns in schools. But the proposal went nowhere in the Legislature.
Red flag laws
The teenager charged in the Georgia shooting had previously been interviewed by a sheriff's investigator following a tip from the FBI that the boy, then 13, had possibly threatened to shoot up a middle school. The threat was made on Discord, a social media platform popular with video gamers, according to a Jackson County sheriffs report obtained by the AP. The boy denied making the threat and an investigator wrote that no arrests were made because of inconsistent information on the Discord account.
In some states, concerns about the potential for someone to cause harm with a gun can provide grounds for authorities to temporarily remove firearms from a home. Twenty-one states have extreme risk protection laws, sometimes referred to as red-flag laws. Georgia is not among them.
Resistance to such laws has grown in Republican-led legislatures. After a deadly shooting at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee pushed for a statewide measure that would allow some version of extreme risk protection orders. But the GOP-led Legislature declined to pass it.
An AP analysis found many U.S. states barely use their red flag laws, a trend blamed on a lack of awareness of the laws and resistance by some authorities to enforce them.
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Associated Press writer Jeff Amy contributed from Atlanta.
Georgia school shooting: Why the suspects father is also charged
(NewsNation) Prosecutors are attributing part of the responsibility in the shooting deaths of two teachers and two students at a Georgia high school to the father of the teen accused of opening fire Wednesday.
Even though the teen is being charged as an adult, the father has also been criminally charged for his hand in allegedly not preventing the shooting, which is fair game for prosecutors, NewsNation legal analyst Sara Azari said.
Those are mutually exclusive, she said. Just because hes charged as an adult does not in any way absolve the fathers liability.
Colt Gray, 14, was charged as an adult with four counts of felony murder in connection with the shooting at Apalachee High School, about 50 miles from Atlanta.
His father, Colin Gray, was also charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and cruelty to children in relation to the killings.
A lot of people dropped the ball in Georgia school shooting case: Attorney | Morning in America
Investigators havent gone into detail about those charges beyond saying theyre directly connected with the alleged shooters actions and allowing him to possess a weapon.
The two appeared together in court Friday, and neither requested bond, meaning theyll remain in jail for now.
Gray is charged in the deaths of 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.
Each count carries a maximum possible sentence of death or life in prison, Judge Currie Mingledorff said in court Friday.
By charging the father, prosecutors are making it clear that the parent is to blame for not doing more to stop his child, Azari said.
Its just like having more than one person guilty of the same crime. It doesnt matter whether theyre both adults or not, she said.
But even though hes charged, that doesnt mean itll stick, she added.
You dont know what to do: Georgia students fearful after shooting
Azari said that prosecutors may have overplayed their hand by criminalizing the fathers actions. From what is publicly known, theres not enough evidence for the dad to be guilty, she says.
There needs to be far more than just giving access to guns, she said, and by charging the teen as an adult, prosecutors are bringing the case into a whole new arena.
While state laws vary on the difference, there are separate sets of laws that apply to juvenile criminality.
Juvenile court is far more lenient in terms of penalties than adult court, she said.
Theres a big distinction between the same act and the same crime if youre charged as an adult versus charged as a juvenile.
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Rep. Michelle Au says she wants her gun storage bill to get a fair hearing next year. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
Georgia House Democrats urged Republican Gov. Brian Kemp to convene a special session of the state Legislature following a shooting in Barrow Countys Apalachee High School Wednesday that left two students and two teachers dead.
Convene a special session so we can pass laws to address the urgent public health epidemic of gun violence in our state, said Rep. Saira Draper of Atlanta at a Capitol press conference Friday. Every day that goes by that we do not pass modest gun safety reforms, the very reforms that could have prevented the tragedy in Winder, is a day you will tell the people of Georgia that you are beholden to the gun lobby and that the gun lobby is more important to you than our kids.
State lawmakers meet every January for a regular session that lasts about three months to pass new state laws. The governor can also call for a special session during the off season to deal with urgent matters, but this is rare.
Colt Gray, a 14-year-old Apalachee student has been arrested in connection with the attack, which took the lives of 14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and math teachers Cristina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall. The suspects father, 54-year-old Colin Gray, has also been arrested in connection with the shooting. Gray is accused of giving his son the AR-15 rifle used in the attack just months after the family was interviewed by law enforcement regarding threatening social media posts targeting another school in Jackson County.
Nine others were hospitalized in the attack but are expected to make full recoveries, according to the Barrow County Sheriffs office.
The meeting grew emotional when a couple of mothers in the crowd expressed frustration with the number of gun deaths among children.
Alpharetta mom Stella Silva-Garcia fought back tears as she said she was afraid to take her son Lucas to his middle school because of threats made on social media.
I had to take my son the day after the shooting and drop him off and there were two patrol cars and a resource officer parked in the entrance of carpool, she said. I cried all day because I couldnt believe that this was happening in our community.
Silva-Garcia shared an image of a handgun with text over it listing several north Fulton schools and the words your next. (sic)
How do we know its a hoax? How do we know that all those schools arent going to be targeted today? she said. Ive looked online today. I have friends in Gainesville. I have friends in Buckhead. I have friends who have said online that their schools received this threat as well. How do you go to bed at night and reassure your child that its okay to go to school the next day? You are traumatizing a generation of children.
The Alpharetta Department of Public Safety said they are aware of the social media posts and have increased their presence around Alpharetta schools.
House Minority Leader James Beverly named a list of bills he said would benefit gun safety and mental health, but he said Republicans in the legislature never let them come to a vote.
How can we deliberate if our bills arent being heard in committee or subcommittee? These bills would address the health care crisis, the pandemic or gun violence, by providing schools with grants for wellness and health, and preventing individuals under 21 years old from acquiring them, but we cant even begin to have these conversations.
Some of the bills were clearly non-starters in a conservative-dominated legislature, such as an assault weapons ban, but Beverly said even bills with bipartisan agreement, like a $300 tax credit meant to encourage people to buy gun safety items like safes or trigger locks, could not reach final passage. That bill passed the House 162-3 but didnt get a final vote in the Senate.
Gun safety advocates celebrated in 2023 when another storage bill received a committee hearing, though not a vote. That bill would have made it a crime to allow a gun to get into the hands of an unsupervised child if the child uses it to injure or kill someone, with some exceptions.
The bills author, Johns Creek Democratic Rep. Michelle Au, said the bill may have prevented the attack if law enforcement had been able to ensure any guns in the home were stored safely during the initial contact in response to the teens alleged threats.
Thats what having passed HB 161 could have enabled us to do, she said. That was a missed opportunity. I know that lots of people point to the fact that the father has now been arrested, as an abdication of our responsibility to be like, oh we already have the law, its already illegal to furnish a firearm to a minor. However, when it comes to public health issues, we have to focus on prevention, not just punishment after the fact, not just intervention in the school with an armed guard, but how do we prevent these incidents from happening in the first place. The way we do that is to prevent access from the minor to a firearm.
Au, who is also a physician, said gun violence is the No. 1 cause of death for children and teens in the U.S., and data shows safe storage laws lead to fewer kids being injured or killed by guns.
So heres what I ask of our Republican majority, while they still hold that majority: next session, we are going to bring back the Pediatric Health Safe Storage Act, she said. I would like this bill to be assigned to the Public Health Committee, where it belongs. I would like this bill to be heard, and I would like for it to come to a vote, just like every other bill. We had the opportunity to do that this last term, and we did it. We had a chance to act, and we chose to do nothing.
I think about this all the time, every time I hear another story about a child accessing and being injured by, or killed by, an unsecured gun, and I wonder if some of my colleagues who were monitoring the situation closely this Wednesday have had those same thoughts, she added, referencing social media posts from several elected Republicans.
A special session is not likely, and Kemps office declined to comment on specific policies.
As the governor has said before, now is the time for investigation and to mourn those weve lost, not politics, and the governor is ensuring that law enforcement and the Wildcat community continue to have the resources they need for as long as they need it, said Kemp spokesperson Garrison Douglas in an email.
Republican lawmakers say they have pushed measures in recent years aimed at hardening schools defenses, including dedicating hundreds of millions of dollars in the state budget to school safety, passing into law a bill requiring intruder alert drills and establishing and promoting training in school safety and gang deterrence.
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On Wednesday, a 14-year-old boy shot and killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. On Thursday night, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that Colin Gray, the boy's father, had been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and several other felonies.
Although the details of Colin Gray's conduct are not yet completely clear, the gist of the case is that he negligently gave his son Colt, a freshman at the high school, access to the rifle he used in the shooting. Since Georgia does not have a law that explicitly treats such negligence as a crime, prosecutors are stretching other laws to cover Colin Gray's alleged failures as a parent.
Earlier this year, Michigan prosecutors used a similar strategy to convict the parents of the teenager who killed four students at Oxford High School in November 2021. Last February, a jury convicted Jennifer Crumbley on four counts of involuntary manslaughter. Her husband, James Crumbley, who was tried separately, was convicted of the same charges in March. The following month, they received sentences of 10 to 15 years in prison.
At the time of the Oxford High School shooting, Michigan did not have a child access prevention (CAP) law, which makes it a crime to negligently allow minors unsupervised access to firearms. Since Michigan legislators "refused to criminalize the conduct in which the Crumbley parents engaged," former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy argued after they were charged, prosecutors were "attempting in the heat of the moment to criminalize the conduct themselves." The extent of the Crumbleys' culpability in their son's crimes was unclear, and the law under which they were charged did not obviously apply to their conduct. The Georgia case raises similar issues.
Even if Colin Gray shares some of the moral responsibility for his son's actions, holding him criminally liable requires showing that his conduct fits the elements of a specific offense. At this point, that seems doubtful.
Although Georgia does not have a full-fledged CAP law, it does impose criminal penalties on adults who provide firearms to minors in certain circumstances. But the law applies only to handguns. Under that statute, "any person" who "intentionally, knowingly, or recklesslysell[s] or furnish[es] a pistol or revolver" to someone younger than 18 is guilty of a felony punishable by three to five years in prison. That provision does not apply to a parent or guardian who lets a minor possess a handgun for lawful purposes such as hunting, shooting competitions, and firearms training unless the parent or guardian "is aware of a substantial risk" that the minor "will use a pistol or revolver to commit a felony offense" and does not "make reasonable efforts to prevent commission of the offense."
If Colt Gray had used a handgun in the attack on Apalachee High School, that law might have covered his father's conduct, depending on exactly what he did or failed to do. But since the law does not apply to rifles, this charge was not an option. Prosecutors therefore are relying on statutes that are less obviously relevant.
The second-degree murder charges are based on a statute that applies to someone who "causes the death of another human being irrespective of malice" while committing "cruelty to children in the second degree." The latter crime is defined as causing someone younger than 18 to suffer "cruel or excessive physical or mental pain" with "criminal negligence," which in turn is defined as "an act or failure to act which demonstrates a willful, wanton, or reckless disregard for the safety of others who might reasonably be expected to be injured thereby."
As with the involuntary manslaughter charges against Jennifer and James Crumbley, which required proving that they "willfully disregard[ed] the results to others that might follow from an act or failure to act," showing that Colin Gray was careless will not be enough to convict him of second-degree murder. Prosecutors will have to prove that he reasonably should have known his son was apt to commit mass murder. They also will have to prove that Colin Gray's conduct demonstrated "a willful, wanton, or reckless disregard for the safety of others."
Colin Gray also faces eight counts of cruelty to children in the second degree, the same crime that underlies the murder charges. That is a felony punishable by one to 10 years in prison.
Finally, Colin Gray is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter. Under Georgia law, a person is guilty of that offense when he "causes the death of another human being without any intention to do so by the commission of an unlawful act other than a felony" or "by the commission of a lawful act in an unlawful manner likely to cause death or great bodily harm." In the first case, that offense is a felony punishable by one to 10 years in prison. In the latter case, it is a misdemeanor.
Can prosecutors prove the criminal negligence that is required to convict Colin Gray of second-degree murder or cruelty to children? In the Michigan cases, it seemed clear that the Crumbleys did not understand exactly how troubled their son was and did not recognize that he was prone to violence, let alone mass murder. But the jury evidently concluded that they would have known those things if they were better, more attentive parents. In essence, the Crumbleys were convicted and sent to prison because they did not anticipate what their son would do.
In Colin Gray's case, there is some evidence to support the allegation that he likewise was insufficiently concerned about his son's state of mind. In May 2023, The New York Times reports, the FBI received anonymous tips that a participant in a Discord chat group had threatened to "shoot up a middle school." The alarming comment was made under a username in Russian letters that translated as "Lanza," an apparent reference to the perpetrator of the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office traced the email address associated with the Discord account to Colt Gray, then 13.
The boy and his father both told investigators they did not speak Russian, and the boy denied that he was the source of the threat. According to a report on the investigation, the boy said he had a Discord account at one point but had deleted it because it had been repeatedly hacked and he was "afraid someone would use his information for nefarious purposes." He insisted "he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner."
Colin Gray "told an investigator that he and his wife were divorced and had been evicted from their home," the Times reports. "His wife took their younger two children, he said, and he and his son had moved into a new home." Colin Gray said his son had "some problems at West Jackson Middle School and now that he was going to Jefferson Middle School it was a lot better."
Contrary to that assessment, Colt Gray's aunt told The Washington Post that the boy had been experiencing serious psychological difficulties "for months" before the shooting. He "was begging for help from everybody around him," she said. "The adults around him failed him."
The Times says Colin Gray "also told investigators that he had hunting rifles in the house." He said his son was "allowed to use them when supervised" but did not "have unfettered access to them." He added that Colt Gray had been trained in firearm safety, saying "he knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them."
In a subsequent phone call, the Times reports, an investigator "assured the father he didn't think his son was being dishonest" and "encouraged him to make sure his son's identity had not been stolen." The sheriff's office closed the investigation after concluding it was unclear that Colt Gray was the source of the alleged threat. "Due to the inconsistent nature of the information received by the FBI," the report said, "the allegation that Colt or Colin is the user behind the Discord account that made the threat cannot be substantiated."
Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum told the Times "her office had investigated last year's threat thoroughly and taken the inquiry as far it could." It seems safe to assume that Colin Gray believed his son's denials, which were persuasive enough for investigators to decide that no further action was justified. It also seems safe to assume that Colin Gray, like the Crumbleys, did not recognize that his son was inclined to commit mass murder.
Prosecutors will have to make the case that Colin Gray's failure to predict that outcome was so egregious that it amounted to criminal negligence. In light of the Crumbley convictions, there seems to be a good chance that a jury will accept that proposition, especially if prosecutors can show that the father ignored the distress that Colt Gray's aunt described. But for every lonely, depressed, and angry teenager who decides to shoot up a high school, there are millions of others who will never do such a thing. Warning signs are always clear in retrospect, and people want to believe that teenagers bent on mass murder can be thwarted if only adults pay enough attention, take "red flags" seriously, and intervene before it is too late. However reassuring that belief might be, it does not justify sending a parent to prison because he never imagined his son was capable of such a horrifying crime.
The post A Georgia Teenager Killed 4 People at His High School. Why Is His Father Charged With Murder? appeared first on Reason.com.
German opposition says "decisive phase of war" has come and urges government to "get a move on"
Meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in the Ramstein format in 2023. Stock photo: Ukrainian President's Office
A representative of the German opposition has urged the government to increase support for Ukraine ahead of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting at the US Air Force base in Ramstein, emphasising that the war is in a decisive phase.
Source: European Pravda, citing German news channel n-tv
Quote from Johann Wadephul, defence spokesperson from the CDU/CSU faction: "We must go to Ramstein with commitments, not with promises of hope."
Details: He urged the federal government to "get a move on" and provide further assistance to Kyiv.
Wadephul noted that "we are in a decisive phase of the war", so Ukraine cannot afford a "lull".
He also stressed that the United States cannot make further commitments because of the election campaign.
"That is why Europe, and therefore Germany, is even more important," the CDU/CSU politician concluded.
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 last meeting focused on ways to strengthen Ukraine's air defence.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will reportedly attend the meeting in person.
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Canada and Germany announced new military donations to Ukraine as the allies gather for the Ramstein group meeting in Germany on Sept. 6.
The Ukraine Contact Defense Group (UCDG) met for its 24th meeting as President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in person to lobby for more air defenses and long-range missiles.
On the sidelines of the meeting, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Berlin would deliver an additional 12 self-propelled Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers with a range of over 30 kilometers (under 20 miles) worth 150 million euros ($165 million) to Kyiv.
The guns would come from the industry deliveries rather than standing German military stocks. Six of them are due to arrive by the end of 2024, and the rest will be delivered in 2025, Pistorius said.
The Panzerhaubitze 2000 is a 155 mm self-propelled gun that can load 60 shells in less than 12 minutes. Ukraine currently operates at least 28 of these guns, with 18 more pledged earlier this year.
Germany also pledged to deliver 77 older Leopard 1A5 tanks in cooperation with foreign partners in the near future.
A new defense aid package was also announced by Canada, including 80,840 motors of decommissioned small air-to-surface unguided rockets CRV7, along with 1,300 warheads. The supplies are to be delivered in the coming months, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair said, according to CBC.
The first tranche of 2,300 decommissioned CRV7 rocket motors was announced in June.
Ottawa also pledged to assist with the F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots and to provide the decommissioned chassis of nearly 100 M113 and Coyote armored vehicles.
The Ramstein meeting is usually seen as an opportunity for Kyiv's partners to unveil new aid packages. The U.S. said it would soon announce a $250 million defense tranche, while the U.K. pledged 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) worth over $213 million.
Read also: Zelensky joins Ramstein summit to lobby for air defenses, long-range arms for Ukraine
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DAKAR, Senegal (AP) The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization launched on Friday a continent-wide response plan to the outbreak of mpox, three weeks after WHO declared outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency.
The estimated budget for the six-month plan is almost $600 million, with 55% allocated to the response to mpox in 14 affected nations and boosting readiness in 15 others, Africa CDC director-general Dr. Jean Kaseya told reporters on Friday. The other 45% is directed towards operational and technical support through partners. The organization didnt give an indication of who would be funding it.
The plan focuses on surveillance, laboratory testing and community engagement, Kaseya said, underscoring the fact that vaccines aren't enough to fight the spreading outbreak.
The organization said that since the start of 2024, there have been 5,549 confirmed mpox cases across the continent, with 643 associated deaths, representing a sharp escalation in both infections and fatalities compared to previous years. The cases in Congo constituted 91% of the total number. Most mpox infections in Congo and Burundi, the second most affected country, are in children under age 15.
The plan comes a day after the first batch of mpox vaccines arrived in the capital of Congo, the center of the outbreak. The 100,000 doses of the JYNNEOS 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, Congolese authorities said.
These vaccines are vital in safeguarding our health workers and vulnerable populations, and in curbing the spread of mpox, Kaseya said Thursday.
The 200,000 doses are just a fraction of the 3 million that doses authorities have said are needed to end the mpox outbreaks in Congo, the epicenter of the global health emergency. The European Union countries pledged to donate more than 500,000 others, but the timeline for their delivery remained unclear.
Emmanuel Lampaert, a representative of Doctors Without Borders in Congo, said that vaccination was an additional tool. Basic health measures were still crucial to combat the outbreak, and there were challenges with that in many parts of Congo.
Congo issued an emergency approval of the vaccine, which has already been used in Europe and the United States in adults, but it remained unclear on Friday when the vaccination campaign would begin. For the moment, the rollout would be reserved for adults, Kaseya said, with priority targeted groups being those who have been in close contact with infected people and sex workers.
Story continues
The European Medicines Agency is examining additional data to be able to administer it to children ranging in age from 12 to 17, which could happen at the end of the month, HERA Director-General Laurent Muschel said.
We dont have all the answers, Muschel told reporters on Friday. We learn by doing. We are going to adapt the strategy depending on the impact of the vaccination campaign."
A long-planned migration agreement between Germany and Kenya is to be signed next week, the German government announced in Berlin on Friday.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz will receive Kenyan President William Ruto in Berlin on Friday next week, according to government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.
The agreement aims to facilitate the immigration of skilled labour to Germany, and the repatriation of those obliged to leave the country, including failed asylum seekers.
Germany is currently negotiating migration agreements with several different countries. The special representative with responsibility for the talks, Joachim Stamp, recently negotiated similar agreements with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines.
Boris Pistorius German Minister of Defense, takes part in the Ukraine Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base. It is expected to be the last time before the US presidential election that Ukraine's Western partners will meet for personal consultations in the Ramstein format. They will discuss arms aid for Ukraine and a perspective for the country attacked by Russia. Andreas Arnold/dpa
Germany will supply Ukraine with 12 more self-propelled howitzers, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group at the US air base in Ramstein.
Six of the advanced armoured vehicles are to arrive by the end of the year, with the rest to follow in 2025. They have a firing range of 30 kilometres.
The total cost for the 12 howitzers was put at 150 million ($166 million).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took part in the opening session of the meeting in Ramstein and used the opportunity to plead for more weapons.
"We need more weapons to drive Russian forces off our land and especially in the Donetsk region," said Zelensky of the heavy fighting taking place in the east of his country.
Boris Pistorius German Minister of Defense, takes part in the Ukraine Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base. It is expected to be the last time before the US presidential election that Ukraine's Western partners will meet for personal consultations in the Ramstein format. They will discuss arms aid for Ukraine and a perspective for the country attacked by Russia. Andreas Arnold/dpa
Germany will supply Ukraine with 12 more self-propelled howitzers, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group at the US air base in Ramstein.
Six of the advanced armoured vehicles are to arrive by the end of the year, with the rest to follow in 2025. They have a firing range of 30 kilometres.
The total cost for the 12 howitzers was put at 150 million ($166 million).
"Germany's position is absolutely clear: We will support Ukraine for as long as it is necessary," said Pistorius.
"It is important to protect the freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of sovereign states against aggressors such as Russia. Ultimately, we are also doing this in our own interests."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took part in the opening session of the meeting at the US military base in south-western Germany and used the opportunity to plead for more weapons.
Zelensky said Ukraine was "grateful" for the Western military aid, "but we need more weapons to drive Russian forces off our land and especially in the Donetsk region" in the east of the country.
In particular, he called for longer-range weapons - and a free hand to direct them against targets inside Russia.
"We need to have these long-range capabilities not only on occupied territory of Ukraine but also on the Russian territory. Yes, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace," he said in a 10-minute speech in English.
"We need to force Russia to seek peace. We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need peace or Putin?"
On the 926th day of the war, Ukraine's allies - including US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin - met at Ramstein to discuss how they can continue to support the country under attack from Russia.
This was the first time Zelensky had attended such a meeting himself, perhaps illustrating the enormous pressure Ukraine is under amid Russia's steady advance in the east of the country.
Zelensky meets German chancellor
Zelensky met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Frankfurt on Friday afternoon.
The subject of theirone-on-one talks has not been made public, but it was believed that Ukraine's cross-border offensive into Russia's Kursk region was on the agenda.
The Ukrainian president had not informed allies about the offensive in advance. Ukrainian troops are using Western weapons deep inside Russian territory - allegedly including Marder armoured personnel carriers from Germany.
The turn of events has not gone down well in Berlin, where Scholz has long worried that the war could spillover into a NATO-wide conflict.
For this reason Scholz continues to deny the delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometres, which could be used to hit targets as far away as Moscow.
But Scholz has repeatedly said he does not want to let up on arms deliveries to Ukraine, even though opinion polls show the public growing tired of the war and sceptical of military aid.
Germany is the second largest arms supplier to Ukraine after the United States. The German government has earmarked more than 7 billion ($7.7 billion) for Ukraine in this year's budget and 4 billion next year.
The US secretary of defence had invited around 50 countries to the conference at the largest US airbase outside the United States.
Austin spoke of a "critical moment" for Ukraine and called on allies to provide more support. He himself announced an additional aid package worth $250 million.
This was the 24th meeting of the Contact Group, although most of the talks were held as video conferences.
Boris Pistorius German Minister of Defense, takes part in the Ukraine Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base. It is expected to be the last time before the US presidential election that Ukraine's Western partners will meet for personal consultations in the Ramstein format. They will discuss arms aid for Ukraine and a perspective for the country attacked by Russia. Andreas Arnold/dpa
Germany will supply Ukraine with 12 more self-propelled howitzers, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group at the US air base in Ramstein.
Six of the advanced armoured vehicles are to arrive by the end of the year, with the rest to follow in 2025. They have a firing range of 30 kilometres.
The total cost for the 12 howitzers was put at 150 million ($166 million).
"Germany's position is absolutely clear: We will support Ukraine for as long as it is necessary," said Pistorius.
"It is important to protect the freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of sovereign states against aggressors such as Russia. Ultimately, we are also doing this in our own interests."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took part in the opening session of the meeting at the US military base in south-western Germany and used the opportunity to plead for more weapons.
Zelensky said Ukraine was "grateful" for the Western military aid, "but we need more weapons to drive Russian forces off our land and especially in the Donetsk region" in the east of the country.
In particular, he called for longer-range weapons - and a free hand to direct them against targets inside Russia.
"We need to have these long-range capabilities not only on occupied territory of Ukraine but also on the Russian territory. Yes, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace," he said in a 10-minute speech in English.
"We need to force Russia to seek peace. We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need peace or Putin?"
On the 926th day of the war, Ukraine's allies - including US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin - met at Ramstein to discuss how they can continue to support the country under attack from Russia.
This was the first time Zelensky had attended such a meeting himself, in a sign of the enormous pressure Ukraine is under amid Russia's steady advance in the east of the country.
Zelensky meets German chancellor
Later on Friday, Zelensky met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Frankfurt.
Foollowing the one-on-one talks, Scholz said "Germany is and will remain the strongest supporter of Ukraine in Europe for as long as necessary."
Zelensky thanked Scholz for the ongoing German support in a post on the social media platform X, calling it "the foundation of our successful fight for Ukraines independence."
The subject of the meeting talks has not been made public, but it was believed that Ukraine's cross-border offensive into Russia's Kursk region was on the agenda.
The Ukrainian president had not informed allies about the offensive in advance. Ukrainian troops are using Western weapons deep inside Russian territory - allegedly including Marder armoured personnel carriers from Germany.
The turn of events has not gone down well in Berlin, where Scholz has long worried that the war could spill over into a NATO-wide conflict.
For this reason Scholz continues to deny the delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles with a range of 500 kilometres, which could be used to hit targets as far away as Moscow.
But Scholz has repeatedly said he does not want to let up on arms deliveries to Ukraine, even though opinion polls show the public growing tired of the war and sceptical of military aid.
Germany is the second largest arms supplier to Ukraine after the United States. The German government has earmarked more than 7 billion ($7.7 billion) for Ukraine in this year's budget and 4 billion next year.
The US secretary of defence had invited around 50 countries to the conference at the largest US airbase outside the United States.
Austin spoke of a "critical moment" for Ukraine and called on allies to provide more support. He himself announced an additional aid package worth $250 million.
Austin: No single capability decisive in the war
Austin also side-stepped Ukraine's demands to be allowed to use US longer-range weapons against targets in Russia.
"I don't believe that one specific capability is going to be decisive," he said at the conclusion of the meeting.
The current battlefield showed that Russia had moved certain aircraft using glide bombs out of range of US ATACMS missiles, he said.
When asked by a journalist whether Zelensky had said that there were strategic targets in Russia that could be hit with longer-range weapons, Austin responded evasively.
There are many targets in Russia and Ukraine has numerous ways of attacking them - for example with drones, he said. "I think that in the foreseeable future we will ensure that we continue to focus on helping Ukraine to effectively defend its territory," Austin continued.
It was the 24th meeting of the Contact Group, although most of the talks were held as video conferences.
(Bloomberg) -- Germany is willing to help fund the 390 billion rand ($22 billion) that South Africa said it needs to incorporate more solar and wind power into the national grid and ensure its energy security.
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The European nation will be able to provide some funding once the scope for the grid-expansion project has been determined, according to its special envoy for a climate-finance pact between South Africa and some of the worlds richest countries. The deal, which was agreed in 2021 and is now worth $9.3 billion, has been criticized for its slow implementation.
There is a need for investments in the quality and the quantity of the grid, Rainer Baake, envoy for the Just Energy Transition Partnership, said in the South African capital, Pretoria, on Thursday. Were in a position to provide substantially more money for the grid.
South Africa has suffered intermittent power cuts since 2008 and needs to accelerate the expansion of its grid as its pivots away from coal, which accounts for four-fifths of its power generation, to renewable energy. While the system is robust in the center and east of the country, where the industrial base and coal belt are, the best solar and wind resources are in the west.
Attempts to expand the amount of electricity its network of transmission lines can carry have been slowed by the bureaucracy involved in a plan to split the national power utility, Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., into generation, transmission and distribution units. While a board has been appointed for the transmission company, theres been no decision on how private investors will be able to participate in building and operating the lines.
Baake was speaking at a news conference while on a trip with Jochen Flasbarth, state secretary for Germanys economic cooperation and development ministry, and Jennifer Morgan, state secretary and special envoy for international climate action. The German officials this week met South African government representatives, including Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.
Other members of the pact whove committed finance are France, the US, UK, European Union, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Not Ideal
Aside from grants, only 1.1 billion ($1.22 billion) in loans from Germany and France has been allocated from the agreement to date.
By delaying the closing of three coal-fired plants, South Africa has also raised concern that it may not meet a target agreed under the JETP to reduce annual emissions to about 350 million tons of carbon dioxide or its equivalent by 2030. The country is the worlds 15th-biggest producer of climate-warming gases.
Its not ideal from a climate point of view, said Flasbarth. While he said the decision was understandable given South Africas history of power cuts, he declined to say whether officials clarified how the country plans to meet the targets. We are patient, well wait for the suggestions they will come up with and in the meantime we continue our support.
Better Use
The German officials commended South Africa for passing landmark climate and energy legislation this year in the form of the Climate Change and Electricity Regulation Amendment bills.
Still, they urged the country to make better use of its existing transmission lines by allowing so-called curtailment. The move would let more renewable energy producers connect to the grid on condition that at times of peak supply, they dont send all the power they produce to it. That could, potentially, involve compensation for the power producers.
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Germany to provide Ukraine with 12 more Panzerhaubitz 2000
Germany has promised to transfer 12 more Panzerhaubitz 2000 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
Source: Boris Pistorius, German Defence Minister, at the US airbase in Ramstein, European Pravda reports, citing Tagesspiegel
Details: Germany will supply Ukraine with twelve more Panzerhaubitz 2000s worth 150 million euros, Pistorius said.
He added that six modern artillery pieces with a range of over 30 kilometres will be delivered this year and another six next year.
Background:
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed the order of 17 additional IRIS-T air defence systems of various configurations for the Armed Forces of Ukraine during a visit to a military base near the city of Kiel on Wednesday, 4 September.
In a comment to Bloomberg, the German official clarified that Ukraine will receive 24 IRIS-T systems from Germany by 2026: 12 medium-range and 12 short-range systems.
Earlier, Reuters reported on the delivery of IRIS SLM-T systems in Ukraine.
Earlier, German media reported that the current budget planning of the German federal government does not provide for additional funds to support Ukraine and additional applications from the German Ministry of Defence for military assistance to Ukraine will no longer be approved at the request of the Chancellor.
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German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock makes a press statement following her talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Katz. Foreign Minister Baerbock continues her crisis talks in the Middle East in Israel after stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Soeren Stache/dpa
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on Israel to halt its settlement projects in the West Bank during talks in Tel Aviv on Friday, after earlier stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
The top German diplomat is in the Middle East to promote efforts to advance a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, as well as to increase humanitarian aid into war-ravaged Gaza.
After 11 months of fighting, the Biden administration said this week it believes that a ceasefire deal remains within reach.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that troops stay in a buffer zone in Gaza along the border with Egypt - a demand that has proved the latest stumbling block to an agreement.
Baerbock urged the Israeli government to put an end to settlement projects in the West Bank to help build trust in the region.
Speaking after a meeting with her Israeli counterpart Israel Katz in Tel Aviv, she said that settlement construction in the West Bank was in clear violation of international law.
"In my view, the Israeli government could also regain lost international trust by stopping the current settlement projects as a first step," she said.
Israel's government must also take "stronger and more visible action against the acts of violence committed by radical settlers," Baerbock said. This would be an "important step towards easing tensions in the West Bank".
Baerbock had said the previous day in Jordan that Israel was "an occupying power there and is obliged under the Geneva Convention to uphold law and order instead of jeopardising it".
"This explicitly includes protecting the population from attacks by violent, radical settlers," she said.
Two months ago, Israel approved the construction of more than 5,000 housing units in several settlements in the West Bank and decided to legalize several settler outposts. These improvised settlements are also illegal under Israeli law, but are occasionally legalized retroactively.
Bearbock also met Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Friday, and discussed the faltering mediation talks on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of the 101 hostages kidnapped by the Islamist Hamas.
Baerbock was later due to head to the Israeli-occupied West Bank to meet Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa in Ramallah.
Baerbock has said that she believes the Palestinian Authority could play an important role in a post-war administration in Gaza.
Along with the ceasefire negotiations, her talks were expected to touch on the rash of violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (2-L) and Israel Katz (3-R), Foreign Minister of Israel, talk during their meeting. Foreign Minister Baerbock continues her crisis talks in the Middle East in Israel after stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Soeren Stache/dpa
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (L) and Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz greet each other before their talks. Baerbock continues her crisis talks in the Middle East in Israel after stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Soeren Stache/dpa
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (2-L) and Israel Katz (3-R), Foreign Minister of Israel, talk during their meeting. Foreign Minister Baerbock continues her crisis talks in the Middle East in Israel after stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Soeren Stache/dpa
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is in Israel on Friday after stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
The top German diplomat is in the Middle East to promote efforts to advance a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, as well as to increase humanitarian aid into war-ravaged Gaza.
After 11 months of fighting, the Biden administration said this week it believes that a ceasefire deal remains within reach.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that troops stay in a buffer zone in Gaza along the border with Egypt - a demand that has proved the latest stumbling block to an agreement.
Baerbock met with her counterpart Israel Katz in Tel Aviv on Friday morning and was set to later visit Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. A meeting with Netanyahu was not planned.
She will then head to the Israeli-occupied West Bank to meet with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa in Ramallah.
Baerbock has said that she believes the Palestinian Authority could play an important role in a post-war administration in Gaza.
Along with the ceasefire negotiations, her talks were expected to touch on the rash of violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
She said on Thursday in Amman that Israel was "the occupying power in the West Bank and is obliged under the Geneva Convention to uphold law and order rather than jeopardize it."
"This explicitly includes protecting the population from attacks by violent, radical settlers," she said.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (L) and Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz greet each other before their talks. Baerbock continues her crisis talks in the Middle East in Israel after stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Soeren Stache/dpa
BOSTON When an engagement breaks down, who gets to keep the ring? A case deciding just that was argued before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Friday.
The state's highest court heard arguments from lawyers representing Bruce Johnson and Caroline Settino, who were briefly engaged in 2017.
According to court documents, Johnson bought the engagement ring from Tiffany's in Boston, paying more than $70,000.
Shortly after the pair became engaged, the relationship ended.
So who gets the engagement ring?
Massachusetts law considers an engagement ring a "conditional gift," saying the gift giver can get the ring back if they are found to be without fault in the relationship ending.
The question before the courts has been just that who is at fault?
Johnson accused Settino of being verbally abusive and having an affair. He said in a court filing that he found a text message from Settino to a man that said, "My Bruce is going to be in Connecticut for three days. I need some playtime."
Woman wins the case, man wins the appeal
Settino argued that there was no affair - the man she texted was just a friend. A trial court judge ruled in her favor, saying Johnson was at fault for calling off the engagement and she gets to keep the ring,
Johnson appealed the decision and a Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled in his favor. The appeals court said the existence or non-existence of an affair was not the only factor in the case; Johnson may still have had solid reasons to call off the engagement.
"Sometimes there simply is no fault to be had," the court said.
The appeals court said the Supreme Judicial Court would have to consider whether Massachusetts should follow other states where engagement rings are returned to the giver if an engagement is called off, regardless of who is at fault.
Supreme Judicial Court arguments on engagement ring
Before the high court on Friday, Johnson's attorney, Stephanie Taverna Siden, not only requested justices reverse the trial court decision and award the ring back to him, but that they change Massachusetts law regarding how engagement rings are treated after a breakup.
When asked why returning the ring would be the most equitable, Taverna Siden said, "Because the person that has spent money or value on the ring is doing so under the condition that 'I'm proposing to you, we're going to get married and we're going to live a life together.' If you change the ring to a [between the living] gift, that person that gave the ring loses the value of the ring if the marriage doesn't happen."
Settino's attorney Nick Rosenberg argued against instituting a no-fault conditional gift, saying it requires the court "reading into a private act."
"We don't have conditional gifts in Massachusetts," said Rosenberg.
No word on when a ruling is expected.
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In Greek mythology Memnon was often overlooked King of Ethiopia who travels to the city of Troy to fight alongside the Trojans in its greatest battle.
This weekend, the Getty Villa Museum and the Classical Theatre of Harlem opened its world premiere of Memnon for the 18th annual Villa Outdoor Classical Theater production.
"This epic story, from the ancient Greek legend of the fall of Troy, has been overlooked for over a millennium, until now," the Getty Villa Museum said. The production is directed by Carl Cofield, associate artistic director of the Classical Theatre of Harlem, and is written by Will Power.
For far too long, the story of Memnon has gone unnoticed, says Cofield. Im delighted to partner again with Will Power to bring this remarkable story to the forefront of our mythology. This is exactly the type of work that inspires me. Stories that force us to ask big questions and interrogate inherited folklore.
"Memnon" is now playing as part of Getty Villa Museum's outside classical theater program in partnership with The Classical Theatre of Harlem Getty Villa Museum
The duo had previously garnered rave reviews for Power's "The Seven," based on another Greek tragedy Aeschylus "The Seven Against Thebes" only with a hip hip twist. Power said he is thrilled that his play "Memnon" is getting its world premiere in Los Angeles.
The Classical Theatre of Harlem and the Getty Villa are two organizations that are both producing exciting work that presents classically themed theater in highly innovative ways for engaged audiences, Power says. I am honored to bring this world premiere of Memnon to the city of Los Angeles. I so look forward to the conversation that this old/new tale might spark!
Opening weekend for world premiere of "Memnon" at Getty Villa Museum Getty Villa Museum
Performances are held at the Getty Villa Museum Thursday through Sunday nights through September 28. Tickets available here.
The Air Force is rethinking its approach to how it will fight a future air war as it considers a new path forward for its Next Generation Air Dominance fighter system, top officials said Wednesday.
And the revamping of NGAD and the air superiority concept could open up more opportunities to smaller and non-traditional firms to compete for elements of the Air Forces next fighter, officials said.
Major prime contractors in the aerospace world bring vast and unique experience that will be needed for a redesigned Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems, Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Jim Slife said at the Defense News Conference in Arlington, Virginia, Wednesday. Those primes have already done considerable work on a future fighter system that must be leveraged, Slife said.
But niche capabilities that smaller firms specialize in will also be vital to creating whatever NGAD turns into, Slife said.
There are absolutely parts of whatever this mission engineering that we do, for this [air superiority] space, that will open the door to non-traditional contractors as well as the major primes, Slife said. Its a yes-and.
The Air Force put its years-in-the-works NGAD effort, which had originally been expected to award a contract this year, on hold this summer. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in a June interview that NGAD was on track to cost about three times as much as an F-35, placing its potential price tag at as much as $300 million apiece. At that cost, the Air Force would only have been able to buy a small NGAD fleet.
Kendall said the Air Force planned to redesign NGAD to bring its costs down and better integrate its planned drone wingmen, which the service calls Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
At Wednesdays conference, Slife said the Air Force is conducting a wholesale rethinking of how it will achieve air superiority against a major adversary such as China as it reconsiders its way forward with NGAD.
You get two different answers if you frame the question as, How do we achieve air superiority in a contested environment? [versus] How do we build a 6th-gen manned fighter platform? Slife said. Those are not necessarily the same question.
Since the Air Force drew up its original ideas for NGAD, Slife said, technology has advanced much quicker than anticipated. Concepts such as autonomously-flown drone wingmen are now within the Air Forces reach, and the service wants to better fold those capabilities into NGAD.
And with those advancements in technology, Slife said, nothing is off the table.
There are capabilities that we [now] have that perhaps we would want to be part of this mission space going forward, that werent baked into where we started with the NGAD system, Slife said. I wouldnt rule anything out, but I also wouldnt rule anything back in.
Story continues
The Air Forces recent experience with NGAD shows the importance of flexibility in major acquisitions as the threat evolves, Hunter said.
It definitely prioritizes towards not being over-specified for any particular problem set, or any particular approach to the problem set, Hunter said.
When asked if a revised NGAD contract might come in 2025, Hunter said, Well have to wait and see what our analysis delivers.
A Japanese 10-year-old has become the youngest person authorized to prepare "fugu" pufferfish a delicacy that can kill if its poisonous parts are not properly removed.
Fifth grader Karin Tabira passed a test this summer that means she is now certified to slice and gut the fish for consumption.
She recently used her new skills to serve a platter of paper-thin slices of fugu sashimi to the governor of southern Kumamoto region where she lives.
"I was happy when the governor said 'oishi'," meaning delicious in Japanese, she told reporters at an event where Takashi Kimura ate the dish.
Tabira was among 60 people -- mostly professional chefs -- who passed the test in Yamaguchi region this summer, out of 93 people who tried.
Clearing the hurdle was part of "a happy summer break," she said.
Fugu, which is more poisonous than cyanide, is often served raw at high-end restaurants in Japan, where chefs must hold a license proving they can safely slice around organs that contain a lethal poison.
In a picture taken on June 5, 2012, a pufferfish, known as fugu in Japan, is seen on a chopping board to remove toxic internal organs at a Japanese restaurant
Occasionally, unlicensed individuals eat fugu caught in the sea and die.
Yamaguchi does not have an age limit to take the fugu test, but in Kumamoto Kimura can only prepare fugu dishes when accompanied by a licensed adult.
Tabira's interest was piqued by news that a sixth grader in another region passed the test, and she trained since February at Fukunari, a Kumamoto-based farm and wholesaler.
She used a hammer to drive her butcher's knife through the fugu's tough bones, and "had to stand on a platform to use the kitchen counter", Fukunari executive Yuki Hirao told AFP.
"Even our adult staff can fail the test. For a 10-year-old to clear the test first time, it's amazing," she said.
In 2018, a city in Japan issued emergency warnings to prevent people eating blowfish, after potentially deadly portions were mistakenly sold, the BBC reported.
Earlier this year, a man in Brazil reportedly died after eating pufferfish that was given to him as a gift.
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. A 14-year-old girl was shot Thursday outside a Whitehaven community center after a fight, police say.
Police said her injuries were not critical. The suspect, a female, fled the scene in a black sedan with two other females.
Officers just responded just before 4 p.m. to the 4300 block of Graceland Drive. Police said the shooting did not occur inside the community center, but photos show the building surrounded with crime scene tape.
A witness at the scene said it stemmed from an argument about two weeks ago.
The fight Thursday, which according to witnesses was between the victim and the suspects daughter, was supposed to be one-on-one. But witnesses said two adults stepped in after seeing one of the children losing.
I guess she saw her daughter losing, so she decided to jump in and it escalated from there, said Jamayah Leake, a friend of the victim and a witness.
One of those adults allegedly pepper-sprayed the area, then fired a warning shot before pointing the gun at the children.
Witnesses at the scene said the next shot went toward the victim, injuring the young girl.
They saw the daughter was on the ground, then she went into the car, got the gun and she shot one time in the air, came back, got up close shot her in the arm and then she shot the car two times, said Mya Higgenbottom, another friend of the victim and witness to the shooting.
Cheryl Cobb was trying to pick up her granddaughter and says she got nothing but silence from one of the suspects.
I walked up to the man and I said, please dont let the kids fight, Cobb said.
Cobb says one man and another woman had walked up to the fight, but didnt break it up.
It was really dumb, like that is all I can tell you, over a little fight, said Leake. A fight that little, it never should have got this big and became this big of a problem. Nobody should have got hurt from gun violence or none of that over a little fight that happened between a boy and a girl two weeks ago. It was two weeks ago, why are we still on this?
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Police identified a man they shot on Wednesday after multiple calls that he had violated a protection order against him for a woman and her child.
Neighbors called Glendale police about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday to report that 37-year-old Karl Komorowski was unlawfully inside a residence near North 56th Avenue and West Thunderbird Road.
The woman and child were able to escape while the man remained in the home. Glendale SWAT and negotiation units tried to negotiate peacefully for several hours, but the man refused to come out and fired at officers.
When he finally came outside, he ran toward officers with a rifle and multiple officers fired back. Komorowski died at the scene, police said.
The woman, child and officers were unharmed.
The Surprise Police Department will investigate the shooting.
Development in case: Glendale police arrest man suspected of shooting, killing 2 in 2023
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Glendale police identify man killed during shootout
EXCLUSIVE: Alex Gibney-produced Benjamin Netanyahu doc The Bibi Files, directed by Alexis Bloom, has set sales with Goodfellas ahead of a work-in-progress screening in Toronto.
With the global spotlight on Netanyahu as the death toll continues to rise in the Israel-Gaza war sparked by the October 7 Hamas attacks, the doc promises unprecedented insight into the backstory behind the Israeli prime ministers ongoing corruption trial and how it is informing his current actions.
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The work features leaked footage of police interrogation videos with Netanyahu, wife Sara, and son Yair, conducted from 2016 to 2018 as part of the eight-year criminal investigation which led up to the controversial politicians indictment in November 2019, for breach of trust, bribery, and fraud.
This material has been intercut with interviews with key Israeli figures including former prime minister Ehud Olmert, Netanyahus former spokesman Nir Hefetz, former Shin Bet leader Ami Ayalon, and investigative journalist Raviv Drucker among others.
News of the Toronto screening has prompted excitement in the media in Israel, where material from the investigation and trials is under a gag order, with commentators suggesting the work will never get an official Israeli release.
Oscar-winner Gibney, who is producing under the banner of his New York-based company Jigsaw Productions, is hoping to stir worldwide debate and engage with international distribution partners by screening the film at TIFF as a work-in-progress.
The team at Goodfellas, which has never shied away from controversial work, has taken up the challenge of making this happen.
Described by TIFF Docs as an urgent journalistic expose, The Bibi Files Is directed by Johannesburg-born, U.S.-based director Bloom, who began the project before October 7.
She explores how Netanyahu has weathered the corruption accusations and stayed in power by forging alliances with staunch right-wingers who now serve as cabinet ministers.
The doc also looks at the politicians 2023 attempt to introduce judicial reforms that would give him greater control of the Supreme Court of Israel. Bloom has described this development, which sparked widespread protests across Israel, as the catalyst for her getting on board the project.
The director also addresses how the corruption charges may have informed Netanyahus military-led response to the October 7 Hamas attack, and his reluctance to enter into serious hostage negotiations.
Bloom is a three-time Primetime Emmy nominee for Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes (2018), which Gibney executive produced, and Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds (2017). More recent credits include Catching Fire: The Story Of Anita Pallenberg, co-directed with Svetlana Zill, which premiered in Cannes in 2023.
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Google has been accused by the competition watchdog of abusing its dominance over the online advertising market to overcharge online publishers.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued the search giant with a statement of objections on Friday after an investigation found that it may be acting illegally.
It comes days before the company faces a US trial over similar claims next week.
The CMA case, which follows similar action in the US and EU, is the latest challenge to Googles grip over online advertising.
The regulator said Googles control over multiple stages of the online advertising stack the split-second auction system by which adverts are placed on web pages allowed it to charge publishers higher fees and demote rival advertising services.
Google has a majority market share over the advertising servers that sell space, as well as the online exchanges where adverts are bought and sold. Advertisers spend billions of pounds annually on display adverts.
Juliette Enser, the CMAs interim executive director of enforcement, said: Many businesses are able to keep their digital content free or cheaper by using online advertising to generate revenue. Adverts on these websites and apps reach millions of people across the UK assisting the buying and selling of goods and services.
Thats why its so important that publishers and advertisers who enable this free content can benefit from effective competition and get a fair deal when buying or selling digital advertising space.
CMA urged to take quick action
The News Media Association, which represents British news organisations including The Telegraph, urged the CMA to take quick action against the company under new competition laws that create a specialist digital markets unit within the watchdog.
Owen Meredith, chief executive of the News Media Association, said: In order to tackle these damaging impacts on our creative sectors, we need the new digital markets regulator to start its work investigating the large tech platforms as quickly as possible, with Google Search and Google ad tech as top priorities for designation.
By levelling the playing field, we can create a digital economy for the UK which fosters genuine competition, powering growth in these critical markets.
Google hit out at the charges. Dan Taylor, its vice president of global ads, said: The core of this case rests on flawed interpretations of the ad tech sector. We disagree with the CMAs view and we will respond accordingly.
The CMA can fine Google or order it to cease anti-competitive conduct. The European Commission has said Google might have to be broken up to address the issue.
Google will seek to defend its position in a US courtroom on Monday against anti-monopoly charges brought by the Department of Justice. It comes after the company lost a separate competition case over its dominance of the search engine market last month.
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GOP Lawmaker Warns This Election Is Going to Be Rough for Republicans
The Republican Party is in trouble this election, and may lose its majority in the House of Representativesso says Texas Representative Tony Gonzalez, a Republican himself.
Speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival on Thursday, the congressman said he believed the party would lose in November due its own actions.
Whats frustrating me is I firmly believe that House Republicans are going to lose the majorityand were going to lose it because of ourselves, Gonzales said.
Gonzalez said that a culture of blame had taken hold of his party, as well as the Democrats, pointing to a cycle of oversight hearings opposed to whichever party was in power.
Its not rocket science here. You know the economy, its really real. I mean, more and more middle-class Americans are falling further and further behind in access to quality health care, said Gonzalez. Are we talking about this? Are we talking about some of these kind of kitchen table issues? Noits all about who were going to impeach.
Gonzalez was censured by the Texas state Republican Party earlier this year for voting for gun safety legislation, and increasing same-sex marriage protections. He also directed some of his criticism toward Democrats, who failed to break through for a major victory in the state.
Texas Democrats are failing to deliver the message. They are stuck in all-or-nothing, and guess what? Theyre getting nothing, Gonzalez said. That works out well for Republicans.
Texas Democrats havent evolved into going, How do I win a race? How do I deliver a message for the general population, and not just my base? Gonzalez added. And anytime you get stuck in that, youre going to lose.
Gonzalez hasnt shied away from criticizing his party in the past, attacking Representative Matt Gaetz for paying minors to have sex with them at drug parties and Representative Bob Good for endorsing his opponent, a known neo-Nazi, in a CNN interview in April.
These people used to walk around with white hoods at night. Now theyre walking around with white hoods in the daytime, Gonzalez said at the time.
The Texas congressman isnt the only member of his party who has been critical of the GOPs lack of results recently. Last November, Representative Chip Roy yelled at his colleagues for failing to accomplish anything significant, and in January, Representative Andy Biggs complained on Newsmax that his party has accomplished nothing since winning control of the House in 2022.
Gonzalez isnt likely to win over many of his colleagues, though: The National Republican Congressional Committee immediately issued a statement saying that they disagree with him.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, left, greets Rep. Barbara Carpenter, D-Baton Rouge, on opening day of a legislative special session focusing on crime, Feb. 19, 2024, at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, left, greets Rep. Barbara Carpenter, D-Baton Rouge, on opening day of a legislative special session focusing on crime, Feb. 19, 2024, at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge. (Hillary Schienuk/The Advocate, Pool)
Its still early in the tenure of Gov. Jeff Landry, which means he has years to etch his legacy in Louisiana history. But with his latest decision, it appears the Republican is intent on ignoring history altogether.
Last week, Landry issued an executive order to ban the teaching of critical race theory in Louisianas K-12 public schools.
For a fact check: It needs to be noted that theres no evidence any such courses are being taught at elementary, middle or high schools. So right off the bat, theres a strong indication that the governors actions are less concerned with practical effect and more with political posturing.
Whats more, critical race theory is typically incorporated only at the graduate studies level and in law school. CRT is an advanced academic concept that holds that race is socially constructed, and it examines how legal structures are used to oppress people of color.
The far-right take on critical race theory, as Landry writes in his executive order, is to instruct students to view the world through the lens of race and presume some students are consciously or unconsciously racist, sexist, or oppressive and that some students are victims.
In reality, CRT is not an etched-in-stone course or curriculum. Rather, you can think of it as a lens through which matters such as law or policy can be viewed. When you remove the lens, it eliminates perspectives that include factors such as racial inequality or racial justice.
To some critics, CRT forces one to question a core principle of American democracy that all people are created equal when our laws have expressly dictated that not to be the case.
Like many of his stances, Landrys take on critical race theory falls in lockstep with that of Donald Trump. You might remember the former presidents executive order that banned federal contractors from conducting racial sensitivity training. Trump, and the conservative pundits who help shape his world view, would just as soon have you forget the nations legacy of slavery and Jim Crow laws. While youre at it, disregard the existence of white privilege or just enjoy it, as the case may be.
Yet with Landry, there appears to be contradictions with his wholesale take on critical race theory and gender-based assessment as communicated in his order.
Just this week, his Louisiana Economic Development agency announced applications are now being accepted for its Diversity in Entrepreneurship Initiative, a program targeting accelerated business growth for minority- and women-owned second-stage companies. Since 2021, more than 35 businesses have graduated from the initiative, according to the state agency.
For such a program to exist, the governor must acknowledge there are businesses that face challenges based on the proprietors minority or gender status. Even if its unwittingly, he is applying critical race theory to economic opportunity in Louisiana.
Its just one more reason to believe Landrys anti-CRT executive order is more about conservative fashion than practical function.
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Gov. Kay Ivey stands at attention during the National Anthem prior to the State of the State address on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 in Montgomery, Ala. Ivey on Friday scheduled a meeting of the State Board of Veterans Affairs to remove Commissioner Kent Davis, who the governor has accused of mismanaging ARPA funds. (Stew Milne for Alabama Reflector)
Gov. Kay Ivey Friday set a special meeting of the State Board of Veterans Affairs next Tuesday to remove Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis, accusing him of mismanagement and a failure to cooperate with other state agencies.
Ivey demanded Davis resignation by 5 p.m. on Thursday, but the office said Davis did not respond by the deadline.
Because you have not chosen to resign voluntarily, I will be calling a special meeting of the State Board of Veterans Affairs to consider your removal as Commissioner and the appointment of an Interim Commissioner for the Department, the letter from Friday stated.
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Davis said in an announcement posted on the department website and on Facebook Friday that he had sent a letter to Ivey refusing to resign.
I respectfully disagree with the inaccurate claims made against the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs this week. We have continuously been transparent in our departments mission and day-to-day operations in our service to Alabamas 400,000 Veterans At no time did our actions jeopardize the State of Alabama in fulfilling its obligations of the $2.1 billion in ARPA funds, he said in a statement.
Davis said its his desire and will to continue advocating for Alabama veterans, and he looks forward to continuing the fight by [veterans] sides, though he did not address the allegations specifically.
Messages seeking comments were left with Davis on Friday. Brandon Miller, a public information manager for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said the department was notified of the special-called meeting but have not received any additional information at this time. Miller said he did not have a copy of the letter sent to Ivey.
Iveys office did not immediately respond to a message for comment on Friday afternoon on whether they had received Davis letter.
The governor accused Davis of failing to comply with responsibilities required by state and federal law, including securing additional services or benefits for veterans and collaborating with other department heads. According to the letter, Daviss performance falls short in each of these important areas.
The governor also accused Davis of taking actions to produce strife and conflict with my office, with other state executive-branch agencies, with state legislators, and with members of our congressional delegation, adding that this alone constitutes cause for your removal.
According to Lagniappe and Alabama Daily News, Davis filed an ethics complaint against Department of Mental Health (ADMH) Commissioner Kim Boswell 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. The Alabama Ethics Commission dismissed the complaint last month.
According to Iveys letter on Friday, Veterans Affairs received $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds intended for mental health programs for Alabama veterans in November 2022. The governor said that Daviss department did not present grant applications to the State Board until January 2024, just months before a June 1 deadline, resulting in questions from other departments about compliance and proper fund use.
The Department of Mental Health (ADMH) ultimately terminated its agreement with the department over these concerns, according to an April 2 letter from ADMH, in which concerns were raised about grant funding being used for lobbying.
Ivey wrote that the delays led to irreparable breaches in other departments abilities to work with Davis.
They jeopardized the States ARPA obligations and very nearly prevented veterans service providers from receiving needed funds, the letter said. Moreover, your agencys administrative problems distracted senior officials at other state agencies from their important work, as we worked quickly to reallocate the ARPA grant funds and find an alternate funding source for the grants.
The governors letter also included an April 12 letter from the Department of Finance to ADVA, sent 10 days after ADMHs letter withdrawing from its agreement, outlining numerous concerns regarding numerous grants, most of which revolved around programs having small or no connection to veteran mental health.
For example, the department questioned whether funds could be given to WarHawgs, a nonprofit organization with the goal of improving veteran well-being through outdoor activities, to buy ammunition or to Faulkner University for building an additional site specifically for mental health services. The letter states no veterans program currently exists and it appears the grant funds will be used to create one in order to expand Faulkners existing therapy center.
This story was updated at 3:49 p.m. with a statement from Davis.
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Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to reporters during a news conference Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Alaskas governor has vetoed a bill intended to clarify the rental car tax collection process for Alaskans who put up their vehicles for rent on Turo and similar car-sharing applications.
The Alaska Department of Revenue has said that Turo is subject to the states 10% sales tax on rental cars, but Turo has argued that users, not the company itself, is liable for collecting the tax.
The state unsuccessfully sued Turo six years ago in an attempt to find out how much tax revenue the state is owed. Since then, the state has occasionally garnished Turo proceeds from the bank accounts of Alaskans who rent their cars.
Senate Bill 127, from Sen. Matt Claman, D-Anchorage, would have resolved the dispute by placing Turo in charge of collections and cutting the tax rate to 8% for Turo-like rentals.
That bill passed the House and Senate by wide, bipartisan margins, but the legislative consensus did not sway the governor.
Unnecessary taxation of a new and growing industry is bad public policy, the governor wrote in his veto message, issued Tuesday. Accordingly, I have vetoed the bill.
The act means the long-running dispute between the state and Turo is unresolved. The Department of Revenue, expecting passage of the bill, had suspended tax collections from Turo users in 2023. The agency did not immediately respond to a question asking about the current status of the tax.
Claman, by phone on Thursday, said he was disappointed by the governors decision. So was Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, who sponsored the bill in the House.
Claman said the bill had included a liability shield for back taxes owed by Turo users. With the veto, Alaskans are still liable for those unpaid taxes, and the state could go after them.
The problem doesnt go away, and so Ill certainly be looking to reintroduce the legislation, Claman said. We worked with the Department of Revenue as well as Turo and local rental companies to reach an agreement that worked for everybody.
The governors veto could be overridden if lawmakers called themselves into special session on the issue, but Claman, Josephson and other legislators said they dont think that will happen. Forty of the 60 legislators would have to agree to hold a special session.
The veto was Dunleavys eighth for a policy bill in 2024 and 13th since being elected in 2018. On the same day as the Turo veto, he announced the veto of a birth control measure, for a total of 14 vetoes during his two terms in office. Those figures do not include his annual budget vetoes.
Since Dunleavy took office, legislators have never overridden one of his vetoes.
Josephson said the governors string of vetoes is discouraging for legislators who want to solve the states problems.
It makes it very hard for legislators to want to see problems, find solutions that are achievable, and invest energy in those solutions, he said. It just begs the question, Why do we file bills? Whats this about? Why do we do this?
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The CEOs of Albertsons and Kroger took the stand to testify in the federal court case challenging Krogers proposed acquisition of Boises Albertsons. The CEO of Albertsons said layoffs and store closures could result if Krogers takeover is blocked.
CEO Vivek Sankaran testified that without the merger, I would have to consider job cuts, closures and abandoning some markets if the supermarket chain cannot find other ways to lower costs, The Associated Press reported. Its a dramatically different picture with the merger than without it, Sankaran said.
Without Kroger, Albertsons may need to find another buyer within two to three years, Sankaran said, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Albertsons store on Broadway Avenue in Boise.
Cincinnati-based Kroger, the nations largest traditional grocery company, wants to buy Albertsons, the second-largest, in a merger that would create a supermarket colossus under Krogers control. The two companies said their merger would help them compete more effectively with Walmart, Amazon, Costco and other retailers.
But the Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from multiple states say a merger would reduce competition, bringing higher prices and fewer choices for customers.
The FTC and the states went to court to block the merger on antitrust grounds. A hearing on their request began Aug. 26 before U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson in Portland, the home of Krogers Fred Meyer chain.
FTC lawyers questioned Sankaran on Wednesday about why he worried about Albertsons future despite saying previously that Albertsons was doing well financially, Law360 reported. Sankaran said conditions have changed.
The grocery business is a zero sum game in America, he said, the Journal reported.
Among brick-and-mortar grocers, Walmart has been gaining market share by dollars spent and now has nearly 24%, according to a report by Numerator, a data analytics company, cited in Supermarket News. Krogers has fallen to 10% and Albertsons to just over 6%. Combined, Kroger and Albertsons would still be outsold by Walmart.
One reason the two companies cite for uniting is to gain more leverage over suppliers to lower costs. Albertsons has said that it must pay more for some products wholesale than Walmart charges at retail.
Krogers CEO, Rodney McMullen, in testimony Wednesday, reiterated his pledge to cut grocery prices $1 billion if the merger goes through, CBS News reported.
And he said that many of the cuts will be made at Albertsons stores to help retain customers, because Albertsons prices are 10% to 12% higher than Krogers, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
Story continues
FTC lawyers also questioned Albertsons executives about missing text messages, according to The Oregonian / Oregon Live.
As the Idaho Statesman and other outlets previously reported, four Albertsons executives, including Sankaran, failed to produce messages that were sought as evidence for the hearing in Nelsons court.
Key points about Albertsons, Kroger and the planned merger
Kroger agreed in 2022 to pay $34.10 per share for Albertsons stock, a price that valued Albertsons at $24.6 billion.
To pass antitrust muster, the companies propose to sell 579 stores under assorted banners to C&S Wholesale Grocers LLC, a little-known New Hampshire company that has operated primarily as a wholesaler so far. The stores include 10 Albertsons supermarkets in Idaho, six of which are in Boise, and one apiece in Meridian and Nampa, the Idaho Statesman reported July 9.
Albertsons is Idahos largest company and a Boise icon. It says it has $79 billion in yearly sales, 285,000 employees nationwide and more than 5,000 employees in Idaho, making it the Gem States fourth-largest employer. Albertsons, started in 1939, has more than 2,200 retail food and drug stores under 24 banners in 34 states, including 37 in its native state, all operating under the Albertsons banner.
Krogers Fred Meyer unit competes directly with Albertsons in the Boise area. Fred Meyer, which has seven stories in the Treasure Valley, says it employs more than 2,000 Idahoans. Kroger employs more than 400,000 people nationwide.
Divesting 10 Idaho stores would reduce Albertsons Idaho footprint to 27 stores, a distribution center in Meridian and whatever Kroger keeps of Albertsons corporate headquarters operation in Boise.
Grocery prices, store choices and jobs are at risk in Albertsons-Kroger megamerger
Food workers union retracts endorsement of Albertsons merger with Kroger. Heres why
Do plastic bags shoppers return to Boise-area stores actually get recycled? What we learned
Albertsons says it plans to divest 10 Idaho stores in merger. Is yours on this list?
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills responds to the final report of the Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston on Sept. 6 at the State House. (Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)
Gov. Janet Mills agreed with the conclusion of the Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston that the Sagadahoc County Sheriffs Office and U.S. Army Reserve failed to take actions that could have changed the course of events leading up to the deadliest mass shooting in the states history.
During a press conference at the State House on Friday, Mills said the Oct. 25 shooting, when army reservist Robert Card III killed 18 people and injured 13 others, was a colossal failure of human judgment by several people, on several occasions, echoing the takeaways of the final report released by the commission on Aug. 20.
Mills pointed to opportunities for the public and the states elected officials to enact change within the two key agencies found at fault in the report.
Upcoming election
Sagadahoc County will elect a sheriff in November. Both candidates running were a part of the office during its reported mishandling in the lead up to the shooting.
Mills named Sgt. Aaron Skolfield during the press conference, reiterating report findings that Skolfield made only limited attempts to contact Card for wellness checks and failed to follow up on leads. Mills did not name incumbent Sheriff Joel Merry, though spoke about the overall offices failings under his leadership.
The commission unanimously concluded the office had probable cause to take Card into protective custody under Maines Extreme Risk Protection Order, otherwise referred to as the yellow flag law, and to initiate a petition to confiscate his firearms but failed to do so.
Mills urged voters to read and consider the commissions findings before casting their vote but declined to take a stance on who she supports for the role, or whether shed be in favor of a write-in alternative.
Im simply asking the voters of Sagadahoc County to do their due diligence, Mills said.
Army reform
Regarding the U.S. Army Reserve, earlier Friday morning Mills sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin urging him to ensure the full and timely implementation of recommendations outlined in a July report from the Army to improve oversight and care of its personnel.
In this letter, Mills also stated that she will support forthcoming legislation being drafted by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, a Republican, and independent Angus King authorizing the military to utilize state crisis prevention programs, such as Maines yellow flag law. Mills also urged Austin to support the legislation.
The 215-page final report is the most comprehensive account of the lead up and aftermath of the Lewiston shooting details for which the commission obtained through 16 public hearings with law enforcement, Cards family, the victims families and others, as well as several private meetings since Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey formally established the seven-member body on Nov. 9.
While Mills said she has full faith in the facts as determined by the commission, she said the report was disturbing and painful to read, highlighting in particular the fact that Cards family repeatedly raised concerns about his declining mental health that authorities failed to act on.
Maine State Police release internal review
Mills also said she supported the primary recommendations outlined in an after-action review released by the Maine State Police Friday morning.
These recommendations include providing additional active-shooter training for sworn personnel to better coordinate responses during mass casualties and developing investigative crime scene protocols, which could include a memorandum of understanding with federal partners.
The search for Card was the largest manhunt in Maine history, which involved the coordination of more than 400 law enforcement officers, 16 tactical teams and several federal agencies a strategy for which the after-action review found numerous areas for improvement.
For example, when it came to tactical teams, self-deployment resulted in an uncontrolled influx of resources that caused safety issues and duplication of work, the review concluded. Therefore, another recommendation is to limit self-deployment when incident command is established and active.
Other recommendations in this review that Mills supports include reviewing protocols for responding to incidents involving people who are deaf, hard of hearing or do not speak English. Four members of Maines deaf community were killed during the October shooting.
Mills said the state police will sit down with her financial officers to determine the funding needed to fully implement these recommendations and promised to approve such funding in the biennial budget next session.
In the final report, the commission also requested the state polices after-action review undergo an independent evaluation. The state police has requested that the New England State Police Administrators Compact conduct that review, according to the Department of Public Safetys public information officer Shannon Moss, though there is not yet a date for when the review is set to be completed.
New laws
Several laws proposed in response to the mass shooting took effect Aug. 9.
Mills highlighted several of these changes on Friday, including a law she proposed, which modifies the states existing yellow flag law by allowing police to get protective custody warrants to use at their discretion to take dangerous people into custody and remove their weapons. The law also expands background checks for advertised sales and incentivizes checks for unadvertised sales.
Another gun reform that took effect in August did so without the governors sign off. The law, which requires a 72-hour-waiting period after certain purchases, passed by a narrow margin, with some legislative Democrats joining all Republicans in opposition. Mills said she was deeply conflicted about the reform but allowed it to become law without her signature.
Also last session, Mills vetoed a proposal that would have changed the definition of machine guns to limit their use and required that firearms used in a crime be destroyed.
The supplemental budget Mills signed in April funded additional public safety measures, such as the establishment of a violence prevention program and more crisis receiving centers throughout the state.
While advocates for mental health applauded the supports included in the budget, they lamented items left out, which largely would have required dedicated funding. While sympathizing with the challenge of securing long-term appropriations, advocates argued that sustainable solutions require ongoing funds.
The budget also provided more funding for Maines yellow flag law, which has seen increased use since the Lewiston shooting. Mills said Friday the law has been used a total of 392 times, 311 of which since last October shooting.
The most ambitious gun reform last session, a proposed red flag law, never made it to a final vote. When asked on Friday whether she would support such a change if taken up next session, Mills said her current focus is ensuring the changes that did pass are robustly funded.
Right now, I just want to fully implement what we have in place, Mills said.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill on Friday that would have allowed some undocumented immigrants to qualify for up to $150,000 in state-backed home loans.
Under the bill, undocumented immigrants, who have been purchasing homes for years, would become eligible for the popular California Dream for All program. The legislation had sparked national controversy over the last few weeks, with critics attacking Californias pro-immigrant policies.
Newsoms veto underscores his mixed record on immigrant rights legislation. While the state has extended Medi-Cal to all undocumented age groups under his administration, he has vetoed bills to provide cash assistance to undocumented seniors and extend unemployment benefits. Last year, he vetoed a bill that would have barred California prisons from sharing information about incarcerated non-citizens with federal officials.
In his veto message, Newsom cited budget constraints and the limited funds available for the program, which ran out earlier this year.
Given the finite funding available for CalHFA programs, expanding program eligibility must be carefully considered within the broader context of the annual state budget to ensure we manage our resources effectively, Newsom said.
The Democrat-supermajority Legislature overwhelmingly passed the measure last month.
The legislation, Assembly Bill 1840, was introduced in February under Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno. He and supporters argued the bill clarified that undocumented immigrants could apply for the home loan program run by the California Housing Finance Agency.
Arambula called Newsoms veto disappointing on Friday.
The veto doesnt change the fact that many people including undocumented immigrants dream of owning a home so that generational wealth can be passed to their children, Arambula said in a statement. They are people who are responsible, work hard, and pay their ample share of taxes.
For decades, lenders have worked with undocumented homebuyers since U.S. laws dont restrict foreigners from buying real estate.
However, Republicans, and even Elon Musk, labeled the legislation unfair.
In a veto request to Newsom, Senate Republicans called it another example in a long litany of taxpayer dollar giveaways by California Democrat politicians that encourage and reward illegal immigration.
We cannot afford this type of reckless spending, said Senate Republican Caucus Chair Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta, in a statement on Friday. I am grateful that the concerns of the people were heard and common sense prevailed.
The home loan program, and its roughly $550 million in loans, has been in high demand since applications opened in 2023. It was created for first-time home buyers and includes several requirements including income thresholds, minimum credit scores and certain debt-to-income ratios.
The program uses a shared appreciation lending model and provides homebuyers with money toward a down payment 20% of the homes purchase price or up to $150,000. Homeowners must repay the loan and a share of the appreciation value whenever it sells again.
New York University Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat answers questions at an event in Grand Rapids organized by Democracy SENTRY and democracyFIRST on Sept. 5, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
Calvin College professor emeritus Doug Koopman sat down with New York University professor and historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat Thursday in Grand Rapids to discuss her studies on fascism and the threat of authoritarianism in the United States.
In their discussion, Koopman and Ben-Ghiat reviewed, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, Ben-Ghiats 2020 book comparing former President Donald Trump to previous authoritarian leaders alongside contemporaries like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Scholars and political activists have repeatedly raised alarms about Trumps authoritarian leanings, with the former President saying he would not abuse his power or seek retribution if granted a second term except for day one. Trump has also praised authoritarian leaders including Putin, Orban and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
I think this discussion tonight is important and timely, and this is a wonderful place to have it. Were already in West Michigan, inundated with the fact that we are a swing state and a swing region or a swing county, Koopman said.
One way for a community to talk about that is to become more divided and have sort of lower-quality conversations. The other way to do this is to come together across differences and have more elevated conversations about things that matter. And I believe this evening is in that tradition of an elevated conversation about things that matter, where there will be disagreement here and there will be disagreement in the room, but we do that well with grace and with civility, Koopman said.
In writing the book, Ben-Ghiat said she felt it was time to look back on 100 years of authoritarianism and the damage it has caused.
I chose to do a book about right-wing authoritarians, not because Im like a commie, and I think that, you know, we shouldnt talk about [USSR leader Joseph] Stalin, but because I did not see a book that that talked about fascism and then talked about what happens to fascist ideologies and all that culture after fascism is gone, Ben-Ghiat said.
Once these guys come in, its very difficult to get rid of them, Ben-Ghiat said, in reference to fascist leaders like Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and Spanish Caudillo Francisco Franco.
She also pointed to the revival of fascism in Italy under Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
I was living in Italy, and part of the time he was there, and I saw how fascism got reawakened. . Before he came in, people would say, Oh, your Italian is so good. And theyd say, What are you studying? and I would say, fascism. And then people would be embarrassed, Ben-Ghiat said.
After Berlusconi brought in fascists and governed with them and normalized them, people would say stuff like, [Benito] Mussolini did great things, the only people who suffered were subversives and the Jews, she said.
In addition to drawing from her experiences in Italy, Ben-Ghiat said she also wrote the book from her own concerns as an American, as she saw similar dynamics of extremism popping up in the states including the normalization of dangerous political beliefs and personality cults forming around certain political figures.
Ben-Ghiat noted she is not a U.S. historian but instead looks at the United States through the lens of foreign experiences.
In the past, the fact that we were a bipartisan system was supposed to be all good. Were so stable all these other countries like Italy theyre constantly, you know, governments are falling. Were better, Ben-Ghiat said.
(I)f you only have two giant parties and one of them undergoes a transformation in which many of the leadership no longer seems to believe in democracy anymore and wont accept election results, and there's been a leader cult and certain authoritarian directions can take hold. If you only have two parties, it's an enormous problem.
New York University professor and historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat
But if you only have two giant parties and one of them undergoes a transformation in which many of the leadership no longer seems to believe in democracy anymore and wont accept election results, and theres been a leader cult and certain authoritarian directions can take hold. If you only have two parties, its an enormous problem, Ben-Ghiat said.
Ben-Ghiat noted that she has Republican friends who no longer feel they have a home with the party after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. capitol, in which a mob of Trump supporters sought to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election, which Trump lost to President Joe Biden.
When looking at the conditions that allow authoritarian leaders to appeal to the people, Ben-Ghiat pointed to perceptions of rapid change within society, such as workers rights, racial equity or gender equity, where people feel their authority is threatened.
In the Euro-American context, thats been white men and also sometimes white women, but it plays out all over the world like this, Ben-Ghiat said.
When these conditions are present, figures reading the marketplace, including those coming from outsider politics like Trump, can make themselves into a vessel of what is wanted in the culture, Ben-Ghiat said.
These figures are able to appeal to a broad base because theyre charismatic and lack morals, Ben-Ghiat said.
Theyll say what you want to hear in the morning, and then they say what you want to hear totally opposite in the afternoon, she said.
You have people who have, in theory, nothing in common housewives, gangsters, just like the most eclectic people and they all praise the leader, because he manages to appeal to all of them in a different way. And that is a true talent. These guys theyre incredibly successful communicators, Ben-Ghiat said, pointing to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis Instagram account as an example.
Additionally, social media has souped up propaganda for these leaders, as propaganda thrives not only on repetition, but in delivering these messages with tiny variations to appeal to different constituencies, which social media allows leaders to do more effectively, Ben-Ghiat said.
You can tell if a political party is becoming authoritarian if dissent is no longer allowed, and pluralistic viewpoints are no longer welcome, Ben-Ghiat said.
The most effective propagandists teach people to make associations between certain groups and certain qualities, Ben-Ghiat said, pointing to Nazi Germany.
Most Germans didnt know any Jews, and Jews then became instantly associated with race polluters, you know, thieves, criminals, and that was so successful that it got buy-in for persecution, Ben-Ghiat said.
When propaganda is effective, it teaches people to see the world differently and lasts a long time, she said.
Many of you may have relatives I do who you cant talk to graciously now. . I call it the disinformation tunnel, Ben-Ghiat said.
She later discussed how her mother, who lives in England, was radicalized by the Russian state-controlled news network Russia Today (RT) during the pandemic.
She became like a Putin fan. And so at first she would rant about immigrants, and yes, I hung up on her sometimes. Thats not what youre supposed to do, Ben-Ghiat said.
You have to persevere and have these conversations. . Theyre not fun, not easy, but if you pass them off, then they just go further into their other world, Ben-Ghiat said.
Speaking with the Advance after the Q&A, Ben-Ghiat pointed to the success of discussions about patriotism drawing from big abstract categories in countering messages pushed by fascist figures.
Each person will have their way in. It could be faith, it could be the military, but you have to, you have to find that way in, Ben-Ghiat said.
What you cant do is tell them theyre wrong and criticize them, because then they just get more defensive, Ben-Ghiat said.
Many of you may have relatives I do who you can't talk to graciously now. . I call it the disinformation tunnel.
New York University professor and historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat
While looking to elections, the authoritarian playbook there is an extension of a wider strategy, where figures seeking to damage democracy begin by discrediting institutions, with elections being just one of those institutions, Ben-Ghiat said.
Authoritarian figures begin by undermining the nations judiciary system, building up to something called autocratic capture, where authoritarian leaders take control of those institutions by intimidating or forcing out those who are not loyal, Ben-Ghiat said.
The reason the judiciary is important for elections is, Ill give you an example from our country. In 2020, over 60 judges, many of them appointed by Trump, turned back the claims of false or rigged or improper elections. Had autocratic capture advanced, those judges wouldnt have been there anymore, Ben-Ghiat said.
As authoritarian leaders deride and push propaganda around elections, people will begin to question and lose faith in the system and ultimately not vote, Ben-Ghiat said.
A lot of these people dont want you to vote. They want you to just stay home, be quiet, not make trouble, and people live in sadness for years that way, Ben-Ghiat said.
While discussing Trumps efforts to paint the criminal cases against him as politically motivated, Ben-Ghiat pointed to the former presidents efforts to politicize the charges. In May, Trump was convicted of 34 felonies in a New York hush money trial tied to the 2016 election and he faces dozens of charges in other cases.
A lot of these people don't want you to vote. They want you to just stay home, be quiet, not make trouble, and people live in sadness for years that way.
New York University professor and historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Theyre not discrediting all justice, theyre discrediting justice that might harm them, right? And theyre making nonpartisan things seem partisan, because its targeting them. Its part of Trumps personalization of politics, everythings about him, Ben-Ghiat told the Advance.
And its not just Trump pushing back against a democratic notion of justice, but his enablers as well, she said.
Ben-Ghiat also stressed the importance of hope in combating the threat of authoritarianism, pointing to the surge in morale among Democrats following President Joe Bidens decision to suspend his reelection campaign and the launch of Vice President Kamala Harriss presidential campaign.
Things can change, and what we all say in this line of work is things change slowly and then suddenly, Ben-Ghiat said.
We have to have hope, because that allows us to think that change is possible and that we can have a hand in that change.
The Supreme Court in granting him immunity, that is not a democratic notion of justice. You have to take away impartiality, accountability, Ben-Ghiat said.
You discredit that and that helps you get into power. And then you build your own system that is not democratic justice, She said, noting that authoritarianism begins with a leader who is untouchable.
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FILE PHOTO: The Parthenon temple is seen atop the Acropolis, in Athens
By Lefteris Papadimas and Renee Maltezou
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to unveil plans on Saturday to increase pensions, reduce social security contributions and improve public services in an effort to win back voters angered by a lingering cost of living crisis.
In his annual speech on the economy, Mitsotakis will focus on boosting purchasing power and increasing funding for education and healthcare, three government sources told Reuters, as he paints a picture of a country emerging from a decade-long debt crisis.
He is also expected to unveil measures to increase housing and halt a tumbling birthrate, which would be financed through the reduction of funds for unemployment benefits.
The government plans to spend 3 billion euros on the measures in 2025 alone, amounting to about 1.5% of GDP, a second government official said.
"The PM will highlight the government's ... determination to further increase public investment and efficiency in the public sector, particularly in areas of high societal and long-term economic significance such as health, education, security and civil protection," a senior government official said.
The prime minister is trying to balance appeasing voters and maintaining fiscal prudence. Greece has achieved higher than targeted primary surpluses the last few yeas, making space for additional spending without endangering its economic health.
The country is still recovering from a 2009-2018 debt crisis that wiped out nearly a fourth of its economic output and saw it nearly fall out of the eurozone. Years of austerity imposed by international lenders reduced wages and pensions.
While Greece has staged a steady recovery - the government has raised the minimum wage and increased pensions - many ordinary citizens still feel the pinch.
Unemployment is near 10%, the second highest in the EU, and GDP per capita in purchasing power is among the lowest in the bloc, just as food and energy prices have risen. The impacts of climate change, including devastating wildfires and floods, have also squeezed public finances.
Mitsotakis' centre-right New Democracy party, re-elected in 2023 on pledges to increase wages, has seen a drop in popularity, reflected in a loss in seats in European parliamentary elections this year.
"The PM will confirm the government's strong commitment to fiscal prudence," the official added. "Greece will build upon its significant economic progress over the past five years."
(Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Edward McAllister and Philippa Fletcher)
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) On Thursdays, Officers with the Greenville Police Department had an unexpected surprise.
Officer Montondo with GPD spotted a kitten that had decided to make itself at home in the undercarriage of the patrol car. Animal Protective Services Officer Maya Ormond came to the scene and rescued the kitten.
According to their post on Facebook, the feline did not make things easy, but it is safe now.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.
Greg Gutfeld Says Hunter Biden Cant Blame Drug Addiction for His Guilty Plea: Plenty of Successful People Pay Their Taxes on Crack | Video
The Five cohost Greg Gutfeld quipped on Thursday that Hunter Biden, who pleaded guilty to all nine charges in his tax evasion case, cant blame his drug addiction for his circumstances because plenty of successful people pay their taxes on crack.
President Joe Bidens 54-year-old son pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles courtroom to one count of felony tax evasion, two counts of felony filing fraudulent tax returns, four misdemeanor counts of failing to pay taxes and two misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns.
He had originally offered an Alford plea, which is similar to a no contest plea, in which he accepts the guilty sentence without admitting to actually being guilty.
Heres how I look at the Alford plea, Gutfeld continued. Essentially, its kind of pleading guilty while maintaining your innocence. I call it the I know what it looks like defense. You know, this is what cheaters do. Yeah, theres lipstick on my collar. My boxers are missing. The bras on the floor. Theres a girl under the bed. I know what it looks like, but its a raccoon. A raccoon got into the house.'
No wonder Hunters wife wasnt in the courtroom, because she heard it all before. Essentially, when you say youre innocent while you plead guilty, Hunter wants it both ways which was on his client profile at the whorehouse, he added with a laugh.
Gutfeld went on to speculate about the case, saying, Im so curious about the money, like, where did the income come from? Why didnt he pay taxes? Hes the smartest guy that Joe ever knew. Did you think he didnt want to pay the taxes because he wasnt supposed to declare the money?
The Fox News show also included two clips of Joe saying he would not use his presidential powers to pardon his son if he were convicted. I abide by the jury decision. I will do that, and I will not pardon him, the president said on video.
Jeanine Pirro then chimed in to note, This trial could not have gone forward if Joe were running for President.
Sentencing will take place after the presidential election on Dec. 16.
The post Greg Gutfeld Says Hunter Biden Cant Blame Drug Addiction for His Guilty Plea: Plenty of Successful People Pay Their Taxes on Crack | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
A newlywed Michigan couple were arrested after a groomsman was struck by an SUV and killed just hours after their wedding, the Flint Police Department announced Wednesday.
James Shirah, 22, was allegedly behind the wheel of the SUV that on Aug. 30 struck and killed 29-year-old groomsman Terry Lewis Taylor Jr., who was on foot. Earlier that day, Shirah and Savanah Collier, 21, had gotten married. Shirah was charged with second-degree murder and is being held without bond, according to the release. Collier was charged with being an accessory after the fact to a felony.
Police said Taylor was hit by the SUV at high speed at about 8 p.m., leaving him with severe injuries. After authorities arrived, he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to police, Taylor had been involved in an argument with someone after the wedding. Shriah is accused of intentionally hitting him with the SUV.
Terry Lewis Taylor Jr., 29, was hit and killed by an SUV in Flint, Michigan, on the evening of Aug. 30. GoFundMe
Nikki Robinson, Taylors fiancee, described him as an amazing person in a fundraiser launched to offset funeral costs. She said Taylor leaves behind three children, and that she is also pregnant.
This was completely unexpected and [a lot] of lives are effected by this loss, Robinson wrote.
HuffPost reached out to the attorneys who are listed as representing Shirah and Collier, but did not immediately receive a response. Shirah and Collier are both scheduled to appear in court for a probable cause conference on Sep. 12.
Related...
The welcome screen for the OpenAI ChatGPT app is displayed on a laptop screen in a photo illustration (Leon Neal/Getty Images).
As the use of artificial intelligence grows, so does the technology required to store its data and the energy that infrastructure consumes.
At a recent forum about securing Missouris energy future, lawmakers, regulators, lobbyists and advocates discussed the challenge of powering new data centers.
A data center is a physical location that houses internet servers. Large tech companies are making plans to build them across the country. AI data centers use significantly more energy than current data facilities.
Were in (a) precarious position, said Geoff Marke, chief economist with the Missouri Office of Public Counsel. We dont have enough generation to meet our load before we start talking about AI data centers coming online.
Marke and the other energy experts gathered in Jefferson City expressed concern about resource adequacy whether the state makes enough energy for its own use.
Historically, at a real macro level we get most of our energy out of state, Marke said. Then we use more energy than we produce in state.
The energy industry is experiencing seismic change. Coal plants are retiring and renewable generation is coming online. However, its reliance on the sun and wind tend to make it less consistent.
Additionally, increasingly severe weather has negative effects on the grid, which is especially detrimental to a state like Missouri that depends on interstate transmission lines to deliver power. The growing popularity of electric vehicles and increased economic development are also contributing to more energy demand.
As more solar and wind come online and as more coal goes offline, its getting cleaner and its getting healthier, but its coming at the risk of reliability and being able to maintain enough power to meet demand, Marke said.
At the same time, tech giants are shopping around for places to build AI data centers. Marke says theyre likely looking for states with sufficient energy generation and tax incentives. Unlike households or businesses that use power at certain times, the energy consumption of data centers is relatively constant.
Their biggest cost driver is going to be energy, he said.
Boston Consulting Group analysis shows that data center electricity consumption is expected to triple by 2030 to 7.5% of total U.S. energy consumption, comparable to the power needs of 40 million households.
In March, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Google will build a new data center in the Kansas City area.
Energy experts anticipate more are coming, and theyre worried it will compound Missouris energy shortfall. At the Jefferson City conference, one energy representative said the supply and demand issue surpassed cyber security as the industrys number one risk.
All of a sudden this historic amount of potential generation (is) coming online and we dont have, necessarily, the generation to meet it, Marke said. Thats really just a game changer.
What if AI data centers didnt have to use so much power? Thats the question University of Missouri engineering professor Chanwoo Park is trying to answer. Park received a $1.6 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to research how to reduce the energy load of data centers.
Roughly half of the energy consumption in a data center (is) actually used by (the) cooling system, Park said.
According to MU, the U.S. Department of Energy allocated more than $40 million to research ways to cool data centers. Parks work is funded through the initiative known as COOLERCHIPS.
Park has been researching and developing cooling systems for digital technology since the early 2000s when he finished his Ph.D. and internet activity took off. He said were now in an AI boom, and the air conditioning that cools current data centers wont be able to keep up.
The air cooling basically can handle so much heat but this heat will be easily exceeded by AI computer(s), probably by 10 times more, he said. So automatically, this air cooling is not an option at all.
Park is developing a technology that cools computer chips using two phase heat transfer, using both vapor and liquid. He anticipates the method could be in use in the coming decade.
Meanwhile, others are keeping a close watch on how building new power plants to serve AI data centers will impact other electricity consuming Missourians. John Coffman with the Consumers Council of Missouri worries about the longevity of AI and the data centers it requires.
Its the risk that they go out of business and then were all definitely picking up the tab for the energy that was built or required for that customer, Coffman said.
In the spring, the Missouri General Assembly considered but did not pass a number of policies concerning how the state should manage the forthcoming data centers. Coffman expects the topic to return to the Capitol next year.
I think its important when youre looking at adding these types of projects to the system that you provide consumer protections to protect the rest of us from having to bail out a project, he said.
Marke with the Missouri Office of Public Counsel said its likely AI and its power hungry data centers are here to stay. But when it comes to internet technology, a lot is uncertain.
Im old enough to remember AOL and Yahoo, he said. Can I safely say that Facebook is going to be around in 20 years?
This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online.
Gun deaths to children, teens up in almost all states
A police officer talks with a woman near the scene of a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., earlier this week. A new report finds the number of children who lose their lives to injury and gun violence has risen in almost all states since 2018. File Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE
Sept. 6, 2024 As news of yet another senseless school shooting makes headlines, a new report finds the number of children who lose their lives to injury and gun violence has risen in almost all states since 2018.
Rates of deaths caused by injuries overall have also risen, with firearms being the leading cause of those injuries in many states, report a team led by Eugenio Weigend Vargas. He's a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan's Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention.
According to the researchers, data released earlier this year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that "child and adolescent [aged 1-19 years] mortality increased 18.8% from 2018 to 2022, more than twice the increase in 2013 to 2017."
Much of that rise was "driven by a 22.8% increase in injury-related deaths, particularly firearms and overdoses," Vargas' team noted.
In July, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory to the nation, calling firearm violence a "public health crisis." He pointed especially to a sharp uptick in firearm-related deaths to children.
In the new study, the Michigan team drilled down further into the CDC data. They found that 90% of states experienced an increase in child and adolescent injury deaths between 2018 and 2022.
In 2022, injuries linked to guns overtook motor vehicle deaths as the leading cause of deaths among Americans ages 1 to 19, the team found.
Firearms were the leading cause of death for kids in 25 states by 2022.
While deaths to children under the age of 10 did rise, the majority of the increase in injury-related deaths occurred among adolescents and teens ages 10 to 19.
Boys were almost twice as likely to die as girls (35.2 deaths vs 19.3 deaths per 100,000, respectively). That was especially true for gun-related deaths, with 85.6% of those victims being boys.
Only six states experienced a decline in child deaths from any cause, and in only three of those states was the decline more than 10%.
Rhode Island fared best, charting a 20% drop in such deaths between 2018 and 2022, the researchers said. Rates in Michigan, Delaware, South Dakota, Idaho and New Hampshire either remained stable or experienced slight declines.
In contrast, North Dakota and Wyoming showed the greatest increases -- about a 65% rise in deaths to kids over those four years. Vermont, North Carolina and Hawaii also saw a rise in child deaths of about 50%, 44% and 40%, respectively.
The new study was published Sept. 3 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
"This study shows that firearm-related deaths among children and adolescents continues to be a critical and geographically diverse issue in the United States," Vargas said in a University of Michigan news release. "These injuries are preventable and by identifying the high priority areas, we can better tailor evidence-based strategies, solutions and policies to save lives."
More information
There are safety tips on keeping children away from firearms at the American Academy of Pediatrics.
SOURCES: University of Michigan, news release, Sept. 4, 2024; JAMA Pediatrics, Sept. 3, 2024
Copyright 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
By Sheila Dang, Akash Sriram, Joey Roulette and Nora Eckert
(Reuters) - Billionaire Elon Musk will head a government efficiency commission with a vast remit if Donald Trump is elected U.S. president, potentially putting him in position to change the rules for corporate America, including the wide swath of industries in which his companies compete.
Trump on Thursday announced the plan, including Musk's role, and said he wanted to see recommendations for "drastic reforms," starting with hunting down fraud and improper payments, that would target "the entire federal government." The commission would put Musk, who leads rocket company SpaceX, electric carmaker Tesla, technology companies X and xAI and several others, a chance to plan the slimmer government Republicans often advocate, but could see him making rules that directly affect his own work and wealth.
Musk repeatedly suggested creating a government efficiency commission in a public conversation with Trump on social media platform X in August, saying that government spending should be trimmed to a sensible level and that Musk himself was willing to help. Trump in the conversation responded that Musk was "the greatest cutter" of jobs.
Presidential commissions have been created on a number of topics, such as when President Joe Biden created one to examine the idea of reforming the Supreme Court, said Nikolas Guggenberger, an assistant professor of law at University of Houston Law Center, whose work focuses on antitrust, law and technology. But Musk's significant relationships with the U.S. government, worth billions of dollars, make it a different matter.
"He has a large company that sells electric vehicles, he has a large company that sells satellites, he has a social media platform. In all those areas, you can imagine advice being tainted by the fact that he has strong economic interests," Guggenberger said.
To be sure, Trump gave few details of how the commission would work but described it as carrying out audits and making recommendations, which has been tried before. "There's already been many, many audits done and recommendations made for efficiency," said Cristina Chaplain, a former director at the Government Accountability Office. Moreover, changing laws and rules is complicated. While business people could bring a fresh perspective, she added, "that often clashes with reality of government operations, and laws and regulations that affect them."
Musk has chafed for years at what he sees as government inefficiency, and his own corporations are heavily regulated: SpaceX must obtain signoffs for rocket launches and new technology; auto regulators are scrutinizing the safety of Tesla's self-driving technology; and health agencies must approve much of the work done by his brain technology implant startup Neuralink.
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Some investors would welcome his influence in Washington.
"Musk cleaned house at Twitter. He'd cut the fat out of government spending as well," said Triple D Trading analyst Dennis Dick, who has a long position in Tesla, referring to Musk's huge job cuts when he took over the social media firm.
Musk's view of efficiency in the space sector and elsewhere could spark action that hurts rivals, some space industry experts said. That could mean viewing government efforts to sustain multiple vendors of rockets as wasteful, for instance.
"There's a lot of people who are nervous about Musk, just because of the policies he promotes and the statements he makes and the fights he gets into with governments," said Tim Farrar, a satellite industry analyst.
Investors frequently ask whether Musk is doing too much. "Hes going to spread himself thinner and try to make the government efficient, as well as running an electric car company, a space company, the Boring company and Twitter? Something would have to give, said Sam Fiorani, vice president at research firm AutoForecast Solutions.
"You cant imagine Elon Musk would volunteer to work for a president who was planning on dismantling his business, said Fiorani, adding the EV market could benefit overall.
Musk did not respond to a request for comment but wrote on X of the efficiency commission, "This is badly needed."
Tom Schatz, president of the watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste, which grew out of a commission under President Ronald Reagan, said there was precedent for vast savings. Moreover, bringing in more executives would spread the responsibility.
"With the right team working on this full-time, the chairman of these task forces is not the one who works every minute of every day on it," he said. "With someone of Elon Musk's stature, that would help bring in other CEOs, other independent, non-governmental people to come in and examine the operations of the federal government."
(Reporting by Sheila Dang in Dallas, Akash Sriram in Bengaluru, Joey Roulette in Washington and Nora Eckert in Detroit; Additonal reporting by Abhrirup Roy in San Francisco and Ben Klayman in Detroit; writing by Peter Henderson; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
At least one person was rushed to the hospital after a shooting on a Southern California freeway Thursday afternoon, authorities confirmed to KTLA.
Officers with the California Highway Patrol responded to reports of the shooting on the eastbound 91 Freeway in Riverside just after 5:30 p.m., quickly followed by medical personnel with the Riverside Fire Department.
At the scene, authorities located a vehicle with two of its windows shot and a bullet hole through the back passenger door, according to reporting from OnScene.TV, a news video service.
The outlet also reported that one person was injured and taken to the hospital, though CHP officials told KTLA that its unclear if the person was suffering from a gunshot wound or another injury.
CHP officers on the scene of a shooting on the 91 Freeway in Riverside on Sept. 5, 2024. (OnScene.TV)
A dark colored four-door sedan seen with bullet holes after a shooting on the 91 Freeway in Riverside on Sept. 5, 2024. (OnScene.TV)
A dark colored four-door sedan seen with bullet holes after a shooting on the 91 Freeway in Riverside on Sept. 5, 2024. (OnScene.TV)
A dark colored four-door sedan seen with bullet holes after a shooting on the 91 Freeway in Riverside on Sept. 5, 2024. (OnScene.TV)
A dark colored four-door sedan seen with bullet holes after a shooting on the 91 Freeway in Riverside on Sept. 5, 2024. (OnScene.TV)
CHP officers on the scene of a shooting on the 91 Freeway in Riverside on Sept. 5, 2024. (OnScene.TV)
CHP officers on the scene of a shooting on the 91 Freeway in Riverside on Sept. 5, 2024. (OnScene.TV)
In a video of the shooting aftermath obtained by KTLA, bullet holes are clearly seen in the dark four-door sedans rear windshield and rear passenger side window.
Officers with the CHP were also seen scouring the eastbound lanes of the 91 Freeway for evidence of the shooting.
Barber charged in horrific, fatal beating of boy, 6, in Southern California
A SigAlert was issued on the eastbound 91 between Arlington Avenue to Spruce Street while officers conducted their investigation.
All lanes of traffic have since been reopened.
Authorities did not provide any information or description of the suspected shooters vehicle.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Gunman kills man in the Bronx with point-blank shot to the head
A Bronx man died after a gunman walked up to him and shot him in the head at point-blank range, according to police sources.
Mario Guerrero, 26, was across the street from his Belmont Ave. apartment building near E. 176th St. in East Tremont when the gunman approached him and opened fire around 5 p.m., family and police sources told the Daily News.
Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene, cops said.
The victims uncle told the Daily News his nephew was feuding with a local man over a girl, and believes the quarrel led to his murder.
It started a couple of weeks ago, said the victims 68-year-old uncle, who gave his name as Blanco Q. A bunch of guys had an argument with him in the barbershop. After that, they were after him.
Mario was a good kid, the uncle added.
The victims sister described her brother as a self-assured math wiz who worked as a delivery driver and liked to keep his own company.
He was a very gifted mathematician, but he kept very much to himself, said 28-year-old Amada Guerrero. He was very comfortable with who he was.
The grieving sister told the Daily News she and her brother recently lost their mother to cancer, making his sudden and tragic end all the more devastating.
My brother and I lost our mother to cancer, so it was just him and me, the victims sister told the News through tears. Now I am alone.
The victims sister said shell miss her brothers peaceful nature and prays that hes found peace with their mother.
Im going to miss his calm, loving nature, Amada Guerrero said. He was beautiful.
Our family loved him dearly, and were going to miss him forever. I hope hes happy somewhere with our mom.
The victims body was spotted at the scene beneath a white sheet soaked in blood beside two backpacks.
The shooter had braided hair, black clothes and a black bookbag, and fled on foot, according to sources.
No arrests have been made.
Colin Gray never pulled a trigger at Apalachee High School where a mass shooting this week left two 14-year-old students and two math teachers dead but he could still spend the rest of his life behind bars for murder.
The 54-year-old father appeared in a Georgia courtroom Friday morning on second-degree murder charges that stem from allegations his 14-year-old son carried out the attack and later told investigators, I did it.
The father, prosecutors allege, was the gun supplier. Gray bought his son an AR 15-style rifle as a holiday gift in December 2023 with knowledge he was a threat to himself and others, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by CNN. Then, the boy used that same gun, police allege, to kill his classmates and the two teachers and injure nine others. Like those before it, the shooting left a much wider swath of trauma that District Attorney Brad Smith referred to Friday.
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You dont have to have been physically injured in this to be a victim, Smith said outside the Barrow County courthouse. Everyone in this community is a victim. Every child in that school was a victim.
Related
A History of Holding Parents Responsible for Their Kids Crimes
The charges fall in line with a law enforcement strategy thats emerged in the last year to thwart a record number of mass school shootings, which federal data show are most often carried out by aggrieved students with guns obtained either as a gift or without permission from close family members.
Prosecutors have turned their focus to the killers parents.
Just months ago, in early April, Michigan parents Jennifer and James Crumbley were each given decade-long prison sentences in first-of-their-kind convictions: They were held directly accountable for a school shooting that was carried out by their 15-year-old son in 2021 that killed four students.
In both cases, according to prosecutors, parents gave gifts to their kids that were later used to commit mass murder despite knowing that their children were on the brink of acting violently. Still, legal experts said the Crumbley prosecution which Georgia officials have set the groundwork to replicate reverses a bedrock legal principle that people cannot be held liable for the actions of others.
Burrow County district attorney Brad Smith speaks to the press Friday outside the Barrow County Courthouse after the 14-year-old Apalachee High School shooting suspect appeared for a bond hearing. (Adam Hagy/Getty Images)
Look, I thought this case could go either way and still when the result came out I was a bit stunned because its such a deep legal principle, Ekow Yankah, a University of Michigan law professor, told The 74 in February after Jennifer Crumbleys landmark conviction.
Maybe this kind of case will have an effect, he said. Maybe parents will be more attentive.
In Michigan, the shooter who was sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty was gifted a 9-millimeter pistol for Christmas that he later celebrated online as my new beauty. In Georgia, the timeline that Gray allegedly gave to prosecutors puts his gift weapon purchase just months after investigators questioned the father and son about reported online threats of a school shooting.
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Last year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation received reports that the then-13-year-old posted on the social media site Discord a threat to shoot up a middle school. Local police investigated the tip but failed to link the Discord comments to the teen, even though the account traced back to the boys email address. The boy denied making the threats and claimed he deleted the account because it kept getting hacked. Written in Russian, the profile name on the account translated to the last name of the shooter behind the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
The New York Times reported this week that police searching the teens room found evidence of his interest in previous mass school shootings, particularly the 2018 killings in Parkland, Florida.
Meanwhile, Colin Gray acknowledged to police he had hunting rifles at home but that his son did not have unfettered access to them.
Police officers attend a press conference outside of Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, after four people were killed in a shooting on the campus on Sept. 4. (Christian Monterrosa/Getty Images)
Charges filed against Gray include four counts of involuntary manslaughter, eight counts of cruelty to children and two counts of murder in the second degree. His son, whose age makes him ineligible for the death penalty, will be tried as an adult, prosecutors said, and faces life in prison on four counts of murder. Lawyers for the father and son did not seek bail and the two remained in custody Friday.
Though the Crumbley case in Michigan presented a novel conviction, it wasnt the first time a parent has been held legally responsible for crimes committed by their children including in helping their child secure a firearm later used in a mass shooting. Last year, an Illinois father pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless conduct on charges stemming from a shooting that his son carried out in 2022 at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago. That case centered on how his son, who was 19 at the time, obtained a gun license.
In Texas, meanwhile, survivors of the 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School failed last month to hold the gunmans parents accountable for the carnage. In a civil case filed by survivors and victims family members, a jury found Antonios Pagourtzis and Rose Marie Kosmetatos were not liable of negligence after being accused of failing to secure their guns at home and ignoring violent warning signs before their 17-year-old son opened fire at his high school and killed eight students and two teachers.
Outside of courtrooms, other firearm measures passed at the state level in recent years have sought to tackle parents role in mass casualty events carried out by their offspring. More than half of states now have laws requiring gun owners to keep their weapons locked up or that penalize them if a child gains access.
Georgia lacks both secure storage and child-access laws, according to an Everytown for Gun Safety tally. A new state law, however, seeks to incentivize parental responsibility.
Effective July 1, the new law extends a tax break to gun owners who purchase firearm safety devices like gun safes and trigger locks. A similar incentive was rolled out in Virginia in 2023, providing a tax break of up to $300. In its first year, nearly 2,000 people accepted the deal.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) Jennifer Y. Pierce, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.O.G., from USA Health joined WKRG on The Doctor is In to discuss why it is important for women to schedule an exam with their gynecologist.
ONLY ON NEWS 5: Gulf Shores High School football player battling cancer
Dr. Pierce answers the following questions in the video above:
Why is it important to schedule a gynecologist exam?
What types of research is being done for gynecologic cancers?
What benefits do research and academic centers have for patients?
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Many are questioning what led to Rich Homie Quan being found dead at the age of 33. The Atlanta rappers untimely death has prompted numerous tributes and underscored his significant influence on the trap music scene.
Heres an overview of Rich Homie Quans legacy, the circumstances surrounding his death, and his influence on hip-hop culture.
Rich Homie Quan passes away at 33, claims report
The Fulton County Medical Examiners Office reported that Atlanta-based rapper Rich Homie Quan, born Dequantes Devontay Lamar, was found dead at 33 (via NBC News).
Quan passed away on Thursday at Grady Memorial Hospital. The autopsy on Friday will determine the cause of death, which remains undisclosed. Quans death has shocked the music community, prompting an outpouring of tributes from fans and fellow artists.
Rich Homie Quan emerged as a key figure in Atlantas trap scene with his 2013 hit Type of Way. The song became a cultural staple and even served as a celebratory anthem for Michigan States 2014 Rose Bowl victory. Known for his unique melodic style, Quan quickly gained prominence in hip-hop. He collaborated with major artists like Young Thug and Birdman.
His work with the group Rich Gang, including the 2014 hit Lifestyle, helped define a new sound in rap. This success propelled both his and Young Thugs careers into the mainstream. In 2015, Quan released Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh). The song topped the charts and became a cultural phenomenon with its dance. It also inspired the viral Hit the Quan trend on social media.
Rich Homie Quans influence in hip-hop grew through collaborations with major artists like 2 Chainz, Gucci Mane, and Young Thug, alongside his solo success. Nick Cannons Wild N Out Live tour had planned to feature Quan, highlighting his ongoing influence in the music world.
His passing led to tributes from artists such as Meek Mill and 2 Chainz, who celebrated his role as a trailblazer in trap music and a prominent figure in Atlantas rap community.
The post What Happened to Rich Homie Quan? Atlanta Rapper Passes Away appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
(Bloomberg) -- Vice President Kamala Harris raised $361 million in August, highlighting how her ascent to the top of the Democratic ticket has energized the partys donors and base and upended the race with Republican Donald Trump.
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Harris has raised $615 million since President Joe Biden announced he would stand aside on July 21. Her haul includes money raised for her campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state parties. The Democratic presidential nominee had $404 million in the bank at the start of September, topping the $295 million that Trump reported for that time period.
Harris raised almost three times the $130 million that Trump did in August. Both campaigns are required to file monthly fundraising data with the Federal Election Commission by Sept. 20.
The flood of money for Harris highlights how her candidacy has galvanized Democrats, fueling a surge in polling numbers and in fundraising.
This is the most successful grassroots fundraising month in presidential election history, said campaign co-chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, who added that 95% of the contributions came from donors giving less than $200.
Deep-Pocketed Donors
He also pointed out enthusiasm among deep-pocketed donors. What we have seen is a real acceleration around Silicon Valley, Wall Street and big business, Katzenberg said. While the Democratic nominee strongly supports working class voters and unions, she also wants American businesses to be competitive, he added.
Harris proposal to raise revenues by placing a tax on unrealized capital gains a key issue for investors and venture capitalists hasnt dampened support for her among wealthier contributors, Katzenberg said.
Its certainly an issue of conversation but it has not dissuaded donors, he said.
Some in the business community are urging caution. If you tax unrealized gains, you are going to kill the stock market, Mark Cuban, a billionaire who has praised Harris, told CNBCs Squawk Box, adding that he doesnt believe Harris would follow through with a such a move.
Daniella Ballou-Aares, who leads the left-of-center business group Leadership Now Project, says executives wont agree with every aspect of Harris economic policy, but her coalition believes she would offer more consistency for the private sector than Trump, especially in terms of national security and election integrity.
She has so far signaled a recognition of how important a dynamic business environment is to our economy, Ballou-Aares, whose organization is endorsing Harris, said in an interview. Business is more diverse than it was in terms of race and gender. It just looks more like the country than historically.
Earlier: Harris Had More Donors in 11 Days Than Biden Did Over Entire Run
More than 60% of the campaigns August donors were women, the campaign said in a statement, while one-fifth were either registered Republicans or independents. Nearly 3 million people gave, including 1.3 million making their first donation in the 2024 election cycle, according to the campaign.
Campaign Spending
The Trump campaign and its surrogates have downplayed the significance of Harris fundraising prowess, saying they long expected Democrats to outraise them and that they will still have enough cash to run an effective operation.
Still, Harris ability to pull in large sums is a worrisome development for Trump, who briefly took the lead in the money race at the end of the second quarter only to fall behind again, as the candidates enter the stretch from Labor Day to Election Day often the most frenetic and expensive in a presidential race.
Harris emergence forced the former president to change strategy, abandoning his spending restraint to pour money into advertising in an attempt to define his new general election opponent and drive up her negatives. His campaign spent $64.5 million on paid media in August, according to AdImpact, up from $2.6 million in July. Trumps campaign spent $32 million more than it raised that month.
Earlier: Trump Campaign Spent $32 Million More Than It Raised in August
Harris campaign has spent heavily on media and resources to get out the vote in November. It has more than 312 offices in battleground states, staffed by more than 2,000 people. Volunteers made 900,000 calls and knocked on 150,000 doors on a recent weekend, contacting more than 1 million voters, according to the campaign, which has reserved $370 million in paid media between Labor Day and Election Day.
The Democratic nominee has gained ground in polls, erasing Trumps national lead in many surveys and taking the lead in key battleground states. A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll from Aug. 23-27 found her leading 49% to 47% among registered voters across seven swing states.
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Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrive to a campaign event on August 18, 2024 in Pittsburgh. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Vice President Kamala Harris presidential campaign is launching a voter mobilization drive across Pennsylvania this weekend, with Election Day now just 60 days out and the first presidential debate Tuesday in Philadelphia.
The campaign will host some 500 events including canvass launches, phone banks, trainings, and community events, with some national Democrats visiting the state to assist. The push will include a focus on Project 2025, which Democrats have linked to GOP nominee, former President Donald Trump, who has tried to distance himself from the conservative policy agenda. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) met with Delaware County voters on Friday to kick off the weekend events, in Pennsylvania, and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will be in Allentown on Saturday and Norristown on Sunday.
More than 7,500 people have signed up to volunteer for weekend events, the campaign said, for its largest statewide organizing push of the election cycle so far.
Pennsylvania, if you havent heard, is the must-win battleground state in the 2024 election, with its 19 electoral votes up for grabs. Trump carried the state in 2016, and President Joe Biden won here in 2020. Biden bowed out of his reelection bid in July and endorsed Harris, which has given Democrats a boost in fundraising and in public momentum.
Harris and Biden rallied in Pittsburgh on Labor Day, and she is in Pittsburgh this weekend preparing for the debate. Her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz visited Lancaster, Pittsburgh and Erie this week, while Trump was in Harrisburg Wednesday to tape an interview with Sean Hannity. His running mate. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) was in Erie last week.
It is most assuredly not the last the Keystone State has seen of the candidates as the election draws closer.
The Trump campaign announced earlier this week it was launching the most extensive surrogate operation in the history of presidential politics, titled the Team Trump Agenda 47 Policy Tour, with campaign surrogates promoting Trumps platform in battleground states. The campaign held events in Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin but has not yet announced Pennsylvania dates for the policy tour
The latest polling finds Trump and Harris in a statistical tie in Pennsylvania.
Harris debate strategy is to draw contrast with Trump on policy, personality: Source
Vice President Harris is spending most of Friday in Pittsburgh huddled with her team in debate strategy and policy meetings, according to a source close to Harris.
Her plan for next Tuesday's ABC News presidential debate is to convey her bio to the American people, highlight her accomplishments and plans for the future, and draw the contrast with Donald Trump, according to the source.
PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 5 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on September 2, 2024. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
MORE: Harris preparing for upcoming Trump debate in battleground Pennsylvania
Harris team is aware that many Americans are still unfamiliar with her background. So, similar to her speech at the DNC, the source said Harris wants to underscore her middle-class upbringing and her background as a former prosecutor, attorney general, and senator.
She will also convey her accomplishments in those roles, including going after big banks and prosecuting transnational gangs, the source said.
The ABC News presidential debate will take place on Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. ET and air on ABC and stream on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.
The source added that Harris will highlight her plans for the future, with a focus on the economic proposals she has laid out.
That includes her plans to lower prices, support middle class families and help small businesses. Harris is not expected to unveil any new policies.
PHOTO: Donald Trump participates in a Fox News Town Hall with Sean Hannity at the New Holland Arena on September 04, 2024 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
MORE: Harris-Trump ABC News presidential debate: How to watch, what to know
Another key pillar of her strategy is to highlight the contrast with former President Donald Trump, the source told ABC News.
Harris will frame herself as someone looking out for the American people versus Trump as only looking out for himself. She will paint him as dark and divisive versus herself as optimistic and forward-looking.
Harris Trump stand-in for mock debates, former Hillary Clinton aide Philippe Reines, not only approaches his role as a method actor would, but he also wears a long red tie as Trump does.
Harris debate strategy is to draw contrast with Trump on policy, personality: Source originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Kamala Harris raked in $361 million last month, widening her cash advantage over Donald Trump with what the vice presidents campaign described as the best grassroots fundraising month in presidential history.
Harris haul nearly tripled the $130 million brought in by the former president during the same period, as the campaigns have turned toward the final fall finish. Harris campaign and other affiliated committees have $404 million in cash on hand and a $100 million advantage over Trumps nearly $300 million war chest, according to figures released by both campaigns this week.
August marked Harris first full month as the Democratic Party presidential nominee and included the partys national convention in Chicago. Her campaign said shes raised more than $615 million since she took over the top of the ticket in late July.
Harris continued fundraising success represents a reversal of fortunes for Democrats, who saw their financial edge disappear when Trump overtook President Joe Biden after the former presidents New York conviction in late May. But Harris replacement of Biden atop the Democratic ticket in July triggered an unprecedented cascade of donations for the new nominee.
Flush with cash, the Harris campaign has pumped enormous sums into political advertising, swamping the airwaves with $370 million worth of TV and digital ads from Labor Day through Election Day. But shes also invested nearly $25 million into down-ballot races, an earlier and bigger investment in other campaigns than the top of the ticket has done in recent years.
Full financial filings covering August which will include more details on how campaigns are spending and raising their money for campaigns and party committees are due Sept. 20.
The campaign particularly touted its small-dollar fundraising, announcing that last month marked its strongest performance with grassroots giving to date. The campaign said that 1.3 million first-time donors gave in August. They also promoted the demographics of those grassroots donors, including that 60 percent of all donors in August were women and a fifth of them were registered Republicans or independents.
In just a short time, Vice President Harris candidacy has galvanized a history-making, broad, and diverse coalition with the type of enthusiasm, energy, and grit that wins close elections, said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Harris campaign manager, in a statement released with the fundraising totals on Friday. With the undeniable, organic support we are seeing, we are making sure we are doing everything possible to mobilize our coalition to defeat Donald Trump once and for all.
Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe (AGP-Europe), a division of Ardagh Group, has secured a long-term virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Rezolv Energy.
The deal will provide AGPs European glass manufacturing operations with renewable electricity from the St. George solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Bulgaria from April 2026.
Schneider Electric, known for its expertise in corporate renewable energy procurement and carbon management, facilitated the negotiation of the VPPA for AGP-Europe.
The VPPA makes AGP-Europe a corporate investor in Bulgaria's energy transition, leading the support for the St. George project.
The 229MW solar project will be one of the largest in Bulgaria, featuring nearly 400,000 PV panels.
This agreement, one of the first of its kind in Bulgaria, aims to supply AGP-Europe with 110GWh of renewable electricity per year over a 12-year period.
It complements the company's renewable energy supply from wind power, which was secured in Sweden earlier this year.
The combination of different renewable sources is expected to offer AGP-Europe a consistent power supply throughout the year.
This deal, along with other PPAs in AGP-Europe's portfolio, is projected to enable the company to meet more than 80% of its 2030 renewable electricity targets.
AGP-Europe CEO Martin Petersson said: We are pleased to have finalised this agreement in just six months, which is largely due to Rezolvs flexibility, the support and technical know-how of Schneider Electric, and our own experience in this field.
The Bulgarian solar project perfectly meets our aim to diversify the locations of our renewable energy supply and to support emerging energy markets: AGP-Europe benefits from a supply of renewable electricity, while helping Bulgarias transition to low-carbon energy.
In May this year, AGP-Europe entered into a PPA with Sunnic Lighthouse and its parent company, ENERPARC, in Germany.
"Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe secures renewable energy deal in Bulgaria " was originally created and published by Packaging Gateway, 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.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris waving to media members as she arrives at Pittsburgh International Airport, in Coraopolis, Pa., Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, where she is expected to prepare for the first presidential debate. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
WASHINGTON (AP) Vice President Kamala Harris raised well more than double what former President Donald Trump took in from donors in August, her campaign announced Friday, saying it raised $361 million from nearly 3 million donors in her first full month as a candidate.
Trump's team had announced Wednesday he brought in $130 million over the same period. Harris' team says it ended the month with $404 million on hand for the final sprint to Election Day, $109 million more than Trump's campaign says it had at the end of August.
The massive Harris war chest is being used to fund a $370 million paid media effort for the final two months of the campaign, and to pay for its more than 2,000 field staff spread through more than 310 offices in battleground states.
Harris' fundraising builds on the $310 million she raised in July, the overwhelming majority of which came in after she took over President Joe Biden's campaign after he dropped out that month. The ticket swap has helped the Democratic party reverse the fundraising edge Trump had developed in the prior months, when voter doubts about Biden's fitness for another term dampened donor and voter enthusiasm.
In just a short time, Vice President Harris candidacy has galvanized a history-making, broad and diverse coalition with the type of enthusiasm, energy and grit that wins close elections, Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement. As we enter the final stretch of this election, were making sure every hard-earned dollar goes to winning over the voters who will decide this election.
The figures released by both campaigns do not include full Federal Elections Commission filings, which will come later this month. Both campaign totals include fundraising by their respective national parties and associated committees.
Harris readies for debate as Trump says little prep needed
(NewsNation) With four days until the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the candidates are adopting contrasting approaches to their preparations.
Harris plans to hold a debate camp in Pittsburgh in the days leading up to Tuesdays event, hosted by ABC News at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, Trump is doubling down on his belief that there isnt much to do when it comes to preparation.
What are the rules for the first Harris-Trump debate?
Harris hunkers down in Pittsburgh
Harris prep includes mock debates against a stand-in for Trump, with the assistance of Philippe Reines, a former aide to Hilliary Clinton who also helped her with debates in 2016.
Her strategy focuses on coaxing Trump into outbursts that could go viral on social media.
Shes also practicing under the debates rules, which state that candidates mics must be muted when its not their turn to speak.
Each candidate will have two minutes for answers and rebuttals. While props and notes are prohibited, nominees will be provided with a pen and paper.
Harris camp accepts rules to debate, including muted mics: Source
Trump blasts ABC over alleged ties to Harris
Trumps campaign claims there isnt much for him to prepare for, as this is his seventh debate more than any candidate in history.
To assist with his preparations, the campaign has enlisted former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. The Democrat-turned-independent challenged Harris in a debate during the 2020 Democratic primary over her record as a prosecutor.
Trump has repeatedly criticized ABC News, accusing the network of being unfair to him and having close ties with the Harris campaign, which he may use as a defense if he does poorly in the debate.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
New polling data from Emerson College and The Hill show that California remains a Democratic stronghold in the run-up to the November General Election.
The latest statewide survey shows the Harris-Walz campaign carrying a sizeable lead over the Trump-Vance ticket, 60% to 36%, with 5% listed as other or undecided.
The 24-point gap is well outside the polls margin of error, officials said.
September polling for Trump and Harris in California
In the favorability department, the former president continues to be perceived negatively in California, with 64% of those asked saying they had an unfavorable opinion of him versus the 36% that had favorable.
Harris, meanwhile, received 61% favorability.
The polls California respondents were also asked to identify the top issue heading into Election Day; 39% of Californians polled chose the economy as the most important issue.
Down the ballot, the race for Californias open U.S. Senate seat between Rep. Adam Schiff and former Los Angeles Dodgers star Steve Garvey shows a significant gap as well.
Democrat Schiff received 55% of support from the polls respondents compared to 33% for the Republican Garvey and 13% undecided. Thats also beyond the polls margin of error.
September polling for Schiff and Garvey
The results of the polling may not be surprising for those who follow the political scene closely.
California has reliably skewed Blue for decades, having not been won by a Republican since George H. W. Bush in 1988. The state hasnt had a Republican senator since John Seymour was appointed to the position in 1991 and lost his re-election bid to the late Dianne Feinstein.
However, the Emerson/Hill polling does show some interesting developments in other states.
Respondents were asked who they would vote for if the Presidential Election were held today. In Florida and Texas, 50% of those asked said they would vote for Trump.
Harris collected 45% and 46%, respectively, which falls within the polls margin of error.
The latest poll used responses from more than 800 likely voters in California alone and hundreds more in three other states who were contacted by cell phone.
Data was weighted by statewide voter parameters, including gender, age, race/ethnicity, education (US Census), and voter registration (state secretary of state) and turnout data (exit polling), polling officials said.
Responses were collected between Sept. 3-5 and was conducted by Emerson College Polling and sponsored by Nexstar Media, the parent company of NewsNation and KTLA.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Vice President Harriss lead over former President Trump is 12 points higher than President Bidens was in July, according to a poll released Thursday of young adults in several key battleground states.
A U.S. News/Generation Lab survey, conducted Aug. 25 to Sept. 3, shows Harris leading Trump by 30 points, 65 percent to 35 percent, among adults ages 18-34 in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio.
Thats a significant widening of Bidens 18-point lead over Trump in the July survey, which was conducted after the first presidential debate. Then, Biden led Trump, 59 percent to 41 percent, among the same demographic.
Our poll shows that younger Americans are with Vice President Harris and [Minnesota] Governor [Tim] 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, editorial director and executive vice president at U.S. News, said in a press release.
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 continued.
Harriss support among young voters is strongest in Michigan (71 percent), Pennsylvania (70 percent) and Nevada (66 percent). Her support is lower among young adults in Georgia (63 percent), Ohio (62 percent), Wisconsin (62 percent) and Arizona (61 percent).
Harris also leads among young women (70 percent) and, by a smaller margin, among young men (60 percent).
She has support from 94 percent of young Democrats, while Trump has support from 86 percent of young Republicans. Independents break toward Harris, 70 percent to Trumps 30 percent.
Harris youth lead was already stronger than Bidens when he dropped out, but now, shes flirting with Obama-level youth vote numbers, Generation Lab CEO Cyrus Beschloss told US News & World Report.
The question will be how much she can defy electoral gravity, and get those supporters to actually show up, Beschloss continued.
Voters, in the recent poll, signaled they are more committed now than they were in the July 2024 poll to supporting their preferred candidate.
Today, 70 percent of young voters in these states were either very committed (30 percent) or pretty committed (40 percent); whereas, in July, 14 percent were very committed and 37 percent were pretty committed.
A total of 30 percent said they are either minimally committed (15 percent) or uncommitted (15 percent) today, compared to 49 percent who said the same in July.
The poll was conducted online and included approximately 2,000 respondents. The margin of error is 2.2 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.
Battened Down
The hatch of Boeing's plagued Starliner is officially closed for its return journey.
The much-maligned spacecraft, which has been stuck at the International Space Station since early June due to a litany of technical issues, is set to make its return just after 6 pm EDT today.
The plan is for it to engage its braking burn just before midnight to lower its orbit and make its fiery reentry through the atmosphere. If everything goes by without a hitch though there are still plenty of things that could go wrong the capsule will slowly make its parachutes-aided descent over the New Mexico desert.
Meanwhile, stranded astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore will have to stay behind and wait until February for their return on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
"It's bittersweet to be packing up Starliner and putting our simulators in our seats," Williams said earlier this week, as quoted by CBS News. "But, you know, we want to do the best we can to make sure she's in good shape."
"Thanks for backing us up, thanks for looking over our shoulder and making sure we've got everything in the right place," she told flight controllers. "We want her to have a nice, soft landing in the desert."
Breakout Burn
The two astronauts were only meant to stay on board the space station for eight days. But thanks to helium leaks affecting Starliner's propulsion system, the pair's return has been repeatedly delayed.
Late last month, NASA made the official call to have Starliner return empty due to uncertainty and risk. Instead, Williams and Wilmore will board SpaceX's Crew-9 mission for a February return. Their ride is scheduled to arrive at the ISS later this month.
Doubts clearly remain remain. NASA is playing it safe by having Starliner perform a powerful "breakout burn" to have it gain distance on the space station as fast as possible.
"There's just a lot less variables we need to account for when we do the breakout burn and allows us to get the vehicle on its trajectory home that much sooner," NASA's Johnson Space Center lead flight director Anthony Vareha explained during a press conference earlier this week.
When or if Starliner will fly again after its disastrous crewed flight test remains to be seen. NASA, however, remains optimistic, with teams already working on getting the plagued spacecraft certified for future missions.
More on Starliner: NASA Admits Tension in the Room as It Told Boeing Starliner Couldnt Return Astronauts to Earth
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT) A Hattiesburg homeless shelter is in need of help to keep its doors open. Fieldhouse for the Homeless reopened this week after closing due to financial setbacks, but theyre still in need of crucial donations.
The shelter depends on donations and profits from the Fieldhouse Thrift Store, but donations have been down recently.
Financially, its hard for a lot of the people who donate to us. So we understand, you know, that some of our contributors sort of, you know, had other obligations, and then we had an emergency where here at the Thrift Store. Our air conditioning went out in July, said Dollwyn Pierre, advisory board member for the Fieldhouse for the Homeless.
The Fieldhouse also runs the Loftin House Womens Shelter. The cost of keeping both shelters and the store open is growing.
Hattiesburg leaders want input to address road issues
Its probably about $6,000 or $7,000 a month and that doesnt include the food or anything. Thats just the basic facilities to light water, the garbage pick-up and thats about what it, you know, bare bones, said Pierre.
Fieldhouse had to close for nearly two weeks last month after they were unable to pay the electric bill. Those staying at the shelter said it was a tough time that they dont want to have to revisit.
It was scary in a sense, you know, because we didnt know the next steps. We didnt know what was going to happen, whether it was going to open, reopen or nothing, said Corey Watts, who received help from the shelter.
I dont know what I would have done without the Fieldhouse, because I was 56 years old and found myself homeless. As far as I know, its the only place in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Mississippi doesnt have very many homeless shelters, said Steven Morris, who also received help from the shelter.
Officials with the Fieldhouse said they need about $15,000. They will begin hosting monthly fundraisers at the thrift store. On Friday and Saturday, all shoes and clothing will be $3.00.
The Fieldhouse Thrift Store is located on Highway 42.
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NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) A Connecticut pastor will be the new president of the largest Black Protestant denomination in the U.S., bringing to an end a leadership election that stirred division among members.
The Rev. Boise Kimber, senior pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven, Connecticut. and the only person on the ballot Thursday night in Baltimore was elected to lead the National Baptist Convention, USA as its 19th president, according to the convention. The election was marked with controversy over the eligibility of four candidates who officials said did not qualify.
Kimber won the top post with a vote of 1,744 to 794, and replaces Mississippi pastor, the Rev. Jerry Young, who ran the Nashville, Tennessee-based NBCUSA for a decade. Kimber, who previously served as the NBCUSA board secretary, said he felt a sigh of relief once the election results were announced at the conventions meeting,
Kimber said that while it was a fair election, he remains concerned about uniting the convention and fostering an atmosphere where every member congregation thrives. He said he will embark on a national listening tour even as the convention shifts its focus to the election of the next U.S. president.
Those upset by the election procedures think the controversy should rekindle debates over the denominations relevancy and role at a time of political and social upheaval. The Rev. Matthew V. Johnson, who leads Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, distributed a manifesto titled Rebirth challenging church members to address issues about the NBCUSAs future that it has avoided for decades.
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HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) Development after development continues to set up shop in Hays County, and its keeping the Fire Marshals Office busy with inspections.
So much so, the office needs more staff.
The team consists of two full-time inspectors, including Fire Marshal Steve Seddig. Seddig said they just hired a fire investigator.
He handles all of our investigation related business, Seddig said. Evidence collection, evidence storage, evidence destruction, and then helping with reporting in our records management system.
But Seddig said thats not enough people for their demand, so they also tap into part-time inspectors from local Emergency Service Districts.
ESDs participate quite a bit and help us on a part time basis, Seddig said. So we do utilize part time staff to kind of fill the gaps.
How much of an increase?
Seddig said the following are requests for fire inspections:
2021: 117 inspections (August through December 2021)
2022: 289 inspections
2023: 550 inspections
2024: 389 inspections to date
A majority of those inspections are development-related, according to Seddig.
If theres an immediate proactive situation where we need to get involved, health and safety or something like that, we do get involved, Seddig said. But as far as annual inspections or anything like that, were at a staff level and at a demand level with development that we just its, its nearly impossible right now, with our staff.
With how things are now, Seddig said theyre working to add more staff in the future.
I think what we definitely are requesting another inspector on the next budget year, Seddig said.
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Health officials have confirmed the first human case of avian influenza A, also known as H5 bird flu, in the state of Missouri.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the case through Missouris ongoing influenza surveillance program. Public health officials sent a specimen from a patient who was hospitalized on Aug. 22.
The patient, an adult not identified by name, age, or gender, had underlying medical conditions prior to testing positive.
Driver shot overnight on I-70 in St. Louis
After the patient tested positive, the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory conducted additional testing to determine the influenza subtype. This resulted in the presumptive detection of the H5 subtype.
H5 is primarily found in wild birds and poultry, and recently in dairy cows and other animals, and can occasionally infect humans through close contact with infected animals or contaminated environments.
Health officials say this is the is the 15th human case of H5 reported in the U.S. since 2022
According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the patient has reported no exposure to animals. The patient has since recovered and was discharged home. Health officials have not released additional information on the patient to ensure privacy.
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A trial studying a higher dose of Biogens spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) drug Spinraza (nusinersen) has met the primary endpoint in a cohort of infants with SMA.
Data from the Phase II/III DEVOTE study showed that at six months, infants receiving the higher dose regimen had a statistically significant improvement in motor function compared to a prespecified, untreated control group from ENDEAR, one of the two pivotal studies that supported regulatory approval for the standard 12 mg dose of Spinraza.
The three-part study (NCT04089566) enrolled 145 patients of different ages and SMA types. The Part B cohort included 75 treatment-naive children with infantile-onset SMA. The investigational higher dose regimen of Spinraza includes a faster loading phase with two 50 mg doses given 14 days apart, and a higher maintenance dose of 28 mg every four months. The approved regimen involves four loading doses given at 14-day intervals followed by a maintenance dose every four months with a recommended dose of 12 mg.
Patients in the higher dose group had an adjusted average difference of 26.19 in CHOP-INTEND scores compared to the sham group. CHOP-INTEND is a tool used to assess motor function in infants with neuromuscular disorders like SMA. Secondary outcomes also favoured the higher dose, which showed a positive trend over the current 12 mg regimen on key biomarker and efficacy measures.
The higher dose was generally well tolerated, with adverse events consistent with SMA and Spinrazas known safety profile. Serious adverse events were less frequent in the higher dose group, at 60%, compared to the 72% incidence seen in the 12 mg group.
The 12 mg dose of Spinraza is approved in more than 71 countries to treat infants, children, and adults with SMA, a genetic disorder characterised by the loss of motor neurons. Spinraza is an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) that targets the underlying cause of motor neuron loss by continuously increasing the amount of full-length survival motor neuron (SMN) protein produced in the body.
Spinraza pulled in $1.74bn in sales for Biogen in 2023, as per the companys financials. Sales of the drug are set to decrease steadily year-on-year, generating $1.13bn in 2030, according to GlobalDatas Pharma Intelligence Center. In Biogens 2023 earnings presentation, the company blamed the drop in revenues on shipment timing, competition, and pricing pressure outside the US.
GlobalData is the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena.
Biogen said it now plans to apply for regulatory approval of this investigational dose regimen.
Story continues
In the announcement accompanying the data, Stephanie Fradette, head of the neuromuscular development unit at Biogen said: While there has been remarkable progress in the treatment of SMA, there remains significant unmet need. Building on the well-characterised profile of Spinraza established over the past 10 years, we continue to explore the potential for maximising efficacy outcomes while maintaining our commitment to safety.
"Biogens higher Spinraza dose shows better efficacy in Phase II/III trial " was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand.
The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
By Nancy Lapid
(Reuters) - Hello Health Rounds Readers! Sometimes science is just so cool. Today we feature a study that makes good on science envisioned by H.G. Wells over 100 years ago in "The Invisible Man". We also report on a new use of AI that can improve heart failure diagnosis in pregnant women, and the discovery of a new type of brain cell.
Light-absorbing dye turns mouse skin invisible
Applying a food-safe dye that absorbs light onto the skin of a mouse makes its skin transparent, allowing researchers to look into the blood vessels of the scalp, the movement of organs under the skin of the abdomen, and at working muscles, they reported on Thursday in Science.
The harmless process, which was reversible with a quick wash, may ultimately be useful in a wide range of medical diagnostics, the researchers said in a statement.
Injecting the dye - called tartrazine and commonly known as FD&C Yellow 5 - might lead to even deeper views into the body, they speculate.
Ordinarily, the body is not invisible because light bends and scatters differently as it passes through each of the different tissues and fluids.
When dissolved into water, tartrazine molecules are structured in a way that aligns with the light-bending ability of the skin, or its refractive index. The dye absorbs blue/purple light and allows red/orange light to travel through the tissue, resulting in transparency.
"Looking forward, this technology could make veins more visible for the drawing of blood, make laser-based tattoo removal more straightforward, or assist in the early detection and treatment of cancers, said Guosong Hong of Stanford University, who helped lead the research.
For example, certain therapies use lasers to eliminate cancerous and precancerous cells, but are limited to areas near the skins surface. This technique may be able to improve that light penetration.
A commentary published with the paper notes that H.G. Wells predicted this approach long ago in his novel The Invisible Man.
The protagonist 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, Christopher J. Rowlands and Jon Gorecki of Imperial College London wrote.
Now, 127 years later, the Stanford team reports "that biocompatible dyes make living tissues transparent by tuning the refractive index of the surrounding medium to match that of the cells.
AI-enabled stethoscope improves pregnancy heart monitoring
An artificial intelligence-enabled digital stethoscope improves the identification of heart failure in pregnant women, according to data from a trial presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London.
Heart failure during pregnancy often goes undetected because common symptoms such as shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and trouble breathing while lying down, are easily mistaken for typical pregnancy discomforts, they noted.
The trial included nearly 1,200 women in Nigeria, which has the worlds highest rates of pregnancy-related heart failure.
Exams that included use of the AI-enabled digital stethoscope were 12-times more likely than traditional screening to flag heart pump weakness indicating a type of pregnancy-related heart failure called peripartum cardiomyopathy, according to results also published in Nature Medicine.
Recognizing this type of heart failure early is important to the mother's health and well-being, study leader Dr. Demilade Adedinsewo of the Mayo Clinic said in a statement.
"The symptoms of peripartum cardiomyopathy can get progressively worse as pregnancy advances, or more commonly following childbirth, and can endanger the mother's life," she said. "Severe cases may require intensive care, a mechanical heart pump, or sometimes a heart transplant, if not controlled with medical therapy."
Newly discovered brain cells may predict glioma outcome
Researchers have discovered a surprising new cell type in the human brain that may be linked with how patients are likely to fare with a certain type of brain tumor, according to a report in Cancer Cell.
The cells, found in brain tumors called gliomas and also in healthy brain tissue, fire electrical impulses called action potentials, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston found.
The discovery supports the groundbreaking idea that neurons are not the only cells that can generate electric signals in the brain, they said in a statement.
We have known for some time now that tumor cells and neurons interact directly, study coauthor Dr. Rachel Curry said in a statement. But one question that always lingered in my mind was, Are cancer cells electrically active?"
Studying human brain cells obtained from patients undergoing brain surgery, the researchers found the newly identified cells are hybrids, with features of neurons and of glial cells, which hold neurons in place and help them function. Gliomas are tumors of glial tissue.
We had never seen anything like this in the mammalian brain before, study coauthor Dr. Qianqian Ma said in a statement.
Much more work is needed to determine the role of these hybrid cells in the brain, but the findings suggest that the proportion of them in gliomas may have a prognostic value.
The data shows that the more of these spiking hybrid glioma cells a patient has, the better the survival outcome, coauthor Dr. Ganesh Rao said in a statement. This information is of great value to patients and their doctors.
(Reporting by Nancy Lapid; editing by Bill Berkrot)
Your Health: The truth about RSV and its symptoms
The dreaded cold and flu season is on the horizon. But lurking in the shadows is a more sinister threat: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Often dismissed as just another common cold, RSV can be deadly, especially for infants and older people. But do you know the truth about RSV?
Hannah and her twin brother Nolan ended up in the hospital after catching RSV.
That was the worst week of my life, Kym Lyell, Hannah and Nolans mother.
The truth is that 80% of babies under a year old catch RSV.
They probably mostly catch it from other children, said Dr. Andrew Pavia, MD, Pediatric Infectious Disease, University of Utah Health and Primary Childrens Hospital.
But its not just a risk for children. One-hundred-seventy-seven thousand older adults are hospitalized each year with RSV. Fourteen thousand die from it. What you dont know about it could land you in the hospital.
First off true or false: RSV spreads through contact with contaminated surfaces.
The answer? No it spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes releasing tiny droplets into the air.
Question 2: Is RSV always a severe illness?
The answer? That depends. It often mimics the common cold, but RSV can quickly turn into bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
The older you get, the milder the disease is until you become about 60 and then it becomes severe again, said Dr. Pavia.
And because RSV is a virus, antibiotics dont help.
What is true is that prevention is key a vaccine has recently been approved for adults over the age of 60, infants and pregnant women.
The protection that babies get from their mothers getting vaccinated lasts a maximum of about six months and starts to fade after about three months. So, this isnt lifetime protection, but it does protect babies during their most vulnerable months, said Dr. Pavia.
And remember its never too late to get vaccinated.
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Businesswomans husband cleared of her murder - but family blocks him from inheriting 4m estate
An heiress found dead in a swimming pool was killed by her husband so he could gain access to her 4.4 million estate, a High Court judge has ruled, blocking him from inheriting it.
At a criminal trial in 2021, Donald McPherson was formally cleared of murdering Paula Leeson, his 47-year-old wife.
But following a civil case brought by Ms Leesons family, Mr Justice Richard Smith said the businesswoman had been unlawfully killed by her husband.
The ruling, delivered at the High Court in Manchester, will block McPherson from inheriting her estate.
During the criminal trial three years ago, jurors were told that McPherson, a property developer, had taken out seven life insurance policies before his wifes unexpected death. He also stood to benefit substantially from her stake in the familys construction business.
In June 2017, he arranged for the couple to go on a mini-break to Nrre Nebel, a village in the west of Denmark.
But in the days leading up to the trip, Ms Leesons family said she seemed preoccupied about something and unhappy at the prospect of going away.
Three days into the trip, the mother of one drowned in the indoor pool of the cottage they had rented. The jury was told that she hated swimming and did not even own a costume.
Paula Leesons brother Neville Leeson (left) and father Willy Leeson (right) brought the civil case against Donald McPherson - Peter Byrne/PA Wire
Initially, Danish police did not consider that her death was suspicious, but things changed when the authorities began to examine the couples finances.
Eventually, McPherson, who was born in New Zealand and whose real name is Alexander James Lang, was charged with murder. But three weeks into the trial at Manchester Crown Court the judge, Mr Justice Goose halted the case and directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict to the murder charge, despite saying it was likely that he killed her.
Pathologists found that Ms Leeson suffered bruises on her face and arms, as well as internal bleeding at the back of her neck, but jurors heard the injuries may have been sustained while being restrained or in a rescue and resuscitation attempt, and accidental death could not be ruled out.
Ms Leesons family brought legal proceedings against McPherson a convicted fraudster at Manchester Civil Courts of Justice to block him from benefiting from her death and her estate. Following hearings earlier this year, Mr Justice Richard Smith ruled on Friday that McPherson had killed his wife.
Giving his ruling, he said: Don deliberately and unlawfully killed Paula by compressing her neck in an armlock, rendering her unconscious and causing her body to enter the pool to ensure her drowning and death. Dons motive for unlawfully killing Paula Leeson is clear money.
Mr Justice Smith said the critical question was how Ms Leeson came to be in the water, which was only 4ft deep, and unable to save herself. He said she must have been unconscious, and the distribution of her neck injuries suggested compression from an armlock by her husband.
He added: It is no exaggeration to say that lies and dishonesty pervade every aspect of Dons life. Don lies to anyone if it might serve his interests. I cannot begin to comprehend the pain and heartache that the Leesons have experienced as a result of Paulas death.
Her elderly father, Willy Leeson, and brother, Neville, sat with her son, Ben, in court as the judgment was given.
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Tim Miller, former spokesperson for the Republican National Committee and Basil Smikle, Democratic Strategist join Nicolle Wallace with reaction to the breaking news that former Rep. Liz Cheney told a crowd at an event in Texas that her father Dick Cheney, former Republican Vice President of the United States, will be voting for Democrat Kamala Harris in the November election.
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Former President Donald Trump, a father of five, was asked on Thursday what he would do to lower the cost of child care should he win in November and his answer was baffling.
Following a speech at the Economic Club of New York, Trump was asked what specific legislation he would pursue to help lower the cost of child care for working parents. His response was a lengthy, utterly incoherent word salad that seemed to suggest widespread tariffs would solve the problem.
Its a very important issue. But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that Im talking about, that, because, look, child care is child care. Its something you know you have to have it, in this country you have to have it, Trump said.
The former president then rambled about taxes on foreign countries. But when you talk about those numbers compared to the type of numbers Im talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that theyre not used to, but theyll get used to it very quickly, he added.
Donald Trumps answer on how he will make childcare more affordable: pic.twitter.com/Hwu7R5aIt6 Acyn (@Acyn) September 5, 2024
Both the White House and Vice President Kamala Harris campaign mocked the response from Trump.
If you have any idea what the hell that answer means, youre a better detective than I am, because these tariffs that he wants to apply across the board would amount to a $4,000 tax increase on working families, White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates told MSNBC on Friday.
The Harris campaign tweeted a clip of the moment from their official X account.
Rising costs of child care and child rearing have become a flagship issue for the Harris campaign. The vice president has promised the return of the expanded child tax credit, and a $6,000 tax credit for the parents of newborn children.
By contrast, the Republican ticket has struggled to produce an answer on child rearing and reproduction that doesnt sound like it was ripped from a Mens Rights Activism forum.
On Wednesday, Trumps vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance was asked how he would lower the cost of childcare during a Turning Point USA event. He suggested getting family to help, as if struggling Americans havent already been doing this to the extent that they are able.
I think one of the things that we can do is make it easier for families to choose whatever model they want, right? So one of the ways that you might be able to relieve a little bit of pressure on people who are paying so much for day care is maybe grandma and grandpa [want] to help out a little bit more, or maybe theres an aunt or uncle that wants to help out a little bit more. If that happens, you relieve some of the pressure on all the resources that were spending on day care, Vance responded.
Kirk: What can we do about lowering the cost of daycare? pic.twitter.com/YIS68cXKw4 Acyn (@Acyn) September 5, 2024
The response echoed past remarks from Vance where he agreed that the whole purpose of post-menopausal women is to help other women raise their children.
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JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) September is Suicide Prevention Month and veterans are one of the most vulnerable groups of populations when it comes to suicide.
Studies have shown nearly 17 veterans die by suicide each day. Hope for the Warriors is a local organization that helps veterans and their families.
Representatives with the organization said theyve seen veterans at lower risks of suicide still reaching out for support. Life stressors such as becoming a parent or losing a job are among things that can trigger suicidal thoughts.
It could be, it could just be the total opposite of what they normally are. So, it could be that maybe theyre less active than they used to be, Director of Clinical Support and Emotional Wellness Brianne Sampson said. Maybe they seem more withdrawn than they normally are. Even things like sleeping more or sleeping less, or eating more or eating less than usual.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.
Her Husband Allegedly Drugged Her So More Than 80 Men Could Rape Her. Today, She Faced Him In Court.
A woman whose husband is accused of drugging her and recruiting dozens of men online to rape her while she was unconscious gave powerful testimony against him in a French court on Thursday, as she seeks a public reckoning for his alleged crimes.
Gisele Pelicot, 72, stood before her now-ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, and some of the 50 other men charged with raping her.
During an unrelated investigation in 2020, police retrieved photographs and video of Pelicot being raped from her husbands laptop and other devices. Pelicot said she had been unaware of the near-decade of alleged abuse until police showed her the images.
I only wanted one thing and that was to disappear, Pelicot testified about that moment, The Times reported.
Gisele Pelicot speaks to media as she leaves an Avignon, France, courthouse, Sept. 5, 2024. Her ex-husband admitted to repeatedly drugging her and inviting at least 80 men to rape her while she was unconscious between 2011 and 2020. AP Photo/Lewis Joly
But now, four years after the abuse, Pelicot wants the world to know what happened to her. She objected to a request by the prosecutor and the defendants lawyers to hold the trial behind closed doors, The Guardian reported.
Pelicot hopes to raise awareness about date rape drugs and to shift the blame and shame from survivors to their attackers, her lawyers say.
[She] believes that she has no reason to hide, attorney Stephane Babonneau said in a hearing Monday. No one can imagine that my client will find any satisfaction in exposing what she has suffered. She wants this hearing to be open so that justice can be done in public.
The case has drawn international media coverage, and one French reporter in the courtroom who sketched Pelicot on Thursday described her incredible dignity and strength.
Dominique Pelicot admitted that he drugged his wife with powerful tranquilizers and used a messaging website to invite at least 80 men to rape her between 2011 and 2020, The Times reported. He had the men wait nearby until his wife passed out before letting them inside, investigators said he told them, and instructed them to undress in the kitchen, according to The Washington Post. He told them not to use cologne or tobacco but did not require them to use condoms, he told investigators.
When asked earlier this week in court if he was guilty of the drugging and attacks, he replied, Yes, The Guardian reported.
Though Pelicot said she has no memory of any of the alleged assaults, she described suffering numerous symptoms, including unexplained blackouts, related to the sedatives her husband allegedly gave her. She said she consulted several doctors because she believed she might have Alzheimers disease, The Times and The Telegraph reported, but she was never diagnosed with an illness. She learned after her husbands arrest that she had contracted four sexually transmitted infections.
Pelicot was sexually assaulted about 200 times half of them by her husband while she was unconscious, the BBC reported. The police obtained 20,000 photos and videos of the alleged rapes on a USB drive belonging to Dominique Pelicot, according to The Guardian.
The footage was discovered during a police raid of the Pelicots home after he was caught filming women under their skirts at a local supermarket.
Investigators said they also found nude images of the Pelicots daughter, now 45, that her father had taken in 2013 while she slept at the familys home, The Times reported.
She and her two brothers sat with their mother during the trial, which is expected to last until mid-December.
Pelicot and the other men face up to 20 years in prison if they are found guilty of aggravated rape.
Gisele Pelicot said that despite her calm demeanor, she is anguished by the ordeal, The Telegraph reported.
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.
Need help? Visit RAINNs National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Centers website.
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DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WPRI) Inmates in Massachusetts are currently allowed to make free unlimited calls.
But Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux is expressing concern over the costly service.
The Massachusetts Department of Corrections said that allowing inmates to maintain connections with their loved ones improves their outcomes and reduces recidivism.
While Heroux supports the service as a whole, he believes limitations should be put in place.
RELATED: Bristol County has made strides in hiring correctional officers
It is essential for inmates to stay connected and receive family support as they reintegrate, Heroux said. But a need for reasonableness, balance and compromise is crucial when it comes to unlimited inmate calls.
Inmates at the Bristol County jail are currently allowed to make phone calls between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Heroux said the calls cost 8 cents per minute. The calls may cost the jail $5 million annually, which is half of what the state has allocated for the overall service.
Though most inmates call loved ones, others have tried to deal drugs, intimidate witnesses or harass victims, according to Heroux.
We know these issues occur because we screen all inmate calls and messages, Heroux said.
Bristol County jail has hired three additional analysts to monitor inmate calls as a result of the increased call volume.
In a statement to 12 News, a DOC spokesperson said the state is committed to ensuring this program receives the funding and resources it needs to be successful.
MORE: Bristol County jail undergoing renovations to prevent inmate suicides
Heroux said hes concerned that when people see the cost of the service, it could get scrapped in the future. He thinks the issue should be tackled by not allowing inmates to have unlimited calls.
For instance, setting a limit of 20 minutes a day, or 35 minutes every other day might be more practical, he explained.
Heroux is also looking into whether he can negotiate with the communications company the jail uses to lower the cost of the calls. He said inmate calls cost 2 cents per minute in another Massachusetts county.
Advocates for inmate calls need to be willing to compromise, Heroux said. If they insist on unlimited calls at taxpayers expense, there will be increasing pressure on the state legislature to reconsider the law. Calls to families are important, but they do not need to be unlimited.
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HONOLULU (KHON2) Reports of loose and dangerous dogs on the Pearl Harbor bike path prompted response from the police department and humane society.
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HPD posted on social media that they walked the path with staff from Hawaiian Humane on Wednesday after the reports.
They identified two dangerously aggressive dogs and five strays. All seven animals were taken by HHS.
The two aggressive dogs are believed to be the dogs who attacked at least two people recently.
Cali Burcham was attacked on the path in August.
This event is your door opening to a medical career
I decided to turn around just because I didnt want to have any issues with the animal, Burcham said when KHON2 first interviewed her in August.
I felt like this was my last moment: Ewa woman after being attacked by over 15 dogs
She pulled out her pepper spray because she had a bad feeling and started walking backwards.
About 20 steps in, 15 to 20 dogs ambushed me from behind, and began attacking me, tearing my leggings to shreds, she said. As soon as my pepper spray was out, my heart just fell, I literally felt like this was my last moment.
Nearby residents helped her until paramedics arrived.
I learned from my mom, so Im keeping the tradition alive
Im pissed off. I think that theres absolutely no reason why this shouldve happened more than once, Burcham told KHON2 on Thursday. I stated in the interview last time that this was going to happen again if they werent removed and its kind of common sense to me.
Hawaiian Humane said if theres a dangerous dog that is an immediate danger to the public, they should call 911.
The five stray dogs were found to not be aggressive and will be on track to be put up for adoption. The other two who were showing aggressive behavior at the scene and have a history of biting people will not.
If there is a dog that is going to be a danger, risk in the community, then the best option, both for the community and for that dog, is humane euthanasia, said Hawaiian Humanes Brandy Shimabukuro. Thats never the situation where we want to have to perpetuate that. So we always want to tell folks, please train your dogs, please socialize them, please keep them contained and safe.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
LOUISIANA (KTAL/KMSS) Some studies have shown that extreme and severe weather can negatively impact ones mental wellness.
A study from the American Public Health Association found that climate change can cause and intensify anxiety, which will negatively affect ones mental health. Whether it is hot weather, tornadoes, hurricanes or flooding, extreme weather can be detrimental to ones mental and emotional well being, on top of the physical impact.
Many studies relating to the impacts of severe or extreme weather are focused on what individuals are experiencing physically. This can include the damage the storms cause, physical injuries, and death.
Louisiana sees decline in mental health issues post pandemic
Extreme weather is familiar across the United States and Louisiana is no stranger to experiencing quite severe weather such as tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes, and extreme heat. Experiencing extreme or severe weather can be traumatizing, stressful, and anxiety inducing.
One study shows that after Hurricane Katrina, the population reported symptoms of anger, anxiety, and acute stress reactions with early symptoms of PTSD. The same study shows that the same symptoms, plus depression were found after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Severe weather events can often contaminate the water and soil in its destructive path. This can cause illness among residents. Contaminated water, like the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, caused a correlation between stress, anxiety, and depression. When your access to clear, potable water is difficult or nonexistent, it can be incredibly stressful. Access to water is part of your basic physiological needs as a person.
A 2023 study in Water Research Journal found that Insufficient drinking water services threaten users mental health through various identified mechanisms. Stress caused by lack of safe water was predictably identified as one of the most important factors, but water-service-related inequalities were surprisingly as significant.
More studies need to be done to continue analyze the effects severe weather and a lack of access to clean drinking water has on someones mental health. As more scientists, psychologists, and experts research mental health and extreme weather, the more information will be in the hands of people experiencing changes in their mental well-being.
As climate change continues, studies show that there is a greater risk of more off-season tornadoes in a warmer future climate. Spring and summer are seeing a decrease in the number of EF1+ tornadoes whereas fall and winter are seeing a slight increase in the number of tornadoes in the United States.
The mental health impact of mass shootings
The University of Nebraska Medical Center conducted a study examining the effects of experiencing a tornado on rates of suicide. Suicide rates have been on the rise in the US over the last several years. As of 2020, suicide was the 12th leading cause of death in the country.
A meta-analysis by Beaglehole, showed that the rates of mental distress, disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder increase after a disaster or extreme weather event. Between one-third and one-half of those affected by an extreme weather event will develop some form of mental distress post disaster.
Those of us in the southeast have seen more and more frequent tornadoes throughout the last several years. It has been found that the original tornado alley has shifted geographically from the American Midwest to the Southeast. The tornadoes that typically hit the Midwest do not hit the Southeast in the same way. Tornadoes in southern states can occur at any time of day or night. Making the likelihood of tornadoes in the night increase.
Tornadoes that happen during the nighttime can increase anxiety and fear. Individuals may not know that a nighttime tornado has touched down until it is too late.
Communities in Southeastern states are less likely to be adequately prepared, leading to higher casualty rates. These ongoing changes in tornado activity put communities at risk for significant damage, which then puts survivors at risk of developing mental illness symptoms and suicidal behaviors. Jessica Lowder
University of Nebraska Medical Center
The results from the study showed that nearly every group experienced increased suicide rates during the year that the tornadoes happened. Tentatively, the study showed that there is an associated risk of suicidal ideation after one experiences a tornado.
Men in recovery rebuild themselves, repair storm damage through Restoration of Hope
Tornadoes, hurricanes, and flooding are not the only extreme weather events that can negatively impact ones mental health. An increase in hot temperatures correlates to an increase in substance use and mental health issues.
An August 2021 study in Environment International show a 2.2 percent increase in mental health-related mortality as temperatures rose 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit. The meta-analysis found that the problem will likely increase as global warming continues.
Climate change has brought out many changes in weather patterns all over the planet. Those living in the Southeastern part of the United States are likely to continue to see an increase in heat waves, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other extreme weather events.
Caring for your mental health is important, but it is even more important to care for your mental health during bouts of severe weather. There are ways to cope when weather anxiety or depression strikes after a damaging storm.
Find a therapist who can help you gain coping skills. Create a safety plan for when severe weather hits. Utilize your local television and radio stations to remain weather aware.
Severe weather can be scary and stressful, nothing will fully take away every ounce of fear you may feel during those times. But you can be prepared and have a plan to help you get through the tough times.
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Patrick Jacob was a friend of Mike Lynch for years and visited him as he awaited trial in San Francisco
A close friend of Mike Lynch has accused the US software company Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) of a complete lack of humanity for suing the tech tycoons surviving family.
Patrick Jacob said that the business had already begun circling like vultures by confirming that it planned to continue a 3bn fraud lawsuit against Lynchs estate. Antonio Neri, HPEs chief executive, said the company had a fiduciary duty to pursue damages.
The chief executives recent comments show that HPE has reverted to its old tactics pursuing a man through a relentless battle in the press and now his widow, Mr Jacob said.
Before the bodies are even laid to rest, theyve already begun circling like vultures, demonstrating a complete lack of humanity. This is nothing short of heartless and distasteful.
Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among seven people who died after his superyacht, Bayesian, sank off the coast of Sicily last month. Lynchs wife, Angela Bacares, survived. The couple have another daughter, Esme.
Antonio Neri, the chief executive of HPE, says the company has a fiduciary duty to pursue Mike Lynchs surviving family for damages - Kimberly White
HPE had pursued Lynch for fraud over the 7bn sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett Packard, a previous incarnation of the company, in 2011.
While Lynch had been cleared of US criminal charges in June over the deal, HPE had won a civil lawsuit in the High Court in 2022. A judge had been expected to award damages in the case by the end of the year, with HPE demanding $4bn (3bn).
HPE said this week: It is HPEs intention to follow the proceedings through to their conclusion.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Mr Neri said: Fundamentally we believe the things that took place were not in the interest of the shareholders and we need to see it through.
Mr Jacob, who runs the financial advisory firm Anthem Corporate Finance, was a close friend of the Lynch family and visited Lynch while he awaited trial in San Francisco. Invoke Capital, Lynchs investment firm, had nominated him to a board position at the cyber security company Darktrace. He served for a year until voters rejected his election in December due to his association with Lynch.
HPE is able to continue its lawsuit against Mr Lynchs estate, which will be able to appeal the 2022 judgment after a decision on damages is made. Mr Justice Hildyard said when delivering the judgment in 2022 that damages would be substantial but considerably less than claimed. HPE had originally claimed $5bn in damages believed to be significantly more than Lynchs net worth.
Mr Jacobs remarks came as Poppy Gustafsson, Darktraces chief executive, announced that she would step down as the business prepares for a sale.
Story continues
Poppy Gustafsson has been the chief executive of Darktrace since 2016
Ms Gustafsson, who co-founded the company and had previously worked for Lynch at Autonomy, said it was the right time to hand over the reins ahead of the business going private in a 4.3bn deal.
Jill Popelka, who joined the company at the start of the year and took over as chief operating officer at the company earlier this summer, will become chief executive. She has held senior roles at technology companies including Accenture and Snapchats owner, Snap.
Darktrace is preparing to leave the London Stock Exchange after a three-year stint on the market. The company agreed to a takeover by private equity firm Thoma Bravo in April.
Lynch had been poised to net 300m from the disposal of the business. He held 7pc of the company in April along with Ms Bacares although they had sold down some of their stake since.
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Hiker Found 'Alive, But Not Well' After Month-Long Disappearance: 'May Have Only Had Another Day Left,' Police Say
Robert Schock had last seen in Washington's North Cascades National Park on July 31
Karla Ann Cote/NurPhoto via Getty North Cascades National Park in Washington state
A hiker who was last seen on July 31 in Washington states North Cascades National Park was found alive one month later, according to authorities.
The Whatcom County Sheriffs Office (WCSO) said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that deputies were notified by park staff on Aug. 3 about an abandoned vehicle at the Hannegan Pass trailhead and a dog found eight miles in on the trail near the Chilliwack River.
The dog belonged to Robert Schock, who was last seen on July 31 in the area by hikers. According to police, the hikers said that Schock didnt have overnight supplies on him.
Related: Body of 23-Year-Old Missing Hiker Found on Mills Glacier, Colo., 4 Days After Going Missing
When deputies arrived to inspect the vehicle, they found the windows rolled down and Schock's wallet on the dashboard.
In the following days, authorities searched the area by helicopter, but it yielded no clues. Additional ground and air searches continued but came up with no new leads.
Then on Aug. 30, National Parks Service rangers alerted WCSO deputies that Schock had been found alive in the Chilliwack Basin.
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In an interview with Cascadia Daily News published on Sept. 1, Schocks mother, Jan Thompson, said her son, 39, was recovering at a hospital.
Hes in a lot of pain and he isnt speaking very well, but hes coherent and seemed in pretty high spirits, Thompson told the outlet. I didnt push him too much.
Related: Hiker Has Been Missing for Days After Getting Separated from Group at Montana's Glacier National Park
Thompson said that the Whatcom County Humane Society contacted her on Aug. 4 because a forest ranger found Schocks dog, Freddy, in the trail. She reported Schock missing to authorities the following day.
On Aug. 30, after authorities had conducted multiple searches, a Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA) trail crew working in the area heard Schock calling for assistance, Thompson told Cascadia Daily News. The trail crew contacted a helicopter to airlift Schock to a waiting ambulance.
Were really in disbelief about this, said Thompson, who said she was initially expecting the worst when a forest ranger called.
Related: Pair of Hikers Found Alive 2 Days After Going Missing in Yosemite National Park
In a Sept. 5 Facebook post, Jeff Kish, the executive director of PNTA, shared details about his teams discovery of Schock.
Robert was found alive, but not well, he wrote. It is the belief of those who came to be involved in the rescue that Robert may have only had another day left in him before the outcome of his discovery would have been much more tragic."
"His situation was dire. I wont provide most of the details that I learned about his condition today, because I think the only appropriate person to decide whether those details should be shared publicly is Robert himself," Kish added. What I will share is that when our crew found Robert, he was able to communicate to them that he had been immobile, stuck in that exact spot for approximately two weeks, and based on the condition that he was found in, there was no reason for the crew to question it."
Thompson, who resides in North Carolina, told Cascadia Daily News that she and her family are giving her son time to recover at the hospital before flying over to see him.
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Maryland Senate candidate former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) released two campaign ads Thursday focused on reproductive rights that feature 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, Jaymi Sterling, Hogans daughter, says in one of the new ads. Now, once again, theyre attacking him as antiwomen.
Hogans youngest daughter Julie Kim says her dad supports choice by restoring Roe in every state.
The women say as a grandfather to four granddaughters, we know you can trust him too.
The second ad is titled Girl Dad, and highlights Hogans record protecting contraceptive access and equal pay as governor.
As governor, he kept his promise to protect womens rights, not only on equal pay, contraception and also who he appointed to senior staff in his Cabinet and judges, Sterling says in the ad.
The ads come as EMILYs List, a group backing Democratic women who support abortion rights, said it would spend $2.2 million in the Maryland Senate race, NBC News reported. Attack ads funded by the group are set to take aim at Hogans stance on abortion.
In 2022, Hogan vetoed legislation that would expand abortion access in Maryland by allowing not only physicians but other medical providers the ability to provide the treatment. The Democratic-controlled state Legislature overruled the veto.
While Maryland has consistently voted for Democratic senators in recent years, Hogans known record and likeability in the state after serving as governor for two terms have made for a closer race against his Democratic opponent, Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.
The Hill reached out to the Alsobrooks campaign for comment and was directed to a statement from Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman.
I was one of the many Democrats who stood up to then Governor Hogan when he threatened reproductive freedoms here in Maryland by vetoing critical legislation, Liermans statement said. It is truly outrageous that he thinks he can dupe Maryland women into believing he will support our reproductive rights when he has a lifetime record of opposing them.
Recent polling shows Alsobrooks ahead of Hogan by 5 percentage points as she continues to struggle with name recognition among voters. According to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ polling average, Alsobrooks has a 4.3 point lead over Hogan.
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HONOLULU (KHON2) Wayne Tanaka, Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Hawaii, expressed strong approval after the Honolulu City Council passed Resolution 24-216 on Sept. 4.
This resolution urges the U.S. Navy and other federal agencies to test water regularly for contaminants from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
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Tanaka thanked the City Council for their action, which he believes is crucial for protecting Oahus drinking water.
Were very grateful to the City Council for taking this important step, Tanaka said. This resolution will help track and manage the contamination from the Red Hill facility, which has leaked a huge amount of fuel and chemicals since World War II.
The Red Hill facility has released between 200,000 to 2 million gallons of hazardous materials, posing a long-term risk to the islands water supply.
The resolution calls for weekly testing of both monitoring wells and drinking water to ensure safety.
Tanaka also praised community members who supported the resolution, including representatives from the Board of Water Supply and the Red Hill Community Representation Initiative.
He highlighted the efforts of key figures such as Board of Water Supply Chair Naalehu Anthony and Chief Engineer Ernie Lau, as well as CRI members like Marti Townsend and Healani Sonoda-Pale.
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Tanaka urged Hawaiis Congressional Delegation, the Governor, and the Department of Health to follow the City Councils lead and push for stronger actions to hold the Navy accountable and protect Oahus water resources.
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CJs Brother never met the man he was named after. The 13-year-old horse, named in honor of a Marine who was killed in Afghanistan in 2010, marched along Chicagos lakefront Friday with CJs dad, Ken Boyd, on his back to raise awareness about the mental health struggles of veterans and members of Gold Star families.
Since then, Boyd has ridden CJs Brother on 20-mile-long Trail to Zero rides more than a dozen times all across the country.
Those involved in the Illinois-based nonprofit Bravehearts ride for 20 miles in major cities because the country sees approximately 20 veteran suicides every day, said Andy Cumberland, a 16-year veteran of the Air Force who rode alongside Boyd. Were trying to bring that number down to zero by reaching out to as many veterans that we can that may be struggling, just to show them that theres light in dark places.
There were, on average, 17.5 suicides per day among veterans in 2021, according a 2023 suicide report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
In all, 22 riders and horses guided by Chicago police officers and trailed by volunteers scooping up poop departed 63rd Street Beach around 9:30 a.m., meandered through Jackson Park and headed farther north up the lakefront trail.
Ride organizers expedited the expedition to last around nine hours, including a lunch stop at a fire station and water breaks for the horses around every 5 miles. The riders planned to turn back near Lincoln Park and conclude their journey at 31st Street Beach.
Some of the horse riders and those walking beside them handed out cards with information about Bravehearts to walkers, bikers and roller skaters who had to interrupt their exercise to allow the two columns of riders to continue their journey.
Sheila Bishop-Moaton, who was walking along the Lakefront Trail north of 57th Street Beach because she was preparing for the Run Mag Mile race, said she was surprised when she came across all the horses down by Lake Michigan.
I thought I was dreaming, said the 59-year-old, who thought what the riders were doing was wonderful since she has a brother who is a veteran and has contended with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Brandon Spandet, an Army medic until 2022 and another rider, said he struggled with depression after leaving the military, especially during his first year as a civilian. Spending time on the back of a horse has been therapeutic for him, he said.
I can tell you that the horse that Im on today, Beau is his name, he has saved my life more than once, Spandet said.
In addition to working to raise awareness about the mental health struggles of veterans and Gold Star families families whove had loved ones die while serving their country, Bravehearts also promotes equine therapy because it believes horses are uniquely equipped to assist those with anxiety, depression, PTSD and self-inflicting thoughts.
Boyd, who chairs the board of Bravehearts, said he was not a horse person when his son died, before he got involved in the nonprofit. The 69-year-old Palatine resident, who started coming to the organizations Illinois horse farms because of his wife, didnt even ride at the beginning. But even just entering the gates of Bravehearts property brought Boyd peace, he said.
(Horses) can sense your fear, Boyd said. They can sense a lot of different things, and so it forces you to just be there and forget about everything else thats going on in the outside world.
At Bravehearts two farms in Harvard and Poplar Grove, veterans and Gold Star families can learn how to groom a horse, lead a horse and ride one if theyd like. Boyd said the nonprofit served more than 1,000 veterans last year.
Will Cronenwett, a general psychiatry professor at Northwestern University, said studying animal-assisted therapy is challenging because researchers cant really come up with a placebo that mimics what the animal experience brings. Nonetheless, the studies that can be done on equine therapy tend to show that it is helpful, Cronenwett said.
People tell us that it makes them feel better, and Im inclined to believe them, Cronenwett said.
Dale Stapleton, a veterinarian and a veteran who was watching the riders unload the horses from trailers and saddle them up near 63rd Street Beach Friday morning, said he had a veterinary box in the back of a nearby truck just in case any of the horses needed aid during the course of the lakefront journey.
Stapleton said he wasnt worried about the horses overheating because they would be taking many water breaks and it was a cool day. He was more concerned about the horses spending an extended period of time on asphalt, which may cause discomfort in horses or make them slip.
Boyd said Bravehearts herd of about 50 horses are trained so that they dont get spooked by the noises of cities like Chicago and New York. The horses appeared to not be bothered at the start of the march Friday when police vehicles turned on their sirens to halt traffic and cars speeding by on streets next to the route honked their horns in support of Bravehearts mission.
Back at the farms, a Bravehearts horse must be able to remain still while a lift places someone who needs to use a wheelchair on its back.
The horses basically have to be bulletproof, Boyd said. Its very few that are like that, so they are angels for sure.
Houghton police seeking help finding woman last seen at Walgreens Pharmacy
HOUGHTON, Mich. (WJMN) Police in the City of Houghton are asking for the publics help to locate a teenager last seen Sept. 5 at a local pharmacy.
On Friday morning, Houghton Police said they were looking for Myrica Rajdl, an 18-year-old voluntary missing person who was last seen around 3 p.m. on Thursday at the Walgreens in Houghton.
They say Rajdl was last seen wearing camouflage pants and a blue rain jacket.
Since their original post, Houghton Police have confirmed that a more recent photo of her shows she has a shaved head.
Anyone who knows something that could help locate Rajdl is asked to call the City of Houghton Police Department at (906) 482-2121.
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PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in Wisconsin have identified the body that was located dead in a wooded area on Monday.
According to a release, officers with the Platteville Police Department say that 43-year-old Derek Eastlick, who most recently resided in Waupaca, was found dead in a wooded area of Platteville.
Thieves steal items from Duck Creek Quarry Garden in Howard, police investigating
Two individuals located Eastlicks body as they were walking near a trail.
The release says the cause of death and the circumstances of why he was in the area and where his body was found are unknown at this time.
Eastlicks last interaction with the Platteville Police Department was on Friday, August 16, when he fled on foot from the scene of a traffic stop. The Platteville Police Department says Eastlick was a passenger in a vehicle that had been stopped for an equipment violation.
Additionally, Eastlick had a valid arrest warrant. Officers attempted to apprehend him, but he evaded them and was not located.
The Platteville Police Department is trying to establish a timeline for who he may have interacted with and where he was from August 16 to September 2, when he was found.
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Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to contact the Platteville Police Department at 608-348-2313.
No additional details were provided.
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Human Remains of At Least 3 People Found Near Minn. Lake Believed to Be Hundreds of Years Old
Authorities said the remains were discovered in Gould Township within a "known cultural site"
Getty Leech Lake in Minnesota
People gathering wild rice from a lake in Minnesota discovered human skeletal remains that are believed to hundreds of years old.
On Saturday, Aug. 31, a group of wild ricers contacted the Cass County Sheriffs Office to report that they found human remains in Gould Township, off the shores of Leech Lake, the sheriff's office and the Lake Leech Band of Ojibwe Police shared in a joint release obtained by PEOPLE.
After arriving at the scene, deputies discovered skeletal remains of at least three people "believed to be several hundred years old," the release notes.
Before securing the remains, authorities contacted the Leech Lake Heritage Sites program, as well as the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. The discovery remains under investigation and, while their exact location has not been disclosed, authorities confirmed the human remains were "located within a known cultural site."
"The Cass County Sheriffs Office, the Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe would like to take this opportunity to remind citizens the importance of contacting law enforcement should they encounter suspected human remains and to not disturb the area," the release read. "In doing so, this ensures vital evidence is preserved, along with being respectful of those who were here before us."
Related: Missing Plane and Human Remains Found in Lake Huron 17 Years After Aircraft Vanished
Getty Leech Lake in Minnesota
According to the Associated Press, authorities said they believed erosion caused the remains to surface.
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Ken Washington, police chief for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, told the news agency that human remains are occasionally found in the area. Theyll just arise like that just through natural erosion of the water coming up on shorelines, he said.
Remains are often unearthed through construction projects in the area, as well, which has "happened a couple times a year," added Cass County Sheriff Bryan Welk.
Related: Bodies Believed to Belong to Mother and Daughter Who Disappeared 50 Years Ago Found in Florida Canal
As the investigation continues, authorities stressed that there can be serious consequences should anybody try and interfere with the area.
"Knowingly disturbing suspected cultural sites and/or cemeteries can have civil and criminal repercussions," authorities said in the news release, sharing that they are "working together to ensure the human remains are preserved and ultimately restored to their original state in a timely, and culturally appropriate manner."
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(Bloomberg) -- ByteDance Ltd. is raising as much as $600 million for its car information and trading platform Dongchedi, according to people familiar with the situation.
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General Atlantic, HongShan, KKR & Co. and Gaorong Ventures are joint investors in the fundraising round, which values Dongchedi at close to $3 billion, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing a private matter.
ByteDance, the parent of TikTok, initiated a plan to carve out Dongchedi less than a year ago, the people said. They added that Dongchedi shares the same user traffic pool as Douyin, the version of TikTok used in China.
ByteDance and Gaorong didnt respond to requests for comment. Representatives for General Atlantic, KKR and HongShan, which was formerly Sequoia Capital China, declined to comment.
Launched as a standalone in 2017, Dongchedi, or DCar, is an automobile information, trading and services platform. It has about 35.7 million monthly active users, according to a report in June by Quest Mobile.
Under scrutiny in the US after a bill was passed ordering the sale of TikTok, ByteDance has been reviewing its businesses to center on long-term growth areas. It reduced its gaming division to avoid a clash with Tencent Holdings Ltd. and has considered selling Shanghai Moonton Technology Co., a studio it acquired for $4 billion in 2021, Bloomberg News reported.
Dongchedi competes with peers such as Autohome Inc. and Bitauto Holdings Ltd.
--With assistance from Zheping Huang.
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Hundreds of volunteers to help clean the American River Parkway
Hundreds of volunteers will head out to more than 20 locations along the American River in the Sacramento area this month for a major cleanup effort.
The Great American River Clean-Up is organized by the American River Parkway Foundation, a nonprofit group focused on the conservation of a 23-mile stretch of the American River Parkway.
The cleanup will be on Saturday, September 21, from 9 a.m. to noon at around two dozen areas from the Nimbus Fish Hatchery to Discovery Park.
In past years, cleanup efforts have helped remove thousands of pounds of litter and large items from along the American River Parkway, which receives around 5 million visitors annually, according to the foundation.
How California was shaped by the Sacramento River
The nonprofit said there will be sites that can accommodate small and large groups at this years event.
Organizers of the event said that they are still seeking volunteers of all ages. Anyone who wants to join the effort can visit this link and click on the area where they would like to volunteer.
Groups of 20 or more are asked to register by emailing volunteer@arpf.org or calling 916-486-2773.
Participants can ride SacRT buses and light rail trains for free to any of the designated cleanup sites by displaying this flyer to drivers or fare inspection staff.
e designated cleanup sites by displaying this flyer to drivers or fare inspection staff.
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YONKERS, N.Y. (PIX11) Yonkers public housing officials are looking at the source of Thursdays big problem: a natural gas outage at the Palisade Tower Development.
Outside, large temporary tractor-trailer-based boilers provide hot water for baths and showers in every developments 415 occupied units.
But no one here can use their gas stoves to cook.
The problem is critical leaks in the underground natural gas service lines that wind through this 70-year-old development.
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The temporary fix is city-issued hot plates and microwaves, which are expected to be needed for at least the next few months.
Yonkers Housing Authority CEO Wilson Kimball said the city is now considering electrifying the entire development at a potentially enormous price tag.
Probably the cheapest fix that we had looked at previously was about $5 million. And that was just to bring the stoves online for electric, said Kimball. If we went electric stoves and electric hot water if we went all-electric, that would probably be about 60 million. electric is 4X the cost of gas at this moment. Our budget has been blown up by this.
In the interim, the Yonkers community has donated, including hot meals.
Im here, boots on the ground every day, to ensure that our residents have some sort of meal to supplement this huge inconvenience. Were looking at all our government partners to assist with this endeavor, said City Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy.
Kimball is trying to be realistic and bluntly warns residents here in these towers that they will likely be cooking Thanksgiving meals using the microwaves and hot plates issued to every unit.
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Hungary's Orban says meeting between Putin and Zelensky 'necessary'
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses media during the 50th edition of The European House-Ambrossetti forum, called "Intelligence on the World, Europe, and Italy" at Villa d'Este on lake Como in Cernobbio. Marco Ottico/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
Hungary's Viktor Orban on Friday said he would support a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
Orban called a meeting between the two leaders "necessary" at an economic conference in Cernobbio, northern Italy, according to the Italian ANSA news agency.
In his speech at the Ambrosetti Forum, the Hungarian prime minister criticized what he described as the prevailing view in Europe that a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine must be preceded by dialogue and a peace plan.
Instead, he said a ceasefire should instead come first, ahead of talks on an eventual peace plan.
Orban, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, also warned that migration is increasingly undermining the European structure.
Italy and other countries with high levels of immigration have a "serious problem," Orban argued, while calling Italian Prime Minister Girogia Meloni - a fellow right-wing populist - his "Christian sister."
The prime minister also said he hopes Republican Donald Trump wins the US presidential election in November, and criticized the EU's European Green Deal, which he said is harming the continent's economic competitiveness.
In the past, other EU states have raised concerns about Orban for a visit to see Trump, as well as trips to Moscow and Beijing, amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and trade tensions between China and the EU.
Hungary's presidency has also been critcized by several EU member states and some are boycotting meetings hosted by Budapest.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives to attend the 50th edition of The European House-Ambrossetti forum, called "Intelligence on the World, Europe, and Italy" at Villa d'Este on lake Como in Cernobbio. Marco Ottico/LaPresse via ZUMA Press/dpa
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The European Union needs closer cooperation on markets and defence, but not on political issues such as migration, where major differences between countries make this impossible, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday.
"There are issues, even existential issues, to which we don't have common answers, this is war and peace, migration, gender, labour-based society, full employment," Orban told a conference in Cernobbio, Italy.
"If you force us to come together on issues we don't agree, you disintegrate the European Union," he said.
Orban also said that his visits to Kyiv and Moscow earlier this year, which some European Union partners criticised, led him to conclude that there was no intention on either side to make peace and reach a ceasefire in right now.
But the Hungarian leader said communication lines must be open on both sides if Europe wants to end the war in Ukraine.
Hungary, which has maintained close ties to Russia since Moscow's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has held the EU's rotating six-month presidency since July.
After taking the helm, Orban visited Kyiv and then made surprise visits to Moscow and Beijing before attending a NATO summit in Washington. His self-styled "peace mission" drew sharp criticism from some EU leaders who distanced the bloc from his actions.
But nationalist Orban, who has endorsed Donald Trump for the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, said on Friday peace would never be achieved without keeping communication lines open with both Ukraine and Russia.
Orban also praised Trump's "deal-making approach" and said Europe would have to cooperate with the eastern part of the world to improve its economic competitiveness.
"Our interest is to cooperate well with the West, the United States, and to cooperate economically as much as we can with the East, now China and even with the Russians after the war and on the territories where there are no sanctions, I would suggest to cooperate even with the Russians," Orban said.
Hungary buys most of its gas and crude oil from Russia and Russia's Rosatom is building a nuclear plant in the country.
(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves, Editing by Alan Charlish and Sharon Singleton)
LOS ANGELES (AP) 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.
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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.
Hunter Biden, right, and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden, arrive in federal court for jury selection for his trial on felony tax charges Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lauer reported from Philadelphia. AP writer Zeke Miller contributed from Washington.
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Hunter Biden, right, and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden, arrive in federal court for jury selection for his trial on felony tax charges Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. Biden entered a guilty plea to the charges. | Jae C. Hong
Hunter Biden pled guilty to nine charges related to tax evasion in a Los Angeles federal courthouse on Thursday, avoiding a second trial as his father President Joe Biden prepares to finish out his term.
Hunter Biden pled guilty to three felony counts and six misdemeanors for evading taxes, failing to pay taxes, and filing a false tax return, according to The New York Times. Prosecutors say Biden owed $1.4 million in federal taxes.
Biden will be sentenced on Dec. 16.
The charges were brought by Department of Justice special counsel David Weiss, who earlier had struck a deal with Bidens attorneys, but that fell apart when a federal judge noted the investigation into Biden was still open. The deal was criticized for being too lenient.
In June, Biden was found guilty of three felony charges related to making false statements on a gun permit application and possessing a gun when using drugs. He has not been sentenced for those charges yet.
Surprise guilty plea
Bidens decision to plead guilty Thursday came as a surprise to prosecutors. His attorney Abbe Lowell initially said he would enter an Alford plea, where the defendant acknowledges there is enough evidence for a conviction, but doesnt admit guilt.
After Lowell told District Judge Mark Scarsi about Bidens decision to change his plea from not guilty, federal prosecutor Leo Wise said this is the first we are hearing about this, according to Fox News.
Instead of using the Alford plea, which prosecutors rejected, Biden pled guilty as part of an open plea, where, according to NBC News, a defendant pleads guilty to all the charges and leaves his sentencing fate in the hands of the judge, without an agreed-upon recommendation from prosecutors.
President Biden said he wouldnt pardon son
When asked previously, President Biden said he wouldnt pardon his son, but that was before Biden announced in July he wouldnt run for a second term.
But on Thursday, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing that Biden still does not plan to pardon his son.
Its still no, she said.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi (R) speaks during bilateral talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Mariinsky Palace. Ukraine Presidency/Ukrainian Pre/Planet Pix via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has discussed the safety situation at the Zaporizhzhya and Kursk nuclear power plants with Russian officials.
The IAEA is doing everything it can to ensure the nuclear safety of the plants which are threatened by the conflict in the region, Grossi said in the Russian Baltic city of Kaliningrad after a meeting with the head of the Russian nuclear holding company Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev.
Grossi held talks in Kiev and visited the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant occupied by Russian troops earlier this week. Shortly before that, he also inspected the Kursk nuclear power plant, which is in danger following the incursion into Russian territory by Ukrainian troops.
"The situation remains extremely tense, extremely difficult," Grossi told media representatives in Kaliningrad, according to a Russian translation.
Likhachev said IAEA experts could be deployed to control the situation at the Kursk nuclear power station, as they were at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, in the event of an escalation. Talks on this would continue, Likhachev said. "It is important to understand the technical aspect - even a drone attack can lead to irreparable consequences."
At the moment, however, the nuclear power plant is operating normally. Russia has repeatedly accused Ukrainian troops of attacking the nuclear power plant since they entered the Kursk region on August 6.
The situation around the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya is considered to be even more difficult. Ukrainian and Russian troops repeatedly blame each other for the shelling of the facilities and there was recently a fire in a cooling tower there.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) welcomes IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi before bilateral talks at the Mariinsky Palace. Ukraine Presidency/Ukrainian Pre/Planet Pix via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Canada Vs. USA Cost Of Living: How Do They Really Compare? 'In Vancouver, They Must All Be Millionaires' To Survive
With so many Canadians heading south in search of more affordable living, this topic has sparked curiosity. The duo behind the popular YouTube channel Make That Change, Anna and Anastasia, immigrants living in the Greater Toronto Area, took on the challenge of breaking down the real differences between the two countries. They took four cities in Canada and found comparable ones in the United States.
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Who Earns More?
First, let's talk about income. U.S. salaries tend to be higher, but there's a big catch income inequality in the States is much bigger than in Canada. For example, in Mississippi, you could make as little as $47,000 a year, while in Massachusetts, you might bring home $130,000. In Canada, incomes are more stable and less extreme, no matter where you live.
In their video, Anna and Anastasia show that while incomes in cities like Seattle and Chicago are higher than in most Canadian cities, the gap shrinks after taxes. Canada's higher taxes fund public services, including health care, greatly affecting cost-of-living differences.
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Taxes and Take-Home Pay
Speaking of taxes, this is where the U.S. typically gives you more money in your pocket but it's not always as simple as it sounds. Yes, Americans have lower taxes, but much of what Canadians get covered by the government, like health care, comes straight out of an American's paycheck.
In Canada, taxes are higher because they include mandatory contributions to social services, like pensions and employment insurance. So, while Canadians take home less on payday, they get benefits like free health care and unemployment protection.
The Biggest Expense: Housing Costs
Housing is always the biggest expense, no matter where you live, and this is where things get interesting. According to the data Anna and Anastasia gathered, in U.S. cities like Chicago or Seattle, rent for a one-bedroom apartment ranges from $1,995 to $2,195 per month, depending on the neighborhood.
But Vancouver takes the cake. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver has skyrocketed to around $3,000 monthly, with some central areas even higher. Rent prices there are so extreme that it's hard to imagine how people afford themhence the two jokes: They must all be millionaires!
Story continues
However, other Canadian cities like Edmonton and Calgary are much more affordable. When you compare rent prices to incomes, the U.S. and Canada are surprisingly close, with only a small difference.
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Everyday Expenses
Anna and Anastasia examined everything from groceries to gas, utilities, and car ownership. Groceries and gas are generally cheaper in the U.S., which makes sense given its larger population, bigger agricultural output, and fewer environmental regulations. Utilities and car ownership, however, can cost more in the States.
However, regarding health care, the U.S. has become significantly more expensive. Healthcare costs in the U.S. can be two to three times higher than in Canada. While Americans might have private insurance through their employer, they still face copays and deductibles. In contrast, most doctor visits in Canada are free, thanks to the public health care system.
That's one reason Canada's higher taxes don't feel quite so painful what Canadians pay in taxes covers services Americans often pay for out-of-pocket.
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A Key Difference
When it comes to raising a family, Canada pulls ahead. The Canadian government has introduced subsidies that lower day care costs nationwide, with the goal of $10-a-day care by 2026 in many provinces. Parents in Canada also get up to 52 weeks of parental leave, making managing the early years of parenthood much easier.
In the U.S., day care is significantly more expensive, and there's no nationwide parental leave policy, so parents often have to start paying for child care much sooner. While the U.S. does offer some tax credits for families, they pale in comparison to the benefits Canadian parents receive.
In both countries, there are trade-offs. The U.S. gives you more control over your money since you don't have as many deductions, but that comes with higher health care and day care costs.
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An Ada County judge dismissed the effort by Idahos longest-serving death row prisoner to prevent another attempt to execute him after prison officials failed to put him to death by lethal injection earlier this year.
Judge Jason D. Scott of Idahos 4th Judicial District ruled Thursday against Thomas Creech, 73, who has been incarcerated in Idaho for nearly 50 years. In his written opinion, Scott said Creechs attorneys did not justify their claim that his constitutional rights would be violated if the state again sought to execute their client.
Attorneys with the State Appellate Public Defenders Office said Creech, who has been convicted of three murders in Idaho, has suffered from a host of ailments after the state failed to execute him in February.
The execution was slated to be the states first in almost 12 years. But the prison execution team was unable to find a vein in Creech sufficient to insert an IV for lethal injection while he lay sedated and strapped down to the execution table. After an hour and eight attempts, state prison leaders called off his execution.
In the six months since, Creech has struggled with health symptoms that include sustained trauma, memory loss, delusions and recurring nightmares, his attorneys said in court filings. Serving another death warrant to Creech what would be his 13th since 1976 would entail cruel and unusual punishment in violation of his Eighth Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution, they argued.
It would constitute unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain on Mr. Creech to attempt to execute him by any method after subjecting him to the psychological torment of the botched execution, his attorneys wrote. Such an attempt would also represent torture and a lingering death.
Creech is just the sixth person in U.S. history to survive an execution by lethal injection, and the first to survive one of any kind in Idaho, they noted, citing data from the Washington, D.C.-based Death Penalty Information Center. Only one of those prisoners was later put to death in a follow-up execution, earlier this year in Alabama.
I laid on that table and fully expected to die that day, Creech told the Idaho Statesman in phone interview from prison in June. And actually, to be honest with you, I still feel like Im dead and this is just the afterlife.
Ada County prosecutors rejected Creechs claims that the failed execution should preclude the state from fulfilling a prisoners standing death sentence. The U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled that a second execution attempt is unconstitutional, and Creechs arguments were legally and factually deficient, they argued.
Creech was not subjected to intentional, malicious, or unnecessary pain, Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Dayton Reed wrote. And he provides no evidence that any subsequent execution will inflict pain above and beyond that inherent in the execution method.
Creech traumatized from failed execution
A week after holding a hearing for oral arguments, Scott issued his decision that sided with prosecutors. He said a previous U.S. Supreme Court ruling did not favor Creechs position, and that similar capital cases in other states have relied on that precedent.
Scott is the same judge who signed the death warrant for Creech that led to the attempt to execute him earlier this year.
The court doesnt doubt that enduring one execution attempt and facing another has traumatized Creech, Scott wrote in his ruling. The Eighth Amendment does not, however, categorically prohibit, as a cruel and unusual punishment, a second attempt to carry out a death sentence.
The judge also tossed an assertion from Creechs attorneys that a second execution attempt would violate the double jeopardy clause of the U.S. Constitutions Fifth Amendment, because Creech would be forced to face punishment twice from a single conviction. Scott called the argument legally untenable.
The court concludes without hesitation that the double jeopardy clause doesnt bar the state from trying a second time to carry out Creechs death sentence, he wrote in his opinion. Because a second attempt to carry out his death sentence wouldnt subject him to more punishment than the legislature authorized for his crime, it wouldnt abridge his rights under the double jeopardy clause.
Idaho State Appellate Public Defender Erik Lehtinen declined to comment, citing a practice of not doing so on active cases. The Ada County Prosecutors Office also declined to comment to the Statesman.
Creech execution remains in limbo
Creech, who turns 74 next week, was first charged in Idaho in November 1974 for the shooting deaths of two men, Edward T. Arnold, 34, and John W. Bradford, 40, in Valley County. Creech admitted he killed both men in his interview with the Statesman. He received the death penalty after conviction on two counts of first-degree murder, but his sentence was reduced to life in prison.
Creech was later found guilty of the June 1974 strangling death of V. Grant Robinson, 50, in Sacramento, California, and the August 1974 shooting death of William J. Dean, 22, in Portland, Oregon. Idaho prosecutors over the years have alleged that Creech is a serial killer and responsible for as many as dozens of murders.
In May 1981, Creech, then 30, beat and stomped fellow maximum security prisoner David D. Jensen, 23, to death, according to court records. Creech pleaded guilty, was resentenced to death and has remained on death row ever since.
The state parole board members stopped a prior execution scheduled for Creech last year when they received letters of support from several former prison staff on Creechs behalf, prompting them to grant him a clemency hearing. But his request for a reduced sentence to life in prison was denied, and Creech was served a death warrant that set up his February execution, which was unsuccessful.
After more than half a year, the Idaho Department of Correction has still not issued its plans for next steps on how to proceed with Creech or executions overall in the state going forward.
I think the courts are going to have a lot to say about about how the process plays itself out, IDOC Director Josh Tewalt said in a July interview with the Statesman. For our part, were in the process of going through our policies and procedures and making sure that any changes that need to be made we can get made, and be ready if we get tasked with with carrying out a death warrant.
Mourners chant slogans while carrying the bodies of Palestinians killed an Israel raid in the northern part of occupied West Bank, during a group funeral procession in the Jenin refugee camp. Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
A 13-year-old girl has been killed in clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank, according to Palestinian sources.
The child was reportedly killed by gunfire from Israeli soldiers, said the Health Ministry in Ramallah.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it is investigating the incident.
Palestinian media reported that Israeli settlers entered a Palestinian village near the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank and attacked houses.
Clashes broke out with the residents and the Israeli army intervened with gunfire.
The child was said to have been in her room with her sisters when she was struck in the chest by the gunfire, the WAFA Palestinian news agency reported, citing her father. According to the report, she was later declared dead at the hospital.
The information could not initially be independently verified.
The situation in the West Bank has significantly worsened since the start of the Gaza war following the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023.
Since then, 663 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations, confrontations or their own attacks, according to the Health Ministry in the West Bank.
Violence by extremist Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank has also increased.
Palestinians mourn their young family member at the morgue of a Jenin hospital in the northern West Bank. It follows the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the city of Jenin and its refugee camps engaged in a 10-day intense military offensive. The long Israeli attack has led to the death of at least 21 Palestinians, and left behind widespread destruction and damage, including to water and sewage infrastructure. Mohammed Turabi/IMAGESLIVE via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Five Lakewood businesses are accused of selling alcohol and/or drugs without a license.
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board carried out an undercover investigation against businesses in the B&I Marketplace, which include Farmacia Naturista, El Remate, Novedades La Pinata, La Salsa and El Sabor De Oaxaca, according to a news release.
The investigation began after there were complaints the businesses were selling liquor to minors, the release said. There were also complaints that accused Farmacia Naturista and El Remate of illegally selling prescription medications and other drugs.
Several of the businesses were advised of the complaints, but they all denied selling alcohol, the release said.
LCB undercover officers allegedly made several purchases of liquor and illicit drugs in recent months, the release said. They worked in collaboration with an investigator from the Washington State Department of Healths Board of Pharmacy.
Officers carried out a search and seizure on Wednesday. They seized beer, wine and about 30 cases of liquor, which might have been illegally imported from Mexico, the release said.
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board accuses five businesses in Lakewood of illegally selling alcohol and drugs.
Officers and investigators seized hundreds of packages of illegally imported medications, including Tramadol, phentermine (Fentermina), Lyrica (pregabalin), testosterone and drugs packaged in syringes at Farmacia Naturista and El Remate, the release said. Illegal cannabis products were also taken from those stores.
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board accuse five businesses in Lakewood for illegally selling alcohol and drugs.
Farmacia Naturista and El Remate, which are under similar ownership, do not have pharmacy and cannabis licenses, the release said.
The LCB alleges that while the search warrants were being executed, the owner locked Farmacia Naturistas storage room in an attempt to hide the liquor and drugs, the release said. The substances and drugs were placed out of public view in back rooms, cabinets and under the counters.
Gross misdemeanor charges against the businesses will be recommended to the Pierce County Prosecutors Office for operating without a liquor license, the release said.
LCB officers are also recommending charges for the owners of Farmacia Naturista for operating a pharmacy without a license. They will also include felony charges for unlawful possession and delivery of controlled substances, unlawful possession and delivery of legend drugs and money laundering, the release said.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) Illinois State Representative Adam Niemberg is calling on Illinois citizens to join him in opposing efforts to redesign the Illinois state flag, calling the change a blatant attempt to infuse far-left ideology onto the states flag.
In and of itself, the idea of a new flag is not necessarily a terrible idea, Niemberg said about Senate Bill 1818, the goal of which was to develop new state flag designs and determine if one of them should replace the current state flag that was adopted in 1969. Will we highlight the governors efforts to partner with Chinese-owned companies? Or will the flag become a state-sponsored tribute to the Pride flag? We need patriotic citizens to take a stand against this clear attempt to rebrand our state according to leftist ideology.
Illinois opens contest to redesign state flag
Representative Niemberg has launched a petition online asking Governor JB Pritzker to not consider a redesign of the flag.
A state flag commission was established last year after Senate Bill 1818 was signed into law. The commission will accept design ideas for consideration from the public online or via mail until October 18 of this year. The commission will then select ten designs and hold an online poll to have citizens vote for their favorite flag design, or to keep the current flag.
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BOSTON (SHNS) Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Thursday stood by her vote last spring against a border security and immigration reform deal, a topic likely to play out further during her campaign against Republican John Deaton for a third term in the Senate.
Warren voted against a bipartisan immigration reform bill in March, joining with other progressive Democrats and Republicans in rejecting the bill. A similar bill was also brought forward for an unsuccessful vote in May, and though Warren did not vote because she was attending her granddaughters graduation, a spokesperson for her office said the senators views on this bill have not changed.
Beacon Hills Democratic leadership supported the immigration bill, which would have marked the first comprehensive set of changes in decades, given the president more power to stop unlawful entrances into the country, and overhauled the asylum process.
Warren told reporters after an unrelated event on Thursday that she voted against the bill in March with the knowledge that her vote would not kill the bill, since Republicans had already had the votes to stop it.
Two days before the vote was to come up in the Senate, when it would have passed overwhelmingly, Donald Trump said no, all the Republicans should vote against it so that he could maintain the issue of chaos at the border. And thats exactly what happened, she said.
She continued, The Republicans did what Donald Trump wanted them to do in the hopes that there would be more trouble at the border, because this is Donald Trump putting Donald Trump ahead of the interests of the United States of America. At the time I voted on that bill, it was dead.
Deaton, who won the Republican primary on Tuesday to challenge Warren in Novembers general election, has said he would have voted in favor of the bill, as a first step towards addressing the migrant crisis.
Twelve million people have crossed when you count getaways. So even if you assume 99 percent are good people who just want a better life, something I can identify with, even if 1 percent is bad, thats 120,000 people. Its a national security crisis. So I would have voted for that bill because it stopped the bleeding, Deaton said during a debate with his primary opponents on WBZ last month.
Deaton said it wasnt a perfect bill but that what made him stand out as a candidate is hes willing to do something about immigration.
A spring GBH News/CommonWealth Beacon poll conducted by MassINC Polling Group found that immigration was a major problem or crisis in Massachusetts. At the time of the polling, emergency family shelters were at capacity, strained by incoming low-income migrant families, and Gov. Maura Healeys administration had begun tightening policies around providing shelter. These issues have continued, and in some areas escalated, in the time since.
The immigration issue here in Massachusetts is taxing our infrastructure, our hotels, our urgent cares, our schools. We have to do something about it, Deaton said during the August debate, criticizing his Republican primary opponents who he said shared the same position as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and that is to do nothing and to not vote for it.
Warren on Thursday said she is looking to negotiations on new immigration policy going forward, rather than backwards at the failed deal, which she said had a number of issues.
The bill had parts that were a good first start, and that is money to do more security at the border and to take care of our immigration courts and fund them more fully. It also needed a part where we could get more money to the states. What was in that bill was completely inadequate, and it needed a pathway to citizenship for our Dreamers, for the people who were essential workers during the pandemic, for people who are here and want to serve in our military, Warren said.
Before the Senate vote in May, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) highlighted support for the bill from both major parties. President Joe Biden at the time said it was
We all know the situation at the borders unacceptable and demands attention from Congress, Schumer said at the time. Poll after poll show that a large majority of Americans across party lines support our position of getting a bipartisan bill done, and only 8 percent are in opposition People want to get things done. People want us to come together.
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Satish Dharni poses for a portrait outside his home in Draper on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. Dharni said he is registered as an independent but plans on voting Republican in the presidential election. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Satish Dharni, a Draper, Utah, resident, is an Indian immigrant who moved to the United States in 2005. He was 57 at the time, old enough to retire, and faced the challenge of setting up a new life for his wife and two sons in a foreign country. So far, Dharni, a registered independent, has voted in three elections, choosing to support former President Donald Trump the last two times.
He plans to vote for Trump this election cycle as well but has a soft spot for Vice President Kamala Harris because of her Indian heritage.
Between the two political parties, a majority of voters say the Democratic Party is more welcoming to Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, according to the latest Deseret News and HarrisX national survey.
Dharni is an American Indian, now the largest and most politically active group among Asian Americans.
Although a large majority of Indian Americans are loyal to the Democratic Party around three-fourths of Indian Americans said they planned on voting for President Joe Biden Trumps tax policies, a focus on small businesses and close ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are enticing to many voters in this demographic.
Despite disliking Trumps foul mouth, Dharni said Trumps Tax Cuts and Jobs Act helped the economy grow through deductions and lower tax rates for businesses and individuals. Dharnis daughter-in-law, Shreya Chopra, who owns hotels in Utah, Idaho and Nevada, also said she doesnt support Harris proposal of upping tax for top earners and she doesnt like her views on the border.
Washington, D.C, and New Delhis strained relations
Dharni also accused the current administration of not taking a stance against the Khalistan movement, a group of Sikhs who want to separate from India and establish an ethno-religious sovereign state.
Dharni argued the Biden White House is quick to point fingers and raise human rights concerns in India when speaking with Modi. In September last year, Biden visited Modi in New Delhi. They had substantial discussions on the future of the U.S. and India partnership, And, as I always do, I raised the important (subject) of respecting human rights and the vital role that civil society and a free press have in building a strong and prosperous country with Mr. Modi, Biden said at the time.
Satish Dharni poses for a portrait at home in Draper on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. Dharni said he is registered as an independent but plans on voting Republican in the presidential election. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Despite not liking Democratic policies, I am sorry to say that I would love Kamala to be elected, Dharni said. Harris heritage makes the election a win-win for conservatives like Dharni.
Harris mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was born in India and moved to the U.S. for college in 1958. Harris grew up learning about the Hindi culture and often visited her mothers homeland. Her name, Kamala, means lotus, and is closely associated with Goddess Lakshmi, who represents wealth, good fortune, happiness, youth and beauty.
Indian Americans could make a huge difference in 2024 election
The South Asian American population in key battleground states for 2024 Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin is far larger than the closest arch of victory in statewide elections in the last few elections, said Chintan Patel, the executive director at the Indian American Impact Fund, which endorsed Harris this year as well as in 2019.
When you look at a state like Georgia, where in 2020 the Biden-Harris campaign won that state by 11,000 votes, there are close to 100,000 South Asian American voters eligible voters, said Patel. The election is going to swing based on a couple of thousand votes, he said, adding, Our community has the power to make the margin of victory.
This voter bloc especially matters as polling numbers indicate a close matchup between Trump and Harris. The Deseret News/HarrisX national survey, conducted Aug. 2-3 among 1,011 registered U.S. voters, showed Donald Trump at 47% and Kamala Harris at 45%, with 9% of voters saying they were unsure.
We saw a couple of weeks ago, on the floor of the national Republican convention, they were passing out these big posters, these rally signs and big bold letters declaring mass deportations now, Patel said. When members of our community take a look at those signs, what they see is a party and a candidate in Donald Trump, who is trying to tear apart hundreds of thousands of South Asian American families because this policy would affect them.
Malavika Kirtane Deo is pictured in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. Deo is a Democrat and plans on voting for Vice President Kamala Harris. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Support for mass deportations has grown among Americans as of late. Nearly 6 in 10 voters endorse a hypothetical mass deportation effort, according to a CBS News poll from June.
Harris background helps her with South Asians
Milan Vaishnav, the director and senior fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peaces South Asian program, pointed to a survey by the nonpartisan international affairs think tank in 2020, prior to that years presidential election.
Roughly 45% of Indian American citizen respondents reported that Harris addition to the Democratic ticket made them more likely to vote (while another 40% said it made no difference), Vaishnav told the Deseret News in an email.
Of those reporting they were more likely to vote, nearly half (49%) said Harris choice as Bidens VP candidate made them more enthusiastic about the Democratic ticket. The number one reason given? Her Indian American heritage.
Malavika Kirtane Deo, a Salt Lake City resident and a mother to three daughters, is also a business owner; her company Spice Symphony sells spice blends and food.
Deo recalled feeling confused about who to support during the Democratic primary in 2020. Because I absolutely adore Joe Biden. But then its the same thing for Kamala Harris, again, more because Im a woman. I wanted to see a woman president in my lifetime for the U.S., she said. America is such a progressive country. ... But every time there is a woman who tries to run we shut it down, she said.
Deo said she didnt want her children to follow along party lines. At the Deo household, each candidate is evaluated on their track records and policies. But when Trump came into office, I decided, no more Republicans until they have the courage to stand up and say, This is not a candidate for our party because hes destroying the country, Deo said.
Deo has lived in the U.S. for 35 years after getting married. The couple moved to Utah in November 1989. Deo began following Harris a few years ago and observed her passion for working for the people. Whether she had any Indian blood in her or not, it is still just as exciting in so many different ways. If elected, Harris would become the first woman, Black woman and person of South Asian descent to serve as commander in chief.
Her daughters, Deo said, also relate to Harris message about standing up for the underdog and not leaving people behind. I think those things remind them of their own upbringing, she said.
Republicans court Indian American voters
South Asian Women for Harris raised $250,000 in donations during a two-hour video call on Zoom in late July.
Because most Indian Americans call the Democratic Party home, they are definitely more organized, said Vaishnav. However, Republicans have consistently tried to woo Indian and South Asian voters and, this election, both sides are making a big push to win over their votes, he said. But my sense is that the organizational, enthusiasm, and demographic advantages are with the Democrats right now.
I am a big fan of Hindus and Im a big fan of India, Trump said in 2016 at an event hosted by the Republican Hindu Coalition. He also hosted the Howdy Modi summit that took place in 2019. It featured a rally with Modi in Houston, Texas, that attracted a crowd of over 50,000.
Trump, in conversation on a podcast with wealthy Silicon Valley donors and venture capitalists David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya, said he would support giving green cards to foreign students who graduate from an American university, a policy likely to be popular among South Asians in the U.S. and abroad.
Americans with Indian heritage increasingly involved in politics
Indian Americans are increasingly involved in civic life, especially politics. Apart from Harris, this election cycle, the Republican primary drew two candidates of Indian heritage former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. While they have dropped out of the race, vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vances wife, Usha Vance, also has Indian lineage. Her Yale degree and successful law career fall in line with the expectations and ambitions of South Asian parents.
Typically, vice presidential candidates have had a modest impact on actual electoral outcomes. VP candidates spouses even less so, Vaishnav said. My sense is that most Indian Americans would view Usha Vance positively, but this current avatar of the Republican Party is ideologically out-of-step with where most Indian American voters are. That is the structural barrier facing the Republican Party today.
I think as time has gone on, this race has settled down and Indian American voters are strongly behind the Harris-Walz ticket. As incomes continue to rise and the diversity of the Indian diaspora grows, it is natural that more Indian Americans will support the Republican Party. But, ideologically, this version of the Republican Party is too extreme for most Indian Americans, he said. For now, he expects Indian Americans to vote for Harris in numbers equal to, or even greater than, 2020.
By Arpan Chaturvedi and Krishna N. Das
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's main opposition Congress party set up a new internal group this week to promote LGBTQ+ rights, while another party has named a person from the community as its spokesperson, in the first such political recognition after many setbacks.
The Supreme Court decriminalised homosexuality in 2018 but greatly disappointed the LGBTQ+ community last year when it declined to legalise same-sex marriage, leaving the matter to parliament to decide.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, which has also said the legislature is the right platform to decide, canvassed public opinion this week on how best to ensure policies for the community inclusive and effective.
Same-sex ties are mostly taboo in the largely conservative country of 1.42 billion people, and the government told the Supreme Court last year that such marriages were not "comparable with the Indian family unit concept".
This unit comprised a husband, a wife and children, it added.
Congress, whose political clout has risen after doing much better than expected in the April-June general election, named LGBTQ+ activist Mario da Penha this week to head its new unit for the community, under its its All-India Professionals Congress division.
The appointment follows Congress's poll promise to bring in a law to legalise civil unions between same-sex couples.
It was the "only representative framework for queer people within any recognised national political party in India", Da Penha said on X.
Da Penha's appointment was "a major moment for queer inclusion in Indian politics", said Anish Gawande, who last month became the first person from the community to become the spokesperson for a big party, the opposition Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar.
Speaking of the Nationalist Congress appointment earlier, Gawande said on social media: "If you'd told me 10 years ago that it would be possible to be out and in Indian politics, I would have scoffed in disbelief."
The government says its measures to benefit the community include access to food programmes for same-sex couples as families, allowing them to open joint bank accounts and choose each other as nominees, as well as provision of medical and other care without discrimination.
In a statement on Sunday, the social justice department said it had sought suggestions from the public to ensure policies and initiatives for the community were inclusive and effective.
The ministry's top bureaucrat did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A government official said on condition of anonymity that authorities were focused on ridding policies and initiatives of discrimination against the community.
"Stakeholders and the public are free to express their views on how to have inclusive policies and initiatives," the official said in a text message, without mentioning any law to recognise same-sex marriage.
(Reporting by Arpan Chaturvedi and Krishna N. Das; Editing by Jan Harvey and Clarence Fernandez)
Lawyers for a Hoosier police officer argued before the Indiana Supreme Court on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, that pending disciplinary action related to an expunged arrest incident should not be allowed to move forward. (Getty Images)
Legal counsel for an Indiana police officer who was arrested but later had a drunk driving charge dropped and his record expunged argued before the state supreme court on Thursday that pending disciplinary action related to the incident should not be allowed to move forward.
The states law enforcement board responsible for handling disciplinary matters, on the other hand, maintained that expungements are not gag orders, and held that the board should first be able to decide through its own proceedings whether the officer engaged in misconduct.
The officer, anonymously referred to as R.L. in court documents, was arrested July 5, 2021.
His employer an unnamed Hoosier sheriffs office reported the arrest to Indianas Law Enforcement Training Board on Aug. 4 of that year. Its not clear if R.L. is still employed as an officer in Indiana.
Court documents indicate the board later sent a letter to the officer in April 2022, stating that it had learned of the event that may lead to the revocation of [his] Indiana Law Enforcement Basic Training Certification and authority to act as a law enforcement officer.
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Specifically, the board alleged that R.L. committed conduct that met the elements of Level 6 felony criminal confinement and Class C misdemeanor operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent of .08 or more.
After receiving the letter, R.L. petitioned in July 2022 to expunge all records associated with his arrest, and the Martin Circuit Court subsequently agreed to the request.
In his response to the training board, the officer claimed he had only been charged with operating while intoxicated, but that the charge had since been dismissed. R.L. additionally maintained that because the arrest had been expunged the board should dismiss any related disciplinary proceedings which could impact his license to act as a law enforcement officer.
The board refused, however, prompting R.L. to request injunctive relief which was granted by the circuit court.
The law enforcement board appealed, and the Indiana Court of Appeals ultimately reversed, concluding that although the board cant consider expunged records in its proceedings it may consider independent evidence that the officer engaged in the actions that gave rise to the arrest.
The Indiana Supreme Court granted transfer and assumed jurisdiction over the case earlier this year. The high court justices heard arguments from both sides on Thursday and will now decide if or how the expunged records are permitted in the law enforcement boards disciplinary considerations.
To date, the board has not carried out hearings or sanctioned R.L. for his conduct related to the July 2021 arrest.
Law enforcement board pushes back on lower court decision
Evan Comer, on behalf of the state and the law enforcement training board, told the justices that its up to the board to decide what evidence should be considered during its proceedings.
Its the boards role not the trial courts to make a decision about whether or not R.L. committed misconduct, based on that evidence, he said, adding that the lower courts interference in the boards process short-circuited administrative review.
Expungements are not gag orders. They dont wipe the memories of witnesses. They dont erase the harm caused by a defendants bad acts, Comer said.
This case boils down to one key point. By ordering the board not to consider any facts related to R.L.s expunged arrest, the trial court improperly interfered with an ongoing, independent agency disciplinary action, Comer continued. The trial courts decision effectively excluded evidence before the board, barring the agency from determining the facts for itself, which is a matter left solely to its own discretion.
Comer further argued that R.L. should have exhausted his administrative remedies before turning to the courts. Had he done so, its entirely possible that the officer could have successfully challenged the admissibility of the evidence, meaning it would have never been allowed in the disciplinary hearing to begin with.
Expungements are not gag orders. They don't wipe the memories of witnesses. They don't erase the harm caused by a defendant's bad acts
Evan Comer, attorney for the Indiana Attorney General's Office
If R.L. believed that his expungement actually barred him from being held professionally accountable for his his misconduct, that was an issue he could have raised either as an objection to the admission of the evidence before the board, or as a defense to the board, Comer said.
Justice Christopher Goff asked how the court should balance the intended purposes of expungements.
Youve got some folks you want to give a second chance to, and the language is broad. But on the other hand, youve got populations of folks that do very important work and are in positions of trust. How should we look at that? he asked. I dont think we have much guidance from the General Assembly
Comer emphasized that expungement pertains to documents the paper trail that arises throughout the course of the pending litigation. He noted, too, that expungements are meant to take away the stigma of having the arrest or the conviction tied to your name as a legal fact.
It doesnt take away, it doesnt erase the harm that you have actually caused, Comer said. For example, if the case said that R.L. was coming from a grocery store, does that mean that we have to always and forever pretend that R.L. was never at that grocery store? Does that mean that we can never sanction him for anything he did at that grocery store?
The state pointed to uncharged conduct that is at the center of this disciplinary proceeding. Comer said that specifically relates to R.L.s alleged criminal confinement of his wife on the same night as his OWI arrest. While the officer was never charged for that crime, Comer said it could still be relevant to the law enforcement boards disciplinary proceedings.
Officers lawyer addresses high court justices
Tyler Helmond, representing R.L. alternatively said the board seems intent to use information that, in our view, it cant use.
Its our position that it would be inconsistent if the General Assembly intended for there to be a broad exception to seal all the records, but then say we can call witnesses and introduce that evidence later in the hearing, Helmond said in his arguments.
He maintained, too, that state statute allows law enforcement agencies to consider an expunged record when making an employment decision, but that sealed documents cant be used to revoke an officers license.
Still, Goff questioned why the officer couldnt have made his case before the law enforcement board rather than immediately seeking to stop any potential disciplinary hearings.
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Either he goes through, he gets a decertification, or hes not disciplined, and everybody has faith in the system. That actually were taking this obligation seriously, and allegations against folks in these very important positions are being investigated, Goff said. Why cant you have both?
Helmond said the board should not be allowed to call any witness to just repeat things from the record that is otherwise sealed.
That becomes a very narrow construction, and it really doesnt further the purpose. It really frustrates it, he said. You could just call the police officer and say, What are the facts of this case? And now were going to use that instead of using the arrest. It basically eliminates (expungement) as as a useful remedy when its clearly designed to give somebody a second chance at employment, to give somebody a second chance at housing, to give somebody a second chance at health care.
Justice Geoffrey Slaughter pushed back, asking whether the non-material record has to be ignored even if there was no conviction.
The justice additionally pressed Helmond about his clients decision to circumvent the law enforcement boards administrative proceedings.
You seem to be suggesting that the injury is the mere investigation. You know, theres no doubt that youre injured if and when the board imposes its discipline, Slaughter said. The question is, is he injured before that by the mere investigation?
Helmond said the boards only basis for discipline comes from information that has since been sealed, and that because the threat of possible discipline put R.L.s employment and livelihood at stake, he was justified in seeking injunctive relief.
Chief Justice Loretta Rush did not provide a timeline for the courts decision, which could take several weeks or months.
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(Reuters) -StandardAero, an aircraft maintenance services provider backed by private equity firm Carlyle Group and Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC, filed for an initial public offering in the United States on Friday.
The aftermarket services industry is heating up with several aircraft equipment manufacturers also expanding into the space in recent years, as the business can fetch strong margins with lighter capital investment.
Additionally, since aircraft engines have a lifespan of about three to four decades, aftermarket services such as inspections, maintenance, repairs and overhauls can be a long-term source of revenue for the providers.
While some large commercial airlines maintain in-house aftermarket services divisions, smaller players outsource such operations to third parties.
StandardAero's IPO comes as the aviation sector recovers from a COVID-19 pandemic-led slump. Expectations of an imminent interest rate cut in the United States have also encouraged some companies to list their shares.
Founded in 1911, Scottsdale, Arizona-based StandardAero provides aftermarket services to commercial and military aviation, as well as energy clients.
It has partnered with major aircraft engine makers including Rolls-Royce, GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney.
Reuters reported in April that Carlyle was weighing options for StandardAero, including a possible sale that could value it at about $10 billion.
The private equity firm acquired StandardAero from buyout firm Veritas Capital for about $5 billion in 2019.
StandardAero's revenue jumped 12% to $2.58 billion in the six months ended June 30 from a year earlier. Its net income was $8.6 million in the same period compared with a $12.6 million loss in the first half of 2023.
J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley are among the underwriters for the IPO. The company is looking to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "SARO."
(Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
Katie Button of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (right) helps a consumer pick a health care plan on the federal online marketplace. (Department of Consumer and Business Services)
The price of individual and small business health insurance plans will jump again next year and two by double digits that could leave people paying nearly $700 more a year for their monthly premiums.
After seeking public comment, officials with the state Division of Financial Regulation said Thursday they approved an average 8% rate hike for individual plans sold on the federal marketplace just 1% lower than what the companies requested earlier this year. The division also approved an average 12% rise for small company plans, which basically was what the companies had requested, according to figures published Thursday.
PacificSource Health Plans will have the biggest increase on the individual market at just over 11%, while regulators approved more than a 16% rate hike for small business plans sold by Providence Health Plan.
Andrew Stolfi, Oregons insurance commissioner, indicated that state officials are pleased with how the rate process worked out.
The health insurance market is competitive with five carriers offering plans in every Oregon county (in) 2025, which gives Oregonians more options to shop for plans to fit their budget, Stolfi said in a statement.
The latest quarterly data shows that nearly 170,000 people in Oregon have purchased their own health insurance, mostly on the federal marketplace. The online portal allows individuals to obtain subsidies to pay for premiums and other costs, usually in the form of a tax credit. About 150,000 people are covered by group plans.
Division analysts spent months reviewing the rate requests and lowered the few that did not fit allowed parameters. After that, the division also sought public comment on the rates. Oregonians may be resigned to continual rate hikes. Only
one person commented, posting the same statement five times: These rate increases are terrible, the anonymous commenter said. I already have many people who bail on the marketplace because it is still too expensive for their income level. There will be more and more people who will go uninsured because of this.
Dive deeper
For more information on the rate process, check the states Consumer Guide to 2025 Health Insurance Rate Filings and the Consumer Guide to Health Insurance Rate Review.
These rates are the first since Oregon wound down its review of the eligibility of Medicaid members. During the pandemic, the state did not kick anyone off the free insurance if their income rose under a federal agreement. But that agreement ended in 2023, and states started that May to review their rolls and remove anyone who no longer met the low-income requirements. About 230,000 Oregonians have lost the free health insurance, though as of last month, the state had the highest retention rate in the country. State officials have moved about 23,000 people who no longer qualify for Medicaid benefits to a new plan that essentially extends the free insurance to people who earn just a bit more than allowed under traditional Medicaid.
Its unclear how many people booted from Medicaid have obtained insurance through an employer or how many have signed up on the federal marketplace. The federal government has not shared those figures. But the latest quarterly individual enrollment figures indicate that thousands in Oregon who lost Medicaid may no longer have health insurance.
People can enroll in health insurance at any time during a qualifying life event, such as a marriage, having a baby or losing health coverage. For others, open enrollment runs from Nov. 1 to Jan. 15 this year.
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A new apartment complex by the intersection of Wealthy Street and Division Avenue has moved in its first few residents.
Located at 90 Wealthy Street by Sheldon Avenue, the development offers 58 apartments a mix of studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms across two buildings.
The units are all market rate, affordable to those making 80% to 110% of the area median income, Cella Building Company President Peter Skornia said.
Were a perfect fit for young professionals moving into Grand Rapids, maybe people (that) work for the hospital, people that work downtown. Great opportunity to be close to everything that Grand Rapids has to offer, he said.
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
Skornia said his company liked the location of the property, which is close to downtown and two hospitals, Mary Free Bed and Trinity Health.
Apartments planned for vacant lot near Wealthy and Division
Ryan Podvin, the chief financial officer for Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation, said in a release that staffing challenges in the health care industry are exacerbated by the housing crisis.
As Grand Rapids continues to evolve into a premier medical destination, its essential we prioritize housing that reduces commuting stress and offers convenient, desirable living options for current and prospective employees, Podvin said in the release.
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
Like the rest of West Michigan, Grand Rapids is in desperate need of housing. Skornia said while theres been some development for affordable housing in the south side of Grand Rapids, there hasnt been a lot of market-rate development.
We thought this was a perfect opportunity, again being close to downtown, being close to a lot of major employers, was a perfect opportunity to start to fill that that that big need that we have for housing, he said. Weve got a lot of new things coming in (to Grand Rapids). The amphitheater is coming in, the new stadium on the north side of town, a lot of our employers are growing. People want to move to Grand Rapids, but its a struggle now because its so hard to find a place to live.
New dashboard shows realities of Kent County housing crisis
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
The half-acre property had sat vacant for more than a decade.
The redevelopment of the Wealthy and Division corner is the key component of the Tapestry Square revitalization vision, Ryan VanWys, the president and CEO of ICCF, which sold the property to the company, said in a release. Our many years of community engagement here have shown that a diversity of housing types is needed by this community. The Wealthy & Sheldon Apartments are providing this critical component of market rate housing here, alongside the affordable housing already in place.
ICCF has an affordable senior living housing complex right next to the new development, Tapestry Square Senior Living.
Skornia said the development offers a space where residents would not need a vehicle, as there are lots of options within walking distance, its right on a bus line and it has an interior bike storage area.
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
The two buildings are both all-electric, and the project is on track to become Energy Star certified, he said.
Skornia explained that its important to the company to build projects that are better for the environment, and its healthier for residents and less expensive to operate.
As we move towards an electrified system and as our electrical grid becomes more renewable, this building will become more efficient right along with it, he said.
The units were built for the best use of space, with things like the laundry machines in the kitchen, providing more counter space and not taking up a closet.
The development also has four retail spaces, which Skornia said would be perfect for new small businesses.
Inside WOODTV.com: Housing crisis in West Michigan
The Wealthy & Sheldon housing development. (Sept. 6, 2024)
One of the great things about Wealthy Street, from one end to the other, is the exciting opportunities for retail, he said. You turn the corner on Division, (theres) tons of retail, the great art community So weve added to that, we have spaces right along right along Wealthy Street.
The building closest to Wealthy Street has already moved in its first few tenants after the team turned the building over last week. The second building is set to be completed in October or early November, Skornia said.
South Division resurgence: Empty storefronts to vintage hub
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Kansas law for decades has prohibited political contributions given in the name of another person.
The classic example is a boss who gives employees money to donate in their own names, then reimburses them.
But does that same law also make it illegal for political groups to shift funds among themselves until the dollars arrive at a desired destination?
Over two years, $54,000 in contributions moved through a series of political committees before ending up in the accounts of the Kansas Republican Party. Why those transfers happened in 2020 and 2021 is the subject of a lengthy, ongoing investigation.
The investigation by the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, the states official campaign finance watchdog is looking to determine whether the committees and individuals associated with them broke the states campaign finance laws, including the prohibition against making contributions in the name of another.
That effort has touched on a wide array of political groups in the state, including the Johnson County, Shawnee County and Sedgwick County Republican central committees.
If the investigation eventually leads to fines, it could upend how political operatives in Kansas move money around, with PACS and other committees becoming more hesitant to frequently transfer funds. Critics of money in politics would potentially cheer the shift while some Republicans warn it would have a chilling effect in an era where money is seen as central to political speech.
But a recent court decision threatens to severely restrict the investigation more than two and a half years after its existence became public.
Shawnee County District Court Judge Teresa Watson in August blocked the Ethics Commission from enforcing a subpoena against David Matthew Billingsley, the treasurer of the Lift Up PAC, a well-funded group that tries to elect candidates who support limited government. The bipartisan Ethics Commission suspects Lift Up played a role in funneling contributions toward the Kansas Republican Party.
Court documents indicate the Ethics Commission suspects contributions were made on the condition that the funds ended up in the hands of the Kansas Republican Party, and has called the movements a suspected illegal pass-through scheme. The Ethics Commission hasnt formally accused any individual or organization of wrongdoing.
If the Ethics Commission does find groups or individuals broke the law, it could level civil penalties against them.
The subpoena to Billingsley, a former chief of staff to former Kansas Department of Revenue Secretary Sam Williams, who served under Gov. Sam Brownback, sought several years of records related to Lift Up and Republican committees and contributions. While the documents themselves may or may not prove crucial to the investigation, Watsons reasoning in denying the subpoena risks derailing the legal theory underlying the inquiry.
Kansas Government Ethics Commission
Kansas law K.S.A. 25-4154(a) prohibits political contributions by one person in the name of another person. The Ethics Commission is relying in part on the law to investigate the movement of the contributions, arguing these transfers potentially amounted to making contributions in the name of another.
However, Watson, a Brownback appointee, ruled the law was too vague for the purposes of justifying the subpoena. She found it contains little explanation of what the words in the statute mean.
The phrase in the name of another hasnt been defined by Kansas courts and has no settled meaning in state law, she wrote, calling it the sticking point.
The statute does not give fair warning to those who may be subject to it, notably for the alleged violations of K.S.A. 25-4154(a) used here as the basis for the proposed subpoena to Billingsley. Further, there is not precision or guidance in the statute sufficient to prevent arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement, Watson wrote in a 29-page decision issued Aug. 19.
For those reasons, Watson wrote, the law is unconstitutionally vague as applied and cant support the subpoena.
Judge Teresa Watson decision and order by jshorman on Scribd
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The Ethics Commission is appealing the decision, asking the Kansas Supreme Court to take the case. While Watsons decision applies only to the subpoena of Billingsley, an opinion by the states high court agreeing with her could significantly narrow the law or render it effectively unenforceable, possibly paving the way for contributions by straw donors.
Watsons reasoning if upheld undercuts the Ethics Commissions entire theory of the case, indicated Mark Johnson, a Kansas City-based attorney with experience in campaign finance law.
As written, it raises the possibility of kind of unbridled pass-throughs, Johnson said.
On the other hand, a Kansas Supreme Court decision reversing Watson and upholding the constitutionality of the law could breathe fresh life into the investigation. It could potentially make it easier for the Ethics Commission to eventually seek fines against the committees or individuals involved in the alleged passthrough scheme.
Kansas lawmakers including Republicans fed up with the Ethics Commission investigation dont plan to wait for the state Supreme Court.
They are already signaling they want to take action during the 2025 legislative session to change the law. Rep. Pat Proctor, a Leavenworth Republican who chairs the House Elections Committee, said he wants the prohibition clarified.
It is clearly too vague, Proctor said, adding that were getting to the point now where, if we dont provide some clarity, were just not going to have any laws.
And I dont think anybody wants that, he said. We want transparency, we want the public to know that their elected representatives are not bought and paid for.
Rep. Pat Proctor, who chairs the House Elections Committee.
Clarifications uncertain
Bipartisan agreement exists that the states campaign finance law is unnecessarily vague in some areas. A 2023 legislative special committee led by Proctor that studied the law recommended clarifying the definition of giving in the name of another and other terms.
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has also signaled openness in the past to adjusting the law. Her chief of staff, Will Lawrence, emphasized to the special committee last October the importance of providing clear language for those to follow and the Ethics Commission to enforce in instances where individuals engage in inappropriate conduct.
Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat who sat on the committee, said everyone agreed the law must be clear. Lawmakers want a system where individuals wont unintentionally find themselves in gray areas legally.
But what exactly any clarifications should say is less certain. Wording changes will go a long way in either bolstering the Ethics Commissions interpretation of the law or ensuring PACs and committees have wide latitude to move funds around.
We didnt really get a chance to kind of get into what those changes would look like or what the language would be, Corson said, noting the committee only met twice. My sense is that would be a little bit tricky its not necessarily readily apparent exactly what the changes would be.
Reached by phone, Skoglund declined to comment for this story.
In previous court filings, Ethics Commission general counsel Kaitlyn Bull-Stewart has argued the law provides the public with sufficient notice of what conduct is prohibited and that federal law contains a nearly identical phrase about making contributions in the name of another person.
Without such a prohibition, campaign contribution limits would be meaningless as any entity could pass their funds through intermediaries to reach a predetermined destination, Bull-Stewart wrote in a January 2024 filing opposing Billingsleys effort to block the subpoena.
Ryan Kriegshauser and Josh Ney, attorneys for Billingsley, in a joint interview, welcomed Watsons decision.
We feel vindicated because this is the exact set of arguments that we brought to the commission earlier and told them the way theyre interpreting this law is not only novel but theres been simply no fair notice to both Democrats and Republicans alike of what this law requires, Ney said of Watsons decision.
Mark Skoglund, director of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission.
Fishing expedition fears
The House Elections Committee in 2023 advanced a bill that would have set a new definition for contributions made in the name of another. Under the legislation, which never received a vote in the House, the term would have been defined to mean contributions made for the purpose of concealing the original source of the funds. It wouldnt have applied to contributions and transfers otherwise disclosed on campaign finance reports.
Proctor said this past session he attempted to work out a solution between Skoglund and others over proposed changes to the campaign finance law but discussions reached an impasse.
Right now, its so broad and so vague that frankly, it allows the commission on ethics to go on a fishing expedition to decide for themselves on a case by case what the law means, Proctor said.
I think what we heard loud and clear in this court decision is everybody deserves equal protection under the law and the way you do that is youre specific and clear in the language of the law.
The Kansas House chamber during Gov. Laura Kellys State of the State address in January.
Watsons August decision contains the most detail to date of the scope of the investigation. Her written order reproduces the Ethics Commissions findings of fact to support a subpoena effectively a roadmap of the agencys investigation.
As evidence of an alleged pass-through scheme, the agency says $39,000 in contributions to the Kansas Republican Party in 2020 originated with the Republican State Leadership Committee, a Washington-based group that works to elect Republicans to state-level offices. The agency says this happened both through direct donations and donations passed through PACs and other committees.
The agency says in 2021, $15,000 in contributions to the Republican House Campaign Committee originated from the Republican State Leadership Committee both from direct donations and pass-through donations.
The PACs and committees involved in passing through contributions included Right Way Kansas PAC for Economic Growth, Lift Up Kansas, and the local Republican Party committees in Johnson, Sedgwick and Shawnee counties, according to the Ethics Commission.
Will lawmakers fix?
The Legislature has already rewritten the states ethics laws once amid the Ethics Commission investigation. In 2023, lawmakers passed a bill requiring the agency to earn the permission of a judge before filing a subpoena. Kelly signed the measure into law.
The investigation became public in dramatic fashion in April 2022. After word began circulating in Topeka that the Ethics Commission had issued an array of subpoenas, GOP lawmakers proposed legislation that would have effectively removed Skoglund.
They sought to require the Ethics Commission director to have been an attorney in good standing for the past three years. Skoglund is an attorney, but his law license at the time was suspended. Directors of the Ethics Commission are not required to hold law licenses and historically have not.
Republicans quickly backed off the idea that year, but returned to the Capitol the following year with a sweeping proposal that would have substantially softened the subpoena power of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission and legalized some of the conduct under investigation.
Lawmakers and Kelly eventually reached a compromise that fell well short of the overhaul Republicans had wanted. In addition to requiring a judge to approve subpoenas, the agreement requires a notice of witness rights to be provided with any subpoena as well as a right to an attorney.
When the Ethics Commission is determining whether to file a complaint, the measure allows the respondent to a complaint to request an independent body, the Kansas Office of Administrative Hearings, conduct hearings to find probable cause rather than the Ethics Commission. And it places caps on how the commission can fine individuals, prohibiting the commission from fining an individual for more than three counts of the same violation in one case.
Watsons order blocking the Billingsley subpoena appears to be one of the first tests of the new requirement that the Ethics Commission get a judge to sign off on subpoenas.
Kriegshauser and Ney, the attorneys, are still hoping for more changes.
This is just one further voice being added to the choir that the Legislature needs to fix this, Kriegshauser said.
Karim Khan, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has discussed the prospects of Russian leader Vladimir Putin facing trial, referencing the tribunal on former Yugoslavia, "There are examples showing that if someone acts as they please, using power without higher accountability, their room for manoeuvre shrinks."
Source: Khan in an interview with BBC News Russian
Details: Khan said the Ukrainian side requested an investigation into Russias actions as early as 2021, when he met with Ukraine's prosecutor general.
However, Khan explained that at that time the ICC lacked the resources and he himself had many other responsibilities, having just assumed office shortly before his trip to Ukraine. In addition, Khan did not believe Putin would launch a full-scale war.
Quote: "But when they did, I decided it was absolutely clear that we had to begin an investigation. I visited the scenes. When you hear the stories, see the destruction and listen to testimonies, including statements from Vladimir Putin and [Maria] Lvova-Belova [Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights], it wasnt difficult to apply the full force of the law.
It is so sad. Russia was the Security Councils permanent member, a great country with literature, music, one of the founding countries of the UN, which played a vital role in defeating fascism. So it brought me no joy; it was a sad day when an arrest warrant for the president of a country, an important Security Council member, was issued."
Details: Earlier this week, Putin visited Mongolia, where he should have been arrested but was instead met with respect and greeting.
Karim Khan assured that Mongolia would have to explain why it ignored the ICCs arrest warrant, "Negotiations are ongoing at the court level. The judges can make recommendations in the case of non-cooperation, but I dont want to predict anything, as this matter is now between the judges and the government of Mongolia".
Answering the question whether he believed Putin would ever end up in the dock in The Hague, Khan referenced the former Yugoslavia tribunal, "People laughed when the tribunal for the former Yugoslavia sought arrest warrants for [Former Republika Srpska' President Radovan] Karadzic and [Ratko] Mladic [Colonel General who led the Army of Republika Srpska during the Yugoslav Wars], let alone [former Serbian President Slobodan] Milosevic. When the Special Court for Sierra Leone issued a warrant for the former president [of Liberia], Charles Taylor, history showed that these people, once wielding great power in their country and region, ultimately ended up in the dock". "There are examples showing that if someone acts as they please, using power without higher accountability, their room for maneuver shrinks."
Background:
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Putin and Russias Commissioner for Childrens Rights Maria Lvova-Belova in March 2023. They are suspected of committing war crimes during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow has called the ICCs decision to issue an arrest warrant for Putin legally void.
Russias Investigative Committee, which opened a criminal case against the ICC prosecutor and judges, claimed that Putin's prosecution is "deliberately unlawful".
Russia does not recognise the ICCs jurisdiction. However, Putin has had to cancel international trips to countries that have signed the Rome Statute and are obligated to enforce ICC orders. In particular, he skipped the BRICS summit in South Africa in July 2023, though the country had hinted it would not arrest him.
As of now, the highest-ranking individuals sought by the ICC are Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
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Rep. Kevin Wallace during the LOFT meeting announcing an investigation into improper use of state credit cards by agency employees at the Capitol Thursday, April 6, 2023
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.
Sen. Julia Kirt, a Democrat, represents District 30, which includes Oklahoma City, Bethany and Warr Acres. She serves on the Appropriations, Finance and Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency Committees, and co-chairs the Legislative Mental Health Caucus.
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.
Ryan Walters holds a press conference at the Oklahoma state Capitol in front of the House of Representatives Friday, Aug. 16, 2024.
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.
Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSDE investigation to continue despite election loss
Investigation into transgender boy attacked in Gloucester could take several weeks, police say
Investigation into transgender boy attacked in Gloucester could take several weeks, police say
An investigation into an alleged attack on a 16-year-old Gloucester teenager who claims he was stomped and beat for being transgender could take several weeks, law enforcement officials announced Friday.
Jayden Tkaczyk told Boston 25 News earlier this week that high school teens hes known for years are responsible for the beatdown that left him with fractures and nerve damage. He said it happened on the night of Aug. 30 during a party in a wooded area known as Dogtown.
The high school junior was transported to the emergency room after police were called.
One second, I was having fun. The next minute, I was on the ground getting my face stomped and beat, said Tkaczyk.
Tkaczyk said hes dealt with bullying for years for being trans. He believes that played a part in why he was targeted.
They were saying the f slur over and over and over as they were punching me and stomping me, he recalled.
Gloucester Police Chief Edward Conley issued an updated statement Friday, days after assuring the public that there would be an impartial investigation into the alleged attack on Tkaczyk.
In a photo taken Sept. 4, 2024, in Gloucester, Massachusetts, transgender teenager Jayden Tkaczyk stands outside his house with his mother, Jasmine Tkaczyk. Jayden Tkaczyk alleges that he was beaten up at a party by several other high school students due his being transgender. (AP Photo/Michael Casey)
The Gloucester Police Department remains fully committed to thoroughly and methodically investigating the matter and will continue to keep the community informed, Conley said in the statement. Detectives have been in regular contact with the Essex County District Attorneys Office regarding the investigation.
Since learning of the incident, a specially trained civil rights detective has been carefully identifying potential witnesses and preparing for interviews, according to Conley.
Given that this incident involves juveniles, Conley cautioned that a comprehensive and impartial investigation could take several weeks.
An attorney representing Tkaczyk told Boston 25 News that this incident is undoubtedly a hate crime in his opinion.
The teens parents said comments justifying the attack on social media have added to their pain.
This has always been my worst fear as a mom of a trans teen, said Jasmine Tkaczyk. A lot of them are proud of what they did, and its wrong.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Gloucester Police Department at 978-283-1212.
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Iowa's COVID-19 rate rose again in mid-August but had not reached levels recorded earlier in the month. (Photo via Getty Images)
COVID-19 rates are rising again in Iowa, according to new state and federal data, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved emergency use of new COVID-19 vaccines in an effort to combat rising spread of coronavirus variants.
Positive COVID-19 tests grew to 21.9% in the week of Aug. 18 through 24, according to new Iowa Department of Health and Human Services data, a 0.1% increase from the previous week but still lower than the 22.7% positive rate earlier in August. However, the positive testing rate is sizably higher than the 16.8% reported during the week of Aug. 26 in 2023.
Iowa, alongside many other states are seeing rising cases of COVID-19 due to FLiRT variants, researchers say, a category of several strains of COVID-19 that have mutated in similar ways. FLiRT infections are associated with milder symptoms than previous COVID strains, but still pose a risk to vulnerable populations such as immunocompromised and elderly individuals. The state department also reported a 3% rate of emergency room visits and 2.7% rate for inpatient visits that were related to COVID-19.
There were two Iowans who died from COVID-19 in the week period, HHS data found, lower than the six deaths reported in the same period in 2023.
At the same time, Iowa also saw a rise in COVID-19 wastewater viral activity. Data from The U.S. Centers for Disease Control found that Iowa has very high viral wastewater activity for the week ending Aug. 24, measured from nine state wastewater sites reporting on coronavirus rates detectable in water. This system allows health officials to monitor the spread outside of hospital visits and COVID tests, according to the CDC, in addition to being able to detect cases in which infected people are asymptomatic.
The current rating is an increase from the high viral wastewater activity reported in Iowa earlier this month. Iowas Wastewater Viral Activity Level was measured at 9.77 in the most recent data reported, a decrease from the 11.39 level measured for the week ending Aug. 17, but still above the national 8.78 national rating for the same period. Any score above eight points is considered a very high activity level.
New vaccines are available
The FDA last week granted emergency use authorization for the 2024-2025 coronavirus vaccines, an updated version of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine that administration officials said more closely targets variants that are currently spreading.
Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said the authorization allows Americans access to an additional COVID-19 vaccine option that meets the FDAs standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality needed.
The COVID-19 vaccines have had a tremendous positive impact on public health and vaccination continues to be the most effective method for COVID-19 prevention, Marks said in a statement. COVID-19 continues to be a very real risk for many people, and we encourage individuals to consider getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine when eligible.
People age 12 and older who have never received a COVID-19 vaccination are eligible to receive two doses, three weeks apart, of the updated vaccine. Those who have already received a form of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, or been vaccinated with using a different formula from another manufacturer, are eligible to receive doses of the updated vaccine within specified time frames since their previous vaccination.
Iowa has an immunization rate of 15.7% statewide. Public health officials recommend that Iowans stay up to date on vaccinations, and that people age 5 and older get one dose of the updated vaccine to prevent serious illnesses.
Iran has sent its short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, citing sources among American and European officials, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The publication notes that Iran's transfer of ballistic missiles "will give Moscow another potent military tool to use in the war against Ukraine".
The WSJ did not disclose information on how many and what sorts of missiles Russia acquired.
Reuters, which originally reported on the imminent transfer of ballistic missiles from Iran, speculated that it may be a Fateh-360 system, which fires ballistic missiles with a maximum range of 120 kilometres and a warhead weighing 150 kilogrammes.
Background:
The European Union pledged to respond if Iran transfers ballistic missiles to Russia.
Iran and Russia have been aggressively establishing military collaboration since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. At the same time, Iran denies providing Moscow with military aid.
Officially, Tehran confirmed that it provided Russia with a small quantity of kamikaze drones prior to the full-scale invasion. However, according to the media, Russia has been regularly acquiring weapons from Iran.
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Iran has sent short-range ballistic missiles to Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sept. 6, citing unnamed U.S. and European officials.
Washington informed its allies about Tehran's move in the past few days, sources told the WSJ. The exact type and number of the missiles handed over to Moscow were not specified.
Reuters reported in August, citing unnamed intelligence sources, that Russia may receive "hundreds" of Fath-360 short-range missiles and other ballistic missiles from Iran.
Iran is one of Russia's closest allies. The two countries have deepened their military and political cooperation since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Tehran has provided Moscow with thousands of Shahed kamikaze drones since the start of the all-out war. In February, Reuters also reported that Tehran sent "a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles" to aid Russia's invasion, but Kyiv has not yet registered any use of Iranian ballistic missiles by Moscow.
The G7 countries are expected to immediately condemn any delivery and voice their concerns to governments in the Middle East through diplomatic channels, Bloomberg reported on Sept.2, citing an unnamed source.
Undisclosed Iranian sources told the New York Times in early August that Iran has requested modern air defense systems from Russia as it prepares for a possible war with Israel, with deliveries already underway.
Western and Ukrainian officials have confirmed the use of North Korean artillery shells and missiles used by Russian forces.
Read also: What Irans ballistic missiles, in Russian hands, could mean for Ukraine
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In a chapter of the book called All Different, All Equal, an all-white, red-headed Irish family are depicted on a farm wearing Aran jumpers
The publisher of a schoolbook meant to encourage diversity has apologised after portraying a typical Irish family as cabbage-chewing, potato-munching xenophobes.
The offending material is being pulled by the Educational Company of Ireland after uproar in Ireland, where the book was part of the curriculum for 14 and 15-year-olds.
In a chapter called All Different, All Equal, an all-white and red-headed Irish family are depicted on a farm wearing Aran jumpers.
It says that Family A eat potatoes, bacon and cabbage every day and do not like change or difference. The children get told off if we mix with people with a different religion from ours, as they would be a bad influence.
The two children are shown Irish dancing. All their relatives are Irish, and they are banned from playing foreign games or watching films made outside Ireland.
The family are compared unfavourably with a mixed-race family, who are shown outside Romes coliseum. In contrast, they love change and difference, eat curry, pizza and Asian food, travel internationally and visit art galleries.
Family B says in the book: We have relations in London and Australia and our family is part-Irish, part-Romanian and part-Dutch. Most years we house-swap with a family in a different country. It is a great way to meet people and learn about other cultures and societies.
It makes you realise that, when you get to know them, people are more alike than different.
The mixed-race family is depicted as travelling internationally
Politicians attacked the stereotyping of the Irish family after the offending chapter was reported in the media.
Sorca Clarke, of Sinn Fein, said it echoed caricatures of Irish families that had been depicted in racist tropes for generations.
Mattie McGrath, an independent MP, said the depiction was disturbing and called on the education minister to clarify how such a textbook, which not only misrepresents Irish families but does so in a prejudiced manner, was approved for publication in the first place.
The Department of Education said it was the responsibility of each Irish school to pick the materials it used to teach the curriculum. A spokesman said: Any concerns regarding material published in textbooks should be raised with the publisher themselves.
The publishers said the textbook used exaggeration and hyperbole to help pupils understand Irish equality legislation and the importance of diversity in our lives.
On closer inspection, we now appreciate that our approach should have been different and accept that it has caused upset and anger, even though this was not our intention, the Educational Company of Ireland said. We have taken the decision to replace this activity, and we apologise for any hurt caused.
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By Selena Li, Samuel Shen and Julie Zhu
HONG KONG (Reuters) -The merger of two state-backed brokerages in China to create a sector leader with $230 billion in assets is part of Beijing's drive to consolidate the $1.7-trillion industry amid challenging markets, and the move is set to gather pace, analysts said.
Shanghai-based Guotai Junan Securities is set to acquire its cross-town rival Haitong Securities via a share swap, the two companies said late on Thursday. The deal is subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.
The combined entity, with 1.6 trillion yuan ($226 billion) in total assets, will overtake Citic Securities as China's largest brokerage. Trading in shares of Guotai Junan and Haitong was suspended on Friday.
Both Haitong and Guotai Junan are controlled by companies running state assets for the Shanghai government.
Under the deal, Guotai Junan plans to issue new shares to investors in Haitong's mainland China and Hong Kong listed entities. Guotai Junan will also issue new shares in the onshore market to raise funds for the deal, exchange filings showed.
"This marks the start of an industry-wide consolidation that will see more mergers between major brokerages," said Huang Yan, fund manager of Shanghai QiuYang Capital Co, referring to the Guotai Junan-Haitong deal.
The consolidation focus will be on firms backed by state shareholders, Huatai Securities said in a research note.
Beijing has dialled up rhetoric about the need for reform in the brokerage sector, with new directives to encourage mergers and acquisitions and restructuring in an industry in which more than 140 Chinese and foreign players compete.
China's securities regulator said in March that it aimed to develop about 10 leading institutions in about five years, with two to three internationally competitive investment banks and institutions by 2035.
Beijing's ambition to create large, competitive investment banks comes a few years after a slew of global banks, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, took full control of China businesses eyeing bigger market share.
There have been announcements about mergers between six pairs of smaller brokerages since end-2023, including, according to official Shanghai Securities News, the merger of Ping An Securities and Founder Securities.
PREVENTING RISK
The deal would fuel market expectations of more mergers including potential deals between CICC and Galaxy Securities, according to Xu Kang, an analyst at Hua Chuang securities.
Other possible mergers include a combination of Citic Securities and China Securities, Xu said.
Story continues
Spokespersons for CICC, Galaxy Securities, Citic Securities, and China Securities did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Shares of Chinese brokerages jumped on Friday on the merger news. An index tracking China-listed brokerages gained as much as 2.6%, while the CSSW Securities Index rose as much as 2.2%.
Shanghai-listed shares of CICC leapt as much as 8%, while Galaxy Securities rose as much as 10% to a two-month high. In comparison, the blue-chip CSI300 Index fell 0.5% to a seven-month low in the late afternoon trade.
Market volatility and dwindling initial public offerings and other capital market deals in a slowing economy have been weighing on the sector's earnings, with the performance of the smaller brokerages, in particular, taking a big hit.
Haitong, for example, suffered from quarters of plunging profits, loss-making international business, and scandals that included a top investment banker at the firm fleeing overseas before being arrested due to suspected job-related crime.
China's 43 listed brokerages saw their first-half revenue shrink 16%, with net profit slumping more than one fifth during the same period compared with a year ago, according to a research note from Guolian Securities.
In April, the State Council issued a guideline highlighting the need to strengthen regulation, prevent risks and promote the development of the capital market. It also encouraged leading securities and futures firms to enhance competitiveness through M&As, restructuring, and other means.
The latest merger could send a positive signal to the market that the "supply-side reform" in the sector was about to take place due to challenging market cycles and a tightened regulatory landscape, Morgan Stanley said in a research note.
"In the near term, we believe the announced deal could revive some investor interest in broker stocks generally, especially those with potential M&A stories," analysts at Morgan Stanley wrote.
($1 = 7.0921 Chinese yuan)
(Reporting by Selena Li, Samuel Shen and Julie Zhu; additional reporting by Xie Yu; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee and Stephen Coates)
Israel-Hamas war latest: An American woman is killed in the West Bank during protest
Palestinians walk on a damaged road following an Israeli military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
Israeli soldiers killed an American woman during an anti-settlement protest in the West Bank on Friday, a witness told The Associated Press, in a shooting that raised calls from Washington for an investigation.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed the death of the 26-year-old woman born in Turkey as Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. The White House said it was deeply disturbed by the killing.
Eygi was also a Turkish citizen, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said, adding that the country would exert all effort to ensure that those who killed our citizen is brought to justice.
The Israeli military said it was looking into reports that troops had killed a foreign national while firing at an instigator of violent activity in the area of the protest.
Elsewhere in the territory, Israeli forces appeared to have withdrawn from three refugee camps after a more-than-weeklong military operation that left dozens dead and a trail of destruction. Israel says the large-scale raids in the territory were aimed at dismantling militant groups and preventing attacks. Palestinians fear a widening of the war in Gaza.
The United Nations says the humanitarian situation in Gaza is beyond catastrophic, with more than 1 million Palestinians not receiving any food rations in August and a 35% drop in people getting daily cooked meals. Health workers resumed vaccinating children against polio in the southern Gaza Strip early Friday for the second phase of a massive immunization campaign.
The war began after Hamas launched a wide-scale attack into Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Israel's campaign in response has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and fighters in its toll.
___
Here's the latest:
UW assistant professor describes American woman killed as longstanding activist committed to bearing witness
Eygi was a longstanding activist against injustice, said Aria Fani, a UW assistant professor of Middle Eastern languages and cultures. The two met after Fani gave a guest lecture on feminist cinema of the Middle East, and Eygi signed up for Fanis translation class.
Eygi was also extremely critical of Turkish treatment of minority populations, including the Kurdish people, he said, and was an instrumental part of a pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Washington earlier this year.
As a teen she traveled to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribes reservation to join the protests against the Dakota Access Pipelines controversial Missouri River crossing. The protests ultimately drew thousands of people, lasting from about August 2016 to February 2017.
I remember her telling me how cold it would get at night, and how they would dance to keep themselves warm, Fani said Friday afternoon.
Eygi had a gift for truly listening to others, he said, and was easy to talk to.
She was so cognizant of her place as a white-passing Turkish American woman, and really worked to create a space for people who had generational and historical traumas to share what they had gone through, he said. She never took for granted that sharing trauma is incredibly powerful and vulnerable, and when someone is doing that they are giving you so much trust.
Fani tried to talk Eygi out of going to the West Bank something he had done years earlier. But, he said, that she told him "That she needed to bear witness for the sake of her own humanity.
She has a husband who lives in Seattle who is devastated, and many, many peers and professors who are reeling from this tragedy, Fani said.
U.S. lawmakers call for accountability in killing of American
Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state condemned the killing. The government of Israel must deliver answers immediately and hold the perpetrators of this killing accountable, Murray said in a statement.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal called Eygis death a terrible tragedy, and said her office was actively working to gather more information on the events that led to her death.
I am very troubled by the reports that she was killed by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. The Netanyahu government has done nothing to stop settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank, often encouraged by right-wing ministers of the Netanyahu government, Jayapal wrote in the prepared statement. The killing of an American citizen is a terrible proof point in this senseless war of rising tensions in the region.
President of Eygi's alma mater sends condolences to her family, calls for cease-fire
Eygi graduated earlier this year from the University of Washington with a psychology degree. She also studied middle eastern languages and cultures while at the university in her hometown of Seattle.
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce released a statement Friday calling Eygis death awful news and sending condolences to her family and friends.
Aysenur was a peer mentor in psychology who helped welcome new students to the department and provided a positive influence in their lives, Cauce wrote. This is the second time over the past year that violence in the region has taken the life of a member of our UW community and I again join with our government and so many who are working and calling for a cease-fire and resolution to the crisis.
ICC prosecutors withdraw an application for an arrest warrant for Hamas former leader Ismail Haniyeh
THE HAGUE, Netherlands International Criminal Court prosecutors have withdrawn an application for an arrest warrant for Hamas former top political leader Ismail Haniyeh after he was killed in an airstrike in the Iranian capital on July 31.
Haniyeh was one of three Hamas leaders for whom Prosecutor Karim Khan sought an arrest warrant in May, alleging that they were responsible for atrocities in the Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel that sparked the Gaza war.
Israel says it also has killed another of the three, Mohammed Deif, but Hamas has not confirmed his death.
A panel of judges at the court is still considering applications for warrants for the Hamas leaders as well as for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Netanyahu insists Israel adheres to the laws of war and has slammed the request for warrants as a disgrace and an attack on Israel and its military.
No date has been set for a decision on the remaining requests for warrants, but Khan has urged judges to act swiftly.
The White House deeply disturbed by the killing of a U.S. citizen in the West Bank
WASHINGTON The White House said Friday it was deeply disturbed by the killing of a U.S. citizen during a West Bank protest earlier in the day, and called on Israel to investigate what led to the killing.
We are deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysrnur Egzi Eygi, today in the West Bank and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones, White House national security spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement. We have reached out to the Government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident.
The woman was believed to have been shot while attending the protest against settlement expansion in the Palestinian town of Beita, north of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The protests happen regularly and have grown violent in the past. A month ago, American citizen Amado Sison was shot in the leg by Israeli forces, he said, as he tried to flee tear gas and live fire.
American woman fatally shot in the West Bank, doctors say
JERUSALEM Two doctors told The Associated Press that an American woman was shot and killed in the West Bank.
Dr. Ward Basalat said that the 26-year-old woman was shot in the head and died after arriving at the hospital on Friday.
Witnesses and Palestinian media reported that the woman was shot by Israeli troops while attending a pro-Palestinian demonstration against settlement expansion in the northern West Bank. The Israeli military didnt immediately comment on the shooting. Dr. Fouad Naffa, the head of the hospital, also confirmed the death of an American citizen.
Parents of a prominent hostage whose body was recovered from Gaza hope Hamas propaganda video is a wake-up call
JERUSALEM The parents of a prominent Israeli American hostage whose body was recovered from Gaza said they want a Hamas propaganda video of him to serve as a wake-up call to the world to free the remaining hostages.
No other family should go through what our family (and the families of the other recently executed hostages ) have endured," wrote Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, the parents of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
In the undated video taken before he was killed and circulated Thursday by Hamas, Goldberg-Polin speaks under duress, saying he survived in Gaza with no medical care and little food or water, criticizing the Israel government for bombarding Gaza rather than agreeing to a deal, and calling on United States President Joe Biden to end the war.
He addresses his family, prominent faces in the fight to free the captives, directly: I know youre doing everything you can and youre out in the streets trying to bring me home now. I need you to stay strong for me, keep on fighting and hopefully I believe I will be home soon.
Similar videos, condemned by Israel as psychological warfare, were released by Hamas throughout the week after six hostage bodies were recovered from a Gaza tunnel. The Israeli military says they were killed by their Hamas captors as Israeli soldiers drew near. Hamas has threatened to kill other hostages if Israel tries to rescue them.
There are around 70 hostages in Gaza who have not yet been confirmed dead by the Israeli government, out of roughly 100.
Health workers vaccinate kids in Gaza en masse to avoid a polio outbreak
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip Health workers resumed vaccinating children against polio in the southern Gaza Strip early Friday for the second phase of a massive immunization campaign.
Children lined up early in the morning outside a United Nations health center in Khan Younis to receive the vaccine, which was being administered by local health care crews in coordination with UNICEF and the World Health Organization.
The first phase started Sunday in hospitals and medical locations in the central Gaza Strip. UNICEF said that, by Wednesday, 189,000 children were vaccinated. The final phase focusing on the north will finish Sept. 9. In all, the WHO hopes to be able to vaccinate 640,000 Palestinian children in Gaza against polio.
The large-scale operation was undertaken as an urgent measure meant to prevent a polio outbreak after health officials confirmed the first polio case in 25 years in a 10-month-old boy who is now paralyzed in the leg.
The WHO reached an agreement with Israel for limited pauses in the fighting to allow for the vaccination campaign to take place.
Most people who have polio do not experience symptoms, and those who do usually recover in a week or so. But there is no cure, and when polio causes paralysis it is usually permanent. If the paralysis affects breathing muscles, the disease can be fatal.
Israeli forces appear to withdraw from a West Bank camp after a major military operation
JENIN REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank Israeli forces appeared Friday to have withdrawn from the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, after a more-than-weeklong military operation that has left dozens dead and a trail of destruction.
In the quiet morning Friday, Jenin residents took advantage of the lull to rummage through the rubble of destroyed buildings and take stock of the damage. Twisted rebar protruded from the concrete of collapsed buildings, and walls still standing were pockmarked by bullets and shrapnel.
During the operation, Israeli military officials said they were targeting militants in Jenin, Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp curb recent attacks against Israeli civilians they say have become more sophisticated and deadly.
Troops were pulled out of the Tulkarem camp by Friday morning and had left Al-Faraa earlier, but in a statement the Israeli military suggested the operation was not yet over.
Israeli security forces are continuing to act in order to achieve the objectives of the counterterrorism operation, the military said in a statement.
Germany's foreign minister presses for a cease-fire during her visit to Israel
TEL AVIV, Israel Germanys foreign minister says the Israel-Hamas war can't be resolved with a purely military approach and pressed for a cease-fire in a meeting Friday with her Israeli counterpart.
Speaking Friday after meeting in Israel with Israel Katz, Annalena Baerbock pointed to the killing of six hostages by Hamas the previous week as Israeli troops appeared to be moving to rescue them.
We saw last weekend that purely military pressure endangers the lives of the hostages," she said, adding that the fate of the remaining hostages should take priority.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on a demand that has emerged as a major sticking point in talks: continued Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow band along Gazas border with Egypt where Israel contends Hamas smuggles weapons into Gaza. Egypt and Hamas deny it.
Baerbock said she understands Israels security concerns, and specifically those about the corridor but solutions can be found for this together and the European Union is prepared to help if it can.
Israeli forces appear to withdraw from Jenin. But the operation may not be over
Mourners watch the funeral of Palestinian men who were killed during an Israeli military operation, from a building damaged with bullet holes, in Jenin, West Bank, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
JENIN REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank (AP) Israeli forces appeared to have withdrawn from three refugee camps in the occupied West Bank by Friday morning, after a more than weeklong military operation that left dozens dead and a trail of destruction.
Israeli soldiers shot and killed an American woman participating in an anti-settlement protest elsewhere in the West Bank, a witness said, The White House said it was deeply distrubed by the killing of the woman, identified as Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old who also held Turkish citizenship, and it called on Israel to investigate what happened.
The military's raids in the three refugee camps, involving hundreds of troops, have been the deadliest operation in the territory since the Israel-Hamas war began.
Overnight, Israeli armored personnel carriers were seen leaving the Jenin refugee camp from a checkpoint set up on one of the main roads. An Associated Press reporter inside the camp saw no evidence of any remaining troops inside as dawn broke Friday.
After days largely trapped in their homes, residents of the Jenin camp emerged to take stock of the damage from what officials said was the most destructive assault in years. Twisted rebar protruded from the concrete of collapsed buildings. Walls still standing were pockmarked by bullets and shrapnel.
During the operation, Israeli military officials said they were targeting militants in Jenin, Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camps in an attempt to curb recent attacks against Israeli civilians. They say such attacks have become more sophisticated and deadly since Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas attack on Israel nearly 11 months ago.
Troops were pulled out of the Tulkarem camp by Friday morning and had left Al-Faraa earlier, but in a statement the Israeli military suggested that the operation wasn't yet over.
Israeli security forces are continuing to act in order to achieve the objectives of the counterterrorism operation, the military said in a statement.
The operation was part of a major escalation of violence in the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, including Israeli raids and Palestinian militant attacks as well as increased Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians and heavier crackdowns on Palestinian protests. More than 690 Palestinians have been killed, according to Palestinian health officials.
Eygi was killed at a protest outside the northern West Bank town of Beita, on a hill overlooking a nearby settlement. A fellow protester, Johnathan Pollak, an Israeli, said clashes had broken out with Israeli troops firing tear gas and live ammunition at Palestinian protesters throwing stones. After the protesters retreated from the hill, he said he saw soldiers on a nearby rooftop open fire and Eygi fell bleeding to the ground. Doctors said she had been shot in the head.
The Israeli military said it was looking into reports that troops had killed a foreign national while firing at an instigator of violent activity in the area of the protest.
The main focus of the military's raids over the past 10 days has been the Jenin refugee camp, a densely built district home to around 20,000 Palestinians where armed groups including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, but also other factions advocating resistance to Israels occupation have a powerful presence.
Fighting in Jenin accounts for 21 of 39 Palestinians who local health officials say have been killed during the Israeli push in the West Bank. The military says most have been militants.
The fighting has had a devastating effect on Palestinian civilians living in Jenin.
Water and electric services have been cut, families have been confined to their homes and ambulances evacuating the wounded have been stopped on their way to nearby hospitals, as Israeli soldiers search for militants. Israeli military bulldozers ripped up roads.
Jenins governor, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said that the damage to infrastructure was extensive.
We had numerous invasions in the past, but this invasion is the most destructive, he said. He said that ambulances came under fire during the assault, with one doctor wounded. The economy in the camp, where unemployment already ran at 21%, had been further wrecked, he said.
An Israeli military official speaking to the AP acknowledged the infrastructure destruction, but said it was because of militants strategy of planting explosives in civilian areas. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.
Tulkarem camp saw similar damage. In the quiet morning on Friday, resident Ziad Abu Tahoun looked with dismay at the torn-up streets and crumbled buildings.
Look at the condition of the camp, the camp is in a deplorable state, he said. Theyve set us back 60 years.
In southern Gaza, health workers resumed vaccinating children against polio, continuing the second phase of a large-scale immunization campaign. The first phase started Sunday in hospitals and medical locations in the central Gaza Strip. The final phase was to focus on the north, finishing Sept. 9. In all, WHO hopes to be able to vaccinate 640,000 Palestinian children in Gaza against polio.
The operation was undertaken as an urgent measure to prevent a large-scale polio outbreak after health officials confirmed the first reported polio case in 25 years, in a 10-month-old boy who is now paralyzed in the leg.
The war in Gaza began when Hamas and other militants staged a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people, primarily civilians. Hamas is believed to still be holding more than 100 hostages. Israeli authorities estimate about a third are dead.
Israels retaliatory offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, which doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. The ministry reports that more than 94,000 more have been wounded since the start of the war.
Israel has been under increasing pressure from the United States and other allies to reach a cease-fire deal in Gaza, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on a demand that has emerged as a major sticking point in talks continued Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow band along Gazas border with Egypt where Israel contends Hamas smuggles weapons into Gaza. Egypt and Hamas deny it.
Hamas has accused Israel of dragging out months of negotiations by issuing new demands, including for lasting Israeli control over both the Philadelphi corridor and a second corridor running across Gaza.
Hamas has offered to release all hostages in return for an end to the war, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants broadly the terms called for under an outline for a deal put forward by U.S. President Joe Biden in July.
___
David Rising reported from Bangkok. Julia Frankel contributed to this story from Jerusalem.
Palestinians bury their dead after Israeli forces pull out of Jenin in West Bank
A Palestinian fighter attends the funeral ceremony of eight Palestinians who died as a result of the Israeli army's 10-day-long attacks and raids on Jenin, West Bank, on Friday. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Israeli Defense Forces pulled out of the West Bank city of Jenin and the Palestinian refugee camp there early Wednesday following a 9-day "anti-terror" operation, one of the largest in the past two decades, according to media reports.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said at least 36 Palestinians were killed and several seriously injured in what it called a military assault and while armed groups claimed most of the dead, children and elderly people were among those killed.
The BBC reported that at least eight of those killed were civilians, including a girl aged 16, in the operation involving hundreds of Israeli soldiers and security forces personnel with civilians locked down and all utilities cut amid air strikes and ground battles.
Destruction to homes and infrastructure from the operation, which also targeted the city of Tubas and the al-Faraa refugee camp, was widespread across Jenin in the northern part of the occupied West Bank with residents fearful the Israeli military could return as they have done after previous operations, said the Palestinian-run WAFA News Agency.
Fear of further incursions were being exacerbated by the continued presence of Israeli military checkpoints around Jenin, the report said.
Palestinian fighters attend the funeral ceremony of eight Palestinians who died as a result of the Israeli army's 10-day-long attacks and raids on Jenin, West Bank, on Friday. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
In an operational summary of the"counterterrorism" operation posted on X, the IDF said it had "eliminated 14 terrorists" including Hamas leader Wassem Hazem, captured more than 30 suspects and defused 30 explosive devices planted beneath or beside roads.
"Additionally, numerous terrorist infrastructure sites have been dismantled, including an underground weapons storage facility located beneath a mosque, and a lab used to manufacture explosives," The IDF said.
Palestinians attend the funeral ceremony of eight Palestinians who died as a result of the Israeli army's 10-day-long attacks and raids on Jenin, West Bank, on Friday. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
"The terrorist Wassem Hazem, head of the Hamas terrorist organization in Jenin, was also eliminated. Hazem directed shooting and explosive attacks in the area of Jenin and was responsible for advancing terror attacks in Judea and Samaria."
However, the IDF has not said the operation has concluded with its Hebrew language account ending the summary by saying its forces would "continue the operation until its objectives are achieved."
On Friday, mourners carry the bodies of Palestinians killed during an Israel raid in the northern part of occupied West Bank, during a group funeral procession in the Jenin refugee camp. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
Separately, Palestinian health officials said three Palestinians had also been killed at the other end of the West Bank in Hebron.
One of those killed had shot dead three Israeli police officers near Tarqumiyah on Sunday, the IDF said.
On Friday, mourners carry the bodies of Palestinians killed during an Israel raid in the northern part of occupied West Bank, during a group funeral procession in the Jenin refugee camp. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
At the launch of the Jenin operation on Aug. 28, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the operation aimed to "thwart Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructure."
Accusing Iran of working to establish a "terrorist front" in the West Bank, he said Israel needed to wage war in the occupied regions west of the River Jordan just as it had in Gaza.
Palestinians attend the funeral ceremony of eight Palestinians who died as a result of the Israeli army's 10-day-long attacks and raids on Jenin, West Bank, on Friday. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
At least 600 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, according the Palestinian health ministry figures, amid a surge in military actions by the Israeli military following the Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel and the war in Gaza.
Israel insists the operations are necessary to prevent violence against Israelis in the West Bank and in Israel, which it says is on the rise.
By Ali Sawafta
JENIN (Reuters) -Israeli forces pulled out of the Palestinian city of Jenin on Friday, leaving a mass of damaged buildings and infrastructure, following one of the biggest security operations in the occupied West Bank in months.
Road diggers began clearing piles of debris and rubble left by the operation, which involved hundreds of troops and police backed by helicopters and drones entering all areas of the city and the adjacent refugee camp as well as surrounding villages.
Thousands of residents were displaced from their homes during the nine-day operation, during which troops fought running gunbattles with Palestinian fighters from factions including Hamas and Islamic Jihad and Fatah.
"When they entered, they used bulldozers and began destroying everything. They left nothing," said Jenin resident Samaher Abu Nassa.
Water and electricity services remain cut and around 20 km of roadway was dug up by Israeli bulldozers, a tactic the military said was aimed at neutralizing roadside bombs but which has ripped up much of the centre of the city.
A statement from the military said 30 explosives planted under the roads had been dismantled.
The Palestinian foreign ministry accused the military of transferring the tactics used to level the Gaza Strip into the West Bank.
Jenin, in the northern part of the West Bank, has long been a stronghold of Palestinian armed factions, and the Israeli military said the operation, which also targeted the city of Tulkarm, was aimed at thwarting Iranian-backed militant groups planning attacks on Israeli civilians.
It said troops had killed 14 militant fighters during the operation, including the local commander of Hamas in Jenin. Forces also arrested 30 suspects and confiscated weapons and dismantled infrastructure including an underground weapons storage depot underneath a mosque and an explosives workshop.
On Friday, thousands, including large numbers of armed men who fired into the air, joined funeral processions for people killed during the fighting. Many of the bodies were wrapped either in Palestinian flags or the green, black and yellow flags of Hamas, Islamic Jihad or Fatah.
In all 21 people were killed in Jenin during the operation. Many were claimed as members by the armed factions but a number were uninvolved civilians, including a 16-year-old girl, apparently shot by a sniper while looking out of the window.
While the Israeli military's main focus over most of the past year has been in Gaza, the West Bank has seen a surge in violence, with repeated clashes between the military and Palestinian fighters as well as raids by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages and attacks by Palestinians on Israelis.
More than 680 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to Palestinian health ministry figures. Many have been armed fighters but others have been youths throwing stones at protests or civilians with no involvement in the violence.
In the same period, dozens of Israeli civilians have been killed in attacks by Palestinians or in rocket and missile attacks from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
(Additional reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Writing by James Mackenzie, Editing by Kim Coghill and Philippa Fletcher)
By Nidal al-Mughrabi
CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli military strikes killed at least 27 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Friday, medics said, as health officials resumed vaccination of tens of thousands more children in the enclave against polio.
In Nuseirat, one of the territory's eight historic refugee camps, an Israeli airstrike killed two women and two children, while eight other people were killed in two other airstrikes in Gaza City, the medics said. The rest were killed in subsequent strikes across the enclave, they added.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces battled Hamas-led militants in the Zeitoun suburb of Gaza City, where residents said tanks have been operating for over a week, in eastern neighbourhoods of Khan Younis, and in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, where residents said Israeli forces blew up several houses.
Eleven months into the war, multiple rounds of diplomacy have so far failed to clinch a ceasefire deal to end the conflict and bring the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza as well as many Palestinians jailed in Israel.
The two warring sides continued to blame one another for the fruitless efforts of mediators including Qatar, Egypt and the United States. The U.S. is preparing to present a new ceasefire proposal to hammer out differences, but prospects of a breakthrough remain dim as gaps between the sides remain wide.
On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that it was incumbent on both Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas to say yes on remaining issues to reach a Gaza ceasefire deal.
Nearly 90% of the Gaza ceasefire deal is agreed but critical issues remain where there are gaps, including the so-called Philadelphi corridor along Gaza's southern border with Egypt, Blinken told a press briefing. Israel has said it will not leave the corridor; Hamas says a deal isn't possible unless it does.
Meanwhile, residents of Khan Younis and displaced families from Rafah continued to crowd medical facilities, bringing their children to be vaccinated against polio. The campaign was launched after the discovery of a case of a one-year-old baby who was partially paralyzed.
POLIO CAMPAIGN TO MOVE TO NORTHERN GAZA
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.
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said at least 160,000 children received the drops in southern areas of Gaza on Thursday where medical staffers began the second stage of the campaign, benefiting from an Israeli and Hamas agreement on limited pauses in the fighting.
"Since 1 September @UNRWA & partners have vaccinated nearly 355,000 children against #polio in #Gaza middle & southern areas," UNRWA said in a post on X.
"In the next few days we'll continue rolling out the polio vaccination campaign aiming to reach around 640,000 children under 10 with this critical vaccine," it added.
Juliette Touma, UNRWA's Director of Communications, hailed the campaign as very welcome progress. She said UNRWA was working with UNICEF, the World Health Organization and local health partners around the clock and in a race against time to vaccinate every child across the Gaza Strip.
"These temporary pauses do not however replace our calls for a ceasefire, its long overdue. Its time to reach a deal that would bring respite for the people in Gaza, release all hostages and bring in a steady flow of commercial and humanitarian supplies into Gaza," Touma told Reuters.
The campaign will shift on Sunday to the northern Gaza Strip, which has been the focus of the major Israeli military offensive in the past 11 months. According to the World Health Organization, a second round of vaccinations would be required four weeks after the first round.
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered last Oct. 7 when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent assault on the Hamas-governed enclave has since killed over 40,800 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, while also displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, causing a hunger crisis and leading to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies.
According to the United Nations, at least 1.9 million people - or nine in 10 -across the Gaza Strip are internally displaced, including people who have uprooted up to 10 times or more.
(Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Editing by William Maclean and Mark Heinrich)
The body of dual American and Turkish activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was shot in the head by Israeli forces, is taken to Rafidia State Hospital in Nablus, West Bank, on Friday. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
Sept. 6 (UPI) -- An American activist has died after being shot in the head on the West Bank, officials confirmed on Friday.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi died at a hospital in the Palestinian enclave, according to the director of the Rafidia State Hospital.
The American-Turkish citizen was shot by Israeli troops while attending a weekly protest against settlement expansions in the West Bank in Beita, south of Nablus.
Israeli forces confirmed their members fired shots into a crowd but did not mention Eygi by name. Israeli officials said the use of force was a defensive action.
"Today, during Israeli security forces activity adjacent to the area of Beita, the forces responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them," the IDF said on X.
American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was shot in the head by Israeli troops while attending a weekly protest in Beita, south of Nablus against settlement expansions in the West Bank Friday. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
"The IDF is looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area. The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review."
The hospital where Eygi was treated confirmed she suffered gunshot wounds to the head and was given treatment before succumbing to her injuries.
Israeli forces confirmed one of their members fired shots into a crowd but did not mention Aysenur Ezgi Eygi by name, while saying the use of force was a defensive action. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
The U.S. State Department confirmed Eygi's death in a statement to the BBC, adding it is "urgently gathering more information about the circumstances of her death and will have more to say as we learn more."
Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the 26-year-old's death a "tragic loss," adding the department is awaiting further information about the specifics of the situation.
The hospital where Aysenur Ezgi Eygi was treated confirmed she suffered gunshot wounds to the head and was given treatment before succumbing to her injuries. Photo by Ismael Ahmad/UPI
"When we have more info, we will share it, make it available and, as necessary, we'll act on it," Blinken told the BBC.
Italian new Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli shakes hands with Italian President Sergio Mattarella during his Swearing-in ceremony at Quirinale Palace. Stefano Carofei/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
Italy's culture minister has been forced to resign after his lover claimed that he gave her a job as a government adviser.
In his resignation letter, Gennaro Sangiuliano thanked Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for defending him, the ANSA news agency reported on Friday.
The 62-year-old minister had been having an affair with a social media influencer more than 20 years his junior.
On August 26, 41-year-old Maria Rosaria Boccia took to Instagram to thank him for appointing her as an advisor for major events, including a meeting of G7 culture ministers planned for late September in Pompeii.
The ministry denied the appointment, and Sangiuliano denied paying her with state funds. The sidelined influencer then claimed to have accompanied the minister on several official trips.
It was then reported that the minister had been having an affair with Boccia. In an interview on broadcaster RAI's main news programme on Wednesday evening, he admitted the affair tearfully asked his wife and Meloni for forgiveness.
The former television journalist is a member of Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy party and took office with the change of government in October 2022.
Sangiuliano was known for making a number of gaffes, including once saying New York's famed Times Square was located in London.
On Meloni's suggestion, President Sergio Mattarella appointed Alessandro Giuli as the new culture minister. He was sworn in at the presidential palace on Friday evening.
Gennaro Sangiuliano, 62, admitted on Wednesday to having had a relationship with Maria Rosaria Boccia, 41
Italys culture minister resigned on Friday, two days after confessing on prime-time television that he had had an affair with a younger woman.
Gennaro Sangiuliano announced that he was stepping down from his post after appearing on national television on Wednesday to offer a tearful apology to his wife and to Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister, for the embarrassment he had caused.
He is the first minister to resign from Ms Melonis coalition government since it came to power nearly two years ago. In a letter to the prime minister, he said: I deem it necessary for the institutions and for myself to hand in my resignation.
In a saga that has transfixed Italy all week, the 62-year-old admitted to having had a relationship with Maria Rosaria Boccia, 41, an influencer and fashion entrepreneur from the town of Pompeii, near Naples.
She said that he had hired her as a grand events organiser and that she had been privy to classified information about a forthcoming G7 summit for culture ministers, prompting concern from opposition parties that the security of the event could have been compromised.
Ms Boccia claims that the minister was open to 'blackmail' by tabloid gossip magazines as a result of their affair
Mr Sangiuliano denied the claims, saying she had no paid role and had only been privy to marginal details about the summit. But in a lengthy interview on Friday, she doubled down on the claims.
I had access to the entire organisation of the G7 meeting, she told La Stampa newspaper.
Ms Boccia said she had seen classified information about where G7 ministers would go and what they would do during the event, which is due to be held in Campania, the southern region that includes Naples and the ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii.
She said that she had kept intimate messages that she and Mr Sangiuliano exchanged. The communication featured not just love hearts and a few emoticons but messages that are hotter.
Ms Boccia retained all the phone messages and other correspondence with the minister because, she said, he had told her in July: Im the minister, Im a man, I represent the institutions of state, and no one will believe what you will say.
She claimed that the minister was open to blackmail by tabloid gossip magazines as a result of their affair.
Mr Sangiulianos lawyer on Friday dismissed that, saying that there no evidence that the minister has been blackmailed.
The influencer claims that the messages between her and the minister were not just 'love hearts and a few emoticons' but 'messages that are hotter'
The ministers decision to resign came amid reports that the State Auditor was evaluating the case and considering opening an investigation into whether Ms Boccia had received any taxpayers money, despite having no official government role.
The case had evoked comparisons with past sex scandals in Italian politics, most notably the bunga bunga sex parties that Silvio Berlusconi, the former prime minister, hosted at his various residences, featuring escorts, models and aspiring weather girls.
Opposition MPs had been calling for the ministers resignation all week, saying his position was no longer tenable.
Carolina Morace, an MEP with the Five Star Movement, said: The case has made news around the world and Italy once again is being made a laughingstock.
The saga had become an indecorous circus, said Matteo Renzi, a former prime minister and the leader of a small centrist party, Italia Viva.
In an apparent attempt to draw a line under the scandal, Ms Meloni immediately appointed a new culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, the head of the MAXXI contemporary arts museum in Rome.
The resignation of Mr Sangiuliano is unlikely to have much impact on the government, which is performing well in opinion polls and faces a fractured opposition.
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Two senior officials in US President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday slammed Beijing for coercive behaviour globally on the economic, defence and other fronts, and discussed their wide-ranging efforts to push back.
America's ambassador to China, Ambassador Nicholas Burns, highlighted "very ill-advised efforts by the government of China to intimidate the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal, at Sabina Shoal, in an incident at Scarborough Shoal, just to name three incidents over the last month or so".
"And we've used our diplomatic channels, certainly I have done so," he said in an FP Live interview from Beijing. "Secretary [Antony] Blinken did when he was here a couple of months ago, and Jake Sullivan did last week to tell the Chinese leadership very directly, we have an ironclad commitment to defend the Philippines."
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Echoing Burns, Jose Fernandez, the State Department's undersecretary for economic growth, energy and the environment, said China was facing greater scrutiny and resistance when it wielded its sizeable trade and geopolitical leverage to coerce smaller countries economically, even as it remained highly adept at pressure tactics.
Speaking in a separate event on Thursday, Fernandez stopped short of declaring victory in efforts to counter China's economic muscle-flexing. But he said Washington had created a playbook to help countries that came under pressure.
"Beijing is a great practitioner of this economic-coercion strategy," said Fernandez, a former corporate lawyer. "The threat of coercion is often enough to stop countries from making sovereign decisions that may upset [China] in the first place."
Beijing has overplayed its hand on economic coercion, he added.
"They're doing it in every region. They're doing it on a wide array of issues, and many economies are realising that there is no safe space you can stay in in order to avoid landing in the cross hairs."
As the US election loomed, Fernandez noted there was no guarantee his six-person anti-coercion unit working within the State Department would survive in November.
Former president and 2024 Republican nominee Donald Trump has campaigned on an "America-first" platform that often eschews global engagement.
"We all recognise the risk," the native New Yorker said at an event sponsored by the Asia Society. "A lot of this is about execution. It's easier to diagnose the risk than to address it, and I think we've been able to address it successfully."
Story continues
Jose Fernandez is the State Department's undersecretary for economic growth, energy and the environment. Photo: Kaveh Sardari alt=Jose Fernandez is the State Department's undersecretary for economic growth, energy and the environment. Photo: Kaveh Sardari>
While most nations, including the US, routinely engage in tit-for-tat trade skirmishes, Beijing has a history of punishing countries that take political or philosophical stances it disagrees with.
This has included Chinese steps against Japan in 2010 following a territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands, which China calls the Diaoyus, resulting in an unofficial Chinese export embargo of critical rare earth minerals.
Beijing also acted against Norway in 2010 after the Nobel Prize for peace was awarded to Chinese human-rights activist Liu Xiaobo as well as Canada in 2018 after it arrested Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou on charges of violating Iran sanctions.
Other cases included Australia in 2020 after Canberra called for an independent Covid-19 inquiry; Lithuania in 2021 after it opened a "Taiwanese" rather than a "Taipei" representative office; and, most recently, the Philippines in ongoing differences over maritime sovereignty.
Fernandez said Washington's global network of friendly allies allowed it to offer moral support, supply-chain diversion strategies and new markets when Beijing targets them.
For the US, it would focus on acting fast before food shipments spoiled or domestic industries applied pressure to comply with China's demands, he added.
Beijing generally relied on "plausible deniability", Fernandez explained, blaming punitive trade slowdowns on customs glitches, consumer preference and abruptly-added health and safety standards, while denying any link to political issues.
Meng Wanzhou, a Huawei Technologies executive, was arrested in Canada in 2018. Photo: The Canadian Press via AP alt=Meng Wanzhou, a Huawei Technologies executive, was arrested in Canada in 2018. Photo: The Canadian Press via AP>
The Chinese embassy in Washington pushed back on Washington's contentions.
"China has always opposed 'economic coercion' and, in the spirit of mutual benefit, win-win, openness and inclusiveness, has enhanced friendship and mutual trust," said embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu. "China is one of the biggest victims of US 'economic coercion'...We urge the United States to stop slandering and smearing China."
But efforts by Group of 7 economies to fight Chinese economic coercion and reorient supply chains faced hurdles.
Attempts to "reshore" or "near-shore" strategic imports to cut Chinese dependence often depended on relocated Chinese owned-factories or components, raising costs.
Meanwhile, allies risked getting caught in the middle.
"The unintended consequences of US government actions ... potentially expose South Korean companies to retaliation from China," said Thomas Byrne, president of the Korea Society, a New York-based non-profit group.
China viewed South Korea as "tilting towards America too closely", Byrne said. "It's a complicated situation."
Thomas Byrne of the non-profit group Korea Society says US government actions potentially expose South Korean companies to retaliation from China. Photo: Handout alt=Thomas Byrne of the non-profit group Korea Society says US government actions potentially expose South Korean companies to retaliation from China. Photo: Handout>
Fernandez said Washington was working closely with partners to address irritants and believed Beijing's economic-coercion playbook was unlikely to change any time soon.
"This is a strategy that the Chinese believe works," he said in an interview. "They're going to continue using it. It is engendering a lot of resentment, but they are willing to bear the cost."
Burns made similar points in his interview, describing himself as "very close and friendly with a lot of the ambassadors [from Southeast Asian, South Asian, Central Asian, African, and South American] and we talk about these issues all the time".
The determination to work with allies and other countries that have robust economic ties with China to counter Beijing's coercive tactics even came at the expense of environmental objectives, according to Burns.
Asked why the Biden administration held firm about restricting imports of Chinese lithium batteries and other inputs for electric vehicles, Burns painted a bleak picture of not doing so.
"We don't want a world where all of us around the world are entirely dependent on China for the next 10 to 15 to 20 years for the green technologies that will propel a consistent departure from carbon," the envoy said.
"You don't want to be reliant on a single source of a critical mineral or critical technology, certainly not from a country ... that's willing to withhold those technologies for other motives, and they've proven that they can do that."
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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By Ben Blanchard
PENGHU, Taiwan (Reuters) - Taiwan President Lai Ching-te told sailors aboard a combat-ready warship at a major base in the Taiwan Strait on Friday that he had their backs, thanking them for safeguarding Taiwanese security at a time of heightened tensions with Beijing.
China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory over the strong objections of the government in Taipei, detests Lai as a "separatist" and staged war games around the island in May shortly after his inauguration.
Speaking to sailors on board the warship Cheng Ho at the Magong base on the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, Lai said the navy sets great store on all working together as one.
"As commander in chief of the three services, I want to stress that the government will back all of you," he said, on a message broadcast throughout the ship by loudspeaker.
The Cheng Ho - named after a Ming dynasty Chinese admiral and explorer - is a Taiwan-built warship based on the design for the U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry class of frigates.
A live RIM-66 Standard missile stood ready in its launcher at the ship's bow as Lai spoke onboard.
Speaking to officers shortly afterwards at a lunch on base, Lai said the government was committed to further improving the armed forces weapons.
Penghu is also home to an important air base, from which Taiwanese air force jets regularly scramble to shadow Chinese military aircraft and warships operating around Taiwan.
Lai reviewed soldiers at an air defence facility near the air base, watching a drill with a fixed twin-mount Stinger surface-to-air missile, designed for close-in defence.
China's military has in the past released video of the Penghu islands appearing to show it taken by its air force, which Taipei described as "cognitive warfare".
Penghu, a summer tourist destination for its beaches and crystal-clear water, is close to Taiwan's southwestern coast, unlike the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen and Matsu islands, which are right next to the Chinese coast.
Lai has repeatedly offered talks with Beijing, but has been rebuffed. He says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard)
WASHINGTON - A Massachusetts doctor was sentenced to prison Thursday for her role in the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol in Washington, where she's accused of assaulting a police officer.
Nine month prison sentence
Jacquelyn Starer, of Ashland, will serve nine months behind bars along with 24 months of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution and fines.
Jacquelyn Starer is accused of assaulting an officer at the Capitol / Credit: FBI
Starer previously pleaded guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. She also pleaded guilty to six misdemeanors, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
Assaulted a police officer
According to court documents, Starer traveled to Washington for the "Stop the Steal" rally on Jan. 6, 2021. After the rally, she entered the Capitol via the East Rotunda doors shortly before 3 p.m. and made her way into the Rotunda. While in the Rotunda, court documents said Starer moved to the front of the police line, where she pushed up against another rioter and then was pushed back by a police officer. She then struck the police officer in the head with a closed fist and yelled profanity at her.
Court documents said Starer was later seen getting first aid after she was affected by a "chemical irritant" that had been deployed.
The FBI says Starer later received first aid after being affected by a chemical irritant. / Credit: FBI
Starer, 71, was arrested in Ashland in December 2022.
WBZ-TV confirmed Starer used to practice at the Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain but is no longer active there.
According to the FBI, more than 1,400 people have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riots. Almost 550 people have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
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By Hyonhee Shin and Hyunsu Yim
SEOUL (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called on Friday at a summit in Seoul to keep up the momentum behind an improvement in relations, which will be tested by imminent changes of leaders in Tokyo and Washington.
Kishida's final, whirlwind trip to his neighbour as prime minister came as the two leaders seek to seal their newfound partnership after orchestrating an about-face in ties, prodded by U.S. President Joe Biden.
Relations between the two staunch U.S. regional allies had sunk to their lowest level in decades amid acrimonious diplomatic and trade disputes over Japan's 1910-45 occupation of the Korean Peninsula.
Kishida emphasised the need to continue efforts to advance bilateral ties, once again expressing sympathy for Koreans who suffered during Japanese colonial rule.
"There is a lot of history ... but it is very important to inherit the efforts of our predecessors who overcame difficult times, and cooperate toward the future," Kishida told Yoon at the meeting.
"I've also said here in Seoul that I feel heartbroken that so many people have had such difficult, sad experiences in such difficult circumstances," he added, referring to his earlier comments during a visit last year.
Yoon also called for sustaining the positive momentum of cooperation built by the leaders, saying next year could provide "a turning point" for the relationship to take a leap forward marking its 60th anniversary.
"There are still difficult issues remaining in Korea-Japan relations. I hope that both sides will continue to work together with a forward-looking attitude so that we can continue to take steps toward a brighter future."
The two welcomed the signing of an agreement to facilitate the evacuation of each others' citizens from an emergency in a third country, which Kishida called a symbol of growing trust.
They also agreed to work together to simplify immigration procedures for travellers, and ensure that North Korea cannot utilise Russia's backing to stage more provocations, according to Yoon's deputy national security adviser, Kim Tae-hyo.
Kishida has announced he will step down this month and Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party will hold elections on Sept. 27 to choose his successor.
He is due to return to Tokyo on Saturday after dining with Yoon on Friday night, their offices said.
LOOMING ELECTION UNCERTAINTY
Yoon has made it a diplomatic priority to mend ties with Tokyo and improve security cooperation including with Washington to tackle North Korea's military threats, which led to a historic trilateral summit at Camp David last year.
Ahead of looming elections in Japan and the U.S., however, there is a lingering question whether the Asian neighbours can maintain the kind of genuine rapprochement that will put their historic woes behind with new leaders in place.
Kishida told Yoon that the importance of bilateral ties would not change regardless of who succeeded him and pledged to help maintain the momentum even after leaving office, Kim said.
Washington is confident Kishida's successor will be as committed to continuing the renewed alliance and that "all of these projects we've been working on together are going to continue at pace under new leadership" said Mira Rapp-Hooper, a senior official at the White House National Security Council.
"Both Prime Minister Kishida and President Yoon took on a great deal of personal risk and political risk to move forward the warming of their bilateral ties in ways that prior governments just hadn't been able to accomplish."
Kim Hyoung-zhin, a former South Korean deputy foreign minister, said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump took a more hands-off approach toward the partnership with Seoul and Tokyo when in office, while his Democratic rival Kamala Harris would likely keep Biden's course if elected.
(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin, Josh Smith and Dogyun Kim in Seoul, Tim Kelly, John Geddie and Kantaro Komiya in Tokyo, David Brunnstrom in Washington, with additional reporting by Hyunsu Yim and Ju-min Park; writing by Jack Kim and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Ed Davies and Stephen Coates)
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (2-L) and his wife, Yuko Kishida (C-R), are welcomed by a South Korean official upon arrival at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, South Korea, on Friday for his final summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Photo by Yonhap/EPA-EFE
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan arrived in Seoul on Friday as he looks to give a final boost to improved bilateral ties before stepping down from office later this month.
Kishida was scheduled to hold his 12th and last summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, his partner in thawing out a frosty relationship that had reached its lowest point in decades around disputes over compensation for victims of wartime forced labor.
"When I became Prime Minister, our relationship with the ROK was in a very difficult situation, but thanks to the decision of President Yoon and myself, we were able to achieve a historic improvement in Japan-ROK relations," Kishida wrote on X ahead of his departure, using the official acronym for South Korea.
The two leaders restored what they termed "shuttle diplomacy" after Yoon visited Tokyo in 2023, marking the first time a South Korean leader had visited Japan for a bilateral summit in a dozen years.
Relations between Seoul and Tokyo, complicated at the best of times, took a turn for the worse in 2018 when a Korean court ruled that two Japanese firms must provide compensation to victims of forced labor under Japan's 1910-45 colonial occupation of Korea.
The Yoon administration announced a plan last year to resolve the dispute by using South Korean public funds to pay the victims. Both sides later made moves to lift trade restrictions that had emerged in the wake of the 2018 decision.
Seoul and Tokyo have also grown closer with Washington, particularly on security cooperation in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. U.S. President Joe Biden invited Yoon and Kishida to Camp David for a first-ever trilateral summit in August last year, where the three leaders committed to strengthen joint responses to North Korea and other regional security challenges.
"Cooperation with the Republic of Korea is indispensable for the peace and stability of the region," Kishida wrote on X Friday. "At a time when the international situation is at a turning point in history, it is important to deepen cooperation ... and to continue to develop the relationship between the two countries in a future-oriented manner for the stability, peace and prosperity of the region."
Kishida announced last month that he will step down from office, ending his three-year tenure amid a massive slush-fund scandal that has embroiled his Liberal Democratic Party. The LDP will hold elections on Sept. 27 to choose his successor.
South Korea's Yoon said last week that improved ties and the trilateral security relationship would continue despite the coming leadership change.
"The South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation framework is very important not only to the Indo-Pacific but also the global economy and security, benefiting all three nations," Yoon said at a press conference "A change in the leadership will not change this framework, and it will be upheld through the official diplomatic agreements."
Kishida is scheduled to return to Tokyo on Saturday.
Since the U.S. Department of Education opened in 1980, Republicans have wanted to take it apart. This years Republican platform is no different. It would cut financial aid benefits that help the neediest students, hobbling our nations economic future. Ohio Sen. JD Vance, in his educational ascent from the Rust Belt working class to vice-presidential candidate, should know this better than anyone. His unwillingness to say so is part of the inauthenticity that voters tell pollsters they find weird and out-of-touch.
Millions of Americans like Vance have lifted themselves out of hardship using federal education funds. I know this because I am one of them. As an education policy scholar, I know that Vance and I were lucky to be born in a country that makes such stories possible.
As described in his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, Vance overcame a hardscrabble childhood and attended Ohio State University on the federally funded GI Bill, which provides grants for thousands of veterans, including not only Vance but his vice-presidential rival, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Vance then received a partial scholarship from Yale Law School, likely supplemented by federal loans.
My own story was not so different. It involved a chronically unemployed single parent, a stopover in foster care, and lots of packing up and moving around the South. Like Vance, I made my way through fancy universities thanks to their financial generosity and that of federal taxpayers.
But the policies that enabled journies like ours are fragile. The U.S. Department of Education that Republicans want to eliminate is in fact an economic engine. More than half of its budget goes toward Pell grants and federal loans for students who cannot afford college. Access to these dollars depends only on students financial need, not on their test scores or creditworthiness.
How might a Trump-Vance administration change that? The Heritage Foundations Project 2025 presidential blueprint, spearheaded by a friend of Vance, lays out a plan. It would privatize the student loan market and get rid of the interest holidays and rate caps that make borrowing viable for low-income students. It would also end loan forgiveness for public service, a step that could even imperil the GI Bill that helped both vice presidential candidates. Project 2025 cites cost savings, explaining that [i]t is not the responsibility of the federal government to provide taxpayer dollars to create a pipeline from high school to college (p. 361).
But isnt it? College is costly. Pipelines exist when governments make them possible.
On the day Vance was nominated at the Republican National Convention, I was in rural Mexico chatting with a bicycle-taxi driver who told me that his young son loves architecture but is unlikely to pursue it as a career. Tuition in public Mexican universities is low, but access for the rural poor depends on strong test scores and the ability to forego full-time work while living far from home.
If private markets could create pipelines for the poor, the bicycle-taxi driver in Mexico would see a path to college for his child. And perhaps he will yet find one. Global access to college is rising, though access for the poor remains low in three out of five countries.
Surely JD Vance knows this. By calling universities the enemy for teaching racial inclusivity instead of celebrating their power to change lives, he undermines his own story. Trump tapped him as an avatar of working-class voters. But those voters need a champion, one who widens their path to opportunity. Those of us who found that path, including Vance, understand how narrow and bumpy it is. To block it further would hurt not only low-income youth but our nations prosperity.
Indeed, the cynicism of Project 2025 grows clearer as the presidential race evolves. Republicans now face off against Kamala Harris, who expanded education access in the justice system, and Walz, who made free school meals universal in Minnesota, an effort Project 2025 wants to eliminate as wasteful at the federal level (p. 303).
Americas future depends on investing in people, especially young people from families the economy has left behind. If Vance cares about working people, he should denounce ideas that would starve them in body and mind.
JD Vance says he laments that school shootings are a 'fact of life' and calls for better security
PHOENIX (AP) Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said Thursday that he lamented that school shootings are a fact of life" and argued the U.S. needs to harden security to prevent more carnage like the shooting this week that left four dead in Georgia.
If these psychos are going to go after our kids weve got to be prepared for it, Vance said at a rally in Phoenix. We dont have to like the reality that we live in, but it is the reality we live in. Weve got to deal with it.
The Ohio senator was asked by a journalist what can be done to stop school shootings. He said further restricting access to guns, as many Democrats advocate, wont end them, noting they happen in states with both lax and strict gun laws. He touted efforts in Congress to give schools more money for security.
I dont like that this is a fact of life, Vance said. But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster security at our schools. Weve got to bolster security so if a psycho wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of children theyre not able.
Vance said he doesn't like the idea of his own kids going to a school with hardened security, but that's increasingly the reality that we live in.
He called the shooting in Georgia an awful tragedy," and said the families in Winder, Georgia, need prayers and sympathy.
Earlier this year, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, toured the bloodstained Florida classroom building where the 2018 Parkland high school massacre happened. She then announced a program to assist states that have laws allowing police to temporarily seize guns from people judges have found to be dangerous.
Harris, who leads the new White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, has supported both stronger gun controls, such as banning sales of AR-15 and similar rifles, and better school security, like making sure classroom doors don't lock from the outside as they did in Parkland.
JD Vance told a crowd in Arizona that better security in classrooms, not gun control, is the solution to school shootings, with the Republican nominee for vice president calling massacres like the one in Georgia this week an unfortunate fact of life.
Speaking at a rally at Phoenix, Vance said, I dont like that this is a fact of life. But if youreif you are a psycho, you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster security at our schools Weve got to bolster security so if a psycho wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of children, theyre not able to.
The Ohio senators remarks came a day after a 14-year-old gunman allegedly opened fire at Apalachee High School, killing two teachers and two students. The suspect, Colt Gray, was charged with four counts of felony murder and will be tried as an adult.
Later on Thursday, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that Grays father, Colin Gray, had been arrested and charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children.
Sources told CNN that Colin Gray is believed to have given his son an AR-15 style rifle as a gift last Christmas.
Republican U.S. vice presidential nominee Senator JD Vance speaks at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. September 5, 2024. Go Nakamura/Reuters
At the rally, Vance was asked by a reporter what could be done to stop school shootings, according to the Associated Press.
If these psychos are going to go after our kids weve got to be prepared for it, Vance said. We dont have to like the reality that we live in, but it is the reality we live in. Weve got to deal with it.
He also called the shooting an awful tragedy, and said the victims families needed prayers and sympathy, the AP reported.
Fred Guttenberg, the father of one of the victims of the 2018 Parkland school shooting, was quick to condemn Vance for his words.
School shootings are a fact of life? My daughter Jaimes murder was a fact of life? he said in a post on X. F--k you @JDVance, you miserable pr--k.
I cant wait to make your exit from having any say in our public safety a fact of life. I cant wait to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, called the shooting a senseless tragedy and outrageous in a speech in New Hampshire hours after it occurred.
DNC Rapid Response Director Alex Floyd condemned Vances comments in a statement: Lets be clear: no matter what Donald Trump and JD Vance say, tragedies like this do not need to be a fact of life, and we dont just have to get over it when Americans, including young children, are violently murdered. But theres another choice: Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are ready to stand up to the gun lobby to protect our communities. Trump and Vance have railed against commonsense reforms and federal bipartisan gun safety legislation that would protect innocent lives. As Trump and Vance put the gun lobby ahead of the American people, voters are ready to reject their dangerous and out-of-touch agenda in November.
Suspected Georgia School Shooter Told Cops I Did It
Its senseless. It is, she said. 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.
In a Wednesday post on Truth Social, former President Donald Trump, Vances running mate, said, 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.
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This article was originally published in New Jersey Monitor.
When New Jersey students head back to classrooms this week, many will return to schools with too few teachers.
The state has for years faced a shortage of educators, with particularly troubling vacancies in subjects like math, science, special education, and instruction for English language learners. And those vacancies persist despite legislators efforts to smooth the teacher pipeline and steer more students toward careers in education.
Sean Spiller, president of the New Jersey Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said schools are seeing the impact of the shortages.
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Were seeing class sizes increase. Were seeing courses not being offered, and were seeing that the educators who are still remaining in the profession are being overburdened in terms of how to pick up some of the work because of unfilled classrooms. Its a big concern, Spiller said.
The exact degree of the shortages remains unknown despite recent efforts to quantify New Jerseys educator workforce, but the number of would-be teachers has fallen precipitously over the last decade.
New Jerseys teacher workforce has remained stable over the last decade at roughly 118,000 educators, according to a February report drafted by Rutgers Universitys John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development.
Researchers examined 11 years worth of data and found that for every teacher that left the profession in the 2022-2023 school year, the state issued just 1.1 provisional teaching certificates, compared to 2.9 certifications in the 2013-2014 school year. Less than a quarter of those pursuing education degrees in the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years eventually became teachers, and only 43% earned a degree in education, the study says.
The study warns that a ratio approaching one departure for one new teacher could quickly lead to more severe shortages because at least 10% of teachers leave the profession within their first three years.
Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) is a former education chair who has remained active in the space following her ascent through the ranks of leadership (shes the Senates majority leader). Ruiz said the state should do away with its residency requirement for teachers, at least while the shortages remain dire.
No one under any circumstance is saying not New Jersey first, she said. We always want to be New Jersey first, but when there isnt enough New Jersey, as policymakers, administrators, and government entities, we should be responsible enough to say we need human capital in these spaces. Our students deserve better.
Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), the current education chairman, agreed lifting the residency restriction would help bridge schools staffing gaps.
The Senate in May approved a bill that would suspend the residency requirement for three years in a unanimous vote, but the measure has not advanced in the Assembly, where it has the backing of Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt, the lower chambers education chairwoman. A similar bill failed to pass in the last legislative session.
Gopal said he was considering legilsation to boost teacher compensation but said the legislation is still in very early stages.
A separate bill that would rework the states funding formula is expected to be introduced in mid-September, but Gopal cautioned that bill would likely see significant changes as it moves through committees to floor votes.
A reworked formula should include provisions to extend school budget timelines to prevent last-minute staff cuts and allow districts to better plan their budgets, Ruiz said.
Rolling back a Christie-era policy that doubled the states student teaching requirement from a semester to a full school year could also boost the states educator workforce, Spiller said.
We had the best schools in the nation before. We have the best schools now. Why did we double the length of time? That is something that we could bring back in line to what it was before and not cost any money, he said.
Policymakers said the state must also address teacher departures to stabilize the workforce. The Heldrich Centers report found that while departures remained roughly level save for spikes during the pandemic, the share of teachers who left of their own accord and not for budgetary reasons has spiked over the 11-year period.
Gopal pointed to the increased politicization as schools, noting workforce trends had reversed somewhat after Republican attacks over school gender policy and library collections ebbed.
Gov. Chris Christies administration, which spurred school cuts amid the Great Recession and warred with teachers unions over health benefits and pensions, also slimmed the teaching candidate pool, Spiller said.
From the vitriol that we heard before to the fundamental changes to the systems that we see financially now, that has led to less people engaging in the process to become a teacher, and certainly less people choosing to continue moving forward to become an actual teacher, he said.
New Jersey Monitor is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. New Jersey Monitor maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Terrence T. McDonald for questions: info@newjerseymonitor.com. Follow New Jersey Monitor on Facebook and X.
In a strategic move to increase education to our communities and students in the Coachella Valley school districts and beyond, the Jewish Federation of the Desert (JFED) has announced it has taken over operations of the Tolerance Education Center (TEC) in Rancho Mirage.
"The board of directors of the Jewish Federation of the Desert unanimously supported this collaboration, as it perfectly aligns with our mission of serving our Jewish and greater community of the Coachella Valley," said Arnie Gilman, president, JFED board of directors. "This revitalized facility will serve as a catalyst for discussion, programming, action and tolerance of all people. This venue will provide us with an event space to showcase world-class art and photography exhibits, lecture space for authors, theater to premiere films and a place to gather to educate and inform our youth, stakeholders in the community and Holocaust survivors."
The Tolerance Education Center, located in Rancho Mirage, Calif., was founded by Holocaust survivor Earl Greif; it was opened to the public in 2009.
Bricelyn "Bre" Koltun began her journey with the Tolerance Education Center accepting the position of educational programming director in July of this year after JFED board of directors decided to take over its operations. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and holds a degree in history and museum/genocide studies.
Koltun has worked in museum/nonprofit education design and facilitation for more than 20 years and has spent time with the Wisconsin Historical Society, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Art Museum and Chicago Children's Museum.
"I feel it is of the utmost importance to provide students with learning opportunities outside traditional campus spaces where abstract ideas discussed in classrooms are viewed through the interpretive lenses of the Humanities," Koltun said. "I believe in this way, learning can be translated by personal expression and experience. As a result, students are provided with abundant ways to empathize across their distinct contexts, connected by a shared human experience."
Bricelyn "Bre" Koltun
Nancy Zangwill Kaye originally served as the Tolerance Education Center's executive director from 2022-24 and is now re-establishing its operations as a marketing and development consultant, while focusing on the mission of TEC. Kaye, a native of Montreal, has worked as a nonprofit professional for 20 years, planning and managing large complex events for political and social services nonprofits, educational institutions, advocacy organizations and private corporations.
Kaye had previously served as an associate director at the Anti-Defamation League, director of events at Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy and director of grants and communications at the Jewish Free Loan in Los Angeles, all while running her own Fancy by Nancy events company. Kaye has a bachelor's and a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Toronto.
The Tolerance Education Center was founded by Holocaust survivor Earl Greif in 2006. It opened its doors to the public in 2009. Offered are lectures, films, presentations and other tolerance-themed programs. Children are brought to the TEC on field trips to hear first-hand accounts of bigotry and hatred told by those who have survived, including survivors of the Holocaust, Cambodian genocide, Japanese internment camps or victims of hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community.
The mission of the Tolerance Education Center is to promote tolerance, civility, respect and understanding by the elimination of atrocities, hatred and bigotry. Programs, activities and exhibits provide an educational opportunity for students and the community at large to learn to reduce prejudice, teach critical thinking and empower those who visit to take a more active role in creating a more humane society. The hope is that visitors will leave with a mindset that rejects prejudice and hate, questions stereotypes and promotes diversity.
Nancy Zangwill Kaye
The Tolerance Education Center is located at 35147 Landy Lane in Rancho Mirage. Hours are Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday and Sunday by appointment. For more information about upcoming art or photo exhibits, Jewish Book Council lecture series or events, visit toleranceeducationcenter.org.
About Jewish Federation of the Desert
The mission of the Jewish Federation of the Desert is to enhance and enrich the quality of Jewish life by recognizing and supporting the charitable, educational, humanitarian and social service needs of the Jewish community locally, nationally, overseas and in the state of Israel.
For more information, visit jfedps.org or call (760) 324-4737.
Jeff Hocker is the publicist and marketing consultant for Jewish Federation of the Desert.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Jewish Federation of the Desert takes over Tolerance Education Center
From the Dispatch Politics on The Dispatch
Happy Friday! We can confirm that none of the Dispatch Politics team are being paid by the Russian government as part of a propaganda messaging scheme that violates the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Just in case anyone was wondering.
Up to Speed
Sen. Rick Scott this week declined to take a position on Donald Trumps proposal to either have taxpayers cover the cost of in vitro fertilization or require health insurance companies to cover the procedure. Ive got a daughter going through IVF right now. Women who go through IVF, as youll learnits tough on them. Weve got to figure out howit needs to be accessible, it needs to be affordable, the Florida Republican said during a brief news conference on the sidelines of the Republican Jewish Coalitions annual fall conference in Las Vegas. Scott, who is up for reelection, said his preference is to finance IVF through health savings accounts. But pressed by Dispatch Politics to take a position on the former presidents proposals, the budget hawk and longtime Obamacare critic declined to answer. Im going to look at all the options, Scott said. We got to make sure women have access to IVF and [that] they can afford it. IVF has become a hot-button issue in the presidential campaign, with Vice President Kamala Harris claiming it would be more difficult for women to access the widely used fertility procedure if Trump wins in November.
Harris campaign agreed to rules that would mute her and Trumps microphones when the candidates are not speaking during ABCs presidential debate Tuesday. 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 vice presidents campaign wrote to ABC News in a letter reported by CBS News. We do not want to jeopardize the debate. For this reason, we accepted the full set of rules proposed by ABC, including muted microphones. The campaigns had bickered over the rules in recent weeks, with Harris team arguing for the microphones to remain on during the entirety of the debate and Trumps representatives asking that the rules be the same as in CNNs June debate with President Joe Biden.
Harris is breaking with Biden in her plan to raise the capital gains tax, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. Harris would raise the all-in top rate from 23.8 percent to 33 percent, a smaller increase than Bidens proposed 44.6 percent. The proposal represents the first time the vice president has publicly diverged in policy from her former running mate since she moved to the top of the ticket in July.
Harris raised $361 million in the month of August, her campaign announced in an email memo to the press this morning. The Democratic nominees reported haul is significantly higher than the $130 million that Trumps campaign announced it brought in during the same time period. The Harris campaign says it has $404 million in cash on hand, with Trump finishing the month with close to $300 million in his war chest. Harris has posted impressive fundraising numbers since she became a presidential candidate, and her campaign announced during last months Democratic National Convention that it had brought in $500 million since her entry into the race.
Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney endorsed Harris at an event at Duke University on Wednesday. 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, she said on a panel at the universitys Sanford School of Public Policy. 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 poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.
Montana Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy led incumbent Democrat John Tester by 6 percentage points in a head-to-head race and by 8 points in a ballot with third-party candidates in an AARP poll released Thursday. The seat is one of the Republicans top Senate targets this cycle, and Sheehy has led Tester in all but one poll in the past month.
Binary Choice: Trump-Wary Jewish Republicans Come Home
Matt Brooks, CEO of the Republican Jewish Coalition, holds up a kippah bearing the name "Trump" on stage during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 16, 2024. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
LAS VEGASThe Republican Jewish Coalition is once again friendly territory for Donald Trump, with rank-and-file members putting aside misgivings about the GOP nominee for the sake of party unity and defeating Vice President Kamala Harris.
During a conference last October, a significant portion of RJC activists and donors were hopeful the Republican Party would move beyond Trump and nominate one of his 2024 primary competitors. Yes, the groups members were grateful for the former presidents robust support of Israel during four years in the White House. But there was exhaustion with Trumps antics, and a desire for a younger candidate who would run stronger against the Democrats.
Less than two months before Election Day, the former presidents RJC critics here have made peace with his nomination. They still find Trump confounding at times: Naming Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an apologist for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, and Tulsi Gabbard, an apologist for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, to his transition team is the latest cause for heartburn among some members. But beating Harris is all that matters, they told Dispatch Politics in interviews.
Its a binary choice, said Eric Levine, a Republican donor and attorney from New York City. Levin, an outspoken Trump critic, backed Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina in the Republican primary. When Scott exited the race, Levin shifted his support to Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and ex-U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Its well known that Donald Trump was not my top choice but he is far, far better than Harris and I think the country will be better served, Levine said. Im a big believer [that] the best way democracy works is if each individual votes their interest, and I think Donald Trump advances my interest.
The RJC, which typically gathers here in late October, moved up its annual fall conference because of the upcoming election, developing as a nailbiter between Trump and Harris. The approximately 1,000 attendees who packed a convention center hall at the Venetian Resort heard from several prominent Republicans, including the aforementioned Scott and Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Steve Daines of Montana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, and Rick Scott of Florida, plus Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley.
Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana both addressed the conference remotely.
In the hall, there was no visible discomfort with Trump as the nominee. Quite the opposite. He received several standing ovations during his speech, and some attendees wore red yarmulkes emblazoned with Trump. Indeed, a veteran RJC member who has attended the groups conferences for decades said that any concerns about Trump have been sidelined. Like any committed Republican activist, members of this group are singularly focused on Harris.
People may have lingering concerns or they wish maybe their preferred primary candidate would have prevailed, the longtime RJC member said, requesting anonymity to speak candidly. But everybody here I think isnot everybody, but the vast majority of people arepractical, living in the real world, and they understand that its a binary choice and most people think thats a very easy choice.
Apprehension about Trump among RJC members had been multifold. He lost to Biden in 2020, refused to concede his loss, claimed the election was stolen, and fomented a riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Candidates he endorsed led the Republicans to a disappointing finish in midterm elections two years later, and some of his positions on domestic and foreign policy issues important to this group (which generally identifies with the Reagan wing of the GOP) left members wanting.
But on Israel and the Middle East, priorities for Jewish Republicans, Trump delivered. He moved the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem; negotiated the Abraham Accords, facilitating peace between the Jewish state and its Arab neighbors; and kneecapped Iran. Especially after Hamas invasion of southern Israel last October 7 that left more than 1,200 dead (mostly civilians) and with Democratic support for Jerusalem less certain than in past years, RJC members view Trumps return to the White House as imperative.
I felt comfortable supporting [Trump] as an incumbent. I was generally quite pleased with this first-term record. In 24, I felt it was time to move on, said Neil B. Cooper, an RJC member from Manhattan. So, how did he make peace with Trump? It really is a binary choice. I think Harris policies are significantly destructive to the well-being of the United States, and thereforethe stakes are that highto the world.
Swing-State Abortion Survey Puts GOP Dilemma Into Sharp Relief
A woman holds a sign as abortion rights activists protest in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2024. (Photo by AASHISH KIPHAYET/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
A new study of public opinion on abortion restrictions indicates that majorities of Americans, both nationally and in six swing states, are opposed to making the procedure a serious crime.
The research from the University of Marylands Program for Public Consultation, released Wednesday, found that 64 percent of respondents nationally and 57 percent or more of respondents in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin say they would prefer not making abortion illegal at any stage of pregnancy. Around a quarter of respondents both nationally and in those swing states said they preferred criminalizing abortion after fetal viability outside the womb, while just 12 percent nationally said they backed making abortion a crime at any point in a pregnancy. In the swing states, the percentage preferring criminalizing abortion at any point in pregnancy ranged from just 7 percent in Nevada to 14 percent in Georgia.
Furthermore, the resultstaken from a survey of nearly 5,000 people, the majority of whom were in the six swing states it polledshowed that both nationally and in the states surveyed, majorities of both Republicans and Democrats said they preferred decriminalizing abortion at least up until the point of viability.
The central finding is that large, bipartisan majorities do not support criminalizing abortionmaking it a crime to give or receive an abortionbefore fetal viability, Steven Kull, the programs director and a senior research associate at the University of Maryland, told Dispatch Politics.
The survey comes as Republicans attempt to grapple with how to campaign on the issue of abortion. In the past few months, former President Donald Trump has insisted that the decision to legislate on abortion should be left up to the states, and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, reiterated recently that Trump would veto a federal abortion ban.
Although the poll indicated there is little appetite among Americans for abortion restrictions, majorities of respondents to the survey said they wanted lawmakers to craft policy at the federal level rather than in the statesregardless of whether they supported criminalizing the procedure.
Even prohibiting the use of federal funds for the procedure, which is the governments current practice under the so-called Hyde Amendment, was unpopular among the surveys participants. Across the country, 55 percent said they disapproved of this policy, and only in Michigan and Georgia did 50 percent or more approve of it.
However, part of the surveys methodology linked restricting abortion with punishing women who undergo the procedure with prison time, a major fine, or both, an approach that is leading one pro-life group to question the results.
When you ask a question like that, youre going to get pro-life people who say theyre in the same boat as pro-abortion, pro-choice people, because theyre not going to support criminalizing women, Kelsey Pritchard, director of state public affairs for the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America political advocacy group, told Dispatch Politics. So that, I think, is deceptive, and I dont think theres a lot to learn or glean from that top kind of headline question. I think it just shows some ignorance of the pro-life movement.
While many state laws do punish doctors who perform abortions, the vast majority of them specifically exempt women from prosecution or civil liability. Though Floridas heartbeat law does not contain an explicit exemption, Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed it, has said it is directed at physicians who perform abortions.
Kull noted that legislators in states including Missouri, South Carolina, and Arkansas had proposed bills that would subject women who receive abortions to criminal penalties, though none have yet become law.
The study did not describe criminalization of abortion as inherently requiring fines or prison time for women, he argued. Rather, respondents were informed that making abortion a crime means fines or prison time for doctors, or for women, or for both. Respondents were told that, if they choose to make abortion a crime, they would be able to choose whether the doctor, the woman, or both should face fines or prison time. We included the option of making women who have abortions criminally liable because state legislators have actively proposed that option.
Pritchard said she does not believe that the study offers much insight, citing other surveys such as a November 2023 Harvard-Harris poll in which 73 percent of respondents said a woman should not have the sole right to decide to have an abortion beyond 15 weeks into the pregnancy. Similarly, in a Marist poll from January, 58 percent of respondents say abortion should not be available to a woman after the first three months of pregnancy.
More recent polls have indicated that most Americans want abortion to be legal in all or most cases, though the percentage varies. A Pew Research poll conducted in April saw 63 percent of respondents say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 36 percent said it should be illegal in all or most cases. In a Gallup survey the next month, 51 percent of respondents said they wanted the procedure to be legal under any or in most circumstances, while 33 percent said they wanted it to be legal in only a few circumstances. Twelve percent said abortion should be illegal in all circumstances.
Eyes on the Trail
Donald Trump is holding a press conference at noon today at Trump Tower in Manhattan. The Republican nominee is in the city to attend arguments in his appeal of a May 2023 civil decision that found him liable for committing sexual abuse against writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s.
Kamala Harris, meanwhile, is off the trail, immersed in preparations for next weeks presidential debate with her team in Pittsburgh. Shell be there until Tuesdays debate, which is taking place on the other side of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Doug Emhoff, Harris husband, will speak at a fundraiser this afternoon for the Harris Victory Fund in Chicago.
On Saturday, Harris running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will deliver the keynote address at the Human Rights Campaigns annual dinner in Washington, D.C. The HRC is the countrys largest LGBT advocacy organization.
Notable and Quotable
What is frustrating me is I firmly believe that House Republicans are going to lose the majority, and were going to lose it because of ourselves.
Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas during a discussion at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, September 5, 2024
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Duncan & Toplis, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025, is on course for the biggest period of growth in its history after securing private equity investment in 2023. The companys ambitious strategy is primarily focused on strong organic growth, supplemented by a number of highly strategic acquisitions that broaden the service offering to clients and expand the business geographically into new key locations.
This strategic move will see Haines Watts North London rebranded as Duncan & Toplis, with all team members remaining in their roles. Amilios Costa, Managing Partner, will continue to lead the team in this exciting next phase of their growth journey.
Commenting on thism
Damon Brain, CEO of Duncan & Toplis said:
It was clear from the first meeting that Amilios and his team share our focus on culture and growth for the right reasons. He brings incredible expertise, energy and experience and will be instrumental in supporting growth in the region. Im delighted to welcome our new team members and help them deliver on their own ambitions, as part of Duncan & Toplis.
North London office leader, Amilios Costa, said: "Joining forces with Duncan & Toplis represents a fantastic opportunity for both our clients and our team. The amazing combination of deep-rooted history and a profound ambition to grow in the right way is a huge cultural synergy. It means we can offer a wider range of services and even greater support to our clients, as well as provide our team with new opportunities to progress their careers at a company with serious growth ambitions.
I share Damons ambitions and enthusiasm, and Im really excited to play a part in the next step of the Duncan & Toplis growth story.
The acquisition of Haines Watts North London has received full regulatory approval and Duncan & Toplis is continuing active acquisition discussions with other like-minded firms.
Founded in Nottingham in 1925, Duncan & Toplis supports more than 12,000 businesses and individuals. The group now has offices in 12 locations across Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and London.
"Duncan & Toplis acquires Haines Watts North London" was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, 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.
(NewsNation) The White House has continued to say that President Joe Biden has no plans to pardon his son, Hunter Biden. Yet, several political analysts dont believe the president will leave office without doing so, claiming Biden has nothing to lose now that he isnt running for reelection.
On NewsNations The Hill, a political panel discussed the possibility that Joe Biden would pardon Hunter Biden, who pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges Thursday in Los Angeles. He was also convicted in a separate criminal case in June.
NewsNations Blake Burman questioned the credibility of Joe Bidens repeated statements against pardoning his son, suggesting that no parent in the country believes him. A. Scott Bolden, a NewsNation political contributor and former Washington, D.C., Democratic Party chairman, agreed.
Majority of Florida voters back abortion rights ballot measure: Poll
Would Harris pardon Hunter Biden?
However, Bolden suggested that if Vice President Kamala Harris were to win the presidency, she could pardon Hunter Biden early on in her administration without major repercussions. So, while the president might not pardon his son, Harris could, he said.
If she pardons him early in her administration, that would be best. Not when she starts to run for reelection, Bolden said.
Hunter Biden has a lot of Democratic support, especially since several party lawmakers believe that Republican pressure forced further prosecution. Bolden said if it werent for being the presidents son, Hunter Bidens charges would have never been filed.
There are a lot of Democrats who believe that, but for him being Hunter Biden, these charges never would have been brought. It was the Republican pressure from the House and Senate that forced further prosecution of Hunter Biden, Bolden said.
Democratic strategist Laurie A. Watkins disagreed that pardoning Hunter Biden would be something Harris would be willing to do if she were elected president, especially since shes anticipating political backlash to such a move.
I dont think that shed (Harris) really want to do something like that, Watkins said. She anticipated that there would be any political backlash that they would start opening up investigations. That would completely dilute the beginning of her term.
Trump conceding 2020 loss could mean legal trouble: Former deputy AG
Joe Biden has nothing to lose: Gidley
Hunter Bidens sentencing in the tax case has been scheduled for December, which lands a month after the 2024 election and just before the 2025 inauguration of the elected president. Hogan Gidley, a White House deputy press secretary during the Trump administration, suggested Joe Biden could pardon his son then without repercussions.
Thats after the election but before the inauguration of the next president. So, he could theoretically do this on the way out and it causes no political harm to him or Kamala Harris, Gidley said.
Regardless of who is elected, T.W. Arrighi, a former communications aide to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., suggested the next president should pardon Hunter Biden if his father does not do it before the end of his term.
Whoever the next president is should turn the page on the whole thing and show the grace of pardoning him, Arrighi said. I actually believe that it would make Trump look high above it, and Harris would have the political capital to expend.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Joe Biden under pressure to rule out pardoning his son after guilty plea
Hunter Biden faces up to 17 years in prison for failing to pay his taxes on time, filing a false return and evasion - ROBYN BECK/AFP
Joe Biden is under increasing pressure to rule out pardoning his son Hunter, who pleaded guilty to federal tax charges at the eleventh hour on Thursday in what Republicans criticised as a stunt.
Asked if the president would pardon his son, who faces up to 17 years in prison for failing to pay his taxes on time, filing a false return and evasion, the White House initially stated the answer was no.
But when pressed further by reporters, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, suggested that she had not spoken directly to Mr Biden about whether he would consider a pardon for his son following his recent plea.
Im not able to comment on it, but I can say that it is still very much a no to the questions I have gotten about if the president is going to pardon [Hunter], Ms Jean-Pierre said.
Because Joe Biden has announced his decision to step down, the political fallout may be diminished if he was to pardon his son Hunter - Craig Hudson/Reuters
Republicans have warned the president against pardoning his son, including Warren Davidson, a congressman from Ohio, who said it would represent an abuse of power.
Mr Davidson added: But I think a lot of people will be surprised if Joe Biden doesnt.
Andy Briggs, a congressman from Arizona, added to the pressure on Biden as he accused his son of enacting a bait-and-switch stunt to avoid a messy trial.
[The trial] would reveal his fathers role in the familys corrupt business dealings, Mr Briggs told Fox News. Americans will once again witness the Bidens corruption go unpunished as President Biden will likely pardon his son on his way out of the Oval Office.
Mr Bidens last public comments on whether he would ever pardon his son came at the G7 summit in Italy in June. I said I abide by the jury decision. I will do that. And I will not pardon him, the president said, referring to his sons separate sentence on a federal gun charge.
Those comments came before Mr Biden announced his decision to step out of the presidential race. It may be easier for Mr Biden to pardon his son as the political fallout would likely be diminished given that he is leaving the White House in just a few months.
Bidens guilty plea came as a shock after a day of legal wrangling which saw him attempt to enter an Alford plea, which is when a defendant pleads guilty while also not acknowledging any wrongdoing.
Following objections from prosecutors, Bidens lawyers indicated that their client was now ready to enter an open plea, which is when the defendant pleads guilty to all charges and leaves sentencing to the judge.
The decision 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.
Addressing his decision to enter a guilty plea, Biden said he did not want to subject his 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, Biden continued.
The charges to which Biden pleaded guilty on Thursday carry up to 17 years in prison, though federal sentencing guidelines suggest a much shorter sentence is likely. A sentence hearing will take place on Dec 16.
Meanwhile, the presidents son faces sentencing in his Delaware gun charges case on Nov 13 the week after the election. Those charges are punishable by up to 25 years in prison, though he is likely to get a reduced sentence or avoid prison entirely.
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Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough tore into JD Vances comment that school shootings are a fact of life on Friday, saying the Republican Partys legislators are responsible for that fact.
GOP lawmakers have dragged their heels on common sense, basic gun safety legislation that the overwhelming majority of Americans support, Scarborough said. That is why this is a fact of life, brought to you by the Republican Party.
Nearly six in 10 U.S. adults58 percentare in favor of stricter gun laws, according to a June 2023 Gallup poll.
Following a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, earlier this week that killed four people, the Republican vice presidential candidate lamented the frequency of school shootings and called for tightened security in schools to deter them.
Scarboroughs chastising of his former party was prompted by his co-host Willie Geist, who noted, in fairness, [Vances] full comment was I dont like that this is a fact of life, but then pointed out that security at Apalachee didnt prevent the shooting.
Having the school resource officers there, who acted heroically the other day and probably prevented more kids and teachers from dying, it wasnt enough to save the four people who did die, Geist said.
A 2021 study by The Violence Project suggests armed guards in schools do not reduce deaths. Researchers looked at 133 school shootings and attempted shootings from 1980 to 2019, a quarter of which had at least one armed guard present. They found shootings at schools with an armed guard left three times as many people dead on average.
The guns are in the hands repeatedly of these children, of these mentally deranged people, said Scarborough. Why? Because any type of gun safety legislationand in Georgia were talking about locking your guns up in your homes, safe storage, red flag laws, the things that would have helped hereRepublicans say no, no, no.
It doesnt have to be a fact of life, Scarborough said.
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Patch Candidate Profile, John Schneller
Age (as of Sept. 1, 2024)
59
Town or City of Residence
Bedford
Position Sought
State Representative
Family
My Wife of 20 years is Doreen Schneller. My son Harrison 19 attends Hillsdale College studying economics. My Son Ryan 17 attends Bishop Guertin High School and hopes to attend college for computer engineering. Both sons are Eagle Scouts and play lacrosse.
Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No
Education
BA History UMass, Amherst, MBA Cornell University, MPA Suffolk University
Occupation
Finance 25 years experience. Also an entrepreneur.
Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office
Bedford Town Council, Bedford School Board
Campaign website
https://johnschneller.org/js/
The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
A major problem in our District and the state is our soaring cost of energy. The state needs an all of the above plan including options that are already available. Cheap, clean and technologically available energy sources exist IF a bipartisan legislature can come together to solve this problem. Nuclear and natural gas are abundant energy options that provide long-lasting solutions that can benefit ALL NH residents. While wind and solar are limited, nuclear and natural gas are not. This is a VERY achievable goal if we have strong, dedicated and smart leadership that rise to meet this challenge.
What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I am a pragmatic realist. I have taken difficult votes on the Town Council and School Board relating to clean water in the PFOA crisis and the Covid crisis in our schools. Both problems required immediate life-affecting decisions but also long-term solutions. I have helped solve difficult community problems where both sides of the issue had meritorious arguments. I will bring the same broad-based and receptive reasoning to Concord that I have exercised serving our town. I have one agenda and that is to preserve the beauty and livability of New Hampshire. In short, I have a proven, solutions-driven track record while some other candidates do not.
Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:
A pro-growth economic environment. A fundamental belief in parental rights. A belief that the best educational decisions are made at the local level between parents, teachers and their students. I strongly oppose sanctuary cities. I believe that moderating taxes will attract businesses, encourage innovation and create jobs and opportunities for our children and others considering a move to our great state. I strongly support ALL of our Constitutional freedoms.
What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this position?
While on Town Council, spearheaded the solution to the school and town parking problem by bringing together both sides of the issue including all town department heads, school board and school superintendent. Took leadership, analysis and negotiation skills. Was on the Town Council when the PFOA crisis hit. Worked to implement immediate near-term solutions while framing a long-term plan. Played a pivotal role on the School Board during the Covid crisis. There were no winners in this crisis, but we got our kids back in the schools and managed through critical unknowns in the safest possible way while continuing to educate our children.
The best advice ever shared with me was
Necessity is the motherhood of invention so embrace the unknown. Solutions will present themselves accordingly.
What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I have been a coach of several teams in and around town. Sometimes consensus building is like coaching. It takes focus, intrepid dedication and patience. I am also an entrepreneur. Every day involves a need to think out of the box and find a way to get difficult things done. New Hampshire is an amazing place to live but not without challenges. To be sure all Granite Staters share in our blessings we need dedicated innovators to find solutions that preserve the New Hampshire Advantage. Please consider voting for me on September 10th and hopefully November 5th.
John Schneller, District 2 State Representative Candidate originally appeared on the Bedford Patch
JOPLIN, Mo. A Joplin woman accused of stealing large sums of money from an elderly, blind woman will go to trial.
Tammy Tripp, 51, waived her preliminary hearing on Thursday and was bound over for trial.
Tammy Tripp, 51
Prosecutors charged Tripp with financial exploitation of an elderly disabled person back in June.
Tripp is accused of stealing nearly $717,000 from the elderly womans bank and retirement accounts.
An investigator for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says once the elderly womans family learned about the possible fraud, Tripp and her husband removed the woman from an assisted living facility and hid her at a camper park in Oklahoma.
Authorities say Tripp also allowed her daughter to access the elderly womans bank account and get $93,000 to purchase a house.
Tripp is still sitting in the Jasper County Jail on a $50,000 dollar cash-only bond.
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) is warning Vice President Kamala Harris that she has a tough debate ahead.
Shapiro, who was reportedly considered a potential running mate for Harris, said on Friday not to underestimate Donald Trump as the candidates first presidential debate approaches on Sept. 10.
Listen, as much as we want to criticize Donald Trump hes a liar, hes all these things ... people know Donald Trump, Shapiro said on The View.
He is a skilled debater. He is a guy who is willing to say anything at any time just to get through a question.
And hes a showman, the governor continued. Hes been on TV before. So, dont underestimate Donald Trump. Now, Ive known Kamala Harris 20 years. She is tough as nails. Shes a prosecutor. Shell be prepared but this is going to be a tough debate.
Harris was officially declared the Democratic presidential nominee at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last month after President Joe Bidens disastrous June debate against Trump saw his polling plummet and led fellow Democrats to urge him to drop out.
Biden ultimately endorsed Harris as his replacement on the Democratic ticket and symbolically passed the baton to her at the convention.
Selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made before I became the nominee, and it was the best decision I made in my whole career, he said onstage. Shes tough, shes experienced and she has enormous integrity. She will be a president we can all be proud of.
Gov. Josh Shapiro campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris in Ambler, Pennsylvania, in July. Matt Rourke/Associated Press
Despite his warning about the upcoming debate, Shapiro injected some levity into the conversation on Friday, predicting that Harris might even drop some Pittsburgh slang on TV (though the debate is being held in Philadelphia).
I will also note, she is practicing for this debate or meeting with her team in Pittsburgh, the governor said on The View.
So she may drop a yinz during the debate. Well see if shes got a little Pittsburgh culture in her after this weekend.
Related...
Prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey had filed a request for Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer to reconsider the dismissal of Alec Baldwin's case
Ramsay de Give-Pool/Getty Alec Baldwin on July 11, 2024
The judge in Alec Baldwin's Rust criminal trial denied a motion from the prosecution to revive the case.
On Sept. 6, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer responded after New Mexico special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey's Aug. 30 request to reconsider the complete dismissal of the case against Baldwin, 66, that was made July 12.
In the ruling, Sommer noted that she was refusing to consider Morrissey's request because her recent motion exceeded a 10-page limit on briefs filed without obtaining permission to do so.
The ruling said Morrissey's Aug. 30 filing contained a 52-page motion and an additional 387 pages of exhibits as part of the prosecution's argument and cautioned the prosecutor "to comply in the future with our rules of appellate procedure," adding that "briefs that exceed the page limits, even when this Court has approved the additional pages, are almost invariably unpersuasive."
When reached by PEOPLE, Morrissey said in a statement, "The 10-page motion has already been filed. I cannot comment beyond that."
Related: Convicted Rust Armorer Reaches Tentative Plea Deal in Separate Felony Case for Allegedly Bringing Gun to a Bar in Her 'Butt Cheeks'
Ross D. Franklin - Pool/Getty Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer (L) and Kari Morrissey on July 10, 2024
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Baldwin was indicted by a grand jury in January on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the Oct. 21, 2021 incident on the set of Rust, when the prop gun he was holding discharged, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Baldwin has maintained he did not pull the trigger of the gun or know why it contained live ammunition.
On July 12, before the jury was brought back into the courtroom, Baldwin's attorney Luke Nikas claimed a man named Troy Teske a friend of Thell Reed, the father of convicted Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter had turned over ammunition to authorities he thought was connected to the case.
Morrissey called herself to the stand just before Sommer dismissed the case entirely and explained that she did not believe the ammunition handed over was considered Rust evidence.
Related: Hilaria Baldwin Sends Her 6 'Baldwinitos' Kids Back to School While Her Youngest Celebrates 'First Day Home Alone'
Ross D. Franklin - Pool/Getty Alec Baldwin on July 8, 2024
In Morrissey's Aug. 30 filing, she argued "there were insufficient facts to support the Court's ruling and there was no violation of the Defendant's due process rights," claiming that Baldwin and his defense team were aware of the existence of the evidence.
"The Court finds that the State's Motion for Extension of Page Limits to State's Motion to Reconsider Dismissal with Prejudice is not well-taken, and should be denied," Sommer wrote in the Sept. 6 order.
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Read the original article on People.
A judge has issued an order preventing a Boca Raton man from purchasing or possessing guns after he was banned from the campus of Whispering Pines Elementary for making antisemitic comments and threats toward its staff at the school last month.
The man, who was arrested Thursday, Aug. 29, on unrelated charges of burglary and voyeurism, would be a "significant danger" to himself or others if he were to be allowed to buy or possess guns, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office detectives wrote in a petition for what is known as a risk-protection order on the same day.
Traditionally, the order would result in the man forfeiting any firearms he owned, but police did not list any known weapons in the man's possession.
The Palm Beach Post is not identifying the man to protect the privacy of his child, who attends Whispering Pines. The man will appear in court on Tuesday, Sept. 10, where Circuit Judge Donald Hafele will determine whether to extend the temporary order banning him from owning guns by as much as a year.
The order is the latest development in a saga that elementary school parents around the predominantly Jewish community have called terrifying and distressing. More than 130 students were absent from school following circulation of the man's numerous social media posts, in which, deputies say, he expressed his hatred of Jewish people and referenced killing a bird at Whispering Pines.
More: Absences double at Whispering Pines elementary school after parent banned
Whispering Pines Principal Barbara Riemer banned the man from campus after he came into the school's front office on Aug. 16, took photos of the inside of the school building and said loudly, "We eat our own in Boca" while he was waiting to pick up his son from class, according to new details provided by PBSO's petition to obtain the risk protection order.
A school police officer walked the man and his son out to the man's bicycle. When the officer asked what he meant by his comments inside, the man turned to the officer and asked, "Want me to eat you?"
Riemer told parents in an email on Aug. 26 that the man did not pose a specific threat to students at the school.
Whispering Pines Elementary School, located west of Boca Raton.
But the man was ultimately arrested two weeks later.
On Aug. 29, the man was seen peering into the windows and recording something on his phone at a home directly across the street from the school. After police confirmed with the people living at the home that they didn't know the man or invite him over, a sheriff's office lieutenant arrested the man.
While in the back of the police car, the man began to yell "death to America" and make threats toward a sheriff's office detective who was there, the petition said. Officers brought the man to a hospital, where he was involuntarily detained for a mental health assessment under the state's Baker Act.
More: Boca-area elementary school bans parent after threats to staff, anti-Semitic remarks
Boca Raton parent has been involuntarily detained for mental health treatment three times since 2021
The incident on Aug. 29 was the third time in the past three years that the man had been detained under the Baker Act, the risk protection order states.
In September 2021, the man was arrested at a gas station in Broward County after walking up to a marked police car and making a gun gesture with his hand toward the officer inside, the order says. He then reached behind him as if trying to grab a weapon. While he was being arrested, the man yelled names at the officers and was taken to a nearby hospital for psychiatric treatment.
Later that same month, police committed the man to treatment at Delray Medical Center after he attacked his father with a lamp. The father told police at the time that the man deals with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his military service. It was unclear when or if the man served in the military.
After his arrest this year, when police made contact with the man's estranged wife, she said she'd separated from him three years ago because he hit and choked her, according to police records. The man's wife now lives separately with her father and her son in Boca Raton.
From the arrest: Update: Parent banned from Boca-area school arrested on unrelated voyeurism charge
Whispering Pines Elementary installing screens around campus after concern about parent's antisemitic posts
Following the man's Aug. 29 arrest, Riemer called the man's comments on social media "abhorrent" and shared more information about security efforts on campus.
"A noticeable increase in police presence will remain in place," the principal wrote Aug. 29. "Today, you may have noticed that we are installing fence screening for the visually-open areas of the campus. Each Whispering Pines team member remains vigilant and will immediately report any suspicious activity or individuals on or near campus."
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Katherine Kokal is a journalist covering education at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at kkokal@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today!
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Judge bans Boca Raton parent from owning guns after threats at school
NEW YORK (AP) Donald Trumps sentencing in his hush money case has been postponed until after the November election, granting the former president a hard-won reprieve as he navigates the homestretch of his current campaign and the aftermath of his criminal conviction.
In a decision Friday, Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan delayed Trumps sentencing until Nov. 26, three weeks after the final votes are cast in the U.S. presidential election. The sentencing had been scheduled for Sept. 18, about seven weeks before Election Day.
The delay is the latest bit of good fortune for Trump in an election season that has been laden with legal perils for him.
The new date means voters will choose their next president without knowing whether the Republican nominee is going to jail, nor whether he will even be sentenced at all. Merchan now plans to rule Nov. 12 on Trump's request to overturn the verdict and toss out the case because of the U.S. Supreme Courts July presidential immunity ruling.
Merchan explained that he was postponing the sentencing to avoid any appearance however unwarranted that the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate.
The Court is a fair, impartial and apolitical institution, he added, writing that his decision should dispel any suggestion otherwise.
Trump fresh from watching appellate arguments in a sexual abuse lawsuit against him in a nearby federal court heralded the hush money sentencing delay. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he called the case a witch hunt and a political attack and reiterated that he'd done nothing wrong.
This case should be rightfully terminated, as we prepare for the Most Important Election in the History of our Country, he wrote.
Prosecutors said they stood ready for sentencing on the new date.
A jury of 12 New Yorkers swiftly and unanimously convicted Donald Trump of 34 felony counts, said Danielle Filson, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. He is a Democrat.
Trumps lawyers pushed for the delay on multiple fronts, petitioning the judge and asking a federal court to intervene. They argued that punishing the former president in the thick of his campaign to retake the White House would amount to election interference.
Prosecutors didnt take a position on Trumps delay request, deferring to Merchan.
A federal judge on Tuesday rejected Trumps request to have the U.S. District Court in Manhattan seize the case from Merchans state court. Trump is appealing the federal court decision and has asked appeals judges to halt postconviction proceedings.
Trump entered this election year facing the possibility of multiple criminal trials after he was indicted four times since March 2023. But a string of decisions in the last two months, culminating with Fridays sentencing delay, has largely cleared his legal calendar. The hush money case is the only one to have gone to trial.
In July, a judge dismissed a federal case in Florida charging Trump with illegally hoarding classified documents. The Supreme Courts immunity decision has ensured significant delays in a separate federal case in Washington, D.C., in which Trumps accused of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss. A Georgia election case also remains idled.
The immunity ruling reins in prosecutions of ex-presidents for official acts and restricts prosecutors in pointing to official acts as evidence that a presidents unofficial actions were illegal.
Election Day is Nov. 5, but many states allow voters to cast ballots early, with some set to start the process just a few days before or after Sept. 18.
Trump is the first ex-president convicted of a crime. A jury in May found him guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels claims she and Trump had a sexual encounter a decade earlier after they met at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.
Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him during his first presidential campaign. Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels and was later reimbursed by Trump, whose company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses.
Trump maintains that the stories were false and that the reimbursements were for legal work and logged correctly. He has pledged to appeal the verdict, but that cannot happen until he is sentenced.
Democrats backing their partys presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, have made his conviction a focus of their messaging.
In speeches at the partys convention in Chicago last month, President Joe Biden called Trump a convicted felon running against a former prosecutor. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, labeled Trump a career criminal, with 34 felonies, two impeachments and one porn star to prove it.
Trumps 2016 Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, inspired chants of lock him up from the convention crowd when she quipped that Trump fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made his own kind of history: the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.
Falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years behind bars. Other potential sentences include probation, a fine or a conditional discharge, which would require Trump to stay out of trouble to avoid additional punishment.
Trumps case stands alone, in a unique place in this Nations history, Merchan wrote.
The publics confidence in the integrity of our judicial system demands a sentencing hearing that is entirely focused on the verdict of the jury and the weighing of aggravating and mitigating factors free from distraction or distortion, he wrote.
___
Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in New York and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed reporting.
Former President Donald Trump will not be sentenced for his conviction on election-related fraud over hush money payments until after the U.S. election on November 5, a judge ruled Friday. File Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI
Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Former President Donald Trump will not be sentenced for his conviction on election-related fraud over hush money payments until after the U.S. election on November 5, a judge ruled Friday.
New York State Supreme Court justice Juan Merchan pushed the sentencing date back from September 18 until November 26, citing "the unique time frame this matter currently finds itself in."
A Manhattan jury in late May convicted Trump of all 34 counts against him in the New York hush-money trial.
The jury found the former president and current GOP presidential nominee guilty of doctoring business records to hide hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to hide their alleged affair from the voting public in the run-up to the 2016 election.
Trump originally was scheduled to be sentenced July 11, but that date was postponed amid the appeals process.
A New York State Supreme Court Judge pushed Donald Trump's sentencing date back from September 18 until November 26, citing the unique time frame this matter currently finds itself in. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
The former president's legal team has twice tried unsuccessfully to move the case to federal court.
On Thursday, a federal judge denied the latest request to move Trump's from the New York Supreme Court to a federal court. Friday's sentencing postponement comes as lawyers appeal the latest decision.
Former President Donald Trump tucks his notes into his jacket after speaking at a press conference at Trump Tower in New York City on Friday following a court hearing where lawyers argued to overturn a $5 million jury verdict finding him liable of sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
"This is not a decision this court makes lightly but it is the decision which in this court's view, best advances the interest of justice," Merchan wrote in the four-page ruling.
"This matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this nation's history."
A Manhattan jury in late May convicted Donald Trump of all 34 counts against him in the New York hush-money trial. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
The judge said Friday's ruling should also help avoid any allegations of election interference or judicial impartiality.
[The ruling should] avoid any appearance -- however unwarranted -- that the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate," Merchan wrote in the decision.
Trump on Friday attended a Manhattan court house on a separate matter.
The former president's lawyers argued in front of a federal appeals court that Trump should get a new trial after a jury found he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll.
A jury in January ordered Trump to pay more than $83 million in damages in the case.
The court will not issue a ruling Friday and clarity on the matter is not expected until after the November election.
(Reuters) -The founder of the Telegram messaging app, Pavel Durov, under investigation in France, said early on Friday that French authorities should have approached his company with their complaints rather than detaining him.
Durov, writing on his Telegram channel in his first public comments since his detention last month, denied any suggestion the app was an "anarchic paradise".
He said the investigation into the app was surprising in that French authorities had access to a "hot line" he had helped set up and they could have contacted Telegram's EU representative at any time.
"If a country is unhappy with an Internet service, the established practice is to start a legal action against the service itself," he wrote.
"Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach."
Telegram, he said, was not perfect, but he denied any abuse associated with the app.
"But the claims in some media that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue," he wrote. "We take down millions of harmful posts and channels every day."
Durov, born in Russia but now a French national, was detained late last month in France amid an investigation into crimes related to child pornography, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions associated with the app.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Dominique PattonEditing by Chris Reese and Lisa Shumaker)
Anti-Trump protesters with Rise & Resist hold signs with images of Trump that read 'Felon' and 'Guilty' near the courthouse as Carroll and former President Trump attend the opening arguments in Trump's appeal of the $5 million penalty and verdict finding him guilty of defamation and sexual assault at the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals. Gina M Randazzo/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
A US judge on Friday delayed the sentencing in Republican candidate Donald Trump's hush money trial until after November's presidential election.
Judge Juan Merchan was due to sentence Trump on September 18 after he was found guilty in May in a trial connected to hush money payments in the run-up to the 2016 election, making him the first former US president convicted of a criminal offence.
However, Trump's lawyers argued that a decision on the sentence just a few weeks before the election on November 5 could influence the integrity of the vote.
The sentencing has now been delayed to November 26, court documents showed.
"This matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this nation's history," Merchan wrote of the decision.
He said the sentencing was "adjourned to avoid any appearance - however unwarranted - that the proceeding has been affected or seeks to affect the approaching presidential election in which the defendant is a candidate."
Merchan said the court is a "fair, impartial and a political institution," adding that the decision "should dispel any suggestion that the court will have issued any decision or imposed sentence either to give an advantage to or to create disadvantage for any political party, and or any candidate for any office."
Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of a scheme involving his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen to conceal a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
The former president faces a maximum sentence of several years behind bars, but most legal experts expect he will get a fine.
Averting a potentially damaging sentence is a significant success for Trump as he seeks to return to the White House.
The delay means US voters will go to the polls in early November without knowing whether the already convicted Trump will go to prison.
In the event of Trump emerging victorious in the vote, his sentencing could be further delayed.
Trump's lawyers have also claimed immunity in the case based on the US Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year that presidents have presumed immunity from prosecution for official acts while in office.
Merchan set the decision for ruling on Trump's immunity on November 12. Should he agree to the motion, which observers see as unlikely, the trial could be dismissed.
Anti-Trump protesters with Rise & Resist hold signs with images of Trump that read 'PAYUP, DEADBEAT! 'CRIMINAL' near the courthouse as Carroll and former President Trump attend the opening arguments in Trump's appeal of the $5 million penalty and verdict finding him guilty of defamation and sexual assault at the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals. Gina M Randazzo/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
An attendee at the Michigan Democratic Party Nominating Convention in Lansing holds a sign for Huwaida Arraf, a candidate for the University of Michigan Board of Regents on Aug. 24, 2024. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols
Updated at 7:40 a.m. on 9/10/24
A judge has denied a request for a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit filed by a Palestinian American activist against the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) alleging a lack of election integrity in the partys nominating process.
Huwaida Arraf, a civil rights attorney who was one of three candidates running for two Democratic nominations for University of Michigan regent, filed the suit Thursday in Ingham County Circuit Court, along with Madeleine Tocco and Jennifer Kirby, described in a press release as new young members of the MDP. The lawsuit also named MDP Chair Lavora Barnes and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
Following a hearing Friday, Ingham County Circuit Court James Jamo denied Arrafs motion for a restraining order and dismissed Benson from the case.
The judge found that he didnt have jurisdiction generally, Arraf told the Michigan Advance. This wasnt necessarily against Benson. We dont have any issue with the secretary of state, but we named her as a necessary party because if we got relief from the Michigan Democratic Party, the secretary of state would have to take notice and take action in terms of not moving forward with the printing of the two names that they have now.
Arraf, Tocco and Kirby claim that the MDP violated their own rules during the Aug. 24 convention held in Lansing, alleging the party carried out the nominating process in a manner that was procedurally flawed, violated the principles of free and fair elections, and violated the MDPs own Rules for Voting and Elections (RVE).
At the Lansing convention, Arraf faced two other Democrats: current Regent Denise Ilitch, who was first elected to the board in 2008, and Dr. Shauna Ryder Diggs, who had previously served as a regent until 2020. Both were endorsed by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and a coalition of labor unions.
But after a lengthy voting process, which utilized the partys proportional voting system, Arraf fell short of the votes needed to win nomination for one of the two regent positions, with the MDP saying Diggs received more than 2,800 votes to finish on top, followed by Ilitch with over 2,400 votes. The MDP said Arraf received just over 2,300 votes.
The results prompted Arrafs backers to begin chanting, Show the math, in protest, itself an allegation that the party had manipulated the process to deny her nomination. Arraf said that instead of the MDP coming into court to prove otherwise, she claimed they instead argued that it didnt matter.
It was obnoxious what their lawyer was arguing, basically that they are not accountable to their members, said Arraf. They can do whatever they want, and because it doesnt say in their bylaws that there is a process for a recount or an audit of a vote that seemed to be unfair, they were saying the judge cant really order us to do it.
Despite failing to get injunctive relief from the judge on Friday, Arraf says she plans some sort of appeal, although the exact form it will take is still being decided.
A request for comment was sent by the Michigan Advance to the MDP, but has yet to be returned.
Arraf, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), has courted controversy before, having been accused of supporting terror groups including Hamas in her advocacy of Palestinian sovereignty.
Her candidacy for U of M regent followed nearly a year of protests by students demanding the regents divest the universitys financial holdings from Israel and cut off any academic connections as a consequence of the more than 40,000 deaths that have resulted from the ongoing war by Israel against Hamas militants in Gaza following the Oct. 7 attack that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and led to 240 hostages being taken.
According to the MDPs voting rules, votes at the convention were weighted proportionally by county using a formula based on the Democratic voting strength of that county relative to the state as a whole at the last General Election. The result is that some delegates votes had more value than others.
Arraf said while she doesnt think that particular system is truly democratic, that was not the basis of her lawsuit. Instead, she questioned the manner in which the votes were counted, claiming that she and her staff were denied entry to the conventions tabulation room while other candidates and their families were among those who were given admittance. She also claims that there were 174 more voters than were credentialed to vote that day.
Arraf has repeatedly requested MDP leaders provide the raw data used in the process, as well as a complete list of MDP members duly-credentialed to serve as delegates.
We are asking for the raw data from the VOATZ machine, incl time stamp & geolocation for each vote, plus the final list of properly credentialed voters. We are 100% ready to accept that we did not win, once we confirm the data. We dont understand why the MDP wont provide it. Huwaida for UMich Regent (@huwaida4umich) September 4, 2024
She filed the lawsuit Thursday when that demand wasnt met, with a request for a temporary restraining order enjoining the Secretary of State from finalizing November ballots until Arrafs appeal is concluded, a full and transparent investigation of the vote-counting process is conducted, and a recount of the votes in conformity with MDP bylaws and rules is conducted.
Even though Friday was the deadline for the Michigan Department of State to send county clerks the list of candidates for office in the upcoming general election, Arraf says there is still time for her case to be heard and, if a judge rules in her favor, for her name to be included.
We do believe that there is extra room, that we still have a little bit of wiggle room within the Michigan Election Law in terms of the ballots arent printed now, said Arraf. Things are finalized and then they go to the counties and then the counties print sample ballots, and the candidates check their names and the spelling and all of that. So we believe that we have maybe another week. So, no, this is not the end of it.
This story has been updated to better characterize the deaths in Gaza.
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A federal judge on Friday gave the U.S. Justice Department until the end of the year to outline how Google should be punished for illegally monopolizing the internet search market and then prepare to present its case for imposing the penalties next spring.
The loose-ended timeline sketched out by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta came during the first court hearing since he branded Google as a ruthless monopolist in a landmark ruling issued last month.
Mehta's decision triggered the need for another phase of the legal process to determine how Google should be penalized for years of misconduct and forced to make other changes to prevent potential future abuses by the dominant search engine that's the foundation of its internet empire.
Attorneys for the Justice Department and Google were unable to reach a consensus on how the time frame for the penalty phase should unfold in the weeks leading up to Friday's hearing in Washington D.C., prompting Mehta to steer them down the road that he hopes will result in a decision on the punishment before Labor Day next year.
To make that happen, Mehta indicated he would like the trial in the penalty phase to happen next spring. The judge said March and April look like the best months on his court calendar.
If Mehta's timeline pans out, a ruling on Google's antitrust penalties would come nearly five years after the Justice Department filed the lawsuit that led to a 10-week antitrust trial last autumn. That's similar to the timeline Microsoft experienced in the late 1990s when regulators targeted them for its misconduct in the personal computer market.
The Justice Department hasn't yet given any inkling on how severely Google should be punished. The most likely targets are the long-running deals that Google has lined up with Apple, Samsung, and other tech companies to make its search engine the default option on smartphones and web browsers.
In return for the guaranteed search traffic, Google has been paying its partners more than $25 billion annually with most of that money going to Apple for the prized position on the iPhone.
In a more drastic scenario, the Justice Department could seek to force Google to surrender parts of its business, including the Chrome web browser and Android software that powers most of the world's smartphones because both of those also lock in search traffic.
In Friday's hearing, Justice Department lawyers said they need ample time to come up with a comprehensive proposal that will also consider how Google has started to deploy artificial intelligence in its search results and how that technology could upend the market.
Google's lawyers told the judge they hope the Justice Department proposes a realistic list of penalties that address the issues in the judge's ruling rather than submit extreme measures that amount to political grandstanding.
Mehta gave the two sides until Sept. 13 to file a proposed timeline that includes the Justice Department disclosing its proposed punishment before 2025.
Of all the cases impacted by the Supreme Courts recent presidential immunity decision, Donald J. Trumps hush money election interference conviction is perhaps the most surprising. Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree back at the end of May in Justice Juan Merchans courtroom in lower Manhattan. The People of the State of New York v. Donald Trump, as the case name suggests, was a state case, and it largely concerned events that took place before Trump became president, but nonetheless, Merchan is having to address the ramifications of Trump v. U.S. On Friday, he delayed Trumps Sept. 18 sentencing date a second time, saying he had to deal with the complexities of the immunity decision. The new sentencing date is Nov. 26, after the 2024 election will have happened.
On a limited series for Amicus, award-winning investigative journalist Andrea Bernstein has been delving into The Law According to Trump. In the final episode, which was produced before Merchan delayed the sentencing again, she was joined by Slates jurisprudence editor, Jeremy Stahl, to outline how the immunity case is affecting The People of the State of New York v. Donald Trump. Their conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Andrea Bernstein: I feel very surprised that the Supreme Court case is having an effect, and thats because I had mentally walled off the state cases as cases where Trump couldnt pardon himself and where they had to go through a state system to appeal. I was thinking these are happening on their own separate track, but thats not the case, as we have learned.
Trump was due to be sentenced July 11, but immediately after Trump v. U.S. was decided, Trump appealed the New York case. There have been various other machinations over the summer, and sentencing was delayed.
Can you explain: What was the basis for that appeal?
Jeremy Stahl: I think youre right to point out that its kind of confusing to view this through the lens of the Supreme Court immunity decision, given that this case was about a hush money scheme, a scheme by Trumps fixer, Michael Cohen, and by Trump to silence this adult film actress who he allegedly had an affair with, prior to him becoming president, prior to the 2016 election.
He wasnt president yetso how can any of the conduct at question even be considered challengeable under presidential immunity? But what this really broad Supreme Court decision did to put all of that in play was it said, essentially, not only can you not charge conduct that a president takes that is official, and not only is he absolutely immune in certain categories and presumptively immune in others, but you cant even use that conduct as evidence in a criminal trial. You just cant look at it. You cant touch it. Its just a no-go zone.
During Trumps criminal trial back in May, his attorneys filed a series of objections where they said: Some of the evidence thats going to be used in this case took place when Donald Trump was president, and the Supreme Courts about to decide immunity. We think hes immune because of these very small pieces of evidence and testimony that are gonna touch on his presidency. Judge Merchan said, Eh, lets go ahead anyway, and Ill take those objections as they come.
Now were back in this spot because of what the Supreme Court ruled. Judge Merchan has to go back and consider three or four separate categories of fairly minor testimony and evidence that the Trump team is portraying as very important to the case, and basically decisive to the jurys 34 counts of guilty. In this appeal, Trumps legal team are claiming that these fragments of testimony were so important, the entire case needs to now be thrown out.
DA Alvin Bragg said, Look, this stuff was not central to our case. Additionally, Trump didnt even object to some of it during the trial, and some of it was public statements on Twitter that everybody in the world read, so it shouldnt entirely upend this case. But there was testimony by two individuals that they particularly homed in on. One: Hope Hicks, who was on Trumps communications team in various capacities on the campaign. Two: Madeleine Westerhout, who was basically the sort of traffic cop in the White House, sitting right outside the Oval Office, trying to direct what was happening.
In their filings, Trumps lawyers spent a lot of time saying, She was testifying as to White House operations, of course thats official. And with regard to Hope Hicks, Assistant District Attorney Josh Steinglass described her testimony as the most devastating of the trial, in which Hicks said she and Trump had a conversation after the whole Stormy Daniels story eventually became public in 2018, and Hicks described how Trump said to her, I think its better that it came out now instead of during the campaign. And after she said that, within about a minute, she started to cry. It was one of the most dramatic moments of the trial, and it is one of the things that is at issue.
And Hicks is someone whos very, very loyal to Trump. So far as I can tell, she still agrees with him politically, but is no longer in touch with him, as is the case for so many of his former employees.
Of course, she wasnt testifying about anything that had to do with an official duty. She was testifying about Trumps opinion of a news story, and the timing of when it came out.
Its worth explaining why that was so important. Part of Donald Trumps case was that this payoff wasnt done entirely to protect his political campaign, it was done in part to protect his familybecause if it was done purely to protect his political campaign, then it would have been an illegal expenditure.
So when Hope Hicks relays Trump saying Its better that this happened now, in terms of it all coming to light after the campaign rather than before the campaign, that is a concession that his motivation was the campaign, it wasnt to protect his family. Thats why that testimony mattered.
In terms of the other pieces, all of that is less important because theres paper documentation. DA Bragg is making the case that all of this stuff falls under harmless error. This is the case you make if evidence that wasnt supposed to be presented is presented in a trialyou say it was not significant and it didnt have an effect on the jurys verdict. He is going to have to prove to the judge that regardless of whether any of this falls under these new and vague parameters of official acts from the immunity case, the jury wouldve found a guilty verdict. Thats an easier sell on these other pieces than on that dramatic piece of testimony from Hope Hicks. Thats a harder sell.
One of the things I keep coming back to is that Trump is the first president in the history of the country who did not give up ownership of his private business while also serving as president. One of the things that jumped out at me, especially from Madeleine Westerhouts testimony, is that she had to figure out, OK, how do I know who his business contacts are? Who are the people I have to put through? How do I get approval for him to sign off on business expenses, on personal expenses? How do I do all of that?
One of the big problems for the Supreme Courts decision is they said there is no immunity for unofficial acts, but in Trumps view, everything he does is an official act. There is no difference between him running the country and him running his campaign and him running his company. And when that is your core belief, then you can take Trump v. U.S. and argue that everything is on the table.
Hes already doing it with his request for Judge Merchan to consider everything that took place during the presidency that made it into the trial as covered by immunity. Letat, cest Trump is how they might say it in France.
One of the things that was interesting to me about the Bragg letter about [being OK with a delayed sentence] was that he nodded to the difficulty of bringing a nominee for president into the criminal court. And we experienced this every day during the trial. We had to get there super early. We had a number, we had to be cleared. We had to go through two magnetometers, which is like going through TSA twice. Then we had to sit in the courtroom for hours, sometimes, until the proceedings actually started. Theres a lot involved in coordinating the Secret Service, the court officers, the NYPD, and Bragg acknowledged that.
So theres a practical reason there. Assuming Judge Merchan does not dismiss the case, Trump will almost certainly go up and up and up and up and up, perhaps back to the U.S. Supreme Court, until he gets a judge to stay the sentencing. That could be very chaotic if they then have to tell everybodySecret Service and everybody else, Call it off. So I guess theres an anti-chaos argument.
The problem is then if its pushed back a little bit, theres this pretty strong likelihood that it gets pushed back a lot.
I think for quite some time, I was under the assumption that Judge Merchan would not sentence Trump to any incarceration. I now disagree with that conclusion. I now think Judge Merchan will sentence Trump to jail time if the sentencing goes forward. But I dont think he will impose the sentence, I think hell stay it until Trump can exhaust all his appeals. So I dont actually think were going to see Trump going to prison anytime before November, for sure.
The reason that I changed my mind, that I think he will sentence Trump to incarceration, is this very same judge sentenced Trumps former chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, who also was a first-time offender, also in his 70s, also [convicted] for white-collar crimes. Weisselberg was pretty clearly doing some of the things that he did to protect Trump. Judge Merchan actually sentenced Weisselberg twice: once for perjury and once for the fraud convictions. And then theres Michael Cohen, who was the star witness in this case, who was sentenced to three years in prison for doing the thing that Trump was found guilty of doing, more or lessdifferent court, different exact crime, but for doing it at Trumps behest. With all of that, its hard for me to see how this judge says to Trump, Youre fine. No jail time.
Ive always been on the side of the coin that youve landed on, but with a slight variance. The fact that the DA made a very strong case for how significant this set of crimes was, that this had the potential to have altered the result of a presidential electionwhether or not it did, that was the goal. Given all of that, I had always assumed that some amount of time would be demanded. But I assumed, given the logistical nightmare, and the optics, of imprisoning a former president, that there would be some way to make it be time served in home confinement. Thats always been the headspace Ive been in, in terms of trying to envision how this might play out.
Judge Juan Merchan announced Friday that he would postpone handing down former President Donald Trumps sentence in the New York hush money trial until after the November election.
Merchan said Trumps sentencing, which had been scheduled for Sept. 18, would be moved to Nov. 26, meaning that voters will head to the polls on Nov. 5 without knowing whether the judge could require Trump to go to jail after being found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
This is not a decision this court makes lightly but it is the decision which in this courts view, best advances the interests of justice, Merchan wrote in a four-page ruling, adding, This matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this nations history.
Trump still faces a maximum prison sentence of four years behind bars, though most experts believe that Merchan will issue a lesser punishment. But that decision will now come after the nation decides the next presidential election.
The delay, Merchan wrote, should dispel any suggestion that the court will have issued any decision or imposed sentence either to give an advantage to, or to create disadvantage for, any political party.
In May, a Manhattan jury handed down its guilty verdicts stemming from Trumps efforts to obscure a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. Merchan initially delayed a July 11 sentencing hearing in the case so that the Supreme Court could rule on the question of whether presidential immunity protected Trump from prosecution.
Trumps lawyers, who have appealed the verdict in the case, had argued that the sentencing should be moved so as not to conflict with Election Day.
By adjourning the sentencing until after that election which is of paramount importance to the entire nation, the lawyers said in a court filing, the court would reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings.
After months of delays, a New York judge set a sentencing date Friday for former President Donald Trump, who was convicted in May of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to a porn star in the waning days of the 2016 presidential election.
New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan set a new sentencing date for Nov. 26, after the 2024 presidential election.
Merchan explained his rationale in a letter to the legal counsel, acknowledging that sentencing a former president whos currently seeking office again is fraught with complexities.
He decided to postpone the hearing, he said, to avoid any appearance of giving advantage to, or to create a disadvantage for Trump.
Merchan further emphasized he wanted to avoid any appearance however unwarranted that the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching Presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate.
Trump seized on the decision in an attempt to undercut the case itself, completely ignoring the fact that hes already been tried and convicted.
Sentencing has been postponed because everyone realizes that there was NO CASE, I DID NOTHING WRONG! Trump wrote in a post on social media.
He further described the trial as a political attack and a case that should have never been brought.
Merchan has already delayed the sentencing once.
Trump was initially going to be sentenced July 11. But Merchan pushed the date back to Sept. 18 after Trumps lawyers urged him to reconsider the verdict in light of the U.S. Supreme Courts July ruling that presidents are immune from prosecution for official acts.
Merchan said he would issue a ruling on that argument by Sept. 16.
Trump has repeatedly sought to delay and derail the proceedings, most recently by asking a federal court to seize the case from the state. The request was denied.
Had they been successful, Trumps lawyers said they would have attempted to dismiss the case, again citing the Supreme Courts recent presidential immunity decision.
Trump was convicted in May of 34 felony counts of scheming to falsify business records to conceal hush money payments to porn actor Stormy Daniels, whose allegations of an affair, had they become public, could have upended his 2016 presidential bid.
Trump has denied her claim and said he did nothing wrong.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of four years in jail, though Merchan has plenty of latitude in deciding whats appropriate. Trump could be sentenced to anything from probation to community service to incarceration.
Opining on a different case, Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told The New York Times that President Trump believes anyone convicted of a crime should spend time behind bars.
Related...
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.
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.
'I Just Snapped': TikToker Learns Fate After Murdering Estranged Wife and Man He Suspected She Was Dating
My gun was in my hand and next thing I'm shooting, Ali Abulaban recalled during the double-murder trial
facebook Ali and Ana Marie Abulaban
The famous TikToker convicted of brutally killing his wife and the man he believed she was dating will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
A California judge handed down the sentence Sept. 6, following Ali Abulabans double first-degree murder conviction in May.
"The bottom line here is you will die in prison," Judge Jeffrey Fraser said to an outburst of applause from the gallery at the sentencing hearing live-streamed by Court TV Friday. "You will never be a free man."
The judge sentenced him to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole plus another 50 years behind bars for gun enhancement charges, Emily Cox of the San Diego County Superior Court confirms to PEOPLE.
Calling Abulaban "a very selfish person," Fraser noted that the TikToker had not shown remorse: "It's chilling," he said.
At the hearing, per Court TV, Abulaban said he deserved parole. Being sent to prison forever feels like Im being sent to hell and I dont think thats fair," he told the judge.
Ali was already estranged from his wife, Ana Marie Abulaban, when, listening in on her private conversations through a listening device he had secretly installed on their 5-year-old daughters iPad, he overheard the voice of another man in the couples home in October 2021.
Bursting into their San Diego apartment, he shot the man Rayburn Barron, 29 three times, then turned the gun on his wife, shooting her in the head.
gofundme Ana Marie Abulaban (left) and Rayburn Barron (right).
Related: Obsessed with Fame, TikToker Left Trail of Violent Video Evidence Detailing Abuse of Wife He Murdered
Hours earlier, Ana had texted Ali telling him under no uncertain terms: I want you out of my life, NBC San Diego later reported from the courtroom.
After shooting his wife, Ali promptly called his mother, confessing to the murders, per CBS 8.
Abulaban confessed again while on the stand.
I'm shooting and I can't stop, he said during the televised proceeding on Court TV. I just snapped.
My gun was in my hand and next thing I'm shooting, he added.
Related: Mom Describes Reaction When TikTok Influencer Son Allegedly Called Her and Confessed to Murdering Wife
It was not the first time the TikTok star made famous for his comedic impersonations of characters like Scarface and Skyrim had been violent with his wife, Ali reportedly testified. (On the stand he admitted to drug use and to previously punching Ana.)
A month before the shooting, Ana had filed a police report documenting his abuse, Deputy District Attorney Taren Brast said at a pretrial hearing reported on by The Los Angeles Times.
The tumultuous relationship was no secret.
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.
He kept careful documentation of the couples turmoil in personal videos some of them shared with his nearly 1 million TikTok followers, who knew his beautiful wife from cameo appearances in his content.
In one such livestream featured in Peacocks original documentary TikTok Star Murders, Abulaban talks into his phone camera, while his wife sits quietly on the couch.
Dont get married guys, I threw my whole life away for her, he says.
Viewers sent their support to Ali in comments, one telling him to be strong. Another suggested that the police might be en route to his home: When they get there just keep your mouth shut.
Facebook Ana and Ali Abulaban.
Related: Former TikToker Convicted of Killing Wife and the Man He Thought She Was Cheating with in 2021
During a victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing, Ana's sister said, per Court TV that if she had known what Ana was going through, I would have flown again to see her and done my best to take her away from you.
Born in the Philippines, Anas body was slated to be returned to her parents following the murder investigation so she could be buried in her hometown, according to a GoFundMe set up by her family to cover the expenses.
Calling the shooting a senseless tragedy, and a devastating loss, a relative, Ana Guajardo, wrote on the GoFundMe page that her murder had left a crater of sorrow in not only our family but among her friends and colleagues as well.
Losing a loved one is never easy, Guajardo added. Losing a daughter, a sister, a mother in such a violent manner is unfathomable.
Anas friend, Barron, was described in another GoFundMe set up for his burial in Mexico by his relative Omar Barron, as the glue to his family, always reaching out to family to bring everyone closer.
He added: He was a loyal friend who you could always count on to be there in a time of need.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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Read the original article on People.
By Anthony Boadle
BRASILIA (Reuters) -European Union and South American negotiators ended two days of trade negotiations on Friday with "significant progress" on contentious issues that have been holding up the long-overdue EU-Mercosur agreement, two sources close to the talks said.
The sources said the negotiations seem to be on course for a positive conclusion before the end of the year. The meeting marked the first in-person talks since April.
"The round of negotiations went very well. There was significant progress in the areas of the environment and government procurement," said a source at the Brazilian foreign ministry, where the talks were held.
"A new round of negotiations should take place in a few weeks," the official added.
Eleven EU governments this week called for a rapid conclusion of the trade deal that has been in the works for 25 years in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
"It is now urgent to secure the progress reached so far and close the negotiations," the letter seen by Reuters said. "We believe that all elements are in place to allow for a rapid conclusion of negotiations by the end of 2024," the prime ministers of Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic wrote.
Mercosur joins Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and more recently Bolivia in a market that is a sought-after destination for EU manufacturing exporters, though European farmers, especially in France, fear the competition it will bring.
The deal was concluded in 2019, but was stalled by EU demands for commitments on Amazon deforestation and climate change.
In the midst of demonstrations by French farmers in January, French President Emmanuel Macron reinforced his opposition to the deal, saying it would cause environmental damage and subject farmers to unfair competition.
The main French farmers' union, FNSEA, said on Friday it opposed the resumption of talks, saying the EU-Mercosur agreement would increase competition for producers of beef, chicken, rice, sugar and ethanol.
"European agriculture should not be sacrificed in order to conclude international trade accords. On the contrary, agriculture should be protected and considered one of the main strategic European sectors," the union said in a statement.
With the European election over, now is the time to finalize the deal, the 11 prime ministers said in their letter.
"The agreement will create a free trade area encompassing more than 700 million people, creating enormous opportunities for European businesses and workers in markets which have been relatively closed up until now," the letter said.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle in Brasilia; additional reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Leslie Adler)
The Kamala Harris campaign made a stop in Macon. Meet the speakers pushing for her
The Kamala Harris campaign stop in Macon Friday featured five prominent Georgians speaking behalf of the vice president, who wasnt in attendance herself.
The stop, which was focused largely on Harris stance on abortion and pushes by Republicans to restrict abortion access, targeted voters in one of the most-watched swing states.
Abortion promises to be a major issue for Georgians in the upcoming presidential election. In Georgia, most abortions are banned at six weeks.
The stop in Macon is one of several across the state, and those stops will feature a wide cast of speakers including entertainers, politicians, activists and everyday residents discussing their personal experiences with abortion and reproductive health.
So who came to Macon to pull for Harris?
U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams
Nikema Williams is a member of the U.S. House representing Georgias 5th Congressional District, which covers much of Atlanta. Its most famous for being the seat formerly held by John Lewis, a civil rights activist who died in 2020.
Williams also serves as the chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, and was previously a Democratic elector in the Electoral College during the 2020 presidential race. She also served as a Georgia state senator from 2017 to 2020.
Williams is no stranger to abortion rights. Prior to her work in politics, she worked as the vice president for public policy at Planned Parenthood Southeast.
Notably, she will also be up for re-election this November, although she is heavily favored to win due to her being from a heavily Democratic district.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
Keisha Lance Bottoms served as the mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022. During her tenure as mayor, she was a vocal opponent of then-President Donald Trump and Georgia Republicans.
In 2018, she signed an executive order forbidding the city jail from holding people detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and created Atlantas first LGBTQ+ advisory board. She also rebuked Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp for re-opening businesses in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She declined to run for a second term as mayor, instead joining President Joe Bidens administration as a senior adviser and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. She currently works as a member of the Presidents Export Council.
State Rep. Miriam Paris
Paris is a representative in the Georgia State House. She is a Democrat whose district includes portions of Macon.
A Macon native, she served on the Macon City Council and then helped merge the city and county as a Georgia state senator.
She was elected to the Georgia House in 2016, and serves on the Appropriations, Education, and Special Rules Committees.
Like Williams, Paris is also up for reelection this November.
Sheree Whitfield
Sheree Whitfield is a television personality known for being an original cast member of Bravos The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Since her time on the show, she has become an author and fashion designer. She was also an executive producer on the show Selling It: In the ATL, which follows female realtors trying to succeed in the Atlanta real estate market.
Latorya Beasley
Latorya Beasley is an abortion rights advocate from Alabama.
She began talking about reproductive health after the Supreme Court of Alabama halted in vitro fertilization across the state earlier this year. She was planning on using IVF to have her second child, but had her embryo transfer appointment canceled due to the ruling.
After the ruling, Beasley spoke about her experiences at a roundtable in Birmingham, Alabama, convened by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. She was also invited to attend the State of the Union address in Washington, D.C., in March as a personal guest of First Lady Jill Biden.
The Kamala Harris campaign stopped in Macon Friday as part of a bus tour focused on abortion rights across Georgia.
Harris herself wasnt in town, but a slate of speakers including State Rep. Miriam Paris, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms appeared to support the campaign and abortion rights.
The only way to stop (Donald Trump) and his extreme, anti-reproductive freedom agenda is to vote this November, Williams said. Harris trusts women to make decisions about their own health care.
Why is the campaign focusing on Georgia?
Georgia is set to be a major battleground in November. After going for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, Georgia solidified its status as a swing state thats seen as a toss-up as the election nears.
Additionally, Georgia has already seen abortion rights take center stage in politics. In 2019, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a bill that would ban most abortions at six weeks, when fetal cardiac activity can be detected. The bill was struck down by a federal court that cited Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court decision protecting abortion.
When Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022 by Dobbs v. Jackson which ruled that states can decide whether or not abortion should be legal protests erupted across Georgia. The Georgia Supreme Court then reactivated the 2019 law in October 2023, pointing to the new ruling.
Since Roe was overturned, abortion has become inaccessible in nearly all of the South, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. Many southern states have been abortions, while others have put in place heavy restrictions or gestational bans.
Abortion rights have already motivated Georgia voters to get to the polls this year. A state supreme court race between Democrat-backed John Barrow and Republican-backed Andrew Pinson drew enormous attention after Barrow led a campaign emphasizing abortion rights. While Barrow ultimately lost, the race was much tighter than other state supreme court races in recent elections.
Mia Robbins-Aguilar (right) speaks with her sister Tina Hobson before the start of the the Fighting for Reproductive Rights bus tour stop on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Carolyn Crayton Park in Macon, Georgia. Although Harris was not present, various speakers from across the state spoke at the tour stop specifically about Harris stance in support of abortion and reproductive rights.
Harris-Walz campaign focuses on abortion stances
Harris has made abortion rights a centerpiece of her bid for president, often bringing it up at rallies and during media appearances.
At a rally this summer in Atlanta, Harris emphasized her opposition to abortion bans and her desire to expand access to reproductive care.
We, who believe in reproductive freedom, will stop Donald Trumps extreme abortion bans, Harris said during the event. And when Congress passes a law to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States I will sign it into law.
Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks as one of five speakers at the Fighting for Reproductive Rights bus tour stop on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Carolyn Crayton Park in Macon, Georgia. Although Harris was not present, various speakers from across the state spoke at the tour stop specifically about Harris stance in support of abortion and reproductive rights.
What did the speakers have to say?
During the event, speakers focused on abortion rights in Georgia, echoing many of Harris speeches and statements on the issue.
Speakers also contrasted Harris position on abortion rights against those of former President Donald Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance.
Trumps views on abortion have not always been consistent, but he did praise the U.S. Supreme Court following its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and has expressed support for abortion bans in the past. Vance opposes abortion rights.
Middle Georgia 4 Choice co-founder Julia Callahan speaks to event attendees as one of five speakers at the Fighting for Reproductive Rights bus tour stop on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Carolyn Crayton Park in Macon, Georgia. Although Harris was not present, various speakers from across the state spoke at the tour stop specifically about Harris stance in support of abortion and reproductive rights.
In addition to the slate of announced speakers, the campaign brought Julia Callahan co-founder of Middle Georgia for Choice, a local abortion rights advocacy group to the podium.
Callahan shared her own story of miscarrying and being impacted by anti-abortion laws. While pregnant with twins, she miscarried one fetus and the other fetus remained viable. Doctors were concerned about ending the non-viable pregnancy due to the other fetus and possible repercussions.
They decided to wait to treat her, but Callahan became seriously ill as she continued to miscarry. A month later, her doctors finally decided to end the non-viable pregnancy.
Callahan said the treatment she received saved her life, and she fears that other women may not be able to access the same care.
My terrifying experience navigating our health care system in the wake of Donald Trumps abortion bans have awakened me to the horrors women in Georgia face, Callahan said.
Callahan and Williams both emphasized disparities between white and Black women in maternal mortality rates and access to reproductive care.
Georgia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation, with 33.9 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2018 and 2021, according to data compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics. The CDC said the national average is 32.9 deaths per 100,000 births.
The National Library of Medicine has found that hostile abortion legislation often worsens prenatal care and mortality rates for women of color, women living in poverty and immigrant women.
About 42% of people living in Macon-Bibb County identify as Black, according to data from the U.S. Census. Around 20% of people in the county live in poverty.
The campaign also brought Latorya Beasley, a woman from Alabama who was unable to access IVF following a February decision by the Supreme Court of Alabama that halted the procedure in the state. She later discussed her experience at a roundtable about abortion rights led by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. She also attended the State of the Union address in March as a personal guest of First Lady Jill Biden.
Families across Alabama were thrown into disarray, Beasley said.
Alongside women sharing their experiences, speakers affirmed Harris commitment to abortion rights. Williams echoed Harris remarks from the Atlanta rally, promising that Harris would urge Congress to pass legislation protecting abortion, and sign it into law if elected.
Weve got 60 days, yall, to elect Kamala Harris and reject Donald Trump, and take back our reproductive freedom once and for all, Williams said.
Kamala Harris just can't make up her mind: Though much of the media probably won't give her a hard time about this, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris keeps flip-flopping on key policy items, frequently failing to explain her reasoning.
Most of her pivots involve drifting from ultra-progressive policy positions toward more moderate ones actually favored by voters. Harris formerly argued, for example, that reparations for slavery were needed (in 2019 and 2020); she has since backed away from this position. During the 2020 election, she advocated decriminalizing border crossings, changing them from a criminal to a civil offense (a position not favored by the Biden administration and one she has since recanted). She used to be in favor of implementing mandatory gun buyback programs, a position she's now backed away from. She has pivoted on a federal jobs guarantee included in the Green New Dealfavored by her in 2019 and 2020which she now opposes. In fact, she's shifted her position on a whole slew of environmental issues: In 2020, she said plastic straws should be banned (which she no longer believes, apparently). She has possibly shifted on an electric vehicle mandate, but her campaign refuses to give a clear answer.
Perhaps most critically, she has reversed her position on fracking in a transparent ploy to win over Pennsylvania voters, with whom she struggles: In 2019, she wanted it banned due to global warming concerns. "There's no question I'm in favor of banning fracking," she said during a Democratic debate back then. Compare this with now: "As vice president, I did not ban fracking. As president, I will not ban fracking," she told CNN's Dana Bash last week.
"The most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed," Harris argued to Bash in response to questions about her shifting climate views. As is typical for her, Harris managed to say something while saying nothing at all.
Politicians try to curry favor with voters change their minds plenty of the time. The only problem is that, with Harris, it's hard to tell what she actually believes and what she would actually do if voted into office. There's no real ideological coherence to the things she believesother than maybe "Biden policies, just supersized"and she seems overly amenable to changing to whichever direction the political winds are blowing. It all comes together to paint a portrait not of a politician who is in touch with the people's needs, but rather a desperate one seeking to win power at all costs.
Scenes from New York: We're gearing up for a freaking wild school year. Brace yourselves. (P.S. Harassing Jewish students simply because you dislike the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu probably isn't a great strategy.)
Happening Now: While Jewish students gather for their first Hillel dinner at Baruch College in New York, pro-Palestinians are chanting outside "Baruch Hillel go to hell." SJP has clearly developed a new strategy of targeting Hillel, the center of Jewish life on campus. pic.twitter.com/ccP0oeHFkx Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) September 4, 2024
QUICK HITS
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression just published their college free speech rankings. The takeaway?
Go to a state school. (Or University of Chicago.)https://t.co/w3Zi90iOXJ pic.twitter.com/IQiPS9aEWI Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) September 5, 2024
It's back-to-school season, and plenty of schools are mandating that their students endorse the "proper" diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) viewpoints once again. A representative tale out of the University of South Carolina, where telling a friend they should work out to cure depression is wrong, culturally appropriative Halloween costumes are heinous, and "LGBTQIA+ perspectives" are apparently deliberately marginalized left and right.
Dismissing the concerns as "not that serious"even if nobody from the relevant culture will be at the partyis "incorrect," according to the training. Instead, students should "educate" themselves through online research to determine whether the costume is acceptable. pic.twitter.com/OVFaGhnQOG Aaron Sibarium (@aaronsibarium) September 5, 2024
"Wednesday's indictment was at the same time shocking and unsurprising, revealing a Russian media operation with, above all, a big budget for the 2024 contest," writes Semafor's Ben Smith (background here).
Related: YouTube has removed the Tenet Media channel, as well as four others associated with Lauren Chen, the conservative content creator who had allegedly been taking payments from Russian government employees. (FWIW, I am not convinced this is the right call. Possibly better to use labels, so there's more transparency/disclosure of funding, than to remove them entirely. After all, is the content churned out by Dave Rubin and Tim Pool post-Russian underwriting really that different from what it would be otherwise?)
Former President Donald Trump's running mate J.D. Vance actually has some really good policy takes on lowering childcare costs.
"In 2019, Mr. Posen, former dauphin of New York fashion, protege of Tom Ford, prince of the red carpet, became the cautionary tale of the industry: the hotshot who lost his way, his name and his brand, in the wilds of ego and private equity," reports The New York Times. Meanwhile "overexpansion and excessive discounting had sent [Gap Inc.] on a 20-year decline, left behind by the fast-fashion giants Zara and H&M." So Posen was hired as chief creative officer of Old Navy and creative director of Gap Inc., in a bit of a risky move to attempt to revitalize the dying brand.
Insane housing policy, courtesy of the Dutch:
The Netherlands has effectively banned market-rate rentals, so now landlords are selling to owner-occupiers, and people who can't afford a mortgage now can't find a home at all. Good job. https://t.co/KL4FhCtmOD Christian Britschgi (@christianbrits) September 5, 2024
So true:
Left NIMBY thinking is lazy and contradictory even at a theoretical level (people who build and manage housing have diverging interests) and just completely falls apart on first encounter with the real world of land-use politics, i.e. a public hearing. M. Nolan Gray (@mnolangray) September 5, 2024
The post Kamala Harris Can't Stick to Her Story appeared first on Reason.com.
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Kamala Harris has said she no longer wants a ban on plastic straws in a policy U-turn.
In 2019, the Democrat presidential nominee had told a CNN town hall meeting: We do need to ban the plastic straws. But her campaign has now said she has changed her mind and doesnt support banning plastic straws.
She cast the tie-breaking vote on the most consequential legislation to combat climate change and create clean energy jobs in history, and as president, she is going to be focused on expanding on that progress, a Harris campaign official told Axios.
She joked even then about how crappy paper straws are and the need to come up with better eco-friendly alternatives.
The move may be intended to prevent further attacks from the Donald Trump campaign, which has previously highlighted the policy.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser in the Trump campaign, told NBC in July: Kamala Harris had a long, liberal, radical record in California well before she even became vice-president. I mean, heck, she wants to get rid of plastic straws, for goodness sake.
A number of US cities have already banned single-use plastic straws, including Seattle, Washington DC, and Malibu. They have also been banned in the UK and in parts of the EU.
Ms Harris has been criticised for changing her position on a number of key issues since being nominated.
Her team has said via anonymous aides that she no longer supports Medicare for All or mandatory gun buy-back programmes, both of which she called for during her 2020 Democratic primary campaign.
Last month, Ms Harris also revealed that she no longer wants to ban fracking, another position she held during the 2020 primary race.
The change is likely to increase her chances of winning the swing state of Pennsylvania, a hotbed for oil and gas drilling, and she told CNN she now believed it was possible to grow and increase a thriving clean-energy economy without banning fracking.
Ms Harris insisted during the interview that her values have not changed, even if some of her policy ideas have.
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When they needed her most, presidential candidate Kamala Harris wanted to ban plastic straws. Now that the mania about banning plastic straws has subsided, she says they can remain a legal product.
An unnamed campaign staffer told Axios reporter Alex Thompson yesterday that Harris, contra a 2019 statement, no longer supports banning plastic straws. Even when she did, the staffer told Thompson, "she joked even then about how crappy paper straws are and the need to come up with better eco-friendly alternatives."
Indeed, she did.
During her brief presidential run in 2019, Harris described the unpleasantness of using a paper straw to CNN's Erin Burnett in graphic detail, saying "If you don't gulp it down immediately it starts to bend and then, you know, [awkward laughter] the little thing catches it."
Nevertheless, Harris told Burnett in the same interview that she supported banning superior plastic alternatives.
Hard as it is to believe here in 2024, plastic straw bans were briefly the hot policy sweeping the nation.
A number of big, blue cities prohibited restaurants and bars from giving plastic straws to their customers. Harris' old stomping ground of San Francisco went even further by banning all businesses from distributing not just plastic straws, but also plastic cocktail swords, stirrer sticks, and other single-use plastic items.
Other cities and states adopted "straw on request" laws that required customers to ask for a straw before they could be given one.
The straw panic, as Reason first reported in 2018, was kicked off by the research of then-9-year-old Milo Cress, who created the viral statistic that Americans use 500 million straws a day. More credible estimates from market analysts put the country's straw usage at less than half that.
The straw bans that Cress' work inspired (but which he did not endorse) never made much sense as a policy.
As best we can tell, straws make up a tiny fraction of America's plastic waste, which in turn makes up a tiny share of global plastic waste. Banning them reduced consumer convenience and personal freedom, but produced no actual environmental benefit.
People's frustration with paper alternatives to plastic straws eventually saw support for straw bans subside. By 2020, the policy had become synonymous with liberal overreach. Conservatives and freedom-lovers rallied behind plastic straw use.
The Trump campaign even started selling Trump-branded plastic straws and singled out Harris' support for straw bans in attack ads.
It's little wonder then that Harris' campaign handlers are reversing her past support for plastic straw bans.
As Reason's Liz Wolfe noted this morning, this is just the latest of Harris's many flip-flops on everything from Medicare For All to fracking.
Some might argue straw bans are a lot less consequential than Harris' other policy switcheroos, and they'd be wrong about that.
Even if they were correct, Harris' history with plastic straw bans is a useful window into her evolution as a candidate.
In 2019, she reflexively supported whatever liberal policy was put in front of her, even when her own instincts told her it was a bad idea. In 2024, Harris is doing her level best to take no policy positions (beyond a consistent endorsement of price controls and abortion) and leaning heavily on anonymous campaign staffers to memory hole all her past positions.
It's always bad form to yell at politicians when they are agreeing with you. I'm obligated to say that Harris coming around on plastic straws is a welcome change. It's evidence that, in at least this small way, America has become a little saner.
Still, the fact that we never hear from the candidate herself about why she's changed her mind makes one wonder where Harris' heart really is, and what her position tomorrow will be.
The post Kamala Harris Now Opposes Plastic Straw Bans. America's Dumbest Moral Panic Is Finally Over. appeared first on Reason.com.
When Barack Obama was elected president, the people of Moneygall in Ireland celebrated. Birthplace of Obamas great-great-great-grandfather on his white mothers side, the village commemorated the victory and a later visit from the 44th president with pints of Guinness and a kitschy trade in O'Bama memorabilia.
In contrast, the response in Ballymoney to claims of Irish ancestral ties for a would-be U.S. president has been more muted.
In 2018, the Black father of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, the Jamaican-born professor Donald Harris, wrote that the family was descended from white enslaver Hamilton Brown. Brown was born in Ireland in 1776 before moving to the then-British colony of Jamaica.
If Donald Harris account of his family history is correct, it is likely that, as was true with American abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass, the Black mother in question and Harris ancestor was a woman on one of Browns plantations. In such cases, mothers and children were often separated shortly after birth.
Barack Obama raises a Guinness with locals at Ollie Hayes pub in Moneygall. AP Photo/Charles Dharapak
The ramifications of Harris Irish links have mostly been greeted with shame or silence in Ireland.
Some commentators in the U.S. have construed the alleged Irish link to suggest that the Democrats family owned slaves the insinuation seemingly being that Harris ancestry means she is a beneficiary of the system. Such allegations, of course, negate the fact that most offspring of plantation owners and enslaved women were the product of rape. Even if consensual, the idea that Black offspring of a white plantation owner benefited from slavery is, of course, nonsense.
While the full story of Harris Jamaican and Irish roots may never be known, the ancestral claims nonetheless allow scholars of Black American and Irish history like us a moment to reexamine Irelands multilayered historical identity.
Colonized and colonizers
Referred to as Englands first colony, Ireland held an anomalous position in the empire. At the same time as being at the forefront of opposing British colonialism at home, many Irish people also played an active role in the British imperial project, a colony-building exercise that involved the subjugation and enslavement of nonwhite peoples around the world.
The work of scholars, including Barbadian historian Sir Hilary Beckles, has highlighted the Irish experience in the Caribbean from the foundations of British incursions there commencing in the early 17th century. They have shown how foundational the Irish presence was in various slave societies in the developing of race hierarchies.
In a desperate search for labor and profit, British sugar planters created indentures, or contracts, of four to seven years for white servants, bringing thousands of Irish poor to the Caribbean. At the same time, the planters also imported enslaved Africans.
The latter were preferred, as they became workers for life. As societies in the Caribbean developed, and indentures came to an end, the Irish generally found themselves benefiting from the racial hierarchies that evolved. To be sure, most remained poor while fanning out across the Caribbean island in search of work, and they lacked meaningful political power relative to the British ruling elite. But they had their freedom.
Contested terrain of Irish identity
The history of the Irish people is understandably dominated by narratives of British colonization and cultural suppression and the Irish freedom struggle. But a more nuanced conversation reveals the ways in which Ireland was drawn into some of the dark recesses of modern history.
And it is here we find Hamilton Brown, Harris alleged slave-owning ancestor who poses another challenge when it comes to understanding Irish identity.
Brown was born in County Antrim, which today forms part of Northern Ireland and is part of the United Kingdom. His own ancestors would have been participants in a colonial project known as the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century that displaced the native Irish and replaced them with settlers, mostly from Scotland.
For British imperial authorities, the northern part of Ireland was always considered the most troublesome, so replacing the Catholic natives with Protestants from Britain was seen as a way to make the country more governable.
In all likelihood, the Anglican Brown family did not identify as being Irish at all. When thousands of these settlers moved west to the Americas in the 1700s, they would subsequently describe themselves as Scotch-Irish.
In Jamaica, Brown made his fortune as a lawyer and an enslaver in St. Anns Parish, which he later renamed Browns Town.
Brown was an outspoken supporter of whipping and the forced separation of enslaved families. He was also an entrenched critic of the abolition movement, even accusing leading British abolitionist William Wilberforce of having a cloven hoof.
When Britain officially outlawed slavery in 1834, there were 1,200 enslaved people working on Browns mainly sugar plantations, for whom he received over 12,000 pounds in compensation more than US$12 million in todays money.
Hidden figures
As the British empire expanded, Ireland found itself in the paradoxical role of being both colonized and colonizer, the latter arising from the country providing the manpower for the British army, the civil service and other parts of the imperial infrastructure. Endemic poverty and intermittent famines in Ireland drove the people to seek opportunities elsewhere, where they found themselves at the bottom of the economic ladder and despised for their immigrant status. Nonetheless, they had the right to move, marry freely and receive an education unlike those who were enslaved.
Such a bifurcated history complicates the narrative surrounding Irish history and identity, as well as the way we talk about Obamas and Harris ancestors. Moreover, the hidden figures in these contested histories are often the enslaved women, who were frequently victims of nonconsensual sex, but whose children and descendants form a kind of Black Irish diaspora, the extent and significance of which scholars are only now beginning to uncover.
Recent initiatives in Ireland, Britain and the United States have started to proactively build community across the more diverse aspects of the Irish diaspora. Engagement and reflection on the complicated ways people come to a connection with Ireland is a pivotal part of the process.
How present resonates with past
While the truth of Harris ancestor may be hard to ever fully pin down, her potential Irish origins may in any case align more with that of former first lady Michelle Obama rather than that of President Obama. As Rachel Swarns revealed in her book American Tapestry, Michelle Obama is similarly linked to Ireland via a slave owner.
There has long been a symbiotic relationship between Ireland and American presidents.
If Harris is elected this fall, and assuming her genealogical link to County Antrim is correct, she would become the 24th American president of Irish heritage.
But her links are different in nature from those previous presidents and, as such, do not evoke the joy in Ireland that greeted the discovery of Obamas roots or the electrifying visit of another Irish American President, John F. Kennedy, 60-odd years ago.
Nor are we to expect the same fondness President Joe Biden has displayed in regard to his own Irish heritage.
But whatever the circumstances, acknowledging Harris potential Irish and Scottish roots alongside her Jamaican, African and Indian heritage allows us a way into thinking about the complexities of history and their resonance in the present.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Christine Kinealy, Quinnipiac University; Kimberly DaCosta, New York University, and Miriam Nyhan Grey, Mary Immaculate College
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The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Vice President Kamala Harris officially has a date with the Teamsters.
The Democratic presidential candidate will attend a Teamsters rank-and-file roundtable in Washington D.C. on Sept. 16, the union says.
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By taking the meeting, Harris follows in the footsteps of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, both of whom have attended roundtables with rank-and-file members earlier this year.
For the Teamsters, this meeting has been months in the making, with the union inviting all declared presidential candidates to participate in December 2023.
Last month, the Harris campaign and the Teamsters confirmed they would meet, but neither party had settled on a date.
Harris has committed to meet with union members, the Teamsters general executive board, general president Sean OBrien, 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, OBrien said in a statement. We look forward to having a conversation on the direction of the country and the issues that matter to working people.
The meeting will be nearly two months before the 2024 presidential election held on Nov. 5, where Harris will face off against Trump, the Republican presidential candidate.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has not issued an endorsement in the 2024 race.
OBrien said Sunday on CBSs Face the Nation that the union had not yet issued an endorsement because he hasnt yet met with Harris, and you dont hire someone unless you give them an interview.
Of the major unions in the U.S., the Teamsters are the only one to not endorse Harris thus far. Harris has already received multiple high-profile labor endorsements including the United Auto Workers (UAW), the AFL-CIO and the Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union (RWDSU).
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), which won a six-year contract for dockworkers at 29 West Coast ports last summer, endorsed Harris for president, citing her history with the union as well as her support for workers and the labor movement as California Attorney General and state Senator.
A Biden cabinet member, Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, held joint meetings last year to facilitate the new deal for the dockworkers.
Backing from the Teamsters would help bring in even more support from workers with direct hands in the U.S. logistics industry, whether it be UPS drivers or freight operators, for example.
The lack of endorsement thus far has fueled plenty of speculation of the direction the 1.3-million-member union will go ahead of the election.
While the Teamsters havent endorsed a Republican candidate since George H.W. Bush in 1988 and endorsed Biden in the 2020 election, OBrien appeared at the Republican National Convention in July. This marked the first time a Teamsters chief spoke at the convention in the unions history. There, he called for reform in bankruptcy laws, corporate welfare and legal protections for workers seeking unionization or a new contract.
During the speech, OBrien asserted that the Teamsters were not beholden to anyone or any party.
OBrien did not get an invitation to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August despite requesting one. A group of retired Teamsters members took the stage of the convention during a speech from Sen. Gary Peters (D.-Mich.)
In the time since, OBrien criticized former President Trump for suggesting during an interview with Elon Musk that workers who go on strike should be fired, calling the proposal economic terrorism.
The Teamsters awaited decision comes as Harris has unveiled proposals beyond her economic plan, which including a federal ban on price gouging, a plan to expand child tax credits and a blueprint to expand housing in the U.S. through the building of new homes and down-payment support for first-time buyers.
The Vice President is expected to unveil a $50,000 tax benefit for small businesses, which would expand an existing $5,000 deduction for startups.
The Kansas City Chiefs will begin their quest for a Super Bowl three-peat Thursday. The Chiefs have come a long way since their Texas conception, but did you know the team was named after the Kansas City mayor?
In 1952, Lamar Hunt founded the Dallas Texans. By 1959, Hunt was looking for a new place to play. H. Roe Bartle, the Kansas City Mayor, is credited with luring the team to Kansas City, Missouri. In 1962, Hunt renamed the franchise the Kansas City Chiefs after Bartles nickname, The Chief.
It is said Harold Roe Bartles nickname, The Chief, came from his time working as a Boy Scout executive.
The first Kansas City Chiefs mascot wasnt the furry wolf weve come to know and love, but instead a pinto horse named War Paint. War Paint was used from 1963 to 1989. After a lengthy retirement, the Chiefs reintroduced War Paint, but was retired again in 2021, after the teams new policy to eliminate some Native American imagery.
KC Wolf was brought home to Arrowhead during the 1989 season. The man inside the costume, Dan Meers, has played KC Wolf for 35 years. Each year he makes more than 150 appearances all around Missouri and Kansas. Meers make maneuvering KC Wolfs 85 waist look easy.
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The Kansas Farm Bureau's political action committee endorsed the reelection of U.S. Rep. Sharice Davies, D-Kansas. It's the PAC's first endorsement of the three-term Democrat and sidestepped both the Republican and Libertarian nominees ahead of the November election. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from livestream of Davids' news conference)
The Kansas Farm Bureau's political action committee endorsed the reelection of U.S. Rep. Sharice Davies, D-Kansas. It's the PAC's first endorsement of the three-term Democrat and sidestepped both the Republican and Libertarian nominees ahead of the November election. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from livestream of Davids' news conference)
TOPEKA The Kansas Farm Bureaus political action committee for the first time has endorsed Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids for reelection in the 3rd District of northeast Kansas.
The organizations PAC previously committed to Republican incumbent U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann of the 1st District and Ron Estes of the 4th District. In July, the PAC announced support of Derek Schmidt, who in August won the GOP primary in the 2nd District. Schmidt is seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican who didnt seek reelection.
Davids, who is completing her third term in Congress, is running against Republican Prasanth Reddy and Libertarian Steve Roberts in the November election.
She joined the House Agriculture Committee in 2022 after the Kansas Legislature expanded the 3rd Districts boundary beyond Johnson and Wyandotte counties to include all of Anderson, Franklin and Miami counties. Those three counties have a larger agricultural economic footprint.
On Thursday, Farm Bureau president Joe Newland said Davids had dedicated herself to building relationships with agriculture interests in the congressional district. This is the first time the Farm Bureau PAC has endorsed her.
Rep. Davids has sought the input of farmers and ranchers as part of her decision-making process. Im confident shes the right choice for agriculture and look forward to her reelection, Newland said.
The Farm Bureaus PAC is known as VOTE FBF or Voters Organized to Elect Farm Bureau Friends. Since inception of the PAC in 1993, endorsed candidates have prevailed in 90% of their elections.
Kansas farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our state, and Im committed to ensuring their voices are heard in Washington, Davids said. Ill continue working to support our agricultural economy and the hardworking families who make it thrive.
In the spring, Davids joined with former U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, to host U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small for discussion of challenges facing Kansas crop and animal producers. Roberts and Davids said during the event that Congress should overcome partisan disputes to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill reauthorizing federal financial programs for U.S. agriculture.
The 2018 law expired in 2023, but was extended for one year to allow for negotiations in the House and Senate. No deal has been reached since September 2023, and the existing law could be renewed for another year given budget disputes and election-year politics.
Reddy said in response to the Farm Bureau PACs endorsement that he objected to Davids vote in May against a GOP-sponsored version of the Farm Bill.
Sharice Davids betrayed Kansas farmers and ranchers by voting against advancing the Farm Bill, traditionally a bipartisan process, out of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, he said. Thats absurd, and its a betrayal of Kansas farmers and ranchers. But thats what you can expect from a professional politician who plays political games and puts party leaders before common sense.
Mann, the 1st District representative who also serves on the House Agriculture Committee, voted for the bill rejected by Davids. His represents the third-largest agriculture producing congressional district in the United States.
Cathy and Jesse Watts look after their 2-year-old while at an appointment with their doula on Aug. 29, 2024, in Topeka. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)
TOPEKA The addition of doula services to Kansas Medicaid program spurred confusion among legislators and prompted scrutiny of reimbursement rates for Medicaid services.
Doula services, which support a person throughout pregnancy, were added to the states Medicaid program effective July 1. In an Aug. 27 legislative hearing, lawmakers used doula services as a touchstone for concerns about reimbursement rates under KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas.
While new to KanCare, doula services have had roots in Kansas for years.
Abriona Markham, executive director of the two-year-old Topeka Doula Project, is a community-based doula, which is one of four types of doulas. The others are prenatal doulas, labor and delivery doulas and postpartum doulas. Community-based doulas offer connections to resources and social services in addition to the nonclinical support they provide as someone goes through their pregnancy.
Abriona Markham, a doula in Shawnee COunty
Markham specializes in supporting teen mothers, recently or actively incarcerated mothers and low-income mothers.
Those are the underrepresented populations, right? Theyre the populations that dont technically get a say-so in their care, Markham said. So what do doulas do? We educate. We give autonomy back to birth. We put community back in birth. We let them know theyre in charge.
Many of Markhams clients are covered under KanCare, she said.
On a Friday in late August, Markham met with Cathy Watts, who is expecting her third child. She is in her third trimester, which is further along than she got with her past few pregnancies, she said. Markham is Watts doula.
She listens to me, Watts, 23, said.
This pregnancy is the first time Watts has recruited doula services, and at 34 weeks, they discussed each decision she would have to make on delivery day. That included whether Watts wanted an epidural and who would cut the umbilical cord she chose her husband, Jesse.
The Watts tell Markham about their doctors appointments so they can better understand whats going on, what choices they have and act as their advocate.
Weve got somebody that will stand their ground regardless, said Jesse Watts, 24.
Doulas must undergo at least 30 hours of training with a national program and obtain a professional services recommendation in Kansas in order to bill KanCare. They are not doctors or nurses and do not replace the roles of physicians. Instead, doulas offer their services from a supportive role, said Shalae Harris, clinical director for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the agency that administers KanCare.
The doula works with physicians and a patients care team and will accompany a patient during their labor and delivery, Harris said at the Aug. 27 hearing.
The doula is there the entire time supporting rubbing a back maybe, answering questions and being that advocate in the room to work with the professionals, she said.
Cathy Watts discusses her pregnancy with her doula, Abriona Markham
Several lawmakers and medical community members expressed concern at the hearing with where the money to fund the added doula services was coming from.
Doula services under KanCare are estimated to cost roughly $351,000 in their first year. Just less than $140,000 of that comes from the state, said Jill Bronaugh, the KDHE spokeswoman.
The services have been billed as a way to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce both maternal and infant mortality rates. Twenty-one states have doula services covered under their Medicaid programs, and an estimated 43 have explored doula services, said Yvonne Case, KDHE operations director.
Its the maternal morbidity rates that are driving this and particularly with disparate groups, Case said.
A January meta-analysis from the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that patients who have a doula are 68% less likely to have a cesarean delivery, or a C-section. Research has shown that maternal morbidity and mortality disproportionately impacts low-income mothers.
Medical organizations have said the addition of doula services under KanCare caught them by surprise, and the August hearing exposed some frustration with physicians reimbursement rates under KanCare. This came after legislators attempted to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates in April, which wasnt applied evenly, said Rachelle Colombo, executive director of the Kansas Medical Society.
Were going to find ourselves with a physician community that is somewhat disenfranchised and surprised that this isnt going to be applied across the board, Colombo said.
She questioned where the money for the added doula services was coming from when physicians have been requesting reimbursement hikes for years.
The rate of the doula reimbursement is surprisingly high because its not a clinical service and you have low reimbursement for obstetrics and gynecology, so it seems at odds, Colombo said.
Doulas can be reimbursed for multiple services under KanCare. The reimbursement rate for doula services at a delivery totals nearly $1,300, which is on par with other states Medicaid coverage, according to KDHE.
KDHE is conducting a comprehensive reimbursement rate study for all Medicaid services not only doula or physician services and its results will be provided to the Legislature, said Bronaugh, the KDHE spokeswoman.
UK-based OEM supplier Expert Technologies Group has won a contract in Spain following a 1.4 million financing deal.
The firm designs and delivers robotic assembly systems, tools and special machinery which support automation in industry.
It has begun a new project with the Spanish arm of Sumitomo Electric Bordnetze (SEBN), a global supplier of parts for the automotive industry.
The project will comprise two brand-new automated auxiliary harness assembly lines for electric vehicles.
Angelo Luciano, CEO of Expert Technologies, said: This is the first project we have been awarded in Spain since both Brexit and COVID, and we hope that is a catalyst for further projects in mainland Europe.
The deal was supported by UK Export Finance (UKEF).
"Expert Technologies Group enters Spanish market with 1.4m deal" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.
The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
This 'Karen' Judge Had No Idea A Colleague Was Recording Her Racist Comments And Now She Has to Pay for Her Mess
Photo: The Detroit News
A racist suburban Detroit judge was recorded making homophobic and anti-Black remarksand the Karen was ultimately removed from her docket because of it. Oakland County Probate Judge Kathleen Ryan had her phone conversations secretly recorded by the courts administrator who was deeply disturbed by her comments.
Oakland County Probate Court Administrator Edward Hutton explained to WXYZ-TV the reason he wanted to expose Ryan. I just want to make it right. I havent filed a lawsuit. Im not looking for a payday, he stated.
Hutton also hopes his actions will help keep the court intact. I want to keep my job and do it in peace. And I want the people in Oakland County that come to court to get a fair shake, to have their day in court, to have an unbiased trier of fact.
There are a total of six recordings. On one, Ryan made a anti-gay remark about Oakland County Executive David Coulter who is gay and the countys highest elected official. She can be heard telling him to put that in your f***** a** and stuff it according to Detroit Free Press.
Ryan also said that Coulter was more concerned about the f***** AIDS vaccinations. She also disparaged Black people from the United States by saying if youre an American Black person, then youre a f****** lazy piece of s***.
Ryan didnt stop there.
Like I said before, I was not racist before... I am now, she stated. I really f****** am now. I can honestly say that. OK, Im not systemically racist, Im a new racist.
Ryan has been a judge in Oakland County since 2010, and ran unopposed in 2022. She was removed from her docket on Aug. 27 for unspecified misconduct. In Michigan, it is legal to record phone calls if one party consents.
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Massachusetts murder defendant Karen Read, in her first interview since a mistrial was declared in her first murder trial, insisted she found her mortally injured boyfriend on the side of the road and that true details of his death are being covered up.
Read, 44, has been accused of fatally hitting Boston police officer and boyfriend John O'Keefe with her SUV and then leaving him to die in a blizzard on Jan. 29, 2022.
In an interview with ABCs "20/20" that will air in full on Friday night, Read recalled how she and two friends went looking for OKeefe on that cold, dark night.
"As you come down Fairview (Road in Canton, Massachusetts), theres, theres a bit of a decline in it, and it curves to the left, and my eyes are peeled, and I said, Hes right (expletive) there, Read said in a clip released on Thursday.
I jumped out the passenger side, and I fell into the street. His eyes were shut, and he had spots of blood in different areas on his face, and he was still not stiff, but still.
Jurors failed to reach a verdict during Read's trial, prompting a judge to declare a mistrial in July. Prosecutors are retrying Read with the case set to begin again in January.
Read did not testify at her first trial.
It was cold. I felt cold, but I didnt feel dangerously cold and it was just an odd feeling to know that 'Im OK. Im not dying, but hes here with me, and hes dying, and I cant warm him up,' Read told "20/20," recalling her state of mind that night.
A spokesperson for the Norfolk County DA's Office declined to comment on Friday.
The DA has previously said OKeefe's death came after an argument in the rocky relationship between he and Read.
While Read admits they had been arguing, she insists that authorities are covering up the true nature of his death. The defense says O'Keefe died in a fight with a fellow Boston police officer, who lived steps away from where his body was found.
When asked why there'd be a coverup of O'Keefe's death, Read said: Because hes dead."
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Investigators in Kansas City, Kansas, say theyve made an arrest in a cold case rape from 2016 where the accused suspect was 73 years younger than the victim at the time of the crime.
Kansas City, Kansas, police say Kyle Blake States, now 26 years old, faces rape/sexual intercourse without consent in an crime alleged to have happened on June 11, 2016. Investigators say the victim was a 91-year-old woman, States was 18 years old at the time.
Elderly Kansas City man charged for sexual misconduct with children
US Marshals and cold case detectives tried to serve his arrest warrant before 6 a.m. on Friday at his house on Custer Avenue at the intersection of Klamm Road, which is just east of S. 55th Street and directly southeast of the Argentine Yard, but he barricaded himself.
Authorities believed he was armed and called in a special operations unit, and he surrendered at about 9:15 a.m., and was arrested.
The case remains under investigation and anyone with further information is encouraged to call the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
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KENTUCKY (FOX 56) A northern Kentucky preschool teacher won big in August.
The Kentucky Lottery said McKenzie Florence, from Ft. Thomas, downloaded the Kentucky Lottery app and played an online game for the first time on Aug. 13.
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I had just downloaded the app because I saw an advertisement, Florence told lottery officials.
Two weeks later, on Aug. 26th, Florence won the $178,919.05 jackpot after wagering $10 on the Bankroll Jackpot Instant Play game.
I hit the button and played and it [prize amount] popped up, she said. I didnt think much about it. Im like, Ill wait until I get home to look at it. It didnt seem real.
Later that day, Florence read an email she had received from the Kentucky Lottery informing her of the big win.
Florence then called her mom to tell her the surprising news.
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I was at work, and she called. She never calls me at work unless theres something wrong. So, I immediately was like, What is wrong? Her mom told lottery officials. No, no, no, its good. I won the lottery! her daughter told her.
I made her call the lottery twice this week just to make sure it was real, her mom said. Until we were sitting here with you [lottery official], we 100% didnt believe it.
Florence made the drive to lottery headquarters in Louisville with her parents on Aug. 30, where after taxes, she walked away with a check for $128,821.72
Its life-changing, she said.
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The Campbell County woman told officials her winnings would allow her to buy a car and help pay for her college tuition.
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Kentucky Republicans celebrate house that Mitch built with a little help from some big donors
Leaders of the Republican Party of Kentucky break ground on an expansion of the party's Frankfort headquarters. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)
FRANKFORT What speakers hailed as the house that Mitch built will be doubling in size thanks to more than $3 million from special interest donors and a change of state law in 2017 that legalized such donations.
A slew of prominent Kentucky Republicans joined U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to break ground Thursday on an expansion of the partys headquarters which is named for McConnell.
The Republican Party of Kentucky has been headquartered for 50 years in an old house about four blocks down the hill from the Kentucky Capitol.
McConnell and other speakers said the buildings expansion symbolizes the growth of their party over those five decades as Republicans gained political dominance in Kentucky, a change that many credit in no small part to McConnells leadership and fundraising.
Weve come a long way, and the people here today had a lot to do with it, McConnell said. Thanks for all the praise for me, but its a team sport, and many of you have contributed a lot of years and a lot of dollars over the years to bring us where we are today.
Plans for the project released earlier this summer show it will add about 6,800 square feet of meeting and office space. The new addition is being designed by Stengel-Hill Architecture, of Louisville, to conform with the surrounding residential neighborhood. It will include a 160-seat auditorium.
Pfizer Inc. gave $1 million
Reports filed by the party with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance reveal that the project is being paid for with donations by a small number of large contributions from special interests that lobby in Washington and/or Frankfort.
State law caps how much a person can give to a political party in Kentucky, and corporation contributions to candidates and most political committees are illegal. But a 2017 state law allowed Kentuckys two political parties to establish building funds which could accept corporation donations of unlimited amounts.
Mitch McConnell Building
The financing of the expansion of the Mitch McConnell Building has relied on those super-size corporate contributions. Party Chairman Robert Benvenuti thanked the 16 donors who together gave $3,212,500.
Kentucky Lantern first reported last year that pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc., of New York, made the largest contribution for the project $1 million.
The second largest donor is NWO Resources, a small Ohio gas distribution utility, which gave $500,000. The president and director of NWO Resources is James Neal Blue, who is also chief executive and chairman of the General Atomics Corp., a defense contractor which the Forbes website says is best known as the manufacturer of the Predator drone.
Telecommunications companies AT&T and Verizon have each given $300,000 as has Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.
In his years in Washington, McConnell has worked to dismantle federal limits on political giving and spending and, thanks to Supreme Court rulings, has largely succeeded.
Future dominance of our values
McConnell, 82, is both Kentuckys longest serving senator and the Senates longest-serving party leader. Speaking on the lawn of the party headquarters, he recalled his humbler beginnings in Kentucky politics then dominated by Democrats. In 1984, he rode President Ronald Reagans reelection coattails and a campaign commercial featuring hound dogs to victory over a Democratic incumbent.
McConnell shared one of his favorite anecdotes, the time he was on stage with Reagan who referred to him as Mitch ODonnell.
I couldnt be prouder at this stage of my career to look at the Kentucky Republican Party today, McConnell said. Its a great experience to watch that grow and develop over the years. A whole lot of people deserve the credit.
The Republican Party now holds supermajorities in the Kentucky House and Senate and every statewide office except governor and lieutenant governor, both U.S. Senate seats and five of Kentuckys six seats in the U.S. House. In February, McConnell announced he planned to step down as the Senates Republican leader at the end of this year.
U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, who represents Kentuckys 6th Congressional District, said the senior senator laid the foundation for the modern state party and floated the idea of putting a statue of McConnell in the Kentucky Capitol rotunda. The Republican supermajority recently passed legislation giving the General Assembly authority over permanent displays in the rotunda.
This is a groundbreaking for the future dominance of our values and our policies in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Barr said.
Kentucky Senate Republican Floor Leader Damon Thayer, of Georgetown, said he was proud that it was legislation that I authored that allows for corporate contributions to state party building funds.
Afterward, Thayer said in an interview, These buildings are expensive to operate and maintain and build. Modern day politics is expensive. He said the contributions are all reported, youve written about it which I think is wholly appropriate. People know about it and can make their own judgment.
Steadfast leadership
State House Speaker David Osborne, of Prospect, likened the status of the partys headquarters to McConnells rise in politics. Osborne said he could remember walking into the building when ice was hanging from the ceiling and space heaters were on because the furnace didnt work.
One thing that has not changed along the way is the steadfast leadership of Leader McConnell. With the evolution of Kentucky politics, we wouldve gotten the majority eventually, but it certainly would not have been as quickly and as productive as it has been with Sen. McConnells leadership, Osborne said.
Thanking donors, Benvenuti, the party chair, said, Your generosity has provided more than just the bricks and mortar. It has laid the foundation for future success and growth of our community.
Thayer and McConnell both contrasted the expanding GOP headquarters with the headquarters of the Kentucky Democratic Party along Interstate 64 on the outskirts of Frankfort the Wendell Ford Building named for the late Kentucky governor and U.S. senator.
Jonathan Levin, Kentucky Democratic Party communications director, said the party is in the process of selling its headquarters and plans to move to more modern office space more centrally located in Frankfort.
The Republican fundraising effort for its expansion has lasted nearly two years. McConnells longtime fundraising consultant Laura Haney has led that effort. Reports filed by the RPK Building Fund show it has paid Haney Consulting $100,000 in consulting fees since the beginning of 2023.
This summer the fund began paying design and construction costs. As of June 30 the fund reported it still had $3 million on hand.
RPK spokesman Andrew Westberry said he was not certain when the project will be completed.
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Rising Star Casino wants to move locations after seeing its attendance, employees and revenue drop. (Getty Images)
Lawmakers pivotal to a Hoosier casinos license relocation bid say the move is worth a look and maybe more.
Full House Resorts says Rising Star Casino Resort, in the city of Rising Sun, is the worst-performing location in its portfolio, according to Hannah News Service.
It wants to move 150 miles north to New Haven, just east of Fort Wayne. Full House has already begun the process, a Rising Sun councilor confirmed on Facebook.
License relocation would require legislative approval, however.
Gambling-related legislation has largely been on pause since the last time Indiana relocated licenses in 2019.
Those moves from the lakeshore to Gary and Terre Haute involved an attempted quid pro quo that put one former lawmaker behind bars.
Post-recession sink
Rising Star was originally the Grand Victoria Casino & Resort, which opened along the Ohio River at Indianas border with Kentucky near the end of 1996.
In 1997, it admitted 3 million people, awarded upwards of $90 million in winnings, paid $35 million in gambling taxes and had 1,300 employees to manage it all, according to an Indiana Gaming Commission annual report.
Fast forward to 2007, and its attendance dropped below 2 million people. The casino awarded about $150 million, paid $43 million in taxes and maintained a staff of nearly 1,000.
Rising Stars yearly win totals. Awards drop off after 2008. (From 2024 Indiana Gaming Commission report)
Metrics further dropped off in 2008 and havent recovered. Full House closed on the property in 2011, according to WTHR, then renamed it.
Casinos no longer report admissions, but in 2024, Rising Star awarded about $$40 million and paid less than $4 million in taxes with a 300-person crew.
Its not the first relocation attempt Full House has made.
In 2017 and 2018, it hoped to move unused gambling games to a supplemental Terre Haute location, according to a news release, or to take the casino elsewhere in Indiana, Ohio-based WKRC reported.
The company appears to be gearing up for another push at the Legislature. It didnt return a request for comment.
Any move would also mean a referendum vote by citizens of Allen County as other casino locations have done.
Key lawmakers seem receptive
Rep. Ethan Manning, a Logansport Republican who chairs the Houses Public Policy Committee, said the move is something we should consider.
Sen. Ron Alting, the Lafayette Republican leading the Senates Public Policy Committee said Indiana needed to adapt to growing casino competition along its borders. He said that, from a business perspective, he understood the desire to move.
Gambling legislation typically goes through the public policy committees, so chairs can either provide early support to related legislation, or an early death.
Both men said data would be key to the decision.
Im still formulating my personal position on it, and a lot of that has to do with the data, Manning said. You know, if we cannibalize from Ohio and Michigan, thats awesome, right? Wed much rather have that revenue than give that to other states.
But, he said, he wanted to ensure any relocation would be a net gain for Indiana and its communities not taking from one property to go to another.
Alting, meanwhile, said he wanted to listen to the lawmakers who represent both Rising Sun and New Haven and make sure both communities are treated fairly.
New Haven Community Development Director Zach Washler said the city has been in discussions with Full House for several months and that talks have included state and local electeds.
The city plans to hold community listening sessions in the fall, but early conversations have indicated support for a casino-anchored entertainment complex, Washler wrote, via email as long as its not next to a church, school or park.
Mayor Steve McMichael said hes looking forward to the listening sessions but said the development could provide hundreds of jobs, opportunities to enhance public safety and health and create quality of life opportunities for generations to come.
McMichael said hes confident, based on Full Houses preliminary plans, that any potential negative impacts would be very small compared to the potential benefits: from mental health counseling to property tax relief and funding for the communitys needs for generations to come, needs which currently exist without a current funding stream.
Rising Sun didnt return a request for comment about compensation for the casinos departure.
If a deal comes together, Alting said hed be happy to support that and author the bill in the Senate with the blessing of his Senate colleagues and the chambers leader.
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The committee chairs agreed that Rising Stars prospective move would be different from 2019.
Manning said the current proposal is more straightforward because Full House is one company seeking to move one license it already controls, rather than the previous two-license, open bid debacle.
The good news is the system worked, he said. All of all the stuff based on the previous bill several years ago has been working itself out, and well let all that play out.
But gaming is a big industry in the state lots of jobs, lots of investment, lots of revenue for the state and for local communities so if theres an opportunity overall to help the industry move forward, then this is one part of a larger conversation, Manning concluded.
Alting, meanwhile, called Full House a professional company, noting that it does business across the country.
They have a long, long history they know what theyre doing, he said.
I think everyone is going to be dotting their is and crossing their ts on this due to some problems thats taken place in the past, Alting added.
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Do Some Kids Learn Better Online? A New Kansas City Virtual Academy Thinks So
This article was originally published in Beacon: Kansas City.
Bridget Bolder sent her daughter, Mia, to kindergarten at a neighborhood public school. After all, it seemed the normal, regular thing to do.
But Bolder started to worry that some of her daughters classmates were exposing her to inappropriate topics. Early in the school year, Mia had to tell a teacher about a boy groping some of the other girls.
Im like, shes a baby, Bolder said. Bring her home a little while longer before I throw her to the wolves.
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Brian Wilson and his wife homeschooled three of their children last year. They struggled to juggle home life, both parents jobs and teaching the kids.
The family briefly switched to in-person school, but Wilson said it only validated the parents theory that the individual attention the kids got at home had been working.
They seemed like head and shoulders above all the other kids when it comes to learning, he said. My son, Aaron hes the youngest he was actually helping kids in his class.
Both families have turned to the new Brookside Virtual Academy so they could keep their kids at home and still rely on professional teachers to lead their schooling.
The academy is attached to Brookside Charter School and bills itself as Kansas Citys only virtual program where teaching happens on live, interactive video calls.
Online school isnt widely popular. Its been blamed for some of the learning loss that set kids back during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kansas City Public Schools closed its virtual academy for kindergarten through fifth grade this year because of shrinking enrollment, district spokesperson Shain Bergan said in an email.
But for a girl with severe social anxiety? A boy with leukemia? A young athlete with a rigorous training and travel schedule?
Leslie Correa, who helped design the KCPS program, said certain students and families need the option. So she found a home for the program at Brookside, where shes now the virtual academy principal.
The students that virtual works for, it works really well for, she said. We cannot close the door to them for having a great education.
Who succeeds in virtual education?
For some students, the computer screen provides a layer of distance that makes them braver, Correa said. Learning from home can also reduce distracting sensory overload for some kids with autism.
For example, loud or persistent background noise, visually busy environments or other students bumping into them could overwhelm some children.
Other students might need virtual school for logistical reasons.
That could include students who are barred from in-person school for disciplinary issues, traveling athletes, kids going through intensive medical treatment like dialysis or chemotherapy, or parents who struggle with transportation.
Some families identify as homeschoolers but want professional help teaching reading and math, Correa said. Since virtual school is more concise, it leaves more flexibility in the day.
Parents fears can also push them toward keeping kids at home.
Anytime that there has been a violent occurrence in one of our schools in Kansas City, I get a big uptick in enrollment, Correa said. They feel scared and theyre looking for an alternative.
When virtual learning doesnt work
To figure out if its a good fit, Correa starts by asking parents why theyre interested in virtual school.
If its, you know, I dont have day care and I need my 12-year-old to be home to watch my kid, its kind of an alarm, she said. Im not the one to judge what their decision is, but I am the one to help arm them with information.
The virtual academy serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Because Kansas City-area charter schools can only operate within the boundaries of KCPS, its students have to be from that area.
The virtual academy doesnt turn students away based on their reason to enroll, Correa said, but it monitors their progress. If a student isnt thriving, she meets with a parent to make a plan, like tutoring or switching the child to in-person school.
Schools can deny virtual education if they document that its not in the students best interest.
My goal before getting to that point is always to have the parent make that decision for themselves through very hard conversation, Correa said. But it does happen.
Problems can arise when the virtual school doesnt think it can fulfill an individualized education program, or IEP, often used to support students with disabilities.
The parent has the option to return to in-person learning or waive the IEP, and then their student does not get that support, Correa said. They almost never waive the IEP.
Students can also get removed from virtual school, and referred for truancy, if they stop signing in or engaging at all for too many days.
Correa said shes also attentive to offering ways for virtual students to get more comfortable with in-person interaction.
Virtual school students can attend optional in-person events and participate in Brookside clubs and sports.
If they want to kind of test the water, the opportunity is there, she said. If a student is saying to me, I am ready to go in a building, then OK. But then also, if a student is saying to me, I need out of the building, OK, Im here. I just dont want to disrupt their education.
How virtual learning works
Right before the school year started, Brookside Charter Schools STEAM lab was set up for virtual academy orientation.
Teachers and school leaders passed out laptops, hot spots for internet access and school supplies.
The supply bags include books, basics like pencils and glue, whiteboards and dry erase markers (extra for younger kids, who tend to leave the caps off), and individually packaged science kits for lessons on the solar system, geology or density.
But first, families settled in for a presentation to learn the basics.
Brookside Virtual Academy starts at 9 a.m. with a lesson on leadership.
Most days, students then launch into reading class, followed by math. Wednesdays are for science.
Students spend about two and a half hours in live virtual lessons each day, and another 90 minutes online working through a task list that includes social studies and science.
Live classes use video calls and technology that lets teachers monitor what students are looking at and control their screens.
Parents arent responsible for teaching their kids, but theyre expected to keep in touch and generally make sure the students are online and on task.
Connecting with families
For some parents, being extra involved in part of the draw.
Wilson, the parent of three kids in the program, said he appreciates that it cuts the school day down to essentials, allowing parents to be more strategic about where they put time into their kids education.
Bolder, the parent of a first grader, said shes looking forward to more easily monitoring what her daughter is learning so she can help supplement that.
Virtual education makes it easier to connect with families, said Tina Duvall, a reading and math interventionist for kindergarten through fourth grade.
I get to be in their home with them. It takes away a whole lot of anxiety for kids, she said. I thought in my years past teaching that I knew really, really knew my students families, but not like this.
Duvall will be working with breakout groups of students, grouped by grade or ability level.
With about 100 students as of Aug. 20, two or three grades are combined under each of four virtual academy teachers. But staggered schedules and help from interventionists like Duvall will allow each grade to learn separately.
The biggest challenge, Duvall said, is not being able to sit by a student to point things out or hand them what they need.
You just want to reach through the screen and help, she said.
Bolder and Wilson said they have their kids in in-person activities so they can socialize. But theyre not sure if theyll ever go to in-person school.
There shouldnt be such a thing as a bad school, Wilson said. But because there is, until were able to put our kids in a good school then we feel like were more suited to teach our kids at home.
This article first appeared on Beacon: Kansas City and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Kim Kardashians shapewear brand SKIMS opened its first location in Austin and, as with many things Kardashian-related, it caused quite a stir.
Nine months after its initial opening in Domain NORTHSIDE, Kim Kardashian's shapewear brand SKIMS is moving to a new, permanent location next to the Apple store. For the brand, the original opening was meant to serve as a long-term soft launch meant for training and trial and error purposes as SKIMS prepared to open brick-and-mortar locations.
Now the brand is located in Domain NORTHSIDE at 3121 Palm Way, Suite 124. The Austin location has been an integral part of the SKIMS' plan to expand into standalone stores over the next few years as it was used to train new workers and try out new ideas.
The new 3,382-square-foot location features SKIMS typical rounded edges, glossy surfaces, and custom mannequins in SKIMS signature shades. Centered around spatial design, the SKIMS store is designed to allow customers to seamlessly shop SKIMS best-selling solutions and core collections including Cotton, Fits Everybody, and Seamless Sculpt. The store will also feature new drops and collections every month.
The recent expansion into physical spaces comes as the brand's rising popularity has led to online sell outs. In 2023, SKIMS announced it would be launching a mens line that sold out in a matter of hours on the brand's website.
Other cities that have seen standalone SKIMS locations include Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C. The expansion into physical stores comes as the brand announced it was hoping to reach $750 million in sales this year.
Domain NORTHSIDE is primed to market SKIMS
Ward Kampf, President at Northwood Retail, outlined a niche that Domain NORTHSIDE has created as a physical marketplace that seeks to offer physical locations for typically online brands. Ward mentioned companies like AWAY Luggage, ANINE BING, and Little Word Projects.
This knowledge of how to handle brands looking to get into the physical space, paired with Austin's growing popularity, could be why SKIMS chose the city for its third-ever location.
"We believe SKIMS has been the most disruptive global tenant weve seen in the last 15 years, reaching a wide age and income demographic. That belief was cemented by opening their first and only brick-and-mortar incubator, SKIMS Workshop, at Domain NORTHSIDE last year." said Kampf. "Through the SKIMS Workshop, we experienced the impressive positive impact their outsized traffic and inclusive offerings had on our property neighboring tenants and the project overall saw a lift."
Eye-catching brands continue to move into the Domain as renovations near
The Domain is no stranger to recognizable retail brands. In 2023, it brought two notable stores into its fold before adding SKIMS.
It was announced last October that Versace and Burberry would both be coming to the Domain, and both have now opened.
Last summer, Simon Property Group announced plans for its Domain makeover as part of an effort to attract high-end global brands. Simon owns the original retail portion of the Domain, encompassing more than 1.2 million square feet on the western edge of the 300-acre property.
Both stores will be located across from the Century Oaks Plaza, which after renovation, will incorporate refinished terraced seating, foliage and a new lawn space. The Domain remake is expected to be completed in 2025.
Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: SKIMS will have new permanent location in Austin at Domain NORTHSIDE
What you need to know about Valley fever after 19 infected at California music festival
Several people were recently infected with a fungal lung infection at an outdoor California music festival.
As of Aug. 21, at least 19 people who attended or worked at the "Lightning in a Bottle" festival in Kern County in late May tested positive for Valley fever, according to the California Department of Public Health. At least eight people have been hospitalized.
What's more, a recent study found cases of Valley fever have increased dramatically in California over the last two decades and droughts may be playing a role in seasonal peaks.
MORE: The growing threat of fungal infections
Here's what you need to know about the infection including signs and symptoms, how it is treated and how to best protect yourself.
What is Valley fever?
Coccidioidomycosis, more commonly known as Valley fever, is a lung infection caused by breathing in spores from a fungus called Coccidioides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"It's a fungus that lives in soil in certain areas around the world," Dr. Daniel Pastula, chief of neuro-infectious diseases and global neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Colorado School of Public Health, told ABC News. "So, classically, the southwestern United States, so California and Arizona are kind of prime states where this occurs."
He said the fungus can also be found in parts of Washington state, in Mexico and in parts of South and Central America during "hot, arid summers and mild winters."
The disease is called Valley fever because it was first discovered in the San Joaquin Valley, which is in the southern half of California's Central Valley.
PHOTO: An illustration of thick-walled arthroconidia and arthrospores from the fungus Coccidioides immitis in this undated stock photo. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)
There is currently no evidence of person-to-person transmission. The CDC says pets can also get Valley fever, but there is no evidence of transmission between animals and people.
Those most at risk of severe disease include those with weakened immune systems, people with diabetes, older people and women who are pregnant, according to the CDC.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Many people exposed to the fungus never develop symptoms. Those who do develop symptoms see signs about one to three weeks after exposure, according to the CDC.
Symptoms include cough, fever, headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, night sweats, muscle aches, joint pain and a rash.
Patients usually experience symptoms from a few weeks to a few months. If an infection becomes severe, symptoms may last longer.
MORE: Potentially deadly fungus spreading rapidly in US health care facilities
Between 5% and 10% of Valley fever patients may develop serious or long-term lung problems and about 1% see the infection spread outside their lungs to other parts of the body, the CDC said.
"A very small portion will develop what we consider pneumonia," Dr. Rachael Lee, an associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told ABC News. "So, you can see it on a chest X-ray. They may be coughing. They could lose weight."
Should I get tested?
Because Valley fever symptoms can resemble other infections, patients may consider getting tested if their symptoms do not improve, according to CDPH.
People may get a blood test to confirm a Valley fever diagnosis, or a health care provider may perform a skin test to see if they've had Valley fever in the past or are currently infected, the CDC said.
Lee said not all patients need to be tested and it may depend on their travel history.
"But if they went to California or Arizona, and they have concern for being exposed to this" then doctors may consider testing, she noted.
How is it treated?
Many people with no symptoms or mild symptoms will have the infections go away on their own without any medicine.
However, for those who get more severely sick or are at risk for severe illness, they may be prescribed an oral anti-fungal medication, such as fluconazole, for three to six months.
PHOTO: Fluconazole is seen in an undated stock photo. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)
In rare cases, Valley fever can develop into meningitis, which is fatal if untreated, and could lead to lifelong anti-fungal treatment, according to the CDC.
"When people have disseminated infections that's spreading to the joints, the bones, as well as the brain, more intense courses of anti-fungal treatment, and potentially other treatments, are needed for those people," Pastula said.
How do I prevent Valley fever?
There are currently no vaccines that protect against Valley fever, although scientists are continuing to work on a vaccine, the CDC said.
It can be difficult to avoid breathing in the fungus in areas where it is prevalent, but there are steps people can take to reduce their exposure, according to the experts.
"If you are not immunocompromised, do your best to not get exposed to large amounts of dust, in general, especially if you're in those areas of California and Arizona," Lee said. "If you are immunocompromised, I would really think about where you're going and what you're doing. Potentially, you could wear something like a mask."
MORE: Washington state experiencing 1st known outbreak of potentially deadly fungus: Health officials
The CDC also recommends using air filtration measures indoors and cleaning injuries well with soap and water to reduce the risk of infection.
Pastula said it's important for people to educate themselves on the fungi because climate change may cause Valley fever to appear in other areas of the U.S.
"Climate change might be playing a role in where [the fungus] might be living because this fungus has evolved to a specific ecologic niche, and if that niche expands because of climate change, we're going to see [it] potentially expand to ranges that hadn't been before," he said.
What you need to know about Valley fever after 19 infected at California music festival originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin on Friday accused the United States of applying unacceptable pressure on Russian media after the U.S. Justice Department charged Russian TV contributor Dimitri Simes and his wife with schemes to violate U.S. sanctions.
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.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who has said Russia is not seeking to interfere in the U.S. presidential election, told reporters that Washington was trying to ensure that Moscow's own perspective on world affairs was not available to people.
"Washington continues to try to put pressure on Russia, on Russian citizens, and even on the Russian media, which is engaged in informing both citizens inside our country and world public opinion about what is happening, from our perspective," said Peskov.
"Washington does not even accept that there should be options out there for anyone to get news from our perspective. This is nothing other than blatant pressure. We strongly condemn this stance as unacceptable," he said.
Moscow still grants accreditation to Western journalists to work in Russia, though many have left since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022 and the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on spying charges in March 2023. Gershkovich, who denied the charges, was freed in a prisoner swap last month.
Russia has said it will take retaliatory measures against U.S. media in response to Washington's moves against RT.
Asked what those measures would be, Peskov said Russia carefully evaluated the editorial policies of various foreign media outlets and would take those factors into account when making any decisions, on what he suggested would be a case-by-case basis.
(Reporting by Dmitry AntonovWriting by Andrew OsbornEditing by Mark Trevelyan)
FDA Battles Backlog of Drug Factory Inspections Since COVID-19
Federal regulators are grappling with a significant backlog of factory inspections for drug manufacturing, with many facilities not reviewed since before the pandemic.
An analysis by The Associated Press of FDA data revealed that approximately 42% of the 4,700 registered plants have not undergone FDA surveillance inspections since 2019.
These facilities produce crucial medicines such as antibiotics, blood thinners, and cancer therapies, raising concerns over potential contamination and quality issues.
An AP analysis reveals that approximately 2,000 pharmaceutical manufacturers have not undergone FDA surveillance inspections since before the pandemic. This oversight raises potential contamination risks and other safety issues in medications.
A scholar from Duke University expressed concerns about generic drugmakers reducing costs at the expense of quality, which remains unchecked without proper inspections in an ABC News report.
Tainted medications, like the 2022 incident involving antibiotic-resistant bacteria in eyedrops from an Indian factory, underscore the risks of insufficient oversight.
These factories, particularly in India and China, are critical suppliers of low-cost prescription ingredients in the U.S.
Despite the challenges, FDA Associate Commissioner Michael Rogers asserted that the FDA is the worlds most stringent drug regulator. However, he acknowledged that inspection rates are still nearly 40% lower than pre-COVID levels, with no set timeline for clearing the backlog.
The situation is exacerbated by staffing challenges, with many experienced inspectors leaving for more flexible job opportunities.
Internationally, the FDA has been using video and online tools for preliminary assessments, but these do not substitute for physical inspections.
The Government Accountability Office has consistently marked this area as high-risk, signaling that more proactive measures are necessary. In the meantime, the FDA focuses on a risk-based approach to prioritize inspections that pose the greatest public health risk.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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DARLINGTON, S.C. (WBTW) A Darlington City Councilwoman whos been involved in racially-charged incidents in the past is now being criticized for a comment she made about the KKK during a council meeting.
The comment occurred near the end of a nearly two-and-a-half-hour session, just as members of the citys beautification board were presenting a project proposal.
Anna Dewitt, a volunteer for the beautification board said their excitement turned into shock as councilwoman Sheila Baccus uttered the words Oh Lord, the Ku Klux Klan.
We were just shocked at those words being said at a city council meeting, Dewitt said. You know, its just not words that we should be using in 2024, and especially not by an elected official at a public meeting.
The beautification board, which had been working on the project for four months, was seeking approval for holiday-themed and city logo banners to be displayed on smaller lamp posts around Darlingtons town square.
We just thought that would be so nice for our town, and those ladies put in a lot of effort, and I really do hate that those words ruined all the effort that theyve put into this, Dewitt said. But you know, those ladies are great, and theyre going to push forward and Im proud of them. And Im proud to be a part of the beautification board.
Tensions escalated, and a fellow council member asked mayor Curtis Boyd if Baccus could be removed from the meeting. Baccus defended herself, claiming she didnt call anyone a name.
Boyd abruptly adjourned the meeting, and he, along with two other council members, left the room.
We didnt know if the meeting could proceed, since the mayor and the mayor pro tem were not there, Dewitt said. But after everyone exited, we went ahead with our presentation, and the rest of the meeting was very civil.
The council ultimately approved the project.
One official said that they couldnt sit by while community members were being attacked. Baccus then accused one of the members of the beautification board of attacking her on social media for years.
However, in an email statement to News13, Baccus claims when the comment was made, she was talking to another council member and not addressing the people at the podium.
At the time that this occurred, I was talking to another council member. I was referring to the MANNER in which another council member and the mayor had just attacked me, because I felt like I was under a Ku Klux Klan attack. It just happened that the 3 individuals were approaching the podium at the same time I was speaking to the council member. My comment was not about them at all, as the video of the council meeting will show. This video will also show I was attacked by the mayor and one of the council members. I was not and did not refer to anyone as a member of the Ku Klux Klan, I was referring to the MANNER in the way I felt I was being disrespected and treated/attacked by the mayor and one of the council members.
Prior to Baccus comment, Boyd said there was a heated discussion between council members over the absence of the head of the water department.
Our understanding, which he had not told us, is that he had been constantly targeted and harassed when he comes to council, and so the past two city managers, the city manager and the past interim city manager had told him, just my understanding, that it was best if he just let someone else come so there would not be a confrontation, Boyd said. And that just kind of started her off in left field.
The meeting had been a little hostile, with a lot of yelling, but that happens a lot in our city meetings, Dewitt said. So, when mayor Boyd read the agenda item and called us up, nobody was talking, nobody was arguing. There was no conversations going on and when we got up front and began speaking then the words were said, oh, Lord, the Ku Klux Klan, were said and we were just shocked.
This incident is not the first time Baccus has faced controversy. She was previously investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division after allegedly striking a former city manager, and she was also involved in a civil rights lawsuit..
Also, in a 2020 incident, Baccus allegedly told a white police officer to Take your white self back to the white neighborhood. Youre probably the kind that would shoot us in the back.
Baccus is up for re-election in 2025.
We just want to work together, Boyd said. Everyone has different opinions, but we ask for professionalism. The comments made do not represent the city of Darlington or the city council.
* * *
Savannah Denton joined News 13 in July 2023 as a reporter and producer. Savannah is from Atlanta, Georgia, and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. Follow Savannah on X, formerly Twitter, 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.
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Kursk operation has left Putin at standstill, he's looking for a response Head of UK Ministry of Defence
The new UK Defence Secretary, John Healey, has called unwavering support for Ukraine his "number one priority" and said that the Ukrainian Defence Forces' offensive in Russia's Kursk Oblast has left the Kremlin leader stumped as he is still deciding what to do in response.
Source: European Pravda citing Politico
Details: As reported by journalists, Healey said this while speaking on board a Royal Air Force plane on his way to Germany, where he will attend a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's defence.
"Im proud the UK has been united in support of Ukraine, and I was determined and Keir Starmer was determined that would continue with a Labour government," he said.
He also stressed that the offensive on Russia's Kursk Oblast had "clearly wrong-footed Putin as he left parts of his border undefended and he's still working out what to do in response, while Ukraine is holding its own in that area."
Healey's associates told journalists that his ambition is to be seen as the UK government's "Mr Ukraine" a role that until recently was filled by his Conservative predecessor, Ben Wallace.
Background:
The UK is to supply 650 Light Multipurpose Missiles (LMMs) as part of a 162 million contract to strengthen Ukraine's air defence.
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.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already arrived at the meeting and announced plans to visit Italy.
This is the first Ramstein-format meeting since 13 June. The last meeting focused on ways to strengthen Ukraine's air defence.
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The Kyiv Independent and UNESCO launch J-School 2.0, a training course for journalists and media managers aspiring to report for foreign audiences
The Kyiv Independent and UNESCO have partnered to organize the Kyiv Independent J-School 2.0 a training course for English-speaking Ukrainian media professionals aiming to enhance their skills in English-language reporting and media management. The program is part of UNESCO's broader efforts to support the safety of journalists and freedom of expression in Ukraine.
J-School 2.0 will be divided into two study sessions and will take place offline in Kyiv and online from October 29 to November 2 and from November 26 to November 30. The call for application submission is open until October 7.
As Russias full-scale war against Ukraine drags on and war fatigue settles in, there is an increasing need to strengthen Ukraines voice internationally. This training program is designed to boost the volume of quality news from Ukraine on the world stage. Last year, the Kyiv Independent organized J-School for the first time. Based on this experience, we have made the program more specialized and focused to provide in-depth knowledge in specific areas of English-language journalism.
The world will never be the same again. Whether we want it or not, we, Ukrainians, are on the frontlines of world history, and the further development of events will depend on how strong and convincing Ukraines voice is on the global stage. Kyiv Independent has already become the voice of our country, but we cannot do it alone.
At our school, we are ready to share all the knowledge and experience we have gained in recent years of active work in the global information space. For us, passing on this experience and strengthening Ukrainian media is a natural step in fulfilling our mission. This is not about grandiosity; its about collective actions and efforts, says Daryna Shevchenko, the Kyiv Independent CEO and lead expert of the Media Management track.
The Kyiv Independent J-School 2.0 is an intensive training that will consist of two sessions each lasting five days. The program will be divided into four learning tracks: general track, reporting track, editing track, and media management track.
The topics covered during the program include differences in reporting style and approaches between Ukrainian and international media, funding independent journalism and developing a sustainable business model, growing an audience and building a community out of it, finding good stories and pitching them successfully, ethical front-line reporting, designing a dream newsroom and managing it, strategy development, leadership basics, and much more.
I know from our experience that there are many Ukrainian journalists who want to write in English for a global audience, and they are very motivated, but they havent gotten the right skills yet, and often dont know where to start. We want to help them and to share what we know. Ultimately, the goal is to bring more Ukrainian voices into the conversations about Ukraine, to make the reporting about Ukraine even better by involving more locals, says Olga Rudenko, the Kyiv Independent editor-in-chief and lead expert of the general track.
Read also: Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust donates to support Kyiv Independents front line reporting
Training will be conducted by experienced journalists, editors, and media managers from the Kyiv Independent, as well as invited experts from leading international and national media organizations.
J-School 2.0. also provides two significant opportunities. All participants will have a chance to develop and pitch their project to the training committee. Three winning projects will have the opportunity to be implemented in collaboration with the Kyiv Independent team.
Also, five participants will be invited to attend a month-long paid internship at the Kyiv Independents editorial or management team. During the internship, each intern will publish at least two stories on the Kyiv Independents platforms. Management interns will help manage real projects and managerial workstreams.
The call for application submission is open from now until October 7 here. Participation is free of charge. Anyone, regardless of their place of residence in Ukraine, can participate offline, as all travel and accommodation expenses are covered by the training program upon request. . All applicants will receive an announcement of the jurys decision within a week after the call for applications is closed.
The project The Kyiv Independent J-School 2.0 is designed and implemented by the NGO "KI Media" (The Kyiv Independent), with the support of UNESCO and the People of Japan. The program is part of UNESCO's broader efforts to support the Safety of Journalists and Freedom of Expression in Ukraine.
Read also: Kyiv Independent launches online store with merch featuring Ukrainian artists
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HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) Officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet announce that a plan is in place to allow KY-136 in Henderson to be reopened to traffic by the end of October.
This is located over Pond Creek, located about ten miles west of Henderson. Officials state it closed on May 10 after an inspection, which included an underwater review of its flooded steel substructure by contract divers, found significant deterioration that required immediate closure to protect motorists and farmers.
Officials say the closure was unexpected, and since replacing the bridge was not on the radar, the structure was not included on the state road plan, which funds road and bridge construction and repairs through the beginning of 2026.
Officials say rather than waiting to secure funding for design, development and construction of a traditional poured concrete structure in the 2026 budget, KYTC is moving ahead with the purchase and installation of an aluminum box culvert.
Officials explain the aluminum structures are designed by engineers to match the specifications and needs of the location, manufactured in a facility off-site and then assembled on location in just a matter of days after being delivered, coming at a significantly reduced cost and timeline compared to a traditional poured concrete bridge.
Officials say the new aluminum bridge was ordered earlier this week and is expected to be delivered around the first of October where KYTC personnel will demolish the old bridge and have the location prepped for installation before the new bridge arrives on site.
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Los Angeles County Superior Court Presiding Judge Samantha P. Jessner, center, issued a general order Thursday allowing electronic recording devices in more court proceedings due to a court reporter shortage. At left is Assistant Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II; at right, Executive Officer David W. Slayton. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
In an attempt to combat the disproportionate harm that a statewide court reporter shortage is having on low-income litigants, Los Angeles County's top judge cleared the way Thursday for electronic recording devices to be used in certain family, probate and civil proceedings for the first time.
Superior Court Presiding Judge Samantha P. Jessner's order, denounced by court reporters and their union, is in clear conflict with established state law that explicitly precludes the use of recording devices in such proceedings. Based on Jessner's determination, that law is unconstitutional.
"Where such fundamental rights and liberty interests are at stake, the denial of [electronic recording] to litigants who cannot reasonably secure a [court reporter] violates the constitutions of the United States and the State of California," Jessner wrote in her order.
The decision, which applies only to proceedings where a court reporter is unavailable to transcribe the verbatim record, is a surprising escalation in a years-long battle among court officials, state lawmakers and unionized labor leaders over what to do about a chronic shortage of court reporters statewide.
Cindy Tachell, a working L.A. County court reporter and president of the Los Angeles County Court Reporters Assn., said in an interview with The Times that the order came as a surprise to her organization and will be reviewed closely before the group decides on next steps or legal options.
Shanna Gray, also a working county court reporter and the association's vice president, noted that state lawmakers have already rejected proposed legislation that would have made similar changes. She said L.A. County officials were acting "in defiance of the legislature's will."
State law allows for electronic recording devices to be used in some court proceedings, including in misdemeanor criminal cases, just as they are used in other states and in some federal courts. However, it bars their use in a slate of civil proceedings, including in critically important cases involving domestic violence restraining orders and child custody disputes.
Meanwhile, courts up and down California have been unable to recruit and retain enough court reporters to cover all of the proceedings that are occurring. Los Angeles County Superior Court has offered massive signing bonuses and increased salaries and launched its own training program. Nonetheless the court system recorded a net loss of 117 court reporters between 2018 and 2024.
It currently employs 315 reporters, 70% of whom are eligible for retirement.
Courts have tried to triage the shortage by assigning the court reporters they do have to the most serious cases, such as felony trials. But in many other instances including in family law cases litigants have been told to hire their own court reporter from the expensive private market, to apply for a county reporter to cover their case by proving they are indigent, or to simply go without.
The result has outraged many legal advocates. Since January 2023, more than 525,000 hearings occurred without a verbatim record in L.A. County Superior Court alone. The same thing is happening all across the state.
If litigants do not have a verbatim record of a proceeding, it can be difficult if not impossible for them to appeal decisions in their cases, legal experts and advocates say.
Read more: No transcript, no appeal: California courts face 'crisis' over lack of records
Jessner, in her order, said it is legally indefensible for the state to accept electronic recording devices in some matters but not in others denying the rights of disproportionately poor and vulnerable people to a verbatim record in the process. She called it "legislative discrimination" that is "not narrowly tailored to meet a compelling state interest," which she said would be required for such a law to be legitimate.
In fact, she wrote, "the Court seriously doubts that there is any valid justification for depriving litigants of a verbatim transcript when a ready technological means for providing one is available."
Jessner noted that an average of 1,571 county court hearings have been conducted without a verbatim record each day this year which she called "an emergency and a crisis" that cannot be accepted by "any public official dedicated to securing justice, and access to justice, to the residents of Los Angeles County."
Whether a recording device is allowed in any given hearing will be at the discretion of the judge or presiding judicial officer, Jessner said. And several criteria will have to be met.
The proceeding must involve "fundamental rights or liberty interests" and significant legal or factual issues such that a verbatim record is necessary. At least one of the parties must want a record to be created and have been unable to secure or afford a court reporter. The presiding officer must determine that a court reporter is not "reasonably available" and that delaying the hearing would not be in the interest of justice.
During a news conference on the order, Jessner said it will help end the daily violation of county litigants' due process and equal protection rights.
Court officials have been asking state lawmakers to change the law and allow for electronic recording in such cases for years. Asked what has suddenly changed to necessitate Jessner's order, David W. Slayton, L.A. County Superior Courts executive officer, cited the same statistic of 1,571 hearings occurring on average daily without a record being captured. He said the fact that lawmakers just concluded yet another legislative session without addressing the problem pushed the court system to act.
"There is no legislative action that's available to address this issue, and so that constitutes for us an emergency and a crisis, which is why the court's taking the action it needs to do today," Slayton said. "Really, time was of the essence."
Jessner dodged questions about conversations she may have had about the order with other county court leaders or with top state judges and judicial officials such as California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero.
Cathal Conneely, a spokesman for the Judicial Council of California which sets state court policy and which Guerrero chairs said in a statement to The Times that council staff were told of Jessner's plans. But Conneely said "courts are independent constitutional entities and make their own local operational decisions," and there was "no coordination, consultation, or approval required or provided" to L.A. County by Guerrero or council staff.
Conneely noted the council is precluded from offering legal advice and declined to comment further.
Tachell and Gray said L.A. County maintains stricter testing requirements for court reporters than surrounding counties, which have precluded state certified reporters from being hired. They said the county has also run ineffective recruitment programs.
A promising pipeline of new applicants is studying at court reporter schools, attending open houses about job openings and preparing to take the state reporter exam, they said. And the county should be focused on hiring those people instead of turning to electronic devices which they said are less reliable and prone to mistakes.
"The concern is not simply job protection," Gray said. "The concern is for the litigants."
They also noted that legislators did take action this session to address the shortage of reporters, with multiple bills awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom's signature. One would open more opportunities for so-called voice writers or court reporters who speak into a device to capture what is being said rather than typing out shorthand notes and another to allow counties to run pilot programs using remote court reporters.
The Family Violence Appellate Project applauded Jessner for addressing an "access to justice crisis" that regularly harms its clients including dozens of low- and moderate-income domestic violence survivors whose cases the group could not pursue because they lacked a record of earlier proceedings.
"These survivors came to us from every corner of the state seeking to overturn court decisions that put them and their children at risk of harm, and we could not help them," the group said.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
New data released from the Los Angeles Police Department shows that the citys murder rate has dipped from the previous year, down 6.2% from 2023.
The Compstat data was analyzed by independent news organization Crosstown LA, which noted 198 homicides that took place within LAPD jurisdiction from Jan. 1 through Aug. 31.
While ideally that homicide figure would be closer to zero, the 2024 rate of deadly violence is still vastly better than what was experienced during the heyday of the coronavirus pandemic.
The current count represents a 28.3% decline from the 276 murders during the same period in
2022, Crosstown reported.
If the current pace continues, L.A. could finish the year with fewer than 300 homicides something that hasnt happened in the previous four years.
In 2023, there were 327 murders in L.A.; in 2019, the highest during that time frame, there were 402.
Montecito Apartments homicide
While homicide rates have improved in the last handful of years, in Los Angeles, like in many major cities in the U.S., the number of post-pandemic murders are still significantly higher than pre-pandemic figures.
For example, during the first eight months of 2019, there were 178 killings recorded in the city of Los Angeles 11.2% fewer than in 2024.
The LAPD station with the highest number of killings this year is the South Bureau, which experienced 77 homicides during the first eight months of the year, 13.2% higher than the same time frame in 2023. Crosstown says the number of murders in that region are still significantly below the figure in 2022.
The Harbor Station, which patrols neighborhoods like San Pedro and Wilmington, has recorded 13 homicides this year, but only experienced three the previous year.
But Crosstown said its not unusual for wide year-over-year variations at individual police stations.
Hollenbeck Station, which includes Boyle Heights, El Sereno and other Eastside communities, have experienced 11 murders this year, down from the 28 it recorded during the same time frame in 2023 and the 20 it experienced in 2022.
Crosstown used publicly available crime data from the LAPD as well as Compstat data, to determine the current homicide rate and compare it to previous years.
The news organization states that it only has access to data that is made available by police, and the numbers could change if past crime reports are updated with new information. Those updated reports dont always become part of the public database automatically, Crosstown said.
For the complete report by Crosstown, as well details about the challenges its newsroom has faced in recent months due to a significant shift in how the LAPD gathers and presents crime data, click here.
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Every Thursday, Los Angeles magazine curates a list of the best music and culture events, happening during the day and night, around Los Angeles. Craft a great last-minute schedule this Weekend with our Weekend Guide to L.A. (Click the event names for more info.)
Santa Monica Pier Celebration Sept. 6
Happy 115th birthday to the iconic Santa Monica Pier! Marking the occasion this Friday, the Santa Monica Travel & Tourism board celebrates the historic locale serving Pier bites and drinks followed by a beachfront evening Street Food Cinema screening of Barbie, live music and performances, a photo booth and activations including Jamba Juices Sunrise Smoothie Tour, unveiling the brands new blended coffees with free samples and yoga sessions in the morning.
"L'Occidentale" Paul Iribe for Jeanne Paquin France, 1911 Pochoir-printed silk & horn FIDM Museum Purchase, Gift of Mona Lee Nesseth/ ASU FIDM Museum Collection, 2018.5.124A-C
'Fashion Statements' exhibit at ASU FIDM Museum Sept. 6
L.A.s only fashion museum exhibits essential pieces and perspectives from a whos who of fashion folk including designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, Jeremy Scott and Kevan Hall, costume designer Arianne Phillips, Dita Von Teese and stylist B. Akerlund at this style-driven look at creative expression featuring ASU FIDMs archival pieces. From Mae Wests 1940s negligees to a 1938 Elsa Schiaparelli evening ensemble, the display delves into the history of fashion with a fresh and inspiring local lens.
Courtesy Got Sole
Los Angeles Got Sole at L.A. Convention Center Sept. 7
Lace up and step into this mega buy/sell/trade event touting itself as the greatest sneaker convention ever with over 400 + shoe vendors, giveaways, contests and live performances.
Poet Shonda Buchanan reads at and hosts "Catch the Mic." David Franco
Catch the Mic: Paris to L.A. at L.A. Central Library Sept. 7
This free international poetry marathon (from the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Beyond Baroque, the City of Paris, and Paris University Club) celebrates the theme of Art + Sports at the Mark Taper Auditorium at Los Angeles Public Librarys central location. Thirty Los Angeles-based poets will appear live in Paris and Los Angeles making for a cultural handover from the City of Paris to the City of Los Angeles looking forward to the L.A. 2028 Olympics.
L.A. Tequila Fest- Sept. 7
The Andres y Maria Cardenas Family Foundation (AMCFF) provides scholarships to disadvantaged and low-income students with various events in L.A. and this weekend's Tequila Fest in DTLA is their biggest fundraising effort of the year. The annual event celebrates everything tequila, with a focus on culture, education and tastings.
Ringo Starr Photo by Scott Robert Ritchie
Ringo Starr and his All-Star Band at the Greek Sept. 8
Mr. Starr still lives up to his name on stage when he plays live. The legendary drummer, now 84, serves up solo hits and classics by his old band The Beatles, as well as material from his all-star line-up featuring members of Toto, Men at Work and Average White Band.
Courtesy Sloomoo L.A.
Slime Museum's Grand Opening Sept. 8
The Sloomoo Institute brings the magic of slime to L.A. Opening this weekend, the permanent new venue has 13,000 sq ft of slimy activities including 500 gallons of cloud slime to walk through and a slithery stroll under Sloomoo Falls (ponchos provided!), a hand imprinting experience, a DIY slime bar, a splatterwall, glow in the dark kinetic sand doons, ASMR audio installations and music more.
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) A Lafayette woman was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison for fraudulently using a made-up Social Security number, authorities said.
Sommers N. Robertson, 45, of Lafayette, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 21 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for false representation of a Social Security number.
Robertson pleaded guilty on May 30, and admitted that she knowingly provided the Social Security Administration with false documents and purported to be an individual she was not in order to obtain a Social Security card with the intent to deceive.
According to information presented in court, on Oct. 12, 2022, law enforcement officers encountered Robertson after receiving a complaint that she had leased an apartment under fraudulent pretenses. During a subsequent records check, the officers discovered the existence of active warrants for Robertsons arrest, and she was arrested.
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During her arrest, officers observed and seized identity documents from the apartment which included drivers licenses, state identification cards, Social Security cards, along with other documents displaying personally identifiable information belonging to other people.
One of the Social Security cards showed a name with the initials M.F.M., which had been issued on Sept. 8, 2022. Court records show she met with an SSA service representative on that date and claimed that she was the individual with the initials of M.F.M., and she requested that a new Social Security number card be issued to her.
Robertson provided false documentation, including a drivers license in that name which had been issued by another state, along with their place of birth, parents names, and Social Security number. Because of these false representations, the SSA issued a Social Security number to an address provided by Robertson.
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WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) Trumbull County commissioners are all-in with putting the newly-formed Lake To River Economic Development District to work for the county.
Commissioners unanimously approved a $40,000 contract with Lake to River to continue its development efforts for Trumbull County.
According to a news release from Lake to River, there is already more than $70 million of investment in Trumbull County that is expected to be announced within the next 12 to 24 months.
Were grateful for the support from our partners in Trumbull County and excited about the volume of prospective economic development activity that were managing here, said Alexa Sweeney Blackann, Lake to Rivers interim CEO.
Since it was formed, Lake to River leaders said they have received an unprecedented number of inquiries related to local expansions and businesses that are looking to invest in the region.
In April, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was in town to launch the Lake to River Economic Development District in partnership with the JobsOhio program.
The district includes Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
CLEVELAND, Wis. (WFRV) New Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin Center for Health Care Excellence joined together at Lakeshore College on Friday morning to celebrate the official opening of a $6 million health care instructional facility on campus.
The 26,000-square-foot building will help train more than 1,500 healthcare and emergency service students at Lakeshore.
Kewaunee High School football players welcome students ahead of game day
According to a release, Lakeshore College Foundation raised $3 million for the facility which includes $1 million from Froedtert Health and Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity.
The demand for well-trained health workers in multiple fields facilitated the need for the building, which features multiple models of instruction.
Kellea Ewen, an associate degree instructor at Lakeshore College emphasized the importance of having high-quality equipment available in training as it greatly helps students prepare for the real world of medicine.
Having equipment that looks, feels and acts exactly like my students are expected to use in hospitals, clinics and long-term care settings helps them be prepared once they graduate, Ewen said.
Some in northeast Wisconsin shift plans for Packers Friday night kickoff
The multi-disciplinary instruction model will rely on collaborative efforts between students in the program as well. Public Safety students will perform emergency training before going to work with Health Science students who engage in advanced care exercises, according to the release.
For more information on the programs and the Center for Health Care Excellence, visit the Lakeshore College website.
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The media company now alleged to have been part of a Russian election interference plot featured interviews with prominent Republicans such as a daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump, one of Trump's lawyers and a member of Congress, a USA TODAY review of its content reveals.
Tenet Medias podcasts, broadcast on platforms such as YouTube, included appearances by Republican National Committee Co-Chair Lara Trump, who is married to Donald Trump's son Eric; Rep. Brian Mast of Florida; longtime Trump lawyer Harmeet Dhillon; and former Trump national security aide Kash Patel.
Other notable Trump-supporting guests who have appeared on Tenet Media include Republican U.S. Senate nominee Kari Lake of Arizona, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who recently endorsed Trump.
By Thursday night, several of the videos were taken down and replaced with a message from YouTube saying the associated account was canceled.
Composite photo of (L-R), Lara Trump, Rep. Brian J. Mast, R-Fla., and former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
Paul Dans, who at the time was leading Project 2025, also appeared on a Tenet Media podcast days before resigning from his role.
None of the guests or their representatives provided comment for USA TODAY.
In a statement, YouTube identified the owner of Tenet Media as Canadian right-wing influencer Laura Chen, and said it had taken down the channel. Following an indictment from the U.S. Department of Justice and after careful review, we are terminating the Tenet Media channel and four channels operated by its owner Lauren Chen as part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations, a spokesman said.
Friendly interviews, partisan rhetoric
The interviews often highlighted Republican talking points. Mast, an Afghanistan veteran, criticized Democratic vice-presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzs military record and accused him of "deserting his troops" in his National Guard unit before they deployed to Iraq. The episode was called, Tim AWOLTZ CANNOT Be VP. (Walz retired two months before his unit received an alert order to go to war, and he submitted his retirement paperwork five months before the order, to run for Congress.)
Three weeks ago, another episode blamed Walz for a nonprofit fraud scheme that targeted Minnesota's pandemic relief funds while he was governor an issue over which House Republicans have since subpoenaed him.
Were big-time Lara Trump fans, said host Benny Johnson, a far-right media personality who is advertised as talent for Tenet Media, when Lara Trump appeared on his program.
Trump spoke to Johnson about her efforts to replace many employees with Trump loyalists at the Republican National Convention shortly after she took over the national party. Youre never going to get rid of all the bad apples, but we really do bring in a good group of people with us, she said.
More: Putin jokingly supports Harris as US charges Russia with more election interference
Tenet Media paid $100k per episode
Lara Trump, Mast, Dhillon, Lake, Patel, Ramaswamy, and Gabbard all appeared on Johnson's show. He said Wednesday he was a victim in the Russian plot.
The Department of Justice alleges, although not using the companys name in the charging documents, that unregistered foreign agents for Russia created Tenet Media as a way to influence the 2024 election and paid as much as $100,000 per episode to some of its commentators.
Host Benny Johnson says he was duped
The plot involved creating a profile for a fake private investor named Eduard Grigoriann and holding that fake persona out as the funder of the supposed news organization. Tenet Media's mission statement on its homepage and business filings with the Tennessee secretary of state match the information in the indictment.
A year ago, a media startup pitched my company to provide content as an independent contractor, Johnson said on X, formerly Twitter. 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.
Matt Christiansen, who hosted the podcast about the COVID-19 fraud, said on X: "At no point has anyone ever directed me what to say or not to say, and I would never agree to anything otherwise."
Russians say Republicans support their views
The DOJ did not name the beneficiary of the Russian misinformation plot, but "propaganda proposals" the department shared Wednesday in a similar case involving Russian interference made clear that the Russian government favors the Republican Party and would prefer to see Trump reelected over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
In that case, the U.S. government seized dozens of internet domain names the Russians designed to look like legitimate news organizations. The Russian documents also proposed disseminating information to swing-state residents, residents of conservative states, Hispanic Americans, Jewish Americans, and users of sites such as Reddit and 4chan.
Trump has publicly complimented Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the 2016 election, Russia interfered on Trump's behalf, the U.S. intelligence community found, although a special counsel investigation did not find evidence of a conspiracy with the Trump campaign.
Democrats have led the way in providing military aid to help Ukraine fight off Russia's invasion, but Trump, his running mate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and a segment of the Republican Party have criticized that funding. Trump has also said he would allow Russia to do "whatever the hell they want to U.S. allies in Europe that don't spend enough on defense.
While (U.S. Political Party B) are still in power, they are trying to maintain the current foreign policy priorities, read the Russian documents, with the DOJs redaction apparently referring to the Democrats as Party B. (U.S. Political Party A), still in opposition, have been criticizing these priorities.
The Russian documents referred to Party B as left-wing and far-left globalists who advocate for perversion of traditional moral and religious values, and Party A as normal people whose priority is to protect the traditions of the American way of life. Another document said, The (U.S. Political Party A) is currently advancing a relatively pro-Russian agenda.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 7 Trump allies who appeared on allegedly Russia-backed podcasts
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Las Cruces Police will host a town hall meeting next week to discuss how drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine are affecting the community.
The event begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, in Council Chambers at Las Cruces City Hall, 700 N. Main St. The meeting will last about two hours, according to a news release sent out by the City of Las Cruces.
Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story will begin meeting by presenting second-quarter 2024 crime statistics and how they compare to last year.
Athena Huckaby, a public health professional in drug policy and harm reduction, and Kevin Renn, drug intelligence officer with the New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, will then join Story to discuss the increased use of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Las Cruces.
The meeting will serve as an opportunity for residents to connect with LCPD officials, gain insight into the topic, ask questions and contribute to the ongoing efforts to promote a safer community, according to the news release.
The meeting will be televised live on CLCTV, Comcast Cable channel 20-SD and 928-HD. The meeting will also be live-streamed on the Citys YouTube channel and the Las Cruces Police Departments Facebook page.
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Las Vegas businessman who stole $11M in PPP loans could serve decades in prison
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A jury convicted a man Wednesday for stealing $11 million of federal money meant to help struggling businesses during the COVID pandemic.
Meelad Dezfooli, 30, of Henderson, fraudulently received more than $11.2 million in PPP loans to buy homes and cars and to fund investments, prosecutors said. The Paycheck Protection Program was intended to help companies pay and retain employees during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic.
The jury convicted Dezfooli on charges of bank fraud, money laundering and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.
During trial, prosecutors said Dezfooli lied on loan applications, claiming he had hundreds of employees for one application when, in fact, he had none. Dezfoolis application for a PPP loan said his company, Best Floors, had an average monthly payroll of about $440,000 to cover 76 employees, investigators said in court documents. Investigators said Dezfooli had a quarterly payroll of less than $1,400 and one employee.
After he was charged in 2022, Dezfooli sold five of his homes he bought with PPP money, prosecutors said.
Dezfooli will be sentenced on Dec. 5 and faces a maximum penalty of decades in prison.
A sponsored article from a bank on a financial magazines website called Dezfooli the dreamer in 2019, saying he built a thriving flooring business out of the ashes of the recession in the late 2000s.
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Man pleads guilty to attacking Las Vegas judge after she testifies: I didnt think I was going to get out of there
Man pleads guilty to attacking Las Vegas judge after she testifies: I didnt think I was going to get out of there
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man pleaded guilty but mentally ill Thursday after the judge he attacked testified that she thought she would die in the incident that later went viral.
Deobra Redden, 31, pleaded guilty but mentally ill after Judge Mary Kay Holthus and her law clerk testified in his attempted murder trial. As part of the guilty plea, a different judge could sentence Redden to at least three years in prison.
As the 8 News Now Investigators first reported on Jan. 3, Redden, a three-time felon, was in Holthus courtroom for sentencing on a charge of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm.
Holthus, who was 62 at the time, was sitting behind the bench, which she described as four feet high, when Redden ran up to her, jumped over the desk and attacked her, video showed. Several other people, including Holthus courtroom marshal and her law clerk, then fought with Redden before throwing him to the ground.
Reddens trial began with jury selection Tuesday. Holthus was the first witness to take the stand in Reddens trial on Thursday. It was the first time Holthus spoke publicly about the attack. No less than six court marshals stood in the courtroom during the judges testimony.
Redden appeared in front of Holthus several times before Januarys attack. He was previously in front of Holthus on charges of malicious destruction of property. In court Thursday, Holthus said she did not remember that case.
Redden pleaded guilty to another charge of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm in November 2023. Holthus later issued a bench warrant for his arrest in December after he missed a court appearance. That hearing, his sentencing, continued on Jan. 3.
Before the attack, Reddens attorney asked Holthus to sentence his client to probation. Holthus then said, I think its time he get a taste of something else. In court Thursday, Holthus said she was concerned about Reddens history of violence and his two previous attempts at mental health court when sentencing him.
Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani questioned Holthus and showed video of the proceedings and the attack.
Judge Mary Kay Holthus presides over the arraignment of Republican electors, accused in a fake elector scheme, as they appear remotely at the Regional Justice Center, on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
I remember him coming at me and I really didnt think he could make contactit was like a crash sound, Holthus said as he mimicked her actions to the jury. He had me by the hair and I was still getting hit in the head.
Holthus described Redden as superhuman, saying he knocked her so hard her shoes fell off.
I just remember saying, Help! Help! Somebody get him off! In my head, I was just completely defenseless, Holthus said holding back tears. It was scary. I didnt think I was going to get out of there.
Holthus said Redden continued to go after her as her law clerk, Michael Lasso, attempted to pull Redden off her. It took three or four people to pull Redden off her, she told the jury.
I literally rolled under my bench in the fetal position, Holthus said, adding she does not recall if she fell unconscious. I remember thinking, Why is it taking so long? There was chaos in the courtroom.
During his cross-examination, Reddens attorney, Carl Arnold noted Holthus was not bleeding after the attack nor did she break any bones. He also asked Holthus if she knew who specifically was hitting her, to which she replied she only knew she was being hit.
Holthus told the judge she was aware Redden was diagnosed with schizophrenia but said she had no concerns about his competency heading into sentencing. She also said she was not aware Redden was not on his medication.
Do you recall that he was saying any statements that he was trying to kill you? Arnold asked Holthus.
I dont recall. It was literally chaos, Holthus said.
Deobra Redden appears in court a week after the courtroom attack. (KLAS)
In the minutes after the attack, officers took Redden to a holding cell and then to the Clark County Detention Center, which is connected to the Regional Justice Center via a tunnel. During the transition, Redden allegedly told an officer he had a bad day and was trying to kill Holthus. While at CCDC, Redden allegedly spit in a corrections officers face, police said.
Holthus previously testified to a Clark County grand jury, which voted to indict Redden.
In court Wednesday, Arnold said his client did not intend to kill Holthus. Arnold said the jump lasted 3.7 seconds. He also said Redden was not on the medication prescribed to him during several months in a mental institution leading up to the January hearing before Holthus.
Thats going to be the big question that you guys are going to have to deal with at closing, Arnold told the jury. Did he have the intent to go ahead and kill?
Holthus sentenced Redden a week after the attack as the interrupted hearing continued. Redden, who was sentenced from 19 months to four years on an attempted battery charge, appeared in the courtroom at the time wearing a mask and surrounded by court marshals as two Metro police officers held onto him. Before sentencing Redden, Holthus said she did not modify or change her decision on his sentence because of the attack.
During his initial arraignment, Redden pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Judge Susan Johnson will sentence Redden on Nov. 7.
Under Nevada law, defense lawyers must prove their client is mentally ill when pleading guilty to the stipulation. The language means a judge could add mental health treatment as part of sentencing.
Reddens family previously said he struggles with his mental health and that the criminal system has failed him.
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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Las Vegas Metro police arrested an evangelical pastor for allegedly having guns and drugs in a hotel room in an incident that initially sparked a counter-terrorism response, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.
David McGee, 61, faces drug and gun-related charges connected to his Aug. 20 arrest at the Strat Hotel Casino & Tower, records said. McGee was the senior pastor at the closed The Bridge Fellowship, outside Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Though its building shuttered in 2023, the evangelical ministry continues online and through radio programs.
On Aug. 20, drug and counter-terrorism detectives responded to the hotel after McGee reported a piece of property missing, documents said. McGee told police he was visiting Las Vegas from North Carolina and had arrived in a private jet to find his daughter.
When officers asked McGee if he had any weapons in his room, he reportedly replied, Yes, I have a gun in my guitar case, documents said. Hotel employees had previously warned McGee about the policy after he allegedly brought a shotgun to his room days earlier.
McGee was the senior pastor at the closed The Bridge Fellowship, outside Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Though its building shuttered in 2023, the evangelical ministry continues online and through radio programs. (WGHP)
The discovery of the firearms, including an AR-15 with a scope, prompted responding officers to suspect McGee was planning a 1 October-style shooting, documents said. Since the 2017 mass shooting, Metro police have investigated suspicious situations where multiple firearms are located inside hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, police said.
On the day of McGees arrest, social media posts incorrectly claimed polices response to the hotel for a failed terror plot. Metro police sent out a news release saying the information was false.
Inside the hotel room, police said they found suspected fentanyl pills and powder, they said.
McGee advised [the detective] that he brought the fentanyl from North Carolina on his private jet to Las Vegas and paid approximately $1,000, documents said. McGee stated that he was a user of fentanyl and intended to distribute the fentanyl to his daughter when he locates her.
In the days before his trip to Las Vegas, McGee posted on a public Facebook page that he was traveling to find his daughter who he believed was living in a flood control tunnel. (Facebook)
In the days before his trip to Las Vegas, McGee posted on a public Facebook page that he was traveling to find his daughter who he believed was living in a flood control tunnel.
Pls [sic] pray for me as I go get my daughter from the worst [and] scariest place for my daughter in America the Las Vegas tunnels, McGee posted. On Aug. 19, a day before his arrest, McGee posted a photo of himself in front of the Strat.
McGee has not posted since Aug. 20. Records said that he did not appear for his probable cause hearing in Las Vegas Justice Court on Aug. 21 due to medical records. A judge did not set bail in the case as prosecutors had not filed a criminal complaint. McGee was due to return to court on Dec. 19.
On Aug. 29, McGees wife posted on his behalf, writing he had been in touch with their daughter and that he was asking for prayers for his health, wisdom, safety [and] discernment.
FILE In this Dec. 5, 2020, file photo, a man who identified himself as Wheeler, left, speaks with Dave Marlon of CrossRoads of Southern Nevada, during an outreach in the underground tunnels to offer counseling, food and water to the homeless living beneath the city in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker, File)
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is 50-to-100 times more potent than morphine. Just a few grains can kill a person.
Metro police did not take a booking photo of McGee when they brought him to the Clark County Detention Center. The 8 News Now Investigators have repeatedly attempted to contact McGee and his wife for comment.
In 2015, a couple told 8 News Nows Winston-Salem-area sister station that McGee banned them from the church in a Facebook post.
8 News Now Investigator David Charns can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.com.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Maximilian Mueger, member of the AfD Hesse state board, sits on the podium with his voting cards. Andreas Arnold/dpa
A German regional politician from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has left the party over a video he published on TikTok of himself holding an assault rifle.
Maximilian Muger, an AfD politician in the western German state of Hesse, posted the provocative video not long after a deadly knife attack on August 23 at a festival in the western German city of Solingen. He later deleted the post.
Muger was initially removed from local leadership posts but has now left the party and its parliamentary group in the Hessian state parliament, the AfD said on Friday.
AfD spokesmen Robert Lambrou and Andreas Lichert added "By leaving the party, Maximilian Muger has spared the party and the parliamentary group the time-consuming process of a party expulsion."
In Muger's deleted video, which was seen by dpa, the politician held an assault rifle, called for "free weapons for free citizens" and shot three times in the air.
Referring to the knife attack in Solingen, Muger declared: "You are no longer safe in German cities and must be afraid of being stabbed or otherwise murdered at a party or on the way home."
Muger could not be reached for comment by dpa.
According to an AfD spokesman, Muger explained that he "accidentally" published the video on TikTok for only a few minutes before deleting it but said the video was intended only for private use.
"The video was shot at an official shooting range in Poland under the supervision of a shooting instructor and the loaned weapon is subject to all the regulations of Polish law," Muger continued.
But the video prompted outrage in Hesse.
The state's interior minister, Roman Poseck of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), denounced Muger for "legitimizing" the use of armed force against migrants.
(NewsNation) The House Judiciary Committee is set to hold a field hearing focused on the border crisis in California, which has been leading the way when it comes to migrant encounters at the southern border.
As lawmakers got the lay of the land in the Border Patrols San Diego Sector, NewsNation rode along with the convoy of lawmakers as they toured one of the border crossing hot spots known as Whiskey 8 in San Ysidro.
There, the convoy encountered five migrants who had come through a gap in the border wall and were looking to self-surrender to Border Patrol.
Missing tiger from Mexican border zoo prompts warnings on US side
They told NewsNation they didnt know about the Biden administrations legal pathway through the CBP One App, which is meant to help facilitate legal border crossings.
One man from India said he had asylum in Brazil, but the crime there was out of control so he came to the U.S.
A father-daughter duo from Guatemala and a mother and her 8-year-old daughter from Colombia were also among the group, saying they paid cartel members thousands of dollars to cross there.
None of them were concerned about being returned to their home countries, all confident they would be able to stay in the U.S. and reporting that they have family here. They said their family members were in New Jersey, California and Arizona.
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., is one of the lawmakers attending the hearing. He said there needs to be more done to disincentivize people from coming across the border between ports of entry.
You cannot just circumvent the legal pathway for coming into this country which allows about a million people in, more than the rest of the world combined, he said. So, you have to say Im sorry, you cant be here.'
Another focus for lawmakers is the flow of fentanyl across the border, the San Diego Sector rivaling the Tucson Sector when it comes to fentanyl seizures at the border.
Legislation introduced to fix California-Mexico sewage crisis
Lawmakers were able to get access to what is called a fentanyl locker where the drug is kept once its been confiscated by Customs and Border Protection to get a firsthand look at what has been seized.
While lawmakers have taken trips to Texas several times as well as Arizona, trips to California have been much less frequent. However, the San Diego Sector is the busiest for migrant encounters.
This year, it is also leading the way in fentanyl seizures, with more than 5,000 pounds, nearly a third of the total along the southwest border. Overall, agents seized 17,000 pounds in 2024, a 26% drop from 2023.
Despite the decrease, the past three years have still seen 58,000 pounds seized, which could amount to 13 billion potentially fatal doses.
NewsNation reached out to Democratic lawmakers in San Diego about the hearing and has not received a response.
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North Carolinas General Assembly will return to session next week to address several outstanding issues.
Republican leaders say lawmakers have reached a deal on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) bill that will require sheriffs across the state to cooperate with immigration officials.
It means sheriffs will have to comply with detainer requests. Currently, voluntary detainers arent honored in Mecklenburg County.
Lawmakers have also reached a deal on opportunity scholarships and plan to provide the funding to clear the waitlist.
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Its unknown which day lawmakers will return to session.
The ICE deal would bring an end to a hard-fought battle between lawmakers and sheriffs offices. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden has openly opposed the bill when its gone through previous rounds in the House. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper successfully vetoed versions of the measure twice.
The bill is the GOPs response to sheriffs in several North Carolina counties refusing to work closely with ICE on immigration matters. Republicans and their allies say this lets some criminal suspects get released and cause more violence.
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson told Channel 9s Joe Bruno on Thursday he is in favor of the ICE bill.
At one time, I kind of waffled on that. I didnt really like the fact that we were saying, Hey, the governments got to force these sheriffs. But we have reached a crucial point in this country right now where it is extremely important, Robinson said. We dont know who is coming across our border. We know a lot of people are coming over here because theyre desperate to get away from terrible situations. But we also know there are a lot of people that are coming across for nefarious purposes. We have to protect our people, and if the sheriffs wont step up and do it, the legislature has to.
Attorney General Josh Stein told me yesterday he thinks the legislature should focus on hiring deputies instead.
"Keeping people safe is the top priority of the government, and it's what I've been focused on as the Attorney General. I talk with sheriffs all the time about what pic.twitter.com/JpEG0mBFAa Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) September 6, 2024
Attorney General Josh Stein told Bruno Thursday that he thinks the legislature should focus on hiring deputies instead.
Keeping people safe is the top priority of the government, and its what Ive been focused on as the attorney general, Stein said. I talk with sheriffs all the time about what they need in order to keep their community safe, and what I hear is sheriff shortages, not enough deputies, not enough police officers. Weve got a recruitment and retention package at the legislature. My hope is that they act on that so we can get more qualified, well-trained law enforcement on the streets, keeping us safe.
(WATCH BELOW: North Carolina lawmakers try again to make sheriffs help ICE)
Shares in Frontier Communications Parent have been on a wild ride over the past 24 hours. The stock (ticker: FYBR) saw its price surge a staggering 37% to $38.68 per share after reports that communications giant Verizon was looking to buy the company.
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But this morning, when Verizon officially announced its plans to acquire Frontier, FYBR shares sank over 10% in premarket trading at the time of this writing. Heres what you need to know about the Verizon-Frontier acquisition.
Whats happened?
Verizon has announced it plans to acquire Frontier. It is doing so because it wants to expand its fiber internet network across the country and use its increased fiber footprint to offer premium broadband and mobile services to more customers.
What does Verizon get out of the deal?
It gets millions of more customers and access to customers in additional states. Verizons Fios internet service currently counts 7.4 million connections in nine states and Washington, D.C. By acquiring Frontier, Verizon will get an additional 2.2 million fiber customers across 25 states.
If the deal goes through, Verizon will then have a broadband customer base of over 11 million across 31 states. The company can then bundle its broadband and mobile services together across many more states, hopefully picking up new mobile customers who want a one-stop shop for their home and mobile internet needs.
What does Frontier get out of the deal?
Frontier gets $20 billion in an all-cash transaction.
What has Verizon said about the acquisition?
In a statement, Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg said, The acquisition of Frontier is a strategic fit. 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.
What has Frontier said about the acquisition?
In a statement, Frontier CEO Nick Jeffery said, Todays announcement is recognition of our progress building a best-in-class fiber network and delivering reliable, high-speed broadband to millions of customers across the country. Its also a vote of confidence for the future of fiber. I am confident that this delivers a significant and certain cash premium to Frontiers shareholders, while creating exciting new opportunities for our employees and expanding access to reliable connectivity for more Americans.
Story continues
What does this deal mean for Frontiers existing shareholders?
If the deal goes through, shareholders will receive $38.50 per share in cash for every share of FYBR. Verizon says this is a 43.7% premium over Frontiers 90-day volume-weighted average share price as of September 3, 2024, the day before reports emerged of the acquisition deal.
Why did FYBR shares surge yesterday?
FYBR shares went up over 37% yesterday, likely on news that an acquisition was in the works. If one company buys another, the buying company usually pays a premium over the existing share price. So, upon hearing the news that Verizon may buy Fronteir, investors rushed to buy FYBR shares.
So then why are FYBR shares down today?
The most likely reason that FYBR shares are down in premarket this morning is that Verizon has put a firm price on what it will pay for FYBR shares: $38.50.
Is the Verizon-Frontier acquisition a done deal?
Not yet, even though the boards of both companies have agreed to it. Frontier shareholders and regulators still need to agree to the deal, too. The companies say they expect the deal to close in 18 months.
This post originally appeared at fastcompany.com
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(NewsNation) An Oregon hospital is facing a lawsuit filed by more than a dozen families whose loved ones were injured or killed after a nurse allegedly stole fentanyl from intravenous drips and refilled them with tap water that caused bacterial infections.
The lawsuit filed this week in civil court by 18 families accuses Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, Oregon of negligence concerning a former nurse prone to drug misuse, among other causes of action, according to court papers.
It claims the hospital failed to screen and monitor their employees for drug diversion and failed to monitor the medication dispensary.
It was wrong: Maya Kowalski sues hospital alleging sex abuse
The suit seeks $303 million in damages for medical expenses, lost income and the pain and suffering of the plaintiffs.
Dani Marie Schofield, 36, a former nurse at the medical facility was arrested in June and charged with 44 counts of second-degree assault.
Authorities alleged Schofield harmed more than 17 patients by stealing fentanyl and replacing it with non-sterile tap water in intravenous drips.
Many of the patients developed serious infections, and nine of them died. Authorities did not pursue murder, manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide charges, saying investigators could not establish that the infections caused those deaths.
The patients were already vulnerable and being treated in the hospitals intensive care unit, the Medford Police Department noted.
Its our job to get justice for our clients by making sure this never happens again, Shayla Steyart, an attorney for the patients, told NewsNation in a statement. It should have never been allowed to happen in the first place.
The Asante Rogue Medical Center declined NewsNations request for comment.
The investigation began 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, leading to adverse outcomes for patients.
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.
Lurie Childrens Hospital confirms network accessed by criminal actor
Schofield voluntarily agreed to refrain from practicing as a nurse and to suspend her nursing license pending the outcome of the criminal case, Clark R. Horner, Schofields civil attorney, said in response to a pending civil suit filed in February against Schofield and the hospital.
In June, she pleaded not guilty on and was being held on $4 million bail, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
Schofield for each charge faces a mandatory minimum of five years and 10 months in prison with a potential maximum sentence of 10 years.
The civil suit was filed by the families of nine patients who contracted infections and the nine who died.
The nurse was not named in this weeks court filing but is facing another civil suit filed by the estate of Horace Wilson, who died from an infection.
Wilson had sought care at the hospital in 2022 after falling from a ladder. He suffered bleeding from his spleen and had it removed.
But doctors then noted unexplained high fevers, very high white blood cell counts, and a precipitous decline, the complaint said.
Tests confirmed an infection of treatment-resistant bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis. Wilson died weeks later.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Alyssa May, on the left and Molly Hadfield, center, both from the Mormon Women for Ethical Government, hold Utah state flags while listening to a press conference addressing a recent opinion from the Utah Supreme Court on League of Women Voters Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government v. Utah State Legislature in Salt Lake City on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Mormon Women for Ethical Government and Utahs League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit to remove a proposed constitutional amendment from the ballot. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
Mormon Women for Ethical Government and Utahs League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit to remove a proposed constitutional amendment from the ballot.
The reason behind the request? The plaintiffs say the language fails to accurately submit the Amendment to the voters.
The suit filed in Salt Lake Countys 3rd Judicial District Court requests expedited consideration of the matter at hand. The constitutional amendment would add language to the Utah Constitution to say the Utah Legislature has the ability to amend or repeal initiatives. It would also prohibit foreign (intended to mean out-of-country) influences on the initiative process.
Accompanying the proposed amendment, Utah lawmakers passed legislation that would require them to keep the general intent of a citizen-led initiative when amending it in the first general session following its passage.
If this latest lawsuit were to succeed, Utah voters would not be able to vote on the proposed amendment. Utah Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz were both named in the suit.
Its ironic that the very people who claim to advocate for greater voter engagement are the same ones trying to obstruct Utahns from having the opportunity to vote on this important matter. The plaintiffs are clearly concerned about leaving it to voters to decide. Before initiatives overwhelm and significantly alter our state, Utahns should have the opportunity to voice their opinions, said Adams, R-Layton, and Schultz, R-Hooper, in a statement to the Deseret News on Friday.
Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, also named in the suit, said in a statement, We dont usually comment on pending litigation, but I will say this: ballots are being sent to the printer early next week, so we hope all parties understand how urgently this issue must be resolved. Even asking for an extension on the federal mailing deadlines will invite sanctions from the U.S. Department of Justice, and that is something we definitely want to avoid.
The two Republican majority leaders had issued a statement to the Deseret News earlier this week contesting the claim the language in the amendment was misleading, saying those who label these efforts as deceptive are often the ones attempting to mislead voters.
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 Adams and Schultz in the statement.
The suit alleged Schultz and Adams devised an ballot summary that not only will fail to inform voters that the proposed Amendment eliminates their fundamental constitutional right, but brazenly asserts that the amendment would strengthen the initiative process and require() ... the legislature to follow the intent of a ballot initiative.
This was called Orwellian doublespeak in the suit.
Mark Gaber, Campaign Legal Center attorney who worked on the suit, said, The language that they use is the exact opposite of what would happen if the amendment went into effect. In fact, it was designed to weaken the initiative process so that the legislature could, with unfettered power, repeal any initiative of the voters for any or no reason at all.
The specific constitutional right Gaber said the amendment would eliminate is being free from the legislature repealing government reform initiatives that the voters pass without a compelling justification. He said the initiative process would become superfluous.
We filed this suit because the ballot language of Constitutional Amendment D is deceptive and misleading, said Emma Petty Addams, co-executive director of Mormon Women for Ethical Government. It does not accurately represent the impact of the amendment and is therefore unconstitutional.
When asked Mormon Women for Ethical Government does not think Utah voters should have a say in deciding what the state constitution says on this matter, Addams said, The Supreme Court decision did not create direct democracy. Instead, it preserved the right of the people to reform their government. It retained the balance of power, ensuring that neither the legislature, nor the courts, nor the people could act unilaterally. Amendment D seeks to remove that balance.
Katharine Biele, president of League of Women Voters of Utah, said Amendment D should have never been on the ballot. This is a huge misunderstanding of the part of the Legislature, she said, adding the ruling would not impact every initiative.
By removing the amendment from the ballot, Utah voters would not get to decide what the Utah Constitution says in this case. Biele said thats not what they are doing and added voters have already voted when they approved of Proposition 4.
They are saying that there are foreign entities that were trying to keep away. That is not true. There is no such evidence. And theyre saying that were going to be like California with lots of initiatives coming. That, too, is not true. The Supreme Court ruling was very narrow. It does not open the door to millions of other initiatives, said Biele. So, its wrong. I mean, do you want to be voting on something that is basically a lie? No. Thats why we want it taken off the ballot.
Better Boundaries did not file the suit. The organization did come out in support of the effort. Katie Wright, executive director of Better Boundaries, said the ballot language was deceptive.
When asked why the group thinks this choice about the Utah Constitution should be removed from Utah voters, Wright said, This is the first time Utah voters have ever had a ballot question not written by nonpartisan legislative attorneys but by the Senate President and Speaker of the House. The President and Speaker are raising money in support of Amendment D and clearly have a rooting interest in the outcome. Of course we support direct democracy but this is like the fox guarding the hen house.
Wright said the line between direct democracy and legislative power should be where it was resolved by the Utah Supreme Court for initiatives that alter or reform the government, the Legislature would need to pass a strict scrutiny standard (narrowly tailoring changes to meet a compelling government interest).
(Bloomberg) -- Marine Le Pen and Frances far right have never been closer to the levers of power in Paris with President Emmanuel Macrons incoming government forced to rely on the implicit backing of the nationalist group.
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After weeks of hesitation and uncertainty, the French president chose conservative Republican politician Michel Barnier, the European Unions former Brexit negotiator, to form the next administration.
In the end, it came down to finding someone palatable enough to the leader of the far-right National Rally to avoid being toppled by a no-confidence vote in the lower house of parliament.
It took them a while to realize that they needed to take into account the votes of 11 million French people in their calculations to find a government, the partys first vice president, Perpignan Mayor Louis Aliot, told Bloomberg.
Macron took office in 2017 on a wave of support for his pledge to move beyond the dogmatic limitations of traditional parties and act as a bulwark against extremism. Yet, like elsewhere in Europe, the political center has fragmented while parties on the far-left and far-right have become kingmakers in creating coalitions to govern.
Macron called a snap vote after his group was trounced by the National Rally in European Parliament elections in June. Rival parties struck deals to revive the traditional Republican Front to keep out the far right in runoffs after polls put it in the lead. But while a left-wing alliance won the biggest number of seats in the National Assembly, no one group secured a majority, and Le Pens became the largest single party.
Having rejected the candidate proposed by the leftist New Popular Front, the president whose role it is to appoint a prime minister sought someone who could gather broad support and survive a no-confidence vote.
Political-party math means that Barniers administration can survive such a motion with the support of centrists and conservatives, and the tacit acceptance of the National Rally. The New Popular Front, which has said it will censure the new government, has only 193 out of 577 seats, far short of the absolute majority needed to bring it down.
Left-leaning former prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve and the conservative head of the northern Hauts-de-France region, Xavier Bertrand, were both in the running until the last minute. However, when the National Rally made it clear it would censure both as had the New Popular Front Macron was forced to acknowledge they had no chance of staying long in the job.
After Barniers appointment was announced, Le Pen quickly told LCI television he seemed to match the first criteria we had defined that is, a man whos respectful of all political forces and capable of talking to the National Rally.
That will be useful because compromises will need to be found given the budget situation of our country, she said.
A global bond rally, bolstered by bets on aggressive rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, has helped drive down French borrowing costs markedly over the past few weeks. The 10-year yield on Friday fell to 2.86%, the lowest level since April. Thats a step change from the volatility that preceded the snap election and which saw the extra yield investors demand to hold French debt climb to 86 basis points over safer German bonds.
The new premiers most urgent priority will be a budget bill for next year, which must be presented to parliament for debate by the first Tuesday of October. This is complicated by the fact that opposition parties in France have a tradition of voting against finance bills whatever the circumstances.
What Bloomberg Economics Says...
Given Barniers background, we expect that maintaining some fiscal discipline and earning market confidence will be a key objective. Still, with no majority in the National Assembly and political discontent running high, that wont be easy to achieve. The Finance Bill for next year will be his first test and an important step to watch.
Eleonora Mavroeidi and Maeva Cousin (Economists). Click here for full REACT.
Theres a bit of irony in all this, National Rally Vice-President Sebastien Chenu told BFM TV on Thursday. After being shunned by the French political establishment, today, were basically being courted.
He said the former Brexit negotiator embodies a person who is submissive to the European doctrine but called him rather respectful of the National Rally.
Barnier shares at least some ideas with Le Pen.
When he was hoping to run for president by competing in the Republican party primary in 2021, Barnier pledged to organize a referendum on immigration. He later said France should be able to bypass EU law to reduce immigration for the sake of national security, echoing similar proposals by Le Pen.
Like her, he has slammed what he called Macronism for its excessive centralization and its ambition to erase everything between him and the extremes.
Le Pens newfound role of kingmaker is frustrating some of Macrons allies, who point out the irony of effectively giving her veto powers after the Republican Front held in the elections.
Were making the RN the chief censor or not of a future PM, Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, a lawmaker in Paris, said on X the day before Barniers appointment. We must free ourselves from the censure of the National Rally and far-left France Unbowed to find a common path that is republican, democratic and European.
Still, Eleonore Caroit, a lawmaker from Macrons party, told Bloomberg it would be counterproductive not to talk to the far-right party, given its strong result in the election.
It would sound like a denial of democracy, she said.
--With assistance from James Hirai.
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At least 17 children dead and bodies burned beyond recognition in Kenya school fire tragedy
Part of a dormitory is seen following a fire at the Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri, Kenya (AP)
At least 17 children have died and 13 others were severely burned in a fire that engulfed a boarding school in central Kenya on Friday.
The fire began on Thursday night in a dormitory of the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, a town in the countrys central highlands around 150km north of Nairobi.
National police spokesperson Resila Onyango said the bodies of those killed were burnt beyond recognition.
An ambulance drives inside the Hillside Endarasha Primary school following a fire incident in Nyeri, Kenya (AP)
There are 17 fatalities from this incident and there are also others who were taken to hospital with serious injuries, she said.
She added that police fear the death toll could rise further, with the possibility that more bodies will be recovered from the wreckage.
The cause of the fire remains unknown and authorities have launched an investigation.
Distressed parents stand near a burnt-out dormitory, following a fire at the Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri, Kenya (AP)
President William Ruto on Friday said action would be taken against those responsible for the devastating tragedy.
I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account, he wrote on X.
His deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, urged school administrators to ensure that safety guidelines recommended by the education ministry for boarding schools were being followed.
The Kenya Red Cross said it was providing psychosocial support services to the pupils, teachers and affected families.
Fire broke out at a school in Nyeri, a town in the countrys central highlands around 150km north of Nairobi (Anadolu via Getty Images)
School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, where many students stay because parents believe it gives them more time to study.
In 2017, at least 10 students were killed in a fire at a school in Nairobi. Eight students were killed at a school in Homa Bay County in western Kenya in 2012.
In one of the deadliest fire incidents in Kenya, at least 58 pupils were killed in a dormitory fire at Kyanguli Secondary School outside Nairobi in 2001.
At least 20 people arrested across metro Atlanta for making social media threats against schools
In the days since a shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, at least 19 students and an adult have been arrested for making threats against schools on social media.
Four people were killed in the Apalachee High School shooting on Wednesday: teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie and 14-year-old students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn.
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Nine other people were shot and wounded. Some of them remain hospitalized and others have since been released from the hospital.
Here are the people who have been arrested and charged for making threats.
Athens-Clarke County
A 12-year-old boy has been charged for posting pictures of firearms with the names of various Clarke County Schools. Investigators say he did not have any weapons.
He has been charged with terroristic threats and detained by the Department of Juvenile Justice.
DeKalb County
A 14-year-old was arrested for making threats, but school district officials didnt comment on what those threats were.
A 12-year-old was also issued a summons for contributing to these threats.
Forsyth County
A 15-year-old was arrested and charged with terroristic threats for making an online threat against Pinecrest Academy on Wednesday. He told investigators that it was a joke and he thought it was funny.
On Thursday, school resource officers investigated 12 reports of threats to schools across the county.
A 14-year-old student at Desana Middle School was taken into custody and charged with terroristic threats and disruption of schools. Its unclear if he was responsible for just one of those 12 reports.
Gainesville
A 14-year-old was arrested by Gainesville police just a few hours after the Apalachee High School shooting for making threats on social media. The teen was taken to the Regional Youth Detention Center in Gainesville.
Gordon County
A 15-year-old boy was arrested in connection to making a threatening message against Ashworth Middle School. He is facing charges of disruption of public schools. Investigators later charged him with unrelated crimes, including child molestation, sodomy and tattooing a minor.
Another 15-year-old was arrested for making a threat against Sonoraville High School.
Gwinnett County
A student at Meadow Creek High School was charged with terroristic threats after posting a photo of guns on social media with a message threatening violence against the school.
Another student at Archer High School texted her boyfriend claiming there was an active shooter on campus. She was also arrested and charged with terroristic threats.
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Hall County
Two teenagers have been arrested for what deputies describe as dozens of reports of several threats against Hall County Schools.
Jaymon Alan Justice, 17, of Flowery Branch and a 13-year-old are in custody.
Justice is being charged as an adult with terroristic threats and acts and disruption or interference with the operation of public schools. He tagged Cherokee Bluff High School in a post.
The 13-year-old threatened to perform an act of violence at Johnson High School and South Hall Middle School, according to deputies. That teen was taken to the Regional Youth Detention Center in Gainesville to face juvenile complaints of terroristic threats and disruption or interference with the operation of public schools.
Another 13-year-old student told his classmates at World Language Academy Middle School that he was going to be the next school shooter. He was arrested charged with terroristic threats and disruption of a public school.
Jackson County
On the bus on Wednesday afternoon, a 15-year-old talked about the Apalachee High School shooting and said he was planning on finishing the job by shooting a Jackson County School. He was also taken to the Regional Youth Detention Center in Gainesville.
In a separate incident in Jackson County on Friday, a 12-year-old East Jackson Middle School student made threats against the school, but was absent. He was charged with terroristic threats and public disruption of school and is being held at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center.
Morgan County
Social Circle police and Madison police arrested a 17-year-old for threats made on Snapchat against Social Circle High School.
The teen is now in custody at the Morgan County jail on charges of Terroristic Threats and Disturbing a Public School.
As Sheriff Chapman and Chief Guest stated earlier, anyone who attempts to victimize our communities in this manner will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted accordingly, Social Circle post wrote in a statement.
Monroe County
A 26-year-old man, Chris Cooper, was accused of making threats against the Monroe County School District on Thursday. Investigators watched him overnight and he was arrested on Friday morning.
He is being held in the Monroe County Jail without bond on a charge of dissemination of information relating to terroristic acts.
Newton County
A 13-year-old has been charged with threatening students and staff at Eastside High School. Hes been charged with terroristic threats and acts and is currently being held in the Juvenile Court System.
Oconee County
On Friday morning, deputies were made aware of a student at Malcolm Bridge Elementary School making threats. The threats were deemed not to be credible, and the student was placed in Department of Juvenile Justice custody.
Rome
Nathaniel Peter Kozelle, 17, was arrested and charged with terroristic threats and acts and disrupting the operation of a public school, school bus, or school bus stop after Rome City Schools went on lockdown on Friday.
He was found at his house and arrested. He was booked into the Floyd County Jail.
Roswell
A 14-year-old has been arrested for making a threat against Elkins Pointe Middle School on an anonymous Instagram account. He told investigators he made the post as a joke.
Detectives found a replica pellet gun which had been used in the threat. He was arrested on charges of terroristic threats and acts and domestic terrorism.
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IN OTHER NEWS:
He led Californias COVID-19 response. Now, after 5 years on the job, hes leaving
He helped lead us through COVID-19. Now, hes moving on.
California Secretary of Health and Human Services Mark Ghaly, who took the position in March 2019, is leaving the agency at the end of September.
Ghaly rose to California fame as a fixture of the at-times daily COVID-19 response press conferences held by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The policies, controversial to some, sought to help guide the Golden State through the worst of the pandemic.
In a statement, Newsom thanked Ghaly for his heroic service.
For more than five years at the helm of CalHHS, his visionary and compassionate leadership and unwavering focus on protecting the most vulnerable among us has seen our state through unprecedented challenges and historic victories that improve the lives of Californians, Newsom said in a statement.
Newsoms office pointed out that Ghaly did more than just coordinate the states pandemic response. The secretary also created a master plan on aging, helped overhaul the states behavioral health system (courting further controversy) and more.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, center, joined by Gov. Gavin Newsom and then-Department of Public Health Director Sonia Angell, speaks at a press conference on Feb. 27, 2020, about a patient at UC Davis Medical Center who contracted the coronavirus in Solano County a few weeks before the governor's stay-at-home order.
No reason was given for Ghalys departure, but in a press conference Friday, Newsom said Ghaly was going to spend more time with his children.
At the news conference, Ghaly said that it was really a privilege of a professional career to get to work for this governor, this team, on behalf of 40 million Californians. We went through a lot. I think we achieved a lot, and Im just really proud of all the things weve had a chance to touch and hopefully, moving forward, its just a reminder that California really does lead.
He will be replaced by Kim Johnson of Sacramento, a Democrat, who previously headed the California Department of Social Services.
Kim has been an indispensable partner in delivering foundational services that millions of Californians rely on, bringing decades of experience and expertise in this space, Newsom said in a statement.
Johnsons nomination still must be approved by the Senate, and if she is confirmed will earn a salary of $247,039.
Nicole Nixon contributed to this story.
NEW YORK (PIX11) Attorney JC Polanco discusses the potential legal and political ramifications of the searches done at the home of some of Mayor Eric Adams top aides and officials.
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Officials are investigating the source of the outbreak at an assisted living facility for seniors in Albany
Getty Stock image of a blood sample that tested positive for legionella bacteria.
An outbreak of Legionnaires disease at the Albany, N.Y., assisted living facility, Peregrine Senior Living at Shaker, has left 3 people dead and more than 20 others hospitalized.
According to a statement from the Albany County Department of Health shared with PEOPLE, the "total number of people that had been hospitalized in association with this outbreak since its start is 25; there are currently 11 people associated with this outbreak currently hospitalized; there have not been any new admissions in the last two days."
Legionnaires' disease is caused by exposure to a bacteria known as legionella, according to the Mayo Clinic, which adds that the condition is a severe form of pneumonia.
Most people catch Legionnaires' disease by inhaling the bacteria from water or soil. Older adults, smokers and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to Legionnaires' disease, the outlet explains.
At Peregrine Senior Living at Shaker, the bacteria was found in the water.
"The New York State Health Department and Albany County Department of Health have taken water samples at Peregrine and done testing," officials said in their statement. Legionella bacteria was present in some samples and further testing is being done on those samples. Peregrine has installed water filters so that some showers and bathrooms are available for use."
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Stock image of the Legionella bacteria that causes Legionnaires' Disease
Related: 1 Dead, Multiple Sick From Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak Linked to North Carolina State Fair
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Exposure can come from showers, faucets, or whirlpools, the Mayo Clinic says, adding that water from the ventilation system in a larger building can also be a cause.
The disease is not spread from person to person, however, and as the Albany Department of Health said in its statement, "Legionellosis is NOT contagious and cannot be spread from person to person. It is NOT a communicable disease and there is no threat to the community at-large."
Symptoms start with headache, muscle aches, and a fever that can go as high as 104 but as soon as the second day, those with Legionnaires' disease may be coughing up blood and suffering shortness of breath and chest pain.
Getty Stock image of a steamy shower.
Related: Organ Donor Whose Lungs Had Legionella Bacteria Might Have Caused the Deaths of Two Transplant Patients: CDC
Antibiotics are the usual course of treatment, the Mayo Clinic says, adding that The sooner therapy is started, the less likely the chance of developing serious complications. In many cases, treatment requires hospitalization.
PEOPLE has reached out to Peregrine Senior Living for comment, but Peregrine executive director Kristyn Ganim issued a statement, according to the Associated Press, explaining we have installed advanced water filters in as many locations as possible, including in designated bathing and showering locations.
And according to a statement from Commissioner Maribeth Miller that the Albany Department of Health shared with PEOPLE on Sept. 6, At this time, there are no new confirmed cases or fatalities related to the Legionella outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and resident safety remains the top priority.
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Read the original article on People.
Dont take the bait when the white supremacist founder of a violent group who doesnt want white culture diluted, and a commentator who had been ostracized for his untenable views on pedophilia, visit the University of South Carolina in a couple of weeks. Ignoring or counterprogramming them on Sept. 18 would be a much more powerful statement than giving them the oxygen they want. They arent important enough to deserve our anger.
I know its a catch-22 to confront or pay no heed to hatred. Ive grappled with that very dilemma before and while writing this column. Its why I am only now weighing in on a subject that has caused an uproar at USC for the past couple of weeks. Im not even sure if its the right thing to publish the date of their event (which I am) or their names (which I am not) though those facts are only a quick Google search away.
I understand why thousands of USC students, graduates, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and others have called for the events cancellation. Its likely to be a hate-filled bigoted occasion. The organizers have made that clear in their literature and even addressing journalists with epithets during interviews. They sent me an approval for a press credential that came along with a disgusting, misogynistic term for Vice President Kamala Harris. They are purposefully provocative. Thats how they make their money. The nastier, the better.
But I know that as much as it pains me to say, USC officials are right. They have to allow those speakers on campus. Theres no wiggle room. USC is a public university, where free expression rights are strongest. Thats as it should be, even beyond legal requirements. Free speech must be the default. To undermine that principle because the organizers of this event are noxious would be to set a precedent to deny others. Its just that in other cases, people we like, respect or agree with could be the ones deemed noxious. It could be used to deny pro-Gaza or pro-Israel protests, for instance. Or the university would be able to ban things such as kneeling during the national anthem.
The threat of violence would be the only reasonable basis to deny them the right to put on their event. Given the past affiliation of one of the hosts, thats the closest I could come to thinking of a legitimate reason for USC officials to cancel. But not even that passes muster. There must be a clear and convincing threat of violence in this case, not a vague one. Such a threat simply hasnt materialized.
We dealt with a similar uneasy balance at Davidson College, a private institution where I teach and led efforts to shore up free speech protections. There was a lot of disagreement and even hurt feelings. Theres just no getting around that messy reality in an environment which prides itself on academic excellence, diversity, and bold inquiry and innovation.
Our anger is their fuel. Thats why I recommend ignoring them on the night of their event. Or planning an event to draw as many students and as much attention to the other side of campus as possible. Or driving up I-77 to Davidson to check out my 7 p.m. presentation: From the World of Woke: 2+2+? and the Importance of Language about Vulnerable Groups.
An institution of higher learning must adhere to free speech protections, even in the face of absurdity. It must teach students how to navigate differences in healthy ways, and embrace rather than shrink from challenges. Students should also be taught to understand the difference between real threats, or ginned up ones like whats going to happen on Sept. 18 at USC.
Those two men are simply not worth our time. That a student group invited them is concerning, not because they shouldnt have the right to, but because they thought it a good idea.
Its why Id spend that night and will be doing so in Davidson helping students hone their critical thinking skills. Its better than wasting time on a couple of guys who are unworthy of it.
Issac Bailey is a Davidson College professor and McClatchy opinion writer in North Carolina and South Carolina.
The Libertarian Partys presidential candidate Chase Oliver slammed the evils of the two-party system, arguing it does not give Americans quality voting choices.
I think voters are conditioned, much of it out of fear to pick one side or the other, or the lesser of two evils, Oliver said during his Thursday appearance on NewsNations show The Hill.
But I remind voters, as I travel across the country that when you pick a lesser of two evils, youre still picking evil, he added. And if people you know I hear all the time, oh, I would vote for you, except you wouldnt win.
Do you think they are evil though? NewsNations host Blake Burman then asked in response.
Oliver, who is currently on the ballot in at least 34 states, criticized both the Republican and Democratic parties for contributing to the increase of the national debt and a hawkish foreign policy issues, that in his view, have not been dealt with due to the current two-party make-up.
I think much of what the two-party system provides is an invasive, overly intrusive and abusive state that invades our liberty up and down, you know, from the federal all the way down the most local government, he said on Thursday.
So yeah, we want to fight back against the abuses of government that youre not getting from Republicans and Democrats who continue to bloat the debts, the deficits, the wars around the world using taxpayer dollars, Oliver continued. Theres plenty of evil to find in the Republican and Democratic party that has not been addressed due to the nature of this binary two-party system.
Burman then asked the candidate, who polled at 2 percent in Pennsylvania in the recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll, if he would potentially tip the scales in the key battleground state President Biden won in 2020 by less than 2 percent.
Well, you know, one of the goals of the Libertarian Party is to be a disrupter of the two-party system, Oliver said. And whether its one way or the other, we hope to disrupt this election enough to where voters can be provided more choices on the ballot. And lets change the way we vote. If we had ranked-choice voting, there would be no so-called spoiler effect. But we have to make it hurt the two-party system to give us that.
The White House candidate, who was chosen as the partys candidate in late May, said he is not in favor of helping President Trump or Vice President Harris since none of them will be great presidents.
Either way, I dont feel like were going to have a great commander-in-chief, Oliver said. I dont feel like were gonna have a great leader. So really, its two sides of a terrible coin. I dont have a preference one way or the other.
The Hill is owned by Nexstar Media which also owns NewsNation.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A sign announces that a new medical marijuana dispensary will open soon. Oklahoma's regulatory agency faces claims of a backlog in license renewals for business owners. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY After over a year of waiting on the states regulatory agency to approve his ownership of a medical marijuana grow, Kyle King said his license was finally approved two days after his story was publicized by Oklahoma Voice.
King, and others within the medical marijuana industry, spoke with Oklahoma Voice about a backlog of licensing renewals at the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, or OMMA.
OMMA pushed back against claims of a backlog and said in a statement that the agency is in compliance with state law and has renewed 90% of licenses within the required 90 business days.
Since they were able to get me taken care of so quickly, I hope that they can do the same for others and this opens up the conversation between OMMA and business owners for a better path forward, King said.
He said that while hes excited his ownership is official now, he is rushing to gather the money to pay the OMMA renewal fees.
Jed Green, director of Oklahomans for Responsible Cannabis Action, said hes seen an uptick in renewals recently, but said the backlog still exists.
Its good to see Kyle get immediate resolution However, we still have a tremendous backlog of license renewals and transfers that is stifling our businesses ability to operate, he said.
Felina Rivera, who manages and owns Renaissance Legal Solutions based in Oklahoma City, previously said her firm was lucky to have 30% to 40% of clients receive license renewals on time.
Rivera said two more clients recently received license renewals, but was unsure if the timing was related to the Oklahoma Voice story.
The primary issue we see with OMMA beyond being slow to approve license renewals is an inability to get information, even when a licensee is at risk of losing their business, Rivera said.
She said that her clients are met with constant resistance to producing records and the lack of transparency is infringing on a licensees constitutional right to maintain a business as property.
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BALTIMORE A recent statewide poll found that a majority of likely Marylander voters, about 58%, prefer strict juvenile justice laws over lenient ones, which secured roughly 34% support.
That majority preference persisted among Democrats, Republicans, white respondents, Black respondents and each age group and remain largely unchanged from last year.
The poll results, released this week, come as juvenile justice reform remains a hot topic in Maryland, and on the heels of some changes approved in the spring legislative session. The poll question did not delve into specifics about state laws or policies, however, and some questioned whether its framing sufficiently captured the nature of ongoing debates.
The question posits a choice between harshness and leniency that makes reformers and researchers look like clowns. Everyone believes in accountability. The question is how best to achieve it, said Josh Rovner, the director of youth justice at The Sentencing Project, an advocacy group seeking a more equitable criminal justice system.
Rovner said it would be a legitimate public policy question to ask voters or residents whether they think the justice system is too lenient or too harsh and whether it is effective or ineffective. But the most essential question, he said, would be whether policies and programs in place actually work.
If we care about public safety, we should care about what works, not about what ones gut instinct says should work, Rovner said.
Others cheered the polls finding, saying it confirmed what residents have said since the pandemic. Baltimore States Attorney Ivan Bates, who helped lead the charge for reforms in the spring, said the results echo what I hear in every corner of our city.
Now more than ever, residents have been touched by crime. It may not be a violent crime, but theyve been robbed or had their car stolen, or their neighbor or someone else they know has, Bates said in an email. In many of these instances, the culprits were either juveniles or identified as juveniles, leaving the victims with little to no information and even less recourse.
Bates said he was dedicated to striking the right balance between ensuring accountability for young people, ensuring they receive resources to become productive members of our city and ensuring justice for any victims.
Patrick E. Gonzales, with Gonzales Research & Media Services, did not respond to a request Thursday for comment about the criticisms of the question. He also did not say whether he had been paid by any entity to pose the question. Gonzales Research has a long history of regular polling in Maryland, and estimates having polled and analyzed thousands of elections here and across the country over the past 40 years.
The juvenile justice system in the country is similar in some ways to the adult criminal system but operates under the guiding principle that youth are different from adults. The juvenile system seeks to rehabilitate young people, offering treatment as a standard part of the conclusion of charges and seeking to help them avoid future delinquency.
The Maryland General Assembly, earlier this year, passed a sweeping bill aimed at the juvenile system. Among other things, the bill requires clearer communication with police and prosecutors by the states Department of Juvenile Services, creates new services for young children accused of car theft and codifies a state program called Thrive that seeks to help youth most likely of becoming victims or perpetrators of gun violence.
The legislation, signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore despite a call for him to veto it, also expands the charges a child who is between 10 and 12 years old can face. Those charges now include some firearms offenses, aggravated animal cruelty and third-degree sex offenses, in addition to the preexisting crimes of violence.
The poll question asked by Gonzales Research did not delve into those recent reforms or specific aspects of existing juvenile justice law. It asked respondents whether they preferred strict laws, like detention and boot camps that hold individuals responsible and accountable for their behavior or lenient ones, including social programs and counseling, that recognize society is responsible for much of this behavior.
Marylands boot camps for juveniles were closed in 1999 because guards were beating teens, some while they were handcuffed and shackled; the state in 2001 paid out more than $4 million to 900 of those young people. The National Institute of Justice, a part of the U.S. Department of Justice, rates juvenile boot camps as having no effects on the likelihood of participants recidivism.
Meanwhile, Marylands system regularly detains young people and commits them, the term for when someone is held after the conclusion of their delinquency matter.
In fiscal year 2023, the most recent for which data is available, the average daily population in youth detention in Maryland was 212 young people, a figure that includes youth charged as adults.
Of the 588 young people who were detained before the disposition of their cases in fiscal year 2023, nearly 47% were assessed as low-risk. The state agency reported 90.2% of those detained before their case dispositions were youth of color.
In the same time period, the average daily population in committed residential facilities was 139 people.
Marylands system also regularly employs counseling, like systems across the country. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been found to effectively reduce aggression in young people, and multisystemic therapy reduces recidivism, according to the National Institute of Justice.
The Department of Juvenile Services declined to comment on the poll. The agency, under Secretary Vincent Schiraldi, defines its mission as transforming young peoples lives, creating safer communities and forming more equitable systems. It strives to, with community-based partners, hold youth accountable while building on their strengths and support systems.
Rovner said the definition of a harsh system should be about how often youth are detained or committed and how often they are charged as if they are adults, not whether they are detained or committed at all.
Under that framework, Maryland would be viewed as harsh in sending young people to the adult system based on the alleged offense. There are 33 charges that, under state law, automatically send kids to the adult system, Rovner said, and in no way is that typical.
A separate nationwide poll released in December found Americans were evenly split on whether teens who commit violence should be treated the same as adults or given more lenient treatment in juvenile courts. That Gallup polls 46-47 split, respectively, marked a shift from two decades ago when 65% thought teen offenders should be treated like they were adults.
The Maryland poll by Gonzales was delivered to 820 likely Maryland voters from Aug. 24 through Aug. 30. It found a jump in approval ratings for Moore and Vice President Kamala Harris and a lead for Democrat Angela Alsobrooks over Republican Larry Hogan in their race for the U.S. Senate.
In the polls appendix, responses to the juvenile justice question were further broken out by demographics. Republicans favored strict laws at an 82.2% rate, while Democrats did at a 51.7% rate. Of those, Black Democrats favored strict laws at a 63% rate, while white Democrats did at a 35.3% rate.
The poll also highlighted differences within the population of Black respondents. Of the 247-person pool, 79.1% of Black men favored strict laws, while 53.2% of Black women did. In the same pool, 19.8% of Black men favored lenient laws, compared to 46.8% of Black women. (The same breakdown by race and gender was not provided for white respondents.)
Geographically, the Washington D.C. suburbs were the least supportive of strict laws and the most supportive of lenient laws. In Baltimore City, 67.2% of respondents favored strict and 28.4% favored lenient.
Heather Warnken, executive director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform at the University of Baltimore School of Law, said its important to phrase poll questions in a way that results in data that informs conversations in a meaningful way.
Here, she said, the wording absolutely could have been leading, by pitting strict laws against lenient ones and she cautioned there could be harm in conflating strict laws with effective ones, without first reviewing years worth of research about effective strategies.
I think its really important that were hearing loud and clear from polls like this that people want public safety to be taken seriously, and they want solutions that are effective, Warnken said. Thats not the same thing as making them strict or punitive.
Bates, in his email response to questions, said young people pose a unique challenge within the justice system. Accountability for young people, he said, doesnt only mean incarceration.
It also involves offering these young offenders a path to rehabilitation through DJS programming, Bates said. Ultimately, my focus is and will always be on the trauma inflicted upon our communities and the victims of crime in Baltimore, ensuring they receive the justice, care, and respect they deserve.
Marylands juvenile justice laws are a work in progress, Bates said. He argued recent changes need to be adeqeuately assessed over time, before any necessary adjustments.
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) Suncrest Elementary School in Monongalia County has been awarded a $50,000 grant aimed at helping reluctant young readers.
The grant was awarded by the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative (WVPEC) and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and will be used for the Building Bridges to Literacy project, in which a library collection aimed at more hesitant readers will be introduced.
The grant will also be used to create a digital library of resources for families and educators to further support these students.
The funding comes as the West Virginia University housed WVPEC invested $264,000 in six statewide literacy projects focused on improving reading, writing and oral language skills in young learners. The main goal of the project is to address a concerning trend of low reading motivation among early readers as identified by literacy experts according to a press release from Monongalia County Schools.
Library Media Specialist at Suncrest Charlotte Chung expressed the importance of school libraries and how having a wide range of books can encourage and help students educationally as well as personally.
School libraries are vital to engaging and motivating even the most reluctant readers, as they are a space where students are empowered to choose their own books based on individual interest, Chung said.
School libraries are also spaces where students can inquire, include, collaborate, curate, explore, and engage with one another. It is therefore no surprise that studies have consistently linked strong library programs with positive student achievement.
Monongalia County students receive YONDR pouches as part of smartphone-free policy
Suncrest Elementary Principal Rosetta Le also expressed her excitement.
As an avid reader and a lover of libraries I am thrilled about the opportunities this grant presents! Le said. It will not only be used to improve our library collection but also to create a warm, inclusive, inviting space for our Suncrest families and community.
The University of Pittsburghs School of Computing and Information will also assist with this project.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
Lithuania will allocate 10 million euros ($11 million) to buy new Ukrainian-made Palianytsia missile-drones for Kyiv, former Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin said on Sept. 6 after the meeting of Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) in Germany.
Ukraine developed Palianytsia in order to respond to Russian attacks with its own domestically produced long-range weapons. The first successful use of Palianytsia was confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in late August.
Ukraines Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov told the Associated Press (AP) on Aug. 27 that the production of one missile-drone costs less than $1 million.
The announcement follows aid pledges made by the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Germany and Ukraine's other allies during the Ramstein summit, which Zelensky attended in person.
"We presented the production capabilities of our defense industry and asked our partners to buy more weapons from our Ukrainian manufacturers," Kamyshin said.
Denmark became the first country to offer to donate arms to Ukraine via direct purchases from the Ukrainian defense industry, as Kyiv's defense budget does not match the capacities of domestic weapons production.
In June, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that the first donation of 18 Ukrainian-made Bohdana artillery pieces financed by Copenhagen will be delivered within the coming months.
Read also: Everything we know about Ukraines new Palianytsia missile-drone
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Lithuania to provide Ukraine with 10 million for purchase of Palianytsia missile drones
Ukraine will receive 10 million from Lithuania for the purchase of Ukrainian-produced Palianytsia missile drones.
Source: Oleksandr Kamyshin following a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at the Ramstein military base
Quote: "We received a new confirmation from the Lithuanian defence minister on the allocation of 10 million for the purchase of the Ukrainian Palianytsia drone missile," he said.
Background:
President Volodymyr Zelemskyy reported that on 24 August, the Ukrainian army had attacked the Russian army for the first time with a new weapon, the Palianytsia drone missile.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine's new weapons solutions, including the Palianytsia drone missile, the first use of which he had announced earlier, were a real way for Ukraine to act while its partners were "slowing down" in making decisions.
The development of the Ukrainian long-range drone missile Palianytsia was completed in eighteen months, with several dozen Russian military air bases falling within its range.
In August 2024, the Ukrainian defence forces used the Ukrainian long-range Palianytsia drone missile against a military target in the territory of the Crimean peninsula temporarily occupied by Russia for the first time.
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Litman: Will Trump ever be tried for Jan. 6? Here's the answer that emerged from the latest hearing
Much remained uncertain after Thursdays hearing on how to proceed with the federal Jan. 6 case against Donald Trump following the Supreme Courts immunity ruling . But one point seemed clear: Its not going to trial anytime soon.
The parties and U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed that, as the judge put it, the issue of immunity will stop these proceedings once again.
The judges forlorn prediction is a safe one given the Supreme Courts Delphic opinion and the Justice Departments subsequent superseding indictment in the case.
Read more: Column: Lock him up? Donald Trump's crimes present a challenge for Kamala Harris' campaign
The new indictment, filed by special counsel Jack Smith last week, excises much of the evidence that the Supreme Court barred from being raised because it relates to conduct that enjoys absolute immunity. In particular, it deletes an entire chapter involving Trumps effort to get the Department of Justice to falsely tell Georgia officials that it had detected fraud in the states vote, which Joe Biden won narrowly. The superseding indictment also omits evidence involving Trumps discussions with the staff of the White House counsels office.
Smiths team recast the indictment as a narrative about Trump the candidate a private citizen not draped in any official authority. But the government opted to retain some crucial evidence from Trumps interactions with subordinates, namely his vicious browbeating of Vice President Mike Pence in an effort to get him to block electoral votes for Biden on Jan. 6, 2021. The special counsel must have concluded that the evidence was so important that he was ready to accept the risk and delay that come with further Supreme Court review.
Read more: Litman: Aileen Cannon's ruling isn't just legally flawed. It has nothing to do with the law
The justices opinion clearly regards discussions between the president and vice president as presumptively immune. Smith can overcome that presumption by showing that such evidence would not infringe, in the courts words, on the authority and functions of the executive branch.
What that means in practical terms is anybodys guess. So is the critical question of burden of proof whether Smith must show the case wont intrude on executive authority by a preponderance of the evidence, for example, or beyond a reasonable doubt. The court doesnt say, leaving those questions for Chutkan to answer, with a high risk of reversal if she guesses wrong. Trump lawyer John Lauros sardonic aside that the courts direction was clear provoked laughter in the courtroom.
The Justice Department is presumably relying on a hint dropped in the immunity opinion by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. as to whether interactions between Trump and Pence concern the authority and functions of the executive branch. Roberts noted Pences dual constitutional role as both an executive official and the Senate president. Pence presided over a joint session of Congress to certify the election on Jan. 6, 2021, acting in a legislative rather than executive capacity.
But the courts hint was far short of an assurance. The most damning conversations between Trump and Pence took place in the Oval Office before the congressional proceeding. Smith will have to argue that scrutinizing those nasty tete-a-tetes would not infringe on executive authority.
Even if Chutkan agrees, the question will likely necessitate a trip back to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit as well as the Supreme Court. Lauro, for his part, made it clear that Trumps team will argue that the presentation of evidence of the Pence-Trump discussions to the latest grand jury requires dismissal of the charges under the Supreme Courts opinion.
Given that the Pence evidence is just the first of many headaches the justices bequeathed to Chutkan, the government argued that the district judge should decide all the immunity questions first. That would mean just one more appellate interruption in the case rather than a series of trips through the federal courts to decide separate immunity issues.
Lauro argued that Chutkan should first resolve basic objections to the superseding indictment, including a new defense argument picking up on U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannons dismissal of the classified documents case. Chutkan responded that she didnt find Cannons ruling that the special counsel was improperly appointed particularly persuasive an understatement of the consensus that it was wildly off base.
Chutkan seemed unlikely to accept Trumps invitation to handle other arguments first, saying, Immunity is the linchpin here. She also rejected Lauros argument that the superseding indictment amounts to a completely new case, saying, Its not more stuff, its less.
Lauro eventually acknowledged Trumps political motivations, arguing that the immunity issue shouldnt be considered at this sensitive time that is, before the election. We are talking about the presidency of the United States, Trumps attorney protested
Chutkan had a ready response: Im not talking about the presidency. Im talking about a four-count indictment.
In an order later Thursday, the judge set deadlines for filings on immunity and other issues through the end of October, largely rejecting the defense's efforts to slow the case further. That will bring the pretrial proceedings to the eve of the election.
Chutkans frustration was evident when she ended the hearing by noting that it would be an exercise in futility to set a new trial date only to be interrupted by further appeals.
The upshot for what was once the most important and likely attempt to bring Trump to justice is discouraging. Thanks to the nations highest court, a trial many observers hoped to see unfold before the election is not likely to happen until 2026 or later if it takes place at all.
Harry Litman is the host of the Talking Feds podcast and the Talking San Diego speaker series. @harrylitman
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Little Rock awarded $25 million by USDOT for road safety improvements
Little Rock awarded $25 million by USDOT for road safety improvements
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Little Rock roads are set to see some safety improvements after receiving $25 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
With help from the Little Rock Safe Streets for All project, city officials are looking to implement new safety measures, like bicycle lanes and roundabouts.
Arkansas to get more than $32 million in federal grant to improve roads, Little Rock awarded $25 million
The citys local road safety plan noted pedestrians accounted for 31% of roadway deaths in Little Rock, a statistic this plan aims to address.
Officials said Metroplan worked with the city to develop this plan. Metroplan Executive Director Casey Covington said there are specific spots that the plan is looking to address.
Particularly places where individuals were unfortunately either being killed or being seriously injured due to accidents with motor vehicles, Covington said.
City officials said the plan aims to improve safety in areas like University Avenue and John Barrow Road.
John Barrow Road (Carti Way to 36th Street)
Woodrow Street & 12th Street Intersection
University Avenue (Markham Street to Interstate 630)
University Avenue (Berkshire Drive to Asher Avenue)
University Avenue (Colonel Glenn Road/Asher Avenue to Forbing Road)
Chicot Road (Azalea Drive to Mabelvale Cut-Off)
Geyer Springs Road (Forbing Road to Baseline Road)
Little Rock resident Jerome Butler said crossing the street at Woodrow and 12th can be dangerous.
Nine times out of ten you will get hit if youre not paying attention, Butler said.
Two Arkansas highways among most-hated in America
USDOT officials said that more than $2 million will be granted for seven other safety planning and demonstration projects around Arkansas.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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(Bloomberg) -- The federal judge who recently found that Google illegally monopolized the search market said he wants to deliver a decision on remedies by August.
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Judge Amit Mehta pushed back on the governments request to give it more time to share with the Alphabet Inc. unit its proposed recommendations for bringing competition back to the market. He asked at a hearing Friday in Washington that the Justice Department file its proposed remedies by the end of the year to give Google a fair chance to respond.
Google needs to know precisely what plaintiffs want. That needs to be both precise and detailed, Mehta said.
After a 10-week trial, Mehta concluded in August that Google blocked out competition through exclusive deals that involved $26 billion in payments mostly to Apple Inc. to make its search engine the default on smartphones and web browsers. Those distribution agreements allowed Google to corner the market and keep raising prices for online advertising, Mehta said.
Google has said it plans to appeal the decision.
The Justice Department had asked Mehta to file suggestions for remedies in February after it could gather more facts. Its proposed schedule stretches into April when it requested an evidentiary hearing.
David Dahlquist, a Justice Department attorney, said during the hearing that the government wants to find out how Google plans to incorporate artificial intelligence into its search engine and what the company has done with its distribution contracts.
John Schmidtlein, an attorney for Google, said the company would likely seek information on Microsoft Corp. and OpenAI. Google earlier offered to submit its proposed remedies on Oct. 11 and asked that the Justice Department be required to file its recommendations on Sept. 20.
Mehta has given the parties until next Friday to come up with a proposed schedule for the remedies trial.
Its unclear which remedies the government will seek. Bloomberg previously reported that the Justice Department is weighing whether to recommend a breakup of Google, which would mark the first attempt to dismantle a company for monopolization since its failure to break apart Microsoft two decades ago. If the judge approves of a breakup, it would be the biggest of a US company since the dismantling of AT&T in the 1980s.
Story continues
The government is likely to ask for a ban on the types of exclusive contracts that were featured in the trial. It could also ask for less severe measures than a breakup, including a requirement for Google to share more data with competitors.
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Live from Kyiv: Ukranian professor and daughter to speak to Tri-Citians about the war
I am Alex Biryukov, a professor of international law at the National University of Kyiv, Ukraine. With my daughter, Margarita, who is a humanitarian land mine action policy expert, we will speak to the Columbia Basin Badger Club in a virtual forum from our apartment in Kyiv at noon, Sept. 12.
The forum provides me with another opportunity for us as Ukrainians to express our enduring gratitude to Americans, who from the first moment of this war remain the biggest supporters in this nations fight for democratic values and our continued existence as a nation.
I believe that without your support, Ukraine would not exist.
In April last year, I spoke to the Badger Club at the invitation of C. Mark Smith, chairman of the clubs program committee, whom I met 28 years ago in Birmingham, Ala. Mark was responsible for Birminghams sister city relationship with Krasnodon in Luhansk Province, now temporarily occupied by Russia.
We will provide you with an update on what has happened since last year in this war that has now gone on for 2 1/2 years. Our family has remained in Kyiv since that first moment of Russian military invasion.
There is still a curfew in Ukraine, and every day and night air raid sirens announce incoming Russian missile and drone attacks. We try to live, work and help our armed forces to stop this invasion.
Margarita will talk about her work for an international organization removing land mines and providing humanitarian aid to our civilian population. We will be happy to try to answer your questions.
Russias aggression is not only a war against the largest independent state in Europe, it also has all of the features of state terrorism directed by the leadership of Russia.
They have destroyed half of all the energy facilities in Ukraine, more than 500 churches, hundreds of schools, universities and medical facilities. They continue every day and night.
We are thankful to America and the European Union in our fight against this violation of international law and order.
You can register for this event, which will include a Q&A session, at columbiabasinbadgers.com to receive a confirmation and links to join the Zoom forum and a half-hour Table Talk open-mic session afterward.
Cost is $5 for nonmembers, while club members can join for free.
Alex Biryukov teaches private international law at the Institute of International Relations at the National University of Kyiv. Margarita Biryukova works in the mine action sector in Ukraine and has worked for the International Criminal Court, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the National Democratic Institute.
Former President Donald Trump focused on rising crime and unchecked illegal immigration while in Charlotte Friday to formally accept the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police.
The Republican presidential nominee, speaking at the Hilton Charlotte University Place hotel, accused Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, of presiding over an increase in violence during her time in the White House. He pledged to crack down on gangs, drug cartels and undocumented immigrants accused of crimes if reelected.
In many ways were a third world country, he said. When I am president of the United States, we are not going to take it anymore.
Fraternal Order of Police National Vice President Joe Gamaldi told The Charlotte Observer Trumps speech was exactly what FOP members wanted to hear.
It was refreshing to hear a leader in our country say he wants to fund our police departments, he said. Weve had to suffer through the defund-the-police movement. Weve had to suffer through the revolving door criminal justice system, and weve had to suffer through the worst war on cops that weve seen in a generation.
Data show a more complicated picture of how crime rates have fared during the Biden-Harris administration. Violent crime is decreasing nationwide. But Charlottes reported more homicides in 2024, sparking concern among local lawmakers.
Trump repeated other familiar refrains during his nearly hourlong address, including personal attacks on President Joe Biden and insults about the current presidents golf game.
He called a North Carolina appeals courts Friday decision in Robert Kennedy, Jr.s suit to be removed from the states ballots a victory. That decision, though, means absentee by mail ballots are temporarily halted from being sent to voters. The ballots already have Kennedys name on them.
It was Trumps fourth campaign visit to the state since President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign on July 21. North Carolina is seen as a battleground state, with four recent polls showing Trump leading Harris by just one point.
Below are live updates about Trumps visit to Charlotte, with the most recent at the top.
Former President Donald Trump acknowledges before his remarks to the Fraternal Order of Police in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Speech ends
5:34 p.m. Trump spoke for a little less than an hour on a range of topics. He left the stage to the song YMCA by the Village People and chants of Trump.
Trump on mandatory minimum sentences
5:32 p.m. After listing crimes allegedly committed by undocumented immigrants, Trump said he will liberate an America thats been taken over if reelected.
Theyre taking over, he said. We are being conquered.
Trump said he supports a mandatory minimum of 20 years for undocumented people who commit certain crimes. He said the immigrants home counties will pay for the cost through tariffs and cutting off foreign aid.
Trump said hell sign an executive order on day one calling for the elimination of drug cartels. He also claimed he worked out a deal with the Chinese president that China would sentence fentanyl dealers to death.
Trump swings from defund the police to golf
Former President Donald Trump gives remarks to the Fraternal Order of Police in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday, September 6, 2024.
5:23 p.m. Trump said Harris endorsed defunding the police, and he referencing riots that occurred after the 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Trump claimed Democrats fear law enforcement.
Theyre afraid of the badge. Theyre afraid of you people, he told the crowd.
He then asked the crowd which nickname they like better, sleepy Joe or crooked Joe, and then criticized President Joe Biden for being photographed so much on the beach.
Trump revisited his brief exchange about golf during his lone debate with Biden during the 2024 election. He joked with the FOP crowd about Bidens golf game.
Former President Donald Trump speaks during the Fraternal Order of Police in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Trump talks about crime, homelessness trends
5 p.m. Trump said crime and homelessness are on the rise in major U.S. cities such as San Francisco, Baltimore and New York City.
In many ways were a third world country, he said. When I am president of the United States, we are not going to take it anymore.
Data show violent crime is decreasing nationwide. But some cities, including Charlotte, have reported more homicides in 2024.
A 2023 report also said that the number of people experiencing homelessness in Mecklenburg County increased by 11% from June 2022 to June 2023.
Trump said if reelected he would launch a national task force targeting gangs and organized crime.
He also said he supports a strong death penalty for anyone who kills a police officer.
Former President Donald Trump gives remarks to the Fraternal Order of Police in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Trump praises NC appeals court ruling
4:50 p.m. Trump praised a North Carolina Court of Appeals decision in Robert Kennedy, Jr.s suit to be removed from the states ballots. In an order released Friday, the court granted Kennedys petition to pause a decision from a lower court on Thursday, which had denied his request to be removed from the ballot.
The courts decision will force the state to miss its Sept. 6 deadline for sending out absentee ballots. The State Board of Elections has directed county boards of elections not to send out any ballots and hold them until further notice.
The former president touted Kennedys endorsement of the Trump campaign and said he expects to pick up votes from his supporters.
Hes an incredible team player, Trump said of Kennedy.
Trump repeated his past false claims of voter fraud, saying he will win the election if Republicans can minimize Democrats cheating.
They cheat like hell, he said.
Extensive research shows voter fraud is uncommon in the U.S.
Trump takes the stage
4:42 p.m. Trump started speaking after a standing ovation backed by Lee Greenwoods God Bless the USA.
He was introduced by Patrick Yoes, national president of the Fraternal Order of the Police. Yoes told the crowd about the organizations endorsement of Trump and that the former president stood with police when it wasnt politically advantageous.
Trump started by saying that as the president he would always back the blue.
Former President Donald Trump gives remarks to the Fraternal Order of Police in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Trump appearance delayed
4:30 p.m. The audience gathered for Trumps address continued to wait for his arrival.
The former president was scheduled to be introduced at 3:45 p.m. and take the stage at 4 p.m. Those in the ballroom chatted among themselves and listened to an eclectic playlist over the ballrooms speakers.
Quiet atmosphere at university-area venue
Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak Friday at a university-area hotel in Charlotte during a Fraternal Order of Police meeting.
2:33 p.m. It was uncharacteristically quiet outside the venue for Trumps speech about two hours before the former president was scheduled to arrive.
Trumps rallies often feature a tailgate-like atmosphere outside, with attendees sitting for hours in lawn chairs and vendors selling T-shirts, hats and other merchandise. But only media and security milled about outside the Hilton Charlotte University Place Friday afternoon.
A lone Trump-Vance sign flew at the entrance to the hotel property. Inside the hotel lobby, law enforcement officers mingled.
Melanie Lanier, a FOP trustee from Alabama, said she was excited to hear Trump speak about immigration and the economy.
Lanier said Trump is a better ally than Harris to law enforcement officers and she is excited to vote for him in November.
The most important for us is not taxing social security, she said. I could not in good conscience vote for the other one.
FOP endorses Donald Trump
2:02 p.m. The FOP officially endorsed Trump for president hours ahead of his speech in Charlotte.
The police labor organization chooses a candidate to endorse based on votes from trustees belonging to each of the 46 state chapters, according to a news release. National trustees cast their votes at the national board meeting, and a candidate wins if they receive two-thirds of the votes.
During his first term, President Trump made it clear he supported law enforcement and border security, said Yoes, the FOP national president. In the summer of 2020, he stood with us when very few would. With his help, we defeated the defund the police movement and, finally, we are seeing crime rates decrease. If we want to maintain these lower crime rates, we must re-elect Donald Trump.
Trump also received the endorsement in 2016 and 2020.
Former President Donald Trump gives remarks to the Fraternal Order of Police in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Democrats put up billboards ahead of Trump visit
Democrats on Thursday launched a billboard campaign and gathered law enforcement officers for a news conference ahead of Trumps speech to the Fraternal Order of Police.
The billboards will go in six locations around Charlotte. They call Trump a convicted felon, highlight the number of police officers injured in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and attempt to tie Trump to the controversial Project 2025.
A New York jury found Trump guilty of 34 charges in May in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election, and he said earlier this year he would free people convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6 attack if elected.
The former president and current Republican nominee has tried to distance himself from the Project 2025 Presidential Transition Plan, which was developed by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank. But a CNN investigation found nearly 240 people with ties to both Project 2025 and the former president, including at least 140 people who worked in his administration.
Law enforcement officers in the Thursday news conference criticized Trump for his role in the U.S. Capitol insurrection and his numerous felony charges.
Trump is going to stand in front of the Fraternal Order of Police, the FOP, and lie. Hes going to tell my fellow officers that hes their ally, hes their friend, and hes (the candidate) of law and order, said Harry Dunn who was a police officer during the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. Well, after what I experienced on January 6th, I can assure you that he is not.
Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said his top priority is maintaining safety and security in his community, and Trump will only hinder those efforts. Birkhead also criticized the Trump administration for its proposal to cut millions of dollars in local law enforcement funding in 2021.
I-85 closures planned during Trump visit
This screenshot of N.C. Department of Transportation camera footage shows traffic stopped in one direction on I-85 near the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport before former President Donald Trumps arrival for a speech to the Fraternal Order of Police in the university area.
Interstate 85 in Charlotte will close for unspecified periods of time between 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m when Trump flies to the city on Friday, police said.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said travel will be affected around Charlotte Douglas International Airport and in north Charlotte and that road closures will happen at varying times.
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.
Former House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney gave the political world a jolt this week when the former Wyoming congresswoman announced, 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.
Two days later, as NBC News reported, she made clear that shes not the only former member of Congress named Cheney whos backing the Democratic presidential ticket this year.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney will cast his ballot for Vice President Kamala Harris, his daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney, said during an interview on Friday. Both Cheneys are Republicans, and the elder served under President George W. Bush. The younger Cheney has become one of former President Donald Trumps most prominent conservative critics.
Asked at the Texas Tribune Festival whether she knew who her father would vote for, the former GOP leader replied, Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris.
She added, If you think about the moment that were in, and you think about how serious this moment is, my dad believes and hes said publicly that theres never been an individual in our country who is as grave a threat to our democracy as Donald Trump is and thats the moment that were facing.
Soon after, Dick Cheney issued a written statement confirming that he is, in fact, supporting the Democratic nominee.
When the Republicans for Harris rollout began in earnest a month ago, the effort featured some fairly prominent names, including former GOP governors, members of Congress and even Republicans who served on Trumps White House team. In the days and weeks that followed, the list of Republicans backing the Democratic vice president continued to grow.
The idea, however, that Harris would receive the backing of a former GOP vice president is another matter entirely.
I cant help but imagine a scenario in which I had access to a time machine, and I went back 20 years. Id try to convince the 2004 version of myself that Dick Cheney a hawkish, lifelong conservative Republican, known for his unrelenting partisanship and proudly telling a Senate Democratic leader, Go f--- yourself was backing the Democratic presidential ticket in 2024.
I wouldnt believe it for a second. And yet, here we are.
These latest developments come two years after the former vice president issued a minute-long, direct-to-camera commercial in which he was unexpectedly unreserved in his condemnation of the former president.
In our nations 246-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump, the Wyoming Republican said in the ad.
He added, [Trump] tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He is a coward. A real man wouldnt lie to his supporters. He lost his election and he lost big. I know it, he knows it, and deep down I think most Republicans know it.
Two years later, hes apparently taking the next step and voting for Trumps opponent.
Will other Republicans be inspired to follow the Cheney familys lead? Watch this space.
This post updates our related earlier coverage.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Liz Cheney, a former Republican congresswoman who became one of former President Donald Trumps harshest critics, has formally endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president. The endorsement is the latest move by Cheney to oppose Trump and adds to a growing list of Republican defections away from Trump in this election.
Ill be voting for Kamala Harris
Cheney declared her support for Harris Wednesday evening during an appearance at Duke University. Speaking at an event by the universitys Sanford School of Public Policy, Cheney told the audience that as a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this. Telling the crowd that she didnt believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates names in this close election, Cheney announced that she would not be voting for Donald Trump, and she said, I will be voting for Kamala Harris.
Liz Cheney: I don't believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates namesAs a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about thisI'll be voting for Kamala Harris#RepublicansForHarrispic.twitter.com/5bidyKmlJD Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 5, 2024
Cheney cited the Jan. 6 insurrection, noting how Trump egged on his supporters who stormed the Capitol and how he refused for hours to issue a message to call them off. Cheney condemned the pure depravity of Trump and declared him a man who can never again be entrusted with power of any kind.
.@Liz_Cheney: The pure depravitywatching this violent assault that hes instigated, watching people in his name assault our democracy, attack policeAnd he refuses for over three hours to tell the mob to leave. Thats a man who can never again be entrusted with power. pic.twitter.com/cFZ0ILXOEb Republican Voters Against Trump (@AccountableGOP) September 5, 2024
Republican opposition to Trump grows
Cheney, who is also the daughter of former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney, represented Wyomings only congressional district from 2017 to 2023. From 2019 to 2021, she served as House Republican Conference chair, the third-highest Republican in the House of Representatives. Liz Cheney split with Trump after Jan. 6, supporting his second impeachment; she was removed from her leadership role by House Republicans as a result of this stance. Shortly thereafter, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., appointed Cheney to the United States House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 Attack, for which Cheney served as vice chair.
Friday, she confirmed that her father will be voting for Harris as well.
Cheneys opposition to Trump puts her on a growing list of Republicans who are not supporting the former president as he seeks to be elected for a second term. On Tuesday, Jimmy McCain, the youngest son of late Republican Sen. John McCain, endorsed Harris over Trump, as did several Republican officials at the recent Democratic National Convention and over 200 Republican staffers of past GOP presidential nominees who signed an open letter in support of Harris.
As the presidential race remains close, these cross-party endorsements could sway undecided voters and potentially shift results in key states. The Harris campaign has welcomed Cheneys remarks and, given the recent trend, may expect more Republicans to cross the aisle and endorse Harris during this election cycle.
Liz Cheney has advice for Kamala Harris for her debate next week: Let Trump be Trump.
The former Republican Wyoming representative spoke with Atlantic writer Mark Leibovich in Texas on Friday, following her endorsement of Harris for president this week. In her conversation, she shared words of wisdom for Harrisand a brutally honest condemnation of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.
When asked how Harris should approach Tuesdays presidential debate against Trump, Cheney responded by saying that Harris should relish the fact that this is an opportunity [where] Donald Trump gets to show the American people who he is. And who he is, in her words, is a misogynistic pig.
This is my diplomatic way of saying it: Theyre misogynistic pigs, Cheney said, speaking of Vance and Trump as the audience erupted in applause. I think that will become clear.
.@Liz_Cheney on Donald Trump and JD Vance: "This is my diplomatic way of saying it; they're misogynistic pigs." #TribFest24 pic.twitter.com/tsRFvH18x9 CSPAN (@cspan) September 6, 2024
Look at what J.D. Vance says on almost a daily basis about women; that guys got a real women problem, Cheney added. I dont know what it is, and I dont want to psychoanalyze him, and theres a lot of eyeliner jokes to be made in there
Women in this country have had enough, said Cheney, who urged Harris to focus on substance and policy during ABCs upcoming debate against the former president, while also getting in a few quips about Vances weirdness.*
In the same presser, Cheney shared a shocking piece of news: Her father also plans to vote for Harris this November.
If you listen to what [Vance] says about women and you look at what Donald Trump and what Donald Trump has done and what he says about womenthese are not people we can entrust with power again.
* This article originally misstated the network on which the debate will air.
Liz Cheney says Dick Cheney will vote for Kamala Harris, and she will support Democrat Colin Allred in Texas Senate race
Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, (R-Wyoming) speaks with Mark Leibovich, staff writer at The Atlantic, during a one-on-one conversation about democracy at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 6, 2024. Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune
Former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney will vote for Kamala Harris, his daughter Liz Cheney, a former U.S. representative, said at The Texas Tribune Festival on Friday.
Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, also endorsed Democrat Colin Allred in his race to beat Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.
Liz Cheney endorsed Harris earlier this week at Duke University. She has been one of Donald Trump's chief critics, calling the former Republican unfit for office since the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris, she said of her father, who served as vice president under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. If you think about the moment were in, and you think about how serious this moment is, my dad believes and he said publicly there has never been an individual in our country who is as grave a threat to our democracy as Donald Trump is.
The former vice president confirmed the news in a statement.
"In our nation's 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump. He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again," he said. "As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris."
Since losing her House seat, Liz Cheney has worked to beat back election denialism in the Republican Party, in some instances supporting Democrats.
One of the most important things we need to do as a country as we begin to rebuild our politics is we need to elect serious people, Liz Cheney said. Here in Texas, you guys do have a tremendous, serious candidate running for U.S. Senate.
The audience erupted in applause cutting Liz Cheney off.
Its not Ted Cruz," she said.
She blamed Cruz for leading the effort in the Senate for trying to overturn the election.
"That is not somebody to put in a position to be able to do that again," Cheney said.
In officially endorsing Allred, Cheney recalled briefly working with the Democrat in Congress.
"You might not agree on every policy position, but we need people who are going to serve in good faith," she said. "And in this race, it is Colin Allred. And Ill be working on his behalf.
Allred welcomed Liz Cheney's endorsement, calling her a patriot "who continuously puts country over party because she believes in the importance of protecting our democracy."
"I am so honored to have her support," he said on X. "In the Senate, I will work across party lines to get things done for Texas."
A spokesperson for Cruz called Liz Cheney "the poster child of flip-flopping, is endorsing Colin Allred."
Two years ago, the voters of Wyoming overwhelmingly rejected her, just like the voters of Texas will overwhelmingly reject Colin Allred this November," the Cruz campaign said. "But hey, misery loves company.
Liz Cheney's comments came just days before Harris is scheduled to meet Trump at a debate.
Liz Cheney said Trump would show the American people who he and his running mate JD Vance are, she said. This is my diplomatic way of saying it: Theyre mysoginistic pigs.
She believes women will be turned off.
At the end of the day I think that women around this country, weve had enough, she said.
Since Liz Cheney endorsed Harris, there has been speculation she would join a future Harris administration.
I am not focussed on that, she said, I am very much focussed on we have to make sure that we defeat Donald Trump in November.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond.
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.
Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney made clear her war against former President Donald Trump wont be limited to her endorsement of Kamala Harris and will include campaigning in battleground states this fall.
In an interview Friday at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Cheney also said her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, would be voting for Harris. The audience erupted in cheers after she mentioned her fathers vote.
Later, the former Republican vice president one of the two living to say they wouldnt back Trump himself issued a statement confirming his daughters remarks, saying Trump can never be trusted with power again.
As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris, he said in a statement.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, was dismissive of the former vice presidents endorsement of Harris. Dick Cheney is an irrelevant RINO, he wrote, using the acronym for Republican in name only.
The Harris campaign welcomed Dick Cheney and anyone else in the GOP who wants to join what it said in a statement are hundreds of other Republicans who support her.
The Vice President is proud to have the support of Vice President Cheney, and deeply respects his courage to put country over party, said Campaign Chair Jen OMalley Dillon.
In her remarks, Liz Cheney also said she would endorse Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) in his Senate race against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
Defeating Donald Trump is frankly important but there are numbers of candidates around the country who have embraced election denialism and I think its really important that we defeat them, too, said Cheney, once the No. 3 leader of the House Republican Conference. One of the most important things we need to do as a country as we begin to rebuild our politics is we need to elect serious people.
Her remarks follow a Wednesday speech at Duke University where she announced her vote for Harris and warned of the danger she says Trump poses. Cheney, who briefly weighed her own third-party candidacy, told battleground state voters who oppose the former president that it isnt enough to write in another candidates name on the ballot, a point she reiterated Friday.
The former Wyoming representative has long been a fierce Trump critic, but her announcements this week represent a significant ramping up of her rhetoric against the former president ahead of the 2024 election. She was ousted from her seat after she refused to back down from her criticisms of Trump following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and served as the vice chair of the Jan. 6 select committee, which probed the riot.
Those of us who believe in the defense of our democracy and the defense of our Constitution and the survival of our Republic have a duty in this election cycle to come together and to put those things above politics, Cheney said Friday. I look forward to the days when we will again be having debates about tax policy and national security and everything else, because that will mean we have made it through what is right now a very grave threat to a functioning republic.
Cheney said she is not an official surrogate for the Harris campaign, though she will travel battleground states to talk about the importance of defeating Trump.
She also has a PAC, which spent hundreds of thousands of dollars opposing Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake and Republican Secretary of State nominee Mark Finchem in the 2022 election. The PAC, called Our Great Task, has already offered thinly veiled criticism of Trump in a D-Day video.
The former Wyoming representative was ousted from her seat in Congress following a primary defeat backed by Trump and his political operation. Her opponent, who ran with Trumps support, was advised by those in his camp and was funded by his donors.
Cheney said Friday she did not speak at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, in part, because she had traveled to London to see Taylor Swift.
LL Flooring, formerly Lumber Liquidators, is going out of business and closing all of its stores
NEW YORK (AP) LL Flooring, the hardwood flooring retailer formerly known as Lumber Liquidators, is going out of business.
Less than a month after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the Virginia-based company says it is now winding down operations after failing to find a buyer in recent negotiations with prospective bidders. That means all of its remaining stores will soon close their doors.
LL Flooring expected to begin to begin the process this week, with closing sales at hundreds of stores slated to start Friday. The retailer says store closures should be completed over the next 12 weeks, with timing varying by location.
This is not the outcome that any of us had hoped for, LL Flooring CEO Charles Tyson wrote in a letter to customers. As we begin to wind down operations and close our stores, we are committed to doing so as smoothly as possible to minimize the impact on you, our associates and the communities we serve.
LL Flooring touted more than 400 stores earlier this year. By the time of its Chapter 11 petition, the company said it would be continuing forward with closer to 300 locations, with closing sales already beginning at 94 stores. But now, the closings will effect all remaining stores.
Scores of workers are set to lose their jobs as a result. The company had about 1,970 employees as of its August 11 bankruptcy petition, according to court documents, 99% of whom were working full time in the U.S. across retail, corporate and distribution roles.
LL Floorings history dates back more than 30 years. The brick-and-mortar retailer, founded by Tom Sullivan, got its start in 1993 as a modest operation in Massachusetts, later expanding operations nationwide.
Known for decades as Lumber Liquidators, the company officially changed its name to LL Flooring at the start of 2022 in a move following years of turmoil. The retailer faced expansive litigation after a 2015 segment of 60 Minutes reported that laminate flooring it was selling had illegal and dangerous levels of formaldehyde. Lumber Liquidators later said it would stop selling the product, which was manufactured in China, and agreed to pay $36 million to settle two class-action lawsuits in 2017.
LL Flooring saw difficulty turning a profit over more recent years, with the company reporting loss after loss. Net sales fell 18.5% in 2023, according to a recent earnings report, amid declines in foot traffic and weak demand. In its Chapter 11 filing, LL Flooring disclosed that total debts amounted to more than $416 million as of July 31, compared to assets of just over $501 million.
Ahead of filing for bankruptcy, LL Flooring also saw a proxy battle earlier in the summer centered around attempts to keep Sullivan off the board. In June, company leadership wrote a letter urging shareholders to vote for other nominees, accusing Sullivan of pushing a personal agenda.
But LL Flooring later confirmed that the founder and his proposed nominees were elected at its annual shareholder meeting in July.
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Local high school teacher who tried to pay teen for sex sentenced to prison
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A former high school science teacher at University City High School will spend 10 years in prison for trying to pay a 16-year-old for sex.
According to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office Thursday, Sean Stevenson, 59, was still employed as a teacher at the time of the offense.
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Last year between April 9 and April 16, Stevenson used a voice over internet protocol (VOIP) line to attempt to purchase sex acts via text message from an individual who went by the name Kash and presented herself as a 20-year-old, public documents stated.
The attorneys office said from April 15 to April 16, 2023, Stevenson offered Kash money to find him a teen girl under the age of 18.
The younger the better, was one of Stevensons text messages, according to the release. In response to Kash suggesting an 18-year-old, he allegedly replied, Not young enough.
Then, between Oct. 2 and Oct. 24, 2023, he continued his negotiation with who he believed to be Kash but was actually an undercover officer.
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The attorneys office stated that when the officer suggested a 16-year-old cousin for Stevenson, he responded, Ohyes!
Stevenson subsequently negotiated $150 for oral sex, $100 for manual genital stimulation and a sexual encounter to take place inside a vehicle, the release said. He later renegotiated $140 for oral sex, according to authorities.
On Oct. 24 around 7 a.m., Stevenson arrived at a parking lot at a mutually agreed upon location, the release stated. After driving laps near the meeting location, he was stopped and placed under arrest by authorities.
Stevenson pleaded guilty on June 13 to one count of attempted enticement of a minor.
According to the attorneys office, he faced a maximum penalty of life in prison and a 10-year mandatory minimum.
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Grant Cardone Urges His Followers To 'Quit Doing Business With The Enemies.' Facebook, Google, YouTube, Big Pharma And IRS Top His List
Grant Cardone, a well-known real estate mogul and Donald Trump supporter, has recently aroused controversy by urging his followers to quit doing business with the enemies. Cardone's tweet, which names companies like Facebook, Google, YouTube, Big Pharma, and the IRS, has sparked many reactions.
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Quit doing business with the enemies l.
Who's on the list?
Facebook & instagram
Google & YouTube
Big Pharma
Funding irs
Funding wars
What else Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) August 31, 2024
As expected, his followers gave mixed responses. Some were confused and wondered how they could realistically stop using these companies. One follower even joked, Do I have to give up YouTube? That's where I learned how to replace my toilet."
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Some pointed out the irony of quitting platforms like Google and Facebook, given how essential they are to modern life and business. One person commented, I wish I could quit Google, but thats where I get all my business.
Others were more skeptical, suggesting Cardone's message was contradictory since he uses social media to spread his ideas: Man, you are on IG, Facebook, YouTube, and everywhere. WTF are you talking about?
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Another asked him whether hes leaving those platforms and no longer taking medicine." Most of the medicines we take today come from the pharmaceutical industry, which operates just like any other business.
Nevertheless, some of Cardones followers took his message at face value and suggested even more companies should be avoided. They mentioned everything from Dunkin', TikTok, and Levi's to energy drinks, fast food chains and Yeti products, adding to the list of businesses they see as harmful or too powerful.
Of course, responses also included Cardone Capital and even Cardone himself as brands people should avoid.
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Cardone's message oversimplifies a complex issue. Many of the platforms and companies he labels as enemies are deeply embedded in everyday life, and he himself relies on them to build his brand and connect with his audience. Its no wonder that some of his followers wonder if his message is more about getting attention than providing practical and sincere advice.
Story continues
In a recent post on X, Cardone also shared 11 ideas to improve America, including banning elected officials from stock trading, implementing flat or zero taxes, stopping funding wars, and enforcing laws.
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This article Grant Cardone Urges His Followers To 'Quit Doing Business With The Enemies.' Facebook, Google, YouTube, Big Pharma And IRS Top His List originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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TAZEWELL COUNTY, Ill. (WMBD) A Russian media outlet, along with different Russian websites, sent U.S. citizens into a frenzy on social media.
32 websites and a Russian media outlet called Russia Today were recently charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
The outlets spread fake photos and videos on social media in an attempt to create political panic about the upcoming election.
Russians mock US election allegations as Putin teasingly says he supports Harris
John Ackerman, Tazewell County Clerk, said this brings attention to spotting fake pictures or videos that are fabricated through artificial intelligence. He also emphasizes the legitimacy of the election at all levels.
We are blessed in the state of Illinois and that we have absolute local control of the election process, he said. It is run at the local level, rather than at the state level. So it isnt some unknown bureaucrat in Springfield or in Chicago counting your votes. Everything that is taking place in Tazewell County happens here at the Tazewell County Clerks office.
He said the door is always open to any residents who have any questions about the legitimacy of the election.
Its your local election authority, he said. Stop and visit with them. They want to be able to explain to you because we take pride in how we do this. So they want to take that time for you to see and hear everything, have your questions answered, and have trust in your local process.
Ackerman said everybody should continue to find the source of the material they see on social media to make sure its legitimate.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) With all the school safety enhancements that have been made over the years, many are wondering how an attack like the one at a high school in Georgia can still be carried out.
We put all these things in place, but he was still allowed to get an assault weapon into the school with unfettered access, said Walter Kimble.
Kimble is a security expert for large events. He says schools have made a lot of progress with their reactive response, but in the case of the most recent school shooting in Georgia, proactive measures failed.
Again, this is another gunman that was on the radar with law enforcement that made specific threats, and now moving forward, a little over a year, he carried out those threats, and he did so in an unrestricted fashion, Kimble said.
Related News: Suspect in Georgia high school shooting denied making online threats last year
The FBI in Atlanta released a statement on X stating they interviewed the 14-year-old suspect and his father after receiving an anonymous tip a year ago about online threats to commit a school shooting. The suspects father had hunting guns in the house but said his son didnt have unsupervised access. Furthermore, the suspect denied making the online threats.
Lingering questions are: did law enforcement continue to monitor him? And was that threat investigation shared with his new school district?
Our legislators need to look clearly at giving law enforcement more tools to monitor, and to take action against people that are making these threats, Kimble said.
The school resource officers in this shooting stopped the gunman.
Reps with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools said answering our questions would jeopardize security, but when we called them, here are their responses:
We asked how many SRO openings have to be filled here locally. They stated each school is covered down but didnt elaborate on what that means.
QUEEN CITY NEWS
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The district holds two lock-down drills a year. We asked when the next one is scheduled. They declined to answer.
We also asked if there have been any documented issues of unwelcome or unauthorized visitors yet this year on campus. They said they havent had any.
Kimble says now is the time to open the conversation, particularly with parents who are oftentimes the first line of defense, on how to avoid a home environment breakdown.
In this most recent shooting, there is one opportunity for law enforcement that typically doesnt exist with the suspect still alive.
Whats going to be pivotal in this is: is there going to be cooperation from the suspect in advising law enforcement how he carried this out, Kimble said.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
AUGUSTA, Ark. News of the arrest of Augustas mayor quickly spread throughout the town on Thursday.
Arkansas State Police said on Thursday that Augusta mayor Jeff Collins was arrested and charged with one count of theft of property, a class A misdemeanor. He was booked into the Woodruff County Detention Center and released soon after.
Arkansas State Police arrest Augusta Mayor Jeff Collins on charge of theft of property
The news of the arrest quickly became the talk of the town. Colton Hawks said he grew up in Augusta and has heard and seen many things over the past years.
Its not the craziest thing Ive heard and its believable, Hawks said. Mayor Collins, hes not guilty and eventually the truth will prevail. I go to state facilities and tell people they can be set free by God, and they charged me for that. Now thats what I want printed, that is my statement.
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Some people in Augusta were left in disbelief after hearing about his arrest, like Naomi Payne, who said shes known Collins for years and the charges filed against him are beneath his character.
Some of that stuff he was accused of, he didnt do, Payne said.
A report from an Arkansas legislative audit alleges there were several improper transactions made starting from the beginning of 2020 to Dec. 31, 2022.
An issue does not just pop up just out of pure fiction, Hawks said. Nobody hates you enough just to start something like that and ruin your character.
Payne said she still supports Collins and noted this is just a bump in the road for him.
He will make good of this, Payne said.
Arkansas State Police agents arrest former Wheatley PD chief marshal
State police noted that Collins first court date is Oct. 15.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
Lockdown at Midlands Tech campus ends in arrest. Heres what we know
One person has been arrested after an incident Friday at Columbias Midlands Technical College that led the school to briefly go on lockdown.
No one was harmed in the incident, which has now been resolved, said Stefanie Caraviello-Goebeler, vice president of marketing for the college.
An individual on the Beltline Boulevard campus became physically violent and had to be detained, Caraviello-Goebeler said. There was no weapon and no injuries but there was property damage, she said.
The individual responsible is in custody and the investigation is ongoing. The lockdown at the school was lifted a short time later.
The Midlands Technical College Police Department responded to the incident with assistance from the Columbia Police Department.
Two men have been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting in Long Beach in July, including one suspect who had fled to New Mexico.
Vernont Murray, 39, was shot multiple times in the 6000 block of Long Beach Boulevard the night of July 1, and this month, two suspects were arrested in connection with the slaying, the Long Beach Police Department said in a news release.
Police identified 21-year-old Damion Joseph Jr. of Palmdale and 23-year-old Eric Calvin of Lancaster as the killers, and Joseph was arrested in Lancaster on Thursday.
Long Beach police investigating fatal shooting
Calvin, meanwhile, fled before authorities could serve their search warrants, and investigators believed he may have left California for Arizona or New Mexico, where he was ultimately located and arrested. Police did not detail the date of Calvins apprehension in Arizona.
Joseph has been booked into the Long Beach City Jail on one count of murder, and he is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. Calvin is in the process of being extradited back to California.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detectives Eric Thai or Kelsey Myers at 562-570-7244.
Anonymous tips may be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477) or by visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A look at the winding legal saga of Hunter Biden that ended in an unexpected guilty plea
LOS ANGELES (AP) The legal saga surrounding Hunter Biden took an unexpected turn when he pleaded guilty to nine federal tax counts after prosecutors refused to budge in their opposition to a special plea that would have allowed him to maintain his innocence.
The twist that played out as jury selection was scheduled to start in the tax trial Thursday almost brings to a close a yearslong investigation of President Joe Biden's son. The case has been punctuated by Republicans' allegations of preferential treatment and accusations by his defense attorneys that prosecutors overcorrected and bowed to political pressure when two indictments were issued as a previous plea deal fell apart.
Hunter Biden will now await sentencing in both his June jury conviction on charges that he lied about his drug use on a federal form to purchase a gun, which he possessed for 11 days, and the tax case he pleaded guilty to Thursday.
Here's a look at the winding legal road that led to the surprise plea.
The plea deal that collapsed
Hunter Biden had initially agreed to plead guilty to a negotiated misdemeanor tax charge as part of a deal with the Justice Department. That deal would have seen the gun charges dismissed in a diversion agreement as long as he stayed out of trouble for two years and likely would have come with a recommendation for no prison time.
The agreement collapsed last year after a federal judge in Delaware questioned several unusual aspects, including how it was packaged.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss as special counsel a month later, in August 2023, giving the prosecutor broad authority to investigate and report out his findings. Hunter Biden was subsequently indicted in two separate cases: the gun charges in Delaware and the tax charges in California.
Conviction on gun charges
Hunter Biden's attorneys made several failed motions asking for the gun charges to be dropped ranging from questioning their constitutionality to challenging the appointment of the special counsel over the months between the indictment and trial in early June.
After not even six full days of testimony in June, a Delaware jury took less than three hours to convict Hunter Biden on the gun charges.
Prosecutors presented sometimes relentless personal details about his drug use, purchases and relationships showing photos and texts from his ex-girlfriends and pressing his oldest daughter about her ability to tell if he was sober all while family members including first lady Jill Biden watched from the gallery, some of them choking back tears.
After the conviction, prosecutors turned their focus to the California tax charges alleging that Hunter Biden had engaged in a four-year scheme to avoid paying more than $1.4 million in taxes for the years 2016 through 2019 while living a lavish lifestyle of top-tier hotels, payments to escorts and purchasing exotic cars.
Although the political stakes of the second trial largely evaporated when President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid in July, weeks of arguments between prosecutors and defense attorneys over what evidence could be presented to jurors indicated California could be a repeat of the painful airing of personal details. It was unclear if Hunter Biden's daughters would have been called as witnesses in the case, but both were listed in a glossary provided to court staff by prosecutors.
The latest plea
About a half-hour before the questioning of potential jurors was set to begin Thursday, Hunter Biden's attorneys announced to a judge that they would like to enter into what's known as an Alford plea. The maneuver, named after a U.S. Supreme Court case, allows a defendant to acknowledge that prosecutors have enough evidence to convince a jury of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt but also allows them to maintain their claim of innocence.
Prosecutors immediately balked at the idea. Lead prosecutor Leo Wise told U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi that the government opposed an Alford plea saying, Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty.
Prosecutors do not have to agree to an Alford plea, but Scarsi was prepared to give the government until the end of the day to file its objections before ruling on whether he would accept the plea, likely after reconvening Friday.
Instead, Hunter Biden changed his plea to guilty on all nine of the tax charges. There was no offer on the table from prosecutors to reduce those charges or to recommend a lesser sentence, and prosecutors read the charging documents aloud for more than an hour before he was asked to enter the plea.
Hunter Biden issued a written statement about his decision to plead guilty, saying: 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.
Hunter Biden will now face sentencing in both cases. He faces up to 25 years at his Nov. 13 sentencing hearing in Delaware, though as a first-time offender he would likely receive a lesser sentence. He faces up to 17 years and a fine of up to $1.3 million on the tax charges at a scheduled Dec. 16 sentencing.
A spokesperson for Joe Biden reiterated when asked Thursday that the president had no plans to pardon his son or commute his eventual sentence. ___
Lauer reported from Philadelphia.
Debate between incumbent D.A. George Gascon and challenger Hathan Hochman will be supported by Los Angeles Magazine
What should justice in Southern California look like?
Next week voters will hear ideas from incumbent Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon and his challenger Nathan Hochman at a debate moderated by Alex Cohen, a vaunted political anchor at Spectrum News 1.
The debate is expected to be a heated one as Hochman makes the argument that Gascon's criminal justice reforms have created upticks in violent crime across the city, and the incumbent argues that antiquated laws that his challenger supports, including enhancements for gang members, unfairly targeted people of color and led to prison overcrowding.
The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office is the largest prosecutorial area in the city and is responsible for pursuing criminal charges for felony and misdemeanor crimes in 78 cities included in the county's sprawl.
Gascon was elected as the L.A. County District Attorney in 2020 after stints in high profile law enforcement jobs in San Francisco, including D.A. and Police Chief, a role he also held in the city of Mesa, Arizona. He started his career as a Los Angeles police officer for 22 years, rising to the rank of deputy chief.
In L.A. Gascon confirmed his progressive platform of not seeking the death penalty, limiting the imposition of cash bail for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, declining to add gang enhancement charges for people affiliated with organized street gangs. That tactic has recently come under fire by the family of L.A. actor Johnny Wactor, who was gunned down in May by thieves purportedly connected to a notoriously violent gang Florencia 13.
Hochman, a former federal prosecutors, has vowed to be tougher on violent career criminals. A former federal prosecutor and president of the L.A. Ethics Commission, Hochman is a lifelong Angeleno who promises to "rescind all of Gascons pro-criminal, blanket policies that have de-carceration as their primary goal."
The debate will be held on Zoom. Sign up here.
A construction worker takes a quick break while digging a trench in Irvine on Thursday. Temperatures are expected to remain high through the weekend. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A sweltering heat wave that's baked parts of Southern California with triple-digit temperatures during the day continues to punish the region with an unrelenting heat that continues after dark.
Temperatures in the Santa Monica Mountains didn't drop below 95 degrees from Thursday night to Friday morning. At midnight Thursday, it was still 100 degrees in Malibu Hills. Lower elevations along the coast, including Redondo Beach and Huntington Beach, saw a bit of a cooldown, but it was still balmy with temperatures in the 70s at night. Inland Los Angeles County ranged from the mid-70s to the high 80s at midnight, according to the National Weather Service.
While it's not uncommon to have high overnight temperatures during heat waves this time of year, it can prove uncomfortable, said Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
"What happens is we get our marine layer squashed so low, that really warm and dry layer we have above the marine layer now gets into the populated areas as opposed to being way up in the mountains," he said. "This time of year when we have these heat waves, it's pretty common to have those high overnight temperatures."
Daily daytime temperatures broke records Friday at two locations in Los Angeles County and three in Orange County in most cases surpassing previous highs set in the 2020 heat wave. Highs of 102 at Los Angeles International Airport and 109 at Long Beach Airport broke the 2020 records of 99 and 104, respectively.
Records also fell in Santa Ana, 113 compared with 110; Anaheim, 112 compared with 105; and Newport Beach, 95 compared with 91 set in 2004.
Four other locations in Los Angeles and Ventura counties tied their daily records. At 114, Hollywood Burbank Airport tied both its daily and all-time high since records were kept starting in 1939. Downtown Los Angeles, 111; UCLA, 105; and Oxnard, 99, all tied the Sept. 6 daily records set in 2020.
"Its a day where theres a good number of records," said Joe Sirard, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard. "It happens occasionally."
But the six records broken or tied in the area covering Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo counties didn't come close to matching 2020 when records fell in all 14 stations, Sirard said.
More records could fall when overnight lows are recorded, said Sam Zuber, a meteorologist the weather service's San Diego station, which also covers Orange County.
UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said that while overnight temperatures usually don't make headlines, they actually have a significant effect during heat waves, both on public health and on firefighters' ability to combat wildfires.
"From a health perspective they're disproportionately important, because it's usually the time most of us are asleep and our metabolic rates decrease. If it's not cool enough during that period we don't get that recovery, and so we go into the next day at an elevated level of physiologic stress, and if it's hot again you can see how the stress accumulates day on day," he said.
The lower temperatures that usually occur when the sun is down overnight remain about 10 to 15 degrees above average across Southern California, said Chandler Price, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego.
On Thursday, Palm Springs' overnight low hit 92 degrees, tying a record set in 2022. On Friday morning, Indio's overnight low reached 93 degrees, besting a record of 91 degrees set in 2022. LAX's low was 73 degrees, tying a record set in 2022. Palmdale's low reached 74 degrees, tying a record set in 1974.
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Temperatures in Woodland Hills only got as low as 73 degrees on Friday morning, besting a record of 72 set in 2020. The mercury in Burbank reached a low of 82 degrees, breaking a record of 80 degrees set in 2020, according to the National Weather Service.
"Most of the time we think it's going to be super-hot all afternoon and evening, but it's going to drop off overnight," Price said. "We'll be able to open the windows and set some fans up, and we'll be all good. But that's just not happening. The heat never stops."
This can result in serious health risks for vulnerable populations who don't have access to air conditioning in their homes and can't cool off at night.
High temperatures kill more people in the United States than hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or cold weather. When it's hot, the human body works to cool itself by sweating, but during extreme heat a person's body temperature can rise faster than its ability to cool itself. This can lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When the heat is unrelenting overnight, the human body doesn't have a chance to take a break, which can place a strain on organs and lead to a variety of issues such as heart attacks, experts say. Outdoor workers, older people, young children, and those who are sick or unhoused are particularly vulnerable to the drastic temperatures.
"The thing about having a high low temperatures is that it means you're already warm in the morning, and you're only getting hotter with the sun," Price said.
Read more: Southern California broils under punishing heat wave. When will it end?
The soaring temperatures in Southern California are not unique to this region. International climate officials have confirmed that this summer has been Earths hottest on record. The global average temperature in June, July and August was a record-breaking 62.24 degrees, according to the European Unions Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Temperatures throughout the weekend are expected to remain searing across Southern California.
The mercury in downtown Los Angeles and at Long Beach Airport is expected to reach 99 degrees on Saturday, and LAX is expected to reach 86 degrees. Pasadena and Burbank will really cook at 110 degrees and 108 degrees, respectively. Woodland Hills is expected to reach 114 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Triple-digit temperatures are also forecast for much of the Inland Empire, including 109 degrees in San Bernardino. In Orange County, it's expected to reach 101 degrees in Anaheim and 95 degrees in Irvine.
The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning across much of Los Angeles County, alerting residents of dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 115 degrees and overnight lows in the 70s and 80s through Monday night.
The extreme heat interrupted service on Metrolink's Arrow service between San Bernardino and Redlands on Thursday, when overheating batteries shut down the trains.
The batteries, which power cabin lights and charging ports in the passenger cars, shut down automatically when they get too hot, said Jeanette Flores, Metrolink's assistant director of public affairs.
Service remained closed all day Friday but was expected to resume Saturday, Flores said. Passengers can apply for reimbursement up to $50 at this link.
High overnight temperatures pose an additional hurdle for firefighters. When temperatures remain high and humidity stays low overnight, fires that typically would become less active during the night have the potential to rage out of control.
"If fire is active day and night, it can spread day and night," Swain said. "So it takes essentially half as long for fire to spread a given distance than if it was only really advancing during the day and kind of slowing down at night. So it means that they expand faster, move into populated areas potentially faster and at night, when it's more difficult to mitigate the risks."
The lack of overnight cooling during the heat wave presented a challenge for firefighters battling the Line fire in San Bernardino County this week.
The fire, which broke out around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, continued to burn Friday, expanding to more than 1,100 acres by the evening, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Firefighters rushed to evacuate residents in the city of Highland overnight into early Friday when the flames began racing toward homes. No damage had been reported by Friday afternoon, but the blaze was not contained.
The weather service has issued a red-flag warning for the Santa Monica Mountains, the Santa Susana Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains, warning of high fire danger brought on by the continuing heat.
Read more: Worst of dangerous SoCal heat wave hitting over next few days: What to know
Significant cooling likely won't be felt until at least Wednesday, when temperatures in Los Angeles and surrounding areas are expected to drop to the low 80s and high 70s.
Times staff writer Doug Smith contributed to this report.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A lot of people dropped the ball in Georgia school shooting case: Attorney | Morning in America
(NewsNation) Colt Gray, the 14-year-old accused Georgia school shooter, will appear in court virtually for the first time Friday morning. Criminal defense attorney David Gelman explores the parallels between the Georgia shooting and Ethan Crumbley case in Michigan. Gelman also says a lot of people dropped the ball in identifying Gray as a potential threat.
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After nearly 18 months of displacement, starvation and genocidal violence, minimal attention has been paid to the bloody conflict still raging across Sudan nor to the powers fuelling it.
An overarching narrative of just another Sub-Saharan civil war, this time between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries, has set in. Those arming both sides have largely avoided scrutiny for the inhumane conditions imposed on the Sudanese people, now the largest internally displaced population ever reported, with ten million having fled their homes.
Earlier today (6 September), an independent UN fact-finding mission released a report on the harrowing human rights violations committed by both sides. 182 interviews with survivors, their relatives and witnesses reveal torture, attacks on civilians, rape and arbitrary arrests.
As more than half of Sudans population faces food insecurity, the situation is close to breaking point, an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) spokesperson tells Army Technology.
To blame for arming both sides are manufacturers from the UAE, Russia, China, Serbia, Turkiye, and Yemen, which are among those in flagrant breach of the UN Security Councils international arms embargo on Darfur, according to trade data and open-source intelligence analysis by Amnesty International.
Despite such investigations, weapons supplies continue to pour in from abroad.
A well-established guns for gold network encompasses Emirati arms manufacturers, Russias Wagner Group and Sudanese fighters, with the precious metal giving the RSF paramilitary group financial self-sufficiency outside the military-financial complex.
The UAE imports nearly all of Sudans gold
Fighting first broke out in April 2023 across Khartoum, Sudans capital. It quickly spread to Darfur, North Kordofan and other areas under the directives of the SAFs General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSFs General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.
Approximately 15,000 people have been killed in the 510 days since then although this estimate has been contradicted by reports that the RSF and allied Arab militia carried out ethnic killings of 10,000 to 15,000 people in one Western Darfur city alone.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (left) meets with SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (right) during an official visit in Port Sudan on 29 August, 2024. Credit: AFP / Getty.
The same report said it was credible that the UAE had provided regular military support to the RSFs stronghold via Amdjarass in northern Chad, an accusation made by a top Sudanese general in November.
The UAEs operation has used an airfield and hospital in a remote town in Chad, just across the Sudanese border, to deliver military packages to RSF forces on a near-daily basis since June 2023, the New York Times reported. Emirati officials insist the operation is humanitarian.
Story continues
In 2022, the UAE imported 39 tonnes of gold from Sudan, worth more than $2bn. While gold import figures for 2023 and 2024 are unavailable, direct shipments of Sudanese gold have continued.
In May 2023, the US State Department noting that the UAE receives nearly all the gold exported from Sudan. The UAE is also a primary customer of gold smuggled illegally from Sudan into Egypt, Ethiopia, Chad, Uganda and South Sudan.
The RSF has also received the bulk of Russias training and weapons, and, in return, Sudans gold has lessened the impact of Western sanctions on Moscows coffers amid the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia, however, has played both sides. Officials are in talks with the SAF about securing a Russian naval base on Sudans Red Sea coast, which the Sudanese army controls. President Putin has long pursued a Red Sea port to protect Russias economic interests and improve its military posture vis-a-vis the US in the region.
Emirati APCs to Turkish FD-63s
Amnesty International and UN experts are among those calling for an expansion of the weapons embargo beyond just Darfur.
Our research shows that weapons entering the country have been placed into the hands of combatants who are accused of international humanitarian and human rights law violations, says Deprose Muchena, Amnestys senior director for regional human rights impact. We have methodically tracked a range of lethal weapons including handguns, shotguns and rifles that are being used in Sudan by warring forces.
Through its illicit airbase and other entry points, the UAE is a key supplier of weapons and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to the RSF.
Nimr Ajban APCs, first sighted in Sudan in 2019, have been identified across Khartoum and other parts of Sudan in videos verified by Amnesty.
https://twitter.com/trbrtc/status/1136245203252187136
In April 2024, a different video the SAF claims to have shot in Mellit, North Darfur, shows several types of APCs allegedly seized from the RSF, including Streit Gladiator & Cougar APCs, a Terrier LT-79 and several INKAS Titan-S. Other videos have identified at least one Shell Special Vehicles APC, another Emirati defence company.
It is clear that the existing arms embargo that currently applies only to Darfur is completely inadequate, and must be updated and extended to cover the whole of Sudan, Muchena adds. This is a humanitarian crisis that cannot be ignored. As the threat of famine looms large, the world cannot continue to fail civilians in Sudan.
The UAE is far from the only culprit. FD-63 shotguns made by Turkish manufacturer Dagloglu Silah were identified in a video shot last year in Al-Daein, Darfur.
https://twitter.com/bilarakib/status/1683342817467195393
Sarsilmaz, Turkiyes main small arms manufacturer, is a known SAF supplier, while smaller Turkish companies such as BRG Defense and Derya Arms have exported hunting shotguns and R56 rifles to Sudan.
Russian manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern has poured Saiga-MK .233 semi-automatic rifles into Omdurman, as well as Tigr designated marksman rifles (DMRs) into Khartoum and Nyala. Moscow-based Molot Arms has also distributed Vepr 1V-E rifles to Kassala and Omdurman.
None of the above companies responded to Army Technology when approached for comment on the identification of their weapons in Sudan.
Unbearable
These arms dealers seem unperturbed by the Sudanese people's suffering.
Mass starvation is the main concern among humanitarian organisations working on the ground in Darfur and the other worst-affected regions.
The food crisis in Sudan, especially in conflict-affected areas like Al Fashir town, is getting much worse with thousands of families facing acute food insecurity, says the ICRC spokesperson. Barriers to the delivery of aid have worsened food shortages, pushing the country into a huge food crisis, as well as caused a breakdown in essential services like health care and water.
In a country where 70% of the population relies on agriculture and livestock for survival, forced displacement has left the ten million internally displaced Sudanese people three million prior to April 2023 and seven million since malnourished and starving.
A Sudanese child is given a mid-upper arm circumference test to screen for signs of malnutrition inside the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) refugee clinic in Adre, Chad, on 25 April, 2024. Credit: Dan Kitwood/ Getty.
Shortages of water, fuel and medicine also leave Sudans population vulnerable to outbreaks of diseases including malaria and dengue fever.
Access to safety, healthcare, food and water, humanitarian assistance and information, including news from their loved ones, have been largely impeded, making the day-to-day life of millions of Sudanese unbearable, the ICRC spokesperson tells Army Technology.
Between 70% and 80% of Sudans healthcare facilities are no longer functioning, according to estimates by the ICRC and MSF. Those hospitals and medical encampments still operating are critically short of supplies and staff.
The UAE, meanwhile, stands accused of using a field hospital in Amdjarass, Chad, as a cover for its weapons supply to the RSF. It seems unlikely the Gulf state will heed the ICRCs call to spare hospitals and other essential civilian infrastructure from military operations.
For defence companies, the final destination of weapons is often tricky to trace, and trickier still to control, but it remains undeniable that Emirati, Russian and Turkish manufacturers are complicit in the atrocities being committed by RSF and SAF.
Pressure now mounts on the UN Security Council to widen the arms embargo beyond Darfur, across Sudan and hold the arms suppliers profiteering to account. At stake is the plight of the Sudanese people.
"Guns for gold: who is complicit in Sudans brutal war?" was originally created and published by Investment Monitor, a GlobalData owned brand.
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Kids are officially back in the classroom, which means back-to-school supplies and outfits.
Leaders at Goodwill of the Finger Lakes tell us, eight to percent of all carbon emissions come from the fashion industry. So, when you buy from second-hand shops, like Goodwill, youre helping reduce that carbon footprint.
Back to School help for vaping concerns and trends among local students
President and CEO Jen Lake says you may just have to keep an open mind while shopping.
While you can come in with a list of things youre looking for we may not have exactly whats on that list but a lot of stores are in that same position. I know I was just in some big box stores over the weekend and they were completely depleted, she said. But, what you can do is get a lot for very little, when it comes to your wallet.
They also have a free book program where kids, under 15, can take home a book with no purchase necessary just go up to the cashier to let them know.
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Louisiana Supreme Court calls lawmakers use of delays egregious but may not scrap it
Louisiana Supreme Court building in New Orleans (Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator)
NEW ORLEANS The Louisiana Supreme Court expressed extreme displeasure with Sen. Alan Seabaugh for leveraging his role as a state lawmaker to prolong an automobile accident lawsuit for years.
But the justices didnt appear convinced the law allowing legislators who are attorneys, like Seabaugh, to delay court proceedings should be declared unconstitutional.
The seven-person court heard oral arguments Thursday over whether Seabaugh and Rep. Michael Melerine, partners in a Shreveport law firm, violated the rights of Caddo Parish resident Theresa Fisher.
Fisher is suing for money to cover her medical expenses after an automobile accident in 2018.
Sen. Alan Seabaugh
Seabaugh and Melerine represent the driver who hit Fisher, Steven Harder Jr., his father Steven Harder Sr. and the fathers insurance company, Hanover Insurance Group.
Fishers attorneys have alleged Seabaugh and, more recently, Melerine unreasonably delayed resolution of the lawsuit, first filed in 2019, by demanding numerous extensions related to their legislative work. After five years, the case is finally expected to go to trial next month.
Seabaugh has served in the Legislature since 2011, including 12 years in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Melerine took his seat in the House in January.
Under law, state judges must postpone deadlines and court appearances for attorneys who are lawmakers if the proceedings will interfere with their legislative work.
The question before the Louisiana Supreme Court is whether those automatic extensions represent an unchecked power for lawmakers.
Legislators who are attorneys contend it would be difficult for them to continue to serve in public office if they had to worry about their law practice and clients while in their lawmaking sessions. Twenty-nine other legislators, Democrats and Republicans who are mostly attorneys, signed a brief to the Supreme Court backing Seabaugh and Melerine in the case.
[Fisher and her lawyers] want to throw the baby out with the bath water, said Larry Frieman, a former lawmaker and the states chief deputy attorney general, who defended the law in court Thursday.
Disappointing delay
The justices made it clear they were unhappy with Seabaugh and, to a lesser extent, Melerines conduct in the Fisher case.
Justice Jay McCallum referred to it as disappointing and repugnant. Jeannette Theriot Knoll, a former justice who has been temporarily appointed to fill the seat vacated by James Genovese, called it egregious and unconscionable.
I dont think youll find anyone that likes whats going on here, McCallum said.
Justice William Crain was aghast that Seabaugh had allegedly agreed to a trial court date in May 2023, a month that is the height of the regular legislative session every year. Seabaugh later backed out and asked for a legislative extension, according to Fishers attorneys.
He should never agree to a trial date during the session unless he intends to show up, Crain told Frieman.
The justices also appeared frustrated that Seabaugh, while in the middle of this legal dispute, authored legislation that would have saddled Fisher and her attorneys with extra legal expenses for challenging him.
Senate Bill 185 would have required attorneys who fight legislative continuances to pay the court costs and legal expenses for opposing state lawmakers. It also would have prohibited lawmakers from using the extensions for cases involving protective orders, stalking, domestic violence and sexual assault.
Lawmakers passed the legislation unanimously, but the measure didnt become law. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed the proposal over concerns that it would give lawmakers too much authority over legal extensions.
Justice Piper Griffin, a Democrat from New Orleans, agreed with Landrys sentiment Thursday.
Every single legislative session, theres an attempt to make [the legislative continuance law] more draconian, Griffin said, later adding: Its causing problems.
When it comes to the Fisher lawsuit, the delays have caused so much frustration that even one of Seabaugh and Melerines clients in lawsuit, Steven Harder Sr., sided with Fishers attorneys. He is also asking the justices to limit or throw out the legislative continuance law.
Vernon Richie, a new attorney for Steven Harder Sr., said the lack of resolution to the lawsuit causes stress for his clients family. They arent sure how much they will have to pay Fisher if she wins the case, and the uncertainty has put them in financial limbo for years.
They need closure, Richie told the justices.
Frieman, who worked closely with Seabaugh as a legislator, also tried to distance himself from his former colleague while defending statute.
I really dont want to talk about whether Sen. Seabaugh was right or wrong. Im not here to defend him, Frieman said at the hearing.
In an unusual move, Seabaugh and Melerine did not appear in person Thursday or file a brief for the justices to review ahead of time. Instead, they asked in early August to be removed from the case altogether.
Their pending withdrawal appeared to strengthen Friemans push to keep the law in place. He said the justices no longer had to rule on legislative continuances because the lawmakers would not be involved in the lawsuit moving forward.
In a legal brief, Fishers lawyers described Seabaughs and Melerines decision to drop out as cynical and a blatant attempt to sidestep this courts review of the statute.
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Law limitations
Attorneys J. Cole Sartin and Joseph Gregorio, who also represent Fisher, argued the current legislative extension law is an overreach of the Legislature into judicial matters. It prohibits judges from being able to manage their docket and move trials along, Sartin said.
They did not suggest doing away with legislative continuances completely but want to see more guardrails in place. The law should be more specific about when a lawmaker who is an attorney can request a postponement, and opposing counsel should also be able to challenge continuations, Sartin said.
The statute is written broadly. Lawmaker attorneys can seek an extension from the court for any time 30 days before until 30 days after a legislative session, as well as for travel and other meetings they attend as an elected official.
One justice who served as a state lawmaker, McCallum, questioned whether the law, while sometimes abused, reached the level of being unconstitutional.
The Legislature passes other statutes that tie the hands of judges, McCallum said. For example, lawmakers have imposed mandatory life sentences in prison with no option of parole for people convicted of murder. Judges arent given discretion to change those punishments, he said.
Nevertheless, McCallum said there may also be remedies to limit misuse. He suggested it might clear problems up if extension requests were sent to the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, which could then monitor whether the benefit was being abused.
Limiting the number of legislative continuances that can be granted per case would be another option, Knoll said.
Wider problem
Seabaugh and Melerine arent the only lawmakers who have been accused of abusing this privilege.
In a legal brief supporting Fishers arguments, attorney Jennifer Prescott alleged she handled a civil lawsuit that took too long to resolve because the opposing attorney, Rep. Kyle Green, used 10 legislative continuances to delay proceedings over two and half years.
Democratic Rep. Edmond Jordan angered a judge last year and lost a case when he filed legislative continuances and did not appear in court.
Perhaps most seriously, Barron Bailey of Webster Parish said he has been stuck in jail for the past five years without a trial in part because his attorney, Democratic Sen. Katrina Jackson, has used legislative extensions.
Ive been represented by Ms. Jackson since December 2019. I feel that she has only filed one motion in my case, Bailey told KTBS-TV last month. They say no news is good news, but she is not representing me to the best of her ability. She works mainly through paralegals and a private investigator.
Bailey faces second-degree murder and first-degree feticide charges in the 2019 death of NaToyedre Barrow, who was eight months pregnant at the time of her death. Bailey says he is innocent.
Prosecutor Hugo Holland, who works for district attorneys across the state, also blamed Jacksons legislative extensions for Bailys trial delay.
I cannot get it to trial because the defense attorney is constantly using the legislative continuance statute, he told the television station.
Jackson did not respond to an interview request from KTBS-TV.
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An elderly tenant who died in a Queens basement fire was remembered Friday as a kind neighbor and family man who routinely walked his grandchildren to school.
Cops still had not officially released the 72-year-old victims name. But neighbors who knew him said he lived in the basement of the South Richmond Hill home he shared with his daughter and her family, and took his two grandkids to and from school each day, including Thursday when the fire later broke out around 5:15 p.m.
Hes a nice guy, said Rohan Ramdowe, who lives a few doors down from the fire scene, on 132nd St. near 95th Ave. I was surprised to know what happened, he said, calling it a shock to neighbors.
Officials said the fire started in the basement, where firefighters pulled out the badly burned victim before taking him to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A firefighter and two other occupants suffered minor injuries, fire officials said.
Richard Toovey, who lives across the street, said he also saw firefighters carrying a disabled woman from the top floor of the home.
Two of the firefighters grabbed the wheelchair on both sides and they bring her down, he said.
Toovey said he didnt see any smoke coming from the basement where the elderly victim was found, but saw water from the fire hoses gushing out of it.
They had everything out in a short time, he said.
Ramdowe said the victim went through a divorce a few years ago and moved into the basement of the home.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears presides over the Senate. (Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury)
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears on Thursday evening officially announced her candidacy for governor of Virginia in the upcoming 2025 election, aiming to become the nations first Black female governor. Sears made history in 2022 by becoming the first Black woman in the commonwealth to hold statewide office, and the first woman to attain such a role since Mary Sue Terrys tenure as attorney general in the 1990s.
The future, a new chapter, is about to begin, Earle-Sears said at a rally in Virginia Beach. Together, we have the power to ensure that our brightest days are ahead of us still. But to make that future a reality, we must come together, it is really that simple. We must stand strong, we must support each other, we must share each others values and visions.
Earle-Searss candidacy marks a significant milestone in Virginias political landscape. Should she become the Republican nominee, she would likely face U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Prince William, who was the first candidate to announce her bid in November.
Spanberger is the only Democrat currently seeking her partys nomination, after Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney dropped his bid to instead run for lieutenant governor.
Earle-Sears announcing her run for governor of Virginia was expected, because the lieutenant governor role is often seen as a stepping stone to the states highest office, said David Richards, a political scientist at the University of Lynchburg. Glenn Youngkin is a popular governor and so Earle-Sears should try to take advantage of that to go to the next level.
A trailblazer in Virginia politics, Earle-Sears first made history in 2021 when she was elected as the states first Black woman to hold statewide office. Her rise in the GOP has been marked by her strong conservative values, her advocacy for education reform, and her emphasis on public safety themes that are expected to play a central role in her gubernatorial campaign.
A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Earle-Sears, 60, immigrated to the United States at the age of 6. She grew up in the Bronx, New York City, and served as an electrician in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1983 until 1986.
She also directed a Salvation Army homeless shelter before launching her career in public service in 2001, when she was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 90th District, becoming the first Jamaican-American, female Republican, first female veteran, and first naturalized citizen to serve in the General Assembly.
On her path to seize the Republican nomination for governor Earle-Sears will likely face Attorney General Jason Miyares, who is also speculated to announce his candidacy in the coming weeks.
Another obstacle for Earle-Sears may be her decision in November 2022 to publicly withdraw her support for former President Donald Trump, who at the time was teasing an announcement for a third White House run a move that might haunt her as the Republican nominee for president has shown little tolerance for disloyalty.
A true leader understands when they have become a liability. A true leader understands that its time to step off the stage. And the voters have given us that very clear message, Earle-Sears said in a TV interview with Fox News at the time.
But on Thursday, Earle-Sears left no doubt about her return into the Make America Great Again fold.
This is such a great country, God bless America. And folks, first and foremost, in 2024, that means standing with President Trump, it means standing with [Republican nominee] Hung Cao for our Senate, and it means that we must stand very steadfast with our incumbents so they can continue to defend Virginias best interests in Congress, she told her audience.
Some Trump loyalists already pushed back against an Earle-Sears candidacy over her previous remarks about the former president.
Shes an insufferable, never-Trumper thats totally myopic and self serving, conservative talk show host John Fredericks wrote on the social media platform X on Thursday, suggesting that the lieutenant governors bid might as well be paid for and authorized by Vice President Kamala Harris presidential campaign.
Once again, its all about Winsome Sears, and its all about screwing Trump because thats all she does, Fredericks said.
But Richards, the political scientist, said that it is possible for Earle-Sears to overcome her rocky relationship with Trump and secure her partys nomination. She is popular with state Republicans, polling ahead of Miyares in a survey earlier this year. Whether she can replicate Youngkins 2021 surprise win statewide remains to be seen.
Either way, an Earle-Sears v. Spanberger matchup would be historic, Richards said. Two women running for governor of Virginia, and Earle-Sears would be the first Black woman and, if elected, the first person since the 1700s to be governor not born in the U.S.
At her rally in Virginia Beach on Thursday, Earle-Sears vowed that she would mount a good fight.
Winning Virginia is not just possible, it is necessary because the Democrats have had a headstart and they are fighting tooth and nail to win in November. And they want to win in November 2025 as well, but we are not going to let them. So, lets roll up our sleeves and lets get to work, she said.
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(Bloomberg) -- Brazils Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva fired his minister of human rights after allegations of sexual harassment became an embarrassment for the president, who had made the defense of womens rights a government priority.
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The president considers unsustainable the presence of the minister in the job, considering the nature of the allegations of sexual harassment, his office said in a statement late Friday.
The cases against Minister Silvio Almeida were made public Thursday by the non-governmental organization Me Too Brazil, which supports victims of sexual abuse. In a statement, the NGO said the women had asked to remain anonymous but agreed to publish their allegations after facing difficulties to validate their complaints.
Almeida denies any wrongdoing. I absolutely repudiate all lies that are being said against me, he said in a statement before being fired.
Lula called for an investigation due to the seriousness of the case.
I will not allow someones personal mistake to harm the government, he said during a radio interview Friday. Harassment cannot coexist with democracy and respect for human rights and, above all, respect for subordinates.
Almeida is an intellectual and lawyer most known for his work on race relations. He worked as a visiting professor at both Duke University and Columbia University, also teaching at renowned Brazilian colleges such as the Getulio Vargas Foundation and the Mackenzie Presbyterian University.
His studies on structural racism, and the resulting mediatic visibility, granted him the appointment to the Ministry of Human Rights in Lulas third administration. He had been in office since January of 2023.
Lula named Esther Dweck, currently the management minister, to head the human rights ministry on an interim basis, Globo reported, citing a government statement. Dweck will perform both roles for the time being, the newspaper said.
--With assistance from Franco Dantas.
(Updates with new interim human rights minister named in final paragraph.)
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Police vehicles are parked outside the police station after an attack. Investigators believe that the attack on the police station by a man armed with a machete was Islamist-motivated. Thomas Frey/dpa
A 29-year-old man armed with a machete and a knife visited a police station in western Germany, yelled the Arabic-language phrase "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") and threatened to kill officers, investigators said on Friday.
The man, who has Albanian citizenship, was overpowered and no police officers were injured in the incident that took place around 2:40 am (0040 GMT) in the police station in Linz, near the western city of Bonn.
He was subdued in the sealed-off entrance of the station and taken into custody, police said. He was slightly injured by the use of a Taser.
Prosecutors said he was being held on suspicion of attempted murder and that the man is suspected of an Islamic extremist motive.
During a search of an apartment linked to the 29-year-old, a hand-drawn flag of the Islamic State terrorist group was found on the wall, prosecutors said.
"There is more than one indication that the perpetrator was obviously motivated by radical Islamism," Michael Ebling, the interior minister of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, said.
Ebling said law enforcement authorities had no previous knowledge of the man before Friday's attempted attack.
The incident in Linz came the day after a man was shot dead by police in the southern city of Munich during what prosecutors described as an attempted terrorist attack linked to an Islamist group.
The area around the entrance to the police station in Linz am Rhein is cordoned off after a machete attack. A 29-year-old man armed with a machete and a knife threatened to kill police officers at a police station in Linz (Neuwied district) early this morning. Alexander Franz/www.alexander-franz-fotografie.de/dpa
The owner of a Macon rehab facility who admitted to altering patient records during a fraud investigation in 2019 was ordered to pay nearly $192,000 to various medical providers and serve a year and a day in prison.
Brenda Hicks, the owner of Middle Georgia Family Rehab, was present at Macons federal courthouse Thursday for sentencing after she pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct justice in front of Judge Marc Treadwell. Dozens of affiliates, clients and more each gave a brief testimony supporting Hicks with the hopes Treadwell would reduce her sentence.
The rehab center was accused of a fraud scheme, which was under investigation by authorities. Hicks received a request to look into certain patient records from investigators for the U.S. Attorneys Office records she told her staff that she did not have, according to her plea agreement with prosecutors. She told her staff she received an audit and instructed them to pull the requested files.
If any of the requested files appeared blank or missing, Lisa Deal, who is also part of this criminal case, and another staff member were instructed to make them up by copying the details of another file and pasting them onto the blank one. Deal testified at the sentencing hearing, saying that she believed that what Hicks instructed her and the other staff member to do was legal, especially after she inquired about its legality to Hicks directly and was told that it was.
Deal further explained that out of all of the documents requested from investigators, about 15% to 20% of those documents missed information, saying that sometimes, Hicks therapists were lazy and must have turned the documents in without writing notes or signing the document.
While Deal helped to forge the documents for Hicks, the other staff member quit after expressing that what they were doing was illegal, according to Hicks plea agreement.
Deal is currently part of a year-long diversion program with prosecutors that, once she completes it, will dismiss the case against her.
An extraordinary collection of folks testify in Hicks defense
Hicks lawyer, Brian Rafferty, attempted to get a lesser sentence for the rehab owner by arguing that the government did not meet the burden of proof, but Treadwell disagreed. However, Rafferty brought forward an extraordinary collection of folks that received services from Middle Georgia Family Rehab to testify in Hicks defense.
Among them were a leader of a veterans support group, parents of fostered children, a former officer but current employee in a juvenile detention center, a Macon reverend, the mayor of Reynolds, and Hicks husband. They testified to how Hicks was a good, considerate person that served clients for free and without insurance.
Hicks was commended as a woman who thought of others and provided healthcare to a struggling community. Hicks herself mentioned how her passion was to take care of children and the elderly and that, ultimately, she did not mean to do any harm.
I throw myself at the mercy of the court, said Hicks.
Rafferty added that forging the documents for the government does not define her as a person, further adding that Hicks is now a broken woman and a convicted felon.
But prosecutors argued that a reason she did not charge clients may be due to the fact that she falsified some of the documents. Further, prosecutors argued that Hicks did not even qualify to treat most of the elderly and children she treated and could have given them more appropriate treatment.
We will never know what the truthful documents are and we never will, prosecutors told Treadwell.
Before the judge gave his sentence, he let Hicks know that he acknowledged the work she put in toward an underserved community, but all of the good that you have done does not change the fact that there has been substantial wrongdoing.
Hicks was supposed to be sentenced to somewhere between 15 and 21 months in prison, according to recommended guidelines, but Treadwell sentenced her to one year and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release. According to her plea agreement with prosecutors, she was also ordered to pay in restitution:
$108,335.87 to TRICARE
$6,780.38 to Medicare
$26,694.92 to Blue Cross Blue Shield
$31,158.22 to Medicaid, and
$18,675.81 to Veterans Affairs.
The total of what she has to pay in restitution is $191,645.20. Hicks surrendered in court and hugged her crying supporters outside of Treadwells courtroom.
On the evening of July 7, the French stared at their TV screens in disbelief as they discovered the results of the snap parliamentary elections Macron had called a few weeks earlier. Everyone had predicted Marine Le Pens victory.
Half of France was more hopeful than theyd ever dared to dream; the other half demoralised and ready to bite back.
But the result was a shock. For the first time ever, Frances parliament was divided in three blocks. An expected-to-fail Left-wing coalition had gained the most seats. Macrons party followed 20 seats behind, and then came Marine Le Pens, another 20 seats back.
Unlike its continental neighbours, France does not have a culture of coalition. Deciding on a new prime minister and finding common ground between such opposing worldviews would not come easy.
Yet, Macron decided to maintain his own now illegitimate government in place, creating an unprecedented political crisis and institutional deadlock. In true Jupiterian fashion, Macron argued that naming a prime minister could wait until after the Olympic truce. He then retreated to his summer residence in order to decant the results of the election.
For weeks, he conducted a series of vaudevillian consultations on who Frances next prime minister should be. In France and abroad, news pieces and snickering tweets have mocked Macrons dillydallying one former government advisor even joked that famous predictor Paul The Octopus should be called upon to help. Even the Financial Times, not a paper one could accuse of gauchistes tendencies, dared suggest that it might just be better playing the democratic game and letting the Left-wing coalition come to power and fail.
Yet, yesterday, after holding France hostage for 60 days, Macron finally named Michel Barnier colloquially known as Mr Brexit in France for his role as the EUs negotiator during the Brexit saga as Frances new prime minister. His party, traditional right-wing Les Republicains, came in fourth position in the election, with under 10 per cent of the vote and just 46 seats. An absolutely baffling and undemocratic choice.
To say that Macron was displeased with the prospect of naming a Left-wing prime minister would be as British an understatement one could ever come up with. Macron owned up to that: he didnt want the Left to undo his massively unpopular pension reform. Democracy can indeed be unpleasant: sometimes, one has to negotiate with rivals or to accept that citizens just want you out. The Tories know a thing or two about that.
In July, many critics argued that Marine Le Pens party would have had a clear majority if it hadnt been for the implementation of a republican dam, whereby voters rally behind a candidate they disagree with in order to prevent the far-Right from accessing power.
But, crucially, Right-wing presidents have repeatedly been elected precisely thanks to that republican dam due to left-wing citizens who pinched their noses at polling stations and agreed to cast their ballots in favour of someone they disagreed with. In 2002, Jacques Chirac didnt win the presidential election with 82% of the vote against Jean-Marie Le Pen because he had convinced 82% of the population.
Fast forward to 2017, and a similar scenario unfolded when Macron, then a shiny new presidential hopeful, faced Le Pen. Then, Macron had no problem calling for the republican front to rally behind him. No one questioned the legitimacy of his election.
For the first time, the barrage republicain has favoured the Left. Yet, Macron has been more willing to negotiate with Marine Le Pen than with the Left-wing coalition (and therefore honouring the republican dam he once so defended). Marine Le Pen has become the de facto umpire to naming Frances newest prime minister.
Democracy is an imperfect game, with imperfect rules. But its one the citizens of France have been playing for a long time and this particular set of rules has been in place since 1958. They shouldnt be overturned to favour Macrons or Le Pens political agendas.
Whether one agrees with the platform the Left was running isnt the point here: an election was called, voters showed up to polling stations in the biggest turn-out since the 90s, and a party came first. They should be the prime negotiating party, and they should be represented in Government. Instead, theyre cast as the opposition and asked about their shadow cabinet.
Thats not playing the democratic game. Thats disrespecting the vote of French citizens and the campaign that was waged.
The French phrase for calling a spade a spade is to call a cat a cat. Maybe its time to update le dictionnaire and call a coup a coup.
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For those who still, even now, insist that the Russia scandal has been discredited, this hasnt been a great week. In fact, as NBC News reported, the broader story took an important turn when the Justice Department indicted a contributor to a Russian state-run TV channel, charging him and his wife with violating U.S. sanctions and money laundering.
The indictment, filed and unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, accuses Dmitri Simes, 76, and his wife, Anastasia Simes, 55, of participating in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions for the benefit of the Russian state-controlled broadcaster and to launder money obtained through that scheme.
If Simes name sounds at all familiar, its not your imagination: The dual U.S.-Russian citizen worked as an advisor to Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, and as NBC News report added, Simes name also appeared numerous times in the report compiled by special counsel Robert Mueller on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
News of the newly unsealed indictment comes the same week as Biden administration officials announced a series of efforts intended to combat the Kremlins 2024 effort to target U.S. elections, including sanctions and a criminal indictment against two employees of the state-owned RT media network who were accused of conspiring to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
That indictment, of course, documented prosecutors allegations that employees of the Russia-backed media network RT funded and directed a scheme that sent millions of dollars to prominent right-wing commentators through Tenet Media, a leading platform for pro-Trump commentary. (The commentators have denied any wrongdoing and characterized themselves as victims.)
This was, according to the Justice Department, one of the covert projects launched by the RT employees to influence American politics ahead of the elections.
That same indictment also noted that one of the charged Russians asked Tenet Media to promote a video of a well-known U.S. political commentator visiting a grocery store in Russia an apparent reference to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. A Tenet employee suggested it just feels like overt shilling but was told to put it out there.
For all the chatter in far-right circles about the Russia scandal being a hoax, a Washington Post analysis explained, the new indictment "reinforces that it wasnt. Russia began trying to influence American politics a decade ago, ultimately finding a sympathetic ally in Trump. Now, instead of trying to make fake personalities who can elevate contentious issues to Russias benefit, theres a stable of Trump-allied voices who already are.
This was published before the Justice Department charged a former Trump advisor with allegedly participating in a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions for the benefit of the Russian state-controlled broadcaster.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
It seems self-defeating. Unionized steelworkers are effectively blocking the purchase of US Steel by Japans Nippon Steel, leaving a shrunken icon of the American heartland with no good options. US Steel CEO David Burritt says without the buyout, his company will have to close unionized factories and relocate from Pittsburgh to a non-union Southern state.
The whole matter, however, is distorted by election year politics, and theres still a way for the deal to happen if Nippon doesnt lose patience with American idiosyncrasies. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump all say they oppose the deal, but that could change once the election is over and the political ramifications subside.
Last year, US Steel began looking for ways to scale up or streamline in a market thats now dominated by giant Chinese producers. Domestic firm Cleveland-Cliffs offered $7.4 billion for the firm, but a few months later, Nippon offered $14.9 billion, with the premium indicating a strong interest in entering the US market. US Steel accepted the superior Nippon offer and said it expected the deal to close in 2024.
The steelworkers union, however, favored the Cleveland-Cliffs deal, believing that it would provide better protection for union jobs and trashing the Nippon offer as a token commitment to jobs that still leaves room for layoffs and plant closures.
Biden, who calls himself the most pro-union president in American history, put his thumb on the scale in March when he said US Steel should remain American-owned. The president cant block a merger just because he wants to, though. And antitrust measures dont really apply when a US firm mashes up with a foreign one. But the president does control an arcane body known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) that decides if foreign buyouts pose a national security threat. Thats the mechanism Biden is now poised to exploit in order to block the Nippon deal.
US Steel's stock jumped on the news last December that Nippon wanted to buy the company for twice the Cleveland-Cliffs offer. Then the stock dove in March, when Biden suggested his opposition. The stock gyrated after that, falling even further in late August when news leaks suggested CFIUS was planning to block the deal.
Japan is a close US ally, and the premise that it could somehow threaten the supply of domestic steel in an emergency is flimsy at best. But CFIUS, run by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and several other Cabinet secretaries, is an opaque decision-making body that can gin up a national security rationale if the president wants one for political reasons.
And Biden, and Harris, almost certainly do. US Steel employs about 3,000 steelworkers in Pennsylvania, and the broader steel industry may account for more than 100,000 Pennsylvania jobs. That may not sound like a lot. But from an electoral perspective, it could be crucial.
A portion of US Steel's Edgar Thomson plant in Braddock, Pa., is shown on Dec. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Harris, now the Democratic presidential nominee, most likely needs to win Pennsylvania and its 19 electoral votes to make it to the White House. Biden won the state in 2020 by 81,660 votes, and by some measures Trump is doing better in Pennsylvania in 2024 than he was four years ago. That means Democrats hoping to hold the White House are going to give Pennsylvania steelworkers whatever they ask for and hope to win their votes in return.
After the election, however, the steelworkers leverage will diminish, which could create a new pathway for the Nippon purchase to go forward. And theres plenty of precedent for foreign buyouts that stumble at first but ultimately go through.
With CFIUS, what happens a lot is the government will look at a case and say, 'Why dont you withdraw your application and we can talk and see if we can work out the problem?' explains William Reinsch, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former Undersecretary of Commerce. But the only way this goes through is if the union is happy and it says so.
That kind of dealmaking with foreign purchasers, known as a mitigation agreement, normally happens behind the scenes with little or no public attention. In the Nippon case, public posturing in the service of electoral politics has added a new layer of complexity.
If Nippon wants to stay in the hunt, it would probably have to offer new assurances that it will protect union jobs, without the exit clauses the union complained about before. Nippon recently said it would invest $1 billion in US Steels Pennsylvania plant and $300 million in its Indiana plant, which could be a down payment on further sweeteners.
Nippon may also need a Harris victory in November to get the deal done. If Harris wins, Nippon makes concessions, and the steelworkers union gets on board, Bidens CFIUS could finagle some fig leaf change in the deal that satisfies its national security concerns and approve the buyout during the lame-duck period following the election. Or a newly constituted CFIUS under the Harris administration could basically do the same thing.
Trump, by contrast, seems firmly opposed to the deal with no wiggle room to change his mind. Trumps America First agenda has an ideological bias against foreign involvement in the US economy, and he routinely singles out steelworkers as iconic American laborers who should never serve a foreign master. Case closed.
The Cleveland-Cliffs offer may not be a fallback, either. In July, Cleveland-Cliffs announced plans to buy Canadian steelmaker Stelco for $2.8 billion with the unions blessing. That may satisfy its interest in consolidation for the time being.
If Nippon tires of American machinations and gives up its quest for US Steel, that may test Burritts threat to relocate and deunionize. That's clearly a risk the union is taking. But the shrewd move for all sides may be waiting a couple of months and seeing what changes once the elections over.
Clarification: This story originally said US Steel began looking for a buyer last year. Looking for a buyer was just one of several strategic options it was considering.
Rick Newman is a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on X at @rickjnewman.
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Todays installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.
* Vice President Kamala Harris campaign raised $361 million in August, nearly triple the $130 million that Donald Trumps operation raised over the same period.
* The Democratic nominee also received a new round of endorsements from 88 current and former top executives from across corporate America. The list includes the current CEO of Yelp and the former CEOs of Pepsi, Lyft and Ford.
* In Montanas closely watched U.S. Senate race, an AARP poll conducted by the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward & David Binder Research, found Republican Tim Sheehy leading incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, 51% to 45%. If Tester loses, it will be extraordinarily difficult for Democrats to maintain their majority in the Senate, regardless of what happens in the presidential race. (Click the link for information on the surveys methodology and margin of error.)
* On the other hand, in Florida, the latest statewide poll from The Hill and Emerson College found incumbent Republican Sen. Rick Scott with a surprisingly narrow lead over former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, 46% to 45%. (Click the link for information on the surveys methodology and margin of error.)
* In a bit of a surprise, Trump suggested to Fox News Sean Hannity that he doesnt want support from those who voted against him in 2020. They say you should take everybody, but thats not the way Im built, the Republican nominee said.
* In case Democrats werent already disappointed with retiring Sen. Joe Manchin, the West Virginian this week appeared to endorse former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan in Marylands U.S. Senate race.
* In Texas, Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales said at The Texas Tribune Festival this week that he expects the GOP to lose its majority in the U.S. House in this years elections, adding, [W]ere going to lose it because of ourselves.
* While Trump suggested in recent months that he intended to compete in Virginia and Minnesota, Axios reported this week that the Republicans campaign is now placing less emphasis in those states.
* And in Nebraskas U.S. Senate race, the Legal Marijuana Now Party failed to choose a nominee before the legal deadline this week. As a result, incumbent Republican Sen. Deb Fischer will have a one-on-one race against independent candidate Dan Osborn.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays edition of quick hits.
* The latest out of Georgia: The teenager accused of shooting dead two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school appeared in court for the first time on Friday to face murder charges, hours after his father was arrested on suspicion of facilitating the shootings by allowing his son to possess a deadly weapon.
* In the West Bank: The White House on Friday requested that Israel investigate the death of a 26-year-old American woman, Aysenur Eygi, in the occupied West Bank. Earlier, a protester told The Associated Press that Israeli forces had shot an American woman at an anti-settlement demonstration in the West Bank. Two doctors said she was shot in the head, the AP reported.
* Patience is a virtue: A New York judge has delayed former President Donald Trumps sentencing on felony criminal charges until Nov. 26. Judge Juan Merchan ... issued the ruling after Trumps attorneys had asked him to postpone the Sept. 18 sentencing until after the election to allow them to appeal a pending ruling involving presidential immunity.
* The judge in this case was appointed by George W. Bush: 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 mpox threat: Senior Biden administration officials said Friday that the United States is preparing for the possible arrival of a more severe version of mpox, which has taken off in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries in Africa resulting in more than 600 deaths there.
* Wait, you mean Donald Trump is an unreliable source for anti-immigrant information? Police in a Denver suburb are disputing claims by some Republicans, including former president Donald Trump, that a Venezuelan gang has taken over an apartment complex there, the latest political flash point in the immigration debate.
* An intensifying climate emergency: With the hottest time of year on average in the rear view, Europe is still scorching as summer transitions to fall. In recent days, many parts of Scandinavia have posted their highest temperatures on record so late in the year. Several other European countries have also set notable September heat milestones, including Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia. The September heat wave follows Europes hottest summer on record and the hottest summer for the planet.
Have a safe weekend.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
In early August, Donald Trump sat down with Fox Business Maria Bartiromo and claimed Vice President Kamala Harris doesnt have support from law enforcement. As The Hill reported, theres fresh evidence to the contrary.
In a letter signed by 101 law enforcement officials, the group declared that Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) are the only candidates we trust to keep our communities safe. The group cited Harris work as a prosecutor, district attorney, and attorney general, during which she took on issues ranging from child sexual assault to transnational crime organizations. ... It also cited Walzs investment in law enforcement in Minnesota, including $300 million in public safety training and community engagement.
Its worth emphasizing that this group includes officials with ranks like sheriff, police chief, retired chief of police, retired detective, captain, state trooper and FBI special agent.
This November, they wrote, Americans will choose between someone who spent her career enforcing our laws and someone who has been convicted of breaking them.
It was the end of that quote that was of particular interest, because while the 101 law enforcement officials made clear that they believe Harris and Walz earned their 2024 backing, they simultaneously emphasized their opposition to Trump.
The former president, their joint statement read, has repeatedly shown he does not respect law enforcement or the rule of law, citing the Republicans stated plans to pardon Jan. 6 rioters who clashed with the police at the U.S. Capitol.
At a campaign rally in July, the GOP nominee told an audience that the Democratic campaign was telling the electorate, Im the prosecutor, and he is the convicted felon. Trump added, I dont think people are going to buy it.
I can think of 101 people who do buy it.
The timing of this announcement was not coincidental: It reached the public just hours ahead of the former presidents scheduled remarks at a Fraternal Order of Police event. It also comes roughly a month after Trump received an endorsement from the National Association of Police Organizations.
The fact remains, however, that the idea of the Republican candidate being a friend to law enforcement continues to be a tough sell. In fact, given the circumstances, its probably worth revisiting The Top 10 Reasons Donald Trump Deserves To Be Seen As An Opponent Of Law Enforcement.
10. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at those hes described as dirty cops, as part of a larger offensive against law enforcement. Hes also condemned law enforcement officials as fascists and accused law enforcement officials of pushing fake crime rate statistics as part of a political plot to help Democrats.
9. A jury recently found Trump guilty of 34 felonies, and hes still facing dozens of other criminal counts across multiple jurisdictions. (He has pleaded not guilty to all of them.)
8. Trump is facing civil suits from police officers who sustained injuries during the Jan. 6 riot the Republican instigated.
7. Trump has condemned common law enforcement tools, including plea agreements for witnesses who cooperate with prosecutors.
6. Trump abused his powers by intervening in criminal cases in which the defendants were political allies, letting politically connected suspects go free even after some pleaded guilty and undermining law enforcement in the process.
5. Trump has undermined law enforcement by abusing his pardon powers, in one case even commuting the sentence of a man accused of helping murder of a police officer.
4. Trump lashed out at the police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt as a thug and a coward who deserves to be vilified.
3. Trump has promised day-one pardons for insurrectionists, many of whom violently clashed with police officers.
2. While in office, Trump saw law enforcement as a political weapon he can wield at his convenience, which led him to urge law enforcement officials to enforce his political vendettas and help Republicans win elections.
1. Trump has expressed support for prosecuting members of the Capitol police.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, a sycophantic supporter of the former president, declared earlier this year via social media, No one Backs The Blue more than President Trump.
It was difficult to believe when the Ohio congressman first made the comment in March, and it hasn't improved with age.
This post updates our related earlier coverage.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
In general, in the immediate aftermath of a deadly school shooting, Republican officials have spent recent years sticking to a familiar playbook. They (1) offer thoughts and prayers; (2) say something along the lines of, This isnt the time to talk about politics; and (3) roll out stale culture-war ideas such as regulating video games and pushing state-endorsed religion in public schools.
In time, the horror fades from front pages, and GOP policymakers simply wait for the next deadly school shooting, at which point the cycle starts anew.
But Republican politics in the Trump era has been a little different.
It was earlier this year, for example, when Donald Trump responded to a school shooting in Iowa by urging supporters to move forward, adding his belief that people have to get over it.
The former presidents comments came to mind after seeing new and related remarks from his 2024 running mate. The Associated Press reported:
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said Thursday that he lamented that school shootings are a fact of life and argued the U.S. needs to harden security to prevent more carnage like the shooting this week that left four dead in Georgia.
To be sure, the Ohio senator did not express indifference to the bloodshed. At a campaign rally in Phoenix, Vance described the Apalachee High School shooting as awful, adding, No parent should have to deal with this. No child should have to deal with this. And yes, after holding these folks up in prayer and giving them our sympathies, because thats what people deserve in a time of tragedy, then we have to think about how to make this less common.
The GOPs vice presidential nominee specifically suggested increased school security as a possible solution, though this approach has fallen far short elsewhere.
But Vance nevertheless concluded, I dont like that this is a fact of life.
JD Vance responds to the deadly shooting in Georgia by saying school shootings are just a fact of life and attacking common sense gun safety reform pic.twitter.com/ISNRuXneg6 Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) September 6, 2024
I realize that everyone deals with routine frustrations in their day-to-day lives. When youre all set to walk your dog, and it suddenly starts pouring rain, thats exasperating, but you realize that rainstorms are just a fact of life.
Heavily armed children committing mass murder in schools, however, is not a fact of life. Its a societal scourge thats unique to the United States the consequence of a society awash in guns thanks to weak laws that Republican politicians such as Trump and Vance refuse to reform.
In a statement issued soon after Vances public comments, the Harris/Walz campaign team issued a written statement that read, Yesterday, Vice President Harris said it doesnt have to be this way in response to another senseless school shooting. Donald Trump and JD Vance think school shootings are a fact of life and we have to get over it.
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. Donald Trump and JD Vance will choose the NRA and gun lobby over our children. That is the choice in this election.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
For many American families, the cost and availability of child care pose real challenges. With this in mind, its hardly a surprising that many voters would look to elected officials for possible solutions.
It was against this backdrop that JD Vance sat down with conservative pundit Charlie Kirk at an event in Arizona on Wednesday, and the host asked the Republican vice presidential nominee what can be done to address the cost of child care.
One of the ways that you might be able to relieve a little bit of pressure on people who are paying so much for daycare is, maybe grandma and grandpa wants to help out a little bit more. Or maybe theres an aunt or uncle that wants to help out a little bit more, Vance replied. If that happens, you relieve some of the pressure on all of the resources that were spending on daycare.
Has it not occurred to the Ohio senator that if parents had access to free familial labor, theyd already be taking advantage of that? Watching the exchange, I found myself wondering how many Americans saw this and thought, My relatives can help watch the kids? Why didnt I think of that? Thank goodness for these valuable insights from JD Vance!
But it was a day later when Vances running mate faced the same question and responded with an even less coherent answer. As a HuffPost report summarized:
Donald Trump on Thursday got a question about what he would do as president to make child care more affordable and accessible. The answer he gave might charitably be described as a rambling non sequitur, or less charitably as policy gibberish.
This was one of those things that people really have to see to fully appreciate.
Q: What specific legislation will you commit to to make child care affordable?
Trump: Well, I would do that and we're sitting down, you know, I was, somebody, we had Marco Rubio and my daughter, Ivanka But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I'm talking about pic.twitter.com/v8gqLUHS2v Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) September 5, 2024
The question, for those who cant watch clips online, was about making child care more affordable.
Well, I would do that, and were sitting down you know, I was, somebody, we had Sen. Marco Rubio, and my daughter Ivanka was so impactful on that issue, Trumps 368-word answer began. Its a very important issue. But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that Im talking about, that because, look, child care is child care. Its, couldnt, you know, theres something, you have to have it in this country, you have to have it.
But when you talk about those numbers compared to the kind of numbers that Im talking about, by taxing foreign nations at levels that theyre not used to but theyll get used to it very quickly and its not gonna stop them from doing business with us. But theyll have a very substantial tax when they send product into our country.
Those numbers are so much bigger than any numbers that were talking about, including child care, that its going to take care. Were gonna have I look forward to having no deficits within a fairly short period of time, coupled with the reductions that I told you about on waste and fraud and all of the other things that are going on in our country, because I have to stay with child care.
I want to stay with child care, but those numbers are small relative to the kind of economic numbers that Im talking about, including growth, but growth also headed up by what the plan is that I just, that I just told you about. Were gonna be taking in trillions of dollars, and as much as child care is talked about as being expensive, its, relatively speaking, not very expensive compared to the kind of numbers well be taking in. Were going to make this into an incredible country that can afford to take care of its people, and then well worry about the rest of the world.
Lets help other people, but were going to take care of our country first. This is about America first. Its about Make America Great Again. We have to do it because right now were a failing nation, so well take care of it. Thank you. Very good question. Thank you.
So, why does this word salad matter? Several reasons, actually.
Right off the bat, its worth emphasizing that Trump who presumably has been engaged in debate preparations and should be at the top of his game appeared wholly incapable of speaking coherently about a common issue. For those who believe the Republican nominee is in a state of cognitive decline, his answer on child care costs offered fresh evidence.
Similarly, Trumps nonsensical rambling served as a timely reminder of a familiar problem: The former president doesnt know or care about public policy, and he routinely has trouble faking it. Those expecting him to have meaningful governing plans on any issue are going to be disappointed.
After the remarks, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said he prefers Trumps economic policies because the former president can actually speak to details. Reality suggests otherwise: Were routinely confronted with proof that Trump is effectively economically illiterate.
But appearing on MSNBC the morning after the GOP candidates comments, White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates raised an underappreciated point: If you have any idea what the hell that answer means, youre a better detective than I am, because these tariffs that he wants to apply across the board would amount to a $4,000 tax increase on working families. And that is something that authorities across the private sector are warning would be devastating for our economy and would depress economic growth.
.@AndrewJBates46 on Trump childcare answer:
"If you have any idea what the hell that answer means you're a better detective than I am because these tariffs that he wants to apply across the board would amount to a $4,000 tax increase on working families." pic.twitter.com/r3A6WHnqGP Will Ragland (@citizenwillis) September 6, 2024
To the extent that Trump said any understandable words in his response, the Republican seemed to suggest that hell impose tariffs on trading partners, which he believes will generate money that he can then apply to child care costs. But thats bonkers: Not only will the tariffs fail to create some giant pool of money for Trump to draw from, but those same tariffs would raise costs for the families looking for relief.
The GOP candidate, in other words, has the entire policy dynamic backwards.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
JEFFERSON, Iowa (KCAU) An Iowa man accused of kidnapping a child that led to a statewide Amber Alert, pursuit, and standoff has pleaded guilty to some charges.
Brandon Duong, 35, of Jefferson, Iowa pleaded guilty to violating a custodial order, a class D felony, Tuesday in Greene County District Court. The guilty plea comes as part of a plea agreement.
Cause of death released for woman found in vehicle submerged in Sac County river
As part of the agreement, the charge of second-degree kidnapping armed with a dangerous weapon, a Class B felony, was dismissed.
Duong admitted to violating a court order and picked up a child after custody had been transferred to the Iowa Department of Health and Human services, court documents state.
In addition to pleading guilty to violating a custodial order, Duong will also plead guilty to felony eluding and child endangerment out of Woodbury County. In the plea agreement, Duong would serve five years consecutive to charges out of Woodbury County for an indeterminate term not to exceed 12 years.
While there is a potential sentencing agreed to, the court is not bound by the plea agreement at sentencing. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
Duong is accused of picking up a child who was outside at a Greene County school playground while at recess on Jan. 30. An Amber Alert went out that afternoon and his vehicle was later spotted in Woodbury County when a pursuit ensued before crashing outside of Remsen.
Duong allegedly left the vehicle on foot with the child and a rifle and got into a standoff with law enforcement. A criminal complaint stated Duong accused him of using [the child] as a shield and a hostage during the standoff.
Friends help finish disaster cleanup after family tragedy
After multiple hours, Duong surrendered and was eventually taken into custody. He was booked into the Plymouth County Jail until he was transferred to Greene County.
Duong pleaded not guilty to the Greene County charges in early February. A few days later, Duongs attorney filed a motion to determine competency. In late May, the court found that he was competent and that the case would continue.
To read previous coverage of the case, CLICK HERE.
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MACOMB, Ill. (WMBD) Two Macomb police officers were met instantly with gunfire when they entered a home Wednesday, the department said in a social media post.
The man accused in that shooting was ordered to remain in custody pending the outcome of his case, a McDonough County judge ordered Friday.
Shaiking Mathis appeared in court by way of video-conferencing, less than 24 hours after he surrendered to authorities. He had holed up in a home in the 300 block of North Normal Street in Macomb until mid-day Thursday.
Mathis is accused of shooting two Macomb police officers Detectives Nick Severs and JP McLaughin Wednesday evening. The officers were at the home to serve a warrant when they were shot, according to police. According to a social media post from the department, the officers were there to investigate a prior sexual assault that occurred there.
Detectives knocked on doors at the residence to contact Mathis but no one came to the door. No one was seen or heard from inside, the post states.
The detectives had obtained a prior search warrant to go into the house. They set up a perimeter around the house and after more officers arrived, continued to announce they were police officers and that they wanted to come inside.
At approximately 7:05 p.m., the team of officers breached the rear door and were instantly met with gunfire from inside the residence, the post said. Detectives Severs and McLaughlin were hit by the suspects gunfire.
Officers retreated and began to administer aid to the two men who were flown to Peoria for treatment. They were released Thursday morning.
Severs, the department said, is an 8-year veteran of the department and was named the departments officer of the year in 2019. He was shot in the hip.
McLaughlin, was shot in the upper left leg. He has been on the force for 17 years, the department said, and was recently promoted to sergeant.
Charges of aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated discharge were filed against him Thursday. Those counts carry mandatory prison terms and could keep him behind bars for decades if hes convicted.
UPDATE: Suspect charged in Macomb officer shooting
McDonough County prosecutors filed a petition Friday to deny pretrial release as required by the SAFE-T Act when they want to hold someone. In the post-cash bail world of Illinois, a person is now either in custody or free without bond.
He will next appear in court on Sept. 30 for a preliminary hearing.
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TIPTON COUNTY, Tenn. A standoff with law enforcement officials in Tipton County ended with a man being airlifted to a Memphis hospital on Friday, according to the mans family.
Family members and a neighbor identified the man at the center of that standoff as Rickey Reed Jr. He has not officially been identified by law enforcement.
State officials say the man is in critical condition at Regional One hospital.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation special agents say they responded to Narrow Lane early Friday morning to investigate a reported officer-involved shooting.
Neighbors shared video of the standoff, saying police were negotiating with Reed to release hostages.
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As soon as we got down there, thats when we heard boom, boom! They were barricading in there, and next thing you know all you heard is them going to war. All you hear is gun shots, said a neighbor who did not want to be identified.
Reeds sister Desiree says police surrounded her mothers home, saying they only wanted to talk to her brother. But the situation escalated into multiple shots being fired.
Theres a lot of unanswered questions, but my biggest question is, if he was not armed and you dont have a warrant, why do you feel its necessary to shoot him, she asked.
His sister says their mother owns this home and was never notified of the police visit. She also said police refused their offer to help calm the situation.
But the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which was called in to handle the investigation, said the incident began with an attempted traffic stop that turned into a pursuit, then a standoff.
According to their preliminary information, law enforcement tried to pull over a driver on Highway 51 at 2:50 a.m. That driver refused to pull over, and police began a pursuit.
The subject drove to a home on Narrow Lane, south of Covington, where he barricaded himself inside. Tipton County Sheriffs Department SWAT responded to the barricade and made entry into the house. When they encountered the individual inside, he made a sudden movement, causing deputies to fire their weapons at approximately 9:48 a.m., striking him, the TBI said in a statement.
TBI says the investigation remains active and ongoing.
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JASPER COUNTY, S.C. (WSAV)A man was taken into custody on 14 bench warrants and other charges by the Jasper County Sheriffs Office (JCSO) on Thursday, the JCSO said.
Emanuelle Hargrove Jr., 24, was arrested around noon Thursday in the Firetower Road area, according to a JCSO press release. He had 14 bench warrants for failure to appear and court and was a known fugitive the JCSO said.
Savannah Police Department seeks help locating man, child
The charges against him include assault, attempted murder, discharging firearms into a dwelling, unlawful possession of a pistol and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
The JCSO said that Hargrove Jr.s arrest followed an investigation by their Criminal Investigations Division which worked with the Surveillance Intelligence Unit of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
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A man was arrested on suspicion of the suspected murder of a 24-year-old engineer who went missing last month.
Samuel Bush, 23, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of the murder of Alijah Bradley, according to the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office.
Bradley, an engineer who graduated from Northern Arizona University, went missing shortly after his birthday in August, according to a GoFundMe for his funeral expenses. His disappearance was reported to the Gilbert Police Department on Aug. 15, according to the Sheriffs Office. His body was discovered on Aug. 19, east of Gila Bend.
Alijah's untimely passing has left a profound void in the lives of his family and friends, the GoFundMe reads. Alijah was known for his free spirit and wild soul, and his loss is deeply felt by all who knew him.
Officials said the investigation into Bradley's death was ongoing.
Bush was charged with second-degree murder and concealing body parts, according to video of his initial appearance in court. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for Thursday.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Man arrested after 24-year-old's body found
China, African countries vow to boost high-quality Belt and Road cooperation
Xinhua) 08:35, September 06, 2024
A meeting on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Kenyan President William Ruto. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China and African countries will strengthen their high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, said attendees of a high-level meeting of the ongoing 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on Thursday.
The meeting, focusing on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, was co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and Kenyan President William Ruto.
Addressing the meeting, Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said Africa is an important partner in the Belt and Road cooperation. By reinforcing strategic alignment and boosting practical cooperation, China and Africa have secured significant outcomes.
The high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Africa has demonstrated clear complementary advantages and broad cooperation prospects, Ding said, noting that China is willing to work with Africa to set a benchmark for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and bring more tangible benefits to both peoples.
China and Africa should work together to build a multi-dimensional connectivity network, promote the alignment and mutual recognition of rules and standards, and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation across the entire chain including infrastructure construction, operation and services, Ding noted.
He said that both sides should improve and upgrade economic and trade cooperation, jointly expand pragmatic cooperation in new fields, and strengthen collaboration in areas such as public health, green transition and the digital economy.
China and Africa should join hands to promote cooperative projects that benefit the people, and improve the level of cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, he said.
African leaders and representatives attending the meeting said they look forward to further strengthening strategic synergy with China, deepening cooperation across various fields, and steadily advancing the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to new heights.
About 350 representatives from China, African countries and regional organizations attended the meeting.
A meeting on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Kenyan President William Ruto. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, addresses a meeting on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. The meeting was co-chaired by Ding and Kenyan President William Ruto. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
Kenyan President William Ruto speaks at a meeting on high-quality Belt and Road cooperation of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Kenyan President William Ruto. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Midwest Transport Inc. of Robinson, Illinois, ceased operations on Thursday. (Photo credit: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)
Updated late Friday with additional information about the closure.
An Illinois-based trucking and logistics company, which contracted with the U.S. Postal Service to haul mail has notified over 650 employees, including more than 480 drivers, that the carrier is ceasing operations, according to sources familiar with the closure.
Former truck drivers for Midwest Transport Inc. (MTI), headquartered in Robinson, Illinois, told FreightWaves that they received telephone calls from their regional managers late Thursday notifying them the company was winding down operations.
As of publication on Friday, MTI has not issued a formal statement about what led to the closure. However, FreightWaves confirmed with some former senior managers and truck drivers who worked for the mail contractor that the company was ending operations. They did not want to be named in the article for fear of retaliation.
According to an email sent to MTI employees and drivers about the closing late Friday, which was obtained by FreightWaves, the company stated that postal operations will complete all trips through the trips that begin on Sunday, September 8. Freight operations should be following the instructions from your load planners on returning. Terminal and office personnel will receive information and updates from your managers as we progress through this transition.
MTI, founded in 1980, operated key terminals in Greenup, Illinois; Harmony, Pennsylvania; Memphis, Tennessee; and two terminals in Tampa and Jacksonville, Florida, according to its website.
MTI had over 480 drivers and 428 power units, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrations SAFER website.
FMCSA data shows the companys trucks had been inspected 244 times, and 65 had been placed out of service for a 27% out-of-service rate over the preceding 24-month period. That is significantly higher than the industrys national average of around 22%.
MTIs drivers had been inspected 564 times, and 16 were placed out of service over a two-year period, resulting in a nearly 3% out-of-service rate. That is less than half the industrys national average of 7%, according to FMCSA.
The trucking company had 21 injuries and 42 tow-aways over the past 24 months.
According to the SAFER database, MTI was cited for acute/critical violations in two categories: controlled substances/alcohol and driver fitness.
A check on SAFER shows that MTIs common, contract and broker authorities remain active. MTI had two compliance reviews on July 7 and July 25, according to FMCSA data.
As of publication Friday, MTI had not filed a notice of its impending closure in Illinois, Tennessee, Pennsylvania or Florida.
Story continues
One longtime former MTI driver said he was surprised by the news the company was ceasing operations but said that drivers had started receiving notices over the past few months to ensure their log books were certified after each run and to watch their speed and improve their on-time performance.
I dont know what happened because we had a lot of postal contracts all over the U.S., a former MTI driver told FreightWaves. I [dont know if] the USPS is just finding out like us [that] the mail will be sitting on the docks on Monday.
A media spokesperson with the Postal Service did not immediately return FreightWaves request for comment.
This is a developing story.
Do you have a news tip or story to share? Send Clarissa Hawes an email or message @cage_writer on X, formerly Twitter. Your name will not be used without your permission.
The post Illinois trucking company with 480 drivers abruptly ceases operations appeared first on FreightWaves.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 26-year-old man was taken into custody after deputies discovered he had two active criminal warrants after he parked in a handicap-accessible space without a handicap placard on Thursday, Aug. 8 in East El Paso, according to the El Paso County Constable Office Precinct Three.
The El Paso County Constable Office says a deputy was checking a vehicle that was parked in a handicap-accessible space without a handicap placard that Thursday at a Circle K located at 1520 N. Lee Trevino in East El Paso.
Kevin Andres Campo, 26, exited the store and stated the vehicle belonged to him, according to the El Paso County Constable Office.
A warrant check then revealed that Campo had an active criminal warrant for assault family violence with a $3,000 bond and an active criminal warrant for interference with an emergency request for assistance with a $1,000 bond.
Campo was then taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Jail.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
DENVER (KDVR) Denver police arrested a 21-year-old man in connection to a homicide that was reported at about 1:47 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29 in Denvers Baker neighborhood.
Officers discovered the shooting after stopping to check on the occupants of a vehicle that appeared to have crashed near the intersection of West Byers Place and South Kalamath Street. Officers found that the driver was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
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The driver, a man, was transported to a hospital where he later died.
The Denver Police Department investigated the shooting and learned the driver had been involved in a road rage incident before the shooting. According to the agency, the victim was initially struck by gunfire while driving on South Santa Fe Drive.
The vehicle then came to a stop near South Kalamath Street and West Byers Place. Byers Place connects South Santa Fe Drive and South Kalamath Street.
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Investigators spoke to witnesses and gathered video evidence, leading them to identify the suspect as Chyon Kendrick, 21. The agency said he was arrested on Wednesday and is being held for investigation of first-degree murder.
No charges have been filed. A final determination of charges will be made by the Denver District Attorneys Office. Kendrick is scheduled to appear in court for a return filing of charges on Sept. 10. He is being held on a $750,000 cash/surety/property bond.
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Kendrick is currently represented by an attorney with the Colorado State Public Defenders Office, which does not comment on pending litigation.
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Man arrested in Lindsay homicide had fled to Mexico, police say
Man arrested in Lindsay homicide had fled to Mexico, police say
LINDSAY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A 48-year-old man was arrested while returning from Mexico following the death of a man in Lindsay, according to the citys police department.
Police say on Tuesday, May 21, at around 9:40 p.m. officers with the Lindsay Department responded to suspicious circumstances at a home in the 300 block of E. Samoa. Officers reported finding a man dead inside. No one else was inside the home at the time.
The man was later identified by officials as Eliseo Jose Briseno.
48-year-old Jose Eleazar Navarro
Police say on Aug. 27 around 9:30 p.m., Jose Eleazar Navarro was taken into custody for the alleged homicide. Navarro was located and arrested returning to the United States after fleeing to Mexico. Navarro is currently being housed in a Tulare County jail facility.
Anyone with further information regarding this crime is urged to contact Detective M. Vejar of the Lindsay Department at 559-562-2511.
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FILE - In this image from video provided by the Clark County District Court, Deobra Redden is seen launching over the desk of Judge Mary Kay Holthus during his sentencing in a felony battery case, Jan. 3, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Clark County District Court via AP, File)
LAS VEGAS (AP) A man whose courtroom attack on a judge in Las Vegas was recorded on video has pleaded guilty but mentally ill to attempted murder and other charges.
Deobra Delone Redden ended his trial Thursday after Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus testified that she feared for her life when Redden vaulted over her bench and desk and landed on her. The attack happened Jan. 3 as Holthus was about to deliver Reddens sentence in a separate felony attempted battery case.
Reddens defense attorney, Carl Arnold, said in a statement Friday that the plea reflects a delicate balance between accepting responsibility for a regrettable incident and recognizing the impact of Mr. Reddens untreated mental illness at the time.
Arnold told jurors who began hearing evidence on Tuesday that Redden had not taken prescribed medication to control his diagnosed schizophrenia.
Holthus testified that she felt defenseless during the attack and that court officials and attorneys who came to her aid saved her life, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Law clerk Michael Lasso told the jury he saw Holthus head hit the floor and Redden grab her hair.
"I absolutely thought, Hes going to kill her, Lasso testified. He said he wrestled Redden away, punched him to try to subdue him and saw Redden hitting a corrections officer who also intervened.
An armed courtroom marshal suffered a bleeding gash on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder, according to court officials and witnesses. Holthus was not hospitalized and returned to work after treatment for her injuries. A prosecutor for more than 27 years, she was elected to the state court bench in 2018.
Redden, 31, is already serving prison time for other felony battery convictions. Prosecutor John Giordani said Friday he could face up to 86 years for his pleas to eight felonies, which also included battery of a protected person age 60 or older resulting in substantial bodily harm, intimidating a public officer and battery by a prisoner.
Clark County District Court Judge Susan Johnson ruled that Redden was competent and capable of entering his plea, the Review-Journal reported. Sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 7.
Arnold said in his statement that he will ask Johnson to order mental health treatment for his client behind bars.
Giordani said Redden told three correctional staff members after the attack that he tried to kill Holthus.
While he clearly has past mental issues, he made a choice that day and failed to control his homicidal impulses, the prosecutor said.
Police have charged a man accused of fatally shooting a woman in east Charlotte in January, and of kidnapping another man, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Thursday in a press release.
Quanticus Rucker, 33, was already in police custody on unrelated charges when police identified him as the suspect in the murder of Diana Perez-Barrera, 26.
Rucker has been charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
And, according to an affidavit, he may be connected to other murder cases, including one in Dallas, Texas.
Affidavit allegations
An affidavit filed in court alleges that when a man arrived at a residence on Turquoise Drive on Jan. 19, Rucker held him at gunpoint and forced him inside. Once inside, the affidavit said, Rucker shot and killed Perez-Barrera and stole $2,000 from a backpack.
He then demanded money from the male victim, the affidavit said. The male victim, who worked at an arcade gaming center, said he could get Rucker more money from his job.
Rucker forced the victim into the trunk of the victims 2010 Dodge Challenger at gunpoint, the affidavit said, and drove him to the arcade gaming center. Rucker allegedly made the victim call employees at the business and tell them to get money together before they arrived.
The victim was then forced to enter the business to get the money, the affidavit said. While inside, he told security about the robbery. Security guards then confronted Rucker in the parking lot and exchanged gunfire with him before he fled in the victims car.
Kannapolis police arrested Rucker the next day, Jan. 20, on a parole violation.
Kannapolis police were doing a homicide investigation at an arcade gaming center and Rucker was a suspect in that case as well, the affidavit said. An alleged associate was charged with killing a security guard at the arcade during a robbery attempt, according to the affidavit.
Police got a search warrant and seized a .45-caliber handgun from Ruckers hotel room. During CMPDs investigation into Perez-Berreras death, police found a single .45-caliber shell casing near her body.
Police test fired Ruckers weapon and compared it to other casings in a database, and found it not only matched the one at Perez-Barreras home, but also a murder at a gaming arcade center in Dallas in September 2023, according to the affidavit.
On Aug. 29, Rucker was transferred from the N.C. Department of Adult Correction to the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) An Ohio man charged in two different murders received his second sentence after pleading guilty to a murder in Franklin County.
Avonte Sanford pleaded guilty to murder in Franklin County on Aug. 14. He was then sentenced to 16 to 21 years and six months in prison for shooting and killing Antohn Saunders in east Columbus in December, 2021.
Local musicians new album played key role in his recovery from addiction
Previously, Sanford was sentenced to 25 years to 30 years and six months for the homicide of James Palmer III in Fairfield County in January, 2022.
Sanford, 21, was indicted by a Fairfield County grand jury on charges of aggravated murder, murder, aggravated robbery and having weapons under disability in connection with the shooting death of Palmer III on Jan. 2 in Pickerington.
Prior to both murders, Sanford was also arrested in connection to an April 2021 shooting in Reynoldsburg where a 16-year-old girl was shot in the leg walking home from a school bus stop.
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Man convicted in car auction scheme in 2 states sentenced in MS
MEMPHIS, Tenn. The man convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from unsuspecting customers in a car auction scheme in Memphis is now headed to prison in Mississippi.
The WREG Investigators exposed Leandre Barners scheme several years ago and we have continued to follow his court cases.
Man convicted in car auction scheme says victims will get money back
In late July, Barner was apprehended by Memphis Police and Desoto County deputies after skipping his trial date in Mississippi.
Just last week, a Desoto County judge sentenced Barner to 10 years in prison.
He was convicted of false pretenses as a habitual offender.
Court records show Barner took $2,500 from an Olive Branch man for two cars that were never delivered back in 2020.
Man convicted in $90k car auction scheme now in custody
Its the same reason Barner was convicted in Shelby County in 2019.
He pleaded guilty to stealing more than $90,000 from dozens of victims who were promised discounted cars that were never delivered.
Several years ago, Shelby County prosecutors filed to have Barners probation revoked after he failed to pay his victims restitution, but they have recently been working with him to make payments.
We have reached out to see what happens in that case now that he has been convicted across state lines.
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HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) A man was convicted of kidnapping his girlfriend and being a felon in possession of a firearm in Hinds County.
Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens said Joseph Zattoni was convicted of kidnapping a young woman in February 2023.
Jackson man arrested after almost hitting trooper conducting safety checkpoint
Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP0 troopers responded to a call on Highway 473 after a young woman reported she had been abducted from her car and forced into Zattonis car. The woman was identified as Zattonis girlfriend.
Authorities discovered the victims vehicle on the side of the road containing her belongings. Investigators said Zattoni had fired shots at her vehicle as she tried to flee his home following a fight.
Zattoni faces up to 30 years for kidnapping and 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He will be sentenced on September 16, 2024.
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By Satoshi Sugiyama
TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese economy likely expanded during the April-June quarter at roughly the same solid pace as initially predicted, a Reuters poll showed on Friday, although risks continue to cloud the outlook.
Analysts expect economic growth in Japan to maintain momentum, supported by positive trends in wages and personal and corporate spending, but risks remain from external factors such as a potential slowdown in the U.S. and Chinese economies.
Cabinet Office data out on Monday is expected to show the pace of gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 3.2% on an annualised basis in the second quarter, marginally better than a 3.1% growth initially reported.
The revised numbers would translate into a quarter-on-quarter expansion of 0.8%, unchanged from an initial reading.
The revised GDP data is expected to show that capital expenditure, a barometer of private demand, rose 1% in the second quarter, up slightly from a 0.9% increase in the initial estimate.
The revision reflects solid corporate spending on plant and equipment as shown in capital spending data announced on Monday, said Shinichiro Kobayashi, principal economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Research & Consulting.
The preliminary data signalled that private consumption, which accounts for more than half of the Japanese economy, rose 1% in the second quarter, marking the first jump in five quarters.
"In the July-September period, personal consumption will continue to increase due to wage hikes and the effects from a tax cut," Saisuke Sakai, senior economist at Mizuho Research and Technologies, said in an analyst report.
"Capital investment is also expected to increase on the back of sustained investment demand and other factors, with domestic demand expected to drive positive annual growth of about 1%."
Separate data from the Bank of Japan is expected to be released on Sept. 12, and will likely show that in August the corporate goods price index, which measures prices of goods companies charge each other, remained flat month-on-month.
(Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
Man dies after shooting in Trotwood; suspect in custody
Man dies after shooting in Trotwood; suspect in custody
TROTWOOD, Ohio (WDTN) Trotwood Police have released an update on the man shot Thursday evening.
According to Trotwood PD, officers were dispatched to the 8000 block of Bellcreek Lane for a shooting incident around 7:30 p.m.
Large police presence expected Friday in Montgomery County
At the scene, officers found a Hispanic male with life-threatening injuries. He later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Vietnam War Veteran Buddy Giles says he never thought someone would be shot in his apartment community in Trotwood. Giles and his neighbors say theyre devastated at the news of someone being shot and killed.
The lady told me the man had died. And then I heard on the news somebody had died and it shocked me, said Giles.
A suspect was identified and taken into custody. Charges are unknown at this time.
The incident remains under investigation.
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A man died Wednesday night after the car he was driving went off a rural Sacramento County road and into a drainage ditch where it overturned in a suspected drunk driving crash, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The single-vehicle fatal crash was reported shortly after 9 p.m. along Race Track Road, just north of Tyler Island Road near the small town of Walnut Grove in the Sacramento Delta.
The man who died was driving a 2012 BMW north on Race Track Road with a 37-year-old Elk Grove woman as his passenger in the car, the CHP South Sacramento Area Office announced in a news release.
The CHP said its preliminary investigation indicates the BMW was moving at high rate of speed as the car approached a curve in the road to the right, where the driver lost control of the car.
The BMW then veered to the right shoulder of southbound lane and into a 15- to 20-foot-deep agricultural drainage ditch, where the car overturned and came to a stop in a northerly direction. The CHP said the ditch had about 2 feet of water.
Medics arrived, determined the BMWs driver had succumbed to his injuries and pronounced him dead at the scene. The Sacramento County Coroner will release his name, age and city of residence after his family has been notified.
The CHP said the passenger in the BMW suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to a hospital.
CHP investigators believe alcohol was a factor in the deadly crash.
Man driving stolen Jeep tracked down in St. Pete, found with cocaine, meth: police
Man driving stolen Jeep tracked down in St. Pete, found with cocaine, meth: police
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) A man accused of stealing a Jeep out of Massachusetts was tracked down to St. Pete and found with a significant amount of drugs, according to police.
Auto Theft Detectives received a report that a stolen 2018 Jeep Trackhawk out of Massachusetts was likely in the Pinellas County area. The high-performance SUV was also believed to have an altered Vehicle Identification Number.
VIDEO: Vice Principal, teacher arrested after student put in chokehold at Tampa middle school, deputies say
The suspect, Christopher Davis, 36, was tracked down by detectives and taken into custody.
During a search of the stolen car, officials found more than 400 grams of cocaine, 200 grams of methamphetamine, and $3,200 in cash.
St. Petersburg Police Department
Davis was charged with trafficking more than 400 grams of cocaine, trafficking more than 200 grams of meth, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and dealing in stolen property.
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) New details are emerging surrounding the fatal shooting of a man by Orchard Park Police Department officers on the evening of Aug. 30.
Orchard Park Chief of Police Patrick Fitzgerald provided WIVB News 4 with information about what he says occurred on Aug. 30 on Thursday night. On Saturday, Fitzgerald addressed the media to provide an update on the shooting, and you can view the full news conference below.
Viewer warning: The news conference contains graphic content and strong language.
The 911 call
Fitzgerald told WIVB in a phone interview Thursday night that 31-year-old James Tighe Cushman of the Town of Orchard Park dialed 911 to report that his mother was outside of his home with a gun and that he was armed with a knife.
Before officers arrived at the Hawthorne Drive residence, Cushman told the dispatcher Im going out man, according to Fitzgerald. He said when the dispatcher questioned what Cushman meant, the Orchard Park man said Im going out with a bang.
The 911 call was made around 8:50 p.m., Fitzgerald said Saturday.
The scene
When the first officer arrived at the Hawthorne Drive home, Cushman, armed with a knife, chased after the officer around the back of his patrol car, according to Fitzgerald. Police said an officer had Cushman at gunpoint and was commanding him to drop the knife.
Courtesy: Orchard Park Police Department
Cushman then retreated to the driveway and yelled at the officer You should have done it, dude, Fitzgerald said.
Shortly after, Fitzgerald said a second officer arrived at the scene. He claimed Cushman ran at both officers with the knife in hand, stopping short of the police cruisers bumpers.
Fitzgerald said Cushman then walked back into the driveway and yelled at the officers You should have shot me, dude. You should have f shot me, bro. Why didnt you shoot me?
Officers continued to command the 31-year-old to drop the knife, and during the confrontation, Cushman put the knife down on top of the mailbox and walked toward the house, according to Fitzgerald.
While this was happening, police said Cushmans mother was standing on the front porch and went back into the house after commands from officers to create distance between the mother and son.
It was at this point that a third officer arrived, and soon after, Cushman allegedly came down the driveway, retrieved the knife and chased the two already on-scene officers around the back of their vehicles, according to Fitzgerald.
As Cushman allegedly ran toward the officers, he was shot seven times by Orchard Park Police officers Thomas Fowler and Tanner Till, Fitzgerald said. Cushman then dropped the knife, but he continued to charge the officers before he was subdued, according to Fitzgerald.
Fowler has been on the job for five years while Till has been with the department for one year. Both officers are now on administrative leave in accordance with protocol, according to police.
Fitzgerald said the officers immediately tried to administer lifesaving treatment and called for EMS. Cushman was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the New York State Attorney Generals Office.
The knife allegedly used by the 31-year-old was recovered at the scene.
Orchard Park police have had mental health-related incidents at the house and with Cushman in the past, and officers had provided Cushman with mental health referrals, Fitzgerald said Saturday. Additionally, in the days leading up to the shooting, Fitzgerald said officers followed up with Cushman to ensure police-provided mental health referrals were being utilized.
In evaluating the statements that he made, in viewing the video and listening to the 911 audio that we have recordings of, those statements that you heard here today and that you saw on video are consistent with suicide-by-cop, Fitzgerald said. The investigation continues.
Fitzgerald said that after speaking with his officers as part of an internal investigation, he believes the use of deadly force was justified.
I have had the opportunity to meet and interview the officers, Fitzgerald said. They have been absolutely forthcoming with information regarding what occurred that night. The investigation at this point indicates that this is a justified use of deadly physical force by the officers. Theyve abided by all department policy and procedure. They were put in just a terrible position on Friday night.
The State AGs Office is also investigating, as is standard in all officer-involved shootings in New York State.
The video
Fitzgerald said a doorbell camera captured the incident and that footage was made available to the public on Saturday. You can watch the video below.
Viewer warning: The doorbell video is graphic and contains strong language.
But were the officers wearing body cameras? According to Fitzgerald, the answer is no.
Orchard Park was one of the first police departments in Western New York to have body-worn cameras in 2016 and at the time, the program was voluntary for officers. However, about three years ago, officers stopped wearing the cameras as the equipment aged and stopped functioning, Fitzgerald said.
You could boil it down to antiquated hardware, Fitzgerald said. The battery life on the cameras diminishes to the point where they no longer function for long periods of time. Our officers work 12-hour shifts. I guess the firmware updates on the devices are no longer compatible with new versions of Windows software.
Fitzgerald pointed to the cost of replacing those cameras, purchasing cloud storage and licensing fees in recent years. WIVB was told the department previously utilized on-site storage for the video evidence as opposed to cloud storage.
The cost of replacing body cameras 23-24, is significantly more than when we purchased body cameras back in 2016 when we first started our body camera program, Fitzgerald said.
The cameras should be making a return soon because the department was approved for a New York State technology grant to purchase the hardware, Fitzgerald said. He requested the Town of Orchard Park provide additional money for the program in the 2025 budget, and that funding would go towards the costs associated with licensing and storage.
Fitzgerald said the department is finalizing which body camera manufacturer they plan to buy from. He said Saturday that four manufacturers have offered the department contracts.
Weve got to find whats best for us and for our department, Fitzgerald said. And also what were able to afford. And weve come up with the funding. Weve come up with what we need in order to get them. Its just a matter of selecting the manufacturer that is going to give us whats best.
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Patrick Ryan is an award-winning reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2020. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man is dead after a shooting in Marshall County, Mississippi on Thursday.
The Marshall County Sheriffs Department responded to a shooting in the 2600 block of Creek Road in Lamar. A man was found dead in the front yard of the home.
Sheriff Kelly McMillen says the department is investigating the incident but is looking for the publics help in solving the crime. A large reward will be available for information leading to the capture of the person or persons responsible.
We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
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UPDATE: The Topeka Police Department has made a correction to the news release. Sanchez was 47 years old, not 35.
UPDATE: The deceased has been identified as 35 year old Michael Sanchez. This is Topekas 14th homicide of the year.
TOPEKA (KSNT) Officers are investigating a new homicide case in central Topeka Friday morning.
City of Topeka spokeswoman Rosie Nichols tells 27 News police are investigating a homicide case on Sept. 6 in the 1300 block of Southwest Western Avenue.
The Topeka Police Department (TPD) report in a press release that officers were called to the address shortly before 9 a.m. for a report of an individual down. Officers arriving at the scene found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds who was declared dead at the scene.
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The TPD is asking the public for any tips related to this situation. You can contact police by sending an email to telltpd@topeka.org or by calling 785-368-9400. Anonymous tips can be sent to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or by clicking here.
Police report car burglary crime spree in Emporia
27 News will be reporting on this situation as it progresses. More information will be added here as it becomes available.
For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf
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STAR CITY, W.Va. (WBOY) A man who gave a false name and permanent resident card to troopers after a reported sexual assault in 2022 has now been charged in Monongalia County.
According to a criminal complaint filed on Aug. 28 by the Monongalia County detachment of the West Virginia State Police, the victim met with a man near Star City Park on Sept. 20, 2022.
Antonio Mendez
When troopers reviewed surveillance footage from the area at the time of the incident, they saw the victim and Antonio Mendez, 34, of Star City, walking on the Caperton Rail Trail, and about 15 minutes later, Mendez is seen running back north the trail, troopers said.
On that date, the victim went to WVU Medicine for a sexual assault kit to be completed. During a conversation with a SANE nurse, the victim said that while on the trail, Mendez shoved her off the right side of the trail and physically forced her to have sexual intercourse with him, according to the complaint.
Monongalia County man sentenced for child pornography
After that, [t]he victim was able to fight [Mendez] off and start back down the trail, and Mendez followed behind, the complaint said. Photographs taken of the victim during the SANE examination corroborate her statement, troopers said.
When troopers originally spoke with Mendez in relation to the incident, he gave a fake name and fake permanent resident card; the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory was able to match the DNA found in the sexual assault kit to Mendez, according to the complaint.
Mendez was on the run but has now been charged with second-degree sexual assault. He is being held in North Central Regional Jail on $40,000 bond.
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Man jailed for 9 years for arson at asylum seekers' hotel in UK riots
FILE PHOTO: Anti-immigration protests continue to take place around the UK
LONDON (Reuters) -A British man was jailed for nine years on Friday for arson at a hotel housing asylum seekers last month, by far the longest sentence imposed over a wave of anti-Muslim riots.
Thomas Birley, 27, pleaded guilty to arson with intent to endanger life after stoking a fire in a bin by an entranceway to a hotel near Rotherham in northern England on Aug. 4.
Prosecutor Elisha Kay said Birley added wood to an already-flaming industrial bin which had been placed in front of a fire door of the hotel while staff and guests sheltered inside.
Kay said hotel staff barricaded themselves in a panic room and "thought they were going to burn to death".
Birley, who also pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court by Judge Jeremy Richardson, who said Burley's actions were "suffused with racism from beginning to end".
Richardson said Birley had been encouraged to join the disorder "by malicious and ignorant posts" on social media.
"You were a leading participant in ignorant, racist attempts at mob rule," the judge said.
The hotel was targeted by about 400 people during days of rioting involving violence, arson and looting as well as racist attacks after three young girls were killed in the northern English town of Southport on July 29.
The attack was initially falsely blamed on an Islamist migrant following online misinformation, and a suspect born in Cardiff in Wales has since been charged with murder.
A protest in Southport the day after the killings turned violent, and riots spread across the country, leading to about 1,300 arrests and around 200 people being jailed.
The longest sentence over the riots had until Friday had been six years for violent disorder. Others have been charged for inciting racial or religious hatred online.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Sarah Young and Timothy Heritage)
Man killed within 45 min. of being placed in Alameda Co. jail cell, lawsuit states
DUBLIN, Calif. (KRON) Alameda County is facing a federal civil rights lawsuit after an inmate, Yuri Brand, was slain inside Santa Rita Jail.
Attorneys claim Alameda County Sheriff Deputies who are Santa Rita Jails guards negligently placed Brand and a violent sex offender into the same cell.
Approximately 45 minutes later, the complaint alleges the inmate with mental health issues killed his new cellmate by choking him to death.
Human trafficking victims rescued from 3 San Jose brothels: SJPD
Brand, who had schizophrenia, was taken into custody at Santa Rita Jail on Sept. 8 for nonviolent criminal charges. For unknown reasons, attorneys allege Brand was not placed into mental health housing despite deputies knowing he was mentally ill and had gone without medication for days.
Instead, the complaint said Brand was placed with Santa Rita Jails general population.
Five days later, deputies placed Brand with Bryson Levy. According to the complaint, Mr. Levy was in the midst of his own mental health crisis and had documented criminal history of violence, sexual assault, and the use of deadly weapons.
The complaint said that within 45 minutes of being placed into Brands cell, Levy reportedly killed Brand using a mattress to suffocate him to death. Brand was then found on the cell floor with Levy on top of him.
This was a tragic but foreseeable outcome of placing the two men in the cell given the lack of adequate supervision and mental health care, the complaint stated.
The familys questions and concerns were further heightened when they received an autopsy report which described Brands tongue as having no contusions or bite marks despite attorneys alleging the family discovering Mr. Brands tongue had a jagged serration that ran from the tip to the throat.
Attorneys claim sheriff deputies failed to place Brand in appropriate mental health housing despite his known mental health condition that he had previously received treatment for at the jail, said the familys attorney, Adante Pointer
And then they ignored Levys violent history and placed him into close quarters with someone he could victimize, all the while neglecting to properly supervise the two men We intend to find answers to why Alameda County Sheriffs deputies at the jail housed Mr. Brand with a violent individual in the midst of a crisis, rather than in appropriate mental health housing, Pointer said, and how their loved one could have been subjected to such a horrific death, and why his family has not received answers about what happened to Mr. Brand. Adante Porter, Attorney to Brands family
Levy has been charged with murder, the complaint said.
Edgerly-Doc-3-Filed-Endorsed-Complaint-correctedDownload
Brands family the plaintiffs are asking for general, special, and punitive damages. Brand is reportedly the 68th inmate to die at the Alameda County jail since 2014.
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FILE - Thomas Birley, centre right, red scarf covering face, gathers with others as windows are being smashed outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, England, Aug. 4, 2024. (Danny Lawson/PA via AP)
LONDON (AP) A man who helped fuel a fire outside a hotel housing more than 200 asylum-seekers was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison, the longest punishment handed so far to those involved in last months wave of far-right riots in England.
At the sentencing hearing at Sheffield Crown Court in the north of England, painter and decorator Thomas Birley pleaded guilty to the charge of arson with the intent to endanger life at the Holiday Inn Express hotel in nearby Rotherham last month.
Judge Jeremy Richardson told Birley, 27, that his case was unquestionably one of the most serious of the dozens he has dealt with in the past month in relation to the rioting outside the hotel on Aug. 4. He said he needed to pass an extended sentence due to Birleys danger to the public, and ordered that when he is eventually released he should be on license for five years, meaning that if he reoffends he would be liable to go back to prison.
The judge said he was particularly concerned about aspects of a pre-sentence report that said Birley had an interest that borders the territory, if not crosses it, to a white supremacist mindset.
Birley, who has previous convictions, including for racially aggravated harassment, admitted arson with intent to endanger life, violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon at a previous hearing.
Overall, the judge said that like the other outbreaks of violence in England in early August, the case around the attack on the hotel was suffused with racism.
The court heard how the masked Birley was involved in many of the worst incidents on that Sunday afternoon, including adding wood to the fire in a bin that had been pushed against an exit, and helping place a further bin on top of the one ablaze.
Birley was also filmed throwing projectiles at the police, squaring up to officers while brandishing a police baton and throwing a large bin that crashed into a line of police with riot shields.
He was the first person to be sentenced for arson with intent to endanger life following the 12 hours of violence outside the hotel that left 64 police officers, three horses and a dog injured.
You intended that the occupants of the hotel should come to very serious harm and you plainly participated in a brutal attack upon the police who were bravely trying to keep order," the judge said. You were a leading participant in an ignorant racist attempt at mob rule.
In what must have clearly been a terrifying experience for everyone inside the hotel, the judge heard how 22 staff, thinking they were going to burn to death, barricaded themselves in a panic room with freezers. The asylum-seekers, many of whom were seen watching the mob from their windows, were unable to leave despite the fire alarms that were ringing.
Eventually, police brought the situation under control and no one in the hotel was injured.
The unrest in England's towns and cities started after a stabbing rampage at a dance class on July 29 that left three girls dead and many more wounded. False rumors spread online that the suspect in the attack was an asylum-seeker.
Far-right agitators sought to take advantage of the attack by tapping into concerns about the scale of immigration in the U.K., in particular the tens of thousands of migrants arriving in small boats from France across the English Channel.
What took place in Rotherham that day had nothing whatever to do with legitimate public protest, the judge said. It is clear beyond doubt that from first to last the venom of racism infected the entirety of what occurred."
The violence around the country also saw a library torched, mosques attacked and flares thrown at a statue of wartime leader Winston Churchill.
The rioting fizzled out after days of mayhem following the tough police response and the swift charging and sentencing of those found to be involved.
Since July 29, police have made a total of 1,380 arrests, including of an 11-year-old boy for violent disorder, and together with the Crown Prosecution Service have brought a total number of 863 charges.
Police around the country are continuing with their investigations into the disorder.
One of the frontrunners to become Japan's next premier said on Friday that any US move to block Japan's Nippon Steel (NPSCY) from buying US Steel (X) on national security grounds would be "very unsettling" and could dent trust between the allies.
The White House is close to announcing that President Joe Biden will block the $15 billion deal, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
A letter sent to the companies, and seen by Reuters, said the takeover could hurt the supply of steel needed for critical US projects and make US Steel less likely to seek tariffs on foreign steel importers.
"I find what the United States is saying (about Nippon Steel) to be very unsettling, making such statements or actions that could undermine the trust of its allies," Shigeru Ishiba, a 67-year-old former defence minister, told Reuters in an interview.
"Recently the US is tending to impose deals and threats even on its allies, this is true not only with NATO countries but also now with Japan. I question whether that is really a fair approach. It is extremely important for the Japanese government to discuss these matters sincerely, earnestly, and logically."
Ishiba is running to become the leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and by extension the next prime minister, on Sept. 27. Opinion polls consistently show him as one of the most popular candidates among the public, although the leadership vote is restricted to party members.
Another candidate vying for the top job, digital minister Taro Kono, also told Reuters in a separate interview on Friday that he "never imagined" the takeover would stoke national security concerns.
"We all believed that the US has a market oriented economy and Japan and the US are good allies and I didnt see any economic or security threat involved in this takeover," said Kono, who was in a runoff against outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in the LDP's last leadership election in 2020.
Kono said he would raise the issue with the White House if he becomes prime minister.
"This isnt just about the acquisition of US Steel; its an issue that will have consequences beyond that," he said.
Japan is one of the United States closest allies and its biggest foreign investor.
But Nippon Steel's bid for the storied firm, headquartered in the key swing state of Pennsylvania, has been opposed by a powerful labour union and faced opposition from both Republicans and Democrats in the run up to November's presidential elections.
US ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel declined to comment on the reports on Thursday but said the relationship between the U.S. and Japan was "deeper, richer, and stronger than any single commercial transaction". Japan's trade minister Ken Saito also stressed the country's strong economic relationship when asked about the deal on Friday.
Story continues
But some analysts share Ishiba and Kono's fears that a veto of the deal could dent relations.
"Blocking Nippon Steels bid for US Steel will undermine US.-Japan cooperation on national security, and put the lie to the notion of 'ally shoring' more generally," said Marc Busch, Faculty Fellow at Georgetown McDonoughs Baratta Center for Global Business.
"The Japanese, and other allies, will conclude from this that Washington is merely playing protectionist politics."
William Chou, a Japan expert at Washington's conservative Hudson Institute, said it could give Tokyo pause when it comes to supporting US-led initiatives on economic security, such as stymieing China's access to advanced semiconductors.
"What I am hearing from the Japanese side is frustration that while we are working with you on your economic security priorities in semiconductors, we are not getting any reciprocity on our FDI priorities," he said.
Japanese companies, especially those considering investing in the US, are closely watching Washington's review of Nippon Steel's deal, Japan's biggest business lobby Keidanren said on Friday.
"We sincerely hope that the review procedure (in the United States) will be conducted with the utmost integrity and fairness in accordance with the law," Keidanren said in a statement.
Keidanren's statement comes after the Japan-US Business Council, a Washington, D.C.-based industry group representing major Japanese firms, said on Thursday it was seriously concerned by the reports Biden was going to block the sale.
(Reporting by Tim Kelly and Nobuhiro Kubo and Katya Golubkova in Tokyo and David Brunnstrom in Washington DC; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Sonali Paul and Kim Coghill)
Man on run since Bloomington crash facing new charges after victim dies
A hit-and-run suspect who's been on the run since December is now facing enhanced charges after the victim died on Sunday.
A nationwide manhunt has been ongoing for 20-year-old Eivi Almontes since a crash on December 13 in Bloomington, Minnesota. Police say Almontes crashed his grey Infinity into another car at high speed at the intersection of East 94th Street and South 12th Avenue.
Kelvin Conteh, 49, of Bloomington, was left in critical condition, with a hospital spokeswoman saying at the time of the collision he was "not expected to live." Conteh died from his injuries on Sept. 1.
Bloomington Police
Almontes fled the scene, sparking a nationwide warrant issued for his arrest. His charges have now been enhanced to criminal vehicular homicide, according to Bloomington Police Chief Booker T. Hodges.
"Mr. Almontes, I suggest you turn yourself in," Hodges said at a press conference, announcing the enhanced charges. "The arm of the law is very long, and I think it does extend to a country south of the United States," he said, insinuating that Almontes may have fled the country.
Bloomington police are urging anyone with information on Almonte's whereabouts to inform investigators.
Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcements latest version of events, and may be subject to change
Related: Nationwide hunt for Bloomington hit-and-run driver; victim has 'no brain activity'
Man sentenced in crash that killed woman in Columbiana County
LISBON, Ohio (WKBN) A Columbiana man was sentenced Friday in connection to a 2023 chase that resulted in a deadly crash.
If theres a case that demands a high sentence, this is it, said Ryan Weikart, chief assistant prosecutor.
Gerald Jackson pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, failure to comply with a police officer and operating a vehicle under the influence, among other charges.
The head-on crash took Jennifer Hunleys life and left her son, Daryn Crozier, with lifelong injuries.
The day I found out about this accident, my heart broke into a million pieces, said Michelle Bell, Hunleys sister.
Jackson teared up in the Lisbon courtroom as he learned his fate.
On August 6, 2023, Jacksons three-county crime spree, which involved the theft of several vehicles, ultimately resulted in the Hanoverton womans death.
Jackson tested positive for methamphetamine, amphetamines, fentanyl and marijuana after the crash.
My client took something and does not remember much of his crime spree, said Paul Conn, Jacksons attorney. My client is not necessarily a good man but he is not a terrible man.
[Your] decision to drive while on drugs took the life of our sons mother, and the life and love of mine, said Bradley Crozier, Daryns father.
Jackson led police on a chase with speeds in the triple digits before hitting Hunley and her 11-year-old son on Teegarden Road in Columbiana County.
On August 6th, I talked to my sister on the phone, and she said she was coming to my job to have lunch and she never showed up, said Tabitha Townsend, Hunleys sister.
Weikart says Jackson didnt slow down until seconds before the crash on the winding, two-lane country road.
She saw what was coming but she had nowhere to go on that road, he said.
Both Hunley and her son were severely injured. Hunley died after several surgeries and 43 days in hospice.
Daryn has life-altering injuries.
No child should ever have to go through that just because someone decided to make poor choices. See, he had a choice, said Tiffeny Townsend, Hunleys sister.
Hunleys family says she was funny and strong-willed. Her sisters say she survived several open-heart surgeries.
Daryn was her miracle child.
She was a shining light in the room. She was a shining light in our lives and you took that light away from us, Crozier said.
Jackson was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years and 9 months in jail. He has 398 days of credit for time served.
Some of those sentences are indefinite and could be extended.
He will also lose his drivers license for life.
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An Independence man who made threats that included racial slurs to a Jackson County judge has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Michael A. Deblois, 44, was convicted in July of tampering with a judicial officer and harassment motivated by discrimination to frighten or disturb another person, according to Michael Mansur, director of communications at the Jackson County Prosecutors Office.
Deblois, who is white, was arrested on March 26 for allegedly leaving a series of vulgar voicemails for a Jackson County judge that contained racial slurs and threats of an eye for an eye. Deblois left his full name and phone number on a series of calls made between March 25 and 26 where he used the N-word in referring to 16th Circuit Judge Kenneth R. Garrett III, according previous Star reporting.
Over the course of a day, prosecutors alleged Deblois left more than a dozen racist voicemails. Rambling excerpts, cited by authorities in charging documents, include a volley of profanities surrounding complaints of reverse discrimination, government corruption and his fraudulent homeowners association. They also mention home foreclosure.
Its not fun when people draw their own conclusion just outside the court of law. Im not doing anything to a single member of your [expletive] staff that you didnt do to me first. Eye for an eye, makes you wonder what I do have planned, Deblois said on one recording.
Judge Garrett makes a statement regarding the case
On Friday, Garrett made a statement in court. He said he works hard to follow the rule of law and to ensure everyone is treated fairly.
Without confidence in our system of government, our republic will fail and chaos will ensue, Garrett said.
Threats to public servants, Garrett said, should not be tolerated, as it undermines and stifles government action.
This is a sad state of affairs in todays society for those who are attempting to do their job and serve the public. Instead of going through the proper channels to challenge a public servants decision, citizens are now bypassing this avenue for relief and proceed to threaten them with violence, he said. This behavior must stop for government to function properly, and we as citizens must begin to air our grievances with civility and humility instead of discord and chaos.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 25-year-old man was recently arrested on Monday, Aug. 26 after an attempted burglary of a residence led to a shooting back in June in Northeast El Paso, according to the El Paso Police Department (EPPD).
1 person shot during burglary in Northeast El Paso
EPPD said at 4:37 a.m. on June 22, officers responded to a shooting at the 4800 block of Tholos Court. That is right off Kenworthy Street and near Arlington Park.
When officers arrived, they located Andrew Michael Poblano, 25, in the middle of the street with a gunshot wound, according to EPPD.
Poblano was taken to a local hospital in critical but stable condition, according to EPPD.
EPPD said Crimes Against Persons detectives were called out to assist in the investigation.
The investigation revealed Poblano had rung a 69-year-old mans doorbell when a verbal confrontation occurred.
During the confrontation, the 69-year-old man discharged a weapon in self-defense, hitting Poblano, according to EPPD.
On Aug. 26, Poblano was taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with a $15,000 bond, after a capias warrant for an attempt to commit burglary had been issued.
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Man who sparked manhunt for stealing car was arrested week prior for same thing
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) The man who has sparked a massive manhunt this week allegedly stole another rental car days before he allegedly took one here in Peoria with a child inside.
Victor Farris, 45, was released from the Woodford County Jail on Aug. 31 and then on Sept. 4, the Ohio man allegedly took another rental car, this time from a place in North Peoria.
Farris took a Kia SUV from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car facility off Pioneer Parkway on Wednesday morning. A 3-year-old boy was inside and for the next 30 minutes, officers throughout the area looked for him and the child, who was left at a gas station on Airport Road. He was unharmed and has been returned to his family.
But in the Woodford County case, there was no chase. In fact, deputies with the Woodford County Sheriffs Office found him at a gas station.
Chief Deputy Dennis Tipsword said deputies arrested Farris on Aug. 31 after he was found sleeping in a stolen Nissan Sentra at a gas station at the Goodfield exit. The car, which had no license plates, was stolen from a Hertz Rent-A-Car facility in Indianapolis. When deputies roused him, they smelled alcohol, the chief deputy said.
He was arrested and taken to the Woodford County Jail on charges of DUI, having no valid drivers license and for possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
Farris was then released from jail as he was not eligible for detention under the SAFE-T as none of those offenses were qualified for detention, Tipsword said. Thats despite having an extensive criminal history across several states, the chief deputy said.
This is just another example of how the pretrial release portion of the SAFE-T act is making our communities less safe, he said. Tipsword, a Republican, is also a member of the Illinois General Assembly and has long opposed the Pretrial Release Act.
Sheriffs identifies man who stole car with boy inside, search continues
A few days after his release, Farris was accused of stealing a car in Peoria where a 3-year-old child was inside.
He was in Woodford County on two counts of DUI and one count of possession of a stolen vehicle. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.
Farris is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 10 to be arraigned on those charges if hes in custody.
Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins said they have received several possible sightings of Farris on Friday, but none of them have been confirmed.
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Man taken to Huntsville Hospital after police say he was assaulted with knife
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) Officials with HEMSI say a man has been taken to the hospital after being wounded by a knife in what police are investigating as an assault.
HEMSI Spokesperson Don Webster said HEMSI responded to a call at 2:41 p.m. at the parking lot for Donnys Diamond Gallery on South Memorial Parkway. He said crews transported a man with knife wounds from the scene to Huntsville Hospital Trauma Services.
Huntsville Police identify two accused of stealing from Walmart
A Huntsville Police Department (HPD) spokesperson said officers responded to an assault in the area.
The department said the incident began with two people arguing in a vehicle. HPD said when they got out of the vehicle one person assaulted the other man with a knife.
According to Webster, the man is in stable condition.
HPD said the other person in the incident has been detained.
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MANASSAS, Va. (DC News Now) The Manassas City Police Department said it is investigating an attempted abduction that happened Thursday morning.
Just before 8:40 a.m., police received a call from a resident who reported they saw a girl in distress near the intersection of Quarry Road and Zebedee Street.
Investigators said a man driving a red Jeep SUV (possibly a Patriot or Commander) spotted the girl and she was walking to school in the 9400 block of Clover Hill Road.
Police find nothing of evidentiary value after searching new locations of interest in search for Mamta Kafle Bhatt
The girl said the man told her he was a police officer and tried to get her into his car. He got out of the Jeep, grabbed her arm, put her in the front passengers seat and started driving down Clover Hill Road.
Once on Quarry Road, the girl got out of the car.
The following photo of the mans Jeep was captured by a neighbors doorbell camera:
(Courtesy of Manassas City Police Department)
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (703) 257-8043. Out an abundance of caution, the department said they would be conducting enhanced patrols during school hours.
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MANHATTAN (KSNT) The Riley County Police Department (RCPD) shared that community volunteers will be giving shoes to elementary students as part of a 9/11 remembrance event this weekend.
On Sunday, Sept. 8 the Flint Hills Volunteer Center will host 9/11 Day of Remembrance to honor those who serve and protect at Manhattan City Park. Volunteers and first responders will give 400 pairs of shoes to kids in grades K-5. The RCPD will also host a free picnic for the first 250 guests inside the park pavilion.
In 2002, family members of those killed and injured on 9/11 joined with first responders and others to create 9/11 Day to annually and forever encourage all Americans to remember and pay tribute on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks through acts of service, including volunteerism, and to keep Americans promise to Never Forget,' the RCPD wrote on social media.
Kansas sheriffs office offers to salvage roadkill venison
Attendees can also check out a display with an EOD bomb robot and suit, a military police display, patrol cars and various pieces of equipment from local first responder agencies.
For more information, contact the Flint Hills Volunteer Center at 785-776-7787 or email loribishop.rsvp@gmail.com.
For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
We recently compiled a list of the Jim Cramer's 10 Stock Picks You Need to Know. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) stands against Jim Cramer's other stock picks.
In a recent episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer views the current market as highly unpredictable and easily swayed by even the slightest news. He acknowledges that while some sectors are thriving, others are struggling, making it a mix of the best and worst of times depending on the industry.
"Look, this market is so ridiculous that you could knock it over with a feather or take it up with a breeze. I wanted to borrow from Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." But the simple fact is that this isn't the worst of timesjust the worst of times for stocks in certain industries, and the best of times for others. Or within the confines of some hideous action for the average, with the Dow sinking 626 points, the S&P plunging 2.12%, and the Nasdaq plummeting 3.26%. It was a nasty day, right into the close."
Cramer explains that a seemingly minor purchasing management report caused a widespread sell-off, particularly hitting cyclical stocks, homebuilders, and tech companies connected to AI. Despite the panic, Cramer emphasizes that these sectors, especially semiconductors, oil, and housing, are actually performing well. The sell-off, in his view, was driven by irrational fears that these strong performances wont last.
"Now, what makes this market so ridiculous in my eyes? We had some obscure purchasing management report that threw everything off this morning, causing a wholesale collapse of the cyclicals, along with the homebuilders and anything connected to technology, particularly the once-beloved data center plays with big AI exposure. Given the chaos after that manufacturing PMI number, you'd think the semiconductor, oil, and housing worlds were in free fall. But in reality, these companies are doing incredibly well. The sellers are just worried they won't stay good for long."
Pure Stupidity
He attributes the markets reaction to what he calls "pure stupidity," combined with the typical challenges the market faces in September. This seasonal weakness can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, leading to exaggerated reactions. Cramer believes that while the economy is slowing, the Federal Reserve is likely to cut interest rates in the coming weeks, which could benefit sectors like homebuilding.
"Frankly, I think this action represents pure stupidity, combined with the fact that the market is typically challenged in September. That's what's going on here, something that's true empiricallyto the point where it can become self-fulfilling. That's how it felt today. Sure, the economy is slowing, but in a few weeks, the Fed's going to cut interest rates, and you'll wish you'd stuck with a lot of what was on sale today, like the homebuilders. They are the real winners in any move that would take down mortgage rates, which is what would happen if the Fed cuts."
Story continues
A Repeat of the 1999 Dot-Com Bubble?
Jim Cramer acknowledges that if a scenario like 1999 were to repeat, it could be disastrous for chipmakers and the tech industry surrounding AI. He respects Cembalest as one of Wall Streets top strategists but feels his comparison to the 1990s might be too harsh. Back then, many companies were spending recklessly, but today, the company and its clients are among the most financially stable companies in history. The company faces little real competition, with no other companies close to matching its capabilities.
"A repeat of 1999 would indeed be devastating for the company and all the tech that surrounds it. As much as I think Cembalest is the best pure strategist on Wall Streetthe best I've foundI found this piece a little harsh because we had many fly-by-night outfits spending like drunken sailors back in the 1990s. Now, though, the firm and its clients are some of the most well-endowed companies ever. The company doesn't have any real competition, and no one is near them by their own proclamations."
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has repeatedly emphasized that if tech giants dont invest now, theyll miss out on future opportunities when they lack the necessary infrastructure. Hes proven that the companys platform pays for itself quickly, which was not the case in 1999.
"As the company's CEO Jensen Huang has pointed out many times, if the tech titans don't spend, they're out of luck when some great use cases come along, and they don't have the infrastructure for it. Remember, Jensen has proved that the platform pays for itself very quickly. That sure wasn't the case back in 1999, was it? Of course, the company's stock has become a total pariah right now after this amazing quarter because the world suddenly seems convinced that AI spending will peak soon, at which point it's all over but the shouting. "
Despite the firm's impressive recent quarter, its stock has become unpopular, with many believing that AI spending will soon peak and that the stock's rise was overblown. Investors seem eager to push the stock back to its early August lows, around $90 after the company only delivered a major upside surprise, not the massive one they had expected.
"Stocks are getting slammed because most investors think the company's run-up was too extreme, given that the company only reported a major upside surprisenot the kind of insanely huge upside surprise they'd come to expect. The sellers are eager to take the company back to where it was trading during the last visit to the penalty box in the first week of August, with the stock ticking as low as $90 and change."
Cramer anticipates that sellers will return in force following news that the Justice Department has subpoenaed the company in an antitrust probe. However, he downplays this development, noting that such subpoenas are standard practice, questioning why the Justice Department didnt simply ask the company some questions instead.
"I'm sure the sellers will be right back tomorrow morning after we learned tonight that the Justice Department has hit the company with a subpoena over an antitrust probe. Now, who cares? That's standard practice. It's shot first, second, and third. Though with the company right now, no one's thinking, "Well, wait a second, why didn't the Justice Department just ask them some questions?"
Our Methodology
This article covers a recent episode of Jim Cramer's Mad Money, where he reviewed several stocks. It highlights ten large-cap companies that he recommended and looks at how hedge funds view these stocks. The article also ranks these companies based on the level of hedge fund ownership, from the least owned to the most owned.
At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A veterinarian administering a vaccine to a herd of cattle in a farm.
Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 61
Jim Cramer has expressed a strong positive opinion about Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS). He recently had Kristin Peck on Mad Money, and he praised her as an excellent spokesperson for the company. Cramers admiration for Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) is evident from his comments and the successful presentation by Peck.
"I like Zoetis very much. We recently had Kristin Peck on, and she did a great jobgreat spokesperson for it."
Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) presents a compelling investment opportunity due to its impressive financial results, innovation, and commitment to shareholders. Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) reported strong Q2 2024 earnings with an EPS of $1.56, surpassing expectations by $0.07, and achieved an 8.3% revenue increase year-over-year. These results underscore Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS)'s robust growth and effective management, as evidenced by its high return on equity of over 50% and a net margin of approximately 26%.
With a market cap of $83.87 billion, Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) is a leading force in the global animal health sector. Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS)s dedication to innovation is highlighted by recent developments, such as the FDA approval of Librela for managing osteoarthritis pain in dogs. Additionally, Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) has a reliable history of dividend growth and a beta of 0.86, indicating lower stock volatility relative to the market.
Polen Global Growth Strategy stated the following regarding Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:
We re-established a position in Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) after holding a position from late 2017 to late 2021. Our sale came after a successful holding period and was solely driven by valuation, which we felt was stretched at the time. We had an opportunity to re-establish a position at a lower price than we sold in September 2021 despite Zoetis having a roughly 25% higher earnings base. In short, weve taken advantage of the recent dip in valuation to buy back what we think is an attractive safety business capable of sustaining durable low double-digit earnings growth.
Overall ZTS ranks 7th on our list of Jim Cramer's stock picks you need to know. While we acknowledge the potential of ZTS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that under the radar AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ZTS but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: $30 Trillion Opportunity: 15 Best Humanoid Robot Stocks to Buy According to Morgan Stanley and Jim Cramer Says NVIDIA Has Become A Wasteland.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
MARBLE FALLS, Texas (KXAN) Many school districts across Central Texas are facing budget deficits, causing them to make difficult decisions to keep their schools funded.
The Marble Falls Independent School District is one of those districts, and its now turning to a school funding election in November to help protect class sizes and student programs.
The districts Board of Trustees unanimously voted to call a School Funding Election for Nov. 5.
If approved, it would generate approximately $2.2 million to support what the district calls critical needs such as recruiting and retaining staff, maintaining current class sizes and continuing student activities and programs.
The School Funding Election includes a 2.67-cent tax increase to the Maintenance & Operations tax rate.
Marble Falls ISD said, Unlike past funding structures, where portions of tax revenue might have been sent back to the state to redistribute to other school districts, every dollar of the tax revenue generated through this election will stay right here in Marble Falls ISD, directly impacting local students and schools.
Inside the Investigations: Texas districts face large deficits
The district said without voter approval of the School Funding Election, Marble Falls ISD will face significant budget cuts, which could affect personnel and student programs.
If voters approve Proposition A in November, the monthly tax bill on a home valued at about $400,000 would increase by $8.90 according to the district.
Early voting will be held from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1, and Election Day will be on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 7.
The Marble Falls ISD School Funding Election, also known as a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election, will be available on ballots for all voters living in the Marble Falls ISD.
For more information about the VATRE click here.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
The News
Investor Mark Cuban says he speaks to Kamala Harris campaign three or four times a week about fiscal policy, even as he lobbies against her bid to tax the unrealized gains of billionaires like himself. Just dont call him an adviser.
I dont have a title of any sort, Cuban told Semafor via email. Its up to them whether they answer the phone or return my messages.
Cuban has become perhaps Harriss loudest supporter in the circuit of billionaires helping power her presidential bid. Hes lauded Harris as a pro-business candidate and described her campaign as more responsive than President Joe Bidens now-defunct reelection operation.
He even revealed this week on CNBC that he pitched himself as a potential Harris pick for the Securities and Exchange Commission, the same agency that unsuccessfully prosecuted him for alleged insider trading more than 10 years ago. Cuban said he sees himself as a real-world voice among those counseling the vice presidents team, but he declined to describe himself as a counterweight to more vocal progressives in her camp.
Im an entrepreneur, not a politician, not an economist, Cuban told Semafor, adding that the challenge they face is they have too many economists that look at problems academically rather than operationally. I just try to give my honest thoughts. Not as a counter balance. Just as a perspective from my experience.
Cuban has previously talked with the well-funded group No Labels about a third-party presidential run, though he ruled that out last year. Soon after that public show of distaste for the two-party system, however, Cuban stood with Biden even after the June debate that ended up dooming his candidacy.
The Harris campaign did not respond to requests for comment about Cubans informal role. Her team continues to add business advisors, however, bringing on Richard Garcia last month as the national director of small business engagement, per his LinkedIn. He was previously chief of staff at the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, among other roles.
Know More
Cuban acknowledged in his exchanges with Semafor that people get sick of rich people trying to solve problems. Still, he delivered a subtle case for his own value to Harris, calling himself a compassionate capitalist who believes business can play a constructive role in rebalancing the economy towards the middle class.
He also recently said on X that Harris is the only presidential candidate in founder mode, a Silicon Valley term referring to a leader who embraces an activist role in managing a company and eschews stodgy management practices.
Despite Cubans avowal that hes merely seeking to help the Harris camp, some observers say his advice may be partly motivated by self-interest. Cuban has spent years crusading against the SEC, making him an unorthodox potential pick for the Democratic nominee.
Lee Reiners, lecturing fellow at the Duke Financial Economics Center, said Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks which he sold his majority stake in last year are still embroiled in a lawsuit for promoting unregistered securities through Voyager, a defunct cryptocurrency company.
I support any legal effort that will help defeat Trump. If Cuban having a seat [at Harris table] helps, then so be it, Reiners told Semafor. But I do worry about his potential influence on crypto policy under a Harris administration, as he is not a disinterested observer.
Cuban has also assailed Harris so-called billionaire tax proposal, which would require Americans who claim at least $100 million in assets to pay a 25% tax on stocks and bonds that have accrued in value, even if they havent sold those assets yet.
If you tax unrealized gains, youre going to kill the stock market, Cuban said on CNBC this week.
Harris recently unveiled a second plank to her economic platform thats geared towards small businesses, with a $50,000 tax deduction. She also rolled out a proposal to tax capital gains at 28% for Americans earning over $1 million, a lower rate than Biden has sought.
Her engagement with the [business] community I think is probably deeper than the Presidents, a person close to the Harris campaign told Semafor. I dont know if Id say shes more pro-business, but has she engaged more with the business community and does that shift her worldview? I think thats right.
Notable
Eighty-eight corporate leaders endorsed Harris on Friday in a new letter, CNBC reports.
Cuban called for the firing of current SEC Chair Gary Gensler earlier this year, per the Dallas Morning News.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)- Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services kicked off its first-ever family reunion weekend Thursday.
Alumni and former board members gathered to reflect on the centers mission.
Those with the center say they hope to continue to empower Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s Vision. The center offers support to families through college-prep courses, sports, art, and dance. Volunteers and board members say by offering programs they can help guide the youth onto a path toward their dreams.
If you would like to donate or volunteer, you can learn more about upcoming opportunities on their website.
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.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) A Hyattsville man was sentenced to over six years in prison for 10 robberies in D.C. that happened over a five-month period.
The D.C. U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) said in a news release Friday that 31-year-old Roberto McBean will serve 78 months in prison for robberies that happened in Georgetown and Glover Park between August 2023 and January 2024.
McBean admitted to all 10 robberies and pleaded guilty to four counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery on April 26.
Student dies after being shot in bathroom at Joppatowne High School
According to court documents, McBean first targeted a Sunoco gas station on the 2400 block of Wisconsin Ave. on Aug. 22, 2023. The USAO said that he used a small hammer in the robbery and told the store clerk, Dont touch anything, dont say anything, this is hard for me.
The USAO said that McBean was also responsible for the following incidents:
Aug. 31, 2023 McBean used a knife to rob the Georgetown Wine and Spirits in the 2700 block of P St.
Sept. 18, 2023 McBean took out a knife at the Universal Wine and Spirits in the 2000 block of Florida Ave., but he ran without taking anything after a customer saw what was happening.
Nov. 23, 2023 On Thanksgiving day, McBean used a black firearm to rob the cash register at the Glover Park Market on 37th Street.
Dec. 8, 2023 He robbed the Washington Avenue Sunoco gas station while armed with a gun.
Dec. 16, 2023 McBean returned to the Glover Park Market and stole cash, lottery tickets and a plastic bag. The USAO said that the same employee who was working on Thanksgiving was working on this day.
Dec. 20, 2023 McBean attempted to return to the Georgetown Wine and Spirits store on P Street. He told an employee to empty the register, but the employee did not have a key. McBean then took out a gun, and the employee handed the whole register over. The USAO said that McBean fumbled with the machine before handing it back and leaving without taking anything.
Jan. 4, 2024 McBean targeted the Saras Market and Dry Cleaners on Q Street NW. The USAO said that he picked up a bottle of wine before pulling out a gun and demanding cash from the employee. The employee told him that the market does not accept cash.
Flustered, McBean went back over to the shelf of wine and asked where the red wine was located. When the clerk pointed out that he had already grabbed red wine, he took the bottle and left the store without paying for it, The USAOs release said.
Jan. 5, 2024 McBean went back to the Glover Park Market while armed with a gun and demanded an employee fill his bag with cash. He also stole lottery tickets and two packs of cigarettes.
Jan. 8, 2024 He returned to the Glover Park Market for the fourth time. The employee recognized him from the robberies on Thanksgiving and Dec. 16, 2023.
The USAO said that an officer recognized McBean as he was leaving the Glover Park Market and also identified his license plate. This information led to McBeans arrest on Jan. 26, 2024.
After his prison sentence, McBean will have to serve three years of supervised release.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
The victim was identified as 15-year-old Warren Curtis Grant
WMAR-2 News/Youtube Police respond to the scene at Joppatowne High School
A 15-year-old student in Maryland is dead after he was allegedly killed by a fellow student in their high school bathroom, police say.
The incident occurred at Joppatowne High School in Joppa, Md., on Friday, Sept. 6, Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said at a news conference.
"The shooting took place in a first-floor men's bathroom. After the initial shooting, the suspect left the bathroom [and] left the school," said Gahler. "Other individuals in the school brought the victim out into the hallway, where he was immediately attended to by nurses as part of the public school system."
"Within the first two minutes, we had our first response deputy on the scene," Gahler continued. "Within 15 minutes, more than 100 police officers were here from all of our local partner agencies."
WMAR-2 News/Youtube Police respond to the scene at Joppatowne High School
Related: Father of Georgia School Shooter Told Police in Newly Released 2023 Audio That Greatest Day Was When Son Killed 1st Deer
The 15-year-old was airlifted to a trauma center in "serious condition." The suspect, a 16-year-old student, who is believed to have fired a "single shot," was "apprehended within minutes" after fleeing "a short distance away."
Gahler noted that it was the suspect's first day at the school, although the district is "four days into its school year."
He said that authorities are "not allowed to talk" to the suspect but have "sufficient information that he will be charged in association with the shooting without the need to be interviewed."
"Overwhelming evidence, if you will. But again, that investigation is ongoing," he said.
The Harford County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a post on X that the shooting was an "isolated incident."
"Please be advised this is an isolated incident, not an active shooter. Avoid the area. The reunification center for parents to pick up their students is Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church," the post read.
Getty Stock image of a school hallway
Related: Former Science Teacher Sentenced for Trying to Pay for Sex with Children: 'The Younger the Better'
During a second news conference held later on Friday, Gahler confirmed that the 15-year-old, identified as Warren Curtis Grant, had died.
"The family was just notified within the last half hour at the hospital," he said. Gahler confirmed that the suspect "has yet to be charged but will be charged." The suspect's name has not been released publicly yet.
Harford County Public Schools also confirmed Warren's death via a statement on their website.
"It is with great sadness that we share that the victim of the shooting did not survive," the statement read. "At a media briefing that has just concluded, Sheriff Gahler identified the victim as Warren Grant, a 15 year old student at Joppatowne High School."
"Again, we ask you to join us in keeping Warrens family, friends, and the students and staff at JOHS in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time," the statement continued. "We will have additional supports in place for students as we process this tragedy as a school community."
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Read the original article on People.
BALTIMORE A priest lured 9-year-old David Schappelle into a private area of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Gaithersburg decades ago under the guise of teaching him about confession.
Father Wayland Brown proceeded to masturbate under his ceremonial robe, withdraw his hand when he was finished and tell the boy that God will be very angry if Schappelle didnt accept his holy offering. So began a course of sexual abuse that lasted months and went on to involve another pedophile priest, according to a lawsuit filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
The complaint says the abuse spanned the summer and fall of 1986, yet Schappelle said recently he didnt begin to remember what happened to him until approximately 2019. By that point, the legal time limit for him to sue the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, which is headquartered in Maryland and has parishes in five counties, had expired.
It was so traumatic that basically my brain just shut it out, Schappelle told reporters Thursday at a news conference hosted by his lawyers.
Schappelles break came Oct. 1, when Marylands Child Victims Act took effect. The law erased time limits for those sexually abused as children to sue their abusers and the institutions that enabled their torment, but now that law and Schappelles lawsuit hang in the balance because of legal challenges from the Washington diocese and others sued under the act.
The Supreme Court of Maryland is slated to hear arguments Tuesday about the constitutionality of the nascent child victims law and, within roughly a year, determine whether its legal.
Much of the highly technical debate in court will focus on a 2017 law that preceded that Child Victims Act and whether the Maryland General Assembly included a provision in that law granting defendants, such as the Washington diocese, permanent immunity from child sex abuse lawsuits after a survivor turns 38 years old.
But beyond the courtroom, there are broader implications for survivors, who recent research estimates mostly come forward when they are between 40 and 50. In the Child Victims Act, survivors and their advocates say, there was finally a law that acknowledged that timeline.
If we say the Child Victims Act is unconstitutional, it tells those predators and pedophiles that its OK, time will expire and everything will be fine. If you can just get through that time where the child turns 38, then youre fine. Youre free, Schappelle said. Well we need to hold our society to a better standard. We dont just forget things that happen.
I mean, he continued, the truth has to happen. Whether it takes five years, 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, the truth needs to come out. It will come out. Thats what the Child Victims Act is about.
Time for accountability
David Lorenz, Maryland director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, remembers working to pass legislation resembling the Child Victims Act as early as 2004.
Over those almost two decades since, he said, survivors advocates rallied against some stubborn lawmakers and a strong and well-funded push against the legislation by the Maryland Catholic Conference, the churchs lobbying arm in the state.
At a news conferences Wednesday and Thursday, Lorenz credited the release last April of a state attorney general report documenting the abuse of more than 600 children by 156 clergy and other officials employed by the Archdiocese of Baltimore with propelling lawmakers to enact the child victims bill.
That report came out and it was a total inversion of how the legislators looked at us, Lorenz recalled. Wed walk in there and say, Were here to support the Child Victims Act, and theyd say, Oh yeah, were right behind you. It was unbelievable.
Democratic Gov. Wes Moore signed the bill into law April 12, 2023, and a deluge of lawsuits flooded Maryland courts when it took effect in October. The complaints targeted the likes of churches, schools, youth correctional facilities and other institutions, with people alleging abuse by priests, teachers, guards and others in positions of authority over children.
The Baltimore diocese, Americas oldest, declared bankruptcy two days before the child victims law took effect. For survivors of abuse in that branch of the Catholic church, that meant repurposing lawsuits in state court into proof-of-claim forms filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Baltimore. In that case, the church is in mediation with a committee of abuse survivors.
Because of questions raised during the Child Victims Acts passage, state lawmakers included a provision allowing for a mid-lawsuit appeal on constitutional grounds to the state supreme court. Almost as quickly as complaints hit court dockets, defendants like the Washington diocese, Harford County Board of Education and Key School in Annapolis challenged the law as unconstitutional.
Circuit Court judges in Prince Georges and Harford counties ruled the law was constitutional, leading to swift appeals. The Montgomery County Circuit Court judge presiding over Schappelles lawsuit deemed the law unconstitutional, siding with the Washington diocese.
Schappelle appealed that ruling, but his case is not before the Supreme Court. The high court is considering appeals arising from lawsuits against the Washington diocese in Prince Georges and the education board in Harford County, as well as a question from a U.S. District Court judge presiding over a sex abuse lawsuit against the Key School.
Robert K. Jenner, an attorney for Schappelle and another plaintiff whose case is before the Supreme Court, foreshadowed Tuesdays oral arguments at the SNAP news conference with his client.
This is thick, this is heavy. This is a constitutional analysis going back decades. The arguments will be long, they will be involved, but they will be important, Jenner said. But we know this, it is time for change. It is time for justice. It is time for accountability.
Debate centers on 2017 law
The constitutional debate over the Child Victims Act centers on the law that preceded it.
Defendants in the cases before the Supreme Court argue that the 2017 law that expanded time limits for victims to file suit granted them permanent protection from civil claims after a victim turned 38. The provision in the law that granted them immunity, they argue, is called a statute of repose and gave them a vested right against liability in sex abuse lawsuits.
They contend lawmakers cant change a statute of repose.
Their argument garnered support from a group of organizations representing businesses, insurance companies and civil defense attorneys in Maryland, who filed a brief with the state Supreme Court arguing the law was unconstitutional. They say limiting the time for filing lawsuits is fair because witnesses memories fade and evidence is lost with time.
The heavy cost of defending against or paying these decades-old claims will not fall upon the perpetrators of these crimes, but will be borne mainly by schools, nonprofit organizations, and other entities that provided services to children, impacting those they serve today, the group wrote.
On the other side of the debate, plaintiffs lawyers argue the 2017 law did not include a statute of repose but a statute of limitations, which the legislature can change or get rid of at any time.
The only other statute of repose in Maryland law can be found in the construction industry, according to legal scholars. In that context, it protects the likes of architects and builders from liability related to injuries sustained in the structures they designed or built after a certain amount of time passes.
Under that statute of repose, the clock for lawsuits starts ticking when the building is deemed operational. By contrast, a statute of limitations starts counting the period a person has to file a lawsuit from the time they sustain an injury.
Even if the Supreme Court finds the 2017 law is a statute of repose, plaintiffs lawyers argue, the legislature has the power to change it. They pointed out that the General Assembly did just that in the 1990s when it allowed people to file retroactive lawsuits against builders who created structures with asbestos.
Several organizations that represent abuse survivors, childrens rights and crime victims have backed up the plaintiffs arguments in legal briefs filed with the high court. So too did Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, who long ago pledged to defend the Child Victims Act, and several of the lawmakers behind the 2023 law and its 2017 precursor.
The General Assembly did not intend to eliminate their power to allow the filing of certain time-barred claims for child sexual abuse, read the brief filed for the lawmakers. It is clear and unequivocal that in 2023, the Maryland General Assembly used that power to give all living survivors of child sexual abuse the opportunity to file a lawsuit against an organization responsible for the abuse, regardless of when the sexual violence occurred.
Steven J. Kelly, an attorney for some of the plaintiffs, said having the lawmakers behind both laws submit a brief explaining their reasoning was critical because the Supreme Court justices will do an analysis of the legislative history of the act, which involves looking at debate in the legislature at the time the bills were being discussed and different drafts of the legislation.
Having the legislators, the people who were actually there, who worked on the legislation, talk about that record is really powerful, and were hopeful it will be convincing to the justices, Kelly said at the news conference with Jenner, Schappelle and Lorenz.
This is my time
The Washington diocese knew or should have been aware that Brown, the priest who allegedly abused Schappelle, had a history of predatory behavior dating to more than a decade before he encountered Schappelle, according to the lawsuit.
Before he was ordained in 1977, Brown was a religious teacher at a church in Savannah, Georgia. The complaint says an administrator of that church once wrote that Brown was developing a coterie of young boys around him.
Brown became a seminarian at St. Rose of Lima after teaching in Georgia, according to Schappelles lawsuit. He allegedly sexually abused two boys who were parishioners there. The Catholic Church ordained him nonetheless.
Georgia law enforcement in 1986 launched an inquiry into Browns behavior with male children, prompting the bishop of the Savannah diocese to confront him. Schappelles complaint says he admitted to sexually abusing young boys.
The bishop subsequently sent him for evaluation and treatment at Saint Luke Institute in Silver Spring, the suit says. While he was at Saint Luke, he taught religious classes at St. Rose of Lima. Thats where he came across Schappelle, abused him and permanently altered his life.
Brown died in 2019 after being convicted in South Carolina of sexual assaulting two boys and sentenced to 20 years in prison. The Archdiocese of Washington declined to comment.
The complaint says the abuse shattered Schappelles faith, despite his being raised Catholic, left him with mental anguish and physical sickness.
Schappelle said the Child Victims Act gives voices to people who were abused as children, grew up and realized what happened to them. It gives him recourse.
I didnt have that as a child, he said. This is my time. This is what it means to me.
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Mass. physician sentenced to 9 months in prison for punching police officer during Capitol riot
A Massachusetts medical doctor who punched a police officer during a mobs attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced Thursday to nine months of imprisonment followed by nine months of home confinement.
Jacquelyn Starer was in a crowd of rioters inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when she struck the officer with a closed fist and shouted a profane insult.
Starer told U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly that she isnt proud of her actions that day, including her regrettable encounter with the officer.
I accept full responsibility for my actions that day, and I truly wish reason had prevailed over my emotions, she said.
Starer also turned to apologize to the officer whom she assaulted. The officer, identified only by her initials in court filings, told the judge she feared for her life as she and other officers fought for hours to defend the Capitol from the mob of Donald Trump supporters.
Do you really take responsibility for your actions or are you just going to say: It wasnt my fault. Fight or flight? the officer asked Starer before she addressed the court.
Starer, 70, of Ashland, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in April to eight counts, including a felony assault charge, without reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors.
U.S. Attorney: Massachusetts doctor facing charges in connection with Jan. 6 Capitol riot
Prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of two years and three months for Starer, a physician who primarily practiced addiction medicine before her arrest. Starers attorneys asked the judge to sentence her to home confinement instead of incarceration.
Online licensing records indicate that Starer agreed in January 2023 not to practice medicine in Massachusetts. The state issued her a medical license in 1983.
Starer attended then-President Trumps Stop the Steal rally near the White House on Jan. 6 before joining the mob outside the Capitol. She entered the building through the Rotunda doors roughly 15 minutes after they were breached.
In the Rotunda, Starer joined other rioters in trying to push past police officers guarding a passageway to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office. Starer pushed through other rioters to reach the front of the police line, where she yelled at officers.
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
Credit: Department of Justice
When another rioter tried to hold her back, Starer grabbed that persons arm, pushed it down and then shoved against the police line. When one of those officers pushed Starer backward, she turned around and punched the officer. The assault was captured on video from a police body camera.
Rioters reacted to the assault by becoming more aggressive, and they then charged the police line, a Justice Department prosecutor wrote.
Starers attorneys said she became upset with the rioter who tried to hold her back. She instinctively punched the officers arm in response to being pushed, her lawyers said. They argued that Starer was reacting to the push and wasnt motivated by the officers occupational status.
Dr. Starer deeply regrets this entire interaction, and fully recognizes it constitutes criminal conduct on her part, her attorneys wrote.
The judge said Starer rushed toward the police line like a heat-seeking missile.
Thats a pretty ominous thing given the threat to the physical safety of our members of Congress, Kelly said.
The judge asked Starer where she was trying to go.
The short answer is, I dont know, she replied.
Starer appeared to be struggling with the effects of pepper spray when she left the Capitol, approximately 15 minutes after entering the building.
She received aid from other rioters, including a rioter clad in camouflage wearing a helmet with a military-style patch with the word MILITIA, the prosecutor wrote.
Starers attorneys said she recognizes that she likely has treated her last patient.
Her inability to do the work she loves so much has left a very large hole in her life which she struggles to fill, they wrote.
Nearly 1,500 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. More than 900 of them have been convicted and sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving a term of imprisonment ranging from a few days to 22 years.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Rhode Island and Massachusetts made history in New England, taking further steps toward powering homes with offshore wind.
The coalition of states announced on Friday that they have selected 2,878 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind, marking the largest offshore wind selection in the regions history.
The selection of megawatts refers to the process in which a state or group of states decides how much offshore wind energy capacity to commit to purchasing from developers, Robert Beadle with the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources told 12 News.
ALSO READ: First American offshore wind vessel unveiled in Providence
Rhode Island and Massachusetts have evaluated proposals from developers and selected specific projects based on criteria like cost and energy capacity.
After this selection, the chosen developers are tasked with building the infrastructure (wind turbines, transmission lines, etc.) to generate and deliver the specified amount of energy to the grid, Beadle explained.
Both states selected MW from SouthCoast Wind. Massachusetts also selected MW from New England Wind 1 and Vineyard Wind 2.
With Massachusetts procurement of 2,678 MW, Governor Maura Healeys office said offshore wind will power 1.4 million homes in the Bay State. This selection represents 20% of Massachusetts overall electric demand.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKees office said the states procurement of 200 MW will power 125,000 homes.
These projects will help create a stronger economy, massive economic development and importantly, lower electricity costs for our residents and our businesses, Healey said during a press conference on Friday.
RI Energy electricity rates likely to spike again this winter; lower than last year
Officials said the projects are helping Rhode Island and Massachusetts take significant steps in meeting their climate goals and reaching energy independence.
Our region is heavily reliant on gas that comes to us from pipelines and ships. For decades, our entire region has experienced significant swings in prices while also worrying about reliability, said Massachusetts Secretary for Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper. Offshore wind will bring stability to Massachusetts at a critical time.
White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi praised the selection, saying, today New England is showing continued leadership on seizing offshore wind opportunities, as part of nationwide clean energy progress.
The projects are slated to create thousands of jobs too.
Weve also bolstered our workforce development programs statewide so that everybody will have a chance to participate because we are going to need the workforce for this industry, Healey said.
The New England ports built to support offshore wind development in Providence, New Bedford, Salem and New London will all have tenants through 2032 as part of the selection.
MORE: Portsmouth approves deal with SouthCoast Wind
We in Greater New Bedford are especially excited that the largest single project selected today, SouthCoast Wind, has premised its proposal on the use of the Port of New Bedford for both project staging and as a base for operations and maintenance, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell said in a statement.
With the two other winning proposals from Avangrid and Vineyard Wind also committed to using New Bedford for significant aspects of their projects, the awards announced today will collectively generate lasting economic benefits for the City and the region, he added.
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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.
Maternal healthcare report handed over to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas mother speaks on possible improvements
Maternal healthcare report handed over to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas mother speaks on possible improvements
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A new report now in the hands of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders outlines possible ways to tackle an ongoing issue in Arkansas with maternal healthcare.
The committee the governor formed to put the report together gives recommendations in four focus areas: data reporting & technology, education & outreach, clinical & practice improvements and healthcare access & Medicaid.
Committee sends plan to improve maternal mortality, infant health in Arkansas to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders
The committee recommends developing a dashboard for reporting key maternal health indicators, evaluating Medicaid reimbursement rates, expanding OBGYN residencies and developing a maternal health education & advertising campaign.
Heather Havranek is a mom in Arkansas who has dealt with one of the biggest fears pregnant women face: experiencing a stillbirth.
She said that she found out at 39 weeks, the day before she gave birth, that her daughter Paisley no longer had a heartbeat.
Once I had her, it was the loudest silence Id ever heard, Havranek said. You wait to hear a baby cry and theres no cry.
Arkansas lawmakers, medical experts hold maternal health roundtable
KARK 4 News asked Havranek what more she thinks doctors could do in her case, and she said she believes the state could help cover grief therapy for moms of stillborn babies, some sort of assistance in the funeral planning process and more resources and research into Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Because of Havraneks loss, her father, St. Rep. Les Eaves (R-Searcy) sponsored Paisleys Law in 2021, which provides parents a tax credit if their baby dies in the womb or 20 weeks after pregnancy.
UAMS hopes new nurse midwifery program will address Arkansas maternal mortality rates
The report submitted to Sanders also details several activities that have already been completed or are underway, including holding stakeholder meetings in five pilot counties that had high rates of women receiving no prenatal care, developing a transforming maternal health model grant application and reviewing several key Medicaid processes tied to maternal care.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
JPMorgan named Kwang Kam Shing as its new Hong Kong CEO, taking over for Harshika Patel, who will remain as head of the firm's Asia Private Bank.
Kwang will report to Sjoerd Leenart, the Asia-Pacific CEO, and will oversee local governance, coordination, and controls. She will also continue to foster employee and community engagement in the Hong Kong operation, according to an internal memo seen by the Post on Friday.
She will take over from Patel, who was the Hong Kong CEO for three years. Patel took over from Kwang as CEO of the Asia Private Bank in October last year.
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
"We extend our gratitude for the tremendous impact Harshika has brought to the role over her three year tenure. Harshika's leadership, energy and passion have been truly outstanding", Leenart said in the memo sent on Friday.
Kwang "will build upon the incredible work done by Harshika", Leenart added.
Kwang will remain as the chair of North Asia and vice chair of investment banking for Greater China. She has been with the bank since 1998. She has more than 30 years of experience in financial services, across private banking, asset management and investment banking.
JPMorgan's Kam Shing Kwang. Photo: Handout alt=JPMorgan's Kam Shing Kwang. Photo: Handout>
Throughout the course of her career, Kwang has been named one of the leading female private bankers in Asia by Global Investor magazine. She was among the top 12 most influential female bankers in Asia according to Finews.asia and was the most influential female leader in Asia, The Digital Banker said.
Attracting the ultra-rich to bank with JPMorgan is likely to be a top priority for the incoming CEO. Hong Kong's tax breaks and immigration policies to attract tycoons to set up family offices in the city have been quite successful, with many families coming from mainland China and Southeast Asia, according to its Private Bank team in an interview with the Post earlier this year.
The increase in wealth also underscores the need for sophisticated global wealth management structures, the report added.
The bank is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Hong Kong this year.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed signs a bill requiring photo ID for concealed firearm carry while city council member Julie Turner Beard, city council president Cornelius Calhoun, and police chief James Graboysat look on at Montgomery City Hall in Montgomery, Ala., on Sept. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Safiyah Riddle/Report For America)
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) The mayor of Alabamas state capital signed a local ordinance into law on Friday requiring anyone carrying a concealed firearm to also carry a photo ID, saying Republican lawmakers' decision to toss permit requirements for concealed guns had hindered police officers' abilities to fight crime and seize illegal guns.
The new Montgomery ordinance drew immediate outrage from state GOP officials who had supported a 2023 law granting gun owners the right to carry a concealed gun without a permit. A spokesperson for Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall called the local measure illegal, but did not say whether Marshall planned to file a lawsuit.
According to the ordinance, Montgomery police can confiscate a concealed gun if the gun holder is not also carrying a photo ID. The firearm would remain in police custody until the gun holder pays a fine and provides proof of purchase to the local precinct within 30 days.
The measure is the latest signed by a local official in the South in frustration over the expansion of what gun rights advocates call constitutional carry, a reference to the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. When the Alabama bill was being debated during the 2022 legislative session, it was decried by local officials and many in law enforcement, especially those in the states largest cities already struggling with crime, who said that it would worsen public safety.
The permitless carry bill took away an important way for law enforcement officers to take illegal handguns, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said during Friday's bill signing ceremony. He added, What we hope this will do is maybe give us a little bit of movement back to being able to take some of those (illegal) guns.
Montgomery Police Chief James Graboys and local city council members joined Reed to express support for the ordinance and echo frustration about the impact of permitless carry.
But Friday's signing drew swift condemnation from the state attorney general's office.
The Montgomery City Councils ordinance related to firearms violates state law, William Califf, a spokesperson for the attorney general, said in a statement. "The Code of Alabama plainly states that the Legislature is the sole regulator of firearms and related matters.
Similar battles between local and statewide elected officials are underway in neighboring states.
Local restrictions on firearms in both New Orleans and Savannah, Georgia, drew criticism from each state's respective Republican attorneys general. In both cases, state leadership accused local officials of violating state gun laws. Alabama, Louisiana and Georgia are among the 28 states nationwide that do not require a permit for concealed firearm carry, according to the U.S. Concealed Carry Association.
Montgomery is not the only Alabama municipality where local law enforcement wants to see restrictions on the statewide permitless carry bill.
Mobile Sheriff Paul Burch describes himself as a very firm supporter of the Second Amendment, but said that something has to be done about the effects of the state legislation.
Burch said his department has seen a noticeable uptick in violent crime among young people that he attributes to the bill.
Specifically, Mobile County has seen an increase of at least 50 gun-related charges for those 20 or younger since the bill went into effect in 2023, according to data provided by the sheriff's department and the local district attorney.
As a result, Burch said he will be lobbying state legislators to modify the permitless carry bill to make it so gun owners under 21 would still need a permit for concealed carry. Military and law enforcement officers would not be affected, according to Burch.
Im all for anyone who can legally carry a gun for the protection of their family. Or even for sport or just shoot for fun, should be able to legally carry one, Burch said. However, I just think that the law was poorly put together.
The law makes it difficult for officers to determine whether someone has an illegal firearm, Burch said. Although a prohibited persons database was included in the bill to help officers flag people who are banned from possessing a handgun because of their criminal history and other reasons, Burch said the database was imperfect.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, which maintains the database, did not respond to requests for comment.
Reed said that he would try to work with state legislators on both sides of the political aisle to continue to find ways to empower law enforcement and promote public safety. But he said it hasn't felt like his administration has received proactive support from the state since the bill was passed.
"The whole city is forced to pick up the pieces, the city is forced to try to scramble to figure out how support our residents," Reed said.
___
Riddle is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
AUBURN N.Y. (WSYR-TV) Auburn city officials, including Mayor James Giannettino and Council Representative Terrence Cuddy, and Toxics Targetings Walter Hang joined together at City Hall to discuss the ongoing issue of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) roaming in New Yorks waterbodies, specifically Owasco Lake.
HABs in Owasco Lake threaten public drinking water supplied by the City of Auburn to more than 45,000 residents. In 2024, Owasco Lake had 88 HABs confirmed in that impaired waterbody.
Hang share that these harmful algal blooms release toxins microcystins.
Some people drink water right out of the lake into their lake cottages and homes. So Auburn has a very sophisticated system and they can treat the water, but they come perilously close to not meeting the health guide lines, Hang said.
Hot summer days create a breading ground for these blooms because its cyanobacteria do much better in warm weather, Hang said. So when its cold out, there are very very low concentrations, but now, in September, they are just growing at a fast rate. And if theres too much phosphorus and nitrogen, they just explode, said Hang.
A reoccurring issue in Central New York, and Hang is saying that the state isnt helping with this ongoing issuepressuring the governor to respond to their request.
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) Furry bodies and four legs from Memphis will be sent to Winder, Georgia following the deadly school shooting there.
Job the Comfort Dog is one of nine support animals that will be heading to Georgia in the upcoming days to help those in the community recovering from a traumatic event. He is a golden retriever and a trained comfort dog.
Job came to us in 2016. He belongs to Christ the King Lutheran Church and he is eight years old, said Genie Swan, Top Dog, Job Comfort Dog Team. Locally, he visits hospitals, assisted living facilities, schools, libraries, and community events. Anywhere where a wet nose and furry tail can bring joy or comfort. Hes also deployed in times of national crisis.
Father of Georgia school shooting suspect arrested on charges including second-degree murder
This Saturday, Job will be sent to help bring comfort and smiles to a community still grieving after a 14-year-old student allegedly shot an assault rifle-style gun at a high school killing two classmates and two math teachers.
Studies have shown that when you pet a dog it lowers your blood pressure and overall just gives you a good feeling, Swan said. With children in particular we find that petting a dog allows them to open up about them and tragic things they have seen and it helps in their healing process.
Job will meet families at the school as well as churches and community vigils.
Well leave a stuffy with them so that when we leave they are not left empty-handed and they can remember the comfort that they had, Swan said.
The dogs will stay in Georgia for a week.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Method of death chosen in South Carolinas first execution in more than a decade
An attorney for the first person likely to be executed in South Carolina in 13 years has chosen lethal injection for his method of death.
The selection was made Friday by one of his attorneys, Emily Paavola, despite concerns over an affidavit attesting to the strength and potency of the drugs set to be used in the upcoming execution.
Freddie Owens is sent to be executed at 6 p.m. Sept. 20. Citing his Islamic faith, which he said would make choosing his own method of death akin to suicide, he petitioned the South Carolina Supreme Court to grant one of his lawyers power of attorney to make the selection for him.
Inmates in South Carolina are legally required to choose between lethal injection, firing squad and the electric chair for their method of execution.
I have known Mr. Owens for 15 years. Under the circumstances, and in light of the information currently available to me, I made the best decision I felt I could make on his behalf. I sincerely hope that the South Carolina Department of Corrections assurances will hold true, Paavola wrote in a statement provided to The State.
Owens was sentenced to death after being convicted of killing Speedway gas station clerk Irene Graves during an armed robbery in the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 1997. Owens shot and killed Graves, a mother of three, when she was unable to open the safe inside of the convenience store.
Owens converted to Islam while in prison. He also legally changed his name to Khalil-Divine Black Sun-Allah, but in all legal documents is still referred to as Freddie Owens.
Mr. Owens has a long-standing, deeply held religious conviction that physically signing the election form is taking an active role in bringing about his own death and is thus akin to suicide. Mr. Owenss Muslim faith teaches that suicide is a sin, and it is forbidden, Paavola wrote in a court filing submitted Aug. 29.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted Owens motion to assign his lawyers power of attorney to sign the form selecting his method of execution.
The selection of the lethal injection comes after Owens attorneys objected to the affidavit provided by South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Brian Stirling about the drugs used in the execution.
South Carolina law requires Stirling to attest to the purity and strength of the lethal drugs. In his affidavit, Stirling said that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Divisions lab had verified the purity and strength of the correction departments pentobarbital, a powerful sedative used in executions to stop the inmates breathing.
While lawyers for Owens said that this affidavit did not provide enough information about the drug, its testing and storage, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Stirlings affidavit was sufficient.
For their part, the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office accused Owens attorneys of using this objection as a pretext to breach the states shield law, which conceals the identity of companies that provide the drugs used in the lethal injection.
This is a breaking news story. Check back here for updates.
BOSTON (WWLP) A man was sentenced to prison for transporting cocaine into Massachusetts.
According to the Department of Justice in Boston, in March 2023, officers in Littleton, Mass. observed driving a car with a temporary Texas license plate that was drifting across a double yellow line. A traffic stop was conducted and police seized a duffle bag with 20 kilograms of cocaine found inside.
Police find AK-47 style pistol in Springfield, teen arrested
Upon investigation, a private tracking device was found installed in the vehicle by the Mexican drug cartel, Cartel del Noreste. The GPS tracking device revealed that the vehicle traveled at least 32 hours from Texas to Massachusetts.
The Mexican national, 39-year-old Erasmo Lira-Mendez, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine (both offenses involving five kilograms or more). On Thursday, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison, followed by five years supervised release.
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Mi'kmaq Nation Vice Chief Richard Silliboy poses with a basket he wove. Silliboy will research PFAS uptake in ash wood and other culturally significant plants as part of the EPA grant. (Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)
More research into ways to reduce forever chemicals in the food supply will be conducted in Maine through millions of dollars in grant funding awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week.
Three of the ten institutions awarded grants will focus their work in Maine. The Mikmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe and the University of Maine were each awarded roughly $1.6 million to embark on research into mitigation at various points throughout food production where per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, otherwise known as PFAS, can contaminate plants and livestock. PFAS have been linked to long-term adverse health outcomes, such as cancers and weakened immune systems
For the Mikmaq Nations project, which is being conducted with the University of Virginia, this will include finding ways to reduce contamination from farms irrigated with water that contains PFAS, which is a well-known reality for Aroostook County, the area of focus for the project.
The Aroostook River is known to be contaminated with PFAS, explained Bryan Berger, associate professor of chemical engineering at UVA. Youre in a contaminated environment, thats not going to change soon, so how do you mitigate or maximize the safety of whats coming out of that process?
The EPA grant will allow for the continuation of PFAS remediation work that Berger, other researchers and the Mikmaq Nation have already begun at the former Loring Air Force Base in the County, where the team has seen early success with using hemp plants to remove PFAS from soil a process called phytoremediation.
Maybe you cant mitigate or clean the irrigation water, but you can plant something that acts as a sponge to sequester PFAS, Berger said.
Another idea the team is looking into is identifying what are called resistant cultivars, certain varieties of crops that dont uptake as much PFAS as other varieties. The plan is also to zoom into the molecular level of these crops to determine exactly where PFAS accumulate. For example, do the chemicals only accumulate on the skin, which perhaps could then be removed for safe consumption, or seep into the flesh of the potato?
While it is known that there is PFAS contamination in Maine and across the world, the full extent of the contamination and in which specific materials the chemicals are found remains undetermined. This is the case for many culturally important plants to tribal communities.
For example, Mikmaq Nation Vice Chief Richard Silliboy, who is also a part of the research team, has been weaving baskets for decades. However, there isnt conclusive evidence of whether the ash wood used contains PFAS and, as a result, whether Silliboy and other basket makers may be ingesting the chemicals in the weaving process.
There are also inconclusive findings about the potential risks of consuming fiddleheads, a traditional food source of the Wabanaki Nations, that are grown in areas where PFAS have been detected.
Berger has been testing out biosensors to detect PFAS, a twist on the idea of sentinel plants, which are alternative species that display visible symptoms of infection to provide warning signs. So far, this work has been limited to the lab but Berger hopes to expand testing to the field with the help of the EPA grant.
The projects supported by the grants are each roughly slated for four years, though much of the research being conducted precedes and is expected to continue well after that period.
I think with all of these types of research projects, especially in PFAS and agriculture where we dont have very much work in the field, each season raises new questions, said Ellen Mallory, a professor of sustainable agriculture at UMaine who is a part of that teams project.
UMaines project will also examine ways to disrupt the PFAS contamination cycle, including by limiting the chemical uptake by forages (the plants eaten by livestock), livestock, and animal byproducts such as milk, meat and manure. Mallory, who is leading the forage crop research, is building on work she started two years ago on a farm in Unity.
These grant-funded projects each have a community engagement focus, too. The ultimate goal of the research is to equip farmers with integrated and scalable mitigation strategies so they can proactively reduce the risk of PFAS contamination in their products, Mallory said.
This community-centered model is evident in the intentional collaboration between UVA and the Mikmaq Nation, which has intimate and long-standing knowledge of the affected land.
The Passamaquoddy Tribe, specifically the Sipayik Environmental Department at Pleasant Point, will assess PFAS in water and fish from watersheds in Tribal and disadvantaged regions of Northeastern Maine. Results from that research are intended to inform the health of Tribal members and others in the area who depend on recreational fisheries as food sources.
While this research is important, Mallory said, its just one piece of a huge amount of effort going on in the state of Maine to address the PFAS crisis for farmers.
Maine has been a leader in establishing PFAS protections. In 2021, the state was the first to pass a rule requiring manufacturers to report intentionally added PFAS in their products and, by the turn of the decade, ban the sale of products with intentionally added PFAS.
Maine has also passed laws to improve testing of land and groundwater, and invest in remediation efforts, after the state-sanctioned practice of sludge spreading led to PFAS contamination on dozens of farms that have since had to close.
Earlier this summer, the state established a program that offers Maine farmers tailored assistance to manage the impacts of forever chemicals on their farms.
The issue of PFAS contamination extends beyond agriculture programs, however. Last month, the largest spill of PFAS-laden firefighting foam in Maines recorded history occurred in Brunswick and has sparked calls for reform in how the state handles forever chemical-contaminated products.
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Mich. Couple Charged in Death of Groomsman Hours After Their Wedding
Terry Lewis Taylor Jr. was "intentionally struck by a large SUV that was traveling at a high rate of speed and driven by the groom," Flint police said
City of Flint Police Department/Facebook James Shirah and Savahna Collier
A newlywed couple in Michigan has been charged after one of their groomsmen was fatally struck by a vehicle hours after their wedding.
Police in Flint responded to alerts of a crash that involved a pedestrian on the 1400 block of E. Hamilton on Friday, Aug. 30, according to a release shared by the Flint Police Department on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
When police got to the scene, they found 29-year-old Terry Lewis Taylor Jr. with "severe injuries." Taylor was taken to Hurley Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, per authorities.
Related: Man Accused of Plotting Brutal Murders of Ex-Wife and Her Boyfriend in 'Excruciating Detail': Prosecutor
"Further investigation revealed that earlier that day, Taylor Jr had attended a wedding as a groomsman," police said. "After the wedding he was involved in an argument which led to him being intentionally struck by a large SUV that was traveling at a high rate of speed and driven by the groom."
The groom, James Shirah, 22, is charged with second-degree murder. He is being held without bond. His wife, Savahna Collier, 21, is charged with a felony of accessory after the fact.
Collier posted her $4,000 bond on Wednesday, Sept. 4, per the Associated Press.
Related: Teen Killed While Trying to Break up Fight, Girlfriend Learned About Death from Heartbreaking Text
Dodds Dumanois Funeral Home Terry Lewis Taylor Jr
"Ive never seen anything quite like this, Genessee County prosecutor David Leyton told the AP. Ive seen people running over other people but not so soon after a wedding.
Referencing the police report, Leyton noted that the wedding took place at a pizzeria, and there was a dispute at a home afterward.
Taylor was standing in the front of the home, in the street, and was hit by an SUV that Shirah was allegedly driving. Per Leyton, the couple waited a day before going to police, which he said made it more difficult to unravel what happened.
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Taylor is remembered for his love of music, fishing, riding bikes and four-wheelers, per his obituary shared by the Dodds-Dumanois Funeral Home and Cremation Center, LLC, in Flint.
"Terry enjoyed immensely his music, his children, his family and friends, his dog Kodiak and eating some good food. It was always important to him to have clean teeth and some cologne on," the obituary added.
As of Thursday, Sept. 5, an attorney has not been assigned to the case, the Genesee County public defender office told the AP.
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Michigan Inmate Does Exactly What They Say Not to Do With His Case, With Shocking Results
Sometimes its better to bet on yourself, and in the case of Gregory Dean Tucker, his decision to represent himself in court just worked out in his favor. To the surprise of many, the Detroit man was able to persuade a judge to toss his burglary conviction after doing the one thing legal experts say not to do.
The 65-year-old was charged for his alleged role in a 2016 robbery of a beauty shop, and the only piece of evidence prosecutors said placed him at the scene of the crime was a single Coca-Cola bottle, according to AP News. Tuckers DNA was recovered from the soda bottle found at the scene, but no one could explain how or why it got there in the first place.
In his own conviction appeal, Tucker argued since his DNA was only found on the bottle and literally nowhere else at or near the scene, the states evidence against him was insufficient. The Detroit man cited a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on evidence, and U.S. District Judge David Lawson, who presided over Tuckers case, agreed.
Any inference that [Tucker] must have deposited his DNA on the bottle during the course of the burglary was pure speculation unsupported by any positive proof in the record, Lawson wrote in his ruling. There also was no evidence offered at trial about when his DNA was or could have been deposited on the bottle. And that gap in the proofs is fatal to the states case.
Tucker was accused of robbing a Ferndale, Mich. beauty shop and stealing $10,000 worth of supplies, a television, clock and a computer, per AP News. Authorities recovered no evidence from security footage nor were they able to track the stolen goods down.
The only piece of evidence recovered was that of Tuckers DNA on a coke bottle. A pop bottle has monetary value, Tucker said in an interview from prison. You can leave a bottle on the east side and it can end up on the west side that same day.
Even though a judge ruled to dismiss the burglary charges from 2016, the 65-year-old will remain in prison for unrelated offenses. According to online records, Tucker is serving time for three other charges, including two counts of breaking and entering.
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How landlords like this one in San Francisco are keeping their commercial rents low and their profits high
San Francisco rent is notoriously expensive particularly for commercial leases. But there are some landlords who dont believe it has to be that way.
Abid Dudum owns 14 commercial properties in San Francisco and despite an increasingly desolate city, theyre all occupied by tenants.
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I have never had an empty store in the last 10 years, Dudum told San Francisco news station, ABC7. This is how I negotiate leases with the old tenants: make yourself happy. Give me a number, and if you are happy, I'm happy.
This stands in stark contrast with a nearby vacant unit, which used to house a T-Mobile shop. The $15,000 a month property sits empty.
Could flexible rent prices be the answer to the real estate bubble in San Francisco?
How can he hand out cheap rents?
Dudum told ABC7 hes been a landlord in San Francisco for a long time, which means his tax base is low. That allows him the flexibility to negotiate rates with his tenants and keep their rents down. However, Dudum adds he understands that newer landlords cant offer the same low rates as him, as their expenses may be higher.
The pandemic decimated San Francisco real estate, particularly its retail market. According to real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, the citys second quarter retail vacancy rate is 7.7% up from 5.6% a year ago.
The high vacancy rates have led the city of San Francisco to levy a tax on landlords who dont fill their storefronts within six months. The Commercial Vacancy Tax says that landlords with empty storefronts must pay $250 per linear foot of frontage for the first year, $500 for the second year and $1,000 for any subsequent years after that.
In the past two years, ABC7 reports that the city has collected $3 million off these properties.
Landlords may want to consider taking a page from Dudum by working out deals with renters to avoid having to pay this tax.
The city even created a new initiative to help revitalize their business community: Vacant to Vibrant, which provides small businesses with grants and technical support navigating pop-up ideation, marketing, permitting, compliance and operations in San Franciscos Financial District.
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Local investors win over big ones
Its not just the cheap rent that has businesses sticking with smaller landlords, such as Dudum, but also the community connection.
Alex Sinclair owns the Willow on the Green, a British fine foods and cheese store located in San Franciscos Inner Sunset district. He told ABC7 that his landlord hasnt increased the rent since the pandemic.
The people who are in the area, they keep their rents low enough that businesses can grow and survive, he said.
But local property owners arent the norm. Real estate firm JLLs most recent numbers say that private capital provided 80% to 90% of offers on commercial real estate at the start of 2023, the San Francisco Business Times reports.
Sinclair thinks this private capital takeover will backfire.
People who are using this as investment with trusts and funds are seeing pre-pandemic numbers that they want to have, but theyre not getting anyone to be able to afford those rents, he told ABC7.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
MIFFLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A Mifflin County man was sentenced to two years in federal prison on tax evasion charges Thursday.
Brandon Aumiller, of Milroy, was accused of tax evasion for both his business and himself between 2007 and 2014.
The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said he filed personal income tax returns in 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011 that showed he owed taxes and he never paid. He did the same for his employment tax returns for an insurance sales business for three quarters one in 2013 and two in 2014 and did not pay those either.
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Authorities said that when the IRS sought to collect the taxes, Aumiller engaged in a multi-year scheme to thwart the IRS efforts.
They accused Aumiller of concealing his assets in bank accounts, structuring multiple real estate deals to conceal the transactions, and more.
In total, he owed $478,270 to the IRS, the attorneys office said.
Taxpayers thinking about committing tax evasion should stop and consider the consequences, stated Amy MacNeely, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge, Philadelphia Field Office. Those consequences include possible incarceration, being branded a convicted felon for the rest of their lives, and paying back all the taxes owed plus steep penalties and interest.
In addition to the prison sentence, he will serve three years of supervised release afterward and pay $180,000 in restitution to the federal government.
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Milwaukee County's top judge has ordered the sheriff's office to meet courtroom staffing levels, following an August announcement that prompted security concerns from the state court system.
Chief Judge Carl Ashley's order Friday came as the sheriff's office publicly announced its plans to curtail its use of overtime that was leading to staff burnout. That policy announcement was initially detailed in an Aug. 23 sheriff's memo which said overtime would be no longer used but it appeared to shift some to allow deputies to volunteer for overtime work, according to a Friday statement from the sheriff's office.
"The fair administration of justice is threatened by various bailiff-staffing concerns," the order from Ashley said. "The sheriff is hereby ordered to provide (bailiffs) ... while those courts are in session."
More: County adding 13 court bailiffs but cutting overtime pay. The Chief Judge is concerned.
Ashley's order requires the sheriff to staff two bailiffs in felony criminal courts; one bailiff in family court and misdemeanor court; and staff other courts as needed.
Ashley's order follows a sheriff's memo outlining an upcoming change to how the department would address bailiff staffing. The memo from Chief Deputy Daniel Hughes said the department would curtail mandated overtime by no longer using overtime to staff the courts while boosting the number of bailiffs to 90, the budgeted amount for the department.
Hughes' memo noted that the budgeted 90 bailiffs were not enough to handle court operations, but they were shifting deputies to meet that budgeted level. Currently, the office has about 77 bailiffs.
Ashley previously told the Journal Sentinel the boost to 90 bailiffs would keep things at the "status quo" but cutting out overtime pay means the standard number of bailiffs may not be met when officers take time off or call in sick, raising safety concerns. He said this means criminal courts could see less than the required two bailiffs and family court could drop to no bailiffs.
He previously said the courts need about 114 bailiffs to properly staff courtrooms and he was working with the county budgeting for that staffing level.
A spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Ashley's order.
Ashley declined to comment on how he would move forward if the sheriff's office did not follow his order.
His document outlined numerous state statutes and Wisconsin Supreme Court rules dictating courtroom bailiff staffing, sheriff's duties and his authority to make an order directed at the sheriff's office. Whether he has the authority to do so, his memo says "yes."
"In any legal action, people don't always agree. But from our position, constitutionally and statutorily, I have the authority to do so," Ashley said.
Sheriff's Office announces plan publicly
In Friday's statement, MCSO said it was modifying court staffing to address the agency's deputy sheriff shortage, reduce mandated overtime, and stymie its staffing exodus.
It comes as the sheriff's office deals with 32 deputy vacancies, 12% of its workforce.
"In an effort to work with the Chief Judge, the MCSO will, for now, attempt to maintain the status quo by allowing members to volunteer for overtime shifts," the statement said. "But if enough members do not volunteer to fill shifts, MCSO will make a daily assessment on eliminating specific positions in the downtown Courthouse Complex."
MCSO's statement continued to call for increased funding to add enough deputies to cover its courts, patrol and airport divisions.
"This change was born of necessity," the statement said. "The MCSO simply does not have enough deputies to maintain the agencys current staffing matrix and must provide an appropriate work/life balance for its members to retain the staffing we have while maintaining safety and security in the courts and throughout the agency."
The sheriff's office received support from the Milwaukee Deputy Sheriffs' Association, union president Carlos Bruno told the Journal Sentinel Friday.
Ashley's order is part of a balancing act from the county's top judge, who acknowledged the sheriff's office was attempting to maintain bailiff staffing.
However, the lack of a guarantee and continued concern from the county's 47 judges prompted the order, he said.
"Theyre making every attempt to fulfill that obligation and my concern is, (while) Im grateful, but they cant guarantee it to me," Ashley told the Journal Sentinel. "Im not pushing for mandatory overtime, and I think theres still an effort to try and staff us."
Staffing becomes a hot-button issue ahead of budget
The court order and previous sheriff's memo comes amid a hefty deficit for the county and the sheriff's department. County Comptroller's Office projections show a $7.6 million overtime deficit for the law enforcement office and the county's projected $19 million deficit by the year's end.
With that being said, County Executive David Crowley said, public safety is still a priority going into the 2025 budget deliberations this fall.
"Difficult staffing decisions across all Milwaukee County departments are occurring due to the ongoing fiscal constraints that we are facing as a result of state-mandated service requirements placed on Milwaukee County," Crowley wrote in a statement to the Journal Sentinel. "While I am confident my upcoming budget proposal will provide the funding needed to address bailiff staffing levels and ensure our courts are safe and properly staffed, we need a long-term funding solution."
Crowley said he would work with Ashley, MCSO and partners to "identify funds for law enforcement and court security services," which will include engaging the state and federal partners to help sustain public safety services, reduce the cost of overtime and offset competing budget needs.
For newcomer Supervisor Justin Bielinski, who chairs the county's Judiciary, Law Enforcement and General Services Committee, it's a "complex issue."
"Initially, when Deputy Hughes had sent out that memo ... it really, to me, looked more like a political document ... a way to posture before the budget season and kind of poke the finger in the eye of the County Board ... Then, the judges, their eyebrows were raised by that statement," Bielinski said.
"We all want to see that the courts are staffed appropriately, but at the same time an $11 million deficit for the Sheriff's Department ... that's a lot," he said.
Bielinski said that he intends for his committee to discuss the situation at Tuesday's meeting, citing it as a matter of public interest.
Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or vswales@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Vanessa_Swales.
David Clarey is a reporter with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County chief judge orders sheriff to meet courtroom staffing
Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye" was among more than two dozen books removed last month from a school library at Goddard, Kansas, following a challenge by a parent. The books have since been returned to the shelves. Photo by Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector.
Recent surveys show that 62% of Republicans have a very unfavorable view of Democrats, while 54% of Democrats feel the same about Republicans. These percentages have tripled since 1994. As politicians fan the flames of these divisions, many ordinary Americans are now incapable of speaking with their ideological opponents.
The best place to break this trend and enable future generations to better understand one another is in the social studies classroom, where students have the opportunity to confront different viewpoints and constructively disagree with one another by grappling with controversial topics, such as systemic racism. Unless Minnesota takes legislative action to protect that sacred space, it too will fall victim to our nations polarizing culture wars, and students will fail to gain those valuable skills.
As other states continue to impose sweeping restrictions limiting what materials can be taught in the social studies classroom, Minnesota should codify our educators right to assign materials representing diverse perspectives and ideas. In May, Gov. Tim Walz signed the ban on book bans, a law that prohibits the banning of books from public libraries based on the viewpoints or ideas they convey.
This is a welcome step, but merely a first step.
Minnesota should now seek to pass legislation that would extend the prohibition on book bans to materials in the classroom. If we trust our librarians to make sound decisions regarding the books they put on their shelves, so too should we trust our educators to decide what material they assign their students.
Per the Minnesota Department of Education, the K-12 social studies experience should create engaged members of society who can apply critical thinking, inquiry, and literacy. Absent legislation, two movements with entirely different agendas pose significant challenges to this goal.
On the one hand, conservative parenting groups have sought to outright ban curriculum focused on systemic racism. They claim that curriculum such as The 1619 Project which centers slavery and the Black experience in the history of the United States and has already been banned from Florida classrooms effectively indoctrinates students to see America as an inherently racist country.
This claim is based on the false assumption that students must take as true any claim or argument that they are assigned. In fact, much of the social studies curriculum focuses on building students abilities to analyze sources and weigh the strengths and weaknesses of various arguments. In a national poll, 97% of social studies teachers ranked political neutrality and critical thinking as their highest values.
Accordingly, where The 1619 Project is being taught as the only acceptable interpretation of American history, that is a teacher-specific issue that should be addressed locally. But it cannot be addressed by simply banning the material itself.
Conversely, efforts on the left to prevent students from reading texts that contain racist language or racial epithets such as To Kill A Mockingbird and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are also misguided. Here, the claim is that the psychological harm students of color endure by reading or hearing those works racially charged language supersedes any pedagogical value the stories may offer.
While teachers must be cautious about how to present texts with racially charged language, avoiding these texts entirely does our students a massive disservice.
Jeff Snyder, a professor at Carleton College, told me during a phone interview that you cant properly teach history without engaging with texts that contain racist terms: If youre learning about the Jim Crow south, youre going to hear speeches from politicians that are very disturbing but that captures the anti-Black sentiment that was very widespread and vicious. Snyder also says that if you cannot read or engage with any racist content, you cannot understand racism.
Those conversations and lessons, of course, dont happen in a vacuum, and they certainly dont happen until teachers have created a classroom culture of mutual respect. Teachers can also explain their rationale for reading texts with racist language and create ground rules for how to have difficult discussions so that all students can meaningfully engage with challenging material, Snyder told me.
It is in this safe and structured environment that students can best learn how to grapple with difficult topics, hear their classmates perspectives, and learn how to respectfully disagree with one another.
To foster a citizenry that can reverse the trend of political polarization, meaningfully analyze our nations history, and engage with one another, we must protect our teachers right to assign materials with diverse viewpoints and perspectives and our students right to engage with those materials.
Building on the recently codified ban on book bans and passing a corollary bill for social studies classrooms represents Minnesotas best opportunity to do so.
(NewsNation) A missing man was found dead in a nursing home closet more than a week later and his family is demanding answers.
Elin Etienne, 71, was found dead on Monday at North Dadde Nursing and Rehab in North Miami, Florida, according to his family, his body decomposing in a closet.
Etienne had been at the facility since early August following a brain aneurysm. He was supposed to spend 12 weeks there for physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Woman accused of stealing casket with body inside
Etienne was reported missing on Aug. 22, when someone who the family believes works at the facility reached out to them and said they couldnt find him.
According to the family, the facility told them Etienne had checked himself out but would not provide a form to verify his signature, and thats when they called the police.
Etiennes niece said the facility refused to let the family search inside for him and that they had been driving around the city looking for him.
On Monday, Etiennes family said they were told that a body had been found in the nursing home, wearing a bracelet with his name on it and the same clothing hed had on when he was last seen.
The North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has a two-star rating out of five, and only one star for health inspections, according to Medicares website. It has also faced more than $23,000 in federal penalties in the last three years. According to Medicare, facilities can be penalized for issues that include serious health citations or failures to correct citations for an extended period of time.
North Miami police confirmed a person had been found dead at the center but did not release a name and said a cause and manner of death are still pending.
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Missing teen from out of state last seen in August near Water World
DENVER (KDVR) Thornton police are searching for a missing 16-year-old last seen on Aug. 31 in the area near Water World.
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The agency said Emanual Manny Bloodworth, who is from another state, was last seen in the 8800 block of Lipan Street.
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Police say the teen is about 5 foot, 4 inches tall, weighs about 130 pounds, has brown eyes and has medium to long brown hair. The teen was last seen wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, black pants and black shoes.
The Thornton Police Department shared these images of a missing 16-year-old, Emanual Bloodworth, last seen on Aug. 31 in Thornton.
Anyone who sees the teen is asked to call 911 to help get him home.
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FAIRBORN, Ohio (WDTN) Authorities have found a Fairborn man previously reported missing.
The Fairborn Police Department reported that Volodymyr Sabelkin, 71, of Fairborn, was missing. having last been seen at 10:40 a.m. this morning, walking away from his home.
The Fairborn Police Department have since located the man as of 1:32 p.m.
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SEARCY COUNTY, Ark. Searcy County deputies said an Arkansas man was arrested in Missouri after a body was found in a home on Thursday
In a release from the Searcy County Sheriffs Office, authorities said 75-year-old Jeffrey Stansbery of St. Joe, Arkansas, was arrested in Branson, Missouri in connection with an ongoing homicide investigation.
Arkansas State Police arrest Conway man accused of rape
SCSO officials said they received a call on Thursday from a hospital in Branson referencing Stansbery. Officials said they were told that Stansbery had entered the hospital complaining about a medical condition and making statements about harming a woman. Searcy County authorities said they then asked the Branson Police Department to dispatch units to speak with Stansbery.
After officers arrived, they said Stansbery had told them he had possibly harmed a woman in Searcy County, sparking an investigation by the Searcy County Sheriffs Office. Investigators said they performed a welfare check at Stansberys residence in St. Joe. Officials said investigators then received information that led them to believe that the victim was dead and hidden inside the home.
Authorities said they later obtained a search warrant for the home and discovered a body that had been hidden. Arkansas State Police identified the victim as 43-year-old Amanda Stansbery, Jeffrey Stansberys wife.
Bull Shoals man facing child sexual abuse, exploitation charges
According to the release, Stansbery is currently in custody in Branson before being returned to Searcy County.
Officials said Stansbery is facing a charge of capital murder and a charge of abuse of a corpse.
The release also notes that Stansbery has a prior violent conviction in Texas.
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Gov. Mike Parson speaks at his Capitol press conference announcing Executive Order 24-10 that bans the sale of intoxicating hemp products in Missouri "until such time approved sources can be regulated by the FDA or State of Missouri through legislative action," he said (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor's Office).
State health regulators walked into the busy Prime Fuel gas station in Sedalia on Tuesday morning and asked the clerk if there were any intoxicating hemp-derived THC edibles in the store products the governor banned as of Sept. 1.
The two employees of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services learned the store had already taken the products off the shelves, according to the regulators report on the visit, and they were being stored in a box in the office.
The report says regulators called the owner and he voluntarily agreed to destroy the products.
But thats not how the owner describes the incident, said Craig Katz, spokesman for the Missouri Hemp Trade Association.
He seemed to be forced into it, Katz said.
Katz said the owner had boxed up the products so he could return them to the wholesaler for a refund, and he explained this to the regulators. Instead, they told him his manager had to pour bleach over about $5,000 worth of product, Katz said, a process that took two hours.
On Wednesday, the Missouri Hemp Trade Associations attorney Chuck Hatfield sent a letter to the departments general counsel saying the regulators deprived the owner of his right to tell his side of the story to a judge.
The law is extremely clear that DHSS is not authorized to destroy product, or to demand that others do so, without a court order, Hatfield wrote.
State regulators have visited 44 establishments as of 4 p.m. Thursday to inspect for the banned products, said Lisa Cox, spokesperson for the department.
Of the 44 facilities, regulators found unregulated psychoactive cannabis products during inspections at 23 of them, Cox said.
Four facilities have refused to embargo or discard products, she said. The remaining facilities agreed to embargo and/or discard products. At this time, we have taken no court action.
Cox declined comment on Hatfields letter.
The association says it has heard of three reports of raids by state health regulators on stores selling intoxicating hemp products, mainly edibles. Regulators asked owners or clerks to sign a document stating they agree with the destruction of the products, Katz said.
I can only describe what is happening to small business owners in Missouri as disturbing, Katz said.
The association filed a lawsuit on Aug. 30 in Cole County Circuit Court to stop the governors ban on all intoxicating hemp food and drinks from taking effect Sunday. The association argues the products are legal and state law prohibits regulators from deeming them as adulterated.
On Aug. 1, Gov. Mike Parson signed an executive order to remove all hemp-derived THC edibles and beverages from store shelves and threatening penalties to any establishment that continues selling them.
Because hemp isnt a controlled substance like marijuana, theres no state or federal law saying teenagers or children cant buy products, such as delta-8 drinks, or that stores cant sell them to minors, Parson said.
And theres no requirement to list potential effects on the label or test how much THC is actually in them. Hemp industry leaders themselves have pushed for such regulations, but state lawmakers have failed to pass proposals the last two years.
Parson said the main target of his order are companies that sell intoxicating hemp edibles that mimic popular candy. However, hemp industry leaders argue the order also bans products that arent attractive to children, have gone through lab testing and are only sold to customers 21 and up.
The order directs regulators to identify food that contains unregulated psychoactive cannabis products as deleterious, poisonous and adulterated.
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The department has the authority to do this, Parsons order states, because of a state law regarding the process to deem a food product adulterated.
However, Hatfield notes the same law also states that, a food shall not be considered adulterated solely for containing industrial hemp, or an industrial hemp commodity or product.
That line was added to Missouris law in 2018, after Congress legalized hemp as part of the federal Farm Bill. It was part of a Missouri House bill that brought the states definition of hemp in alignment with the federal governments.
There has been no movement on the lawsuit since the association filed it last week.
This story was corrected at 2:30 p.m. to identify Craig Katz as spokesman for the Missouri Hemp Trade Association.
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of lawmakers asked the CEOs of six major auto parts retailers if they bought products from a Chinese company that may have evaded U.S. tariffs, according to letters seen by Reuters on Friday.
Representative John Moolenaar, a Republican who chairs a House panel on China, and the committee's top Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi, along with other lawmakers, asked AutoZone, OReilly Auto Parts, Genuine Parts, Advance Auto Parts, First Brands Group, and Factory Motor Parts to address concerns they are purchasing parts from China's Qingdao Sunsong and its U.S.-based subsidiary.
The lawmakers - which also included Senators Sherrod Brown, a Democrat and Republican Bill Cassidy - raised concerns Qingdao may be illegally transshipping Chinese products through Thailand into the United States to evade U.S. customs duties.
The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment or could not be reached.
"U.S. retailers are responsible for ensuring their procurement practices do not inadvertently support companies engaged in tariff evasion or other unlawful trade practices," said the letters, which asked a list of questions about purchases and company efforts to ensure compliance with U.S. trade laws.
The letters, signed also by Representatives Darin LaHood, Glenn Ivey and Ashley Hinson, cited a report that U.S. officials raided Qingdao Sunsongs U.S. subsidiary in January and public company disclosures reveal that U.S. auto part retailers including AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, and OReilly account for more than 40% of Qingdao Sunsong sales.
In 2019, the United States adopted new 25% tariffs on some Chinese auto parts, including rubber hose assembly products that were produced by Qingdao Sunsong.
The lawmakers said that company established a transshipping facility for these goods in Thailand and cited a company filing revealing that "the primary objective of its investments in Thailand is to circumvent U.S. tariffs and allow for the low-cost shipment of goods to U.S. auto part retailers."
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
A train of tanker cars travels the tracks along the Colorado River near Cameo on May 16, 2023. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline)
A group of U.S. Republican senators, including Utahs Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, are throwing their support behind a controversial proposal to build a railway connecting Colorado to Utahs oil-rich Uinta Basin.
The proposed Uinta Basin Railway would transport waxy crude oil from the basin in northeastern Utah, the highest-producing region in the state, to Colorado, extending existing rail lines by 88 miles.
But the project was derailed in August 2023 after the U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit nullified parts of its environmental impact statement.
The ruling sided with Colorados Eagle County, which joined several environmental groups to sue over the federal Surface Transportation Boards approval of the project. In the ruling, the court found that the board failed to analyze environmental risks, including the threat of wildfire, water pollution and other biological resources.
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But in June, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, a group of Utah counties in the area that coalesced to fund and facilitate the railway, and other transportation and energy-related endeavors in Utah.
The fate of the railway now lies in the hands of the nations high court and on Wednesday, Romney and Lee joined an amicus brief, or a friend of the court brief, supporting the coalitions effort to revive the railway project.
An amicus brief is generally filed by an individual or group that is not a part of a lawsuit, but has an interest in the case. Joining Romney and Lee was Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming, Shelley Moore of West Virginia and Ted Cruz of Texas.
The Uinta Basin Railway is key to Utahs continued economic growth by providing a reliable transportation route for goods, creating jobs, and attracting new businesses, said Romney in a statement. Its critical that the Uinta Basin Railway Project moves forward and I remain committed to supporting the investment of innovative infrastructure projects in our state.
The 26-page brief touches on several arguments made by the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, the first being that the scope of a National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, review should not go beyond the reviewing agencys expertise. In this case, the brief claims the review ordered by Eagle County goes well beyond the Surface Transportation Boards authority.
The brief also argues that the expansion of NEPA by the courts undermines Congress, while forcing agencies to study any conceivable environmental effect in an effort to litigation-proof their projects, which will waste taxpayer funds.
And, the senators write, judicial review of NEPA compliance can hinder infrastructure projects and create unnecessarily strict guidelines for agencies.
As courts grade agency essays and spawn case after case, the Nations infrastructure decays, its economy suffers, and its foreign adversaries benefit, the brief reads.
Despite opposition from environmental groups and Colorado residents, who have concerns over air quality and other environmental impacts, the controversial project has broad support from Utah politicians, including Gov. Spencer Cox.
Cox, a frequent proponent of permitting reform and a critic of lengthy environmental reviews, reaffirmed his support for the railway in a statement Thursday.
Our rural counties and federal agencies have repeatedly shown that the project is environmentally responsible, Cox said. If we want NEPA reviews to be a helpful tool for decision-makers rather than a legal device for activists to endlessly postpone projects, those reviews must be focused on the direct effects of an action by a federal agency, not speculative indirect effects. Were grateful for the support of Congressional leaders and others who recognize both the importance of this project and why we desperately need to reform NEPA.
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Mom Fought to Keep Son Alive After He Was Shot in the Face Now He's Home, Continuing to Make Progress (Exclusive)
Heide Williams tells PEOPLE that doctors initially wanted to give up, but she refused to let her son be taken off life support
Courtesy of Heide Williams Heide Williams, on left in both photos, with her son Rafael Gonzalez before he was shot
Rafael Gonzales was an aspiring Cleveland musician about to sign a recording contract when he was shot in the face by a gunman during a night out with friends in January 2023.
Mom Heide Williams, 49, tells PEOPLE she got the call in the middle of the night from one of her sons friends to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. While her husband got dressed, she was fervently praying and getting the word out.
I called my mom and she started crying, and I told her, 'I need you to call up your prayer warriors,' Williams says.
When they got to the hospital, the prognosis was dire. She says she was told there was almost no chance of recovery.
But Williams wasnt about to let her son go without knowing she'd done everything in her power. She refused to have him taken off life support and against all odds connected with Dr. Enyinna Nwachuku, a neurosurgeon at Cleveland Clinic Akron General, who agreed to give the case a fresh look.
Now, almost two years later, Williams sees the fruits of steadfast commitment to her son, 29, who has been living at home with Willams, her husband and his younger siblings he also has an older brother and sister for a little more than a year now.
The key player in this is Heide," Nwachuku tells PEOPLE. "She fought for her son, and that's the only reason I think Rafael is here with us."
Courtesy of Heide Williams Rafael Gonzalez in the hospital after he was shot
According to Williams, her son was shot in the forehead after turning to look at the shooter chasing him down a dark street.
PEOPLE confirms with a Criminal Court clerk at the Cleveland Courthouse that Jose Pizzaro was subsequently convicted of attempted murder, drug possession and a felon in possession of a gun. He appealed his original sentence of 17.5-22.5 years imprisonment, and was denied on July 25.
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At the hospital, Williams said there was only one doctor who expressed hope about her son's odds of recovery. "She said, Do not let them take away your son. We dont know what the brain is capable of, Williams recalls. She told me You fight for your son.' "
Outside of attending meetings with doctors, Williams wasn't sure what else to do, but after three weeks of fighting for her son yielded little change, she knew she needed to transfer him to another hospital even though she says she was told that her son would die before she found somewhere else that would take him.
I told them you are not God and you arent playing God on my watch, says Williams, who relied on her faith to keep her strong.
She walked out, tears streaming, completely lost. She says she couldnt breath, couldnt think and felt completely hopeless. All she could do was go home with her family and sleep. Then, call it an epiphany or, as Williams describes it, a message from God, but a voice told her to call Cleveland Clinic.
Courtesy of Heide Williams Rafael Gonzalez before the January 2023 shooting
She says she just dialed a main number telling them, I dont know what Im doing, Ive never been through this before. From there she was quickly connected to Nwachuku, who immediately initiated the transfer.
Rafaels case was very difficult," Nwachuku, who agreed to operate on Gonzales, says. "On a scale of 1-10, he was probably 8 or 9."
Nwachuku tells PEOPLE the entire left side of Gonzales's brain was injured from the bullet trajectory through his forehead. Based on his experience, the doctor told Williams that her son might never be able to use the right side of his body again, and there was a chance his speech and understanding of language would never return.
I told her he might be in a nursing home the rest of his life, but [with surgery] he would be alive," the doctor recalls. "And I said, if she was okay with worst case scenarios, I could march this journey with you."
Courtesy of Heide Williams Recent photo of Rafael Gonzalez
Even after finding the right medical team, the journey wasn't easy.
The initial surgery included taking more of the brain out and putting in a shunt to reduce the swelling, according to Williams. Other surgeries included a cranioplasty (a procedure to help reshape the skull) and over 5 surgeries to put in shunts to help drain excess fluid. During his recovery process, he was also transferred to a care center, where he suffered some infections, and at one point, he even had acute kidney failure.
The recovery process is grueling," says Nwachuku. "And it can take a toll on caregivers."
Finally, in July 2023, it was time to come home.
Related: 'Miracle' Mom Wakes from 5-Year Coma Thanks to Joke Now Shes Making Up for Lost Time with Sons (Exclusive)
Williams, who left her job as a probation officer so she could care for her son, who remains non-verbal, is also thrilled with his progress and says that even without words, he manages to get his thoughts and needs across.
He communicates through his thumbs and hands. If he wants a juice box, he makes a box shape with his hands, she says.
Courtesy of Heide Williams Heide Williams
Gonzales can also now use a walker, ride on an exercise bike for 45 minutes, and he recently spelled his name for the first time on one of the physical therapists electronic pads.
We bought little alphabets for him, so he spelled the word GOAT and started dancing, Williams says. Hes alive. And hes progressing.
Even Nwachuku can't believe how far Gonzales has come. Says the surgeon. Rafael has completely surprised everyone."
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James and Bill Montiver thought they'd lost everything. The couple managed to survive a landslide that destroyed their home and belongings on August 26. But what they couldn't stomach was the thought they'd never see their dogs Cassie and Alani ever again. The dogs went missing during the tragedy, but the hard work of local fire crews made the impossible happen.
The Montivers were worried they'd never see their dogs again. Four-year-old Alani and 8-year-old Cassie were still missing five days after the devastation.
According to the Juneau Empire, James explained by phone that "a lot of people" in their community were also worried about Alani, a white Maltese/Shih Tzu, and Cassie, a miniature long-haired Dachshund. James could remember the moment that he and his husband realized they'd made it out of their home with minor injuries, but alive. They then turned their attention to their pets.
Related: Firefighter Adopts Cat Who Tried To 'Help' During Hazmat Incident
"We knew that the dogs were still in there from the beginning, and we tried everything we could to get them, but they didnt respond and they didnt answer, so we thought the worst, but the first responders wouldnt let me stay in the house, James recalled.
"They were trying to get us out, and it took an hour for them to chainsaw Bill out of there, and they said at that point, they were going to try and go in and see if they could find the dogs," he added. "It was pretty dark at night and, of course, there was no power there, and they were using flashlights, but they didnt find them."
But they didn't give up hope. Five days later, KFD Chief Rick Hines tried to look for the dogs again. He "spent an hour crawling through the house looking for stuff, seeing if he could find anything and (the dogs) never made a sound," James said. "He had no idea they were in there."
Two days later, a "whimper" was heard coming from the rubble.
"Everybody freaked out," James recalled.
The noise made them look again, Firefighters who were about to leave for the day decided to stay. "Everybody attacked the house going through to see what they could find, and finally one of the girls said, I see an eye! I think I see an eye it blinked at me!" he recalled.
The woman who found the dogs was KFD firefighter/medic Crystal Schleiff. She told the news outlet she was about to end her shift when her boss told her about the whimper. She "immediately" volunteered to stay.
Schleiff managed to crawl through the house, over and around collapsed walls and the broken down ceiling, until she heard the two dogs near the couch.
"I saw that couch from the wall from that three-foot void space and I had the flashlight on on my helmet, and I happened to catch those glints of eyes and I was like, I see eyes! Theyre blinking at me! and I got really high-pitched and excited," she explained.
Seconds later, she saw a second pair of eyes. Both dogs were okay! Schleiff and another one of her peers managed to scoop the dogs up and bring them to their relieved owners. The dogs were in good health after all they'd been through.
"We are so blessed and thankful for everything (the first responders) have done, the extra theyve gone into to help us," James said. "The entire community has been absolutely amazing and so giving and supporting and we are just blessed and humbled by it all."
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Your Money: Your guide to be a seasonal investor
As we begin to transition from summer to autumn, change is all around us leaves will soon be taking on new colors, temperatures will drop, and the days will get shorter.
But you can also experience different seasons in various aspects of your life including when you invest.
Jim Lyons from Edward Jones joined us to discuss how to be a seasonal investor.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) A Morgantown man was sentenced on Thursday after being convicted of possessing more than 500 pieces of child pornography.
James Davis
According to a release from the US Department of Justice, James Mansfield Davis, 67, has been sentenced to 82 months (6 years, 10 months) in federal prison. Court documents and statements made in court said that a cyber tip regarding child pornography was traced to Davis, which led to an investigation being launched against him. During the investigation, Davis fled to Florida, where he was later apprehended.
3 people charged in Fairmont after infant hospitalized for cannabinoids
Several devices and flash drives were seized during the investigation which netted 67 videos and 460 images of child pornography involving young boys, court documents said.
Following his sentence, Davis will be placed on 20 years of supervised release.
Assistant US Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted this case which was investigated by the Morgantown and Bridgeport Police Departments.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Gov. Wes Moore heads to Austin this week for an interview on his first two years in office and the coming presidential election. While in Texas, Moore will also raise money for his re-election campaign. File photo by Brennan Stewart/Capital News Service.
A midweek trip to Texas to talk policy will include a fundraiser for Gov. Wes Moore (D).
Moore traveled to Austin, Texas, Thursday. He will attend the Texas Tribune Festival on Friday and sit for an interview with NPR as part of the program. The governor will talk to Michel Martin about his first two years in office and the final two months of the presidential election cycle. (You can watch that interview here.)
Moores staff earlier this week said the trip was an opportunity for Moore to talk policy David Turner, Moores senior adviser and communications director, and Deputy Chief of Staff Johnny Dorsey, are traveling with the governor.
It will also be an opportunity for the first-term governor to raise some cash tickets for the Thursday evening event ranged from $250 to $6,000 outside the confines of the Old Line State. Moore had a similar fundraiser while attending the Aspen Ideas Festival earlier this year a $500-$6,000 per head brunch reception.
The Thursday fundraiser in Moores honor will be held the home of Michelle and Daniel Lubetzky.
Daniel Lubetzky was profiled by Moore in his 2015 book The Work: My Search for a Life that Matters.
He is the founder of PeaceWorks Holdings, a nonprofit organization. He founded Kind Snacks in 2004. The company was sold in 2020 to candy and snack food company Mars for an estimated $5 billion.
Lubetzky also started the OneVoice Movement. The nonprofit seeks to resolve conflicts in the Middle East by bringing together Israelis and Palestinians.
The Washington Post reported that Lubetzky was one of a group of billionaires and business titans who discussed making donations to Mayor Eric Adams and using pressure tactics on Columbia University to allow a police end pro-Palestinian protesters at the campus.
Michelle Lubetzky is a physician with roots in Maryland, according to a 2008 wedding announcement in the New York Times, that identified her father as an attorney in Silver Spring and her mother as a retired teacher.
Other co-hosts of the fundraiser are Texas political leaders, entrepreneurs and thought leaders including:
Former Texas Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes, a patriarch of Texas Democrats whose career stretches back to President Lyndon Johnson and Texas Gov. John Connally, and his wife Liz, an interior designer and branding consultant.
Esther Benjamin, CEO of World Education Services. Moore profiled her in his book The Work: My Search for a Life that Matters. Benjamin also has a Baltimore connection. She was senior vice president of global public affairs and chief benefit officer for Laureate International Universities, a publicly traded education corporation, in Baltimore.
John Guess, CEO of a Houston-based commercial real estate firm.
Kim Taylor, a former finance consultant for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). She founded Progressive Capital, a firm that specializes in creating and implementing fundraising and communication plans for progressive organizations and visionary political leaders, and Taylor Collective Solutions, a public relations consulting firm for nonprofit organizations and campaigns.
Marc Winkelman, CEO of Austin-based GO! Retail Group which includes Toys R Us, Calendar Club and Go!Toys and games.
Adam Zeplain, CEO and managing partner of Austin-based mark vc, a venture capital firm that invests in the security, defense, health care and consumer technology industries.
Maryland Matters reporter Josh Kurtz contributed to this story.
Multicultural student groups at the University of South Carolina are banding together against a roast of Vice President Kamala Harris that will feature two far-right personalities with a history of hateful public rhetoric.
We stand united against any and all forms of racism and injustice, the universitys chapter of the NAACP wrote on Instagram.
Uncensored America, a student organization that claims to be a nonpartisan, nonprofit fighting for freedom of speech, is hosting a roast of Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, at the Russell House on Sept. 18. The event will be hosted by Gavin McInnes and Milo Yiannopoulos.
McInnes, a writer and talk show host, is a founder of the Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled a hate group. He resigned from the group in 2018, Reuters reported, but remains deeply involved. Yiannopoulos, a right-wing media personality once nicknamed the pop star of hate, is known for his misogynistic, racist, xenophobic and transphobic views.
Besides the NAACP, more than 20 student groups have signed a statement against the Uncensored America event, calling it hurtful to USCs student body.
As students and leaders at the University of South Carolina, we are disheartened by the universitys consent in allowing a platform for individuals who peddle hate speech and conspiracies that promote violence against our communities, the statement read.
The student groups are:
Association of African American Students
Individuals Respecting Identities and Sexualities
University of South Carolina Collegiate Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The Asian and Pacific Islander Activism Association
Caribbean Appreciation Student Alliance
Korean Student Association
Black Medical Student Association
Filipino American Student Association
University of South Carolina Columbia Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers
University of South Carolina Columbia Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists
Pan-African Student Association
Every Black Girl Club Inc.
The Minority Association of Pre-Health at the University of South Carolina
Melanin Movement
Brothers of Nubian Descent
National Pan-Hellenic Council at the University of South Carolina
Black Capstone Caucus
Black and Abroad Gamecocks
Black Honors Caucus
The Black Business Student Association
The Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega
The groups cited the Carolinian Creed, established as a statement of the universitys values in 1990, which asks community members to respect the dignity of all persons and discourage bigotry.
We are hopeful and ask the University of South Carolina to be committed to taking meaningful action to ensure that our campus environment truly reflects the values of the Carolinian Creed, the statement read. This is a time for us to reaffirm our dedication to these principles and work together to create a supportive and inclusive community for all.
A university spokesman declined to comment on the statement and the groups request.
Information on how many tickets have been sold for the event was not immediately available.
NAACP speaks out on event
The NAACP also wrote to USC President Michael Amiridis last Friday, arguing the event violated university policy and promotional materials violated South Carolinas laws against obscenity.
Hate speech has long served as a weapon to undermine the progress of our nation, NAACP CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement. If (USC)s leadership values their Black students, its only right they shut this event down. Our nations schools must remain havens for learning, not platforms for hate. It is imperative that the university takes swift action in this matter and protects the campus community from patterns of divisiveness and degradation.
The roast with McInnes and Yiannopoulos had already elicited protest from local alumni and community leaders, too, like Rep. Leon Howard, and Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, both Richland County Democrats, and prominent South Carolina attorney Bakari Sellers. They criticized the university for providing a platform for potential hatred and violence and called on the university to cancel or reconsider the event.
I want to express our profound outrage and deep concern, said state Rep. Ivory Thigpen, D-Richland, chair of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus. While we fully support the First Amendment, this event poses serious risks by exposing students to hate speech and creating a hostile environmentsomething we cannot remain silent about.
Jokata Eaddy, a 2001 USC graduate and the first Black woman elected as the universitys student body president, also took to social media to express her disappointment. She said the school has no excuse to approve the program, and said it violates everything good and decent about USC.
A petition created last week by Courtney McClain, a USC alumna and campus activist, called for the events cancellation has received much attention. Nearly 25,000 people had signed it as of Friday morning.
McClain told The State that she and other students have received racially and sexually motivated harassment online from McInnes, Yiannopoulos and their followers since creating the petition.
Days later, USC leaders released a statement condemning the the vile and juvenile rhetoric used to promote the event. But they also explained that as a public institution, the university is required to allow the event, citing students freedom of speech and open dialogue. The event is not endorsed by USC, however.
We remain steadfast in safeguarding the First Amendment rights of our students, even when we may be offended by their choices and statements, Amiridis and university board chair Westbrook wrote. Censoring even the most hateful individuals and groups does not solve the problems we face in our society, and instead provides them with a platform to win more publicity and support.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about the event at a press conference on Wednesday. She said she wasnt familiar with the event, but echoed previous sentiments from President Joe Biden, in which he said picking Harris as his running mate was the best decision that hes ever made.
Hes proud to have worked with her, Jean-Pierre said.
A group of more than 60 active and retired law enforcement officials have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harriss bid for the presidency, calling the former prosecutor and her running-mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the only candidates we trust to keep our communities safe.
The list of top law enforcement executives giving their imprimatur to the Harriz-Walz campaign include elected sheriffs in Durham and Henderson, North Carolina, as well as active sheriffs and chiefs of police in Alabama, California, Maine, Colorado, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Indiana, New York, and Illinois.
It also includes retired sheriffs and top police officials, including Charles Ramsey, the former chief of police in Washington, DC who later served as the Philadelphia police commissioner, and former Dane County, Wisconsin sheriff David Mahoney. Also appearing on the list are Harry Dunn and Aqulino Gonell, the former US Capitol Police officer and sergeant who emerged as fierce critics of Donald Trump in the wake of the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
We trust Vice President Harris and Governor Walz to support law enforcements work to keep communities safe because they have been doing it their entire careers. Throughout her career, Vice President Harris has worked side-by-side with law enforcement to protect the public and hold offenders accountable, they said in a letter announcing their endorsement.
The law enforcement officials go on to detail Harriss record as a courtroom prosecutor and later as an elected district attorney and attorney general. During that time, she prosecuted child sex assault cases and went up against transnational criminal gangs while racking up increased conviction rates and bringing in large monetary judgments from big banks that managed the Golden States massive pension fund.
They also cite Walzs gubernatorial record of investment in law enforcement needs as evidence of their commitment to public safety matters, and compared it favorably with Harriss work as Vice President under President Biden.
Their investment in our departments and colleagues is working: they have presided over the largest drop in murders over a one-year period in American history. And, as the leader of the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, Vice President Harris has built on her career-long commitment to preventing gun violence. After helping to pass the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years, Vice President Harris has helped close the gun show loophole and prevent domestic abusers from buying gunskeeping more dangerous guns off our streets, they said.
By contrast, the law enforcement experts said Trump, the first convicted felon to run for president as a major party nominee, has shown he will undermine our departments and make our country more dangerous.
Trump has repeatedly shown he does not respect law enforcement or the rule of law. After his supporters injured police officers on January 6th, he promised to pardon them. When he was convicted of 34 felony counts, he attacked the system instead of taking responsibility. He has called for defunding federal law enforcement. He said he would terminate the Constitution, weaponize the Department of Justice, and rule as a dictator. He creates disorder that puts law enforcement and all Americans at risk, they added.
The long list of active and retired police and law enforcement officials adding their names to the roster of Harris-Walz supporters comes as Trump, who is facing sentencing for his conviction on 34 felony counts in his former home state of New York later this month, is set to announce that he has been endorsed by the nations largest police union.
Law enforcement unions have generally been supportive of the ex-president, despite his criminal record and endorsement of violence against police officers during and after the January 6 riot.
Dunn, who retired from the Capitol Police to mount an unsuccessful campaign for a House seat in Maryland, said on a call for reporters on Thursday that Trump, who is set to address Fraternal Order of Police members on Friday, will lie to the police union members about his allyship with law enforcement.
Hes going to tell my fellow officers that hes their ally, hes their friend, and hes the candidate, the candidate of law and order well, after what I experienced on January 6, I can assure you that he is not, Dunn said. He only backs the blue who are loyal to him.
The former Capitol Police officer added that the ex-president doesnt care that he put my life and the lives of my fellow Capitol police officers in danger on January 6.
He doesnt care that it was because he encouraged a mob of violent insurrectionists to march on the Capitol that five officers died because of that day, and now hes running to pardon those very same insurrectionists he doesnt care about Capitol Police or any law enforcement. He only cares about getting power for himself, Dunn said.
Another signatory on the endorsement letter, Durham County, North Carolina sheriff Clarence Burkhead, told reporters that Trump has proven time and time again he cant be trusted to deliver on his promises to law enforcement officers like me and my colleagues, citing the ex-presidents proposed $4 million cut to law enforcement funding.
Not only does Trump want to slash law enforcement funding, but he also wants to strip agencies like mine of crucial federal assets by weaponizing the FBI and Justice Department to prosecute his political enemies, he said. Under Trump, the Feds would waste precious time and money on his personal grievances, instead of pouring valuable resources into communities like mine that rely on assistance from our federal partners.
Burkhead also pointed out how the ex-president killed the most aggressive bipartisan border deal in decades, hampering law enforcement efforts to combat gangs and drug trafficking for no reason except political expediency.
Trump has repeatedly demonstrated to the American people that he cares about one thing himself, he said.
He added that Harris was the only candidate on the ballot who has spent her entire career fighting for people and standing with local law enforcement like me.
More New Mexico students are going to class
A school bus leaves Desert Hills Elementary in Las Cruces Wednesday, July 31, 2024 to start dropping children off at home. (Photo by Leah Romero / Source New Mexico)
The rate of chronic absenteeism in New Mexico schools dropped in the last school year, but the state continues to report some of the highest rates in the country since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Missing at least 10% of school days in an academic year, or 18 days in a 180-day school year, is how state and national experts define chronic absenteeism. Since 2020, New Mexico has been one of the states with the highest rates in the country, with only Washington D.C. and Alaska reporting higher rates.
Chronic absenteeism has a direct correlation to graduation: Students who are chronically absent in pre-K through 1st grade have a harder time reading at grade level by 3rd grade, which results in lower achievement scores in middle school. In high school, these students are more likely to drop out. Simply put, you cannot learn if youre not in school, said Kelly Jameson, spokesperson for Las Cruces Public Schools.
Jameson said the LCPS Board of Education adopted Policy JHB in 2020 to ensure the district complies with the states Attendance for Success Act, an effort to address the high number of students missing school. The policy established an early warning system allowing the district to identify absent students early to prevent and intervene in individual cases before a student became chronically absent.
In LCPS, 30% of our students were considered chronically absent last semester, which is better than the state average. More importantly, we are making progress that number is down from the end of 2023, which was 34%, said Jameson.
One factor in the states high absenteeism is inconsistency in how attendance is reported, according to a Legislative Finance Committee analysis. The Public Education Department was instructed in 2019 through the signing of the Attendance for Success Act to collect attendance data and confirm school districts are reporting consistently and correctly.
Guidance from the state department has been slow to reach districts.
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The New Mexico Public Education Department released data this week showing the absenteeism rate in the state dropped to 32.8% in the 2023-2024 school year. This is an almost 7 percentage point drop compared to the previous year.
The highest rate New Mexico has reported in the last several years was 40.73% in the 2021-2022 school year.
We will continue to build on this momentum to foster an environment where consistent attendance is the norm, not the exception, said Public Education Deputy Secretary Candice Castillo.
Only a handful of states have released data for the 2023-2024 school year and New Mexico so far leads with the highest rate.
Earlier this summer, state lawmakers received an update from Legislative Finance Committee analysts which showed New Mexico had the largest increase in students missing school between 2019 and 2023. The states rate jumped by 119% while the national increase was 71%.
Jameson said prevention and intervention efforts in Las Cruces also include the statewide partnership with the national organization Graduation Alliance and community partnerships with New Mexico State University social workers who provide attendance data, interns managing family caseloads and home visits with parents of absent students who were unreachable three times.
According to the Public Education Department, efforts to address chronic absenteeism statewide also include the departments Be Here NM campaign to spread awareness of the issue and training for districts and charter schools.
The department also noted the change from tracking habitual truancy to chronic absenteeism, which was meant to create better support for students and families struggling with attendance rather than punishment.
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Faith Karwacki chose to make less money. She has no regrets.
The Orlando resident knows first-hand what a difference a few dollars can make. Having chosen to leave a high-paying job in favor of a different kind of life where her pay hovers close to minimum wage, shes now more in touch with the dubious nature of financial security than ever before.
Karwacki wakes up at 4 a.m. and heads to work to make bagels boiling and then baking at Jeffs Bagel Run. She has been with the company for five months, starting off at the College Park shop on Edgewater Drive and transferring to the newly opened Winter Park location.
Read: Georgia high school shooting: Colt Gray, Colin Gray appear in court
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More school districts are banning cell-phone use on campus. Where does Tacoma stand?
School is back in session for many students across the state of Washington, with Tacoma students returning next week.
Some nearby districts have chosen to implement cell-phone restrictions for the 2024-25 school year, but where does Tacoma Public Schools (TPS) stand? The News Tribune reached out to the district to ask.
Our District has policies in place that govern student conduct generally, which include rules that prohibit certain inappropriate uses of cellphones in schools, TPS spokesperson Kathryn McCarthy said via email, adding that such rules apply throughout the district. Additionally, school leaders have the flexibility to set and enforce phone expectations for their individual schools.
A couple examples: Gray Middle School, 6229 S. Tyler St., states on its website that cell phones, personal devices and airpods must stay confined to bags or lockers from 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Students at Stadium High School, 111 N. E St., can use electronic devices before and after school or during lunch and only in class if the teacher approves.
TPS handbook notes that kids cant use devices, including smartphones, in a way that disrupts learning or violates district rules or others rights. McCarthy added that, compared with last year, no changes have been implemented in terms of the districts position on those devices.
Certain neighboring districts have adopted different approaches. FOX 13 Seattle reported in May that Peninsula School District banned phones throughout passing periods and during class.
Puyallup Digital Learning teacher Angela Arteaga reads The Tale of Peter Rabbit to her kindergarten and first-grade students in her classroom at the Kessler Center in Puyallup. on May 18, 2023.
OSPI Guidance
Last week the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) issued guidance advising schools to limit students cell-phone use. The Aug. 28 document urges campus leaders to plan to update their policies before the 2025-26 school year begins.
The research is clear: Reducing the use of cell phones in class improves concentration and learning, improves mental and physical health, and reduces pressures caused by social media, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal noted in the document.
The U.S. Surgeon General in May 2023 warned that social media can harm kids mental health and well-being.
OSPI recommends that schools adopt campus-wide policies concerning phones rather than leaving it up to individual teachers for uniformitys sake.
Exceptions could be made when a device is intended for use as part of a lesson, according to OSPI. Same goes whenever a student with disabilities needs to access such tech to bolster learning.
We know that students succeed when they can focus on learning, Larry Delaney, president of the Washington Education Association, said in a statement on OSPIs website. These policies provide educators with support to create better learning environments and is a step forward in creating safer and healthier schools for our students.
The National Education Association published a report last month indicating the vast majority of educators surveyed, 90%, support policies banning cell phone use in class.
Stadium High School, on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Tacoma.
Argument for restricting cell-phone use in class
Cell phones have become nearly ubiquitous among kids.
Roughly a decade ago, in 2014-15, less than three-quarters of teenagers had access to a smartphone (73%), according to a report by the Pew Research Center. By 2022 that number had ballooned to 95%.
Last year, Common Sense Media published a study showing that 97% of student participants accessed their phone during school hours, staying on for a median time of 43 minutes.
Some experts have argued that cell-phone use can be habit-forming and has an adverse effect on kids, such as inhibiting socialization.
Monday is Tacoma Public Schools first day back for grades 1-12.
Liz Cheneys endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris is welcome, the Morning Joe team says but theyre not entirely surprised. As host Joe Scarborough put it, Cheney is just voting for democracy.
Shes voting that the Constitutional republic endures with Madisonian checks and balances, Scarborough added.
He then switched his attention to Donald Trump, saying, Something Ive been saying here since 2015 he doesnt talk like a conservative. Hes abandoned conservatives on the issues that matter to them the most. So at this point are you for a personality cult? Do you want to be in a personality cult or do you want the republic to endure?
Thats what it comes down to as far as the republic as we have known it with Madisonian democracy and checks and balances. Liz Cheney shows Madisonian democracy. It shouldnt be a shock, the MSNBC host reiterated.
Cheneys endorsement isnt a shock, Willie Geist agreed, noting, What is shocking, though, is that yours and hers among actual conservatives now is a minority position, which is to say most Republicans most people who call themselves conservatives now or were conservatives but really are just Trump supporters now they are going along for the ride with all the things you just laid out.
All the contradictions that Donald Trump presents to conservatives, all the flip-flopping and core issues like abortion, the debt, and the deficit, immigration, all of those things what shes saying is not only has Donald Trump flip-flopped on that, but he represents something that is so counter, not just to conservatism but to the American way of life, to democracy, that shes got to stand in the door, Geist added.
I guess the only surprise to me over these last whatever its been since January 6th when she officially really took the lead on that investigation, along with many Democrats, is that more Republicans havent taken that door that was presented on January 6th, and said, He has abandoned us, he has left us, he has led us down this disastrous path. We have no choice but to oppose him,' he continued. But again, she, Adam Kinzinger, or other Republicans are still in the minority among conservatives among Republicans.
Cheney endorsed Harris on Wednesday while speaking at Duke Universitys Sanford School of Public Policy. 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 in a video from the event shared on X.
Harris campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon then said in a statement published by NBC News, She is a patriot who loves this country and puts our democracy and our Constitution first. Vice President Harris will be a president for all Americans, regardless of political party.
For any American who is looking to reject the chaos and division of Donald Trump, turn the page, and pursue a new way forward that protects our freedoms and defends the American values we all believe in, there is a place for you in the Harris-Walz coalition, and we will continue working to earn your support, Dillon added.
You can watch the segment from Morning Joe in the video, above.
The post Morning Joe Welcomes Liz Cheneys Harris Endorsement, but Theyre Not Shocked: Shes Just Voting for Democracy | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Morningside University a grant of $2,765,686 to go towards expanding local research opportunities.
The money comes from NSFs Growing Research Access for Nationally Transformative Equity and Diversity (GRANTED) program. According to NSFs website, the program works to address systemic barriers within the nations research enterprise by improving research support and service capacity.
This funding will specifically promote the growth of research opportunities among faculty and staff at institutions like Morningside, which often lack the necessary support for such
developments, Dr. Brian McFarland, associate vice president for academic affairs at Morningside, said in a statement.
With this funding, Morningside University will look to implement Research Ecosystem Integration and Siouxland Partnership Expansion (RISE). According to a release, the initiative would enhance research capabilities at the school from Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2029.
MRHD to give 2 Siouxland organizations $30K for flood assistance
The RISE project will ultimately enable Morningside [University] to grow its research capacity while remaining a small, teaching-focused institution, McFarland stated. We envision Morningside becoming a catalyst for regional partnerships that will create significant positive impacts on education, workforce development, and community engagement in the rural Siouxland area.
As a result of this grant, Dr. McFarland will become the director of sponsored programs and dean of the Morningside University School of Arts & Sciences on Jan. 1, 2025.
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Most Important Supreme Court Rulings of the Past 15 Years Speak to Importance of Elections
Alex Wong/Getty Images
The following guide was compiled by guides.vote, a nonpartisan effort to show where candidates stand and illuminate related issues, with links to credible sources.
Recent presidential elections have reshaped the Supreme Court. Of the nine justices, Joe Biden nominated one, Donald Trump three, Barack Obama two, and George W. Bush two. Because of the ages of some of the justices and arguments floated to potentially expand the number of justices, whoever is elected President in 2024 may help determine the composition of the Court for years to come.
Supreme Court rulings profoundly affect our laws, constitutional rights, and everyday lives. Here are some of the most salient closely divided rulings from the past 15 years, rulings that could be extended or overturned depending on the composition of the Court, and that reflect the range of issues influenced by the Court. Although the justices do not represent political parties, they are listed as R if appointed by a Republican president, and D if appointed by a Democrat, to help provide context on how the political process intersects with the Courts composition and decisions.
Majority: 5 R; Minority: 3 D. 1 R supported a 15-week restriction but not overturning Roe v. Wade. Overturned Roe v. Wade (1973) by ruling that the right to an abortion is not constitutionally protected. This ruling opened the door to state and federal bans and restrictions.
Majority: 6 R; Minority: 3 D, Ruled that race could not be considered as a factor in the college admissions process, although left open the possibility that a college could consider an applicants personal experience with discrimination. The ruling has since been used to challenge corporate diversity programs.
Majority: 5 R; Minority: 4 D. Ruled that limits on independent political spending by unions and corporations are unconstitutional. This led to the creation of superPACs, which can accept unlimited money from donors to support a candidate.
Majority: 6 R; Minority: 3 D. Overturned a 2007 decision and prohibited the government from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants under the 1970 Clean Air Act.
5. Criminal Immunity for Former Presidents Trump v. United States (2024)
Majority: 6 R; Minority: 3 D. Ruled that former presidents cannot be criminally charged for certain official actions. The Court asked a lower court to decide whether former President Trumps pending federal criminal trial for plotting to subvert the 2020 election involves any protected official conduct. This ruling likely delayed this trial and two other state and federal criminal trials until after the election.
6. Environmental and Consumer Regulations Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (2024)
Majority: 6 R; Minority: 3 D. Overruled a 40-year precedent that required courts to defer to federal agencies reasonable interpretations of laws where Congress didnt specify every detailputs in question environmental, consumer, health, labor, financial, and many other federal regulations.
Majority: 6 R: Minority: 3 D. Struck down a long-standing New York law requiring people to show a specific need to carry a firearm in public.
Majority: 6 R: Minority: 3 D. Struck down a Trump executive order banning bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire automatically.
Majority: 4 D, 1 R; Minority: 4 R. Blocked attempt to strike down the DACA program. DACA gives temporary legal status to Dreamers, whose parents immigrated illegally and brought them to the U.S. as children, if the recipients have graduated from high school or had honorable military discharges. The court said the attempt to eliminate DACA didnt follow the proper steps.
Majority: 4 D, 1 R; Minority: 4 R. Ruled that marriage is a fundamental right, so states cant stop same-sex couples from marrying.
Majority: 5 R; Minority: 4 D
Upheld gerrymandered legislative and congressional district boundaries in North Carolina and Maryland. The Court ruled that they could not overrule state decisions on this issue and that legislators and governors may draw legislative and congressional district lines as they see fit, even to explicitly benefit their parties, but could not gerrymander based solely on race.
Majority: 6 R; Minority: 3 D
Allowed South Carolina to use a congressional map that a lower court had ruled impermissibly diluted Black voting rights, making it harder to challenge districts on grounds of racial gerrymandering nationwide.
Majority: 6 R; Minority 3 D. Held that Congress did not authorize the U.S. Secretary of Education to cancel $430 billion in student debt based on income.
Majority: 5 R; Minority: 4 D. Ruled mandatory public-sector union fees unconstitutional, overturning various state laws and a 1977 Supreme Court ruling. This made a public employees decision to pay union dues entirely voluntary, although unions must still represent all members, including those who choose not to pay dues.
Majority: 5 R; Minority: 4 D. Held that Ohio didnt violate the Voting Rights Act by striking voters from the registration rolls if they didnt vote for four years and failed to return a mailed address confirmation form, a policy that disproportionately affects voters who move more often. The Court said that this was legal because Ohio gave voters the chance to mail back the form, but that it would be illegal to strike voters from the rolls solely for not voting.
Majority: 5 R; Minority: 4 D. The 1965 Voting Rights Act was enacted to address entrenched racial discrimination in voting and was renewed in 1982 and 2006. Section 4(b) required states or counties with histories of discrimination to get federal approval before changing voting rules. The Court ruled this unconstitutional, saying the formula for deciding which states it applied to was no longer relevant to current conditions.
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The mother of a 6-year-old was charged this week after her son took a loaded handgun to school and passed it around to other students in his class, court records show.
Ke'Erinie King, 22, has been charged with child abuse and child neglect or endangerment, carrying a weapon on school property and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to an affidavit.
MORE: Former Uvalde school police chief moves to dismiss criminal charges connected to massacre
Police responded to a report of an armed individual at Geeter Elementary School in Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 5 when a county resource officer told police a 6-year-old student had a handgun on school grounds. The student was allegedly passing the weapon to other students in his class, according to an affidavit.
PHOTO: KeErinie King (Memphis Police Department)
A school staff member then retrieved the handgun from the student's backpack and police were alerted, court records show.
Officers discovered the weapon was stolen using its serial number, according to court records.
MORE: 6-year-old who shot teacher had history of violent behavior at school, assistant principal failed to act: Lawyer
When interviewing King, she allegedly admitted the handgun belonged to her and that she bought it from an "unknown person," according to the affidavit.
King was taken into custody and has since been released without bail.
Mother charged after 6-year-old takes loaded gun to school originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Mothers of Former Texas Soldier's Sexual Assault Victims Say Army Was Too Slow to Act
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
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) The Birds in Art exhibit may not actually be for the birds, but it does feature them as a way to connect patrons to nature through two- and three-dimensional works.
Midwestern State University is hosting the exhibit beginning Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art on Midwestern Parkway. The exhibit boasts more than 1,000 pieces of work from 664 artists.
Local parish to host Fiestas Patrias celebrations
In addition to paintings, sculptures, and graphics, the exhibit features a felted bird workshop on Thursday, Sept. 12, and Saturday, Sept. 21, where attendees can make their own bird art. The workshop is free, and all materials will be supplied.
Then, on Oct. 3, the exhibit will host a series of mini-talks about birds roles in our ecosystem and why it is important to preserve their habitats. To see more programming related to this exhibit, visit WFMAs website.
The Birds in Art exhibit will remain at the Museum of Art until Dec. 7, when the bird-themed artwork migrates south for the winter. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
For more information about the Wichita Falls Museum of Art and its exhibits, call (940) 397-8900.
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A Modesto man has been convicted of sexual abuse of a child younger than 14, who was exploited for nearly four years.
Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Jeff Mangar accepted a guilty plea from Brian Keith Ollar, 52, on Aug. 7. Ollar could be sentenced to 12 years in prison and required to register as a sex offender.
In February, the FBI informed Stanislaus County authorities that an investigation had discovered the sale of sexually explicit images of a child on the so-called dark web, a portion of the Internet accessible only through special software. Investigators use artificial intelligence software to more effectively search for images of abuse.
According to a District Attorneys Office post on Facebook, investigative techniques revealed the sexual images of the girl were taken at a home in Newman. The abuse began when the child was 7 years old, and the assaults were committed between Oct. 5, 2003, and Oct. 3, 2007, the DAs Office said.
The Stanislaus County Sheriffs Office investigated and located the now-adult victim, who confirmed she was the child in the images. Ollar was arrested and prosecuted on felony sex abuse charges.
Ollars conviction is a strike under the Three Strikes Law in California. Agencies involved in the investigation included the FBI and special victims units of the Sheriffs and District Attorneys offices.
Rupert Murdoch's plan to pass control of his business empire to his son Lachlan Murdoch has caused a rift in the family - David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
The Murdochs are fighting an attempt to televise their Succession-style legal battle in a row over the familys right to privacy.
Rupert Murdoch and his children are preparing for a blockbuster two-week trial that is likely to determine the future direction of the familys media empire.
The 93-year-old mogul is attempting to change the terms of the family trust to hand sole control to his eldest son, Lachlan, after he dies.
It has triggered a legal battle with his other children James, Elisabeth and Prudence who argue they will be robbed of their say in how the empire is run.
The legal showdown has sparked comparisons to Succession, the hit show about the inheritance struggles of a US media dynasty that was partly based on the Murdoch family.
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But the trial, which begins in Nevada on Tuesday, could itself hit the small screen after a petition was filed to allow the proceedings to be televised.
Alexander Falconi, a software engineer and legal activist, has launched an attempt to unseal the court case and allow cameras into the courtroom.
In legal documents filed with the Second Judicial District Court, which were first reported by Puck, Mr Falconi argued that the press has a constitutional right of access to view the proceedings, citing the First Amendment.
He said: It is inconsistent to seek the benefits of the public judicial system and its associated constitutional protections while simultaneously attempting to shield the proceedings from public scrutiny and constitutional protections of the press right to access, the documents state.
This approach is self contradictory and undermines the principles of open justice and transparency that are fundamental to the American legal system.
Mr Falconi founded the campaign group Our Nevada Judges, which is aimed at improving transparency over the states legal system. Nevada is a popular location for family trusts because of favourable laws and privacy protections.
Mr Falconi scored a major victory in February, when the Supreme Court of Nevada ruled there was a constitutional right for family court proceedings to be open to the public. He is using this victory as precedent for his petition in the Murdoch trial.
But the Murdochs lawyers have pushed back against the move, arguing that there is a compelling interest in keeping the case out of the public eye to protect confidential information.
Edmund Gorman, the probate commissioner for Washoe County, has sided with the family, arguing that filming the case would harm their right to privacy and could put their safety and wellbeing at risk.
Mr Gorman wrote: Certain parties and witnesses in this case are nationally prominent figures who have received significant media attention in the past.
Electronic coverage of the hearings in this case could expose these persons whereabouts, travel plans, and other information that could be exploited by malicious actors.
The final decision on whether to allow cameras at the trial will rest with Washoe County Judge David Hardy.
Media analyst Alex DeGroote says it is unsurprising that the Murdochs are resisting the petition.
You dont wash your dirty linen in public, he said.
There is so much at stake in terms of voting rights and control.
Still, efforts by the Murdochs to rely on privacy arguments will raise eyebrows given the chequered history of the familys own media empire.
The media empire has spent more than 1bn on damages and legal fees relating to historical phone hacking claims at the now-defunct News of the World.
In April, Hugh Grant settled his case against the publisher of The Sun for an enormous sum of money.
The Notting Hill actor insisted he did not want to accept a settlement over his accusations that journalists used private detectives to tap his phone and burgle his house, but that a trial would have proved too expensive.
News Group Newspapers denies the claims and said the settlement was reached without admission of liability.
Mr Murdochs attempt to overhaul the family trust, dubbed Project Harmony, will have significant implications for the future of the media empire, which includes the Sun and Times newspapers as well as Fox News in the US.
Lachlan has taken pole position to take over the reins in recent years after adopting the roles of chief executive and chairman of TV group Fox Corporation in 2019 and chairman of News Corp last year.
The 52-year-old is viewed as the most conservative of Mr Murdochs children and as such is most closely aligned with his fathers views.
James and Elisabeth, who were both previously regarded as potential candidates to take over the family business, are more liberal than their father and have both publicly criticised the nonagenarians newspapers and TV channels.
Lawyers for Mr Murdoch argue that handing sole control to Lachlan will be good for all the siblings, as it reduces the risk of divided control that could undermine the business and damage their inheritance.
But the move has been widely regarded as an effort by the tycoon to ensure there is no softening of the Right-wing politics that has come to define his media empire.
While the family trust is classed as irrevocable, it is believed to contain a provision allowing for changes to be made in good faith if they have the sole purpose of benefiting all of the beneficiaries. The two-week trial will be tasked with determining if Mr Murdoch is in fact acting in good faith.
A spokesman for the Murdoch family has been contacted for comment.
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(Bloomberg) -- The head of global affairs for X is leaving Elon Musks social media service, creating a void within management at a time the former Twitter is grappling with heightened scrutiny around the world.
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Nick Pickles, one of the few senior executives who made the transition to X after Musks $44 billion takeover, said he made the decision to depart months ago and thanked Chief Executive Officer Linda Yaccarino for her support. After more than ten years, tomorrow will be my last day at X, he wrote on X. Its been an incredible journey.
Pickles, who joined the company in London in 2014, is leaving at a sensitive time for X and Big Tech in general. The executive is a familiar name to governments around the world and represented Twitter in dealings with many officials.
Twitter, Musk and Why Online Speech Gets Moderated: QuickTake
Last week, a judge in Brazil banned X as part of his campaign against disinformation. That move followed an increasingly heated public spat between the justice and Xs billionaire owner.
Scrutiny of X has intensified since Musks 2022 takeover, particularly after the entrepreneur fired thousands of people, including many involved in communications and policing disinformation on the platform.
Irelands Data Protection Commission on Wednesday announced X has agreed to stop processing the personal information of European users to train its artificial-intelligence chatbot Grok. X has also clashed with the Australian government recently over footage of a stabbing attack in Sydney.
X didnt immediately respond to a request for comment after normal business hours.
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Musk Dares the World to Take On X as He Scoffs at Brazils Ban
(Bloomberg) -- Brazils ban of X amid a fight with Elon Musk over disinformation on his prized social-media site offers a cautionary message for other democracies trying to balance freedom of expression with the integrity of information ahead of elections.
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Theres no easy solution, including in Brazil, where the judiciary has broad powers to demand the removal of specific posts and accounts. Exercising that authority comes with its own peril especially the danger that a total ban of the platform formerly known as Twitter will fuel accusations of censorship and further fracture the global internet.
Even if we look at international standards of freedom of expression, blocking an entire platform is seen as a drastic measure, said Veridiana Alimonti, a Brazil-based expert with the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Its problematic when it involves platforms that host both legal and illegal speech.
While governments worldwide are waging similar battles against fake news and hateful content on X, Europe and the US are unlikely to replicate Brazils move for now, according to officials, academics and industry experts. Thats owing to a relative lack of legal authority and the inherent political risk in taking on the worlds richest man, whos increasingly aligned himself with right-wing figures and endorsed Republican Donald Trump in the November US election.
Musks feud with controversial Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes over the order barring X intensified an ideological war thats become a rallying cry for the billionaires right-leaning allies around the world. It culminated the confrontation with regulators that Musk has been stoking since he bought the platform in late 2022 and swiftly remade it into a bastion for content that serves his own political and social views.
The Supreme Court has drawn Musks wrath over its inquiry into whether disinformation on social media prompted supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro to storm public buildings on Jan. 8, 2023, following his election defeat. In April, Moraes opened a probe into whether Musk who has openly backed Bolsonaro for years obstructed justice and whether X had sought to illegally influence public opinion, accusations the billionaire and the company reject.
Bruna Santos, head of the Wilson Centers Brazil Institute, said there should be a discussion about whether Brazils high court is overstepping its authority, and she said she does believe that Moraes has gone too far on several occasions. However, she said that conversation is hard to have at this moment, when questioning Moraes sounds like you are defending Musk.
Adding to the pressure enveloping X, its head of global affairs, Nick Pickles, is departing after more than a decade with the company. Scrutiny of X has intensified since Musks 2022 takeover, particularly after he fired thousands of people, including many involved in communications and policing disinformation on the platform. An X spokesperson declined to immediately comment but referred a reporter to Pickles post late Thursday announcing his departure.
Other governments have challenged X with different results. While Musk is standing his ground in Brazil, X has complied with demands to take down content in countries such as India, where posts about farmer protests were singled out for removal earlier this year by the government. This week, X agreed to EU demands to stop processing the personal information of European users to train its artificial-intelligence chatbot Grok.
EU officials warned X in July against deceiving users into engaging with potentially harmful content a probe that could could pave the way for fines of up to 6% of the companys revenue. Theres no specific timetable for the inquiry, which is one of the first under the Digital Services Act, which requires platforms to remove illegal content and police disinformation.
Following riots in the UK that authorities attributed to false information spread via social media, EU digital czar Thierry Breton warned Musk last month to comply in a letter posted to X drawing an expletive-laced response by the billionaire to his nearly 200 million followers on X.
That increasingly combative stance is making some EU policymakers more aware of the limits in their strategy of by-the-book legal proceedings and hefty fines. The DSA allows for suspending an online platform, but only on a temporary basis and when the alleged violation poses serious harm to a persons safety or life.
Christel Schaldemose, the center-left Danish lawmaker who played a key role in passing the DSA through the European Parliament said the EU is not equipped to deal with a company that refuses to comply.
We wanted to use high fines as deterrents but they dont seem to bother Musk, Schaldemose said. Over the next two years, she said, the EU should stress-test its regulation and if needed strengthen its countermeasures beyond fines. She remains convinced, however, that the Brazilian way is too far-reaching.
In the US, regulators have little recourse to bar harmful online content, thanks to a provision in the 1996 Communications Decency Act known as Section 230 that shields websites from liability for third-party content on their platforms. While lawmakers in both parties agree on the need to update the nearly three-decade old measure, Republicans and Democrats disagree vehemently over what changes to make.
Biden administration officials this year signaled a more hands-off approach toward disinformation. On Tuesday, the Justice Department issued new guidelines saying it would not push for removal of online content when sharing information with social-media sites about foreign threats to national security or elections.
Instead, Justice officials will leave it to platforms to decide whether to block users or remove harmful content. The move follows accusations from Meta Platforms Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg that the Biden administration had violated free-speech principles in pushing to censor Covid-related content.
Santos pointed out that Brazils standard for free expression is very different than the protections afforded by the First Amendment in the US.
Thats one thing which is obviously not applicable in Brazil because Brazils Constitution does not interpret the freedom of speech as an absolute right, Santos said, noting that Brazils system of government created a very strong judiciary empowered to act in defense of democracy.
Still, the US Congress decided that freedom of speech doesnt outweigh national security when it comes to TikTok, which faces a ban unless its Chinese parent divests the the video-sharing app. Part of the mechanism for enforcing this ban would be the same that Brazil is using to block X: prohibit local internet service providers from hosting the website.
In fighting Brazils ban, Musk can count on support from right-wing allies. Bolsonaros followers are planning a march on Saturday Brazilian Independence Day to call for Moraes impeachment. Local elections next month in South Americas largest economy will be an important test of the strength of Bolsonaros movement since he lost the presidency in 2022.
Santos said that accusations of censorship risk being used by Bolsonaro supporters to cast doubt on the validity of the result. A poll by AtlasIntel released this week highlighted deep divisions provoked by the top courts move: Almost 51% of respondents said they disagreed with Moraess decision to ban X, while just over 48% agreed.
To curb the dissemination of fake news, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvas government has sought legislation holding big tech companies responsible. Reviving the bill now, however, is near impossible, owing to the politicization of the topic, said a Justice Ministry official familiar with the situation who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
For now, the standoff shows no signs of easing, with Musk refusing to comply with the judges orders and the fight embroiling some of the billionaires other business interests. His Starlink satellite communication service had its bank accounts frozen by Moraes, and his SpaceX venture has warned employees against travel to Brazil for work or personal reasons.
Where this is heading from here will really depend on Elon Musk. I think if Elon Musk decides to start to comply, as he eventually did in India, for example, it might be that X comes back, said Mariana Valente, a law professor and the director of the Brazils InternetLab, a think tank. But if Elon Musk doesnt act differently, I think X or Twitter will be blocked in Brazil for a long time.
--With assistance from Chris Strohm, Kurt Wagner and Kevin Whitelaw.
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A video has emerged showing a Ukrainian Su-24 Fencer swing-wing attack jet carrying what is said to be new air-launched guided munition. Stand-off munitions are in particularly high demand in Ukraine given the density of enemy air defenses and having a new and domestically-developed source of such weapons would be a major boon for the countrys air force.
The clip in question, seen below, began circulating online earlier today after appearing first on the unofficial @UkrAirForce channel on the Telegram social media platform. An accompanying post said that the Su-24, which has the bort number White 09, was from the 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade and that the footage had been shot from a two-seat Su-27UB Flanker from the 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade. The mystery munition is not seen being released in the video and this may have been a so-called captive carry test wherein a store remains attached to the aircraft throughout the sortie to gather basic airworthiness and other data. It could also have been launched after this video was shot.
https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1831996212603441211
As for the munition itself, from what can be seen it appears to consist of three distinct sections nose, mid-body, and tail a configuration that could point to it being a kit of sorts to convert existing iron bombs into precision-guided weapons. This is an increasingly common concept in precision munition design. The Ukrainian Air Force already has Western-developed examples in its inventory in the form of Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER) and AASM-250 Hammer bombs supplied by the United States and France, respectively. Russia has also been making extensive use of increasingly larger dumb bombs fitted with add-on precision guidance kits.
A full view of the Su-24 carrying the mystery munition. Its three distinct main sections are visible. @UkrAirForce/Telegram capture
The tail section has a cruciform fin arrangement and what appears to be an opening at the rear that might indicate a propulsion system of some kind, such as a small turbojet or a solid-fuel rocket. What may be an inlet notch toward the rear of the body could point to an air-breathing engine. Ukraine has already been employing multiple types of jet-powered kamikaze drones. Ukraines French-supplied Hammer precision-guided bombs also feature a rocket booster.
A close-up look at the mystery munition attached to the Su-24. @UkrAirForce/Telegram capture
A rib is also present along the top of the munition along with metal bands around the center of the body, which all points to the munition having a pair of pop-out wings. There is also a possibility that could be part of the assembly required to attach it to the Su-24s underwing pylon. The JDAM-ERs, as well as Small Diameter Bombs (SDB), that Ukraine has received from the United States feature pop-out wings, as do Russias bombs fitted with that countrys add-on precision-guided munition kits.
A propulsion unit and/or pop-out wings would both help dramatically extend the range of the mystery munition. At the same time, the maximum range of any air-dropped unpowered precision-guided glide bomb depends on altitude and how far the weapon can reach generally decreases the lower the launch platform is flying at the time of release. Ukrainian Air Force aircraft regularly fly a very low levels to help reduce their exposure to hostile air defenses. Toss bombing and other tactics can be employed to help extend range during lower-altitude launches. However, adding a propulsion system provides a potential path to not only increasing overall range, but doing so even when the munition is released from a lower-flying aircraft.
Another view of the mystery munition. @UkrAirForce/Telegram capture
It is also possible that the design of the newly emerged mystery munition is more of a traditional missile or even an air-launched drone rather than a kit made for a conventional bomb. There are some very broad similarities between what can be seen under White 09s wing and Ukraines recently unveiled jet-powered Paliyanytsia, which has been described as a missile/drone hybrid.
AFU used the Ukrainian long-range missile-drone "Paliyanytsia" for the first time against a military target in the temporarily occupied Crimea. It was a complex operation and the target was successfully hit, UP pic.twitter.com/0wYMDgDs4Q MAKS 24 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) September 2, 2024
Its unclear whether this weapon is intended specifically for Ukraines Su-24s, as well. Ukrainian Fencers are the countrys launch platforms for stealthy Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles provided by the United Kingdom and France, respectively. Ukraines MiG-29 Fulcrums and Su-27 Flankers have been the primary carriers for other Western-supplied air-launched precision air-to-ground munitions like the JDAM-ER, SDB, and Hammer bombs, as well as AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM).
Volodymyr Zelensky signs the SCALP EG cruise missile handed over by #France, suspended from the Su-24
Thank you France pic.twitter.com/kjguoR48pb Cloooud | (@GloOouD) August 6, 2023
Its unknown currently how the new Ukrainian air-launched munition might get to its target however far away it is. With its growing stable of longer-range kamikaze drones, Ukraine has demonstrated a clear capacity to produce satellite navigation-assisted guidance systems capable of directing a platform to a specific set of coordinates. The land-attack version of the countrys domestically developed ground-launched Neptune cruise missile is also said to feature an imaging infrared seeker with scene/image matching capability to help find its target in the terminal stage of flight.
Whatever the mystery munitions exact capabilities are, the biggest benefit it could offer might be a new domestic source of air-launched precision-guided munitions potentially with stand-off range. The Storm Shadows and SCALP-EGs, in particular, are understood to have been available only in relatively limited quantities in the United Kingdom and France even before tranches of them started heading to Ukraine. JDAM-ER variants are not in widespread use in the U.S. military or other foreign armed forces currently, either. Questions are regularly raised about how steady the flow of other Western precision air-launched munitions might be, in general. The War Zone just recently highlighted these issues in detail in the context of reports that the U.S. government could be close to sending AGM-158 Joint Air-To-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) series cruise missiles to Ukraine for use with its newly arrived F-16 fighters.
A US Air Force F-16 with an AGM-158 JASSM under its wing during testing. USAF
It also emerged earlier this year that a new U.S. Air Force project to develop a new relatively low-cost precision-guided air-launched stand-off munition is focused primarily on meeting Ukrainian demands for weapons of this kind.
Any new precision-guided munitions developed in Ukraine, whether designed to be launched from the air or the ground, would have the additional benefit of not being subject to any foreign restrictions on their employment. The rules that the U.S. government and others have imposed on how Ukrainian forces can use the air and ground-launched stand-off weapons they have received have come under increasing scrutiny. Ukrainian officials have been increasingly pleading, and doing so publicly, for more flexibility in striking targets inside Russia proper, especially in light of the ongoing incursion into the latter countrys Kursk region.
So, while much remains to be learned about Ukraines newly emerged mystery air-launched munition, it does reflect a clear need and just having an additional source of weapons of this kind produced in the country could be extremely valuable by itself.
Contact the author: joe@twz.com
Say my name? Heres what Louisiana law says about public comment at open meetings
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) Public meetings can often be contentious, and tempers can run high, but Louisiana open meetings law requires public comment before a public body takes any action.
The Caddo Parish School Board has a policy about addressing members by name negatively, and local community advocate Craig Lee believes it is not enforceable.
Lee said, Citizens are not supposed to call them by name? Not only is that an illegal policy it goes against state law and federal law they do it to try to intimidate citizens I never follow it because it goes against state and federal law.
Explainer: Why government projects take so long to complete
School board general counsel Reginal Abrams says the policy protects people who are absent and can not defend themselves from disparagement.
Abrams said, Generally those rules are made to not disparage someone or person or individuals not there, I believe that public officials, they took on this job and therefore thats a name that can be brought up, youre looking at that person.
Mr. Abrams would like people on both sides to remain respectful, disagree if necessary, but still be friendly once the meeting is over. He had some advice for anyone wanting to come before the school board to speak.
He says it is best to write what you are going to say, you only have three minutes, and you want to get your point across within that time. He also said practice and listen to yourself to make sure youre getting your point across.
The Louisiana Legislative Auditor has posted a downloadable PDF of all 40 pages of the recent Open Public Meetings Law frequently asked questions (FAQ).
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Nashville man charged with exploitation of minors after authorities find several hundred photos
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) announced that they have arrested a man on child sexual exploitation charges.
Angelo Ellis, 34, was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of minors after a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led detectives to a Nashville Internet address and Dropbox account.
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The investigation led to the discovery of several hundred photos depicting minors engaged in sexual activity, an MNPD press release reads, in part.
Ellis was taken into custody during a traffic stop on Interstate 24. His bond was set at $75,000.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A Nashville man has been sentenced in connection with a scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of over $110 million.
According to the Department of Justice, the reported leader of the scheme, Abraham Yusuff of Round Rock, Texas, was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison.
CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee
Yusuff allegedly led the scheme and enlisted the help of Christian Manthurin of Nashville, who had previously been sentenced to 12 months in prison in connection with this scheme.
Yusuff and co-defendants didnt just steal money, they stole the lives of hundreds of victims by changing all their contact information with the IRS and posing as authorized representatives for the taxpayers, acting special agent in charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office, Lucy Tan, said in a release. This insidious and complex scheme victimized both the real tax professionals and the people they represent, which is why IRS-CI special agents help take down criminal enterprises and put criminals behind bars.
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Yusuff allegedly recruited Mathurin and others to provide addresses so that he could contact the IRS and pose as authorized agents of multiple taxpayers.
Yusuff was reportedly able to use that information to change addresses on file for multiple taxpayers and file more than 370 fraudulent tax returns.
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The nations largest police union appears to be on the cusp of endorsing for president convicted felon Donald Trump, who released from prison a cop killer subsequently convicted of a strangulation attack on his wife, and who salutes, praises and has promised to pardon domestic terrorists convicted of assaulting police officers at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
The Fraternal Order of Police is hosting the coup-attempting former president at its board meeting Friday in North Carolina, where an endorsement appears likely. The Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor and state attorney general of California, was not invited to the gathering.
We are eager to see President Trump again after meeting with him at Mar-A-Lago earlier this year, FOP President Patrick Yoes said in a recent statement.
Neither Yoes nor any of the members of its executive board responded to HuffPost queries about its expected endorsement of Trump, whose lies that the 2020 election was stolen from him led to 140 police officer injuries and five officer deaths from the Capitol assault that Trump incited in a last-gasp attempt to hang on to power.
In his final days in office, Trump commuted the life sentence of drug dealer Jamie Davidson, who was convicted of murder for his involvement in the shooting death of a New York state police officer in 1990. Following his release, Davidson was arrested in Orlando, Florida, and charged with battery by strangulation and domestic violence. A jury convicted him of a lesser battery charge in July, and he is now back behind bars.
An FOP employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he was not certain how the union came to back Trump, despite everything he has done. To be honest, Im not sure. You raise an important question, but Im not sure.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, asked how Trump had received the FOPs endorsement despite being a convicted criminal, responded: Kamala sucks.
Police officers who defended the Capitol from Trumps mob were livid about the unions support for Trump, who in May was convicted on 34 felony counts and is facing dozens more felony charges in other cases.
Then-President Donald Trump on Sept. 26, 2020, listens to Patrick Yoes, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, at a Trump campaign rally in Middletown, Pennsylvania. Steve Ruark/Associated Press
Michael Fanone, a former Washington, D.C., officer who suffered a heart attack after being repeatedly shocked by a Taser as he fought Trump supporters on Jan. 6, said that the Fraternal Order of Police has never been there for him and other officers who were attacked that day. The truth is that FOP leadership is more interested in kissing the ass of a convicted felon who incites violence against law enforcement, then hails the perpetrators as heroes and patriots and promises them pardons, he said.
Harry Dunn, a former Capitol Police officer who was also there on Jan. 6, said his former colleagues are appalled that the union is even contemplating backing Trump. The fact that the FOP is entertaining, let alone offering, a potential endorsement is a slap in the face to men and women who bravely defended the Capitol on Jan. 6.
The Harris campaign on Thursday held a conference call with Dunn and two sheriffs who are backing her candidacy to denounce the likely endorsement of Trump.
He uses cops for nothing more than a photo-op or a television prop, said Javier Salazar, the sheriff of Bexar County in Texas. He pointed out that with his felony conviction, Trump wouldnt even be eligible to be a police officer.
It looks like theyre endorsing a person who wouldnt qualify to be a law enforcement officer in any state of the union that Im aware of, Salazar said.
Trump is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18 in New York City, where he was convicted in May on 34 counts of 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.
He faces four felony counts in federal court in Washington, D.C., based on the Jan. 6 coup attempt. He could receive decades in federal prison if convicted. Trump is also under felony indictment in Georgia for his attempt to overturn his election loss there. Conviction on the most serious charges could mean decades in Georgia state prison.
Trump had also been indicted in federal court in South Florida for refusing to turn over secret documents he took with him to his Palm Beach country club upon leaving the White House. Though the trial judge dismissed the charges, an appeals court currently has the case and could reinstate them.
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Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (l) and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store give a press conference at the Prime Minister's residence in Oslo. Thomas Fure/NTB/dpa
Former Norwegian prime minister Jens Stoltenberg does not want to return to top politics in his home country after a decade as NATO secretary general.
The 65-year-old said at a press conference in Oslo on Friday that he would find ways to support his centre-left Labour Party as an ordinary member.
But he added: "I won't be someone who comes home and starts having too many opinions about things I haven't actually been involved with for 10 years - namely active Norwegian politics."
He did not comment on other possible activities.
Stoltenberg was prime minister from 2000 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2013. In 2011, he led his country through the difficult period following the attacks in Oslo's government district and on the island of Utya, in which right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik killed a total of 77 people.
Stoltenberg has been NATO secretary general since 2014. He will hand over this post to the former prime minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, on October 1.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Nature Calls is coming back to downtown Sioux City.
Entering its 20th year, the beer and wine tasting event helps the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center raise funds to support their mission. It will also feature local vendors, local artists, and a live and silent auction.
Downtown Tailgate Party returning for third year
Nature Calls will take place on Saturday, Sep. 21 at the Sioux City Convention Center from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. You can get tickets online or by calling 712-258-0838.
Theresa Kruid with the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center stopped by the KCAU 9 studio Thursday to talk about this event in more detail. You can view the full interview in the video player above.
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The U.S. Navy tried unsuccessfully to acquire used F-16 fighters from Greece, as it set about expanding its adversary, or red air squadrons, it has been revealed. The revelation comes as Greece steps up its efforts to dispose of older F-16s, which have long been eyed as potential aggressor jets for third-party operators and which have more recently been suggested as suitable candidates to bolster Ukraines F-16 force.
The account of the Navys efforts to obtain second-hand F-16s from the Hellenic Air Force was apparently first relayed in a press release from the service published yesterday to mark the delivery of the latest ex-U.S. Air Force F-16 to Fighter Composite Squadron 13 (VFC-13), Fighting Saints, based at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada. The detail was brought to our attention by @alert5 on the social media platform X. The jet was initially handed over at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas.
An F-16 from VFC-13 sits at NAS JRB Fort Worths flightline. Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joi
After encountering issues with buying from Greece, we capitalized on the Air Forces plan to retire over 30 F-16s with 2,000 to 3,000 flight hours remaining, explained Cmdr. Traver Fordham, the Executive Officer of VFC-13.
Fordham noted that the additional jets were required to make up the difference after only 12 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets were made available to replace a fleet of around 48 legacy F/A-18A-to-D Hornets serving with adversary squadrons, a result of the production run being wound up sooner than anticipated. The problem was exacerbated by the Navys decision to accelerate the withdrawal of its legacy Hornets, one that was driven primarily by high operating costs.
At the same time, the addition of more F-16s to the Navys adversary fleet brings big benefits in terms of capabilities, especially in comparison with the earlier F-5N Tiger IIs. As high-performance aircraft, the F-16s are far better at replicating an advanced adversary during dissimilar air combat trianing.
New-build F-16s were too costly and time-consuming, so we looked at second-hand options, Fordham continued.
Among those options were aircraft from Greece. Although not disclosed, these were very likely from the oldest Hellenic Air Force specimens, comprising the survivors of 34 single-seat F-16C and six two-seat F-16D Block 30 jets that were procured under the Peace Xenia I Foreign Military Sales program and delivered between 1988 and 1990.
A Hellenic Air Force F-16C Block 30 from the Peace Xenia I Foreign Military Sales program. Jim van de Burgt/Wikimedia Commons
Jim van de Burgt/Wikimedia Commons
The Greek Block 30 jets are consolidated within a single Hellenic Air Force squadron, 330 Mira, and they have undergone the Falcon UP service-life extension, meaning they still have some valuable flight hours remaining.
These aircraft are significantly less capable and more worn-out than Greeces later-model F-16C/Ds, which comprise Block 50, Block 52+, and finally Block 52+ Advanced variants. But Athens has sought to offload the Block 30s, they have been identified as possible candidates for red air operations perhaps with one of the private contractors that have sought F-16s for just such missions in the past.
Its also unclear exactly why the Navy was unable to obtain the Greek jets, the media release only outlining difficulties in acquiring them.
As a result, the Navy instead seized an opportunity to acquire surplus aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, which had just decided to retire them.
After a transfer agreement was signed, the first of these F-16s was delivered to Fallon in April 2022, as you can read about here. The latest of these aircraft was handed over on August 27, 2024, and is the 13th to be received by the Tactical Support Wing (TSW).
One of the first F-16Cs assigned to VFC-13 touches down. U.S. Navy
Somewhat confusingly, yesterdays Navy media release states variously that the service is receiving 26 or 30 F-16s from the Air Force. Previously, it was understood that the total was 26 and we have reached out to the Navy for clarity on this.
Last year, VFC-13 completed its first Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program (SFARP) with the F-16 and was declared safe for flight.
There are always challenges when transitioning a squadron to a new platform, explained TSW Safety Officer Cmdr. David Radomile. In this case, we had to transition two squadrons and retrain 30 pilots, which required significant coordination and a year of effort. We also had to procure a new F-16 simulator and move our F-5 simulator to New Orleans. Another major challenge was establishing the Viper Maintenance Group (VMG), a new joint maintenance element for VFC-13 and the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC). This involved developing a coordinated approach for aircraft sharing, mishap reporting, and maintenance inspections.
Overall, the Navy admits that the introduction of the former U.S. Air Force F-16s into its adversary fleet has not been entirely straightforward. The process has involved its fair share of challenges, ranging from training pilots to establishing maintenance programs, support depots, and training personnel, the Navy says.
The story of Navy F-16 adversary operations is a long and complex one, but throughout, the excellence of the powerful and agile fighter as an aggressor platform has not been in question.
The first Navy Viper was a special version, F-16N (for Navy), first received in the mid-1980s. Long regarded as something of a hotrod, the F-16N featured a strengthened and lightened airframe based on the F-16C/D Block 30 but with the older AN/APG-66 radar from the F-16A/B. The M61A1 cannon was also removed, to save weight. The aircraft were retired prematurely, in the mid-1990s, after showing signs of metal fatigue, a result of the rigors of air combat maneuvering.
Next came 14 F-16 Block 15 OCU aircraft that had been originally built for Pakistan before being embargoed and stored at the Aircraft Maintenance And Regeneration Center (AMARC) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. These eight single-seat F-16As and six two-seat F-16Bs were also taken on by the Navy for adversary work.
The previously embargoed F-16A/Bs have played a prominent role in Navy adversary support at Fallon for many years. Jamie Hunter
More recently came the move to further increase the F-16 adversary fleet, to mitigate the withdrawal of the legacy Hornet.
In 2021, the Navy announced that it would be receiving 20 single-seat F-16C Block 32 aircraft and six two-seat F-16D Block 25 aircraft from the Air Force. This was part of a wider Air Force plan to retire 124 F-16s by 2026, with the service consolidating on the more modern and capable Block 40 and above.
Of these 26 jets, 12 of the F-16Cs have been allocated to VFC-13, according to the Navy, replacing F-5Ns, with the remaining eight F-16Cs and six F-16Ds going to the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC), the organization that includes the famous TOPGUN school.
A VFC-13 F-5N Tiger II. U.S. Navy A US Navy F-5N aggressor. USN
You can learn the full story of these intriguing jets and all the Navys F-16s that followed them in the TWZ special video feature below.
With the Navys F-16s set to play an important role in the training of aircrews for years to come, the 14 earlier F-16A/B aircraft are being upgraded under the F-16 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) Operational Safety Improvement Program (OSIP). This work will increase their service life to 8,000 equivalent flight hours and extend service life through airframe strengthening. The single-seat F-16C Block 32 aircraft are also going through the same procedure before being delivered to the Navy. Also planned for the jets are the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, Red Net adversary datalink, and center pedestal display, for a significant boost in capability.
As for Greeces early-model F-16s, they look set to remain the missing link in the Navys adversary story. They could still be picked up by a private contractor offering red air services, but with Top Aces F-16s currently the only ones in the hands of a private operator, the chances now look less likely than they did a couple of years ago.
One of Top Aces F-16 aggressor jets. Jamie Hunter
On the other hand, Athens looks to be keen to dispose of these aging jets, hence the suggestion this summer that they could possibly be transferred to Ukraine something we have raised in the past, as well. The U.S. Navys loss might still turn out to be Ukraines gain, where as many as 32 F-16C/Ds could eventually join others donated by Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
This was not right: Fort Worth grandma slapped with huge rate increase after home insurance claim she never made and it took some extra help to get it corrected
In the aftermath of a storm that battered her Fort Worth, Texas home last year, Becky Lane called up her insurance provider to ask about her toppled fence. Ultimately, she decided not to file a claim the repairs just didnt meet her deductible.
What should have been a straightforward conversation with her insurer of 44 years, Liberty Mutual, led to an unexpected spike in her insurance rates.
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When she recently called back to ask why her rates had increased so much, the company pointed to an earlier claim for roof damage and a claim for the fence. It seemed an agent had allegedly added an open claim to her record just because she asked a few questions.
"This wasn't fair. This was not right," Lane told Fox 4 Dallas, expressing her frustration and concern that others in her age group might not realize they are being charged for such mistakes.
Determined to resolve the issue, Lane contacted reporter Steve Noviello to intervene. In a letter to Lane, the company confirmed there had been no inspection or payment, and they removed the erroneous claim from her records, which brought her insurance rate back down.
Auto and home insurance rates can increase without warning for various reasons, but as Lanes experience shows, you have more control over them than you realize.
Reasons insurance rates change including claims
Most homeowners have insurance for their primary residence. While it is required for those with an active mortgage to protect the lender in the event of an accident its always a good idea to have a policy in case of an accident or natural disaster.
Your homeowner's insurance rate is based on several factors: the age of your home, its condition when purchased, its location and how much it would cost to rebuild. Your premium may increase if you make major home improvements that increase value, the cost of building materials increases or if you have increased risk features, like a trampoline or a pool.
Your credit and claim histories also affect the premium. Insurance companies use a credit-based insurance score to predict future claims. The higher your risk, the more you could pay for insurance.
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A previously filed claim on your record may also cause insurance rates to increase as it suggests you might file for more in the future. While one claim often results in a higher price, several could cause the insurance company to drastically raise premiums or send homeowners a notice of non-renewal.
Unfortunately, a homeowners claim history can follow them when they decide to shop around for a new insurance provider. Specialty consumer reporting companies like CLUE keep track of both auto and home claims filed over a seven-year period, which is then provided to insurance companies upon request.
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Avoiding rate hikes over erroneous or canceled claims
Insurance claims are the one thing homeowners can control when it comes to their insurance premiums. When looking at a loss on your home from natural disaster to burglary the first question to ask is always: Does this situation require an insurance claim?
Before calling the insurance company, start doing your own research. If there were no injuries, nobody elses property was affected and the repair or replacement amount is less than your deductible, then theres no need to file a claim. Paying out of pocket to fix the problem is not only cheaper but can prevent your rates from going up. Even if Lanes case was an outlier, you can always consult your insurance company, too, if something unexpected comes up.
In the case where theres an error on your policy, call the insurance company to ask for more information, including a claim number, when the alleged claim was filed, and how much was paid on the claim. You can also request to see your CLUE report directly from LexisNexis to see if claim information was added to your consumer report.
Should your insurance company be unwilling to work with you to resolve the issue, you still have options. Filing a complaint with your states insurance commissioner or attorney general can help sort out consumer protection issues, including erroneous insurance claims.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
The North Carolina Legislative Building in downtown Raleigh (Photo: Clayton Henkel)
North Carolina Republican legislative leaders announced Friday that they have reached agreement on a mini-budget bill that would expand and clear the waiting list for the states controversial Opportunity Scholarships private school voucher program. The lawmakers said they have also agreed to pass a controversial measure that requires cooperation between all North Carolina sheriffs and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and to approve new funding for the state Medicaid program, rural broadband, and enrollment growth in public schools and community colleges.
The General Assembly departed Raleigh in late June without having passed legislation to adjust the two-year state budget enacted in 2023, as would be the ordinary procedure during the biannual short session. Lawmakers will return to Raleigh on Monday. WRAL.com reported that the Senate will vote on the deal on Monday, while the House will vote Wednesday.
The voucher program ran out of money earlier this year before 54,000 students could receive their vouchers. Last year, the General Assembly removed income caps, making all students eligible for vouchers regardless of income.
Despite efforts by Republican leaders to expand the program during the recent session, negotiations stalled over funding details. Republican leaders, who oversee veto-proof supermajorities in both houses, have now reached an agreement that they say will clear the waitlist and fully fund the program for the next decade.
Families across North Carolina made it clear that they want a greater say in their childs education, said Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham in a release. Whether youre a single parent, a young family, or in a military household, educational freedom should be attainable for all.
Gov. Roy Cooper and Democratic lawmakers came out against the plan at a Thursday afternoon press conference. Lets use this money for public schools instead, Cooper said. When you get wealthy people yet another tax break for these vouchers, it is extremely difficult to get a future legislature to ever take it away.
The plan allocates $5 billion over the next decade to the private school voucher program, which opponents say will divert funds from public schools.
The states largest teacher association said it opposes the voucher expansion. While the majority of North Carolinians believe in the value of our public schools, some state lawmakers are planning to undermine those schools with a massive expansion of taxpayer-funded private school vouchers, Tamika Walker Kelly, NCAE President said in a statement. The plan is dangerously irresponsible for the financial health of our state government and threatens the future of local school budgets statewide.
The agreement also includes a bill that requires local sheriffs to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcment.
North Carolina sheriffs are already required under current state law to try and determine the legal status of people they arrest and inform ICE. However, current law doesnt require them to honor ICE detainer requests, which ask local authorities to hold someone believed to be in the country illegally for up to 48 hours while federal agents pick them up.
Under proposed legislation in the agreement, however, all 100 sheriffs in the state will be required to notify ICE if they are unable to determine the legal status of a person charged with certain high-level offenses. It would also compel sheriffs to honor ICE requests to detain individuals suspected of being in the country illegally for up to 48 hours.
With the inclusion of House Bill 10, we are also reinforcing the rule of law currently ignored by the Biden-Harris administration by requiring sheriffs to cooperate with ICE, strengthening our public safety and protecting our communities, said House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, in a statement.
Immigrant and civil rights advocates and some sheriffs have long opposed the cooperation mandate, saying it will discourage cooperation between immigrant communities and local law enforcement agencies. In May of this year, Iliana Santillan, executive director of the Triangle-based nonprofit El Pueblo, condemned the proposal, saying, The lawmakers that have been pushing HB10 forward have claimed that it will improve the safety of our state and only target those who have committed crimes, but we know that in practice, bills like these target Black and Brown, immigrant communities, unnecessarily placing innocent lives at risk for deportation and separating hardworking families for minor incidents such as traffic violations.
The agreement also increases funding for public schools and community colleges, Medicaid and rural broadband.
This mini-budget agreement will fund our K-12 and community college enrollment growth, clear the Opportunity Scholarship waitlist to expand school choice to all NC families, will increase funding to keep our Medicaid system fully funded, and will authorize new rural broadband expansion across the state, Moore said in a release.
House Democratic Leader Robert T. Reives II criticized the voucher expansion plan at yesterdays press conference, arguing that the plan would harm the most disadvantaged students.
The bottom line is this: Republicans have rigged the system to benefit the wealthy, while our most vulnerable students are left to fend for themselves, said Reives II, D-Chatham and Randolph.
North Carolina lawmakers announced an agreement Friday on a bill that includes increased funding for private school vouchers and legislation that will require sheriffs to comply with federal immigration detainer requests.
The package comes several months after lawmakers failed to negotiate a budget adjustment bill before adjourning the legislative session at the end of June. Republicans said they will hold votes on the bill on Monday and Wednesday.
The mini budget GOP leaders have agreed on will provide an additional $463 million in voucher 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 budget deal calls for providing funding to every new 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.
As North Carolina families grapple with rising costs and economic uncertainty thanks to the failed policies of the Biden-Harris administration, it is our responsibility as lawmakers to remain committed to responsible spending and economic growth, Republican House Speaker Tim Moore said Friday in a statement announcing the deal.
This mini-budget agreement will fund our K-12 and community college enrollment growth, clear the Opportunity Scholarship waitlist to expand school choice to all NC families, will increase funding to keep our Medicaid system fully funded, and will authorize new rural broadband expansion across the state, Moore said.
K-12 enrollment increases
The budget deal also provides an additional $95 million for K-12 public school enrollment growth. Just as with the community colleges, the state now funds public schools in arrears.
Funding had previously been based on the projected enrollment for the current school year. Since its now based on last years enrollment, money needs to be set aside to cover enrollment increases.
Earlier this summer, Moore told reporters that House Republicans wanted to include public education funding increases with any voucher spending increases. However, this bill does not fund additional raises for teachers and other school personnel. Lawmakers authorized raises for many public school employees earlier this summer, and state employees were already slated to receive additional raises this fiscal year.
House Speaker Tim Moore accepts a letter on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 signed by N.C. parents urging Republican lawmakers to keep their promise to fully fund private school vouchers for 55,000 students on a state waitlist. Critics of the voucher expansion say lawmakers should prioritize public schools.
The compromise is a win for Senate leader Phil Berger and other Senate Republicans, who wanted the voucher backlog cleared months ago.
Families across North Carolina made it clear that they want a greater say in their childs education. Whether youre a single parent, a young family, or in a military household, educational freedom should be attainable for all, Berger said in a statement, adding that the agreement addresses the increased demand for Opportunity Scholarships and includes the necessary funding for public school enrollment increases.
ICE cooperation
The crux of House Bill 10, a bill requiring sheriffs to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that has been a longstanding priority for Republicans, is also included in this bill.
State law already requires sheriffs to try to determine the legal status of people they arrest, and to inform ICE if they cant do so. But they dont have to honor immigration detainers from the federal agency requests to hold someone who has been arrested and is believed to be in the country illegally, for up to 48 hours, to give ICE agents time to come and take custody.
Thats the main change HB 10 would make that is included in the new bill: requiring sheriffs to comply with those detainer requests.
House Bill 10 was the third iteration of legislation Republicans have been trying to pass since 2019, in response to sheriffs in largely Democratic counties coming into office in 2018 vowing to cut back or end cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Cooper, Democrats oppose voucher spending
On Thursday, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Democratic lawmakers held a news conference to air their opposition to private school voucher funding as well as point out that they have been kept in the dark about the legislative process. Democrats did not know about the ICE portion of the bill, with some learning about it after reporters.
Ive heard this is not a budget. This is just a few funding items that theyre throwing into a bill that wont even be allowed to be amended, Cooper said on Thursday, before the deal was announced.
And its going to be a surprise attack. And they havent even told these (Democratic lawmakers) they are coming back. And remember, weve been here, in the middle of the summer, and everybodys gone everywhere so (Republicans are) quietly telling their members to be here to do whatever is theyre going to do.
We feel pretty confident that its going to be expanding private school vouchers. Were not quite sure what else going to be in the mix, Cooper said.
Coopers tenure as governor has included Republicans having either a majority or supermajority in both the House and the Senate. Republicans currently hold a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.
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.
Community college funding
The deal also includes $64 million in recurring funds to support community colleges experiencing enrollment growth.
Community colleges and public universities in North Carolina are funded in arrears, meaning the amount of state funding they receive is tied to enrollment from the previous year. Nearly all of the states 58 community colleges experienced enrollment growth last year, creating a need for funding to support the additional students.
At Durham Technical Community College, for instance, enrollment last year was up 9% the third-highest growth of any community college in the state. That growth translates into an additional need of more than $3.1 million for the current academic year.
But without a budget deal passed this summer, the community colleges are using the same level of funding provided in the two-year budget legislators passed last fall, without additional money for enrollment growth. That created a resource squeeze on campuses this fall, Durham Tech President JB Buxton told The N&O Thursday.
Were able to manage the budget right now by not investing in new equipment for classrooms, by really keeping supplies at a bare minimum, by not doing any new hires unless theyre in core instructional areas, Buxton said.
The timing of the budget deal is fortunate for the colleges. With it likely to pass in September, the colleges will be able to plan for the spring semester knowing they have additional money coming in. Buxton said the situation would have been more dire if the deal did not come until November as suggested in the legislatures June adjournment resolution, which indicated budget bills would not be considered until Nov. 19.
We know in September, then we can make good decisions for the spring, Buxton said. We know November, December, were now behind the eight ball, and we may have already decided not to offer certain sections, and then hope we can build those back later, which is a real challenge for students who are looking for certain courses to continue or finish.
The budget deal does not include additional funding for the UNC System, which includes the states 16 public universities. Among other items, the university system had asked the legislature to provide more than $46 million in enrollment funding for its campuses, plus an additional $5 million to mitigate funding losses caused by enrollment declines at UNC Pembroke and Winston-Salem State University.
A UNC System spokesperson declined to comment on the budget deal Friday.
Under the Dome
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North Carolina lawmakers announced an agreement Friday on a bill that includes increased funding for private school vouchers and legislation that will require sheriffs to comply with federal immigration detainer requests.
The package comes several months after lawmakers failed to negotiate a budget adjustment bill before adjourning the legislative session at the end of June. Republicans said they will hold votes on the bill on Monday and Wednesday.
The mini budget GOP leaders have agreed on will provide an additional $463 million in voucher 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 budget deal calls for providing funding to every new 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.
ICE cooperation
The crux of House Bill 10, a bill requiring sheriffs to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that has been a longstanding priority for Republicans, is also included in this bill.
State law already requires sheriffs to try to determine the legal status of people they arrest, and to inform ICE if they cant do so. But they dont have to honor immigration detainers from the federal agency requests to hold someone who has been arrested and is believed to be in the country illegally, for up to 48 hours, to give ICE agents time to come and take custody.
Thats the main change HB 10 would make that is included in the new budget bill: requiring sheriffs to comply with those detainer requests.
House Bill 10 was the third iteration of legislation Republicans have been trying to pass since 2019, in response to sheriffs in largely Democratic counties coming into office in 2018 vowing to cut back or end cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Community college funding
The deal also includes $64 million in recurring funds to support community colleges experiencing enrollment growth.
Community colleges and public universities in North Carolina are funded in arrears, meaning the amount of state funding they receive is tied to enrollment from the previous year. Nearly all of the states 58 community colleges experienced enrollment growth last year, creating a need for funding to support the additional students.
At Durham Technical Community College, for instance, enrollment last year was up 9% the third-highest growth of any community college in the state. That growth translates into an additional need of more than $3.1 million for the current academic year.
But without a budget deal passed this summer, the community colleges are using the same level of funding provided in the two-year budget legislators passed last fall, without additional money for enrollment growth. That created a resource squeeze on campuses this fall, Durham Tech President JB Buxton told The N&O Thursday.
Were able to manage the budget right now by not investing in new equipment for classrooms, by really keeping supplies at a bare minimum, by not doing any new hires unless theyre in core instructional areas, Buxton said.
The timing of the budget deal is fortunate for the colleges. With it likely to pass in September, the colleges will be able to plan for the spring semester knowing they have additional money coming in. Buxton said the situation would have been more dire if the deal did not come until November as suggested in the legislatures June adjournment resolution, which indicated budget bills would not be considered until Nov. 19.
We know in September, then we can make good decisions for the spring, Buxton said. We know November, December, were now behind the eight ball, and we may have already decided not to offer certain sections, and then hope we can build those back later, which is a real challenge for students who are looking for certain courses to continue or finish.
The budget deal does not include additional funding for the UNC System, which includes the states 16 public universities. Among other items, the university system had asked the legislature to provide more than $46 million in enrollment funding for its campuses, plus an additional $5 million to mitigate funding losses caused by enrollment declines at UNC Pembroke and Winston-Salem State University.
A UNC System spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
K-12 enrollment increases
The budget deal also provides an additional $95 million for K-12 public school enrollment growth. Just as with the community colleges, the state now funds public schools in arrears.
Funding had previously been based on the projected enrollment for the current school year. Since its now based on last years enrollment, money needs to be set aside to cover enrollment increases.
This agreement addresses the increased demand for Opportunity Scholarships and includes the necessary funding for public school enrollment increases, Senate leader Phil Berger said in a statement.
Neb. petition to repeal private school funding bill to be placed on ballot
LINCOLN, Neb. (KCAU) On Thursday, the Nebraska Secretary of State certified the Private Education Scholarship partial referendum for the Nov. 5 election.
Petitioners collected more than 68,000 valid signatures from voters statewide. The referendum would partially repeal legislation appropriating $10 million to the state treasurers office. The money is to be used to provide scholarships to students and their families who wish to attend private schools for K-12 education.
Libertarian candidates ask to be kept on ballot in Iowa after removal by state panel
The coalition, Support our Schools Nebraska, says theyve continued fighting the legal mechanism of the measure.
There are legal challenges to the petition, including one lawsuit.
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A gavel rests upon an open law book. (Getty Images)
LINCOLN The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a lawsuit challenging the legality of letting Nebraskans vote on the future of a law that helps families pay for private K-12 education with state-funded scholarships or vouchers.
The court allowed the case to bypass the District Court level, setting oral arguments for 2 p.m. Tuesday because time is running short to weigh in on the issue before Sept. 13, the deadline for finalizing the November ballot. Each side will get 15 minutes to argue their position.
The lawsuit was filed as a so-called original action by Latasha Collar, the parent of a Douglas County student receiving what the State of Nebraska labeled an Opportunity Scholarship. She wants the court to pull the ballot measure.
In a previous interview with the Examiner, Collar said that her daughter needed the scholarships financial help to access a school that was a better fit. Other advocates of the voucher program said they wouldnt stop pushing for family choices.
Collars filing argues the ballot measure goes too far, past authority granted under Article III, 3 of the Nebraska Constitution, because it seeks to revoke an appropriation for a regular expense of state government, which is prohibited.
She wants to save Legislative Bill 1402, which was passed this spring. It is the latest version of a law that changed a tax credit program for private education into a state appropriation for the same purpose, partly to nullify a previous ballot initiative.
The public school supporters who organized that original ballot initiative against the scholarship law, Support Our Schools, ran a second petition drive, which is the one that got certified for the November ballot seeking to repeal LB 1402.
They contend that spending public money to fund private K-12 education is not popular with Nebraskans and thats why the other side wants to avoid a vote of the people.
Because of the tight timeline, the court asked the lawyers to file simultaneous briefs on legal arguments and to not waste time responding to one another. It asked that they answer key questions from the lawsuit in briefs on Monday.
Chief among those questions: Does LB 1402 represent an appropriation? Critics say it does not without its separate appropriation bill. State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha, the bills author, has said that it does.
The court also asked whether funding educational scholarships for private K-12 schools is an ordinary running expense of state government. Support Our Schools says no. Voucher advocates have said yes.
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Neighbors can return after investigation into possible hazardous material on Mary Dee Lane, Winston-Salem police say
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) A neighborhood in Winston-Salem was closed down due to potential hazardous materials inside a home.
According to Winston-Salem Police Department, around 10:30 a.m. officers were called to Mary Dee Lane to serve an involuntary commitment to someone experiencing mental health issues. At the scene, officers saw what they believed to be hazardous material inside the home.
The Hazardous Devices Unit was contacted and residents in close proximity were asked to evacuate.
As of just after 3 p.m., residents are allowed to return to normal activities, because the HDU crew had secured the scene.
HDU thoroughly investigated an unknown substance in the residence. At this time, there is no further danger to the community. The investigation remains ongoing, Winston-Salem Police Department said.
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Netherlands announces aid to Ukraine with F-16 armament and maintenance at Ramstein-format meeting
At the meeting of the Contact Group for Ukraines Defence on 6 September, Ruben Brekelmans, Dutch Minister of Defence, announced a new military aid package for Kyiv, connected with the maintenance of the F-16 fighter jets.
Source: European Pravda with reference to the Dutch Defence Ministry
Details: Brekelmans stated that the Netherlands would provide the equipment for technical maintenance of the F-16s, deployed by Ukraine, as well as air-to-air missiles that the fighter jets will be able to use for the protection of Ukraine's airspace.
For operational security reasons, Brekelmans did not disclose any details about the quantity and types of equipment to be provided.
He did not specify when the aid would be provided but stressed that the Netherlands is committed to sending the necessary funds to Ukraine as soon as possible.
"The Netherlands will supply 80 million worth of materials. Besides large quantities of spare parts, these include generators, small vehicles, essential maintenance materials, specialised tools, and stairs," he said.
Ukraine has been deploying the F-16 fighter jets since late summer, and, as stated by unofficial reports, it has only received six aircraft from the Netherlands.
On the evening of 29 August, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that an F-16 fighter jet had crashed while repelling a Russian missile attack.
The crash, according to The WSJ, raised questions among Ukraine's Western allies about the need to hastily train the pilots and send them into combat just weeks after their arrival for training.
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The Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service has issued a warning about Russian cyber operations by its Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) unit 29155.
Source: a statement by the Dutch Ministry of Defence, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service noted that hackers from this Russian military intelligence service are focused, among other things, on obtaining information about Western aid to Ukraine and undermining it. Their operations are mainly aimed at Western governments and critical infrastructure.
"Together with our partners, we decided to expose the methods of this notorious Russian cyber unit. This way, everyone can see how they operate. This way, everyone can arm themselves against these far-reaching attacks and espionage. Not only governments but also manufacturers and suppliers of military equipment for Ukraine," said Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans.
Rear Admiral Peter Reesink, Director of the Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service, noted that the Netherlands had not yet fallen victim to this Russian unit's cyber operations against vital infrastructure.
"But it is a threat that we must increasingly take into account", Reesink concludes.
"This actor has just launched cyber operations. They are targeting the logistics sector in countries that are providing assistance to Ukraine or play a role in it. And the Netherlands is an important transit country," he added.
Background:
As a result of a joint international operation, the Estonian Security Police found that a military unit under the Russian GRU command had been conducting cyberattacks against Ukraine, as well as NATO and EU countries, including Estonia, since 2020.
Last December, Estonia and nine other countries launched the Tallinn Mechanism to strengthen cyber support for Ukraine in the civilian sphere.
The Tallinn Mechanism operates in parallel with the IT Coalition, which addresses Ukraine's cyber issues in the military sphere.
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'We never let them in': Hungarys PM Viktor Orban demands new laws tackling migration
Migration will disintegrate the European Union, Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday at the Cernobbio Forum in northern Italy, asking for new laws to stem its flow.
If you look back from 2014 period until now, this period is a disintegration process period of European Union.
The nationalist Hungarian leader, who has long been under fire for his vocal anti-migrant stances, having referred to them as poison and not needed, made the comments while discussing his three priorities during Hungary's six-month EU presidency: competitiveness, the war in Europe and migration.
Migration as well as gender, employment, and security is an existential issue facing the EU, he said. Reflecting on Hungarys approach to illegal migration and comparing it to Germanys generous asylum policy, he said, We never let them in.
After Orban addressed the conference, he furthered these statements by posting, Let Hungary and others have an opt-out of the common migration policy," on social media platform X.
Brussels can have them'
Meanwhile, a senior Hungarian official echoed these comments, stating the anti-immigrant government is serious about implementing a plan to provide asylum seekers free one-way travel to Brussels.
At a news conference in the capital Budapest, State Secretary Bence Retvari claimed the EU wanted to force Hungary to allow illegal migrants across its borders and said the country would offer these illegal migrants, voluntarily, free of charge, one-way travel to Brussels."
Retvari said the transport would be conducted after the implementation of the European procedure, but did not detail what status the asylum seekers would have upon being transported. He made the comments while backdropped by a row of passenger buses with illuminated signs reading Roszke-Brussels a route that would take migrants from Hungary's southern border with Serbia to the EU headquarters in Belgium.
If Brussels wants illegal migrants, Brussels can have them, he said.
Almost verbatim, Retvari echoed the words of the minister in charge of the president's office, Gergely Gulyas, who said in late August, "If Brussels wants migrants, it will get them".
The provocative proposals to send migrants to the heart of the EU were in response to a June ruling by the European Court of Justice, which ordered Hungary to pay a fine of 200 million for persistently breaking the blocs asylum rules and an additional 1 million per day until it brings its policies into line with EU law.
The bloc takes issue with Budapest's forcing people seeking international protection to travel to Hungarian embassies in Serbia or Ukraine to apply for a travel permit. This violates EU rules that oblige all member countries to have common procedures for granting asylum.
Orbans government said it will file legal proceedings against the EU over the fines.
It has also demanded compensation for the billions it says it has spent on border protection, including constructing fences protected by razor wire on its southern borders with Serbia and Croatia.
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The EU has frozen billions for his government over breaches of the bloc's rule-of-law and democracy standards, and some EU lawmakers have petitioned for Hungary to be stripped of its voting rights in the bloc's executive Commission.
Hungary's government missed the first September deadline for paying the 200 million fine ordered by the European Court of Justice, opening the way for potentially another conflict with Brussels.
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/Getty Images
Mark Cuban said that taxing unrealized capital gains would "kill the stock market."
President Joe Biden proposed taxing unrealized gains for people worth over $100 million.
Kamala Harris is unlikely to endorse Biden's plan, Cuban said.
Any proposal to tax unrealized capital gains would "kill the stock market," the billionaire investor Mark Cuban said in a CNBC interview on Thursday.
As part of his wide-ranging tax proposals, President Joe Biden has suggested taxing unrealized capital gains for people with a net worth of more than $100 million.
While Vice President Kamala Harris has not endorsed or dismissed Biden's proposal on unrealized capital gains, Cuban said, it's dead on arrival.
"If you tax unrealized gains, you're going to kill the stock market, and it's going to be the ultimate employment plan for private equity because companies are not going to go public because you can get whipsawed," Cuban said.
Cuban's "whipsaw" comment alluded to the main question investors have surrounding proposed taxes on unrealized capital gains: What happens if those unrealized capital gains eventually turn into unrealized capital losses in a volatile stock market?
But according to Cuban, who said he'd been talking with the Harris campaign often in recent weeks, Harris is highly unlikely to endorse such a plan.
"They realize that's the issue," he said, adding of Harris: "Even though she is not directly conflicting the Biden tax plan, to her, her value proposition is we need to tax everybody fairly, starting from the Biden plan as a starting point. But that's not necessarily her ending point."
Harris has already rejected some aspects of Biden's tax proposals, offering her own vision of what she would propose as president.
While Biden proposed to move the long-term capital-gains tax rate to 39.6% for households with taxable income of more than $1 million, Harris says that's too high and has proposed raising it to 28% instead.
"The point I'm really trying to convey is: She's open-minded. She's not an ideologue. She wants to do what's best for business," Cuban said.
Cuban defended the Democratic presidential nominee despite criticism that Harris has yet to unveil a slew of detailed economic-policy proposals with the November election fast approaching.
"Like any good CEO trying to turn around a battleship, there's only so much you can do every single day," Cuban said. "Like any good CEO, you've got to do it when you get it right."
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The newest area of Hialeah is getting a 911 tower. A new government center could be next
Hialeah Mayor Esteban Steve Bovo has announced plans for two major infrastructure projects aimed at addressing critical needs in Hialeah Heights, often referred to as the annex area of the city: a 911 tower and a new government center, where a police station, fire department, library and building department would exist under one roof.
During his 2021 mayoral campaign, Bovo promised to improve infrastructure in the area. Despite being home to over 16,000 residents, the community lacks essential facilities such as a police station, library or even a park, and currently relies on a trailer for fire services instead of a formal fire station.
READ MORE: Hialeah Heights is most prosperous part of city but it lacks police, paramedics and parks
Back in July 2023, Bovo announced that the city had secured $8.4 million in state funding to address critical community needs, including services for seniors, 911 operations, police, street repairs and wastewater infrastructure improvements.
Constructing a new 911 communication tower was identified as a top priority at the time, and officials estimated the total cost at $2.2 million, with $1.5 million from state funds and $700,000 to be matched by Hialeah, an expenditure included in the 2024 city budget. A communications tower is set to enhance radio system coverage between 911 dispatchers, first responders, police and firefighters, extending reliable communication throughout the annexation area.
On Wednesday, the city broke ground on the site where the new 911 communication tower will be located. The tower ended up costing $2.6 million in the time it took to complete the project, causing the citys contribution to increase from $700,000 to $1.1 million.
When asked by el Nuevo Herald about the delay in constructing the new tower, Bovo couldnt provide specifics on why it was not built sooner. However, he emphasized the projects significance, stating, The key point is that this tower is now going to be built and operational. The tower is expected to be completed by December and fully operational by the first quarter of 2025.
Acknowledging concerns from Hialeah Heights residents regarding delays in police and fire response times, Bovo noted that this new infrastructure project is a major step toward addressing these issues, meaning enhancing response times.
Employees of the Hialeah 911 Emergency Department have raised concerns that understaffing is adversely affecting the quality of service in the unit. Cortesia
Councilman Bryan Calvo is the only council member who had criticized the citys emergency operations, requesting an investigation after hearing about a high number of abandoned calls. Calvo previously sued the mayor over a public records request related to the 911 center, a lawsuit that was dismissed by a judge. At the press conference Wednesday, he said the new 911 tower represents a vindication of his criticisms from last year. Hopefully, now we can get started fixing it. That was what I wanted from the beginning, he said.
In 2023, dispatchers from the Hialeah 911 emergency department voiced concerns to el Nuevo Herald about how understaffing was creating difficulties in managing the daily call volume. At the time, the mayor acknowledged deficiencies in the response capacity, noting that the emergency unit was able to answer just 83% of calls within 10 seconds, falling short of the 90% benchmark recommended by Floridas E911 emergency communications system plan.
READ MORE: Who is answering the 911 calls in Hialeah? Why some consider the response an emergency
Bovo stated on Wednesday that investing in this area is crucial, as the residents of the annex contribute significantly to the citys tax revenue, nearly matching the contributions of the rest of Hialeah.
City of Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo, Jr. was joined by a group of elected officials and Hialeah first responders during the groundbreaking ceremony for a new 911 communications tower in Hialeah Heights on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. Pedro Portal/pportal@miamiherald.com
Eduardo Eddie Santiesteban, a local activist and former city council candidate, said that he and his neighbors have experienced being routed to Miami-Dade Countys 911 operators rather than Hialeahs dispatchers. He is optimistic that the new 911 tower will enhance connectivity and streamline communication between first responders in the area, ultimately improving emergency response efficiency.
READ MORE: Why a bridge divided Hialeah and Miami Lakes and how it finally opened
View of the site where a new 911 communications tower will be erected at the site of Hialeah Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant in Hialeah Heights, on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. Pedro Portal/pportal@miamiherald.com
Following the ceremonial event, Bovo announced that during the budget hearings scheduled for Sept. 12 and Sept. 26, his administration will seek approval to build a new government center in Hialeah Heights. The facility would accommodate a police station, fire department, library and building department, aimed at enhancing service levels and productivity in Hialeah Heights.
The development of a new government facility is estimated to cost approximately $43.5 million and would be completed in several phases. The first phase, environmental remediation, would begin in 2025 with an estimated cost of $8 million. In 2026, the design and planning phase would start, with a projected cost of $3 million. The construction phase is planned for 2027 and 2028, with an estimated annual cost of $16.2 million, according to the proposed operational budget.
In the interim, the area will continue to rely on the fire station trailer, which has a fire engine and a dedicated rescue truck, and has one police officer assigned to the entire region.
Newhouse campaign shocked by opponents news release that they will debate 7 times
U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouses campaign for reelection said Friday they have yet to agree to any debates with Jerrod Sessler, despite a news release from the challenger announcing the debates.
The Tri-City Herald reached out to Newhouses campaign to confirm the dates after receiving the list. But a spokesperson said he was shocked to hear of the dates because they hadnt confirmed anything yet.
We have not agreed to participate in any debates yet and had just begun discussions with the Sessler campaign to identify which ones worked for both of our schedules, campaign manager Robert Bugner said in a statement.
Many of the ones listed in the Sessler press release occur when Congress is in session and Congressman Newhouse will be in D.C. for them, he continued.
The U.S. House reconvenes next week.
In a statement provided after the announcement, Matt Brown, Sesslers campaign manager, said Sessler indeed agreed to participate in all debates with the incumbent, and that they would look forward to further clarification and hope to see all the candidates there.
Congressman Newhouses office provided the list of possible dates, which we agreed to participate in, Brown said. We are excited about these opportunities to speak directly to the voters of the 4th Congressional District and believe that these debates will provide valuable insight into the issues affecting our community.
Sesslers Friday announcement said they had agreed to debate Newhouse at several candidate forums on a relatively tight schedule. The Nov. 5 general election is less than nine weeks away.
The first of the seven debates being planned could take place as soon as Thursday, Sept. 12, and only one in the Tri-Cities. The Herald and KNDU TV have also been working to plan a forum with the two candidates.
In the announcement, Brown also insisted Democratic write-in candidate Cherissa Boyd be included.
Democrat voters were denied a candidate of their choice due to the jungle primary, despite their votes totaling enough to have come in second place ahead of Dan Newhouse, he said.
Boyds campaign manager, Richard Reuther, said in a Saturday email they were willing to debate the two Republicans, but not Sessler alone.
Were being used as a pawn in the 4th CD GOP game, he wrote.
Washingtons 4th Congressional District stretches from the U.S.-Canada border down to the Columbia River, and includes the Tri-Cities, Omak, East Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Yakima and the Yakama Indian Reservation.
It is the states most Republican-leaning congressional district.
Newhouse is a five-term Republican from Sunnyside. Hes being challenged by fellow Republican Sessler over his 2021 vote to impeach former President Donald Trump for fomenting the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.
Sessler came in first during the Aug. 6 primary election, earning 33% of the vote in an eight-person race. He and Newhouse, who came in second with 23%, will appear on the general election ballot.
Earlier this week, Politico reported that a PAC aligned with Newhouse reportedly spent $35,000 on a text messaging campaign in Central Washington to promote Sessler in the primary as a strategy to oust a possibly stronger GOP candidate.
NEWPORT NEWS Marva Sellers Alexander would not have missed Thursday mornings event for anything. She, along with school and city officials, students and members of the Southeast community, celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Huntington Middle School, which will open in two years.
Alexander was a student at the high school when it served Black students during segregation. She later taught there when it became a middle school, and her children and grandchildren attended. Alexander attributes her success to Huntingtons loving teachers. A strong school and a strong school spirit mean a lot to a community, she said.
Pride, dedication, family.
Superintendent Michele Mitchell who was a principal at the school and whose father attended Huntington said a strong sense of school pride is everything for a community, bringing people together to help all children flourish.
In this community, to be able to say you are a Viking that means something, Mitchell said. She is confident the new school will continue the legacy.
The original Huntington opened as a first-of-its-kind for Black students in 1920, with two teachers and 92 students. In 1936, it was relocated to 35th Street and Orcutt Avenue and closed in 2018. The site went through expansions and transformations, becoming an intermediate school after desegregation in 1971 and then a middle school in 1981.
Demolition began last year, though the facade is being preserved to be used as part of the planned Southeast Community Resource Area.
Show Caption1 of 8
Clad in Huntington gear, Dwight Guy, a 1967 alumni of Huntington High School, rests his hand on the shoulder of classmate Rev. James Brown, a 1968 alumni, during a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Huntington Middle School in Newport News on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Kendall Warner / The Virginian-Pilot)
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The new $77 million school will be located a few blocks south at 28th Street. The multistory building will house 600 students and focus on science, technology, engineering, art and math or STEAM. It will feature open, collaborative spaces, learning studios and specially designed science labs.
Planning was, at times, contentious as some community members fought to keep the new school at its old site. But on Thursday, even some who had originally opposed the move came to celebrate the new chapter.
School Board Vice Chair Terri Best, who attended Huntington in the 70s, had initially pushed to keep the school at the old site. But she is now excited about the new location.
This new school will be more than just classrooms, Best said. It will be a place where ideas flourish, dreams take shape and futures are built. It will also be a place for reflection, for remembering the rich Huntington legacy.
Huntington students are currently housed at the Heritage High School campus.
The school is expected to be open for the 2026-27 school year. Mayor Phillip Jones said it will serve as the anchor to the new Southeast Community Resource Area, which will include a library and recreation center.
Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, shown during a news conference in May, cited budget limitations Friday in vetoing a bill that would have helped undocumented immigrants buy homes. (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press)
A controversial bill that would have helped undocumented immigrants in California buy homes was vetoed Friday morning by Gov. Gavin Newsom who cited limitations to the program's existing budget.
Introduced by its lead author, Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), Assembly Bill 1840 would have allowed undocumented immigrants to apply alongside other qualified applicants for the California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loans program. The program offers interest-free loans of up to $150,000 to low-income, first-time home buyers to cover down payments and fees.
The program initially received $300 million in taxpayer funds, which financed nearly 2,200 loans, according to the California Housing Finance Agency, or CalHFA. The Legislature then provided $225 million more, which went to assist about 1,700 additional applicants.
"Given the finite funding available for [the CalHFA] programs, expanding program eligibility must be carefully considered within the broader context of the annual state budget to ensure we manage our resources effectively," Newsom said in his veto message.
At a news conference in Sacramento on Friday, Newsom declined to elaborate on his decision, reiterating that he rejected the proposal based on cost. "The bill that was sent to me was a program that had no money," he said.
Read more: Newsoms budget plan saves vital programs for immigrants, but kids and hungry seniors may suffer
According to CalHFA, no new applications are being accepted for the program currently because all of its funding has been allocated.
As the bill made its way through the state Senate and Assembly last month, lawmakers debated whether undocumented residents, specifically Mexican immigrants, should be eligible for a program that currently has no funds.
Many Republican lawmakers argued the bill would take opportunities away from U.S. citizens or encourage illegal immigration to the state.
In a statement, Arambula expressed disappointment in Newsom's decision, saying he believed the bill was about fairness.
"As I've said before, the bill is not about immigration policies or the housing crisis," he said. "No single bill can solve those issues."
Arambula said the governor's veto doesn't "change the fact that many people, including undocumented immigrants, dream of owning a home so that generational wealth can be passed to their children."
The California Dream for All Shared Appreciation Loans program was launched last year, aimed at helping low- and middle-income buyers create generational wealth.
It offered qualified buyers a loan worth up to 20% of the purchase price of a house or condominium, capped at $150,000. These loans dont accrue interest or require monthly payments.
Instead, when the mortgage is refinanced or the house is sold again, the borrower pays back the original the loan, plus 20% of the increase in the homes value since the borrower purchased it.
Read more: Gov. Newsom signs budget to close California's $46.8-billion budget deficit
AB 1840 would have expanded eligibility to include undocumented individuals, but they would be required to provide a taxpayer identification number or a Social Security number when applying for a loan. The IRS issues taxpayer identification numbers regardless of immigration status because nonresidents may also need to file tax returns.
Arambula previously told The Times that the existing programs eligibility requirements were ambiguous about allowing undocumented individuals to apply, despite the fact that theyre qualified under existing criteria, such as having a qualified mortgage.
Without the explicit inclusion, undocumented individuals may be discouraged or left out of the opportunity to participate, Arambula said.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The Sopranos stars Lorraine Bracco and Steve Buscemi along with Alyssa Milano, Robert De Niro and more are coming together to give Vice President Harriss White House run an Italian-flavored boost.
Organizers describe Sundays Paisans for Kamala as an unique virtual dinner event to support the presidential bid that will bring together celebrities and political leaders to discuss the importance of the 2024 election while sharing family recipes and cultural traditions.
Were going to share a collective experience of who we want to vote for and why and Im good with that. I think its great, Bracco told ITK in an interview ahead of the Paisans Italian slang for friends event.
Other prominent Italian American figures expected at the virtual meetup include Marisa Tomei, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), John Turturro, former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Broadway star Patti LuPone, Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Anthony Scaramucci, The Walking Dead actor Melissa Ponzio, former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), comedian Paul Mecurio, Jim Messina and Lisa Ann Walter.
The event is one of several fundraisers that have been organized by different demographic groups supporting Harriss run. A Win With Black Women call attracted 40,000 participants, while an effort dubbed White Dudes for Harris raised more than $4 million in July.
De Blasio said in a statement, Italian Americans have always been at the forefront of standing up for justice and equality, and that the Zoom gathering would support Harris in typical Italian style around a big family dinner table.
Bracco voiced her support for President Biden and said she wouldve voted for him if he was on a stretcher, before he exited the White House race in July. But the Academy Award-nominated performer praised Harris, saying, I love shes young. I love shes a woman. I love shes a prosecutor.
I dont want to say the shiny penny, but we need something new. We need a fing change, the Goodfellas actor said.
Asked if there will be a certain feeling of camaraderie among Italian Americans joining forces to support Harris and vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Bracco replied with a big laugh, Were all loud and we like to eat.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
No drone zone? Where they can and can't fly after one disrupted a Detroit concert
A drone flying overhead Comerica Park interrupted a Green Day concert on Wednesday, causing the band to suddenly leave the stage.
The band returned about 10 minutes later, resuming the performance. Detroit police said on Wednesday that an individual flying a drone into the stadium was detained, pending further investigation. Drones are not unusual during big concerts, but the incident raises questions around how and when they are allowed.
Here's what to know about the federal rules surrounding drones:
What is a drone?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) refers to drones as "small unmanned aircraft systems," or UAS. Drones may be used for a variety of reasons, including aerial photography by news agencies, by law enforcement or an individual. The FAA has registered more than 780,000 drones, according to its website.
What is the process for lawfully operating a drone?
Generally, drones must be registered with the FAA. Registration costs $5 per drone and is valid for three years. In order to register, the applicant must be at least 13 years old and a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, according to the agency. Typically, drone operators must have their registration certificate on hand when they fly. If they don't, they could be subject to criminal penalties.
More: Feds take over Green Day drone investigation in Detroit: What happened at Comerica Park?
More: Green Day's Detroit show interrupted by overhead drone; police detain suspected operator
What are the rules for flying a drone?
There are two sets of requirements, one for recreational flyers who use a drone for personal enjoyment and educational purposes, and another for certified remote pilots, operators who fly for commercial, government or other reasons, according to the FAA. This falls under what's known as "Part 107" rules.
Generally, recreational drone operators must keep the drone within visual line of sight, they must not interfere with other aircraft, pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test, carry proof of registration and not fly their device in a way that "endangers the safety of the national airspace system," according to the FAA. For more information, go to www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers.
There are specific requirements the FAA has when it comes to drones flying over people. Operators cannot fly in a "careless or reckless manner" that could harm life or property.
Certified drone pilots should become familiar with the rules under Part 107, be at least 16 years old and become an FAA-certified drone pilot by passing a knowledge test and registering the drone. The default rule set for drones weighing below 55 pounds is Part 107, the agency says. For more information, go to www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators.
Operators who "endanger other aircraft or people on the ground can face fines that exceed $30,000" and the agency can suspend or revoke their pilot certificate, according to the FAA.
Where are drones permitted to fly?
Drones can fly in "controlled and uncontrolled airspace," according to the FAA, but there are rules and restrictions. Here is a list of places drone operators should avoid:
The agency's B4UFLY service shows where recreational operators can fly. Visit www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/b4ufly. Operators should also watch for "No Drone Zone" signs to determine if they can take off or land their drone in that area.
For more information about the FAA's rules around drones, go to www.faa.gov/uas.
Free Press staff writers Brian McCollum and Andrea May Sahouri contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What are the rules for using a drone?
Theres no one like me in the Senate: Union leader Dan Osborn looks for a Nebraska upset
The Scene
No Democrat is running for U.S. Senate in Nebraska this year. The party has instead cleared a path for Dan Osborn, a mechanic who helped lead a 77-day strike for a new Kelloggs worker contract, and then challenged Sen. Deb Fischer as an independent.
Less than 2% of our elected officials in both the House and Senate come from the working class, Osborn told Americana.
Hes raised more than $1.6 million for his race, but is counting on in-person campaigning to draw a contrast with Fischer and convince Nebraskans who usually voted Republican to seek him out.
Republicans definitely have the rural vote wrapped up, Osborn said. Theyre just just better at getting their messaging out there, owning the radio stations, the newspapers. And Democrats havent competed like they should have.
Public polling has found Osborn running ahead of the Democrats, and close to Fischer. He talked with Americana about how hed built the campaign, and why he thought he could break through in a state thats voted Republican for president for 60 years.
Q&A
Americana: Why are you running as an independent?
Dan Osborn: I became an independent in 2016; really, after the Trump/Hillary debates. I just kind of became disenfranchised with the two parties, and it all seemed a little fake to me.
I hadnt been a very political person until corporate greed came knocking on my door a few years ago, when I was president of my local union, and we went out on strike, at a time where the company was making record profits. The CEO gave himself a huge raise. The board enriched themselves. The stockholders enriched themselves, and they tried to take from their workers. I ran the strike here in Omaha for 77 days, and it just really opened my eyes to how much corporations actually run our politics. We dont get a fair shake, because theres no one like me in the Senate.
Americana: How have you seen that play out with Sen. Fischer; what are the decisions shes made that reflect corporate capture?
Dan Osborn: Definitely the watering down of the Rail Safety Act. She takes a lot of money from the railroads, and she actually allowed railroads to police their own safety. They actually have some amount of deaths factored in as acceptable in their safety programs, and to me thats unacceptable. And she takes a lot of money from the big four meat packers here. I think thats where her stance on the border comes from, as far as voting down border bills. I truly think she wants an open border and influx of undocumented labor that these packers can exploit, continuing to enrich themselves and pay off Fischer.
Americana: So you would have supported this years border bill?
Dan Osborn: I support the fact that it was going to supply 1500 more border agents to help stop the influx of sex trafficking, human trafficking, and fentanyl.
Americana: What would you want to do about people in the country illegally?
Dan Osborn: We need some meaningful immigration reform. These people are our friends. Theyre our neighbors. A lot of them have been here 30 years or more, and I think its time they get into Social Security already. Theres 80,000 open jobs in Nebraska that we cant fill, that we can certainly use immigrant labor for. We need more immigration lawyers and judges, and we have to streamline the process, but at the same time, we do have to vet people. We dont want to just allow willy-nilly people through that could be dangerous.
Americana: On abortion, youve said that you dont see a federal role. The vice president has said that if Congress passed a bill restoring the Roe protections, shed sign it. Would you oppose it?
Dan Osborn: Thats something to think about. I, you know, I do feel like this falls under protecting individual freedoms. Im always going to default back to that. But I do believe that the framers of the Constitution set the federal government up to take care of the big stuff; the economy, foreign affairs. A government thats into dictating morality to its people can be dangerous. But its tricky. [Osborns campaign said after the interview that he would support legislation like this, seeing abortion rights as an area where government shouldnt interfere.]
Americana: I want to step back a bit, to your decision not to run with a party. Why did you fully reject the Democratic Partys support?
Dan Osborn: I was talking to everybody. I was talking to the Libertarians. I was talking to some retired Republican senators. My hope was to create a big coalition and have an endorsement announcement saying, look, theres something for everyone in this campaign. But the timeline didnt line up. The Democrats wanted to endorse by May 18, and for the Libertarians, it was June 20 or something. So I made a decision that if I couldnt have them all, I didnt really want any of them. I wanted to be a true independent. It did make some folks mad. It sure did. But I needed to be true to myself.
Americana: If you get to the Senate, thered be a negotiation about forming a majority; would you caucus with either party?
Dan Osborn: Ive been giving that a lot of thought. I certainly am interested in challenging the system. Im an independent; Im not going to be a member of either party in the Senate. Everybody is going to try to influence how I vote, but Im not going to join a party. Thats the way the Founding Fathers set this all up.
Americana: Ten years ago, I was covering an independent candidate in Kansas who hoped to win and form a bloc of independents who could lend their votes depending on the issue. Is that what youre thinking?
Dan Osborn: The ramifications of an independent mechanic getting elected to the U.S. Senate in the red state of Nebraska I think it could be huge. You start there. Were creating the blueprint, the framework, to help other people with this perspective get elected in other states. Ive got to win first, but if I do that, yes, we could certainly help other people who are like-minded, who just want to fix this broken Washington, and we do that with campaign finance reform, trying to end Citizens United, getting corporations out of our politics.
Ramit Sethi
When it comes to building wealth, are you still counting pennies and skipping your morning latte? Well, personal finance guru Ramit Sethi thinks you might be barking up the wrong money tree.
Read Next: Im a Self-Made Millionaire: 6 Steps I Took To Become Rich on an Average Salary
Try This: 7 Reasons a Financial Advisor Can Grow Your Wealth in 2024
The author of I Will Teach You to Be Rich and star of Netflixs How to Get Rich has a different take on how to grow your wealth and it doesnt involve giving up your daily caffeine fix. Heres why Sethi says focusing on Big Wins is the real key to financial success.
Earning passive income doesn't need to be difficult. You can start this week.
The Latte Factor? More Like the Latte Fallacy
Weve all heard the advice: cut out small expenses like your daily coffee and watch your savings grow. But Sethis not buying it. In a recent newsletter, he pointed out the flaw in this thinking:
If you were to cut out that morning coffee expense, at the end of the month youd find yourself deprived of that daily joy, battling a severe caffeine withdrawal headache and staring at a bank account balance that looks almost exactly the same as it wouldve anyway!
When you put it that way, saving a few bucks a day doesnt sound so appealing, does it?
So, What Are These Big Wins?
Instead of nickel-and-diming yourself, Sethi advocates for focusing on what he calls Big Wins. These are financial moves that can have a massive impact on your wealth over time.
Specifically, Big Wins can include:
Negotiating a higher salary
Finding a job you love (and that pays well)
Automating your finances
Making smart investments
And the beauty of Big Wins? You do the work up front and get rewarded for the rest of your life, Sethi wrote.
Discover More: I Followed Mark Cubans Genius Advice and Am on Track To Become a Millionaire
The Million-Dollar Negotiation
Lets break down one of Sethis favorite examples: salary negotiation. According to him, one $5,000 salary negotiation in your 20s can be worth over $1 million over your lifetime.
A million bucks from one conversation? Well, heres how the math might shake out: Lets say youre 25 and negotiate a $5,000 raise. If you invest that extra $5,000 each year (assuming a 7% annual return), by the time youre 65, youd have about $1,035,000. And thats not even accounting for future raises based on that higher salary.
Now, how many lattes would you need to skip to save a million dollars? (Spoiler: Its a lot.)
Why Dont More People Focus on Big Wins?
So if Big Wins are so well, big, why isnt everyone doing this?
Story continues
Sethi explained his theory, For most people, the answer is nowhere, he said. They spend their lives never addressing their stress about money, not enjoying a Rich Life and always thinking about the next stack of bills on the counter waiting to be paid.
In other words, were so caught up in the day-to-day money stress that we miss the forest for the trees. Or in this case, the mansion for the lattes.
Learning To Spend Money (Yes, Really)
Heres where Sethi really flips the script on traditional financial advice. He doesnt just want you to save he wants you to learn how to spend money.
Think about it: How often do you see advice on how to spend money wisely? As Sethi points out, we rarely learn the following:
When it makes sense to buy something just because you want it
How much you can safely spend each month
What other people in your situation are spending their money on
Without this knowledge, we end up in a cycle of guilt and anxiety around spending, never fully enjoying our hard-earned cash.
Putting It All Together: The Rich Life
This all adds up to what Sethi calls the Rich Life. Its not a complicated idea, but for many its revolutionary.
Living a rich life isnt about saving money from a place of constant financial stress; its about making smart financial moves that give you the freedom to spend on what truly matters to you.
And theres no judgment on what it is that matters to you it might mean you want to fly business class or it might mean that you want to buy the latest e-bike. Its personal.
When you focus on Big Wins, you create the financial breathing room to enjoy life now, and not just in some far-off retirement. Sethi said this is whats valuable and important with or without lattes.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Ramit Sethi: Why Its the Big Wins That Matter in Building Wealth
JIM WATSON/Getty Images
In a single week, former President Donald Trump espoused not once but twice the false claim that Democrats seeking to protect abortion rights allow for infants to be killed after they are born.
Back in July, Trump also falsely accused Vice President Kamala Harris of supporting the execution of babies. Trump, speaking in North Carolina during his first campaign rally after Harris became the likely Democratic presidential nominee, said, She wants abortions in the eighth and ninth month of pregnancy, thats fine with her, right up until birth, and even after birth the execution of a baby.
Harris has never said anything to endorse even anything remotely close to this notion. Post-birth termination of a baby is infanticide, which is illegal everywhere in the country. Trump has frequently claimed that some Democratic states allow such post-birth executions. That is categorically false as well.
In an interview with Fox News last week, when pressed about whether he would support Floridas Amendment 4, a ballot measure that could enshrine a right to abortion in the states Constitution, and repeal the states six-week ban, Trump said, You know, some of the states, like Minnesota and other states, have it where you can actually execute the baby after birth. And all of that stuff is unacceptable.
On a campaign stop in Michigan that same week, Trump repeated the lie, saying, In six states, youre allowed to kill the baby after the baby is born. And, you know, one of those states is Minnesota. Except no U.S. state, territory or commonwealth (of course, including Minnesota), allows for infanticide, or the killing of babies.
Nine states and the District of Columbia do not restrict abortion based on gestational duration, but according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only about 1% of all abortions performed in the U.S. are performed at or after 21 weeks of gestation. According to previous Teen Vogue reports, a person might obtain an abortion later in pregnancy, in the second or third trimester, for a number of reasons, including but not limited to: health and mortality risks for the pregnant person, a diagnosis of a fetal malformation or a genetic abnormality, barriers to accessing an abortion earlier, difficulty (or simply not knowing how to) track irregular periods.
Three years before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Trump seemingly first raised the demonstrably false concept of post-birth abortion during his 2019 State of the Union address, calling out then-Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who he claimed stated he would execute a baby after birth. Northam never indicated that an abortion could be performed after birth.
In a 2023 interview, Trump also falsely claimed, You have New York state and other places that passed legislation where youre allowed to kill the baby after birth. This is not true, and no legislation of this kind has ever been passed or even introduced in the U.S.
In the wake of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe, protecting abortion rights has become a deciding issue for many Americans. According to New York Times and Siena College polling last month, an increasing share of swing state voters, particularly women, say that abortion is their top decision-making issue in the election this fall.
Trump has repeatedly changed his position on the issue, despite taking credit for both appointing Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe and ultimately for the overturning of the decision generally. His shifting stance may reflect fears that the backlash to abortion restrictions may drive voters to the polls, which might explain his puzzling return to repeating the false claim about post-birth abortion (killing of a baby after birth), in recent days.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
The Kansas Hospital Association honored the health care contributions of Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick; Dennis Franks, CEO of Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute; and Wichita State University president Richard Muma, who has a lead role in development of the Wichita Biomedical Campus. (Thad Allton/Kansas Reflector)
The Kansas Hospital Association honored the health care contributions of Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick; Dennis Franks, CEO of Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute; and Wichita State University president Richard Muma, who has a lead role in development of the Wichita Biomedical Campus. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)
OVERLAND PARK The Kansas Hospital Association honored Wichita State University president Richard Mumas leadership in developing the $300 million biomedical campus in the heart of downtown Wichita to blend all of the WSU health education programs with the University of Kansas-Wichitas medical and pharmacy schools.
Health care students and faculty from both universities and WSU Tech will share the Wichita Biomedical Campus anchored by an eight-story structure with classrooms, workspaces, laboratories, simulation rooms and other facilities for hands-on training. The first phase of the four-block project is expected to be operational in spring 2027.
Muma, who was appointed president of WSU in 2021, was presented the Donald Wilson Visionary Award by the KHA. Wilsons was KHAs president from 1982 until retiring in 2004.
I see the Wichita Biomedical Campus as a very visionary project to help move health care forward in a part of the state where we really havent had a lot of focus, Muma said. What were trying to do is create a seamless pipeline from high school all the way to postgraduate medical education.
He said a model for the health education project was the Innovation Campus on WSUs main campus. In the past decade, approximately 50 companies have located within the unusual campus to conduct research and development, employ students, build the states workforce and create jobs.
KHA also recognized state Sen. Carolyn McGinn, a Republican from the community of Sedgwick, who chose not to seek reelection in 2024. She has been in the Senate for 20 years and was instrumental in establishing a behavioral health hospital in southwest Wichita to supplement the Larned and Osawatomie state hospitals.
The new state hospital, currently under construction, will provide 100 psychiatric beds for Kansans desperate for access to humane, dignified care and caring closer to home.
In addition, McGinn supported expansion of telehealth in the state, created harsher penalties for perpetrators of assaults on health care staff and brought about more transparency in billing practices of nurse staffing agencies.
Dennis Franks, CEO of Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute, was presented the Charles Billings Award for distinguished service to the field of health care in Kansas. He has led the Neosho medical center since 2006, and has worked in health care for 43 years.
Whether on the local, state or federal level, he has educated and informed policy makers and leaders on important issues such as expanding access to health care and new models of health care delivery, said Chad Austin, KHA president and CEO.
KHA is a voluntary, nonprofit organization serving as the leading advocate and resource for 237 member facilities, of which 121 operate as full-service, community hospitals.
Homes and rubble remain interspersed between trees burned in the South Fork fires on Aug. 20, 2024. (Photo by Danielle Prokop / Source NM)
A new wildfire risk forecast says New Mexico and most of the Southwest will not have above-average wildfire risk through December, though global weather patterns still add some uncertainty.
The September outlook from the National Interagency Fire Center no longer predicts that northwest and central New Mexico will see above-normal wildfire risk through October, which would have meant a much later end to the wildfire season than is typical here. The wildfire season in New Mexico typically ends when monsoons arrive.
Early monsoon rains fell across much of the state in mid-June, which aided firefighters efforts to contain the most destructive wildfires in New Mexico this year. The South Fork and Salt fires in the Ruidoso area burned about 25,000 acres and destroyed more than 1,100 homes.
Still, how hot and dry New Mexico will be this season hinges on sea temperatures near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, according to the outlook.
Forecasters expect El Nino to transition to La Nina in the fall.This typically means drier conditions for New Mexico, but that shift has happened slowly.
According to the outlook, the longer the climate pattern stays neutral, not falling into either El Nino or La Nina, the weather will be more unpredictable.
The possible emergence of a La Nina will be monitored as that could strongly impact the fall weather and climate for the Southwest Area, the outlook says.
So far in New Mexico this year, 712 wildfires have been detected. In total, those fires have burned more than 87,000 acres. Of them, 315 were human-caused, 319 were lightning-caused, and 78 more are unknown, according to the Southwest Coordination Center.
According to the center, two wildfires are currently burning in the state, both in the Gila National Forest. The Cooper Fire burned about 160 acres and was first reported Aug. 27; the Ridge Fire has burned about 4,300 acres and was first reported July 2. Both are 95% contained.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Norman Police says officers are investigating an incident in the 1000 block of W Brooks following a request for a welfare check at approximately 3:00 p.m.
This is near Brooks and Pickard.
Brooks Street is closed, drivers should find an alternative route.
Image of Norman Police car
Image of Norman Police vehicle
Image of Norman Police car
Authorities say, there is no threat to public safety.
No further information has been released.
This story is developing, refresh often for updates
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
HONOLULU (KHON2) The Department of Health confirmed norovirus as the illness that affected dozens of hikers in Kalalau.
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The lab results for four patients were tested and all returned positive for the virus.
The Kalalau section of the Napali Coast was closed Wednesday and will remain closed for seven days.
One camper told KHON2 of the unsanitary conditions due to the amount of people who were sick.
Dozens of campers fall ill to suspected norovirus, Kalalau Valley closed
There is human waste all over the area right now, which is definitely contributing to the spread of whatever we got, said Jeff Gaughan.
With the nearest restrooms being closed to the public, campers said available restrooms were about a quarter mile down the beach.
A mystery illness is spreading in dogs. Can your cat catch it, too?
The virus could have been just lingering around in the sand and the dirt, on the trees, on the rocks, on the tables that were there. The entire campsite is probably infested with it, Gaughan told KHON2.
Retching and heaving and vomiting can can cause some of these viral particles to aerosolize, stated Dr. Buenconsejo-Lum. It can go airborne a little bit.
Environmental sampling is being conducted by DOH at the campgrounds and surrounding areas.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Public Service Commission Chair Randy Christmann, right, asks questions April 22, 2024, during a public hearing on the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. At left is Commissioner Sheri Haugen-Hoffart. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
The North Dakota Public Service Commission has scheduled a work session for 1:30 p.m. Monday to discuss the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline.
The session in the Pioneer Room of the Capitol is open to the public but will not include an opportunity for public comment. Commissioners will discuss the project with staff and legal counsel, but they are not expected to make a decision on the permit application.
The three-member commission denied a permit for the proposed pipeline last year. The commission held another series of public meetings this spring after Summit revised its permit application.
Summit has made changes to the pipeline route in North Dakota, moving farther away from Bismarck in response to landowners concerns. The company also made changes to avoid landslide and wildlife areas. The project continued to draw strong opposition from some landowners during the most recent public hearings.
PSC chair Randy Christmann said he anticipates the commission will need more than one work session to discuss the project before members can consider taking a vote.
I really want to have a thorough discussion of everything, he said.
The $8 billion project would capture carbon emissions from 57 ethanol plants in five states. The CO2 would be piped to an underground storage area northwest of Bismarck.
A livestream of the work session also will be available.
Meanwhile, a public comment period for a small section of pipeline proposed for western Minnesota continues through Sept. 11.
This was updated to add comment from Randy Christmann.
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This North Jersey nature preserve turns 50, and its Friends are throwing a party
While during the summer of 1974 the rest of America was distracted by Watergate and the demise of Richard Nixon's presidency, a momentous event was quietly happening in Montclair.
In July of that summer, activists were celebrating the conservation of a 21-acre sliver of near-wilderness along a stretch of Montclair's Third River, formerly dedicating it as the Alonzo F. Bonsal Preserve. (Bonsal's widow, Jennie, donated $40,000 toward the purchase of the property.)
Now just over 50 years later, the conservators of the wilderness and wildlife refuge are ready to celebrate.
A fete, to be held Sept. 8 at the Preserve, is meant to be part victory lap and part fundraiser. The latter is to keep moving forward the small but persistent efforts by the compact conservancy group to continue restoring the park, which straddles the stream and and the boundaries of Clifton and Montclair.
The hope is to showcase the conservation efforts of the Friends of Alonzo F. Bonsal Preserve, said Friends member Jonathan Grupper.
More: Route 46 is a 2-hour long drive, and each mile is steeped in NJ history. How it came to be
Over the last 50 years the preserve has worked to make the 30-acre site (the other 9 acres belong to the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission) both a haven for area wildlife and oasis to those living nearby.
"It's a well-kept secret that we want to brag about," Grupper said.
In his 20-year relationship with the preserve, Grupper has seen wildlife come and go. Gone are the muskrats but returned are red foxes, owls, deer, the occasional bear and even a cameo from a bald eagle.
Challenges remain, including an ongoing effort to remove invasive species such as Japanese knot weed and mugwort. Monies raised go toward to the removal of these alien species and for the planting of trees and other plants in their place.
The event is also meant to thank the public officials from Clifton and Montclair who recently completed the last restoration phase of a $5 million project to rescue the Preserve from being largely leveled.
A big win for the Friends began six years ago, when Clifton recognized that it needed to replace its antiquated sewer system running through Bonsal.
WIth the encouragement of Montclair, Clifton undertook "a wildly ambitious engineering feat" to move its sewer lines to along the edge of Bonsals boundary, running underground, but pitched gradually downhill to allow gravity-induced flow, Friends members said.
Clifton also donated almost 300 native trees and bushes as a new canopy for the preserve lands. Clifton's good work provided the opportunity to reclaim stretches of the Preserve that were either being usurped or squandered, Grupper said.
It has reinvigorated community enthusiasm in the Preserve, which is now enjoying a groundswell of activity. he said.
"We have momentum and we want to keep that going," Grupper said.
Celebrants are expected to gather around 4 p.m. at the Daniels Drive entrance to the Preserve. In case of rain, the rain date is Sept. 15.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bonsal preserve in Montclair NJ: Celebrating 50 years
OXFORD, Miss. (WJTV) A Plantersville woman was sentenced to more than two years in prison for submitting a fraudulent unemployment benefits application to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) in the name of a relative who was incarcerated in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Five Mississippi men cited for alligator hunting violations in Louisiana
According to court documents, Misty Burgess, 49, received more than $15,000 of unemployment benefits that she was not entitled to as a result of her fraudulent unemployment claims. Burgess, who was originally charged with theft of government property and wire fraud, pled guilty to theft of government property on May 16, 2024.
On Thursday, a judge sentenced Burgess to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $15,604.00 to the State of Mississippi. The unemployment benefits fraudulently received by Burgess were a part of those benefits issued under the CARES Act from the State of Mississippi and the federal government as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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When I was 10 years old in 1965, my mothers first cousin Pat, a white suburban woman, led her friends, her children and me - all dressed in our Sunday best - on a field trip to downtown Chicago.
We attended a civil rights demonstration to picket the Chicago Real Estate Board to protest their practice of redlining. Redlining was the process of drawing a line on a map to delineate where Black people could and could not live by limiting where banks would lend money for mortgages. It was de facto segregation not in the South, but in the urban North. And it was wrong.
That day I learned about the power of protest of citizens coming together to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the status quo. Of people gathering peacefully singing, chanting and holding hands with their heads held high in solidarity with each other. And everyone sharing a goal to effect positive change in our society, with a vision of freedom, equality and justice for all.
Over the years, I have attended many protests and rallies for civil rights, against the war in Vietnam, for womens rights and for LGBTQ+ rights. In 1994, it was my privilege to be elected to the Miami-Dade County Commission, where I graduated from being a protester to being a policymaker.
In 1998, I was honored to sponsor the human rights ordinance, which outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation. The memory of the eloquent speakers who attended the commission hearing to fight for their full rights as citizens, and to advocate for their sisters and brothers, will always inspire me.
Today there is another urgent reason to demonstrate and protest. It affects all of us and its a nonpartisan issue. Florida currently has a 6-week abortion ban a cruel law that blocks women from making their own decisions about whether and when to have children.
Not only does it prevent women from exercising their right to self-determination, but it can also threaten their health or even their lives if their pregnancies involve fetal abnormalities or conditions that are not compatible with sustaining a viable pregnancy.
Even if they fervently want to bear children. Fortunately, there is a remedy, and its on the ballot in November. Voting yes on Amendment 4 will enshrine in the Florida Constitution the right of the patient to secure an abortion prior to viability or when necessary to protect the patients health, as determined by the healthcare provider. Simply, it will give us back our freedom.
Next Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Bayfront Park Amphitheatre in downtown Miami, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be a rally entitled Our Bodies, Our Lives, to advocate for reproductive freedom and the passage of Amendment 4. The event is sponsored by the Florida Womens Freedom Coalition, along with many other organizations www.ourbodiesourlives.com. And the list is growing.
And to celebrate the elected officials and allies who stand up for the rights of all people to determine whats best for them and their families.
Participants are encouraged to take public transit, to wear white to honor the suffragists, our first womens rights advocates and to bring signs, American flags, rain gear if necessary, and water.
In solidarity, we will sing, chant, listen to music, and listen to inspiring words from our leaders, including Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, and commentator Ana Navarro - and maybe even dance.
Almost 60 years ago, I attended a demonstration to protest the practice of redlining.
Today, we seek to impose a red line - around our uteruses. And we want to let the government know, in no uncertain terms, that they have no right to cross it. Our bodies belong to us.
I hope many citizens will join us at the rally to make our voices heard and to tell those in power, we will not go back.
Katy Sorenson served on the Miami-Dade Commission for 16 years.
Two Donald Trump staffers who were involved in a physical altercation with an official at Arlington National Cemetery have now been identified, NPR reported.
According to NPR, the two men are Michel Picard, a member of Trump's advance team, and Justin Caporale, Trump's deputy campaign manager. The two verbally abused an employee who tried to prevent them from filming campaign material in Section 60 of the military cemetery, the resting place for many U.S. soldiers who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Caporale previously served as an aide to Melania Trump, NPR reported, and also worked for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In a statement last week, the U.S. Army said the employee, a woman, was later shoved aside when she tried to enforce the rule against using the grave sites for partisan political purposes.
The Trump campaign had been informed of the rules beforehand. Federal law also prohibits campaigning at Arlington National Cemetery.
Despite the prohibition, the Trump campaign definitely took photos. Indeed, it posted a campaign ad on TikTok using footage from the restricted area of the cemetery.
As the U.S. Army noted in its statement last week: "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."
By Nivedita Balu
TORONTO (Reuters) -Royal Bank of Canada is betting on alternative investments and emerging markets debt and equity to boost its U.S. global asset management business, said new CEO Donald Sanya, who aims to ramp up hiring.
Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Sanya took charge in August and leads a team of 225 employees in the United States.
The U.S. global asset management team has added about 75 employees since 2020, and more will be hired, Sanya said, without specifying how many.
Growth in the United States can come from emerging markets where RBC manages assets worth $35 billion, fixed income through RBC's Blue Bay fixed income platform with over $100 billion in assets, and alternative investments, Sanya said.
"We really believe that this is an area that will continue to drive a lot of growth for us," he said in an interview.
Emerging market economies are expected to outpace developed market economies, he said, due to favorable demographic trends, increased domestic consumption and other long-term secular trends, making them an attractive option for investors.
Sanya said the bank sees attractive opportunities in private lending in emerging markets, a rapidly growing asset class, as investors seek to diversify by making loans to corporations.
"The increase in volatility in the marketplace, as well as the rate uncertainty, has caused opportunities to invest in fixed income and generate superior returns for clients," Sanya said, noting the demand for platforms to manage wealth as the aging population rises.
RBC's asset management unit manages about $470 billion in assets globally. Its wealth management business accounts for about 15% of its overall earnings.
(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto; Editing by Richard Chang and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Number of people injured in Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast rises to 64, 1 person injured in Nikopol photo
The number of people injured in a missile attack on the city of Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast has increased to 64, and one person has been injured in the city of Nikopol.
Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration
Quote: "A hard day for Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The number of people injured in the city of Pavlohrad has risen to 64. 37 people received psychological treatment.
A civilian was also injured in Nikopol. This is a 49-year-old man. The infrastructure of the city has been damaged. Two local houses were damaged and one caught fire. Two trade pavilions and an outbuilding were damaged."
Photo: Lysak on Telegram
Details: The Russians also attacked Marhanets and Myrove hromadas [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.]. A private house and outbuildings were ablaze. Fires broke out on two porches and destroyed a car. In Pokrovsk hromada a bird farm was damaged.
In total, the Russians struck the Nikopol district over 15 times.
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HONOLULU (KHON2) Nurses at Kapiolani Medical Center still intend to strike on Friday after another unsuccessful day at the bargaining table with hospital administration.
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The union that represents the nurses said the hospitals threat to lock them out is reckless and illegal.
I would say there was probably no progress. We just kept going over the same issues that weve been going over and theyre refusing to budge, Kapiolanis chief steward, Paulette Vasu, RN told KHON2.
After almost a year of negotiations HNA, who represents roughly 600 nurses at the hospital, and Kapiolani officials have been unable to come to an agreement.
Nurses walked off the job for a week in January and announced their intent to strike again for one day, Sept. 13, claiming unfair labor practices.
Accept offer or be locked out: Kapiolani to nurses
The problem is we write out unsafe staffing forms and then we get pulled into managements office and we feel like were being harassed and we feel like we should be able to put these out because its for patient safety, Vasu said.
Kapiolani administration gave the union an ultimatum on Wednesdaytake their deal or they will not be allowed back to work.
The lockout would begin when HNA strike ends, said COO Gidget Ruscetta in a news conference.
The union condemns the plan to lockout nurses and call it reckless and illegal.
The nurses were very upset after receiving the news that we were going to be locked out yesterday. So theyre very angry and weve tried to talk to them about different things that we want but they wont budge on certain issues, Vasu continued.
A railway union strike in Sri Lanka leaves tens of thousands of commuters stranded
According to the National Labor Relations Board, employees who strike to protest an unfair labor practice committed by their employer are called unfair labor practice strikers. Such strikers can be neither discharged nor permanently replaced. When the strike ends, unfair labor strikers, absent serious misconduct on their part, are entitled to have their jobs back even if employees hired to do their work have to be discharged.
In a statement, Ruscetta said, We are confident in our legal position. The lockout is to encourage the nurses union to accept our fair and generous offer so we can move forward. Negotiations are ongoing and we remain committed to reaching an agreement for the benefit of our nurses.
The nurses union called on Gov. Green to intervene.
The hospital will bring in temporary nurses and said they are prepared to keep them for as long as it takes the nurses to accept their offer.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) Every birthday is special, and you can help a Warren man celebrate his 100th birthday next week.
Tom Brogdon has lived in Warren for a century. Hes a Marine veteran and a retired electrical engineer. Brogdon was even part of the Apollo program that worked on the lunar module that landed astronauts on the moon and returned them to the orbiter, which brought them home.
He was also recognized in 1998 by the Trumbull County African American Achievers Association.
Brogdon lives at the Gillette Nursing Home, which wants to make his birthday special with the collection of cards.
I think hes going to be very surprised, said Angie Stulgis, community liaison. When weve asked him what he would like for his birthday, he tells us nothing. He just cant believe that hes made it to 100. So I think that hes going to be very surprised.
Tom Brogdon is also getting a special proclamation from the Warren mayor and Trumbull County Commissioners.
You can drop off or mail a card to make his 100th birthday special to Gillette Nursing Home at 3310 Elm Road, Northeast. Warren, OH 44483.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
NY Gov. Kathy Hochul doubles down on opposition to fracking even after Kamala Harris said she backs it
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday insisted were not fracking in New York to boost the energy supply despite Vice President Kamala Harris saying she now favors such drilling for natural gas.
Were not fracking, were not burning coal. Were not going backwards, the Democratic governor said during a future energy economy summit in Syracuse.
It came after Harris, her partys nominee for the White House, said during her recent CNN interview that she would not ban fracking if elected president a major reversal from her position during her first run for the Oval Office in 2020.
Gov. Kathy Hochul speaking at he Future Energy Economy Summit in Syracuse on Sept. 5, 2024. Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
As vice president I did not ban fracking. As president I will not ban fracking, Harris said in her first interview after replacing President Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.
Fracking is a jobs producer and popular in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state for the White House.
But Hochul made it abundantly clear she doesnt want to frack, baby frack along New Yorks gas rich southern tier of the Marcellus Shale formation that borders Pennsylvania.
During the tail end of her speech, Hochul said, Im so excited about the all above approach except for the fracking and coal.
Hochul confirmed during her speech that she wont support fracking in New York state. Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
Hochuls comments come after Democratic nominee Vice President Harris said she would not support banning fracking if elected. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Instead, she trumpeted carbon-free power generated by offshore wind, solar, geothermal or other types of energy.
Some of her energy officials also talked up nuclear power during the summit.
Fracking is the drilling procedure injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rock to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas.
Hochul said at the summit that New York is not going backwards with fracking or burning coal. Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
Range Resources Folly Hollow Farm Unit natural gas well pad in Washington, Pennsylvania on July 30, 2024. Justin Merriman/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A report by the Manhattan Institute think tank a decade ago estimated that 15,000 to 18,000 jobs could be created in the Southern Tier and Western New York if fracking were permitted, generating up to $11.4 billion in economic output and $1.4 billion in state and local tax revenue.
After years of study and controversy, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo banned fracking in 2014 after a health department study cited public health risks because of the potential to contaminated groundwater.
Theres little support in the Democratic-run legislature to revisit the issue.
Fracking generated intense opposition from the environmental left and celebrities including Yoko and Sean Ono and actor Mark Ruffalo.
Vintners from New Yorks growing wine industry in the nearby Finger Lakes region also opposed fracking.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) As the 2024-2025 school year kicked off, public schools across New York City welcomed students back to the classroom.
The excitement was palpable at P.S. 257 John Hylan School in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where parents like Martha Galarza arrived to pick up their children.
More Local News
Galarza, reuniting with her fifth-grade son Jared, described the schools welcoming atmosphere.
Its always like a high five. How you doing? You know, its like you didnt see each other all summer, but it was like he didnt skip a beat when we come back, she said.
Her sons enthusiasm was evident. He was ready to come. Hes always ready to come here. Its always like a party for him, Galarza explained.
Jared himself shared his positive experience, saying, School is really good, the school has already helped me with my confidence but it boosted my mental skills too.
Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers, expressed optimism for the year ahead: Were off to another great school year, were going to have a lot of great things that will happen throughout the year in all these schools. Its going to be miracles across the city in every borough in every district that are going to happen.
How to have a healthy start to the school year
Before classes began, Mayor Eric Adams articulated his vision: We can have these children prepared for the future, and were excited about that and were looking forward to it.
As students poured out of P.S. 257, Galarza highlighted the schools positive environment: The principal here, he pumps them up and gives them a reason to come to school every day.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
A.G. Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times, warned of a quiet war against the freedom of the press as former President Trump pursues a second White House term with negative rhetoric about the media.
Sulzberger, in an op-ed published in The Washington Post Thursday, pointed to the growing threats to media independence in other countries, arguing the United States may not be that far off as the general election approaches.
The Times publisher zeroed in on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his governments tight control of a majority of the nations news outlets.
A weakened press made it easier for him to keep secrets, to rewrite reality, to undermine political rivals, to act with impunity and, ultimately, to consolidate unchecked power in ways that left the nation and its people worse off, Sulzberger wrote.
Over the past year, Ive been asked with increasing frequency whether The New York Times, where I serve as publisher, is prepared for the possibility that a similar campaign against the free press could be embraced here in the United States, despite our countrys proud tradition of recognizing the essential role journalism plays in supporting a strong democracy and a free people, he wrote. Its not a crazy question.
Trump and his allies have hinted at their plans to increase attacks on the media, Sulzberger wrote, pointing to the former presidents comment last year in which he said, When I win the presidency of the United States, they [Comcast] and others of the LameStream Media will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things and events.
The comments were made last fall, when Trump threatened to investigate Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, NBC News and MSNBC over the outlets coverage of him should he be elected president again. In doing so, he rehashed his reference to the media as the enemy of the people.
If Trump follows through on promises to continue that campaign in a second term, his efforts would likely be informed by his open admiration for the ruthlessly effective playbook of authoritarians such as Orban, whom Trump recently met with at Mar-a-Lago and praised as a smart, strong, and compassionate leader,' Sulzberger wrote.
To prepare for the possibility, Sulzberger said he and his colleagues have been analyzing how freedom of the press has been threatened in Hungary and other nations, including in India and Brazil. He broke the elements down into a playbook of circumstances often seen in a media crackdown.
It has been only eight years since Donald Trump popularized the term fake news as a cudgel to dismiss and attack journalism that challenged him, Sulzberger said. That phrase, from the president of the United States, was all the encouragement many would-be authoritarians needed. In the following years, around 70 countries on six continents have enacted fake news laws.
Sulzberger argued the tables have now turned, with Trump and his allies looking abroad to learn from other leaders anti-press techniques.
Make no mistake, no American political leader likes the scrutiny of the media or has a perfect record on press freedom. Every president since the countrys founding has complained about the pesky questions of reporters who seek to keep the public informed, he wrote.
But even with an imperfect record, both Republican and Democratic presidents, lawmakers and jurists have consistently defended and expanded protections for journalists. Over the past century in the United States, Trump stands out for his aggressive and sustained efforts to undermine the free press.
He urged journalists to be prepared in the case these predictions come true, noting they must be ready to continue to bring the truth to the public without fear or favor.
The Hill reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Despite a spate of recent raids the Texas attorney general's office launched to suss out allegations of malicious voter registration efforts and the cumulative removal of more than 1 million names from the state's voter rolls in the past three years, elected Democratic officials and civil rights groups are reminding Texans that there is still time to register to vote in the November general election and to not be dissuaded from participating in democracy.
Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his office carried out search warrants in several Texas counties over the last few weeks as part of his voter registration fraud hunt, and Gov. Greg Abbott last week touted the success of legislation passed in 2021 that has resulted in 1.1 million Texans being purged from voter rolls moves that voter advocates during a news conference Thursday at the Capitol said were attempts to disenfranchise voters and intimidate minority communities.
"It is very important to stress that even if someone finds themself on the suspense list that they can still vote this election cycle," said state Rep. Lulu Flores, D-Austin.
More: Are you still on Texas voter rolls? Do you need to register? Here's how to check | Grumet
On Wednesday, Paxton's office sued Bexar County for approving an initiative to send voter registration information to unregistered voters in that county, which came after Paxton's raids of private residences in South Texas that prompted civil rights groups and Texas congressional Democrats to ask the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene.
State Rep. Lulu Flores, D-Austin, shown last year at the Legislature, said Thursday, "It is very important to stress that even if someone finds themself on the suspense list that they can still vote this election cycle."
"It is very clear that our message here today is all about letting Texans vote," Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said Thursday. "Fear cannot and will not dictate our fundamental right; it is our right to vote."
Lydia Camarillo, CEO of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, said previous attempts to limit voter participation have failed, including a 2019 lawsuit that successfully fought a voter purge effort and contributed to the resignation of then-Texas Secretary of State David Whitley.
Camarillo pointed to the revamped voter fraud search as a response to the expectation that Texas' minority communities will play a pivotal role in deciding the November election.
"That is the fear that is taking place today in Texas and across red states," Camarillo said of voting fraud searches. "It's impossible to fight democracy without all of us standing for that fight today."
Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, shown at a reproductive rights event in July, said Thursday, "Fear cannot and will not dictate our fundamental right, it is our right to vote."
Selena Xie, a board member of Asian Texans for Justice, said concerns over ensuring access to the ballot box run parallel to fighting attempts by the Legislature to pass legislation to limit opportunities for minority groups, such as a proposal to ban people and entities associated with China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing property in Texas.
"We know that an attack on one immigrant community is an attack on all of us," Xie said.
More: When does early voting start? Here's where Travis County voters can cast their ballot
Voters in Travis County are able to check their voter registration status on VoteTravis.com, which also houses information on polling locations, sample ballots and voting schedules. The deadline to register and be eligible to vote in the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 7.
"It's a sad day in Texas when our leaders try to disenfranchise the vote," said state Rep. Sheryl Cole, D-Austin. "We have seen this before, but we will not be held back."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Despite AG Paxton's voter fraud search, officials urge Texans to vote
COOK COUNTY, Ill. Authorities on Friday released the identity of the fourth person who was killed aboard a Chicago Transit Authority train earlier this week.
The previously unnamed 52-year-old man was identified as Sean Jones of Chicago.
Officials released the name after notifying Jones relatives.
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Also slain aboard the Blue Line train on Labor Day were Adrian Collins, 60; Simeon Bihesi, 28; and Margaret Miller, 64.
The person accused of killing the four was ordered detained during an initial court appearance Wednesday. The judge described the case horrific and appalling.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
As Republican lawmakers in Texas continue pushing for the elimination of property taxes, a meeting among officials Wednesday determined it would be nearly impossible and at great cost.
Texas has one of the highest property taxes in the country, to account for the lack of income taxes and its ever-growing population. Property tax increases also correspond with rising property values nationwide.
People are also reading: Travis County voters to determine if affordable child care is worth property tax increase
Cutting property taxes would cost $81B per year, officials say
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asked state officials to tally the total cost of eliminating local property taxes. Earlier this year, Patrick named property tax relief as a priority for the conservative majority, along with school choice and strengthening the power grid, in the 89th Legislative Session beginning January 2025.
State budget officials met at the Capitol Wednesday to review the math, coming up with a staggering figure of over $81 billion. And that's just the annual cost.
Without property taxes in 2023, Texas would have lost around $39.5 billion, the Legislative Budget Board reported to the Texas State Finance Committee. The largest share of a property owner's taxes consists of school property taxes, which help fund teachers' salaries and new facilities, among other uses.
Governor Greg Abbott participated in a fireside chat with TPPF Chief Executive officer Greg Singular recapping the 88th Legislative Session at the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) on Friday, June 2 in Austin. Governor Greg Abbott says Texans want to own their property, not rent it from the government. We can provide them with that opportunity by eliminating property taxes in Texas.
'We are all suffering': Here's why Texas schools are facing high budget deficits
An additional $42 billion in property taxes was collected from cities, counties and special taxing districts in 2023, the Texas Tribune reports.
The $81.5 billion required to eliminate all local property taxes would need to be cut from the state budget or compensated by other taxes. The former would mean forgoing over half of Texas' current two-year budget of $144 billion, while the latter would require sales taxes to nearly triple to 22%.
Neither option appealed to senators on Wednesday.
Senate Finance Chair Joan Huffman, R-Houston, noted several areas that would suffer if local property taxes were eliminated.
"Thats foster care, Child Protective Services, Medicaid, Department of Family Services, and a lot of this federally mandated, of course, costs that we have to do," Huffman said. "All the money put on higher education, all the money in public education, all the money for Medicaid, all the money for mental health, human trafficking, all the things that the state has made priorities we would not have the funding for. Is that correct?"
Another Houston Republican Senator, Paul Bettencourt, who is leading Patrick's tax reform efforts, warned against increasing sales taxes that may encourage consumers to travel over state lines and "distort everything in the market."
"You have to set up something sustainable," Bettencourt said. "And when we look at these changes, we have to not only pay for it now, but in the future."
Texas Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) discusses his joint resolution on property taxes with members of the senate during the Texas SenateOs second special session, June 28, 2023.
More on Texas economy: Texas is 3rd-worst state to move to in 2024, recent study says
Texans frustrated by high property taxes
The Lone Star State's high property tax rates have been the subject of criticism for years and the irritation is only escalating along with the rise of property values.
The median value of a house in Texas is $238,000, a jump of $35,400 from last year's median value, according to WalletHub's 2024 property tax report. With an effective real estate tax of 1.63%, the average Texan pays $3,872 in property taxes.
In July 2023, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a $18 billion property tax-cut deal to reduce taxes by over 40% for around 5.7 million Texans.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas would lose $81B per year without property taxes, officials say
Ohio House Bill 6 Updates: More bill charges on the way while cases continue
FirstEnergy's headquarters in Akron. (Photo from Google Maps.)
This monthly newsletter from Energy News Network provides updates on Ohios ongoing utility corruption scandal. Click here to subscribe.
FirstEnergys utility customers took heavy hits from severe thunderstorms and tornadoes last month. Nearly half a million of its Ohio utility customers lost power, with extended outages causing many to lose food and incur other expenses in addition to property damage due to the extreme weather.
All of the companys utility customers can also expect hits from higher energy bills next year after FirstEnergys pending rate case ends. On July 31, the company asked Ohio regulators to let it double the increased charges sought from roughly $94 million per year to $190.3 million annually.
Yet state regulators still have not resolved multiple FirstEnergy cases involving millions of dollars and issues related to House Bill 6, the 2019 nuclear and coal bailout law at the heart of Ohios ongoing corruption scandal. And none of those cases will be decided before voters cast their ballots this fall.
Other recent developments include:
The State of Ohio settled potential criminal charges against FirstEnergy for $20 million, without stating how the figure was arrived at or making any provision for restitution to Ohio ratepayers.
Federal prosecutors urged the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householders criminal conviction and 20-year sentence.
Ohio regulators approved more than $100 million in challenged expenses for two 1950s-era coal plants for which subsidies are mandated by HB 6.
In the dark
Grid reliability is back in the spotlight after tornadoes and severe thunderstorms knocked out power to approximately 495,000 of FirstEnergys Ohio utility customers on August 6.
FirstEnergy Ohio President Torrence Hinton and other company executives provided a briefing on the companys response to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio after its September 4 meeting. We havent had this amount of customers out for about 30 years, Hinton said.
Restoring power took roughly a week, with outages lasting more than three days for more than 100,000 of those customers, data from the company show.
The outages likely wont count against the utilities reliability requirements for this year because of the extreme nature of the storms.
Some Ohio lawmakers like House Rep. Dick Stein, R-Norwalk, have already expressed concern about reliability, although they have framed it as a consequence of retiring coal-fired power plants and have called for more electricity from fossil fuels or nuclear energy.
However, the vast majority of electric grid reliability problems stem from bad weather and distribution issues. Those problems are likely to worsen as infrastructure ages and fossil fuel-driven climate change makes extreme weather more common.
Without immediate and meaningful action, climate change will continue to cause extreme weather and drive up costs for all Ohioans, 14 Democratic Ohio House representatives wrote in an August 14 letter, calling for regulators to address the effectiveness and reliability of the states current energy strategies, which are heavily depending on fossil fuels and nuclear power.
Read more:
Despite millions spent on service upgrades, Ohio utilities still miss reliability marks (Energy News Network)
About 1,000 power outages linger 7 days after storms (FOX 8 News)
Doubling increased charges
FirstEnergy asked the PUCO this summer to let it double its proposed increase for rates and riders for its three Ohio utilities to $190.3 million per year, compared with the $94 million sought just two months earlier.
The requested increase is primarily due to lower current revenues, higher operating expenses and higher rate base balances than estimated, said Santino Fanelli, FirstEnergys director for Ohio rates and regulatory affairs, in testimony filed with the PUCO on July 31.
Fanelli also said the requested increase reflects the use of actual cost and revenue data instead of estimates for the first five months of the rate cases test year. A pending bill would give utilities more leeway in using estimates, and some advocates worry companies might pad them on the high side.
In late June the PUCO selected Blue Ridge Consulting Services to help it review financial data, management policies and other information. The commissions staff will then likely prepare a report with recommendations. Ratepayers will also have a chance to comment at local public hearings, which have not yet been scheduled but will likely include a virtual session.
Read more:
FirstEnergy companies asking Ohio regulators for rate increases (WUXU)
Ohio ratemaking reform bill would give more favors to utilities, critics say (Energy News Network)
Slap on the wrist?
FirstEnergy agreed to pay $20 million to settle its state criminal liability related to HB 6, but its unclear how lawyers for the utility, the Ohio Attorney Generals office and the Summit County prosecutors office arrived at the number.
The amount is just under one-third of the bribes the company admitted to paying when it settled federal criminal charges against it in July 2021. The laws nuclear bailouts would have been $1.3 billion if they hadnt been stayed and then repealed.
The agreement with the state acknowledges the companys cooperation but does not require any compensation to ratepayers, said Ashley Brown, a former PUCO commissioner.
Spokesperson Steve Irwin at the Ohio Attorney Generals office framed the settlement as an important step in bringing the disgraced corporate leaders who used their positions of power to betray FirstEnergys ratepayers and employees and the people of Ohio to account for their crimes. Irwin noted that the company is required to provide evidence, access to witnesses and testimony in the pending cases against former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Michael Dowling and in a civil proceeding relating to HB 6. FirstEnergy today is not the company it was five years ago, he added, noting steps taken to reform the companys internal ethics program.
FirstEnergy President and CEO Brian Tierney echoed the theme in a press release, saying the company is a stronger organization today.
Others are more critical.
It is really disappointing to see the Ohio Attorney Generals office let FirstEnergy off the hook for its crimes with what amounted to more of a wink-wink than a slap on the wrist, said Dave Anderson, policy and communications manager for the Energy and Policy Institute. He contrasted the August settlement with the potential remedies spelled out in the Ohio Attorney Generals initial civil complaint in a 2020 case, where potential punishments included corporate dissolution of FirstEnergy and penalties of triple the damages caused by allegedly wrongful actions.
Read more:
FirstEnergy to pay $20M, avoid criminal charges in state pay-to-play investigation (Akron Beacon Journal)
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost settles with FirstEnergy for $20 million (Ohio Capital Journal)
Regulatory cases continue
Ohio voters cant expect a resolution to any of FirstEnergys four HB 6-related regulatory cases before casting their votes this fall. Nineteen candidates on the ballot for Ohios General Assembly are among those who voted for HB 6 in 2019.
An audit in one case isnt due before the end of September, and no date for an evidentiary hearing has been set. Two other cases about how FirstEnergy spent money from two bill riders wont get an evidentiary hearing until next February.
A fourth regulatory case about corporate separation is set to start its hearing on October 9, when early voting will be underway. That date may move, however, because several depositions wont take place until November and December. Depositions are sessions where witnesses answer lawyers questions under oath before a hearing or trial.
Questions in some of those depositions will likely follow up on information from recently produced documents. Possible topics also include why FirstEnergy fired various individuals besides former executives Jones and Dowling in the wake of Householder and others arrests in 2020.
Read more:
FirstEnergy exec was fired amid bribery probe after his daughter pitched a $44k/month contract, records show (Cleveland.com)
FirstEnergys chief ethics officer knew about $4.3 million payment the company said was a bribe (Cleveland.com)
Rubber stamping?
Ohio regulators have approved more than $100 million in challenged 2020 expenses for two 1950s-era coal plants. HB 6 lets the plants Ohio utility owners pass costs on to ratepayers through 2030. By then the total subsidies could be around $1 billion, according to RunnerStone, a consultant for the Ohio Manufacturers Association.
Consumers once again got stuck with the bill, said Ohio Consumers Counsel Maureen Willis when the August 21 ruling came out.
The PUCO found that while the auditor, London Economics International, made several recommendations and conclusions critical of the coal plants practices and spending, the firm hadnt come straight out and said any amount should be disallowed.
Paul Arbaje, an energy analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the ruling sets a disturbing precedent. Coal-fired electricity is not only terribly destructive to our climate and public health, but its also completely uneconomical and has been for a long time.
Higher capacity prices in the PJM grid region will take effect next June and could offset some of next years coal subsidies under HB 6. However, critics say the old plants will still be a bad deal for Ohioans. And higher capacity prices will affect wholesale electricity prices across the regional grid footprint, likely raising energy expenses overall.
Read more:
Ohio coal plant subsidies still a bad deal for ratepayers despite growing generation demand, experts say (Energy News Network)
HB 6 coal plant charges mount up again in Ohio (Energy News Network)
Coal company got big payback from HB 6 (Energy News Network)
Federal court filings
Briefing has been completed in lobbyist Matt Borges appeal from his federal criminal conviction alongside former Ohio House speaker Larry Householder last year. The court has not yet scheduled oral argument.
Federal prosecutors filed their brief in the Householder case on August 26, arguing that the trial court got both Householders conviction and his 20-year sentence right. Three groups also filed a friend-of-the-court brief on August 30, countering Householders argument that bribes were campaign donations and a form of speech protected under the Constitution.
The First Amendment provides no protection for the corrupt and knowing exchange of campaign contributions for official acts, wrote lawyers for the Campaign Legal Center, the Environmental Law & Policy Center and the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.
A July court filing in FirstEnergys deferred prosecution agreement case acknowledged the company has performed its obligations under that 2021 settlement, which resulted in a $230 million penalty. FirstEnergy must continue to cooperate in any other criminal cases the federal government brings relating to facts stated in that HB 6 case. However, the federal government has yet to bring criminal charges against any current or former FirstEnergy executives who allegedly made the bribes.
A separate case at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals involves FirstEnergys challenge to Judge Algenon Marbleys May 6 ruling that the company must produce its internal investigation to lawyers in shareholder litigation. The appeals court docket includes friend-of-the-court briefs filed by several law firms and a malpractice insurance carrier, expressing concern about whether the ruling could erode attorney-client privilege.
Read more:
On appeal, DOJ affirms ex-Ohio House Speaker Householder took FirstEnergys $60 million secret deal (Cleveland.com)
Scandal-tainted FirstEnergy demands appeal of shockwave privilege ruling (Reuters)
FirstEnergy backed by dozens of law firms in shockwave privilege appeal (Reuters)
This article first appeared on Energy News Network and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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Everest Energy, a sanctioned Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel, is heading to a as-yet-unfinished gas facility in northern Russia to pick up what will be the fourth cargo of LNG to be loaded from the terminal.
The vessel was placed under sanctions earlier this year, and the entire Arctic LNG 2 facility was reportedly placed under US sanctions last year.
Multiple media outlets have reported both the movement of the vessel and the placement of gas by Novatek onto a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility is an attempt to circumnavigate the sanction.
The Arctic LNG 2 project is 60% owned by Novatek and is set to eventually become Russia's largest LNG plant.
The wide-ranging US sanctions on Russia have seemingly dissuaded many buyers that were considering making purchases from the facility.
The expansion of the project has been delayed until 2028, as the sanctions continue to bite.
Over the past year, Russia has been developing a so-called 'shadow fleet' of oil and gas cargo vessels to move and sell its hydrocarbons, even while under sanctions.
On Thursday, the US imposed further sanctions on two companies linked to Russia's new LNG project, with Gotik Energy Shipping and Plio Energy Cargo Shipping now under restrictions.
"Sanctioned Russian tanker heading to new LNG facility to pick up load" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.
The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Oklahoma Citys success in attracting talent should be lesson for state leaders to learn
People listen to music July 16, 2022, during Scissortail Park's Summer of Soul Night at Love's Travel Stops Stage and Great Lawn in Oklahoma City. The city's success in attracting talent is because of a combination of our neighborliness, and increasing diversity and cosmopolitanism, propelled, for instance, by the arts and places for community activities. Those qualities and opportunities didnt just appear on their own. Investments like MAPS and MAPS for Kids were essential to the metro area's quality of life.
There have been so many recent headlines about Oklahomas rankings in terms of quality of life that it is difficult to keep them all straight. Some of these ratings are imperfect, but they certainly are a cause for alarm. A few give reasons for hope, some point to a clear path for improvements, but other headlines, such as the Heritage Foundations Project 2025, reveal a recipe for disaster.
The most encouraging news involves Oklahoma City, which U.S. News and World Report ranked as the nations 16th best place to live. OKC has the nations 10th fastest-growing housing market. And, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt highlighted plans to bring the 2028 Olympics to the city, new development in south OKC and efforts to end homelessness, and gave a shout-out" to the Oklahoma-based film industry. Holt, a Republican, has also praised the Biden administration, as well as then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has invested more than $100 million of federal funds in Oklahoma City.
More: Let's dedicate ourselves to restoring the health of our world before 2028 Olympics | Opinion
Other great news was reported in the Journal Records Oklahoma Boasts the Lowest Cost of Living in the U.S. It explains that Oklahoma housing costs are nearly 1/3 less than the national average, thus drawing homebuyers from other states for the past few years, especially employees who can keep their job on the coasts and work remotely.
And another U.S. News and World Report survey ranks the state 23rd in its economy, 26th in fiscal stability and 26th in opportunity. But Oklahoma has done a terrible job in investing in opportunity for all, which is something we could afford to do. We rank 49th in education, which is an essential investment if we want to maintain the influx of talent into the state. We also rank 49th in health care, which is one reason why Oklahoma ranks so low (44th) in life expectancy.
Oklahoma is blessed with wonderful nonprofits that advocate for science-based, humane social and public health policies that the Legislature and the governor refuse to properly fund. For instance, in the 2024 KIDS COUNT Data Book Oklahoma ranked 46th overall for child well-being, 39th in economic well-being, 40th in family and community context, 45th in health and 49th in education.
Moreover, Oklahoma ranked in the bottom 10 on eight of 16 indicators:
Percent of children in poverty
Percent of fourth-graders who scored below proficient reading level
Percent of eighth-graders who scored below proficient math level
Percent of high school students not graduating on time
Percent of children in families where household head lacks a high school diploma
Percent of children without health insurance
Percent of children and teens ages 10 to 17 who are overweight or obese
Teen birth rate
And WalletHub ranks Oklahoma as the eighth-worst state for working moms.
Oklahoma has also done an awful job of regulating industries and protecting people from climate change. Our state government seems to ignore predictions that Oklahoma is ranked fourth-worst in terms of drought threats. And Oklahoma City scored an 88 out of 100 risk of extreme heat. Three of the nations dirtiest lakes are in Oklahoma. And Oklahoma is the sixth-most expensive state for home insurance, which is increasing due to weather effects from climate change. This is a result of the states failure to better regulate insurance companies. For instance, Garfield County has a relatively low level of risk, but the typical Enid homeowner spent more than six times the national average on insurance.
Moreover, despite grassroots efforts to reform Oklahomas criminal justice system, progress has been minimal. We remain fourth in states incarceration rates. Worse, when incarceration rates include incarceration rates in prisons, jails, immigration detention centers, and juvenile justice facilities, our rate is higher than that of any democratic country on earth.
I could go on and on about coverage of bad news getting worse. And I shouldnt neglect the Forbes Advisor report that Oklahoma drivers are fourth-worst in the nation in road rage and confrontational behaviors.
That quirky statistic surprised me because Ive long seen Oklahomans as decent, caring people. I must admit, however, Ive been dismayed by the cruelty Ive witnessed recently. For instance, we are under attack by advocates for Project 2025, which seeks to undermine our government, as opposed to addressing the problems that are growing worse.
I keep asking why Oklahoma cant do a better job of building on our strengths, as opposed to ramping up the right wings politics of destruction.
But, that bring us back to Oklahoma Citys success in attracting talent. It is the combination of our neighborliness, and increasing diversity and cosmopolitanism, propelled, for instance, by the arts and places for community activities. Those qualities and opportunities didnt just appear on their own. Investments like MAPS and MAPS for Kids were essential to the metro area's quality of life.
So, I hope a new wave of headlines will come to the state because we learned from Oklahoma City and started building on our strengths, rejected the politics of retribution, and invested accordingly.
John Thompson
John Thompson is a former award-winning teacher at the former John Marshall High School and Centennial Mid-High School.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC can teach Oklahoma leaders how to turn around failing outcomes
Oklahoma lawmakers focus on school safety laudable, but other investments are needed too
A school security camera monitors students in a classroom at school. (Photo by SP Memory/Getty Images)
Oklahomans should be thankful that our legislators are investing significant funds in school safety.
But having taught during the deadly crack and gangs era of the 1980s and early 1990s, its sad to hear that school safety is something that school leaders must think about 24/7, today more than ever.
Ive also been dismayed to hear that State Superintendent Ryan Walters interfered with the distribution of school districts security funds. We should be thankful for Attorney General Gentner Drummonds expedited opinion saying that said the Oklahoma State Department of Education must immediately send school districts security funds that have been withheld by the agency because of a legal disagreement with the state Legislature.
Its encouraging that school systems want to use the states financial investment to update security cameras, add fencing, and install better metal detectors. Moreover, House Bills 2902 and 2903 provide every Oklahoma district with funding to hire a School Resource Officer (SRO.)
I am especially impressed at how Sgt. Brandon Hendrix, the vice president of the Oklahoma Association of School Resource Officers, views the role of these officers in schools. He believes that they should be positive role models who build relationships before violence happens.
These are refreshing changes based on my past work at the old John Marshall High School and the violence I encountered there.
Back then, it was so easy to sneak a gun into the building, and it was up to students, parents and educators to prevent tragedies from occurring.
It was the students who told an administrator that a classmate was carrying a gun. And, it was the administrators experience communicating with students that helped her face and disarm him.
In another incident, a student grabbed a wooden paddle, and charged our schools policeman. Our officer was a caring person, but as the student closed in, he was about to discharge his weapon. At the last second, our parent liaison, rushed down the stairs, and leaped onto the student, saving his life.
Back then, we had even fewer resources for protecting students physical and mental health. We had to continually intervene, without help, in life-and-death struggles.
Twice, I had deep conversations with troubled students who then committed a murder that day. Five times, I had heart-to-heart conversations with students who were dead before the next sunrise.
To improve schools like the ones I know best, we need to invest in both students physical security as well as their mental health.
That was true back then, but, after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially true today.
It requires building intense, trusting and loving relationships. And it requires funds to build and coordinate teams of caring adults.
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HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- Old National Bank comes to a mutual separation agreement with former CFO Brendon Falconer who was arrested on child molestation charges in Warrick County in March.
Tri-State reality TV star makes appearance in court after child endangerment; drug arrest
A filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission shows Falconer is getting over $2.6 million as part of the agreement. Falconer was put on administrative leave from Old National after his arrest. In April, Falconer sold over 49,000 shares of Old National Bank stock, worth a little more than $800,000.
He joined the bank in 2009, and became CFO in 2019. Falconer is due back in Warrick Circuit Court on September 23 for a pre-trial conference. Old National notified the Securities and Exchange Commission that interim CFO John Moran has been given the position permanently.
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Ombudsman appeals to UN, Red Cross over alleged execution of Ukrainian POW by Russia seen on video
Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Sept. 6 that he had appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations in response to a video that allegedly shows the execution of a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW) by Russia.
The video, which is circulating on social media, was published by Ukraine's military intelligence's "I Want to Live" project. It is unknown when and where it was filmed.
The footage purportedly shows a Russian soldier who asks a Ukrainian soldier if he wants to "say the last word, pray before dying," and then shoots him with a rifle three times. The moment of the shooting is blurred. The Kyiv Independent was unable to verify the video.
There have been multiple reports of Ukrainian POWs being tortured or killed while in Russian captivity since the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. As of June, the Prosecutor General's Office said 28 criminal investigations were underway regarding the execution of 62 Ukrainian POWs.
Following new reports, Lubinets reiterated that the execution of Ukrainian POWs by Russia is a violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
"Each such execution requires a proper investigation, and the international community should not remain silent on the systemic crimes of the occupiers," he said.
According to the ombudsman, Russia deliberately shoots Ukrainian POWs and shares such videos, but all information must be thoroughly verified.
Earlier in the day, CNN published a video showing how Russian forces seemed to have gunned down a group of surrendering Ukrainian soldiers near Pokrovsk in late August.
Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said in June that Russian commanders had given orders "not to capture Ukrainian servicemen, but instead to kill them with inhuman cruelty." He made the statement after footage was revealed that showed a Ukrainian soldier beheaded by Russian troops.
Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
One dies in crash and part of Palmetto was closed, Florida Highway Patrol says
One person died and three others were seriously injured in a single-car crash on the Palmetto Expressway late Friday morning.
The crash happened around 11:40 a.m. near the NW 17th Avenue ramp, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Shortly before 2 p.m., the eastbound lanes of the highway were still closed, the FHP said.
Lt. Alex Camacho, an FHP spokesman, said a gray Honda sedan was traveling east when the driver swerved to avoid hitting road debris. The driver lost control of the car, which went onto the grassy shoulder and collided on its left side with a tree, Camacho said.
The man in the back left seat died on the scene from his injuries, Camacho said.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue took the three other occupants to Jackson North Medical Centers trauma hospital two by helicopter, one by ambulance a department spokesperson told the Miami Herald.
ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WKRN) A 17-year-old girl was critically injured when she was shot twice in Antioch Thursday night.
Offices were called to the 300 block of Calais Circle around 8 p.m.
CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee
(Photo: WKRN)
Antioch shooting, September 5, 2024 (Source: WKRN)
(Photo: WKRN)
Metro police reported the teen girl was sitting on a porch with her mother when she saw two men in ski masks walking down the street. One pulled out an object and she said she heard a gunshot.
The victim was shot in her arm and left side.
The teen was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with critical injuries.
Investigators believe the shooting was targeted. Metro officers at the scene added they have two male suspects in mind, but nobody has been taken into custody in connection with this shooting.
No additional information was immediately released.
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This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.
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One person injured in shooting on 91 Freeway in Riverside
California Highway Patrol received a call at 5:39 p.m. Thursday that four or five shots were fired at a black Nissan Altima heading east on the 91 Freeway near 14th Street in downtown Riverside, CHP spokesperson Javier Navarro said. Shortly after the shots were fired, the driver exited the freeway. (Onscene.tv)
One person was injured on the 91 Freeway in Riverside after a suspect opened fire at a vehicle Thursday afternoon.
California Highway Patrol received a call at 5:39 p.m. that four or five shots were fired at a black Nissan Altima heading east on the 91 Freeway near 14th Street in downtown Riverside, CHP spokesperson Javier Navarro said. Five people were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting.
Shortly after the shots were fired, the driver exited the freeway and stopped at 6th and Lime Streets in downtown Riverside.
A 22-year-old Latina woman sitting in the left rear seat was shot in the left thigh and transported to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Navarro said. No other passengers were injured, he said.
Read more: Riverside County man arrested on suspicion of murder after fatal road-rage shooting
Investigators are working to identify suspects and determine whether there is a connection between the shooter and their apparent targets. Victims preliminary statements after the incident were vague, Navarro said.
They might have been in shock or trying to piece everything together, he said. We dont know if there is any connection or any incident that happened prior [to the shooting].
CHP does not have a concrete description of the suspect's vehicle, he added.
Investigators are still working the case to find information on what happened, he said.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
One of three suspects in City Nightz shooting pleads guilty
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) One of three men arrested and charged in connection to the shooting at a now-closed Wichita nightclub has pleaded guilty.
Jaylen Thomas, 24, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Sedgwick County District Court to two counts of aggravated battery and one count of aggravated assault. The shooting happened in July 2023.
WPD investigating standoff, deputy-involved shooting in Haysville
His co-defendant, Ameir King-Ingram, was sentenced to 53 months in prison in June. A third man, 28-year-old John Houze, is scheduled for a jury trial later this month.
Nine people were shot, and two people were trampled as people ran during the shooting. City Nightz closed the following month.
Sentencing for Thomas is scheduled for Nov. 1.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
One of the universe's biggest paradoxes could be even weirder than we thought, James Webb telescope study reveals
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Credit: NASA/CXC/JPL-Caltech/STScI/NSF/NRAO/VLA
New measurements taken with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have deepened the scientific controversy of the Hubble tension suggesting it may not exist at all.
For years, astronomers have found that the universe appears to be expanding at different speeds depending on where they look, a conundrum they call the Hubble tension. Some of the measurements agree with our best current understanding of the universe, while others threaten to break it .
When JWST came online in 2022, one team of researchers used the space telescope's unprecedented accuracy to confirm the tension exists . But according to the new results from a different team of scientists, the Hubble tension may arise from measurement error and be an illusion after all. Yet even these results are not definitive.
"Our results are consistent with the standard model. But they don't rule out that there's a tension there too," study lead author Wendy Freedman , an astrophysicist at the University of Chicago, told Live Science. "[The experience] is probably the closest thing to a rollercoaster it's been exciting, but there are these moments when you've got to climb the hill again."
Hubble trouble
Currently, there are two gold-standard methods for figuring out the Hubble constant, a value that describes the expansion rate of the universe. The first involves poring over tiny fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background an ancient relic of the universe's first light produced just 380,000 years after the Big Bang .
Related: 'It could be profound': How astronomer Wendy Freedman is trying to fix the universe
After mapping out this microwave hiss using the European Space Agency's Planck satellite, cosmologists inferred a Hubble constant of roughly 46,200 mph per million light-years, or around 67 kilometers per second per megaparsec (km/s/Mpc). This, alongside other measurements of the early universe , aligned with theoretical predictions.
The second method operates at closer distances and in the universe's later life using pulsating stars called Cepheid variables . Cepheid stars are slowly dying, and their outer layers of helium gas grow and shrink as they absorb and release the star's radiation, making them periodically flicker like distant signal lamps.
As Cepheids get brighter, they pulsate more slowly, enabling astronomers to measure the stars' intrinsic brightness. By comparing this brightness to their observed brightness, astronomers can chain Cepheids into a "cosmic distance ladder" to peer ever deeper into the universe's past .
A bright star surrounded by beige swirls
Recently, when Adam Riess , a professor of astronomy at Johns Hopkins University, and his team measured the Hubble constant using the Hubble Space Telescope and JWST, they found a puzzlingly high value of 73.2 km/s/Mpc . Hence the tension, a significant discrepancy between methods measuring the expansion rate in the early universe and those in the more modern one, was cemented.
But Freedman previously suggested that dust, gas and other stars could be throwing off the brightness measurements of the Cepheids, creating the appearance of a discrepancy where there isnt one at all.
In the new study, to tease out a possible systematic error in Cepheid crowding, Freedman and her colleagues trained JWST on 11 nearby galaxies containing Type Ia supernovae, measuring their distances and anchoring them to three independent distance ladders with intrinsic brightnesses in similar regions of the sky: the Cepheids; and two other standard candle red giant stars known as "tip-of-the-red-giant-branch" (TRGB) stars and J-region asymptotic giant branch (JAGB) stars.
Their results were puzzling. The TRGB and JAGB stars gave Hubble constant results of 69.85 km/s/Mpc and 67.96 km/s/Mpc, respectively. But the Cepheids returned 72.04 km/s/Mpc, replicating the Hubble tension albeit less dramatically than the results made by Riess. To Freedman and her colleagues, this is a possible hint that the Cepheid measurements could contain some unknown systematic error.
The end of Hubble tension?
Yet not all scientists agree with the study's conclusions. When asked about the new findings, Riess suggested the mismatched results could be because Freedman and her team's sample was too small.
"They get a lower Hubble constant because the sample they selected gives a lower Hubble constant, regardless of whether you measure with JWST or HST [Hubble Space Telescope], or Cepheids, JAGB or TRGB, because the supernovae in the hosts they selected fluctuate that way," Riess told Live Science. "They chose a very small sample and they chose these from the tail, not the middle of the distribution."
But Freedman countered this point. Although the sample might be too small to account for the full range of star distances, she said, the results also may mean the measurements of the more distant Cepheid stars contain a "fatal" systematic error a crowding that is throwing off the calculations of the Cepheid distances.
To make a measurement of Cepheid stars, "you're making a crowding correction, and they're not small corrections," Freedman said. "And if you get that wrong, you get the [star] colors wrong, you get the dust correction wrong, you get the metallicity correction wrong. These effects are covariant, and they could have a much bigger effect [on the final distance measured] than just saying that crowding is not a problem."
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Freedman believes the answer is to make even more measurements, potentially some with an additional type of star. She expects this work to be completed in the next two years. Yet whether additional measurements will resolve the problem or add to it is debated .
"We're in the midst of this, and there's more to come," Freedman said. "[JWST] is a marvelous machine, and it's exactly what we need to get at some of these kinds of issues. It's a good time to be working on this."
Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks at the opening gala of the 100th edition of IFA. Carsten Koall/dpa
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on the European economy at a Franco-German business meeting in Evian in eastern France on Friday, the Elysee Palace said.
After a one-to-one meeting, the two leaders were to discuss the topic of European competitiveness with French and German business representatives, officials said.
Their talks are a follow-up to the Franco-German Council of Ministers held in Germany's Meseberg in May, which focussed on strengthening Europe and creating a more sovereign economy when dealing with China and the US.
Established in 1992, the annual Evian meetings bring together executives from German and French companies with the aim of strengthening economic relations between France and Germany. The traditional meeting is not open to the public.
An American And A Brit Answered 8 Questions About How They Grew Up In Relation To Guns, And The Answers Are Both Dystopian And Revealing
This week, four people were killed and nine injured in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia. In response to the tragedy, Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance said that school shootings are "a fact of life."
Olivier Touron / AFP via Getty Images
The thing is, the ubiquity of school shootings is a uniquely American phenomenon. So, we took two BuzzFeeders a Brit and an American to compare how normalized the terrors of gun violence are in the states.
On the British side is me, Natasha Jokic. I was born and raised in Reading, England, just outside of London. I left England when I was 22 to get my Master's degree at New York University, and have been in the city ever since. I'm also married to an American.
Natasha Jokic
And then there's me, Alexa Lisitza, a Black American girl born and raised in a Chicago suburb.
At 18, I moved to Washington, DC to attend Howard University, where I majored in English Lit, minored in secondary education, and obtained my teaching license. I lived and worked in DC for two years after college before moving back to Chicago.
Alexa Lisitza
Here's how our answers compared:
Whats your first memory of a mass shooting?
Brit: Honestly, I have no idea. My first memory of mass murder was the 7/7 bombings, but those were with homemade bombs. The Cumbria shootings happened when I was 14. I remember some of my older sister's friends being interested in Bowling for Columbine, it didn't feel like an especially local issue.
American: Growing up in a Chicago suburb, hearing adults talk about gun violence was common sometimes the conversation was related to gangs and other times they surrounded escalated spats on the train or domestic issues. But the first mass shooting I was old enough to remember feeling a tense air in the room over was in 2003 when a former auto supply warehouse worker shot and killed six people before committing suicide. I was 8 years old.My uncle, who was living with us at the time, also worked in a warehouse. He and my mom sat in our living room, sharing cautious words about noticing whos around you and questioning whether he should take the following day off to avoid a potential copycat.
When was your first active shooter training?
Brit: I worked for NBCUniversal in London after the Charlie Hebdo shootings happened in Paris. We had an armed intruder training then; I would have been around 20 years old. I remember some of my coworkers beforehand joking they could take on an attacker, I had been raised with enough sense to think that was a stupid thing to say.
American: The better question is: Was there any year in your schooling when you didnt have active shooter drills? The answer is no.
Between elementary and middle school, active shooter drills were yearly and usually performed in the same week as tornado drills. So, within a few days of each other, wed go from locking the door and pressing our knees to our chests while sitting in a tight, 25-student-deep ball somewhere in the back corner of a classroom, to tucking our heads down against the lockers and covering our skulls with our arms.
By the time I reached high school, yearly active shooter drills upticked to twice a year, while tornado drills remained once.
When did you first see a loaded gun?
Brit: I'm not sure I ever saw a loaded gun in England a house neighboring where l once lived was raided, but I don't remember much beyond the police having flashlights. I've never held or shot one. I used to go to Florida as a kid and see guns in the Bass Pro Shops and think they were funny I don't think that now. It still freaks me out to walk past members of the NYPD with loaded guns casually strapped to them; we don't have armed police in the same way in England.
American: On the hip of the officer meant to serve as security in school.
Were school shootings something you were concerned about?
Brit: No. I was harassed by another student to the point of the police being involved when I was in my undergrad in Bath, UK. He threatened to hack me with a chainsaw. That was stressful enough without guns being involved, which is an odd thing to be grateful for. Knife crime was something I was more concerned about. There were incidents in my hometown, and I was once threatened in London, but the survival rate for a stab wound versus a gunshot is at least far higher.
American: Strangely enough and to be clear, it is sad that this is strange to me I wasnt concerned about school shootings until I was in college. Perhaps this is because of maturity; perhaps this is because of the tragic Parkland shooting around the same time; or maybe it was because of the tension at my baby sisters high school, where swastikas were being airdropped to students during assemblies shortly after a Black teachers name was found graffitied next to a drawing of a noose. By then, schools had stopped feeling like a safe place.
Have you ever been involved in a school shooting?
Brit: No. When I went to NYU, we had an active shooter training our first day. Me and the other international students joked, "Welcome to America." A few weeks later, I was at a bar and heard a loud bang down the street. When I came out of the bar, the street had been sectioned off by the police. It didn't occur to me or any of the other international students there that a gun may have been involved before we saw the flashing lights.
American: My junior year of college at Howard University, I remember being incredibly stressed about a paper for one of my courses. I rarely went to any professors office hours, but on Oct. 17, I walked into the education building on our main campus.
While speaking to my professor, my phone kept going off. I apologized and told her Id put it on silent. My partner at the time had sent no less than 10 text messages, which was odd but it felt rude to check.
Before I could worry about the messages, the front desk lady for the building poked her head into our room. She told us, Theres an active shooter on this part of campus. Weve locked the doors.
The lock to my professor's office was broken, so we huddled into the front desk ladys office instead, where we camped out together for the next two hours. I messaged my mom. I messaged my older sister. And, in hindsight, I can now laugh at the conversation the two older women whispered about while they attempted to distract themselves. Eventually, we were given an all-clear.
How has the rise in school shootings in the US affected how you move throughout your daily life?
Brit: I think being away from it for so long and now living in a state with strict gun control has meant that it still hasn't fully sunk in. If I hear a loud noise, my first thought still isn't gun. On an emotional level, it's challenging. It's heartbreaking to have to see news about children dying and then go about your job as a journalist. But that's nothing compared to the lives of people who are directly affected.
American: While its not a consuming thought, I never enter a movie theater, concert, or venue without glancing around and noticing where any emergency exits are. Likewise, its harder to enjoy events when someone may knock something over, and the loud noise triggers peoples fight or flight.
What are your thoughts on gun control now?
Brit: I don't see the need for guns in the vast majority of cases. They should be specialized and rare, not produced in the hundreds of millions each year. Much of the so-called debate around them strikes me as an absurd conversation. I have been the victim of crimes, yet I would never own a gun. I don't want to make England seem like it's a peaceful paragon of non-violence, it's not, but at least firearms aren't the leading cause of death for children and teenagers.
American: I wish politicians and media would stop referring to gun reform as gun control. Its semantics, but that slight change in wording seems to raise a defense, and people feel as though youre trying to take something away from them, aka "control" them.
Before switching careers, I taught high school students. When I got my license, I had to undergo a background check, get fingerprinted, obtain said license, maintain said license, and receive training. It feels a bit unfair that the guns plaguing schools can be obtained without the same checks and balances.
How do you react to politicians who say that when school shootings occur, we should focus on thoughts and prayers instead of politics?
Brit: It feels like slapping ourselves in the face over and over again going, "Well, there's nothing we can do about that." Yes, you can!
American: My answer is simple: Being proactive about gun violence could save a family from needing to be prayed for in the future.
Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Multiple Clark County School districts are actively monitoring an online threat directed at middle schools in Springfield.
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A post circulating social media reportedly references threats of a school shooting targeting middle schools in Springfield.
TRENDING STORIES:
The Safety Operations Manager and other District leadership of Springfield City Schools confirmed that the district is aware of the threat.
It appears that multiple school districts in Clark County are actively monitoring the online threat that was directed at middle schools in Springfield, the district said.
According to the district, the threat is circulating statewide and impacting other Springfield school districts across Ohio.
The Springfield Police Division does not consider the threat credible at this time.
However, to ensure the safety of our students and staff, the SPD plans to increase its presence at Springfield City School District buildings today, the district said.
Another Ohio district closed on Thursday after a social media threat. Mount Healthy South Elementary School posted the announcement on social media
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The headlines this election cycle have been dominated by unprecedented events, among them Donald Trumps criminal conviction, the attempt on his life, Joe Bidens disastrous debate performance and his replacement on the Democratic ticket by Vice President Kamala Harris. Its no wonder other important political developments have been drowned out, including the steady drip of artificial intelligence-enhanced attempts to influence voters.
During the presidential primaries, a fake Biden robocall urged New Hampshire voters to wait until November to cast their votes. In July, Elon Musk shared a video that included a voice mimicking Kamala Harris saying things she did not say. Originally labeled as a parody, the clip readily morphed to an unlabeled post on X with more than 130 million views, highlighting the challenge voters are facing.
Read more: Opinion: AI is turbocharging disinformation attacks on voters, especially in communities of color
More recently, Trump weaponized concerns about AI by falsely claiming that a photo of a Harris rally was generated by AI , suggesting the crowd wasnt real. And a deepfake photo of the attempted assassination of the former president altered the faces of Secret Service agents so they appear to be smiling, promoting the false theory that the shooting was staged.
Clearly, when it comes to AI manipulation, the voting public has to be ready for anything.
Voters wouldnt be in this predicament if candidates had clear policies on the use of AI in their campaigns. Written guidelines about when and how campaigns intend to use AI would allow people to compare candidates' use of the technology to their stated policies. This would help voters assess whether candidates practice what they preach. If a politician lobbies for watermarking AI so that people can identify when it is being used, for example, they should be using such labeling on their own AI in ads and other campaign materials.
Read more: Opinion: AI doesn't have all the answers especially this election season
AI policy statements can also help people protect themselves from bad actors trying to manipulate their votes. And a lack of trustworthy means for assessing the use of AI undermines the value the technology could bring to elections if deployed properly, fairly and with full transparency.
It's not as if politicians arent using AI. Indeed, companies such as Google and Microsoft have acknowledged that they have trained dozens of campaigns and political groups on using generative AI tools.
Major technology firms released a set of principles earlier this year guiding the use of AI in elections. They also promised to develop technology to detect and label realistic content created with generative AI and educate the public about its use. However, these commitments lack any means of enforcement.
Government regulators have responded to concerns about AIs effect on elections. In February, following the rogue New Hampshire robocall, the Federal Communications Commission moved to make such tactics illegal. The consultant who masterminded the call was fined $6 million , and the telecommunications company that placed the calls was fined $2 million. But even though the FCC wants to require that use of AI in broadcast ads be disclosed, the Federal Election Commissions chair announced last month that the agency was ending its consideration of regulating AI in political ads . FEC officials said that would exceed their authority and that they would await direction from Congress on the issue.
California and other states require disclaimers when the technology is used, but only when there is an attempt at malice. Michigan and Washington require disclosure on any use of AI. And Minnesota, Georgia, Texas and Indiana have passed bans on using AI in political ads altogether.
Read more: Opinion: Want to convince a conspiracy theory believer they're wrong? Don't start with the truth
Its likely too late in this election cycle to expect campaigns to start disclosing their AI practices. So the onus lies with voters to remain vigilant about AI in much the same way that other technologies, such as self-checkout in grocery and other stores, have transferred responsibility to consumers.
Voters cant rely on the election information that comes to their mailboxes, inboxes and social media platforms to be free of technological manipulation. They need to take note of who has funded the distribution of such materials and look for obvious signs of AI use in images, such as missing fingers or mismatched earrings. Voters should know the source of information they are consuming, how it was vetted and how it is being shared. All of this will contribute to more information literacy, which, along with critical thinking, is a skill voters will need to fill out their ballots this fall.
Ann G. Skeet is the senior director of leadership ethics and John P. Pelissero is the director of government ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. They are among the co-authors of Voting for Ethics: A Guide for U.S. Voters , from which portions of this piece were adapted.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Opinion - China is trying to dominate the South China Sea while Bidens administration does little
Chinese President Xi Jinping seems to be betting that Americas entanglement in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East is sapping its military capacity and political resolve to credibly push back against his aggressive expansionism in Asia including in the South China Sea, through which one-third of global shipping passes.
Yet, in dealing with China, the Biden administration still prioritizes diplomacy over deterrence. Indeed, as part of its effort to smooth over tensions with Beijing and stabilize the bilateral relationship, the White House said that Biden plans to speak with Xi over the phone in coming weeks. That statement followed the China visit last month of National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who says Biden and Xi may also meet in person before the year end.
China, meanwhile, has stepped up aggressive actions against the Philippines, which has a longstanding mutual defense treaty with the U.S. The 1951 treaty incorporates Americas ironclad commitment, as Sullivan acknowledged, to defend the Philippines.
But that commitment has not deterred China from stepping up its provocations in the South China Sea, including ramming Philippine coast guard ships and using flares and water cannons against them, as well as blocking resupply missions and making unsafe intercepts within the Philippines exclusive economic zone. Newer Chinese coast guard ships have specially designed features to enable shouldering, or deliberate ramming.
Chinese expansionism has stoked rising tensions with several other states. Chinas furtive territorial encroachments on some Indian borderlands have resulted in a tense military standoff with India for more than four years, with both sides building up forces along their long Himalayan frontier as if preparing for possible war.
In the East China Sea, Chinas increasing challenge to Japanese control of the Senkaku Islands is spurring Japan toward rearmament, as it nearly doubles its defense budget. A day before Sullivan reached Beijing, a Chinese military spy plane intruded into Japanese airspace near the Danjo Islands. Tokyo called it not only a serious violation of Japans sovereignty but alsoutterly unacceptable.
As for Taiwan, which has a near-monopoly on the global output of advanced semiconductors, China seems determined to annex that thriving democracy and gain a stranglehold over the international supply of cutting-edge chips. When Sullivan met with Chinas most senior uniformed military official, Zhang Youxia, he was bluntly told that Taiwan is at the heart of Chinas core interests and that promoting reunification is the mission and duty of the Chinese military.
In the South China Sea which is 50 percent bigger than the Mediterranean Sea Chinas aggressive sea tactics pose a pressing challenge for the U.S. Chinese expansionism, after changing the geopolitical map of this corridor between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, is now seeking to cement Chinas ascendancy there.
This is triggering dangerous incidents. Chinese brinkmanship risks triggering a major South China Sea crisis, especially as China seeks to enforce its will by employing increasingly perilous maneuvers to intimidate and coerce the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and other claimant states.
More fundamentally, China is working to create a sphere of influence, extending from Japan to India, detrimental to the interests of America and its allies and strategic partners. Such a sphere would not only threaten freedom of navigation in the South China Sea but also allow China to effectively supplant the U.S. as the dominant force in Asia.
Yet the Biden administration seems concerned not so much with the long-term strategic implications of Beijings drive for domination, but rather with the possibility that U.S.-China relations could move in a more adversarial direction due to maritime incidents. This may explain why it remains wary of going beyond mere statements in support of the Philippines.
Indeed, Sullivan has called for de-escalation, saying the administration will continue to discuss ways to ease tensions with Chinese and Filipino officials and adding, we will do our best to try to contribute to managing this issue in a responsible way so that de-escalation is the order of the day.
But de-escalation in the South China Sea (or, for that matter, in the Taiwan Strait) is the last thing Xi has on his mind.
Policy choices to counter Chinas drive to dominate the South China Sea have become increasingly challenging, largely because three successive American administrations have failed to mount a sustained pushback. Instead, the U.S. has essentially relied on rhetoric and symbolic actions.
Xi began incrementally changing the facts in the South China Sea right after becoming the Communist Party boss in 2012. On former President Barack Obamas watch, the U.S. did little as China seized control of the Scarborough Shoal a traditional Philippine fishing ground and then launched a major land reclamation program in the South China Sea, building seven artificial islands that it later turned into forward operating bases.
After a 2016 international tribunal ruling invalidated Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea, Chinese expansionism only accelerated, underscoring its open contempt for international law.
More recently, China has intensified its bullying of smaller neighbors. But, after the November 2023 Biden-Xi summit in California, Chinas aggressive interference with U.S. and allied air and maritime transits has eased.
Biden keeps saying that the U.S. wants competition with China but not conflict. Yet Xis expansionist strategy is intrinsically conflictual. Although Taiwan remains the most likely cause of a major conventional war, the risk that a crisis in the South China Sea could escalate to an armed conflict involving the U.S. can hardly be discounted.
The South China Sea challenge is not just about disputes over small islets, rocks and reefs but about one powers drive to gain hegemony in a critical corridor and impose a Sino-centric system upon the Indo-Pacific, a region that will shape the next global order.
Brahma Chellaney is a geostrategist and the author of nine books, including the award-winning Water: Asias New Battleground.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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A sprinkler waters grass in Sandy on May 31, 2022. Being one of the driest states in the country, with more than 85% of the state classified as desert, Nevadans know firsthand the criticality of conserving water. | Chuck Wing, Deseret News
Its hard not to fall in love with all the natural beauty the Western U.S. has to offer. As avid outdoorsmen and conservatives who call the West home, we recognize the inherent responsibility we have to protect these treasured places for generations to come. While the West faces many natural resource issues that grapple with our attention, one of the most crucial is that of water conservation.
An unusually hot summer and looming Colorado River negotiations serve as a constant reminder of the scarce water resources in this region of the U.S. and underscore the importance of effective solutions to conserve our most precious natural resource. While above-average snowpacks in the Sierras and Rockies have offered some relief to dwindling water supplies and drought conditions, that doesnt mean we will be as lucky next year. We must be proactive, rather than reactive.
Water conservation goes beyond having access to drinking water. It is imperative to everything from the health of wildlife and plants to farming and crop production to recreational activities that fuel the economy. Not to mention that low water levels can threaten hydropower facilities that produce affordable, reliable and clean energy. Water conservation is an issue that those from the West know all too well, including the two of us.
Unsurprisingly, Nevada is no stranger to limited water resources. Being one of the driest states in the country, with more than 85% of the state classified as desert, Nevadans know firsthand the criticality of conserving water. In fact, Nevada has more than stepped up to the challenge in southern Nevada, water use per capita was reduced 58% between 2022 and 2023, even as the state grew by nearly 790,000 residents. This is progress that Nevada can be proud of, and we should continue to do more where we can.
Importantly, Nevadas leadership on water conservation isnt happening by accident. Nevadans on the ground are leading the charge by spearheading innovative solutions in their communities. In fact, a Las Vegas family-run business is using food scraps from local restaurants, casinos and community donations to feed its livestock. By finding value in what others may view as waste, the company is increasing the sustainability of the citys food system while freeing up water resources that would have otherwise been needed to grow food for the livestock.
Still, while everyday Nevadans are doing all that they can to reduce water usage, some politicians have chosen to embrace costly mandates. Sen. Jacky Rosen endorses water cuts as a positive step forward, and local Nevada water authorities have imposed controversial excessive water use fees that forced over 60,000 Southern Nevadans to pay millions of dollars in fines. This isnt accountability its nanny-state overreach. Nevadans are already taking accountability for water usage and working diligently to reduce use; we dont need politicians targeting us with fees.
While Nevada leads in conservation, California continues to just point fingers. While Nevada pulls water from the Colorado River, its portion of the Lower Basin allocation is just 4%, while Californias is nearly 60%. Not to mention that Nevada is actively reducing its water usage, while California is irresponsibly letting billions of gallons of stormwater wash out to sea each year. If we hope to mitigate the impacts of drought in the West, everyone must do their part.
There is ample opportunity for us to be capitalizing on innovative solutions like desalination, the process of removing salt and minerals from seawater. With abundant coastline on the West Coast, desalination presents a clear opportunity to increase water resources in the region. The additional water resources supplied by desalination could be used to feed Californias agricultural industry, which feeds the country, without denying other Colorado River states critical water resources. Its this type of innovative, out-of-the-box thinking that will ultimately help us solve this ongoing natural resource challenge.
Still, while states and local communities have a significant role to play, solutions at the federal level will also be critical to effectively conserving water for generations to come. If I, Sam Brown, am elected to the U.S. Senate to represent my home state of Nevada, I will advocate for increased investment in resources needed to bolster water conservation in the Western U.S.
Young Americans find conservation critically important, and it is up to us as leaders to ensure we pass on abundant, healthy natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the next generations. As the president of the largest conservative youth environmental organization in the country, with more than 50,000 members, I, Chris Barnard, understand the importance of championing solutions to the challenges young people are most worried about.
With communities across the West facing increased risk of drought, which threatens our economy, well-being and the places we love to recreate, it is imperative that we step up to not only find but implement innovative solutions to Western water issues. Conservative solutions for the conservation of these resources have never been more important.
Sam Brown is a Purple Heart recipient and the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate from Nevada. Chris Barnard is the president of the American Conservation Coalition Action (ACC Action).
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:
60 days to the election
4 days to the debate set for Sept. 10
Decision Desk HQ average : Kamala Harris +3.8, as of around 12 p.m. ET today. Click here to see the latest numbers. PredictIt betting odds: 54 to 50 in favor of Harris
Disappeared
In proof you always worry about the wrong thing, the criminal cases against Donald Trump (and Hunter Biden) that were supposed to dominate the election cycle have effectively disappeared.
Look back : In August of 2023, Politicos Playbook newsletter headlined, Welcome to the courtroom campaign.
To be fair, they admitted today they and most of Washington (including us) got it wrong. The sentencing in the hush money case in New York City has been delayed until after the election. The Georgia election interference case, the only one of which would have been televised, blew up in Democrats faces because of the prosecutors affair. Jack Smiths Jan. 6 case is hopelessly (for Democrats) tied up in the Supreme Courts immunity decision. Jack Smiths classified documents case is disintegrating.
And its not just Trumps problems. Republicans planned to use Hunter Bidens business, tax and prostitution (lifestyle) problems against his dad. Well, that didnt work.
Important question: So if its not trials, what will define the 2024 race? We dont know.
White working-class voters defined 2016 by turning out in larger numbers for Trump
Suburban women fed up with mean tweets defined 2020
What defines 2024? Are we collectively undercounting the turnout of Black women? What about the economic anger of college-educated whites who want to say they are voting for Harris but dont believe shes moved to the center or that taking on corporate price gouging is the root of all their problems? Click here to see a must-watch interview with Harris spokesman. We dont have time to sit around and think about why over the last few years certain things may have happened or may not have happened. Weve got to go win an election. Will youth voters, who we keep hearing care about Israel and abortion, vote on the economy? Brookings thinks so. Will Harris bet on reproductive freedoms expand the gender gap in a way we havent seen before? Does Harris fundraising advantage (the campaign raised $361 million in August alone) just overwhelm Republicans?
Watch tonight: What will define the 2024 race? Well discuss it with Mark Penn.
Watch This! If you watch one thing today other than On Balance at 7 p.m. ET click here to see the gubernatorial campaign launch video of Virginias lieutenant governor.
Spoiler alert : Shes a Republican shes also a female Black Republican and, if elected, would be Americas first-ever Black female governor For all the focus on Harris race and gender For all the talking points that Harris race and gender somehow are uniquely qualifying Why doesnt anyone care about Winsome Earle-Sears diversity as her strength?
To be fair: This isnt new. After her election as lieutenant governor under Glenn Youngkin, the media largely ignored her.
Political reality: Shes a Republican running in a D +10 state in the off-year Virginia election but shell have Youngkins legacy.
Right now, Youngkins 59% approval rating makes him one of the most popular governors in the country
Finally Progress
The arrest of Colin Gray the father of alleged school shooter Colt Gray represents a HUGE step forward in stopping school shootings.
Less than 30 minutes before the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced the arrest, civil rights attorney Robert Patillo predicted it on our air.
Colin Gray allegedly gave his son an AR-15 for Christmas after the young man made threats. Its difficult to reconcile that fact. Then add this quote from his aunt in The Washington Post: He was begging for help from everybody around him, Annie Brown, the aunt, told The Washington Post. The adults around him failed him. Giving the younger Gray a weapon of any kind appears criminal.
WINDER, GEORGIA SEPTEMBER 6: Colin Gray, 54, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, 14, enters the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance, on September 6, 2024, in Winder, Georgia. Colin Gray is being charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and cruelty to children after his son opened fire and killed 4 at the high school on Wednesday. (Photo by Brynn Anderson-Pool/Getty Images)
Zoom out: Guns in America are a fact of life just like apple pie and July 4 fireworks.
The common sense gun laws demanded after every school shooting even if enforced perfectly wouldnt stop many shootings.
The decision in 36 hours to charge Grays father should change the calculus of so many parents. The Washington Post ends its story on the charges by saying, Prosecutors and law enforcement officials across the country who are struggling to grapple with gun violence will likely watch the Georgia prosecution closely to see how it plays out, legally and politically, in a state with loose firearms laws and a pro-gun culture. What they leave out: Trump won more than three-fourths of the vote in Jackson County its as red as you get. The irony that the swiftest charges ever against a school shooters parents came from prosecutors in a Republican state in a deep red Republican district appears lost on the Post.
Reality Check
Tim Walzs statements on Israel, Gaza and the pro-Hamas protesters in America should shake us to our core.
Among them, he demands that whats happening in Gaza stop.
Does that mean Israel needs to stop trying to rescue its hostages?
Or Hamas needs to stop brutalizing its own people?
Next, he says the answer is a two-state solution? The same two-state solution that Palestinians have rejected over and over And now polling shows the Palestinian people dont support living in peace with their Jewish neighbors
The latest protests, including this one in New York City, have absolutely NOTHING to do with dying Palestinian children in Gaza its rank hatred of Jews. Democrats whitewashing and ignoring it is appalling.
What about the Women?
It never ceases to amaze me how the most vocal voices for womens rights care so little about the female hostages getting raped in Gaza, the women of Afghanistan, girls forced to wear hijabs in Iran.
The New York Times reports on what Afghanistan looks like now for women dear god.
Fair question for Harris: Now that women cant talk in public under Taliban rule, do you still believe the Afghanistan withdrawal was a good idea?
Panic Button
New York retailers must now install panic buttons because of all the thefts.
Fair question: Wouldnt it be easier just to lock up the people committing all the crimes? What exactly will police do when they arrive after a panic alarm is pushed?
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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Prominent right-wing influencers Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson and Tim Pool have huge followings on YouTube and a fondness for the Trumpist talking point that allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election on the former presidents behalf are a hoax. Thats not all they have in common: They also reportedly enjoyed lucrative deals with a content creation company that was a front for Russian propagandists.
The Justice Department indicted two employees of the Russian propaganda outlet RT on Wednesday, charging them with laundering almost $10 million through foreign shell companies and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The DOJ alleges this was done to covertly fund and direct a media company that produced videos whose content and subject matter were often consistent with the Government of Russias interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition to core Government of Russia interests.
The companys description matches that of Tenet Media, a Tennessee-based firm co-founded by Lauren Chen, a creator for Glenn Becks Blaze TV (which fired Chen on Thursday) and a contributor to Charlie Kirks Turning Point USA. Tenet Media publishes content by Rubin, Johnson, Pool and other less-prominent influencers. According to the indictment, the production companies of three unnamed commentators were paid $8.7 million through the scheme.
The indictment states two of the commentators were deceived about the source of the funding; the trio all described themselves as unwitting victims of the operation in separate statements on social media. But the Tenet Media saga demonstrates once again that Russian election interference is not, as these commentators and their allies have insisted, a hoax. It is a fact, a deliberate and ongoing operation by the Kremlin to sway U.S. politics. And the Trumpist rights yearslong quest to rebut that reality have ended up ensuring that their entire information ecosystem is honeycombed with Russian propaganda.
Special counsel Robert Muellers 2019 final report conclusively documented the Russian governments systematic effort to influence the 2016 presidential election in order to help Trump and the many ways Trumps associates participated in that endeavor. This was an inconvenient finding for Trump and his political and media allies, who had spent years fabricating a complex alternate reality in which claims of Russian election interference or corrupt ties between Russia and Trump and his associates were deep state lies. They responded by falsely claiming Muellers report had found no collusion between Trump and Russia, and used that lie to brand the entirety of the probe as a hoax.
That inability to forthrightly reject Russian efforts to aid their partys standard bearer set the stage for Russian propaganda efforts receiving saturation coverage in the right-wing ecosystem.
No one on the right has done more to push pro-Russia talking points than former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, a longtime defender of Russian president Vladimir Putin and opponent of U.S. support for Ukraine. Russian propaganda channels sought to gin up Western support for its 2022 invasion by highlighting Carlsons nightly screeds against U.S. aid to Ukraine, and in turn served as a source for Carlsons program. A Russian state TV host even suggested on-air that Carlson take a job at his network after Fox dropped him the following year.
Carlson didnt go that far but he did take a jaunt to Moscow the following year for a largely friendly interview with Putin. Carlsons visit received fawning coverage from Russian propaganda channels; the host in turn produced a pathetic video in which he claimed his visit to a local grocery store had radicalize[d] him against Americas political leaders. (Carlsons Moscow market video was so unsubtle that when one of the indicted RT employees suggested posting it on Tenets Instagram channel, a Tenet producer initially recoiled, fearing that the video feels like overt shilling.)
But Russia-friendly narratives about the countrys invasion of Ukraine ultimately spread far beyond Carlson. It became widely accepted orthodoxy on the MAGA right that sending military aid to Ukraine is a waste of money, that the United States is responsible for Russias invasion, and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the real villain of the conflict. As Pool put it, Ukraine is the enemy of this country! All of this brings Putin closer to one of his top objectives, the end of U.S. support for Ukraine.
Russian interests and Kremlin-connected sources also fueled the rights obsession with Hunter Bidens business interests and the absurd related allegation that Joe Biden accepted a bribe from a Ukrainian oligarch both of which right-wing media and politicians treated as major stories, with House Republicans making it the heart of their impeachment case against the president..
While the U.S. right has been peddling Russian talking points for years, commentators unwittingly receiving payments from that country does seem to be a new development. But the revelation that some of their own got pulled into a Russian intelligence operation isnt leading to self-reflection on the MAGA right. Theres a palpable lack of concern about the notion that Russian propagandists want to encourage the divisive rhetoric prevalent on the pro-Trump right because they feel it weakens the United States and bolsters Russian interests.
Instead, as they did with revelations of Russian interference in 2016 and the dissolution of their impeachment case earlier this year, theyve moved directly to grievance and conspiracy theories.
In the hours after the indictment dropped Wednesday, Fox hosts and chyrons claimed that the Justice Department is engaged in dirty tricks intended to help Vice President Kamala Harris 2024 campaign, and may be laying the ground for more censorship. Other right-wing commentators suggested that the indictment may be a psyop within a psyop or perhaps linked to Trump say[ing] he is going to declass the Epstein client list.
For Charlie Kirk, the close Trump associate and streamer who had Tenet Media co-founder Lauren Chen as a TPUSA contributor, the big takeaway was that the regime is ramping up its fear campaign ahead of November.
All of this ensures that the right-wing information space will remain a rich breeding ground for Russian propaganda as Moscow tries to return Trump to the White House.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The Knesset, Israels parliament, has been in summer recess since July 28 and will not reconvene until Oct. 27 because of the Jewish holidays. Until then, and thus for the next seven weeks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be Israels virtual dictator, with no legislative constraints.
During this time, he can choose to make a deal with Hamas or reject one without interference from Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, the extremist right-wing ministers who have vowed to bring the government down in the event Netanyahu does strike a deal to bring home the remaining hostages.
Netanyahu could call an emergency Knesset session, which the extremist ministers surely would demand if he were to conclude a deal with the terrorists, but he is almost certain not to do so.
Netanyahu is insisting that he will not reach an agreement with Hamas that does not provide for Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor, the narrow strip of land between Israel and Egypt. He asserts that Egypt has neglected to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons, many of them supplied by Iran, through tunnels under the corridor. He claims that Israeli control of the nine-mile corridor is an existential condition for his country, and that unless Israel retains its presence there, Hamas will never free the remaining hostages and instead will continue to thrive as Israels nemesis.
Netanyahus demand only came to light after it appeared that both sides were on the verge of an American-sponsored cease-fire deal. His ploy has led many to suspect, not without good reason, that the prime minister has no interest in a cease-fire, whatever its terms, even if that means the loss of all remaining living hostages. Indeed, he reportedly said as much at one of his security cabinet meetings. His primary objective, rather, is to keep his coalition intact, remain in office and avoid conviction on one or more of the criminal fraud charges that he has fought for years.
Moreover, many believe, with some justice, that Netanyahu is delaying any move on a cease-fire until after the American elections, from which he hopes Donald Trump will emerge victorious. Given Trumps support as president for almost anything Israel requested, Netanyahu is betting that Trump will offer no obstacles to the Israeli war effort, regardless of the toll it continues to take on the Palestinian population.
Israels security establishment dismisses Netanyahus insistence on retaining the corridor and strongly advocates for a cease-fire agreement. Most notably, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has vehemently argued that there is no urgent need to control Philadelphi. The retired general points out that Israel can recapture the corridor any time it chooses.
Many of senior military and security leaders have questioned why, if the corridor is so important to Israels security, Netanyahu did not order it seized and retained years before, perhaps after Israels wars with Hamas in 2012 and 2014, when he was also serving as prime minister. Netanyahu could also realize his objectives by agreeing to the creation of a U.S.-led American, Israeli and Egyptian monitoring force, along the lines of the Multinational Force and Observers which for many decades have successfully operated in the Sinai.
Because Netanyahu remains unfettered by any legislative or coalition restraints for the next seven weeks, he could acquiesce to the urgings of his generals and security chiefs and reach an agreement with Hamas. Moreover, he could remain in power by bringing the centrist Yesh Atid party into the government. Yair Lapid, the partys leader, has stated that if joining the coalition meant saving the remaining hostages, he would do it, despite his bitter opposition to Netanyahus policies and persona. His one condition is that the prime minister drop both Smotrich and Ben Gvir from the government.
Netanyahu has been reluctant to accept Lapids offer. Indeed, having double-crossed Benny Gantz, the previous leader of the opposition, with whom he was supposed to rotate the premiership, Netanyahu no doubt fears that Lapid would do the same to him, causing the government to collapse.
Yet if he truly wishes to save the hostages, he could accept Lapids offer before the Knesset returns and agree to a cease-fire. He could, as part of his deal with Lapid, demand that the opposition leader guarantee in writing that he will not leave the government for the rest of its full term. Such an arrangement would politically emasculate Netanyahus erstwhile right-wing partners, who, with the Knesset in recess, would be unable to call a vote of no confidence.
President Biden and his negotiators state that their forthcoming cease-fire plan will be the last they will offer a take-it-or-leave-it deal. Whatever the plans terms, it is unlikely to succeed as long as Netanyahu continues to heed the demands of his extremist ministers. Only a change in the governing coalition will provide the necessary conditions for a successful U.S. proposal.
Over the next seven weeks, Netanyahu has a chance to stop the killing and save hostages lives. And he can do so while remaining in office for the rest of his electoral term. Now is the time for him at last to take up Lapids sensible offer.
Dov S. Zakheim is a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and vice chairman of the board for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He was undersecretary of Defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer for the Department of Defense from 2001 to 2004 and a deputy undersecretary of Defense from 1985 to 1987.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Shan Wu is a former federal prosecutor who served as counsel to Attorney General Janet Reno.
Scheduling hearings in criminal trials are normally all about the calendars. The courts calendar, prosecutors calendars, defense counsel calendars and sometimes the calendar for witnesses or defendants all are the subject of a lot of rather mundane discussions of other trials, holidays and even vacation schedules.
Presidential election dates never enter into the discussion since election days are not federal holidays. But the scheduling hearing held before Judge Tonya Chutkan in former President Trumps Jan 6 election interference case was an exception. The 2024 electiona mere 60 days away as Judge Chutkan held her hearingloomed over the courtroom like a malevolent spirit.
The Trump legal team repeatedly tried to invoke that spirit as a reason for delay even as Special Counsel Jack Smiths team and Judge Chutkan tried mightily to banish it from the courtroom. In the end, it could not be banished.
Judge Delivers Good News to Donald Trump on First Day Back in Court
Trumps standard operating procedure of delay has been obvious throughout this case and all of his legal cases. The motivation is obvious. Delay always aids the defendant. Memories grow stale, evidence can deteriorate and be lost, and prosecutors and investigators may even leave. But for Trump there is the added factor that if he can delay any trial until after the election, then he avoids the lack negative publicity and if he wins the election then he also wins the power to get rid of any federal charges against him.
The ticking clock has put Special Counsel Jack Smith and the Justice Department in a uniquely difficult position. Prosecutors rarely are pressured by the clock because while there are time limits on how old many case can bewhen an investigation is active or if the case has already been chargedthen defendants seldom object to delays. But here the clock is altogether different. When it runs out then it gives Trump a potential power no other defendant can dream of wielding: the power to dismiss the charges against himself.
Against this backdrop, Judge Chutkan and the Special Counsel team labored to push the case forward. Prosecutors poked fun at Trumps requests for delay, pointing out to the court that following the U.S. Supreme Courts Presidential immunity ruling, Trumps lawyers had managed to produce a 52-page brief in a matter of days as they sought to use the high courts favorable ruling to dismiss Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs fraud convictions against Trump.
For her part, Judge Chutkan put it as plainly as possible in an exchange with a Trump attorney in where she said: This court is not concerned with the electoral schedule. When the Trump attorney responded, We are talking about the Presidency of the United States, Chutkan responded: I am not talking about the presidency. I am talking about a four-count indictment.
Special Counsel Jack Smith, June 9, 2023. Leah Millis/File Photo/Reuters
With that statement, Judge Chutkan also cut through to the heart of what the hearing was all about which was how the court and lawyers were to implement the Supreme Courts Presidential Immunity ruling. That ruling found for the first time that Presidents are largely immune from criminal charges for official actsa term the high court defined so broadly that it would allow the President to enter into criminal conspiracies with his own Attorney General or order his military to assassinate political rivals.
In reaction to the opinion, Smiths office had already pared down the indictment and eliminated evidence pertaining to any conversations Trump had with Justice Department officials. What still remains to be navigated is evidence concerning then Vice-President Mike Pence.
Specifically, the court must decide whether evidence from Pence would be in his official capacity as Vice-President or in his non-Executive branch role as President Pro Tempore of the Senatethe latter being the role in which Pence certified the electoral college count results. The distinction is critical since allegations that Trump tried to strong-arm Pence into refusing to certify the electoral college results make up a central part of the prosecution.
Anticipating appeals of the Pence issueand othersSmiths team proposed an omnibus motion in which they would ask Chutkan to address all of the immunity issues. Trumps team objected to this both on timingthey wanted to push the resolution into Decemberas well as on process, essentially suggesting that these issues needed to be broken up piecemeal. Such an approach, as Smiths team pointed out, would likely result in an endless series of appeals to the Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the end, Chutkan sided with the prosecution on timing and substance. She set a briefing schedule in which Smiths team will file by Sept. 26 a brief in which they lay out their arguments about immunity issues. Smiths team is expected to set forth in that brief a rare pre-trial preview of evidence they plan to present at trial.
While much of that will likely be filed under sealin large part to protect grand jury secrecyto the extent parts are unsealed or public the effect could be to inform the voting public about a lot more detail of Trumps alleged wrongdoing only weeks before the election. Trumps team will have until October 16 to respond to the Smith filing.
But whatever victory there is for Smiths team in a briefing schedule that will at least commence before the election, the greater victory has been for the Trump team.
It's a victory for the Trump team because their goal of ensuring no federal trials before the election has been accomplished. True, they had help in accomplishing it. A late start by the Justice Department, Judge Cannons startlingly meritless decisions, and, of course, the U.S. Supreme Courts case granting immunity to Trump in a decision that not only protects Trump but also ensured greater delay as they directed the trial court to take a first crack at interpreting their immunity doctrine.
But a win is a win, and one can feel the smugness and confidence in the Trump teams bantering with Judge Chutkan. In opening dialogue with the court Trump lawyer John Lauro told Chutkan words to the effect of life just hasnt been the same without seeing you.
Later, he opined that I am an originalist as he referenced the Supreme Court decision. The latter is a remarkably narcissistic statement for a lawyer to make in a federal trial court. No one cares what views a criminal defense lawyers has on Constitutional interpretation. Even Supreme Court justices refrain from boasting inside the courtroom about their own theories.
But Supreme Court justices, like other judges, dont win cases. They judge them. Lawyers win cases and make no mistake about it: Trumps team has won a historic victory by making sure he cannot be tried before the election. The loss, however, isnt just suffered by the federal prosecutors but by our entire democratic process which is now forced to vote in darkness without the sunlight that a public trial would rightfully have provided at this most critical historical moment.
Read more at The Daily Beast.
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There are some Republican voters who are sympathetic to their partys ultranationalist turn and dont believe the partys attitudes toward issues such as immigration and crime are the products of racial animus. But over and over again, right-wing leaders and thinkers reveal that white supremacism is an engine of this movement.
The latest example comes via an episode of The Tucker Carlson Show released this week, in which the former Fox News host interviews podcast host and newsletter writer Darryl Cooper. Carlson, arguably the most influential right-wing nationalist commentator in America, said Cooper may be the best and most honest popular historian in the United States. But Cooper has made clear that his intellectual project regarding World War II includes Holocaust revisionism.
In the Carlson interview, Cooper deems British Prime Minister Winston Churchill the chief villain of World War II and calls him primarily responsible for that war becoming what it did. Cooper also framed the slaughter of millions of people, most of them Jewish, as a logistical failure. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, he said, entered Germany into a war where they were completely unprepared to deal with the millions and millions of prisoners of war, of local political prisoners.
They went in with no plan for that and they just threw these people into camps, he added. And millions of people ended up dead there.
Coopers account is as offensive as it is inaccurate. They didnt accidentally end up dead. Hitler deliberately sought out and executed the systematic murder of six million Jews with an explicit goal of elimination. And while its clear that Churchill committed plenty of indefensible war crimes, describing him as the chief villain of World War II says all that needs to be said about Coopers political sympathies. It is obscene that one needs to point out Hitlers genocidal villainy. But its important to take note of it to understand how Carlson is helping mainstream Nazi apologists.
Michael Geyer, a professor emeritus of German and European history at the University of Chicago, told HuffPost that Carlsons interview takes a different tack toward questioning the Holocaust than overt denial. You get from one distortion to the next, his Holocaust story being interesting because it is no longer outright denial (i.e., it never happened) but considered collateral damage, he said.
This is far from the first time that Cooper has suggested sympathy for Nazism. In the past, he has, among other things, explicitly described Hitler's value system as desirable compared to other political systems, and he has also blamed the British for not negotiating with Hitler over a "solution to the Jewish problem."
X CEO Elon Musk boosted the Carlson episode, writing, Very interesting. Worth watching. After receiving criticism, Musk deleted the post and subsequently posted a Community Notes link with corrections to Coopers argument. Still, hed already boosted the post to his tens of millions of followers with an uncritical attitude toward its claims. Thats alarming.
More disturbing, still, is the discovery that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps running mate, Sen. JD Vance, followed Cooper on X, at least as recently as Wednesday, as reported by The New Republic and other outlets. Vance is reportedly planning to join Carlson at a live event later in September. Neither following Cooper on X nor appearing at an event with Carlson means Vance endorses any of Coopers views. But they do serve as clear evidence that white supremacist intellectual currents are running through the mainstream of right-wing nationalism, and that they are a part of the conversation that runs all the way to the top of the Republican Party.
It is impossible to disentangle MAGA from a project of racial domination. The casual mainstreaming of Coopers views, alongside Trumps Hitlerian rhetoric describing immigrants as poisoning the blood of our country, are the neon-lined sign posts that illustrate that right-wing nationalism is animated by a virulent ethnic chauvinism. There is no way someone can remain a part of this movement and seriously claim to reject racism.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
(Bloomberg) -- Telegram Chief Executive Officer Pavel Durov defended the encrypted messaging app in his first public comments since being arrested in Paris last month, while acknowledging growing pains from a rapid expansion to 950 million users and promising to tackle criminal abuse.
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The social media billionaire was charged in France last week for failing to stop the spread of illicit content on the app, including child sex abuse material and drug sales. Telegram has frequently drawn criticism from governments including the European Union and authoritarian regimes in Russia and Iran over content on the platform, which has become a gathering place for conspiracy theorists and extremists.
Durov, 39, has historically taken a mostly hands-off approach to moderating content on the app, declining to respond to legal requests or cooperate with law enforcement agencies, according to Paris authorities. In his post on Telegram Thursday, Pavel said the messaging platform has been cooperative with EU requests and that the site takes down millions of harmful posts each day.
All of that does not mean Telegram is perfect, he wrote. But the claims in some media that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue. Durov said he plans to improve the way the site handles harmful content and make it easier for authorities to send requests to the app.
The entrepreneurs platform may be moving to put some guard-rails in place. Several media outlets including the Verge and Coindesk reported that Telegram may be preparing to allow users in private chats to flag questionable content. The company struck language in an online FAQ declaring it wouldnt interfere with private exchanges, and replaced it with a brief guide on how to flag illegal content, the outlets reported.
Still, Durov made it clear he believes his detention in France was an overreach, arguing that governments should take legal action against the service itself, rather than hold executives personally responsible.
Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach, he wrote. Building technology is hard enough as it is. No innovator will ever build new tools if they know they can be personally held responsible for potential abuse of those tools.
Story continues
The charges Durov currently faces could result in up to 10 years in jail. Telegram was launched in 2013 as a messaging platform similar to WhatsApp and has evolved into an everything app that also provides services including news feeds, shopping and games.
Durov has drawn support from X owner Elon Musk and others in the social media industry over his arrests implications for free speech.
How Telegram Became a Magnet for Extremists, Crime: QuickTake
--With assistance from Ville Heiskanen.
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Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have repeatedly and emphatically stated their staunch support for Israel, although Harris tempers her support with calls for a cease-fire and recognition of Palestinian rights.
Keenly aware that the close presidential race limits the ability of the White House to pressure him, Netanyahu continues to defy Bidens call for a ceasefire.
This situation has led pro-Palestinian protestors to view U.S.-Israel relations as a simple transaction in which the U.S. administration provides weapons, money and diplomatic support in return for Jewish American votes.
History reveals a far more complex relationship. Contrary to popular belief, the U.S. has not always backed Israel, and it has usually been able to influence Israeli policy.
The relationship began even before Israel became a state.
After World War II, many of the more than 250,000 holocaust survivors languished in displaced persons camps, unable to return to their former homes and unsure where they could go to start a new life. Many wished to immigrate to what was then the British Mandate of Palestine.
However, following the Arab Revolt (1936-1939), Britain had promised to end Jewish immigration. Concerned over the plight of Jewish refugees, President Harry Truman called for the creation of an Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry, which recommended admitting 100,000 refugees into Palestine in 1946.
The United Kingdom needed American aid, so it complied and restrained its forces trying to suppress a Zionist insurgency in Palestine.
When Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948, Truman immediately recognized it.
As historian David McCullough observed, doing so was good politics. Facing a tough reelection battle, Truman hoped recognition would win Jewish-American votes in the key states of Illinois, Pennsylvania and New York.
U.S. recognition gave Israel much-needed legitimacy, but Truman did not supply it with weapons to defend itself in the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948. Recognition also did not guarantee future support.
During the 1956 Suez Crisis, Washington opposed Israels actions. President Eisenhower forced Britain to leave the Suez Canal zone and pressured Israel to withdraw from Gaza and the Sinai.
U.S. policy towards Israel changed again during the Johnson administration from 1963-1969. Washington provided some weapons and money, but it did not give the Israeli military everything it wanted.
A Johnson administration memo from April 1967 revealed U.S. concern over fueling a Middle East arms race and objections to Israels nuclear weapons program as reasons to withhold aid.
To preserve a balance of power, the U.S. also supplied weapons to Jordan.
Then, in June 1967, Israel defeated Egypt, Jordan and Syria in the Six-Day War, capturing the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan. Instead of demanding Israel relinquish the occupied areas immediately, Johnson proposed a land-for-peace plan, making withdrawal contingent upon peace treaties with Arab states.
The U.S. also voted for United Nations Resolution 242, which called upon Israel to return land captured during the Six-Day War.
The U.S.-Israel relationship changed again during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. When coordinated attacks by Syria and Egypt caught Israel completely by surprise, President Richard Nixon airlifted arms and ammunition that enabled the Israeli military to drive back the attackers. The Arab members of OPEC retaliated against the U.S. with an oil embargo.
The election of Jimmy Carter in 1976 led to further policy changes. Carter brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel. In return for a peace treaty, Egypt got the Sinai back, and both countries received a significant increase in U.S. military and other aid.
Neither Presidents Ronald Reagan nor George H.W. Bush pressured Israel to implement Resolution 242 and return the West Bank and the Golan. But in 1988, Jordan relinquished its claim over both the West Bank and Gaza.
Then, in 1993, Bill Clinton facilitated the signing of the Oslo Accords, culminating in the historic handshake between Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat.
The PLO renounced terrorism and recognized Israels right to exist in return for the creation of a Palestinian Authority to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza. The agreement was not popular on the Israeli right, and it cost Rabin his life when an ultra-Zionist assassinated him in November 1995.
Netanyahu became prime minister for the first time in 1996. Although his Likud Party opposed the two-state solution envisioned in the Oslo Accords, he tried to advance the peace process, only to fall from power in 1999.
After the 9/11 attacks, the administration of George W. Bush was in no mood to promote Palestinian aspirations against Israeli opposition, especially since the U.S. had designated Hamas, which gained control of Gaza in 2007, a terrorist organization.
The election of Barack Obama in 2008 and Netanyahus return to power in 2009 altered the U.S.-Israel relationship yet again. While Obama continued military support for Israel, he also entered into the Iran nuclear deal, which Netanyahu vehemently opposed. After he took office in 2017, Trump withdrew from the Iran deal, moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan.
Then came Oct. 7. President Biden initially gave Israel unconditional support, but as the months passed and the death toll in Gaza mounted, he pressured Netanyahu to exercise restraint. The U.S. probably got Israel to limit its response to attacks by Iran and Hezbollah, thus preventing a regional war.
As this brief historical overview illustrates, U.S.-Israel relations have always been shaped by the complex interaction of domestic politics and foreign policy interests in each country.
The idea that American Jews are a single-issue monolithic block of voters that can be delivered to the highest bidder is at best a simplistic notion and at worst an antisemitic trope. They will vote based on a broad range of issues, just as they have in the past.
This years election offers a stark choice. One candidate will write Israel a blank check; the other will balance aid with efforts to secure a lasting peace that guarantees the rights of Israelis and Palestinians.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators should keep that in mind when they demand an arms embargo against Israel that could affect the outcome.
Tom Mockaitis is a professor of history at DePaul University and the author of Violent Extremists: Understanding the Domestic and International Terrorist Threat .
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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When Donald Trump first heard on Thursday morning that Vladimir Putin had endorsed Kamala Harris for president, he must have been shattered. Not Putin, too!
After all, polls showed Harris taking the lead in the run up to the November 5 election. And analysts had concluded Trump had no upside and that his only hope lay with turning out his base. The dam that seemed to have held back rebellion against Trump in the Republican Party seemed to be breaking with the latest breach being the announcement this week by former member of the GOP House leadership Liz Cheney that she would now be endorsing Vice President Harris.
And above and beyond all that, Putin was and is, after all, was one of the foundations on which Trumps base has long been built.
DOJ Bombshell Alleges MAGA Media Group Is Backed by Russian Money
Putin, Trump knew, had effectively bought the Republican Party. Thats why Trump had surrounded himself with an inner circle of Kremlin favorites including his running mate J.D. Vance, RFK, Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Elon Musk, and the dim bulb Russophiles in his own family. And now this?
Was Putin too giving up on the GOP?
What if he wanted his money back?
Fortunately for the former president, Putin was just joshing. He could barely keep a straight face when his made his comment about Americas Vice President, especially when he made his snide comment about Harris laugh proving that she was doing well.
One less thing to worry about. Orwas it?
As the Department of Justice made clear at a Wednesday press conference and with a flurry of activity this week, the fact that Putin was still pulling the strings for MAGA was a double-edged sword.
With the outcome of the Ukraine war and Trumps personal freedom hanging in the balance, both Trump and Putin needed each other and a Trump victory in November more than ever. On the other hand, Attorney General Merrick Garland, working in close coordination with the the U.S. intelligence community and other executive branch agencies, appeared to be taking a much more aggressive stance to call out and stop Russian election interference than it had in 2016 and 2020.
Perhaps that is because of the criticism of the U.S. government passivity in the face of those efforts in the past. Perhaps it is because law enforcement and homeland security officials in the U.S. were learning more how Russia and other countries seeking to interfere in the elections worked and how to stop them. Or perhaps it was Trump and MAGA had grown overconfident that they could just shrug off tacit or explicit cooperation with Russians engaged in active measures to sway the U.S. electorate as a hoax that they had become brazen and reckless.
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump attend a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via Reuters
After all, not only had Trump surrounded himself with an overtly pro-Putin team, but the evidence of Russian involvement in this years election had grown so great that it was hard to ignore (although admittedly, most folks in the U.S. press had largely ignored it).
In the just the recent past, for example, Trump had welcomed Putin poodle Viktor Orban to Mar-a-Lago after which both spouted Kremlin talking points about the war in Ukraine. Musk had become increasingly overt in the ways he was using the power of the social media platform he acquired in 2022 to support both Trump and Kremlin talking points on Ukraine and U.S. culture warswhich made sense when seen in the light of the fact that some of those who helped finance Musks purchase of Twitter were actually Russian oligarchs with ties to Putin.
A Putin favorite, third party candidate Jill Stein, was hitting the campaign trail again this time making her allegiances even clearer by campaigning alongside folks who had been federally charged with being Putin agents. And, of course, at the Republican National Convention, Russian media darling Tucker Carlson not only gave an address and was seated in Trumps box, but it is widely believed he played a key role in persuading Trump to pick Putin fanboy J.D. Vance as his running mate.
GOP support from and ties to the Russians had been obvious for years: Not a hoax at all but backed up by the Mueller investigation and the assessments of every U.S. intelligence agency. Core GOP supporters like the National Rifle Association were revealed to be beneficiaries of Russian financing and targets of Russian influence operations. GOP politicians had received donations from Russian oligarchs. And of course, Trump bent the knee before Putin every chance he got.
As a result of this or perhaps just in addition to it, for weeks in DC there had been rumors that the government had significant information about new, bolder Russian operations to influence the 2024 elections, efforts that would ultimately point to big name MAGA and GOP figures. But a question hung in the air: Would the notoriously cautious attorney general act on the information?
This week that question was answered. On Wednesday, the Department of Justice indicted employees of Russian television who were allegedly behind an effort to funnel money and Russian disinformation to right wing American influencers. Although the language in the DoJ indictment was cagey about who the influencers were, subsequent reporting revealed that one recipient of Russian funds was a company called Tenet Media.
Tenet was a platform used by a stable of right-wing media figures. These include Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, and Tim Pool. Pool, for example, was so prominent that he recently featured interviews with Trump and his son, Don, Jr. The platform directly parroted Kremlin talking points (such as those characterizing Ukraine as an enemy of the U.S. and the country that started the war that was actually triggered by Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2014).
They also featured Kremlin propaganda including that featuring Tucker Carlson gushing so profusely over a Russian supermarket that the Russians behind this plot were revealed to be embarrassed by it in some of the evidence made public by the Department of Justice.
Elon Musk attends the Viva Technology conference in Paris, France, June 16, 2023. Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo/Reuters
Also revealed in the indictment package were detailed talking points spread by both the nitwits at Tenet (who claim they are victims in this case and that they had no idea where the money they were getting paid came fromeven though their contacts regarding the funding were themselves Russian), and also by Russian bots and trolls who used a number of web-sites seized by the Justice Department. It is worth noting that much of the Russian propaganda was regurgitated to a massive audience by Musk, a man who has also been accused of being too cozy with Putin.
Then, on Thursday, former Trump adviser and Russian TV commentator, Dimitri Simes and his wife, whose Virginia home had been raided by federal agents several weeks ago, were accused of working for Russian television and laundering money to help them evade sanctions. The Simeses had, according to reports, relocated to Russia in apparent anticipation of their legal troubles.
These days, as a consequence, while Trump may need Putin more than ever as his political fortunes in the U.S. appear to be flagging, Republicans and MAGA mouthpieces across the country have got to be skittish every time the phone rings or that there is a knock on their door. Some are surely doing a deep dive to see where some of their funding has come from. Others know where it has come from and wondering how to handle what comes next.
But will you hear Trump or any of themselves distance themselves from Putin? Of course not. Because they know that without Putins money and his bots and his trolls and his witting and unwitting agents in the U.S. and perhaps the help of other foreign actors, it will be much harder for Trump to eke out a victory in November. Which means it will be much harder for Trump to stay out of jail.
So, consistent with their stance for the past nine years, the GOP will defend Putin, the Kremlin, and Russias interests ahead of those of the United States and just hope that in so doing they can make it from here to the election. After that, of course, if Trump wins, thanks to the Supreme Court, he can shut down these investigations and, if he wants to, openly collude with Putin in violation of U.S. laws and declare that treason is now patriotism. And Putin can accept his payment in the form of America stopping aid to Ukraine and pulling out of NATO.
And if you dont realize that keeping Trump out of jail and giving Putin Ukraine and whatever else of Europe he wants on a silver platter are what all these stories are really about, well, you may be just the kind of clueless voter Trump is counting on.
Read more at The Daily Beast.
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BOSTON (SHNS) A pricey fight over whether to increase what employers must pay tipped workers is well underway in Massachusetts as a national group leading the campaign and business-backed opponents spar over the possible impacts of the ballot question.
The restaurant-funded Committee to Protect Tips, which is urging voters to oppose Question 5, rolled out a 30-second advertisement Thursday depicting servers who allege that wait staff will earn less, not more if voters approve the measure.
Opposition campaign officials said their new ad will appear on broadcast, cable and streaming services, part of a seven-figure purchase through September.
Chris Keohan, a spokesperson for the campaign, said the questions backers did virtually no outreach to the people this question would impact the mosttipped employees.
Tipped employees overwhelmingly oppose this ballot question, and we will continue to share their stories so that voters arent fooled by our opponents deceitful tactics, Keohan said.
But the leader of One Fair Wage, the national group leading the ballot question charge, said worker earnings are higher, not lower, in several other states that already require businesses to pay higher wages with tips on top.
The idea that tips are going to go away is a complete falsehood perpetrated by the National Restaurant Association, Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage and director of UC Berkeleys Food Labor Research Center, said in an interview.
Under state law, employers can pay a minimum of $6.75 to workers who earn tips as long as the gratuities bring combined earnings up to at least $15 per hour. If an employee does not make that much, their employer must cover the difference.
The ballot question would instead require businesses to pay all tipped employees the full statewide minimum wage, and those workers could continue to earn gratuities in addition to their base pay. Under the proposal, employers could also choose to pool tips and distribute them between workers, including those like back-of-house staff who do not regularly receive gratuities.
Citing a Mass. Restaurant Association survey, the new opposition ad suggests that a majority of tipped employees oppose the reforms outlined in the ballot question.
One Fair Wage has been leading the campaign in Massachusetts and similar efforts elsewhere with the backing of some local organizations, workers, business owners and politicians. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley joined a fundraising event with supporters on Wednesday.
Jayaraman said the national group got involved at the request of Massachusetts employees, who reached out and sought help building a campaign.
Supporters have launched digital ads, according to Jayaraman, and are also eyeing their own seven-figure television ad buy in the near future.
Several hundred restaurants in Massachusetts already pay a full $15 per hour and allow workers to collect additional tips, Jayaraman said.
Tipping has not changed in those restaurants. Frankly, people dont care. People dont know and dont care, she said. The most common response we got when we were collecting signatures for this petition was, Oh my God, I had no idea they were getting $6.75.'
Neither side of the issue has submitted detailed campaign finance information for 2024. In 2023, the committee working in favor of the question reported about $673,000 in in-kind contributions, most of it from One Fair Wage to cover signature-gathering, but no substantial direct contributions or expenses.
The opposition campaign, which did not form a fundraising committee until this year, has not submitted any data yet, but it did reveal its top five donors in the new ad: the Massachusetts Restaurant Association (which spent months fighting the proposal through legal challenges), the Apple American Group that appears to operate hundreds of Applebees franchises, the Hampshire House Corp., Davios CEO Steve DeFillippo, and local Mexican food chain Annas Taqueria LLC.
Jayaraman told the News Service that One Fair Wage is the largest donor to the campaign in support of the question, and that most of the remaining money comes from small-dollar donors all over the state of Massachusetts.
The public should get a clearer look at which interests are bankrolling both sides of the campaigns and the four other ballot questions by the end of the week. All ballot question campaigns must file their first political finance reports with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance by the end of the day Friday.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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LENA, Ill. (WTVO) Police have arrested a music teacher, Collin Zier, 38, of Lena, on charges related to possession of child pornography videos.
According to the Stephenson County Sheriffs Office, a report was filed in June by an official with the Orangeville School District that Zier was making contact with a student outside of the school.
An investigation led to a felony warrant being issued for Ziers arrest on September 5th, 2024.
He is charged with one count of Child Pornography and is being held at the Stephenson County Jail awaiting the outcome of a detention hearing.
Police are urging additional current or former Orangeville School District students who have had inappropriate contact with Zier to speak to investigators.
Zier is listed as a K-12 music and choir teacher for Orangeville Elementary School on the districts website, and a high school band director, according to the Illinois High School Association.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek at the State Library of Oregon in Salem on Aug. 14, 2024. (Deborah Bloom/Underscore Native News)
This story originally appeared on Underscore Native News.
This spring, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek promised to visit all nine federally recognized Native nations across the state. So far, she has visited eight and attended the annual Tribal-State Government-to-Government Summit in July. That time marked a span of months when Kotek heard from Native leadership across the state.
In an interview on Aug. 14, Underscore Native News + ICT followed up on those conversations, asking Kotek to clarify her commitments to Native nations and Indigenous community members in Oregon.
She expressed a commitment to strengthening sovereign-to-sovereign consultation, pointing to the new state task force on tribal consultation and acknowledged that the structure of the legislative session makes proper consultation difficult. Consultation is better when it happens before potential policies are even introduced in the legislature, she said.
Kotek also talked about her trip to the Klamath Tribes, where the community is reeling from the recent murder of two teenage sisters. The tragedy comes as Indigenous community members across the state continue decades of advocacy, and continue to call on Oregon to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP).
Underscore and ICTs recent reporting shows how limited transparency, persistent data gaps and secret law enforcement guidelines from the federal coordinator in Oregon hinders progress in addressing an MMIP crisis that impacts Native communities across the state.
Kotek acknowledged Oregons lack of data collection as a critical issue and said she is open to the possibility of a statewide MMIP task force. Washington state has established an MMIP task force, administered by the state attorney generals office a move some MMIP activists have said Oregon should replicate.
Kotek also signaled openness around another important issue: Land Back. When asked if she sees a possibility of transferring some state lands back to Native nations, or creating more co-management opportunities on state land, Gov. Kotek answered favorably.
I absolutely think thats a possibility on the horizon, Kotek said. Really understanding lands that are in state possession, whether theyre park lands or other things weve had conversations about hatcheries that are really important. Wherever we can be co-managing and working together, Im definitely open to that.
The interview below has been lightly edited for clarity.
Nika Bartoo-Smith (Underscore Native News + ICT): Youre currently wrapping up your tour of the nine federally recognized Native nations in Oregon, you just completed your eighth. How were your visits so far? What were some of the most interesting moments?
Gov. Tina Kotek: I think the visits have been absolutely amazing. When I made this commitment to visit all nine tribes, to me, it was getting to different parts of our state, meeting with tribal citizens and speaking with them, speaking with their governments.
I think the relationships that Im building is the highlight. For example, the chairs usually drive in my car, so we get to chat when we move from spot to spot. Those relationships and friendships I think are going to be so valuable over the course of my administration.
I think its just hearing directly about the history, about whats going on, the excitement about projects. I mean, all of it has just been wonderful. And theyre all different, right? Because every tribal nation is different, and so theyre unique, but the warmth and generosity of every visit has been just really wonderful.
Nika Bartoo-Smith: Tell us a little bit about how what you are learning on these visits might inform state policy moving forward.
Gov. Tina Kotek: I think in terms of state policy, it comes down to why Im doing this. I really believe in government-to-government conversations. I approach these visits kind of like a diplomatic mission. These are sovereign nations within the borders of Oregon. So as a sovereign, being the sovereign, thats why these are visits from the first family. The first lady comes with me. I feel like that is a sign of respect. So you build that foundation of friendship and relationship.
I think where its going to affect state policy is really that commitment to consultation. Making sure that the state government has a consistent policy, that we understand how to work with our tribal governments, our tribal nations, in a way thats respectful to the degree that we can co create policy. I think thats always a goal.
Weve been doing a lot at the state trying to increase the number of tribal set asides, but making sure that those are whats needed and what can work. So I think theres just, were doing a lot of good work together, but theres always room for improvement. And I want to find out what those areas of improvement can be so we can all be successful together.
Missing and murdered indigenous people
Karina Brown (Underscore Native News): Most recently, you visited the Klamath Tribes. I understand there was a lot of discussion about Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, specifically the tragic murder of two young, teenage sisters that devastated the community. What did you hear from their family and from the larger community about what justice would look like and what they want the state of Oregon to do to address this issue?
Kotek: It was a really powerful meeting with families. And they werent only families or friends of the two young women who were killed, but Klamath citizens who had, over the years, lost family members and have not had their questions answered by local law enforcement.
What I took away from it was, theres a real opportunity here to get questions answered so there can be healing within the community. The broader issue of MMIP, which Ive been hearing from all the tribes, by the way, came home in a really personal way, in visiting the Klamath Tribes.
We had a lunch meeting together, where there were posters outside the room where we were meeting, of the individual tribal members who had been lost. Just to see the number of them, the pain that the Klamath Tribes has experienced because of that, was real eye opening for me to say: What more can we do as a state to make sure families can find justice, that they can get answers? Because sometimes thats all youre going to get, is answers, but at least you should get them. So it was really powerful.
Bartoo-Smith: In a proclamation declaring May 5 as MMIP Awareness Day you said: Oregon is committed to addressing the root causes and systemic obstacles contributing to this persistent crisis, aiming to mitigate violence against Indigenous Peoples. Can you tell us about the specific actions you plan to take in order to follow through on this commitment?
Kotek: I really appreciate the question. The proclamation was important because I think our first goal is to raise awareness for the broader population to understand the impact of whats been happening in our tribal communities, for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
We have a commitment here from my office of making sure that we build on what weve already been doing, right? So there was legislation to move forward on this. We have legislators that are interested in this, making sure that the state police is involved from a data collection standpoint. Were involved with the U.S. Attorneys Generals office, who also has a task force.
But I think its more than just having conversations. Now, the question is, what more can we do? Raising awareness is important. Im looking to other states to see what theyre doing, to see what is that next step for Oregon? Unfortunately, a lot of the work that was started by the legislation got delayed because of the pandemic. The focus groups with tribal communities, we need to get back to that conversation. Because the more we understand, the better we can define solutions with the tribes.
You know, we have intergenerational trauma that is a foundation of some of whats been happening in these families. But then its just perpetuated [without] answers and when things happen and law enforcement is not able to react in the way they need to be.
So I look forward to working with the tribes and other states and internally here at the state to see what we can do differently. Its tragic, its uncomfortable, its unacceptable, and itll require a complex set of solutions, I think, to make progress. But we have to make progress.
Brown: In January, you were very honest with InvestigateWest reporter Melanie Henshaw about having not yet read the Oregon State Police report from 2020 that proposed ways to address MMIP issues in Oregon. I know youve been touring Native nations around the state and as you said, youre hearing a lot about this. There are so many different tactics that different places are taking. Im especially thinking about things happening in Washington state as far as their data collection system. And I know theres a lot that the federal task force in Alaska, for example, has been doing that the federal task force here in Oregon hasnt yet taken up. Since January, Im curious if there are other ways youve been educating yourself on different proactive steps that have been taken and what might be appropriate for Oregon to do?
Kotek: I appreciate the question. I have reviewed the report, and I do think the starting point for me has been these conversations with the tribes. But its not just our tribes, right? Its our urban Native American population. These arent incidents that just happen on trust or reservation land. This is a statewide issue and we need to address it that way.
I think, for me, trying to understand how the data collection is helpful. For example, what Im hearing and what Im learning is not even being able to identify the individual is being connected to a particular tribe is a real challenge. Just that being able to track, so you can have the connection and the communication with the different law enforcement, depending on the area or whether the tribe itself has a law enforcement agency. So I think its getting into that nitty gritty and being like, Okay, we got to do this piece. Its not just saying, Hey, here are some high level numbers. Weve got to get more into the details, because I dont think we can have the solutions unless we have that level of data.
Bartoo-Smith: This is really just kind of an expansion of that question. One of the things that were seeing is that lack of data, of accurate data, both at the state and the federal level. Washington has a data tracking system. Oregon doesnt have one yet. And weve had a lot of conversations with activists in the region that have talked about different solutions. Some of them could be including listing tribal affiliation on state drivers licenses or establishing a state task force. Are these things youre open to, and what other plans do you have to address the problems identified in the report?
Kotek: Well I do think tracking tribal affiliation this has come up in other contexts, not just MMIP. For example, in healthcare data. So I think thats something we have to explore and understand the pros and cons of that, because not everyones going to want to be sharing that information. That is always something we have to keep in mind, is peoples willingness to share that information. There are trust issues, understandably, about sharing any kind of level of data.
One of the things I think thats inherent in the issue of MMIP is, where we arent actually state of the art on what local law enforcement tracks, how criminal or any kind of investigative information is actually tracked. I think were starting from a spot, unlike other systems, where we track all these things. A lot of this is very localized. So how do you make sure you can put an investment there that actually lifts up that local information to have a statewide impact?
And this is where I think we really need the help from the federal agencies, because they have that ability, especially if these issues are crossing state lines, which is not unusual. I think the task force idea is an interesting one, and thats what Im trying to figure out. Were doing the training at our state academy, which I think is very helpful for current and future law enforcement to actually understand the issue. Awareness. Education. But then what is the next step?
And I think a task force is a possibility, because I think it gives you that, like, Okay, we have to go to the next step. And sometimes thats what you do. You bring some people together and be like, Okay, now what? So that might be something we have to look at, because I feel like weve done some very fundamental things, but we have to do more.
Brown: Specifically at OSP, Oregon State Police, Glendon Smith is the tribal liaison there. He is tasked with really a huge issue of focusing on MMIP issues at the state level. Im curious how youre directing OSP to address MMIP issues specifically and particularly around this urgent need to gather more accurate data? And also how youre ensuring that Glendon is supported in his role as just one person with this huge job?
Kotek: Well, I always believe in being upfront. I dont have that level of detail to respond to that, if Im being really honest about it. And I do believe we are transmitting to all the partners at the state level that are involved that this is an important issue, that its an urgent issue. But I do need to go back and check and see how the superintendent is feeling and understanding what else do you need to be successful here? So its a question I need to ask.
Bartoo-Smith: Your appointment of Tribal Affairs Director (for the governors office) Shana McConville Radford was a historic step, one that many leaders of Native nations have long called for. At the same time, this puts one person in the position of advocating for nine diverse nations, plus urban Indigenous communities on a wide variety of issues from MMIP issues to tribal consultation and so much more. How do you plan to ensure that this role has the support needed to accomplish all of those varied tasks? And also, are there talks or plans of expanding the office in the future?
Kotek: I love that question. Well, I think the way Im approaching this, having a tribal affairs director, as youve noted, is a brand new thing. In the past, it was part of the portfolio of our legal counsel in the governors office, which, when I came in, I was like, thats not an appropriate spot to put this significant set of issues. So having a tribal affairs director is our first step.
I also dont think of it as that position handling all the issues across state government or for the entire state. Thats why its really important for me, particularly with the consultation task force, to make sure the individual agencies particularly our very large agencies have tribal liaisons within the agencies, they have point people for consultation. I kind of see it as the tribal affairs director making sure theres continuity across all of state enterprise, so everybody can be doing their job within their agency directives, in addition to the kind of overarching work that the tribal affairs director is doing and will do.
I see that person as kind of like that chief ambassador to each of the tribes. And theres certainly a lot to do. I mean, thats something thats become very clear from all the business with the tribes. We have government-to-government quarterly meetings on a set of issues. Those are very important opportunities. So how are we supporting those? How much is that support on my office? How much is that support of agencies? So really understanding the whole ecosystem to support our tribes in the government-to-government consultation work with state government.
So Shana is doing a great job. I dont think she should do everything, because, one, thats not fair. And two, I dont think thats how we as a government should function. If we just leave it up to the governors office, I dont believe that agencies are doing their job if theyre leaving it up to us. So were really working on every agency having capacity to do the work that they need to do.
Government-to-government consultation
Brown: Talking a little more about consultation, the state just launched its task force on overhauling the consultation process. Im curious, specifically in the legislative process, one of the problems with improving consultation is just simply the compressed time of the legislative session, and it doesnt necessarily allow for proper government-to-government consultation.
We really saw this play out in the most recent session with House Bill 4002 where there was really no, at least high level formal consultation process with Native nations, despite the significant effect of the opioid epidemic on Indigenous communities. With that bill in particular, with one small exception in terms of some funding for services at the Warm Springs Jail, there really wasnt any specific direct funding to Native communities. I know theres other funding coming from the opioid settlement around this, but you know, just zeroing in on the legislative process and consultation, Im curious if you have ideas for improving that?
Kotek: Well, I think its a good question for our legislative leaders. I mean, when I was in the legislature, we really looked to the Legislative Commission on Indian Services as that place that is the conduit and focal point for conversations with the tribes during the legislative process.
For me, consultation is related directly government-to-government, which in this case is the executives of the state of Oregon to the executives of the nine tribal governments individually. You know, the legislative process is it is what it is. And frankly, I dont think consultation necessarily aligns with the legislative process. But I think where you get more success is taking the time, before policies are even put into a legislative process, to really understand whats the best way to craft them. And again, I go back to those quarterly meetings that we have for government-to-government, where issues are being raised that we can be informing legislators like, This came up, you might need to consider this.
House Bill 4002 was on a very fast timeline. However, there have been tribal set asides as youve mentioned, in the opioid settlement, which I think is really important. Theres been a lot of conversation in the Measure 110 money, in the marijuana revenue. Also making sure that tribes are part of the resource networks that are connected to that funding. Weve been working on tribal set asides on housing.
So I think one of my goals is to make sure we understand these different funding streams and coordinate them as much as possible. One thing, when state money is moving to our tribes which I think as a state we do much more than I think other states do, because federal resources, as we know, dont tend to cover things in certain communities but making sure that were clear that here are the legal obligations. Because once the money moves to a sovereign nation, we have different obligations than if that money were going to a local nonprofit.
And so my commitment to the tribes is, are these processes clear? Do we understand the ramifications when money moves to the tribal governments? Do you understand the reporting or what reporting should happen? Because I want to make sure that were not overwhelming folks with a lot of additional administrative burden, because thats a respect issue. When money moves to a sovereign nation, its a lot different, and we want to make sure we handle it well.
Bartoo-Smith: You kind of touched on this, but I really want to clarify. So it sounds like theres either ideas or even plans already in place for expanding the consultation process across all state agencies, right? So whether thats having a tribal affairs director in each agency, I would be just curious for you to expand on what that looks like.
Kotek: Well, I think were still assessing that, because under the law, there should be consultation. So that is a baseline expectation I have for our agencies. But in taking on this role, Ive noticed that some agencies theyre staffed, they have experienced people, and other agencies are still trying to decide who their person is.
We had the Tribal-State Summit earlier this year here in law in Oregon, there is an annual Tribal Summit. I actually met some folks from agencies that were like, I just was assigned this. This is my first time. This is really helpful. So just even understanding who at each agency is in charge is where were starting. Because again, some of our large agencies are very well staffed, and the smaller ones are like, I know I need to be doing this, but I need some guidance.
So that is what we want to be able to provide for them, and that is a big part of the consultation task force. Because I think its going to provide clear guidance of what that actually should look like, which is really important. And the task force will be driven by conversations with the tribes. What does it mean to you? What are you expecting from us? This is a government-to-government conversation.
Housing challenges
Brown: Speaking of the Tribal Summit, housing was a big topic there, and obviously its a huge priority for your administration. You set an ambitious goal of building 36,000 new homes per year, and you mentioned at the Tribal Summit that the state has set aside $10 million from the biennial budget for the nine federally recognized Native nations for homeless services. Im wondering how else youre including consultation and collaboration with Native nations regarding your push for housing?
Kotek: That $10 million is definitely a start, and that was related to my emergency order last year focusing on unsheltered homelessness. And we still are under an emergency order, because its affecting every part of our state.
As Ive met with each of the tribes and literally seeing the land theyre using and what theyre trying to build, my first question was: what resources were you using? And what are the challenges? One of the things I learned from the summit is the challenges of being on trust land and reservation land, and what that means for regulation, and having to create regulations to build and whether or not you can get loans. I mean, lets add another level of complexity to do housing, that was really eye-opening for me.
So what I would like us to do at the state is continue to have those dedicated funding streams where the tribes can have flexibility with some dollars to do whatever they need to do. For some of them its: We need to figure out how to do the regulations to actually build. Others are like, Were ready to go, but we need some help with people getting down payment assistance. It is all over the map, and thats not surprising, right? Each tribal community is very different in what they need and where theyre located, but every single one of them has a housing challenge.
Water is life
Bartoo-Smith: At that same Tribal Summit, you talked a lot about your commitment to supporting tribal sovereignty and consultation. One of the largest statewide initiatives right now is the effort to address problems with state water policy. What have you learned about priorities from Native nations on water from your visits?
Kotek: To hear directly from tribal leaders about the spiritual and just historic importance to water as we heard in the panel at the summit, water is life really understanding that perspective of, what the approach the tribes are taking to their natural resource policy is really helpful.
Ive come into this job knowing, and watching over the years, that our water here is a finite resource and we all need to figure out how to work together to use it appropriately so everyone can be successful. And whats great about our tribal leaders here in Oregon is theyre bringing Indigenous knowledge and expertise to this conversation that is going to be really helpful.
Were all in this together.
Water has created conflict over the years. We need to set that aside and really work together, because with climate change and all these other things, if were going to continue to do what we need to do in terms of agriculture and just basic understanding and protection of our water systems, were going to have to figure this out together.
Thats why that panel at the summit was really important to hear from our tribal leaders. They have a lot of expertise, and how do we integrate that with what were trying to do at the state?
Bartoo-Smith: Following up on that, Native nations across the country are wanting to be both co-managers and co-designers of our water and land policy. So Im curious how you think about Native nations leading this work in our state?
Kotek: Even today, I know theres a tribal summit about water . I think the leadership that the tribes are bringing into this conversation is very important. Ill be honest, I dont think we know what that path to chart is. I think we all know what we have isnt completely working, and that there are a lot of concerns that we are allocating water that we dont even know we have for not only municipal uses or commercial uses.
When I was out in Klamath, and obviously the Klamath Basin has had long standing issues, but we were out at the wetland there, and the restoration projects. How important those restoration projects are to better water quality, reducing the temperature of the water, if you do it right, so we can have the fish come back.
Water is so important when it comes to other issues around endangered species like our salmon and our steelhead and our lamprey. So one of the things we can bring to this conversation is not just about water, its about the entire ecosystem thats affected if we dont figure this out.
Treaty rights
Brown: Im curious about treaty rights. Treaties, obviously, are with the federal government and tribes. But as a state policy matter, does the state recognize off-reservation treaty-reserved rights, for example fishing at usual and accustomed places?
Kotek: I think were seeing some great success between the state of Oregon and our individual tribes about these memorandum of understanding that have been coming forth around traditional hunting and fishing, not just for ceremonial purposes, but for the ability to actually go out on ancestral lands and be able to to manage that for tribal citizens. I think were, were showing a lot of success there, so were definitely open to that.
I think that is something I inherited with the previous administration, something Im very interested in continuing. You know, all our tribes are a little different, right? We have one that doesnt have a treaty, But I want to be advocating with our tribes, particularly to our federal partners.
So getting some of those lands back and being able to be there and do the hunting and the fishing and the gathering of first foods super important. So I just want to be a partner with that. I am certainly no expert on it, but I feel like we are trying to create those relationships, particularly around hunting and fishing on ancestral lands. I think those are going quite well, because it doesnt say this is mine. Its like it could be multiple tribes in certain areas, but at least people understand what tribal citizens can take advantage of to meet their traditional needs.
Land back
Bartoo-Smith: During your recent visits, you saw and experienced the varying sizes of different nations land bases. I understand that you learned a lot about the history of how that came to be. Knowing all of that, do you see an opportunity to identify state lands that could be transferred back to Native nations, and additional opportunities for co-management and co-stewardship?
Kotek: I absolutely think thats a possibility on the horizon. Really understanding lands that are in state possession, whether theyre park lands or other things weve had conversations about hatcheries that are really important. Wherever we can be co-managing and working together, Im definitely open to that. We do have some policies now where it allows us some flexibility to do some of those things, and I think itll be a situation-by-situation exploration with the individual tribes. But Im definitely open to it.
Bartoo-Smith: Is there anything else that we didnt ask that we should have asked?
Brown: Anything you would like to add?
Kotek: I have one more tribal visit because we had to reschedule one. But of all the ones, what has been just inspiring and exciting First Lady and I talk about this when were on our way home is how the youth leaders are lifted up by their elders.
If you walk into the tribal chamber at the Umatilla Reservation, they actually have these wonderful studio photographs and portraits of all the youth council members on the one side and on the other side are the tribal council members. It really says, You matter. You are our future.
And I met some of those young people, and theyre just amazing. We sat down with young people. We made necklaces across the table with young leaders in Coquille and talked about our lives together. It was amazing. I think weve met youth leaders in all the tribes. And I think that commitment is amazing.
And the other piece that came up in some of those conversations is the states commitment on higher education scholarships the tribal education scholarships that we have now. And how that is transforming lives when people know, I have a pathway to college if I want it because its going to get paid.
Every single one of the tribes was like, This is so important for our young people. They can see a future because of this. Its really making a difference, were so excited about it. We have left every visit going, There is a bright future because of the young people coming up. And I know that the elders are very, very excited about all the young people.
Underscore Native News is a nonprofit investigative newsroom committed to Indigenous-centered reporting in the Pacific Northwest. We are supported by foundations and donor contributions. Follow Underscore on Facebook , X , Instagram and TikTok .
A helicopter carries water to fire behind a ranch near Ukiah as part of the effort against the Battle Mountain Complex of blazes that continue to burn, scorching more than 183,000 acres in Umatilla County. (Courtesy of Northwest Interagency Coordination Center)
A helicopter carries water to fire behind a ranch near Ukiah as part of the effort against the Battle Mountain Complex of blazes in Umatilla County. (Courtesy of Northwest Interagency Coordination Center)
As Oregon heads into another hot weekend, Oregon House Republicans are calling on the state Legislature to reform forest management and logging policies they say would prevent large fires from starting and spreading.
In a letter sent Wednesday, Republican Reps. Jeff Helfrich of Hood River, Ed Diehl of Stayton and E. Werner Reschke of Malin said lawmakers should roll back regulations and conservation plans to allow more logging on state forests, limit liabilities for volunteer firefighters who might cause injury or property damage while on the job and prohibit and sweep homeless encampments in fire prone areas.
We all support responsible environmental practices that protect our forests for future generations, said Reschke in a statement. But these fires are the result of 40 years of bad policy choices that have gone past conservation and put the lives of Oregonians at risk.
About 1,650 wildfires this season have burned a record of more than 1.5 million acres in Oregon. But about 75% were not in forests but across grass and shrubland in eastern Oregon, according to the Wildland Mapping Institute.
The Republicans also called out the states landmark Western State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan that was narrowly approved by the Oregon Board of Forestry in March after years of negotiation, saying it has prevented responsible logging in much of the state. The plan, which has not been fully implemented and is still awaiting federal approval, would reduce logging by about 20% in 14 western Oregon counties for the next 70 years to protect 17 threatened or endangered species.
Oregons war on the timber industry must end, the Republicans wrote. The logging industry plays a vital role in clearing out deadwood and decreasing the severity of fires. Seven sawmills have closed this year due to anti-business policies. Republicans support reforming burdensome regulations while treating the lumber industry as partners in conservation.
Forests one piece of the puzzle
In response, Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, and chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire, told the Capital Chronicle in an email that hes heartened his Republican colleagues want to take on wildfire policy, but he said calling for regulatory rollbacks on logging in Coast Range forests is not the solution.
Its true that better forest management is one piece of the puzzle. At the same time, its vital to base wildfire strategies on careful thinking and good science. Broad-brushed claims that more commercial logging will reduce our risk dont clear that bar, Golden said.
He added that forests that pose the greatest wildfire hazards are typically in parts of the state with dry, brush-filled areas and generally not in areas with commercially valuable timber. Those stands, often in western Oregon, tend to withstand and survive fires without making them more intense, according to Golden.
If the goal is reducing mega-fires, decisions about increased logging have to hinge on the fuel characteristics and topography of specific sites, not a generalized belief that fewer trees = less fire, he said.
A multi-year study of forest treatments such as commercial thinning and prescribed fire across Western states found wildfire only occurs on about 1% of treated forests, and that its largely ineffective, because those treatments last only about 10 to 20 years before fuels grow back. Studies have shown thinning and prescribed burning around homes and cities can be effective at keeping wildfires from moving quickly into communities.
The Republicans also called on disbanding homeless encampments near wildfire prone areas, saying some wildfires in Oregon have started because of these encampments. Nicholas Poche, a spokesperson for the House Republicans cited the 78-acre Mile Marker 132 fire near Bend and the Darlene 3 fire near La Pine this summer as two fires that investigators suspect were started at homeless encampments.
Most wildfires are caused by humans, according to the Portland-based Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, but this year the bulk of fires have started from natural causes, such as lightning.
Two bills
The Republicans also called for more support for firefighters through two bills they proposed in 2023 that did not go anywhere. One, House Bill 2491, would have limited civil liabilities for any injuries or property damage caused by volunteer wildfire fighters while at work. The other, House Bill 2953, would have allowed the Oregon Department of Forestry to set the procedures for fighting fires on federal lands within the state. The Republicans lamented in their letter that neither bill received a hearing during the 2023 Legislative session.
The Oregon Department of Forestry already has cooperative agreements with the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to collaborate on wildfire fighting, including procedures for federal land. Federal agencies reimburse the Oregon department of Forestry for its work on those fires.
Golden said he brought leaders from the Oregon Department of Forestry to a hearing on a meeting on House Bill 2953 last summer, to explain to legislators that the bill was redundant and that cooperation procedures already existed.
Still, Golden said, he agrees overall with his Republican colleagues call for more support for firefighters and more financial support for wildfire prevention and response.
To make that real, I hope theyll join me in pushing for more reliable and adequate sources of wildfire funding, which is a politically difficult conversation, he said.
Golden has proposed reintroducing a tax on the value of timber harvests the severance tax to fund wildfire prevention and response in the state. Reporting from the Oregonian, Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica found counties lost at least $3 billion in revenue in the three decades since the timber severance tax was eliminated in Oregon in the early 1990s.
I know my colleagues feel deeply about this issue and the need to protect their communities. We all do. So Im hoping we can all commit to the kind of dialogue that moves us towards solutions rather than stalemate, Golden said.
Helfrich also called for bipartisan cooperation.
The Legislature should make a good-faith, bipartisan effort to reform its forestry management approach to better balance safety and concern for the environment. Doing so will benefit all those who live under the risk of wildfires, Helfrich said in a statement.
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FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) The Charleston-based organization 3 Betties Foundation visited the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont on Thursday where it held a Cancer Needs Listening Session for those who have been affected by the disease.
According to its website, the organization seeks to find out what needs arent being met in our rural area and find a way to be a beacon of Hope in the midst of the dark times of a cancer diagnosis.
President and CEO Chad Beam told 12 News that Thursdays event is part of the foundations effort to branch out from its surrounding counties. He added that patients experiencing high-problem cancer in areas such as Charleston, Huntington and Morgantown are typically sent out of state. So we wanna get to the different regions and find out what areas are needing help the most, he said.
The 3 Betties Foundation has divided the state into 12 different regions and has been visiting each one to address their needs. Beam said that West Virginians can be proud folks, so they may not always ask for help in instances where they need assistance getting to a medical professional.
Crews break ground on universally accessible park in Fairmont
We wanna find outwhats not going on in Clarksburg, whats not going on in Morgantown, said Beam. He added that the organization can also help point people in the direction of resources, because they may not know about certain things unless a hospital tells them specifically.
Beam specifically started the 3 Betties Foundation because his family has been through cancer many times over, and he knows how overwhelming it can be for some. Therefore, hes able to assist people from the perspective of somebody who understands what theyve been through.
They know that somebody understands because theyve actually been through it, and not just medical books, he added.
3 Betties Foundation will be traveling to three more regions in the state to hold these listening sessions. Beam added that they may do something like this again in the spring, likely via Zoom.
For more information about 3 Betties Foundation or to volunteer with the organization, you can reach out to it via Facebook or on its 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 WBOY.com.
A coalition of anti-gerrymandering groups urge Utah voters to reject a constitutional amendment on ballot initiatives during a rally at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Aug. 26, 2024. (Katie McKellar / Utah News Dispatch)
The fight over the Utah Legislatures attempt to rewrite the state Constitution to override a recent Utah Supreme Court ruling in a legal battle over the states redistricting process has spurred a new lawsuit.
Plaintiffs in the court case at the heart of the issue currently suing over the Utah Legislatures 2021 move to repeal and replace a 2018 ballot initiative sought by the anti-gerrymandering group Better Boundaries filed a new suit against state leaders on Friday, attempting to stop a proposed constitutional amendment from being printed on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Amendment Ds language written by Utahs top Republican legislative leaders fails to accurately submit the Amendment to the voters, the motion filed in 3rd District Judicial Court says. Instead, it seeks through deception to mislead Utah voters into surrendering their constitutional rights.
Amendment D violates constitutional requirements and should be declared void, argue the plaintiffs (League of Women Voters of Utah, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and individual Salt Lake County residents who alleged they were disenfranchised by unlawful gerrymandering). The Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan group devoted to advancing democracy through law also joined the suit.
Utahs Constitution requires ballot language to fairly and accurately describe the constitutional amendment, but Amendment Ds language does the opposite and is not only misleading and deceptive, but also illegal and unconstitutional, the Campaign Legal Center wrote in a news release Friday.
Utah politicians refuse to accept any check on their power. First, they overruled the will of the people by repealing Prop 4, and now they are trying to overrule the Utah Supreme Court, said Mark Gaber, senior director of redistricting at Campaign Legal Center. This eleventh hour push for an unnecessary constitutional amendment, along with the misleading language to deceive Utahns into voting for it, is yet another example of Utah politicians doing everything they can to take power away from the people and give it to themselves.
Better Boundaries fight for fair maps should continue in court, Gaber said, so Utahns can pick their politicians instead of the other way around.
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In response, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, issued a joint statement Friday afternoon criticizing the plaintiffs and accusing them of being hypocritical.
Its ironic that the very people who claim to advocate for greater voter engagement are the same ones trying to obstruct Utahns from having the opportunity to vote on this important matter, Adams and Schultz said. The plaintiffs are clearly concerned about leaving it to voters to decide. Before initiatives overwhelm and significantly alter our state, Utahns should have the opportunity to voice their opinions.
Earlier this week amid the ballot languages backlash, the legislative leaders also issued a joint statement defending how they wrote Amendment D.
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 last months special session that established an expedited timeline and process to place the question on the ballot, the House speaker and Senate president appointed 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.
Utah election officials are scheduled to begin mailing ballots to overseas and military voters on Sept. 10, while most Utahns will begin receiving their ballots the week of Oct. 15, so plaintiffs requested the judge to allow an expedited briefing and hearing in the case.
The suit comes after Amendment Ds ballot language was made public this week when Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson signed the official 2024 general election certification. Its language asking voters whether the Utah Constitution should be changed to strengthen the initiative process prompted heated backlash, with anti-gerrymandering advocates, Democrats and some Republicans decrying it as misleading and deceptive.
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.
Voting in favor of the amendment will enshrine in the Utah Constitution the Utah Legislatures authority to alter or repeal any voter ballot initiative passed by Utah voters something the Legislatures Republican leaders thought has been their authority, up until the July 11 Utah Supreme Court ruling in the lawsuit against Utahs redistricting process said otherwise, placing limits on the legislatures powers to amend, repeal or replace government-reform initiatives.
That unanimous opinion remanded the redistricting lawsuit back to district court, with all five of Utahs justices ruling that the district court erred when it dismissed the League of Women Voters claim that the Utah Legislature violated the Utah Constitution in 2021 when it repealed and replaced Better Boundaries 2018 ballot initiative. 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 Supreme Court 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.
Thats not necessarily what the Utah Supreme Court ruling said, though it does leave an open 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.
The ruling said legislative changes that facilitate or support the reform, or at least do not impair the reform enacted by the people, could legally stand and more substantial could also survive a constitutional challenge, if the Legislature shows that they were narrowly tailored to advance a compelling government interest.
Still, fearing sweeping consequences and years of more litigation, the GOP-controlled Utah Legislature called itself into an emergency special session to place the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. Rather than let the Utah Supreme Courts interpretation of the Constitution stand, lawmakers opted instead to refer the question to voters. If Amendment D passes, it will effectively render the Utah Supreme Courts latest interpretation moot.
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.
Rather than strengthen Utahs ballot initiative process, Amendment D would eliminate Utahns constitutional right to reform their government without legislative interference, plaintiffs contended in Fridays filing. They argued its text asks voters to change the Utah Constitution to exempt the Legislature from complying with any provision of the Constitution when it acts to repeal or amend citizen initiatives.
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Undoubtedly aware of the optics, the motion continues, Adams and Schultz then devised ballot language that not only will fail to inform voters that the proposed Amendment eliminates their fundamental constitutional right, but brazenly asserts that the amendment would strengthen the initiative process and require the legislature to follow the intent of a ballot initiative.
This is the definition of Orwellian doublespeak; the Amendment does the opposite on both counts, plaintiffs argued. By seeking to mislead Utah voters into surrendering their fundamental constitutional rights by deception, Defendants have violated multiple provisions of the Utah Constitution.
Katharine Biele, President of the League of Women Voters of Utah, issued a prepared statement Friday saying her organization has long advocated for a fair and transparent redistricting process.
While the Utah Supreme Court affirmed that the process was flawed, the legislature continues to fight against the will of the people, Biele said, and insults the voter with ballot language that is both biased and self-serving.
Emma Petty Addams, co-executive director of Mormon Women for Ethical Government, also issued a statement, accusing Utah lawmakers of once again prioritizing their own wishes above both their constitutional duties and their obligation to serve the people of Utah.
The people of Utah deserve better, and we will continue to advocate for long standing constitutional rights and freedoms, she said.
Read the full filing here:
Motion (Hearing Requested) for Preliminary Injunction
Costfoto / NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Takeaways
Qualcomm is reportedly considering buying parts of Intel.
A Reuters story said company executives are especially interested in Intel's PC chip design business.
It's the latest report to detail possible deal activity for Intel as the chip giant looks to revive interest in its flagging shares.
Qualcomm (QCOM) shares fell following a report that the company has looked into buying segments of Intel (INTC), potentially including its PC chip design business.
Reuters on Friday the maker of semiconductors for mobile devices has explored the idea of purchasing different parts of Intel. One of its sources said that the PC design unit is of significant interest, although they are considering all of Intels design operations.
The report is the latest to describe possible deal activity for Intel, which is seeking to reinvigorate interest in its shares. One recent story indicated that it might sell some of its stake in MobilEye (MBLY); another discussed options regarding its foundry business. Intel's shares were recently down about 2%, whileQualcomm's were off more than 3%.
Reuters' Friday story quoted an Intel spokesperson as saying Qualcomm has not approached the company about any acquisitions, and that Intel is deeply committed to its PC business. Qualcomm did not immediately respond to Investopedia's request for comment.
Shares of Qualcomm are up some 9% year-to-date, while Intel shares have lost about 60% of their value.
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Read the original article on Investopedia.
ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) More than 1,000 San Diego Gas & Electric customers were reported to be without power in Escondido Friday due to outages.
The earliest outage was reported at 5:57 p.m. Thursday, according to SDG&Es outage map. As of 6 a.m. the following morning, a total of 1,099 customers remained without service in the North County community. The estimated restoration was noted as 7 a.m. and all power has since been restored.
Its hot in San Diego, but hows the air quality?
Check SDG&Es regional power outage map for real-time updates.
SDG&Es website stated that weather affected equipment, causing the outages. This comes as dangerously hot conditions continue across the region, with Excessive Heat Warnings in place for parts of the county.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out at a battery storage facility in Escondido Thursday afternoon, which could be contributing to the power outages. The blaze has prompted the Escondido Union School District to announce the closures of Carolyn Gilbert Education Center, the Del Dios Academy of Arts and Sciences and Rock Springs Elementary schools for Friday.
The gas and electric company is assessing the issue.
For tips on what to do during a power outage, watch the video below:
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Over million in funds stolen from a Fraternal Order of Police lodge in Pennsylvania; Former member charged
(WHTM) Over a million dollars from a Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge in Pennsylvania was stolen, and a former member is now facing charges, the Attorney General said.
Joseph Osinski, 55, of McKeesport, is accused of stealing money from FOP Lodge 91 in Allegheny County and making multiple unauthorized purchases on the lodges bank card, the AG said in a news release on Thursday.
Osinskis, a former McKeesport detective, role in the lodge was the financial secretary from 2020 to 2024 and was one of three people that had access to the bank accounts and he also helped with treasurer duties.
This defendant was not only a trusted member of law enforcement in his community, he was trusted by his peers and colleagues to handle their dues money in support of the FOP mission, Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement. His abuse of that trust left his fellow officers struggling to keep their lodge afloat and damaged the publics trust in those working to protect them. These charges serve as a reminder that we will seek justice from those who harm our communities, regardless of job or position.
In total, Osinski allegedly stole $1,067,057.82 from the lodge.
The AG says Osinski would get paychecks that were made payable to the lodge, and he would then deposit them into accounts that he opened under the FOPs name at a separate financial institution, but he made himself the only authorized user. The purchases on the lodge credit card made by Osinski included alcohol, hotels, stuff for his own restaurant that closed in Jan., and more.
The 15 FOP Board members received an anonymous letter, indicating something was wrong with the lodges financial status. Members had also noticed the unauthorized purchases on the credit card before getting the letter, the AG says.
Osinski told investigators that what he did was for his business, he is quoted in the criminal complaint saying, the whole reason behind it was to try to keep my business afloat. He also made other comments about stealing the money for his restaurant, the complaint says.
Osinski also embezzled checks that were written out to a memorial fund for an officer who died in the line of duty, the AG says.
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There are over 1,200 members from 102 police departments that belong to the lodge, according to the criminal complaint. Dues in 2023 were $540 but that jumped to $650 for 2024.
Osinski faces charges of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, access device fraud, misapplication of entrusted property, dealing in the proceeds of illegal activity, and receiving stolen property.
Osinskis bail was set at $50,000 unsecured and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 9.
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DELHI, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) An Oxford woman is being accused of possessing narcotics with the intent to sell them in the Village of Sidney.
District Attorney Shawn Smith announced that Darcee Lewis, 41, was indicted on four charges including Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B Felony; Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class A Misdemeanor; and two counts of Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, both Class A Misdemeanors.
Based on information provided to them by New York State Parole Officers, the Village of Sidney Police executed a search warrant at a residence in Sidney on August 14. Upon investigation, officers located methamphetamine and fentanyl along with scales, loaded needles, and packing materials.
It is alleged that Lewis possessed these items with the intent to sell them.
Lewis was arraigned by the Honorable John Hubbard, Delaware County Court Judge. After hearing arguments from both the District Attorneys Office and the defense, Hubbard set Lewiss bail at $25,000 cash and $50,000 bond.
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(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.
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The Justice Department has charged a Pakistani national with allegedly plotting to attack Jews in New York on the anniversary of the October 7 terror attacks in Israel.
Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was going to carry out the attack in support of ISIS, prosecutors allege, and told an undercover agent he wanted to target New York because it has the largest Jewish population in America.
Khan is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He was arrested on Wednesday in Canada. The charges were unsealed Friday.
The defendant is alleged to have planned a terrorist attack in New York City around October 7th of this year with the stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement, adding that Jewish communities like all communities in this country should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fueled terrorist attack.
In November 2023, Khan, who lives in Canada, began allegedly discussing his support for ISIS on an encrypted messaging application with two people who, unbeknownst to him, were undercover law enforcement officers. Khan told the officers that he was trying to create a real offline cell of ISIS that would target Jewish institutions around an unnamed city, according to court documents, and instructed the officers to buy firearms for those attacks.
Khan allegedly told the officers that he wanted to carry out the attacks on either October 7 or 11, because oct 7 they will surely have some protests and oct 11 is yom.kippur, a major Jewish holiday.
By August of this year, prosecutors allege, Khan decided that he wanted to carry out the attacks at a Jewish center in Brooklyn.
It is easy to target jews in New York because of the large Jewish population, he allegedly told the undercover officers, adding that even if we dont attack a[n] Event[,] we could rack up easily a lot of jews. Once he decided on the location of the attack, Khan allegedly paid a human smuggler to help him cross the border into the United States.
On September 4, Khan allegedly used three separate cars as he tried to cross Canada and enter the United States. He was stopped approximately 12 miles from the US-Canada border, according to the Justice Department.
This story has been updated with additional details.
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ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. Pam Hupp did not attend the latest hearing Thursday at the St. Charles County Courthouse, but her public defender put up no less of a fight for DNA evidence in the case.
Hupp remained in her Chillicothe prison cell, where she has been since convicted for the murder of Louis Gumpenberger. She currently faces a murder charge for the 2011 stabbing death of Betsy Faria.
Its a case only FOX 2 has covered from the beginning, after Betsy Faria was found dead in December 2011 in her Lincoln County home. Betsys then husband, Russ, was wrongfully convicted in the murder and eventually exonerated after a second trial, along with dozens of FOX 2 reports raising questions about Betsys friend Pam Hupp.
Hupps cell phone records placed her near the scene of the crime. She also benefitted from a $150,000 life insurance policy signed into her name days before the murder.
Hupp escaped scrutiny from law enforcement until she lured a man with disabilities and shot him to death in her OFallon, Missouri, home in 2016.
Two dead after crash, possible shots fired follows police pursuit in south St. Louis County
In 2021, Hupp was charged with Betsy Farias murder.
Three years later, her defense attorneys say they need DNA evidence in order to fight the case. It should be noted that DNA evidence has never been linked to Hupp by prosecutors.
According to a probable cause statement, blood evidence on socks at the crime scene, the handle of a steak knife in the victims neck, as well as bloody slippers and a light switch, all reportedly come back to Betsy Faria. Prosecutors allege Hupp staged the scene using Farias socks to plant blood in various places of the home.
Prosecutors in court Thursday added that theyre not keeping anything from the defense but rather the crime lab is still working on compiling everything.
Hupps attorney repeatedly emphasized the reported DNA findings of an unknown male in many parts of the murder scene, which he said, tends to negate the guilt of Pam Hupp.
Judge Chris McDonough ordered all DNA-related evidence to be turned over within 30 days and the findings of an out-of-state private lab to be handed over in 60 days.
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BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Panama City officials received some good news about funding to rebuild a popular park.
The Joe Moody Harris Park shut down after heavy damages during Hurricane Michael in 2018.
City officials applied for a grant from the Federal Land and Water Conservation fund. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection administers the money and decided to give the city $666,000, which will be matched, giving the city $1.3 million for the project.
At this point, this grant helps us to reopen the park, Panama City Commissioner Janice Lucas said.
Panama City officials have some ambitious plans for Joe Moody Harris Park. Theyll be repairing and expanding the existing walking trail, creating a multi-purpose field, adding new playgrounds and exercise stations, and more to the 31-acre park.
Lucas said they are focused on making the park operational as soon as possible.
School safety concerns arise following Apalachee shooting, Cottonwood incident
There have been many people who have said, hey, why cant we at least go walking at Joe Moody Harris Park? And thats not a safe place now in terms of the overgrowth, the trees, the walking trail. So this great grant will allow us to get in in a condition that people can come in and use it, Lucas said.
The grant will only be the first phase of the project. Lucas said they hope to give the community a new place for wellness and fitness.
There will be the redoing of the walking trails of parking lots. There will be bike racks or bike rides. So this first phase that is covered by the grant will cover the redoing of the walking trail, the asphalt the parking lots, adding a playground as well as a bike rack and water fountain, Lucas said.
While the city is hopeful they will reopen the park for the public to enjoy, they say they arent working on this project alone.
The city is partnering up with Franklins promise to get boots on the ground at the park. The group of 5 people will be working to help clean up the park to get it ready for the public.
What Im looking for is most is getting people to come back and be in their regular routine like they used to be and see how what a big impact we have made in this park and what were doing today. And when they walk by, they can have a big smile on their face, like, oh my god, this is the part we knew before, Franklins Promise Employee Alexis Powell said.
Construction should begin next summer. The first phase of the redevelopment will take up to 36 months.
There was a community center in the middle of the park. That will not be rebuilt until one of the later phases of the project.
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As European inflation nears the central banks target, Germany's DAX has reached a fresh peak, reflecting a positive sentiment in the market. This economic backdrop provides an opportune moment to explore dividend stocks that offer both stability and income potential. In this context, identifying strong dividend stocks involves looking for companies with robust financial health and consistent payout histories, especially as inflation trends stabilize.
Top 10 Dividend Stocks In Germany
Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Allianz (XTRA:ALV) 4.87% MLP (XTRA:MLP) 5.29% OVB Holding (XTRA:O4B) 4.71% SAF-Holland (XTRA:SFQ) 5.14% Mercedes-Benz Group (XTRA:MBG) 8.83% DATA MODUL Produktion und Vertrieb von elektronischen Systemen (XTRA:DAM) 7.35% Sudzucker (XTRA:SZU) 7.33% Uzin Utz (XTRA:UZU) 3.40% MVV Energie (XTRA:MVV1) 3.76% FRoSTA (DB:NLM) 3.28%
Click here to see the full list of 32 stocks from our Top German Dividend Stocks screener.
Let's uncover some gems from our specialized screener.
Simply Wall St Dividend Rating:
Overview: Mercedes-Benz Group AG operates as an automotive company in Germany and internationally, with a market cap of 57.65 billion.
Operations: Mercedes-Benz Group AG generates revenue from three main segments: Mercedes-Benz Cars (109.58 billion), Mercedes-Benz Vans (20.22 billion), and Mercedes-Benz Mobility (26.78 billion).
Dividend Yield: 8.8%
Mercedes-Benz Group AG, despite recent earnings declines, maintains a strong dividend profile with a payout ratio of 43.3% and cash payout ratio of 80.9%, indicating dividends are well-covered by both earnings and cash flows. However, its dividend history has been volatile over the past decade. The stock is trading at 64.7% below its estimated fair value and offers an attractive yield in the top 25% of German market payers at 8.83%.
XTRA:MBG Dividend History as at Sep 2024
Simply Wall St Dividend Rating:
Overview: MPC Munchmeyer Petersen Capital AG is a publicly owned investment manager with a market cap of 156.50 million.
Operations: MPC Munchmeyer Petersen Capital AG generates revenue primarily from Management Services (33.76 million), Transaction Services (7.26 million), and Miscellaneous sources (1.03 million).
Dividend Yield: 6.1%
MPC Munchmeyer Petersen Capital AG's recent earnings report shows a significant improvement, with net income rising to 9.7 million from 5.75 million year-over-year. The company offers a dividend yield in the top 25% of German payers and maintains good value compared to peers. Despite only three years of dividend history, payments are well-covered by both earnings (54.8%) and cash flows (28.7%). However, its share price has been highly volatile recently, and dividends have yet to establish long-term stability.
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XTRA:MPCK Dividend History as at Sep 2024
Simply Wall St Dividend Rating:
Overview: Logwin AG offers logistics and transport solutions across Germany, Austria, other European countries, Asia/Pacific, and globally with a market cap of 737.08 million.
Operations: Logwin AG generates revenue primarily through its Solutions segment (275.78 million) and Air + Ocean segment (954.25 million).
Dividend Yield: 5.5%
Logwin AG's dividend is well-covered by earnings with a payout ratio of 57% and cash flows with a cash payout ratio of 59.4%. Despite only seven years of dividend history, payments have been stable. However, recent earnings showed a decline, with net income dropping to 31.86 million from 40.49 million year-over-year for the half-year ended June 30, 2024. The stock trades at a discount to its estimated fair value but lacks long-term dividend reliability.
XTRA:TGHN Dividend History as at Sep 2024
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Parents feel more pressure than ever, to the point of being 'incapacitated,' report finds
Vivek Murthy calls it the "culture of comparison."
In addition to protecting children from harm, worrying about finances and guiding them through their teens, parents face unrealistic expectations about celebrating milestone events, and meeting expectations for achievements and status symbols.
This is way beyond keeping up with the Joneses.
A new report from the U.S. Surgeon General finds nearly half of all parents saying they are completely overwhelmed by stress.
A new report called "Parents Under Pressure" by Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, reports 41% of parents and caregivers said they are "so stressed they cannot function" most days, and nearly 50% said their stress completely overwhelms them.
Parents are working longer hours, child care costs have soared beyond even some college tuition, and saving for that tuition sometimes feels hopeless given rising college costs, the report confirmed. They're also responding to the surging youth mental health crisis, contending with threats outside of their control like school shootings, and grappling with the harms and risks of social media and technology.
All of this goes through the filter of perceived parenting standards pressures fueled by social media influencers.
Such pressures are having a siloing effect on parents, leaving them lonelier, more excluded and more stressed than non-parents, the report said.
"Given all these factors, its no wonder that so many parents are struggling," Murthy, a father of two, wrote in an introduction to the report. "In my conversations with parents and caregivers across America, I have found guilt and shame have become pervasive, often leading them to hide their struggles, which perpetuates a vicious cycle where stress leads to guilt which leads to more stress."
If we continue to undervalue the work of parenting, Murthy warned, a harmful loop will persist, one that feeds from exhausted, lonely parent to stressed, isolated child and back again.
Here's what to know.
Work, child care, parenting roles all combine to add stress
In the last decade, child care costs have increased by about 26% across the United States. At the same time, one in four parents struggle to meet basic needs like affording groceries and paying their rent or mortgage.
In Wisconsin, the average cost of center-based infant and toddler care exceeded in-state tuition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the 2023-24 academic year. And wages aren't keeping pace, especially historically marginalized parents and caregivers who live "on the edge" of making ends meet, said Linda Hall, executive director of the Wisconsin Office of Children's Mental Health.
"Things like health care and access to mental health that don't work well in our system really bear down hard on the families that are on the edge," Hall said.
Mothers dedicated 28% more time to employed work or work-related activities than they did in 1985, according to the report. Men worked 4% more. Despite working longer hours and sometimes taking on multiple jobs, parents with children are fretting about finances at nearly twice the rate of other adults.
Parents also are devoting more time engaging in primary child care than they did in 1985, including physical care, educational activities, reading to and with children, and playing with or engaging in hobbies with children. For mothers, the jump has been 40%; for fathers, 154%.
There's also a broader disconnect in parenting. Fathers are working nearly twice the hours of mothers, and moms spend twice the amount of time engaging in primary child care than dads.
"Parenting has to be a team sport," Hall said. "Parents are experiencing some of the same things kids are experiencing, on top of increased financial costs. They're overwhelmed, incapacitated. Success feels out of reach."
Gun deaths heighten parental concerns
Firearm-related injury is now the leading cause of death among U.S. children and adolescents between ages 1 and 19. Nearly three-quarters of parents said they fear their child will be the victim or witness of a school shooting, according to the report.
In 2024 alone, Wisconsin recorded seven mass shooting events, according to Gun Violence Archive, which led to two deaths and 41 injuries.
Meanwhile, one in five children has a special health care need, including those who are or at an increased risk of a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition that requires more health services than the average child.
Parents of these children, when surveyed, were more than twice as likely to report "fair or poor mental health" compared to parents and caregivers of children without special health care needs.
Technology and social media pressures pervade everyday life
The U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory last year on a phenomenon known as the "loneliness epidemic," which goes far beyond feeling left out. According to Murthy, that sense of isolation has extraordinary health impacts, a mortality impact akin to smoking 15 cigarettes per day. Loneliness literally hurts our hearts, increasing the odds of cardiovascular disease as well as dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and premature death.
According to this new advisory from Murthy, about 65% of parents and caregivers surveyed reported social isolation and a lack of social supports, compared to 55% of non-parents. For single parents, 77% reported that sense of alienation.
Parents also reported technology and social media made their jobs harder. Parents of teenagers, especially, expressed concern social media is leading to increased mental health issues, bullying and exposure to explicit content.
Parents aren't immune to such pressures either. Parents report they are in a constant sprint to help their child reach childhood achievements earlier and faster, which only adds stress.
Mental illness and mental health conditions impact millions of parents
Nearly one of every four parents has some reportable mental illness, the advisory said, with nearly 6% reporting a serious mental illness. These mental health conditions are exacerbated by environmental factors such as family or community violence, poverty, racism and discrimination.
Too often, parents and caregivers aren't willing or able to prioritize their mental health.
Related: Baldwin, Moore introduce bill to make mental health services more affordable for new moms
What can be done to ease parental pressures?
Murthy's advisory emphasizes the need to value and respect time spent parenting the same as we value and respect the time spent at a paying job. But what might that look like in Wisconsin?
Hall recommends parents looking for resources find their local Family Resource Center, which is part of the Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board. Hall described these as "drop-in places" for parents. Parents can meet other parents, find afterschool programs and create opportunities for parents to get together.
Child and Dependent Care Expenses Tax Credits helped pull 50% of children out of poverty during the pandemic, Hall said, by helping support parents afford things like child care and expenses associated with caring for eligible dependents inside the home such as a babysitter, cook or housekeeper. Since Gov. Tony Evers signed a bipartisan bill expanding tax credits for Wisconsin families last year, Hall sees that as a potential boost for struggling parents.
Hall also emphasized that home visiting, which in Wisconsin is part of a program called Wisconsin Family Foundations Home Visiting Program, offers free check-ins from nurses, social workers, or other professionals during pregnancy and when caring for children up to age 5.
Historically, home visiting programs in Wisconsin don't receive much funding, so although it is a free and private service, it's only available in 40 out of 72 counties. That said, Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin also offers home-visiting services through its program Healthy Families in Brown and Door counties.
Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She welcomes story tips and feedback. You can reach her at neilbert@gannett.com or view her Twitter profile at @natalie_eilbert.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Surgeon General report finds parents overwhelmed with stress, pressure
Two Tennessee parents are suing the Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America for $10 million after their 10-year-old son was killed during a jet ski accident with the organization in July.
Crystalyn Gear and Xson Gear are suing the council after their son, Jack Elliott Gear, died in the accident on July 16. In the lawsuit filed on Aug. 30 in Tennessee's 20th Judicial District, the parents said their son died an untimely and wrongful death.
Larry Brown, Scout Executive and CEO of the Middle Tennessee Council, said in a statement to The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY network, that the organization would not comment on the lawsuit.
We are devastated by the tragic accident that happened at Boxwell Scout Reservation this summer," he said. "Our prayers go out to the Gear family and all those affected by this tragedy. The accident is currently being investigated by the TWRA, and we are cooperating fully with their investigation."
The Boy Scouts of America's national media team sent USA TODAY a similar statement Friday.
"We are heartbroken over the loss of Jack Gear and offer our condolences to his family and friends," the statement read. "As this is pending litigation we will not have further comment."
Jack was on a trip to the Boxwell Reservation in Wilson County, about 33 miles northeast of Nashville, when he died. The 10-year-old boy was enrolled there as a camper, set to attend from July 14 to 19, according to the lawsuit.
The Middle Tennessee Council leases 1,100 acres of land on the Boxwell Reservation, which has camping spots and outdoor activities. The Middle Tennessee Council also manages boat docks on the property, as well as jet skis, the lawsuit said.
According to the lawsuit, the Boy Scouts of America owns the Sea-Doo brand jet skis involved in the accident and during the crash, camp employees were driving the vehicles.
The boys parents said in the lawsuit that a camp employee was driving a jet ski with their son as a passenger. Thats when a staff member and camper riding another jet ski ran into the pair, killing the boy and critically injuring the boys driver, the lawsuit reads. The driver and passenger on the jet ski that ran into them were not injured, according to the lawsuit.
Deputies who responded to the scene performed life-saving measures on the boy until paramedics arrived. He was taken to Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital, where he died from his injuries, reported The Tennessean.
A sign for the Boxwell Reservation in Wilson County, Tenn.
Camp staff were not properly certified, lawsuit claims
The Gear family in their lawsuit said the camp staff members operating the jet skis were supposed to complete the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agencys Boating Safety Exam, required by law for those born after Jan. 1, 1989. Both employees driving the jet skis were born after this date, the family said.
The family also said the Boy Scouts of America has rules preventing Boy Scout Council Districts from operating personal watercraft such as jet skis.
It is not known if the Middle Tennessee Council ever requested or was granted an exemption from the Boy Scouts of America to operate personal watercraft as of July 16, 2024, the lawsuit reads.
The family called jet skis inherently dangerous and said the 9 to 12-foot vehicles can weigh up to 1,000 pounds.
When the throttle is released, there is virtually no steering control, the lawsuit said. Jet skis have little if any braking ability.
They went on to say that the vehicles can reach speeds of 70 miles per hour or more and it can take up to 300 feet for them to stop completely.
The family said the Middle Tennessee Council was responsible for making sure the jet skis were properly supervised so no one got hurt.
Parents suing for $10 million
Three days after the jet ski accident, the Wilson County Emergency Management Agency offered condolences to the Gear family online and thanked the Tennessee National Guard for its response during the accident.
In this tragic event, a precious 10-year-old child lost his life in a jet ski accident, and a beloved camp counselor was left seriously injured, the agency wrote on social media. Our deepest condolences go out to the grieving family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and all who have been touched by this profound loss.
Jack leaves behind his parents, his brother and sister, as well as his grandparents, aunts, an uncle and several cousins, according to his online obituary.
His parents said in their lawsuit that Jack died an early, unnecessary and wrongful death. They are suing for the boys physical pain, suffering and mental anguish before his death, as well as the impact this loss has had on his siblings.
He wouldve turned 11 on Sept. 18 and was planning to start middle school at Union City Middle School this school year. He loved reading and video games as well.
He was loved by all and will be truly missed, his obituary reads.
Contributing: Andy Humbles, The Tennessean
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: Tennessee parents sue Boy Scouts after death of 10-year-old son
Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of Ukraine's parliament, met with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson in Italy on Sept. 5 to discuss lifting restrictions on long-range Western weapons strikes deep into Russian territory.
Washington still prohibits Ukraine from using long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and other long-range U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes deeper inside Russia, U.S. officials have said.
Stefanchuk spoke to Johnson about the importance of removing all limitations on the use of American weapons, advocating for Ukraine to be allowed to use the provided arms without any conditions. He stressed that Ukraine should not have to defend itself with "hands tied" and called on Johnson to help ease these restrictions.
The lawmakers also discussed strengthening sanctions against Russia, Stefanchuk said.
Kyiv has long argued that restrictions on the use of long-range weapons are stifling its war effort, while Washington claimed that allowing Ukraine to hit deep into Russian territory with its weapons could escalate the situation.
White House officials have also claimed that 90% of Russian warplanes have already been moved beyond the reach of ATACMS, rendering increased permissions irrelevant to Ukraine's defense.
Ukraine has dismissed these arguments and has ramped up pressure to lift the ban in recent weeks amid the ongoing incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast. The White House has not budged on its position, despite some U.S. politicians backing Kyiv's demands.
Read also: Ukrainian parliament approves appointment of eight ministers
Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Editors Note: This story contains descriptions of violence and the events of the 2001 Santana High School shooting that some readers may find disturbing.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Less than a week before the gunman in San Diego Countys worst school shooting in history is set to make his case for parole, local elected leaders and community members are petitioning the California state board overseeing the hearing to deny his request.
Charles Andy Williams, 38, has been behind bars for over two decades after carrying out the deadly shooting at Santana High School in Santee on March 5, 2001, when he was 15 years old.
Two students were killed in the shooting, 14-year-old Bryan Zuckor and 17-year-old Randy Gordon. Two members of the schools faculty and 11 other students were wounded.
In June 2002, Williams went through trial proceedings as an adult, pleading guilty to two counts of murder and 13 counts of attempted murder. He was given a sentence of 50 years to life by the judge overseeing the case.
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At the time, some suggested it would be unlikely that Williams would be able to receive parole. But now, nearly 24 years into his prison sentence, he could be granted freedom.
That is because of a number of state reforms since the mid-2010s that made it a requirement parole hearings are held for offenders who were under the age of 26 years old when they committed their primary offense before they reach their twenty-fifth year of incarceration.
Williams parole attorney, Laura Sheppard, told FOX 5/KUSI in a phone call that she believes his extensive efforts to rehabilitate himself through his two decades in custody, as well as those to support other prisoners as a certified offender counselor, should merit a second chance.
As she explained, the question before the board boils down to a question of whether Williams currently poses a reasonable risk to the public if he were to be released. These efforts, in her view, show he would not pose a threat if he is granted parole.
However, some community members are pushing back, urging the parole board to reject his request to be considered for a premature release.
California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, who represents Santee, and El Cajon City Councilmember Phil Ortiz have been circulating petitions among community members who had been impacted by the shooting to sign in hopes of dissuading the parole board from granting release.
The state senator also sent a letter last month to the commissioners on the Board of Parole Hearings pleading them to deny Williams parole.
Ortizs petition has collected about 1,300 signatures since he began circulating it earlier this year in partnership with Kristin Dare, CEO of the Santee Chamber of Commerce, while Jones has garnered about 400 signatures.
A number of these signatories plan to speak at the parole hearing to share the impact Williams actions had on their lives.
Beyond these obvious physical injuries and loss of lives, [Andy] left an entire high school traumatized and the community of Santee in continuing grief and pain, Jones wrote in his letter. I have many close friends, neighbors, and community members who were directly impacted by the horrific events that took place that day.
Ortiz himself was one of those people: He was there at Santana High School on that day.
As he recalled to FOX 5/KUSI Thursday, Ortiz, then a sophomore, had been standing in the hallway about 15 feet away from the bathroom where Williams began his shooting spree.
It was just really confusing, because it sounded like fireworks, he said. It took me a while to figure out what was happening.
The now-city councilmember ran for his life in the ensuing frenzy, ending up outside in the back of another students truck as they drove for safety. Two decades later, the events of that day still hang over him.
Its been a journey trying to process all of it, Ortiz said. I mean, you still have dreams, and you still have whenever you go somewhere, youre always looking for the exit to figure out how to get out if something happened. So the effects of it still dont go away.
While he survived the shooting, Ortiz believes it is not fair to the two students whose lives were cut short that Williams sentence be ended halfway through.
SANTEE, UNITED STATES: This 06 March 2001 photo shows a sign left in memorial to Santana High School shooting victim Randy Gordon at a makeshift shrine near the school in Santee, CA. The school was the scene of a 05 Match 2001 shooting in which 15 year old suspected gunman Charles Andrew Williams shot and killed Gordon and fellow student Brian Zucker and injured 13 others (11 students, 2 faculty) in this suburb of San Diego. AFP PHOTO/Scott Nelson (Photo credit should read Scott Nelson/AFP via Getty Images)
I can forgive him personally, and I think that theres a lot of people that can forgive what he did Its a waste of life and its sad, but we dont get to commute the sentences of what happened to these other individuals, Ortiz said, referencing Zuckor and Gordon.
If the parole board does choose to say OK, you can be released,' he continued, then I guess my only word to Andy would be like, You better earn this. This is, I think, undue grace and forgiveness and I may not agree with it, but you better show the people that are still alive, that experience all this, that youre earning this that you didnt deserve.'
According to Sheppard, Williams is remorseful for his actions and has undertaken every course of action legally available to him to make amends, although he understands there is nothing he can do to fully rectify the harm done on that day.
And yet, she says, it is her view that continuing with the remaining 25 years on Williams sentence for the horrific decision he made as a 15-year-old is not true justice.
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Theres nothing that can bring back the victims, and theres no way to balance the scales, Sheppard said. But to me and to the state of California, its the idea that two wrongs dont make a right and that Andy having participated in throwing away those other lives, it doesnt make it right to also throw away Andys life.
If we can redeem him and he can come home and be productive and make the world a better place, it will never fully balance the scales, but its better than the alternative, she continued.
Williams parole hearing will take place on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. at the prison in Chico where he is currently being held. During the proceedings, two commissioners on the Board of Parole Hearings will meet with him to determine whether he is eligible for release.
As Sheppard explained, should it be determined that his case meets the standards for parole as a youth offender, he could be released as early as March 2025. If that occurs, she also noted Williams does not plan to return to San Diego and will be living in another county in the state.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Jenni Benson, president of the Support Our Schools committee, leads a news conference for ballot referendum. July 17, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
LINCOLN The latest effort to repeal Nebraskas newest school choice law that uses state funds to offset the cost of attendance for private K-12 schools has been certified for the November ballot.
Barring legal challenges, including at least one filed earlier in the day Thursday, Nebraskans will vote on the fate of Legislative Bill 1402 this November. The law is a modified version and replacement of its immediate predecessor LB 753 that was structured as a $25 million tax credit to encourage donations for Opportunity Scholarships. It passed in May 2023.
LB 1402 appropriated $10 million to the State Treasurers Office, led by Treasurer Tom Briese, a former lawmaker who had voted for an earlier approach provided in LB 753 last year. The treasurer, under LB 1402, is given the authority to distribute education scholarships to students and their families to attend K-12 private schools.
State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn sponsored both LB 753 and LB 1402.
The same group collecting signatures for the LB 1402 partial repeal Support Our Schools led a successful signature campaign against LB 753 in summer 2023. But both measures wont appear on the ballot because LB 1402 takes LB 753 off the law books come Oct. 31.
The partial repeal is because the Nebraska Constitution allows the public to repeal by referendum any act or part of an act passed by the Legislature, except direct appropriations from the Legislature, such as in the state budget.
Secretary of State Bob Evnen said serious questions have been raised over whether LB 1402 is a legislative appropriation. For example, it was included in the state budget to Brieses office.
Under the Nebraska Constitution, legislative appropriations might not be able to be repealed by referendum, Evnen said in a statement. This question ought to be resolved by the courts.
However, Support Our Schools is fighting the legal mechanism part of LB 1402 that outlines how the aid can be distributed, not the $10 million alone.
A Douglas County mother, whose daughter received an Opportunity Scholarship, filed a lawsuit Thursday arguing that LB 1402 is an appropriation and therefore not eligible for the ballot.
The Nebraska Constitution also specifies that the Legislature cannot directly appropriate funds to private schools, hence why LB 753 was set up as a tax credit and LB 1402 as an appropriation to the treasurer.
Referendum petitions require valid signatures from at least 5% of registered Nebraska voters (about 61,750), including from at least 5% of voters in at least 38 of Nebraskas 93 counties.
Support Our Schools submitted more than 86,000 signatures for its petition in July. Evnens office confirmed that more than 68,000 signatures were validated, meeting the threshold for the multicounty stipulation in 60 counties. Counting ceases at 110% of the bulk signature goal.
Only two ballot measures await final certification, both from Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, to legalize and regulate medical cannabis. However, it has surpassed enough valid signatures but hasnt yet reached the 110% mark, Evnen said last week.
In addition to the LB 1402 measure, one measure related to paid sick leave and two others related to abortion have been certified. The abortion-related petitions will go before the Nebraska Supreme Court on Monday to determine whether the measures are constitutional.
Evnen must certify the November ballot by Sept. 13.
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Arielle Zionts and Katheryn Houghton
KFF Health News
When the Indian Health Service cant provide medical care to Native Americans, the federal agency can refer them elsewhere. But each year, it rejects tens of thousands of requests to fund those appointments, forcing patients to go without treatment or pay daunting medical bills out of their own pockets.
In theory, Native Americans are entitled to free health care when the Indian Health Service foots the bill at its facilities or sites managed by tribes. In reality, the agency is chronically underfunded and understaffed, leading to limited medical services and leaving vast swaths of the country without easy access to care.
Its Purchased/Referred Care program aims to fill gaps by paying outside providers for services patients might be unable to get through an agency-funded clinic or hospital, such as cancer treatment or pregnancy care. But resource shortages, complex rules, and administrative fumbles severely impede access to the referral program, according to patients, elected officials, and people who work with the agency.
The Indian Health Service, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, serves about 2.6 million Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
Native Americans qualify for the referred-care program if they live on tribal land only 13 percent do or within their nations delivery area, which usually includes surrounding counties. Those who live in another tribes delivery area are eligible in limited cases, while Native Americans who live beyond such borders are excluded.
Eligible patients arent guaranteed funding or timely help, however. Some of the Indian Health Services 170 service units exhaust their annual pool of money or reserve it for the most serious medical concerns.
Referred-care programs denied or deferred nearly $552 million in spending for about 120,000 requests from eligible patients in fiscal year 2022.
As a result, Native Americans might forgo care, increasing the risk of death or serious illness for people with preventable or treatable medical conditions.
The problem isnt new. Federal watchdog agencies have reported concerns with the program for decades.
Connie Brushbreaker, a citizen of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, has been denied or waitlisted for funding at least 14 times since 2018. She said it doesnt make sense that the agency sometimes refuses to pay for treatment that will later be approved once a health problem becomes more serious and expensive.
We try to do this preventative stuff before something gets to the point where you need surgery, said Brushbreaker, who lives on her tribes reservation in South Dakota.
Many Native Americans say the U.S. government is violating its treaties with tribal nations, which often promised to provide for the health and welfare of tribes in return for their land.
I keep having my elders here saying, Theres treaty rights that say theyre supposed to be able to provide these services to us, said Lyle Rutherford, a council member for the Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana who said he also worked at the Indian Health Service for 11 years.
Native Americans have high rates of diseases compared with the general population, and a median age of death thats 14 years younger than that of white people. Researchers who have studied the issue say many problems stem from colonization and government policies such as forcing Indigenous people into boarding schools and isolated reservations and making them give up healthy traditions, including bison hunting and religious ceremonies. They also cite an ongoing lack of health funding.
Congress budgeted nearly $7 billion for the Indian Health Service this year, of which roughly $1 billion is set aside for the referred-care program. A committee of tribal health and government leaders has long made funding recommendations that far exceed the agencys budget. Its latest report says the Indian Health Service needs $63 billion to cover patients needs for fiscal year 2026, including $10 billion for referred care.
Brendan White, an agency spokesperson, said improving the referred-care program is a top goal of the Indian Health Service. He said about 83% of the health units it manages have been able to approve all eligible funding requests this year.
White said the agency recently improved how referred-care programs prioritize such requests and it is tackling staff shortages that can slow down the process. An estimated third of positions within the referred-care program were unfilled as of June, he said.
The Oklahoma City Area Indian Health Service serves Native Americans in Oklahoma, Kansas and parts of Texas. The federal government provides health care to Native people as part of the treaty agreements for seized land, but IHS cannot provide abortions except in very rare cases. (Maddy Keyes, News21)
The Indian Health Service also recently expanded some delivery areas to include more people and is studying whether it can afford to create statewide eligibility in the Dakotas.
Jonni Kroll of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana doesnt qualify for the referred-care program because she lives in Deer Park, Washington, nearly 400 miles from her tribes headquarters.
She said tying eligibility to tribal lands echoes old government policies meant to keep Indigenous people in one place, even if it means less access to jobs, education, and health care.
Kroll, 58, said she sometimes worries about the medical costs of aging. Moving to qualify for the program is unrealistic.
We have people that live all across the nation, she said. What do we do? Sell our homes, leave our families and our jobs?
People applying for funding face a system so complicated that the Indian Health Service created flowcharts outlining the process.
Misty and Adam Heiden, of Mandan, North Dakota, experienced that firsthand. Their nearest Indian Health Service hospital no longer offers birthing services. So, late last year, Misty Heiden asked the referred-care program to pay for the delivery of their baby at an outside facility.
Heiden, 40, is a citizen of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, a South Dakota-based tribe, but lives within the Standing Rock Sioux Tribes delivery area. Native Americans who live in another tribes area, as she does, are eligible if they have close ties. Even though she is married to a Standing Rock tribal citizen, Heiden was deemed ineligible by hospital staff.
Now, the family has had to cut into its grocery budget to help pay off more than $1,000 in medical debt.
It was kind of a slap in the face, Adam Heiden said.
White, the Indian Health Service spokesperson, said many providers offer educational materials to help patients understand eligibility. But the Standing Rock rules, for example, arent fully explained in its brochure.
When patients are eligible, their needs are ranked using a medical priority list.
Connie Brushbreakers doctor at the Indian Health Service hospital in Rosebud, South Dakota, said she needed to see an orthopedic surgeon. But hospital staffers said the unit covers only patients at imminent risk of dying.
She said that, at one point, a worker at the referred-care program told her she could handle her pain, which was so intense she had to limit work duties and rely on her husband to put her hair in a ponytail.
I feel like I am being tossed aside, like I do not matter, Brushbreaker wrote in an appeal letter. I am begging you to reconsider.
The 55-year-old was eventually approved for funding and had surgery this July, two years after injuring her shoulder and four months after her referral.
Patients said they sometimes have trouble reaching referred-care departments due to staffing problems.
Patti Conica, a citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, needed emergency care after developing a serious infection in June 2023. She said she applied for funding to cover the cost but has yet to receive a decision on her case despite repeated phone calls to referred-care staffers and in-person visits.
Ive been given the runaround, said Conica, 58, who lives in Fort Yates, North Dakota, her tribes headquarters.
She now faces more than $1,500 in medical bills, some of which have been turned over to a collection agency.
Tyler Tordsen, a Republican state lawmaker and citizen of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate in South Dakota, says the referred-care program needs more funding but officials could also do a better job managing their finances.
Some service units have large amounts of leftover funding. But its unclear how much of this money is unspent dollars versus earmarked for approved cases going through billing.
Meanwhile, more tribes are managing their health care facilities an arrangement that still uses agency money to try new ways to improve services.
Many also try to help patients receive outside care in other ways. That can include offering free transportation to appointments, arranging for specialists to visit reservations, or creating tribal health insurance programs.
For Brushbreaker, begging for funding felt like I had to sell my soul to the IHS gods.
Im just tired of fighting the system, she said.
Have you had an experience navigating the Indian Health Services Purchased/Referred Care program that youd like to share with KFF Health News for our reporting? Tell us here.
This article was first published by KFF Health News.
AUSTIN (KXAN) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Travis County leaders Thursday, accusing them of spending public funds on a partisan voter registration company, according to the filing.
Scrutiny into voter rolls brings concern of chilling effect
That company, Civic Government Solutions (CGS), operates a subscription model that provides access to a proprietary database of potentially unregistered voters. At the Aug. 27 Travis County Commissioners Court meeting, commissioners introduced and approved the agenda item to contract with CGS for its voter registration effort, the lawsuit stated.
The Election Code does not empower the voter registrar or any other county official to collect information about private citizens in order to then convince them to register to vote, the lawsuit stated. The county voter registrar has a few enumerated powersbut nothing in the Election Code gives a voter registrar the right to contract for services that identify and target potentially unregistered voters, an unknown quantity of whom are not even eligible to vote.
Interactives: How many people are registered to vote in your county?
Another reason for the lawsuit is the CGS CEOs prior public commentsabout his interest in getting people to vote for progressive candidates, the lawsuit read.
Travis County has blatantly violated Texas law by paying partisan actors to conduct unlawful identification efforts to track down people who are not registered to vote, said Paxton in a Friday press release. Programs like this invite fraud and reduce public trust in our elections. We will stop them and any other county considering such programs.
A CGS spokesperson told KXAN that it is committed to giving voters the opportunity to register. They also said that CGS doesnt use demographic, political, or any other criteria in how it determines which unregistered voters to contact. Instead, it uses segments based on county and registration status.
The spokesperson also said that if an ineligible voter sends in a form, it would be rejected by the county. They also said it was concerning that an initiative to empower Texans and strengthen democratic participation is facing such aggressive opposition.
We identify unregistered individuals within each county and provide them with a voter registration form, along with a pre-addressed, postage-paid envelope to the county registration officials, the spokesperson said. This process is no different from traditional voter registration drives at community events, campuses, or stores except that we make it even easier and more efficient by directly reaching unregistered residents.
The lawsuit named Travis County Tax Assessor-Collector Bruce Elfant, County Judge Andy Brown and the four members of the Travis County Commissioners Court as defendants. CGS is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Travis County is committed to encouraging voter participation and we are proud of our outreach efforts that achieve higher voter registration numbers, said Hector Nieto, a Travis County spokesperson. We remain steadfast in our responsibility to uphold the integrity of the voter registration process while ensuring that every eligible person has the opportunity to exercise their right to vote. It is disappointing that any statewide elected official would prefer to sow distrust and discourage participation in the electoral process.
Paxton filed a similar lawsuit Wednesday against the Bexar County Commissioners Court after it voted to pay a group to distribute voter registration forms to unregistered people in the county.
Bexar County bucks Paxtons threats, proceeds with voter registration mail plan
Despite being warned against adopting this blatantly illegal program that would spend taxpayer dollars to mail registration applications to potentially ineligible voters, Bexar County has irresponsibly chosen to violate the law, Paxton said previously.
The Travis County lawsuit asked for a judge to grant an injunction against the county that would bar it from such a contract.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
PECOS, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) Drivers going by Pecos or passing through on Interstate 20 might see a man camp a housing area for mostly industrial workers. However, the camps also represent the housing shortage within the city.
Raymond Herrera from the Reeves County Appraisal District said the cost of housing is not to blame, saying the median price of an already-owned 3-bedroom home is $167,000, down from $170,000 last year.
According to Herrera, a land shortage drives more people out of traditional housing and into man camps rather than housing prices.
A lot of our land is primarily used up for our oil industry, Herrera said. What we have available in the City of Pecos is limited lands, so they cant expand out because we have other businesses or oil-related businesses that are taking up that land.
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Another reason these housing shortages exist, could be the current homes that are available in the city.
According to Pecos realtor, Marisa Florez, the types of homes in Pecos play a factor in why man-camp residents choose to live there.
We dont have a lot of inventory here in Pecos thats in between there, its either on the very low end or we have really expensive homes that kind of sit for a bit, Florez said. Youre not going to see too much of that in between.
Herrera with Reeves County Appraisal also said that he anticipates the lack of housing to cause the price of a home to go up before the new year.
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Pembroke Park commissioner wins in criminal case and moves to sue. He still faces other troubles
A Broward town commissioner who faced a criminal charge for allegedly accusing the mayor of bringing a gun to a public meeting was vindicated in court Thursday. Now, hes going after the mayor, the former police chief and the town in a multi-million-dollar lawsuit.
On Friday, Pembroke Park Commissioner Geoffrey Jacobs stood alongside his lawyer, Michael Pizzi, to celebrate the charge being dropped by the Broward County State Attorneys Office.
There was no phone call to 911, Pizzi told reporters on Friday. [State prosecutors] realized that ... and they dismissed the case.
READ MORE: Broward town commissioner charged with falsely accusing mayor of having gun at meeting
The pair said the charge was retaliation.
The whole commissions intent is to remove me, Jacobs said. Thats not their position. The only one who can remove me is the governor, and they have to have a criminal charge on me to do that.
Park Commissioner Geoffrey Jacobs, talks to the media during a press conference with his attorney Michael Pizzi, held in Miami Lakes, to announce a multi-million dollar lawsuit on behalf of himself against Mayor Ashira Mohammed and the Town of Pembroke Park for malicious prosecution, false arrest and other Federal and State grounds, after all charges against him were dismissed by the Broward County Court, on Friday, September 06, 2024.
Because of this perceived hostile action, Jacobs vowed to file a lawsuit against Pembroke Park Mayor Ashira Mohammed and former Police Chief Ra Shana Dabney-Donovan, seeking millions of dollars.
Mayor Ashira Mohammed, you and your former police chief are going to be sued for millions of dollars for improperly smearing and defaming and making false allegations and arranging for the false filing of criminal charges against Commissioner Geoffrey Jacobs, Pizzi said.
Mohammed told the Miami Herald that despite what the court ruled, Jacobs is still an abusive plague on the town.
Commissioner Jacobs has been a plague on Pembroke Park since the moment he took office, Mohammed said in a written statement. His abusive behavior and outlandish accusations continue to cost taxpayers of Pembroke Park both financially and operationally as he drives good people away from working for our town.
She emphasized that it is long past time for him to be removed from office.
According to the Broward courts website, Jacobs criminal case was disposed of on Thursday because prosecutors declined to move forward. He was charged with giving a false crime report.
The case stems from a chaotic November public meeting during which police searched Mohammed in front of television cameras.
READ MORE: Drama over an alleged gun in meeting is latest controversy for embattled Broward town
Shortly before the meeting, Jacobs called the Broward Sheriffs Office non-emergency line and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, according to a probable-cause affidavit, because he said he believed Mohammed was armed and he was scared for his life.
Dabney-Donovan, the police chief, was informed of the perceived danger and told the commission in private. Mohammed, confident she didnt have a gun on her, demanded to be searched in front of the public.
The police chief searched her and her purse while cameras rolled no gun was found.
While the criminal charge was dropped, Jacobs is still facing heat for other alleged misconduct while on the job and might soon be on the receiving end of a lawsuit.
Facing other scandals
Jacobs has been at the center of allegations during his time as Pembroke Parks mayor and now as a commissioner. He has been accused of racism, sexism and misuse of town funds.
On Thursday, the Broward Inspector General announced that Jacobs, while he served as mayor in 2022, had unlawfully spent taxpayer money to charter a yacht for an annual holiday party.
He used his town credit card to put down a $3,950 deposit for the charter, the total bill amounting to $10,575. The inspector general report stated Jacobs was in violation by not involving the town commission or manager for a purchase over $10,000.
The former finance and budget director was also implicated in the misuse of funds.
But Jacobs and Pizzi claim he never signed off on the price.
Meanwhile, former Police Chief Dabney-Donovan continues to allege her firing was a cover to hide discrimination and retaliation against her and that much of it was from Jacobs.
READ MORE: Ive been harassed. Broward police chief vows to sue town for discrimination
She filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which will either investigate her discrimination claims or give her the right to sue Pembroke Park in federal court.
Her attorney, Stephan Lopez, told the Herald on Friday that they are eager to get the chance to sue the town and Jacobs.
[Jacobs] has made a mockery out of that town, Lopez said. We expect to file a federal claim for disparate treatment based on race and gender.
In Dabney-Donovans filed charge of discrimination, she said Jacobs used the words diversity hire in reference to her being Pembroke Parks first Black officer and police chief. He also allegedly made racist social-media posts about her.
Jacobs is facing a lawsuit from former Town Attorney Melissa Anderson. It has not yet been resolved.
READ MORE: Former attorney for embattled Broward town was harassed by commissioner, lawsuit alleges
She alleges that the town and specifically Jacobs maintained a hostile work environment, discriminated against her due to her gender and violated Floridas civil-rights act.
Anderson, who is a lesbian, accused Jacobs of waging a campaign of discrimination and harassment against her. He allegedly referred to her as a f---ing c--t and told her several times to shut up and f--k off.
He also sent her a TikTok that she deemed misogynistic, homophobic and threatening.
At the time of the lawsuits filing in March, Pizzi told the Herald that Jacobs denied any wrongdoing and believed there is a vendetta against him.
The U.S. may be home to some of the worlds biggest investors, but unlike other countries such as Saudi Arabia and Singapore, the federal government doesnt have an investment arm of its own.
That might change if Donald Trump is elected to a second term as president. Speaking at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday, Trump called for the creation of a sovereign wealth funda term that describes state-owned organizations that operate like hedge funds or private equity firms, pursuing different financial strategies such as buying up stock in public companies or backing startups and other private companies.
In his remarks, Trump kept the proposal vague, saying the fund would invest in great national endeavors for the benefit of all of the American people and arguing that other countries have sovereign wealth funds, but we have nothing. He added that the government could call its investing firm something other than a sovereign wealth fund, which, he said, may not be appropriate.
A history of sovereign wealth
While Trump may be looking to other countries as inspiration for his idea, the creation of sovereign wealth funds has typically coincided with budget surpluses, often as a result of oil booms. One of the first examples was Kuwait, which created an investment authority in 1953, followed by Norways Norges Bank Investment Management in 1967, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority in 1976; all three managed surplus oil revenue.
Even the U.S. has its own homegrown fund born out of oil money, with Alaska establishing one in 1976 that has yielded an annual payout to every state citizen since 1980. In 2023, every Alaskanincluding childrenreceived $1,312.
In recent years, sovereign wealth fundsespecially from Asia and the Middle Easthave become major players in the tech industry. Temasek, a Singaporean investment company that counts the countrys government as the sole equity shareholder, has backed top public companies such as Microsoft and Nvidia, as well as private companiesincluding, disastrously, FTX. Temasek also backs other funds, including the OpenAI investor Alpha Intelligence Capital, which is closing a $250 million second fund.
Another prominent example is Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund, which owns a venture arm called Sanabil. Top U.S. funds including Andreessen Horowitz, Coatue, and KKR have drawn scrutiny for receiving Saudi capital from Sanabil, especially after the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by agents of the Saudi government.
America First
Without additional context from Trump, its unclear how the U.S. sovereign wealth fund he proposed would operate, especially without a clear source of fundingor direction for capital investments.
Story continues
Matt Bruenig, a progressive lawyer and founder of the think tank Peoples Policy Project, has previously proposed a social wealth fund for America, about which he posted again on X after Trumps remarks. Under Bruenigs plan, the fund would tackle wealth inequality by issuing every American a share of ownership and accumulating assets such as stocks, bonds, and real estate. Citizens would not be permitted to sell their shares, but would earn a universal basic dividend, similar to the Alaskan model.
The sovereign wealth fund was not the only proposal from Trump in his speech on Thursday. He also announced that he would establish a government efficiency commission headed by Elon Musk that would be tasked with completing an audit of the government.
I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises, Musk posted on X.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Pennsylvania, Arizona and Texas benefit from US funding for Ukraine arms, Pentagon says
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin meets with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, in Washington
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin meets with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, in Washington
By Mike Stone
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pennsylvania, Arizona and Texas are among U.S. states benefiting most from funding and investment to arm Ukraine in its fight against Russia, a breakdown of spending by the Pentagon showed on Friday.
Pennsylvania, a swing state in the Nov. 5 presidential election, has received the most of any state with $2.52 billion in spending and investments to build arms and ammunition in support of Ukraine's effort to repel Russia's invasion, according to Pentagon documents released on Friday.
Ten months ago, the Biden administration first started circulating state level data on Capitol Hill to gather more support from Republicans.
Since last year, the Biden administration has been emphasizing that many of the weapons sent to Kyiv would be replaced through billions worth of new contracts won by U.S. companies that employ U.S. workers.
Companies such as RTX's Raytheon in Arizona, which makes Patriot missile systems, and General Dynamics, which makes the artillery shells that are manufactured across multiple states including Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas, have seen billions in contracts.
Arizona saw $2.02 billion of spending and investments related to Ukraine, while Texas had $1.85 billion.
Friday's documents gave a state-by-state breakdown for the $41.7 billion worth of purchases, investments, and replacement spending on all manner of systems across more than 35 states to support Ukraine.
(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington, editing by Deepa Babington)
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has said that President Joe Biden would announce a new US$250 million military aid package for Ukraine today.
Source: Austin at the opening of the 24th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (also known as the Ramstein format)
Details: Austin said that now is a critical moment for Ukraine in view of the approaching winter.
Quote from Austin: "So Im pleased to say that President Biden will announce today an additional US$250 million security assistance package for Ukraine. It will surge more capabilities to meet Ukraines evolving requirements and well deliver them at the speed of war."
More details: Austin did not specify what would be included in the new aid package.
He also stressed that all countries would be less safe if Russia was allowed to conquer Ukraine, its neighbouring country.
Quote: "If autocrats conclude that nations of good will abandon their principles, our world will become far more dangerous."
"If Ukraine is not free, the world is not safe."
Background:
Recently, on 23 August, the Biden administration announced a new military aid package worth US$125 million, including air defence missiles, anti-drone equipment, anti-tank missiles and ammunition.
At the same time, the Biden administration is in urgent talks with Congress to allow it to use more than US$6 billion in military aid to Ukraine before 30 September, when the fiscal year ends and the money could expire.
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The US Department of Defense announced on Friday, 6 September, details of a new US aid package for Ukraine worth up to US$250 million.
Source: European Pravda, citing Pentagon
Details: The announced package, which falls under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), is the 65th such aid since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
It includes, among other items, RIM-7 missiles and support for air defence, Stinger missiles, ammunition for HIMARS systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, TOW anti-tank missiles, and Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems.
Additionally, the package features Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, M113 armoured personnel carriers, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, small arms ammunition, grenades, patrol boats, maritime training equipment, demolitions equipment and munitions, spare parts, and support equipment.
Quote: "The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated capability coalitions to meet Ukraine's urgently needed battlefield requirements and defend against Russian aggression," the Pentagon emphasised.
Background:
On 6 September, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that President Joe Biden would announce a new US$250 million military aid package for Ukraine today.
At the same time, the Biden administration is in urgent talks with Congress to allow it to use more than US$6 billion in military aid to Ukraine before 30 September, when the fiscal year ends and the money could expire.
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U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen announced a bill that would improve Medicaid coverage for substance use disorder treatment to celebrate her mother's sobriety anniversary on Sept. 5, 2024, at the Sobriety House in Denver. (Courtesy of U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen's office)
U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen this week introduced a bill that would improve Medicaid coverage for recipients being treated for substance use disorders.
The Recovery Act would allow states to include substance use disorder treatment in their Medicaid coverage plans and remove a cap on the number of days someones treatment can be covered. Currently, states have to apply for a waiver through Medicaid to cover in-patient substance use disorder treatments.
Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, announced the bill at a press conference Thursday alongside her mother, who celebrated her 7-year sobriety anniversary. The event was held at the Sobriety House in Denver, where Pettersens mother was treated for her substance use disorder.
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My mom wouldnt be alive today without finally getting the medical care she needed, Pettersen said in a statement. My mom is an example of whats possible when people struggling with substance use disorder have access to the resources and support they need, but I know she was one of the lucky ones. Far too many people are left without care because of the stigma associated with addiction and the lack of funding and priorities at every level of government.
The bill aims to incentivize the adoption of expanded treatment plans by increasing federal matching funds for states who opt into Medicaid coverage for substance use disorders for the first five years of the programs existence.
Crystal Ahles, executive director of Sobriety House, said expanding Medicaid to cover substance use disorder treatment will significantly increase our ability as providers to serve more clients.
Without this coverage, state and federal funding is limited, and access to care is difficult for those needing help, Ahles said in a press release. The change in legislation will allow for expanded access, which is imperative.
Colorados Medicaid program, Health First Colorado, covers nearly 1.2 million people, including about one out of every seven Colorado adults aged 19 to 64.
Currently, Medicaid only covers three days of detox and generally does not cover in-patient or residential care, as Pettersen discovered while trying to get her mother into treatment. While serving in the Colorado General Assembly in 2018, Pettersen sponsored the bipartisan House Bill 18-1136, which directed the states Medicaid program to apply for a federal waiver to cover certain treatments for substance use disorders.
The Department of Health and Human Services approved Colorados waiver for a five-year demonstration period beginning in 2021. In one year under the waiver, more than 12,000 Colorado Medicaid recipients received residential substance use disorder care, according to Pettersens office.
While Colorado has made great strides, there are still significant barriers that exist at the federal level to provide the necessary continuum of care, Pettersens office said in a press release.
We must reduce the stigma around opioid addiction and those in recovery, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, said in a statement in support of the Recovery Act. More support for treatment is needed because too many people lack access to treatment or have inadequate treatment. This crisis continues to take and harm lives, and we must do more.
Last year, Pettersen introduced a bill that would reimburse hospitals for distributing opioid overdose-reversal treatments to people at risk for an overdose.
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What voters want: Only 12% think the arena should be a priority for city leadership and 61% prefer the Sixers to remain at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philly, which recently underwent a $400 million renovation. Meanwhile, 47% said they would be less likely to vote for politicians who support the arena. Voters also expressed interest in alternative projects for the Market East area, such as affordable housing or public green spaces. As City Council heads back into session, we hope our elected officials will hear the voices of their constituents and focus on the core priorities they ran on none of which are making three billionaire developers richer at the expense of the heart of our city and the last working class community of color in Center City, said Mohan Seshadri, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance.
Update: Phoenix police Officer Zane Coolidge died Friday, Phoenix police said in a statement shortly before 5 p.m. Read the later article.
Officials said the officer seriously hurt in a shooting on Tuesday in central Phoenix remains in critical condition while the other injured officer recovers at home.
Phoenix police identified the seriously injured officer as Zane Coolidge, a five-year veteran of the department who works under the field training squad in the Mountain View Precinct.
The other officer, Matthew Haney, was saved from serious injury by his ballistic vest. Haney has worked for the department for two years and is part of the same squad and precinct as Coolidge. Haney is recovering from his injuries at home with his family, who asked for privacy.
Saul Bal, 41, was arrested on suspicion of shooting the officers, who were responding to calls of a car break-in in the neighborhood of 16th and Brill streets at about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
According to police, the officers were told that Bal had been the man attempting the break-in and when they approached him, Bal took off running.
Officers reported that Bal shot at Haney and Coolidge, hitting them both, and they shot back, according to the police statement.
Bal escaped but was captured after an over-three-hour search that resulted in the closure of several city blocks and police stops and searches of vehicles in the area.
Bal was charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and prohibited possession of a weapon. He was being held on a $2 million cash-only bond.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Officer Zane Coolidge in critical condition after shooting
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Police in the District said they are looking for a man who placed a card skimming device at an ATM in Northeast D.C.
On Wednesday, an employee found the device on an ATM in the 900 block of Rhode Island Avene NE. The employee called the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), who removed the device.
The suspect was captured by a camera and can be seen below:
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Police Department
Man wanted after DC officers death appears in court for first time
MPD issued the following tips when making a card transaction:
Make sure the device isnt able to be moved or budged when touched.
Compare your machine to the one next to you, if applicable.
Check the alignment of the card reader and the panel underneath it.
Look inside of the card reader before inserting your card.
If you see or suspect a card skimmer, please contact police immediately at 911.
Notify your bank immediately if you suspect you have been a victim of card skimming.
Anyone who can identify the suspect or has more information is asked to contact MPD at (202) 727-9099 or should text the department at 50411.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
UPDATE: She has been found safe.
Pittsburgh police are asking for the publics help to find a missing and at-risk woman.
Tara Nolan, 39, was in contact with her family by email on Sept. 5, police said. She was last believed to be in the area of Allegheny Commons on Cedar Avenue on the North Side.
Nolan is described as being 5 feet, 3 inches tall and 110 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on Nolans whereabouts is asked to call (412) 323-7141 or 911.
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(Bloomberg) -- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. achieved production yields at its Arizona facility on par with established plants back home, an early indicator that its marquee US project is on track to achieve its targets.
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The Taiwanese chipmakers yield rate in trial production at its first advanced US plant is similar to comparable facilities in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan, according to a person familiar with the company, who asked not to be identified discussing private corporate matters. TSMC had said it started engineering wafer production in April with advanced 4-nanometer process technology.
Yield rate, or how many usable chips a company can produce during a single manufacturing process, is a key factor that impacts profitability. While TSMC doesnt disclose its yield rate, investors are counting on the companys ability to maintain steady margins. The company has said it can maintain gross margin rates at 53% or higher in the long run, and has kept its net profit steady at above 36% over the past four years.
TSMC said in an email that its Arizona project is proceeding as planned with good progression, without commenting on the yield.
The go-to chipmaker for Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp. originally planned to have its first Arizona plant start full production in 2024, but pushed back the target to 2025 due to a lack of skilled workers. The delay fueled concerns that the company might not be able to make chips in the US as efficiently as in Taiwan.
The US plans to award TSMC $6.6 billion in grants and as much as $5 billion in loans to support the chipmakers $65 billion in investments at three plants in Arizona.
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Pittsburgh police searching for gunman after robbery in Mount Oliver
Police are actively looking for a gunman after a robbery in Mount Oliver last month.
A warrant was just put out for Edward Browns arrest after police say he jumped into the passenger side of a mans car.
Then, according to investigators, Brown pulled out a gun, pointed it at the driver and told him, Give me everything you have in five seconds.
Then he started counting down.
While they were in the car, police say Edward fired the gun, and the bullet went right past the victims face, and through the drivers side window.
As part of their investigation, detectives checked surveillance cameras in the area, including at the library, but it wasnt until they got Edwards fingerprints off the victims car that they were able to identify him.
Brown still is on the run.
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Were at Greenmount Cemetery in Burlington, Mike Hoey said. Steve Perkins isnt available to join us this week, but one of Steves predecessors as executive director of the Vermont Historical Society has stepped in to join us. Kevin Graffagnino is here. Now, Kevin, someone that youve written about very recently brings us here.
Well, I just published this book about Ira Allen, Graffagnino said. Its the first biography of him in close to a century, and were standing in front of a monument to him which does not mark his grave site. He was buried in Philadelphia, but this seemed like an appropriate place to talk about him.
A lot of people in our area might be at least familiar with Ira Allen on a cursory basis, Hoey noted.
Very, Graffagnino agreed.
Hoey continued, (He was) one of Ethan Allens brothers, one of the founders of the Vermont Republic and the state of Vermont, and maybe the prime benefactor behind the creation of (the University of Vermont).
For a long time, for modern Vermonters, 18th-century Vermont was Ethan Allen and not much else so I hope the book will get Ira up on the stage where he belongs, Graffagnino said. Hes not heroic, but hes so important to 18th-century Vermont that youve got a really incomplete picture if you leave him out.
James Wilbur publishes a two-volume biography in 1928 and for Wilbur, (Ira Allen) was a saint. He was absolutely without fault, and I think we need to be a bit more objective. He has almost no education, but he publishes some 2,500 pages of books, pamphlets. Hes a very gifted writer on behalf of his causes and most of his life, his cause is the state of Vermont, independent Vermont and then in statehood. He is our most prolific 18th-century Vermont writer.
Hes a guy who drives two horses, the interest of Vermont and the interest of Ira Allen, and he manages to keep them both going. He is often selfless and brave and courageous on Vermonts behalf, but hes always aware of what good it can do for him and his family financially.
Hoey observed, Both of these interests may have converged in something Steve Perkins has brought up with me previously that being the Haldimand Negotiations that (Ira Allen) was part of.
Ira is a key player in negotiating with Frederick Haldimand, the (British) governor of (Quebec) during the Revolution, about the possibility of Vermont returning to the British side in the Revolution, Graffagnino concludes. It comes close. Theres a British army in the Champlain Valley in October of 1781 and theyre about to issue a proclamation welcoming Vermont back into the British Empire, and then news comes that Cornwallis has surrendered at Yorktown.
But Ira keeps the negotiations going after the war ends, so it wasnt just to keep the British bottled up in Canada. He has a giant financial interest in trade with Canada.
Ira Allens deep-seated interest in Canadian trade led directly to the reason why hes buried in Pennsylvania. Graffagnino will explore that reason in next weeks installment.
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PLAINFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) A Plainfield man was arrested on Thursday for allegedly selling illegal narcotics, according to police.
Joseph Barry, 38, had been a wanted person by the Plainfield Police Department after they discovered that he allegedly was selling illegal narcotics in the Waruegan Village area of town.
An undercover police officer found Barry pass his residence as a passenger in a vehicle. A marked police officer then stopped the car in a parking lot near 51 South Walnut St. in Wauregan.
Barry attempted to flee the scene once being pulled over and resisted officers before they were finally able to gain control of him. He allegedly tried to swallow a bag of crack cocaine once he was pulled over, and began to choke on it as a result. Officers removed the bag from his airway, and more crack cocaine along with drug paraphernalia was found in his car.
He was charged with failure to appear, interfering with police, possession and intent to sell, along with assault of a police officer. He is being held on a $52,500 bond.
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Plaintiffs are seeking more than $303.2 million from the Medford hospital whose previous employee is suspected of replacing patients intravenous fentanyl drips with water.
On Tuesday, multiple representatives filed a lawsuit against Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center on behalf of 18 patients some deceased who were impacted by the alleged actions of a former nurse.
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The latest complaint names Asante as the only defendant. According to the court documents, the medical center started notifying patients and their relatives that an employee had replaced IV drips with tap water in December 2023.
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The lawsuit accuses the company of being negligent for numerous reasons, including failing to monitor and prevent drug diversion among staff, and allowing [a] culture that fostered inattention to medication administration protocols that prevent drug misuse.
Defendant Asante knew or should have known of the high likelihood of drug misuse by
its employees given that Asante has had repeated instances of drug misuse by its employees
In the past, Attorney Shayla Steyart wrote in Jackson County court documents.
The attorney added that that many of the affected patients experienced additional pain, suffering, and mental anguish due to the hospital and the nurses actions.
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According to a press release from the Jackson County District Attorneys Office, the former nurse was indicted on 44 counts of second-degree assault in connection to the case in June. The office referred to a Medford Police Department investigation, which found multiple instances of serous infections among Asante patients from July 2022 to July 2023.
The medical center has declined to comment.
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DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) A prominent central Ohio real estate developer is altering its plan to build townhomes in Dublins Bridge Park.
Dublin-based Crawford Hoying has resubmitted a proposal to construct 42 townhomes at the intersection of John Shields Parkway and Mooney Street. While Crawford Hoying initially received city approval in 2016 to build the Bridge Park townhomes, changing market conditions forced the company to re-evaluate the development before construction began.
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In the new plan, we are utilizing different unit style, and we have modified vehicular access, the company said in a letter to Dublins Planning and Zoning Commission, who gave an initial review of the resubmittal on Thursday. The new unit style is designed with high-quality materials that will complement the existing structures.
Crawford Hoying has resubmitted plans to build townhomes at John Shields Parkway and Mooney Street. (Courtesy Photo/Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission)
Crawford Hoying has resubmitted plans to build townhomes at John Shields Parkway and Mooney Street. (Courtesy Photo/Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission)
Crawford Hoying has resubmitted plans to build townhomes at John Shields Parkway and Mooney Street. (Courtesy Photo/Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission)
A rendering in the proposal shows that open green space will separate the townhomes from John Shields Parkway and Grand of Dublin Health and Rehabilitation. Each townhome will be three stories high and include an interior garage, and residents will also have the option to upgrade to a roof terrace.
Crawford Hoying is advancing this proposal while also aiming to build a mixed-use townhome development next to a cemetery near Bridge Park. A proposal calls for the construction of nine clusters of townhomes across 6.77 acres on both sides of Monterey Drive, to the left of the city cemetery.
The townhomes would feature 53 units with four clusters to the left of the city cemetery and the remaining five clusters across Monterey Drive. Crawfords proposal notes that a 0.62-acre tract would be dedicated to the city for the expansion of the cemetery.
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Late last year, the development company announced its collaboration with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants for a mixed-use project in Bridge Park will now feature an office building instead of condos. The tower was planned to sit next to a boutique hotel with a new Cameron Mitchell restaurant, to be located southeast of the State Route 161 roundabout at Riverside Drive and West Granville Road.
The office space on the 3.8-acre site will span 90,000 square feet, according to an agreement approved by Dublin City Council on Nov. 21. A central concourse will connect the building to Mitchells hotel housing 115 rooms, 14,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and a 370-space parking garage.
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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A plane en-route to Missouri was forced to land at Dayton International Airport.
According to GoJet Airlines, GoJet flight UA4427, operating as United Express, was headed from Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia to St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
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Toni Bankston, chief communications officer for the city of Dayton, reports the flight landed without incident at Dayton International Airport on Sept. 6 at 10:41 a.m., due to a flap issue. GoJet told 2 NEWS the decision to divert was made as a precautionary measure.
Bankston told 2 NEWS that 49 passengers were onboard, and no injuries were reported.
FlightAware reports passengers are expected to arrive in St. Louis just after 4 p.m. local time.
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(Bloomberg) -- The US and China were able to somewhat narrow their divide on climate finance issues during talks in Beijing this week that also touched on new plans for emissions cuts.
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There are still key differences in the countries approaches to fighting climate change, John Podesta, the US senior adviser to the president for international climate policy said, but the discussions were able to help the two sides find a little more common ground on issues, including how wealthy countries should help provide funds to accelerate the green transition in developing nations and protect them from more extreme weather.
Podesta did not elaborate but said the two countries had excellent discussions at a series of meetings that he led with Chinas climate envoy Liu Zhenmin.
Notwithstanding some friction in our bilateral relationship, we can find places to collaborate for the good of our people and the good of our climate, he said Friday afternoon at a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The talks are likely the last chance the worlds two biggest polluters will have for in-person discussions before November, when the US holds presidential elections and the United Nations hosts its annual climate summit in Azerbaijan.
Officials from both sides spent time this week taking stock of the progress theyve made in their respective climate plans for 2030, known as nationally determined contributions, Podesta said. They also discussed setting ambitious new targets for 2035 that are due to be delivered to the UN early next year, he said.
They also made plans to host a summit on lesser-known greenhouse gases including methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons. While they get less attention that carbon dioxide, they still contribute heavily to global warming, Podesta said.
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Poland on Friday charged three Belarusian officials in connection with the 2021 forced landing of a Ryanair aircraft in Minsk with an opposition Belarusian blogger on board.
Investigators accused the trio of taking control of an aircraft, forced landing and deprivation of liberty, the prosecutor's office in Warsaw said in a statement.
Next, the authorities plan to request international arrest warrants for the three Belarusians, who are not in Poland.
Protasevich co-founded the regime-critical Telegram channel Nexta, which supports the opposition against long-time Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko.
In May 2021, the Belarusian authorities, aided by a fighter jet, forced a Ryanair passenger aircraft flying from Athens to Vilnius to make an unscheduled landing in Minsk, claiming there was a bomb threat.
Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega were on board and both were arrested after the landing before being sentenced to prison.
Protasevich was then unexpectedly released in 2023, while Sapega was pardoned.
The Polish prosecutor's office took up investigations as the aircraft was registered in Poland.
"During the investigation, recordings of conversations from the cockpit of the aircraft including the conversation recording device and technical flight data from the so-called 'Black Box' were secured," the authority stated.
Furthermore, reports from crew members about the course of the flight were obtained.
According to the prosecutor's office, the suspects are the former director of the Belarusian air traffic control authority, the head of the flight control centre in Minsk and the head of the Belarusian intelligence service (KGB).
The investigations revealed that the suspects provided false information about an alleged explosive device on board when taking control of the aircraft and forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing, depriving 132 passengers of their freedom, while the main aim was to arrest Protasevich.
Police find 26 migrants in locked trailer after hearing them scream
(NewsNation) Maverick County Sheriffs deputies found 26 migrants locked inside a tanker attached to an abandoned tractor-trailer parked at an Eagle Pass, Texas, gas station on Wednesday.
Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber said a deputy patrolling the area heard screaming and knocking coming from the trailer at 12:44 a.m. When other deputies arrived, they reported hearing screaming and knocking noises as well.
After deputies found and removed them from the tanker, the migrants were processed on scene by Border Patrol agents. The trailer was taken to the Maverick County Yard.
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According to the Eagle Pass News Leader, migrants were identified as being from Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador among other countries.
Schmerber said an investigation is ongoing.
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UiPath (NYSE: PATH)
Q2 2025 Earnings Call
Sep 05, 2024, 5:00 p.m. ET
Contents:
Prepared Remarks
Questions and Answers
Call Participants
Prepared Remarks:
Operator
Hello, and welcome to the UiPath second-quarter 2025 earnings conference call and webcast. [Operator instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. It's now my pleasure to turn the call over to Allise Furlani, investor relations. Please go ahead.
Allise Furlani -- Senior Director, Investor Relations
Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us today to review UiPath's second-quarter fiscal 2025 financial results, which we announced in our earnings press release issued after the market closed today. On the call with me are Daniel Dines, UiPath's chief executive officer; and Ashim Gupta, chief financial officer, to deliver our prepared comments and answer questions. Our earnings press release and financial supplemental materials are posted on the UiPath Investor Relations website, ir.uipath.com. These materials include GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations, which we will be discussing on today's call.
This afternoon's call includes forward-looking statements about our ability to drive growth and operational efficiency and grow our platform as well as financial guidance for the third quarter and full fiscal year 2025. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements due to many factors, and therefore, investors should not place undue reliance on these statements. For a discussion of the material risks and uncertainties that could affect our actual results, please refer to our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2024, and our subsequent reports filed with the SEC, including our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended July 31, 2024, to be filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements made on this call reflect our views as of today, and we undertake no obligation to update them.
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I would like to highlight that this webcast is being accompanied by slides, which this quarter includes an embedded AI demonstration video. We encourage everyone to join our webcast in order to view the demo. We will post the slides and a copy of our prepared comments to our Investor Relations website immediately following the conclusion of this call. In addition, please note that all comparisons are year-over-year unless otherwise indicated.
Now I'd like to hand the call over to Daniel.
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Thank you, Allise. Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for joining us. I want to take a moment to thank our team for their improved execution and everything they do to make UiPath successful.
We are pleased with our second-quarter results, which exceeded the high end of our guidance across all key financial metrics, a testament to our improved execution and the compelling value that our AI-powered automation platform delivers to our customers. We ended the quarter with ARR of $1.551 billion, an increase of 19%, driven by net new ARR of $43 million. Second-quarter revenue was $360 million, and we delivered non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow of $49 million. I'm excited and energized about my first quarter back in the CEO role.
I spent much of my time during the last few months traveling to visit customers, partners, prospects, and employees. Customers globally continue to ask for our help leveraging the power of AI and automation to transform their businesses, and it's is becoming more clear to customers that AI is about automation. To quote the CIO of one of our largest customers, "We went through a series of workshops internally to develop our AI strategy, and the outcome was more automation." Building an AI-powered automation strategy isn't just about technology, it's about aligning our capabilities with core business challenges to enhance customer experiences and optimize operational efficiency, and we continue to strengthen our position as the platform of choice for capturing the opportunities that AI brings to an enterprise. On our first-quarter earnings call, we discussed our commitment to improving execution and streamlining the organization, driving a deeper strategy around our growth products, continuing to enhance our relationships with meaningful partners and becoming a more customer-centric organization.
I am encouraged with the progress we are making, and I would like to take a few minutes to talk to each of these initiatives in more detail. First, as I have gone deeper into the operational side of the business, I am committed to continuing to sharpen our focus on operational rigor while learning into areas where the return on investment is the strongest. As the leader in enterprise automation, we have and we will continue to invest in innovation to support our growth initiatives and best serve our customers. With that in mind, our go-forward priority will be balancing these investments while expanding non-GAAP operating margin and delivering sustainable investments and delivering sustainable non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow.
During the quarter, we made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce, streamlining the organization and driving further operational efficiencies while better prioritizing our go-to-market investments and continued focus on innovation. With these strategic actions, we now expect non-GAAP operating income of $170 million for full fiscal 2025. Second, we are focused on driving a deeper strategy around our growth products, and we've begun the process of identifying and prioritizing high potential solutions and use cases and ensuring all of our teams from sales to partners to services and products are focused on a common set of priorities that have largest scalable impacts for our customers. While these changes are in the early stages and will take time to build, these enhancements are already having a positive impact, and I'm particularly excited about the successes we've seen with our IDP solutions.
For example, a Central American financial institution began their automation journey by automating back-office processes across treasury, management, payments, and customer service, enabling them to reduce their banking transaction clarifications from 8 days to 1 and migrate over 50% of their physical banking transactions to their online channel. After seeing the substantial benefits from our automation capabilities, they implemented document understanding to digitally onboard over 500,000 clients per year and are now piloting IDP for unstructured document by leveraging our generative classification, extraction, and validation capabilities. Additionally, they will be implementing Communication Mining in Salesforce to better understand customer issues and reduce clarifications. Our Test Suite capabilities are also resonating, enabling customers to accelerate time to value while maintaining the stability and reliability of processes and applications in production.
During the quarter, we closed our largest Test Suite deal ever with one of the world's largest technology companies. With the help of UiPath team, they will be implementing our solution to automate testing for their CPQ process in Salesforce and several other processes, including ordering, billing allocation, incentive compensation and forecasting with an expected cost saving of approximately $23 million a year. Third, partners are a cornerstone of our go-to-market strategy, enabling us to scale our market reach and elevating our customer success initiatives, and I'm excited about our continued progress with SAP, including an expansion deal with an Australian multinational corporation and customer since 2021, who originally used UiPath Test Suite to support their SAP S/4HANA migration. After successfully completing their migration, they expanded in the quarter and are working with UiPath team to establish an automation program globally encompassing core automation, testing and AI.
Our SAP partnership is also helping us secure new logos like Gold Peak Technology Group will be automating their order input processes to extract and input data into SAP, eliminating manual inputs and avoiding human errors. During the quarter, we also expanded our relationship with Deloitte, integrating our capabilities into Deloitte's Ascend platform to transform SAP project delivery and help companies accelerate and refine the execution of business transformation. For this program, automations are available across various project phases and SAP functional areas, facilitating an effective and efficient deployment process, fostering an automation-first project delivery, and driving faster value for Deloitte's global customers. And finally, our success is deeply rooted in our ability to serve our customers, making a customer-centric mindset more crucial than ever.
We understand the importance of successful implementation, and the entire company is focused on ensuring our customers achieve it. This includes taking steps to improve alignment and communication between our teams and our customers through deeper account level reviews, ensuring the appropriate connections happen across all customer stakeholders. Turning to product highlights from the quarter. In our July release, we launched a series of product innovations that deeply infuse GenAI into our automation platform.
This included new specialized LLMs for IDP, GenAI activities and the launch of Autopilot for Developers and Testers. Since launching Autopilot, we've seen great early adoption and positive feedback from customers. A great example is a multinational digital communications company, an early adopter of Autopilot for Testers. The company's generative AI testing road map centers our -- on leveraging our LLM capabilities throughout the entire testing life cycle from creating user stories to generating test cases and to reporting.
With the power of Autopilot, they believe they will be able to consolidate the tools using their testing framework and reduce manual testing by up to 50%. And we are excited for the next phase of Autopilot, Autopilot for Everyone, which we expect to launch into general availability this fall. Over the past few months, we've been working closely with a few customers in private preview, and we consistently hear that Autopilot for Everyone is not only giving better responses than other LLM-based chat solutions but is also more valuable because it provides the ability to immediately automate an action. To give you an idea of how Autopilot for Everyone is different from other GenAI chat solutions, we'd like to share a quick demo of a real Autopilot use case that we have been working to develop with a U.S.-based biotech company.
If you are not on the webcast, please go to our Investor Relations website for the demo link. What differentiates us in the market is our end-to-end automation platform, and the demo you just saw is a great example of an experience that only our platform is able to deliver in a unified experience. To be more specific, we are the only platform that can bring together business documents and data, execute UI and API-based automations across systems and utilize a mix of specialized AI and generative AI grounded in organizational data and process information. These capabilities enable users to take real action on enterprise-grade platform that is secure and governed.
There are a few things I find more satisfying than seeing customers leverage our automation platform to flourish and succeed. Their stories are inspiring. For example, Health Service Executive, a customer since 2020, with automations across their HR, finance, and community care departments, they have processed over 6 million transactions, saving over 700,000 hours and EUR 28 million today. Driven by the quick time to value and tangible ROI they were able to achieve, HSE expanded in the quarter to urgently extend these automated solutions across their hospital waitlist.
Partnering with Deloitte, they are in the process of accelerating the deployment of this solution to an additional 20 hospitals before the end of 2024. These stories along with the conversations I had with customers, partners, and our product team all directly influence how I think about the strategic direction of our business. And I have never been more enthusiastic about where we stand from a product perspective. As a market leader, it's critical that we continue to innovate to further differentiate our product and I am excited by the next evolution of our platform, UiPath Process Orchestration, which we launched into private preview in June.
While legacy business process management vendors typically start with the top-down approach that is often disconnected from how work really gets done, our approach differentiates by allowing organizations to build a unified data-driven bottom-up view. This enables customers to discover, automate, optimize, and monitor business processes from start to finish, providing complete visibility into how work is executed by people, automations and in systems. We believe that process orchestration is the key ingredient for the future of agentic process automation. We are really excited about the progress we are making on this vision and our overall product road map, and we invite you to join us in person to hear more about these product innovations at our user conference, FORWARD, in Las Vegas next month.
We hope to see many of you there. Finally, I wanted to take a moment to thank Ashim. Since joining UiPath in 2018, he has played an instrumental role in transforming our company with his extensive financial and operational capabilities. Over the last several months, it has also been a driving force behind our efforts to refocus the company on its core strengths, improve our operational rigor and reestablish a customer-centric foundation to support our growth initiatives.
While Ashim will continue to oversee his traditional CFO responsibilities, I am pleased to share that he will now take on an expanded role as Chief Operating Officer where he will work with me to maximize financial and operating efficiencies across the organization. With that, I'll turn the call over to Ashim.
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
Thank you, Daniel. And good afternoon, everyone. Unless otherwise indicated, I will be discussing results on a non-GAAP basis, and all growth rates are year-over-year. Turning to the second-quarter, ARR totaled $1.551 billion, an increase of 19% driven by net new ARR of $43 million.
Our cloud-first approach is driving adoption across our customer base, and we ended the quarter with more than $850 million in cloud ARR, which includes both hybrid and SaaS, an increase of more than 65%. A great example is Ontario Power Generation, a customer since 2018, who expanded in the quarter as they begin to migrate to the cloud. They are also planning to expand to additional departments across the organization while incorporating Document Understanding and Communications Mining into their program. We ended the quarter with approximately 10,810 customers, including new logos like Ixom, BenAssist, Moss & Associates and Piedmont Healthcare.
Moving on to customer metrics. Customers with $100,000 or more in ARR increased to 2,163 while customers with $1 million or more in ARR increased to 293. Dollar-based gross retention of 97% continues to be best in class, and our dollar-based net retention rate for the quarter was 115%. Expansions are driven by the quick time to value and the broad applicability of our automation platform.
A great example is AGS Health, a customer since 2021 that currently uses UiPath to automate their claims tracking, eligibility verification and payment posting processes. In a competitive win, they expanded their usage of Document Understanding, highlighting our unique AI capabilities such as our AI trust layer and human-in-the-loop model training as competitive advantages, scaling from 6 million documents to over 20 million documents processed and saw a 95% accuracy improvement. With support from their CFO and CTO, they will be adopting Document Understanding across their payer and provider departments for medical record patient indexing. Turning back to our results.
Revenue grew to $316 million, an increase of 10% year-over-year. Remaining performance obligations increased to $1.081 billion, up 19% year-over-year. Current RPO increased to $686 million. Turning to expenses.
We delivered a second-quarter overall gross margin of 83% driven by continued adoption of our cloud products, and software gross margin was 87%. For the full fiscal year 2025, we continue to expect gross margin to be approximately 85%. Second-quarter operating expenses were $257 million. GAAP operating loss of $103 million included $94 million of stock-based compensation expense.
Non-GAAP operating income was $6 million, resulting in a second-quarter non-GAAP operating margin of 2%. Second-quarter non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow was $49 million. As of July 31, we had $1.7 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities and no debt. Our strong balance sheet, combined with our free cash flow generation, has enabled us to return capital to our shareholders in a meaningful way through our share repurchase program.
During the quarter, we repurchased 16.3 million shares of our Class A common stock at an average price of $12.05 from May 1, 2024, through July 31, 2024. Since July 31, under a 10b5-1 plan, we repurchased an additional 10.7 million shares at an average price of $11.67 through August 30, 2024. And as you may have seen in today's earnings press release, our Board of Directors has approved a $500 million expansion of our share repurchase program, underscoring our confidence in the business, our conviction in the long-term opportunities ahead and our commitment to delivering shareholder value. Moving on to guidance.
We are pleased with the progress and improved execution that we delivered in the quarter. At the same time, we are taking a prudent approach to guidance, which assumes the global macroeconomic environment continues to be variable. As Daniel mentioned, during the quarter, we took a number of actions to drive operational efficiencies and streamline the business. And as a result, we are raising our non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow guidance for the full-year 2025.
For the third quarter of fiscal 2025, we expect revenue in the range of $345 million to $350 million, ARR in the range of $1.6 billion to $1.605 billion, non-GAAP operating income of approximately $27 million, and we expect third-quarter basic share count to be approximately 552 million shares. For the fiscal full-year 2025, we expect revenue in the range of $1.420 billion to $1.425 billion, ARR in the range of $1.665 billion to $1.670 billion, non-GAAP operating income of approximately $170 million. And finally, we now expect fiscal year 2025 non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow of approximately $325 million. Thank you for joining us today, and we look forward to speaking with many of you during the quarter.
With that, I will now turn the call over to the operator. Operator, please poll for questions.
Questions & Answers:
Operator
[Operator instructions] Our first question today is coming from Raimo Lenschow from Barclays. Your line is now live.
Raimo Lenschow -- Analyst
Hey, perfect. Thank you, and congrats on a good quarter. My first question was like, if you think about the changes that you wanted to make in terms of selling more on a departmental level, going back a little bit to your roots, Daniel, you talked about it last quarter. What progress have you seen there? And like what are you seeing in the numbers? Is that showing in the numbers already? Is that showing up in pipeline? Talk us through a little bit about the progress you're seeing there.
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Well, I want to be very specific that we want to address both C-level suite type of selling with departmental level. And look, it's still early to comment about the progress, but we've made quite a few organizational changes. We have appointed a new leader in North America that I think he was with the company previously, and he can definitely understand our land and expand business while he's very versed into talking to executives. We've done quite a few changes on the central organizational level.
We regionalized some of our functions, and we made clear to the entire company that customer centricity is going to be the core principle to our business.
Raimo Lenschow -- Analyst
OK. OK. Perfect. And then, Ashim, like how do we -- like congrats on the expanded role.
Like with a lot of other organizations, I mean, with so much to do, you're growing at a high scale, at a healthy clip. Do you think that that's kind of a permanent thing for you? Or should we think about this more as a temporary solution? Thank you.
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
Look, I think Daniel looks at it as giving me long-term goals for the company. We don't treat -- but anything could change, Raimo, from that perspective, as Daniel always will evaluate the organization. My mandate and my goals that Daniel has given is really make sure that our enabling functions really become in service of the customer and over the field and to drive connectivity across our organization, which we talked about as something that we needed to improve on and as well as continue to drive the operational efficiency and streamline the organization and continue to drive and streamline organizational processes, et cetera. I'm excited about the opportunity just to continue to work with broader sets of teams.
And we look at this as an entire leadership team that is really focused on the goals that have been laid out on, and that's really what we're focused on today.
Raimo Lenschow -- Analyst
OK. Perfect. Thank you.
Operator
Next question is coming from Mark Murphy from J. P. Morgan. Your line is now live.
Mark Murphy -- JPMorgan Chase and Company -- Analyst
Yeah. Thank you. Nice to see the stability in the operating results this quarter. Daniel, we've been noticing the term agentic is suddenly becoming very popular.
Salesforce came out with its Agentforce branding recently. And part of the notion is that agents are going to have independence and autonomy. And I'm wondering how you might think about the line of demarcation. Like if we think of a bot and it's following predefined workload -- workflows, excuse me, it feels like predefined logic.
You need humans to set up the models and all that. And then if you think about an agent, it's acting independently. They can adapt, right, maybe sometimes without instructions. How are you thinking about that line of demarcation because I think it might be at the root of some of the customer confusion on where RPA might fit into the AI landscape? And then I have a quick follow-up.
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Yes. That's a great question, Mark. We really think of a agentic process automation as an evolution of robotic process automation. I -- actually, we started to socialize the agentic process automation term during our tour event in London, in Paris at the beginning of the summer.
And we introduced the concept of robots and agents working together. And to me, an AI agent is basically a robot, if you want, that has some new skills. And I think there will be multiple type of agents. For instance, there will be agents that are capable of extracting information from long and complex documents.
And users, human users will be capable of interacting with these agents asking questions. And in turn, they can ask the agents to perform actions for them. There will be agents that can make more intelligent decisions based on data, and they can route a process in a more dynamic way. As you can -- as you know, for sure, robotic means that the series, the steps in a process are stitched together in a fixed way.
And agentic workflow might have dynamic routine as part of the process. I want to iterate where is really our strength here. And it is in combining actually robotic automation with agentic automation as part of our Process Orchestration platform because I think the key differentiator in customers deploying agents will be in how well they are integrated within the business platform and how well we can orchestrate between robots, agents, and humans. And I think we are uniquely positioned to bring the power of LLM-based agents into our platform and offer this level of orchestration.
Mark Murphy -- JPMorgan Chase and Company -- Analyst
OK. That's a great explanation. And Ashim, I wanted to ask you, do you see any line of sight to a point in time where some of the AI confusion might dissipate and maybe begin to turn into kind of a full-blown AI tailwind for UiPath? Like in other words, customers might reeducate and understand and how to move jointly with AI and automation because I guess I'm curious. Could we look on this period of softer ARR growth? Could we look back on it and maybe say that it was just -- there was a bit of a temporary period of confusion before customers kind of figured it out?
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
Look, I want to be careful about giving any type of long-term guidance implied in that, Mark. At the same time, what I can say is we're investing in the platform, and we'll continue to invest in the platform and our AI capabilities because we see it as a meaningful opportunity to drive value and differentiation with customers, which, in our minds, reflects on the conviction that we have in the company. In the script and other areas, Daniel has already talked about customer conversations are already becoming clearer for us, right? Like people are seeing the linkages between AI and automation. So we're already seeing positive response and more clarity from our customers.
How the AI narrative translates in the broader market, confusion moving in and out because of broader factors and as that area evolves, I think we're all going to -- we all take it day by day and quarter by quarter. But long term, we feel very good about what AI is bringing, and we're investing because we do believe it has a meaningful ROI and reinforces the durability of our growth rate.
Mark Murphy -- JPMorgan Chase and Company -- Analyst
Thank you very much.
Operator
Thank you. Next question is coming from Bryan Bergin from TD Cowen. Your line is now live.
Bryan Bergin -- Analyst
Hey, guys. Good afternoon, and congrats. Ashim, on the expanded role. My first question, just on demand.
Is it -- macro variability has been a pretty consistent message in how you've described how enterprises are behaving now for several quarters. We understand things deteriorated last quarter, I guess, late March into April. Can you just comment on what you saw through the balance of 2Q and into August as well?
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
I think we saw things pretty stable, Bryan. We still describe the macroeconomic environment as variable. We've talked about the commercial end or the lower end of the market having a higher degree of impact, and we see that to be -- to remain consistent. And we see that just really broadly across all geographies, et cetera.
I do think that as our execution improves and as we've made -- as we've streamlined different areas, I think we're adopting well to the environment. But I do feel like the environment is stable versus last quarter. And we didn't really see any ups and downs month to month within the quarter.
Bryan Bergin -- Analyst
OK. And then as it relates to restructuring and how we should think about potential yield from that, can you comment on whether that -- the restructuring actions you're taking, does that impact that 20% long-term adjusted operating margin target you had? And is it kind of -- is it going to provide upside there? Or is it more of a means to achieving that?
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
Look, I think that we're going to update our long-term guidance at the appropriate time. What I -- what we do feel in our restructuring efforts that we've taken and that we're going to continue to look at different ways to streamline the organization, we do feel like there's more efficiency to be had there, Bryan. And then we'll update that on our long-term margins as we go. We have always said that we're going to be 20% plus in terms of our long-term margin.
So what that plus looks like, that's what we'll update at the appropriate time.
Bryan Bergin -- Analyst
OK. Understood. Thank you.
Operator
Thank you. Next question is coming from Matthew Hedberg from RBC Capital Markets. Your line is now live.
Mike Richards -- RBC Capital Markets -- Analyst
Hey, guys. This is Mike Richards on for Matt. Maybe going off that last question there. I was wondering if you could provide some more details on the restructuring just in terms of like sizing 1and what areas were impacted and then also if you're accounting for any disruption between the restructuring or the general organization changes and guidance.
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Yes. Maybe let me start with high level overview, and then I'll let Ashim to bring more color. I think, largely, we have restructured our central functions. And we like -- we were looking at more like sales operation, sales enablement functions in -- especially.
Also part of restructuring, I can tell you, we -- basically, we look in all areas of the company. And I think we -- our goal is longer term that this restructuring into bringing a great level of efficiency and agility into the company.
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
And then just in terms of disruption, we provided our guidance in the last quarter earnings. I think there's no incremental impact to that, that I would say from a disruption standpoint we would account for at this time. Again, as Daniel said, when it's -- a lot of the streamline -- a lot of the central organizations, they didn't really impact the growth of the company, right, and growth rate of the company. They really were -- there was a larger disconnect between those organizations and the field.
So that's one of the reasons why we did not see that disruption or why we don't feel like there is a meaningful disruption that needs to be singled out.
Mike Richards -- RBC Capital Markets -- Analyst
Thanks, guys.
Operator
Next question is coming from Keith Weiss from Morgan Stanley.
Sanjit Singh -- Analyst
Yeah. This is Sanjit Singh for Keith Weiss. Daniel, you laid out a number of initiatives across operations, products, partners, customer success. I was wondering, as you sort of look at sort of the near to midterm, where do you see the lowest hanging fruit in terms of getting back to a better growth trajectory? And then I have a follow-up.
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Look, I think we continue to see, as we said in the last earnings call, it's -- we had to make our teams working well together. This is the -- this is basically -- it was our first goal, to break the silos into the organization and make sure that we align everything in the interest of the customer. So for example, some of the low-hanging fruit was to put back customer success into the region while keeping some kind of centralized program about it and same with our technical account management. We have simplified some of the royal nomenclature.
And yes, it's -- I think it was a lot about simplification and moving people into the regions. Ashim, anything to comment?
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
No, I think so -- look, I think the first step was improving execution, as Daniel said, and that meant breaking down the silos and really connecting the teams. I do think the investments that we're making that Daniel talked about in terms of agentic, the investments in process orchestration, we gave examples of the test deal that we won in the quarter. Those are all evidence of different parts of our strategy that as we continue to drive and execute, we feel reinforce the durability of our growth.
Sanjit Singh -- Analyst
I really appreciate that perspective. And then sort of reason to my follow-up. On the product side of the house, clearly, there's a lot of innovation going on. We have Autopilot GA coming up, Communications Mining, Process Orchestration, Dan, what you highlighted.
Historically, we've talked to customers in the past. Some of them have commented that the sort of breadth and depth of the product portfolio was a little overwhelming in terms of where to invest that incremental dollar. Can you sort of talk -- speak to how the pricing packaging side is evolving along with some of the restructuring changes in terms of making the solution more digestible into the enterprise?
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Yes. We -- I think one of the major initiatives that is actually in progress is to look at our pricing and packaging and come up with maybe even quite a different model that should tie our pricing more to the value that we deliver. I think it's a bit too early to comment on this one. On the -- also on the platform in itself, we are having some key initiatives.
Maybe we talk a little bit about them. But we -- it's called -- internally, we call it like Unify-build type. So we aim to present our platform in a much more consistent way to the developer. So basically, anyone using the platform, we have all the tools better integrated, so they will create an application easier.
For instance, to give you an example. If you want to create like an onboarding application, you can start with building the user interface and then you can connect very easy the user interface with some kind of automations. And then the automations can take advantage of our Communication Mining or Document Understanding or Data Service, and everything will be completely integrated. So it doesn't look like you go to different systems.
So I think that will also help customers to understand better our offering.
Sanjit Singh -- Analyst
I really appreciate the perspective. Thank you, both.
Operator
Thank you. Your next question is coming from Siti Panigrahi from Mizuho Securities. Your line is now live.
Siti Panigrahi -- Analyst
Thanks for taking my question. Ashim, congratulations on the expanded role. So going back to the, let's say, new business. You talked about challenging macro environment and even some sort of confusion between this AI and RPA, where to invest.
But if we dig into the expansion side of your installed base, what are the opportunities or challenges you're seeing at this point?
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
I think when we look at our expansion, I think the first thing I would just note is like our customers that are between $100,000 and $1 million, they are continuing to expand at 120-plus percent. So really making sure that our customers get to a certain scale, Siti, across our 10,800 customers, that's important. That goes down to what Daniel has reinforced of not just the C level but the grassroots level of adoption and making sure we're connected at that base area. The second piece is the more people adopt our full platform and features Document Understanding, intelligent document processing.
When you look at many of the larger deals in the quarter, they're not core RPA alone, and they haven't been for a while. Those deals have multiple elements of our platform, if not, the entire platform. And continuing to drive that awareness and continue to driving that within our customer base, those are kind of like our two biggest areas. And frankly, the personal productivity side, that is an increasing competitive area.
We've always talked about that. That's not the majority of where we want to play. So continue to drive enterprise grade use cases and solutions with our customer, that also continues to be a priority that really bolsters the net dollar expansion rate for us.
Siti Panigrahi -- Analyst
That's great. And a follow-up to, I think, Mark's question earlier about the agentic automation. It's certainly now increasing competition. There are other vendors now with agent AI coming in, but it's good to see the innovation and the investment you're doing on the product side.
But where do you see the sweet spot? Is it more your product is more addressing the installed base that you have? That's where you have the sweet spot. Or do you think you can effectively compete with the new deals against the new set of competitors?
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Well, I think we have some distinctive advantages. First of all, we have a low code platform that our developers are used to. And they are using our low code platform to build agents as well. A lot of the like new entrants, new start-ups are targeting more like professional developers.
We work more with our automation developers, and it's quite a large population. So we aim to give them all the building blocks to build agents. So that's one of our advantage. Second is these agents are not so useful if you don't pair them with actions.
And this is, I think, where we will shine, and we have a unique advantage to actually deliver agents that understand data or can make decisions and can call actions. And first of all -- and also think about it's not enough to build one single agent. An enterprise will have maybe hundreds and thousands of agents over time. So it's equally important to orchestrate these agents, manage them, offer them in a secure and governed environment.
And this is actually built in, in our platform. And it's not -- we spent many years to build the scalable orchestration platform. It takes really a long time to have it. And we have it already.
We just are taking the best of LLM world, embed it into our platform and deliver easy to our customers.
Siti Panigrahi -- Analyst
That's great. Thanks for the color, Daniel.
Operator
Thank you. Our next question is coming from Kirk Materne from Evercore. Your line is now live.
Chirag Ved -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst
Hi. This is Chirag on for Kirk. Congratulations on the quarter. So following up on one of the prior themes that was brought up.
How are you finding the right balance between selling the automation platform versus selling core RPA? You're clearly seeing success with large customers and platform adoption. But are you finding that certain customers are just looking for core RPA when they land? And what's your philosophy on approaching those accounts?
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Well, RPA is a pretty powerful technology. And it can go to really a long distance in addressing customers' automation needs. And if you think of how we build our platform is really going after white spaces around RPA, so RPA naturally evolve into a business automation platform. But our ability to emulate human users is the core principle that is behind our platform.
In a way, this is why if you think today AI fits so naturally -- GenAI fits so naturally into our platform because GenAI, it's an imitative of how human mind works type of technology. And that's -- again, that's -- even since our IPO, we made it clear. Our platform emulates human users. That's the core tenet of what we are building.
So in this sense, it's a natural extension from RPA to broader automation to an AI-powered automation platform.
Chirag Ved -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst
OK. Thank you.
Operator
Next question is coming from Terry Tillman from Truist Securities.
Dominique Manansala -- Truist Securities -- Analyst
Hi. This is Dominique Manansala on for Terry. So just looking at the recently achieved FedRAMP authorization, could you provide more details on your progress and customer interest in the pipeline you've seen in the public sector so far? And are there any specific government agencies or verticals where you see the greatest potential for automation adoption?
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Well, I think public sector is one of the fastest growth industry for us. I'm very happy having achieved the FedRAMP authorization. I think this is going to accelerate our business in public sector. We also are looking forward to take the lessons learned while building FedRAMP into other countries and territories and power more of our public sector business.
So I think long term, we are seeing an increase of the percentage of revenue in our company coming from the public sector for sure.
Dominique Manansala -- Truist Securities -- Analyst
Great. Thank you.
Operator
Thank you. Next question is coming from Michael Turrin from Wells Fargo. Your line is now live.
Mike Turrin -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst
Hey, great. Thanks. I appreciate you taking the question. We've touched on the transition a bit and the slight shift in priorities with Daniel stepping back into the CEO role.
Maybe -- I'm curious just to go back and if you could provide us with an update on how those efforts are progressing. And in particular, we're looking at the customer metric and noticed an uptick there for the first time in a couple of quarters. And so I'm wondering if that's at all reflective of some of the changes in focus you're implementing. Any commentary on just new customer additions and what you're seeing there is also helpful.
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
Look, I think -- like we said, I think we feel like a better connected team and a more streamlined team will execute better. And I think that should reflect more and more across every part of our core metrics and our core financial results. What I'd still say, Michael, is I don't think our philosophy has changed. We're still looking after quality of new logos versus quantity.
I think the uptick, it's a good quarter that we have there. But I don't look at that as a change in philosophy or strategy. I just think about it as better execution overall, and it's an area that we'll continue to monitor. We still feel like the land and expand is an important part of who we are, but that expansion motion also continues to be a primary driver.
And frankly, when we're talking into and inspecting our pipeline, looking into our different regions and territories, we ask about both new customers as well as expansions. And we're really pleased with the response that our teams right now are giving us and the execution levels of this quarter that we're starting to see.
Mike Turrin -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst
Thanks, and congrats on the expanded role. Awesome.
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
Thanks, Mike.
Operator
Thank you Next question is coming from Scott Berg from Needham & Company. Your line is now live.
Scott Berg -- Analyst
Hi, everyone. Thanks for taking my question here. I'll just go with one in the essence of time here. Ashim, one of the things you mentioned was cloud revenues up 65% year-over-year to I think it was just over $850 million.
Help us understand, I guess, what deal composition looks like. That's a big number. It's up a lot. I know you're kind of pushing that platform or some of those modules and use cases more.
But as we think about the business maybe for the balance of the year, how much of the balance is, I guess, squared on those types of use cases in modules versus maybe what you've seen over the last year or 2?
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
I think we've seen a consistent growth rate of like strong and elevated growth rate on our cloud-enabled customers and just our cloud in general. One of it is just overall awareness that continues to drive across our customer base but more so their own readiness to move to the cloud and start adopting those cloud products. When you look at things like communications mining, when you look at things like document understanding, I think the value to move to be a part of the cloud continues to accrete, and we really like that. At the same time, like we've always said, we want to be customer centric in this regard and make sure customers have the flexible choice.
And that's really what we're providing and allowing them to move to their own journeys. I do think as our platform expands, I think -- and we have a cloud-first mindset in our releases, et cetera. I think that continues to drive more and more value for -- that customers can derive for the cloud itself.
Scott Berg -- Analyst
Got it. Very helpful. Thank you for the question.
Operator
We have reached the end of our question-and-answer session. I'd like to turn the floor back over for any further or closing comments.
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Thank you so much, everyone, for your questions. I would like to remind you that our user conference event is coming in just 6 weeks. I would like to see many of you in Vegas, and I'm looking forward to meeting also many of you over this quarter. Thank you.
Operator
[Operator signoff]
Duration: 0 minutes
Call participants:
Allise Furlani -- Senior Director, Investor Relations
Daniel Dines -- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Ashim Gupta -- Chief Financial Officer
Raimo Lenschow -- Analyst
Mark Murphy -- JPMorgan Chase and Company -- Analyst
Bryan Bergin -- Analyst
Mike Richards -- RBC Capital Markets -- Analyst
Sanjit Singh -- Analyst
Siti Panigrahi -- Analyst
Chirag Ved -- Evercore ISI -- Analyst
Dominique Manansala -- Truist Securities -- Analyst
Mike Turrin -- Wells Fargo Securities -- Analyst
Scott Berg -- Analyst
More PATH analysis
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This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. While we strive for our Foolish Best, there may be errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this transcript. As with all our articles, The Motley Fool does not assume any responsibility for your use of this content, and we strongly encourage you to do your own research, including listening to the call yourself and reading the company's SEC filings. Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability.
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UiPath (PATH) Q2 2025 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
Police ask for help identifying armed robber in Carlisle
CARLISLE, Iowa The Carlisle Police Department is asking for help to identify a suspect in the First Interstate Bank robbery.
Friday around 12:29 p.m. a man walked into First Interstate Bank and handed a note demanding money to the teller. The note stated the man had a gun, then displayed what appeared to be a handgun in his waistband.
The suspect left the bank with an undetermined amount of money and headed in an unknown direction of travel.
Police would like your help identifying this man.
The man is described as a white male, last seen, wearing a blue button-down dress shirt, jeans, eyeglasses, and a medical surgical mask.
As a safety measure the Carlisle Community School District was placed on lockdown for approximately 30-45 minutes and community members and businesses were notified through the city notification system.
If you have any information as to this persons whereabouts or identity, please contact the Carlisle Police Department at 515-989-4121.
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The father of a 14-year-old charged with murder in the Apalachee High School shooting was arrested for manslaughter and child cruelty charges after gifting his son an AR-15, despite prior warnings. The Morning Joe panel discuss this latest development. Charlie Sykes calls the ongoing crisis "American carnage" while Scarborough criticizes the "sick" glorification of AR-15s, asking why Republicans refuse to pass rational gun safety laws despite overwhelming public support.
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In the wake of the Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia, police across the state and farther afield are dealing with a string of copycat school shooting threats.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Thursday, one day after the tragedy, that officers had responded to several incidents of threats at other schools.
"This is a very difficult time for students & parents and many are afraid. Youve likely seen reports of incidents of other students making threats today at schools around GA," the bureau said on X.
"In each of these incidents, police took charges and made arrests as we take each matter seriously, it wrote.
In Gainesville, Georgia, a 14-year-old was arrested, accused of going to social media and referencing threats and actions, police said. The unidentified juvenile was taken into custody and is being held on charges of terroristic threat and disrupting operation of a public school.
This came after 14-year-old suspect Colt Gray was arrested Wednesday on charges of opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, killing two teachers and two students, and injuring nine others. Police announced Thursday evening that the suspects father was also arrested on charges including involuntary manslaughter.
"This is a time for us a state to come together & remain vigilant. Students must be supported and encouraged to contact a member of school faculty with all concerns of suspicious activity," the GBI said on X.
Threats of violence against schools have become commonplace, and the department did not say whether the shooting threats were linked to the Apalachee shooting this week.
Elsewhere, in Sioux County, Iowa, multiple schools went on lockdown Thursday after "a threat was discovered at Sioux Center High School."
All Sioux Center School District buildings went on lockdown, and nearby communities of Hull, Orange City, Hawarden and Rock Valley also locked down as a precaution. Sioux Center Community School District Superintendent Gary McEldowney said in a statement: "A thorough investigation took place and we are confident that the threat has been resolved."
In Virginia, Pulaski County Public Schools announced Thursday evening that all schools and offices will be closed Friday after law enforcement notified the district that multiple threats have been made to harm the PCPS school division at some point tomorrow.
Those threats are being investigated, and the closure was for the safety of our children until we have more details.
Colt Gray appeared in court Friday morning where he was charged as an adult with four counts of murder. His father, Colin Gray, appeared after him on charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
BENTON, Ark. (KARK) Police in Benton, Arkansas, are investigating after an altercation at a Saline County Republican Party meeting on Thursday night.
A video taken during the meeting shows a disagreement between two women in a Q&A line as one approaches a mic at the front of the room.
The video shows what appears to be the two women bumping into each other at the mic and one of them saying, You do not want to do that, as she leaves the line.
The woman who left the line then walks toward the back of the room, and someone on the video shouts, Do not threaten her! It was not clear to whom they were referring.
A man walks from the back of the room and appears to stand with the woman who had left the line as she turns back toward the woman at the mic.
Republican Party of Arkansas delegates take legal action against leaders over closed primaries
A larger man appears to stand with the woman at the mic after she turns toward the woman who had left the line. He then walks toward the first man and faces off with him. An altercation ensues between the two, resulting in the first man punching the larger man in the face.
The larger man can then be seen falling to the ground as some meeting attendees scatter and others move to break up the fight.
People on the video can be heard shouting, Break it up!
After the two men are separated, someone yells above the melee in the room, saying, Motion to adjourn! A man seen on the video standing on a raised platform at the front of the room asks for a second motion to adjourn, saying, All in favor to end?
Several in the room, most already standing, raise their hands and yell, Aye! as someone can be heard saying, Lets go!
Former Saline County librarian honored after months-long controversy regarding censorship
Police said the meeting disbanded peacefully after the altercation.
Benton Police Department officials said they were gathering video and witness statements before issuing any citations.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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A Dorchester man was taken into custody Thursday night, accused of a deadly shooting in late August.
28-year-old Joseph Ruggs is charged with murder, unlawful possession of ammunition without an FID card, carrying a firearm without a license, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, according to Boston Police.
Around 8:45 p.m. on Thursday, members of the Boston Police Fugitive Unit, Massachusetts State Police, Brockton Police, and the US Marshals Service arrested Ruggs on an outstanding arrest warrant.
He is accused of shooting and killing 38-year-old Jashun Cooley of Roxbury on August 24 just before 10 p.m. in the area of 159 Washington Street.
The facts and circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.
Ruggs will be arraigned in Dorchester District Court on Friday.
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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OMAHA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS)Omaha police are searching for a man who has not been seen since mid-August and are asking the public for assistance in locating him.
Missing Omaha Texas man, Dustin Perkins (Source: Omaha Texas Police Department)
According to Omaha Police Chief Billy Weatherford, Dustin Perkins was last seen on August 15 in a smoke shop at 405 W L Doc Dodson W in Naples, Texas. Police could not confirm whether he left the location on foot or was given a ride, but they said he generally walks everywhere he goes.
Perkins is approximately 6 feet tall and about 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing a grey shirt, blue jeans, and unknown-colored shoes.
Anyone with information that leads police to Perkins should call the Morris County Sheriffs Office at 903-645-2232 or the Omaha Police Department at 903-844-2305.
Perkins is not considered a threat to the public and no foul play is suspected in his disappearance. However, police said that Perkins told his mother that he was afraid to go to jail for some time following his recent release from Morris County Jail on August 13, just days before he went missing.
He could be hiding in the Marietta area of Cass County. Police say if you see Perkins, tell him that his family and local law enforcement want to know he is safe.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
Kansas City police are seeking the publics help in locating a woman who has been missing since 1 a.m. Thursday.
A photo of Caitlin Blose.
Caitlin Blose, 33, was last seen in the 1100 block of Locust Street. She is believed to frequent the area near Fairview Park, according to officer Alayna Gonzalez, spokesperson for the Kansas City Police Department.
Blose is white, with brown eyes and shoulder length brown hair. Her family worries for her well-being because she has a mental illness, Gonzalez said. If seen, police say not to approach her, but instead contact the missing persons unit at 816-234-5043 or call 911.
Police seeking footage of vehicle accused of striking, killing dog on the North Shore
Authorities are asking residents to check their surveillance cameras for any signs of a vehicle accused of a hit-and-run crash on a dog Tuesday night.
Manchester by the Sea Police say the pooch was struck and killed by an older white Ford or Mercury station wagon between 8:10 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in the area of Ocean Street or the surrounding area on Summer Street.
It is unclear if the dog was leashed, which direction the vehicle fled, or what charges the driver could potentially face.
If you live in that area and think you can assist with the investigation, police urge you to reach out.
No further information was immediately available.
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Pope Francis arrives in Papua New Guinea, first papal visit in nearly 30 years
Pope Francis is welcomed during a ceremony with Papua New Guinea's Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso (R), upon his arrival at Port Moresby International Airport, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Friday. Photo by Alessandro di Meo/EPA-EFE
Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Pope Francis landed in Papua New Guinea on Friday, marking his farthest trip away from the Vatican during his 11 years as pontiff as he continues his Asian and South Pacific tour.
The pope, 87, arrived at the capital city of Port Moresby and is expected to meet with government and church officials and engage with children. He is expected to talk about such topics as global warming, violence against women, inequality and natural disasters.
The last papal visit to Papua New Guinea came nearly 30 years ago when St. John Paul II arrived at the island nation to beatify Peter To Rot, a Papuan lay catechist who was killed during World War II for teaching the Catholic faith.
Pope Francis's schedule also includes a visit to the Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, where he is expected to be greeted by the Bishop of New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Local priests, deacons, seminarians and catechists, along with consecrated men and women are expected there as well.
One of the pontiff's largest gatherings will be a mass held at Sir John Guise Stadium on Sunday. He will also take a plane trip to Vanimoin northwestern Papua New Guinea to visit missionaries and Catholics there before returning to the capital.
The trip is part of Pope Francis's 11-day tour to Asia and the South Pacific despite past health challenges.
Pope Francis arrives in Papua New Guinea, country two of 12-day trip
Pope Francis arrives in Papua New Guinea, country two of 12-day trip
By Joshua McElwee
PORT MORESBY (Reuters) - Pope Francis arrived in Papua New Guinea on Friday evening from Indonesia, where the 87-year-old leader of the global Catholic Church will continue an ambitious 12-day tour across Southeast Asia and Oceania.
The Garuda Indonesia plane carrying the pope and his entourage arrived in Port Moresby, the Papua New Guinean capital, where he will stay for the next three nights.
The pontiff, departing the plane using his wheelchair, was met on the tarmac by Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and senior members of the Catholic Church in the country.
Local children presented him with gifts as a military band played the anthem of the Vatican.
After the brief ceremony at the airport, Francis headed to the Vatican embassy for the evening. His first public event in the country will be an address to political leaders on Saturday morning.
While in PNG Francis will make a day trip to the northwestern town of Vanimo, before departing the country on Monday. He is then scheduled to visit East Timor and Singapore before returning to Rome on Sept. 13.
In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, Francis urged political leaders to guard against religious extremism.
The pope also visited Istiqlal Mosque, Southeast Asia's largest, and signed a joint declaration with the national grand imam. The statement called for "decisive action" by Catholics and Muslims to urge global leaders to confront the dangers of climate change.
The warming planet is expected to remain a focus for the pope's visit in Papua New Guinea, where political leaders have blamed climate change for a spate of natural disasters, including a landslide in March that killed at least 2,000 people.
The pope has stressed the importance of environmental issues throughout his 11-year papacy.
With Friday's flight, the pope will have travelled about 16,000 km (about 10,000 miles) on the overseas trip, his longest yet. By the time he returns to Rome, he will have clocked nearly 33,000 km (20,500 miles).
(This story has been corrected to say deputy prime minister, not prime minister, in paragraph 3)
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee in Port Moresby; Editing by John Mair and Peter Graff)
Ukraine's ambassador to Japan has been criticised on social media in China for visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo in what some commenters called an insult to the Chinese people.
Sergiy Korsunsky's visit on Tuesday coincided with commemorations in China of the 79th anniversary of the end of what Beijing calls the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
China's foreign ministry has not yet commented on Korsunsky's visit to the shrine which commemorates Japan's war dead, including 14 class A war criminals. Beijing often protests against official visits and any associated rituals.
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Criticism began circulating on Chinese social media soon after the Ukrainian embassy in Japan posted news and pictures of the visit on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The post has since been deleted.
According to the post, Korsunsky performed a ritual handwashing before visiting the shrine, where he left a handwritten message.
Niutanqin, a WeChat account affiliated with state news agency Xinhua, said on Thursday that Korsunsky's visit was "disrespectful" to China. The hashtag "Ukrainian ambassador to Japan worshipped ghosts" also trended.
Some commenters said that Korsunsky's choice to visit the shrine on World Anti-Fascist Memorial Day was like adding salt to injury.
"The Ukrainian ambassador to Japan has insulted China. I no longer support [Ukraine] ... I hope China provides more aid to Russia to defeat Ukraine," one commenter wrote on Weibo.
The Ukrainian embassy in Japan posted pictures of the ambassador Sergiy Korsunsky's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. The post was later deleted. Photo: X/@UKRinJPN alt=The Ukrainian embassy in Japan posted pictures of the ambassador Sergiy Korsunsky's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. The post was later deleted. Photo: X/@UKRinJPN>
The Ukrainian embassy in China made no mention of the visit on its official Weibo account, posting speeches by President Volodymyr Zelensky as usual each day. However, the posts were flooded with negative comments after the news broke.
China claims a neutral position on Russia's war with Ukraine and has consistently positioned itself as a peace broker in the conflict. In May, China, along with Brazil, put forward a 12-point peace plan, calling for negotiations.
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However, unlike the Western-supported proposal put forward at a summit in June, Beijing's plan called for a ceasefire without requiring Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.
According to Beijing, the West's backing for Ukraine is undermining Russian security and the supply of weapons by Western powers to the Ukrainian side is a major obstacle to peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
Japan is constrained by its pacifist constitution from providing Ukraine with weapons but has promised more than US$12 billion in mine-clearing devices and other non-lethal aid.
Similar protests over the Ukrainian ambassador's visit to the shrine appeared on social media in South Korea, where public support for Ukraine has generally been strong. However, some South Korean commenters posted angry messages against Kyiv.
One online commenter in South Korea said Korsunsky's visit was "an insult to the victims of Japan's persecution during World War II" and that "Ukraine should be ashamed".
"I used to support Ukraine, but after seeing this, I've changed my mind. What happens in Ukraine is none of my business now," another said.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
What he said: Acknowledging families with three, four and five children, Pope Francis remarked that Indonesias age levels reflect their commitment to family life. He contrasted this with countries where people prefer to have a cat or a little dog instead of a child. He had made similar comments previously, including in May when he warned of homes filled with objects and emptied of children and in 2022 when he called prioritizing pets a form of selfishness.
Pope to meet Papua New Guinea Catholics who embrace both Christianity and Indigenous beliefs
This undated photo provided by Fr Tomas Ravaioli shows local villagers posing for a photo with him in Goroka, Papua New Guinea. (Fr Tomas Ravaioli via AP)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Pope Franciss visit to Papua New Guinea will take him to a remote part of the South Pacific island nation where Christianity is a recent addition to traditional spiritual beliefs developed over millennia.
Francis will visit the diocese of Vanimo on the main island of New Guinea, one of the most remote and disadvantaged in a poor and diverse nation, according to local Bishop Francis Meli.
Trappings of modernity are scarce. There is no running water for the more than 120,000 people who live in the diocese, according to a church website. Electricity is a luxury for the few who can afford solar panels or portable generators.
The visit is an extraordinary religious highlight in an area where Christian missionaries did not arrive until 1961, and where the religion coexists with traditional ancestor worship, animism and sorcery.
The pope will meet around a dozen missionary nuns and priests from his native Argentina during his visit scheduled for Sept. 8. He will also inspect a church-built high school and crisis center for abused women and girls.
Argentinian missionary Tomas Ravaioli, a priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, said he came to the Vanimo Diocese 14 years ago after his superiors told him there was a big need for priests.
While Christian churches are full, Indigenous customs and traditions are very much rooted, Ravaioli said.
Sometimes for people, its not easy to live Christianity 100% because they have traditions that are pagan, Ravaioli said.
But honestly, I think Christianity here in Papua New Guinea is very, very strong, he added.
Papua New Guinea is an overwhelmingly Christian country a 2000 census showed 96% of the population identified with the religion but the spiritual beliefs that developed during 50,000 years of human habitation remain part of the fabric of the nations culture.
Michael Mel is a 65-year-old academic who was baptized as a baby by one of the first missionaries to reach his village in the remote highlands. An Indigenous man, he said he also aligns with traditional spirituality and cautions against abandoning Indigenous culture.
Western civilization is great. The West has brought us reading and writing and technology and all of the rest of it, but there are some things where I think our sensibilities were much, much better, Mel said, giving Indigenous forest care as an example.
Mining has widened the countrys economic divide and pitted the haves against the have-nots.
We need to balance ourselves. We cannot just gung ho throw our knowledge away and accept Western civilization completely, Mel said.
But traditional beliefs can also contribute to the deadly tribal violence that is creating an unprecedented internal security threat across the country, especially allegations of witchcraft, known in local languages as sanguma.
Sorcery allegations typically arise in reaction to unexpected deaths or illness. But some suspect they also reflect jealousies and rivalries arising from major societal changes in recent decades that have more to do with rapid modernization and uneven development than religion.
As traditional bows and arrows are being replaced by more lethal assault rifles, the toll of fighting is getting deadlier, and police fear that they are outgunned. Mercenaries are also now a feature of what were once conflicts limited to tribal rivals.
Even though they believe in God and they believe in Jesus Christ, ... they fear witchcraft, said Bishop Meli, who was born east of Vanimo on an island off New Britain.
Authorities dont condone the persecution of supposed witches. Parliament in 2013 repealed the Sorcery Act which had made an accusation of sorcery a partial defense against a murder charge. But a study has found that prosecutions for violence against accused sorcerers remain rare compared to how commonplace witch hunts are.
Another enduring source of conflict is land ownership. Almost all the land in Papua New Guinea is customarily owned, which means it belongs to a distinct tribe or group instead of individuals. With no clear borders between customary lands, territorial disputes regularly lead to violence.
Both were among the complex combination of causes blamed for a massacre in East Sepik province, east of Vanimo, on July 17 when 30 men armed with guns, axes, spears, knives and sling shots launching sharpened steel rods killed at least 26 villagers.
Four weeks later, police reported a single suspect had been arrested. They remained hopeful that the rest of the culprits would be found. The U.N. children agency UNICEF said 395 survivors of the attack, including 220 children, remained homeless more than a month later because their houses were torched.
Meli said tribal violence was not a problem in his diocese, where he described the population as friendly and peaceful.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape relished the attention the papal visit would bring his country, noting that 80 members of the international media had registered to travel there for the event.
Marape said South Pacific leaders he met at the Pacific Islands Forum on Tonga in late August had proposed sending delegations to meet the pontiff.
He also noted that Catholics were the largest Christian denomination in Papua New Guinea. Catholics accounted for 26% of the population, according to a 2011 census.
"We look forward to the visit, Marape told The Associated Press at the Tongan capital, Nukualofa.
The Vatican is highlighting Papua New Guinea on the international stage at a time the United States and China struggle over the former World War II battleground for strategic influence.
The United States and close ally Australia, concerned by Chinas growing influence in the South Pacific, have struck new security agreements with Papua New Guinea. Australias latest pact addresses Port Moresbys concerns about deteriorating internal security problems. China is also reportedly pursuing a bilateral policing pact with Papua New Guinea.
The Vatican. meanwhile, has been working for years to try to improve relations with China that were officially severed over seven decades ago when the Communists came to power. A renewed agreement between China and the Vatican on the appointment of Chinese bishops is expected to be signed in October.
Bishop Meli said the faithful in his diocese were amazed that they would be included in the itinerary of the first visit by a pontiff to Papua New Guinea since Pope John Paul II in 1995.
They are so excited and people are full of jubilation and joy because this is historic, Meli said.
They dont think any pope in history will be able to come again to Vanimo, he said.
___
Associated Press writer Charlotte Graham-McLay in Nukualofa, Tonga, contributed to this report.
___
This story corrects the spelling of the priest's name to Ravaioli instead of Ravailoli.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) A man pleaded guilty and has been sentenced after stealing packages from the front porches of two victims in July 2023, the Knox County District Attorney said.
According to DA Charme Allens office, Juan Cheves Kizer pleaded guilty to charges of burglary and theft on July 15, 2024. A spokesperson for Allens office confirmed to 6 News that Kizer was sentenced Thursday to serve 15 years in prison, consecutive with a 10-year sentence out of Jefferson County.
Knoxville Police investigating possible suspicious device at auto body shop on Walbrook Drive
A screenshot from one of the home security cameras. (Knox County District Attorney)
During the sentencing hearing, a prosecutor explained to the judge that on July 4 and 6, 2023, Kier stole packages from the front porches of two separate victims. One of those victims was at a cancer treatment center in Texas where her daughter was undergoing treatment when Kizer stole items that the victim had ordered for the child.
The DAs office said the other victim worked in the medical profession, and Kizer stole medical supplies from their porch. The Knox County Sheriffs Office was able to use home security cameras to identify Kizer and take him into custody.
Halls student arrested, accused of making threat of mass violence
In July 2023, the Knox County Sheriffs Office said it was searching for more potential victims after Kizer reportedly admitted to stealing a large quantity of medical supplies. According to KCSO, Kizer took detectives to where he had stored the items, worth a total of approximately $54,650. The items were later returned to the victims.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Portland city leaders are keeping an optimistic outlook about downtowns ability to bounce back economically after U.S. Bank announced it would be departing from the iconic Big Pink tower after more than 40 years.
The rose gold-colored U.S. Bancorp Tower itself will remain in its place as that unmissable shimmering skyscraper that greets commuters as they enter the central city via Burnside Bridge. The mayors office said it has supported a business, LegitScript, moving into the building.
Beaverton nurse reported missing since Wednesday
KOIN 6 contacted to Portland Mayor Ted Wheelers office to get his reaction to U.S. Banks exodus from the building. Wheeler did not provide a statement himself.
However, the offices Communications Director Cody Bowman released a statement via email saying, in part, great strides have been made in bolstering the business landscape of downtown, including a recent reduction in crime rates, expanding a business tax incentive that has attracted more new businesses to open shop and seeing an increase in foot traffic.
Mayor Wheeler is grateful to the numerous businesses, big and small, who have recently opened or signaled their commitment to staying in Portland. The Mayor continues to prioritize resources to Portlands central city to ensure that our downtown core is a safe and welcoming place for all people to live, work, and visit. I encourage you to review the Mayors Central City Recovery Plan for an overview of this effort.
We are continuing to see promising data trends in crime rates, a 16% increase in business openings in 2023 (including Hoka, The Ritz Carlton, SoHo House, and Daimler Truck North America), notable increases to downtown foot traffic, progress on homelessness, and we led in the development of a business tax incentive to encourage businesses to lease office and retail space.
The Mayors office frequently meets with prospective businesses looking to relocate to central Portland to provide guidance and support in the process. (Earlier this year we supported LegitScript moving to the Big Pink building.) The Mayor will continue to lead and prioritize these efforts until his final day in office.
LIST: Portlands most tree-shaded neighborhoods
In a statement to KOIN 6 on Wednesday, a U.S. Bank spokesperson said the company would not be reducing any staff. Instead, some employees will be moved to other offices in the central city and hundreds of others will move to offices outside of downtown.
Many will relocate to a facility in Gresham, the company said.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) A local nonprofit will host its fifth annual Partners & Promises fundraiser on Sept. 26.
Heres where you can get your Friday the 13th tattoo specials around Birmingham
PreSchool Partners is hosting the event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Haven. Its the 30th anniversary of serving the community and there will be food, drinks, live and silent auctions and free valet parking. The event will raise funds to support PreSchool Partners mission of providing early childhood education to children who need it most
For more information, call 205-951-5151.
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President Joe Biden on Friday signed what the White House called a landmark pro-union labor standards executive order during a trip to Ann Arbor, Mich. In 2023, Biden became the first sitting president to walk a union picket line with striking UAW workers in the state. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI
Sept. 6 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden signed what the White House called a landmark pro-union executive order giving workers more opportunities to join unions Friday while visiting the election battleground state of Michigan.
Biden signed his Good Jobs Executive Order at the United Association Local 190 Training Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., after delivering a ringing endorsement of the American organized labor movement and denouncing what he called the "union-busting" record of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Appearing with acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, Michigan Democrats such as Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Rep. Debbie Dingell, as well as local leaders of unions such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and United Steelworkers. Biden touted the pro-union policies of the executive order.
Under its provisions, all federal agencies are directed to adhere to a "clear list of labor standards" when awarding dollars for government funded projects, including prioritizing those using pro-worker instruments such as Project Labor Agreements, Community Benefits Agreements, voluntary union recognition and neutrality with respect to union organizing.
It also directs federal agencies to look favorably upon projects that offer prevailing wage standards and other equitable compensation practices such as prioritizing equal pay and pay transparency.
President Joe Biden boards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on Friday en route to Ann Arbor, Mich., where he signed an executive order designed to promote union membership on project using federal funding. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI
Union labor, Biden declared, "built the middle class. We put workers first. We invest in all of America. Everybody in America deserves one thing -- a fighting chance. That is why [Vice President] Kamala [Harris] and I are so proud of the greatest job creation record of any single presidential term in American history."
He signed the order hours after the Labor Department reported payroll employment increased by 142,000 in August, with the construction adding 34,000 jobs and the healthcare sector growing by 31,000.
As Harris focuses on election battleground states with large contingents of unionized workers, Biden sought to draw a sharp contrast with the GOP ticket of Trump and Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
"When Trump was president, he appointed union busters [to the National Labor Relations Board] -- an organization that is designed to promote unions. By the way, do you think he has any damn idea what we do? I wonder whether he has any notion what a hard day's work is. All he did was lose his father's money."
A Harris administration, he promised, would "put workers first."
"We are seeing the great American comeback story," Biden said of his administration's jobs record. "My predecessor believes America is a failing nation. He is a failing president and a failing man. He is wrong, America is not failing, we are winning."
As Biden signed the "Good Jobs EO" in the union hall, the White House touted its provisions promoting worker economic security by directing federal agencies to prioritize "projects that supply the benefits that workers need-including child and dependent care to health insurance, paid leave, and retirement benefits."
The order also supports workforce development using registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, labor-management partnerships, and partnerships with training organizations including community colleges, public workforce boards, and the American Climate Corps.
Friday's signing event is part of a bigger tour across America to profile workers and communities the White House said are "reaping the rewards of the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda."
The Michigan appearance sought to draw attention to Biden's history in backing the labor movement. The president mentioned walking a union picket line with UAW workers in the Detroit area last year to support their strike.
Harris' presidential campaign has said as president she will support the Protecting the Right to Organize, or PRO Act. The bill was passed by the Democrat-controlled House in 2021 but was opposed by Republicans with 205 GOP House members voting against it.
The bill would make significant upgrades in labor law to strengthen worker rights to freely join unions.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. We are now a few days away from a trial that could put the City of Memphis and its police department back in the national spotlight.
A pretrial conference was held on Friday for representatives of the three former Memphis Police Officers accused of beating Tyre Nichols to death.
MORE ON TYRE NICHOLS
This is the last meeting before the federal trial begins and the three former officers face a judge and jury on Monday morning. 14 videos will be introduced by the Government prosecutors and three of those have not been seen by the public.
The former officers accused of the crime are Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith. If they are convicted of violating Nichols civil rights, all three could face life in prison.
During the conference, Bean was the only former officer who showed up.
3 officers accused of beating Tyre Nichols to death back in court
In January 2023, Tyre Nichols died in a hospital three days after being beaten by Memphis Police during a traffic stop near his home. Video and body cam footage of Nichols violent arrest was released by MPD weeks after the incident.
An autopsy report showed Nichols died from blows to the head, and that the manner of death was homicide. His family has filed a $550 million civil lawsuit.
Five now-former Memphis Police officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith were fired for misconduct, indicted by a grand jury, and taken into custody. Each is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct, and official oppression.
They have since been released on bond.
Bean, Haley, and Smith have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
In November 2023, the Shelby County District Attorneys Office said Desmond Mills pleaded guilty to federal charges and had agreed to plead guilty to state charges in the death of Tyre Nichols. Both federal and state prosecutors have agreed to a recommended sentence of 15 years.
My use of force was excessive on Mr. Nichols and I did make misleading statements, Mills said in court.
Second former MPD officer accused in fatally beating Tyre Nichols changes plea
In August 2024, Emmitt Martin pleaded guilty to two of the four counts against him, excessive force and conspiracy to witness tamper. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the other counts and recommended a sentence not to exceed 40 years.
All five suspects still face an upcoming murder case at the state level.
The federal trial gets underway at 8:30 Monday morning. WREG and WREG.com will be providing updates all day long.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) A disbarred lawyer has been sentenced to one to three years behind bars for defrauding a Bronx couple of $277,000, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced Thursday.
Paul Frieary, 71, pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny in June 2024. In addition to prison time, the suspect must pay $791,831 in restitution to the couples family and nine charities affected by his scheme.
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The defendant preyed upon elderly clients in Riverdale and stole profits from selling their house. His actions amounted to elder abuse and led to grievous financial harm and mental anguish, Clark said. He has pleaded guilty and now faces the consequences for his actions, including prison time and repaying the money he stole.
Court documents allege between July 2014 and January 2021, while working as a lawyer in Riverdale, the defendant took thousands of dollars from the couple in retainer fees while representing them in the closing of their Bronx home.
After receiving money from the closing sale on the home the victims had owned since the 1990s, Frieary never paid the couple the total funds owed. He gave the couple $329,000 and pocketed more than $277,000, according to court documents.
His victims passed away while attempting to collect the money owed to them by the defendant.
Frieary was disbarred in 2020 for predatory practices while acting as an attorney.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. Speaking of which, we noticed some great changes in Cuscapi Berhad's (KLSE:CUSCAPI) returns on capital, so let's have a look.
Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?
For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Cuscapi Berhad, this is the formula:
Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)
0.029 = RM1.6m (RM64m - RM11m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).
Thus, Cuscapi Berhad has an ROCE of 2.9%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Software industry average of 11%.
View our latest analysis for Cuscapi Berhad
roce
Historical performance is a great place to start when researching a stock so above you can see the gauge for Cuscapi Berhad's ROCE against it's prior returns. If you're interested in investigating Cuscapi Berhad's past further, check out this free graph covering Cuscapi Berhad's past earnings, revenue and cash flow.
What Can We Tell From Cuscapi Berhad's ROCE Trend?
It's great to see that Cuscapi Berhad has started to generate some pre-tax earnings from prior investments. The company was generating losses five years ago, but now it's turned around, earning 2.9% which is no doubt a relief for some early shareholders. Additionally, the business is utilizing 44% less capital than it was five years ago, and taken at face value, that can mean the company needs less funds at work to get a return. The reduction could indicate that the company is selling some assets, and considering returns are up, they appear to be selling the right ones.
In Conclusion...
In a nutshell, we're pleased to see that Cuscapi Berhad has been able to generate higher returns from less capital. Considering the stock has delivered 33% to its stockholders over the last five years, it may be fair to think that investors aren't fully aware of the promising trends yet. Given that, we'd look further into this stock in case it has more traits that could make it multiply in the long term.
Story continues
If you'd like to know more about Cuscapi Berhad, we've spotted 4 warning signs, and 1 of them is potentially serious.
While Cuscapi Berhad may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list 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.
What are prisons like in Estonia? The conditions British convicts can expect as government looks at deal
People handed jail sentences in the UK may begin carrying them out in Estonia, over 1,000 miles away, as Labour considers options to tackle severe overcrowding.
Potential partnerships are reportedly being explored after Estonian ministers offered to use its spare capacity to hold international prisoners. While prisons in the UK have been operating at 99 percent capacity since early 2023, latest figures show Estonias prisons are only 67 percent full.
It is believed Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood is discussed the possiblity with Estonian minister Liisa Pakosta on Thursday at a Council of Europe event in Lithuania.
Ms Pakosta told The Telegraph: The UK and Estonia have a history of successful international cooperation, and such a partnership would create further opportunities to benefit and learn from each other.
HMP Pentonville, North London (Victoria Jones/PA Wire)
Its thought the scheme could raise 30 million for the Baltic country, which is currently experiencing an economic recession. The nation borders Russia, with the ongoing war provoked by their neighbour in Ukraine causing the economy to take a hit and investment to fall.
Speaking to the Estonian public broadcaster, Ms Paktosa said: By renting out prison space, wed achieve a situation where wed provide significantly more jobs jobs with completely reasonable salaries.
We could resolve several budget deficit-related issues.
However, it is unlikely this solution could be a long-term one for the UK. Estonia only has three prisons with a combined capcity of 3,041, compared to the UKs 120, and 88,818 capacity.
These are in the capital, Tallinn, alongside Viru, and Tartu, where several war criminals are currently being held. It would not be new for Estonian authorities to take in foreign prisoners, with only 45 percent of their prison population being native. A further 45 percent are Russian, and 10 percent are from several countries.
Heres an overview of the conditions British inmates might expect to find in Estonian prisons if a deal is agreed:
What are prisons like in Estonia?
According to the Foreign Office, prison conditions in Estonia are generally good. Cells are around 10 meters square, and will usually have a private toilet. In busy periods, it is not uncommon for inmates to have to share cells.
In Estonian prisons, cooked meals are served every day. Vegetarians, those with certain food allergies or religious beliefs have the right to ask to be accommodated for. Clean tap drinking water is constantly available.
Inmates will also receive bedclothes, towels and hygiene products, and laundry is changed regularly. However, it is their responsibility to keep rooms in order.
It is also possible to work or study while in prison, depending on the conditions of your sentence. Some of the prison guards speak good English, and contact with other inmates is generally permitted.
Tartu Town Hall, Estonia (Getty Images)
Inmates are also allowed to listen to the radio, watch TV, and read daily newspapers or books. Local language materials can be requested through the current Prisoners Abroad scheme.
Speaking about the countrys prison system, Ms Paktosa said: We have one of the best correctional systems in the world in Estonia, which means we also have excellent prison guards.
They have thoroughly vetted backgrounds, excellent training, and very good equipment. Plus in Tartu, we already have international war criminals, and our people are handling it all very well.
Of course, the main issue with the plan is housing prisoners so far away from their country of origin. This would make regular visits virtually impossible, despite UK prisoners having the right to a one-hour visit every two weeks.
Labour had previously admonished the plan when floated by the Conservatives, but are now revisiting it given concerns about prison overcrowding. British officials reportedly took a recent visit to Tartu prison in eastern Estonia, and were said by Ms Paktosa to have a good impression of the facilities.
However, the plan would be subject to the Estonian cabinet and parliament. Other officials have criticised the plan, with interior minister Lauri Laanemets expressing concern that the country could be seen as a country where others send their wrongdoers.
As the Toronto International Film Festival kicked off on Thursday, the ongoing Israel-Hamas war stole the spotlight.
Pro-Palestine protesters held a demonstration inside the Princess of Wales Theatre during the TIFF opening night gala, interrupting festival CEO Cameron Baileys speech and calling for sponsor Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) to stop funding Israels attacks on Gaza.
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Stop the genocide! chanted five activists during the protest, which lasted four minutes before security escorted them out past the front of the theater. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau was in attendance as the demonstration broke out.
As of last month, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since terrorist group Hamas Oct. 7 attack prompted Israels attack on Gaza, CNN reported.
The protest came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave an update that the Biden administration has been working with Qatar and Egypt on a new cease-fire proposal to present to Israel and Hamas in the next few days, noting that 90% of the deal has been agreed upon.
Thursdays TIFF gala preceded the opening night screening of David Gordon Greens Nutcrackers, starring Ben Stiller as a workaholic who travels to rural Ohio to care for his recently orphaned nephews.
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A pair of pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protesters interrupted a book event featuring CNNs Dana Bash at the Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington D.C. on Thursday evening, making a number of bizarre claims as they attempted to confront the cable news anchor. The second speaker alleged with no evidence that Bash reported on Israeli hostages in order to receive millions from Zionists and the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobbying organization, better known as AIPAC.
Video of the protesters yelling at Bash was shared on social media, taking place at the event meant to promote her new American history book as she was joined in conversation by journalist Kara Swisher.
The edited footage begins with a young woman wearing a surgical mask standing up and shouting at Bash, beginning, After World War II, every single journalist that was complicit in their war crimes was charged.
The protester repeated, You belong behind bars, before adding, We know who you are. We know what youre saying.
They charged that the war in Gaza as Israel seeks to kill Hamas terrorists wasnt a war, but rather ethnic cleansing and genocide.
There are children getting bombed, bombed, bombed, bombed, bombed, the masked protester said, snapping her fingers with each time she said bombed before charging that Bash was complicit in the genocide.
That protester went on to attack one of Bashs tweets about the Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas. It was unclear which tweets were being referred to, as the protester seemed to be incorrect about when Bashs tweets were shared, but she may have been referring to several tweets from Bash about the six hostages killed by Hamas as the Israeli army sought to rescue them.
You can watch Bashs exchanges with the protesters in this video:
BREAKING: CNN's Dana Bash had her event, America's Deadliest Election, at DC Bookstore, Politics and Prose, interrupted multiple times by pro-Palestine protesters who accused her of being complicit in genocide.
Bash's response: "Take off your mask." pic.twitter.com/mSPk4MFAbK Stu (@thestustustudio) September 6, 2024
The young woman complained that at the same time, Israelis were holding over 10,000 political prisoners in what the person claimed were death camps and concentration camps for Palestinians. The claim could be referring to Palestinians convicted of crimes held in Israel.
I came here to ask her why shes telling lies on public air every single day, the protester added. While Bash is frequently on CNN, her work isnt normally broadcast on public airwaves since its made available via cable and digital providers.
As the protester yelled at Bash to look her in the eyes, she was asked to take off the surgical mask that she was wearing. After a few more comments, security came to escort the young woman away, at which point she held up her hands and called Bash a killer before chanting Bloody Bash at her on the way out.
The second protester seen in the clip stands up and tells Bash, My friends have been dying in Gaza and you have not been reporting it. You call yourself a good journalist? Report the truth.
That young woman goes on to make antisemitic insinuations, accusing Bash, who is Jewish, of ulterior motives behind her reporting related to Jewish people.
But instead you want millions from Zionists. You want millions from AIPAC, the protester claimed.
Atlantic journalist Yair Rosenberg responded to the footage, writing on X, Lets be clear on whats happening here: A masked person yells at a Jewish CNN journalist that she is taking millions from AIPAC, using the money to buy her house(!). This is antisemitic mad-libs, using Israel as a flimsy pretext to try and hound Jews out of the public square.
He went on to add, As ever, we should resist the impulse to define Palestinians or Israelis by their most unhinged advocates, especially overseas. But obviously on a practical level, ugly antics like these harm both Jews and the Palestinian cause, and help no one.
Let's be clear on what's happening here: A masked person yells at a Jewish CNN journalist that she is taking "millions" from AIPAC, using the money to buy her house(!). This is antisemitic mad-libs, using Israel as a flimsy pretext to try and hound Jews out of the public square. https://t.co/SvxRuB8Pmy Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) September 6, 2024
A member of the crowd is heard in the video telling the second protester, Youre hiding behind that mask.
The protester responded by attacking Bashs home, yelling, Youre taking millions and youre living in that house all alone. That multi-million dollar house. Youre taking it to spew lies about the Palestinian people.
Rosenberg also noted that the protesters appeared to be abusing the use of medical masks to covertly engage in anti-social and antisemitic acts, which harm the cause of those who genuinely need to wear the masks for medical reasons. Not that the mask itself is an inherent problem.
That second young woman continued to allege that Bash lied about the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, while not citing specific examples.
The person went on to bring up student protesters, arguing, They are just trying to exercise their free speech to help their family and friends back home.
They turned to the crowd as they continued to argue her points, and while she was asked multiple times to remove her mask to show her face, she did not do so.
We have tried to sit with politicians day after day and they dont listen to us. And meanwhile our family and friends are dying. What else are we supposed to do? the protester asked before the video ended.
Bash was promoting her new book, written with David Fisher, Americas Deadliest Election: The Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History. It tells the story of the 1872 Louisiana gubernatorial election.
The post Pro-Palestinian Activists Interrupt CNNs Dana Bash With Antisemitic Accusations | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
An opening night screening at the Toronto Film Festival was interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters rallying against the Royal Bank of Canada, which is the official bank partner of TIFF.
The four protesters entered the Princess of Wales Theatre ahead of the 6 p.m. showing of Nutcrackers, a dramedy starring Ben Stiller and directed by David Gordon Green, while chanting, RBC funds genocide, in an apparent reference to the banks ties to Israel, as the countrys war with Gaza enters its 11th month.
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The protesters held signs with messages including RBC is killing our future, as seen in videos posted by New York Times reporter Kyle Buchanan. The protesters were escorted out of the theater by security after about five minutes.
As TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey continued through his opening remarks, ignoring the interruption, the audience seated for Nutcrackers booed the protesters and shouted back, Go home! and Go away!
Representatives for TIFF and RBC did not immediately respond to Varietys request for comment.
This isnt the first time that RBCs involvement at TIFF has caused controversy. Last year, before the Oct. 7 attack that started the war in the Middle East, a group of Canadian filmmakers joined together with Hollywood stars urging the Toronto Film Festival to cut its ties with RBC because of its funding of the oil and gas industry. The campaign, called RBC Off Screen, recruited A-listers such as Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Joaquin Phoenix to sign an open letter outlining its concerns about TIFFs partnership with RBC, which is the No. 1 financier of fossil fuel development in the world, according to CBC.
A press release from RBC Off Screen framed the protest at Nutcrackers as an act of solidarity with those fighting to address the climate emergency, as well as end the war in Gaza, and support Indigenous sovereignty.
TIFFs relationship with RBC is art-washing crimes that threaten both human life and the planet, said Elza Kephart, a filmmaker at Midnight Kingdom Films and an organizer and spokesperson for RBC Off Screen. As film workers, we refuse to allow our industry to be co-opted by those profiting from the destruction of our climate and communities.
TIFF will officially kick off its 49th edition at 8 p.m. with the official world premiere of Nutcrackers. Over the next 10 days, films like Ron Howards survival thriller Eden, Marielle Hellers horror comedy Nightbitch with Amy Adams, the animated The Wild Robot and John Crowleys We Live in Time, starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, will screen for Canadian audiences.
This years festival, which runs from Sept. 5-15, hopes to rebound after last years event was hobbled by the actors and writers strikes that prevented major stars from attending.
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
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William T. Young Library at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. (Mark Cornelison | UK Photo)
Professors in the South are increasingly worried about political interference in higher education, according to a new survey released by southern chapters of the American Association of University Professors.
The survey, which included responses from nearly 3,000 faculty members, found that about 70% of respondents signaled dissatisfaction with the political atmosphere around higher education and rated it poor or very poor. Additionally, about 55% of survey respondents said they were disappointed in their schools administration for not adequately defending academic freedom and tenure.
According to a news release, 109 respondents were from Kentucky. AAUP chapters that participated in the survey included Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas.
The survey results come on the heels of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives coming drawing fire from Republicans in Kentucky and across the nation. In recent weeks, the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University announced plans to close their diversity offices amid pressure from Republican lawmakers.
Two anti-DEI bills were debated by Kentucky lawmakers in the 2024 session but died without being approved. However, one policy change did pass as part of a postsecondary funding bill. It changed the formula for performance-based funding of universities by prohibiting the use of any race-based metrics or targets.
Another GOP-backed measure in Kentucky that would have allowed universities to remove faculty for not meeting certain productivity requirements did not come out of the House Education Committee last session. Some critics saw it as a path to end tenure in Kentucky.
Among its overall survey results, the AAUP chapters found that 60% of respondents would not recommend their state as a desirable place to work for colleagues. About 28% of respondents had reported they applied for academic jobs in another state since 2022, and another 28% are planning to do so in the coming year. Of those who had applied to another state, the top five destinations were California, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Illinois.
More than 27% of respondents reported that they do not plan to stay in academia longterm.
Respondents could list multiple reasons why they were seeking employment elsewhere. The top issue was salary at 56.5%, followed by the states political climate at 53.3% and academic freedom at 49.6%. DEI and shared governance issues were mentioned by about 30% of respondents.
Over the summer, the UK Board of Trustees gave its final approval to a new shared governance model that stripped faculty of power over academic decisions by dismantling the University Senate and instating a weaker faculty senate.
The survey was conducted during state AAUP conferences Aug. 12-30 through social media and email. About 17% of the respondents said they were non-white and 51% were female. More than 60% said they had a tenured position.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) With the departure of Michael Rulli, who left Columbus for a seat in Congress, there is a contested local race for the Ohio Senate, 33rd District.
After serving the last four years in Ohios General Assembly, newly appointed State Senator Al Cutrona says he has the experience needed to keep the job.
Im actually the most senior Valley delegate out of the Valleys delegation in the legislature, Cutrona said.
Cutrona said that his business experience serves as a major skill.
Where ive done the job, and to be able to bring in my skill sets for my day-to-day job. I am a practicing attorney. Im somebody who has business experience, small business experience, and a family-owned business. So bringing all that to the table, he said.
But his Democrat opponent, longtime Mahoning County Assistant Prosecutor Marty Hume, claims he has experience as well.
I also served for four years as Youngstowns law director, so Ive actually written legislation and had it enacted into law, Hume said.
Both men are running to serve the unexpired term of now-Congressman Michael Rulli, who left for Washington in June. Cutrona was chosen by party leaders to fill the seat at least through the November Election, but Hume argues his opponents time in the Ohio House hasnt been well spent.
We are 1.9% of the population of Ohio but only got back 1.2% of state monies. And what that means is were getting 37% less than we should, Hume said.
Ive actually passed more bills out of the legislature than anybody else last general assembly, Cutrona said. I brought back more funding in the last four years than weve probably seen in four decades.
The winner will serve through the end of 2026 and could then run for a full four-year term.
The 33rd District covers all of Mahoning, Columbiana and Carroll counties.
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The protective structures at facilities of Ukrenergo, Ukraine's electricity transmission system operator, are more than 85% ready, while the level of readiness is lower where the work is carried out by the Restoration Agency.
Source: Ukraines Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal
Quote: "The readiness of protective structures at Ukrenergo's facilities is more than 85%. The readiness of the Recovery Agency's facilities is somewhat lower, but the work continues," Shmyhal said.
In total, the government has allocated UAH 10 billion (US$219 million) for the passive protection of energy facilities, and Ukrenergo has allocated more than UAH 5 billion (US$109 million).
Shmyhal noted that in the absence of new attacks on the energy infrastructure, there is a chance to get through the winter without power cuts. But he understands that the Russians will not allow this.
Background:
Ukraine will go through the winter in a normal power supply mode in the absence of new heavy Russian attacks on the energy sector.
Optimistic scenarios predict that during the autumn and winter period, power outages in Ukraine will last up to 12 hours a day, while pessimistic scenarios foresee outages lasting up to 20 hours.
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PINE GROVE, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Pennsylvania State Police say a registered sex offender used Snapchat to track down a teenage girl, enter her home, and touch her while she was sleeping.
State police stated back on October 26, 2023, a 13-year-old girl and her parents arrived at the Schuylkill Haven police barracks to report a sexual assault that had taken place the night before in Pine Grove.
The victim told troopers she received a friend request on Snapchat two days prior from an unknown man with the username alex-taylor2022. She said the man asked her repeatedly if he could come to see her and meet her in person, according to court documents.
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Police say on October 25, the man entered her home after 11:00 p.m. and made his way to her bedroom where she was sleeping.
The girl told police the man laid down next to her causing her to wake her up. The suspect proceeded to touch her inappropriately around her body until she told him to get out, as stated in the affidavit.
On November 11, troopers say they applied for a search warrant for the mans Snapchat account and about a week later, received information that the accounts IP address was out of York County.
Several months later in May of 2024, the victim contacted state police again and said that the man had sent her another friend request. Troopers say the victim referenced their previous encounter and the man blocked her.
In August of 2024, police applied for a new search warrant for the mans latest account. Troopers say the name associated with the new IP address came back to Yuri Alexand Romatowski, a 31-year-old man from Hanover, York County.
Yuri Romatowski
Pennsylvania State Police
PSP says further investigation revealed Romatowski was an active Megans Law offender.
Friday morning, state police set up an interview with Romatowski at York County Adult Probation where they say he admitted to sending sexually-charged messages to the girl, along with entering her home and touching her.
Romatowski has been charged with indecent assault, corruption of minors, burglary, loitering and prowling at night, harassment, and failing to provide accurate registration information.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
By Georgina McCartney
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Fuel oil exports bound for the U.S. Gulf Coast slumped to their lowest level since January 2019 last month, a sign of weakened refinery demand as margins have softened, analysts said.
Feedstocks like high sulfur fuel oil and other heavy residues can be refined into higher value products such as gasoline and diesel using secondary units.
But loadings of those products to the Gulf Coast, America's largest refining hub, fell by a third in August from the prior month to 260,000 barrels per day (bpd), according to data from ship tracker Kpler, marking a more than five-year low.
Cargoes departing Mexico for the Gulf Coast fell 25% month-over-month, hitting 77,000 bpd and their lowest level since July 2021, driving much of the decline, Kpler data showed.
"On the demand side, refinery margins aren't strong enough to incentivize U.S. Gulf Coast refiners to run their secondary units harder to process this fuel oil," said Rohit Rathhod, a market analyst at energy researcher Vortexa.
U.S. gasoline cracking margins - the spread between gasoline futures and West Texas Intermediate crude futures - typically narrows as the summer driving season draws to a close. Even so, that spread is currently at around $12 a barrel, roughly $10 a barrel below last year's levels.
"We are seeing at least double digit percentage point reductions in secondary unit utilization, particularly on the East and Gulf Coast because of shrinking margins," said Rommel Oates, founder of refinery operations intelligence firm, Refinery Calculator.
Refinery Calculator expects this trend to spread more broadly across other U.S. refineries over the next few months, weighing on August fuel oil loadings.
Gulf and East Coast combined operating refining capacity accounted for just under 60% of total U.S. capacity as of June 2024, according to an analysis of the most recent data from the Energy Information Administration.
ATTACKS HINDER FLOWS
Fuel oil deliveries from east of Suez to the U.S. Gulf Coast also fell last month as ongoing attacks on vessels crossing the Red Sea continued to push shippers to divert around the horn of Africa, avoiding the faster Suez Canal route, according to Vortexa analysts.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia has been disrupting global shipping to display its support for Palestinians in the Gaza conflict, targeting vessels in the Red Sea.
Two vessels carrying fuel oil, the AFRODITI and SEAMAJESTY, departed Iraq around two months ago for Louisiana and sailed around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the Red Sea, contributing to a drop in U.S. Gulf Coast imports in August, said Vortexa's Rathod.
Story continues
"Red Sea attacks and the summer demand in the Middle East where they burn fuel oil for power generation definitely seem to have taken a toll on fuel oil imports into the U.S.," Rathod added.
Saudi imports of fuel oil jumped to 385,000 bpd in August, Kpler data show, rising by a quarter on the month and by just over 40% on the year.
(Reporting by Georgina McCartney in Houston; Editing by Liz Hampton and Diane Craft)
(Bloomberg) -- Russias President Vladimir Putin expanded his energy commission to include the nations military chief and the head of the security service that succeeded the Soviet-era KGB.
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Along with Defense Minister Andrey Belousov and Federal Security Service Chief Alexander Bortnikov, Viktor Zolotov, head of the National Guard, and former defense minister Sergei Shoigu, will also join the commission that Putin helms, according to a presidential decree published on Friday.
Siloviki, the Russian term for people in the security service and military, join the energy commission as the nations oil and gas industry a key source of revenues for the Kremlins coffers faces unprecedented pressure amid Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. This year, Russias downstream sector has been a target for waves of Ukrainian drone attacks, damaging crude processing units to limit fuel supplies to the front lines.
The commission is charged with ensuring Russias energy and environmental security and determining ways to operate the nations natural resources efficiently. Its members include chief executive officers of Russias major oil and gas companies, such as Rosneft PJSC, Lukoil PJSC, Surgutneftegas PJSC, Tatneft PJSC, Gazprom PJSC, Novatek PJSC, as well as government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who oversees the energy sector.
Previously, Foreign Intelligence Service head Sergey Naryshkin and Interior Affairs Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev were the only members of the security establishment in the energy commission and they remain its members, the presidential decree said.
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The Evolution of Putins Aide Accused of Gaming the US Election
(Bloomberg) -- The head of a Russian propaganda campaign that allegedly aimed to influence the upcoming US elections began as a liberal politician before he became one of President Vladimir Putins closest advisers.
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Sergei Kiriyenko, who is the first deputy head in Putins administration, oversaw a years-long Kremlin operation to meddle in US elections and use disinformation to promote pro-Russian narratives online, according to a 277-page affidavit that US officials unsealed Wednesday.
Kiriyenko, 62, participated in meetings in which Russian officials discussed ways to promote Donald Trumps candidacy, undermine support for Ukraine and further Russian interests, according to the court filings. The plans manifested in an effort known as Doppelganger, which used domain names that impersonated established media outlets to present fake news as content that came from trusted sources.
The Kremlin announced on Friday the creation of the National Center of Russia, a project meant to demonstrate the countrys achievements and strengthen national identity. Putin appointed Kiriyenko as the head of the committee.
In 2022, weeks after Russias invasion of Ukraine, Kiriyenko called for pushing content with a goal of creating a nuclear psychosis to bolster support for the Kremlins war internationally.
Doppelganger also tapped a Kremlin-controlled organization, ANO Dialog, to create original brands that posed as independent media to disseminate pro-Russian narratives aimed at specific blocs of US voters. The propaganda, for instance, included disparaging cartoons of US President Joe Biden and images of damaged fighter jets purportedly used by Ukraines military. Another post that falsely appeared to be from the Washington Post featured the headline Middle East Coalition of US Allies Crumbles like a House of Cards, according to the affidavit.
We firmly deny these accusations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, calling the allegations absurd. If the Americans mean that our media is working to present our position to the world, then thats true. And theyll continue to do so, despite US sanctions.
ANO Dialog did not respond to requests for comment from Bloomberg News.
The operation marked the latest evolution in Kiriyenkos long career in the upper echelons of Russian politics. Yet he hasnt always been the cynical information warrior portrayed in the US documents.
In the 1990s, he was an ally of deputy premier Boris Nemtsov and a member of the Young Reformers, a group of free market politicians who wanted to overhaul the Russian economy as it emerged from Communism. He went on to become, at 35, Russias youngest-ever prime minister in 1998. His unexpected appointment and inexperience earning him the nickname Kinder Surprise, after a popular candy brand that comes with a toy.
Kiriyenko spent just four months as the prime minister and resigned after Russia defaulted on government bonds in August 1998, causing a ruble devaluation and a financial crisis. During his four-month tenure in that post, Putin was appointed director of the Federal Security Service, or FSB.
That job was Putins springboard to the presidency in 2000. Kiriyenko has remained a close ally ever since.
While Nemtsov became a prominent Putin critic until he was gunned down near the Kremlin in 2015, Kiriyenko morphed into a valuable technocrat who ran Russias state-owned nuclear power champion, Rosatom Corp., from 2005 until 2016.
Nuclear Diplomacy
Under Kiriyenko, Rosatom became a tool of foreign policy, signing deals worth billions of dollars to build power plants from Finland and Hungary to China and India.
Kiriyenko was a regular on Putins international trips and his company emerged as a key nuclear supplier to countries in Latin America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, helping build diplomatic and commercial ties in the Global South. His work at Rosatom earned him Russias top honor, Kommersant newspaper reported in 2018.
He was brought back to the Kremlin in 2016, in part to oversee Putins campaign for a fourth term after his previous election victory was marred by mass protests. Since then, hes developed a system for training bureaucrats. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he led efforts to mobilize Russian society to support the war and was made responsible for the territories Russia has occupied.
Kiriyenko was appointed as one of Nemtsovs helpers and was known as a person who Nemtsov brought to Moscow to enact liberal reforms, said Ilya Yashin, a Russian opposition politician who was recently freed in a prisoner swap with the US. He went on to become one of the most odious builders of the dictatorship in our country.
US Sanctions
The US and European Union in 2021 sanctioned Kiriyenko following the poisoning of late opposition leader Alexey Navalny, with the US citing Kiriyenkos role as Putins domestic policy curator.
The propaganda operation ANO Dialog falls under Kiriyenkos jurisdiction, according to US Justice Department filings. That organization, founded in 2019, uses artificial intelligence technology to boost Russian election-meddling efforts, including creating deepfakes impersonating officials in the US and the European Union, according to the Department of Treasury, which sanctioned ANO Dialog this week.
The organization has promoted the War on Fakes media outlet, a Russian disinformation effort that falsely claims to fact-check journalism about Ukraine.
Leaked documents obtained by the investigative news outlet VSquare indicated that Kiriyenkos team, as of last October, managed 15 nonprofit media organizations with over 4,000 employees and a budget of 59 billion rubles ($656 million).
Kiriyenkos role in helping maintain Putins authority is a far cry from his days as a liberal politician during the Boris Yeltsin era. Following his ouster as premier, Kiriyenko called for constitutional changes to reduce the power of Yeltsins successor.
Russias next president shouldnt be allowed to use extraordinary powers to rule the country as he pleases, Kiriyenko said at the time.
(Updated to include mention of the National Center of Russia in the fourth paragraph.)
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John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, has criticised Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's public discussions about "supporting" certain candidates during a briefing in Washington and advised against interfering in the US election.
Source: European Pravda
Details: Kirby responded during a conversation with journalists to a request to comment on Putin's words that he "favoured" Vice President Kamala Harris in the election race.
Kirby stressed that the Kremlin leader "ought to stop talking about our elections, period".
Quote from John Kirby: "He shouldnt be favouring anybody one way or another. The only people who should get to determine who the next president of the United States is is the American people. "
Details: John Kirby also added that the US would "greatly appreciate" if Putin would "A, stop talking about our election and, B, stop interfering in it."
Background:
US intelligence has previously reported that foreign rivals of the United States will try to influence the November 2024 presidential election by adapting their operations to domestic political events in the country.
The US Department of Treasury announced sanctions against the management of a Russian propaganda channel, RT, and related companies for interfering with the 2024 US presidential elections.
The US Department of Justice has also charged two employees of this propaganda channel with violating foreign agent requirements and money laundering.
On 4 September, the US State Department announced steps to be taken in response to Russia's attempt to interfere in the presidential election, targeting Russian propagandists.
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A Quarter of America's Bridges May Collapse Within 26 Years. We Saw the Whole Thing Coming.
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Around 25 percent of bridges in the U.S. were built before the 1960s, and in an age of climate change, these ailing pieces of infrastructure are starting to feel the heat.
According to a new report by The New York Times, bridges are facing unprecedented pressures from climate events, including large temperature swings, increased flooding, and troublesome soil erosion.
A bipartisan infrastructure bill passed in 2021 earmarks $110 billion for rebuilding the nations aging roads, bridges, and highways, but these new projects need to build in preparation from our climate change future.
U.S. infrastructure is dangerously behind the timesand nowhere is that more apparent than the countrys aging bridges. According to a new report by The New York Times, one-fourth of the nations bridges were built before 1960, and as if old age wasnt enough stress on these rusted-out trusses, cracked asphalt roadways, and worn-down foundations, climate change has only made a bad problem worse.
We have a bridge crisis that is specifically tied to extreme weather events, Paul Chinowsky, a civil engineering professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, told The New York Times. These are not things that would happen under normal climate circumstances. These are not things that weve ever seen at this rate.
Due to the age of these bridges, many of them were designed without the need to withstand the sharp temperature swings that are now commonplace across the U.S. due to climate change. As metal tends to have that pesky habit of swelling and contracting with rising and failing temperatures, our warming world becomes a particularly thorny issue for these ailing pieces of connective infrastructure.
This isnt a recently discovered threat. A report back in 2019 published in the journal PLOS ONE found that 25 percent of all steel bridges in the U.S. could collapse by 2050. After waiting for that often-promised, but never-arrived infrastructure week under the Trump administration , the U.S. government started moving in 2021 by passing the bipartisan infrastructure law, known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, that allotted $110 billion for roads, bridges, and other transportation needs.
As recent as July 2024, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $5 billion toward repairing, restoring, or replacing, 13 bridges located across 16 states in the U.S.
For too long America let bridges fall into disrepair, which left people less safe, disrupted our supply chains, and cost people time and money, Buttigeg said in a press statement back in July .
But the challenge to these economic ties between states and landmasses is only worsening as the world warms. Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, told The New York Times that groups of scientists, engineers, and agencies are rushing to implement climate-resilient standards for bridges.
This problem is also bigger than just some shape-shifting metal. Intensified rainfall has the increased chance of bridges being washed away, something that was an all-too-common occurrence during the torrential flooding events in Vermont in July. Heavy precipitation also increases bridge scour, which erodes the soil around the base of a bridge making it less stable.
Meanwhile, swollen bridge joints also make steel bridges, which are designed to bend under heavy loads to distribute weight, much more rigid, running the risk of putting more weigh than what the beams were designed to hold.
The Federal Reserves Economic Data suggests that the U.S.s percentage of public investment toward infrastructure decreased 40 percent since the 1960s, so the bills been long overdue for America to revamp its roads, bridges, and public transportation. Now with the added complication of climate change, there is really no time to waste.
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A blaze that erupted in the basement of a Queens house killed an elderly man and injured three others Thursday, police and firefighters said.
The fire ignited around 5:14 p.m. in the basement of the 132nd St. home near 95th Ave. in South Richmond Hill, according to firefighters.
Smoke eaters pulled a 72-year-old man from the basement with life-threatening injuries, and he was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, cops said.
A firefighter and two other occupants suffered minor injuries in the blaze, firefighters said.
FLORISSANT, Mo. A man is facing several charges, including assault on an officer, after federal marshals raided his home. Investigators found drugs, guns, and a stolen Jeep at the home during the raid.
On Wednesday, Melvin Nelson, 40, was arrested at his home in the 2200 block of Gadbury. United States Marshals who were serving a warrant and Florissant Investigators made the arrest. Nelson faces multiple charges, including assault on a law enforcement officer, tampering with a motor vehicle, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Two dead after crash, possible shots fired follows police pursuit in south St. Louis County
During the investigation following Nelsons arrest, officers found large quantity of narcotics, along with equipment used for manufacturing drugs. Several firearms were also found on the property. In the garage, investigators located a stolen 2012 Jeep Cherokee.
Nelson is currently being held at the St. Louis County jail. His bond has been set at $250,000.
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Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is reported to be considering raising university tuition fees. Undergraduate fees for English universities have been capped at 9,250 per year since 2017, a freeze that vice-chancellors say is putting insurmountable pressure on their budgets. It is understood that for higher education institutions to break even, fees paid by students would need to rise to an eye-watering 12500 per year.
British universities have taken a lot of flak over recent years. Almost all were too slow to return to face-to-face teaching after the pandemic, strikes left thousands of exam papers unmarked, and too many have been captured by woke progressivism. But for all the criticism, vice-chancellors are not crying wolf on their precarious financial situation; forty percent of universities are forecast to end this year in the red.
These budgetary pressures explain why the sector lobbied so hard to maintain high numbers of student visas. Foreign students who often pay upwards of 30000 per year have become a vital income stream for cash-strapped universities. Not only has this contributed to record immigration levels, it has also worsened a concerning dependence on funding from Chinese sources.
Britains top universities are important national assets, and they should be securely funded. But it doesnt follow that it should be English teenagers who provide that financial security. Increasing tuition fees to 12500 would swell the average graduate debt to well over 50000, a millstone around the neck of any young person starting out in life. Increasing graduate debt would also offer poor value for money to the taxpayer the UKs student loan account already stands at an astonishing 236 billion, over half of which is likely never to be repaid.
If higher education operated in a true market-based system, we might expect rising prices to precipitate falling demand. But because university access runs on the distorted principle of buy now, pay later if you can afford to, if not the state will bail you out, it is quite possible that 18-year-olds will continue to think its worth the risk, suggesting that fee increases alone wont be enough to fix our broken higher education model.
Those who benefit from higher education should be the ones who pay for it. Yet employers who take on graduates pay nothing towards the cost of degrees, with the entirety of the costs borne by graduates themselves and the taxpayer. If, on the other hand, a company wants to hire a non-graduate apprentice or trainee, they must normally cover the costs themselves. For as long as this model applies, employers will prefer free graduates, even though apprenticeships are often more appropriate and effective.
Our current system is also highly inequitable. Taxpayers are making a significant contribution to the education of nearly half of our young adults. Yet the other more disadvantaged half get little or no state support. Non-graduate workers are funding the university experiences of middle-class students through their taxes, a large-scale transfer of wealth from poor to rich.
We cannot afford to lose our world class universities, but neither can we afford to retain those institutions not offering value. There are two options for reform. We could repurpose the net annual higher education budget and divide it equally amongst all young people as a grant to contribute towards the cost of education and training. This could be paid to a university, large corporation or small business with top-ups from employers, private finance or charitable bursaries.
Alternatively, employers could fund universities through a graduate tax on employees with a degree. It would soon become clear which jobs truly require a university education and which could be learned by school-leavers. Where the employer is the public sector, the cost of the graduate tax would be offset by the savings made to taxpayers currently forking out billions on unpaid student loans.
Our universities are in trouble, but asking students to pay more is not the answer. We need wholescale reform to put higher education funding on firmer and fairer foundations.
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Hours after putting Raleigh high schools on alert, police have found a teen murder suspect Friday who was seen on three campuses this week.
Raleigh police and the Wake County Sheriffs Office arrested Syncere Pigford, a juvenile with an outstanding secure-custody order for murder. Officials declined to say where or when the arrest occurred.
Pigford was seen at Broughton, Enloe and Athens Drive high schools in Raleigh on Wednesday and Thursday, according to law enforcement and the Wake County school system.
Pigford is charged in the June 30 killing of Serenity Spencer, 24, in Wendell. Spencer was fatally shot during a gathering at a home on Hodge Road, investigators said.
Brothers Kahlil Hahson Atkinson, 18, of Raleigh and Xavier Don Ameche Atkinson, 19, of Knightdale were arrested and charged with murder earlier this week in Spencers death. They are being held without bail at the Wake County Detention Center.
The Sheriffs Office said at that time of their arrest that a third, juvenile suspect in the case was at large.
Pigford was identified at all three schools by administrators as a trespasser and was removed from campus. But, according to the school system, the schools did not know he was a suspect in a homicide investigation.
The Wake County Public School System sent an email Friday morning to families at Raleigh high schools about the search.
The Raleigh Police Department and Wake County Sheriffs Office are actively searching for Pigford, the email said. In response, we have increased security measures at all Raleigh high schools to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
A rare copy of the US Constitution went missing for centuries. Now it's being auctioned for millions
CORRECTS NAME TO BRUNK AUCTIONS - Part of an 1787 copy of the U.S. Constitution that will be put up for auction on Sept. 28, 2024 is shown at Brunk Auctions in Asheville, North Carolina, on Thursday, Sept. 5. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) Historical document appraiser and collector Seth Kaller spreads a broad sheet of paper across a desk. It's in good enough condition that he can handle it, carefully, with clean, bare hands. There are just a few creases and tiny discolorations, even though it's just a few weeks shy of 237 years old and has spent who knows how long inside a filing cabinet in North Carolina.
At the top of the first page are familiar words but in regular type instead of the sweeping Gothic script we're used to seeing: WE, the People ..."
And the people will get a chance to bid for this copy of the U.S. Constitution the only of its type thought to be in private hands at a sale by Brunk Auctions on Sept. 28 in Asheville, North Carolina.
The minimum bid for the auction of $1 million has already been made. There is no minimum price that must be reached.
This copy was printed after the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the proposed framework of the nation's government in 1787 and sent it to the Congress of the ineffective first American government under the Articles of Confederation, requesting they send it to the states to be ratified by the people.
It's one of about 100 copies printed by the secretary of that Congress, Charles Thomson. Just eight are known to still exist and the other seven are publicly owned.
Thomson likely signed two copies for each of the original 13 states, essentially certifying them. They were sent to special ratifying conventions, where representatives, all white and male, wrangled for months before accepting the structure of the United States government that continues today.
This is the point of connection between the government and the people. The Preamble we the people' this is the moment the government is asking the people to empower them, auctioneer Andrew Brunk said.
What happened to the document up for auction between Thomson's signature and 2022 isn't known.
Two years ago, a property was being cleared out in Edenton in eastern North Carolina that was once owned by Samuel Johnston. He was the governor of North Carolina from 1787 to 1789 and he oversaw the state convention during his last year in office that ratified the Constitution.
The copy was found inside a squat, two-drawer metal filing cabinet with a can of stain on top, in a long-neglected room piled high with old chairs and a dusty book case, before the old Johnston house was preserved. The document was a broad sheet that could be folded one time like a book.
I get calls every week from people who think they have a Declaration of Independence or a Gettysburg Address and most of the time it is just a replica, but every so often something important gets found, said Kaller, who appraises, buys and sells historic documents.
This is a whole other level of importance, he added.
Along with the Constitution on the broad sheet printed front and back is a letter from George Washington asking for ratification. He acknowledged there will have to be compromise and that rights the states enjoyed will have to be given up for the nation's long-term health.
To secure all rights of independent sovereignty to each and yet provide for the interest and safety for all individuals entering into society must give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest, wrote the man who would become the first U.S. president.
Brunk isn't sure what the document might go for because there is so little to compare it to. The last time a copy of the Constitution like this sold was for $400 in 1891. In 2021, Sotheby's of New York sold one of only 14 remaining copies of the Constitution printed for the Continental Congress and delegates to the Constitutional Convention for $43.2 million, a record for a book or document.
But that document was meant to be distributed to the Founding Fathers as delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The signed copy being sold later this month was one meant to be sent to leaders in every state so people all around the country could review and decide if thats how they wanted to be governed, connecting the writers of the Constitution to the people in the states who would provide its power and legitimacy.
The auction listing doesn't identify the seller, saying its part of a collection that is in private hands.
Other items up for auction in Asheville including a 1776 first draft of the Articles of Confederation and a 1788 Journal of the Convention of North Carolina at Hillsborough where representatives spent two weeks debating if ratifying the Constitution would put too much power with the nation instead of the states.
Recreational marijuana sales begin Saturday on NC tribal lands
CHEROKEE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will begin selling marijuana for recreational use to the public on Saturday, Sept. 7.
Buyers must be at least 21 years old and present a valid photo ID. Customers do not have to be North Carolina residents or members of the tribe.
Cannabis is legal in the sovereign territory but cannot legally be transported outside the Qualla Boundary.
Great Smoky Cannabis Co. will open its doors at 10 a.m. to a new customer base.
The shop has been dispensing marijuana to people with medical cards since April 20 and recreationally to members of recognized tribes since July 4.
ECBI issued a referendum in Sept. 2023 to gauge interest from members about widening who they could sell to. The measure garnered 70 percent support.
Officials with Qualla Enterprises estimated they could earn $385 million in the first year of selling to all people over the age of 21, as opposed to $200 million selling to only medical patients.
PREVIOUS: Marijuana could be legalized on NC tribal land by August
The EBCI Cannabis Control Board regulates the industry, and an independent lab tests the products.
U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd wrote an open letter to law enforcement asking for a plan to uphold federal and state laws when sales first began.
Queen City News reached out to District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch for comment about the new sales but did not hear back.
North Carolina lawmakers continue to debate legislation that would legalize marijuana for medical uses after multiple pieces of legislation failed in the statehouse.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration set a hearing for Dec. 2 to take comments on reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug.
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) It has been just 10 days since the fall semester began at the University of Kentucky, and already the campus is grappling with a reported sexual assault. This incident underscores a troubling trend.
The beginning of the fall semester, extending through Thanksgiving break, is known as the Red Zonea period marked by a rise in sexual assault and interpersonal violence on college campuses nationwide.
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UK police investigating on-campus sexual assault, strangulation
According to a crime bulletin issued by the university, the reported assault involves two UK students, with the suspect known to the victim. The victim was reportedly strangled and sexually assaulted inside their residence hall room.
The universitys release stated, UK Police is actively investigating this matter, and the appropriate campus units are working with individuals involved to provide resources and support.
In an interview, UK Police Chief Joe Monroe explained that the Red Zone is a critical period, with high-risk behaviors often leading to sexual assaults or other forms of interpersonal violence. Monroe noted, One of the things we have is high-risk behaviors and high-risk behaviors often lead to sexual assaults or some type of interpersonal violence.
The UK Police Department has several protocols in place to assist victims of sexual assault and interpersonal violence. Monroe highlighted the role of the departments special victims unit, which consists of specially trained investigators who handle these sensitive cases. Additionally, the university offers various support programs, including the VIP Center and the TRACKS program.
Monroe emphasized the importance of breaking down communication barriers, noting that nearly 50% of sexual assaults go unreported. Its important because we want the students to be successful. We want our staff to feel safe. We want our students to feel safe, and for us, that leads to success, he said.
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UK urges those impacted by sexual assault to use the free and confidential survivor support and advocacy resources at the Violence and Intervention Prevention Center. UK community members can call 859-257-3574 or visit uky.edu/vipcenter to learn more.
Anyone dealing with sexual violence can also call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
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Authorities confirmed the bodies that were found beneath a murder suspects Redlands home belonged to missing couple Stephanie Menard, 73, and Daniel Menard, 79.
The San Bernardino County Coroners office confirmed the news on Thursday after the couples next-door neighbor, Michael Sparks, 62, was arrested and charged with the couples murder.
The Menards were first reported missing on Aug. 24 when their friends said they failed to show up for church.
Inside the couples home, located at the Olive Dell Ranch Nudist Resort, their personal items such as cell phones and purses were found. Their abandoned vehicle was parked just down the road from their house with the keys still inside. Their dog, a small white Shih Tzu, was also missing.
On Aug. 29, authorities descended on the nudist ranch and began searching for Sparks who was believed to be hiding on property grounds.
Daniel Menard and Stephanie Menard are seen in an image provided by the Redlands Police Department.
Daniel Menard and Stephanie Menard are seen in an image provided by the Redlands Police Department.
Michael Sparks is seen in an image provided by the Redlands Police Department.
The home of Daniel Menard and Stephanie Menard at the Olive Dell Ranch Nudist Resort in Redlands. (KTLA)
The missing couples vehicle was found abandoned and unlocked down the road from their home in Redlands. (KTLA)
The home of Daniel Menard and Stephanie Menard at the Olive Dell Ranch Nudist Resort in Redlands. (KTLA)
The home of the missing couples next-door neighbor, Michael Sparks, was raided and destroyed by SWAT Team members and law enforcement on August 29, 2024. (KTLA)
The home of the missing couples next-door neighbor, Michael Sparks, was raided and destroyed by SWAT Team members and law enforcement on August 29, 2024. (KTLA)
A SWAT Teams armored vehicle arrived to execute a search warrant at the suspects home on August 29, 2024. (KTLA)
The home of Daniel Menard and Stephanie Menard at the Olive Dell Ranch Nudist Resort in Redlands. (KTLA)
After police were tipped off about where the couples bodies might be located, authorities surrounded Sparks home. He had barricaded himself with a rifle inside, prompting police to use a drone and then a battering ram to tear through and destroy the house.
Sparks was eventually found hiding in a cement bunker beneath his home, in the same location where a cadaver dog alerted officers to bags stuffed with human remains.
Authorities said Sparks attempted to take his own life moments before he was captured, but his rifle misfired. He eventually surrendered and was taken into custody.
Neighbors told KTLA that the suspect and the elderly couple had been neighbors for years and had an ongoing feud. One of the disputes reportedly involved a tree between their properties.
He was mad because Dan cut some tree limbs on a tree that belonged to him and he has held a grudge ever since then, said Tammie Wilkerson, a neighbor. I know he didnt like the Menards. He said it many times that he hated them. But I never thought he would do something like this.
Michael Sparks is seen in an image provided by the Redlands Police Department.
Whats left of Michael Sparks, 62, home, after being accused of killing his elderly Redlands neighbors. (KTLA)
The home of the missing couples next-door neighbor, Michael Sparks, was raided and destroyed by SWAT Team members and law enforcement on August 29, 2024. (KTLA)
Whats left of Michael Sparks, 62, home, after being accused of killing his elderly Redlands neighbors. (KTLA)
A SWAT Teams armored vehicle arrived to execute a search warrant at the suspects home on August 29, 2024. (KTLA)
The home of the missing couples next-door neighbor, Michael Sparks, was raided and destroyed by SWAT Team members and law enforcement on August 29, 2024. (KTLA)
Details on how the couple was killed or a possible motive behind their murder remains under investigation. Authorities said the couples dog had not been located.
San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson and Redlands Chief of Police Rachel Tolber thanked the community for their assistance on the case.
You have a community that, for all intents and purposes that weve seen throughout the week, is a tight-knit community, Anderson said. Obviously, people were very concerned about the Menards. There have been vigils that have been held there.
Im very thankful for all of the partners, including our community, that were able to come together to see the investigation through to fruition, Tolber added.
Sparks was charged with two felony counts of murder. He remains in custody and is expected to appear in court later this week.
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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) A conflict overseas was brought front and center, with congressman Randy Feenstra as speaker.
The group Iowans Supporting Israel hosted a luncheon at the Sioux City Country Club today. The representative spoke on the ongoing war in Gaza. Feenstra, along with Iowa Chamber of Commerce chair Chris McGowen and a board member of Iowans Supporting Israel, answered questions from the crowd of about two dozen people.
I want to tell the story of how important Israel is to the U.S, Representative Feenstra said. We had a great group of people here that wanted to hear and are also advocates of Israel-American relations.
Feenstra will bring what he heard Thursday back to Capitol Hill next week.
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The Israeli army operation against Islamist extremists in Jenin in the northern West Bank has ended, according to a Palestinian media report.
Israeli troops withdrew from the area, which is considered a stronghold of militant Palestinians, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. They had been deployed there for 10 days.
The army did not initially confirm the report, saying only that Israeli forces were still active in order to achieve the goals of the anti-terrorism operation.
So far, 14 militants have been killed and more than 30 suspects have been detained in Jenin, according to the military.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah, 21 people were killed during the operation in the area. Palestinian media has reported serious damage caused to buildings and roads in the area.
According to Palestinian reports, the Israeli army also withdrew from Tulkarem in the north-west of the West Bank, with some smaller-scale military operations elsewhere.
Israel launched a large-scale military operation in several locations in the West Bank last week, saying it was in response to a significant increase in the number of attacks on Israelis.
The West Bank is a separate Palestinian territory from the Gaza Strip, the coastal region where Israel has been waging a war against Islamist group Hamas since October last year.
The situation in the West Bank has significantly worsened since the beginning of the Gaza war. Since then, more than 660 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations, confrontations or attacks in the West Bank, according to the Ministry of Health. At the same time, violence by extremist Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank has also increased.
Israeli military vehicles patrol on empty street as Israeli military offensive continues on Jenin Refugee Camp. Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
An Israeli army operation against Islamist extremists in Jenin in the northern West Bank has ended, according to a Palestinian media report late on Friday.
Israeli troops withdrew from the area, which is considered a stronghold of militant Palestinians, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. They had been deployed there for 10 days.
The Israeli army did not initially confirm the report, saying only that its forces were still active in order to achieve the goals of the anti-terrorism operation.
So far, 14 militants have been killed and more than 30 suspects have been detained in Jenin, according to the military.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah, 21 people were killed during the operation in the area. Palestinian media has reported serious damage caused to buildings and roads in the area.
According to Palestinian reports, the Israeli army also withdrew from Tulkarem in the north-west of the West Bank, with some smaller-scale military operations elsewhere.
Meanwhile a 13-year-old girl was killed in clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank, according to Palestinian sources.
The child was reportedly killed by gunfire from Israeli soldiers, said the Health Ministry in Ramallah.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was investigating the incident.
Palestinian media reported that Israeli settlers entered a Palestinian village near the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank and attacked houses.
Clashes broke out with the residents and the Israeli army intervened with gunfire.
The child was said to have been in her room with her sisters when she was struck in the chest by the gunfire, the WAFA Palestinian news agency reported, citing her father. According to the report, she was later declared dead at the hospital.
The information could not initially be independently verified.
Israel launched a large-scale military operation in several locations in the West Bank last week, saying it was in response to a significant increase in the number of attacks on Israelis.
The West Bank is a separate Palestinian territory from the Gaza Strip, the coastal region where Israel has been waging a war against Palestinian militant organization Hamas since October last year.
The situation in the West Bank has significantly worsened since the beginning of the Gaza war.
Since then, 663 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations, confrontations or attacks in the West Bank, according to the Ministry of Health. At the same time, violence by extremist Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank has also increased.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A Michigan judge has reportedly been removed from the bench after recordings show her using gay slurs, derogatory descriptions of Black people, and claims that she is a new racist.
The Detroit News reported Kathleen Ryan, a probate court judge in Oakland County, was pulled from her docket last week pending an investigation by the Judicial Tenure Commission of internal allegations of unprofessional conduct.
In all, six clips were shared, which cumulatively run 88 seconds. It is unclear when the recordings were made or if Ryan was aware or consented to being recorded.
Oakland County Probate Court Administrator Edward Hutton told WXYZ-TV that he was the one who recorded the audio. Hutton claims he has been harassed by Ryan for years and has been recording conversations for years, as well.
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Hutton claims he has had to put up with Ryans commentary for years and was afraid he would be fired if he spoke up. That apparently changed earlier this year. Hutton claims he filed a sexual harassment complaint against Ryan and, after months of inaction, decided to release the group of recordings.
WXYZ-TV reported that they received the recordings, and that Hutton also sent them to Oakland County Executive David Coulter, who is a target of some of Ryans verbal attacks, Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement and other county officials.
I just want to make it right, Hutton told WXYZ. I havent filed a lawsuit. Im not looking for a payday. I want to keep my job and do it in peace. I want the people in Oakland County that come to court to get a fair shake, to have their day in court, to have an unbiased trier of fact.
Coulter is the target in three of the recordings. The voice identified as Ryans is heard calling Coulter, an openly gay man, a gay slur and a skinny, white girl who is more concerned about the (expletive) AIDS vaccinations.
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Ryan also allegedly claimed to be a new racist.
Like I said before, I was not racist before. I (expletive) am now. I really (expletive) am now. I can honestly say that, the recording states. Im not systemically racist, Im a new racist. I never was, but now I am because youre shoving this (expletive) down my throat, making allegations that you dont know (expletive) about.
In another recording, she made comments comparing African Americans to Black people in other countries.
If youre Black in any other country, youre doing way better. If youre an American Black person then you are a (expletive) lazy piece of (expletive), the recording states.
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Coulter released a statement on social media addressing the recordings, saying, There is absolutely no place for harassment of any kind or for racist or homophobic language by anyone at Oakland County, especially by a judge someone the public must be confident will act fairly and impartially.
Ryan has yet to publicly address the recordings. WXYZ obtained a statement from her legal representatives, who said, We look forward to vindicating Judge Ryan in the appropriate forum.
Ryan has served on the bench in Oakland County since 2011. She was re-elected for another 6-year term in 2022. Ryan was one of two judges running for two seats.
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Republican calls are mounting for sharper focus by former President Donald Trump on inflation and immigration, worried that his penchant for personal attacks and scattered stances on social issues could serve as distractions in his quest to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris.
In key down-ballot races, however, Republicans are still fighting on the culture-war battlefields.
Red- and purple-state Republican Senate challengers are leaning on issues such as transgender rights and "wokeism" to define battle-hardened Democratic incumbents as too liberal and chip away at longstanding brands among their electorates.
The dynamic serves as a recognition that while Trump needs to win over swing voters in purple states, a Republican Senate majority hinges on GOP strongholds like Montana and Ohio, where boiling the race down to a conservative-versus-liberal matchup allows those states' partisan bents to take over.
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"If you're running against a Democrat who's running underneath Trump [on the ballot] in a state where Trump's going to win overwhelmingly, then you have every reason to try to drive a shirts-and-skins election," said GOP strategist Scott Jennings. "Get everybody into their corners, don't let them think that ticket splitting is a good idea or something they should even consider."
Republicans are bullish on their opportunities to unseat Montana Sen. Jon Tester and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown. They're also hoping to expand a future majority by winning seats in purple states such as Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin -- and they're not just relying on kitchen-table issues to do it.
PHOTO: In this Jul. 8, 2024, file photo, Sen. Sherrod Brown arrives for a vote at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. | In this Feb. 5, 2024, file photo, Sen. Jon Tester speaks to reporters as he walks through the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images, Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images, FILE)
Senate Leadership Fund, the top GOP Senate super PAC, released ads in Montana, Ohio and Pennsylvania Tuesday knocking Democratic incumbents there for what they said was support for allowing "biological men" to compete in "women's sports."
Tim Sheehy, the Republican nominee to take on Tester, also knocked Democrats in his opening ad over "drag queen story time on our military bases" and said he was running "to get this woke crap out of our military." At his speech at this summer's Republican convention, Sheehy started his speech by saying, "My name is Tim Sheehy. Those are also my pronouns."
And Bernie Moreno, the GOP nominee in Ohio, wrote on his website that he's running in part to "end wokeness and cancel culture," and a supportive super PAC had hammered one primary opponent as being untrustworthy for being a "champion for trans equality."
The tactics are all part of a strategy to tear down in-state images of Democratic candidates -- Tester and Brown in particular -- as bipartisan dealmakers and instead remake them as nothing more than run-of-the-mill liberals in states where the overall partisan makeup makes such labels untenable. And if they're successful Republican candidates, can just ride on Trump's lengthy red-state coattails.
"It's code for liberal," one GOP strategist working on Senate races said of the recent ads. "It's less about the actual trans issue itself and more about what their support for that issue actually says about their overall worldview."
"Ohio and Montana are the inverse of almost every swing state Senate race of the last three cycles. And what I mean by that is, it's not a question of, can Republicans reach beyond the Trump base to win over voters who didn't support Trump? Neither Tim Sheehy nor Bernie Moreno needs a single voter to vote for them who isn't already voting for Trump," the person added.
Multiple Republican strategists boasted of poll numbers they'd seen of the popularity of GOP stances on transgender issues. A second operative working on Senate races said it was the "better testing and often the best testing message in surveys" they'd seen, and Brad Todd, another GOP strategist, said two campaign's he's working on are planning on releasing ads of their own on the topic.
And for Republican candidates like Sheehy, Moreno and Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania, all of whom can't compete with the name recognition of their multi-term Democratic opponents, social issues offer an avenue to signaling alignment with voters looking to learn more about them.
PHOTO: In this Jul. 16, 2024, file photo, Sen. candidate Bernie Moreno and Sen. candidate Tim Sheehy speak during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis. (Andrew Caballero-reynolds/AFP via Getty Images, FILE)
"You do have to check some boxes with some voters so that they cross that threshold of, 'Well, is this even someone that is culturally aligned with me enough to consider?' And that issue right there for a lot of more culturally conservative voters is one that definitely pops," Jennings said.
The moves mark a stark contrast with the conventional wisdom in the presidential race, where Republicans are pushing Trump to focus on the economy and border security and leave aside issues such as transgender athletes, gender-affirming care for minors and his scattershot stances on some women's reproductive rights matters. Still, some references to culture-war issues could prove advantageous, according to Republican strategists.
"I do think [in the presidential race], voters look to it more as a wrong track/right track on the economy. They see the president as the person steering the ship of economic state and in charge of sovereignty," Todd said. "I think because those issues are so closely tied to the president and Republicans have an advantage on both of them, that's why you don't see as much discussed there. But they would be fair game."
MORE: Ticket-splitters hold the key to majorities in both chambers of Congress
To be certain, Republicans are not hinging their Senate prospects solely on red meat, telling ABC News that it's just one piece of the puzzle and that burnishing their own credentials on kitchen table issues is also critical.
"The type of people could vote for Donald Trump and Jon Tester, Donald Trump and Sherrod Brown, we know those people exist. They're going to start to say, 'OK, I get it. Tester is Biden, Brown is Biden. So, what do you got for me? What's my alternative? Give me something,'" said a third GOP strategist working on Senate races. "You just can't be generic Republican versus a liberal, because that's been tried, and that clearly doesn't work against Tester and Brown."
Still, the person added, "you got to have more than one arrow in your quiver, and that's the cultural stuff. There's a place for it in these races."
Some Democrats swatted away concerns that Republicans' messaging was as potent as they claimed.
"Does anyone base their vote on this issue? How many people has this actually happened to?" Democratic strategist and former Senate aide Jon Reinish asked of transgender rights issues. "I'm expecting it is slim to probably none."
But other Democrats told ABC News that transgender rights and other culture war topics could be potent in red states and made sense as a strategy where simply keeping GOP voters in line could deliver Republican victories -- and with them, likely the Senate majority.
"Those are just redder states where I think the culture war stuff just gets more traction and playing to your base can get you over 50%," one Democratic pollster said. "So, it does not surprise me at all to take that tact in these redder states."
Republicans want Trump to stick to economy, immigration. Down ballot, they're fighting the culture wars originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration plans to impose export controls on critical technologies including quantum computing and semiconductor goods, seeking to align key allies in a US-led push to thwart advancements in China and other adversarial nations.
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The envisioned rules target quantum computers and components, advanced chipmaking tools, a cutting-edge semiconductor technology called gate all-around, and various components and software related to metals and metal alloys. They cover all worldwide exports, but include licensing exemptions for countries that implement similar measures. That group includes Japan and the Netherlands, among other allies, and the US anticipates that more nations will follow, the Commerce Department said in a press release.
The promise of more lenient license approvals offers an incentive for countries to join the US camp, given American leadership in a range of academic fields and research partnerships. Washington has been cracking down for years on China and other adversaries ability to access cutting-edge technologies needed for artificial intelligence, over fears that advanced chips and components could lend Beijing a military edge.
On Friday, ASML Holding NV which makes chip gear crucial to the production of most advanced semiconductors said it can now go to the Dutch government for approval to ship certain types of machines, rather than the US. And Taiwans economic minister said the island will take its cues from Washington.
We respect global norms, Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-huei told reporters. Taiwan cannot be independent from the norms of friendly countries in the world. I think we should follow suit.
Earlier: US Weighs More Limits on Chinas Access to Chips for AI
The US effort has included unilateral measures that Washington has tried to coordinate with a handful of key allies such as sweeping semiconductor export controls first imposed in 2022 as well as restrictions negotiated through a broader international framework, like those issued Thursday.
Aligning our controls on quantum and other advanced technologies makes it significantly more difficult for our adversaries to develop and deploy these technologies in ways that threaten our collective security, Alan Estevez, who runs the Commerce Departments Bureau of Industry and Security, said in a statement.
Story continues
The US and China are leading a global push by governments to explore quantum computing, which some argue will revolutionize technology. While local experts have expressed concern about the impact of Washington sanctions on Beijings efforts in quantum technology, its still too early to tell whether theyre significantly disrupting research in China.
Years away from delivering world-changing performance, quantum computers promise speeds millions of times faster than classical computers. Countries around the world are investing billions of dollars in quantum computers partly out of fear about the military and economic advantages they may yield.
Thursdays action opens a 60-day public comment period before officials issue a final rule.
The US has separately been working on a new package of chip-related export controls that would target Chinas access to so-called high-bandwidth memory chips, an essential AI component, as well as a range of semiconductor manufacturing tools, Bloomberg has reported. That effort includes measures with a global focus but with exemptions for key allies including Japan and the Netherlands, home to two of the most important companies in the chip supply chain.
Washington is pressuring Tokyo and the Hague to adopt similar rules, but has faced pushback from both governments, who are reluctant to harm their champion companies and in Japans case, fearful of retaliation from China.
Both Japan and the Netherlands have already imposed some restrictions aligning with the original US rules in 2022, but with key differences that have frustrated American companies. Washington is working to close those gaps with some recent progress in the Netherlands and pursue a multilateral strategy on the latest potential measures.
China is opposed to the US turning trade and tech issues into political issues and weapons Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing. Obstructing normal cooperation on tech and trade and economic exchange violates the principle of market economy, destabilizes global industry and supply chains and serves no ones interest.
--With assistance from Jane Lanhee Lee, Cagan Koc, Cindy Wang and Colum Murphy.
(Corrects day on ASML reference in fourth paragraph.)
Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek
2024 Bloomberg L.P.
TAMPA (BLOOM) Recently, a team of dedicated biologists tracked down three tiny Florida panther kittens, dubbed K522, K523, and K524, as part of an ongoing effort to monitor and conserve this endangered species.
The team used a GPS collar to follow an adult female panther to her den and waited for her to head out on a hunting trip before jumping into action.
Once inside the den, the team quickly began their work. Each kitten, just two to four weeks old, was sexed, weighed, dewormed, microchipped, and had a small biopsy taken for genetic research. These assessments are vital to the continued study of Florida panthers, providing data on litter size, sex ratios, den site selection, and more.
Over the last 32 years, researchers have sampled 524 kittens as part of this critical conservation work.
Despite the teams dedication, the life of a Florida panther is fraught with danger. Sadly, two of the three kittens were confirmed to have been predated by another carnivorelikely a bear or another panther. With a survival rate of just 32% for kittens making it to their first birthday, K524 remains the sole survivor of this litter.
This rescue serves as both a touching reminder of the resilience of wildlife and a sobering reflection of the challenges these endangered cats face.
Residents of Florida can take an active role in supporting the protection of Florida panthers. Purchasing a Protect the Panther license plate helps fund research and conservation efforts aimed at securing the future of these majestic felines. You can also donate directly to the Florida Panther Fund through the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida, contributing to the ongoing work to ensure their survival.
For more information on how to support these efforts:
Check out the adorable photos from the rescue below, showing these tiny panthers at the beginning of their lifes journey. Heres to hoping K524 grows up strong and continues the legacy of Floridas iconic wild cat.
(Images: K522, K523, and K524 being carefully handled by the research team)
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Residents in a Louisiana city devastated by 2020 hurricanes are still far from recovery
Terra Hillman shows the exterior damage that still exists to her home, caused by Hurricanes Laura and Delta four years ago, in Lake Charles, La., Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) Every other day Lois Malvo waits for her son to bring six buckets of water from a spigot in the backyard. He then bathes his 78-year-old mother using water heated on the stove and washes her with a spray pump he bought online.
It's been four years since hurricanes Laura and Delta decimated Lake Charles in southwest Louisiana, and Malvo is still without plumbing. Unable to afford repairs without federal funds she fears will never arrive, Malvo remains in a crumbling home where the floor sags and wires poke from the ceiling.
In the midst of peak hurricane season, recovery continues at a creeping pace in a community the Weather Channel once called America's most weather-battered city. Some residents in Lake Charles, a mostly Black city where one-fifth of the population live in poverty, are stuck in similar conditions as they were immediately following the 2020 hurricanes. They fear they've slipped through the cracks, even as some have been approved for federal funds but face a nearing deadline to close on their award or risk losing it.
While some homeowners continue to wait for financial relief, others are in legal limbo with insurance companies they say gravely underestimated their damage. Then there are those who simply cannot find housing, after the hurricanes destroyed apartment complexes and neighborhoods.
Its very, very frustrating to live like this," Malvo said. "Sometimes I'm so down I just feel like giving up.
State of Lake Charles
Hurricane Laura, one of the most powerful storms to strike Louisiana, tore through Lake Charles in August 2020. Six weeks later, Hurricane Delta delivered another blow, largely following the same destructive path.
Evacuated residents returned home from the storms to catastrophic damage, saying it looked like an atomic bomb had detonated. A few months later, winter storms caused pipes to burst and knocked out water systems.
The back-to-back hurricanes inflicted an estimated $22 billion in damage throughout the U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center, with Louisiana taking the brunt of the hit. Delta and Laura were also blamed for causing 49 direct deaths nationwide and in the Caribbean.
While there are signs of rebuilding and growth in much of Lake Charles, other areas appear frozen in time. Students learn in modular classrooms outside a still-unusable high school. A 22-story office building, once a city icon, remains an abandoned eyesore and is slated for demolition. FEMA-issued blue tarps covering damaged roofs have disintegrated to tatters.
Federal funding delays
Residents waited years for substantial federal funding to reach Lake Charles as Congress dealt with another crisis: the COVID-19 pandemic.
It wasnt until 2022 a year and a half of struggle later and months after Louisiana grappled with more disasters, flash flooding and Hurricane Ida barreling into Louisianas southeastern coast communities that financial relief homeowners longed for was announced.
Of that, $1 billion was allocated to Louisiana Restore; the states program tasked with distributing federal funds to homeowners impacted by natural disasters. Immediately, more than 8,000 homeowners affected by Laura and Delta completed the first step to qualify. About 60% were invited to apply based on factors like the extent of their homes damage according to Restores assessments.
Tasha Guidry organized grassroots efforts, assisting dozens of people to qualify for Restore by helping them prepare up to date wills and succession documents reflecting the current ownership of the house.
Guidry managed to get her own home rebuilt by Restore, but like other residents The Associated Press interviewed, she acknowledged it was a battle and some of the most vulnerable in the city lost out on receiving sufficient recovery funds.
The process was very tedious, she said. A lot of our people gave up because they didnt understand how to navigate the process.
Restore received 3,935 applications from homeowners impacted by Laura or Delta. About two-thirds were offered funding, totaling $201 million. So far, $91 million has been distributed among 1,444 homeowners. Around 1,400 people were rejected and a few thousand werent approved to apply.
A remaining 440 homeowners approved for Restore funding have just two months left to close on their award or risk losing it.
Rejection reasons vary from having FEMA-assessed damages less than $3,000, carrying a certain level of insurance, homeowners being unable to account for prior recovery money they received or missing documentation.
Among the rejected was Antoinette Chretien, who used insurance money and a FEMA loan to partially fix her home. But it wasnt enough. The house still smells of mildew and remains crooked.
Chretien said she was initially promised that Restore would help rebuild her home but was recently refused because she had already received some assistance for repairs.
In total, 80% of the programs $1 billion fund has been earmarked to homeowners impacted by the 2020 or 2021 hurricanes. About $169 million, in funds for affected residents, have not been allocated by the state.
Insurance woes
In downtown Lake Charles, a brick house sits with a chunk gouged out and a patchwork of tarps covering missing pieces of the roof. The home's owner, Terra Hillman, lives in the backyard in a FEMA trailer a sardine can, she says, compared to her now rotting home.
It's literally falling down and collapsing before my eyes," Hillman said. "It's like watching somebody with cancer slowly die.
Hillman says she has an estimated $300,000 worth of damage to her home. Her insurance company paid her around $30,000.
Hillman recently received a notice saying she's violating local ordinances by still living in the trailer. She said FEMA wants her out, though she has nowhere to go.
I dont really know how much more I can take it, she said.
The two hurricanes resulted in more than 200,000 residential property claims filed in Louisiana, according to data from the state Department of Insurance. Insurers paid out at least $5 billion in claims to homeowners. According to a report by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Laura alone caused an estimated $17.5 billion in damage to Louisiana.
Residents and officials say insurance companies have made recovery harder for Lake Charles. Some homeowners were forced into litigation to get fair deals. Others couldnt afford the time or cost of a court battle and settled for a fraction of what they believe they're owed.
As claims mounted, a handful of companies declared bankruptcy or fled Louisiana, shifting tens of thousands of claims to the states bailout program. Louisiana's insurance crisis continues, with fewer companies doing business in the state, resulting in higher premiums.
Housing crisis
The hurricanes wiped out neighborhoods and apartment complexes, leaving affordable housing in short supply. None of the citys 463 public housing units are currently livable and hundreds of Section 8 houses have been lost, leaving fewer options for the citys poorest residents, according to Ben Taylor, executive director of the Lake Charles Housing Authority.
Some displaced residents were forced to leave Lake Charles.
Ramona Breaux and her two children moved two hours away to live with relatives in Houston. Breaux, 60, is disabled and lives on a fixed income. For more than a decade she rented a subsidized home in Lake Charles, which burned down soon after Delta.
Since then, she has been unable to find an affordable living space in the city where she was born and raised.
I want to come home, said Breaux, who spends Sunday mornings online watching services at the church she left in Lake Charles.
Breaux isn't alone. The population of Lake Charles dropped an estimated 6.2% from 2020 to 2023. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it was the 12th steepest decline in the nation.
Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said the city is doing what it can. New housing developments expected to be finished next year should leave the city with more rental units than it had before the storms.
New homes are also being built to be more resilient to future hurricanes, said Thomas Corley of SBP, an organization that has helped Lake Charles and other hurricane-impacted communities rebuild. They're being topped with roofs that can better withstand powerful winds and waterproof kitchen cabinets.
Post-hurricane trauma
For some, the road to full recovery may take a lifetime. The hurricanes left residents grappling with trauma and anxiety that ignites when threatening forecasts and stormy skies return.
Darleen Wesley and her family spent years living in a home with boarded up windows and a leaking roof as they waited for home repairs and fought their insurer in court. Now they're finally back in their rebuilt home after spending months living in their backyard workshop during construction.
Still, Wesley's daughter calls her, panicking, whenever it thunders. And Wesley tries not to think about what might happen when the next hurricane hits.
And then Im right back where I started, she said. How do I prepare for this again?"
___
Cline reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96.
After an unusually long five-year wait, two retired Detroit police officers and a former Oakland County businessman who took plea deals in 2019 in a complex criminal case involving stolen police reports and auto accident victim solicitation have finally been sentenced.
A federal judge in Detroit this week sentenced the last of the case's four original defendants, all of whom pleaded guilty back in May 2019 to conspiracy to defraud the government. They were each sentenced to either one or two years of supervised release, plus combined joint restitution of nearly $85,000.
The Federal courthouse in downtown Detroit
After the pleadings, the federal government went on to indict numerous additional defendants in separate cases related to the underlying cash-for-car crash reports scheme. But most of those other defendants including two attorneys with a Southfield auto accident law firm were ultimately acquitted or had all of their charges dropped.
The original four defendants cooperated with the government for the follow-on cases. Those cases took years to wind through the court system, resulting in the long wait between the plea deals and the eventual sentencings.
In one of those related follow-on cases, the same federal judge, Matthew Leitman, said during a hearing this May on alleged tax violations that a Department of Justice attorney, along with an FBI agent, gave "false and grossly misleading" testimony to a grand jury to get indictments. The judge went on to dismiss all remaining charges in that case against two defendants: metro Detroit businessman Cory Mann, as well as an accountant.
On Wednesday, Judge Leitman sentenced the last of the four original defendants.
That defendant, Jayson Rosett, who once owned physical therapy clinics, had admitted to using police reports obtained from various sources including the two now-retired Detroit police officers to solicit accident victims to become clients for his clinic or clients for law firms between 2009 to 2014.
His father, Robert Rosett, also was involved in the scheme and was another of the four key defendants. However, the elder Rosett died July 14 at age 82 at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit two months before his own scheduled sentencing.
Following his May 2019 plea deal, Jayson Rosett cooperated with the government and testified several times in the related cases. He also divested himself of his physical therapy clinics by giving them to his employees, and relocated with his family to Florida, where he started a new business that cleans trash receptacles for home and condo owners, according to court documents.
"Mr. Rosett will always feel terrible about his father being wrapped up in this situation and having to deal with these charges for the last six years of his life," his attorney, Ben Gonek, wrote in court documents.
The two now-retired police officers Karen Miller and Carol Almeranti each were sentenced June 25 and given supervised release and the joint $85,000 restitution order.
Their role in the underlying scheme was secretly downloading the department's police reports on vehicle crashes before they were publicly available, then selling the "unapproved" reports to the Rosetts.
Early access to such reports can give valuable early leads for those who sell medical or legal services to auto accident victims.
The department at the time sold approved versions of police reports on vehicle accidents to the public for $17 each, with $10 going to the department and $7 to the database provider LexisNexis.
The retired officers testified that they didn't think they were doing anything illegal, based on assurances from a Wayne County judge.
Lawyers for Rosett, Miller and Almeranti did not respond to messages seeking comment for this article.
The two attorneys with a Southfield-based law firm, Auto Accident Attorneys, who faced wire fraud conspiracy charges in one of the related cases, ultimately beat all the charges against them.
Last fall the Justice Department dropped the charges against attorney Brent Sitto shortly before an October trial date.
In the trial, Sitto's law partner, Glenn Franklin, was found guilty by a jury, along with another businessman, John Angelo, whom prosecutors said was involved in selling the "unapproved" police reports to Franklin.
However, Franklin and Angelo ultimately were acquitted in July of all the charges by Judge Leitman.
The judge determined there was insufficient evidence that Angelo knew the police reports on the car crashes were obtained through fraud, and what's more, that the reports didn't actually constitute "property" under the wire fraud statute.
"He should have never been charged. Because according to the law, it was never a violation of the wire fraud statute, Franklin's attorney, Harold Gurewitz of Detroit-based Gurewitz & Raben, told the Free Press. It (a police report) is just not property. And so the federal government was barking up the wrong tree."
None of the defendants were charged under state laws that prohibit accessing or buying police reports of auto accident accidents for solicitation use in the first 30 days after a crash, or to solicit a crash victim for commercial purposes during that first month. Violation is a misdemeanor offense with possible jail time and fines.
Contact JC Reindl: 313-378-5460 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit police officers, businessman sentenced in stolen reports case
When the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News published the 2019 expose "Abuse of Faith," documenting how the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) spent more than 20 years covering up sexual abuse allegations against nearly 400 clergymen, Christa Brown described it as a "hallelujah moment." In her memoir, Baptistland, Brown recounts her own abuse by a pastor and her healing journey, providing solace for fellow victims.
Brown details the maddeningly minimal progress the country's largest Protestant denomination has made to protect members after those revelations. Ignoring calls for meaningful action, attendees of the SBC's 2024 annual meeting instead passed resolutions supporting Israel and opposing in vitro fertilization and voted to oust the First Baptist Church of Alexandria for allowing women pastors.
The biblically bereft boys club in Baptistland mirrors the dynamics of American politics. Through scandals and convictions, the powerful prioritize retaining their positions. SBC promises of "bold steps" resemble campaign promisesjust as politicians expect voters to be placated after elections, SBC patriarchs expect victims to be satisfied with another toothless task force.
Brownwhose abuser has continued working in the SBCexposes the hypocrisy of an organization that claims to "demonstrate God's compassion to the needy" while shielding predators from accountability.
The post Review: Inside the Southern Baptist Sexual Assault Crisis appeared first on Reason.com.
RFK Jr. removed from NC ballot, Court of Appeals rules; no ballots can go out Friday
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) An order to stop ballots from going out Friday and to remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s name from the ballot has been entered by the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
CBS 17 obtained the order which states the NC Board of Elections is enjoined from disseminating ballots which list RFK Jr. as a candidate for President of the United States.
This order comes just one day after a Wake County judge rejected RFK Jr.s request to be removed from the ballot in North Carolina. It is unknown whether the State Board of Elections will attempt to appeal the order in the NC Supreme Court.
PREVIOUS | RFK Jr. sues NC Board of Elections to have name removed from ballots
An email from the NCSBE to all county boards of election give guidance on what should and should not be done at a local level for now. The full email from Paul Cox, the General Counsel for the NCSBE says:
Directors (via BCC):
The Court of Appeals just issued an order reversing the denial of the restraining order that was requested by Kennedy. It is attached. The court has ordered a further pause to ballot distribution. Do not send any ballots out today.
The court has also ordered that the We The People partys ballot line be removed (including Kennedy and Shanahan). Obviously, this will be a major undertaking for everyone. Our attorneys are reviewing the order and determining how to move forward. No decision has been made on whether this ruling will be appealed.
Bottom line: continue to hold your outgoing absentee ballotsboth military and overseas citizen ballots, and ballots for civilian voters. We will update you immediately with any further developments.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for the latest updates.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Former Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. successfully withdrew his name from the state of Wyomings ballot, further minimizing his presence on the ballot box in the wake of his endorsement of former President Trump.
Kennedy, who suspended his White House bid and backed the GOP nominee in late August, notified the Wyoming secretary of States office on Wednesday that he planned to remove his name from the states general election ballot. The request was granted.
Following his notice of withdrawal, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will not appear on the ballot as a presidential candidate in Wyoming, Secretary of State Chuck Gray said in a Thursday media release. Our office is dedicated to providing continued, transparent service to the people of Wyoming.
The environmental lawyer, who initially kicked off his presidential run as a Democrat, submitted petitions as an independent presidential candidate on Aug. 26.
The withdrawal comes as Kennedy looks to get off the ballot in battleground states to avoid potentially being a spoiler. When publicly announcing his support for Trump during an appearance in Arizona, Kennedy stated he would remain on the ballot in most red and blue states.
I want everyone to know that I am not terminating my campaign, Kennedy said. I am simply suspending it and not ending it. My name will remain on the ballot in most states.
Kennedy will not be on the ballot in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania, according to CBS News. Those are all swing states that could go either to Trump or Vice President Harris in November. In Michigan, a judge ruled Tuesday that the former White House candidate has to remain on the ballot. Similarly, Wisconsin, another likely battleground, declined to remove his name. A North Carolina judge denied Kennedys effort to take his name off the ballot, The Associated Press reported Thursday. Kennedys lawyer said the decision would be appealed.
Kennedy, who was tapped to be a part of Trumps transition team, said Wednesday that he plans to do swing state rallies with the former president and his campaign surrogates.
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Rhode Island to Keep Control of Providence Schools for Three More Years
This article was originally published in Rhode Island Current.
Providence will get its schools back from state control, Rhode Islands education commissioner promised Thursday night. Just not right now.
Angelica Infante-Green, commissioner of the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), supplied her long-awaited recommendation as to whether the state takeover of Providences public schools, which started in November 2019, should continue, at a meeting of the Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education.
RIDE does not intend and I wanna repeat that does not intend to keep the district forever, Infante-Green told the council.
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But the state does want to hold the district close a little longer: Infante-Green advised that the council extend the state intervention through Oct.15, 2027, and it was unanimously approved by the council.
Related
Rhode Islands Ed Chief on Charters, Enrollment Loss and Providences Future
Infante-Green indicated that there was also a chance local control could return before the end of the three year period, if theres sufficient progress in student proficiency and other stakeholders willingness to work in tandem with RIDE. That didnt mollify the Providence School Board, the mayors office or the City Council, all of whom noted their disappointment in statements following the meeting.
A premature end to the takeover extension would require council approval, the councils chair Patricia DiCenso confirmed to reporters after the meeting. But it would not necessitate that the district fulfills everything outlined in the states turnaround action plan the guiding set of metrics used to evaluate the takeovers success.
During the meeting, a pair of old wooden chairs helped Infante-Green illustrate why the state takeover of Providence public schools isnt ready to end.
She motioned to the scratched, chipped and dented seats, which were staged against a wall in an education department conference room. The councilors spun around to look. The chairs once belonged to the auditorium in Providences Hope High School, which first underwent state intervention back in the 2000s and initially saw gains in problem areas before returning to pre-takeover disorder within a few years.
The chairs are normally stationed outside the commissioners office a reminder, she said, of the need to see things through for students.
It reminds me that we cannot fail them yet again, Infante-Green said. The importance of the symbolism of Hope High School is the cautionary example of what happens when the state leaves too early.
State control not unique
When Infante-Green spoke to reporters on Aug. 16, the day two progress reports on the takeover were released, she said that all three options end, continue or revise the takeover were still on the table.
One report from Harvard Graduate School of Education showed post-pandemic progress in Providence schools compared to similar districts in other New England states. But anyone who read the report RIDE paid $120,600 for, from education consulting firm SchoolWorks, might have surmised that the school system is nowhere near reaching its turnaround goals.
One example: In the 2022-2023 school year, eighth-graders math proficiency was at 6%, which was one percentage point lower than the pre-takeover baseline numbers from 2018. The turnaround action plan wanted 50% proficiency in math by 2026.
In five years, the Providence takeover has drawn much media and legislative attention including a study commission led by Sen. Sam Zurier, a Providence Democrat and education committee member who often reminisces fondly at state house meetings about his own time in Providence schools. The commissions 275-page report in May, concluded that a more lasting solution for the Providence takeover could derive inspiration from other states, like the Springfield Empowerment Zone in Massachusetts that nullified the threat of an imminent state takeover with new arrangements for collective bargaining and shared governance of schools.
As Zuriers commission found, history indeed repeats, and the Providence takeover is not unique. State control has been tested to varied results in school districts big and small. The state of Texas took over Houstons schools in 2023, a big experiment given that the district serves over 194,000 students, a lot more than Providences approximately 22,000 students. New Orleans schools came under state control in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the city has since transitioned to a distinct model of charter-only education. Even in Rhode Island, Providences neighbor Central Falls has had its schools under state control for over 30 years. The Providence Public Schools building on Westminster Street is where the Providence School Board meets. But the boards powers have been delimited since the state takeover in 2019, rendering some of their actions like an Aug. 21, 2024, resolution to end the takeover statutorily toothless. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
Underperformance and funding tend to underline the decision to seize control of a municipal school district. Subpar education in Providence was a salient argument in the 2019 Johns Hopkins School of Education report that predated the takeover: The great majority of students are not learning on, or even near, grade level, the report stated.
Rhode Islands annual proficiency assessments for third- and eighth-grade students will be released this fall, but the recent SchoolWorks data suggests that underperformance is still the norm.
Tepid reception to takeover
Before the council voted on the commissioners recommendation, chair DiCenso pointed to funding as the foremost challenge.
When this district went into control, they were listed as the worst in the country, DiCenso said. And I dont think it was the families fault. I dont think it was the childrens fault. I dont think it was the teachers fault. I look back at 17 years, or at least 10-plus years, of level funding, no funding from this city to say We believe in our schools.
We just cant pretend that its all about whats happening at the building level and at the district level, DiCenso said.
Michael Grey, who chairs the state Board of Education, seemed content with the turnaround plans potential for accountability.
I also think that this is incumbent upon the commissioner, because the weight of this is on her, statutorily, and on us as advisers to be the one that makes the call, Grey said.
That contrasted the opinion of the Providence School Board, who voted unanimously last Thursday to pass a resolution urging the commissioner to end the takeover a motion as symbolic as the chairs outside Infante-Greens office, given that the state takeover has stripped away most of the municipal bodys powers.
I have felt, and I think I can speak for some of my board members, completely powerless, said board member Anjel Newmann last week. And if we feel powerless, how do our students and families feel? No shade to the commissioner [but] I want to see the district come back to a community, into a collective, and not be subject to one persons veto power.
School board President Erlin Rogel reaffirmed that viewpoint in an email Thursday after the council vote, and called the continued takeover disappointing a sentiment shared by Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and City Council President Rachel Miller.
We have also heard from families, teachers and our own city departments that there is still a lot of room for improvement in fostering a climate of collaboration and community that is required to move the district forward on a timeline that our students deserve, Smiley and Miller offered in a joint statement Thursday, and added that they were disappointed by the recommendation.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Infante-Green characterized her decision as a positive one for Providence students and families.
This is about supporting the district in a way that could not happen, she said. That is the bottom line. I think we all know that mayor after mayor after mayor has tried. I think this mayors putting some processes in place, but theres a lot of work that still needs to happen.
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.
RICHLAND, Miss. (WJTV) Richland police, along with the U.S. Marshals Service, arrested a man who was wanted in North Carolina on sex crime charges.
Investigators said they received information that the suspect, Mark Jacques Greene, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was possibly staying at a Richland hotel. He had eight active felony warrants for:
Two counts of Child Rape
Four counts of Statutory sex offense with a child
Two counts of indecent liberties with a child
Pedestrian hit, killed on I-55 in Jackson
Police said the suspects vehicle was located at a local hotel and after conducting surveillance, Greene was positively identified while loading personal belongings into the vehicle.
Authorities attempted to arrest Greene, but they said he ran away. After he was surrounded by officers and two K-9s were deployed, police said Greene surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident.
Mark Jacques Greene (Courtesy: Richland Police Dept.)
After Greenes arrest, police said they uncovered what appeared to be a credit card fraud operation, where Greene was involved in stealing bank account information and cloning cards with the stolen account information.
Greene will be extradited back to North Carolina.
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Richmond Hill wraps up debris removal, says it turned away help from county
RICHMOND HILL, Ga. (WSAV) As storm debris removal from Tropical Storm Debby wraps up, loss estimates reach into the billions.
The city of Richmond Hill says other than some large appliances that use hazardous chemicals, all debris removal is complete.
City Manager Chris Lovell tells News 3 the debris removal crews will make one more run-through on Monday, Sept. 9, to give residents the weekend to get everything they want tossed to the curb for pickup.
Since debris removal began, on Aug. 22, the contractor has picked up more than 7,000 cubic yards of debris left by flooding caused by Debby. Much of the debris is housing materials such as sheetrock, carpet and flooring.
Residents of Richmond Hill say their homes were not just flooded by floodwaters but sewage too, leaving behind a toxic environment and smell.
Bryan County, Richmond Hill leaders meet with VOAD
Despite the citys request to residents for patience, many living in impacted neighborhoods lamented on social media saying the debris removal was too slow and laborious.
WSAV reached out to Bryan County to learn if leaders there offered to assist its city of Richmond Hill in the debris pick-up process.
Through an Open Records request, WSAV received documentation that shows on Aug. 28, Bryan Countys Public Works Director Matt Montanye offered county resources to assist in debris removal multiple times including an offer to provide personnel, labor and equipment. The only cost to the city would be the tipping fees charged at the dump when each debris haul was delivered.
On Aug. 29, Montanye informed County Administrator Ben Taylor and Interim EMA Director Anthony Van Es that Richmond Hill declined the offer of assistance.
In response to WSAVs inquiry as to why the city turned down the countys offer, Lovell said, The main reason we declined was by the time we had the offer late on the 28th, we had already confirmed an additional loader from the contractor, which was shown by the expedience of our completion from that date. In addition, we have to be extremely careful with the monitoring component with FEMA for reimbursement.
When disasters strike communities, the cost to clean up the mess and help residents can soar into the hundreds of thousands, millions or even billions of dollars. Since those amounts can far exceed a municipalitys budget process, the federal government assists through FEMA with reimbursements to pay back communities for the money spent cleaning up areas deemed a disaster area by the government.
Through high-resolution models and data, Karen Clark & Company based out of Boston, estimates the cost from Debby through all states could reach $1.4 billion with $440 million coming from inland flooding seen in areas such as Bulloch County, Chatham County, Ft. Stewart and Richmond Hill.
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As economic development staff continue to pursue international business opportunities, Kansas officials are looking into a potential customs expansion at the state's largest airport.
The Kansas Department of Commerce has an open request for proposals for a feasibility study for a U.S. Customs and Border Protection port expansion at Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita.
Customs expansion could benefit all of Kansas
A Commerce Department spokesperson denied an interview request, saying it would be "premature."
"The feasibility study is basically an information-gathering study to determine if there is enough demand, both in passengers and cargo, to support a larger Customs facility in Wichita," said Valerie Wise, the air service and marketing manager for the Wichita Airport Authority. "The current facility is limited to clearing 15 passenger aircraft and is the only Customs facility in the State of Kansas. ICT Customs is a port of entry which means it provides customs and immigration services for incoming flights.
"The ability to bring international cargo directly into Kansas before stopping to clear at a Customs Port could be beneficial to our manufacturers and could spur economic growth. Nonstop flights to certain destinations in Mexico could also be supported."
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita could get a customs port expansion as Kansas pursues more international commerce.
It's possible that Topeka and its airports could benefit from such a project.
"The Kansas economy is diverse and global," said Curtis Sneden, the director of development for the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority. "Especially in a sprawling interconnected sector like aviation, every effort by the State to grow international business is welcome because it stands to benefit all the communities, like Topeka, which are making important contributions to aviation as a whole in Kansas."
ICT airport customs expansion would support international commerce
The RFP indicates the potential customs expansion at ICT is due to international business growth.
"This is under consideration primarily for handling international cargo to support the needs of existing Kansas companies and to support further international business development in the state," the RFP states. "International commercial passenger service is also relevant to the proposed project.
"The feasibility study should collect and analyze pertinent data from public and private sources including from manufacturing, agriculture, free trade zone specialists, and logistics providers to support an assessment of the economic impact of the expansion under consideration. Given the importance of Mexico as a trading partner, the feasibility study should also include the potential to incorporate Unified Cargo Processing at ICT."
Story continues
More: As Kansas leaders tout 'successful year in economic development,' workers are too few
Kansas commerce officials have sought international business
Gov. Laura Kelly and Lt. Gov David Toland, who also serves as commerce secretary, have made international business a large part of their economic development strategy. They rebuild the Commerce Department's international division, and they added contractors dedicated to certain markets.
In the past 14 months, Kelly has promoted Kansas business opportunities on international trips to England, Canada, Germany, South Korea, Japan and France.
An expanded customs facility could further boost the state's international trade. The Commerce Department reported nearly $14 billion worth of exports in 2022, which was an all-time high.
Kansas' top five exports by commodity classifications were as follows:
Aircraft and parts. Meat and edible meat offal. Industrial machinery. Cereals. Electric machinery.
More: Kansas farmers to supply grain to Taiwan as part of $576 million wheat trade deal
Kansas' top five exports markets were as follows:
Mexico. Canada. Japan. China. South Korea.
Kansas has also seen international business investments. Among the largest in recent years are Kubota's Great Plains Manufacturing operation in Salina, Schwan's pizza manufacturing facility in Salina, and Panasonic's electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto. There are also other international businesses, like Bimbo Bakeries in Topeka, that contributed to the Commerce Department's reported 76,100 jobs in Kansas directly supported by foreign-owned affiliates.
Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla previously said Topeka Regional Airport is well positioned to benefit from any air travel and shipping needs of Panasonic.
Officials have also said Topeka's airport, which is part of planning for modifying passenger planes into cargo planes, will benefit from an international need for freighter aircraft
More: Vaerus Aviation will build a new hangar at Topeka Regional Airport, adding more jobs
What will the feasibility study look at?
The winning bidder on the RFP would have certain work required as part of the study, which has a maximum budget of $25,000.
The contractor will have to identify "the current business base, export base, markets, supply chain networks, and the potential for growth of markets and businesses relative to ICT," as well as "existing companies, industries, and supply chains that will benefit from an expanded U.S. Customs Facility at ICT."
The contractor will also have to analyze cargo import and export needs of Kansas companies and the needs of international travelers visiting companies in Kansas. Among several other tasks in the scope of work are identifying freight forwarders to recruit to operate at ICT and identify potential funding sources for a customs expansion.
More: Former Kansans wanted: Kansas launches $2M marketing campaign inviting you back home
Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas studies customs port expansion at Wichita ICT airport
Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley speaks to a crowd of 80 to 100 Republicans in Omaha on Thursday, Sept. 5. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)
OMAHA Michael Whatley, chairman of the Republican National Committee, visited Nebraska on Thursday to encourage local Republicans to volunteer as poll workers, poll watchers and attorneys familiar with election law.
Whatley was one of the lead Republican attorneys that the George W. Bush campaign leaned on in 2000 in Broward County, Florida, to push back against Democratic Party efforts during a recount of the Bush race against Al Gore.
His appearance at a training session co-hosted by the Nebraska Republican Party was part of the RNCs swing state and swing congressional district push to restore Republican faith in voting processes by monitoring them.
Its also a sign that former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, is still interested in competing for Nebraskas swing 2nd District. The state is one of two that awards a single Electoral College vote to the presidential popular vote winner in each congressional district.
Trump sowed doubts
Trump has raised doubts, often without evidence, about voting by mail. Some political observers have said his unwillingness to accept his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden depressed GOP turnout in 2021 and 2022.
But the RNC has been brainstorming ways to remind Republican voters who have lost faith that their vote still counts. Critics of the program have argued that it is aimed at slowing down the process to certification if the race is once again close.
The RNC says it has largely settled on trying to make sure that election rules are consistent, that voter IDs are required, that voter rolls are reviewed for errors and that people who want to vote early to do so by mail and not via drop boxes.
This is not election denialism, Whatley said. These are not conspiracy theories. These are basic protections on voting. Were trying to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.
Program started in North Carolina
Whatley, a former GOP chair in North Carolina, said he started a similar voting integrity program there in 2019. A consent decree had limited how aggressively the RNC could monitor elections, citing fears of voter intimidation. The decree expired in 2018.
On Thursday, Whatley told about 80 to 100 local Republicans that they were needed. He gave a standard stump speech highlighting the Trump-era economy, Trumps talk about border security and the value of projecting strength abroad. He criticized Trumps opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
We need to throw away everything that were doing at the RNC and focus on two critical missions: We need to get out the vote, and we need to protect the ballot, and thats it, Whatley told his audience.
Whatley was joined by former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is close with Trump.
I dont know why the Dems arent participating with us in this, she said.
Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb said the state party and the Democratic National Committee have an election protection team and plan in place, so we are not worried. She said they expect a close election.
Weve been at the election commissions late at night and early in the morning as our candidates won with a few hundred votes, so these plans are critical for a safe and fair election process, Kleeb said.
Update on winner-take-all push
Nebraska Republican Party chairman Eric Underwood spoke at Thursdays event, thanking Charles Herbster, a big Trump donor and 2022 gubernatorial candidate, for helping to arrange the visit, and calling on Republicans to press their friends to vote.
In a follow-up interview, Underwood said the state party, the RNC and the Trump campaign are working to compete and win in the 2nd District and boost turnout for local GOP candidates while still also pushing the Legislature to shift to winner-take-all rather than splitting the states Electoral College votes.
We believe now that our senators and everybody else is on the same page, Underwood said. And if its whats meant for this state, then its going to happen. I think theres still a good chance for it to happen this year.
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(NewsNation) Theres an echoing in terms of fighting the communists that we find today. Fresh off his role as Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev in the film Reagan, award-winning actor Robert Davi discusses the films message with Markie Martin.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stay on Kansas ballot. Could he be a Trump campaign spoiler? | Opinion
Kansas voters have the opportunity to do the most hilarious thing in November: They can give the Sunflower States Electoral College votes to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Or, at the very least, they can keep those votes from going to Donald Trump.
Sound crazy? Sure. Absolutely.
After all, Kennedy just suspended his presidential campaign a nice way of saying he dropped out of the race and threw his support to Trump.
By staying in the campaign, Kennedy said, I would likely hand the election over to the Democrats, with whom I disagree on the most existential issues.
Which is funny, because his presidential bid originally started as a challenge to President Joe Biden for the Democratic Party nomination. Remember that?
He then became an independent to continue his campaign when it quickly became clear he would get no traction in the Democratic primaries.
And now he is backing the Republican nominee.
Heck, Kennedy best known for his vaccine denialism, his weird prank with the body of a dead bear cub, as well as for his famous name is even on Trumps presidential transition team now. Which means he might have a big hand in shaping the policies and personnel in the next White House.
Its proof that the GOP these days is a big tent for cranks and goofballs of all sorts.
Thats no surprise. Trump has his own lengthy record of fraud, sexual assault and felonious hush money payments, all proven in civil and criminal courts. He dined with well-known antisemites Kanye West and Nick Fuentes. Theres the whole Jan. 6 thing.
When the guy at the top of the ticket has all that on his resume, theres really not much room to keep anybody else out of the party, is there?
So here is the really interesting part: At least for now, RFK Jr. remains on the Kansas presidential ballot for November.
Red state poll strength for RFK Jr.
Its true. The Kansas Secretary of States office on Friday announced that Kennedys team had collected the 5,000 signatures required for an independent candidate to appear on the states presidential ballot.
And on Wednesday, the office announced it had received the slate of presidential electors for the Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties and also for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Hes on the ballot. And its not clear that Kennedy can get off now, even if he wants to.
There really isnt a mechanism in Kansas law for a candidate to be removed from the presidential ballot once theyve been confirmed, department spokesman John Milburn told me. Hes pretty much there.
Kennedy has worked to remove his name from the ballot in battleground states, not wanting to spoil Trumps chances of winning in those places.
But as The Topeka Capital-Journals Jack Harvel noted this week, Kansas is not one of the states the Kennedy campaign is worried about spoiling.
Which makes sense. Kansas hasnt given its electoral votes to a Democrat since 1964.
We vote Republican. Always have. Always will. Were kind of famous for it.
So why does any of this matter?
Heres why: Kansas doesnt get polled that often. But back in April, the firm John Zogby Strategies which has done work for RFK Jr.s campaign surveyed Kansans about how Kennedy would perform in a presidential campaign here.
In a head-to-head matchup with Trump, Kennedy lost by a mere two percentage points, 44-42. And he beat Biden (remember when he was running for reelection?) by a whopping 12 points.
So there could be an awful lot of Kennedy-curious voters out there on the Great Plains.
Maybe even enough to unexpectedly make things uncomfortable for Trump.
Nah. It almost certainly wont happen.
But it does suggest that Kansas support for Trump might be a little squishier than you might expect from the states deep-red reputation. And its not like third-party spoilers dont play a role here now and again: Kansas Republicans are still mad at state Sen. Dennis Pyle for undermining Derek Schmidts 2022 gubernatorial campaign.
Democrat Laura Kelly won that election. Kansas Democrats wont get that lucky again this year. But its fun to think about. Kennedy is on the ballot, after all. Anything can happen from there.
Joel Mathis is a regular Kansas City Star and Wichita Eagle Opinion correspondent. Formerly a writer and editor at Kansas newspapers, he served nine years as a syndicated columnist.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WATE) A Robertsville Middle School student is facing juvenile charges after a threat was made against the school.
The Oak Ridge Police Department began investigating after a report on Thursday that the student threatened violence against the school and fellow student over a Facetime call. The student was identified and charges were filed on Friday.
Halls student arrested, accused of making threat of mass violence
ORPD added that there wasnt an immediate threat to the school.
Making a threat to a school is a Zero Tolerance Offense. The district followed the Oak Ridge Schools Code of Conduct when pursuing discipline action against the student who made the threats, wrote ORPD in a release.
Knoxville Police: Device rendered safe at auto body shop on Walbrook Drive
As a precaution, there was an increased police presence at Robertsville Middle School on Friday.
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Rockford men allegedly going to commit Chicago burglary, one is accused of selling fentanyl
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Police arrested Ivory Holland, 29, and Kendrick Bell, 26, for allegedly planning a burglary among other charges.
Rockford Police learned Holland, Bell and James Mills, 36, were planning a home invasion in the 4000 block of West Monroe in Chicago, according to court records.
Officials took both suspects into custody after initially finding them at the Mobil gas station at 8061 East State Street fueling a gray Ford Fusion and pursuing them on foot, reports said.
On September 4, around 9:52 a.m., the RPD Narcotics Unit searched Hollands residence in the 6800 block of Garret Lane. The unit found fentanyl, cocaine, MDMA pills, digital scales and other various items to make and sell narcotics, according to court documents.
Holland admitted in a police interview the drugs found were his and he intended to participate in the home invasion.
Holland is charged with the delivery of fentanyl, cocaine, and ecstasy. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, residential burglary and home invasion.
Bell is charged with possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit robbery, residential burglary as well as home invasion.
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RAMAPO A firefighting unit, backed by local rabbis, has set off alarms for fire departments and government officials concerned about a possible lack of training that could endanger residents and property.
Matzilei Aish, which reportedly has about 34 members, is moving on to the turf of the Monsey Fire Department and other departments covering various Ramapo villages. Matzilei Aish leaders are looking to serve Orthodox Jewish and Hasidic communities and have been encouraging residents through advertisements and word of mouth to call their emergency number instead of 911, officials said.
Officials are raising concerns about group members' training and experience, and whether the group will report its activities to the police and state. Not doing so could cause insurance reimbursement issues for residents who suffer fire property damage.
This is a rogue fire department that needs to be brought to task, Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco said. If they want to join a fire department, that is what they should do. We dont know the abilities of this rogue fire department."
It's difficult to measure how active Matzilei Aish has been. Rockland County Fire and Emergency Coordinator Chris Kear said Matzilei Aish members started responding to fires a few years ago in Monsey and the Spring Valley area in their private vehicles with extinguishers.
Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann said he's checked with town fire chiefs and police and they are unaware of any Matzilei Aish activity yet in town
Officials noted Matzilei Aish members aren't participating in continuous training programs provided by the Rockland Fire Training Center. They said the unit's members have reportedly gone through basic Firefighter 1 classes at the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute.
Making insurance claims could prove difficult without appropriate records. Falco and other officials said Matzilei Aish has not provided training certification or other credentials to the state or anything sanctioned by the system that ensures the insurer that fire damage actually occurred and was properly handled."
Rockland fire coordinator warns officials, state agencies
Kear recently wrote Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht about Matzilei Aish operations in Ramapo. County Executive Ed Day, Specht, Kear, firefighters, and other officials had been meeting about Matzilei Aish.
Kear said the group has bought a used ladder truck and is looking to expand into communities with large Orthodox Jewish populations, like Wesley Hills, New Hempstead, Airmont, Chestnut Ridge, and areas of New City in Clarkstown.
"They have publicly and privately encouraged residents to call them directly, and not to call 911," Kear wrote. "In addition, they have been advertising their intent to expand into additional geographical locations ... With the new addition of a ladder truck and their intent to expand, the potential of a very dangerous situation continues to grow."
Kear said he and other fire chiefs are concerned a "rogue and dysfunctional group such as this which lack any real firefighting and emergency service-related experience will involve themselves in a situation that will turn disastrous and or even deadly."
Rockland County Fire Coordinator Chris Kear speaks during a press conference at the Rockland County Allison-Paris building about a fatal fire on Lake St. in Spring Valley March 4, 2023.
Kear said he contacted the Bergen training unit in 2023 and got the brush-off. A response letter from the Bergen facility's attorney stated: "The LPSI is currently providing fire brigade training only to the organization you identified in your letter. It would be inappropriate, and perhaps illegal, for the LPSI to deny training to any one organization or individual."
Kear said he's communicated with New York State Attorney General Letitia James' Office and the New York State Department of Labor Public Employee Safety and Health unit, known as PESH. He said James' office claims an investigation into Matzilei Aish continues.
James' office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
A spokesman for the Labor Department's PESH unit said Thursday that Matzilei Aish does not fall under the agency's purview.
Ramapo's Specht: 'Call 911 in the event of any fire'
Specht said Ramapo has no connection to Matzilei Aish, a private nonprofit organization.
"The town does not support this organization, either financially or in any other way," Specht said. "We urge all residents to call 911 in the event of any fire or related emergency situation. No tax dollars are given to this entity from the town of Ramapo."
Day, the county executive, said that state intervention is necessary to address the situation, but that the Attorney General's Office and PESH have not acted. He said Rockland fire officials and others have been meeting about Matzilei Aish for months.
"There's not been a lack of effort," Day said. "We want this addressed before we have a tragedy. Sending untrained personnel into a fire or emergency risks the lives of people and firefighters."
He said Matzilei Aish members could face arrest if they interfere with a fire department or police.
"We either need the authority through state legislation or the state agencies need to take action," he said. "For whatever reason the state is not."
Matzilei Aish's leader, Rabbi Yehezkel Weiss, a follower of Skver Hasidim based in New Square, could not be immediately reached. A man answering at Matzilei Aish said it was an emergency line and he didn't have a number to reach Weiss.
In an interview with the online publication Shtetl, Weiss said the Matzilei Aish group now has 35 members, but acknowledged the volunteers are not yet fully qualified. Local rabbis, he reportedly said, dont believe they are ready to deal with life-threatening situations.
Weiss also acknowledged that his members can't fight fires inside buildings because they can't wear air-providing helmets due to their beards. The National Fire Protection Association requires firefighters to be clean-shaven to safely wear an air mask.
Kear said he has been sent photos of Matzilei Aishi members fighting fires without the necessary protective gear or air packs. He cited Matzilei Aish's Instagram page.
Monsey chief: Volunteer firefighters caught in the middle
Monsey Fire Chief Hugh Jacobsen said his understanding is Weiss started the separatist group because he didn't like Monsey's Orthodox Jewish firefighters responding to calls on the Sabbath sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
Jacobsen said Monsey volunteers have permission from their rabbis to respond to emergencies on the Sabbath and do what it takes to be firefighters.
He noted the predominately Jewish volunteer department has volunteers who span the spectrum of Judaism, from non-religious and Reform to Orthodox and Hasidim. The department also have female volunteers.
Jacobsen also said Weiss first claimed the Monsey department had slow response times, which the chief denied.
Jacobsen said Matzilei Aish has created a minor morale problem for Monsey firefighters, who don't want to have confrontations with their neighbors. He said there have not yet been any confrontations at emergency scenes with Matzilei Aish members, whom he believes monitor their radio calls and refrain from responding.
He said his Monsey volunteers have been harassed by some residents including being spit at and having rocks thrown at department trucks.
Weiss told Shtetl he condemned the purported harassment and any violence.
George Cich, a Spring Valley Columbian firefighter, said that "sooner or later they will do something wrong and somebody will get hurt, if not killed."
He said he wouldn't trust his firefighter son with Matzilei Aish members. Cich also leads the Rockland Illegal Housing Task Force, which reports substandard housing in violations of fire and safety codes. The task force has raised concerns with the state before about independent fire units like Matzilei Aish.
"I don't know how they will respond if the fire gets too tough," Cich said. "I trust the training at the Rockland County Fire Training Center."
Reporter Nancy Cutler contributed to this report.
Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com Twitter: @lohudlegal
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This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Ramapo NY Matzilei Aish rogue firefighting unit worries officials
Rollout of new Kansas license plates has been a hot mess from the get-go. Why is that? | Opinion
Getting new license plates used to be simple.
If you went down to the tag office, theyd just hand you one. Or if you ordered by mail, theyd send it to your house.
If you liked the design of your new plate, good for you.
If you didnt, well, you could always pay extra and get a specialty plate, proclaiming how much you love guns or oppose abortion rights (to any out-of-state readers, those are actual examples of Kansas specialty plates, I didnt make them up).
Anyway, license plates have gotten a lot more complicated these days.
In the past year we had one new plate design announced where pretty much everybody said oh hell no. That ill-fated attempt was rolled back and since then, weve had two online elections to pick new plate designs.
The new standard plate, chosen in December, has a picture of the Native American archer statue on top of the Capitol dome.
The new personalized plate design, chosen last month, has a field of green representing the Flint Hills in the month or so of each year when they actually are green.
While all this was going on, things got pretty tricky.
July was my month for new plates and we were well into August before I got them. And then, when they did arrive, they were the same old design, a blue-and-white plate with half the state seal on it.
I felt like I was in some kind of strange state of Kansas knockoff of Jerry Seinfelds soup Nazi comedy sketch: No new plates for you.
And to compound the surreality of it all, the registrations and plate stickers arrived in the mail weeks before the new plates did.
In the interim, we were issued paper license plates, along with a firm admonition NOT to put them on the car, but to keep them in the glove compartment and NOT to put the new stickers on the old plates that were already on the car.
The state Department of Revenue, which is responsible for all this, predictably didnt return a phone message seeking an explanation.
But I did talk to Brandi Baily, the Sedgwick County treasurer whos tasked with distributing plates to the public on behalf of the state.
Baily described the implementation of new plates thusly: It was a big confusion, a big mess. And if you want my honest opinion, it could have been done a lot better.
I couldnt have said it better myself.
Baily said the newly designed plates were supposed to start going out in January. But with the pushback against the first design and the subsequent online votes to replace it, counties didnt get permission to start issuing the redesigned plates until Aug. 12.
Earlier this year, the tag office was sending out the paper plates in plastic protectors, so they could be put on cars until the new permanent plates came.
Then, We got an email from our our mailing services department that we had already exceeded $50,000 in mailing fees from January through March, because of mailing these out in that plastic cover, Baily said. We were having to put them in a special envelope, which was costing more postage . . . about $1.70 each to send out.
The state wouldnt reimburse the county for the extra expense, so Baily reached out to other county treasurers to find out how they were handling it.
They said, Well, what were doing is were just putting a letter in there . . . a lot of them have worked with the Highway Patrol, she said. So I did reach out (to the public) that if its in your glove box, all you have to do is pull it out, show that youre getting a new plate, and theyll be okay if you get pulled over, it wouldnt be a big deal.
The reason for the delay between getting your sticker and getting your new license plate is because of a change in state policy so that local tag offices no longer get a supply of plates to give to the customers, Baily said.
As soon as we issue a plate and thats why you dont get it right at the tag office anymore is because then it goes to the state, and then the state processes that, and it then goes to Center Industries, which is here in Wichita, and they print our plates for us and mail them directly to the customers, she said.
They (the state) are giving us dates; heres whats happening, and then things arent working, so the dates change, Baily added. Were at the mercy of the state, and whatever they decide to do is how we implement. And if things go wrong, then we kind of suffer, because were facing the customers directly and trying to have to explain whats going on.
So while the temptation might be to go yell at the nearest tag office clerk, dont.
Be kind. Theyve been jerked around by the state as much as we have, probably more.
ROME, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) Rome Police are asking for the publics help in their investigation of a Thursday afternoon stabbing on Union Street.
Officers were called to the 700 block of Union Street at approximately 2:55 pm on Thursday, September 5. Upon their arrival, they found a 36-year-old male lying in the grass. The victim had injuries believed to be from a sharp object to his hand and abdomen.
Officers provided medical assistance at the scene until paramedics arrived. The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Rome Police say that the victims injuries are non-threatening, but they are being uncooperative with the investigation.
According to Rome Police, the responsible parties have been identified, but the investigation remains ongoing.
Police are encouraging anyone with any information to contact the Rome Police Departments TIP Line at 315-339-7744. You may also submit a fully anonymous tip online through the Mohawk Valley Crime Stoppers website, over the phone at 1-866-730-8477 (TIPS), or by using the P3 Tips mobile app.
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By Siddharth Cavale
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday signed a new law requiring retailers to boost safety protections for store workers, including requiring major chains to add panic buttons in all New York State locations.
Unions representing retail workers had pushed for the new law, known as the Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA), after high-profile shootings in the state and as some retail executives recently have cited a rise in retail crime - a claim that has been disputed.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
The requirement to add panic buttons specifically at retail workplaces is the first of its kind among U.S. states. While California adopted similar but broader workplace requirements earlier this year, it did not mandate panic buttons.
Walmart, the National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Food Industry Alliance of New York State (FIA) have previously opposed the RWSA. Walmart argued against the panic button idea, citing concerns about the likelihood of false alarms. Others expressed worries about the associated costs.
Walmart and the FIA declined to comment. The NRF deferred comment to the Retail Council of New York State, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In the past, the retail groups have sent letters to the New York State Senate opposing panic buttons.
CONTEXT
The RWSA goes into effect after 180 days. It requires, among other things, retailers with 10 or more employees to adopt a violence prevention plan and maintain records of violent incidents for at least three years.
It also requires retailers with 500 or more employees nationwide to install panic buttons in easily accessible locations or provide wearable panic buttons or mobile-phone-based alarm devices to alert emergency officials.
This provision of the law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
BY THE NUMBERS
In New York City there have been at least 40,900 complaints related to retail theft so far this year, a 2.7% increase since last year, according to the New York Police Department.
U.S. retailer Target also closed nine locations, including one in East Harlem, citing violence against employees and retail theft as primary reasons.
(Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in New York; Editing by Sonali Paul)
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern North Carolina welcome Grace Faller to their team as the new marketing and communications manager.
Faller was previously employed with the City of Greenville as the Special Events Coordinator and serves as the Social Media Coordinator for the ECU College of Business before that.
Graces experience with the City of Greenville and ECU is a perfect fit to meet the marketing and communications needs of RMHC-ENC, said Beth Anne Atkins, president and CEO, RMHC-ENC.
Faller graduated from East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management along with a Master of Business Administration.
Her passion for the mission of RMHC-ENC will be a tremendous asset to help increase awareness and tell the amazing stories of the families we serve every single day.
I am filled with so much gratitude and excitement to be joining the Ronald McDonald House team, said Faller. I hope to amplify all the incredible work the house does in the eastern part of the state and cannot wait to see impact that is made on so many families firsthand.
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King was severely injured in the shooting that claimed the lives of five of her classmates
STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty The site of the West Nickel Mines Amish School shooting.
A 23-year-old survivor of the 2006 Pennsylvania school shooting that took place at an Amish schoolhouse has died, nearly 18 years after the shooting occurred.
On Tuesday, Sept. 3, the family of Rosanna S. King announced that she died earlier that day at her home in Paradise, Penn., a rural Amish town in Lancaster County. According to an obituary from Furman Home for Funerals in Leola, her parents were Christian E. King and Mary Elizabeth Stoltzfus King, and she was a member of the Old Order Amish Church.
Philip Furman, a funeral director at the home, confirmed to the Associated Press that King was one of the victims who was shot at the West Nickel Mines Amish School in October 2006.
King was 6 years old at the time of the shooting, and was attending school at West Nickel Mines when an armed shooter named Charles Carl Roberts IV, a 32-year-old milk truck driver, arrived at the school and took several hostages, the outlet reported. Although he ordered several people in the schoolhouse to leave, he took 10 young girls hostage, including King. He shot the girls, killing five of them, before killing himself as police entered the small building.
Related: Amish Schoolhouse Shooting 10 Years Later: How Family of the Victims Helped the Gunman's Mother Heal
STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty An Amish horse and buggy turns down a road near the one-room West Nickel Mines Amish School.
According to the local outlet LancasterOnline, King was considered one of the most severely injured survivors of the shooting. The outlet reported she was shot in the head, which left her with severe brain trauma and was unable to talk or walk. She used a feeding tube to eat and was dependent on others for care.
Although she was taken off life support two days after the shooting at her family's request, she made a partial recovery, and LancasterOnline reported over a decade ago that she attended an Amish school for children with special needs.
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The shooter's mother, Terri Roberts, often used to visit with King, according to the AP. In a 2013 interview with the outlet, she called King a "beautiful young woman," but said that "life is not as it should've been for this little girl."
"So my mind will never forget the hardship that day has caused in many people's lives," she said at the time.
Related: Fathers Who Lost Daughters in Amish Schoolhouse Massacre Reveal They Are Still Healing 10 Years Later
In the same 2013 article, Rosannas father opened up about how many members of the local Amish community turned to forgiveness when it came to the shooter and his family.
"We have a lot of work to do to live up to what we are bragged up to be," he said 11 years ago. "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."
The schoolhouse was torn down 10 days after the shooting, and the community built a new school nearby, according to the AP.
King's obituary states she will be buried in Bart Cemetery following her funeral on Friday, Sept. 6. She is survived by her parents and four siblings.
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WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) Members of the newly formed Lake to River Economic Development held a meeting Thursday with local industry leaders about manufacturing in the area.
The roundtable meeting included local congressmen and several area businesses. Most of the conversation centered around attracting a skilled workforce and how they can better address worker shortages.
Officials say the new Ohios new program can play a key role in connecting the two.
We have these two waterways which hare such a wonderful asset that the western part of the county doesnt have, said Congressman Michael Rulli. Its going to bring jobs and when jobs come, taxes come. Thats going to fix a lot of things.
Officials also say businesses could use help in the form of tax credits as they look to retool and compete in the global manufacturing community.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
CENTERVILLE, Ohio (WDTN) A safety program in the event of an active threat will be held next week for the Centerville community.
On Sept. 12, area agencies Centerville Safe, the Centerville Police Department, and the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office will collaborate to provide the free presentation to students, staff, parents, guardians and the Centerville-Washington Township community at large.
The presentation will be facilitated by Officers Brad Eshler and Jason Stamm, each of whom are also school resource officers at Centerville High School.
This is the fourth year that the run, hide, fight approach has been presented in the area.
Submissions open for Centerville photo contest
If there were an intruder inside one of our schools, students and staff must be ready to act, whether that is evacuating the building, barricading in a classroom, or fighting back, said Superintendent Jon Wesney.
Emily Denlinger is the President of Centerville Safe. Denlinger says that a major goal of the presentation is to provide valuable information that will empower everyone no matter the situation.
I have seen this run, hide, fight presentation multiple times. These are techniques that can be applied to real-life situations, both in and out of schools, to help people increase their chances of survival.
The event will be held at Centerville High School Central Theater beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Click here for more information about what Centerville Schools are doing to keep people safe at school.
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RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. Police are continuing to investigate a social media threat made against Russellville Junior High School. Although theres been an arrest, school officials are not completely letting their guard down and are maintaining their safety protocols.
Russellville police said a juvenile is in custody after investigators accused them of being behind a social media threat targeting a school.
Police arrest juvenile accused in social media threat made against Russellville Junior High School
Officials with the Russellville Police Department said Wednesday afternoon that officers had arrested the suspect after working with community members of authorities with the Russellville School District.
Deputy Superintendent Jeff Holt said police notified them of the post Friday night and then they warned parents.
They gave a September date and are going to light it up. Holt said. You treat all of these threats very seriously.
District Safety Director Terry Cobb said the threat caused them to follow their protocol meaning putting the district safety team on alert.
We will reach out to our school resource officers, we have two sheriff deputies and 7 Russellville police officers in our city schools, Cobb said.
Holt said the district has crisis management training every year.
Our district and safety personnel have the opportunity to train with our law enforcement agencies, Holt said.
Homer Adkins Elementary School placed on lockdown after police respond to nearby home
Despite the arrest, police were still monitoring the school on Thursday. Some parents say with the measures in place they didnt feel anxious about the threat.
They have great support officers in the school and a great city police department, Sherry Collins said. I wasnt worried.
While others like Lisa Curran said she was glad the arrest happened but her concerns were not fully eased.
I was really concerned. You never know theyre could be more people involved and it could still happen, Curran said.
School officials say the safety of their students and staff is of the utmost importance.
KARK 4 News contacted Russellville police to ask if they believe more people may have been involved with the threat but they did not confirm that.
The juvenile police arrested is not being identified, but police officials said they would face charges in this matter.
Teen charged with murder in Georgia school shooting denied making threats last year
Authorities said they will continue their investigation into this case and release any updates when they become available.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
With the presidential election two months away, U.S. officials are getting serious about Russian disinformation campaigns and other efforts to interfere with the nations politics. On Wednesday, this crackdown was made apparent via an indictment unsealed in New Yorks Southern District Court showing sanctions on 10 individuals and entities; the seizure of 32 internet domains; and conspiracy charges against two Russia Today staffers, who are accused of funneling funds into an elaborate scheme that covertly manipulated online influencers to do the Kremlins bidding.
Kostiantyn Kalashnikov, 31, and Elena Afanasyeva, 27, each face charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, according to the indictment issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. The two remain at large after allegedly funneling nearly $10 million into a media company based in Tennessee. The company goes unnamed in the indictment, but the DOJs thinly veiled description matches up with Tenet Media, which describes itself as a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues
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The indictment states that Russia Todays CEO has referred to an entire empire of covert projects designed to shape opinions in Western audiences. This has carried on via multiple influencers after the Kremlin-funded RT was banned from broadcasting in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva allegedly funneled funds into Tenet Media, which the Kremlin was using to direct disinformation and propaganda at Western audiences, the indictment states.
Tenet Media is the recent home to polarizing media figures like David Rubin, Tim Pool and Benny Jonhson, who, along with three other influential right-wing pundits tapped by the company to create content, have a total YouTube following topping six million subscribers. Pool, formerly of Vice News and Fusion, interviewed former president and 2024 GOP nominee Donald Trump in May. A key goal of the Kremlins propaganda effort was to boost the candidacy of the GOPs nominee in this years election, according to internal documents discovered at one of three Russian companies that the DOJ said this week used fake profiles to promote phony narratives on social platforms.
Tenet Media is owned by Lauren Chen also a right-wing online pundit with her own dedicated following and her partner, Liam Donovan, who names himself on X (formerly Twitter) as the companys CEO. Chen also has ties to Turning Points USA, which has now deleted pages related to her, and Blaze Media, which reportedly cut ties with Chen this week and took down the web page for her show on the network, called Pseudo-Intellectual.
Lauren Chen was an independent contractor, whose contract has been terminated, BlazeTV CEO Tyler Cardon told CNN on Thursday. Neither Chen nor Donovan are named in the indictment released this week.
Multiple correspondences between the heads of the unnamed company, dubbed Founder 1 and Founder 2, in the indictment contain direct references to Russia and the Russians as the funders behind the companys activities.
When approached to work with Tenet Media, the indictment states that influencers were told that the project was funded by a man named Eduard Grigoriann. However, the DOJ claims, Grigorian was a fictional persona. While one influencer, whose courting by Tenet and RT is described in the legal filing, expressed some trepidation and skepticism around the funding, they still agreed to a contract that gave them a $400,000 monthly fee and a $100,000 signing bonus to produce four weekly videos.
All six of the influencers who were involved in the alleged Russian plot issued statements denying their knowledge of who was funding their work and claimed they were victims of the Russian operation.
We are disturbed by the allegations in todays indictment, which make clear that myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme, wrote Johnson, who was embroiled in a 2014 plagiarism scandal when Buzzfeed, where he worked as a staff writer, discovered 41 instances of him lifting work from outside sources.
Pool, who emerged as a live streamer during the Occupy Wall Street protests and then segued into and out of media startups to run six YouTube channels, including the popular Timcast, said that he was deceived by Tenet Media and asserted that his show remains editorially independent.
Should these allegations prove true, I as well as the other personalities and commentators were deceived and are victims, Pool wrote on X. The show is produced in its entirety by our local team without input from anyone external to the company.
Rubin, whose early career in the New York comedy scene was followed by a move into political commentary, is the host of The Rubin Report, a political talk show on YouTube and BlazeTV. He also claimed victimhood in the elaborate scheme following the unsealing of the indictment.
These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme, he wrote in a statement also posted to X. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period. The DoJ has never contacted me regarding this matter and I have no intention to comment further.
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Russia is already preparing new attacks on Ukraine's energy system Ukrainian PM
Russia is already preparing new missile and drone attacks on the energy system of Ukraine.
Source: Denys Shmyhal, Prime Minister of Ukraine
Quote: "We have already received intelligence reports that further large-scale missile and drone attacks on our energy system are being prepared."
Shmyhal noted that Russia would continue its terrorist and genocidal policy.
For reference: Due to Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy system, Ukraine has lost 9 GW of power generation, which is half of its pre-war electricity consumption.
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Russia's RT seeking to push US voters toward Trump, US intelligence official says
By Jonathan Landay, Christopher Bing and Doina Chiacu
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Russian state media outlet RT is using American and other personalities to try to sway U.S. voters into backing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump over his Democratic foe, Kamala Harris, a senior U.S. intelligence official said on Friday.
The official's comment in a briefing on alleged foreign interference in the November presidential election comes amid a broad U.S. government push to counter such efforts.
On Wednesday, the U.S. charged two RT employees with money laundering, accusing them of participating in a scheme to have an American firm produce online content to influence the vote.
Those government actions were a further sign that Russia was using private Russian firms and RT "to covertly amplify and stoke domestic divisions and push for Russia's preferred electoral outcomes," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"RT has built and used networks of U.S. and other Western personalities to create and disseminate Russia-friendly narratives," the official said. "These actors among others are supporting Moscow's efforts to influence voter preferences in favor of the former president (Trump) and diminish the prospects of the vice president (Harris)."
The official did not provide further details of how those actors are trying to sway voters.
RT responded to the charges on Wednesday with ridicule, telling Reuters: "Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and RT's interference in the U.S. elections."
The Russian embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. Russia previously has denied interfering in U.S. elections.
Russia is the most active foreign adversary trying to influence the election, while China is more focused on influencing local-level races, the official said.
U.S. officials have previously said they do not believe China was seeking to influence the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.
Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu denied that China was interfering in U.S. election campaigns, calling the allegation "malicious speculation" and adding that Beijing "has no intention" of such interference.
The official said Iran had been more active than in past cycles, stepping up its efforts to sway voters leading up to the presidential and congressional election.
Iran's mission to the United Nations emailed an Iranian Foreign Ministry statement that rejected the allegation of Tehran's interference, calling it "baseless and biased for domestic political consumption."
The U.S. intelligence community is increasing the use of private warnings to targets of foreign influence operations, the official added.
Justice Department officials on Wednesday said the two RT employees used shell companies and fake personas to pay $10 million to an unidentified Tennessee company to produce online videos aimed at amplifying political divisions in the United States.
U.S. officials told a Senate committee in May that an increasing number of foreign actors, including non-state actors, are seeking to influence U.S. elections, and Russia, China and Iran, while the most significant, are far from alone.
(Reporting by Christopher Bing and Jonathan Landay; Editing by Doina Chiacu, Deepa Babington and Don Durfee)
(NewsNation) The Justice Department on Wednesday announced it seized 32 web domains Russia used for its covert campaigns, with Biden administration officials condemning the countrys alleged efforts to influence the 2024 U.S. election.
Among those targeted were two employees of RT, formerly known as Russia Today, a state media outlet with content available in English. They were charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, NewsNation partner The Hill reports. An indictment accuses the two of partnering with a conservative-leaning media company with the aim of sowing division in the United States.
Another Russian operation, The Hill wrote, involved creating sites with slightly different web addresses mimicking U.S. news outlets.
Historian Allan Lichtman predicts who will win the 2024 election
One thing that strikes me is the way the Russians adapt their influence and information operation tactics to exploit whatever opportunities are presented, John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said on NewsNation Now Thursday.
Russian commentators on Thursday mocked the U.S. officials allegations, with Margarita Simonyan, head of RT, saying, They called from 2016 and want all their tired cliches back on social media.
During the 2016 election, Russia was alleged to have hacked the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee, among other activities.
This year we see this new scheme, and so you see that the tactics vary as opportunities present themselves but ultimately, of course (they are) for the same objective of dividing Americans and pushing Russian interests, and especially undermining U.S. support for Ukraine, Hardie said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Late last year, a popular conservative YouTuber was about to earn a windfall, but something felt a bit off. A Brussels-born businessman named Eduard Grigoriann was offering him $100,000 per week to join a new network of ideologically aligned commentators, one meant to counterbalance Grigorianns frustrations with mainstream media bias. The deal was exceptional, paying more than any other network would consider offering, but Grigoriann was suspiciously impossible to find online.
Before moving forward, the YouTuber asked for press releases, interviews, a LinkedIn profile, or anything mentioning Grigoriann to review. He was persistent. Ultimately, Grigorianns team sent a one-pager, with a prominent photo a man sitting in private plane, along with some details about Grigorianns career and interests. Outside of that document, Grigoriann was a ghost, leaving no trace online. The YouTuber was apparently satisfied. He moved forward, joining a channel called Tenet Media, and netted a $100,000 signing bonus.
We now know that Eduard Grigoriann was a fabrication, a fiction created by Russian state media, according to a DOJ indictment published this week. The YouTubers windfall was in fact distributed by the Russia-sponsored RT network, the DOJ said, spent in an effort to advance Russias interests abroad. The YouTuber was right to be skeptical. But ultimately, the money was too sweet to turn down. The venture eventually attracted a slew of conservative talent, allegedly including Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, and Dave Rubin.
The DOJs revelation was stunning, but a line buried within the indictment was even more noteworthy. The Tenet Media channel was just one of many such networks operating in the U.S. The RT employee running it, the indictment said, manages multiple RT covert distribution channels in the United States. RTs editor-in-chief has boasted that the company has an enormous network, an entire empire of covert projects that is working with the public opinion. Tenet is just the first were hearing about. The story is only beginning.
RT built these covert networks after Western countries banned and deplatformed its main channel following Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As it sought to continue influencing public opinion, its money found willing recipients. Popular commentators looked the other way and took the cash despite obvious warning signs. Even though basic due diligence would show Grigoriann was almost certainly a sock puppet, they went ahead.
The DOJs allegations are still unproven, and the commentators in this case may technically be victims of a crime perpetrated by the Russian defendants. But Russia seems to have gotten its moneys worth. In one clip from the channel now circulating online, Pool called Ukraine the greatest threat to the United States and the world and demanded an apology for Russia. In another case, the Russians pushed the channel to tie a terror attack in Moscow to Ukraine, even though ISIS claimed responsibility, according to the indictment. The Russians also asked the channel to cover Tucker Carlson fawning visit to a Russian grocery store. And eventually, RT employees allegedly secured access to post videos directly to the Tenet channel.
Covert operations like this are difficult, if not impossible, for tech platforms to detect since nearly everything the recruiting, payments, and editorial direction happens behind the scenes. These channels can run until governments figure them out. And indeed, it took the DOJ publishing an indictment for YouTube to learn about it. From the sound of it, the DOJ is not done.
YouTube on Thursday told me it was removing Tenet Media from the service. Following an indictment from the U.S. Department of Justice and after careful review, a spokesperson said, we are terminating the Tenet Media channel and four channels operated by its owner Lauren Chen as part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations.
In context, the Tenet Media episode shouldnt be blown out of proportion. It was one channel with a bit more than 300,000 subscribers that got a lot of money from Russia for a questionable ROI. It didnt swing an election or meaningfully change public opinion on the Ukraine war. But it wasnt alone. And in time, well likely find out where else Russia was distributing its money.
This article is from Big Technology, a newsletter by Alex Kantrowitz.
The post The Russia-Funded YouTuber Story Will Only Get Bigger | Commentary appeared first on TheWrap.
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed two civilians and injured 21 others over the past day, regional authorities reported early on Sept. 6.
Ukrainian forces downed 28 of the 44 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia overnight, Ukraine's Air Force said. Russia also launched one Kh-59 guided air missile and one Kh-31P anti-radar missile, according to the Air Force's morning report.
Civilian casualties were reported over the past day in Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson oblasts.
Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast killed two people and injured 12 others, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.
One person was killed and 11 were injured in Kostiantynivka, located around 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the front line, when Russian forces dropped two guided aerial bombs on the town.
The attack damaged 24 houses, a business, power lines, and cars, Filashkin said.
A Russian double-tap drone strike injured a 45-year-old emergency service worker in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, destroying a fire truck, Governor Serhii Lysak said.
Later in the day, a 62-year-old woman and a 65-year-old man were injured in a Russian attack on Nikopol, which damaged 11 local houses.
In the village of Tsyrkuny in Kharkiv Oblast, Russian shelling injured a 68-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.
Five houses in the village were damaged in the attack.
In Kherson Oblast, four people were injured in Russian attacks over the past day, two of whom were medical workers.
According to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin, the two medical workers were injured in strikes that hit two medical facilities in the center of Kherson.
Other areas of Ukraine, including Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, also came under attack, but without reports of civilian casualties.
Read also: Situation was catastrophic - Ukraines Azov says it relieved surrounded troops in Niu-York, regained ground
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The Russian troops have increased the intensity of their assaults and the number of artillery attacks in the south of Ukraine.
Source: Captain Dmytro Lykhovii, spokesperson for the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group of Troops, on the air of the national joint 24/7 newscast
Quote: "The units in the operational area of the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group of Troops continue to conduct defensive operations, inflict fire damage on the enemy, and take measures to improve the tactical situation and defence stability. And it's not just words: they are managing to regain some positions. In other words, this defence can be called active, and there have been some successes, but I will not talk about them in detail so that it does not become fodder for the enemy.
We can say that after a relative pause from the enemy, the intensity of assault operations and the number of enemy attacks have returned to previous levels. They are three times lower than those of our neighbours, but perhaps this is also good news: the enemy does not have the resources to conduct assault operations of the same intensity.
Some people have the impression that when there are fewer attacks, it is a silence before the strengthening of the attacks. In fact, this is not the case because, for example, the number of artillery attacks has returned to the previous level. The enemy is firing 1,500 rounds of ammunition on our positions every day. In addition, there are more than 20 attacks on settlements every day, as well as drones, attack drones, FPV drones and drops from copters working alongside artillery. Speaking of attack drones, the Russians used 243 copters for this purpose in the area of responsibility of the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group of Troops over the past day: 241 FPV and 2 Lancet drones. More than 95% of them were destroyed."
Details: Likhovii said that Russian UAVs are increasingly being shot down by Ukrainian FPV drones. This was how 2 Orlan-10 and SuperCam reconnaissance drones were destroyed on 5 September in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
The captain also added that since the beginning of the day, as of 07:00, the Russians have not conducted any assault operations but have already managed to launch four airstrikes using nine guided aerial bombs in Kherson Oblast. Out of 20 Shahed drones in the area of responsibility of the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group of Troops, 12 drones were destroyed, 14 left the area of responsibility, and three disappeared from radar.
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The Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) has found out, as a result of a joint international operation, that a military unit under the command of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU) has been carrying out cyberattacks against Ukraine, NATO, and EU countries, including Estonia.
Source: ERR, an Estonian public broadcaster, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The ISS, during a joint operation with the services of ten countries, found that military unit 29155 of the Russian General Staff of the Armed Forces had created cyber capabilities and, since 2020, had been carrying out cyberattacks against Ukraine, NATO and EU countries, including Estonia, the ISS, the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), and the Prosecutor's Office said.
The Central Criminal Police, under the leadership of the State Prosecutor's Office, conducted a criminal investigation that found that the same unit had carried out attacks on Estonian government agencies in 2020. During the criminal proceedings, three officers of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Yuri Denisov, Nikolay Korchagin and Vitali Shevchenko were identified as suspects in the attacks.
"We identified the first leads and suspects early in the investigation, which allowed us, in cooperation with other agencies, to prevent more extensive damage and its spread," said Ago Ambur, Head of the Cybercrime Bureau.
The State Prosecutor's Office applied to the Harju County Court to issue arrest warrants for three suspects connected to cyberattacks in Estonia. The court granted the request and issued the warrants in absentia.
Prosecutor Vahur Verte said the three men are on the international wanted list based on the arrest warrants.
Quote Vahur Verte: "Although the suspects are currently believed to be in Russia, the international search and arrest warrants mean that if they travel outside of Russia, there is a real risk that a country may detain them and extradite them to Estonia for trial."
At various stages of the joint investigation, the ISS shared important information with international partners, which supplemented the information already available, especially regarding the cyber unit that carried out the attack. The United States also offered a US$10 million reward for those identified in Estonia.
This military unit of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces is responsible for coup attempts, sabotage and subversive operations, and assassination attempts in Europe. Estonian security agencies have noted that cyberattacks created by this military unit pose a threat to Estonia's national security.
"Cyber operations for sabotage, intelligence gathering or information warfare are key components of the Russian Federation's military doctrine of hybrid warfare. We defend Estonia's national security also in cyberspace, and in addition to physical spies, we also expose cyber spies," commented ISS Director General Margo Palloson.
Unit 29155 continued its activities against Estonian and other countries state networks. The Estonian security agencies added that the attacks had been detected and prevented thanks to the cooperation in cybersecurity between the Central Criminal Police, the ISS, and the Information System Authority (RIA, CERT-EE).
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were subjected to cyberattacks in November 2020. The criminals gained access to servers but not to state secrets.
Background:
Estonia and nine other states launched the Tallinn Mechanism in December last year to strengthen cyber support for Ukraine in the civic sphere.
The Tallinn Mechanism operates in parallel with the IT Coalition, which addresses Ukraine's cyber issues in the military.
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From the The Morning Dispatch on The Dispatch
Happy Friday! Look, were willing to tolerate a lot of opinions from New Yorkers about the proper way to eat pizza, but former Mayor Bill De Blasio angrily dumping coconut on his New York slice is simply a bridge too far.
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It Just Feels Like Overt Shilling
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In early June 2023, the founder of a new media startup backed by a low-profile, Paris-based businessman was trying to convince a political commentator to come on board.
One of the founders of the Nashville-based Tenet Media and the assistant to the prospective employee were scheduled to have a meeting with Eduard Grigoriann, who was supposedly financially supporting the project.
Grigoriann had set the meeting for 5 p.m. France time.
At 3:58 p.m. in Paris, he sent an email telling the participants he was ready for the call. Though he was an hour early for a 5 p.m. meeting in France, he was right on time in Moscow, which was an hour ahead. After a quick Google search for time in Paris, Grigoriann emailed again: Sorry, wrong hour, he told them. Didnt sync the calendar.
But Grigoriannthe elusive, deep-pocketed financial backerwas a total fabrication. Indeed, according to a Justice Department indictment unsealed on Wednesday, he was one of four made-up personas working with the founders of Tenet Media, in addition to two real-life Russians employed by RT, formerly Russia Today.
Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyevaemployees of the state-owned Russian broadcasterwere charged with conspiring to act as unregistered foreign agents and conspiring to launder nearly $10 million to Tenet to support a Russian malign influence operation via the right-wing website. The scheme was meant to spread views that are often consistent with the Government of Russias interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions, prosecutors alleged. The indictment was accompanied by Treasury Department sanctions on many RT employees in a multi-agency effort to counter Russian influence ahead of the 2024 election.
Tenet claims to be a network of heterodox commentators founded in 2022 by Canadians Lauren Chen and Liam Donovanthough crucially, not the Liam Donovan occasionally cited in these pages who had, well, a really weird day on Wednesday. Chen is a populist YouTuber who, like her husband, had an existing relationship with RT, which was forced off of U.S. and Canadian airwaves following Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In consultation with the personascharacters purporting to represent Grigoriann and the man himselfset up by undisclosed elements in Russia, Chen and Donovan started a YouTube channel that grew into Tenet. But in the process, whoever was behind the made-up characters apparently couldnt keep track of who they were pretending to be at any given time: In addition to getting their time zones mixed up, the indictment says that on at least one occasion, they signed emails with the wrong fake name.
The founders, as the indictment refers to Chen and Donovan, connected with two online commentators to convince them to join their network, offering one influencer $400,000 a month with performance bonuses. The project was, of course, being bankrolled by Russiaa fact the founders knew, prosecutors allege, and conspired to conceal from the commentators they brought on board, though Chen and Donovan are not charged in the indictment.
The prospective employees were told Grigoriann was providing the eye-wateringly large sums of money being offered for their content, but Grigoriann had no online presence at all. When one of the commentators insisted on seeing more information about him, one of the personas purporting to represent Grigoriann sent one of the founders a one-page CV that suggested he was an experienced international banker and included what appears to be a stock image of a white man sitting on a private jet.
Over the course of several months, Chen and Donovan brought on six right-wing influencers with existing social media followings and millions of YouTube followers between them: Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen, and Matt Christiansen. In a trailer for the site on the website, they call themselves free-thinking. The commentators are generally pro-TrumpPool recently interviewed the former presidentand frequently post about the threat of wokeness, illegal immigrants, and other culture war issues. Pool tweeted with bizarre regularity about the prospect of a civil war in the U.S. that he said was either already ongoing or about to begin.
Several members of the Tenet crew were also vocally against U.S. support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. This is psychotic, said Pool in a video in August as he banged a table and gritted his teeth. Ukraine is the enemy of this country. Since the indictment, Pool has tweetedseemingly ironicallyin support of Ukraine.
Johnson, meanwhile, called Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas an unhinged scumbag for supporting aid to Ukraine. And in a tweet featuring a picture of GOP Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah with his family, Johnson said, Ill take Mitt Romney seriously on Ukraine War funding when he sends a *single* one of his many, many kids or grandkids over to the frontlines to fight.
Among the teams congressional allies is Sen. Mike Lee: Johnson was apparently among those who convinced the Utah Republicana strident isolationist who opposes aid to Ukraineto start his @BasedMikeLee Twitter account.
The indictment suggests that these influencerswho were paid by Tenet but posted on their own channels and accounts and had their content promoted by the company on its feedsdid not know their work was being funded by the Kremlin, and, indeed, several have said they are the victims of fraud and have been contacted by the FBI. These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme, Rubin said. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period.
Tenets stated mission was to support creators who question institutions that believe themselves to be above questioningunless, according to the indictment, that institution is the Russian government. Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva, the RT employees, apparently had ever-larger roles in shaping the editorial output on Tenets social media channels, including publishing clips from other sources. Afanasyeva was particularly strident when it came to having pro-Russia content pushed out on their accounts.
One conversation between Afanasyeva and the U.S.-based producers at Tenetnot the influencersappears to reference former Fox News host Tucker Carlsons trip to Russia in February. In clips from the trip, Carlson marveled at a Russian supermarket, including the low prices and shopping carts locked together with coinsas can be found, it should be noted, at Aldi and Lidl grocery stores all over the United States. When Afanasyeva told a producer to publish the clips on social media, the producer complained to one of the founders: It just feels like overt shilling. Chen and Donovan told the producer to post it anyway.
In another moment where the Russian propaganda was front-and-center, the indictment alleges Afanasyeva requested one of the creators publish content suggestingbaselesslythat the U.S. or Ukrainian governments were responsible for the March terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall venue in Moscow. Among the Kremlins main talking points was that the attackers had fled to the Ukrainian border, a line Afanasyeva repeated in her discussion with Tenet staff. In messages with the founders, she falsely said that it was mainstream media fake news that ISIS had claimed responsibility for the attack. According to prosecutors, one of the founders replied that one of the commentators would be happy to cover it.
The content creators involved have maintained they had editorial independence over their videos and podcastssimilarities to Russian talking points notwithstanding. But they have not said whether theyll keep their ill-gotten gainsto the tune of millions of dollarsnow that they know where they came from.
As Nick Catoggio pointed out in his column yesterday, the revelations of the alleged payoff also prompt other questions: 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? he asked. And, among that group, how likely is it that everyone whos been approached has said no except Tenet Media?
For their part, Afanasyeva and Kalashnikov are still at large, perhaps in Russia. According to the indictment, theyll be liable for any proceeds traceable to the commission of the offense, though its not clear if, when, or how theyll be apprehended.
The indictment was part of a larger, multi-agency effort to clamp down on Russian influence operations. Also on Wednesday, the Treasury Department announced new sanctions on RT executives as well as a Russian nonprofit it says uses artificial intelligence to develop disinformation campaigns. And on Thursday, a former adviser to Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, Dmitri Simes, was indicted, along with his wife, for allegedly violating sanctions against a Russian broadcaster prohibited from operating in the United States. To Moscow, the perpetrator of malign influence operations in the U.S., FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday: Knock it off.
But Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida offered a sort of defense for the duped influencers: They already had these opinions, he told Fox News Sean Hannity. They already believed in these things. They legitimately believe in the views that theyre espousing. They were victims.
Worth Your Time
Might some Medicare recipients not be as sick as the government claims? The trick is lucrative, Charles Silver and David Hyman reported in the Wall Street Journal. The Journal recently reported that insurers took $50 billion from Medicare over three years by adding fake illnesses to patients diagnoses. Criminals and legitimate providershospitals, physician groups, drug manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers and insurersraid the Treasury in other ways too. Within the past few weeks, it was reported that crooked brokers and insurers are helping five million ObamaCare enrollees enjoy $20 billion a year in premium subsidies by misrepresenting their incomes, and that half or more of Medicaids annual $217 billion budget for long-term care goes to people wealthy enough to cover their bills, they wrote. The government cant tell which claims are legitimate, so it pays them all and occasionally chases fraudsters after discovering it has been robbed. By failing to audit bills before paying them, the federal government squanders hundreds of billions of dollars every year. As long as it controls how healthcare dollars are spent, fraud will persist and services will cost more than they should.
Fishing is generally a leisurely, relaxing, serene activity. But not always, Tyler Austin Harpera fisherman who swims out into rough seas at night to catch a big onewrote in The Atlantic. The wave comes, throat-high and hungry, he wrote. I manage to keep hold of my fishing rod, and Im reeling in lost line and treading water and trying to forget all the stories Ive heard about sharks as a second large wave begins sucking me up its face. Wetsuiting is a form of saltwater fishing that involves wearing a wetsuit and wading or swimming out to offshore rocksalmost exclusively at night, often during stormsto access deeper water or faster currents than can be reached in traditional waders. The secret to such gumption? Wetsuiters are all mad, and they always have been. Spending sleepless night after sleepless night up to your chest in the riotous Atlantic, hunting fish the size of a preschooler, isnt a hobby that people who are psychologically grounded pursue. More than a few have lost marriages and jobs in their desperate quest for this fish. Some have lost their life.
Presented Without Comment
Reuters: Trump Says He Will Tap [Elon] Musk To Lead Government Efficiency Commission If Elected
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The Hill: Putin Quips That He Supports Harris, Citing Infectious Laugh
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Washington Post: Water Buffalo Escapes Slaughter, Evades Police, Becomes Local Celebrity
In the Zeitgeist
In this world, nothing is certain except death, taxes, and a new Star Wars spin-off. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, set to premiere on Disney+ in December, will follow four kids traveling the galaxy, searching for a way to their homethe perfect recipe for checks years-old English literature notes a bildungsroman space opera?
Toeing the Company Line
In the newsletters: Mike and Sarah provided an update on Hunter Bidens criminal tax evasion case, Will highlighted the troubling legal issues with Californias new bill regulating artificial intelligence, and Nick considered () just how motivated right-wing media is by cold hard cash.
On the podcasts: Sarah, Steve, and Jonah are joined by Reasons Nick Gillespie on The Dispatch Podcast roundtable to discuss whether conservatives (and libertarians) would be better off with a Trump or Harris win in November.
On the site: Kevin revisits Trumps role in the Biden administrations Afghanistan withdrawal, and Alex Muresianu dives into Kamala Harris proposed tax policies.
Let Us Know
Do you think the influencers claims of victimhood are credible?
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Russian forces seem to have gunned down a group of surrendering Ukrainian soldiers near Pokrovsk in late August, CNN reported on Sept. 6, publishing an exclusive video.
This comes as another apparent case of Russia summarily executing Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) or surrendering soldiers, which could amount to war crimes.
Drone footage published by CNN shows three Ukrainian soldiers surrendering after their trench was overrun. As they walk out, kneel down, and place their hands on their heads, they seem to be gunned down as they fall to the ground.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin told the U.S. news outlet that his office is investigating 28 similar incidents recorded during the full-scale war, which have resulted in the deaths of 62 Ukrainian soldiers.
"If prisoners of war surrender, if they show they surrender, if they are without weapons in their hands, then summary execution is a war crime," Kostin said.
An undisclosed Ukrainain official told CNN that such cases are becoming an increasingly common pattern.
Petro Yatsenko, a representative of the Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of POWs, told CNN that Russian soldiers are ordered to summarily execute their Ukrainian counterparts so they would fear the same fate if they surrendered.
The battles near Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in Donetsk Oblast, have been particularly brutal as Russia inches toward this important town. Kyiv has acknowledged a difficult situation in the sector, with the relentless assault continuing despite Ukraine's attempt to divert Moscow's forces by attacking Russia's Kursk Oblast.
In a similar case reported this week, Russia executed three Ukrainian POWs near Toretsk, a town northeast of Pokrovsk, according to Ukrainian prosecutors.
Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said in June that Russian commanders had given orders "not to capture Ukrainian servicemen, but instead to kill them with inhuman cruelty." He made the statement after footage was revealed that showed a Ukrainian soldier beheaded by Russian troops.
"This is terrible barbarism that has no place in the 21st century," Kostin said at the time.
Read also: Ombudsman appeals to UN, Red Cross over alleged execution of Ukrainian POW by Russia seen on video
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Russians intensify offensive on Vuhledar and will not slow down quickly ISW
Vulhedar in Donetsk Oblast and the line of contact throughout Donetsk Oblast. Screenshot: DeepStateMap
Russian troops have significantly intensified their offensive operations in the vicinity of Vuhledar (Donetsk Oblast) and have achieved minor tactical success in the area so far. In this way, the Russians want to increase pressure on the Ukrainian military and create conditions for further successes on the Pokrovsk front.
Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
Details: Recently, Russian forces have escalated their longstanding offensive operations aimed at eliminating the broad Ukrainian salient positioned to the west and south-west of Donetsk, and advancing towards and along the H-15 highway (connecting Donetsk and the city of Zaporizhzhia).
There appear to be coordinated Russian offensives extending from the southern flank of the Pokrovsk front to the western edge of the Ukrainian defences around Vuhledar. These manoeuvres likely seek to increase pressure on Ukrainian troops defending the western part of Donetsk Oblast and to create conditions for further advances in Russias main offensive push on the Pokrovsk front.
Russian forces are also intensifying their attacks in other areas south-west and west of Donetsk. The increased activity near Vuhledar does not necessarily suggest a reduced offensive pace in other parts of western part of Donetsk Oblast in the near future.
On 4 September, a Ukrainian airborne brigade operating south-west of Donetsk released video footage showing Ukrainian forces successfully repelling a reinforced Russian mechanised assault, consisting of four tanks and 17 armoured vehicles, near Kostiantynivka.
Shortly after expanding the southern flank of the Pokrovsk salient, Russian troops intensified their offensive operations near Vuhledar, indicating an intent to conduct mutually supporting attacks on the southern flank of the Pokrovsk salient, directly west of Donetsk, along the 0-0532 road, and near Vuhledar.
It is likely that the Russian command aims to capture Kurakhove and Vuhledar to secure tactical advantages along the H-15 road more swiftly, although they are expected to encounter significant challenges.
The Russian military leadership remains focused on the offensive against Pokrovsk, likely viewing the increased activity in western part of Donetsk Oblast as a secondary priority. Regardless of the outcome, these secondary efforts are probably intended to fix Ukrainian forces in the western part of Donetsk Oblast and prevent them from being redeployed to strengthen the defence of Pokrovsk.
Russian forces are unlikely to maintain their momentum across Ukraines east for an extended period. The repeated surges in offensive operations in Donetsk Oblast, coupled with the ongoing pressure caused by Ukraine's operations in Kursk Oblast, are likely to force the Russian offensive to culminate sooner than its military command expects.
To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 5 September:
Russian forces have recently intensified their longstanding offensive effort to eliminate the broad Ukrainian salient west and southwest of Donetsk City and advance up to and along the H-15 (Donetsk City-Zaporizhzhia City) highway.
Apparently coordinated Russian offensive operations from the southern flank of the Pokrovsk front to the western flank of the Ukrainian defence around Vuhledar likely aim to increase pressure on Ukrainian forces defending in western Donetsk Oblast and set conditions for further gains in Russia's prioritized offensive effort on the Pokrovsk front.
Russian forces are conducting relatively intensified offensive operations elsewhere southwest and west of Donetsk City, and the intensification of Russian offensive operations near Vuhledar likely does not presage decreased Russian offensive tempo elsewhere in western Donetsk Oblast in the near-term.
Russian forces intensified offensive operations near Vuhledar shortly after starting to widen the southern flank of the Pokrovsk salient, suggesting that Russian forces intend to conduct mutually reinforcing offensive operations along the southern flank of the Pokrovsk front, immediately west of Donetsk City, along the 0-0532 highway, and near Vuhledar.
The Russian military command likely aims for the intended seizure of Kurakhove and Vuhledar to allow Russian forces to make more rapid tactical gains up to and along the H-15 highway, although Russian forces will likely face challenges in leveraging the envisioned seizure of these settlements to eliminate the broad Ukrainian salient in western Donetsk Oblast.
The Russian military command continues to prioritise the offensive effort on Pokrovsk and will likely treat the intensified effort in western Donetsk Oblast as a secondary effort. The Russian military command likely intends for this secondary effort, regardless of its success, to fix Ukrainian forces in western Donetsk Oblast and prevent Ukrainian redeployments to reinforce the defence of Pokrovsk.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin continues to downplay the theater-wide operational impacts of the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast and continues efforts to convince the Russian people that the Kremlin's delayed and disorganised response to the Kursk incursion is an acceptable price to pay for further Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast.
The Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast has had theater-wide impacts and these impacts will likely continue to affect Russian offensive and defensive capabilities beyond the culmination of the Pokrovsk offensive.
Putin's informational efforts are likely intended to convince the Russian public that an ongoing Ukrainian presence in Kursk Oblast is tolerable in exchange for the Russian seizure of Pokrovsk.
Russian offensive operations in Donetsk Oblast do not portend the imminent collapse of the frontline throughout Ukraine, despite Putin's efforts to portray the advances in Donetsk Oblast as dramatic.
Russian forces recently advanced near Chasiv Yar, southeast of Kupiansk, and on the Kherson front and Ukrainian forces recently regained positions north of Kharkiv City.
Russian forces continue to forcibly redeploy mobilised Russian military personnel from occupied Ukraine to frontline positions to bolster Russia's crypto-mobilisation efforts.
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On 6 September, the Russian military launched an airstrike on the border in Sumy Oblast, killing four people and injuring four others.
Source: Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office on Telegram
Quote: "According to the investigation, on 6 September 2024, at approximately 15:00, the [Russian] invaders dropped three guided bombs on the civilian infrastructure of the village of Krasnopillia in Sumy Oblast, using military methods outlawed by international law."
Details: The Russian attack killed a 66-year-old woman in her own home and injured four others, including a 15-year-old child. Approximately 15 private residences were damaged.
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Armed Russian soldiers in the occupied part of Kherson Oblast conducted inspections of families with school-age children on the eve of the new school year.
Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram
Details: He said that collaborators, accompanied by soldiers, went to the homes of Ukrainian families and tried to force children to attend schools that had introduced the Russian curriculum. Adults were threatened with deprivation of parental rights if they refused.
Additionally, they checked their gadgets for any apps that could be used for distance learning in Ukrainian educational institutions.
The Russians are also continuing to impose their own education system, which spreads anti-Ukrainian propaganda.
Quote: "In educational institutions, children continue to be brainwashed by Russian propaganda, forced to write letters to participants of the so-called 'special military operation [as the war against Ukraine is called in Russia ed.], given textbooks with rewritten history, and receive military training sessions," he notes.
Overall, the situation in the occupied hromadas remains "extremely difficult", Prokudin said. Locals are lacking medications and quality food [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories ed.].
Kherson Oblast Military Administration receives reports of refusals to provide emergency medical assistance if Ukrainians in the occupation have not received Russian passports.
Quote: "Ambulances refuse to respond to emergency calls if a person does not have a Russian passport or the so-called 'medical insurance'. Fire services ignore calls locals mostly extinguish fires with their own resources," says Prokudin.
Additionally, without a Russian passport, locals cannot move freely, face difficulties finding work, and risk being deprived of parental rights.
Background:
Beginning with the new school year, the Russians plan to increase the number of so-called "Cossacks" involved in the "education process" in schools in Ukraine's temporarily-occupied territory. [The so-called "Cossacks" are employees of the private security organisation Kazachya Sotnya ("Cossack Company") in Russias Belgorod Oblast, which consists of "registered Cossacks" of the "Central Cossack Army", and former employees of security and law enforcement agencies ed.].
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The Rust prosecution was hit with a new setback on Thursday after Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer ruled that a 52-page filing from special prosecutor Kari Morrissey meant to have the court reconsider dismissing Alec Baldwins manslaughter charges exceeded the 10-page limit. The court therefore would not consider it.
It marked the latest legal update since the actor-producers manslaughter trial was dismissed in July.
According to the New Mexico filing, obtained by TheWrap, the judge determined that Morrisseys 52-page motion to reconsider the dismissal with prejudice ruling (plus 387 pages of exhibits) well exceeded the local 10-page regulation. While the state filed a subsequent motion for an extension on that page limit, Sommer denied that request as it was not well-taken.
Morrissey can, however, still whittle her main motion down to 10 pages and resubmit for consideration.
The update comes two months after Baldwins manslaughter trial was dismissed with prejudice after evidence emerged that police and prosecutors deliberately withheld live bullets from the defense. The actor was on trial for the 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
The late discovery of this evidence during trial has impeded the effective use of evidence in such a way that it has impacted the fundamental fairness of the proceedings. The defense is not in a position to test the states theory as to the source of the live rounds that killed Ms. Hutchins, Judge Sommer said in her initial ruling. The state is highly culpable for its failure to provide this discovery to the defendant. The state unilaterally withheld the supplemental report. [The] Santa Fe County Sheriffs officer made the decision and apparently also with the prosecutor, as pursuant to [Cpl. Alexandria] Hancocks testimony that the evidence was of no evidentiary value and failed to connect the evidence to the case.
Ms. Morrissey was aware of the new evidence and yet did not make an effort to disclose it to defense. The states willful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate. If this conduct does rise to the level of bad faith, it certainly comes so near to bad faith as to show signs of scorching, she continued. The states discovery violation has injected a needless incurable delay into the jury trial. Dismissal with prejudice is warranted to ensure the integrity of the judicial system and the efficient administration of justice. Your motion to dismiss with prejudice is granted.
Meanwhile, Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is currently serving 18 months in prison for her role in Hutchins death.
Variety was first to report the update.
The post Rust Judge Rules Against Alec Baldwin Prosecutor for Exceeding 10-Page Filing Limit appeared first on TheWrap.
A man accused of beating and torturing a 1-year-old girl three years ago in a West Sacramento motel has been deemed mentally competent to stand trial in Yolo County charged with murder and child abuse.
Derrick Dimone Woods, 46, of Sacramento is accused of killing Amanda Marie Owens. The little girls family has said she was found dead with severe bruising inside a room at Silveys Motel along West Capitol Avenue after her mother left her two children with Woods, the man she had been dating at the time.
Woods has been in custody since he was arrested in February 2021 following a a 24-hour regionwide manhunt. The Yolo County District Attorneys Office then charged Woods with murder, assault resulting in the death of a child younger than 8 years old and child abuse. The murder charge includes an enhancement for inflicting torture.
Prosecutors said Woods physically abused his then girlfriends two children at the West Sacramento motel, killing the 1-year-old girl. Her three-year-old brother was treated for his injuries at a hospital.
Amanda Marie Owens died in a West Sacramento motel room Monday.
The childrens mother, Marquisha Brown, lost custody of her son for 10 months following her daughters death. But she has since been reunited with her son, and last year they were among participants in a Yolo County program designed to help homeless families get back on track after falling on tough times.
Woods murder case had been stalled for the past two years in Yolo Superior Court. Prosecutors said Woods defense attorney in May 2022 told the court he did not believe his client was mentally competent to stand trial.
The judge suspended the criminal case and ordered doctors to evaluate Woods mentally competency. Prosecutors said Woods in fall 2023 was sent to Porterville Developmental Center, a state hospital.
In January, Woods was returned to the Yolo County Jail after doctors at the state hospital determined Woods mental competency had been restored. But Woods defense attorney challenged that medical finding. Prosecutors said a three-week court trial was held to determine whether Woods mental competency had been restored.
On Thursday, Judge Samuel McAdam ruled that Woods was mentally competent to stand trial and reinstated the murder case, the District Attorneys Office announced Friday in a news release.
Prosecutors said the judge then scheduled Woods murder trial to begin Feb. 24. Woods on Friday remained in custody at the jail, where hes being held without bail.
Sacramento mass shooting suspect died in jail nearly 3 months ago. There are still no answers
The family of Smiley Martin, a suspect in Sacramentos deadliest mass shooting, has no answers about how Martin died in Sacramento County Sheriffs Office custody as the three-month anniversary of his death approaches this weekend.
Martin was charged with two others in a brazen shooting that killed six people along 10th and K streets two years ago. The 29-year-old was found unresponsive in his cell by deputies about 2:15 a.m. June 8. He had been incarcerated since April 2022 at the downtown Sacramento County Main Jail.
The family has no information and they are worried, said Sacramento civil rights attorney Mark Reichel in a phone interview. And they want to know.
Prosecutors say two rival gangs opened fire on April 3, 2022, striking 18 people 12, including Martin, ultimately lived. Martin and his two co-defendents did not face charges related to the deaths of three victims who were alleged to be shooters, the Sacramento County District Attorneys Office has said.
Defendant Dandrae Martin, right, and his attorney Linda Parisi look toward the gallery as people cry when the murder charges are dismissed against Smiley Martin, who died in jail in June, during a preliminary hearing in Sacramento Superior Court on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. Mtula Payton, who is also charged in the 2022 gang-related gun fight on K Street, sits at left.
On June 8, jail deputies provided medical treatment to Martin until medical staff and Sacramento firefighters arrived to help, but Martin died at the jail, according to the Sheriffs Office.
Martin died from methadone intoxication, the Sacramento County Coroners Office said on Wednesday, also ruling the death an accident. The medicine is used to often treat drug addiction or manage pain, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Its unclear if Martin was prescribed methadone by jail staff, if he was given the wrong dose or if he procured it through some other means.
Elizabeth Zelidon, a spokeswoman for Sacramento County Department of Health Services, declined to answer questions and cited a federal patient privacy protection law.
Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a spokesman for the Sheriffs Office, declined to answer The Bees questions about why Martin had methadone, how he acquired enough of the medication to cause an overdose and why deputies did not manage to seize it prior to the incident.
Gandhi said the investigation is ongoing and a federal patient privacy law prevents him from speaking. Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper declined to comment Wednesday.
Its also unclear when an autopsy for Martin will be released. Sacramento Coroner Rosa Vega did not answer questions Wednesday and Thursday about the timeline for the release and why the coroner has not disclosed a report.
Five inmates in downtown Sacramento County Main Jail have died in sheriffs office custody in 11 weeks.
In the most recent case, two men were found unresponsive in their cell on July 26. Asiah Washington, 26, died from a suspected fentanyl overdose while his cellmate was revived with Narcan.
The other three inmate deaths occurred on May 5, May 12 and June 8 at the downtown facility; another man died June 28 at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center near Elk Grove.
Martin, his brother Deandrae Martin and Mtula Payton also faced charges in the downtown shooting. Prosecutors formally dropped charges Aug. 16 against Smiley Martin after he died during the ongoing preliminary hearing.
Testimony in the preliminary hearing will resume Sept. 11 with the lead detective investigating the mass shooting scheduled to take the stand.
Meanwhile, Reichel, the attorney for Martins family, said Sacramento County has not been in touch with him or Martins family. In a letter to the county, Reichel wrote a void of information has prevented Martins mother from mentally and emotionally processing how and why her son died.
They are suffering, Reichel said in a phone interview.
The people at Safe Harbor Marinas have their hands full lately with development plans for their various Beaufort County boat facilities.
While the industry giant in recreational boating is dealing with a tempest in Port Royal, they diverted attention to a meeting in Beaufort Thursday night where a dramatically downsized plan for that citys prized waterfront was introduced.
In response to local critics, their new proposal has slashed by half the size of a marina expansion and further reduced how much the company plans to invest by 70%. The criticism of the previous, ambitious plan came from locals who saw the project as too big for the quaint marina at the citys Waterfront Park.
This newly revealed marina plan is now roughly an in-kind replacement of the existing docks, said Peter Clark, Safe Harbors chief development officer.
Safe Harbor manages the public marina for the city including the dock space and marina store and restroom and laundry facilities adjacent to Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. The company owns and manages 130 marinas from Annapolis to Key West and is a membership-driven model that includes thousands of boat owners who pay monthly fees for access to the facilities.
How did the need arise?
Beauforts docks have outlived their useful life, said Clark, and the central focus of the improvements is modernizing the marina and ensuring it is and prepared for future weather-related events, including possible storm surges.
But a previous proposal included a major expansion in the number of parking spots, or slips, from 80 to 146, and increasing the dock footage from 2880 to 4263 feet.
Some residents complained the sprawling docks would harm the views of the Beaufort River prompting the downsized plan that Safe Harbor unveiled Thursday.
Safe Harbors new design calls for keeping the same number of slips at 80. The marina will be slightly shifted farther from the shore, with its footprint maybe a little bigger because of an increase in the size of the docks, Clark said. But the docks will not be expanded to the east or west, he said, and will remain largely in the existing area of the current marina.
Safe Harbor displayed a new design for Beauforts downtown marina at Waterfront Park Thursday. It is not much bigger than the current marina but all the docks will be replaced, Safe Harbor says.
The estimated cost of the work has been reduced from $27 million to $8 million. It includes upgrades to the electrical system and making the marina more structurally sound, Safe Harbor says.
The real message is we heard the collective voice of the city, Clark said in explaining the smaller marina plan.
Besides replacing the docks, a new fuel system and ADA-accessible gangway are planned. The existing mooring field will remain the same.
Boats moored in the Beaufort River in the existing mooring field of Beaufort Marina as managed by Safe Harbor photographed on Feb. 14, 2024, with the bluff of Ribaut Road and Bay Street lining the top edge of the photo. Safe Harbors $27 million project, if approved, would reduce the scope of the mooring field and would double the docks capacity.
The meeting drew a crowd of residents who looked over the latest drawings on easels and talked with a team of Safe Harbor officials.
The city also is conducting an online survey of residents who attended the meeting, City Manager Scott Marshall said.
The proposal will formally be introduced later at work session of the City Council, which has the final say over the plan.
A revised design for the Beaufort marina keeps the footprint largely the same as the current marina. The mooring field would remain the same.
This is the start of gathering input from the public, Marshall said.
Safe Harbor has gone back and forth with Beaufort and it neighbor to the south, Port Royal, for several months over its marina plans in those communities.
In Port Royal, where it is planning to build a large new marina and a housing development, the company has run into opposition over its building of large docks on the property for use at other properties. Residents have also taken issue with an initial plan to build rental townhouses on adjacent lands. In response to the complaints about the housing, Safe Harbor is now talking to different developers about different housing options.
Questions remain about path forward
Despite the smaller plan for the Beaufort marina, its future management remains somewhat murky as the city continues to grapple with how to handle a recently discovered problem with its lease with Safe Harbor. Marshall revealed last month that the City Council broke South Carolina law when it approved the lease in May 2019 without the required two public readings. To address that oversight, Marshall and the current City Council discussed an an ordinance Aug. 27 to retroactively ratify the original approval but delayed a vote on the first reading.
Some residents who are not pleased with the terms of the current lease with Safe Harbor are urging the city to use the mistake to re-renegotiate certain items that they the find unfavorable to the city, and City Council members have been receptive to that idea.
How the city should move forward with the lease on is on the agenda of a Tuesday City Council work session.
Options include renegotiating the current agreement or negotiating a new agreement, Marshall said. Until the City Council defines the path forward, I dont have definitives, Marshall said.
We do know Safe Harbor, with the current agreement, is committed to investing in improvements of the marina, Marshall said.
Marshall is recommending that the city form a negotiating committee that includes residents.
Safe Harbors Clark said, Were happy to discuss the lease with the city.
Survey
To complete a survey on the new marina design go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YB6NKPP
FAIRBORN, Ohio (WDTN) School security is top of mind after the deadly shooting in Georgia on Wednesday.
A report from the Educators School Safety Network shows that swatting incidents decreased by more than 50 percent last school year. However, overall violent incidents are increasing.
Dr. Amy Klinger says the majority of those violent incidents do not involve an active shooter or a gun.
Kettering school bus involved in multi-vehicle crash
Schools have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. We have to be able to be prepared for an active shooter, clearly. But yet that cant be the only thing we are prepared for in a school, said Klinger.
Klinger says this data shows school districts need to not only focus on active shooting threats but take a bigger look at other hazards schools face.
For every dollar or every minute were going to spend on active shooter response, we spend a dollar an hour or a minute equally on an all-hazard prevention sort of thing, said Klinger.
Local leaders say its always been a serious issue, and some districts are making changes to address it. The new Fairborn High School was built specifically with safety in mind.
Bill Titleys job is solely dedicated to safety and security in the district.
If they dont feel safe, then they cant learn. Theres no way, said Bill Titley, Director of Safety and Security for Fairborn City Schools.
Layers of security at Fairborn High School can be seen before you even enter the building.
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A lot of security enhancements around the outside of the buildings and within the buildings, both electronic and mechanical and just plain physical barriers as well, said Titley.
This year, the district introduced new training protocols through the I Love You Guys Foundation.
Having seen districts all over the country do different things, its the one that makes absolutely the most sense, said Titley.
Visible on the badges of all staff and teachers, this standard response protocol makes it easier for everyone to respond in an emergency.
We can train police and fire and the dispatchers and the community and the kids. Were all speaking the same language. So if the school calls the police and says, we have this going on and this is what were doing, they understand what were saying, said Titley.
Titley says the district also has a new sign-in process. An app allows staff to report an incident right away and to school resource officers in every building.
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Having the mindset to be vigilant of whats going on around them. And if you see a behavior of concern, trust your gut and tell somebody about it, said Titley.
Fairborn City Schools also participates in the Safer Ohio Schools Tip Line. Parents, teachers and students can report anonymously.
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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) On Sept. 14, San Angelo ISD partners with Shannon Medical Center to host a clinic for state-required Immunizations.
The clinic will be held from 9 a.m. through noon at the SAISD District Administration Building, 1621 University Ave.
According to a news headline on the SAISD website. a parent or guardian must accompany students 5-17 years old and sign consent paperwork before the administration of the immunization(s). Must bring picture IDs, student shot records, and insurance cards. Picture ID must be presented to receive immunizations. Walk-ins are welcomed and no appointment is necessary.
For anyone with questions about the clinic or immunizations contact Monica Porras, Health Services Coordinator, at monica.porras@saisd.org or 325-947-3838 ext 512.
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SALINE COUNTY, Ark. A joint letter by Republican elected officials of Saline County takes a strong stand against the county Republican Partys leadership after a video of an altercation at a party meeting went viral.
The Friday afternoon letter signed by officials calling for the state Republican Party of Arkansas to remove the Saline County Republican Partys leadership. The letter is signed by 20 elected officials, including county Judge Matt Brumley and Sheriff Rodney Wright, and the countys 12 justices of the peace.
Benton police investigating fight at Saline County Republican Party meeting
The altercation came after a shouting argument Thursday night at the county partys meeting that ended with a thrown punch. The video shows others rushing to break up that altercation after the punch was thrown.
Last nights Saline County Republican Committee meeting devolved into chaos, culminating in a physical altercation between two individuals, along with heated verbal exchanges among others throughout the room, the letter states.
Constitution Camp in Saline County questioned by some
The group then takes the county party leadership to task.
As the Republican Elected Officials of Saline County, we categorically reject not only the disgraceful actions of these individuals but also the toxic culture fostered by the leadership of the Saline County Republican Committee, the letter reads.
The letter asks the state party to take immediate action to remove the county partys leadership.
The letter also calls out behavior that is shameful and embarrassing by the county party leadership for over a year. It also refers to what it calls a radical faction within the county party to tarnish the values we hold dear.
Saline County billboard causes controversy throughout Arkansas
In the last two years, the Republican Party of Saline County has repeatedly been in the news for its activism in social-conservative causes such as library regulation.
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Saltwater nose drops can reduce the length of a kid's cold by two days, a new study demonstrates. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News
Saltwater nose drops can reduce the length of a kid's cold by two days, a new study demonstrates.
"We found that children using saltwater nose drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, where those with usual care had symptoms for eight days," said researcher Dr. Steve Cunningham, a professor of pediatric respiratory medicine with the University of Edinburgh in Britain.
"The children receiving salt water nose drops also needed fewer medicines during their illness," he added.
Children tend to have 10 to 12 colds a year, "which have a big impact on them and their families," Cunningham said.
Over-the-counter remedies containing drugs like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can treat symptoms, but until now no treatments have been identified that could speed up recovery from a cold, Cunningham said.
For the new study, researchers recruited more than 400 kids aged 6 years or younger and randomly assigned them to take either salt-water nasal drops or usual care if they caught a cold.
Saltwater solutions often are used by people in South Asia as nasal irrigation or gargling to treat a cold, researchers noted.
Overall, about 300 of the kids caught a cold and half were given saltwater drops as their treatment.
Parents administered three drops per nostril a minimum of four times per day, using a saltwater solution they made at home with sea salt, researchers said.
Not only did the kids get better more quickly with saltwater drops, but colds also tended to spread less to other family members. About 46% of those families had other members catch a cold, versus 61% of families whose kids received usual care.
About 82% of parents said the nose drops helped their child get better more quickly, and 81% plan to use the saltwater drops in the future, researchers report.
"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," Cunningham said.
"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," he added.
Researchers said the drops likely work by boosting the ability of the respiratory system to fight off the cold virus.
"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," Cunningham explained.
"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," Cunningham added.
These findings will be presented at the European Respiratory Society's annual meeting in Vienna, Austria.
"This is an important study that is the first of its kind to investigate the impact of salty nose drops in children with colds," said Alexander Moeller, head of the ERS Pediatric Assembly and chief of respiratory medicine at University Children's Hospital Zurich. Moeller was not involved in the research.
"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," Moeller said in a meeting news release. "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 research team next plans to investigate the effect of saltwater drops on wheezing during colds. Initial results from this study showed that kids who got the drops had significantly fewer episodes of wheeze, 5% versus 19%.
Because these findings are from a medical meeting, they should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
Stanford Medicine has more about the common cold in children.
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(NewsNation) Two federal officials are accused of working for a Mexican drug trafficking organization, which allowed them to live lavish lifestyles, according to prosecutors.
Jesse Clark Garcia and Diego Bonillo, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents from the San Diego Sector, were arrested in May. Previously unreported details of the case were unsealed in a search warrant affidavit Tuesday in San Diego federal Court, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
Prosecutors allege the two allowed vehicles loaded with hard drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine to pass unchecked through their inspection lanes at the Otay Mesa and Tecate Ports of Entry. Otay Mesa is about 20 miles south of San Diego.
US citizen arrested at South Texas port on drug, crime warrants
Prosecutors say the defendants profited handsomely, using the tens of thousands of dollars they received to buy luxury brand items, build a large home on a Mexican ranch and take multiple European vacations, the news outlet reported.
Documents show Garcia and Bonillo allegedly allowed more than 1,150 pounds of drugs into the U.S. on five occasions between April 2021 and February of this year.
Garcia has worked with immigration and customs enforcement since 1999, according to his LinkedIn page.
CA: 2 CBP Officers are being accused of working with the cartel and turning a blind eye to drugs passing through the a San Diego port Jesse Clark Garcia and Diego Bonillo are accused of working for an unnamed Mexican drug trafficking organization to allow vehicles loaded with pic.twitter.com/Smz26fjFtu Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) September 5, 2024
The U.S. Attorneys Office announces arrests or indictments in some cases for law enforcement officers accused or convicted of wrongdoing, but it did not announce the arrests or indictments of Garcia and Bonillo.
A former CBP colleague, Leonard Darnell George, went on trial in a similar drug-related case one month after Garcia and Bonillo were arrested, but the cases are not believed to be related. George was convicted in June of accepting bribes to allow smugglers to bring in drugs at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.
US citizen arrested at South Texas port on drug, crime warrants
Corruption undermines the integrity of our border security and poses a grave threat to public safety, U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath told the Union-Tribune in a statement Wednesday. Allegations that border officials are complicit in fentanyl trafficking are especially troubling. This office will bring those who put our community at risk to justice.
Garcia and Bonillo have pleaded not guilty to the charges. They remain in custody as a judge deemed them a flight risk and have a court hearing scheduled in late October. If convicted, they face a minimum of 10 years in prison.
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(NewsNation) A former Massachusetts detective was indicted last week in relation to the killing of Sandra Birchmore, a pregnant woman whose death he allegedly staged to appear like a suicide in 2021. The investigation found Matthew Farwell had multiple inappropriate physical encounters with Birchmore and sent her sexually explicit photos while on duty. Farwell pleaded not guilty to the charges. Kidnapping survivor Tanya Kach joins NewsNations Banfield to discuss what may have led up to Birchmores alleged murder.
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SCs 1st inmate to be executed in 13 years will die by lethal injection, attorney decides
Restraints are shown on the lethal injection table in the execution chamber at the Utah State Correctional Facility after the Taberon Honie execution Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool)
COLUMBIA Death row inmate Freddie Owens will die by lethal injection, his attorney decided Friday.
That is, if the execution is carried out as scheduled. His attorneys filed another petition Thursday night seeking to stop it.
Owens execution, scheduled for Sept. 20, is set to be the first in the state since 2011. Five more executions could follow in five-week intervals.
Freddie Owens (Provided by SC Department of Corrections)
After Owens signed his decision-making powers over to his attorney, she had three options for his method of execution: lethal injection, electrocution or firing squad.
The state Supreme Court decided in July that all three were constitutional, despite arguments from inmates, including Owens, that the firing squad and electric chair were cruel and unusual.
If Owens attorney had not made a decision, he automatically would have been set to die by electrocution. Legislators made that the default method in 2021 when they added the firing squad as an option.
Owens gave his attorney, Emily Paavola, the right to make the decision because his religious beliefs as a Muslim say suicide is a sin, and he sees deciding his own method of death as a form of suicide, according to court filings. The state Supreme Court agreed earlier this week to allow Paavola to decide.
I have known Mr. Owens for 15 years. Under the circumstances, and in light of the information currently available to me, I made the best decision I felt I could make on his behalf, Paavola said in a statement Friday.
Owens was convicted in 1999 of shooting and killing gas station clerk Irene Graves during a robbery two years prior because she didnt know how to open the safe. After his conviction, he killed another inmate at the Greenville Detention Center, where he was kept before his sentencing.
But his attorneys said Friday he maintains his innocence.
Their second petition in two weeks to halt his execution argues his death sentence was unconstitutionally excessive and based on trial errors.
They argue prosecutors at his original trial did not prove that he was the shooter, only that he was there. Beyond that, more egregious cases have resulted in a life sentence or less, they said, noting Owens was only 19 years old at the time of the robbery.
They also say he suffers from organic brain damage from being abused at home and in juvenile prisons.
Thursdays filing is on top of last weeks petition claiming new evidence of a secret deal between a major witness and prosecuting attorneys.
In their response, attorneys for the state argued those claims date back to Owens original trial and shouldnt be enough to warrant a new hearing, or even if it did, change the verdict, according to court filings.
Owens is one of six death row inmates who have exhausted their normal appeals processes and can be scheduled for execution.
Questions over secrecy
Owens was not entitled to specific information about the drugs the state will use for lethal injection, including how they are stored, how exactly the state tested them to ensure they were pure, and when they expire, the state Supreme Court said in a Thursday order.
Owens attorneys had argued they needed that information for Paavola to make an informed decision about whether or not the drug would be safe and effective. An expired dose, a dose stored incorrectly or a dose that was not truly pure pentobarbital could cause Owens to suffer as he died, the attorneys argued, pointing to a statement from an expert.
Corrections Director Bryan Stirling testified in front of a judge that the department had tested and was ready to use any of the three methods of execution. That included sending the pentobarbital to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Divisions forensic laboratory for testing.
The SLED laboratory confirmed that the drug was the correct purity for an execution and that it found no problems with the dose, Stirling said in his signed statement.
I sincerely hope that the South Carolina Department of Corrections assurances will hold true, Paavola said in a statement Friday.
Attorneys for the state said Owens and his attorneys shouldnt need any more information to determine the drug is safe. Anything else could begin to infringe upon the shield law legislators expanded last year to help the state get more lethal injection drugs, attorneys argued. The law protects most information about the drug, including where officials got it and how much it cost.
What is the lethal injection drug?
This will be the first time the state uses a single drug to carry out a death sentence rather than a three-drug cocktail.
After years of being unable to restock its expired supply of lethal injection drugs, the state resupplied last September with pentobarbital, a barbiturate often used as a sedative that is fatal in high doses. The same drug is often used to euthanize pets.
Previously, South Carolina joined most other states in using three drugs to execute inmates.
The first was a sedative to put the inmate to sleep; the second was a muscle relaxant, called pancuronium bromide; and the third, usually potassium chloride, stopped the inmates heart, according to information released in court filings.
For South Carolinas last execution in 2011, it used pentobarbital as the first of three drugs. Before that, the combination started with sodium thiopental, a different type of anesthetic, but a federal investigation into the drug took it off the market, The Associated Press reported at the time.
Facing shortages in those drugs, the federal government and some states have switched from a similar three-drug cocktail to just a lethal dose of pentobarbital.
South Carolina adjusted its protocol last September, when Stirling told the state Supreme Court he had gotten a supply of pentobarbital, aided by the law signed four months earlier that keeps the origins of the drug secret. Corrections officials contacted more than 1,300 drug manufacturers, suppliers, compounding suppliers and others in looking to refill the states supply of lethal drugs, according to a news release at the time.
The change came down to what was available.
Officials had told inmates attorneys they would switch to a one-drug protocol if that was what they could get, according to letters included in court filings.
The states new protocol is essentially identical to protocols used by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and at least six other states, according to the news release. The department does not publicly release its execution protocols.
The federal government switched to using just pentobarbital in 2011, citing shortages in other drugs.
At least nine states Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington have executed at least one person using a single drug. Utahs first execution using just pentobarbital took place last month.
Six other states have said they would use a one-drug protocol but have not carried out an execution with it. Of the 13 inmates executed nationwide so far this year, seven have died by an injection of pentobarbital, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Because pentobarbital is a sedative, an overdose done correctly should still put an inmate to sleep before shutting off their brain and other organs, said Robin Maher, executive director for the Death Penalty Information Center.
The one-drug and three-drug methods dont have much of a difference in terms of effectiveness. At the end of the day, whether or not a lethal injection is effective comes down to whether or not it is administered effectively, Maher said.
SC inmates want to tell stories of maltreatment. Judge allows global speech ban to continue
South Carolina inmates will continue to have their speech muzzled following a federal court ruling.
U.S. District Court Judge Jacquelyn Austin dismissed a lawsuit filed by the South Carolina chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. The suit challenged the S.C. Department of Corrections policy that restricts in-person interviews between inmates and anyone else including attorneys from being published in the media. The ACLU claimed it had been blocked by the department of corrections from publishing interviews from two clients, regarding maltreatment while in the departments custody.
While Austin found the ACLU had sufficient grounds for the suit, the organization failed, she said, to make a valid a claim, resulting in the cases dismissal, according to a court opinion Aug. 30.
The ACLU had intended to publish interviews from two of its clients Sofia Cano and Marion Bowman Jr.
Cano, a transgender woman, claims transgender healthcare in the corrections department is lacking, and is the subject of another lawsuit regarding the same topic. While Bowman, whos on death row, wants to tell the public about the inhumane treatment endured by people incarcerated by SCDC via a podcast.
S.C. Corrections Director Bryan Stirling, who the lawsuit says, exercises final ultimate authority over the construction and enforcement of all SCDC policies, was named as the sole defendant.
In the suit, the ACLU said the corrections department has a pattern and practice of prohibiting incarcerated people from anyone who intends to publish prisoner speech, either in person, by video or telephone.
The departments policy permits the publication of communications via letters, although such writings are first screened by correction officials.
The corrections department argued its policy is rooted in victims rights, and a belief that victims should not have to see the person who harmed them or their family members on the evening news, according to the opinion.
The ACLU contended their clients First Amendment rights were being violated and asked the court to declare the policy unconstitutional, preventing its further enforcement.
South Carolinas prison media-access policy is among the most restrictive of any state in the U.S., the ACLU said in a news release after filing the lawsuit in February. Unique among prison systems nationwide, SCDC takes the position that incarcerated people lose the privilege of speaking to the news media when they enter SCDC.
As an example of the policys practice, the non-profit organization cited an instance where Alex Murdaugh had provided personal information to his attorney during a legal call, and his attorney recorded the call and later provided it to FOX Nation for inclusion in a docu-series, according to the opinion. SCDC punished Murdaugh by revoking phone privileges while notifying his lawyer that phone communications between Murdaugh and his lawyer could be jeopardized in the future, the opinion said.
Austin ruled the ACLU failed to articulate a claim based on the First Amendment.
Essentially, Austin said the SCDC hasnt restricted communications with Cano and Bowman for the purpose of the ACLUs legal representation. In addition, the First Amendment doesnt afford the ACLU the right to record and publish interviews with their clients for media publication.
SCDC stands by its longstanding policy, which allows inmates to answer interview questions in writing, a spokesperson from the SCDC said. Were grateful the courts recognized and upheld it.
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) Spartanburg Community College (SCC) announced they are the recipient of a $400,000 grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that will support SCCs innovative project.
The Building Opportunities for Outstanding Skills Training in Advanced Manufacturing for Southeastern Two-Year Colleges (BOOST) project is designed to strengthen the connection between two-year colleges and the advanced manufacturing industry, fostering a pipeline of skilled professionals ready to meet the demands of the modern workforce according to the college.
SCC is collaborating with Tidewater Community College in Virginia and Northeast State Community College in Tennessee on this project. Officials said these institutions will work to develop and implement strategies that enhance skills training and workforce readiness across the Southeastern United States.
The NSF-EPIIC grant program is designed to enable partnerships that increase innovation capacity, and SCC is honored to be among the inaugural recipients.
This funding will advance SCCs mission to deliver high-quality education and training that meets the evolving needs of both students and employers.
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO/AP) A 14-year-old accused of fatally shooting four people in Georgia on Wednesday is in custody, but this may not have happened when it did were it not for a certain encounter.
Our school resource officer engaged him, and the shooter quickly realized that if he did not give up, that it would end with an OIS, an officer-involved shooting, Sheriff Jud Smith of Barrow County said. He gave up.
News of a school shooting such as that has John Estep with the Sioux Falls Police Department evaluating his own work.
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Definitely first initial one is heartbreaking, and then also the next thing for me, I guess, would be to make sure Im taking my right steps that Im able to to make sure that my school is safe, Estep said.
Estep is a school resource officer at Memorial Middle School along with a handful of elementary schools. Its a role he treasures.
I like to do some, just, safety checks, Estep said. Ill go around and check doors, check some cameras, make sure theyre functional, things like that. That way we know that inside and out we are safe where we need to be.
While his eyes are always peeled, he reminds the community that everyone can help keep schools safe.
If you see something, say something, Estep said. It doesnt matter if its something you see laying outside the school, something that maybe somebody else might have brought inside the school, anything like that.
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JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) School officials in Jackson County said an incident just across the state line has them concerned about school safety.
They are making it clear to their students that this type of behavior is not acceptable.
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There is zero tolerance. Had that happened here, there wouldnt have been a question. He would have been up for expulsion. We just dont play, Deputy Superintendent Becky Hart said.
Following Wednesdays tragic Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia and a teen caught with a firearm on Cottonwood High Schools campus in Alabama, Jackson County School District officials are warning students to keep all weapons off of school property.
You have to take every case seriously and diffuse the situation no matter what it is to make everyone remain calm. Social media is rampant and when something like that, they see this one guy at an event with any kind of weapon, it just creates chaos, Jackson County School District Safety & Risk Management Director Doug Powell said.
Cottonwood High School is less than 20 minutes away from Malone High School in Jackson County. The Cottonwood teen is only being charged with a misdemeanor for trespassing.
Amazingly, Alabama law allows people to carry firearms on school property unless theres evidence they intend to cause harm. Its a different story here in Florida.
In Jackson County, they would be arrested for possessing a firearm out in the open. They would be arrested, Powell said.
Jackson County School District officials say theyre doing everything they can to keep students safe.
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Were trying to harden every school so you go in one single access after school opens, and every year weve been able to do that. We have a deputy at every school and two of our schools have at least two, Powell said.
Our jobs are to provide [students] a safe learning environment. They should be able to go to school and feel safe. Sometimes children dont have that, and that is the one thing that we can provide as a district and as a school administrator, Hart said.
Jackson County School District officials are encouraging students to report any threats or criminal behavior to school officials or law enforcement authorities.
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. Wednesdays tragic Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia is now shining an even brighter light on the debate over cellphones in classrooms.
Do students need phones in classrooms and would they help in emergency situations?
One Tennessee state lawmaker in Memphis says cell phones in schools are also an important conversation.
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Theres a school shooting at your childs school and you cannot communicate. That has to the longest time in your life, the worst period of time, state Rep. Antonio Parkinson said.
Parkinson says some Tennessee lawmakers plan to propose a bill to stop students from using mobile phones on campus.
Im supporting all the rules that say you cant have your phone while instruction is going on, but Im not with and will never support you taking the phone until these policies that allow and foster these school shootings is done away with, Parkinson said.
Starting in June, students in grades 5-12 in Marshall County are now required to put their phones, smartwatches, and other devices in magnetically sealed pouches.
For now, there is no statewide ban on cellphones in Tennessee or Mississippi.
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Researchers have succeeded in temporarily turning the skin of mice transparent by smearing them with common food dye. While it's not clear yet whether this approach is safe for humans, the scientists believe it could in future be used to detect cancer cells. Matthew Christiansen/U.S. National Science Foundation/dpa
Researchers have found that common food dye can be used to make skin, muscle and connective tissues temporarily transparent, suggesting that the procedure could be used in future to locate cancer cells in the human body, according to a new study.
Scientists from Stanford University in California applied yellow-orange food dye to the skin of mice which turned the live animals' bodies temporarily transparent and allowed the researchers to discern the blood vessels in the scalp or the movement of organs under the abdominal skin.
The method could probably also be used in humans and is conceivable for many medical fields, the research team said in the study published in the journal Science.
The synthetic dye used, called tartrazine, absorbs long-wave ultraviolet light (UV-A) and blue light. Red and orange-coloured light can penetrate the tissue.
The researchers said the dye can be washed off with water after the experiments, making the skin opaque again. The substance does not harm the animals.
Don't try this at home
Tartrazine - also known as FD & C Yellow 5 - is authorised in the US and the European Union. The dye is used in baked goods, sweets, mustard, cheese and medicines, for example. It is also used in the colour powders at Holi festivals.
So far the Stanford team has not tested tartrazine on human skin which co-author Guosong Hong explained is much thicker than the skin of mice, making it more difficult for the absorbing dye molecules to penetrate the outer layer.
This means tartrazine would have to be injected into the human body to turn it temporarily transparent, according to the researchers.
However more research is needed to evaluate if the procedure is safe for humans.
Hong, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, warned that people should not try the method at home, as the toxic effect of dye molecules in humans, especially when applied topically, has not yet been fully investigated.
A window into the body?
Hong said the approach could potentially be used in future to make veins more visible for blood sampling, simplify the removal of tattoos using lasers or help in the early detection and treatment of cancer.
Applying tartrazine could also help to localise cancer cells and precancerous lesions under the skin in order to remove them with lasers, he added.
To investigate the transparency effect, the Stanford team focussed primarily on the scattering and refraction of light as it passes from one material to another.
Scattering is the main reason why we cannot normally see through the body, they said. Cells, proteins and other materials all have a different refractive index. This means that when light passes from one material to another, it is refracted to different degrees, i.e. scattered.
By applying common dye molecules that absorb light, the researchers tried to to balance the refractive indexes to reduce scattering.
Here, they identified tartrazine as being particularly effective.
When the scientists dissolved tartrazine in water and added it to tissue that absorbed the dye, the light scattering was reduced, resulting in transparency.
They initially tested this on a thin slice of chicken breast. As the concentration of the dye increased, the muscle cells became more transparent. An image which they had put under the glass dish on which the chicken was placed became visible.
When the researchers smeared the scalp of mice with the solution, the blood vessels became visible.
They also applied the solution to the mice's stomachs, and the movements of the intestines, heartbeat and breathing became visible within minutes.
Injecting the dye could lead to even deeper insights into organisms, the researchers believe.
Time-lapse images (from top left to bottom right) of blood vessels in the brain of a sedated mouse, taken without surgical procedures, cuts or damage to the bones or skin of the animal. Gail Rupert/NSF/Stanford University/dpa
Image of blood vessels in the brain directly under the skull of a sedated mouse, taken without surgery, incisions or damage to the bones or skin of the animal. Gail Rupert/NSF/Stanford University/dpa
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Food prices are rising, especially when it comes to beef products according to Feeding South Dakota but a $300,000 donation from the South Dakota Cattlemens Foundation could help.
Since 2014, in our first event, weve partnered with Feeding South Dakota for that philanthropy, and thats where weve led to $2.7 million in gifts for the purchase of beef for their food program, Cattlemens Foundation president Ryan Eichler said.
The eleven-year partnership has provided 1.5 million pounds of beef to feed families across the state. A check presented to Feeding South Dakota Thursday morning comes from money raised at the Cattlemens Foundations annual gala.
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We had roughly 2,000 people in attendance. Following that, we hosted a concert in the Denny Sanford Premier Center with Parker McCollum, Eichler said. The donation is really a benefit of that gala, the kindness of beef producers as well as affiliated businesses here in our home state.
Feeding South Dakota said the donation will help purchase beef products, and ensure families get the nutrition they need.
Without them, we would not be able to feed families in all 66 counties. This is how our missions really align. These are families that care about families, Feeding South Dakota CEO Lori Dykstra said.
The $303,622 gift will help feed neighbors in communities all across South Dakota.
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MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is raising awareness about food insecurity in our region and how the community can help. As they participate in Hunger Action Month, Second Harvest of East Tennessee is in need of the communitys help themselves.
We usually have about 934 volunteers monthly, and last month we only had 679 volunteers Still a lot of people, and were grateful to the community, but it really does impact our whole operation when the volunteer hours are down, said executive director Elaine Streno.
According to Streno, over their last fiscal year, food insecurity grew 26% in East Tennessee.
Its huge in every way because the demand being up, food prices, weve all been impacted by that because of course, people cant afford to buy food, and then were buying more food, and then our donations are down. So, you know, its a major impact, she said.
Streno said the increase in demand and food prices is an issue Feeding America is seeing nationwide. But between that and their low donation and volunteer turnout, they need help from the community.
Packing food saves us money and they are so great to contribute. So, were kind of appealing let the community know were here from Tuesday to Saturday, volunteers can go online and sign up, and we really would love some people to come out and help us, she said.
Right now, Streno said they serve nearly 200,000 people in East Tennessee who are at risk of food insecurity.
We serve 18 counties. We have six different feeding programs, so the volunteers have an outstanding impact in a positive way on what we do, she said.
To continue to serve those in need, she says they need all hands-on deck, so they can spend Hunger Action Month feeding our community.
Because we are local, we depend on this community for our funding, and so were just appealing for volunteers and monetary donations too.
To find out how to volunteer or donate, you can visit their website here.
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A mother was jailed for opposing reunification therapy between her two youngest sons and her ex-husband, who is facing charges of sexually abusing his daughters, prompting state lawmakers to press Colorado Supreme Court Justice Monica Marquez to address what they termed as a crisis in the states family court system. The article on the mothers jailing prompted state lawmakers to gather signatures for a petition they planned to send to Marquez and organize a rally for Thursday in front of the Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center. The dispute over the reunification therapy in the contentious custody dispute comes at a time when such therapy is coming under new scrutiny.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a one-day visit to Port-au-Prince on Thursday by announcing an additional $45 million in humanitarian aid for the crisis-wracked country and reiterating the United States push for putting for elections and restoring security.
The United States appreciates Haitis leaders putting aside their differences, working together to put the country on the path to free and fair elections, Blinken said at a press conference, before flying to the neighboring Dominican Republic where he will spend the night and meet with President Luis Abinader on Friday.
Washington, the Secretary added, was looking forward to Haitis Transitional Presidential Council swiftly naming a provisional electoral council to organize those elections. That is the critical next step.
Gangs currently control more than 85% of metropolitan Port-au-Prince and large swaths of the neighboring Artibonite region. The Artibonite and the West region, where the capital is located, represented an estimated 57% to 60% of the countrys electorate the last time 2016 Haitians went to the polls to elect a president.
Haiti hasnt had an elected president ever since Jovenel Moise was gunned-down inside his home more than three years ago on July 7, 2021. Since then, the country has been in a free-fall with no elected leaders, and armed gangs expanding their control over new territories by the day.
READ MORE: Gangs fled a Haitian town as Kenya force moved in. But only for a day
In March, Blinken joined Caribbean leaders in Jamaica to help Haitis leaders forge a path forward after gangs united and launched a broad assault on the then government. But five months into the transition, the process has been hobbled by corruption allegations involving three members of the presidential panel, infighting among the sectors over who to name on the electoral commission, and a struggling international effort to restore security.
Blinken only touched on the corruption scandal in his closing remarks, saying that the United States welcomes Haitian efforts to address corruption allegations, promote transparency and accountability. These are essential for this transition government to maintain the trust of the Haitian people.
Then, he issued a warning, reminding Haitians of the U.S.s recent economic sanctions against former Haitian President Michel Martelly: We will use every tool that we have to hold accountable those who facilitate violence, drug trafficking, instability.
Blinken began his visit by meeting with Edgard Leblanc Fils, the current head of the Transitional Presidential Council, who in a press conference after the meeting said he discussed the general situation with the Secretary. He then met with Prime Minister Garry Conille and Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy.
He also met with nine Haitian leaders whose political parties and civil society organizations are currently part of the transition. During the meeting at the U.S. embassy in Tabarre, the U.S. delegation sat on one side of a long conference table, while the Haitian invitees sat across on the other side. Haitian leaders expressed both their disappointment with the slow progress of the Kenya-led mission, as well as their concerns about the corruption scandal embroiling the ruling presidential panel.
Blinken acknowledged that progress hasnt happened as quickly as many would like, but sought to assure the room of Washingtons commitment.
Despite his efforts to paint a positive portrait of the security situation, recent decision and events say otherwise. Ahead of Blinkens visit, Haitian authorities expanded a state of emergency from 14 cities to the entire country. In another troubling reminder of the precarious security situation, the Haitian National Police Union, SYNAPOHA, on Thursday reported that a police officer, Wisly Villefranche, had been short by armed gunmen during an operation in the Magloire Ambroise neighborhood of the capital.
He was the second police officer killed in a week. Last week, officer Nathanielle Medjine Michel was killed when her police car received 13 bullets as she drove to work. Two others police officers, who were later visited by Conille and Haiti National Police Chief Rameau Normil, were injured in an anti-gang operation.
As this political process has moved forward in parallel, so, too, is the necessary efforts to provide a strong security foundation, and in particular the Multinational Security Support authorized by the United Nations last year has move forward, he later said during his closing press conference.
Rather than focus on the missions shortcomings, he touted what he deemed are its successes.
This is hard stuff, but weve already seen, thanks to the work of the MSS, supporting the HNP, the Haitian national police, the airport taken back and reopened, the main hospital in Port-au-Prince taken back, some neighborhoods where theres now economic activity, Blinken said. What Ive heard today, talking to the leaders of the Haitian national police and the MSS is a clear path for what theyll do next.
THE MISSION ITSELF NEEDS TO BE RENEWED
Even still, while trying to bolster support for the mission ahead of a U.N. Security Council vote on Sept. 30 about the end of its one-year-mandate, the U.S. is also trying to get support to transfer the mission into a formal U.N. peacekeeping operation.
The mission itself needs to be renewed, Blinken said. But we also want to make sure that we have something that is reliable, thats sustainable, and well look at every option to do that. So peacekeeping operationally is one such option. I think there are others. We just want to make sure that we have a way to first renewing the mission and then making sure we have a way to make it sustainable for the future, because this is going to take some time.
Such an arrangement would provide the mission with stabilized funding and personnel. Washington, however, will need to get the authorization of the U.N. Security Council, where both Russia and China have veto powers. The two have been critical of both the U.S. intervention in Haiti and past U.N. peacekeeping operations.
In addition to convincing Russia, U.S. officials would also need to secure the support of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a critic of peacekeeping operations.
Asked on Thursday if Guterres thinking has evolved on the matter, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York, Im not sure of how much the Secretary-Generals thinking has evolved on this matter from what he said publicly.
Dujarric also said Im not aware or have not been made aware of any discussions that have been taking place here in this building with our peacekeeping colleagues on the U.S.s desire to transform the mission into a formal peacekeeping operation.
Dujarric said it is not for the secretary-general to grade the impact of the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission.
The fact that it managed to deploy, led by Kenya with the support of many others, I think, is a tremendous step forward. Its very helpful to the Haitian authorities as they try to lead a government of transition, he said. The force could, of course, use more funding.
The United States remains the largest funder of the mission. It has provided more than $300 to support the security mission, which has gone into providing more than two dozen armored vehicles, radios, night goggles and standing up the base of operations that is currently housing the more than 380 Kenyan police officers in the country. More assistance is also en route the secretary said, noting that Jamaica is sending personnel and El Salvador is providing a helicopter medivac team to assist.
As were projecting out, as were looking at growing the MSS mission itself, we also have to figure out whats going to be required to pay for that, and I think were going to need more funding to do that, Blinken said. Thats exactly why Im bringing together colleagues at the UN General Assembly on the margins of that, just to make sure that we are properly resourced.
Despite the missions presence attacks against police stations and neighborhoods by gangs have continued. One need not look further than a few miles east of the U.S. embassy where 6,000 people were forced to flee their homes as of July when the community of Ganthier fell under the control of the 400 Mawozo gang after residents lost a two-year fight to push them back.
The gang, which has been threatening to also attack neighboring Fond Parisien, recently began building a wall along National Road #8 in the area of Croix-des-Bouquets, which includes Ganthier.
Meanwhile, to the south of Port-au-Prince, gangs have forced more than 44,000 residents of Gressier to seek refuge in neighboring Leogane where many are sleeping in mud without as much a tarp to protect them from the elements.
In addition to funding Haitis security efforts, the U.S. is also a leading contributor on the humanitarian side. With nearly 600,000 Haitians internally displaced by the gang violence and more than 5 million in humanitarian need, the additional $45 million means more food, water or sanitation or health and support services for one and a half million more Haitians in the long term, Blinken said.
Sec of State LaRose says its easy to vote in Ohio, but critics say hes making it more difficult
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.)
Secretary of State Frank LaRose is fond of saying that its easy to vote and hard to cheat in Ohio elections. But his recent and not-so-recent conduct seems to contradict both halves of that formulation, a watchdog says.
Just two months before a presidential election, the states top elections officer continues to change the rules in ways that make it more difficult for some Ohioans to vote particularly new citizens and the disabled. Meanwhile, hes supposed to conduct elections neutrally, but the things hes done concerning the states extreme partisan gerrymandering are clearly biased in favor of his own party and his friends, the watchdog said.
LaRose on Friday issued an order that effectively banned any of the already-limited set of people who can deliver a disabled persons ballot to a drop box from doing so. He now requires people providing assistance to go to the board of elections during hours when its open and sign an attestation that theyre dropping off a ballot.
LaRose also sent a letter to legislative leaders urging them to eliminate drop boxes altogether. He said it was to prevent a practice known as ballot harvesting or when a person delivers ballots on behalf of others.
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LaRose and some other Republicans have claimed without evidence that its vulnerable to widespread fraud. A Reuters fact check of the 2022 election found no such evidence, despite the claims that have been made about it.
The secretary of state, whose office didnt respond to questions, also claims without evidence that noncitizen voting is a big concern, and he recently completed an audit that flagged possible noncitizen voting. The Capital Journal on Wednesday reported that at least two new citizens who were flagged were later sent letters making it sound as if the states strict voter ID law was more strict than it actually is.
LaRose has also conducted aggressive purges of the voter rolls that critics say disproportionately affect communities of color.
The secretary of state has made much of potential fraud through ballot harvesting, noncitizen voting, and other means, but hes never shown any evidence that it isnt exceedingly rare, as independent experts say. Indeed, despite his protestations and investigations, LaRoses hundreds of referrals for suspected voter fraud as of last year had resulted in just one criminal charge. That was after four years of running elections in a state with 8 million registered voters.
To justify the elimination of drop boxes, LaRose again without evidence accused the League of Women Voters of trying to make it easy for people to cheat in Ohio elections.
The 104-year-old, nonpartisan league was founded by suffragettes as women won the right to vote, and it encourages voter participation and access, as well as fair elections. The league got a federal court to strike down part of a ballot-restricting law passed last year by Ohio Republicans when it ruled that that the law unduly restricted voting rights of the disabled.
LaRose wrote his letter encouraging lawmakers to eliminate drop boxes in response to that ruling. In it, he suggests that disabled Ohioans cant be trusted to vote for themselves and that family members should have the right to supervise them.
Unfortunately, this (court) decision does not provide relief to a family who believes their disabled relative is receiving ballot assistance without their knowledge, approval, or input, or who may have been coerced or misguided by individuals attempting to assist their voting decisions, the secretary of state wrote.
Then LaRose a supporter of former President Donald Trump accused the League of Women Voters of wanting to take advantage of disabled voters so it can steal elections.
I suspect this is exactly the outcome the LWV intended, he wrote. Under the guise of assisting the disabled, their legal strategy seeks to make Ohios elections less secure and more vulnerable to cheating, especially as it relates to the use of drop boxes. The security of the delivery of absentee ballots remains paramount, so this leaves us with the obvious question of a remedy.
Catherine Turcer, executive director of the watchdog group Common Cause Ohio, said she was flabbergasted that LaRose would want to restrict disabled Ohioans ability to vote.
Its actually fairly shocking that the secretary of state wants to make it harder for disabled peoples ballots to be counted, she said. The secretary of state is the chief elections official. Lots of us are walking around. Were completely able-bodied and we can vote, no problem. But there for the grace of God go I. Any of us at any point could become disabled and want to cast a ballot and not necessarily have a relative to get it to the Board of Elections.
Turcer said the goal seems clear.
Its just sensible to extend who can take ballots in for people who are dealing with challenges, she said. Theres no reason to make it harder for the people who are delivering those ballots. It just makes no sense unless youre trying to encourage Ohioans to question drop boxes in general, unless the secretary actually wants to make it harder to vote.
While his most recent steps call into question LaRoses claim that he wants to make it easy to vote in Ohio, hes again engaged in conduct that has opened him to accusations from watchdogs and advocates of cheating in an Ohio election despite his other claim that hes trying to make doing that hard.
Last decade, Ohio voters overwhelmingly approved two amendments aimed at stopping extreme partisan gerrymandering. LaRose and GOP leaders of Ohios gerrymandered legislature were part of a Redistricting Commission that ignored seven bipartisan rulings by the Ohio Supreme Court that maps they had drawn violated those amendments.
Maureen OConnor, the Republican chief justice who ruled with the bipartisan majority that the maps drawn by the GOP-led commission were unconstitutional, was forced to retire because of her age in 2022. Since then, shes helped lead a group thats working to pass what they think is a bulletproof anti-gerrymandering amendment that will go to voters in November.
Supporters of the amendment gathered more than 535,000 valid Ohio voter signatures to get it on the ballot. But then LaRose in August led the Ballot Board in approving a summary written by LaRose that will also appear on the ballot that says almost the opposite of what the amendment does.
It says the amendment would Repeal constitutional protections against gerrymandering approved by nearly three-quarters of Ohio electors participating in the statewide elections of 2015 and 2018, and eliminate the longstanding ability of Ohio citizens to hold their representatives accountable for establishing fair state legislative and congressional districts.
Never mind that the constitutional amendments that it would repeal were the same ones that LaRose and his colleagues on the Redistricting Commission ignored seven times since the completion of the 2020 Census. Also never mind that when lawmakers draw districts with predetermined outcomes that give them supermajority control over legislative chambers that dont match statewide voter preferences also known as gerrymandering thats what eliminates the ability of Ohio citizens to hold their representatives accountable.
The second paragraph in the 900-word summary continues with similarly loaded language, claiming that the anti-gerrymandering amendment would gerrymander.
The Ballot Boards summary claims the amendment would, Establish a new taxpayer-funded commission of appointees required to gerrymander the boundaries of state legislative and congressional districts to favor the two largest political parties in the state of Ohio, according to a formula based on partisan outcomes as the dominant factor, it says.
Outraged, supporters of the anti-gerrymandering amendment are suing. Theyre also working to tell voters that if they agree with their approach to stopping gerrymandering, vote yes on Issue 1.
LaRose undertook a similar scheme last year when he allowed abortion opponents to help write the ballot summary language for an abortion rights amendment. Despite the misleading language on the ballot, the amendment prevailed by a 14-point margin.
LaRose says he wants to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat in Ohio elections.
But over the past year, the secretary of state has taken multiple steps that restrict voting access, questioned the competence of disabled people to cast ballots, accused the League of Women Voters of wanting to steal elections, and twice manipulated the ballot language of citizen-driven amendments he didnt like.
Turcer, of Common Cause, said LaRose had engaged in both gerrymandering and using what should be his neutral position as Ohios election administrator to behave in a biased way.
Clearly, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose served on the redistricting commission, she said. He repeatedly gerrymandered district lines, manipulating them to benefit his own political party and to advance the careers of his friends. And then, when he had the opportunity to serve as the head of the Ohio Ballot Board, as opposed to remaining neutral, he engaged in language-making that basically can be described as Orwellian. So the secretary of state is a gerrymanderer who then manipulated the ballot language to make it nonsensical, wrong and clearly, clearly biased.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
(WTAJ) Driving around with a damaged license plate? Dont worry, Pennsylvania Senator Wayne Langerholc will be hosting free replacement events.
There will be three replacement events, with staff available on-hand to help with license plate replacements. An officer will also be present to sign off on the applications to help move the process along.
The three events will be on:
Oct. 9 Johnstown office location (999 Eisenhower Blvd.
Suite E)
Oct. 15 State College office location (341 Science Park Road
Suite 201)
Oct. 17 DuBois office location (218 S. 2nd Street)
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If you have any questions or cannot attend any of the events, call Langerholcs office at 814-266-2277.
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Although Senegal is a beautiful place with a unique charm that draws tourists back, it also has much more to offer. Senegals recent achievement marks a new era for the country, which already boasts an intriguing history and significant cultural figures. With its latest announcement, Senegal has added another notable accomplishment to its history books.
As the world watches, the West African nation has made significant strides in technology and science. The satellite launch, years in the making, represents a major milestone. Heres what we know about the launch and the countrys progress.
Senegals First Satellite
Victor Rutka / Unsplash
On August 16, 2024, Senegals President Bassirou Diomaye Faye posted on X (formerly Twitter), I would like to express my pride and gratitude to all those who made this project possible. On that day, the country launched its first satellite, Gaindesat-1A, a 1U-type satellite, sparking joy and pride among many Senegalese.
The launch deployed an Earth observation nanosatellite that will be instrumental in the countrys plans for progress. After five years of dedicated work by STEM professionals, the satellite was successfully launched, representing the hard work of many.
Local Senegalese engineers and technicians collaborated with the University Space Centre of Montpellier (CSUM), where eight engineers and five technicians were trained to make the countrys first satellite a reality. Senegal also established the Senegalese Space Study Agency.
This achievement is just the first phase of the countrys national space program, SenSAT. Thanks to the program and its developments, Senegals socio-economic status is expected to improve. In terms of scientific advancement, the country has opened up new possibilities. The space industry is growing significantly in Africa, and this is one of the major achievements marking that success.
What The Satellite Will Do
Senegal has reached a major goal and officially entered the space race. The countrys satellite will collect data that various agencies will use to drive innovation. For example, the Directorate for Water Resources Management and Planning (DGPRE) and the National Civil Aviation and Meteorology Agency will be able to assess and improve existing systems.
The satellite will play a crucial role in monitoring conditions across the country. Government and local authorities will use the data to enhance weather forecasting, improve water resource management, and more. Sectors like agriculture and telecommunications will also benefit.
Figs Auto Repair owner Greg Miller hopes the fish arcade next to his business is gone for good.
He watched Tuesday morning as police raided the fish arcade. They arrested someone for an outstanding warrant and cited others with working as unlicensed security. They also seized guns, gambling equipment and money.
Since the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled against the arcades in 2022, police have started cracking down.
When Miller first bought his west Charlotte shop eight years ago, the building was an appliance store, he said. Now its a nuisance.
Theyre not a great neighbor, he said of Shark Tank. I mean, they have people loitering at all hours at night through our parking lot. Theres garbage all over the place.
Fish arcades
Black covering blocked the view into Shark Tanks windows on Wednesday afternoon. Thats always been there, Miller said. After the raid, the front doors were also boarded off.
Fish game arcades popped up in Charlotte about six years ago, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
Their owners used to claim a loophole in the states gambling laws. The games let people shoot at fish swimming across a screen; its skill-based, the argument goes. Winners get a payout. Losers dont.
A fish game sits inside Ploutos Arcade after Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department detectives executed search warrants and began an illegal gambling investigation in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023.
They are havens for criminal activity, CMPD has said, and bring violence, drugs and other trouble to the neighborhoods theyre in.
Police delivered letters to more than 100 local arcades in May 2022. Now, they are fewer in number and more discreet.
Unlicensed security
Across North Carolina, unlicensed security guards often work at places like Shark Tank.
The director of the Private Protective Services Board, a small state government office in Raleigh, says that they are a public safety threat. Without a license, theres no guarantee that theyve gone through basic training or a criminal background check.
Last November, Lynette Matusik, a transgender woman who went on a bar crawl in NoDa, said that she was the victim of a hate crime. She got into a scuffle with an unlicensed security guard. Pictures Matusik shared showed her with a black eye and bruising, and video showed her being brought to the floor by the guard.
Theyre not security, and Im not going to use that word, she said at the time.
Its not unheard of.
Paul M. Sherwin, Director of Private Protective Services, part of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, photographed at his office on Friday, July 5, 2024 in Raleigh, N.C. The Private Protective Services Board oversees the licensing, education and training of those working in the private security business in North Carolina.
State reports obtained by the Observer say that unlicensed guards often create problems: firing rounds into the air to scare off a crowd, getting into a fight at the place theyve been hired to protect before shooting someone and even impersonating a police officer.
Its a misdemeanor to hire unlicensed security or to do the work without a license. But the charges are so rare that the state has no log of when they have been issued. In those rare instances, prosecutors often dismiss the charges.
The crime mostly goes under the radar, Private Protective Services Board Director Paul Sherwin said in July.
One solution would be to better educate business owners and the public that its illegal to use unlicensed security, he said.
Sheboygan man sentenced to one year in prison for threatening judge that presided over previous criminal case
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (WFRV) District Attorney Eric J. Toney announced that the Sheboygan man who threatened a judge was convicted and sentenced to a year in prison.
41-year-old Alfred Lee Hudsons sentencing stems from a voicemail he left threatening a judge who had presided over a prior criminal case involving Hudson.
Milwaukee man with multiple prior convictions gets 12 years in prison for drug trafficking
The American justice system is the envy of the world, District Attorney Toney said. Attacks on our judiciary are an attack on our way of life, which will never be tolerated.
The voicemail was roughly eight minutes and filled with multiple details, identifying himself and accusing the judge of falsely accusing him of a crime.
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The criminal complaint added that the voicemail wished for the judge to be charged with attempted murder, also saying that he wanted the judges individuals dead.
Following his prison time, Hudson will spend three years on extended supervision.
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ATHENS, Ala. (WHNT) There are currently approximately 150 cats, dogs and pets housed at the Athens-Limestone Animal Shelter.
The decision by the Limestone County Commission to shut down the only animal shelter in the county has not sat well with those who are concerned about the animals.
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According to Commission Chairman Collin Daly, the countys contract with the shelter is $550,000.00 per year. The shelters bid included an increase to $900,000.00. The expense increase signaled the end of the shelter on October 1.
Payroll is roughly half of the budget and then things like business insurance, workers comp, all of the vaccines and all of the prevention, the disinfectants, the laundry detergent and the utilities, Shelter Director Elizabeth OConner said.
The contract termination means that the shelter will ramp up its efforts to find suitable homes for the pets.
Many of the furry friends will have to be transported to the proposed county-run facility.
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Many citizens have reached out to News 19 with concern that the animals who do not have a suitable home will have to be put down.
OConner says shes had very little communication about the countys plans, but it is not up to the shelter to terminate the lives of the pets.
If we have 70 dogs left after October 1 and they have 15 to 20 kennels at the temporary facility, it will be on them to decide how to handle that and that situation, said OConner. But we wont be euthanizing any animals at the end of our contract. They will now be in the possession of the county, and they will be making those decisions for those animals.
OConner added that the shelter is still taking in strays from animal control as well as citizen drop-offs.
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Sheriff: Man violated sex offender registry by trying to enter Washington Co. school
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) A man was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly visiting a local elementary school while being a registered sex offender, according to a news release from the Washington County, Tennessee Sheriffs Office (WCSO).
George L. Buckles, 43, of Bluff City, was arrested on Wednesday after knowingly stepping onto school property where children were present as a registered sex offender. Buckles was convicted in Nov. 2022 for five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
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The WCSO reports Buckles and his girlfriend checked in as visitors at Ridgeview School and had their licenses scanned.
The release states Buckles told WCSO he knew he was not supposed to be on the property. Buckles was placed under arrest for violation of the sex offender registry.
The release said the schools SRO was notified of the man through the schools Raptor system.
The Raptor system scans an individuals state-issued identification card and compares it to the registered sex offender databases for all 50 states and territories. Every visitor entering a Washington County School is required to have their ID scanned and checked by Raptor. The system automatically alerts the SRO when Raptor flags someone. Washington County Sheriffs Office
According to the WCSO, Buckles made his bond of $2,500 and appeared in court on Thursday.
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When Joe and Serena Wailes allowed their 11-year-old daughter to attend a Jefferson County School District-sponsored trip to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., they were told their daughter would be rooming with three other fifth-grade girls. It wasnt until their daughter was in her room getting ready for bed on the first night of the trip that she discovered she was to share a bed with a boy who identified as a girl. The couple, along with two other Colorado families have filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging Jefferson County Public Schools have infringed on their parental rights.
This shipwreck's gold, silver, and emeralds helped spawn a golden age of piracy in the Bahamas and excavators keep finding more treasure
One of the most famous treasure sites of the sea is the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas.
It was pillaged for centuries, leaving little left. At least, that's what experts thought.
The latest excavations of the ship have uncovered thousands more artifacts worth millions.
Picture a legendary shipwreck full of silver coins, jewels, and other treasures, and you just might be imagining the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas.
The ship sank 368 years ago near the Bahamas. In the centuries since, pirates and treasure hunters have made off with millions in silver pesos, dazzling emeralds, weapons, and other loot.
Experts once thought there was little of the wreck remaining. Since 2019, though, divers have found thousands of artifacts. They've helped scientists learn more about the Bahamas' past, including how piracy shaped the islands.
Experts think there's more to discover. What remains under the sand could be worth millions.
No one was sure if there was anything left of the wreck.
Explorers delve into the remains of the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas. Chad Bagwell
In 2019, the Bahamian government gave multimillionaire Carl Allen and his company, AllenX, the rights to explore and salvage what was left if anything of the Maravillas. What the company uncovered was astounding.
In the years since, AllenX has found over 10,000 artifacts, including gold chains, silver bars, and emeralds. The company works with archaeologists, including Michael Pateman, director of the Bahamas Maritime Museum, to document both the site and the discoveries.
Even everyday items like olive jars, pipes, and wine bottles are a type of treasure because they help archaeologists working with AllenX understand who was on board, what they ate, how they dressed, and what personal items they traveled with.
Allen started the Bahamas Maritime Museum to hold the recovered treasures, which he said he has no current plans to sell. His company and the government split the finds.
We may never know how many riches went down with the ship.
Members of the AllenX team diving for artifacts from the Maravillas. Sean Kingsley/AllenX
The ship's artifacts are strewn across almost 2 miles of the ocean floor, some moved around by storms. Many are buried deep in the sand, so archaeologists use devices called magnetometers to detect them.
After all this time since the ship sank, it's difficult to know what remains. There may still be $100 million worth of artifacts under the sand, Jim Sinclair, who works with AllenX, told CBS News in 2023.
Before setting sail, the Maravillas took on gold and silver from another ship. There's no list of exactly what was brought aboard. The ship also stopped in Mexico, but there's no record of what that cargo contained, either.
"We're still trying to uncover that mystery," Pateman said.
Poor record keeping, marauding pirates, and hurricane-prone waters mean the extent of the original cargo and what's still on the seafloor is impossible to know.
There are other shipwrecks waiting to be rediscovered.
An illustration of a British Post Office boat under attack by an American privateer. Print Collector/Getty Images
The Maravillas is far from the only sunken ship in the Bahamas' waters.
Researchers looked at archival materials and found 176 shipwrecks near the Bahamas between 1526 and 1976. Most shipwrecks were due to reefs and storms, the researchers found. Unlike the treasure-laden Maravillas, many ships carried goods, including coal, lumber, rum, cigars, and coffee.
AllenX has also created a map of some known wrecks in the area. So far, it knows where 19 are, but there are dozens more that remain hidden beneath the sea. Exploring more sites may be tricky, though.
Bahamian politician Jomo Campbell has been critical of modern treasure hunting and said entities like AllenX shouldn't be able to hold licenses to explore and recover items from multiple wrecks, Tribune Business reported in 2023.
Over 600 people died when the ship sank.
An illustration of the Nuestra Senora de las Maravillas. AllenX
In January 1656, the Maravillas and another ship accidentally collided, causing the Maravillas to crash into a reef.
The other ship continued on, but the damage to the Maravillas dragged its many riches and hundreds of passengers toward the seafloor in under an hour.
"Shortly after this happened, what we call these winter storms in the northern Bahamas started to blow through," Pateman told Business Insider. "So it made the environment a lot more treacherous."
Over 600 people, a combination of sailors, passengers, and prisoners died by drowning or hypothermia, according to historian Leonardo Moreno-Alvarez. Only 45 people survived.
People immediately began salvaging the silver.
The Maravillas sank near Grand Bahama. Sean Kingsley/AllenX
The ship sank in relatively shallow waters about 30 feet deep off of what's now Grand Bahama Island. This attracted numerous groups, including pirates, who immediately began pillaging the wreck for its treasures.
In fact, this wreck likely helped launch a "golden age of piracy" on New Providence Island and its city Nassau, according to a recent report that Patement and his colleagues published in the Bahamas Maritime Museum's journal.
Pirate ships were able to loot the Maravillas site and then maneuver through waters too shallow for warships to follow, Pateman said. Nassau was sparsely populated, and the settlers were eager to trade with the pirates.
The island's governors often cut deals and pardoned the pirates. As the illegal salvage continued, "this helped to build Nassau to become what is now known as the 'Pirate Republic,'" Pateman said.
The golden age lasted until 1718 when Captain Woodes Rogers started pardoning pirates in exchange for them hunting down other looters.
"Some people in the Bahamas consider Woodes Rogers a hero," Pateman said. "I don't." His mission was to eradicate piracy and restore commerce, but he did that by restoring the plantation system and turning the Bahamas into a hub for slavery, he said.
Treasure hunting re-emerged in the 1970s.
A few of the artifacts recovered by AllenX from the Maravillas. Brendan Chavez/AllenX
There were a few attempts to bring up silver from the wreckage over the next 150 years, but the ship was mostly forgotten, Pateman said. Then in 1972, Robert Marx found artifacts belonging to the ship.
Archaeologists criticized Marx's work as destructive and unscientific because there was little documentation of where items were found. At least some treasure hunters used explosives to uncover buried artifacts, according to a report from "Ocean Dispatches."
In the 1980s, another treasure hunter, Herbert Humphreys Jr., claimed to have found emeralds, silver coins, and more artifacts worth the equivalent of about $11 million today. In 1987, his recovery company surfaced a 100-carat emerald.
As part of these salvage licenses, the treasure hunters kept 75% of what they found, and the remainder went to the Bahamian government.
Enough loot ended up in private collections that the Bahamian government put a moratorium on removing items from shipwrecks in 1999.
After a 2012 amendment to regulations on salvaging antiquities in the Bahamas, AllenX was able to apply for exploration and recovery licenses.
A more recent amendment gives treasure hunters and the government an equal split of recovered items, where it used to be 75% went to the finders.
Read the original article on Business Insider
KILLEEN, Texas (FOX 44) A Robert M. Shoemaker High School student has been arrested after being spotted with a weapon on campus.
Principal Mary Lynn Gawryszewski sent a message to district parents and guardians on Thursday afternoon, saying the student was transported to the Bell County Juvenile Detention Center. The student is being charged with Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon in a Prohibited Place, a state felony.
Hamilton ISD student found with weapon at football game
Gawryszewski says the district takes any threat to school safety seriously. As a precaution, there was an increased police presence at the Shoemaker campus on Friday.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
The flag of Israel flies in front of the Israeli Consulate General. Police shot down a suspicious person in Munich city center during a major operation near the Israeli Consulate General the day before. Matthias Balk/dpa
The 18-year-old Austrian gunman accused of attempting a terrorist attack on the Israeli consulate in Munich is believed to have had links to the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Islamist group, sources close to the investigation told dpa on Friday.
The teen, who was shot and killed by police officers near the consulate on Thursday morning, had been investigated last year in Austria on suspicion he might have been religiously radicalized and interested in explosives and weapons.
At the time, the then 17-year-old had come to the attention of the authorities after threatening fellow pupils and causing bodily harm.
A weapons ban was imposed on him until at least the beginning of 2028, according to the Salzburg police. But Austrian authorities dropped an investigation into possible membership of a terrorist organization.
Bavarian law enforcement said he had never been on their radar.
HTS emerged in 2017 from the merger of a former al-Qaeda affiliate and several smaller militant Syrian groups, according to German domestic intelligence.
Unlike al-Qaeda, which continues to plan attacks in the West, HTS largely focuses on Syria and aims to overthrow the ruler Bashar al-Assad.
Investigation into the shooting continues
German police and prosecutors described the gunman's actions as an attempted terrorist attack.
The incident saw an 18-year-old Austrian shot dead by police after opening fire on five officers near the consulate in the southern German city. No one else was injured.
At least 500 police personnel were called to the scene.
The attacker used a 19th century Swiss military rifle with a mounted bayonet.
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 gunman, with family roots in Bosnia, was from Austria's Salzburg region.
After the shootout in Munich, his home in Neumarkt am Wallersee was searched. His parents also live there.
Shooting in Trotwood sends one to a hospital; Police investigation underway
One person has been taken to a hospital from a shooting Thursday night in Trotwood.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
As reported on News Center 7 at 11, Trotwood police were dispatched to the 8000 block of Bellcreek Lane about 7:33 p.m. on the report of a shooting.
TRENDING STORIES:
A Trotwood police detective said the victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. There was no information shared about a suspect.
The victim, identified as a Hispanic male, was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, according to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch. His condition was not known.
PHOTOS: Trotwood police investigate a shooting on Bellcreek Lane
A Dayton K-9 unit remained on scene at 9 p.m.
No other information was released. We will continue to follow this developing story.
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Floridas shame
Re: the Sept. 3 story, Sasses UF hires racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel costs. The more that comes out about the lack of responsible spending of taxpayer dollars by UFs former president, the more distasteful it becomes.
As a 1982 UF graduate, Im sorry to see this beloved institutions reputation sink to a new low. The silence from politicians, such as Floridas two U.S. senators and Gov. DeSantis, is deafening and downright shameful.
Ollie Daniels,
Pembroke Pines
Voter communication
Reading the Sept. 3 Miami Herald editorial, Meager mail voting and high turnout could spell trouble, I was surprised, disappointed and alarmed. Surprised and disappointed because I know of so much good effort to get voters re-registered for vote-by-mail because the new rules enacted by the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature three years ago still confuse voters.
Miami-Dade Elections Supervisor Christina White is widely lauded for the work she does, but, alas, she could use some help with the messaging.
How can we help? What about some nonpartisan Public Service Announcements? Billboards?
Any means to reach thousands of people.
Anyone who remembers the long lines and irate voters during the 2012 election surely does not want a repeat. That threat is alarming and this election is far too important to be left to chance. The time to reach out is now.
Marcia Braun,
Miami Springs
Truth out loud
My thanks to James Gaddis for being the truth-bearer about Gov. Ron DeSantis gangster approach and plans to destroy the nature of our state parks. Gaddis ethical behavior is an example of no good deed goes unpunished.
For being seemingly ethical, the state fired him for conduct unbecoming a public employee. It is DeSantis who should be fired for his ongoing unbecoming conduct.
Whomever now hires Gaddis will be getting an employee who respects truth and speaks up.
Ellen D. Coulton,
South Miami
Scary times
Re: the Sept. 5 op-ed, AI is here. How can we make it less scary, safer? Googles complimentary Gemini AI addition to its search engine results reads that, If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it, which is often attributed to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, perhaps falsely.
This begs the question: If Im a bad actor and I consistently post and publish misinformation of a specific topic in multiple, creative and consistent ways online, does an AI search collect this pattern of poisoned data and predict or provide a search result suggesting the misinformation is factual and the truth?
How does AI distinguish truth from fiction?
The authors recognize the problem, but offer no concrete solutions. Happy Halloween?
Don Deresz,
Miami
All about Trump
As I read Peter H. Swartzs Sept. 4 op-ed, Trumps visual politics are reshaping America, I could feel a rush, followed by an increase in my pulse rate. Then, an uncomfortable need to shift in my seat as I felt beads of sweat slide down my temple.
Solipsism and narcissism. Admittedly, I had to look up the former. The view or theory, that the self is all that can be known to exist. An incredible psychological explanation about a man who likes to look at himself.
Im so shaken, I cant seem to finish my letter to the editor.
Allen Lundy,
Cooper City
Party gone amok
Our nation was founded on separating governmental authority, citizens electing officials, jury trials, individual rights, nonpartisan justice and respecting the U.S. Constitution. A political party that wants to drown the government in a bathtub while dismissing the Constitution represents lawlessness fueled by self-doubt.
Donald Trumps I alone can fix it, is a cry negating citizens participation, ending an ongoing experiment in self-government lasting 249 years.
What will replace elections, jury trials, civil and human rights, nonpartisan justice and a Constitution that places limits on executive, legislative and judicial power?
We have witnessed: an attempt to overturn an election; the suspension of the Constitutions emoluments clause while dismissing the 14th Amendments decree denying anyone participating in an insurrection from becoming president; the mocking of jury trials and judges; chants of lock her up, denying due process; the curtailing of civil and human rights; and a Department of Justice turned into a weapon.
Dehumanizing and slandering the loyal opposition (a British term), is not governing. It is an attempt to destroy, seeking to replace We the People with a party of one.
Phil Beasley,
Plantation
Somebodys hero
Im not sure about whom we speak of when we discuss our military heroes as losers, but Im tired about blanketing all our people in uniform as heroes. Military heroes are those who engage in heroics in battle; not so for just wearing the uniform.
I was a U.S. army officer attached to the marines floating off Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis. I also was a CIA officer on my first tour in Vietnam (1965-67), shot at on choppers and spotter aircraft. At no time have I ever been a hero.
We need to stop calling our men in uniform heroes, especially when engaged in unnecessary military activities against inferior foreign units of no threat to us. Frankly, they are more like cannon fodder sent there by those not willing to do the dirty work themselves.
Lets not bastardize the word heroes by labeling those as such who are not.
Michael G. Merhige,
Kendall
Teen shooter
I am willing to bet that the 14-year-old who shot and killed four and injured nine in an Atlanta-area school on Wednesday had been bullied before, during and after school. No doubt there also is an internet connection to this.
Why cant there be college graduate students working for extra credits at the schools to interview at-risk students monthly to try and avoid these tragedies? Isnt anybody thinking of solutions?
Mark Osman,
Kendall
Book smart
Books are gateways to knowledge and insights, evolving from ancient scrolls to Gutenbergs printing press and becoming essential to literacy and education. Works like the Bible and Harry Potter offer invaluable lessons, from spiritual guidance to personal resilience.
The recent surge in book bans is troubling. As reported by The New York Times, students argue that these bans stifle educational growth and limit access to diverse viewpoints. The American Library Association noted a 38% increase in book bans in 2022, with a focus on books by or about LGBTQ individuals and people of color.
The Supreme Courts 1982 ruling in Island Trees Union Free School District vs Pico provides local school boards broad discretion but lacks clarity on balancing community values with diverse perspectives.
Banning books impedes intellectual development and contradicts our constitutional rights to freedom of speech and press.
We the people must ensure that political authorities respect our right to access literature. In this constitutional democracy, we the people elect our leaders and we have the power to uphold our right to free inquiry and education.
Diego Hernandez,
Homestead
Think about this
Our forefathers must be turning over in their graves. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified on Dec. 15, 1791 and protects the right of Americans to possess weapons for the protection of themselves, their rights and their property.
Just because we have a right to something, doesnt mean this right should be unconstrained. The best way to prevent gun violence is to keep guns away from those intent on causing harm in the first place.
Poll after poll shows that most American citizens want stronger gun regulation and an assault weapons ban, but in this democratic country, the majority do not get what they want.
Mario Signorello,
Port St Lucie
Silver Spring man indicted on charges in connection to deadly crash in Maryland
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) announced Friday that a grand jury indicted a Silver Spring man on charges in connection to a deadly crash that happened in April 2023.
Police said on Sept. 3, 34-year-old Kenneth R. McFadden Baldwin was taken into custody on an arrest warrant for negligent manslaughter by vehicle gross negligence and criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle.
On April 28, 2023, around 2 a.m., Montgomery County police officers and EMS personnel were called to Wightman Road at Aspenwood Lane, in Gaithersburg, for a crash involving a 2017 Ford F-450 tow truck and Nissan Versa.
Police respond to incident at Joppatowne High School
MCPD said their investigation revealed that McFadden Baldwin was driving the tow truck on Wightman Road when he slammed into the Nissan, which was trying to make a left turn onto Aspenwood Lane.
The driver of the Nissan, 51-year-old Juan Antonio Lamas Salcido, of Gaithersburg, died at the scene.
As the investigation developed, police discovered that McFadden Baldwin was allegedly going at least 70 mph in a 35 mph zone.
He was released from the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit on an unsecured personal bond.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Long COVID is a chronic condition where a person continues to present COVID-19 symptoms three or more months after testing negative for the virus.
Garie Lewis tested positive for COVID-19 in August 2022, and a week later his home test said he was negative. Despite every test being the same, Lewis still has the symptoms two years after he was sick.
The post-exertional malaise. its a complete absence of strength and energy. Lewis said. I have the visible ticks, cognitive difficulties sometimes. I have a hard time coming up with words and putting them into sentences.
Due to his chronic condition, Lewis is unable to work most jobs.
Siouxland Stories: Siouxlands first family of golf celebrates 60 years
I was painting houses, I cant climb a ladder with the post-exertional malaise, he said. I couldnt do, you know, pushing a brush on a pole or anything. As far as my standup goes, as long as Im sitting down, I can get through my set, you know, as well as I can. And Im trying to incorporate that into it.
Most days, Lewis stays home due to his symptoms, having to store up energy for days to attend an event. When he does leave his apartment, many eyes are on him.
I was taking a walk recently, and my legs were not cooperating, Lewis said. And a passing car yelled out, somebody yelled out the window, go home and sober up. And, well, I have been sober for quite a while, and so. You know, as it is thicker skin as most of us have developed, thats why a lot of people dont want to go out, because they dont want to deal with that.
According to the National Library of Medicine, roughly 65 million people worldwide have developed long COVID.
For individuals that have like, nervous system issues, we can get them sent to neurology and to see if theres something that can be done, Dr. Kevin Ree with UnityPoint Health said. Because is it a vitamin deficiency? Is it something else that occurred, you know, did they have something more serious happened and their symptoms from COVID actually hit it and we didnt see it?
Over the past two years, Lewis has talked to many doctors about his symptoms.
Gavins Point Dam to see minimum releases during winter, Corps says
Somebody told me once that, well, thats what happens when you get old. It sucks getting old, he said. And I told my doctor that, and he said, thats ridiculous. He didnt just get old overnight.
Lewis refuses to let his chronic condition stop him from living his life, though, and hopes his story will help Siouxlanders learn more about long COVID.
Its more than just tired, Lewis said. And its not all in our heads. And wed rather be feeling good. Wed rather be healthy. Wed rather be doing the jobs that we like to do, and out enjoying the activities that we enjoyed before.
If you believe you have long COVID, Dr. Ree recommends contacting your physician as soon as possible.
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Sister wants justice for brothers death, Metro believes it may be self-defense
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The family of a man killed in July says they want justice, but that may not come as authorities are considering the killing as an act of self-defense.
Wilford Venable. (Courtesy, Venable family)
The shooting happened on July 8 along Boulder Highway near Desert Inn Road.
PREVIOUS STORY: Man shot, killed in southeast Las Vegas valley, no arrests: police
My brother gets shot, I think, three times that we know of. Once in the shoulder and twice in his main artery in his leg, Sharonda Venable, Wilfords sister, said.
In a statement sent to 8 News Now, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said it will ask Clark County prosecutors to consider the shooting death of Wilford Venable as possible self-defense.
I cant believe this, I really cant believe it. Oh my God, so he kills my brother and he gets away with it? Sharonda said in tears.
Sharonda shared photos to 8 News Now of her 32-year-old brother holding his child. That child witnessed the murder of his father.
My nephew has nightmares, you know? From watching his dad being murdered. That man took my nephews best friend away from him, Sharonda said. Its not fair.
According to police, before the shooting the current boyfriend and the ex-boyfriend were involved in a heated argument that turned into a physical fight at which point the current boyfriend is suspected of shooting the ex-boyfriend.
(KLAS)
Wilfords family said he was still with the woman at the time.
Despite the killing being considered as a possible case of self-defense, Metro tells 8 News Now it remains under investigation.
The shooter isnt being identified by 8 News Now because he hasnt been charged.
Wilfords sister said her brother left behind three children.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Known as a honeymoon haven, St. John, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, has taken a step to acknowledge and remember the 1733 rebellion of 150 enslaved Akwamu people that ended in tragedy. Now, Ram Head Trail in Virgin Islands National Park is connected to this surprising moment in history. Photograph by Robert Rausch
When one imagines St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, warm thoughts conjure of postcard-worthy beaches, happy-hour sunsets, and catamarans shuttling snorkelers into gentle turquoise bays. The crowning jewel of the island, Virgin Islands National Park, covers two-thirds of its 19 square miles and prevents this natural beauty from being overrun by resorts and tourist shops. However, despite being home to award-winning beaches like Trunk Bay and stunning coastal trails like the Ram Head, the island has long sat heavy under the weight of a trauma. Until recently, it remained obscured to visitors arriving primarily in search of romance and relaxation.
Since 1733, a time when sugar production rather than tourism drove the economy on St. John, the Ram Head Trail has been just one location on the island left invisibly scarred by the memory of a slave rebellion that triumphed before it ended in tragedy. However, a new plaque recently placed on the Ram Head lookout ensures that hikerswandering to the end of this point-nine-mile cliff-lined peninsula discover much more than panoramic sea views and dreamy sunrises.
Plantations, like Annaberg Sugar Plantation, fueled St. Johns economy during the 18th and 19th centuries. Visitors to the Caribbean Island can see the ruins of the plantation (preserved by Virgin Islands National Park), which include the enslaved laborers village, a factory site, and this guardhouse overlooking the bay. Photograph by Anne Bequette, The New York Times/Redux
Revolution of the enslaved Akwamu people
The build-up to 1733 began around 1730, when the once-dominant Akwamu people on Africas Gold Coast (near what we know as Ghana today) lost their leader and hold on the region. Having formerly benefited from the spoils of tribal warfare, which often meant selling off defeated rivals to European slaveholders, the tables had turned. The defeated Akwamu were soon sold-off themselves and shipped across the Atlantic to St. John, then part of the Danish West Indies.
Upon their arrival, these newly enslaved Africans not only suffered from hard labor, but also hurricane devastation, drought, and widespread crop failure. When slaves began fleeing the plantations and marooning themselves in St. Johns dense forests, Danish Governor Philip Gardelin responded by enacting harsh slave codes on September 5, 1733.
The Akwamu were warriors and noble people and when they got here, they realized the disparity of numbers between the number of enslaved people and the number of enslavers, says Ahmad Toure, division chief for interpretation, education, and volunteers at Virgin Islands National Park. There was about three to one with the advantage to the enslaved people.
Indignant and emboldened, the Akwamu immediately began planning an armed resistance, setting things in motion the morning of November 23, 1733 at the Danish fort in Coral Bay (Fortsberg). A group of slaves, under the guise of delivering firewood, brandished concealed cane knives and killed all but one Danish soldier. They then fired the forts canon as a signal to the wider enslaved population that the revolution had begun.
As the slaves-turned-freedom fighters marched across the island, they killed any slaveholder they encountered. Panicked Danish plantation owners who were not killed either fled on boats or took shelter at Durloo plantation near Caneel Bay. This would be the sole Danish stronghold on St. John for the duration of the revolution.
An honorable end to a rebellion
With the Danish militia lacking the manpower to defeat the revolutionaries, the British sent 58 reinforcements on a warship from neighboring Tortola. However, they remained unable to subdue the African freedom fighters on St. John, who would ultimately control the island for about six months until 200 French forces from Martinique arrived on April 24, 1734.
Refusing to be recaptured after their maroon encampment was discovered by the French, 11 freedom fighters committed ritual suicide at the Ram Head on May 4, 1734 as a final defiant act against re-enslavement or execution by the Danish. On May 23, 1734, the additional 24 bodies of freedom fighters, who had chosen ritual suicide as their fate, would be discovered on the islands north side, which local lore places near Marys Point.
Keeping St. Johnian history alive for future generations
Despite this tragic conclusion, the 1733 Akwamu revolution on St. John remains one of the earliest and most enduring battles for freedom in the Western hemisphere, serving as a precursor to future revolts like the Haitian Revolution. However, in the 290 years since, it is primarily the oral tradition of St. Johnians that has kept this history alive. Dr. Gilbert Sprauve, an author and retired professor of modern languages, recalls first learning about the revolution on his fathers boat during a routine trip to Tortola.
On one of those trips, as we came through the area between Mary's Point and Whistling Cay one of the elders in the boat pointed to the area on Marys Point, recalls Sprauve. This is where he said the story was told of Africans who, instead of facing slavery again, theyd taken their lives.
Dr. Sprauve is a 1955 graduate from Charlotte Amalie High School in St. Thomas and he also has ancestral ties to St. John dating back to the mid-18th century. However, he was not taught about these 1733 events at school. He attributes this omission to a desire to raise up loyal American citizens in the wake of the Danish occupation and not delve too much on what had happened in the past.
Acknowledging the past
Virgin Islands National Park has also been slow to acknowledge the events of 1733 since its inception in 1956, and historically had little incentive to do so. The National Park Service was an institution that was brought into existence by legislation of Woodrow Wilsons administration, says Toure, who worked as a park ranger at national park sites including the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. Woodrow Wilson was a staunch racist and segregationist. The National Park Service was established as a segregated agency in the government. The National Park Service upheld racist and segregationist laws. It was directed to do so, probably until the late 1960s, early 1970s.
In fact, it was the passage of bill H.R. 7496, championed by the territorys non-voting congressional delegate Stacey Plaskett, that ultimately ordered the National Park Service to erect a plaque on the peak of Ram Head overlook. This initiative was completed during an official dedication ceremony on March 3, 2024.
While the plaque is a small step towards bringing the 1733 revolution to the forefront within Virgin Islands National Park, Toure points out that symbols have long been present on the island inviting tourists to look beyond the facade of paradise. The reality of the situation is, anyone who comes to St. John, once you get off the ferry dock the Freedom Statue is right there, says Toure, It greets you as you come onto the island if youre not taking the car barge.
Where to find the commemorative plaque
Virgin Islands National Park is open year-round; so, viewing the Ram Head plaque possible at any time. Hikers can park at or taxi to the Salt Pond Bay trailhead, hike a quarter mile to Salt Pond Beach, and find the Ram Head trailhead on the southern end of the beach.
For almost 40 years now, St. Johnians like Dr. Sprauve have taken the lead on commemorating the revolution of 1733, holding annual pilgrimages to key sites like Fortsberg every Friday after Thanksgiving. Many of these same locals hope to see more sites receive recognition like that of Ram Head; particularly Marys Point, where Dr. Sprauve first learned of the revolution.
Sprauve believes the new plaque at Ram Head will allow tourists venturing down the popular hiking trail to discover the struggle for freedom that happened under their feet. Sprauve says, I think theres been a kind of gradual awareness that this slave event on St. John in 1733 really does count, and that they need to do something more than just promote St. John as a place where people can come and enjoy the beaches and that type of thing.
Theresa McKinney is a freelance writer and travel blogger whose work has appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, Atlas Obscura, Outside, and other outlets.
A small plane crash-landed on a street in Los Angeles South Bay area early Friday morning, leaving two people critically injured, according to reports.
The plane, a single-engine Piper Comanche, went down early Friday morning, bursting into flames near the intersection of Hawthorne Boulevard and 126th Street in the city of Hawthorne, California.
PLANE CRASH | FS161 | Hawthorne Boulevard and 126 Street | #Hawthorne | #LACoFD crews are on scene of a small single engine plane crash. 2 people on board transported to local hospital with critical injuries. No people injured on the ground. #HawthorneIC pic.twitter.com/i7Se2Wp13V L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) September 6, 2024
Emergency responders transported the pilot and passenger to a nearby hospital, where they remained in critical condition. Los Angeles County fire officials said that the plane was heading towards Hawthorne Municipal Airport, about two miles away, when it crashed, according to KTLA news.
'We got lucky'
The good news is it didnt hurt anybody on the ground, Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Sheila Kellher Berkoh told KTLA. It looks like minor damage to anything nearby, so we got lucky with where they placed that plane down.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
This is a breaking story that will continue to be updated.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Small plane crashes, bursts into flames near Los Angeles, injuring 2
SMYTH COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) The vice chairman of the Smyth County School Board has resigned from his position after he was arrested in August on charges of sexual exploitation.
Todd Williams was arrested at his home on Aug. 23. The U.S. Department of Justice announced Williams had been the focus of an investigation after allegedly spending more than $10,000 between May 2022 and January 2024 for nude images and explicit videos from juveniles across the country.
DOJ: Smyth County school board vice chairman spent thousands buying child pornography
The school board issued a response to Williamss arrest on Aug. 26 and called for his resignation.
While the School Board recognizes the presumption of innocence in criminal prosecutions under our system of law, the alleged conduct makes it impossible and inappropriate for Mr. Williams to remain in the position of trust he holds as an elected School Board member, school board members wrote in part on Aug. 26.
On Thursday, the Smyth County School Board announced Williams had submitted his resignation from the elected position.
To fill the vacant seat representing the Chilhowie District, the school board will accept applications and appoint a replacement. Whoever is appointed will remain in the seat until a special election, which the school board will request be held at the general election on Nov. 4, 2025.
Anyone interested in being appointed to the school board seat is asked to contact Tara French at tarafrench@scsb.org or 276-783-3791.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
The right to snowmobile over wildlife could soon be explicitly protected in Wyoming
A coyote in Wyomings Red Desert. (Courtesy of Lynn Hanson)
This story was first published by WyoFile on Sept. 4, 2024.
Residents who enjoy snowmobiling over wildlife could see their wintertime recreational pursuit explicitly protected by law if a draft bill headed for a legislative committee advances unchanged.
Running over animals classified as predators with snowmobiles is already legal in Wyoming. That status came into question, however, after a Daniel, Wyoming, man struck an adolescent wolf with a snowmobile, muzzled and collared it and paraded it through a Sublette County bar for hours.
The Legislature formed an ad hoc panel the Treatment of Predators Working Group to study changes in the law that could deter the behavior. The group met for the last time on Wednesday, and they walked away from the online meeting agreeing to draft bill language that makes it clear running over animals is OK, provided the creatures are dispatched swiftly after being struck.
Any person who intentionally injures or disables a predatory animal by use of an automotive vehicle, motor-propelled wheeled vehicle, or vehicle designed for travel over snow shall upon inflicting the injury or disability immediately use all reasonable efforts to kill the injured or disabled predatory animal, the draft bill reads.
snowmobiler chases down a coyote in the snow
Failing to immediately use all reasonable efforts to kill a run-down animal would constitute animal cruelty, the legislation states.
Currently, there are carve-outs in the animal cruelty statutes for predatory animals, which include wolves in 85% of Wyoming and coyotes, red fox, stray cats, jackrabbits, porcupines, raccoons and striped skunks throughout the state.
The proposed statute change would live in the Wyoming Criminal Code. Another draft bill containing almost identical language, that would instead alter the laws governing the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, did not move forward from the panel.
Wyomings livestock industry leaders opposed to making changes that would inhibit predator control
Although there was public pressure on the working group to also draft a bill prohibiting running over wildlife with snowmobiles, the livestock industry opposed making any changes that it asserted would inhibit predator control.
Ive talked with a number of livestock producers across the state in particular, sheep producers who have said that they view it as one of their most effective tools, Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association told WyoFile in July.
Gov. Mark Gordon also encouraged members to have narrow, focused conversations on wanton animal cruelty and to not interfere with predator control.
In addition to being used for livestock protection, running over coyotes, foxes and other species is a recreational activity that some participants see as another form of hunting.
The working group a mix of lawmakers and non-elected government and private-sector officials now passes the baton to the Legislatures Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee. Members will meet at the end of the month, when they are scheduled to consider the recommended legislation at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 30 in Cheyenne.
There was talk of nixing language about snowmobiles and motorized vehicles and broadening the bill during the working groups final meeting.
I would love to move pulling that vehicle-specific stuff out, but I think I have some things that I have to work through, said Jess Johnson, the Wyoming Wildlife Federations government affairs director.
Removing the vehicle language would require adding in some exemptions for trapping, she said. Maybe thats something I can bring in October, Johnson said, if we move this bill forward.
Earlier, soon-retiring Wyoming Game and Fish Department Director Brian Nesvik posed an argument for leaving the motorized vehicle language in.
If we remove this stuff related to vehicles, it would then include aircraft, Nesvik said. Thats my concern.
Aerial gunning, especially of coyotes, is a routine component of predator control in Wyoming, and elsewhere in the American West. Itd be problematic, Nesvik said, to require aerial gunners to land if they know an animal has been wounded in order to make a reasonable effort to kill it.
We dont want to criminalize otherwise legal behavior, he said.
Wyoming residents speak out on running over animals with snowmobiles
About a half-hour of the working groups meeting was devoted to hearing from the public. Roughly a dozen people spoke, mostly Wyoming residents. Every commenter except for one Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation lobbyist Brett Moline encouraged the lawmakers and non-elected members to take a step further and end Wyomings embrace of running over animals with snowmobiles.
I sympathize with a rancher thats defending livestock from predators, absolutely, Jackson filmmaker Shane Moore told the working group. But thats a far different issue than allowing the public to joyride on snowmobiles and torture wildlife legally on public lands, which is precisely whats happening.
It seems Wyoming will be allowing wildlife torture to continue with motorized killing if either of these provisions passes as long as its not prolonged, he added.
Pinedale resident Kelly Ravner also encouraged the lawmakers to take another step.
The low-hanging fruit is that you could make whacking the torturing and killing of animals with motor vehicles illegal, Ravner said. Whacking is not fair-chase. It is not hunting, and it has no place in actual wildlife management.
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(WJW) Law enforcement will be looking for impaired drivers this weekend in Northeast Ohio.
There were 11,324 OVI-related crashes in which 725 people were killed last year in Ohio, said Lieutenant Jason Murfield, Mansfield Post commander. In 2023, troopers made more than 15,000 OVI arrests in an attempt to combat these dangerous drivers. OVI checkpoints are designed to not only deter impaired driving, but to proactively remove these dangerous drivers from our roadways.
Actor Michael Keaton to change name
Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol will conduct a checkpoint in Richland County Saturday evening.
The location will be announced Saturday morning.
OVI checkpoints are funded by federal grant money.
OSHP encourages people to call 911 if you suspect an impaired driver.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Soldiers will soon train on fewer systems and haul less gear downrange thanks to the Armys adoption of an advanced new shoulder-launched munition.
The service awarded a $494 million contract to Swedish defense contractor Saab in late August to furnish soldiers with the XM919 Individual Assault Munition, a single-shot multi-mission round that's designed to combine the capabilities of the M72 Light Anti-Armor Weapon, M136 AT-4, and M141 Bunker Defeat Munition into a single weapon system.
The new shoulder-fired round is based on Saab's AT-4 Confined Space Tandem Warhead, which itself is based on the 84mm AT-4 that's been in service with the U.S. military since the mid-1980s. It is "specifically designed to combine the force of the tandem warhead with the ability to fire in narrow positions or other confined spaces without harm to the operator or nearby individuals," according to the company.
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According to the Army's fiscal 2025 budget request, the goal of adopting the XM919 IAM is to eliminate the "mission risk associated with having to choose" between multiple shoulder-launched munitions in a combat setting and reduce the burden on soldiers associated with training on different systems and then hauling them around in combat.
In practice, that means multiple effects packed into a single warhead: The XM919 IAM "supports the close fight in urban and complex terrain, allowing soldiers a fire-from-enclosure (FFE) capability to defeat field expedient structures such as earth and timber bunkers, reinforced concrete, adobe and triple brick walls with behind-the-wall lethality effects, as well as defeating light armored vehicles," according to the budget documents.
"The XM919 IAM will provide our soldiers with a lethal and lightweight munition that is capable of neutralizing multiple target types in a single weapon system," Maj. Gen. John Reim, the program executive officer for the Army's Joint Program Executive Office, Armaments and Ammunition, told Military.com in a statement. "This new shoulder-launched munition will reduce the training burden of multiple shoulder-launched munitions, lessen the combat load of the warfighter, and ease the logistics demand by maintaining only one shoulder-launched munition in inventory."
While both the Army and Saab have billed the new XM919 as essential to reducing soldiers' combat loads, it's worth noting that the system is, in fact, heavier than those it's replacing. The AT-4 Confined Space Tandem Warhead weighs just under 20 pounds, in line with the service's requirements, according to the company's spec sheet -- more than other 14- to 18-pound systems in the AT-4 family, as well as the 5.5-pound M72 LAW and the 15.8-pound M141 BDM.
The ostensible combat load reduction doesn't stem from the weight of a single XM919, but the fact that soldiers will now carry a single shoulder-launched system rather than multiple ones to achieve the same effect, retired Marine Col. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Military.com
"The weight has been going up and the capability has been going up, but the availability is going down," Cancian explained. "As the system gets more and more expensive, you're simply not going to have as many. That doesn't mean that they'll be scarce, but instead of giving two people in a squad an M72, now maybe the squad gets just one [XM919], but it's far more capable."
The Defense Department has been focused on reducing troops' combat loads for the better part of the last decade as the U.S. national security apparatus reorients from two decades of counterinsurgency operations in the Middle East to "great power competition" against adversaries such as Russia and China.
"Surveys from recent wars have found dismounted ground combat troops carrying 90 to 140 pounds or more in combat," according to a 2018 report from the Center for a New American Security think tank in Washington, D.C. "Heavy loads reduce mobility, increase fatigue, and reduce mission performance."
The Army is aiming to begin fielding the XM919 IAM to close-combat troops as soon as 2025, according to the service.
Related: Marine Corps Wants Rifle-Mounted Jammers, 'Buckshot-Like' Ammo to Help Grunts Counter Drones
"Someone is going to get hurt or killed" 14 hikers arrested for illegally climbing famous closed trail
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The arrests are the latest in the long-running controversy. | Credit: Getty Images / agaliza
When Honolulu officials began the process of removing the famous Haiku Stairs to prevent hikers from accessing the area back in April, local residents breathed a sigh of relief. The hiking trail, which offers what many consider to be the best view in Hawaii, had brought years of trespassing, vandalism and overcrowding to the area. As it turns out, however, the removal of the stairs was only the beginning of the controversy, which continues as 14 hikers were arrested this week after illegally gaining access to the area.
According to a Facebook post by Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, the arrests took place on the Kaneohe side of the Haiku Stairs and all of the hikers now face criminal trespassing charges after using the Middle Ridge Trail.
"It is not a state-sanctioned trail and using it to reach the top of the stairs is illegal and dangerous," writes the DLNR.
Though demolition of the stairs started back in April, the deconstruction of the entire stairs is currently on hold due to litigation. However, the DLNR explains that several modules that secure the stair modules to the hillside have already been removed by helicopter, making it extremely hazardous to attempt. The arrested hikers had reportedly used ropes to pass that area.
It is dangerous for people to enter the construction zone and dangerous for them to try to descend the ridge. They need to think about the consequences if someone gets hurt, or worse, and needs rescue," says DOCARE Chief Jason Redulla, who explains that the area is difficult for teams to reach.
"Its been made abundantly clear that these areas are off-limits for safety and natural resource protection reasons" Redulla continues.
"They fail to consider not only the risks theyre taking, but the risks emergency teams face when having to rescue people who are breaking the law.
The hiking trail often referred to as the Stairway to Heaven comprises a steep climb of almost 4,000 steps. It has been off-limits to the public since 1987 due to overcrowding and vandalism. As we've previously reported, illegal hiking has continued to be a problem, with hikers, tourists, Instagrammers and Youtubers risking the $1000 fine for trespassing on the land. Trespassing hikers have scaled fences and crossed people's backyards for access, sometimes leaving trash in their wake.
(Bloomberg) -- Talks are progressing between BYD Co. and South Africa over a possible investment by the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, a top government official said, although no specific time frame for the next steps has been agreed.
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BYD has expressed interest to work and invest in South Africa, according to Parks Tau, the countrys trade, industry and competition minister. Its now about taking it to the next level, he said.
Tau pointed to South Africas extensive car-production experience and its access to key resources such as lithium and manganese that are key to battery making. Weve got the minerals that are indispensable, he said.
Leaders from some 50 African countries gathered in Beijing this week for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, or Focac, where there have been frequent calls for China to help industrialize African economies by increasing technology transfers and beefing up manufacturing.
Earlier this week, Tau accompanied the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to BYDs Shenzhen headquarters, where they were personally greeted by founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu who sought to wow them with the companys advanced EV technology and car features.
Chinese EV makers are facing geopolitical pressures as they push to sell their cars on international markets. The US has slapped 100% tariffs, effectively shutting them out, and the European Union introduced new measures on July 5 that raised duties on Chinese-made EVs to as high as 48%. Both have cited Beijings financial backing for the industry and the overcapacity it has encouraged.
Tau said such moves have forced the Chinese to rethink what their approach is to international expansion. But our commitment is to continue to work on this relationship, he told Bloomberg News on the sidelines of Focac.
He said his government was talking to BYD as well as other Chinese companies in the EV-related industry. Theyve been part of the conversations we are having here, primarily focusing on ensuring that industrialization happens on the African continent.
On Thursday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged $50 billion in financial support for Africa over the next three years, including $10 billion in investment by Chinese companies. His No. 2, Li Qiang, on Friday pushed for deeper integration into the continents economies.
Chinese companies in Africa should continue to localize their operations, create more local jobs, train more local talent, and further contribute to local peoples well being, Li said.
While the consumer market for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles across Africa remains somewhat nascent, Chinese companies in the EV space are making early bets, particularly investments in the supply chain. Xiaomi Corp Chairman Lei Jun said at Focac that his company wants to increase investment in Africa and strengthen cooperation with local firms in areas such as EV.
BYD has entered several African markets, including Tunisia, Rwanda, Morocco and South Africa, following a similar trend of other Chinese auto brands, including SAIC Motors and smaller upstart Xpeng.
--With assistance from Danny Lee and Twinnie Siu.
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When South Carolina Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver surveyed teachers in May about cellphones in class, 83% said they distract students. Of the nearly 10,000 respondents, 92% supported a policy limiting cellphones and 55% supported a complete ban during the school day.
Educators concerns were clear: bullying, lost academic time and cheating were negatively impacting thousands of classrooms statewide.
Gov. Henry McMaster has been a strong advocate of prohibiting cellphones in the classroom, citing studies linking increased anxiety and stress in students connected to social media. The South Carolina Board of Education positively responded to these growing concerns on Tuesday by banning access to cellphones during the school day.
As an educator and principal, I applaud our leaders actions. Just a few weeks into the school year at Clear Dot Charter School in downtown Columbia, our teachers can see what a difference this policy change has made since we adopted it after the General Assembly required the ban in the current state budget.
We ban cellphones in class by making students put them in lockboxes at the beginning of the day in exchange for their school laptops. Students get their phones back when laptops are returned. This policy has created a better learning environment for teachers and students. Students are more engaged with their teachers and other students, developing stronger relationships in the classroom. With fewer distractions, we see better focus and deeper learning.
Its refreshing to see classrooms with active participation instead of the disruptions cellphones cause. This policy is helping create an environment where students can concentrate on what matters most their education. The positive impact on attention spans and classroom dynamics has been immediate and impressive. Were excited to see how this continues to enhance the learning experience for students.
The majority of students do not mind not having their cellphones they realize phones are a distraction and an impediment to their own learning during the school day.
We could not make this quick adjustment without support from families. Parents encouraging their children to follow our new rules is a big part of why this policy change has been so successful. By reinforcing the importance of this policy at home, families are directly contributing to a more focused and productive learning environment in school. This partnership prioritizes all students education, supports our teachers, reduces cyberbullying and minimizes classroom distractions.
At the same time, we as administrators understand parental safety concerns. At our school, we have a full-time school resource officer on campus who has developed good relationships with students. We have plans and procedures in place for different emergencies and regularly review and practice them. We provide all teachers with iPhones and radios, and are in constant communication throughout the school day.
Parents also have concerns with bullying. Weve discovered that cellphones make bullying worse because bullies can emotionally harass students who have ready access to their own cellphones. We cut that down dramatically when neither party can access phones during school hours. We have noticed fewer discipline issues with older students, and can implement conflict resolution processes to address disagreements between students.
Our charter school has more than 500 students from diverse backgrounds in grades pre-kindergarten to 11th grade, and well add 12th grade next year. Bringing all of these students together requires policies that apply fairly to everyone. And now all public schools across the state will have the same rule in place by January.
This compliance will improve school culture statewide as we reduce cyberbullying among peers within and across school districts. Additionally, being a charter school in the Charter Institute at Erskine school district means we can count on receiving the right support and technical assistance to ensure implementation of new policies.
I am confident that banning cellphones during the school day over the long run will result in better mental and emotional health for our children and empowered teachers successfully leading students across the state.
Ott, Ph.D., is the school leader for Clear Dot Charter School in downtown Columbia.
South MS home with mentally ill residents needs to get licensed or close, lawsuit says
A Gulfport woman is operating a personal care home for vulnerable adults without a license, says a nonprofit group that has filed a lawsuit asking that a judge order her to get licensed within 60 days or close.
Disability Rights Mississippi has filed the lawsuit in Harrison County Circuit Court in Gulfport. The group wants the judge assigned to the case, Larry Bourgeois, to permanently stop Debra Fox from operating an unlicensed personal care home on 39th Street in Gulfport. Disability Rights also filed a lawsuit against Fox in 2022, asking that she be forced to license or close two other personal care homes in the city.
Fox never responded to the first lawsuit, according to Circuit Court records. As a result, Judge Lisa Dodson entered a default judgment, ordering that the two homes be licensed or closed. Its unclear if they are still operating in Gulfport.
The attorney for Disability Rights Mississippi, Greta Kemp Martin, said in an interview Friday that her group has no legal authority to enter the homes without permission and theyve been unable to gain access to the Fox homes that were the subject of the previous lawsuit.
Martin said her group is hoping state law will change so that a law enforcement agency with regulatory teeth, such as the Attorneys Generals Office, can force entry to homes operating statewide without licenses. Martin said the homes are supposed to get licenses if they are caring for four or more adults.
She said many unlicensed personal care homes take in intellectually disabled or mentally ill residents, charge for room, board and care, then fail to take care of them, even denying them enough to eat. She was not specifically referring to Fox.
This is a statewide issue, she said. Its hard to put a number on unlicensed personal care homes because they pop up so frequently.
Lawsuit cites personal care home issues
Disability Rights was appointed by the governor to serve as the states protection and advocacy system for Mississippians with disabilities. But the agency has no regulatory authority. Even so, Martin has been filing lawsuits to try and force homes to get licenses, with 12 active lawsuits in various parts of the state.
With this lack of licensure comes the freedom to treat residents as they see fit, shirk any responsibility to maintain appropriate documentation and dodge any requirements to report its operations, the lawsuit filed against Fox says.
Kemp said in the interview: Its hard to put a number on unlicensed personal care homes because they pop up so frequently.
Fox is operating through nonprofits called Alpha Generation Ministries or X-Generation Ministries, the lawsuit says. The two nonprofits are also defendants in the current lawsuit.
A representative of Disability Rights was allowed entry to the 39th Street home on a date the lawsuit doesnt disclose. The home had five residents, the lawsuit says, but only two bedrooms. Reports indicated that up to seven residents had lived at the home, the lawsuit says.
Communications with residents and reports to the Mississippi Health Department, which licenses personal care homes, indicated the home accepted money for room, food and care. However, residents report that the home lacks food and medical supplies despite these payments., the lawsuit says.
It indicates the home provides personal care to residents, including those who are functionally impaired and require mental health services.
South MS man mutilated an endangered species off Florida coast. Now, hell have to pay
Hong Thanh Nguyen, 62, of Ocean Springs has admitted that he violated the Endangered Species Act, severing the rostrum of a smalltooth sawfish on a shrimp boat off the Florida Keys.
U.S. District Judge Todd Gee has sentenced Nguyen to one year on probation, a news release from the U.S. Justice Department says. The charge was transferred from Florida to Gulfport, part of the federal governments Southern District court system.
Court records show that Nguyen was aboard the commercial shrimp boat Miss Theresa near Monroe County, Florida, when the smalltooth sawfish became entangled in the boats fishing net, the news release says. He used a knife to cut the rosturm from the endangered species, the news release says.
The rostrum is where sawfish get their name, NOAA says. The fish are found in the United States off the coastal waters of Florida. Their numbers greatly declined in the second half of the 20th Century because of habitat loss from development and fisheries bycatch, NOAA says.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Office of Law Enforcement investigated the case.
U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo says she sought treatment for depression earlier this year after deciding to take the advice the first-term lawmaker, a physician, has offered her patients to take care of their health and seek support when they need it.
A suspect was arrested for the murder of an elderly woman in the San Fernando Valley Thursday.
William Anthony Tillman, 69, is accused of murdering his 76-year-old girlfriend, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
On Thursday morning around 6:15 a.m., police responded to reports of a domestic violence assault on the 7300 block of Balboa Boulevard in Van Nuys.
Arriving officers found the woman suffering from blunt force trauma to her upper torso. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
Her boyfriend, Tillman, was arrested on murder charges. The circumstances leading up to the womans death remain unclear.
Police confirmed he and the victim were involved in a long-term dating relationship. The womans identity is being withheld pending next of kin notification.
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Tillman is being held on $2 million bail.
Anyone with additional information on the case is urged to call LAPDs Valley Bureau Homicide at 818-374-9550. The public can also call the LAPD at 1-877-527-3247.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
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In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a man holding an umbrella struggles against the wind following the landfall of typhoon Yagi in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (Pu Xiaoxu/Xinhua via AP)
HONG KONG (AP) A powerful typhoon made two landfalls in southern China Friday after it swept south of Hong Kong, bringing many aspects of life in the region to a halt and forcing about a million people in the countrys south to leave their homes.
The Hainan provinces meteorological service said Yagi, which earlier packed winds of up to about 245 kph (152 mph) near its center, made landfall in the tropical vacation island's Wenchang city at around 4:20 p.m.
Chinas national meteorological authorities said Yagi was the strongest autumn typhoon to have landed in China. It made a second landfall in Xuwen County in neighboring Guangdong province on Friday night.
Ahead of the afternoon landfall, nearly 420,000 residents were relocated in Hainan, and so were more than half a million people in Guangdong, state media said.
The storm brought heavy rain across most of Hainan and some areas faced power outages. Strong winds buffeted the province's iconic coconut trees. People built sandbag barriers outside buildings to guard against possible floods and reinforced their windows with tape, Chinas official Xinhua news agency reported.
State media said classes, work, transportation and businesses had been suspended in parts of the province as early as Wednesday evening. Some tourist attractions were closed and all flights at three airports on the island were expected to be grounded on Friday.
State broadcaster CCTV said Qinzhou city in Guangxi region also issued a top emergency response alert to guard against the typhoon. It said Yagi is expected to make another landfall somewhere between the regions Fangchenggang city and the coastal area of northern Vietnam on Saturday afternoon. Beihai city suspended work, classes, businesses and transportation on Friday, local media said.
Trading on the stock market, bank services and schools were halted in Hong Kong earlier Friday after the city's weather authority raised a No. 8 typhoon signal for Yagi, the third-highest warning under the citys weather system.
Yagi forced more than 270 people to seek refuge at temporary government shelters and led to cancellations of more than 100 flights in the city. Nine people were injured and treated at hospitals. Heavy rain and strong winds felled dozens of trees.
Yagi was a tropical storm when it blew out of the northwestern Philippines into the South China Sea on Wednesday, leaving at least 16 people dead and 17 others missing, mostly in landslides and widespread flooding, and affecting more than 2 million people in northern and central provinces.
More than 47,600 people were displaced from their homes in Philippine provinces, and classes, work, inter-island ferry services and domestic flights were disrupted for days, including in the densely populated capital region, metropolitan Manila.
___
Associated Press writer Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A decision has been made regarding a proposed acquisition of 7-Eleven assets, including Speedway locations.
Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd, parent company of 7-Eleven, who owns Speedway, recently confirmed it received an acquisition proposal from Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the parent company of Circle K. The acquisition would allow the company to take over Seven & i Holdings and its assets.
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On Sept. 6, Seven & is Board of Directors announced in a letter that its company has declined the proposed offer. In the letter, Seven & i cited multiple reasons, including not being in the best interest of its company.
After a thorough review and discussion of your proposal, the 7&i Board has unanimously concluded, based on the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee, that the proposal is not in the best interest of 7&i shareholders and other stakeholders, said the letter.
Seven & i Hldngs.
Seven & i Hldngs.
Seven & i Hldngs.
Seven & i did offer the opportunity for future discussions to its competitor, if the company would to offer an additional proposal.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
A spokesman for the Manhattan US Attorneys office apologized following the release of a secretly recorded video that captured him slamming Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs hush money case against Donald Trump as nonsense and a perversion of justice.
Nicholas Biase, chief public information officer for the US Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement, I was recently made aware of a video where I regretfully made some statements in a private and social setting that dont reflect my views about two local and state prosecutions. The statement was previously reported by the New York Post.
Biases statement about the case, which is outside of his offices jurisdiction, came hours after conservative podcaster Steven Crowder released a secretly recorded, edited video of conversations between Biase and an unidentified woman that Crowder said occurred in July and August.
Crowder is a conservative political commentator and the host of the Louder With Crowder podcast whose previous channel on YouTube was suspended multiple times for violating YouTube policies. The video was released by Crowders Mug Club, a group with a known political agenda.
While Biase said in the video he has known Bragg for 15 years, he does not work for Bragg or the Manhattan DAs office and was not involved in the hush money case against Trump.
I said these things in an effort to please and impress someone I just met, who was secretly filming me, Biase said. Im deeply sorry to the local and state law enforcement officials working on these matters, who deserve more respect than I showed them. I should have known better.
In the recording, which has been edited into short soundbites, Biase can be heard saying, The whole thing is disgusting. Theyre just out to get him, referring to Trump.
Biase claimed in the video that Bragg was stacking charges and rearranging things just to make it fit a case. He continued: To be honest with you, I think the case is nonsense.
CNN has not independently obtained or verified the video.
CNN has reached out to the US Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, the Manhattan DAs office and the Justice Department in Washington, DC.
The judge overseeing the hush money case informed both Trump and the Manhattan DAs office that he will render his decision on Friday about whether to delay Trumps sentencing date, according to a court filing. The former president is currently scheduled to be sentenced on September 18, but Trump asked to delay the sentencing until after Election Day, a request the Manhattan DAs office did not oppose.
Bragg charged Trump in April 2023 with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, alleging that Trump sought to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election through a hush money scheme as part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information about him. Trump was found guilty of all 34 charges in May.
The former president and his allies have falsely claimed since the start of the trial that Democrats, particularly the Biden administration, are weaponizing the Department of Justice to prosecute him in a politically motivated effort.
The Manhattan district attorney is a state prosecutor and doesnt report to the Justice Department.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
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TYLER, Texas (KETK) Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara and Tyler Mayor Don Warren are competing in a monthlong drive to collect the most peanut butter for the East Texas Food Bank.
Community donates over 1,700 peanut butter jars to Longview organization
Each city will collect jars of peanut butter for the East Texas Food Banks pantry partners, said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. Peanut Butter is nutritious, kid-friendly and high in protein and a food item that most East Texans keep in stock. We hope residents of both cities participate to help us fill the shelves of our pantry partners in Longview and Tyler.
East Texans can donate peanut butter to the ETFB barrels that will be set up at Brookshires, Super 1 Foods and Fresh locations throughout Longview and Tyler until Sept. 27.
ETFB CEO David Emerson and Tyler Mayor Don Warren. Photo courtesy of ETFB.
Life can get sticky, and sometimes you need a helping hand, said Tyler Mayor Don Warren. Lets support each other as East Texans and spread generosity as smoothly as we spread peanut butter.
Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara and ETFB CEO David Emerson. Photo courtesy of ETFB.
The East Texas Food Bank has played a tremendous role in supporting our community with the recent opening of their Longview location, as costs have made food insecurity an increased issue, Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara said. Longview is excited to give back to support those efforts and grateful for the partnership of East Texas Food Bank and the City of Tyler.
How to donate to the Clear The Shelters campaign
The friendly inter-city competition is picking up plenty of peanut butter as a part of Hunger Action Month, a part of Feeding Americas effort to spread awareness of food insecurity.
We are thrilled that Brookshires is partnering with ETFB and allowing us to place collection barrels in 12 stores located in Tyler and Longview, said Emerson. So when you are shopping for groceries you can drop off a jar of peanut butter in one of the barrels. Also we ask any businesses who collect at their location to bring their donations to any of the participating locations by Sept. 26 and we will pickup at the grocery stores.
The East Texas Food Bank will update the totals that each city raises weekly on their website and Facebook.
No matter which city collects more jars of peanut butter, everyone is a winner because the food will help East Texans in need, added Emerson.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) The City of Springfield announced the opening of a new office to help small business owners.
Springfields Mayor, Domenic Sarno announced the opening of the new Minority and Women Business Enterprise Certification Office. This office will help small businesses obtain the needed certifications to run their business and bid for contracts.
CT installs Basketball Capital of the World sign at Mass. border
To obtain the certifications, business owners used to have to go to Boston in person to get the certifications, but now, business owners in Springfield can go to the new office, the only office in western Massachusetts and only the second in the state.
The office is located in the municipal building at 1600 East Columbus Avenue in Springfield.
For them to be certified, opens up access to a lot of bidding opportunities, it opens up access to funding opportunities and to have them be able to compete in their industry, said Chae Swan, director of the Department of Tactical Assistance & Compliance.
It is completely free for businesses to get these certifications and besides the certifications, the office will also provide businesses with access to purchasing and contracting opportunities statewide. With the certifications, businesses will be able to submit bids for contracts in the city, state, government, and private sector.
Small businesses are often the heartbeat of our communities and our Springfield is home to many wonderful small businesses. The city continues to support our local businesses as they create jobs, boost our local economy and improve the overall quality of life for our neighborhoods. My administration is proud of our work with small businesses and constantly looks to expand access to resources for our businesses. During the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic we helped many of them survive and stabilize now we want them to thrive! We are thrilled to launch the MWBE Certification Springfield Office as the only third-party certifier in Western Massachusetts and extremely proud to offer this free opportunity for businesses expand their capacities, access new markets, and gain valuable training. I commend DTAC Director Patrice Chae Swan for being an invaluable resource to our city and business community. Please, and again, to all our small business out there look into this opportunity and take advantage, said Mayor Sarno.
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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) A Springfield school shooting threat led to the arrest of a teenager linked to the suspect.
According to the Springfield Police Department, at around 9 a.m. on Thursday officers were called to a charter school for a report of a student making a threat to shoot up the school. The school administration says a student allegedly showed staff a video of the student holding a firearm.
Police find AK-47 style pistol in Springfield, teen arrested
When officers arrived at the 15-year-old students home, who was there, were allowed to search inside, and a firearm was not located. A police report of a recent disturbance linked this 15-year-old student with another 15-year-old from a different school.
At around 11:30 a.m. officers went to the second 15-year-olds home, who was also there, and were allowed to search inside. A firearm was found in a bedroom and police believe this is the same one pictured in the video. The 15-year-old was arrested.
Springfield police said that this 15-year-old did not threaten the school. The firearm was reported stolen in Worcester.
The Springfield Police did not release the name and charges of the 15-year-old boys due to their 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.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
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).
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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
Starliner Capsule Begins Return to Earth Without Crew, Who Will Remain in Space
Astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmor are expected to stay at the International Space Station until February 2025
Boeing's Starliner capsule has begun its return to Earth without astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore, who are expected to remain in space until next year.
Just after 6:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Sept. 6, the capsule that brought the two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) more than 90 days ago undocked from the ISS (and NASA is streaming the undocking and landing).
The capsule is expected to finish its descent around midnight, landing at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, according to USA Today.
"We have confidence in the vehicle," NASA commercial crew program manager Steve Stich said during a press conference earlier this week, per the outlet. "Its been a journey to get here, and were excited to have Starliner undock and return."
Joe Raedle/Getty Boeing Crew Flight Test Commander Butch Wilmore (L) and Pilot Suni Williams in May.
Thec capsule originally left from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Florida's Space Coast on June 5 with Williams, 58, and Wilmore, 61, on board. The flight marked the sixth inaugural journey of a crewed spacecraft in U.S. history, NASA said back in May.
Although the trip was expected to take place over the course of about 10 days, the aircraft experienced helium leaks and thrusters weren't functioning during the mission. NASA and Boeing began discussing whether the spacecraft was safe enough to return to Earth in early August.
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By Aug. 24, NASA announced that after debating the safety of their available vehicles, the agency would be asking a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule to be sent to the ISS to bring Williams and Wilmore home, with an earliest return date of February 2025.
Related: NASA Makes Decision to Bring Home Astronauts Who Have Been Stuck in Space for 80 Days
Speaking to PEOPLE last month, Former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who once spent 340 days at the ISS, said both Wilmore and Williams knew a delay "was a possibility going in."
I knew them before they were astronauts and we were all test pilots in the Navy," he said of the pair. "They'll be able to handle it."
Kelly also said that Williams is probably excited to spend more time in space. She is a great spirit of a person and Im sure shes not minding being up there for more time, he said. Shes very enthusiastic about most things.
Related: Do the Astronauts Stuck in Space Have Enough Food and Water for Their Mission? NASA Astronaut Explains
Joe Raedle/Getty Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on May 7, 2024, in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Back in July, Williams and Wilmore spoke up themselves about their trip to the ISS which may be about 8 months long, according to NASA and gave an interview to CBS News livestreamed from the Space Station.
Williams said at the time she has "a real good feeling in my heart that the spacecraft will bring us home, no problem."
"But like Butch said, we're learning now to optimize our specific situation and make sure that we know everything about it," she continued, noting that if the pair "just came home" now they would lose some of the data they intend to obtain.
"I have confidence. Butch has confidence. We're here on the space station with our safe haven of Starliner," Williams added.
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Political leaders and representatives from advocacy organizations break ground in Las Cruces for the Center for Reproductive Health. (Photo by Leah Romero / Source New Mexico)
LAS CRUCES State, local leaders and advocates gathered Thursday to break ground on a state funded reproductive health clinic in Dona Ana County.
The Center for Reproductive Health will be located on East Lohman Avenue and support people across the larger county and border area with medication and procedural abortion, contraception options, pregnancy loss support and management, preventative care, lactation support and doula support among several other services.
This should be the beginning of creating a primary care infrastructure dedicated to women and their families in New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said.
The state announced the chosen location about four months ago after a year of work done largely behind the scenes. The UNM Board of Regents approved the acquisition of land during a meeting in May.
Michael Richards, interim executive vice president of UNM Health Sciences and CEO of the UNM Health System, said Thursday that Lujan Grisham gave the planning team clear marching orders to have a groundbreaking this summer.
Richards said the health center will be approximately 8,000 square feet with the capacity to treat thousands of women each year.
We are breaking ground on a clinic that will provide essential and comprehensive reproductive health services, services which are not adequately available right now, he said.
Richards said the building plans will be finalized in the next weeks with the architect and a contractor will be chosen to lead the project. Construction will follow and take an estimated 18 months to complete.
Or sooner, Lujan Grisham piped in, suggesting the building could be complete in closer to 12 months.
Origins of the clinic
Lujan Grisham pledged $10 million in capital outlay funds to the clinic in 2022 which the legislature appropriated several months later. The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center has led the charge as the projects primary fiscal agent along with advocacy organizations Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Bold Futures and Strong Families New Mexico.
The project started to meet a growing need for reproductive health care and abortion services in New Mexico and surrounding states. Dona Ana County was chosen for its proximity to Texas and rural New Mexican communities.
For many women in Southern New Mexico, if you needed this type of health care youd often be forced to make long drives. Three, four hour drives. Lets face it, thats not an easy option for many families when you have responsibilities for children, when you have the cost of transportation, when you have the potential of having to stay overnight, or the impact of a family for a day of lost work. Having these services local makes a difference, Richards said.
Congressman Gabe Vasquez (D-New Mexico) emphasized the importance of healthcare access particularly in rural and tribal areas of the state, which the new clinic will take steps toward addressing.
New Mexico has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country. This tragic statistic highlights the deep disparities in healthcare access, especially for women in underserved communities, Vasquez said. Too many mothers in New Mexico are losing their lives to preventable complications due to inadequate access to prenatal care, emergency services and comprehensive mental health support. This is unacceptable.
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Moving forward
Richards explained that the project is moving into the design phase and the team will be looking to Planned Parenthood and the UNM Center for Reproductive Health as models. He said building a clinic in a year to 18 months sounds like a long time but is actually quite fast for such a project.
Eve Espey, chair of the Department of OB/GYN at the UNM Health Sciences Center, added that UNM will send a provider to the Planned Parenthood location in Las Cruces in the next few months to introduce procedural abortion and possibly expand contraceptive options.
Planned Parenthood now has a very limited, mostly medication abortion presence, Espey said.
Once the Center for Reproductive Health opens in Las Cruces, those procedures will become part of the clinic, she said.
Espey also noted that the clinic will continue to be informed by a community advisory board throughout the construction and operating phases. It will also have the academic component of training medical and nursing students, she said, while also creating space for research.
Thats what is, I think, going to be very unique about this clinic, is that it will bring together perspectives that rarely actually work together, Espey said. That, I think, is maybe the thing Im most excited about with this center.
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State of Emergency Declared in California City amid Landslide Crisis: 'You Can Almost See the Ground Move'
"Were all learning there is no playbook for an emergency like this one, Los Angeles county supervisor Janice Hahn said
Mario Tama/Getty An aerial view shows damage resulting from ongoing land movement in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. on September 3, 2024
A state of emergency was declared in one Southern California city as landslides threaten homes and left hundreds without power.
Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. residents are pleading with city council officials to assist with these growing environmental disasters, according to NBC News, KABC-TV and The Washington Post. The coastal city, which is located 30 miles southwest of central Los Angeles has around 42,000 residents.
(Sunday), Southern California Edison (SCE) notified the city and 105 out of 270 Seaview homes that their electricity service will be discontinued for varying lengths of time, due to the risk of utility equipment igniting a wildfire and other hazards caused by downed wires or damaged equipment impacted by landslide movement, the city said in an update on Monday, Sept. 2, according to NBC News.
On Tuesday, Sept. 3, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency.
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Per the Post, 140 homes in the citys Portuguese Bend neighborhood will be without power indefinitely, and 60 homes in the Seaview neighborhood will not have power for a minimum of one week.
Experts say the landslides follows two years of severe storms and rainfall, per NBC News, and that the Palos Verdes Peninsula the city sits on is composed of clay beds and weak rocks, which can prevent water from draining correctly.
And while the land beneath Rancho Palos Verdes has been moving for hundreds of years, Janice Hahn, a Los Angeles county supervisor, said that "the acceleration that's happening currently is beyond what any of us could have foretold," according to ABC News.
Per CNN, council member David Bradley said that "the movement has accelerated dramatically over the last 12 months, where some areas are moving up to 10 inches a week."
You can almost see the ground move," Bradley added.
Mario Tama/Getty A person walks along landslide damage amid an ongoing land movement crisis in Rancho Palos Verdes, California on September 3, 2024
Related: 3 Multimillion-Dollar Homes on a Cliff in Southern California Are 'Safe' After Landslide
Jonathan Godt, the U.S. Geological Service's landslides hazards program coordinator, said it can take months or even years for the land to deform after periods of heavy precipitation, per NBC News.
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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, Godt 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.
Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times/Getty Landslide damage amid an ongoing land movement crisis in Rancho Palos Verdes, California on September 3, 2024
I think were all learning there is no playbook for an emergency like this one, Hahn said at a news conference on Monday, Sept. 1, according to The Guardian. What we do know is many families are struggling, are suffering, are feeling great anxiety about what is happening. They are watching their homes they are watching their streets crumble around them.
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The West Virginia Department of Health says it anticipates getting federal funding to purchase updated COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured and underinsured people this fall. (Getty Images)
The state Department of Health says it anticipates getting federal funding to purchase updated COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured and underinsured people this fall after a program that provided them ended late last month.
The federal Bridge Allocation Program, which last year provided the state with 13,766 free doses of COVID-19 vaccine for uninsured people, ended in August.
State Epidemiologist Shannon McBee said this week the state Bureau for Public Health expects to get an increase in its federal vaccine budget to purchase doses for the uninsured in late September or early October. The vaccines will be available as needed at local health departments, McBee said. More details about the vaccines should be available in the coming weeks, she said.
The Centers for Disease Control had previously said that after the end of the Bridge program, it would [enhance] immunization programs through support to state and local health departments to improve access to COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured and underinsured people to help protect them from the worst effects of the virus.
Representatives from local West Virginia health departments said theyre waiting on word from the state about support for providing free doses of the vaccine for uninsured people.
The CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and up get a 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines help protect against severe illness, and complications and death from the virus.
West Virginia continues to experience a moderate level of COVID-19 activity, with COVID-19 test positivity and emergency department visits continuing to remain elevated, McBee said in an email sent through the departments communication staff. Surges like this are known to occur through the year including the summer months.
She noted that severity of the illness has fallen since the pandemic started, meaning the increase is not causing as many hospitalizations and deaths as in previous years.
According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, 5.9% of West Virginia residents, or approximately 106,000 people, were without health coverage in 2022.
About 17% of West Virginia adults and 29.5% of residents 65 and older received a 202324 COVID-19 vaccine dose, the Bureau for Public Health said.
The vaccine is available now at some pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens. It is covered with no additional costs by most health insurance plans, but those without health insurance may have to pay out of pocket. An adult dose of the vaccine costs $141.80, but can be more with fees. At CVS, for instance, the vaccine costs $202, a spokeswoman said.
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Ohio Attorney Dave Yost has sued a school district for allegedly not transporting charter and private school students.
Yosts filing in the Ohio Supreme Court seeks to compel Columbus City Schools to immediately provide transportation to and from charter and private schools for each student whose families have requested mediation regarding bus service until the mediation is resolved, according to a media release.
The lawsuit also alleges that the district failed to notify the families of students that it found impractical to transport, denying them their right to request mediation.
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The district is required to provide transportation for charter and private school students who live within the districts boundaries and no more than 30 minutes from the public school to which they would be assigned if they attended, according to the lawsuit.
Columbus City Schools has not complied with the law since the start of this academic year for hundreds or thousands of students, calling bus transportation for these students impractical and providing parents of those affected with just a few days notice, far short of the notice required by law, Yost said.
Yost sent a cease-and-desist letter to the district on Sept. 3., telling the district it would sue if they didnt fix the bussing issues. The district allegedly did not respond, prompting the lawsuit.
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Columbus City Schools sent a letter to Yost Thursday afternoon before the lawsuit was announced defending their decisions and actions, according to our news partners at WBNS.
Your threat to file a lawsuit against CCS is an improper infringement upon CCSs right to make ineligibility and impractical to transport determinations, CCSs letter said. Your threat to file a lawsuit against CCS is also an infringement upon the equal rights of public school districts and community or nonpublic school parents/guardians to due process.
Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman sent a message to families Thursday evening addressing the matter, saying that she is leaning into this issue with her team.
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The mysterious origins of Stonehenges Altar Stone has deepened as new research has found it did not come from Orkney.
Last month, it was revealed that the massive six-tonne stone at the heart of the monument was brought to Stonehenge from the far north of Scotland, and not Wales, like the monuments bluestones.
The discovery uncovered that it came from sandstone deposits in an area known as as the Orcadian Basin, which encompasses the isles of Orkeny and Shetland and a coastal strip of Scotland.
It was then assumed by experts that it came from Orkney due to its Neolithic culture with the Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness.
But a new study has found that although the Altar Stone has similar characteristics to Orkneys monuments, it is not from the same place, meaning the hunt for its origin continues.
What does the lastest study say on the Altar Stone?
The Altar Stone is arguably the most ritually important stone in Stonehenge because it is the rock that marks the intersection of the prehistoric temples two most important celestial alignments the winter solstice sunrise to summer solstice sunset alignment, and the summer solstice sunrise to winter solstice sunset alignment.
The latest study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, examined the chemical and mineralogical composition of the stones in Orkneys two great stone circles the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar as well as samples of other rocks across Orkneys islands.
When their X-rays were compared with the Alter Stone, they were found to be markedly different.
The now partly buried (sunken in the ground) Altar Stone (English Heritage)
The reports lead author, Richard Bevins, an honorary professor of geography and earth sciences at Aberystwyth University, said Orkney was the obvious place to look once initial research some years ago had pointed away from Wales.
He added: 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.
Due to the size of the Orcadian Basin, experts have warned the origin of the Altar Stone wont be found quickly, but are determined to pin down the location.
What we still dont know about Stonehenge
While the discovery of the Scottish connection to Stonhenge is exciting, it has lead to more questions than answers.
This would increase the distance Stonehenges rocks have travelled from 120 miles to as far as 700. How or why Neolithic Britons would have moved such a substantial stone this great distance may never be fully revealed.
The Altar Stone is similar in shape and size to some of the stones which comprise an Orkney stone circle called the Stones of Stenness (Wiki)
But it does tell us something about the culture of the period, which spans from Neolithic period to the Bronze age.
The Independents archeology correspondent David Keys explains: The newly discovered Stonehenge-Scotland link, when combined with the Welsh origin of some of the Stonehenge stones, suggests that there might also have been a pan-British aspect to how Neolithic Britons lived.
Experts still dispute how the stones were transported to the site over long distances, as well as what the purpose of the site was.
However, English Heritage gives the working theory that the fact that the sun rises over the Heel Stone on the longest day of the year (summer solstice) and sets over it on the shortest day (winter solstice) suggests that it was a prehistoric temple aligned with the suns movements.
STOUGHTON, Mass. (WWLP) A man from Stoughton was sentenced to prison in connection with mailing fentanyl and fentanyl trafficking.
According to the Department of Justice in Boston, 53-year-old Angel Morales was involved in a scheme using a large-scale pill press operation that manufactured, sold, and mailed counterfeit pills, including pills containing fentanyl, among other drugs.
Former Stoughton police officer arrested for allegedly killing pregnant woman
Morales mailed over 150 packages knowing that some contained controlled substances between September 2022 and November 2022. Due to FedExs internal procedures, at least two of the packages were opened by employees. The pills found inside later tested positive for fentanyl.
Officers searched an apartment in Mattapan after Morales was observed leaving before going to multiple post offices and FedEx facilities in Boston, Randolph, Holbrook, Quincy, Mattapan, Braintree, Milton, and elsewhere. Police seized over 20 kilograms of pills in various colors, a sample of which tested positive for fentanyl, over 20 kilograms of loose powder, a sample of which tested positive for fentanyl, numerous packages and mailing labels, electronic devices, cash and three industrial grade pill presses were recovered. In addition, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine were also found at the apartment.
Morales pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. On Thursday he was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Morales is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in the case. Ogando was sentenced to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Reynoso was sentenced to six years in prison and two years of supervised release. Prado was sentenced to time served with one year of supervised release.
Local News Headlines
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LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) A potential for a labor strike is looming over the Crestwood School District. That strike could happen as early as next week.
More than 100 support staff employees were at the meeting Thursday night held inside Crestwood Secondary Campus in Wright Township.
Dozens of cafeteria workers, secretaries, and custodians are looking for a new contract with decent liveable wages.
The last contract ended in July with negotiations for new ones in the works since January. There was a tentative agreement when the last one ended but nothing was put into motion.
The things that were really looking for are just a decent wage increase. Nothing extraordinary, just the ability to bring everybody up to a decent living wage. We just want a decent raise the last contract. Our last year we had a half of a percent increase, and our wages are quite low, explained Tracy Cormier, Vice President of the PSEA Support Staff Union.
If no agreement is reached by Monday, the support staff at Crestwood School District will strike at 7:00 a.m. on Route 309 in Luzerne County.
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The strikes that could affect your holiday and how to claim compensation
Airport staff are expected to strike at various key European destinations this summer, including in Italy and the Netherlands. Walkouts have also been planned at Heathrow Airport in London.
Here we round up the travel strikes across the UK and Europe in the coming months, with advice on what to do if your plans are affected.
This page will be regularly updated to reflect the latest information, but note that some strikes are announced with little notice.
In this guide:
Strikes in Europe
What to do if your travel plans are affected
Travel disruption in Europe
UK: Heathrow Airport (September 4-22)
Hundreds of Border Force staff began a strike at the end of August in a long-running dispute over rosters. Between September 4-22, as part of the same action, staff are refusing to work overtime. In response to the strike, the Home Office has released a statement saying, We will have robust plans in place to minimise disruption where possible, but we urge passengers to check the latest advice from operators before they travel.
Italy: Airports (September 7)
Pilots and cabin staff working for both Wizz Air and ITA Airways will strike between 1-5pm on September 7. Air traffic controllers at Rome Fiumicino and Olbia Airport, and baggage handlers at Milan Malpensa, Florence Amerigo Vespucci and Pisa Galileo Galilei will also walk out for the same four-hour period. Holidaymakers have been warned to expect disruption.
Italy: Public transport (September 8-9; September 20)
The following day, September 8, will see a nationwide rail strike in Italy, affecting regional and long-distance services operated by both Trenitalia and Italo. On September 9, public transport passengers on rail, bus and tram networks may also be impacted, in a move that may be replicated on September 20.
Netherlands: Public transport (September 11)
Ahead of a budget announcement by the Dutch government, public transport workers have announced a walkout in the countrys largest cities on September 11. Services in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague will be impacted, with further strikes possible after that date.
What to do if your travel plans are affected by strike action
Before travelling, check whether there are any strikes in your destination and plan accordingly. Localised train strikes, for example, could create issues travelling from the airport upon arrival. Below, we outline your rights for major modes of transport.
Flights
If your flight is delayed or cancelled due to strike action, contact your airline immediately. Airlines are obliged to offer assistance such as food and drink or accommodation for extensive delays due to industrial action. Your airline is also obliged to place you on the next available flight. Or, if the delay lasts for more than five hours, you can withdraw from your flight and ask for a refund.
For flights that are cancelled outright, whether you are entitled to compensation depends on if the strike is considered to be something the airline could control. If so, you will only be entitled to compensation if your carrier informs you your flight is cancelled less than 14 days from the date youre due to fly. But in the case of European air traffic control strikes, this wouldnt be seen as the airlines responsibility.
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Check that your travel insurance covers you in the event of strike action. But be aware that once the industrial action has been announced, even without precise dates, you will not be able to buy cover for strikes.
For more information on what to do if your flight is delayed or cancelled, read our comprehensive guide here.
Trains and Eurostar services
If you have purchased an advance ticket and the train is rescheduled or cancelled due to strike action, you are entitled to a change or refund.
The refund process depends on each operator, but most have a straightforward delay repay system. Be sure to contact the retailer you purchased the ticket from.
As for Eurostar, if your train has been cancelled or is announced as delayed before departure by more than 60 minutes, you can reschedule your trip for another date or swap your ticket for an e-voucher, which you can use to rebook later in the year or claim a cash refund. Those whose trains are delayed after departure are entitled to partial refunds, depending on the length of the delay. Find more information here.
Ferries
According to the trade body Abta, if your ferry is expected to be delayed or cancelled, you should be provided with free snacks, meals and refreshments in relation to the waiting time. Refreshments should be provided even if the reason for the cancellation is bad weather (considered out of the companys control).
When your ferry operator cancels your service due to strike action, it should offer the choice of an alternative or a refund.
You are entitled to compensation of 25 per cent of your ticket price, for that part of the affected journey, if your service is delayed in arrival by at least:
one hour for a journey of four hours
two hours for a journey between four and eight hours
three hours for a journey between eight and 24 hours
six hours for a journey of more than 24 hours
If the delay exceeds double the time set out, the compensation should be 50 per of the ticket price. The ferry operator must pay compensation within one month of the submission of a substantiated claim for compensation. Passengers should note that compensation isnt payable where the delay was caused by weather conditions endangering the safe operation of the ferry or by extraordinary and unavoidable circumstances that hindered the sailing.
This piece is kept regularly updated with the latest strike news.
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Student dies after being shot in bathroom at Maryland high school
HARFORD, Md. (WDCW) A 15-year-old has died after being shot inside the bathroom of a Maryland high school Friday, authorities said.
The Harford County Sheriffs Office and several firefighters responded to the Joppatowne High School for a shooting on Friday afternoon.
In a message sent to all Harford County Public Schools, officials said the victim, student Warren Grant, sustained a gunshot wound during an altercation at the school.
Harford County Sheriff Gehler talks about the school shooting at Joppatowne High School, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Joppatowne, Maryland. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/The Baltimore Sun via AP)
Officials found that the 16-year-old suspect and Grant were the only people involved and that the shooting was an isolated incident. While the principal and a school resource officer were in the school at the time, they did not hear the shot itself. They did, however, hear commotion and responded.
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The Sheriffs Office said that the shooting happened in the first-floor mens bathroom. The suspect left the school after, but was found within a few minutes and apprehended near neighboring houses.
Officials said Friday was his first day reporting to school this year so far.
Grant was airlifted to a trauma center in serious condition. The Sheriff later confirmed that he died.
The school released a statement on its website stating that deputies were called to an isolated incident after a fight broke out.
Sheriff Jeff Gahler said that while current legislation prevents the Harford County Sheriffs Office from questioning the suspect, the States Attorney has confirmed the suspect will be charged in the shooting. Maryland law prevents law enforcement from questioning minors under arrest without an attorney present.
Parents were asked to pick up students at the Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church.
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Paloma Ruiz of Parshall, North Dakota, dances during the United Tribes Technical College International Powwow in Bismarck on Sept. 6, 2024. Fourth graders from several area schools attended to learn about Plains Indian culture. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
Zariah Whiteplume walked into the grassy Lone Star Arena carrying more than a dozen iridescent hoops.
I hope this dance brings you good feelings, Whiteplume, a student at United Tribes Technical College, told her young audience. And if you like what you see, please feel free to give a round of applause.
As the music picked up, she began to hoist the hoops into the air, arranging them into increasingly elaborate shapes.
At one point she shuffled them into the figure of a horse, and swung her fist in the air like a cowboy with a lasso. The crowd erupted into cheers.
Fourth graders from more than 10 area schools packed into the Lone Star Arena at United Tribes Technical College on Friday morning to watch Whiteplume and four of her peers dance.
The presentation coincided with the 54th annual United Tribes Technical College International Powwow, a celebration of Native culture that includes competitive dancing and drumming.
For Bismarck fourth graders, its a chance to learn about Native history and traditions.
Its nice to have it especially at the beginning of the year because our fourth grade curriculum ties into Native North Dakota culture, said Haley Wald, a fourth grade teacher at Centennial Elementary School.
Teachers who participate in Youth Day always give positive feedback, said Randi Waln, a teacher at Theodore Jamerson Elementary School and organizer for the event.
The kids and teachers just enjoy watching the performances and learning about the history of the dances, she said.
Selma Ruiz of Parshall, North Dakota, participates in youth day of the United Tribes Technical College International Powwow Sept. 6, 2024, in Bismarck. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
Jack Ruiz of Parshall, North Dakota, dances during the United Tribes Technical College International Powwow Sept. 6, 2024, in Bismarck. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
Dancers, from left, Selma Ruiz, Anaye Laducer, Paloma Ruiz and Zariah Whiteplume participate in youth day during the United Tribes Technical College International Powwow on Sept. 6, 2024, in Bismarck. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
Zariah Whiteplume dances during the United Tribes Technical College International Powwow on Sept. 6, 2024, in Bismarck. Whiteplume, who is from the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, has been hoop dancing since she was young. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
Paloma Ruiz of Parshall, North Dakota, participates in youth day of the United Tribes Technical College International Powwow on Sept. 6, 2024, in Bismarck. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
In addition to Whiteplume, other dancers included Anaye Laducer and siblings Jack Ruiz, Selma Ruiz and Paloma Ruiz.
Whiteplume is from Wyomings Wind River Reservation and is of Navajo and Northern Arapaho heritage. Laducer and the Ruiz family are citizens of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.
Randi Hart, who is the mother of the Ruiz siblings, introduced each of the dancers who are all in high school or college and shared a bit about their dancing styles.
No two dances were the same. Its about staying on beat and in rhythm to the song, Hart said.
Jack Ruiz, who dances chicken style, went first.
Chicken style dancing is meant to mimic how roosters attract mates, Hart explained.
The participants wore regalia as unique as their dances.
Selma Ruiz who dances northern traditional style wore a beaded buckskin dress, breastplate and shawl, and carried a purse and eagle feather fan.
Its a lot to wear while dancing, Hart noted.
Selma makes that look incredibly easy, she said after the performance, But in reality, everything she has on is almost 50 pounds.
Most of the fourth graders stayed absorbed in the performances the entire time, occasionally breaking concentration to whisper to their friends or swat away bees.
At the end, Hart invited the students onto the grass for one last dance.
They swarmed the arena floor, and joined hands with the performers as they circled the flagpole.
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New study has people living in Duplin County alarmed by levels of chemicals in water
DUPLIN COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) A new study from the Cape Fear River Watch shows fish tissue samples from the Northeast Cape Fear River have PFOS levels 20 times greater than some state requirements.
These fish were taken from Kenansville. PFOS are a part of a group of forever chemicals known as PFAs that have been linked to major health problems.
People used to swim, fish, kayak and do all sorts of things in this river. Now, some are too scared of the health effects.
Representatives with Lears Textile Company in Kenansville told the Department of Environmental Quality they use PFAS in their fabric finishing process for some of their products. They said that may result in PFAS in waste streams. Exposure to the chemicals have been linked to cancers, reduced vaccine responses and developmental defects.
Cape Fear River Watchs fish tissue samples were taken just five miles downstream from Lears site.
In a statement provided to WNCT, the company said the following:
We are currently working with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) on a permit renewal that adheres strictly to state regulatory guidelines and standards governing the use and disposal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
We conduct rigorous monitoring of our wastewater discharge to ensure compliance with the NCDEQ regulatory requirements and have reformulated the majority of our products to eliminate the use of PFAS. We are working to transition our remaining products to a PFAS-free solution as soon as reasonably practical.
We are committed to continuing to work with NCDEQ and to take appropriate environmental stewardship actions. Our highest priorities are the health and safety of people, local communities, and the environment, Lear
I cannot in good conscience invite anybody to go down the river or invite them to fish for would throw the fish back and, you know, not eat, or kayak or play, or, you know, anything like that, Jessica Thomas of Kenansville said. Its just been, its been devastating to say the least for sure.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Sub was suspended after slapping child, Jonesborough Elem. parent says
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) A substitute teacher has been suspended from working in Washington County, Tennessee Schools after an alleged incident at Jonesborough Elementary School. One Jonesborough Elementary parent said in a News Channel 11 interview that a substitute teacher slapped a student.
Michaela McKinney picked up her fourth-grade student from school Thursday, who immediately delivered shocking news.
Mom, I had a sub today and she slapped one of the students,' McKinney recounted. Which I was immediately upset about.
McKinney said her child saw the other child who had allegedly been assaulted, saying their arm was swollen and there was a bruise. Her child told her they were scared it would happen to them too.
Then, she learned her child heard about the alleged incident at lunch and had to go to the math class the same teacher was substituting for.
Theres no reason they should have been put into a position where they were with a now-child abuser, said McKinney. Because, she didnt hurt one child, from what I understand from other parents, she hurt several children.
According to Washington County Schools Superintendent Jerry Boyd, parents called the district office on Thursday afternoon after school had dismissed. Parents told administrators about an incident involving a substitute teacher at the school.
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The principal at Jonesborough Elementary, Matt Combs, was immediately informed, a statement from Boyd reads.
McKinney said she finds it hard to believe no one knew about the alleged incident until the end of the school day. She told News Channel 11 that her student learned about the incident after it happened at lunch from other students.
Other teachers heard, said McKinney. The administration heard so I dont understand why they didnt send someone else to go into that classroom and take over the class.
Boyd said the substitute was suspended from working in the districts schools due to allegations made. The substitute was also removed from the districts substitute teacher list.
Boyd did not provide any details as to the nature of the incident.
McKinneys child returned to school on Friday.
Ive never felt that my child wasnt safe at Jonesborough Elementary, said McKinney. Ive been very happy with them so far, but yesterday was eye-opening for me. I now know Im the only one that can advocate for my kid because the school isnt doing it.
Both law enforcement and the Department of Childrens Services were notified of the reported ordeal, and an investigation process has begun, according to Boyd.
Depending on the outcome of the investigation, actions may include termination in addition to possible charges as determined by law enforcement, Boyd stated.
As of Friday morning, the investigation into the incident remained ongoing.
I feel like they definitely could have handled it better, said McKinney. I know were all human and we can make mistakes, but I hope that this is a learning experience for the school on handling these kinds of things in the 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Two waves of moisture will soon bring heavy, soaking rains to portions of Atlantic Canada that have enjoyed spectacular late-summer weather this week.
A low-pressure system off the coast of North Carolina will track toward the Maritimes to end the week, bringing heavy rainfall and gusty winds into the region by Friday night.
Rainfall warnings are in effect for much of southern Nova Scotia, including the Halifax area, ahead of this systems arrival.
September Outlook: Summer isnt done with Canada just yet
In some of the hardest-hit parts of Nova Scotia, more than 75 mm may fall, increasing the risk for localized flooding and deteriorating travel conditions. Be sure to remain alert and check the warnings in your area as the rainfall begins.
Heavy rain picks up Friday night through Saturday
A low-pressure system off the coast of North Carolina will move toward the Maritimes as we end the week, pushing a slug of tropical moisture into the region. Well see two waves of moisture associated with this system.
Maritimes precipitation Saturday morning
The first arrives in the Maritimes by Friday night and lingers into Saturday as the system slides into the region. Rainfall rates along the coast, including Halifax and Truro, could reach 5-10 mm per hour during the heaviest precipitation. This could lead to flooding in vulnerable areas.
Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said in its rainfall warning for Halifax on Thursday.
Gusty winds of 70+ km/h are expected for portions of coastal Nova Scotia as well, making this the windiest storm weve seen in the region since early April. Look out for broken branches and isolated downed trees and power lines.
Maritimes rainfall totals
The second low well deal with this weekend will arrive from Ontario on Sunday, clipping the southern Maritimes late in the day before moving toward Newfoundland by Monday. This wave of moisture will be less impactful and not as widespread, but itll bring Newfoundland its best chance for heavy rain during the event.
All told, were looking at widespread rainfall totals of 30-50 mm throughout much of the Maritimes, with 20-30 expected across southern Newfoundland. The heaviest rain is expected across Nova Scotias Atlantic coastline. 50-75 mm of rain could fall in and around Halifax, with even higher totals possible southwest from the city.
There is still some uncertainty with the track of the system and just how far into southern New Brunswick the rainfall spreads, with more confidence for the heaviest rain falling across southern and eastern Nova Scotia. It will come down to how far inland the low pulls the moisture as it tracks over the Maritimes.
Regardless, many areas face a risk of flooding with heavy rain falling in a short period of time.
Well see the rain clear out of the Maritimes by Monday.
Be sure to check back for the latest updates across Atlantic Canada this weekend.
Header image courtesy of Unsplash.
Are you ready for fall? Join us on September 11 as we launch our #FallForecast. Whether you're planning a cozy getaway or just curious about what autumn has in store, we've got you covered! pic.twitter.com/yYFYY838Ic The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) September 4, 2024
MCLEAN COUNTY, Ill. (WMBD) The State of Public Schools has returned as McLean County stakeholders gathered at Heartland Community College to learn about the changes and challenges in the local public school systems.
The McLean County Chamber of Commerce hosted the event. Bloomingtons District 87, McLean Countys Unit 5, Olympia CUSD 16 and the Bloomington Area Career Center were all represented on the panel.
Im hoping that, yes, it enlightened some people and gave them a different perspective, said Olympias Superintendent Dr. Laura ODonnell.
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Its the first State of Public Schools since COVID and since the current panelists have been in their leadership positions.
While some of our challenges that we are seeing are very similar, I felt it was important to shed some light on some of the rural challenges and how they are different than what District 87 and Unit 5 are experiencing, O Donnell said. When your building or high school/middle school complex is in the middle of a cornfield and youre not attached to a municipality, sewer lines, water lines all of those things are the school districts responsibility.
ODonnell further explained how the school building is more than 50 years old, adding to the building upkeep challenges.
For a long time the district was just doing the minimum amount of maintenance to keep our head above water and to keep things working, she said. And now were at a point when you have a facility that is 55 years old, they dont make replacement parts for doors that are 55-year-old doors.
ODonnell said they see more of an increase in academic and mental diversity in a classroom compared to 15 years ago. She explained in previous years, students may have performed above or below one or two grade levels whereas now they can be performing at above or below three or four grade levels.
Were trying to meet the needs of all of these kids that are coming to us at very different levels of learning, said ODonnell.
As far as behavioral changes since COVID, ODonnell said they have seen extreme behaviors at the primary level resulting in them needing more space.
Just to spread kids out and give them smaller learning environments. So while our enrollment isnt necessarily going up, we have different needs than we did 10 years ago because of the kids that are walking through our doors, she said. I dont know that the general public, unless youre a parent of one of those children, really understands the challenges, what it is were trying to do and all the limitations we have as were trying to do that.
Exciting year ahead for three students turned Unit 5 teachers
Districts are also working to make sure a need to make sure they match the diversity of students with diverse staffing.
Students need folks that like them leading their buildings and teaching them in class, District 87s Superintendent Dr. David Mouser. So, were making concerted efforts to make sure we are trying to recruit and retain minority staff that can come in and help serve our needs and meet the needs of our kids.
Mouser also shared that District 87 is the second most diverse school district in Illinois and has 520 bilingual students. According to Unit 5s Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle, there are approximately 53 languages spoken by students in the district.
That doesnt mean we have teachers who speak every language though, she said. As were seeing new jobs develop in the community it brings professionals with families who maybe their first language isnt English. Its a wonderful opportunity for us but it also does present a challenge to make sure can we find staffing to properly educate those students.
Leadership also had a chance to share highlights within the past 18 months in their districts.
We continue to enhance the opportunities that were providing to student, said Weikle. Unit 5, I think, is probably the only district around that is able to provide PE five days a week to our elementary students, art once a week, music twice a week. We were able to maintain that with the support of our community.
ODonnell said Olympia partnered with Carle Health and United Way to help middle and high school students with their mental health. She also said last week the district was notified Eastern Illinois Food Bank will start making regular to the high school campus.
We are a district of 400 square miles, no grocery stores in any of our eight towns and our poverty levels continue to rise, said ODonnell. So, that news from Eastern Illinois was great news for us.
Mouser said his districts low income rate was at 51% percent prior to COVID and now the rate is 65% with 75 students experiencing homelessness.
Back 2 School Alliance Backpack Giveaway is a celebration
All three superintendents talked about community support in helping with the obstacles they face from food insecurity to chronic absenteeism. Weikle said the state defines chronic absenteeism as students 10% or more of the number of student attendance days.
On one hand the state says mental health is really important, were going to give each student five mental health days but were also going ding you as the school district,' said Weikle.
She continued explaining how in some cases, students struggling with mental health are utilizing mental health days. But Weikle said in a lot of cases they are finding as a result of the pandemic families felt the child can learn through technology so families take vacations during the middle of the school year.
That makes it really challenging. When you think about missing one day a week or even one day every two weeks that can equate anywhere to 20 to 40 days over the course of a school year, she said. Then when you think about the time a student graduates, if they were to follow that same pattern from K through 12, thats almost equivalent to two years of school being missed. Theres no way we can make this up without the support of our families.
Community support also looks like businesses partnering with the BACC to offer internships for students.
If they can be in your facilities, interacting with your employees and hearing and finding out and experiencing what exactly its like to do X job, said director Bryce Hansen. I think really its a win for everyone in this room to have kids more exposed to careers and understand more accurately what a career involves.
District 87 welcomes students back with a celebration
Hansen said BACC has added four new programs, CDL truck driving and aesthetics, barbering and cybersecurity programs. Next school year BACC will add heavy equipment, repair and operation and a foundations of teaching course.
One of our core values at BACC is to help kids explore a career pathway and find out if its for them or not for them, said Hansen.
Mouser praised Hansen for the work the BACC does with students.
Bryce serves all of our districts. When we talk about Bloomington Area Career Center, weve got kids that are able to take classes and walk into a living wage immediately following his program, said Mouser.
In 2023, District 87 approved the purchase of an old State Farm building on Oakland Avenue to expand the pre-K program and relocate the BACC.
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A view of Building 10 on the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. - Photo: Maddie Meyer (Getty Images)
Ever since the Supreme Court banned affirmative action regarding college admissions last year, there has been a decrease in Black enrollment at several of the countrys most prestigious universities.
Institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Washington University and Amherst College are just a few examples of at least six schools that have experienced less Black student enrollment for the upcoming 2024 academic year as reported by NBC News.
Conservatives got their wish and with the gut-wrenching Supreme Court decision, schools can no longer inquire about race in admissions demographic data. As a result, colleges have to instead gather this information from application materials and outreach programs to fulfill their diversity goals.
The court ultimately ruled that affirmative action programs violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. However, students with bias for being accepted to a certain collegelike being a legacy preference or having a family that has donated to said schoolhave not received the same scrutiny.
Amherst College in Massachusetts saw a shocking drop in Black students: they comprise 11% of its class for 2027 but only 3% of its class for 2028. MIT released data in August that showed around 5% of its incoming class of 2028 is Black, compared with a 13% average in recent years.
Around 4% of Smith Colleges 2024 freshman class is Black, though it was 4.6% last year. The Supreme Court ruling didnt just affect Black students. At Smith College, Tufts University and Yale, Asian American enrollment has also decreased for 2028.
Conservative activist Edward Blum led the crusade against affirmative action. His group, Students for Fair Admissions Inc., said Harvard and the University of North Carolina discriminated against Asian Americans and instead showed favoritism to Black and Latino students.
Blum also was successful in persuading the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to stop the Atlanta-based Fearless Fund from administering grants to Black women.
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A surge of Black women and young people registering to vote in Pennsylvania spells trouble for Trump
Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event at IBEW Local Union #5 on September 02, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Getty Images)
New voter registrations surged among Black women and young people in Pennsylvania when Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee for president, according to newly released data.
In the week that Joe Biden announced he would not run for re-election, new registrations increased by 262 per cent among Black women under 30 compared to the same week in 2020.
Registrations among Black voters increased by 110 per cent, and among voters under 30 years old by 59 per cent, also compared to the same week in 2020.
All of those demographic groups lean heavily towards voting for Democrats.
The new data, shared with The Independent by Democratic political data firm TargetSmart, is likely to provide a significant boost to the Harris campaign in the must-win state.
Similar trends are showing up in other swing states, too.
It is the first voter registration data from the state to be released after the week of July 21, when Harris became the presumptive nominee, and may signal a shift in the race that is not yet showing in polls.
Current polling shows a virtual dead heat between Harris and Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, a state that Biden won by a little over 80,000 votes to clinch victory.
While the raw numbers of new voters may only number in the thousands, they show an enthusiasm among traditional Democratic voting groups that could be game-changing, according to Tom Bonier, a veteran Democratic political strategist and senior advisor to TargetSmart.
The big question were all trying to answer is whos going to turn out, where the energy lies, and if theres an asymmetrical distribution of enthusiasm between the parties, he told The Independent.
This data is suggesting that women, younger voters, voters of color, and then especially younger women of color are going to vote at a much higher rate than they did in 2020, and thats where youre talking about a significant potential impact on the outcome of this election, he added.
Pennsylvania does not include demographic information on its voter registration files, but TargetSmart matches identifying data on the files with consumer data from marketing firms to produce a breakdown model.
The firm produced a similar breakdown before the 2018 midterms that correctly predicted a large increase in the number of young voters, which contributed to the Democratic Partys blue wave victory that year.
The new data comes as volunteers for the Harris campaign are telling a similar story across Pennsylvania.
Craig Robertson, a campaign volunteer from Lancaster County, in Pennsylvania, told The Independent this week that his area had seen a wave of young volunteers reaching out to the campaign.
Just in our district, since Kamala took over at the top of the ticket, weve had almost three dozen additional volunteers skewed very much towards the younger people, he said.
Molly McKitterick, a Democrat and former journalist also from Lancaster, said she had seen the same thing.
I think one of the things that has not been factored into the polls is all these new people that are being registered, they are all women and young people, she said outside of a campaign stop by vice presidential candidate Tim Walz in the town.
So I just think were not seeing the true effects yet, she added.
The importance of Pennsylvania to both campaigns has seen an avalanche of advertising spending. Democrats have spent $114 million statewide this year, while Republicans have spent $102 million.
The Harris campaign has focused heavily on running up the margins in rural, stubbornly pro-Trump areas of the state. It has opened 50 campaign offices across the state, 16 of which are in counties that Trump won by double digits in 2016.
While the polls may not be able to tell the whole story, they have shown a remarkable improvement in the Democratic Partys prospects in Pennsylvania since Harris took over as the nominee. Harris improved upon Bidens polling average by nearly four points in a little over a month. Crucially, the improvements for Harris are appearing in the very same groups that Biden struggled with, namely young voters and voters of color.
Bonier said that the impact of the spike in voter registrations showed that the Democrats are now running a different campaign.
One of the main reasons Biden was lagging in the polls was because he wasnt getting the sort of support or enthusiasm Democratic candidates historically have gotten from younger voters and voters of color. That was his biggest deficiency, he said. To see an immediate reaction to Vice President Harris, where exactly those voters who were the most problematic for the Biden campaign are suddenly rallying with registration rates? That doesnt have a precedent that Im aware of, and it is a very good sign for the Harris campaign.
Hunter Biden leaves federal court after pleading guilty to federal tax charges Thursday in Los Angeles. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
In a surprise move, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty Thursday to all nine federal tax charges he faced, just as jury selection was about to begin in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom.
After a prosecutor finished reading aloud the 56-page indictment, President Biden's troubled son stood before U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi wearing a dark blue suit over a crisp white shirt and blue tie. He responded nine times with "guilty" as Scarsi asked how he pleaded to each of the federal charges.
Biden faces a maximum of 17 years in prison and potentially more than $1.2 million in fines when Scarsi sentences him at a hearing scheduled for Dec. 16. The plea draws to a close the second of two criminal cases against Biden, who was convicted in June of three federal crimes related to the purchase of a firearm.
Both prosecutions had been set to fuel a barrage of attacks on the Bidens by former President Trump and his allies in the run-up to the November election. But Joe Bidens decision last month to drop out of the race altered that calculus.
Read more: As Hunter Biden vacations with father, his lawyers decry 'character assassination'
Thursday's dramatic turn of events began when Biden's defense attorneys announced that they intended to introduce a so-called Alford plea, which would have allowed Biden to maintain his innocence while admitting that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him.
"I know it's an unusual procedural [move]," Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Biden, told Scarsi. "We could have resolved this case by an agreement, but it's been a long road to here."
Assistant U.S. Atty. Leo Wise urged Scarsi to reject the Alford plea, stating that doing so would be "contrary to the rule of law" and "an injustice."
"Alford pleas are rare. They occur under exceptional circumstances, and that's not the case today," Wise said, adding later that "we will not under any circumstances agree to an Alford plea."
After a brief recess to confer with Biden and the rest of his legal team, Lowell stated that Biden would not pursue the Alford plea and would instead plead guilty to all nine counts.
Wise asked Scarsi to allow him to read the indictment into the record, and the judge agreed.
The indictment included racy details of Biden's life between 2016 and 2019 the period during which now he admits he failed to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes including the hundreds of thousands of dollars he spent on escorts, a pornographic website, hotels, luxury car rentals and other lavish personal expenses.
Prosecutors alleged, among other things, that Biden improperly classified personal expenses as business expenses and paid his federal income taxes late.
Read more: Hunter Biden found guilty of three felony charges in gun case
After Wise read the indictment, Biden pleaded guilty to the charges.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and president of the law firm West Coast Trial Lawyers, said it is "almost unheard of" for a defendant to plead guilty without an agreement with prosecutors.
Negotiating with prosecutors typically results in a reduced sentence and the dismissal of some charges, Rahmani said, adding that Biden's lawyers "are either completely incompetent, or whats more likely, Hunter Biden knows hell be pardoned."
President Biden has said he would not pardon his son nor commute any sentence. On Thursday, White House Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the answer to whether the President would pardon Hunter Biden is "still no."
After the hearing, Biden and his team walked out of the courthouse and into a black Chevrolet Suburban with government plates as a phalanx of media, Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security officials looked on.
Lowell made a brief statement, declining to answer any questions from reporters. He argued that the case against Biden was an "extreme and unusual one for the government to bring."
"Hunter decided to enter his plea to protect those he loves from unnecessary hurt and cruel humiliation," Lowell said, adding later that "he will now move on ... while keeping open the option to raise the many clear issues with this case on appeal."
Times staff writer Matthew Ormseth and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The Surprising Reason It Took More Than 30 Years to Arrest a Black Missouri Man For an Alleged Rape and Murder
An Indiana father went looking for his 19-year-old daughter after she didnt show up for work. What he didnt know was when he walked into her Illinois apartment, his familys life would be changed forever.
Carmen Van Huss was found naked with over 60 stab wounds on March 23, 1993. A probable cause affidavit obtained by the Daily Mail said, 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.
Van Huss downstairs neighbor also told police he heard cries, screams, and noises and voices of a male arguing that lasted approximately 30 minutes, per the Daily Mail.
Even though police recovered DNA from the brutal crime scene, they didnt find her killer. According to USA Today, 20 years later in 2013, the same DNA from the scene was uploaded to CODIS, the nationwide law enforcement DNA database, but wasnt connected to a suspect until now.
At some point, a partial match to the suspects distant relative was found voluntarily submitted their DNA to the database, the Independent reported. So in February 2024, authorities knocked on Dana Shepherds apartment door and handed him a warrant. Police obtained the 52-year-olds DNA, and four months later they matched it to the Van Huss crime scene.
Shepherd was visibly shaking when police first presented him with the warrant, investigators wrote in an affidavit. He was arrested Aug. 30 in Columbia, Miss.and charged with the 1993 rape and murder, according to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department.
For 31 years, the family of Carmen Van Huss has been searching for answers and justice, said Deputy Chief Kendale Adams. While nothing can ever replace their loved one, we hope that todays arrest brings them some measure of peace.
Van Huss father, James Van Huss Sr., died before his daughters alleged killer was found. His son, Van Huss Jr. said during a press conference, For my dad to have to find his daughter after what was brutally done to her makes this day bittersweet. He continued I wish he was here to see it.
Shepherd virtually appeared in court on Sept. 4, according to WTHR. He was denied bond, and a judge set his extradition hearing for Sept. 26.
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Suspect charged in officer involved shooting near JD Lever in Aiken County
AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF) South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced a man has been charged in the officer involved shooting that took place on July 25 near JD Lever Elementary School in Aiken.
Aiken County Deputies responded to the scene due to reports of a person behaving erratically.
Joshua Colton Johnson, 32, was booked into the Aiken County Detention Center on charges of Resisting Arrest with Violence, two counts of Unlawful Taking of a Firearm or Weapon
from a Law Enforcement Officer and two counts of Assault and Battery 2nd degree
on Wednesday, September 4.
ALSO ON WJBF: Man charged with second degree Homicide by Vehicle
According to arrest warrants, Johnson physically assaulted Aiken County Sheriffs Office by striking and kicking officers. Johnson is also accused of disarming deputies of their electronical control devices (ECDs/TASERs).
SLED stated that the investigation is active and ongoing.
The case will be prosecuted by the 2nd Circuit Solicitors Office.
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A Green Bay Correctional Institution watch tower and guard. (Photo | Isiah Holmes)
Jackson Vogel allegedly told a corrections officer that he killed his cellmate because [the cellmate] is Black and gay, according to a statement in a criminal complaint filed Thursday.
Vogel, 24, has been charged with homicide with hate crime and repeat offender penalties after Micah Laureano, his cellmate, died last week at Green Bay Correctional Institution (GBCI).
The complaint includes information from corrections officers and Sergeant Justin Raska of the Brown County Sheriffs Office. Raska said Vogel admitted to carrying out the homicide because he was bored, because of the victims race and sexual orientation, and because the victim was a potential child molester.
Raska said he asked Vogel when he first thought he was going to or wanted to kill the victim, and Vogel allegedly replied it was the first day he met him. The sheriffs office said the two were in the same cell for only hours before the incident.
A corrections officer discovered the death of Laureano, 19, while conducting a routine count. The officer found a pink piece of paper and Vogels body blocking the view from the window on the cell door. Beth Hardtke, communications director of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, told the Examiner that Vogel and Laureano were in temporary lockup status.
A doctor from the Brown County Medical Examiners Office conducted an autopsy and reported that the preliminary cause of death was a homicide due to asphyxia due to ligature strangulation. Evidence found in the cell included cloth material that is believed to have been around Laureanos neck, as well as a note that said Kill all humans! and slurs toward Black and gay people.
Vogel was previously found guilty of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, the Wisconsin Examiner reported, while Laureano was found guilty of taking and driving a vehicle without consent and as party to a crime for substantial battery intending bodily harm, robbery with use of force and first-degree recklessly endangering safety.
Vogel remains in restrictive custody at GBCI, the Brown County Sheriffs Office said Thursday. Captain Jody Lemmens of the sheriffs office said the investigation is not yet complete.
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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.
HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) Police have identified and are searching for the suspect who reportedly cut a man across the face with a sharp object in the parking lot of Hersheypark in broad daylight early last month.
According to the Derry Township Police, Huley Williams, 63, has been charged in connection with the attack in the Hersheypark parking lot in August.
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Williamss last known residency was in Brooklyn, New York. And since the Hersheypark incident, his whereabouts have been unknown, said police.
Anyone with information on Williams and his whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Derry Township Police Department at 717.534.2202 or submit an anonymous tip through Crimewatch.
Suspect wanted after attack at Hersheypark parking lot
According to the Derry Township Police Department, the victim and his family arrived at their vehicle in the parking lot to find Williams allegedly rummaging through their back seat. Police said the victim confronted Williams, who proceeded to turn and slash him across the face with a sharp object.
Williams fled with the victims credit card, which he later used at a Target in Bensalem, Pa., according to Police.
Photo from Derry Township Police Department
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ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio (WJW) Ohio health officials are investigating four cases of suspected botulism at Belmont Correctional Institution.
According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, the affected inmates are being treated for symptoms at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. They were provided anti-toxin medication by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Investigators believe the cases are linked to the consumption of contraband homemade alcohol. Officials said more of it was found in a housing area at the prison before it was confiscated.
Two of the cases were first reported to the ODRC on Aug. 30, while the others were reported in the following days.
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Since then, medical staff have conducted medical screenings of more than 2,000 inmates at the facility. Investigators said nobody else has shown symptoms, but medical staff will continue monitoring.
According to the CDC, botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin that attacks the bodys nerves, causing difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis and even death. Read more about it here.
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The father of a 14-year-old boy accused of killing four people and injuring nine others during a shooting rampage this week at a Georgia school was arrested and charged Thursday, becoming the latest example of prosecutors holding parents responsible for their childrens actions.
The Apalachee High School shootings on Wednesday in Winder, Georgia, once again brought gun violence into the national spotlight, with Americans nationwide expressing sadness, frustration and outrage with what appears to be increasing gun violence in schools.
More: Georgia school shooting suspect to appear in court; father arrested. Live updates
And to Michiganders, many details of the shooting, and the charges, sounded familiar.
Earlier this year, Jennifer and James Crumbley the mom and dad of Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 when he brought a handgun to Oxford High School and fatally shot four people and injured six became the first parents to be convicted in a mass school shooting.
And Thursday, in an CNN interview, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said the facts in the Michigan case were "very egregious and hopefully very rare," but added that, in the Georgia case, given the details that have emerged "it would be hard to argue that dad didn't know that there might be a concern."
A crowd of mourners at the Apalachee High School flagpole one day after a shooting occurred at the school in Winder, Ga., on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. Two students and two teachers are dead and nine injured in the shooting. A 14-year-old student, Colt Gray, is in custody for the shooting.
Whether criminal charges against parents in extreme shooting cases, as in Oxford and Winder, can curb gun violence remains to be seen, but it raises the legal and societal question: To what extent should parents be held responsible for their children's crimes?
More: 'Slow the f--- down': Grosse Pointe mom's texts to son may come back to haunt her
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, four counts of involuntary manslaughter and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.
Colt Gray, who was taken to the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, was charged as an adult with four counts of felony murder for the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.
The GBI said Thursday evening that the charges against the father, who reportedly had been part of an investigation about a shooting threat a year ago, stemmed from him "knowingly allowing" his son to have a weapon.
He was held, online jail records show, at Georgias Barrow County Detention Center with no bond.
School shooting similarities
Since Wednesday, as law enforcement has investigated and news outlets have reported, similar patterns between the Georgia high school shootings and the one in Oxford have emerged.
Among the similarities: the boys young ages, descriptions that they were someone who was quiet, what appeared to be a troubled family relationship and cries for help, warning signs to authorities that went unheeded, and accesses to the weapons that may even have been gifts.
Colt Gray, according to law enforcement, was reportedly armed with what USA Today reported was "an AR-platform style" weapon. AR, often in the context of an AR-15, stands for ArmaLite Rifle and is commonly used to refer to a civilian semi-automatic weapon.
Gray also is among a small group of teens charged in a mass shooting and what the Washington Post called "the youngest mass school shooter since 1998," when two boys in Arkansas, age 11 and 13, "took aim outside their middle school, killing five."
CNN has reported, based on two unnamed "law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the investigation" Colin Gray, who was divorced, told investigators that in December "he had purchased the gun used in the killings as a holiday present for his son."
Crumbleys gun, a Sig Sauer 9 mm, was purchased by his father and, by one account, was a gift.
Moreover, according to reports on the shooting in Georgia, there appears to have been some warning signs of the shooting, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealing it had received tips about online threats to "shoot up a middle school."
In addition, in various news reports, relatives and others who knew Colt Gray said he lived in a hostile, unstable environment, and seemed to be someone who needed help, but one person said, appeared to have fallen through the cracks.
Holding parents responsible
Efforts to use the legal system to force parents to take responsibility for the actions of their childrens behavior is hardly new, according to an archived report by the justice departments Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The report highlighted a Michigan case from the mid-90s that received national media attention as an example of local and state efforts to fight youth crime by enacting laws that imposed liabilities on parents for "the delinquent behavior of their children."
In that case, a jury convicted Susan and Anthony Provenzino of St. Clair Shores of a misdemeanor, violating a city ordinance that required parents to "exercise reasonable parental control" over their children, who were not yet 18.
The jury concluded the Provenzinos were responsible for the actions of their son, who the report called troubled and said was arrested in connection with burglary, drinking alcohol and using and selling marijuana. The son also, the report said, had verbally and physically attacked his parents.
The report, which tracked how the American legal system has held parents accountable for their childrens misdeeds going back to the 1900s by imposing monetary penalties, noted that in the 90s, authorities were taking steps to hold parents criminally liable, particularly when related to firearms.
Preventing gun violence
But since then, as the ongoing policy debates about guns show, Americans have struggled to reach a consensus on what should be done to prevent gun violence.
After Jennifer Crumbleys manslaughter conviction, Tim Carey, a law and police adviser at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, talked about the implications of the case and the importance of laws that restrict child access to firearms.
Carey suggested that there have not been more parent prosecutions because shootings are tragedies, and in many cases the suspects take their own lives.
In many cases, he added, the facts arent clear.
In the Crumbley case, however, he said, they were, and convictions could help raise awareness.
And, increasingly, when it comes to the human cost emotional realities of the school shootings, even those who have been trained to be dispassionate professionals, find it hard to not to feel and express something about them.
Don Schanche, a retired Georgia journalist who lives about an hour away from Apalachee High School, for example posted a link to an Associated Press report about the shooting on social media topped with a few of his own thoughts.
The shootings, he said, weighed on him because it was close to him and "very sad." One of his daughters teaches drama at different Georgia high school, and his grandson also is a senior there. They both, he added, have been on his mind.
"This needs to stop," he wrote, repeating the sentence three times. "We can stop it. When will we stop it???"
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: In Georgia school shooting, similarities emerge to Crumbley case
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Two Tampa roommates will spend more time together in jail after police shut down a drug operation that they ran out of their apartment.
The Tampa Police Department began an investigation back in 2023 into 27-year-old Antonio Lagreera, who they believed to be a main supplier of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine out of his apartment.
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On Wednesday, officers conducted a search warrant for Lagreeras apartment, located in the 9000 block of North 13th Street, to also find his 26-year-old roommate, Kendric Daniels.
Detectives seized eight guns, ammunition, 224 grams of fentanyl, 221.1 grams of meth, more than 700 grams of cocaine, and $15,946 in the apartment.
Lagreera and Daniels were both arrested and taken to the Orient Road Jail.
The tenacity and dedicated efforts of all those involved in this investigation has ensured that Sulphur Springs and the Nebraska Avenue corridor is safer for our community and visitors alike, Chief Lee Bercaw said. In Tampa, we have zero tolerance for illegal narcotics activity and are committed to using all available resources to ensure that those responsible are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
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Tampa Police Department
Tampa Police Department
Tampa Police Department
Lagreera was charged with two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, armed trafficking in amphetamine (28 to 200 grams), armed trafficking in cocaine (200 to 400 grams), armed trafficking in fentanyl (more than 28 grams), delivery of a controlled substance, delivery of cocaine, and possession of cannabis with the intent to sell or deliver.
Daniels was charged with five counts of felon in possession of a firearm, armed trafficking in amphetamine (28 to 200 grams), armed trafficking in cocaine (200 to 400 grams), armed trafficking in fentanyl (four grams), armed trafficking in oxycodone (seven to 14 grams), armed possession of a controlled substance with an intent to sell or deliver, possession of cannabis with the intent to sell or deliver, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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Target on Niagara Falls Blvd. reopens after sprinkler system causes $25K in damage
AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) The Target on Niagara Falls Boulevard was reopened Monday after its sprinkler system was activated throughout the store on Friday, causing a total of $25,000 in damage, Amherst police announced.
According to police, Targets management reported to Amherst Fire Control that both the fire alarm system and sprinkler system were activated throughout the store.
Crews responded and reported that there was no active fire and there had been no fires before the activation, police said.
Amherst Fire shut down the alarm and sprinkler systems, which included closing the store indefinitely until the water damage is cleaned up and the system is fixed, police said. Workers in the store on Monday would not say which departments were damaged.
Officials said no further information will be released at this time.
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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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TEXARKANA, Ark. (KTAL/KMSS)The Texarkana Arkansas School District is introducing new themes for the magnet programs at three of its elementary schools.
These are new themes on the three campuses really fit within the times. We really believe these themes will do a lot to enrich our academic programs, says Larry Dunn, Director of Magnet Programs for the Texarkana Arkansas School District. Dunn shared the differences between each theme and how they can help the school districts students.
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Fairview Elementarys theme will cover humanities and innovation.
Dunn said the theme talks about humanistic living and learning while also boasting, you know, the cutting edge innovative practices that can be embedded within the academic programs as well.
At Kilpatrick Elementary, the emphasis will be on public service, focusing on the role of first responders in the community.
Thats going to be their emphasis within the first five years of this program, really tying together the first responders community with academic learning in the educational environment.
Finally, Harmony Leadership Academy will offer an arts and music theme with its magnet program.
Really the art of storytelling through the academic curriculum and tying in both elements of arts and music into the curriculum. So, super excited about those programs and what they will be able to offer not only to students in the Texarkana area but to the surrounding areas as well.
The district believes these themes could help students by making them feel more proactive in the learning process.
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It gives them that hands on approach. It is not the whole group instruction, it is more specialized to a specific focus which will engage student learning, help with their literacy rates, help with their behavior rates and it helps with absenteeism as well.
An official unveiling of these themes will take place on Monday, September 9th, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the TRAHC Regional Arts Center.
School officials will be there to discuss the details of this project with community members.
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A Miami-Dade substitute teacher who was arrested on a charge of possessing child pornography was a Miami-Dade County Public Schools employee for seven years before leaving and being hired to work for a school by a third-party employment agency, the district said.
George Henry Rafols a 37-year-old substitute teacher at the Air Base K-8 Center in Homestead was arrested on Wednesday following a nearly year-long investigation that began with a cyber tip in October 2023, according to Homestead Police Capt. Fernando Morales.
Rafols was employed by MDCPS from 2016 to October 2023, the same month the investigation into him began, according to district spokesperson Elmo Lugo.
It is unclear why he left MDCPS in October, according to Lugo.
Rafols was then hired by Kelly Services, an employment agency that MDCPS uses to hire substitute teachers. MDCPS said it was not informed of the investigation regarding him until school police were contacted by Homestead Police right before his arrest, according to Lugo.
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.
Rafols appeared in court Thursday morning. His bond was set at $7,500 and he was placed on house arrest with GPS surveillance.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is profoundly troubled by the concerning allegations made against this individual, leading to his arrest. .... Although he is not an employee of M-DCPS, he will no longer be able to serve as a substitute teacher in the district, the school district said.
SAN FRANCISCO Elon Musk picked his fighter in American politics, and got rewarded for it. Americas most famous tech billionaire openly embraced Donald Trump, and today Trump hugged him back, promising him the helm of a new Washington efficiency commission that Musk himself proposed last month.
The wider tech industry, though a vastly profitable sector stacked with political donors is now more unsure about American politics than it has been in years.
If anything, it appears to be fragmenting.
When the biggest names in tech policy and venture capital got together Thursday at a former Army base to talk about the collision of business and politics, perhaps the only thing the group had in common was fresh concern about the outcome of a presidential election far more volatile and uncertain than any in recent memory.
An industry that has long kept its nose out of politics has been dragged in, and is now assiduously laying the groundwork for its relationship with either a Kamala Harris or second Trump administration, said Adam Kovacevich, founder and CEO of the pro-tech Chamber of Progress.
Many, many people, myself included, were scarred from 2016 when no one thought Trump was going to win, and no one prepared for the Trump scenario, and the day after the election, everybody was scrambling for a Trump plan, said Kovacevich.
The annual Reboot conference, this year celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Foundation for American Innovation, is a gathering largely made up of right-leaning techno-futurists of the Elon Musk type, but sprinkied with plenty of California Democrats as well.
Though many Silicon Valley libertarians had started to rally openly for Trump over Biden, their political world was turned upside down by the entry of Kamala Harris and now the coin-flip prospect of a Harris administration.
The right, of course, still fears what Harris stands for. Analyzing the uneasy relationship between the Silicon Valley right and Harris, Santi Ruiz, host of the policy-focused Statecraft podcast for the Institute for Progress, said in an interview that Overwhelmingly the worry is about markets and growth.
In Ruizs analysis, opposition to Harris among the tech right stems from a combination of traditional conservative business concerns and the culture-warring and free speech debates that have captured the political imaginations of figures like Musk.
From their perspective, To the extent Harris has stood for something ideological over her career, its been DEI regulatory moves and redistribution to Democratic interest groups, Ruiz said, adding that they believe The other concerns flow downstream from that one that shes a statist, that shes uninterested in what drives economic growth, the $4 trillion care economy push, free speech and DEI.
That blend of economic and cultural concerns reflects a new view of how technology interacts with society, one that has evolved along with Trumps Republican Party writ large.
Whereas most tech titans are eager to present their products as value-neutral enhancements to the countrys economy and civic life platforms to boost and enrich the public sphere, whichever way it drifts a new generation of innovators are eager to take a more active hand in guiding the direction of American life, imbuing it with their pro-tech, entrepreneur-friendly, futurist values.
Among tech types, this kind of rhetoric is especially prone to appear in the ongoing debate around crypto, which has also taken on a more political cast in the past year or two. A movement that once stood ideologically outside of politics has now waded straight in; crypto-friendly super PACs are dumping millions into races that could swing control of Congress, mostly attacking crypto-skeptical Democrats.
Jessica Anderson, president of the Heritage Action-linked Sentinel Action Fund, poured cold water on the idea that a President Harris might be more sympathetic to crypto than Joe Biden, and argued for a Republican Senate as a pro-crypto backstop given that the Senate Banking Committee is chaired by crypto foe Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).
We should anticipate another four years that is very antagonistic [to crypto] and goes further, Anderson said on a panel.
One other issue fragmenting tech-world politics is antitrust largely because of vice presidential candidate JD Vance. Though hes a former venture capitalist himself, with a political career largely sponsored by the tech rights patron saint Peter Thiel, Vance has taken an aggressively pro-antitrust, interventionist approach not favored by the still-robust libertarian part of the coalition and possibly not by any traditional Republicans that might staff a Trump White House.
The Institute for Progress Ruiz said theres still massive uncertainty over how this debate might shake out, and that there could be a tremendous tension in particular around industrial policy. The Biden administration has largely co-opted many of the vanguard rights ideas about using state capacity to boost American national champion companies.
That infighting among conservatives might recede if Harris does occupy the White House next year, leaving the tech right out in the cold and shifting the spotlight to the nascent tech policy debate among liberals.
The Chamber of Progress Kovacevich suggested that a Harris administration could see a shift from the largely hostile attitude of Bidens White House, opening the door to liberal policymakers with their own vision for how tech and society can flourish side by side.
I dont know that Democrats are going to ditch the anti-corporate focus from a campaign rhetoric perspective, he said, but the policy direction they take is up for grabs.
Amid all this uncertainty, the most definitive point of Thursdays conference was that this idiosyncratic group of investors and thinkers doesnt plan on receding into the background, however the election shakes out.
In a panel titled Silicon Valleys Political Debutantes, one observer asserted that the era of tech insiders remaining silent partners in a broad center-left coalition is over.
After Trump, youre not going to go back to talking about just normal progressive politics, said Samo Burja, a Slovenian political scientist and consultant. Youre going to go in a new direction. It might be a libertarian direction, it might be some new nonpartisan perspective, but I think you have severed this tie to the bored, mainstream consensus.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks during the CPAC conference in Dallas, Aug. 5, 2022. Pacific Press via Getty Images
By Greg B. Smith, 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.
A federal bill the FDNY contends would help douse the dangerous trend of e-bike battery fires that has killed 31 New Yorkers in four years has been stalled in the Senate since July. The roadblock: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and his rage against what he sees as the Biden Administrations campaign to ban gas stoves.
The bill would require the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to draft mandatory safety standards for all lithium-ion batteries and related chargers that power micro mobility devices such as e-bikes and e-scooters.
The House version, sponsored by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-The Bronx), passed in May with solid bipartisan support. The Senate version also has bipartisan backers, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, both New York Democrats, as well as Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and Sen. Mike Braun (R-Indiana). New York City fire officials expected swift passage in the upper chamber.
But in July, Cruz, the ranking minority member of the Commerce Committee where the bill was pending, sent the Senate version into limbo, adding an amendment that the bills sponsors said would gut the consumer agencys ability to regulate the safety of the potentially volatile batteries.
Cruzs focus was not on dangerous batteries but instead targeted the CPSC due to statements by one of its commissioners, Richard Trumka, floating the idea of mandating reduced emissions in new stoves. The commission studied the idea but ultimately rejected it, although the Department of Energy last year proposed regulations that would reduce gas consumption in stoves to help trim carbon emissions.
Some Republicans, including Cruz, labeled the proposal an anti gas stove initiative initiated by an out-of-control agency that was exceeding its jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, three New Yorkers have died in fires caused by exploding lithium-ion batteries just since the House passed its version of the safety bill on May 15, starting with the May 23 death of journalist Fazil Khan in a Harlem fire triggered by batteries charging in an apartment below his. A second battery-triggered fatality occurred under similar circumstances on Avenue M in Brooklyn and a third on Throop Avenue in The Bronx.
Its unfortunate that this bill is being held up due to an unrelated issue, Gillibrand told THE CITY. In states across the country, fires caused by faulty lithium-ion batteries have injured or killed hundreds of people and torn apart families. Theres a reason firefighter unions are behind it its a commonsense and bipartisan policy that will save lives.
The FDNY began noticing this new danger in 2019 as the reliance on e-bikes by food delivery workers began to increase and saw the numbers jump dramatically during the pandemic. Since then, there have been 910 fires caused by batteries resulting in 509 injuries and 31 deaths through Sept. 2, according to the departments statistics.
The safety bill is meant to address the flood of poorly made batteries that are not safety certified by labs such as UL Solutions but are in common use in New York City. These untested batteries are prone to explosion if theyre not charged properly and, as THE CITY has reported, the fires they trigger have occurred more often than not in locations where people live.
Journalist Fazil Khan was killed in an electric-battery-sparked-fire at his Hamilton Heights building on St. Nicholas Place, Feb. 26, 2024. Credit: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY
The House and Senate battery safety bills have both received support from a wide variety of stakeholders, including the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the United States Conference of Mayors, Consumer Reports and Grubhub and DoorDash.
The House bill requires that within a year, the CPSC must develop safety standards which battery makers would be required to adopt. Currently the standards are only voluntary.
The problem for Cruz, who is up for re-election this year, emerged in the language of the House bill, which would give the CPSC authority to modify these standards at any time going forward. Its supporters say this is crucial given the fact that the technology behind these batteries is constantly changing and being upgraded.
The modification clause affords the CPSC the authority and flexibility it needs to respond rapidly to the changing facts on the ground about the role of poorly made lithium-ion batteries in causing fires, Torres told THE CITY. There should be nothing controversial about fire prevention, which should be bipartisan and bicameral.
Rogue Agency
Cruz opposed the modification language in a bout of fury at the CPSC following Commissioner Trumkas statements about requiring stove manufacturers to reduce the gas consumption of their products. The proposal triggered a wave of exaggerated Republican outrage that claimed the administration of President Joe Biden was coming to take away consumers gas stoves.
For the last two years Cruz has gone after the CPSC, castigating drunk-on-power bureaucrats who were exceeding the authority the agency was granted by Congress. In response to the GOP backlash, the Department of Energy in January altered the proposed energy consumption standards for new stoves, offering a rule that would prohibit about 3% of stoves currently on the market, far below the original rule that would have affected 50% of stoves.
Nevertheless, Cruz has continued his crusade to restrict the agencys ability to regulate, a position that emerged front and center during a discussion on the lithium-ion battery safety bill at a Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee session held July 31.
Lately, unfortunately, the CPSC has been operating outside its authority, particularly with its ridiculous effort to try to ban gas stoves, Cruz said. This is unacceptable and Congress should not reward this conduct by giving more authority to this rogue agency.
Cruz then offered an amendment requiring the CPSC to craft a standard based on the current voluntary rule and prevent it from updating or changing the rule going forward unless safety labs changed their standards first.
He called his amendment a compromise to address the fires while putting guardrails around the CPSC. This, he argued, would show Congress is speaking to the fire risk without giving the agency broad authority that can be abused.
The chair of the committee, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington),immediately slapped back at Cruzs argument, stating that the purpose of this amendment is really to limit the CPSCs ability by requiring the agency to adopt voluntary standards.
We should not let the fear-mongering about this agency now hobble them from doing their true mission, which is protecting our safety, protecting consumers and protecting our first responders, she said. The House passed legislation that is endorsed by firefighters, fire chiefs, building owners and Consumer Reports. I oppose the amendment.
The committee then rejected Cruzs amendment along party lines, voting 14-12 against it (committee member and GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio was absent and did not vote). The committee then passed the Senate version of the bill as written.
That version does not contain language giving the agency support for tracking and updating the standard. As a result, the bill remains passed by the committee but with no plans to bring it to the Senate floor for a vote until the language issue is cleaned up.
Since July 31, both the House and Senate sponsors of the bill have tried to get Cruz to sign off on an updated version. A month has passed with no response, and so the bill remains in limbo.
The holdup of the bipartisan Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act is putting more lives in danger as the fires caused by dangerous lithium-ion batteries have caused injuries and deaths across New York, said Senator Schumer. There is an urgent need for federal safety action to keep the public and firefighters safe from the growing number of low-quality, dangerous lithium-ion batteries and I wont stop fighting and working with families and advocates to get this done.
Cruz did not respond to THE CITYs request for comment on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, battery fires continue in New York City. During a press conference last week, Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn described two incidents: a battery blowing up at an e-bike store in Hollis, Queens, and a battery tossed into a trash barge anchored in Newtown Creek erupting into flames.
Flynn noted that it takes a lot of resources to track this and a lot of jurisdictions do not have that, describing the urgency of spreading the word about the potential danger of uncertified, unsafe batteries and the need to get to the fire services throughout the country because its coming to them.
Everybody in fire services is of the same mindset, he added. We are all eager to learn and make everyone safer.
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The Woodland Park School District already has reasons for cheer early into this fall.
According to state data released last week, Woodland Park RE-2 recorded massive improvements in its Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) test scores across the board from last year.
Across the districts five public schools and one charter, composite score increases ranged from 6 percent (Woodland Park Middle School) to nearly 22 percent (Summit Elementary School).
The district itself scored a composite score of 73.8% and was awarded a Distinction rating for elementary and middle school performance. This years results follow one that landed them in the middle of the pack of all Colorado school districts.
The state data calculated by the Gazette indicated that the district saw the fourth most improvement and ranked 29th out of the 169 districts with sufficient data in Colorado.
This academic leap forward is a testament to the resilience and determination of our students and staff, RE-2 Superintendent Ken Witt said in a statement.
We have been laser-focused on academic excellence, and exceeding the state averages in both math and English reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and the effectiveness of new initiatives, preparing our students for future success.
Cripple Creek-Victor RE-1 ranked 155th in the state with 24% and 11.5% of its students meeting or exceeding ELA and math expectations respectively.
CMAS annually tests students in grades 3-8 for math and English Language Arts (ELA) annually, and fifth, eighth and 11th grade students for science. High School students take the SAT and PSAT college-readiness exams administered by the College Board.
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This years average scores for ELA and math statewide were 44.1% and 34.2% respectively. Every school in the district except Gateway Elementary exceeded these scores, who scored 28.8% in math and 35.4% in ELA.
The districts highest performing school was Merit Academy, ranking 301 in the state out of 1,389, followed by Summit Elementary at 406. Merit Academy ranked {span}560 for the 2022-23 schoolyear.
The vast improvements made during the 2023-24 schoolyear come following a year that saw massive instructional changes and dispute in the district.
Since Witt became the districts superintendent in Jan. 2023, administration approved the American Birthright Standard, {span}a social studies curriculum standard developed by a conservative coalition thats been met with some local backlash, imposed a so-called employee gag order against the districts teachers and opted not to reapply for $1.5 million in mental health service grants.
Among the changes taking effect this year are a cell phone ban in classrooms, the closure of Gateway Elementary and the relocation of the districts middle school students to its high school.
Were incredibly proud of the progress made, and these results underscore the importance of the educational direction this board has set, RE-2 Board of Education President Mick Bates said.
We are committed to providing the best possible education for our students, and will continue to support initiatives that drive academic success, ensuring every student in WPSD has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Gazette contributor Evan Wyloge provided the data analysis of Colorado Measures of Academic Success test scores.
Teen arrested after threatening to kill someone at school in Tulare County, deputies say
Teen arrested after threatening to kill someone at school in Tulare County, deputies say
CUTLER, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A 16-year-old has been arrested following threats that he was going to kill someone at a high school in Tulare County on Friday, according to the Tulare County Sheriffs Office.
Officials say the FBI National Threat Operations Center contacted deputies around 9:30 a.m. about a social media post where the person posted that they would kill someone at a local high school.
The boy was arrested in the 12600 Block of Amethyst in Cutler, according to deputies. Officials who searched the 16-year-olds home say no guns were found there.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Tulare County Sheriffs Office at 559-733-6218.
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An Elf Bar disposable vaping pod device is displayed, Monday, June 26, 2023, in Washington. Teen vaping is down to its lowest point in the last decade, according to a report from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, which was released Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. | Andrew Harnik
Teen vaping is down to its lowest point in the last decade. A half-million fewer adolescents used electronic cigarettes in 2024 compared to 2023.
The report from the National Youth Tobacco Survey was released Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey, which is a yearly self-administered survey of students in middle school and high school, focused on vaping and on nicotine pouch use.
The director of the FDAs Center for Tobacco Products, Brian King, called the drop in use of tobacco products by youths in the U.S. a monumental public health win that results from the relentless efforts by the FDA, CDC and others to curb teen tobacco use.
According to the students self reports, the share of middle and high school students who said theyd used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days dropped from 7.7% (2.13 million youths) to 5.9% (1.63 million) in 2024. The drop was seen among high school students, with no statistically significant change in current e-cigarette use among middle school students within the past year, per a news release on the findings.
The CDC said the number of teens using e-cigarettes is about a third of what it was during peak use in 2019, when more than 5 million youth reported current vaping.
But a lot of young people do still vape, the report found. And among those who do, more than a quarter use e-cigarettes every day. The vast majority (87.6%) use flavored products most often fruit, candy or mint flavorings.
Per the report, Disposable e-cigarette products were the most common product type used; however, the most popular brands included both disposable and cartridge-based products. Among youth who currently used e-cigarettes, the most commonly reported brands were Elf Bar (36.1%), Breeze (19.9%), Mr. Fog (15.8%), Vuse (13.7%) and JUUL (12.6%).
The report said the biggest drop was in the use of Elf Bar brand e-cigarette products, down to 36.1% from 56.7% among those who vape. Elf Bar is not authorized by the FDA and has been the subject of focused compliance and enforcement actions by the agency since early 2023, including more than 1,000 warning letters and 240 civil money penalties to retailers and others in the supply chain, the release said. The FDA has also issued import alerts that include products under the Elf Bar brand, which places them on the red list and allows the agency to detain products without conducting a full inspection at the time of entry.
There was no significant change in use of nicotine pouch products by adolescents, the report said. In 2024, 1.8% of teens (about half a million youths) said they use them and of those, more than 1 in 5 used them daily. Again, the vast majority used flavored products.
Resources for parents, teachers
The FDA offers free science-based lesson plans and materials for teachers and parents online. And the CDC has an array of resources, including an Empower Vape-Free Youth campaign.
The New York Times reported that The F.D.A. also released an award-winning ad campaign on YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram warning about the heavy metals and formaldehyde in e-cigarettes that can be delivered to the lungs and one teens struggle to quit.
And the article noted another possible reason that numbers are down. California and Massachusetts both banned flavored tobacco, which is hands-down the most popular type of tobacco product among teens.
By Rich McKay
ATLANTA (Reuters) -Less than an hour after his 14-year-old son appeared in a Georgia courtroom on murder charges on Friday, Colin Gray found himself in the same courtroom seat, anxiously rocking back and forth as prosecutors accused him of bearing responsibility for the deaths caused by the boy's rampage.
The initial appearances by Colin Gray, 54, and Colt Gray, 14, in the Barrow County courtroom came two days after an attack that killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, a city of 18,000 some 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Atlanta. Nine others were wounded.
Colt Gray, an Apalachee student, has been charged as an adult with four counts of murder.
Prosecutors have also charged the father, who faces up to 180 years in prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. They allege he provided the weapon to his son.
In bringing charges against the father of the accused shooter, prosecutors are implementing an emerging legal approach as the United States grapples with mass gun violence in schools. It is steadily winning support from some survivor groups and state authorities, but critics say the tactic risks prosecutorial overreach and may do little to deter shootings.
Studies by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have shown that around 75% of all school shooters obtained their weapons at home. Experts say that parents securing those weapons so that teenagers are denied access to them would help prevent school shootings.
The Gray case comes on the heels of the April sentencing of the mother and father of a high school shooter in Michigan, believed to be the first time in the United States that parents were held legally responsible for their children's action in a school shooting.
In that instance, Jennifer and James Crumbley, parents of Ethan Crumbley, who in 2021 shot and killed four classmates at Oxford High School, were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison after being convicted for manslaughter. The jury found them guilty of not securing guns in their home and of ignoring warning signs that their son was mentally disturbed.
Karen McDonald, the Michigan prosecutor who put the Crumbley parents on trial, said she hopes high-profile cases like that against Colin Gray in Georgia serve as a wake-up call to gun owners that they need to secure their weapons in the home.
McDonald does not consider her prosecution of the Crumbleys or the charges against Colin Gray to necessarily be about creating a new type of deterrence for gun-owning parents, nor does she think parents of school shooters should always be held responsible for the acts of their children.
"I'd rather focus on what the public should learn, not as a warning you might get prosecuted," McDonald said. "Are you really more worried about being prosecuted, or about kids dying? Just secure your firearm, it takes seconds to do."
A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT?
Tim Carey, a law and policy adviser for the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, called the charges against Colin Gray surprising but said his arrest does not indicate a fundamental shift in how school shooting cases will be brought to court.
"In the Crumbley case, as well as in this case, parents are not being charged for their child's crimes," said Carey. "The parents are being punished for their own criminal misconduct of enabling this violence to occur."
Neither Colin nor Colt Gray entered a plea on Wednesday. Colt Gray was being held without bond in the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center.
His father is accused of knowingly allowing him to have the murder weapon described by authorities as an "AR platform-style weapon" or semiautomatic rifle.
How the son came into possession of the weapon - a key part of the case against the father - is unclear. Authorities have declined so far to offer details.
Cynthia Godsoe, a law professor at the Brooklyn Law School who has practiced family law, said charging parents of school shooters will likely become popular with the public, police and prosecutors because it has the veneer of tackling the problem.
"But this does nothing," she said. "This does nothing to stop school shootings, as egregious as they are. It's a way for police to say they're doing something."
Investigators have yet to comment on what may have motivated the first U.S. campus mass shooting since the start of the school year.
Both of the Grays 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.
(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta, Brad Brooks in Colorado and Liya Cui in New York; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Jonathan Oatis)
WASHINGTON (AP) Fewer adolescents are vaping this year than at any point in the last decade, government officials reported Thursday, pointing to a shrinking number of high school students who are using Elf Bar and other fruity, unauthorized e-cigarettes.
The latest survey numbers show the teen vaping rate fell to under 6% this year, down from 7.7% in 2023. More than 1.6 million students reported vaping in the previous month about one-third the number in 2019, when underage vaping peaked with the use of discrete, high-nicotine e-cigarettes like Juul.
This years decline was mainly driven by a half-million fewer high school students who reported using e-cigarettes in the past month, officials said. Vaping was unchanged among middle schoolers, but remains less common in that group, at 3.5% of students.
This is a monumental public health win, FDAs tobacco director Brian King told reporters. But we cant rest on our laurels. Theres clearly more work to do to further reduce youth use.
King and other officials noted that the drop in vaping didnt coincide with a rise in other tobacco industry products, such as nicotine pouches.
Sales of small, flavored pouches like Zyn have surged among adults. The subject of viral videos on social media platforms, the pouches come in flavors like mint and cinnamon and slowly release nicotine when placed along the gumline. This years U.S. survey shows 1.8% of teens are using them, largely unchanged from last year.
Our guard is up, King said. Were aware of the reported growing sales trends and were closely monitoring the evolving tobacco product landscape.
The federal survey involved more than 29,000 students in grades 6 through 12 who filled out an online questionnaire in the spring. Health officials consider the survey to be their best measure of youth tobacco and nicotine trends. Thursdays update focused on vaping products and nicotine pouches, but the full publication will eventually include rates of cigarette and cigar smoking, which have also hit historic lows in recent years.
Officials from the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attributed the big drop in vaping to recent age restrictions and more aggressive enforcement against retailers and manufacturers, including Chinese vaping companies who have sold their e-cigarettes illegally in the U.S. for years.
Use of the most popular e-cigarette among teens, Elf Bar, fell 36% in the wake of FDA warning letters to stores and distributors selling the brightly colored vapes, which come in flavors like watermelon ice and peach mango. The brand is part of a wave of cheap, disposable e-cigarettes from China that have taken over a large portion of the U.S. vaping market. The FDA has tried to block such imports, although Elf Bar and other brands have tried to find workarounds by changing their names, addresses and logos.
Teen use of major American e-cigarettes like Vuse and Juul remained significant, with about 12% of teens who vape reporting use of those those brands.
In 2020, FDA regulators banned fruit and candy flavors from reusable e-cigarettes like Juul, which are now only sold in menthol and tobacco. But the flavor restriction didnt apply to disposable products, and companies like Elf Bar stepped in to fill the gap.
Other key findings in the report:
Among students who current use e-cigarettes, about 26% said they vape daily.
Nearly 90% of the students who vape used flavored products, with fruit flavors as the overwhelming favorite.
Zyn is the most common nicotine pouch among teens who use the products.
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HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) A student at West Henderson High School was transported to the hospital after a fight.
At 3:05 p.m., the West Henderson High School Resource Officer reported an incident involving two students. One of the individuals sustained a stab wound during the altercation, according to the Henderson County Public School System.
The student was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The other individual was taken into custody by the schools resource officer.
The Henderson County Public School System said there is no ongoing threat to the school or to the public.
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Teens rob victim at Florida gun sale, lead deputies on pursuit, sheriffs office says
Teens rob victim at Florida gun sale, lead deputies on pursuit, sheriffs office says
OCKLAWAHA, Fla. (WFLA) Two teens are facing robbery charges after a gun sale escalated into a robbery at a Florida restaurant, according to the Marion County Sheriffs Office.
Last Friday, officials said Terrence TK Brinson Jr. and Macai Rhem were meeting with a man at Gator Joes, a beach bar and grill in Ocklawaha, for a gun sale.
School bus crash with 14 students aboard sends driver, woman to hospital after vehicle runs stop sign
Instead, the 19-year-olds snatched the firearm from a man and took $450, before fleeing in their vehicle.
The video shows a Marion County deputy pursuing the duos vehicle before the sheriffs office Air-One Unit took over.
After the vehicle came to a stop in the 300 block of Southeast 29th Terrace, deputies caught Brinson at the scene, as Rhem fled on foot but was arrested a short time later.
Brinson was charged with robbery by sudden snatching with a firearm, grand theft of a firearm, fleeing or attempting to elude, and petit theft.
Rhem, already on a pre-trial release for previous fleeing and attempting to elude charges, was charged with robbery by sudden snatching with a firearm, grand theft of a firearm, and petit theft. He is being held without bond.
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The icon of the Telegram app can be seen on the screen of a smartphone. Fabian Sommer/dpa
The founder of the messaging service Telegram, Pavel Durov, has made his first statement after his arrest in Paris last month.
In a long post on his own Telegram channel late Thursday, he rejected the French authorities' accusations that the service does not respond to requests from official bodies.
"Telegram has an official representative in the EU that accepts and replies to EU requests," he wrote.
The 39-year-old French citizen is free on bail but is not allowed to leave the country.
Investigators in Paris accuse Durov of insufficiently cooperating with authorities in criminal investigations. He was arrested at a Paris area airport on August 25.
He is suspected of being complicit in drug trafficking, money laundering, fraud and several child abuse-related offences due to a failure to take action to limit the criminal use of his platform and a lack of cooperation with authorities.
Durov criticized the French authorities for how they approached the case, saying that "using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach."
"The claims in some media that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue. We take down millions of harmful posts and channels every day ... We have direct hotlines with NGOs to process urgent moderation requests faster," he wrote.
"I hope that the events of August will result in making Telegram and the social networking industry as a whole safer and stronger."
A contract employee working near an ash landfill south of the Ray Nixon and Front Range power plants south of Fountain was injured Thursday, prompting the worker to be taken by helicopter to Denver.
Neither power plant was involved or affected by the accident, according to Colorado Springs Utilities, which put out a statement about the incident Thursday afternoon, according to Utilities spokesperson Alex Trefry.
The worker was employed by a contractor in charge of "maintaining our heavy equipment/large trucks that move material such as ash and coal," according to a press release sent out by Utilities.
The medical status of the injured worker was not known at press time. No other injuries were reported.
"Our focus right now is on the health of the individual," Trefry said, adding that the Colorado Springs Fire Department would be investigating the incident.
Reports of an incident involving injuries and a possible explosion first came over emergency-response scanners shortly before 3 p.m.
The exact nature of the incident that injured the worker was not given by Utilities.
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The Ray Nixon Power Plant is the only coal-burning energy provider for the city of Colorado Springs. It is scheduled to be in operation until 2029, according to Utilities' website. Demolition of Utilities' other coal power plant, Martin Drake, was completed just a week earlier.
The downtown power plant had been commissioned in 1925 and stopped operation in 2022.
The planned closure of the Ray Nixon Power Plant, and the recent demolition of Martin Drake Power Plant help the city meet state requirements to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2030, Utilities officials said in previous Gazette reporting.
In May 2018, two men were electrocuted and died during a drilling mishap near the Ray Nixon Power Plant. A drilling rig hit a power line, according to previous Gazette reporting.
Colorado Springs Utilities officials in 2018 said the two were taking soil samples for an expansion of the power plant's main entrance gate when their truck hit a 12,250-volt overhead power line.
Pavel Durov said 'claims in some media that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue' - Albert Gea/Reuters
Pavel Durov, the founder and chief executive of Telegram, has said his arrest by the French authorities was misguided.
In his first comments since his detention last month, the Russian-born tech entrepreneur said investigators could have approached the company behind the messaging app rather than arresting him.
He acknowledged that the app was not perfect, but denied it was an anarchic paradise or was associated with abuse.
If a country is unhappy with an internet service, the established practice is to start legal action against the service itself, Mr Durov wrote on his Telegram channel early on Friday.
Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach.
But the claims in some media that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue. We take down millions of harmful posts and channels every day.
Building technology is hard enough as it is. No innovator will ever build new tools if they know they can be personally held responsible for potential abuse of those tools.
Growing pains
Mr Durov, who has French citizenship, was arrested at Le Bourget airport, outside Paris, late last month as part of an investigation into Telegram being used for child sexual abuse and drug trafficking.
Telegram is also accused of refusing to share information and documents with investigators when required by law.
The billionaire was released on bail of 5 million, but told he was not allowed to leave the country and must report to French police stations on a weekly basis.
Both Mr Durov and Telegram have denied the allegations against them. It is incredibly rare that a top executive of a social media platform is being personally charged for illicit transactions carried out through its app.
But he did concede that an abrupt increase in users on Telegram had caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform.
Telegram was recently blamed for the spread of disinformation that led to the far-Right riots across English cities last month.
Moderators did remove some groups used to organise the violence, but cyber security experts claim its moderation systems are weaker than other social media companies.
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Telegram to start moderating private chats after its founder's arrest
Telegram is changing its rules to allow moderation of private chats following the arrest of its CEO Pavel Durov.
Source: TechCrunch, an American global online newspaper specialising in high-tech coverage
Details: Telegram is changing its stance towards the illegal use of its messenger a few days after CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France for supposedly failing to crack down on content that violates the law.
The app has expanded the scope of its moderators to include private chats. For the first time, users in private chats can flag illegal content for review.
Previously, all Telegram chats and group chats were reportedly private and not subject to processing requests.
The platform has now introduced an email address for automatic takedown requests, encouraging users to provide links to content requiring moderator attention.
It is unclear how these changes affect Telegram's ability to respond to law enforcement requests, if at all. The company has previously complied with court orders by disclosing some user information.
Background:
The Telegram Messenger has US$2.4bn in liabilities maturing in 2026.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Tennessee courts system faces continued struggles providing legal representation to those without financial resources as legally required by the U.S. Constitution, a state audit report revealed.
The report, published by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, said the Administrative Office of the Courts needed to work with state officials in all three branches of government to ensure all citizens are afforded their constitutional or statutory right to legal counsel.
Specifically, the report said the Administrative Office of the Courts should take actions such as increase the use of public defenders, analyze its private attorney fee structure and ensure consistent collection of administrative fees charged to indigent defendants.
Failing to address the issue could put the state at risk of legal action, per the report.
Indigent individuals lack the financial resources to hire legal counsel, typically requiring public defenders to represent them in court.
Franklin declares emergency water shortage
Its a topic that has received previous attention from state auditors, according to the Tennessee Comptrollers Office. The most recent audit stated the comptrollers office previously looked at the office of the Courts oversight of the states Indigent Representation Program in 2015 and 2017.
In 2015 the Comptrollers Office found courts across the state did not consistently apply rules from the Supreme Court of the United States and state law. Additionally, the office found courts did not consistently assess and/or collect administrative fees from indigent defendants in both 2015 and 2017.
After the 2015 report, the Tennessee Supreme Court formed an Indigent Representation Task Force that reviewed available options. The group issued a report that suggested a separate commission be formed to oversee the Indigent Representation Program in 2017.
The report was presented to the Tennessee General Assembly, but no action was ever taken to establish such commission as recommended, according to the comptrollers office.
Additionally, the office management requested a $15.8 million increase in the Indigent Defendants Counsel budget and a Guardian Ad Litem increase of $4.5 million for the following fiscal year (2018-2019). The offices intent, the report stated, was to raise the hourly pay for both to $100 per hour for capital cases those that can result in the death penalty and $65 per hour for non-capital cases.
Ultimately, however, the governor and general assembly approved just $9.7 million of the total $20.3 million budget request for 2018-2019 about 47% of the requested amount.
With the $9.7 million in funding, the Tennessee Supreme Court made several changes:
Removed the $40 per hour out-of-court rate for non-capital cases and established a $50 per hour rate for time spent in and out of court
Increased the hourly rate for lead counsel (from $75 to $100 per hour) and co-counsel (from $60 to $80 per hour) assigned to capital cases
Increased reimbursement camps for all felony claims by $500
Increased reimbursement caps for all dependency and neglect and termination of parental rights cases by $250
Each year since 2018-2019, the Administrative Office of the Courts has made budget requests that include the amounts originally requested that year. None were approved.
Another complication in indigent representation comes from the lack of resources, according to the report. The comptrollers report stated an anonymous survey of private attorneys and judges across the state in 2023 revealed overwhelming responses that said there were too few attorneys to handle indigent cases, those that were already handling them were spread too thin, and case delays due to the lack of capacity.
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Ultimately, the survey identified low compensation as the main issue, the report stated. A reported 84% of judges surveyed stated they have concerns about the private attorney compensation structure. About 80% of the attorneys surveyed believed hourly compensation and reimbursement caps were very poor, poor or below average, per the survey.
Combined, the issues point to a lack of effective assistance of counsel, which puts the states court system at odds with the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees that as a right for all people.
If Tennessee does not ensure indigent defendants receive sufficient counsel, it increases the states risk of legal action, which has occurred in other states, the audit report states.
The report cited cases in New York and Washington state as potential results. In New York, courts ultimately held state law setting compensation rates unconstitutional and ordered different hourly rates without ceilings until the states legislature took proper action. The New York legislature increased the funding in 2022, the report stated.
To view the full audit report, click here.
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Tennessee state lawmaker Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, stands with U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond at Ettrick Deli on Sep. 5, 2024. Charlotte Rene Woods \ Virginia Mercury
Tennessee state lawmaker Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, on Thursday joined U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, in Ettrick to engage young Democratic voters ahead of the presidential and congressional elections this fall.
His visit to support Virginia Democrats and Vice President Kamala Harris came as Axios reported that former President Donald Trumps campaign is scaling back in Virginia and other states hed been focused on earlier this summer. Recent polling shows Harris with a slight lead over Trump.
On Thursday afternoon at Ettrick Deli near Virginia State University, McClellan hosted a meet and greet with Pearson to talk about key issues, two months before the general election that will determine the outcome of McClellans race against Republican challenger Bill Moher to represent Virginias 4th Congressional District. Though the district is reliably Democratic, McClellan said she hopes to gain re-election with higher margins than she did when she first won the seat by a special election in 2023. With that win, McClellan became the states first Black congresswoman.
She and Pearson said that driving up interest about Harris campaign in Virginia and elsewhere can benefit Democrats up and down the ballot.
McClellan also called Pearson, 29, a rising star in her party who she believes may go on to serve in congress someday.
He made national headlines last spring as one of two state lawmakers to be expelled from the state legislature for participating in a protest from the House floor concerning gun violence. Dubbed the Tennessee Three by supporters, he and colleagues Justin Jones and Gloria Johnson were reprimanded for speaking without formally being recognized on the House floor. Johnson, a white woman, was spared from the expulsion while her Black male counterparts were temporarily kicked out of the legislature. Pearson and Jones went on to win reelection to their seats.
Pearson is still hopeful for more gun violence prevention policy to prevail in state legislatures and said that he thinks a federal assault-style weapon ban would be a big step in gun violence prevention. This year, Virginias own proposed version of an assault firearm ban cleared the Democratic-controlled legislature before being vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
While speaking with Virginia State University students on the delis patio, Pearson noted young voters role in helping to shape their own future.
Folks from the age 18 to 36 are the largest voting bloc in the country, he said.
In Virginia, of the over 36,000 new voter registrations last month, over 22,000 of the people are under the age of 35, according to Department of Elections data. Research also shows that Democrats have an edge in younger voter demographics while Republicans tend to have an edge with older voters.
Youve already got the first Black woman congressperson from the state of Virginia (and the) first Black woman vice president of the United States of America, Pearson said, before suggesting that young Democrats are going to be the deciders.
While environmental and social issues have been prominent for young voters, Pearson noted that economics and affordable housing are concerns hes hearing from younger constituents, as well.
Were talking about a fight for our future, he said. Were talking about the climate. Were talking about having enough money to be able to find a home and start a family.
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Months ago, before Tennessees summer heat wave predictably struck, the state legislature took up a heated debate over a school choice bill that would create expansive new opportunities for families. The wave hitting Tennessee this time was the school choice wave that has swept across the nation.
Despite countless parents raising their voices and insisting on passage of the Education Freedom Scholarship Act championed by Gov. Bill Lee, the bill ultimately died.
School choice promises a world of opportunity to kids. I know better than most as someone whose life was changed by legislation like that considered by Tennessees lawmakers. Now, as a new parent, I am determined to see that my son has every bit the opportunity that he deserves to receive a good education.
I am far from the only parent that will advocate with every cell in my body for this opportunity and vote accordingly. Tennessees primary election results were proof of that.
Those results sent a resounding message through the halls of the state capitol: School choice is not just a policy preference; it's a political powder keg.
The 2024 primaries clearly illustrated that supporting school choice can be a decisive factor in securing electoral success, while opposing it poses a significant risk for any candidate.
These three examples of wins and losses show a trend
Across Tennessee, the distinction between candidates on this matter was stark and consequential and the results speak for themselves; Where school choice was a determining factor, pro-school choice candidates triumphed, while those who stood in the way of opportunities for students lost handily.
Isabelle Ivey, sits in during a House committee meeting where the school voucher bill was debated at Cordell Hull State Office Building in Nashville , Tenn., Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
The "conventional wisdom has always held that rural voters would never support more education options for kids, but the electoral successes were just as prevalent in rural areas.
Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, a long-time opponent of school choice in one of the most rural districts in the state, was rejected by more than 55% of his voters. Niceley consistently resisted efforts to expand educational options, and this stance ultimately cost him his seat.
More: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee views school vouchers as a way to 'undo the disparities'
Similarly, Rep. Rusty Grills, R-Newbern, a school-choice champion, faced a challenge from Bubba Cobb, who ran specifically against school choice. Cobb thought he could leverage his opposition to school choice to his advantage, but it turns out he was widely out of step with voters in rural Obion, Dyer, and Lake counties, securing less than 30% of the vote. This outcome underscores a broader trend: rural voters are just as committed to school choice as their urban counterparts.
Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dicksons victory in Cheatham and Dickson counties further reinforces this trend. Littleton was targeted by challenger Justin Spurlock specifically for her support of school choice, and still secured more than 75% of the vote.
Counterpoint: At the RNC, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee compared school choice to civil rights, but he's wrong
School choice is not longer a debate topic
Tennessees election results reflect a broader national movement. Parents across the country are increasingly prioritizing their children's educational needs over the interests of unions and special interest groups.
This shift is not just a passing trend but a fundamental realignment of political priorities, driven by a commitment to giving every child access to high-quality education options.
School choice has emerged as a defining issue for voters in Tennessee. As we move forward, it is clear that any candidate ignoring this shift does so at their own risk. In the arena of education policy, school choice is no longer just a debate topic; it is a powerful electoral force that reflects the values and demands of todays voters.
Heat waves come and go, but school choice is here to stay in Tennessee.
Walter Blanks Jr
Walter Blanks Jr. is a spokesperson for American Federation for Children and a beneficiary of a private school choice program, driven by a lifelong commitment to improving educational access. Blanks is a member of the Beacon Center of Tennessee Impact Board.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee primary showed pro-school choice candidates win elections
It was terrifying: Women say they were let back into Freeport high-rise while shooter was still inside
FREEPORT, Ill. (WTVO) That was terrifying, to actually hear the shots, four floors down from him at 10:30 p.m. That was terrifying, said Rhonda Borman, a resident of the Freeport apartment high-rise where a gunman barricaded himself on the 10th floor on Wednesday.
Police surrounded the Hosmer Apartments, at 601 N. Walnut Avenue, after a suspect, later identified as 52-year-old Grady Clark, barricaded himself inside and used a rifle to fire shots out the window.
Authorities said he also threw Molotov cocktails out of the window over the course of a 12-hour standoff.
Borman and Jennifer Keep have lived at the apartment complex for five years.
We left to run some errands and we noticed that there were a couple of squad cars parked up here in the circle, Keep said.
We drove in front of the building and a guy was waving a handgun out of the 10th-floor building, Borman recalled. We came back about 2:30 p.m., and police had everything barricaded off.
The women said they believed the threat was over when police escorted them back into the building at 8:30 p.m.
It was only later they learned Clark was still barricaded inside his apartment.
When we finally found out that we could walk up to the building, it was terrifying afterward, when we found out that we walked directly into the line of fire. And then finding out once youre in here and then youre locked in your apartment and youre by yourself, knowing that theres somewhere in the building, theres a shooter, and its terrifying, Keep said.
Freeport Police Chief Chris Shenberger confirmed residents were escorted to their apartments during the standoff on a case-by-case basis.
We had a lot of requests that were denied, Shenberger said in a statement to Eyewitness News. The escorts were approved by incident command and were only done if deemed safe and not in the top floors, which were secured by tactical officers on scene.
Both women live on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and said that makes it difficult for them to move.
We are looking, because this is becoming a very unsafe building to live in, Borman said.
Personally, I feel like I am stuck right now, given that this is a low-income housing building and I have low income. So, its kind of hard. You cant just pick up and move. So, were stuck. Where do we go from here? Keep added.
Clark surrendered to police around 10:30 p.m. Authorities said an AK-47 assault pistol, a SKS assault rifle, high-capacity magazines, a 100-round drum magazine, a cache of ammunition, and MDMA (Ecstasy), were found in his apartment.
He has been charged with Possession of a Weapon by a Felon and Reckless Discharge of a Firearm.
Ultimately, no one was injured in the incident.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Tesla has tweeted its roadmap for the remaining months of 2024 and early 2025, revealing that Full Self-Driving could be available in Europe and China in the first quarter of next year, if it gets the proper approval from each region's respective regulators. Company chief Elon Musk previously said that he expects to receive regulator clearance from the regions by the end of the year. The Wall Street Journal reported in April that authorities in China had already tentatively approved the launch of Tesla's Full Self-Driving software in their country. It's not quite clear where the company stands with European Union regulators at the moment.
In a response to the original post, Musk added that he's hoping for FSD to be approved in Right-Hand Drive markets by the end of the first quarter or by early second quarter next year. Since he's presumably talking about RHD markets in Europe and China, then he's pertaining to the UK, Hong Kong and Macau.
Hopefully, RHD markets in late Q1, early Q2, pending regulatory approval Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 5, 2024
The automaker has also revealed that Full Self-Driving will be available for Cybertrucks sometime this month, along with the Autopark capability. In October, Tesla is adding unpark, park and reverse functions to FSD, as well. The FSD software isn't free, and buyers will have to pay to be able to unlock its semi-autonomous driver assistance capabilities. In the US, Tesla owners can buy the software outright for $8,000, though they can also pay a $99-per-month subscription fee for the supervised version of the feature.
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U.S. Sen. Jon Tester speaks to a crowd of supporters in Bozeman, Montana on Sept. 5, 2024, with Planned Parenthood CEO Alexis McGill Johnson standing to the right. (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan)
BOZEMAN The leader of Americas most recognizable reproductive rights organization is in Montana campaigning for an initiative to enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution, but she has a message for the Treasure State.
Were here for freedom so we can decide on abortion, and we want to send Jon Tester back to the Senate so that he can do that for all of us, said Alexis McGill Johnson, the CEO of Planned Parenthood, calling Tester one of the smartest, sharpest thought-partners in the fight for reproductive freedom. We are so proud of him, and we know he is an effective bipartisan leader. Were going to work like hell to send Jon Tester back to the Senate.
Testers race is one of the highest profile races in the country because of the slim margin Democrats have in the U.S. Senate, because the Democratic Senators up for election face a much steeper challenge than Republicans in their respective states, and because Montanas junior Senator, Steve Daines, is leading the Senates re-election efforts for Republicans. Bozeman is also the home of Daines, Testers challenger, Tim Sheehy, as well as another state Republican leader, Gov. Greg Gianforte.
On Thursday, supporters of both the ballot issue, Constitutional Initiative 128, and Tester rallied in Bozeman at an event aimed to recruit more volunteers and increase outreach as the three-term incumbent senator has fallen behind in recent polling.
Ive never had a wide margin, and we wont have one in this race either, Tester said, acknowledging the tight race with just 60 days left before election. I dont expect the election to be called on election night, which is going to be fine as long as I win.
Tester campaign staff held the event in the literal backyard of his opponent. Sheehy is a Bozeman-based businessman who has recently come under fire for several scandals, including characterizing Crow people as drunk Indians and amid questions surrounding his business dealings. But at the Thursday night rally, both McGill Johnson and Tester took aim at Sheehys comments on reproductive rights.
In a recently released recording, Sheehy called abortion sinful and said he wanted it to end tomorrow.
The duo of Tester and McGill Johnson told supporters that their two causes, one a race for the U.S. Senate that could decide the balance of power there, and the second, an effort to enshrine the right to an abortion in the Constitution though the procedure is legal in Montana, are tied together. McGill Johnson said if the U.S. wants federal abortion protection, its essential to re-elect Tester.
The road to reproductive freedom runs through the U.S. Senate and runs through Jon Tester, she said.
She told the crowd of several hundred who were waving Tester signs and wearing signature pink shirts with slogans supporting reproductive freedom and abortion that keeping government out of the doctors office is a message that should resonate well in Montana.
At no point during pregnancy does anyone believe that politicians are more capable of making those decisions than doctors and women, McGill Johnson said.
She said that women are being put in critical, life-threatening situations because doctors fear prosecution for helping during a miscarriage.
Providers are so afraid theyll be jailed that theyre sending women into the parking lot until they get sepsis before they help, she said. Make no mistake, theyre coming for IVF, for birth control and for no-fault divorce. This is about power and control.
Tester tied abortion and freedom together in his remarks.
If theres one thing that makes a Montanan a Montanan, its freedom. A couple of years ago, Roe was the law of the land. That decision (Dobbs vs. Jackson Womens Health) was the biggest loss of freedom in my lifetime and yours. It was buh-, Tester said, pausing for a moment. Baloney. It was baloney.
Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawsuit against Travis County Judge Andy Brown and other Travis County officials, alleging the county engaged a "partisan" organization to aid voter registration, comes days after Paxton filed a similar complaint against Bexar County.
Escalating a series of attacks on voter registration efforts around the state, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday sued Travis County officials for hiring a company to identify names and addresses of eligible, unregistered voters.
Paxton is asking a judge to halt Civic Government Solutions' registration work. He accuses the company of being "partisan" and argues that Travis County does not have the authority to collect the names and addresses of potentially unregistered voters.
The complaint was filed in a Travis County state District Court against County Judge Andy Brown, all four county commissioners and Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar Bruce Elfant.
In a statement Friday, the county rejected Paxton's claims, saying it's committed to "upholding the integrity of the voter registration process while ensuring that every eligible person has the opportunity to exercise their right to vote."
"We are proud of our outreach efforts that achieve higher voter registration numbers," county spokesperson Hector Nieto said in a statement to the American-Statesman. "It is disappointing that any statewide elected official would prefer to sow distrust and discourage participation in the electoral process.
The move that drew Paxton's suit is the county's Aug. 27 approval of a contract with Civic Government Solutions at an estimated cost is $3,562.80 per 10,000 "names of Eligible Resident-Citizens," according to the court's agenda.
Agenda documents show that Civic Government Solutions was the only respondent to the tax office's bidding request for "Unregistered Voter Outreach Services," which was issued July 19 and opened Aug. 12.
"There are clearly a large number of citizens, including newer citizens in our community, who have not registered to vote for various reasons," the request for proposal states. "By implementing a targeted strategy, we have the potential to significantly increase voter registration in Travis County, thereby strengthening our democratic process."
The lawsuit comes two days after Paxton sued Bexar County officials for hiring the same company to identify eligible residents and mail out registration applications.
Paxton has also threatened to sue Harris County if it hires the same firm for voter registration work.
Bexar County attorney Larry Roberson said Tuesday that he disagrees with Paxton's legal basis for that lawsuit, which also argues that Civic Government Solutions is partisan and alleges that commissioners do not have the authority to send voter registration applications to residents who have not requested them. No state law prohibits such registration efforts.
'We just thought it was a nice thing to do'
Paxton's lawsuit against Travis County claims its use of Civic Government Solutions will "undermine confidence in elections."
"The State seeks emergency injunctive relief against the Defendants to prevent them from giving a partisan organization thousands of taxpayer dollars to identify the names and addresses of potentially unregistered voters without statutory authority," Paxton's complaint reads. "Defendants actions will create confusion, facilitate fraud, undermine confidence in elections."
In characterizing the company as partisan, the complaint notes its chief executive officer, Jeremy Smith, is listed as CEO of a company that was characterized as a "progressive data startup" by Axios. The company maintained it is nonpartisan in a statement Friday.
"As a nonpartisan organization, our focus is solely on identifying and assisting unregistered individuals," Tracy Davis, a spokesperson for the company, told the Statesman. "We do not use demographic, political, or any other criteria; we simply segment records based on county and registration status."
Smith, during a Bexar County Commissioners Court meeting Tuesday, noted that the company had reached out to the state's 254 counties to offer voter registration services.
Civic Government Solutions has previously worked with a Republican-appointed secretary of state, Bexar County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez told the Statesman. He also said the company's outreach targets potential voters regardless of political affiliation.
"I don't think a Republican-appointed secretary of state would be working with somebody that is politically motivated," Rodriguez said in a phone interview Wednesday with the Statesman.
Paxton's news release Friday announcing the lawsuit said Civic Government Solutions is the "subsidiary of a partisan company," but that allegation is not backed up, or even repeated, in the lawsuit against Travis County. The attorney general's office did not immediately respond to the Statesman's question asking what company Paxton is referring to.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, greets then-President Donald Trump at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 2019. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is on the right. In 2022, the State Bar of Texas sued to discipline Paxton, saying he "knew or should have known" that his claims of widespread election fraud were false.
Texas has among the lowest voter participation rates in the country and is one of eight states that do not allow online voter registration. Roughly 65% of eligible Texans were registered to vote for the 2022 midterm elections, and less than half of the voting-eligible population cast a ballot that cycle, according to KFF Health News.
Travis Commissioner Ann Howard, commenting on the recent lawsuit at a Texas Tribune Festival panel Friday, said that Civic Government Solutions' voter registration outreach "doesn't just go to registered Republicans or Democrats; it goes to everybody who changes their address."
"We just thought it was a nice thing to do," Howard said.
Last week, Paxton's office organized raids across South Texas over still-unfounded allegations that Latino activists have helped noncitizens register to cast ballots in November. The law enforcement actions including a raid at the home of an 87-year-old retired teacher, Lidia Martinez, on Aug. 20 have prompted the nation's largest Latino civil rights advocacy group and Texas Democrats to call for federal investigations.
On Thursday, Democratic elected officials representing the Austin area gathered with civil and voting rights advocates at the Capitol to denounce Paxton's voter fraud push and to encourage voters in Travis County and throughout Texas to participate in the November election.
Despite Paxton's office recently conducting a series of search warrants to ferret out supposed illegal voter registration efforts in South Texas and in major metropolitan areas, leaders with The League of United Latin American Citizens, NAACP, and Southwest Voter Registration Education Project reminded voters to verify their information and register to vote by the Oct. 7 deadline.
Gloria Leal, general counsel for LULAC, which initiated a request for a federal investigation after Paxton's initial raids in August, said the organization was unaware of any searches having been conducted in Travis County while rebutting all accusations of illegal voter registration efforts.
Paxton's efforts continue a yearslong campaign against alleged ballot harvesting and alleged illegitimate voter registrations, including unsuccessful lawsuits over alleged voter fraud in four key swing states after President Joe Biden's 2020 victory against former President Donald Trump, a Paxton ally.
In 2022, the State Bar of Texas sued to discipline Paxton for seeking to have Biden's victories overturned in the four key swing states, saying he "knew or should have known" that his claims of widespread election fraud were false.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Ken Paxton sues Travis County to block voter registration efforts
Texas sues to stop a rule that shields the medical records of women who seek abortions elsewhere
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas has sued the Biden administration to try to block a federal rule that shields the medical records of women from criminal investigations if they cross state lines to seek abortion where it is legal.
The lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seeks to overturn a regulation that was finalized in April. In the suit filed Wednesday in Lubbock, Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton accused the federal government of attempting to undermine" the states law enforcement capabilities. It appears to be the first legal challenge from a state with an abortion ban that took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the nationwide right to abortion.
The rule essentially prohibits state or local officials from gathering medical records related to reproductive health care for a civil, criminal or administrative investigation from providers or health insurers in a state where abortion remains legal. It is intended to protect women who live in states where abortion is illegal.
In a statement, HHS declined comment on the lawsuit but said the rule stands on its own.
The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to protecting reproductive health privacy and ensuring that no womans medical records are used against her, her doctor, or her loved one simply because she got the lawful reproductive care she needed, the agency said.
Texas' abortion ban, like those in other states, exempts women who seek abortions from criminal charges. The ban provides for enforcement either through a private civil action, or under the states criminal statutes, punishable by up to life in prison, for anyone held responsible for helping a woman obtain one.
Its not clear whether public officials have sought patient medical records related to abortion. But the state has sought records related to gender-affirming care, demanding them from at least two out-of-state health centers last year. Like many Republican-controlled states, Texas bans gender-affirming care for minors.
At least 22 Democratic-controlled states have laws or executive orders that seek to protect medical providers or patients who participate in abortion from investigations by law enforcement in states with bans.
The federal regulation in question is an update to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which prohibits medical providers and health insurers from divulging medical information about patients. Typically, however, law enforcement can access those records for investigations.
A group of Republican attorneys general, all from states with strict abortion laws, had urged Health and Human Services to ditch the rule when a draft was released last year. In a 2023 letter to HHS, the group said the regulation would unlawfully interfere with states' authority to enforce laws.
With this rule, the Biden Administration makes a backdoor attempt at weakening Texass laws by undermining state law enforcement investigations that implicate medical procedures, Paxton said in a news release.
Liz McCaman Taylor, senior federal policy counselor at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said federal law has long provided enhanced protection for sensitive health information.
But Texas is suing now, not because of its concern with state sovereignty, but because of its hostility to reproductive health," she said.
__
Associated Press reporter Jamie Stengle contributed from Dallas.
Colorado Springs residents this year can hear Mayor Yemi Mobolade deliver the annual State of the City address ahead of the ticketed event hosted by the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Corp.
The yearly speech delivered by the mayor reflects on the last year and celebrates accomplishments, highlights areas for improvement and outlines the agenda for the year ahead. Mobolade's 2024 address will focus on Colorado Springs' new four-year strategic plan that serves as the long-term vision for the city's future direction.
Since at least 2005, the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC has hosted a ticketed State of the City event. Mobolade will deliver the address at a paid breakfast at The Broadmoor on Tuesday from 8-10 a.m. But first he will present the speech to the City Council during its public work session at City Hall the day prior, on Monday.
"This year, for the first time in a long time ... people who don't have a ticket to the chamber's event will have a chance to hear the full speech in person," city spokeswoman Vanessa Zink said.
The mayor wants people to have access to their city government, she said.
"Under his leadership, we are striving to be a government that is transparent, approachable and proactive. Mayor Yemi is presenting his State of the City speech to City Council, in addition to the chamber event, so that the information is more available than ever to residents," Zink said.
The city will also broadcast both speeches.
People can attend the council work session on Monday at City Hall, 107 N. Nevada Ave. The meeting starts at 10 a.m. Seating in council chambers is limited and first come, first served. Overflow seating will be available.
Monday's address will be broadcast live on SpringsTV (Comcast Channel 18 and 880 HD), online at ColoradoSprings.gov/SpringsTV, and on Facebook @CityofCOS, @MayorofCOS and @COSCityCouncil.
Tuesday's ticketed event will include the State of the City speech and Mobolade will present the Spirit of the Springs Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be broadcast live on Facebook @CityofCOS and @MayorofCOS.
Chamber members can attend the event for $125 each, and the general public for $200 each. Corporate tables of 10 are $950.
People can register for Tuesday's address online at tinyurl.com/3w842cm4. More than 810 guests have registered for the event, according to the chamber's webpage.
The Chamber & EDC did not specifically address The Gazette's questions seeking their thoughts on the new State of the City format this year, nor about feedback they may have received from their members.
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In a written statement, Chamber & EDC President and CEO Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer said, in part, "The State of the City addresses ... will enable residents to track the progress of various projects undertaken by the city and understand any changes in priorities and initiatives. This approach will further persuade the community to engage in important public and civic initiatives affecting our region."
Councilman Dave Donelson said the mayor's decision to give the annual speech twice, when most or all councilmembers typically attend the ticketed event already, is "redundant" and a "waste of ... taxpayer dollars."
"I don't see the purpose of it," Donelson said.
Councilman Randy Helms said he supports the change this year and believes it will reach more people who wouldn't otherwise have a chance to hear the address Tuesday.
Local media covers the annual speech and the city typically broadcasts it every year.
"It's another way to express to our citizens what is happening in our city, and I support that," Helms said.
Councilwoman Lynette Crow-Iverson said wanting more people to hear the address is "noble," but was unsure Monday's speech will reach as many people as the mayor hopes it will.
"I don't know that's what will come of it," she said. "... I just don't think that many people watch City Council. I think it's the same people (who watch regularly) who have a specific interest."
A city newsletter on Aug. 30 announced a watch party will be held Monday morning so city employees can watch Mobolade's State of the City address to the council.
"I just think it's a questionable use of city resources, to have city employees sitting there watching the mayor address council," Donelson said.
Zink said the "low-maintenance cross-department gathering" will be beneficial for city employees.
"The mayor's speech is a recap of the work they've contributed to over the last year, and we believe it is motivating for our team members to be with one another as they hear this recap from their executive," she said.
Helms said that was a decision for the mayor to make, not the council.
Zink said officials have not determined if the State of the City will be delivered in this format in the coming years. The city will assess and determine that after next week.
Texoma Gives celebrates another successful event, eight years of serving the community
The Wichita Falls Area Community Foundation hosted its annual Texoma Gives 16-hour online event Thursday, along with a carnival at the art walk and other in-person events.
The WFACF is celebrating its 25th year in operation and eighth year of Texoma Gives.
This year's Texoma Gives event saw a total of 4,928 donors and 212 organizations participating, and it raised around $1.7 million, according to Texoma Gives.
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This is a unique way for the surrounding community to donate to local nonprofits as well as raise awareness to these programs.
The organizations range from extra small, small, medium and large, such as the Olney Education Foundation, Grace Ministries, the Humane Society of Wichita County and the PETS Clinic.
Texoma Gives reaches up to 24 counties in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma combined, according to the organization.
Individuals can donate to these nonprofits through monetary means or gifts, which is then given back to the Wichita Falls community through stronger organizations.
More: Wichita Falls Public Library hosts DIY Tiny Art for kids
More: A storm-damaged IHOP in Wichita Falls is set to reopen soon
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Texoma Gives 2024
Arizonas Senate Government Committee has launched an investigation into an unlawful rule change blocking qualified candidates from participating in general election debates.
Well, goodness.
What manner of shenanigans is the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission up to? What nefarious intent is fueling this five-member, nonpartisan panel?
The commission, after breaking ties with KAET/Arizona PBS, given the stations refusal to abide by debate rules in the 2022 gubernatorial race, teamed with the Arizona Media Association, which now offers the Clean Elections debates to all of its broadcast members, including The Arizona Republic.
It was the media association that decreed a candidate must actually have some bare minimal support in order to participate in the debate before the general election.
Green Party candidate only got 282 votes
This, we are told by the Senate, cannot stand.
At best the Clean Elections Commission seems to be creatively, yet intentionally blocking some candidates from participating in the debate, Senate Government Chairman Jake Hoffman huffed. At worst, the taxpayer-funded Commission has knowingly broken the law.
Translation, Hoffman is really, reaaaallly worried about Kari Lakes prospects.
It seems Hoffman, one of Arizonas indicted fake electors, wants the most anticipated the debate of the year in an election that could well determine control of the United States Senate to include a Green Party candidate who got 282 votes in the primary.
As compared to, say, the hundreds of thousands of Arizonans who voted for either Republican Kari Lake or Democrat Ruben Gallego.
Apologies to you Green Party peeps, but can anybody honestly say theyre dying to give equal time in a 56-minute debate to Eduardo Quintana as Lake and Gallego battle it out in what will be their only head-to-head matchup?
Hoffman clearly thinks that will help Kari Lake
Clearly, Lake and Hoffman are dying to hear from Quintana. Green Party candidates, after all, are more likely to bleed votes from Democrats.
And clearly, Lake is flailing short on money and support as the campaign enters its crucial final months.And clearly, Senate Republicans are prepared to do whatever they can to prop up her campaign.
Thus, Hoffmans sudden scandalized response upon learning about the new debate rules this year, which require a candidate to get at least 1% of the vote in the primary election in order to participate in the general election debate.
Hoffman says the commission is a state agency, and thus, any rule changes must be submitted to the Governors Regulatory Review Council for approval under the Arizona Administrative Procedures Act.
Lake's latest makeover: She's just a middle-aged mom
That, he says, would have given the Green Party a chance to object to having to show it offers an actual viable alternative that wont waste voters time.
Hoffman is demanding answers from Clean Elections by Sept. 12 about why the rules for the Oct. 9 debate were changed.
Lake wouldn't debate Mark Lamb in the primary
Meanwhile, Lake is apparently all about debating Quintana.
I believe every candidate on the ballot in November deserves to have their voices heard, she said this week in a social media post.
Sure, just like she believed her Republican opponent, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, deserved to have his voice heard before the primary election?
Lamb, a staunch Republican conservative, repeatedly challenged Lake to a series of debates before the primary election.
Lakes response:
Frankly, Im not running against Mark Lamb, Im running against Ruben Gallego, she said at the time.
While running against Mark Lamb.
Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz and on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz.
Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake is suddenly all about debating Gallego and a Green Party guy
NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV) U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) announced a new case manager and field director for his Natchez office, which serves Adams, Amite, Franklin and Wilkinson counties.
Xavier Hawkins will replace Jacqueline Marsaw, who resigned after a controversial Facebook post she made after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Mississippi House panel starts study that could lead to tax cuts
Hawkins is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. Upon graduation, he joined the campaign for former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy, who ran for U.S. Senate in 2020. Hawkins also worked with Stacey Abrams during her 2021 gubernatorial campaign.
Before accepting his current role with Thompson, Hawkins served as the Assistant Purchase Clerk for the Adams County Board of Supervisors.
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I thought I was a respectful traveler until I visited Japan. I felt like a rude child and wished I'd known better before I left.
The author, not pictured, learned a bit about etiquette during their trip to Japan. Marco Bottigelli/Getty Images
I wish I'd known more proper etiquette and unspoken rules in Japan before I visited.
During my trip, I got stern looks for drinking water on a train and speaking loudly at a restaurant.
In Japan, it's usually rude to eat while walking in public and polite to eat quietly or in silence.
Japan is widely considered to be a polite, rule-following country, but knowing its reputation didn't fully prepare me for my recent trip.
As a frequent traveler, I consider myself quite culturally aware when entering a new country. I know to cover my shoulders when entering Vatican City or to give up my bus seat for elders in Taiwan.
But when I recently traveled from the US to Tokyo with friends, I found I wasn't as prepared for Japan as I'd thought.
Though I tried to be mindful of cultural differences and local etiquette, I kept messing up. I received a few stern looks and some gentle reprimanding that made me feel like a kid who wasn't sure how to behave.
Through trial and error, I learned rules I wish I'd known before I left and things travelers should keep in mind if they visit Japan.
Train etiquette is different than what I'm used to in Chicago, but some rules are the same
I often took trains during my trip to Tokyo. KenSoftTH/Shutterstock
Upon entering my first Japanese subway, I learned several rules about commuting and just how widely they're followed. For starters, drinking and eating on a train are highly frowned upon.
As a frequent commuter back home in Chicago, I'm used to taking sips of water or eating quick snacks on the train. It's technically not allowed, but passengers do it so often and casually that it feels like it is.
But when I took a sip from my water bottle on a train in Tokyo, I got a few looks and immediately sensed I was doing something wrong.
In Japan, it's considered rude to eat or drink in public while walking or standing. Again, this is different than my home city, where it's common to see people having a coffee or snack on the go.
But these rules in Japan are, in part, meant to stop people from creating spills and messes or inconveniencing others with an unwanted smell.
My mealtimes looked different here than they did back home
Food was the main event during my trip, but I quickly found dining experiences different than what I was used to.
At one point, I was reprimanded by a stranger for talking perhaps too loudly while eating at a restaurant. I was surprised because meals in the US are primarily used as a social gathering and time for conversation.
I now know that diners in Japan generally focus on consuming their food during mealtimes, sometimes in silence or while occasionally speaking quietly.
While silence at the dinner table may be seen as awkward in the US, it's considered perfectly polite in Japan.
Japanese movie-theater etiquette inspired me
I learned another unspoken rule while seeing a movie at a theater. After the film, everyone around me stayed seated until the end of the credits.
This is somewhat common in Japan it's a way to pay your respect to all the people who worked on the movie.
I thought it was wonderful. In the US, we're often in such a rush that we forget to appreciate those who've worked hard for us to experience the things we enjoy.
I also had to get used to removing my shoes
Removing your shoes upon entering certain places is considered respectful in Japan. Toru Kimura/Shutterstock
During my trip, I also got used to taking off my shoes upon entering shared spaces, including my hotel.
In many US homes, taking our shoes off can help keep a house clean or signify we're comfortable in an environment. In Japanese culture, removing one's shoes isn't all about comfort it's about cleanliness and respect.
My trip reminded me how important it is to be a respectful traveler
Though I experienced quite a learning curve at times, I felt more self-aware by the end of the trip and had a fabulous time.
Etiquette and what's considered polite vary around the world, so it's important to research how best to be respectful in whichever place you're visiting.
Next time I visit Japan, I'll be sure to finish my 7-Eleven onigiri before stepping onto the subway and stay until the end of the movie credits.
Read the original article on Business Insider
No charges coming after threats made towards Geneva High School
GENEVA, Ala (WDHN) An investigation is underway in Geneva after officials say verbal threats were made towards Geneva High School.
Geneva Police Chief Peper Mock says a freshman student was overheard making threatening comments in class on Thursday.
Chief Mock says the comments were reported to staff members, and the student was pulled from class for questioning.
The chief says the student will not face criminal charges but internal discipline from the school.
Superintendent Ron Snell said there are no active threats, and the school is operating as normal.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
Three arrested on Intent to Deliver Cocaine charges after Wisconsin traffic stop yields 18+ grams
PORTAGE, Wis. (WFRV) Two men and a woman from southeastern Wisconsin were arrested on Intent to Deliver Cocaine charges after a K9 gave a positive alert on a vehicle during an early Saturday morning traffic stop.
According to the Portage Police Department, during a traffic stop on a vehicle with no working registration lamp on HWY 33 and CTH U around 1 a.m. on September 1, a K9 gave a positive alert to the presence of drugs.
Law enforcement notices significant increase in incidents with violent people in central Wisconsin
The vehicle was subsequently searched due to probable cause, and officers reportedly found roughly 18.7 grams of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
Officers stated that the amount and individual packaging of the cocaine indicated potential sales and delivery. It was also noted in the release that the driver, later identified as 30-year-old Randy Reitz, allegedly showed signs of drug impairment and was arrested for OWI.
Three people were arrested on the following charges, according to court records:
Robert Hudson, 36 Elkhorn Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine (>15-40g) Party to a Crime modifier Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Sarah Campbell, 35 Burlington Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine (>15-40g) Party to a Crime modifier Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Randy Reitz, 30 Burlington Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine (>15-40g) Party to a Crime modifier Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
More charges added for Wrightstown man accused of asking underage girls for naked pictures, now facing 30+
Robert Hudson (Portage PD)
Sarah Campbell (Portage PD)
Randy Reitz (Portage PD)
During the incident, the Portage Police Department was assisted by the Columbia County Sheriffs Office.
No additional information was 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.
Three nuclear power plants have not fully restored connection to power lines IAEA
Rivne, Chornobyl and South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) have not yet restored the connection to all external power lines which they lost as a result of a Russian large-scale missile attack on 26 August.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as reported by Interfax-Ukraine
Quote from IAEA: "The IAEA teams stationed at the Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs and the Chornobyl site reported that these sites have not yet restored connection to all of their off-site power lines following the widespread military activities on 26 August, targeting electrical substations that are important for nuclear safety. The teams also reported air raid alarms on most days over the past week."
Details: The extent to which this affects their work is not specified.
Meanwhile, it is noted that a drone flight was recorded a few kilometres from the Khmelnytskyi NPP on Wednesday, 4 September.
In addition, the report says that Ukraine will receive the necessary spare parts for emergency diesel generators at the South Ukraine NPP. The IAEA has recently signed an agreement with France and Energoatom (Ukraine's National Atomic Energy Company) to support Ukrainian NPPs.
The Agency clarified that in the event of a loss of external power supply, NPPs will rely on such equipment to ensure safe and reliable operation.
Background: On 5 September, Ukrainian power engineers repaired the damaged second power transmission line to Zaporizhzhia NPP.
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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) More than 340,000 people in southern Nevada are unsure where to find their next meal and its estimated one in five children are living in food-insecure households and often go hungry.
Its a problem plaguing our community and community organizations are stepping in to help during Hunger Action Month this September.
Three Square Food Bank is leading a month-long community food drive to raise awareness and help decrease food insecurity. The public can help in multiple ways, including donating at a local grocery store, at the gas pump, or even when youre out to eat at a Las Vegas Strip restaurant.
From Sept. 1 through Sept. 30, you can donate directly to the food bank at any local Albertsons and Vons checkout line using the pin pad. Or when youre dining at participating restaurants at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, a portion of the proceeds will benefit Three Square Food Bank. This years participating restaurants include Joes Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab, Sushi Roku, The Palm Las Vegas, True Food Kitchen, Carmines Family Style Italian Restaurant, RPM Italian, Water Grill, and Cafe Lola.
You can also fill up for a good cause from Sept. 2 through Oct. 31 by filling up at the Giving Pump which are the purple colored pumps at participating Shell stations across Las Vegas. A protion of that fill-up goes to Three Square. For more information, including locations, click this link.
For those interested in getting involved, there is a full list of Hunger Action Month events at this link.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Three Ukrainian soldiers near Pokrovsk were likely shot by Russians after their fellow soldier was injured
Ukrainian law enforcement has initiated a pre-trial investigation into the violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder, after the Russians reportedly shot three Ukrainian soldiers as they were surrendering on the Pokrovsk front in Donetsk Oblast.
Source: the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutors Office; the Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine
Details: Early reports say that on the afternoon of 27 August 2024, the Russian Armed Forces attacked a position of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Pokrovsk district using UAVs. A fire broke out after an incendiary projectile was dropped on a dugout of Ukrainian defenders.
The Russians encircled the position, which was ablaze, from three sides and one of the four Ukrainian soldiers was severely injured in the combat clash that followed. His fellow soldiers, who were encircled and under intense attack by the Russians, had to surrender.
Ukrainian soldiers left the damaged shelter and kneeled with their hands behind their heads. A Russian assault group started shooting at them to kill. The further fate of their injured brother-in-arms is being specified.
A range of investigative actions aimed at establishing all circumstances of this event is being conducted.
Quote from Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin: "At the moment an investigation into the fact of a possible execution of 73 of our prisoners of war by Russian troops is being conducted. We document more and more such cases, when the aggressor demonstratively neglects the norms of international humanitarian law. We thoroughly investigate every case. We will not stop until every war criminal is held accountable."
For reference: Law enforcement stresses that the murder of prisoners of war is a violation of the Geneva Conventions and is qualified as an international felony.
The pre-trial investigation is being carried out by the Main Investigative Department of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
Background: CNN released a video showing Russian troops apparently executing three Ukrainian soldiers after they surrendered on the Pokrovsk front.
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NORTH HAMPTON Throwback Brewery and the town are taking blowback over Wednesdays Kamala Harris campaign event, with complaints ranging from partisanship to traffic congestion.
Hobbs Road and Elm Road were closed from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the day of the rally at Throwback Brewerys farm, which hosted the Democratic vice president and presidential nominee. What followed, according to Throwback co-owner Nicole Carrier, was a litany of negative social media posts against their business.
Some called the brewery owners commies and included the remark Go woke, go broke, according to Carrier. That was something she said she and co-owner Annette Lee had expected.
We knew hosting the VP would be a risk given the sad state of divisiveness in our country, Carrier said, but we couldnt and cant afford to be afraid.
Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage at Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, New Hampshire, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
Many of the complaints, however, were unrelated to partisanship and focused on what residents said was a lack of advance notice about the major event. Some in town were critical of the fact the farm did not receive a permit for the event, according to Carrier.
Wally Kilgore, who helps run the North Hampton Bandstands Wednesday concert series, said that days show was canceled due to what he described as insufficient notice. He mentioned he had just purchased all the food needed for the event and would have appreciated an earlier heads-up.
It wasnt the event. I think its cool. Im not necessarily a Kamala guy, but its cool that she was there, Kilgore said. My biggest beef is the communication of the town.
Previous story: Kamala Harris visits Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, NH: Small business plan unveiled
Throwback, town officials were bound to keep Harris visit 'confidential'
Throwback Brewery has made craft beer since 2011 and opened their farm-to-table restaurant at the Hobbs Farm in 2015 at the corner of Hobbs Road and Route 1. Since then, the farm has hosted multiple visits from politicians and candidates over the years, including Democratic New Hampshire U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan.
Saturday, Carrier said Throwback was contacted by the Harris campaign about a potential visit by the candidate to the farm. She said they were told they were one of a few options being considered. By Sunday, she said, they learned that they were selected.
She said they decided to go forward with the event despite not having acquired permits for the event. They were told it was confidential information, and the only post they made about it was to say they would be closed on Wednesday for a private event.
From there, it was kind of like a runaway train, Carrier said. We just had to hold on tight.
Town Manager Mike Tully said he was also informed Saturday by the Secret Service about the potential event in North Hampton. At the time, he was also told to keep the information confidential for security reasons.
Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris addresses supporters at Throwback Brewery in North Hampton, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
Tully explained the town found itself stuck in the middle when it came to notifying residents about the event.
On the other side of the street, we know that residents are going to be impacted, Tully said. We did the best we could following the guidelines of the Secret Service. We had limited amount of time to plan this.
The campaign on Monday announced there would be a Harris event in the "greater Portsmouth area." The exact location wasn't made public widely until Tuesday evening.
The North Hampton Police Department posted the times of the road closures Wednesday morning, though the post did not indicate what event would take place that day. Residents and buses were still able to enter the closed streets, according to the police post.
Carrier said word of the rally spread through town anyway. The Harris campaign announced the event on Wednesday but did not immediately disclose the time it would occur.
North Hampton Select Board member Jim Maggiore, whose property abuts the brewery's farm, said he had a lot of neighbors asking him about what was going on at the farm where tractor-trailers were rolling in with portable toilets and grandstands. Like Tully, he said the information the town had was confidential.
On social media, residents aired concerns about traffic. One top contributor on the Facebook page "North Hampton Talks" wrote that "residents should have been given a heads up," calling it a "complete nightmare for traffic."
Another person criticized the lack of permits for the event, stating, "To disrespect town ordinances is to disrespect the community you live in."
Tully also said there is a permit process in place for events to get approval through the town.
The Secret Service certainly supersede that process, Tully said.
Town officials were sympathetic to people who were caught in the days traffic jam, Tully describing it as a slight inconvenience.
Maggiore acknowledged residents concerns about the timing of the notification, given the magnitude of the event.
Im not critical of their criticism, Maggiore said. I think its fair people would ask that question.
Residents also posted concerns about the costs incurred by taxpayers. Tully said the event cost the town tens of thousands of dollars for police and fire coverage. He said the town was still tallying the official number. He and Maggiore both said the town intends to bill the Harris campaign with the total.
If you read the paper, the campaign has $400 million, Maggiore said. Im not asking for all of it, the $400 million, but it would be nice if we were compensated for what we put out.
A Harris campaign official could not be immediately reached for comment.
Throwback disappointed by 'messages of hate'
Carrier said Throwback Brewery has also been fielding comments on their social media criticizing them for hosting the Democratic nominee because of her party affiliation.
Throwback Brewery co-founders and co-owners Nicole Carrier, at the microphone, and Annette Lee introduce Vice President Kamala Harris in North Hampton, Wednesday Sept. 4, 2024.
Carrier said she has been deleting negative posts.
In her blog post on Friday, she also addressed the excitement of hosting the vice president.
Given our values of being open and inclusive to all, we were absolutely delighted to have been chosen to host the Vice President of the United States, the post read. As Americans that have great respect for the office, we could not have been more honored.
Carrier also expressed disappointment Throwback Brewery could not give more notice to residents.
"We wish we could have given our neighbors more of a heads up, but our hands were tied," Carrier said. "We feel quite badly about that, but believe us, it was completely out of our control."
The post continued to address those of you giving us one-star reviews and sending messages of hate.
If you could be open-minded and actively listen to other peoples views and opinions best case you learn something and see a new perspective, Carrier said. Worst case, you agree to disagree, but that doesnt need to create hate.
Carrier said breweries have long been a place for people to come together and share their ideas without fear of retaliation.
Maybe if people could just talk to each other over a pint, maybe they could find we dont have that many differences after all, Carrier said.
More: Would Kamala Harris' small business plan work? NH economists are optimistic
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Throwback Brewery gets 'hateful messages' over Kamala Harris event
An experimental yet successful Colorado Springs Municipal Court resource-navigation table where people who are homeless or recently incarcerated can pick up information about how they can obtain housing, food, identification and other necessities will remain staffed inside the courthouse.
Lawyers will continue to represent seniors and disabled residents facing eviction.
Two new Early Head Start classrooms at Pikes Peak State College are on their way to helping youngsters from low-income households get ready for school.
These and other projects have been awarded competitive grants under U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs designed to assist low- and moderate-income individuals and families.
A total of $750,000 has been distributed to 13 Colorado Springs nonprofits, faith-based organizations and government agencies, the city of Colorado Springs announced Thursday.
Of about 40 applicants, 13 organizations and agencies received grants under two HUD programs, said Naomi Clark, compliance analyst with the city who manages the Community Development Block Grant program.
The city recently disbursed $450,000 as part of the Community Development Block Grant Public Services Awards and awarded another $300,000 under HUDs Emergency Solutions Grant Awards for homeless shelters, prevention efforts and a tracking system. The latter received the largest grant of $100,000.
One organization, Kingdom Builders, which works with domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, received a grant in each category to fund a youth violence prevention program as well as rapid rehousing for domestic violence victims.
Housing instability was a key focus in deciding which organizations and projects received funding this year, as city leaders have identified preventing homelessness, increasing housing choices and improving public safety as community priorities, Clark said.
Its extremely competitive, she said, and these applications are not short theyre incredibly intensive.
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Its also a community effort in deciding who gets what. Two citizen committees averaging 10 to 15 people each from a nonprofit chief financial officer to a stay-at-home mom reviewed the applications, she said.
Programs from preventing homelessness for families and children to counseling for youth offenders and therapy for substance-abuse disorder and behavioral health needs were selected.
Colorado Legal Services will use its $48,000 allotment to pay for staff members who advocate for elderly and disabled residents to stay housed, said Ariel Baty, managing attorney for the Colorado Springs office of the statewide agency.
We work with people facing eviction who have no other resource, she said. El Paso County has so much need; eviction filings have gone up and up, and its so important people find help and that theyre not wrongfully evicted.
The organizations housing team closed 614 cases last year, Baty said.
Child Partnership for Community Development, also known as CPCD, the local Head Start administrator, received $35,000 to pay for staffing new classrooms at the local community college.
These classrooms provide child care for low-income families and serve 16 children birth to age 3 and also provide medical, dental, behavioral health and family support services, said President and CEO Steven Lewis. The grant generally funds projects that provide social services and other direct assistance to individuals or households, he said.
In all, the city gets about $5 million annually from HUD, with the majority not being put out for bid in a competitive process but funding static programs such as housing initiatives, Clark said.
Another recipient of federal HUD funding is the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care, a group of homeless service providers, government officials and residents, which received $2.8 million from HUD in February to address homelessness in the community.
El Paso County also distributes HUD funding for qualifying programs, including capital projects. The countys board of commissioners approved in July a plan for nine charities, faith-based organizations and municipalities to spend grants totaling $914,000 for programs and projects addressing public services for vulnerable populations, economic development, housing and infrastructure.
Tigard police: Man accused of shoplifting dies after being restrained by security
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Washington County officials are investigating the death of a man after he was allegedly restrained by a security worker at a King City store, authorities said.
The case is being referred to the Washington County District Attorneys Office, Tigard police announced.
PDX hits 100 in September for second time since WWII
On Aug. 9 at 9:54 a.m., there was a report of a disturbance at the Safeway at 15570 SW Pacific Highway. Tigard police and King City police responded. Officers learned a loss prevention worker had stopped a man who was suspected of shoplifting and was holding him on the ground, according to Tigard Police.
Witnesses told officers the man was being held by the neck at some point, the Tigard Police Department said in a release. When officers arrived, the man was unconscious.
The man, identified as 46-year-old Michael Letendre, died a week later on Aug. 16 after being hospitalized, officials said.
Initially, witnesses said the private security worker used CPR and then another employee took over. After the officers arrived, they used CPR and applied an AED until paramedics arrived to take the man to the hospital
The loss prevention worker, who contracts through a private security company rather than being a Safeway employee, hasnt been charged with a crime at this time and his name isnt being released.
Mayors office reacts to U.S. Bank leaving Big Pink
Tigard Police Detectives are leading the investigation and they will consult the Washington County Major Crimes Team, officials said.
Detectives are continuing to gather information, which is being reviewed by the Washington County District Attorneys Office. The DAs office will make a determination as to whether a grand jury should be convened to review potential criminal charges in this case, the release said.
Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.
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Nearly an hour into a fundraiser in a tidy gated community just outside Palm Springs in late May, a soft-spoken Lisa Middleton who could become California's first out transgender state lawmaker if elected in November acknowledged her historic run for office matter of factly and without fanfare.
It wasn't until after she addressed pedestrian safety, public transportation, college access and climate change over plates of deviled eggs and sweaty glasses of lemonade in the desert city she once served as mayor that she mentioned her gender identity.
That approach is intentional: A campaign ad released last week omits the Democratic candidate's potentially groundbreaking election and instead focuses on her ability to work with Republicans on issues like building better roads and creating jobs.
"I'm never going to back away from who I am, but what I've consistently tried to do is make it clear that it's just a part of my identity it's not everything," Middleton told The Times. "And it's not why I ran for office."
Identity politics, however, are unavoidable in the competitive race to represent Calfornia's 19th Senate District as LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and top Democrats rally for Middleton to flip the long-held Republican seat currently held by incumbent Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Redlands) who is also running as a "first."
Since elected to the state Legislature in 2020, Ochoa Bogh, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, has made being the first Republican Latina in the California Senate a key part of her platform, calling it an overlooked demographic that values "family, faith and work ethic." Among the state's likely Latino voters, 16% are registered Republicans, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
"I did not hear my voice as a conservative Latina being spoken," she said. "People think Republicans are representative of just rich people or Caucasians."
State Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa), who's running to keep her seat in Republican hands, talks with Sen. Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) on the chamber floor in Sacramento in 2022. (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press)
Ochoa Bogh, 52, is a former teacher, real estate agent and Yucaipa school board member. She sits on the Senate Education and Housing committees and has authored bills signed into law by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom that support mental health providers and provide free admission to fairs for military personnel.
Middleton, 72, is a longtime Palm Springs City Council member who previously oversaw fraud cases for Californias State Compensation Insurance Fund. Her campaign tenets include creating more affordable housing and demanding accountability for state spending on issues like homelessness.
Both candidates have endorsements of law enforcement agencies and are promising to crack down on crime in a district that struggles with fentanyl overdoses and human trafficking. Both consider themselves pragmatists and say they are more interested in unsexy local government issues and meetings with everyday constituents than political theater.
And both are running campaigns that seek to give a voice to underrepresented Californians in the state Capitol.
But that's where their similarities appear to end.
Middleton is supporting Kamala Harris for president in November and Ochoa Bogh is supporting Donald Trump. While Middleton has made protecting abortion rights a central part of her campaign, Ochoa Bogh received a 0% score from Planned Parenthood for her legislative record last year and authored a bill that would have mandated that schools teach about antiabortion crisis pregnancy centers. The bill failed to reach the governor's desk.
Palm Springs City Council member Lisa Middleton at the dais in July. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
For Middleton, who transitioned from male to female 30 years ago and married her wife in 2013, Ocha Bogh's voting record in the state Senate is personal.
The Republican has opposed bills that bolster gender-affirming healthcare services and shield transgender children and their families from being criminalized for seeking treatment in California. She has abstained from voting at all on bills that affirmed gay marriage rights in the state Constitution and recognized LGBTQ+ Pride month.
One of Ochoa Bogh's most impassioned speeches on the Senate floor this year came when she stood up to oppose a law that bans schools from requiring teachers to notify parents about student gender identity changes. While Democrats warned that conservative school board rules could out transgender kids who may not be accepted at home, Ochoa Bogh called it "bad policy" and said "the default assumption should always be that parents are acting in the best interests of their children."
Campaigning in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in a race energized by a newly redrawn district that has brought in thousands of registered Democrats, Middleton has drawn a vast distinction between herself and Ocho Bogh.
"The lies that are being talked about and they are lies are ones that I know fundamentally, because I have lived this life," Middleton said.
Middleton called coming out as transgender "the hardest thing I ever ever had to do" and said she feels fortunate to maintain a relationship with her children and a successful career as others have struggled to find the same acceptance.
"I fought that for a very, very long time," she said. "Any of us who have ever spent any time in the closet know what it's like trying to pretend to be something you're not."
Ochoa Bogh teared up while talking about transgender suicide rates and said that she has "a lot of compassion and empathy" for the community.
She said her voting record does not make her anti-LGBTQ+, but that she had nuanced reasons for opposing each bill. She voted against the same-sex marriage measure, for instance, because it did not include a carve-out that would ensure churches are not forced to conduct ceremonies they do not support, she said, and she has concerns about medical treatment when it comes to transgender minors.
"We have a right to pursue life, liberty and happiness, whatever that may look like, as long as it doesn't infringe on someone else's ability to do the same," Ochoa Bogh said from the California GOP headquarters in Sacramento last month. "I would never do anything that would be disrespectful to anyone's life or choices. We all have family members of that nature."
The state Senate race is expected to be among the closest legislative competitions this election.
In the March primary election, Ochoa Bogh won 54% of the vote to Middleton's 46%.
The newly redrawn district combines Republican San Bernardino County strongholds, including parts of the Inland Empire and high desert, with liberal areas of Riverside County such as Palm Springs, and is home to more than half of a million voters.
The district, which once leaned right, is now nearly even when it comes to party preference with 35% of voters Republican and 36% Democrat, while the remaining percentage is no party preference or other parties. Trump narrowly won the district in 2020 over President Biden.
Nearly half of constituents in the district are now new to Ochoa Bogh, a process she called "demoralizing" but one that has motivated her to hold about 50 town halls.
"I'm very engaged because I do believe that it's important to be accountable and as transparent as possible with your constituency," she said.
Each candidate seeks to differentiate themself from the other, while avoiding making their trailblazing roles a distraction.
Pei-Te Lien, a professor at UC Santa Barbara who specializes in the politics of identity, said it can be tricky for politicians to navigate.
She pointed to the presidential campaign of Harris, who could be the first woman and first person of Asian descent to serve as president, but who Lien said has strategically not overemphasized that fact.
"Voters are getting more used to it," Lien said. "The idea that we can embrace people's different identities and backgrounds and see them as still equally capable of representing us and speaking for us and understanding our concerns, that certainly is a development a good development in terms of politics."
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The AfDs regional leader, Bjorn Hocke (centre), has more than 100,000 followers on TikTok
Without traditional families theres no future, says Maximilian Krah, smartly dressed in a suit with tie and pocket square.
If we want to survive, if we want to have a future, if we want to be cared for in our old age and be secure, then we need children. Our own children. Because immigrants arent going to care for old Europeans.
The clip is just one example in a string of videos posted by Krah, a 47-year-old MEP and member of Germanys ascendant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, on TikTok.
Krah, who has courted scandal through alleged ties to Russia and China and for his controversial comments about the Nazi era, is one of a number of figures on Germanys far Right who have enjoyed popularity on the social media app.
For the AfD, TikTok and other social media platforms offer a new outlet to reach supporters directly, free from the constraints of the tightly controlled traditional media and political landscape.
German media has for years tried to largely ignore the anti-immigration AfD, hoping a vacuum of coverage would snuff out a party designated as extremist. Journalists union the DJV has previously called for a health warning in reports about the AfD to alert audiences to the nature of the party.
Yet TikTok and other social media platforms have given the party a new way to reach people.
The platform has proved powerful: AfD became the first far-Right party to win a state election since the Second World War this week, gaining almost a third of the vote in Thuringia.
The youth vote was crucial in driving the victory with 38pc of 18 to 24-year-olds in the region voting for the party, according to pollsters Infratest Dimap.
More than half of Germans aged 14 to 29 use social media for updates on news and politics, according to a major study published this year, while a similar proportion are regular TikTok users.
The AfDs top candidate, Bjorn Hocke, has more than 100,000 followers on TikTok. The candidate, who was found guilty of knowingly using a Nazi slogan, said in one video: We have to talk about remigration. Those who dont agree with our values must leave our country.
Bjorn Hocke's success in Thuringia has in part been fuelled by the AfD's online strategy - dpa picture alliance/ Alamy
Unrivalled self-promotion
Critics warn that the app is allowing extremist views to flourish unopposed.
The biggest problem is that far too many young people no longer get their information from journalistic media, but from social media, says Hendrik Zorner, spokesman for the DJV.
In doing so, they are degrading themselves to victims of propaganda.
Krah has more than 60,000 followers on the app and his videos have been liked over 600,000 times.
He was catapulted into the public eye in April when prosecutors launched an investigation into claims he had received payments from both China and Russia, while his assistant was arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing. Krah has denied any wrongdoing.
The politicians standing further deteriorated a month later when he said that not every member of the Nazis Waffen-SS paramilitary branch was automatically a criminal.
While the AfD has since distanced itself from Krah, the scandals do not appear to have hurt his popularity on TikTok.
Other AfD figures also have significant followings on the app: party leader Alice Weidel and chairman Ulrich Siegmund have 330,000 and 450,000 followers respectively. That compares with 320,000 for Chancellor Olaf Scholzs official account and 43,000 for Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck.
In this arena, the AfD is still unrivalled in promoting its own personnel and ideology, says Oliver Lembcke, professor of political science at Ruhr University Bochum.
This is a major omission on the part of the other parties, which contributes to the AfDs great success among young voters.
AfD TikTok content regularly features AI-generated images of blonde-haired and blue-eyed Germans - TikTok
Research carried out in the run-up to this years EU elections by think tank AI Forensics found that TikToks search function frequently promoted the AfD, even when the user had specifically searched for another party.
Alarmingly, researchers also found evidence that users were being shown so-called dog whistles that were closely linked to far-Right narratives around issues such as immigration, including caliphate in Germany and Putin warns Turkish people in Germany.
TikTok said many factors contributed to whether a search term was recommended and that it was a leap to claim this was algorithmic bias.
It added that there was little empirical evidence to suggest social media had influenced either the EU or state elections.
A spokesman said: We proactively enforce firm policies against election misinformation and hate speech and connect people to reliable information through our Election Centres, which received over 7.5m visits before the EU election it is categorically false to claim that TikTok favours or supports any political party or group.
Far-Right echo chambers
Nevertheless, AfDs success on social media platforms including TikTok poses a major problem for Chancellor Scholz.
His government has warned that far-Right extremism is the biggest threat facing German society. Several states have designated the AfD an extremist organisation, while domestic security services are keeping it under observation.
Laws banning hate speech and extremism are baked into Germanys criminal code, with specific bans on Holocaust denialism and the spreading of Nazi propaganda. Yet policing malicious material online has proved complex.
In 2017, Germany introduced a new network enforcement act that forces tech companies to remove hate speech or risk hefty fines, while also forcing them to share the worst offences with the police.
But these have run up against opposition from free speech campaigners. Google won a partial victory in 2020 when a German court ruled that part of the new regime violated EU law.
By clamping down too heavily on the far Right, authorities also risk fanning the flames. After the government in July banned the extremist magazine Compact, which it accused of stirring up hate speech against Jews, Muslims and foreigners, founder Jurgen Elsasser boasted that everyone wants a copy.
One of the main take-home points of these elections is that the strategies of the established parties to not take the AfD seriously and not to engage with them have failed, maybe backfired, says Hartwig Pautz, a lecturer in social sciences at the University of the West of Scotland.
AfD content often focuses on Europes place in the world with regard to Russia and the US - TikTok
For major parties such as the CDU and SPD, one approach is to step up their presence on apps including TikTok to ensure they do not merely become an echo chamber for far-Right views.
The inertia of the other political parties is astonishing, says Prof Lembcke. The aim must be to develop a counter-public sphere in social media, not only from the civil society side but also from the party political side.
The media are also rethinking their approach.
In an op-ed last year Mathias Dopfner, chief executive of Axel Springer, publisher of German tabloid the Bild, insisted that the AfD should not be treated like other parties, drawing comparisons between the far-Right party and the Nazis.
However, he acknowledged that the rest of the political spectrum could no longer ignore the party and should instead look to address the problems that were fuelling its rise.
Not speaking out about the problem is the biggest problem, he wrote. Indeed, when issues are taboo, it doesnt make the issues any smaller, just the demagogues stronger.
The AfDs Hocke has not posted on TikTok since his victory on Sunday. In his most recent video, posted five days ago, he leads a cavalcade of motorcyclists riding models made by the now defunct Simson brand.
The caption reads: Simson means freedom. One of the most liked comments underneath says: Best man.
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Tim Pool and other Tenet Media hosts say they are victims after DOJ indictment alleges Russian influence operation
An indictment issued by the Justice Department on Wednesday accused Russia of leveraging American right-wing commentators and podcast hosts to churn out propaganda ahead of the November presidential election.
Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, two employees of Russian state media broadcaster RT, were charged in the indictment with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Their scheme, according to the indictment, was to covertly fund and help produce pro-Russian social media videos featuring the American hosts associated with the conservative, Nashville, Tenn.-based media company Tenet Media.
In response to the indictment, the popular right-wing hosts claimed Friday that they were not aware of any reported Russian ties and were victims of the alleged scheme.
On Thursday, Tenet Media abruptly shut down, and YouTube pulled its popular channel from the platform.
Following an indictment from the US Department of Justice and after careful review, we are terminating the Tenet Media channel and four channels operated by its owner Lauren Chen as part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations, YouTube said in a statement.
As Tenet Medias U.S. fan base grapples with the shutdown of the brand, which had hundreds of thousands of followers, heres what we know about the indictment.
What does the indictment against Tenet Media allege?
Kalashnikov and Afanasyeva, both of whom are based in Moscow, are alleged to have funneled almost $10 million to Tenet Media for the creation of pro-Russian videos.
While Tenet Media was not specifically named in the indictment, readers and internet sleuths connected the descriptions in its pages to the conservative brand the indictment stated had been founded in 2022. Tennessee business records show Tenet was incorporated on Jan. 19, 2022.
While the views expressed in the videos are not uniform, the subject matter and content of the videos are often consistent with the Government of Russias 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, the indictment states.
In one example, the Justice Department claims that Afanasyeva under the name Helena Shudra messaged one of the Tenet founders in March to ask that a creator record something about [the] Moscow terror attack, referring to the ISIS attack on a music venue in Moscow that killed over 130 people.
Tenet personalities claim they are 'victims'
In response to the indictment, several of the conservative personalities seen across Tenet channels and social media accounts have spoken out alleging they were not aware of any Russian connections during their time working with the media brand, and the indictment also paints them as unwitting accomplices.
Commentators associated with Tenet Media include Benny Johnson, a former BuzzFeed politics writer who got caught plagiarizing in 2015; Dave Rubin, creator and host of his own YouTube talk show with over 2.5 million subscribers; Tim Pool, host of The Culture War with Tim Pool podcast, and conservative hosts Tayler Hansen and Matt Christiansen.
Combined, those hosts have more than 7 million YouTube subscribers and more than 7 million followers on X. Before the indictment, Tenet Medias since-deleted YouTube channel had over 315,000 subscribers.
Tenet Media founders, Chen and her husband Liam Donovan, are accused of knowingly receiving funds from the Russian government. They have not publicly addressed the allegations.
On Thursday night, Hansen shared on X that Tenet Media has ended following the indictment.
Pool, who interviewed former President Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on his Tenet Media-licensed podcast in May, has said he was being deceived and was a victim of Tenets arrangement with Russia.
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, he wrote.
Johnson also responded to the indictment, writing, We are disturbed by the allegations and myself and other influencers were victims in this alleged scheme.
Tim Walz mocked former President Donald Trump on Thursday for explaining away his concerns with the Minnesota governors weird attacks.
Theres a saying in politics: If youre explaining, youre losing ... 11 times, 11 times, Donald Trump explained that he wasnt weird, said Vice President Kamala Harris running mate as he got laughs out of the crowd at a Pennsylvania campaign event.
He continued, I think we might be gettin under their skin there a little bit.
Trump, in the first part of a Fox News town hall event on Wednesday, repeatedly referred to the weird description that Walz has hurled at him and his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), on the campaign trail.
Hes weird, Im not weird, hes weird. No, hes a weird guy, hes a weird dude, said Trump of Walz in an interview with Sean Hannity.
Walz countered Trumps frustration with weird by swiftly dropping a summary of the Republican nominees approach to his 2024 bid.
This isnt about name-calling or anything, I was pointing out its weird to be obsessed with peoples personal lives. Its weird to be obsessed with peoples health care choices, Walz said while referring to the GOP ticket.
Its weird to continue to talk about sharks and batteries and boats and things like that, he added.
Walz: Theres a saying in politics: if youre explaining, youre losing. Last night, 11 times Donald Trump explained that he wasnt weird
Its weird to be obsessed with peoples personal lives. Its weird to be obsessed with peoples healthcare choices. Its weird to continue pic.twitter.com/dR7sH81FBk Acyn (@Acyn) September 5, 2024
Related...
Tim Walz to visit Phoenix on same day as Trump-Harris debate. What to know
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will take his first solo trip to Arizona next week as the Democratic nominee for vice president.
Walz will visit Arizona on Tuesday, the same day that Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will face off in their first presidential debate.
Walz will fly into Sky Harbor International Airport on Tuesday morning and join political engagements in Phoenix. Later in the day, hell deliver remarks at a political event, the Harris-Walz campaign said.
Throughout his visit, Governor Walz will highlight how Vice President Harris is charting a New Way Forward that protects our fundamental freedoms, strengthens our democracy, and ensures that everyone has the opportunity to not just get by, but get ahead, the Harris campaign said in a written statement. And he will draw contrast with Donald Trump and JD Vances dark and dangerous Project 2025 agenda that raises costs on families and attacks our rights and freedom.
Trump-Harris presidential debate: How to stream and why it's vital you do
Walz visited Arizona last month for a rally with Harris in Glendale.
The campaign trail is heating up in battleground Arizona. GOP vice presidential candidate JD Vance was in the state for a two-day campaign swing this week and Trump held a rally and toured the southern border in August.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tim Walz to visit Phoenix on Tuesday, same day as Trump-Harris debate
Ian Rosenblatts last donation to the Labour Party was 4,000 in September 2023
A major Labour donor who helped fund Sir Keir Starmers leadership campaign has been cleared of alleged racism after greeting a black lawyer with a fist-bump.
The Employment Tribunal on Thursday dismissed a case against Ian Rosenblatt, senior partner of London-listed legal services group RBG Holdings.
Noel Deans, a former employment law partner at RBG Holdings, claimed that Mr Rosenblatt had racially harassed him by visiting him very briefly on his first day of work and greeted him with a fist-bump, rather than a professional handshake.
Mr Deans, who is of Afro-Caribbean heritage, claimed this cursory and casual welcome contrasted with how Mr Rosenblatt greeted new white colleagues with whom he would allegedly stop and chat with for longer.
Noel Deans claimed Ian Rosenblatt racially harassed him on his first day of work
Mr Rosenblatt said that he had no memory of the incident but regularly fist-bumped friends and colleagues when greeting them, regardless of ethnicity.
The employment tribunal noted the fist-bumps strong association between black men and its frequent use as part of so-called dap handshakes, but said it was not inherently discriminatory.
The tribunal ruled that Mr Rosenblatt did not intend to cause offence with the gesture and instead offered a fist-bump because he felt enthusiastic about welcoming Mr Deans to his firm.
Mr Rosenblatt founded the dispute resolution specialist law firm Rosenblatt, which is now part of the publicly listed company RBG. He is the groups largest shareholder, earning 2.26m in salary and fees last year.
The senior City lawyer donated more than 50,000 to Labour under Ed Milibands leadership and helped to fund Sir Keirs Labour leadership campaign.
The party was forced to apologise to Mr Rosenblatt last year following a furore over a 16,000 donation he had made. Labour initially threatened to return the sum because of Mr Rosenblatts previous work with now-sanctioned Russian bank VTB Capital.
However, Mr Rosenblatt said he had been thrown under the bus and Labour subsequently backtracked following an inquiry into the matter.
Mr Rosenblatts last donation to the Labour Party was 4,000 in September 2023, according to Electoral Commission records. He previously donated 5,000 to Sir Keir Starmer in 2020 during his party leadership campaign.
The Employment Tribunal also cleared Nicola Foulston, former chief executive of RBG, of harassment after she used a racial slur at a business dinner with Mr Deans in 2018.
Although Ms Foulston used the phrase n----- in the woodpile during conversation, the tribunal concluded that the complaint was time barred and revived only to cause maximum embarrassment to her and the firm.
Commenting on the decision, Ms Foulston said: I welcome the judges verdict and reiterate my commitment to inclusive workplaces. I look forward to continuing working in the private equity and venture capital space at an incredibly exciting time for the sector.
An RBG spokesman said: We are pleased the Tribunal has unanimously dismissed each and every claim made by Noel Deans. This has been an extremely time-consuming and distressing process for our team to endure, and we hope the spotlight can now return to the great work that we are known for.
Mr Deans was contacted for comment.
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The Top Republican Who Just Endorsed Harris Will Blow Your Mind
Apparently, Donald Trump has gone too far for a former acolyte of unitary executive theory.
During an appearance at the Texas Tribune Festival on Friday, former Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney made a startling announcement about her fathers plans for the November election.
Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris, she said, as the crowd erupted into applause.
Cheney: Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris. pic.twitter.com/Pk1nnRl1ih Acyn (@Acyn) September 6, 2024
My dad believes, and hes said publicly, that there has never been an individual in our country who is as grave a threat to our democracy as Donald Trump is, she explained. She had formally endorsed Harris during an address at Duke University on Thursday.
Later on Friday, the elder Cheney released a statement confirming that he would vote for Harris in November.
In our nations 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump. He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again, he said.
As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.
The former vice president for George W. Bush had previously criticized Trump, calling him a coward in an advertisement for his daughters 2022 congressional campaign.
His daughter was one of a small handful of Republicans to openly criticize Trump after the deadly January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. As a result, Trump has suggested she be tried for treason in a televised military tribunal.
While in office, Dick Cheney advocated for a catastrophic and unnecessary war, invaded the privacy of millions of Americans, and sought to bolster presidential authority (and immunity). Back then, he propagated his own damage to democracy. Now it seems that Trump offends even his sensibilities.
Liz Cheney didnt mince words when discussing Trump or his lackluster running mate, J.D. Vance. This is my diplomatic way of saying it: Theyre misogynistic pigs, Cheney said, as the audience cheered. She said she remained hopeful that their characters would become clear during the upcoming debates.
This story has been updated.
Universities across the country have recorded a drop in Black freshmen students. Data from Amherst College showed that the number of Black students decreased from 11% in 2023 to 3% this year, while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology recorded a drop from 15% to 5%. MIT noted lower enrollment for members of historically under-represented racial and ethnic groups last week. It was the first university to release statistics since the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in June, according to The Guardian.
Tufts University and the University of Virginia have also shared a decrease in Black students who enrolled as freshmen. Some administrators believe its a result of the Supreme Court ruling.
As a consequence of the Supreme Courts decision, the incoming class is not as racially diverse as recent classes have been, Matthew L. McGann, the admissions dean at Amherst Colleges admissions, told The New York Times, per Black Entreprise. Other institutions have seen a similar impact, and all colleges and universities are evaluating the outcomes of this first admission cycle under the new legal standard.
Others note how the drop can affect students on-campus experience.
On a small campus, the drop in demographic population can change the experience for those students, Amhersts President Michael A. Elliott told The New York Times. One of the unfortunate circumstances of the ruling is that it might diminish the sense of belonging that a student feels here. And we do not want that to occur.
As a response, the University of Virginia has created partnerships with public schools in low-income communities to recruit a more diverse class of students.
It is a fine example of how universities can be creative, consistent with the Constitution, to avoid the plummeting enrollment of Black students that some universities have already witnessed, Yale Law professor Justin Drive told The New York Times.
Data from Harvard University and the University of North Carolina have not yet released their admissions data.
Students at Clemson University on Aug. 21, 2024, the first day of class. (Provided by Clemson University)
COLUMBIA South Carolina college enrollment remains relatively stable, according to preliminary data from the states higher education agency.
About 158,000 students enrolled in four-year universities in the state this fall, a similar number to 2023.
Those numbers reflect years of growth at the states two largest research universities the University of South Carolina and Clemson University the newly appointed Commission on Higher Education President Jeff Perez told his agencys governing board Thursday.
Overall enrollment remained steady at other public four years but dropped off at private colleges.
Thelma and Louise are nowhere near the cliff, Perez said, combining references to the 1990s film about a road trip gone wrong and the so-called enrollment cliff predicted by national experts as birth rates continue to drop and younger generations find college a less attractive option.
Elsewhere in the country primarily at small liberal arts colleges in the Midwest and Northeast the effects already have been felt, with at least 20 closures since 2023.
Higher education officials in South Carolina are hopeful the Southeast will fare better as the states population continues to rise.
Growth and decline
SC college enrollment, fall 2024 compared to fall 2019
Clemson: 29,115 students, up 12.8% in five years
USC (Columbia campus): 38,212, up 8.1%
Coastal Carolina: 11,265, up 7.4%
College of Charleston: 11,761, up 11.5%
Francis Marion: 4,112, down 3.0%
Lander: 4,423, up 37.1%
South Carolina State: 3,304 up 33.3%
Winthrop: 4,538, down 22.6%
Allen: 577, down 29.4%
Anderson: 4,597, up 29.7%
Benedict: 1,790, down 12.2%
Bob Jones: 2,613, down 13.1%
Claflin: 1,892, down 8.6%
Coker: 1,121, up 0.7%
Columbia College: 1,719, up 38.3%
Converse: 1,439, down 5.8%
Erskine: 969, up 23.6%
Furman: 2,566, down 9.3%
Southern Wesleyan: 972, down 32.0%
Voorhees: 553, up 8.4%
Wofford: 1,823, up 6.0%
Source: Preliminary data from Commission on Higher Education
A lot of that growth has been driven by retirees moving to the state.
The population of people 65 and older has increased 50% since the 2010 U.S. Census, while those ages 19 and younger has gone up only 3%.
But families are also making South Carolina home, as evidenced by a flurry of new school construction. Voters have approved funding for new schools across 19 districts since 2018, according to a report by the state School Boards Association.
Since 2019, colleges across the Palmetto State have weathered shifting demographics and a global pandemic differently.
Freshman enrollment at USCs Columbia campus is roughly the same as last year and just over half of those new students are South Carolina residents. But the states largest university is riding a wave of record-breaking classes over the last few years, so its celebrating historic numbers, surpassing 38,000 total students at its main campus for the first time.
Enrollment at Clemson remained flat at around 29,000 students. The majority of the incoming freshmen are South Carolinians, while the out-of-state contingent is led by students from North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Florida.
Demand from students wanting to attend those schools far exceeds capacity, according to Commission on Higher Education board members, some of whom also serve on university boards: Applications to USC topped 50,000, while Clemson saw more than 60,000 applicants.
Outside the major public schools, Coastal Carolina University has continuously grown. And South Carolina State University, a historically black university in Orangeburg, is also on the rise. But Winthrop University, in the Charlotte suburb of Rock Hill, continued its slump.
Meanwhile, Anderson University, the states largest private school; and Columbia College, a former womens college, were among private schools on the rise. Those declining in enrollment include Allen University, a small historically Black university in Columbia, and Upstate Christian colleges Southern Wesleyan and Bob Jones universities.
A systemic review
The full impact of what is to come has yet to be felt.
National high school graduation rates are expected to peak in 2025, with an estimated 3.9 million graduates. But that number is expected to decline nearly 11% by 2037, according to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
To prepare, Gov. Henry McMaster asked the Legislature to put $3 million in state surplus toward an independent study of higher education in the state.
The study would have asked historically controversial questions, such as whether the state should consolidate or close some of its public colleges or if the state would be better served by a Board of Regents rather than each college having its own independent governing board.
The state House supported the study. But Senate budget writers ultimately pulled it from the state spending plan. The governor has said he will continue to push for it come January, when the Legislature is scheduled to return for its next regular session.
Despite the high demand for skills, training, and knowledge, many colleges across the nation are seeing declining enrollments. To address these challenges, my executive budget proposed and the General Assembly declined to fund a systemic review of our states 33 public institutions of higher education, McMaster wrote in a message accompanying his 21 line-item vetoes of the state budget.
I am hopeful you will reconsider next year, he continued. The time has come to evaluate whether the courses, degrees, and certificates that are offered at our public colleges and universities are meeting our states future workforce needs.
McMaster has the support of several legislators, including Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Isle of Palms, and Sen. Tom Davis.
(The governor) showing leadership in this space is critical, Davis said.
The Beaufort Republican was chief of staff to former Gov. Mark Sanford, who made his own unsuccessful push in the early 2000s to create a Board of Regents in the state.
Theres only a scarce amount of public dollars to go around, Davis told the SC Daily Gazette. Colleges trying to be all things to all people are not an efficient use of that money.
Davis said it would be better if schools had their specialties with professors focused on being the foremost experts in those fields. While the Commission on Higher Education is charged with reviewing all new degree program proposals to decide whether or not a school should be allowed to implement them, Davis said a Board of Regents would be more effective.
Still, he doesnt think its likely there will be a public push to change the states approach to higher education and expects resistance from the states largest universities.
Cheerleader or overseer?
Sanford, in his efforts, argued the Commission on Higher Education was more cheerleader than overseer. Now, some in the Legislature are raising similar concerns.
Agency leadership found themselves in hot water last December after allowing state lottery proceeds intended for college scholarships to pile up unused for several years.
That snafu also renewed calls that the commission rigorously review new degree program applications.
Last month, a House oversight panel thats been grilling commission leaders over the scholarship miscalculations added to their to-do list. The agency must start reporting all applications it receives for new degree programs, whether denied or approved, to the General Assembly. Members of House committees focused on education will each get a report.
Former Sen. Wes Hayes, who now chairs the higher education commission board, said it has turned down schools program requests to prevent overlapping programs at nearby colleges.
He cited an example of the Citadel and College of Charleston both wanting to offer engineering degrees. The commission ruled against it. The schools, in turn, worked out a compromise one would focus on civil engineering while the other did electrical.
Thats how the system is supposed to work, said Hayes, a Rock Hill Republican.
Hayes also acknowledged one power the commission doesnt have once it approves a new program, it cant pull it back if its not meeting standards.
House Education Chairwoman Shannon Erickson thinks the governors study was a good idea.
The Beaufort Republican chairs one of the committees flagged for receiving the newly required reports. She thinks those reports could provide a bigger picture of what colleges are asking for and whether those requests match the General Assemblys goals getting students ready for the states most in-demand jobs and saving students both time and money when seeking a degree.
We are supposed to be preparing our children for the next step in life, Erickson said.
The two men electrocuted Thursday near the Ray Nixon Power Plant were Benjamin Hey and Joseph Sampedro, the El Paso County Coroner's Office announced Tuesday.
Hey, 25, and Sampedro, 24, were taking soil samples for an expansion of the plant's main entrance gate when their truck hit a 12,250-volt overhead power line, said Arem Benyamin, general manager of Colorado Springs Utilities' Energy Supply Division.
Hey and Sampedro died at the scene. A third worker, who was farther from the truck, was uninjured.
Sampedro's family members erected a memorial under the power line. On Mother's Day, his seven siblings, several nieces and nephews and other relatives gathered near the site to grieve, Gazette news partner KKTV reported.
"This is so fresh. So brutal," said Sampredro's stepfather, Jack Lambiotte. "We all miss him so horribly already. We can't imagine going forward, but we do feel that today brings us together."
Sampedro was a "true self-made man" who owned his own drilling business, said a GoFundMe for his funeral expenses.
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"Joe and his crew were trained, experienced and always fully committed to safety on the job when this horrible accident happened. He and his workers were doing what they loved, working in the Colorado sunshine and helping build the land they so loved," the page says.
Utilities would not identify the company operating the truck, but its boom read "Joe's Drilling, LLC." The truck also was registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation as Joe's Drilling, LLC.
Hey lived with Sampedro and occasionally helped with the business, his mother, Elizabeth, told KKTV. He loved animals and hoped to someday work as a veterinarian technician, she said.
His death was a severe blow, she said. "I go from crying hysterically to completely numb ... it just doesn't seem real."
She said she has yet to visit the memorial built by the Sampedro family but shares their pain."I know exactly what they're going through," she said.
Traffic stop leads to warrant & three charged for felony drug possession in Henry County
Traffic stop leads to warrant & three charged for felony drug possession in Henry County
HENRY COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) The Henry County Sheriff says a traffic stop on September 5 led to the arrest of a man wanted in Pittsylvania County and two others for felony drug possession.
According to the sheriff, on Thursday, officers with the HCSO Narcotics Interdiction Unit pulled over a black, Dodge Charger on Summit View Road driven by 30-year-old Keonta Shaquon Gravely from Martinsville.
Assisted by Narcotics K9 named Zajo, deputies allegedly found illegal firearms, suspected fentanyl, and an undisclosed amount of U.S. Currency during the stop. Deputies also learned that Gravely has been wanted in Pittsylvania County since 2015 for felony distribution of a Schedule I or II drug. Gravely was arrested and taken to the Henry County Adult Detention Center.
Sheriff charges shooting suspect with Malicious Wounding after barricade situation
The HCSO SWAT Team and Special Investigation Units then served search warrants at homes on Kimway Drive in Axton and Rosewood Avenue in Martinsville. The searches allegedly resulted in the seizure of over seven pounds of suspected methamphetamine, over five pounds of suspected marijuana, suspected fentanyl, three illegal firearms, multiple electronic devices, multiple digital scales, packaging materials, two vehicles, and over $10,000.00 in U.S. Currency.
Photo Credit: Henry County Sheriff
All items are believed to be associated with the distribution of narcotics and will be sent to the Virginia Department of Forensic Science for analysis.
The three people below have been arrested and charged with the following:
30-year-old Keonta Shaquon Gravely from Martinsville
Felony possess Schedule I or II drug (Fentanyl).
Felony possess a firearm while in possession of Schedule I or II drug.
46-year-old Calvin Wayne Hodges from Axton
Felony possess with intent to distribute a schedule I or II drug (methamphetamine).
41-year-old Mirian Alvarez from Axton Virginia
Felony possess with intent to distribute a Schedule I or II drug (methamphetamine).
Felony possess with intent to distribute (marijuana).
Felony possess a firearm while in possession of Schedule I or II Drugs.
Felony child endangerment.
Felony child endangerment.
All three are currently being held at the Henry County Adult Detention Center. The Henry County Sheriffs Office would also like to thank the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for their assistance in this incident.
The Henry County Sheriffs Office is dedicated to eradicating our communities of illegal narcotics and drug dealing and will always continue to be proactive in pursuing these individuals to keep Henry County a safe place to live and prosper. Henry County Sheriffs Office
If you have any information about narcotic trafficking operations are asked to contact the Henry County Sheriffs Office at (276) 638-8751 or Crime Stoppers at 63- CRIME (632-7463). The Crime Stoppers Program offers rewards of up to $2,500.00 for information related to a crime. The nature of the crime and the substance of the information provided determines the amount of reward paid.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) A Hopkins County candidate for the Kentucky State House received a celebrity endorsement after reaching out on TikTok.
Lloyd Smith is running for the District 4 Seat as the Democratic candidate, going up against incumbent Republican Wade Williams in November. Smith recently reached out to actress Rosie ODonnell on TikTok to ask for help running in a mostly red state.
ODonnell responded, endorsing his campaign, wishing him luck running for the house in deeply red Republican country. She also told her followers to check him out, and drop a donation if possible.
Williams won the seat in 2022.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
Cheryl Crazy Bull (Photo/Courtesy)
Guest Opinion. Its back to school time! Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) across the country are opening their doors to students as they get ready to start a new semester.
As we return to the classroom, I remember my own excitement seeing students walk through the doors at Northwest Indian College, a tribal college where I served as president for 10 years before joining the American Indian College Fund as president and CEO. I think back to my time at Sinte Gleska University and St. Francis Indian Schoolwhere the first day of school meant new textbooks and backpacksfor both the college and K-12 students. I remember the hot fall days.
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During this time of excitement about the new school year, I always think about how school wasnt always a positive experience for Native people. We have challenges today, but we often go to schools where there is an effort to support our identities. And we usually go home to our families. That wasnt the case for many of our relatives who went to boarding schools.
The U.S. Department of Interior released its second volume of the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Final Report this July. It provided a preliminary accounting of the number of American Indian children forcibly taken from their parents to attend the 451 federal boarding school sites located across 37 states or territories between 1819 and 1969. That totals a shocking estimate of 18,624 Native children to date.
Make no mistake. Attending school is not an accurate description of Native students experiences with a boarding school education.
Think about the scale of this plan. The government shipped young children, who were grandchildren, children, nephews, nieces, brothers, sisters, or cousins of people in our communities, far away from their families to attend schools that were more like prison camps. Our relatives were forced to cut ties with family and community and assimilate into western/mainstream culture. They were severely punished for speaking their languages, maintaining their spiritual practices, or demonstrating their values as Indigenous people. Often, they were unable to travel home. This was all part of the governments plan for the rupture of families and extinction of our communities and cultures.
The legacy of this sinister plan had a devastating impact on our ancestors, and we feel the consequences today. The report confirms that an estimated 973 American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children are known to have died attending these so-called schools. The numbers could be far greater.
Some people are hesitant to name generational trauma, but the boarding school legacy touches nearly every Native American. This painful episode in our nations history is something we cannot easily set aside. These abuses were perpetuated on our family members across several generations. The struggle with this knowledge continues to cause significant issues with physical and mental health in our communities.
This history is one of the reasons why tribally controlled education is so important and why our TCUs are so critical to the well-being of our communities. Tribal colleges are where our communities and families come together to heal. Their curricula, rooted in Native cultures and languages, immerse our people, from our elders to the youngest children, in cultural values, and support them as they learn in culturally appropriate ways.
TCUs are centers for gathering and sharing traditional Native ways with entire communities, providing services such as early childhood education, libraries, food services, computer centers, health services, gyms, and more.
Our mission at the American Indian College Fund is to provide Native people with access to higher education and to support the TCUs in their work. Its a partnership that works, and the data tells the storyin a 2019 Gallup Survey of tribal college and university alumni, we learned that 75% of TCU graduates serve their communities after graduation. In addition, they report greater wellness outcomes than non-TCU alumni and a greater sense of being supported by faculty and staff while attending a tribal college. The result of a positive, supportive learning environment is healthier students, Native families, and communities.
As difficult as it is to read the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Final Report, it marks a significant opportunity to illuminate the truth of Native histories in our country, and to advance national reconciliation and healing.
We believe education is the answer to healing the wounds of the past. With your support, we can continue to heal and create healthier, more sustainable Native communities, one student at a time, through a tribal college education.
We are thankful for you as you walk this path with us.
Cheryl Crazy Bull, Wacinyanpi Win (They Depend on Her), the President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, is a citizen of the Sicangu Lakota Nation. She has been in her position with the American Indian College Fund since 2012.
Na-Ja Marshall, a junior at Standing Rock Community School, speaks during a breakout session as part of the Tribal Leaders Summit in Bismarck on Sept. 4, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
Leaders of North Dakota tribal nations advocated this week for a Bureau of Indian Affairs youth police academy at Camp Grafton to help fill open law enforcement positions on tribal lands.
Lonna Jackson-Street, chair of the Spirit Lake Nation, said tribal nations desperately need more police training resources in North Dakota to address workforce shortages.
We have three officers, and that includes our chief, Jackson-Street said in an interview during the 27th annual Tribal Leaders Summit in Bismarck. And were pretty close to 450,000 acres.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2020 opened a U.S. Indian Police Academy Advanced Training Center at the North Dakota National Guards Camp Grafton near Devils Lake. It is a complement to the central BIA law enforcement training facility in Artesia, New Mexico.
Jamie Azure, tribal chair for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, said it costs a lot of money to send tribal members out of state to receive the federal officer training.
If we can do that locally, and we dont have to pull people away from their families for long amounts of time because they want to serve our people, thats the least we can do for our officers, Azure said.
Participants in the Tribal Leaders Summit advocated for a BIA training academy at Camp Grafton for high school students who are interested in law enforcement careers.
Obviously funding is always an issue, but I think together, if this is the next step for North Dakota tribes, I think collectively we can come up with some kind of solution, Jackson-Street said.
Gary Marshall, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, facilitated a discussion on a potential BIA youth police academy, highlighting his grandson, Na-Ja Marshall, a junior at Standing Rock Community School who finished his youth academy training in Oklahoma.
Na-Ja Marshall said he hopes to become a K-9 officer with the BIA after he graduates in 2026. Hes taking dual credit classes so he expects to graduate high school with a two-year criminal justice degree as well as his diploma.
Na-Ja Marshall also hopes to inspire some of his classmates to join tribal law enforcement.
I have been talking to the Standing Rock Community School to get kids interested in joining it, he said.
In a statement, U.S. Sen. John Hoeven said he helped secure the initial $2.5 million for the BIA training program at Camp Grafton after hearing about law enforcement shortages from tribal leaders.
We have not yet been contacted by the tribes regarding adding a youth component to the Camp Grafton ATC program, Hoeven said. We would be open to working on this and other proposals to continue addressing law enforcement needs in Indian country.
The BIA director at Camp Grafton did not return a message seeking comment Thursday. A spokesman for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs did not return emails seeking comment this week.
During a breakout session at the summit, Mac Schneider, U.S. attorney for the District of North Dakota, also highlighted law enforcement workforce shortages on tribal lands.
Only about one-third of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribes tribal police force is staffed, he said.
No one would stand for that if this was a local police force, Schneider said. This is a very untenable situation and I wish I could advocate before Congress, but Id get in trouble if I do that. But I also think if Im not bringing attention to the lack of law enforcement resources in Indian Country, then Im not doing my job.
Schneider said partnerships between BIA, tribal nations and the state of North Dakota could provide some additional law enforcement resources, but those requests must be made by tribal leadership. He said he thinks a youth police academy at Camp Grafton would go a long way to inspiring more young people to pursue careers in law enforcement.
Anything that gets young people interested in public safety and a career in law enforcement, thats a good thing, Schneider said.
South Dakota tribal leaders also have advocated for additional tribal policing courses, reported the South Dakota Searchlight. A new basic law enforcement training course was held this year in Pierre, with a focus on tribal recruits. The effort aims to cut down on expenses for tribal law enforcement and bring newly graduated officers back home to finish their training closer to their communities and families.
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Troopers sign final beams of new PSP Erie headquarters at topping off ceremony
(WJET/WFXP) Troopers from Pennsylvania State Police Troop E held a special ceremony Thursday as members signed the final beam of their new headquarters in Summit Township.
Troopers and construction workers held a topping off ceremony for the new headquarters on Oliver Road following the custom with newly constructed buildings.
Construction continues on new PSP Troop E headquarters
Customary for topping off ceremonies, troopers and others involved in the project signed the final high beam with a tree being placed on it so the building wouldnt be taller than the trees.
PSP said topping off ceremonies date back hundreds of years in America with it being believed that Indigenous Americans felt no building should be taller than the trees.
A moment to reflect Fallen Troop E officers honored at memorial service
A flag was also recently placed on the top beam as well as a sign of luck, prosperity and new growth.
Construction on the $33 million facility is expected to be completed in early 2026 and will combine the current Erie headquarters and Girard station housing over 100 troopers.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
Troubled past of shooter at Israeli consulate in Munich in focus
The flag of Israel flies in front of the Israeli Consulate General. Police shot down a suspicious person in Munich city center during a major operation near the Israeli Consulate General the day before. Matthias Balk/dpa
The 18-year-old Austrian gunman accused of attempting a terrorist attack on the Israeli consulate in Munich is believed to have had links to an Islamist group active in Syria, sources told dpa on Friday, as further details of the deadly incident emerged.
The teen, who was shot and killed by police officers near the consulate on Thursday morning, was investigated last year in Austria on suspicion of having become radicalized, but proceedings against him were dropped by authorities in Salzburg.
Sources close to the investigation told dpa early on Friday that the shooter may have had ties to the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which intelligence services say emerged in 2017 from the merger of a former al-Qaeda affiliate and several smaller militant Syrian groups.
Unlike al-Qaeda, which continues to plan attacks in the West, HTS largely focuses on Syria and aims to overthrow the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
Investigators in Munich believe the man had Islamist and anti-Semitic leanings, counter-terrorism prosecutor Gabriele Tilmann said on Friday, based off both the earlier Austrian probe and the circumstances of the attack itself.
The shooting took place on the 52nd 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, leading to widespread condemnation from Jewish and Israeli leaders.
Police search for motive
Tilmann said investigators are continuing to work to establish whether the shooter, an Austrian national of Bosnian origin, was involved in an organized network.
Bavarian law enforcement said the shooter had never been on their radar, but he had previously faced an investigation in his home region of Salzburg.
Authorities said on Friday that the teen first came to the attention of police after threatening and physically harming fellow pupils, before suspicions arose that he was interested in bomb-making and playing video games which included re-enactions of beheadings by Islamist groups.
Investigators searched the teenager's home but found no evidence of radicalization apart from a video from a computer game featuring an HTS symbol that he had recorded at the age of 14.
Austrian police did not discover any indication that the teenager was moving in Islamist circles, and the investigation into him was closed in April 2023.
The Austrian Interior Ministry on Friday said the shooter's father believed the teenager was mentally unstable and attempted to contact a psychologist.
The ministry said the 18-year-old was seen as a good student who became withdrawn during the coronavirus pandemic.
Following the attack, investigators again searched the shooter's house in the Austrian town of Neumarkt am Wallersee, north-east of Salzburg, where he lived with his parents.
Further details of shooting emerge
Details continued to emerge on Friday of the shooting, which led to a major police operation in central Munich with at least 500 personnel called to the scene.
The teen was shot dead by police after opening fire on five officers near the consulate in the southern German city.
Police chief of operations Christian Huber revealed that the man was ordered by police to lay down his weapon before the exchange of fire.
Huber said the gunman fired a total of nine shots at both buildings and police.
The Israeli consulate, as well as the nearby Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism, were both targets.
The attacker used a 19th century Swiss military rifle with a mounted bayonet. A package containing 50 rounds of ammunition was found in his car nearby.
German Muslim community denounces attack
No one else was injured in the attack, which was denounced by German and Israeli leaders on Thursday.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he was "shocked" and was in close contact with his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog, who thanked Munich police for their swift intervention and said: "Together we stand strong in the face of terror. Together we will overcome."
On Friday, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the leader of the global Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat community, also condemned the incident in Munich.
The community has official recognition in Germany and Masroor Ahmad said German Muslims were shocked and concerned at the developments.
"Such serious attacks are completely against the teachings of Islam. Our religion does not allow terrorism or extremism under any circumstances," the caliph added.
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 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
TROY, Ohio (WDTN) A manufacturing plant in Miami County has announced it is closing its doors.
On Sept. 4, Faurecia Exhaust Systems provided a WARN notice to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. In the notice, the company told the state of Ohio that it is closing in April 2025.
Plane diverted to Dayton International after flap issue
As a result of the closure, all 60 employees at the Troy location are being permanently laid off. Layoffs will reportedly occur in five waves, beginning on or around Nov. 4. The final round will be on or around April 1, 2025, according to the notice.
The companys website shows the plant makes products for the automotive industry.
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Truck driver injured in crash on Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Anne Arundel County
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) Police said the driver of a truck was hurt after they crashed on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Anne Arundel County early Friday morning.
The United States Park Police (USPP) told DC News Now that around 2 a.m., officers were notified of a single-vehicle crash involving a truck near Route 198.
According to the Maryland Department of Transportation, the tractor-trailer overturned and blocked lanes on the parkway.
WSSC Water lifts water restrictions for southern parts of Prince Georges County
Once on the scene, first responders took the driver to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
For several hours, traffic on the BW Parkway was delayed.
As of 8:17 a.m., the USPP said one lane was closed as crews worked to remove the truck from the crash site.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Donald Trumps plot to virtually hand control of the government to his rich financiers if hes elected came into clearer view Thursday when he said he would tap Elon Musk (of all people) to run a new agency focused on government efficiency.
I will create a government efficiency commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government, he said during a speech at the Economic Club of New York, adding Musk has agreed to head that task force.
Musk the billionaire head of several companies, including Tesla and SpaceX pitched the commission to Trump last month during their conversation on X, Musk's social media platform, and said he would be interested in serving on it.
I think it would be great to just have a government efficiency commission that ensures that the taxpayer money is spent in a good way, Musk said. (Note: Tesla and SpaceX has received billions in taxpayer dollars, according to CNN, which I presume he considers a good use of such funds.)
But lets be real: The idea of Musk, whose pro-Trump super PAC has raised millions of dollars, leading any entity focused on efficiency is unsettling considering how inefficiently and chaotically he seems to run his companies. The thought of him leading an agency focused on government efficiency is downright horrifying.
Tesla announced more than a million vehicle recalls over defective parts this year alone, reached a settlement with one Black employee over racial discrimination claims, and faces a class-action lawsuit from thousands of other Black employees who say the company knowingly fostered a workplace in which Jim Crow-style racism is commonplace. That trial will begin next year. Tesla, for the record, has said it doesnt tolerate discrimination and that it has fired employees found to have engaged in racism.
Musks management of his social media platform X has also been tumultuous since he took it over in 2022, a period that's seen a rise in hate speech on the site and a raft of technical issues with the platform as he issued mass firings. And animal testing conducted by his brain-chip company Neuralink has produced some truly gruesome results. None of this inspires confidence that Musk has any clue how to run a government effectively, as Trump wants us to believe.
What it seems to show, though, is that Trump is so desperate to win in November, and so shameless in his efforts to curry favor with the rich donors who could help him do so, that hes willing to sell the U.S. government for parts to any big spender who backs him.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
(NewsNation) Former President Donald Trump will be in a New York City courtroom Friday to hear oral arguments in his appeal of the decision holding him liable for sexually abusing columnist E. Jean Carroll, two sources have told NewsNation.
A jury found Trump liable in the case in May of last year, and the panel awarded Carroll a total of $83.3 million. At the time, Trump called the ruling a disgrace and vowed to appeal. In April, the judge rejected Trumps bid for a new trial.
Battleground states hit with barrage of campaign ads
Its not the only legal proceeding involving Trump in New York on Friday. Judge Juan Merchan has told the prosecution and defense that he will announce his decision whether to delay the sentencing in Trumps criminal hush money conviction.
Trump is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18 on the 34 counts of falsifying business records linked to payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
The Trump campaign also announced that Trump will hold a news conference Friday at Trump Tower in Manhattan.
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NEW YORK Former President Donald Trump, frustrated by the state of the race and his continued legal troubles, on Friday sought to claim the spotlight for himself.
Wedging a hastily called press conference into an otherwise packed day of campaign events and court-related issues, he angrily complained to reporters inside the lobby of Trump Tower about his appeal in a sex abuse and defamation case. He criticized his legal teams performance. Trump accused the moderators of the upcoming ABC debate of being unfair and slammed Harris for not addressing reporters as often as he has.
This is a disgraceful case and disgraceful, in particular, because it is about a former president of the United States who is now leading in the polls to be the president again, Trump said, before proceeding to voluntarily rehash salacious details of the sexual assault allegations he has denied.
I feel sad, Trump added, that I have to come up here and explain it.
After saying he would be discussing Fridays jobs report, which was weaker than expected, Trump only briefly mentioned the topic after speaking for 45 minutes, then quickly touching on migration and migrant crime before ending his remarks. Most of his comments centered on the civil and criminal cases against him. Those prosecutions also galvanized Republican allies and voters to support the former president, while his campaign frequently sent fundraising emails highlighting his ongoing legal troubles.
This is a long and complicated web and story and it goes back to the DOJ, Kamala, Sleepy Joe and all the rest of them. We have a whole rigged election system, Trump said. We had a trial today. It's an appeal of a ridiculous verdict of a woman I have never met.
Standing at a lectern flanked by his lawyers, Trump was clearly agitated as he discussed his appearance in court earlier Friday morning and said he was disappointed in his legal team. His lawyers had asked a federal appeals court to overturn a $5 million verdict finding him liable for sexually assaulting and defaming E. Jean Carroll, a writer who accused the former president of sexually assaulting her. Trump has denied the accusations.
I have all this legal talent, but legal talent cannot overcome rigged judges, they cant overcome a 4 percent Republican area. Im disappointed in my legal talent, Ill be honest with you, Trump said. Theyre good, theyre good people, theyre talented people, but today at the trial they didnt mention the dress. A Monica Lewinsky type dress was a big part of the trial. I said, why didnt you mention that?
Shortly after he finished speaking, Trump received word from another New York court the judge presiding over his criminal hush-money trial this spring, when he was found guilty on 34 counts that his sentencing in the case will be delayed until after the election. And Friday afternoon, Trump was set to fly down to speak to police officers in North Carolina a state that has become much tighter for him since Harris ascended to the top of the ticket.
Trumps 50-minute, often rambling speech billed as a press conference, though he took no questions from reporters was the latest of several media events he has held in recent weeks as he has worked to reclaim his lead in the race, and to steal the spotlight back from Harris. The vice president has enjoyed favorable polling, a fundraising windfall and large, energetic crowds even as she has largely avoided speaking to the news media.
While Harris, with her running mate Tim Walz in tow, sat for a single interview with CNN last week, Trump has continued to take part in a flurry of interviews both with conservative and traditional media outlets. His running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, also regularly takes questions from reporters during campaign events.
During Trumps Friday press event, two of his attorneys, Will Scharf and Alina Habba, came to the lectern to discuss the case.
You must vote Donald Trump back in, Habba said as Trump looked on. The DOJ is supposed to help our country and protect us, not attack us because you cannot win in the polls.
Trump went on an extended rant against two women, Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff, who had testified against Trump in the Carroll case. He appeared to look down at notes handwritten in Sharpie pen to reference information about the women. Trumps lawyers argued in an appeal that their witness testimony was improperly admitted to the trial.
At one point, Trump described allegations made by Leeds that he grabbed her and started kissing her and making out with her on an airplane in the 1970s as implausible, mentioning he was already very famous by then.
What are the chances of that happening? Trump said, then added, frankly, I know youre going to say it is a terrible thing to say, but it couldnt have happened, it didn't happen, and she would not have been the chosen one.
She has gone around for years saying this story, and its a total lie. Now, I assume she will sue me now for defamation like E. Jean Carroll, Trump said.
With Donald Trump sitting in the courtroom, a federal appeals court in New York appeared skeptical Friday of the former president's push for a new civil trial in the 2023 defamation and assault case brought by the writer by E. Jean Carroll, telling the defense it would be "very hard" to overturn the jury's verdict.
Trump, seated alone in court, said nothing during the short proceeding but warmly greeted sketch artist Jane Rosenberg upon entering the room. He did not appear to make eye contact with Carroll, seated just feet away.
A jury last May found Trump should pay $5 million for defaming and sexually assaulting Carroll in the mid-1990s in a department store dressing room, an outcome his attorney argued should not stand.
MORE: Trump denies sexual assault claim of accuser by saying he wouldnt have 'chosen' her
Trump attorney D. John Sauer called it "a quintessential 'he said, she said' case" that was "funded and encouraged by Donald Trump's political enemies" and a "textbook example of implausible allegations being propped up by highly inflammatory, inadmissible propensity evidence."
Judge Danny Chin cut Sauer short, saying, "It's very hard to overturn a jury verdict based on evidentiary rulings ... so why should we order a new trial here?"
Sauer reiterated his claim that there was "error in the admission" of the infamous "Access Hollywood tape," on which Trump is heard boasting of grabbing women, as well as the testimony of two women who alleged Trump assaulted them decades ago, which he denies.
One of those women, Jessica Leeds, had testified that Trump grabbed her chest and ran his hand up her skirt as they sat side-by-side in first class on a New York City-bound flight in the 1970s. Sauer argued Friday that it was "manifestly erroneous" to have allowed the jury to hear the testimony because what Trump was accused of doing was not explicitly considered a crime at the time.
PHOTO: Attorney John Sauer, center, presents arguments for former President Donald Trump, right, as E. Jean Carroll, second from right, looks on in Manhattan federal court, Sept. 6, 2024, in New York. (Jane Rosenberg/AP)
Roberta Kaplan, an attorney for Carroll, suggested some of the arguments raised by Sauer overcomplicated the matters before the appellate panel, framing a dispute about the relevance of sexual assault case law as "too many lawyers trying to screw in a lightbulb." She argued that the testimony showed Trump's alleged propensity to assault women.
"He had a pattern of, kind of, pleasant chatting with a woman and then out of nowhere he would, for lack of a better term, pounce," Kaplan said -- prompting Trump, sitting at the defense table, to shake his head "no."
At one point during the oral argument Judge Chin chided Sauer, who was racing through his presentation, telling the attorney, "You're speaking so fast. Why don't you slow down a little bit?"
"It's an important case and I'm passionate about it," Sauer replied.
Trump, following the hearing, ignored a shouted question from ABC News about whether he was satisfied with his lawyer's argument.
The former president's appearance in the courtroom, in front of a three-judge panel of the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, was voluntary, not mandatory.
PHOTO: Writer E. Jean Carroll leaves at the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Sept. 6, 2024, in New York. (Adam Gray/Reuters)
The panel did not immediately issue a ruling. Judge Myron Perez said the case would be taken under advisement.
Later Friday, in remarks to reporters, Trump again called Carroll's accusations "a made-up fabricated story by somebody just looking to promote a book" and said, "I would have had no interest in meeting her."
Kaplan, listening to Trump repeat some of the same statements that jurors found defamatory, told ABC News, "I've said it before and Ill say it again: All options are on the table."
Carroll, who brought her lawsuit in November 2022, alleged that Trump defamed her in a 2022 Truth Social post by calling her allegations "a Hoax and a lie" and saying, "This woman is not my type!" when he denied her claim that Trump raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s.
The former Elle magazine columnist added a charge of battery under a New York law that allowed adult survivors of sexual abuse to sue their alleged attacker regardless of the statute of limitations. Trump has denied all allegations that he assaulted Carroll or defamed her.
PHOTO: People protest against former President Donald Trump before his arrival to the New York Federal Court, Sept. 6, 2024, in New York. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP)
"I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHO THIS WOMAN IS," Trump posted to his Truth Social platform following the verdict last May. "THIS VERDICT IS A DISGRACE - A CONTINUATION OF THE GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME!"
Trump is also appealing the outcome of a separate case by Carroll, related to the same allegations, in which a jury awarded her $83 million in damages.
Judges appear skeptical as Trump seeks new trial in E. Jean Carroll case originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
NEW YORK (NewsNation) Lawyers for former President Donald Trump presented arguments in a New York City courtroom Friday to overturn the decision holding him liable for sexually abusing columnist E. Jean Carroll.
Trump didnt acknowledge Caroll or look at her as he passed right in front of her on the way in and out, but he shook his head at points, such as when Carrolls attorney said he sexually attacked her.
He watched as one of his attorneys, D. Joh Sauer, told a panel of three 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges that the civil trial in Carrolls lawsuit was muddied by improper evidence.
This case is a textbook example of implausible allegations being propped up by highly inflammatory, inadmissible evidence, Sauer said, noting that the jury was allowed to consider such items as the Access Hollywood tape in which Trump boasted years ago about grabbing womens genitals.
Roberta Kaplan, Carrolls lawyer, said the evidence in question was proper, and that there was plenty of proof in the nearly two-week-long trial of Carrolls claim that Trump attacked her in a luxury department store dressing room decades ago.
E. Jean Carroll brought this case because Donald Trump sexually assaulted her in 1996, in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, and then defamed her in 2022 by claiming that she was crazy and made the whole thing up, Kaplan said.
The three-judge panel said theyd consider the arguments before concluding the hearing. The court is unlikely to issue a ruling before Novembers presidential election.
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I have no idea who she is: Trump
After the hearing, Trump reiterated his previous claims that hes never met Carroll and that she fabricated the story about being attacked to sell a new book.
Its an appeal of a ridiculous verdict of a woman I have never met. I dont know. I have no idea who she is. She wrote a book and made a ridiculous story up. She put it in her book and were now appealing the decision, Trump said.
Jury awarded E. Jean Carroll $5 million
Caroll claims Trump attacked her in a department store dressing room in 1996. That jury awarded Carroll $5 million last year.
Trump, who has denied attacking Carroll, did not attend the May 2023 trial and has expressed regret he was not there.
In January, a second jury found Trump liable in the case and the panel awarded Carroll another $83.3 million in damages for comments Trump made about her while he was president, finding they were defamatory. At the time, Trump called the ruling a disgrace and vowed to appeal.
Trump testified for less than three minutes at the trial and was not permitted to refute conclusions reached by the May 2023 jury. In April, the judge rejected Trumps bid for a new trial.
Harris readies for debate as Trump says little prep needed
E. Jean Carrolls testimony
Carroll, 80, testified during both trials that her life as an Elle magazine columnist was spoiled by Trumps public comments, which she said ignited such hate against her that she received death threats and feared going outside the upstate New York cabin where she lives.
Lawyers for Trump said in court papers that he deserves a new trial in part because the trial judge, Lewis A. Kaplan, permitted two other women to testify about similar acts of sex abuse they say Trump committed against them in the 1970s and in 2005.
They also argued that Kaplan wrongly disallowed evidence that Carroll lied during her deposition, and other evidence they say would reveal bias and motives to lie for Carroll and other witnesses against Trump. The verdict, they wrote, was unjust and erroneous, resulting from flawed and prejudicial evidentiary rulings.
Trumps lawyers also challenged repeated airing at trial of an Access Hollywood videotape from 2005 in which Trump is heard saying that he sometimes just starts kissing beautiful women and when youre a star they let you do it. He also said that a star can grab womens genitals because You can do anything.
In their written arguments, Carrolls lawyers said Trump was wrongly demanding a do-over based on unfounded sweeping complaints of unfairness and other distortions of the record, misstatements or misapplications of the law, and a steadfast disregard of the district courts reasoning.
NewsNation digital producer Rich Johnson and 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.
NEW YORK Around an hour after former President Donald Trump appeared in a New York courtroom on Friday to challenge a civil jurys findings that he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll, the GOP presidential nominee appeared to defame her once again.
In comments to reporters at a Trump Tower press conference at which he did not take questions, Trump claimed Carroll fabricated the sexual assault he was found liable for in May 2023, looking to promote a book.
I should be suing her for defamation, Trump charged. I never touched her.
The former president is on the hook for more than $88 million in damages awarded to Carroll for the 1996 assault and near-identical comments he made about the advice columnist during his time in the White House and after.
Ive said it before and Ill say it again: all options are on the table, Carrolls attorney, Roberta Kaplan, told the Daily News when asked for her reaction to Trumps continued characterizations of Carroll as a liar.
Arguing before the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals earlier Friday, Trumps appellate lawyer, John Sauer who also got a tongue-lashing from Trump at the press conference sought to overturn the jurys May 9, 2023, verdict finding him liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a Bergdorf Goodman changing room and defaming her on Truth Social after his presidency. The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.
Sauer argued that Carrolls case was a textbook example of implausible allegations propped up by inflammatory, inadmissible evidence, including allegations levied by witnesses for Carroll Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff that Trump subjected them to unwanted sexual contact in 1979 and 2005, respectively, as well as the Access Hollywood tape, in which he bragged about having license to molest women.
Sauer, in particular, took issue with the jury hearing Leeds allegations that Trump groped her on an airplane, arguing that was not a crime in 1979.
He also alleged Carroll was being funded and encouraged by Trumps political enemies, prompting one of the judges to interrupt him and note that was not relevant to the appeal.
E. Jean Carroll brought this case because Donald Trump sexually assaulted her in 1996, Kaplan countered when she stood before the panel, prompting Trump to perk up and look toward the window suddenly. And then defamed her in 2022 by claiming that she was crazy and made the whole thing up.
In response to Sauers arguments about Leeds testimony, Carrolls lawyer said simple assault on an aircraft was a crime in 1979.
It was a crime then to grope someone on a plane. It is a crime today to grope someone on a plane, Kaplan said.
Carrolls lawyer further argued that Leeds allegations closely resembled Carrolls and what former People reporter Stoynoff told the jury about Trump sticking his tongue down her throat when they were alone together when she interviewed him and his then-new wife, Melania, at Mar-a-Lago.
He had a pattern of pleasant chatting with a woman and then, all of a sudden out of nowhere he would, for lack of a better term, pounce, Kaplan said.
Kaplan noted that Trump didnt make any effort to fight the evidence he complained of when the case went on trial.
He was given every opportunity to take the stand and rebut all this evidence, Kaplan said. He did not present one witness.
Clad in his signature navy blue suit and a bright red tie, Trump, who was not required to attend Fridays hearing, ambled into the 17th-floor courtroom at the Thurgood Marshall federal courthouse by Foley Square at around 9:55 a.m. He and Carroll did not look at one another as he walked past her or during the arguments that lasted less than 30 minutes.
The three-judge panel appeared skeptical of Trumps legal positions, with Justice Denny Chin at one point telling Sauer it was very hard to overturn a jurys verdict based on a judges evidentiary rulings in asking him why the appeals court should give Trump a new trial.
The panel did not issue a ruling and likely will not before the presidential election on Nov. 5.
Carroll, 80, a longtime advice columnist, testified for almost three days of the spring 2023 trial, emotionally recounting the attack and the death threats and abuse shed faced after speaking out.
She said the incident occurred after she and Trump bumped into each other by the Fifth Ave luxury department stores revolving doors, and he invited her to help him pick out lingerie for an unnamed girlfriend.
The writer said the situation took a dark turn when they reached the changing rooms on an unoccupied floor, where Trump closed the door, pushed her against a wall, and started kissing her without consent.
Carroll said Trump became increasingly violent and molested her with his hand before pulling down her tights and raping her. Jurors determined Carrolls lawyers did not prove by a majority of the evidence that Trump raped her.
The suit filed in November 2022 was the second of two Carroll brought against Trump and among the first filed under the Adult Survivors Act, historic legislation that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations to bring sex assault claims in New York for one year.
A short time after the trial, Manhattan federal court Judge Lewis Kaplan found Trump liable in Carrolls separate defamation lawsuit against Trump brought in 2020 which accused him of defaming her when he was president. Trump bogged that case down for years by unsuccessfully invoking presidential immunity.
In January, a second jury that only considered damages determined Trump owed Carroll an additional $83.3 million for the comments he made as president, which accused her of lying about the assault to sell a book.
Trump attended that trial and spent less than three minutes on the stand, during which he wasnt permitted to deny the assault or that he had defamed Carroll. He is also appealing the outcomes of that lawsuit.
_______
Guest Opinion. As I approach Elder status, I recognize that people make mistakes with the words they use. Im also learning a traditional teaching of grace and forgiveness. However, being objectified and relegated to a less than human stereotype or caricature is not a new phenomena for American Indian/Alaska Natives to have endured. We have evolved as a society well past such racism.
Racial epitaphs such as, drunken Indian, lazy Indian, and derogatory sayings like, the only good Indian, is a dead Indian have long been used to dehumanize and diminish us. Manifest Destiny ideologies that would have you believe we were in need of saving and assimilation tactics to convert the savages was official federal Indian policy. This has been so aptly chronicled in the Newland Reports I and II on the impact of federal Indian boarding schools. The impacts of historical and intergenerational trauma are borne out in the US Commission on Civil Rights, Broken Promises Report.
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 recent revelations of Trump-backed GOP Montana Senate candidate Tim Sheehys characterization of American Indians as drunk at 8am is an example of how some harken back to the good old days when America was great - a time when American Indians were in need of civilizing or a period before American Indians were granted the right to vote. Some relish a time when American Indians were not considered American citizens and women, and African Americans were not permitted to vote. Is this when America was great?
While we recognize we are at the 100th anniversary of American Indian citizenship per the Snyder Act of 1924, its a mistake to perceive this as an anniversary worth celebrating as it is so offensive America's first people were the last to be granted citizenship. Further, enactment of Indian citizenship did not guarantee American Indians the right to vote. Not withstanding the 1964 Civil Rights Act, we still face strident racism in voter suppression.
Arizonas recently republican legislature enacted a citizenship test to vote in federal elections. I wonder if this is due to Arizona turning blue in the 2020 Presidential race as the Native vote in Arizona is 14% of the total voter population. The Native populations in Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, North Carolina, Colorado and I would argue Georgia are proportionally larger than the margins of victory in presidential elections in 2016 and 2020, such that the candidates unforced errors in calling us, drunken Indian may just seal a candidates fate.
Senator Tester has long been an ally of Indian Country. As chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, he staffed up the committee with some of the brightest and best talent from Indian Country. He is a known-quantity to Montana Natives. His opponents derogatory references to nearly a 100,000 Native voters may end up being the unforced error that determines the outcome of the Montana Senate race. Its hard to say in the untenable era of open racism given permission by some Presidential candidates.
Finally, there is a lot at stake in this election. Given the Native vote and the blue wall in 2020 likely as determined by the Native Vote in Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and other states may very well mean draconian measures or out right retribution is on the horizon. You dont need to take my word here, look to candidate platforms as it relates to the treaty and trust obligation and in protecting our tribal sovereignty. Natives should vote in our own best interest no matter the candidate or partisanship. While grace and forgiveness are traditional teachings, an acknowledgment and apology for characterizing Natives as drunken Indians is a necessary first step. Im not, however, optimistic such an apology is forthcoming from Montana Senate candidate Sheehy.
Dr. Aaron Payment is the former chairperson of the Sault Ste. Marie of Chippewa Indians. He is currently sits on the Tribe's Tribal Council.
About the Author: ""
Contact: apayment@nativenewsoline.net
Donald Trump may have opened himself up to even more charges of defamation by author E. Jean Carroll and probably pissed off his lawyers in the process.
On Friday, the former president attended court in New York to appeal a 2023 verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll, who alleged that Trump sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room in the 90s.
Following the in-court proceedings, Trump delivered a nearly hour-long rant to reporters from Trump Tower in Manhattan, repeating accusations against Carroll that have been ruled defamatory by the court.
Trump called the trial a set up and a rigged deal, claiming that he never met Carroll and that she wrote a book and she made a ridiculous story up.
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1832081625942741095
The former president also suggested that a photo of him meeting Carroll may have been AI-generated.
Ive never met the woman other than this picture which could have been AI-generated. I dont know, it showed up out of nowhere, Trump said, bragging that he was too famous at the time to enter a department store and assault a woman without it making headlines.
Total phony story, he added.
https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1832085852329296267
Trump also brought up a second woman, Jessica Leeds, who has accused him of sexually assaulting her on a flight in the late 1970s. What are the chances of that happening, Trump said. It couldnt have happened, it didnt happen, and she would not have been the chosen one.
Trump also added that he was disappointed in his legal team following their day in court to appeal the Carroll verdict.
Im disappointed in my legal talent, Ill be honest with you, he said as his lawyers stood awkwardly behind him. Theyre good, theyre good people, theyre talented people, he added, questioning why his attorneys hadnt mentioned a Monica Lewinsky-type dress he suggested would have greatly affected his case.
https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1832092123082129428
At one point Trump also claimed that his lawyers had advised him not to show up to the trial despite his desire to do so. The former president said he didnt even know when the trial was, and seemed confused about whether or not he was still in office at the time.
Trump has been ordered by the courts to pay a combined $88 million in damages to Carroll between two civil cases filed by the author. After initially being ordered to pay Carroll $5 million last May, a judge ruled in a second civil lawsuit that the former president had continued to defame Carroll publicly to the tune of $83 million in damages. In April, a federal judge rejected Trumps bid for a new trial in the case.
Despite the massive financial penalties, Trump has continued to attack Carroll in public and online, and her attorneys are willing to continue pursuing restitution for defamation until he stops.
Ive said before and Ill say it again: all options are on the table, Carrolls attorney, Roberta Kaplan, told reporters following Trumps press conference on Friday.
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Trump in court as his lawyers make appeals plea to have his $5m E Jean Carroll verdict sent back for new trial
This courtroom sketch show former president Donald Trump (right) looking at his lawyer during oral arguments at the Second Circuit Appeals Court on Friday (REUTERS)
Former president Donald Trump appeared in a New York City courthouse Friday morning as his lawyer argued that the evidence used in the E Jean Carroll sexual abuse case should be set aside.
At the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, attorney John Sauer spent approximately 10 minutes asserting that the evidence used in the case where Trump was found liable of sexual abuse was highly inadmissible and Trump should be given a new trial.
It was a quintessential he-said-she-said case, Sauer said, claiming the accusations, and some witnesses, were politically motivated.
Sauers argument is part of Trumps appeal of the $5 million verdict in the first Carroll v. Trump trial.
Former President Donald Trump's motorcade arrives at the New York Federal Court on Friday (AP)
In May 2023, a jury found the former president liable for sexually abusing Carroll in the dressing room of a Bergdorf Goodmans in 1996.
But the panel of judges appeared skeptical of Sauers argument.
Judge Denny Chin warned Sauer about the uphill battle the former president faces in his appeal.
"Its very hard to overturn a jury verdict based on evidentiary rulings, Judge Chin said. So why should we order a new trial here?"
Carroll, a former magazine writer, accused the former president of pinning her against the wall of the dressing room and forcibly groping her.
Trump vehemently denied the accusation, claiming he never met Carroll, despite the two being photographed together in the late 1980s. In return, Carroll sued Trump for defamation, saying his denial of the event while serving as President of the United States, damaged her reputation.
A courtroom sketch shows Donald Trump (far right), E Jean Carroll (second from right), attorney Roberta Kaplan (center right) and Trump lawyer John Sauer (center left) at the Second Circuit Appeals Court on Friday (REUTERS)
Despite the jury finding Trump liable for sexual abuse, he continued to deny the allegations.
Earlier this year, a jury found Trump liable of defamation again, awarding Carroll $83.3 million in damages. Fridays oral arguments did not have to do with that case.
Carroll also appeared at the federal court in New York City for the short oral arguments. Her attorney, Roberta Kaplan, disputed Sauers arguments saying the case involved routine application of the rules of evidence.
Carroll arrives at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals for oral arugments in Donald Trumps appeal of the $5m verdict (REUTERS)
Both sides spent approximately 20 minutes going back and forth over the specific evidence used in the case, including the Access Hollywood tape and witness testimony from women who launched similar accusations against Trump.
The fast-talking Sauer argued that the judge who oversaw the case, Judge Lewis Kaplan (no relation to Roberta Kaplan), erred in allowing some of that evidence.
He also said that Judge Kaplan restricted cross-examination of witnesses.
Kaplan argued that some of the evidence was properly admitted because Trump had the opportunity to defend himself in court but refused. During the first Carroll trial, the former president did not attend proceedings and chose not to take the stand.
The panel of judges on the Second Circuit will decide at a later date if Trump should be given a new trial.
Former president Donald Trump held a press conference at Trump Tower on Friday after his lawyer delivered oral arguments in his appeal to the E Jean Carroll verdict. Pictured behind him is Alina Habba, his lawyer who represented him in the second Carroll trial. (EPA)
Minutes after oral arguments wrapped up on Friday morning, the former president headed to Trump Tower where he gave a press conference about the appeal and rambled about his other criminal and civil cases, the Biden administration, Carrolls allegations, his campaign and more.
Despite two separate juries finding the former president liable for defaming Carroll by claiming her story was made up and he never met her, he repeated those falsehoods.
Its an appeal of a ridiculous verdict of a woman I have never met, Trump said.
She wrote a book and made a ridiculous story up, he added. This is a disgraceful case, its about a former president of the United States who is now leading in the polls to be president again.
Donald Trump joked about the brutal 2022 attack on Nancy Pelosis husband in a speech to the Fraternal Order of Police on Friday.
Nancy Pelosi has a big wall wrapped around her house. Of course, it didn't help too much with the problems she had, did it? the former president said, referring to a break-in at Pelosis home in which a Canadian conspiracy theorist David DePape struck Paul Pelosi with a hammer in an attempted kidnapping of the former speaker of the House.
The crass jab earned some awkward chuckles from police officers in attendance. It came as Trump was criticizing Democratic politicians for having security at their homes.
They live in safety, in many cases behind walls, you know that? Trump said, after accusing Democratic politicians of forc[ing] anarchy on the American people.
Nancy Pelosi condemned political violence after Trump was shot by would-be assassin Thomas Crooks in July. She noted in a statement that she knew firsthand the harms that come from politically motivated acts of terror.
Prosecutors revealed Trump-inspired anti-government writings on his DePape's blog while building their case against him following the attack. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison in May.
In the speech, Trump also slammed an alleged uptick in crime in his hometown of New York City, despite his announcement that hed sent his son Barron Trump to New York University on Wednesday.
The new thing in New York, you go to a pharmacy to buy aspirin, to buy a toothbrush, and it takes you 45 minutes to get a clerk to open up the glass, because people are walking in and just taking as much as they want, Trump said, adding that city residents couldnt leave their apartment without getting mugged.
Donald Trump will now be sentenced for his hush-money case on November 26, more than three weeks after the presidential election. This is a massive victory for the convicted felon.
Judge Juan Merchan in a four-page decision ruled that the delay should help relieve any concerns that sentencing would influence the November election.
Unfortunately, we are now at a place in time that is fraught with complexities rendering the requirements of a sentencing hearing, should one be necessary, difficult to execute, Merchan said in his ruling.
This is not a decision this Court makes lightly but is the decision which in this Courts view best advances the interests of justice, Merchan added.
The cases sentencing ran into some procedural issues after the Supreme Courts ruling on presidential immunity in July. New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan ominously warned just after the ruling that a sentence may never come, initially delaying the sentencing hearing until September 18.
In a court filing last month, Trumps defense team asked Merchan to delay sentencing until after the November elections, claiming that Merchan had appearances of impropriety due to his daughters work for Democratic political candidates. Trump unsuccessfully pushed for Merchans recusal three times, only to be rebuffed.
Trump ally Andrew Bailey, the Missouri attorney general, sued the state of New York on his behalf, appealing to the Supreme Court following its immunity ruling to delay the former presidents sentencing. The long-shot effort failed, as the high court declined to postpone the hearing.
Bailey was also seeking to have Trumps gag order in the case fully lifted, but the court similarly denied that request. The order had been partially lifted in June, allowing Trump to talk about the witnesses and jurors in the case, but hes still barred from talking about court staff, prosecutors, Merchan and his family, and others connected to the case.
Trump still has attempted to skirt the gag order, which could worsen his sentence. He had his political allies act as surrogates to criticize the people he couldnt, even editing their words at times. Some politicians, such as Representatives Bob Good and Lauren Boebert, admitted that they traveled to Trumps Manhattan trial for this reason. Trump also criticized one of the prosecutors in the case without mentioning his name. And there are the 10 documented violations of the gag order, which Merchan has already punished Trump for to the tune of $10,000 in fines.
Trump was found guilty in May on 34 felony charges for allegedly falsifying business records with the intent to further an underlying crime in the first degree. The Republican presidential nominee covered up his affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election with help from his fixer at the time, Michael Cohen. Merchans decision means that Trump will not face consequences at least until the end of November, if at all.
This story has been updated.
(Bloomberg) -- Back in 2016, it was evident that Vladimir Putin was Team Trump. Top Kremlin officials cracked open champagne bottles in the early hours of Nov. 9 as the businessman-turned-politician emerged as the surprise victor in the US election.
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When it comes to determining where the Russian leader stands today, there is no easy answer. US intelligence seems certain he wants Donald Trump back in the White House. Putin, meanwhile is reveling in making cryptic comments that often double as needling observations: such as when he praised Joe Biden for his age and experience, or now Kamala Harris for her infectious laughter.
The view that has crystallized in Moscow, according to five people familiar with the latest thinking in the Kremlin, is that there really isnt much reason to raise a glass this time around if Trump returns.
If the Kremlin could have picked their ideal scenario, it would have been another Biden term because he was more predictable and easier to read, two of the people said. That means that if there were any efforts toward ending Russias war on Ukraine, it would be simpler with Biden than with someone with a history of tearing up deals.
Russia doesnt care so much who wins, but that doesnt mean its indifferent to the outcome. For example, if Harris were to win narrowly, and Trump contested the result, the ensuing paralysis would likely be welcome news.
The idea that Russia could meddle with Western democracies via social media was surprising in 2016 when, according to a US Senate Intelligence Committee report, two Kremlin-directed operatives who spread misinformation during the US election uncorked the bubbly and toasted themselves as they celebrated the result: We made America great!
Now, its standard practice. The methods have become more sophisticated, harder to pin down as have the desired outcomes by those trying to sway results.
While there is no love lost for Harris, the assessment of how beneficial Trumps four years were for Moscow is mixed. He issued a slew of sanctions targeting Russian oligarchs and enterprises as well as the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe.
With tensions between the Cold War rivals at their worst point in decades amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, whoever occupies the Oval Office is unlikely to help warm things up much, the people said.
Who is better or worse is hard to say, said Fyodor Lukyanov, head of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, a think tank which advises the Kremlin. We may end up remembering Biden with fondness because he was very cautious and constantly assessed the risks.
Even after Putin triggered the deepest rift with the US since the Cold War by attacking Ukraine in February 2022, Biden still kept limits on the types of weapons supplied to Kyiv and their use inside Russian territory.
Still, Putin has repeatedly resorted to nuclear saber-rattling in the conflict, drawing condemnation from the US and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies as well as friendly nations including China and India. How that rhetoric will play out with Trump will be much more difficult to gauge.
One day after the US publicly accused Russia of interfering in the 2024 campaign, Putin was in a teasing mood and not even trying to be taken at his word.
Trump imposed so many restrictions and sanctions against Russia, as no president before him had introduced, he said with a smirk. Since everything is fine with Ms. Harris, maybe she will hold off on those kind of actions.
Typically, when Putin decides to opine on US politics, it is aimed at stoking divisions. One such instance was when he sided with Trump and defended Jan. 6 rioters in a 2021 interview with NBC, saying they came to the Congress with political demands and didnt go there to rob.
Trump underscored the duplicity in Kremlin praise when he responded to Putin saying he wanted to see Harris win. I dont know if Im insulted or he did me a favor, the Republican candidate said.
When asked if the Russian leader had been joking with his comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media Friday that those abroad who are interested should try to understand this, lets not take away this opportunity from them.
With no end in sight to the war, the reality is that whoever wins in November has little incentive to prioritize improving relations with Moscow. Harris has steered clear of specific promises but has adopted the Biden line of wanting to stand strong with Ukraine.
Harris is likely to continue with the strategic caution that was characteristic for President Biden, said Maria Snegovaya, senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The vice president is seen as less experienced in foreign policy than Biden and expected to lean heavily on the advice from top officials and diplomatic veterans such as Philip Gordon. Her more mainstream background could make her a safer pair of hands than say Trump, the people familiar with the Kremlins perspective said.
Meanwhile, the approach a second Trump administration would take to the war also remains uncertain. Trump swears he has a guaranteed plan to end the war in Ukraine and his running mate, Senator JD Vance, has said he doesnt really care what happens to Ukraine.
But as Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of the Russian National Defense magazine, sums it up, the biggest problem with Trump is his impulsiveness and total unpredictability.
Either way, there is an almost obsessive focus on the US election, noted Sergei Markov, a political consultant close to the Kremlin. Forecasts of the result and scenarios under each candidate are updated constantly.
This election is super-important as it could cause major upheavals, he said, adding that every week, reports on the US campaign are churned out by the Kremlins staff, the Foreign Ministry and operatives at the main spy agencies.
(Updates with Kremlin spokesmans comment in the 17th paragraph. An earlier version corrected the spelling of Korotchenkos name in the 21st paragraph.)
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Donald Trump has prepared for his crucial debate against Kamala Harris on Tuesday for weeks, with attack after attack on its host, ABC News.
He has called it dishonest, fake and the worst network, and on Wednesday told Fox News Sean Hannity that he expected it to pass questions to Harris, adding that the head of ABC, Dana Walden, is her best friend. (Walden is co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, which oversees ABC.) Trump also attacked the networks star anchor George Stephanopoulos, calling him George Slopadopoulos, and disparaged his height, saying Ive had him up to here while gesturing at his chest.
But Stephanopoulos is not involved in the debateand instead, Trump has been eerily silent on both the moderators: David Muir, anchor of World News Tonight, and Linsey Davis, the Sunday anchor of the same show.
Kamala Harris Accuses Donald Trump of Trying to Muzzle Her in TV Debate
Trumps silence on Muir, provides an intriguing insight into the former president. He has a long relationship with the anchorwhich, unusually, has not resulted in Muir coming under attack. (In contrast, Tuesday will be Trumps first encounter with Davis.)
David Muir seems like central casting to Donald Trump, longtime Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway told the Daily Beast. A former ABC News staffer also said they have heard Trump call Muir handsome.
Conway recounted how, on Labor Day 2016, Trump was told his team had rejected an interview with ABC after the network asked. The interview would have aired on Good Morning America and World News Tonight, she said. But after hearing that his rivals, Hillary Clinton and her running mate Tim Kaine, had agreed to sit down with Muir, he demanded a similar joint interview with Pence.
If its David Muir, I wanna do it, Trump said, Conway recounted. Trump and Mike Pence were interviewed by Muir at the Canfield County Fairgrounds in Ohio and on Trumps private plane.
The moment offers insight into Trumps acknowledgment of the reach ABC News has: multiple current and former ABC News staffers and Trump advisers told the Daily Beast that Trump liked the 50-year-old anchor because of his dominance in the ratings.
In a statement, an ABC News spokesperson said, David Muir is one of the most prolific, trusted and highly respected journalists in Americahe is tough, but fair which is why ABC World News Tonight has been the most watched newscast for nearly a decade. His work speaks for itself. The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
ABC network anchors and debate moderators David Muir, Linsey Davis and George Stephanopoulos speak on stage prior to the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on February 07, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Muirs ratings have blown out NBCs Lester Holt and CBS Norah ODonnells for yearsso much so that ABC noted on Monday how World News Tonight has earned its eighth year in a row ahead of Holts Nightly News in total viewers and its fifth year ahead in the 25-54 demographic, the metric advertisers use to measure news programs. It was also the No. 1 program on televisionwith and without sportsfor 23 weeks this season, according to the network.
Trump likes people who are number one in the ratings, and Davids number one, an ABC News reporter said.
Muirs on-screen primacy likely matters to the television producer embedded within Trump, who spent years on broadcast screens as the host of The Apprentice and its Celebrity spinoff.
As the star of NBCs number one show, Donald Trump knows a thing or two about getting ratings, Conway told The Daily Beast.
A former Trump adviser agreed, saying that a conventionally attractive TV anchor whos a ratings winner was simply Trumps type. Its kind of a part of that whole package, the adviser said.
David Muir and Martha Raddatz host ed the Republican Debate from St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH, Feb. 2016; left to right, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump. Ida Mae Astute/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Trumps warm relationship with Muir extended through his presidency. Muir secured the first televised interview with Trump following his inauguration, where he pressed the then-president on his false claims of voter fraudto Trumps chagrin. Trump complained about some of the questions, but was much more measured than when he spewed vitriol at CNNs Jim Acosta just weeks prior at a New York press conference.
Muir also landed the first TV interview with Trump outside the Fox News sphere during the Covid pandemic, in May 2020. Although he drew criticism for not pressing Trump harder, including from then-CNN commentator, Oliver Darcy, he was also praised by left-leaning Vox.com and the Poynter Institute, which studies journalism.
Muirs interviews have stayed clear of the sparring some other anchors, such as Stephanopoulos and ABC News colleague Rachel Scott, have had with Trump. He has never spoken of his political views. New York public recordsMuir lives in New York City and has a second home in his native Skaneateles, in the states Finger Lakes regiondo not list him as having a party affiliation.
And Muir has given Trump no attack material by avoiding public perception of partisanshipunlike Stephanopoulos, who jumped to journalism from being then-Pres. Clintons press secretary. He had to apologize in 2015 for failing to disclose a $75,000 donation to the Clinton Foundation to ABC bosses.
Trump is now suing Stephanopoulos after a March interview on The Week with GOP Rep. Nancy Mace over her support for Trump. He questioned how she could support someone found liable for rape. Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and reacted by filing a defamation lawsuit over the conflation. (The judge who oversaw the civil damages trial clarified that the sexual abuse Trump was found liable for was rape in ordinary terms.)
Then-president Donald Trump and George Stephanopoulos at a town hall event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 15, 2020. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Muir and Davis were announced as the Sep. 10 debate anchors in May, when ABCs debate was going to be a second Trump-Joe Biden showdown. Networks had fought to secure the debates when both the Biden and Trump campaigns jettisoned the traditional Commission for Presidential Debates to go it alone. (CNN was the other winner; Bidens disastrous performance in their June debate led to him stepping aside for Harris.)
By May, Trump was suing Stephanopoulos, which would have made it impossible for him to moderate a debate; whether that factored into Trumps decision to agree to the ABC debate is unknownbut it certainly served to up the public tension between Trump and the anchor.
But there has been tension between Stephanopoulos and the network tooover Muir.
Stephanopoulos almost walked out in 2021, CNN reported, over Muir being made the face of special reports and its effective chief anchor. To mollify Stephanopoulos, the network handed him a production company, a hefty pay bump, and put him in charge of morning breaking news eventsbut kept Muir in charge of all other special reports. He then led ABC News 2022 election coverage instead of Stephanopoulos.
Muir seems aware of Trumps apparent liking for himif in jest. Days before the 2020 election, ABCs Jimmy Kimmel jabbed Muir about Trumps affinity for him during their May 2020 interview. I also feel like your hair looks like what he thinks his hair looks like, Kimmel said.
Well, Im not going to touch that one, Muir said.
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Donald Trump, who faces up to 4 years in prison after being convicted of 34 felonies, will not be sentenced until after the November election, New York Judge Juan Merchan announced Friday.
Trump was initially slated to be sentenced in July after a jury unanimously found him guilty of fraud for covering up a hush payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. Daniels has said she had an affair with Trump just weeks after his wife, Melania, had given birth, an allegation that Trump denies.
But the decision by the Supreme Court's right-wing majority to grant Trump absolute immunity for "official acts" as president has complicated his New York case, Merchan admitted in his order Friday, granting the former president's request to adjourn the case and delay sentencing as he seeks to overturn his conviction. Trump's defense team argues that prosecutors secured that conviction by introducing evidence from the Republican candidate's time in the White House, which it insists should be off limits in the wake of the high court's immunity ruling.
"The public's confidence in the integrity of our judicial system demands a sentencing hearing that is entirely focused on the verdict of the jury and the weighing of aggravating and mitigating factors free from distraction or distortion," Merchan wrote, noting that a delay in sentencing would also help the court avoid the appearance of trying to impact the 2024 election.
"Unfortunately," he continued, "we are now at a place in time that is fraught with complexities rendering the requirements of a sentencing hearing, should one be necessary, difficult to execute."
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Trump Tower on September 06, 2024 in New York City. Credit - Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
The judge overseeing Donald Trumps hush-money case in Manhattan has postponed sentencing until after the 2024 election, meaning voters wont know if the former President will face jail time as they head to the polls.
Trump, the Republican nominee, was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records. In a ruling on Friday, New York supreme court Judge Juan Merchan said that sentencing will now happen on Nov. 26. It had been scheduled for Sept. 18, about seven weeks before Election Day.
Trumps team had requested the delay, and it was granted without objection from the Manhattan District Attorneys office. His lawyers argued that a sentencing before the election would unfairly impact voters perceptions and, by extension, the outcome of the race. Trump is the first ever former President to be criminally convicted, a situation made more extraordinary by the fact hes running for the Oval Office again. This matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this Nations history, Merchan wrote.
Merchan acknowledged the political sensitivity of the timing of the sentencing: Adjourning decision on the motion and sentencing, if such is required, should dispel any suggestion that the Court will have issued any decision or imposed sentence either to give an advantage to, or to create a disadvantage for, any political party and or any candidate for any office.
In a statement posted to social media on Friday, Trump wrote, "The Manhattan D.A. Witch Hunt has been postponed because everyone realizes that there was NO CASE, I DID NOTHING WRONG!"
The decision to postpone sentencing until after the election comes as the outcome of the trial is also being considered. In requesting the delay, Trumps lawyers had argued that they would need more time to weigh next steps after Merchans expected ruling on their request to overturn the verdict on immunity grounds. Merchan is set to deliver his decision on that request on Sept. 16just two days before sentencing had been scheduled.
Trump claims that the U.S. Supreme Courts recent ruling on presidential immunity, which granted broad protection to presidential conduct, could affect his New York state case and may provide grounds to overturn the conviction. However, prosecutors have argued that the Supreme Courts ruling on presidential immunity had no bearing on a state case related to a sex-scandal cover up before he was elected president.
"This case should be rightfully terminated, as we prepare for the Most Important Election in the History of our Country," Trump wrote in his Friday social media statement, calling the New York case a political attack.
Trumps conviction in New York stemmed from his involvement in a scheme to cover up a $130,000 payment made to former adult film star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. The payment was made to prevent her from publicly discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. The Manhattan jury found that Trump falsified business records to disguise the nature of the reimbursement, a conviction that carries a potential sentence of up to four years in prison. However, as a first-time offender, Trump could receive a lighter sentence or probation.
Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com.
The federal judge overseeing former President Trumps federal election subversion case on Thursday scheduled a flurry of activity in the lead-up to Election Day.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkans written scheduling order tees up a high-stakes battle in the weeks to come over whether Trumps indictment must be dismissed in the wake of the Supreme Courts presidential immunity ruling.
Prosecutors opening brief is due in three weeks Sept. 26 and Trumps response is due three weeks later on Oct. 17. Prosecutors then will have until Oct. 29 to reply.
The series of filings could divulge new details about prosecutors evidence in the case in the final stretch before Novembers election, when Trump is hoping to earn a second White House term. Prosecutors have indicated their briefing will include extensive exhibits, while Trumps attorneys have vowed to create a full and complete record.
The judge granted prosecutors request to make their written arguments on the immunity issue first, rather than the usual practice of beginning with the defense.
After briefing, the court will determine whether further proceedings are necessary, Chutkans order reads.
Her order follows a hearing earlier in the day at which Chutkan sparred with Trumps attorney about how to move forward.
Trump was charged in the case with four federal felonies that accuse him of unlawfully conspiring to subvert the 2020 election results. He pleaded not guilty.
The case was frozen for months, until the Supreme Court ruled on Trumps presidential immunity defense.
The high courts ruling in July carved out immunity for much of the former presidents official conduct but left it to Chutkan to sort out which specific allegations in Trumps indictment are protected.
Thursdays hearing marked the first in the case since it was unfrozen.
Beyond the immunity issue, Chutkans order also sets a series of other deadlines on other pretrial matters.
Trump has until Oct. 24 to request permission to file a motion to dismiss his charges over accusations that special counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutionally appointed.
Trumps judge overseeing his documents criminal case in Florida dismissed the indictment based on that assertion, but Chutkan appeared skeptical at Thursdays hearing, noting circuit precedent to the contrary in her court.
The former presidents bid to dismiss his federal election subversion charges on statutory grounds is due by Oct. 3, and the governments response is due two weeks later.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Trump knew Moms for Liberty was the perfect crowd for his hate speech. So he let it fly.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was in peak form at a Moms for Liberty event last week, where he sounded as racist, pompous and incomprehensible as ever. Is anyone surprised?
Trump spoke for over an hour in a fireside chat with Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice. Aside from the incoherent tangents he went on and the softball questions he was asked, the former president spent a lot of time criticizing transgender children and immigrants to an audience he knew would be receptive to it.
At some point, I wish Republicans who support this would acknowledge the harmful things Trump says and does. The least they could do would be to cede the moral high ground they try to claim and just admit they're fine with this kind of hate speech targeting children.
Trump tells outlandish lies about trans kids
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice at the group's summit in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 30, 2024.
Trans people were a bigger focus of the interview, with Trump being egged on by the moderator. Justice said there is an explosion of trans children existing in the United States.
They spent a lot of time talking about Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who won Olympic gold at this years Paris Summer Games. Not only is Khelif cisgender, but shes taking legal action against people who have fed the speculation that she's trans.
Trump also said that children are receiving gender-affirming surgeries in school. Yes, seriously: Think of it, your kid goes to school and comes home a few days later with an operation."
I cant believe it has to be said: No one is performing gender-affirming surgery at school. To suggest that is ridiculous.
You're not imagining it. Republicans have been weird about women for years.
Of course, no one in the room pushed back on this. Moms for Liberty, after all, is the same group that has villainized LGBTQ+ people, including children, in school systems across the country.
Trump took time to disparage immigrant children
Former President Donald Trump campaigns for reelection at the Moms for Liberty conference in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 30, 2024.
He also took a significant amount of time to talk about immigration, using the same hateful rhetoric hes been known to use over the course of his political career.
Our country is being poisoned, Trump told the crowd. And your schools and your children are suffering greatly because theyre going into the classrooms, theyre taking the seats and they dont even speak English.
Just a reminder: Hes talking about children who have no choice in whether they come to this country. Its cruel and unnecessary, and I find it shameful that Republicans ignore his rants like this.
The MAGA candidate: She 'sarcastically' said Obama should be killed. Now she wants to control kids' education.
Of course, this is a group of people likely to agree with him. After all, they cheered when Trump said the United States has "the dumbest people in history running our country."
It's hard to be shocked by Trump anymore, but there has to be some line Republicans are willing to draw. Shouldn't children be off-limits?
Moms for Liberty is exactly the crowd for Trump's message
The fact that Trump is speaking at a Moms for Liberty event is significant. The group was founded in 2021 to oppose mask mandates and has quickly taken on other issues that challenge the "woke mind virus."
The event was also cosponsored by The Heritage Foundation, the group behind the ultraconservative Project 2025. Although the former president running for reelection says he has no ties to the group, he has used some of their ideas in his party platform, like dismantling the Department of Education.
In case that doesn't concern you enough, Trump also said to Moms for Liberty that school boards are "like dictatorships."
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This, of course, does not seem to bother the Moms for Liberty crowd. At the end of the conversation, Justice noted that the group traditionally only endorses in school board races but that she personally endorsed Trump for the presidency.
In the end, I'm just surprised anyone on the right can take Trump and these extremists seriously. Republicans should know better, but they seem content to let the face of their party spew hate. It means the rest of us must take him as a serious threat and keep him from returning to the White House.
Follow USA TODAY elections columnist Sara Pequeno on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump lied about trans kids at Moms for Liberty event. It's abhorrent
The News
NEW YORK, N.Y. Donald Trump gathered reporters for a press conference that quickly became an extended diatribe against multiple women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. The event ended roughly 50 minutes after it began, with Trump taking no questions.
Frankly, I know youre gonna say its a terrible thing to say, but it couldnt have happened, Trump said after describing in detail an allegation from Jessica Leeds over unwanted groping on a flight, which was raised during his E. Jean Carroll trial. It didnt happen, and she would not have been the chosen one. She would not have been the chosen one.
The Trump Tower event came after he appeared in court that morning to appeal a verdict in a civil trial that found him liable for defamation and sexual abuse against Carroll, who testified that Trump raped her in a dressing room in the 1990s. Trump was ordered to pay Carroll $5 million, and later another $83 million in a related defamation case.
Trump discussed at length the particulars of the case, saying an old photo of him and Carroll together could have been AI-generated. He went on to dispute Carrolls claim that he preyed on her while at a department store, saying his appearance there would have made the New York Posts gossip sheet Page Six if that were true. He asked attendees to view an episode of Law & Order: SVU that he claimed bore resemblance to her story.
Never met her, never touched her, never had anything to do with her, Trump said.
The ongoing legal battle was clearly weighing on Trumps mind he lashed out at his own attorneys as they stood behind him, stone faced and occasionally glancing at each other, saying he was disappointed in my legal talent. The former president also mocked his advisers, whose advice to avoid further denigrating Carroll he ignored.
One possible reason for that advice: As Carrolls lawyer pointed out to the New York Times Maggie Haberman on Friday, Trumps comments could spur future defamation lawsuits.
Shelbys view
Needless to say, its not typical for candidates to kick off the home stretch of an election by reminding voters about multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against them, including one that was litigated by a jury of their peers. I got messages from folks on both sides of the political aisle expressing confusion over what, exactly, the strategy behind the event was.
But this isnt even the first time its happened for Trump: He did the same thing at the peak of the Republican primaries en route to an easy victory.
Democrats were initially hesitant to highlight the Carroll legal cases, but theyve come up in attacks more recently. Harris said in her convention speech last month that Trump was found liable for committing sexual abuse. With a debate just four days away, Harris could have a chance to revisit the topic again in front of a mass audience, particularly given some of Trumps more inflammatory remarks today.
And, shortly after his remarks wrapped up, news broke that sentencing for the former presidents New York hush money case would be delayed until after the election: A big win for Trump that could be overshadowed by his emphasis on todays appeals hearing.
Notable
The White House mocked Trump after he gave a confusing answer to a question on child care access at an event Thursday. Democrats are eager for voters to see more examples of Trump speaking at length recently, with some complaining that coverage tends to shorten some of his more rambling quotes.
The word tax is spelled out in wooden tiles on a calendar with a push pin and curled paper currency next to it.
Taxes and the economy are taking center stage in the 2024 presidential campaign. (Getty Images)
Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he would protect American industries if he is reelected by increasing tariffs on imports while cutting other taxes and regulations, in a speech to the Economic Club of New York.
The GOP presidential candidates remarks came as the economy has taken center stage in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. Both Trump and the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, have criticized a ballooning national deficit, high housing costs and increasingly expensive groceries.
In a wide-ranging speech that also framed his hardline immigration position in economic terms and blasted Harris for what he said were the policy shortcomings of the Biden administration, Trump laid out several planks of an economic platform focused on corporate tax cuts and protectionist policies that he predicted would boost domestic manufacturing.
Some might say its economic nationalism, he said. I call it common sense. I call it America First We have to take care of our own nation and our industries first.
Trumps speech came one day after Harris delivered new proposals to cut taxes on small businesses during a speech at a brewery in New Hampshire.
While Trump would cut corporate taxes and extend the tax cut for high earners that he signed during his first term, he said he would raise tariffs, which are taxes on foreign goods. Doing so would compel U.S. companies to keep their production jobs in the country, he said.
Tariffs would also seed a new sovereign wealth fund that would return a gigantic profit, he said.
He told the economists and business professionals in the room that he would lean on them to advise on the fund, and that it would be flush with cash from tariffs on foreign imports.
The greatest sovereign wealth fund, he said, would also pay for infrastructure, defense capabilities and cutting-edge medical research, as well as pay down the nations debt.
Well create Americas own sovereign wealth fund to invest in great national endeavors for the benefit of all of the American people, he said. Why dont we have a wealth fund? Other countries have wealth funds. We have nothing. We have nothing. Were going to have a sovereign wealth fund or we can name it something different.
Former President Donald Trump speaks with Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice during the 2024 Joyful Warriors National Summit on Aug. 30, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Tax battle
Trump told the group that Harris would raise taxes, including on unrealized gains on investments before they are sold.
Unbelievably, she will seek a tax on unrealized capital gains, he said.
Trump would lower the corporate tax rate from 21% to 15%, he said, while Harris would raise it to 28%.
He also said he would appoint Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X who has endorsed Trump and regularly posts about the election, to lead a government efficiency commission.
Trump would seek to make permanent the tax cuts he signed into law in 2017. Taxes have featured prominently on the campaign trail ahead of the 2025 expiration of the law that cut individual tax rates, reduced the corporate tax rate and doubled the child tax credit.
In her remarks in New Hampshire, Harris promised to increase deductions tenfold on business start-up costs, up to $50,000 from $5,000. She also vowed to simplify the tax filing process for entrepreneurs by allowing them to claim a standard deduction, similar to whats available for individual income taxpayers.
Harris also drew attention to her New Hampshire speech when she broke with President Joe Bidens tax plan for capital gains, promising a rate that rewards investment in Americas innovators, founders and small businesses.
Harris told the crowd that anyone earning $1 million or more would see a 28% rate on long-term capital gains under her administration, if elected. The proposal deviates from Bidens plan to raise revenue by taxing capital gains over $1 million at 39.6%. Biden also proposed a 5% Medicare surcharge on long-term capital gains for high earners.
The current rate for high earners is 20%.
A long-term capital gain tax is applied to any profit made on the sale of an asset, like stocks, bonds, or real estate, held by the owner for more than a year.
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Immigration
Trump also sought to make his signature policy issue an ultra-hardline immigration stance an economic one.
An increasing number of migrants entering the country through the border with Mexico are taking jobs from Americans, he said, singling out Americans of color.
Hispanic American jobs are under massive threat from the invasion taking place at our border, Trump said. Theyre taking jobs from Hispanic Americans, African Americans.
He added, falsely, that all jobs created during the Biden administration were filled by immigrants in the country illegally.
Trump has called for an unprecedented deportation program of undocumented immigrants and has placed the blame for record migrant crossings on Biden and Harris.
Like nobodys ever grown before
Trump promised tremendous growth, mostly attributing that growth to a yet unnamed percentage tariff on foreign imports. He signaled his target for tariffs will be higher than any percentage floated so far.
Were gonna grow like nobodys ever grown before, he said. We will be bringing in billions and billions of dollars, which will reduce our deficit.
He also suggested during the question-and-answer portion that funds raised through tariffs could help families reduce the cost of child care, but offered little detail.
But economists and critics say Trumps major economic plans to raise tariffs and extend his signature tax cuts will put additional costs on consumers and add trillions to the deficit.
Trumps plan to extend the 2017 tax cuts would add between $4.1 and $5.8 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade, according to the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton Budget Model.
Rule of law
Trump said the country has suffered economically under Biden and Harris because of his legal issues.
Trump has faced four criminal prosecutions, including two federal cases related to his mishandling of classified documents following his presidency and his conduct to provoke the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
He was also convicted of New York state felonies related to an illegal hush money arrangement during his first White House campaign and is charged in Georgia with election interference related to the 2020 campaign.
He said Thursday the prosecutions were politically motivated, making investors lose faith in the countrys governance. He hinted that he would retaliate and said that he would eliminate political prosecutions.
They always have to remember that two can play that game, he said. Nobody ever thought this was possible. This is how you create massive capital flight and turn once prosperous nations into absolute ruins. I will have no higher priority as president than to restore the fair, equal and impartial rule of law in America. We have lost the rule of law.
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Presidential rivals Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have both raised large sums in the largely Democratic state. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times and Julia Nikhinson / Associated Press)
Former President Trump is scheduled to return to California next week for a pair of high-dollar fundraisers, one notably hosted by relatives of the wife of Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to invitations obtained by The Times.
On Sept. 13, donors are being asked to pony up as much as $500,000 per couple for an afternoon fundraiser in the Bay Area community of Woodside hosted by Tom and Stacey Siebel. Tom Siebel, a billionaire software developer and businessman who has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trumps 2024 campaign, is a second cousin once removed of Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Democratic governor's wife.
Newsom's representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
Siebel Newsoms family has a well-reported history of Republican activism, including by her father, Ken Siebel. But after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose presidential bid Ken Siebel supported financially, misstated the motivation for Siebel and his wife moving to Florida during a debate with Newsom, the first partner's father described DeSantis as a "lying slimeball," according to the Daily Mail.
Read more: Trump, courting Jewish Republicans, predicts extinction for Israel if Harris is elected
Trump will also headline an evening fundraiser in Los Angeles on Sept. 12, with top tickets going for $250,000 per person. The location and hosts have not been revealed.
The gatherings take place at a critical moment in the campaign, in the window between the first debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, on Tuesday, and Sept. 18, when Trump is scheduled to be sentenced for his conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal that may have influenced the outcome of the 2016 election.
The events also occur in the aftermath of fundraising disclosures that show Harris with a gaping fundraising lead over Trump since she became the Democratic candidate after President Biden announced he would not seek reelection. The Democratic nominee's campaign announced Friday that she and running mate Tim Walz and their allied committees raised $361 million in August, the most in the current electoral cycle, and had $404 million cash on hand.
Republicans announced Wednesday that Trump, running mate JD Vance and allied committees raised $130 million in August, with $295 million in the bank.
Vance, an Ohio senator, will raise money in Los Angeles on Sunday, as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff did on Thursday. Several Italian Americans, including Hollywood stars, will host a virtual dinner fundraiser for Harris on Sunday. Among the participants of Paisans for Kamala are actors Steve Buscemi, Alyssa Milano, Lorraine Bracco, Marisa Tomei and John Turturro, as well as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The amount of attention being showered on Californians in the waning weeks of the presidential campaign is due to the state's outsized role in fueling campaigns of both parties. Despite its cobalt blue tilt, it is home to an enormous number of Republican as well as Democratic donors and is typically among the largest sources of donations to candidates of both parties.
As of Aug. 8, Harris had raised $65.5 million for her presidential campaign from Californians, more than any other states residents had donated, according to Federal Election Commission fundraising disclosures of donors who contributed more than $200 to a candidate committee.
Trump had raised $24.8 million from California donors, the second-most from any state. (These figures reflect donations to the candidates committees, not to outside groups or independent expenditure committees.)
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Trump said he was expanding the battleground map. His campaign spending suggests otherwise
On the last Saturday of July, with the presidential race in flux from an unthinkable month of turmoil, Donald Trump looked out at an overflowing St. Cloud, Minnesota, crowd and predicted he could accomplish what no Republican presidential candidate had managed in nearly half a century.
Im telling you, if we have an honest election, were going to blow it out in Minnesota, the former president said.
But since that bold declaration, Trump hasnt returned to the Gopher State. His running mate JD Vance, on stage with him that evening, hasnt either. Nor have Minnesotans seen Trump campaign ads on their televisions recently, and they likely wont this fall.
Trump and his advisers once envisioned an ambitious electoral map that would take the presidential race through blue-tinted states and provide the Republican nominee more paths to the White House. In May, surrounded by donors at his Mar-a-Lago club, Trump presented his plans to compete for Minnesota and Virginia. His campaign maintained an office in New Hampshire and even held a rally on the Jersey Shore.
The final stretch of the race for the White House, though, is setting up to be fought over much more familiar ground. Trumps campaign and his allies have reserved about $160 million in airtime this fall with nearly all of it planned for the same states that proved pivotal in the 2020 election: Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona.
The campaigns calendar has similarly narrowed. Following the St. Cloud event, all of Trumps rallies and Vances public appearances have come in those seven Midwest and Sun Belt battlegrounds. Trumps plans over the next two days follow that pattern: an event with police Friday in North Carolina, where the first ballots have been scheduled to start going out that day, and a rally in the middle of Wisconsin on Saturday.
Trumps pull back from historically blue turf is reflective of a tightening race and a political landscape remade in the aftermath of the Democratic ticket shakeup and the burst of enthusiasm for Vice President Kamala Harris. The vice president more than doubled Trumps August fundraising haul, her campaign aides announced Friday. Trumps top advisers, who once suggested an Electoral College landslide was within reach when their opponent was President Joe Biden, have since steered the campaign as though they expect a photo finish against Harris.
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The campaign maintains they continue to compete outside of the 2020 map. A person with knowledge of the ground game said there are 11 offices in Virginia and eight in Minnesota that have remained open since late spring, as does the New Hampshire space. Biden carried all three states by at least 7 points in 2020.
The seven battleground states have always been our focus and we are still maintaining an offensive posture in these nontraditional battleground states, Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said. Nothing has changed as far as how we view the map, and the Democrats are still playing on defense, as evidenced by Kamalas post-Labor Day visit to blue New Hampshire.
Blue state Republicans dont see Trump competing there
Leavitts sentiments are not universally shared by Republicans in states that are no longer getting as much attention from Trumps team. A top campaign volunteer in New England told supporters in an email that internal polling showed Trump on track to lose New Hampshire by a larger margin than his 2020 defeat and his advisers had determined it was no longer a battleground state.
The campaign has since barred the volunteer, a former top operative for the Massachusetts GOP, from future involvement. Trump, who came within 3,000 votes of winning New Hampshire in 2016, voiced his commitment to the state on Wednesday.
We really want to win New Hampshire, he told a Pennsylvania crowd during a town hall that aired on Fox News.
The view from the ground, though, looks much different, said Mike Dennehy, a longtime strategist in the Granite State who has advised past presidential candidates there.
When Joe Biden was in the race, at that point, I actually thought it was a likely scenario that Trump would win New Hampshire, Dennehy said. If the election were held today, Trump would lose by 6 to 8 points.
Amy Koch, a former Minnesota state Senate majority leader, has similar concerns about Trumps trajectory in her state. Trump came within 1.5 points of winning Minnesota in 2016, the closest margin since Ronald Reagans reelection campaign came within a razors edge of flipping the state red. Though Trump vowed never to return after losing it in 2020, he made several stops to Minnesota earlier this year and Koch thought he was positioning himself to become the first Republican since President Richard Nixon to win the state.
But Koch, who now advises Republican candidates in the state, said the Harris momentum coupled with the popularity of her new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has made the Gopher State very, very difficult for the Trump folks.
I warned all my West and East Coast buddies: you better be ready for Walz, Koch said. They dont know how to deal with that kind of midwest aw shucks authenticity.
A Trump campaign adviser who requested anonymity to speak openly about the planning told CNN that they believe their early efforts in states like Minnesota and Virginia have forced the Harris campaign to spend resources defending traditionally Democratic turf. Harris has opened two dozen campaign offices in Virginia, plucked her running mate out of Minnesota and held an event in New Hampshire on Wednesday.
We view that as a good thing, the adviser said.
Still, in his third presidential campaign, Trumps 2020 defeat is often serving as more of a guide than his winning path in 2016.
Take, for example, Nebraska.
Along with Maine, Nebraska is one of two states that divide Electoral College votes by congressional district, rather than following statewide, winner-take-all rules. Trump carried the swing district surrounding Omaha in 2016, but decisively lost it to Biden in 2020.
This time, Harris is investing far more resources than Trump in the fight for Nebraskas sprawling 2nd District, spending about $1 million on advertising compared to a little more than $5,000 by Trump and Republican groups.
The result is a flood of ads from Harris and a near absence from Trump on television.
Fall TV reservations underscore campaigns focus
Even within the most competitive battleground states, Trumps campaign has prioritized some over others.
Republicans have matched Democrats dollar for dollar in Pennsylvania, with both sides reserving more than $70 million in airtime there this fall. The same goes for Georgia, where the two parties have purchased nearly $40 million for the final nine weeks of the race.
Elsewhere, Democrats are poised to far outspend the Trump campaign. Democrats have reserved twice as much airtime in Michigan, three times in Wisconsin and nearly four times in Arizona. In Nevada, where Trump has campaigned aggressively, Republicans have only committed about $1.4 million in fall advertising while Democrats are spending $24 million to boost Harris.
Amy Tarkanian, a former chairwoman of the Nevada GOP, told CNN that Trump and Republicans face an uphill climb there due to the overwhelming support for abortion rights and a state party that has prioritized fealty to the former president over winning elections.
The writing is on the wall, she said.
The intensifying fight for Pennsylvanias 19 Electoral College votes is illustrative of the mounting stakes for both candidates there. While Trumps paths to victory have narrowed since the summer, Harris chances of capturing the White House diminish dramatically without Pennsylvania in her column.
Neither side can tell whats going to happen but both sides know its the only path forward, said David Urban, a veteran Keystone State GOP strategist who worked on Trumps 2020 campaign there. If you dont win it, I dont think you get to be the president.
Vice President Kamala Harris applauds during a campaign event at IBEW Local Union #5 in Pittsburgh on September 2, 2024. - Quinn Glabicki/Reuters
Former President Donald Trump points to the crowd as he leaves after a campaign rally at the Georgia State Convocation Center in Atlanta on August 3, 2024. - Christian MonterrosaA/AFP/Getty Images/File
The Trump campaign also plans to ramp up its efforts to win back Georgia, a state Biden flipped in 2020 that appeared to be slipping away from him. Both sides view it as back in play with Harris leading the ticket.
The Trump adviser said the campaign has stressed the importance of the state to the former president. In response, Trump has sought to smooth over years of tension with GOP Gov. Brian Kemp dating back to the popular governors refusal to intervene in the certification of the states 2020 election results.
As recently as last month, Trump criticized Kemp and his wife during a rally in Atlanta, but the former president recently extended an olive branch.
Kemp has since attended a fundraiser for Trump and may join other campaign events, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, though nothing is lined up for the immediate future. Amid concerns about the Trump campaigns ground operation in Georgia, Kemps political machine is now working closely with the former presidents team.
Thank you to #BrianKempGA for all of your help and support in Georgia, Trump recently posted on social media, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country.
CNNs Jeff Zeleny, David Wright and Betsy Klein contributed to this report.
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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Instead of starting Friday on the campaign trail, former President Donald Trump was in a New York courtroom.
He is pushing to overturn a verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing columnist E. Jean Carroll.
But she made up a story, fabricated 100%, Trump said.
Trump is blaming his legal problems on his opponent Vice President Kamala Harris.
It all goes back to the DOJ and Kamala, he said.
On the other side of the country, Trumps running mate Sen. JD Vance is focused on border security.
Its Kamala Harriss failed leadership that doesnt let these guys to do their job, Vance said.
In an interview with Univision, Vice President Harris slammed Trump for his comments toward migrants and his immigration policies.
This person who has talked about how immigrants poison the blood of America, Harris said.
She also said she understands working people better than Trump.
I come from a middle-class background. Unlike my opponent who had a rich daddy who helped him start his career and then he went bankrupt multiple times, Harris said.
The vice president is in the swing state of Pennsylvania preparing for Tuesdays debate against Trump.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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A New York court on Friday delayed former President Donald Trumps sentencing in the Stormy Daniels hush money case until after the election, handing the GOP presidential nominee a major victory.
Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records at a May trial.
Trump had requested that his originally scheduled Sept. 18, 2024, sentencing be delayed until after Election Day in order to avoid the potential politically prejudicial impact that a public sentencing could have on him.
Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan on Friday, according to his four-page letter, moved the sentencing to Nov. 26, two days before Thanksgiving. It is still unclear if Trump will receive any prison time.
The decision on the motion and the imposition of sentence will be adjourned to avoid any appearancehowever unwarrantedthat the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching Presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate, Merchan wrote in his decision.
This matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this Nations history, and this Court has presided over it since its inceptionfrom arraignment to jury verdict and a plenitude of motions and other matters in-between, Merchan added.
GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS! Trump a Convicted Criminal
Trump previously lost a bid on Tuesday to get his hush money case bumped up to a federal court.
It would be highly improper for this Court to evaluate issues of bias, unfairness or error in the state trial, Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said of his decision to deny Trumps request.
Trumps attorneys had argued that Merchans daughter, who is an employee of Authentic Campaigns, who have advised and fundraised for Democratic campaigns, was grounds for Merchan to recuse himself.
Merchan called Trumps argument rife with inaccuracies.
There should be no sentencing in the Manhattan DAs Election Interference Witch Hunt. As mandated by the United States Supreme Court, this case, along with all of the other HarrisBiden Hoaxes, should be dismissed, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung told the Daily Beast in an emailed statement.
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Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he arrives to court for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City. The judge presiding over the trial set Trump's sentencing hearing for Nov. 26, after the presidential election. (Steven Hirsch-Pool/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON Former President Donald Trump will not face criminal sentencing in New York for his state felony convictions ahead of the November election, according to a decision released Friday by New York Judge Juan Merchan.
The New York judge said Friday the new sentencing date will be Nov. 26, according to a letter he issued Friday.
Merchan wrote that the court is now at a place in time that is fraught with complexities, referring to the fast-approaching presidential election and the consequential U.S. Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity that Trumps legal team has now brought to the center of the New York case.
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Adjourning decision on the motion and sentencing, if such is required, should dispel any suggestion that the Court will have issued any decision or imposed sentence either to give an advantage to, or to create a disadvantage for, any political party and/or any candidate for any office, Merchan wrote.
This is not a decision the court makes lightly but it is the decision which in this courts view best advances the interests of justice, Merchan later concluded.
Trump, vying again for the Oval Office as the Republican nominee, is the first-ever former president to become a felon.
He was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in May after a weeks-long Manhattan trial that centered on hush money payments to a porn star ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Trump asked the New York court to delay the sentencing until after the 2024 election, arguing that the question of presidential immunity as it related to the New York conviction remains unresolved.
Fridays decision marks the second time Merchan has delayed Trumps sentencing.
Merchan delayed Trumps initial July sentencing date, just one day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that former presidents enjoy criminal immunity for official core constitutional acts and at least presumptive immunity for outer perimeter activities, but not for personal ones.
Trumps lawyers argued the Supreme Courts presidential immunity decision nullified his New York state convictions, particularly because the evidence presented at trial could now be considered subject to immunity.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg agreed to a delay while the parties filed legal arguments on the issue of immunity, which Bragg ultimately argued had no bearing on Trumps convictions and evidence examined by the jury.
Trump, who has been entangled on several legal fronts, escalated his separate federal criminal case alleging 2020 election interference all the way to the Supreme Court, arguing presidential immunity for any criminal charges stemming from his time in office.
The case alleging Trump schemed to overturn the 2020 presidential election results was returned to federal trial court. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Thursday released a pre-trial calendar that extends beyond this Novembers election.
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For months, Donald Trumps frequent lapses into incoherencethe half-sentences that suddenly veer off toward a distant galaxy, the asides that limn the virtues of Hannibal Lecterhave been mostly fodder for late-night TV hosts. Morning Joe has covered them consistently, but for the most part, the mainstream press has ignored them, either cleaning up Trumps actual words so they made more sense on the printed or pixelated page or just not printing them at all.
This was easier to do when Trump was running against Joe Biden, who sometimes also lost the rhetorical thread, and whose age was a constant news story (not without justification). But now that Trump is running against a younger and more energetic opponent who tends to speak in full, logical sentences and who doesnt go on rants about bacon and wind power, his mental state is rightly becoming more of a story. As my colleague Greg Sargent put it yesterday: Trumps mental fitness for the presidency deserves sustained journalistic scrutiny as a stand-alone topic with its own intrinsic importance and newsworthiness.
Which brings us to Trumps appearance Thursday before the Economic Club of New York. I watched some of it. In fairness, reading from his prepared remarks, he was coherent. He rattled off a string of statistics about the economy under his presidency, many of which were actually true, or close enough; when he got around to describing the horrors Marxist Kamala Harris had visited upon America, his claims were a lot less true. (He said crime is rampant, and fleeing is the number one occupation in California, but crime is trending down in the state this year, and the recent population declines have been turned around toonot that Harris has control over these issues one way or another.)
Then came the question-and-answer period. A woman among the handful assembled on stage asked Trump if he would commit to passing childcare legislation, and if so what his specific proposal would be. Heres the answer in part, as put out in a tweet by the Harris campaign:
Well, I would do that, and were sitting down, you know; I was, somebody, we had Senator Marco Rubio and my daughter, Ivanka, who was so impactful on that issue. But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that Im talking about that because the childcare is childcare, couldnt, you know, theres something you have to have it, in this country you have to have it.
Trumps answer was longer than that, but when he got around to something resembling a response, it was that his tariffs on China are going to pay for everything, no problem. Just like deporting people is going to solve the housing crisis.
A few quick facts. In the nineteenth century, before the individual income tax became a permanent fixture of life, tariffs accounted for most of the governments revenue (at a time when the government did very littlestood up an army, ran a postal service, etc.). But today, according to the Council of Economic Advisers, import duties bring in only around 2 percent of the federal governments total revenues. If you want to lower taxes on corporations and the rich, as Trump does, tariffs would need to be substantially jacked up to make up for the lost revenue (although of course in the Candyland in which Republicans and their economists live, reducing tax rates does not reduce revenue, which is probably the single biggest and most insidious policy lie of the last 50 years). And of course, as the CEA and many others argue, much higher import levies are likely to spark retaliatory tariffs that reduce U.S. exports and subsequently induce transfers of collected duties to impacted U.S. businesses.
Now lets get to the point here: the media. Specifically, The New York Times.
I looked Friday morning at the way the Times and The Washington Post covered the speech. The Posts article, to my astonishment, was mostly about the childcare word salad. Trump offers confusing plan to pay for U.S. child care with foreign tariffs, ran the Posts headline.
The Timess story was by no means favorable. Under the headline Trump Praises Tariffs, and William McKinley, to Power Brokers, the article adopted a gently skeptical tone toward Trumps promise that tariffs would solve everything. It even mentioned the words child care, once.
But the article didnt bother to quote him on the topic. Why? It could be that the reporter didnt think it was newsworthy (or perhaps it was an editor, since the Times election news blog did partially quote Trump). But this is exactly the point Sargent and others are trying to make: that Trumps frequent incoherence is in and of itself news. It should be reported on. He should be quoted verbatim, not in a partial way that sanitizes his words and cleans them up.
Why? Because his mental fitness at age 78 to be president for the next four years is a legitimate issue. Ive covered, and simply watched as an interested citizen, a lot of presidential candidates. Dozens, maybe hundreds, if you count Democrats and Republicans who ran in primaries. Ive watched hours of debates and attended events like the once-famous Iowa Straw Poll in 1999, at which 11 Republican candidates spoke. Ive never heard a candidate who talks in such a dissociative, rambling, confused way; never heard a candidate so obviously bluffing his way through certain policy questions.
The conventions of objective journalism are such that reporters tend to use good quotes. Reporters favor politicians pithiest and most succinct quotes, because reporters themselves are trying to be pithy and succinct, and ergo logorrheic and nonsensical just doesnt fit the plan. Ive been there, Ive done that. Guilty.
But heres whats different. Until Trump, using the pithiest and most succinct quote never amounted to a quasi-conspiracy against reality. Now it does. Maybe the voters will decide that Trumps incoherence doesnt matter. But they at least need to be presented with the evidence to decide for themselves.
This article first appeared in Fighting Words, a weekly TNR newsletter authored by editor Michael Tomasky. Sign up here.
The two Trump campaign staffers accused of being involved in a dispute with an Arlington National Cemetery official have been identified, according to a report from NPR.
The broadcaster broke the allegations last week, revealing how two Trump stafferswhom it did not identifygot into a physical and verbal altercation with an Arlington employee who told them they couldnt take photos in the cemeterys Section 60.
The staffers involved in the incident were identified by a source Thursday as Justin Caporale, a deputy campaign manager, and Michel Picard, a member of the Republican nominees advance team.
Caporale previously worked as an aide to former first lady Melania Trump and was director of external affairs in charge of program and events for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Trump Blames Harris for Arlington National Cemetery Story: She Made It All Up
Details about their roles in the Trump campaign were not immediately available. The Trump campaign has not confirmed the identities of the staff members involved. Neither staffer responded to requests for comment from NPR; instead, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded on their behalf.
Cheung told NPR that as the Army has said, they consider this matter closed. President Trump was there to support the Gold Star families and honor the sacrifices their loved ones made.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.
Alexander Vindman: Trump Trampled Arlington Heroes Graves. We Wont Forget
Trump was attending a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the families of some of the Marines killed in the Kabul airport bombing that took place as the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan three years ago.
Section 60 is the portion of Arlington where veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried. The family of at least one veteran whose headstone appears in Trumps photos said they did not give him permission to photograph it. Photography is restricted in the area.
2167840377 Former President Donald Trump places a wreath to honor the servicemembers killed in the Abbey Gate bombing during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. NurPhoto/Getty Images
An ANC (Arlington National Cemetery) employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside, the U.S. Army confirmed in a statement last week. This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked.
The Trump campaign has continued to push back against the allegations of wrongdoing at the cemetery, insisting they were there at the invitation of the Gold Star families. In a post on Truth Social last week, Trump called the original report a made up story by Comrade Kamala and her misinformation squad, and accused the Democratic nominee of skipping the event.
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Trump staffers who got into alleged physical altercation at Arlington National Cemetery are named
Donald Trump gave the thumbs up at the grave of a soldier at Arlington National Cemetery last month. It was later alleged that Trump staffers got into an altercation with cemetery personnel. The names of the staffers have now been revealed. (Utah Governor Spencer Cox)
The two Trump staffers involved in a confrontation with personnel at Arlington National Cemetery have been named.
The previously unidentified duo have been revealed as Donald Trumps deputy campaign manager Justin Caporale and advance team member Michael Picard, according to NPR.
Caporale previously served as an aide to first lady Melania Trump. He left the White House to work for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, before joining Trumps 2024 campaign. He was also a project manager for the Jan. 6 rally where Trump urged the crowd to stop the steal before the riot at the Capitol, according to NPR.
The outlet said that it named the two men as those involved after Trump denied the incident took place.
The Independent has contacted the Trump campaign for comment.
Donald Trump gave the thumbs up at the grave of a soldier at Arlington National Cemetery last month. It was later alleged that Trump staffers got into an altercation with cemetery personnel. The names of the staffers have now been revealed. (Utah Governor Spencer Cox)
After NPR contacted the two people allegedly involved, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung responded: I see youve been emailing some of our team members As the Army has said, they consider this matter closed. President Trump was there to support the Gold Star families and honor the sacrifices their loved ones made.
Trumps August 26 visit to Arlington drew ire after he went to the cemetery for a wreath laying to honor the 13 service members killed at the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan during the 2021 US withdrawal.
After the ceremony, Trump visited Section 60 - where recently killed soldiers are buried - at the invitation of some family members of fallen soldiers.
There, he was photographed and gave a thumbs up near some graves.
Soon after the visit, it was revealed that Trump campaign staffers were involved in an alleged physical confrontation with cemetery personnel.
Arlington rules state that only official photographers can take pictures or film in Section 60. When an Arlington staff member tried to enforce the rules, two Trump campaign staffers, now identified as Caporale and Picard, allegedly pushed past the employee.
Cheung, in the immediate aftermath, threatened to release footage of the incident and attacked the Arlington employee, saying they suffered from a mental health episode. Trump has tried to deny the incident took place.
The Army then released a statement saying the staff member had been pushed aside.
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, the statement read. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside.
While the matter was referred to police, the staffer involved did not want to press charges. The Army now considers the matter closed.
Israel will no longer exist: Trump warns Jewish Republicans what will happen if Harris wins
Donald Trump has claimed Israel will be gone if Kamala Harris wins the election, during a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas.
If they win, Israel is gone. Just remember that. If they win, Israel is gone, Trump told the crowd via live video feed on Thursday. You can forget about Israel, thats whats going to happen. So they have to get out on Nov. 5 and they have to vote for Trump. If they dont, I think its going to be a very terrible situation.
He also claimed Jews who vote for Democrats need to have their head examined and wondered: How do they exist? He also claimed if Harris becomes president, youre not going to have an Israel...Israel will no longer exist.
During the speech, the former president appeared to initially misstate the last name of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israel-American hostage killed by Hamas, as Goldman.
Goldberg-Polin was one of six hostages found dead in Gaza last week, which prompted widespread protests across Israel as residents demand faster progress on returning the remaining Hamas captives, and ending the war nearly a year after the militant groups initial October 7 invasion.
The Republican presidential candidates remarks to the group in Vegas were met with a mix of praise and criticism. A longtime member of the RJC told The Dispatch that the room largely viewed Trump as the superior candidate to Harris.
People may have lingering concerns or they wish maybe their preferred primary candidate would have prevailed, the member said. But everybody here I think isnot everybody, but the vast majority of people arepractical, living in the real world, and they understand that its a binary choice and most people think thats a very easy choice.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump appears via live video feed at the Republican Jewish Coalition annual leadership summit on September 5 in Las Vegas (AP)
Caroline Glick, an Israel-based policy expert and political commentator, said on X after the speech Trump was on fire at the RJC event.
Others argued that Trumps remarks, which echo claims he has made on the campaign trail, were both inaccurate and antisemitic.
The Harris campaign says it will strongly support Israel if the Vice President wins the White House in November, while also pushing for a ceasefire with Hamas and the return of hostages. The Democrats campaign accused Trump of being an insincere ally to Jewish people.
Donald Trump openly demeans Jewish Americans, proudly dined with a neo-Nazi, and reportedly thinks Adolf Hitler did some good things, Harris-Walz 2024 spokesperson Morgan Finkelstein said in a statement to Politico.
He has said the only people he wants counting his money are short guys wearing yarmulkes, and praised neo-Nazis who chanted Jews will not replace us as very fine people.
Others echoed that criticism. For centuries antisemites have depicted Jews as existential threats lurking inside the countries they inhabit, Rob Eshman wrote in the Forward, a Jewish news publication. Trump makes the same charges, not against all Jews, just against the ones who refuse to vote for him which is most Jews.
He added: Theres a word for hatred directed at Jews you disagree with. The word is: antisemitism.
Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, had a similar view, tellingThe Washington Post, This is antisemitism, plain and simple, and if any other elected official or candidate said these things even once let alone on a nearly daily basis they would be condemned as antisemitic.
In office, Trumps actions on Israel won praise from the countrys prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, but did not earn him the support of most U.S. Jews, nearly three-quarters of whom identify as Democrats.
Many young Jewish people have also been at the forefront of pro-Palestinian activism across the U.S. since October 7, and are unlikely to side with Trump on Israel issues.
During the Trump administration, the U.S. recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital; formally recognized Israels annexation of the Golan Heights; and pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal.
The Trump administration also helped usher in the Abraham Accords, through which the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain became the first Gulf states to formally normalize relations with Israel.
Former President Donald Trump told a crowd of Jewish Republicans that if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the presidential election this fall that Israel is gone and said Jewish Democrats who support Biden should have their head examined.
If they win, Israel is gone. Just remember that. If they win, Israel is gone, Trump said to the Republican Jewish Coalition on Thursday. You can forget about Israel, that's what's going to happen. So they have to get out on Nov. 5 and they have to vote for Trump. If they dont, I think it's going to be a very terrible situation.
The former president, who in the past has criticized Jewish Democrats and said they hate Israel, said that Jewish voters supporting Harris should have their head examined as he has said during rallies. Trump has ramped his rhetoric about who Jewish voters should back amid increased fears of antisemitism after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel. Since the Gaza war, Trump has claimed that Jewish voters who choose Democrats hate their religion and hate everything about Israel and has called Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in America and a staunch defender of Israel, a proud member of Hamas.
I don't understand how anyone can support them, Trump said, speaking via livestream at the groups annual retreat in Las Vegas. And I say it constantly, if you had them to support and you are Jewish you have to have your head examined. They have been very bad to you.
Trump also acknowledged the death of the six Israeli hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who Trump appeared to first refer to as Hersh Goldman. He also repeated his comment that the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel would have never happened if he had been president at the time.
I will keep America safe and I will work with you to make sure Israel is with us for thousands of years, Trump said in remarks from New York. Were not going to let go of it.
In response to the comments, the Harris campaign said Trump has "made it obvious he would turn on Israel in a moment if it suited his personal interests," and "he has done so in the past." Harris, whose husband Doug Emhoff is Jewish, also reiterated her "unwavering commitment to the security of Israel," and Israel's right to defend itself.
Donald Trump openly demeans Jewish Americans, proudly dined with a neo-Nazi, and reportedly thinks Adolf Hitler did some good things,'" Harris-Walz 2024 spokesperson Morgan Finkelstein said in a statement. "He has said the only people he wants counting his money are short guys wearing yarmulkes, and praised neo-Nazis who chanted Jews will not replace us as very fine people."
Donald Trump and the Republican Party have tried all sorts of things to mar the image of Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz in the eyes of voters.
Theyve tried attacking his military service. Theyve criticized him over his dog and his food preferences. Despite all that, Walzs favorability numbers still blow JD Vances out of the water. So now Republicans are trying to use Walzs family against him and that, too, is not going well.
On social media Wednesday, Trump thanked Jeff Walz, Tim Walzs brother, for a purported endorsement. Thank you very much, Jeff, Trump posted. It is a Great Honor to have your Endorsement. I look forward to meeting you soon! The post also featured a photo of people in Walzs for Trump T-shirts.
There were a couple problems, however. First off, the photo Trump posted didnt even include Jeff Walz. It included descendants of Walzs grandfathers brother so, second cousins, who Walzs sister told The Associated Post they dont even know. And as many online were quick to note, the shirts contained a punctuation error: They should say Walzes for Trump. (Apostrophe rules strike again!)
And as for that Jeff Walz endorsement Trump was touting, it stems from posts that Jeff Walz published on Facebook saying he opposed his brothers ideology and claimed to have stories he could tell that would show brother Tim is not the type of character you want making decisions about your future. It certainly sounded salacious, but Jeff Walz who donated to Trumps 2016 campaign and said hes had minimal contact with his brother over the last eight years told NewsNation that he regrets the post and doesnt want to be involved in the race.
And those stories about their younger years that he was prepared to tell? Nobody wanted to sit with him, because he had car sickness and would always throw up on us, that sort of thing, Jeff Walz told the NewsNation. Theres really nothing else hidden behind there. People are assuming something else. Theres other stories like that, but I think that probably gives you the gist of it.
That faint hiss you hear is MAGA world deflating with disappointment.
Its possible that Trumps choice to try to weaponize Walzs family against him may stem from the fact that multiple members of his own family, including his niece Mary Trump and his nephew Fred Trump III, have come forward with damning stories about his history with them.
But Trump and his movements efforts to tar Walz in a similar way seem to have flamed out.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Former president Donald Trump wont face trial before the 2024 election on charges he tried to overturn the last election. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan declined to set a new trial date in a hearing on that Jan. 6 case in a D.C. courtroom on Thursday.
Chutkan is back in charge of the case after Trump challenged the case in the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court ruled Trump is immune from any official acts he took as president.
The ruling forced Special Counsel Jack Smith to seek a new indictment against former President Trump. A grand jury returned one, nine pages shorter than the last.
In a scheduling order issued late Thursday, Chutkan set several deadlines for lawyers to file documents to the court, the last of which is due on Nov. 7, two days after the presidential election.
Prosecutors and lawyers for Trump argued about schedules in the D.C. courtroom on Thursday. Trump attorney, John Lauro, said some deadlines should be delayed, because prosecutors would be able to put evidence into the public record at a sensitive time.
The timing of the election is not relevant here, Chutkan fired back. This court is not concerned with the electoral schedule.
Lauro said Trumps attorneys planned to argue his communications with former Vice President Mike Pence fall under the immunity standard created by the Supreme Court. If Chutkan agreed, Lauro said, that would tank the entire indictment.
Trumps attorneys also indicated they would file a motion to dismiss the case because Special Counsel Jack Smiths appointment was not legal. They referenced a concurring opinion written by Judge Clarence Thomas.
Thomas, in effect, directed us to do this, Lauro said.
He also referenced the order by Judge Aileen Cannon dismissing the classified documents case in Florida on those same grounds. Chutkan said she did not find Cannons order persuasive.
Next, lawyers will brief Chutkan on the issue of immunity. She said, she expects any ruling she makes to be appealed, further delaying the case.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images
It was a comment that ignited a firestorm on social media and turned the heads of legal analysts and commentators alike. Yet, what troubles me is that Im not sure who is worse: the person who said it or the people who agree with it.
In a Sunday night interview with Fox News host Mark Levin, Donald Trump claimed he had every right to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
Its so crazy that my poll numbers go up, he told Levin. Whoever heard you get indicted for interfering with a presidential election, where you have every right to do it, you get indicted, and your poll numbers go up. When people get indicted, your poll numbers go down.
I dunno about you, but the polling Ive seen over the last month shows Kamala Harris flippingthe script considerably since replacing Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee, but never mind that for the moment.
The real question is, has there ever been someone this detached from reality and responsibility? And what about his supporters?
Trump, seeking a return to the White House, faces four federal charges regarding his alleged attempts to thwart the 2020 election results, which he has claimed was stolen from him via widespread voter fraud. Of course, hes never provided any evidence to support his claim.
However, I agree there were widespread efforts to interfere with the 2020 presidential election. They just happened to be committed by Trump, Republican Party acolytes and conservative cult members.
Last week, special prosecutor Jack Smith filed a revised indictment against Trump, reshaped in response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in July that presidents have immunity from prosecution for official acts, but not for acts as a private citizen or candidate. Trump has argued his actions were official acts, so he should not be prosecuted.
His claim is flawed. Candidates can seek recounts and file lawsuits to contest an election. Trump, however, engaged in efforts widely viewed as illegal, unethical and unconstitutional. These actions included:
Pressuring state officials to find votes 11,780 of them to be exact (which would have allowed him to win the state of Georgia by exactly one vote).
Orchestrating a scheme involving fake electors, dozens of whom now face federal charges of voter fraud.
Attempting to coerce the Department of Justice into declaring the election corrupt.
Attempting to coerce then-Vice President Mike Pence to violate his oath of office by not certifying the vote.
Inciting a violent attack on the Capitol to disrupt the certification of electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021.
Legal experts, former prosecutors and maybe your uncle have been weighing in on Trumps comment as potentially self-incriminating. Not so fast.
Trumps comments could certainly be seen as a form of admission, but whether it amounts to a legal confession is more complex and would depend on the specifics of what he said, the intent behind his statement, and how it aligns with the legal definitions of the charges he faces.
Was he referring to challenging election results through legal avenues, or was he implying something more direct, such as attempts to overturn the results through illegal means? He didnt specify.
For any statement to be considered a legal confession, it must be directly related to illegal actions. For instance, if Trump admitted to actions that fall under the legal definition of obstruction, fraud or other criminal behavior, prosecutors could argue that as an admission of guilt. From a legal standpoint, that would be hard to parse based on what he said Sunday and how he said it.
The legal system also considers the intent behind actions. If Trump believed his actions were lawful, his defense might use it. While ignorance of the law is no excuse, how could he not know? If he knew what he was doing was illegal, or if advisors told him his actions were illegal and he ignored that advice, that would be more damaging. Either way, special prosecutor Jack Smith could use the statement as evidence, but likely part of a larger case rather than a stand-alone confession.
Under the law, the president has no constitutional authority to interfere in the conducting of elections or their results. Article II of the United States Constitution outlines the powers and duties of the president but does not define any electoral role for the chief executive.
Election administration is primarily the responsibility of state governments. The Electoral College, established in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, isthe mechanism we use to elect the president and vice president. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to set the date for federal elections and to establish procedures for selecting electors in the Electoral College. The president does not have the power to change these procedures or dates.
The executive branchs role in the Electoral College is limited to the vice presidents role as the president of the Senate, who oversees the counting of electoral votes, and who then certifies that count. The president has no constitutional authority to interfere in the certification process and change its results.
The Constitution and federal law provide mechanisms for resolving contested elections, but these paths involve the courts, Congress and state authorities, not the president.
Arguably, one cannot construe what Trump did as an official act since it is outside the role the Constitution spells out for a president. It can only be viewed as a political maneuver driven by self-interest.
Did Mark Levin, a practiced attorney, even bother to raise any of these points? No. Instead, he provided Trump with a free advertisement that shamefully showed what kind of attorney he truly is while giving his viewers their fix of red meat a low-energy attempt to counter the Harris-Walz interview, perhaps.
This laundry list of legalities may feel academically mundane, but the oath of office explicitly requires a president to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. This includes upholding the legal framework that governs elections. The idea of a current or former president being ignorant of or indifferent to these constitutional obligations is troubling, as it strikes at the very foundation of democratic governance.
Lets not kid ourselves. Legalese aside, weve seen enough of Donald Trump to know he either thinks had the right to do everything hes done to subvert the election process, or he didnt care that he was breaking the law.
More troubling, though, is how Trumps supporters seem wholly dismissive of their candidates dismissiveness. We have an entire history of supporters dismissing what amounts to an encyclopedic girth of Trump transgressions, including last weeks disgraceful, dishonorable incident at Arlington Cemetery. So much for lovers of the military.
Republicans have long claimed to be the party of accountability, responsibility, and an ethical code of morality beyond reproach. How can they claim such veracity yet completely ignore it when one of their own violates such tenets?
Whats worse: a candidate of such moral turpitude or the voters who support him?
This is a profound and troubling aspect of contemporary politics. The disregard for such standards by supporters of a candidate who openly flouts these principles raises serious concerns about civic responsibility, our nations political discourse and the nations future.
Ironically irony being one of the shameful hallmarks of Donald Trumps political tenure he has repeatedly claimed that the prosecutions against him are examples of election interference and has argued that they are illegal. Theyre politically motivated, he whines, efforts to undermine his 2024 reelection bid.
Well, if you hadnt behaved as you have in the first place, opponents wouldnt be interfering with your reelection aspirations. Dont like being accused of criminality? Stop behaving like a crook. Respect isnt given its earned.
Trump was wrong the moment he lost the election and refused to call Joe Biden to concede. Instead, he went beyond that childish decision to break laws designed to protect one of our nations most fundamental rights. In the history of the United States, there has never been an overt plot by a sitting or former president to stage a coup or retake power in the manner typically associated with a coup detat.
Bad as it was that Donald Trump tried to overturn the election results, far worse is his claiming he had the right to do so. What kind of person can behave that way, think that way, misunderstand or disregard the principles of democracy and the rule of law, and still think he deserves to be reelected to the presidency?
When a leader willingly and selfishly subverts these principles and dares to think hes allowed to do so, it raises serious questions about his or her fitness for office, and even more serious questions about an electorate willing to support him.
Trump's lawyers say an accuser's sexual-assault testimony should have been tossed because the incident was aboard an airplane
Trump showed up for an appeal in the case that found him liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll.
Friday's arguments focused on whether it was OK for the jury to hear about groping on a plane.
Trump's lawyers say different laws and rules apply to airplane sexual assault.
Donald Trump actually showed up this time.
The 2024 Republican presidential nominee appeared in a Manhattan federal appeals court on Friday to watch the oral arguments in the appeal of a jury verdict finding him liable for sexual abusing and defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll.
Much of the arguments on the 17th floor of a Manhattan federal courthouse focused on whether sexual-assault testimony from one witness in the trial should have been tossed because she alleges the assault took place on an airplane.
John Sauer, Trump's lawyer in the Friday arguments, said the jury should have never heard evidence from Jessica Leeds, who testified that Trump groped her on a plane in the 1970s.
Leeds testified that when Trump ran into her a couple of years later, he recalled her as "that cunt from the airplane."
Leeds' allegations weren't part of Carroll's accusations, but the trial judge allowed her testimony because they demonstrated what Carroll's lawyers argued was a pattern of behavior by Trump.
But Sauer said the testimony should have been "inadmissible" because the alleged events were under "territorial or maritime jurisdiction" and different rules of evidence applied.
The three judges on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals panel hearing the case seemed largely skeptical of the arguments.
US Circuit Judge Denny Chin appeared doubtful it would make sense to "order a new trial" based on the arguments.
"It's very hard to overturn a jury verdict for evidentiary grounds," he said.
Carroll's lawyer Roberta Kaplan said there was no "special aircraft jurisdiction" that would have led to the exclusion of Leeds' testimony.
"It was a crime to grope someone on a plane," she said. "It is a crime to grope someone on a plane."
Trump who did not testify or even show up to the trial for the case said in a press conference at Trump Tower later Friday morning that if he were to have groped a woman on a plane, Leeds "would not have been the chosen one."
"It couldn't have happened, it didn't happen, and she would not have been the chosen one," he said. "She would not have been the chosen one," he repeated.
"I assume she'll sue me now for defamation," he added, after continuing to deny that he sexually assaulted Leeds.
Trump didn't show up to the trial
Trump skipped the trial for the case, which took place in the spring of 2023. The jury found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll and ordered him to pay $5 million in damages.
After suffering the court loss, Trump did attend nearly all of a second trial, in January, which focused on additional defamation damages.
His lead attorney in the January trial, Alina Habba, frequently sparred with the case's judge. Trump himself walked out of the courtroom in the middle of closing arguments from Kaplan.
The jury in the second trial ordered the former president to pay Carroll another $83 million in damages for repeatedly calling her a liar and disparaging her appearance while denying the sexual assault.
Carroll attended each day of both trials, as well as Friday's arguments. Kaplan declined to comment after the hearing.
The appeal's oral arguments were held in a courthouse across the street from where the two Carroll v. Trump trials took place.
Trump brought much of his expansive legal team with him on Friday. In addition to Sauer, who made the oral arguments, he had the attorneys Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, and Habba in tow. Two advisors, Boris Epshteyn and Joshua Katz, hung back at the same large table in the courtroom well.
In court, he didn't speak out of turn. He surveyed the journalists and members of the public when he entered the courtroom at 9:55 a.m., wearing a familiar scowl. Trump was stone-faced in his seat throughout the 23 minutes of argument, even when Carroll's lawyer recounted vivid details of the sexual-abuse testimony.
Trump at a press conference at Trump Tower following the oral arguments. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
Carroll brought her sexual-abuse lawsuit against Trump using the Adult Survivors Act, a New York law passed in the wake of the #MeToo movement that opened a window allowing for civil sexual-misconduct claims that would otherwise be barred by the statute of limitations.
Carroll alleged that in the mid-1990s Trump cornered her in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan, a short walk from Trump Tower. In harrowing testimony for both trials, she described how his "curved finger" penetrated her without her consent. Two of Carroll's friends testified that she told them about the incident shortly after it took place.
Trump's lawyers have argued that the verdict in the first trial should be tossed. In an appeal brief, Blanche and Bove who also represent Trump in a slew of other cases borrowed arguments from Harvey Weinstein's successful appeal in his New York criminal case, namely that accusers who weren't part of the case shouldn't have been allowed to testify.
Sauer argued that Trump's case was "a textbook example" of a case wrongly propped up by propensity evidence rather than Trump's actual conduct.
"It's a quintessential he-said-she-said case," he said.
The judges didn't appear to be convinced. US Circuit Judge Susan Carney mused about whether the verdict could stand when considering the "outcry witnesses" to whom Carroll disclosed her story.
Legal experts including Weinstein's own lawyers previously told BI that the argument had a slim chance of success. Federal courtroom rules are more lenient when it comes to the testimony of "propensity witnesses" who help establish a pattern of behavior, particularly when it comes to civil cases.
"In these civil cases, you can certainly show a pattern, and that's basically what's happening, especially when you have a perpetrator with multiple alleged victims," Marci Hamilton, a University of Pennsylvania professor who helped write the Adult Survivors Act, told BI before Friday's arguments.
On Friday, Kaplan emphasized that the ordinary rules were followed during the trial.
"Despite the prominence of this case and the personalities involved, this is really about a routine application of federal rules of evidence," she said.
Roberta Kaplan and Carroll leaving court on Friday. LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images
She also jabbed at Habba's earlier claims that she might have some kind of conflict of interest with the trial judge, US District Judge Lewis Kaplan.
"Just for the record, we are not related, and he is not my mentor," she said.
Trump is racing to clear away many of his legal problems ahead of the November presidential election, where he's facing off against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee.
Earlier this year, Sauer won a resounding victory before the US Supreme Court in one of Trump's criminal cases. The court recognized far-reaching presidential immunity that delivered a significant setback to the Washington, DC-based criminal case against Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Trump didn't show up to those oral arguments either, in part because he was in another Manhattan courtroom during a trial for a different criminal case; in that case, a jury found him guilty of falsifying business documents as part of a different election-interference scheme in 2016.
Blanche and Bove, who also represent him in the Manhattan criminal case, have cited the US Supreme Court ruling to fight the verdict in that case as well. New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over the trial, is expected to decide on Friday whether he will once again delay Trump's sentencing, which is scheduled for September 18.
Presidential immunity played a role in earlier court fights in the Carroll case. A 2nd Circuit panel previously ruled that Trump waived any presidential-immunity protections and could not argue that they applied as he disparaged Carroll from the White House.
In an interview with BI after the verdict in her first trial last year, Carroll said she'd heard from hundreds of people that her court verdict gave them hope that they could hold their own abusers accountable.
"They think, 'Well, if the former president of the United States can be held liable for sexual abuse, well then maybe my stepfather, maybe my old boss, maybe my ex-boyfriend, maybe that man who lived down the street maybe I can hold them accountable for ruining my life,'" Carroll told BI.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson is facing criticism after hosting a Holocaust revisionist on his podcast.
Carlson, a former Fox News pundit, now hosts The Tucker Carlson Show on the social platform X. Earlier this week, he welcomed podcaster Darryl Cooper, and introducing him as the United Statess most important popular historian.
During the interview, Cooper made several controversial claims about the Holocaust and World War II.
He claimed Winston Churchill was the chief villain of the second World War but acknowledged Adolf Hitler is chiefly responsible for the war that put people in concentration camps. Cooper also made controversial comments about Nazi Germanys mass murder of Jewish people, claiming it was a result of of poor planning for handling people who came under their control.
Carlson has a reputation for spreading controversial claims, and his falsehoods about the 2020 election led to him parting ways with Fox News in 2023.
X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared the podcast to his personal account, calling it Very interesting. Worth watching. He later deleted his post, The New York Times reported.
Having Cooper on his podcast has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) told Jewish Insider it was deeply disturbing to give Holocaust revisionists a platform.
During my time in the State Assembly, I worked with Democrats and Republicans to help pass legislation aimed at ensuring all students in New York received proper education on the Holocaust, something Mr. Cooper clearly never had, Lawler said.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) told the outlet that revisionist history about the Holocaust is a lie and does harm in the fight against antisemitism.
Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), responding to the podcast in a post on X, described it as pro-Nazi propaganda.
No serious or honorable person would support or endorse this type of garbage, she wrote.
The Biden administration denounced Carlson for giving Cooper a platform.
Giving a microphone to a Holocaust denier who spreads Nazi propaganda is a disgusting and sadistic insult to all Americans, to the member of the over 6 million Jews who were genocidally murdered by Adolf Hitler, to the service of the millions of Americans who fought to defeat Nazism, and to every subsequent victim of Antisemitism, senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told CNN.
The Hill has reached out to Tucker Carlson for comment, but he told CNN that the Biden administration is warmonger freaks.
The fact that these lunatics have used the Churchill myth to bring our country closer to nuclear war than at any moment in history disgusts me, he said.
Earlier this week, Carlson launched his 16-day speaking tour, where he will travel the country and interview allies of former President Trump ahead of the election. He kicked off the tour in Arizona with celebrity Russell Brand.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Tulare County Board of Supervisors has ratified a proclamation of local emergency due to the Coffee Pot Fire.
The wildfire was ignited on Aug. 3, and has since burned more than 13,000 acres in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.
Coffee Pot Fire: Sequoia National Park blaze continues to grow
The proclamation, ratified on Sept. 3, approves the declaration of local emergency signed by County Administration Officer Jason Britt following fire evacuation orders issued by Sheriff Mike Boudreaux.
As a result of these actions, a request for California to declare Tulare County in a state of emergency is now in the hands of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
If approved, the county would be in a position to receive money and resources from the state if and when there is any structural damage as a result of the fire.
As of September 6, 2024, the Coffee Pot Fire had burned more than 13,000 acres in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.
The Sequoia fire state of emergency process explained
If there are going to be evacuation orders, they can only be confirmed with the approval of the board of supervisors declaring a local emergency, Supervisor Dennis Townsend said.
The sheriff and the fire chief look to see if theres anything in harms way that needs to be under a warning or an evacuation order, he continued. If they do have something that needs an evacuation order, they look to the county. Our CAO is able to sign a declaration of local emergency but it has to be ratified, by state law, within seven days by the board of supervisors.
Why is California so hot? Here's why temperatures are remaining high this weekend
As a result of this requirement, and the Labor Day holiday, the board of supervisors needed to hold a special meeting on Sept. 3 to ratify the local emergency so that the evacuation orders are justified, Townsend said.
The matter now moves to Sacramento.
We declare locally and then its picked up by the state, Townsend said. Whenever were looking for moneys from FEMA or from (the California Governors Office of Emergency Services), we need to have the local emergency in place in order to qualify for those dollars if there are any structural damages or damages to any of our infrastructure.
Coffee Pot Fire map, latest update
On Sept. 3, Tulare County Deputy Fire Chief Jeff McLaughlin reported there was no damage to property or structures.
However, Townsend described the action as preemptive.
The proclamation is only for the Coffee Pot Fire, and not for the other recent fires in the national parks or Sequoia National Forest.
The Coffee Pot Fire in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks has been a slow-moving fire since the weekend.
Although the fire has burned 13,041 acres as of Sept. 6, this number only increased by 336 acres over the past 48 hours.
The fire is still 25% contained and the primary strategic control line surrounds 94% of the fire. These numbers are the same numbers reported earlier in the week, which public information officer Bert Fuiava attributes to weather conditions and steep and rough terrain.
Southern California wildfire: Line Fire exceeds 1,100 acres in San Bernardino County
Until they confirm any additional containment, we put the same containment percent on the update, he added.
There are now 1,341 personnel involved in fighting the fire, a decrease of 131 from Sept. 4.
McLaughlin reported that three firefighters had suffered injuries as a result of the fire but that they were minor injuries.
Firefighters are currently improving the control lines where the fire crossed Eden Creek. Air operations are assisting fire suppression efforts. As the fire's western edge is controlled, firefighters will move their efforts to the eastern flank.
Road improvements along Salt Creek Road are ongoing. Crews will mop-up the spot where fire crossed the East Fork Kaweah River near Lookout Point," the National Park Service reported in its Sept. 6 update. "Water tenders continue to use retardant along Mineral King Road to reduce the risk of the fire moving beyond this contingency control line.
Coffee Pot Fire evacuations, warnings
Evacuation orders issued by the Tulare County Sheriffs Office remain in effect for the area north of South Fork Drive, east of Skyline Drive (Salt Creek, fire control road), south of Skyline Drive (south of Case Mountain and Homers Nose), and west of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks boundary, as well as for Genasys zones TLC-E094-C, TLC-E094-E, TLC-E094-D, and TLC-E094-B.
The Tulare County Fire Department has issued an evacuation warning for Genasys zones TLC-E128-B, TLC-E093-A, TLC-E093-B, TLC-E095, TLC-E127-B, and TLC-E128-A.
For a current list of evacuation orders and warnings, as well as a map, visit http://protect.genasys.com.
Recreational access to the Mineral King area of Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks has been closed to the public since Aug. 30. The closure includes Mineral King campgrounds, trailheads, and area trails.
All other areas of Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks will remain open, but visitors should take precautions because of smoke and poor air quality.
Coffee Pot Fire weather conditions
Temperatures are expected to remain well above average. Thunderstorm possibilities should be limited to the Sierra Crest. Winds from the southwest will likely continue, while up-canyon winds are predicted.
Smoke is expected to impact Three Rivers and Hammond, with levels reaching unhealthy for sensitive groups in the morning, improving to moderate in the afternoon and evening. The highest smoke concentrations are expected in the Giant Forest, reaching the unhealthy for sensitive groups level.
For more information about air quality, visit AirNow.gov or fire.airnow.gov.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Coffee Pot Fire: Tulare County Supervisors declare local emergency
Turlock man arrested on sex charges after meeting 13-year-old girl. Are there more victims?
Police arrested a 21-year-old Turlock resident for allegedly making contact and meeting a 13-year-old girl for sexual activity.
Turlock police said Santiago Cornejo was arrested Thursday and booked into the Stanislaus County jail, with bail set at $1,275,000. Cornejo has a court date set for Tuesday.
The Turlock Police Department said in a news release that it learned in late August that Cornejo had inappropriate interactions with the minor over a two-week period. According to police, Cornejo had met the girl at a service station in Denair and they maintained contact on Snapchat and had some in-person meetings.
In response to the information, an officer gathered witness statements and evidence suggesting there may be additional underage victims.
Detectives made contact with Cornejo at his residence Thursday and took him to Turlock Police Department. He was arrested on three counts of lewd acts with child younger than 14 and three counts of arranging a meeting with a minor for sexual activity.
Turlock detectives are asking the public for information about other young people who may have been victimized.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Detective Gina Giovacchini at 209-668-6539. People can also contact the Police Departments tip line at 209-668-5550, ext. 6780, or email tpdtipline@turlock.ca.us.
MADISONVILLE, Ky. (WEHT) Dustin and Sierra Ausborn are booked in the Hopkins County Jail after a child sex abuse investigation involving a 6 year old girl.
Dustin Ausborn is charged with sexual abuse, rape and sodomy. Though police dont know what he was doing there, he was arrested in Murray, Kentucky and was taken to the Hopkins County Jail.
Sierra Ausborn is charged with complicity of rape and sodomy.
Both Ausborns are held on a $350,000 bond.
One neighbor near the home where the alleged abuse occurred thought something was happening to the child, and another says hes sick to his stomach.
This isnt the first time an Ausborn has been involved with Madisonville P.D.
Mr. Ausborn has been investigated by us before, says Madisonville Police Detective Austin Young. I believe he was recently charged for offenses relating to a minor or endangerment of a minor. As far as the specifics of that, we cant comment on those. Obviously, he has a history with us here at the Madisonville Police Department.
Authorities found out about the case from a statement the child gave to social services. An investigation started soon thereafter.
Situations like this are always very tragic, but its an unfortunate job that we do, Detective Young says. Our community is very, very strongly supportive of our law enforcement. So, were honored to provide justice for those who cant speak for themselves.
Authorities encourage those who suspect sexual abuse to contact their local social services office or the local police department.
More from Ben Walls
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CHICAGO Two police officers on Thursday were arrested, relieved of their police powers and charged with criminal damage to property.
Charged with one count was Deputy Chief Roberto Nieves, 53. Officer Jacob Gies, 26, was charged with two counts.
Both surrendered for arrest at the 1st District Police Station in connection with an incident that occurred on June 7, 2024, the department confirmed to WGN.
Following his arrest, Nieves was returned to his career service rank of captain.
Nieves has been with the department for more than 25 years, previously serving as commander of the Gang Investigation Division. He also served as commander of the 24th District, which serves the citys Rogers Park neighborhood, and as executive officer of the 12th District on the Near West side.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
CHEROKEE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Two women accused of hoarding nearly 60 animals in Lenoir are now facing animal cruelty charges, the Caldwell County officials announced on Friday.
In an operation conducted by both Animal Care and the sheriffs office, 66 animals including 58 dogs, 3 ducks, a ferret, and four cats were seized. Two arrests were also made, Lisa Meatyard and Karen Harris, who now both face charges that include animal cruelty.
Meatyard faces additional sex offender registry violation charges and is being held on a $99,000 bond.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
The United States Deputy Secretary of Education came to Erie Thursday, making stops at two local schools to kick off the back-to-school season.
Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten took her bus tour to Pennsylvania Thursday afternoon, starting with a visit to McKinley Elementary for a tour of the school.
Tim Walz makes case for Kamala Harris during pivotal visit to Erie County
Marten then took the tour to Strong Vincent Middle School, hosting a round table discussion with students, teachers and parents regarding the importance of high-quality public education.
The deputy secretary says she visited erie to see how federal investments are supporting schools. She also used the round table to address the teacher shortage in PA.
Helpful advice for parents, students on how to talk about school shooting trauma
We want to invest in teacher pipelines and we want a more diverse teacher pipeline. The fact that weve seen some people leave the profession, we want to actually not just attract, but retain teachers into the profession. So, we want to invest specifically in teacher pay, she said.
Marten and the Department of Education will be traveling to Pittsburgh on Friday for the final stop in their bus tour.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
Ramstein Air Base, Germany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rarely attends the security summits organized by his Western partners in person, but on Friday, he paid his first visit to the sprawling Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin declared in his opening remarks of the latest such meeting that "it is a critical moment" in the war ignited by Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion.
The gathering of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group comes days after Zelenskyy's nation suffered its single worst attack of the year, when two ballistic missiles slammed into a military academy in Poltava, killing dozens of people and wounding more than 170 others.
The meeting in Germany also comes on the heels of a wider, blistering Russian barrage of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine. It comes after Ukraine announced the fatal crash of an F-16 fighter jet during that barrage. And it comes one month after Ukrainian forces invaded Russia's western Kursk region, seizing hundreds of square miles of territory.
"The Kremlin's army of aggression is now on the defensive on its own turf," Austin said Friday of the Kursk offensive.
"This is the land from which Putin was preparing to expand the war into Ukrainian territory. He was preparing to launch a new offense against our city of Sumy," said Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian president has said controlling that Russian ground has created a buffer zone between President Vladimir Putin's forces and Ukrainian territory. But if he was hoping the incursion would force Putin to divert his troops from the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, that hasn't happened.
"This is a clear choice by Moscow," Zelenskyy said. "Putin wants more Ukraine to occupy than human security. He doesn't care about Russian land and people. He just wants to grab as much of our land and as many of our cities as possible."
On the overnight flight from Andrews Airforce Base near Washington to Ramstein, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles "CQ" Brown spoke of the Kursk incursion as just one part of Ukraine's war strategy.
"What they've been able to do in Kursk is to be able to stay successful there and at the same time be able to protect their key lines of communication at Pokrovsk," he said. "So, it's a combination of us working with them to identify the capabilities that they have, how they use the forces that they do have, to be successful in both of those areas."
Ukraine has been losing ground around Pokrovsk, however, and the fall of that logistics hub to Russia would threaten critical supply lines for Ukrainian forces already struggling to hold parts of the roughly 600-mile front line in eastern Ukraine.
It's a vulnerability that U.S. forces are keeping a close eye on.
"The Russians have been pushing toward their defensive lines and [they're] starting to gain territory, so what we're really paying attention to is the rate of advance by the Russians, and when they can get into range of artillery," said Brown. "This is something we'll continue to watch on and continue to work with Ukrainians, [on] how to defend that territory."
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy take part in a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in western Germany. / Credit: Andreas Arnold/picture alliance/Getty
In his own opening remarks at Ramstein, Zelenskyy struck a familiar refrain, stressing that his country needs more air defense systems and more long-range weapons, and soon.
"Thank you so much again," he told the gathered Western military commanders, "but the number of air defense systems have not yet been delivered easily. This is what was agreed upon, and this is what has not been fully delivered. The world has now systems to ensure that Russian terror does not have results."
Zelenskyy's government has publicly pressured the Biden administration to change its policy prohibiting Ukraine from launching strikes deep into Russia using American long-range weapons, such as Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) that the U.S. has already provided.
Austin, during a news conference after Friday's meeting, said no single weapon was decisive and that Ukraine, "has a pretty significant capability of its own to address targets that are well beyond the range of ATACMS."
He said Russia had moved aircraft that have been launching glide bombs with devastating effect against Ukrainian cities beyond the range of the ATACMS. When asked about the ability to strike other targets, not just aircraft or airfields, Austin said "there's a lot of capability" that Ukraine already has, such as drones, "to address those targets."
The summit at Ramstein is the 24th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, but it's only the second one Zelenskyy has attended in person.
A major shakeup this week of his war-time cabinet has raised questions at home and among Western partners alike. It included the dismissal of Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who had become the most familiar face of Ukraine's foreign policy since the start of the war.
Even before the day of meetings got underway, Austin was the first of the allies to pledge additional support.
"I'm pleased to say that President Biden will announce today and additional $250 million security assistance package for Ukraine," he said. "It will surge in more capabilities to meet Ukraine's evolving requirements, and we'll deliver them at the speed of war."
The speed of the war is accelerating on both sides, however, and Zelenskyy has made it clear that his country can afford little time to wait.
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U.S. Steels Sale Is at Risk. Heres Whats at Stake for the City It Founded a Century Ago.
With reports that President Joe Biden is preparing to block U.S. Steels sale to a Japanese company, a high-stakes battle with significant political and labor implications is unfolding. But as the political theater plays out on a national stage, the stakes are more tangible in Gary, a city originally founded as a company town where just over 4,000 employees work for the U.S. Steel plant.
For Gary, the proposed sale of U.S. Steel is about more than ownership its about jobs, relationships, and the citys future. U.S. Steel is one of the few remaining economic anchors in an economically distressed town. If the sale to Nippon Steel falls through, questions loom over the $300 million in investments the Japanese company earmarked for Gary Works. Even more dire, U.S. Steel President David Burritt warned that a blocked sale could jeopardize plant operations, potentially putting jobs in Gary at risk.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton, the son of a steelworker, has expressed deep concerns about the proposed sale. After meeting several times with Nippons executive leadership, Melton emphasized securing investments for Gary Works and ensuring the protection of worker contracts if the deal moves forward.
I strongly agree with her commitment to preserving middle-class, union jobs in our communities, Melton said, aligning himself with Vice President Kamala Harris stance against the sale.
He also underscored the broader implications of the deal: Although the decision on the pending acquisition will be made at the federal level, every decision will have a local impact on the city of Gary. As Mayor, I will continue to advocate for our citizens to ensure they are not overlooked or burdened by the effects of historical divestment.
Burritt made the stakes clear from his perspective in a recent interview, stating that a blockage of deals would put some of the companys U.S. operations in jeopardy, including the $300 million Nippon has pledged to invest in older mills like the one in Gary.
We wouldnt do that if the deal falls through, Burritt said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. I dont have the money.
Burritt warned that failure to approve the sale could lead to the loss of thousands of good paying union jobs, as U.S. Steel would pivot away from its blast furnace facilities, including those in Gary.
Without the funding from the deal, he added, the closure of the Mon Works plant in Pittsburgh would likely result in the company relocating its headquarters to the South.
If that mill wont make it to the next decade, why would we stay there? Burritt said. 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.
These sentiments echo the broader concerns driving Bidens opposition to the sale. The president has cited national security risks and the importance of keeping critical industries under American control. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has also spoken out against the sale, vowing to block it if reelected.
Nippon Steel did not respond to Capital B Garys request for comment.
Beyond Gary, the proposed sale of U.S. Steel has national implications. U.S. Steel operates 25 steelmaking and finishing facilities across the United States, with major operations in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Alabama.
In Pittsburgh, the companys headquarters, employees have rallied in support of the sale to Nippon Steel, emphasizing the importance of the deal to the future of U.S. steelmaking.
A city built on (U.S.) Steel
Gary Works, U.S. Steels largest manufacturing plant, sits in the backdrop of Garys downtown. (Javonte Anderson/Capital B)
From its inception, Gary has been intertwined with U.S. Steel. Founded in 1906 as a company town, Gary was named after Elbert Henry Gary, the steel companys founding chairman.
The steel industry boomed during and after World War II, marking what many Gary residents remember as the citys heyday and highlighting the deep connection between U.S. Steel and the community. At its peak, U.S. Steel employed nearly 30,000 workers in Gary. However, as the steel industry declined, so did the citys fortunes.
Today, Garys population is less than half of what it was during its peak in the 1970s after losing nearly 100,000 residents. Despite these challenges, U.S. Steels Gary Works plant remains one of the citys largest employers, with an estimated 4,300 workers, and is still a critical source of tax revenue for a city working to regain its economic footing.
Micah Pollak, associate professor of economics at Indiana University Northwest, emphasized the special relationship between Gary and the company.
Gary is such a unique situation because there are very few cities in the United States you can point to and say; this town was literally built from nothing to support the company, Pollak said, emphasizing how intertwined Gary and U.S. Steel have been throughout history.
Since the decline of American-made steel in the 1960s and 1970s, I think youve been seeing the two kind of separate, he added. U.S. Steel is still a major fixture in Gary, but its not the way it was when most of the population was employed by U.S. Steel.
Stakeholder concerns and union doubts
Despite decades of decline in the steel industry, Garys business leaders, like Chuck Hughes, remain deeply invested in U.S. Steels future. As president and CEO of the Gary Chamber of Commerce, Hughes has forged relationships with the company over the years and is wary of the potential sale.
I think it would be more advantageous if it were still [American] owned because the city has established a relationship with U.S. Steel, and domestically, people know each other, Hughes told Capital B Gary.
If theres an ownership change, then were starting from scratch. So I think the disadvantage would be the lack of familiarity.
While business leaders like Hughes express concerns over losing familiarity, union leaders are focused on protecting worker rights in the face of uncertain promises.
On Aug. 15, the United Steelworkers union presented its concerns in an arbitration hearing before U.S. Steels three-member Board of Arbitration, voicing doubts about key promises made by Nippon Steel.
Mike Milsap, Steelworkers District 7 director, and International President David McCall issued a joint statement outlining their lack of trust in the guarantees, particularly those regarding job security. The acquisition has drawn opposition from officials across the political spectrum, including Democratic U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Bob Casey and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
Given the clear and present threats that a Nippon Steel acquisition poses to American workers and a critical industry, we believe executive action to block this deal is urgent, the senators wrote.
Nippons well-publicized promise of no layoffs, plant idlings, and shutdowns through the expiration of the BLA on September 1, 2026, nevertheless allows Nippon to lay off workers and idle operations in the event of unanticipated and significant downturns in business conditions always a threat in the steel industry.
For their part, U.S. Steel and Nippon maintain that the deal would benefit its employees and protect national security.
U.S. Steel will be a much stronger company as a result of the transaction with Nippon Steel, and the American steel industry will be more globally competitive. Nippon Steel has committed to investing nearly $3 billion in our union-represented facilities, the company said in a statement to Capital B Gary.
According to a U.S. Steel representative, Nippon Steel has committed $300 million to Gary Works specifically.
The Japan-U.S. Business Council responded to the news of Bidens intent to block the deal by urging the U.S. government to proceed with the review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States with rigor and impartiality.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, vice chairman of the Congressional Steel Caucus, also weighed in with his support for blockage of the deal.
I will continue to do all I can as the Representative for the First Congressional District of Indiana to support the domestic steel industry, Mrvan said in a statement Wednesday.
Looking forward, the U.S. Steel Board of Arbitration panel has 30 days from the Aug. 15 hearing to reach a decision. As of Thursday evening, Nippon Steel says the company has not received any update regarding the deal from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
The post U.S. Steels Sale Is at Risk. Heres Whats at Stake for the City It Founded a Century Ago. appeared first on Capital B Gary.
As the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to escalate, with nearly 20,000 suspected cases and over 650 deaths reported in 2024 alone, U.S. officials are intensifying efforts to combat the spread of the virus. The outbreak, driven by the more virulent Clade I strain, has sparked concerns beyond the DRC, as neighboring countries, including the Central African Republic, Burundi, and Rwanda, are reporting increasing cases.
Several weeks ago, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global public health emergency, marking the second time mpox has reached this status in two years.
A more severe strain
Unlike the Clade II strain, which primarily affected communities during the 2022 global mpox outbreak, Clade I has a higher mortality rate and causes more severe illness. Although Clade I was previously confined to Central and West Africa, it has begun to spread beyond these regions, raising global concerns.
Related: With a new case in Sweden, what is the new mpox outbreak and should you be concerned?
In a press call Friday morning, senior Biden administration officials emphasized the seriousness of the situation in the DRC. One official outlined the gravity of the outbreak: In 2023, [the DRC] reported more than 14,000 suspected cases and more than 650 deaths. In 2024, so far, they have reported nearly 20,000 suspected cases and more than 650 deaths.
Clade I presents a greater threat due to its high fatality rate, in contrast to Clade II, which was responsible for the 2022 outbreak. The official also noted that neighboring countries such as Rwanda and Uganda have reported smaller numbers of Clade I cases.
U.S. response and vaccine donations
The U.S. government has committed $55 million in additional funding to support mpox response efforts in Central and Eastern Africa. According to senior administration officials, this comes in addition to the $2.65 billion in bilateral health support the U.S. already provides to the region. The U.S. is also donating 50,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to the DRC.
The first delivery of vaccine doses arrived in DRC yesterday, [and] the full shipment of around 250,000 doses in this first full delivery should be completed by early next week, a senior official confirmed.
The Jynneos vaccine, used during the Clade II outbreak in 2022, effectively prevents mpox. The administration officials said the U.S. has been working closely with international partners to encourage further donations from countries with vaccine stockpiles, alongside efforts to address logistical challenges in delivering vaccines to affected regions.
Booster guidance and case numbers in the U.S.
Officials addressed concerns regarding whether those who received the two-dose Jynneos vaccine during the 2022 outbreak would need a booster dose. At this time, if youve received both doses of the Jynneos vaccine, we do not recommend a booster, one official said, emphasizing that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is continuing to review data. Anybody who would like to receive a vaccine can do so at a commercial pharmacy.
Related: Jynneos mpox vaccine now commercially available ahead of Pride Month
Although Clade I has yet to spread to the U.S., Clade II cases persist. There is circulation of about three cases per day of [Clade] IIb in the United States currently, another official noted. Despite these cases, U.S. health agencies have reassured the public that the risk from Clade I remains low for now, with no cases detected in the U.S. Outside of Africa, a few cases have been reported in Sweden and Thailand, an official noted.
High-risk communities on alert
While the current mpox outbreak in Africa primarily affects children and vulnerable populations, LGBTQ + communities in the U.S. remain cautious. During the 2022 outbreak, mpox disproportionately affected gay and bisexual men, other men who have sex with men , and some transgender people, and health officials have maintained strong communication with LGBTQ+ organizations to ensure that those at risk are informed and have access to vaccines.
We remain deeply engaged with LGBTQ+ communities, particularly men who have sex with men, who were most vulnerable during the last mpox outbreak, an official noted. The official added that the CDC has not expanded its vaccination recommendations beyond high-risk groups for now.
The U.S. is not alone in its response to the mpox outbreak. The WHO, Africa CDC, and other international partners are working together to combat the virus. However, estimates suggest that between 2 million and 10 million vaccine doses will be required over the next six months to control the outbreak in the DRC and surrounding countries.
We are working closely with WHO, Africa CDC, and Ministries of Health throughout the region to quickly identify and respond to additional needs to make sure that we can protect the health of those living in the region and work to limit the further spread of this outbreak, one U.S. official explained.
[autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] plans on taking legal action after a recent street altercation.
The former UFC champion was in the headlines earlier this week after a video surfaced online of him in a heated argument with a man. The situation appeared to be a road rage incident during the daytime, reportedly in central Auckland, New Zealand, on Wednesday.
Adesanya, born in Nigeria and living in New Zealand, opened up about the incident and claimed he was racially abused by the man, and also challenged to a fight.
"I am extremely disappointed after an incident on Wednesday when a random member of the public stopped his car, racially abused me, and challenged me to a fight," Adesanya said in a statement provided to New Zealand Herald. "We have been in contact with police and will be pressing charges.
| Israel Adesanya was seemingly involved in a road rage incident, in New Zealand. #MMA #UFC pic.twitter.com/oHAYyZAtnK MMA Frenzy (@mma_frenzy) September 5, 2024
"On Wednesday morning, I was leaving a cafe on K Rd when a passing car slowed, and an occupant began yelling racial abuse and challenging me to fight. I smiled, waved it off, and continued to my car. The vehicle stopped, and the abuse continued. I again waved it off. The car then parked, and the passenger got out, approached me aggressively, continued his torrent of abuse, and demanded I fight him. I tried to de-escalate the situation repeatedly. As he got closer, I asked bystanders to call the police.
"He then entered my personal space, and I felt threatened. To protect myself, I became more forceful in my language and defensive. Though he paused, the abuse continued, so I left him with some choice words, cautiously moved to my car, and drove away.
"Its ridiculous that I cant buy a pie after training without some idiot screaming despicable things and asking for a fight while his mates film from the sidelines. Threatening violence is no joke. Its very dangerous, and incidents like this must not be glorified online. I hope in the future people say something rather than get their phones out to film."
Adesanya fought last month in the main event of UFC 305 in Perth, Australia. He lost by submission in an attempt to regain the UFC middleweight title from Dricus Du Plessis. The defeat marked Adesanya's first fight since September 2023.
The 35-year-old is on a two-fight losing skid and 1-3 in his past four performances. Despite his recent run, Adesanya is considered by many as one of the best middleweights of all time.
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This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC star Israel Adesanya alleges racial abuse, says hell press charges after road rage incident
NAIROBI/ELDORET, Kenya (Reuters) -Moureen Atieno Omolo was unable to sleep for days after hearing about the deadly attack on Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, whose former boyfriend doused her in petrol and set her ablaze on Sunday.
Every time the now 36-year-old Kenyan closed her eyes, memories of her own nightmarish marriage came flooding back.
Cheptegei, 33, who competed in her first Olympic Games in Paris last month, is the third elite sportswoman to be killed in Kenya since October 2021. Her death has cast a fresh spotlight on domestic violence in the East African nation.
"Rebecca's death brings into focus the scourge of violence that women around the world are subjected to, often from those they should trust most," United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Natalia Kanem said on Friday.
Globally, a woman is killed by someone in her own family every 11 minutes, according to a 2023 UN Women study.
Cheptegei's distraught father, Joseph Cheptegei, told Reuters that the family was still in shock.
"We haven't gotten around to filing murder charges," he said.
The attacker, who also sustained burns and is in hospital, was his daughter's former boyfriend, he said, adding that the pair had split in February this year.
On Friday, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said the French capital would name a sports facility in honour of Cheptegei, who finished 44th in her Olympic marathon debut there last month.
GRIM RECORD
Kenya has a grim record on violence against women.
Nearly 34% of Kenyan girls and women aged 15-49 years have suffered physical violence, according to government data from 2022, with married women at particular risk. The 2022 survey found that 41% of married women had faced violence.
A report by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said that in 2022, African countries collectively recorded the largest number of killings of women, both in absolute terms and relative to the size of the continent's female population.
Orphaned in her teens, Omolo was married at the age of 15 to a man aged 22.
The abuse began almost immediately, she told Reuters, eventually escalating to the point of him gouging out her left eye and slashing her left hand with a machete in 2018.
The attack and his threats to kill their three children led her to abandon the marriage and file a case against him.
"I should have left him years ago when he first threatened me," she said.
"He took away my self-confidence."
Cheptegei's killing has prompted calls for stronger action against domestic violence.
"We are failing our women," Zaina Kombo of Amnesty International Kenya told Reuters.
(Reporting by Vivianne Wandera and Edwin Waita, writing by Ammu Kannampilly; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Hereward Holland)
The United Kingdom will supply 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) under a 162 million contract to strengthen Ukraine's air defence.
Source: UK Ministry of Defence
Details: It was reported that this assistance was part of the new UK government's commitment to Ukraine.
Defence Secretary John Healey will make a statement onl the air defence aid package at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at Ramstein Air Force Base (also known as Ramstein-format meetings).
Healey will also reiterate the UK's unwavering commitment to Ukraine and call on allies to continue providing vital equipment to Ukraine.
The first batch of LMMs is expected to be delivered by the end of this year.
Thales company manufactures the missiles at its Belfast plant. They are highly versatile and can be launched from a variety of platforms on land, sea, and air.
Background:
During his visit to Kyiv in May 2024, former UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron initiated negotiations with Ukraine about a 100-year partnership.
In January, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasised during his speech in the UK Parliament that his country was building a new partnership with Ukraine that was intended to last for 100 years and beyond.
The future agreement will be based on the provisions of the 2020 Political, Free Trade and Strategic Partnership Agreement and the 2024 Agreement on Security Co-operation between the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland and Ukraine.
The first round of negotiations was held on 13 August.
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The United Kingdom will supply Ukraine with a new military aid package consisting of 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) worth over $213 million, the U.K. government announced on Sept. 6.
The announcement comes ahead of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group's (UDCG) meeting at the U.S. Ramstein military base in Germany. U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey will formally present the aid package at the summit.
Healey met with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on Sept. 3 in London, where the two officials discussed the U.K.'s ongoing support for Ukraine's defense, including a $395 million contract for artillery shells.
The first LMM missiles are expected to be delivered by the end of this year.
"This new commitment will give an important boost to Ukraine's air defenses and demonstrates our new governments commitment to stepping up support for Ukraine," Healey said.
"In recent days we have seen the tragic cost of Russia's indiscriminate strikes on Poltava and Lviv. These new UK-made missiles will support Ukraine to defend its people, infrastructure, and territory from Putins brutal attacks."
The LMM missiles, which can be launched from different platforms on land, sea, or air, are produced by the defense manufacturer Thales at a facility in Belfast. The weapons have a range of over 6 kilometers and can counter various threats, including drones and armored personnel carriers.
The U.K. has sent Ukraine hundreds of LMM missiles since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Read also: Opinion: Downing missiles while leaving launchers intact is like swatting mosquitos without closing the window
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LONDON (AP) Google was slammed Friday by U.K. regulators who say it's taking advantage of its dominance in digital advertising to thwart competition in Britain, ratcheting up pressure that the tech giant is facing on both sides of the Atlantic over its ad tech business practices.
Britain's Competition and Markets Authority said that the U.S. company gives preference to its own services to the detriment of online publishers and advertisers in Britain's 1.8 billion pound ($2.4 billion) digital ad market. The watchdog leveled its accusations after an investigation, and the findings could potentially lead to a fine worth billions of dollars or an order to change its behavior.
Google is a major player throughout the digital ad ecosystem, providing servers for publishers to manage ad space on their websites and apps, tools for advertisers and media agencies to buy display ads, and an exchange where both sides come together to buy and sell ads in real time at auctions.
Weve provisionally found that Google is using its market power to hinder competition when it comes to the ads people see on websites, the watchdog's interim executive director of enforcement, Juliette Enser, said in a press release.
The watchdogs charges, known as a statement of objections, arrive two years after it opened its investigation. Googles digital ad business is also the focus of a European Union antitrust investigation and a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit that's set to go to trial this month.
The CMA said that Google's anti-competitive" conduct is ongoing, but the company disputed the allegations Friday.
Google remains committed to creating value for our publisher and advertiser partners in this highly competitive sector, the company said in a prepared statement. "The core of this case rests on flawed interpretations of the ad tech sector. We disagree with the CMA's view and we will respond accordingly.
The U.K. watchdog alleged Google has been exploiting its dominance since 2015 to strengthen the market position of its own AdX ad exchange and protect it from rivals. AdX is where Google charges the highest fees in the ad tech system, taking about 20% of the amount from bids, the CMA said.
The regulator's accusations include charges that Google manipulates advertiser bids so they have higher value when they go into AdX auctions then rival exchanges. AdX also gets to bid first in auctions run by Google's publisher ad server, potentially shutting out rivals from the chance to bid, the watchdog said.
Google now has the chance to reply to the charges. The CMA said it's considering what is needed to make sure Google ceases the anti-competitive practices. It has the power to impose a fine worth up to 10% of a company's annual worldwide revenue or issue a legally binding order to stop violations of competition law.
The CMA is 'concerned that Google is actively using its dominance in this sector to preference its own services.'
Google is facing yet more scrutiny over its ad tech practices after the UKs competition watchdog provisionally found that the company is abusing its dominant market position. In a statement of objections, the Competition and Markets Authority said Google is harming competition in the country by using its dominance in online display advertising to favor its own ad tech services.
The watchdog contends that , since 2015, Google has taken advantage of its dominant position in the sector as the operator of the Google Ads and DV260 ad-buying tools and DoubleClick For Publishers, a publisher ad server, to bolster its AdX advertising exchange. The CMA said that AdX is at the heart of the company's ad tech stack and it's the platform on which it charges the highest fees to advertisers approximately 20 percent of each bid for ad space that's processed there.
The CMA provisionally found that "the vast majority of publishers and advertisers use Googles ad tech services in order to bid for and sell advertising space" on websites. By preferencing its own services, "Google disadvantages competitors and prevents them competing on a level playing field to provide publishers and advertisers with a better, more competitive service that supports growth in their business," the CMA stated.
The statement of objections gives Google a chance to provide feedback and the CMA will consider those representations before it makes any final decision. A case decision group comprising three people (none of whom were involved in the preliminary investigation or sending the statement of objections). If the CMA ultimately determines that Google has infringed competition rules, it can fine the company up to 10 percent of its global annual revenue and order legally binding changes to the ad tech business.
Google disagrees with the decision and will respond accordingly, Dan Taylor, vice president of Google Ads, said. Our advertising technology tools help websites and apps fund their content, and enable businesses of all sizes to effectively reach new customers, Taylor told CNBC in a statement. Google remains committed to creating value for our publisher and advertiser partners in this highly competitive sector. The core of this case rests on flawed interpretations of the ad tech sector.
Regulators elsewhere have taken aim at Google's position in the ad tech space. The European Commission accused the company of "abusive practices" in the online ad space in June last year. The EC said that a potential order for Google to implement remedies may not be enough to resolve those practices. That could lead to the EU breaking up Google's ad business.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice and Google are set to go head-to-head in a trial that will start on Monday. The agency has called for the company's ad tech business to be broken up, citing an alleged illegal monopoly Google holds in that market. Google failed in an attempt to have the case dismissed . Last month, a federal judge ruled that Google illegally abused a monopoly over the search industry following a trial that stemmed from a separate DOJ lawsuit.
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US says deep strikes in Russia no game-changer after Zelenskiy plea
US says deep strikes in Russia no game-changer after Zelenskiy plea
By Phil Stewart and Sabine Siebold
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin cautioned on Friday there was "no one capability" that would turn the war in Ukraine in Kyiv's favour after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the West to let his forces use its long-range weapons to strike Russia.
At a regular meeting of Ukraine's allies at Ramstein U.S. Air Base in Germany, Zelenskiy repeated his plea for Western nations to supply more long-range missiles and lift restrictions on using them to hit targets such as airfields inside Russia.
Austin said Washington and its allies would continue to give strong support to Ukraine in fighting Russia's invasion, announcing another $250 million in U.S. security assistance.
But, questioned by reporters, the Pentagon chief pushed back on the idea that allowing deep strikes inside Russia with Western weapons would be a game-changer.
He said Russia had already moved aircraft that launch glide bombs into Ukraine beyond the range of U.S.-supplied ATACM missiles.
"There's no one capability that will in and of itself be decisive in this campaign," Austin told reporters at the end of the meeting.
He also said Ukraine had capabilities of its own - such as drones - to hit targets inside Russia that were beyond the reach of ATACM and British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles.
"There are a lot of targets in Russia - big country, obviously," Austin said. "And there's a lot of capability that Ukraine has in terms of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and other things to address those targets."
Among other donations, Germany pledged to supply an additional 12 self-propelled howitzers to Kyiv, while Canada said it planned to send 80,840 surplus small unarmed air-to-surface rockets as well as 1,300 warheads in the coming months.
Zelenskiy made his first appearance at a Ramstein meeting at an important moment in the 2-1/2-year-old war.
Ukrainian forces have made a surprise offensive into Russia's Kursk region even as Russian forces focus on seizing the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, a logistics hub for Kyiv's war effort.
"We need to have this long-range capability not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on Russian territory, yes, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace," Zelenskiy said, in remarks that drew support from countries including Baltic nations Lithuania and Estonia.
'RED LINES'
Zelenskiy has long pushed back against allies who have supplied long-range weapons but told Kyiv they cannot use them deep inside Russia for fear of instigating a direct conflict between the West and Russia's President Vladimir Putin.
In his remarks on Friday at Ramstein, Zelenskiy said: "Russia's attempts to draw red lines simply do not work."
The talks in Germany came as Americans prepare for a November presidential election that could have major implications for Ukraine. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, has promised to stand with Ukraine.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, has vowed to resolve the Ukraine war immediately on taking office with possible peace talks that might require Kyiv to cede territory. Trump and many of his supporters are skeptical of the billions of dollars in aid Biden's administration has poured into Ukraine's war effort.
At Ramstein, Austin gave statistics on the toll the war has taken on Russian forces, estimating more than 350,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded. He said Ukrainian forces have sunk, destroyed, or damaged 32 Russian Navy vessels and pushed Russia's Black Sea Fleet further east.
Zelenskiy said that about 6,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded in Ukraine's Kursk offensive.
"Today we control an area of more than 1,300 square kilometres in the Kursk region and this includes 100 settlements," Zelenskiy said, adding that a large part of that territory was abandoned by Russian troops.
But Moscow has also been pounding cities across Ukraine with missiles and drones in some of its largest attacks since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,
"The number of air defence systems that have not yet been delivered is significant," Zelenskiy said.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Sabine Siebold, additional reporting by David Ljunggren, editing by Andrey Sychev, Mark Heinrich and Angus MacSwan)
Ukraine says Russian attacks injure at least 5, cause fires
KYIV (Reuters) - Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight caused fires and injured at least five people across the country, local authorities said on Friday.
Ukraine's air force said it shot down 27 out of 44 Russia-launched drones with eight more "likely downed by the electronic warfare tools" overnight.
Russia also used two missiles in the attack, the air force said in the statement via the Telegram messaging app.
The governor of the northeastern region of Kharkiv said a missile attack damaged residential buildings and injured three people in the town of Liubotyn on Friday morning.
Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Serhiy Lysak said the air force shot down five drones and one missile over the region.
Various overnight attacks in this central region injured two people, damaged over 12 homes and impacted power lines and gas pipelines, he added.
Lviv regional authorities said drone debris fell in an industrial zone, setting fire to four trucks. A team of 32 firefighters had put out the fire by the morning and the governor reported no injuries during the attack.
Another fire caused by falling debris had been put out in the southern region of Mykolaiv where the air force shot down seven drones, its governor said.
(Reporting by Anastasiia Malenko; Editing by Kim Coghill and Christina Fincher)
The commander in chief of the Ukrainian military, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Thursday that the Kursk offensive has been effective and the strategy is working to block Russian forces from taking more territory in eastern Ukraine.
Syrskyi told CNNs Christiane Amanpour that the Kursk operation reduced the threat of an enemy offensive and prevented a Russian attack, saying Moscow had amassed tens of thousands of troops in the region, including experienced airborne ones.
He also said that Ukrainian forces have stalled the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine, including around the strategic railroad town of Pokrovsk.
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.
Syrskyis comments come as Ukrainian forces face a massive Russian attack in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, with troops closing in on not only Pokrovsk but also the cities of Chasiv Yar and Toretsk, both of which could help Russia advance further if captured.
Ukraine made a surprise incursion into Russias Kursk region on Aug. 6, a move that caught Moscow off guard and was initially hailed as a brilliant counteroffensive that demonstrated the Kremlin had weak borders.
But nearly a month since the incursion, Ukraine has not achieved one of its main objectives diverting a sufficient number of Russian troops from the front lines to Kursk to ease up pressure there leading to criticism of whether the gamble worked.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that some 60,000 Russian troops were diverted from Ukraine, but there has not been a noticeable impact on the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has showed more optimism and has hailed his forces for their advances in Donetsk.
Ukraine has taken some 100 settlements and around 500 square miles of territory, while capturing hundreds of Russian prisoners.
It has also destroyed Russian military assets and is protecting the northeastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions while in Kursk, from which Russia has yet to expel Ukrainian forces.
Syrskyi said since Russia has outmanned and outgunned Ukraine, his troops must resort to means with maximum use of terrain features, engineering structures and also, to use technical superiority.
We cannot fight in the same way as they do, he told CNN.
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Ukraines surprise offensive into Russia last month has shaken up the war in Ukraine -- the operation igniting a volatile phase in the war that has seen fighting for the first time move onto Russian territory but also allowed Russia to more rapidly advance in eastern Ukraine, even as both sides have escalated their aerial campaigns.
Since the incursion began last month, Russia has responded with an intensified air campaign, launching barrages of missiles and drones in the past week that have caused unusually heavy civilian casualties. Ukraine, meanwhile, has taken its own air attacks on energy infrastructure and military facilities inside Russia to a new level.
Russian cruise missiles on Wednesday slammed into the center of the usually safe city of Lviv, killing seven people and wounding more than 50, damaging dozens of buildings in the process.
PHOTO: A Ukrainian serviceman of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine monitors a sky as he rides in a car near a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine August 31, 2024. (Serhii Nuzhnenko/Reuters)
Russia has launched unusually large strikes against other cities over the past two weeks as two Russian missiles killed more than 50 people and injured 270 more when they hit a military academy in Poltava on Tuesday.
Ukraines incursion into Russias Kursk region has seized several hundred square kilometers of territory and dozens of small villages, also capturing hundreds of Russian prisoners of war. The offensive initially caught Russia heavily off-guard and embarrassed the Kremlin but Ukraine's forces have advanced little since the first two weeks and Russia has slowly stabilized its lines there, though its troops remain on the defensive.
The incursion, however, has also opened an opportunity for Russia, allowing it to make unusually rapid advances on a stretch of the front in eastern Ukraine. Some analysts believe that this is because, in part, Ukraine diverted some of its own reserves and ammunition to the offensive into Russia.
Meanwhile, Russian troops have been moving steadily towards the city of Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub, pushing through Ukrainian defenses and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians. The Russian advance threatens to disrupt Ukrainian supply lines for the Donbas region and is increasing the risk of a larger breakthrough along the frontlines there.
PHOTO: This map shows the territory in Ukraine assessed to be occupied by Russian forces at various stages during the war about two days into the war, as of about two weeks ago and currently. (Institute for the Study of War and AEI's Critical Threats Project)
Ukrainian officials have indicated they hoped their Kursk offensive would draw Russian forces away from the Pokrovsk front, which had already been under intense pressure. But, at least so far, Russia has not taken the bait. Instead, it has chosen to throw some of its most battle-ready resources into continuing the advance on Pokrovsk rather than focusing on driving the Ukrainians from its own territory in Kursk.
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday confirmed the Kremlin had chosen to prioritize the Pokrovsk advance.
"The enemy's goal was to make us become anxious, act in a hurry, redeploy forces from one sector to another, as well as to halt our offensive in key sectors, above all in Donbas, the liberation of which is our top priority," Putin told an audience at an economic forum.
PHOTO: This undated handout photograph released on September 1, 2024, on the official Telegram account of the Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, shows a firefighter extinguishing a car after a recent shelling by a Ukrainian strike in Belgorod. (Vyacheslav Gladkov/handout via AFP via Getty Images)
"Has the enemy succeeded? No, it has failed. On the contrary, by redeploying rather large and quite well-trained units to the districts at the border with us, the enemy weakened itself in key sectors, while our forces stepped up the offensive operations," Putin said.
Most independent military analysts believe it is too early to determine whether Ukraines gamble in Kursk has paid off or not, noting it has shifted the narrative that Ukraine is inexorably losing the war and has stretched Russia.
Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week claimed Russia had moved 60,000 troops already to Kursk to counter the offensive and open source researchers have confirmed Russian units have moved from other fronts.
The Washington, D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) this week said it had observed Russias command possibly redeploying some limited elements that were likely intended for future offensive operations in the Pokrovsk direction.
But the risks should not be understated, Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Rob Lee, a military expert at the Foreign Policy Research Institute wrote in a recent article for Foreign Affairs. The best-case scenario is that Ukrainian forces will hold Russia to relatively minor gains in Donetsk and retain Kursk with a sustainable force commitment.
PHOTO: This handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on August 24, 2024, shows Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife, Olena. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/AFP via Getty Images)
The worst-case scenario is that, months from now, Ukraine will have lost significant tracts of land in its east and retained no territory in Kursk that it can use as a bargaining chip, Kofman and Lee wrote, noting either was still possible.
Phillips O'Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews, wrote the success of Ukraine's Kursk operation was being underrated, saying it was already an "important strategic achievement."
"First, the Ukrainians are putting together a large, suppliable and defensible area within Russia itself. Its a very large area, that the Russians will struggle to take back without major force," he wrote on his Substack blog. It has also created a buffer for Ukraine's own Sumy region, O'Brien wrote, while forcing Russia to stretch its troops now to defend the rest of its borders. The operation has also shifted the narrative around the war and illustrated to the Biden administration the hollowness of Russia's nuclear red lines, he wrote.
PHOTO: In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state owned agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting regarding the situation in the Kursk region, in his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow, on August 12, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Zelenskyy has said the Kursk operation is part of a broader effort to bring the war home to Russia and force the Kremlin to negotiate on just terms. Ukraine has also stepped up its own air campaign against military facilities and energy infrastructure deep inside Russia using a growing fleet of domestically-developed drones. Last weekend saw Ukraine launch one of its largest drone attacks of the war, hitting power plants and an oil refinery just outside Moscow.
Last week Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kyiv that he intends to present a plan to President Joe Biden on how to force Russia to end the war when he visits the U.S. later this month. Zelenskyy said the Kursk operation was part of the plan, but that he also envisages using diplomacy and economic steps to pressure Russia, though he did not elaborate.
"The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war. And I want that very much -- (that it would be) fair for Ukraine, Zelenskyy said.
PHOTO: Men carry a coffin during the funeral of six Ukrainian servicemen, who were killed since Ukraine launched its offensive at the Russian border region of Kursk, in Sumy, northeastern Ukraine, on August 15, 2024. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)
Zelenskyy this week also carried out the largest shake up of his cabinet since Russias full-scale invasion, seeking to remove several high-profile ministers, including foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, one of the best-known faces of Ukraines government.
Zelenskyy explained the step as necessary to inject new energy into Ukraines government. The move has provoked mixed responses, with some observers warning it will further centralize power in the presidential administration.
Ukraine war enters volatile phase after offensive into Russia originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Ukraine will need to introduce amendments to the Constitution on the way to EU membership, Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice, has stated.
Source: Stefanishyna in an interview with European Pravda
Quote: "EU law must be implemented in our legislation. In addition, Ukraine's accession to the EU will require changes to Ukraine's Constitution. The principles governing state institutions will need to be reformed."
Details: She emphasised that constitutional amendments are unavoidable due to the need to implement rulings from the European Court of Justice and apply EU regulations, which will become directly applicable to Ukraine.
"Naturally, it is possible that these amendments to the Constitution will come into force when Ukraine joins the EU. However, we must begin preparing now to ensure that our entire legal system is ready for this transition," Stefanishyna concluded.
She also advised anticipating challenges not only from Hungary on Ukraine's path to EU membership.
In addition, Stefanishyna shared her expectations that Ukraine will be able to open two clusters in the EU accession negotiations in the first half of 2025.
She also explained why combining the positions of deputy prime minister for European integration and minister of justice in Ukraine was necessary. The merger was intended to streamline the alignment of Ukraines legislation with EU law by consolidating these responsibilities under a single leadership. This consolidation is designed to optimise administrative resources and enhance coordination between the deputy prime ministers duties related to EU integration and the Ministry of Justice's role in implementing legal reforms.
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Russian forces attacked Ukraine with one Kh-59 air-to-surface missile, one Kh-31P anti-radar missile and 44 Shahed drones on the night of 5-6 September. Out of these, 27 Russian drones have been downed, eight disappeared from radar, one came back to the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast and several others have been flying in Ukraines north.
Source: Ukraine's Air Force on Telegram
Quote: "As of 08:00, 27 attack drones have been downed as a result of the combat efforts. Eight drones disappeared from radar on Ukrainian territory (likely due to electronic warfare interference), one drone came back toward the occupied [parts of] Donetsk Oblast. Several aerial targets (likely attack drones) are being observed in the airspace in the north. Combat efforts are ongoing!"
Details: The Air Force reported that the missiles had been launched from the temporarily occupied Luhansk and Russias Bryansk oblasts, and the drones were launched from the Russian cities of Kursk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk and from Cape Chauda in temporarily occupied Crimea.
Aircraft, air surveillance troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Ukraines defence forces were involved in repelling the attack.
Air defence was responding within Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Poltava, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy oblasts.
Background:
On the evening of 5 September, Russian forces launched attack drones from the south. The Shahed drones reached Lviv Oblast after midnight. Later, the Russians launched new UAVs from Russias Belgorod Oblast towards Sumy Oblast.
Explosions were heard in Kharkiv and Lviv Oblast. Warehouses near the village of Malekhiv, Lviv Oblast, are on fire due to the fall of Shahed drone debris.
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Ukraine's new F-16s will have a longer strike range than ATACMS if the US ends up sending this stealthy missile
Ukraine's new F-16s will have a longer strike range than ATACMS if the US ends up sending this stealthy missile
The US is reportedly weighing sending JASSMs to Ukraine.
These stealthy, long-range cruise missiles could give Kyiv's F-16s a considerable firepower boost.
But with US restrictions on other high-profile missiles, it's unclear how Ukraine might use JASSMs.
The Ukrainian air force's new F-16 fighter jets could soon be flying with stealthy, American-made long-range cruise missiles.
Recent reports have said that the US is deciding whether to transfer AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles, or JASSMs, to Ukraine. These high-profile weapons would give Kyiv a significantly farther strike range than any other Western munitions it has in its arsenal.
Beyond whether it will get the weapons, it is also unclear how Ukraine would be allowed to use its JASSMs if it received them. The US could put limitations on its use. As is, it still restricts the country from using its powerful US-provided tactical ballistic missiles to strike military targets inside Russia.
Politico first reported last month that the Biden administration was open to sending JASSMs to Ukraine. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the US was close to an agreement to send the missiles to Kyiv as part of a weapons package to be announced in the fall, but no final decision has been made yet.
The Pentagon downplayed the reports, saying that the decision hasn't come up yet. "We haven't even been faced with that decision yet. While the DoD is always looking at a range of options, I wouldn't say that we are close to an agreement or decision on them, and thus there hasn't been a discussion of restrictions," a US defense official said.
A US Air Force F-16 before releasing a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile. 40th Flight Test Squadron
JASSMs are low-observable, standoff missiles launched from aircraft to strike surface targets. The American defense firm Lockheed Martin developed them, and they've been in service for over two decades, although they only saw combat for the first time a few years ago. Only a small number of countries possess this capability.
Older JASSM variants carry a 1,000-pound warhead and have a range of more than 230 miles, which significantly exceeds that of other Western air-to-surface missiles sent to Ukraine, including the Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missiles provided by Britain and France.
With that range, JASSMs would also surpass the range of ground-launched US-provided MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, also known as ATACMS, which have the longest reach of any munition Washington has sent Kyiv so far.
With JASSMs, Ukraine could extend its reach to strike military targets inside Russia. However, the US has prevented Kyiv from using ATACMS to hit Russian territory, and it may do the same with JASSMs, thus limiting their utility to a degree. Targets deep inside the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula could be fair game, though, as Washington has been more permissive there.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly lobbied the US to drop all remaining restrictions on striking inside Russia, arguing that these limitations effectively hamstring Kyiv's ability to fight.
US airmen loading a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile onto a bomber. US Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Aaron Hill
Kyiv is already receiving a variety of capable missiles from the West for its new but small inventory of F-16s. These include air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons. But JASSMs would provide the fighter jets with additional long-range strike options that could be beneficial even if their employment is limited to Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine, as ATACMS are.
Former American fighter pilots said that the weapons would be of great use to Ukraine.
Mike Torrealday, a retired US Air Force colonel who flew combat operations in the Middle East in the F-16, said that sending Ukraine standoff weapons would give its F-16s the ability to reach targets without entering threat areas, like the space covered by Russian air-defense systems.
Standoff weaponry like the JASSM is "a great asset in any conflict because it lets you strike at the enemy without being exposed" to the surface-to-air missile systems, he told Business Insider.
Vincent Aiello, a former US naval aviator who, in addition to flying Navy jets also flew the F-16 during his career, said JASSMs would give Ukraine "a deep interdiction strike capability" that it could use to threaten Russian bases, forces, and logistics operations.
He told BI that "because the weapon includes stealth and programmable routes, it would be more difficult to defend against, making it that much more of a challenge for Russia."
Read the original article on Business Insider
Andrii Sybiha, Ukraines newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed the need for personnel changes in both diplomatic missions and the Ministry's central machinery when declaring his work priorities.
Source: Sybiha on Facebook, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Ukraines Foreign Minister stated that the most important aspect of Ukrainian diplomacy right now is "ensuring Ukraine's defence capability" on a variety of fronts, including the fulfilment of security agreements, the delivery of weapons, and the growth of defence cooperation.
He also advocated for Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO, as well as the continued promotion of the peace formula, particularly among Asian, African, and Latin American countries, the prosecution of those responsible for Russian atrocities, and compensation for the damage caused.
Sybiha also discussed the institutional and personnel modernisation of the Foreign Ministry, particularly in light of Ukraine's increased diplomatic presence overseas.
"There will be personnel changes, including new ambassadors and consul generals. There will be adjustments at the central office to reinforce the system. The measure of success will be the results achieved by each leader of a foreign institution, not self-promotion and social media posts," he stated.
In addition, the Foreign Minister stated that Ukraine's Foreign Policy Strategy will be amended "based on the realities of war", although he did not provide specifics.
Other efforts he cited included the development of legislative and economic diplomacy, the involvement of professionals and business in foreign policy formulation, working with Ukrainians abroad, digitising consular services, and combating Russian fakes.
On September 5, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) appointed Andrii Sybiha as the minister of foreign affairs instead of Dmytro Kuleba.
Sybiha's first official conversation after the appointment was with his Polish counterpart, Radosaw Sikorski. He also met with many European colleagues on Friday 6 August.
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Ukraine's Minister of Energy on Zelenskyy's gigawatt plan: hundreds of megawatts of generation already installed
Ukraine has already installed hundreds of MW of capacity out of the 1 GW of generation announced by Zelenskyy for 2024.
Source: Herman Halushchenko, Minister of Energy of Ukraine, during his speech in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament)
Quote: "As of today, [equipment capable of generating] hundreds of megawatts has already been installed. We have also funded equipment [with a capacity exceeding] 600 megawatts, some of which is already in Ukraine, while the rest is on its way," he said.
He said that there is a clear plan and schedule of work, which is being implemented by a number of state-owned companies in Ukraine.
For reference. 1 gigawatt (GW) equals 1,000 megawatts (MW).
Background:
Energy Minister German Galushchenko said Ukraine will endure the winter with a normal power supply in the absence of new heavy Russian strikes on the energy sector.
Optimistic scenarios predict that during the autumn and winter period, power outages in Ukraine will last up to 12 hours a day, while pessimistic scenarios foresee outages lasting up to 20 hours, according to the forecast of Ukraines Centre for Countering Disinformation.
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An air defence mobile firing group. Stock photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook
Russian drones were detected in the airspace of Kyiv Oblast on the morning of 6 September, and local authorities noted that Ukrainian air defence was responding to the attack.
Source: Kyiv Oblast Military Administration on Telegram; Ukraines Air Force on Telegram
Quote from Kyiv Oblast Military Administration: "UAVs were detected in the airspace. Air defence units are responding to them."
Details: The authorities are urging residents to go to shelters, observe information silence and not to record or post air defence operations online.
The Air Force reported the movement of a Russian UAV towards the city of Bila Tserkva from the north-east. There is also a threat of attack drones in Chernihiv Oblast.
As of 07:30, the Air Force reported a missile threat to Kyiv and Cherkasy oblasts.
Background:
On the evening of 5 September, Russian forces launched attack drones from the south. After midnight, the Shahed drones reached Lviv Oblast. Later, the Russians launched new UAVs from Russias Belgorod Oblast towards Sumy Oblast.
Explosions were heard in Kharkiv and Lviv Oblast. Warehouses near the village of Malekhiv, Lviv Oblast, are on fire due to the fall of Shahed drone debris.
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Ukrainian forces in Donetsk Oblast show how they down Russian UAVs with FPV drones
The members of the unit of unmanned forces of the 93rd Separate Mechanised Brigade Kholodny Yar have struck 49 Russian targets over 17 days on the Bakhmut front in Donetsk Oblast.
Source: the SIGNUM unit of the 93rd Separate Mechanised Brigade Kholodny Yar
Quote: "Well, dear friends, the time has come, and we are posting the video with the results of our total destruction of Russian reconnaissance UAVs.
In a very short period of time, we managed to strike almost all Russian eyes in this district, which greatly facilitated the work of our logistics, artillery and other units and significantly decreased the intensity of Russian attacks with both artillery and guided aerial bombs.
The destruction of 49 aerial targets was confirmed in the video:
ZALA - 36 pieces,
SuperCam - 7 pieces,
Orlan - 5 pieces,
Lantset - 1 piece".
Details: The soldiers thanked everyone who contributed to the fundraising for the drones.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, noted on 6 September that Ukrainian unmanned systems develop quickly and dynamically in conditions of intense warfare.
"The Armed Forces of Ukraine have to be one step ahead of the enemy. We keep working on it," he added.
Background: Captain Dmytro Lykhovii, spokesperson for the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group of Troops, also noted the skill of Ukrainian UAV operators. He stated that Russian UAVs are being downed by Ukrainian FPV drones more and more often. For instance, on 5 September, two Orlan-10 reconnaissance drones and SuperCam drones were destroyed in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. There have also been cases of Russian attack drones being downed by FPV drones.
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The Ukrainian government agreed to dismiss Zakarpattia Oblast Governor Viktor Mykyta from his post, Taras Melnychuk, the government's representative in the parliament, announced on Sept. 6. The decision must now be approved by the president.
The news comes against the backgrop of a broad government reshuffle that saw a number of ministers and other high-ranking officials resign.
Melnychuk did not specify the reason for the decision or whether Mykyta would be offered a new position in state administration if his dismissal was approved.
Opposition lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak suggested back in June that after Presidential Office deputy head Oleksii Kuleba is moved to a ministerial post, he would likely be replaced in the Presidential Office by a governor of some "western oblast."
Oleksii Kuleba was recently appointed as deputy prime minister for the restoration of Ukraine and minister for the development of communities and territories.
Kuleba's unified office will take over the duties of the reintegration ministry, whose head, Deputy Prime Minister and Reintegration Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, was also dismissed. For now, the reintegration ministry will be temporarily led by Vereshchuk's former deputy, Anatolii Stelmakh, according to Melnychuk.
Mykyta served in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) before being appointed the head of the southwestern Zakarpattia Oblast in 2021.
The decision on the dismissal was announced the same day as law enforcement officers reportedly searched the premises of the city council in Uzhhorod, the regional center of Zakarpattia Oblast.
The investigation concerns city administration officials allegedly demanding $15,000 from an entrepreneur for construction permits, Hromadske reported, citing its sources. City and regional administrations are separate institutions, and there is currently no indication that the two events are connected.
Read also: Whos who in Ukraines biggest wartime government reshuffle
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Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers (the government) approved the dismissal of Viktor Mykyta as head of the Zakarpattia Oblast State Administration on 6 September.
Source: Taras Melnychuk, representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament)
Quote: "The dismissal of Viktor Mykyta as the head of the Zakarpattia Oblast State Administration has been approved."
Details: Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a Ukrainian MP from the Holos (Voice) party, had previously hinted that Mykyta would probably be appointed deputy head of the President's Office, replacing Oleksii Kuleba, who took over the Infrastructure Ministry on 5 September.
For reference: Mykyta was born in 1979 in the village of Ilnytsia in Zakarpattia Oblast. He graduated from Zakarpattia Forestry Technical College with a focus on technology, economics, and woodworking planning, earning a qualification as a technologist-economist. In 2002, he completed his studies at the National Academy of Internal Affairs with a law degree.
Background: On 10 December 2021, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Viktor Mykyta, a former Security Service officer, as the head of the Zakarpattia Oblast State Administration. At the time, the President's Office said that Mykyta had worked in law enforcement "in various positions" since 2003.
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Ukrainian troops executed by Russian soldiers as they surrender
Video footage appears to show Russians killing Ukrainian soldiers as they surrendered - CNN
New video footage appears to show Ukrainian soldiers being executed as they surrender to Russian troops after an ambush.
The clip, recently obtained by CNN, was filmed in late August in the eastern Donetsk region. It shows three soldiers kneeling down with their hands behind their back before being shot.
The Telegraph has chosen not to show the footage because it is too graphic.
A Ukrainian official told CNN the incident is part of a pattern of apparent executions, which have increased in pace this year.
There have been 15 such cases in which surrendering Ukrainian troops are killed rather than being taken prisoner since November, according to Ukrainian intelligence sources.
Andriy Kostin, Ukraines prosecutor general, said the alleged killings are war crimes. If prisoners of war surrender, if they show that they surrender, if they are without weapons in their hands, then summary execution is a war crime, he said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has not yet responded to the footage.
Meanwhile, Ukraines top general said its incursion into Kursk has worked by halting Russias advance into a key area of Ukraine.
Kyiv launched an invasion into the region on August 6 and said it has captured 1,300 sq km of Russian territory including 100 towns.
The move was designed to slow Russias advance towards the key town of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.
Speaking to CNN, Ukraines top general Oleksandr Syrskii suggested that the tactic was working, saying: Over the past six days, the enemy hasnt advanced a single metre in the Pokrovsk direction.
04:01 PM BST
Thank you for following our live coverage of the war in Ukraine
Heres a reminder of todays events:
President Zelensky said Ukraine has been able to hold ground in Russias Kursk region following its incursion into the territory on Aug 6
A top Ukrainian general said the incursion into Kursk stopped the Russian advance into the east of the country, saying: our strategy is working
Britain announced its providing 640 air defence missiles to Ukraine as part of a package worth 162 million
President Zelensky accused Britain of slowing down its delivery of long-range missiles in a speech urging international supporters to provide more weapons to Ukraine
03:51 PM BST
Zelensky accuses Britain of slowing delivery of long-range missiles
Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the UK and US of slowing down their deliveries of long-range missiles to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president said: Now we hear that your long-range policy has not changed, but we see changes in the Atacms, Storm Shadows and Scalps a shortage of missiles and cooperation.
His comments came ahead of a visit to Germany where he will attend a meeting of the Ramstein group of 50 allies supporting Kyiv militarily.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has ramped up calls for Western allies to drop restrictions on missiles in order to strike inside Russia.
But Mr Zelensky said the shortages now applies even to our own territory, which is occupied by Russia, including Crimea.
We think it is wrong that there are such steps. We need to have this long-range capability not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace, he added.
01:59 PM BST
Putin needs to stop talking about our elections, top US national security adviser says
Vladimir Putin should stop talking about the US election, Joe Bidens top national security adviser has said.
John Kirby, the White Houses national security communications adviser, made the comments when asked by reporters for his response to the Russian president endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Mr Kirby stressed that the Russian leader ought to stop talking about our elections, period, Ukrainian media reported.
He added: He shouldnt be favouring anybody one way or another. The only people who should get to determine who the next president of the United States is is the American people.
01:27 PM BST
Russia lost 6,000 troops in Kursk, says Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Friday that Russia has lost 6,000 troops during Kyivs invasion of Kursk.
The Ukrainian president made the claim at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where he repeated calls for Western nations to expedite the delivery of air defence systems and long-range missiles.
Volodymyr Zelensky appears alongside the US defence secretary during the seventh meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Germany - Shutterstock
12:47 PM BST
We have stopped Russia in the east, claims top Ukraine general
Ukraines top general has said its incursion into Russia has worked by halting Russias advance into a key area of Ukraine.
Kyiv launched an invasion into Kursk on Aug 6 and said it has captured 1300 sq km of Russian territory including 100 towns.
The move was designed to slow Russias advance towards the key town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine.
Speaking to CNN, Ukraines top general Oleksandr Syrskii suggested that the tactic was working, saying: Over the past six days, the enemy hasnt advanced a single metre in the Pokrovsk direction.
In other words, our strategy is working.
On Thursday, Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed the Kursk offensive had failed to slow Russias advance and had instead weakened Ukraines defence of Donetsk.
12:27 PM BST
Russia to impose restrictions on US media in retaliation to sanctions
Moscow will impose restrictions on American media outlets in Russia as a response to Washington's sanctions on state-funded news network RT, the Kremlin has said.
The US treasury department charged two RT employees and slapped its top editors with sanctions on Wednesday, accusing them of trying to influence the upcoming 2024 US presidential election.
"A symmetrical response is not possible. There is no state news agency in the US, and there is no state TV channel in the US," Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told the state RIA Novosti news agency.
"But there will certainly be measures here that will restrict their media disseminating their information," he said.
Peskov did not say what restrictions Russia would introduce against US media.
Most US media outlets downsized or pulled their staff from Russia when Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive amid laws targeting independent reporting on the conflict.
11:41 AM BST
Britain to send 650 air defence missiles to Ukraine
Britain is providing Ukraine with 650 new lightweight missiles in a package worth 162 million, it announced on Friday.
The Thales-made Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) has a range of more than six kilometres (3.73 miles), the Ministry of Defence said, and can be fired from platforms on land, sea, and air.
The announcement comes after Russia launched 200 missiles and drones at Ukraine on Monday, killing seven people and damaging energy infrastructure nationwide, in what Kyiv described as the wars most massive attack.
Kyiv has repeatedly called on Western nations to expedite the delivery of air defence support systems to help defend itself from Moscows missile and drone attacks.
The new supply of missiles, announced by John Healey, the Defence Secretary, at a US air base in Germany, is expected to arrive by the end of the year.
This new commitment will give an important boost to Ukraines air defences, Mr Healey said in a statement.
11:07 AM BST
Watch: Lorries burned after Shahed drones shot down outside Lviv
Video footage shows four lorries burning after being struck by the wreckage of three Russian drones shot down outside Lviv on Friday morning.
Click here to view this content.
Firefighters took one and a half hours to get the fire under control and there were no casualties, the regions military leader said on Telegram.
10:11 AM BST
We need more weapons to drive Russia out of Ukraine, Zelensky says
President Zelensky has stressed the need for more weapons to drive Russia out of Ukraine.
In a speech to international supporters in Germany, Mr Zelensky said: Ukraine needs more weapons to drive Russia off Ukrainian lands.
The Ukrainian president said Kyiv needed a much stronger fleet of F-16 fighter jets and said forces are suffering from a shortage of missiles, adding: We need long-range capability also for use on Russian territory.
Ukrainian President Zelensky attends a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany - HEIKO BECKER/REUTERS
09:51 AM BST
US to provide $250m of military aid to Ukraine
Washington will provide $250 million (189 million) in new military aid for Ukraine as Kyiv faces advancing Russian forces in the east and devastating strikes by Moscow.
Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, told a meeting in Germany of Ukraine's international supporters: "I'm pleased to say that president Biden will announce today an additional $250 million security assistance package for Ukraine. It will surge in more capabilities to meet Ukraine's evolving requirements.
09:40 AM BST
Ukraine holds ground in Russias Kursk region
President Zelensky has said Ukraine still controls 100 towns in Russias Kursk region.
Last Monday, Ukraine said they controlled 100 towns and 1,250 sq km in the region suggesting its forces have clung on to the territory following Kyiv's daring incursion into Russia on Aug 6.
However, speaking in Germany today, the Ukrainian leader said its forces now control more than 1,300 sq km in the region.
09:14 AM BST
Zelensky travels to Germany as he reiterates calls for long-range missiles
Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany where he has reiterated calls for Western nations to give Ukraine long-range missile capabilities.
The Ukrainian president will then travel to Italy after a meeting with Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, in Frankfurt.
09:01 AM BST
Pictured: lorries burned after Shahed drones shot down outside Lviv
Four lorries have been destroyed in a fire after Russian attack drones were shot down outside Lviv.
Fire and smoke rise from burning trucks at a warehouse facility hit by downed Russian drones outside Lviv - STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE OF UKRAINE/REUTERS
Wreckage from three Shahed drones fell in an industrial zone in the Lviv region at around 3.15am this morning, after Ukrainian air defences shot the aircraft down, reports said.
Firefighters try to extinguish the fire - STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE OF UKRAINE/REUTERS
Over thirty firefighters managed to extinguish the fire in one and a half hours but the vehicles were unsalvageable, the regions military leader said on Telegram.
Firefighters extinguish fire in trucks at a site where warehouse facilities were hit during a Russian drone strike - STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE OF UKRAINE/REUTERS
Maksym Kozytskyi said: Overall, the enemy attacked our oblast [region] with three attack drones while the two air-raid warnings, issued in Lviv, last night were in effect. Our air defence downed all [drones]. Most importantly, there were no casualties.
08:23 AM BST
Highly versatile against drones
The weapon is highly versatile against armoured personnel carriers, warships and unmanned drones, the Ministry of Defence said.
The Thales-made supersonic missile travels at Mach 1.5 (approximately 1150 mph), with a range of 6km (3.7 miles).
The UK is helping Ukraine defend its skies with a new 162m package of 650 Lightweight Multi-role Missiles for air defence, with delivery starting this year.
Our support for Ukraine is ironclad, and will continue for as long as it takes.
Read more: https://t.co/iLSREyyqCW pic.twitter.com/wUnnGCe4uP Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) September 6, 2024
07:58 AM BST
Ukraine downs 27 Russian drones overnight
The Ukrainian air force shot down 27 out of 44 Russia-launched drones overnight, it said on Friday.
Russia also used two missiles in the attack, the air force added in the statement on Telegram.
07:55 AM BST
Welcome to our live coverage
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage.
Were bringing you the latest updates from the Ukraine war.
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Ukrainians race to evacuate their homes as fierce fighting rages near eastern city of Pokrovsk
Ukrainians race to evacuate their homes as fierce fighting rages near eastern city of Pokrovsk
POKROVSK, Ukraine With Russian forces just 5 miles away, civilians in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk are expecting a heavy fight to come and scrambling to flee while theres still time.
We walked around the house saying goodbye, it was a very hard moment, Oksana Belova, 50, told NBC News on Thursday as she prepared to leave her home with her 75-year old mother, Lyubov Ridanova, and her autistic son, Mykyta, 11, who has problems with his eyesight.
She packed their bags into an ambulance, aided by a crew from East SOS, a charity which helps people to evacuate and find new accommodation. As tears filled her eyes, she turned to look at their home for one last time, spotting her two dogs yapping on chains in the front yard whom she had to leave behind.
She said she had asked her neighbor to look after them, while they moved to the Poltava region in central Ukraine, to live at a family vacation camp that has been turned into housing for people displaced by the fighting.
Our hope is to come back someday and that our house is not destroyed, she said.
Lyubov Ridanova, 75, evacuates her home in Pokrovsk, Ukraine.
Roman Matsevko, a member of the East SOS evacuation crew, said there are about 30,000 people still living in Pokrovsk, around half the prewar population. Rescuers said they had been answering daily calls for assistance for the past month.
Based in the nearby city of Dnipro, the ambulance crew races down the highway into town, only slowing to a crawl to skirt around a crater from a missile which had torn through the concrete of a railway bridge days earlier.
On the outskirts of the city, Ukrainian forces were digging trenches in a tree line. Further into town, a few military vehicles patrolled the streets, mixed in among the civilian cars and buses.
Pokrovsk, a transport hub, lies on a main road that serves as an important supply route to other embattled Ukrainian-held outposts, such as the towns of Chasiv Yar and Kostiantynivka.
The ferocity of the fight is impossible to miss. Buildings and streets are left in ruins. Artillery booms close by.
It has become more difficult lately, more incoming, more glide bombs, more of everything, said Serhii, a 43-year-old Ukrainian soldier driving a vehicle draped in camouflage netting. He asked to be identified only by his first name in keeping with military protocol.
In light of the Russian advance, he remained defiantly optimistic. We stand still, we hold. Everything will be Ukraine, he said before driving off.
President Vladimir Putin is attempting to preserve the Russian drive on Pokrovsk, according to an analysis Wednesday by the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.
It added that he had thus far avoided redeploying the type of combat effective and experienced frontline units from the region that will likely be necessary to push Ukrainian forces from Kursk, the region of southwest Russia which Ukrainian forces swept into almost a month ago.
Destroyed buildings in Pokrovsk.
Kyiv now claims it controls nearly 500 square miles of Russian territory and has taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war, since it started its advance the biggest foreign incursion into Russia since World War II.
Putin has vowed to squeeze the Ukrainian forces out, while his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told NBC News on Wednesday that his country would hold Kursk as it is integral to his victory plan to end the war.
In the meantime, the fierce fighting continues near Pokrovsk and although the battle appears to be edging closer and closer, some are determined not to leave.
Natalia, a 50-year old railway worker, said she would stay as long as her company needed her.
Everyone is nervous of course, the front line is very close, she said. I think, with time all will move out, it is tougher and tougher with every day here.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission, presents its first investigative report to the media during a press conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
GENEVA (AP) U.N.-backed human rights investigators on Friday urged the creation of an independent and impartial force to protect civilians in Sudans war, blaming both sides for war crimes including murder, mutilation and torture and warning that foreign governments which arm and finance them could be complicit.
The fact-finding team, in their first report since being created by the U.N.s main human rights body in October, also accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which are fighting Sudans army, and its allies of crimes against humanity, including rape, sexual slavery and persecution on ethnic or gender grounds.
The people of Sudan have suffered greatly, and the violations against them must stop. This cannot be done without ending the fighting, Mohamed Chande Othman, the chair of the team, told a news conference.
The experts called for the expansion of an arms embargo on Sudan's long-restive western Darfur region to the entire country.
The findings from the team mandated by the 47-country Human Rights Council come as more than 10 million people have been driven from their homes including more than 2 million to neighboring countries and famine has broken out in one large camp for displaced people in Darfur.
The conflict that erupted in April 2023 has killed untold thousands of people, and humanitarian groups are struggling to gain access to people in need. In December, the U.N. Security Council voted to end the world body's political mission in the country under pressure from the military leadership.
While the killings, displacements and forced starvation have been long known, the call for creation of an independent force marks the latest sign of desperation from rights advocates both within the country and abroad to halt the bloodshed, displacement and food crisis.
Given the failure of the parties to protect civilians so far, the fact-finding mission recommends the deployment of an independent and impartial force with a mandate to protect civilians in Sudan, the team's report said.
The experts didn't specify what might make up that force, nor did they say which countries might be complicit in the crimes through their backing of rival sides. Sudan's military has accused the United Arab Emirates of supporting the RSF, a claim that the Gulf country has denied.
Neighboring Egypt is among the backers of Sudan's armed forces.
The fact-finding mission considers that fighting will stop once the arms flow stops," the report said. It called for an immediate end to funneling weapons, ammunition and other support to any side, "as there is a risk that those supplying arms may be complicit in grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law.
The experts focused on a period from January and August this year. They visited three neighboring countries and took testimonies from more than 180 survivors, relatives and witnesses to the conflict that now has spread to 14 of Sudans 18 states.
Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, a team member, said conflict-related sexual violence had a long and tragic history in Sudan, and civilians overwhelmingly women and girls were, and continue to be, targeted with sexual violence in particular rape (and) gang rape by both parties to the conflict.
Earlier this month, talks in Geneva convened by the United States, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia made some headway in getting aid into Sudan, but mediators lamented the lack of participation of Sudans armed forces. Egypt, the UAE, the African Union and the United Nations were also involved in the talks.
The U.N. World Food Program in Sudan reported that trucks carrying 100 metric tons of food entered Sudan on Friday through the Adre crossing from Chad, which reopened on Aug. 20.
Since then, WFP has transported a total of 1,500 metric tons of food and nutrition supplies, enough for 130,000 people, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York.
Some aid has already been delivered to Mornei in West Darfur, an area at famine risk, he said. The rest is on its way to other West Darfur communities that are at risk of famine, though no aid is getting into the North Darfur capital, El Fasher, which is besieged by the RSF, Dujarric said.
The fact-finding team has little power to affect events on the ground in what the U.N. has called the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Its report mainly serves to train a spotlight on rights abuses and violations for the world community and help inform International Criminal Court prosecutors.
Othman, speaking to The Associated Press, said that the team hadn't compiled concrete evidence about which countries were funneling weapons and money to the rival sides beyond what they had seen in media reports, but that the issue was worth investigating.
It should be assigned to some person or some agency to look into it, because it is serious in the context of the protracted war in Sudan, he said.
___
Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report from the United Nations.
FILE PHOTO: Families displaced by RSF advances in Sudan's El Gezira and Sennar states shelter at the Omar ibn al-Khattab displacement site, Kassala state
FILE PHOTO: Families displaced by RSF advances in Sudan's El Gezira and Sennar states shelter at the Omar ibn al-Khattab displacement site, Kassala state
By Emma Farge
GENEVA (Reuters) -Both sides in Sudan's civil war have committed abuses that may amount to war crimes, and world powers need to send in peacekeepers and widen an arms embargo to protect civilians, a U.N.-mandated mission said on Friday.
Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have both raped and attacked civilians, used torture and made arbitrary arrests, according to the report that said it was based on 182 interviews with survivors, relatives and witnesses.
"The gravity of our findings and failure of the warring parties to protect civilians underscores the need for urgent and immediate intervention," the U.N. fact-finding mission's chair, Mohamed Chande Othman, told reporters.
Both sides have dismissed past accusations from the U.S. and rights groups, and have accused each other of carrying out abuses. Neither immediately responded to requests for comment on Friday, or released a statement in response to the report.
Othman and the two other mission members called for an independent force to be deployed without delay.
"We cannot continue to have people dying before our eyes and do nothing about it," mission member Mona Rishmawi said. A U.N.-mandated peacekeeping force was a possibility, she added.
The mission called for the expansion of an existing U.N. arms embargo that currently applies only to the western region of Darfur where thousands of ethnic killings have been reported. The war that started in Khartoum in April last year has spread to 14 of the country's 18 states.
HUNDREDS OF RAPES REPORTED
The mission said it had also found reasonable grounds to believe the RSF and its allied militias had committed additional war crimes including the abduction of women who were forced into sexual slavery and the recruitment of child soldiers.
Mission member Joy Ngozi Ezeilo said unnamed support groups had received reports of more than 400 rapes in the first year of the war, but the real number was probably much higher.
"The rare brutality of this war will have a devastating and long-lasting psychological impact on children," she said.
The fact-finding team said it had tried to contact Sudanese authorities on multiple occasions but received no answer. It said the RSF had asked to cooperate with the mission, without elaborating.
The conflict began when competition between the army and the RSF, which had previously shared power after staging a coup, flared into open warfare.
Civilians in Sudan are facing worsening famine, mass displacement and disease after 17 months of war, aid agencies say.
U.S.-led mediators said last month that they had secured guarantees from both parties at talks in Switzerland to improve access for humanitarian aid, but that the Sudanese army's absence from the discussions had hindered progress.
"We will continue to push all parties to come to a negotiated settlement that allows the Sudanese people to shape their political future," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Friday, reiterating the Biden administration's condemnation of the violence.
The report is the three-member mission's first since its creation in October 2023 by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
A group of Western countries including Britain will call for the U.N. mission's renewal at a meeting this month, with diplomats expecting opposition from Sudan which says the war is an internal affair.
(Reporting by Emma Farge in GenevaAdditional reporting by Aidan Lewis in Cairo; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Matthew Lewis)
Palestinian children sit in the midst of the destruction in the aftermath of a reported overnight Israeli strike that hit tents used as temporary shelters by displaced Palestinians in the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, as the israeli war on Gaza continues. Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is "beyond catastrophic," the United Nations warned on Thursday.
More than 1 million people did not receive any food rations in August in southern and central Gaza through humanitarian means, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
"Despite the challenges we face, the UN and other humanitarian organizations continue to do everything possible to provide life-saving aid to Palestinians," he said.
Between August 19 and the end of the month, 450,000 cooked meals prepared in 130 kitchens were provided daily to families across the Strip.
"It bears repeating that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains beyond catastrophic and we still do not have all the conditions necessary to support people near the scale that they actually need," Dujarric said.
Multiple evacuation orders issued by the Israeli security forces had forced 70 kitchens to suspend service or relocate.
For the second consecutive month, there would be insufficient supplies to meet need, meaning families in central and southern Gaza would receive only one food parcel.
Dujarric added that 11 months into the war, international media were still banned from entering Gaza to report on the humanitarian impact.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces continued to "utilize lethal war-like tactics," Dujarric said, referring to reports from the UN emergency aid organization OCHA.
"Medical facilities have been virtually besieged for over a week now, with heavy restrictions imposed on the movement of ambulances and medical staff," he said.
"OCHA also warns that this is deepening peoples humanitarian needs as well as insecurity and raises concerns over excessive use of force."
Israel has been blockading and bombarding large parts of the Gaza Strip in a war launched after the Palestinian militant group Hamas led unprecedented attacks on Israel on October 7 that killed more than 1,200 people.
According to the Hamas-controlled health authority in Gaza, more than 40,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since the start of the war.
The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (Photo by Eros Hoagland/Getty Images)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills newest class is less diverse following the Supreme Courts 2023 affirmative action ruling, according to its latest student enrollment data released this week.
The percentage of first-year and transfer students identifying as white or Asian increased this year from 88.5 percent to 89.6 percent, compared to the fall 2023 report.
Meanwhile, the number of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students declined from 22.9 percent to 19 percent.
The numbers add up to more than 100 because some students identify as more than one race or ethnicity.
Its the first school year since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions across the country in lawsuits centered on UNC and Harvard University.
Its too soon to see trends with just one year of data, UNC vice provost for enrollment Rachelle Feldman said in a written statement. 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.
In a 6-3 decision along ideological lines, the justices ruled in June 2023 that race-conscious college admissions programs violate the 14th Amendments equal protection clause.
The biggest increase was among Asian students, making up 24.8 percent of the incoming class in fall 2023 and 25.8 percent in fall 2024.
The percentage of students identifying as Black had the largest decrease, going from 10.5 percent in 2023 to 7.8 percent in 2024. This 2.7 percent shift was the only change of more than one percentage point.
The number of white students increased slightly from 63.7 percent to 63.8 percent, and Pacific Islander enrollment increased from 0.2 percent to 0.3 percent.
Hispanic enrollment declined from 10.8 percent to 10.1 percent while Native American enrollment dropped from 1.6 percent to 1.1 percent.
UNCs incoming class includes 4,641 first-year students and 983 transfer students, according to the report. Of these, 4,608 students are from North Carolina, while 1,016 are out-of-state or international students.
The university received a record 73,192 total applicants, marking a 15.8 percent increase from 63,217 in 2023.
The students hail from 95 counties in North Carolina, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 79 countries around the world.
Boeing and NASA teams work around NASA's Boeing Starliner spacecraft after it landed uncrewed on Friday at White Sands, N.M. NASA Photo by Aubrey Gemignani/UPI
Sept. 6 (UPI) -- The uncrewed Boeing Starliner successfully landed in New Mexico late Friday after departing six hours earlier from the International Space Station.
The capsule left behind two astronauts -- Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams -- who must now remain in the station until February for a return home on a SpaceX capsule. NASA decided problems with Starliner's thrusters and leaking helium made it too risky of a return with humans.
Starliner landed at White Sands Space Harbor at 10:01 p.m. MDT. Ground crews welcomed the capsule with plans to return it to Florida where it launched on June 6.
LIVE: In a post-landing news update, NASA officials discuss the Boeing #Starliner spacecraft's return to Earth at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico. https://t.co/wHIzFNSP8H NASA (@NASA) September 7, 2024
Boeing and NASA teams work around NASA's Boeing Starliner spacecraft after it landed uncrewed on Friday at White Sands, N.M. NASA Photo by Aubrey Gemignani/UPI
The autonomous undocking from the ISS was carried out as scheduled at 4:04 p.m. MDT after the craft was unhooked from the the forward module of the station. It slowly backed away while executing a series of 12 "breakout burns" over a 5-minute span, driving it farther away from the station while flying over central China.
The Starliner oriented itself as it plunged into the Earth's atmosphere while still traveling at more than 17,000 miles per hour. The atmosphere was more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Boeing and NASA teams unload cargo from NASA's Boeing Starliner spacecraft after it landed uncrewed at White Sands Missile Range's Space Harbor, on Frida. NASA Photo by Aubrey Gemignani/UPI
Three parachutes and thrusters slowed the craft and airbags were deployed.
Boeing is hoping to earn certification for future flights for NASA, which wants to rely on another company than Space-X and Russia's Soyuz for Space Station missions.
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft descends under parachutes toward its landing site in New Mexico during its return to Earth on Friday night. Photo by NASA/UPI
Starliner is the first U.S-made capsule to land on the ground instead of splashing down in the ocean.
"It's important to remember this was a test mission," Joel Montalbano, NASA's deputy associate administrator for space operations, said at a news conference after Starliner had landed.
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is seen during its return to Earth after undocking from the International Space Station at 6:04 p.m. EDT on Friday. Photo by NASA/UPI
LIVE: In a post-landing news update, NASA officials discuss the Boeing #Starliner spacecraft's return to Earth at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico. https://t.co/wHIzFNSP8H NASA (@NASA) September 7, 2024
Boeing and NASA teams on Thursday participated in a dress rehearsal to prepare for the planned landing of the uncrewed Boeing Starliner spacecraft at White Sands, N.M. The craft is scheduled to land at White Sands Missile Ranges Space Harbors shortly after midnight on Saturday. Photo by Aubrey Gemignani/NASA
"I want to recognize the work the Starliner teams did to ensure a successful and safe undocking, deorbit, reentry and landing," Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager of Boeing's Commercial Crew Program, said. "We will review the data and determine the next steps for the program."
NASA determined that the capsule's propulsion system appeared stable, but the thruster issues posed too much of a risk for Starliner to return with a crew.
"If we'd had a model that would have predicted what we saw tonight perfectly, yeah, it looks like an easy decision to go say we could have had a crewed flight - but we didn't have that," Stitch said.
"From a human perspective, all of us feel happy about the successful landing," he said. "But then there's a piece of us, all of us, that we wish it would have been the way we had planned it. We had planned to have the mission land with Butch and Suni on board."
Its flight path went over parts of northern Mexico and southwestern New Mexico, making it visible in the night sky over those areas depending on cloud cover.
Spot #Starliner on its way back to Earth! After the spacecraft undocks from the @Space_Station on Sept. 6, it will soar through Earth's skies before landing in New Mexico. If you're on the visibility path (all times MT) and skies are clear, look up and you might see it. pic.twitter.com/k5OfnZZNnb NASA (@NASA) September 6, 2024
On June 5, the Boeing spacecraft took off on its first crewed flight, transporting NASA Wilmore and Williams to the space station. However, as it approached the orbiting laboratory, NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and noted malfunctions with its reaction control thrusters.
Five of Starliner's 28 "reaction control system" thrusters abruptly stopped working en route to the space station. Four were recovered and at least one stayed out of service for the entire mission.
NASA announced last month that out of concerns for the safety of Wilmore and Williams, they will remain aboard the ISS until February while Starliner is autonomously returned to Earth without a crew.
Wilmore and Williams are now scheduled to return home aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 mission.
"It is time to bring Calypso home," Williams said to mission control Friday evening. "You have got this. We have your backs, and you've got this. Bring her back to Earth."
Its service module up during re-entry over the southern Pacific Ocean, while its heat shield was jettisoned at approximately 30,000 feet, exposing a series of drags and parachutes.
Instead, the thruster issues became the latest major setback for Boeing's Starliner program, which even before the launch was more than $1.5 billion over budget and years behind schedule. An uncrewed test flight to the space station, which NASA required of Boeing before its spacecraft could carry astronauts, also went awry the first time, and the company had to repeat it in 2022.
(Bloomberg) -- The head of the United Steelworkers said Nippon Steel Corp. needs to rework its deal for United States Steel Corp. to win the unions support and suggested the American companys board consider replacing its CEO, as President Joe Biden prepares to block the transaction.
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The unions president, David McCall, in an interview Thursday said he met in person this summer with Nippon Steel Executive Vice President Takahiro Mori to detail the unions demands, including ensuring that Nippon Steels parent company sign the deal.
If he wants to change that around, and I seriously doubt if hes capable of doing that, sure, Ill take any phone call, McCall told Bloomberg News. But hes not going to make that commitment to us.
McCall said they also discussed how to calculate a profit-sharing arrangement for employees in the July meeting and that the two discussed following up, but he said the Nippon Steel executive never did.
They wont commit to what we need, McCall said.
Another official familiar with the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity, said McCall has not engaged with the companys messages or overtures since. The union has said the company is only paying lip service to its demands.
Nippon Steel declined to comment.
Many people profess to want what is best for our employees, but we know what is best, and that is why we negotiated a deal with a partner who will bring $2.7 billion of transformative investments in USW-represented facilities, keeping them in operation for decades to come, US Steel said in a statement. There is no scenario where U.S. Steel would be able to make these investments absent Nippon Steel. A transaction with Nippon Steel is the best avenue to ensure that U.S. Steel will be able to thrive well into the future.
CEO Criticism
The union chief spoke as Biden prepares to kill the $14.1 billion deal. US Steel has vowed to pursue all options under the law but McCall said he thinks it is unlikely a legal challenge would succeed.
He also sharply criticized US Steel CEO David Burritt, suggesting the companys board should consider replacing him.
Get a decent CEO into that company and lets continue to make steel, he said. His boards got to look at him really close.
Earlier this week, Burritt said the deals failure could force US Steel to potentially close some facilities and move their headquarters out of Pittsburgh.
McCall blasted that statement, calling it one of the most irresponsible, baseless threats I could ever imagine that he would make.
New Buyers
McCall said he didnt think the future of US Steel hinged on Nippon Steel buying the company.
Its not like they cant be a standalone company, but Im sure if this transaction is rejected, at the end of the day, therell still be people around interested in US Steel, he said, calling for the iconic American firm to either continue operating independently or entertain another buyer.
But he cautioned that he does not think the company should be split among more than one buyer. Nippon Steel was initially interested in the companys Big River plant, while other bidders have been associated with interest in its blast furnaces.
Splitting it up is to nobodys advantage, McCall said.
Biden has long opposed the deal, as has former President Donald Trump, who is seeking to return to the White House in Novembers election. Vice President Kamala Harris, Trumps rival in the race, announced Monday that she shared Bidens position calling for US Steel to remain domestically owned and run but stopped short of an explicit call to kill the deal.
Earlier: Biden to Block Nippon Steels Proposed Takeover of US Steel
McCall said he has not spoken with anyone in the administration recently about the deal. He said he spoke with Harris Monday at a Labor Day event, but didnt discuss the deal.
I dont take any great pride in this, said McCall, even as a deal hes spent nine months fighting and which became an election flash point in swing-state Pennsylvania faces a potential death.
Biden is preparing to kill the deal as soon as a referral from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, reaches his desk, people familiar with the matter said this week. The timing isnt clear. The administration has signaled it intends to do so under national security grounds, though that would be unprecedented for an allied country like Japan.
For national security purposes and critical supply chain issues, we need to melt, pour and finish steel in this country, McCall said.
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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Union Health has released a public statement on the merger being disputed by the FTC.
In a statement, Union Health says the merger would expand service, enhance quality of care, and improve health outcomes while maintaining cost efficiency for consumer.
Union Health President and CEO Steven Holman, spoke publicly saying the FTC statement did not come as a surprise. Holman claims that the key to make this merge work is the collaborative efforts with the Indiana Department of Health.
Weve been working properly with the Indiana Department of Health on this process for well over a year now, said Steven Holman. Were excited on the collaborative efforts that can occur to help improve the health disparities and the health outcomes of the Wabash Valley. I believe they look at all the data weve submitted, a tremendous amount of information about the needs in this community. And we feel like that the collaborative relationship is the key to making this work.
Currently, the Indiana Department of Health is in 120-day reviewing process of the merger and ultimately has the final say whether or not Union Health will move forward with the merger.
December 4th is decision day.
The statement from Union Health:
The Wabash Valley has faced significant health challenges in recent years, and traditional healthcare models have not sufficiently addressed these issues. Vigo County ranks poorly among Indianas 92 counties in several key health performance indicators, including 68th in life expectancy, 60th in suicide rate, and 54th in adult obesity, according to data published by the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH). Despite the presence of hospital competition in our community, these rankings indicate that existing healthcare structures have not adequately benefited our residents. The proposed merger between Union Health and Regional Hospital represents a bold, innovative approach to addressing these persistent health disparities.
Union Health has worked diligently to provide comprehensive data and documentation to IDOH, illustrating the potential positive impacts of this merger. This is not merely a business transaction; it is a strategic effort to improve healthcare delivery in our community. By combining resources and expertise, Union Health and Regional Hospital aim to expand services, enhance the quality of care, and ultimately improve health outcomes while maintaining cost efficiency for consumers. Additionally, this merger is poised to create new job opportunities and drive economic growth in the Wabash Valley, recognizing that community health is closely linked to economic development.
The health challenges faced by our residents require a tailored approach, and the proposed merger is a critical step forward in addressing these needs. This merger represents a forward-thinking approach to healthcare that prioritizes patient outcomes and community well-being.
As IDOH continues its thorough review of the proposed agreement, it is imperative that all voices are heard, and that the current health metrics of our community is taken into account. The Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) process provides a structured framework for evaluating the merger, allowing IDOH to review all submitted data to make the best decision for our community. This opportunity is essential because the health of our communities can and should be improved. Doing things as they are today is not meeting the critical needs of our residents.
Our region faces a significant prevalence of chronic health conditions, including lung disease, diabetes, and hypertension, resulting in a population that is in critical need of accessible, high-quality care close to home. Securing the COPA is essential for enhancing the quality of and access to healthcare throughout our communities.
The COPA puts measures in place that will hold Union Health accountable for investing more financial resources back into bettering healthcare metrics for citizens living within the region. We firmly believe that improved health rankings are achievable and warrant our full commitment.
Union Health and Regional Hospital are dedicated to extending the benefits of both existing and new programs to a broader patient population. Current initiatives include in-home OB services, chronic disease case management, and continued partnerships with the Vigo County School Corporation to address childhood obesity and eating disorders. We are committed to the wellbeing of our community, making affordable and quality care essential.
While some may argue that mergers have not worked in other communities, our focus remains on the unique needs of the Wabash Valley. Union Health has a responsibility to do all we can to better the lives of the people we serve. This decision was not made lightly; extensive research and careful consideration went into evaluating the pros and cons of this merger. We are committed to being a positive example of how a COPA can be utilized to better a community, a region, and most importantly, peoples lives.
The proposed merger between Union Health and Regional Hospital holds the promise of a healthier future for the Wabash Valley. It is grounded in data, collaboration, and a deep commitment to the well-being of our residents. As the review process continues, our team at Union Health looks forward to collaborating with IDOH to showcase the positive impacts this agreement can have in our community. We believe this merger is not just advantageous; it is vital for the long-term success of the Wabash Valley.
In a statement from Terre Haute Regional they indicated they are waiting to hear from the Indiana Department of Health.
Indiana Department of Health is the regulatory body that is reviewing the community benefits of this transaction. We have worked extensively with the Department of Health since the initial COPA application was submitted to make sure they have the information needed to make an informed decision regarding the healthcare needs of Vigo County.
Terre Haute Regional Hospital Statement: Indiana Department of Health is the regulatory body that is reviewing the community benefits of this transaction. We have worked extensively with the Department of Health since the initial COPA application was submitted to make sure they have the information needed to make an informed decision regarding the healthcare needs of Vigo County.
FTC Statement can be found here.
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United Way of the Capital Region hosts 32nd annual Day of Caring
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) United Way of the Capital Region and Highmark Blue Shield team up for the 32nd annual Day of Caring today, Sept. 6.
According to United Way, over 1,100 volunteers are scheduled to participate in this years event.
United Way is also holding its Stuff the Bus project to collect health and school supplies for children in its Ready for School, Ready to Succeed community initiative. This initiative helps prepare children for kindergarten, said United Way.
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Highmark Blue Shield employees look forward to participating each year in the United Ways Day of Caring, said Joe Haddock, Eastern Pa. market president for Highmark Blue Shield. Last year, Highmark Health employees raised $1.1 million toward our communities through United Way. We are thankful for the opportunities this great organization offers.
At an event sponsored by Penn State Health, UPMC Central PA, and Wegmans this morning, United Way announced its 2024 campaign goal of $8,500,000.
United Ways initiatives are making a tangible difference in our community, said Timothy B. Fatzinger, United Way of the Capital Region president and CEO. We help people become independent by focusing on four pillars access to health care, basic needs, school readiness and workforce development programs.
Campaign Chair Nora Habig, regional president for M&T Bank; Vice Chair Jodie Daubert, president and CEO of AAA Central Penn; and Second Vice Chair David Del Grosso, market director for PNC Institutional Asset Management, are leading the fundraising efforts for this years campaign.
We have outstanding leaders working together for United Way, added Fatzinger. Our leaders are passionate about improving life in our community and believe United Way can help make that happen.
I am proud to serve as campaign chair because I believe in the mission of United Way, said Habig. United Way has a proven track record of moving the needle on the most pressing issues facing our region. I ask business leaders and community members to help support the campaign this year.
Visit uwcr.org or call 717.732.0700 to donate to local communities.
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People across the world are mourning the loss of 26-year-old Aysenur Eygi, who was killed in the West Bank by Israeli soldiers.
Eygi was a Seattle native who had recently graduated from the University of Washington.
She was so interested in fighting for justice. She was very interested in whats going on in Palestine, said Saif Sharabati, a friend of Eygis.
Sharabati told KIRO 7 he had spoken to Eygi on the phone just hours before she was murdered.
Aysha, stay safe and be careful. That was the last thing , he said.
Sharabati never imagined their two-hour phone call on Thursday night would be their last.
Next thing in the morning, seeing all her pictures on the news from my friends. It was like, how do they even know her, like what whats going on?
Eygi had been volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement.
Sharabati says Eygi had been in the West Bank for less than a week.
She was that person who cares about others. She was not selfish. She wanted to go there so she can see it experience it so she can tell the story, Sharabati explained.
Sharabati met Eygi a few months ago during pro-Palestine protests at the University of Washington.
He says Eygi decided to continue her fight for justice overseas.
Sharabati grew up in the West Bank and moved back to Seattle three years ago. He says he warned Eygi of the dangers she could face, but it still didnt stop her from following her heart.
She was demonstrating against the Palestinian people who were killed there. This is why she went there to support those people and now shes one of them, said Sharabati.
Sharabati keeps Eygi close to his heart by wearing a sweatshirt she gave him before she left.
Hes determined to continue her efforts at home.
She got killed while she was non-violence protesting, defending land, supporting locals. This was her message, Sharabati said.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Close to two decades after a Fort Campbell soldier was murdered outside a Clarksville nightspot, investigators are still looking for the person responsible.
It was around 2:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning in September 2006 when officers with the Clarksville Police Department were called to the Rivers Edge nightclub. A bystander reportedly dialed 911 to let authorities know someone had been shot in the parking lot.
Unsolved murders: Two dozen Clarksville cold cases still under investigation
When they arrived, police found 21-year-old Edwin Mathurin dead. Edwin, who was originally from Missouri, was serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Campbell at the time of his death.
Edwin Mathurin (Courtesy: Clarksville-Montgomery County Crime Stoppers)
Investigators believe a fight may have led up to the shooting. However, other details surrounding the incident are murky. To this day, his murder remains unsolved, with Monday, Sept. 2 marking 18 years without answers.
As the search for Mathurins killer continues, his case is now among a handful of unsolved murders in which tipsters could be eligible for a reward of up to $10,000.
UNSOLVED TENNESSEE: Find more of the states cold cases, missing persons, and other mysteries
Earlier this year, the Clarksville-Montgomery County Crime Stoppers Board unanimously voted to increase the cash reward amount in Mathurins case and any other unsolved homicides that occurred in or before 2018.
In order to be eligible for the reward, the information provided must lead to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the crime.
Anyone who has any information related to Mathurins death is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 931-645-TIPS, or go to www.p3tips.com, and leave a tip online. All tipsters remain anonymous.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) An Upstate man was arrested Thursday in relation to child sexual abuse charges.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that 41-year-old Jeremy Adam Belisle, of Wellford, was arrested on eight charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor.
Investigators stated Belisle reportedly distributed and possessed files of child sexual abuse material.
Belisle was charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second-degree and four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, third-degree.
Officials said the felony offense is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count
The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney Generals Office.
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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sept. 6 said Washington would provide Ukraine with an additional military aid package worth $250 million.
"I'm pleased to say that President (Joe) Biden will announce today an additional $250 million security assistance package for Ukraine," Austin said during the 24th meeting of the Ramstein group in Germany.
"It will surge in more capabilities to meet Ukraine's evolving requirements." Austin did not unveil the exact contents of the new package.
For the first time in many months, President Volodymyr Zelensky is attending the Ukraine Contact Defense Group meeting in person to lobby for faster aid deliveries, namely air defense and long-range arms.
Zelensky has repeatedly said that while he is grateful for the pledged assistance, namely the $61 billion aid bill approved by U.S. Congress in April, the aid is trickling in too slowly.
The new package was announced amid worries that roughly $6 billion in the presidential drawdown authority (PDA), the chief tool for supplying defense articles to Kyiv, may expire by the end of the month.
Reuters reported that the Biden administration is leading urgent talks with U.S. Congress to save the funds before the looming deadline.
Washington unveiled its previous aid package worth $125 million on Aug. 23, consisting of HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) missiles, Javelins, anti-armor weaponry, counter-drone and counter-electronic systems, as well as 155 mm and 105 mm artillery shells.
Read also: Zelensky joins Ramstein summit to lobby for air defenses, long-range arms for Ukraine
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The United States pledged a new package of weapons, ammunition and other defense aid for Ukraine worth $250 million, the Pentagon announced on Sept. 6.
The package is being provided to Kyiv under the presidential drawdown authority (PDA), which takes military equipment from existing U.S. military stockpiles, meaning that potential procurement-related delays will be limited.
This tranche includes RIM-7 missiles and support for air defense, Stinger missiles, 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles, as well as Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems.
Washington also pledged to provide Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, ammunition for HIMARS, M113 armored personnel carriers, and other military assistance.
The announcement of the new aid package comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky is attending the Ukraine Contact Defense Group meeting held in Germany in person to lobby for faster aid deliveries, namely air defense and long-range arms.
The new tranche was revealed amid worries that roughly $6 billion in the presidential drawdown authority (PDA), the chief tool for supplying defense articles to Kyiv, may expire by the end of the month.
Reuters reported that the Biden administration is leading urgent talks with U.S. Congress to save the funds before the looming deadline.
Read also: US needs to reconsider weapons restrictions, Senator Mark Kelly says
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The U.S. Army is planning to ask for more flexible funding for unmanned aircraft systems, capabilities to counter them and electronic warfare tools in its next budget as it takes lessons learned from Ukraines fight against Russias invasion, according to Christine Wormuth, the services secretary.
I think some of the areas that [Gen. Randy George], the chief [of staff of the Army] and I feel very strongly that we need to invest more in, both from the perspective of the Army... but also the needs of the joint force, is in the areas of unmanned aerial systems, counter-unmanned aerial systems and electronic warfare, she said Wednesday at the Defense News Conference.
For instance, a Ukraine battalion commander told Wormuth earlier this year during training in Germany, that Russian electronic warfare capabilities were increasing in ways that were concerning, Wormuth detailed.
I think youll see that in the budget that goes up to Congress next spring, Wormuth said. Thats an area where I think we also need to have more agility in our funding mechanisms because of the technology in those capability areas is changing so rapidly that we cant afford to get locked into something and then be only allowed to use that something for the next 10 years.
Both Wormuth and George have discussed the possibility of budgeting differently in order to get some capability into the hands of soldiers much more quickly. One of those possibilities is asking Congress to fund pots of money dedicated for a specific capability rather than budget across a number of specific line items that tend to be a specific product or program.
But both have also acknowledged that getting congressional appropriators on board might not be so easy. Historically, theyre generally very skeptical of what they see as kind of slush funds. They have a lot of scar tissue around [overseas contingency operations], and how the department has used that over the years, Wormuth said.
Even so, there is such a deep realization that we have got to change more quickly and that technology is changing rapidly right now that we do need to have more agile mechanisms, she added.
Overseas contingency operations, or OCO, funding, used during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to pay for operations abroad, was a separate account with billions outside of the Pentagons base budget. It was often used to get extra funding for a variety of things rather than commit to paying for it within regular funding. Congress eliminated OCO funding beginning in FY22. Now the Defense Department must budget for any overseas operations within its base budget.
The Army plans to present a budget in these areas, according to Wormuth, that, for example, used to have 10 to 12 individual line items and now may have two or three.
If we keep it relatively narrow and focused and we demonstrate that we can use that agility in those areas effectively, we may be able to sort of have a proof of concept, she said. Im cautiously optimistic.
The News
The US asked Israel to investigate the fatal shooting of a 26-year-old American activist at a protest at the West Bank on Friday.
We are deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Egzi Eygi, today in the West Bank, White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement. We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident.
Eygi was reportedly protesting against the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Israeli Defense Forces said Friday they responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them. Multiple witnesses and Palestinian media outlets alleged that Israeli soldiers shot the woman, and the military said it is looking into the reports.
We were all standing still, not moving. Just standing there, and they shot her through the head, another American activist who attended the demonstration told CNN.
US is beefing up mpox testing, vaccine access against new strain, officials say
By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The United States has beefed up testing and surveillance for a new strain of mpox and has ensured that vaccines are readily available at local pharmacies and community health centers, senior administration officials said in a briefing on Friday.
No cases of the more transmissible strain of the virus have been confirmed in the United States, but experts are preparing for that possibility following a World Health Organization declaration last month of a global public health emergency, the second such declaration in two years.
The new strain, called clade Ib, has caused a major surge in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has spilled over to several neighboring countries. Travel-related cases have been confirmed in both Sweden and Thailand.
In a briefing on Friday, senior U.S. administration officials said any American doctor can now order an mpox test, which can be processed through national laboratory chains. Positive tests that are not the older strain of mpox will be sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation.
Health officials in Wayne County, Michigan, last month had reported a new case of mpox, but additional testing showed that it was from the older strain known as clade II, a county health official told Reuters on Thursday.
Currently, the United States is continuing to see about three cases a day of mpox from the clade II virus that caused a public health emergency in 2022.
Officials said they have been working to make mpox vaccines widely available through local pharmacies, noting that because Bavarian Nordic's Jynneos vaccine has been commercialized, it should be covered by most insurance plans.
Vaccines can also be obtained through public health departments and community health centers, irrespective of insurance status, to encourage vaccination among individuals who were most susceptible during the clade II outbreak in 2022: mostly men and bisexual men who have sex with men, officials said.
The U.S. government also has added testing for any form of mpox to its wastewater surveillance system, and said there is good coverage in most major cities. The government is working to add clade I-specific testing.
The government has also been working on rapid tests, and while such efforts have been challenging, an official said the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Tech program that spurred production of COVID-19 tests has developed such a test, which could be available in the coming months.
Mpox, which typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions but can be deadly, spreads through close contact, including through sex.
(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
The American hostages in Gaza who are still believed to be alive: (Top row, left to right) Keith Siegel and Omer Neutra; (Bottom row, left to right): Edan Alexander and Sagui Dekel-Chen
The US is considering dealing directly with Hamas to free the remaining four American hostages in Gaza.
Relatives of captives still held by Hamas have been calling for the US to break with Israel and negotiate a separate hostage deal.
It is not clear how a deal would work and what the US would offer in exchange, but any negotiations would significantly undermine Benjamin Netanyahus government.
An Israeli official told The Telegraph that Washington has already began looking at a unilateral deal.
The American hostages in Gaza who are still believed to be alive are Eden Alexander, 20, Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, Omer Neutra, 22, and 74-year-old Keith Siegel.
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Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said nearly 90 per cent of ceasefire details had been agreed on. Tension has been rising between the White House and Mr Netanyahus office about a deal.
In the coming days, we will share with Israel, and they [Qatar and Egypt] will share with Hamas, our thoughts the three [mediators] on exactly how to resolve the remaining outstanding questions, and then it will be time for the parties to decide yes or no, and then well see, said Mr Blinken.
Last week, Joe Biden, the US president, said the Israeli prime minister was not doing enough to reach a deal. In June, sources told US media that the president had discussed with his staff negotiating directly with Hamas if the latest round of talks failed.
Meanwhile, Mr Netanyahu has doubled down on his veto of the deal currently on the table.
Despite the deaths of six hostages in a tunnel in Gaza at the weekend, he insisted this week that Israel must keep control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a buffer zone separating Gaza from Egypt, arguing that was vital for Israels security because it served as the main smuggling route for Hamas.
You have to understand the centrality of the Philadelphi Corridor to the arming of Hamas, Mr Netanyahu told foreign reporters on Wednesday, adding that if Israel left the corridor that would allow Hamas to smuggle hostages out of Gaza.
But Mr Netanyahu has been criticised for his stance on the corridor, with Yoav Gallant, the defence minister, pushing back on his claims, while others have said it has only recently become a vital issue for the prime minister.
Mr Netanuahu is changing his mind all the time about the demands. The Philadelphi Corridor wasnt a core demand all along, one Israeli official said.
The White House is now said to be reconsidering the deal after the families of hostages met Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, on Sunday.
Channel 12 reported on Thursday that the Israel Defense Forces are preparing for the possibility that the ceasefire talks will fail, likely to mean an escalation in the north with Hezbollah.
A security source also told Channel 12 that Mr Netanyahus statements about the Philadelphi Corridor risked undermining Israels relationship with Egypt, as Cairo is vehemently opposing Israeli control of the buffer zone.
Egypt also accused Mr Netanyahu of sabotaging the ceasefire talks with his demands to control the corridor.
Arab News quoted an Egyptian government spokesman as saying that Cairo holds the Israeli government responsible for the consequences of issuing such statements that further aggravate the situation and aim to justify the aggressive and provocative policies, which lead to further regional escalation.
Tensions between the US and Israel looked set to rise further on Friday after reports that an American was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers while protesting against settlements in the West Bank.
The US State Department,which identified the woman as Aysrnur Egzi Eygi, said it was urgently seeking information.
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Who keeps the ring when the engagement is called off? A US court is about to decide
Bruce Johnson and Caroline Settino started their whirlwind romance in the summer of 2016 after meeting at a bar in Boston.
The pair travelled the world together and Mr Johnson would regularly shower his partner with luxury gifts, culminating in a $70,000 Tiffany engagement ring late in 2017.
But after a dramatic split, Mr Johnson now wants the ring back and it has triggered a massive legal fight that goes to the heart of modern break-ups.
Who keeps the wedding ring is now a matter for the Massachusetts supreme judicial court, which on Friday will begin to consider arguments on who is entitled to keep it.
When he first sued his former fiancee in 2018 the year that the couple had planned to marry Mr Johnson claimed their relationship began to break down when Ms Settino started to treat him like a child and would call him a moron.
Ms Settino is at the center of a court battle over a Tiffany ring - YouTube
Mr Johnson claimed that after a bad argument in November 2017, in which Ms Settino allegedly said she could get a man whenever she wanted, he saw texts she had sent to a man which read: My Bruce is going to be in Connecticut for three days. I need some playtime.
This prompted Mr Johnson to call off the wedding and take his former fiancee to court to retrieve the ring.
But Brockton superior court ruled in 2021 that Mr Johnson was wrong about his suspicions and was therefore at fault for their separation, awarding Ms Settino the ring and ordering him to pay tens of thousands of dollars for planned dental work he had promised her.
But their story didnt end there. Mr Johnson appealed the ruling and in 2023, it was reversed by the Massachusetts appeals court. This judgement stated that while Mr Johnson may have been wrong about his affair suspicions, it did not necessarily mean he was at fault for the end of the engagement.
The courts decision prompted Ms Settino to take the appeal to the high court out of principle, as she claims the ring as it was a gift, given to her with a receipt.
During her appearance at the appeals court last year, Ms Settino said her life imploded after Mr Johnson called off the wedding.
I was a teacher, I had 60 people from my school coming to the wedding. We were putting them all up for two days at the resort, we had all sorts of things so when he called off the wedding and said I was cheating, I was devastated, a visibly emotional Ms Settino told the court.
On Friday, the Massachusetts supreme judicial court will therefore not only decide who out of Mr Johnson or Ms Settino will keep the $70,000 ring but also on whether to change state law on engagement rings.
A majority of states, including New York and Pennsylvania, treat engagement rings as a conditional gift - LattaPictures/Derek Latta
Most state courts previously ruled that the giver of an engagement ring is entitled to its return so long as that person was not to blame for breaking the engagement, as Massachusetts top court did in 1959.
But now, a majority of states, including New York and Pennsylvania, treat engagement rings as a conditional gift that should be returned to the giver if the relationship breaks down before marriage regardless of fault.
Critics say that this perpetuates gender bias. Absent the history of sexist suspicion of women, there would not be a special rule for the ring, said Rebecca Tushnet, a Harvard Law School professor and engagement ring law expert.
The ring is contingent on: Youre with me, and as long as youre with me, youre mine, Ms Settino added. Thats what I find archaic about the law.
Mr Johnson, meanwhile, wants the court to maintain a no-fault approach.
The ring is currently being held by a third party until a decision is reached.
In the UK, an engagement ring is considered to be an absolute gift. This means that unless there were conditions attached by the giver, the receiver of the ring is generally entitled to keep it.
There may also be implied conditions for example, if it was a family heirloom or had sentimental value.
Ms Settinos lawyers told The Telegraph: We are hopeful and confident that the Commonwealths highest court will recognize that the trial judge made correct findings, ruling in Ms Settinos favor under the existing rule, and that if it adopts a more modern rule it will dispense with the archaic concept of a wedding ring as a conditional gift.
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The White House said Friday that the U.S. is deeply disturbed by the death of 26-year-old American activist Aysenur Eygi in the Israel-occupied West Bank, calling for Israel to investigate the killing.
Eygi, who was born in Turkey, was shot in the head during an antisettlement protest near Nablus, The Associated Press reported.
We are deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Egzi Eygi, today in the West Bank and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones, White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement. We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan decried Israels barbaric intervention against a civilian protest against the occupation in the West Bank, in a post on the social platform X.
The Israeli military, which has admitted to firing at the demonstrators, say it is aware of the incident and are looking into it.
The armed forces responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them, according to the group.
Eygi, who was volunteering in the West Bank with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), was shot while participating in a weekly demonstration against Israeli settlement expansion near the Palestinian village of Beita, according to multiple reports.
She was brought to Rafidia hospital in Nablus, where she was pronounced dead.
Hisham Dweikat, a Beita resident who took part in the demonstration, told CNN that the Israeli military began firing tear gas at the protesters as they were wrapping up.
As people were running away, live fire was shot, and a soldier fired directly at the protesters, hitting the American activist in the head from behind and falling to the ground, he said.
And Vivi Chen, an American activist who also was at the demonstration, told the outlet that it was not an accident that they hit her in the head.
They are one of the most advanced armies in the world. They have weapons from America. It is not an accident that they hit her in the head. That was on purpose, Chen continued. Its not that they shot a hundred shots at the same time, and she was hit with one. We were all standing still, not moving. Just standing there, and they shot her through the head.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington is working to gather the facts around Eygis death.
Israeli forces have been found responsible for the killings of several Americans in the West Bank, including Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in May 2022. Still, the U.S. has not changed its policy regarding its support of Israel in its war against Hamas, continuing to supply the country with significant lethal aid.
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After the death of a US activist in the West Bank, the White House called on Israel to investigate the case on Friday.
Washington has "reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident," said US President Joe Biden's spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, expressing deep shocked at her tragic death.
"We deplore this tragic loss," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "The most important thing to do is to gather the facts," he said, adding actions and conclusions would be "driven by the facts."
Earlier, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that a US citizen was fatally shot by Israeli troops while protesting the expansion of settlements in the northern West Bank.
The woman died after being taken to a hospital with a major head wound, the report said, citing doctors.
WAFA said the activist, who is of Turkish descent, had taken part in a weekly protest against the expansion of an Israeli settlement in the town of Beita, south of the city of Nablus, when Israeli troops opened fire.
The outpost in question is Eviatar, according to reports. Outposts are improvised settlements consisting of caravans, for example, which are also illegal under Israeli law, but are occasionally legalized retroactively.
Israeli forces used live ammunition, stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the demonstration, WAFA said. The account could not be independently verified.
The IDF said it was investigating the report after "violent activity" in the area.
Israeli forces fired at the person who had mainly instigated it, the IDF said. The person had thrown stones and threatened the Israeli security forces, according to a military statement. It was initially unclear whether the person referred to was the US citizen who was killed.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as a "murder committed by the Netanyahu government." Israeli authorities who commit crimes against humanity and all those who unconditionally support them will be held accountable in international courts, the ministry said.
Tensions have soared in the Israeli-occupied West Bank amid Israel's military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
US expects new Ukrenergo CEO to be elected once supervisory board vacancies are filled
Ukraine must fill the vacant positions on the supervisory board of Ukrenergo, the state-owned electricity transmission system operator. Two independent members have resigned in protest at the politically motivated dismissal of the company's CEO, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi.
Source: US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink in a statement to journalists in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Ambassador Brink said the United States has raised the matter with Ukrainian officials, but she did not go into detail about the signals sent between the two. "I will not disclose our diplomatic communications," she said.
The ambassador linked the situation to the volume of investment in Ukraines energy industry. "Confidence in the independence of the institution and the independence of the supervisory board is extremely important for American investments in the energy sector, and this fully applies to private investments," she said, expressing certainty that this is very important for restoring Ukraine's energy sector and building a decentralised energy generation system.
Brink said the US is waiting for the leadership positions to be filled.
"Our recommendation is to fill the three vacant positions on the supervisory board and elect a new head of the company in accordance with OECD standards," she told reporters.
Background: Two independent members of Ukrenergos supervisory board resigned on 3 September, publicly citing political pressure that resulted in the dismissal of the company's CEO, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, as the reason. They believe that Ukrenergo's corporate governance has been called into question. There had been another vacancy for an independent board member even before that, despite repeated requests from partners to the Ukrainian authorities.
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US House minority whip campaigns on abortion rights in two key Michigan districts
U.S. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally hosted in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024, by state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet's campaign for Congress. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
U.S. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) visited Michigan on Thursday to campaign on reproductive rights with two Democrats who are seeking new jobs in the U.S. House this fall.
Clark called the 2022 U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Dobbs to overturn Roe v. Wade a fundamental shift, adding that if women and families in this country dont have the right to make this personal decision about if, when and how to have children, there is no level of government intrusion that wont be tolerated.
Planned Parenthood of Michigan President Paula Thornton Greear said that by defunding Planned Parenthood, conservatives would be stripping away access to birth control, STI testing and treatment and other reproductive services for millions of Americans.
She emphasized that while Michigan voters passed a ballot proposal in 2022 to protect abortion rights, a federal ban would supersede state law.
Clark joined Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City), who is seeking to succeed U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint), for a rally at the Flint Farmers Market after participating in a roundtable discussion with former Sen. Curtis Hertel (D-East Lansing), who is running to replace U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly).
Both seats are considered tossups by the Cook Political Report and will be crucial for determining partisan control of Congress. Currently, Republicans hold a slim majority in the U.S. House.
State Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Supporters of state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet's campaign for Congress at a reproductive freedoms rally in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint, speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally hosted in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024, by state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet's campaign for Congress. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint, right, speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally hosted in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024, by state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet's campaign for Congress. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Reproductive Freedom for All President Mini Timmaraju speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally hosted in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024, by state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet's campaign for Congress. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
State Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, right, with U.S. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., left, at a reproductive freedoms rally in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally hosted in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024, by state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet's campaign for Congress. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Planned Parenthood of Michigan President Paula Thornton Greear speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally hosted in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024, by state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet's campaign for Congress. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint, right, and state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, left, speak at a reproductive freedoms rally hosted in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
State Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, right, with U.S. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., left, at a reproductive freedoms rally in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
State Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint, right, speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally hosted in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024, by state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet's campaign for Congress. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
U.S. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., speaks at a reproductive freedoms rally hosted in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 5, 2024, by state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet's campaign for Congress. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
McDonald Rivet is running against Republican businessman Paul Junge, who previously ran against Kildee in 2022 and Slotkin in 2020, losing both times.
Kildee hit Junge as a California millionaire who believes his enormous personal wealth entitles him to make decisions for you on every issue he faces in Congress, and for women in this country, make the most personal decision that you will ever make.
He ran against Elissa Slotkin, he lost. He moved up to this district, ran against me, Kildee said. I come to this Farmers Market all the time. The day after the election, until I decided not to run for reelection, we had no idea where he was. Hes not one of us. A representative is a person who is from here, who is of us.
Kildee said Junge has called the protections of Roe v. Wade a made up right, adding, We dont know where he lives, but we know where he stands.
Kildee contrasted that with McDonald Rivet, who he said understands us and shares our values.
This is a referendum on freedom, Kildee said. That is a word that Democrats ought to own, because we are the ones that actually stand for it. We believe that freedom means individuals have freedom, not that the government has the freedom to decide for you your own future.
Hertel is running against former state Sen. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte), who unsuccessfully challenged Slotkin in 2022.
Donald Trump, [Ohio U.S. Sen.] J.D. Vance, and Tom Barrett all buy into the same dangerous idea: That they get to determine if, when, and how you have a child. They believe freedom should be a privilege for the few instead of a right for all Americans, Clark said. Tom Barrett has two words for survivors of rape and incest: No exceptions. He thinks abortion wont be an issue this year. Were about to show him just how wrong he is.
Clark said that if Vance cant decide which doughnuts to order, an apparent reference to a recent campaign stop the Republican nominee for vice president made, then he shouldnt be allowed to make decisions about reproductive rights.
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US leadership in 'urgent' talks on saving $6 billion in Ukraine aid before expiration deadline, Reuters reports
The Biden administration is leading "urgent discussions" with U.S. Congress to save around $6 billion in assistance for Ukraine before it expires on Sept. 30 deadline, Reuters reported on Sept. 5, citing undisclosed sources.
Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based non-profit advocating for international support for the embattled country, pointed out in late August that $6.2 billion in the presidential drawdown authority (PDA) will expire by the end of the month which marks the end of the fiscal year without immediate action.
"If the current pace of draw-downs continues until Sept. 30, approximately $5.7 billion will expire unused," Razom said.
The PDA is one of the key tools for delivering some $61 billion in aid approved by Congress in April. It allows the U.S. president to transfer defense supplies from existing military stocks in response to emergencies.
Washington has greenlighted a number of packages under the PDA since April, most recently a $125 million tranche on Aug. 23. But the vast majority of the $7.8 billion allocated for the PDA remains unused.
According to Reuters' sources, the U.S. State Department hopes to push forward a short-term emergency spending bill that Congress has to approve this month to avoid a government shutdown and to prevent the PDA assistance from expiring.
Congressional aides voiced confidence in a comment to Reuters that "there would be a solution."
President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said that while Ukraine is grateful for the approved aid packages, the material assistance is trickling down too slowly.
Reuters' sources said that a possible reason for the slow pace is worries in the Pentagon that their own stocks are being depleted too fast as the arms industry struggles with supply chain problems.
Ukraine's head of state is scheduled to visit the U.S. this month to present the country's leadership with a yet fully undisclosed "victory plan" and to lobby for more support.
Read also: Zelensky joins Ramstein summit to lobby for air defenses, long-range arms for Ukraine
Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The US Navy said it fired a warship captain last month due to "a loss of confidence" in his ability to lead.
An investigation shows he was removed after his destroyer had a near-miss in the Middle East.
The report shows the Navy failed to fix a known steering issue with the ship, which later led to the incident.
The US Navy sacked the captain of a deployed warship after an unresolved steering problem resulted in a near-miss incident in the Middle East, according to a command investigation reviewed by Business Insider.
The commander of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group relieved Cmdr. Cameron Yaste, the commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS John S. McCain, last week over what the Navy called "a loss of confidence" in his ability to lead.
Earlier reports of Yaste's removal referenced a viral photo showing the captain holding a rifle with the scope mounted backward. But the command investigation said Yaste was relieved after the McCain lost steering during a July fuel replenishment that damaged a Navy oiler.
The August investigation into the steering loss said Yaste and his crew made mistakes that may have contributed to the incident, such as poor maintenance and failure to follow established procedures.
The investigation also showed, however, that the Navy failed to fix an ongoing steering problem that had stymied its own technical experts a month before the incident. The steering problems happened so regularly that the ship's crew seemed to eventually overlook the potential severity, the investigation indicated.
This steering issue glitched at a dangerous moment while the McCain was hooked up to a replenishment ship to refuel.
A Navy spokesperson declined to comment on the investigation, saying that it's still ongoing. BI was unable to get comment from Yaste for this article.
The USS John S. McCain suffered a steering issue in July while refueling alongside an replenishment oiler. US Navy photo by Ryo Isobe
A persistent steering problem
The McCain deployed from its homeport in March and arrived the following month in the Middle East, where it joined other US warships tasked with defending against Iranian-backed hostilities, including unrelenting Houthi attacks on merchant vessels.
Yaste's career had been building up to this mission. The career surface warfare officer had previously been the McCain's executive officer and had taken command in late 2023, about five months before the deployment.
According to the investigation BI obtained, the McCain experienced steering loss multiple times. These losses were caused by the uncontrolled shifting of the hydraulic power units that direct one of its two rudders.
After the destroyer lost steering in April, the McCain sent out a casualty report, or CASREP, requesting technical experts to visit the ship. These experts tried to troubleshoot the warship while it was pier-side in Bahrain in June.
The McCain's crew experienced a series of steering problems in the two months before the near-miss. US Navy
The McCain's leadership requested to go to sea to address these issues properly, but the technical personnel were not funded or authorized to set sail with the destroyer. The warship left Bahrain in early July and immediately experienced the same problems.
The McCain released another CASREP over the recurring problems. Steering problems can become particularly serious if they involve the stuck or unresponsive rudder near another ship or in shallow water. The ship received remote support over the following days, but the results of those efforts were ultimately inconclusive, the investigation said.
The troubled destroyer remained at sea, and the command investigation said there was no evidence any notable troubleshooting efforts occurred after July 9.
The investigation said the McCain experienced a total of 18 problematic incidents with the steering system between May 17 and July 20, when the destroyer refueled at sea.
The command investigation attributed the recurring steering issues to improper maintenance practices by the crew, though it acknowledged no single issue could be identified as the source of the problem.
USS John S. McCain during a replenishment-at-sea, an operation where the ship's proximity to another vessel is so close that its steering and engineering setup are closely monitored. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Declan Barnes/Released
The crew brought attention to the steering issue through the multiple CASREPs it released, indicating that the matter was beyond the capabilities of the crew.
It's not clear whether the crew ever received a response from the Navy that would effectively fix the ship's problems.
Replenishment-gone-wrong
On July 20, the McCain pulled up alongside the replenishment oiler USNS Big Horn in the northern Arabian Sea and connected for a replenishment-at-sea, where the ship received fuel over a tensioned wire between two ships that are typically less than 200 feet apart.
During the refueling, the destroyer suffered a severe problem. One of the two hydraulic power units that controlled the starboard rudder began spewing oil, and engineers raced to fix it.
Minutes passed. The watch team decided to switch over to the alternate HPUs, but then the system glitched. Control was stuck with the unit "gushing" hydraulic oil, as a crewmember reported. Engineers tried refilling the HPU, but it ran out of oil and shut down. Still, the alternate HPU failed to take over.
The John S. McCain, at left, was taking on fuel from USNS Big Horn on July 20 when it experienced a loss of steering control. US Navy photo
On the bridge, where watchstanders were steering to stay alongside the oiler, a crewmember noticed an alarming sign: the starboard rudder was stuck.
In response, the commanding officer ordered an emergency breakaway, which damaged some of the equipment on the Big Horn and temporarily rendered one of its refueling rigs inoperable. No personnel were injured on either vessel.
The August command investigation found that McCain crewmembers made a variety of mistakes, including failing to follow loss-of-steering procedures or communicating sufficiently between controlling stations.
The investigation blamed Yaste for his handling of the refueling, in part because he spent 10 minutes alongside the replenishment oiler trying to fix the steering problems before breaking away. The investigation sharply criticized other senior officers as well, including the executive officer and chief engineer.
Cmdr. Cameron Yaste speaks his crew during an all-hands call. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Tang
The investigation's findings also suggested that the McCain faced challenges well before the refueling. Specifically, it appears the captain and crew had been dealing with a broken ship for months, leaving them operating outside normal circumstances.
The command investigators concluded that the inability of technical experts to go to sea with the McCain prevented the steering issue from being properly resolved. It also said that on-board support at sea was the appropriate response and was warranted as early as July 3, the day after the destroyer left Bahrain.
Ten days after the July 20 near-miss incident, the McCain entered port in the United Arab Emirates for a brief fuel stop and issued another CASREP for the steering issues. Technical representatives who flew to the port to review the ship found multiple problems that needed to be fixed. The destroyer continued to experience steering issues into mid-August.
The Navy has not publicly disclosed what happened with the McCain or acknowledged the steering issues during the deployment.
The Navy released a brief statement on August 30 revealing that Yaste had been relieved of his duties as the commanding officer of the McCain "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command the guided-missile destroyer." The sea service said that "there is no impact to the ship's mission or schedule due to the relief," without offering further details.
Read the original article on Business Insider
The White House's restrictions on Kyiv's ability to strike inside Russia with American weapons are increasingly being called on to be eased and lifted.
U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona and former finalist to be Kamala Harris's running mate, spoke with the Kyiv Independent and is the latest to say the limitations need to be reconsidered.
"Based on the conditions near the front and the territory (Ukraine is) currently slowly losing, I think it's appropriate to reevaluate this and consider allowing (Ukraine) to use our weapons deeper into Russia," Senator Kelly told the Kyiv Independent.
"To go after military targets, whether it's supply lines, supply depots, military bases, it's something we need to reconsider. We should always be reevaluating and reconsidering what our role is."
Senator Kelly, a former Navy pilot who serves on the Committee on Armed Services, expects a potential Harris administration to mostly continue President Joe Biden's Ukraine policies.
"I know the vice president very well, and you know what her position is on this in supporting Ukraine," Senator Kelly told the Kyiv Independent. "I think you'll see a very similar approach, probably not identical."
If Democratic nominee Harris is elected, Ukraine's battlefield will continue to be evaluated for opportunities to make necessary changes, Senator Kelly said.
"On one hand, we've got to be careful about escalation, and we do not want U.S. troops to be engaged with the Russians," Senator Kelly said, adding that "it's not a good outcome, we need to try to avoid that. At the same time, Ukraine needs to be able to win."
Read also: Harris closes convention in support of Ukraine after nearly sidelining foreign policy
Senator Kelly, who is on the Select Committee on Intelligence, does not know if Ukraine has seen the full extent of Russia's response to the Aug. 6 incursion into Kursk Oblast. Russian President Vladimir Putin is not easily predictable, Senator Kelly said.
"It's been a challenge for him to deal with this incursion into Kursk, I think he's getting to experience some of what the Ukrainians have experienced."
Senator Kelly, who has long supported Ukraine and is increasingly in the public eye after being a finalist for Kamala Harris's running mate, hasn't always held this view. Just last month at the Democratic National Convention, Kelly was one of few speakers to raise the topic of Ukraine at the podium, but he didn't call for the lifting of restrictions when pushed by CBS News on the convention's sidelines.
"It's appropriate to continue to look at what (Ukraine's) needs are, how can we make adjustments, what new weapons systems are we going to provide to them?" Kelly told CBS News at the time.
Between his careful change in message, Senator Kelly made what he recalled as an important trip to the Baltics, where the U.S. has troops stationed as a deterrent against Russia. The death toll from Russia's strike on Poltava also rose to over 50 this week and strikes on Ukrainian youth educational facilities continued, which the Senator mentioned as particularly frustrating.
When Congress returns to Washington from a monthslong recess next week, Kelly will better understand the depth of bipartisan support for easing restrictions.
Asked by Stephen Colbert on late night television Thursday night - the question increasingly being discussed regarding Kelly - whether he would serve in a Harris administration, Kelly emphasized the importance of public service, saying he's doing all he can to get Harris elected in November.
Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
(Bloomberg) -- The US is assembling an economic and security assistance package for Gabon in a bid to prevent China from establishing a military footprint in the strategically positioned Central African nation, according to people familiar with the matter.
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The agreement will include training for Gabons special forces and $5 million in funding for the countrys democratic transition, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The US has in recent years tried to chip away at Chinas role as the dominant foreign power in Africa, but has yet to match Beijings financial largess including another $50 billion pledged this week and is widely regarded as not having treated the continent as a strategic priority.
On Thursday, at the ninth triennial Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping also pledged to deepen Chinas military commitment, announcing 1 billion yuan ($141 million) in military assistance to train 6,000 military personnel and another 1,000 law-enforcement officers in Africa.
The US move comes after what American officials say were Chinese attempts to establish a military training facility in the Atlantic coast nation, which US officials believe could serve as a precursor to a permanent base. The US maintains a sprawling network of military installations around the world including in Chinas backyard but views any Chinese base on the Atlantic as a red line.
The package, which isnt finalized, will be unveiled during a visit to the US by Gabonese interim President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema in late September or early October, the people said. It will also include radar to help the country monitor illegal fishing, an expansion of its partnership with the West Virginia National Guard, and assistance with conservation in its national parks.
A White House National Security Council spokesperson said US foreign policy is never a response to any one country, adding that the US works with Gabon on issues ranging from democracy to security and economics. A Gabonese government spokesperson and a foreign ministry official declined to comment when reached by phone. The Chinese foreign and defense ministries didnt respond to requests for comment, but China has previously said its military presence in Africa is aimed at supporting peace on the continent.
During meetings with Nguema in Gabon in July, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell warned that any Chinese military training facility would likely be a precursor to a more enduring presence as happened in Djibouti, according to the people.
What happened in Djibouti is the Chinese came and said we just want a logistics facility here, David Cohen, deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency, said in an interview. It has transmogrified into quite a large naval facility where you have a permanent Chinese naval presence and an exclusion of the Djiboutians from their own territory.
China opened its base in the Horn of Africa nation in 2017, establishing a military foothold off the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a crucial maritime chokepoint thats key to global trade flows. The US, France, Japan and other countries also have bases in Djibouti. A Djiboutian official declined to comment.
The same pattern occurred in Cambodia, where China has established a naval presence, Campbell told Nguema, according to the people. Nguema assured Campbell that Gabon would not make the same mistake, they said.
Cambodia has repeatedly denied the allegation, saying any permanent foreign presence would violate its constitution. China says its cooperation with Cambodia is transparent.
Military expansion
Chinas push for bases in Africa and beyond is likely to continue as Beijing seeks to build a world-class military capable of projecting power globally and protecting its citizens overseas. The US views these efforts as a threat to its ability to maintain a military edge over China and part of a broader strategic rivalry between the worlds two largest economies.
A 2023 Pentagon report listed 18 countries that China has probably also considered as locations for military logistics facilities, ranging from Myanmar to Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Tajikistan.
US officials believe Beijing also previously pushed for military access in Angola and Equatorial Guinea, which are also on the Atlantic, the people familiar said, but that those talks have stalled.
China is currently attempting to secure military port access in Tanzania and Mozambique on Africas eastern coast according to the people. It has also sought to secure status-of-forces agreements with both nations that would provide a legal basis for stationing Chinese troops, the people said.
While a Chinese military presence on Africas eastern seaboard would likely be less worrying for the US than Atlantic access, it would enhance Chinas ability to project power into the Indian Ocean, as well as in the Middle East. The waters around southern and eastern Africa have also become more strategically significant as Houthi militant attacks on shipping in the Red Sea force many commercial vessels to sail around the southern tip of Africa.
China conducted trilateral military drills with the two countries last month.
Tanzanian Defence Minister Stergomena Tax and Mozambican Transportation and Communications Minister Mateus Magala both said via text message that theyre unaware of any plans to build bases or station Chinese troops in their respective countries.
--With assistance from Borges Nhamire, Matthew Hill, Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala, Katarina Hoije and Simon Marks.
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A missile is launched during a military exercise in an undisclosed location in the south of Iran
By Trevor Hunnicutt and Michelle Nichols
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Any Iranian transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia would mark a sharp escalation in the Ukraine war, the United States said on Friday, following reports that the two countries had deepened ties in recent weeks with such an arms transfer.
Reuters reported in August that Russia was expecting the imminent delivery of hundreds of Fath-360 close-range ballistic missiles from Iran and that dozens of Russian military personnel were being trained in Iran on the satellite-guided weapons for eventual use in the war in Ukraine.
Short-range missiles have now been delivered to Russia by Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
"We have been warning of the deepening security partnership between Russia and Iran since the outset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and are alarmed by these reports," said White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett.
"Any transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would represent a dramatic escalation in Iran's support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine."
Another U.S. official told Reuters they were watching the potential Iranian-Russian missile transfers closely.
The potential moves come after the United States and partners, including in Europe, warned that such a step by Iran could meet with consequences. The Western countries have been watching Iran and Russia's deepening ties in recent months with increasing concern.
Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said on Friday that Tehran's position on the Ukraine conflict was unchanged.
"Iran considers the provision of military assistance to the parties engaged in the conflict - which leads to increased human casualties, destruction of infrastructure, and a distancing from ceasefire negotiations - to be inhumane," it said.
"Thus, not only does Iran abstain from engaging in such actions itself, but it also calls upon other countries to cease the supply of weapons to the sides involved in the conflict," the mission said.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
The U.S. State Department on Sept. 5 announced sanctions against two vessels and two entities connected to Russia's sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project.
Arctic LNG 2, owned by Russia's Novatek company, is aimed at producing almost 20 million metric tons of liquified natural gas (LNG) per year to sell primarily to Asian markets, potentially generating billions of dollars in revenue.
It was envisaged as Russia's largest LNG plant and a flagship project that would help the country become the world's leading LNG producer.
The new sanctions come as another step by Washington designed to stifle Russian fossil fuel revenues and curb its ability to fund the war against Ukraine.
The U.S. newly designated companies Gotik and Plio Energy are the registered owner and commercial manager, respectively, of the LNG carrier New Energy.
"New Energy used deceptive shipping practices, including shutting off its automatic identification system, to load cargo from the U.S.-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project via a ship-to-ship transfer on Aug. 25, 2024, with LNG/C Pioneer, a vessel blocked by the United States on Aug. 23, 2024," the statement read.
The LNG carrier Mulan, operated by Plio Energy, was also sanctioned.
"The U.S. government will continue to answer attempts to operationalize the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project or otherwise expand Russias energy capabilities with a swift response," the U.S. State Department said.
The Financial Times reported in July that Russia is likely expanding its "ghost fleet" of tankers, created primarily to avoid Western oil sanctions, to LNG exports as well.
American sanctions previously targeted the Arctic LNG 2 project in a round of sanctions in late August, likely forcing Novatek to scale back the plans. Novatek itself was sanctioned after the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Read also: Dismissal of Ukraine energy grid chief prompts resignations, international concern amid Russian energy strikes
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US State Department imposes sanctions on two organisations and two vessels involved in exporting liquefied natural gas from Russia
The US Department of State has imposed sanctions on two companies and two vessels involved in the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) under Russias Arctic LNG 2 project, which is already subject to existing restrictions.
Source: a press statement from the US Department of State, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The Department of State stressed that the restrictions apply to Gotik Energy Shipping Co. and Plio Energy Cargo Shipping OPC PVT LTD.
Gotik and Plio Energy are the registered owners and commercial managers of the LNG carrier New Energy. Plio Energy also manages and operates another vessel, the Mulan.
State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller explained that New Energy used deceptive shipping practices.
In particular, he noted that the company had disabled its automatic identification system to load cargo from the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, later transferring the goods to the LNG/C Pioneer, which was blocked by the US on 23 August 2024.
The statement added that the sanctions were imposed in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aiming to increase global energy leverage against Russia.
Background:
Gotik and Plio Energy are listed under Section 1(a)(vi)(B) of European Presidential Decree 14024.
Earlier, the United Kingdom and the United States agreed to impose sanctions on Alexei Likhachev, CEO of Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom.
The State Department has announced sanctions targeting Russian propagandists in response to Russia's attempt to interfere in the US presidential election.
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(Bloomberg) -- About three months ago, US President Joe Biden said Israel and Hamas faced a decisive moment when he proposed a cease-fire deal to pause their devastating war in Gaza.
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His administration, despite repeated setbacks, is still pushing for an agreement and trying to end a deadlock as the war nears the one-year mark.
The US will present Israel with a new proposal in the coming days, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday, while Egypt and Qatar, which are coordinating with Washington, will share it with Hamas.
And then it will be time, really, for the parties to decide yes or no, Blinken told reporters during a briefing in Haiti.
He said that 90% of the deal had been agreed upon, similar to his mid-July description of the talks as inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line.
His comments came only hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a gloomy tone, saying a deal is not close. Hamas dont agree to anything, he said, adding that Israel has no choice but to keep its forces along the border between Gaza and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi corridor. Thats become a key sticking point in recent weeks.
The negotiations have been characterized by overly optimistic rhetoric from US officials, including Biden and Blinken, while the prospects for an agreement remain dim, said Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute.
Its more idealistic than anything else, he said. Its starry-eyed. Its pie in the sky.
The death of six hostages over the weekend seemed to show the Iran-backed groups stance is hardening. Thats been evident from the most recent talks, according to two Middle East-based officials following them. Earlier, it was willing to make concessions, the officials said.
The killings of the hostages Israel says they were shot in the head from close range has caused Israel to dig in as well, leaving both sides now unwilling to budge, said the officials, who asked not to be identified given the sensitivity of the negotiations.
Before then, the talks were already tangled over the Philadelphi corridor and details such as how many hostages Hamas would release in the first phase of a deal and which Palestinians would be freed from Israeli jails.
A senior Biden administration official, briefing reporters on Wednesday, confirmed that the hostage killings have made the negotiations even tougher.
During talks in Doha last week, Israel was considering the release of about 800 Palestinians in exchange for the hostages, said the US official. That must now essentially be reworked, they said.
The killings may also disrupt a potential solution to the issue of the Philadelphi corridor. An Israeli official familiar with the negotiations said the US will suggest that Israel only keep troops along a portion of the border between the Rafah crossing, Gazas main conduit to Egypt, and Kerem Shalom, which connects to Israel. The development was first reported by Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
However, Netanyahu on Thursday said Israel will now take a tougher stand.
I have red lines, Netanyahu said in a Fox News interview. Theyve become redder after the killings.
To go and make concessions after these murders? Its a license to kill hostages, he said. Thats what Hamas will understand: Kill hostages, get concessions.
The group, designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, is now led by Yahya Sinwar, its Gaza military head and architect of the Oct. 7 massacre and kidnappings in southern Israel that started the war. He was appointed overall leader after its political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in Tehran in July. Iran and Hamas blamed Israel, which has neither confirmed nor denied being responsible.
Deter Iran
A deal would ease regional tensions, particularly between Israel and Iran, as well as between Israel and Hezbollah, a Tehran-supported militant group thats been firing on Israeli territory from Lebanon in solidarity with Hamas. It would also allow the US to bring back some of the military assets its deployed to the region, a posture that cant be sustained indefinitely.
Those US resources, including two aircraft carrier groups, were sent primarily as deterrence against Tehran, which had threatened to strike Israel, and to stop a major assault by Hezbollah, the Middle Easts most powerful non-state actor.
The two carrier groups the Roosevelt and Lincoln are considered to be a surge capability, said Michael Eisenstadt, director of The Washington Institutes Military and Security Studies Program. The navy aims for deployments to only last six months, he said, and after a while, you have diminishing returns.
In a sign the US isnt wholly confident of getting Hamas and Israel to reach a deal, its preparing for a possible collapse of the ceasefire talks and higher regional tension, General Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Financial Times in an interview.
--With assistance from Fiona MacDonald, Natalia Drozdiak, Iain Marlow and Ethan Bronner.
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Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, died after being taken to a hospital in a critical condition with a serious head injur - AP
Israeli troops shot dead an American-Turkish woman who was taking part in a protest in the occupied West Bank, witnesses say.
Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, was fatally hit in the head on Friday after Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reportedly opened fire during demonstrations against Israeli settlements in the northern town of Beita.
Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli participating in the protest, said the shooting occurred shortly after dozens of Palestinians and international activists held a communal prayer on a hillside above the Israeli settlement of Evyatar.
Soldiers surrounded the prayer and clashes quickly broke out, with Palestinians throwing stones and troops firing tear gas and live ammunition, Mr Pollak said.
He then saw Ms Eygi, who was just metres behind him, lying on the ground, next to an olive tree, bleeding to death, he said.
Mariam Dag, another activist, recalled seeing an Israeli soldier fire bullets which hit a Palestinian protester and Ms Eygi, who she said had arrived in the West Bank on Tuesday.
The shots were coming from the direction of the army. They were not coming from anywhere else, she said.
Hospital staff were unable to save Ms Eygi - Issam Rimawi/Anadolu via Getty Images
Fouad Nafaa, head of the Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, said Ms Eygi had arrived at the hospital in a critical condition with a serious head injury.
We tried to perform a resuscitation operation on her, but unfortunately, she died, he told Reuters.
On Friday, the White House condemned the death of Ms Eygi, but did not say whether she had been shot by Israeli troops.
Sean Savett, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said Washington was deeply disturbed by the tragic death of an American citizen in the West Bank.
We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask for more information and request an investigation into the incident, Mr Savett added in a statement.
Ms Eygi was reportedly born in Antalya, a city in Turkeys south. Oncu Keceli, a spokesman for the Turkish foreign ministry, said the country would exert all effort to ensure that those who killed our citizen is brought to justice.
In a statement, the IDF said that their forces had responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them.
It continued: The IDF is looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area. The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review.
In a separate incident in the West Bank village of Qaryut on Friday, a 13-year-old girl was killed during clashes with Israeli forces, Palestinian health officials said.
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USAT poll: What do people think of vice presidential picks JD Vance and Tim Walz?
Do more Americans want to get a beer with Ohio Sen. JD Vance or Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz?
There's still a long stretch until the 2024 presidential election, but Walz leads Vance on favorability, according to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll. Thirty-six percent of likely voters surveyed after the Democratic convention said they had a favorable view of former President Donald Trump's running mate, Vance, while Vice President Kamala Harris's VP pick, Walz, garnered 48%.
Vance fared worse among independent voters, with 47% saying they had an unfavorable view him. Thirty-six percent of independents said the same of Walz.
The Ohio senator, who grew up in Middletown and lives in Cincinnati, also trailed the Minnesota governor in favorability among Black Americans and female respondents. Still, he led his Democratic rival among male and white respondents.
More: New election poll shows low-income voters flocking to Kamala Harris over Donald Trump
Over half of Black voters polled said they had a favorable view of Walz, whereas only 15% said they had a favorable view of Vance. Walz also led Vance among women and respondents ages 35 to 49 years old.
Vice presidential picks have taken center stage this election year. Speculation surrounding Trump's VP pick swirled for months, and Harris ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid in July.
Likely voters were also asked if Vance and Walz were qualified to become president, and Walz led Vance by 12 percentage points, 54% to 42%.
One thousand likely voters were surveyed between Aug. 25 and Aug. 28 by cellphones and landlines. The poll had an overall margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points. Polling among independent voters has a margin of error of +/- 5.9 percentage points, and the margin of error among Black voters is +/- 9 points.
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'He seems real to me'
What's to explain Walz leading Vance on favorability? Tammy Ferrell, a 52-year-old Democrat from South Carolina, told USA TODAY Walz seems more like an everyday American than his Republican counterpart.
"He seems real to me, he goes through everyday life like the rest of us," she said. "He seems more like someone I would see in an everyday fashion."
More: 'Mind your own business': Gwen Walz scolds JD Vance after IVF comments
On the other side, Ferrell said she hasn't seen compassion from Vance, explaining "I don't feel he's someone that can relate to everyday life."
But it's not just about personas for Ferrell. She called 2024 the most crucial election of her lifetime for reproductive rights. She believes, despite Trump and Vance not calling for a national abortion ban, they could further restrict the procedure.
Social media has also played a key role in pushing perceptions of each candidate this year. Walz and his Midwestern quirks have taken the internet by storm, whereas Vance has faced viral misinformation and other jabs.
Noa Manenerag, a 40-year-old bookkeeper and Democrat from Flint, Michigan, said their news consumption has mainly been from apps like TikTok and Facebook, and it hasnt helped their image of Vance.
Ive heard some really, really crazy stuff about him, they told USA TODAY,
More: JD Vance looked to the border after his addiction nonprofit fizzled
Along with outright falsehoods being spread on the internet, Manenerag said Vance's interactions with voters have picked up steam. Despite not knowing if some memes are representative of Vance's character, they're working to repel them further from the senator.
Manenerag pointed to Project 2025, the conservative political playbook created by the Heritage Foundation and former Trump allies that is not officially tied to the campaign, as a reason they don't trust Vance.
Trump has publicly said he doesn't support the 900-page document and many of its hard-right policies, including overhauling government agencies and implementing anti-LGBTQ+ efforts. Vance wrote a foreword to a book authored by one of the architects of the plan, though he and Trump have tried to distance themselves from the document in recent months.
I just dont think (Vance is) for the people, Manenerag said.
More: When is the first presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump? Here's what to know
'It's a crapshoot'
John Harlan, a 52-year-old independent, voted for Biden in 2020. But he has no idea who he's voting for in 2024. The retired Sacramento, California, resident told USA TODAY both parties have become too extreme, and that's especially true with the vice presidential picks.
"I have no faith in either candidate," he said. "It's a crapshoot."
More: What did JD Vance say about teachers who don't have children of their own?
Harlan said he would prefer a presidential ticket with a Republican and a Democrat, similar to the push from the centrist organization No Labels. The group announced earlier this year it was ending its effort to create a unity ticket. Now, Harlan said he's forced to choose between the far ends of the spectrum.
He said he can't trust Vance over his stance on abortion and previous criticism of Trump. To him, Walz isn't much better: "He creeps me out," Harlan said.
The California resident takes issue with some of Walz's liberal policies and actions as governor of Minnesota, including signing a bill that made it mandatory for schools to provide menstrual products available to all students, regardless of the gender assigned at birth, in public schools across the state.
"I think it's going too far," he said.
More: Walzing on sunshine: How Tim Walz's upbeat demeanor got him on the Kamala Harris ticket
Harlan said even with less than two months until Election Day, he is at square one in deciding who he's going to cast his ballot for, and to him, these VP candidates are making his choice even harder.
"I don't vote based on the party, I try to vote whatever the greater good of the country is," he said. "I honestly don't know."
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: USAT poll: What do people think of JD Vance, Tim Walz?
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) The University of Southern Indiana is beginning its search for a new leader.
The USI Board of Trustees met on Thursday to discuss a timeline for the search for a new president. Steve Bridges has served as the Universitys interim after Ronald Rochon stepped down this May.
Brad Byrd inDEPTH: Dr. Ronald Rochon leaving USI
The university plans on naming a new president by July 1 of next year. Students on campus say they hope the next president is involved with the student body.
Board member Chris Ryan will serve as the presidential search committee chair.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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).
US's Austin says no one capability decisive in the Ukraine war
Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense, takes part in the Ukraine Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base. The Western partners of Ukraine are meeting for the last time before the US presidential election for face-to-face consultations in the Ramstein format. They will discuss arms aid for Ukraine and a perspective for the country attacked by Russia. Andreas Arnold/dpa
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin has side-stepped Ukraine's demands to be allowed to use US longer-range weapons against targets in Russia.
"I don't believe that one specific capability is going to be decisive," said Austin at the conclusion of the Ukraine Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
The current battlefield showed that Russia had moved certain aircraft using glide bombs out of range of US ATACMS missiles, he said.
When asked by a journalist whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said that there were strategic targets in Russia that could be hit with longer-range weapons, Austin responded evasively.
There are many targets in Russia and Ukraine has numerous ways of attacking them - for example with drones, he said. "I think that in the foreseeable future we will ensure that we continue to focus on helping Ukraine to effectively defend its territory," Austin continued.
Zelensky had previously called for longer-range weapons - and a free hand to use them for strikes against targets in the Russian hinterland.
Austin also announced that further military aid totalling around $250 million (around 225 million) would be made available to Ukraine to defend against the Russian war of aggression.
In recent months, the US has provided several instalments of military aid, piece by piece, after the US Congress released new funds totalling around $61 billion for Kiev at the end of April.
The US is Kiev's most important ally and largest arms supplier in its defence against Russia.
A Utah mother fatally shot her three young children before turning the gun on herself, authorities said Friday.
The bodies of Maribel Ibarra, 32, and her three children a 4-year-old boy and two girls, ages 1 and 2 were found inside a vehicle in West Haven, 40 miles north of Salt Lake City, late Tuesday night.
According to the Weber County Sheriffs Office, a family member who found the four bodies notified authorities just before 10 p.m.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they confirmed four people were dead and clearly beyond help, Sgt. Sean Endsley said Wednesday, without releasing additional details.
On Friday, Weber County Sheriffs Lt. Terance Lavely announced at a news conference that the deaths of Ibarra and her children were the result of a murder-suicide.
Based on video evidence, physical evidence, witness statements and interviews with family members, detectives believe that this was a tragic incident of murder-suicide, Lavely told reporters.
No other person is believed to be involved in the fatal shootings, detectives said. They believe Ibarra shot her three children in the rear cargo area of her vehicle and then shot herself. The weapon was located inside the car.
While investigators are not clear on when exactly the shots were fired, Lavely said investigators believe the shooting occurred late Sunday night or in the early hours of Monday.
In a written statement shared with reporters after the news conference, the victims family expressed shock at the tragic news, saying they unaware that Ibarra was struggling with her mental health.
We do not the know the exact reasons why this tragedy happened, and we deeply regret it, the family said. This pain is something we wish no one would ever have to go through. Therefore, we urge all those going through difficult times to seek help; please never hide your pain.
Neighbors were equally shocked to learn the news.
She seemed super, super happy. Very outgoing gal. Super nice, Darren King, who lives next door to Ibarra, told local station KSL.
Taira Jacobson, who lives across the street, said Ibarra was always kind and would chat with her at the mailbox.
Weber County Sheriff's Sgt. Sean Endsley briefs members of the media at a scene where four people were found dead in West Haven, Utah, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Isaac Hale/The Deseret News via AP)
WEST HAVEN, Utah (AP) A Utah woman and her three children who were found shot to death in a vehicle died in a murder-suicide, Weber County officials said Friday.
Maribel Ibarra, 32, shot her children ages 4, 2, and 1 in the cargo area of her vehicle in West Haven before shooting herself, Lt. Terance Lavely said. He did not release the names of the children.
Investigators reached their conclusion based on video evidence, physical evidence, witness statements and interviews with family members, he said. The gun was found in the vehicle.
The investigation continues to try and determine what led to the shooting, something Lavely said might not lead to an answer.
Members of Ibarras family provided a written statement to reporters that talked about the deep sorrow they have for the loss of people they called the light of our lives."
As a family, we unfortunately knew nothing about her mental health. We always saw her as a loving mother, which makes this so shocking for us," the statement said. This pain is something we wish no one would ever have to go through.
A neighbor, Darren King, told KSL-TV that Ibarra had recently moved back into the home to live with her father, whose wife died this summer.
After he lost his wife of 50 years, and now to lose his daughter and his grandkids his grandkids were his life, King said.
___
This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
VA to hold National Day of Service and Remembrance events on 23rd anniversary of 9/11
On the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, the Veterans Administration will host National Day of Service and Remembrance events across 60 national cemeteries.
On Thursday, the VA announced it will hold 60 remembrance events at national cemeteries across the US and Puerto Rico and is open to the public.
The events will honor veterans, service members and first responders who sacrificed for the nation since September 11, 2021.
We encourage everyone to join us at one of this years September 11 National Day of Service events to honor the nations heroes who served and sacrificed 23 years ago, said Acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Ronald Walters. Our acts of volunteer service at cemeteries across the country tell these heroes that we have not forgotten their bravery and all they sacrificed for the country.
Volunteers will honor those who served by beautifying National Cemeteries in partnership with the non-profit organizations Carry The Load and AmeriCorps.
Carry The Load and AmeriCorps are now accepting volunteers to join in the beautification at Tahoma National Cemetery.
The event is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. and is open to all who register.
Va. lieutenant governor wants to be governor, setting up possible historic contest for job
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears said Thursday she will seek the Republican nomination for governor next year, setting the stage for one of the most historic contests in Virginia history.
Earle-Sears, who rode the GOP wave in 2021 into the second of the three highest political offices in the state, announced her candidacy at a rally in Virginia Beach. If no one else steps forward for the nomination, she would face presumed Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger, with the winner becoming the first woman to be a Virginia governor.
Should she win, the 60-year-old Earle-Sears would become the second Black person and the first Black woman to be the states chief executive.
Earle-Sears
In her announcement, accompanied by the release of a YouTube campaign video, Earle-Sears acknowledged the historical significance of her run. However, she said, more than history was at stake in the campaign.
Yes, this is an opportunity to make history, but our campaign is about making life better for every Virginian right here, right now, she said.
Earle-Sears has already put her name in Virginia's history books by becoming the first Black woman to serve as lieutenant governor. She is the third Black person to hold that post, following L. Douglas Wilder in 1986 and Justin Fairfax in 2018, her immediate predecessor.
Wilder went on to become the nation's first Black governor. Fairfax lost a crowded Democratic gubernatorial primary in 2021.
Running on Youngkin platform
The Jamaican native and former Marine said she wants to build on the run of her predecessor, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who under Virginia law cannot seek a second term. Youngkin, a Republican who flirted with the possibility of being former President Donald Trumps running mate this year, has pushed traditional conservative agendas on business growth, support for law enforcement and giving parents choices for their childrens education and Earle-Sears vowed to follow that same course.
"We cannot go backwards now, Earle-Sears said in a statement announcing her campaign. Little girls and boys, from Fairfax to Fincastle, from Haysi to Henry, from Phoebus to Port Republic, and from Wachapreague to Wise ... they are all counting on us to win and succeed in Virginia. I will not be outworked. And I will not let them down.
Thursday nights announcement was not a surprise. Earlier in the day, Earle-Sears filed paperwork with the state Department of Elections to run.
Earle-Sears' announcement essentially ends speculation about whether state Attorney General Jason Miyares would also seek the top spot on the ticket. Miyares, who made history in 2021 by becoming the first person of Hispanic descent to win the AG office, issued his own statement shortly before Earle-Sears' announcement saying that his political attention was squarely on the 2024 presidential election.
My focus right now is on November 2024 and electing as many Repubicans in Virginia as we can, Miyares posted on X (formerly Twitter). Miyares said the U.S. cannot afford four more years of the failed policies of the Biden administration.
It is clear we cannot allow Democrats to seize complete control of power in Washington or Richmond, he wrote.
Currently, Democrats hold six of Virginias 11 House of Representatives seats, as well as both U.S. Senate seats. The GOP is facing its toughest battles in the Second and Seventh districts.
In the Second, freshman Rep. Jen Kiggans who won the seat two years ago with just a 51% majority is being challenged by Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal. The Second District covers much of coastal Virginia with its political center being Virginia Beach.
In the Seventh, which stretches from central to northern Virginia, millions of dollars are being spent in the contest between Republican Derrick Anderson and Democrat Eugene Vindman. Republicans are hoping to flip the district which has been represented by Spanberger the past four years.
Spanberger opted out of re-election to focus on her Democratic bid for governor.
Democrats call her 'extremist'
Virginia Democrats wasted no time in going after Earle-Sears. A statement from state party chair Susan Swecker called the lieutenant governor an extremist on such issues as reproductive rights and serving the LGBTQ+ community.
"Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has dedicated more time to boosting her far-right profile as an extremist on Newsmax and Fox News than actually addressing the needs of hard-working Virginians, Swecker said in the statement. If elected governor, shed unleash her radical agenda: outlawing abortions, rolling back gun safety measures, dismantling LGBTQ+ rights, gutting healthcare for millions, and slashing funding for public schools.
Swecker called Earle-Sears' vision divisive, toxic leadership that hurts the middle-class and tears us apart instead of bringing us together."
Earlier this year, Earle-Sears caused a stir in the Senate when she referred to Democratic Sen. Danica Roem of Prince William County the first transgender legislator in Virginia as sir during a Senate floor debate. While she eventually apologized for the mistake, Earle-Sears appeared agitated in doing so, accusing Senate Democrats of showing disrespect towards me.
Who is Winsome Earle-Sears?
Earle-Sears came to the U.S. with her parents from Jamaica at the age of six. Her first foray into political office was 2001 when she ran for and won as a Republican a Black-majority House district seat in Norfolk. But she was out of politics two years later, losing a bid for the Third Congressional District seat to Democratic incumbent Bobby Scott.
A former member of the state Board of Education, Earle-Sears ran a write-in campaign in the 2018 U.S. Senate election, protesting the candidacy of Republican Corey Stewart and his reported ties to white nationalists.
She supported Trumps re-election bid in 2020. The next year, she became the first Black woman to win Virginias lieutenant governorship.
In 2022, following the GOPs dismal midterm election performance, Earle-Sears appeared to distance herself from Trump, calling him a liability to the Republican party and vowing to not support another White House bid by him.
However, like many other Republicans across the nation, she seemed to soften her stand on Trump as it became clear he would be the GOP nominee in 2024.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Va. lieutenant governor will seek GOP nomination for top spot in 2025
Vance calls for tightened school security after shooting: I dont like that this is a fact of life
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) called for tighter school security in the wake of this weeks school shooting in Georgia.
If these psychos are going to go after our kids, weve got to be prepared for it, Vance said at a rally in Phoenix. We dont have to like the reality that we live in, but it is the reality we live in. Weve got to deal with it.
His remarks came in response to a reporters question about what can be done to stop school shootings. The Ohio Republican argued that restricted access to guns will not prevent shootings, according to The Associated Press.
I dont like that this is a fact of life, Vance said, the AP reported. But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster security at our schools. Weve got to bolster security, so if a psycho wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of children, theyre not able.
The comments came one day after a shooting occurred at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga., killing four people and injuring several more on Wednesday. Colt Gray, the 14-year-old suspect, is charged with four counts of felony murder.
Vance described the shooting as an awful tragedy and called for prayers for the families in Winder. He called the alleged shooter an absolute barbarian.
Vances campaign also said some of the media took his remarks out of context.
The Associated Press, in a now-deleted tweet, wrote that JD Vance says school shootings are a fact of life, calls for better security. In an updated headline for its story and tweet, the AP said Vance says he laments that school shootings are a fact of life and calls for better security.
This is yet another case of the fake news media brazenly lying about a Republican politician. Senator Vance said exactly the opposite of what the Associated Press claimed, Vance spokesperson William Martin said in a statement to The Hill early Friday.
Vice President Harris, the official Democratic presidential nominee, went off-script Wednesday to address the shooting, calling it a senseless tragedy. Harris said the country must end its gun violence epidemic once and for all.
The Harris campaign jumped on the opportunity to use Vances remarks against him, as part of the larger back-and-forth in the presidential campaign.
Yesterday, Vice President Harris said it doesnt have to be this way in response to another senseless school shooting, Harris campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa said in a statement late Thursday. Donald Trump and JD Vance think school shootings are a fact of life and we have to get over it.
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 added. Donald Trump and JD Vance will always choose the NRA and gun lobby over our children. That is the choice in this election..
The Vance campaign responded to the Harris campaigns statement and the vice presidents remarks, criticizing her stance on firearm issues and school safety.
Meanwhile, Kamala Harris has called for all police officers to be removed from schools, putting children all over America at risk. Its yet another example of how Kamala Harriss weak, failed, and dangerously liberal agenda makes her unfit for office, Martin said in his statement.
Harris leads the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and has advocated for stronger gun control.
The Associated Press contributed.
Updated at 10:49 a.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.
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said on Thursday from Arizona that he does not believe former Sen. John McCain would support Vice President Kamala Harris if he were alive and saw the southern border today.
Vance made his remarks after the late senator's son endorsed Harris earlier this week.
I do not believe for a second that if John McCain were alive today and he sees what's going on at the American southern border, that he would support Kamala Harris and all the destruction she has wrought, Vance said at a rally in Phoenix. I really dont believe that.
McCain, one of Arizonas most beloved senators and the Republican nominee for president in 2008, died in 2018 from an aggressive form of brain cancer. McCain was a fierce critic of Donald Trump and even requested that the former president not be allowed at his funeral. Trump, president at the time, did not send out a standard eulogizing statement after the late senator's death.
Earlier this week, McCains son Jimmy McCain said he registered as a Democrat and will be voting for Harris in November. Jimmy McCain told CNN, which first reported on his endorsement of Harris, that he was speaking out after Trump campaign staffers were accused of pushing an Army staffer at Arlington National Cemetery. The Army staffer was reportedly trying to prevent the former presidents campaign from campaigning at the cemetery. Trump has denied that there was an incident while the Army stated that the cemetery staffer was was abruptly pushed aside.
When a reporter asked Vance about the endorsement, he replied: Who cares what somebodys family thinks about a presidential race? He added that he cares only about what the people of Arizona think about the presidential race.
John McCain died what, five, six, seven years ago? And the media is turning into a story what John McCains family says about Donald Trump, Vance said. I dont know if anybody noticed, but pretty much every single member of Tim Walz family came out and endorsed Donald Trump. Is that a bigger story than what John McCains son said? I think so.
The Ohio senator was also asked about his thoughts on McCains legacy. Vance said that he never met McCain, but said he suspects he would have loved that McCain didnt let their personal grievances get in the way of serving the country something the senator said he loves about Trump.
Trump in the past mocked McCain, who was taken prisoner while fighting in the Vietnam War, saying he liked "people who werent captured. He also said he was "never was a fan of John McCain" and "never will be."
Vance reiterated that he is focused on the voters: Whatever John McCains family thinks, whatever John McCain would have ultimately thought about Kamala Harris policies, my goal here is to persuade every single person in this room and every single person in the state of Arizona that their lives will be better if they elect Donald J. Trump.
Wes Gullett, John McCain's former state director, said on behalf of the Harris campaign that John McCain was working for a solution to the border, not just politicizing it."
Gullett said that McCain would have thought Trump killing the most recent border bill was malarkey." He added that the McCain name and legacy matter in Arizona, and that includes Jimmy McCain.
Vance also said that school shootings are a fact of life and the U.S. needs to strengthen security after a 14-year-old this week was arrested and charged with shooting and killing four people at a high school in Georgia.
Vance says school shootings are 'a fact of life.' That's cowardice, not leadership.
In the wake of a deadly Georgia school shooting, JD Vance, the Republican who incorrectly thinks hes qualified to be vice president of the United States, said this at a Thursday night rally: We dont have to like the reality that we live in, but it is the reality we live in.
Im sorry, what? A 14-year-old student is suspected of using an assault-style rifle reportedly a gift from his dad to shoot and kill two Apalachee High School students his same age and two teachers while also injuring nine others. As with any school or mass shooting, there are victims well beyond those shot and their families, children and adults whose lives are forever damaged by the trauma.
And Vances response the day after the tragedy is that's the reality we live in? Pardon my attempt at publishing profanity, but Vance can (expletive) right off if hes ready and willing to accept armed children committing routine acts of carnage in American schools as our reality that just has to be accepted.
Vance calls school shootings 'a fact of life' the day after Georgia tragedy
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
At the Arizona rally, the senator said: I dont like that this is a fact of life. But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster security at our schools. ... Weve got to bolster security so that if a psycho wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of children theyre not able.
The psycho here to borrow Vances crude term is the so-called politician who looks at a school shooting like the one in Georgia on Wednesday and says, Well, its just the way things are. What else can we do other than staff our schools with armed guards and install bulletproof glass doors and metal detectors and such?
Vance tells me at Phoenix event strict gun laws wont prevent school shootings:
Weve got to bolster security so that if a psycho wants to walk through the front door and kill a bunch of children, they're not able to. pic.twitter.com/0vGUh2FpXw Kit Maher (@KitMaherCNN) September 6, 2024
Buddy, we can do a hell of a lot more than that, and you know it.
There are plenty of things we could do to stem the tide of school shootings
We can ban AR-15-style rifles like the one police say was used in the Apalachee High School shooting.
Those rifles have been used in mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, and Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Theyre a lethal favorite of mass shooters.
You can advocate for safe firearm storage laws, something Georgia doesnt have. You can demand mandatory background checks, something Georgia doesnt do. You can require permits to purchase guns, another thing Georgia doesnt do.
You can provide funding that makes mental health care more accessible to all Americans. And yes, you can beef up security at schools.
But to throw your hands up and say school shootings are just the reality we live in? Thats weak. Thats garbage. And thats a far cry from leadership.
Vance's favorability tanks: JD Vance takes 'Worst VP pick EVER!' crown from Sarah Palin, and gets less likable every day
Harris smartly said 'it doesn't have to be this way'
Compare Vances verbal shoulder shrug with what Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris said the day the Georgia school shooting happened: This is just a senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies, and 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.
The vice president continued: 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.
Exactly. Any politician saying anything less than it doesnt have to be this way is abrogating their responsibility to keep Americans safe. To keep our children safe.
Harris is better for the economy: Goldman Sachs says Comrade Kamala is better for economy. She can't even do communism right!
The 'Too soon!' crowd is apparently fine with giving up
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance (R-Ohio) delivers remarks on Sept. 5, 2024, at Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.
Republicans routinely holler at liberals for talking about gun laws after a school shooting Too soon! they shout but I guess theyre fine with their vice presidential nominee standing up the day after two school children were shot to death and saying, Welp, whatcha gonna do?
Vance had proved himself a schmuck and a horrid retail politician before his comments about school shootings being a fact of life. But now good lord. This boob has no business being a heartbeat away from the presidency.
And he sure as hell has no business telling the rest of us that the unparalleled horrors of school shootings are something were going to have to live with.
To hell with that.
And, quite frankly, to hell with him.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vance calls school shootings 'a fact of life.' He's too weak to lead
Lord chancellors are by tradition sworn in wearing a gold-embroidered robe of state, a court coat, waistcoat, breeches and wig. Everything apart from the robe is hired by the Ministry of Justice but, according to a Freedom of Information request, costs vary between different lord chancellors.
Former holders of the office are mystified when I tell them. Alex Chalk (hire bill 370) asks if it is down to the number of fittings? Brandon Lewis (a 739 bill) says: I was never aware of the cost. And David Gauke (whose hire cost 729) says he is struggling with an answer. David Lidington (a bill for 663) points out that different lords chancellor need different sized robes: think Grayling and Truss. Current Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood (309) has kept costs down.
Teachers who cant spell
The National Education Union which represents school teachers is staging a fringe meeting at the Lib Dems conference in Brighton next weekend, asking: What should the Liberal Democrats priorities on education be for the new parliament? Will any of the teachers notice the spelling error?
Magic sweetie tree
Jeremy Hunt left a note to his successor Rachel Reeves with the location of a confectionery vending machine, apparently telling Reeves it was the thing his children loved most about living in Downing Street. They even got their own cards to use it, Hunt told Reeves. She couldnt understand it, but it turns out to be true. Her kids love it, one Treasury source said. Is it called the magic sweetie tree?
WHAP attack
Susie Cleverly, wife of Tory leadership contender James Cleverly, has taken back control of the WHAPs group at Westminster. It stands for Wives, Husbands And Partners and offers informal support for the other halves of the 121 remaining Tory MPs. Susie stood back from the WHAP front line while she fought cancer. All meetings are in person because she refuses to set up a WHAP WhatsApp group. They just leak, she tells me. Why cant Susie run for Tory leader, too?
Gang of None
The retirement from the House of Lords of David Owen brings to a close the parliamentary career of the last of the Gang of Four, named after Owen and three other Labour moderates who jumped ship to set up the SDP in 1981. Roy Jenkins and Shirley Williams have both died and Bill Rodgers left the Lords last year. Owens last question in the Lords in April suggested he had more to give, with a proposal that the UK and France tell Russia where their nuclear weapons are pointed. The Gang of Four is now the Gang of None.
Wrong trousers
I have been overwhelmed by your tales of split trousers after my Lobby colleagues trouser gusset was rent in twain on the PMs trip to Berlin. George Buxton told how my late brother in law, Professor Donald Thomas, once had to give a lecture to students at Cardiff University in his raincoat because of a malfunctioning zip fastener in his trousers. Carol Rankins experience was worse her underwear elastic failed. Carol told me: In the middle of Waterloo station at rush hour my knickers fell to my feet. I picked them up, put them in my handbag and carried on as if nothing had happened.
Lost in transit
Rev Richard Coles also got involved in the trouser tales. In an hilarious turn of events, while I was carrying all my stuff in a tray to a counter at Glasgow Airport security, my trousers fell down and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it, he said. I hope he caught his plane.
No! Sushi
Oasis Noel Gallagher tells the Table Manners podcast: Im not a foodie. I wont go Oh my God, that was an amazing piece of salmon! Food is still a function for me. He prefers his mothers home cooking over anything else. I didnt have sushi until I moved to London I was like What, raw fish on rice, whats that all about? That looks like the inside of a bicycle tyre! It was like No, its octopus. Hes on to something.
Quentins salad days
Political commentator Quentin Letts has inadvertently contributed to the shoplifting crime wave. He told GB News: I pinched a lettuce by mistake the other day. I realised when I got to my car that I had neglected a lettuce at the bottom of my push trolley. I should have fessed up, but it was inadvertent Id been at the till with a check-out person.
No one tell Liz Truss.
Peterborough, published every Friday at 7pm, is edited by Christopher Hope. You can reach him at peterborough@telegraph.co.uk
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Vermont woman charged with first degree murder to remain in custody
Burlington, VT- Vermont Superior Court has decided that Aaliyah Johnson, the murder suspect in a fatal Church Street shooting, will remain in custody.
The 22-year-old from South Burlington was denied release to her mother. Honorable Judge David R. Fenster and the state agreed that Johnson could become a flight risk, and pose a possible level of risk to the public.
The state also wanted Johnson to remain in custody because of a possible second firearm that she may have access to. Currently, we do not know if the second firearm exists.
Women arrested following fatal shooting outside Church Street club
According to court documents and police, Johnson shot and killed Teville Williams, 30, of Stowe, on August 24 following an altercation at Red Square, a bar and club on Church Street.
Security footage from Red Square shows Williams grabbing and hitting Johnson several times. Security staff at the bar forced Williams and Johnson to leave out separate doorways before Johnson walked towards the bars entrance, reached for a handgun in her purse, and fired at Williams.
Johnson turned herself in to an officer at the scene. Police say Johnson told them, she carries a firearm downtown because she is scared of men downtown. She also stated that she is just tired of men putting their hands on her.
Johnson will be back at Vermont Superior Court- Chittenden County on Oct 29 at 1:00 p.m. for a status conference.
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Veterans fumed about Donald Trump on Thursday after the GOP presidential nominee referred to Gold Star families celebrating fallen service members during his controversial visit to Arlington National Cemetery last week.
This man has absolutely no soul, empathy, or understanding of human emotions, wrote Fred Wellman, an Army combat veteran, adding that you dont celebrate the anniversary of your childs death.
Trumps comments were made in a speech to the Economic Club of New York, in which he reflected on his recent visit to the national cemetery to mark the third anniversary of a deadly 2021 attack on service members amid evacuations at Afghanistans Kabul airport.
By the way, we lost 13 incredible soldiers. I got to know the families very well, spent a lot of time with them four days ago in Arlington cemetery, Trump said.
Three years ago. They were celebrating three years honoring their children.
The vast majority of the service members killed in the attack were Marines, not soldiers, as Trump called them.
VoteVets, a progressive political committee that recently criticized the former president over his Arlington visit, similarly declared that no one celebrates the date when their loved one was killed and added that a former commander in chief ought to know Marines arent called soldiers.
But when he thinks all of them are just suckers and losers, guess details dont matter, wrote the group on X, referring to reports that the former president once used those words to refer to Americans killed in World War I.
Trump says gold star families were celebrating in Arlington cemetery pic.twitter.com/P2kq0PiAzX Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 5, 2024
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AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Thursday, 13 veterans were honored at the annual Patriots Day in Austintown.
The event began with skydiver Ben Kellogg jumping from a plane with the American flag. Then the Austintown Fitch High School choir sang.
Its an honor to be here. A lot of my brothers I served with in Vietnam didnt get the chance to grow old and gray like the rest of us. So its an honor to honor these people, said Kenneth David with the DAV
David has been honored at Patriots Day before and served in Vietnam in the Army in the late 60s and early 70s. He comes out every year to support other veterans.
The Austintown Fire Department was also there in support.
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RICHMOND HILL, Ga. (WSAV) The Salvation Army and the local chapter of the American Red Cross want to assure people living in Richmond Hill that they havent left town, and they will have volunteers there assisting in flood recovery for the long haul.
Social media conversations spun out of control in the community indicating a miscommunication between the organizations and the Richmond Hill Community House caused the volunteer organizations to pull out early from helping residents.
What people see as being most visible are feeding trucks and so the misconception is that when the trucks roll out, the Salvation Armys rolled out, Salvation Army Corps Major Jason Smith told WSAV.
Since the disaster, the Salvation Army has provided just around 15,000 hot meals, snacks and drinks to people impacted by Richmond Hills flood waters. The mobile feeding kitchen unit provided grilled burgers, hot dogs, chicken and pork chops to the many volunteers who committed themselves to assisting there.
Smith said that the Salvation Army is also working alongside volunteers inside the citys Community House Resource Center and while residents may not see their truck out there, they are still active in the community.
Im a resident of Richmond Hill, Smith said. I live there. So, the neighbors that have been impacted are my neighbors and so weve made a commitment that the Salvation Army is going to be there for the long haul, just as we were for the 22 tornadoes, as we are going to be here for Debby.
WSAV also spoke with the Regional PR person for Red Cross Georgia, Kathy Zwirck.
Zwirck said the agency has not pulled out of Richmond Hill, even if social media rumors said that they have. She also said they remain committed to helping people affected by the flooding and that the Red Cross was there before the storm hit and they are still in the city helping flooding victims get back on their feet.
City Manager Chris Lovell said that the Richmond Hill Community House contact for GEMA and the leadership of volunteer organizations is Bryan County Emergency Management Agency. The county EMA currently has an interim director, Anthony Van Es.
The Community House volunteer donations are being overseen by volunteer Meredith Gibson. Gibson has recently filed paperwork with her intent to run in the November 5 election as a write-in candidate against current Bryan County Commission Chair, Carter Infinger stating that storm response is one of the reasons she felt the need to enter the race.
Watch the interview with both candidates here: Write-in candidate to challenge Bryan County Incumbent Chairman | WSAV-TV
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A firefighter with a volunteer fire department in Kentucky died Wednesday while assisting another fire department with a structure fire.
Darrell Helton, 49, was a firefighter with the Belfry Volunteer Fire Department. He died of a heart attack while shuttling water to a structure fire, according to an incident report from Supporting Heroes, a nonprofit organization that supports the families of fallen first responders.
Please keep the Helton family as well as our fire department in your thoughts and prayers in the days ahead, the Belfry Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post.
While assisting with the structure fire, Helton told another firefighter he felt a fluttering in his chest, according to an incident report on Supporting Heroes. After delivering the last load of water, Helton collapsed to the ground.
Helton was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead after CPR attempts were unsuccessful, according to the incident report.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) Volunteers from Smithfield are coming to Norfolk to collect canned food on Saturday, ahead of the Norfolk Tides vs. Charlotte Knights game at Harbor Park.
The canned food is going to support the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. Volunteers will be at Harbor Park at 150 Park Ave. in Norfolk at the third base entrance from 5-6 p.m.
Fans who donate $10 or more worth of food will receive a ticket voucher for a Norfolk Tides game for April 2025.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
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(Bloomberg) -- Former President Donald Trumps proposals for targeted tax breaks are resonating with battleground-state voters, who overwhelmingly approve of his ideas to eliminate taxes on tipped income and retirement benefits.
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But Vice President Kamala Harris has countered Trumps proposals with her own no-taxes-on-tips plan along with other tax cut ideas, which has coincided with her gaining voters trust on economic issues, according to a Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll in the seven states most likely to decide the election.
Both Trumps proposal to end all federal taxes on tipped income, and Harris more targeted version for hospitality workers, have won broad bipartisan support with a majority of swing-state voters, the poll found.
Trump and Harris have been engaged in an arms race of economic proposals, many of which are designed to woo key groups of swing-state voters. Both candidates made their no-tax-on-tips pledge in Nevada, a state with the largest proportion of its workforce in tip-dependent industries like food service and lodging.
The poll, conducted Aug. 23-27, shows the proposal is popular across all seven states, which include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The statistical margin of error is one percentage point across the seven states.
Harris version, which would eliminate federal income taxes on tips but keep them on payroll taxes that support the Social Security and Medicare programs, was less popular that Trumps, by 6 percentage points.
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The question in the Bloomberg poll did not identify which presidential candidate was proposing which policy, and the list of proposals was rotated so that neither candidates policies got an advantage.
Trumps campaign pledge to eliminate all federal taxes on Social Security benefits was the most popular of the six economic proposals surveyed. More than eight in 10 voters said they strongly or somewhat supported the idea. Among voters age 65 and over, the number was nine in 10.
The two campaigns have also put forward competing plans to expand the child tax credit, a President Bill Clinton-era tax break originally targeted at middle-income taxpayers with children.
The Trump campaign proposal, as outlined by running mate JD Vance, would increase the current $2,000 credit to $5,000 per child, regardless of income. And it would allow lower-income parents to receive the credit as a government benefit even if they pay no taxes.
The Harris plan would start out bigger $6,000 in the first year but then would be phased down to $3,000 after age 7. Only lower- and middle-income families would be eligible.
Swing-state voters preferred the details of the Harris child tax credit plan, with 65% supporting it compared to 60% for the Vance plan. Both Democrats and Republicans were more likely to favor the vice presidents plan.
Harris recent proposal to give $25,000 in assistance to first-time home buyers was the least-popular policy surveyed, but still won the support of 57% of swing-state voters. But it was also the most polarizing of the proposals: About twice as many Democrats supported the policy as Republicans. Voters say they they trust Harris more than Trump on housing costs, an issue where the former president once had an edge over President Joe Biden.
Overall, 46% of swing-state voters said they trust Trump more on taxes than Harris, whos trusted by 44%. But Harris has greatly improved the Democrats standing on the issue, narrowing a deficit that was as high as 16 percentage points when Biden led the ticket.
Trumps proposals and, to a lesser extent, the competing plans from Harris would come with a budget-busting price tag. A Bloomberg review of all Trumps tax proposals estimates that they would add more than $10.5 trillion to the national debt over 10 years. Harris would add about $2 trillion, which shes said shed offset with higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
These policies, on paper, are pretty popular, said Eli Yokley, US politics analyst for Morning Consult. The long-term effects of them I dont think voters think about.
While Harris is still putting out details of her tax plans, many of them mirror policies previously proposed by Biden.
Many of those Biden policies were also generally popular with swing-state voters. A March survey found that seven in 10 voters supported a Biden plan to raise taxes on those making more than $400,000 a year, while only half supported his efforts to raise corporate tax rate.
Trumps proposals to raise tariffs 10% across-the-board, plus a 60% tariff on all Chinese imports won the support of half of swing-state voters.
Methodology
The Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll surveyed 4,962 registered voters in seven swing states: 805 in Arizona, 801 in Georgia, 702 in Michigan, 450 in Nevada, 700 in North Carolina, 803 in Pennsylvania and 701 in Wisconsin. The surveys were conducted online from August 23 to August 27. The aggregated data across the seven swing states were weighted to approximate a target sample of swing-state registered voters based on gender, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, home ownership, 2020 presidential vote and state. State-level data were weighted to approximate a target sample of registered voters in the respective state based on gender, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, home ownership, and 2020 presidential vote. The statistical margin of error is plus or minus 1 percentage point across the seven states; 3 percentage points in Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania; 4 percentage points in Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, and 5 percentage points in Nevada.
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As we approachwith dreadyet another national election, let's remember that, as awful as the candidates chosen to campaign for the presidency may be, the office itself is much, much worse. The people we choose to inhabit the White House are part of the problem in American presidential politics, but the unrealistically vast expectations the public places on that position, and the efforts of chief executives to expand their powers to meet those hopes and dreams, pose even greater danger.
Public Perceptions of an All-Powerful President
"American presidents are often blamedand take credit forthings outside of their control," YouGov reports in an end-of-August poll. "While the executive role carries significant power, it is ultimately limited by the realities of governance and the scope of federal authority."
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to believe that presidents have "total control" or "a lot of control" over gun deaths, abortion access, and poverty rates, pollsters found. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe the presidency exercises such vast authority over issues including foreign policy, national debt, and tax rates. Majorities of both partisan groups see the president exercising dictatorial authority over foreign policy, military operations, judicial appointments, and natural disaster response. But Republicans are more likely than Democrats to view the president as a near-monarch.
Worse, whatever powers partisans think the president has, many want the office to wield much more.
AP-NORC pollsters tried to put a positive spin on an April 2024 poll, claiming that "few adults like the idea of unilateral action by presidents," putting the overall number at 21 percent (which is still too high). The subsequent AP news story was more honest, noting "though Americans say don't want a president to have too much power, that view shifts if the candidate of their party wins the presidency."
Rule Me Harder
In the abstract, Americans don't want a dictator. But if it's their preferred leader, many are willing to throw checks and balances out the window so favored policies can be jammed through.
Specifically, the AP-NORC poll found, 57 percent of Republicans thought it would be a good thing if Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election for him "to take action on the country's important policy issues without waiting for Congress or the courts." Among Democrats, 39 percent thought the same of Joe Biden. The poll predated Kamala Harris replacing Biden at the top of the ticket, but it's difficult to imagine Democrats enthused by her candidacy to be less willing to grant Harris unilateral power.
Unfortunately, this involves an ongoing and very unfortunate evolution in expectations about the presidency andespecially troublingpresidents' attempts to meet those expectations. The country's chief executive may be "ultimately limited by the realities of governance and the scope of federal authority," in YouGov's words, but neither voters nor politicians respect those limits.
The Presidency Grows Out of Bounds
"President Barack Obama came into office four years ago skeptical of pushing the power of the White House to the limit, especially if it appeared to be circumventing Congress," Anita Kumar reported for McClatchy Newspapers in 2013. "Arguably more than any other president in modern history, he's using executive actions, primarily orders, to bypass or pressure a Congress where the opposition Republicans can block any proposal."
The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf went further, calling Obama "an executive-power extremist." The 44th president's excesses, he pointed out, included ordering the killing of a U.S. citizenAnwar al-Awlakiby drone strike.
But Obama was most notable in that he'd so rapidly and completely switched positions from that of a critic of unilateral presidential authority to one of enthusiastic monarchical fandom. Other White House residents eagerly embrace the idea of issuing decrees. President Donald Trump built on Obama's precedent, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joe Biden embraced executive power so enthusiastically that even allies on the editorial board at The New York Times advised him to ease up.
"Over the past couple of decades, we've been running a dangerous experiment," the Cato Institute's Gene Healy writes in the foreword to the updated 2024 edition of his 2008 book, The Cult of the Presidency. "As our politics took on a quasi-religious fervor, we've concentrated vast new powers in the executive branch. Fundamental questions of governance that used to be left to Congress, the states, or the people are now increasingly settled winner takes all by whichever party manages to seize the presidency."
Making the matter worse, Healy adds, "American politics has gone feral over the past 15 years, and that's made the president's unilateral power a direct threat to social peace."
A Recipe for Conflict
With roughly half of Republicans and Democrats reacting "with fear and anger toward the other party," according to Pew pollsters, and large majorities "increasingly likely to dislike each other and to feel hostile" towards political opponents, per YouGov surveys, unilateral presidential actions that bypass debate run the near certainty of infuriating those who don't support the president. That's a recipe for resistance and escalating conflict.
"Anyone capable of thinking past a single presidential election cycle should recognize the dangers of giving presidents an even freer hand," warns Healy. "In a country as fractious as ours has become, that's a prescription for turning our as-yet-metaphorical civil war into real 'American carnage.'"
But, as surveys point out, Americans think presidents have more power concentrated in their hands than they really do and want them to wield an even greater share of authority without checks from the legislative or judicial branches. The American presidency generates internal friction and division, but it does so to popular acclaimat least from those supporting whoever wins office.
The solution isn't a super-charged chief executivenot if we want the country to survive. We should make the presidency less powerful. Move decision-making back "to Congress, the states, or the people" as Healy points out was once the norm. Political decisions should be made as close as possible to the individuals who experience the consequences, to minimize the chance that they're imposed on the unwilling. That means learning to live with the fact that people elsewhere may choose to live differently.
But doing so requires overcoming the widespread desire for an American dictator. When it comes to presidential politics, voters are often their own worst enemies.
The post Voters' Yearning for a Dictator Is a Danger to the Country appeared first on Reason.com.
TOPEKA (KSNT) Fans of the Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center are being invited to cast votes on their favorite license plate design for the wildlife center.
The zoo took to social media on Wednesday, Sept. 4 to offer locals four different options to choose from for the new Topeka Zoo license plate. People can cast votes, at a rate of once per day, for their top pick until the voting period closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13.
(Photo Courtesy/Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center)
(Photo Courtesy/Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center)
(Photo Courtesy/Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center)
(Photo Courtesy/Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center)
Your vote is important. Lets make this a fun and impactful decision together! Thank you for your continued support and for being part of our zoo family. If a tie or other circumstances take place, a final determination will be made by the Topeka Zoo board.
I-70, Highway 75 exit ramp closures scheduled in Topeka
To cast a vote, youll need to head over to Facebook and find the post from the zoo displaying the four different design options. You can find it by using this link.
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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Washington State Ferries nixed a deal this week to sell the decommissioned Klahowya, pictured, and Elwha. State officials said new buyers are interested. (Washington State Ferries)
Washingtons nearly two-year effort to unload a pair of retired state ferries ran aground this week.
Officials with Washington State Ferries announced Thursday they had nixed an agreement to sell the Elwha and Klahowya for $100,000 each to Nelson Armas who planned to tow them to Ecuador to be scrapped.
This might turn out to be a good thing as prospective new buyers have discussed ways to showcase them in this region, a Ferries official said.
What were hearing right now were pretty excited about. The buyers arent looking to move them to a foreign country, said State Ferries spokesperson Dana Warr who did not name them. We would love to complete a sale as quickly as possible. Our greatest fear is they dont become derelict vessels sitting on the shores of the Puget Sound.
The 144-car Elwha and 87-vehicle Klahowya have been retired since 2020 and 2017, respectively.
Armas and the state had been in negotiations since November 2022. The purchase and sale agreement required the vessels be removed by the end of August, Warr said.
Armas intended to haul them away Aug. 19 from Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility on Bainbridge Island but canceled due to malfunctioning towing equipment. A few days later came reports that his four hired workers on the tugboat who hailed from Columbia, Panama and Peru had been mistreated and underpaid.
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, Steve Nevey, assistant secretary of transportation in charge of ferries, said in a statement.
Ferries officials said they did not know of the workers poor living conditions and fear of intimidation until they were reported in the media. While Armas has denied these reports, WSF places a strong emphasis on seafarer welfare, officials said in a press release.
Though Mr. Armas denies these claims, its important to reaffirm that WSFs values prioritize the fair treatment and safety of all crew members, Nevey said. We take these matters seriously and are committed to incorporating these considerations into our plans for decommissioned ferries in the future.
The state agency still owns the Elwha and Klahowya. Armas, by not meeting the deadlines in the agreement to remove the boats, forfeits the $200,000 paid for the boats as damages, Warr explained.
Meanwhile, the sale of a third decommissioned state ferry, Hyak, is pending. More information will be provided when that deal is done, according to the agency. The Hyak, which had 144-car capacity, was taken out of service in 2019.
Selling the retired boats will free up dock space at the maintenance facility for work on the current fleet.
3University of California Berkeley student Russell Voth holds signs at a peace rally October 10, 2001 on the Berkeley, Calif. campus. Credit - Dan KraussGetty Images
As the incoming freshman class of 2028 moves into dorms and considers its first set of course offerings at universities across the country, some of them may notice features of campus life they were not expecting.
At the University of Pennsylvania, a sign has been posted on the College Green informing students that all events, demonstrations, rallies, protests, and large gatherings require prior University approval. At Columbia University, the activist group Students for Justice in Palestine has been permanently banned from Instagram, a platform where it had amassed more than 120,000 followers. At NYU, security guards have been stationed around fenced-off benches so that students are unable to assemble there, and the University of Michigan has instructed students and faculty to call the police if they run into any disruptive protests.
Universities have taken these measures because they are desperate to avoid a reprise of the pro-Palestinian and antiwar protests that roiled American campuses during the previous academic year, resulting in Congressional hearings, the resignation of multiple university presidents, the deployment of city police on campus grounds, the mass arrest of students, and (in Columbias case) the cancellation of commencement.
Read More: What Americas Student Photojournalists Saw at the Campus Protests
It isnt hard to understand why universities have taken these steps: theres nothing career administrators dislike more than unpredictable events, negative media attention, and outraged donors. In doing so, however, they have not just failed to live up to their commitment to protect freedom of speech for their studentsthey have also revived an ugly episode from the early years of our now-concluded war on terror.
In the years following September 11, 2001, as the Bush administration sent Americans to war in Afghanistan and then Iraq, schools throughout the country were roiled by protests, including widespread student walkouts. On the campus of Denver, Colorados three Auraria colleges, students even established an encampment. With antiwar activism exploding across America, these student actions became part of a long linage of campus protest movements, including those during the Vietnam War in the 60s and the anti-Apartheid protests of the 80s.
But instead of welcoming their students contributions to the countrys most important political debate, many university administrators cooperated with government and law enforcement agencies in subjecting protesters to surveillance and repression.
Many Muslim and Arab students during this period were already dealing with a hostile campus atmosphere characterized by suspicion, harassment, and intimidation. On September 14, 2001, a Muslim student at Arizona State University was beaten and pelted with eggs in a parking lot, and two men at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro beat a Lebanese student while shouting Go home, terrorist! Other Muslim and Arab students reported being singled out for hostile questioning by their professors. Muslim student associations (MSAs) should have served as a refuge for students during this period, but they became targets as well, as when someone threw rocks through the windows of the MSA office at Wayne State University.
Whats more, it soon became clear that students faced surveillance and intimidation from government agencies as well. After September 11, the FBI began enlisting hundreds of campus police departments to help out in surveilling what the Washington Post ominously described as insular communities of Middle Eastern students. And in 2003, the Department of Homeland Security began requiring that institutions of higher education furnish federal law enforcement with names, addresses, and other information about all foreign students studying inside the United States, with any unapproved change in address or college major resulting in immediate deportation.
As some faculty objected at the time, this kind of blanket surveillanceas opposed to targeted investigations into specific acts of criminal activitycould only have a chilling effect on students willingness to participate in political debate, especially given the FBIs well-known history of targeting student activists during the Vietnam era. But these objections largely went unaddressed. Hundreds of campuses welcomed the increased FBI presence, and, as the sociologist Lori Peek noted in her book Behind the Backlash, about two hundred colleges and universities turned over personal information about foreign students and faculty members to the FBI, most of the time without a subpoena or a court order.
During this same period, the New York Police Department also established what it called the Demographics Unit, an intelligence operation tasked with gathering covert information on Muslim communities throughout the NYC metropolitan area. MSAs in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania were all subject to police surveillance. In one instance, the NYPD even sent an undercover officer on an MSA whitewater rafting trip to upstate New York in 2008. The officer reported back to his superiors that in addition to the regularly scheduled events (Rafting), the group prayed at least four times a day.
This surveillance didnt just sow distrust within MSAshow could students be sure that the new member wasnt actually an undercover agent?it also made it difficult and in many cases impossible for Muslim students at American universities to engage publicly in civic life.
When it came to the MSA and the activities we would do, one college student named Malaika said to researcher Sunaina Maira, who spoke to students for her book The 9/11 Generation: Youth, Rights, and Solidarity in the War on Terror. We tried to avoid all politics. We didnt know where that would lead and we wanted to keep it strictly educational. So instead of participating in debates on the days most important political issues, Muslim students found themselves simply trying to explain, over and over, that they were just as American as anyone else. Anything more ambitious than a friendly, anodyne presentation explaining how Muslims celebrated different holidays could draw an immediate firestorm of criticism.
This repressive atmosphere persisted for years. As late as 2013, for instance, when Students for Justice in Palestine organized a group of students at Northeastern University to stage a walkout at an event where Israeli soldiers were speaking, the university condemned the students, forced them to produce a civility statement, and put the campus SJP group on probation.
Read More: How the Idea of the College Campus Captured American ImaginationsAnd Politics
The parallels between Americas repression of Muslim student activity back in the 2000s and administrator attempts to stamp out pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses today are striking. In both cases, university and government officials have worked to silence Muslim and Arab students whose families have been directly impacted by U.S. support for military violence abroad. In both cases, students who object to Americas role in fueling that violence have been slandered as terrorist sympathizers (and, today, as antisemites). And in both cases, these violations of students First Amendment rights have been justified on the spurious grounds that peaceful protesters and student groups present some unspecified but grave threat to their wider student communities.
The most vivid recent illustration of this mindset is NYUs revised Guidance and Expectations on Student Conduct, which declares that Zionism is now a protected aspect of religious identity and suggests that the university may now treat criticism of Zionism as tantamount to antisemitism. If guidelines like these were actually about combating antisemitism, then universities would not also be evicting and suspending Jewish student protesters, or banning groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace from their campuses. By drawing a false equivalence between Zionism and Judaism, administrators are declaring that such a debate is bigoted by definition, and thus shouldnt be allowed to happen at all.
At Columbia University, where the most unsettling scenes of police repression played out at the end of the last academic year, protests started up immediately upon students return to campus, with several dozen demonstrators picketing on the first day of the new semester.
Recent actions have not approached the scale of what occurred in the spring, but that should not be mistaken as a sign that student anger about the war has dissipated. For one thing, protests take planning, and students have only just returned to campus. For another, they no longer have the advantage of surprising university administrators who spent the summer developing new campus policies and security measures. At Columbia, for example, campus access has been restricted to people with university IDs, and the University of California system has banned both encampments and the use of masks.
If last spring is any guide, students who decide to defy these bans will face suspension, expulsion, and arrestpunishments, in other words, that can severely impact their ability to acquire a degree or find a job after graduation.
These threats may workits not easy to keep speaking up when doing so may cost you a college degree, or when truck-mounted doxing billboards park outside campus, identify students by name, and identify them as leading antisemites. But student groups at Columbia have insisted they will keep going no matter the individual cost, and their promises should not be taken lightly. With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled to address the United Nations in New York at the end of September, and with a closely contested U.S. election to follow soon after, one should not be surprised if student protesters are move back toward the center of the political firestorm surrounding U.S. support for Israels war.
In the early 2000s, the repression of student political activity in the U.S. contributed to one of the most conformist political climates this country has ever seen and made it easier for the Bush administration to launch one of the most wasteful and brutal wars in American history. Today, many of our most prestigious universities are making the same mistakes.
Contact us at letters@time.com.
Russia attacked Ukraine's western city of Lviv overnight on Sept. 5-6 with Shahed drones, causing fires at industrial facilities, Mayor Andrii Sadovyi reported.
Fragments from falling drones caused fires at warehouses in the village of Malekhiv on Lviv's northern outskirts, Sadovyi said.
Rescuers are currently at work extinguishing the fire, Sadovyi said. No information has been reported regarding casualties.
The Air Force issued an aerial alert for Lviv Oblast at around 10:45 p.m. local time on Sept. 5. Shortly after that, the Air Force warned that Shahed drones were headed in the direction of Lviv.
Lviv, located approximately 540 kilometers (about 335 miles) west of Kyiv with a population of over 700,000, is considered one of Ukraine's safer cities due to its distance from the Russian border.
The region has still been targeted several times by Russian drones and missiles during the war. A mass attack against the city of Lviv on Sept. 4 killed seven people and injured 64, with children among the casualties.
Read also: As Ukrainian children return to school, Russia launches missiles at educational facilities
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In our Reality Check stories, Modesto Bee journalists deliver fast facts about the issues that matter to local residents to hold officials and institutions accountable. Read more. Story idea? Tips@modbee.com.
Refrigerators with warm ambient temperatures and grimy fan covers were some of the violations observed by Stanislaus County health inspectors in the latest round of reports.
The majority of the 2,400 permitted food service establishments in the county receive two unannounced routine food safety inspections per year, according to the Department of Environmental Resources. The website says inspection reports are scanned weekly.
Food trucks that operate under a Stanislaus County Health Department permit also are inspected by the county, though those are scheduled and done at the departments office.
Dirty conditions at a Stanislaus County restaurant? How to report health code violations
Of the 38 restaurant inspection reports sent to The Modesto Bee on Thursday, one was not updated on the site as of Thursday afternoon.
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email Modesto Bee reporter Dominique Williams at dwilliams@modbee.com.
Three or more, or major, health violations
Violations were found during routine inspections of the following Stanislaus County food facilities during the week of Aug. 19-25. Only the dates of violations are listed.
The details of the reports do not indicate whether a restaurant passed or failed inspection. Corrective actions may have been made by the business by the time of publication.
The reports are linked. For updates on individual restaurants, search the DER website.
La Perla Tapatia, 1460 Mitchell Road in Modesto, had two violations Aug. 20 one of them major. The right condenser/fan unit for two doors of a 12-door refrigerator had an ambient temperature 50 degrees (must be 41 degrees or lower). The temperatures for the other 10 doors were between 38 and 40 degrees. The meat department two-door refrigerator had an ambient temperature of 50 degrees.
Hampton Inn, 2467 Sperry Ave. in Patterson, had three violations Aug. 20. A knob on the hand-washing sink didnt work. The water at this sink was recorded at 90 degrees. The food manager certification and the Stanislaus County health permit were unavailable upon inspection.
Guadalajara Market, 1601 Crows Landing Road in Modesto, had four violations Aug. 23. Several bulk food containers within the dry food storage area didnt have lids or had their lids propped open. All of the bulk food containers were unlabeled. Six fan covers in the walk-in refrigerator were coated with dirt and grime. A food-prep sink was being used as a hand-washing sink.
Other food facilities with three or more, or major, violations at the time of their inspections are:
A&A Gas
Dennys, 15001 Rogers Road, Patterson
Valero, 2965 Speno Drive, Patterson
One to two nonmajor violations
According to Stanislaus County, food facilities that had one to two violations, none of them major, are:
These Stanislaus County food facilities had no violations
These food facilities had no violations, according to the county:
Washington County Controller April Sloane pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty on Thursday, according to District Attorney Jason Walsh.
Sloanes home was raided in December after investigators received an animal abuse tip.
A search warrant obtained by Channel 11 in December said Sloane admitted to improperly caring for her dog, Thor.
>> Washington County Controller admits dog died due to poor care, search warrant says
Thor was starved to death. Sloane left his body in her basement.
Sloanes son told investigators that Thor was kept in deplorable conditions, and at times, not taken care of for days.
>> Washington County Controller arrested, charged with animal cruelty after death of dog
Channel 11 learned Sloane was asked to step down from her post as controller, but refused. The deputy controller was assigned her duties in July.
Walsh sent the following statement to Channel 11 after Sloanes guilty plea:
Its a win-win for the public and the county. We got Justice for Thor and the county can move forward. She pled to the top charge. We are happy and so is the humane society. We are in an agreement to move forward. Part of the agreement is she agreed to resign her position by Sept. 30. She cannot have any animals during her five years of probation.
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PISA, Italy (KMID/KPEJ)- Italian firefighters rushed to the rescue of a tourist who became unwell on the Leaning Tower of Pisa on Wednesday.
Crews used a crane to hoist down the man on a stretcher from the towers sixth level, while hundreds of curious tourists looked on. Firefighters said the 45-year-old man, from Sri Lanka, had experienced a heart attack.
Tuscanys most famous bell tower was completed in 1372 after taking 177 years to build. But from the day it was it was completed, it was already leaning and over the years it continued to lean further until a restructuring project in the 1990s stabilized it.
WATCH: CO officer removes bucket lid from mother deers neck
To this day the tower provokes intrigue and wonder in tourists and Italians alike who ponder this odd and beautiful structure. An engineering feat that seems to defy gravity, the leaning tower of Pisa has a 4 degree inclination, and despite the hefty climb, it can draw around 1600 tourists a day in peak season.
The tower is actually considered to bring bad luck to students, with each level they reach adding an extra year before completing their degree.
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Gretchen Whitmer, Democratic governor of Michigan, is interviewed by moderator Evan Smith during a one-on-one conversation at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 5, 2024. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer blames former President Donald Trump for fomenting the divisiveness that led to the 2020 kidnapping plot against her. But after an assassination attempt on Trump earlier this year, Whitmer said it was on members of both parties to call out political violence.
When I saw the shooting in Pennsylvania, I was so grateful that he was not killed or hurt beyond the ear, Whitmer said Thursday at The Texas Tribune Festival. But it's not okay all of a sudden to take on political violence and claim that it's your opponent that's stoking it. This has been fomenting in this country for too long, and it's on every one of us for us to hold one another accountable, not just people across the aisle, but within our own parties, too.
Whether its against [Supreme Court Justice] Brett Kavanaugh or it is against Donald Trump or me and my colleagues, we all should be taking a stand and calling it out and demanding that there are repercussions for people that play those games, Whitmer continued.
Whitmer delivered the festivals keynote address Thursday, presenting her recent book, True Gretch: What I've Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between. Whitmer discussed some of the biggest challenges she faced as Michigans second woman governor during a host of precedent breaking events, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the overturning of the nationwide right to abortion access.
She also discussed her own political future, including speculation about a future presidential run.
First elected governor in 2018, Whitmer catapulted to national attention during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when over a dozen men attempted to kidnap her in response to her policies meant to contain the virus. Trump derided her as that woman from Michigan after she led initiatives to procure personal protective equipment independently of the Trump administration.
Whitmer said Trumps remarks turned Republicans in her state, who had previously worked in tandem on pandemic response, against her. The ire against her crescendoed until violent men she labeled domestic terrorists began demonstrating outside of her home and the state Capitol, she said.
We saw the former president stoke this over and over again, and I do think that his record contributed to this, Whitmer said.
Whitmers profile has grown exponentially on the national stage since. She has served as vice chair of the Democratic National Convention since 2021. She provided the Democratic response to Trumps 2020 State of the Union Address and was on the short list for Bidens running list that year.
Whitmer was an ardent Biden supporter throughout his reelection campaign. She served as a national co-chair on the campaign, along with other close Biden allies such as Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar of El Paso.
Whitmer was often floated as a contender to be Harris running mate, but she quieted the chatter in July when she said she was staying in Michigan. Harris eventually selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
When asked Thursday night about her decision to pull herself from the pool to be Harris running mate, Whitmer said running for vice president would be a big sacrifice that would completely change the lives of everyone in Walzs family.
It's an honor without question. But also every person in his family is now in something that could change the rest of their lives, and had to make that decision in the span of a few weeks, Whitmer said, alluding to the expedited vice presidential selection process after Harris became the presidential frontrunner when Biden dropped out.
Whitmer has come up as a potential presidential candidate in 2028 and 2032. The governor said a lot of attention has fallen on her because shes from an important swing state and has achieved a string of electoral successes, including two double-digit gubernatorial elections. But she would not confirm or deny plans to run in the future.
When asked why she wrote her book often an indicator of a future candidates intention to run for president Whitmer deadpanned: I just really didnt have a lot to do.
Whitmer also touched on her work fighting for abortion rights in Michigan, saying that it would be a major issue in this years elections.
Theres no question in my mind that when Ohio, Kentucky and Kansas make strides on this issues that this is an important moment, and that Kamala Harris, who has been such a great vocal advocate and fighter for these freedoms, I think is going to pull a lot of those people out in this upcoming election, Whitmer said.
Whitmer recounted her time in the Michigan Senate as Democratic leader, when she combatted a 2013 bill that would require women to buy additional health insurance for abortions. The bill passed in the Republican-controlled Legislature, despite personal appeals that included disclosing her own experience with sexual assault as a college freshman.
But 10 years later as governor, she signed the laws repeal a testament she said to political perseverance on the issue.
These fights are worth having. We are in the majority on these fights, Whitmer said. They take longer than they should, and sometimes they're harder than they need to be, but we showed that day that we are on the right side of the issue.
Whitmer warned that Michigan was not in the bag for the Harris camp. Despite a recent CNN poll that put Harris 5 points ahead of Trump in the state, Whitmer warned that poll did not take into consideration the three independent candidates on the Michigan ballot this year who could pull votes from Harris.
When asked what advice she would have for Harris to win Michigan, Whitmer said Harris should be authentic and shouldnt try to tailor herself too much to different audiences. Harris could connect with Michigan voters through, unlike the billionaire mogul Trump, having lived a normal life like most Americans have, Whitmer said.
Let Kamala be Kamala, she said.
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President Biden visited a labor organizing training center in Ann Arbor, Mich., Friday afternoon. At the event, Biden signed an executive order aimed at protecting labor standards and unions among federal employees.
Fridays event marked the presidents third trip to a swing state, as the Harris campaign works to win over blue wall states Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Watch the video replay above.
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Sept. 6 (UPI) -- A group of ranchers in Illinois teamed up to wrangle a 1,200-pound black angus bull that escaped from his enclosure in McHenry County.
The McHenry County Sheriff's Office issued a warning on social media Thursday about "a loose bull in the vegetation" between South Union Road and South Grant Highway in Marengo.
Several farmers in the neighborhood came together to keep the bull away from the nearby roads.
"School buses are going by, and that was our biggest fear that he would cross the road again, you know, run out in front of a school bus or something," neighbor Ken Bauman told WLS-TV.
Ranchers on horseback were able to get a rope around the bull, but the feisty bovine broke free and charged at them before fleeing into a cornfield.
The ranchers were eventually able to surround the bull, lasso him and calm him down enough for the walk back to his owner's farm.
The animal's owner told neighbors the bull is a new arrival and has only been at his new home for about a week.
No ranchers or bulls were injured in the pursuit.
Senator Marco Rubio doesnt think that Russia paying off right-wing influencers is a big deal.
The ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was asked on Fox News Thursday about the Justice Department revelation that several conservative commentators were paid by assets of the Russian government to produce propaganda and disinformation. Rubio defended the influencers, calling them victims.
We are talking about preexisting political opinions in the United States. These are preexisting political opinions that have existed well before any Russian engagement or involvement or what have you, Rubio said to Sean Hannity. These people that they say that were being funded by the secret donor that was hiding their true identity, they already had these opinions, they already believed in these things.
They legitimately believe in the views that theyre espousing, Rubio added. They were victims, they were targets of a fraud in which someone posing as just a regular investor had Russian money behind them.
Marco Rubio downplays Russia paying prominent rightwing influencers because "we're talking about preexisting political opinions in the United States ... they legitimately believe in the views they're espousing. They were victims." pic.twitter.com/HGgnyJSLmG Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 6, 2024
Rubio is joining his fellow conservatives in defending the commentators at Tenet Media, which the DOJ 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. These influencers included Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, Lauren Chen, and Benny Johnson. One right-wing media organization, Blaze Media, has already fired Chen as a result of the indictment.
Not surprisingly, these commentators described themselves as victims in the scheme, a point that was not only echoed by Rubio, but also by MAGA Republicans like Representative Matt Gaetz, pundit Ben Shapiro, and even Donald Trump. But, how do they explain that these preexisting ideas popular among Republicans right now seem to be exactly what Vladimir Putins government wanted to fund?
Previous Russian operations in the United States appear to have been aimed at promoting conflict and discord to undermine faith in the countrys institutions, such as the electoral process, and promote foreign policy favorable to Russia. It stands to reason that funding conservative influencers had similar aims. Right-wing figures like Rubio, Trump (whose political rise has been very useful to Putin), and Gaetz have to ask themselves if the ideas theyre espousing can really be good for America if Putin himself wants to put money behind them.
The previously unseen footage was shot in the summer of 1999 by Omar al-Bayoumi, an early suspect in the 9/11 terror attacks - CBS 60 Minutes
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A 25-year-old video has been unearthed showing a man, who has been identified by the FBI as a Saudi intelligence officer, filming locations in Washington DC before the September 11 attacks.
First seized by Scotland Yard, the previously unseen footage was shot by Omar al-Bayoumi, an early suspect in the terror attacks, in the summer of 1999.
The evidence was revealed as part of a civil court case in the US brought by families of 9/11 victims who are trying to sue Saudi Arabias government for complicity in the attacks.
Mr Bayoumis running commentary is heard as he films at various locations across the US capital, including entry points and security arrangements on Capitol Hill and the Washington Monument.
Brands US politicians demons
At one point, he brands US politicians demons and later he refers to the plan in what is being alleged to be his attempt to scope out the area two years before the al-Qaeda terror attacks.
The Capitol is believed to have been the target of the plane that crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside after the hijackers were overwhelmed by passengers.
The hour-long film was uncovered by Scotland Yard detectives when they arrested Mr Bayoumi, a PhD student, at his home in Birmingham 10 days after 9/11. He was questioned for seven days and then released without charge.
The US later identified him as a Saudi intelligence agent, which he denies. He also denies allegations he was involved in preparations for 9/11, insisting he visited Washington as a tourist.
However, he has been the subject of sustained speculation owing to his links to two of the 9/11 hijackers.
He admitted in the past to innocently befriending Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, who went on to fly a passenger plane into the Pentagon, killing 189 people.
Advanced knowledge of attacks
An FBI report declassified in 2022 said there was a 50/50 chance that Mr Bayoumi had advanced knowledge the 9/11 attacks were to occur.
The agency claims that when Mr Bayoumi was shooting the video, he was accompanied by two Saudi Arabian diplomats who the bureau said had ties to al-Qaeda.
In the grainy video, shot over several days and accompanied by Mr Bayoumis commentary in Arabic, he repeatedly makes references to instructions he had been given and reports he would later send.
In front of the Capitol building, the seat of the US Congress, he says: They say that our kids are demons. However, these are the demons of the White House. They are going upwards.
On Capitol Hill, the camera lingers on two black limousines that appear to belong to the government, and he says: Their cars. You said that in the plan, but does not specify further.
I will provide you with the results soon, Mr Bayoumi says close to the Washington Monument. I will report to you in detail what is there.
Airport not far from here
At one point, he watches a low-flying plane and remarks: Airport not far from here. Plane taking off.
The legal team for the families of September 11 victims asked the Met Police three years ago to search its archive for anything related to Mr Bayoumi.
Gavin Simpson, for the plaintiffs, played the tape in court and told the judge: A trove of evidence seized by the Metropolitan Police. enables your honour, the public and the 9/11 families to perceive for themselves the mechanism by which Saudi Arabia provided support to the 9/11 hijackers.
Bayoumis videotape bore all the characteristics, the hallmarks of al-Qaeda casing a terrorist target.
Saudi authorities have long denied complicity in or support for the September 11 attacks. They have always denied Mr Bayoumi was an agent of theirs.
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At his press conference Friday in New York, Donald Trump not only complained heavily about the defamation judgment that hes appealing, but also about his own lawyers.
Trump said, I have all of this legal talent, but legal talent cannot overcome rigged judges, they cant overcome a 4 percent Republican area, and Im disappointed in my legal talent, Ill be honest with you. Theyre good, theyre good people. Theyre talented people.
After that, however, Trump went off on a tangent about some kind of dress involved in his defamation trial, wondering why his lawyers didnt mention it, as it somehow exonerated him.
Trump, with his lawyers flanking him, says "I'm disappointed in my legal talent, to be honest with you" pic.twitter.com/xymV4nWl55 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 6, 2024
Later in the press conference, Trump criticized one of his lawyers for telling him not to attend the defamation trial in 2023, and seemed unsure if it took place while he was still president.
Trump cant remember if he was president or not when the first Carroll trial happened in 2023, then says he wanted to show up for the trial but didnt because he claims his lawyer told him not to. pic.twitter.com/p26WWagjfq Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) September 6, 2024
The attacks on his own lawyers were a small part of Trumps incoherent ramblings during his Friday press conference, from his bizarre choice to mention other sexual assault allegations against him to attacking E. Jean Carroll and basically inviting another lawsuit. It could all be more examples of his increasing cognitive decline, or his famously thin skin.
Either way, maybe the former president should avoid attacking his lawyers, considering they may be the only people standing between him and actual legal consequences for his actions. Then again, the Supreme Court did give him a huge favor with its immunity ruling earlier this summer, which was a big reason why his hush money sentencing was delayed for a second time. Still, keeping his mouth shut and focusing on his campaign would be the smart thing to do for Trump, but thats never been his strong suit, and his campaign knows it.
The Utah Senate convenes in a special session to consider a constitutional amendment at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Scott G Winterton/The Deseret News via AP)
Government watchdog groups in Utah are asking a judge to remove from November's ballot a measure that would bolster lawmakers' power.
The question would amend the state constitution to allow lawmakers to change citizen-initiated ballot measures after they have passed. It would also give citizen initiative efforts more time to gather signatures and bar foreign influence on ballot measures.
The legal filing is the latest episode in a long-running tug-of-war over control of the legislative and congressional maps but could have implications for other areas covered by citizen-initiated ballot measures, too. The issue is a glimpse into a pattern of state lawmakers trying to subvert the will of voters when it comes to control of political maps.
The League of Women Voters, Mormon Women for Ethical Government and other plaintiffs in a long-running lawsuit say lawmakers changed election deadlines to rush to the ballot a measure to undermine the say of voters. They also say the language that voters will see on ballots does not describe what the measure would do.
Instead, it seeks through deception to mislead Utah voters into surrendering their constitutional rights, they say in the legal filing, The plaintiffs, represented by the Campaign Legal Center, say that the ballot language makes it sound like the measure is protecting voters' rights but doesn't mention where it would roll them back.
The text of the Amendment in sweeping language wholesale exempts the Legislature from complying with any constitutional provision when it acts to amend, repeal, or enact laws in relation to voter-approved initiatives, the filing says.
The groups are calling on a federal court to remove the measure from the ballot quickly, as ballots are to be sent to overseas and miliary voters starting Sept. 20.
This part of the legal dispute was years in the making. In 2018, voters approved a ballot measure that created an independent commission to draw legislative districts every decade. The commission would send its recommendation to the Legislature, which could approve those maps or redraw them. The measure also barred drawing districts lines to protect incumbents or favor a political party, a practice known as gerrymandering. Lawmakers removed that provision in 2020.
And lawmakers ended up ignoring the commission's congressional map and passing its own, splitting relatively liberal Salt Lake City into four districts each of which is now represented by a Republican.
In July, the Utah Supreme Court with all five of its justices appointed by Republicans ruled that the GOP had overstepped its bounds by undoing the ban on political gerrymandering.
Lawmakers responded by holding a special session in August to add a measure to November's ballot to ask voters to grant them a power that the state's top court held they did not have.
In a join statement Friday, state Senate President J. Stuart Adams and Speaker Mike Schultz defended the measure.
Its ironic that the very people who claim to advocate for greater voter engagement are the same ones trying to obstruct Utahns from having the opportunity to vote on this important matter," they said. "The plaintiffs are clearly concerned about leaving it to voters to decide. Before initiatives overwhelm and significantly alter our state, Utahns should have the opportunity to voice their opinions.
Changes to the political mapmaking process have been the impetus for attempts to change the state constitution in other states, too.
Missouri voters approved a redistricting process in 2018 intended to create partisan fairness in voting districts. Lawmakers promptly placed a new amendment on the ballot to undo some of the key elements, and voters agreed to the new version in 2020.
In 2022, Arizona lawmakers placed on the ballot a proposal that would allow them to amend or repeal entire voter-approved measures if any portion of them is found unconstitutional or illegal by the state or federal Supreme Court. Voters defeated it.
This year, an advocacy group has won a spot on the ballot in Ohio for a measure that would appoint a new commission to draw legislative and congressional maps. State Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, objected twice to the ballot measure language.
WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) A Waterbury drug dealer was sentenced on Thursday to 11 years in prison for trafficking cocaine, fentanyl and heroin, according to the state attorneys office.
Police found 10 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of heroin, two kilograms of fentanyl and over $100,00 in cash in the suspects home. Jose Duprey, also known as Red and Colorado, 53, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
He has a criminal history that dates back to 2008. He will also have 8 years of probation after he serves his prison sentence.
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Wayne County Commissioners on Thursday issued a resolution calling for an end to shipping irradiated waste into the county.
Commissioners called for regulations requiring federal and state agencies to notify local officials of plans to transport hazardous waste in their communities. Officials in a meeting last week were dismayed that they were previously not aware of the planned transfer. Several officials across the state reacted with concern after the Detroit Free Press reported that Republic Services' Wayne Disposal will take radioactive waste from a site in New York where the Manhattan Project developed the atomic bomb and work continued after World War II.
For too long, Wayne County has been unfairly burdened with hazardous waste, which poses a serious danger not only to our residents but to the entire Great Lakes region, Alisha Bell, Wayne County Commission chair, said in a statement. What we seek is a common-sense solution that protects residents and the nations largest fresh water supply.
The resolution also calls for Congress to compel the Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, to cease authorizing the transportation and disposal of hazardous waste in populated urban areas in Wayne County," including at Wayne Disposal. Commissioners also urge federal and state agencies like EGLE to immediately notify local government officials of potential transports of hazardous waste and to heighten transparency and communication with local governments and residents.
More: How southeast Michigan became a dumping ground for America's most dangerous chemicals
Bell added that the plan is not the first time commissioners "have been caught off guard by news that hazardous waste" would come to the county, referring to hazardous waste from a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio last year.
A 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on imported garbage declared out-of-state trash "articles of commerce" essentially a commodity or good that could not be restricted under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. That case emerged from St. Clair County officials attempting to prevent a local landfill from accepting out-of-state waste.
That must stop. Wayne County is too heavily populated and too close to the Great Lakes for us to continue being a hazardous waste dumping ground," Bell said.
The resolution also urges the state to pass legislation, introduced by state Rep. Reggie Miller, D-Van Buren Township, and state Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton, that would increase tipping fees to store such materials in landfills. Camilleri in a statement called the plan to transport waste an example of "harm being caused by scant regulation and some of the lowest disposal fees" in the nation.
The time to stand up and say enough is enough is right now not after all of Michigans rivers, fields, neighborhoods and skies are too toxic for us to enjoy. Its imperative we act in this moment to guarantee future generations can live in communities like Romulus and Van Buren Township without fearing the health repercussions they and their loved ones may experience because a dumping ground for out-of-state hazardous waste was built near their home something that never should have happened," Camilleri said.
Free Press staff writer Keith Matheny contributed to this story.
Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Wayne County officials urge end to radioactive waste shipments
OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) Weber State University says the school is making history, welcoming in nearly 400 international students for the new school year.
According to the university, Weber State welcomed 372 new international students, bringing the total number of international students at the school to 832.
STATE FAIR COVERAGE: Utah State Fair kicks off 11 day festivities with rides, food, and more
Most students cite affordability as a key factor, along with Utahs reputation as a safe state, which appeals to parents, Mary Machira, executive director of Weber States office of international programs and services said. Additionally, Weber State offers a wide range of programs, providing students diverse academic options.
According to the release, roughly half of the international students come from Nepal.
Machira says Nepali students are drawn to the university through positive word-of-mouth and the community fostered among international students, especially students from Nepal.
Sulav Chhetri, a Nepali student pursuing a masters in education with a focus on higher education leadership, said in the release he is happy to see so many Nepali students at Weber State.
I feel glad to see so many Nepali students coming to Utah, he said. Their presence kind of makes me feel that I am not very far away from home.
Machira said having international students on campus enriches cultural experiences. She also said that having international students also broadens the horizons of students from the U.S.
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, Machira said.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Joeana Solaria and Albina Sanchez place flowers and candles at a home in West Haven on Thursday. Police on Friday said the mother who lived there shot and killed her three children before taking her own life earlier this week. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
The deaths of a West Haven mother and her three young children found inside a car earlier this week in West Haven were the result of a murder-suicide, investigators said Friday.
"The evidence indicates that Maribel Ibarra shot her three children in the rear cargo area of her vehicle before turning the gun on herself," Weber County Sheriff's Lt. Terance Lavely announced at a press conference.
The bodies of Ibarra, 32, and her three children two boys and a girl, ages 4, 2 and 1 were discovered Tuesday night. But Lavely says detectives believe the shootings took place sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning.
Emergency dispatchers received a call at 9:47 p.m. on Tuesday from someone who said they found four of their family members deceased at the home at 1747 S. Prevedel Drive in West Haven.
Although police are not looking for additional people in what Lavely described as a "tragic incident," the investigation is continuing in hopes of figuring out why it happened. Lavely admitted Friday it's a question to which detectives may never get an answer.
At Friday's press conference, members of Ibarra's family provided a written statement, in Spanish, to reporters referencing the "deep sorrow" they have in their hearts.
"We are going through an extremely difficult time, with a pain in our hearts that cannot be explained in words due to the invaluable loss we have suffered, because they were the light of our lives," the family's statement says. "As a family, we unfortunately knew nothing about her mental health. We always saw her as a loving mother, which makes this so shocking for us. We do not know the exact reasons why this tragedy happened, and we deeply regret it. This pain is something we wish no one would ever have to go through."
They urge others going through "difficult times" to seek help and "never hide your pain."
"We trust that God and the outpouring of love from the community will keep us strong and guide us to a path where we may one day find peace. We are grateful for the support and prayers of the entire community," the family said.
The sheriff's office declined to release the names of the three children who were killed.
Westwood settles with schools superintendent who refused to retire. How much did she get?
The Westwood Regional School Board has agreed to pay $400,000 to its now-former superintendent, Jill Mortimer, ending a months-long dispute that began when she abruptly reversed a plan to retire.
The board voted 5-1 at an emergency meeting Thursday to approve the deal with Mortimer, who sued the district and three current and former board members in June for allegedly creating a hostile work environment.
In a separate vote, the panel appointed Bronwen Calderon, Westwood Regional's director of secondary education, as acting superintendent until a permanent replacement can be found. Calderon will receive a $5,000 monthly stipend in that time, the board decided.
In April, the board said Mortimer had asked for a $1 million buyout of her contract, after she backed out of a plan to retire at the end of the school year. Board members said in the spring that they'd been conducting a search and had found Mortimer's replacement, but because the superintendent had never submitted a formal letter of registration, she stayed in her position.
Mortimer, who took over in 2021, wasn't at Thursday's meeting, and Armen McOmber, her attorney, did not immediately return a call on Friday. He had hinted at potential legal action in April, accusing the board of a "campaign of harassment and unlawful discrimination" intended to push his client out.
The K-12 district serves about 2,800 students in Westwood and Washington Township.
Why Westwood board approved settlement
On Thursday, Business Administrator Keith Rosado said the $400,000 payment included $170,837 for the value of the remaining two years of Mortimer's contract and $229,162 to settle the lawsuit.
If the district had not settled and Mortimer had stayed in place, he said, she would have been owned a $257,343 annual salary for the current year and about 2.5% above that for the following year. That would work out to about $520,000.
Then-superintendent Jill Mortimer, speaking at a Westwood Regional School Board meeting in April.
Asked if a search will be conducted for a full-time replacement superintendent, board President Jay Garcia said he couldnt elaborate. But he added that the district has "some options we can revisit that could shorten the process. The board will provide more information very soon," Garcia said.
Jay Garcia is shown at the Westwood Board of Education Reorganization Meeting, Thursday, January 4, 2024.
Garcia joined Loni Azzolina, Nicole Martin, Andrea Peck and Jorge Pertuz in approving the settlement, while Doug Cusato voted no. Laura Cooper and Kristen Pedersen, who were individually named in Mortimers lawsuit, abstained and recused themselves, respectively. Board member Heather Perin also abstained.
The search for a new superintendent
Eight members of the board all voted to approve Calderon's appointment and stipend. They also approved a $2,000 monthly stipend for Denise Velez, the director of elementary education, who will assist Calderon.
Before the vote, Pedersen thanked Calderon and Velez for stepping into the positions and said she was really excited about what they would bring to their roles. Thank you for rising to the occasion and leading us at a time we needed it the most, she added.
Peck echoed Pedersens sentiments and thanked Calderon and Velez for moving the district along during a time of transition. Garcia said he was also excited to see them lead and have a long-lasting presence at this district."
Mortimer's lawsuit: board tried to 'bully' her after surgery
Mortimer's suit named the district and former school board President Michael Pontillo as defendants, along with Cooper and Pedersen. It said the superintendent was subjected to "an utterly intolerable and hostile work environment due to her various disabilities."
More: Westwood Fest 2024 is coming this weekend. How to enjoy the jazz, food and rides
According to the suit, after Mortimer went on a medical leave for spinal fusion surgery in April 2023, there was a "calculated and concerted effort to bully, harass and intimidate" her by "subjecting her to disparate treatment" on the basis of her disability. The board directed Mortimer to return to work against her physicians advice, cutting short her leave by at least six weeks, she alleged.
When she returned to the office, she was told by Pontillo that her "performance and actions were in stark contrast to the manner in which she performed" before the back surgery, said the suit, which called that an "utterly baseless accusation."
Cooper also allegedly trapped Mortimer in her office after her return to work and screamed at her, triggering what the suit said was Mortimers post-traumatic stress disorder and causing significant emotional distress. The document also said Pedersen had "dispatched emails to an individual who reports" to Mortimer, "directly mentioning her PTSD and disparaging" the schools chief for her "psychotic behavior."
Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: noda@northjersey.com
Twitter/X: @snoda11
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Westwood settles with schools superintendent who refused to retire
WFFD determines cause of explosion at Arbor Creek Apartments
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) The Wichita Falls Fire Department believes it knows what caused an explosion at the Arbor Creek Apartments on Wednesday evening.
Firefighters responded to the complex on Weeks Park Lane at 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday for a three-alarm structure fire that was shortly upgraded to an explosion. Upon their arrival, first responders noted fire burning in the window of a first-floor unit.
PREVIOUS STORY: Fire upgraded to explosion at Arbor Creek Apartments
WFFD investigator Jared Burchett said the fire had burned too long, causing a smoke explosion that blew out the units window and threw debris into the street. It also shattered one of the windows in the second-floor apartment.
Crews contained the fire to its room of origin with the unit and reported no injuries to the apartment residents or the firefighters on the scene.
The Red Cross was called to assist those who had been displaced.
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Jeff Berardelli is WFLAs Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) It has been over 100 years since the Tampa Bay Area has seen a direct hit from a major hurricane Category 3 or higher. But if the models are right, our area may see an astonishing increase in the future.
Last summer WFLA partnered with Columbia University to do a study last summer to determine if Tampa Bays major hurricane drought has just been a string of good luck or if the lack of direct hits is just the norm for our area.
Our results showed its not luck. Turns out our favorable geography combined with a mild climate like the 20th century meant, statistically speaking, the immediate Tampa Bay Area should only see a major hurricane less than once per century.
NHC continues to monitor 4 disturbances in the Atlantic and Gulf
While major hurricanes were indeed rare in the cooler climate of the 1900s, what about the warmer climate we are experiencing now and the even warmer climate we will feel in future decades?
To answer this question the Max Defender 8 Weather Team once again did something unprecedented for a TV station this time partnering with a division of the Department of Energy.
This summer the team worked to uncover the local details of a cutting-edge climate-hurricane study. The results, discussed below, are so shocking even to me as a hurricane and climate specialist I had to check them over for accuracy several times.
Unprecedented Warming:
The global surface temperature has warmed around 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit since pre-industrial times (1850-1900). The reason: overwhelming scientific consensus from copious research shows that humans have inadvertently warmed the climate mainly from the burning of fossil fuels and subsequent release of heat-trapping climate pollution, like carbon dioxide and methane.
Its not just the atmosphere that has warmed. The Tropical Atlantic Ocean in hurricane season has also warmed around 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit just in the last 30 to 40 years. This provides higher octane fuel for tropical systems once they have formed.
Current Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies are pictured directly below with reds indicating water temperatures that are above normal.
To date, there have been many studies looking into how a warming climate may impact tropical cyclones in the future. It varies basin by basin, but the general consensus is that the number of storms may actually decrease, while the intensity of storms will likely increase.
The increase in the intensity of storms matters the most because 85% of the damage from tropical cyclones is caused by major hurricanes. A 2020 study found that the trend may already be occurring, finding that the probability of a run-of-the-mill hurricane becoming a major hurricane in the Atlantic Basin is now two times greater than it was four decades ago. Storms that rapidly intensify close to land are also on the increase already.
What is considered a major hurricane?
PNNL/ WFLA Study Details:
Given the extra heat in the climate system, how may the risk for hurricane landfalls in the Tampa Bay Area and other cities along the Southeast U.S. coast change in a warmer climate? This was the starting point for our work with the Department of Energys Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).
Last spring PNNLs Dr. Karthik Balaguru and co-authors published a study in the journal Science Advances titled, Increased U.S. coastal hurricane risk under climate change, finding in the future enhanced hurricane frequency for the Gulf and lower East Coast regions.
The research made clear that hurricane risk will likely go up in the future in the Southeast U.S. But we wondered by how much, specifically what areas would see the greatest increase, and what was the cause?
It was those questions that prompted us to reach out to Balaguru and see if we could localize the study, drilling down on the geography and storm numbers. His team was more than willing to help.
To conduct the study Balagurus team used nine state-of-the-art global climate models to reconstruct the past climate based on observational data, and also project Earths environment in a future warmer climate.
Then using Balagurus framework called the Risk Analysis Framework for Tropical Cyclones (RAFT) his team used the past and future environments simulated by those climate models to synthesize hundreds of thousands of tropical cyclones in an efficient manner.
In total, the experiment simulated almost a million tropical cyclones nearly half a million tracks for the historical period (1980-2014) and nearly half of a million tracks for the future period (2066-2100).
Comparing the computer-generated past tracks, to the computer-generated future tracks, you can get a sense of how landfall patterns change as the climate changes and how much stronger or weaker the systems are.
[One note: you may wonder why computer models were used for a historical period in which records are handy. First, its ideal to have an apples-to-apples comparison of the past and future to see how things change. Comparing observations in the past to computer-simulated tracks in the future is not apples to apples.
Also, given the climate of the period 1980-2014, if you somehow could relive that same 35-year climate pattern again and again, the tropical systems produced would never be the same twice due to randomness. Some 35-year periods would produce more storms, some less, some stronger, some weaker and some with more or less landfalls. The point is that a computer model environment allows you to run, and rerun, hurricane track simulations in a climate like that of 1980-2014 thousands of times such that you eventually come up with an average that is representative of that climate. Then, once you do the same for the estimated future climate, you can make an apples-to-apples comparison to assess the changes.]
In this study we examined how the following parameters changed (on a county level) from the historical period to the future period: Tropical storm frequency (sustained winds 39 mph+), hurricane frequency (sustained winds 74 mph +), major hurricanes (sustained winds 130 mph+), maximum wind speed, and maximum rainfall rates.
This data is available on a county-by-county basis along the U.S. Gulf and East Coasts. Although we focused our analysis mainly on the Tampa Bay Area, we will also discuss numbers for Houston, New Orleans, Fort Myers, Miami and Charleston below. The results are listed in the next section.
[It should be noted that Balagurus team chose to use a business-as-usual, high-emissions scenario (SSP5-85) for the models simulated future climate. This scenario assumes that the nations of the world continue to burn fossil fuels as they are now and do very little to slow heat-trapping emissions down.
While the pledged ambitions of nations are to reduce emissions significantly, it is not entirely clear how much or how fast that will occur. That is one of the inherent uncertainties of modeling the future. So I asked Balaguru why they chose a high emissions scenario as opposed to an intermediate one.
Balaguru said that using a high emissions scenario allows policymakers and planners to assess a worst-case scenario. He also explained, There is research to show that this [high-end] forcing is plausible and there is a realistic chance that this could happen. With that said, Balaguru is planning to do another study soon using an intermediate scenario.]
Study Results:
For all the areas examined a robust increase in landfalling tropical cyclones from the historical period (1980-2014) to the future period (2066-2100) was observed. The largest increases were across the state of Florida, with big increases also in the central and western Gulf, and slightly less significant increases along the Southeast Coast. In addition, there were significant increases in maximum rainfall rates and maximum wind speeds.
Tampa Bay Area Results:
The most shocking result from the experiment is the projected increase in major hurricane winds in the later part of this century. The study found the incidence of major hurricanes in the Tampa Bay Area counties may more than triple!
For instance, the study found that historically the Tampa Bay Area should only experience major hurricanes (winds 130mph+) approximately once every 85 years. But in the future, the incidence of major hurricane winds happen once every 27 years a 215% increase.
To put it another way, in the historical climate a person living in the area should only have expected to experience a direct hit from a major hurricane once in their lifetime. But starting later this century it may very well be an average of three times a lifetime or once per 30-year mortgage cycle.
The experiment also showed, for the period 2066-2100, a 75% increase in events with hurricane-force winds and a 39% increase in events with tropical storm-force winds. Maximum wind speeds increase by 15% to 20% and maximum rainfall rates increase by a staggering 50%.
To put these numbers into perspective, a 20% increase in maximum winds would mean a hurricane with winds of 150 mph in the 20th century could have winds of 180 mph later this century. The increase in winds means the damage potential could increase by about four times.
Increased rainfall rates from climate change can also have a huge impact. Dr. Michael Wehner, who was also coincidentally a co-author of Balagurus 2023 study, found that climate change likely caused Houstons Hurricane Harvey to ring out roughly 20% more rainfall than it otherwise would have in a cooler climate. As a result, 30% more homes likely flooded leading to around $50 billion of extra damage.
Now before we discuss the results for the other cities examined (we will do that at the bottom of this article) lets discuss why the global climate models project an increase in landfalls in the Southeast U.S.
Reason for more landfalling hurricanes:
While it is easy to assume the greater number of hurricane events on the Southeast U.S. Coast is directly due to hotter water, it turns out, that is not the main reason. Sure, the hotter water can explain much of the reason for the stronger winds and the heavier rainfall rates, but it turns out the bigger influence on more landfalling hurricanes is a change in circulation patterns.
The climate models Balaguru used for this experiment project robust warming in the Eastern Tropical Pacific in the coming decades and that causes a change in Western Atlantic steering patterns.
The mechanism works this way: Warmer Pacific waters invigorate waves of atmospheric energy, called Rossby waves, to move from the Tropical Pacific into the Tropical Atlantic. Those waves of energy cause an upper-level cyclonic circulation and low pressure (as seen in the blue shading in the below image from Balagurus study) to form over the Western Atlantic, Caribbean, and Central America. That change in steering directs storms north and northwestward towards the U.S. Southeast and Gulf coasts.
In addition to more cyclones being steered toward the U.S., the models project decreasing wind shear close to the U.S. Coast. That lower wind shear means storms would face a less hostile environment and that would likely lead to stronger landfalling hurricanes.
It should be mentioned that although the consensus of the nine climate models used by Balaguru projects significant warming in the Eastern Tropical Pacific in the coming decades, this is a heavily debated area of uncertainty among scientists. The community is simply not sure if this warming will indeed pan out. If the Eastern Pacific does not warm the way models expect, that would significantly alter the outcome of Balagurus study.
Results for other U.S. Cities:
The following is a list of expected changes in hurricane parameters from the model output of the historical period (1980-2014) compared to the future period (2066-2100) in selected cities along the U.S. Gulf and Southeast coasts.
In the Miami area, historically major hurricanes (Cat. 3 +) make a direct hit around once every 80 years, but in the future the study projects that the reoccurrence increases to once per 22 years a 260% increase. The study also projects a 110% increase in hurricane events, a 50% increase in tropical storms, a 15% to 20% increase in maximum winds, and a 50% increase in maximum rainfall rates.
In the Fort Myers area, historically major hurricanes (Cat. 3 +) make a direct hit around once every 80 years, but in the future the study projects that the reoccurrence increases to once per 22 years a 260% increase. The study also projects an 85% increase in hurricane events, a 45% increase in tropical storms, a 15% to 20% increase in maximum winds, and a 50% increase in maximum rainfall rates.
In the New Orleans area, historically major hurricanes (Cat. 3 +) would make a direct hit around once every 70 years, but in the future the study projects that the reoccurrence increases to once per 29 years a 135% increase. The study also projects a 60% increase in hurricane events, a 42% increase in tropical storms, a 15% to 20% increase in maximum winds, and a 45% increase in maximum rainfall rates.
In the Houston area, historically major hurricanes (Cat. 3 +) make a direct hit around once every 180 years, but in the future the study projects that the reoccurrence increases to once per 80 years a 135% increase. The study also projects a 64% increase in hurricane events, a 42% increase in tropical storms, a 10% increase in maximum winds, and a 40% to 50% increase in maximum rainfall rates.
In the Charleston, South Carolina area, historically major hurricanes (Cat. 3 +) make a direct hit around once every 300 years, but in the future the study projects that the reoccurrence increases to around once per 200 years a 60% increase. The study also projects a 30% increase in hurricane events, a 22% increase in tropical storms, a 5% increase in maximum winds, and a 30% to 40% increase in maximum rainfall rates.
Conclusion:
The numbers above are clearly stunning and we hope to avoid a future like this.
Given the uncertainties that exist, whether it be the accuracy of the computer models response to greenhouse gas forcing or the nations future efforts or lack thereof to reel in greenhouse gases, it is worth mentioning that these results should be contemplated with a healthy degree of skepticism.
Computer models are very useful in projecting general trends but often less accurate in determining details. So will Tampa really see a 3X spike in landfalling major hurricanes later this century? Who knows. But I do think its important to take seriously the trends that the models suggest.
We know hurricanes of the future will dump significantly more rain. It is very likely that hurricanes of the future will be able to achieve significantly stronger winds. This study shows both of these clear signals which climate scientists generally agree on. So thats a sign the models are on to something.
The bottom line is: the threat for more landfalling, stronger, more impactful hurricanes seems like a straightforward conclusion as the planet continues to warm, as seas continue to rise, and people continue to build in harms way. We must as a society prepare for a more extreme future.
Its also important to mention that the future is not written yet and humanity is still in the drivers seat. It wont be easy, but if nations start taking the threat of climate change seriously and reel in our carbon emissions, then it is very likely we can curb some of these impacts. The ball is in our court.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Heres Where Abortion Will Be on the Ballot in the 2024 Election
Signs supporting the Right to Abortion Initiative are displayed during a rally on September 5, 2024 in Bozeman, Montana. The initiative will be on the November 5th ballot as an amendment to Montana's constitution. Credit - William Campbell/Getty Images
Reproductive rights have taken center stage in the lead-up to the 2024 election, and 10 states have measures on the ballot that will allow voters to directly decide whether to protect abortion rights.
That breaks the previous record of six in 2022 for the highest number of abortion-related ballot measures in a single year, according to Ballotpedia.
Ten states from across the political spectrumred-leaning ones like Florida, blue-leaning ones like New York, and battlegrounds like Arizonahave put the issue on the ballot this year. Many of the measures are citizen-led initiatives. Polling indicates that the majority of Americans support abortion rightsan Associated Press/NORC poll conducted in June found that roughly 61% of adults think their state should let people obtain a legal abortion for any reason. Fourteen states have banned abortion in almost all circumstances and eight others have banned it at or before 18 weeks gestation.
The disconnect between what the majority of Americans want and the laws on their books in those states have sent people to ballot initiatives, says Elisabeth Smith, director of state policy and advocacy at the Center for Reproductive Rights.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 with the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization ruling, seven states have put abortion on the ballot. So far, in each of those seven states (California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Vermont, and Ohio) voters have sided with abortion rights supporters.
The 10 states that will be voting on abortion this year are: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota. Organizers in another state, Arkansas, collected signatures to add an abortion-rights initiative to the ballot, but the state rejected the proposala decision that was upheld by the Arkansas supreme court in August.
Heres what you need to know about the measures appearing on the ballot in November.
Arizona
In Arizona, voters will weigh in on citizen-led initiative Proposition 139. A yes vote would establish a fundamental right to abortion under Arizonas constitution. It would allow abortions until a fetus could survive outside the wombusually around the 24th week of pregnancybut would include exceptions after that in situations where abortion is necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person. A no vote would reject this change, leaving the current state law in place.
Arizona currently prohibits abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for medical emergencies. If the ballot measure passeswhich would require a simple majoritythat would effectively upend the states current restriction.
Arizona is a key battleground state, and experts have said that having abortion on the ballot in November could have implications for the tumultuous presidential election because its an issue that mobilizes voterssince the fall of Roe, especially ones who support Democratic candidates.
Colorado
In May, Colorado officials confirmed that Initiative 89 would appear on the ballot in November, after organizers said they collected more than 225,000 signaturesalmost twice as many as they needed to put the citizen-led initiative on the ballot.
A yes vote would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution, as well as repeal the states nearly four-decade-old ban on state money being used to pay for abortions. A no vote would reject the change. The measure needs the support of 55% of voters to pass.
Abortion is allowed at all stages of pregnancy in Colorado. If the measure passes, supporters have said it would ensure that lawmakers wouldnt be able to undo abortion rights in the future.
Opponents had attempted to put a competing measure on the ballot that would ban abortion, but didnt turn in enough signatures to get the initiative on the ballot.
Florida
Florida voters will weigh in on Amendment 4 in November. A yes vote would amend the state constitution to protect the right to abortion until fetal viability or when necessary to protect the pregnant persons health, while a no vote would reject that proposed change. The measure needs the support from at least 60% of voters to pass.
Currently, abortion is banned in Florida after six weeks of pregnancybefore many people know theyre pregnantwith some exceptions for rape, incest, and when the pregnant persons life is at risk. If the measure passes, the constitutional amendment would effectively outlaw the states six-week abortion ban.
While the state attorney general challenged whether the citizen-led initiative could go on the ballot, the Florida supreme court ruled in April that voters will be able to decide on the amendment in November. Supporters gathered almost a million signatures to put the measure on the ballotexceeding the roughly 892,000 needed.
Maryland
Voters in Maryland will decide whether to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom in the state constitution via Question 1. A yes vote would amend the state constitution with language that would confirm the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including but not limited to the ability to make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue, or end the individuals pregnancy, the measure states. A no vote would reject the change.
Maryland allows abortions up until fetal viability, and also has laws that protect people seeking or providing abortions there from restrictions or bans in other states.
Unlike most of the other states with the issue on the ballot this year, the measure in Maryland is a legislative initiative, meaning that the Democratic-controlled legislature voted to add the amendment to the ballot. The measure needs a simple majority to pass.
Missouri
The Missouri secretary of states office announced in August that Amendment 3 would appear on the ballot this election cycle, after abortion rights advocates turned in more than 380,000 signaturesmore than double the number needed to get the initiative on the ballot.
A yes vote would enshrine in the state constitution the right to abortion up until fetal viability, with exceptions for later on in pregnancy in situations where the pregnant persons life or physical or mental health is at risk. The measure also states that the government shall not deny or infringe upon a persons fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which includes prenatal care, childbirth, birth control, and miscarriage care, among others. A no vote would reject this proposal, allowing the states current near-total ban on abortion to remain in place. Missouri has one of the strictest laws restricting abortion in the country.
The measure needs a simple majority to pass.
Montana
Another voter-initiated abortion measure that will appear on the ballot this November is in Montana. A yes vote on CI-128 would amend the state constitution to expressly provide a right to make and carry out decisions about ones own pregnancy, including the right to abortion, prohibiting the government from denying or burdening the right to abortion before fetal viability, the measure states. A no vote would reject this change.
Although lawmakers have tried to restrict abortion access in the state, abortion is currently legal in Montana up until fetal viability. If the measure receives the simple majority it needs to pass, the constitutional amendment would further cement protections for abortion access, making it more difficult for lawmakers to roll back rights in the future.
Nebraska
Nebraska is the first state to have two dueling abortion amendments on the same ballot since the Dobbs decision in 2022.
One of the initiatives, which organizers called Protect the Right to Abortion in their petition filing, would enshrine the right to abortion until fetal viabilityor later if needed to protect the health of the pregnant personin the state constitution. The other, which backers called Protect Women and Children in their petition filing, would amend the state constitution to include a ban on abortion in the second and third trimesters, with exceptions for medical emergencies, rape, or incest.
Nebraska currently bans abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest, and to save the life of the pregnant person.
Citizen-led ballot measures in Nebraska must receive a majority of the vote, and no less than 35% of the total vote, in order to pass. While its possible that voters could approve both of the abortion-related citizen-led initiatives, the one that gets the most yes votes will be enacted, according to the Nebraska secretary of states office.
Smith at the Center for Reproductive Rights says that creating a competing measure is an established tactic to try to defeat a ballot initiative, because having two measures on the ballot can cause confusion among voters.
While the Nebraska secretary of states office announced in August that the groups behind the rival initiatives each turned in enough signatures to appear on the ballot, the Nebraska supreme court agreed to hear arguments over a lawsuit that challenges the Protect the Right to Abortion measure, which could prevent voters from voting on that one in November, according to The Associated Press. The suit, filed by the conservative nonprofit law firm Thomas More Society, alleges that the abortion-rights measure violates Nebraskas prohibition against tackling more than one topic in a single ballot measure since the initiative addresses abortion rights until viability, after viability to protect the pregnant persons health, and whether the state should be permitted to regulate it. The court is set to hear arguments on Sept. 9.
Nevada
Nevada voters will decide whether to approve or reject the citizen-led initiative Question 6 in November. A yes vote would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, allowing abortions up until fetal viability, with exceptions after that when necessary to protect the health or life of the pregnant person. A no vote would reject this change.
State law already allows for abortions up to the 24th week of pregnancy, and protects people seeking or providing abortions in Nevada from restrictions in other states.
Even if the measure passes in Novemberand it would need a simple majority to do sovoters would need to approve it again in 2026 in order for the state constitution to be amended.
New York
New Yorklike Marylandhas a legislative initiative on the ballot.
Proposal 1 doesnt explicitly mention abortion, but is a broad equal rights amendment. A yes vote would support amending the state constitution to declare that no person shall be discriminated against for various factors, including: pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy. The proposed amendment mentions other factors in addition to reproductive rights, including ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. A no vote on the proposal would reject this change.
Abortion is currently legal in New York up to fetal viability, and supporters of the ballot measure have said that it would strengthen and cement protections for reproductive rights. Even in states where abortion is legal and accessible, there are still people in positions of authority or power who dont support abortion rights, so essentially, the amendment is meant to protect people across the state from someone with authority or power discriminating against them because of pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, gender expression, gender identity, etc., Smith says.
The measure needs a simple majority to pass.
South Dakota
Voters in South Dakota will weigh in on the citizen-led initiative Amendment G in November. A yes vote on the measure would amend the state constitution to establish the right to abortion in the first trimester, allow the state to regulate abortion in the second trimester only in ways that are reasonably related to the physical health of the pregnant woman, and allow the state to regulate or prohibit abortion in the third trimester except when abortion is necessary to preserve the life or health of the pregnant woman. A no vote would reject the amendment.
If the measure passeswhich would require a simple majorityit would effectively upend the states near-total ban on abortion.
Theres a lawsuit pending against this ballot measure, but the outcome likely wont be settled until after early voting begins.
Contact us at letters@time.com.
Where is Boone Fire burning in Fresno County? Where are evacuations? See map
A wildfire burning in Fresno County had scorched more than 17,000 acres, prompting evacuation orders and closing roads.
As of Friday, Sept. 6, the wildfire was 5% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire sparked at 12:10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, near the intersection of Highway 198 and Boone Lane, 10 miles west of Coalinga, Cal Fire said.
More than 1,600 fire personnel were battling the blaze as of Friday, Cal Fire said, braving hot and dry weather conditions with temperatures reaching the high 90s and wind gusts around 20 mph.
The wildfire was burning in grass and brush, Cal Fire said, noting that nearby vegetation was dry due to above-average temperatures and low relative humidity.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation as of Friday morning, Cal Fire said.
Exactly where is the Boone Fire burning in Fresno County? Which areas have been evacuated?
Heres what you need to know:
This screenshot of a map of the Boone Fire shows the recent perimeters of the wildfire burning in Fresno County in orange as well as areas under evacuation orders (red) and evacuation warnings (tan) as of Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
Where is Boone Fire burning in Fresno County?
As of 8:35 a.m. Friday, the Boone Fire had burned a total of 17,328 acres west of Coalinga in Fresno County.
In the northern portion, the fire is burning in the area previously affected by the 2020 Mineral Fire, Cal Fire said.
As of Friday, the Boone Fire was the fourth largest wildland fire actively burning in California, according to the Cal Fire incident page.
Boone Fire map
Sources: California Office of Emergency Services, U.S. Department of the Interior, IRWIN, FIRIS, NIFC, NASA, NOAA and Esri
Where are evacuations?
As of Friday, evacuation orders had been issued for the following zones in Fresno County, according to Cal Fire: P11A, P22A, P12, P21 and P13A.
Areas affected by evacuated orders include Highway 198 and all side roads from 1 mile west of Coldwell Lane to 2.5 miles east of Coldwell Lane, according to the Fresno County evacuation map, as well as all side roads from the Monterey County-Fresno County line to Crump Lane
Other areas under evacuation orders included Coalinga Mineral Springs, Hot Springs Canyon and Sherman Peak, plus Devils Gate, Hans Grieve Canyon and Dogwood Canyon.
Los Gatos Creek Road was under an evacuation order from the San Benito-Fresno County line to 10.25 miles east of the county line.
Carcia Canyon, Little Bear Canyon, Robbers Canyon and portions of White Creek were also being evacuated.
The Boone Fire has burned a total of 17,328 acres in Fresno County as of Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Cal Fire said evacuation warnings were issued for zones P11B, P13B, P17, P20, P22B and P23 in Fresno County.
In Monterey County, zones G021 and G029 were also under evacuation warnings.
Areas under evacuation warnings include Diaz Canyon, Nunez Canyon and portions of Post Canyon, as well as Condon Peak, Spanish Lake, Joaquin Ridge, Pine Canyon and Joaquin Rocks.
Scott Canyon, Oak Flat Canyon, Juniper Ridge and portions of Copper Canyon were all under evacuation warnings.
Residents can go to arcgis.com to view the evacuation map and enter their address for the latest updates.
Whats the difference between evacuation order and evacuation warning?
According to California Standard Statewide Evacuation Terminology, an evacuation order means immediate threat to life.
This is a lawful order to leave now, the instructions say. The area is lawfully closed to public access.
An evacuation warning means there is a potential threat to life and/or property.
Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now, instructions say.
An image from a Fresno County Sheriffs Office helicopter shows damage on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, from the Boone Fire west of Coalinga.
Which highways, roads are closed due to wildfire?
As of Friday, Highway 198 was closed from the junction with Highway 25 in Monterey County to 0.6 miles west of Coalinga at Firestone Avenue in Fresno County due to the wildfire, according to Caltrans.
Motorists are advised to use an alternate route, the California Department of Transportation said.
Los Gatos Creek Road was closed at Derrick Street, Parsons Road and the San Benito County line.
The Biden administration is condemning Tucker Carlson for his two-hour interview with a Holocaust denier who spread Nazi propaganda, calling the sit-down a disgusting and sadistic insult to all Americans.
Earlier this week, the former Fox News anchor hosted podcaster Darryl Cooper on his show. Cooper suggested in the interview that Nazi Germanys mass murder of Jews was an accident and that the millions who were systematically murdered had just ended up dead at concentration camps because of poor planning.
Tucker Carlson Slammed After Hosting Nazi Apologist on Podcast
Giving a microphone to a Holocaust denier who spreads Nazi propaganda is a disgusting and sadistic insult to all Americans, to the memory of the over 6 million Jews who were genocidally murdered by Adolf Hitler, to the service of the millions of Americans who fought to defeat Nazism, and to every subsequent victim of antisemitism, White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a statement to CNN.
Bates went on to refute Coopers claim that Winston Churchill was the chief villain of World War II. Hitler was one of the most evil figures in human history and the chief villain of World War II, full stop, Bates said.
He continued: The Biden-Harris administration believes that trafficking in this moral rot is unacceptable at any time, let alone less than one year after the deadliest massacre perpetrated against the Jewish people since the Holocaust and at a time when the cancer of antisemitism is growing all over the world.
Carlson, who said Cooper was maybe the best and most honest popular historian in the United States, hit back at the White House on Thursday.
The fact that these lunatics have used the Churchill myth to bring our country closer to nuclear war than at any moment in history disgusts me, and should terrify every American, the far-right conservative said in a text message to CNN. Theyre warmonger freaks. They dont get the moral high ground.
Though Elon Musk touted the interview as very interesting and worth watching in a post on X that he later deleted, liberals and conservatives alike slammed Carlson for giving a platform to Cooper.
Actually, this is pro-Nazi propaganda, including, Churchill was the chief villain of WW2 and Hitler didnt want to fight. No serious or honorable person would support or endorse this type of garbage. https://t.co/1jkGxvCfBI Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) September 3, 2024
Didnt expect Tucker Carlson to become an outlet for Nazi apologetics, but here we are, conservative analyst Erick Erickson wrote on X.
Hes neither the best nor the most honest, Erickson wrote in a follow-up post. Hes a contrarian moral cretin who has turned his contrarianism into Nazi apologetics.
Read more at The Daily Beast.
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A White House official condemned Tucker Carlson (right) for holding an interview with Darryl Cooper (left) who claimed Winston Churchill was the chief villain of WWII (Tucker Carlson / YouTube)
The Biden administration has condemned Tucker Carlson for interviewing Darryl Cooper, a Holocaust denier who spread Nazi propaganda, on his podcast, saying it was unacceptable at all times, but especially when approaching the anniversary of October 7.
This past week, the former Fox News anchor hosted Cooper on The Tucker Carlson Show, referring to him as possibly the best and most honest popular historian in the United States.
Carlson, a far-right conservative who was fired from Fox News last year, has interviewed other controversial figures including Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has also been accused of promoting conspiracy theories.
Cooper, a social media influencer and podcaster who focuses on 20th-century history, has claimed that Winston Churchill was the chief villain of World War II and was responsible for the war.
Self-proclaimed historian Darryl Cooper was a guest on Tucker Carlsons podcast this past week (The Tucker Carlson show)
He was primarily responsible for that war becoming what it did, becoming something other than an invasion of Poland, Cooper said.
The podcaster and social media influencer said that he didnt think Hitler was the protagonist of the war but that the Nazis launched a war they were completely unprepared to deal with.
The Holocaust was a genocide of six million Jewish people during World War II, led and carried out by Hitlers Nazi party.
On Thursday, White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates condemned Carlson for giving Coopers views a platform. Carlsons podcast is listened to by an estimated 800,000 people, according to YouTube.
Bates told CNN that giving a microphone to a Holocaust denier who spreads Nazi propaganda is a disgusting and sadistic insult to all Americans, to the memory of the over 6 million Jews who were genocidally murdered by Adolf Hitler, to the service of the millions of Americans who fought to defeat Nazism, and to every subsequent victim of Antisemitism.
Hitler was one of the most evil figures in human history and the chief villain of World War II, full stop, Bates told the news outlet. The Biden-Harris Administration believes that trafficking in this moral rot is unacceptable at any time, let alone less than one year after the deadliest massacre perpetrated against the Jewish people since the Holocaust and at a time when the cancer of Antisemitism is growing all over the world.
On 7 October 2023, militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in Southern Israel, and abducted around 250 hostages.
In response to the White Houses statement, Carlson told CNN: The fact that these lunatics have used the Churchill myth to bring our country closer to nuclear war than at any moment in history disgusts me, and should terrify every American.
Theyre warmonger freaks. They dont get the moral high ground.
Carlsons interview with Cooper was met with swift online backlash including former Wyoming Republican Representative Liz Cheney who called it pro-Nazi propaganda.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, initially reposted the interview and wrote: Very interesting, worth watching but later deleted his post.
The Independent has contacted Cooper and Carlson for comment.
Every time you nod along to your favorite tune or chit chat with a friend, an intricate system is at work making it possible. Your ears are biological marvels. Theres a lot going on in there. Its a very complex structure, Anne Le Maitre, an evolutionary biologist, biological anthropologist, and post-doctoral researcher at the Konrad Lorenz Institute in Austria, tells Popular Science.
That complexity is the result of intense selection pressure to hear better over millions of years. Except, possibly, for one part of them: the lobes. Amid all the finely tuned parts, theres these bits that dont quite add up. Heres how scientists make sense of our sensory organs.
The story of our ears
Ears capture sound from the outside world with cartilaginous structures that protrude from your head, funnel it through a canal to a membranous drum, then to a series of teeny tiny middle ear bones and the snail-shaped labyrinth called the cochlea, which transmits nerve pulses all the way to your brain. Mammals, Le Maitre notes, have particularly involved earswith three middle ear bones instead of just the one that reptiles and birds have. Plus, we have large external ear structures (the pinnae), which other vertebrates lack. So how did we get such elaborate ears? Through evolution, of course.
Over millennia, bits of jaw bone in our not-quite-mammalian ancestors migrated and detached, forming two of the middle ear bones as well as the bone that supports the eardrum, Le Maitre explains. Fossils found in China and elsewhere show the starts and stops of this evolutionary process throughout the Cretaceous in long-dead mammaliaformes, the evolutionary precursors to modern day mammals. You see different intermediate forms [between different species and fossils] but theres a trend towards the mammal form, Le Maitre says. With these special, sound-conducting bones and our unique, extra-long, coiled cochlea mammals are able to hear a wider range of frequencies than most other vertebrates, she adds.
Our outer ears, conspicuous flaps of cartilage and skin, are also unique to mammals and play an additional helpful role, amplifying sounds and enabling us and our relatives to locate sound, says Mark Coleman, an associate professor of anatomy at Western Atlantic University School of Medicine in The Bahamas. Coleman has studied primate and mammalian auditory systems, comparing how different animals ears are tuned and how that relates to structure.
Not every trait that evolved is adaptive.
Varied species have ears specialized to pick up on different types of sounds, he says. Kangaroo rats, for instance, have extra large middle ears that allow them to detect especially low frequency sounds for their size and avoid predators like rattlesnakes. Human ears are similar to those of chimpanzees, but small differences mean chimps auditory system picks up on high and low frequencies the best, while human hearing is most sensitive to frequencies in the middle rangebetween about 1,000 and 4,000 Hertz, Coleman says.
And animals with similar habitats often land on the same sort of ear, says Le Maitre. Subterranean species tend to have middle ear bones that look remarkably similar to one another, regardless of how closely related they aresame with aquatic mammals. Theres convergent adaptation across mammals, she says.
Even the ridges on our pinnae have a specifically evolved purpose. The peaks and dips of our ear topography filter and pinpoint sounds even more precisely. Nocturnal hunters like bats and tarsiers have especially bumpy outer ears that enable them to snag insects in the dark, Coleman notes. Though human ears are comparatively simple, our brains still have to adjust and re-learn how to identify the source of a sound when our outer ears are altered.
Which all brings us to something of a mystery.
The evolutionary exception: Ear lobes
These dangly bits of soft, non-cartilaginous tissue appear relatively recently in the animal recordtheyre only really present in humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas, Coleman says. So far, biologists havent identified any clear purpose for them. I think their function is to have a safe place to put an earring, he jokes.
Ears have lots of blood vessels in them, and so it is theoretically possible that lobes play a role in temperature regulation, similar to how elephants huge ears help them stay cool, he says. Though he and Le Maitre both note that theory is little more than a guess. Alternately, some scientists, like zoologist Desmond Morris, have previously proposed the idea that earlobes developed as an erogenous zone to facilitate pair bonding, but theres little direct evidence that this sort of sexual selection has molded our ears.
Unlike most other parts of the ear, lobes vary quite a lot between people. You may have learned in a highschool science class that you either inherited attached or detached lobes from a single set of allele passed down from your parents. And though it turns out that vast oversimplification isnt actually true, our lobes do come in different shapes and types, as determined by genetics. That level of variability suggests that lobes are under far less pressure to fit a particular form and purpose than something like the well-honed middle ear bones, says Le Maitre.
Instead, our lobes may simply be evidence that evolution isnt a perfect design process. Not every trait that evolved is adaptive, says Bridget Alex, a paleoanthropologist at Harvard University. There are physical and biological constraints to what features can emerge. Randomness is involved through genetic driftwhere a certain set of traits becomes dominant in a group by chance.
And then theres so-called evolutionary spandrelsa term thought up by famed paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould, which references the triangular space between a cathedrals arch and ceiling. Those triangles arent necessarily an intentional part of the blueprint, but rather a byproduct of the desired architectural feature, the arch. Similarly, some parts of our bodies might be the accidental byproduct of others, Alex explains. Perhaps lobes formed because of a cartilage shift elsewhere in our ears that maximized our hearing acuity and inadvertently left some flesh hanging around.
Earlobes arent the only indicators of evolutions sometimes shoddy and ongoing work. We also have vestigial muscles in our ears, left over from mammalian ancestors that could pivot and point their pinnae like cats can. Despite still having these scraps of muscles, most humans cant move their ears at all (similar to how our tailbones no longer connect to tails). Other useless mysteries also remain. No ones really sure why the human chin evolved [either], says Alex. Is it adaptive, a byproduct, an accident, sexual selection? You may stroke your chin (or your lobes) pondering the question, but that probably wont make the answer any clearer.
This story is part of Popular Sciences Ask Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something youve always wanted to know? Ask us. And sign up for our newsletter to learn something new about our weird world every day.
Napoleon famously preferred lucky generals and its just possible that political developments in France are about to provide Sir Keir Starmer with an unexpected slice of good fortune. After weeks of deadlock following an inconclusive snap election earlier this summer, French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed the European Unions former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier to the post of prime minister.
Given the tough stances that Barnier took during the interminable horse-trading that followed the UKs decision to leave the EU, it might not be immediately obvious how this benefits les Rosbifs. However, in attempting to revive his political career in France, Barnier has struck an increasingly hardline stance on immigration. If promises turn into action, Starmer may have secured an important ally in his bid to crack down on Channel crossings.
During his bid to become the presidential candidate for the conservative Les Republicains party in 2022, Barnier claimed immigration was out of control and proposed a three to five-year moratorium on non-EU arrivals to France. He even asserted that France needed to regain its legal sovereignty and no longer be subject to the rulings of the CJEU [Court of Justice of the European Union] or the ECHR [European Convention on Human Rights], the two top courts in the EU.
You can find nothing in the French constitution about migration, and there is almost nothing in the European treaties. For 30 or 40 years, theres a kind of interpretation that is always in favour of the migrants . . . We have to rewrite something in the [EU] treaties or in the [ECHR], Barnier said last year.
Past remarks also suggest that Barnier might be open to a close working relationship with Starmer. In November, 2023, the veteran French politician told the Financial Times: I think Starmer is a European like me a patriot and European. He described the UK prime ministers plan for closer ties with the bloc, which includes a UK-EU veterinary agreement, as pragmatic and possible.
An entry in Barniers My Secret Brexit Diary dating back to 2018 describes Starmer 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.
Diplomatic experts point out that Anglo-French relations will mostly be conducted between Downing Street and President Macron in the Elysee Palace. Nevertheless, some point out that one of Labours best hopes of reducing the Channel crossings by migrants in small boats would be for the UK to strike a swift returns agreement with France.
The EUs former chief negotiator met Starmer and the last Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in February 2018, where Corbyn suggested in a memo he wouldve been open to keeping the UK in the Customs Union
There have been some faint signs of a possible detente between the countrys on both sides of La Manche that Barnier could build on if so inclined. Earlier this week, Frances interior minister Gerald Darmanin called for a treaty on migration between the EU and the UK after 12 migrants died trying to cross the Channel in the worst such incident this year. The tragic deaths do not appear to have deterred further crossings.
Clearly its important to have cooperation between countries in dealing with these issues, says Dr Peter Walsh, a senior researcher at the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford. He points out that there have been meetings between the UK and France roughly once a year for the past decade.
This usually results in more money, more resources and the beefing up of patrols in the Channel, says Dr Walsh. But, as we have seen, this has not done a great deal to lessen the number of people trying to make the crossing.
David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, who has known Barnier for 40 years, suggests Starmer could benefit from the appointment, but warns that diplomacy is not about friendships.
Any new prime minister is a good opportunity for a new relationship, and Barnier is not antagonistic towards us, he says. At the margin, if we handle the new relationship well it could work to our advantage if we can find something that the French want to negotiate over.
But former Brexit minister David Jones warns that Barnier is a very tricky character, whose recent tough words on immigration might not be matched by equal deeds.
Barniers making noises on immigration and the court system but Im not sure its going to change much. Brussels will always be the focus for him, he says. Barnier is extremely cunning, and I mean that in a complimentary sense. One wonders if he harbours ambitions for the presidency now that Macron looks like a busted flush and thats why hes making these kind of noises.
At a summit in Paris in March last year, the then British prime minister Rishi Sunak and Macron struck a deal, which resulted in the UK doubling the amount of money it was sending to France each year, from just over 60m to nearly 120m, to help fund solutions to the small boats problem.
Among other things, the money is supposed to go towards paying for an extra 500 officers who can be deployed along the Channel coast and the building of a new detention centre in France, which is due to become fully operational at the end of 2026.
The real game-changer would be the agreement of a rapid-returns deal but that is very much up in the air, says Dr Walsh. The question that also has to be asked is: whats in it for the French? Even then a lot would depend on how many migrants are returned to France and how rapidly.
The EU member states signed a new migration and asylum pact earlier this year, which is due to come into effect over the next two years. The new rules have been in the works since 2015. Migrants will be subject to tougher pre-entry screening, including identification and health and security checks. It also requires all EU member states to shoulder their share of responsibility for asylum seekers.
All the noises emanating from Brussels suggest that the UK shouldnt expect a bespoke arrangement and the best it can expect is to become a signature to that pact, says Dr Walsh. That would allow for the return of some migrants to the continent but only in exchange for taking in some asylum seekers. However, its very early days to even speculate how things might shake out.
There is much commentary in France that Macron has given Barnier the nod because, firstly, hes not too unpalatable to any one party but, secondly, in the hope of heading off the electoral advances made by Marine Le Pens far-Right National Rally and the Leftist New Popular Front alliance.
Barnier still needs to win a vote of confidence in the lower house of the French parliament and then form a government that wont immediately collapse under the weight of too many different warring factions.
Given the New Popular Front, which won the most seats but fell short of an absolute majority in the election, has already sworn to back no-confidence motions against Barnier in the National Assembly, he will need tacit support from the far-Right to avoid being toppled.
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If successful, he will be tasked with marshalling critical finance bills through parliament, which, by tradition, opposition parties in France vote against regardless of their content. To achieve this, he will likely have to balance the demands of the various parties in other key areas, including pensions and the minimum wage.
Barnier will also come under particular pressure to follow through on his rhetoric and adopt a tough stance on migration a hobby-horse for the French far-Right with potential knock-on effects for Britain. Any tightening of Frances borders, for example, could mean fewer migrants reaching Calais, and ultimately attempting to cross the channel.
There is much commentary in France that Macron has given Barnier the nod because, firstly, hes not too unpalatable to any one party but, secondly, in the hope of heading off the electoral advances made by Marine Le Pens far-Right National Rally and the Leftist New Popular Front alliance.
Barnier still needs to win a vote of confidence in the lower house of the French parliament and then form a government that wont immediately collapse under the weight of too many different warring factions.
If successful, he will be tasked with marshalling critical finance bills through parliament, which, by tradition, opposition parties in France vote against regardless of their content. To achieve this, he will likely have to balance the demands of the various parties in other key areas, including pensions, the minimum wage and immigration.
Le Pen, whose party came third in the summer election, has already insisted her party must be part of any government led by Barnier: We will demand that the new head of government respects the 11 million French people who voted for the Rassemblement National [National Rally], and respects them and their ideas.
The other side of the Channel, meanwhile, Labour has made cracking down on migrant crossings one of its main pledges in government, with the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper promising to dismantle these dangerous and criminal smuggler gangs and to strengthen border security. In its first fortnight in office, the government scrapped the controversial Rwanda deportation scheme and ditched elements of the Illegal Migration Act. The latter was designed to make it harder for small boat arrivals to claim asylum.
Lord Callanan, the Conservative life peer and a former member of the European Parliament, says there is little hope of Starmer and his administration solving the migration crisis now the Rwanda scheme has been scrapped, regardless of political developments in France.
Weve gone round all these policy avenues, and of course we should try and cooperate with France, of course we should try and crack down on people smuggling. Nobodys arguing with that, this has all been tried and it hasnt worked, he says.
You need to increase the disincentives for migrants to cross the channel and the Rwanda scheme was the best way of doing that it was the one policy with the prospect of success. [And] of course weve seen a surge in crossings since [it was abandoned].
The possibility for collaboration between Starmer and Barnier comes after 12 people died in the sinking of a small boat on Tuesday - Getty Images Europe
Labour has said it plans to divert the money that would have been spent on the Rwanda policy which had a price tag of roughly 300m to tackling the smuggling gangs operating Channel crossings. This includes recruiting up to 100 new specialist intelligence and investigation officers at the National Crime Agency. These promises have sounded relatively hollow given that migration isnt an issue that can be tackled by the UK alone.
Nevertheless, experts point out that net migration is now on a downward path, and is likely to fall this year and next when measures implemented by Sunak which include setting a minimum salary threshold for workers and toughening up on visas for foreign students start to take effect.
Similarly, Barniers appointment may just may indicate the stars are aligning for Starmer as the EU, through which many of the migrants to the UK must travel, starts getting to grips with its own problems in earnest and begins tightening up its borders.
Additional reporting by Natasha Leake
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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Wichitans will commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks this weekend.
On Saturday, Sept. 7, the Wichita 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb will take place at the Epic Center in downtown Wichita. The ceremony will begin at 8:15 a.m. The climb will pay respect to the 343 firefighters and paramedics who were killed, most when the twin towers collapsed. The climb will begin at 8:46 a.m., the time when the hijacked flight hit the first tower. You have to be 18 and a firefighter to make the climb.
At the same time as the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, a traveling exhibit featuring two beams from the twin towers from the Oak Lawn Childrens Museum in Illinois will arrive in Wichita at 7:30 a.m. It will be escorted to the Epic Center from Twister City Harley Davidson in Park City by the Wichita Police Department, Wichita Fire Department, Kansas Patriot Guard, Sedgwick County, and the Fire & Iron Motorcycle. The Wichita Police and Fire Foundation is sponsoring the exhibit from Saturday until Nov. 23.
Following the climb, the exhibit will be moved to the Kansas Firefighters Museum and Memorial, 1300 S. Broadway. It will be open to the public on Saturday afternoon.
Grieving son frustrated over surprise burial fees in Valley Center
Special hours for the exhibit will also be available on Wednesday morning, Sept. 11, for a special Patriots Day ceremony. The exhibit will then be open every Saturday through November for viewing. Special tours for groups of 10 or more can be arranged any day of the week by contacting the museum at 316-264-5990 or emailing kansasfirefightersmuseum@gmail.com.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
Firefighters battle the First Thunder Fire on Sept. 4, 2024, near Rapid City. (Courtesy of U.S. Forest Service)
Firefighters battle the First Thunder Fire on Sept. 4, 2024, near Rapid City. (Courtesy of U.S. Forest Service)
A wildfire burning just west of Rapid City in the Black Hills is 77% contained, firefighters reported Thursday afternoon.
Cooler temperatures and scattered rain showers yesterday provided much needed moisture and was helpful to the firefighters to reinforce the fire line during operations, said a news release from the U.S. Forest Service.
The First Thunder Fire started Monday evening. Its cause remains under investigation.
The fires size was relatively unchanged Thursday afternoon at 157 acres, in an area where privately owned land is intermixed with the Black Hills National Forest. No injuries or damages to structures have been reported. About 100 personnel remained on scene Thursday with bulldozers and fire engines.
Pre-evacuation warnings for people residing near the fire have been lifted. Roads including Taylor Ranch, Norseman, Victoria Lake, Buzzards Roost Trailhead and Falling Rock are now open. Firefighters still advise the public to avoid the area.
Fire information
More information is available online at Pennington Countys Public Safety Hub and the official First Thunder Fire Facebook page.
WisconsinEye calls on Tammy Baldwin to stop using its footage in campaign ads
MADISON The statewide public affairs network WisconsinEye on Friday called on Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin's campaign to stop using its publicly available footage in campaign ads, arguing such use violates the network's terms of use and the spirit of its mission.
The network, which provides gavel-to-gavel coverage of the state Legislature and state Supreme Court, covers the governor, hosts interviews with candidates and other newsmakers, and streams some campaign events and news conferences, makes its archive available to use for "educational purposes."
"However, that use comes with an expectation that users share their selections in the spirit of WisconsinEyes mission to inspire informed, civil dialogue. Specifically, the networks Terms of Use reads: 'Use of our content for commercial purposes or for political purposes is prohibited,'" the organization wrote in a news release.
The ads WisconsinEye objects to include clips from an interview with Republican businessman Eric Hovde during his 2012 Senate campaign. Hovde was defeated by former Gov. Tommy Thompson in the primary, who went on to lose to Baldwin.
A Baldwin ad claims Hovde "says that farmers dont work hard," then shows a brief clip from the 2012 interview.
In the interview, Hovde talked about advances in safety and technology in professions requiring manual labor.
"Think of farming," he said. "Look at the old physical toil that it would take on your body, now youre largely driving around on a tractor."
Hovde referenced the attack during a Wednesday campaign stop at Dane Manufacturing in Waunakee.
"No, I don't think farmers are lazy," he told a group of employees. "I think they're the hardest working people. All I was talking about is how farmers used to toil in the field, and then advancements, and now they use tractors to plow their fields. So (Baldwin's) campaign has largely all been about attacking me, trying to play the politics of personal destruction."
A Baldwin spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
WisconsinEye said its interviews are intended to provide a "counter-balance to the barrage of TV ads and social media messaging that all too often are negative, misleading or divisive."
"The network is obligated to shed light and transparency on the misuse of its content, and reminds those in the political arena that while its video coverage is extensive and insightful, such coverage is meant to promote public access to the policymaking process and encourage civil dialogue, and is not permitted to be used for political purposes. The network will continue to call out those who violate the Terms of Use," the organization said in the news release.
"WisconsinEye has asked the Tammy Baldwin for U.S. Senate campaign to withdraw these ads from commercial broadcast and social media networks and to cease using WisconsinEye content for any type of political campaign ads."
In the 2023-25 state budget, lawmakers and Gov. Tony Evers agreed to provide $10 million in state tax dollars to the network, which is effectively Wisconsin's version of C-SPAN, as long as it raises private donations in the same amount.
In 2021, WisconsinEye had a budget of about $1.1 million, according to Jon Henkes, the networks president. For the fiscal year that ended in September 2019, WisconsinEye spent about $1.4 million, about $87,000 more than it took in that year, according to a filing with the Internal Revenue Service.
On the air since 2007, the privately funded nonprofit network is available on cable TV and at wiseye.org.
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: WisconsinEye calls on Tammy Baldwin to stop using its footage in ads
A 44-year-old woman from Orange County has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run earlier this week that left an 84-year-old pedestrian dead, authorities confirmed on Thursday.
The deadly Sept. 2 collision occurred at around 5:30 a.m. at the intersection of Anaheim Boulevard and Cerritos Avenue, according to a news release from the Anaheim Police Department.
Police and paramedics responded to the scene and found the victim, now identified as Anaheim resident Agustin Chavez, suffering from severe traumatic injury. He was then pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, officials said.
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Investigators determined that the man was a pedestrian and was struck by an unknown vehicle which fled the scene without stopping to provide help as required by California state law.
Anaheim Boulevard was completely shut down for several hours between Cerritos Avenue and the 5 Freeway while police investigated.
Two days later, on Sept. 4, Anaheim resident Tania Rivas contacted the police department and identified herself as the driver in the collision.
She voluntarily reported to the police department and provided a statement, police said. The investigators considered all available evidence and placed Ms. Rivas under arrest for felony hit-and-run.
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The 44-year-old was booked at the Anaheim Police Department and the vehicle she was driving during the hit-and-run has been recovered.
An investigation into the fatal crash is ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the Anaheim Police Department at 714-765-1900. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the Orange County Crime Stoppers Hotline at 855-TIP-OCCS.
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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A Nevada woman is accused of burglarizing a Las Vegas funeral home and removing a casket with a body inside it dumping the remains in the process, according to documents obtained by KLAS in Las Vegas.
Patricia Sierra, 47, faces charges including grand larceny, burglary of a business and removing, transforming or disturbing human remains, documents said.
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On August 27 around 3 a.m., a person called police to report a body lying face down in front of the Affordable Cremation and Burial Service funeral home.
A woman allegedly burglarized a Las Vegas funeral home and removed a casket with a body inside it, dumping the remains in the process, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained. (KLAS)
Police said the deceased person arrived at the facility on August 20 and had a viewing the day before the burglary.
Officers investigating the break-in noticed a door to the business was open. They entered the funeral homes viewing room, noting there were flower petals on the floor leading out the door, documents said. Nothing else in the building was damaged.
Patricia Sierra, 47, faces charges including grand larceny, burglary of a business and removing, transforming or disturbing human remains, documents said. (LVMPD/KLAS)
Video surveillance from the business showed a woman, whom police later identified as Sierra, breaking a window and unlocking the funeral homes front door, documents said. The video then shows Sierra walking to the viewing room and carrying the casket out the front door.
Police said the body in the casket ended up lying in landscaping in front of the business.
On August 27 around 3 a.m., a person called police to report a body lying face down in front of the Affordable Cremation & Burial Service funeral home on Charleston Boulevard near Rancho Drive. (KLAS)
On August 29, officers responded to a call that a person recognized Sierra at a convenience store on Valley View Boulevard near Sahara Avenue. While speaking with officers, Sierra reportedly said she did not remember the incident and said she was not trying to be malicious and was apologetic, documents said. Sierra later said she was the person in the surveillance video.
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A judge set bail at $11,000. Sierra remained in custody as of Wednesday.
There is an ongoing investigation, so we cannot comment, other than to say an individual was arrested after attempting to burglarize our location, a representative for Affordable Cremation and Burial Service said.
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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) The San Francisco Police Department is seeking the publics assistance in locating a suspect who allegedly left racist items outside a dog walkers home. SFPD officers responded to a residence near the Painted Ladies on the 900 block of Grove Street on April 26 at around 7:10 a.m.
The victim, a long-time SF resident and dog walker, Terry Williams, told police he found threatening and racist items outside his residence. The items included a Black doll with a noose around its neck, a toy grenade and written racist slurs.
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SFPD investigated the incident as a hate crime. During the course of the investigation, the suspect was identified as 67-year-old April Martin Chartrand of San Francisco. Investigators have obtained a Ramey Warrant for her arrest.
In a twist to the story, Chartrands family reported her missing on Aug. 23. SFPD is asking for the publics assistance in locating Chartrand. Anyone who locates her is asked to call 911.
The investigation into Chartrands whereabouts remains open and active, police said.
Photo: SFPD
Photo: SFPD
Photo: SFPD
About a month after the initial incident, a fire broke out at Williams residence. No one was injured and the home has since been repopulated. The fire remains under investigation.
KRON4 spoke with Williams on Friday, who said he was shocked to see it was a Black person who may have targeted him especially someone who lives down the street.
That shes Black and she would do stuff like this? I had to pull over on the freeway. It just hit me, he said.
Williams said he used to wave to Chartrand, but several years ago, he saw her breaking glass around where he was walking dogs. He took a photo and reported it, and she snapped at him, he said.
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AUSTIN (KXAN) A woman who was arrested in 2022 in connection with a deadly north Austin crash was sentenced to five years of deferred adjudication after pleading guilty to criminal negligent homicide, according to Travis County court records.
Edith Tavera-Camacho was charged in a crash in which she hit and killed a pedestrian in the 12500 block of the North Interstate 35 service road in August 2022, according to Austin police and court records.
According to court documents, Tavera-Camacho was sentenced to five years of deferred adjudication with community supervision. She also must pay $20,000 in restitution, will have to serve 200 hours of community service, will need to take a driving safety course and will have to drive with an ignition interlock device installed.
In Texas, deferred adjudication is a type of probation that allows the person sentenced to keep the conviction off their criminal record.
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A woman shot to death Monday in the Renton Highlands has been identified.
The King County Medical Examiners Office says 20-year-old Merly Tahiry Herrera Moreno died after she was shot in the chest.
The shooting happened just after 2 a.m. on Shelton Avenue Northeast.
According to Renton Police, someone tried to drive her to the hospital, when they flagged down officers in front of the Renton Inn, at 219 Sunset Blvd North.
Medical aid was administered, but Moreno died of her injuries.
There is no information at this time about what led up to the shooting or any potential suspects.
Get complete coverage of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua's presence in Aurora and across the state of Colorado from the staff at The Denver Gazette.
Years of infidelity and lies led a woman to take matters into her own hands by killing her husband at their Broward home over the Labor Day weekend, she detailed officers. An unexpected vacation and one final argument Saturday evening pushed her over the edge.
Denise Nicole Malcolm, 45, had known for the past two years her husband had been unfaithful, she told Coral Springs police detectives after her arrest Sunday. It led to a breakdown of their marriage, frequent heated altercations and sleeping in different rooms.
She did not trust him and was at her wits end with his lies and deceit, an arrest report revealed.
On Saturday night, her husband spontaneously announced he was leaving to go to Port Saint Lucie with his friends. Malcolm believed he was lying and was going to see someone else a nearly hour-long argument erupted.
In her rage, the report read, she grabbed a gun and shot him multiple times. She couldnt remember how many rounds she let off.
Two young boys in the home, believed to be their sons, heard the commotion and came to see what happened. One was eating Chinese food in his room across the hall listening to music; meanwhile, the other was sitting in the living room.
Coming to investigate at different times, one saw Malcolm with a gun in her hand and spotted the husband bleeding from his shoulder. The other boy heard the mans scream and noticed blood spattered on the wall.
She told them to leave and closed the door. One of the boys rushed downstairs to call 911.
Malcolm said she contemplated killing herself after her husband died form his wounds. But she told detectives that something he said in his final moments made her stop thinking about suicide and shoot him a final time.
Coral Springs police was already outside the home Saturday when they heard the final shot. Officers ordered everyone to come outside. After sweeping the home, they found the husband dead.
Malcolm was charged with first premeditated murder and remains in the Broward jail as of Thursday evening.
Woman Says Her Colon Had to Be Removed After Taking Ozempic
A woman prescribed Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight is now suing the company that makes the drugs after losing her colon from complications she says they caused.
As CBS News reports, 62-year-old Juanita Gantt was first prescribed Wegovy, a weight loss injectible, and later the diabetes drug Ozempic. The active ingredient in both is semaglutide, which falls under the class of medications known as GLP-1s made by the Danish manufacturer Novo Nordisk.
Because she was considered obese and at risk for diabetes though some reporting indicated the woman had already been diagnosed as a diabetic her doctor told her she was a good candidate for the semaglutide-based drugs. (It's unclear whether Gantt was switched from Wegovy to Ozempic or if she'd been prescribed both concurrently, which would probably not be safe because they're simply different doses of the same substance.)
Initially, Gantt said she felt fine and was happy with the weight she'd lost but in October 2023, several months into her semaglutide journey, her husband found her collapsed and unconscious on the floor.
"I had no idea what had happened to me," the Pennsylvania woman told CBS.
As she learned at the hospital, part of Gantt's colon had died and had to be removed. When she was recovering from surgery, she went into cardiac arrest, leading the hospital to call her daughter, telling her that her mother might die.
"Breaks my heart that my daughter got that phone call," the woman told the news broadcaster tearfully. "Horrible."
Gantt now has to wear an ileostomy bag to collect waste and she believes Novo is to blame.
Though semaglutide comes with a laundry list of moderate-to-severe gastrointestinal side effects, including an FDA warning issued a month before Gantt's collapse about its potential to cause intestinal blockage, the woman says she's suing because she was not properly advised about the drug's potential to harm in that way.
"I had no warning that this was even a possibility," she said.
As Gantt's lawyer Parvin Aminolroaya suggested to CBS, Novo has favored profits over safety.
"[Novo has] put a lot of resources into marketing the drug, hundreds of millions of dollars to expand the market get new patients for the drug," the medical injury attorney said, "but it hasn't spent that money on warning patients of the risk of [the stomach paralysis syndrome] gastroparesis, ileus, small bowel obstruction, and the fact that these injuries can be severe, even if it's in a rare case."
While doctors can and should advise patients about the potential risks of any medication, Novo has drawn criticism by paying millions of dollars to doctors that have advocated for its drugs.
In a statement to CBS, the Danish pharmaceutical company said that Gantt's claims are "without merit" and noted that the drugs' FDA-approved warning labels do include lists of their "known risks."
More on GLP-1s: Researchers Say There's Something Fishy With All These Studies Showing Huge Health Benefits From Ozempic-Like Drugs
ST. LOUIS A woman appeared in court on Friday for shooting a co-worker outside of a Family Dollar store last year.
According to the Circuit Attorneys Office of the City of St. Louis, Myah Blankinship, 22, pleaded guilty for shooting her coworker in the 2700 block of North Florissant Avenue on September 26, 2023.
Blankinship and her co-worker had been involved in an ongoing conflict leading up to the day of the shooting when an argument turned into a physical fight.
The Circuit Attorneys Office said surveillance video captured Blankinships co-worker leaving the store after the fight, and Blakinship pulled out a handgun from her purse.
Plane makes emergency landing on I-64 near Mount Vernon
Blankinship shot her co-worker in the head, fracturing her jaw. The co-workers young son and nephew were standing next to her when she was shot.
According to the Circuit Attorneys Office, Blankinship pleaded guilty to first-degree assault, armed criminal action, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
She faces between 10 and 30 years in prison or life without the possibility of parole for the assault charge. Up to 15 years in prison for armed criminal action and up to a year in jail on each of the child endangerment charges.
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Woman wanted after using stolen credit cards in Fresno, police say
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A woman is wanted in Fresno after she allegedly used stolen credit cards to make two purchases at a taco store and a 7-Eleven in Fresno, the Fresno Police Department said.
On Aug. 13, officers say a vehicle theft occurred in the area of Willow Avenue and Church Avenue, where the victims credit cards were stolen.
Later that morning, police say a woman made two confirmed purchases with the victims credit card at Adrians Taco Shop located at 3060 E. Belmont Ave. and at the 7-Eleven located at 4151 E. Tulare Ave.
The woman was described by officers as having an unknown shoulder tattoo on the right side.
The Fresno Police Department asks anyone with information regarding the suspect or her whereabouts to contact Detective Miles Payseno at 559-621-6311 or email Miles.Payseno@fresno.gov.
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DES MOINES, Iowa A worker at Titan Tire in Des Moines was killed after a several-hundred-pound tire fell on her Thursday morning.
At around 8:30 a.m. the Des Moines Police Department and Fire Department responded to a report of a potential death at the Titan Tire plant in the 2300 block of East Market Street. According to Sgt. Paul Parizek with DMPD, a several-hundred-pound tire fell on an adult female worker and she died at the scene.
Titan International released the following statement about the incident:
Titan deeply regrets to announce the tragic loss of a QPS Employment Group employee who was performing services at our Des Moines, IA facility. The incident occurred this morning, September 5, 2024. Local authorities and emergency responders were called and are on-site. Our thoughts are with the employees family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. We are committed to supporting them in every way possible, and we are cooperating fully with local authorities and QPS Employment Group to ensure all safety protocols are thoroughly reviewed and enforced. Titan International
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(Bloomberg) -- Burundis prime minister this week started a national campaign to stop the spread of mpox after a contagious subvariant of the virus spilled across its porous border with the Democratic Republic of Congo where hundreds of people including children have died.
Most Read from Bloomberg
Gervais Ndirakobuca told citizens to stop shaking hands and touching each other when they greet and said that public gathering places, such as churches and schools, must make provision for hand washing or sanitizing. Those with symptoms of the disease, which can cause raised lesions as well as fever and muscle aches, must be immediately taken to the hospital, he said.
We must face it and win against it, Ndirakobuca said, while trying to allay concern by saying that disease was less dangerous than Covid-19, which shut down economies and killed millions of people in 2020 and 2021.
Burundi is ill-equipped to deal with a major disease outbreak. The landlocked east African country is the worlds poorest, World Bank data shows. It allocated 337.4 billion Burundi francs ($118 million) to health in 2023-2024, representing 8.6% of the national budget, according to Unicef. As many as 55.8% of the countrys children under 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition, the UN agency said.
A surge in cases of the disease, which has been found in more than half of the countrys regions has been attributed by the World Health Organization to the clade Ib subvariant of the virus, which, unlike earlier versions, seems to spread more easily through close contact including sex and is affecting children whose immune systems are weaker.
At least 331 people have been diagnosed with the disease in recent weeks with 54% of those being children under the age of 15, according to the countrys health ministry. That compares with about 20,463 cases detected, caused by all varieties of the virus, and 635 deaths in Congo.
In Burundi, where a high number of cases are among children younger than 5, the disease is being transmitted from breastfeeding mothers or when babies leave the maternity ward and come into contact with other family members, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Director General Jean Kaseya said in a briefing Friday.
The spread in Burundi is a major issue because we really dont know what will happen next, he said.
The government is providing clean water to regions without easy access to help prevent the spread and the Red Cross on Thursday began door-to-door visits in Bujumbura, the biggest city, to raise awareness about the disease and to distribute washing equipment to churches, markets and schools.
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--With assistance from Janice Kew.
(Updates with comments from Africa CDC in seventh paragraph)
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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Wright State University is upping police presence as officers continue their search for a sexual assault suspect.
On Tuesday, someone reportedly assaulted a student on Wright States campus. The police report shows the incident occurred between 7 and 8 p.m.
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Police describe the suspect as an overweight, middle-aged white male. He was seen wearing green pants and a Led Zeppelin shirt before fleeing from Boston Hall on Springwood Ave.
Students say they are shaken up by Tuesdays incident but are happy to see the universitys response and additional security made available.
One student, Hannah Geis, says shes remaining on high alert following the incident.
Every time Ive been even walking by myself, I usually feel pretty safe. Like I dont really have too much of concern for myself. Theres always that cautious caution that you always have to be aware of, but its a little less here at Wright State, said Geis.
In a statement, the university said:
While there is no reason to believe there is any specific, ongoing threat to campus, the university has increased on-campus police patrols and continues to offer safety training to members of the wright state community.
University police have not released any new information. The incident remains under investigation.
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Wuollet Bakery in downtown Minneapolis has closed, becoming the chain's third location to shutter in less than four months.
U.S. Bank Plaza property manager Hines confirmed the location's permanent closure in a sign posted on the former bakery's window, according to a photo published by the Minnesota Star Tribune.
The notice does not give details regarding the closure, but adds "Watch this space! Something new & exciting coming soon."
Wuollet Bakery originated as a neighborhood bakery in Wayzata 80 years ago.
The bakery took the Wuollet name in 1991 when members of the Wuollet family purchased the then-Olson's Bakery, according to Wazyata.com.
The Wuollet family in 2019 sold the business to Eric Shogren, who founded the Kuzina chain of bakeries in Russia, and also owns A Baker's Wife in Minneapolis and other ventures both locally and abroad.
In April, Wuollet Bakery in Wayzata closed amid an eviction order.
The business was evicted from its Hastings location weeks later.
As diagnosed tuberculosis cases in Wyandotte County this year have eclipsed those seen across all of Kansas in 2023, local public health officials are putting forward a roughly $1 million plan to deal with the outbreak and prevent further spread of the disease.
Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, commissioners on Wednesday evening greenlit a months-long health department program that will use leftover federal COVID-19 pandemic relief money to stem the rising number of cases.
Under the plan, public health officials plan to work with schools and employers to advise precautionary measures. Another component would involve routine, one-on-one interactions between public health officials and tuberculosis patients to ensure medication is taken as needed.
Responding to questions raised over its cost, Dr. Elisha Caldwell, director of the Unified Governments public health department, told commissioners Wednesday the number of tuberculosis cases within Wyandotte County had grown to 56 and is going up.
The containment program proposed, he added, would likely be far cheaper than taking no action.
I think the best bet we have right now is to figure out how to stop it. Because if we dont, it could go out of control, and we could end up spending much, much, much more money, Caldwell said.
Tuberculosis cases are far rarer in the U.S. than other parts of the world, but upticks have been seen nationally since 2020. In 2023, nearly 40 states reported greater numbers of the disease amounting to a roughly 16% increase across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The airborne respiratory illness causes coughing, chest pain, fever, fatigue and other symptoms. Those with active tuberculosis can spread the disease to others in close quarters over a prolonged period of time, most commonly within families. It can be fatal if untreated.
There is also a latent form of tuberculosis, called inactive TB, that can lay dormant in a person. Such cases do not cause immediate illness and are not contagious.
Data from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment showed 83 active cases of the disease across the state, including those in Wyandotte County, so far in 2024. Statewide there were 46 reported in all of 2023 and 52 reported in 2022, according to figures from the CDC.
Local officials are working in step with state and federal health officials to address the outbreak.
County Administrator David Johnston said Wednesday that commissioners need to understand that cultural differences affect how some perceive the disease. There is a social stigma associated with tuberculosis in some parts of the world, Johnston said, that continues to exist among some Wyandotte Countians who were raised outside the U.S.
Its more complicated than just going to the doctors office. And thats why it costs $1 million, Johnston said.
The News
Pioneering conductor Xian Zhang will become the first woman and first person of color to lead the 121-year-old Seattle Symphony, starting in 2025, the orchestra said. Born in Dandong, China, Zhang moved to the US in her twenties and forged a glittering career in classical ensembles despite feeling at times like an endangered species in the largely white, male-dominated world, she once told The New York Times. She will be one of only two women leading a top-tier American orchestra, the Times wrote.
The Seattle Symphony is hoping Zhang will usher in a new era after its previous musical director left abruptly in 2022. Theres an electricity between her and the orchestra, and an electricity between her and the audience, its president said. You can feel it in the hall.
The News
Donald Trumps sentencing in the New York hush-money case will be delayed until after the presidential election, postponing a decision that could have had a significant impact on the race.
Judge Juan Merchan wrote Friday that he had decided to delay the case to to avoid any appearance however unwarranted that the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching Presidential election.
Instead of Sept. 18, Trump is now scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 26. The Republican nominee faces up to four years in jail after he was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels as part of a conspiracy to mislead voters ahead of the 2016 US presidential election.
SIGNALS
The judge faced an impossible situation with no easy answer
Source: The New York Times
Merchans decision would have sparked debate irrespective of what he chose to do. If he had ruled that the sentencing would take place this month, he would have likely faced attacks from Trump, whose lawyers argued that there would be no other reason for sentencing the former president so close to the Nov. 5 election than election-interference objectives. Now that he has ruled to delay the sentencing, Merchan will likely be criticized for giving Trump special treatment. The judge is in an almost impossible situation, Charles Geyh, a law professor, told the Times before his ruling.
Guilty verdict under question from Supreme Courts presidential immunity decision
Sources: The Hill, Lawfare
Merchan is also expected to rule on Sept. 16 whether to throw the case out altogether following the Supreme Courts ruling in July that former presidents have immunity from prosecution for their official conduct. While Trumps lawyers have not argued that his hush money payments were official acts, they have argued that prosecutors used evidence that should have been protected by the ruling. But the judge will likely reject that argument given that the payments and most of the actions taken by Trump in the case happened before he was president, Anna Cominsky of the New York Law School told The Hill. Ultimately, it could end up at the Supreme Court, in which case all bets would be off, Roger Parloff, a senior editor at Lawfare, wrote.
Trump continues delay, delay, delay strategy
Sources: Reuters, The Washington Post
On Thursday, a judge in Trumps federal election interference case accused his lawyers of trying to delay potentially damaging evidence from being made public before the election. Trumps lawyer argued new evidence should not be presented at such a sensitive time, leading to a rebuke from the judge who said she is not concerned with the electoral schedule. But Trumps strategy of delaying cases at every turn means that none of them will be be fully resolved by the election. If he is reelected in November, a longstanding Justice Department policy that officials cannot charge a sitting president, coupled with the possibility that Trump would appoint officials willing to drop the cases could mean that federal prosecutions against Trump would likely be put on hold after inauguration day.
New York man pleads guilty to charges related to PA bank robbery
(WJET/WFXP) A New York man has pleaded guilty to multiple criminal charges after robbing a Pennsylvania bank and leading state police on a chase in a stolen vehicle in June.
McKean County District Attorneys Office announced Friday morning that 39-year-old Edwin McPeak Jr. pleaded guilty to robbery of a financial institution with a firearm, placing two victims in fear of serious bodily injury with a firearm, theft from a bank and receiving stolen property.
NY man robbed bank, led police on chase in stolen vehicle: PSP
McPeak was arrested back on June 6 after police said he robbed the Hamlin Bank in Edlred Borough, McKean County with a handgun before fleeing in a car stolen in Cattaraugus County, NY.
Prior to the robbery, PSP Lewis Run had received a BOLO from Cattaraugus County for the car, which they said was involved in a separate bank robbery in New York.
Man was stealing gas before sparking fire outside Peach St. hotel: PSP
He was spotted by police shortly after the robbery leading to a high-speed chase that ended when he crashed in the 1300 block of South Kendal Ave. in Bradford.
McPeak is set to be sentenced on November 7 in McKean County Court.
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Young Democrats in Kentuckys two most populous counties, as well as a former campaign staffer, called on embattled state representative Daniel Grossberg to resign Friday.
Louisville Young Democrats said in a statement Friday morning they were deeply disturbed by the allegations made against state Rep. Daniel Grossberg as reported by the Herald Leader, and called on him to resign. The married 45-year-old lawmaker was previously president of the organization.
The group added that Grossbergs resignation would be what is best for our members, our party and our state to move forward.
In a separate statement, Fayette County Young Democrats said, amid numerous allegations of conduct unbecoming to any elected official, the Fayette County Young Democrats call on Rep. Daniel Grossberg to resign immediately.
They added, conduct of the kind alleged has no place in our commonwealth.
Grossberg, a Louisville Democrat who represents the 30th House District, has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women via reporting in the Herald-Leader. The women detailed their experiences with the lawmaker and provided text messages corroborating their accounts.
The first-term lawmaker is also the subject of investigations by the Legislative Ethics Commission and the Legislative Research Commission, the administrative arm of the states legislative branch.
Grossberg, who is running unopposed in November, and his attorney Anna Whites have steadfastly denied any impropriety or misuse of his power at every turn. Whites told the Herald-Leader in a Friday statement responding to the Young Democrat groups statements that Grossberg has not engaged in sexual harassment
His communications with several female peers appear to have been taken out of context for the purposes of media stories. He appreciates the (Louisville Young Democrats) passion for protection of its members and third parties from harassment, as this is a cause he supported when he led that organization for four years and continues to support as an elected official, Whites said.
(Grossberg) affirms his earlier apology if he made anyone dealing with him uncomfortable. He has requested a public ethics hearing and looks forward to refuting the unfounded charges against him.
While defending some of Grossbergs reported actions, Whites has also mentioned the lawmaker has a neurodivergent diagnosis, placing him on the autism spectrum, which means his brain processes information differently.
Later Friday morning, former campaign staffer Mary Wurtz she called Grossberg her former mentor joined Louisville Young Democrats call for Grossberg to resign. She wrote in a statement sent to the Herald-Leader that it was time for Rep. Grossberg to step down.
I have opted to stay silent on this issue over the past several weeks so as to not center myself while an investigation plays out, but additional testimonies from young women in this state, my peers, plus his indefensible decision to drag autistic and neurodivergent people under the bus with him have led me to break my silence, Wurtz wrote.
In their statement, Louisville Young Democrats said they stood in solidarity with the women whose stories have been reported.
We condemn any and all forms of sexual harassment expressed in these allegations and stand in solidarity with all those who have come forward. We are dedicated to the empowerment of young people, especially young women, in democratic politics and strive to encourage young people to pursue and build careers in politics, they said in their Friday statement.
Louisville Young Democrats do not tolerate sexual harassment from current or former members, and especially not from elected officials, who can and must be held to a higher standard.
Louisville Young Democrats is a chapter of the Kentucky Young Democrats., a political activism group for Democrats younger than 40 that was the first major group to call for Grossbergs resignation.
Other Democrats including prominent party members, commentators and even candidates for office also have called on Grossberg to step down.
Louisville Young Democrats demanding Grossberg to leave his post is of particular note, given that Grossberg represents Louisville.
The city-wide party in Louisville took action as well, although they didnt call for the lawmaker to step down. Instead, the Louisville Democratic Party asked Grossberg last week to refrain from attending political events or functions, at least until the ethics investigation into his conduct wraps.
In one story published last month, the Herald-Leader reported on two women who received inappropriate, harassing or sexually-tinged messages from Grossberg. A third woman in the story recounted an incident of alleged sexual harassment in Grossbergs office wherein he consumed multiple alcoholic drinks in front of her and asked questions about her genitals and sex life.
Kentuckys highest-ranking Democrats, Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, have issued harsh disapproval of Grossbergs behavior but have not called on him to resign. Beshear last week said Grossberg should give serious thought to resigning, to which the embattled lawmaker responded he has given serious thought to his public service daily since elected.
The Louisville Young Democrats on Friday agreed with Beshear, saying, We support the statement made by Gov. Beshear and call on Representative Grossberg to take accountability for his actions, resign from office, and do what is best for our members, our party and our state to move forward.
This breaking story will be updated.
(Getty Images)
Its no secret that young voters have a major impact in North Carolina elections. My organization, You Can Vote, aims to increase youth voter engagement because we know that voting habits established soon after reaching eligibility persevere for decades. Educating and mobilizing students, therefore, is an effective strategy to establish a generation of lifelong voters.
In our work, we constantly run up against the narrative that young people are disengaged. Its time to put an end to the myth of voter apathy!
The young people we interact with have deeply held values and beliefs. Data from the American National Election Study supports this, showing that over 75% of young people were interested in elections. On average, however, 32% of 18-29-year-old voters intended to vote, but did not turn out, compared to only 15.2% of voters over 60.
As its likely their first time voting, we cant assume young voters are familiar with the basics such as who is eligible to vote, the different rules for early voting and Election Day, whos running for office, and how the offices on their ballot impact their day-to-day lives. Newly eligible voters need localized, fact-based education to bridge these gaps.
We also know that the easiest way to ensure students can successfully vote is to help them register and vote where they reside on Election Day. North Carolina allows students to register using their on-campus address. That means students can vote at the early voting or Election Day polling place closest to their campus, making it easier for them to get to the polls. Students who have moved need to update their registration address, however, even if its in the same county.
You Can Vote has created a convenient online guide to help students get registered on campus, with information about how to fill out the voter registration form using their on-campus address, where to go for early voting, and more. Visit youcanvote.org/campus to access the guide today.
You Can Vote (YCV) was founded in 2014 following Shelby County v. Holder, 133 S. Ct. 2612, the Supreme Court decision rolling back key protections of the Voting Rights Act. As a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, YCV envisions a representative democracy that reflects the diversity of our state, includes all voices, and serves all North Carolinians. YCV programs develop community leaders to educate, register, and empower NC citizens to successfully cast their ballots. Learn more at www.youcanvote.org.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A first of its kind event came to Youngstown State University Thursday evening.
The YSU Foundation hosted its first Gratitude Day at the Kilcawley Center.
The foundation helps support student initiatives and scholarships at the university.
Gratitude Day allowed those who donate to meet those theyre helping and celebrate the scholarship recipients accomplishments.
We did have similar events last year but we stratified them by college. We thought it may be more successful to have one big event here in the Kilcawley Center so were hoping this is the first annual of a long-standing tradition, said YSU Foundation president Paul McFadden.
Over 300 people were expected to attend the event.
Every year $11.5 million in scholarships goes to students from the YSU Foundation.
Jim Bowser contributed to this report.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
A contributor says operations have stopped at Tenet Media, the conservative content creation company based in Nashville with links to an alleged influence campaign by a Russian state-run media outlet.
In a Thursday evening social media post looking for new work, Tayler Hansen, whom Tenet Media identifies as a "field reporter" for the content creation company, wrote "TENET Media has ended after the DOJ indictment."
YouTube has also taken down Tenet Media's channel as well as four other channels "operated by its owner Lauren Chen," according to a statement from a YouTube spokesperson.
Following an indictment from the US Department of Justice and after careful review, we are terminating the Tenet Media channel and four channels operated by its owner Lauren Chen as part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations," the statement reads.
Announcement:
TENET Media has ended after the DOJ indictment and I will now be pursuing other job opportunities so I may continue to report on vital news stories this election season.
If youd like to independently fund my work or think Id fit in well at another source let Tayler Hansen (@TaylerUSA) September 6, 2024
Tenet has not posted on other social media sites since Wednesday. Those sites have largely left Tenet's content untouched, Reuters reported Friday morning.
Semafor reported that BlazeTV, the conservative media company founded by Glenn Beck, terminated its contract with Chen, who previously worked as a contributor. BlazeTV has not responded to requests from The Tennessean seeking confirmation.
Chen, who formerly posted to YouTube under the name Roaming Millennial, and Liam Donovan, who identifies himself on social media as the president of Tenet Media, have not publicly commented on Tenet Media's situation.
An indictment unsealed Wednesday accuses two Russian nationals employed by the Kremlin-backed media outlet Russia Today of funneling nearly $10 million through various shell companies to a Tennessee-based company in exchange for publishing content in line with the goals of the Russian government. Numerous descriptions of the unnamed company in the indictment match those of Tenet Media, which contracted with prominent conservative media figures like Tim Pool, Benny Johnson, Dave Rubin and others. Most of the Russian money the company received went directly to the production teams of the commentators it contracted with, the indictment states.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland listens as ATF Director Steven M. Dettelbach speaks following a briefing on the progress of the one year anniversary of the launch of the Department's regional firearms trafficking strike forces to address violent crime, at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, U.S., July 20, 2022. Oliver Contreras/Pool via REUTERS
Chen has worked for Russia Today in the past. Between March 2021 and February 2022, she authored 25 opinion pieces for Russia Today, which are still published on the media outlet's website.
Several former Tenet Media commentators have described themselves as "victims" in the alleged scheme and said they were unaware of any Russian influence or funding at the media company. The commentators insisted they had editorial control over their content. The indictment states that the company's founders disguised the company's true source of funding state-run media outlet Russia Today to commentators, claiming it came from Eduard Grigoriann, a fictitious investor.
Russia Today's editor-in-chief has boasted of creating an "entire empire of covert projects" to influence Western opinion since the media outlet was forced to cease formal operations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
A senior U.S. intelligence official on Friday morning said Russia Today has built networks of Americans and others to sway U.S. voters toward Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election, Reuters reported.
Tenet Media's Nashville headquarters
Tenet Media was incorporated in Tennessee on Jan. 19, 2022, and launched in November 2023. It describes itself as "a network of heterodox commentators that focus on Western political and cultural issues," the same description of the company the indictment states was financed by Russia Today.
Tenet Media's current address is a shared office space in Green Hills. According to an employee at the office's front desk, Tenet Media has a "virtual office" in the suite, meaning it receives its mail there but does not have its own physical meeting space.
Several other addresses in the Nashville area are associated with Tenet Media, Chen and Donovan. Its mailing address is the former site of an accounting firm on Old Hickory Boulevard that relocated to a different space in the same outlet. A partner at the firm did not confirm if Tenet Media was a client and said the company could not share any information regardless.
Tennessee Secretary of State business records state Tenet Media previously had its office in a shared office building on Confederate Drive in Franklin. Employees of Contractor Insurance Quote, a different company in the building that had been there for about two years, had not heard of Tenet Media.
Kirsten Fiscus contributed.
Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMealins.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: YouTube drops Tenet Media, Nashville company linked to Russian money
Zelenskiy calls on allies to lift restrictions on long-range strikes in Russia
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE (Reuters) - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday urged military allies to ignore Moscow's "red lines" and allow Kyiv to use long-range weapons for strikes on Russian territory.
"We need to have these long-range capabilities not only on the ... territory of Ukraine but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace," he said at a meeting of the Ramstein group of some 50 nations which supply arms to Ukraine.
It was the first time that Zelenskiy joined the gathering of defence ministers at the U.S. air base Ramstein in western Germany.
(This story has been refiled to correct the spelling of 'long-range' in the headline)
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Sabine Siebold, Editing by Friederike Heine)
Volodymyr Zelensky has asked key allies to permit Ukraine to use long-range missiles against targets in Russia - FRAT
Volodymyr Zelensky accused Britain of slowing down deliveries of long-range missiles during key Nato weapons talks.
The Ukrainian president said Britain and other allies were showing a shortage of missiles and co-operation with fresh shipments of Storm Shadows and other ammunition.
He pleaded with London and Washington to loosen restrictions on the weapons to strike deep inside Russia as he seeks to turn the tide of Moscows invasion in Kyivs favour.
Mr Zelensky delivered his message directly to Western defence ministers on Friday during his first in-person appearance for talks at the Ramstein air base in Germany.
We hear that your long-range policy has not changed, but we see changes in the Atacms, Storm Shadows and Scalps a shortage of missiles and co-operation, Mr Zelensky told the gathering.
And this applies even to our territory, which is occupied by Russia, including Crimea. We think it is wrong that there are such steps.
Ukraine has made repeated pleas to the UK, US and France to use the Western-supplied, long-range missiles to strike airfields, missile launchers, ammunition and fuel depots and command and control hubs on Russian soil.
Kyivs Western allies have allowed Ukraine to use their smaller weapons across the border, but have so far refused to budge when it comes to deep strikes.
We need to have this long-range capability not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace, Mr Zelensky said at the beginning of the meeting.
The US-led Defense Contact Group is a regular gathering of more than 50 of Kyivs Western allies to discuss military aid for the nation.
Mr Zelenskys first in-person appearance at the meeting signifies a shift in tactics as he tries to end the 31-month war with Russia.
Volodymyr Zelensky signs a Ukrainian Scalp missile on Air Force Day - Pool Photo/Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/Alamy
His forces have been able to capture 1,000 sq km (386 square miles) of territory in Russias southern Kursk region a month after launching the first foreign invasion on Russian soil since the Second World War.
A month after the daring offensive began, Mr Zelensky said Moscow had lost about 6,000 soldiers killed and wounded.
We need to force Russia to seek peace. We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need, peace or Putin, and it is realistic to push them to choose peace, the Ukrainian president added.
But the war-time leader also warned that his forces were losing ground to Russian advances in the eastern region of Donetsk.
Moscow had deployed its most capable units in the pursuit of gains around the city of Pokrovsk, a key garrison for Ukraines defence of the Donbas.
If the city falls into Moscows clutches, it would also open up new routes for Russian forces to push towards Dnipro, Ukraines fourth-largest city.
Mr Zelensky is expected to travel to Washington to present a victory plan to Joe Biden, the the US president, as well as to Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, who are competing to replace him in the White House.
Jens Stoltenberg, the outgoing secretary-general of Nato, said Kyiv would be able to win the war if given the weapons it needed.
The quickest way to end this war is to provide weapons to Ukraine, he said in a meeting with Norways prime minister on Friday.
Putin must realise that he cannot win on the battlefield, but must accept a just and lasting peace.
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Ukraines allies made promises of air defence munitions in the wake of a deadly wave of long-range bombardments against civilian and military targets by Moscow.
More than 50 people were killed in an attack on a military academy in the central city of Poltava, while a day later a missile barrage on western Lviv wiped out an entire family apart from the father.
John Healey, the Defence Secretary, promised to send 650 air-defence missiles to Ukraine, in a support package worth 162 million.
These new UK-made missiles will support Ukraine to defend its people, infrastructure and territory from Putins brutal attacks, he said.
Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, announced a $250m (191m) package, expected to include air defence.
We hear your urgency and we share it, Mr Austin said.
Germany said it would deliver four Iris-T air-defence batteries and 10 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks.
Standing next to Mr Zelensky, Mr Healey pledged to extend the UKs Operation Interflex training programme for Ukrainian recruits through next year.
As I told our allies and partners today in Germany, the UK will continue to step up our support. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, the Defence Secretary said.
The scheme has trained more than 45,000 Ukrainian troops since the beginning of Putins invasion in February 2022.
The US package also includes Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, ammunition for Himars rocket launchers and patrol boats.
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Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast has resulted in around 6,000 casualties on the side of the Russian Armed Forces, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Sept. 6.
Since launching the incursion on Aug. 6, Ukraine controls "a significant part of the territory," stretching over 1,300 square kilometers, including around 100 settlements, Zelensky told Kyiv's allies, gathered in Ramstein for the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting.
"Thanks to our actions, there is no threat to the city of Sumy as was the case in May against Kharkiv," Zelensky said.
Zelensky was referring to the offensive Russia launched on May 10 to the northeast of Kharkiv. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, said later in May that Russian forces may launch a similar offensive in Sumy Oblast, which neighbors Kursk Oblast.
Commander-in-Chief of Ukraines Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi also said in an interview with CNN, published on Sept. 5, that Russia was planning an offensive from Kursk Oblast before Ukrainian forces launched operations there.
Russia nonetheless continues to deploy its most effective units in Ukraine, primarily Donetsk Oblast, demonstrating a "clear choice by Moscow."
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin doesn't care about Russian land and people, he just wants to grab as much of our land and as many of our cities as possible," Zelensky said. "He wants our cities, or the ruins that remain of them."
The Kursk incursion also shows that "Russia's attempts to draw red lines simply do not work," Zelensky added.
Zelensky previously said on Aug. 19 that Kyiv did not disclose preparations for the operation in Kursk Oblast to its allies because the world might consider it crossing Russia's "strictest of all red lines."
The concept of Russia's red lines, "which dominated the assessment of the war by some partners," crumbled "somewhere near Sudzha," Zelensky said.
Read also: What the fall of Pokrovsk would mean for Russias war in Ukraine
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President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Sept. 6 to take part in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting amid Kyiv's calls for air defenses and long-range arms to fend off Russian aggression.
In a rare step, Ukraine's head of state is attending the 24th meeting in person to lobby for faster aid deliveries. The U.S.-led group, consisting of over 50 countries, including all 32 NATO members, was set up to coordinate allied defense deliveries to Kyiv.
"We need our partners' determination and the means to stop Russia's aerial terror," Zelenskys aid on X.
"It is crucial that all the weapons from the already announced support packages finally reach the combat brigades. We also need strong long-range decisions from our partners to bring closer the just peace we are striving for."
Read also: What the fall of Pokrovsk would mean for Russias war in Ukraine
The Ramstein meeting is taking place just as Russia is yet again ramping up aerial strikes against Ukrainian cities, underscoring Ukraine's need for faster air defense deliveries. Moscow's troops also continue their pressure in Donetsk Oblast, namely toward a key logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
As customary, the Sept. 6 meeting is chaired by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. It will be the first meeting in nearly three months, with the last one taking place on June 13. Austin said that the meeting would address Ukraine's most urgent needs, namely air defense capabilities to counter Russian drone and missile attacks.
Opening the meeting alongside Austin, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown, Zelensky thanked the partners for defense deliveries but stressed that many of the pledged anti-aircraft systems are yet to be provided.
A day earlier, Romania's president gave final approval to the delivery of an additional Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. Two other systems, along with the at least four already operating in Ukraine, are expected from the U.S. and the Netherlands.
Zelensky also plans to push the allies to deliver more long-range arms. Kyiv has said that Western restrictions on strikes within Russia and the insufficient supplies of long-range weapons hamper Ukraine's ability to strike back against Russian attacks.
"Russia's attempts to draw red lines simply do not work," Zelensky said during his opening remarks. The U.S. and the U.K. have maintained restrictions on the use of long-range weapons like ATACMS or Storm Shadow within Russia, naming the fears of escalation as one of the key reasons.
"We need to have long-range capabilities... so Russia is motivated to seek peace," he added.
Zelensky reminded that thanks to the partners' support, Ukraine was able to carry out "important operations" in Crimea and elsewhere that helped to "restore security to the Black Sea and restart food exports."
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin who doesn't want peace...He wants our cities, or the ruins that remain of them."
As the meeting took off, Austin also unveiled that the U.S. is set to announce a new $250 million defense aid package for Ukraine later on Sept. 6.
"It will surge in more capabilities to meet Ukraine's evolving requirements. And well deliver them at the speed of war," Austin said. Another defense aid package, consisting of 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) worth over $213 million, was announced earlier today by the U.K.
As part of his visit to Germany, Zelensky is expected to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Frankfurt am Main.
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.
After his visit to Germany, Zelensky will head to Italy for the Ambrosetti International Economic Forum to meet with Italian business leaders and for talks with the country's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni.
Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) and Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, meet for bilateral talks at Frankfurt Airport. Zelensky had previously taken part in a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in the USA. Boris Roessler/dpa Pool/dpa
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Frankfurt on Friday, amid reports that the Ukrainian leader will be in the region to attend a US-led meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group earlier in the day.
Scholz and Zelensky are scheduled to hold one-on-one talks in Germany's financial hub in the early afternoon, a government spokesman confirmed on Thursday evening.
Zelensky is likely to arrive in Frankfurt after attending a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group at the nearby US base in Ramstein 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, some 100 kilometres south-west of Frankfurt.
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.
Ukraine received pledges of more military aid from allies, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Canada, during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) on Sept. 6, which President Volodymyr Zelensky attended in person.
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 is the group's 24th gathering since its establishment in April 2022. Zelensky last attended the meeting in person in October 2023.
The U.S. pledged a new aid package for Ukraine worth $250 million. The tranche includes RIM-7 missiles and support for air defense, Stinger missiles, ammunition for HIMARS, and other military assistance.
Ahead of the summit, the U.K. announced it would supply Ukraine with a new military aid package consisting of 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) worth over $213 million. The first LMM missiles are expected to be delivered by the end of this year.
On the sidelines of the meeting, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Berlin would deliver an additional 12 self-propelled Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers with a range of over 30 kilometers (under 20 miles) worth 150 million euros ($165 million) to Kyiv.
The guns would come from the industry deliveries rather than standing German military stocks. Six of them are due to arrive by the end of 2024, and the rest will be delivered in 2025, Pistorius said.
Germany also pledged to deliver 77 older Leopard 1A5 tanks in cooperation with Denmark and the Netherlands in the near future.
A new defense aid package was also announced by Canada, including 80,840 motors of decommissioned small air-to-surface unguided rockets CRV7, along with 1,300 warheads.
Spain will provide Ukraine with a HAWK air defense system battery, Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced. The system consists of six missile launchers and is already located in Poland.
Kyiv is also expected to receive maintenance equipment and materials for F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands, as well as air-to-air missiles that the aircraft can use to repel Russian attacks, according to Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans.
The meeting in Ramstein comes a month after Ukraine launched its surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast.
Read also: We asked weapons experts to review Ukraines two new drone innovations
Ukraine controls "a significant part of the territory," stretching over 1,300 square kilometers, including around 100 settlements, Zelensky said at the start of the summit.
The Kursk incursion shows that "Russia's attempts to draw red lines simply do not work," Zelensky said. Russia nonetheless continues to deploy its most effective units in Ukraine, primarily Donetsk Oblast, demonstrating a "clear choice by Moscow," he added.
Russia's advance on Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub for Ukrainian forces in Donbas, has continued in the weeks since the Kursk incursion began.
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin doesn't care about Russian land and people, he just wants to grab as much of our land and as many of our cities as possible," Zelensky said. "He wants our cities, or the ruins that remain of them."
Kyiv has also been highlighting the need for air defense as Russian strikes continue to kill people in areas far from the front lines.
A Russian ballistic missile strike against Poltava killed 55 people and injured over 300 others. A day later, at least seven civilians were killed and 64 wounded in Lviv in the west of Ukraine.
Read also: What the fall of Pokrovsk would mean for Russias war in Ukraine
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein format, will take place on 6 September.
Source: Zelenskyy on Telegram, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Zelenskyy stressed that he would attend the meeting, meet with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, and hold separate talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The Ukrainian president noted that he would then attend the Ambrosetti Forum, an annual international economic conference in Italy, and hold talks with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
"We need commitment from our partners and resources to end Russian aerial terror. It is essential that all weapons from the announced support packages reach our combat brigades. Additionally, we need strong, long-term decisions from our partners to advance towards the just peace we seek," Zelenskyy stressed.
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 last meeting focused on ways to strengthen Ukraine's air defence.
The German opposition reportedly called on the government to provide more assistance to Ukraine, describing the current stage of the war as decisive.
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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has summed up the results of the first month of the Ukrainian operation in Russia's Kursk Oblast during a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (also known as the Ramstein format).
Source: broadcast of Zelenskyy's speech at the meeting
Quote from Zelenskyy: "Today marks one month since our army's operation began in the Kursk region of Russia. This is the borderland from which Putin was preparing to expand the war into Ukrainian territory. He was preparing to launch a new offensive against our city of Sumy. We have turned the tables and are pushing the war into Russia through our counteroffensive."
Details: The president revealed that Ukrainian forces currently control 1,300 sq. km of territory across over 100 settlements in Kursk Oblast.
"A significant part of this territory was abandoned by Russian troops. They simply fled when they saw our forces approaching," Zelenskyy said.
He also reported that Russia had lost approximately 6,000 soldiers (killed and wounded) during the first month of the Ukrainian operation in Kursk Oblast.
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 was to retake the part of Kursk Oblast that is currently controlled by the Ukrainian military.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia had redeployed 60,000 troops to Kursk Oblast from the war zone in Ukraine due to the success of the Kursk operation.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, listens to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting also with German's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force of the U.S. Gen. CQ Brown at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. (Andreas Arnold/dpa via AP)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) Ukraine needs the ability to strike deep within Russia now, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told U.S. and allied military leaders Friday as Kyiv more fervently pressed the West to loosen weapons use restrictions and allow it to target Russian air bases and launch sites far from the border.
Zelenskyy made the case during an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He appeared to make inroads with some of the defense leaders from the 50-plus partner nations who regularly gather to coordinate weapons aid for the war.
But he did not appear to sway the ally he needs most. After the talks, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back on the idea that long-range strikes would be a game-changer.
I dont believe one capability is going to be decisive and I stand by that comment, Austin said. The Ukrainians have other means to strike long-range targets, he said.
Zelenskyy's request comes after a series of recent deadly Russian airstrikes, including against a Ukrainian military training center that killed more than 50 and wounded hundreds this week. On Friday, the Kremlin fired five ballistic missiles at the city of Pavlohrad in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring at least 50 people, regional Gov. Serhii Lysak said.
We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the divided territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace, Zelenskyy said. We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.
The question remained whether Zelenskyy could convince President Joe Biden that the U.S. should ease its restrictions as well. While Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles into Russia in self-defense, the distance has been largely limited to cross-border targets deemed a direct threat, out of concerns about further escalating the conflict.
At the meeting Friday, multiple countries seemed to be persuaded that Ukraine should get the green light, which could add pressure on the Biden administration.
Many countries (are) in favor, said Laurynas Kasciunas, Lithuania's defense minister. Many, many. But the question is not the number of countries, but countries who give (those) missiles.
By announcing Lithuania's support, Kasciunas said, I hope it will help to convince other countries.
Canada's defense minister, Bill Blair, said he hopes other Western allies also get behind the push. Canada does not have long-range munitions it could provide on its own, Blair said.
One of the things President Zelenskyy and his ministers have made very clear to us is that they are suffering significant attacks from air bases and military installations located within Russia, Blair said. We support their request for permission, but it's still a decision of our allies.
Ukraine is now in the midst of its first offensive operations of the war while facing a significant threat from Russian forces near a key hub in the Donbas, and Kyiv is seeing that its time is running short to shore up ongoing military support before the U.S. presidential election in November.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine's surprise assault inside Russias Kursk region has led to the capture of about 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory and killed or injured about 6,000 Russian soldiers. But it has not drawn away President Vladimir Putins focus from taking the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, which provides critical rail and supply links for the Ukrainian army. Losing Pokrovsk could put additional Ukrainian cities at risk.
While Kursk has put Russia on the defensive, we know Putins malice runs deep, and Moscow is pressing on, especially around Pokrovsk, Austin said.
The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defense munitions and artillery.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement said that the new package would comprise urgently needed weapons and equipment and include "air defense missiles and support, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, anti-tank weapons, and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and other armored vehicles."
This assistance will be deployed as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraines defense of its territory and its people, Blinken said.
Zelenskyy, however, said promised weapons systems have been too slow to arrive.
The number of air defense systems that have not yet been delivered is significant, he said.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said those systems, particularly Patriot air defense systems, need to be in Ukraine's hands so it can defend its electrical grid and infrastructure during winter fighting.
As well as resources for air defense and artillery, the meeting aimed to focus on shoring up gains in expanding Ukraines own defense industrial base so it could be on more solid footing as Biden's term winds down.
Western partner nations are working with Ukraine to source a substitute missile for its Soviet-era S-300 air defense systems, Austin said.
The U.S. is also focused on resourcing a variety of air-to-ground missiles that the newly delivered F-16 fighter jets can carry, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, which could give Ukraine a longer-range cruise missile option, said Bill LaPlante, the Pentagons top weapons buyer, who spoke to reporters traveling with Austin.
No decisions on the munition have been made, LaPlante said, noting that policymakers would still have to decide whether to give Ukraine the longer-range capability.
I would just put JASSM in that category, its something that is always being looked at, LaPlante said. Anything thats an air-to-ground weapon is always being looked at.
For the past two years, members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have met to resource Ukraines artillery and air defense needs, ranging from hundreds of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition to some of the Wests most sophisticated air defense systems, and now fighter jets. The request this month was more of the same, but it came in person from Zelenskyy.
Since 2022, the member nations together have provided about $106 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has provided more than $56 billion of that total.
The German government said Chancellor Olaf Scholz planned to meet Zelenskyy in Frankfurt later Friday.
___
Associated Press writers Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.
Zelenskyy and Putin must meet to end the war Orban
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has proposed another "peacemaking" idea: to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin should meet.
Source: Politico, citing Orban at the economic forum in Cernobbio, Italy, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Asked about the possibility of a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, the Hungarian PM said: "Of course. Its necessary! ... The first question is communication. If there is no communication, the war is getting worse and worse."
Orban said he has "good relations" with the Ukrainian president even after he travelled to Moscow for negotiations with Vladimir Putin.
Background:
In the first weeks of Hungary's presidency of the European Council, Orban tried to present himself as a "peacemaker", making visits to Ukraine, Russia, and later China.
These actions sparked sharp criticism within the EU, where there was a distancing from the Hungarian PMs diplomatic overtures. Additionally, some member states decided to lower their representation at events during Hungarys presidency.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hold a meeting in Germany during Zelenskyys visit to attend a Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting.
Source: press service of the Ukrainian Presidents Office, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Zelenskyy briefed the chancellor on the situation at the front and the impact of Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and essential infrastructure.
The president thanked Scholz for the consistent assistance that Germany provides.
He also mentioned that the German government ordered additional air defence systems in various configurations to strengthen the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the decision to transfer additional Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled guns and Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine, which was announced at the Ramstein meeting.
The leaders also discussed the implementation of the bilateral security accord, expanding defence cooperation, including cooperative weapon manufacture, and preparing for the second Peace Summit.
On 4 September, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed the order of 17 additional IRIS-T air defence systems of various configurations for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
A German official told Bloomberg that by 2026, Ukraine will acquire 24 IRIS-T systems from Germany: 12 medium-range and 12 short-range. Reuters previously reported on the supply of IRIS SLM-T systems.
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Despite all the talk around the efficiency and AI performance of Intels new Core Ultra Series 2 processors, code-named Lunar Lake, the real star of the show just might just be its integrated GPU.
I got all the details at a special event in Berlin just ahead of IFA 2024, and walked away very excited for what the new Xe2 graphics architecture could offer, as it could position Intel as the leader in graphics solutions for low-powered, ultrathin laptops.
The integrated GPU features up to eight cores, 64 vector engines, 8MB of cache, and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, all while utilizing LPDDR memory on package. It also includes improved XeSS (Xe Super Sampling) performance and XMX (Xe Matrix Extensions) AI engines, which enhance upscaling and ray tracing capabilities. There are two variants available: the 8-core Intel Arc 140V and the 7-core Intel Arc 130V, with clock speeds varying by SKU.
Intel
Intel demonstrated the GPUs power by testing a range of games at 1080p with medium graphics settings on the Core Ultra 9 288V (140V GPU). The results showed a 31% performance improvement over the previous-generation Core Ultra 7 155H, 68% faster speeds compared to Qualcomms Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100, and a 16% lead over AMDs Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.
While AMDs Strix Point holds its own in titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Hogwarts Legacy, Intels integrated GPU outperforms competitors in the majority of benchmarks, particularly against Qualcomm, whose Snapdragon X Elite struggled to run over half of the tested games.
Kunal Khullar / Digital Trends
Whats particularly noteworthy is that these benchmarks were achieved without any super sampling enabled, and Intels new integrated GPU is capable of running ray-traced games at acceptable frame rates. Considering these processors are aimed at thin and light notebooks rather than dedicated gaming rigs, the performance is especially impressive.
However, Intels Xe2 GPU is expected to feature in at least one gaming device, the upcoming MSI Claw 8 AI+ gaming handheld, which will be powered by the Core Ultra 200V. Robert Hallock, vice president and general manager for Intels Client AI and Technical Marketing, confirmed the same, although he didnt confirm the SKU.
I got a chance to see the device in action for a short amount of time, but sadly, I wasnt allowed to check the specifications, power consumption or frame rates.
Kunal Khullar / Digital Trends
At the launch event, Intel also showcased the performance and efficiency of the new Core Ultra Series 2 chips through a series of demos. One notable demo compared two Lunar Lake-powered laptops, one with a Core Ultra 9 288V and the other with a Core Ultra 7 258V, against notebooks running Qualcomms Snapdragon X Elite and AMDs Ryzen AI 9 HX 370.
Kunal Khullar / Digital Trends
Both Intel-powered machines delivered 5% to 10% higher average frame rates while drawing similar or lower power compared to their Qualcomm and AMD counterparts. Another demo highlighted the significant gen-to-gen power efficiency improvement when running a 4K YouTube video using the AV1 codec, with the Lunar Lake laptop consuming half the power of the previous-gen Meteor Lake model.
Overall, early impressions of Intels Xe2-powered GPU and the new Core Ultra Series 2 processors are highly positive. Intel finally has an answer for consumers looking for a thin and light notebook that can offer long battery life and at the same time have enough grunt to run games at a stable 60 frames per second (fps).
The Lunar Lake-powered notebooks are expected to hit the market soon, and well be able to verify these performance claims in due course. Until then, stay tuned for further updates as these new devices become available.
Tesla launches world's first all-electric 'Giga Train' with mind-blowing passenger capacity and it's free to ride
Tesla's highly anticipated "Giga Train," its first all-electric battery-powered train, has debuted in Germany.
The Giga Train takes passengers from Erkner Station to Tesla Sud, the station located at the company's manufacturing facility, about 20 miles southeast of Berlin. Currently, 500 people can be transported on the train, with 120 seats, space for bicycles, and an information system for passengers, per Teslarati. It's also free to not just Tesla employees, but regular passengers as well.
It's eventually expected to transport 4,500 employees to and from the factory, based on three eight-hour shifts. An additional stop will be added once construction in the area is completed.
"We are particularly pleased that the Tesla train shuttle is now battery-electric because it is simply in line with our company mission: to accelerate the transition to renewable energies," Theresa Eggler, a project manager at Tesla, told German media outlet rbb24.
Niederbarnimer Eisenbahngesellschaft, or NEB, said there are additional plans to switch the fleet from diesel to e-trains at the end of this year.
The introduction of the electric train is a great option for employees and the general public to utilize greener transportation options to save on gas and maintenance for cars and pollution from personal vehicles. The train is expected to save 50 tons of carbon dioxide pollution compared to other trains, Eggler told rbb24, a major environmental win.
Tesla has led the way in green innovations and backing up its policies. When the company faced backlash over cutting down trees near Berlin to build the Gigafactory, it invested in a program planting over 1 million trees in 2024 alone to help replace the loss.
It also continues to focus on saving commuters money through projects like the recently launched ride-share program in Tampa, which shuttles passengers around several different hubs for only $2.
Investing in an EV can be a chance to save the planet and some cash, with studies showing you can save $1,500 on gas and maintenance a year. If you want to know more, check out The Cool Down's Guide to Buying an EV.
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.
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A Dutch truck containing an escape room built as part of a crime prevention initiative will tour six Hungarian cities between September 9 and 20, the organiser Pecs University said.
Organised in cooperation between the research centre for the fight against human trafficking set up at Pecs University's Faculty of Law and the Dutch Reshape Foundation, the "escapetruck" had already visited Hungary twice in the past.
The truck contains three escape rooms set up demonstrating the circumstances that surrounds people when working in a brothel, forced into prostitution, the statement said.
Visitors can listen to the story of a victim, presenting her background story, and the way human traffickers operate. By receiving clues on how to get out of the escape room, they are forced to get actively immersed in her story, also demonstarted with visual and sound effects.
Participation is free of charge and the organisers especially recommend the escapetruck experience to 14-18 year olds, who are the most vulnerable group. Additionally, members of the Hungarian police force are also offered educational events at the site.
The escapetruck will visit Gyor on September 9-10, Budapest on September 11-12 - Ludovika University Of Public Service's parking lot at Ulloi ut - , Kaposvar on September 13, Dombovar on September 16-17, Komlo on September 18, and Pecs on September 19-20.
Source:
MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.
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The National Capital Holding (NTH), established to create a harmonised framework for state-backed capital financing of local companies, said on Thursday it is launching a HUF 60bn programme to promote Hungarian-owned companies making foreign direct investments, acquisitions and establishing companies abroad.
NTH is setting up the private equity fund for FDI abroad by allocating it USD 165m. The fund will be managed by Focus Ventures, owned by NTH. The fund contributes with equity financing to improving Hungary's profit balance and increasing the international competitiveness of Hungarian companies.
Bence Gerlaki, a deputy state secretary at the National Economy Ministry, said in order to further increase economic growth and competitiveness, it is essential that the widest possible range of Hungarian companies be able to invest their capital on an international level as well.
From a geographical point of view, the fund primarily plans to invest in Europe, with the focus on Western and Central-Eastern Europe, and in Asia, particularly in the Central Asian region. The fund is generalist with regard to targeted sectors.
Individual investments by the fund will range from USD 1m to USD 25m. Companies will have to provide at least 30pc of the funds for a transaction from their own resources. The fund will apply risk sharing and expect an industry minimum return from investments.
Source:
MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.
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In Kerala and around the world, Malayalis celebrate Onam, a 10-day harvest and cultural festival, with great fervour during the Chingam month based on the Malayalam solar calendar. Thiruvonam, the primary ceremony, falls on the 15th of September this year. It starts on September 6 and finishes on September 17. The celebration honours the fabled King Mahabali and represents the victory of good over evil. In addition to performing prayers, cleaning houses, adorning with flower carpets (Pookalam), and taking part in traditional sports, snake boat races, and folk dances, Malayali culture and solidarity are showcased during the celebrations.
Oman 2024: Wishes, Messages & Quotes For Your Loved Ones
Happy Onam! May the colours and brightness of the festival bring you joy.
May this Onam bring you success, joy, and all the good things you deserve.
Onam Ashamsakal! May this festival bring peace and harmony to your life.
Celebrate this Onam with joy and make beautiful memories with your loved ones.
Happy Onam! May the spirit of Onam fill your home with love, peace, and happiness.
May your Onam be filled with love and joy!
Celebrate the spirit of Onam with joy and unity. May your home be filled with laughter and prosperity. Happy Onam to you and your family.
May the spirit of Onam bring prosperity and togetherness into your home. Have a wonderful Onam to you and your family.
Wishing you a colourful Onam with lots of fun, laughter, and festive cheer.
Ganesh Chaturthi Today (September 7): The auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi is here. This year the 10-day long festivity of Ganeshotsav is a major attraction In Maharashtra where many popular Bappa temples are beautifully decorated during the festival. Devotees welcome Bappa to their abodes and after hosting the Lord for days, and bid him a tearful adieu with Visarjan. Also known as Vinayak Chaturthi, it is the celebration of the birth of Lord Ganesha.
All those who are away and can't physically visit the Ganpati temples today, can watch Shree Siddhivinayak Temple Mumbai's direct LIVE streaming Darshan of Lord Ganpati and pray to the Lord for his abundant blessings:
SHREE SIDDHIVINAYAK TEMPLE MUMBAI LIVE STREAMING DARSHAN 2024
Shree Siddhivinayak Temple 2024 Mumbai Darshan Timing
The darshan timings will start from the early morning rituals of Bappa at the famous Shri Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai. An ocean of devotees will throng the temple on Chaturthi tithi, marking Gajanana's birthday.
Shree Siddhivinayak Temple 2024 LIVE Streaming: How to watch live on Apps
Those of you who want to watch it on your phones can download the Shree Siddhivinayak Temple app on Google Play, and App Store to get LIVE darshan of Bappa on Ganesh Chaturthi.
Shree Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai is one of the most famous Ganesh mandirs in the country. Thousands of devotees throng the temple to seek Bappa's divine blessings. Special arrangements have been made, keeping the crowd in mind.
Devotees turn hosts to the Lord by inviting him to their homes. The freshness in the breeze and the picture-perfect weather strike a perfect balance between mind, body, and soul. The more you worship with an open mind and sanctimonious thoughtsthe more Ganpati will bestow you with wisdom, health, and prosperity.
Huge Ganpati pandals are decked up nationwide, and devotees throng them in huge numbers, seeking his blessings. The festival is celebrated with equal energy and enthusiasm globally by Indians.
New Delhi: A new type of business has been emerging in Japan to assist employees with the often stressful process of quitting their jobs, as per Economic report. Companies such as Exit and Albatross specialise in helping workers navigate the challenges of resigning and offer support to make the transition easier and less stressful.
These companies handle the resignation process on behalf of their clients by contacting the employer, announcing the resignation and managing all the necessary formalities. This service typically costs around 20,000 yen (approximately Rs 11,600). Since its launch in 2017, Exit has assisted around 10,000 people annually with their resignations.
What makes resigning difficult for employees in Japan?
In Japan, employees often face challenges when trying to resign. Many encounter intense pressure from their employers, including having their resignation letters torn up or being harassed to stay. This difficulty stems from tough workplace conditions such as difficult bosses, unpaid overtime, and limited use of paid time off. In some cases, employers even require legal negotiations before accepting a resignation, according to the report.
New Delhi: A former junior employee at Swiggy has been accused of embezzling a Rs 33 crore from the food delivery giant, according to the company's 2023-24 annual report, as reported by Moneycontrol. The company enlisted an external team to investigate the situation and has taken legal action against the former employee.
"The Group, during the current year, identified embezzlement of funds in one of the subsidiaries by a former junior employee amounting to 326.76 million over the past periods..," according to Swiggy's annual report released on September 4.
This comes at a time when the company filed its draft papers on April 26 for an initial public offering (IPO), aiming to raise up to Rs 3,750 crore through a fresh issue and up to Rs 6,664 crore through an offer-for-sale (OFS) which brings the total IPO value to 1.25 billion dollars.
Swiggy's revenue saw a 36 per cent growth in FY24 to Rs 11,247 crore, according to its annual report. The company also managed to cut its losses by 44 per cent, reducing them from Rs 4,179 crore to Rs 2,350 crore, thanks to tighter control over expenses.
Total expenses dropped by 8 per cent to Rs 13,947 crore which is largely due to reduced spending on promotions and marketing which fell from Rs 2,501 crore last year to Rs 1,851 crore in 2023-24. Despite holding a 43 per cent market share, Swiggy still lagged behind its competitor Zomato which leads with 57 per cent in terms of gross order value (GOV).
Maharashtra has once again cemented its position as the top destination for foreign investment in India, attracting a staggering 52.46% of the countrys total investments in the first quarter of the 2024-25 financial year. From April to June 2024, the state received a total of Rs 70,795 crore in foreign direct investment (FDI), far surpassing any other state in India.
This milestone continues Maharashtra's two-year streak as the leader in attracting FDI. The state's dominance is evident as its investments exceed the combined total of all other top-ranking states. Karnataka followed with Rs 19,059 crore, Delhi at third with Rs 10,788 crore, and Telangana, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu taking the fourth, fifth, and sixth spots with Rs 9,023 crore, Rs 8,508 crore, and Rs 8,325 crore respectively. The combined investment of these states still falls short of Maharashtra's achievement.
Commenting on the development, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "Congratulations Maharashtra ! Very good news ! Maharashtra leads in FDI with a staggering 52.46% of India's total investment ! Maharashtra which is consecutively ranked No. 1 for last 2 years in FDI, now has secured maximum investment i.e 52.46% of India's total FDI in the 1st quarter of the financial year 2024-2025."
Congratulations Maharashtra !
Very good news !
Maharashtra leads in FDI with a staggering 52.46% of India's total investment !
Maharashtra which is consecutively ranked No. 1 for last 2 years in FDI, now has secured maximum investment i.e 52.46% of India's total FDI in the 1st pic.twitter.com/IVKjGqzGTI Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) September 6, 2024
The total foreign investment in India for the first quarter was Rs 1,34,959 crore, with Maharashtras contribution accounting for over half of this at Rs 70,795 crore.
A Streak of Success
This stellar performance builds on Maharashtra's strong FDI record in the previous financial years. In FY 2022-23, the state attracted Rs 1,18,422 crore in foreign investmentmore than Karnataka, Delhi, and Gujarat combined. In FY 2023-24, Maharashtra brought in Rs 1,25,101 crore, surpassing both Gujarat and Karnataka combined once again.
From 2014 to 2019, during its previous stint in power, Maharashtra had drawn Rs 3,62,161 crore in FDI. Notably, since returning to power, the current administration has attracted an impressive Rs 3,14,318 crore in just two and a half years, approaching the earlier five-year total.
What Lies Ahead
While Maharashtra continues to break investment records, the data for the second quarter is yet to be released. Given its current trajectory, the state is poised to maintain its leadership in attracting foreign capital, further strengthening its position as India's economic powerhouse.
New Delhi: Troubles seem to be far from over for the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Chief Madhabi Puri Buch. As per latest reports in the Economic Times, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament is set to investigate allegations against her. PAC is likely to summon Buch later this month, the ET added. The newspaper said that the summon can be made as early as later this month.
The PAC, headed by Congress leader K C Venugopal, as part of its investigation may also ask other officials finance and corporate affairs ministry to appear before it. Parliaments Public Accounts Committee (PAC) keeps a close eye on government expenditure.
"The matter was added to the PAC's agenda after several members demanded an inquiry into the functioning of Sebi and allegations against Buch at the panel's first meeting on August 29.The agenda item doesn't specify the regulator or name the chief. It's listed as "Performance review of regulatory bodies established by act of parliament," Economic Times wrote.
The opposition Congress has launched fresh tirade against Sebi Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch over receiving regular income from private lender ICICI Bank and arm ICICI Prudential, while being the whole-time member and later Chairperson of the capital markets regulatory body.
Pawan Khera, Chairman, Media and Publicity Department, Congress, in a press conference said, "We asked three questions yesterday (which was directed towards ICICI bank, PN and Buch. Of the three, ICICI bank responded to our allegations, which has infact helped us in un-layering this expose further." (Also Read: Trouble Mounts For Madhabi Puri Buch)
Khera further claimed that ICICI bank paid pensions to Buch which varied in various years and was not steady. He added that Buch availed ESOPs from ICICI even after superannuation from the Group. He questioned as to how retirement benefits or pensions be more than the annual average salary that Buch drew from ICICI.
Khera also raised questions on the TDS being paid by ICICI Bank on ESOPs to Buch. (Also read: Buch Responsible For ZEEL-Sony Deal Failure)
"Why did ICICI pay the TDS on ESOPs on behalf of Buch? Does the bank follow the same protocol for all its past and present employees? Why didi ICICI not offer this TDS amount as taxable income of Buch? Is this not a clear non-compliance of the Income Tax Act?," questioned Khera.
Mumbai: 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".
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 nations largest port", Gautam Adani said.
New Delhi: Parantap Chowdhury, a former Assistant Vice President at Square Yards in Bengaluru, decided to leave his lucrative position where he was paid Rs 54 lakh a year, to concentrate on writing on LinkedIn and creating a successful, remote, digital business. He believes he might have made more than Rs 9 lakh in the last ninety days if he had continued in his work, but in the three months he has spent writing for LinkedIn, he has experienced more life.
Chowdhury's seven-year career included training over 5,000 salespeople and leading a sales team of more than 250 members. But the work took up more than 70 hours of his week. Chowdhury left his latest job to write for LinkedIn because he felt that something was lacking from his seven years of demanding work at companies like Square Yards and BYJU's.
The 32-year-old Chowdhury, in a recent LinkedIn post said that he gave up his post to live a normal life and spend time with the people he loved. He therefore, left his corporate position and decided to launch a digital business. Had he stayed at his job, he would have made more than Rs 9 lakhs in 90 days, he claimed. In his writing career, he has earned less than 10% of that. However, in the last three months, he has lived better than he did in the last three years. He is also pleased with the choice he made to resign from his position and lead a happy life.
Chowdhury quit his latest job to focus on creating a successful, remote, digital business. He had always been captivated by writing but was not sure of what exactly to write. He struggled for a month before deciding to niche down on a topic and write with authenticity and experience.
Chowdhury also discussed about his work which consists of publishing content tailored to a certain niche and responding to insightful comments. In terms of followers and interaction, he has had a notable increase. He said he also landed two sales consulting gigs through LinkedIn, though he admits he has earned less than what he would have made in his corporate role.
Like others, Chowdhury also worries about money, purpose, and progress in life. But he also understands that money cannot buy everything. He has a life and can spend time with the people he loves.
RG Kar Murder Case: As investigation continue in the RG Kar rape and murder case, senior TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Friday raised questions on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) pertaining to the status of the chargesheet in the case.
"When is CBI filing a charge-sheet in the RG Kar hospital rape and murder case and putting the accused on trial? When?" the TMC leader said in a post on X.
The case pertains to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor who was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata on August 9. After the case came into the limelight, widespread protests erupted across the country, demanding justice for the victim.
When is CBI filing a chargesheet in the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case and putting the accused on trial ? When ?
? Derek O'Brien | ' (@derekobrienmp) September 6, 2024
For the past few days, the TMC has been demanding that the CBI file the charge-sheet at the earliest. The Calcutta High Court had transferred the probe to the CBI from Kolkata Police in August. Police had arrested the main accused, a civic volunteer, a day after the incident on August 9.
Meanwhile on Friday, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition filed by the former principal of RG Kar College principal Sandip Ghosh. Ghosh had approached the top court claiming that the Calcutta High Court had not considered his version before ordering a CBI investigation into the corruption case against him.
In his plea, Ghosh argued that the High Courts decision was one-sided and that he was not given a fair hearing. However, the Supreme Court declined to hear the matter. This leaves the High Court's order for a CBI probe intact.
On August 23, Justice Rajarshi Bhardwaj from the Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to lead the probe into alleged financial irregularities at the Hospital that took place during Ghosh's tenure.
The court arrived to this decision after reviewing a petition from Akhtar Ali, a whistleblower and former deputy medical superintendent at R.G. Kar. Justice Bhardwaj also specified that the CBIs investigation would be court-monitored.
On the same day, Ghosh made an appealed against the ruling to a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, which included Justices Harish Tandon and Hiranmay Bhattacharya. He requested a speedy hearing but was told to first obtain a copy of the single-judge benchs order.
Instead of going back to the division bench with the order copy, Ghosh decided to go straight to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
On August 25, the officials of the central probe agency carried out raids in several locations in Kolkata, including Ghoshs home, as part of the investigation.
By September 2, CBIs economic offence wing had taken Ghosh and three others into custody. A special court in Kolkata remanded the four, including Ghosh, to CBI custody for eight days on September 3.
The allegations against the former RG Kar principal include giving contracts to private parties without proper approval, using private entities for infrastructure work instead of the standard state public works department, and improperly disposing of biomedical waste and organs from unidentified bodies.
Vijayawada: Indian Navy's relief and rescue operations in flood-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh continued on Friday under the aegis of Eastern Naval Command. Naval helicopters undertook extensive flying operations such as airdropping food packets, medical kits and water bottles to stranded individuals.
Flood Relief Teams (FRTs) are actively evacuating people to safety and distributing food to affected households. Over 180 personnel have been rescued by these flood relief teams.
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. 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.
Earlier, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with State Minister Nara Lokesh interacted with locals at Vijayawada to take stock of the situation. Soon afterwards, Union Minister Chouhan and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a press conference and said that the situation in Vijayawada is unprecedented and there has been a lot of crop damage also in the area, with 2 lakh farmers affected.
"The situation in Vijayawada is unprecedented. The area received 400mm of rainfall in a short time, such a thing has never happened before. I thank CM Chandrababu Naidu along with his team is working 24/7. The Central government is providing all help to the state. The loss of human lives has been minimal. Teams of NDRF are working here. MPs MLAs, and ministers are engaged in work here," he said.
"Food packets, milk and water are being dropped to stranded people using drones. Sanitation work is being done at war footing. Animal husbandry teams are also working continuously. Home Minister Amit Shah ji has sent a team here to study how water discharged can be increased from 70-year-old Prakasam Barrage. There has been a lot of crop damage also in the area, 2 lakh farmers affected. Work has started to assess the extent of damage," Chouhan said.
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.
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.
The upcoming by-elections in Uttar Pradesh's 10 assembly seats have become a prestige battle for the BJP, especially in Ayodhya's Milkipur seat. The seat was earlier held by Samajwadi Party's Avdhesh Prasad, who defeated BJP's Lallu Singh in the Lok Sabha elections. After the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha program, the Milkipur seat has become a matter of prestige for the BJP. The party is leaving no stone unturned to win this seat and settle scores with the SP-led India alliance in UP.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is personally monitoring the situation and has been visiting Ayodhya frequently. He recently attended a Shiv Mandir Pran Pratishtha program on September 7.
However, the BJP's internal rifts have come to the fore once again. On Thursday, former MP Lallu Singh walked out of a press conference organized by the party's state general secretary, Sanjay Rai, in Ayodhya. Singh alleged that "mafia elements" were present on the stage and he couldn't share the platform with them.
Lallu Singh did not name anyone directly. But his was clearly refering to BJP leader Shivendra Singh, who was sitting on the dais. "Mafias were present on the stage and I can never associate myself with such elements," Singh told media persons. I have consistently fought against the mafia because they exploit and oppress society.
Notably, Shivendra Singh was booked for attempt to murder and under the Gangster Act and was lodged in Faizabad jail in the year 2018. He was later shifted to Barabanki jail. "Former MP Lallu Singh personally campaigned with notorious criminals and dreaded history-sheeters throughout his election which ultimately led to his defeat in the election," Shivendra Singh said.
Singh's outburst has left the party red-faced, especially since it's trying to project a united front in the upcoming elections. The party is already facing a tough challenge in the by-elections, and this internal rebellion has added to its woes.
BJP's Membership Drive and Upcoming Changes
The BJP is currently conducting a membership drive across the country, including in Uttar Pradesh. However, the party's internal sources reveal that major changes are expected after the drive is completed. Around 50 district and city presidents who failed to perform in the Lok Sabha elections will be replaced.
The changes will have a ripple effect from the district level to the top, and will be made after October 15. The party has divided the state into 98 organizational districts, and the changes will be made accordingly.
The rebellion in Ayodhya has added to the party's woes, just ahead of the crucial by-elections. The party is trying to keep its leaders in check and project a united front, but the internal rifts are becoming increasingly visible.
The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Friday released its highly anticipated poll manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir. Union Minister Amit Shah unveiled the Sankalp Patra during his two-day visit to the state.
In his address to party members, Shah affirmed that Jammu and Kashmir has always been an integral part of India and will remain so. He added, I want to say to the country that Article 370 is history, it will never return, and we won't let it happen. Article 370 was the thing that gave weapons and stones in the hands of the youth."
He highlighted the BJPs scheme for Kashmiri Pandits and their rehabilitation, saying, "We are towards the completion of rehabilitation of 6,000 people." He added, "We will look for complete rehabilitation. Many Kashmiri Pandits and people from the Sikh community who left when the terrorism was at its peak were forced to sell their properties. We have already started working in this regardeither returning their properties or providing the amount for their properties."
BJP's Key Promises, Plans For Jammu and Kashmir
Agriculture
Farmers will receive an annual grant of 10,000 through the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
Agricultural electricity rates will be reduced by half.
Free electricity through PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, with an additional subsidy of 10,000 to households for solar instrument installation.
Job\Education
The plan includes creating 500,000 new jobs.
The recruitment process will be transparent and equitable.
College students will be given a 3,000 travel allowance each year under the Pragati Shiksha Yojana.
An additional 1,000 medical college seats will be added to enhance educational opportunities.
Infrastructure
All major tunnel construction projects will be finished.
10,000 kilometers of new rural roads will be built.
Metro services will be introduced in Jammu and Srinagar.
Social Welfare
Each household's eldest woman will receive 18,000 annually.
Ujjwala scheme beneficiaries will get two free gas cylinders every year.
The Atal Housing Scheme will provide free land to landless families.
Pensions for the elderly, widows, and disabled individuals will be tripled.
Religious and Cultural
Hindu temples and other religious sites will be rebuilt and renovated.
Healthcare
The Ayushman Bharat Sehat Yojana will offer an additional 2 lakh in healthcare coverage, supplementing the existing 5 lakh.
Rehabilitation
The process of rehabilitating displaced persons will be accelerated.
Tourism
Efforts will be made to reposition Jammu and Kashmir from a "terrorist hotspot" to a prime tourist destination.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections will take place across 90 constituencies, with 7 seats allocated for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). In the last elections, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) emerged as the largest party, securing 28 seats, followed closely by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 25 seats. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) won 15 seats, while the Congress garnered 12.
This year's polling is scheduled to be held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with the results expected on October 8. The Congress has teamed up with the National Conference in a strategic alliance for the upcoming election.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked whether there was any restriction on jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from signing files for the remission of prisoners.
A bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih query came when it came to know the file of a convict seeking early release is getting delayed due to a signature from the Chief Minister Kejriwal.
The top court sought to know whether there is any restraint order against Arvind Kejriwal for not signing remission files from jail. The top court also noted that Kejriwal is inside jail in the alleged liquor policy irregularities case.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati and Senior Advocate Archana Dave, who were representing the respondents in the matter, said that they will take instructions on this.
The top court made it clear that they have to place the rule related to it else it can exercise its power under Article 142 of the Constitution of India as it don't want to stall such issues. Thereafter the court adjourned the matter.
The top court also said that it will examine whether there is any restraint order on the Chief Minister performing his duties from jail because this will affect hundreds of cases.
The Court was hearing the plea by one convict seeking remission.
On May 10, the Delhi Government counsel told the top court that the concerned Board is considering the case of the petitioner for grant of permanent remission.
On July 19 the top court accepted the Delhi Government prayer seeking more time and extended the time granted to the State to take decision by a period of one month. However when it comes to know the issue that files are getting delayed further, it said today that it can't keep the pending for long.
After Sheikh Hasina resigned as a Prime Minister of Bangladesh, extremist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami have become active, continuously targeting Hindus. Recently, in the Khulna district of Bangladesh, a Hindu youth named Utsav Mandal was brutally attacked by extremists inside a police station, where both officers and police personnel were present.
In today's DNA, the Zee news anchor analysed the rising insecurity faced by Hindus in Bangladesh.
Watch Today's Full DNA Here
The Muslim community members had brought Utsav to the police station to seek a settlement but trusting them proved costly for Utsav. The attack on him highlights the growing insecurity faced by Hindus in Bangladesh.
Utsav and his family received threats after a Muslim youth repeatedly made offensive remarks about Hinduism. In response, Utsav made a comment on Islam, which was not liked by local Muslims.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Bangladeshs interim government chief, Mohammad Yunus, stated in one of the interviews that Hindus are safe in Bangladesh and that reports of attacks are being exaggerated.
An elderly man lost his life and five others were injured after suspected militants launched a bomb attack on a residential area of Moirang in Bishnupur district on Friday, officials said.
The rocket that landed in the compound of Manipur former chief minister Mairembam Koirengs residence appeared to be an improvised one. This was the second rocket fired in the district on Friday.
"The elderly man was preparing for some religious rituals in the compound when the bomb exploded. He died on the spot," the official said, PTI reported.
The explosion injured five others, including a 13-year-old girl.
The rocket landed approximately two kilometres from the INA headquarters. On April 14, 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Shaukat Ali of the Indian National Army (INA) hosted the Tricolor Flag of free India for the first time on Indian soil in Moirang, under the leadership of INA Supreme Commander Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Earlier in the day, a rocket was fired from a high point in the nearby hills toward the low-lying residential area of Tronglaobi, which is about 45 kilometers from the state capital, Imphal.
A tragic fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary School in Kenya resulted in the deaths of at least 17 students, with 13 others suffering severe burns. The incident occurred in the schools dormitory on Friday, and authorities fear the death toll could rise as investigations continue.
Rapid Spread Due to Wooden Structure
According to media reports, the fire quickly engulfed the dormitory due to the building's wooden construction. The dormitory, which housed over 150 boys aged 14 and under, was consumed by flames before emergency services could fully intervene. Murugu emphasized that efforts are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the fire, and officials are working to account for all students.
Government Response and Investigation
Kenyan President William Ruto expressed deep sorrow over the incident, calling it "devastating." He has ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the blaze, vowing that those responsible will be held accountable. In a message shared on X (formerly Twitter), President Ruto said, "The government will leave no stone unturned in establishing the cause and ensuring justice is served."
Vice President Rigathi Gachagua also weighed in, urging school administrators to strictly enforce the safety protocols issued by the education ministry for boarding schools. He stressed that this incident underscores the need for stringent adherence to safety measures to prevent future tragedies.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to unveil the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Sankalp Patra (manifesto) today, marking a significant step in the party's preparations for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Shah, who is on a two-day visit to the region, will release the manifesto in Jammu at 3:30 pm, accompanied by senior BJP leaders.
Amit Shahs Visit
Amit Shahs visit holds strategic importance for the BJP, especially as the party gears up for one of its most crucial assembly elections. Jammu and Kashmir has presented several challenges for the BJP, including internal protests and defections following ticket denials. Shahs presence is aimed at consolidating the party's position and rallying support among party workers and leaders.
Party Worker Meetings
Later in the day, the Union Home Minister is expected to meet with party officials and workers, addressing concerns and discussing campaign strategies. His interactions with various delegations of party workers will play a key role in shaping the BJPs outreach ahead of the elections.
BJPs Strategic Focus on Jammu District
The BJP views Jammu district, which has 11 assembly constituencies, as a crucial battleground. In the 2014 assembly elections, the party secured nine of these seats, significantly contributing to its overall total of 25 seats. The party aims to replicate or improve upon this performance in the upcoming elections.
Security Tightened for Shahs Visit
In preparation for Shahs visit, security measures have been significantly heightened across Jammu. Multi-tier security arrangements have been implemented, particularly at two key venues: the BJP media center located at a hotel in the Channi area and the rally site where Shah will officially launch the partys campaign on Saturday.
BJPs Candidate Announcements
The BJP has already announced its candidates for 51 out of the 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. The party recently revealed a list of four candidates, solidifying its preparations for the elections, which are scheduled to begin on September 18. The elections will be conducted in three phases, with subsequent voting days on September 25 and October 1. The Election Commission of India will declare the final results on October 8.
Campaign to Gain Momentum with Modis Involvement
The BJPs election campaign is expected to accelerate further with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders set to address multiple rallies across the Union Territory. These efforts are part of the party's broader strategy to secure a strong foothold in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly.
With the release of the manifesto and the launch of the election campaign, the BJP hopes to secure a majority in a politically complex and strategically important region.
Noting that his party has "surrendered" seats to forge alliance with Congress for the assembly polls, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has said that such adjustment has to be done in any seat-sharing agreement and having a tie-up was "too important to let five or six seats jeopardise the whole thing".
In an interview with ANI, Omar Abdullah also took a dig at BJP and said a wrong narrative was sought to be created that Article 370 was something "that Kashmiris loved and residents of Jammu region hated".
He said National Conference was preparing to contest all seats before the seat-sharing agreement with Congress.
"All alliances are a compromise. We had prepared candidates for all seats. I'm not sure whether Congress had done the same, but I'm assuming they would have done. We have obviously surrendered seats that we had people ready for, that we believed we were in a good position to at least put up a really good fight. But yes, in any seat-sharing, you have to surrender seats and we did," Omar Abdullah said.
"Having an alliance was too important to let five or six seats jeopardise the whole thing. We could have ended up with a Madhya Pradesh-type situation where the Congress just went completely alone because they couldn't agree on six or seven seats to the Samajwadi party," he added.
He said BJP margins in two Lok Sabha polls in Jammu region went down in 2024 election compared to 2019 and asked if Article 370 was a Kashmir-specific issue that Jammu was happy to see the back of, then margins of BJP should have gone up.
"This narrative was sought to be created that 370 was something that Kashmiris loved and Jammuites hated. It's not without reason that the BJP's vote share in Jammu shrunk drastically in this Parliament election. The margins of victory for both candidates in Jammu and Udhampur are half of what they were in the election in 2014. If 370 was a Kashmir-specific issue that Jammu was happy to see the back of, you should have seen margins in Jammu jump in favour of the BJP. But you haven't," he said.
He said there is "a lot of simmering anger" in Jammu and said he would reverse the decision on Dabar move at least for Jammu if the alliance comes to power. "You basically crippled the economy of Jammu when you shut down the Darbar move. Jammu's economy depended a lot on government employees coming from Kashmir in the winter. They spent a lot of money there. They hired accommodation. For six months, the place boomed. You talk about tourism. How much of that tourism actually goes to Jammu? Almost nothing. Because the train takes Yatris directly to Katra. The Yatris who land by air, come straight from the airport, get into their car, go to Katra, get into a helicopter, fly up to Mata temple, do darshan and come back. Jammu is crying for some sort of economic sustenance, which they used to get from the Darbar move, they don't. What would you like to do differently? I would like to reverse a lot of these things that were done...such as the Darbar move to start with for Jammu at least," he said.
The 149-year-old biannual tradition of shifting offices between summer capital Srinagar and winter capital Jammu was ended by the Jammu and Kashmir administration in 2021. The administration had said that it has completely transitioned to an e-office where "darbar move" was no longer needed and the decision will save Rs 200 crore per year.
Omar Abdullah said Jammu and Kashmir needs stronger domicile laws."We need domicile laws that at least bring us at par with other parts of the country. Today we have weaker domicile laws than our own neighbour Himachal. Our domicile laws are the weakest in the country today. This is what was said when Article 370 was taken away," he said.
"It's a genuine fear because lands are being given away. Government lands are being given away to people who are not from here. Let me be clear, I have no problem with people coming here, but we are saying we should have first right over our own land, over our own water, over our own rivers. What is wrong in that? If you give the first right to people in other states, why not here?" he added.
Omar Abdullah skipped answering the question on who will be the Chief Minister if the NC-Congress alliance wins the elections. "I have had my sort of fingers burnt in Baramulla (parliamentary constituency) by assuming that I know what is going to happen. I'm not making that mistake again. Which is why I have not put any number on the party winning. We want to win as many seats as possible. But I am not going to be foolish enough to put a number on it and then exceed that number." he said.
Omar Abdullah was defeated by an independent candidate by over 1.5 lakh votes in the Lok Sabha polls. He also talked about his focus during the campaign on local issues.
"He (Rahul Gandhi) will talk about national issues. He has representation all the way to the east and the west, all the way down to the south. Probably soon his sister will be fighting a parliamentary election from Kerala. The moment you cross into Punjab, I have no locus standi. So, I have no reason to talk about issues that go beyond Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. Votes will be counted on October 8. Like the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year, Congress and the National Conference are fighting the assembly polls also in alliance. While NC will contest 51 of 90 seats, Congress will fight 32 with two parties also agreeing to a friendly contest on some seats. A few seats have been left for smaller parties.
In midnight on Friday, 52 Kolkata residents were jolted awake and ordered to vacate their homes without any prior warning. Metro employees, dispatched under urgent orders, knocked on doors in the dead of night, instructing families to immediately leave due to a potential hazard.
The incident occurred in Durga Pituri Lane in the citys Bowbazar area where Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (KMRCL) relocated residents to nearby hotels as a precaution. The evacuation was prompted by reports of an underground water leak discovered during tunnel drilling on the Sealdah-Esplanade section of the East-West Metro corridor, reported PTI.
In response, residents temporarily blocked access to Central Metro station, disrupting commuter movement during peak office hours. Kolkata Police acted swiftly, intervening to restore normalcy and ease the inconvenience faced by passengers. Despite the intervention, residents remained frustrated, accusing officials of failing to take responsibility for the ongoing problems as the issue is years old.
A KMRCL official said, "We have moved 52 people from 11 families to four nearby hotels as a precaution. Engineers said the leak has been contained, but we will monitor the situation for another day or two before allowing residents to return."
What Is Kolkata Metro Drilling Row
The issues of subsidence and building cracks have been ongoing since 2022, with significant damage reported in Durga Pituri in 2022 and 2023.
Local councillor Biswarup Dey voiced his dissatisfaction, stating, " People are fed up. Since 2019, KMRCL has failed to provide a deadline for resolving these issues. No one is taking responsibility, and people have been displaced from their homes."
The displaced residents of Bowbazar, central Kolkata, echoed similar sentiments, demanding accountability from officials. One resident remarked, "Every officer is shifting their responsibility to someone else. We want someone to take responsibility."
Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: On Thursday, the TMC rejected claims made by the parents of a woman doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered. The parents had accused the police of covering up the case. However, the TMC said a new video shows the family was initially satisfied with the investigation.
The family quickly responded, saying the video was forced by the police just after the cremation. They, along with protesting doctors, accused Kolkata Police of trying to hide the truth by rushing the cremation.
TMC leader Shashi Panja said the new video proves the family's claims are false. She mentioned that another viral video alleged police offered money to the family, but the parents denied this in the new footage, insisting they only want justice for their daughter.
Panja urged that politics should not interfere with the case and asked for no pressure to be put on the family. She also criticized the BJP for using the tragedy for political gain.
The family, however, told a Bengali news channel that the video was staged by the police. They accused authorities of trying to protect a former hospital principal involved in the case.
Panja condemned the spread of "fake" videos online, accusing the BJP's IT cell of pushing these narratives. She also criticized the release of the post-mortem report on social media, calling it an injustice to the victim.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu questioned the CBIs slow progress in the case, despite receiving all necessary documents 23 days ago. He also challenged the BJPs claims of evidence tampering, asking for more clarity.
The death of the doctor on August 9 has sparked protests across the country, with junior doctors in West Bengal ceasing work in response. Panja supported their protests but hoped they would return to work soon.
The West Bengal BJP, on the other hand, accused the state government of trying to cover up the case. BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya said the familys statements exposed the TMC and police's attempts to suppress the truth.
Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live Updates: The upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir have set off a flurry of political activity. In Haryana, the BJP has been hit by a wave of resignations, with several functionaries, including two ministers, quitting the party after being denied tickets for the October 5 elections. Energy Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala and Minister of State for Social Justice Bishamber Singh Balmiki were among those who tendered their resignations.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Ajay Singh Yadav expressed confidence in his party's ability to win the elections solo, dismissing the need for an alliance. He claimed that the Congress's popularity was at an all-time high, and that the Aam Aadmi Party would not be a significant factor in the polls.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP is gearing up to launch its poll campaign, with Amit Shah set to visit the region starting Friday. The party will release its manifesto during Shah's visit, outlining its vision for the region. The Congress, meanwhile, has announced a list of 40 star campaigners for the second phase of electioneering.
A total of 310 candidates have filed nominations across 26 Assembly Constituencies in six districts, with voting scheduled for September 25. The elections will be held in three phases, with the final results declared on October 8.
Kerala Lottery Results Friday 06-08-2024 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "Nirmal NR-396" Lucky Draw Result today Nirmal NR-396, September 06, 2024. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2024 for "Nirmal NR-396" 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 Nirmal NR-396 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 70 Lakhs. Stay tuned to this website for the live update of Kerala Lottery Nirmal NR-396 results today.
Kerala Lottery Result 06-09-2024 September: FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR NIRMAL NR-396 Draw
LUCKY TICKET NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 70 LAKHS IS: NB 211295
LUCKY TICKET NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 10 LAKHS IS: NG 945172
LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 Lakh ARE:
1) NA 618156
2) NB 490398
3) NC 363174
4) ND 975679
5) NE 269750
6) NF 370811
7) NG 934496
8) NH 929105
9) NJ 426017
10) NK 874150
11) NL 990243
12) NM 853220
LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE: NA 211295
NC 211295
ND 211295
NE 211295
NF 211295
NG 211295
NH 211295
NJ 211295
NK 211295
NL 211295
NM 211295
(For The Tickets Ending with The Following Numbers below)
LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE: 1318 1529 1532 1675 1745 1935 2268 3262 3616 4172 4522 5283 6196 6757 6945 8105 8175 9584
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LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE: 0019 0284 0790 0979 1232 1304 1327 1449 1450 1530 1543 1601 2067 2263 2285 2316 2334 2401 2486 2518 2804 2979 3000 3028 3062 3255 3833 3852 3876 4110 4272 4511 4799 4813 4933 4944 5053 5124 5157 5486 5562 5745 5845 5855 6162 6293 6357 6614 6806 6902 6960 7108 7437 7541 7644 7694 7860 8066 8147 8320 8447 8612 8697 8706 8901 8920 9017 9040 9204 9453 9669 9744 9760 9841 9847 9919 9929 9931 9988
LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE: 0063 0095 0110 0208 0233 0438 0442 0577 0747 0832 0862 0905 1129 1160 1221 1229 1355 1403 1616 1636 1781 1845 1927 2055 2154 2281 2320 2346 2404 2469 2687 2748 3005 3058 3059 3207 3234 3296 3312 3319 3442 3570 3590 3600 3716 3724 3810 4065 4183 4210 4250 4435 4443 4453 4482 4517 4564 4578 4596 4600 4609 4680 4810 4834 5046 5117 5185 5222 5410 5471 6052 6099 6126 6191 6398 6539 6566 6714 6899 7026 7115 7131 7157 7205 7288 7343 7440 7468 7476 7519 7544 7600 7619 7628 7632 7657 7697 7827 7880 8014 8142 8146 8168 8248 8264 8431 8442 8465 8520 8623 8658 8676 8698 8952 9112 9153 9169 9415 9799 9858 9885 9979
KERALA LOTTERY RESULT TODAY 06-09-2024 September: NIRMAL NR-396 LOTTERY PRIZE DETAILS
1st Prize: Rs 70 Lakhs
2nd Prize: Rs. 10 lakhs
3rd Prize: Rs. 5,000
4th Prize: Rs. 2,000
5th Prize: Rs. 1,000
6th Prize: Rs. 500
7th Prize: Rs. 200
8th 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.)
Madhya Pradesh News: A man who claimed to be a policeman targeted several students of a women's college in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur, accusing them of uploading obscene photos and videos on social media. Speaking on the matter, a police official said on Friday that the man was extracting money from some of them.
According to the police, the man, who identified himself as "police officer Vikram Goswami, is using artificial intelligence (AI) to create the photos and videos to target the students.
Speaking to reporters, Jabalpur Superintendent of Police Aditya Pratap Singh said that over the past four days, dozens of students from Government Mankunwar Bai Women College in the Madhya Pradesh city have received calls and messages from the impostor threatening police action.
The caller told the women that they had uploaded obscene pictures and videos on social media for which they would be prosecuted if they did not cough up money, he said. Two of the women have transferred Rs 2,000-3,000 to him. Police are also trying to determine how the accused got the numbers of the students'.
How Did The Accused Threaten Students?
According to the police official, the caller sent a link containing objectionable images and videos to the students mobile phones and threatened them with police cases for "sharing such sleazy clips on social media." He also told the students that a police team would visit their parents.
College Management Alerted The Cops
SP Singh said that the management of the college alerted the police after being informed by the students about the threat calls and messages
He said that an FIR has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 318 (cheating) and Information Technology Act sections 66 (sending offensive messages through communication service, etc.) and 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form).
According to the preliminary investigation, videos had been generated using the AI technology, Additional Superintendent of Police Sonakshi Saxena said. Police are also trying to find out how the mobile numbers of so many women students reached the caller, she said, adding that efforts are on to identify the fraudster.
(With PTI Inputs)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the 'Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Initiative' and highlighted that India has only four per cent of freshwater resources in the world and needs to people adopt the mantra of reduce, reuse, recharge and recycle to conserve it.
He also asserted that conserving water and protecting the environment is deeply rooted in Indias cultural consciousness, as water is revered as sacred and rivers are worshipped as goddesses.
While virtually speaking at the launch of the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative in Gujarats Surat, the PM stressed the initiative's goal of strengthening community involvement in water conservation.
For water conservation, we should work on the mantra of reduce, reuse, recharge and recycle. We also need to adopt innovative techniques and the latest technology to conserve water, he said, PTI reported.
Modi said that 80 per cent of India's water is used for irrigation, and sustainable agricultural techniques, such as drip irrigation should be promoted
Conservation of water and environment is not new for us. It has been a part of Indias cultural consciousness. In our culture, water is considered god and rivers are revered as goddesses. Narmada, Ganga, Godavari and Kaveri are our mothers. Our ancestors also knew the importance of conservation of water, he said.
Modi highlighted that India has only four per cent of the worlds freshwater resources and that many regions are experiencing a severe water crisis. He also pointed out that in the last few days, various parts of India, including Gujarat, have seen rain fury, which he called unprecedented.
Over 200 people lost their lives and 78 are still missing due to the landslides that hit Kerala's Wayanad district on July 30. Additionally, torrential rains in Gujarat during the last week of August resulted in 49 fatalities.
While recalling his days as the chief minister of Gujarat, Modi said his past experiences in his home state gave him the confidence to solve the water crisis in the country.
But, we saw results only during the last 10 years because my government worked on the whole of society - whole of government approach, said Modi, PTI reported.
The Supreme Court on Friday will take up Sandip Ghoshs petition. Ghosh, the former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital, is challenging a Calcutta High Court ruling that ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into financial irregularities at the hospital.
On August 23, Justice Rajarshi Bhardwaj from the Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to lead the investigation into these alleged financial irregularities that occurred during Ghosh's tenure. The court made this decision after reviewing a petition from Akhtar Ali, a whistleblower and former deputy medical superintendent at R.G. Kar. Justice Bhardwaj also specified that the CBIs investigation would be court-monitored.
That same day, Ghosh appealed the ruling to a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, which included Justices Harish Tandon and Hiranmay Bhattacharya. Ghosh requested a speedy hearing but was told to first obtain a copy of the single-judge benchs order. Instead of going back to the division bench with the order copy, Ghosh decided to go straight to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
On August 25, CBI officials raided several locations in Kolkata, including Ghoshs home, as part of the investigation. By September 2, CBIs economic offence wing had taken Ghosh and three others into custody. A special court in Kolkata remanded the four, including Ghosh, to CBI custody for eight days on September 3.
The allegations against Ghosh include awarding contracts to private parties without proper approval, using private entities for infrastructure work instead of the standard state public works department, and improperly disposing of biomedical waste and organs from unidentified bodies.
Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: A US-based doctor who has contributed immensely to India's polio elimination efforts and measles surveillance initiatives on Thursday said that the perpetrators of the rape and murder of a woman doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata should be rapidly brought to justice.
Seattle-based Dr Ananda Sankar Bandyopadhyay is currently in India to address a seminar on polio in Chennai later this week. He opined that the incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was a "colossal failure" of the West Bengal administration.
"I think we all are together in the demand for justice in the rape and murder of the doctor. The perpetrators should be brought to justice and proceedings should happen as rapidly as possible. We are hoping that the Supreme Court of the country will ensure that there is justice," Bandyopadhyay told PTI.
"I think there is an acute lack of accountability. The first thing that strikes me is how the authorities have failed to prevent this from happening. What we are talking about now are repercussions, reactions, and corrective actions, but I think that we shouldn't forget that the authorities failed to prevent this from happening, and that is simply shocking," Bandyopadhyay said.
"If this can happen to a government doctor, then it's a colossal failure in terms of the basic protection that the authorities need to provide and ensure on the premises. So, it's shocking," he said.
Reflecting on his days at the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, the global health professional criticised the administration for failing to ensure the safety of frontline health workers and pointed out a lack of accountability.
He also said that corrective action needs to happen on all the hospital premises.
"The corrective actions should include that there are honest systems in place and there is leadership at the level of the hospitals, health authorities administration who are accountable and if lapses happen then there should be accountability," he said.
Bandyopadhyay, who participated in a couple of rallies in the city, also said that the "sadness" of people is not fake and it has spread across the globe.
"I have come from Seattle. I can tell you that the Indian community there is frustrated and in deep sadness... And I am seeing that this is no different in Kolkata," he added.
RG Kar Scam: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a petition filed by Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. Ghosh had approached the apex court. He claimed that the Calcutta High Court had not considered his version before ordering a CBI investigation into the corruption case against him.
In his plea, Ghosh argued that the High Courts decision was one-sided and that he was not given a fair hearing. However, the Supreme Court declined to hear the matter. This leaves the High Court's order for a CBI probe intact.
Further details are awaited
Mumbai: A 30-year-old Arabic teacher has been arrested in Maharashtra's Beed city for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl who attended his tuition, police said.
The accused (name not disclosed to protect the victim's identity) taught Urdu and Arabic to children at his home, said inspector A K Mudliyar of Pethbeed police station.
He allegedly raped the girl many times after other students left and also subjected her to unnatural sex, the official told PTI.
The crime came to light when the girl complained of stomach pain and the doctor realized that she had faced sexual assault.
The girl told her parents that the teacher was sexually abusing her for the last three months and had warned her not to tell anyone about it, the police officer said.
"We have registered an FIR under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rape, unnatural sex, and also under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). Further investigation is underway," inspector Mudliyar said.
Traveling alone gives women the freedom and empowerment to discover new areas at their own pace. India has several amazing travel spots for single women because of its rich cultural diversity. These places are not only lovely but also friendly and safe.
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
As the global center for yoga, Rishikesh is an ideal destination for anyone in search of tranquility and spirituality. Situated beside the Ganges River, it provides yoga retreats, beautiful excursions, and river rafting experiences. Rishikesh is a refuge for ladies traveling alone because of its serene atmosphere and considerate visitors.
Rajasthan's Jaipur
The Pink City is a vibrant fusion of regal opulence, culture, and history. Explore busy bazaars, meander through majestic palaces, and take in the rich culture of Rajasthan. Because of its established tourism industry, Jaipur is a convenient and safe place for women to travel.
Karnataka's Hampi
For those who enjoy the natural world and history, Hampi is an ideal destination. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has an adventurous yet peaceful environment with its boulder-strewn terrain and ancient ruins. The people in the area are welcoming and always willing to lend a hand to lone visitors.
Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
Pondicherry is the perfect destination for a laid-back solo trip because of its calm beaches, French colonial architecture, and laid-back attitude. Explore its quaint alleyways, indulge in French cafes, or go to Auroville to meditate. Because of its small-town atmosphere, Pondicherry is safe and simple to get around.
Kerala's Munnar
The undulating hills and verdant tea estates of Munnar provide a tranquil haven. It's a lovely and safe place for lone travelers who enjoy the outdoors because of the friendly homestays and environmentally conscious lodging options.
Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh
Mountain enthusiasts will find peace at Dharamshala. Well-known for its meditation institutes, Tibetan culture, and breathtaking scenery, it's the perfect destination for women seeking a peaceful yet enlightening single trip.
India offers a wealth of experiences for lone female travelers, including spiritual retreats and regal towns. These locations guarantee excitement and safety.
BJP MP Sambit Patra on Friday fired several questions at the West Bengal government and RG Kar Hospital authority over the handling of the Rape-Murder case of the trainee doctor. He alleged that the Mamata Banerjee-led state government tried to cover up and tamper with the evidence at the Kolkata Hospital premises.
BJP held a press conference, where Patra questioned, "What was the Kolkata administration trying to sweep under the carpet by paying bribe and money, and why was money given to the victims father? We seek answers to these critical questions.
He pointed out that person offers bribe and attempts to hide anything when he is corrupt.
The RG Kar hospital brutal rape and murder has been heart-wrenching.
What was the Kolkata administration trying to sweep under the carpet by paying bribe and money to the parents of the victim?
It is evident that a fair investigation is not possible as long as Chief Minister pic.twitter.com/5ZnRi1sDkv BJP (@BJP4India) September 6, 2024
Patra levelled grave allegations against the authorities concerned for influencing the investigation and demanded that Bengal CM Banerjee step down from her post.
It is evident that a fair investigation is not possible as long as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal remain in their offices, Patra said at the presser.
Accusations Made By Victim's Father
On Wednesday night, the father of the murdered junior doctor claimed that police pressured the family to cremate her body immediately, despite their wish to hold onto it for a while longer.
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 revealed that he had been offered money, which he refused, though he did not elaborate on the reasons behind the offer.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra emphasised the significance of the questions raised by the victim's father, stating they are crucial to the investigation's direction and outcome. Patra highlighted the emotional turmoil the father must have faced following the brutal murder of his daughter.
Since August 10, widespread protests have taken place across the state, with various groups demanding 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.
You may often come across this age-old debate between cat and dog lovers, deciding which pet is smarter. While some argue that dogs' trainability and loyalty make them the clear winners, others claim that cats' independence and problem-solving skills put them ahead in this debate. However, the reality is that the answer is more complex than it seems.
Scientists have explored various factors to measure the intelligence of these two adorable animals. Let's examine them one by one.
Brain Size and Neurons
A 2016 study investigating the link between brain size and the number of neurons found that cats have nearly twice as many cortical neurons (300 million) as dogs (160 million). This was taken as evidence that cats are smarter than dogs. However, the study had limitations, as it was small and focused on specific breeds. Therefore, we cannot consider it the final word. Nevertheless, it suggests that cats have brains capable of more complex problem-solving, similar to human brains.
Sociability as Intelligence
Measuring intelligence based on brain size alone is insufficient. Many scientists believe social intelligence is another crucial factor. Dogs are beloved for their ability to learn commands, perform tasks, and form deep bonds with humans. Their trainability and loyalty are undeniable signs of intelligence. Cats, on the other hand, display their intelligence differently. Known for their independence, cats excel in problem-solving, hunting, and adapting to new environments. Their cognitive strengths lie in wit, patience, and creativity.
Evolutionary Factors
The debate over cat and dog intelligence also stems from their different evolutionary paths. Dogs were domesticated to work and stay with humans, whether for herding, guarding, or hunting, so their intelligence is often linked to how well they can obey human instructions. Cats, however, evolved as solitary hunters, meaning their intelligence comes from their ability to hunt, look after themselves, and adapt quickly.
Verdict
So, which pet is smarter? The answer depends on how we define intelligence. If you value obedience, social skills, and trainability, you will undoubtedly choose dogs. However, if you admire independence, adaptability, and problem-solving skills, cats could easily be the smarter choice.
At the end of the day, intelligence isn't one-size-fits-all. Both cats and dogs have unique cognitive abilities, as they are built and evolved differently.
Rather than seeking a definitive answer, let's agree that both cats and dogs are adorable and offer valuable moments of joy and companionship.
Teesta Water Issue: Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has said the interim government would pursue with India ways to resolve the issues pertaining to the long-pending Teesta water sharing treaty. He emphasised that delaying it for years will not serve any purpose to both countries.
In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus stated that the water-sharing issue between the two countries must be resolved according to international norms. He underlined that lower riparian countries like Bangladesh have specific rights that they seek to uphold.
By sitting over this issue (water sharing), it is not serving any purpose. If I know how much water I will get, even if I am not happy and sign it, it would be better. This issue has to be resolved, Yunus told PTI.
While responding to a query on whether the interim government would push for resolving the issues over the Teesta water-sharing treaty at the earliest, he said the new regime will pursue it. Push is a big word; I am not saying it. We will pursue it. But we have to sit together and resolve it, he said.
In 2011, India and Bangladesh were set to sign a deal on Teesta water sharing during then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka, but West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declined to endorse it. She had cited the fear of scarcity of water in her state.
This is not a new issue but a very old issue. We have spoken on this issue on several occasions. The discussions began during the period of Pakistan's rule. While we all wanted this treaty to be finalised, even the Indian government was ready for it. However, the state government of West Bengal was not ready for it. We need to resolve it, he said.
Yunus emphasised that lower riparian countries like Bangladesh have specific rights that they seek to uphold. We have to resolve this issue according to international norms. The lower riparian countries have certain rights, and we want those rights, he stated.
Speaking about the flood situation in Bangladesh and reports blaming India for the floods, Yunus said that until the treaty is signed, a humanitarian approach can be adopted to deal with such crises. When the High Commissioner (of India) came to meet me, I said that we can work on better management to see how the situation can be controlled during the floods. For such coordination between two countries, we dont need any treaty," he said.
"We can work on this together on humanitarian grounds and resolve this, as this will ease the suffering of the masses. Such humanitarian steps would really help, he further stated.
The remarks of the Bangladesh's Chief Adviser come days after the interim governments Adviser on Water Resources, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, told PTI that Dhaka would push for restarting the dialogue regarding the Teesta water-sharing treaty with New Delhi and emphasised that both countries should adhere to international principles regarding water-sharing.
Last month, Yunus, the 84-year-old economist, took oath as the interim government's chief adviser. His oath came after former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tendered her resignation and arrived in India amid unrest triggered by protests over the jobs quota row.
(With PTI Inputs)
Every four years voters across the United States elect a president. Various factors such as choices in campaign locations, the candidates adherence to polling data and use of the Internet by candidates to reach potential voters all influence the preference of those voters, but perhaps none of these is so persuasive as a candidates performance on nationally televised debates just prior to the election. Newspapers and television news programs generally attempt to provide thorough coverage of the debates, further augmenting the effect of good or bad candidate performances.
In this way, the news media fulfil the traditional role of educating the public and enabling voters to make better informed decisions about elected officials. However, the same technology which brings live debates into millions of living rooms across the nation also limits the availability of debate coverage by use of pool coverage, the sharing of news coverage with other news organizations. The alternative is unilateral coverage, in which each news organization covers the event independently. Most events subject to pool coverage are so planned by the sponsors because of space limitations or safety concerns for prominent people attending or participating in the events. Since the television media require more people and equipment than their print counterparts, television usually is affected more frequently.
The pool system, when employed to cover debates between presidential nominees of the major political parties, violates the first amendment. The Constitutions mandate for a free press allows restrictions on press coverage only when there is a compelling governmental interest at stake. Presidential debates involve no interest sufficient to justify the admission of one news organization to the exclusion of all others.
Pool coverage of a presidential debate means that individual broadcasters are unable to cover the event in their own way and, consequently, to convey a unique account to their viewers; they must purchase and use coverage provided by the pool representative or have no coverage at all. The networks participate reluctantly. Pool coverage denies an opportunity to gain maximum insight from the debate. Indeed, the first amendment freedoms afforded the press exist largely to ensure that the public benefits from the free flow of information. The Supreme Court has noted that it is the right of viewers and listeners, not the right of the broadcasters, which is paramount.
To overcome the problem of restricted access, television news media could be divided into four categories: domestic networks, foreign news services, domestic news services, and independent broadcasters. Some broadcasters would be denied access, but the critical point is that in the end, the viewers will benefit, for they will have seen different debate coverage and, ultimately, will be better informed.
1. What is the author of the passage primarily concerned with?
A. Arguing in favor of giving more rights to individual broadcasters
B. Describing the pool system of coverage of events
C. Asserting that the first Amendment needs to be amended
D. Describing a problem with media coverage of certain events and suggesting a solution
E. Criticizing the American Presidential election system
2. Which of the following claims does the passage provide some support for?
A. News organizations tend not to cooperate with each other unless they are forced to do so.
B. Most presidential candidates fare poorly in televised debates because they are not good public speakers.
C. Current news coverage of presidential debates limits the information available to the public.
D. Foreign news organizations have generally been uninterested in American presidential debates.
E. The pool system also has its positive points
3. The author of this passage would probably give his greatest support to which of the following actions?
A. A decision to allow more news services to cover presidential debates
B. A decision to allow fewer news services to cover presidential debates
C. A decision to ban presidential debates until more news services are allowed to cover them
D. A decision to ban presidential debates until fewer news services are allowed to cover them
E. A decision to change the first amendment
4. What role does the last paragraph play in the passage?
A. It provides a general conclusion to the passage
B. It suggests a solution to a problem discussed in the passage
C. It provides specific guidelines that need to be followed in future
D. It describes an action that the author opposes
E. It provides support for the main conclusion of the passage A. Arguing in favor of giving more rights to individual broadcastersB. Describing the pool system of coverage of eventsC. Asserting that the first Amendment needs to be amendedD. Describing a problem with media coverage of certain events and suggesting a solutionE. Criticizing the American Presidential election systemA. News organizations tend not to cooperate with each other unless they are forced to do so.B. Most presidential candidates fare poorly in televised debates because they are not good public speakers.C. Current news coverage of presidential debates limits the information available to the public.D. Foreign news organizations have generally been uninterested in American presidential debates.E. The pool system also has its positive pointsA. A decision to allow more news services to cover presidential debatesB. A decision to allow fewer news services to cover presidential debatesC. A decision to ban presidential debates until more news services are allowed to cover themD. A decision to ban presidential debates until fewer news services are allowed to cover themE. A decision to change the first amendmentA. It provides a general conclusion to the passageB. It suggests a solution to a problem discussed in the passageC. It provides specific guidelines that need to be followed in futureD. It describes an action that the author opposesE. It provides support for the main conclusion of the passage
Poisoning from ingestion of poisonous plants or mushrooms, which is common, is particularly frequent or significant in some regions. Notable hotspots for such activity include parts of the tropics where numerous species of poisonous plants are native, and sometimes used for deliberate acts, while in more temperate climates such as Europe and parts of North America poisoning by mushrooms can occur due to accidental misidentification during deliberate wild cultivation. Some types of plant or mushroom poisoning carry a relatively high fatality rate, especially in delayed or late presentation. However, these rates may reflect regional trends because in some Western countries, the case fatality rate for mushroom poisoning remains low. Based on the information in the passage, select the statement describing a circumstance in which it could be most reasonably inferred that an individual could be susceptible to Poisoning by mushrooms and the statement describing a circumstance in which it could be most reasonably inferred that an individual could be susceptible to Poisoning by plants. Make only two selections, one in each column.Poisoning by mushroomsA. A visiting professional eating a delicious soup in Eastern Asia containing several rare and exotic vegetables prepared by an experienced chefB. A hobbyist consuming tree bark he personally identified as having possible hallucinogenic properties while on a self-guided tour of equatorial forestsC. A touring gourmand who is allergic to mushrooms requesting them to be excised from his order of a local Sicilian pizza before eating his mealD. A European using several mushrooms from the wilderness near his home as part of a new salad he prepares for himself and his familyE. An amateur chef visiting North America observes the ritual burning of several fungi including a type of mushroom known to be especially toxicF. An amateur chef visiting North America observes the ritual burning of several fungi including a type of mushroom known to be especially toxic_________________
Re: Television network executive: Some scientists have expressed concern [ #permalink
The executive is responding to scientists concerns about popular TV shows that emphasize paranormal incidents. The scientists argument is that these shows could promote superstition, which could impede the publics scientific understanding.
The executives counter-argument:
Throughout history, dramatists have used supernatural elements (like ghosts and spirits) in their stories.
Despite this, the publics scientific understanding has steadily advanced over time.
Therefore, the concern that paranormal TV shows will impede scientific understanding is baseless.
Flaw in Reasoning:
The television executive is making a critical assumption:
Because scientific understanding has advanced throughout history, despite the use of paranormal elements in dramatizations, paranormal-themed TV shows cannot impede scientific understanding.
This reasoning is flawed because the executive doesnt address the possibility that both phenomena can occur at the same time: scientific progress can advance while still being impeded or slowed down by something like superstition. The mere fact that scientific understanding has advanced doesn't prove that paranormal shows havent slowed it down or had any negative effects.
The executive's error lies in failing to consider that something (like superstition) could impede progress even though progress is still occurring. Just because scientific understanding has advanced despite dramatizations of paranormal phenomena in the past, it doesnt mean these shows havent had some negative impact or won't in the future.
A. It fails to consider that one phenomenon can steadily advance even when it is being impeded by another phenomenon.
This is the correct answer. The executives argument assumes that if scientific understanding has advanced, it must not have been impeded by superstition. However, the fact that scientific understanding has advanced doesnt mean that superstition hasnt slowed it down. Progress can occur despite impediments, and the executives argument ignores this possibility. This perfectly describes the flaw in reasoning. Keep on hold.
B.It takes for granted that if a correlation has been observed between two phenomena, they must be causally connected.
This answer refers to a common flaw in reasoning where someone assumes that correlation implies causation. However, the executive does not make such a claim. There is no discussion of correlation or causality between paranormal shows and scientific understanding in the argument. The executives argument is focused on whether paranormal shows impede scientific understanding, not on a correlation. Eliminate.
C. It fails to consider that the occurrence of one phenomenon can indirectly affect the pervasiveness of another even if the former does not impede the latter.
This choice suggests that the executive overlooks the possibility that paranormal TV shows could influence the pervasiveness of scientific understanding, even if they dont directly impede it. While this is somewhat related to the concern about how paranormal shows might influence the public, the core flaw in the executives reasoning isnt about indirect influence. The flaw is that the executive dismisses the possibility that the shows could impede scientific understanding. Eliminate.
D. It fails to consider that just because one phenomenon is known to affect another, the latter does not also affect the former.
This choice suggests that the executives argument involves some kind of two-way causal relationship between paranormal shows and scientific understanding. However, the argument doesnt imply such a relationship. The executive is not claiming that scientific understanding affects paranormal shows, or vice versa. Eliminate.
E. It takes for granted that the contention that one phenomenon causes another must be baseless if the latter phenomenon has persisted despite steady increases in the pervasiveness of the former.
This option is a bit convoluted. It suggests that the executive believes the scientists concerns are baseless simply because scientific understanding has persisted despite the presence of paranormal shows. While this might seem close, it doesnt quite capture the core flaw, which is that scientific progress can still happen even if it is impeded by superstition or other factors. Eliminate.
Thus, A is the best answer. It directly addresses the flaw in the executives reasoning: the executive fails to consider that scientific progress can still occur even if it is being impeded by something like superstition or paranormal shows. The executive mistakenly believes that the steady advancement of science proves that there is no impediment, which is flawed reasoning.
A Helena man who made threats to commit a Columbine-style shooting at Helena High School and held multiple firearms and homemade bombs was sentenced Thursday to 60 years in the Montana State Prison.
Logan Sea Pallister, 25, claimed to be a changed man in front of Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Christopher Abbott before being sentenced.
The sentencing will run consecutively to the federal sentencing of seven and a half years Pallister received in June, leaving a 22 1/2-year parole restriction.
In May 2022, the Helena Police Department received information that Pallister possessed multiple bombs, had access to firearms and had been making threats of committing an attack at a local high school. He showed a witness the bombs on May 30, 2022. The witness said the bombs looked similar to mini-propane bottles, but all silver and with a fuse about 4-6 inches long, authorities said.
Pallister was arrested on May 31, 2022, at his residence across the street from the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse, where he was sentenced Thursday, where authorities located eight firearms, including three semi-automatic rifles and five handguns.
He told the judge prior to his sentencing Thursday he found God and wanted to pursue a life of spreading the word. He said he realized human life was an invaluable subject.
Abbott said the defendant looked at people as objects rather than people based on evidence provided to the court.
Pallister claimed in his statement he was never going to follow through with a plan to commit the mass shooting at Helena High School because he was not a violent person or a murderer.
Not only did his "sophistication" of the process continue to grow in regard to the threats, but Lewis and Clark County Attorney Kevin Downs noted through the investigation that Pallister had roughly 64 gigabytes worth of sexually explicit photos of young children.
"He had behavior that was significantly disturbing," Downs said.
He added during the state's sentencing recommendation that Pallister should be sentenced to 100 years in the Montana State Prison for felony sexual abuse of children with none of that time suspended, but instead Abbott gave him 100 years with 60 years suspended on both sexual abuse of children counts.
This left 40 years of incarceration for the two concurrently running charges and Abbott gave Pallister 20 years for the felony intimidation involving weapons enhancements charge.
On May 30, 2022, court documents state a minor informed her mother that she believed Pallister was going to commit a mass shooting at Helena High School.
The documents state Pallister sexually harassed her at work.
The girl told police about other encounters with Pallister in court documents where he touched her and about incidents where he would throw knives and yell due to what he claimed to be schizophrenia.
Pallister showed the girl photos of firearms he kept in a duffel bag inside his car, which included an AK-17, Tec-9 and an Uzi. She said in court documents most of the times she saw him he was wearing bullet resistant armor and he told her he wanted to "shoot up" the high school or get on a roof to shoot at a church across the street.
Pallister told the girl he wanted to reenact the 1999 Columbine High School shooting deaths in Colorado in which two students killed 12 other students and a teacher before killing themselves. He planned on waiting by the tiger at Helena High School until the lunch bell rang to shoot students as they left their classes.
Court documents state he would make sure he killed all of them and would find those hiding under tables to say "Peekaboo, time to die."
The girl noted that Pallister also talked about bombs he would make and eventually showed her the bombs.
After the sentencing Thursday, Downs thanked the girl who alerted authorities and commended law enforcement for their actions.
"Within a day of learning of yet another school shooting in the state of Georgia, we commend the young person in our community who spoke up about Mr. Pallisters threats, and we thank the many law enforcement officers who swiftly responded and then thoroughly investigated this case avoiding a potential nightmare for all of us," he said.
Helena Public Schools Superintendent Rex Weltz issued a statement after the sentencing saying that he felt justice was served on behalf of the students, staff and community.
"We're pleased with Judge Abbott's decision to put this dangerous individual behind bars for years to come in conjunction with his federal sentencing," Weltz said. "We remain profoundly grateful to the young person who came forward to bring Pallister to the attention of law enforcement."
He said her actions highlighted the power of strong relationships within the schools and the relationships that make the students feel safe to speak up.
Weltz said the district was thankful for the Helena Police Department and its diligence that led to the arrest of Pallister.
"Law enforcement and our schools can't do it alone," he said. "This is a community problem, a state problem and a national problem and we must work together."
BOZEMAN Kicking off a series of events around the state, the head of Planned Parenthoods national political arm appeared at a fundraiser here with Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester on Thursday night to rally support both for the incumbents high-profile re-election bid and an abortion ballot measure Montanans will weigh in on this November.
Alexis McGill Johnson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, told Bozemanites that re-electing Tester and turning out for Constitutional Initiative 128 was critical.
The path to freedom runs right through Montana. I am here because I know the path to freedom runs right through Jon Tester, McGill Johnson said.
Tester is locked in a re-election battle against Republican newcomer Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL who founded an aerial firefighting company in Belgrade. The race is viewed as pivotal to which party will control the U.S. Senate, as Tester is the lone statewide Democrat and running in state former Republican President Donald Trump won by double digits twice.
Taking the stage, Tester said the 2022 overturning of Roe with the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs decision, which erased the right to access an abortion at the federal level, was the biggest reduction of freedom in my lifetime and yours too.
In Montana abortion is protected by a 1999 state Supreme Court decision known as Armstrong that hinges on the Montana Constitutions privacy provision. But Republicans who dominate the state Legislature and hold the governors office have passed multiple bills to limit access to the procedure. Many of those laws, including a ban on the procedure after 20 weeks, have been overturned by the courts. Still, GOP lawmakers including Gov. Greg Gianforte have asked the states high court to reconsider Armstrong.
CI-128 would codify the right to access a pre-viability abortion. Supporters gathered more than twice the number of required signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot, but Republican Secretary of State Christi Jacobsens office said the signatures of registered but inactive voters did not count. A judge disagreed with that determination and Jacobsen eventually qualified the measure just last month.
If theres one thing that makes you a Montanan, its your love of freedom. You dont want a politician or bureaucrat or judge telling you, especially if youre a woman, what health care decision youre going to make, Tester said.
Tester told the room that elections matter, and then pivoted to his race, noting there were just 61 days before the Nov. 5 election, not that Im counting.
Ive never had a wide margin of victory and it ain't gonna happen this time either, Tester said, adding he expects his race to be called the morning after Election Day. ... Its going to be fine for me as long as I win.
McGill Johnson told the crowd that Testers Republican opponent Sheehy would work to limit access to abortion while the senator would work to ensure protections.
The opposition loves him, the opposition wants him to be in play because they have an agenda to go farther than where we are right now, McGill Johnson said, raising concerns about a national ban on abortions, denying access to in vitro fertilization and contraception and more.
In a statement Thursday night, a Sheehy spokesperson said: "As parents to four beautiful kids, Tim and Carmen are proudly pro-life and believe there should be exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. They believe in helping bring more life into this world and their charitable giving has expanded access to provide critical care to at-risk babies and they also support IVF as a path for Montana families to grow and thrive when they struggle to conceive naturally, like his brother and sister-in-law who battled infertility."
The national GOP platform says that abortion laws should be left to the states and that IVF and access to birth control should be protected. That marked a shift in the party's stance, as polling nationally shows support for abortion access nationwide. Still, Democrats raise concerns that some members of the party have shown support for measures beyond what the platform lays out.
McGill Johnson said Republicans are focused on power and control.
Our vision is to make sure that abortion is not only unquestionable, it is undeniable and that our bodies are ungovernable, McGill Johnson said.
Its expected that CI-128 could excite Democrats to turn out this fall, which would be critical to Testers campaign. Polling released by AARP on Thursday showed that while Tester is trailing Sheehy by 8 points, outside the 4-point margin of error, he is outperforming Sheehy among younger voters, though that group is less reliable to show up to the polls, and the incumbent has Democrats locked down.
Teri Seth, who identifies as in independent voter, said after the rally that both CI-128 and re-electing Tester were important in this election.
Women and families need to be able to make reproductive choices, Seth said.
Seth was supporting Tester because he looks out for Montanans and I believe he looks out for working people. Seth said Tester's ability to work with Republicans was also appealing.
If you dont have people that work across party lines, then you dont have an effective democracy, Seth said.
Seth added that Tester preserving Democrats' control of the Senate was vital when it comes to appointing U.S. Supreme Court justices.
The Supreme Court is really out of balance right now, so its important that Tester gets in so he can help select good judges, Seth said.
Montana State News Bureau reporter Carly Graf contributed to this story.
Legislative Republicans continued to throw barbs at the judicial branch this week from a committee where tense exchanges have become a regular feature.
In the days before the meeting, Senate President Jason Ellsworth, the Republican chair of that committee, struggled to persuade members and staff of the judicial branch to appear before the committee on subpoenas he has issued. Chief Justice Mike McGrath in a memo this week told some staff to disregard the select committees subpoenas for their appearance, writing that Ellsworth's committee "does not carry the full Legislative authority" to issue subpoenas.
In a subsequent letter to a District Court judge, Ellsworth, staking his motives in transparency, raised a citation from 1885 stating the cost of failing to comply with a subpoena was usually a fine, "but might be life and limb."
The Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform formed earlier this year after a series of bills were struck down as unconstitutional spent the day grilling members of the Judicial Standards Commission about recently proposed rule changes. District Court Judge Mike Menahan, who received the letter about the "life and limb" price of ignoring the subpoena, chairs the Judicial Standards Commission and did attend Thursday's hearing, while several staff members, following McGrath's guidance, did not.
During Thursday's hearing, Ellsworth said McGrath's memo was "very troublesome to the people of Montana and certainly to me as the president of the Senate and, I believe, the members of the Senate."
The Judicial Standards Commission is charged by the Montana Constitution to handle complaints against judges and make recommendations to the Supreme Court on discipline if the body does not dismiss the complaint.
The commission largely flew under the radar in Montana politics until the Republican Legislature at last had a GOP governor to sign off on the partys partisan policy ambitions. Repeatedly, bills tightening measures like election security and abortion access have either been stalled or struck down on court challenges alleging they violate the Montana Constitution.
Ellsworth has repeatedly stated partisan politics have nothing to do with the committee's work, although Democrats who he appointed have yet to appear for a hearing, saying Republicans are using political theater to try and undercut the nonpartisan judicial branch.
It turned out the proposed rule changes central to Thursdays hearing simply sought to align the Judicial Standards Commissions rules with a bill lawmakers passed last year affecting those rules.
However, lawmakers zeroed in on the apparent lack of public notice or ability to comment on those rules, invoking open meeting laws and asking their legal staff to review the situation for any violations.
The Supreme Court has in fact set a public hearing on the rules for Tuesday. McGrath has also extended the period to submit public comment, as suggested by Menahan and others.
Still, Menahan was struck by the committees line of questioning. The Montana Constitution states, "The proceedings of the commission are confidential except provided by statute," and no statute requires the rulemaking process at the JSC to be public.
"Weve spent a great deal of time talking about process, very little time talking about the rules and how this effects Montana courts and the peoples expectations that judges conform to, you know, the code of judicial conduct," Menahan told the committee.
Sen. Barry Usher, a Yellowstone County Republican who is vice chair of the committee, spoke about the lawmakers' apprehension.
"I think the process has promulgated some of the distrust on why these rules are coming at such a quick turnaround," Usher told Menahan.
District Court Judge Randall Spaulding, another member of the Judicial Standards Commission, told committee members he would likely support opening the rulemaking process to a more public arrangement.
"I dont think youd get much pushback on those sorts of things," he said.
A legislative audit of the commission published Thursday found no cases of the commission covering for the judiciary but recommended further transparency measures to improve public trust. It also confirmed what members of the commission have long told lawmakers: 96% of complaints against judges are dismissed because they werent sound ethical complaints, but instead disagreed with the judges ruling.
That audit will be discussed next week in the Legislative Audit Committee. McGrath, who is not seeking re-election this year, will testify before the committee on Sept. 11.
Ellsworth also chairs that committee.
In the meantime, Ellsworth directed staff to determine what recourse the committee has when someone does not respond to a subpoena.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) are working to preserve market access for American dairy exports to Colombia following the Colombian governments abrupt July 5 decision to initiate a politically driven subsidies and countervailing measures investigation into milk powder imports form the United States.
The move has little to do with U.S. milk and everything to do with Colombias domestic politics. In an effort to reverse slipping popularity with voters, the Colombian government has decided to misuse trade tools usually reserved for private industry to counter legitimate damage from dumped product sold at below market rates. In contrast to this, Colombias government has instead launched this case on its own, alleging that U.S. milk powder exports from 2020 to 2023 were unduly subsidized by U.S. government programs and damaged Colombian dairy producers. Unfortunately, due to the investigations political nature, the Colombian government could impose tariffs on imported U.S. milk powder products as early as September 16. That would be certain to stifle trade to the market.
NMPF and USDEC have been working with U.S. exporting cooperatives and companies, legal teams, and the U.S. government to submit a strong, data-driven defense proving that this investigation is without merit.
In their counterarguments, NMPF and USDEC note that the investigation is baseless for many reasons, including:
Product comparison: Imported U.S. milk powder and domestically produced Colombian fluid milk are distinct products with different physical characteristics and end uses, making them non-comparable. Subsidy misinterpretation: The Colombian government incorrectly assumes that U.S. dairy producer support directly benefits milk powder manufacturers, which is not the case. Lack of causal link: U.S. milk powder imports havent caused any damage to the Colombian dairy industry. Evidence simply doesnt exist.
Because of the political nature of this investigation, a fair result is not guaranteed, which means that U.S. government intervention may be necessary. NMPF and USDEC are urging U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to use all available tools to respond forcefully should Colombia impose tariffs on U.S. milk powder imports despite the lack of evidence meriting such a result.
Congress is also paying attention. A letter sent by the bipartisan leads of the U.S. House of Representatives Agricultural Trade Caucus to the Colombian Ambassador to the United States highlights the U.S. dairy industrys long-standing commitment to work with its Colombian counterparts and encouraged the two industries to work together to strengthen the dairy sectors in both countries instead of pursuing meritless investigations.
Colombias investigation will play out over months, starting with preliminary results and potential provisional measures as early as September 16, followed by a public hearing and additional comment periods.
At stake is $70 million in annual U.S. milk powder exports to Colombia.
While not a trivial amount by any means, this investigation could also set a dangerous precedent for like-minded governments to imitate. Over the past several years, protectionist sentiments have grown around the world, and Latin America is no exception. The region has become a battleground in the effort to preserve existing trade opportunities, flaring up from Peru and Ecuador to Brazil and Mexico.
While cooperating with the investigation, NMPF and USDEC continue to engage with policymakers and allied organizations to seek a positive conclusion. Regardless of which way this investigation turns out, its important for the United States to respond forcefully and let its trading partners know that such maneuvers will not be tolerated.
To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.
(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2024
September 5, 2024
ACCAN has called on medical authorities to take urgent action to ensure that up to 200,000 medical implant recipients are aware of the health threat posed by the looming 3G network shutdown.
According to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), medical and safety equipment which rely on the 3G network must be upgraded before the shutdown on October 28, and the manufacturers of these devices and their agents must alert consumers to these changes.
To ensure this occurs, the Therapeutic Goods Administration should put in place appropriate requirements, including strong penalties for non-compliance. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency should also alert health professionals to the potential impact on consumers, cautions ACCAN.
ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said the recent delay to the shutdown of the 3G network was to be applauded, but there was growing concern that people were not being warned about the impact on medical devices.
Many people are simply unaware that devices like insulin pumps, heart rate monitors and personal safety alarms may all be impacted by the shutdown of 3G networks by Telstra and Optus. It is a major health risk, Bennett said.
Medical devices are poorly regulated in Australia, they fall far short of pharmaceutical regulation even though they involve implanting equipment into peoples bodies. This has led to some catastrophic failures historically around surgical mesh, breast implants and ASR hip implants.
Bennett also said it was not acceptable for manufacturers to fail to maintain appropriate records or contact patients when there are device failures or at risk of failure.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration should require medical device manufacturers and their agents to take urgent action to alert consumers to these changes and put in place penalties for non-compliance. she said.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) should also alert medical practitioners of the changes so they can ensure they can manage appropriate medical care where medical and safety equipment is being used to manage health conditions.
ACCAN advocated successfully for a delay to the shutdown of Telstra and Optus 3G networks that was due at the end of August. It was concerned about the impact of the shutdown on medical devices but also the number of people that would no longer be able to use the phones to contact 000.
Bennett noted: The interim findings of the Senate Committee which looked into the 3G shutdown, released in August, found that up to 380,000 mobile phones may be unable to make regular calls or reach triple zero emergency services when the nations 3G networks was due to be switched off.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved Optus and TPG Telecom's 11-year network sharing agreement.
In a statement, the ACCC said it will "not oppose the proposed regional mobile network and spectrum sharing agreements between Optus Mobile and TPG Telecom."
The regulatory body said it "considered the effects of the agreements on competition for retail and wholesale mobile services in Australia."
The ACCC found that the agreements are "unlikely to substantially lessen competition."
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," ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.
The agreements are also likely to support Optus regional 5G rollout, particularly through access to TPGs spectrum, Dr Williams added.
Optus and TPG Telecom proposed that the services will start in early 2025 and covers both 4G and 5G.
As reported by Australian media, the deal will cover three agreements. First, Optus will use TPG Telecom's spectrum in defined regional areas in the 700MHz, 1800MHz, 3600MHz, and 3700MHz bands.
Second, Optus will provide TPG with network services by active mobile network infrastructure sharing in certain regional areas.
Third, TPG will decommission most of its sites in the coverage areas or transfer them to Optus.
During the review, TPG and Optus proposed measures to improve mobile services in regional areas. They suggested to provide "open wholesale access to their networks, divest certain spectrum, and make obligations to undertake certain regional investments."
However, these proposals will not be made obligatory on either party.
In the absence of particular competition concerns about the proposed arrangement, these proposals are better considered through other policy and regulatory processes," Williams said.
Both telcos announced in April they have announced an agreement that will "boost the regional mobile network and give customers more choice."
TPG Telecom and Telstra announced a mobile network and spectrum deal but was struck down by the ACCC in December 2022 and was blocked by the Australian Competition Tribunal in June 2023.
So, why did the ACCC favour TPG Telecom and Optus instead of Telstra?
The ACCC reasoned that the "proposed agreements are unlikely to substantially reduce infrastructure competition from TPG."
It noted that the "competition impacts of the agreements are likely to be limited to geographic 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, Dr Williams said.
In an ASX filing, Inaki Berroeta welcomed ACCC's decision.
Our regional network sharing arrangement will deliver better service and coverage to our five and a half million mobile customers who will gain access to around 600,000 square kilometres of new coverage, more than doubling the size of TPG Telecoms national mobile network."
"The expansion of our regional mobile network will drive growth in our customer base in regional and metropolitan areas. It will allow us to win and retain customers in the cities who need reliable mobile service when they travel to the bush and customers in the regional areas looking for a different choice of provider," he said.
Optus interim CEO Michael Venter described the decision as a "great outcome" for regional Australia.
By sharing our infrastructure and technology, Optus and TPG will be able to deliver even more choice and better services for regional customers."
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."
GUEST CASE STUDY: James Cook University (JCU) is unique among Australian universities, woven into the intellectual, economic, and social fabric of local communities and set amid irreplaceable ecosystems and cultures.
To support its global position as a world-class research university, JCU capitalises on existing strengths and expertise and focuses its investment on emerging challenges and opportunities for the region, the Tropics, and beyond.
Its four campuses in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, and Singapore are supported by a network of study centres, clinical schools, and field stations in rural areas of Queensland and the Tropics.
What we needed
JCU had to improve efficiency for its buyers of low-value, high-transactional items such as laboratory consumables including gloves, glasses, and aprons. These items are purchased from suppliers across Australia, and the University has to factor in costs, such as shipping, when evaluating the value for money of a specific order.
Before this point, the University had a rudimentary procurement system in place but no system to streamline the procurement process for high-volume transactional items, and buyers were continually required to request multiple quotes.
The challenge was finding a solution that was both efficient for buyers and supported robust procurement rules. A solution enabling its buyers to make their own purchasing decisions from an online catalogue of approved suppliers would bring both spending under control and eliminate non-compliant purchasing.
In mid-2022, the decision was made to find a procurement solution to help introduce efficiencies, provide visibility about purchasing volume and value, and improve communications and relationships with its key suppliers.
Finding a solution
Due to its dispersed physical footprint across Queensland, JCU required a cloud-based marketplace solution. The solution needed fully managed catalogues and a transaction hub that could be integrated with the Universitys finance system.
After carefully considering the procurement solutions available, JCU selected OneAdvanced Purchasing. This online shopping cart-style solution enables JCU staff to purchase high-volume, low-value goods more efficiently.
The implementation
The implementation of JCUs OneAdvanced Purchasing was completed in September 2023 and the system went live successfully with only minimal teething issues.
The strong relationship built between JCU and OneAdvanced during the implementation has been recognised as an immense benefit for both parties. According to JCU, the OneAdvanced support team is in the optimal time zone by being based in Australia and as a result they have experienced a quick turnaround with any resolutions or issues.
Regarding user training, JCUs strategic procurement manager Lisa James believes the system is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. It requires little to no training, and I often tell new users that if they can do online shopping, they can use OneAdvanced Purchasing easily, James said.
Realising the benefits
The most significant benefit JCU has identified since implementing OneAdvanced Purchasing is the improvement in visibility regarding the amount the university saves, improved efficiencies, and reduction in the administrative overhead of processing quotes, purchase orders, and invoices.
The electronic requisitioning module within OneAdvanced Purchasing means buyers no longer need to request quotes, which can be exceptionally time-consuming. Buyers can also leverage the existing and extensive supplier network to trade electronically and manage spending effectively.
Looking at the cost of implementation versus the savings received, the rate of return of investing in OneAdvanced Purchasing exceeded JCUs expectations.
The savings made after nine months were over $90,000, equating to a cost reduction of 16%.
From September 2023 to June 2024, JCU spent over $500,000 through its OneAdvanced Purchasing catalogue. Over 1,000 requisitions were raised, resulting in over 600 purchase orders placed. Buyers using the platform made more than 1,500 product searches.
Having a purchasing system with pre-approved materials means the University now has much better buying power and can negotiate more favourable deals. The purchasing system also assists with ensuring procurement compliance with JCU policies.
Another key benefit of the purchasing platform for JCU was the extensive range of suppliers and products. There are many more suppliers than they previously used, and its OneAdvanced Purchasing system facilitates communications with these suppliers, significantly improving relationships.
The OneAdvanced Purchasing solution has significantly enhanced our supplier relationship management, specifically with key suppliers like Merck, which supplies us with a range of lab consumables we use for teaching and research initiatives. Before it was introduced, we had not engaged with our suppliers much at all, James said.
OneAdvanced Purchasing encourages everyone to look for value for money because it enables buyers to compare suppliers of the same items they are buying. This ensures JCUs buyers are confident they get the best unit price. Another key benefit is the access to multiple suppliers in one transaction.
We can even factor in the shipping as part of the full cost of purchasing items, James said.
The key benefits of OneAdvanced Purchasing for JCU are:
Ease of use
Demonstrated cost savings
Improved efficiencies
Improved compliance with policies and procedures.
Looking forward
The procurement department wants to increase the system's usage over time. Internal communication and information sharing are required to ensure that all University buyers are supported in using OneAdvanced Purchasing for low-value transactional purchases.
MATTOON Construction of a solar farm with the capacity to power approximately 20,000 Illinois homes per year has begun on 550 acres north of town.
Developers and contractors involved with the Cooks Mills Solar Project gathered on Thursday for a groundbreaking ceremony at this site at 3185 E. County Road 1000N, between Illinois 121 and U.S. 45. Crews working on this project have already set up job site trailers and a gravel parking area for equipment and begun preparing the ground for the installation of solar panels.
"We are going to have roughly 3,000 rows of solar trackers holding up about 230,000 solar panels, rotating daily," said Zack Zoller, vice president of engineering, procurement, and construction for Oakland, California-based Adapture Renewables, Inc. It will develop, own, and operate this solar project.
Orion Bashkiroff, senior project manager with Adapture, said the project that they will build along 1000N will be a 128-megawatt-dc solar site. He added that, "It's a power plant. It's big." The project is scheduled to go into operation in early 2026 and work with Ameren Illinois.
Zoller said Adapture Renewables has more than 35 solar farms in operation, eight in construction and even more in development throughout the country. Zoller, who grew up working on his family's orchard in California, described the Cooks Mills project as a means of farming sunlight to create energy that will be utilized by businesses and homes.
"It's going to provide enough energy for the equivalent of 20,000 Illinois homes over the next 30-40 years, after which time the (solar) farm is going to be removed and the ground is going to be ready for the next farming venture," Zoller said.
The farmland that will host the solar project is owned by farmer Mark Donnell of Mattoon. Zoller thanked Donnel for "taking the chance on this new not corn, not soybeans farming venture." Part of the project's farmland is also owned by the University of Illinois Foundation.
Donnell said he takes pride in much of the land having been in his family for 125 years and adapting to changes in agricultural technology throughout its history. He said his family's farm has been among the first in the area to utilize steel wheel tractors and a round hay baler in past decades and is now an early adapter of the strip-till minimum tillage conservation system.
"I like to think this farm has been on the edge of technology and innovation the entire time," Donnell said, adding that the solar project will continue this trend. "I can't be more proud to see this project get online and get moving."
Lance Cage, executive vice president with the Alberici construction company headquartered in St. Louis, said its mission is to build the "critical structures that improves lives and improves communities."
Their plans to build the Cooks Mills project follow that mission, Cage said. He added that it will have an anticipated $250 million economic impact on the community and employ more than 300 workers during the construction process.
Cage noted that they also plan to partner in the community with the Mattoon School District's LIFT regional high school vocational training center, which offers a green energy education program. He said Alberici wants to work with LIFT to highlight jobs in the skilled trades and to provide educational opportunities to help build the next generation of construction and energy professionals.
"We are happy to be a part and see how projects like this can connect the kids to jobs in the future and trades," said LIFT Director McLain Schaefer, adding that such employment will enable the students to eventually help support their families and communities.
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Macron nominates former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as new PM
Xinhua) 08:40, September 06, 2024
Newly appointed Prime minister Michel Barnier arrives to attend a handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, on Sept. 5, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron has nominated former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as the new prime minister, the Elysee announced on Thursday. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)
PARIS, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron has nominated former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as the new prime minister, the Elysee announced 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.
Born in 1951, Barnier is currently the oldest prime minister in the history of the Fifth Republic. The handover from the youngest Prime Minister Gabriel Attal took place at around 6:30 p.m. local time (1630 GMT).
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Barnier said that as the new prime minister, he intends to address "the challenges, the anger, the suffering, and the sense of abandonment and injustice" that the country is currently experiencing.
He noted that there would be "changes and ruptures" during his time serving as head of government.
Stating that the French people expect a prime minister who speaks honestly about financial debt, ecological debt, and France's influence in Europe, Barnier stressed that he would "act more than talk."
To address France's urgent issues, Barnier said it would require "a lot of listening and respect towards all the political forces in the government." "Because I have learned that good ideas come from everywhere, and elsewhere," he added.
According to the 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 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 the RN has given a form of "approval" for Barnier's nomination.
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.
Once his government is formed, Barnier will need to outline his overall policy plan detailing what he intends to do as prime minister.
His general policy will determine whether the far-right party RN, led by Jordan Bardella, will initiate a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly against Barnier, like the left-wing parties' alliance NFP has announced to do.
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.
Newly appointed Prime minister Michel Barnier (R, Front) attends a handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, on Sept. 5, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron has nominated former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as the new prime minister, the Elysee announced on Thursday. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)
Newly appointed Prime minister Michel Barnier (R, Front) attends a handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, on Sept. 5, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron has nominated former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as the new prime minister, the Elysee announced on Thursday. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)
Newly appointed Prime minister Michel Barnier (R, Front) attends a handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, on Sept. 5, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron has nominated former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as the new prime minister, the Elysee announced on Thursday. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)
Newly appointed Prime minister Michel Barnier speaks at a handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, on Sept. 5, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron has nominated former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as the new prime minister, the Elysee announced on Thursday. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)
Newly appointed Prime minister Michel Barnier (R) prepares to attend a handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, on Sept. 5, 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron has nominated former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as the new prime minister, the Elysee announced on Thursday. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Xinhua)
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A 24-year-old Lincoln man was sentenced to prison time Thursday after pleading guilty to attempted first-degree assault of a then 1-month-old child.
Lancaster County District Court Judge Andrew Jacobsen sentenced Dillon Tripple to 10 to 14 years in prison.
In December, Tripple took his 4-week-old son to Bryan East Campus, where the child was found to have facial injuries and a possible brain bleed, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Lincoln police officers were sent to the hospital after the alleged child abuse was reported by hospital staff.
Tripple told officers the injuries were caused by him tripping on his dog while holding the baby. According to the affidavit, the child was later transported to the Children's Nebraska hospital in Omaha for additional medical attention.
Staff at Children's discovered water in the baby's lungs, genital bruising and at least 22 fractures at different stages of recovery.
A child abuse expert told police that the baby's injuries were not consistent with the reason Tripple provided.
Tripple was arrested the same week the child abuse was reported at his residence near 56th Street and Deweese Drive.
The Lancaster County Attorney's Office initially charged Tripple with first-degree assault and intentionally committing child abuse leading to injury.
In July, Tripple was offered a plea deal amending the charges to attempted first-degree assault. He pleaded guilty to the charge.
At the sentencing hearing, Tripple's attorney, David Tarrell, commented about his client's past.
"He's been through adoption and abandonment issues," Tarrell said, mentioning that Tripple's mother lost her parental rights to him at a young age because of substance abuse issues.
Tarrell said that all the pain caused Tripple to inflict untold pain on a child.
"I know I made a lot of mistakes and I'm going to spend most of my life making up for it," Tripple said during his comments.
Deputy County Attorney James Rocke kept his words short during the prosecution's comments.
"He abused his son for his entire life," Rocke said.
The child is now in the custody of his mother and has since recovered.
Top Journal Star photos for September 2024
Image: Peretz Partensky/Flickr/ CC BY-SA 2.0
The CDC, FBI, and legacy media are conspiring to "debunk" the truth
that armed, law-abiding citizens prevent crime and stop mass shootings.
For years, gun control activists have sought to "debunk" the so called "good guy with a gun myth" in an effort to pass more stringent controls on one of our nation's most cherished liberties. In support of this agenda, the federal government in conjunction with legacy media has sought to suppress the abundant evidence in support of the truth that armed, law-abiding citizens are one of the most effective deterrents against public mass casualty attacks.
For instance, in 2022, 22-year-old Elisjsha Dicken stopped a mass public shooting using his legally carried concealed handgun. The story became an unusual instance in which the national media covered this heroic action. But an Associated Press headline claimed: "Rare in US for an active shooter to be stopped by bystander." Meanwhile, a Washington Post headline declared: "Rampage in Indiana a rare instance of armed civilian ending mass shooting."
That same year, Time Magazine published an article politicizing the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, arguing that local law enforcement's controversial response proves that "good guys with guns keep failing to stop mass shootings."
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) under the Biden Administration has sought to suppress data proving that armed citizens help prevent crime by removing its estimates of defensive gun uses from its website. .....
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Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
(Grace Stables)
Grace Stables Korea will be hosting an event Sept. 28 at Grace Stables, and were looking for volunteers. Part of our mission is to offer Equine therapy for service members with PTSD and mental health issues. The purpose, direction and motivation is to ultimately take care of our service members and their long-term holistic health.
Who: Personnel who want to volunteer short term and long term for the upcoming event with horses.
What: Orphanage event with volunteers and service members trying to obtain volunteer hours
When: Sept. 28
Where: Grace Stables, Chungmoo riding club (naver or waze can be provided)
Why: Improve community relations, while providing soldiers with volunteer opportunities for the local community. While giving the Army a good image in the host nation.
Our horses (Grace Stables)
How to contact us:
About Grace Stables
Grace Stables Korea is South Koreas largest equestrian organization for expats, as well as an organization that offers weekly outreach events for communities and people in need. First started and organized by Pastor Sarah Shechner in 2013, Grace Stables is one of South Koreas first outreach organizations offering horse riding and horse activities related to EAA/T (Equine Assisted Activities (based) Therapy).
Grace Stables is currently an outreach branch of Morning Calm Ministries, a registered missions church in Pyeongtaek City. We realize the desperate need for healing and joy in todays society, and therefore we aim to assist in making positive changes in the lives we reach. We contribute assistance with healing, educating, integrating, enriching, and overall supporting a better future for Koreas community, as well as the large Expat community. Grace Stables represents honest and true concern for the well-being and value of both human life and animal life.
Grace Stables also understands the importance of offering outlets for the Expat community. We offer lessons through our Korean team, an Expat Jumping/Dressage team, participation in FEI competitions, trail rides, opportunities to volunteer, as well as events and group activities, from earning badges for Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts groups, to having fun birthday parties and small club outings.
HEALING
Healing is at the heart of what we do at Grace Stables Korea. Healing is gift for all involved: there are many helpful ways our hoofed friends can help, and many ways that we can help them.
Focusing on the horse helps people to clear their minds, as they have to put their problems and worries behind them and fully concentrate on their interaction with the animal. Seeing the trainer work and explain how to communicate with the horse can give people, especially those who have suffered through difficult and traumatic times, a sense of trust and respect, and also leads to rebuilding their trust towards others in general. Horseback riding gives the rider confidence, as well as a beautiful experience of looking out over the world, and keeping their problems beneath them.
I encourage my clients and riders to try and form their own special relationship with their horse. When these relationships are cultivated, healing of many forms is evident. Sarah explains.
This charitable work has also shown many beneficial results. Sometimes the impact of the interaction with horses is amazing to everyone, like for one of the Korean orphans that has attended Grace Stables. The child changed his attitude towards school and other everyday challenges and started putting much more effort into succeeding, so he could attend the equestrian school.
Also, our therapy activities help the traumatized to speak about what they experienced. They find a safe and supportive environment to help release, work through, and leave their trauma behind them. They become renewed body, mind and spirit.
Our volunteers also receive healing by their giving. Knowing they are bringing joy to others brings much joy to themselves. Volunteers are always eager to return, as the synergy of all the people coming together to help each other and celebrate life are moments to be cherished.
Finally, the relationship of human to horse is an extraordinary bond. Horses depend solely on humans for quality of life. When horses are neglected and abused, this bond breaks with terrible consequences for both the physical and emotional parts of the horse. Grace Stables Korea has a team of terrific volunteers that work with rescue horses to get them healthy again: spirit, mind and body.
Together it creates perfect circle of healing!
HUMANS
Grace Stables reaches out to South Koreas those in need community. This includes, but is not restricted to: under-privileged or low-income children/teens, orphans, children/women/victims of any abuse, high-risk adolescence (or juvenile delinquents), all students, physically/ mentally/ emotionally disabled, and refugees.
We offer fun riding and non-riding activities with horses, or even without horses (i.e. horseshoe painting decorating, English Horse Prep Classes, stretching classes, agriculture, games, etc.). We work with both children and adult groups. We have even started a Family Day for our local community to just come out and enjoy fellowship, BBQ, and simple riding.
Since January 2014, we have been offering riding lessons and therapy to Korean orphans along with our partners such as various clinical counselors and psychologists.
In 2015, we extended our services, under the direction of our founder Pastor Sarah Shechner, to the mentally and physically disabled boys at Hae-Don-Sol Center in Yongin-si. The assigned occupational therapist Dr. Son and Pastor Shechner witnessed great results and improvements in this short time.
In 2017, we joined forces with Life Together Korea. They enable children from welfare homes to establish themselves as thriving individuals in a challenging environment.
Pastor Shechner also works privately with clients who suffer from physical disabilities, diseases, Autism and severe ADHD patients, and other emotional or mental disabilities, such as PTSD and depression.
Here at Grace Stables Korea we aim to cultivate a relationship between the rider and the horse, between the volunteers and the community and we can only achieve that with your help. We want to create an environment where our animals receive love and support, but where our humans feel equally catered for. It is our biggest hope that our volunteers and clients leave our programs with a lighter heart and satisfied soul.
Why not see what we do and join our cause? We can only achieve our goals when you help us. Get involved! Make a donation, whether its time, money, or supplies. Come and see the great joy and positive changes in horses and humans lives!
Japan is a nation so hardworking that the Japanese language has a term for working oneself to death. Now, the government is trying to deal with a labor shortage.
One solution is to get more people and companies to accept four-day workweeks. The Japanese government first supported a shorter working week in 2021. Few companies have signed on, however. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said only about eight percent of companies permit three days off a week, while seven percent give their workers the required one day off.
Hoping to get small and medium-sized businesses to change, the government started a "work style reform" campaign. It pushes shorter hours and other flexible plans for work along with paid time off and limits on overtime. The labor ministry recently started offering free services and resources to help companies make the change.
'Innovating how we work'
A ministry website explains the "hatarakikata kaikaku" campaign, which means "innovating how we work." It says that when workers can choose how they work, they will have a better outlook on the future and the economy will grow.
The department handling the new support services for businesses says only about three companies have asked for their advice.
Such changes will not come easily in the Japanese culture, where being a workaholic, or frequently working overtime, has long been highly valued. That is credited for the countrys national recovery and fast economic growth after World War II.
There is great pressure to be the same as the others in ones work group. People usually take vacations at the same time of year as their co-workers. Although the law and labor agreements limit overtime, some work longer hours without pay.
Death from overwork
A recent government report dealt with "karoshi." That is the Japanese term meaning "death from overwork. The report said Japan has at least 54 such deaths a year, including from heart attacks.
Tim Craig wrote a book called Cool Japan: Case Studies from Japan's Cultural and Creative Industries.
"Work is a big deal here. It's not just a way to make money, although it is that, too," said Craig.
Some officials think it is time to change that way of thinking to save the workforce. Japan's birth rate continues to fall, and the work culture is said to be one reason for that. Government reports expect that, at the current rate, the working age population will drop by 40 percent to 45 million by 2065.
Supporters of the three-days-off model say it helps people remain in the workforce longer. It would give them more time to raise children and care for older relatives. For retirees living on retirement pensions, it would provide additional income.
More time for family
Akiko Yokohama works at Spelldata, a technology company that lets employees work a four-day work week. She takes Wednesdays off along with Saturdays and Sundays. The extra day off allows her to get her hair done, go to other appointments or go shopping.
Her husband works in real estate. He also gets Wednesdays off but works weekends, which is common in his industry. Yokohama said that it lets her and her husband go on midweek family outings with their elementary-school age child.
But there are signs of change. A few companies, including Uniqlo, Ricoh and Hitachi have begun offering a four-day workweek.
A recent Gallup public opinion study measured employee engagement. Gallup said Japan has among the least engaged workers of all nationalities it has studied. Only six percent of the Japanese who answered described themselves as engaged at work compared to the worldwide average of 23 percent.
That means relatively few Japanese workers felt happy and highly involved in their workplace. Most were putting in their hours without investing passion or energy.
Kanako Ogino is president of Tokyo-based NS Group. She thinks offering flexible hours is needed for filling jobs in the service industry, where women are most of the work force. The company offers 30 different scheduling patterns, including a four-day workweek, but also taking long periods off in between work.
To ensure none of the NS Group's workers feel out of place for choosing a different schedule, Ogino asks each of her 4,000 employees twice a year how they want to work. Voicing your own needs is disapproved in Japan, where you are expected to sacrifice for the common good.
"The view in Japan was: You are cool the more hours you work, putting in free overtime," Ogino said with a laugh. "But there is no dream in such a life."
Im Jill Robbins. And I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.
Yuri Kageyama reported this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English.
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Words in This Story
flexible adj. easily changed
overtime n. time spent working at your job that is in addition to your normal working hours
innovate v. to do something in a new way
appointment n. an activity that you need to go to at a certain time such as a visit to a doctor or dentist
engagement n. the act or state of being involved with something
passion n. a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something
schedule v. to plan (something) at a certain time
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We present the fourth of five parts of the short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," by Edgar Allen Poe. The story was originally adapted and recorded by VOA Learning English.
Murder had come to the old house on the street called Rue Morgue! Murder had come and gone and left behind the dead bodies of an old woman and her daughter.
It was a perplexing crime scene. The damage to the daughters body suggested a killer of superhuman strength. The knife that had killed the old woman, almost separating head from body, was in the room. But the old womans body was outside, behind the house. The door and windows to the house all firmly closed, locked on the inside. Voices had been heard. One voice was speaking in French; the other voice had not spoken even one word that anyone could understand. And yet, there was no one in the room when police arrived moments after the attack.
My friend Dupin was now explaining to me what he had learned when we visited the scene of the crime.
I knew that what seemed impossible must be proved possible. The killer, and I believe there was just one, escaped through one of these windows. After the murderer had left he could have closed the window from the outside; but he could not have fastened the nail. Yet anyone could see the nails which held the windows tightly closed. This was the fact that stopped the police. How could the murderer put the nail back in its place?
Thats the problem, Dupin! Perhaps perhaps if you pulled out the nail
Yes! That is just what I thought. Two things seemed clear: first, there had to be something wrong with the idea that the nails were holding the windows closed. Second, if it was not the nails which were holding the windows closed, then something else was holding them closed, something hard to see, something hidden. So, I checked the first window again. I removed the nail. Then I again tried to raise the window. It was still firmly closed. There had to be a hidden lock, I thought, inside the window. I searched the window frame. Indeed, I found a button which, when I pressed it, opened an inner lock. I raised the window with ease.
Now I knew that the killer could close the window from outside and the window would lock itself. But there was still the nail. So, I returned the nail, pressed the button and again tried to raise the window. The nail held the window closed!
Thenthe window could not have been the means of escape!
That window, no. The killer did not escape through it. But I went again to the other window. The nail there looked the same as the one I had just seen. I moved the bed so that I could look closely. Yes. There was a button here, too. I was so sure I was right that without touching the nail I pressed the button and tried to raise the window. And guess what happened?
I knew the answer but I let Dupin have the satisfaction of reporting. The window went up, he told me.
As the window went up, it carried with it the top part of the nail, the head. When I closed the window, the head of the nail was again in its place. It looked just as it had looked before. The nail was broken but looked whole. And, what is impossible is proved otherwise.
So the murderer went out that window. Did he arrive in the room by that path as well?"
Dupin answered, although it seemed he was speaking more to himself than me.
It was a hot summer night. Would the victim have opened the window to get some fresh night air? Most likely.
So, the killer found it open and entered, I said. Dupin nodded.
And, as he came, the window locked when it closed. The lock held the window closed not the nail, as it appeared to investigators. Again that which seemed impossible was actually possible.
Dupins eyes were shining with the satisfaction discovery brings. He was analyzing evidence and his unusual reasoning ability had found a great purpose. I suddenly understood:This is why going to the house on the Rue Morgue seemed pleasing to Dupin. The use of his sharp mental abilities made him happy.
And, I had more work to provide that great brain.
Dupin the windows are on the fourth floor, far above the ground. Even an open window
Dupin shook his head up and down slowly.
Yesyes. That is an interesting question: how did the murderer go from the window down to the ground and vice-versa? But I had looked around carefully outside you recall. And I knew a way. And the answer to this question told me still more about the identity of the killer. Do you remember, friend, the lightning rod attached to the house?
I paused. Yyyyes. A metal pole, and quite narrow. It protects the building from lightning strikes. But it is so tall and thin.
True. It would take great strength and agility to get up the pole. Some kinds of animals might climb it easily, yes? But surely not every man could. In fact, maybe very few men. Those of very special strength and special training.
This helped create a better picture of the murderer. But still not sharp enough to recognize. I still had the question: who?
We know the killer climbed the pole, entered the room through the window, murdered and destroyed all order in the room. He managed to push one body up the chimney. He threw the other, almost headless, out the window. Then he left the way he came. We can answer the how of the crime. But who? Such unspeakable viciousnesswhat human could do this to another?
Dupin continued, trancelike again, seeming to speak to himself as much as to me.
Perhaps we can come closer to answering the question of who by exploring the question of why.
But Dupin, the police said the motive must have been robbery.
But my friend, what was taken? The police said they could not answer the question. They said they did not know what the women had. Maybe clothes and jewelry, the investigators proposed. But neighbors described the women as nearly hermits, rarely if ever, leaving the house. Of what use would fine clothes and costly jewelry be to them?
Dupins eyes were glistening, his brows pointing sharply down, as he circled me, thinking aloud.
But, what is more telling than what the killer might have taken is what he left behindconveniently in bags in the center of the room
Of course, the money. You are right, Dupin. It makes no sense. All the money delivered from the bank to the old woman. Right there on the floor. Why would the attacker have passed on the riches? A thief certainly would not.
So, I want you to forget the investigators claim that the killer acted out of a desire for money. They thought this only because they knew the money had arrived just three days before the killings. But that was just chance. If gold was the reason for the murders, the killer must have been quite a fool to forget and leave it there.
No. I think that there was no reason for these killingsexcept, perhaps, fear. The wild nature of the attack leads me to a motive of fear.
Hmm, an interesting theory, Dupin. Fear can bring out the crazed beast in a person
In any living thing. Now let us look at the murders themselves. A girl is killed by powerful hands around her neck, then the body is placed in the opening over the fireplace, head down. Unusual, even by the standards of the most terrible criminals. Think, also, of the great strength needed to put the body where it was found. It took several men to pull it out! Also the hair pulled from the head of the old woman. You saw it on the floor yourself, and you saw the blood and skin still attached. It takes great force to pull out even twenty or thirty hairs at a time. But this was hair AND scalp! And there was no reason to almost take off the womans head just to kill her.
It is extremely odd, I agree. Especially since there is no evidence that the killer knew the victims. No one could hate a stranger enough to carry out such torture.
Dupins eyes narrowed.
Exactly.
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For Teachers
Download activities to help you understand this story here.
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Quiz
Quiz: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, Part Four Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz
Now it's your turn to use the words in this story. What kinds questions do you ask yourself and others when trying to solve difficult problem? What are things you think of that no one else usually does? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page.
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Words in This Story
superhuman adj. greater than normal human power, size or ability
button n. a small, usually round piece of plastic, glass, metal, etc., that is sewn to a piece of clothing and used for fastening one part of the clothing to another part
lightning rod n. a metal pole often attached to homes or buildings used for attracting lightning
pole n. a long, straight piece of wood, metal or some other material, that is often placed in the ground so that it stands straight up
trancelike adj. to be (or seem to be) in a state where you are not aware of what is happening around you because you are thinking of something else
hermit(s) n. a person who lives in a simple way apart from others especially for religious reasons
glistening gerund. shining with light, as if reflected off a wet surface
brow(s) n. the line of hair that grows over your eye
thief n. a person who steals something
scalp n. the skin on the top of your head where hair grows
Increasing amounts of ice have been melting on the continent of Antarctica over the past ten years. Now, scientists are wondering if the increase in melting is temporary or if it will continueand perhaps melt even fasterfor years into the future.
Nearly 1,500 experts who study Antarctica gathered in southern Chile last week to share results of their research. They discussed the extreme weather events that struck parts of the continent this year: heavy rainfall, unusually warm temperatures, and strong dry winds.
The researchers say these events added to recent increases in melting. However, detailed weather data for Antarctica dates back only about 40 years. That is one reason climate scientists are unsure if the current melting is temporary or the beginning of a longer trend.
NASA estimates show a possible 58-meter rise in the average worldwide sea level if all Antarctic ice melted. Studies have shown that about a third of the world's population lives below 100 vertical meters of sea level.
Liz Keller is a paleoclimate specialist from the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. She says scientists have never before seen Antarctic ice melting so quickly. She also spoke about the increasing amounts of carbon dioxide gas, CO2, in the earths atmosphere.
You might see the same rise in CO2 over thousands of years, and now it's happened in 100 years," Keller said. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere.
Mike Weber is a paleooceanographer from the University of Bonn in Germany. He studies the movements of Antarctic ice over thousands of years. He said records dating back 21,000 years show at least eight times when the ice melted quickly. He added that the data show the periods of ice loss sometimes lasted for hundreds of years. This led to much higher sea levels around the world.
Weber said scientists want to know if the melting seen during the last ten years has started a melting trend that will last for centuries.
"Maybe we're entering such a phase right now," he said. "If we are, at least for now, there will be no stopping it."
Some of the scientists in Chile agreed that the most harmful rise in sea level can still be avoided if fossil fuel emissions decrease. Weber noted that when glaciers melt, the earths land can rise because there is less weight pushing it down. Recent research suggests that if the melting does not happen too quickly, the rising land could nearly equal the rise in sea level. But if the melting happens too quickly, the rise in land could not meet the increase in sea level.
"If we keep emissions low, we can stop this eventually," said Weber. "If we keep them high, we have a runaway situation and we cannot do anything."
Mathieu Casado is a paleoclimate and polar meteorologist at France's Climate and Environment Sciences Laboratory. He has examined ice from all over Antarctica to estimate temperatures dating back 800,000 years.
Casado said that the last time the Earth was this warm was 125,000 years ago and that sea levels then were 6 to 9 meters higher. He and other scientists said the speed and amount at which carbon is entering the atmosphere has never been so high.
Gino Casassa is a glaciologist and head of the Chilean Antarctic Institute. He said that current estimates show sea levels rising by 4 meters by 2100 and more if emissions continue to grow.
"What happens in Antarctica doesn't stay in Antarctica," said Casassa, adding that global atmospheric, ocean and weather systems are linked to the continent.
Im Andrew Smith.
Alexander Villegas reported this story for Reuters news agency. Andrew Smith adapted it for VOA Learning English.
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Words in This Story
trend -n. a tendency or development continuing over a period of time
phase -n. a particular stage or period of time in a process
emissions -n. gases released into the atmosphere
One of the most popular foods in South Korea is kimchi. It is a kind of fermented cabbage or other vegetables. Now farmers, manufacturers and scientists say climate change is affecting the quality and quantity of the napa cabbage used to make the dish.
Cabbage grows best in cooler climates. Growers usually plant it in mountainous areas where temperatures during the summer growing season used to stay mostly below 25 degrees Celsius.
Studies show that warmer weather tied to climate change is now threatening these crops. There may even come a time when it will be too hot for South Korea to be able to grow napa cabbage.
Lee Young-gyu studies diseases that attack plants. He said the best temperatures for cabbage are between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius.
In the fields and in kitchens - both in factories and homes - farmers and kimchi makers are already feeling the change.
Spicy, fermented kimchi is made from other vegetables such as radish, cucumber, and green onion, but the most popular form is still mostly cabbage.
The Agriculture Ministry calls Lee Ha-yeon a Kimchi Master because of her knowledge of kimchi. She said that in higher temperatures, the heart of the cabbage goes bad, and the root softens.
"If this continues, then in the summertime we might have to give up cabbage kimchi," said Lee.
Shrinking crop area
The government statistics agency reports the area of highland cabbage farmed last year was about 4,000 hectares. That is less than half of what it was 20 years ago.
The Rural Development Administration, a state farming organization, predicts that the farmed area for napa cabbage will shrink in the next 25 years to just 44 hectares. They expect there will be no cabbage grown in the highlands by 2090.
Researchers point to three reasons for such a small area of crops. They include higher temperatures, unpredictable heavy rains and unwanted insects and diseases that become more difficult to control in the warmer and longer summers.
South Korea's kimchi industry is already fighting lower-priced imports from China, which are mostly served in restaurants. Those imports rose by almost seven percent for the year through the end of July. That is the highest level ever.
New cabbage varieties
The government is trying to prevent high prices and shortages by storing large amounts of cabbage. Scientists are also racing to develop crop varieties that can grow in warmer climates, handle changes in rainfall and resist fungal infections.
Seventy-one-year-old Kim Si-gap is a farmer who has worked in the cabbage fields of the eastern region of Gangneung all his life. Kim fears these varieties will be more costly to grow. And they might not taste the same.
"When we see the reports that there will come a time in Korea when we can no longer grow cabbage, it was shocking on the one hand and also sad at the same time," Kim said.
"Kimchi is something we cannot not have on the table. What are we going to do if this happens?"
Im Jill Robbins.
Sebin Choi, Hyun Young Yi, Daewoung Kim and Jihyun Jeon reported this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English.
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Words in This Story
ferment v. to go through a chemical change that results in the production of alcohol
kitchen n. a room where cooking is done
spicy - of food: flavored with or containing strong spices and especially ones that cause a burning feeling in your mouth
statistic n. number that represents a piece of information (such as information about how often something is done, how common something is, or the like)
variety n. a particular kind of person or thing
fungal adj. related to fungus, a form of life that is neither plant nor animal such as mushrooms
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Macaus police force has intensified efforts against an online investment fraud group, leading to the arrest of 28 suspects since the start of 2024. The latest arrests occurred on September 4, when five local individuals, believed to play key roles in the fraudulent network, were apprehended.
Authorities reported yesterday in a press conference that the five suspects are linked to a scheme that defrauded victims of over RMB27 million. Investigations revealed that at least 30 individuals were scammed, with losses ranging from RMB20,000 to 8.7million each. Despite the arrests, police caution that additional suspects may still be at large and urge potential victims to come forward.
Victims reported being lured into an investment group by individuals posing as investment assistants on WhatsApp. Initially, they received enticing returns on their investments, which led them to trust the operation. However, as they attempted to withdraw their principal, they were unable to do so, raising suspicions of fraud.
Police uncovered a sophisticated structure within the criminal organization, with roles clearly defined among members. Some were responsible for recruiting new victims and managing fraudulent transactions, while others facilitated the movement of illicit funds. Notably, one suspect who had fled to mainland China was apprehended and returned to Macau for prosecution.
The PJ said it is committed to tackling these scams, emphasizing the importance of public vigilance. Anyone who suspects they may have been targeted is encouraged to report their experience immediately. Nadia Shaw
A 33-year-old Vietnamese man was arrested in the Central District for administering unauthorized medical and aesthetic injections from a residential unit, the Judiciary Police (PJ) announced yesterday.
Authorities acted on a report from a woman who claimed she had been sexually harassed by the suspect, leading to the discovery of the illicit activities.
The man had taken basic medical courses in Vietnam, but lacked professional qualifications and was not legally permitted to be carrying out these activities.
The suspect reportedly purchased the injections online for over MOP100 each and smuggled them from Vietnam to Macau.
Police seized more than 200 unused syringes and approximately 84 doses of whitening (glutathione) and hydrating injections, 15 of which had been opened.
Witnesses testified that he charged clients MOP300 per dose and had injected around 10 non-residents, using unregistered products.
The suspect has been transferred to the prosecutors office, facing charges of trespassing and unauthorized medical practice.
Authorities continue to investigate the case as they urge the public to seek treatments only from licensed professionals to ensure safety and compliance with health regulations.NS
The Wisconsin Book Festival has 69 authors scheduled to present during its Fall Celebration.
The free festival presents standalone events throughout the year and puts on a four-day event each fall. The 23rd annual Fall Celebration will be Oct. 1720.
One of the standout authors is Barbara McQuade, a University of Michigan law professor and legal analyst, who was U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan starting in 2010. As part of former President Donald Trumps 2017 dismissal of U.S. attorneys, she stepped down in March 2017.
During her festival appearance, she will talk with Madison author David Maraniss about her book Attack From Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America.
In a year with so much political and legal tension, law enforcement is seeing a disturbing trend: targeting public officials with swatting, or false emergency calls intended to draw a heavily armed police response, McQuade wrote in a New York Times opinion piece in January.
This conduct isnt a harmless prank; its a symptom of a deeper disorder in American politics. Recent incidents involving officials who have taken stands seen as hostile to Donald Trump and bomb threats in multiple state capitols are signs of a troubling escalation in political violence, she wrote.
The festival attracts audiences from near and far, said Jane Rotonda, 36, who took over as festival director in February 2023.
About 40 states were represented last year, said Rotonda, a UW-Madison journalism school graduate who formerly worked as an executive producer at Wisconsin Public Radio.
I think the festival has a reputation. I think it has a following in the country, she said. I interact with other festivals around the country, and we all share each others programming and try to promote each other.
Last year, Rotonda said she was inspired by a woman who drove every day from Green Bay for the four-day celebration.
She was just so excited to talk with these authors, to get to these events, to learn, to talk with other festivalgoers and ask questions and be introduced to new ideas, Rotonda said.
Here are 10 highlights Rotonda picked out from this years celebration in chronological order:
Scientist and public science communicator Leah Elson
for her debut work, There are No Stupid Questions ... In Science, 7 p.m. Oct. 17.
Award-winning and New York Times best-selling author Nicola Yoon
for One of Our Kind, 6 p.m. Oct. 18.
American journalist Paola Ramos
for Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Right and What It Means for America, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18.
Award-winning poet
Danez Smith
for Bluff, 9 p.m. Oct. 18.
Gastropod podcast co-host, journalist, and author
Nicola Twilley
for Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 19.
Barbara McQuade
, author of Attack From Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America, 3 p.m. Oct. 19.
Five-time novelist Rufi Thorpe
for Margos Got Money Troubles, 6 p.m. Oct. 19.
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction winner
Joseph ONeill
for Godwin, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19.
Acclaimed globetrotting photographer
George Steinmetz
for Feed the Planet: A Photographic Journey to the Worlds Food, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19.
New York Times best-selling author
Lev Grossman
for The Bright Sword, 1:30 p.m. Oct. 20.
The above events will be held at Central Library with the exception of the Steinmetz talk, which will be at Arts + Literature Laboratory, 111 S. Livingston St.
Engaged readers
In April, the festival hosted Amor Towles, who discussed his New York Times bestselling short story collection Table for Two. The event attracted the largest audience in the festivals 23-year history. About 1,400 people nearly filled the Orpheum Theater, Rotonda said.
Festival organizers planned the Towles event outside of the Madison Central Library, where most of the talks take place, because there was such great demand, she said.
Towles, who does a lot of touring to support his books, wrote to Rotonda afterwards to tell her how incredible his Madison appearance was.
Its not often that I get those emails, and its really wonderful when I do, after we host authors and they say how special and unique our literary community is and how engaged they are, Rotonda said. And the fact that 1,400 people in Madison came out for one event and one evening even he saw that as being amazing.
Rotonda pointed out that Towles visits big venues and big cities and his feedback speaks to the heart and soul of our book-loving community that we have.
Free books
The book being discussed will be given for free to attendees at select events, courtesy of the Wisconsin Book Festival and the philanthropists who support it.
The events above that include books are with Yoon, Smith, Twilley and McQuade.
In 2023, 4,700 books were given away by the festival through a gift from the Cheryl Rosen Weston Estate and American Girl Fund for Children. Rosen Westons estate provided the free books at select events for five years, and now the giveaways are part of the festivals budget, Rotonda said.
The festivals signature sponsor is the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation, and that helps keep the free book gifts alive, Rotonda said.
It means the world, honestly, to people, she said. The way people receive those books is just, its pure joy. Its just pure gratitude. And, honestly, if you want to have a moment where you just smile and feel like the essence of community, stand and help me give away free books at a book festival event, and you will truly have those feelings.
One person has been taken into custody after external threats against Unity Point Health-Meriter Hospital that prompted the facility to go into lockdown Friday, a Meriter spokesperson said.
Unity Point Health-Meriter Hospital was on a precautionary lockdown, the hospital said at midday Friday.
The safety of our patients, visitors and community is always a top priority for our organization, Meriter spokesperson Nicole Aimone said in a statement sent to the Wisconsin State Journal.
We would like to express our gratitude to our hospitals staff and security team, City of Madison Police Department and other local authorities for their work in keeping our hospital and community safe. We also want to thank the rest of the local healthcare community who partnered and supported us during the security event.
As of 2:05 p.m., the hospital had resumed operations as normal.
Earlier in the day, the hospital was placed in lockdown out of an abundance of caution, Aimone told reporters, adding that hospital officials were working with authorities regarding an external threat by an outside caller.
Aimone said the building had been locked down externally and confirmed patients were being screened and admitted through security for appointments and procedures.
Meriters security team and Madison police were on the perimeter of the Meriter campus, Aimone said, adding, We are confident that the hospital is secure.
Madison police spokesperson Korrie Rondorf said in a statement, We are currently investigating a threats incident at Meriter Hospital and working with a number of law enforcement partners.
No further details were released.
State Journal reporter Anna Hansen contributed to this report.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes is calling for the Madison School Board to bring school resource officers back.
Wednesdays shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, was a tragic reminder of the harsh reality that we live in a world where school shootings have become all too common, Barnes wrote in a statement Thursday.
Law enforcement in Georgia say a 14-year-old opened fire, killing two students and two teachers at the school about an hours drive from Atlanta. 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.
Two school resource officers encountered the shooter within minutes after a report of shots fired went out, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said. The suspect, a student at the school, immediately surrendered and was taken into custody. He is being charged as an adult with murder. Authorities said the weapon was an assault-style rifle.
Barnes became chief of police in Madison in 2021, after the school district had voted unanimously to eliminate school resource officers, citing concerns about the school to prison pipeline among other things. A former teacher and school resource officer himself, Barnes is a longtime proponent of putting police back in schools.
Madison School Board Treasurer Ali Muldrow, though, rejected the idea of police being reinstated in the schools, which two of her three children attend. An East High School alum, Muldrow recalled her own experience as a student during Madisons years of having resource officers, specifically, the disparities she witnessed between the way police treated Black students and white students.
A 2020 report published shortly after the board voted to remove SROs showed that students of color in Madison schools had more interactions with SROs than their white counterparts: Of the 84 interactions recorded between SROs and students, 51 of those students were Black, 12 were Hispanic, 10 were multiracial and nine were white.
A school shooting is not necessarily something that we need to politicize in this way locally, Muldrow said Thursday.
Staff in the districts Office of School Safety take on many roles associated with school resource officers, including building walkthroughs, perimeter checks, teacher supports, classroom responses, and supervising lunches and buses.
Still, Barnes says officers would fulfill a need not currently being met by existing district officials, particularly when it comes to potential gun violence incidents.
While these professionals play a crucial role in supporting the mental health and well-being of students, they are not equipped to handle armed individuals who pose a threat to the safety of students and staff, the chief wrote. We cannot expect them (or our amazing teachers) to confront an active shooter or potentially dangerous situation.
In May 2024, a school resource officer at Mount Horebs middle school shot a student who came to the school armed, and the student died, according to a report by Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne.
During the 2022-23 academic year, Madison police responded to more than 800 calls at Madison School District schools, according to data the Wisconsin State Journal received from police. Among them were 49 calls related to threats, 20 fights and 17 weapons offenses.
I respectfully urge the Madison School Board to seriously consider the reinstatement of School Resource Officers as part of a comprehensive approach to school safety and as a support for the dedicated employees of the MMSD, Barnes wrote. This is especially pertinent given the lack of federal action on common-sense gun control legislation.
The Philippines, in partnership with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), will host the 2024 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) on Oct. 14 to 18 2024 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
As the regions largest conference on disaster risk reduction (DRR), the APMCDRR provides a platform to monitor, review and enhance cooperation for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which aims to reduce disaster risk and enhance resilience to natural and manmade hazards.
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The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the conference will carry the theme, Surge to 2030: Enhancing ambition in Asia-Pacific to accelerate disaster risk reduction.
This signifies a collective push by nations to enhance disaster risk governance to achieve goals of the Sendai Framework; promote practical, innovative and scalable solutions to enhance DRR financing; adopt inclusive, risk-informed and transformative approaches to the regions unique challenges; and integrate DRR with climate change adaptation to boost overall resilience.
Contecon Guayaquil S.A. (CGSA), International Container Terminal Services, Inc.s (ICTSI) Ecuadorian business unit, signed a significant partnership with COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers to handle the latters general cargo ships at the Port of Guayaquil for the next three years.
The partnership is in line with CGSAs objectives to expand its client base, set the regional standard for service, and consolidate the Port of Guayaquils position as Ecuadors main logistics hub.
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CGSA has handled six COSCO vessels since the beginning of the year and anticipates at least one vessel per month moving forward.
Our commitment to innovation, outstanding customer service, and sustainable development in the port sector is stronger than ever. Moreover, our handling of project cargo plays a crucial role in supporting major investment projects across the country, significantly boosting economic growth and advancing regional port infrastructure, said Javier Lancha, CGSA chief executive.
COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers, a division of China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, operates and manages a fleet of over 100 vessels including multipurpose and heavy lift ships, semi-submersible vessels, and carriers for automobiles, logs and asphalt.
This fleet, the largest of its kind globally, establishes COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers as a worldwide leader in maritime transport.
Detained former Mayor Alice Guo was ordered to attend the scheduled public hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality on Monday, September 9, to answer various allegations leveled against her.
Presiding judge Sarah Vedana-Delos Santos of regional trial court Branch 109 in Capas, Tarlac signed the order in response to the request of committee chairperson Senator Risa Hontiveros.
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Given the critical importance of the ongoing inquiry in aid of legislation, the court grants the senators request, the order read.
Wherefore, the accused Alice Guo alias Guo Hua Ping is allowed to attend the scheduled public hearing mentioned above provided that strict security protocol be observed, it added.
Guo is currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) custodial facility in Camp Crame, Quezon City following her high-profile arrest in Indonesia earlier this week.
The Hontiveros panel is scheduled to resume its ongoing probe into Guos connection with the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) at 10:00 AM on Monday.
Guo has been cited in contempt by the senators over her refusal to cooperate with the ongoing Senate cooperation. She was subsequently ordered arrested.
The Capas court also issued a separate warrant of arrest stemming from the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices complaint filed against Guo by the Department of Interior and Local Government.
CARACAS Venezuelas opposition chief Maria Corina Machado on Thursday Friday Manila time) called on the world to recognize candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as president-elect after a disputed election in the oil-rich nation.
President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in the July 28 vote, but many in the international community have refused to acknowledge that result.
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However, they have also stopped short of accepting Gonzalez Urrutia as the president-elect, instead calling for Caracas to publish detailed polling results to substantiate its claim that Maduro won a third term.
The world knows Edmundo Gonzalez is the president-elect and Maduro was defeated by a landslide, Machado said during a virtual appearance.
I think its certainly come to a point in which we need to move ahead and this is a moment in which Edmundo Gonzalez should be recognized as president-elect of Venezuela.
The United States, the European Union and several Latin American countries have refused to recognize Maduros claimed victory without seeing detailed election results.
The opposition published its own voting records, which it says showed Gonzalez Urrutia winning 67 percent of the vote.
Venezuelas electoral authority said it cannot provide a full breakdown of the July 28 election results, blaming a cyber attack on its systems.
Observers have said there is no evidence of any such hacking.
They are not going to do it because the results would prove that we win, said Machado.
The UN Security Council met Thursday to discuss the situation at the request of Ecuador, which recognized Gonzalez Urrutia in early August as the legitimate winner of the vote.
Perus Foreign Minister Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea also recognized the opposition candidate as Venezuelas president-elect shortly after the vote, prompting Caracas to sever diplomatic relations.
But in an apparent U-turn on Thursday, Peruvian Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen denied his country had recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as Venezuelas rightful leader.
After Venezuelas last election, in 2018, Maduro was proclaimed winner amid widespread accusations of fraud.
Eventually, the United States and many other countries recognized the then-speaker of parliament, Juan Guaido, as acting president.
However, Guaido never had any real power. The opposition dissolved its interim government in 2022 and the once wildly popular young politician faded from public life.
Washington has said it is weighing a range of options against Maduro and his allies.
Maduro has led the oil-rich but cash-poor country since 2013, presiding over a GDP drop of 80 percent that pushed more than seven million of once-wealthy Venezuelas 30 million citizens to emigrate.
Ahead of the election, Machado was polling as the most popular politician in the country before she was banned from the race by courts loyal to Maduro.
RAMSTEIN Air Base, Germany President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday visits Germany where Ukraines military backers are meeting, days after one of the deadliest strikes of the war and as Russian forces make battlefield gains.
Zelenskyy and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will hold one-on-one talks in Frankfurt, according to a German government spokesman, who did not give further details about the Ukrainian leaders program.
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But German news outlet Der Spiegel reported that Zelenskyy will also attend the gathering of Kyivs backers, which includes the United States, at the US Ramstein Air Base.
The meeting at the base southwest of Frankfurt is hosted by US defense chief Lloyd Austin.
Zelenskyys presence is intended to underline the seriousness of the situation on the ground in Ukraine, Spiegel said, days after 55 people were killed and 300 wounded in a Russian missile strike on the city of Poltava.
Austin is due to speak at the opening of the meeting at around 10:00 am (0800 GMT) and will host a press conference at around 16:15 pm.
The talks, with representatives from some 50 nations, will focus on areas including bolstering Ukraines air defenses and encouraging allies to boost their defence industries, said Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder.
Ukraine matters to US and international security, and the efforts of (Kyivs allies meeting in Ramstein) continue to play a vital role in Ukraines fight for freedom and sovereignty, he said.
The meeting 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.
Since the start of its offensive in February 2022 when it failed to capture the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Russia has adapted its aims, concentrating instead on trying to conquer eastern Ukraine.
While Ukraines surprise push into Russias Kursk region last month caught Russian forces off-guard, Putin stressed that the move had failed to slow Moscows advance.
The enemy weakened itself in key areas, our army has accelerated its offensive operations, Putin argued.
The United States has been Ukraines biggest backer during the conflict, providing military aid worth 51.6 billion euros ($56 billion), according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
But uncertainty looms over the future of that funding as a US election in November could see Ukraine-skeptic Donald Trump back in the White House.
Germany, Ukraines second-biggest backer, has also come under pressure domestically over its aid for Kyiv, which has been at the center of a protracted row over the 2025 budget.
Regional elections in the former East German states of Saxony and Thuringia on Sunday saw a surge of support for parties on the far right and far left opposed to the governments support for Ukraine.
France, another of Kyivs biggest backers, has also been locked in a political crisis for several weeks.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for more long-range missiles to help repel Russian forces, but the United States and Germany have so far been reluctant to provide them.
The Ukrainian leader also wants allies to lift restrictions on the use of their weapons to target positions deep inside Russian territory.
Ukraines Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has been laying the groundwork for Zelensky by holding talks in the United States, Britain, France and Germany over the past few days.
Zelensky will also be looking to present a united front after the resignation of Ukraines top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba in the biggest government reshuffle since the invasion.
Ahead of the meeting, Britain said it would send Kyiv 650 lightweight missiles before the end of the year to boost Ukraines air defense capabilities.
Meanwhile, Ukraines allies in Europe have moved to expand their defenses in response to the increased threat from Russia.
Germanys military put a first Iris-T air-defense system into service on its own soil Wednesday, having delivered several of them to Ukraine to intercept Russian rockets, drones and missiles.
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES Hamas has called on the United States to exert real pressure on Israel to reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was 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 following the deaths of six Gaza captives.
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Hamass Qatar-based lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya called on the US to exert real pressure on Netanyahu and his government and abandon their blind bias towards Israel.
But Netanyahu said 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, he told US media.
Netanyahu insists that Israel must retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border to prevent weapons smuggling to Hamas, whose Oct. 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 warn against falling into the trap of Netanyahu who uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people, Hamas said in a statement.
Washington has been pushing a proposal it says could bridge gaps between the warring sides, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying 90 percent is agreed.
Its really incumbent on both parties to get to yes on these remaining issues, Blinken said during a visit to Haiti.
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.
Well do everything so that all hostages will be with us. And if the leaders dont want to sign a deal, well make them, said Gil Dickmann, cousin of Carmel Gat, one of the six hostages whose bodies were found in a Gaza tunnel last week.
Dickmann took part in a rally at Tel Aviv on Thursday evening, where crowds of demonstrators carried symbolic coffins in a procession, an AFP journalist reported.
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 Oct. 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.
Israel kept up its bombardment overnight into Friday, with an AFP correspondent reporting a huge explosion in the east of Gaza City.
Six people were killed and others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a house southeast of the city, Gazas civil defense agency said Friday.
While Israel presses its Gaza offensive, Defense 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 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.
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 36 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.
PARIS Frances new right-wing Prime Minister Michel Barnier promised Thursday to address the grievances of the French but also implement change as he took office following almost two months of political deadlock.
President Emmanuel Macron tasked the 73-year-old veteran politician with forming a government earlier in the day, seeking to move forward after July snap elections in which his centrist alliance lost its relative majority in parliament.
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Barnier, the European Unions former Brexit negotiator and an ex-foreign minister, is the oldest premier in the history of modern France.
He takes over from 35-year-old Gabriel Attal, a man less than half his age who served only eight months in office during a period of political turbulence unprecedented in recent times in France.
At a handover ceremony, Barnier said the priorities of his government would include responding, as much as we can, to the challenges, to the angers, to the suffering of French people.
He said that education, security and immigration control would remain at the top of the agenda, and that he would be unafraid to speak the truth on tough issues such as the countrys financial debt.
But there will also be change, said the member of the right-wing Republicans party who is not affiliated with the presidents centrist faction.
A left-wing coalition emerged as Frances biggest political force after the elections earlier this summer, but without enough seats for an overall majority in an imbroglio that has taken weeks to unravel.
Macrons centrist faction and the far right make up the two other major groups in the National Assembly, with the RN as the single largest party.
The left has greeted Macrons move towards cohabitation with Barnier with dismay, and will now seek to topple him with a no-confidence motion.
Controversially, the president appears to be counting on the far-right National Rally of Marine Le Pen to keep Barnier in power by voting against such a motion.
Barnier has been all but invisible in French political life since failing to win his partys nomination to challenge Macron for the presidency in 2022, during a campaign where he tacked further right and suggested a moratorium on immigration.
The former foreign minister and EU commissioner is Macron-compatible and would not be immediately voted out by parliament, an advisor to the president told AFP, asking not to be named.
A minister in the outgoing government, who also asked for anonymity, said he was very popular with right-wing members of parliament without being an irritant on the left.
The RN indicated it would not automatically vote down Barnier and would wait and see what programme he lays out in his first address to parliament.
We will wait to see Mr Barniers policy speech, Le Pen said.
Macrons predecessor Francois Hollande said he believed the RN had given a kind of endorsement to Barniers appointment.
As well as two stints as an EU commissioner and handling the thorny negotiations on Britains exit from the bloc, Barnier served as a minister under the right-wing administrations of presidents Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed his nomination, saying she knew Barnier had the interests of Europe and France at heart.
With a half-century career behind him, Barnier, who proudly extols his origins in the French Alps rather than Paris, first become a member of parliament when he was just 27.
Opponents noted that as a youthful conservative lawmaker, he voted against the decriminaliZation of homosexuality in 1981.
The composition of the new cabinet, set to be announced in the coming days, will be closely watched for signs of concessions to Macrons political foes.
Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, whose France Unbowed party (LFI) and allies belong to a left-wing bloc, said Macrons naming of Barnier meant the election had been stolen from the French.
Macrons decision comes under the gun of a deadline to submit a draft 2025 budget for Frances strained government finances before October 1.
Barniers task looks tough, but difficulty has never scared him, said former prime minister Edouard Philippe, who announced earlier this week that he would seek to succeed Macron in 2027 presidential elections.
After the July elections, Macron drew out the appointment of a new prime minister for a period unprecedented since World War II, through the July-August Olympic Games and beyond.
The swift passage of the proposed measure on natural gas would lure foreign investors to conduct exploration of natural gas in the country, Senator Pia Cayetano said on Friday.
Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate energy committee, said Senate Bill No. 2793 or the proposed Philippine Natural Gas Development Act would send the strongest signal to investors that there is natural gas waiting to be explored in the Philippines.
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She said this is an indication the Philippines is serious in tapping and using indigenous gas, which would significantly lower energy costs and boost energy security.
Cayetano likened the measures enactment to a giant billboard which tells the world the Philippines is open for investments in natural gas.
It seeks to declare that the Philippines will have very clear cut policies on natural gas, indigenous natural gas development, so that, in itself, is going to send the right signal, said Cayetano in reply to questions by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III.
Asked by Pimentel if the Philippines has natural gas locations, Cayetano listed several most prospective basins.
She noted that Service Contract No. 38 governing the Malampaya gas field has been extended by another 15 years.
Prime Energy, which leads the consortium operating Malampaya, committed to drill two new wells to extend the gas fields life and produce new gas by 2026.
The message will be loud for all investors, whether Filipino or foreign, Cayetano said.
She said SB 2793 would promote awareness and create an environment that will open up opportunities for investors.
The senator said little has been done to legislate support for exploration of our natural gas which peaked in the 1970s, when at least 150 wells had been drilled. This was when Malampaya was discovered, Cayetano said.
SB 2793 seeks to fill the gaps in policies, framework, legal support and incentives for investors to revive the exploration of indigenous gas resources, she said.
Its an opportunity because let me emphasize, this is indigenous gas. It is found in the Philippines. It is owned by the Philippines, she said.
So by passing this law, its like erecting a billboard on EDSA globally and tell them that the Philippines is prioritizing natural gas. If you are an expert in natural gas, youre welcome to come here. We have good business opportunities, Cayetano added.
President Marcos has taken a much ado about nothing position on selfies taken by government personnel during the repatriation of erstwhile fugitive Alice Guo, who was on the verge of escaping Philippine justice when she was caught in Indonesia.
The chief executive shrugged off the supposedly tasteless photos circulating online, pointing out that the Philippines has gained the dubious reputation of being the Selfie Capital of the World.
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I think that is part of the new culture nowpeople always taking photos to post online, Mr. Marcos said in an interview on Friday.
They want to show they were part of the team that made an arrest. You cant stop people from smiling, so they took a selfie, he added.
He was referring to photos showing Guo smiling with agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Bureau of Immigration (BI) as they took her to Indonesian immigration before her return to Manila early Friday.
However, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos apparently thought the fuss generated by the photo showing him, PNP Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil and Guo in what appeared to be a light moment was important enough to address formally.
He explained that the photo was taken to document a meeting requested by Guo to discuss supposed death threats she has been receiving.
Abalos also said he didnt realize that the disgraced former Bamban mayor had struck a pa-cute pose as the photo was being taken.
This kind of photo, as long as its facing like that, you cannot tell what is [happening] next to you, etc. This photo is an offshoot of that meeting that was being documented. And I really do not know why she was posing like that. Abalos said, in a chance interview on the sidelines of a situation briefing in the province of Rizal.
Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said they recognize the need to improve professionalism among Bureau of Immigration (BI) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) personnel following their viral photos with Guo in Indonesia.
In an interview, Vasquez said the former mayor is a fugitive from justice such that she must be treated in the same manner as any other offender.
We asked the NBI Director [Jaime Santiago] to initiate an investigation on the matter and impose disciplinary penalties as may be needed, he told Manila Standard.
Vazquez said the arrest was huge news even in the eyes of international media.
However, he also pointed out that agents may have just been immersed in the euphoria of success of having finally gotten hold of a fugitive who has been making a joke out of our law enforcement effort when they took the photos to which Guo seemingly consented gleefully.
Still, senators slammed the photos, calling the government agents actions unprofessional.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian stressed that all law enforcers should show professionalism and proper decorum, especially in arresting fugitives.
Its really bad for law enforcers to take selfies with a criminal and post their pictures on social media, he noted.
Sen. Joel Villanueva said he felt frustrated over what he described as the embarrassing attitude of officials and arresting officers.
What a disaster! Disaster to say the least, he said.
Beyond the stir caused by the photos, there is a custody battle brewing between two branches of government over who gets Guo first.
In a statement, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said she respects the arrest warrant issued by the judiciary but Senators were the first to issue a warrant for the ex-mayors capture.
The Senate triggered the manhunt. It was a Senate warrant that Philippine law enforcement had in hand when they went to Jakarta, she said in Filipino.
Former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo has officially landed in Manila early morning Friday following her high-profile arrest in Tangerang City, Indonesia on Wednesday.
The private plane which carried Guo along with law enforcement officers led by Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. and Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Rommel Francisco Marbil arrived around 1:00 AM at a private hangar in Pasay City.
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The ousted mayor is facing charges of human trafficking, misrepresentation, graft and corruption, among other serious offenses.
Guo along with her siblings have standing warrants of arrest from the Senate of the Philippines after they were cited in contempt for refusing to cooperate with its ongoing investigation.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo earlier said Guo will undergo booking process before she is turned over to the Senate.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted that economic cooperation and trade are central to Egyptian-Turkish relations.
At a joint news conference with visiting Egypts Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Erdogan announced that the two countries aim to bring up annual trade in the coming years to $15 billion.
El-Sisi who noted that trade volume reached $6.6 billion in 2023, emphasized efforts to expand the free trade agreement between the two countries. He also praised the growth in reciprocal investments, which include $3 billion worth of Turkish investments in Egypt, and the increase in tourist exchanges between the two nations.
The visit was marked by the signing of 17 memoranda of understanding (MoUs), including two MoUs between Turkeys Polaris and Egypts Ministry of Industry and Trade to develop industrial parks in the New Capital and 6th of October City. Additional agreements covered a range of sectors including higher education, scientific research, railways, civil aviation, ICT, agricultural technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, SME funding, tourism, energy, labor, environmental protection, and urban development.
MoUs were also signed between the foreign and finance ministries, and competition protection authorities of both countries.
2025 will mark the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Turkey.
The Summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC), held in Beijing September 4 to 6, has reinforced Moroccos status as an essential continental leader that places the development and prosperity of Africa at the heart of its diplomatic efforts.
This significant event was an opportunity to reiterate the Kingdoms firm and concrete commitment to work with China and for Africa, fostering pragmatic and solidarity-based cooperation within a win-win partnership framework.
This edition of the Forum, attended by Heads of State and Government and high-ranking officials from China and African countries that are members of the United Nations, is a perfect illustration of Moroccos African policy, which has consistently advocated for the diversification of the continents economic partnerships and the promotion of effective and multidimensional South-South and triangular cooperation.
The Summits proceedings allowed participants to highlight the importance of FOCAC, especially in key areas for Africa such as industrialization and agricultural modernization, governance, infrastructure, peace, and security.
These priorities were reflected in the key documents adopted by consensus at the Summit, namely the Beijing Declaration and the 2025-2027 Action Plan, marking a pivotal step in strengthening China-Africa relations.
It is worth noting that since the start of the preparatory work for this Summit several months ago, Moroccan diplomacy has been actively promoting the Kingdoms achievements for the benefit of the African continent, while also countering malicious attempts from Algeria, both in terms of participation in the Summit and in the documents adopted.
In every respect and on all fronts, this has been a successful mission, thanks to the patient work of Moroccan diplomacy under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.
In this regard, the Beijing Declaration and the 2025-2027 Action Plan confirm in their first paragraph that only African states that are members of the United Nations are members of FOCAC, debunking the Algerian falsehood that the pseudo-entity is part of African partnerships.
Moreover, the cardinal principles of respect for and preservation of national unity, territorial integrity, and the sovereignty of African states, proposed by Morocco, were enshrined in several paragraphs of both the Declaration and the 2025-2027 Action Plan. No reference to self-determination was included, and several hostile proposals from Algeria were rejected. Algeria has now lost credibility in the eyes of an international community increasingly aware of its schemes.
The Beijing Declaration also acknowledged Moroccos organization of COP 22 in November 2016 and the adoption of the Marrakech Declaration following the first African Action Summit on the sidelines of COP22. This Summit, organized by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, saw the participation of many African Heads of State and the launch of key initiatives, such as the creation of the three climate commissions for the African continent.
In recognition of the Kingdoms pioneering role in Africa in the field of artificial intelligence, FOCAC participants commended the adoption of the African Consensus on Artificial Intelligence, following the High-Level Forum on AI held in Rabat in June 2024.
Additionally, the Beijing Action Plan makes a special reference to the Rabat Office of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Program and Training for Africa, a strong signal of the Kingdoms commitment to cooperate with African countries in eradicating this scourge in Africa and beyond.
On the economic front, FOCAC, through the 2025-2027 Action Plan, praised the organization of the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings in Morocco in 2023, reaffirming the importance of the objectives outlined in the Marrakech Declaration on accelerating Africas emergence, in order to implement a more equitable global financial architecture that promotes the development of Africa, respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of African states, and contributes to the well-being of their populations.
Indeed, Morocco, deeply engaged in FOCAC since its creation 24 years ago, has been able to play a leading role in the Forums evolution, thanks to its privileged relations with China and African countries. The Forum has evolved into a successful and exemplary platform for cooperation between China and Africa, within which the Kingdom has become a key strategic player.
In his address before the summit, Head of the Moroccan Government who represented King Mohammed VI at the gathering, reaffirmed Moroccos commitment to strengthening Chinese-African partnership for shared prosperity and inclusive growth, with the aim of unleashing Africas full potentials.
Morocco will remain a strong partner for China and Africa for the development of the Continents agriculture, infrastructures, and renewable energies, he insisted.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday September 5 described Chinese leader Xi Jinpings pledge of $50 billion in funding for Africa over the next three years as a great boon for the continent.
I very much welcome the amount of money Xi has announced today. I think it will be a great boon for the African continent, he declared at a press conference in Beijing during a state visit that included participation in a China-Africa forum. On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged more than $50 billion in funding over three years to African countries, some 50 of whose leaders are in Beijing for the summit.
This sum, equivalent to around 45 billion euros, aims to strengthen collaboration in infrastructure and trade between the Asian giant, the worlds second-largest economy, and Africa. The largest diplomatic gathering in Beijing since the Covid-19 pandemic, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit will bring together more than 50 African leaders from Wednesday to Friday, according to Chinese state media.
China-Africa relations are experiencing their best period in history, assured Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony in the Peoples Palace, a colossal building on the edge of the famous Tiananmen Square. As the most industrialized country on the African continent, South Africa stands to benefit enormously from this relationship, President Ramaphosa told reporters on Thursday evening.
In a decision handed down Thursday afternoon, Venant Rutunga, former director of a Research institute, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the 1994 genocide. This ruling comes over three years after his extradition from the Netherlands. And two years following the commencement of his trial in Rwanda.
The Special Chamber of the High Court for International Crimes, located in Nyanza, convicted Rutunga of genocide complicity, particularly for his involvement in calling in gendarmes who participated in the massacres at ISAR Rubona, an agricultural research institute in southern Rwanda. During the genocide, Rutunga, then Regional Director, allowed over a thousand refugees to seek shelter at the institute, only to later invite the military and Interahamwe militia to the site.
The court did not find Rutunga guilty of additional charges related to genocide and crimes against humanity. This outcome surprised Philibert Gakwenzire, President of the Ibuka survivors association, who had anticipated a broader conviction. Nevertheless, Gakwenzire acknowledged that the Rwandan justice system demonstrated Rutungas critical role in the genocide.
Rutunga was apprehended in the Netherlands in 2019 and extradited to Rwanda in 2021. Following the verdict, Gakwenzire praised the Dutch authorities for their cooperation in justice matters, underscoring the importance of international collaboration in such cases.
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:
Ashani Weeraratna, Ph.D. Credit: Will Kirk/JHU
Age-related changes in the fibroblasts, cells that create the skin's structure, contribute to the development of aggressive, treatment-resistant melanoma in males, according to research in mice by the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.
The study appears in Cell.
The risk of developing melanoma, a potentially deadly skin cancer, increases with age. Men are more at risk than women, and tend to develop more aggressive, hard-to-treat melanomas, particularly at advanced ages, says Ashani Weeraratna, Ph.D., the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, E.V. McCollum Professor, and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Johns Hopkins. The study was co-led by Yash Chhabra, Ph.D., who is now an assistant professor at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
Weeraratna and colleagues have demonstrated that age-related changes in the normal cells around tumor cellsthe tumor microenvironmentcontribute to cancer outcomes. So, they wanted to find out whether age- and sex-related changes might interact to contribute to sex-linked disparities in melanoma.
"Melanoma is far more aggressive in men than women," Weeraratna explains. "Do normal cells around the tumors age differently in men versus women?"
Fibroblasts make collagen, a protein that gives the skin structure and strength. In previous research, Weeraratna and colleagues showed that age-related changes in fibroblasts promote the spread of melanoma tumor cells and lead to worse outcomes. Now, they confirm that fibroblasts age differently in men and women, and the age-related changes that occur in male fibroblasts contribute to more aggressive, hard-to-treat melanomas.
When they transplanted melanoma tumor cells into aged male or female mice, they found more DNA damage accumulated in cells transplanted in the male mice. It didn't matter whether the transplanted tumor cells had come from male or female mice.
"It's not the male or female tumor cell itself," she explains. "Age-related changes in male fibroblasts that make up the tumor microenvironment account for differences in DNA damage."
In experiments comparing aged human male and female fibroblasts, they discovered that the male fibroblasts accumulated reactive oxygen species that stress and damage cells. They also found that the aged male fibroblasts produce higher levels of bone morphogenic protein 2 (BMP2), a protein usually involved in the development of bone and cartilage.
Ramping up BMP2 production using either genetic or recombinant protein approaches causes melanoma cells to become more invasive and resistant to targeted anticancer therapies. Blocking BMP2 production using a natural inhibitor makes them more sensitive to anticancer therapies in both male and female mice.
The study has significant implications for cancer research. Currently, most preclinical cancer studies use young mice. However, Weeraratna shows that studying cancer in older mice and aging human cells is essential.
"We also need to understand whether men and women respond differently to therapies, and better tailor their therapy to both sex- and age-related differences," she says.
Weeraratna and her team are now studying how age- and sex-related changes in immune system cells surrounding melanoma cells affect how well the tumors respond to immune cell-boosting therapies increasingly used to treat melanoma. They would also like to study age- and sex-related changes in other cancers, including pancreatic cancer.
More information: Yash Chhabra et al, Sex-dependent effects in the aged melanoma tumor microenvironment influence invasion and resistance to targeted therapy, Cell (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.013 , dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.013 Journal information: Cell
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Stanford Medicine researchers and their colleagues have found that choosing treatments based on the type of a patient's depression increases the odds of success. Credit: Emily Moskal/Stanford Medicine
Cognitive behavioral therapy, one of the most common treatments for depression, can teach skills for coping with everyday troubles, reinforce healthy behaviors and counter negative thoughts. But can altering thoughts and behaviors lead to lasting changes in the brain?
New research led by Stanford Medicine has found that it canif a therapy is matched with the right patients. In a study of adults with both depression and obesitya difficult-to-treat combinationcognitive behavioral therapy that focused on problem solving reduced depression in a third of patients. These patients also showed adaptative changes in their brain circuitry.
Moreover, these neural adaptations were apparent after just two months of therapy and could predict which patients would benefit from long-term therapy.
The findings add to evidence that choosing treatments based on the neurological underpinnings of a patient's depressionwhich vary among peopleincreases the odds of success.
The same concept is already standard practice in other medical specialties.
"If you had chest pain, your physician would suggest some testsan electrocardiogram, a heart scan, maybe a blood testto work out the cause and which treatments to consider," said Leanne Williams, Ph.D., the Vincent V.C. Woo Professor, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and the director of Stanford Medicine's Center for Precision Mental Health and Wellness.
"Yet in depression, we have no tests being used. You have this broad sense of emotional pain, but it's a trial-and-error process to choose a treatment, because we have no tests for what is going on in the brain."
Williams and Jun Ma, MD, Ph.D., professor of academic medicine and geriatrics at the University of Illinois at Chicago, are co-senior authors of the study published Sept. 4 in Science Translational Medicine. The work is part of a larger clinical trial called RAINBOW (Research Aimed at Improving Both Mood and Weight).
Problem solving
The form of cognitive behavioral therapy used in the trial, known as problem-solving therapy, is designed to improve cognitive skills used in planning, troubleshooting and tuning out irrelevant information. A therapist guides patients in identifying real-life problemsa conflict with a roommate, saybrainstorming solutions and choosing the best one.
These cognitive skills depend on a particular set of neurons that function together, known as the cognitive control circuit.
Previous work from Williams' lab, which identified six biotypes of depression based on patterns of brain activity, estimated that a quarter of people with depression have dysfunction with their cognitive control circuitseither too much or too little activity.
The participants in the new study were adults diagnosed with both major depression and obesity, a confluence of symptoms that often indicates problems with the cognitive control circuit. Patients with this profile generally do poorly on antidepressants: They have a dismal response rate of 17%.
Of the 108 participants, 59 underwent a year-long program of problem-solving therapy in addition to their usual care, such as medications and visits to a primary care physician. The other 49 received only usual care.
They were given fMRI brain scans at the beginning of the study, then after two months, six months, 12 months and 24 months. During the brain scans, the participants completed a test that involves pressing or not pressing a button according to text on a screena task known to engage the cognitive control circuit. The test allowed the researchers to gauge changes in the activity of that circuit throughout the study.
"We wanted to see whether this problem-solving therapy in particular could modulate the cognitive control circuit," said Xue Zhang, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar in psychiatry who is the lead author of the study.
With each brain scan, participants also filled out standard questionnaires that assessed their problem-solving ability and depression symptoms.
Working smarter
As with any other depression treatment, problem-solving therapy didn't work for everyone. But 32% of participants responded to the therapy, meaning their symptom severity decreased by half or more.
"That's a huge improvement over the 17% response rate for antidepressants," Zhang said.
When researchers examined the brain scans, they found that in the group receiving only usual care, a cognitive control circuit that became less active over the course of the study correlated with worsening problem-solving ability.
But in the group receiving therapy, the pattern was reversed: Decreased activity correlated with enhanced problem-solving ability. The researchers think this may be due to their brains learning, through the therapy, to process information more efficiently.
"We believe they have more efficient cognitive processing, meaning now they need fewer resources in the cognitive control circuit to do the same behavior," Zhang said.
Before the therapy, their brains had been working harder; now, they were working smarter.
Both groups, on average, improved in their overall depression severity. But when Zhang dug deeper into the 20-item depression assessment, she found that the depression symptom most relevant to cognitive control"feeling everything is an effort"benefited from the more efficient cognitive processing gained from the therapy.
"We're seeing that we can pinpoint the improvement specific to the cognitive aspect of depression, which is what drives disability because it has the biggest impact on real-world functioning," Williams said.
Indeed, some participants reported that problem-solving therapy helped them think more clearly, allowing them to return to work, resume hobbies and manage social interactions.
Fast track to recovery
Just two months into the study, brain scans showed changes in cognitive control circuit activity in the therapy group.
"That's important, because it tells us that there is an actual brain change going on early, and it's in the time frame that you'd expect brain plasticity," Williams said. "Real-world problem solving is literally changing the brain in a couple of months."
The idea that thoughts and behaviors can modify brain circuits is not so different from how exercisea behaviorstrengthens muscles, she added.
The researchers found that these early changes signaled which patients were responding to the therapy and would likely improve on problem-solving skills and depression symptoms at six months, 12 months and even one year after the therapy ended, at 24 months. That means a brain scan could be used to predict which patients are the best candidates for problem-solving therapy.
It's a step toward Williams' vision of precision psychiatryusing brain activity to match patients with the therapies most likely to help them, fast-tracking them to recovery.
"It's definitely advancing the science," Zhang said. "But it's also going to transform a lot of people's lives."
Researchers from University of Washington, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and The Ohio State University also contributed to the work.
More information: Xue Zhang et al, Adaptive cognitive control circuit changes associated with problem-solving ability and depression symptom outcomes over 24 months, Science Translational Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adh3172 Journal information: Science Translational Medicine
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
A 2016 study investigated how lung tissue recovers from short-term exposure to PM 2.5 in mice. Initial results (images a and c) found evidence of acute inflammation and higher white blood cell count. Ten days later (images b and d), researchers could still see soot particles trapped in the alveolae, connective tissue in the lungs was still inflamed and an analysis turned up evidence of increased oxidative stress. Arrows point to soot accumulations and inflammatory cells. Credit: Open-i, National Library of Medicine
Wildfire season in California is getting longer, more intense and more destructive. That means millions more Californians breathe polluted air more often as smoke drifts into skies across the state.
UC experts have answers to critical questions about this new reality: What's in wildfire smoke that makes it so harmful? What happens to our bodies when we breathe it in? And what can governments and everyday Californians do to reduce the health risks of fire season?
How air pollution affects your body
The most common measure of air pollutionthe number you'll see reported on apps like PurpleAiris the concentration of PM 2.5 , or microscopic particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers.
Depending on the source of pollution, these particles can contain dirt, soot, heavy metals, chemicals, pollen, mold and more. Whatever they're made of, these particles are all small enough to skirt your upper respiratory defenses and wind up deep in your alveolae, the delicate membranes in your lungs that exchange gases between your circulatory system and the outside world.
"The reason we monitor, measure, study and regulate PM 2.5 is that when it gets into the alveolae, it can get into your bloodstream, and then it goes everywhere throughout your body, including vital organs" says Tarik Benmarhnia, an environmental epidemiologist who studies the health effects of wildfire smoke at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
"And that can lead to some negative consequences."
As you might expect, people exposed to air pollution have higher rates of respiratory diseases like asthma. But UC research is finding that the risks of breathing in toxic air go way beyond your lungs. Researchers at UC Davis are finding links between air pollution and blood clots, stroke and arrhythmia.
One study from UC Irvine found that breathing in traffic exhaust caused memory loss and triggered neurological pathways that lead to Alzheimer's disease, and another linked long-term exposure to polluted air with higher rates of postpartum depression. And UC San Francisco researchers identified a link between PM 2.5 and COVID-19 infections.
Plastic is everywhere. Research from UC San Francisco shows these tiny microplastics can harm our health, leading to cancer, infertility, and hormone disruptions. Our latest episode will walk you through ways to reduce your exposure and that includes the microwave! Credit: @Fig1 on YouTube
Why does PM 2.5 cause so much trouble for our bodies?
Benmarhnia cites three main sources: inflammation, oxidative stress and weakened immunity.
When it clocks pollution particles, your immune system first responds with inflammation, generating heat and bombarding the point of entry with specialized cells meant to attack anything your body recognizes as foreign. Inflammation is good when it fights off viruses and bacteria, but too much of it for too long can also wear down your organs and contribute to chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Meanwhile, our bodies' constant work of breathing, digesting and moving generates waste molecules, which can damage your cells if they hang around and accumulate. To counter this damage, known as oxidation, your cells produce antioxidants, molecules that act like a cleanup crew.
But some substances commonly found in air pollution can react with your cells in a way that generates more damaging waste and throws off the balance of antioxidant defense. Studies have found evidence of this process, known as oxidative stress, in the lungs, heart, brain, liver and kidneys of people and animals exposed to air pollution.
Finally, breathing in PM 2.5 can depress your immune system. In part that's because your body works so hard to respond to the flood of incoming particles that it's likelier to let a harmful virus or bacteria slip through, Benmarhnia says. What's more, some ingredients in PM 2.5 actually attack specific parts of your immune system.
Studies have found that iron from air pollution, for instance, can weaken macrophages, the white blood cells that gobble up invading microorganisms. The result? "Your immune system is lazier than it would normally be," leaving you more vulnerable to infections of all kinds, Benmarhnia says.
Wildfire smoke: 10x more harmful than 'regular' air pollution
Wildfire is far from the only source of air pollution in the Golden State. Traffic, freight, industry and agriculture also release PM2.5, meaning millions of Californians breathe perennially polluted air.
"But wildfire smoke is very special," Benmarhnia says. Wildfires typically burn much hotter than car engines or industrial machinery. "That's going to increase what we call its oxidative potential, which basically means it's much more active and can be very, very toxic."
In a 2021 study in Southern California, Benmarhnia's team found that an increase of 10 micrograms of PM 2.5 from typical sources of pollution led to roughly a 1% increase in hospitalizations for respiratory conditions. An equivalent increase in PM 2.5 from wildfire smoke, meanwhile, caused respiratory hospitalizations to jump by 10%. "So you could basically say particulate matter from wildfire smoke is up to 10 times more harmful than ambient air pollution," Benmarhnia says.
Credit: UC Davis College of Engineering
As a warmer climate as collided with ever-more-overgrown wildlands across California, wildfire smoke has pretty quickly gone from an occasional, localized nuisance to a statewide threat. State data show Californians' average smoke exposure was 3.6 times higher during 20172023, compared to 20102016. And a UCLA study published this summer found that wildfire smoke was to blame for 52,000 premature deaths in California between 20082018.
Benmarhnia's 2021 study gets at how science, policy and public health guidance have failed to keep up with this new reality. When you pull up an air quality app on your phone, it's only going to give you the concentration of PM 2.5 in the air you're breathing. It's not going to tell you what that particulate matter is made of.
"Right now, in the U.S. and globally, in regulation and research, there is no differentiation between PM 2.5 from wildfire, from traffic, from industry," Benmarhnia says. "And that's a problem. It all gets the same name, but it's clearly not the same risk."
How to protect yourself
"There is no safe level of exposure to air pollution," Benmarhnia says. Study after study has shown that higher concentrations and longer duration affect people more severely, but even small amounts of pollution can affect your health. "So we should do everything we can to reduce our exposure as much as possible."
Here are some steps you can take:
Keep an eye on your local air quality using apps like PurpleAir, but remember that these apps don't tell you the composition of the pollutionjust its concentration. If you smell smoke or you know you're downwind of a wildfire, air quality readings are probably underestimating the hazards.
When air quality reading tip into "unhealthy" territory, stay inside.
If you can't stay inside, wear a clean, NIOSH-certified N-95 face mask. Check out tips from California Air Resources Board for making sure your mask meets safety standards, and for getting the fit right.
Avoid exerting yourself outside, since that will make you breathe harder and draw more pollutants into your lungs. "It's not a good idea to go for a run outside during a smoke event," Benmarhnia says.
Once it's inside your home, particulate matter can react with dust and generate even more pollution. So when it's smoky, or before the smoke arrives, it's a good idea to dust, mop and vacuum more often than you normally might.
Keep your windows closed and use an air filter. The mutual aid organization Common Humanity Collective, which originated at UC Berkeley in 2020, has instructions to make an affordable air filter using materials you might have laying around your house.
If you can't seal your house and filter your air, or if you don't have an AC and it gets too hot, consider taking refuge at a California Clean Air Center. Kind of like cooling centers during a heat wave, clean air centers are public spaces operated by local governments where anyone can go to get a respite from air pollution.
Alone, you can't do a lot to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, change forest management practices or prevent wildfire ignitions. But you can keep yourself and your family safer when fires do happenas they probably will, more and more often.
"A lot of Californians are surprised each time we have these smoke events, even though in many places they now happen year after year," Benmarhnia says. "People still consider wildfire to be exceptional, but it's not anymore."
Provided by University of California
Great Oaks celebrates community Jessica Pringle stands outside Great Oaks Legacy Charter School at 823 S. 16th Street in Newark's South Ward with her children and their dog on Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Ande Richards/Ande Richards)
A few years ago, Jessica Pringle moved to Newark from New York City, so her three children could attend Great Oaks Legacy Charter School.
I chose Great Oaks because I felt the same sense of community that I felt where I was born and raised, she said. Great Oaks held the academic standards I was looking for and made us feel comfortable and confident that my children were in good hands.
The school, at Madison Street near South 16th, prepares its students for success beyond high school through partnerships with outside organizations. The partnerships provide enrichment programs for Great Oaks 2,000 Pre-K through 12th-grade students split across seven campuses and offer families access to essential services such as fresh food, health care, voting information and after- school activities.
Its basically an opportunity for us to connect the community with our families as well as different nonprofit organizations to ensure that our families have access to resources that support the students and their parents, said Lamar Washington, 31, who has worked at Great Oaks for five years.
Pringle, 35, whose kids are 7, 11 and 16, is pleased with her school choice.
My kids are excelling, she said with pride, because at Great Oaks, they really pay close attention to their students and give a lot of one-on-one care to all the kids here.
During a recent back-to-school event, Pringle cooked hotdogs on a smoky grill near the playground.
Inside the schools basement, parents picked up free school uniforms, sweatshirts, notebooks, and folders and engaged with representatives from partner organizations distributing information. Most had partnered with the school for four years.
Great Oaks back-to-school bash Parents and students gather in the basement of Great Oaks Legacy Charter School, 823 S. 16th St., in Newark's South Ward to get school supplies and uniforms and learn about enrichment programs on Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Ande Richards/Ande Richards)
Among the partner organizations attending were The Boys and Girls Club and Project Ready, an advocacy group focused on protecting and expanding high-quality education in urban communities through increased voter turnout and civic engagement. There was also the Green Light Fund of Greater Newark, which tackles barriers to inclusive prosperity by implementing programs that address community-identified needs. This year, it promoted an Emergency Medical Technician training program.
Champions in Action Martial Arts in Union has a special relationship with Great Oaks and offered kids a chance to take classes at discounted rates.
My son, Jace, attends Great Oaks, said Robert Hylton, who co-owns Champions Action Martial Arts with his wife, Rita. One of the administrators, Miss Q, Jennifer Quinones, was impressed by his discipline. We talked about the martial arts training that he does after school, and she invited us to become a partner in the back-to-school drive.
Washington noted that the school has received a grant from the South Ward Promise Neighborhood (SWPN), which supports Great Oaks families with health care, financial assistance, and multiple giveaways throughout the year.
A few years ago, we had a collaboration with Macys where they used our campus to give away 1,000 winter coats for families, Washington said, So, all the organizations that are here really know and believe in our mission to create genuine relationships with our families, to build a community.
Nathan Duguid is a recent Great Oaks graduate who recalled attending back-to-school events as a student. He said he discovered a program that led him to Rutgers-Newark this fall, where he received a full scholarship and is majoring in sociology.
During his time at Great Oaks, Duguid, 18, participated in the Student Advocacy Club, where he worked closely with Project Ready, which registered more than 90% of the Great Oaks senior class to vote in the last two years.
He also participated in Rutgers Dual Enrollment Program, which allows juniors and seniors from Newark public, charter, and parochial schools to take college courses for credit while still in high school.
Im a product of events like this where, you know, those organizations are able to communicate with parents and students, said Duguid, who engaged with families during this years back-to-school event. And being in those programs and then turning around and giving back I am making sure that I can make a change in my community as well.
Ande Richards wants to hear from New Jerseys communities of color, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ communities, and those who feel underserved by traditional media. She may be reached at arichards@njadvancemedia.com.
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The scene on Sept. 8, 1974, was like something from a movie.
Stuffed with beer cans, a bra, rocks and other garbage, a tuba was rendered useless. Half-naked people were running all over the Snake River site. A biker gang or two converged on the area.
That's what three Butte High School band members, Mark Lisac, Jerry Weir and Judy Berry Staudinger, witnessed 50 years ago near Twin Falls, Idaho.
Plenty of hype surrounded the days and weeks before Evel Knievels attempt over the Snake River Canyon near Twin Falls. Naturally, Knievel wanted family, friends and fans in attendance at the historic jump, but he also wanted the Butte High Band and Purple Bz drill team there as well.
On Sept. 1, the Butte daredevil made a formal request to Rod Lewis, music director for School District No. 1. The problem was, to abide by the rules and regulations of the Montana High School Association, that request should have been made 30 days in advance.
Knievel said he would pay for transportation and meals, so Lewis made a plea to MSHA officials, arguing that the jump had educational value since there is historic significance. That logic worked as the MSHA approved the request.
The thumbs up was music to the ears of the nearly 150 members of the Butte High Band and Purple Bz drill team.
Lisac, Weir and Staudinger sat down recently to reminisce about the historic day.
We went nuts when we were told we were going, said Lisac, a tuba player.
In the early morning hours of Sept. 8, the band, drill team and chaperones boarded buses, destination the Snake River Canyon.
Looking back at old newspaper accounts, its obvious that a different kind of education awaited those Butte teens. The band and drill team would join an estimated 20,000 people who had already arrived on site to witness the historic jump.
Butte and other towns and cities across Montana were well represented. Fans from across the country were also in attendance, along with dozens of bikers. Many more were there just to party.
It was kind of like a small Woodstock, said Weir, who played the trumpet. I was a bit bewildered by it all.
Staudinger, a self-described naive Butte girl back then, was disappointed with the type of crowd at the jump and admitted she was a bit scared. She had not expected to see so many bikers and scantily clad people
I was clueless that this was how it was going to be, said Staudinger, a flutist. The girls couldnt be left alone, and the Purple Bz were all getting grabbed.
Weir agreed.
The crowd was scary to a high school student, said Weir. We had to look out for each other down there.
Scary or not, the trumpeter felt good about representing Butte and being part of history.
That was the good part, said Weir.
Kathleen Cook, feature writer for The Montana Standard, confirmed in her report that the drill team was heckled and manhandled, while band members had to hold tight to their instruments.
Lisac, whose tuba was damaged by bikers, loved the whole experience.
I enjoyed it all, said Lisac. We saw things we hadnt seen before.
Although he was unable to play his instrument, Lisac marched with his fellow band members.
Escorted to the jump site by the Purple Bz, the band offered its rendition of the Evel Knievel song. They also played The Star Spangled Banner.
The place erupted when we started playing, said Lisac. We were a good marching band.
Montana Standard news reports indicated the band played that song just in time since security guards were getting ready to call in the National Guard to help control the crowd.
Sept. 8 was also a hot day in Twin Falls.
It was hot and dusty, said Weir.
A high temperature of 85 was noted and for the band members, dressed in their heavy uniforms, things got a bit uncomfortable. Add in the fact that a good deal of dust was swirling around, too.
It was the kind of dust that got into your nose and eyes, said Staudinger.
As for the jump itself, all three recalled the enthusiasm shown by the crowd, which reportedly had gotten even more out of hand.
As a precaution, the band and drill team were moved just east of the rocket launch ramp. Officials were afraid onlookers would crash through the fence.
The band was super excited as they stood near the ramp, which was shaking as Knievel was being lifted into the SkyCycle, said Lisac.
Once Evel took off, the crowd knocked over the fence, said Weir.
Lisac said the crowd busting through the fence nearly sent some, including himself, over the ledge of the canyon.
It was a wild and crazy situation, Lisac said. Evel was the real thing.
The daredevil did not make it across the Snake River, instead landing in the canyon below, bruised and battered, but safe.
Evel jumped, crashed and survived, reported The Montana Standard.
There was a final lesson to be learned at Snake River.
Looking back, Lisac, Weir and Staudinger said another important part of their trip was just being able to represent Butte.
We were so proud to be asked to be there, said Lisac.
The High Court has rejected a request to stop the Nairobi County Government from disposing of 120 unclaimed bodies held at the Nairobi City Funeral Home (City Mortuary).
Justice Lawrence Mugambi ruled that the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) did not provide sufficient reasons to justify halting the countys planned disposal.
The LSK argued that many of the deceased were young people who went missing following the 2024 finance bill protests and had been taken to the City Mortuary.
Many families in Nairobi and across the country have been searching for their loved ones who disappeared during the protests, the LSK noted, urging the court to consider the increasing number of missing person reports filed since the unrest.
RELATED Nairobi County Faces Backlash Over Controversial Plan to Dispose of 120 Bodies
Despite these concerns, Justice Mugambi declined to issue the order, stating that general claims about missing persons were not specific enough to justify suspending the countys notice of disposal. He emphasized that the public had been given an opportunity to visit the mortuary and identify the bodies before the planned disposal.
The court supported the countys action, explaining that the notice aimed to inform the public and allow families to claim their missing relatives before the morgue could be decongested.
Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya recently addressed concerns about whether the government plans to report Kenyans who have defaulted on loans from the Financial Inclusion Fund, commonly known as the Hustler Fund, to the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB).
In an interview with Citizen TV on Thursday, CS Oparanya clarified that the government is currently exploring alternative methods for dealing with loan defaulters rather than directly involving the CRB. He emphasized that the Ministry aims to recover the funds without negatively impacting the hustlers.
We havent reached that point yet, Oparanya stated. As the President mentioned, these are hustlers. We want to approach them gradually and encourage repayment without disrupting their business activities.
He further added, We want them to continue doing business as citizens because if you close everything, how will they eat?
The former Kakamega governor suggested that the government might enlist the help of chiefs and assistant chiefs to reach out to defaulters.
We want to use methods such as having chiefs or assistant chiefs to talk to them because, as I said, we know the people where they come from, he said.
Oparanya also appealed to Kenyans who have defaulted on their loans to make repayments. He admitted that he initially opposed the Fund before becoming a Cabinet Secretary due to a lack of understanding. His perspective shifted after he joined the Ministry and comprehended the Funds benefits.
The CS highlighted that the Hustler Fund has notably benefited many Kenyans, especially those in informal jobs, by enabling them to save for retirement. He pointed out that the funds savings have now reached approximately Ksh3.1 billion.
I initially questioned the Funds purpose because, at the time, I was not fully aware of its goals. My understanding was limited while I was outside the government. However, now that I am in the Ministry, I have reviewed the documents and seen the positive impact, Oparanya explained.
I have seen the documents Kenyans are benefitting from and observed that people have accumulated about Ksh3.1 billion in savings. This substantial amount underscores the importance of having a pension, even for those not currently working.
Oparanyas remarks follow his August announcement about the governments increased efforts to locate 19 million Hustler Fund loan defaulters.
At the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) Annual SME Conference, Awards, and Exhibition Ceremony in Nairobi, he revealed that out of the 21 million people who initially borrowed from the fund, 19 million have defaulted and become untraceable.
Commander Godfrey Otunge, leading the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti, has warned notorious gang leaders that their days are numbered.
In an interview with international media, Otunge stated that the 400 Kenyan police officers currently in Haiti are well-positioned to restore security to the nation.
Otunge emphasized that the arrival of additional police and military personnel from Jamaica and five other countries, along with the necessary equipment and funding, will significantly impact notorious gang leaders like Lanmo Sanjou, who has been threatening to take over Fond Parisien, a major Haitian city near the Dominican Republic border.
I can assure you that Lanmo Sanjous days are numbered. Take it to the bank, Otunge told the Miami Herald. We came here for a reason, with a purpose. We came here to do something, and we must do it.
The commander also highlighted the unique nature of the MSS mission compared to traditional United Nations peacekeeping operations.
He observed that the current situation in Haiti involves gang violence rather than organized terrorism, distinguishing it from a conventional war.
He said that while the mission shares some similarities with U.N. operations, particularly in human rights and compliance, its primary role is to support and build the capacity of the Haiti National Police (HNP).
Otunge at the same time praised the bravery of the Haiti National Police officers, acknowledging their courage and commitment despite lacking certain resources.
The Kenyan Commander further emphasized Kenyas motivation to support Haiti, pointing out the deep historical and cultural connections between the two nations.
Haiti was the first African country to gain independence, and this act of courage inspired many African nations, including Kenya, to seek their own freedom, Otunge said.
On Wednesday, activist Hanifa Adan released a comprehensive audit of the Kes.31 million fundraiser started to support victims of police brutality during the Finance Bill protests.
The audit, conducted by Seal Associates, detailed the allocation of funds raised through the MChanga platform. This initiative, backed by generous contributions from Kenyans and other supporters, aimed to cover medical and funeral expenses and offer compensation to those affected by police violence.
According to the audit, the fundraiser collected a total of Kes.31,663,580 from 35,444 donors. Of this amount, Kes.30,296,574 was distributed among 208 families. The platform fee charged by MChanga amounted to Kes.1,345,702.
The report revealed that the funds were allocated based on the severity of injuries sustained by the victims. Priority was given to those who were seriously and permanently injured, as well as to bereaved families, in accordance with the available funds and projected medical expenses.
Specifically, Kes.10,126,963 went towards covering the medical bills for 95 individuals who were injured. Kes.7,767,681 supported 46 people with serious injuries, while Kes.2,081,930 assisted five victims with permanent disabilities. Additionally, Kes.10,320,000 was allocated to support the 208 bereaved families.
Hospitals Covered
The audit also highlighted that ten hospitals across Kenya received funds to help with the medical expenses of the injured. The hospitals included Nairobi West Hospital Ltd, Embu Level 5 Hospital, Tenwek Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Athi River Shalom Community, St Francis Community Hospital, Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, Kentap Medical Centre Communities, Mbagathi District Hospital, and Galaxy Hospital Limited.
Seal Associates confirmed that the Care for the Injured fundraiser was managed with transparency and accountability.
The funds were appropriately distributed to support those in need, with all payments backed by thorough and verifiable documentation. The audit confirms that the fundraiser was conducted with integrity, ensuring that all funds reached their intended recipients, the report stated.
The report also detailed the administration costs associated with the fundraiser. Mobi-Changa Limited charged a standard platform fee of 4.25% of the total funds raised, covering expenses related to processing donations, communicating with donors, and ensuring the authenticity and auditing of the causes.
Hanifa Adan expressed deep gratitude to all contributors and shared the emotional challenges she faced throughout the process.
I will be lying if I said I managed this well. My emotions were all over. I would like to sincerely apologize to anyone I may have offended and hurt intentionally or unintentionally. I love you all so much wallah. I apologize for being on the edge and acting up sometimes, she wrote on Twitter (X).
The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has confirmed an increase in the basic salaries for entry-level police constables from Kes. 21,645 to Kes. 25,645.
This adjustment fulfills the Governments commitment to the Maraga Taskforces recommendations, which advocated for higher salaries for Kenyan police officers.
At a press conference on Thursday, NPSC Chairperson Eliud Kinuthia revealed that the new salary represents a Kes. 4,000 increase from the previous amount.
With these new salary scales, the longest-serving Police Constable will earn a minimum gross monthly salary of Kes. 50,145, up to a maximum of Kes. 69,640.
For Senior Assistant Inspector Generals (SAIGs), the entry-level basic salary will range from Kes. 200,889 to Kes. 221,915, marking an increase of Kes. 21,026.
The longest-serving SAIGs will now receive a minimum monthly gross salary of Kes. 310,725, with a maximum of Kes. 409,365.
Promotions
In addition, the commission has approved the promotion of 1,957 police officers. Kinuthia said these promotions are intended to motivate officers as they near the mandatory retirement age of 60.
The commission acknowledged complaints about officers stagnation and its adverse effects on their morale and performance.
The NPSC has asked Douglas Kanja, the acting Inspector-General of the National Police Service, to review the files of officers aged 53 to 59 who have no disciplinary issues and recommend those eligible for promotion based on merit.
The Chief Inspector of Police will handle the identification, appraisal, selection, and recommendation for promotions of police constables.
The promotions will address command gaps in the lower ranks, manage exits due to natural attrition, and counterbalance the reduction in force over the past three years without new recruitments.
The commission recommended promoting to the next rank, 31 Chief Inspectors, 88 Inspectors, 24 Senior Sergeants, 98 Sergeants, 319 Corporals, and 629 Police Constables.
The 2024 Beijing Xidan Fashion Festival opened on Aug. 30, celebrating the 130th anniversary of French department store chain Galeries Lafayette with a grand fashion show, while also marking 60 years of diplomatic relations between China and France.
A model poses at a fashion show at the opening of the 2024 Beijing Xidan Fashion Festival held outside the Galeries Lafayette building in Xidan, Xicheng district, Beijing, Aug. 30, 2024. [Photo by Zheng Liang/China.org.cn]
The dazzling fashion show, held outside the Galeries Lafayette building, was divided into four segments to showcase trends from different decades, featuring 60 new fall-winter outfits. Since its grand opening in 2013, the department store has become deeply rooted in Beijing.
Galeries Lafayette has become a premier curator of French lifestyle in the Chinese market and a conduit for importing French culture and cutting-edge global fashion and art into China. Committed to nurturing designers, it showcases vibrant Chinese designs with international impact. Visitors to Galeries Lafayette Beijing can explore both renowned luxury brands like Saint Laurent, Thom Browne and Balmain, as well as distinctive designer labels such as TeddyTales and Jacquemus.
Nicolas Morineaux (third from right), CEO of Galeries Lafayette China, raises a toast alongside guests at the celebration event held in Beijing, Aug. 30, 2024. [Photo by Zheng Liang/China.org.cn]
"During the period, we have not only solidified our position as a leader in retail brands but also become an important bridge for introducing French brands, lifestyles and culture into the Chinese market," said Nicolas Morineaux, CEO of Galeries Lafayette China. He noted that the department store excels at capturing and infusing the city's distinctive elements into its fashion space, allowing visitors to experience the city's character in condensed form.
He added, "This year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, with close ties in politics, economy, culture and other fields. I believe we will contribute even more to cultural exchanges and business cooperation between China, France and the world."
Galeries Lafayette, which has expanded its services to five Chinese cities Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chongqing and Macao has planned a series of activities in China to celebrate its milestone anniversary this year, including trunk shows and designer exhibitions. In a statement, the brand revealed that Galeries Lafayette China is introducing a fully upgraded transformation strategy. This includes enhancing its customer relationship management, improved member experiences, special promotions and exclusive offline events.
Models walk during a fashion show held outside the Galeries Lafayette building in Xidan, Xicheng district, Beijing, Aug. 30, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Galeries Lafayette China]
Wang Bo, vice mayor of Xicheng district in Beijing, applauded Galeries Lafayette's store in Xidan, one of the city's most influential commercial zones, for not only offering unique shopping experiences but also allowing consumers to experience the fusion of fashion and art. This has earned widespread recognition and affection, further propelling Xidan to become one of Beijing's trendiest business districts.
Currently, Xicheng district is also advancing the high-quality construction of the international consumption center city demonstration zone. "We will maintain a global perspective and expand our international horizons," Wang said. "We will make greater efforts to attract and utilize foreign investment, set up the first and flagship stores of internationally renowned brands, and develop new scenarios and experiential stores."
Xia Lan (left), general manager of Refosian, and Nicolas Morineaux, CEO of Galeries Lafayette China, exchange gifts at the celebration event held in Beijing, Aug. 30, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Galeries Lafayette China]
Also at the event, representatives from the 130-year-old Galeries Lafayette and the 162-year-old Chinese silk brand Refosian, exchanged gifts representing their brands and the cultures of their respective countries. This exchange not only connected the two brands but also represented the fusion of Chinese and French cultures.
The Beijing Xidan Fashion Festival is a large-scale consumption promotion event in Xicheng district, which has been held for 14 years. This year, the festival will run until Oct. 31 and include more than 20 themed activities in three major series, while enhancing digital empowerment.
You are here: Business
The 6th Malaysia-China B2B Business Matching Session is held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sept. 5, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
China Construction Bank kicked off the 6th Malaysia-China B2B Business Matching Session in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, a key event ahead of the upcoming 21st China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO).
The two-day session will attract over 291 enterprises, including 116 Malaysian and 175 Chinese companies, participating in 403 business meetings.
It will cover a wide range of sectors such as healthcare and wellness, lifestyle, food and beverages, agriculture produce and services.
Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said that the yearly Malaysia-China B2B Business Matching event highlighted shared development opportunities and mutual benefits for enterprises from both countries.
"I hope that the business communities of China and Malaysia will seize development opportunities and inject new momentum into China-Malaysia economic and trade cooperation and the development of bilateral relations," he added.
A transformative $25.9 million grant from The Marcus Foundation will accelerate pioneering research aimed at revolutionizing hemorrhagic stroke treatment. This major award will fund the Rapid Evacuation and Access of Cerebral Hemorrhage (REACH) trial and its companion REACH registry, led by Emory University School of Medicine and Grady Health Systems Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center.
The REACH trial will explore treatment for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a severe form of hemorrhagic stroke where bleeding from a ruptured vessel occurs directly within the brain tissue, causing severe damage to brain cells and disrupting vital brain functions. Affecting approximately 3.4 million people globally each year, these strokes are the deadliest and most debilitating, with significant health and economic impacts. Despite medical advancements, current treatment options are limited, especially for deep ICH.
Building on the success of the national ENRICH trial, which demonstrated the effectiveness of minimally invasive parafascicular sugery (MIPS) for ICH in the brains lobar region, and published in April 2024 in the New England Journal of Medicine, the REACH trial seeks to further these advancements. This ambitious study will be the first to investigate the use of MIPS for deep ICH, particularly within the anterior basal ganglia, a challenging and more commonly affected area.
Gustavo Pradilla, MD, a leading neurosurgeon at Emory University and Grady Health System, emphasizes the significance of the REACH trial. This initiative represents a significant step forward to advance hemorrhagic stroke treatment. By refining the MIPS technique and expanding its use to the basal ganglia, we aim to transform the standard of care for patients with spontaneous ICH, improving outcomes and reducing the devastating impact of this condition.
Pradilla, co-principal investigator for REACH, is a professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine and chief of neurosurgery at Grady Health System.
According to Pradilla, there is currently no proven standard of care for surgically treating ICH in the basal ganglia, as no clinical trial has demonstrated the effectiveness of such interventions.
While MIPS represents a paradigm shift for ICH in the lobar region, closer to the brains surface - as established in the ENRICH trial - medical management remains the approach for deeper hemorrhages, since conventional surgery prevents death but does not improve long-term disability outcomes.
The REACH trial will enroll approximately 600 patients at up to 60 stroke centers nationwide over four years, with enrollment targeted to begin in December 2024. MIPS offers a less invasive alternative, using advanced computerized brain mapping and small instruments to remove clots and control bleeding. The procedure requires a smaller opening in the skull than a conventional craniotomy and allows for higher rates of clot removal and control of the bleeding source without damaging surrounding tissue.
In addition to optimizing the MIPS technique and demonstrating its safety and efficacy, REACH will establish new guidelines for treating patients with ICH in the brains basal ganglia. The accompanying REACH registry will build a comprehensive data repository, guiding future clinical practices and promoting broader adoption of MIPS for patients with spontaneous ICH.
Like ENRICH, the REACH trial will utilize FDA-cleared technology to access and evacuate the hematoma and a standardized approach in additional to guideline-based medical management.
Stroke remains a significant public health issue, with up to 50% of hemorrhagic stroke patients dying within 30 days and only 25% of survivors regaining full independence. The financial burden is equally severe, costing the U.S. health care system approximately $17 billion annually, with $12 billion attributed to care and productivity losses for survivors.
Since 2008, The Marcus Foundation has awarded more than $72 million to the Emory/Grady team to advance stroke research, prevention and treatment. Their initial grant was instrumental in establishing thrombectomy as a key treatment for mechanical removal of blood clots in the brain.
This grant, believed to be the largest philanthropic award ever made for clinical research targeting fatal stroke intervention, underscores the long-standing partnership and commitment of The Marcus Foundation in supporting lifesaving stroke research. Their continued investment has been crucial in driving breakthroughs that offer new hope to patients, says Michael Frankel, MD, chief of neurology and director of the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center for Grady Health System. He is also a professor of neurology and division director of vascular neurology at Emory University School of Medicine.
After witnessing the staggering death and disability strokes cause, I knew we had to do more to discover new treatment options, says Bernie Marcus, founder of The Marcus Foundation and co-founder of The Home Depot. Breakthroughs like this new approach for the deadliest form of stroke and others made by the stellar team at the Marcus Stroke & Neuroscience Center will save and change lives around the world for decades. That's a remarkable philanthropic return on investment.
In addition to Pradilla, the REACH trial principal investigators include Jonathan Ratcliff, MD, MPH, associate professor of emergency medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and director of neurocritical care at Grady Health System, and Alex Hall, DHSc, MS, assistant professor of emergency medicine and director of clinical trials at the Emory Neurosciences Lab and Trial Operations Core, Emory University School of Medicine.
We are profoundly grateful to The Marcus Foundation for this monumental award, which reaffirms the power of collaborative, visionary support in addressing one of the worlds most critical health challenges. REACH has the potential to significantly improve treatment options for stroke patients, both in Georgia, where stroke remains a leading cause of death, and far beyond, says Ravi Thadhani, MD, MPH, executive vice president for health affairs at Emory University.
Pivotal stroke research led by the Emory/Grady team
1992-1996
NINDS tPA Stroke Trial: Clinical trial that changed the standard of care for patients with acute ischemic stroke establishing the benefit of the intravenous clot busting medication called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Published in New England Journal of Medicine in 1995 and 1999.
2001-present
Paul Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry : Established by the CDC to be state-based registries collecting data to improve stroke care focusing on timely treatment with intravenous tPA. Georgia was one of the first states to receive funding.
20142017
DAWN Trial: Clinical trial that changed the standard of care for patients with ischemic stroke by proving the efficacy of thrombectomy (mechanical clot retrieval). Published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2018.
DAWN highlighted in an episode of Your Fantastic Mind on PBS/Georgia Public Broadcasting
20162023
ENRICH Trial: Randomized, multicenter clinical trial establishing benefit of MIPS for patients with ICH in the brains lobar region and is expected to change the standard of care for this disease. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2024.
ENRICH highlighted in an episode of Your Fantastic Mind on PBS/ Georgia Public Broadcasting
Additional details and a video of MIPS, PR Newswire
Stroke and The Marcus Foundation
2008
Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center: Based at Grady Hospital in downtown Atlanta, the Marcus Center is staffed by faculty physicians from Emory and Morehouse School of Medicine and directed by Michael Frankel, MD.
2017
Expansion of the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center: Specifically designed to optimize inpatient/outpatient continuity for multi-disciplinary neuroscience care, the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center Outpatient Clinic opened its doors to serve more patients and expand research capabilities.
2018-present
Marcus Stroke Network: Designed to reduce stroke disability and death rates in the stroke belt Southeast. Collaboration among Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center at Grady Hospital, Emory Brain Health Center, Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Florida and the American Heart Association. Also offers Georgias first mobile stroke unit. And provided support to add a second neuro-angiography suite to the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center, the first center in the U.S. to embed an angiogram suite into the neurocritical care setting, thereby improving the efficiency and safety of care.
20242028
REACH Trial: This multicenter clinical trial will test MIPS for patients with ICH in the brains anterior basal ganglia.
10:30
Vistara on Saturday said it is dispatching an alternative aircraft along with a fresh set of crew to fly the passengers of its Mumbai-Frankfurt flight to their destination after it was diverted to Erzurum Airport in Turkey due to an alleged bomb threat on Friday.
The substitute aircraft is expected to arrive at the Turkish airport by 12.25 (local time) and depart for Frankfurt with all passengers by 14.30 hours (Local time), Vistara said in an updated statement of X (formerly Twitter).
The flight UK 27, operating on Mumbai-Frankfurt route, departed from Mumbai at 1.01 pm on Friday after a delay of an hour and was scheduled to arrive in Frankfurt (Germany) at 5.30 pm (local time).
The Dreamliner 787-9 aircraft was, however, diverted to Turkey after the airline's crew on-board found a paper note stating that there was a bomb on the aircraft, Vistara sources had said.
According to an AP report, the aircraft had 247 passengers and crew on board.
The flight landed safely at Erzurum Airport at 1905 (local time) on Friday, the airline had said.
'Since the crew have exceeded their duty time limitation, we are sending an alternate aircraft, with a fresh set of crew, to Erzurum Airport, Turkey, which is expected to arrive there by 1225 hours (local time) and depart for Frankfurt, with all customers, by 1430 hours(local time),' Vistara said in its updated statement.
It said that all the necessary checks have been conducted and the customers, along with the crew and aircraft, have been cleared by the security agencies.
In the meantime, all efforts are being made to minimise inconvenience to customers, including offering them refreshments and meals, Vistara said in the statement.
On Friday the airline had said its Flight UK27 from Mumbai to Frankfurt, 'has been diverted to Turkey (Erzurum airport) due to security reasons and has landed safely at 1905 hours', without divulging the number of passengers and crew on board the aircraft. -- PTI
Nova Realtime Solutions LLP New Delhi [India], September 6: In December 2009, Vineet Agarwala, a passionate tech enthusiast founded BlueHorse Software in the rural town of Midnapore. His vision was to bring cutting-edge technology solutions to businesses worldwide. BlueHorse Software is built on a foundation of excellence and innovation, providing tailored solutions that help businesses unlock their full potential and achieve their goals with confidence. From a Small Town to National Acclaim Operating from Midnapore, BlueHorse Software defies the odds by driving technological innovation and making a significant impact. Our journey from a small town to national acclaim showcases how passion and determination can overcome limitations. Beyond technology, we are committed to creating jobs and uplifting rural India, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and development. This community-driven approach highlights how significant advancements can come from unexpected places. Strengthening International Reach BlueHorse has built a strong client base in India and expanded its presence to countries like Malaysia, Canada, and Taiwan. Our goal is to further establish our presence in the United States and Australia within the next two years, becoming a trusted technology partner for businesses worldwide. Diverse Sector Expertise We provide comprehensive tech solutions across various sectors, including fashion, retail, food and hospitality, health and wellness, tracking, manufacturing, publications, art, and MSMEs. By addressing the unique needs of each industry, we enhance businesses' digital presence and operational efficiency. Empowering Business Online At BlueHorse Software, we specialize in creating customized eCommerce solutions that empower brands. With over 14 years of experience, we craft impactful websites and bespoke mobile apps tailored to meet unique client needs. Embracing a mobile-first approach, we stay ahead of tech trends to deliver cutting-edge solutions. We've partnered with renowned eCommerce brands, utilizing our deep industry knowledge to develop products that surpass traditional SAAS or open-source options, ensuring a truly tailored eCommerce experience. Our Achievements Over the past 15 years, BlueHorse Software has successfully partnered with over 200 eCommerce and D2C platforms globally. We've collaborated with notable startups like Eazydiner and continue to work with renowned brands such as Manyavar, Wow Momo, Eureka Forbes, Cello, Mufti Jeans, Kora NM, and many others. Operating from our Midnapore office, we have demonstrated that with passion and commitment, exceptional technological advancements and business success can be achieved from any location. BlueHorse Software believes that with hard work and creativity, we can create top-notch solutions that empower businesses to grow and succeed. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by Nova Realtime Solutions LLP. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday said that the state has secured MOUs (memorandum of understanding), worth Rs 850 crores with US-based companies Lincoln Electric, Vishay Precision, and Visteon. In a post on the social media platform "X", the Tamil Nadu CM said, "In the land of opportunities, every new dawn ignites fresh hopes. We've secured MoUs worth Rs850 crores with Lincoln Electric, Vishay Precision, and Visteon, bringing us one step closer to realising our vision. Through relentless effort and determination, we continue to turn our dreams into reality." On Thursday, Tamil Nadu secured a Rs 2000 crore Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Trilliant to establish a manufacturing unit as well as create their Development and Global Support Centre in the state. "Exciting developments in Chicago! Secured a Rs 2000 crore MoU with Trilliant to establish a manufacturing unit as well as their Development & Global Support Centre in Tamil Nadu. Thanks to Trilliant for this valuable partnership," Stalin said on X. Stalin further stated that he also held productive talks with Nike on its expansion for footwear production in Chennai as well as engaged with healthcare firm Optum for creating a talent pipeline in the same sector in the state. Earlier on Wednesday, Stalin signed MOUs with Eaton, a multinational power management company, for Rs 200 crore R&D and engineering centre expansion in Chennai. Stalin, taking to X, informed that these MOUs will help in creating 500 jobs and that the government has secured a pact with Assurant, a risk management solutions provider, to set up the first Global Capability Centre. Stalin is currently on an official visit to the United States to secure support and investments aimed at boosting the prosperity of the state. On August 31, 2024, an agreement was signed with Ohmium for the establishment of a new factory in the Chengalpattu district for producing electrolysers and green hydrogen, with an investment of Rs 400 crores and creating 500 job opportunities. Stalin said that the deal marked an important step in nurturing the ecosystem for green energy production and fuelling a sustainable future. On August 30, 2024, meetings were held with senior officials from Apple, Google, and Microsoft to invite them to invest in Tamil Nadu, and an MoU was signed with Google to set up artificial intelligence (AI) labs in Tamil Nadu. During the Tamil Nadu CM's US visit, on August 29, 2024, at an investors' conference held in San Francisco, MoUs were signed with six leading global companies--Nokia, PayPal, Yield Engineering Services, Microchip, Infinx Healthcare, and Applied Materials--for an investment of Rs 900 crores to create 4,100 job opportunities. (ANI)
PRNewswire Monrovia [Liberia], September 6: Orange Liberia, in collaboration with its strategic partner ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a global leading provider of integrated information and communication technology solutions, has announced the successful completion of a project to build new communication sites, called Rural EcoSites, across the country, significantly enhancing network coverage in rural areas. The project, encompassing 128 communication sites, was completed in just three months. These sites employ low-power-consumption, wide-coverage wireless base station equipment supporting the 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 energy-saving software, to achieve energy-efficient network construction. Additionally, transmission challenges are flexibly addressed through the adaptable use of microwave, satellite, and 4G relay technology. This new infrastructure marks a significant improvement in communication services for Liberia's rural regions, providing high-quality network access to previously underserved areas. Over 580,000 subscribers in rural areas will benefit from enhanced digital, financial, and energy inclusion. Jean Marius YAO, CEO of Orange Liberia, stated, "This project demonstrates our commitment to providing better communication services to the people of Liberia. We will continue to work with partners like ZTE to advance Liberia's telecommunications sector." "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," added Jean Marius YAO. Zhang Guanzhen, CEO, ZTE Orange MEA Account, expressed honor in their collaboration on this project. "This project marks the first implementation of our rural network solution with the Orange Group, representing a significant breakthrough in our collaboration," added Zhang Guanzhen. "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. This accomplishment stands as a key strategic milestone in the ongoing cooperation between Orange Group and ZTE Corporation." The new rural network infrastructure promises to bolster Liberia's rural communities, facilitating enhanced economic and social integration. Orange Liberia and ZTE are committed to advancing the telecommunications landscape in Liberia further. ABOUT ZTE: ZTE helps to connect the world with continuous innovation for a better future. The company provides innovative technologies and integrated solutions, and its portfolio spans all series of wireless, wireline, devices and professional telecommunications services. Serving over a quarter of the global population, ZTE is dedicated to creating a digital and intelligent ecosystem, and enabling connectivity and trust everywhere. ZTE is listed on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. www.zte.com.cn/global FOLLOW US: Facebook www.facebook.com/ZTECorpX www.x.com/ZTEPressLinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/zteYouTube www.youtube.com/@ZTECorporation MEDIA INQUIRIES: ZTE CorporationCommunicationsEmail: ZTE.press.release@zte.com.cn (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)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 6: UNOX, the premier Italian brand known for its advanced commercial ovens, has officially launched the UNOX Lounge in Bengaluru. This innovative space, created in partnership with Unique Steel Products-Kitchen Whiz, offers a unique opportunity for culinary professionals to experience UNOX ovens firsthand.
The UNOX Lounge in Bengaluru features a comprehensive array of UNOX equipment, including convection ovens, the latest combi-ovens, speed ovens, and more. Guests can engage in interactive demonstrations led by UNOX chefs, showcasing the precision, versatility, and cutting-edge technology of UNOX's professional ovens.
Vikram Goel, Managing Director of UNOX India, commented, "The UNOX Lounge in Bengaluru represents our commitment to delivering cutting-edge culinary solutions. This new space offers chefs and culinary professionals an opportunity to experience our innovative products firsthand."
Matt Roberts, Director of Customer Experience at UNOX MEA, added, "The UNOX Lounge is designed to inspire and support our customers by allowing them to interact with our technology before making a purchase. This hands-on experience ensures they choose equipment that enhances their kitchen operations effectively."
Huzefa Madraswala, Managing Director of Unique Steel Products-Kitchen Whiz, noted, "Our collaboration with UNOX to introduce the UNOX Lounge highlights our commitment to innovation in the culinary sector. We look forward to offering customers a unique platform to engage with state-of-the-art culinary technology."
The UNOX Lounge is set to become a key destination for a wide range of clients, including high-end restaurants, luxury hotels, stylish cafes, and dynamic catering businesses, marking it as a hub of culinary innovation in Bengaluru.
UNOX Bangalore Lounge: Phase-3, 235/E, Bommasandra Industrial Area, Bengaluru, Bommasandra, Karnataka 560099
(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by HT Syndication. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
The DigiYatra Facility that aims to deliver contactless, seamless and smart processing of Passengers based on real-time Facial Biometric Validation, was formally launched today by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation K Ram Mohan Naidu across nine AAI Airports. The Minister inaugurated the facility for Visakhapatnam Airport at an event at the Airport on Friday and virtually extended the launch to eight other AAI Airports, marking a significant step forward in providing a New Digital Experience to Air Travellers in the country. This system is now fully operational for Passengers at Visakhapatnam, Patna, Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Goa (Dabolim), Indore, Ranchi, Coimbatore and Bagdogra. During the launch, the minister highlighted the key benefit of this facility and mentioned that it will provide a seamless and contactless experience at more airports for passengers. "I am happy to announce that today we are inaugurating 9 Digi Yatra facilities in 9 airports in the country...the most important thing of this Digi Yatra facility is the seamless and contactless facility to the passengers," said Naidu. He emphasized that the system stores all necessary information on passengers' mobile devices, ensuring a hassle-free and efficient journey through the airport. DigiYatra is a biometric-based system that aims to make air travel in India more convenient and paperless. In this, passengers register using their ID and biometric data before entering the airport terminal. They then use the system at key points, like airport entry, security check, and boarding gate, without needing to carry travel documents. DigiYatra offers a faster entry, check-in, and boarding process, along with a higher degree of safety and security Naidu also added that the Digi Yatra facility is a game-changing technological advancement in the civil aviation Industry, noting its widespread acceptance with over 3 crore users. He also revealed the ambitious goal of the ministry of civil aviation to roll out the Digi Yatra facility across all airports in the country. The minister also assured the passengers of robust data protection. In addition, the Minister spoke about the regional connectivity scheme by the ministry of civil aviation, he reaffirmed the government's commitment to expand the nation's civil aviation infrastructure and flight connectivity. The minister also added that presently India has 157 airports, and in the coming years, the government aims to increase this number to 400, with active efforts already underway. The Digi Yatra initiative of the Airports Authority of India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation has received widespread praise, with passengers expressing their appreciation for this revolutionary step. (ANI)
PNN New Delhi [India], September 6: On September 4, 2024, the International Youth Development Foundation (IYDF) joined forces with Hungry Mountain Restaurant to host a meaningful charity event at the SFM Minority School in the Shah Jamal area of Ashiq Ali Road, Aligarh, India. The event, organized by Mohd. Adnan Ansari, saw active participation from a team of volunteers, including Alia Ansari, Zikra Khan, Aman Sharma, Shahana Baig, Faheem Khan, and Akib Hashmi, who collectively provided essential supplies and care to 35 children. Throughout the event, the children received a range of vital supplies, including 52 kg of rice, 24 liters of cooking oil, 30 kg of flour, 20 kg of lentils, 35 backpacks, 200 pencil cases, 200 erasers and sharpeners, 45 boxes of mango juice, 45 packets of biscuits, 70 chocolate bars, 40 sheets of drawing paper, and 40 sets of crayons. These donations not only improved their daily living conditions but also supported their educational needs. One of the event's highlights was a drawing competition in which the children enthusiastically participated, showcasing their artistic talents. In addition, the volunteers engaged in meaningful interactions with the children, discussing their daily lives and eating habits. This direct interaction allowed the volunteers to better understand the children's needs while providing the children with a sense of social support and care. Ms. Naghma, the head of SFM School, expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the support from IYDF and Hungry Mountain Restaurant. She emphasized that the event brought significant relief to the children, offering both material aid and emotional encouragement. Ms. Naghma can be reached at 8307783919 for further information. Reflecting on the success of the event, Mohd. Adnan Ansari said, "It is a privilege to organize such an event. We feel specially chosen to carry out this sacred work, and it brings us immense joy and honor to continue this mission." The volunteers also shared how participating in this event deeply impacted them, underscoring the profound meaning of giving and helping others. This partnership between IYDF and Hungry Mountain Restaurant illustrates how the broader community can take tangible actions to support vulnerable groups, especially minority children. Looking ahead, IYDF plans to collaborate with more businesses to implement additional charitable projects, improving the lives of children in need and helping them achieve a brighter future. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PNN New Delhi [India], September 6: In September 2024, the International Youth Development Foundation (IYDF) partnered with Tata Ace Mini Transport to successfully organize a charitable event in Margao, Goa, aimed at providing support to underprivileged children. The event was led by Razak Mugalageri, who, along with a team of volunteers, provided essential learning and living supplies to help improve the quality of life for local children. The event took place at 3:30 PM in the Chandor area of Margao, with Miss Muskan as the key beneficiary, and saw the participation of 45 children. IYDF and Tata Ace Mini Transport, as the main sponsors of the event, actively participated in the planning and provided essential logistical support. The donations included school bags, books, pencil cases, lunch boxes, chocolates, fruits, and water bottles, covering the children's educational and daily needs. The volunteer team, consisting of Farukh, Mustafa, Mubin, Hashmi, and Abdulla, played a key role in distributing the supplies and engaging with the children through various interactive games. The activities, which combined both indoor and outdoor games, not only helped improve the children's physical fitness but also fostered teamwork and cooperation. The children spent a delightful time in a joyful environment, and their radiant smiles were the greatest reward for everyone involved. After the event, Razak Mugalageri shared his thoughts, saying, "I feel incredibly proud to help these children. This is more than just a charitable event; it is a responsibility and a mission. Seeing the children playing happily and enjoying the materials we provided brings me immense satisfaction. I am committed to continuing similar initiatives in the future, helping more children in need." This event not only benefited the children of Margao but also set a positive example for the community. The representative from Tata Ace Mini Transport expressed that participating in such charitable activities is not only part of the company's corporate social responsibility but also a way to collaborate with IYDF to promote social progress. They pledged to continue supporting more charitable projects in the future, aiding families and children in challenging circumstances. IYDF remains dedicated to providing support and care to vulnerable groups. Through partnerships with organizations across various sectors, IYDF continually strives to foster positive social development. This event was a reflection of that mission. In the future, IYDF will continue to collaborate with partners like Tata Ace Mini Transport to bring hope and change to disadvantaged children 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)
VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 6: Zurich Kotak General Insurance, an insurer in India highlights a worry free travel experience with its comprehensive travel insurance protection. As the world opens up again post-COVID-19 pandemic, frequent travellers in India are eager to explore new destinations, reconnect with loved ones and create unforgettable memories. However, unexpected events like trip cancellations or medical emergencies can quickly turn a dream vacation into a nightmare. Protect your travel plans Zurich Kotak General Insurance's travel insurance is designed to provide financial protection against unforeseen circumstances that may arise during international travel. With a range of benefits, travellers can enjoy their trips with complete peace of mind. Key benefits of travel insurance Let's understand the key benefits of travel insurance for customers: * Trip cancellation: Receive reimbursement for non-refundable expenses if your trip is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. * Medical expenses: Get covered for medical emergencies, including hospitalisation and evacuation, while traveling abroad. * Lost/delayed checked-in baggage: Receive compensation for lost or delayed checked-in baggage, ensuring you have the essentials to continue your journey. Why choose Zurich Kotak General Insurance's travel insurance? Here's why you should choose Zurich Kotak General Insurance's travel insurance online: * Quick assistance: Zurich Kotak General Insurance offers quick assistance for all your queries and needs regarding your trip. * Variety of products/plans: Zurich Kotak General Insurance offers a variety of travel insurance products/plans to its customers. * Easy purchases: You can easily purchase Zurich Kotak General Insurance's travel insurance online. Stay safe, stay covered Don't let unexpected circumstances ruin your travel plans. Choose Zurich Kotak General Insurance for comprehensive travel protection and enjoy your trips with confidence. Visit Zurich Kotak General Insurance's website to learn more about our travel insurance product. About Zurich Kotak General Insurance Company (India) Limited (Formerly known as Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company Limited) Zurich Kotak General Insurance Company (India) Limited is a 70:30 joint venture between Zurich Insurance Group and Kotak Mahindra Bank. The Company got its new name ''Zurich Kotak General Insurance Company (India) Limited'' in the month of August 2024, following Zurich Insurance Group's 70% acquisition in Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company Limited. It is the youngest and one of the fastest growing non-life insurance franchises in India. Kotak General Insurance was established in 2015 to service the growing non-life insurance segment in India. The company aims to cater to a wide range of customer segments & geographies offering an array of non-life insurance products like Motor, Health, Home etc. As a practice, the company seeks to provide a differentiated value proposition through customized products and services leveraging state of art technology and digital infrastructure. (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)
Hunter Biden pleads guilty in tax evasion trial in Los Angeles
Xinhua) 08:42, September 06, 2024
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.
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
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A visitor learns about a VR-based remote grasping robot at the 2023 World Manufacturing Convention in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, Sept. 20, 2023. [Photo/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).
PNN New Delhi [India], September 6: On the afternoon of September 2, 2024, the International Youth Development Foundation (IYDF) joined forces with Tanweer Auto Electric & Auto Deal to host a meaningful charity event in Semliya Chau village, located in Madhya Pradesh. The event, held at Shubhankar Public School, aimed to bring warmth and support to 40 underprivileged children. Led by organizer Mohammad Tanweer Alam, the team of nine dedicated volunteers distributed essential school and daily living supplies to the children. Event Highlights The primary goal of this initiative was to provide educational materials to disadvantaged children, ensuring they can continue their educational journeys with greater ease and encouragement. The donated items included compass boxes, sets of notebooks, pencil cases, colored pencil boxes, biscuit packs, and chocolates. These items were not only practical school supplies but also a source of motivation to inspire the children to excel in their studies. IYDF's Contribution IYDF has always been committed to the development of youth and children worldwide, with a particular focus on supporting impoverished children. This event once again demonstrated IYDF's core mission and values: paving the way for a brighter future for every child through educational and material support. Volunteer Participation Mohammad Tanweer Alam, as the lead organizer of the event, received tremendous support from the nine dedicated volunteers who assisted with the distribution of the supplies. The volunteers included Ishaque Khan, Salim Shaikh, Touheed Alam, Salman Khan, Kayyum Khan, Rehan Khan, Sachin Chouhan, Vijay Chauhan, and Rahul Chauhan. Together, they ensured that each child received the necessary items. The atmosphere at the event was lively, with frequent interactions between the volunteers and the children, who were visibly grateful and smiling throughout the day. The volunteers expressed that being part of such a charity event not only benefited the children but also gave them a deep sense of fulfilment from helping others. Event Significance This initiative by IYDF was not just about material donations; it also served to introduce IYDF's mission to the local community and the children. The event underscored the importance of education while also encouraging more people to take part in supporting vulnerable groups. This translation incorporates smoother sentence structures and a more engaging tone while maintaining the core message of the original piece. It weaves in the volunteers and donations naturally into the narrative. (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)
NewsVoir Pune (Maharashtra) [India], September 6: Apple is all set to launch the iPhone 16 series on September 9, 2024. The Cupertino-based firm will announce four smartphones in this line-up, but the spotlight is on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Apple reserves the 'Pro Max' moniker for its top variants, and these models solidify Apple's position as a leader in smartphone innovation. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is anticipated to be the most advanced and future-proof smartphone to date, powered by Apple's latest A18 Pro SoC. The new model will likely feature a bigger and brighter display with thinner bezels than its predecessor. Above all, Apple Intelligence is sure to make its way to the new flagship handset in its full glory to redefine how we interact with our smartphones. Besides these upgrades, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will come with a host of new and exciting features, including major enhancements in battery power and RAM. With the smartphone expected to hit the stores in the latter half of September, you can buy your preferred model on Easy EMIs by shopping on the Bajaj Finserv EMI Network. Launch date and pricing The iPhone 16 Pro Max is likely to hit stores a week after its announcement and the price in India is expected to start at Rs. 1,59,900 due to high import duties and other costs. You can shop for iPhone 16 Pro Max using the Bajaj Finserv EMI Network Card and repay the amount in convenient tenures ranging between 1 to 60 months. Display and design enhancements The iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature a significantly larger and brighter display with industry-leading thin bezels, thanks to the new Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology. * Display: 6.9-inch OLED screen, an upgrade from the 6.7-inch on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.* Bezel size: Slimmed down to an incredibly thin 1.15 mm, offering more screen real estate.* Design: The ultra-premium design of the iPhone 15 Pro Max will be retained with a new physical 'Capture' button below the Lock button for quick camera access. The handset will be available in Black, White, Gray, and Rose Gold colour options, with a Titanium body that ensures durability and a premium feel. Camera innovations For photography enthusiasts, the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera system is set to be a major highlight: Rear cameras: * Primary camera: 48MP sensor with improved low-light performance.* Ultra-wide camera: New 48MP sensor, larger than the previous 12MP, captures more light for brighter images.* Optical zoom: 5x optical zoom for detailed magnification without quality loss. Front camera: 12MP selfie camera designed to capture sharp, vibrant images in any lighting condition. These cameras, combined with advanced post-processing capabilities and noise reduction algorithms, are expected to set new standards for mobile photography. Performance and battery Under the hood, the iPhone 16 Pro Max will be powered by Apple's A18 Pro SoC, a hexa-core chip built on TSMC's 3-nanometer process, offering blazing-fast performance. The smartphone will come with 8GB of RAM, supporting intense gaming and video editing without lag. Apple is also likely to introduce a new thermal system to reduce overheating, ensuring the device remains cool even during prolonged usage. AI capabilities: Apple Intelligence Among the fascinating features of the iPhone 16 Pro Max will be Apple Intelligence, which will redefine how users interact with their smartphones. These AI-powered tools include: * Writing tools: Ability to rewrite, proofread, and summarise text efficiently.* Smart notifications: Prioritises the most relevant emails and notifications.* Image creation: Generate images based on user prompts with advanced AI capabilities. These features will be available in their full glory on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, leveraging the power of the A18 Pro chip. Conclusion The iPhone Pro Max is set to redefine the standard for flagship smartphones. Its vibrant and large 6.9-inch OLED screen will bring multimedia content to life, showing everything in high definition. Under the hood, Apple's A18 Pro SoC will ensure smooth, lightning-fast performance. For photography enthusiasts, the upgraded camera hardware is a dream come true. Above all, the incorporation of Apple Intelligence will take the smartphone experience to another level. The iPhone 16 Pro Max sits at the epitome of smartphone innovation. If you are eager to experience this masterpiece without worrying about the hefty price tag it carries, consider shopping on the Bajaj Finserv EMI Network. Once the smartphone becomes available, you can visit any Bajaj Finserv partner store and purchase the iPhone 16 Pro Max on Easy EMIs using the Bajaj Finserv EMI Network Card. To make the repayment convenient, you can choose a repayment tenure between 1 to 60 months. Bajaj Finance Ltd. ('BFL', 'Bajaj Finance', or 'the Company'), a subsidiary of Bajaj Finserv Ltd., is a deposit taking Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC-D) registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and is classified as an NBFC-Investment and Credit Company (NBFC-ICC). BFL is engaged in the business of lending and acceptance of deposits. It has a diversified lending portfolio across retail, SMEs, and commercial customers with significant presence in both urban and rural India. It accepts public and corporate deposits and offers a variety of financial services products to its customers. BFL, a thirty-five-year-old enterprise, has now become a leading player in the NBFC sector in India and on a consolidated basis, it has a franchise of 69.14 million customers. BFL has the highest domestic credit rating of AAA/Stable for long-term borrowing, A1+ for short-term borrowing, and CRISIL AAA/Stable & [ICRA]AAA(Stable) for its FD program. It has a long-term issuer credit rating of BB+/Positive and a short-term rating of B by S&P Global ratings. To know more, visit www.bajajfinserv.in. (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)
PNN Dubai [UAE], September 6: NIFD Global School of Design, in collaboration with London School of Trends (LST), achieved a historic milestone with their spectacular debut at Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) 2024. Held on September 3, 2024, at the esteemed 'Launchpad @ Dubai Fashion Week,' the event showcased groundbreaking collections from NIFD Global's talented designers, garnering widespread acclaim from industry leaders and fashion enthusiasts. It is for the first time that students from an Indian design school have presented their work at the prestigious Dubai Fashion Week, a platform renowned for featuring the world's top designers. The Grand Finale will showcase the renowned international designer, Roberto Cavalli. DFW stands as Dubai's premier fashion event, dedicated to celebrating the city's limitless creativity while nurturing the growth of the Arab fashion industry. This collaboration underscores NIFD Global's commitment to providing its students with international exposure and the chance to leave an indelible mark on the global fashion landscape. Themed 'Roots to Runway,' the collection honoured India's diverse cultural heritage, while also serving as a testament to the students' dedication and hard work. The collection drew inspiration from ancient weaving techniques, intricate embroideries, and sustainable textiles, creating garments that celebrated the timeless elegance of India's craft while embracing contemporary fashion trends. Each piece was meticulously crafted to reflect a harmonious fusion of old-world charm and innovative design, showcasing the students' exceptional dedication and creativity. Critics praised the designers for their ability to breathe new life into traditional techniques, seamlessly integrating them with modern aesthetics. The 'Roots to Runway' collection was celebrated for its unique approach and artistic vision, positioning it as a standout highlight of the event. These trendsetting ensembles received rave reviews from both the fashion industry and the audiences, positioning the students as torchbearers of India's rich fashion legacy on an international stage. Representing the esteemed brand NIFD Global - LST, young designers from across India showcased their talent and celebrated the Design School's commitment to fostering creativity and innovation in the field of design. Students shared their profound experiences of showcasing their collections on an international stage. They expressed how this opportunity was not only a dream fulfilled but also a pivotal moment in their budding careers. The exposure to global industry leaders and the chance to represent India's rich cultural heritage were repeatedly highlighted as key takeaways from the event. Many of them spoke about the confidence and inspiration they gained from seeing their designs appreciated on an international stage. The collective sentiment was one of gratitude towards NIFD Global for providing such an unparalleled platform. Students expressed their appreciation for the Design School support and its role in pushing their creative boundaries, allowing them to think beyond the conventional and explore new possibilities in fashion design. By participating in Dubai Fashion Week, NIFD Global has established itself as a leader in design education, offering its students unparalleled opportunities to showcase their talent and representing the brand on a global scale. NIFD Global continues to bridge the gap between traditional Indian artistry and a forward-looking design vision through its presence at prestigious global platforms, including London Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, Dubai Fashion Week, and Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI. By offering students such opportunities to engage with global fashion leaders and participate in high-profile events, the Design Schol ensures that its graduates are well-prepared for successful careers in dynamic and evolving industries. The Design School remains dedicated to nurturing talent and preparing students for successful careers in dynamic industries. With a network of campuses across India, NIFD Global empowers students to pursue their creative passions and offers a wealth of opportunities through its School of Design, School of Management, and School of Beauty. For more information, visit www.nifdglobal.com. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PNN Mangalore (Karnataka) [India], September 6: Esyasoft Holding Ltd marked a significant milestone, successfully launching the first Esyasoft Trainee Engineers Program. This unique project, a cornerstone of the Founder's vision for Esyasoft 2.0, is not just about training; it's about nurturing the next generation of technology leaders, innovators, and changemakers. It will serve as a blueprint for Esyasoft's future talent development strategies on a global scale. This event brought together Esyasoft Holding's leadership from across our diverse business units to present the breadth of their operations, product portfolio, and market presence. Trainees were introduced to Esyasoft's core solutions, including their flagship MDMS and project delivery, manufacturing, and market expansion approach, as well as the large scale of our worldwide operations and our latest innovations in climate technologies and AI-driven data science solutions. Additionally, the trainees were given an exclusive preview of Esyasoft's joint ventures, including partnerships with Adani and Landis+Gyr. The company's recent global acquisitions were highlighted, showcasing the countless opportunities within the Esyasoft ecosystem. A Vision for the Future Esyasoft Holding's Founder and Group CEO, Bipin Chandra, addressed the trainee engineers with an inspiring message: "Welcome to the Esyasoft Trainee Engineers Program, an exciting new initiative that marks the beginning of a journey filled with growth, learning, and countless opportunities. This program is not just about training; it's about nurturing the next generation of technology leaders, innovators, and changemakers who will carry the torch of Esyasoft's global mission. Your participation lays the groundwork for what will become a cornerstone of Esyasoft's approach to talent development worldwide." From this day forward, the selected top graduates from India will become an integral part of Esyasoft's global network, where their contributions will reverberate across continents and industries. As the program unfolds, Esyasoft is poised to shape a future where these top-notch engineering skills and talents, in the hands of our trainee engineers, will pave the way to success, empowering them and making them feel significant. Esyasoft Holding is committed to excellence and innovation. The significance of this project, strategically located in Mangalore, a city known for its promise and untapped potential, underscores the company's dedication to becoming a hub for technological innovation and engineering excellence. Marisa Talamonti, Group HR Head - People and Culture, also shared her thoughts: "At Esyasoft, we believe that our people are our greatest asset. We are proud to have conducted campus placements and selected top graduates from India's leading universities, including IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, NIT Surathkal, NIT Jamshedpur, NIT Durgapur, NIT Allahabad, NIT Calicut, and NIT Trichy, and many other to join this program. This initiative is designed to empower the next generation of engineers by providing them with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive. We are dedicated to creating a continuous learning and growth culture, ensuring our trainees are well-equipped to lead and innovate in an ever-changing world." Group CTO Kamal Kanti Sen shared his excitement about the program: "The Trainee Engineers Program is a bold and visionary step forward in Esyasoft's relentless pursuit of innovation and engineering excellence. Through this initiative, we are not merely imparting knowledge but cultivating the architects of tomorrow's technological landscape. The skills, insights, and experiences gained by these trainees will be pivotal in driving Esyasoft's future technological breakthroughs and solidifying our leadership on the global stage". Vinol Savio D'Costa, Founder and Director of Sierra Learning Academy, added, "I'm thrilled to be part of Esyasoft's new initiative to provide training to these students. Together, we believe we can impact their lives and set them up for success. This collaboration aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their careers, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering future talent." Empowering the Future The Esyasoft Trainee Engineers Program is more than just a starting point--it is a pioneering effort to build a legacy of excellence. These trainee engineers' experiences, feedback, and growth will help refine and perfect this program, ensuring it becomes a benchmark for future trainees worldwide. Through this program, trainees will be immersed in a curriculum that blends academic rigour with creative freedom, preparing them to become adaptable, innovative professionals who can make a difference not only in India but also on a global stage. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
PNN New Delhi [India], September 6: On September 4, 2024, the International Youth Development Foundation (IYDF) partnered with Savan Space Interiors to host a heartwarming charitable event at Government Lower Primary School in Bangalore, India. The event aimed to provide essential supplies to the children and enrich their extracurricular lives through creative activities, fostering their creativity and self-confidence. Organized by Savan Kumar, the volunteer team included K. Ganesh Bhat, Veena, and Muniswamy. They brought a variety of materials that added color to the children's learning and playtime. Donations included lunch bags, notebooks, juice packs, biscuit packages, geometry boxes, paint sets, lollipops, volleyballs, badminton sets, skipping ropes, board games like Carrom, and rubber balls. Additionally, drawing paper was provided for a painting and coloring competition. The event officially began at 10 a.m. and lasted for an hour and a half. Under the guidance of teachers and volunteers, 25 students expressed their dreams and hopes through vibrant artwork. The children fully engaged in drawing and coloring, demonstrating boundless creativity and artistic potential. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, and the children's concentration, coupled with the volunteers' encouragement, made the event both heartwarming and joyful. This initiative provided not only essential learning and recreational supplies but also a platform for the children to express themselves artistically. The drawing competition allowed the children to showcase their imagination freely while enhancing their manual skills and aesthetic awareness. Savan Kumar, the event organizer, shared his thoughts afterward: "Seeing the children so happy fills me with immense satisfaction. Both the children and the school staff expressed deep gratitude, which has further strengthened my commitment to future charitable endeavors." He added that IYDF and Savan Space Interiors will continue supporting educational initiatives to ensure that more underprivileged children receive better learning and living conditions. This event not only highlighted IYDF and Savan Space Interiors' commitment to social welfare but also underscored the importance society places on education. Volunteers expressed their honor in being part of the event, noting that the children's smiles were the best reward for their efforts. Through this initiative, IYDF and Savan Space Interiors have once again demonstrated how love and care can positively impact and transform the lives of children through real actions. They plan to continue collaborating with other organizations to help more disadvantaged children thrive in a nurturing and supportive environment. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
The groundbreaking ceremony for India's first silicon carbide manufacturing facility to be set up by RIR Power Electronics Ltd, a leader in India's semiconductor power electronics technology, was held today at the EMC Park, Infovalley, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. This development places India and the state of Odisha squarely at the forefront of the global power electronics market. The event was graced by the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. RIR's products are sold internationally, across North America, Europe and Asia, for use in sectors such as railway, defence, power, transportation, aerospace and sustainable energy. RIR Power Electronics Ltd. has invested heavily in cutting-edge technology, skilled manpower, and sustainable practices to ensure that the facility adheres to global standards of manufacturing excellence. This project is expected to contribute significantly to India's mission of becoming a self-reliant hub for semiconductor production. The opening of this state-of-the-art facility with a total investment of approx. Rs 620 crore over three years marks a significant step for Odisha's entry into the power electronics industry. This facility will create over 500 new jobs across various levels, from R&D to factory operations, providing large-scale employment opportunities. It will enhance Bhubaneswar's industrial landscape by implementing best practices, and sustainable energy and fostering the development of advanced technologies while building a skilled and diverse workforce. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said, "The establishment of RIR Power Electronics Ltd.'s facility is another notable step in our ongoing journey to make Odisha a leading semiconductor hub in India. This new facility will not only create state-of-the-art products but also open up a wealth of opportunities for our talented youth, providing them with avenues to work at the cutting edge of technology right here in Odisha. The facility will attract skilled professionals, foster local innovation, drive economic growth, and further solidify Odisha's position as one of India's most promising destinations for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing." As India embarks on its journey of developing an indigenous semiconductor ecosystem, Odisha has positioned itself firmly behind this national objective. It is one of the few states in India that have introduced a dedicated semiconductor policy. This unique and forward-looking policy provides incentives not only to fabrication units but also to semiconductor design and supply chain units spanning all segments of the semiconductor value chain. In addition to the Semiconductor Policy, Odisha's flagship O-Chip Programme stands out as a one-of-a-kind initiative that provides comprehensive support to semiconductor design startups, companies, and academic institutions. The programme will provide companies with access to EDA tools and IPs, market connectivity, mentorship and training by technical experts, along with a range of other ancillary support. Academic institutions will also be provided research grants for industry relevant research in semiconductor design. Apart from RIR Power Electronics Ltd., the Odisha government said it has received several other investment proposals in semiconductors and related fields for the establishment of new facilities in Bhubaneswar. RIR is also in the process of tying up with IIT, Bhubanewar for technical/research collaboration. (ANI)
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati on Friday partnered with Airbus India Private Limited to advance aviation and logistics education in Assam, IIT Guwahati said in a statement. Aimed at enhancing the socio-economic landscape of the northeastern region, a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) has been signed between Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati, and Remi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus India Private Limited. Additionally, an agreement has been finalised to implement this major initiative. This collaboration aligns with the Govt. of India's UDAAN Scheme, which aims to foster development and socio-economic reforms across the country, the note added. Welcoming the esteemed guests, Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati, said, "This initiative will empower the youth of Assam and the northeastern region, fostering innovation, economic growth, and a brighter future for all. Together, we aim to create a sustainable ecosystem that will enhance the region's contribution to global trade and aviation." Highlighting the need for skilled professionals in the aviation and logistics sectors, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "This partnership in aviation logistics and allied areas will not only promote knowledge sharing but also shape the future of the aviation industry. The collaboration will focus on key areas such as transportation, hospitality, skilling, and logistics--each with significant potential for growth. I assure the IIT family that students participating in these programs will receive adequate scholarships to help them excel in their pursuit of new careers." The Chief Minister further added, "In recent years, Assam has seen remarkable development in both education and industry. The introduction of the semiconductor industry by Tata Technologies is a prime example of this progress. With this partnership with Airbus, we aim to explore further opportunities for collaboration to foster growth in the Northeast. I am confident that this cooperation between IIT Guwahati and the Government of Assam will continue to thrive, delivering impactful academic initiatives for the people of Assam and India." Chief Minister Sarma that this arrangement will address the current skills gap would ignite sustained growth and elevate the global competitiveness of the aviation and logistics sectors in the Northeast. He termed the collaboration as a significant step forward in creating a robust and dynamic workforce as well as boosting the aviation and logistics sector. He appreciated all the key stakeholders for their dedication and foresight in shaping a future where Assam can thrive as a hub of aviation industry innovation and excellence. The collaboration would help in addressing some of the most pressing challenges in the fields of aviation, logistics and allied areas, he said adding that the partnership will give significant push to co-creating solutions transforming the future of aviation in our region. He moreover said that the agreement embodies the spirit of technological excellence and global leadership which will give a big push towards sustaining Assam's ascent in technological development. Stating that in recent years, Assam has seen major growth in multiple sectors of semiconductor industry, petroleum refining, polymers, agriculture sector, tourism, aviation, hospitality, healthcare, the Chief Minister viewed that today's understanding will give further push to this growth trajectory. "This agreement is not just a journey that will enhance the overall capabilities of IIT Guwahati and support Airbus India Private Limited, but in our quest for industrialization and technological advancement", he said. Further to this initiative, IIT Guwahati will establish a Global Skilling Centre in Aviation and Logistics. This center will address the critical shortage of skilled professionals in the logistics sector, which is essential for the growth of global trade and commerce. It will provide comprehensive training and development programs to equip individuals with the skills necessary to meet industry demands. The partnership with Airbus India Private Limited aims to enhance employment opportunities and career advancement for individuals in the northeastern region while improving service quality in the aviation and logistics industries. Commenting on the collaboration with IIT Guwahati, Suraj Chettri, VP and Head of HR at Airbus India and South Asia, and Head of Site at Airbus India Private Limited, Bangalore, said, "To drive the exponential growth of the aviation industry, both India and the world need large-scale, skilled human resources. This is why we are committed to building strong partnerships with academia, and this collaboration is a prime example of that commitment. We will continue to invest in developing a skilled workforce in India, working closely with the Government of India and various state governments to unlock the full potential of the Indian aviation sector. Together, we aim to lay the foundation for sustainable growth and global leadership in aviation." The proposed partnership between IIT Guwahati and Airbus seeks to leverage combined expertise and resources to develop comprehensive programs that will advance aviation education and training in the northeastern region of India. Under this collaboration, IIT Guwahati will organize courses, onboard students, and provide the necessary infrastructure and logistical support.In the initial phase, Airbus will supply trainers, training materials, and tools from the Airbus Beyond catalog for short-term courses. Following this, Airbus will enable IIT Guwahati faculty to conduct 'Train the Trainer' programs, allowing them to independently deliver Airbus courses while maintaining the curriculum, materials, and tools. Additionally, the partnership plans to co-curate long-term courses in the later phase. The entire program will be established at IIT Guwahati, with guidance and close coordination from the Govt. of Assam and all state governments in the northeastern region, aiming to target students across the northeastern and bordering states. (ANI)
The UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has officially dropped two indecent assault charges against Harvey Weinstein, citing an "unrealistic prospect of conviction." The decision comes after the CPS reviewed the evidence and concluded that continuing the case would no longer be viable, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In June 2022, the CPS authorized charges against Weinstein for alleged assaults that took place in 1996. The alleged victim, now in her mid-50s, had accused Weinstein of indecent behaviour. However, on Thursday, the CPS announced that the charges would be discontinued, confirmed The Hollywood Reporter. Frank Ferguson, the head of the CPS' special crime and counterterrorism division, explained, "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," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Ferguson emphasized the CPS's commitment to prosecuting sexual assault cases when the legal criteria are met, stating, "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." Harvey Weinstein, once a prominent Hollywood producer, is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence following a 2020 rape conviction in New York. However, that conviction was overturned earlier this year. A new trial date has been tentatively set, with jury selection expected to start on November 12, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In addition to his New York conviction, Weinstein was found guilty of sexual assault in Los Angeles in 2022 on three counts related to former Russian model Evgeniya Chernyshova. He has since filed an appeal against the 16-year prison sentence imposed in that case. Weinstein's fall from grace has been marked by numerous allegations of sexual misconduct spanning decades, with over 100 industry professionals accusing him of rape and other abuses dating back to the 1970s. The CPS' special crime division, known for handling complex and sensitive cases including serious allegations against police officers, corporate manslaughter, and election offences, made the decision to drop the charges, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Weinstein had also been stripped of his honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2020, which had been awarded in recognition of his contributions to the British film industry. (ANI)
Demi Moore's 'The Substance' received a 13-minute standing ovation at its Cannes Film Festival in May and also has a premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. Actor Demi Moore has now shared the challenging process of preparing for her role in the film, reported Deadline. The actor has been part of a number of projects and she got candid about getting an opportunity to be part of it and working in movies like 'Ghost' which was released in 1990 helped her grow in the industry. She shared how movies like 'Striptease' made her highest paid actress of the time. It was released in 1996. "It's rare in the sense that if there were more of these, we would see more of them and I think it was clearly a very complex and nuanced and rich role for both myself and Margaret Qualley, but I think what's rare is just also that it's unique," she shared. On talking about pushing boundaries and doing projects like 'Striptease' and 'Indecent Proposal', Moore said, "I don't think in the moment I've ever felt it was too far. I think in almost all the different moments or choices it's always been something that has either been a question that I've explored or been wanting to explore for myself, or it's been an awareness of an external limitation that exists in certain perceptions that didn't make sense to me. So, kind of pushing that in a way in the hope of expanding and creating a greater depth of understanding compassion. Like the same with Striptease." She continued, "There was so much more to me to that then it being about just a stripper. It's about trying to survive and take care of their child and this being a means to an end. And even with G.I. Jane that pushed forward a provocative question of -- why shouldn't women be in combat at that time? Which is really what the question is, or in special forces, and why aren't they if somebody's good enough? So, I feel like these choices just generally come out of questions I've tried to get answers to as well." The actor further shared about preparing for the 2024 film 'The Substance', co-produced, written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. It features Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid. "It was about being less in shape in a certain sense as opposed to like the prep that went into it first and foremost was really emotional and internal. Like really connecting on the deeper level to the desperation and the pain and rejection that Elisabeth is facing at the beginning of this and that kind of depth of fear and self-loathing," the actor shared. It was not an easy project and there were certain challenges she faced while doing it. One of them was staying away from the family. She said the film was "physically and emotionally challenging." "I was away from home, and you know, I was in Paris away from everybody in my family and there was a lot of preproduction of preparing with getting molds and doing all of that because all the prosthetics and a lot of the effects for Coralie were really important that they be practical not as much as of the CGI or the gore. And so, there was a lot that just kind of went into that part of it and time just connecting for Margaret and I since we obviously were playing the same person. So, this was definitely physically and emotionally challenging," said the actor, as reported by Deadline. (ANI)
Actor Anil Kapoor is on cloud nine as he has been honoured for his significant contributions in fighting against the limitations of artificial intelligence (AI). He is the only Indian to be included in Time Magazine's list, which honoured 100 people from different walks of life who created an impact in the world of AI. The recognition by TIME seems fated as we hear about a film that Kapoor is currently developing - a film about the potential of AI to inspire creativity and change lives for the better. Taking to Instagram, Anil shared his excitement with fans by sharing the pictures along with a message. https://www.instagram.com/p/C_kBU1lKhPf/? The message read, "With immense gratitude and a humble heart, I find myself among the visionaries shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence. This recognition by TIME is not just an honor, but a moment of reflection on the journey of innovation and creativity. Thank you for recognizing this endeavor @time." As soon as he shared the post, fans and industry members congratulated him in the comment section. Farah Khan Kunder wrote, "Omg!! Congratulations Papajiiiii!! Aapka TIME aa gaya." Anil's daughter and actor Sonam Kapoor dropped heart emojis. Anil's Fighter co-star Akshay Oberoi commented, "SO COOL! SO WELL DESERVED!" The actor shared the prestigious list with Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and others. Earlier in an interview, Anil had spoken about how AI "can be completely taken advantage of and be misused commercially." Meanwhile, on the work front, Anil Kapoor will be seen in the action-drama 'Subedaar'. The film will be directed by Suresh Triveni, who previously directed T-Series' comedy-drama 'Tumhari Sulu' (2017) and 'Jalsa', both featuring Vidya Balan. Vikram Malhotra, Suresh Triveni, and Anil Kapoor serve as producers for the film. (ANI)
Experts gathered at the 2024 Asia Pacific Smart Logistics Cooperation and Development Forum in Hefei, central China's Anhui province, on Wednesday, to explore ways to promote smart logistics.
Nearly 100 experts and representatives from China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States attended the forum in person or virtually.
"It is necessary to strengthen regional cooperation, facilitate joint development of new logistical modes, and to build a win-win supply chain," said Liu Yuhang, head of the China Logistics Information Cener, at the forum.
Zhou Wei, director of Automobile Transportation Research Center of Research Institute of Highway under Ministry of Transport, shared his insights into transport services of autonomous vehicle. He said that his organization aimed to enhance industrial and supply chain connectivity and cooperation within the Asia-Pacific region by carrying out respective research and launching seminars.
The forum was also attended by entrepreneurs from China and abroad as well as university professors from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States. They shared practical experiences and raised suggestions concerning IoT, smart shipment, overseas expansion of companies, intelligence logistics of hazardous chemicals, sustainable supply chain development, smart containerization and digital innovations in the industry.
Vijay Varma, who is riding high on the success of IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, recently dropped some pictures with the film's stellar cast, which includes Manoj Pahwa, Pankaj Kapur, and Naseeruddin Shah. In a post on Instagram on Friday, Vijay shared the pictures with the caption, "Grazing with GOATS Thespian Gangstas." The post quickly caught attention, with actor Sunny Hinduja commenting, "Maaaaiiiiiiiiiii bhi milna chahta hoon [I also want to meet]." https://www.instagram.com/p/C_kKda0Sy9H/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Recently, Vijay, during a press meet opened up about his role as Captain Devi Sharan in the Netflix series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The series, based on the true story of the 1999 hijacking of the IC 814 Indian Airlines flight, features Varma portraying Captain Devi Sharan, who was the head pilot during the week-long ordeal. At a press meet that he attended on Tuesday, Vijay said that the best compliment he received for his performance came directly from Captain Sharan himself. "I was happy that Captain Devi Sharan enjoyed the work, he called and gave me a pat on the back. Also, Mrs. Sharan said, 'I know this man more than he knows himself and I can tell you that you've come very close to him'," he added. The 'Darlings' actor also added that his aim was never to imitate the real-life captain. "There was no effort to make him sound like a real-life captain, that was never the intention. He (Sinha) never showed me a picture of young Devi Sharan, or we've to achieve this. For the entire series, the intention was very clear that we were not imitating anyone's character," Varma said. "I tried to keep the spirit of the person that I met... I'm thankful that this happened, and he (Sinha) was capturing it through a lens that worked well because the camera was always right next to my face all the time and there was a green screen in front of me," he added. The press event was also attended by director Anubhav Sinha, along with Varma's co-stars Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Dia Mirza, and Pooja Gor. 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 taking off from the Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal shortly after it entered Indian airspace. (ANI)
This is the first time the Hendrix estate has authorized a feature documentary on his life, which will focus on his early years in London.
"Telling the story of Jimi Hendrix during his pivotal years in London is both a profound honor and a unique responsibility," Nguyen said in a statement on Friday. "London has always been a city that inspires me. Having lived there, I felt a deep connection to its creative energy, much like Jimi did when his creativity reached extraordinary heights."
Nguyen, who was recently nominated for three Emmys for The Greatest Night in Pop, has previously directed acclaimed documentaries like Live From New York!, celebrating 40 years of Saturday Night Live, and Be Water, a film about Bruce Lee for ESPN.
Jimi will explore Hendrix's journey from being an unknown sideman, known as Jimmy James, to his breakout performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. The documentary will also cover his rise to fame and his tragic death from a drug overdose in 1970.
The film will include interviews, never-before-seen photos, and archival footage to give a detailed look at Hendrix's life and career.
Producers of Jimi include Derik Murray, Dana O'Keefe, and Janie Hendrix. Executive producers are Yariv Milchan, Natalie Lehmann, Teddy Schwarzman, Michael Heimler, Brian Gersh, Colin Smeeton, Matthew Gross, and Ryan Beedie. (ANI)
A state government run school teacher was arrested on charge of molesting girl students in Madhya Pradesh's Anuppur district. He was sent to jail on Thursday, a police official said. The accused has been identified as Shiv Vishal Namdeo, who was arrested by the police. According to police, the incident took place in Malga in Anuppur district. The accused, Namdeo, came to teach the students from August 20 to August 23, as a teacher of the school, Shakuntala Singh, went to Bhopal for an official training. According to an FIR copy, the complaint stated, "My daughter returned from the school on September 4 afternoon and told me that when her ma'am Shakuntala Singh went to Bhopal for training, Namdeo came to teach them from August 20 to August 23. During which he called my daughter and touched her inappropriately from day one." "The complaint reached the school and the issue was addressed to Shakuntala ma'am. Following which, she enquired about it to some other students as well and around seven-eight girls reported the same molestation issue before the ma'am. One of the girls also said that he used to show obscene videos to them. After that she reached Ramnagar police station with all the students and the ma'am to lodge an FIR," the complaint told police, stated in the FIR. Meanwhile, Anuppur Superintendent of Police (SP) Moti-ur-Rehman said, "On the basis of complaint, a case was registered against the accused teacher Shiv Vishal Namdeo under the relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyay Sahita (BNS) and POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) act and arrested the accused. We have confiscated his mobile phone and we will examine his internet activity with the timing of his class to verify the truth of the showing obscene video." The accused has been arrested and sent to jail. Further investigation into the matter is underway, he added. (ANI)
Children heading to school were seen trying not to get wet in the rain.
Visuals from the Baprola area and Najafgarh Road showed severe waterlogging.
Traffic on Aurobindo Marg was affected and vehicles were seen crawling due to waterlogging at various stretches.
Earlier, RWFC New Delhi had predicted, "light to moderate rainfall accompanied with light thunderstorm and lightning is very likely to occur at isolated places of Delhi ( Jafarpur), NCR ( Dadri, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, Manesar, Ballabhgarh.)"
Delhi traffic police put up an advisory that said, "Traffic is affected on Ring Road in the carriageway from South Extension towards Lajpat Nagar due to breakdown of a truck at Moolchand Underpass. Kindly plan your journey accordingly." (ANI)
The deceased include driver Pradeep Patel from Madhya Pradesh, craftsman W Peter from Manipur, Naik Gursev Singh from Haryana, and Subedar K Thangapandi from Tamil Nadu.
"#GeneralUpendraDwivedi #COAS and All Ranks of #IndianArmy express deepest condolences on the demise of Subedar K Thangapandi, Naik Gursev Singh, Craftsman W Peter Singh, and Sepoy Pradeep Patel who lost their lives in the line of duty in #Sikkim. #IndianArmy stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief," the official handle of the Indian Army posted on social media platform X.
Lt Gen RC Tiwari, Commanding-in- Chief, Eastern Command also expressed his condolences on the death of four Indian Army Personnel.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday expressed their condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives in a road accident in Sikkim.
"The news of the four army personnel killed in a road accident in Sikkim is very sad. While paying my humble tribute to the died soldiers, I express my deep condolences to their bereaved families. The country will always be indebted to your service and sacrifice," Rahul Gandhi posted on X.
On Thursday, September 6, four Indian Army personnel died in a road accident commuting from Pedong in West Bengal to Zuluk along the Silk Route in Pakyong District.
They said the deceased include driver Pradeep Patel from Madhya Pradesh, craftsman W Peter from Manipur, Naik Gursev Singh from Haryana and Subedar K Thangapandi from Tamil Nadu.
"All the deceased army personnel, including the driver, belonged to a unit from Binaguri in West Bengal," the officials stated.
The vehicle skidded off the road approximately 700 to 800 feet down the road at Vertical Veer, near Dalopchand Dara along Rhenock Rongli State highway, popularly known as the Silk Route. (ANI)
Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev hit out at the Assam Government and Union Home Ministry for failing to publicly release the Justice (retd) Biplab Sarma Commission report. The MP has criticised the Union Home Ministry for not giving a clarification whether the report has been accepted by the ministry or not. "Biplab Sarma Committee was set up by the central government home ministry. They gave a report. I don't know if this report has been accepted or denied by the Home Ministry of India. Secondly, this report is not officially made public. It's not on the website of the Ministry of Home in the centre. It is not on the website of the Assam government. So what is officially in this report? You have to tell the people of Assam." the MP said. The TMC MP further criticised the Chief Minister for not making the report public for scrutiny and not clarifying what are the specific recommendations accepted and to be implemented by the state cabinet. "The chief minister in the cabinet meeting in upper Assam has said 67 recommendations are there. We will implement 57 recommendations. Which 57 recommendations? Make the report public, only Assam has the copy, Trinamool doesn't have, Congress doesn't have, CPM doesn't have, no one has it. So where is the official copy of this report? We cannot rely on a leaked copy." she added. The TMC MP also asked that if the Union government has accepted the report, then they should show the order publicly, she said, "If the central government has accepted it, and approved it, then show us that order that it is approved. There is nothing in the public domain to say the Biplab Sarma Committee report has been accepted by the government of India. There is no official release of that report." Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced on Wednesday that the state cabinet approved the implementation of 57 out of 67 recommendations from the Justice (retd) Biplab Sarma Commission for implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. CM Himanta, in a post on X, stated that this stands as one of the most significant efforts since Independence to protect the rights of the people of Assam. The recommendations will be applicable across the state, except 6th schedule areas and Barak Valley. In these regions, the recommendations will be implemented only after the concurrence of the authorities and the people in those regions. Clause 6 of the Assam Accord states that the Assamese people's cultural, social, linguistic identity, and heritage should be protected, preserved, and promoted through appropriate constitutional, legislative, and administrative safeguards. (ANI)
Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh, Tapir Gao has urged the 17th Karmapa to return to India and look after his institution for the "well-being of Buddhism and Tibetans in India." MP Tapir Gao and CM Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu along with other leaders of their state visited Gyuto Tantrik Monastery in Dharamshala on Thursday. Many of them have expressed a strong desire that the head of the Gyuto sect, the 17th Karmapa, Urgyen Trinley Dorjee should return to India. Karmapa Lama left India in 2017 and he has taken the citizenship of the Dominican Republic. According to sources after taking the Dominican citizenship, Karmapa applied for an Indian visa in 2018, which he was denied. The 17th Karmapa recently met the Dalai Lama in Zurich Switzerland on August 25. This was his first meeting with the Dalai Lama after leaving India. In an interview with ANI, Loksabha member from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao said, "I am praying for his ( Karmapa's) good health and long life and he should be back to India to Dharamshala and look after this institution for the well being of Buddhism and Tibetans in India and pass a message for the peace and tranquillity all over the world." "As far as his visa issue is concerned I think it will be addressed by the government of India and that should not be an issue," Tapir Gao added. Lobsang Dorjee, administrator of Gyuto Monastery told ANI, "Dalai Lama and Karmapa met on foreign shores recently. Karmapa Lama was living here in this monastery for many years but he left India in 2017 and all directors and students of this monastery all lamas wish that he must return to India." His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Urgyen Trinley Dorje, is the head of the 900-year-old Karma Kagyu Lineage and guide to millions of Buddhists around the world. Born in 1985, the Karmapa resided in his temporary home at Gyuto Monastery in India after making a dramatic escape from Tibet in the year 2000. (ANI)
As Jammu and Kashmir gears up for the upcoming assembly polls, Union Minister Amit Shah is set to launch the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto on Friday as he leaves for a two-day visit to the territory. Elections in Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled in three phases, which will be conducted on September 18, 25, and October 1. As per his scheduled visit, Amit Shah will launch the Bharatiya Janata Party's Sankalp Patra today and tomorrow he will meet and interact with party workers at the 'Karyakarta Sammelan.' Saying that Jammu and Kashmir has transformed from a terrorist hotspot into a tourist hotspot, Shah further praised the Modi government for bringing a whole new era of peace and development to the territory. Taking it to a social media post on X, Amit Shah wrote, "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 BJP's Sankalp Patra today and interact with our karyakartas tomorrow in the Karyakarta Sammelan." https://x.com/AmitShah/status/1831902356235288784 On September 5, BJP Jammu and Kashmir chief Ravinder Raina filed his nomination paper for the assembly polls from the Nowshera Assembly constituency. Raina said that there is a strong wave of BJP in the entire Union Territory. Jammu and Kashmir has 90 assembly constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). In the previous Assembly elections, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) won 28 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 25, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) won 15, and the Congress won 12. Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, the results for which will be declared on October 8. Congress has allied with the National Conference to contest the polls. (ANI)
BJP's national spokesperson, CR Kesavan, launched a scathing attack on Congress for targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Shivaji statue collapse and said that it was Congress and the Gandhi family who had a track record of disparaging, demeaning and dishonouring Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Kesavan further targeted former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for writing "desperately" and "demeaningly" about the great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in his book "Glimpses of World History.". "In 2022, Prime Minister Modi Ji has unveiled a new flag of the Indian Navy, in which the old Saint George's cross was replaced and it incorporated the Raj Mudra of our own Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The royal feel of great Shivaji Maharaj whose maritime prowess was legendary. On the other hand, in 1934, we had Jawaharlal Nehru, who, in his "Glimpses of World History", wrote desperately and demeaningly about the great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj while, in fact, extolling the Afzal Khan in that narrative. Rahul Gandhi should first have glimpses into his own family's track record of disparaging, demeaning and dishonouring the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," said Kesavan in a self-made video. Kesavan further said, "In Glimpses of World History, Pandit Nehru had written that Shivaji Maharaj with his enemies would be prepend to take any good or bad means to achieve his own game. He has also cited an example of how Shivaji Maharaj treacherously killed Afzal Khan, the Bijapur general. Nehru had written that such deeds of Shivaji where he treacherously killed Afzal Khan, greatly lowered the image of Shivaji Maharaj in our estimations. Can you even imagine, you know, Afzal Khan was such a notorious general, who ransacked and disintegrated temples and massacred people, here Nehru is arguing in his favour. This is the mindset of the Congress party." Continuing his attacks on the Congress and former Prime Minister Nehru, Kesavan stated, "Not only that, you know in 1957, Nehru was supposed to inaugurate the statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Pratapgarh, there was a widespread criticism in Maharashtra because of the disparaging comments Nehru has made before, and historians, academicians had been criticising Nehru. One very notable Marathi writer and translator, SG Bhaveji, had written in a letter to Nehru on November 12.... On November 14, Nehru replied to Bhaveji in a racist way saying that his knowledge about Shivaji's life and career is very limited and he has written things after reading books of foreigner historians....." He further slammed Congress for its "double-faced mindset" and said whether it's a Nehru's Congress to Rahul's Congress, they depend upon foreign narratives and perspectives to define India. "This is the mindset of the Congress party, the double-faced mindset. From Nehru's Congress to Rahul's Congress, depending on the foreign narratives or perspectives to define India has been happening all along. But in a contrast, you see Narendra Modi and whose leadership, we have civilizational and cultural renaissance of birth." He further accused Congress of bulldozing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue during their rule in Madhya Pradesh. Kesavan said, "Now, Rahul Gandhi and Congress, there are reports also, that during their rule in Madhya Pradesh bulldozed Shivaji Maharaj statue, so, this is the track record of the Congress party." Taking a jibe at the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi, Kesavan said, "As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, after three successive election defeats, he is very desperate, in the Lok Sabha elections, he (Congress) miserably lost the elections, tried to politicise the army, the bureaucracy, courts, the Election Commission and now they are trying to politicise the legacy of great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. People of Maharashtra are very aware and they will not forgive him or his MVA alliance, who will be badly defeated and resoundingly rejected by the people in the days to come." On September 5, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Maharashtra, targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise not just to Shivaji Maharaj but also to every person 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....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 said. A 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg district collapsed on August 26. It was unveiled on December 4 last year as part of Navy Day celebrations and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The collapse of the statue of the Maratha state's iconic founder has sparked a significant political war between leaders of the state, with opposition criticising the Eknath Shinde-led government for the collapse. (ANI)
There is special enthusiasm among them as they observe a Nirjala fast to wish for the long lives of their husbands.
Women have been applying mehndi to their hands since early morning and preparing for prayers, wishing for the long lives of their husbands.
Devotees took a holy dip and offered prayers at the Ganga River on the occasion of Haritalika.
The markets, filled with items for worship and adornment, are crowded due to the festival.
Devotees also took a holy dip and offered prayers at Sangam on the occasion of Haritalika Teej in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj.
It is noteworthy that Teej holds significant importance in Varanasi; since this fast is associated with Shiva and Parvati, it is of even greater importance here.
On this day, women enthusiastically dressed up in various ways. Some apply mehndi, some do shopping, and some prepare special dishes.
This fast is observed without water. Women will spend the entire day engaged in worship, rituals, and adornment, and the fast will conclude with a feast the following morning.
This festival is celebrated with joy and excitement, with prayers offered to Shiva and Parvati. (ANI)
China's Deep Space Exploration Lab inks memoranda of understanding (MOU) with international organizations during the 2nd International Deep Space Exploration Conference in Tunxi, east China's Anhui province, on Sept. 5, 2024. [Photo/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.
Reacting to Himachal Pradesh's Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister, Anirudh Singh's statement on the presence of immigrants in Himachal Pradesh, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said that the whole country needed NRC and Rahul Gandhi should give a clarification on it. He alleged that the WAQF Board was occupying lands illegally. Giriraj Singh said, "When we demand NRC then Rahul Gandhi opposes it, but a minister in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly in the presence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sing Sukhu said that there should be an investigation and people should be given a certificate, ie NRC should be conducted. In the entire country, this is required. if NRC did not take place then Indian origins will go extinct." He alleged that some illegal mosques were being used for terror-related activities. "Himachal Pradesh's Minister, Anirudh Singh is himself talking about infiltrators from Bangladesh and Rohingyas. Rahul Gandhi should give a clarification. In Shimla, people are protesting against the illegal construction of mosque. After partition in place of 3000 mosques, 3 lakh mosques were built in illegal way. Some mosques are even being used for terror-related activities," he added. He hit out at the WAQF Board and questioned how the property of the Board is increasing. Singh further said, " Congress govt during their regime gave the right to grab any land to Waqf board. The evidence for this is being given by a Himachal Pradesh Minister in the Assembly. How is Waqf Board's wealth increasing? Many projects of the Railway department were stopped because Waqf board claimed that it was their property. In Karnataka, they have snatched the lands of the farmers." He alleged that Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, was making an attempt at a second partition of the country. Singh said, "Owaisi speaks against the law and he speaks instigating things. After Jinnah, he will lead the second partition. After partition, so many people were left in Pakistan and Bangladesh and so many incidents happened but he didn't say anything or condemn it. If this was Pakistan or Bangladesh, Owaisi's voice would have been muzzled by now." Earlier Congress 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, 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," 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)
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey hit out at the Mahayuti government over the law and order situation in the state, alleging that the government is busy playing politics and has no time for the welfare of the people. "Yesterday, a firing incident took place in Badlapur, after which the whole of Badlapur hit the street and agitated," Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey said. Criticising home minister Devendra Fadnavis, he said, "The law and order have completely collapsed in Maharashtra. Where is Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis?" "Government is busy playing politics, contesting elections, forming government, and breaking parties," the Shiv Sena leader stated. He said that our railway stations are not safe, our bus stands are not safe, and crimes are happening regularly. "Will you have a look at the law and order as well? Did you form the government in Maharashtra for the welfare of the people or to put people in trouble?" he added. On Wednesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut attacked the Eknath Shinde government in the state over the Badlapur incident in which two minor girls were allegedly sexually assaulted. He further questioned the silence of the state government over the disappearance of the CCTV footage from the school in the case. Raut said, "The Chief Minister (Eknath Shinde) and Home Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) are not talking about this, we are talking about this. Who made the CCTV footage disappear from the school? The head of the institution must have done this. Why did he do it? Just to save a constable, or is there some other mystery behind it? What is the government doing?" Notably, a report prepared by the Women and Child Welfare Department and the Education Ministry in the sexual abuse case of Badlapur was earlier handed over to the Education Minister. Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday suggested three names for the formation of a committee to suggest Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the police, hospitals, and schools while investigating cases related to sexual assaults on minors. On August 31, a Thane Court had accepted the request of the Special Investigating Team for a test identification parade of the accused in the Badlapur minors' sexual assault case. The identification parade was conducted in the presence of the Executive Magistrate, where the survivors identified the accused. The case pertains to the alleged incident of sexual assault on two four-year-olds inside their school in Badlapur, Maharashtra. After the identification of the accused, SIT prepared a psychological profile of the accused, which would help in further investigation of the case. The alleged sexual assault case has sparked outrage across the state, with multiple protests demonstrating outrage over the incident held across the country. On August 17, police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls. (ANI)
Union Minister and BJP President JP Nadda received a roused welcome from the party workers upon reaching Patna, the capital of Bihar on Friday. A meeting with BJP leaders of the states is underway at the state guest house in Patna. Union Minister Nadda is on his two-day visit to Bihar where he will inaugurate an eye hospital on the campus of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) in Bihar and take part in several official programmes. According to his scheduled visit for today, JP Nadda will inaugurate RIO and lay foundation stone of HSC, APHC, HWC, CHC, D.H, S.D.H at around 12.15 pm in the campus of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS). Carrying forward his Bihar visit, he will inaugurate a "Super Speciality Block" at around 2.55 pm in Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur and another "Super Speciality Block" at around 5.50 pm in Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital in Gaya. Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin said that JP Nadda's visit to the state will fulfil several long-awaited hopes of Bihar in health and medical terms. Ahead of the arrival of Union Health Minister and BJP chief JP Nadda in Patna, Bihar Minister Nitin Nabin said, "I think that when he was the Health Minister earlier too, he always cared for Bihar. Today, he is arriving here as the Health Minister once again so several long-awaited hopes of Bihar will be fulfilled and he will also several projects that were initiated in his tenure. Today, Bihar is going to get an eye hospital at IGIMS. He will also see PMCH. I also believe that this is a good day for the health and medical services in Bihar." BJP has recently launched its membership drive campaign and it has been divided into 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)
R. Thamilarasi, Principal of the Ashok Nagar Girls Higher Secondary school has been transferred on Friday following a row over an NGO conducting 'Spiritual Awakening Classes' in the school. The Principal has been transferred to Government Higher Secondary School, Kovilpathagai, Thiruvallur district. After a video of the purported spiritual session conducted by Paramporul Foundation (NGO) at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar went viral on social media DMK supporters raised questions the state government and the education department. Anbil Mahesh, the state school education minister said that a committee has been formed to investigate on who gave permission for the event, and based on the facts action will be taken in 1 or 2 days. "Based on our Department's Principal Secretary, we have formed a committee based on that. We will make an inquiry on who all are involved in this, how it happened, and who gave the permission, everything will be enquired. Based on that, we will take action within 1-2 days", the minister said. The cadres of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students' Federation of India (SFI) also held a protest against the Spiritual session. The School Education Department Chief Educational Officer, S. Mars met with the protesters and assured that strict action will be taken on the incident. Earlier, Chief Minister MK Stalin also responded to the criticism by saying the state's textbooks contain the best scientific ideas for the students. "Our high-quality textbooks contain the best scientific ideas that students need to know. The teachers themselves can bring out the best ideas needed to face future challenges with confidence and sharpen the knowledge. Actions will be taken by the School Education Department to provide the necessary innovative training, social education with appropriate departmental experts and scholars." the Chief Minister said in a post on X. "I have decreed to formulate and issue new guidelines for regulating various programs in schools in the state so that all our school children who are the future generation of Tamilnadu, get progressive-scientific ideas and lifestyles. Individual progress, ethical living and sound ideas for social development should be inculcated in the hearts of the students. Over the past three years, I have consistently emphasized the importance of education and the need to develop scientific thinking at numerous events," the CM added. (ANI)
The PIL seeking direction to ban Netflix's series "IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack" has been withdrawn from the Delhi High Court. The petitioner, through counsel, stated that Netflix's addition of a disclaimer clarifies the real names of the terrorists involved in the hijacking and addresses the concerns raised in the PIL. Recently, the PIL was moved by Surjit Singh Yadav, Chief of Hindu Sena, to seek a ban on Netflix's series, namely "IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack." The PIL alleged that the series distorts the actual identities of the terrorists involved in the hijacking. The petitioner through Advocate Shashi Ranjan has approched the court against the television miniseries "IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack," directed by Anubhav Sinha, citing inaccuracies in its portrayal of the 1999 hijacking of Indian Flight 814. 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. This, according to the petitioner, distorts the identities of the hijackers, misrepresents historical events, perpetuates harmful stereotypes, and offends the sentiments of the Hindu community. The petitioner seeks the court's intervention to prevent further public misunderstanding and potential harm. The plea mentioned that India's Constitution, which upholds secularism and religious harmony in a multi-religious society, mandates mutual respect for all religions as a fundamental right. It asserts that film producers, directors, and actors have a constitutional duty to avoid disturbing religious feelings and sentiments. Consequently, the Cinematograph Act, 1952 was enacted by Parliament to regulate feature films and ensure they adhere to these principles. The plea seeks the court's intervention to address these concerns in the context of the miniseries "IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack." The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has reportedly summoned Netflix's content head in response to accusations on social media that the makers of "IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack" deliberately altered the names of the hijackers to "Bhola" and "Shankar." According to the reports, Netflix India's officials recently met with the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to address concerns about the series "IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack." Following the meeting, Netflix has committed to reviewing the series and updating the disclaimer to include the real names of the hijackers. Additionally, Netflix assured that future content on their platform will be more sensitive to national sentiments. (ANI)
Delhi riots larger conspiracy case accused under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Meeran Haider on Friday withdrew his bail appeal from Delhi High Court in order to approach the trial court. Division Bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Girish Kathpaliya allowed the request to withdraw the appeal and dismissed it as withdrawn. The same was listed on October 7 for hearing along with other appeals. Advocate Shri Singh appeared for Meeran Haider and submitted that he seeks to withdraw the appeal to approach the trial court as the police investigation is completed. Haider's plea was dismissed by the trial court in 2022, and his appeal was pending before the High Court. On May 20, 2022, Delhi High Court issued notice to Delhi Police in the bail plea of Meeran Haider. Karkardooma Court had dismissed the bail plea of Meeran Haider. The trial court had rejected the contention of defence counsel Shri Singh that accused was not present in Delhi during the time of riots. On this aspect, the court said that in a case of conspiracy, it is not necessary that every accused should be present at the spot. The contention that accused works on socio-political issues and has a lot of qualifications, including Ph. D. is not a relevant consideration while deciding the bail application. A bail application must be decided on facts presented in charge sheet, the court had observed. The Court had taken note of statement given by protected witnesses Robert, Hector, Plantinum, Bond, James, Alpha, Aqib Aman, Beeta, Hotel and Romeo regarding the conspiracy and other allegations with regard to accused. The court said that a broad reading of all the statements brings out the role of the accused Meeran Haider in the context of conspiracy and riots. The defence counsel had argued that even if all allegations against the accused in relation to organising protests or setting up protest sites are accepted at face value, including those on his role in organising a chakka jam in New Delhi, the prosecution has failed to disclose any crime committed by him under UAPA. According to the prosecution, the accused was a member of the Jamia coordination committee (JCC). He was a member of all three WhatsApp groups of JJC, namely JCC JMI Officials, JMI, & JCC-JMI. He was also a member of the United Against Hatred (UAH) Okhla. SPP Amit Prasad had argued that Meeran Haider was managing and handling 8 protest sites, namely Shaheen Bagh, Khureji, Seelampur-Jafrabad, Turkman Gate, Kardampuri, Mustafabad, Rehman Chowk (Shriram Colony), and Inderlok Metro Gate No. 4. He was also involved in the collection of money and its use in the riots. (ANI)
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu appealed for peace between communities in the wake of the alleged illegal construction of a mosque in the Sanjauli, and said that the state government's duty was to ensure peace between the communities and the dispute would be settled in the court. CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, "India is a secular country. All religions are respected here. We shouldn't get carried away by emotions. We should work as per the law. The protest happened peacefully, govt is monitoring the situation. As per the law, we will take further action. Our duty is to make sure there is peace between all the communities." He further stated that he was happy that protests were peaceful in nature. Sukhu added, "If the protesters are calling it illegal construction then the issue is in court. The court will decide it. Our aim is to maintain the peace between the communities. I am happy that no violence has been reported. Himachal Pradesh is a peaceful state." Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that whatever action will be taken by the government, it will be within the framework of law. Vikramaditya Singh said, "It is our collective responsibility to maintain a peaceful atmosphere in Himachal Pradesh. This includes the people in society, government and all political parties. This is a sub-judice matter before the court of Municipal Commissioner, it is a matter of illegal construction. So, it is my humble request to everyone to not give it a political twist. We respect everyone's sentiments. I urge everyone to not take any step that would question the peace in the state. Whatever action will be taken by the government, it will be within the framework of law, Constitution and Municipal Act." 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)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the 'Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Initiative', speaking at the inauguration the PM said that the country with an always visionary and comprehensive approach, needs to stand ahead to find solutions to battle with the water crisis for the whole world. Stating a Sanskrit quote, PM Modi said, "It is said that all the living beings have originated from water and their lives depends on it. That's why water donation and saving water for other is the biggest form of donation and the same thing was told by Rahim Das also. The country whose thinking and approach was visionary and comprehensive since past times; it needs to stand ahead in the world to find solutions for water crisis." Highlighting the Gujarat floods and several other natural calamities that most part of the countries faced during this monsoon season, PM Modi said that almost all parts of the nation faced havoc of the rains. PM Modi said, "Today, from the land of Gujarat, an important initiative is being launched by the Ministry of Jalshakti. Before that, from the past several days, around all parts of the nation faced severe rains, hardly there will be any region which didn't see the destruction from water. I was Gujarat's CM for long time, but I haven't seen such heavy downpours in most districts. But this time, Gujarat faced huge problem, all the departments were engaged to bear these consequences of nature. But its Gujarat's and the public's demeanour that they move forward with unity in such situations. There are still parts of the nation which are bearing the havoc of heavy rains." Extending his wishes to all those who were participating in the initiative, PM Modi emphasised that water conservation is not just a policy; rather, it's a practices which exhibits our generosity and responsibility. "Water conservation is not just a policy, it's a practice, and there is generosity and responsibility in this practice. When future generations will examine us, our steps and behaviour towards water will be the first parameter. Because this is not just a question of resources; rather, it's a question of life and future, That's why, for the sustainable future, of the 9 resolutions we have put forward, water conservation is the first one. I am happy to share that through public participation; one more meaningful step is being taken. On this occasion, I extend my wishes to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Gujarat Government and people from all over the nation participating in this initiative," said PM Modi. Citing the example of Gujarat and his effort when he was the Chief Minister of the state, PM Modi assured that we can overcome the crisis of the water despite numerous obstacles. He further took a jibe at the then-opposition in Gujarat and said they used to laugh at us for our SAUNI scheme, claiming that the pipes we were laying would end up supplying air instead of water but the success of our labour is now evident for the whole world. Highlighting his efforts in Gujarat as CM, PM Modi said, "This programme has been launched from the lands of Gujarat, where several steps were taken to reach and save water to every person. Around 2-2.5 decades ago, we all knew what the situation was in Saurashtra and North Gujarat. Governments were lacking in visions for water conservation. At that time, it was my resolution to tell the world that there are solutions for the water crisis. I completed the held-up project of Sardar Sarovar Dam and despite numerous challenges, the Sauni Scheme was launched to bring water to areas facing water scarcity. Back then, our opponents would ridicule us, claiming that the pipes we were laying would end up supplying air instead of water. However, the success of our labour is now evident for the whole world to see. Gujarat's success and my experience in the state give assurance that we can overcome the problem of water scarcity in our country." The 'Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Initiative' is launched by the collaboration of Government of Gujarat and the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Under this programme, around 24,800 rainwater harvesting structures are made that will enrich rainwater harvesting and ensure long-term water sustainability across the state. According to an official statement, "In furtherance to the PM's 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 whole of 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. The Government of Gujarat has endeavoured to mobilise citizens, local bodies, industries and other stakeholders to ensure a water secure future. The statement further added, "Under this programme approximately 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." (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to Bihar Government and others on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) plea challenging Patna High Court order that set aside the state government's amendments to increase the reservation for Backward Classes, Scheduled Tribes, and Scheduled castes in jobs and educational institutions. The Supreme Court tagged the plea with another similar petition. The matter was listed before the bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and also comprised of Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. RJD, among others, challenged the Patna High Court order dated June 20 whereby the High Court set aside the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes) Amendment Act, 2023 and the Bihar Reservation (in Admission to Educational Institutions) Amendment Act, 2023 as being violative of Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution of India. "It is respectfully submitted that the impugned final judgement and order has been passed for the reason that the State of Bihar was neither a far flung or remote area nor is it out of the mainstream of national life making an overbreadth of the 50% limit an imperative measure," RJD said in its petition. One of the appeals was also filed by the Bihar government through advocate state's standing counsel, Manish Kumar. Patna High Court in June set aside the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (Amendment) Act, 2023, and The Bihar (In admission in Educational Institutions) Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023 as ultra vires and violative of the equality clauses under Articles 14, 15 and 16.The Bihar legislature had in 2023 amended both Acts and increased the reservation from 50 per cent to 65 per cent in jobs and higher educational institutions. Based on the findings of the caste survey in the state, the state government increased the quota for SC to 20 per cent, Scheduled Tribes to two per cent, Extremely Backward Classes to 25 per cent, and Backward Class to 18 per cent. Notably, at that time Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United was part of the Mahagathbandhan, comprising Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress party. (ANI)
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are scheduled to meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Delhi at 2 p.m. followed by official joining at Party Headquarters on Friday. Sources said that Bajrang Puniya will not be contesting the Assembly Election he is likely to be appointed as the co-chairman of the campaign committee of Haryana Congress for the Haryana Assembly polls and Vinesh Phogat will contest the election. Her seat will be finalized by the evening. On Wednesday, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the national capital. Polling in Haryana will be held on October 5. Votes will be counted on October 8. At the Paris Olympics, Vinesh was disqualified from the 50 kg gold medal bout after she was found to be 100 gms overweight. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) also dismissed her petition to be awarded a joint silver. She announced her retirement from wrestling on August 8, a day after her disqualification. Since her return home there has been intense speculation that she would enter active politics like her cousin Babita who is a BJP MLA. Meanwhile, Congress and AAP have started seat-sharing talks for the Haryana assembly polls which could lead to the continuation of the alliance they had in the state during the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year. The Congress has formed a three-member committee, which includes the party's screening committee chairman for the state Ajay Maken, AICC in-charge of Haryana Deepak Babaria and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, for seat-sharing talks with Aam Aadmi Party and Samajwadi Party. Party general secretary KC Venugopal will oversee the work of the committee. Congress sources said that the party is willing to give 3-5 seats to AAP and one to the Samajwadi Party in Haryana which has a 90-member assembly. They said the discussions with AAP follow the suggestion of party leader Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha. The sources said that during the Congress Central Election Committee meeting, Rahul Gandhi discussed the possibilities of contesting elections as INDIA bloc and said that the party should make efforts to ensure that the votes of the alliance are not divided. (ANI)
Passengers line up for embarkation procedures at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in north China's Tianjin Municipality, May 15, 2024. [Photo/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.
Even as the state witnessed massive protests over the alleged illegal construction of the Sanjauli Mosque, politics over the issue continues. On Friday the leader of opposition in the Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jai Ram Thakur demanded action against the construction of the mosque. "People from different sections of society participated in the protests yesterday. They are demanding that the building should be removed," Himachal Pradesh LoP Jairam Thakur said. He stated that the law and order of the state are the responsibility of the state government, and they should be taken care of properly. "If the building is unauthorised, action should be taken immediately. This is a massive structure, and the action should be taken immediately. If the action is not taken, I feel the anger among the people will not stop," BJP leader Jairam Thakur said. He demanded that there should be verification of the outsiders settled in the Himachal Pradesh in the recent past. "Verification of the people who came from outside has not been done. It is very important to find out who they are and from where they have come. The verification should be done," he added. Earlier on Friday, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu appealed for peace between communities in the wake of the alleged illegal construction of a mosque in Sanjauli, and said that the state government's duty was to ensure peace between the communities and the dispute would be settled in the court. CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, "India is a secular country. All religions are respected here. We shouldn't get carried away by emotions. We should work as per the law. The protest happened peacefully, and the government is monitoring the situation. As per the law, we will take further action. Our duty is to make sure there is peace between all the communities." He further stated that he was happy that protests were peaceful in nature. Sukhu added, "If the protesters are calling it illegal construction, then the issue is in court. The court will decide it. Our aim is to maintain the peace between the communities. I am happy that no violence has been reported. Himachal Pradesh is a peaceful state." On Thursday, a large number of people gathered outside the Sanjauli Masjid in Shimla to protest against the alleged illegal construction of the mosque. 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 engaging in a blame game on the floor or the assembly. (ANI)
Union Health Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda inaugurated the eye building of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science (IGIMS) hospital in Patna and other medical facilities in the state. Speaking at the event, JP Nadda said, "When I was the minister in 2019, the last foundation stone I laid was here at the ophthalmology department in the presence of CM Nitish Kumar. After becoming the minister once again, the first inauguration that I am doing is here at IGIMS." On this occasion, JP Nadda recalled the achievements of the Modi government in the health sector in the past ten years. "There were 6 All India Medical Sciences (AIIMS) institutions, but now there are 22," the Union Health Minister said. He also thanked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for providing land for AIIMs in Darbhanga. "I thank Nitish Kumar for providing land in Darbhanga. I am going to Darbhanga tomorrow, where a new AIIMS will be established there at the Pilnath level,' JP Nadda added. "I am very happy to come to Bihar. In the country, there are 75 new super-speciality blocks, of which 5 are in Bihar," he added. Highlighting the achievements of the Union government's Ayushman Bharat health coverage scheme, he said, "India has the world's largest health coverage program, the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which supports poor people by providing 5 lakh rupees to 55 crore individuals." The Minister stated that India is number one in terms of universal health coverage. While speaking about the importance of IGMS hospital, he said, "The IGIMS hospital here serves not just Bihar but also people from Bengal, Odisha, and Nepal. I congratulate the institute here for doing excellent work". Union Minister JP Nadda also visited the residence of CM Nitish Kumar, in Patna. "The modular operation theatre features world-class and the latest technology machines, dedicated to the people of Bihar" he added. On this occasion, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, "Earlier, the number of beds in IGIMS was 770. Later, a decision was made to increase the number of beds to 2500. Currently the hospital has 1370 and a 1200 superspecialty hospital will be constructed by next year." "The health conditions were very bad in 2005. There was a shortage of medicines and doctors in the hospital, and 39 patients used to come for primary health in a month. Earlier, 39 patients used to come in a month but now 11 thousand patients visit every month. In 2006, when our government was formed, a decision was taken to provide free medicines," the Bihar Chief Minister added. Talking about his political decision of returning to the NDA fold, he said that we (JDU) made mistakes by joining hands with them (RJD and Congress), and we will never go to that side again.(ANI)
Ahead of formal induction of Olympians Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat into Congress, Olympic medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik on Friday said that the choice to join the political party was solely the personal choice of the two athletes and that she herself wont be taking a political plunge as she wanted to further the cause of women in wrestling. "I also got several political offers, Sakshi Malik said adding that she refused to take them up because she says she "believes in staying true to my fight for women in wrestling." Both Punia and Phogat were seen leaving from the residence of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge earlier today. The development comes ahead of polling for for 90-member Haryana Assembly scheduled for October 5 with counting of votes will take place on October 8. Sakshi Malik said, "It is their personal choice to join the party. I believe that we should make sacrifices. Our agitation, the fight for women should not be given a wrong impression... From my end, the agitation continues...I too had received offers but I wanted to see what I started till the end. Unless the Federation is cleaned and the exploitation of women ends, my fight will continue. The fight is genuine and it will continue." She further said that her fight was against only one person Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and she would not join political campaigns ahead of polls in Haryana. "I am apolitical. I work in Railways. My fight was only against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. I am not linked to any party so I will not join any party campaign," Sakshi said. Sources said that Bajrang Puniya will not be contesting the Assembly Election he is likely to be appointed as the co-chairman of the campaign committee of Haryana Congress for the Haryana Assembly polls and Vinesh Phogat will contest the election. Her seat will be finalized by the evening. On Wednesday, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia met Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the national capital. At the Paris Olympics, Vinesh was disqualified from the 50 kg gold medal bout after she was found to be 100 gms overweight. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) also dismissed her petition to be awarded a joint silver. She announced her retirement from wrestling on August 8, a day after her disqualification. Since her return home there has been intense speculation that she would enter active politics like her cousin Babita who is a BJP MLA. In 2023, wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat were part of the protest against Brij Bhushan who was accused of sexual harassment of female wrestlers. (ANI)
The acquittal order dated January 20 this year was pronounced by the court of Special Judge Vijay Pal in Bulandshahr.
According to the investigation, Gautam and other co-accused were falsely implicated in the FIR no-112 in 2017 filed under Police Station Khurja Nagar, Bulandshahar. The FIR had been filed under section 302/309/120b/201/34 of the PIL, 3/25/27 of the Arms Act, 3(2) of SC & ST Act
The investigation noted that Gautam had been falsely implicated by political rivals.
The order states that the Police have been unable establish the circumstantial evidence cited to file the FIR against Gautam and others. The police have also failed to establish that Manoj Gautam's licensed pistol was used in the killing. Thus, under the circumstances, Manoj Gautam has been found not guilty of the charges, the court order said.
Gautam was the aspirant of the Khurja Assembly seat from the Rashtriya Lok Dal at the time of the incident. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain former principal of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College Sandip Ghosh plea against Calcutta High Court decision ordering CBI probe into graft case whereby he raised objection on the adverse remarks made against him. A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra rejected Sandip Ghosh plea. The top court said that Sandip Ghosh don't have locus to intervene in public interest litigation alleging financial irregularities. Meanwhile Ghosh counsel told the court that he is not against investigation by the CBI but raised an objection on the observation made against him by the Calcutta High Court. Ghosh lawyer saud that connecting him with the RG Kar rape incident is injustice. But the top court said that Ghosh was a principal of the RG Kar college when the incidents took place. The court also said that it is a matter of the investigation and for this it has already sought a status report from the CBI on the suo motu petition initiated by it on the incident. The Calcutta High Court while ordering CBI probe and asked the probe agency to submit a progress report on the investigation. On August 24, following the orders of the Calcutta High Court, an official FIR was registered by the CBI against Ghosh on the alleged corruption case. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) of Kolkata also suspended the membership of former Sandip Ghosh amid a CBI probe into the corruption case. On August 26, the CBI also concluded a second round of polygraph tests on Dr Ghosh as part of their investigation into the rape-murder of a woman doctor at the institution. Earlier on Friday, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) carried out raids at the residence of former principal of RG Kar medical college and hospital, Sandip Ghosh, among other places in Kolkata in a case pertaining to the financial irregularities in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.ED had registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe money laundering charges against Sandip Ghosh in the financial irregularities case.Ghosh is presently in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). (ANI)
Congress has intensified its protests, in Kerala demanding the resignation of Pinarayi Vijayan over allegations raised by Nilambur MLA PV Anwar against the chief minister's Political Secretary P Sasi and Additional Director General of Police M R Ajith Kumar. The Congress protest took out a march towards the Secretariat. Opposition Leader V D Satheesan and KPCC President K Sudhakaran also participated in the protest. Accusing the Kerala government, opposition leader VD Satheesan said that constant allegations against the government have created doubts about whether it is a government or mafia gang. "The people's court is now judging this government. Constant allegations are being raised against the government, leading to doubts about whether it is a government or a mafia gang. The Chief Minister's office is functioning like a mafia organisation," Satheesan said. KPCC President K Sudhakaran has demanded Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan be replaced. "It is essential for Kerala that this Chief Minister be replaced. If the CPM doesn't make this decision, the people of this state must. Yesterday, my children, who did nothing wrong, were beaten up. If the Chief Minister doesn't resign, the people of Kerala will rise and force him out, with the Congress leading the way," KPCC President Sudhakaran said. On September 2, United Democratic Front Chief and Leader of Opposition in Kerala, VD Satheesan, led a protest in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, alleging protection of the accused in the Justice Hema Committee report and Vadakara Kafir screenshot case. Earlier on Sunday, Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda questioned the Kerala government for delay in justice to the victims of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry after the Hema Committee report and alleged that Communist Party leaders are involved in the matter. Last month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contains shocking accounts alleging harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals. (ANI)
Governor Patel and Nath reached Samtva Bhavan at CM House, expressed condolences and offered floral tribute to the picture of the late Poonamchand Yadav. Both of them also consoled CM Yadav on the occasion.
In a post on X, the Governor's office wrote, "Governor Mangubhai Patel reached the Chief Minister's residence today to express condolences on the demise of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's father. Governor Patel paid a floral tribute to the picture of CM's father, Late Poonamchand Yadav."
On the other hand, former CM Nath also posted on X, "In this hour of grief over the demise of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's father, I reached the Chief Minister's residence and expressed my condolences. The death of a father is a matter of great sorrow for the son. May God give him the strength to bear this sorrow. Om Shanti!"
CM Yadav's father, Poonamchand Yadav, passed away on Tuesday (September 3) due to prolonged illness at his residence in Ujjain district. The following day, scores of people flocked to CM Yadav's residence in Ujjain and paid tribute to him.
The last rites were performed near the Bhukhi Mata temple on the banks of the Shipra river in Ujjain on Wednesday, September 4. (ANI)
Indian Navy's relief and rescue operations in flood-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh continued on Friday under the aegis of Eastern Naval Command. Naval helicopters undertook extensive flying operations such as airdropping food packets, medical kits and water bottles to stranded individuals. Flood Relief Teams (FRTs) are actively evacuating people to safety and distributing food to affected households. Over 180 personnel have been rescued by these flood relief teams. 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. 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. Earlier, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with State Minister Nara Lokesh interacted with locals at Vijayawada to take stock of the situation. Soon afterwards, Union Minister Chouhan and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a press conference and said that the situation in Vijayawada is unprecedented and there has been a lot of crop damage also in the area, with 2 lakh farmers affected. "The situation in Vijayawada is unprecedented. The area received 400mm of rainfall in a short time, such a thing has never happened before. I thank CM Chandrababu Naidu along with his team is working 24/7. The Central government is providing all help to the state. The loss of human lives has been minimal. Teams of NDRF are working here. MPs MLAs, and ministers are engaged in work here," he said. "Food packets, milk and water are being dropped to stranded people using drones. Sanitation work is being done at war footing. Animal husbandry teams are also working continuously. Home Minister Amit Shah ji has sent a team here to study how water discharged can be increased from 70-year-old Prakasam Barrage. There has been a lot of crop damage also in the area, 2 lakh farmers affected. Work has started to assess the extent of damage," Chouhan said. 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. 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. (ANI)
Noting that his party has "surrendered" seats to forge alliance with Congress for the assembly polls, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has said that such adjustment has to be done in any seat-sharing agreement and having a tie-up was "too important to let five or six seats jeopardise the whole thing". In an interview with ANI, Omar Abdullah also took a dig at BJP and said a wrong narrative was sought to be created that Article 370 was something "that Kashmiris loved and residents of Jammu region hated". He said National Conference was preparing to contest all seats before the seat-sharing agreement with Congress. "All alliances are a compromise. We had prepared candidates for all seats. I'm not sure whether Congress had done the same, but I'm assuming they would have done. We have obviously surrendered seats that we had people ready for, that we believed we were in a good position to at least put up a really good fight. But yes, in any seat-sharing, you have to surrender seats and we did," Omar Abdullah said. "Having an alliance was too important to let five or six seats jeopardise the whole thing. We could have ended up with a Madhya Pradesh-type situation where the Congress just went completely alone because they couldn't agree on six or seven seats to the Samajwadi party," he added. He said BJP margins in two Lok Sabha polls in Jammu region went down in 2024 election compared to 2019 and asked if Article 370 was a Kashmir-specific issue that Jammu was happy to see the back of, then margins of BJP should have gone up. "This narrative was sought to be created that 370 was something that Kashmiris loved and Jammuites hated. It's not without reason that the BJP's vote share in Jammu shrunk drastically in this Parliament election. The margins of victory for both candidates in Jammu and Udhampur are half of what they were in the election in 2014. If 370 was a Kashmir-specific issue that Jammu was happy to see the back of, you should have seen margins in Jammu jump in favour of the BJP. But you haven't," he said. He said there is "a lot of simmering anger" in Jammu and said he would reverse the decision on Dabar move at least for Jammu if the alliance comes to power. "You basically crippled the economy of Jammu when you shut down the Darbar move. Jammu economy depended a lot on government employees coming from Kashmir in the winter. They spent a lot of money there. They hired accommodation. For six months, the place boomed. You talk about tourism. How much of that tourism actually goes to Jammu? Almost nothing. Because the train takes Yatris directly to Katra. The Yatris who land by air, come straight from the airport, get into their car, go to Katra, get into a helicopter, fly up to Mata temple, do darshan and come back. Jammu is crying for some sort of economic sustenance, which they used to get from the Darbar move, they don't. What would you like to do differently? I would like to reverse a lot of these things that were done...such as the Darbar move to start with for Jammu at least," he said. The 149-year-old biannual tradition of shifting offices between summer capital Srinagar and winter capital Jammu was ended by the Jammu and Kashmir administration in 2021. The administration had said that it has completely transitioned to an e-office where "darbar move" was no longer needed and the decision will save Rs 200 crore per year. Omar Abdullah said Jammu and Kashmir needs stronger domicile laws. "We need domicile laws that at least bring us at par with other parts of the country. Today we have weaker domicile laws than our own neighbour Himachal. Our domicile laws are the weakest in the country today. This is what was said when Article 370 was taken away," he said. "It's a genuine fear because lands are being given away. Government lands are being given away to people who are not from here. Let me be clear, I have no problem with people coming here, but we are saying we should have first right over our own land, over our own water, over our own rivers. What is wrong in that? If you give the first right to people in other states, why not here?" he added. Omar Abdullah skipped answering the question on who will be the Chief Minister if the NC-Congress alliance wins the elections. "I have had my sort of fingers burnt in Baramulla (parliamentary constituency) by assuming that I know what is going to happen. I'm not making that mistake again. Which is why I have not put any number on the party winning. We want to win as many seats as possible. But I am not going to be foolish enough to put a number on it and then exceed that number." he said. Omar Abdullah was defeated by an independent candidate by over 1.5 lakh votes in the Lok Sabha polls. He also talked about his focus during the campaign on local issues. "He (Rahul Gandhi) will talk about national issues. He has representation all the way to the east and the west, all the way down to the south. Probably soon his sister will be fighting a parliamentary election from Kerala. The moment you cross into Punjab, I have no locus standi. So, I have no reason to talk about issues that go beyond Jammu and Kashmir," he said. Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. Votes will be counted on October 8. Like the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year, Congress and the National Conference are fighting the assembly polls also in alliance. While NC will contest 51 of 90 seats, Congress will fight 32 with two parties also agreeing to a friendly contest on some seats. A few seats have been left for smaller parties. (ANI)
At the International Solar Festival (ISA) here, German official Uwe Gehlen on Friday stressed the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to advance renewable energy solutions worldwide and called for greater collaboration among governments, private sector players, and civil society to effectively address the financing and expansion challenges of renewable energy. Gehlen, is a Development Expert for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and Head of Development Cooperation in India, German Embassy. The Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP) conversation series at ISA revolved around the need for innovation and financial instruments to foster development in developing countries, particularly in India. Speaking at the session, Gehlen underscored the importance of understanding the diverse conditions of different countries while addressing renewable energy issues. "When you look at financial resources, you must consider the specific conditions of the country you are addressing," he stated, emphasizing that solutions need to be tailored to each country's unique social, economic, and geographic contexts. He highlighted the necessity of engaging all stakeholders--governments, private sector players, and civil society--rather than creating new institutions or introducing isolated solutions that might not find acceptance. "We don't need to create new institutions or come up with new ideas nobody would like to have. We need to consult everyone at the table to build momentum and open the valve," Gehlen said, stressing the need for broad consensus to drive the renewable energy agenda forward. Gehlen pointed out a critical gap in the current approach to global renewable energy expansion: the lack of a common baseline system to set priorities. "What we are obviously lacking across all nations is a system baseline where we address and set the priorities," he noted, calling for a more coordinated global strategy. The GSDP was initiated in 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, providing a framework for cooperation between India and Germany in alignment with the 2030 Agenda, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the goals of the Paris Agreement. The discussion at the ISA also revolved around innovative financial instruments, such as bonds, to bring down costs and promote new technologies. The speakers, including Dr. Ajay Mathur, Director General of ISA, and Shubhangi Kitchloo, a sustainability expert, highlighted the role of hybrid energy solutions, advanced business models, and the deployment of state-of-the-art renewable technologies. Gehlen emphasized that addressing the diverse opportunities for renewable energy globally requires dynamic networking and systemic adaptation. "The question is, who would be the driver and the resource of such an effort?" he posed, underlining the need for effective leadership and coordinated action in the renewable energy sector. Other panellists shared their insights into achieving net-zero targets, with a focus on hybrid energy solutions and sustainable practices. Dr. Ajay Mathur highlighted the need for greater collaboration between Germany and India in renewable energy investments, particularly in the areas of solar and Agri PV, a technology that combines agriculture and photovoltaic energy generation. He suggested that India's Thar Desert and the Rann of Kutch could provide the necessary spaces for large-scale solar power projects. Shubhangi Kitchloo discussed the evolving role of sustainability reporting in driving investments in renewable energy, particularly solar. "India has the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework, which mandates the top 1000 companies by market capitalization to engage in sustainability reporting," she said. Kitchloo called for better data access to facilitate informed investment decisions. Dinesh Dayanand Jagdale, Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), highlighted India's ambitious renewable energy targets, aiming to increase non-fossil-based capacity to 500 GW by 2030. He emphasized the need for a country-specific approach to renewable energy, tailored to India's unique demographic and geographical context. "We believe that solarization of the agricultural sector is important, and we are incentivizing farmers to install solar pumps," he added, noting that bioenergy and waste-to-energy solutions also play vital roles in India's renewable energy strategy. (ANI)
The 2024 Beijing China Art International Fair opened at Beijing Antique City on Thursday. Hundreds of cultural relics institutions from both China and abroad are showcasing treasures through both online and offline platforms.
The event, which will run until Oct. 7, features four major trading sections and three exchange activities, offering the public a unique cross-cultural experience.
Themed "Collecting: Painting a Beautiful Life Together," this year's expo brings together an array of artifacts, art masterpieces, and innovative cultural products. The main venue at Beijing Antique City will host two exhibitions: a jade masterpiece exhibition with over 80 exquisite jade carvings, highlighting the achievements and heritage of Chinese jade carving techniques; and an exhibition honoring Qi Baishi's 160th birthday, featuring more than 100 valuable paintings and calligraphy works by the renowned master.
Meanwhile, Beijing Antique City and Panjiayuan Flea Market will each host a major trading event. Hundreds of antique dealers and art institutions from across the country will present various folk artifacts, as well as offer public lectures and free appraisal services. Exhibitors from Pakistan, Nepal, Poland, and other countries have been specially invited to bring unique items to the events.
The month-long fair will also feature an online platform for trading artifacts. Over 100 global institutions and more than 20 state-owned relic shops from China will display nearly 10,000 Chinese and Western artifacts. An interactive offline experience area for the platform is also installed at Beijing Antique City to allow collectors to engage with both domestic and international exhibitions.
The court highlighted concerns about potential witness tampering and the erosion of trust between families.
Seema Rani Khakha is accused of actively participating in the crime, including administering medication to terminate the victim's pregnancy.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, in dismissing the bail application of Seema Rani Khakha, stated that the case "strikes at the root of trust between two families" and emphasised that the possibility of influencing witnesses could not be ruled out at this stage.
Earlier this year, in February, the Delhi High Court had denied bail to Premoday Khakha and his wife, Seema Rani Khakha, in a POCSO case, a decision upheld by the trial court.
The Khakhas had argued for bail on the grounds that the Delhi Police had not yet filed a complete charge sheet, which they claimed entitled them to default bail.
Justice Jyoti Singh, after hearing arguments from both the defence and the prosecution, dismissed the bail applications.
The Delhi Police subsequently filed the charge sheet on October 11, 2023, and the Tis Hazari Court took cognisance of it on November 9, 2023.
The Khakhas have remained in judicial custody since their arrest in August 2023.
Premoday Khakha, formerly a Deputy Director in the Delhi government's Women and Child Development Department, is accused of sexually assaulting and impregnating a minor girl.
His wife, Seema Rani Khakha, is alleged to have threatened the victim and facilitated an abortion.
The case involves charges including rape, molestation, criminal intimidation, and offences under the POCSO Act. (ANI)
This initiative aims to equip these civilians with the skills necessary to protect their villages from terrorist threats, thereby bolstering the region's overall security framework.
Approximately 600 civilians are currently undergoing intensive training in the operation of automatic rifles, squad post drills, and minor tactics to protect their villages from terrorist threats. The training, conducted at the unit level near their respective villages, ensures that the VDGs can swiftly apply their skills in real-world scenarios.
The training programme, meticulously structured by the Indian Army, includes a minimum of three-day training for each VDG unit. Instructors and training aids from the Corps Battle School in Sarol provide additional support, ensuring that the VDGs receive expert guidance.
This collaboration ensures that the VDGs receive instruction from highly skilled personnel, enhancing the effectiveness of the training. The initiative, undertaken at the request of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, has already seen significant progress.
To further empower the VDGs, self-loading rifles (SLRs) are being issued through a coordinated effort between the Army's Ordnance Depots and the JKP. This initiative demonstrates the Indian Army's commitment to safeguarding the lives of innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir.
These rifles are a crucial component of the VDGs' armament, further empowering them.
To date, around 500 individuals have been trained in the Rajouri area, with an additional 85-90 individuals trained in the Doda and Kishtwar regions.
This initiative is a commitment to safeguarding the lives of innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)
A 38-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Bhopal, said a police officer on Friday. The incident occurred on August 28 and a complaint was lodged for the same at Eintkhedi police station in Bhopal on September 5, according to a copy of the FIR with ANI. The accused has been identified as Irfan Khan (38); the victim knew him and used to call him uncle. The accused took the minor with him by luring her during school lunch hour and committed the crime. Bhopal Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) Pramod Kumar Sinha told ANI, "An incident was reported under Eintkhedi police station limits on September 5 in which a minor girl was raped. Acting on it, the police registered a case against the accused under relevant sections and arrested him." The accused will be produced before the court on Friday and further investigation into the matter is underway, the officer said. "In the preliminary interrogation, it came to light that the accused was known to the victim. He took the minor with him by luring her during school lunch hour and committed the crime," he added. The victim told the police that she did not tell anyone about the incident in school and told her parents the next day. But due to being sick, she could not come to report the complaint, and later approached the Eintkhedi police station on September 5 and lodged the complaint, SP Sinha further said. (ANI)
Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, shed light on the difficult decisions faced by his father, Farooq Abdullah, during the 1999 IC814 hijacking incident. He highlighted the tough decisions faced by his father, Farooq Abdullah, during that time. In an interview with ANI, Omar Abdullah revealed that the IC814 hijack was not the first instance where his father was compelled to release prisoners. He cited a previous case involving Rubaiya Syed, the daughter of former Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who was kidnapped by Kashmiri separatists in 1989. The Central Government, led by VP Singh, had released five jailed terrorists of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front in exchange for Rubaiya's safe release. "This is the second time my father was forced to release people. With Rubaiya Syed and families of the hijacked victims, they used the Rubaiya Syed incident as the benchmark. They said when you could release terrorists for a home minister's daughter, is our family not precious? Why is it only she is precious to the country? Then if she is precious to you, then our family is precious to us. So we set a benchmark that had to be followed," Abdullah said. Notably, the IC814 hijack has become a hot topic of conversation and is spanned with controversy and concerns about the names of terrorists being used in the Anubhav Sinha directed series on Netflix, "IC814: The Kandahar Hijack." Omar Abdullah emphasised that the precedent set during the Rubaiya Syed incident became a benchmark for the families of the hijacked individuals, who demanded equal consideration and safety during the IC814 hijack in 1999. "I think Government of India had an option. I think Government of India at the Rubaiya Syed kidnapping time had the option of not negotiating with terrorists. They chose to negotiate. After that, once you've done it once, then you have to do it again," Abdullah said. Regarding the execution of Afzal Guru, Omar Abdullah clarified that the Jammu and Kashmir government had no involvement in the process. He stated that if state approval had been required, it would not have been granted. "The unfortunate thing was that the J-K government had nothing to do with Afzal Guru's execution. Otherwise, you would have had to do it with the permission of the state government, which I can tell you in no uncertain terms would not have been forthcoming. We wouldn't have done it. I don't believe that any purpose was served by executing him," Abdullah said. (ANI)
National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asserted that the upcoming Assembly elections will serve as a crucial step towards realising the rights of the citizens in the Union Territory. While addressing an election rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal, Abdullah said, "Even I believe that the Assembly elections we are going to contest are not for the Assembly we want. But this Assembly election will pave the way to the Assembly, which is our right. Through this election, we aim to send a message to the world that what has happened to us is unacceptable." Abdullah also indicated a possible political vendetta against him by political leaders in Delhi and highlighted the recent Lok Sabha elections. "This is a strange election. I knew that the leaders in Delhi never liked me, but now I have realised they hate me. He recorded an audio clip and circulated it. Maybe it was my bad luck that I was defeated by him. I did not see any conspiracy in it at that time, but for the last two days, it seems like a conspiracy to me. I don't understand how those behind bars could file nominations only against me," Abdullah said. Omar Abdullah is contesting from both Ganderbal and Budgam seats for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. He has filed nominations from both seats on separate dates. Speaking on his decision to contest a second seat, Omar Abdullah said, "Me contesting elections from two seats is not a proof of weakness, it is a proof of the strength of the National Conference. Whether it is Baramulla, Anantnag or Srinagar, the trend is seen in favour of the National Conference. As far as the last 5-6 years have been a period of misgovernance, allegations of corruption have been made, and all of them will be investigated." The National Conference and the Congress party are fighting the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir together. 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. The counting will be held on October 8. (ANI)
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Jammu and Kashmir chief Ravindra Raina on Friday hailed the party's manifesto and termed it 'people's manifesto'. Promising all help to the people of the state, Raina said that the party will solve everyone's problems, adding that the BJP will work with the mission of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishiwas'. "BJP's manifesto is people's manifesto. Daily wagers, home guards, Anganwadi workers, Asha workers; BJP will solve everyone's problems. Youth, government employees; BJP will solve their problems too because BJP will work with the mission of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishiwas'," Ravindra Raina said. Raina exuded confidence in party's victory in the upcoming assembly elections, saying that the BJP will record a 'tremendous victory'. "PM Modi and Union HM Amit Shah have worked for J-K in a mission mode. While releasing the manifesto, the Home Minister said that we will strengthen the peace and prosperity in J-K. As the HM has said, we will have tremendous victory here and the BJP will form the government," Ravinder Raina said. Earlier on Friday, Amit Shah released, BJP's manifesto for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. He stated that Article 370 is a thing of past and will never return again. "Now Article 370 has become a thing of past, it is not a part of the constitution. I have read the agenda of NC and seen the silent support of NC, but I want to make it clear, that article 370 is a thing of past and it'll never return again, we will not let that happen. Article 370 was the thing that gave weapons and stones in the hands of the youth It's the spirit of separatism that used to force youth towards terrorism," Amit Shah added. BJP made 25 promises in its manifesto for the UT, primarily focusing on wiping out terrorism and separatism from Jammu and Kashmir. BJP manifesto focused on women, promising implementation of 'Maa Samman Yojana' to provide Rs 18,000 per year to the senior most woman in every household in Jammu and Kashmir. The manifesto also catered to the youth, mentioning that the government will create 5 lakh employment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir through Pandit Prem Nath Dogra Rozgar Yojana (PPNDRY). BJP also said that it will provide Rs 3,000 yearly through DBT as travel allowance to college students under the 'Pragati Shiksha Yojana'. (ANI)
In light of the recent rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar medical college, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to prioritize action over words on women's safety. Patel emphasized the need for timely and fair enforcement of laws like the POCSO Act to ensure justice. Addressing the West Bengal CM, Bhupendra Patel, in a post on X said, "Mamta Didi, we need actions, not just words. The POCSO Act and other laws for women's safety are robust, but their impact depends on swift and fair action by local police. From investigation to conviction, timely justice is crucial." He provided examples from Gujarat to explain his point. In Surat, the Pandesara POCSO case saw a chargesheet filed in 10 days, with the rapist sentenced to death in just 22 days. In another case from Puna, the rapist was sentenced to death within 32 days. Patel also noted that in the murder of a 22-year-old daughter, Gujarat Police filed a chargesheet in 9 days, with the murderer sentenced to death within 75 days. Additionally, the Bhavnagar POCSO case saw a chargesheet filed in 24 hours and justice served in 52 days. Patel highlighted that culprits in stalking and harassment cases have been punished with 5-year sentences. Demanding prompt action and responsibility from the West Bengal Government, Patel mentioned, "Women's safety is a fundamental human right, not a political issue. We must act with urgency, transparency, and collective responsibility. Let's ensure our mothers, daughters, and sisters live without fear. No more delays, no more excuses--only prompt action and accountability" Notably, Patel's remarks comes at the backdrop of passage of an anti-rape bill by the West Bengal CM amid the growing agitation over the RG Kar medical incident. The West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed the 'Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) 2024' on Tuesday. A nationwide protest had erupted demanding stringent laws for women's safety after a trainee doctor was raped and murdered in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended her support for West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment Bill 2024 and said that the bill is being brought to secure the dignity of women and if Bengal is abused, it will have a ripple effect. CM Mamata Banerjee said, "I had written two letters to the Prime Minister, but I did not get any reply from him, rather I got a reply from the Minister of Women and Child Development, but I also replied to her reply and informed the Prime Minister. When the Code of Justice Bill was passed in a hurry before the elections, I had said that it should not be passed in a hurry, the states were not consulted in this. I had opposed it many times as no advice was taken from the states in this regard, it should have been passed after discussing 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 secure protection for women. If Bengal is ill-treated, then it will have spillover effect." (ANI)
India has made its latest nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arighaat, more capable than its predecessor, INS Arihant, by fitting it with longer-range missiles and adding a high level of indigenous content in it. The INS Arihant is the first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine made by India, commissioned in 2018, while the INS Arighaat is the second SSBN, commissioned last week into the Navy by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The INS Arighaat has been fitted with missiles that can hit targets at a range of over 3,500 kms and will be a strong deterrent for the country, sources told ANI. Meanwhile, INS Arihant is fitted with missiles that can hit targets at around 750 Km, they said. The nuclear submarine fleet will receive a major boost, with the third boat also planned to be commissioned in the early part of the next year, they said. The second Arihant-Class submarine 'INS Arighaat' was commissioned into the Indian Navy on August 29, 2024, at Visakhapatnam. Earlier, the Defence Minister stated that the nuclear-powered submarine is a matter of pride for the nation while describing it as an achievement for the nation in line with the 'Aatmanirbharta' initiative of the government. The construction of INS Arighaat involved the use of advanced design and manufacturing technology, detailed research & development, utilisation of special materials, complex engineering and highly skilled workmanship. It has the distinction of having indigenous systems and equipment that were conceptualised, designed, manufactured & integrated by Indian scientists, industry and Naval personnel. The technological advancements undertaken indigenously on this submarine make it significantly more advanced than its predecessor, Arihant. The presence of both INS Arihant and INS Arighaat will enhance India's capability to deter potential adversaries and safeguard its national interests. (ANI)
People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, criticised National Conference leader Omar Abdullah for contesting on two seats for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. "Omar Abdullah was reiterating one thing from the last 3-4 years, that he would not contest elections till the time statehood is restored in J&K. He even said that he could not beg the LG to approve every little order as the Chief Minister of a UT. Now he is contesting from two seats. This shows the difference in what he says and what he does. This is what his family has done since 1947," Mufti said while speaking to reporters on Friday. Omar Abdullah is contesting from both Ganderbal and Budgam seats for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. He has filed nominations from both the seats on separate dates. Speaking on his decision to contest a second seat, Omar Abdullah said, "Me contesting elections from two seats is not a proof of weakness, it is a proof of the strength of the National Conference. Whether it is Baramulla, Anantnag or Srinagar, the trend is seen in favor of the National Conference. As far as the last 5-6 years have been a period of misgovernance, allegations of corruption have been made, all of them will be investigated." The National Conference and the Congress party are fighting the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir together. 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. The counting will be held on October 8. (ANI)
Speaking to reporters in Haryana's Ambala on Friday, Vij said, "Anyone can join any party. We don't have any say in it."
Phogat and Bajrag Punia joined the Congress party on Friday in the presence of Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, party leader Pawan Khera, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria.
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat said that the Congress party "understood their pain and tears" when they faced police action during the protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar last year and also said that all parties except the BJP supported them.
Both the top wrestlers were part of protests by wrestlers over sexual harassment allegations against former BJP MP and then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh last year.
The development comes ahead of polling for 90-member Haryana Assembly scheduled for October 5, with counting of votes scheduled on October 8. (ANI)
Zhang Haidi, president of Rehabilitation International (RI) and former chairperson of China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), attends the 2024 International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology & World Rehabilitation Robot Convention (i-CREATe & WRRC 2024) in Shanghai, Aug. 23, 2024. [CDPF]
Zhang Haidi, president of Rehabilitation International (RI) and former chairperson of China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF), highlighted the transformative power of technology for people with disabilities at a major rehabilitation convention in Shanghai last month.
The International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology & World Rehabilitation Robot Convention took place from Aug. 23-26.
The convention, themed "Intelligent Technology Empowers the Future of Rehabilitation," addressed key aspects of rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology. Topics included rehabilitation therapy, nursing, and accessible design.
In her address, Zhang highlighted how science and technology are transforming the lives of people with disabilities. She cited cochlear implants that help deaf people experience sound and exoskeleton technology that enables those with spinal cord injuries to stand and walk. Zhang also noted that advances in rehabilitation science and technology contribute to progress in brain science and artificial intelligence.
Zhang described rehabilitation as a frontier of 21st-century science and technology, highlighting its promise and bright prospects. She noted the field's continuous stream of inventions and creations, bringing professional talents together to apply advanced concepts and technology. These efforts aim to eliminate pain and improve quality of life for those needing rehabilitation services, Zhang said, allowing technology to compensate for injuries. She added that everything is possible when we look forward to the future.
She urged global collaboration among scholars and experts to cultivate talent and drive innovation in rehabilitation technologies. Zhang also stressed the growing importance of rehabilitation in aging societies, noting its impact on quality of life and dignity.
The RI president called for increased innovation in rehabilitation, emphasizing its potential to advance the field both in China and globally.
Zhang emphasized the importance of humanitarianism in rehabilitation science and technology, stating it enhances people's sense of well-being.
The convention, which drew over 1,000 experts, scholars, and representatives from international organizations, was jointly organized by the Coalition on Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology of Asia, the China Association of Assistive Products, and the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology.
During the convention, Zhang visited key rehabilitation facilities in Shanghai, including the Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital and the Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices. She also attended the unveiling ceremony for the Institute of Intelligent Engineering at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology.
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kavinder Gupta on Friday said that the BJP manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir should be called 'Sankalp Patra' instead of the manifesto as it is in the interest of the nation. Speaking to ANI, Gupta said, "We call it the Sankalp Patra instead of the manifesto, as it is in the interest of the nation, state, and society. It has been the history of the BJP to do what we have said and do what we have not said." He further said that people will support the party considering the development that the BJP has made in Jammu and Kashmir. "People will support us seeing the development that we have done here," he added. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir chief Ravindra Raina on Friday hailed the party's manifesto and termed it 'people's manifesto'. Promising all help to the people of the state, Raina said that the party will solve everyone's problems, adding that the BJP will work with the mission of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishiwas'. "BJP's manifesto is people's manifesto. Daily wagers, home guards, Anganwadi workers, Asha workers; BJP will solve everyone's problems. Youth, government employees; BJP will solve their problems too because BJP will work with the mission of 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishiwas'," Ravindra Raina said. Raina exuded confidence in the party's victory in the upcoming assembly elections, saying that the BJP will record a 'tremendous victory'. "PM Modi and Union HM Amit Shah have worked for J-K in a mission mode. While releasing the manifesto, the Home Minister said that we will strengthen the peace and prosperity in J-K. As the HM has said, we will have tremendous victory here and the BJP will form the government," Ravinder Raina said. Earlier on Friday, Amit Shah released, BJP's manifesto for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. He stated that Article 370 is a thing of past and will never return again. (ANI)
A Congress press release said that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for appointing Bajrang Punia as working chairman of All India Kisan Congress. He has been appointed to the post with immediate effect.
Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat joined the Congress party earlier in the day in the presence of Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, party leader Pawan Khera, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria.
The wrestlers resigned from their respective positions in Northern Railways earlier in the day.
Punia said he will work on every issue, including those of farmers, athletes, labourers and students.
"I am glad that today I am standing with a party which has been fighting against injustice. Be it on issues of farmers, players, or the Agniveer scheme, it is the right of people to raise their voice against what is wrong," Punia told ANI.
The two well-known wrestlers joined the Congress almost a month before assembly polls in Haryana.
Punia won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, while Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympics final.
Voting for the 90-member Haryana Assembly will be held on October 5 and votes will be counted on October 8. (ANI)
The Special Judge for CBI cases, Ahmedabad, has sentenced Kishore Marotirao Ambavale, then Superintendent of Central Excise, Range-IV, Division-II, Ahmedabad-1, Central Excise, Ahmedabad, to three years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) in a case of bribery.
CBI had registered a case on February 15, 2013, against Ambavale, then Superintendent of Central Excise, Range-IV, Division-II, Ahmedabad-1, Central Excise, Ahmedabad.
It was alleged that the accused demanded illegal gratification of Rs 14,500 from the complainant as a reward, as he had processed the monthly returns and the documents for exports filed on behalf of the private company during the previous seven months.
The accused accepted the said illegal gratification and was arrested on February 16, 2013. Further, searches were also conducted at residential and official premises of the accused.
After the completion of the investigation, CBI filed a chargesheet on September 30, 2013, against the accused. The Court, after trial, found the accused guilty and sentenced him accordingly. (ANI)
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday highlighted the increased water conversation in Gujarat while attending the virtual launch of 'Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Yojana' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Surat CM Patel said that the conservation has increased by 11 lakh cubic metres in Gujarat. He also emphasised on the success of PM's 'Catch the Rain' campaign. "Gujarat has benefited from this scheme of the Prime Minister, Jal Sanchay Yojana and Sujalam Sufalam Yojana. The water conservation has increased by 11 lakh cubic metres in Gujarat. PM Modi's Catch the Rain campaign was successful all over India. Apart from this, rainwater harvesting has also been successful in Gujarat and the country," CM Patel said. CM Patel also stated that Vadodara is the first district in the country to do rainwater harvesting in every village. "Vadodara is the first district in the country where rainwater harvesting has been done in every village. Which is the key to Gujarat's success," CM Patel said, Patel also highlighted the PM's effort to develop the country, leading it to soon become the third-largest economic power in the world. "Prime Minister always thinks ahead of time. He puts his ideas at the forefront for the country. With this vision of his, Gujarat is now taking the country ahead. The country is going to become the 3rd largest economic power in the world. The credit for this goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said. PM Modi launched 'Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Initiative' on Friday. The initiative is launched by the collaboration of Government of Gujarat and the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Under this programme, around 24,800 rainwater harvesting structures are made that will enrich rainwater harvesting and ensure long-term water sustainability across the state. Speaking about the initiative, PM said that the country with an always visionary and comprehensive approach, needs to stand ahead to find solutions to battle with the water crisis for the whole world. PM Modi further said, "It is said that all the living beings have originated from water and their lives depends on it. That's why water donation and saving water for other is the biggest form of donation and the same thing was told by Rahim Das also. The country whose thinking and approach was visionary and comprehensive since past times; it needs to stand ahead in the world to find solutions for water crisis." (ANI) .
The successful test was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command.
According to the Defence Ministry, the launch validated all operational and technical parameters.
"A successful launch of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-4 was carried out from ITR in Chandipur, Odisha on September 6, 2024," Defence Ministry statement mentioned.
On April 4 this year, the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), along with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), conducted a successful test flight of the next-generation ballistic missile Agni-Prime from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
According to the officials, the test met all the trial objectives, validating its reliable performance, as confirmed from the data captured by a number of range sensors deployed at different locations, including two Downrange ships placed at the terminal point.
The first pre-induction night launch of the new generation ballistic missile, Agni Prime, was flight-tested in June 2023 by DRDO from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. (ANI)
The committee appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held a meeting to monitor the current situation on the Indo-Bangladesh border, officials said on Friday. The meeting was headed by Ravi Gandhi, ADG, BSF (Eastern Command) and attended by all members, including members from the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI). During the meeting, progress of various communications with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and status of safety of minority communities in Bangladesh, especially in bordering districts, were discussed. Since August 12, 2024, both the Border Guarding Forces have had around 722 border meetings at various levels. Besides, both the border guarding forces carried out 1367 simultaneous coordinating patrolling (SCP) in vulnerable border patches in the area of responsibility of Eastern Command. During these border meetings, BGB officials were asked to prevent infiltration into India. Meanwhile, BGB during meetings, assured to take all steps for the safety of Indian citizens and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh. Officials of both forces are in constant contact and sharing information on various operational matters on a real-time basis. BSF has also been holding village coordination meetings with the Indian villagers residing along the international border to make them aware of the prevalent situation in Bangladesh and to seek their cooperation in border management. A total of 614 such meetings have been held in the last 15 days in the AOR of Eastern Command, where villagers have very warmly responded. Besides, during the period, multiple meetings have been held with sister agencies to strengthen border security. The situation on the Indo-Bangladesh border generally remained peaceful, and BSF is committed to maintaining the sanctity of the international boundary along with the safety and security of the populace residing near the border. BSF personnel have been doing round-the-clock duties (24x7) to guard the international border in mutual cooperation with BGB in light of the Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP). (ANI)
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leader Omar Abdullah said that the visit of US diplomats to Kashmir was only possible with the approval of the Indian government. He said that no foreign diplomat or media person can enter Jammu and Kashmir without the permission of the ministries under the government of India. On being asked about the visit of the US diplomats to Kashmir to meet him, Omar Abdullah in an exclusive interview with ANI, said, "Who allowed them to come? Government of India. No diplomats or the foreign media are able to visit Jammu and Kashmir with the express permission of the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Home, in consultation with agencies here and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir." The JKNC Vice President further said that his meeting with the US Embassy team was cleared by the Indian government at the highest levels. "Any meeting that I had with the team of the US Embassy was cleared at the highest level by the government of India..." Elaborating on the talks with the US diplomats, Omar Abdullah said, "We talked about Jammu and Kashmir, about the situation, we talked about the wider Indian context. But that was it." Omar Abdullah expressed his surprise at the recent visit of US diplomats and said that during their previous visit, the US diplomats were only able to meet with the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha. He said, "It was surprising for me as well, that they got permission to meet me because the last time they came, they were able to meet only the LG Manoj Sinha and other Delhi-backed parties." Notably, US diplomats including Minister-Counsellor for Political Affairs Graham Mayer and First Secretary Gary Applegarth met Omar Abdullah at his Gupkar residence in Srinagar on August 26. During the meeting, Omar Abdullah emphasised to the diplomats the importance of re-looking at the travel advisories for Jammu and Kashmir with a view to easing the restrictions. He encouraged people from around the world to visit Kashmir and experience its beauty and culture firsthand. National Conference had also informed about the meeting on its X handle and said Omar Abdullah invited the diplomats to visit Kashmir with their families as a first step to inspire confidence among tourists from the United States and other parts of the world. "Discussions covered a wide range of issues pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir and the region in general. Omar Abdullah emphasized to the diplomats the importance of re-looking at the travel advisories for Jammu and Kashmir with a view to easing the restrictions. He encouraged people from around the world to visit Kashmir and experience its beauty and culture firsthand. He also invited the diplomats to visit Kashmir with their families as a first step to inspire confidence among tourists from the United States and other parts of the world," the party had said. (ANI)
The Assam CM on social media platform X mentioned that he took key decisions and cleared state administration-related files on Day 1 at the Chief Minister's Secretariat in Dibrugarh.
"Day 1 at the Chief Minister's Secretariat in Dibrugarh. Took important decisions and cleared files related to State administration. Look forward to achieving more productivity in the coming months," the CM wrote on X.
Earlier on Thursday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Assam Cabinet has approved the implementation of 57 out of 67 recommendations from the Justice (retd) Biplab Sarma Commission on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.
CM Himanta, in a post on X, stated that this stands as one of the most significant efforts since Independence to protect the rights of the people of Assam.
Clause 6 of the Assam Accord states that the Assamese people's cultural, social, linguistic identity, and heritage should be protected, preserved, and promoted through appropriate constitutional, legislative, and administrative safeguards.
In a post on X, the Assam Chief Minister highlighted key decisions taken by the cabinet over the implementation of recommendations of Justice (Retd) Biplab Sarma Commission on implementing Clause 6 of the Assam accord.
The recommendations will be applicable across the state, except 6th schedule areas and Barak Valley. In these regions, the recommendations will be implemented only after the concurrence of the authorities and the people in those regions.
The cabinet will hold in depth discussions with the Government of India for the remaining 10 recommendations.
The Cabinet further decided to constitute a Group of Ministers, who will engage with the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and other organisations to develop a clear roadmap and implementation framework.
The recommendations will be implemented by April 15, 2025. (ANI)
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that the Biden administration believes that the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is 90 per cent agreed on, adding, "That's how close we believe we are," Al Jazeera reported. "Nothing is negotiated until everything is negotiated," Kirby said. He noted that several detailed issues remain to be resolved, adding that "that's when things get difficult." "You call that optimistic. I call that accurate. That's how close we believe we are. That's where we have gotten to. The basic framework of the deal has been agreed to," Kirby said. "What we're talking about now is the implementing details and specifically the exchange of prisoners. And now that calculus is different because of what happened over the weekend," he said, referring to the recovery of the bodies of six captives from Gaza by Israeli forces. But he added: "Nothing is negotiated until everything is negotiated, and the things that are still in play right now are very, very detailed... issues and that's when things get difficult." said Kirby Meanwhile, Hamas' lead negotiator has urged the US to press Israel for a truce in Gaza, as per Al Jazeera. "If the US administration and its President Biden really want to reach a ceasefire and complete a prisoner exchange deal, they must abandon their blind bias towards the Zionist occupation and exert real pressure on Netanyahu and his government," Qatar-based Khalil al-Hayya said in a statement. He said Hamas still supports a proposal backed by Biden and a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza. "We confirm our adherence to what was agreed upon after President Biden-backed proposal at the end of May, and UN Security Council Resolution No 2735, which the movement agreed to on July 2," al-Hayya said. "We warn against falling into the trap of Netanyahu ... who uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people." The Health Ministry says at least 39 people have been killed in the West Bank since August 28. This brings the total number of Palestinians killed across the occupied territory to 691 since October 7. At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas' attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. (ANI)
Blackstone Singapore's Senior Managing Director and Chairman Gautam Banerjee on Thursday said that he was impressed and encouraged by what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his interaction with Singaporean business leaders. "I am very impressed and encouraged by what Mr Modi said to all of us. My firm has been in the last 20 years. What we have done in the last 10 years has been much more than we could achieve earlier. His increased vigor and focus on so many different aspects..Just so many opportunities for us. We will go back very encouraged with opportunities India presents to us," Banerjee said. Earlier today, 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. Prime Minister Modi interacted with a group of leading Singaporean CEOs from diverse sectors including investment funds, infrastructure, manufacturing, energy, sustainability and logistics. 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." 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)
US President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to all nine charges in his federal tax case Thursday, and District Judge Mark Scarsi in Los Angeles has accepted his plea, CNN reported. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, notably after November's presidential election. The president's son has now officially pleaded guilty to one count of felony tax evasion, two counts of felony filing fraudulent tax returns, four misdemeanor counts of failing to pay taxes, and two misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns, as per CNN. The guilty plea came in a convoluted all-day hearing on the same day that his trial was supposed to begin with jury selection in Los Angeles. About 120 prospective jurors waited in a sequestered assembly room throughout the day, while prosecutors and Hunter Biden's lawyers haggled in court over how to move forward. According to CNN, the plea also came hours after Hunter Biden offered an "Alford plea," where he would've maintained his innocence, skipped a trial, and accepted any punishment at sentencing. But Biden's team backed away from that plan after prosecutors raised forceful objections, and the judge said he'd want to study the matter and reconvene Friday morning. The guilty plea was a unilateral move by Hunter Biden, called an "open plea" because it was done without a pre-arranged plea bargain with prosecutors. It's rare for a high-profile defendant to plead guilty to crimes without a leniency deal with prosecutors. "We were as shocked as everyone else in the courtroom this morning," prosecutor Leo Wise said. But in a surprising turn Thursday afternoon, Biden's team changed course and instead said he is prepared to enter an "open plea" and admit that his conduct satisfied the elements of the tax offences with which he had been charged. Biden said under oath in federal court in Los Angeles Thursday that nobody made him any promises, to convince him to plead guilty in his tax case. The president's son also testified that nobody pressured him to plead guilty in any way. After prosecutors read the full 56-page indictment during the plea proceeding, which took nearly 90 minutes, Scarsi asked Hunter Biden standard questions that are part of every pea deal. "Do you agree that you committed every element of every crime?" Scarsi asked. "Yes," Hunter Biden responded. The resolution of the tax case came on the brink of a trial in downtown Los Angeles. This would have been Biden's second criminal trial this year, after he was convicted in June on three federal gun charges in Wilmington, Delaware. According to CNN, prosecutors alleged that Biden failed to pay USD 1.4 million in federal taxes and evaded taxes by filing tax returns with fraudulent business deductions. The president's son eventually paid roughly USD 2 million in back taxes and penalties after learning of the investigation and getting sober, following a years-long struggle with drug addiction and alcoholism. (ANI)
In his first statement following his arrest in France, Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov on Friday stated that it was a "misguided approach" to hold him personally responsible for the spread of illicit content on the social media platform. The Russian-born Durov was arrested in France last week and was charged for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the messaging app. On Friday, Durov took to his Telegram channel to post that "he is still trying to understand what happened in France." Durov said that the French authorities should have first approached his companies with their complaints instead of arresting him over the matter. The 39-year-old billionaire has been charged with crimes on Telegram included the spread of child sexual abuse material, fraud and drug sales, according to French prosecutors. "No innovator will ever build new tools if they know they can be personally held responsible for potential abuse of those tools," Durov wrote on the messaging app as reported by the New York Times. Durvo said "growing pains" on Telegram, which has 950 million users, had made it easy for criminals to abuse the platform. "That's why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard," the Telegram co-founder said as per the NYT report. While French prosecutors said Durov was arrested in part because of Telegram's "almost total lack of response" to requests related to criminal investigations, Durov himself has said that it was "a surprise" for him. Further, he dismissed as unfounded the perception that Telegram is an "anarchic paradise" stating that he takes down millions of harmful posts a day. Defending his app, Durov said that Telegram would announce further changes to address the abuse of the messaging app "very soon." "We are driven by the intention to bring good and defend the basic rights of people, particularly in places where these rights are violated," he said in his post on the app as cited by the NYT. The American news daily cited Durov's message in which he said that France was using laws from the "pre-smartphone era" to charge him with crimes by Telegram's users. It would be more appropriate to bring legal action against his company, not him personally, he said. Durov noted that operating a global communications platform is a tricky balance between privacy and security adding that in Russia and Iran, the messaging company has been willing to be banned rather than cede to government demands. (ANI)
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) said on Friday that Chinese military activity was detected near its territory. It said that 19 Chinese military aircraft, seven naval vessels and two official ships were detected operating around Taiwan from 6 am (local time) on Thursday to 6 am (local time) on Friday. According to Taiwan's MND, 15 of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's eastern Air Defence Identification Zone. In response to Chinese incursions, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships and coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity. Taking to X, Taiwan's MND stated, "19 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 15 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." This latest incursion adds to a series of similar provocations by China in recent months. China has increased its military activities around Taiwan, including regular air and naval incursions into Taiwan's ADIZ and military exercises near the island. Since September 2020, China has intensified its use of gray zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating near Taiwan, according to a Taiwan News report. Gray zone tactics are considered "an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one's security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force," the report said. On September 3, Taiwan's Ministry of Defence (MND) alleged that China launched a satellite over Taiwan with its flight path passing over the southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) of the island nation. Taiwan's MND said that the satellite launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) posed "no threat" to the nation, adding that Taiwan Armed Forces monitored the whole process and are ready to respond if the need arises. In a post shared on X, Taiwan's MND stated, "At 09:20 a.m.(UTC+8), #PLA launched a satellite from #XSLC, with its flight path passing over our southwestern ADIZ. Poses no threat to us, the flight path flew toward the West Pacific Ocean. #ROCArmedForces monitored the whole process and are ready to respond if necessary." (ANI)
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is set to detach from the orbiting International Space Station on Friday (local time) and return to Earth, without the astronauts Sunita Williams Butch Williams,and as per the US space agency NASA. The unscrewed spacecraft is targeting a landing at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico on Saturday (local time). NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams launched aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 5 for its first crewed flight, arriving at the space station on June 6. It was expected that the two astronauts would have returned in the same flight. As Starliner approached the orbiting laboratory, NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters. For the safety of the astronauts, NASA announced on August 24 that Starliner will return to Earth from the station without a crew. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finished packing Starliner with cargo and configuring its cabin for return. The duo closed Starliner's hatch for the final time on Thursday afternoon readying the spacecraft for its uncrewed departure, NASA said. Wilmore and Williams will remain aboard the International Space station and return home in February 2025 aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 mission. "Starliner is scheduled to autonomously undock from the space station at approximately 6:04 pm EDT Friday, September 6, to begin the journey home, weather conditions permitting. NASA and Boeing are targeting approximately 12:03 am, Saturday, September 7, for the landing and conclusion of the flight test," NASA said. SpaceX and Boeing are the two commercial vendors who have been tasked by NASA to send American-launched astronauts to the ISS. Both Williams and Wilmore are not expected to use the Crew Dragon spacecraft of Crew-9 the next SpaceX astronaut mission for NASA that is set to launch later this month of a ISS half year mission. To make space for the Boeing Starliner astronauts who are now on the ISS, Crew 9's Crew Dragon will launch from earth with only two astronoauts instead of the planned four. (ANI)
An accountability court in Rawalpindi has adjourned the hearing of the 190 million reference against Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, till September 7, The Express Tribune reported. The court proceedings, presided over by Judge Nasir Javed Rana, were held in Adiala Jail. During the hearing, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were present. During the hearing, the defence lawyer cross-examined the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation officer, Mian Umar Nadeem, regarding the case, according to The Express Tribune report. The cross-examination in the case is expected to continue during the next hearing. The court said that the reserved verdict on the acquittal plea filed by Bushra Bibi will be announced alongside the final decision in the 190 million reference, The Express Tribune reported. Defence lawyers Usman Gul and Chaudhry Zaheer Abbas represented Imran Khan and his wife. NAB's Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi, Amjad Pervez, and others appeared on behalf of the prosecution. Imran Khan, who served as Pakistan's Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail since August 2023 on multiple charges, including the Toshakhana case, the cypher case, and the unlawful marriage case.His wife Bushra Bibi has also been behind bars for months. On September 5, the PTI founder warned to call for street protests if the government tries to sabotage the independence of the judiciary. He said that he has not spent a single day at the prison hospital. He alleged that Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari were given air conditioned rooms with en-suite bathrooms when they were in prison. In a statement shared on X, Imran Khan said, "I have not spent a single day at the prison hospital. Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, and Asif Zardari were given air conditioned rooms with en-suite bathrooms. One of the prisoners cooks for me, but I have never complained. Only three visits are allowed to meet with me in a week, whereas Nawaz Sharif met with forty people (when he was in jail). It was an open house for him." "Nawaz Sharif used to even talk to journalists in the privacy of his own room. I send the names of six of my party leaders every week, and only three are allowed to meet me for a mere thirty minutes. I have so many cases against me, and yet, I am only allowed to meet with six lawyers. I am kept in solitary confinement. I spend 21 hours of the day inside my prison cell. My cell heats up like an oven because of the weather, but I have never complained, never said I'm suffering. I have to go to a separate room to bathe. I have just one complaint, though. I am not allowed to speak with my children, although that is my legal right," he added. https://x.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1831602040344113269 Rejecting the government's claims of providing five-star facilities to him, PTI founder stated that he has the same facilities as an inmate on death row. He said, "It feels as though a Martial Law administrator is in charge. Under which law are journalists not allowed to ask me questions? I am the leader of Pakistan's biggest political party. It is my legal and constitutional right to speak with members of the media in an open court." Khan said that his wife Bushra Bibi has been "unjustly imprisoned" for the past seven months and added that she is a housewife who never interfered in government's affairs. (ANI)
After withdrawing support from the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau-led government, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh said Trudeau and the Liberals are "too beholden to corporate interests" and called it one of his reasons for ending the deal, CBC News reported. Singh said that the video shared online announcing the end of the NDP's political pact with the Liberal government was recorded "close to a month ago." The NDP had struck the confidence-and-supply agreement with Trudeau in 2022. In an interview on CBC's Power & Politics, Jagmeet Singh said that Trudeau and the Liberals are "too beholden to corporate interests." Asked to mention specific occasions when the NDP asked the Trudeau-led government to take action on corporate greed and failed, he said food prices, according to CBC News report. Singh stated, "The Liberals' action was to tell people, and they said this with a straight face, to look at grocery flyers." He said, "They then said they were going to go and ask the CEOs nicely to stabilise prices. None of that worked." He also spoke about the Trudeau government's decision to direct a labour dispute that happened last month between the Teamsters union and Canada's two largest railways to binding arbitration, CBC News reported. Jagmeet Singh said that the social media video that announced the termination of his party's political pact with Liberals was recorded before the government announced the decision to move ahead with binding arbitration. Singh did not mention precisely when the decision was taken to terminate the agreement. However, he insisted that the decision was taken before Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre issued public calls to kill the pact. He said, "I can tell you that we've made this decision over lots of reflection and the decision was announced yesterday." While addressing a news conference in Toronto on September 5, Singh said that NDP has ripped up the agreement with Justin Trudeau. Asked when his party might vote non-confidence in the Trudeau-led government, Singh responded, "I will look at any vote that comes before us and we will make a decision in the best interest of Canadians, as any minority government normally operates." Asked more than once whether he still has confidence in the Liberal government, he stated, "I will be clear again, we have absolutely ripped up the agreement with Justin Trudeau." NDP withdrawing support from Trudeau government does not necessarily mean an election is imminent. However, it does place Trudeau government in a more precarious situation, CBC News reported. The Liberal government without NDP's guaranteed support could be brought down at any time through a non-confidence vote when Parliament returns later this month. The government can designate any vote a confidence vote, while any bill related to the budget of the government is usually considered a confidence vote. Any Member of Parliament in Canada can also table a motion of non-confidence at any time to try and topple the government. The Liberals have 154 of the 338 seats in the Parliament and they have to convince at least one of the major opposition parties to vote their way during high-stake votes, the report said. Notably, the confidence-and-supply agreement was scheduled to run until 2025. In the agreement, the NDP had committed to back the minority Liberal government on confidence votes in exchange for legislative commitments on NDP priorities, like dental care benefits, one-time rental supplements for low-income tenants and a temporary doubling of the GST rebate. However, Liberal government have not yet fulfilled some of the promises that were made to the NDP. (ANI)
Baloch rights organisation Paank has condemned the recent amendments to Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act, which grants absolute powers to military and civil armed forces. They stated that these amendments fundamentally undermine human rights and the rule of law. The statement of the human rights department of the Baloch National Movement came after the Pakistani government granted security forces the authority to detain any individual on suspicion of an armed attack. The decision of the Pakistani government comes amid ongoing atrocities and enforced disappearances in Balochistan. In a post on X, Paank stated: "The provision allowing for the detention of any individual on mere suspicion of potential terrorist activities is a direct violation of international standards on the right to liberty and security. Such laws pave the way for arbitrary arrests and detentions, potentially leading to abuses including torture, which contravene the principles of a fair trial and due process." In the statement, Paank stressed that the absence of robust judicial review threatens the right to a fair trial, which they termed a cornerstone of democratic societies. It stated that every person has the right to undergo a judicial process and such laws destroy basic rights of a human. Paank stated, "The overly broad definitions of what constitutes terrorism or a threat to national security can be misused to suppress peaceful protests, political opposition, and freedom of expression. This vagueness does not meet the principle of legal certainty required under international law." They further said that while the intent to streamline investigations might seem legitimate. However, the composition and operation of Joint Investigative Teams, which involve intelligence agencies with less transparency, spark significant concerns about potential human rights violations without adequate accountability. It highlighted that these laws could severely restrict freedom of assembly and expression. The Paank stated that the ability to detain individuals based on such broad criteria could have a chilling effect on civil society, journalism, and political activism, effectively silencing dissent. https://x.com/paank_bnm/status/1831748569323204837 Earlier on September 2, a young man went missing from Turbat city in Pakistan's Balochistan, The Balochistan Post reported. According to the report, the man was allegedly detained by Pakistani forces after being taken into custody from the Shahi Tump area of Balochistan. The missing person has been identified as Dad Shah Baloch, son of Master Saleem Baloch. Earlier, two persons went missing after being detained by Pakistani forces in Konshkalat area of Balochistan's Tump on the night of August 30, The Balochistan Post reported. Two persons who went missing have been identified as Nasrat and Dad Dost. Their whereabouts remain unknown, sparking serious concerns among residents and human rights organisations. The families of the missing individuals have been worried about their safety, considering the ongoing issue of enforced disappearances in the region, The Balochistan Post reported. Local communities and advocacy groups have called for greater transparency and accountability regarding the actions of Pakistani security forces in the area. According to The Balochistan Post report, more than 55,000 people are missing from various areas of the region. The international community has also expressed concerns, with various UN bodies and international human rights organizations calling for investigations and urging the Pakistani government to address the issue comprehensively. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with Japan's former Prime Minister late Shinzo Abe's wife, Akie Abe, on Friday. He recalled memories of Shinzo Abe and his commitment to "friendship" between India and Japan. Jaishankar said that the strategic vision of Shinzo Abe will serve as a guiding light for the ties between India and Japan. Taking to X, Jaishankar stated, "The meeting with Mrs. Akie Abe this morning brought back so many memories of PM Shinzo Abe and his commitment to India - Japan friendship. As our ties steadily progress, the strategic vision of PM Abe will always serve as a guiding spirit." Shinzo Abe was shot at about 11:30 am local time in Nara on July 8, 202, as he gave an election campaign speech on the street. He was taken to the hospital, where Abe was pronounced dead at 5:03 pm (local time). Abe (67), the former Liberal Democratic Party leader and Japan's longest-serving prime minister, held office from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020, before resigning due to health reasons. PM Modi had condoled the demise of Abe and attended the state funeral of the late Japanese PM at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on September 27, 2022. In 2007, Shinzo Abe, during his visit to India, delivered the famous "The Confluence of Two Seas" speech in the Indian parliament, according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He also participated in Republic Day celebrations as the Chief Guest in 2014. He was conferred with India's highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan, in 2021. Notably, India and Japan share a 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership'. Friendship between the two nations has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilisational ties, according to MEA. Currently, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw is on a visit to Japan. He held a meeting with Japan's Minister for Digital Transformation, Taro Kono, on Friday and discussed strengthening digital ties between two nations. Taking to X, Ashwini Vaishnaw stated, "Met with H.E. Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Digital Transformation of Japan, to discuss strengthening India-Japan digital ties. Explored avenues for collaboration and innovation in the digital landscape, focusing on futuristic technological advancements." Ashwini Vaishnaw, who arrived in Japan on Thursday, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Park in Tokyo. On Thursday, Ashwini Vaishnaw held a "productive discussion" with Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on enhancing railway cooperation and deepening cultural ties between two nations. In a post on X, he stated, "Had productive discussion with Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, H.E. Mr. Tetsuo Saito, on enhancing India-Japan railway cooperation, promoting economic growth and deepening cultural ties." The Union Minister also met Special Advisor to Japan's PM, Masafumi Mori, and held discussions regarding the current state and future trajectory of strategic partnership between two nations. "Met H.E. Mr. Masafumi Mori, Special Advisor to the Hon'ble Prime Minister of Japan, for a comprehensive discussion on the current state and future trajectory of the India-Japan strategic partnership," Vaishnaw posted on X. (ANI)
Police, according to the outlet, said the toll could increase as more than a dozen others have been undergoing treatment in hospital with severe burns.
A probe has been launched to ascertain the cause of fire at Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri county that broke out around midnight and engulfed rooms where children were sleeping.
Resila Onyango, a spokesperson for the Kenya National Police Service was quoted by CNN as saying bodies had been "burnt beyond recognition."
Kenyan President William Ruto offered his condolences at the "devastating news," Ruto said, "our thoughts are with the families of the children who have lost their lives in the fire tragedy at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County," in a post on X.
"I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account," Ruto said in his post, adding his government was "mobilizing all the necessary resources to support the affected families."
The Kenya Red Cross also posted a statement Friday, saying it would provide "psychosocial support services to the pupils, teachers and affected families." (ANI)
Fire erupted out at the building of ARETE International, Nepal's first Tesla service- showroom in Tangal in Kathmandu, past noon on Friday.
"Fire has been doused. It started from the ground floor of the Tesla Service Centre in Naxal. The investigation and assessment of damage is underway," DSP of Maligaun Police Circle, Indra Subedi confirmed to ANI over phone.
Parts of the Tesla electric vehicles and documents were seen strewn on the ground with glass pieces scattered all across the floor as the fire spread to the first floor of the one-and-a-half-storied house, which also hosted three charging ports for the world's largest electric vehicle brand.
"No vehicles were harmed due to the fire. We suspect it to be caused by short-circuit ofthe electrical wire. Two Tesla cars that were in the showroom were quickly driven outfrom the site to a secure location," DSP Subedi stated. (ANI)
Tel Aviv [Israel], September 6 (ANI/TPS): Israel's National Public Transportation Authority on Thursday held discussions, exercises and war games in preparation for a possible war. The exercises were held in light of the recent developments in the region, and as a preparation for the possibility of escalation of fighting with Hezbollah or an Iranian attack. The war game held under the leadership of the Director General of the Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety, Moshe Ben Zaken, was attended by the Deputy Minister of Transportation, Rabbi Uri Makleb, the management of the National Authority for Public Transportation, representatives of the Home Front Command, chairmen and CEOs of all the public transportation companies, during which a photo was shown The national situation and a large number of possible scenarios were discussed and the tortures that will be given. Among the issues discussed: improvement of the logistics system, development of advanced technologies, organization of manpower, training of professionals and coordination with various bodies in order to ensure that the service remains active and efficient even during extreme situations, including solutions for manpower during such a powerful war, and the continued expansion of factories essential to the activity the economy. (ANI/TPS)
Al Suwaidi made these remarks during a meeting in Abu Dhabi with Kamal R Vaswani, Singapore's Ambassador to the UAE, where discussions centred on enhancing cooperation in areas such as digital transformation and government development.
She emphasised that the UAE, under its leadership, is keen to expand international collaborations that promote progress in these fields.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of strengthening parliamentary cooperation between the UAE and Singapore through exchanging visits and expertise and coordinating their positions on matters of mutual concern in international parliamentary forums. (ANI/WAM)
A "tsunami" of cheap Chinese imports to the Thai market is impacting local businesses, causing them to lose market share due to the price competitiveness of Chinese goods, potentially leading to factory closures and economic strain within the Thai manufacturing sector. The Thailand administration had announced measures to combat the inflow of cheap Chinese goods, which is problematic for the country's manufacturing sector, the Voice of America reported on Thursday. 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. In a statement issued previously, the Federation of Thailand Industry had warned that the cheap Chinese goods entering the country's economy could cause a "tsunami" in Thailand and the surrounding region. According to the VOA report, from 2023, the low-cost imported products had resulted in the closure of around 2,000 factories. Pavida Pananond, a professor of international business at the Thammasat Business School at Thammasat University in Thailand, mentioned that all low-priced Chinese goods or Chinese capital are often concentrated in Thailand's e-commerce and electric vehicle industry. Although these Chinese investments may have increased foreign direct investment in Thailand. But 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. 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," Pananond added during a Zoom interview given to VOA. An estimate by the Thailand Economic and Business Research Center predicted that the Thai economy will grow by 2.6 per cent this year because of tourism and exports; however, the economy would also witness a downfall in the manufacturing sector. Reportedly, for the first half of 2024, Thailand's industrial output decreased by 2 per cent compared to the same period last year. The Chinese e-commerce platform 'Temu' entered Thailand in July. However, observers continue to remain worried that cheap Chinese goods through such mediums would flood Thailand's market. Platforms like Temu will lead to unfair competition, supply chain disruptions, and rising unemployment, the VOA report claimed. Additionally, Srettha Thavisin, Thailand's former prime minister, previously asked authorities to investigate whether Temu has complied with the relevant Thai regulations and paid its due tax. Nisit Panthamit, director of ASEAN Studies and an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics at Chiang Mai University in Thailand, also raised concerns by saying, "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- Enterprises) might be heavily impacted." He further added that some basic Thai products may be replaced in local markets by inferior Chinese-made replacements. He also claimed that by the end of 2024, there will be a 10 per cent to 20 per cent drop in the sales and consumption of local Thai products because of competition from more Chinese-made goods. A recent report by The New York Times noted that Thailand's auto industry, traditionally dominated by Japanese car manufacturers, is changing. In recent years, Chinese electric vehicles have entered the Thai market, which has resulted in local auto factories being closed and some suffering from price soaring, economists in Thailand say. Meanwhile, China defended itself against accusations of flooding markets in Thailand and said that the trade between the two countries was "mutually beneficial and win-win." Chinese Embassy in Thailand in a statement said, "Almost 80 per cent 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 per cent of the total value of goods imported from China," it added. (ANI)
The Singapore diaspora is all set to celebrate a five-day 'Ganeshotsav' event beginning on Saturday in an open field, marking a historic cultural Hindu event in the island nation--the festive commences shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his two-day visit to Singapore. Notably, PM Modi paid an official visit to Singapore on September 4-5, 2024. The visit was the fifth visit of PM Modi to Singapore. The 'Ganeshotsav' event, as per the Indian diaspora, marks a special occasion this time as PM Modi just left Singapore a day ago after having a key visit to the country that saw an exchange of MoUs boosting bilateral ties between the two countries. 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. Sachin Ganjapurkar, the President of Maharashtra Mandal in Singapore, who organised a 'Dhol' welcome during PM Modi's visit to Singapore, said, "We celebrate a five-day Ganesh Utsav in Singapore. Maharashtra Mandal has been celebrating this event here in Singapore for the last 30 years. Earlier, we used to celebrate this festival on closed premises. This is the first time when we are going to celebrate this festival in a huge 'Pandal' (a setup in an open field). However, this celebration is celebrated in India for 10 days," Ganjapurkar told ANI. "We bring Ganesh idols from India. These idols are eco-friendly as they are made of a special clay which dissolves soon after it comes into contact with water. A three-foot lord Ganesha idol will be installed here in this 'Pandal'. This year, we expect that over 25,000 people will assemble to celebrate this event," Ganjapurkar further said. Shailendra Verma, an Indian national working in Singapore, spoke about the festival and said, "We observe Ganeshotsav with immense excitement and zeal, organized by the Maharashtra Mandal. This vibrant 10-day celebration is marked by high spirits. We also place an idol of Lord Ganesha in our homes. This year's festival is particularly special, as it follows PM Modi's recent visit to Singapore just a day ago," said Shailendra Verma. Dhanshree Rahul Bhamre, another Indian national living in Singapore, originally from Pune, said that the festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and is favourite among children. "I have been living in Singapore for the past 12-13 years, having moved here after marriage. I celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm. It's a special time when we invite relatives to join in the festivities. It's also a favourite festival among children." Yatin Datar, an Indian, who has been running a shop in Singapore for the last 26 years, said, "I have been operating this shop in Singapore for the past 26 years, having moved here from Pune (India). I initially started by selling 21 Lord Ganesha idols to help people celebrate the festival and stay connected with their traditions." He added, "Now, we have been importing 400 Ganesha idols from India since last year. With numerous shops selling these idols, the total sales likely reach into the thousands in Singapore. Ganeshotsav is widely celebrated in Singapore, and this year, Maharashtra Mandal is hosting the festival in an open 'Pandal' on Serangoon Road for the first time, allowing more people to participate. The recent visit of PM Modi, who inspires many, adds an extra boost to our enthusiasm for this year's celebration." Anannya, an eight-year-old child who visited a shop to buy a Ganesha idol, expressed her enthusiasm and said, "Every year, I buy a Lord Ganesha idol and this time I've come here with my parents to select one as well. Once we return home, we will decorate and create rangolis to celebrate the festival." Ashwini Naik, another Indian living in Singapore, said, "Ganeshotsav is an annual celebration in Singapore, where an Indian-like atmosphere is created. This year is unique as Maharashtra Mandal has organised the event in an open space. It's a significant occasion for us as we collectively worship Lord Ganesha. This year's festival is particularly notable as it follows PM Modi's recent visit to Singapore and he signed several agreements, marking a significant development between the two countries." Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha. It is one of the most popular Hindu festivals which is celebrated for 10 days. People believed that during this time, Lord Ganesha arrived on Earth with mother and Goddess Parvati. (ANI)
The local traders of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB), who manage their livelihoods from the goods passing through the Sost Dry Port, have been protesting for several weeks over the issue of illegal tax collection despite the PoGB's chief court ordering otherwise. These protestors in a press conference on Wednesday late night warned the authorities to either vacate the port premises, resolve their issue within two days, or be ready to face a major protest, WTV, a local news organisation from PoGB, reported. Notably, the court had issued a stay order preventing customs authorities from collecting various taxes at the Sost border station until a final decision was reached. The press conference was headed by Mauhaumad Javed, a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of PoGB. During the press conference, the leader mentioned that the authorities were trying to provoke the traders to violence. He said, "Traders will not back down at any cost. What has been ordered by the PoGB court must be followed at all costs." In his statement in the WTV report, the MLA stated, "If the tax authorities are capable of accepting the court orders, then only they must run the affairs here. Otherwise, they are welcome to leave. If our demands are not met, the situation will get worse. We urge the authorities, not to force our hands to strengthen our protest. Such a situation will bring the government into question. We are ready for a two-day protest during which we will block the operations of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the dry port." The MLA also said that the taxation authorities of the Sost Port must leave the premises if they are not able to handle our issues according to the law. Moreover, only the authorities and the government will be held responsible if the situation takes a turn for the worse. While condemning the government for its ignorance over the matter, the MLA, according to the WTV report, said, "If the people in power are not ready to listen to my issues, then I am also not concerned about what they say. If the powerful people remain ignorant of the issues of PoGB, then the situation will only get worse, and I believe this will soon happen. And if they are not ready to listen to the people and local leaders, they are not fit to run the government." The taxation issues in Pakistan, especially in regions like PoGB, are complex and layered. Traders frequently encounter inconsistent enforcement of tax laws, which leads to confusion and disputes. Frequent changes in tax policies further complicate compliance, making it both expensive and difficult for traders to adhere to new regulations. Despite court rulings against specific taxes, enforcement is hindered by delays and resistance from authorities. Additionally, corruption among tax officials--such as demands for bribes or facilitation payments--adds to the challenges and costs of compliance. Delays in processing tax documents and refunds also worsen cash flow problems for traders, making effective business operations even more difficult. Pakistan mainly exports raw materials and agricultural products, while it imports a diverse range of manufactured goods, machinery, and technology from China. (ANI)
Sharing a post on X, Vistara wrote, "Flight UK27 from Mumbai to Frankfurt (BOM-FRA) has been diverted to Turkey (Erzurum airport) due to security reasons and has landed safely at 1905 hours. Please stay tuned for further updates."
https://x.com/airvistara/status/1832054036322984138
This is a developing story. More details are awaited. (ANI)
This significant maritime exercise took place from September 2 to 4, 2024 in the Mediterranean Sea, following a port visit by INS Tabar to Toulon, France, from August 29 to September 1, 2024, as per an official press release by the Indian Navy.
Since its inception in 2001, the Varuna exercise has become a cornerstone of the defence relationship between India and France. This year's edition featured an array of sophisticated naval operations designed to enhance interoperability and tactical skills between the two navies.
The Indian contingent included INS Tabar and the P8I aircraft, while the French Navy contributed with the frigate FS Provence, the nuclear-powered submarine Suffren, Atlantique 2 aircraft, MB339 fighter jets, and helicopters, including the NH90 and Dauphin, the press release stated.
Throughout the exercise, participants engaged in a variety of complex operations. These included advanced anti-submarine warfare drills, rigorous air defence exercises, and live weapon firings.
The exercise also incorporated a FLYEX (fly exercise) and a steam past event, which demonstrated the effective integration of assets across air, surface, and sub-surface domains.
These operations not only tested but also showcased the tactical capabilities and coordination between the Indian and French naval forces.
The successful execution of Varuna in the Mediterranean Sea underscores India's expanding naval reach and its capacity for sustained operations beyond the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
By conducting the exercise in this distant theatre, the Indian Navy has highlighted its growing global maritime presence and operational versatility, the press release reported.
This edition of Varuna reinforces the strong strategic partnership between India and France, reflecting a shared commitment to enhancing maritime security and fostering deeper operational collaboration.
The completion of this year's Varuna exercise further solidifies the robust defence ties between the two nations and emphasises their mutual dedication to advancing best practices and strategic cooperation in maritime defence. (ANI)
Hong Kong's renowned property market, once a beacon of the city's financial prowess, is experiencing a substantial downturn. Property revaluations are revealing significant declines in profits, while demand for properties continues to wane due to an ongoing affordability crisis. The city's darkening economic outlook, coupled with mainland China's economic woes, has further dampened market sentiment, leaving property developers grappling with sinking property values, reports Nikkei Asia. Key developers, Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), one of the region's most prominent developers, are reporting sharp declines in profits. One of the region's most prominent developers revealed that its net profit for the financial year ending June 2023 had fallen by 20 per cent, landing at HKD 19.04 billion, reported Nikkei Asia. The company attributed the drop to a revaluation loss on its investment properties, which reduced their worth by HKD 2.41 billion. Last year, the company saw a gain of HKD 221 million, according to SHKP Chairman and Managing Director Raymond Kwok Ping-Luen. SHKP noted that the net revaluation loss primarily impacted its office portfolio due to falling market rents. However, this was partly mitigated by a gain in the value of its retail and serviced apartment portfolio. The company's filing to the Hong Kong Exchange echoed concerns about the downturn in market conditions, particularly in the office sector. Other developers in the region are experiencing similar struggles. Sino Land, another significant player in Hong Kong's real estate scene, reported a 25 per cent drop in net profit for the financial year ending June 2023. This family-owned developer, originally from Singapore, has faced substantial losses, according to Nikkei Asia. Robert Ng Chee-siong, the company's second-generation tycoon, stated that the market's performance had been weakened by HKD 580 million in investment property losses after accounting for deferred taxation. The challenges aren't isolated to these two companies. New World Development (NWD) recently warned that it could experience a staggering annual net loss of up to HKD 20 billion, a sharp reversal from the HKD 900.9 million profit it posted a year earlier. The company's stock suffered a significant decline on Monday following this revelation. The total loss could reach HKD 9.5 billion, according to the company's statements. Henderson Land Development, another key player in the Hong Kong real estate market, also reported a substantial decline in profits. The company's half-yearly net profit until June dropped by 47 per cent, falling to HKD 3.17 billion. Its fair value loss on investment properties, including those under development, increased nearly twentyfold, highlighting the challenges facing the sector. Economists are becoming increasingly concerned about the broader implications of these developments. The same Nikkei Asia report quoted OCBC Hong Kong economist Cindy Kueng, who forecasted a full-year growth rate of just 2.3 per cent for Hong Kong. She further noted that approximately 34 per cent of household wealth has been wiped out, contributing to weakened consumer sentiment. These financial losses suggest a dim outlook for Hong Kong's property market, with the possibility of it entering a negative economic cycle. (ANI)
Pakistan is currently facing a significant education crisis with a staggering 25.3 million children aged 5 to 16 out of school, representing 36 per cent of the country's school-age population. Moreover, rural areas are particularly the worst affected, with the highest deficit in enrollment. Based on the data from the 2023 Population Census, the report, "The Missing Third of Pakistan," published by the Pak Alliance for Maths and Science (PAMS) shed light on the startling reality of out-of-school children (OOSC) in Pakistan, the first comprehensive analysis of OOSC at the tehsil level, reported The Express Tribune. The report reveals a significant issue within Pakistan's education system, noting that a majority of Pakistani children, 74 per cent, live in rural areas. Efforts to boost enrollment in these regions face major hurdles, such as restricted access to schools, poverty, and social barriers. The data also show that the rural-urban divide in education is widening, with around 18.8 million out-of-school children residing in rural areas. The report further states that children between the ages of 5 and 9 are especially at risk, with 51 per cent of them never having attended school. Alarmingly, 50 per cent of children have either dropped out or are no longer attending school. These early setbacks are expected to have long-lasting impacts on the literacy rates of Pakistan since fundamental educational skills are typically acquired during this period. The delay in enrollment is also a major issue, especially in rural communities, where economic conditions and limited resources prevent many children from entering the classroom. Gender disparity further exacerbates the crisis. The report indicates that 53 per cent of the children not attending school are girls, with the problem being particularly severe in rural areas where female literacy rates are already low. The report also highlighted that, particularly in some tehsils of Pakistan, 80 per cent of girls aged 5 to 16 have never attended school, underscoring deep-rooted gender inequality in accessing education. Urban areas, often seen as better equipped for education, are also affected. Cities such as Karachi and Lahore, despite being provincial capitals with more educational resources, still have significant numbers of out-of-school children. Karachi, in particular, has nearly 1.8 million children who are not enrolled in school, further emphasising the severity of the crisis. Notably, Pakistan has the second-highest number of out-of-school children in the world. Pakistan's prime minister declared a state of emergency over the issue at the beginning of May. However, no concrete action has yet been taken. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met with Akie Abe, the wife of Japan's late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and fondly recalled his close friendship with Shinzo Abe. PM Modi also expressed his appreciation for Akie Abe's ongoing engagement with India. Sharing a post on X, he wrote, "Pleased to meet Mrs. Abe this afternoon. Recalled my close personal friendship with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan." "Abe San's belief in the potential of India-Japan relations will remain a source of enduring strength for us. Deeply appreciate Mrs. Abe's continuing association with India," the post on X further read. Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also held a meeting with Akie Abe. He recalled memories of Shinzo Abe and his commitment to "friendship" between India and Japan. He also said that the strategic vision of the former Japanese Prime Minister will serve as a guiding light for the ties between India and Japan. In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, "The meeting with Mrs. Akie Abe this morning brought back so many memories of PM Shinzo Abe and his commitment to India-Japan friendship. As our ties steadily progress, the strategic vision of PM Abe will always serve as a guiding spirit." Shinzo Abe was assassinated in Nara on July 8, 2022, during an election campaign address on the street. He was taken to the hospital, where Abe was pronounced dead. Abe (67), the former Liberal Democratic Party leader and Japan's longest-serving prime minister, held office from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020, before resigning due to health reasons. PM Modi had condoled the demise of Abe and attended the state funeral of the late Japanese PM at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on September 27, 2022. In 2007, Shinzo Abe, during his visit to India, delivered the famous "The Confluence of Two Seas" speech in the Indian parliament, according to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He also participated in Republic Day celebrations as the Chief Guest in 2014. He was conferred with India's highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan, in 2021. Notably, India and Japan share a 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership'. Friendship between the two nations has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilisational ties, according to MEA. (ANI)
A Pune family has finally found some solace after the remains of 26-year-old Siddhant Vitthal Patil, who tragically drowned in Glacier National Park's Avalanche Creek two months ago, were returned to his hometown on Thursday. Patil, a California-based tech professional, had been hiking with friends on July 6 when he accidentally slipped into the creek and was swept away. Despite exhaustive efforts by park rangers, his body was not immediately recovered due to the treacherous conditions of the gorge. It wasn't until nearly a month later, on August 4, that they recovered a body matching the description provided by Patil's friends. His clothing and gear were also found nearby, and DNA or dental records were used to confirm his identity. Patil's family in Pune had to endure an agonising wait of over 60 days, hoping for his return or at least for closure. Speaking to ANI, Patil's maternal uncle, Pritesh Chaudhari, described the emotional turmoil the family faced during this period. "Siddhant's mother held onto hope every day that her son would return, but now that we have his mortal remains, there's a sense of closure," he said. The family expressed deep gratitude to Prem Bhandari, a well-known figure within the Indian diaspora, who played a pivotal role in assisting with the legal and logistical challenges of repatriating Patil's body from the United States. Chaudhari acknowledged Bhandari's relentless efforts, saying, "He took our calls and ensured Siddhant's remains would come home." In a social media post, Bhandari himself thanked various US officials, including Pete Webster, Deputy Superintendent of Glacier National Park, and Jared Leo, Deputy Coroner, for their support. https://x.com/PremBhandariNYC/status/1831762133534830824 Mohan Nannapanen, founder of TEAM Aid, a non-profit organisation, was also instrumental in aiding the family through this difficult time. This tragic incident has left a deep impact on both the Patil family and the community. Glacier National Park officials revealed that Patil had strayed from the main trail and slipped into the gorge while standing on a large rock. His friends witnessed him go underwater before being swept away by the strong currents. Search efforts, complicated by high water levels and dangerous conditions, included the use of drones, helicopters, and specialized equipment to navigate the depths of the gorge. As Patil's remains were brought back to Pune, his family now has the opportunity to perform the last rites and honour his memory. While the closure brings a semblance of peace, the grief of losing their son in such tragic circumstances will undoubtedly linger for a long time. (ANI)
The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has ordered all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to lift the ban on TikTok, the Chinese video-sharing app, following a directive from the Council of Ministers. The decision made on August 22 aligns with the Cabinet's move to reverse the ban, which had been enforced in November 2023 under the government of former Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a notice issued by NTA stated. NTA issued a statement on Friday confirming that the restrictions were to be lifted. "As per the government's decision, made during the Cabinet meeting on August 22, to lift the ban on TikTok, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority has issued directives to all relevant internet and mobile service providers to remove the restriction until further notice," the notice read. The directive is authorised under Section 15 of the Telecommunications Act, 1997. The ban was originally imposed by Dahal's administration following complaints of misuse of the platform. The government had introduced the "Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2024," which listed 19 specific prohibitions on platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. These guidelines were meant to regulate content and tackle the rising number of user complaints regarding objectionable material, as well as address the absence of official representatives from social media companies in Nepal. However, the ban faced significant backlash, particularly from users and legal experts who viewed it as a violation of freedom of expression. A total of 14 writ petitions were filed in Nepal's Supreme Court, challenging the government's decision and seeking an interim order to lift the restriction. Although the court declined to issue an immediate stay order, the hearing on the petitions is still ongoing, the notice by the NTA stated. The reversal of the ban came after a change in leadership, with KP Sharma Oli taking over as Prime Minister by forming a new alliance between his Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) and the Nepali Congress. On August 22, Oli's government decided to lift the ban, citing ByteDance's willingness to comply with Nepalese regulations. In accordance with the government's decision, ByteDance has been given a three-month deadline to meet specific terms set by the Nepali authorities. The company has agreed to adhere to local rules, allowing the app, which has around two million users in Nepal, to resume operations. The move is seen as a significant development in balancing social media regulation and freedom of expression in the country. Despite the ban's reversal, the Supreme Court is still set to hear the petitions filed against the restriction. The court's final ruling will be closely watched as it could set a precedent for how social media platforms are governed in Nepal. Dahal's government had defended the original ban by arguing that TikTok was causing disruptions to societal harmony. The Supreme Court's decision on the case is still pending. (ANI)
A US national on Friday was fatally shot during a protest against Israeli settlements in the Palestinian town of Beita in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian officials and eyewitnesses confirmed the incident, the New York Times reported. The US State Department has identified the woman as Aysenur Eygi. As per the three activists who were at the protest site on Friday, the woman had been shot by Israeli soldiers, according to the New York Times. The United States offered condolences following the incident. Sharing a post on X, Jack Lew, the US ambassador to Israel, wrote, "We are aware of the tragic death of an American citizen, Aysenur Eygi, today in the West Bank. We offer our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones." The US official said that an investigation is underway to gather all relevant information surrounding the circumstances of the American woman's death in the West Bank. "We are urgently gathering more information about the circumstances of her death, and will have more to say as we learn more. We have no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens," the post by Lew said. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it was looking into the reports of "foreign national" being killed. Sharing a post on X, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said, "Today, during Israeli security forces activity adjacent to the area of Beita, the forces responded with fire towards a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them. The IDF is looking into reports that a foreign national was killed as a result of shots fired in the area." "The details of the incident and the circumstances in which she was hit are under review," the post on X added. Eygi had recently arrived in Israel to join protests showing solidarity with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported that Eygi was born in Antalya, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, in 1998, according to the New York Times. (ANI)
During their meeting held on the sidelines of the Arab Economic and Social Council meetings, which concluded at the Arab League headquarters under the chairmanship of the UAE, the two ministers discussed economic policies that stimulate the private sector, increase productivity, and deepen bilateral cooperation in formulating and implementing economic programmes that keep pace with global changes.
The discussions also addressed boosting performance, the efficiency of the planning system and economic competitiveness, and leveraging best practices that promote development efforts.
Bin Touq expressed the readiness of the Ministry of Economy to cooperate with the Egyptian Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation to enhance cooperation and advance the development plans of both nations.
Dr. Al-Mashat commended the deep-rooted ties that the UAE and the Arab Republic of Egypt share, affirming the Egyptian government's commitment to strengthening them further, as well as to bolstering bilateral cooperation in fields such as food security, infrastructure, energy, and others. (ANI/WAM)
Abu Dhabi [UAE], September 6 (ANI/WAM): UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met today with Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), who is on a working visit to the UAE. The meeting explored ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and collaboration in various fields with the aim of promoting development and prosperity in both countries. During the meeting, which took place at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, welcomed the visit of President Tshisekedi and expressed his hope that it would further strengthen relations between the two countries for the benefit of their peoples. He also conveyed his wishes for continued peace, prosperity, and growth for DRC and its people. The two leaders explored opportunities to expand cooperation in various sectors, particularly in development, the economy, trade and investment, renewable energy, and other vital areas that support the sustainable development of both nations. They also discussed several issues of mutual interest and exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to strengthening cooperation with African nations in ways that advance their mutual interests and promote development, stability, and prosperity across the continent, for the benefit of all. Tshisekedi expressed his appreciation to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, commending the UAE's cooperation with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its humanitarian and developmental initiatives in Africa, as well as its efforts to assist communities affected by crises worldwide. In attendance were Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court and the delegation accompanying the President of DRC. (ANI/WAM)
At the start of the meeting, Sheikh Saoud delivered greetings from Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, to President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In return, Sheikh Mansour conveyed President Sheikh Mohamed's regards to the Emir, highlighting the UAE's commitment to Qatar's continued progress and prosperity. The leaders engaged in detailed discussions about enhancing fraternal relations and exploring avenues for increased collaboration in various fields.
The topics covered included expanding cooperation in economic ventures, cultural exchanges, and joint humanitarian initiatives. Both leaders emphasised the significance of mutual support in advancing shared goals and addressing common challenges.
The meeting was attended by several high-profile officials, including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court.
Sheikh Mansour also hosted a lavish luncheon in honour of Sheikh Saoud and his delegation. This event, which saw the participation of senior officials and prominent Sheikhs, provided a platform for further discussions on bilateral cooperation and regional issues.
The presence of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to Qatar, underscored the strategic importance of this diplomatic dialogue.
The meeting reaffirmed both nations' commitment to fostering a robust partnership, with a focus on achieving sustainable development and regional stability. The UAE and Qatar pledged to continue working closely together to enhance their cooperation and mutual understanding. (ANI/WAM)
They have millions of followers online, they have been major players in right-wing political discourse since Donald Trump was US president, and they worked unknowingly for a company that was a front for a Kremlin influence operation, US prosecutors say.
An indictment filed on Wednesday alleges a media company linked to six conservative influencers including well-known personalities Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson was secretly funded by Russian state media employees.
The company would use the money to churn out English-language videos that were "often consistent" with the Kremlin's "interest in amplifying US domestic divisions in order to weaken US opposition" to Moscow's interests, like its war in Ukraine, according to the indictment.
In addition to marking the third straight presidential election in which US authorities have unveiled politically charged details about Russia's attempted interference in US politics, the indictment indicates how Moscow may be attempting to capitalise on the skyrocketing popularity of right-wing podcasters, live streamers and other content creators who have found successful careers on social media in the years since Trump was in office.
The US Department of Justice doesn't allege any wrongdoing by the influencers, some of whom it says were given false information about the source of the company's funding.
Instead, it accuses two employees of Russian state-controlled media company RT of funnelling nearly $10 million (9m) to a Tennessee-based content creation company for Russia-friendly content.
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."
Related
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 RT employees, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. They are at large, and it was not immediately clear if they had lawyers.
US officials have previously warned of Russia's use of unwitting Americans to further influence operations in the 2024 election, but Wednesday's indictment is the most detailed description of those efforts to date. Intelligence officials have said Moscow has a preference for Trump.
Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised influence operations to help Trump in the 2020 election, while his 2016 campaign benefitted from hacking by Russian intelligence officers and a covert social media effort, according to US law enforcement and intelligence officials.
The power of influencers
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. Yet 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.
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".
Tenet's website lists six influencers who provide content, including Pool, Johnson, Rubin, Lauren Southern, Tayler Hansen and Matt Christiansen.
Tenet Media's six main influencers have more than 7 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 7 million followers on X, formerly Twitter.
Fuelled by public outrage and online fandom, the influencers who make up the bench of talent at Tenet Media have amassed millions of loyal followers who agree with their staunch conservatism and brazen willingness to voice controversial opinions.
Their channels also have created communities for conservative Americans who have lost trust in mainstream media sources through Trump's 2020 loss and the COVID-19 pandemic. Several of them have faced criticism for spreading political misinformation.
The indictment shows that some of the influencers were paid handsomely for their work. One unidentified influencer's contract included a $400,000 monthly fee, a $100,000 signing bonus and an additional performance bonus.
Who are the influencers linked to the scandal?
Tenet Media's shows in recent months have featured high-profile conservative guests, including Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and US Senate candidate Kari Lake. The nearly 2,000 videos posted by the company have amassed more than 16 million views on YouTube alone, prosecutors said.
Pool, a journalist-turned-YouTuber who first gained public attention for livestreaming the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011, hosted Trump on his podcast earlier this year.
Johnson is an outspoken Trump supporter and internet personality who was fired from BuzzFeed after the company found evidence he'd plagiarised other works.
Rubin was previously part of the liberal news commentary show "The Young Turks" but has since identified as a libertarian. He boasts the largest YouTube following of Tenet's influencer roster and hosts a show called "The Rubin Report".
Tenet Media President Liam Donovan is the husband of Lauren Chen, a Canadian influencer who has appeared as a guest in several Tenet Media videos.
Chen is affiliated with the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA and has hosted shows for the right-wing network Blaze Media. RT's website also lists her as a contributor to several opinion articles from 2021 and 2022.
Ashland doctor sentenced to nine months in prison for role in Jan. 6 Capitol riots
ASHLAND A local doctor has been sentenced to nine months in prison for her role in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington.
In a press release, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced that Jacquelyn Starer, 71, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly. Starer will also serve 24 months of supervised release and is ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution and fines.
She previously pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to two felony counts of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers.
This Metropolitan Police bodycam footage was taken from federal court documents that allegedly show Ashland resident Jacquelyn Starer striking an officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots.
Earlier: Ashland woman, 70, to be sentenced for her role in Jan. 6 Capitol riots
One of her three attorneys, Daniel Cappetta, of Framingham-based Cappetta Law Offices, said in an emailed statement that Starer regrets her actions.
"Dr. Starer acknowledges that January 6th, 2021 was a traumatic day for the entire country," Cappetta wrote. "She regrets entering the Capitol and is ashamed of her actions inside the Rotunda. She pled guilty to all of the charges she faced for her actions that day and accepts the consequences handed down by the courts. The court process was civilized and fair. She apologized directly to the officer in the courtroom as well as to all of the officers present that day. She intends to complete her sentence, improve herself, maintain a positive attitude and move forward in her life in a positive manner."
Court documents say Starer traveled to Washington to attend Trump rally
According to court documents, Starer traveled from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., to attend a "Stop the Steal" rally along with thousands of other supporters of then-President Donald Trump. The documents say security video shows Starer entering the Capitol building through the East Rotunda, and that a Metropolitan Police Department officer's bodycam showed Starer shoving one officer and punching another.
Federal officials say several photos taken by various media outlets show Starer outside the Capitol building before those who protested Joe Biden's election entered the building.
Besides the felony charges, Starer pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
Prior to her conviction, Starer was most recently a per diem attending physician in the inpatient addiction recovery program at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain. The hospital told the Daily News in December 2022 that she was no longer affiliated with it.
She voluntarily gave up her medical license in early 2023.
Several MetroWest residents charged with Jan 6 related charges
According to the DOJ, since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,400 individuals have been charged in almost every state for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol.
Federal authorities arrested Starer in Ashland in December 2022. She is among at least three people from MetroWest charged with participating in the Capitol riot.
Earlier this year, Thomas J. Method, 57, of Framingham, was arrested and charged with obstructing an official proceeding. His case is ongoing.
Sue Ianni, a former Natick Town Meeting member, was sentenced to 15 days in federal prison in December 2022, along with probation and community service. She had pleaded guilty to knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
Protesting 'illegal election': Former Natick Town Meeting member sentenced for role in Capitol riots
In Starer's case, a federal affidavit states a tipster told federal investigators about Starer's participation in the riots, where thousands of former Trump supporters protested the certification of Biden as president. The tipster reportedly told investigators that Starer bragged about getting ready to attend the event and that she would bring pepper spray and wear a knife-proof shirt.
Starer is among nearly 550 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Former Ashland physician sentenced punching officer in Jan. 6 riots
BALTIMORE The sole candidate in a high-stakes election for leadership in the nations largest Black Protestant denomination achieved a convincing victory Thursday, a disappointing outcome for an opposition campaign that sought to nullify the election and restart the process.
In the election for president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Connecticut pastor Rev. Boise Kimber received 69% of the total 2,538 votes cast. Officials for the Nashville-based denomination announced the results on Thursday evening in the last item of business for the conventions 2024 annual session in Baltimore.
Kimber will succeed outgoing president Rev. Jerry Young, a Mississippi pastor who has served as the denominations administrative head for the past decade, amid a broader struggle in the convention for relevance. The incoming president, in addition to working to address those challenges, will face unrest over governance standards from which the latest controversy emerged.
Kimber declined to respond to media request for comment before the election results were announced. Delegates, called messengers, to the National Baptist Convention, USA, often known as the NBCUSA, voted at polling stations on Thursday between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Kimber briefly addressed the convention from the stage on Thursday evening. This new administration is not going to dishonor this convention, Kimber said.
Connecticut pastor Rev. Boise Kimber, president-elect of the National Baptist Convention, USA, addresses the convention following his victory in a high-stakes election during the convention's 2024 annual session at the Baltimore Convention Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Kimber said he would further the spirit of Youngs progress, alluding to his experience serving the outgoing president. Whatever was asked for me to do, I did it for the president and for the convention, Kimber said.
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. The president and a board of directors help manage denomination business outside the annual session.
Four candidates for NBCUSA president who were ultimately ineligible for the ballot Chicago pastor Rev. Alvin Love, Detroit pastor Rev. Tellis Chapman, San Francisco-area pastor Rev. Claybon Lea, Jr., and Florida pastor Rev. James Sampson led a joint campaign to mobilize supporters to Baltimore to vote against Kimbers candidacy. The four candidates, who produced a video in May and hosted a rally in June, reminded messengers of the stakes of the election in a public letter on Thursday morning.
A NO vote will allow us to ensure that the next election cycle is fair for all and no registered entity is disenfranchised, they wrote. A Yes vote means that Dr. Boise Kimber will lead our Convention for the next five years and that it is okay to prevent registered entities from voting.
Either choice has significant implications for our conventions governance and future, the group added.
Other National Baptist session news: Outgoing head of largest Black Protestant group condemns bigotry in US, urges voter turnout
A referendum on convention governance
The election for the denomination's president turned into a referendum on the conventions governance due to a controversial decision by the board of directors to restrict certain churches from nominating candidates.
Only churches registered with the convention in 2021 and 2022, and some churches registered in 2020, were allowed to nominate candidates. The board excluded churches registered in 2023, a decision that subtracted from the total nominations the candidates received and submitted in January.
Love, Lea, Sampson and Chapman argued the tighter restrictions disenfranchised churches that were faithful to the convention. The four candidates also disputed the board of directors deciding not to refer the matter to the full convention.
Weve been in a mourning process for nine months, Love said in a Sept. 4 interview with The Tennessean. I think at this point the convention is ready to get out of mourning and ready to get up, clean up and stand up.
Love said ahead of the election results hes willing to work with everyone to address concerns, such as inconsistencies with the denominations governing documents and the absence of publicly available annual reports containing information about convention registration.
Other dissenting voices had deeper concerns ahead of this weeks annual session, with some pastors saying the outcome of the presidential election will determine whether they leave the denomination. The anxieties come at a time of diminished enthusiasm and participation in convention life and its annual session a key barometer for assessing the denominations yearly revenue and rank-and-file participation in its governance.
Young, in his farewell address to the convention on Thursday morning, mentioned the governance controversy and called out those who sought to protest Kimbers candidacy.
Connecticut pastor Rev. Boise Kimber, president-elect of the National Baptist Convention, USA, and Mississippi pastor Rev. Jerry Young, outgoing president of the Nashville-based denomination, embrace one another following Kimber's election victory in a high-stakes election during the convention's 2024 annual session at the Baltimore Convention Center on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
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 number of messengers who voted in the conventions presidential election was significantly less than that of the last major election in 2014, when 6,400 messengers voted and elected young with 49% of the vote.
Understanding larger NCUSA challenges: A leadership crisis looms in nation's largest Black Protestant group. What are the stakes.
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: National Baptist Convention USA: Boise Kimber elected president
Doylestown dad on a mission as he rides coast-to-coast to help Ronald McDonald Houses
Jeff Bekos has been saddled with all kinds of weather these past few weeks.
Since setting out on his 75-day bike ride across the country, the 65-year-old cyclist from Doylestown has encountered everything from 115-degree heat in southern California to a sudden hailstorm in Utah.
Jeff Bekos, of Doylestown, rides his bike coast-to-coast to 26 Ronald McDonald Houses across the U.S. in an effort bring more awareness, funding and volunteers to the organization.
But what wouldve kept most riders off the road hasnt deterred Bekos because this journey is bigger than anything Mother Nature could throw at him.
Every pedal stroke is for every family dealing with a sick child right now, he said during a recent Zoom interview after arriving in Great Bend, Kansas last week.
Bekos is currently more than five weeks into his coast-to-coast ride, called One Dads Mission, a carefully planned course to visit 26 Ronald McDonald Houses across the U.S. and raise awareness, funds and volunteers for the charitable organization.
His journey kicked off July 29 at the Ronald McDonald House of Orange County, outside of Los Angeles, and hes been pedaling six days a week ever since, passing through desserts, mountains, plains, farmland, cities and small towns, spreading his message of hope, kindness and compassion along the way.
To see the beauty of our country by bicycle is amazing from the mountains of Colorado and Utah to the deserts of California and Nevada, and now these small little quaint communities in rural America its pretty awesome, said Bekos, who created the website, One Dads Mission, where he shares about his journey.
Jeff and Liz Bekos stand outside their One Dad's Mission support vehicle during their trip to raise money, awareness and volunteers for the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Bucks County group helps nonprofits: How an hour meeting and $100 is raising $100,000 annually for Bucks County nonprofits
But the best part, he added, are the people. A sentiment his wife, Liz, has also found inspiring while she travels in an RV as her husbands one-person support team.
It kind of restores all your faith in humanity when you see all the kindness and people opening up their arms . . . and wanting to help in any way that they can, whether its through donations, or just sharing stories, she said.
Or just getting a group down to volunteer and cook a meal, or volunteer to rake leaves or cut lawns. I think thats been the most rewarding part of the trip. And meeting families who are going through certain health issues at the house, Bekos added.
Doylestown dads bike ride across U.S. inspired by daughter
The 4,600-mile mission will conclude Oct. 14 in Philadelphia, at the very same Ronald McDonald House that helped his family in 2013, while his daughter, Hailey, who was 13 at the time, battled a rare disease called Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis.
Jeff Bekos' daughter, Hailey, of Doylestown, spent more than 8 months at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia battling a rare disease called Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis.
Eleven years ago, our daughter, Hailey got really sick, woke up one day and she stopped talking. I thought she was having a stroke, so I got her over to Doylestown Hospital and she had a seizure, which led us to get her down to CHOP the next morning. The next day, she had two more grand mal seizures. And then a couple days after that, she stopped breathing. And then the following week she fell into a coma for four months, Bekos recalled.
Our lives completely fell apart. And we were just lucky to get into the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, and we called room 37 our home for 254 nights.
It was during their 8-month stay, when he and Liz learned just how much it meant to have a home away from home that allowed them to stay close by while their daughter received life-saving medical treatment at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.
They relieved the burden of the expenses of a hotel and food and parking and laundry and all that stuff. . . plus we were two minutes from CHOP. We were at CHOP for 12-16 hours a day for months, trying to figure out whats going on with Hailey and is she going to live or die, Bekos said.
Being surrounded by the empathy of others staying at the house also helped to lift them up.
The strength you get from the families when youre there for a while is amazing. I mean, youd have good days and bad days, right, and then you were there for each other, so that sense of community played a huge role with us down there, he added.
Ronald McDonald House left a lasting impression
Haileys road to recovery involved relearning many of the basic skills she had lost to her disease, including how to eat, walk, talk, read and write.
A recent photo of Hailey Bekos, years after making a full recovery from her battle with a rare disease called Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis.
Since then, Hailey graduated from Central Bucks West, went on to get her degree from Temple University, and today, works for a digital marketing agency that specializes in helping nonprofit organizations.
But his daughters battle and what they endured as a family has since stuck with Bekos, fueling his mission to give back, so more families are afforded the same opportunities the Ronald McDonald House provided them during their time of need.
What we learned and the services that we got out of the charity, it just struck a chord with me that said weve got to do more as human beings to help families when theyre child is sick, he said, recalling his experience at Philly's Ronald McDonald House, which was the very first chapter, started in 1974 by then-Philadelphia Eagles general manager Jim Murray.
Where is Jeff Bekos this week?
On Tuesday, Bekos arrived in Missouri to prepare for the eighth stop of his trip, visiting the Kansas City Ronald McDonald House on Wednesday, and bringing his journey to about 1,750 miles and 60,000 feet of climbing so far. From there, he'll head out to Columbia, Missouri to make it to his ninth stop of the trip by Friday.
Surprisingly I feel better than I ever thought I would," Bekos said in an update Tuesday night. "Im excited, at least geographically, Im about halfway through the country. And its been a great experience overall."
His complete schedule can be found at onedadsmission.org/follow-jeff.
How to support Jeff Bekos mission and Ronald McDonald House Charities
Jeff Bekos, of Doylestown, visits the Intermountain Area Ronald McDonald House in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sunday, August 11, 2024, during his coast-to-coast bike ride to raise awareness, funding and volunteers for the charitable organization.
Each house is owned and operated independently under its local Ronald McDonald House Charities chapter. While a portion of its operating expenses are funded by local McDonald's restaurant owners, the majority of its funding is made up of donations from individuals, organizations and businesses.
Through his ride, Bekos goal is to raise $5 million in donations, which will help approximately 254,000 families, a number chosen to represent the 254 nights his family stayed at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House.
In addition to charitable giving, the programs rely on volunteers to help provide support to families. Volunteer opportunities can be found by contacting a local Ronald McDonald House chapter.
Philadelphia weather anchor's diagnosis: Fox 29 weather anchor Sue Serio says she has breast cancer. Here's her advice for others.
Reporter Michele Haddon covers local news, small business, food and drink, economic revitalization, art and culture for The Intelligencer and Bucks County Courier Times at PhillyBurbs.com. Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Doylestown man on mission to ride across U.S. for Ronald McDonald House
Karen Read, the Massachusetts woman accused of hitting her boyfriend with her SUV and leaving him for dead in a blizzard, spoke out about finding her fatally wounded partner in a new TV interview.
A clip from an upcoming 20/20 special about her trial aired Friday morning on Good Morning America. Her first trial for the alleged murder of John OKeefe, a Boston police officer, ended in a mistrial in July, with a new trial scheduled to take place in January.
Karen Read Mistrial Adds Fuel to the Fire in Bostons True-Crime Thriller
Prosecutors say Read and OKeefe had been out drinking with friends in Canton, Massachusetts, in Jan. 2022. They alleged that when Read dropped OKeefe at an after-party at a friends house later in the night, an intoxicated Read reversed into him with her SUV and left him for dead in a snowbank. She pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and manslaughter charges.
Speaking in the TV interview, Read answered yes when asked if she had been angry with OKeefe on the night of the fatal incident.
Could you have been angry enough and slightly drunk, because he had annoyed you, that, in a fit of rage, you just backed up... ABCs Matt Gutman asked, with Read interrupting the question to say: Never.
He asked if she might have tried to tap him with the vehicle as opposed to intending to kill him. To tap him with my 6,000 pound full-size SUV? Read answered incredulously. To hit Johns body with my car? No.
In Reads version of events, she says she last saw OKeefe after dropping him at the house party before she returned home to sleep. Later, she claimed to have woken up during the night to find OKeefe wasnt there. Recalling that time in the interview, Read said she called OKeefes friends and their wives and described the mental anguish she experienced.
Now I have an immense sense of dread, she said. Like a fright in me that I have not experienced before. She added that she was worried he mightve gotten hit by a plow on the snowy evening.
Read then described finding OKeefe after meeting his friends and returning to the house of the after-party.
His eyes were shut and he had spots of blood in different areas on his face, Read said in the interview. And he was still. Not stiff, but still. It was cold. OKeefe was later pronounced dead, with an autopsy ruling that hed died from head trauma and hypothermia.
Karen Reads Lawyers: Jurors Were Ready to Acquit Her of Murder Before Mistrial
She also described speaking on the phone to a friend and telling them: I think Im gonna get arrested.
Prosecutors said Read and OKeefe had been arguing before she drove him to the after-party house and had deliberately hit him with the car. They also said pieces of her damaged tail light were found at the scene and cited emergency workers who responded to the incident saying Read repeatedly declared I hit him.
Reads defense lawyers, meanwhile, argued that OKeefes injuries werent consistent with being hit by a car and claimed she had been the victim of a cover-up. There are people in that house that are actually responsible for his death and who murdered him, Alan Jackson, an attorney for Read, told ABC. And there are others in the house who are covering up that murder.
A deadlocked jury led to a judge declaring a mistrial. As well as a new criminal trial, OKeefes family is suing Read and two bars in Canton in a wrongful death suit.
The full interview airs Friday on ABC at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and will also be available to stream on Hulu.
Read more at The Daily Beast.
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A photo of the fence on Erik Briones property that stretches across the Pecos River submitted by attorneys for the state of New Mexico in the recent escalation of lawsuits against landowners blocking public access to rivers. (Courtesy photo New Mexico Department of Justice)
The New Mexico attorney generals office escalated lawsuits against Terrero landowners fencing the Pecos River, in the latest iteration of a longstanding tension between publics right to recreate in New Mexicos rivers and streams, and private property.
In an Aug. 28 district court filing, New Mexico Department of Justice requested that landowner Erik Briones to go before a judge and face penalties for failing to take down an illegal fence after reaching a deal to do so earlier this year.
So far, Mr. Briones has shown a determination to keep for himself a resource that belongs to the public the Pecos River even when doing so violates the Consent Decree he signed, attorneys for the state wrote.
Briones, when reached by phone Thursday, said the river has been too high to safely remove the fence, which remains up. He referred further comment to his attorney Mark Ish, who was not immediately reached for comment Thursday.
Ive been trying to comply with this motion, this court order, all spring and all summer, but the running of the river, the runoff, the strength of the water has just prohibited me from getting in there to work in the river, Briones said.
Background on the Pecos River dispute
Under the New Mexico Constitution, all waters within the state belong to the public, but banks and lands beneath water can be privately owned.
A 2022 ruling from the New Mexico Supreme Court found the public has the constitutional right to access to streams for paddling, fishing and wading, including the right to touch privately owned land beneath waters. Any use of the beds and banks must have minimal impact, according to the court.
Walking and wading on the privately owned beds beneath public water is reasonably necessary for the enjoyment of many forms of fishing and recreation, the 2022 opinion states. Having said that, we stress that the public may neither trespass on privately owned land to access public water, nor trespass on privately owned land from public water.
New Mexico attorneys are trying to address the laws balance in rivers and streams across the state, said James Grayson, the chief deputy at the New Mexico Department of Justice.
Landowners are protected, their private property is protected, and so were looking out for them as well, but we do want to make sure that everyone has access to those streams, Grayson said.
Lawyers at the attorney generals office originally sought a District Judges action in October 2023 against Briones and 10 other unnamed landowners for depriving public access to the Pecos River. The complaint alleged Briones and other landowners were violating the Supreme Courts ruling using threats of violence, physical obstruction, and false threats of legal action.
The complaint attaches photos of six-foot high white pipes wrapped in barbed wire crossing the river, and No Trespassing signs, which falsely claim the river is private property.
In addition to the fences posing injury to waders or paddlers, the complaint alleged that Briones made threats in 2023 to shoot people if they returned to the Pecos River abutting his property.
In March, Briones and the New Mexico attorney generals office came to an agreement that Briones would remove the fence by May 24 and would not install a new one or additional signs about trespassing on the Pecos River. The agreement noted this does not limit Briones from placing signs warning about trespassing on his privately owned lands.
In the Aug. 28 filing, the New Mexico Department of Justice attorneys dispute Briones claim that he has attempted to remove the fence, saying he never asked the court to modify the agreement.
Mr. Brioness stated excuse for noncompliance by the agreed-upon deadline of May 24
was his claim that water levels on the Pecos were too high to safely comply. That was debatable
at the time, and it is plainly untrue today, the court document stated, showing river gage data that the Pecos River is below 3-feet high.
Attorneys are requesting a judge find that Briones violated the court order and request damages. The state asked for $1,000 in fines for the first seven days he remains in violation, increasing to $5,000 per day for the next seven days. After that 14 day period, if Briones remains non-compliant, state attorneys requested his arrest and detention in the San Miguel County Detention Center, until he agrees to remove the fencing.
Also, on Aug. 28, the New Mexico Department of Justice named two additional landowners, Richard Jenkins and Jean Jenkins, asking a District Judge to order them to remove a fence across the Pecos River on their land within 14 days of the order.
As for next steps, Grayson said the attorney generals office will await a response, and said landowners could enter into a settlement to remove the fence.
SANFORD, Maine The Sanford School Committee is considering prohibiting all students from using their cell phones and smart watches during school hours.
Superintendent Matt Nelson said surveys will be sent to students, parents, teachers, and administrators in the coming days to get their opinions on whether stricter rules on cell phones are needed for students at every grade level in the district.
We want to be thoughtful here, Nelson said.
The Sanford School Committee is the latest school district in Maine considering prohibiting all students from using their cell phones and smart watches during school hours.
The School Departments current policy for cell phones is tailored for each age group throughout the system.
The younger students in grades pre-K through 4 are not allowed to have cell phones in school, according to Nelson.
Students in grades 5 through 8 can use their phones on campus before and after school is in session but need permission from a teacher or administrator. High school students are able to use their phones in between classes, during lunchtime, and before and after school.
The School Committee had its first reading on the proposed ban during its meeting on Aug. 19.
Nelson said the committee workshopped the idea in July, after learning about a new policy that Regional School Unit 1 in Bath implemented in late June.
In a letter to the Bath community, RSU 1 Superintendent Patrick Manuel announced the local school board had voted to eliminate the use of cell phones and smart watches for all students in grades 6 through 12 for the coming school year.
This was researched and proposed by administrators as another layer of support to improve the mental health and academic success of our students, Manuel wrote.
More: Former RSU 21 School Board member Dawn Therrien hired as district's new HR director
Dozens of Maine school districts ban, restrict cell phone use
School districts have sought to find a balance between students and their cell phones since the palm-sized inventions became commonplace in public life.
More than 30 school districts have voted to ban or restrict the use of cell phones in Maine schools.
In the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District, the policy states that students are not to use their cell phones in any way that disrupts the educational process, is illegal, or violates School Committee policy and rules. The policy allows the superintendent to develop any rules necessary for the policy to be effective.
In RSU 21, which comprises the Kennebunks and Arundel, communication devices need to be turned off during instructional and class time, as well as during school events, where there is a reasonable expectation of quiet attentiveness or where use of the device would cause any disruption of school activities unless there is a bona fide case of a health or safety emergency.
Cell phones and other electronic communications devices also need to be turned off when students are in bathrooms and locker rooms.
York Superintendent Tim Doak said cell phones are not allowed at the middle school level, but he said his school district has not taken steps to restrict use in high school. There, he said, students are allowed to check their phones at certain times of the day like on the bus and during lunch.
Doak said staff have still had discussions about addressing cell phone use in the wake of recent media attention to the devices impact on learning in schools.
Although cell phone use among students is often associated with negative behaviors like bullying, Doak believes that school districts can find better ways to integrate phones into the learning process.
Also, a challenge is determining whether to restrict cell phones when doing so could prevent students from communicating with their families. Students have been known to communicate by cell phone with loved ones and police during emergencies, including active shooter events.
They do cause quite a disturbance in our schools, Doak said of cellphones. But we do want to put something in place (for students) to touch base with parents.
More: Kennebunk teacher opens Lupine Books, a new shop in Dock Square
Sanford seeks input before enacting cell phone ban
Nelson said the proposed ban is not on the agendas for the upcoming meetings of the School Committee and its policy subcommittee, both of which are scheduled for this Monday, Sept. 9. The idea is to let people complete the survey and provide school officials with feedback before proceeding further, he added.
Once the surveys are completed, the policy committee will discuss the feedback, and the School Committee likely will have another workshop, according to Nelson. If a new policy, calling for a ban or perhaps other measures takes shape from this process, then the proposal would go to the School Committee for its second reading.
Ultimately, the School Committee will be the deciding authority on whether the district needs a stricter policy for cell phones or should outright ban them, Nelson said.
Ways of enforcing a new policy, should one be approved, will be discussed in time, according to Nelson.Nelson said the school department wants a cell phone policy that eliminates distractions and ensures an effective learning environment but also takes other factors into account.
For instance, Nelson said, there are always emergencies, such as when the students and staff at Sanford High School experienced an active shooter scare in November 2022. During that crisis, students locked down inside the school used their cell phones to communicate with their parents and guardians throughout the community.
Thats something thatll never be forgotten, Nelson said.
More: York Education Foundation funds hydroponics, drone programs, and more
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Sanford eyes school cell phone ban, joining other Maine schools
The owner of a diesel repair shop in Veneta was ordered on Wednesday to pay more than $100,000 in criminal fines and was sentenced to three years of probation for intentionally tampering with pollution monitoring devices on vehicles in violation of the Clean Air Act.
Christopher Kaufman, owner of Diesel & Offroad Authority, LLC, in Veneta, was also ordered to include a disclaimer on his company's website declaring that the repair shop no longer provides "delete and tune" tampering services because they are illegal, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Oregon.
The Environmental Protection Agency defines the Clean Air Act as a federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. The law also allows the EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants and protect public health and welfare.
Kaufman and Diesel & Offroad Authority were accused of tampering with and disabling the emissions control systems of at least 184 diesel vehicles. Court documents disclosed the repair shop charged its customers approximately $2,300 each for the emissions modifications and collected more than $378,000 for the services over a four-year period between 2018 and 2022.
According to the lawsuit filed on March 12, these "modifications are often marketed to diesel vehicle owners as improving the horsepower, torque, maintenance, and other characteristics of diesel engines." However, the modifications can result in a significant increase in pollutants being emitted from each vehicle, which have been allegedly shown to cause cancer, as well as lung, neurological, cardiovascular and immune system damage.
"Their actions directly contributed to the release of significant amounts of dangerous air pollutants, which leads to serious health conditions such as respiratory diseases like asthma," Lance Ehrig, special agent at the EPA's Criminal Investigation Division in Oregon, said following Wednesday's sentencing.
Kaufman pleaded guilty to the charges on April 10 and was sentenced by Oregon District Court Judge Michael McShane in a Eugene courtroom on Wednesday.
Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon diesel repair shop on probation for violating Clean Air Act
Planning to vote in Newport County on Primary Day this Tuesday: What to know
In Rhode Island, many races are effectively decided in the September primary which is right around the corner.
Primary Election Day is Tuesday, Sept. 10, and early voting has already opened.
Here's what you need to know:
Where and when is early voting happening?
Early voting has started and will take place every weekday until Sept. 9.
You can find a full list of early voting locations and their hours on the Secretary of States Website. Each municipality has one designated early voting site. In many (but not all) cases, it will be your local town or city hall.
A Middletown resident fills out a ballot at Gaudet Middle School in 2023.
When and where is Election Day voting happening?
Election Day is Tuesday, Sept. 10. Polls will open at 7 a.m. statewide. Polls close at 8 p.m., and you will be allowed to cast a vote as long as you are in line by 8 p.m.
To find your polling place on Election Day, go to vote.sos.ri.gov, and select "Find a Polling Place/View Sample Ballot." You will then be prompted to enter your address.
Are mail ballots still available?
The deadline to request a mail ballot has passed, but you can request an emergency mail ballot at mailballot.sos.ri.gov if there are extenuating circumstances.
What's on the ballot?
U.S. Senate:
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse has a long-shot challenge from Michael Costa in the Democratic primary. On the Republican side, state Sen. Patricia Morgan will face off against Ray McKay.
General Assembly
None of the incumbents representing Newport County at the General Assembly are being challenged in the primary.
Newports First Ward
One of the few local races to be decided on the primary ballot. Councilor Angela Lima, who has represented the First Ward on Newport City Council for six years, chose not to seek reelection this year. Three candidates seek to fill her seat: Hugo DeAscentis Jr., Ellen Pinnock and Charles Pattavina. First Ward residents will be able to decide which two candidates will make it to the general election ballot in the fall.
Portsmouth Town Council
Portsmouth has partisan elections for its own council, and this year, nine Democrat candidates are vying to be on the general election ballot with the hope to score one of the seven council seats. Incumbents Juan Carlos Payero, Charles Levesque and J. Mark Ryan will face off against Sondra Blank, Tasha MacGibbon, Michael DiPaola, David Fiorillo, Timothy Grissett and Tarah Woods.
Is it too late to register to vote in the primary election?
If you aren't registered to vote in Rhode Island, it's too late to register in time to vote in the primary election. You can still vote in the general election if you register by Oct. 6.
It's also too late to change your party registration if you're already registered with one party, but want to vote in the other party's primary.
Can independent, unaffiliated voters vote in a primary?
If you're an independent voter and aren't affiliated with a political party, you have the option of voting in either party's primary. You don't need to fill out any paperwork in advance, and can simply show up and vote in the primary of your choice.
Notably, the law changed this year, making that process easier.
Previously, voting in a party's primary meant that you would be automatically affiliated with that party, and then had to disaffiliate. Now, unaffiliated voters remain unaffiliated after participating in a party primary, and do not have to go through the disaffiliation process, according to Faith Chybowski, director of communications for the Secretary of State's office.
To sum up: If you're an independent, you can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary. But if you're registered as a Democrat, it's too late for you to disaffiliate and register as a Republican in order to vote in that primary (and vice versa).
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Election 2024: What to know to vote in Newport County on Primary Day
Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette acknowledged Thursday that the shooting scene involving a 19-year-old male from Springfield was "extremely chaotic...in which frustration and anger were boiling over."
Several groups the police department works with, including Black Lives Matter SPI viewed body worn camera footage Thursday, Mayor Misty Buscher said at a press conference in City Council Chambers.
The teen, who has not been officially identified, was shot by a police officer in the 1100 block of South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive after resisting arrest and firing in the proximity of officers.
More: Springfield police: Man, 19, shot by officer was suspect in previous shooting
The same teen had purportedly fired several shots from a vehicle, striking an occupied home in the 1600 block of South 16th Street around 5:40 p.m. Wednesday.
There, witnesses were able to give a description of the teen and at least one other passenger in the car.
One SPD officer fired five shots. The teen had two distinct wounds, one to his back and one to his leg, Scarlette said.
The Illinois State Police were handling the use of force portion of the investigation.
Mayor Misty Buscher speaks with Robert Blackwell of the Springfield Coalition for Dismantling Racism after a press conference at the City Council Chambers on Sept. 5, 2024. Springfield Police provided updates on a shooting of a teen by an officer on Sept. 4.
Scarlette confirmed that a squad car window was completely destroyed by a brick and that bottles were lobbed at officers early Thursday.
In addition to Springfield Police, Illinois State Police troopers and Sangamon County Sheriff's deputies were protecting the crime scene, Scarlette said.
He added the Sonya Massey shooting is "still a fresh wound, whether that's for community members or if that's for law enforcement," and weighed on his mind last night.
Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, was fatally shot in her own home after summoning sheriff's deputies about a possible prowler on the morning of July 6. Former deputy Sean P. Grayson was charged with her murder.
Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette speaks during a press conference at the city Council Chambers on Sept. 5, 2024. A teen who had resisted arrest and discharged his gun near officers late Sept. 4 was shot by an officer in the 1100 block of South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Protests in Springfield and around the country sprung up over the shooting.
Police and members of Springfield Police Benevolent & Protective Association Unit #5 met with representatives from the Springfield NAACP, Faith Coalition for the Common Good, Springfield Coalition for Dismantling Racism and the Community Health Roundtable, in addition to BLM SPI.
Scarlette is pushing to release bodycam footage because "I believe it paints the entire picture of the incident from start to finish." He said he didn't think it would get released until ISP concludes its investigation.
Ring camera footage of the shooting has also been posted on social media.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Black Lives Matter Springfield has viewed bodycam footage in shooting
(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Thousands of children in Nevada will automatically receive a retroactive one-time payment of $120 this month, thanks to a popular free food program designed to cover kids during summer vacation.
Officials for the Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS) announced Nevada families eligible for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program will start receiving the food benefit starting next week.
Payments will be distributed in one lump sum to eligible households with children from Pre-K through the 12th grade. State health officials estimate 350,000 children in Nevada will benefit from the program.
Households with children eligible for the free and reduced lunch program will automatically receive their benefits in the first round of payments in mid-September on existing EBT cards for families that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Eligible households that do not have an existing EBT card should receive a pre-loaded Summer EBT card by mail in mid-October. Summer EBT cards will be mailed to the last known address the parent or guardian provided when enrolling their child in school.
The rules for the program are complex, DWSS Deputy Administrator, Kelly Cantrelle said. However, families with children will benefit from these additional funds by supplementing school lunches or providing after-school snacks. Our team is here to help families navigate through the process and answer any questions they may have.
Summer EBT is the first federal nutrition program passed by Congress in decades. Congress passed bipartisan legislation in late 2022, making Summer EBT permanent for states that opt-in. The program provides families with $40 each summer month per eligible child to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets, or other authorized retailers.
The summer program benefits couldnt be delivered during the summer months due to state funding-related administrative delays.
In order to qualify for the S-EBT program, children must live in a low-income household, a change from previous pandemic benefits. Families can check to see if their child was automatically enrolled into the program through an online portal at Access Nevada. The portal will be available mid-September when the first round of benefits are issued.
A dedicated call center phone line is available in Northern Nevada at 1-775-684-8740, and Southern Nevada at 1-702-486-9640. A FAQ page has been added to the DWSS website to assist families with questions about the program. An application will be available online Sept. 20, 2024, for families that did not meet the automatic eligibility criteria and would like to apply.
Families struggling with food insecurity are encouraged to apply for SNAP by visiting Access Nevada.
Additional food resources can be found at Nevada 211.
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.
ETTRICK A Tennessee state legislator expelled from, then reinstated to that states General Assembly stumped for the Democratic presidential ticket here Thursday, focusing on young voters at two area colleges with this message: Were not going back.
This moment and this time require the best of our energies, the best of our efforts, the best of our talents to ensure that we do preserve the democratic constitutional republic, state Rep. Justin Pearson told a group of Virginia State University students in an appearance at Ettrick Deli, across River Road from VSU. A Memphis Democrat, the 29-year-old Pearson was the featured speaker for a dinner and rally for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz coordinated by Virginia Democrats.
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Pearson was one of three state legislators targeted for House expulsion last year for staging a gun-law reform protest on the Assembly floor in the wake of a shooting at a Nashville-area school. On April 6, 2023, the House Republican majority expelled him and Justin Jones of Nashville while sparing Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, the only white member of the group.
Shortly after their expulsions, Pearson and Jones were reinstated to their seats by governing bodies in both localities. Since then, the group known as the Tennessee 3, have become darlings of the Democratic party. They got exposure at last months national convention in Chicago and were scheduled to speak at one point before being bumped at the last minute.
Pearson and Jones won their respective party primaries last month and will be up for re-election Nov. 5. Johnson won the Democratic U.S. senatorial primary and will square off with incumbent GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
'Upsetting': Legislator says she brought food issues to Petersburg schools last spring
Eating, greeting, speaking
A Harris-Walz campaign sticker adorns a takeout dinner Sept. 5, 2024, at Ettrick Deli.
At the Ettrick Deli, participants ate takeout dinners from Styrofoam containers adorned with Harris-Walz campaign stickers. Campaign placards were posted all over the wraparound screened-in dining porch, including ones for Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Virginia, the first Black woman to represent the state in Congress. McClellan, who is facing re-election in November, was the events host.
In his remarks, Pearson focused on one of the common themes his party has followed the possibility of reversing what they feel has been progress on economic and social fronts should GOP candidate and former president Donald Trump win back the White House. Specifically, he focused on Project 2025, a governance blueprint from the conservative Heritage Foundation on what should occur under a conservative president.
While Trump has taken public steps to distance himself from Project 2025, opponents insist that privately, the former president is endorsing them.
'This needs to be done': Frustration mounts over delay in bypass road to treatment plant
Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson greets Virginia State University students Sept. 5, 2024, at Ettrick Deli across River Road from VSU.
We have people who have a version of America thats only about taking us back, Pearson said. Theyre writing Project 2025, but its been their Project 2024, it was their Project 1964, it was their Project 1914.
Its all about taking us back to a time where injustice and inequity was the way that things operated in our country. But weve got one message for them, Were not going back.
There is too much at stake in the upcoming election, Pearson said, and that is why it is crucial for young voters to come out in droves for Harris.
We have to have people in positions of power who actually care about us, Pearson said.
The appearance at Ettrick Deli culminated a daylong sweep through the Petersburg area for Pearson. It began with meeting students at Richard Bland College, followed by similar on-campus meetings with VSU students.
Va. lieutenant governor wants to be governor, setting up possible historic contest for job
For student, it's about 'personability'
Virginia State University students join Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson and Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Virginia, at a small gathering Sept. 5, 2024, at Ettrick Deli.
Most of the approximately 30 people on the porch were VSU students like 19-year-old Kristina Piercy of Henrico County. Piercy, a sophomore political science major in VSUs Honors College, said the biggest takeaway she had was personability from both Pearson and McClellan.
It was really great to see everyone here being present but also being open to hear everybodys policies, being open to shaking hands, eating good food and just being here in the moment, Piercy said.
Of Pearson, Piercy said she appreciated his enthusiasm for facing the challenges that lie ahead. It is enthusiasm that she said rubbed off on her and is making her look forward to voting in her very first presidential election.
Piercy said that to her and her fellow first-time voters, it is all about representation. While Harris checks all the boxes for that the first woman of Black and Asian descent to lead a major-party ticket Piercy said she admires Harris advocacy and her drive.
Thats very important, Piercy said.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: TN state lawmaker stumps for Harris-Walz in area
China, African countries pledge to jointly advance modernization
Xinhua) 10:13, September 06, 2024
A high-level meeting on industrialization and agricultural modernization of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa co-chaired the meeting. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- China and African countries will work together to advance their respective modernization, according to leaders at a high-level meeting of the ongoing 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held on Thursday.
The meeting on industrialization and agricultural modernization was co-chaired by Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Wang said China and African countries should adhere to paths of industrialization and agricultural modernization suited to their respective national conditions, and promote fair and equitable global governance.
Wang stated that China is willing to continue working with African countries to foster industry cooperation growth clusters, enhance connectivity, and strengthen cooperation in industrial and supply chains.
China is prepared to enter into framework agreements on economic partnerships with African countries, and aims to build together a model for implementing the Global Development Initiative, Wang said.
China seeks to contribute to poverty reduction, employment, income generation and the improvement of people's livelihoods in Africa, Wang said, adding that China will continue to provide African countries with new energy technologies and products, support Africa's energy transition, and enhance Africa's environmental sustainability and climate resilience.
African leaders praised the achievements of Africa-China cooperation in the areas of industrialization, agricultural modernization and green development.
They said their countries look forward to exploring a path of industrialization, agricultural modernization and green development with their own national characteristics, and spearheading the process of modernization in the Global South.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks at a high-level meeting on industrialization and agricultural modernization of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa co-chaired the meeting. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, addresses a high-level meeting on industrialization and agricultural modernization of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Wang and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa co-chaired the meeting. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
A high-level meeting on industrialization and agricultural modernization of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa co-chaired the meeting. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
US Marshals arrest man in Mississippi on murder charge for July shooting in Louisville
Desmond Deshawn Shaw, 34, was arrested in Mississippi and is awaiting extradition to Jefferson County, according to an LMPD news release.
A man accused of murder in Louisville was arrested Aug. 30 in Mississippi in connection to a July homicide, Louisville Metro Police spokesperson Aaron Ellis said Friday in a news release.
Desmond Deshawn Shaw, 34, was arrested in Coffeeville, Mississippi by U.S. Marshals. Shaw is currently being held in Mississippi and is set to be extradited to Jefferson County to satisfy his arrest warrant, Ellis said.
Shaw faces charges of murder, first-degree assault, first-degree criminal mischief and theft of a firearm in conjunction with a July 22 shooting in the Shelby Park neighborhood that killed Jaron Starling and left two women injured. Around 9:40 a.m. that day, LMPD officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 400 block of East Oak St. The three victims were taken to U of L Hospital for treatment, where Starling was later pronounced dead, LMPD spokesperson John Bradley said at the time.
LMPDs Homicide Unit opened an investigation into the incident.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville man accused of murder arrested in Mississippi
Sep 05 (NHK) - The city of Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, has decided to double or triple the admission fee for Himeji Castle for visitors from outside the city. The castle is a World Cultural Heritage site.
City officials plan to introduce the revised fee in early 2026. They say the move will help secure funds to maintain and manage the castle that was built more than 400 years ago.
The popular tourist attraction is also known as the White Heron Castle. It drew some 1.48 million visitors in the fiscal year that ended in March.
The current entry fee is 1,000 yen, or about 7 dollars, for those aged 18 or older.
City officials say the price will remain the same for local residents because they contribute to the preservation of the castle through their taxes and other means.
The city government plans to work out the details of the new admission system after consulting the local assembly.
The head of the castle's management office says the fee hike is necessary to preserve it for future generations.
OSAKA, Sep 06 (News On Japan) - A man was arrested in Higashi-Osaka for allegedly abducting three girls, one of whom has died, with around 80 empty medicine shells discovered in his home.
Mitsuru Kosaka, 26, was arrested on the morning of September 6th on suspicion of bringing three teenage girls into his home without permission around the 2nd.
Kosaka has reportedly denied some of the charges during police questioning.
It is believed that Kosaka and the three girls consumed a large amount of cough suppressant medicine, resulting in the death of one high school girl from suspected acute drug poisoning.
Further investigations revealed that approximately 80 empty medicine shells were found in Kosakas residence.
Kosaka admitted to police that he had shoplifted the medicine.
Source: ANN
TOKYO, Sep 07 (News On Japan) - Violinist Taro Hakase (53) announced on Friday that he has been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition that causes facial paralysis.
Hakase updated his official website on the same day, explaining that he noticed something was wrong with his body one morning in August, just before the national tour with his band. That afternoon, during the recording of a radio program, he realized that the left side of his face was not moving.
"Afterwards, I was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, the same condition that Justin Bieber revealed he had two years ago. Before I knew it, the left side of my face had completely stopped moving," Hakase shared.
The violinist is scheduled to perform the first concert of the tour on September 7th in Kanagawa. He remarked, "Concerts are my life, and this tour is especially important as it's the first for this band. I couldn't find any reason to cancel. While my onstage talk may not go as smoothly as usual, I plan to make the concert even more enjoyable than ever. Although half of my face is paralyzed, I'm full of energy otherwise."
Online, fans have expressed their concern, with many leaving messages such as "Please take care of yourself."
Source: ANN
By Matthew Atungwu
The National Association of Polytechnic Students, NAPS, has appealed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, to help address irregularities stopping polytechnic students from participating in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.
The President of the association, Ridwan Opeyemi, made this appeal on Friday when he led a team to JAMB Headquarters in Bwari, Abuja.
He expressed concern over graduates of Higher National Diploma, HND being stopped from NYSC mobilisation.
Opeyemi pointed out that many students who graduated with HND certificates from various polytechnics and claimed to have regularised with JAMB were yet to be mobilised for the scheme, expressing dissatisfaction with the process and seeking JAMBs help in addressing the matter
The Registrar took his time to discuss with us, and we now know where the problem lies, which is mostly from our various institutions, Opeyemi said.
Reacting, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, noted that the board was not responsible for admitting HND students into institutions and therefore had no data to facilitate their entry into the NYSC scheme.
Our role stops at admissions for National Diploma, ND, we have no record of HND students, he said.
He advised the team to study the admissions guidelines and consult the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, for a solution.
By Gabriel Ewepu, Abuja
Amid squeezing hunger across the country, the Federal Government, Thursday, flagged off the sales of 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice at N40,000 per 50kg bag to Nigerians as a measure to cushion the impact of high food prices that have persisted for over one year.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, did the flag-off of the rice sale at the Ministrys headquarters in Abuja.
Kyari said: It is indeed my pleasure to welcome you all to this historical, all-important, and long-awaited flag-off of the sales of 30,000 MT of FGN milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50 kg.
This kind gesture was made possible at the expense and directives of the President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who does not want Nigerian citizens to go to bed hungry and, in his wisdom, deemed it important to initiate this food intervention.
We are all aware that in the recent past, precisely aftermath of COVID-19, and due to the Russian-Ukraine war, the climate change, amidst other localized factors/challenges, food prices, farm yields, and food chains, were distorted globally, and Nigeria is not an exception.
This has led to increased concern and risk of food insecurity and general decline in the standard of living globally. I therefore urge us to understand that the present challenges are not peculiar to our great country.
This food intervention can be said to be timely considering the times and challenges we are in as citizens of this great nation.
As one of the numerous efforts of the present administration to cushion the effect of high cost of food commodities, kindly join me to applaud the immense efforts of the present administration, such as the release of 42,000 MT of Assorted Food Commodities (AFC) to vulnerable and the 30,000 MT of milled rice that is being flagged off for sales to Nigerians today, 5th September, 2024.
However, the Minister said to make the sales more transparent and well monitored, saying, The Federal Government, being aware of the potential challenges associated with the sales of an important staple such as rice, at this critical period has deployed a multi-disciplinary machinery of government, as well as put in place certain processes and conditions to ensure the transparency, wider reach, and success of this exercise.
This includes one man and one 50 kg of rice; others are the verification of intended beneficiaries using relevant identification mediums such as the National Identification Number (NIN) and phone numbers to forestall multiple access to this food commodity by fraudulent individuals at the detriment of other citizens.
In view of the above, I therefore urge our dear citizens to cooperate with the relevant agencies of government who will try to serve you to achieve this great initiative of government.
Meanwhile, he appealed to Nigerians to support the Tinubu administration, Let us work together to ensure that the dream of the present administration to uphold the fundamental right to food for all Nigerians is achieved.
He expressed optimism that it is expected that with the injection of 30,000 MT (1000 trucks of 30 MT each) of this important staple into Nigerias food balance sheet, it will not only crash the price of rice but also other closer food substitutes and alternatives.
On behalf of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Asiwaju, Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, I hereby flag-off the sales of the FGN-milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate.
I sincerely also wish to use this opportunity to encourage Nigerians to remain steadfast and be patient with Mr. President as his numerous efforts to enhance food security will soon begin to pay off.
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 schools 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 districts online mental health resources.
Blythe is located about 112 miles east of Palm Springs.
Forty leaders from across the state have been selected to participate in the 2024-25 program of Leadership Iowa, an issues-awareness program offered by the Iowa Association of Business and Industry Foundation.
More than 1,400 Iowans have taken part in the program since it began in 1982, according to a news release. Participants represent all regions of the state and a variety of industries, companies, and backgrounds. Leadership Iowa exists to educate, inspire, and grow a network of informed leaders, and to encourage their ongoing engagement on local and statewide levels.
"Leadership Iowa continues to cultivate informed, engaged leaders who are prepared to address the challenges and opportunities facing our state, ABI President Mike Ralston said in the release. The 2024-25 class represents a diverse group of individuals committed to making a positive impact in their communities and across Iowa. We are excited to see how their experiences in this program will inspire them to further drive meaningful change."
Among the 2024-25 participants are Council Bluffs residents Adam Buckentine of Pillar Property Management and Matthew Henkes of the Iowa West Foundation.
The 2024-25 class will travel to communities throughout Iowa for a series of two-day monthly sessions beginning in October and concluding in June. Each session allows participants to delve into an important topic as it relates to our state by way of discussions with subject-matter experts, interactive experiences, industry tours and more.
Shenandoah and Clarinda will host Leadership Iowa for the agriculture and renewable resources session in November. The class will graduate at ABIs annual conference next June in Council Bluffs.
Speaking to reporters in Des Moines a day after Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg resigned, Gov. Kim Reynolds said she has a couple of names in mind to replace him but is in no hurry to name a new lieutenant governor, Radio Iowa and other news outlets reported.
The governor did not say who is under consideration to replace Gregg, who resigned effective immediately Tuesday to take a job as the incoming president and chief executive officer of the Iowa Bankers Association. The group advocates for, provides resources to and lobbies on behalf of Iowa banks.
I want to make sure I take the time and get the right person there, Reynolds said Wednesday, according to reporting by Radio Iowas O. Kay Henderson. We want to make sure we take a look at who that might be and what we want them to focus on.
Until Reynolds makes an appointment later this fall, Iowa Senate President Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, will be next in line of succession.
The governor said Gregg told her last Friday that he had the opportunity to become the next president and CEO of the Iowa Bankers Association. Reynolds said she and Gregg have kept a grueling schedule since May 2017 when she succeeded former Gov. Terry Branstad after he was named U.S. ambassador to China by then-President Donald Trump and she named Gregg as acting lieutenant governor to replace her. The two have since been elected to two terms in office, in 2018 and 2022.
The governor said she supports Greggs decision to step down to focus on his family, calling it a very demanding job that requires a lot of sacrifices. She said it has been a tough seven-year stretch punctuated by devastating natural disasters, including flooding, tornadoes and a derecho, as well as a health pandemic.
Reynolds would not say if she plans to seek re-election in 2026 and what her considerations might be for picking a potential running mate or someone to possibly run to succeed her as governor.
Asked if she was surprised that Gregg is leaving politics and will not run to succeed her, Reynolds said she picked Gregg with the assumption he would be ready and willing to take that next step to serve as governor, but theres never any guarantees thats going to be the process, Radio Iowa reported.
And ultimately its going to be the people of Iowa who will decide who the next governor is going to be, Reynolds said.
Iowa AG names prosecutor to cold case unit
Iowa Attorney General Bird has announced Scott Brown will serve as the prosecutor for the offices new cold case unit, in addition to prosecuting cases for the criminal division.
Brown has worked in the Iowa Attorney Generals Office for 27 years and has prosecuted cases across the state, including murders, sexual assaults, child abuse and misconduct by public officials, according to a news release. Before joining the Attorney Generals Office, Brown served as assistant county attorney in Des Moines County and worked in the criminal division for the city of Oklahoma Municipal Counselors Office.
Bird launched the new cold case unit in July dedicated to solving the states more than 400 unsolved murders. The team will consist of three full-time investigators and Brown to work with law enforcement across the state.
In his 27 years in the Attorney Generals Office, he has proven that he is the most talented, experienced, and capable prosecutor for the job, Bird said. With Scotts help, our new cold case unit will work to seek justice for families and ensure that no murderer walks free.
State announces intent to award Medicaid contract
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services said it plans to award a new statewide Medicaid contract to Iowa Total Care, a subsidiary of St. Louis-based health insurance provider Centene.
The department announced this week it selected Iowa Total Care to continue providing Medicaid managed care services under the Iowa Health Link program. The program administers Iowa Medicaid, the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan and Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (Hawki) to eligible adults, children and pregnant women. The four-year contract is expected to begin July 1, 2025, with a possible two-year extension.
Iowa Total Care has been serving Iowa Medicaid members since 2019. Health and Human Services, in a news release, said there will be no change in operations under the new Iowa Medicaid contract period.
According to a Centene news release, Iowa Total Care plans to continue to provide coordinated physical, behavioral and long-term care to more than 218,600 Iowa Medicaid, Iowa Health and Wellness Plan and Hawki members across the states 99 counties, with a focus on expanding home and community-based services.
Centene, the largest Medicaid administrator in the nation serving about 13 million members, agreed to pay Iowa $44.4 million in 2022 to settle claims that it defrauded the states Medicaid system by Iowa Total Care overbilling taxpayers for prescription drugs through transactions handled by Envolve, which is also owned by Centene.
Iowa Total Care is one of three for-profit companies that help manage the joint federal and state program that finances roughly $5 to $6 billion in health care coverage annually for more than 700,000 low-income and disabled Iowans.
State officials said Iowa Medicaid members will not see changes to their benefits under their current plan. Members will be able to make an enrollment selection change during the annual open enrollment period in spring 2025.
Health and Human Services Director Kelly Garcia said the state remains committed to providing access to quality health care through Iowa Medicaid, and that Iowa Total Care has demonstrated a commitment to continuous quality improvement.
We are pleased to award Iowa Total Care with this contract as they continue to meet the needs of Iowans and deliver essential medical services, Garcia said in a statement.
The Mauritanian Ministry of Commerce announced a new memorandum of understanding with the Federation of Commerce, aimed at lowering the prices of essential foodstuffs. This agreement seeks to alleviate the financial strain on Mauritian consumers by stabilizing the cost of basic groceries amid challenging economic conditions.
According to the Ministrys statement, the new pricing concerns sugar, rice, edible oil, wheat, and condensed milk.
The Ministry explained that this initiative is part of a broader governments effort to counteract rising food prices and enhance the purchasing power of Mauritian citizens. The aim is to ease the economic burden on households during a period of financial difficulty.
Mauritania, like many Sahelian countries, is grappling with significant challenges due to adverse weather conditions. The rainy season has intensified, causing substantial impacts on agriculture, livelihoods, and mobility. Despite forecasts of increased rainfall this year, which could potentially lead to surplus production, the current harvests have been adversely affected. Consequently, the country faces a reliance on food imports to meet its needs, with the high cost of produce remaining a pressing concern for the population.
Libyan authorities have announced the identification of two suspects in the assassination of Major Abdulrahman Milad, commonly known as Al-Bidja. The attack took place on a road connecting Tripoli with the city of Zawiya, according to a statement from the Attorney Generals Office, released earlier this week.
Milad was ambushed while traveling between the two cities. The Attorney Generals Office reported that forensic investigations have pinpointed the vehicle used by the assailants, both in approaching and fleeing the crime scene. Additionally, investigators have identified the weapon believed to have been used in the attack.
In response to these findings, the Public Prosecution has issued arrest warrants for the two suspects and has directed the Ministry of Interior to execute the arrests promptly. The authorities are taking swift action to apprehend the suspects and bring them to justice, underscoring their commitment to resolving the case and maintaining security.
Libyas rival factions agreed to appoint a new central bank governor after the former chief left the country under pressure from militias.
The Libyan infighting between the West and East governments spilled over to the Central Bank last month forcing suspension of its activity and jeopardizing the countrys monetary regulator.
The House of Representatives based in Benghazi, in eastern Libya, and the High State Council in Tripoli in the west signed a joint statement following two days of talks hosted by the U.N. Support Mission in Libya, Reuters reported.
The central bank is the sole repository of oil sales in the war-torn country, where rival governments in the east and the west vie for control of the countrys institutions.
The standoff began when the head of the Presidency Council in Tripoli moved last month to oust veteran central bank Governor Sadiq al-Kabir and replace him with a rival board.
This prompted eastern factions to declare a shutdown to all oil production, demanding Kabirs dismissal be halted. The dispute threatened to end four years of relative stability.
The Moroccan Government reaffirmed on Thursday in Beijing steadfast commitment to advancing and strengthening further partnership between African countries and China for shared prosperity and inclusive growth unleashing Africas full potentials.
Addressing the China-Africa cooperation summit 2024 convening in Beijing (Sept.4-6), Moroccos Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, who is representing King Mohammed VI at this event, said thanks to its strategic position and resources, Morocco will remain a strong partner for China and Africa for the development of the Continents agriculture, infrastructures and renewable energies.
He also stressed the importance of enhancing China-Africa cooperation to address various international challenges generated by the geopolitical changes taking place in a multipolar world.
Morocco is committed to supporting the China-Africa Cooperation forum whose objectives are similar to several royal initiatives launched for Africas peace, stability, regional integration, and sustainable development, said the PM.
He cited in this regard the Royal initiative offering Atlantic Ocean access to Sahel countries and the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project, saying that these landmark projects, supported by trilateral partnerships, will play an essential role in achieving a prosperous and sustainable future for Africa.
To address the food security challenges in the Continent, Morocco has built fertilizer plants in Ethiopia and Nigeria, said Mr. Akhannouch, noting that Moroccan state-owned phosphate OCP group is present in 12 African countries helping them in the production and distribution of fertilizers through the launch of eight industrial projects.
The Prime minister also spoke about the efforts made by Morocco to mitigate the impacts of global warming on agriculture, highlighting the measures launched for better water management.
He likewise underlined the progress accomplished by the Kingdom in the industrial and agricultural sectors and the facilities granted to investors to bolster renewable energies, electric vehicles, aerospace industry, construction sector, and green hydrogen.
Congo has received its first shipment of mpox vaccines, with 100,000 doses arriving in the capital and another 100,000 expected shortly. The European Union donated the JYNNEOS vaccines, made by Bavarian Nordic. UNICEF will oversee the vaccination campaign in the most affected regions. However, the 380,000 doses promised by Western partners fall far short of the 3 million needed to combat the outbreak effectively.
So far this year, Congo has reported over 4,900 confirmed mpox cases and 629 deaths, primarily affecting children under 15. This vaccine arrival comes three weeks after the WHO declared mpox outbreaks in 12 African countries a global emergency. Despite pleas from African governments, few vaccines reached the continent following the 2022 global outbreak.
The current situation in Africa differs from the 2022 outbreak, with transmission occurring through various routes, including sexual contact and close interactions among children and pregnant women. Africas predominantly young population is particularly vulnerable due to lack of potential protection from previous smallpox vaccination.
While the vaccine delivery marks a positive step, significant challenges remain in distribution and administration due to Congos vast size and limited health infrastructure. The Africa CDC is developing a unified response plan to be presented to African leaders in September. This situation underscores the ongoing need for global health equity and improved preparedness for future outbreaks.
Presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel was released on Thursday September 5 by the Correctional Chamber of the Manouba Court of First Instance, after his defense team requested a postponement of the case until September 19 to prepare their defense.
However, shortly after his release, Tunisian police re-arrested him late Thursday, just minutes following the judges order, according to his lawyers.
Zammel, one of three presidential candidates, had been detained on September 4, 2024, following a committal order from the Public Prosecutors Office. He is accused of falsifying the sponsorships needed for his candidacy, allegedly with the help of a campaign team member, who has also been released pending trial.
The next hearing on September 19 will determine if the allegations of sponsorship falsification are confirmed.
The Joint Health Chamber in Al-Khums Municipality has declared a state of emergency following clashes in the city on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Al-Khums Education Hospital reported receiving the bodies of two individuals who were killed, along with three others who were injured.
Emergency responders from the Ambulance and Emergency Department, as well as Emergency Medicine and Support teams, have been deployed to the area. Residents are advised to avoid the vicinity of the clashes, as stated on the municipalitys Facebook page.
According to the Media Office at Al-Khums Education Hospital, the situation has calmed somewhat. Two of the injured sustained bullet and shrapnel wounds and have been treated and transferred to another hospital. Another individual, who was in critical condition, received emergency treatment with the help of specialists from the surgery and orthopedics departments.
J.D. Vance, campaigning in Michigan on August 27. Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Im
On Wednesday, a 14-year-old student at Apalachee High School in Georgia entered campus with an assault rifle, killing two students and two teachers while injuring nine others in the first major school shooting of the fall semester.
It is now rote to say that the United States is the only country where school shootings routinely happen. And as it happens year after year, American politicians are obliged to offer their condolences. At a campaign rally on Thursday in Phoenix, Republican vice-presidential nominee J.D. Vance spoke on the matter, calling the teenage killer an absolute barbarian who carried out an awful tragedy. But it was another quote that caused controversy.
I dont like this, Vance said. I dont like to admit this. I dont like that this is a fact of life. But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets and we have got to bolster security at our schools.
Soon after, the Associated Press wrote up the quote and tweeted it out with the caption: JD Vance says school shootings are a fact of life, calls for better security. Soon after that, the Vance campaign began complaining that the quote was taken slightly out of its original context.
This is yet another case of the fake news media brazenly lying about a Republican politician, Vances comms director told Fox News on Thursday night. Senator Vance said exactly the opposite of what the Associated Press claimed. It should come as no surprise that the AP lost any and all credibility it had years ago, because they will lie about literally anything in order to prop up the Democrats.
To call a slight collapse of context a lie is a bit of a stretch. Vance did call school shootings a fact of American life but its simply a fact that he believes could be fixed with more good guys with guns. Still, the AP changed its tweet on Thursday night. It now reads:
JD Vance says he laments that school shootings are a "fact of life" and says the U.S. needs to harden security to prevent more carnage like the shooting this week that left four dead in Georgia.https://t.co/mdz0617PDl The Associated Press (@AP) September 6, 2024
If you agree that Vance said the opposite, that may reflect your political leanings and whether you think easy access to firearms is the root cause of gun violence. (Federal agents are now investigating if the gun used in the Apalachee shooting was the same firearm that the teenagers father gave him as a Christmas gift last year, months after the teen was investigated for posting school-shooting threats. The father has been charged with second-degree murder.) In a campaign stop on Thursday, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said that 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.
As for bolstered security in American schools to deter school shootings, only a small number of attacks have been warded off by a security officer. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2021 found that there was no significant reduction in injuries when there was an armed guard during a shooting, and that school shootings involving an armed guard averaged three times more people killed. As the families of victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the Robb Elementary School can attest, police and security officers also need to act in the moment.
It could be helpful to refer to Vances boss to understand the Republican tickets approach to school shootings. In January, after the first fatal school shooting of the calendar year, Donald Trump tried to offer his condolences to the families of the student and teacher killed by a 17-year-old at a high school in Perry, Iowa. Its just horrible, so surprising to see it here, he said. But we have to get over it we have to move forward.
Photo: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
Theres a common misperception about who prosecutors are and what they do. Im loath to reveal this because, as a former prosecutor myself, it generally works to my advantage. But Ill pop the balloon.
Contrary to what weve all seen in movies and on TV, prosecutors are not, in fact, swashbuckling, badass courtroom gunslingers. Real criminal cases arent won with Sleepers-style surprise witnesses, or A Few Good Menstyle cross-examination beatdowns, or The Brady Bunchstyle spontaneous courtroom demonstrations. In the real world, prosecutors aim to play it straight, drama free, and, if necessary, boring.
In this election season, Vice-President Kamala Harris is relying on her prosecutorial chops but not how pop culture would condition us to expect. Shes not courting explosive confrontation or looking for mic-drop moments. Shes sticking to primary themes, shes controlling her own environment, and shes minimizing risk. Some Democrats desperately want to cast Harris as some striding superhero, but shes a prosecutorial pragmatist at heart.
Quick story: The night before I gave my first-ever jury address, I asked my supervisor a question that, in retrospect, is cringeworthy: What exactly am I supposed to be tomorrow? When I stand in front of the jury, how am I supposed to act? My supervisor managed not to laugh and told me, in essence, this: Your only job is to be clear and credible. Forget about the emoting and the dramatics. Leave that crap for the defense lawyer. You just put on your case. Of course, that doesnt mean a prosecutor must be robotic or boring. But prosecutors usually win with fundamentals, not drama.
Harris must know that. She served as a rank-and-file assistant district attorney, then as the San Francisco district attorney, and finally as California attorney general. She carries those experiences with her now on the campaign trail, and thus far theyve aided her political ascent in subtle but substantial ways.
Think back to Harriss hotly anticipated interview on CNN last week, her first since becoming the Democratic nominee. (Im a CNN contributor.) That interview happened just eight days ago. Do you remember anything specific from it? Did Harris create any moment, any clip, that well see on a loop between now and November? She sat down with Dana Bash, did just fine, and got out of there. She didnt truly wow anyone. But she got the interview done, she did no harm, and she ended the pesky story line about how she hadnt faced the media in an unscripted setting. Mission accomplished.
If anything, Harris intentionally walked away from a chance to showboat during the interview. At one point, Bash asked Harris about Trumps attacks on Harriss racial identity. The opportunity, and surely the temptation, was right there for Harris to launch into a righteous tirade against Trumps outrageous tactics. Instead, Harris took the high road. Same old tired playbook. Next question, please. Perfect. She passed on the drama, she rose above her opponents antics, and she turned the focus right back to the meaningful substance all in seven words.
Or go back another week, to the Democratic National Convention (which feels like it was six months ago). On the conventions final night, the arena and social media were abuzz with rumors of a megawatt mystery guest: Beyonce is going to bring the nominee out, or Taylor Swift will, or maybe both of them together! Instead, the person who immediately preceded Harris on the stage was centrist Democratic North Carolina governor Roy Cooper. Even watching on TV, you could sense a moment of disappointment sweeping over the crowd: Wait, thats it? No pop stars? Nope. No sequins or strutting, just the actual person running for the highest office in the land, wearing a navy-blue Chloe pantsuit with a tonal blouse. (I might have looked that up.)
Im expecting more of the same from Harris when she shares the stage with Trump next week at their first (and probably only) debate. Im not saying Harris will let Trump get away with whatever he wants; in fact, I bet shell have a rhetorical smackdown or two chambered and ready to go. But on the whole, watch for Harris to call on her prosecutorial roots. Shell aim to stay cool and focused while her opponent rants and seethes and spits bile.
And I dont think Trumps inevitable histrionics will bump Harris, either. She has spent much of her career in a courtroom, and trust me: Shes seen worse. (Well, maybe shes seen equally bad.) I have no idea who will win the debate on the merits and who will articulate a more persuasive vision for their presidency. But I do expect Harris to win on the all-important demeanor test who looked and acted more calm, more poised, more presidential? Because she knows the prosecutors real secret: Leave the drama to the other guy.
This article also appeared in the free CAFE Brief newsletter. You can find more analysis of law and politics from Elie Honig, Preet Bharara, Joyce Vance, and other CAFE contributors at cafe.com.
Photo: Alex Brandon/AP
Kamala Harriss replacement of Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee in July made a contest that Donald Trump seemed to be winning dead even, with Harris perhaps holding a slight advantage in momentum, money, and even enthusiasm. A big part of her improved performance has been the return to her column of Democratically inclined voter groups including Black and Hispanic voters among which Trump had been polling shockingly well against Biden. Numbers aside, it was psychologically painful for Democrats to watch as the overtly race-baiting and xenophobic 45th president began to put up historic levels of support among voters of color.
That nightmare has passed, right? Well, not exactly. As the New York Times Nate Cohn recently observed, while Trump has lost considerable ground to Harris among nonwhite voters, hes still doing quite well by historical standards:
In the past month of high-quality polls, Ms. Harris has a 78-14 lead among Black voters and a 52-41 lead among Hispanic voters. Our New York Times/Siena College battleground state surveys showed similar results, with Ms. Harris ahead 80-15 among Black voters and 52-42 among Hispanic ones. In each case, Ms. Harris is about halfway between Mr. Bidens weakened standing before he dropped out of the race and his stronger estimated finish in the 2020 election.
While this is certainly closer to typical, normal is not quite the right term for the current numbers. Mr. Trumps tallies today 14 percent support among Black voters and 41 percent among Hispanic voters would still represent the highest level of backing a Republican presidential candidate has received in pre-election polls since the enactment of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.
The question of Hispanic voter preferences is shrouded a bit by disagreements over exactly how you define Hispanic and whether a group that varies so much in historical and geographical origins, language use, and eligibility to vote is really a distinct community. But Cohn is more or less right about the recent history. According to a Roper Center analysis, the Republican share of the Hispanic vote has ranged from a high of 44 percent in George W. Bushs 2004 reelection to a low of 21 percent when Bill Clinton defeated Bob Dole in 1996. Pews analysis of validated voters in 2020 showed Biden defeating Trump among Hispanics by a 66 to 28 percent margin, pretty much in the mid-range of recent presidential results. So if Trump winds up winning 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in November, that would be both impressive and potentially decisive, given the rising percentage of the total vote cast by Hispanics (according to exit polls, 11 percent of the 2016 electorate was Hispanic, as was 13 percent in 2020).
The mid-teens levels of Black support for Trump in the most recent polls sound less impressive but would still be historic. Pews validated-voter studies showed Trump winning 6 percent of the Black vote in 2016 and 8 percent in 2020. It created quite a stir when George W. Bush won 11 percent of the Black vote in 2004 (allegedly attributable in part to heavy promotion of anti-gay-marriage ballot measures targeting Black churchgoers). The last previous Republican to win a double-digit percentage (13 percent) of the Black vote was Richard Nixon in his landslide reelection of 1972.
So whats going on? Why is Trump not getting waxed by historic margins in these sectors of the electorate, particularly with a woman of color from hyperdiverse California opposing him?
Theres no easy answer, and the explanations may differ with respect to Hispanic and Black voters. Democratic pollster Anna Greenberg offered the Washington Post a few ideas based on demographic trends:
[T]he composition of voters of color is not static. If you take Hispanic voters, for example, 10 or 15 years ago, its probable that more of them were, say, first generation and Spanish-speaking. As you have Hispanic voters who have been here longer and are more assimilated and are English-speaking, you would expect them to become politically more like everybody else.
Similarly, if you look at younger Black voters, none of them were around for the civil rights movement. Many of them dont go to church, which is a major organizer and incubator of political activity and participation.
Theres been a lot of talk this year about a big gender gap among voters of color with Trump making especially big gains among Black and Hispanic men. But looking at the actual 2020 vote, there was almost no gender gap among Hispanic voters, and the Black gender gap was pretty much the same as among white voters (Biden actually won Black men by a 75-point margin).
Aside from the factors Greenberg noted, its been obvious for years that a host of demographic trends have boosted Republican prospects among Hispanic voters, including improved (but fragile) economic prospects, an increase in Evangelical Protestant (and especially Pentecostal) religious preferences, and conservative ideological concerns (e.g., the strong anti-socialist views of immigrants from Cuba and South America). In some places (notably Florida and Texas), Republicans have simply outworked Democrats in outreach to these voters. It might behoove Democrats this year to spend a lot of time reminding Hispanic citizens that Trumps pledge to conduct a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants could mean official and unofficial harassment of anyone who looks or sounds foreign.
As for Black voters, what may be taking place is simply an inevitable shift away from monolithic support for the Democratic Party, forged in the emergencies of the civil-rights era and then temporarily extended and even expanded by Barack Obamas presidency. In 1960, Richard Nixon won 29 percent of the Black vote. Four years later, Barry Goldwater, fresh from voting against the Civil Rights Act of 1964, made the GOP the party of southern segregationists, and the two parties have more or less remained polarized on race-related issues ever since. Still, Democrats in power have disappointed Black supporters in large and small ways just enough to ensure a flagging sense of allegiance and an opportunity for Republicans even under Trumps command. Among the many tasks Kamala Harris must address in the short sprint to Election Day should be to restore a sense that the Democratic Party has a valued place for Black voters and their interests. And without question, her ability to sharply limit Trumps gains among people of color will matter a lot to the outcome especially in the diverse battleground states of Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and North Carolina.
After over three hours of a due process public hearing on the revocation of the business license for the Springwood Hotel, the Opelika City Council tabled the issue and will revisit it in one month.
The Opelika City Council voted unanimously to table the revocation of the business license for BRP Hospitality LLC, doing business as Springwood Hotel at 1002 Columbus Parkway. The item will be revisited on Oct. 1 because the council wants to give Springwood Hotel owner Raj Patel and the business time to address various code violations and security issues alleged by city employees during the hearing.
"We've got to have a rock solid, concrete proof that you all have the ability to fix the issues that have been brought forth here," Ward 4 Councilman and Opelika City Council President Eddie Smith said. "It's going to be a lot more expensive to shut the place down, not only monetarily, but with real people with real lives, with real issues. I don't want to make that decision. There's nobody up here that wants to make that decision. Bring us back the information that lets us allow you to stay in business."
The item was brought before the council after Lillie Finley, the purchasing-revenue manager, filed a petition for the revocation of the license that alleged various code violations and said the business was a public nuisance.
City employee believes Springwood is a safety hazard
Opelika Building Official Jeff Kappelman said he inspected the Springwood Hotel after the OPD referred him to the property. Kappelman said he visited first in July and was accompanied by staff from the OPD and Opelika Fire Department and he observed the plumbing chase that exists in the middle of each of the buildings.
"Some of the most horrific conditions I've seen inside of buildings, the pictures speak for themselves. I went through the buildings, one by one. They all had rotten floors, sewage pouring out from the buildings, structural problems with the steel, absolute lack of fire code ceilings," Kappelman said. "It pretty much starts from the bottom up, and you can't repair the second floor without repairing the subfloor on the first floor."
During a cross examination, attorney Algert S. Agricola Jr., who represented Patel and BRP Hospitality, said that the sewage Kappelman observed was due to work that was being completed by Roto-Rooter. Druh Shah is the manager at Springwood and he said the Roto-Rooter work was being done because the pipes were clogged after a guest flushed non-flushable wipes and diapers. Nicholas Georgakopoulos is in charge of maintenance at Springwood and said they were in the process of removing the sewage when Kappelman inspected the property.
Kappleman said there were multiple instances of disconnected plumbing, holes in the celing, mold and some of the steel supports around the exterior were deteriorated. However, Agricola questioned if Kappleman could judge structural integrity and Kappleman said he was not a structural engineer but he did a visual inspection and noted some issues.
Kappelman said he saw numerous issues with rooms having missing smoke detectors, but he said he did not go into the rooms and observed that from the outside. Multiple witnesses connected with the Springwood Hotel said all of the smoke detectors and fire alarms were in tact.
Agricola also presented a department of public health inspection report of five Springwood rooms from March 4 which gave the hotel a score of 98. When asked about it, Kappleman said he guaranteed the inspector did not go into the plumbing chase.
OPD says Springwood has a history of calls and arrests
Captain John Hester oversees the detectives division with the OPD and he said that between Jan. 1, 2021 and July 14, 2024, there were 769 calls made at the Springwood Hotel. Of those calls, there were six weapons calls, 19 drug calls, four burglary or car break-in calls, 14 disturbance calls, one prostitution call, nine assault calls, 18 theft calls, 21 harassment calls, 22 domestic violence calls and 20 criminal trespassing calls. Hester said there were 43 arrests at Springwood in that time.
Hester said they compared the numbers to four other hotels in Opelika. During that time, the Fairfield Inn and Suites at 2257 Interstate Drive had 170 calls and two arrests, the Red Roof Inn at 1520 Columbus Parkway had 548 calls and 11 arrests, the Best Western at 205 North 21st Street had 177 calls and three arrests and the Econo Lodge at 1705 Columbus Parkway had 365 calls and nine arrests.
Hester said initially the remaining calls were labeled as miscellaneous, but he returned to the meeting with a more detailed report on the other calls.
According to the report, read out by City Attorney Guy Gunter, III, there were 221 security checks, 81 traffic stops, 15 service of subpoenas, 60 rescue calls, 42 vehicle crashes, 27 9-1-1 calls, 11 mental health calls, 46 civil disputes, 10 animal complaints and 40 follow-ups.
The hotel has not had security but Georgakopoulos said he and other stuff remove people from the property if they are involved with drugs or other things of that nature.
Springwood ownership shows commitment to move forward
When Agricola presented witnesses connected with the Springwood Hotel, they all expressed a commitment toward moving forward and addressing the issues.
"He wants to operate that business in full compliance with the law. He has undertaken the commitment to remedy all of these problems, and he asks this council to give him time to do that. You can monitor him. He'll let you know who's doing the work, what contracts have been entered into," Agricola said of Patel.
One of the biggest ways they will be doing that is through renewing a partnership with Oyo Hotels, which is based out of Texas. Patel purchased the Springwood Hotel in 2018 and was a franchise of Oyo in the beginning. A couple of years in, Patel opted to go independent. In light of the recent challenges facing the property, Patel is attempting to bring Oyo back into the fold and Gregory Jones, Director of Operations and Strategy for the Southeast for Oyo, was the first witness called by Agricola.
Jones said Patel reached out to him about two weeks ago and that he, along with the CEO and director of operations at OYO, did a walk through of the property and are prepared to offer a letter of intent for a cash infusion ranging from $70,000 to $150,000 into the hotel. In addition to that, Jones said Springwood Hotel would become effectively a franchise again meaning it would be subject to the monitoring and oversight from Oyo.
However, Smith questioned if that amount of money would cover the needed repairs. Jones said they would have to see what the actual cost is.
"Until we see what that number is, maybe it's something that it's out of anyone's control. Unfortunately, until any of us get an estimate, we really don't know," Jones said. "Until we get an actual structural engineer in there to actually look at what needs to happen. Again, everything that I've perceived in the pictures is not giving me a good, clear indication as to, is this really a structural issue or not."
Patel said there are three partners in BRP Hospitality that can cover the costs if needed. Patel also described the main issues at Springwood as cosmetic.
Shah said they would request that the city give them an additional 60 days to get a structural engineer involved, to get a contractor involved and to set up a plan to submit to the city. Shah said if the structural engineer finds that the building is structurally safe, then they would request an additional six months to complete the needed renovations.
Agricola said there are currently about 100 long-term residents living at the Springwood Hotel in between 35 and 40 rooms. The hotel has 100 rooms in total and Patel said 72 are rentable while 28 are not due to various maintenance issues.
As for the security issues, Agricola said that the Springwood Hotel has entered into an agreement with 10-4 Security in Opelika to provide security for the business in the future, which Hester agreed would be a step in the right direction.
Before the hearing was closed, one current resident of Springwood stepped forward to show her support for the hotel, and she said she never felt unsafe since living there all summer.
"I first came to the Springwood because I was escaping a domestic violence situation, and I did not have the money to stay there, but the man and his wife did not care that I didn't have the money to stay there. They just let me stay there, pay what I could and catch up the money," Kimberly Vandiver said. "If there's any way to save this business, let's do it because they're doing things for our community here that other businesses are not doing and would not do."
Rauch and Norris question the process
Less than an hour after the hearing was closed, the item was put up for vote before the council and there was more discussion on the issues, led off by Ward 5 Councilman Todd Rauch. Rauch said he felt the situation was handled incorrectly and that the city should have been aware of it sooner and that BRP should have been given time to fix the issues.
He stressed that they were setting a precedent in this situation and it needed to be taken seriously.
"The responsibility is not yours, Jeff Kappelman, anymore, it is now our responsibility, because you did not call the fire department whenever you had these issues, and you should have made sure that every single thing was addressed, not just this laissez-faire, here's 12 points. If there's 115 problems wrong with that building, I expect to see a piece of paper with 115 things," Rauch said. "We were told that the whole code enforcement and the building inspection that you guys were on it, you guys were doing stuff, and it sounds like you guys are just sitting on your hands until someone calls."
Rauch said he did not feel the city fulfilled its burden of proof to revoke the license.
Ward 1 Councilman George Allen asked Gunter how liable the city would be if they did not revoke the license and something happened at the hotel, such as a fire, and Gunter said if that did happen, the city would probably be a target in litigation.
Ward 2 Councilwoman and President Pro-Tem Erica Baker Norris echoed Rauch's sentiment on the process being messed up and further, she questioned the severity of the issues Kappelman noted in his report. Norris asked if Kappelman could've shut down the building once he saw the issues, and Gunter said he could, but that the city's general policy was to go through the formal process of revoking the license.
"If something happens, that is a huge burden, but the fact that Mr. Kappelman was able to shut down the building and did not, then I'm going to say that the issues are not as severe as what he has provided and requested revocation for," Norris said.
Ward 3 Councilman Tim Aja floated the idea of a conditional denial of the revocation, essentially the council would allow BRP to keep its business license on the condition that the repair work is done and the issues at the Springwood Hotel are addressed. Gunter said there is no provision for such an action. Gunter said council rules indicate that a decision must me made within 30 days after the hearing, unless the licensee agrees to extend that timeframe, so they tabled it to Oct. 1.
Other City Council business
The council approved a downtown street closure for the 5K fundraiser Alabama Institute of the Deaf and Blind, which will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Oct. 19. The council approved a downtown street closure for the City of Opelika's National Night Out event, which will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 1. That event was approved in a 4 to 1 vote with Norris voting against after she expressed her disappointment with the lack of a law enforcement presence at the event.
Norris said she did not know that there were two separate National Night Out events in Opelika. Opelika Police Chief Shane Healey clarified that there are two times during the year that cities can celebrate National Night Out, the first Tuesday in August and the first Tuesday in October. In the city of Opelika, Concerned Citizens of Opelika President Oscar Penn organized an event in Ward 2 on Aug. 6, and the City of Opelika is organizing one for Oct. 1.
"I know prior years because it's in Opelika's Ward 2, in my ward, there have been at that particular event, police support. So I was very disappointed not to have that," Norris said. "The community was disappointed as well. In the future, I would love it if there is more communication and more transparency in regards to changes in plans, in regards to what we're supporting, and our partners are supporting."
The council approved an agreement for engineering services from CDG Engineering & Associates, Inc for the Pepperell Parkway MPO project.
The council approved a professional services agreement with Sain Associates for a Gateway Drive traffic signal study and a signal warrant analysis at 2nd Ave and N 3rd Street.
The council voted to award the contract for the N. 7th St. Storm Drainage Updates project to SDAC in the amount of $874,962.
The move is part of Armenia's broader effort to reduce its dependence on Russia and align itself more closely with the West.
Armenia is considering building a new nuclear power plant with U.S. assistance as an alternative to upgrading its aging Metsamor plant with Russia.
The future of nuclear energy in Armenia is fast emerging as another flashpoint of acrimony between Armenian and Russian leaders.
The countrys aging Metsamor nuclear power plant, the first unit of which went online in 1976, is nearing the end of its lifespan. Armenia in late 2023 struck a deal with Russia to upgrade the facility and extend its operations until 2036. But with bilateral relations now experiencing a quick freeze, underscored by Armenias efforts to ice Russia out of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process, officials in Yerevan are openly exploring other nuclear-energy options.
Metsamors two units generate about 40 percent of Armenias electricity needs, and the facility already received one upgrade in 2016 that extended its lifespan a decade. For much of the 21st century, it has been plagued by safety concerns. In late August, for example, the plant experienced a lightning strike forcing it to disconnect for several days from the countrys electricity grid as a safety precaution.
Consistent with Armenias continuing geopolitical pivot away from Russia toward the West, senior Armenians government officials began signaling in July that they were in discussions with US officials to build a new plant.
The first step in this process is to put in place what officials describe as a legal framework. The transfer of nuclear technology is heavily regulated under US law, and certain safeguards must be in place before any firm commitments are made and construction breaks ground.
[We] cannot move forward without this legal framework, said Armen Grigoryan, secretary of Armenias Security Council, in July. At this point, I can say that the ball is in the United States court.
In August, a State Department official confirmed to Armenian news agency CivilNet that the US government was considering Armenias request to sign a bilateral nuclear compact, known as a 123 Agreement, which would allow the United States to transfer nuclear technology to Armenia, as well as share research and technical knowledge. The deal would be contingent on Armenias adherence to specified nonproliferation principles.
The State Department did not respond to a Eurasianet request in time for publication seeking to clarify the timeline of its review of Armenias application.
Yerevan at this point has stopped short of confirming that a US firm will get the contract to build a new nuclear facility. Officials have hinted that they are keeping the door open for competitive bids from entities headquartered in China, France and even Russia. So far, Russian officials havent specifically commented on the potential US involvement in the construction of a new Armenian nuclear facility.
For Armenia, the new power plant represents an opportunity to both achieve a symbolic split from Russia and reduce very real concerns of energy dependence on the Kremlin. Armenia presently imports fossil fuels from Russia to meet 80 percent of its energy needs, according to the International Energy Agency.
Nuclear energy stands as a cornerstone in our strategy, ensuring both the energy security of our nation and the mitigation of climate change, said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels in March.
By Brawley Benson via Eurasianet.org
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Environmental considerations are emerging as a new factor in dealmaking, with "premium energy basins" like the deepwater Gulf of Mexico gaining attention for their lower emissions profiles.
Dealmaking focus is shifting away from the Permian Basin to other shale plays like the Bakken, Eagle Ford, and Marcellus, driven by high Permian asset prices and scarcity.
U.S. oil and gas M&A activity in 2024 is nearing the record $155 billion level set in 2023, with $100 billion in deals already closed and another $46 billion in the pipeline.
Merger and acquisition activity in the U.S. oil and gas industry is close to reaching the record level of dealmaking booked last year and possibly exceeding it.
The latest insight into M&A in oil and gas comes from Rystad Energy, as quoted by Reuters, which said that dealmaking has hit $100 billion, and there's another $46 billion up for grabs. Last year's M&A total hit an all-time high of $155 billion.
The figures support a view that the U.S. oil and gas space remains a very busy one with regard to consolidation after earlier this year, Enverus also predicted the industry was in for another strong year in dealmaking. The second quarter saw $30.2 billion worth of deals, noting that consolidation activity was already spilling over into other shale plays besides the Permian.
Rystad Energy made the same observation in its new report. The Permian has been the primary focus of dealmakers, but now they are getting interested in other assetsones in places such as the Eagle Ford and the Uinta Basin, per Enverus. Now, Rystad also says that more deals are taking place outside the Permian, with the star shale play being the location of 46% of all deals so far this year, versus 92% of the deals made last year in the space.
The Bakken shale saw a sizeable increase in deals this year, accounting for 12% of the total, Rystad Energy said, while last year's dealmaking there was virtually non-existent. The Uinta basin in Utah is also seeing action. In fact, it was the location of a major deal worth $2 billion, in which SM Energy acquired a local driller, XCL Resources.
"We would love to add that kind of asset in the Permian, but getting something of that size anywhere near that price is really hard right now," the chief financial officer of SM Energy said this week, as quoted by Reuters.
Indeed, assets for sale in the Permian are vanishing fast, and prices are higher than in other basins, with the Permian being the best performer in the shale patch. So, prospective buyers are turning elsewhere to expand their footprint in an increasingly competitive space. Besides the Bakken shale, the Eagle Ford and the Marcellus shale also accounted for sizable chunks of the total deals. The share of the Eagle Ford was 13%, and that of the Marcellus shale was 14%.
The pace of dealmaking will apparently remain fast through the rest of the year, with more large deals still possible. Since the start of the year, there have been 12 deals, each of $1 billion or more, according to the Enverus update from August. That suggested that the total for the year could exceed last year's 19 deals of a billion dollars or more.
As for locations, a separate new report by Rystad Energy suggested these may come to be decided on the basis of factors other than resource availability and price, namely emissions. The consultancy said in its report that despite the push for an energy transition, oil and gas were likely to remain the dominant source of energy. Yet it also said the industry would be under growing pressure to decarbonize, prioritizing its emissions footprint.
"As investors and governments intensify their focus on carbon-reduction goals, identifying basins that can help lower the overall emissions impact is becoming increasingly important," Rystad said, adding it had coined a new term for such basins: premium energy basins. In the U.S., the premium energy basin is the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, Rystad said, adding that the basin also had a significant carbon storage potential thanks to the number of abandoned oil wells.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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OPEC is faced with a similar situation today. Future global oil demand is the subject of much debate. OPEC, of course, has the rosiest outlook for global oil demand. Of the major forecasters, the IEA sees the least demand for next year. If this weeks oil price route is any indication, crude oil markets are of the clear view that there is another supply overhang looming. OPEC must at least to some extent agree with this too, announcing on Thursday a two-month delay to its planned output hike that was supposed to begin in October.
Its reminiscent of a decade ago when OPEC refused to cut production in hopes that falling prices would squeeze out higher-cost U.S. shale. OPEC chose not to cede market share to the United States by withholding production and bolstering prices, handing the U.S. a win. After a couple of years of pressure, Saudi Arabia learned a hard lesson - its defense of market share allowed U.S. shale to claim more market share. U.S. production rose, eroding Saudi Arabias share. OPEC soon cried uncle, and a production cut was implemented to stabilize oil prices.
Both the API and EIA agree: U.S. crude oil inventories shrunk last week - by millions of barrels. U.S. crude oil inventories are down based on five-year averages. Globally, demand is exceeding supply too, but as driving season comes to a close, that could be about to end, leaving OPEC+ in a bit of a sticky situation.
Both the API and EIA agree: U.S. crude oil inventories shrunk last week - by millions of barrels. U.S. crude oil inventories are down based on five-year averages. Globally, demand is exceeding supply too, but as driving season comes to a close, that could be about to end, leaving OPEC+ in a bit of a sticky situation.
Its reminiscent of a decade ago when OPEC refused to cut production in hopes that falling prices would squeeze out higher-cost U.S. shale. OPEC chose not to cede market share to the United States by withholding production and bolstering prices, handing the U.S. a win. After a couple of years of pressure, Saudi Arabia learned a hard lesson - its defense of market share allowed U.S. shale to claim more market share. U.S. production rose, eroding Saudi Arabias share. OPEC soon cried uncle, and a production cut was implemented to stabilize oil prices.
OPEC is faced with a similar situation today. Future global oil demand is the subject of much debate. OPEC, of course, has the rosiest outlook for global oil demand. Of the major forecasters, the IEA sees the least demand for next year. If this weeks oil price route is any indication, crude oil markets are of the clear view that there is another supply overhang looming. OPEC must at least to some extent agree with this too, announcing on Thursday a two-month delay to its planned output hike that was supposed to begin in October.
This will see a delay of 180,000 bpd coming back onto the market - at least theoretically. But were already seeing signs that Saudi Arabia is having a hard time rallying the troops when it comes to sticking with the oil production pact. Iraq is overproducing. The UAE is chomping at the bit for production increases and has fought hard to redo the baseline that would allow it to produce more. Iraq has vowed to curtail oil exports (not production) for even longer to compensate for its chronic overproduction. This is noteworthy in that oil prices show a clear need for OPEC to continue its production cuts for longer, not to lift oil prices but to keep them from sinking further. In so doing, however, they are giving U.S. shale a gift - they are keeping oil prices higher and ceding market share to the United States.
The question is, is this the new norm? Has at least Saudi Arabia - if not the whole of OPEC+ - accepted the fact that it's better to hold prices higher and give market share away? If this is to be the new norm going forward, with Saudi Arabia content to wait into oblivion if it must, is the rest of OPEC willing to do the same? If not, Saudi Arabia may find itself ceding market share not just to the United States but to other OPEC members as well, such as Iraq and the UAE.
Libyas exports remain blocked, and while there were some reports that some oil was getting out, it was largely for domestic use and some ships have been allowed to load from storage. The majority remains hijacked by a new push to take control by two rival governments (Benghazi and Tripoli). On Friday, the Tripoli governments interior minister (Imad Trabelsi) let it be known that meetings had been held over the past 48 hours with security forces (read: various militias). That could easily lead to an armed run on the Central Bank, to forcibly remove Central Bank governor Al-Kabir, who appears to be shifting alliances from Tripoli PM Dbeibah to General Haftar in the east but who has since reportedly fled the country. The Tripoli interior minister denied there were any plans afoot to take the Central Bank by force. They are holding out now for the result of UN talks with representatives from each rival government, but we do not see a consensus being reached at this time. Last week, Libyas total oil output was reported to have been halved, but as of the time of writing, it is unclear how much Libya is producing or exporting right now. The markets are playing a guessing game, and turning their focus back to China demand, OPEC cuts, and various diverse bank forecasts for oil prices this year and next. Early on Friday, Al-Kabir resurfaced after fleeing and claimed that Tripoli governments attempt to take the bank by force had failed
Politics, Geopolitics, & Conflict
Libyas exports remain blocked, and while there were some reports that some oil was getting out, it was largely for domestic use and some ships have been allowed to load from storage. The majority remains hijacked by a new push to take control by two rival governments (Benghazi and Tripoli). On Friday, the Tripoli governments interior minister (Imad Trabelsi) let it be known that meetings had been held over the past 48 hours with security forces (read: various militias). That could easily lead to an armed run on the Central Bank, to forcibly remove Central Bank governor Al-Kabir, who appears to be shifting alliances from Tripoli PM Dbeibah to General Haftar in the east but who has since reportedly fled the country. The Tripoli interior minister denied there were any plans afoot to take the Central Bank by force. They are holding out now for the result of UN talks with representatives from each rival government, but we do not see a consensus being reached at this time. Last week, Libyas total oil output was reported to have been halved, but as of the time of writing, it is unclear how much Libya is producing or exporting right now. The markets are playing a guessing game, and turning their focus back to China demand, OPEC cuts, and various diverse bank forecasts for oil prices this year and next. Early on Friday, Al-Kabir resurfaced after fleeing and claimed that Tripoli governments attempt to take the bank by force had failed and that were assessing the situation right now we might return very soon, based on a phone interview with POLITICO. This is a complicated game in which rival courts are issueing rulings over the control of the Central Bank, and Al-Kabir seems to feel as if he has the upper hand right now; however, his return to the bank is not likely to be smooth, if it happens at this time.
On the Israel-Gaza front, peace talks are getting nowhere, with Hamas killing six hostages and now demanding more Palestinian prisoners being released in the deal. On the other side, Israel is targeting the West Bank, escalating the violence outside of Gaza, though on a smaller scale.
Discovery & Development
CNOOC Limited has announced the start of production at the Wushi 17-2 Oilfields Development Project in Beibu Gulf. The project, featuring a new wellhead platform and oil and gas processing terminal, will involve 43 development wells, including 28 production wells and 14 water-injection wells. Peak production is projected to reach around 9,900 barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2026. CNOOC holds an 80% stake in the project and serves as the operator.
Talos Energy has announced a significant oil and gas discovery at the Ewing Bank 953 well in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, with an estimated recoverable resource of 15-25 million barrels of oil equivalent. Drilling activities at this well revealed approximately 127 feet of net pay at around 19,000 feet TVD, with first production expected by mid-2026. Ewing Bank 953 will be tied back to the South Timbalier 311 Megalodon platform, partially owned by Talos.
Harbour Energy has commenced appraisal drilling at the Kan prospect in the Gulf of Mexico, a field estimated to hold 200-300 Mboe. This follows Harbours recent $11.2 billion acquisition of Wintershall Dea, increasing its stake in Kan from 30% to 70% and making it the operator.
Deals, Mergers & Acquisitions
Brazils 3R Petroleum has rebranded as Brava Energia following its merger with local player Enauta. The combined company is now one of the largest independent oil producers in Latin America, with assets both onshore and offshore. Brava Energia will start trading on the Sao Paulo exchange under the ticker BRAV3 on 9 September. The company has a diversified portfolio with robust low-risk reserves and plans to soon begin production at the Atlanta field in the Santos basin.
Sinochem is considering selling its 40% stake in the Wolfcamp shale oil joint venture with ExxonMobil, with a potential valuation exceeding $2 billion. Discussions are in the preliminary stages, and no deal is confirmed. Sinochem, which has been shifting focus away from oil and gas to new materials and life sciences, may also retain its stake or sell to other interested parties, including rival Asian national oil corporations. If completed, this sale would end Sinochem's involvement in the Permian.
Chinas economic troubles continue to be a major headwind for oil prices. Recent data from Chinas manufacturing sector, which fell to a six-month low, alongside broader economic struggles in its property and export markets, have further dampened the outlook for oil demand from the worlds largest importer. While Chinas oil imports briefly picked up in August,
OPEC+ added to market uncertainty by delaying its planned production increase of 180,000 barrels per day (bpd), initially scheduled for October. The decision to delay output comes amid concerns over fragile demand conditions, particularly with weakening consumption in major markets like China. While the delay provided brief support to prices, it failed to halt the overall bearish momentum. The market remains focused on demand challenges rather than supply constraints, leaving crude prices under pressure. OPEC+ faces a difficult balancing act as it assesses market conditions against its production goals.
Light Crude Oil futures came under significant selling pressure this week, breaching key support levels and intensifying bearish sentiment. After breaking through the $71.02-$73.44 zone, prices dipped below $69.50, marking a critical technical breakdown. This decline leaves the market vulnerable, with $63.21 now appearing as the next significant downside target on the weekly chart.
Weekly Recap and Forecast: Light Crude Oil Futures
Light Crude Oil futures came under significant selling pressure this week, breaching key support levels and intensifying bearish sentiment. After breaking through the $71.02-$73.44 zone, prices dipped below $69.50, marking a critical technical breakdown. This decline leaves the market vulnerable, with $63.21 now appearing as the next significant downside target on the weekly chart.
OPEC+ Delays Production Hike
OPEC+ added to market uncertainty by delaying its planned production increase of 180,000 barrels per day (bpd), initially scheduled for October. The decision to delay output comes amid concerns over fragile demand conditions, particularly with weakening consumption in major markets like China. While the delay provided brief support to prices, it failed to halt the overall bearish momentum. The market remains focused on demand challenges rather than supply constraints, leaving crude prices under pressure. OPEC+ faces a difficult balancing act as it assesses market conditions against its production goals.
Demand Weakness from China
Chinas economic troubles continue to be a major headwind for oil prices. Recent data from Chinas manufacturing sector, which fell to a six-month low, alongside broader economic struggles in its property and export markets, have further dampened the outlook for oil demand from the worlds largest importer. While Chinas oil imports briefly picked up in August, the overall picture remains one of demand weakness. This has added to concerns that the global market could face an oversupply issue if demand doesnt recover soon.
U.S. Demand Slows Amid Seasonal Factors
In the U.S., oil demand has weakened as the summer driving season draws to a close. Additionally, the start of the fall refinery maintenance period in both the U.S. and Europe has reduced crude consumption. This seasonal slowdown in demand coincides with a larger concern over the U.S. economy and oil consumption, contributing to the bearish outlook for prices. Despite a larger-than-expected drop in U.S. crude inventories last weekdown by 7.431 million barrelsthis failed to provide lasting support for prices. The inventory draw offered only temporary relief, and the market quickly refocused on the broader issue of declining demand.
Bearish Market Sentiment and Outlook
Overall, the outlook for Light Crude Oil futures remains bearish. With prices trading below critical weekly support levels and global demand showing no signs of significant recovery, the market is poised for further downside. The failure to hold above $69.50 suggests that a test of $66.66 is likely in the near term, with the potential for a move toward $63.21 if the bearish trend continues.
Key resistance levels at $71.02 and $73.44 are expected to limit any short-term rallies, while the broader technical picture indicates that prices are vulnerable to further declines. The delay in OPEC+ production hikes and the inventory draw, while supportive in the short term, is not enough to offset the weak demand from China and the U.S.
Weekly Light Crude Oil Futures
Trend Indicator Analysis
The main trend is down. It turned down this week when $69.50 failed as support. The trend will change to up on a more through $81.94. As of Thursdays close, the market is trading lower for the week, putting it in a position to continue its four-week losing streak.
The long-term range is $89.44 to $63.21. The market is currently trading on the bearish side of its 50% level at $76.32.
The intermediate-term range is $63.21 to $83.66. Its retracement zone at $71.02 to $73.43 is resistance.
Weekly Technical Forecast
The direction of the Weekly Light Crude Oil Futures market the week-ending September 13 is likely to be determined by trader reaction to the Fibonacci level at $71.02.
Bullish Scenario
A sustained move over $71.02 will signal the presence of strong buyers. If this creates enough near-term momentum then we could see a surge into the 50% level at $73.43.
Bearish Scenario
A sustained move under $71.02 will indicate the presence of sellers. If bearish traders continue to defend this area, we could see a near-term break to $63.21. Whether the market accelerates to the downside or stair-steps lower, will be determined by selling volume and volatility.
Market Forecast: Bearish Outlook Prevails
Without a significant recovery in demand or an unexpected supply disruption, crude prices are likely to remain under pressure. The near-term outlook is bearish, with traders preparing for continued volatility. A lack of improvement in demand, particularly from China, could lead to further declines. The market is expected to stay range-bound with a downward bias unless there's a material shift in fundamentals. Light Crude Oil futures currently face the risk of continued price weakness.
The European Union will receive natural gas supplies that may have Russian gas mixed in, Czech energy minister Jozef Sikela told Bloomberg.
Sikela has been tapped by the Czech government to be its member of the European Commission, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been said to already chosen Sikela to head the energy portfolio for the bloc.
Due to contractual obligations, several eastern European states have continued to buy natural gas from Russia via a pipeline that crosses Ukraine despite the blocs efforts to distance itself from Russian energy supplies. But those obligations are set to end this year, resulting in what many would assume would be a clean break for Russian natural gas flows into EU countries.
The reality, however, could be much different, Sikela warned, with one alternate gas supplier for those eastern countries being Azerbaijana supplier that would make it tricky to prove the origin of the purchased gas.
We need to avoid a situation when we purchase gas that is formally non-Russian, but which could be swapped for Russian gas en route, undermining our efforts to reduce dependency on Russian supplies, Sikela warned.
Russian natural gas pipeline exports to Europe declined by 2% in August compared to both August last year and July 2024, Reuters estimates revealed earlier this week.
In August, gas giant Gazproms average daily pipeline shipments to Europe fell to 89.6 million cubic meters, down by 2% month-on-month and down by 2.3% from August 2023, per the Reuters calculations based on data from European gas transmission group Entsog and Gazproms daily reports on gas transit via Ukraine.
Before the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia supplied around one-third of all the gas to Europe and was the single biggest supplier.
Norway has now replaced Russia and has become the top supplier of gas to Europe.
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com
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The pace at which China will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions will be critical to reaching the global targets to fight climate change, Germanys climate envoy has said.
What China decides to do in its NDC is probably the most important thing to keeping that 1.5-degree target in sight, Jennifer Morgan, Germanys State Secretary and Special Envoy for International Climate Action, said, as carried by Bloomberg.
Germany has recently established a Climate and Transformation Dialogue with China to work on ways to accelerate the energy transition to keep the 1.5-degree target within reach.
In June, ahead of a visit to Japan and China, the German climate envoy said that Chinas contribution will be decisive in our efforts to reach the Paris climate targets and prevent the most severe climate damage from occurring.
China is a global leader in renewable energy investment and capacity installations. But it is also the worlds largest greenhouse gas emitter and continues to approve coal-fired power generation to meet its rising electricity demand without compromising energy security.
Last year, China invested $676 billion in its energy transition, the authorities said in August.
Since 2013, China has been responsible for over 40% of the annual additions to global renewable energy capacity. Last year, Chinas newly installed renewables capacity accounted for more than half of the worlds total, the government said.
China, however, has yet to see its carbon dioxide emissions peak as it is a developing nation and has a massive population. The message came last month from the countrys National Energy Administration in response to speculation that China had achieved peak emissions before its own deadline.
We should not forget that China is still a developing country, pursuing modernization for a huge population, the head of law and institutional reform at the NEA, Song Wen, told media at the end of August.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
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Crude oil exports from Iraq were reduced to around 3.3 million barrels daily last month in a boost to the countrys compliance with OPEC+ supply curbs.
This was down from 3.48 million barrels daily in July and 3.41 million barrels daily in June.
Reuters cited the Iraqi oil ministry as saying the country would maintain reduced levels of exports in the coming months as well as it seeks to compensate for overproduction and overexporting earlier in the year.
Also this week, OPEC+ said it would delay a planned partial rollback of the production cuts by two months because of the downward trend in international oil prices and few bullish factors to reverse that trend anytime soon.
Iraq, which is the second-largest producer in OPEC, is a regular laggard in production control deals in the cartel because of its overwhelming dependency on oil revenues as a source of financing for the state.
In a bid to boost those, earlier this year the government in Baghdad changed its oil and gas investment regime from technical service contracts to profit-sharing agreements as it sought to attract more fresh investment to its energy sector.
Under the profit-sharing contracts, the winners of the licensing rounds are being offered a share of the revenue from the license after deducting royalty and cost recovery expenses, an anonymous official at the Iraqi Ministry of Oil told Reuters.
In contrast, traditional technical service contracts offer a flat rate for every barrel of oil produced after reimbursing costs. They generally pay foreign investors less than what they would have received under production-sharing contracts.
Foreign firms operating in Iraq have complained that the technical service contracts, with the flat rate, do not allow them to benefit when international crude oil prices rise. These contracts become even less lucrative for foreign investors when costs increase.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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Crude oil prices were up earlier today but were still heading for a loss even after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a weekly decline in inventories and OPEC+ said it would delay its rollback of production cuts by two months.
The EIA reported an estimated inventory decline of 6.9 million barrels for the week to August 30 on Thursday, which pushed prices higher for a while but did not offset earlier losses.
Also on Thursday, media reported that OPEC+ had decided to delay its potential partial reversal of production cuts by two months. Reuters cited three unnamed sources from the group as saying the decision was made after prices hit the lowest in nine months. Original plans were to bring back 180,000 bpd to global production beginning in October, depending on market conditions.
Meanwhile, the demand side remained dominant among traders as pessimism about Chinese growth persisted.
We see the OPEC+ unwind delay, ongoing geopolitics, and financial positioning providing price support at $70 to $72 Brent, Citi analysts said as quoted by Bloomberg. The publication also noted signs of weakening demand for fuels in two of the worlds biggest markets: China and India.
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, Mizuho energy futures head Bob Yawger told Reuters.
In further bearish news for oil, Libyas two main political factions were reported to be close to reaching a deal on the appointment of a new governor of the countrys central bank, which would put an end to oil field shutdowns that took 700,000 bpd of Libyan crude off the market.
Analysts at Jefferies noted, however, that OPEC+s decision to delay the rollback of the cuts would tighten inventories by between 100,000 bpd and 200,000 bpd in the final quarter of the year.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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An 18-year-old Omaha man will spend the rest of his life in prison for his involvement in a series of 2021 shootings that left one person dead and three wounded.
Quan White, who was 15 at the time of the shootings, was found guilty by a jury this summer on 11 felony charges: first-degree murder, first-degree assault, robbery, theft by unlawful taking, five counts of use of a firearm to commit a felony and two counts of discharging a firearm at an occupied structure. White was tried alongside another 18-year-old, Mariano Flores, who was found guilty on identical charges.
White, Flores and a third teen, 18-year-old Nowa Kawunda, were involved in the slaying of 37-year-old Timothy Washington III in June 2021 and the nonfatal shootings of three other people. The targets were not known to the teens, prosecutors said. They were looking for opps in known crip neighborhoods, prosecutors said.
On Thursday, Douglas County District Judge Todd Engleman sentenced White to what is effectively a life sentence with a minimum of 320 years and a maximum of life in prison. A first-degree murder conviction typically results in an automatic life sentence, but because White was a juvenile at the time of the killings, he received a sentence of 40 years to life on the murder charge.
Flores is set to be sentenced in December. Kawunda, who was 14 at the time of the shootings, accepted a plea deal and was sentenced in August to 27 to 40 years on charges of robbery and use of a firearm to commit a felony.
According to court documents, on the evening of June 13, 2021, White, Flores and Kawunda were picked up by an acquaintance who was driving a white Volkswagen Jetta. After Kawunda assaulted the acquaintance by striking him with a firearm, the three teens stole the Volkswagen.
Shortly after 2 a.m. June 16, Washington was shot and killed while sitting in a car outside BJs gas station near 39th Street and Ames Avenue. Witnesses observed a white Jetta drive by the gas station while firing shots, make a U-turn, and then fire more shots before fleeing from the scene. A woman near the gas station was shot and injured.
After leaving the gas station, the three teens drove to the Spencer Homes East public housing apartments. Though the complexes have since been demolished, the apartments were still occupied in June 2021.
According to court documents, video surveillance showed two males shooting from the north side of the building before running toward a white Volkswagen and fleeing from the scene. Two people a woman in her apartment and a man sitting in his car were injured in the shooting.
After hearing two weeks of testimony about the case in June, it took Douglas County jurors just three hours to find White and Flores guilty on all charges.
A tug of war between businesses that cater to pets has landed a tangled question at the feet of urban planners and the Omaha City Council.
Where and how can doggy day cares do their business in Omaha?
The Omaha City Council must decide whether Dogtopia of Omaha-Northwest can continue letting peoples best friends outside to potty and play in a fenced area behind the business, near 156th and West Maple Road.
City zoning codes say no, even though Dogtopias been doing so for at least 12 years. Planning Department officials have told the owner, Derrick Reinhart, that he must close the outdoor area behind his area, which is part of a shopping plaza near an apartment complex.
Reinhart is asking for an exception to the rules, noting that there have been no complaints from neighbors about his business, only a complaint lodged by a competitor. The City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on an ordinance that would grant his request.
The City Planning Department is recommending the city deny Reinharts request. It says the rules dont allow for the outdoor play area in such a mixed-use district and for good reason.
Mixed-use districts are designed to allow for businesses and residences that complement each other, like pedestrian-friendly areas with shops, apartments and restaurants with outdoor seating, Omaha Planning Director Dave Fanslau said.
We dont feel that having dogs let out on their own to relieve themselves is a good neighbor to those other uses, he said. Someone sitting on an outdoor patio shouldnt have to listen to dogs barking.
At least one council member, Vice President Aimee Melton, wants to give Dogtopia a break and grant the request for a change to the mixed-use development agreement on the property.
This is a very unique situation, Melton said during a 20-minute public hearing on the issue recently. Sometimes, as a City Council, we have to look at these situations and go, we need to have a little common sense, and we also need to be fair.
She said she planned to amend the proposed ordinance to restrict the agreement to only the current owner.
That could ease concerns that making the exception would set a bad precedent. Kevin Irish, the owner of a similar business, Paw Spaw Pet Resort, who identified himself as a competitor, told the council that making an exception for Dogtopia would allow the camels nose under the tent.
Pretty soon the camels in the tent, Irish said.
He said allowing the exception could lead to large retailers opening day cares with outdoor play areas in neighborhoods. He said he spent several hundred thousand dollars to build an entirely indoor area for dogs to relieve themselves in the Paw Spa he opened in Omaha.
Melton disagreed.
I wouldnt consider that were setting any kind of bad precedent today, because this business has been there for 17 years and I understand that this all started, I guess, with basically some competitors basically filing things against each other, she said.
Fanslau said its up to the council to decide. But he said that in his opinion, granting Dogtopias request opens the door for others at least to ask for similar exceptions.
And then it will be up to the council to decide what sets of circumstances to apply, what circumstances make it OK or not OK, he said.
I have to bring him here, dog owner says
The councils decision will affect not only the business, but also the owners of about 80 dogs that people bring daily to Dogtopia.
I need the outdoor to stay open, or I cant keep coming here, because he needs to go outside, Julie Selk said while dropping off her high-energy German shorthaired pointer, Goose, on Wednesday.
The only other doggy day care in the area has a waiting list, she said.
Selk has been taking Goose to Dogtopia Omaha-Northwest for 1 1/2 years. She works from home. He goes to day care four days a week.
He gets restless; he needs some activity during the day, she said. If I want to get any work done, I have to bring him here.
Goose has good canine and human friends at Dogtopia. Hes treated well there, and comes home worn out, Selk said.
Its great, she said.
As Selk spoke Wednesday, a woman emerged through Dogtopias front door.
Goose man! she enthused, eliciting vigorous wags from the pointer.
The woman was Stephanie Vaughn, general manager of Dogtopia of Omaha-Northwest.
Inside, she led Goose past a grooming area, where workers were clipping and trimming six dogs. The business also has indoor play rooms and an inside overnight boarding area.
This came out of nowhere, Vaughn said. We get inspected all the time. Weve never had a problem. Weve never had any complaints or concerns by any neighbors, by any facilities around here. ... The apartment building behind us has never complained about any noise or anything.
She said the dogs are let outside for play and potty breaks in the mornings and afternoons.
Theyre definitely not out there all day, she said.
In an earlier interview, Reinhart said there are typically about 20 or 25 dogs outside at a time. Theyre always monitored, he said. Late Wednesday morning, dogs could be heard barking from the parking lot around the business and up a hill behind Torrey Pines apartments.
Reinhart said he bought the business four years ago. Previous owners built the outdoor fenced-in area. City aerial photographs suggest it might have been built about 12 years ago, and expanded in 2019.
He said about 140 dogs a day come through the businesss door for grooming and/or day care and boarding. If his application is denied, he said, he isnt sure what hell do. He might turn the outdoor area into an indoor area, if thats feasible.
Reinhart said he understands city officials concerns. Another Dogtopia location he owns is one of several doggy day cares that recently won a waiver from the Omaha Zoning Board of Appeals after a competitor filed complaints about them. That option was not available for the northwest Dogtopia because of the mixed-use zoning.
Meanwhile, the issue and increasing demand for pet services businesses has sparked research by city planners into whether such city zoning code could be tweaked to allow doggie day cares to operate with outside areas in other types of zoning districts.
Staff is doing research on other zoning districts and where they might be appropriate, Fanslau said. One of our thoughts is industrial.
Thats allowed in neighboring Sarpy County. In such an industrial district, dogs can go outside and bark and theres nobody around to care, Fanslau said.
Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of August 2024
LINCOLN A student brought a rusty, unloaded handgun they found outdoors to Belmont Elementary School on Thursday, officials from the Lincoln Police Department and Lincoln Public Schools said.
According to the school district, staff at Belmont received a report around 12:30 p.m. that a 10-year-old student had shown other students what they thought was a toy gun.
Teachers and administrators at the school, 3425 N. 14th St., interviewed the student and searched for the gun but could not find it.
Nearly an hour later, another student found a handgun in one of the restrooms and turned it in to a staff member.
Police officers determined the handgun was real but was not loaded. Superintendent Paul Gausman said at a press conference at the district office Thursday afternoon that at no time was anyone in danger.
The gun found was a .380 pistol. Police say the firearm may be tracked to its owner, but due to all the rust, it is unclear if the serial number on the gun is legible.
Officials said the student who brought the gun to school said they found it outdoors, likely days earlier. It was not clear where the gun was found, but it was rusty and likely unusable. Assistant Chief Ryan Dale said at the press conference the gun was so covered in rust that officers struggled to open the slide where ammunition is inserted to check if it was loaded.
Police believe the student found the gun at a nearby park that was not on school property.
The district did not say how old the student is or what consequences he or she will face legally or at the district level.
The school went into its hold protocol and kept students in their classrooms and administrators called police. Under this protocol, classes continue but students are not allowed out of classrooms. A lockdown protocol requires teachers to lock the doors, turn off lights and move away from the door.
Gausman said the response time from both Belmont staff and police was a testament to the districts training, which staff and students are required to complete annually.
I want to be very clear about this, that this conversation that were having today, this press conference that were having today, could have been much more significant. Things went as well as they did today because our training worked today, he told reporters. When someone saw something that was uncomfortable, they reported it and our staff members immediately took action.
In an email to families, Belmont Assistant Principal Amy Dixon said that she was proud of the students who reported the gun to staff.
It is the important work of our staff at Belmont in building trusting relationships with our students that lead to this serious situation being resolved without anyone being hurt, the email said. We are thankful for the quick response by Lincoln police and their continued collaboration in keeping our students and staff safe.
This was the second incident involving a gun brought to a Lincoln elementary school in the past 18 months.
In February 2023, a fifth grader brought a loaded gun to Prescott Elementary and used it to threaten another student. In that case, neither the student nor the parents faced criminal charges.
Flash
Hunter Biden is pictured at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 20, 2024. [Photo/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.
File Photo
Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the ongoing supplementary elections in the state while calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately call off the exercise.
Kano State Chairman of the party Engineer Rabiu Sulieman Bichi disclosed this on Saturday, during a press conference of the party which was addressed at the residence of the partys leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
What we have in Kano is nothing but a sham, he stated adding that from the reports reaching them in the past 24 hours, thugs affiliated to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Kano State Government have taken over all the 208 polling units in the state.
According to him, the thugs were imported from Kastina, Kaduna, Plateau and other neighboring states, adding that they were armed to the teeth while posing as members of the electorates of those localities.
Bichi said that they freely voted with PVCs that do not belong to them, while alleging that their agents were denied access and driven away from the polling units across the state.
We have reports that some of our agents have been killed, vehicles burnt, property destroyed in Doguwa, Nassarawa, Minjibiri, Dala and Tudun Wada Local elections, he stated.
Some have sustained various degrees of injuries, including the elected members representing Gwale Local Government at Guru Ward in Rimin Gado Local Government, he added.
The chairman, who was accompanied to the press conference by the governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, also alleged that in some instance security agencies meant to secure the process gave cover to the thugs as they unleashed mayhem against the members of the PDP.
He said that in the light of these and other infractions, We have lost faith in the whole exercise and call on INEC to cancel the election.
In his reaction, however, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas Sanusi, blasted the opposition for peddling what he considered to be falsehoods.
He called on INEC not to call off the poll on the grounds that the accusations leveled by the PDP against the process were unfounded.
The chairman expressed surprise that the PDP was calling for the cancellation of the poll when the exercise was still going, even as he dismissed claims that they imported thugs into the state to undermine the process.
He called on the people of the state to remain calm and await the final results of the election.
Alhaji Abbas told the opposition that Gama area belongs to the APC, adding that both Deputy Governor Yusuf Gwanna and the former Governor of the state, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, are all from Gama area and its neighborhood.
Kano State Commissioner of Information Mallam Mohammed Garba, who said that he was also attacked by rival thugs, disclosed that nobody was prevented from exercising his civic responsibility during the supplementary poll.
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, wants the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to clampdown on those he described as Yahoo politicians in the country alleging that they are responsible for breeding the internet fraudsters giving the country a bad name abroad.
Frank asks the anti-graft agency to team up with international security agencies to fish out the yahoo yahoo politicians who suddenly became rich after their tenure of office.
According to him, a situation where a governor, minister or any other government appointee who was nowhere financially before they get into public office suddenly become stupendously affluent after their tenure in that office need to be investigated
According to him, until the EFCC and the ICPC stop protecting Yahoo politicians, both in and out of government, it will be difficult to discourage the prevalence of internet fraud being perpetrated by some young Nigerians.
Reacting to the long list of internet fraudsters released by the FBI recently, Comrade Frank said corruption is gradually becoming a criteria to get appointment, especially under the current administration.
The Yahoo politicians are the role models of these Yahoo Yahoo Boys. Those in government today are not immune. They have turned Nigeria to the capital of poverty in the world.
The Yahoo appointees and governors will throw elaborate parties and dinners once they assume public office because they see it as an opportunity to loot the treasury.
When you look at the antecedent of most of the members of recently inaugurated federal cabinet, majority of them have been guests of either the EFCC or the ICPC in the past. If known criminals are accorded such privileges, then, what is the government telling the young ones?
It is only in Nigeria that an suspect and an anti-corruption prosecutor, would later become members of the federal executive council.
READ ALSO: Buhari centre fires back at Timi Frank, says Jonathan should apologize to Nigerians, not Buhari
In a country where about 90% of citizens are living in abject poverty, the Yahoo Yahoo politicians in the National Assembly have no qualms budgeting N5.5 billion to acquire choice SUVs for themselves. That most university graduates are roaming the streets jobless is a cause for concern.
The Yahoo presidency fights corruption only on the pages of Newspapers, labels the opposition elements as thieves while it openly and consciously protects the armed-robbers within the government.
Even the institutions established to fight corruption have been politicised and heavily compromised. They dare not torch the yahoo politicians in the good books of the ruling party.
He, urged the FBI to help Nigeria in the fight against corruption by clamping down on the Yahoo politicians who brazenly steal public funds and run to oversea countries like United State of America and other European countries to enjoy their booty.
Frank also asked the FBI and INTERPOL to focus on Nigerian yahoo politicians and yahoo judges who award jaundiced judgements to the yahoo presidency and the yahoo politicians to the detriment of justice, democracy and the well-being of Nigerians.
BLOOMINGTON Bloomington police are on scene of a shots fired incident on the west side of the city.
About 3:15 p.m., officers were called to the area of Washington and Howard streets for reported gunfire. On scene, they found evidence that a shooting had occurred, said Bryce Janssen, public information officer for the Bloomington Police Department.
No injuries were reported.
The departments criminal investigations unit was called in to investigate, and by 5 p.m. the area was considered secure, police said.
West Front Street was closed to traffic, including sidewalks, from Howard Street to South Morris Avenue.
No further information, including suspect information, was immediately available Thursday.
Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Bloomington police at 309-820-8888.
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
As we stand on the cusp of a new era in technology and societal change, the future of insurance is more dynamic and complex than ever. Gazing into the crystal ball reveals a landscape where innovation and adaptation redefine the industry. Here's a forward-looking exploration of what the future might hold for insurance.
Hyper-Personalisation Through AI and Data Analytics: The days of one-size-fits-all policies will soon be outmoded. The future of insurance will see a significant shift towards hyper-personalisation, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics. AI can analyse vast amounts of data to create highly customised policies. Insurers will harness vast amounts of data from driving habits to lifestyle choices to tailored policies with unprecedented precision. Imagine a world where your insurance premium adjusts in real-time based on your health metrics or driving behaviour, providing a customised experience. Lemonade, an Insurtech startup, uses AI to process claims and offer personalised insurance policies. Their AI-driven platform allows for rapid underwriting and claims processing, exemplifying how AI can tailor insurance offerings to individual needs with remarkable precision.
Blockchain for boosted transparency and Efficiency: Blockchain technology is poised to revolutionise the insurance industry by enhancing transparency, security, and efficiency. Smart contracts powered by blockchain could automate claims processing and reduce fraud. By creating immutable records of transactions, blockchain can ensure that all parties involved have access to the same information, fostering trust and reducing disputes. Blockchain technology will revolutionise the insurance industry by offering enhanced transparency and efficiency. Smart contracts on blockchain can automate and streamline claims processing. Etherisc, a blockchain insurance startup, is developing parametric insurance products for natural disasters, where claims are automatically triggered based on predefined parameters. This approach reduces administrative costs and minimises fraud by ensuring transparent transactions.
The upsurge of Parametric Insurance: Parametric insurance is set to become a more common feature in the future landscape. Unlike traditional insurance, which relies on detailed claims processes, parametric insurance pays out automatically based on predefined parameters. If a natural disaster hits, a policy might trigger an automatic payout once certain criteria (like wind speed or rainfall levels) are met. This approach simplifies the claims process and speeds up financial relief for policyholders. For instance, Flock Insurance in London uses parametric models to offer drone insurance. Claims are processed automatically if a predefined risk threshold is met, such as weather conditions or equipment malfunction.
Digital Transformation and Customer Experience: The digital revolution will continue redesigning customer expectations and experiences in the insurance industry. Expect more intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for managing policies, filing claims, and receiving support. Virtual assistants and chatbots will become standard, providing round-the-clock assistance and streamlining interactions. Companies like Root Insurance in the United States are at the forefront of this shift, offering a mobile-first experience where users can manage policies, file claims, and receive support entirely through an app. This digital approach simplifies interactions and provides a more seamless experience for tech-savvy consumers. It is worth noting that the digital transformation agenda is rising in Ghana, with several insurance companies leading the way. The Hollard Purple app offers end-to-end policy management, Enterprise Advantage App, and My Super Star App, to mention a few.
Integration with the Internet of Things (IoT): The Internet of Things (IoT) will further refine insurance offerings by integrating real-time data from connected devices. Home insurance policies could adjust based on data from smart home devices that monitor for fire, flooding, or break-ins. Similarly, health insurance could leverage data from wearable devices to offer personalised wellness plans and detect potential health issues before they become serious. For example, Metromile, a pay-per-mile car insurance provider in the United States, uses telematics devices to monitor driving habits. This data allows for personalised pricing based on actual mileage and driving behaviour, reflecting a more accurate risk assessment and offering potential savings for low-mileage drivers. The Easy As Taking A Picture (ETAP) app is another worthy example of the application of intelligent technologies in Africa. Coming soon into Ghana, this app rewards safe driving behaviours by carefully collecting and analysing data using telematics. ETAP offers instant coverage, crash notification, emergency support, seamless claims processing, and more.
Insurtech Disruption: Insurtech startups drive innovation in the insurance sector, pushing traditional insurers to rethink their approaches. These startups are developing new technologies, business models, and customer experiences that challenge established norms. The future will see increased collaboration between traditional insurers and Insurtech, fostering a more dynamic and competitive industry. Companies like Hubtel, Npontu, Redpear, and Sasai are leading these collaborative platforms for insurance companies in Ghana to increase their reach and tap into the uninsured markets and the informal sectors of the Ghanaian economy. By focusing on technology and customer-centric solutions, Insurtech is pushing the barriers of traditional insurance markets and challenging established insurers to innovate and adapt.
Sustainability and ESG: As the impacts of climate change become more pronounced, Insurers are increasingly focusing on sustainability, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors. This includes investing in renewable energy projects, launching ESG-focused products and incorporating ESG factors into underwriting and investment decisions. Climate change will push insurers to incorporate more sophisticated risk assessment tools to evaluate environmental risks. Insurers also play a crucial role in promoting sustainability by offering incentives for eco-friendly practices and investments in green technologies. Swiss Re's "Climate Resilience" platform uses advanced analytics to evaluate the impact of climate change on insurance portfolios, helping insurers adjust coverage and pricing to reflect new environmental realities.
On-Demand and Usage-Based Coverage: The future may bring innovative insurance coverage models. On-demand insurance, where coverage is activated only when needed (such as for a specific event or period), will likely gain traction. Additionally, usage-based insurance could become more prevalent, particularly in sectors like auto insurance, where coverage is based on actual usage patterns rather than static factors. Trov insurance startup, based in the United States, offers on-demand coverage for personal items like electronics and camera equipment. Users can activate or deactivate coverage via an app, paying only for the time the items are covered, which reflects a growing demand for flexible, usage-based insurance solutions.
Vehicle Electrification: The future of electric cars and insurance is rapidly changing due to technological advancement and shifting customer needs. Electric Vehicles (EVs) will introduce changes to insurance, including rates, coverage, pricing, and claims handling, to mention a few. EVs will be an enabling platform for autonomous driving and connectivity, with more potential for disruption coming from their direct-to-consumer sales model.
Micro and SME Insurance in Focus: The future of micro and SME insurance is rapidly changing because of shifting customer needs and digital transformation. Insurers are adopting a more customer-centric approach to meet the unique needs of SME customers. SME's and micro-based customers constantly seek simple yet affordable comprehensive bundled products that meet their changing needs and expectations. Insurers seek partnerships with telcos, fintech, insurtechs, banks, market associations, trade unions, etc. Indeed, the future is inclusive insurance.
Ethical and Privacy Considerations: As data collection and analysis become more integral to insurance, ethical and privacy considerations will be paramount. Balancing personalised service with data protection will be a critical challenge. Insurers must navigate regulatory landscapes and build robust systems to safeguard customer information while delivering value. Future developments will require privacy protections and transparent data practices to address consumer concerns and comply with evolving regulations. Regulation requirements would become more stringent as the world pushes for compliance with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
Impact of rising cyber security concerns on Insurance: Cyber security continues to pose significant threats to individuals and businesses across the globe. Cyber threats have become increasingly disruptive and incessant than a decade ago. This risk is ranked 4th by the World Economic Forum in the 2024 Global Risk Report over the next 2-year period. This emerging risk would drive new products to help individuals and businesses better protect their technology resources and respond when cyber-attacks them. The impact on claims arising from business interruptions can be more devastating than most traditional property insurance risks because of the potential to disrupt global services and networks. Just imagine the impact and cost of the recent CrowdStrike cyber interruptions a few weeks ago. That single cyber event resulted in multi-dimensional insurance claims with far-reaching implications.
Evolving Regulatory Landscapes: Insurance regulation will continue to evolve in response to technological advancements and new risks. Regulators will face the challenge of keeping pace with rapid changes while ensuring consumer protection and market stability. For instance, Ghana's National Insurance Commission (NIC) introduced a regulatory sandbox to promote innovation. It allows insurance firms, Insurtech's and fintech's to test new products and services in a controlled environment. The International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) is working on guidelines to address emerging technologies and their impact on the insurance sector. In the future, there may be more global harmonisation of insurance regulations, facilitating cross-border operations and consumer protection.
In Conclusion, the insurance industry stands on the verge of profound transformation. The future promises to be exciting but challenging, from AI-driven personalisation and blockchain innovations to new coverage models and evolving regulations. By embracing these changes and proactively addressing emerging issues, insurers can navigate the complexities of tomorrow's landscape and continue to provide value in an increasingly digital and data-driven world.
Looking through the crystal ball, it's clear that the future of insurance will be defined by adaptability, innovation, and a commitment to meeting the evolving needs of consumers in an ever-changing world.**Reference: ** Swiss Res Approach to Climate Risk, Swiss Re Institute, 2023.
Reference: How Insurtech is Disrupting the Insurance Industry, TechCrunch, 2023.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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Three suspects have been arrested by the police in connection with alleged murder of a Chinese, at Watereso in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.
The suspects believed to be illegal gold miners (galamseyers), were identified as Abdullah Mohammed, 45, Kwadwo Mensah 32, and Robert Agyei, 29.
They were supposed to be workers of the Chinese, Yao Xian, 52, a miner.
According to a police source, Xian was shot in the chest by some unknown assailants while riding a motorcycle at 11:00 am at Manso Watreso.
The source said the Chinese clad in a club, t-shirt over black trousers, was found in a nearby bush on the Watreso Motor road with a deep hole in the chest suspected to have been sustained from a gunshot.
It said searches were conducted in the respective rooms of the suspects and one pump action gun (ASAR 2883 2014) with seven rounds of live AA ammunition was found in Robert Agyeis room.
According to the source, Agyei, told the police that the gun had not been fired before, but inspection and examination of the gun proved otherwise.
The source said that some of the suspects were on the run, but they did not take away any valuable from the Chinese.
Source: Ghanaian Times
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The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called for an end to partisan politics in the countrys educational institutions.
Consequently, he has challenged academia to wean itself from gross partisanship and cultivate a culture of rigorous objectivity.
This should allow the university as a collective responsibility to establish the right mechanism for rigorous continuous evaluation of performance of national institutions and help inject some efficiency into the system, he stated.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, made the call after receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree (LLD Honaris Causa) from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) yesterday.
The award was in recognition of his contribution not only to his area of jurisdiction but other regions that had resulted in a number of transformations to the cause of humanity in diverse areas.
In a citation, the university acknowledged the Asantehene for his meritorious and distinguished service to the nation, particularly his commitment to promoting unity and development in Asanteman and other regions as well as his significant contribution to humanity in the area of water and sanitation, health, education, entrepreneurship, culture and heritage.
Purveyor of traditional jurisprudence, advocate of rule of law, promoter of peace and stability, and generational thinker, entrepreneur, guardian of culture and heritage, statesman, distinguished traditional leader and a role model, the citation stated.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that, the weaning of academia from gross partisanship, would help the country inspire a new era in which the achievement of measurable national things take precedence over the pursuit of personal gains.
He indicated that one reason the role of academia had been downplayed was that, abrasive political division had permeated campuses.
We have turned them into battle ground for partisan combat instead of having it for reviving and dispensing knowledge, he said.
The Asantehene called for a special relationship between academia and state, saying You are the teachers who are preparing and mentoring the men and women who are taking control of our lives as political leaders, judges, economists, bankers, and military officers among others.
As teachers, you are like parents who should have a lifetime interest in the performance of their students as their success inspires you, so their failures should burden you. We can begin fashioning a new relationship between state and academia that engages the experts of academia in the process of policy formation, he said.
He noted that, it would be beneficial for the country to create a unique quadrangle involving professors from the academia, business leaders, traditional leaders and government that would address the seemingly protractible governance of the economy.
That, he indicated, would be the beginning of a continuous collaboration between academia, the state and captains of industries in finding solutions to the many of the countrys problems.
He said with the combined natural resource and human resources available and the heritage at the nations disposal, the country cannot afford to fail, saying we will only fail if we want to and I dont believe that there is any Ghanaian who contemplates failure anytime.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, therefore, called on Ghanaians not to give heed to any doctrine of despair but work towards a new era for the nation.
Source: Ghanaian Times
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Governance Analyst and Development Expert, Dr. Benjamin Otchere Ankrah has questioned the loud silence of Organised labour, on the discussions pertaining to the devastating impact of illegal mining activities on rivers and other water bodies.
The conversation on illegal mining has resurfaced following the Ghana Water Company Limited announced that it is unable to get raw water to process for consumers in Cape Coast, Elmina and its environs due to the activities of illegal mining.
Ghana Water Company Limited has raised concerns over the relentless illegal mining activities in the Pra River, which are severely disrupting their operations.
Already, there have been reports of water shortages in parts of Cape Coast and its surroundings due to the inability of the water company to treat and pump the required litres to be supplied to customers.
On Peace FMs 'Kokrokoo' morning show on Thursday, September 5, 2024, Dr. Otchere Ankrah said, Who else should we entrust with the mandate to fight illegal mining apart from the President. The President should just act. As said by the Speaker of Parliament, we are unable to crack the whip because we are sponsored by galamseyers. Let us remember that if everyone in the country should perish as a result of the illegal mining, then who would you come to govern as President and Parliamentarian?"
Dr. Ankrah stated that governance in its purest state is to galvanise resources in terms of quality and quantity to solve societal problems.
If we cant solve galamsey, what else can we solve then? he quizzed.
Galamsey sites are full of arms and this is scary. The question therefore, is, where did they get all these arms from?"
He further lamented over the impudence that people have to transport excavators from the port which is driven through police checkpoints and barriers straight to the forest for galamsey activities yet the chiefs and state protocols turn a blind eye to the activities of galamseyers thereby urging them on to commit more atrocities to nature which adversely affects the health of the consumers of products infested with galamsey chemicals.
An excavator is not a pen drive that you could hide in your pocket without anyone seeing it. I will be glad to hear from the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), and National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and all Organised Labour that they are demonstrating against the menace of illegal mining. Why are they all very quiet? This is our life! Dr. Ankrah vented.
Watch video below
Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Rev. Professor Paul Frimpong-Manso, a former President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), has expressed serious concern regarding the rapid growth of illegal mining activities in Ghana, which has had a devastating effect, according to a myjoyonline.com report.
He cautioned that if not tackled immediately, galamsey has the potential of becoming a threat to the nation.
"We are sitting on a time bomb. It is a disaster. We are committing national genocide, not only against ourselves but against generations yet unborn," he said.
He made this statement on JoyNews' Upfront on September 5, 2024.
Prof. Frimpong Manso condemned both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for failing to tackle illegal mining.
"If Otumfuo could recently sack three chiefs, if two journalists can arrest some people and bring them to justice, if a king in the Eastern Region can order bulldozers to be burned, what about those who control the police, the Mining Commission, the Minister, the District Chief Executives (DCEs), and the rest?" he questioned.
He emphasized total institutional failure, arguing that words alone cannot solve the issue unless action is taken.
"As for the Church leaders, please, we are the conscience of the nation. We must either keep quiet and sink together with the populace... So, to my fellow church leaders, we must preach the truth. People may hate us, fight us, or not understand us, but that is what Desmond Tutu and others did to liberate South Africa from apartheid," he said.
Prof. Frimpong Manso said that illegal mining has become increasingly harmful and advised church leaders to go beyond preaching the gospel and turning a deaf ear to the issue at hand.
"Our nation is being destroyed. We are heading toward national doom, and it's better late than never. I hope that by this coming Sunday, church leaders will wear red bands, go out, and demonstrate - even if it is to the Jubilee House or elsewhere," he said.
Source: ghanaweb.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituency, Frank Annoh Dompreh, has been heavily criticised by Prof Kofi Agyekum, Professor of Linguistics at the University of Ghana, Legon, and the host of Peace FMs 'Kokrokoo' Morning Show, Kwami Sefa Kayi, over his comments on the floor of Parliament asserting that the NDC has destroyed more rivers than the NPP with galamsey activities.
The issue of illegal mining, popularly referred to as galamsey, ignited a fierce debate in Parliament on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. There were exchanges between members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
During the Parliamentary proceedings, the majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh Dompreh asserted that the NDC had caused more damages to the water bodies, and by extension, the environment, through galamsey activities than the NPP.
During the altercation in Parliament, Frank Annoh Dompreh said, If we are to look and investigate both sides of the house (NDC and NPP), I can tell you that the NDC polluted the water more than us. So lets get matters straight.
Frank Annoh Domprehs comment has received a lot of backlash from Ghanaians with members of the opposition calling for his resignation.
In a panel discussion on Thursday, September 5, 2024, on Peace FMs 'Kokrokoo' morning show, Prof Kofi Agyekum said, Why has Parliament turned discussion on galamsey into a league? What would have happened if you didnt make the statement you made? This statement should have been made by one of the backbenchers in Parliament and he or she will be forgiven, but not a whole majority Chief Whip of Your calibre. Once you make a statement of this sort, then we are doomed. What your statement presupposes is that, the fight against galamsey can never be won. This is not how to talk.
Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Flash
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. [Photo/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.
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. [Photo/Xinhua]
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.
Bernard Mornah, a flagbearer hopeful of the People's National Convention (PNC), has refuted the claim that he was disqualified from contesting.
Mr. Mornah has reportedly been disqualified based on media reports on Thursday, following an investigation by the National Disciplinary Committee, which found him guilty of misconduct and violating the party's constitution.
However, during an interview with Peacefmonline.com, Mr. Mornah stated that he had not been disqualified. He emphasized that the Disciplinary Committee does not have the authority to disqualify him.
"The National Executive Committee (NEC) has not discussed any disciplinary issue...the Disciplinary Committee after an investigation only has to make recommendations and conclusions and refer the matter to the NEC. The Disciplinary Committee cannot disqualify" he stated.
He further accused his opponent, David Apasera, of being behind the reports of his disqualification.
Meanwhile, Bernard Mornah is confident of winning the upcoming National Delegates Congress of the party scheduled for tomorrow, September 7, 2024.
"I am optimistic that I will be the victor tomorrow and I'll be the next President of the Republic of Ghana..." he intimated.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The New Patriotic Partys Director of Communication, Richard Ahiagbah, has called on Ghanaians to rally behind the flagbearer of his party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to become President in the upcoming December 7 elections to help Ghana catch up with the rest of the world in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
According to Richard Ahiagbah, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is the new frontier in human evolution which involves advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), Web3, blockchain, 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and more, amongst others.
Posting on his Official X page, Richard Ahiagbah said, If you are a young, middle-class, independent, and objective voter, you must carefully weigh your choice of who to vote for on December 7 because our collective advance, or the lack thereof, depends on the vote you cast."
After carefully examining the visions, capacities, experiences, and leadership traits including work ethic and records of the two leading candidates, I respectfully recommend Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the one to lead Ghana to the next level.
He further added, so, lets vote for Bawumia because he will make Ghana competitive and ensure we keep pace with the rest of the world. Bawumia means business.
Earlier, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia responded to claims by his critics that he has abandoned matters of the economy, saying that the digitalization agenda will improve the Ghanaian economy.
According to him, there cannot be any meaningful transformation unless the country takes ceases the opportunities that digital infrastructure brings to solve societal challenges.
The Vice President and flagbearer of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who spoke to the media at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra, emphasised that digitilisation and economic growth are directly linked to each other, stating that, embracing the new experiences that digitilisation brings will propel the country to become the hub of massive economic and industrial revolution.
Dr. Bawumia said, I wrote a book on monetary policy and financial reform and I made a point in the book, this was in 2010, this was 14 years ago before I became vice president, made the point that Africa needs to go digital because the global economy is going digital."
And if countries stay behind, theyll miss out on the fourth Industrial Revolution as we missed out on the other revolutions. And theres a good reason, because digitalization allows us to formalize our economy. Informal economies are very difficult to manage, the Vice-President underscored.
Richard Ahiagbah stated that, the NPPs flagbearer has all it takes to bring the newest digital experience to the doorstep of every Ghanaian, thus, the clarion call on all Ghanaians to rally behind the NPP ahead of the December of 2024 polls.
Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama, has pledged his commitment to engage business leaders and captains of industry regularly to enable players in that space to share ideas, voice their frustrations, if any, and also make suggestions where necessary in a bid to maintain a friendly business climate for them to thrive.
What is expected to be a major annual luncheon with the business community is also geared towards the creation of a positive business environment where the private sector will be made the real engine of growth to accelerate the development of the country.
The pledge comes at a time when the business community continues to raise issues about the present business climate and the challenges, including the introduction of a heap of taxes, which has raised the cost of doing business.
I will personally chair such meetings because I want to ensure that the government and businesses have a direct engagement where we can be frank with each other, all towards ensuring that we have a business climate where there is a win-win situation.
I want to have firsthand information on the critical issues so that I can direct for actions to be taken and where we, as government, also have concerns, we can raise for businesses to address on their side, former President Mahama said.
Speaker Series
He was speaking to a packed house of captains of industry at a forum dubbed: Distinguished Speaker Series.
The forum was on how to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) to boost the economy. It was put together by a consortium of reputable trade associations and chambers for the various presidential flagbearers to share their perspectives on how to take FDI inflows into the country to the next level when a new administration takes over the mantle of government.
They include the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Ghana, Ghana Netherlands Business & Culture Council, Spain-Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Ghana South Africa Business Chamber, the Canada-Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Japan External Trade Office and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry, France.
He said once the NDC government believes in the role of businesses in economic transformation, all efforts will be put in place to ensure that the business environment is smoothened to enable them to thrive.
He said it is the private sector that can help employ more people while paying taxes and, therefore, every assistance should be accorded to them to operate and deliver on their obligations to the state as well.
Module
Former President Mahama said the government of the NDC will revisit the era when projects were executed by the private sector on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) terms.
That, he said, was necessary for the country to have technological transfer and also own such projects after a while.
He said many such projects were under the previous NDC regime and helped to reduce the stress on government capital expenditure, yet yielded the necessary results.
AfCFTA
Former President Mahama also touched on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and noted that the NDC government will ensure that businesses leverage the opportunities available.
He said the business environment would be made flexible in a manner that would allow for increased production to meet local demand and also for export into various African countries under the AfCFTA.
Stimulus
Former President Mahama said the NDC government will deliberately offer incentives to indigenous Ghanaian companies, purely based on their capacity and potential, to enable them to grow to become giants in their respective industries.
Source: graphiconline
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The running mate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has urged electorates not to be deceived by government projects springing up overnight across the country.
She said it has become the habit of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to initiate projects during elections in an attempt to deceive and arm-twist electorates for votes, and then abandon them later.
Addressing market women at the New Takoradi Market as part of her three-day campaign tour of the Western Region, she noted that the NPP government is also noted for digging holes with no purpose and the Takoradi township is no exception.
She said after cutting sod in 2020 to construct and redevelop the New Takoradi Market, the project has stalled.
"It didn't take the NDC many years to build the Kejetia market, the Kotokoraba market, and a host of others across the country. But look at the Takoradi market, it is four years now and there is nothing to show", she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang further noted that the railway project started by the Mahama administration in Takoradi has also been abandoned.
She said the NDC has been faithful to the people of the Western Region, especially Takoradi, by promoting development across all sectors in the region, adding it is time for Takoradi voters to change their voting pattern by voting for the NDC.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the incoming Mahama administration has a lot to offer
Ghanaians in terms of job creation through the 24-Hour Economy, the Big Push, and the National Apprenticeship programme.
She therefore urged the electorates to vote for the NDC in the upcoming December 7 general elections.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended Dr. Idara Bassey, who was wanted in connection with the death of a 36-year-old woman during a buttock enlargement procedure at a clinic in the Lekki Phase 1 area.
Last week on Tuesday, the nurse who administered an injection to the late Abiolareportedly on Dr. Basseys orderswas arrested after the Maroko Police Division received a report at around 11:40 am from Abiola's driver.
SP Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the command, confirmed to Punch on September 3 that Dr. Bassey is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department in Panti.
Bassey had previously fled following Abiola's death during a buttock enlargement procedure at her clinic on August 26, 2024.
Abiola had left her home in Diamond Estate, Sangotedo, in the Ibeju Lekki area, instructing her driver to take her to the clinic for the procedure.
After the nurse administered the injection, allegedly following Bassey's instructions, the driver reported to the police that Abiola lost consciousness and began gasping for breath.
Regarding potential charges against Bassey and the grounds for them, Hundeyin stated that answers would be provided after the investigation.
Source: Lindaikejisblog
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Core sediment samples from the Early Cretaceous. Credit: Elisabetta Erba
Massive volcanic carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions contributing to an extreme global ocean deoxygenation event over 120 million years ago has modern day implications for understanding a climate warming "tipping point," according to new research published in Nature, led by a scientist at Ocean Networks Canada, a University of Victoria initiative.
The paper, titled "A climate threshold for ocean deoxygenation during the Early Cretaceous," reconstructs historical Earth-system processes to establish a climate warming threshold that, when crossed, leads to widespread and persistent ocean deoxygenation.
Led by Kohen Bauer, director of science at ONC, the research team reconstructed environmental conditions using rock samples from the University of Milan archive. The sedimentary rocks studied date back between 115 and 130 million years and were originally deposited in the ancient oceans. By measuring the geochemical composition of the rocks, the team produced a unique high-resolution record of environmental change.
"Our work shows that massive volcanic carbon emissions led to a rapid increase in atmospheric CO 2 concentrations and the crossing of a climate-warming threshold, or tipping point, that resulted in widespread ocean deoxygenation. Following this, Earth's climate system then remained in a warmed state for over two million years," says Bauer, who began the work while at Hong Kong University's Department of Earth Sciences and completed it at UVic.
Forecasted climate scenarios for the next few hundred years suggest that significant warming may emerge as a result of rising human-generated CO 2 emissions. Today, widespread climate warming-induced deoxygenation of the oceans is already being observed and is expected to intensify in the absence of climate change mitigation solutions.
"If current CO 2 emissions cause the climate system to approach and cross the threshold for ocean deoxygenation, we may expect the severity of global ocean anoxia to have huge implications for species, ecosystem and human health," says Bauer.
"While atmospheric CO 2 concentrations today are lower than the Early Cretaceous, anthropogenic CO 2 emissions are being emitted into the atmosphere at a much faster rate than all of the catastrophic volcanic eruptions in the last 500 million years of Earth's history," says Kohen Bauer, director of science, Ocean Networks Canada.
The research team noted that it was a natural process that eventually restored oxygen to Earth's ancient oceansbut the recovery took over a million years.
"We see that reoxygenation of the oceans was only possible once CO 2 concentrations were drawn back down below this critical threshold, due to a natural climate feedbacksilicate rock weathering, Earth's main mechanism for stabilizing climate over longer periods of time," says Bauer.
The rock weathering feedback is a key component of the Earth's long-term carbon cycle, and stabilizes the climate by regulating atmospheric CO 2 levels. The paper concludes that this natural mechanism eventually lowered atmospheric carbon levels below the tipping point, resulting in rapid reoxygenation of the oceans after the prolonged period of sustained warming.
"Empirical constraints from Earth's past provide important context through which the relationships between climate warming, ocean deoxygenation, and the broader impacts on the biosphere can be explored," says Sean Crowe, a senior author on the research paper and professor in the departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia.
Related work published in Nature Ecology and Evolution similarly argues that aquatic deoxygenation represents a critical planetary boundary and is a key regulator of current and future Earth system stability with thresholds that should not be crossed. More information on ocean deoxygenation and its impacts can be found through the UNESCO Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO2NE).
Real-time oxygen concentrations in the Northeast Pacific Ocean can be accessed through Ocean Networks Canada's data portal system, Ocean 3.0.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain
Brazil's recent ban of X may seem antithetical to Americans' notion of the First Amendment and the idea of the internet as a "marketplace of ideas" where the good ultimately overshadows the bad and the ugly.
But experts at Northeastern University say the vision of the internet as a libertarian, transnational free-speech zone where only the best ideas rise to the top is increasingly being questionedeven in the United States.
"Increasingly, we're seeing an evolution. Courts are rethinking libertarian free speech paradigmsrethinking this very expansive understanding of free speech online," says Elettra Bietti, assistant professor of law and computer science at Northeastern. "We have moved from a very libertarian, very hands-off approach to an increasing appetite for regulation in the digital economy."
Claudia Haupt, a professor of law and political science at Northeastern University, concurs.
"I think after January 6, you could see that there were some voices in the U.S. who said that maybe it's a better idea to regulate speech on platforms more strictly," says Haupt, who researches comparative online speech regulation.
She also notes rampant online dis- and misinformation during COVID.
"There is so much misinformation about things about science, and the truth isn't what usually emerges," Haupt says.
X, formerly known as Twitter, has been suspended in Brazil since early Saturday, after the U.S.-based company failed to appoint a new legal representative in the country before a court-imposed deadline.
On Monday, the Brazilian Supreme Court voted unanimously to uphold the ban.
It was the latest escalation in a dispute between X's owner, Elon Musk, and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. In April, the justice ordered the suspension of dozens of accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation. Musk ignored the orders, Moraes threatened arrests, and Musk closed X's Brazilian office in response.
The dispute, at least publicly, revolves around issues of free speech.
"Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes," Musk said Friday.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Flavio Dino, however, argued that "freedom of expression is closely linked to a duty of responsibility."
"The first can't exist without the second, and vice versa," Dino added.
Bietti notes there has always been a push and pull between governments and individuals concerning speech.
"We want free speech, we want to enable activists and bottom-up change to be channeled through social media," Bietti says.
She notes the impact of what was then Twitter on events such as the Arab Spring protestsand governments' subsequent crackdown on Twitter after the protests ended.
"But then there's always pressure from the top, particularly from governments who want to try and limit that," Bietti continues. "So, how do we strike a balance?"
Increasingly, finding that balance appears to be on the minds of lawmakers, justices and others.
Both Haupt and Bietti noted the European Union's Digital Services Act, a recently passed measure whose "main goal is to prevent illegal and harmful activities online and the spread of disinformation," according to the legislation.
Even U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has opened the door to regulation in the court's unanimous NetChoice decision, where Alito notes that "the sky has not fallen" when social media companies comply with the DSA.
Meanwhile, there is bipartisan interest in the United States to regulate children's access to social media and ban TikTok.
As for American social media companies, Haupt notes that they regularly change their community guidelines in order to comply with regulations in different countries.
"All platforms have community standards, and there's no First Amendment problems with that," Haupt says. "It's the cost of doing business across different countries."
They also can choose not to comply with regulations, for better or for worse.
Bietti also notes that Musk's libertarian, government-hands-off stance is a little disingenuous.
"Of course, a lot of his businesses benefit from government investments," Bietti notes. "So, the idea that the government should just step out of the picture and not intervene at all in the regulation of what types of technologies we have and what harms might be caused by these technologies is totally absurd. And he fully knows that."
In the end, it is key to remind Americans that other countries have not only different standards but different lawsregarding speech.
"The social media platforms basically have to comply with the regulatory frameworks wherever they do business," Haupt says. "The baseline for assessing whether speech is lawful or not is not United States law, but local law in Brazil."
"The U.S. is actually an outlier in the way it treats speech," Haupt continues.
This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu.
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Evan Bush, NBC News Dust researcher Kevin Perry poses with his fat bike and a PI-SWERL machine, which can measure wind erosion and dust emission. Credit: University of Utah
As Utah's Great Salt Lake shrinks, exposing more of its playa, concerns grow about the dust the dry lakebed emits. But scientists lack the data to fully understand what pollutants are present in these airborne sediments.
Researchers from the University of Utah are attempting to get a handle on this question and the latest findings are concerning.
Sediments in the lake's exposed playa are potentially more harmful than other major dust sources affecting the Wasatch Front's air quality, according to a study published online in the journal Atmospheric Environment, titled "Assessing the oxidative potential of dust from Great Salt Lake."
These sediments, when aerosolized, show higher levels of reactivity and bioavailability when compared to sediments collected from other spots upwind of Utah's major population center along the Wasatch Front. Chemical analysis also indicated the presence of numerous metals, and levels of arsenic and lithium that exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's soil residential regional screening levels.
"You're talking about a very large dust source located next to a very large population, and you've got elevated levels of manganese, iron, copper and lead. Lead is a concern for developmental reasons," said senior author Kerry Kelly, a professor of chemical engineering.
"Manganese, iron and copper, these are transition metals and are known to be very irritating to your lungs. Once you get irritation, that can lead to this whole inflammatory response. And that's part of the problem with particulate matter and it's adverse health effects like asthma."
The Great Salt Lake is a terminal body receiving runoff from a vast drainage basin spanning northern Utah and parts of three other states. Metals from natural sources and human disturbances are pushed into the lake from inflows or atmospheric deposition, and these materials accumulate in the lakebed. The potential for harmful dust pollution has become a priority for Utah state officials, who issued a list of priorities aimed at tackling the problem.
Another recent study led by sociology professor Sara Grineski found dust from the lakebed disproportionately affects disadvantaged neighborhoods in Salt Lake County.
In a separate forthcoming study led by U biologist Michael Werner's lab, another team of researchers characterized levels of toxic metals deposited in submerged lakebed sediments sampled during the lake's record low-water year of 2021, noting how these levels have changed since the years of Utah's mining era.
Concentrations of some metals, such as lead and zinc, appear to have decreased, likely a reflection of the decline in the region's mining activity, while mercury levels surprisingly have increased.
Researchers cautioned that they can't conclude whether these pollutants are actually being blown into populated areas during wind events because the monitoring equipment to capture that dust has yet to be adequately deployed downwind of the lake. Most high-wind events arrive from the southwest, blowing for several hours off the lake north into Weber or Box Elder County, before shifting to the south as the front passes through.
To conduct the study, Kerry Kelly's lab, which specializes in air quality, teamed up with researchers in the U's College of Science. They examined previously collected sediment samples from the Great Salt Lake, comparing them with sediments from other dust sources in the Great Basin, namely Sevier Lake, Fish Springs Lake and West Desert in western Utah and Tule Lake in northeastern California. These places are known to contribute to dust pollution reaching Salt Lake City.
In recent years, co-author Kevin Perry, a professor of atmospheric sciences, has systematically gathered exposed lakebed sediments, logging hundreds of miles on a bike. His prior research has identified "hotspots" on the playa that appear to be enriched with potentially toxic elements.
Only 9% of the exposed lakebed, or 175 square kilometers (about 43,000 acres), is emitting dust from areas where lakebed crusts are disturbed, according to Perry. The rest of the playa is covered in a natural hardened layer that keeps the sediments in place.
Perry's ongoing research examines what happens to the playa crusts over time. He said his initial findings indicate the broken layers reset fairly easily, suggesting the playa's threat to air quality may not be as dire as previously thought.
The latest study is the first to analyze the dust's "oxidative potential," a measure of its ability to react with oxygen.
"When you breathe in something that's really reactive, it's going to interact with the cells inside your lungs and it's going to cause damage," Kelly said.
In the lab, the team aerosolized the sediment samples to isolate the particles that are small enough to inhale and lodge in lung tissue, those smaller than 10 micrometers or PM 10 .
These particles were captured on filters and further analyzed using a method called inductively coupled mass plasma mass spectrometry to determine their elemental makeup and other tests to determine their oxidative potential (OP) and bioaccessibility.
"We devised a way to dissolve the metals using increasingly caustic acids to figure out at what level these metals leaching from the particles," Perry said. "It turns out that the dust from Great Salt Lake has more leachable metals that are bioavailable than we would wish."
Meanwhile, high OP was detected in dust associated with certain metals, including copper, manganese, iron and aluminum.
More information: Reuben Attah et al, Assessing the oxidative potential of dust from great salt Lake, Atmospheric Environment (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2024.120728 Journal information: Atmospheric Environment
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Typical pattern formed during the newly discovered convective instability, driven by colloidal diffusiophoresis in a stratified mixture of glycerol and water. The brighter regions correspond to locally higher concentrations of silica nanoparticles. Credit: Alessio Zaccone
An altogether new convective instability has been predicted and experimentally discovered, 140 years after Lord Rayleigh. Convective instabilities are of fundamental importance for both our everyday life as well as for ecology and climate in atmospheric and oceanic science.
A well known example is the Rayleigh-Taylor instability which occurs whenever a lighter fluid moves vertically upwards into a denser fluid, examples of which are volcanic eruptions and the nuclear mushrooms following nuclear explosions.
The mechanism of convective instabilities was clarified by Lord Rayleigh in a series of papers, about 140 years ago (the dimensionless Rayleigh number used to quantify the onset of the instability is named after him) and is still intensely studied as a physical and natural phenomenon whereby self-organized spatial patterns arise as a consequence of a dynamical instability.
Working in close collaboration with our experimental colleagues at University of Milan, we have discovered and mathematically predicted a new convective instability, 140 years after Lord Rayleigh's work. In the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, the lighter fluid is initially at the bottom and the heavier fluid at the top, hence the fluid mixture is gravitationally unstable in its initial condition. Our paper is published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters.
In our experiment, however, we considered the opposite case: a heavier liquid (glycerol) sits initially at the bottom, while a lighter one (water) sits on top of the heavier one. Hence, the system is gravitationally stable and no one would expect an instability to occur. At this point, we add silica nanoparticles to the system.
The silica nanoparticles tend to move upward to minimize their interfacial energy, i.e., they move from lower regions richer in glycerol towards upper regions richer in water: this is called the diffusiophoresis process.
As a consequence of this upward diffusion of the colloidal nanoparticles, locally denser regions are formed in the water-rich layers, which are then pushed back by gravity. This marks the onset of a hydrodynamic instability. The latter shows up as a peak in the structure factor which is obtained by irradiating the sample with light, and is accompanied by pattern formation.
In practice, cells of locally colloid-poor regions are surrounded by "arms" rich in colloid nanoparticles. In our optical experiment, the arms of the network which is formed appear as bright fluorescent in contrast with the dark-blue regions depleted of colloids. Ultimately, the pattern formation ends with phase separation at long times.
This is a new physical effect (different from both Rayleigh-Taylor and Rayleigh-Benard instabilities), which we have mathematically modeled with coupled diffusion equations for the nanoparticles and the solute (glycerol), from which we can predict the instability onset in terms of the Rayleigh number.
This discovery can have a wide range of potential applications, for both technology and environmental protection. For example, this convective instability can be used to realize new microscopically structured materials by inducing coagulation of the nanoparticles in the network's arms, which might be a new route for sol-gel processes and to make new materials with a controlled internal microstructure.
The new convective instability could also be used as a method to separate fluid mixtures in a variety of industrial, pharmaceutical and natural systems, and also to separate colloidal contaminants, such as microplastics, from fluids. Finally, it can shed light on the formation of colorful patterns and stripes in the skin of animals from zebras to tropical fish.
This story is part of Science X Dialog, where researchers can report findings from their published research articles. Visit this page for information about Science X Dialog and how to participate.
More information: Carmine Anzivino et al, Convective Instability Driven by Diffusiophoresis of Colloids in Binary Liquid Mixtures, The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters (2024). DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c01236 Bios: Alessio Zaccone received his Ph.D. from the Department of Chemistry of ETH Zurich in 2010. From 2010 till 2014 he was an Oppenheimer Research Fellow at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge. After being on the faculty of Technical University Munich (20142015) and of University of Cambridge (20152018), he is a full professor and chair of theoretical physics in the Department of Physics at the University of Milano since 2022. Awards include the ETH Silver Medal, the 2020 Gauss Professorship of the Gottingen Academy of Sciences, the Fellowship of Queens' College Cambridge, and an ERC Consolidator grant ("Multimech"). Research contributions include the analytical solution to the jamming transition problem (Zaccone & Scossa-Romano PRB 2011), the analytical solution to the random close packing problem in 2d and 3d (Zaccone PRL 2022), the theory of thermally-activated reaction rate processes in shear flows (Zaccone et al. PRE 2009), the theory of crystal nucleation under shear flow (Mura & Zaccone PRE 2016), the theoretical prediction of boson-like peaks in the vibrational spectra of crystals (Milkus & Zaccone PRB 2016; Baggioli & Zaccone PRL 2019), the theory of the glass transition in polymers (Zaccone & Terentjev PRL 2013), and the theoretical prediction of superconductivity enhancement effects due to phonon damping (Setty, Baggioli, Zaccone PRB 2020). Research interests range from the statistical physics of disordered systems (random packings, jamming, glasses and the glass transition, colloids, nonequilibrium thermodynamics) to solid-state physics and superconductivity. Journal information: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
If you're a young person (or a parent of one), you may be thinking some big thoughts about your future. Am I going to go to university? Maybe I'll look at a trade? I might want to travel? Or maybe I don't? Do I have to decide now? I don't know what I want to do with my life.
These big decisions you're trying to make about your future are nothing new. In fact, we have ancient stories (and advice) that tell us about the very real struggle to work this out dates back millennia.
Finding the thing you love the most
Some of the most famous names in ancient history struggled with the existential crisis of what to do with their lives.
Not many thinkers have been as influential in history as Plato (c. 429347 BC), the great Athenian philosopher.
But ancient stories tell us that Plato wasn't always so sure about his direction in life.
According to the Roman writer Claudius Aelian (2nd3rd century AD), when Plato was young he was indecisive about his future.
As Aelian tells us, Plato's decision to become a philosopher was helped when he met the Greek philosopher, Socrates.
"Plato, son of Ariston, was on the point of leaving for military service abroad owing to his financial difficulties. He was found by Socrates buying his weapons, but lost his enthusiasm when Socrates put the right consideration to him and persuaded him to fall in love with philosophy."
Another famous ancient who apparently faced the same struggles about his life's purpose when he was young was Aristotle (384322 BC).
Aristotle was the son of a wealthy doctor named Nicomachus, but both of his parents died when he was young.
According to a biographical account in the Letter on Lifestyles by the moral and natural philosopher Epicurus (341270 BC), after the death of his parents, Aristotle tried a number of careers before he settled on philosophy:
"After Aristotle gobbled up his inheritance, he tried military service, and when he failed at that, he moved on to selling drugs. Then when Plato's school opened, he says, he took himself off there and sat in on the lectures. He was no fool, and gradually embarked on the contemplative path."
What Plato and Aristotle both needed was a little guidance and support. They were trying choices on for size and hadn't really committed, until they found the thing they loved most.
You never know who you might meet
Sometimes, chance encounters with people we meet are the thing that helps us find our path in life.
The experience of Greek thinker Protagoras of Abdera (c. 490420 BC) is a great example of this.
According to ancient lore, Protagoras found his direction in life after randomly meeting the philosopher Democritus of Abdera (c. 460370 BC):
"The sophist Protagoras, who originally worked as a porter and transporting firewood, was initially Democritus' scribe. Democritus was struck by a peculiar way Protagoras had of stacking wood. He started there, was taken on by him, and taught reading and writing in some village. From there he moved on to be a sophist."
Thanks to this chance meeting, Protagoras became a celebrated thinker.
He is still remembered for (among other things) his famous saying that "man is the measure of all things" which was interpreted by Plato (another one of our slightly confused teens) to mean that there is no objective truthalthough this is still debated.
Expect twists and turns
There are many paths in life, and we can never really know how things will turn out.
One ancient poet who recognized the unpredictability of things was Theognis of Megara (7th century BC).
In one of his poems, he writes:
"It often happens that the activities of men flow along well contrary to expectation and hope, while their plans meet with no success."
If we want to pursue a dream or an ambition, there are many ways to go about it.
The Greek writer Athenaeus of Naucratis (2nd century AD) says, when he's describing the different characters in Homer's Iliad: "all are utterly devoted to excellence but pursue it by different paths".
Meanwhile, the great Roman and Greek physician Galen (129216 AD) offers young people specific advice about how to achieve success or happiness in their chosen area:
"The fact is that he whose purpose is to know anything better than the multitude do must far surpass all others both as regards his nature and his early training. And when he reaches early adolescence he must become possessed with an ardent love for truth, like one inspired.
"Neither day nor night may he cease to urge and strain himself in order to learn thoroughly all that has been said by the most illustrious of past people. And when he has learnt this, then for a prolonged period he must test and prove it, observing what part of it is in agreement, and what in disagreement, with obvious fact."
Enjoy the moment
No matter what you decide to do with your life, the ancients repeatedly emphasize that the path you choose isn't necessarily the most important thing.
What's essential, they say, is not to forget to find some enjoyment in life no matter what happens, because everything else is fleeting.
As one unknown Greek tragedian wrote:
"I would like to offer all mortals a bit of advice, which is to enjoy their day-to-day existence. Because a dead man's nothingjust a shadow under the earth. You need to enjoy the brief life you have while you're alive!"
So, when you're thinking about those big decisions, remember, you aren't the first and won't be the last to feel this way.
You can look to ancient history for some advice, and don't forget to have some fun along the way.
Flash
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (center) speaks with the press at the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC in Beijing, Sept. 5, 2024. [Photo by Wang Yiming/China.org.cn]
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday that the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has been a complete success, marked by the unanimous adoption of two key documents: the Beijing Declaration and the Action Plan. He also highlighted the summit's main achievements in four areas.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, made the remarks during a meeting with the press alongside Yacine Fall, foreign minister of Senegal, and Jean-Claude Gakosso, minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of the Congo.
Yacine Fall, Senegalese foreign minister (L), Wang Yi, Chinese foreign minister (C), and Jean-Claude Gakosso, minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of the Congo (R), meet the press at the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC in Beijing, Sept. 5, 2024. [Photo by Wang Yiming/China.org.cn]
Wang Yi outlined the achievements, starting with the elevation of bilateral relations between China and all African countries with diplomatic ties to the level of strategic relations. He also noted that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations has been upgraded to an "all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era."
Additionally, six major proposals were put forward to advance China-Africa modernization, and a blueprint for action was mapped out to guide cooperation between the two sides in the next phase.
Wang Yi emphasized that both China and Africa conducted strategic alignments on the international situation and global governance during the summit, agreeing to firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests, defend the rightful interests of developing countries, and promote international fairness and justice.
In summary, the summit has sent a strong message of China and Africa's joint pursuit of development, demonstrating firm confidence in the unity and cooperation of the Global South, the minister concluded.
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Credit: United Nations University
As climate change continues to intensify, the world is seeing an increase in the number and intensity of climate- and weather-related disasters. The UN member states need to develop urgent mitigation and adaptation actions based on reliable climate change projections.
Obtaining these projections, however, can prove to be difficult. Climate change impact assessment modelsthe primary means of getting estimates of future climate-related impactsare complex computational models that require specialized knowledge to run and interpret.
This specialized knowledge and computational requirements are a rarity in many regions and within local communities. This lack of viable impact assessment is putting communities at a disadvantage, making them more vulnerable to climate change.
A new report by UN scientists encourages the global climate action community and the UN member states to consider Artificial intelligence (AI) as a promising solution to this problem. AI is flexible, computationally efficient, and can be run in web- and cloud-based services.
As AI continues to grow in popularity for a variety of applications, it is likely that more people will soon be able to operate and interpret AI output than the traditional climate change impact assessment models.
Yet, AI has not been fully utilized within the climate change impact assessment space. This motivated the researchers of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) to investigate the capabilities of AI by conducting a rapid, flexible, and reliable climate change impact assessment for 46 cities across the United States.
Their results demonstrate the power of this technique to serve as a replacement for conventional climate change impact assessment methods at the local level that are computationally intensive and time-consuming.
"AI is a powerful tool that is being used in nearly every sector, from generating images to medicine, there is no reason why it can't also be used to build society's resilience to climate change," said Dr. Renee Obringer, Research Fellow in Urban and Interdependent Infrastructure Systems at UNU-INWEH, who led this study.
They report projects that there could be increased demands up to 15% for water and 20% for electricity across the 46 modeled cities. Cities in the Midwestern U.S. are likely to experience a median increase in electricity use of 20% after the world surpasses 2.0C of warming above pre-industrial levels. For the city of Chicago, this equates to 745,000 MWh/month, equivalent to the annual electricity used by over 26,000 U.K. residents, 98,000 Indian residents, or 292,000 Nigerian residents.
In terms of water consumption, the study found that Midwestern U.S. cities might experience an increase of 7.5% after surpassing 2.0C above pre-industrial levels. Given that the average U.S. household uses over 1,100 liters of water per day, increasing this by 7.5% would result in an additional 85 liters a day per household or 57 million liters a day over the whole city. This is the equivalent of nearly 23 Olympic-sized swimming poolsin just one day for just one city.
Cities in California are expected to see significant increases in electricity demand, but relatively small increases in water demand. But some cities in the Southern U.S. might experience decreases in summer water demand, due to increased precipitation and humidity with climate warming.
In their report, the UN University scientists show how the concept of "climate analogs" can be leveraged to make low-cost projections that are understandable. Based on this concept, they matched each studied U.S. city with another North American city whose current climate matched the best estimate for the U.S. city's future climate.
For example, their results show that the future climate of New York City most closely matches the current climate of Jonesboro, Arkansas, a southern U.S. city. Leveraging these analogs allowed the researchers to eliminate the need for complex climate models, leading to additional improvements in the accessibility of their AI approach.
Using these analogs is a novel approach that streamlines the process and can be especially helpful for local climate change impact studies. "The analogs reduce the computational cost of the AI impact assessment process and eliminate the need for users to obtain large, complex future climate projections. This is an ideal way for countries, regions, and cities to minimize cost and effort when they lack the expertise and capacity for climate simulations," said Dr. Obringer.
The authors make several recommendations to expand the use of AI in climate change impact assessment, including the development of web- and cloud-based services that can be especially useful in the Global South. However, the report cautions that AI relies on high-quality, readily available dataan issue in many parts of the world.
Thus, while society aims to build resilience to climate change through equitable mitigation and adaptation policies, it is critical to ensure that the relevant data and models remain open and freely accessible to allow communities to understand their local climate change impacts.
"This report is just a small sample of how the world can benefit from the technological innovations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to address the equity and sustainability challenges," said UNU-INWEH Director, Prof. Kaveh Madani.
"AI has its own risks and limits but also major benefits that must not be dismissed, especially when it comes to addressing the digital divide and inequality. Lack of computational infrastructure should not stop the nations from taking proper climate action. AI can help the Global South and underserved communities overcome a major barrier and improve their plans for coping with climate change and extreme events."
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"Today, we think of climate science as different from air pollution, but in the '60s, they were very much intertwined," says co-author Colleen Lanier-Christensen. Credit: Jon Ratner
How much was known at the mid-20th century about the dangers of human-caused climate change? A lot more than most Americans think.
In a new paper published in the Ecology Law Quarterly, Naomi Oreskes and a team of science historians detail more than a century of research connecting carbon dioxide emissions with global temperature rise.
The findings illuminate what Congress knew, and what it intended, when targeting "air pollution" with the 1970 Clean Air Act, questions that arose during a landmark 2022 Supreme Court ruling limiting the power of federal agencies to enforce the law.
"We found a universe of scientific work that got lost, forgotten, or buried," said Oreskes, the Henry Charles Lea Professor of the History of Science.
Oreskes hopes it will serve as a definitive account of what was understood by the 1950s and '60s about the dangers of burning fossil fuels. At 124 pages, the paper surfaces everything from government reports on "inadvertent weather modification" to long-dead lawmakers pondering the future of electric vehicles. It establishes that the era's experts saw CO 2 as one of many environmental threats to regulate.
"Today, we think of climate science as different from air pollution," offered co-author Colleen Lanier-Christensen, Ph.D. '23, a postdoctoral fellow in the History of Science. "But in the '60s, they were very much intertwined."
Oreskes started investigating the topic about 10 years ago, originally at the behest of environmental law expert Jody Freeman, the Archibald Cox Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. But the project became all the more urgent with the Supreme Court's West Virginia v. EPA decision, which restricted the agency's ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants, a significant contributor to global warming.
The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, relied on "a practical understanding of legislative intent" to find that the authors of the 1970 law would have been more direct had they meant to regulate CO 2 .
"The Supreme Court was basically posing a historical question," Lanier-Christensen said. "But then none of the justices actually looked historically at what Congress intended in passing the Clean Air Act."
Irish physicist John Tyndall was the first to describe the heat-trapping effects of greenhouse gases circa 1859. By the late 19th century, Swedish Nobel laureate chemist Svante Arrhenius had connected atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide to the burning of fossil fuels. In 1896, he estimated that a doubling of atmospheric CO 2 concentrations would warm the planet by 1.5 to 4.5C.
In the 1930s, British engineer Guy Stewart Callendar started compiling data on atmospheric CO 2 concentrations and global temperatures. A paper published in 1940 linked rising CO 2 levels to amounts of coal and oil known to have been burned already. From there, the impact of CO 2 on climate was called "The Callendar effect" for several years.
American scientists picked up the problem in the 1950s, with physicist Gilbert Plass '41 affirming that rising temperatures were connected to human activity. The New York Times covered his research in a 1953 article headlined "How Industry May Change Climate."
By the early 1960s, Callendar was complaining that "everyone likes to 'have a go'" at the issue. That included a growing community of scientists working in the U.S. government. Central among them was Alvin Weinberg, director of Tennessee's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In 1961, Weinberg spoke to "the deterioration of our atmosphere by the accumulation of CO 2 " at a University of Tennessee science fair.
"This wasn't some super technical conference," emphasized Oreskes, whose books include "The Big Myth" (2023) and the best-selling "Merchants of Doubt" (2010). "He saw it was an issue ordinary Americans needed to know about."
And as the decade progressed, an increasing number of ordinary Americans did know. A 1958 documentary by "It's A Wonderful Life" filmmaker Frank Capra, viewed by millions of U.S. schoolchildren by the mid-'60s, warned that "man may be unwittingly changing the world's climate through the waste products of his civilization."
Also influential was a February 1969 appearance on "The Merv Griffin Show" by poet Allen Ginsberg. He rattled viewers by claiming that "the current rate of air pollution brought about by the proliferation of automobiles and 'their excrement'" could cause "the rapid buildup of heat on earth."
In response, one troubled constituent wrote to Sen. Henry "Scoop" Jackson from Washington. The powerful lawmaker (who twice vied to become the Democratic nominee for president) forwarded the letter to physicist Lee DuBridge, science adviser to President Richard M. Nixon.
DuBridge's reply to Jackson featured a detailed explanation of increasing CO 2 levels and "the greenhouse effect." By year's end, DuBridge would revisit these points on the NBC television show "Meet the Press."
Excavating this history sent the paper's co-authors to a dozen archives. "What makes this challenging is that we're looking pre-1970, which was before the Environmental Protection Agency existed," Lanier-Christensen explained. "All functions related to the environment were spread across the federal government."
An obvious stop was Bates College, home to the archives of Maine Sen. Edmund S. Muskie, a key architect of the 1970 Clean Air Act.
"You could really see how closely Senator Muskie and his office were following these issuesfrom a [1967] report from the secretary of commerce called 'The Automobile and Air Pollution' to direct correspondence with scientists," Lanier-Christensen observed.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and much of this history has been forgotten, the researchers say. They argue that the U.S. Supreme Court got it wrong with West Virginia v. EPA and note the error also appeared in its 2007 Massachusetts v. EPA decision, which initially granted the EPA authority to regulate CO 2 as a pollutant covered under the 1970 Clean Air Act.
This was regarded by the court as the unanticipated consequence of an intentionally broad law, with the late Justice John Paul Stevens writing: "When Congress enacted these provisions, the study of climate change was in its infancy."
"When I read that line, I nearly had a heart attack," Oreskes recalled. "It was just so incredibly wrong."
As she tells it, the researchers' near book-length paper proves without question that CO 2 was understood before 1970 as a pollutant as well as a threat to global climate. After all, Muskie introduced the Clean Air Act on the floor of the Senate by warning that unchecked air pollution would continue to "threaten irreversible atmospheric and climatic changes."
But the paper still tells "only the first half of the story," Oreskes said. A second publication, still in the works, will focus entirely on testimonies to Congress before the legislation was passed, further bolstering the co-authors' argument that lawmakers had every intention of regulating CO 2 .
"I don't expect the justices to read these papers and change their minds," Oreskes said. "But what they can do is to empower lawyers arguing these cases as they push back against faulty claims."
More information: Climate Change and the Clean Air Act of 1970 Part I: the Scientific Basis. Ecology Law Quarterly. www.ecologylawquarterly.org/pr he-scientific-basis/
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain
Conservation needs to scale successfully to protect nature. A new paper in Nature Ecology & Evolution takes lessons from around the world to show how that might be done.
To reverse biodiversity loss and meet ambitious global targets, conservation programs designed to preserve everything from forests to fish need to work "at scale."
Scaling can mean three things. Scaling "out" means expanding a program to new people and places, while scaling "up" means bringing in higher-level institutions, such as governments introducing policies or incentives that make it easier for individuals and private companies to engage.
Scaling "deep" means changing hearts and mindswhat is socially acceptable. A particularly good example of scaling deep is the "Don't Mess with Texas" campaign in the 1980s, which successfully made littering a social no-no.
But not every attempt to expand pilot programs in one or more of these directions works. Now, the Catalyzing Conservation team led by Dr. Morena Mills at Imperial College London researchers have reviewed conservation initiatives around the world with global experts and come up with five lessons to avoid the pitfalls of ineffective expansion.
Two of the authors on the paper, Dr. Thomas Pienkowski and Dr. Matthew Clark, both from the Center for Environmental Policy at Imperial, speak about their work.
Dr. Clark says, "There's no magic bulletit's not a case of 'do these five things and you will succeed'but we hope these lessons will allow reflection on what hasn't worked, and where we need to go from here."
Lesson 1: There must be a balance between what is effective and what is scalable
Say you have a pilot program that works with coastal communities to protect fish and other marine resources, aiming to improve the local ecology and economy. Then lots of neighboring communities take up the program. Great! This is scaling out, but has it actually been effective? Did it meet the stated goals of protecting marine life and improving local livelihoods? If the answer is no, it has scaled but it is not effective.
Conversely, something can be effective but not scalable. Dr. Clark works with communities to support mangrove conservation, which can involve planting programs. However, many of the seedlings die young. It's possible to use specialized tools and know-how to increase survival rates, which makes the planting more effective, but it is an intensive process, and so not very scalable across rural communities.
The team say these trade-offs between what's scalable and what's effective must be balanced.
Good example: Community-based forestry management in Nepal has been adopted for more than 20,000 forests since the 1980s and appears to have reduced both poverty and deforestation, showing that some initiatives can be both highly scalable and effective.
Lesson 2: Effectiveness can depend on scale
A pilot project that is successful in one area may not work when moved out to a new area. This is common, say the researchers, and can be for a number of reasons: pilots may be in optimal locations and have lots of oversight and investment that expanded programs won't have, for example.
But it can also work the other way. For example, says Dr. Clark, "Where the goal is to protect land for wildlife, larger animals that move over larger areas will only benefit once enough land is conserved, and enough patrols are in place to enforce the protection."
Good example: Cacao agroforestry in Belize became much more effective at scale when a clear market for sustainable cacao emerged and more international companies wanted to promote their use of these products.
Lesson 3: The effects of conservation can change the conditions for further conservation
Sometimes, conservation expansion can backfire even when it's effective. For example, a 10-year project in Mozambique introduced 'no-take' zones for fish and mangrove timber, which increased food security. However, once these areas had regained their value as sources of food and income, conservation support declined, leading to the abandonment of the zones in some areas.
These kinds of feedback loops between environmental change and human behavior can be negative, as in Mozambique, or positive, where the impact of conservation schemes in one area can lead to neighboring areas taking them up spontaneously, or where grassroots actions become national policy.
Good example: on the island of Pemba, Zanzibar, protected forest areas initially led to more harvesting on the edges of these zones; but this in turn led to neighboring communities applying for their own forest protection, spontaneously expanding conversation.
Lesson 4: Pressures to scale can lead to bad practices that undermine long-term outcomes
Ambition is needed to meet ambitious goals, but ambition without care can be harmful. Dr. Pienkowski explains, "NGOs [non-governmental organizations] play a really important role in scaling out, providing technical and financial support to local communities. But there can also be blurred boundaries between assistance and coercion.
"This can take the form, for example, of NGOs misleading communities of the benefits they might get from engaging in conservation programs, or only engaging with people in the community who are most likely to benefit, leaving more vulnerable members behind and widening inequalities."
For example, the REDD+ scheme is designed to help developing countries manage their forests and improve carbon stocks, but its implementation in parts of Tanzania was marred by promised payments not materializing, leading people to abandon conservation efforts and be suspicious of other schemes.
Larger NGOs are often needed to scale programs, but this can be at the expense of local knowledge and grassroots organizations. For example, 'slash and burn' agriculture is considered bad practice in Europe, so European NGOs may lobby against it, but in communities in Africa it can be well used and an integral part of local ecosystem management.
Good example: Eco-tourism in Costa Rica started locally with support from NGOs, but has now become self-sustaining, meaning it no longer relies on direct aid or other structures that may undermine its long-term success.
Lesson 5: More evidence is needed
Dr. Pienkowski explains, "This one is really an appeal from us researchers, who are struggling to develop the evidence base we need to inform more effective scaling strategies. It's very difficult to know which initiatives have gone to scale or notthis information isn't collected in a systematic or rigorous way."
This is particularly true after programs have 'ended'few NGOs routinely review whether a scheme is still working years after their intervention has ended, or whether it has been abandoned.
Dr. Pienkowski concludes, "For those calling for conservation scaling, this is a valuable moment to pause and reflect: with these examples and these lessons, what do we need to change? If we do this, we're more likely to be able to deliver impact at scale and finally bend the curve on biodiversity loss."
More information: Five lessons for avoiding failure when scaling in conservation. Nature Ecology & Evolution. doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02507-4 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution
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Conceptual framework incorporating the different components driving the assembly and composition of complex microbehost symbioses. Credit: Trends in Microbiology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.08.002. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966842X24002142
Virtually all multicellular organisms on Earth live in symbiotic associations with very large and complex microbial communities known as microbiomes. New research has just been published aimed at offering a complete understanding how those relationships form.
Computational ecologist Dr Miguel Lurgi and colleagues explore how associations between complex bacterial communities and multicellular hosts emerge in nature by combining theory with empirical work. They are currently using the proposed framework to investigate microbes inside marine sponges.
The study is published in Trends in Microbiology.
Dr. Lurgi and his colleague, Dr. Gui Araujo, from the Biosciences Department of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, teamed up with collaborators from the French Scientific Research Council, the University of New South Wales in Australia, and the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, also in Australia.
Dr. Lurgi said, "We argue that microbiome assembly is a product of ecology and evolution acting together.
"Our research aims at bringing together ecological and evolutionary theory on one hand, and microbial and symbiont ecology and evolution on the other, to create a holistic picture of the assembly of complex symbioses.
"These symbiotic relationships constitute one of the most ancient associations between multicellular organisms and groups of microbes, and, in many cases, they are fundamental to the persistence of both the host and the microbiome."
The researchers are currently using the proposed framework to investigate microbes inside marine sponges. They are also looking at extending these findings to other microbiomes, eventually allowing for a unified understanding of the intricate nature of symbiotic relationships of multiple species within different groups of hosts and across taxa.
Dr. Lurgi said, "My main research focus is on the mechanisms behind the emergence of complexity in ecological networks. I develop theoretical models of ecological communities and network dynamics to better understand these mechanisms and the biodiversity patterns they give rise to."
Dr. Lurgi and Dr. Araujo are now working on developing the mathematical foundations of the ideas presented in the current paper and have just presented the work at the 19th International Symposium of Microbial Ecology (ISME 19), in South Africa, held August 1823.
More information: Gui Araujo et al, A mechanistic framework for complex microbe-host symbioses, Trends in Microbiology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.08.002. www.sciencedirect.com/science/ ii/S0966842X24002142
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"Pegasus" volans, MCSNV T.293. Credit: Paleontology (2024). DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.19.608581
A pair of paleontologists, one with the Museum fur Naturkunde, in Germany, the other from the Universita degli Studi di Torino, in Italy, has found new evidence that an ancient fish, which has defied categorization for hundreds of years, may belong to fishes in the group Teleostei. Donald Davesne and Giorgio Carnevale have published a paper describing their analysis of the only two known fossil samples of the fish on the bioRxiv preprint server.
Back in the 1700s, a fossilized fish was found in the northern part of Italy. Its appearance was so unlike any other find that it was impossible to classify. Clearly it was a new species, but what family did it come from? No one could say. Giovanni Serafino Volta, a naturalist who worked to identify other fish, classified it within the genus Pegasus, which lumped it in with seamoths.
Since that time, others in the field have pointed out that the fish fossil bears no resemblance to seamoths. Still, no one else could come up with anything better, even after another specimen was found; thus, it has held on to its genus.
In this new effort, the researchers undertook an intensive study of both fossils, hoping to establish a true classification on the tree of life.
Like others before them, the researchers noted that the ancient fish, which has been dated to approximately 50 million years ago, had a ribbon-like body. The researchers took pictures of the fossils using an ultraviolet light and observed them with a stereomicroscope. This allowed them to rule out classification within the oarfish family, one possibility suggested by others.
Artistic reconstruction of a living "Pegasus" volans feeding on bioluminescent plankton at night. Digital painting by Margaux Boetsch. Credit: bioRxiv (2024). DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.19.608581
The pair did note similarities between the fossils and cusk-eel larvae and also other fish in the Teleostei groupmany have long dorsal fins similar to those of the fossilized fish. They also noted that it had an exceptionally thick abdomen, which, they note, suggested it likely had a pouch further below that held its internal organs; another finding that points to Teleostei.
On the other hand, the pair found no evidence suggesting that the fossils were larvaeinstead, their large bodies and ossified skeletons suggested they were adults. But the researchers suggest that the fossils could have simply matured, and therefore still exhibited larval traits.
The researchers acknowledge that they were unable to find any firm relationship between the fossils and any other type of fish, but still insist the ancient specimens need a new genusthey plan to announce the one they have chosen for it when their paper is officially published.
More information: Donald Davesne et al, An extraordinary larval-like teleost fish from the Eocene of Bolca, bioRxiv (2024). DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.19.608581 Journal information: bioRxiv
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In recent years, the ozone hole above Antarctica has lasted longer. Credit: NASA GSFC, CC BY-SA
At this time of year, as the sun rises over Antarctica, a "hole" opens up in Earth's ozone layer.
The ozone layer is a vital planetary boundary that protects all life on Earth from the sun's damaging ultraviolet radiation. But as our research shows, a series of unusual events in recent years caused ozone holes that lasted longer.
The Montreal Protocol, which came into force just four years after the ozone hole was discovered in 1985, has been enormously successful in preventing many ozone-depleting gases from entering the atmosphere.
But the hole will continue to open each year for at least another four decades because of the long lifetimes of gases emitted last century.
Ozone depletion is also linked with climate change, and there are other emerging issues which could affect ozone recovery. These include more frequent mega-wildfires due to climate change, emissions from rocket launches and more satellite debris burning up in the upper atmosphere.
All this indicates ozone depletion is far from a solved problem.
Why ozone matters
Most atmospheric ozone resides in the stratosphere, at around 10-50km above Earth's surface, where it absorbs the sun's ultraviolet-B rays.
In New Zealand and Australia, summertime peak UV levels are highersometimes by as much as 30%than at comparable latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.
This is due to lower levels of air pollution, slightly lower ozone amounts historically and proximity to the sun, which is closer during Southern Hemisphere summers.
New Zealand and Australia also have the highest melanoma rates in the world. This is partly because of the higher UV levels, but there are other contributing factors, including improved diagnosis due to increased awareness.
If the Montreal Protocol had not been implemented, melanoma rates would be significantly higher today.
How the ozone hole contributes to climate change
Even though most ozone-depleting gases are now banned, it will take decades before they are gone from the stratosphere.
Space debris re-entering Earths atmosphere could contribute to ozone depletion. Credit: NASA, CC BY-SA
In the meantime, the ozone hole continues to form above Antarctica each spring, causing cascading changes in temperature, winds and rainfall patterns across the Southern Hemisphere.
Ozone depletion causes the prevailing westerly winds at southern mid-latitudes (the "Roaring Forties") to strengthen and shift toward Antarctica during summertime. This has increased surface melting on Antarctic ice shelves and is changing summertime rainfall and temperature patterns in New Zealand and Australia.
While the ozone hole drives climate change, protection and recovery of the ozone layer has additional benefits for the climate.
Many ozone-depleting gases, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are also potent greenhouse gases. By phasing out these gases, the Montreal Protocol has helped the world avoid a catastrophic collapse of the global ozone layer, and also limited global warming.
One study estimated the Montreal Protocol delayed the first ice-free summer in the Arctic by up to 15 years.
Ozone depletion and climate change are interlinked issues. While ozone depletion affects Southern Hemisphere climate, global ozone recovery is in turn affected by emissions of dominant greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane.
Technological innovations bring new threats
The discovery of the ozone hole in 1985 was a major surprise. While the alarm bells had been sounded in the 1970's that CFCs destroy stratospheric ozone, scientists didn't predict the existence of the large hole above Antarctica.
It was some years after the ozone hole was discovered that scientists began to understand just how ozone depletion works in the cold Antarctic stratosphere.
The Montreal Protocol is arguably the most successful environmental treaty, but the ozone story brings continual surprises. The timing of ozone recovery depends in part on future emissions but there are other contributing factors.
Recent research shows mega-wildfires such as the Australian bushfires of 2019 can contribute to ozone depletion. An increase in civilian rocket launches is expected to put more ozone-depleting gases and aerosols into the stratosphere.
Higher amounts of debris from satellite re-entry may contribute to ozone loss by introducing aerosols into the upper atmosphere.
On top of these issues come controversial "geoengineering" proposals, whereby aerosols are deliberately injected into the stratosphere to reduce the rate of global warming.
This would likely deplete ozone further and any such projects must be given careful thought, along with myriad other considerations, before such proposals are implemented.
History tells us technological innovation can bring solutions (such as the replacement of CFCs by non-ozone depleting gases) but also unanticipated consequences. Far from being a "solved" 20th-century problem, ozone remains an important issue, albeit in new and previously unimagined ways.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Experimental setup of the FSO outdoor experiments. Tunable laser source (TLS), driving amplifier (DA), arbitrary waveform generator (AWG), transmitter digital signal processing (Tx-DSP), erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA), bandpass filter (BPF), optical spectrum analyzer (OSA), polarization division multiplexing emulator (PDM), high power optical amplifier (HPOA), real time controller (RTC), deformable mirror (DFM), wafefront sensor (WFS), optical power meter (OPM), local oscillator (LO), balanced photodetector (BPD), digital storage oscilloscope (DSO), receiver digital signal processing (Rx-DSP). Credit: Laurenz Kulmer, ETH Zurich
Researchers have achieved data rates as high as 424Gbit/s across a 53-km turbulent free-space optical link using plasmonic modulatorsdevices that use special light waves called surface plasmon polaritons to control and change optical signals. The new research lays the groundwork for high-speed optical communication links that transmit data over open air or space.
Free-space-optical communication networks could aid space exploration because they can provide high-speed, high-capacity data transmission with lower latency and less interference than traditional radio frequency communication systems. This could lead to more efficient data transfer, better connectivity and enhanced capabilities for space missions.
Laurenz Kulmer from the Leuthold group of ETH Zurich will present this research at Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science (FiO LS), which will be held 2326 September 2024 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
"High-speed free-space transmission is an option to connect the world, or it may serve as a backup if underwater cables break," said Kulmer. "Nevertheless, it is also a step towards a new cheap high-speed internet that may connect all locations across the world. This way it may contribute towards a stable, high-speed internet for millions of people who are currently unconnected."
Plasmonic modulators are ideal for space communication links because they are compact while also operating at high speeds over a wide temperature range with low energy consumption.
In free-space optical outdoor experiments, the researchers achieved information rates of up to 424 Gbit/s below a 25% SD FEC thresholdthe point at which a system can still fix errors in transmitted data despite interference or noise. Experiments using a plasmonic IQ modulator in a standard fiber system achieved an even higher throughput of up to 774 Gbit/s/pol while staying below a 25% SD FEC threshold.
Based on these results, the researchers say that combining plasmonic modulators with coherent free-space optical communication could help increase overall throughput, with speeds potentially reaching 1.4 Tbit/s. The findings also show that it is favorable to operate free-space optical links at the highest speeds, rather than using higher order modulation formats and low speeds. With additional improvements in device design and photonic integration, the researchers say it should be feasible to reach polarization multiplexing data rates above 1 Tbit/s for each polarization channel.
"In a next step we are going to test the long-term reliability of our devices," said Kulmer. "High-speed performance has been shown, but we have to make sure they can operate for years to come in the harshest of environments, space."
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Inabtanin alarabia and Arambourgiania philadelphiae. Credit: Terryl Whitlatch
Some species of pterosaurs flew by flapping their wings while others soared like vultures, demonstrates a new study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
It has long been debated whether the largest pterosaurs could fly at all.
However, "remarkable" and "rare" three-dimensional fossils of two different large-bodied azhdarchoid pterosaur speciesincluding one new to sciencehave enabled scientists to hypothesize that not only could the largest pterosaurs take to the air, but their flight styles could differ too.
The new findings are led by experts from the University of Michigan, in the US; the Natural Resources Authority and Yarmouk University, in Jordan; and the Saudi Geological Survey, in Saudi Arabia.
Their paper details how these fossilswhich date back to the latest Cretaceous period (approximately 72 to 66 million years ago)were remarkably three-dimensionally preserved within the two different sites that preserve a nearshore environment on the margin of Afro-Arabia, an ancient landmass that included both Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The research team used high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans to then analyze the internal structure of the wing bones.
"The dig team was extremely surprised to find three-dimensionally preserved pterosaur bones. This is a very rare occurrence," explains lead author Dr. Kierstin Rosenbach, from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences of the University of Michigan.
"Since pterosaur bones are hollow, they are very fragile and are more likely to be found flattened like a pancake, if they are preserved at all.
"With 3D preservation being so rare, we do not have a lot of information about what pterosaur bones look like on the inside, so I wanted to CT scan them.
"It was entirely possible that nothing was preserved inside, or that CT scanners were not sensitive enough to differentiate fossil bone tissue from the surrounding matrix."
Luckily, though, what the team uncovered was "remarkable," via "exciting internal structures not only preserved, but visible in the CT scanner."
Inabtanin alarabia flaps, while Arambourgiania philadelphiae soars. Credit: Terryl Whitlatch
CT scans reveal one soars, one flaps
Newly collected specimens of the already-known giant pterosaur, Arambourgiania philadelphiae, confirm its 10-meter wingspan and provide the first details of its bone structure. CT images revealed that the interior of its humerus, which is hollow, contains a series of ridges that spiral up and down the bone.
This resembles structures in the interior of wing bones of vultures. The spiral ridges are hypothesized to resist the torsional loadings associated with soaring (sustained powered flight that requires launch and maintenance flapping).
The other specimen analyzed was the new-to-science Inabtanin alarabia, which had a five-meter wingspan. The team named it after the place where it was excavatednear a large grape-colored hill, called Tal Inab. The generic name combines the Arabic words "inab," for grape, and "tanin" for dragon. "Alarabia" refers to the Arabian Peninsula.
Inabtanin is one of the most complete pterosaurs ever recovered from Afro-Arabia, and the CT scans revealed the structure of its flight bones was completely different from that of Arambourgiania.
Dr. Kierstin Rosenbach assessing the Arambourgiania humerus with the Inabtanin material in the background. Credit: Dr. Kierstin Rosenbach
The interior of the flight bones were crisscrossed by an arrangement with struts that match those found in the wing bones of modern flapping birds.
This indicates it was adapted to resist bending loads associated with flapping flight, and so it is likely that Inabtanin flew this wayalthough this does not preclude occasional use of other flight styles too.
"The struts found in Inabtanin were cool to see, though not unusual," says Dr. Rosenbach. "The ridges in Arambourgiania were completely unexpected, we weren't sure what we were seeing at first. Being able to see the full 3D model of Arambourgiania's humerus lined with helical ridges was just so exciting."
What explains this difference?
The discovery of diverse flight styles in differently-sized pterosaurs is "exciting," the experts state, because it opens a window into how these animals lived. It also poses interesting questions, like to what extent flight style is correlated with body size and which flight style is more common among pterosaurs.
Holding the wing bones of Inabtanin, from left to right: Dr. Kierstin Rosenbach, Monique Perez and Stacy Kaneko (research assistants), and Danielle Goodvin (co-author). Credit: Dr. Kierstin Rosenbach
"There is such limited information on the internal bone structure of pterosaurs across time, it is difficult to say with certainty which flight style came first," Dr. Rosenbach adds. "If we look to other flying vertebrate groups, birds and bats, we can see that flapping is by far the most common flight behavior. Even birds that soar or glide require some flapping to get in the air and maintain flight.
"This leads me to believe that flapping flight is the default condition, and that the behavior of soaring would perhaps evolve later if it were advantageous for the pterosaur population in a specific environment; in this case the open ocean."
Co-author Professor Jeff Wilson Mantilla, Curator at Michigan's Museum of Paleontology, and Dr. Iyad Zalmout, from the Saudi Geological Survey, found these specimens in 2007 at sites in the north and south of Jordan.
Professor Jeff Wilson Mantilla says the "variations likely reflect responses to mechanical forces applied on the pterosaurs' wings during flight."
Enabling further study of vertebrate flight
Concluding, Dr. Rosenbach states, "Pterosaurs were the earliest and largest vertebrates to evolve powered flight, but they are the only major volant group that has gone extinct. Attempts to-date to understand their flight mechanics have relied on aerodynamic principles and analogy with extant birds and bats.
"This study provides a framework for further investigation of the correlation between internal bone structure and flight capacity and behavior, and will hopefully lead to broader sampling of flight bone structure in pterosaur specimens."
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
With temperatures across much of Southern California crossing triple digits this week, we are relying more than ever on plants to keep us cool outside. But the plants don't get much of a break from the relentless sun.
How founded are fears that one of our main sources of shade might not make it through the heat wave? Three UC Riverside faculty experts weigh in on how the weather affects our flora.
Why should people consider what happens to plants during a heat wave?
Amir Verdi, associate professor of agricultural and urban water management: There are three main mechanisms through which urban greenery contributes to cooling the environment: providing shade, reflecting sunlight, and using energy for transpiration that would otherwise increase air temperature. Transpiration is the process by which plants give off water vapor through openings called stomata in their leaves.
Nonetheless, plants have limited capacity to alleviate the urban heat island effect, which causes cities to experience much warmer temperatures than nearby rural areas. Therefore, people should be very careful during heat waves since extreme heat can cause significant health issues.
When it is, say, 105 outside, what is the temperature of our plant canopies? Are they the same temperature as the air?
Verdi: Our data shows that when plants are not irrigated, or are under prolonged water conservation, their canopy temperature is higher than the air temperature, especially close to solar noon. This is because transpiration is the primary cooling mechanism for plants, which require readily available water in their root zone.
However, we also have data indicating that canopy temperature varies across plant species. Much of our data comes from groundcovers and turfgrass species. Trees, on the other hand, are different since they provide shade, which is their main mechanism for cooling.
What are the chances most of our green landscapes will make it through this week?
Verdi: In general, if irrigated landscape plants receive enough water to meet their requirements, they should be able to withstand heat waves.
Can you explain some differences between air and surface temperatures, and why that difference matters?
Darrel Jenerette, professor, Department of Botany and Plant Sciences and director of UCR's Center for Conservation Biology: Surface temperature is measured using a radiometric approach basically an infrared thermometer. It is measured by handheld devices, drone cameras, planes, and satellites. It is a measurement of the outer layer of a material: rooftops of buildings, the top layer of soil, or exposed leaves. Air temperature is measured at a height of 2 meters above the ground.
It is important for plants, as knowing surface temperature is a good measure of the actual leaf and has consequences for photosynthesis as well as water loss. More water loss through the stomata cools the leaves. It's also important for people to know about surface temps in that they are an indicator of the overall thermal environment and are components of the total heat load on a person.
Compared to air temperature, surface temperature is more spatially and temporally variable. For both, there is a lot of ongoing research trying to uncover how the thermal environment affects people. Not surprisingly, it's complicated but no matter how you measure it, over 100F is hot.
During episodes of extreme heat, we go indoors. What happens to plants, which cannot do the same?
Francesca Hopkins, associate professor of climate change and sustainability: At some point, plants are going to simply shut down. It varies with species of plant and what they've been acclimatized to. But it's safe to say many plants shut down at 105. At various tipping points, plants close their stomata and stop photosynthesis. They're trying to hold on to water, so they don't use their energy for anything else.
Under extreme heat, evaporation increases and things dry out. This increase is not linear. It is exponential.
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David Smolansky. Credit: David Smolansky
Venezuela has been ruled by dictators for nearly a quarter of a century, first under Hugo Chavez, and now under his protege, Nicolas Maduro. Their regimes have suppressed free speech, throttled the economy, committed untold human rights violations, and, in typical dictator fashion, ignored election results to remain in power. Maduro recently ran for reelection against Edmundo Gonzalez, a stand-in for opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was arbitrarily banned from running by the government.
Exit polls indicate that the incredibly popular Gonzalez beat Maduro by 30 points, yet on July 28, Maduro declared himself the winner. In more than a month since, his government has provided no proof of victory, but has cracked down on dissent, arresting around 2,000 protestors.
The SNF Agora's Dissident in Residence, David Smolansky, has firsthand experience with Maduro's oppressive governance. Before seeking refuge in the United States, the native Venezuelan was elected mayor of El Hatillo, one of the five municipalities in Venezuela's capital, Caracas, in 2013. During his mayoral tenure, he reduced kidnappings in his district by 84%, gained recognition for establishing one of the most transparent local governments in Venezuela, and used his platform to condemn the Maduro administration.
In 2017, an illegal warrant was issued for his arrest.
"Since [my administration] was a complete contrast to the corrupt regime, they probably saw me as a threat," Smolansky explains. "I was projected to be reelected when they illegally removed me from office. Our local government had a 74% approval rating."
Smolansky had no choice but to flee Venezuela for the U.S., but exile hasn't deterred him in his fight for democracy. He was appointed special envoy to address the Venezuelan migration and refugee crisis, one of the largest in the world, by the secretary-general of the Organization of American States. He serves as deputy director of the ConVzla Campaign in Washington, D.C., leading the diaspora movement in 77 cities around the world to vote for Maria Corina Machado in the primary election and leading diplomatic efforts in the U.S. capital.
The Hub spoke with Smolansky to learn more about how the recent election's results will reverberate in Venezuela and beyond.
For readers who may be unfamiliar with Maduro, can you explain who he is?
Well, Maduro is a brutal dictator. There's no other way to say it. He has an open investigation for committing crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court. In 2013, after [former Venezuelan dictator] Hugo Chavez died, we had a presidential election that Maduro stole. Then we had a legitimate election in 2018 whose results [Maduro winning] were not recognized by 60 countries across the world [due to many opposition candidates being barred from running].
Most recently, Maduro was "reelected" on July 28 against all odds. Even though it likely would not be transparent and fair, we wanted to have that election to prove that Maduro was completely alone, that the vast majority of Venezuela wanted change. At least 70% of Venezuelans voted against Maduro and for our presidential candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, who was supported by the Democratic opposition. But they're not recognizing the results.
So that's who Maduro is. When I say he has committed crimes against humanity, I want to be very explicit: He led the extrajudicial killing of 20,000 Venezuelans. He is responsible for 8 million people who have fled the country in one of the largest migrations of refugees. He is responsible for tortures that have been reflected in reports by the United Nations and the Organization of American States. He is one of the most dangerous dictators in the world right now.
Were you surprised by the election results, or did you have a feeling something like this might happen?
I was not surprised that the vast majority of Venezuela [voted for] change, because Venezuelans have suffered so much. Just to put it in a nutshell, what is Venezuela right now? Eight million people have fled the country according to the World Food Program; 9.3 million Venezuelans, or one out of every three people in the country, are food insecurethe largest population in the Western Hemisphere in that situation. Our economy has been reduced 75% during the last decade, [a number that's] only comparable with countries that have been through war. And the level of corruption in Venezuela compared to other countries is one of the worst in the world.
So no, I was not surprised that the vast majority want to live in a nation with democracy, freedom, and access to justice. But what was really striking, and at the same time very important for us, is that even though we had an election that was not transparent, not free, not fair, we took that opportunity to mobilize millions to express peacefully that we want someone different in the palace.
We were not surprised that [Maduro's government] has not recognized the election results. And [at the time of this interview] more than 1,300 people have been illegally detained [for protesting], though the regime claims more than 2,000. More than 20 [protestors] have been killed. Thousands have had their passports canceled. Maduro promised during the campaign that if he loses, there will be a bloodbath in Venezuela. And basically that's what he's doing. But we're still protesting nonviolently in the streets, [advocating for] diplomatic efforts to have Maduro sit at a negotiating table to accept the result, and hoping to facilitate a transition.
Dictators are typically vulnerable to overthrow when the economy is doing poorly and public support is low, but these factors, despite being present, don't seem to be affecting Maduro. What would it take to have him removed from power?
The armed forces need to step up. They need to stop repressing innocent Venezuelans, obey the constitution, and respect what the vast majority [voted for] a couple of weeks ago. If the armed forces behave institutionally, I am convinced that Maduro is done.
How will the election results affect the refugee crisis in Venezuela?
If we have a transition [of power], I think migration will decrease. And we could create incentives for many people who have fled to come back, because many people want to go back for two reasons: One, to be reunited with their families, and two, to be part of the rebuilding of the country. But if Maduro prevails by force, unfortunately, I predict that we could have a new migration wave. We could see one or two million people desperately fleeing from Venezuela to other countries in the region, and they will try to come to the U.S., as they have done during the last three years.
How do you think the United States should respond to this election?
Strongly and firmly. What Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken said recently was very important: that he recognized that Edmundo Gonzalez won the presidential election. We need the U.S. to be a strong voice condemning the human rights violations going on in Venezuela. They should consider individual sanctions for those responsible for committing illegal detentions, extrajudicial killings, and tortures.
It seems unlikely that the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine will be solved before the November election, but Venezuela's issues could potentially be resolved before November. I've always said that the situation in Venezuela will be solved by Venezuela, but it needs to be accompanied by the international community.
How might a new government change Venezuela?
A peaceful transition in Venezuela with the restoration of democracy will be not only good for Venezuela, but for the whole region. The longer Maduro stays, the more people are going to flee, which means democratic systems in the region will be more vulnerable and transnational crime will continue.
We [who oppose Maduro] have done everything that politics allows. We had an election that was not free and fair. We won by a landslide. We were able to prove that we won through poll watchers and voting tallies. And then we were able to share proof so everyone could see the results. We hope that the international community will be with us in these difficult moments, and that the armed forces behave constitutionally, step up, and respect what the majority of Venezuelans want.
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Alex and Jennifer are studying sable shearwaters to understand how plastic pollution is affecting wild seabirds. Credit: Justin Gilligan/The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London
Researchers have proposed that the common name for the seabird the "flesh-footed shearwater" should be changed to sable shearwater in a bid to redress its racist origin.
There's been an ongoing debate among biologists about the naming of species.
This has largely focused on animals and plants named after people who have done reprehensible things. So far, this has resulted in the American Ornithological Society committing to changing the common names for all bird species in North America that are named after people. Plant scientists are also making changes, having recently voted to set up a council to oversee and veto potentially offensive names going forward.
But the issue of naming species is not just restricted to those named for people who were racist or committed genocide. There are also some that might be named for particular slurs, or in the case of the flesh-footed shearwater, the color of their skin.
"The problem with the existing common name, the flesh-footed shearwater, is that it refers to the color of their feet, which are very white," explains Dr. Alex Bond, Principal Curator in Charge of Birds at the Natural History Museum. "There's been some debate about whether that's what was intended, or whether the name was meant to mean 'meaty.'"
"But I think it's really quite clear from John Gould's original 1844 description that he's using it in the context of color. So that's obviously problematic in much the same way that the Crayola crayon color 'flesh' was replaced in the 1960s or having plasters that are only one shade."
For the past two decades, Alex and his colleague Dr. Jennifer Lavers have been studying these shearwatersknown scientifically as Ardenna carneipesat one of their nesting colonies on Lord Howe Island, off the eastern coast of Australia. They have revealed that the birds are the most plastic-contaminated species in the world and consequently described the new disease plasticosis.
As a result of their long association with the birds, Alex and Jennifer have proposed changing the common name of the shearwater. But in doing so they came upon some hurdles, making the seabirds an interesting case study for the process of changing a name.
How to rename a species
When it comes to deciding on a new name, perhaps the most obvious place to start would be with where the bird comes from. But for migratory species like the shearwater this poses a problem.
"The default that I think a lot of people will go to is to pick an Indigenous name," says Alex. "But the challenge for birds like the shearwaters is that they span hundreds of linguistic and cultural groups across two hemispheres. So where do you pick?"
One answer could have been to use the language spoken where the species' largest breeding site is located. But for the flesh-footed shearwater, this is Lord Howe Island, which was never previously inhabited by any indigenous groups. Naming it after the island itself would have been equally problematic as it is named for a British naval officer.
The place where a specimen of this species was first collected was also ruled out. That was on St Alouarn Island, Western Australia, which is named after Francois de Saint Alouarn, a French navigator who visited the Cape Leeuwin area in 1772 and claimed the region for France.
Another consideration that Alex and Jennifer took into account was the extra labor that science can put on the very communities they are trying to respect.
"There is a challenge of western scientists increasingly wanting to indigenize their science and putting a lot of burden on Indigenous communities and elders in particular," says Alex. "Sometimes that's moderated with financial compensation as people are paid for their time, but sometimes it isn't."
"You can't just rock up and say, 'tell me the Indigenous name for this thing!' because that's very extractive and that's exactly what we're trying to avoid."
Instead, they decided to focus on its appearance. This raised another problem as there are multiple similar-looking species of shearwaters. Alex and Jennifer had to navigate around already existing common names including the pink-footed shearwater, Ardenna creatopus, and the sooty shearwater, Ardenna grisea.
As a result, they got a little more creative, settling on the sable shearwater. The name has a double meaning, referring not only to the birds' dark black-brown plumage, but also the sandy substrate in which they nest.
While each situation will be different, Alex hopes that the case of the sable shearwater can be used to highlight the difficulties that can arise from renaming species, but also how they can be overcome.
This story is republished courtesy of Natural History Museum. Read the original story here.
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Ice sheets covered the entire planet during the Cryogenian period. Credit: NASA
More than 700 million years ago, the Earth was plunged into a state that geologists call "snowball Earth", when our planet was entirely encased in ice. This happened when the polar ice caps expanded so far that they joined up around the equator.
Several lines of evidence show that the snowball Earth happened, but we have previously lacked rocks showing the landscape entering this big freeze. We may now have found this on tiny islands known as the Garvellachs, off the west coast of Scotland.
Sedimentary rocks are in layers that can record major events on Earth. For example, there's a clear boundary 66 million years ago where rocks contain unusually high concentrations of the element iridium, which is often found in meteorites. This boundary marks the asteroid impact at Chicxulub in Mexico that wiped out most dinosaurs (sparing only birds).
This is an example of a global boundary stratotype section and point (GSSP): a representative point, which can be anywhere in the world, of rocks that mark the onset of a key episode in geological history. At these reference points, a "golden spike" is driven into the rocks to mark the boundary (although in practice the spike may just be a plaque).
Our new research shows that the rocks in the Garvallachs are an excellent candidate for a GSSP marking the onset of the Cryogenian period, about 717 million years ago. This period, which broadly coincides with the snowball Earth, is actually split into two global ice ages: the Sturtian glaciation (or freeze) and the Marinoan glaciation. Our GSSP would act as a reference point for the Sturtian glaciation.
Once the home of monks, the islands are now uninhabited apart from scientists who visit every summer to study their rocky shorelines. These include Anthony (Tony) Spencer who has been leading geological expeditions there for decades. Tony published a key work in 1971 showing that the rocks preserve evidence of an ancient glaciation. However, opinions varied over which ice age in Earth history they were connected with.
Beginning in 2021, and with Tony's help, we began to analyze these rocks, as well as their underlying platform, which is made of minerals known as carbonates. Intriguingly, the carbonate layers beneath the surface rocks that record the glaciation seem to transition seamlessly into the glacial layers, suggesting that there is no missing time gap between the two rock units.
In terms of climate, this can be interpreted as warm seas, full of bacterial life, gradually transitioning into a frigid climate, before huge ice sheets scraped over the once tropical shoals.
Elsewhere on Earth, this pivotal transition into the Cryogenian period appears to have been removed by the erosive power of glaciation, resulting in a gap in the record. The Garvellachs are therefore potentially unique, as long as the Cryogenian age can be proved.
Our research team collected samples of sandstone from the 1.1km-thick Port Askaig formation as well as from the older, 70m-thick carbonate platform beneath.
We analyzed tiny, extremely durable minerals in the rock called "zircons." These can be precisely dated as they contain the radioactive element uranium, which changes into (decays) lead at a steady and known rate. The zircons, together with other geochemical evidence, indicate that the rocks were deposited between 720 and 662 million years ago.
So the Port Askaig formation was likely laid down during the roughly 60 million-year-long Sturtian glaciation.
The Earth is thought to have been covered in ice quite swiftly, over thousands of years, because of something called the "albedo effect"with more ice, more sunlight is reflected back into space, and vice versa.
Complex life
The new age constraints may provide the evidence needed for the site to be declared as a GSSP for the start of the Cryogenian period. There are only 12 other period GSSPs around the world, as they commemorate such exceptional geological events. A Cryogenian GSSP in Scotland would mark the moment when thick ice sheets first reached what were then tropical latitudes.
By comparison, even at the most extreme point of the last ice age, the ice sheets only ever covered 8% of the globe, and then for only a fraction of the time represented by the Sturtian ice age.
The Cryogenian glaciations also represent a critical moment in the history of life. Molecular and fossil evidence suggests that the Cryogenian period witnessed the development of the first complex, multicellular life. For billions of years prior to this period, single-celled organisms dominated. After the Cryogenian period, animal and algal based ecosystems began to emerge.
One theory is that the way that the uneven ice cover isolated ecosystems from each other created ideal laboratories for biological experimentation. Whatever the cause, the sudden retreat of the ice would have been catastrophic, following tens of millions of years of steady adaptation. From the life that survived this came the ancestors of all animals, including ourselves.
This new study, as well as the ongoing research by Tony Spencer and his team, will pave the way toward a new understanding of this enigmatic time. It could allow us to finally find out what caused the snowball Earth and what this can tell us about the climate system.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
In her 2016 bestselling book "Strangers in Their Own Land," UC Berkeley sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild proposed that everyone has a "deep story"a narrative about one's life and the world that's based more on emotion than facts, a story that feels true.
For Tea Party conservatives who gave rise to Donald Trump nearly a decade ago, their shared deep story was focused on the American Dream. That dream was just over the hill, they told themselves. But the line approaching it was not moving. Then, refugees, women and people of color jumped ahead, and President Barack Obama's policies encouraged them to cut in line. Meanwhile, white men without college degrees stood still and grew more resentful by the day.
Now, eight years later, Hochschild's new book "Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame and the Rise of the Right" proposes that the deep story explaining Trump's continued support needs a new chapter.
In it are two bullies, she writes, recounting a more recent conversation with a mayor in the heart of Appalachia. There's the ominous bad bullya group that includes the Democratic Party, the Justice Department, CNNthat pushes around the downtrodden and encourages line-cutting. And there's a good bullyTrumpwho arrives to battle against an expanding list of enemies.
"The 'they' has grown larger," Hochschild told UC Berkeley News last week, and Trump has taken on and embraced being their "shame shield."
This role plays out in a seemingly endless, four-step loop, said Hochschild. First, he says something provocative or outrageous. Politicians and the media who represent the bad bully shame him for saying it. Trump emerges as the victim who's been hurt by their insults or censored. Then, Hochchild said, Trump "roars against the shamers."
This anti-shame ritual wasn't just a show that Trump's followers watched, she writes: "He continually invited his followers into it."
'Stolen Pride' expands on 'Strangers'
While it continues some themes from her 2016 book, which took place in Louisiana, "Stolen Pride" (out Sept. 10) spans a range of distinctly Trump-era events and Biden-era policies from 2017 until earlier this year.
When she began researching the book in 2017, Hochschild homed in on Kentucky's 5th Congressional District, the whitest and second-poorest in the country. In the heart of once-booming coal country, 80% of voters there supported Democrat Bill Clinton's presidential win in 1996. The region has since swung in the opposite direction80% of voters supported Trump for president in 2020.
The forces behind the political shift and the economic hardships fascinated Hochschild. Books written by Hochschild, a renowned Berkeley sociologist and former civil rights organizer, have explored society's largest changes and challenges, from the expansion of women in the workforce to the emotional labor of service work.
She's become a go-to voice explaining the rise of the anti-government Tea Party, and more recently, the staying power of Trumpism.
She had some ideas based on her earlier work. White voters older than 25 without bachelor's degrees account for 42% of Americans. Theirs has been a unique story of economic and social loss, Hochschild said. While Black people without bachelor's degrees are poorer overall, they've seen some wage growth and economic improvements. White people, meanwhile, have been sliding down, especially in Appalachia, where coal mine jobs evaporated and the opioid crisis hit hardest.
"What's going on in a region like this that would make pride and shame especially relevant?" Hochschild remembered wondering when she arrived in Pikeville, Kentucky, in 2017.
'Perfect storm'
She'd barely begun exploring that question when she realized she'd walked into a confluence of disruptive events. Coal jobs had been leaving. An opioid crisis had been coming in.
And then in April 2017, Matthew Heimbach, a known white nationalist organizer who'd helped to lead a violent rally in Sacramento in 2016 was planning a march through the heart of Pikeville. Hochschild observed how tensions, already high after the 2016 election, were ratcheting up.
Where many saw the April 2017 march as another sign of surging right-wing extremism, she saw it as a confluence of events paired with social dynamics and the participants' feeling of lossof something having been stolen.
"I thought, 'Oh, no. I'm looking at a perfect storm,'" she said. So she interviewed all parties involved: the "perpetrators," the protectors (town leaders), the potential victims (a Black civil servant, a Holocaust survivor, and an imam). She interviewed "faces in the crowd," top to bottom and politically side to side.
That storm anchors the first half of the book, and as it turns out, was a prelude to the Charlottesville march later that year. Also interviewed repeatedly is Heimbach, a right-wing extremist who organized the rally at age 27. He and Hochschild talked about his German and Irish heritage, his adoration of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and how Star Wars partly inspired his extremist beliefs and his adamant refusal to accept shame.
Over the decade-plus that Hochschild, now 84, has spent researching anti-government and right-wing extremists, she has pondered the proverb that says, "If there is no wood, the fire goes out."
"You have Donald Trump, who is the match," she said. "But matches don't catch on everywhere."
While Hochschild interviewed peopleprimarily menwho celebrated their careers with pride and devout, up-by-your-bootstraps individualism, the inverse was also true. If the coal mine went out of business because of automation, offshoring or macroeconomic forces, her interviewees viewed their job losses as profoundly personal failings to be ashamed of.
Imbued with a more individualism-focused notion of pride, members of lower-income, less-educated communities are more likely to internalize job loss as a personal failing, she said. By contrast, more educated people had a more circumstance-focused notion of pride.
"You've got the people who were hardest on themselves in the toughest economies," Hochschild said, "and people who are easier on themselves in a more prosperous economy."
Shame was the animating force beneath the fire that was lit in Kentucky. Paradoxically, although most of the townspeople rejected Heimbach as "too extreme," and he later recanted much of what he said, many in town also came to support Trump, whose rhetoric increasingly veered toward that of Heimbach.
Many of Hochschild's sources came to believe that the jobs and self-worth they'd lost were actually stolen, much like how Trump led millions to believe the 2020 election had been taken from him.
A career seeking common ground
"Stolen Pride" is Hochschild's 10th book, and the latest chapter of a career spent understanding and advocating for marginalized or overlooked groups. Hochschild sees the ongoing support for Trump as a "Thermidorian reaction to all the things I ever stood for and worked for."
"The first part of my career looked like it was building on values [of equity and justice]," she said. "And in the second, I'm looking at the reaction against those values."
A professor emerita, she said she credits her success to her decades with Berkeley's Department of Sociology, a place she calls her "moral home." It's where she said she learned the importance of turning off her "alarm system" when interviewing people with views in direct opposition to her own.
While in deep-red eastern Kentucky, amid a swirl of 2020 election conspiracies there, she recalled the reactions she received when she introduced herself to conservative locals as a professor from Berkeley.
"There's no worse credential in the world, from their point of view," she laughed. "One man said, 'Well, you know, there are a lot of stereotypes about us hillbillies here in Appalachia.'"
Hochschild said she'd smile and pause, then say, "Yeah. I know there are a lot of stereotypes about people from Berkeley, California."
In that rare moment within a deeply polarized America, they'd both laugh. They had at least one thing in common. And that, she said, remains a core pursuit of her workregardless of how challenging the topic or how much the rhetoric and policy may be an affront to her own beliefs.
"I'm always trying to reach for what we have in common," she said.
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The Poplar Island project plans to restore the island to roughly its 1847 footprint. Photo: Maryland Environmental Service. Credit: NOAA Headquarters
NOAA scientists are collaborating with some unique partners to learn more about how several Chesapeake Bay species use natural and restored areas near Poplar Island, on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
The partners? Nearly 400 fish.
We have caught, tagged, and released fish to help us learn how they use restored marshes at Poplar Island compared with how they use natural habitat nearby in Back Creek.
Our "partner" fish carry transmitter tags, which are about the size and shape of a pill capsule. Our team carefully implants the tags into the fish. After being caught and measured, we transfer the fish into a bin with water from the same location where they were caught.
Our trained specialist creates a small incision, inserts the tag, and then stitches the incision closed. Only fish that are longer than 8 inches are eligible to carry a tag. Then the fish is returned to the same location where it was caught.
We have tagged white perch, red drum, croaker, gizzard shad, striped bass, spot, and American eel. The tags report whenever the fish swims near one of the 15 telemetry receivers in Back Creek, 77 receivers at Poplar Island, or other telemetry receivers in the Chesapeake Bay or beyond. We download the data from the receivers twice each year, and our fisheries biologists then analyze it.
So far, scientists from the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office have tagged 120 fish in Back Creek. Experts from NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science have tagged 300 fish at Poplar Island. The number and diversity of fish tagged should give us a full picture of how they use these areas.
The research will help us understand how these fish use different marsh habitats such as creeks, ponds, edges, and the places where creeks meet the open waters of the Bay. We'll explore how fish use restored areas at Poplar Island and at natural wetlands at Back Creek.
Findings will help us inform resource managers about which designs fish prefer. Then the people who develop the engineering plans will know which features to include in future restoration projects to provide better fish habitat. We'll also learn more about whether the restored areas are as successful as the natural sites at providing habitat for key species.
The tagging and telemetry project complements other research into where and when fish use human-made and natural habitat near Poplar Island. The project will continue for two years. The team is already analyzing initial results. Full analysis and publications are expected by spring 2026.
Scientists at the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office are monitoring fish at the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem Restoration Project at Poplar Island. They plan to conduct field work three times each year (generally, in April, July, and October). They'll keep tabs on how different species of fish may be using habitat in and around Poplar Island. They are seeing indications that restored marsh areas may be providing nursery habitat for some species.
The team tracks down a sampling site in the pre-dawn hours. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office
How to restore an entire island
Back in the mid-1800s, Poplar Island was more than 1,000 acres. In the early 1900s, it was home to a community of about 100 people. But it gradually fell victim to severe erosion, and by the early 1990s, the island had shrunk to only 4 acres.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland's Port Administration, and other agencies recognized that the loss of Poplar Island meant the loss of remote island habitat. At the same time, they realized that material dredged from the shipping channels leading into Baltimore Harbor needed to go somewhere. The result? A win-win situation.
Rebuilding Poplar Island is a massive construction project, under way since the mid-1990s. The project, still in progress, uses material dredged from the shipping channels into Baltimore Harbor to restore lost island habitat.
As the project progresses, new "cells" are created to receive the dredged material. Each cell is created to include features like creeks, high marsh, low marsh, and upland areas, in order to provide healthy habitat for Bay species. As we face a changing climate, restored habitat such as this becomes even more important to support healthy fish populations.
Tracking fish use of restored and reference areas
Fish use habitat 24 hours a day, so the field work to determine which fish use which areas goes on 24 hours a day, too. Each restored marsh cell is monitored for five years. Monitoring is currently under way in three of the completed cells at Poplar Island (three sites in each of the three cells).
Sampling also takes place at three reference sites on the mainland near Tilghman Island. The reference sites were selected to get an idea of how fish might have used areas on Poplar Island before it eroded.
In each location, the team deploys both fyke nets and gill nets. Fyke nets are set against a marshy edge at high tide and retrieved at low tide. Scientists record the species caught, how many of each kind of fish, and how big they are. The gill nets are used in marsh channels and ponds, and are fished overnight for 12 to 14 hours. Fish caught in the gill nets are also tracked for species, number, and length.
As the team conducts this sampling work over time, they will be able to track trends in how different species use the different areas.
Species collected in the fyke nets in the marshy areas include mummichog, silversides, sheepshead minnow, spot, and striped killifish. The gill nets in more open waters collected a slightly different set of species including menhaden, gizzard shad, spot, striped bass, and white perch.
In general, the reference sites caught a greater variety of species than did the recently restored areas. In analyzing the data, the scientists noticed that more juvenile spot (12 inches long) were collected in the restored marshes than at the reference sites. This may indicate that the marsh cells on Poplar Island can provide significant nursery habitat for this species.
Monitoring will continue to track the health of newly restored habitat at Poplar Island, and to learn more about how fish species are using these areas. Some of this work will include using acoustic telemetry to track tagged fish. This is similar to work we do in other parts of the Chesapeake Bay. We look forward to learning more about how fish use this newly restored habitat.
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Taiwan Cetacean Society official Wu En-Hua (left) uses an inflatable whale to demonstrate to a volunteer how best to handle a stranded animal during a training session in New Taipei City.
Taiwanese volunteers gathered around a large inflatable whale as they learned how to help beached sea mammalsan increasingly common sight across the island.
More than 100 dolphins and whales now wash up on Taiwan's beaches every year, a sharp rise over the past decade, according to researchers.
After spotting a beached mammal, volunteers at a recent training run by the Taiwan Cetacean Society (TCS) were told not to push the mammals back into the sea, but to immediately call the coast guard with their precise location.
The coast guard works with groups like TCS in emergency operations that often include trained volunteers.
TCS secretary-general Tseng Cheng-tsung said he gradually developed "a sense of mission" after participating in multiple rescues, which inspired him to get a master's degree in marine biology.
"Many people like to get close to nature and protect it," he said.
Saleswoman Joanna Hung, 36, joined the training after seeing "rather bloody footage" of a plastic straw being pulled out of the nose of a rescued turtle.
"If we haven't come to class, we would act on our own ideas which may cause more harm if we don't have the right knowledge," she told AFP.
"I want to try my best to help them survive," she said.
Volunteers help to measure the heart beats of a stranded dwarf sperm whale on Zhuangwei beach in Yilan during a stranding in July 2024.
'Marine military activity'
Taiwan began reporting an uptick of stranded animals around 2016, when 90 were found ashore, a jump from a few dozen in previous years, said Yang Wei-cheng, an expert on cetacean conservation at National Taiwan University.
He pointed to environmental changes such as the rise of sea surface temperature and human activities that cause noise and other pollution as reasons for the increase.
Lindsay Porter, the vice chair of the International Whaling Commission's scientific committee, said the highest cause of death for all cetacean species worldwide is bycatch, the accidental capture of marine life by fishing gear such as nets and fishing hooks.
"Strandings numbers may increase if fishing practises change," she said, explaining that coastal construction projects could "cause fishing vessels to abandon those areas" and move to new spots.
Porter added that increasing underwater noise, such as from marine military activity, could also be a factor.
"Noise levels associated with marine military activity can be particularly loud and intense and have been shown elsewhere to cause mortality as well as hearing impairment in cetaceans," she said.
In recent years, Taiwan has seen a significant increase in military activity from Chinawhich considers the democratic island as part of its territoryas Beijing regularly sends in naval vessels, fighter jets, and drones to press its claims.
Volunteers attend a lecture by the Taiwan Cetacean Society to learn about the right way to rescue stranded whales.
While the causes of Taiwan's strandings remain unclear, Porter said the data gathered on the island was genuine rather than an increase in reporting frequency.
Weather could also be a factor. After Typhoon Gaemi hit Taiwan in late July, 15 dolphins, whales and turtles washed up on beaches across the island in just two weeks, according to data from TCS.
Usually, less than 10 beached mammals are reported every month between June and September, TCS said.
Community rescue
Two days after Typhoon Gaemi made landfall in Taiwan, a beached dwarf sperm whale was found on the shores of northeastern Yilan county.
The mammal was still breathing when TCS vets worked quickly to move it on a tarp as volunteers poured water over it. But when they tried to move the animal using an excavator, it died.
Transporting it "caused it quite a bit of stress so it held its breath for more than 10 minutes and died", said Hsiao Shun-ting, the vet on scene.
According to TCS, the majority of the stranded cetaceans in Taiwan dieeither because they were already sick when they were beached or from the stress of returning them to the ocean.
Volunteers from the Taiwan Cetacean Society use a digger to try and move a stranded dwarf sperm whale.
"People often ask us this question... Is it worth it?" marine biologist Tseng said.
But he said the wins were unforgettablesuch as when a beached 400 kilogram (nearly 900 pounds) false killer whale was released back into the ocean.
The operation to save the 3.15 meter creature took nine days and cost more than $6,000, Tseng said.
More than 500 volunteers and 100 civil servants helped out, he said.
He hoped that those who attended the training would pass the love and knowledge of sea animals on to their friends and families.
"I think these people will slowly influence others around them... and help move Taiwan's marine conservation work forward," he said.
2024 AFP
Schools in the Rapid City Area School District and Douglas School District were placed under lockdown Thursday following threats made on social media.
Law enforcement responded swiftly, with Stevens High School first reporting the threat.
At approximately 11:00 a.m., a social media post depicting a firearm circulated among students, prompting a School Resource Officer at Stevens High School to place the school on secure status. As a precaution, other schools, including West Middle School, Canyon Lake, Meadowbrook, and Pinedale Elementary, followed.
Captain Dustin Morrison of the Pennington County Sheriff's Office confirmed multiple individuals connected to the threat had been detained, and no students were harmed.
"The information came from Stevens High School, and we acted quickly, placing the school on secure status. We're always going to err on the side of caution," Morrison said.
Douglas School District officials reported entering secure status shortly after being notified of the threat. In a statement, the school district said the importance of following safety protocols and asked families not to come to the schools during such situations to avoid disrupting law enforcement efforts.
By 1:40 p.m., secure status had been lifted from all schools in both districts, and operations resumed as usual. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and law enforcement is continuing to assess the credibility of the threat, which originated on Facebook.
Despite the disruption, all students and staff were reported safe throughout the ordeal.
Then, around 3:30 p.m., law enforcement was again dispatched to Stevens High School. A single caller reported gunshots were heard from inside the school. A School Resource Officer was present and a large number of law enforcement officers responded. Stevens was thoroughly cleared and the report is determined to be unfounded, the Pennington County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.
Local law enforcement continues investigating the incidents, urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.